NU to take on Ohio State at Wrigley Field
AUDIO/ e Weekly e Daily’s reporters and editors talk election results, eld hockey success, other headlines PAGES 7-10
In his reelection campaign, Trump vowed to reinstate the Muslim ban and the Remain in Mexico policy, end birthright citizenship, revoke Temporary Protected Status and deport 20 million people he believes to be undocumented.
By CAYLA LABGOLD-CARROLL the daily northwestern @caylalc
Northwestern College Republicans began painting e Rock red late Monday evening, just two days a er students painted over proMAGA messaging on e Rock.
Before the organization started painting, e Rock was covered with a coat of white paint and the message “Cats Against Hate.”
This version of The Rock appeared a er students awoke Saturday morning to discover proTrump and pro-MAGA messages painted on e Rock overnight, sparking frustration among students and parents.
change the message to “NUCR 4 Unity.”
“As president, I do think we should be pu ing MAGA, and we should be pu ing something to support the president-elect,” Yuen said. “But we are a club that hears people out, and if people feel so strongly that they want a message of unity instead, we will also include that.”
Other NUCR members were more inclined to listen to students who had congregated and were against their planned message.
Weinberg sophomore Gabriel Bayer, the treasurer of NUCR, said he is not a big Trump supporter but that he was upset by the previous pro-Trump message being replaced days ago. A er speaking with students, Bayer said he felt more inclined to change the message to promote unity and the club — instead of a Trump-speci c message.
By ISAIAH STEINBERG and MISHA OBEROI daily senior staffers @isaiahstei27
If Donald Trump had been president when Evanston
immigration lawyer Alen Takhsh was 13 years old, he might have never escaped the a ermath of the Iran-Iraq War and se led in the U.S. Had Trump occupied the Oval O ce, Takhsh would have been barred under the “Muslim
Boarini aims for transparency, cautious rezoning
By SHUN GRAVES daily senior staffer
Months before he declared his reelection campaign, Mayor Daniel Biss jokingly challenged potential rivals while exing Evanston’s nascent plan for public campaign funding.
“This was like an antiincumbent mayor initiative, basically,” Biss told a largely supportive crowd at his State of the City address. “So get your petitions ready.”
His May speech — and his detractors’ not-so-quiet goal of toppling him next year — seemed to tee up a rambunctious mayoral race. Yet the jokes and invectives have since laid low. When the contest’s ling window closed Oct. 28, only one challenger had emerged: Je Boarini.
In his rst formal interview since ling to run, Boarini told
e Daily that “people have been cut out of the loop” in city government. He vowed to “unite this community” by boosting transparency and accountability.
And he recounted his introduction to Evanston politics, which he said came by way of his romantic relationship with Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), a prominent critic of the current mayor.
“Just spending time with her, I began to pay more a ention to what was going on with City Council,” Boarini said. “And my background is corporate. So I compared what I was seeing happening at City Council meetings and processes with what I saw happening with City Council and nances, and I was disturbed by what I saw.”
e April 1 municipal election bills a two-man race that promises to o er some unusual intrigue. Biss, the incumbent, drew brickbats from residents last year over his tie-breaking vote in favor of allowing
ban,” due to his Iranian nationality.
ree and a half decades a er he made the journey from Iran to Germany — and then Germany to the U.S. — Takhsh is concerned that Trump’s anti-naturalization and mass deportation policies
could make it di cult for immigrants like him to seek asylum and acquire U.S. citizenship.
“My colleagues and I were on the front lines of many of the
» See REACTION, page 13
NUCR President and Weinberg senior Jeanine Yuen said the organization decided to paint e Rock to have their voices heard rather than be condemned by people who may be upset by the results of the recent presidential election.
NUCR members originally planned on painting “MAGA” on e Rock, but a er speaking to a group of around 40 students who were against the MAGA message gathered there, they decided to
“We could have had an opportunity for revenge,” Bayer said, “But we got the community talking, and I think it’s a really beautiful thing to see people come together with people they disagree with and put out a message of unity.” e act was immediately met with opposition.
Communication freshman Kyle Ve er and Weinberg freshman Jacob Benitez, two students
» See ROCK , page 13
By TERESA JIN the daily northwestern @teresajia7
In response to former President Donald Trump being elected the 47th president of the U.S., international students across Northwestern’s campus have shared concerns about a second Trump administration.
Students have pointed in particular to potential implications surrounding proposed policies about women’s rights, immigration and foreign affairs in their home countries.
Weinberg junior Maria Chebli, from Lebanon, said she was “fearful” of the election outcome because of her identity as an international student and a woman.
Chebli said ahead of the election results, both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris were unclear over their stances on foreign policy regarding the Israel-Hamas War.
“I am from the Middle East, so foreign policy was a big fear point for me,” Chebli said.
“Whatever candidates were going to be elected was going to have a big impact on how the dynamics in the Middle East were going to change or not change.”
Medill junior Sofia Sorochinskaia, who is from Russia, said foreign policy toward Ukraine was her first concern. She worries that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine will be negatively impacted under Trump’s administration.
Sorochinskaia said she doesn’t think Trump will fight for Ukraine’s“ sovereignty and independence,” leading the country to concede its territories to Russia.
While some students worry about foreign affairs, others are focused on tariffs and immigration policies.
Weinberg sophomore Eric Ji, who is from China, said Trump might implement tariffs on goods imported from China that will affect both Chinese and American companies.
“I feel like it’s not a good thing for both China and the U.S. in terms of, the people
are going to pay more money for products imported from China,” Ji said. “For Chinese companies, it’s kind of bad because American companies may import products from other countries instead
of China. So it’s just bad for everyone.”
Ji also said he is concerned about the future of immigrants in the country, referencing an
By SOPHIE BAKER and ISAIAH STEINBERG the daily northwestern @isaiahstei27
Evanston City Council introduced a revised scal year 2025 proposed budget Monday night, representing a roughly $3 million decrease in expenses from the previously proposed budget announced Oct. 4.
After committee discussion, a public hearing and several ward meetings, the city’s proposed spending for 2025 fell from roughly $398.9 million to roughly $395.6 million, including interfund transfers. The decrease comes as a result of an accounting error in relation to Northwestern’s Good Neighbor Fund and a decrease in spending on the Capital Improvement Program.
“ e changes we’ve made so far are really re ective of the feedback we’ve received at the 10 to 11 meetings to date so far,” Budget Manager Clayton Black said.
e revised proposed budget includes 13 measures to increase revenues in 2025, including passing credit card convenience fees onto consumers, increasing residential parking permit costs, increasing rental fees for parks and facilities and increasing licensing fees for long-term care facilities.
e increased revenue will allow the city to reduce its reliance on reserves to cover its $12.5 million General Fund de cit.
Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) expressed concern that the budget has increased too much in recent years.
“I don’t think we’ve seen enough to really understand and justify such an enormous jump,” she said.
Although the budget increased dramatically between scal years 2021 and 2022, the 2025 proposed expenditures are actually $9.3 million less than the gures in the scal year 2024 adopted budget.
City Council also introduced a $34.9 million property tax levy to fund city operations. e city’s portion of the property tax levy will remain at between 2024 and 2025. e levy also provides revenues to local schools and the Evanston Public Library.
Ald. Devon Reid (8th) expressed disapproval that funding for participatory budgeting was again not directly included in the budget.
“We need to have the community’s help in nding new revenue,” Reid said. “I think the PB process is a perfect process for doing that.”
In 2023, the city piloted a participatory budgeting program, which allowed residents to allocate $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to various initiatives.
e city initially funded participatory budgeting in 2021, and the community engagement for the project exceeded expectations. Yet, City Council decided not to fund a participatory budgeting cycle in 2024.
During public comment, Participatory Budgeting Coordinator Celia Carlino introduced three past participants who advocated for the program’s return.
During the meeting, Mayor Daniel Biss also commented on the results of the 2024 presidential election, calling them “fundamentally out of step with the values of this community.” Biss said he plans to protect Evanston residents from Presidentelect Donald Trump’s policies by coordinating with other municipalities.
“Evanstonians aren’t interested in being bullied,” he said. “I think that is going to come in handy because, as people in our community are coming under threat, they are going to be counting on all
of us to stand up and put ourselves on the line to protect them.”
Biss added that Trump’s campaign promises run contrary to the city’s Envision Evanston 2045 initiative, which will overhaul Evanston’s comprehensive plan and zoning code to help the city achieve its climate goals and reform its land use policies.
e Finance and Budget Commi ee will meet Tuesday a ernoon to discuss the 2025 budget before City Council votes on adopting it at its next meeting Nov. 25.
sophiebaker2028@u.northwestern.edu
isaiahsteinberg2027@u.northwestern.edu
Evanston is making Black history. Black Evanstonians currently hold many crucial public and civic leadership posts in the areas of education, safety, the libraries, parks and recreation, philanthropy, and more. Northwestern’s Black Studies Department is also a part of Black Evanston. Our faculty, students, and staff work, live, rest, learn, organize and play in Evanston. This event will build and strengthen the ties between Black Evanston and Black Northwestern. Black Evanston leaders will share and discuss their visions for and practices towards growing Black Evanston: cultivating the growth of community assets and investments, growing the next generation of leaders in Evanston’s Black youth, and sustaining ongoing efforts at progressive policy growth.
PANEL
• Dr. Marcus Campbell, Superintendent, Evanston Township High School District 202
• Sol Anderson, President & CEO, Evanston Community Foundation
• Yolande Wilburn, Executive Director, Evanston Public Library system
• Schenita Stewart, Chief of Police, Evanston Police Department
• Audrey Thompson, Director of Parks and Recreation
• Ike Ogbo, Director of Health and Human Services
• Cherese Ledet, President & CEO, Evanston YWCA
• Monique Parsons, President & CEO, McGaw YMCA
Moderators: Mary Pattillo, Northwestern; Laurice Bell, Shorefront Legacy Center
Monday, November 18, 2024
6:00pm, with reception to follow Second Baptist Church • 1717 Benson Ave. • Evanston, IL 60201
Co-Sponsors: Second Baptist and Shorefront Legacy Center
Free and open to the public No tickets or reservations required For more information, contact Suzette Denose at 847.491.5122 • s-denose@northwestern.edu
By WILLIAM TONG daily senior staffer @william2tong
ree days a er the Deering Meadow encampment disassembled in April, Northwestern Provost Kathleen Hagerty commended Kellogg Prof. Nour Kteily for his role in negotiating with pro-Palestinian student protesters.
“He spent an incredible number of hours teaching a very disorganized and upset group of students how to organize themselves,” Hagerty wrote in a May 2 email to Kellogg Dean Francesca Cornelli. “(He) gave them the tools to turn an incredibly negative situation into something positive.”
But a report from the House Commi ee on Education and the Workforce a acked Hagerty, Kteily, and other NU administrators and faculty for how they reached a deal with encampment organizers. e report, published Oct. 31, criticized how several other colleges, including Harvard, Columbia and UCLA, handled their encampments.
NU leaders prioritized de-escalation with minimal concessions, documents from the report suggest.
On several occasions, University leaders including Hagerty and President Michael Schill lauded NU’s approach to ending the encampment without force.
“I am proud of our community for achieving what has been a challenge across the country: A sustainable,
Lily Ogburn to be e Daily’s next editor in chief, SPC announces
Medill junior Lily Ogburn will be the next editor in chief of e Daily Northwestern, the paper’s publisher announced Tuesday.
Ogburn, a current print managing editor, has previously served as the illustrations editor, assistant city editor and sta editor.
During summer 2024, Ogburn was both a news intern at the Cincinnati CityBeat and a multimedia intern at Foreign Policy. She has also previously
de-escalated path forward that prioritizes safety, including our Jewish community,” Schill’s notes for a post-encampment meeting with the University’s Board of Trustees read.
e notes pointed out that no other university had achieved that result e ectively at the time.
Earlier during the encampment, Schill also reacted positively a er encampment organizers asked outside participants to leave and demonstrators to not put up new tents, according to documents from the rereport.
“Wow. is is great news” Schill texted Vice President of Student A airs Susan Davis at 3:46 a.m. on April 28. “Let’s hope it lasts.”
Early on during the encampment, some administrators were unhappy with the student demonstrators’ approach to negotiating toward divestment, according to documents included in the report.
A er an initial meeting with encampment organizers, Hagerty texted Kteily that she was “frustrated” about the conversations.
“If the students really cared about actual divestment then they need the patience to actually do the work to make it happen,” Hagerty texted Kteily before 1 a.m. on April 26.
Despite their insistence on negotiating with student demonstrators instead of using force, administrators tried to minimize meeting student demands.
A er identifying student protesters’ main goals — including divestment from Israel, an end to partnerships with Israeli companies, the hiring of a
interned at the Cincinnati Magazine and worked as a national security reporter for the Medill News Service as a part of NU’s Medill on the Hill program.
Ogburn will assume the position starting in Winter Quarter 2025 and serve until the end of Spring Quarter 2025. She will succeed Medill senior Jacob Wendler, who has been the editor in chief for Spring and Fall Quarter 2024.
Students Publishing Company Board of Directors Chair John Byrne said the board is “very much looking forward” to Ogburn’s term as editor in chief.
“We were impressed with her ideas on guiding the newsroom into a further transition from our traditional print newspaper to a variety of digital and multimedia o erings,” Byrne said.
non-Zionist campus rabbi and the end of the Israeli Innovation Project — Schill told several community members he would not move on any of the demands.
“We said a de nitive no to all of them,” he messaged Hillel director Michael Simon on April 30. “We engaged them on things that we already were planning .”
A University spokesperson did not say why administrators chose to reject those four main demands. She also did not say whether NU leaders informed students they were already planning to reestablish the Advisory Commi ee on Investment Responsibility and develop an a nity space for Middle Eastern and North African students.
An earlier message from Schill asking Davis to not “o er rabbi (to protesters) until we talk” drew suspicion from House Republicans in the report. ey cited that exchange as evidence that Schill considered student demands for a non-Zionist rabbi and misled Congress in hearings during the spring.
Schill previously testi ed in front of the House commi ee in May about how he handled the student demonstrations, which paralleled dozens of college encampments across the country U.S.
In a Nov. 2 statement, Schill wrote that his testimony in front of the House Commi ee was “accurate, truthful and supported by what we agreed to do in connection with the agreement we reached.”
williamtong2026@u.northwestern.edu
During her term as editor in chief, she hopes to create a mobile app for the paper and roll out a new features desk.
“Lily has been an intrepid reporter on the city desk and across our newsroom, and her reporting and editing skills will serve her well as editor in chief in addition to her ability to lead,” Wendler said.
Ogburn said she aims to continue strengthening e Daily’s relationships in the community.
“I want to be that mentor for another person, for another younger sta er, and I want to keep fostering the inclusive and welcoming environment that is so important to e Daily,” Ogburn said.
Jerry Wu
The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com
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By DESIREE LUO the daily northwestern
Comedian, writer and actor Ilana Glazer is well aware of the TikTok edits to the viral sound “In da clerb, we all fam.”
“I’m just eating it up,” Glazer said.
Glazer performed stand-up and answered student questions in a Tuesday evening Q&A in Norris University Center’s McCormick Auditorium as A&O Productions’ fall speaker. Around 300 people attended, according to Medill senior and A&O Marketing and Media co-Director Charlotte Che.
The TikTok sound spread in October from Season Three of the sitcom “Broad City.” Glazer co-created and co-starred in the Comedy Central series with comedian and actress Abbi Jacobson through the 2010s.
Student improv group The Titanic Players opened the event. Characters in the routine got pulled over by
police, spent time in prison and met actor and comedian James Corden. Glazer then took the stage in a 20-minute stand-up routine, in which they joked about being a new mother. They said their experience with drugs made them more empathetic to their 3-year-old daughter.
“Toddlers are naturally tripping their balls off 24/7,” they said. “That’s child psychology.”
Medill junior Brandon Kondritz moderated the Q&A with Glazer, who spoke about their obsession with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) Instagram page and “doing molly” with Jacobson. The discussion also touched on Glazer’s start in comedy at New York University and Generator Collective, a project Glazer founded in 2016 to promote youth voting.
When it came to managing a career in both the arts and family life, Glazer struggled to find a healthy balance throughout their 20s, they said. They added they now do therapy and advised students to find time for rest.
“It’s not even a balance,” Glazer said. “It all feeds each
other, like the recycling symbol. Your rest, I swear to you, feeds your art.”
Titanic actor and Weinberg senior Lauren White stayed to watch Glazer after performing.
As a New Yorker, she said she was a “Broad City” fan in high school and appreciated their work.
“There is an unabashed passion and excitement and a lot of intentionality behind their work, which is really a powerful and beautiful thing,” White said.
White said her favorite moment was Kondritz asking Glazer if she would rather have a “gay son or thot daughter,” a reference to a popular social media trend.
Glazer said they wanted both.
“I’m obsessed with this question, and it makes me so happy and hopeful,” Glazer said, drawing laughs from the audience.
Che said the A&O speakers committee began looking for fall speakers by contacting agencies this summer. After securing a speaker, the media and marketing committee began interactive campaigns. It dropped hints about its speaker on Instagram and at The Rock
last week. Stand-up comedians draw large audiences due to the high number of comedy groups at Northwestern, Che said. She said A&O selected Glazer for their appeal to college audiences.
“We know that she can definitely reach a lot of people on a personal level, and she’s obviously very funny,” Che said. “We didn’t time this at all with the whole TikTok trend, but it worked out well because she was just popping off.”
Glazer and Jacobson spoke about “Broad City” at a joint A&O and NU Hillel speaker event during the Fall Quarter in 2015, just months before the show’s third season.
Nearly a decade later, the show remains in both the cultural zeitgeist and in Glazer’s mind.
“I’m always in da clerb in my mind,” Glazer said. “It’s pretty much a mindset. If you’re f---ing dope, we’re all f---ing fam.”
desireeluo2028@u.northwestern.edu
By ALICE OH the daily northwestern
Written by South Korean author Han Kang and translated by British writer Deborah Smith, “The Vegetarian” masterfully explores the lure of volatile human desire by challenging South Korean societal and sexual norms.
Published in Korean in 2007 and translated to English in 2015, Kang’s novel follows Kim Yeong-hye, an introspective middle-aged South Korean woman, and the reactions of her family when she is inspired — in vivid and unsettling dreams — to follow a strict vegetarian diet. The novel follows the perspective of three characters: Yeong-hye’s husband, brother-inlaw and older sister. Each character holds different sentiments toward Yeong-hye: repulsion, lust and love, respectively.
When Yeong-hye decides to stop eating meat, her husband’s indifference toward her turns to repulsion. He symbolizes the oppressive societal norms in South Korea, abandoning Yeong-hye when her new way of life becomes an embarrassment to him.
Meanwhile, Yeong-hye’s brother-in-law is fascinated with her new diet and develops a disturbing sexual obsession with her body. His new art project features Yeong-hye as the subject of his work and adorns her body with painted flowers.
Yeong-hye’s older sister, In-hye, struggles
with the complexity of emotions that Yeonghye faces in her dilemma. Unable to sympathize with her sister’s decision, In-hye’s life is characterized by social conformity and suppression of emotion.
Though it is impossible for a translation to hold all of the expressive depth and emotional connotation of the original edition, I was left wholly unsatisfied with some of the novel’s underdeveloped descriptions.
For example, Smith writes, “Why am I changing like this? Why are my edges all sharpening—what I am going to gouge?”
However, the original sentences in Korean can more accurately be translated to: “Why? Why am I withering and wasting away like this? Why are my edges all sharpening—what am I preparing to pierce?”
Line-by-line comparisons between the two versions exposed lost opportunities to convey the same level of nuance in the English translation.
Kang’s work embarks on a deep exploration of color, sound and the human body. Descriptions of Yeong-hye’s emaciated frame and the vibrancy of the flowers on her naked body skillfully contrast the dullness of her outer appearance with the emotional intensity within. Kang’s muted tone, which permeates throughout the novel, dramatizes the internal and external conflict throughout the story.
Contrary to what the title may suggest, “The Vegetarian” reveals more about the prejudices and character of Yeong-hye’s family in response
to her quiet defiance than vegetarianism itself. Though Smith’s translation may inevitably fall short, Kang’s effortless storytelling is a victory for highlighting the female oppression in
aliceoh2027@u.northwestern.edu
By GABE HAWKINS the daily northwestern @gabe18violin
McCormick senior Rebeca Lion was 9 or 10 years old when she first streamed the cult classic film “Mean Girls.” As an international student from Brazil, her first glance into American high school stereotypes was through the film.
“I remember it being the first time that I saw the ‘mean girl’ stereotype,” she said.
Communication Prof. Michael Anthony Turcios was a sixth grader when the film came out. He had the drama on a rustic DVD player that had become bent and torn from overuse, a testament to his adoration for the movie.
From a young age, Turcios said the film had a formative influence on his coming-of-age years. “It became a template to navigate high school,” he said.
This fondness isn’t unwarranted. The franchise has ballooned into a high-grossing Broadway musical, a movie-musical based on said play and an overall cultural phenomenon with iconic mottos like “That’s so fetch,” “Is butter a carb?” and “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.”
Initially released in 2004, the flick celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. “Mean Girls” chronicles 16-year-old Cady Heron’s (Lindsay Lohan) chaotic
transition to high school life after living abroad in Kenya. When her biologist mother (Ana Gasteyer) gains tenure at none other than Northwestern, Cady Heron finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a friendship with Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese), two socially maligned besties, and the Plastics: Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert) and Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried).
The film was based off of the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes,” authored by Rosalind Wiseman. Wiseman said the success behind “Mean Girls” felt unprecedented.
“I certainly didn’t have any idea that it would turn into something that had such an enormous cultural impact on the zeitgeist,” she said.
Taylor Louderman, who originated the role of Regina George on Broadway, also saw success through their theater productions.
Louderman and her colleagues often received messages of encouragement from young people praising their production. She said they felt “seen” and “inspired” to be kinder. This positive reinforcement was rewarding for the cast telling the story every night.
The basis of the drama’s plot is “girl world,” which was coined in Wiseman’s book. The term encompasses the rules, expectations, rites of passage and paradigms of communication that characterize the lived experience of teenage girls.
Wiseman also said the bullying and humiliation
portrayed in the film is prevalent online, adding how the internet and cancel culture can “exacerbate” these themes.
“Someone’s entertainment is somebody else’s embarrassment and dehumanization,” she said.
While developing her book, Wiseman worked with a girl’s youth advisory group from Washington, D.C., to highlight the teenage tropes depicted in “Mean Girls.”
Wiseman said this group was the core inspiration of her work, despite tendencies of schools nationwide to claim they were the inspiration behind the film.
For many NU students, the film has had longstanding impacts on their lives.
After a first viewing, Medill freshman Fiona Zhou found the movie cliche, writing it off as yet another “typical rom-com.” After a second viewing, she said she came to better appreciate its portrayal of social dynamics in high school.
“(‘Mean Girls’) just feels like a really good representation of the high school experience,” she said.
“Mean Girls” is not without its critics, though.
Communication Prof. Mimi White said the movie belongs to a larger canon of films that celebrate a regressive type of behavior.
She said “Mean Girls” champions bullying and pettiness in a way that should not be universally celebrated.
“I don’t particularly like ‘Mean Girl’ films,” she said. “I think they celebrate a very negative kind of figure
in American popular culture.”
Despite fans’ loyalty to the 2004 version, the 2018 musical resonated with young audiences, according to Taylor Louderman, who originated the role of Regina George on Broadway.
As a longtime theatre kid, Weinberg sophomore Malia Marinchak said she has a deep appreciation for the musical.
“I grew up doing musical theatre, so I loved the ‘Mean Girls’ musical when it came out,” she said. One of the things Marinchak appreciated about the musical was its attentiveness to flaws in the movie, including its white-centric lens and outdated portrayal of racial stratification in high school friend groups. Louderman said the musical outperformed its film namesake in these cautionary messages around social hierarchies.
She said she credits these hierarchies to social media.
“Social media can disguise so much authenticity,” she said. “I think that’s what makes (‘Mean Girls’) still relevant today.”
For Elizabeth Doran, the Broadway production’s associate music director, the ripple effects of “Mean Girls” are remarkable.
“It’s wild to me how much of a cult classic it has become,” she said. “It’s having a rebirth that started with the musical and then the new movie that just came out.” gabehawkins2028@u.northwestern.edu
By ALICE OH the daily northwestern @aliceeohh
In Vertigo Productions’ latest show, “The Seagullman,” an oil-addicted, anthropomorphic seagull complicates two Coast Guard volunteers’ mission to save the world.
The show premiered Friday at Shanley Pavilion with around two dozen audience members.
Inspired by a photo of a pelican sitting atop a rusty oil well in Texas waters, Communication senior and playwright Leo Kurland said he wanted to explore the impact of individuals in fighting the global environmental crisis.
“Sometimes I feel like there’s nothing impactful I can do as an individual,” Kurland said in his playwright’s note. “Other times, usually while creating art, I realize there is a real and substantial impact one person can have on their community (and maybe even the whole world).”
In the show, Coast Guard volunteers Marina (Communication junior Poseybelle Stoeffler) and Cordy (Communication sophomore Mila Levit) are assigned to report on Houston Trinity Bay’s abandoned oil wells and the threats they may pose to the environment. On their mission, they encounter the Seagullman (Communication sophomore Felix Gaddie) and his stubborn lawyer J.B.
Waters (Communication junior Kate McCracken), a duo that pushes back against Marina and Cordy’s operation.
Kurland said the play is not meant to invoke horror for the climate crisis. Rather, it is meant to intertwine humorous, personal scenes that uplift nature, while bringing the environmental crisis into a realistic perspective.
In conjunction with their values, the team sought to limit waste in all processes of production.
Communication junior and director Emerson Steady said they worked with costume designer Laura Fajardo-Riascos to thrift and borrow pieces in order to be as sustainable as possible.
“In bringing to life this play about human’s relationship with nature, our production team wanted to make sure we also walked the walk,” Steady said.
Communication sophomore and producer Eliza Huang said Shanley Pavilion is a unique theatrical space that allows for varied lighting and seating to create different sets for each show.
For the set, the crew used recycled materials and held a waste drive to gather move-in trash.
“The Seagullman” combined bits of scrap paper to create the backdrop of the ocean and a lightweight boat that sailed across the stage. Cast members also held fish toys that, when squeezed, could squirt fish oil onto each other.
Vertigo Productions is the only theater group on campus dedicated to original student-written
works. Stoeffler said these productions create a tight-knit community that can’t usually be found in more traditional works.
“I love doing student-written productions because you get to work with the writer of the
story,” Stoeffler said. “It’s cool to have additional input in the room on the story and I love that these characters are still being built.”
aliceoh2027@u.northwestern.edu
By JAHARIA KNOWLES
daily senior staffer
@jahariia
For years, artistically inclined college applicants have faced a common dilemma: Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts? While a B.A. allows for interdisciplinary study, many aspiring artists and performers are drawn to the focused studio experience a B.F.A. can offer.
The Prague Film School in the Czech Republic has become popular with Northwestern
students majoring in Radio, Television and Film hoping to get the best of both worlds. Communication juniors Paul O’Connor and Mia Bassett said they chose the program to get more production experience.
Much of NU’s “filmmaking scene” happens outside the classroom, Bassett said. However, student-run film groups, such as Studio 22, have limited budgets, so not every student gets the chance to create their own projects.
“I have loved the film program (at NU),” Bassett said. “But in terms of getting practical experience through my classes, I barely get any.”
In contrast, filmmaking students at the Prague Film School take six core courses focused on editing, directing, cinematography, screenwriting and other areas of filmmaking.
The school provides state-of-the-art gear and technology. O’Connor said the experience has forced him to work outside his comfort zone.
“I usually use Adobe Premiere for my own projects when I’m at NU,” O’Connor said. “But they make us use Avid, which is frankly, very hard to work with — it’s less intuitive and less user friendly — but it’s a little bit more professional and a bit more standard.”
The bulk of the academic work in the filmmaking program involves planning and executing four film projects over the course of the semester.
Students also serve as crew members on their peers’ sets, Bassett said.
“People do collaborate a little bit more evenly here,” O’Connor said. “People are just interested in each other’s projects, and they work on them, and they reach out to people.”
The actors are students from Prague Film School’s “Acting for Film” program. Communication junior and “Acting for Film” student Veronica Gonzalez said that filmmaking students cast their actors after watching them perform in a showcase.
Gonzalez has acted in six film projects so far and is scheduled to act in more in the upcoming weeks. She said the school’s craft-focused curriculum has improved her screen acting skills.
“Since I come from a background in musical theatre and film’s something I’m trying out, I can make things a little too big or I’ll move too much on camera,” Gonzalez said. “I make a step, and
then I’m completely out of frame, and it looks weird and the shot is messed up.”
Prague is a popular site for professional filmmakers due to its architecture and low production costs. O’Connor said he often walks past film sets at night. While many use Prague as a stand-in for other cities, O’Connor said he plans on taking full advantage of the city’s culture.
“I have an idea about an overnight date between two people — between a Prague native and an American or an English speaker,” he said. “I really want to make films that are clearly in Prague and use Prague’s exterior.”
jahariaknowles2025@u.northwestern.edu
Editor Betsy Lecy
Assistant Editors Karina Eid Alexander Hernandez-Gonzalez
By CHARLIE SPUNGIN
daily senior staffer @charliespungin
Northwestern coach David Braun’s first football game inside Wrigley Field was a fourth-quarter heartbreaker, as Iowa’s game-winning field goal on Nov. 4, 2023, granted the Hawkeyes a 10-7 win.
Over a full year later, Braun leads his team into The Friendly Confines hoping to play the role of giant-slayer. The Wildcats (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) are set to face No. 2 Ohio State — a perennial national championship contender which more than looks the part this season.
NU comes off a bye two weeks removed from defeating Purdue 26-20 on Nov. 2. The ’Cats avoided falling into a three-game skid and also scored their first offensive touchdown in three weeks.
The Buckeyes (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) are fresh off a 45-0 pummeling of the Boilermakers. In the week before, Ohio State registered a close 20-13 win over No. 4 Penn State. Its lone loss on the campaign came in a 32-31 road nailbiter against No. 1 Oregon, which is yet to lose a game.
The ’Cats have lost 32 straight games to the Buckeyes, dating back to 1971. NU is hovering around a 30-point underdog for Saturday’s tilt, per various sportsbooks.
Here’s what to watch for as NU hopes to pull off one of the largest upsets in college football this season.
Ohio State’s dominant defense
The Buckeyes allow the least yards per game to opposing offenses in the country. Ohio State’s menacing defense allows just 250.8 yards per game and 10.7 points per game, the secondlowest mark in the nation.
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit has conceded more than 20 points in a game just once this season, coming against No. 1 Oregon.
The ’Cats have not scored an offensive touchdown in three of their six Big Ten games this season, although the team scored 26 points in its last time out against Purdue.
Graduate student running back Cam Porter and redshirt sophomore Joseph Himon II each went for over 100 scrimmage yards in
West Lafayette.
“We certainly want to continue to find ways to get both those guys the ball in their hands through the run game and the passing game. Both have proven to be very effective catching the ball out of the backfield,” Braun said.
Braun did not clarify whether or not graduate student wide receiver Bryce Kirtz, who has missed the previous two games, will suit up at Wrigley Field. He added that his staff is “hopeful” Kirtz will return at some point this season.
The second-year coach also stressed the importance of continuously moving the ball, noting that getting caught in third and longs will be incredibly difficult to convert.
“We have to find ways to stay ahead of the chains, and that starts off with just pre-snap operation and making sure that we’re executing the call that’s come in, whether that’s through run game, quick game, RPO, drop back,” Braun said.
The Buckeyes’ remarkable receiving core
Ohio State’s offense is one of the country’s premier units, too. The Buckeyes’ 38.6 points per game ranks 11th in the nation.
This is largely aided by a star-studded receiving core, consisting of Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuku and Carnell Tate.
Smith’s 765 receiving yards ranks him second in the Big Ten, while his nine receiving touchdowns tie him for first. Egbuku also cracks the Big Ten leaderboards, ranking ninth in receiving yards with 587 and tied for third in receiving touchdowns with eight.
“We’re going to have to do a great job of staying on top of routes,” Braun said. “We’re going to have to do a great job of affecting the quarterback. … We’re going to have to do a great job of tackling in space.”
In its most recent game, NU allowed Purdue quarterback Hudson Card to throw for a season-high 267 yards.
Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has thrown for 2,237 yards and a Big Ten best 22 touchdowns. Braun said Howard’s ability to get the ball in the hands of his receivers could pose a threat to the ’Cats’ defense.
“(He’s) very mature, commands the offense, can make all the throws, understands the talent that he has around him (and) has done a
good job of valuing and protecting the football,” Braun said. “He forces you to defend the entire field.”
Braun’s toughest task yet
Although he has already taken on No. 21 Duke on the road, faced No. 6 Penn State and had the bright lights of a bowl game dawn upon him, Braun has never faced a task like what is pending this weekend during his tenure as NU’s coach.
“(They are) a very talented football team, a very deep football team,” Braun said. “It shows up on offense, defense and on special teams. (They are) very well coached in all three phases and clearly a team that is on a mission. I mean, you see the way that they play, the way that they play together, the way that they battle.”
Braun has never faced a team ranked as high as No. 2 in the country. Against No. 6 Penn State, the highest-ranked team Braun
has faced, the ’Cats forced the Nittany Lions into a 10-10 gridlock at halftime, but by the time the game concluded, it was a blowout. Penn State won 41-13.
Ohio State outpaces NU in nearly all statistics on both ends of the ball, pinning the ’Cats as the David to the Buckeyes’ Goliath. With Kirtz and graduate student linebacker Xander Mueller potentially missing Saturday morning’s contest due to injury, an NU upset will be all the more difficult. Regardless, Braun said his confidence in his squad is “unwavering.”
“There’s no one out there that expects Northwestern to go in and beat Ohio State — even for that matter, compete — but this group believes that … we can make this a four quarter battle, make it close in the fourth quarter and look up with zeros on the clock, and the expectation is to expect victory,” Braun said.
charliespungin2027@u.northwestern.edu
By ANNA WATSON daily senior staffer
@adub_sports
A er taking on one of the toughest jobs in college football last season, Harlon Barne was on the hunt for a new gig. Barne , who spent two decades at Michigan State, found an unlikely home as the assistant head coach and safeties coach at Northwestern.
In September of 2023, Mel Tucker was red from Michigan State’s head coach position, and the longtime Spartan Barne stepped in as the interim head coach, leading the team to a 2-8 record during his tenure. At the end of the season, however, Barne found himself interviewing with a team to which he had li le association. Regardless, he felt a special connection with coach David Braun, who’d lled similar shoes as an interim coach last season.
“I told (Braun) this, when I rst came here: ‘I feel our spirits connect,’” Barne said. “I told my wife, too, actually, ‘I feel like Northwestern is the place out of the two that I’ve gone to.’” Barne also interviewed for a job at Wisconsin, and, when the Badgers went in another direction, he came to Evanston.
e Wildcats’ safeties coach carries a decorated pedigree of experience in the football world. Barne started playing football in the third grade. Barne said he has been involved in football every year except one since he was 8-years-old.
“I loved the sport. I loved the contact and the violence part of the sport,” Barne said. “ at’s what drew me to it. I just can’t get enough.”
A Cincinnati native, Barne starred at Princeton High School. Led by legendary coach Pat Mancuso, Barne won the 1983 state title in his junior year.
Beyond being a good player, Barne was a player respected by coaches and teammates, Mancuso said. “Harlon was probably one of my favorite young men,” Mancuso said. “He quali ed as a young man … in the classroom, in the locker room, in his community. He was just a pleasure to coach.”
Barne ’s time as a Princeton High School Viking eventually came to an end, and he began his journey as a Spartan.
Barne was a four-year le er winner as a defensive
back. In his senior year, he tallied three interceptions, one pick-six and 73 tackles en route to garnering AllAmerican honors.
Mancuso said he never questioned Barne ’s ability to get to the collegiate level and succeed there.
“It wasn’t di cult for us to help Harlon go to the next level because he had so much going for him in terms of his academics, athletics and being the type of young man he was in high school,” Mancuso said.
In 1990, Barne was selected in the fourth round of the NFL dra by the Cleveland Browns. A er spending three seasons in Cleveland, he spent two with the New England Patriots and two with the Minnesota Vikings. roughout his career, Barne said the prospect of becoming a coach followed him.
“I’m a Christian man, so I feel like God was trying to talk to me then, but I wasn’t listening,” Barne said. “Bill Parcells said to me in 1994 on an o day, ‘You ever think about coaching?’ … e very next year I go to the Minnesota Vikings, Tony Dungy is the defensive coordinator. And randomly, ‘You ever think about coaching?’”
Barne retired from the NFL a er the 1996 season and went back to Princeton High School in 1998, this time as a coach.
Barne , however, had always wanted to try his hand at broadcasting. He earned his degree in communication from Michigan State and had enrolled in broadcasting school.
An important phone call gave him the opportunity to pursue the cra . A phone call from seven-time national champion football coach Nick Saban pushed Barne toward reporting a er retirement. eir tenures at Michigan State overlapped when Barne was a player. When Saban dialed Barne ’s number, he was the head coach.
A er speaking with Saban, Barne reached out to a school sports information director and became the sideline reporter for Michigan State football.
For the nal two years of Saban’s tenure with the Spartans, Barne coached high school football at Princeton High School during the week and le on the weekends to be the sideline reporter.
Barne moved on from sideline reporting when coach Saban le Michigan State for LSU. He began to start coaching at Princeton High School full-time.
During Barne ’s ve-season tenure at Princeton,
By JAKE MOZARSKY the daily northwestern @jmozarsky
Wrigley Field is one of the most famous sporting venues in the United States. e Friendly Con nes — the current home of the Chicago Cubs and formerly the Chicago Bears until 1970 – has provided plenty of lifelong memories for Chicago area fans. But, Northwestern football has not had similar success stories at Wrigley Field.
Ever since football returned to Lakeview in 2010 when the Wildcats hosted Illinois, NU is 0-3 alongside Addison Street. In 2023, the ’Cats lost 10-7 to Iowa. A win would’ve been enough for Braun’s group to have secured the last-ever Big Ten West title. Now, NU nds its season at a crux and returns to Wrigley for the rst of two games in 2024. e opponent cannot be tougher as the ’Cats welcome in No. 2 Ohio State.
“Very excited about the opportunity for the atmosphere,” coach David Braun said Monday. “Celebrating Homecoming this week at an awesome venue like Wrigley, top ve opponents coming into our place, excited for all that.”
Braun recognized the elephant in the room — the Buckeyes are one of the best football teams in the country, and few expect this a air to be close. Currently, Ohio State has a 95.4% odds of winning, according to ESPN.
But, with NU’s season on the line over the next three weeks, the expectations inside the program are high.
“We know we’re not just an underdog,” Braun said. “ ere’s no one out there that expects Northwestern to go in and beat Ohio State, even, for that ma er, compete. But this group believes that with a great two weeks of preparation, and that’s showing up at our best, we can make this a four quarter ba le.”
To be clear, NU does not need to win on Saturday to keep its bowl game hopes alive. With its high Academic Progress Rate, NU probably has to win only one game to get to postseason football. e road ahead is tough nonetheless.
e rst reason: e Buckeyes will play in front of a Wrigley crowd that will have a lot more red than purple. en, next week’s trip to Ann Arbor pits the ’Cats against the defending national champions in Michigan. Although the Wolverines are not the same team as a year ago, it’s still a tough test in the nation’s
he spent two seasons as the secondary coach and three years as the defensive coordinator.
Sco Miltenberger was head coach of Princeton High School while Barne was defensive coordinator. Barne ’s greatest strength was connecting with the students, Miltenberger said.
“His strongest point at that time was that the kids trusted him, and he put onto them that how much he cared about them,” Miltenberger said. “ ey really trusted him from what he did with them.”
A er ve seasons back at Princeton High School, Barne pursued his options at the collegiate level. He ultimately landed on Saban’s sta .
Barne le his family in Cincinnati and went down to Baton Rouge as a graduate assistant for the year, where the Tigers won the 2004 BCS National Championship.
Sure enough, Barne got his break. Mark Dantonio hired him as the secondary coach at Cincinnati the following season. In his rst season, the Bearcats led Conference USA in pass defense and ranked 26th in the country.
In 2007, Dantonio became the head coach at Michigan State, and Barne followed him. From 2007 to 2017, Barne got the opportunity to return to his alma mater, taking on the roles of secondary coach, assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and associate head coach during that stint.
“It was great to be able to go back there and do that and help and have a lot of success,” Barne said. “It was awesome.”
Barne moved on a er 11 seasons to take advantage of an opportunity to be Florida State’s defensive coordinator, but he soon returned to Michigan State. e roles he played initially were familiar. He worked as the cornerbacks coach and secondary coach. In 2023, though, he took on a brand-new role just two games into the season as interim head coach.
Barne was selected for the position over assistant head coaches and coordinators, something he credits to the rapport he built during his tenure in East Lansing. One of the helpful connections he had was with Alan Haller, Michigan State’s athletic director, with whom he played during his time as a Spartan.
“I think (Alan Haller) called me and told me he wanted me to do it out of familiarity with me, knowing who I am,” Barne said.
In his time as interim head coach, Barne led the Spartans to Big Ten wins over Nebraska and Indiana.
e Spartans later went in a di erent direction when making a permanent hire for head coach.
Now in Evanston, Barne has made a marked impact on a new defensive system.
NU ranks third in the Big Ten in opponent passing yards per game with 241.1 yards, a gure that puts the ’Cats within the top 100 in the country.
“(He is) allowing us to play faster,” junior safety Devin Turner said. “Just allowing us to play like ourselves. … He’s utilizing everybody on the eld and not just one person.”
Beyond the results on the football eld, Barne has forged close bonds with the players.
Graduate student safety Coco Azema, a team captain, said he and his teammates have embraced Barne ’s new position as coach. Azema had played under former safeties coach Ma MacPherson during his rst ve seasons with the program.
“(He is) just a real players’ coach,” Azema said. “I just think that him being able to relate on a level of understanding that he was out there before being able to play the position as well. I feel like that’s helped with the transition, and that bond that we’ve built with him.”
Barne has kept his spirit of connecting with players on a level beyond football through his religion. With his players, Barne hosts word of the week and Bible studies.
Turner has enjoyed working with Barne this season because of o -the- eld factors, he said.
“We’ve all really enjoyed it, because he’s not really just all about football,” Turner said. “It’s also life a er football. Just ge ing us ready for families, ge ing us ready for our careers.”
rough all the years of coaching, Barne has maintained a great reputation, especially in the eyes of Mancuso.
Mancuso said that he has never and would not question Barne ’s success as a coach.
“If there’s a coach that you would say, ‘I really want my son to play for a coach,’ it would be Harlon,” Mancuso said. “You can say that without ba ing an eyelash or thinking twice because he’s the type of young man you would want to in uence your son to be successful in later life.”
annawatson2027@u.northwestern.edu
biggest stadium.
NU will wrap up its season at Wrigley against Illinois, which was ranked for much of the season.
One element is evident: e ’Cats are playing in two of America’s most famous venues and will embrace the opportunity.
“ is opportunity to play our rst of two games at Wrigley Field is something that I know our team and our program won’t take for granted,” Braun said.
“An opportunity to play a big time football game and then at an iconic venue like Wrigley Field is something that is really special and something that we’re looking forward to.”
When the schedule came out in November 2023, everyone knew this would be the critical stretch for NU. Now at 4-5, there is li le margin for error.
Regardless of venue, the ’Cats need to deliver with a victory in order to keep its bowl hopes alive.
NU has yet to win at Wrigley Field, but Braun’s squad has two opportunities this season.
Ohio State will be the toughest test for this ’Cats team yet. ere are All-Americans across the roster, ranging from running back Quinshon Judkins to safety Caleb Downs.
e Buckeyes are led by a veteran quarterback in Will Howard and have arguably the best receiving core in the nation, with showstopping true freshman Jeremiah Smith front and center.
A er this week, NU will go into one of the most hostile environments in college football — the Big House — and try to pry out a win.
en, fast forward to NU’s second game at Wrigley on Nov. 30. e ’Cats will face an Illinois team that has a good veteran quarterback in Luke Altmyer for the Land of Lincoln Trophy. Illinois won’t be easier than Michigan — the Fighting Illini beat the Wolverines 21-7 earlier in the season.
e bo om line: It’s going to be especially tough.
If Braun’s comments were any indication, NU is not shying away from the challenge, and similar to what he’s said since joining the program in early 2023, the ’Cats will embrace it. But, NU needs to deliver a victory.
“Into the fourth quarter of the season, and we got a lot to play for,” Braun said. “We have one another to play for, but we also have an opportunity in front of us to extend this season, to get ourselves to a bowl game, and that’s something that I know all of us are excited about.
jakemozarsky2025@u.northwestern.edu
By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer
@jakeepste1n
After taking over the offensive keys ahead of Week 3, Northwestern redshirt sophomore quarterback Jack Lausch leapt into the limelight as a Power Four starting signal caller.
He’d previously run gadget plays as a designated scrambler, but coach David Braun and first-year offensive coordinator Zach Lujan threw the Chicago native straight into the fire. Now, Lausch will enter a new gauntlet against No. 2 Ohio State Saturday.
“They do a good job up front of getting pressure and stopping the run, disguising and playing a few different coverages — and they fly around and make plays,” Lausch told The Daily on Tuesday. “They’re good athletes, but we have good athletes too. We have good players, trust in the scheme. There are definitely some areas to exploit, and we’re excited to go do that.”
The Brother Rice High School alum has experienced his fair share of ups and downs, leading the Wildcats (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) to a 3-4 record in his first seven appearances.
Lausch said every step of his journey has been crucial to his development.
“I’ve always been good at preparation and understood the importance of that, but ever since I’ve started, (I) really understand the importance of watching film and getting looks,” Lausch said. “Once you get in the game, there’s live bullets flying. You have to trust your training, trust your film prep.”
In the span of just two months, Lausch made his first career start against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 14, earned his first Big Ten win against Maryland on Oct. 11 and led his first game-winning drive in overtime at Purdue on Nov. 2.
Come Saturday, Lausch will complete a new milestone when he starts for NU against the Buckeyes at Wrigley Field. A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Lausch said the opportunity to play at The Friendly Confines is one he doesn’t take for granted.
“I grew up going to games here a ton,” Lausch said. “Obviously, it’s an awesome place to play, awesome place to watch a game. I’m definitely pretty fired up for this weekend.”
Lausch, a former top 250 MLB prospect, has spent countless hours in various ballparks. He rose to prominence as an outfielder in southern showcases and ascended the ranks of Illinois’ high school baseball scene.
But his first-ever trip to Wrigley Field is one
he’ll never forget.
“I just remember how passionate and loyal the fans are,” Lausch said. “If it’s a summer day, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a full house. Just the energy and atmosphere of the stadium — I’ve been to a lot of baseball games, and (Wrigley Field) was different from all the other ones.”
Had a scholarship offer from former head coach Pat Fitzgerald never surfaced late in Lausch’s senior year, the former baseball star might’ve started at Wrigley in the 2023 and 2024 baseball seasons with the Notre Dame program he’d originally committed to.
Lausch had even practiced with the NU baseball team during last year’s preseason, but he ultimately opted against picking up a second collegiate sport, according to Brother Rice baseball coach Sean McBride.
As he eyes his program’s first-ever win at
Wrigley Field, Braun said the week’s game plan will revolve around maximizing his team’s strengths. That involves scheming his dualthreat quarterback into open space.
“Utilizing Jack in the run game is something that is certainly within his wheelhouse and his strengths,” Braun said. “Need to be aware of how much we’re exposing him to that, but when our team shows up, starts fast and plays in all three phases, we can win close games. We can play with anybody.”
Much like when his high school baseball squad took on the nation’s No. 1-ranked team in IMG Academy, Lausch is set to spearhead an upset effort against the highest-ranked opponent of Braun’s tenure.
While he won’t be at the plate for a walk-off home run, Lausch said he and the ’Cats are full of confidence despite the stacked odds.
“We believe if we’re at our best, we can beat
anybody,” Lausch said. “That’s just taking it one day at a time, building that belief through work, practice, preparation and going out and being us. When the clock hits zeroes, we’ll look up at the scoreboard and see what happened.”
For Lausch, NU must stick to its program identity despite the comprehensive challenge it’ll face in Chicago.
Although the ’Cats will enter the game as double-digit home underdogs — with the line currently at 29.5 points — Lausch said his faith in NU is unwavering, no matter where his team lines up for its weekend battle.
“This is pretty special — getting to play against a top-two team in a stadium like that is awesome,” Lausch said. “I’m excited to go out and enjoy it, but at the same time, just go execute. Just be us and just be me.”
jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu
By HENRY FRIEMAN daily senior staffer @henryfrieman
Sophomore defensive lineman Michael Kilbane has solidified a significant role in Northwestern’s front seven this season.
The Lakewood, Ohio, native has logged 18 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as defensive line coach Christian Smith’s rotation has shined for the Wildcats (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten).
The Daily spoke with Kilbane on Tuesday about his versatility within the defense, playing against his home state’s powerhouse and more as NU prepares to play No. 2 Ohio State at Wrigley Field on Saturday.
This interview has been edited lightly for clarity and brevity.
The Daily: How has this season been going so far for you?
Kilbane: It’s been good. Obviously, (I) wish a few games went our way, but it’s been good playing out there with my teammates and enjoying it.
The Daily: What’s been your primary focus this season?
Kilbane: Just doing whatever I can to help the team win. Doing whatever the coaches ask me to do to put the team in the best spot to win more games.
The Daily: You were the only true freshman not to redshirt last year. What went into that decision?
Kilbane: That was just something with the coaches and me. We had a conversation about it, and they felt like I was ready to play and help the team win games. Obviously, being a freshman, it was really exciting, and I wanted to take the opportunity to do that to help the team in any way I can. And it was just great for me to play and help our team win games.
The Daily: What was it like being a freshman out there with the big guys?
Kilbane: It was really cool. I remember like there were just certain games –– especially Wisconsin –– where I remember just looking up and thinking, ‘Man, this is Big Ten football. I’m on the field. This is really cool.’ And it was just really cool to see finally the culmination of the efforts that finally put me on the field.
The Daily: Speaking of Big Ten football, you had a couple of offers from other Big Ten programs. What made you pick Northwestern?
Kilbane: My relationship with the coaching staff is a big thing, but I also feel like Northwestern is the best place where I can pursue my career. It benefits me both academically and athletically. I think it’s just like the best of both worlds, where I get one of the best academic schools in the nation and Big Ten football on top of that, with a lot of great people in the locker room who are likeminded and want to win.
The Daily: Can you talk about your relationship with Christian Smith?
Kilbane: Coach Smith, I think he’s the best
coach in the nation. I mean, ever since I got here, he’s been really intentional in helping me and the other D-linemen get better. I think that he’s done a great job of getting us all to do the right things both on and off the field. And I think that he’s just a great coach and a great mentor.
The Daily: You’ve played several positions on the defensive line. Can you speak about how that process has been?
Kilbane: I think coach Smith and (defensive coordinator) (Tim) McGarigle, whatever matchups they think I would be best used at to help the team get better, or whatever injuries the D-line may have, or, whatever the depth chart might be looking like … I think wherever I can be used to help maximize this team’s probability of winning the game, that’s what I want to do. So, whatever helps the team.
The Daily: Being from Ohio, playing against Ohio State, does that make you more motivated?
Kilbane: Yes and no. My mom went to Ohio State, so I grew up like an Ohio State fan. I think it’s cool to be able to play the team that I rooted for growing up. I think it’s a big moment that I want to play my best in, but I think I have a bigger focus on trying to stay level-headed so I don’t mess up or put too much pressure on myself. I’m just trying to treat it as just another game where we’re trying to win.
The Daily: Playing at Wrigley Field, you did that last year, what’s that like?
Kilbane: It’s awesome. You can’t really replicate it anywhere else because not only is it a baseball stadium, but there’s so much storied tradition there. It’s awesome. Downtown Chicago, it’s hard to beat. henryfrieman2027@u.northwestern.edu
By JANELLA MELLA daily senior staffer @janelle_mella
When Weinberg sophomore Nur Yalinbas was in line for breakfast at Elder Dining Commons, she noticed a sign labeled “halal” over what she said looked like bacon. To her surprise, it was.
Yalinbas said she asked the dining worker whether the food under the “halal” sign was halal, and she said the worker confirmed it was. When Yalinbas questioned if the food was bacon, she said the worker confirmed that as well.
“That’s not halal,” Yalinbas recalled telling the worker. She said the response she received was, “Oh yeah, you’re right.” The worker then removed the sign, she said.
“We’re trusting the school to give us halal food, and the workers and the school should know when to, for example, put ‘halal’ on the right foods,” Yalinbas said. “I shouldn’t have to constantly double-check and make sure it’s okay because that’s not my job.”
Weinberg freshman Rayan Lahlou-Nabil witnessed a similar incident. He said he saw pork sausages labeled as halal in the dining hall and had to confirm what it was by looking at the screens above it.
Aside from mislabeling, Lahlou-Nabil expressed concern about cross-contamination of halal and non-halal items. He said he observed pork being placed directly beside halal chicken and saw workers at MOD Pizza using the same gloves to touch all toppings.
In response to these instances, a Compass Group spokesperson told The Daily that signage in the dining halls aren’t fixed in place, “meaning it can sometimes be unintentionally moved by guests.” The spokesperson added that to minimize these instances, the company is implementing “increased monitoring and exploring more stable signage options.”
Lahlou-Nabil suggested creating a separate area for halal food to prevent cross-contamination, as well as adding clear signage — such as placing a stick with a pig emoji in pork — to differentiate meats. He said these issues limit what some students can eat.
“I’m a student here, and I deserve to eat,” said Yalinbas, adding that there were times when she chose not to eat the dining hall food due to concerns about mislabeling or cross-contamination.
“There’s many different factors that food has on (students’) performance in school or on their mental health. … Northwestern believes in diversity and inclusion, and I feel like with this dining hall food, a lot of students aren’t feeling included, or don’t feel like they’re being cared about,” Lahlou-Nabil said.
Yalinbas and Lahlou-Nabil are both members of the Muslim-cultural Student Association at Northwestern. They said these concerns have been raised within McSA for years, but little has been done to address them.
“At this point, a lot of people lost hope because it’s been happening for such a long time, and people are like, ‘Yeah, we try every year, nothing ever gets done,’” said Sami Khan, Weinberg sophomore and Associated Student Government senator for McSA. “It’s pretty discouraging and this was just a lack of care from NU administration.”
Khan said McSA members met with NU dining staff representatives in October to address their concerns about halal food in dining halls. During the meeting, he said they suggested solutions like educating dining workers on halal standards and improving signage to separate halal and non-halal foods.
Both Yalinbas and Lahlou-Nabil noted another instance where foods labeled halal were stated to be cooked with wine in their recipes, a substance prohibited in halal diets. When the concern was brought up with dining representatives at the meeting, McSA members were told that the food didn’t include actual wine and that students could ignore the ingredient listing.
A Compass spokesperson said alcohol may occasionally be displayed in ingredient lists due to a “database error.” The spokesperson also noted that alcohol is not used in the kitchens and they are working to correct the error to prevent confusion.
Khan added that McSA would like to be given similar respect as other communities on campus that have food accommodations. For example, Allison and Elder dining halls both
McSA students express concerns over mislabeling and cross-contamination
have separate Kosher stations.
While Khan said he thinks other communities deserve these accommodations, the University should implement “simple fixes” for halal students as well.
Lahlou-Nabil said there are many other groups on campus besides Muslim students, such as orthodox Christians, who have similar food restrictions and need “more representation and care.”
Yalinbas, Lahlou-Nabil and Khan are currently implementing their concerns into a piece of legislation within ASG, which will be voted on at ASG’s Nov. 13 meeting. Yalinbas
and Lahlou-Nabil said that if their legislation passes in the Senate, they hope to gain support from the administration.
“If it’s just the students with dining, they can just brush off students and just be like, ‘We’ll try our best,’” Lahlou-Nabil said. “But if admin steps in and they say, ‘Here’s the deal, this can’t keep happening again,’ and they put some authority and show some care for their students and show that they’ll stand for us, I think that’ll put more emphasis on this issue.”
janellemella2027@u.northwestern.edu
I was counting down the days until my 10 year reunion at Northwestern. en, last Tuesday night, former president Donald Trump was reelected, and I realized I could not make the trip back to Evanston.
As someone who was born and raised in Los Angeles, I have been politically active for as long as I can remember. I watched Al Gore lose to George W. Bush when I was eight and felt the heartbreak as deeply as my parents did. I a ended a John Kerry rally in 2004 and had the “Oh my god, I just met the future president!” moment that’s only possible to experience as a young person. When Barack Obama was elected in 2008, I remember dancing throughout my childhood home. In 2012, I was nally old enough to vote for Obama but was extremely frustrated when my absentee ballot showed up at my study abroad school in London the day a er the election.
I’m well aware that I grew up in a liberal bubble — hell, my high school’s Republican club had three members — but I have always felt it was important to learn about others’ politics and viewpoints to avoid living in a silo. Diversity of thought and opinion is essential to a healthy, functioning society. at was one of the reasons why I decided to major in political science at NU. I nished my rst major relatively quickly, and a er taking an American politics class for fun, I was hooked. Back then I recall being one of the few women across all of my poli sci discussion groups, which I duly took note of but was never intimidated by.
When Trump was elected in 2016, I was delighted to see how that travesty motivated so many people across the country, especially women, to become more invested in our politics on a consistent basis. I was inspired by the uptick in daily political participation, conversations, marches, movements and more. en just a few days ago, a er we had a respite of progress and relief for a few years, it felt like it was all suddenly struck down
again. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Our current situation is bleak. More than half the country voluntarily elected a bigot, racist, misogynist, xenophobe, sexual assailant, convicted felon and wannabe autocrat to the highest o ce in the land, and he plans on bringing his disgusting friends like Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Stephen Miller with him. Since last week, ge ing through each hour of the day feels like climbing a mountain that doesn’t
ose who support or condone the MAGA movement are depending on us to fold into ourselves and accept defeat, but we can’t do that.
-
KAYLA REUBEN, op-ed contributor
have a peak — and it’s debilitating. As a woman in my 30s, the fact that I was born with more rights than I have today is sickening. e inclination to pretend that all of this isn’t happening is dangling in front of each one of us, with the most extreme considering eeing the country. As good as that might sound, it’s not the time to do that. is is the moment to dig in. Yes, it sucks. You should cry and scream and vent to your loved ones. But you can also prepare to ght and gure out ways to protect yourself. ose who support or condone the MAGA movement are depending on us to fold into ourselves and accept defeat, but we can’t do that. We have to start mobilizing right now and make defending our rights the number one priority for the foreseeable future.
As a woman, I’m faced with the horri c prospect of the new administration relying on the America First Policy Institute’s or the Heritage Foundation’s presidential roadmaps to determine their stance on women’s healthcare. e main goal of these manifestos is to inhibit the personal agency of women just like me, particularly the ability to live our lives
as single, independent and self-reliant people. As the perfect archetype that these ultra-conservatives desire to control, I’m so angry at the ignorant women who voted for the monster who is set on turning the clock back to the early 20th century when women were only permi ed to carry men’s children and raise them.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be consulting my OB-GYN about the best way to maintain my preferred method of birth control over the next four years, stockpiling various forms of contraception in case people in my circle or I need them, expediting freezing my eggs so that my options are preserved and educating myself on the various ways I can help women who are faced with petrifying healthcare situations and don’t have the access or resources that I do.
With a li le over two months until Trump’s inauguration, it’s also time to organize. is can come in many shapes and sizes — maybe it’s getting involved with organizations that champion the rights that his cabinet will try to strip away from us or identifying ways to work with local and state governments on advocating for measures that can serve as protections during his term. Now is the time to
Our university instilled many values in us, but the one that I keep on coming back to is the need to care for one another.
- KAYLA REUBEN, op-ed contributor
host transparent conversations with your community about how Trump’s policies might a ect the people in your lives and how we can become ongoing support systems for the big and small things that may be thrown at us. Or, it could be as simple as staying informed by reading or watching the news, listening to political podcasts and simply not ipping your “o ” switch.
Our university instilled many values in us, but
the one that I keep on coming back to is the need to care for one another. I wish the principle of making the world a be er place was embraced by more than one political party, but in our current circumstances, I know I must do what I can to pay this mindset forward. Anyone who is not a white, cisgender, heterosexual male is at the risk of being persecuted by Trump and his administration, and we need to ensure our networks have the manpower, knowledge and resources to combat that.
Right now, my NU degree is best celebrated by doing everything I can to protect our democracy, my community and myself to the best of my ability.
- KAYLA REUBEN, op-ed contributor
All that said, going to a class party, tailgates and a football game with my friends does seem very fun. But at this in ection moment for our country, it’s simply too frivolous. Our time to strategize ahead of Trump taking o ce is limited, and every single hour counts. Right now, my NU degree is best celebrated by doing everything I can to protect our democracy, my community and myself to the best of my ability.
I’m hopeful that by my 15 or 20 year reunion, I’ll be able to kick back and watch an NU football game without worrying about my civil liberties being eliminated or our country crumbling down around us. Until then, we must make every day count.
Kayla Reuben is an NU alum. She can be contacted at kaylareuben2014@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Le er to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com. e views expressed in this piece do not necessarily re ect the views of all sta members of e Daily Northwestern.
In the days a er the election, I kept losing things. I would walk out of classes without my umbrella, unplug my phone and leave the charger, and wander in and out of my house missing socks, wearing too few or too many layers. Part of this was the natural upheaval of fall and the end of a quarter, but a lot of it came from the feeling that the world as I knew it, for the second time, was falling apart around me. And I fell apart with it. It was like my mind was reshu ing, trying to gure out anything extra we could je ison, le ing go of my chargers, my water bo le, my computer. I felt like I was shrinking into myself, trying to leave everything behind. I had convinced myself that I would need to do that to survive.
From the time I could read full sentences until I was about 12, I was buried in books. e outer world (friendships, school, my family) was a sort of holding place, a waiting room until I could go sit somewhere and read in silence. Everything — including summer camps, vacations and the outdoors — was anxiety-inducing and wildly unpredictable, unlike the comforting familiarity of a story.
And I would lose things. Anything my mother sent me to school with (lunchboxes, jackets, hairpins) that wasn’t physically tied to me would spin o into the detritus of life that I frankly refused to be a part of. And when I lost things, I wouldn’t replace them. I would go months without water bo les, my poor mother none the wiser, drying up like a prune, because the outside world felt less important than the inner one. Inside my head, there was only me. Out there, you could get hurt. People could be mean to you. ings could end, and die, and cause you pain. And why would anyone want to dive head rst into something like that?
Eventually, the world caught up with me. I was what you might call a late bloomer, in that the rst time I started to actually make connections
with people and value them was a good bit of the way into secondary school. e upside of all of this, though, is that I got to watch myself fall in love with life because I was conscious enough to see it happen.
It’s a cliche to say that my world went from black-and-white to high-def color TV, but it’s true. e world before I participated in it all felt vaguely gray-colored. And then the sun came out from behind the clouds.
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I decided that life was worth living and that people were good. I just know that someday, I looked around me and realized that I had given myself away to so many people that I barely had enough time to tell them how much I treasured their company. I didn’t have to read about beautiful art, or the way the sunshine slants through the windows, or the warmth of a cup of tea when I need it, or the way I would one day discover and love every one of the four seasons. I didn’t have to imagine how wonderful it can be to see eddies of fall leaves, or chipmunks, or that really fat raccoon on my way to school when you are opening yourself to the world. I was already living it.
I felt like I was shrinking into myself, trying to leave everything behind. I had convinced myself that I would need to do that to survive.
- MIKA ELLISON, assistant opinion editor
I was late to loving life, but that didn’t mean I loved it any less. It was like every moment of joy was a gi to me. But it also meant that every sharp pain and dull ache that comes along with being in the world was new, and newly painful as well.
e fact is that it hurts immeasurably to be in this game for anyone other than yourself. Especially when you feel that you have let people
you care about down or when you lose the feeling of safety that even in the best of times is never guaranteed. Every new person you care about (and if you are lucky, that can include an unfathomable number of people) is another way you can be hurt. When you choose to really live, it gives the universe the license to really hurt you.
It’s terrible to feel opening your arms to the world only results in ge ing punched in the stomach. And when you’re going through a terrible time, any strong emotion can feel painful. I walked past a particularly beautiful lily the other day and it felt like I couldn’t breathe. Every love of my life seems like it might get taken away from me. It is suddenly obvious to me that they will, someday, be taken away from me.
In the days a er last week’s election, my instinct was to escape, to withdraw and to let go of anything that was tying me to here. If it’s all burning down, I reasoned, I’ve got to get out of the house rst and leave the rest.
But the fact is that you cannot go through life alone. To go back to the days when I ignored everything around me, just to save myself the pain of living through the moment we’re in, would also be depriving myself of the joy that comes when you let yourself love your life and the people around you.
Most of the things I lost in those very fraught hours a er the election eventually came back to me. Some were found where I le them by friends, others ended up in school Lost and Founds and others were just in the dark corners of my backpack. I replaced the few items that were actually lost because I don’t want to go months without a water bo le or a charger again. I want to live a life that allows me to love being here. Not one that I just have to get through.
I refuse to make myself less of a person because the country I live in wants me to. I will not lose something before it is taken from me, and if anyone tries to take it I will ght with everything I have to keep it. I refuse to fall out of love with the world, no ma er how many times it tells me that would be the best option, that we really aren’t suited for one another. e only
thing I can do — the only thing we can do — is make this place somewhere that might be able to, one day, love us back.
Mika Ellison is a Medill senior. She can be contacted at mikaellison2025@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Le er to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com. e views expressed in this piece do not necessarily re ect the views of all sta members of e Daily Northwestern.
The Daily Northwestern Volume 147, Issue 8
Editor in Chief Jacob Wendler
Opinion Editor Nora Collins
Assistant
Opinion Editor Mika Ellison
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policies that he had implemented,” Takhsh said. “When he le o ce, we felt as if we were su ering from PTSD.”
In his rst term, Trump deported 1.5 million immigrants, forced many asylum seekers at the border to “remain in Mexico,” prevented the entry of parents of U.S. citizens, reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, a empted to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and banned travelers from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., among other policies enforced largely by executive order.
Takhsh’s services primarily include helping immigrants’ families gain legal status, assisting with asylum applications and representing immigrants facing deportation in court. During the former president’s rst term, Takhsh said Trump’s executive policies made it more di cult for courts to fairly adjudicate cases and limited communication between local asylum o ces and immigration lawyers.
Under a second Trump presidency, Takhsh said the potential for increased enforcement by immigration enforcement personnel among those with Temporary Protected Status has stirred tension.
who painted the “Cats Against Hate” message, said they felt the new message failed to achieve its purpose of conveying unity.
Ve er said it felt ironic to him that NUCR painted over a previous message of what he described as nonpartisan unity to write a message of unity from a narrower perspective.
At one point, a student went up to e Rock,
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undocumented student at NU he knows.
“It’s really unfair for her to be deported back,” Ji said of his friend.
Beyond those concerns, international students worry their academic and career prospects in the U.S. will be affected.
For Weinberg sophomore Yucheng Jin, Trump’s election may change her life trajectory. Trump’s work visa and immigration policies, she said, have created uncertainty for international students seeking a Ph.D. and a pathway
The Daily Northwestern
Takhsh added that he’s already received “countless emails and phone calls” from clients voicing their fears. However, he said he feels be er prepared this time around.
“ e real fear is that a storm is brewing,” Takhsh said. “Unlike the rst term under President Trump, we know what the storm may look like this time around.”
Brandon Lee, communications director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said the organization is gearing up to ght back against Trump’s possible heightened enforcement.
Lee said ICIRR plans to advocate for local and state laws that protect data on immigration status and ensure that local police will not coordinate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In his 2024 reelection campaign, Trump vowed to reinstate the Muslim ban and the Remain in Mexico policy, end birthright citizenship, revoke Temporary Protected Status, and deport 20 million people he believes to be undocumented — greater than the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
“Immigrant communities have been here before in terms of facing a Trump administration that was very hostile to our communities, trying to create fear,” Lee said. “We came together in the name of protecting one
picked up a paint roller with red paint still on it and began to cover up the NUCR message. e student ran away, and Yuen picked up a white spray can and wrote “MAGA.” e Rock then read “MAGA Unity.”
“One of the reasons we were trying to convince them to say unity instead was that we thought just saying MAGA would not promote a discussion, and I think that doing that, as much as I agree with his message, is not going to promote a discussion,” said NU College Democrats Programming Director and Communication sophomore Aditi Adve in reaction
to U.S. citizenship. Jin, who is from China, said she is also concerned about women’s reproductive rights as well as equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. Chebli said the presidential election made her reconsider her career choice of working in the U.S. “1,000%,” including whether to stay in the U.S. or return to her home country for work.
“The election made me put into perspective what the majority of the country stands for,” Chebli said. “It was more by default, but then this very bipartisan system that only shows two
another and ge ing our communities through this very di cult time, and we’re prepared to do that again.”
e Immigrant Legal Resource Center gives Illinois a 4.3 out of ve score on protecting immigrants, tied with Oregon as the most protective state in the U.S. e state’s TRUST Act limits local and state law enforcement’s participation in federal immigration enforcement.
Local Evanston organizations are also stepping up to provide immigrants with resources to navigate potential challenges. One such organization is Latinos en Evanston North Shore.
More than 8,700 Hispanic people live in Evanston, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Fabiola Zdrubecky, vice president and co-founder of LENS, said the “biggest impact” of the election results on the community has been emotional.
She mentioned widespread feelings of fear and uncertainty within the community, adding that Latino immigrants are particularly concerned about delays in immigration processes and a slowdown in communication.
Zdrubecky said the board of LENS met Sunday night to discuss the way forward. e organization plans to enhance its current social programs, such as “Los Años Dorados” and “English as a Second
Language,” to be er support the evolving needs of the Latino community. At “ e Golden Years” event on Dec. 7 — a reference to one’s “golden years” — the team plans to check in on how Latino seniors are coping with the post-election climate.
“We want to enhance the programs that have been successful for many years, with the urgency of the election,” Zdrubecky said. “We have our priority, we are a entive to the needs of the Evanston community.”
Zdrubecky said that despite the post-election tensions, she is con dent in the resilience of the Latino community.
“I cannot envision making America great without Latino immigrants,” she said.
Takhsh echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that immigrants are the cornerstone of this nation and that protecting their right to seek opportunity in the U.S. remains a cause worth ghting for.
“ e America that I know — the America that my father risked everything to bring us to — is a welcoming nation regardless of the political rhetoric we are exposed to,” Takhsh said.
isaiahsteinberg2027@u.northwestern.edu
mishaoberoi2027@u.northwestern.edu
very distinct parties makes me wonder if that’s a system in which I want to keep on living.”
Sorochinskaia said she wanted to move to another country where “the government is much more loyal to the journalists.”
Trump’s past regulations of Optional Practical Training for F-1 students and duration for F-1 students to stay in the U.S. after graduation made her worried about whether she could still work in the U.S. after college.
“It’s already several times harder for international students to even get an internship,” said Sorochinskaia. “Even if you manage to get an offer … you can still be denied a visa.”
“At the end of the day, they did camp out for 24 hours, so they can do what they want,” Ve er said. “We appreciate that they took our opinions to heart.”
caylalabgold-carroll2028@u.northwestern.edu
to the student’s actions. “It’s kind of discounting all of our e orts that we’ve been making over the last hour.” Republican and Democrat students debated a range of political issues from abortion rights to tari s around e Rock from 10 p.m. until midnight. Students began to disperse, and many ended their conversations with handshakes and goodbyes. Around 12:30 a.m., unidenti ed students returned to e Rock and partially covered the writing with red paint. e Rock’s messaging has undergone various changes since. Currently, the center is a star made out of black tape covering the remains of “MAGA.” Previously, the bench surrounding e Rock said, “Only when it’s dark enough can you see the stars,” a quote from Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech. is message has been repainted on the bench.
Weinberg junior Evgeny Stolyarov, who is from Austria, said this is the time for both international and domestic students to “further build community and power.” He pointed to America’s “arbitrary” role in the protection of global human rights and America’s intervention in Gaza.
Sorochinskaia said she’s uncertain about the future.
“I expected that the hardest part for me was to get into an American college” she said. “But apparently it was the easiest part.”
wenqijia2026@u.northwestern.edu
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By CASSIE SUN daily senior staffer @cassiesunl
When the Provost’s Generative AI Advisory Committee began meeting in February 2023, the focus revolved around creating strategies to limit students’ use of AI, said committee member and McCormick Prof. Kristian Hammond.
However, since demand for AI literacy has grown, the committee quickly pivoted to focus on ways to become a leader in the AI education space, said Hammond.
“The reality is that this technology is showing up and is real and is going to be used, and so figuring out how to limit it makes no sense,” Hammond said. “If you’re not going to limit, you want to lead.”
The committee tracks developments in generative AI applications and advises University leaders on incorporating AI resources into academic policy and practice.
OPPONENT
From page 1
commercial concerts at a rebuilt Ryan Field. The uproar brought long-brewing conflicts over government accountability and the pace of development to the fore.
In the wake of Biss’ vote to approve Northwestern’s project, the “Better than Biss” campaign to unseat the mayor emerged. Some opponents denounced Biss as a power broker complicit with the University, a portrayal the mayor has repeatedly repudiated. As the Ryan Field battle drags on in county court, however, other issues like planning have also entered the spotlight.
Boarini staked out a more moderate stance on Biss’ term, calling the incumbent a “very smart man.” Like Biss, Boarini said he leans toward a “yes in my backyard” stance on development.
Still, Boarini said he remains “leery of rushing into zoning reform,” which Biss has touted through the Envision Evanston 2045 rezoning initiative.
“I am not alone in thinking that many of the outcomes of Envision Evanston were predetermined before the process ever began, regardless of how many Post-It notes were put on boards around the city,” Boarini said.
The challenger pledged to “adhere” to the city’s processes, saying that Biss’ frequent use of special orders of
It was established in response to concerns from around the country about how AI software should be used in teaching and learning, said Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and SESP Prof. Miriam Sherin.
The committee is composed of 18 members, primarily consisting of faculty and staff as well as one undergraduate student.
“When we were figuring out who should be on the committee, we wanted to pick a collection of folks that would represent different areas of the University,” Sherin said. “We wanted an expert in writing represented. We wanted someone from Medill. We wanted someone from the law school. We wanted someone in HR who could talk with us.”
Earlier this fall, the committee collaborated with NU IT Teaching and Learning Technologies to provide free access to ChatGPT 4.0 through Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered chatbot to students, faculty and staff.
Providing the resource eliminates financial barriers for students unable to afford access to advanced tools like ChatGPT 4.0, said committee member and NU
business stifles transparency and public input. Boarini, a 34-year resident of Evanston, cited his past as a creative director for McDonald’s in arguing for new leadership to helm the city’s complex finances.
Boarini called the commercialization of Ryan Field “risky,” saying he fears the University could create an entertainment zone in the largely residential neighborhood. His election fund listed the Most Livable City Association — which has led the legal fight over the stadium against NU — among two groups that would receive his campaign’s unused fundraising money.
Biss, meanwhile, has defended his support for NU’s project, calling the resulting pact “historic” because of the benefits the University has promised the city.
After his landslide victory in 2021, Biss boosted his political muscle. The mayor maintained a strong donor base even before he declared he would run for reelection. And he claimed the mantle of Evanston’s dominant Democratic Party, succeeding longtime committeeman Eamon Kelly earlier this year.
Biss told The Daily that regardless of any challenger, he’s “proud of the record that I’m running on.” He also weighed in on Boarini’s relationship with Clare Kelly, who announced she would run for reelection.
“I know that if my wife and I served on the same
Library’s Lead AI Developer Brendan Quinn.
“What we don’t want to have is a system where the students who have more financial power at their disposal have better AI tools that they can use and get better grades,” Quinn said. “Having a level playing field with Copilot seems like a really good move to me, and it’s something that other universities should join us on, I think.”
Copilot is a safer alternative to other AI platforms because of NU’s data protection contract with Microsoft, which protects students’ data from being used to train AI models.
Sherin said the committee has focused on bringing in national experts on generative AI to host panels and workshops that allow faculty and students to engage in discourse on what using AI in education can look like.
“One of the great benefits of having this Provost level advisory committee is that it demonstrates that the institution is really committed to investing resources, which has enabled us to bring very high profile speakers to campus or to do virtual keynote speakers,” said
board or have parallel roles — the way my relationship with my spouse works, we make a lot of decisions together. I don’t know that I would be able to maintain independence in that situation,” Biss said, though he added that he would not hold having a romantic partner against anyone.
Boarini’s longtime wife died of cancer in 2021. “One thing led to another,” he said, and now he has been in a relationship with Kelly for more than a year.
Steve Hagerty, who preceded Biss as mayor, said the contest would still raise questions about independence.
“I think one big question that the voters are going to have to answer is, ‘Are we comfortable having a mayor and a potential councilmember — if the 1st Ward alderwoman is reelected — in a long-term relationship?’” Hagerty said.
Boarini told The Daily that he does not foresee conflicts of interest on the dais, unless he needed to make a tie-breaking vote on a proposal by Kelly. He said he would recuse himself if that arose.
Likewise, Kelly told The Daily she would recuse herself from any potential conflict, adding that she wants to see a stronger city ethics code.
“We’ve talked about this a lot,” Boarini said last week. “And we’ll continue to talk about being possibly on the dais together. But we’re very transparent and open about our relationship. And I can tell you — assure you — that our only interest is better government in
committee member and Weinberg Prof. Jennifer Keys. Keys, the senior director of the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching, said AI tools can help faculty perform time-consuming tasks that they are capable of doing themselves but could be completed more efficiently with the help of AI.
For professors who want to operationalize their assignment with a rubric but don’t have the time, for example, Keys said generative AI tools can be used to design a rubric that effectively assesses student learning.
“The schools have different approaches. Departments have different approaches. The same thing is true here — it’s not like the University was going to create a uniform policy because faculty have academic freedom, and they have different beliefs about how students learn,” Keys said. “I would say the committee tends a little bit more towards being open in the use as opposed to the more restrictive end of the continuum.”
cassiesun2027@u.northwestern.edu
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Wednesday, November 13, 2024
CROSS COUNTRY
By HENRY FRIEMAN daily senior staffer
@henryfrieman
Graduate students Holly Smith and Chloe Wellings sat on a couch in Northwestern cross country’s team lounge, coach Jill Miller’s dog Lou curled up between them.
A year ago, the two United Kingdom natives had never met. Today, they’re roommates who watch British reality television together — e Real Housewives of Cheshire is a favorite.
Smith and Wellings joined Miller’s program this summer as graduate transfers from mid-major schools. And, in two days, the duo will run in the NCAA Midwest Regionals with a chance to qualify NU for its second NCAA National Championship berth in the past three seasons.
“We know what we’re capable of,” Smith said. “We just need to execute that each race.”
A er spending four years at Big South school Radford, Wellings entered the transfer portal in Fall 2023. Smith, who ran for MAAC program Iona, put her name into the portal in mid-December of that year.
In addition to contacting the runners, Miller reached out to their coaches. She said a point of emphasis in her transfer portal recruiting, especially as it pertains to graduate transfers, is communication with the coaches who have overseen the athletes for their prior years of collegiate eligibility.
“I know both of their previous coaches really well, and that was another way in which we changed how we recruit a grad transfer,” Miller said. “If I don’t know that the previous coach really wants to keep the athlete, I think that has to raise a concern.”
e two came to campus separately last winter, touring the facilities and spending time with the team. Both commi ed to NU shortly therea er. Wellings, who hails from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, led Radford in four of ve meets in 2023 and four of six meets in 2022. She earned a hplace nish at the Big South Championships in 2023, running a blistering personal-best 17:16.4 5K.
Her 5K pace at the Big South Championships ranked second-best in Radford school history and earned her All-Big South honors.
But Wellings said leading the pack while her team trailed behind was an anxiety-inducing experience come race time.
“Your team’s there, but they’re not running with you, they’re back in the pack, or wherever they are. Not knowing how to manage that stress, or those feelings kind of hinders your race,” Wellings said.
CROSS COUNTRY NCAA Midwest Regionals Friday, Nov. 15 | Peoria, Ill. VOLLEYBALL at Oregon Friday, Nov. 15 @ 8 p.m. | Eugene, Ore. at Washington Sunday, Nov. 17 @ 4 p.m. | Sea le, Wash. FIELD HOCKEY vs. Miami (Ohio)/Vermont Friday, Nov. 15 @ 12 p.m. | Lakeside Field
“So when it came time to lock in, I didn’t really lock in.”
With the ’Cats, Wellings said that working with her teammates and support sta has helped her reach a new level on the course.
Since the Nu ycombe Invitational on Sept. 27, Wellings has set personal bests in every meet she’s run in. Her 20:05.7 6K e ort in the Big Ten Championships on Nov. 1 cleared her previous best by half a minute.
e nerves have, for the most part, dissipated.
“Ironically, what she thought was one of her weaknesses coming in was managing those nerves and anxiety,” Miller said. “She’s now someone that folks on our team will gravitate to (on race day) because she’s so calm.”
Smith joins the NU from Cheshire, England. She’s no stranger to running with the ’Cats.
Last season, Smith nished in third place at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational, placing 18 places above NU’s top nisher. In an impressive campaign last season, she earned All-MAAC honors by coming in h place at the MAAC Championship.
Smith paced the Gaels in the NCAA Northeast Regional, nishing 23rd with a time of 20:28.29 on the 6K course and earning All-Region honors. She started her NU career o strong, nishing 7th in the Badger Classic — her debut race. She followed that up with a personal best at the Big Ten Preview, running a blazing 20:20.8 and nishing fourth while the team won top honors.
“Holly is an athlete that we all know is going to give it everything she’s got every time she goes out there,” Miller said. “She brings a very no-nonsense intensity to the group, but she also is very thoughtful and very caring … She cares about the goals of the team, and she cares about performance, and that’s really clear.”
ere’s a signi cant competitive di erence between the MAAC and the Big Ten, Smith said. At the Big Ten Championships last week, she and the squad lined up next to Olympians.
ere’s a certain pride Smith feels when she lines up in her purple and white uniform, an energy which jolts her the second the starting pistol res.
“We’ve transferred here to be great, and once we leave, we can create a legacy of making it to Nationals and competing well,” Smith said. “If we go into every race with pride of running for Northwestern and what we can achieve as a team, then that pushes you forward through a race.”
***
In the team lounge, a framed poster sits on a
desk beside the door. Within the poster, the values of NU cross country are emblazoned: “AllAmerican Grindset,” con dence, discipline, energy, gratitude and trust.
Since most of the runners on the team were recruited to join the ’Cats out of high school, they have spent their collegiate careers with the program. Wellings and Smith are still newcomers to the team.
It’s a concept of relativity that Miller highlighted, as the two can provide a fresh lens on the culture and practices surrounding the program.
In doing so, Miller said both Smith and Wellings exemplify the value of gratitude. She recalled the rst time that Wellings stepped onto the team bus for practice, amazed.
“She’s calling her boyfriend, texting her family, ‘They have this big bus to take us to practice!’” Miller said. “That energy helps everybody … I think all of the elements of our values that they live are important, but maybe the biggest one is that gratitude and letting that infiltrate the group.”
Both runners credited NU’s dynamic team spirit as a consistent motivator this season. On Wellings’ visit to Evanston, she said the friendliness of the team was a huge factor in her commitment.
“Immediately, they’ve just met you, and they’re so supportive, and they’re talking about
the future of you being on the team and what that would look like,” Wellings said. “So that was just nice, to come into a big group of girls, which can be difficult sometimes, and just being accepted straight away.”
Smith said another factor that helped her pick the ’Cats was the support sta that could help her train and compete at the highest level. It was pure coincidence that both commi ed to NU, but Smith and Wellings said it’s been a blessing.
e two do everything together, Wellings said, which helps during hard days. A er all, the two are nearly 3,800 miles from their hometowns.
“You do miss home, but having another English person on the team really does help,” Smith said. e squad is bound for Peoria later this week, where Friday’s NCAA Midwest Regionals await. e stakes are high, as is the pressure: NU must nish within the top two teams to qualify for the national championship.
But Miller said she isn’t worried.
“We have a team that is cohesive from every angle,” Miller said. “We’re a team that, from top to bo om, everyone wants to race. I know that they’re going to give it everything that they’ve got, and so that gives me a ton of con dence.”
henry ieman2027@u.northwestern.edu
By ANNA WATSON daily senior staffer @adub_sports
Northwestern found itself back in the win column after taking down UIC 83-74 in a Tuesday night matchup.
Junior forward Nick Martinelli got up to his usual antics, leading the Wildcats (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) with 27 points and shooting 10-14 from the field as NU extinguished the Flames (2-1, 0-0 MVC).
“He’s such a warrior,” coach Chris Collins said. “What’s great about Nick is he’s so immersed in the game. He doesn’t know about stats or points. He’s just trying to win.”
The ’Cats got off to a hot start. An alleyoop and dunk from graduate student guard Ty Berry to graduate student center Matthew Nicholson broke the opening deadlock, and Nicholson followed it up with a layup on the next possession.
“I just love being able to start off with the energy,” Nicholson said. “It gets me going.”
The ’Cats cooled off, though. UIC knocked down back-to-back three-pointers during a NU five-minute and 24-second scoring drought. A layup by Martinelli broke the stretch, but not before the Flames had taken a lead.
The ’Cats were down 12-8 heading into the under 12-minute timeout before a couple of free-throws by freshman guard Angelo Ciaravino with under 10 minutes remaining in the
half gave NU a short-lived one-point lead.
After both teams faced considerable scoring droughts, a Martinelli jumper gave NU a 24-23 lead.
“(Martinelli) just doesn’t miss easy shots,” UIC coach Rob Ehsan said. “A couple of them, I’m thinking to myself, that’s a good defense, and he makes it. And that’s the mark of a great player.”
The ’Cats proceeded to go on a long scoring drought from the field. The only bucket following Martinelli’s score came by way of a Ciaravino layup with 14 seconds remaining in the half, five minutes and 21 seconds later. NU went into the locker room after the first 20 minutes with a 31-29 lead.
“It’s just one of those games that happens,” Collins said. “We had to kind of rely on our defense there in the first half.”
The ’Cats found what they were missing during halftime, coming out of the gates to take their largest lead of the day so far.
“We were super fired up to play that second half,” Martinelli said. “(Brooks Barnhizer) gave us a great speech about how you got to play every game like it’s your last. … We were ready to go in the first half.”
A layup by UIC forward Saša Ciani opened up the half, but the ’Cats responded with a Martinelli layup and a three-pointer by graduate student guard Jalen Leach. The Fairfield transfer went 1-of-2 on free throws on the following possession, and NU was suddenly leading 37-31.
The Flames were not going down without a fight, but the ’Cats kept firing. Just before the under 12-minute timeout in the final half, Berry hit a three-point shot, delivering the ’Cats a 52-42 lead into the break. Just over a minute later, redshirt sophomore forward Luke Hunger’s jumper capped off a 7-0 scoring run. A 6-0 run later in the half by the Flames put them within single digits again, but a triple from Martinelli extended the lead back to 10. Two possessions later, Leach knocked down his second trey of the game. Leach finished with 16 points and shot 5-of-8 from the field. The ’Cats maintained a double-digit lead for most of the game, but the Flames clawed back. UIC got as close as four points behind NU, but the ’Cats ultimately held on. NU went on a 7-0 scoring run thanks to Martinelli and Berry, and it never looked back.
Martinelli’s 27-point outing Tuesday marks his third straight game with 25 or more points. He was a perfect two-of-two from deep. With senior guard Brooks Barnhizer still unavailable, Martinelli has stepped up.
“I’d be hard-pressed to see across the country someone who’s playing any better,” Collins said. “He’s just a matchup nightmare, and I’m just glad he’s on my team because he keeps getting better and better.”
NU looks to build on its performance on Friday when it takes on Eastern Illinois at WelshRyan Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. annawatson2027@u.northwestern.edu