Volume XLVI, Issue 12 November 14, 2014

the

Case Western Reserve University volume xlvi, issue 12 friday, 11/14/2014

Observer

|

Laverne Cox: what makes up

identity?

Transgender “Orange Is the New Black” actress packs TVUC Ballroom for talk about feminism, inequality

| Jessica Yang/Observer

With Case Western Reserve University becoming more LGBT-accepting by leaps and bounds but struggling over issues of race, the message of Laverne Cox’s recent talk was perfectly matched to its audience.

On Nov. 7, Cox walked onto the Tinkham Veale University Center ballroom stage wearing a blood orange dress, to speak about feminism, inequality and intersectionality. The event, titled “Ain’t I a Woman?” was attended by a rapt audience of around 600 students, faculty, administrators and community members. Demand for tickets was so high that a live-stream of the talk was shown in Ford Auditorium.

Before Cox spoke, President Barbara Snyder, Elisabeth Roccoforte and two students, M.C. Perrin and Destinee Henton gave introductions. During her introduction Snyder announced that, starting in January, University faculty and staff health care will include coverage for transition-related health costs.

Cox then began her talk by thanking Snyder and the others for their introductions and noting that it is rare that she is introduced by the president of a university at which she is speaking.

Continuing into her talk, Cox said, “I stand here this evening a proud African-American transgender woman from

a working class background, raised by a single mother. I stand before you tonight an artist and an actress, a sister and a daughter, and I believe it’s important to name the various intersecting components of my multiple identities because I am not just one thing—and neither are you.”

That intersectionality continued to be an important theme through the talk. Cox spoke about being bullied for her gender identity in grade school and then her race in high school, and recounted a story where two men on the sidewalk had argued over whether Cox was “a b-word” or “an n-word.”

As she suffered through this cruel treatment at the hands of her peers and even random strangers, Cox did not always have pride and acceptance of the many facets of her identity, as she does now. She recalled painful moments in her past—being taken to a therapist to prevent her ending up “in a dress in New Orleans” and attempting suicide out of fear that her late grandmother was judging her from Heaven.

In with the more serious moments of her talk, Cox also included many of the triumphs that helped her reach her current success. From a third grader feeling regal while waving her fan like Scarlet O’Hara to a “club kid” in the 1990’s getting into New York’s clubs for free because of her unique style, Cox’s lighter moments have helped her hold on to her own identity.

Going forward, Cox advised the crowd

that, “We have to create spaces of gender self-determination for all of our youth and all of our society.”

The talk also seemed especially suited to its collegiate setting when Cox brought in perspectives from Cornel West, Bell Hooks and Janet Mock, among other scholars and writers.

Roccoforte, who helped organize Cox’s talk, from its initial suggestion to standing on stage to welcome Cox to Case Western Reserve University, said of the sometimes academic tone of the talk, “I thought she was going to tell much more of a narrative, which she did, but her weaving in these theories and theorists was a lovely surprise.”

Before the talk, Cox took the time to meet with students representing a range of on-campus organizations including the #webelonghere movement, Spectrum, The Feminist Collective, African American Society and Voices: A Women of Color Collaborative. Afterward she spent 15 minutes answering audience questions. Those questions ranged from a high schooler asking how to make her school’s gay-straight alliance more trans-inclusive to a student curious as to Cox’s views on Beyonce as a feminist.

Cox advised students, in the answer to one of those questions, “At the end of the day, even within diverse marginalized communities—like the trans community, which is really diverse and definitely not

News

A&E

Opinion

Sports

pg. 4 think[box] breakdown

pg. 10 Eldred spells it out

pg. 7 Housing aid policy examined

pg. 18 Give Browns coach credit

Aquene Kimmel Opinion Editor

Courtesy Netflix Laverne Cox plays Sophia Burset, an inmate hairdresser on the Netflix original series “Orange Is the New Black.” monolithic—it’s really important to celebrate our differences, too.”

“I hope it started some good conversations,” said Roccoforte following this talk and the overwhelmingly positive feedback it has received, “that will lead to action and creating a more inclusive space in general for all students on CWRU’s campus.”

2 | State of the University

11/14/14

State of the University:

In the day to day business that becomes life at Case Western Reserve University, each member of the community can find themselves focusing on the small things and not thinking past what needs to be done for tomorrow or before clocking out for the weekend. President Barbara R. Snyder’s annual “State of the University” report provides us the chance to look at our institution as a whole and see the advances those around us are making to improve our vibrant campus community. It gives us insight to the parts of our community that we sometimes neglect to notice. The annual report was changed from a speech format, to a written letter style format starting this year and we here at The Observer have broken down President Snyder’s report into seven sections for those who are still a little too busy to read the whole thing. Here is what Snyder had to say about our institution:

Financial Status:

“The FY2014 surplus of $7.179 million was $1.233 million less than in the previous year, although still better than the budgeted amount of $6.127 million.”

“These numbers sound large—on more than one occasion I have been asked why we don’t settle for a lower surplus and instead invest more dollars in compensation or research support. But in the context of a $1 billion operation, the margin is exceptionally slim. We have no room for error or market adversity, and little opportunity to accumulate significant reserves needed for strategic investment.”

– President Snyder

Cost of Wyant Center Cost of TVUC Number of new financial records set University Annual Attainment Surplus Operating budget

Scholarships:

“The expanded capital campaign raised $145.8 million for scholarships, fellowships and other assistance...We have launched a targeted campaign this fall to increase student scholarship funds significantly. As part of that effort, we have added a new ‘term scholarship’ option, in which donors can make commitments in real time that directly benefit students now enrolled. We also are exploring new approaches to increase assistance for graduate and professional students.”

– President Snyder

$8 million $50 million 22

A “term scholarship” is a new opportunity for a donor to invest in one student or a group of students for their entire four years at CWRU. It’s a way for donors to connect to the student who benefits from their generosity. In a separate conversation, Snyder stated that this program is meant to be as unrestricted as possible, but is still a work in progress.

– The Observer

$151.6 million $7.179 million $1 billion

Admissions:

Our 2014 applications total nearly tripled those from 2007. It was nearly twice as hard to win admission to this year’s entering class than the one seven years ago.

Case Western Reserve

Carnegie Mellon

University of Chicago

Washington University

MIT

Johns Hopkins

University of Rochester

Applications

21,733

18,884

30,304

28,823

18,989

23,877

17,230

Selectivity Underrepresented minority

38%

18%

8.40%

17.90%

7.70%

15%

35.30%

13%

6.30%

33.10%

12. 5%

20%

18.8

16%

Staff Satisfaction: “The staff survey provided so much valuable information that I have followed up the school and College visits the provost and I make each fall and spring with online questionnaires of faculty and staff within each of these individual communities. One of my priorities this year is to find new ways to listen closely to members of our community to understand more about your perspectives, priorities, and ideas.”

– President Snyder “What I have heard from others around campus and consistent with comments from the President at various meetings I have attended. The faculty has the highest respect for the staff of CWRU and appreciate all that they do for advancing the teaching and research mission of the University, and helping faculty perform their roles in the university mission.”

– Professor Robert Savinell, Faculty Senate Chair

Diversity:

“13 percent: Our proportion of underrepresented minority students, a figure four-tenths of a percentage point higher than in the previous year. The proportion of underrepresented minority students in the entering class has climbed by more than 50 percent since 2007.”

– President Snyder

Community:

“Case Western Reserve needs every bit of your involvement, insight and inspiration if we are to capitalize on what we have achieved to date and hope to accomplish in the near future.

Critical to that progress is an element often cited but seldom fully realized: Community. We have extraordinary people here.

How do we ensure that each of them feels welcome, valued, and part of our momentum? How do we provide more of the encouragement and support that flows so quickly in crisis to circumstances less obviously urgent— but nevertheless vital to who we are and what we hope to be?”

– President Snyder

Reporting by: JP. O’Hagan, Brian Sherman, & Katie Wieser

Fundraising:

“I have already noted that we reached our capital campaign’s $1 billion goal two and a half years ahead of schedule. And that we are expanding the campaign to $1.5 billion, thanks to the members of our campaign committee and our trustees who recognized that our needs and opportunities were too great to stop raising funds now. Increasing the goal by 50 percent is ambitious, to say the least, but the results of fiscal year 2014 offer cause for cautious optimism...People invest when they have confidence. Thanks to the exceptional work of our faculty, staff and students, people know that this university will use their dollars wisely.”

– President Snyder

$1.5 billion = $1,500,000,000 What could we buy?

240,000,000 Chipotle Burritos

214,286 Segways 3,750,000 Xbox Ones

333,333,333 Starbucks drinks

10,000,000 Keurigs

Film Socie ty

375,000,000 Film Society movie tickets

142,857,143 Melt U Spartan Burgers

1,363,636 13” Macbook Pros

1,126,126 CWRU class credits

188 Wyant Centers

43 think[boxes]

Meredith Dykehouse/Observer

news CWRU appoints bioethics professor as new vice president of research John Brogan Staff Reporter Dr. Suzanne Rivera, an assistant professor of bioethics, was recently promoted to the vice president of research. Effective this month, she will support all of the research and scholarly activities happening on campus.

“I’ll be working closely with all the deans to better understand their specific research goals and to provide whatever assistance I can,” said Rivera, who has served as the associate vice president of research since January 2011. “Each school has research strengths, and I want to build on those while helping to grow the whole pie.”

Rivera says that she is excited and honored to take on her new role, and she wants to strengthen a school already known for its research excellence.

Rivera’s goals tie in closely with the goals outlined in Case Western Reserve University’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan, “Think Beyond the Possible.” The 20-page strategic plan lists diversity and ethical behavior as

some of CWRU’s core research values.

“Good science is ethical science,” said Rivera. “I really enjoy teaching research ethics and working on my own scholarship about science policy.”

Before entering the world of higher education, Rivera spent several years at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rivera’s background in health policy and interest in bioethics help shape the way she views good research. One of her main focuses is implementing effective training for junior faculty who are just starting their research programs, with an emphasis on responsible conduct in research.

Rivera also serves on multiple advisory panels and boards at the national level, which she believes will give the university a seat at the policy making table. She just started a two-year term as a voting member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Human Research Studies Board, and is also a board member on the Council on Government Relations, which helps shape science funding and regulation.

Cleveland voters say no to traffic cameras

Ki Oh/Observer Dr. Suzanne Rivera, an assistant professor of bioethics, hopes to implement the goals of the 2013-2018 strategic plan in her new position.

Spotlight on research

Researcher uses a plant grown vaccine to fight breast cancer Kushagra Gupta Staff Reporter

Andrew Hodowanec/Observer During the Nov. 4 midterm election, Cleveland voters decided to remove the cameras which monitor drivers for speeding and infractions.

Aneeka Ayyar Staff Reporter The voters of Cleveland have spoken: they want the traffic cameras removed.

With drivers frequently complaining about the inaccuracy of the cameras, 77 percent of Cleveland voters voted yes on Issue 35 at the Nov. 4 midterm election, meaning that Cleveland will remove all traffic cameras, effective immediately.

“I personally find [traffic cameras] really annoying,” freshman commuter student Bethany Cook said.

The cameras angered many drivers, who felt that they made too many inaccurate calls, resulting in undeserved tickets. Sometimes, the cameras even report legal activities, like a driver making a right turn on a red light, as a traffic violation. According to USA Today, some cameras have a 25 percent error rate.

Cleveland also had speed detection cameras, which snap a picture of the li-

cense plate of a speeding car and send it to the police. These cameras can also be faulty, sometimes reporting drivers who are driving just at the speed limit.

Drivers also sometimes trick the cameras by slowing down while they pass by, and then speeding back up after, making many question their efficacy.

Supporters of the cameras say that they help to monitor traffic during times when police cannot, especially during rush hour.

There are no traffic cameras located on Case Western Reserve University’s campus, although there are some on roads located nearby.

Some believe that there should be cameras on Case Western Reserve University’s campus, as they could help keep pedestrians safer.

“If anything, they should put a traffic camera on Ford and Bellflower because it’s such a commonly use intersection by students,” said freshman Aradhika Sarda.

At fifteen, Dr. Nicole Steinmetz was at an international figure skating competition in Columbia, thousands of miles away from her home in Germany.

So far out of her comfort zone, Steinmetz had to learn to be independent at an earlier age than most.

She believes that this helped to give her the self-reliance that she has today, which she brings to her research at Case Western Reserve University. Steinmetz, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, is studying how to grow a virus in a plant that could eventually be used to create a vaccine against breast cancer.

Steinmetz is attaching the virus to a peptide which is dense on the surface of certain breast cancer cells. She believes that this will make the immune system attack the peptide and create antibodies, which would then attack the cancer cells.

Normally, the immune system wouldn’t attack these cells because it wouldn’t recognize the peptides. However, with the virus, the immune system would recognize the peptides as foreign and attack them, as well as the cancer cells. This would help treat cancer without harming normal cells.

“The most fascinating, but also the most complicated, is the immune system,” said Steinmetz. “If we could trick the immune system to fight tumor cells, it would be the most powerful treatment of all.”

Steinmetz explains that viruses are excellent for medical treatments. They

are large enough that they can have thousands of peptides fused to them, but they are also small enough that they can go through membranes in the body that other pathogens can’t.

In the first step of her research, Steinmetz uses a plant to grow the virus, with the peptide attached, to form the vaccine.

According to Steinmetz, a person could be vaccinated just by eating this plant.

Steinmetz is studying virus production in plants that are edible because she hopes that this could be the method of vaccination against breast cancer. Some third world countries, who do not have much access to sterile facilities that regular vaccines can be grown or stored in, would be able to access the vaccine much more readily in this form. Also, plants are easy to grow, and could be grown simply using genetic clones, making producing a safe vaccine far simpler.

“All we need is dirt, sunlight and some seeds,” she said.

Still, Steinmetz’s work is quite complex, and, like many researchers, she can find herself in back-to-back meetings for most of the day. She’ll take a breather, if only to respond to emails.

At the same time, though, she likes to take a step back and enjoy it.

She came to CWRU, after England and California, because of how tied the biomedical engineering department was to the School of Medicine.

“That was attractive to me,” said Steinmetz. “The basic science, the engineering and the medical sciences combined on one campus.”

4

news

11/14/14

Editor’s choice

Construction begins on new seven-story think[box] building

Julia Bianco News Editor Construction recently began on the new think[box] center, a seven-story, 55,000 square-foot building taking over the space which Lincoln Moving & Storage formerly occupied. Construction on phase one of the project, which includes

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The building’s design allows students WR ÀRZ IURP ÀRRU WR ÀRRU WKURXJK WKH process of creating their design, starting DW ÀRRU RQH DQG KRSHIXOO\ JRLQJ DOO WKH way to the top.

Here’s a breakdown of what will be on each floor:

Floor 7: Incubator

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Floor 6: Student start-ups 7KH VL[WK ÀRRU ZLOO KDYH RI¿FHV WKDW VXSSRUW VWXGHQW VWDUWXSV LQcluding Blackstone LaunchPad and representatives from the business and law school.

Floor 5: Student projects

7KH ÂżIWK Ă€RRU LV IRU VWXGHQW SURMHFWV “That’s the coolest space,â€? said Ian Charnas, manager of think[box]. “There is a competition that we run where we make a car every year.

There is one where they make an airplane. There’s robotics clubs, independent theater clubs who might want a place to build a set, you name it.� “But where do we work?� he added. “We work in driveways, dorm rooms, a corner of a lab somewhere. There is no dedicated space.�

7KH ÂżIWK Ă€RRU ZLOO SURYLGH VTXDUH IHHW RI VSDFH IRU WKHVH W\SHV of projects, all dedicated to student groups. “You’re going to be near all the other students who are makers, who are tinkerers, who are doers,â€? said Charnas. “You’ll be a much more collaborative ecosystem.â€?

Floor 4: Fabrication

7KH IRXUWK ÀRRU LV FDOOHG IDEULFDWLRQ DQG IHDWXUHV ZHOGLQJ VKHHW metal working and other heavier equipment.

Floor 3: Prototyping

7KH WKLUG ÀRRU LV D SURWRW\SLQJ ÀRRU LQFOXGLQJ PDQ\ RI WKH WKLQJV that can be found in the smaller, temporary think[box] space in the basement of the Glennan Building, although the amount of equipment will increase twofold. There will be a wood shop, a metal shop, 3-D printers, computerized embroidery and a lot of other equipment.

Floor 2: Collaboration

Floor two is for collaboration. There will be a large space with reFRQÂżJXUDEOH IXUQLWXUH DV ZHOO DV RIÂżFHV WKDW SHRSOH FDQ XVH IRU D GD\ RU DV QHHGHG 7KH Ă€RRU ZLOO DOVR EH XVHG WR SURYLGH PRUH VSDFH IRU programming, including the Leonard Gelfand STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Center, which runs programs having to do with science and technology for members of the community. “The Gelfand STEM Center is a fantastic group on campus that runs these programs,â€? said Charnas. “But they don’t have a dedicated space to do these activities.â€?

Floor 1: Community )ORRU RQH LV WKH FRPPXQLW\ ÀRRU ZKLFK ZLOO LQFOXGH VSDFHV IRU club activities and public exhibitions. It also may include a hall of fame, showcasing famous inventions that came from CWRU, such DV LQVXOLQ FDUERQ ¿EHUV ZLQGVKLHOG ZLSHUV *PDLO DQG &UDLJVOLVW

“We’re excited,� said Charnas. “Most universities have some kind of entrepreneurial space, but they don’t have that kind of flow.�

Charnas also stressed that, like the current think[box], the new building will be open to students of all majors, as well as faculty, staff and members of the general public. “We don’t know of any other university

Meredith Dykehouse/Observer in the world right now with that kind of access policy,â€? said Charnas. “When I was a student here on camSXV PDNLQJ WKLQJV , KDG WURXEOH ÂżQGLQJ places to work,â€? he added. “I’m really excited as a staff member now to give those opportunities to students.â€? “We’re pretty excited to see it commence to operation.â€?

Health care start-up wins big at business competition Adithi Iyengar Staff Reporter Vineet Erasala, a first-year biomedical engineering and electrical engineering major, has always been interested in how technology has a role in healthcare. From this interest, he and his friends started a company, Genetesis LLC., which recently placed as one of the finalists at 43North, the world’s largest business competition.

Genetesis, established last year, is a biotechnology company that focuses on using algorithms and computer software to optimize drug design and analyze real-time function of the heart’s electrophysiology.

The goal is to enable health care providers to prescribe the right medications to patients for their heart problems, without debilitating side effects.

The competition gave a total of $5 million away to 11 finalists. As one of those finalists, Genetesis won a $250,000 investment prize and another $10,000 from a people’s choice

award that the competition held on Twitter.

With their newfound wealth, over the course of the next year, Genetesis will be working on biomedical and lab-based studies, including finding a non-invasive way to detect the bioelectric signals from the heart.

Erasala says that his experience at CWRU has been instrumental to Genetesis’ development. “Because Case is one of the leaders in biomedical engineering, we can talk to the foremost experts in bioinformatics and electrophysiology to get their advice,� said Erasala. “Even the location is good because we can reach out to all of the hospitals nearby.�

Erasala and his friends, Peeyush Srivastava and Emmanuel Setegn, both undergraduates from Ohio State University, began the company while in high school together. “I’ve always been fascinated with how medical technology can change to fix the problems that doctors will face in the field,� said Erasala. “Biotechnology is a way to fundamentally alter the business for the better.�

Juniper police headquarters to be torn down, replaced with new alumni wing Gabrielle Buffington Staff Reporter It seems like everyday at Case Western Reserve University there are orange cones and yellow helmets. But there are no blockades or construction workers around the police headquarters on Juniper. Just a sign on the front lawn that reads “Future site of the Linsalata Alumni Center.�

Although the Juniper headquarters will be torn down, the Dispatch Center on Adelbert Road, which houses most of the police department’s radio equipment and phones, will remain standing. The main headquarters, behind Denny’s All Nighter, will also remain unchanged.

Sgt. Jeffrey Daberko, who has been with the CWRU Police Department since 2006, is familiar with the never-ending construction here in University Circle. “They’re going to tear our house down and build another wing to the Alumni Center,� said Daberko. “There’s no exact time table of when they want to do that, but that’s the eventual plan.�

The Alumni House has been planning an expansion and was recently bestowed a $4 million pledge by Frank and Jocelyne Linsalata. F. Linsalata is a CWRU alumnus, chairman and founder of Linsalata Capital Partners and a member of the university’s board of trustees, while his wife serves on the Inamori Ethics Prize Committee as well as several other university groups.

Daberko said that the project will not begin until they find a new location for the police headquarters. “They can’t tear down our house until they give us a place to go,� said Daberko. “They have to find a place for us to go and give us a chance to move before they can begin demolition and construction for the new alumni center.�

The decision for the new police headquarters’ location, and the decision of when construction of the Linsalata Wing will commence, will come soon, but there are no definite dates.

Until that day comes, he says, “We’ll just sit in our little house until they tear it down around us.�

New Spirit Wall up and ready for posting Sruthi Meka Staff Reporter The Spirit Wall is back. Previously located behind Thwing Center, it was taken down due to the construction of the Tinkham Veale University Center. However, it’s back now, and larger than ever before. “The purpose of the Spirit Wall, in my eyes, is a venue for student organizations and groups and students in general on campus to advertise to the community,� said Taylor Gladys, president of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

Gladys also believes that groups can use the Spirit Wall for more creative purposes. “If people want to advertise for an event or put a statement out there for people to see, food for thought, I think [the Spirit Wall] is a cool community thing we have going,� she added.

To post on the wall, students have to adhere to the policies enforced by the Division of Student Affairs. Students can only paint the wall between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and messages must be appropriate.

Violations of these policies may re-

sult in fines and additional actions.

The security cameras in the vicinity of the Spirit Wall should help discourage these violations and any vandalism.

The Spirit Wall was initially taken down last year, with the intention of having students use the media wall in the University Center instead. “There was a small focus group of students that met with the administration about it,� said Gladys. “We really wanted to keep [the Spirit Wall], so that’s why they ended up putting it back up.�

The new Spirit Wall got off to a bit of a rocky start, when several student groups’ work was painted over this past weekend. According to Gladys, the wall was supposed to be painted white before student groups started using it, but, due to a misunderstanding, it was not painted until recently, and some groups who had already posted found that their hard work was in vain.

Now, though, the hulking white wall is ready for use as an open template for student expression, fostering a quirkier college atmosphere. A few student groups have even already made their marks.

news

observer.case.edu

5

USG works out contract to cover TVUC ballroom reservation fees Students will still bear costs though as money will be taken from Student Activities Fee Julia Bianco News Editor Student groups looking to make use of the Tinkham Veale University Center ballroom will be happy to hear about the Undergraduate Student Government’s latest announcement. With a recent proposal approved by the Student Executive Council, USG has created a contract that will allow student groups to use the ballroom without having to budget for the reservation fee in their mass funding requests.

Going into this semester, USG was unsure what fees would be associated with TVUC ballroom use. Because of this, student groups who wanted to use the ballroom were often blocked out, as they didn’t have enough mon-

ey in their budgets to make reservations. Now that the fees have been announced, costing $150 for two hours of student group use, USG has worked with the SEC to create an off-thetop contract to cover TVUC fees.

The contract estimates how many student groups are expected to use the ballroom during the semester, based on the amount of groups that used the space in this past semester and that requested to use the space, but could not afford to. Estimating between 28 and 32 uses in the upcoming semester, USG worked out a contract with TVUC to pay off-the-top for these uses. In return, TVUC will allow student groups to use the ballroom without directly charging them.

“Rather than add it to the expectation that student organizations would have to budget

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for these fees, we decided to see if we could get the fee essentially waived,” said Chippy Kennedy, the USG vice president of finance.

The money for the contract comes from the Student Activities Fee (SAF), a fee per semester that every student pays in addition to their tuition. Currently at $171, the fee is allocated through SEC to the various different student governments on campus, namely USG, University Media Board, Greek Life, the Class Officer Collective, and the University Programming Board. Also involved in SEC is the Residence Hall Association, although they do not receive a portion of the SAF. The off-the-top money is taken as a small portion of each group’s SAF allocation, with USG and Greek Life, the two organizations who will likely use the ball-

USG opens applications for Student Life Improvement Grants Julia Bianco News Editor The Undergraduate Student Government is opening up applications for Student Life Improvement Grants (SLIGs).

The SLIGs are given to members of the CWRU community who have a project that they believe will provide long-term benefits to the student body.

The SLIGs come from rollover money from last semester, due to the conservative policies of last year’s finance team.

Grants have also been awarded in past semesters where there was a similar financial situation.

“It’s better to spend your rollover on projects when you can, as opposed to holding on to it,” said Chippy Kennedy, the USG Vice President of Finance.

Previous SLIGs were awarded for a

Miriam Ridge Staff Reporter

The most recent CPA exam results for medium-sized

Case Western Reserve University students better buckle their seatbelts, because Zipcar is coming to campus.

Within two weeks, CWRU will become a part of the international car sharing service, with two Zipcars on campus, one on northside and the other on southside.

Users can reserve a car over the phone, on the website, or on the mobile app. Zipsters can reserve a car for an hour, a day or even multiple days.

“All of Zipcar’s vehicles are under two years old, and are given really cool names through Facebook contests,” said Kayla Gray, a CWRU student and

10th nationally in pass rates.

Scholarships are available.

Visit go.jcu.edu/bolergrad to learn more.

number of projects, the most successful being the Case Footlighters’ Sound and Lighting Equipment Borrowing System (SLEBS) program. The SLEBS program lends out the musical theater group’s sound equipment to other student groups, free of charge.

“The grant was really in the spirit of the entire thing because the SLEBS program is free for students to use, and it is a huge benefit to Footlighters,” said Kennedy. “All of the grants are in that vein, where USG is willing to front the money for the grants if they will provide long-term improvements for students.”

USG will accept rolling applications for the grants until Dec. 1. The only requirement is that the project be completed by the end of this school year. Grant proposals will be reviewed and voted on by the USG Executive Committee.

Zipcar races into CWRU

powerful combination of business classes and workplace experience.

schools placed our accountancy graduates

room the most, paying the largest portion.

The contract will also pay for tarp fees in the Veale Center, the Horsburgh Gymnasium, and the Adelbert Gymnasium. Because of the Athletic Department’s requirements regarding the floors in these buildings, student groups looking to use these spaces are required to pay a fee to put a tarp down on the floor, which many groups do not budget for. The contract will provide for 1.5 tarp uses per semester, based on an analysis of the last ten years of tarp usage.

“In these contracts and talking with the administration, USG and SEC really want to stress that students are still paying for this,” said Kennedy. “It is not free. This isn’t a, ‘the fee is free’ victory, but it is a ‘the fee is much better organized’ victory.”

Zipcar representative.

Members of Zipcar, or Zipsters, must be 18 years or older, and have had a driver’s license for over a year. Membership costs $25 per year, and includes gas, insurance, maintenance and tolls. Zipsters also have access to 24/7 roadside assistance.

Zipcar is also providing a grant program, called Students with Drive, for student organizations. Finalists are chosen in each of the five categories: academics, arts, athletics, student life and community service, each month. Winners receive $5,000 in transportation, $10,000 in cash and $10,000 for their school’s General Scholarship Fund.

The company will also be hosting a car themed movie night on Nov. 21, and they will have a booth at Thwing Study Over.

CWRU Police Blotter Nov. 5 to Nov. 12 Nov. 5: Petty theft—Furniture taken from kitchen/common area, Sherman House.

Nov. 5: Telecommunications fraud—Attempts made to hack into multiple CWRU staff accounts, Kelvin Smith Library.

Nov. 6: Bicycle theft—Unsecured bike taken from rack, North Residential Village #3A. Nov. 7: Petty theft—Jackets taken from office, Veale Center.

Nov. 8: Drug possession—Marijuana, Sherman House.

Nov. 8: Disorderly conduct—Male being disorderly outside bar, ABC Tavern.

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Obituary

Semper Fi, always faithful

CAS associate dean, faculty advisor to the rowing team Kenneth Klika loses battle with cancer Julia Bianco News Editor The two trees framing Adelbert Hall somehow maintained their colorful plumage through the harsh winds of November, adding a beautiful autumn feel to the Veteran’s Day gathering of students, community members, faculty and staff. Many are decked out in service uniforms or wearing red, white and blue.

The university takes the opportunity to remember Kenneth Klika, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, rowing faculty advisor and civil engineering professor, who died on Oct. 31 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Klika served as a Marine in the First Aircraft Wing during the Vietnam conflict.

He was memorialized by James Eller, the associate director for academic resources, who closed his tribute with a simple, “Semper Fi. Hoorah, my friend.” *** Klika did not act like your typical 69-year-old. An avid rower, skydiver, competitive swimmer and motorcycle rider, his thirst for life never slowed down.

“He really showed me that you are never too old to do this kind of stuff,” said Patrick DelBarba, a senior who met Klika during his time in the CWRU Rowing Club.

As the rowing team’s faculty advisor, Klika was extremely involved in both the team and the sport itself. A latecomer to the sport, Klika first became interested in rowing during his time as a professor at the University of Akron before coming to CWRU. Using his knowledge of civil engineering, he helped Akron’s team create paper-thin concrete canoes, which the team then used in their races.

“He always had this interest in engineering and applied hydrodynamics,” said Aaron Marcovy, rowing team coach.

“Rowing was a natural fit.”

Klika helped the team with admin-

istrative issues, putting them in contact with the right people to help solve any issues they had.

“He would advocate or us at every opportunity,” said Marcovy.

He also sometimes raced with the team, where he even won a medal at Cincinnati’s 2012 Head of the Hidden Dragon competition. Every January, he would join the team in seeing how much distance they could put on the indoor rowing machine in the month, completing more than 200 kilometers every year.

One of Klika’s main projects for the rowing team was helping to design them an indoor practice space. In collaboration with some civil engineering master’s students, Klika helped to design rowing tanks, giant, garage-sized buildings with pools and boats that rowers can practice in. He even travelled all the way to Seattle to pick up a component of the tanks.

“This kind of involvement is utterly unheard of,” said Marcovy. “For a faculty advisor to be this hands on.”

Klika brought the same level of commitment to his job as assistant dean, playing key roles in the creation of the SAGES Cafe and SAGES offices, as well as the planning of The Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center at The Temple Tifereth—Israel. He was also an avid supporter of student veterans.

“Ken felt profound commitment to Case Western Reserve and the college,” College of Arts and Sciences Dean Cyrus Taylor said in The Daily’s obituary for Klika. “He loved being on campus, being with students, and doing everything he could to improve our facilities and assist our young people.”

Even during his battle with cancer, Klika kept his upbeat spirit.

“We went to see him in the hospital,” said DelBarba. “I had given him a hat from the time I was training with a team in Philadelphia this summer. He was sitting there in his hospital gown wearing it when we walked in, happy as a clam.”

Klika’s friends and colleagues say that

Courtesy Spartan Alumni Rowing Association Klika was the faculty advisor for the rowing team. He is pictured above (center) with rowing team mebers Doug Brubaker (left) and Patrick DelBarbara (right). He even participated in some of their races (below, most right in photo).

he will be remembered most for his loyalty.

“He was a proud member of the Marines, and their motto, Semper Fi, really defines him,” said Marcovy. Semper Fi, always faithful.

“As a team, we’re really at a loss,” said

Marcovy. “I don’t know if anyone could ever fill the void that Ken left.”

--Mike McKenna, Director of Print, and Katie Weiser, Executive Editor, contributed reporting.

Ohio’s election turnout may be the lowest in state’s history Julia Bianco News Editor Preliminary numbers show that Ohio’s voter turnout in the Nov. 4 midterm elections may be the state’s lowest ever, with only 3.15 million votes reported statewide, around 36.2 percent of eligible voters.

The big draw in this election was the gubernatorial race, between incumbent Republican John Kasich and Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald, the Cuyahoga County executive. FitzGerald’s campaign faced a number of controversies, lessening his viability as challenger and alienating many of his Democratic supporters. Because of this, and the lack of mobilizing statewide issues or other big name races, many Ohio voters didn’t make the effort to

go to the polls.

“I don’t think people voted because they don’t realize how important non-presidential elections can be, or they are apathetic,” said Jennifer Meyer, president of the Case College Republicans. “It really bothers me that people don’t inform themselves and vote for what they believe in.”

Exit polls also showed that the voters skewed older, with 61 percent of voters aged 50 or older. The voters also skewed Republican.

“Democrats didn’t run on a really strong progressive agenda,” said Matthew Keri, treasurer of the Case Democrats.

“Instead, a lot of them campaigned as mild Republicans. That kept a lot of Democrats away from the polls and didn’t win any Republicans over.”

“They made it so voters didn’t feel like they had a choice, which pushed up apathy,” he added.

Kasich, predictably, won the election with 64 percent of the vote, compared to FitzGerald’s 33 percent. Third party challenger Anita Rios of the Green Party received 3 percent of the vote.

2014’s turnout numbers are slightly below the 2002 election, the last gubernatorial election in the state without a Senate race. In 2002, 3.2 million voters went to the polls. With the addition of outstanding absentee and provisional ballots, it is possible that this year’s turnout could rise above 2002’s, although it is unlikely that it will be much higher.

Nationally, this election was one of the lowest in history, and the lowest turnout

since World War II. Current reports list turnout around 36.3 percent, although that is not final. Ohio is not the lowest state in the nation, falling around the middle at number 32. Indiana, Texas and Utah fell at the bottom of the list, with around 28 percent of turnout, and Maine had the highest turnout with 59.3 percent. Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate, and kept their control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

On the CWRU campus, voter indifference was high, with many students unaware that an election was even happening at all.

“It wasn’t even so much that students were apathetic,” said Keri. “It was that the community as a whole was so apathetic that people didn’t even know the election was happening.”

Look online for exclusives about Theta Chi’s Mental Health Awareness Week and CWRU’s Veteran’s Day event Find it at observer.case.edu

opinion Editorial

With housing policy, financial aid fails to financially aid A recent Businessinsider.com article ranked Case Western Reserve University’s dorms as the most expensive in Ohio higher education. Similarly, according to a poll on The Observer’s website, a whopping 78 percent of the 159 respondents said that the price of housing is too high for the quality that students receive. So while it would be great for our page views if this editorial could be an article full of outrage over ridiculously expensive housing, that can’t quite be the case.

A closer look at the stats shows that we’re not that bad when it comes to cost.

According to a comparison to CWRU’s peer institutions (a better basis for judgement unless your only criteria for choosing a university are that it is in Ohio and has cheap housing), we are actually pretty solidly in the middle of the pack. To CWRU’s average of $12,898 per year for a double occupancy room and board (costs vary, but that’s the price listed by the National Center for Education Statistics), University of Rochester costs $13,128, Emory University costs $12,360, and Carnegie Mellon University costs $11,990. These are the statistics by which CWRU measures itself internally, according to the vice president of Student Affairs Lou Stark.

Stark emphasized that comparing CWRU to other Ohio institutions is like “comparing apples to oranges.” And we agree.

However, while our costs do not stand out among peers, they are still high for many students (remember the above mentioned poll), especially for those already receiving a lot of financial aid. Through scholarships and generous financial aid packages, CWRU attempts to make a good education available to all. But certain financial aid policies do not follow this mission, as financial aid is tied to living on campus and thus requires acceptance of high housing costs.

University policy states that unless a student is registered as a commuter, they are required to live on campus during their freshman and sophomore years in some form of CWRU housing, be it the dorms, apartments or Greek options. This rule encourages a residential atmosphere, and in this mission it’s fairly successful in doing so, as university officials estimate that the percentage of students living on campus rests in the mid-80 percent.

Living on campus is guaranteed for all four years, an amazing fact considering we are an urban school. However for junior and senior year, students are supposed to be given the opportunity to move off campus.

Sounds great, right? Here’s the catch: for some of the most financially needy students—the 40 percent who receive needbased financial aid—this very opportunity to move into the surrounding neighborhood and save some money is not available. But what causes this?

Per university policy, which is not in any way tied to state or federal funding, the office of financial aid automatically reduces student need based grants by up to $11,820 per year if a student decides to move off campus.

Ironically, the students who would benefit from the cost savings of living off campus can’t do so, or they get their money pulled.

For example, for a room in a Village at 115 apartments, students pay at least $9,910 per year in rent--$1101.11 per month. By comparison, CWRU students could instead rent an apartment in Little Italy for $500 a month with utilities. The students who demonstrate financial need get saddled with the more expensive housing options. Sure, there are some cheaper options than the Village, but they don’t save that much all while sacrificing a lot of amenities.

Living on campus comes with a lot of perks: community activities run by Residence Life Staff and the Residence Hall As-

sociation, not having to worry about rent payments, better safety, you name it. But are all these things worth coming out of school with an additional $10,000 in debt? We believe that for many students, the answer is no.

Additionally, school officials defend this policy on the basis that they are dedicated to building a residential campus—85% of students currently live on-campus—and a more vibrant, involved campus community makes CWRU better for all of us. The Observer staff agrees that an active campus community is lovely, but we don’t think that financial manipulation is the way to achieve it.

Rather than punishing financially disadvantaged students who decide to try their luck with an off-campus apartment, CWRU should instead focus on making our campus the sort of place where students will choose to live. The Observer calls on our university to eliminate this classist, manipulative policy and replace it with positive incentives which will encourage students to choose to live on campus. Absolutely, let’s have a residential campus, but going forward let’s make it a residential campus where students want to live, not just one where certain students feel they need to stay to keep their need-based aid.

Death, Barbara Snyder and The Talking Heads The meaning of Spartan life Jacob Martin Having a weekly opinion column with the freedom to say practically anything I want is a privilege I sometimes take for granted. I often think about how I’ve landed this spot and what influence, if any, I have on the Case Western Reserve University community.

As my deadline approached this week, I realized I hadn’t written anything and didn’t have any idea on what to write. It is in moments like these I recognize just how lucky I am to have this space to write in, yet I still found myself preoccupied with a number of other things and unable to focus on mustering at least 400 words to send to my editors.

I thought about my normal topics and decided against those. I thought about the tagline of my column and its major question: is there meaning and purpose in life (at CWRU)? I was sitting in Tomlinson Hall, watching two meetings going on simultaneously in the glass rooms across from the main entrance when I thought about meetings in general. I thought about what meetings accomplish and what each party involved personally gains.

I had coffee with a director of a division in the Office of Student Affairs earlier this week. She said something I’m still process-

ing; she called CWRU “transactional.” That is fascinating.

I started thinking about it, and she is right.

CWRU is transactional—all universities are.

As a student, I enroll and matriculate, pay a given amount of money to complete a prescribed course of work leading to a degree that marks my education level in society.

This is, by definition, a transaction between different entities.

But my friend meant something more, so I began thinking about all of the transactions I’ve made with CWRU as an institution and with individuals. If I push this notion to its limits, it’s not absurd for me to think every interaction that has happened between CWRU and me has been some sort of transaction—either I or CWRU gained something due to our communication.

All semester I’ve been meeting with administrators, student groups and individual students to discuss matters related to diversity and our sense of community on campus. From vice presidents and provosts to members of Greek Life and Undergraduate Student Government, from presidents of cultural organizations to students not affiliated with any campus group, everyone has something to say on these matters.

On Monday, I will meet with President Barbara Snyder to discuss the same issues.

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer exists to report news affecting and/or involving students and to provide an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observerads@case.edu.

The Observer is a proud member of the CWRU Media Board.

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 10900 Euclid Avenue, Suite A09, Cleveland, OH 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

As I prepare for our discussion, I keep thinking about the word transactional. I will get an entire column, but what will she gain from the minutes I spend in her office?

I wonder what each person I’ve talked to has gained from meeting with me. I was mostly asking questions and trying to get something out of the other party. Obviously I’ve gained a lot, but what about them?

Meetings are a transaction. Actually, most things in life are. Apart from creative self-expressions that bring us some personal pleasure, our time is typically not spent frivolously. Calendars control our lives and clocks control our calendars.

One of man’s greatest questions is that of time. We romanticize living a full life, one in which the shoulda-coulda-woulda thoughts are nonexistent in the moments we feel death walking towards us. While this is a digression, it still bears relevancy.

Life is a transaction. We are given an allotted amount of time on this rock called earth, and we pay for it with death. This makes me think about how we spend our time and what we do as a job to make money.

It forces me to think about why I write this column and spend so much time meeting with all the people I mentioned earlier and why they fill the roles they do.

If I’ve learned anything from these meet-

ings, it’s that many people are passionate about CWRU. People care about this place and want to see it improve. I could challenge that assertion with dozens of attacks, but I don’t want to. I want to believe that CWRU is a home for many, a place where some greater meaning is found. Perhaps this is why we do what we do in an ideal situation—for meaning—but we must remember our privileges.

There’s a Talking Heads song called “Road to Nowhere” that I listen to way too much. It’s a lyrical allegory for oblivion that David Byrne sings in a distinctly upbeat tone to an even more distinctly upbeat soldier’smarch tempo. It’s packed with philosophical ramblings and existential musings, but the underlying word is “we.”

The song always reminds me that human beings are all on this road to nowhere together. Because of the inevitability and sheer blunt force of entropy, we have ended up at CWRU for this stretch. As we traipse down footpaths, in and out of meetings and drool on textbooks during finals, we must remember that others are walking alongside us.

Jacob Martin is a weekly opinion columnist. Sometimes, life gets in the way of productivity, and things don’t go according to plan. The important thing is to turn something in.

the observer

established in 1969 by the undergradute students of case western reserve university executive editor & publisher KATHLEEN WIESER director of design MEREDITH DYKEHOUSE director of web & multimedia MARY KATE MACEDONIA director of print MIKE MCKENNA director of business operations TAYLOR MORAN advertising & marketing manager COLE MORRIS account manager JAMES VELETTE digital publicity & communications manager JESSICA YANG news editor JULIA BIANCO a&e editor ANNE NICKOLOFF opinion editor AQUENE KIMMEL sports editor JP O’HAGAN advisor BERNIE JIM multimedia editor HARSHA CHANDUPATLA web editor JOE SATTERFIELD news layout CHRISTINA CHENG a&e layout VICTOR LOPEZ copy editors JENIECE MONTELLANO, ELLIE RAMBO sports layout ROBERT BROWN ADITHI IYENGAR opinion layout AMANDA LI

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A vote of no confidence for voter turnout Across the CWRUniverse Kassie Stewart As many of you may (or may not) know, this past Tuesday was our nation’s midterm elections. You would think that around the county, state and country, Americans would come out of their houses to the polls in order to exercise their democratic right.

You would think that the people of our country, the best nation in the land, would take 10 minutes out of their Tuesday (or even any day in the weeks leading up to the election since early voting is just as simple) to cast their opinion of who should help to lead our community and country. A vote to make all the fighting in past and present wars and the injustice endured to gain suffrage made worthwhile through

pushing a button and letting their voices be heard, since so many did not get the chance to do the same.

But, on Tuesday we learned, as we have been reminded time and time again, that this is not the case. I am unsure of what people were doing instead, since American Horror Story doesn’t come on until Wednesday. Maybe they were busy at an exciting event, or they were sick in bed with Ebola and decided to binge watch Netflix instead. Maybe these things sound like valid excuses. They are not. Polls opened for early voting weeks before the election, and if you didn’t feel like leaving the comfort of your bed, absentee voter forms are easy to acquire.

Your voice should not be quieted by a busy schedule, an upset stomach or 12 episodes of Orange is the New Black (shoutout to Laverne on campus).

As you read this, do not pretend that

it does not apply to you. It does. Just because you are a busy college kid who lives away from home does not mean you should not vote. College campuses have a duty to get out and vote, and Case Western Reserve University is no exception. We are educated young Americans who know the effects of the democratic process directly.

It matters to us. It changes our lives.

So you are still registered at home and can’t get back to Montana to vote on a Tuesday afternoon? That’s fine. Register here in Cleveland where you can walk to your polling location on election day. Our campus offers a variety of opportunities to make registration an easy process, like CCEL registering students at the beginning of the semester. Want to have a voice in the issues in your hometown instead? Early voting opens many weeks before the election and can be done at a central location in your home area. No

matter what your preference or situation may be, you can vote. There is no excuse.

But on Tuesday, I heard every excuse in the book. The truth is, I don’t care. Those elected on Tuesday are the people who will make decisions that affect you directly.

Sure, it was a midterm election. There was no fancy political debate on CNN, and Jon Stewart didn’t make jokes about everyone on your ticket, but these leaders are still making changes, and you deserve to choose. From local to state to national levels our governmental system leads the way for the lives we live, whether we realize it or not. You have a responsibility to cast a vote. Let your voice be heard.

Kassie Stewart is a junior political science major. Self-described as Amy Poehler and Joe Walsh’s love child, her mantra is “no day but today.” She enjoys napping, sarcasm and peanut butter.

The ins and outs of staying in the closet Guest column in my own section

Aquene Kimmel If you’re LGBT, or have any connection with the LGBT community, then you have probably heard or given the advice that people should not come out of the closet until they are completely certain and 100 percent comfortable with the idea. However, I would like to argue that maybe this isn’t actually the best policy. Maybe it would be better for the LGBT community as a whole if all of us who are both able to come out safely and be comfortable enough with our own identities to be ready to share them with others did our part by coming out.

When I was in eighth grade, I was outed against my will by one of my friends, and it was of course an awful experience.

After that, I went away to a boarding high school where no one knew me or anyone else from my middle school, so I was determined that there I would stay

in the closet until I was absolutely sure I wanted to come out.

Thus began just over two years of my charade of straightness. My freshman year, no one else was out either. Going by the estimate that about one in ten people is LGBT, I assumed that there must be at least a few other people in my school of 180 girls that were something other than straight. So, I started a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) my sophomore year so that others would feel safe enough to come out. Yet still, I remained in the closet.

By the time I finally did come out to the club and school as a whole (my best friends had known for much longer), no one was really surprised. Still, once I was out, far more people started coming to me for advice about LGBT-related things, or just to talk because they were questioning their orientation and weren’t sure how to proceed. Though I had been leading my school’s LGBT charge for years, it took me coming out to really become a source of support for other queer and questioning students.

For that reason (and because being in the closet is ridiculously stressful), I wish that I had come out so much sooner, or even just stayed out once that middle school friend so thoughtfully did the work of it for me. I, like years of students at my school before me, decided to stay quiet. Had I gotten to the school and had other out students to look at and think, “Okay, it’s not so bad,” then I probably would have come out much sooner. Likewise, had I decided to break the closet cycle and tell my classmates the truth from the start, I could have set that precedent years earlier than I did and helped who knows how many other students to feel like they could safely come out, too.

Thinking about Laverne Cox’s recent talk, and how many times I have heard the word “representation” being thrown about in relation to it, I feel that we aren’t taking that word as far as we could.

Absolutely, seeing out celebrities is a great source of inspiration and comfort for many LGBT people, but I think that

having representation in our everyday lives matters, too. Having someone that you know personally who is living their LGBT identity openly can be a really powerful reminder that we can all be out and proud; it’s not just limited to celebrities. Plus, by coming out to those around you, you can also make yourself available as a source of immediate support for other members of the LGBT community, out or not.

For some, of course, coming out is simply not a possibility—it’s unsafe, or would lead to their families ostracising them. For the rest of us, though, I argue that it is morally better to come out and be a visible source of hope for others than it is to stay in the closet out of uncertainty or (like me) a determination to come out absolutely on my own terms.

As Captain Spock said, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.”

Aquene Kimmel, Opinion Editor, is pansexual.

Letter to the editor To the editor: I applaud Kassie Stewart’s advocacy of healthy lifestyles for Case Western Reserve University students and, ultimately, alumni who experience the benefits of fitness while enrolled here. Unfortunately, her column last week, “Finance over fitness,” suggests solutions unlikely to achieve those goals.

Her intent is admirable, however, and we do want to be responsive to the CWRU community in every way that we can.

I want to begin by thanking Stewart for acknowledging the significant improvements that 121 Fitness has made since assuming management of the Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center this summer. I also want to commend her for being among those students who consistently pressed for improvements in the center’s hours and cleanliness.

The first point to keep in mind is that

121 Fitness is not a for-profit entity. Since 2003, Case Western Reserve has owned and operated 121 Fitness Center. We are a unit of the university, just like athletics, counseling services or university health services. The university put the Veale fitness spaces and Donnell pool under the management of 121 Fitness in August 2014, and more recently, the first floor fitness room at the newly opened Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center.

Our initial work at Veale has centered on facility renovations, new equipment, reupholstering of other equipment, lots of deep cleaning and staffing. We recently added a few small group training classes and are rolling out introductory weightlifting offerings this month.

We will continue to add new programs as the year unfolds. Many of the offerings at Veale will be free, but select ones that include specific equipment, small groups or involve particular advanced degrees or certifications will require a small fee,

f cwruobserver @CWRUObserver observer.case.edu

though no more than $5 per class. Like most universities—including Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University and Washington University at St. Louis, to name a few—there is also a charge for personal training and individual nutrition counselling.

By limiting this fee only to those who want more intensive, one-on-one guidance with certified professionals, we spare the rest of the student body the cost of subsidizing a relatively small number of participants.

Finally, the university does charge for membership in the original 121 Fitness Center location. It is open to the public and provides a volume and range of incentives free with membership that significantly exceed traditional campus-based programs.

Examples include free parking, child care, lockers, towels, intro training sessions, full maintenance and housekeeping staff, discounts on programs and services and access to 80 different exercise classes per week.

Members of the university community receive

discounted memberships, and graduate and professional students pay even lower fees as part of the university’s wellness initiative.

As with select classes, personal training and nutrition counselling, we charge additional fees for 121 membership at this location so that only those who want its much higher level of services bear the expense, rather than passing it along to the entire community. Our pricing structures are designed to provide the highest-quality experience at the fairest and most reasonable cost.

Ultimately, Stewart is to be commended for seeking ways to make exercise more attractive and engaging for students. We share that goal, and look forward to continuing to work with the campus community to realize it.

Sincerely, Bryn Mota Director of University Fitness Centers at CWRU

Have an opinion on this week’s editorial?

Let us know.

arts & entertainment An out-of-this-world McConaissance Sci-fi flick‘Interstellar’ completely engrosses

Winston Eng Staff Reporter Rarely have I left the theater feeling so conflicted and in all the right ways.

“Interstellar” is perhaps one of the most entrancing and visually stunning films to hit theaters within my lifetime, and there is no doubt that Hans Zimmer has outdone himself with an emotionally overwhelming, orchestra-heavy musical composition that consistently compliments each and every scene to the exact minute detail.

To be frank, it was an emotional rollercoaster that only went up. The eargasmic chills and waves of raw emotion bombarded me consistently, and as the scenes exploded with philosophical musings, I felt just as engrossed, vulnerable and completely fearful that I, too, was part of a mission where the fate of humanity rested in my hands.

Before you make a comment regarding the “over-exaggerated” statement of the previous sentence (honestly, it’s a cheesiness that fits quite well with the nature of some spoken lines within this film), I would like to point out that I believe science-fiction, as a genre, unfortunately summons unwarranted logical scrutiny due to its often complex nature and sometimes reality-bending subject.

As a forewarning, there will be some mysticism that will pervade this film, and do-what-your-heart-tells-you emotions will be pitted against the fact-checked, datadriven empirical science with which we are all familiar in our modern day society. If you are someone who really enjoys getting ‘technical’ with your analysis, I will forewarn you that such a mindset may hinder you from enjoying the other aspects of the film. This is especially if you are zoomed in on denying some questionable interpretations related to the science of astrophysics.

“Interstellar” is never about the technical achievements that allow the main characters to go where no man has gone before; it is about the internal conflicts we rarely consider as beings who are too prone to mistakes when

dealt with minutes to make pivotal decisions.

Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” focuses on Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a widowed pilot-turned-farmer who lives with his father-in-law Donald (John Lithgow), his son Tom (Timothée Chalamet) and 10-yearold daughter Murphy (Mackenzie Foy). In this distant future, Earth is no longer able to sustain humanity and has regressed mankind to an agrarian society. To make matters worse, new species of crops are decimated by blight and dust storms ravage the land, producing life-threatening issues to everyone.

In the midst of all this chaos, Cooper finds himself in contact with NASA and is given an opportunity to pilot a ship alongside Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) through a wormhole in search of a new habitable planet.

The cinematography was a completely immersive experience. The space sequences include scientifically accurate silence as well as wide-screen panoramas that depict forbidding landscapes and stretch the imagination to its end. Moreover, Nolan finds that perfect balance in using the score to compliment a scene rather than overpower it. Often, the stretches of silence heighten moments of serious contemplation, often reminding the audience that such an environment is an open invitation to the redoubtable loneliness not often thought about.

Praise be given to Matthew McConaughey who embraces his role wholeheartedly and expresses all aspects of his character in a way that is truly admirable. His performance, though riddled with somewhat corny lines, shows an actor ready to fully embrace the role of a reluctant and grief-stricken father whose façade of an indomitable exterior fractures extensively as the story progresses.

Somewhat similar to the character HAL of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Interstellar” also has robot companions for the human characters; these take the form in the minecraft-esque machines whose uncanny senses of humor (stated in percentages nevertheless) produce the most likeable oddities of the bunch. One of the machines,

Courtesy IMDB “Interstellar” captures tension between characters and between worlds.

TARS, manages to grab extensive screen time, and its presence never fails to radiate with sarcastic one-liners or astounding action sequences throughout the journey.

The highlight of the film is the concept of relativity and how the astronauts deal with the decisions that revolve around it. See, within the film, a few weeks or months on Earth may translate into only a few minutes elsewhere in space. Hence, time is of the essence; there is a ticking clock governing every aspect of existence.

It is under such unique circumstances that we find these astronauts struggling to objectively maintain their course to save humanity alongside their own agendas which include returning home and reuniting with loved ones.

Knowing that with each argument and setback they face their loved ones are experiencing accelerated aging and related loss of hope, the space travelers struggle with their fear of time to complete an already daunting task.

In total, the movie may not be as profound

Film: “Interstellar” Release Date: Nov. 5, 2014 Rating: as we would expect it to be; however, there can be no doubt that the issues and philosophical inquiries it raises are more than enough to keep this 169 minute production in the minds of its viewers way after the film ends.

If you do not have plans to go see “Interstellar” this upcoming weekend, I implore you to highly consider adding a showing to your schedule. If you are able to get yourself to an IMAX showing, do in fact shell out the extra cash; trust me, it is well worth it.

Those familiar with Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” as well as Edwin Abbott Abbott’s “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions” are encouraged to seek out Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar;” fans of Steven Soderbergh’s “Solaris” or Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” should also give “Interstellar” a shot.

Bringing down negative stigmas Drag show supports mental health awareness

Allison Duchin Staff Reporter

Courtesy Valentino Zullo Natasha Gibson is one of the drag performers at tonight’s “Stigma is a Drag” event.

Stigma: it affects everyone, it alters how others can view you and, even worse, how you can view yourself.

Today, Nov. 14 at 9 p.m., there will be a combination drag show and public awareness event regarding mental illness, titled Stigma is a Drag at the Jolly Scholar.

This event is focused on bringing awareness to mental illness and will feature various drag queen performances.

This year’s second annual Stigma is a Drag is organized by multiple student body groups including Qgrad, the LGBTQIA graduate community as well as Student Leaders Advocating for Mental Health (SLAM). Through their partnerships, they have also secured a speaker from the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).

The partnership between these two

student organizations comes from one of their shared leader, Valentino Zullo. Zullo, a second-year graduate student, was president of SLAM last year and is currently the Education Committee Chair of QGrad.

The two topics of mental health issues and drag work well together because they parallel each other in many ways. Even in modern discussion, both issues are still often avoided in conversation and awareness. While drag may be entertaining and funny during the show, many performers have spoken out about facing the same struggle that can come with mental illness: acceptance.

However, acceptance is a universal desire, so how are people in drag culture and those suffering from mental illness any different than the larger community surrounding them? How are they causing discrepancies in the “normalcy” that many societies crave?

Event: Stigma is a Drag Location: Jolly Scholar Date: Nov. 14, 9 p.m.

Tickets: $5 (door) Simply put, they are not. By combining both mental illness issues with a drag show performance, Zullo as well as the members of Qgrad and SLAM have not only blurred the line of what is “normal,” but broadened it as well.

The speaker form NAMI will present on the issues of mental health and illness issues on college campuses. While mental illness and LGBT rights are sources of pride on Case Western Reserve’s campus, Stigma is a Drag attempts to remind students and CWRU community of ongoing issues.

For more information regarding stigmas and mental health awareness go to Thwing this Friday for “Stigma is a Drag.”

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Fun

College actors channel their inner child Eldred’s latest play starts today

for a good cause Kappa Alpha Theta’s KATwalk Temi Omilabu Staff Reporter From 6-9 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2014 in the Thwing Ballroom, the Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity for Women will host their annual KATwalk, a competitive fashion show to raise money for their philanthropy, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

CASA is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on providing courtroom advocates for neglected, abused and abandoned children. Most of these kids do not have stable authority figures in their lives, and consequently, being a part of CASA turns out to be many of these children’s favorite childhood memory.

So, this year, Kappa Alpha Theta has adopted the theme of “Childhood Memories” for KATwalk. Members of the campus community are encouraged to think back to their childhoods and bring their favorite memories to life on the runway.

KATwalk participants can enter in teams of four (and one emcee) in order to compete and convince a panel of judges that their performance is the best. According to KATwalk chair Katherine Wright, the performance will be judged on many different factors.

“The teams’ personally crafted outfits are judged based on humor, creativity, crowd involvement and charisma,” she said.

The categories will be “Childhood Cartoon,” “Childhood Pop Culture,” “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up” and “Your Cause.” Wright also mentioned that this year, a former CASA guardian and CASA child will attend the event and share their experiences with the campus.

Participants and audience members can also purchase raffle tickets for a Chinese auction with prizes from a multitude of local vendors, goodie bags and other treats.

Kappa Alpha Theta’s Service and Philanthropy Chair, Marissa Wong, said that although Kappa Alpha Theta sisters won’t be competing in the event, “sisters are changing their Facebook pictures to their favorite childhood memories to raise awareness for the event.”

Two-year KATwalk committee member Shivani Patel encourages the campus to come to KATwalk even if they aren’t going to compete. “It’s a way for the CWRU student body to come together and support a great cause” said Patel.

She insisted that there will be many highlights. According to Patel, last year, sorority Sigma Psi created a formal gown made of CD’s to compete in the “Be Green” category.

Can’t make the event? Students can still support Kappa Alpha Theta and CASA by purchasing “Cupcakes for CASA” at a bake sale to be held in Nord hall during the week of KATwalk.

CWRU THOUGHTS

Maria Fazal Staff Reporter

Stephanie Kim/Observer

The Case Western Reserve University community is known for thinking beyond the possible. Each week, this column aims to capture a slice of camous life.

Q: What’s one way in which you guys feel you’ve become more connected with campus this year?

A1: When I was a freshman, there were a lot of people I looked up to and aspired to be like. One cool role that I’ve gotten to take this year as a junior is that of a mentor. I’m an RA, so I’ve gotten to mentor some of my freshmen, and I’ve liked helping them and some of the incoming freshmen in my fraternity get involved and connecting them to different organizations and campus resources. I want to help them grow and get what they want to get out of the next four years and help to point them in whatever direction they want to go.

A2: I’ve gotten to talk to more people with the #webelonghere movement. I’ve been seeing new perspectives and getting outside the organizations I’ve been involved with the last couple of years, and that’s been eye-opening.

Q: What do you think can be done to spread awareness for the #webelonghere movement?

A2: I know that I’ve been trying to talk more with my friends who are in it and find out more about it. I think it’s something people need to talk about with their friends, even if it’s uncomfortable or not typical dinner talk. I think that could make a big difference.

Courtesy Keli Schimelpfenig Eldred’s latest play takes a comedic look at children’s spelling bees.

Temi Omilabu Staff Reporter On Nov. 14-23, Eldred Theatre will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a must-see musical comedy.

“Spelling Bee” revolves around six offbeat students competing in the annual spelling bee and three equally weird adults who are in charge. As the spelling bee progresses and each scripted participant is called forward to compete, his or her background is revealed to the audience through flashbacks.

An unusual aspect of the show is that audience members are part of the plot. Anyone in the audience could be another actor waiting to perform.

Sophomore Zachary Palumbo, who portrays the roles of Leaf Coneybear and “Carl Dad” describes the show as enjoyable, fun and energetic.

“Everyone involved with the production is working to ensure that we bring all of the fun we’ve had putting it together to the audience,” said Palumbo.

He also noted that audience members could learn a thing or two from the musical.

“A major theme of the show is self-acceptance. Every character in the show goes through their own journey toward it, which

Show: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” Tickets: $5 – $10 Show dates: Nov. 14, 15, 21, 22 at 8 p.m.; Nov. 16, 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Location: Eldred Theater, 2070 Adelbert Rd. I think any audience member will be able to identify with. It’s very much a coming-of-age story, albeit an eccentric one,” said Palumbo.

Take the character of Logainne Schwatzandgrubeniere for example: She puts herself under a lot of pressure and greatly fears disappointment, just like a large number of college students. Of course, Logainne is only seven years old (therein lies the comedy) but regardless, the show presents relatable characters in a comedic way.

Alexis Attinoto, who plays the role of Logainne Schwartzandgrubeniere, urges the campus to come out and enjoy the musical.

“The show is a riot. The process was so fun and we are really proud of the finished product,” said Attinoto. “It is comedically sharp, musically challenging and fast paced. We have been working to give it the heartbeat that it needs to keep the audience focused and entertained.”

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Film professor Spring comedian publishes book on controversy analyzing movies Allegations against Bill Cosby cause Julia Bianco News Editor Film Professor Robert Spadoni recently published a new book, “A Pocket Guide to Analyzing Films.” The book is designed to help film students learn how to look at film through an academic lens.

This follows his first book published in 2007 titled “Uncanny Bodies: The Coming of Sound Film and the Origins of the Horror Genre.” Spadoni has also published many essays, mainly focusing on horror.

But his new pocket guide is a little bit different.

“This book is very much based on the class that I teach,” said Spadoni, who teaches Introduction to Film, as well as classes on special topics in film.

“It’s a concentrated overview of what you need to know to analyze a film.”

At only $24.95 and 192 pages, the book is a much cheaper and shorter alternative to most film textbooks, while still providing the same basic information. It also contains over 200 images from various films, which illustrate the concepts described in each chapter.

The book is divided into three main sec-

tions: film form, film narrative and film style.

“The first section of the book is about looking at the film as a kind of a system,” said Spadoni. “If you watch a film, and you’re not sure what you think, how can you look at it and come up with ideas that you can communicate in written form to someone else in a persuasive way.”

The second section looks at what makes up a narrative, and how this narrative relates to the film as a whole.

The last section looks at the more “nitty gritty” aspects of film, such as camera angles, editing and sound.

“I’m talking about film meaning,” Spadoni said. “Some people, when they look at films, will only think about themes and thematic analysis.

In that way, it’s a lot like looking at a book or a play or anything else. What strains out of your analysis is all the things that make a film a film.”

“The book really focuses on that specificity,” he added.

Although Spadoni intended the book for students, he said that it would be helpful for people who want to make films as well, as it gives them an idea of how to approach a film from the viewer’s standpoint.

concerns for students

Anne Nickoloff Arts & Entertainment Editor After opening the 2015 Spring Comedian vote to Case Western Reserve University students and community, CWRU’s University Program Board faced not-so-unexpected feedback regarding one of the comedian choices.

Comedian Bill Cosby has recently returned to the spotlight for various allegations of sexual assault, causing many students to oppose his place in the running for the spring event.

“If Bill Cosby were to come out on top of the vote, we wouldn’t, as a board, automatically bring him in,” said Kya Sherman, the director of public relationships for UPB. According to Sherman, many students emailed UPB or commented on social media to express their opinion about avoiding Cosby as a choice for the comedian. This prompted UPB to make a post to Facebook stating that all received comments would be taken into consideration.

The news about Cosby arose shortly before UPB released the vote for the spring comedian event, and though

UPB discussed the option of removing Cosby from the list, they ultimately decided to release the unaltered options.

According to Sherman, UPB put the vote in the hands of CWRU students.

“We think that the votes accurately ref lect what the student body felt about it,” said Sherman.

However, she still wanted to ensure that, while UPB has not announced the voting results yet, they will pay close attention to student concerns.

Changes have already ensued from last year’s comedian lists, based off of student feedback. Last year’s list, which included mainly white male comedians, brought forth many comments from students involving a lack of diversity.

This year, the list included comedians with a variety of backgrounds, including Wanda Sykes and Gabriel Iglesias.

“We want students’ feedback,” Sherman said. “We will take that into consideration; we don’t ignore those comments.”

UPB is currently in the process of contacting prospective comedians for the show, basing their options off of collected votes.

“Evil Dead” struggles to come alive onstage Ellie Rambo Copy Editor Zombie blood sprays across the stage as our hero beheads his undead girlfriend, whose severed head continues to taunt him on its own. This was not the goriest scene in last weekend’s “Evil Dead: The Musical,” either: demons, shotguns and entrails crowded the stage.

The story starts ominously, as five college students drive to a seemingly abandoned cabin in the woods. Soon after they arrive, they realize their mistake, as demons unleashed from an ancient “book of the dead” take over their souls one by one.

One of the teens, Ash, rises to the occasion and eventually becomes a chainsawhanded zombie slayer.

The Case Footlighters’ production of this musical was sandwiched between Halloween weekend and the announcement of an “Evil Dead” television spinoff.

Hopefully the TV version, which is based on the same horror movie franchise as the musical, will not be similarly plagued with clumsy dialogue.

In their attempts at campy gore, the show’s writers overshot into confusing territory. The musical is self-aware of its own silliness, but only in patches: Characters change their personalities abruptly and break the fourth wall, but these quirks don’t happen often enough to seem like anything but inconsistencies.

Instead of being clever, the script shuffles onstage in a desperate search for brains.

Despite the flaws in the script, the actors played their characters as well as they could, and wrung humor from even the lamest jokes. Grace Mitri was espe-

Show: “Evil Dead: The Musical” Production Group: The Case Footlighters Rating: cially good as Cheryl, Ash’s undead sister. Since she is the first to be possessed by the evil Candarian demons, Cheryl spends most of her time onstage trapped under a trap door. Mitri squawked insults from the cellar’s trap door, and most of her puns ended with a maniacal cackle and a shake of her matted pigtails.

Almost all the characters sing a solo or duet, but unfortunately the music is not memorable enough to save this show. Ed (Aaron Magid) and Annie (Amanda Rulis) get lucky with their solos. In “Bit-Part Demon,” Ed sings the part of an underdog who finally gets to say an entire line by himself. The doo wop-inspired “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons” is, in my opinion, the best song in the show, and Rulis has the voice for it. In fact, the entire cast has the talent to carry a show, even one as lacking as “Evil Dead: The Musical.”

The makeup is also impressive, especially considering the quick transformations in this production. Scabs and bullet holes appear as the characters join the ranks of the undead, and the fake wounds add more to the atmosphere than the dialogue.

This production is held together by the members of its cast, crew and pit, who deserve a better foundation than this musical gives them. Although they do their best to animate it, this show’s writing is more dead than a blood-splattered corpse.

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More than just a show Fitz and the Tantrums light up Masonic Auditorium

Anne Nickoloff Arts & Entertainment Editor Singer Noelle Scaggs flung up her arms, fingers touching to form the outline of a heart above her head. Behind her, the massive neon heart, an emblem from the cover of the band’s latest album, lit up with a bright white glow.

The audience responded with hearts of their own, cheering on Fitz and the Tantrums at their interactive show on Nov. 6 in the Cleveland Masonic Auditorium.

Equipped with light-up bracelets which flashed at the slightest movement, the audience became as much a part of the light show as the many, many lights shining on

stage and throughout the huge hall. With each clap, the audience became a working strobe light during each song.

This was no ordinary concert; here, there was a real relationship between the band audience. At one point, when Scaggs shouted out to ask who had seen the band before, various amounts of fingers cropped up out of the audience, many people choosing to shout out their records. “Three times!” was shouted, then someone else: “Four! Four!”

The record, heard from the floor, was a whopping six concerts attended (AKA, the superfan).

This audience, mostly consisting of 30 and 40-year-olds, bobbed up and down

Anne Nickoloff & Mike McKenna/Observer Fitz and the Tantrums band members encourage audience members to make hearts with their hands, a symbol which adorns their latest album cover.

excitedly to the music, without ever breaking into a mosh pit. Instead, they sipped at beers, slow danced to their favorite songs or, hiding in dark corners or nosebleed bleacher seats, took a chance to make out like no one was watching.

“If you really think you’re sexy, I really need you to make some noise,” shouted Scaggs.

And if Scaggs needed something, the audience was ready to give it.

During “Break the Walls,” drummer John Wicks smiled while Scaggs crooned out lower-than-normal vocals. “Out of My League” saw saxophonist James King quickly adjust his fedora, as singer Michael Fitzpatrick snapped his fingers casually, as though he was a conductor of a jazz orchestra.

The band was having fun, too.

Later, Fitzpatrick and Scaggs danced across from each other, iconically framing the massive neon heart between them. Bursts of confetti streamed out across the audience, creating a real-life snowglobe out of the auditorium. Lights never stopped flashing.

At times, the show was a little overwhelming.

And at times, when the dancing should have been soulful, it felt a little over-choreographed. Fitz and the Tantrums’ unique blend of pop, indie and soul blended together into an almost freeform music form, but the performance itself felt a little planned.

Don’t get me wrong; it was a great show, with unbounded energy and interaction. However, when Fitzpatrick waved his arm from left to right, it wasn’t with the right kind of oomph. Instead of being 100 percent there, he hovered around a 90 percent. Still an A, but could’ve been better.

Concert: Fitz and the Tantrums Venue: Cleveland Masonic Auditorium Date: Nov. 6 Rating:

Anne Nickoloff/Observer Singer Noelle Scaggs rocks out with a tamborine at Thursday’s concert.

Even when he yelled out, “I want everybody to lose their fucking minds,” it could have been yelled a little louder; he was asking the crowd to lose its mind, while he didn’t seem to want to do the same.

Still, Fitz and the Tantrums knew how to connect with the audience in a way that not many bands do. It kept audience members coming back every time the band returned to Ohio; a following that has continued until today.

Fitzpatrick entered the stage for the encore, asking, “You guys want more?”

And, of course, the answer was a resounding yes.

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Playlist of the Week Teddy Eisenberg Staff Reporter

“My Lips Still Taste Of You” —Sylvie Simmons

Many artists have a way with words, but few can claim to be a successful music critic for decades before becoming a musician. However, this is the case with Sylvie Simmons on her lyrical debut album “Sylvie,” a release that blends jazz textures with Simmons’ smoky voice. “Sylvie” was released on Light in the Attic Records on Nov. 11.

“Until The Sun Explodes” —The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

The slow, glimmering beginning of “Until The Sun Explodes” does sound something like a sunrise would, and the talented Brooklyn group The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are just the band to sit and watch it with. A masterfully blended wall of guitar and vocals make this song a piece of shoegaze perfection from a band with one foot firmly planted in the classic sounds of college radio indie and one planted on the arena rock stage. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart will be playing at the House of Blues on Nov. 15, supporting The New Pornographers.

Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $28.

“Salmon Sundae”—Bike Cops

“Salmon Sundae” is the latest release from Bike Cops on Jurassic Pop Records, a cassetteand vinyl-only label that claims on their website to be “Central Indiana’s seventh best independent record label.” In recent years, Jurassic Pop has signed some of the United States’ best up-andcoming groups, and Bike Cops are no exception.

“Salmon Sundae” melds the jangle of the Smiths with the early fuzz of Pink Floyd to tread gorgeously psych-y territory.

“There Must Be More To Life Than This” — Queen Feat. Michael Jackson

One of three previously unreleased tracks on “Forever,” the newest Queen greatest hits compilation, “There Must Be More To Life Than This” offers listeners the unique opportunity to hear two of pop music’s greatest voices duet. While Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson both sound spectacular, this song works best when approached as a novelty; it simply is not Queen’s best work, which may suggest why it has been in the vaults until now. Still, the chance to hear Freddie and MJ one more time makes this an essential listen.

“Careful You”—TV On The Radio

TV On The Radio have always been a difficult band to place musically, simultaneously embodying the best of electronic noise, soulful vocals and lo-fi indie throughout their nearly 10 year career.

“Careful You” as a song perfectly fits into each of those genres, crafting a dreamy soundscape of keyboards, percussion and funky beats. “Careful You” is the first single off of the group’s newest album, “Seeds,” set for a Nov. 17 release on Virgin Records.

Retro Pick of the Week:

“Spanish Castle Magic” —The Jimi Hendrix Experience

The guttural opening of “Spanish Castle Magic” is otherworldly, channeling the brute force of Jimi Hendrix’s guitar playing with the thunderous drums of Mitch Mitchell into a concentrated 3-second blast of adrenaline. The third track off of The Experience’s “Axis: Bold As Love” record, this song’s frenzied energy and sloppy soloing make it a personal favorite. The balance achieved by using Mitchell’s drumming to temper the rambling of Hendrix’s riffs throughout the song is stunning.

Find all these tracks online with our weekly Spotify playlist at observer.case.edu Teddy Eisenberg is a third year programmer at WRUW-FM 91.1 Cleveland. He hosts The ’59 Sound, an exploration of rock music, every Thursday morning from 8-10 a.m.. and co-hosts the variety talk show Max and Teddy in the Morning at Night (Sometimes) on Mondays from 5-6 p.m. The crackle of vinyl warms him on cold Cleveland nights.

All photos courtesy lightintheattic.net, pitchfork.com, store.jurassicpoprecords.com, wikipedia.com, stereogum.com, and feelnumb.com

The great debate Is video gaming a sport?

Brian Sherman Staff Reporter Thousands of fans cheer as the competitors enter the stadium. Millions more watch from home. Beads of sweat masked by a bold show of confidence, the two opposing teams promptly… sit down?

It seems these players won’t be using their physical strength in this competition.

They aren’t playing football, baseball or basketball; they are playing a video game.

These players were in fact competing at the fourth annual “League of Legends” World Championship. Many teams, which various companies sponsored, all competed for the grand prize of one million dollars in the packed Seoul World Cup Stadium in South Korea. The tournament was additionally broadcasted on Twitch and ESPN3 for international viewers.

The concept of competitive gaming and “eSports,” as some games have recently become known, has become a widely debated topic in recent years. While many games from a variety of genres and franchises have multiplayer content, none can deny the overwhelming worldwide popularity of multiplayer online battle arena games such as “League of Legends” or “DOTA 2.”

The recurring success of the “League of Legends” World Championship and other championships has sparked the debate of the legitimacy of eSports in comparison to their physical sport counterparts. The debate has extended to even collegiate athletics, as some universities such as Robert Morris University Illinois have begun to award scholarships to prospective students for their prowess in eSports, similar to how scholarships are awarded to talented players of physical sports. Students are able to earn up to half of their tuition as a scholarship based on their skill.

While the university sees games like “League of Legends” as a “competitive, challenging game which requires significant amount of teamwork to be successful,” many disagree. Some people, like Case Western Reserve University sophomore Benjamin Poreh, believe that while some games are competitive, they shouldn’t be considered sports because “they don’t require agility or strength or things like that.”

“To me, ‘League of Legends’ is a game first and a sport second,” said Poreh, who considers himself a “play for fun” gamer.

“It was designed with the intent to entertain and have fun. Games like this are just a different version of competitive gaming.”

However, other students, such as CWRU junior Callum Grant, hold an opposing view.

“The line between what is a game and what is a sport comes from the primary reason players want to play it,” said Grant, an avid fan of fighting games. “The skill required of players at high-level play is one of the most important aspects of determining what is a sport.”

Despite this, the two share an opinion about RMUI awarding college scholarships to players of video games.

“I believe that scholarships should be purely for academics,” said Poreh. “There shouldn’t be scholarships for any kind of gaming or sport, even physical sports. College is for learning, not athletics.”

“While scholarships for gamers is a nice idea, as it allows prospective student gamers to attend school, I don’t think scholarships should be involved with any sports team,” agreed Grant.

Regardless of its acceptance in an academic setting, though, competitive gaming continues to grow. With the high popularity of competitive gaming at CWRU, one can only wonder if a Spartan gaming team will be made in the near future.

CWRU Department of Dance’s “Horizons” show doesn’t miss a beat Enio Chinca Staff Reporter Dim lights hovered above a small but packed theater as the Case Western Reserve University dancers prepared for the final performance of their show “Horizons” on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. The dark and tense atmosphere in the room heightened as the lights dimmed, and silence overtook the crowd like a brisk fire.

Suddenly, two tables on the stage lit up, a light blue highlight for two dancers ready to perform.

Clad in black, the two dancers moved harmoniously to the mellow piano and violin. As the song sped up, so too did the dancers. They showed off their technical prowess as their synchronicity remained on point even as the pace the song increased for more challenging movements. Artfully moving on and off the tables, the dance ended in a sudden hush.

From just the first number, it was clear that this performance was designed with a purpose. The Mather School of Dance at CWRU is filled with students from around the world. With this international talent comes a blend of cultural styles, which was reflected in the number of different types of dances that were performed.

The next piece started with one girl moving to a syncopated beat of castanets. As the beat continued to add new and surprising elements, so did the dance. One girl then became two girls and then five as the music added high-pitched chimes and bells. Infused with energy building from the dance, the performers locked arms and swung around, rounding out the eccentric dance.

The band made an appearance for the third dance. Their warming up in between songs offered the audience a soothing preview of the variety of sounds to come. Four rows of three dancers each, all draped in white, took center stage for this song. Their movements were all from positions on the ground, and as the lights wandered the stage, the mood slowly intensified, beckoning dancers to enter from all sides. Guided by violins and cellos, the dancers showed their hard practice as they performed physically demanding movements gracefully.

The fourth song shook the rhythm of the performance. A topless man with white pants mirrored a woman with a matching white outfit. Futuristic electronic music lined the foundation of this dance. Using the lights as a pseudo wall, the dancers artfully repelled one another, as each performer had a chance to perform alone on stage.

Matching the style of music, the dancers flipped, spun and glided across stage in a fervor that built to climax, and this portion ended as suddenly as it began.

The fifth dance was very classical, as a single pianist provided all the music for this work. Different groups of dancers each performed small “skits” to different musical numbers, showing a number of different bright movements. While not the most physically demanding work, the dancers highlighted the beauty in this old piece titled “Canonic ¾ Studies.”

CWRU’s Department of Dance’s latest show combined traditional and modern elements into an eclectic show which showed off the group’s months of practice.

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Ivory Tower

11/14/14

by Kevin Yong

I’m really worried Christopher Nolan will kill a man dressed like a bat in his next movie. (The man will be dressed like a bat, I mean. Christopher Nolan won’t be, probably.) By xkcd

COMICS Crossword Puzzle Across 1. Hole-making tools 5. Highly skilled 10. Shove 14. Accomplishes 15. A radioactive gaseous element 16. A single time 17. A financial asset 19. Biblical kingdom 20. Barely manage 21. Of very poor quality 22. Seethes 23. Futile 25. Layers 27. Animal doctor 28. Dawdling 31. Egg-shaped 34. Bore 35. Caviar 36. Dry riverbed 37. Bobbins 38. “___ we forget” 39. A late time of life 40. Smidgens 41. Carnival attractions 42. Merited 44. Foot digit

45. Creator 46. Lewd 50. Splines 52. Tumbler 54. Furrow maker 55. Body of water 56. Dressmaker 58. Not under 59. An independent film company 60. Away from the wind 61. Cautious 62. Metal 63. Bankrolls Down 1. French farewell 2. Dweebs 3. Embankment 4. South southeast 5. A creative person 6. Curses 7. Biblical garden 8. Long hair pulled back (plural) 9. Explosive 10. Verse 11. Unwanted

12. Flat-bottomed boat 13. Skirt lines 18. Horse 22. Peddle 24. 57 in Roman numerals 26. Ailments 28. Great fear 29. Schnozzola 30. Obtains 31. Was indebted 32. Sheltered spot 33. Handicapper 34. Cleanser 37. Wander 38. Mortgage 40. Bothers 41. Get out of bed 43. Diner 44. Anagram of “Steals” 46. Bog hemp 47. Pincer 48. Fleeced 49. Affirmatives 50. Not fast 51. Magma 53. Stow, as cargo 56. Female sib 57. Uncooked

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Horoscopes Welcome Ophiuchus, the newest addition.

With guest contributor Jay Franck.

Aries

(Apr. 19 - May 13) Be basic and go to Starbucks.

Taurus

(May 14 - Jun. 19) The Leutner mystery meat will offer some deep insights into your Love Life.

Gemini

(Jun. 20 - Jul. 20) You’re feeling optimistic.

Go birdwatching.

Cancer

(Jul. 21 - Aug. 9) Pull yourself together and at least try to go to class.

Leo

(Aug. 10 - Sep. 15) Say goodbye to fall and break out your winter coats: Winter is coming.

xkcd

Command Line Fu

Virgo

(Sep. 16 - Oct. 30) You’ve had a hard week.

Treat yourself with chocolate.

Libra

(Oct. 31 - Nov. 22) Be wary of changes in the stars.

Scorpio

(Nov. 23 - Nov. 29) Say yes to the next question someone asks you.

Ophiuchus

When designing an interface, imagine that your program is all that stands between the user and hot, sweaty, tangled-bedsheets-fingertips-digging-into-the-back sex.

night olive parchment pastor pore prime product reed resign root scripture style tenure tore trepidation twang visits width wield

Wordsearch

animal bent brown cannon chick color comfort crazy cream danger dinky door excuse favor focus gable happily hull infect loin

(Nov. 30 - Dec. 17) Think of Ophiuchus as a new addition to an old group of friends. This week try to include someone new in your annual Friendsgiving celebration.

Sagittarius

(Dec. 18 - Jan. 18) You get to determine your own fate this week.

The stars are sleepy.

Capricorn

(Jan. 19 - Feb. 15) Find a lizard. Befriend it.

Aquarius

(Feb. 16 - Mar. 11) As finals approach, the stars will rain a fury of happiness upon you.

Pisces

(Mar. 12 - Apr. 18) You should have fish for dinner tonight.

16

sports

11/14/14

The Jolly Scholar jolly.scholar @JollyScholar 216.368.0090

mpv3@case.edu

MTW RF Sat. Sun.

11a - 12a 11a - 2a 12p - 2a 12p - 12a

Swing by for food and fun…

Sports Standings Men’s Soccer

Conference

All

Wins

Losses

Ties

Percent

Wins

Losses

Ties

Percent

Chicago

5

0

2

0.714

11

5

2

0.611

Brandeis

5

2

0

0.714

17

2

0

0.895

Emory

3

3

1

0.429

13

3

2

0.722

Rochester

3

3

1

0.429

9

5

3

0.529

Carnegie Mellon

2

2

3

0.286

8

5

3

0.500

Case Western Reserve

2

3

2

0.286

8

6

4

0.444

New York U.

2

5

0

0.286

11

6

0

0.647

Washington

1

5

1

0.143

8

7

2

0.471

Women’s Soccer

Wins

Losses

Ties

Percent

Wins

Losses

Ties

Percent

Carnegie Mellon

5

2

0

0.714

14

2

0

0.875

Chicago

4

2

1

0.571

13

4

1

0.722

New York U.

3

2

2

0.429

11

5

2

0.611

Emory

2

1

4

0.286

11

1

6

0.611

Washington

3

3

1

0.429

13

3

2

0.722

Brandeis

2

3

2

0.286

12

4

2

0.667

Rochester

2

4

1

0.286

6

8

4

0.333

Case Western Reserve

1

5

1

0.143

8

7

3

0.444

Conference

All

Conference

Volleyball

All

Wins

Losses

Percent

Wins

Losses

Percent

Monday: Legendary Bingo Night starting at 8pm

Emory

6

1

0.857

34

3

0.919

Chicago

4

3

0.571

26

12

0.684

Washington

6

1

0.857

33

5

0.868

Carnegie Mellon

5

2

0.714

22

11

0.667

Case Western Reserve

4

3

0.571

18

12

0.600

Tuesday: Trivia with Corey & Eric at 8pm

New York U.

1

6

0.143

17

19

0.472

Rochester

2

5

0.286

20

18

0.526

Brandeis

0

7

0.000

7

24

0.226

Wednesday: Lady-Like Wednesday Nights at 9pm Thursday: Graduate Happy Hour from 5 to 9 & Late Night Karaoke from 9 to 2

Friday: Jolly Late Nights from 10pm to 2am

Saturday: Jolly Charity Late Nights from 10 to 2 Sunday: Browns’ Headquarters for All You Can Eat Wings & Fries for $9.95 (it’s famous!)

Football (UAA) Chicago

Conference

All

Wins

Losses

Percent

Wins

Losses

Percent

2

0

1.000

7

1

0.875

Washington

1

1

0.500

4

5

0.444

Case Western Reserve

1

1

0.500

3

6

0.333

Carnegie Mellon

0

2

0.000

3

6

0.333

Football (PAC)

Conference

All

Wins

Losses

Percent

Wins

Losses

Percent

Washington & Jefferson

7

0

1.000

9

0

1.000

Thomas More

7

1

0.875

8

2

0.800

Waynesburg

5

2

0.714

7

2

0.778

Bethany

5

2

0.714

6

3

0.667

St. Vincent

3

4

0.429

3

6

0.333

Westminster

3

4

0.429

3

6

0.333

Case Western Reserve

3

5

0.375

3

6

0.333

Carnegie Mellon

3

5

0.375

3

6

0.333

Geneva

2

5

0.286

3

6

0.333

Thiel

2

5

0.286

3

6

0.333

Grove City

0

7

0.000

0

9

0.000

Weekly Calendar Varsity Sport

Friday

Football

Saturday

Sunday

Home vs. Chicago 1:00 PM

Men's Basketball Women's Basketball

vs. Mount Union @ Meadville, Pa 12:00 PM

Cross Country

Varsity Sport

NCAA Great Lakes Region Championship @ Kings Island- Mason, Ohio 11:00 AM

Monday

Tuesday

Men's Basketball

Home vs.

Baldwin Wallace 8:00 PM

Women's Basketball

Home vs.

Baldwin Wallace 6:00 PM

Wrestling

vs. TBA @ Meadville, Pa Time: TBA

Wednesday

Home vs.

Baldwin Wallace 7:00 PM

Thursday

sports

observer.case.edu

17

Spartan squads victorious in back to back meets Swimming and diving teams go 3-1 in four duals

JP. O’Hagan Sports Editor The men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads combined for three victories last weekend.

Both the men’s team and the women’s team had two dual meets this weekend, with their first meet against the College of Wooster on Friday and the second against Oberlin College on Saturday. Both sets of Spartans swam and dove their way to victory over the College of Wooster, with the men repeating the success over Oberlin while the women fell to the hosting Yeomen. The Spartans men now stand at 3-1 on the young season while the women at 2-2 fell back down to an even win loss record.

Against the College of Wooster the Spartans picked up victories in 12 of the 13 events

with three Spartans winning two different events and the team racking up a whooping 172 points to the 65 earned by Wooster.

Junior Aaron Tam beat his opponents to the wall in both the 200-yard freestyle and the 200 yard butterfly races with times of 1:45.01 and 1:58.14 respectfully. Freshman Drew Hamilton was the first to the wall in both the 1,000 and 500 free races with times of 9:56.26 and 4:49.63 for a season best. Finally, junior Connor Farrell continued his diving domination and won his fifth and sixth straight diving events of the new season with scores of 294.85 from the 1 meter board and of 285.70 from 3 meters above the pool deck.

Against the hosting Oberlin Yeomen the men’s team pulled off another high point win, bringing in 142 points to the 80 of the hosts, beating all competition to the wall in eight different events. The Spartans were

Intramural soccer playoffs wrap up Not Sig Ep, SODM United, and Sig Ep A win IM championships David Hoffman Staff Reporter With the regular season in the books, the intramural soccer leagues’ playoffs are under way. Who came out on top to claim the title of league champion? A quick recap of the playoffs in each league: In the Fraternity Free league, Phi Kaps beat out Theta Chi in a play-in game to secure the sixteenth and final spot in the playoff bracket. Phi Kaps would go on to drop their next match, 7-1, to top seeded SigEp A. Delta Chi, the eighth seed, defeated ninth ranked Delta Tau Delta B-Team to advance.

Fourth ranked Sigma Chi eked out a 4-3 victory over 13th seed Fiji to move on. Fifth ranked ZBT got the best of 12th seed Sigma Nu to keep their season alive. Second seed Delta Upsilon blanked 15th seed Zeta Psi 10-0 to advance, while seventh ranked Delta Sigma Phi moved on with a 3-1 win over 10th seed SigEp C. Fourteenth ranked Delta Tau Delta stunned third seed Beta Theta Pi 8-1 to continue their season, and 11th seed Phi Kappa Psi bested sixth seed Pi Kappa Phi 6-4 to advance to the next round.

In the quarterfinals, SigEp A defeated Delta Chi to advance. Sigma Chi advanced to the next round with a victory over ZBT. Delta Upsilon defeated Delta Sigma Phi 3-1 to move on, while Delta Tau Delta mauled Phi Kappa Psi 12-0 to continue their season. In the semifinals, SigEp A took care of Sigma Chi 7-2 and Delta Tau Delta stayed alive with a 3-2 win over Delta Upsilon. SigEp A squared off against Delta Tau Delta in the finals; with Sig Ep A outshooting Delta Tau Delta in the final round with a 6-3 final score to be crowned champions.

The Co-Rec Free league also featured a chaotic playoff bracket. In round one, Normal Forces squeaked by Sua Sponte 5-4.

Theta/Beta defeated AXO/Zeta Psi to stay alive. Sigma Psi/Fiji bested Macroballs 5-1, while Flo$$ Bosses sneaked by Team Sloot 4-3. MSA shut out Joe Loves Cats 1-0, and Da Smith Doh advanced with a 3-1 win over Pumpkin Spice. Learned Foot

got the best of Howe 5th to advance to the next round. In round two, Normal Forces bested Pi Phi/SigEp 7-4. The Meat Flanks stayed alive thanks to a 6-4 triumph over Red Hot Chili Players. Theta/Beta blanked AL-Hilal 1-0, while E-lemonators defeated Sigma Psi/Fiji. Delt/DG won a 1-0 thriller over Flo$$ Bosses, and Honey Badgers defeated MSA 9-2 to advance.

Not Sig Ep prevailed 6-5 over Da Smith Doh, and Learned Foot got the best of The A-Team 8-2. As for the quarterfinals, The Meat Flanks defeated Normal Forces 3-1 to advance. Theta/Beta survived a 3-2 barn burner over E-lemonators. Honey Badgers handled Delt/DG 4-1, while Not Sig Ep bested Learned Foot by a 4-1 final. In the semifinals, Theta/Beta triumphed 3-2 over The Meat Flanks and Not Sig Ep managed a 4-3 win over Honey Badgers. Finally, Not Sig Ep doubled up Theta/Beta 4-2 to win the league championship.

Finally, the Open Free league featured a traditional sixteen team bracket. In the opening round, SODM United got the best of The Fútbol Team 7-2. The Washington Redskins edged out the BME SunDevils 4-3 to advance to the next round. Globo Gym shut out Suhail’s Revenge 1-0 to stay alive, and Team Brenn eked out a 3-2 win over The Stripes to move on as well. The Soccer team won a 10-6 shootout over Charlie’s Angels. AAA/KIV doubled up AL-Hilal 4-2, while Man-Chest-Hair United defeated No Casualties 3-1.

BioMed FC triumphed over MI6 4-2 to close out round one. The quarterfinals began with SODM United defeating The Washington Redskins 5-1. Globo Gym blanked Team Brenn 6-0, then The Soccer Team thrashed AAA/KIV 13-4. BioMed FC prevailed 1-0 over Man-Chest-Hair United to advance. In the semifinals, SODM United survived with a 5-3 win over Globo Gym while The Soccer Team advanced with a 5-2 triumph over BioMed FC. Finally, SODM United prevailed over The Soccer Team 4-1 to claim the title of league champion.

led by Hamilton won his second pair of races in two days winning the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 free with times of 2:02.31 and 4:54.93 respectfully. Fellow freshman Aaron Pang helped lead the Spartans with a pair of victories himself, a 1:49.04 finish in the 200 freestyle and a 53.92 in the 100 yard fly.

The women’s side beat out Wooster by a score of 133-104 at the Veale Natatorium on Friday, the better day of the weekend for them. The Spartans won nine of the 13 events with freshman Mary Katherine Miller bringing in victories in both the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:13.68 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:34.37 for her fourth and fifth victories of the season. Junior Abby Glenn and freshman Inez Moore also notched individual victories for the Spartans with wins in the 1,000 free and the

50 free respectfully. Moore also swam a leg of the first place in the CWRU victorious 400 free relay.

On Sunday the women fell to Oberlin by a score of 145.5 to 94.5 and fell to their 2-2 standing on the season. Miller again led the Spartans for the second day in a row posted her sixth and seventh wins of the year, this time in the 100 fly in which she finished just over a minute at 1:00.21. She brought home another victory in the 200 yard individual medley. Freshman diver Brooke Hortness added a pair of wins to Spartan effort with a score of 182.50 and the 173.75 in the 3 meter and 1 meter diving events.

The Spartans will take the week off and return to action in their first tri-meet of the season against Grove City College and Gannon University on November 22nd. The action will start in Grove City at 1:00 p.m.

18

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Editor’s Choice

Forecasting the NFL Coach of the Year Browns Head Coach Mike Pettine among early candidates Joey Arko Staff Reporter This time last year, Rob Chudzinski was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Promptly after last season ended, the Browns fired Chudzinski after just one (albeit disappointing) season and immediately embarked upon a prolonged search to find his replacement.

“Prolonged search” may even be an understatement.

After firing Chudzinski, the Browns proceeded to interview nine candidates for the job. That’s an unprecedented amount of interviewing.

In order, the Browns interviewed: Dan Quinn, Adam Gase, Todd Bowles, Josh Mcdaniels, Bill O’ Brian, Gus Malzahn, Bob Stoops, Ben Mcadoo, Ken Whisenhunt, James Franklin, Mike Munchak, Rich Bisaccia, Dirk Koetter and Greg Schiano.

However, for one reason or another, none of these candidates worked out. The higher profile candidates like Adam Gase and Josh Mcdaniels simply refused the Browns’ offer. Dan Quinn was another candidate the Browns valued highly, but he wouldn’t commit himself to the inter-

view process until after the Superbowl.

The Browns weren’t willing to wait that long.

It wasn’t until their 10th and final interviewee did the Browns land a brand new head coach: the Defensive Coordinator from Buffalo, Mike Pettine.

Not exactly the flashy hire that they had hoped for. Or the hire that fans of the Browns had hoped for either. At the time, he was relatively unknown around Cleveland, and his name hadn’t appeared at the top of many “head coach wishlists” for nearly any team across the entire NFL. Fans were more confused than excited, and the initial level of optimism wasn’t very high, to say the least.

However, that was a year ago.

Today, Mike Pettine’s name is appearing at the top of a much more dignified list: he is among the early candidates for NFL Coach of the Year.

For a guy that was relatively unknown and entering his first ever tenure as an NFL coach, that’s pretty impressive. Not to mention he was taking over a team coming off of a 4-12 year.

Nine games into the 16 game season, the Cleveland Browns stand at 6-3 and possess sole possession of first place in the AFC North (ahead of three other teams

Soccer season comes to a close Spartans unable to claim victory in final match of the season Evan Rose Contributing Reporter Case Western Reserve University’s men’s soccer team played their final match of the 2014 season on Saturday, ending with a 2-0 loss to the University of Rochester and putting themselves out of reach of the NCAA playoffs. The men and women’s teams encountered their losses on the same day, both losing to the Rochester Yellowjackets and ending their seasons.

At Rochester’s Fauver Stadium, the 8-6-4 Spartans were shut out by a 9-53 team that won the University Athletic Association conference championship one year previously. Case was heavily limited by their lack of scoring opportunities, recording only one shot on goal as opposed to Rochester’s seven.

The match started off strong for the Spartans, with a blocked shot in the first minute of play. However, Rochester quickly fired back with a goal in the 11th minute, scored by Ben Keeton into the top right corner from 20 yards out.

The Yellowjackets extended their lead in the 29th minute with a close goal

by Alex Swanger, bringing their lead up

to 2-0 over the Spartans.

After the first two Rochester goals, the game was fairly uneventful; neither team scored in the final 60 minutes of play.

Freshman goalkeeper Calvin Boyle added five to his save total this game, bringing his mark on the season to 80.

However, his opponent Michael Shatkin only needed one to hold off the Spartans.

Although the endings of the game and season did not go as hoped, Case bettered its win total, achieving victory in two more matches than last year, and appeared in the NCAA Great Lakes regional ranking for the first time since 2011.

Sophomore midfielder Chris Cvecko was the Spartans’ season points leader, earning 18 points over the season.

Cvecko and freshman forward Michael Balog tied for goals scored over the season, each scoring seven. Both were only two goals away from Eric Erb’s 10th all-time mark, set in 2011.

The Spartans ended their season with an 8-6-4 overall record, 2-3-2 in conference. They will begin again in late August of 2015.

that also have winning records, so the AFC North isn’t an easy division by any stretch of the imagination). Pettine is in total and complete control of the football aspects within the organization, and the influence from his defensive mindset can be seen through the improving play of the defense as the season has gone on.

As it stands right now at this point in the season, three guys have distinguished themselves from the rest of the field when it comes to Coach of the Year candidates: Arizona’s Bruce Arians, Detroit’s Jim Caldwell and Cleveland’s Mike Pettine.

Arizona stands at 8-1 and currently boasts the best record in the NFL. Arians was also a recipient of the award back in 2012 when he served as the Indianapolis Colts’ interim head coach, so the man can clearly coach.

Detroit is currently tied for the second best record in the NFL at 7-2. Caldwell, like Pettine, is serving as a brand new head coach for his team. Last year, the Lions finished the season a disappointing 7-9 after starting 5-3 through their first 8 games, which resulted in the firing of then head coach Jim Schwartz. At 7-2 this season, the Lions have already matched their win total from last year un-

der Caldwell’s guidance.

Then there is Cleveland. Under Pettine, the Browns have already won two more games this season than they did all of last year. What’s even more impressive about that statistic is when you look back at all of the seasons the Browns have had since returning to the NFL in 1999. The Browns have only amassed a larger win total than their current amount (six) only three separate times during that time span (2001,2002 and 2007).

Nine games into the 2014 season, and this current Browns team already ranks as one of the best since they returned to the NFL as an expansion team.

Much of the credit goes to Mike Pettine.

Factor in that he had never been a head coach before, on any level (not just in the NFL), and Pettine surely deserves to see his name amongst the top three Coach of the Year candidates at this juncture of the season.

Could all of that change in a few weeks? Certainly.

But the NFL operates on a win now basis. And as of right now, the Browns are winning.

And if they keep it up, Pettine might find himself winning the highest honor an NFL coach can receive.

Spartans close out season with tough away loss to Yellow Jackets Taylor Fletcher Staff Reporter Case Western Reserve University’s women’s soccer team saw their season come to a close Saturday night in a 2-0 loss against a tough University of Rochester team. For the year, the team’s conference record was 1-5-1 and their overall record was 8-7-3.

Though the game had no postseason implications, the Spartans wanted to end the season on a high note. They hoped to build momentum heading into next year and also tried to up their win total in conference from last year.

The match started with the Spartans as the aggressors, trying early to put their stamp on the game. The midfield was dominant early in the game, winning the ball and dictating the possession early on in the game.

In the 20th minute, the Spartans were able to withstand a Yellow Jackets’ counter attack and were able to start one of their own. The Spartans were able to find the feet of senior forward Caitlyn McGillis who combined for a great 1-2 with fellow senior midfielder Christine Straka whose ensuing shot ricocheted off the crossbar.

The match at halftime was scoreless. The Spartans proceeded to turn on the pressure offensively in the second half. They upped their shots from four in the first half to 12 to finish the game. However, the Rochester

backline was able to handle CWRU pressure and able to score some goals against the run of play.

In the 54th minute, they were unable to stop Rochester from getting on the board by a set piece goal. Goalkeeper Abbey Smith was boxed in by two opposing players on a corner kick, which left her unable to go up to snag the ball off a Kim Stagg header. Smith went up to the referee after the play to plead her cause but, unfortunately, he would not listen to her complaints.

The second goal was a tough play for Smith as well. On a long ball over the top, Smith misjudged a bounce and the ball sailed over her head into the net.

A very atypical and uncharacteristic play for the net minder. Smith had three saves on the match which brought her season total up to 76 saves on the season. In just two years at CWRU, Smith had 13 shutouts and 176 careers saves.

Despite dictating the offensive pressure throughout the game, the Spartans were unable to score for the fifth straight game.

Sophomore midfielder Alexa Williams led both teams with four shots in the game.

The Spartans were unable to reach the goals they set to start the season but they did give themselves a good base and foundation to build off for the future. This season is the fifth season in six years in which the Spartans have had a winning record.

sports

observer.case.edu

19

Spartans finish season with pair of victories Volleyball places fifth in UAA Championship Tournament JP. O’Hagan Sports Editor The Spartans finished off their season with a pair of victories to claim the fifth place spot in the University Athletic Association Championship Tournament on Friday.

The Spartans were seeded fourth in the tournament held in Pittsburgh, but fell to the fifth-seeded University of Chicago in four rounds. However the Spartans rebounded to sweep Brandeis University and work their way back into the fifth place match in the bracket. In the fifth place match, the Spartans bested the University of Rochester squad to finish the season with a win.

The opening match of the tournament saw the Spartans fall to the University of Chicago Maroons in four sets. Case was able to steal away the second set but lost the first, third and the fourth and final round by scores of 25-23, 25-17, 25-21. UAA AllConference honorees Carolyn Bogart led the squad in kills for the match with 12 and Kayla Pfaff with 7 blocks in the effort.

In the second match of the day the Spartans went up against Brandies and were able to sweep the match in three sets, winning by scores of 25-9, 25-12, and 25-12.

This secured the Spartans a spot in the second day of competition, in the fifth place

game. In this second matchup, the Spartans were led by Haley Kauffman with 8 kills and Kristen Mitchell with 16 digs.

In the second day of competition the Spartans were able to pull off the win in four sets against the University of Rochester, winning by scores of 25-21, 24-26, 25-22 and 25-17. The Spartans were led

by Danielle Witri with 12 kills, with Pfaff leading again in blocks with 5 and Mitchell leading in digs for a second straight game with 15. The Spartans spread the production throughout the team and looked strong in the three games to close out the season.

Barton, Pfaff and Katie Best all earned honorable mentions to the All-UAA team to cap their season. Best moved to an outside hitter role and this season and had 165 kills and team bests of 354 digs and 32 service aces to get her second nod to the All-UAA team. Barton finished just ahead of Pfaff for the team lead in kills with 182 and 42 blocks. While Pfaff, second on the club with 181 kills, leading the squad 76 blocks of her own. Both Barton and Pfaff are first time honorees with bright futures for Spartan volleyball.

The Spartans finished the season at 1812 overall with a fifth-place performance at the UAA Championship Tournament to provide the Spartans their sixth winning seasons in the past seven years. The Spartans will return to the court next September.

Ishaan Taylor/Observer The CWRU volleyball squad huddles prior to the start of a new set. The team finished their season over the weekend with a fifth place finish in the UAA.

Spartans wrestle their way to a 4-1 start Spartans swept competition in inaugural CWRU Wrestling Festival JP. O’Hagan Sports Editor

Harsha Chandupatla/Observer Connor Medlang prepares to face off against his opponent in the Case Institute of Technology/ Western Reserve Throwback Scrimmage.

Despite stepping off the mat with heads down on Tuesday following a loss to John Carroll, the Spartan men had a great weekend, winning four of their five match ups over the weekend.

The Spartans hosted three events over the week, with the Bob Del Rosa Duals and the Claude Sharer Classic comprising the CWRU wrestling festival on Saturday, and a dual match against crosstown rival John Carroll coming in a midweek match up. The squad had an impressive 4-0 start in the Del Rosa Duals on Saturday before losing to the visiting Blue Streaks.

On Saturday as part of the CWRU Wrestling Festival the Spartans were led by freshman Aaran Gessic who won all of his matches on Saturday. The Spartans defeated Niagara County Community College, St. Catharine College, Ohio Val-

ley University and Mount Saint Joseph College. The four wins equal the team’s total from all of last season, which also happened to be more dual match wins for the program than the previous five seasons combined.

The Spartan grapplers won their Del Rosa Duals match over Niagara County by a mere point (24-23) to kick off the day with wins at the 141, 149, 174, 184, 285 weight classes. Against St. Catharine the Spartans won 33 to 21 picking up wins in the 125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 184.

The third match of the day saw the Spartans squeak out a second win by a sole point beating Ohio Valley 24-23. The Spartans had wins at the 133, 141, 174, 184 and 197 weight classes. To round out the day the Spartans crushed Mount St. Joseph 39-12 with wins in the 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, 174, 197 classes.

The Spartans return to the mat on Wednesday after taking the weekend off to host Baldwin Wallace.

sports

High Stakes Spartans lose high powered match up in final road game of season

JP. O’Hagan Sports Editor It was an offensive onslaught last Saturday as the two football teams in Kentucky combined for nearly 100 points.

The Case Western Reserve University football team lost their third straight road game in a shootout against the hosting Thomas More College Saints.

The Saints racked up a staggering 66 points and while the Spartans were able to step up their offensive production over most games this season putting 34 points up on the scoreboard, it was not enough to top the Saints, who currently sit in second place in the PAC. The Observer predicted a 49-21 loss for the Spartans after not believing that the prediction equation we came up with which gave a prediction of 60 points for the Saints. Lesson learned, listen to the numbers. For the final game of the season The Observer has added a graph of our picks over the season so you can see how we did, 5-4 in picking the score (within seven points either way for each team) and if we picked the correct winner, an 8-1 record. Nevertheless, back to the game this weekend.

Eight different Spartans contributed to CWRU’s five touchdowns. Senior quarterback Billy Beecher started the game under center. Beecher completed 16 of his 26 attempts and had two touchdowns. Tight end Zech Medved was the top Spartan received as he hauled in six passes on the day for 73 yards and a touchdown.

The two teams combined for 942 yards of offense and with the Saints holding an overall advantage of 549393.Thomas More entered the game with the nation’s fourth-ranked offense and racked up the points to show it. The first four possessions of the game ended in touchdowns, two for the hosting Saints and one for the Spartans, making it 13-7 after just over 12 minutes of play. The scoring for the quarter wasn’t over, however, as Beecher threw a pick six late in the quarter to make it 19-6 at the end of one.

The scoring didn’t slow down at all with the Saints racking up points and the Spartans battling for life. The Spartans eventually moved to trying out members of the secondary unit with

both freshmen quarterbacks seeing time under center and both throwing for scores in the contest.

The Spartans will look to make a comeback and win at home following their three straight losses on the road when they finish the season against UAA rival the University of Chicago Maroons. The matchup will mark not only the last game of the season, but will also be Case’s Senior Day to honor the outgoing senior athletes. The football squad has eight seniors it will be honoring prior to the matchup.

The University of Chicago currently sits atop the UAA with a 2-0 record in league play. The Spartans sit at 1-1 against UAA opponents and could claim a share of the UAA title should they beat the visitors. The Case squad has done well at home this season but have struggled the past three weeks out on the road. With this in mind the Maroons will provide a challenge.

The Maroons have averaged 27.4 points this season, a number more on par with the Spartan offense than their past opponents. Chicago, however, has a winning record due to their allowance of a mere 15.8 yards a game and their defense has won them games rather than a highpowered offense. The Maroons have won games through smart play as well and will not give the game away in turnovers as they hold a +13 turnover ratio, for a top 10 in the nation ranking in that category.

The Maroons are led by senior quarterback Patrick Ryan. Ryan has thrown for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season and his top target is junior wideout Sam Coleman who has 25 receptions for 413 yards and six touchdowns. Their senior running back Zak Ross-Nash leads their ground game with 610 yards on 153 carried with eight touchdowns.

Despite the threat the Maroons present to finishing the season on a high note, the Spartans have history on their side. Case has held the Maroons to 18 points in their past three matchups and have won all three. With all of this in mind, and our prediction formula giving us a favorable output, we at The Observer are locking in our final prediction of the 2014 season and predicting a 28-17 win for our Spartans.

The game starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday at DiSanto Field. Go Spartans.

Observer’s Football Predictions Correct Correct Score Winner?

Prediction?

Week

Opponent

Observer Prediction

Actual Score

1

vs. Carnegie Mellon

W 24-21

W 30-0

No

2

Bye Week

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

3

at St. Vincent

W 26-12

L 23-20

No

No

4

vs. Thiel

W 28-21

W 23-16

5

vs. Bethany

L 24-21

L 25-14

6

at Waynesburg

L 35-17

L 35- 15

7

vs. Geneva

W 24-21

W 33-19

8

at Washington and Jefferson

L 38-21

L 34-24

9

at Washington

L 24-17

L 28-17

10

at Thomas More

L 49-21

L 66-34

No

11

vs. University of Chicago

W 28-17

TBD

???

Close but no

???

Correct Score Prediction Record: 5-4 Win/Lose Prediction Record: 8-1

Andrew Hodowanec /Observer Junior wide receiver Dan Cronin catches a big pass back in the Spartan’s win over Thiel on Sept. 27th at home.