The Daily Northwestern — February 15th, 2024

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The Daily Northwestern Thursday, February 15, 2024

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ASG discusses six resolutions Measures looked emergencies. with the increase at climate, safety, of “Especially mass shootings in the U.S., is something we need to be plant based foods this prepared for, not something we’re

By ISAIAH STEINBERG

the daily northwestern @isaiahstei27

The Associated Student Government Senate met Wednesday to consider three new resolutions and vote on three resolutions presented at last week’s meeting.

Four Undergraduate Schools Caucus senators — SESP sophomore Addison Feldman, Communication junior Aidan Klinges, Weinberg freshman Jamal Omoniyi and Weinberg sophomore Melissa Kusi-Amponsah — proposed a resolution to mandate crisis response training for students and faculty.

If implemented by the administration, the resolution would mandate active shooter training for staff members and require the University to give students flexibility on assignments following an emergency situation. It would also encourage the University to implement an in-person campus safety True Northwestern Dialogue during Wildcat Welcome.

Finally, the resolution calls for University Police and Counseling and Psychological Services to create an NUHelp app f0r

waiting to happen to us,” KusiAmponsah said.

Weinberg senior and NU Active Minds Senator Ben Katz introduced a resolution — coauthored with Bienen and Weinberg junior and Bienen Senator Angela Choi — to place posters with choking prevention and first aid tips in common rooms or stairwells on each floor of student housing.

“We kind of want to think about what we might be able to do in the case of students choking on food that they’re eating in their rooms.,” Katz said.

SESP senior Lauren Walcott and Medill junior Alena Baker, the two Food Sustainability Subcommittee co-chairs, proposed a resolution to promote plantbased foods for students.

Walcott said student organizations often host large events, and promoting plant-based catering options could make these events more sustainable. The resolution asks ASG to encourage student groups to cater with plant-based foods.

Three resolutions first proposed on Jan. 31 passed at

» See ASG, page 10

Illustration by Beatrice Villaflor

Despite the TEAACH Act’s historical significance, teachers find it difficult to implement at ETHS.

Ill. slow to implement TEAACH Despite Act, teachers say it’s difficult to access Asian American history

By MELISSA DAI

daily senior staffer

When Evanston Township High School junior Mia Darer visited Taiwan for the first time over a year ago, she said it was life-changing.

She met family members she didn’t know she had, enjoyed cultural dishes she’d never tried and saw sights she’d never seen.

The most memorable part of her “eye-opening” trip, though, were the stories she heard about her family’s culture and history,

which Darer said taught her more than she’d ever known before about her Taiwanese American identity.

“It shouldn’t be the case where you’re only discovering your identity by traveling across the world, especially when not everyone can do that,” Darer said. “Before the trip,

it was hard for me to own my identity as an Asian American when I wasn’t learning about it in school.”

The Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act, or the TEAACH Act, aims to

» See TEAACH, page 10

New GSRC supports queer students City, Wilmette to Gender and Sexuality Resource Center opens expanded facility

By JERRY WU

the daily northwestern @jerrwu

The first day Jo Scaletty (Communication ’23) arrived on Northwestern’s campus, they began working for Multicultural Student Affairs as a student adviser.

Part of the job was working shifts each week at the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, then located on the third floor of Norris University Center. But, Scaletty also found themselves gravitating there as a space to connect with other queer students.

“It was a home based away from my dorm or apartment,” Scaletty said. “There were multiple weeks where I was there every day.”

Started in 2004, the 650-square-foot former GSRC facility consisted of two rooms with a maximum capacity of 10 students. Many students expressed concern over the years that the center was too small and lacked privacy.

In their sophomore year, Scaletty, who served as the Associated Student Government

Recycle Me

Rainbow Alliance Senator, helped draft legislation to relocate the GSRC facility and submitted it to the student senate. The motion unanimously passed.

Over the next two years, Scaletty and other executive board members of the Rainbow Alliance held a series of discussions with NU administration to settle on a new location and help secure funding for the permanent facility.

The new GSRC, located on the first floor of Foster-Walker Complex, opened its doors in October.

The space, nearly triple the size of the previous location in Norris, features a boardroom, a library, a reception space, a student exhibition and a TV lounge. Rainbow stripes adorn the lounge, interspersed with various pieces of artwork. Students can inscribe their names and respond to a “prompt of the week” written on glass mirrors, which greet visitors upon entering the center.

“This (center) was a step in the right direction, allowing queer students to feel more represented and to feel more safe and to provide a more open and bigger space for the

settle on Ryan Field Stadium neighbors put aside concerns, avoiding lawsuit

By SHUN GRAVES

the daily northwestern @realshungraves

Sonya Dymova/The Daily Northwestern

The new Gender Sexuality Resource Center, located on the first floor of Foster-Walker Complex, opened its doors in October.

community,” Scaletty said.

The GSRC serves as a common space for students to socialize and host meetings for LGBTQIA+ student groups on campus, including Rainbow Alliance and the NU Society of Transgender and Non-Binary

Students.

“It is sort of a physical manifestation of the community that has always existed here,” said Weinberg junior Maddie Kerr, who began stopping by

» See GSRC, page 10

In a rare show of unity during the Ryan Field saga Monday, City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the Village of Wilmette to limit impacts from Northwestern’s controversial stadium rebuild and plan to host concerts there.

The agreement between the two governments arose after Wilmette residents urged the village’s trustees to sue Evanston over what they called a “mortal attack by a neighboring city.” The residents contended concerts would dramatically diminish the village’s quality of life and property values — and some said the new pact still wouldn’t help.

And, with the Wilmette Village Board’s unanimous approval of the agreement Tuesday, neighboring municipalities seem ready to lay down their arms as the Ryan Field

demolition begins.

“I think their concerns will remain,” said Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th), whose ward includes Ryan Field. “But I think they will feel they have some level of protection to try to control the impact of the concerts.”

Announced late last week, the intergovernmental agreement between Evanston and Wilmette includes several key stipulations.

Evanston will restrict demolition, construction and concert traffic from traveling into Wilmette — making sure to present all plans that might impact the village to its neighbor before approval.

In addition, Evanston must ensure that three noise detection devices — their locations to be placed at Wilmette’s discretion — measure sound during concerts.

During construction, the city must also place devices measuring vibrations on the site’s Wilmette-facing side. If a violation were to arise, the village would receive half of the resulting fines.

The agreement also calls on NU to maintain a phone line for Wilmette residents to voice their

» See COUNCIL 1, page 10

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Spring Sports Preview 5 | Opinion 9 | Classifieds & Puzzles 10 | Sports 12

2 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

AROUND TOWN

Wilburn reflects on three months at public library with us. Even within our facilities department, (we can) give someone who started out here as one of our custodians the opportunity to become the facilities manager.

By MARY RANDOLPH

daily senior staffer @marywrandolph

Evanston Public Library Executive Director Yolande Wilburn began her tenure in November after leading libraries in California, Chicago and Dubai. Three months in, Wilburn sat down with The Daily to talk goals, strategies and giving back to the community.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

The Daily: What does returning to the Chicago area, where you grew up, mean to you?

Wilburn: I believe strongly in giving back to the community where I came from. Growing up as an African American in the Chicago area was not easy. I did not find a lot of role models whom I could look up to as, ‘Hey, I want to be that.’ And when I did decide that I wanted to go to library school and get my master’s in library science, I was very committed to returning back to the Chicago Public (Library) because I grew up in that library. I had opportunities at the library that I could not get anywhere else for achieving the educational outcomes that I wanted for myself, but also for becoming resilient; it gave me the ability to be successful.

The Daily: You’ve said you didn’t see many librarians of color growing up in Chicago. What do you hope to bring to the library and the community in this role as a person of color?

Wilburn: I went to get my (college) degree because it was this thing that I needed to be promotable.

Especially for people who have traditionally been shut out of those opportunities to attend large institutions because of financial and economic hardship, I want to create alternate pathways.

I’ve been talking with various people about grant funding to sustain the programs where we have people of color intern or do a fellowship

The Daily: What are some other goals you’re working toward?

Wilburn: I’m working a lot with our racial equity task force right now. They are appointed by our board of trustees to tackle these questions of race and equity at EPL. We’re working on an (equity, diversity and inclusion) action plan, and I’m hoping to get that piece done within the next six months. The larger piece is really working on our library strategic plan. The EDI action plan will help to inform the work that we’re going to do with our strategic plan and the full strategic direction of the library.

The Daily: What else is key to the strategic plan?

Wilburn: We want to make sure our values are reflective of the community’s values. I’m still getting to know people at the city … to really understand the community’s values and ensure they’re reflected in the library.

We’re also looking at refreshing our spaces and places. This building is 30 years old. It’s probably ready for a refresh. We’re thinking about how we accomplish that with our limited resources, while also doing all these other wonderful things for the community.

Yolande Wilburn started her tenure at Evanston Public Library three months ago. Since then, she’s been having conversations about equity, diversity and inclusion, “spaces and places” and pathways to success for Evanstonians.

The Daily: Have any goals changed since the beginning of your tenure?

that not just the kids but also the parents are coming in to get those services.

Wilburn: Initially, there was talk about putting a branch in the 5th Ward. … But as I’m here in talking with people, I get a sense that it may not be just about the place; it’s more really about providing the services to the groups that have been historically underserved. I attended one of our tea talks at the Robert Crown Branch Library, which was really a wonderful program.

Community members came out and talked about how they see the library bringing in African American families and Latinx families so

The Daily: You’ve worked in libraries all over the world. Why is Evanston unique?

Illustration by Mary Randolph

Wilburn: What really stands out to me about Evanston is the commitment of EPL’s team. Everywhere I go, I hear from the community about the phenomenal, outstanding team that we have here.

The Daily: Why do you love this work?

Wilburn: When I worked at (Chicago Public

R E I K I C A L M S YO U R M I N D

Library’s) Uptown Branch, I had a little girl who was pulling books off the shelf. I went up to her, and she said she didn’t know how to read. So I pulled out the ABC book, and I opened it up, and we read through the book.

About a year later, I ended up back at that branch, and this little girl came up to me and said, “I remember you; you’re the one who taught me to read.” That is why I’m passionate about what I do in public libraries: because I understand the impact that even a small interaction can have on another human being. maryrandolph2026@u.northwestern.edu

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

3

ON CAMPUS

Couples share college sweetheart stories

By MISHA OBEROI

the daily northwestern

When Bridgett Baron (Communication ’91) began dating Matt Baron (Medill ’90) in her junior year at Northwestern, she said she told him, “You’re not supposed to be in my life right now. You’re 15 years too early.”

The Barons, who first met at a co-ed touch football game organized by their respective Greek organizations, have now been married for almost 30 years.

Bridgett said she never expected to find her future husband in college, but life had other plans for her. Matt proposed to her on an airplane in January of 1993, two years after she graduated from NU. “I didn’t have a lot in the way of resources,” he said. “I couldn’t buy a huge ring or do it in some exotic location, so I thought, ‘What’s something that’ll surprise her?’”

He also joked that the journalist in him felt it would make for a good story.

Despite their love for theatrics, the Barons have always kept it simple when it comes to Valentine’s Day. Matt said he sticks to the “ground rules,” which involve getting Bridgett — who he endearingly calls “Birdie” — dark chocolate and flowers (never red roses, which she dislikes). He also always writes her a card.

The couple explained that the meaning of Valentine’s Day has evolved for them after being together for decades.

“Not that there’s not romance, but there’s also the idea of love being more of a commitment, and love being more of a choice than a feeling — that I choose to love you,” Bridgett said.

Matt and Bridgett also have a daughter at NU, Medill junior Maggie Rose Baron.

Maggie Rose Baron, who is now older than her parents were when they met, said she cannot imagine meeting someone she’s going to spend the rest of her life with now. Still, she said she feels lucky to have parents like Matt and Bridgett Baron.

“I feel like there was a lot of love in our home growing up,” she said.

Scott Ryles (Weinberg ’81) and Marcia Ryles (Medill ’81) found love within the rustic dorm walls of Willard Residential College.

The two first met at Willard, but Scott Ryles insisted that he truly fell “head over heels” for Marcia Ryles when he saw her at Deering Library the following week.

“There was this very attractive, cute girl who I recognized from earlier,” Scott said. “Her hair was like Dorothy Hamill and she just looked so cute.”

But, everything didn’t go quite as planned.

For his birthday party, Scott Ryles told his friend to invite “the cute girl from the third floor of Chapin” and instwead got Marcia Ryles’ across-the-hall neighbor. A confused Scott Ryles began dating the neighbor and only realized his mistake when he saw Marcia again two weeks later.

Too bad for the neighbor, the rest is history.

Scott and Marcia Ryles got married in 1982 and have been together ever since.

For them, Valentine’s Day is a family affair.

The Ryles have a tradition of hosting “all-red” Valentine’s dinners where every food item — down to the dessert — is dyed red.

But their love story doesn’t end there. Finding love at NU seems to run in the Ryles family.

Emily Ryles (Communication ’15) and Dr. Emily Bacalao (Communication ’15) met at a fraternity party and had their first kiss on the bus on their way back.

“I didn’t know anybody in that fraternity, nor did I wanna go,” Bacalao said. But after taking her chance at the party, Bacalao ended up finding her forever valentine.

To her, Valentine’s Day is reminiscent of the time she first met Scott and Marcia Ryles. They spent the day at a restaurant in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

She also said the Ryles family enjoys giving gifts to one another on Valentine’s Day. “It’s like the aftermath of Christmas for me,” she said.

Emily Ryles said that, more than Valentine’s

The Daily Northwestern

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campus@dailynorthwestern.com Misha Oberoi/The Daily Northwestern

From dorms to classes to parties, love was all around campus for these alumni couples.

Day, she vividly remembers the ‘Galentine’s Days’ she celebrated at NU. “For us, Valentine’s is as much about celebrating each other as it is about just generally the people we love in our lives,” Emily Ryles said.

Stephen Herr (Weinberg ’72) and Beth Kupper-Herr (Weinberg ’72) met in an anthropology class their senior year.

Although they gave each other gifts on the first few Valentine’s Days they spent together, they haven’t done so for years.

For the Herrs’ relationship, the biggest means of celebration has been travel, they said.

Within two months of being together, they hitchhiked from Chicago to New York in 24 hours in March of 1972. Since then, they have backpacked together across Southeast Asia, gone to graduate school together in Hawaii and taught English in places like Indonesia and Malaysia.

“We were fortunate to meet each other, both like travel, and make it a top priority,” Stephen Herr said.

They got married in the Chapel of GarrettEvangelical Theological Seminary in 1974. They plan to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this year.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Community discusses land acknowledgement impact

By JERRY WU

the daily northwestern @jerrwu

After Weinberg junior Athena GoingSnake marched through The Arch alongside hundreds of her classmates during Wildcat Welcome, she was surprised to hear speakers read a land acknowledgment.

GoingSnake, a member of the Cherokee Nation and Muscogee Creek, grew up in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she had frequently encountered similar practices.

Listening to the familiar messages of land rights and Indigenous presence reminded her of the significance of these statements.

“Coming to Northwestern, I didn’t know how important that was going to be for me to feel that visibility,” she said. “It felt good to me to see that the University does somewhat acknowledge the existence of native people that have been here for generations.”

During Wildcat Welcome, while students remained on Deering Meadow, Aaron Golding — associate director for Multicultural Student Affairs — delivered an annual land acknowledgment to honor the ancestral inhabitants of the land that NU sits on, including the Council of the Three Fires and the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations.

Each acknowledgment represents an “intergenerational” moment of reverence to entities beyond human presence, GoingSnake said.

“It’s all about creating relationships and making a connection with our more than human relatives and human kin, like the land, the water and each other,” she said.

Despite that acknowledgement, GoingSnake said she has increasingly witnessed University officials and

Illustration by Shevta Shah

The Northwestern campus is located on the ancestral lands of the Council of the Three Fires, Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations.

campus organizations making “performative” and “nongenuine” land acknowledgments that fall short of their intended purpose.

Communication and McCormick junior Bella Kirkwood is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a part of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. Before she arrived on campus, she said she had never heard of a land acknowledgment. But, she described the acknowledgement as

“empowering to (her) at the moment.”

She has since listened to acknowledgments while attending club meetings, theater shows and other University-planned events. She said that they are sometimes counterproductive when students sometimes mispronounce tribes’ names and speak without selfreflection or understanding.

“You can tell when some people are just saying it to

check a box,” she said. “What really makes me upset about it is we can tell that people don’t care and they’re not doing any kind of self-reflection.”

Weinberg senior and NU Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance Senator Noah Blaisdell, who is Native Hawaiian, echoed the sentiment. Blaisdell said it is also apparent when someone performs in a manner as if “checking it off a little list or feeling obligated to do it.”

Native American and Indigenous communities on campus have issued far-reaching calls to action, demanding the University do more to spur reflection and acknowledge Indigenous heritage.

For over a year, Blaisdell helped author a piece of legislation in the Associated Student Government Senate calling on the University to retract its 2014 John Evans Study Committee Report, which he said downplayed the NU founder’s role in the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre. Blaisdell also said the University should rename the John Evans Center –– the Northwestern Alumni Association’s building.

“I hope this legislation will attempt to hold Northwestern accountable by having them correct the findings,” he said.

Aaron Golding and Jasmine Gurneau, the directors of Native American and Indigenous Affairs, hosts 90-minute training sessions each quarter to instruct faculty, students and individuals who are interested in learning on the importance of land acknowledgment practices.

“You’re making a commitment, essentially, to be in a relationship with Native people,” Golding said. “It asks people to think critically about the relationship between place and land and how they came to be on these lands.” jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

progress as a society, not by seeking to eliminate dis- home in on the best and most rigorous ideas. Too often, After developing insights, faculty will train both Kellogg school launches our agreement but by embracing it as a virtue,” Kellogg Dean though, we get lost in caricaturing and alienating those undergraduate and graduate students on methods to Cornelli said in a Wednesday news release. who disagree with us, spurning the opportunity to learn better understand others’ perspectives. center to discuss art of Francesca Kellogg Profs. Nour Kteily — co-director of Kel- and benefit from our differences in perspectives.”

“Our nation is threatened today by the politics of s Dispute Resolution Research Center — and Eli Kteily said the Center for Enlightened Disagree- identity and persistent divisions based on region, class, disagreement Wednesday logg’ ment will facilitate the development and sharing of religion and educational attainment,” University PresiFinkel will co-direct the center.

Northwestern and the Kellogg School of Management are launching a Center for Enlightened Disagreement –– a new research center aimed at developing stronger ways to engage in diverse perspectives, the University announced Wednesday.

“Kellogg and Northwestern are deeply committed to addressing the growing barriers to discourse that hinder

The center will focus on research, outreach, curriculum and discussion. The University hopes for the center to become a “worldwide destination” for conversation about the topic of disagreement in multiple disciplines, including business and politics, according to the release.

“Any healthy group, organization or society requires disagreement,” Kteily said in the release. “That’s how we

research and practical tools to improve discourse around disagreement.

The center will research on how to foster conversation across diverse perspectives, partnering with businesses to test strategies as they’re developed, according to the release. Eventually, the center hopes to work with government officials, policymakers and CEOs.

dent Michael Schill said in the release. “We increasingly lack the capacity to understand each other and to empathize with people who seem not to be like us. Solving such problems is what higher education institutions should be about.”

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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Welcome to the most chaotic period in Northwestern Athletics – and to the Spring Sports Preview We’ve reached one of the most chaotic periods in Northwestern Athletics. Every time the winter sports and spring sports seasons overlap, there seems to be some form of competition taking place at every turn.

It’s a hectic span in sports reporting, with scores of storylines descending across various programs. But, that’s what makes this time so special. I’m overjoyed to present The Daily

Northwestern’s Spring Sports Preview, and I can’t give enough thanks to all the reporters, editors and designers who helped make this edition as polished as possible. Like these powerhouse programs featured, it takes a complete team to pave the path toward success.

From arguably the greatest views in college sports inside Ryan Fieldhouse to the outdoor stomping grounds primed to be trodden, the

Wildcats will once more take the NCAA by storm. Some of the school’s top programs are set for stacked spring slates.

With lacrosse chasing a ninth national title and growing the sport’s reach in the process, softball looking to retool behind a plethora of young talent en route to conference and national bragging rights and baseball building a new identity and culture behind first-year coach Ben Greenspan,

NU’s primary spring sports squads will rightfully garner attention and plaudits this year.

So much is left to learn about the teams, but here is a first look at three programs packed with tremendous potential.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into what the ‘Cats are in for.

— Jake Epstein, Sports Editor

5

6 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Northwestern eyes return to title game, tournament

By AUDREY PACHUTA

the daily northwestern @audreypachuta

With a successful opening weekend under its belt, Northwestern is looking to make a return trip to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series this year after narrowly missing the opportunity in 2023.

The Wildcats opened their season with a 4-1 record at the Kajikawa Classic, riding the momentum of a third 40-plus win season in the last five years during their last campaign.

Coach Kate Drohan returns just four members of last year’s starting lineup, and will hand much of the team’s responsibilities over to a talented freshman class looking to build on the momentum established by their predecessors.

Here are five things to watch as NU’s season gets underway: 1. The start of a new dynasty?

The last time a freshman class started this strong, they propelled the ‘Cats to their first Big Ten championship in 15 years, three super regional appearances and a WCWS berth.

That 2019 freshman class included starstudded starters like Danielle Williams, Jordyn Rudd and Skyler Shellmyer — all of whom graduated last spring.

Now, in its first season without that historic group, NU’s new softball freshman cohort has embraced the challenge of carrying on their legacy seamlessly.

Freshman pitchers Renae Cunningham and Riley Grudzielanek both got their first career starts during the ‘Cats opening weekend in Arizona. Both secured complete game victories, surrendering just one run each over a combined 12.1 innings on the mound.

Grudzielanek also left her mark on the plate, tallying three hits –– including a double and a homerun.

All eight freshmen made appearances in NU’s opening weekend, tallying a combined 10 hits.

2. Veteran sluggers will set the tone While the extensive freshman talent pool promises an exciting future for the program, the contributions of senior infielder Hannah

Cady and graduate student outfielder Angela Zedak will continue to be pivotal to the team’s success this season.

The veteran duo went 17-of-29 at the plate this past weekend, collecting six extra base hits and 12 RBIs. Both Zedak and Cady have been mainstays in the starting lineup for the past two seasons, remaining at the forefront of the success that led the squad to two consecutive Big Ten championships.

Cady is the sole returning player that earned All-Big Ten honors last season, while Zedak holds the highest batting average among returning players from last year’s squad.

3. Tough non-conference stretch will provide early tests The ‘Cats will encounter seven opponents ranked in preseason polls during their non-conference stretch over the next five weeks, presenting one of the most formidable schedules in the nation.

They are set to confront No. 3 Texas, No. 8 Oklahoma State and No. 12 LSU at the Shriners Children’s Clear water Inv itational next weekend.

They will also take on No. 20 21 UCL A , No. South Carolina and No. 24 Auburn before trantwice sitioning to Big Ten play.

Early season tests will help the ‘Cats gear up for the caliber of competition they can expect to face in the postseason as they aim for another NCAA tournament run — and a potential return to the WCWS. 4. Will Ashley Miller be NU’s next ace?

After Williams’s five-year reign of excellence

in the

circle, the ‘Cats faced the challenge of assembling a new winning pitching rotation for this year.

And, with graduate student transfer Ashley Miller’s standout performance during opening weekend, they may have unlocked a key aspect of elitecaliber pitching.

The Indiana native

transferred from Michigan State in June after leading her team in strikeouts last season.

During a threeyear stint with the Spartans, Miller tallied 472 strikeouts across 420.1 innings pitched, securing her the third position on the Spartans’ all-time strikeouts leaderboard.

Despite a challenging 2023 paign, where she a career-high Miller has ability to nant against

camposted 5.43 ERA, proven her be a domiforce, especially Big Ten opponents.

In a standout sophomore year, Miller was one of the conference’s top pitchers, conceding only 50 earned runs in 193.1 innings pitched. She also accumulated 244 strikeouts that season, placing her fifth in the conference and 20th in the nation.

Miller pitched lights out in her NU debut. She recorded 16 strikeouts across nine innings of play and threw a complete-game

shutout in her first start against Arizona State.

Without surrendering a single run or walk in her first appearances donning purple, Miller emerges as a potential new star pitcher the ‘Cats have been searching for.

5. NU to face much stronger Big Ten competition this year For the past eight months, many NU fans have anticipated Nebraska’s dominance in the Big Ten behind junior pitcher Jordy Bahl, who returned to her home state after departing the perennial powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners at the end of last season.

The two-time All-American ended her career at Oklahoma with a 44-2 record and an absurd 1.00 ERA. She recorded the final out in last year’s world series championship game, extending the team’s win streak to an unprecedented 53 games.

Following Bahl’s season-ending ACL tear during opening weekend, the competitive landscape in the Big Ten has been blown back open, but the ‘Cats should still expect to face significant trials from both Nebraska and Indiana.

Without Bahl, the Cornhuskers still maintain a threatening offense behind Brooke and Billie Andrews, Nebraska’s sibling duo, both of whom boasted batting averages over .300 last season.

Nebraska also sees the return of sophomore infielder Katelyn Caneda, who earned First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Freshman and Big Ten Defensive honors in her inaugural season last year.

NU will travel to Lincoln to face the Cornhuskers in their penultimate season series.

The road will not relent for NU after facing Nebraska as they turn to face Indiana in their final three games before postseason competition commences.

Coach Drohan’s squad narrowly edged out the Hoosiers in the Big Ten championship last year. Now, with eight of nine starters from last year’s team returning, Indiana is seeking revenge.

To fare well in conference play, NU must win its games against less formidable opponents early on in the Big Ten gauntlet, for the latter part of their season promises much tougher matchups. audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu

‘Cats go 4-1 at season opening Kajikawa Classic

By AUDREY PACHUTA

the daily northwestern @audreypachuta

If there’s one thing Northwestern knows how to do, it’s pick things up right where it left off.

In a weekend that featured shutouts, resounding wins, and several noteworthy debuts, the Wildcats (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten) headed home with a host of encouraging takeaways from their opening weekend at the Kajikawa Classic in Arizona.

When the

‘Cats took the field for the first time this year, the team composition looked markedly different than it did eight months ago when they fell to No. 5 Alabama in a winner-takes-all NCAA Tournament super regional matchup.

Despite a noticeably younger and less seasoned roster, the team still managed to garner similar positive results to those of last year’s memorable season.

In its season opener, NU dropped a close contest to Boise State. The squad wasted no time with offensive production, tallying two runs in the top of the first inning to give graduate student pitcher Cami Henry a comfortable lead as she took the mound.

The NU lead was short-lived as the Broncos tied the game in the bottom of the first and clinched victory with two late-game home runs.

Despite the loss, junior infielder Ayana Lindsey’s fifthinning RBI double served as a notable highlight in the game — a testament to the ‘Cats’ ability to claw back when

they are down.

Later that day, NU took on Arizona State in the latter’s home territory, and coach Kate Drohan’s group came away with its first win of the season.

Graduate student pitcher Ashley Miller kicked off her tenure as a Wildcat on a high note, securing a complete game shutout in her first game sporting her new purple digs.

In her debut, she recorded 11 strikeouts and conceded just four hits across seven innings.

In a Saturday morning matchup where both school colors and mascots were mirrored,NU faced off against Weber State in the first of two games scheduled between the two teams this weekend.

With graduate student pitcher Cami Henry in the circle for her second start of the season, the ‘Cats overcame their opponents 3-2, with all three of their runs driven in off homers.

In her first at-bat of the game, sophomore infielder Kansas Robinson went deep to give NU an early lead, while graduate student utility player Angela Zedak’s t wo-r un homer in the fifth inning

Daily file photo by Seeger Gray

solidified the victory.

The biggest win of the weekend came in the Saturday afternoon contest against St. Thomas (Minn.) in which the ‘Cats won 11-1 in a five inning run-rule blowout.

The game featured standout performances from the first-year battery, with freshman pitcher Riley Grudzielanek making her collegiate starting debut, and freshman catcher Emma Raye achieving her first career hit and first career home run on a single swing.

Zedak put forth a perfect 4-of-4 performance at the plate, contributing two runs and an RBI. The first four batters in NU’s lineup amassed 12 of the team’s 15 total hits in the win over St. Thomas.

In their weekend finale, the ‘Cats secured an 8-0 victory over Weber State, invoking the five-inning run rule for another dominant performance.

In her first career start, freshman

pitcher Renae Cunningham pitched a shutout, allowing two hits and zero walks while recording eight strikeouts.

For the second game in a row, Zedak went four-for-four at the plate, bringing her weekend total to 10 hits, with five for extra bases.

Six out of the eight first-year players on Drohan’s squad earned their first starts during the opening weekend. Two had complete game wins on the mound, and two had their first career home runs at the plate.

NU now looks ahead to next weekend’s trip to Florida, where it will encounter its first ranked opponents of the year at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.

The ‘Cats are set to take on No. 15 LSU, No. 11 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Texas next weekend, along with matchups against Georgia Tech and UCF. audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu

THURSDAY, FEBURARY 15, 2024

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

7

Lacrosse strives for a repeat National Championship

By JAKE EPSTEIN

daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Just 106 days separate early February’s seasonopening Saturday slate and the 2024 national champion’s coronation in Cary, North Carolina.

During the three-month span that culminates within WakeMed Soccer Park’s gated greenery, scintillating surprise sensations will capture headlines, giants will fall and only one team will end its quest at the sport’s summit.

After knocking off No. 5 Syracuse 18-15 last Saturday, No. 1 Northwestern took the first step of an arduous journey toward a repeat national championship. While the road back to Championship Sunday runs through Evanston, coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said there’s still much left to learn about this year’s team.

“The last time we played Syracuse, there was a lot of learning that came from it, and that’s really where our focus is,” Amonte Hiller said postgame.

“We want to focus on growth and learning — and just getting better from week to week.”

The Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) packed a firstquarter cage crusade that culminated in eight goals during the season’s opening 15 minutes, the Orange (0-1, 0-0 ACC) consistently punched back to keep the game competitive.

In what might be considered a “national championship or bust” year, NU remains just as hungry to reclaim its spot atop the game’s pedestal. Junior defender Sammy White said she and the ’Cats are playing for more than themselves. “(I’m) remembering why I’m playing and inspiring the younger generation that they can accomplish their dreams,” White said. “I’m also playing for the girls on my team, especially the ones who maybe aren’t getting to play … but playing for every other girl is really important and pushing me to strive for my best.”

Before sellout home crowds inside Ryan Fieldhouse — and later Martin Stadium — NU will look to repeat last season’s home dominance –– when the ’Cats won 12-of-12 contests in Evanston.

Eight of NU’s nine nonconference opponents made the 2023 NCAA Tournament, with the lone outlier — Colorado — poised to push for its first postseason appearance since 2019. The ’Cats will face two more Final Four foes in their early

schedule, taking on No. 2 Boston College on the road and No. 4 Denver at home.

“We just have the philosophy (that) if you want to be the best you have to play the best,” Amonte Hiller said at a preseason press conference. “The more we’re challenged during the regular season, hopefully if we do well, that’ll put us in a position to have confidence going into the postseason.”

The reigning conference and national champions will host early May’s Big Ten Tournament semifinals and finals –– an event that NU has won two of the last three seasons. No. 9 Maryland, No. 10 Michigan and No. 13 Johns Hopkins highlight a difficult conference slate, in which the ’Cats may find more resistance than they did in 2023.

The Terrapins landed high-profile defender Meghan Ball in the past transfer portal, and coach Cathy Reese’s squad will be keen to reclaim its status as a national contender. Maryland boasts a bevy of blue-chip recruits and seasoned talent primed for a deep postseason run.

Behind star attacker Jill Smith, the Wolverines will look to avenge 2023’s three losses to NU. With a young and hungry core now more experienced and battle-tested, Michigan coach Hannah Nielsen’s group won’t forget its season-ending defeat at Martin Stadium last May. Amonte Hiller boasts significant familiarity with the Blue Jays. Johns Hopkins coach Tim McCormack served on her coaching staff from 2014 to 2019, assistant coach Jill Girardi commanded the purple and white draw team during a storied career with the ’Cats in 2018 to 2022 and goalkeeper Madison Doucette played at NU for four seasons, leaving in 2022.

While the ’Cats already have a top-five victory under their belt, many unanswered questions and potential storylines will unfold. As the 10-time national champion — two as a player and eight as a coach — knows, consistent development over the season’s duration breeds coveted results.

“There’s always so much learning, and that’s the fun part,” Amonte Hiller said. “You’re learning who you are, you’re learning who you can become and really just challenging yourself along the way. That is really what we do throughout the season. It’s the transformation, and hopefully we can have a lot of fun while doing it.”

With Friday’s road trip to No. 8 Notre Dame up

Francesco Thorik-Saboia/The Daily Northwestern

next, here is a breakdown of how NU will likely line up — and some projections for the 2024 campaign.

Goalkeeper depth chart cemented behind sixth-year Laliberty After four years at Division III Tufts, graduate student goalkeeper Molly Laliberty swiftly stole the spotlight with her acrobatic shot stopping ability and rambunctious celebrations last season. The former NESCAC standout is a stern reminder of untapped talent beyond the Division I level.

As it was in 2023, the starting goalkeeper slot is Laliberty’s position to lose. Last year, she seldom gave Amonte Hiller any reason to question her prowess — and fans can expect to see her in her position again.

Tallying seven saves against Syracuse last Saturday, Laliberty garnered the season’s opening win between the pipes. She looks set to pick up many more where that came from.

Sophomore Francesca Argentieri and junior Cara Nugent will serve as the second and third string goalkeepers, and one of the two

purple and white.

Scane and Coykendall will

be the may heir apparent to Laliberty’s role. Expect the lion’s share of netminding minutes to belong to Laliberty, and the two substitutes will likely feature in blowouts.

go

Defense returns significant depth, unity Apart from graduated defender Allie Berkery, the ’Cats return every defensive starter from last season’s national championship game.

Protecting Laliberty’s cage, White, senior defender Kendall Halpern, graduate student defender Hannah Gillespie, graduate student midfielder Jane Hansen and senior defender Carleigh Mahoney will round off NU’s starting defense.

“It’s phenomenal to get to take the field again with these girls, most of whom were the same unit that were out on the field last year,” Laliberty said.

Amonte Hiller looked to junior defender Megan Mallgrave and graduate student defender Alia Marshall to log defensive minutes off the bench against Syracuse.

A former NCAA national champion in field hockey, Marshall adds considerable athleticism and versatility to the team’s lineup, according to Laliberty.

“Speaking defensively, I love having Alia out there,” Laliberty said. “She brings a different perspective to how to approach different defensive situations. She’s been like a sponge out there — just absorbing our defense.”

Experienced midfield mainstays backed up by significant depth Junior midfielder Samantha Smith will likely rotate on draws with her younger sister — freshman midfielder Madison Smith — and junior midfielder Serafina DeMunno. Samantha Smith scored two goals against Syracuse, logging significant time as a two-way midfielder.

Fellow California native and junior midfielder Emerson Bohlig possesses what might be the highest top-line speed in the nation, and Bohlig will prove a pivotal piece in a potential run back to Championship Sunday.

Although Amonte Hiller didn’t splurge on transfer portal acquisitions like other national contenders, graduate student midfielder Lindsey Frank from Richmond appears to be a worthwhile investment. Frank notched a hat trick last Saturday.

While first-year playing time will be at a premium, the coaching staff demonstrated early faith in freshman midfielder Noel Cumberland. The 5-foot-11 Fallston, Maryland native possesses elite size and dynamic speed that could carve out play time at defensive midfield.

Sans Rhatigan, the ’Cats carry significant attacking firepower

Daily file photo by Micah Sandy

the conference’s most experienced scoring trios, and sophomore attacker Madison Taylor may push for a firstteam All American nod after a breakout rookie season in

Graduate student attackers Izzy Scane, Erin Coykendall and Dylan Amonte provide one of

down as one of the school’s, if not the nation’s, greatest attacking tandems. One of the two will likely take home this year’s Tewaaraton Award, and scoring records will follow.

Without Hailey Rhatigan’s left-handed tenacity, NU’s attack must find another piece to free up Scane from consistent faceguards.

Senior attacker Leah Holmes appears to be Amonte Hiller’s choice to slot into Rhatigan’s 2023 role, but a zero-point performance last Saturday leaves much to be desired.

Sophomore attackers Abby LoCascio and Lucy Munro could also carve out attacking roles off the bench this season.

Young talent showcases ability with U.S. U20 Training Team With Amonte Hiller at the helm of the U.S. U20 national team for the second consecutive world championship cycle, seven current and future ’Cats earned spots on the 42 player training team. The group practiced together this past summer and fall, preparing for the 2024 world championships in Hong Kong.

“It’s been an awesome opportunity for them, and the other players who are on the team,” Amonte Hiller said. “It’s a lot of first-years and sophomores at the collegiate level, and even some high school players. It’s a great opportunity for them to test themselves and really gain some confidence.”

The players ranging from 12 states represent 19 different colleges. Amonte Hiller told USA Lacrosse Magazine this summer that the beauty of an international competition is that players shed their collegiate colors to represent the red, white and blue.

For now, rivalries between collegiate blue bloods will reign supreme, as each college player on the team will be eager to help their school vie for a national crown — before the national squad reunites later in the year.

The bottom line NU is the clearcut national title favorite — and for valid reasons. Boston College and Denver may present the greatest challenges, as both teams bolstered their top units while filling last year’s shortcomings with both transfer portal and high school acquisitions.

Nevertheless, the ’Cats will more likely than not cut down the WakeMed Soccer Park nets this May. jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

8 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Baseball: What to know as NU takes on Tulane

By GENA JONES

the daily northwestern @genasports

Facing Tulane will be a bit like looking in the mirror for Northwestern’s baseball team.

The Wildcats’ (10-40, 4-20 Big Ten) disappointing 2023 season bears a striking similarity to the Green Wave’s (19-42, 8-16 AAC) own lackluster record. Both teams struggled to get consistent performances out of players last spring and will be competing with vastly different rosters than the year before.

NU, of course, bears the more extreme of the matchup’s shared shortcomings. Following reports of an allegedly abusive work environment and the removal of former head coach Jim Foster over the summer, the visitors lost a total of 18 players to transfers and graduation.

The youth of their new roster presents a big question for Wildcat fans: Will this new team bring freshness to the field or the stumblings of a group still learning to work in unity?

The ’Cats have a reconstructed pitching staff after losing valuable contributors Sam Garewal and David Utagawa to the transfer portal.

The spotlight will be on new coach Ben Greenspan and how he will steward the newly recruited class of pitchers away from last season’s team ERA of 8.53 with some of the coaching touch that kept his former team, Michigan, snug at the middle of Big Ten conference standings.

Tulane is no stranger to pitching woes either. The Green Wave’s difficulty nailing down a solid pitching rotation cost them their fair share of runs last year, ending the season with a team ERA of 7.08 that sunk them to the bottom of AAC

standings.

Each team’s ability to steward their pitching talent will be crucial to their success, but hits decide the difference between wins and losses.

NU took a considerable loss in leading hitter Stephen Hrustich’s transfer to conference rival Michigan.

However, junior catcher and first baseman Bennett Markinson holds promise for some growth at-bat for the Wildcats. Of the four hitters with the highest batting average last season, Markinson is the only to return.

The Green Wave will enter the series without their top two pitchers of last season, Ricky Castro and Dylan Carmouche. Their absence presents an opportunity for NU to take advantage of what is sure to be even more disorganization within an unreliable pitching rotation — and a team whose fielding lacks severely in cohesiveness.

Chances of high action in this series are slim, to say the least. The games will likely be characterized by a slow-paced rally between two groups struggling to gain their footing with a few spurts of runs here and there.

Wildcat and Green Wave fans alike will have their fingers crossed and eyes shut, more nervous than eager to find out if anything has changed since the previous season.

Overall, consistency will be key for the ’Cats this weekend. Strong hitting and reliable fielding throughout all nine innings is how they will bring a meaningful win back from New Orleans and usher in a new and improved season of play.

But, really, a baseball revival wouldn’t be the strangest thing on our 2024 bingo card. Retribution has been the tune of NU’s sports in recent times: The men’s basketball hype and football’s recent comeback from a 1-11 season have fostered a sense of hope for weathered Wildcat fans.

Baseball’s trip to The Big Easy on Feb. 16 may be just what we need to kick off a Cinderella storyline for the Wildcats.

Daily file photo by Ziye Wang

genajones2025@u.northwestern.edu

Daily file photo by Mika Ellison

Agarwal: Coaching changes a step in right direction

By AAYUSHYA AGARWAL

daily senior staffer @aayushyagarwal7

Last May, Northwestern suffered its fifth consecutive sweep and extended a dismal losing stretch to 15 straight games. At the time, I called on the team to raise essential questions about the future of the program in the offseason.

Flash forward nine months later, and the Wildcats are at the tail-end of their offseason, set to open their 2024 slate at Tulane on Feb. 16. The team has made impactful personnel decisions.

No team would be happier to leave 2023 in the rearview mirror than NU. The ’Cats finished the season with a Big-Ten worst 4-20 conference record and 10-40 overall — the most losses in program history.

While most of the questions raised over the summer and fall have not been answered, NU’s trajectory appears more promising than it has in a while.

It was clear the team’s culture needed

immediate changes from the season’s onset.

After starting the season 0-6 and losing pitching coach Jon Strauss, hitting coach Dusty Napoleon and director of operations Chris Beacom in the season’s first weeks, the ’Cats had a thin leadership group for most of the 2023 season.

There also appeared to be a clear disconnect between players and coaches. Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, multiple players spoke out about former coach Jim Foster’s lack of professionalism, criticizing his attitude toward his coaching staff and players.

Amid a tumultuous summer in NU Athletics, Foster was removed from his position, and coach Ben Greenspan stepped into his stead.

Most recently Michigan’s associate head coach, Greenspan has held coaching positions at several prominent baseball programs: including Arizona State and Indiana. He has coached several major league players like former Hoosier and now-Philadelphia Phillie Kyle Schwarber.

Greenspan’s tremendous leadership skills will prove more valuable than his previous program’s collective pedigree as the ’Cats hope to

Daily file photo by Mika Ellison

turn their season around.

Immediately following Greenspan’s hire, Schwarber highlighted his former coach’s ability to “bring a team together and mold them into men” and how the “impact he had on (his) career and others at Indiana was massive, and the lessons learned are things that (he) carries still to this day.”

After losing 18 players to the transfer portal and graduation, Greenspan will lead a young and inexperienced roster in his first season at the helm.

A s the team prepares for its first series of the season, the departures of key offensive contributors Alex Calarco and Stephen Hrustich leave a concerning hole in the middle of the lineup. The team will require multiple underclassmen to fill the void.

NU ’s of fense w i l l likely center around junior catcher and first baseman Bennett Markinson.

After posting back-toback .270-plus batting-average seasons, Markinson will need to take another leap forward in 2024, as the team looks to significantly improve from its 2023 Big Ten-worst .246 batting average and second-last 258 run tally.

Meanwhile, Greenspan’s addition of hitting coach Tyler Rost will be instrumental in getting the most out of an

inexperienced lineup. Arriving in Evanston after a three-year tenure as the director of player development at Duke, Rost significantly improved the Blue Devil offense — which finished third in the ACC in home runs and runs.

On the other side of the diamond, the ’Cats’ pitching staff had its worst performance on the mound in program history. Posting a BigTen high 8.53 ERA — more than two earned runs higher than the next worse team — Greenspan will need to specifically prioritize this dimension of his team’s performance if NU will stay afloat in 2024.

Although the ’Cats have lost key contributors Sam Garewal and David Utagawa on the mound, Greenspan’s addition of pitching coach Ben Keizer will be the first hurdle toward addressing these struggles.

While Keizer lacks significant collegiate coaching experience, he is fresh off of a two-year stint as a partnership development specialist with the Chicago Cubs.

Keizer had an impressive career as a left-handed pitcher at Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to the 2019 Championship series of the College World Series.

Needless to say, many questions remain about the team’s ability to remain competitive in 2024. Nevertheless, the ’Cats have already crossed their first hurdle by attempting to transform the team’s culture.

While it may take time for NU’s inexperienced roster to reap the rewards of the Big Ten results, having a group of leaders to look up to in challenging moments will serve pivotal toward growth and success.

After several weeks of nonconference play, the ’Cats will open conference play on March 29 against Nebraska at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park. aayushyaagarwal2024@u.northwestern.edu

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, FEBURARY 15, 2024

9

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com

Buckner: Honoring Dr. Abbott by fighting for trans care RAY BUCKNER

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

It’s not an easy thing to go to the doctor.

It can be extremely vulnerable — discussing your body. Discussing sex. Bringing into the room experiences and bodily problems you’d rather not speak out loud.

Dr. Kristin Abbott made going to the doctor easy. She made it safe. She made it a place that, as a transgender man, I could feel heard.

I knew she would never misgender me, use insensitive language or cause harm to me. Dr. Abbott was a special doctor, and a visionary for this University.

On Jan. 21, 2024, Dr. Abbott died, and her loss strikes so deeply at my own heart and the hearts of other queer and trans students who benefited so profoundly from her care.

On Feb. 6, 2024, I received the email from Northwestern Now that Dr. Abbott had passed away. Her obituary notes that she died from cancer. Dr. Abbott was the medical director of Northwestern Medicine Student Health Service. Upon returning to Chicago from summer research in late August last year, I was told by a pharmacist that Dr. Abbott was on leave. When I asked one doctor if Dr. Abbott was okay, they said, “I’m

sure Dr. Abbott would appreciate keeping her in your prayers.” I had a sinking feeling.

Dr. Abbott was not an ordinary doctor.

She had a vision for what trans care can and should be at this University. One of the first times I met with Dr. Abbott, she openly shared how the Health Service had not always been a place of safety and respect toward trans students.

Trans students had had bad experiences.

Many of them didn’t want to return. She took seriously and respected these students’ expe-

”

Dr. Abbott was not an ordinary doctor. She had a vision for what trans care can and should be at this University.

- RAY BUCKNER, op-ed contributor

riences, and she wanted to change the culture that had initially forced them to turn away from NU’s student health center.

I cannot overstate the difference in care provided by Dr. Abbott and other practitioners, and why her leadership, training and orientation to trans care mattered.

As a trans-affirming practitioner, Dr. Abbott was highly attuned to language. She knew which words to avoid so that I wouldn’t experience gender dysphoria. She knew how

”

In honor of Dr. Abbott’s legacy and determination and vision, I hope NU prioritizes and actualizes Dr. Abbott’s call for trans care. I hope they put in place specific initiatives and monetary funds to focus on trans care.

- RAY BUCKNER, op-ed contributor

to use language that was inclusive of transmasculine bodies.

While Dr. Abbott was away on leave prior to her passing, I had many physical issues arise, many of which centered around gynecological care. Doctors, while well-intentioned, consistently discussed how I needed to seek out “Women’s Care specialists.” They collapsed my experience with that of cisgender women. They referred to “my breasts.”

With Dr. Abbott on leave, one doctor told

me I may not be able to receive testosterone if my medical needs are too complex. I may have to go off-campus to a trans-care specialist. While this may make some sense, it also means that trans students on our campus who are new to beginning testosterone cannot go to our own University for care and access to gender-affirming treatment.

Dr. Abbott wanted NU to be a place that was leading efforts on trans health and medicine. She wanted this University to be extraordinary in what it could offer to its marginalized students.

In honor of Dr. Abbott’s legacy and determination and vision, I hope NU prioritizes and actualizes Dr. Abbott’s call for trans care.

I hope they put in place specific initiatives and monetary funds to focus on trans care.

I will miss Dr. Abbott. I will miss what she offered to my life and to the health of my body and mind. I grieve for her loss. I grieve for our collective loss of this most incredible doctor. She died at only 41. May her memory be a blessing. May her legacy continue.

Ray Buckner is a PhD Candidate in Religious Studies. He can be contacted at raybuckner@u. northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

Hwang: Wikipedia is what the internet promised to be SCOTT HWANG

COLUMNIST

Great sci-fi has the gift of extraordinary prescience, but I wasn’t thinking about that when I first read “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” I was a middle schooler enthralled by Douglas Adams’ eccentric universe: spaceships that can exist everywhere at once, bureaucratic aliens, a supercomputer that calculates the answer to life, the universe and everything (“42”).

There’s also the Hitchhiker’s Guide itself, an electronic book containing information about the universe. When the novel was published in 1979, the Guide was simply science fantasy. But when I read the book over three decades later, it felt familiar, perhaps because something like it existed in real life: Wikipedia.

When you think about it, it’s extraordinary

”

Without ads, is Wikipedia designed for the needs of consumers? Certainly many people find it useful. But part of what makes it wonderful is that many of its designers, the hundreds of thousands of hobbyists who write and edit and add footnotes to the millions of pages, aren’t doing it to appeal to any reader in particular beyond themselves.

- SCOTT HWANG, columnist

that Wikipedia ever transcended the world of science fiction. It contains as close to the sum total of human knowledge as you’re ever going to get, accessible for free and almost entirely run by volunteers. It runs no ads and relies on donations, yet it competes with trillion-dollar companies in the list of most heavily trafficked websites. If it didn’t already exist, you wouldn’t believe it could.

I’ve been thinking about how today’s digital landscape shapes our experiences. My opinion is not particularly high. The internet once promised a new level of human flourishing, brought upon by unprecedented efficiency and interconnectedness. But that has not come

to fruition. Meanwhile, its cost to our mental health, our attention spans and our social lives are becoming more and more clear.

We once dreamt that technology would bring the possibilities of the universe to our fingertips — the Guide come true. Today, Wikipedia is the last great relic of that early internet promise. If you compare it to most digital institutions today, you can’t help but ask: Where did the rest go wrong?

There are almost seven million pages on Wikipedia in English alone, and almost sixty million total. You can read about anything from the pronunciation of GIF to banana production in Iceland to the British Rail sandwich (“a culinary match to the quality of the train service”). There are pages that list helicopter prison escapes and sexually active popes, not to mention the list of unusual Wikipedia articles from which I found these examples –– or the wonderfully recursive list of lists of lists.

Those millions of pages are written and updated by over 100,000 registered editors in any given month, with most edits coming from a small fraction of that group. Yes, Wikipedia has been criticized for inaccuracy as a consequence of its open-source model. Every student is taught not to cite Wikipedia, and even Wikipedia does not allow its contributors to cite other Wikipedia pages when making edits.

But recently, it seems the consensus has shifted to emphasize the benefits of Wikipedia’s crowdsourcing model. While false edits can be made by anyone, they rarely stay up for long, subject to the scrutiny of potentially thousands of reviewers. Over the years, the site has only become more accurate, and you can always check a page’s footnotes to figure out where a piece of information came from.

Contrast that with the state of internet information as a whole. Half of Americans get at least some news from social media, according to Pew Research Center. The information people consume on these platforms is becoming increasingly polarized and misleading for multiple reasons. One is algorithmic –– as platforms recommend content chosen to get a reaction out of the viewer. The other is psychological: people tend to prefer social media communities that conform to their worldviews.

Wikipedia has neither of these problems.

It has no algorithm — you have to navigate to what you’re looking for on your own. And, there is no room for separate communities in disagreement. For any given topic, there is only one Wikipedia article, subject to a strict standard of neutrality.

Beyond merely ensuring that opinions are not given as facts, the standard encourages editors to add context to counter bias, as opposed to reducing information. It also requires that consensus views be given more weight than widely disputed, individual views. This avoids

the issue of, for example, a single climate change denier disputing a scientific consensus that climate change is real.

These standards are prime examples of Wikipedia’s responsible governance, enforced by a democratic process. Anyone can make changes, which means those changes are subjected to the scrutiny of many reviewers who can appeal to

”

When you think about it, it’s extraordinary that Wikipedia ever transcended the world of science fiction. It contains as close to the sum total of human knowledge as you’re ever going to get, accessible for free and almost entirely run by volunteers. It runs no ads and relies on donations, yet it competes with trilliondollar companies in the list of most heavily trafficked websites.

If it didn’t already exist, you wouldn’t believe it could.

- SCOTT HWANG, columnist

Wikipedia’s published policies. Disagreements on policy and fact are resolved not from higher ups, but from community discussions on talk pages.

It is, I must admit, shocking that this model works. Most of the internet does not work in this way. Platforms like Facebook and X have recently come under public scrutiny for promoting misinformation and harmful content.

But, barring new laws or immense public pressure, these for-profit companies don’t need to apply strict standards to their content. At Wikipedia, strict standards are the norm.

And Wikipedia’s lack of advertising is almost more unusual. Most major internet sites like Facebook and Google make money by showing you advertisements. That’s why websites collect your data: to figure out what ads will make you buy things.

But this model was not inevitable. At the turn of the century, Google considered other monetization models, including paid subscriptions and licensing. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were even against ads at first, believing they would bias search engines “away from the needs of consumers.”

Without ads, is Wikipedia designed for the needs of consumers? Certainly many people find it useful. But part of what makes it wonderful is that many of its designers, the hundreds of thousands of hobbyists who write and edit and add footnotes to the millions of pages, aren’t doing it to appeal to any reader in particular beyond themselves. That eccentricity is why I can find a different page for “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” radio series, novel, TV series, film and video game, not to mention the page on the fictional in-universe book.

I’m not sure there is an answer to life, the universe and everything. But when someone figures it out, I’ll know where to find it — and you can bet there’ll be footnotes.

Scott Hwang is a Weinberg sophomore. He can be contacted at scotthwang2026@u.northwestern.edu.

If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

The Daily Northwestern Volume 145, Issue 11 Editor in Chief Avani Kalra Opinion Editor Ethan Lachman Assistant Opinion Editor Chiara Kim

Managing Editors Colin Crawford Jacob Wendler Lily Carey Shannon Tyler Ashley Lee Micah Sandy Danny O’Grady

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10 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

GSRC

From page 1

the facility following the move. “There is a space here physically and emotionally for queer students together.”

The center also plans various activities, including Queer Book Club discussions, drag shows, arts and crafts, and weekly Tuesday Tea events, in which students can chat with staff on how to navigate University gender and sexuality resources.

Matthew Abtahi, the director and sole employee in the office space, said it’s important to continue implementing additional changes, particularly in all-gender housing and faculty treatment of trans and non-binary students.

“It’s a starting point,” Abtahi said. “I think if we continue to misstep in every other direction, as it relates to serving the student population, a single center will not solve the University’s problems.”

Medill junior Max Sullivan works as an office assistant for the center. They said one of their professors last quarter had repeatedly misgendered them without changing their behavior.

COUNCIL 1 From page 1

concerns. It will also add a non-voting Wilmette representative to the Evanston’s Community Advisory Council, which currently includes three Evanston and three NU representatives.

City Council voted 6-0 in favor of the agreement, with three councilmembers absent, after almost no discussion. Ald. Thomas Suffredin (6th) confirmed the pact would not impose a direct cost on Evanston, and Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) successfully amended the traffic restrictions to cover the concert setup and takedown process too.

Wilmette’s board approved the pact Tuesday. Ahead of the vote, the Most Livable City Association called on

TEAACH

From page 1

address a lack of educational content around Asian American history, culture and experiences in public schools in Illinois. Since its passage in 2021 and its implementation in the 2022-2023 school year, TEAACH has mandated that schools include at least one unit of Asian American history in Illinois public school curricula.

The act, initially proposed by the the Chicago branch of nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice, is an effort to educate new generations on the struggles and resilience of Asian American communities throughout U.S. history, according to Executive Director Grace Pai. “Many Asian Americans feel invisible, and they feel like their stories are not understood, talked about or told,” said Pai, who is Korean American. “This is a way

During this time, spending time at the GSRC center and talking with Abtani helped them navigate the situation, they added.

“The newly expanded GSRC space is a significant step, allowing us to provide even more programming, resources, and opportunities to support and build community among our students,” Tabitha Wiggins, Assistant Vice President for Campus Inclusion & Community told The Daily in a statement.

Wiggins added that the office plans to connect with more student organizations and aims to nurture an environment where LGBTQIA+ students can thrive.

For many students, the upgraded space brings opportunities for new experiences while continuing to provide a much-needed safe space on campus.

“I think the nature of having a space like this is that there are going to be a lot of things that feel small in the moment, but really contribute to your overall sense of comfort and safety in the community over time,” Sullivan said.

ASG

From page 1

provisions to hold remote Senate meetings during inclement weather, allow the speaker to break a tied vote, allow the president to create new Executive Board positions for one term, and more.

During the Executive Board reports, Woods said the next Cultural Summit, where cultural organizations can showcase food and dance, will take place April 7 in the Norris Louis Room. Black History Month Game Night will occur on Feb. 23, she added.

“Our mission with (the Cultural Summit) is to integrate our diverse student body into our daily Northwestern culture, but in a more celebratory way,” Woods, who introduced the summit last year, said.

At the ASG Ask Away event Friday at 4 p.m. in the Norris Armadillo Room, students will also be able to ask questions to a panel of University administrators about policies.

“ASG really seeks to reach admin with student voices and connect admin with students,” SESP senior and Speaker of the Senate Leah Ryzenman said. “This is one very tangible way to do so.”

jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

Wednesday’s meeting. All three were written by Weinberg sophomore and Hillel Senator Talia Winiarsky, a former Daily staffer.

Winiarsky’s resolutions would encourage the University to include healthier dining options in Norris University Center, establish a memorial garden outside Alice Millar Chapel and stop sales of plastic water bottles on campus.

“I’m taking a class in American Studies on climate change,” Winiarsky said. “For me, it is upsetting when I see everyone in Norris with their plastic water bottles and their reusable water bottles right next to them.”

The Senate also voted to select Katz and McCormick sophomore and QUEST+ Senator Mia Jeremiah as the Senate representatives to the Selection Committee for the ASG Executive Board. In this role, Katz and Jeremiah will help conduct interviews with candidates for the board later this month.

Weinberg sophomore and ASG Parliamentarian Grace Houren’s proposed ASG Code revisions passed at Wednesday’s meeting. Revisions included

Wilmette residents to attend the Village Board meeting and speak against the agreement. Attorney Steven Harper castigated the agreement as “illusory,” adding that it would not allow the village to enforce the rules.

“It’s difficult to identify which tragedy is more alarming: the substance of the agreement itself or the Board’s apparent belief that it has actually negotiated meaningful protections for residents and the Village,” Harper said in the statement. “The agreement requires little more than Evanston’s production of various documents that it receives from Northwestern.”

Most Livable City’s missive also called on Wilmette residents to push for a lawsuit. During public comment Tuesday, residents criticized the agreement as ineffective and unenforceable. One speaker compared the pact to a Faustian deal with the devil, and others

repeated their longstanding demand that the village sue Evanston.

Wilmette trustees acknowledged residents’ claims that the Ryan Field rebuild could adversely affect residents but largely rebuffed the push for a lawsuit.

“We can only sue for things that hurt the village as a village,” trustee Gina Kennedy told the crowd. “We cannot sue for things that hurt residents as residents.

Only you can do that.”

Most Livable City has already filed a lawsuit of its own against Evanston, with a preliminary hearing at Cook County Circuit Court set for March 29.

The stadium foes’ latest fulminations emerged just as the Ryan Field demolition finally appears to begin.

Late last week, the city granted the project a demolition permit for the four-month, piece-by-piece takedown

to proceed. Construction trucks hauling dirt rolled in and out of the Ryan Field site throughout the day Wednesday as demolition of the field started.

After Monday’s meeting, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss lauded the pact in remarks to The Daily. Last year, Biss controversially cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of approving NU’s plan to host concerts at the new Ryan Field.

“Most importantly, I think the agreement indicates our commitment to being the kind of neighbor that we should be, the kind of neighbor that they want, the kind of neighbor we expect them to be,” Biss said.

“It’s a partnership. It has been a partnership, and it will continue to be a partnership.”

of addressing that invisibility.”

Ever since TEAACH went into effect, ETHS history and social sciences teacher Paula Katrina Camaya said she’s been conscious of including diverse Asian American stories in her curriculum.

“I really like this idea of teaching histories, plural, not history, singular,” said Camaya, who is Filipina American. “I’m trying to be more intentional with teaching different parts of Asian American histories, and I’m doing so through an Asian American lens.”

But despite the TEAACH Act’s historical significance as the first legislative measure of its kind in the country, its introduction at ETHS has met a number of challenges.

The main issue, according to English teacher Patricia Delacruz, involves “uneven implementation.”

“I think it’s absolutely essential that we’re honoring history and being accountable, but policy can only do so much,” Delacruz said. “The policy existing does not

mean that the education is actually being facilitated.”

This is partly due to the vague nature of the act, she said. Although TEAACH requires a unit of Asian American history, it lacks an explicit definition of what a unit entails.

Students have noticed the act’s slow progress. Systematic changes to curricula occur at the state level, through the Illinois State Board of Education’s standards and instruction, and Darer, for example, said she has yet to see a focus on Asian American history..

“I feel like it would be really beneficial for there to be a strict curriculum or clear idea for how teachers can provide the guidance to ensure that they’re teaching students enough,” Darer said.

According to the 2022-2023 Illinois Report Card, only 7.4% of ETHS teachers identify as Asian, while 66.2% identify as white.

Delacruz, who is Korean-Japanese American, cites this racial makeup as one part of the issue.

“We have a predominantly white teaching staff, and it’s really important to recognize that a lot of (teachers) aren’t cultured with the same… history that we’re trying to teach our students,” Delacruz said.

To bridge these gaps, Advancing Justice | Chicago is leading efforts to make Asian American history more accessible. The organization hosts monthly two-hour professional development workshops, and partners with school districts to make training mandatory for teachers. At ETHS, training is not mandatory.

“I have the privilege of working at a district where they do support professional development to a degree if I asked for it, but it’s just hard to find the time and space for it as a busy teacher,” Delacruz said.

Despite challenges with implementation, teachers at ETHS said they still appreciate the significance of TEAACH.

isaiahsteinberg2027@u.northwestern.edu

shungraves2027@u.northwestern.edu

melissadai2026@u.northwestern.edu

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DAILY CROSSWORD Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 1 Surge of adrenaline 5 Regent’s order 10 Mil. branch with wings 14 Tactical political research, for short 15 Birthplace of pesto 16 Issue at the ATM 17 *Critical juncture 20 [New paragraph] 21 “Handling that now!”

22 Take to the sky 25 Friend __ friend 26 Midnight to midnight 27 *Record 32 Not just some 33 Kitchen scale button 34 Frangipani garlands 36 Water taxi 38 Longtime “One Life to Live” actress Renée __ Goldsberry 40 Red sign above a door 42 Mantis quintet 44 Literary magazine contributor, perhaps 45 Status update fig.

46 *Online discussion site 50 Fellow 52 Tres menos dos 53 As appropriate 54 Garden container?

56 Isaac of “Dune” 60 Reversal in luck, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues 65 Show up 66 Record company 67 God who took a bow 68 Half of all blackjacks 69 Did half of a biathlon 70 “Seasons of Love” musical DOWN 1 Tire swing line

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

11

AROUND TOWN

D65 offers migrant aid amid lack of city support

By SHREYA SRINIVASAN

daily senior staffer @shreyasrin

As the influx of Central American asylumseekers in the Chicago area grows, Evanston has offered limited housing and funds to incoming migrants, instead directing them to a South Loop intake center.

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 has consistently offered help for migrant students and their families, according to Evanston resident Kristin Huzar, who housed a family of four Venezuelan migrants for nine months last year.

“The one agency in Evanston that I would say that’s been so, so supportive are the schools,” Huzar said. “The school social worker signed them up to do Shop With a Cop to ensure that they would have Christmas presents.”

Shop With a Cop, an opportunity for at-risk youth to shop with a Chicago Police officer, helped the family’s two school-aged children, who are enrolled in District 65.

“I was afraid that they weren’t going to have very many presents, or really none at all, except for the ones I gave them,” Huzar added.

Evanston currently also has a Refugee Assistance Fund of $50,000, but the number of people supported it has not been “huge,” Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th) told The Daily last month.

The Evanston School Children’s Clothing Association, a nonprofit started during the Great Depression to provide free clothes to D65 K-8 students, helped the two children while the city provided little, according to

Evanston Dog Beach passes to be available starting next Monday Passes for the Evanston Dog Beach will be available starting Monday, Feb. 19, at the city’s three community centers as well as at

Daily file photo by Patrick Svitek

The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Joseph E. Hill Education Center.

Huzar.

D65 students are referred to the ESCCA’s free store by district health clerks or social

workers. Equipped with a translator service, the makeshift retail environment offers winter coats, fleeces and jeans and gives each student

the Evanston Ecology Center and Levy Senior Center, according to a Wednesday city news release.

The passes, mandatory for beach access, will be free for Evanston residents, as the city will change the access code to the beach on March 1, the first day of the 2024 season. Dog owners must bring an up-to-date license and a vaccination verification for their pets to obtain

a pass.

Non-residents can also purchase the dog beach pass for $200, with an option to pay $75 for each additional dog.

Located between Clark Street Beach and the Church Street Boat Ramp, the Evanston Dog Beach has long been a destination for residents and their canine companions to enjoy Lake Michigan.

a pair of gym shoes and boots. The clothes are sourced through gently-used donations and by partner organizations like the Woman’s Club of Evanston.

ESCCA co-President Allison Hackney said she has heard all kinds of stories about ESCCA’s impact — she said she recently heard about a high school student’s multigenerational experience, going back two generations of Mexican immigrants. She said that story reflects the program’s importance.

“Serving immigrants and migrants is a benefit to the Evanston community,” Hackney added. “We served this family so long ago and now, generations later, this woman is volunteering for ESCCA.” In December 2022, when the need for clothing increased along with the migrant influx, ESCCA had around 90 children on a waiting list for its free store. The nonprofit had to increase the number of days a week the free store was open. Now, around 500 kids are served per night.

“We’re very responsive to what we hear the needs of the students in our district are, and we’re able to very much personalize the service to what kids need,” Hackney said.

Along with providing clothes, ESCCA helps families feel welcome, she added.

“What I think makes ESCCA so great is that it is the Evanston community caring for its own community members in a very tangible way,” Hackney said. “Everytime you go in and serve at ESCCA, you know you’ve met a need somebody had.” shreyasrinivasan2026@u.northwestern.edu The city reopened the dog beach last February after closing it in 2018 due to rising lake levels. After lake levels retreated, city staff deemed it safe to resume access to the beach, according to Recreation Manager Tim Carter.

The beach is open seasonally from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.

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SPORTS

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@DailyNU_Sports

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Northwestern returns to Welsh-Ryan, faces Purdue

By BETSY LECY

the daily northwestern @betsy_lecy

Fresh off a loss to in-state rival Illinois, Northwestern returned to home base at Welsh-Ryan Arena to take on Purdue, looking to return to the win column.

The Wildcats (8-16, 3-10 Big Ten) dropped their second consecutive loss, as the Boilermakers (11-13, 4-9 Big Ten) cruised to a dominant road victory. The hosts never led during Wednesday’s game.

Between NU’s failure to fight for the ball below the basket and poor shooting, Purdue built an 18-9 first-quarter lead. Graduate student guard Maggie Pina managed to sink a 3-pointer at the buzzer to close the quarter, but the hosts still faced a near-double-digit deficit.

The ‘Cats attempted to attack with junior guard Melannie Daley’s six points at the half, but their effort didn’t prevail.

The margin continued to widen with the Boilermakers’ 19-point secondperiod lead compounding NU’s meager 17-point scoring output.

“I think we gambled too much,” coach Joe McKeown said. “We turned the ball over and we gave them easy transition buckets. We’re giving up layups that hit the ramp, and the Big Ten people make layups.”

Purdue returned to the second half dominating the court and manufactured a 57-30 lead entering the final frame and never looked back from that juncture.

McKeown’s team will look to regroup from another blowout loss in its home building, as the squad prepares for its next road spell. The ‘Cats travel to Minnesota Saturday for a promising game with the Golden Gophers. Minnesota’s 4-9 Big Ten record means a positive result for the ‘Cats may just be up for grabs.

“I think all of us over the next two weeks are just trying to not get ahead of yourself, play one game at a time. We got to be ready,” McKeown said.

Here are three takeaways from NU’s loss to Purdue Wednesday.

1. The ‘Cats can’t fight under the basket The rebounding battle has proven a tough area for NU throughout the campaign, especially in conference play. The disappointing trend persisted Wednesday night, and McKeown will hope to rectify the concern sooner, rather than later.

The Boilermakers’ 27 rebounds more than doubled the ‘Cats’ 13 rebounds in the first half. NU couldn’t generate anything on the offensive glass, hauling in just one offensive rebound. Meanwhile, Purdue grabbed 11 offensive boards

during the frame, providing plenty of opportunities for second chance points.

To add insult to injury, the Boilermakers continued to abuse the hosts’ lack of rebounding in the second half, increasing their tally to 46 — compared to just 29 for the ‘Cats. The fight necessary to prevail in the paint was unfortunately amiss throughout the blowout loss for NU. 2. Field goal percentage takes a significant dip, reflecting another persistent problem When McKeown’s squad faced Illinois in a pair of contests this season, the team never appeared a threat to take the lid of the basket.

And, with problems occurring on their rebounding effort, the ‘Cats ultimately didn’t have the opportunity to score the much needed baskets.

“We couldn’t get the first half shots to go in. We’re 4-of-20 from the three, you’re not going to beat many teams in this league” McKeown said.

Recording just a 32.8% shooting percentage that wasn’t in the same hemisphere as Purdue’s 46.0% conversion clip, the team’s ability to nab buckets was another telling factor.

Junior guard Melannie Daley led NU in the fight with 12 points, but it was hardly enough for the ‘Cats to contend in a one-sided affair filled with firepower

Henry Frieman/The Daily Northwestern

on one end — and ice-cold shooting on the other.

3. A Pink Game rolls in contributions Although NU didn’t put forth the performance it wanted on the scoreboard, Wednesday’s game was not all for naught — as both sides supported a worthy cause.

With cheerleaders, players and

MEN’S BASKETBALL

coaches adorned in pink getups,, this Valentine’s Day game was deemed the Play for Kay game as a memorandum to bring the community together to support women with all types of cancer.

The team contributed a generous $ 1,000 donation to the Kay Cancer Fund, and the fund continues to welcome additional contributions. elizabethlecy2027.1@u.northwestern.

FOOTBALL

NU prepares to brave Rutgers Judge sets 2025 trial

for Fitzgerald lawsuit

By TAYLOR HANCOCK

the daily northwestern @taylorhancock23

By JACOB WENDLER

Entering its second consecutive game without senior guard Ty Berry after Sunday’s gritty battle against Penn State, Northwestern is now preparing to face off with a similarly set Rutgers squad.

The Wildcats (17-7, 8-5 Big Ten) will need to find a rhythm without the 6-foot-3 senior after coach Chris Collins announced Wednesday that Berry will miss the remainder of the season with a torn meniscus.

Before Sunday, Berry had not missed a game since his freshman season. Starting in every game this year, the guard averaged 11.6 points, 1.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Losing a key scorer and team leader casts a dark shadow over NU’s next two road contests, especially given the squad’s 2-5 away record.

“We have to keep going (forward),” Collins said. “Guys are going to have to continue to step up and do whatever is necessary to try to fill whatever gaps we miss with not having Ty out there.”

Although Berry will be absent on the court, he remains with the team as a voice from the sidelines.

Graduate student guard Boo Buie, who has lined up alongside Berry for four seasons, said the senior’s supportive energy will be essential down the stretch.

“It’s unfortunate that Ty won’t be with us anymore, on the court, but he’ll be with us in spirit, he’ll be with us in practice, his voice, his leadership,” Buie said. “I think we still have all the right pieces to do what we said we wanted to do before the season, and I think that he can do a great job leading from the side and helping the younger guys out.”

Looking ahead to Thursday’s matchup against the Scarlet Knights (13-10, 5-7 Big Ten), the ‘Cats are not in the best position for a straightforward win. Rutgers is on a three-game winning streak,

daily senior staffer @jacob_wendler

Daily file photo by Henry Frieman

most recently defeating then-No. 11 Wisconsin by 22 points on Saturday night.

Facing the second-best defense in the conference — and center Clifford Omoruyi, who leads the conference in blocks per game — NU’s offense will need all hands on deck.

Buie led the team’s scoring output in Sunday’s low-scoring contest against the Nittany Lions with 15 points and six assists. Given the offensive struggles that Collins’ squad typically faces on the road, coupled with Rutgers’ tough defense, junior guard Brooks Barnhizer and sophomore forward Nick Martinelli will be key to the visitors’ victory hopes.

“We got a good look at what we can do at Penn State. I think we struggled offensively but I think we showed that our defense can still be good enough to win, and we’re probably going to have to hang our hat there,” Barnhizer said.

The Scarlet Knights match up well in terms of height against the Wildcats, but Martinelli’s size combined

with his trademark left-hand hook shot could push NU ahead.

Following his Rutgers debut on Feb. 3, reigning Big Ten Player of The Week Jeremiah Williams has helped fuel the hosts’ recent hot streak. NU will need to limit Williams’ effectiveness and find other scoring avenues beyond Buie to secure the win.

Before Williams joined the lineup, Rutgers’ offense was its biggest weakness, shooting 39.1% from the field and 29% from behind the arc. If the ‘Cats can put a stop to Williams while maintaining its scoring, the purple-and-white may be able to pull off a win.

“We’re going to have to lean on our defense more, I think it’s getting better,” Collins said. “Having Brooks and Nick together with one of our big guys, we’ve out rebounded our opponents the last two nights, that’s been a real positive (with) what we’ve done and we’re going to have to continue that moving forward.” taylorhancock2027@u.northwestern.edu

A judge for the Illinois Circuit Court for Cook County encouraged both parties to settle out of court in former head football coach Pat Fitzgerald’s breach of contract and defamation lawsuit against Northwestern and University President Schill at a Monday morning hearing. In an order issued after the hearing, the judge also set an April 7, 2025, trial date for the case, rejecting efforts by Fitzgerald’s lawyers to move the trial up.

Fitzgerald sued the University in October for breach of an oral contract, breach of employment contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, false light and tortious interference with a business expectancy related to his termination last July. He’s seeking more than $130 million to fulfill the remainder of his contract — $68 million, through 2030 — and calculated future earning losses of $62 million.

Fitzgerald’s case alleges that the University unlawfully terminated him on July 10, three days after he was suspended without pay and two days after The Daily reported on alleged hazing on the football team. That followed an independent investigation led by attorney Maggie Hickey from December 2022 until summer 2023.

While the investigation concluded there was not sufficient evidence that the coaching staff knew of the hazing, it did determine that “there had been significant opportunities (for coaches) to discover and report the hazing conduct.”

Fitzgerald appeared at the Monday hearing via Zoom, alongside Winston & Strawn Partners Dan Webb and Matthew Carter, who are representing Fitzgerald in the case. Jenner & Block Partners Reid Schar, Nicole Allen and Jason Bradford — the University’s legal counsel in the case — also appeared on Zoom.

At the hearing, Webb defended his request for a December 2024 trial date on the basis that delaying the case could prevent Fitzgerald from being able to

coach in the 2025 football season.

“I’m told by experts that if he misses that third season, then it’s going to have a severe impact on his ability to ever get a chance to get any kind of comparable coaching job,” Webb said.

Webb also said that, since Hickey’s investigation found no evidence of Fitzgerald’s knowledge of the hazing, a trial is likely to be speedy and conclusive.

Schar called the proposed schedule unachievable and pushed back on Webb’s logic, arguing that Hickey’s review did not clear Fitzgerald of wrongdoing and that additional evidence in court could counter that narrative. He also pushed back on the claim that the case will determine Fitzgerald’s ability to be hired as a football coach.

“If somehow the belief is that this is a simple case because it’s bound by what Maggie Hickey’s report found, that is not an accurate assessment of the complications of this case and the additional evidence that’s going to be relevant in this case,” Schar said.

Kubasiak responded that he could not determine the case’s schedule based on Fitzgerald’s line of employment and said he attempted to set a trial date that compromised both parties’ interests. He added that he hoped the parties would consider settling the case out of court.

“From my perspective — and only from my perspective — I don’t think any party wins if this matter goes to trial,” Kubasiak said. “I think this is clearly the type of matter that should be resolved with the parties.”

Fitzgerald, along with other current and former University officials, is also facing litigation from former football players related to the alleged hazing.

Schill told NU staff in a November fireside chat that the lawsuits would not put the University’s finances in jeopardy.

The judge gave both parties until July 31 to complete written fact discovery and until Dec. 6 to file motions for summary judgment. jacobwendler2025@u.northwestern.edu