The Observer, Volume LIV, Issue 4, 9/16/22

USG debates scrapping Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor

The main job of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) of Case Western Reserve University is to rep resent the interests of the student body to the administration. To address the various needs of CWRU students, much of USG’s work is broken down into different committees, all with dif ferent focuses and all headed by dif ferent vice presidents. Currently, the committees consist of Finance, Aca demic Affairs, Student Life, Commu nications and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). However, if proposed amend ments to the USG constitution go into effect, the D&I Committee may no longer exist.

Currently the D&I Committee ex ists to seek, advocate for and resolve concerns of marginalized students and promote an inclusive campus. The D&I Committee works closely with the administration, campus offices and student organizations to ensure these values remain steadfast within our community. The committee is headed by the Vice President of D&I who is responsible for pursuing this advo cacy and facilitating the collaboration between all aforementioned entities.

The VP’s role centers around gather ing feedback from the student body and pursuing advocacy as it relates to this feedback. Currently the position is unfilled, with elections happening at the next General Assembly.

This all sounds good on paper, but the D&I committee has historically been understaffed. Since participation in specific committees is voluntary for USG representatives, representatives often drop out mid-semester to switch

to other committees. This often leads to the VP of D&I being overworked and unable to effectively complete the tasks that the university requires of the committee. USG President Anan ya Hari contends that in order to truly promote these values, D&I’s organi zational structure must be overhauled. Instead of having a single committee focusing on the needs of disempow ered and vulnerable student groups, she feels that every committee should be trying to promote these needs.

“[D&I is] not isolated to one sec tor of campus,” Hari says. She then went on to say that while other com mittees have specific focuses, such as the Academic Affairs committee only dealing with issues in the academic sphere, “D&I affects every aspect of campus … It is impossible for one person to be well connected enough to handle all the issues that fall under D&I.”

“I want to ensure that all D&I is sues are being handled with the ut most efficiency by maximizing USG involvement. I think each VP should be responsible for promoting D&I ini tiatives in their own sphere of influ ence. A VP of Student Life is better connected with the administration to handle D&I initiatives that fall un der the student life domain. A VP of Academic Affairs is better connected with the administration to handle D&I initiatives that fall under the academic sphere. A VP of Finance should be re sponsible for ensuring that clubs are promoting D&I.”

To this end, the USG constitution will also be amended to say that “The

standing committees of [t]he Un dergraduate Student [G]overnment shall actively promote the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion at all times.” The new amendments also en sure that new clubs being recognized by the USG abide by the newly added “non-discrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusion clause.”

Hari pointed out several examples of how other committees are better equipped to handle issues of D&I within their fields, citing how D&I ini tiatives such as Swipe Out of Hunger, which allows undergraduate students to donate meal swipes to food inse cure students, and the Physical Re source Center, which offers students free clothes, kitchenware, supplies and food, both involved the Student Life Committee. Having previously been VP of Student Life, Hari states that since she was better connected to certain areas of campus compared to those on the D&I Committee, those initiatives were able to be pushed for ward more successfully.

To ensure that the remaining com mittees truly commit to D&I values, the constitutional amendments also propose creating the new position of Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer. This position would have the responsibility of “ensuring that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are upheld in every facet of the USG and CWRU community.”

“The position is the same [as VP of D&I] without the burden of hav ing to lead a committee,” Hari says. She states that the new Chief DEI Of ficer would also have the ability to

call on other VPs to focus on D&I is sues. They can still create a temporary issue-related committee to target par ticular issues if needed. The intention, however, is that by freeing the officer from the responsibility of leading a committee at all times, the officer will have the time to go to other commit tee meetings to discuss D&I issues in their particular sphere.

“I hope this gives the position the flexibility and time required to better pursue initiatives that fall under this sphere,” Hari says. “By decentraliz ing these issues from just one com mittee to every committee, we hope for it to be something every commit tee is thinking about.”

While there is internal debate in USG around scrapping the commit tee, specifically surrounding the op tics of carrying out this plan, former VPs of D&I Ussaid Ishaq and Jennifer Ngo have both come out in favor of the change. Once the new VP of D&I is elected, they will also have a say as to whether these changes should come about.

To be enacted, the USG General Assembly will have to agree to the proposed changes, and then it will go into a full student body referendum, though the timeline for when this might happen is not clear.

“One thing we know for sure is that the D&I position as it is now is not optimized and it is our responsibility to address this issue,” Hari says. “The D&I position should not be about optics, but rather how it can actually help people.”

“Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows”: FRONT International’s 2022 art exhibition

Sarah Karkoff Staff Writer

The FRONT International contem porary art exhibition, which started in 2018, is currently running their 2022 showcase entitled “Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows.” Every three years, this free public show is held throughout Ak ron, Cleveland and Oberlin.

The previous exhibition, titled “An American City,” brought forth notable works of art to Cleveland, including the “Judy’s Hand” sculpture near the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleve land (moCa). More than 90,000 unique visitors explored the widespread dem onstration of performances, films, artist commissions and public programs. As a result of this endeavor, FRONT Inter national generated approximately $31 million in revenue for the areas where the showcase took place.

These pieces of art and performanc es are available for the public until Oct. 2. There are more than 20 venue sites containing works by 70 differ ent artists; some areas around campus participating in the event are the Cleve land Clinic, Wade Oval, the Cleveland Institute of Art, Samson Pavilion at the Health Education Campus and more. Each venue has its own specific days and times when the exhibition can be viewed.

“Never Ending Monument” by Andrea Carlson stands on display at one of FRONT International’s exhibits. Courtesy of FRONT

Spartan Spotlight: David Dillman

Grace Johnson News Editor

Case Western Reserve University has made a name for itself with its successful research endeavors and Nobel Laureates, and current stu dents are continuing to make strides to continue that legacy of innovation. One such student is David “Dilly” Dillman, a fourth-year student ma joring in mechanical and aerospace engineering with a potential minor in philosophy. In addition to being an engineering student, he is also in charge of a curated co-op for a patentpending device.

I decided to sit down and have a conversation with him to learn a little more about what it means to balance all those responsibilities as a CWRU student.

This patent-pending device was— you guessed it—invented and de signed by Dilly, along with his part ners, graduated mechanical engineer Max Pennington and fourth-year biomedical engineer Joseph “Chip” Miller IV. The goal of these three en gineers is to cut down on the amount of microplastics in our world and, ul timately, in our bodies.

“You ingest about a credit cards’ worth of plastic every week and a large amount of that is from the direct result of washing machines draining into our water sources,” Dilly says. “Those microplastics in the washer drainage come from synthetic dyes in various fabrics, which ultimately end up in your bloodstream.”

Their device filters those micro plastics from washing machines so

that they do not poison our water system, the impacted ecosystems and eventually us humans. The co-op is centered around perfecting the device and working with lawyers and inves tors to further its development.

Co-ops are a very common part of the engineering schools’ curricula, so Dilly being involved in one is not un common. What is uncommon, how ever, is that the co-op is for his own company, CLEANR—though he still has objectives and learning points along the way with the guidance of professors and others, just like other co-ops. “Jeanine at the co-op office let us make our own company into a co-op. I have learning objectives in order to advance in the company and myself to hopefully make some good in the world.”

While all of this sounds awesome, what I really wanted to know about were some of his favorite experiences at CWRU.

When asked about his favorite classes, he listed two. One, EMAE 376: Aerostructures with Dr. Richard Bachmann, because, “Planes are like magic so to make sense of it is really cool,” and PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy, as “It is a different way of thinking about things.”

To get into the nitty gritty, howev er, I asked about his favorite and least favorite parts of studying at CWRU.

“How helpful people are… in the [Sears] think[box]. I’ve never heard no, just a ‘let’s see what we can do,’” says Dilly. As for his least favorite

part, “As an engineer I didn’t really have any room in my schedule to take anything interesting outside of mech[anical and] aero[space engi neering]. Another thing is how I had to know what I wanted to study com ing in or else I would be behind.”

Talking to Dilly about his expe rience was enlightening, to say the

FRONT continued from pg. 1

Prem Krishnamurthy and Tina Kukielski are the co-artistic directors behind the project. To summarize the purpose behind this year’s exhibition, they stated in a press release that the “exhibition bears witness to the re gion’s past and present scars, from the environmental degradation caused by industrial production to police violence and urban fracture … ‘Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows’ emphasizes collabora tive creative processes, working closely with institutions across the region, and connecting artists with local communi ties.”

The mission behind FRONT Inter national is to bolster local artists and to develop a sense of community within Northeast Ohio. They hope to engen der positive socioeconomic change by enhancing the artistic and cultural com munity. After the COVID-19 pandemic caused the delay of this exhibition from its original 2021 release, the directors intimately understood the need for a communitarian approach in the face of widespread social upheaval and suffer ing.

The title of the project itself is a nod to the Langston Hughes poem

“Two Somewhat Different Epigrams.” Hughes, who is perhaps most famous for his poem “Harlem,” lived in Cleve land for many years. The poem itself is a rumination on the relationship between happiness and hardship. According to their website, “Amid a time of ongoing tragedy and loss, FRONT 2022 explores how artmaking offers the possibility to transform and heal us—as individuals, as groups, and as a society.”

In bringing the community together, FRONT International’s main goal is to help underserved areas of Northeast Ohio. One way they are attempting to

least, and opened my eyes to just how much is going on around CWRU if one looks outside of their own bubble.

Finally, when asked if there was anything he would like to share about his company, he stated that, “We’re trying really hard to help people solve problems that affect their everyday lives.”

bring this to life is through partnering with the Cleveland Public Library to create the FRONT Fellowship. Current ly, there are over 290 FRONT-related programs with the explicit objective of supporting the community and its edu cation.

For Case Western Reserve University members looking for something new to do in the area, any of the venues hosting exhibitions may be a worthwhile visit. All of the specific locations and times are available on their website, frontart. org, along with detailed information re garding each venue.

It’s On CWRU’s stand against violence culture

Noah Henriques Staff Writer

In the 2019-2020 academic year alone, Case Western Reserve Univer sity had 85 cases of sexual miscon duct—a frighteningly high number for such a small school. Out of these, 10 were classified as intimate partner vio lence. But these statistics cannot ac count for the numerous other cases that were either not reported or were under a different classification. All of them, however, are categorized as PowerBased Personal Violence (PBPV).

PBPV is any violence that uses power, control or intimidation over an individual to harm them. To combat this prevalent issue, “It’s On CWRU” was formed by the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women to raise aware ness among the student body through events and programs that educate stu dents on how to reduce, prevent and stand against assault.

One of the first and easiest ways to get involved is to take the It’s On CWRU pledge to “...disrupt the cul ture of violence on campus.” It con sists of six promises, including em pathy towards survivors and their experiences, taking action against sex ual violence and refusing to conform with or encourage harmful gender stereotypes. These statements are not written vaguely or permissively; It’s On CWRU is very clear about mak ing a strong stand against PBPV and educating yourself and others about the issue.

Currently, the initiative is conduct ing on-campus workshops about top ics related to PBPV prevention and support for survivors. For example, the Consent FRIES workshop taking place on Sept. 30 will highlight ways to give consent and set boundaries to

prevent instances of PBPV. On Nov. 2, the Active Bystander Workshop will educate students on how to act proactively in incidents of possible or immediate PBPV. If none of these workshops are particularly interest ing to you or there’s a specific topic you would like to learn about, It’s On CWRU also offers the opportunity to request a workshop of your choosing. In honor of October being Do mestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), It’s On CWRU is also hold ing multiple events to raise awareness about sexual violence and how we can all take small steps to get rid of it. One very moving example is the Silent Witness Project exhibit. Started in 1990, the project spoke out against the murder of 26 women whose deaths were caused by domestic violence. Their stories were displayed on 26 red

cutouts, with a 27th being created to honor unknown and unreported simi lar narratives. Tugging on the reader’s conscience, it serves as a reminder of past cases of domestic assault while also pushing for people to take action and prevent such tragedies from hap pening again.

In addition to these projects, SEX POpallooza, Survivor Support Group, The Culture of Respect Collective and other community outreach are all op portunities and initiatives offered by It’s On CWRU to try and change the current culture of domestic violence on college campuses. If you or some one you know have been affected by sexual violence, their website contains resources to help navigate your experi ence. With the Mather Center’s work, those at CWRU will hopefully have the support and resources they need.

Fourth-year mechanical and aerospace engineering student David Dillman started his own company and created a patent-pending microplastic filter. Courtesy of David Dillman

Should We Be Worried, Darling?

A deep dive into the controversies of director Olivia Wilde’s new film, “Don’t Worry Darling”

Sophia Popkin Social Media Editor

If you’ve been on Twitter at all with in the past week, you’re likely to have seen some sort of meme related to the drama surrounding the cast of director Olivia Wilde’s new film, “Don’t Worry Darling.” Of course, there are some silly rumors floating around, like Harry Styles “spitting” on co-star Chris Pine at the Venice Film Festival—when really, Pine was just looking down at the pair of glasses in his lap as Styles took his seat. But there is also quite a bit of real tension between Wilde and the star of the film, Florence Pugh, as well as some nega tive public reactions to the film itself and Wilde’s overall unprofessionalism.

Last month, fans started to notice that Pugh was not promoting “Don’t Worry Darling” on her social media as she does with the other films that she stars in. Thus, people started to speculate as to why she would not be posting the trail ers or resharing the Instagram posts that Wilde was making about Pugh and the rest of the cast.

Then, in a mid-August interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Pugh expressed her disdain for the director’s empha sis on the sex scenes between her and Styles—specifically the depictions of female pleasure—both in the trailer and in her general discussion of the film in interviews. Pugh stated, “When it’s re duced to your sex scenes, or to watch the most famous man in the world go down on someone, it’s not why we do it. It’s not why I’m in this industry… That’s just not what I’m going to be discuss ing because [this movie is] bigger and better than that. And the people who made it are bigger and better than that.”

The film itself is primarily about Pugh’s character, Alice, breaking out of the ’50s housewife mold in order to uncover the potential wrongdoings of the company that owns her idyllic utopian community called the Victory Project. Reducing the movie to some sort of pornographic em powerment message seems incredibly strange and, honestly, sort of disappoint ing to me considering the themes of the film.

However, this is just one small piece of the puzzle that is the “Don’t Worry Darling” controversy; there seems to be even more tension between Pugh and Wilde due to casting choices. Styles’ character, Jack, was originally supposed to be played by actor Shia LaBeouf. Wil de claims that she fired LaBeouf in 2020 because of his aggressive “process,” and that she needed him off of the film in or der to “protect” the other actors. Howev er, LaBeouf confirmed last month that he had actually quit the film because he felt that the actors were not given enough time to rehearse the script. What wors ens the fact that Wilde made these false claims was the evidence that LaBeouf provided: in a video that Wilde had sent him, she states, “I feel like I’m not ready to give up on this yet… You know, I think this might be a bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo, and I want to know if you’re open to giving this a shot with me, with us.” This video did not only prove that Wilde lied to the press about her casting decision. It also showed that she recog nized the tension between LaBeouf and Pugh—condescendingly referring to her as “Miss Flo”—and essentially told him that Pugh would change in order to meet his needs despite saying that his process

“seems to require a combative [and like ly dangerous] energy.”

Even worse for her image, the direc tor began dating male lead Harry Styles during production, although many spec ulate that their romance was what actual ly drove Wilde and her ex-fiancé, Jason Sudeikas, apart. Styles and Wilde started dating three months into production, but she and Sudeikas split only two months before the two of them went public. While the timeline is a bit suspicious, what actually matters is that there have been claims that Wilde’s interactions with Styles on set were unprofessional, and potentially made cast members un comfortable—especially Florence Pugh. While this is primarily speculation and information from “insiders” on the film set, that level of unprofessionalism from Wilde would be unsurprising at this point.

All of these events came full circle at the 2022 Venice Film Festival at the beginning of September. There seemed to be a huge amount of tension between many of the cast members and Wilde on the red carpet, with Pugh and Styles’ costars strategically placed between them and the director, seemingly so that they would not have to interact with her. From Styles’ awkward interviews where he notably stated that, “...my favorite thing about the movie is, like, it feels like a movie… like a real, like, you know, ‘go to the theater’ film movie,” to Pugh’s makeup and styling team wearing tshirts with “Miss Flo” cheekily printed onto them after she missed the cast’s press conference, it seems like the cast cannot escape this pit of tension, drama and controversy. While some of these events could have been PR stunts to get

more people talking about the film, it seems to me like there is some genuine tension between Pugh, Styles and Wilde.

Some people, notably Time magazine critic Stephanie Zacharek, bring up the point that Wilde would not be facing the amount of backlash she has if she were a male director rather than a woman. Zacharek claims that male directors deal with tension on set and date people from the cast all the time, so why are we call ing out the actions of the “Don’t Worry Darling” director? Is it because we ex pect women to be nicer? My answer, contrary to others, is that this behavior from Wilde is unprofessional and un necessary. Period. I agree that we don’t call out male directors for their actions enough and that, while what occurred was unfortunate, what happened be tween her, Sudeikas and Styles should remain their business. But being a wom an does not give Wilde a free pass to act unprofessionally and make seemingly snide remarks toward her lead actress in the film.

All of this controversy only grazes the surface of the issues that people have with “Don’t Worry Darling.” Personally, when I watched the trailers, I began to recognize a lot of similarities between this film and the classic 1975 film, “The Stepford Wives”—based on the satiri cal novel of the same name—in which a woman named Joanna and her husband move to a seemingly perfect community, where the husbands go to work and the women stay home and fill the role of devout housewife, until Joanna realizes that something is off and tries to uncover the truth. Several film critics have also pointed out this similarity. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, as people in

the arts make reference to and draw de tails from previous works all the time, it may disappoint viewers who were look ing for something more groundbreaking and interesting, especially if they have already seen “The Stepford Wives.”

With everything discussed, it’s prob ably safe to say that the film will do great during its box office release on Sept. 23, just because people will want to know what the film is about after hearing all of these stories from on and off set. This is despite critics’ ratings being relatively low for all of the hype; on Rotten Toma toes, the film only got a 39% critic rat ing, and a 48% on Metacritic. There’s also no doubt that Harry Styles’ huge fanbase will flock to the theaters to see the popstar in one of his first big roles in a feature film. However, I advise those planning to see the film to do so through a critical lens. While Wilde placed such a heavy emphasis on the sex scenes between Pugh and Styles, I urge those who fell for this cheap marketing tactic to view the film for reasons other than just seeing their bodies. Although the plot and themes of the film are largely reused from older films, it does not make the narrative less important. Of course, I have not been able to see the film yet, but the premise of “Don’t Worry Darling” is meant to show a woman’s struggle in the world of antifeminism, with Pugh’s character being used to show what wom en face as they attempt to break out of their expected role of unquestionable subjugation. Despite the drama and ele ments of sexuality that have been widely discussed and emphasized in the media, we must focus on the film itself, rather than everything it has been associated with.

Harry Styles (left) and Florence Pugh (right) play Jack and Alice Chambers, a husband and wife living in a 1950s utopian experiemental community that’s hiding a dark secret. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

CMA’s “The New Black Vanguard” envisions the future of fashion photography

Modern artists do more than just capture a moment. They ride the line between the present and the future, cre ating works that are infused with emo tional revelation as well as visual ap peal. This balance is extremely visible in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s “The New Black Vanguard: Photography Be tween Art and Fashion,” an exhibition of works by contemporary artists who utilize passion and vision to embody their personal reactions to living in the here and now.

“The New Black Vanguard” includes photographs captured by 15 different “image-makers,” all of whom were born in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s. Hung against walls swathed in lush reds and purples, illuminated by pulses of strobed lighting, the works illustrate a silent, but not indecipherable, narrative that carries the viewer through a journey of human intimacy, and invites spectators to feel as deeply as they observe.

In the long history of human art, pho tography represents the cutting edge of creative progression, with its techno logical advancements making it one of the most influential driving factors in the modern artistic revolution. The art ists whose works comprise “The New Black Vanguard” use this to their ad vantage, combining their youth with the relative novelty of photography to lend a palpable gravity to their images. The desperate hunger to establish individual self-expression seeps out of the frames, but only after it has swept the subjects up in the glow of assured vulnerability.

As photographers of color capturing fashion, the artists of “The New Black Vanguard” blur the lines between art and commodification. Each picture recreates a story—a single instance within an infinitely larger life—but at the same time we are reminded that ev ery frame is a part of the grander-still complex tapestry that is contemporary media. One particular line in the ex hibit’s introduction muses on this real ity, stating that “[these] photographs open conversations around the repre sentation of the Black body and Black lives as subject matter; collectively, they celebrate Black creativity and the

cross-pollination between art, fashion, and culture in constructing an image.”

“The New Black Vanguard” creates a space that minimizes the noises of the social world, allowing the viewer to fo cus on the artists’ ideas rather than the all-consuming nature of the digital 21st century. The exhibition presents view ers with art that is made by and for the greater social collective. In their daily lives, human beings exude as much, if not more, aesthetic and aspirational value as expensive portraits sketched by the Old Masters or a jewel-toned pump painted by Warhol do.

Through “The New Black Van guard,” the viewer witnesses the unfold ing of stories about identity and history, love and fantasy, race and existence— all presented in confident, unyielding depictions. Bright flashes of yellow command attention in photographs of Lagos street fashion by Stephen Tayo, sparkles spill out of Quil Lemons’ “Glit terboy” series on sexual expression, and popping fabrics clash against des erts and mountains in Nadine Ijewere’s landscapes, evoking images of Holly wood glamour and haute couture. “The New Black Vanguard” is as much a pre sentation of the visual charms of fash ion as it is a reflection on how the artists and their models are navigating today’s world. These are pensive, self-perceiv ing images, ones that are critical as well as forgiving, fully illustrative of the dai ly push-and-pull that gives strength to our own personalities and stories.

Instead of selling a dream as conven tional fashion photography does, “The New Black Vanguard” gives us a series of highly personal moments, pulling back the curtain on the unadulterated beauty of existence and granting us ac cess into lives that run parallel to our own. It is a collection of ruminations as much as it is a gathering of moments, a chance to linger on all of the snapshots of a life.

“The New Black Vanguard: Pho tography Between Art and Fashion” ran from May 5 through Sept. 11 at the Cleveland Museum of Art and was cu rated by New York City-based art critic and writer, Antwaun Sargent.

One-to-One is a safe haven from campus gym chaos

Christie Lanfear Staff Writer

Let’s be honest—navigating the ev er-busy campus gyms of Case Western Reserve University can be difficult even at the best of times. It almost seems like the world is working against you when the only guaranteed quiet period at ei ther gym is during class time. You might make the mistake of thinking you’ll get a spot early in the morning—but alas, you are met with the full roster of multiple sports teams. On top of that, the increas ing trend in class size means more and more students will be populating the fa cilities in future semesters. So the ques tion is, where can CWRU students go to find a little tranquility in the gym envi ronment?

The answer is simple, and most stu dents likely pass by on a daily basis: One-to-One Fitness. The facility gives members a workout space that is ex tremely professional, private and clean. One-to-One Fitness is accessible to CWRU students and staff in addition to the surrounding University Circle com munity, with the main advantage be ing its location. It is the closest fitness facility for South Residential Village residents and is directly in front of a GreenLink bus stop that makes it easy for North Residential Village residents to utilize.

Once inside One-to-One Fitness, its

appeal only grows. A staggering 28,000 square feet, the two-level building in cludes sections dedicated to machine weights, cardio, free weights and func tional training. If you find motivation in a group setting, there are numerous group exercise classes to choose from, including yoga and high intensity inter val training. You can also sign up for per sonal training to receive expert advice and help you meet your fitness goals. One-to-One Fitness also has unique fea tures that add to the appeal: The facility includes a juice bar that is a cornucopia of healthy pre- and post-workout pickme-ups in addition to lifestyle shakes and meal replacement. Members can even reserve a private training or cardio room for some added peace and quiet.

The only downside to One-to-One Fitness when compared to other cam pus gyms is the membership fee. Fortu nately, CWRU students get a decent dis count; for the month-by-month option, the fee is $42 per month. If you choose the “Spartan Shape Up” fall semes ter membership, the fee is $144 for the semester, which equates to around $36 per month. Don’t freak out yet though, because they accept CaseCash! If you are unsure whether to make the commit ment to a full semester, there are various temporary passes available to try out the

facility—or you might be ready to join now if you took advantage of the recent free guest week.

After all of that, you might be think ing: Why go to the gym in the first place? You would be correct to point out that it is a big commitment and takes up valu able time that could be spent studying or

relaxing. The answer is simple: It will exponentially improve both your physi cal and mental health. Using One-to-One Fitness to escape any stress caused by the crowded environment of the campus gyms will only amplify those benefits.

Take advantage of this fantastic facility that is right on our doorstep!

“The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion” at the CMA displayed the work of budding Black artists like Namsa Leuba, whose work is pictured here. Courtesy of Aperture.

Elie Stenson

Writer

Located on Adelbert Road, One-to-One Fitness has a plethora of equip ment to meet a variety of fitness needs. Courtesy of One to One Fitness Center.

Weekly

The Chariot (Reversed)

Temperance (Reversed)

Justice (Upright)

up to

way

Five of Wands (Upright)

You may have noticed some conflict in your work-life. These things will pass as long as you don’t flip your lid.

Knight of Wands (Upright)

Don’t be afraid to get out of your shell this week, you are full of untapped possibilities.

Eight of Wands (Upright)

There is promise and hope to your struggles. Keep it moving and your goal awaits you at the end.

Three of Cups (Reversed)

You may not notice but you are celebrating small victories and losing focus of the big picture.

Ten of Coins (Reversed)

Having a lot of ideas is good until all possible chances of executing them are up in the air. Work on what you can in the time being.

Nine of Wands (Reversed)

It’s good to feel the hard feelings you do now instead of internalizing them.

The Hanged Man (Upright)

Although you may not think of it as much, the people around you appreciate all the sacrifices you make for them and would do the same back.

The Fool (Upright)

It’s good to spend time being carefree and happy-go-lucky, try to have some time for yourself.

Seven of Swords (Upright)

You may be dealing with Imposter syndrome but know that you are above it even in times you are swarmed with insecurities.

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sister who wrote “Agnes Grey”

Soccer star Hamm

a TV show is filmed

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brought home unin tentionally from the beach

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opinion

opinion

Editorial: CWRU administration’s apathetic attitude toward COVID-19 is worrying

As we get into the swing of the semester, we can’t forget that CO VID-19 still exists. This year, Case Western Reserve University’s ad ministration relaxed guidelines and recommendations surrounding the pandemic, leaving the CWRU com munity to fend for itself. Masks are not required, and the majority of students and professors have chosen not to wear masks—this is fair con sidering how long this pandemic has persisted. However, even though we no longer have mask mandates or re quired testing, that doesn’t mean that COVID-19 has disappeared from the campus.

After three weeks of classes and unmitigated social interactions, it was inevitable that people would start testing positive for COVID-19. How ever, it seems as if most people across campus are not aware of this. With students testing positive, it seems as if the obligation to inform others that they have come in contact with a CO VID-positive individual has vanished.

The university has not been telling classes when an enrolled student tests positive, despite it being very likely that the student didn’t have a mask on. Shouldn’t we know if the person we sat next to tested positive the next day? Furthermore, there may be im munocompromised people in a class, unaware that a classmate has CO VID-19 and has possibly endangered them. We might not feel like we have to test regularly anymore, but if cases

continue completely unmonitored, we might have to face a return to strict regulations and Zoom classes.

It’s not just the university that has to work to keep the community pro tected; there is also a personal obliga tion to follow. If you have tested posi tive, please inform friends or other people you have been in contact with about your test result and encourage them to get tested. Moreover, please stay home if you test positive—it is understandable that quarantining might be difficult when some pro fessors don’t provide reasonable ac commodations, but health and safety should be a priority. Mitigating the spread is essential—we don’t want the ever-shifting regulation changes that we did last year.

However, while students can do their part by testing and staying home, the administration needs to provide better accommodations and resources for the well-being of CWRU’s com munity. Beyond informing us of close contact situations, the university should also make testing and quaran tine protocols a priority again—it is far too disorganized currently. Both rapid and PCR tests within CWRU buildings are sparse, with test vend ing machines often being empty. The federal government is no longer send ing households free rapid tests, so students are now forced to find tests on their own. When one is in need, this can be an inconvenient and dif ficult venture. Continued on pg. 9

Editor’s Note: We must pay more attention to our student governments

Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor

How much do you really know about what our student governments do?

Think about last year. The Univer sity Program Board (UPB) is currently in charge of campus programming, including inviting artists and comedi ans to perform. In addition, they fund the Springfest Committee, which or ganizes the largest student-run event on campus. Springfest features fun attractions, student bands, food trucks and—most importantly—a headliner artist of some renown. Springfest usu ally costs over $100,000, with upwards of $60,000 spent on the headliner. In April 2022, controversy ensued after the committee announced Chase Atlan tic as the headliner band. The student body widely mocked this choice, as they were an unheard-of Australian al ternative R&B band. Following this, al legations of racism, cultural appropria tion and inappropriate communication with underage girls surfaced against the band. The generally problematic behavior surrounding Chase Atlantic was easily found online, indicating that the committee had not done its due diligence in selecting or vetting their headliner. The Springfest Commit tee formally apologized to the student body—while also renouncing Chase Atlantic as the headline—on April 19, admitting that they had made “a rush decision on the artist” and that it “was a serious oversight.” Subsequently, un derground artist Mobley performed at Springfest ‘22 as the headliner—and although the performance was enter taining, the entire affair raises several questions. First, how did the Springfest Committee, whose entire job is plan

ning the event, make a rushed deci sion about their artist, seemingly the festival’s centerpiece? Second, how much student money was spent in hir ing and then firing Chase Atlantic, and how much money was then used to hire Mobley a few days before he was scheduled to perform? Third, does no one care to learn more about this entire circumstance?

So let’s return to my original ques tion. How much do you really know about the functionality of our student governments? You may be confused by the pluralizing of “governments” and the relationship between UPB and Springfest. While we ostensibly have one “Undergraduate Student Govern ment” (USG) which speaks for the student body and provides funding for organizations on campus, when it comes to power over the purse, USG is not the only player in the room. Case Western Reserve University is unusual in the fact that multiple governing or ganizations provide funding to clubs. We have various boards that split up the funds collected from the Student Activity Fee (SAF), which accounts for 0.8% of tuition—or $227 from each student, totaling over $1 million each semester. As previously stated, USG is not the only organization that controls this fund. Portions of it also go to UPB, the University Diversity Collaborative (UDC), the University Media Board (UMB), the Class Offi cer Collective (COC) and the Interfra ternity Congress/Panhellenic Council (IFC/PHC)—all of which contain sev eral member organizations whom they fund. Continued on pg. 9

the observer

established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of case western reserve university

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but refle ct the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@ case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @cwruobserver.

executive editor & publisher SHREYAS BANERJEE director of print SARA KHORSHIDI director of digital media JOCELYN ORTIZ director of design TARUN SEPURI director of business operations KHUSHALI DESAI development editor BEAU BILINOVICH engagement editor MULAN MA news editor GRACE JOHNSON life editor JOEY GONZALEZ

opinion editor KARUNA LAKHIANI sports editor PUNEET BANSAL

social media editor SOPHIA POPKIN photo editor CLAY PREUSCH web editor COLLIN WONG copy editors SHIVANGI NANDA, LEXY JENSEN, RACHEL ALEXANDER, ELIE AOUN, KATE GORDON

layout designers DASHA DEGTEREV, SHIFRA NARASIMHAN

Editorial continued from pg. 8

Furthermore, isolation housing on-campus is not a guarantee, with the university indicating that “some students [need] to isolate in place (in their current residence hall room).”

The isolation spaces last year are now being used as current on-campus liv ing, making it unclear where students who must isolate separately need to go. Moreover, students on-campus

who test positive “may not receive a phone call from the Isolation/Quar antine team until more than 24 hours after you receive notification of your positive test” due to the high volume of cases, according to CWRU’s health and safety guidelines. It is incredibly concerning that the university doesn’t have the proper resources or responses to deal with COVID-19 after more than

two years since the pandemic started. We knew that lifting a mask mandate and having all in-person classes would most likely lead to more cases; we had just been forced to trust our administra tion to be more responsible in handling this increase. That trust may soon run out if the university continues failing to provide much-needed resources.

The sentiment of being tired of

Editor’s Note continued from pg. 8

For instance, The Observer is a proud member of UMB, supporting many of the performance and publi cation groups at CWRU, while UPB funds Springfest. As such, CWRU has a decentralized power system, so one organization does not have complete control over our student dollars, but this wasn’t always the case.

USG used to be the sole representa tive of students, funding all clubs on campus and receiving the entirety of the SAF for decades. However, that ended on September 11, 1982, when USG spent a large part of the SAF on procuring the Atlanta Rhythm Section for a single performance. Less than 10% of the student body attended the band’s performance, and the decision led to many clubs receiving inade quate funding that year. The misuse of student dollars was a gross violation of trust between students and their elected student leaders—a result of too much power being in the hands of too few individuals. And no one was paying attention to what their student government was doing. That quickly changed once USG split into four dif ferent boards, and the consequences became apparent. UPB was formed as a committee in 1984 to be in charge of all major concerts, so large-scale spending decisions would no longer be in the hands of a small number of leaders. Since then more boards have

formed, further splitting the SAF— leading to the many umbrella orga nizations previously mentioned. This move has taken power out of the hands of one organization and ensured that certain interests, whether it be diver sity groups or media groups, receive guaranteed funding. Theoretically, it prevents that same level of misuse of student money seen in 1982.

This change happened because stu dents were aware of the scandalous behavior, were appropriately outraged and demanded action—so why don’t we see that outrage today? Those who know me know that aside from being the editor-in-chief of The Observer, I am also the SEC Allocations Com mittee (AC) chair. The AC is respon sible for overseeing the SAF, fund ing all the aforementioned umbrella organizations and auditing them to ensure student money is being spent in an appropriate manner. This audit comes out at the end of every semes ter, detailing the previous semester’s activities of all these boards—includ ing looking into what Springfest did with their funds this semester and re leasing their report in December. But let me let you in on a little secret—it won’t matter much. Few students read the audits the AC has previously pub lished.

If they did, the student body at large would know that USG has been

far from diligent in tracking their fi nances, not even submitting a budget for review to the AC last semester because said budget did not exist. In the meantime, USG hoarded their al location of the SAF to create an en dowment for themselves, leading to many clubs under their purview being underfunded. However, they scrapped this plan due to criticism from the AC and CWRU administration. The new USG leaders have since promised to change how they fund clubs—al though not because of student back lash, which was nonexistent—theo retically allowing more money to go directly to student organizations.

Similarly, there were almost no re percussions when the last AC audit revealed that IFC/PHC failed to spend the vast majority of their funds and kept over 74% of their SAF funds to themselves last fall. The report also detailed how IFC/PHC has repeatedly refused to fund many of the expens es that the fraternities and sororities have under them. Many Greek Life chapters are struggling financially and many other student organizations are underfunded, yet here is a seeming pot of gold, just hidden away. But there can’t be outrage if nobody knows.

However, I don’t blame students. I certainly don’t expect a typical CWRU student to read every report that the AC puts out—it’s boring. This

It’s time to end your “villain arc”

Enya Eettickal Staff Writer

There is no one who can catch my attention faster than a good villain. Whether it’s the Joker, Darth Vader, Shigaraki or Pain, I find myself pe riodically rooting for these villains, even when the chaos they cause is a constant detriment to the hero’s goals. I know for a fact that I’m not the only one. There are so many of us who adore the villains from our favorite stories and pieces of media. But while I understand why we love these characters so much, I’ve no ticed a recent trend that I understand a bit less: people adapting a ‘villain ous’ outlook into their own life. At first, I thought this was an internet phenomena, and limited my worries as such. But once I saw people begin to internalize the concept of becom ing a villain in real life, I’ve found it to be a bit problematic. We shouldn’t over-romanticize villains in people’s daily lives. I think it’s time we break down why it’s happening, why it’s a problem and what changes should be made.

I think it’s important we start by defining what exactly a villain is. The general definition of a villain is someone in media who defies societal norms and acts in their own inter est and in line with their own, often skewed, moral compass. There is also an assumed criminality to villainy, but that isn’t always the case. How ever, I think the truest and simplest definition of a villain is someone who acts in opposition to the protagonist, or “the hero,” of the story. That’s it. While this is a simple and effective

definition, I think it is particularly important to also consider the public interpretation of what “villains” look like, as the term has several conno tations. Both definitions will be re ferred to throughout my article.

Truthfully, it has never been sur prising to me how much people adore villains. Audiences find themselves empathizing with villains, particular ly with the qualities of having been deeply harmed or cast out by oth ers. Rather than suffering in silence at the hands of society, these villains act out on their pain and seek retribu tion or individual justice. In the real world, people cannot seek this type of retributive justice for themselves, so they enjoy it vicariously through villains. That impulse in a vacuum is fine. However, things go too far when people try to become the villains they enjoy.

When people do so, they usually disregard the nuance and diversity among villains in media when it comes to trying to “be one” in real life. While some fictional villains have troubling and heart-wrenching origin stories, some villains are just selfish for the sake of it. Not all vil lains have a good backstory, and not all villains have swagger and style in the ways they perform their vil lainy. As I previously stated, a villain is simply someone who opposes the hero.

The strength and individuality that people associate with villains and try to emulate are not exclusive to them. At the same time, being vil lainous—when one is in opposition

to order and societal standards—does not inherently make someone cool.

Furthermore, being a villain is just not viable or practical in day-to-day life. The reason why villains are so loved in many stories is because we get an in-depth view of the villain’s backstory, giving them time to devel op a relatable rapport with the audi ence. This storytelling does not exist in real life. People do not have these sort of clear motivations in real life, and even if they did, their criminal actions will not be accepted by soci ety at large. This is why villains are not as adored in real life as they are in fiction—the context in which they exist is important to why we can ex cuse their actions.

The other major issue with trying to be “villainous” in real life is the way that it manifests. Villains in the media are often overtaking cities or engaging in dramatic battles to gain power or achieve their goals. That is not feasible for most everyday peo ple, and so “acts of villainy” end up being scaled down. While some acts may actually be rebellious or defiant of government rules or expectations, most acts of everyday “villainy” are instances where people will rebel or defy social systems they are a part of, whether in friend groups, aca demic settings or even professional settings. It’s important to remember here that people love villains for their defiance of the status quo and want to emulate them to seek justice for the pain they’ve endured. So often when I hear people say they “have entered

the pandemic is ubiquitous, but that doesn’t mean COVID-19 has disap peared. Some of us are lucky enough to not have to worry about the con sequences of testing positive, but the danger is still great for some students on campus. Overall, CWRU needs to do better with responding to COV ID-19. We can’t just sweep the reality of it under the rug.

ignorance partly stems from the fact that this information isn’t publicized in a manner conducive to student con sumption. However, students might pay more attention if, say, the student newspaper featured this information, with all the digestible salacious de tails readily and easily available.

Moreover, the lack of awareness of the doings of our various student gov ernments is somewhat the fault of The Observer. While we always endeavor to deliver content that educates our readers about campus’ ongoing issues, we have not always met that mark. The difficulties of the pandemic lim ited our coverage during the past few years of USG, IFC/PHC and more. We did not run articles on the Chase Atlantic scandal nor the USG endow ment affair when it was critical infor mation for the student body. While unfortunate, we now must work to en sure it doesn’t happen again. Coverage of these organizations is a niche only The Observer can fill—we won’t see The Daily, The Plain Dealer or even The New York Times reporting on the latest decisions made by our student leadership. As executive editor of The Observer, I am making it my mission to dedicate this paper to these issues and events, filling this niche. We can hold our peers to a higher standard by providing a critical eye to our student governments.

their villain arc” or have “become the villain” in the context of their social systems, it just means that they are drawing boundaries or cutting ties from unhealthy relationships. This is a wonderful thing to do, but the issue comes with tying it to an act of “vil lainy.” This creates a false dichoto my. People who want to draw healthy boundaries shouldn’t be forced into the image of a “villain.”

There was a period of time last year when life got pretty tough, and on top of that, I felt particularly scorned by people in my social circle. For a bit, I too had thought about “my villain arc” as a means of bouncing back from the struggle. But after assess ing it for a little bit, I realized how ridiculous it sounded.

I didn’t need to be a villain to de velop the tenacity to advocate for myself or to reject social expecta tions on my personality—I just had to be myself. No one else should’ve been able to convince me that I was a villain for reevaluating my inner circle or drawing boundaries, so I certainly should not have been tying myself to that descriptor either. And that’s probably the best solution to this issue. We just need to accept that there are rarely ever villains in real life, and the ones that do appear are certainly far from likable. So for all the “aspiring villains” out there, take some time to reassess what it is ex actly about villains you want to adapt into your own lives. I’m sure you will find that there is a huge opportunity for growth.

Cade York has heroic NFL debut as Browns deny Baker Mayfield revenge in season opener

Gaurav Hardikar Staff Writer

The Cleveland Browns kicked off their 2022 campaign on Sunday Sept. 11 with a dramatic victory against the Caro lina Panthers in a game that came down to the wire.

Recently acquired star quarterback Deshaun Watson began his 11-game suspension this week following 20 al legations of sexual misconduct, so the Cleveland offense turned to backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Meanwhile, the Browns defense had one mission: to make the opposing quarterback as mis erable as possible. That man was none other than Baker Mayfield, the former quarterback for the Browns. Mayfield was vengefully making his Panthers de but after being dumped for Watson, de spite having led the Browns to their first playoff win in decades.

The tension in the air at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina was palpable as all 72,205 fans in attendance awaited kickoff. Browns rookie kicker Cade York booted the ball to Panthers return specialist Andre Rob erts, who took the ball up to the Caro lina 22-yard line for the opening pos session. The first drive stalled, as Baker completed two throws in three attempts for a loss of a yard before the Panthers punted. Star running back Nick Chubb led the Browns’ charge, carrying the ball four times for 21 yards. Brissett missed on a throw on fourth-and-3 to turn the ball over to the Panthers at their 36-yard line.

The slow start continued, with each team punting twice more before the game saw its first real action. Early in the second quarter, Mayfield misfired over the middle and Browns safety Grant Delpit came up with an intercep tion in Panthers territory. Mayfield’s mistake injected life into the Browns’ of fense. However, Brissett made the same mistake two minutes later when the ball was intercepted by Panthers safety Xavier Woods. Luckily for the Browns, Panthers cornerback CJ Henderson was called for a defensive pass interference which occurred in the endzone, giving possession back to the Browns. The ball was placed on the 1-yard line and, with a pass to Kareem Hunt, the first touch down was scored.

The defense continued to pester Mayfield, sacking him before the Pan thers went 3-and-out and punted again. The Browns squads fed off one another, as the running backs took over on the ensuing drive. Though Brissett found wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones on back-to-back throws to pick up 25 yards, Chubb and Hunt stole the show. Chubb pounded through the Panthers defense for a 25-yard run while Hunt scampered away en route to a 24-yard rushing touchdown.

Down two touchdowns and with the game nearing halftime, Mayfield pulled himself and the Carolina offense togeth er for their first touchdown. Mayfield connected with tight end Ian Thomas for a 50-yard passing play. Two plays later, dynamic Panthers running back Chris tian McCaffrey drove the ball in to put Carolina on the board.

With the Browns back in possession, Brissett, Hunt and Chubb continued to cook with a drive highlighted by a 24yard pass to Hunt, quickly leading the Browns offense into field goal range. York, who had already gotten off to a promising start to his career with flaw less extra point kicks, drilled his first ca

reer field goal to put the Browns up 17-7 at halftime.

Cleveland received the second-half kickoff and put together a time-consum ing scoring drive. Chubb once again bar reled through the Panthers defense for 20 yards before York lined up to nail a field goal from 34 yards.

Down 20-7, McCaffrey recovered a botched snap and took it 33 yards to put the home team within striking distance. However, they were unable to make any thing happen and John Hekker punted it. On their next drive, the Panthers faced a third-and-5 situation with just 7 yards to go and the game in the final quarter. Mayfield surveyed his options in the endzone, but they were well covered by the Browns’ defense. Improvising, May field sprinted up the middle to pick up a rushing touchdown and put the Panthers within one score of the Browns.

The Browns refused to get too com fortable and got their offense going again with a 19-yard pass to wide re ceiver Anthony Schwartz and a 16-yard run by Chubb. York continued to be de pendable with a successful 36-yard field goal, giving the Browns a 9-point lead in the fourth quarter.

With just over six minutes remaining, Mayfield fired a missile on the first play of the next Panthers possession, pass ing to wideout Robbie Anderson for an instant 75-yard touchdown pass, ignit ing cheers throughout the stadium. The home defense felt the energy and forced a punt out of the Cleveland offense, though they spent nearly four minutes doing so.

The Panthers were trailing 23-21 with two minutes left. This was Mayfield’s chance to prove his skeptics wrong, especially those within the Browns’ or ganization. Wide receiver D.J. Moore

caught Mayfield’s first pass for a 26yard gain. The promising start was fol lowed by a 21-yard McCaffrey recep tion. A penalty after the play tacked on another 15 yards, and the Panthers found themselves 14 yards from victory. Though the Browns defense had bent, they knew they couldn’t break at such a crucial point. They stonewalled the Carolina offense on the next three plays and held them to just a field goal. Even then, Cleveland trailed 24-23 with just over one minute left in the game.

The game had reached a fever pitch as Brissett and company took the field. The Panthers committed a roughing the passer penalty, granting the Browns 15 yards, putting Cleveland at their own 40yard line. Two plays later, Brissett con nected with Peoples-Jones on a 13-yard pass play to drive into Panthers territory. Brissett ran up to the line of scrimmage to quickly spike the ball and stop the clock before finding star wideout Ama ri Cooper, acquired in March from the Dallas Cowboys, with a 9-yard pass.

Brissett spiked the ball again and, with 13 seconds left, York stepped up once again for the most daunting task a kicker making his NFL debut could imagine: a 58-yard make-or-break field goal at tempt. Calm and collected in front of a deafening Carolina crowd, York wound up and blasted the ball. The ball sailed slightly to the right, looking at first to be wide of the mark. But the ball quickly curled to the left in cinematic fashion as it neared the uprights and went through without a doubt. Browns players re joiced around the rookie, whose heroics capped off a perfect 14-point perfor mance.

The Panthers tried a series of lateral passes in a desperate final play of the game, but a tackle by star defensive end

Myles Garrett, who had already sacked his old quarterback twice in the game, sealed the to road victory for Cleveland.

While Chubb, Hunt, Garrett and Peo ples-Jones impressed as per usual, the most memorable player of the day was undoubtedly York. The Browns played an imperfect game and nearly lost after leading by 13, but York simply could not miss and saved the Browns from despair.

Unfortunately, the most notable blem ish for the Browns was Amari Cooper, who only had three catches on six targets for 17 yards in his Cleveland debut. With tough rivals throughout the division, the Browns will need Cooper to step up as the season moves along. The AFC North features the Pittsburgh Steelers and Bal timore Ravens, who both picked up wins on Sunday, and the reigning AFC cham pion the Cincinnati Bengals, who the Steelers defeated in overtime.

As for Mayfield and the Panthers, though the ending was heartbreaking, the overall performance should keep fans hopeful. However, the slow start that called for the comeback in the first place should absolutely be a concern, as the Panthers sit in the NFC South and must fight for a playoff spot with the Super Bowl-contending Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the playoff hopeful New Orleans Saints, who both won their sea son openers.

The Browns return to Cleveland for their home opener on Sept. 18 against the New York Jets. The Jets are coming off a loss to the Ravens and will look to bring home a win to keep the team ready for starting quarterback Zach Wil son’s return from injury. With the way the Browns played in all phases of the game in Carolina, however, they may find themselves yet another victim of Cleveland’s blazing talent.

Teammates embrace Browns kicker Cade York after he carried their seasoner opener win against the Carolina Panthers. Courtesy of Brian Westerholt - Associated Press

Club Spotlight - Pickleball Club

As a student at Case Western Reserve University, chances are you’re probably not thinking about sports most of the time. Many of us haven’t even touched a basketball or a racket since high school varsity teams. Furthermore, being an NCAA Division III school sets the tone for a more academically-inclined cam pus atmosphere.

But we all need to find ways to destress. Exercising and sports are prob ably some of the best avenues to do so. The Veale Recreation Center and Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center are great places to start if you’d like to workout on your own, but for those looking for organizations or team sports, CWRU has plenty of options.

Most interested people turn to Club Sports, which are non-varsity organiza tions housed within the Department of Physical Education and Athletics that participate in intercollegiate athletic competitions. These groups are popular and relatively well-known. However, there are some organizations that do not officially fly under the banner of Club Sports here at CWRU. Today, we will be spotlighting one of those organizations: the Pickleball Club.

Unless you are an enthusiast or are taking the PE class for credit, you’ve probably never heard of pickleball. The sport, which was invented in 1965, was named the official state sport of Wash ington this year and is currently the fast est growing sport in the US, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry As sociation. Pickleball blends aspects of tennis, badminton and ping-pong into a game that has a short learning curve and is appealing to those of varying ages and physical abilities, but it can quickly evolve into a highly competitive and strategic sport.

The game is played on a court that is less than one-third the size of a ten nis court, with two 7-foot areas on either

side of the net being declared as nonvolley zones where the ball cannot be hit with the paddle unless it bounces first. All serves are made with an underhand stroke diagonally to the opponent’s side without it bouncing off the court. Fol lowing the serve, each side needs to hit the ball before it bounces—known as

Margaritaville USA National Pickleball Championships and the US Open Pick leball Championship. Several CWRU students have hopped on this pickleball wave and created an organization for in terested students.

The Pickleball Club—which is rec ognized by the Undergraduate Student

love the sport to come out and play.”

Practices are held on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at the Veale Center fieldhouse. These sessions focus more on casual games, with mul tiple doubles “King of the Court” games happening at once. Each court has a group of about three teams that rotate games. The winning team remains on the court until they lose.

The club was established last year and hosted small on-campus tournaments for club members. The organization plans to take competitions to the next level this year and is organizing team trips to tour naments against local colleges such as Ohio State University, Miami University and Robert Morris University.

Off the court, the club will be plan ning several social bonding events throughout the semester. Currently, there are plans to hold an outdoor cook out where members can enjoy good food and company while also playing some casual rounds of pickleball.

To join the club, interested students should join the club’s CampusGroups page and the GroupMe to keep up to date on the latest practice times and planned events. There are no stringent participation rules or fees to join, and the organization has spare paddles and pickleballs for students without personal equipment.

making a ground-stroke—at least once before volleying. Points can only be scored by the serving side and are earned when the opponent commits a fault, such as failing to return the ball or hitting the ball out of bounds or into the net. The serving side continues to serve until they fault. To win, you must score 11 points and have a lead of at least two points.

Today, there are over 4.8 million players in the US and thousands of pickleball tournaments, including the

Government—is a place for CWRU students to enjoy an athletic sport while playing a paddle sport among friends and peers.

“The goal of the club is for students to have fun and improve their skills at pick leball while also joining a community of people who have a common interest,” said co-president Jonathan Stevens in an interview. “We hope to provide an ac tivity that is welcoming to all levels of players and have a place for people who

“Club members are mainly [expect ed] to come out to play with a positive attitude and encourage teammates when playing,” said Stevens.

To learn more, reach out to co-pres idents Jonathan Stevens (jcs250@case. edu) and Melina Peshoff (mcp105@ case.edu) or visit the pages below.

Website: https://community.case.edu/ pickleballclub/home/ Instagram: @cwrupickleball

GroupMe:https://groupme.com/join_ group/70626922/qVRiQ0E2

Men’s soccer recovers from week 1 struggles, go undefeated at home

Ajeet Kalepu Staff Writer

Last year, Case Western Reserve University’s men’s soccer team com pleted the fall 2021 season with a 6-8-2 record, persevering through a demand ing schedule. The Spartans then finished the NCAA DIII Championship Tourna ment with a record of 0-6-2. Now, with a new group of first-year students join ing the squad, CWRU looks to surpass their feats from the previous year.

The Spartans kicked off the fall 2022 season with back-to-back road games. On Sept. 2, CWRU traveled to Delaware, Ohio and tied with the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops 1-1. Fourth-year midfielder Matt Vatne scored a 29th minute goal assisted by third-year midfielder Jacob Salmon. On Sept. 3, second-year midfielder Lucas Dalakis, fourth-year midfielder Matt Vatne and fourth-year midfielder Sean Atwater’s goals were not enough to sur pass Capital University, as the Spartans fell 4-3, bringing their record to 0-1-1.

Coach Carter Poe praised the Spar tans’ efforts against Ohio Wesleyan University, as they battled through nu merous injuries and a COVID-related absence. Despite these struggles going into the match versus Capital, Poe com mented, “At the end of the day though, I think there are no excuses going up [two] to nothing in a game, you need to win… But we are hoping to bounce back this week.”

Following a winless start to their sea son, CWRU made a huge turnaround, going 2-0 in their homestand. Last Wednesday, the Spartans battled the

previously undefeated Bethany College at DiSanto Field to a convincing 3-1 victory.

Vatne started the action in the 15th minute with brilliant dribbling inside the box and a cross to fourth-year mid fielder Adrian Harkness to assist his first goal of the season, putting the Spartans up 1-0. Bethany quickly answered back in the 20th minute with a header off a

corner kick to tie the game up. Vatne assisted yet another teammate, this time off of a corner kick to gradu ate student defender Alexandru Rum leanschi for his first goal of the season. In the second half, Harkness nearly ex tended the lead to 3-1, but Bethany’s keeper deflected his shot right to thirdyear midfielder Jacob Salmon, who then sent it into the back of the net.

With this win, CWRU improved its record to 1-1-1. The Spartans were ag gressive throughout the match with 16 shots, 9 of which were on target. The defense limited Bethany to just 6 shots with 3 on target.

Following an impressive perfor mance against Bethany College, CWRU hosted the No. 24 ranked Otterbein Uni versity to give yet another undefeated team their first loss of the season.

The first half of the match went in fa vor of the Cardinals, as Otterbein’s Will Isaac scored a 16th minute goal off a free kick. However, the second half was a different story.

In the 59th minute, first-year mid fielder Camden Larson smashed a long shot from outside the box right into the keeper’s hands, but third-year defender Jad Oglesby caught the deflection to tie the game up 1-1. CWRU surpassed Otterbein 2-1 in the 71st minute when Salmon crossed the ball to Atwater, al lowing him to net his first career goal.

The Spartan defense prevented Otter bein from converting in the last 20 min utes of regulation, causing the Spartans to pick up their second straight win to improve to 2-1-1. CWRU’s defensive prowess limited the Cardinals to just three shots compared to the Spartans’ 12 shot attempts with 9 on target.

The Spartans will conclude the month of September with a three-game road trip, taking on Allegheny College on Sept. 17, Defiance University on Sept. 20 and Kenyon College on Sept. 24.

Kicking off the new season, the CWRU men’s soccer team secure a 3-1 vic tory against a previously undefeated Bethany College. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

It’s become the fastest-growing sport nationwide, so it’s no wonder that the pickleball craze arrived at CWRU last year, with plans to compete in tournaments around the area soon. Courtesy of @cwrupickleball

Friday, September 16, 2021

7:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 11:59 p.m.

Lupin the III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)

Not Rated (102 min.)

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

With the voices of Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Kiyoshi Kobayashi

Renowned international thief Lupin III comes to the small European duchy of Cagliostro to investigate some excellently-forged money and stumbles across a national conspiracy going back some hundreds of years. Lupin and his friends must rescue the beautiful Clarice from the hands of the evil Count Cagliostro and solve the mystery of a hidden treasure dating back to the 15th century.

The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy Marathon

Saturday, 17 September 2022, 12:00 p.m.–11:59 p.m.

3 original theatrical-cut movies! 3 hobbit meals!

Divers and sundry amusements, prizes, and mathoms!!

1 low price of $25.00 with food or $10.00 without!

In honour of Hobbit Day (22 September), the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins

Get your tickets on CampusGroups

12:00 p.m.

Luncheon

Bread, cheese, and fruit Costume and Movie #1 trivia contests

1:00 p.m.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) An ancient Ring thought lost for centuries has been found, and through a strange twist in fate has been given to a small Hobbit named Frodo. When Gandalf discovers that the Ring is in fact the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, Frodo must make an epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it! However, he does not go alone. He is joined by Gandalf, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf, the Men Aragorn and Boromir, and his three Hobbit friends Merry, Pippin, and Samwise. Through mountains, snow, darkness, forests, rivers, and plains, facing evil and danger at every corner, the Fellowship of the Ring must go onward. Their quest to destroy the One Ring is the only hope for the end of the Dark Lord’s reign!

4:00 p.m.

Dinner Cold meats, bread, cheese, and fruit Movie #2 trivia contest

4:45 p.m.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) Sauron’s forces increase. His allies grow. The Ringwraiths return in an even more frightening form. Saruman’s army of Uruk-Hai is ready to launch an assault against Aragorn and the people of Rohan. Yet, the Fellowship is broken and Boromir is dead. For the little hope that is left, Frodo and Sam march on into Mordor, unprotected. A number of new allies join with Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin, and Merry; and they must defend Rohan and attack Isengard. Meanwhile, Sauron’s troops mass toward Minas Tirith, the City of Gondor, for the War of the Ring is about to begin.

7:45 p.m.

Supper Rabbit stew, roasted chicken, po-ta-toes, mushrooms, and pie Movie #3 trivia contest

8:30 p.m.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) While Frodo and Sam continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, unaware of the path on which Gollum is leading them, the former Fellowship aids Rohan and Gondor in great battles in the Pelennor Fields and Minas Tirith, and before the Black Gates, as Sauron wages his last war against the free peoples of Middle-Earth.

11:59 p.m.

Midnight Snack

Take home some lembas or cram Depart for the Grey Havens

General Admission $4.00, LOTR Marathon tickets are $25 with food or $10 without Strosacker Auditorium, CWRU Campus Quad Free Parking: Lot 44 at Adelbert Rd and Murray Hill