The Daily Northwestern — April 17, 2023

The Daily Northwestern

Performing groups diversify memberships

Residents walk out of town-gown event

NU representatives refuse to address Ryan Field concerns

By WILLIAM TONG daily senior staffer @william2tong

About 40 residents and Northwestern students — out of almost 50 attendees total — walked out of the Northwestern University-City Committee meeting Wednesday night after NU representatives repeatedly said they could not comment on the Rebuild Ryan Field project.

Several attendees asked University representatives to answer a question The Daily posed about what actions NU would take if it is unable to obtain licenses and permits for the project. However, committee members representing the University declined to answer because they said the court order that established the committee prevented discussion about Ryan Field.

Though the order — a 2004 consent decree — does not mention the zoning district where Ryan Field sits, it encourages discussion on the areas serving as buffer zones adjacent to the stadium and

Students and faculty discuss artificial intelligence inside the classroom

NU’s Evanston Campus.

The University announced plans for rebuilding Ryan Field last September, following a $480 million donation from the Patrick and Shirley Ryan family in 2021. NU is looking to obtain a planned development for construction, a liquor license and a zoning text amendment to allow fullcapacity concerts.

Two of three lawyers the University asked to review consent decree interpretation before the meeting determined discussing Rebuild Ryan Field at the meeting was not “in the spirit of” the court order, said Dave Davis, NU senior executive director of neighborhood relations.

“It was important for Northwestern to be here,” he said.

“But we’re only going to comment on things that we believe are consistent with the consent decree.”

Vice President for Facilities Alex Darragh and Vice President for Operations Luke Figora responded to residents’ questions similarly.

Dave Schoenfeld, a community representative on the committee, said the consent decree’s interpretation shouldn’t be so narrow.

» See NU-CITY, page 6

Faculty look beyond letter marks

Professors turn to alternative grading to accomodate student needs

By LUIS CASTAÑEDA and SAMANTHA POWERS the daily northwestern @luiscasta220 / @sqpowers04

Political science Prof. Sirus Bouchat tells his students at the start of every quarter that he understands if his class is not their main priority.

Bouchat said they don’t want their students to feel uncertain about their grade when they’re “giving 100%.” Rather, a student’s grade is based on effort, they said.

“You might decide that this class is not that important to you, and that you have other classes that you want to give a higher priority,” Bouchat said.

‘Rise Up 4 Abortion’ takes Chicago

By LILY CAREY daily senior staffer @lilylcarey

Content warning: This article contains mentions of domestic violence.

More than 100 protesters marched through downtown Chicago on Saturday, joining reproductive health advocacy group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights to call for “legal abortion on demand and without apology.”

The protest came on the heels of a recent ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The ruling suspended the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, a type of abortion medication taken within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

First approved by the FDA in 2000, mifepristone is now used in over half of abortions carried out in the U.S.

A Wednesday decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit struck down Kacsmaryk’s ruling and kept

mifepristone’s FDA approval in place, but restricted access to the medication. The restrictions included limiting use of the medication to the first seven weeks of pregnancy and requiring an in-person doctor visit to obtain the medication.

On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito temporarily blocked the restrictions imposed by the 5th Circuit ruling until last Wednesday night. However, the court is expected to decide as early as this week whether or not to uphold these restrictions.

At Saturday’s protest, advocates called for the federal protection of abortion rights, emphasizing the role of medications such as mifepristone in allowing people to control their pregnancy and reproductive health.

“This is all about whether women are going to be treated as full human beings or not,” said event emcee Jay Becker. “This is about whether we’re going to be able to control our lives, our bodies, our destinies, or whether we’re going to be reduced to baby-making machines. And that is already happening.”

The event began in Federal Plaza with a crowd of about 60 people. Protesters then marched up State Street, through Millennium Park and back south to the plaza. The crowd nearly doubled in size during the march, with many passersby stopping to listen and even joining along the way.

Protest leaders also criticized recent decisions made under the majority-conservative Supreme Court, especially the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling in June that overturned constitutional federal

» See WOMENS MARCH, page 6

Bouchat implements several alternative forms of grading like “contract grading” and “autonomous grading.” Contract grading, he said, allows students to choose from a “menu” of assignments they think will be the most interesting and challenging for them. Autonomous grading relies on more self-assessment, and he said

he uses it more commonly with his graduate students. In political science classes that incorporate more math and statistics, Bouchat said he aims to make the material more accessible by allowing unlimited attempts on quizzes and leaving

» See GRADES , page 6

ASG voter turnout reaches 10-year low

Whalen and Cusick ticket wins majority of 175 votes casted

By JOANNA HOU daily senior staffer @joannah_11

SESP junior Donovan Cusick and McCormick junior Molly Whalen won the Associated Student Government presidential election, with about 95% of the vote. The two will serve as co-presidents the upcoming academic year.

According to Election Commissioner and Communication freshman Enzo Banal, the unopposed slate won 166 of the 175 votes cast, with nine voters casting no-confidence votes. The number of votes cast this year is significantly lower than the 1,950 cast last year and marks a record low in at least the last 14 years. The last uncontested election, held in 2019, brought in 852 votes.

Northwestern has more than 8,000 undergraduate students, bringing the turnout to about

2% of the undergraduate student body.

Banal said while ASG “cannot be confident” about what led to such low turnout, it may have been caused by changes in the Division of Student Affairs’ operations. While the division used to send out emails to remind undergraduate students to vote, Banal said its choice to not incorporate election messaging into its weekly Paw Print Newsletter may have reduced turnout.

“While we believe the Paw Print is a practical and helpful resource for us to reference details for upcoming events, its usefulness as a medium for outreach is limited, evidenced by this weekend’s turnout,” Banal said. “We could not inspire the degree of civic participation we’ve enjoyed in past years without institutional backing.”

Student Affairs has not sent out mass emails encouraging voting since 2021, but Banal said the “contentiousness” of the 2022 election could have driven up turnout last year. Cusick said the fact this year’s election was

» See ASG ELECTION, page 6

Illustration by Lily Ogburn

Professors at NU are looking at ways around the traditional form of grading in their classes.

Supreme Court expected to decide on mifepristone as early as this week

Lily Carey/Daily Senior Staffer Protesters for abortion rights marched to Millenium Park, where event organizers from Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights addressed onlookers.

What was missing in our Friday print paper

Content warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence and death.

On Wednesday, a young man lost his life. Two 15-year-old boys were injured, one gravely.

Though much of The Daily’s coverage so far has centered on the impact Wednesday night’s Clark Street Beach shooting had on Northwestern students, we know the effects go far deeper for the Evanston and Skokie communities. Jacquis Irby’s friends and family lost a loved one. Family members are still waiting for news about a 15-year-old in critical condition. Many Evanston and Skokie residents are heartbroken and hurting.

NU students were asked to shelter in place for more than an hour Wednesday night, and we recognize the fear and uncertainty that they experienced. But the violence that took a life did not impact the University community in the same way.

We want to acknowledge that our initial reporting on the shooting did not sufficiently document its impact on Evanston and Skokie residents, especially family and friends. Nor did we honor the life of Irby, an 18-year-old who played basketball and cared deeply about his younger brothers.

As student journalists, our responsibility is to report ethically and accurately on what we know. On Wednesday night, we delayed a print paper we were in the middle of producing when we went into lockdown. On Thursday night, we were required to publish a paper.

After the previous night’s events, and given that we needed to produce a paper, we knew we wanted to report on the shooting as thoroughly as possible. It didn’t feel right to cover anything else in Friday’s paper.

At the time, we knew we wanted to honor

Irby’s life — but we also felt it was far too soon to reach out to his loved ones. Writing an obituary without their perspectives would have omitted key memories of who he was. Though we eventually would like to write a story commemorating Irby, we need to let his family and friends determine the timeline. Working with only senior editors, we discussed how to cover the shooting and Irby’s death. But we are also students. We don’t have all the answers. We don’t know if all elements of our approach were right, but we worked with the information we had and tried to minimize harm.

Though we felt it was important to cover the impact of the shooting and its immediate aftermath, we hope this isn’t the end of our coverage. We’ll wait until people have capacity and desire to speak with us, and we understand that time may never come.

Our primary goal on Thursday was to gather as much information as we could without imposing a burden on Irby’s family and friends, acknowledging students’ and residents’ experiences to the best of our ability.

We know we didn’t reflect the experiences of everyone — or even most people — in Evanston and Skokie, and we are working to improve.

If you would like to speak about your memories of Irby, please feel free to reach out to us at managing@dailynorthwestern.com if and when you feel up to it.

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Alex Perry, Editor in Chief

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nuAZN produces coming-of-age stories

By JESSICA MA daily senior staffer @jessicama2025

It’s been more than two years since NU Asian Magazine released its most recent issue. But now, students are working to revive the Asian/Asian American student-interest magazine, which plans to release a new edition this quarter.

Medill junior Brendan Le, editor in chief of nuAZN, said the magazine allows young Asian and Asian American journalists to express the way they see the world — a perspective he said other platforms don’t feature as prominently.

“Something that I really love is watching a magazine come together,” Le said. “To be able to produce a print magazine with an all-Asian staff is a testament to what we can make if we’re able to come together.” Le, who worked on nuAZN last academic year, said pandemic-related challenges hindered the publication’s production. As editor in chief, he helps decide the magazine’s layout, intended tone and theme.

The upcoming issue’s theme is “coming of age.”

It’s “close to heart” for Medill junior Ilise Angel, nuAZN’s photo director, because coming of age is a universal experience of discovery, she said.

Angel said photo shoots for the issue will reimagine the depiction of “coming of age” in popular culture and media. Through the perspectives of Asians and Asian Americans, the photo shoots seek to reexamine milestones like prom, she said.

“This issue is a way to point out how (coming of age) is relatable somewhat universally, but it’s not quite capturing the nuances of everyone’s experience,” Angel said. “We’re capturing the Asian American experience.”

Within nuAZN, Angel said telling her own stories and her community’s stories is empowering. But she said journalists of color continue to face challenges in the reporting world outside of affinity magazines.

According to a Pew Research Center survey, 3% of reporting journalists are Asian, whereas 76% are white.

Angel said U.S. newsrooms make it difficult for journalists of color to cover issues beyond their communities. She also said Asian and Asian American

reporters take on the emotional labor of writing about the issues their communities face.

Popular Asian American media sites like NextShark aren’t nuanced enough either, Angel added.

“Being able to create a magazine that talks more in-depth — analytically and intentionally — about these issues is impactful, powerful and something that is necessary,” Angel said.

While other campus publications cover stories related to Asian American issues, Le emphasized that nuAZN centers them. The magazine provides an important space not only for readers, but also for its editors and staff, he added.

Medill freshman Judy Zeng, a freelance writer for nuAZN, pitched a story for the issue. She said she plans to cook three dishes from YouTube channel Made with Lau, which features Cantonese recipes, for the issue. She will be documenting her

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experience for the upcoming issue.

“When I was back home, I followed that YouTube channel, and that was really fun,” Zeng said. “I feel like sharing that with Northwestern’s Asian American community would be really exciting.”

When Zeng came to NU, she knew she wanted to explore campus publications. She said nuAZN allowed her to combine her interest in Asian American issues with reporting.

Ultimately, the magazine allows members of the NU Asian and Asian American community to create content they are drawn to, Angel said.

“It’s a way to creating something that is by you and for your community,” Angel said. “I’m excited to … see how much this can mean to Asians at Northwestern who are going to read it.” jessicama2025@u.northwestern.edu

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Illustration by Samanta Habashy

The upcoming issue of NU Asian Magazine, which is being revived this quarter, seeks to depict “coming of age” through the perspective of Asian Americans.

A&E arts & entertainment

Super Mario Bros: A fun ride for audiences of all ages

By DANNY O’GRADY daily senior staffer @dannymogrady04

Few fictional characters are as recognizable as Mario, the face of gaming giant Nintendo. The animators at Illumination bore a heavy weight as they attempted to bring everyone’s favorite plumber to the big screen for the first time since 1993. Their finished product, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” is by no means perfect, but it’s a fun ride for audiences of all ages.

While it was originally criticized for its voice cast lacking Italian American representation, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” boasts strong voice acting performances across the board. However, Chris Pratt’s depiction of Mario does not come off as a stereotype and he does an admirable job embodying the character.

Illumination made a risky decision by choosing A-list actors like Jack Black and Anya Taylor-Joy over traditional voice actors. However, this choice pays off. Each member of the cast expertly embodies their character.

No deep knowledge of the Mario universe is necessary to enjoy the film, allowing everyone to watch the escapades across the Mushroom Kingdom. Nevertheless, the characters feel like genuine interpretations of their video game counterparts, but at times, the movie illuminates new sides of the iconic characters. For instance, seeing Bowser practice his routine to propose to Princess Peach is an excellent comedic moment, showing a more lighthearted side of the typically grim character.

The movie still retains an atmosphere reminiscent of its game counterparts. For instance, the colorful visuals and cartoony backdrops echo “Super Mario Odyssey” and other Mario games.

Along with well-known songs from the game soundtracks, Illumination sprinkled in some famous pop hits for comedic effect. “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC in particular perfectly complements the main kart sequence of the movie, with the rock-heavy track juxtaposed with the goofy antics on screen.

The comedy is clearly the main draw of the movie. Thankfully, it mostly delivers on that front — though most jokes are directed toward younger audiences.

However, the emphasis on comedy keeps the movie from developing a complex and layered story. This doesn’t prevent enjoyment, since the plot isn’t the main appeal. Still, other animated movies marketed for children such as “Up” have managed to present a deeper meaning. While “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” addresses themes such as brotherhood and living up to expectations, it does so on a forgettable surface level.

The poor pacing certainly hindered plot development, with runtime below an hour and a half. The movie doesn’t drag on, but neither does it have time to flesh out its characters.

However, a post-credits scene indicates a sequel may soon enter development — beloved characters like Yoshi or King Boo who weren’t in this movie may make appearances down the line.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” provides what one would expect from a Mario movie, but not much more.

The mass appeal of this movie empowered it to become the biggest animated movie launch ever, grossing $678 million in 11 days. Nintendo is now set up for success as it begins new cinematic projects based on one of its most beloved franchises.

dannyogrady2026@u.northwestern.edu

Practical Theatre Company returns to Studio5 Evanston

By LEXI GOLDSTEIN the daily northwestern @lexipgoldstein

Northwestern alumni Paul Barrosse (Communication ’80) and Vic Zielinski (Weinberg ’78, Communication M.A. ’79, Pritzker ’83) craved a return to comedy after decades of working in Los Angeles.

“We got to a point in our life where we looked at each other across the table when we were in our early 50s and said: ‘Are we comedians, or what happened?’” Zielinski said.

The married couple wrote the comedy revue “The Vic & Paul Show” in 2010, marking the revival of The Practical Theatre Company after a near 22-year hiatus.

The Practical Theatre Company, a nonprofit founded at NU, celebrated its 44th anniversary Saturday, with performances from company members, including former music director Steve Rashid (Bienen M.M. ’83) and the band, the Studio5 AllStars. From June 8 through July 2, “The Summer Vic & Paul & Dana Revue” will take stage at Studio5 in Evanston and combine classic company sketches, songs and improv comedy.

“Some of (the sketches are) evergreen and as old as 10 years old,” Zielinski said. “Each of those has been modified to have a resilience that gives it new life as we respond to things that are happening outside.”

At “Practical Radio Theatre on the Air,” which ran April 8 and 9 at Studio5, the trio took on a radio show format to deliver bits ranging from political commentary and slapstick to finger tap dancing.

Original music director Larry Schanker (Bienen ’81, ’88) will return for some events.

“It’s kind of Nichols and May comedy sketch, but it originates in improv,” Zielinski said. “The design of the show is just as flexible because we can be topical and respond to something that happened.”

The company’s shows take place on Studio5’s large stage to an intimate audience at cabaret tables and theater seats. Studio5, initiated by co-artistic directors Rashid and his wife Béa (Communication ’78), is an extension of Dance Center Evanston.

The Practical Theatre Company, originally named Attack Theatre at NU, was established in 1979 from the minds of Barrosse, his roommate Brad Hall (Communication ’80), Robert Mendel (Communication ’80) and Angela Murphy (Communication ’82).

The group found early success at the John Lennon

Auditorium and Piper’s Alley Theatre behind The Second City, all before “Saturday Night Live” signed the four stars of “The Golden 50th Anniversary Jubilee” in 1982.

Barrosse, one of the four plucked for “SNL,” worked as a writer for a year. Despite his disappointment with not being on camera as much as he expected, Barrosse said he “would not trade the experience for the world” and had 22 of his sketches air during the show’s 1982-83 season.

But members of the company dispersed over time. Barrosse and Zielinski moved west to start their family and careers as television producers. Physical separation caused Practical Theatre Company to go dormant after “Rock Me!” in 1988 until “The Vic & Paul Show” was created in 2010.

About the same time as the company’s revival, Barrosse and Zielinski began to host holiday shows in Evanston, which they continued to do with other company collaborators every Christmas and New Year’s until the COVID-19 pandemic. Zielinski said they wanted to come back to Evanston for the community and the “smart theatre” — so they went east.

“You just feel the crackle of it in a way that you don’t feel in other venues,” Zielinski said. “Folks know how to laugh, and they support and appreciate their comedy.”

The addition of Studio5 as an intimate performance venue in Evanston provided an opportunity for Barrosse, Zielinski and longtime collaborator Dana Olsen (Communication ’80) to continue performing their annual holiday show and begin work on “Vic & Paul & Dana’s Post-Pandemic Revue.”

After five of the company’s six most recent

holiday shows sold out, Barrosse wanted to extend the show’s run. So Rashid, a longtime friend and music director for “The Vic & Paul Show,” offered the trio a residency at Studio5.

“These spring shows may do great. They might bring in just a handful of people. It sort of doesn’t matter to me, and I don’t think it matters to them,” Rashid said. “It’s more like, ‘Let’s just keep doing stuff and have fun with it,’ and then we’ll do full-on productions a couple times a year.”

The residency entails sketch, stand-up and silent comedy offerings along with film screenings and even some Shakespeare-related events.

Barrosse, Olsen and Zielinski continue managing the company as a brand because of its history and reputation in Chicago. The group is working to rekindle its fan base since there are some supporters who still remember those “haydays” in the ‘80s, Olsen said. Though the names, faces and sketches have evolved over the years, Practical Theatre Company has plans to stick around.

“We definitely want to keep it going and utilize the space as much as we can and have as much fun there as we can,” Olsen said.

The lessons the trio learned through the relationships they established at NU were as important as anything they learned in the classroom, Zielinski added.

“These are relationships that are born in play, because we improvise together and there’s a kind of love and respect and tenderness that has evolved over the years and, you know, is it Northwestern? Maybe,” Zielinski said.

Illustration by Shveta Shah

Photo courtesy of Paul Barrosse

“The Vic & Paul & Dana Show” started in 2015, marking an official collaboration between the trio of NU alumni that has been sustained through holiday shows and years of friendship.

Non-Bienen, Comm majors thrive in musical groups

By DAVID SAMSON the daily northwestern @dpsamson_

Communication freshman Ellen Darmstadter joined the Philharmonia orchestra in the winter after she didn’t perform her violin during Fall Quarter.

“I just want to continue playing in college for fun, for enjoyment, because I miss music in my life,” she said.

Across campus, though most musical and theatre groups are dominated by Bienen and Communication students, non-majors are able to join many. Several said these performing arts opportunities offer well-rounded, non-arts majors a welcome reprieve from academics and a vibrant community on campus.

However, some also said finding and making the time for arts opportunities can be difficult for those concentrating on other fields.

Like Darmstadter, Weinberg freshman Brandon Takahashi said he finds fulfillment as a member of the University Singers Choral Ensemble. It allows him an opportunity to meet people who share his passion.

Even though Takahashi is not majoring in music, he is a classically trained musician –– which he said helped him transition to college choir.

However, he noted that most Bienen ensembles require performers to have at least a basic level of knowledge, including the ability to read music and sight read.

“It’s harder to find a space for those kinds of people to learn those fundamental skills,” Takahashi said.

While there are some introductory music classes — like General Music 170: Introduction to Music and General Music 250: Harmony — offered to non-music majors, students’ anonymous course evaluations have shown some of those who don’t have prior experience struggle.

Though some Bienen ensembles are less accessible to beginners, non-majors who can keep up with instruction benefit from learning alongside performance majors, according to McCormick senior Olivia Johansson, another

member of University Singers.

“I grow as a musician a lot because I’m surrounded by people, music majors and non-majors, who are far more advanced and know far more about music than I ever will,” Johansson said.

Now in her fourth quarter with the group, Johansson said the peace of putting everything else aside when rehearsing still enchants her.

With her time at NU coming to an end, Johansson said participating in choir has shaped her college experience, and added that her only regret was not starting sooner.

“It wasn’t until my junior year that I discovered that non-majors could actually audition for Bienen (choral ensembles),” she said.

Confusion surrounding auditions extends to theatre too. Navigating the plethora of theatre

boards and productions can be challenging for prospective actors, stage technicians and crew members, Weinberg junior Rosemary Sissel said.

Sissel, a technical director on the Executive Board of WAVE Productions, found opportunities to participate in theatre through the “This Week In Student Theatre” email list in her freshman year.

She initially stumbled upon an ad through TWIST as a freshman for a stage manager role and saw the gig as an opportunity to dive into the theatre scene at NU.

Three years later, she has worked as a stage manager, sound designer, set designer and even an actor. But as a non-theatre major, she said she’s cautious about taking on too much

responsibility while balancing her academics. Sissel estimated she is one of only a handful of non-majors on the 17-member executive board.

“For me and for other people who are STEM majors, you really have to watch because otherwise you could be just up to your neck in work,” she said. “It’s terrifying.”

However, Sissel said her time with WAVE has been one of the most rewarding experiences she’s had at NU, particularly because of the board’s emphasis on passion for the craft.

“Getting to see (a show) go up is the most magical thing,” she said. “I had a part in making this beautiful thing and releasing this art into the world.”

davidsamson2026@u.northwestern.edu

Clickbait displays diversity, style in Chicago punk scene

By JACK AUSTIN daily senior staffer @jackaustinnews

Post-punk band Clickbait has garnered a loyal fan base since its inception several years ago. The band is known for energetic live performances, stylish and outlandish outfits, and its diversity.

Nick Mayor, the band’s drummer, said he created the band name as a way to mock spam links and phishing operations.

The band released the six song EP “Nashville Sessions” in 2022, and hopes to release their first album sometime before the end of this year. Band members also said they would like to coordinate a U.S. tour in conjunction with the LP’s release.

Music booker Citlally Fabela described the band as “playful” and “funky.” Fabela said they seek to promote underground bands in the Chicago area, particularly from underrepresented communities.

“I wanted to give more space to especially Black and brown, (and) queer punk fans and (centered) that when I booked shows,” Fabela said.

Fabela was previously in local bands Sad Dragon and Private Life, and said they love the punk community’s diversity –– especially relative to other music scenes. They also said punk encourages mutual aid and support.

Clickbait’s guitarist Kelsey Henke said that although she grew up as a music lover in Chicago, going to some shows felt unsafe for her as a woman.

Similarly, Sandra Yau, lead vocalist and auxiliary percussion player, said that spaces for punk shows often didn’t allow her to exist comfortably as a woman of color. Post-punk is different, she added.

“Our fan base is more diverse. There’s more women, there’s more queer people, there’s more people of color taking up more space and I think that’s something that’s important to us, and so that’s why we’re so proud of our fan base,” bassist Jen Lemasters said. “There’s something about being at a show (where) you can possibly see yourself in these situations. I’m also proud to be someone who’s taking up space (as a woman of color).”

Melissa Cher, a fan of the band, said she loves the band’s energy in its live performances, its diversity and the fact that it is fronted by

women.

There are not enough powerful womenfronted bands, Cher said.

“I feel empowered (by Yau). A lot of the lyrics are emotions that she’s talking (about) and she has to get (them) out,” Cher said. “But the person doesn’t seem to be hearing her and I feel like I’ve been in that position so many times. So, it’s very relatable.”

Yau said she often writes from a personal perspective. She added that it can take courage to write from a place of vulnerability.

Multiple members of the band stressed their desire to create safe spaces at their shows and in the larger post-punk community.

“You have to create a space where it’s okay for women to be like, ‘this person’s being a creep to me’,” Henke said. “Part of it is representation. I think part of it is also (that) we book shows, with bands that we respect and we think that they bring good politics to the space.”

This genuine effort has not gone unnoticed by fans. Mayor said the band has noticed their following begin to grow with new faces popping up at shows, and some fans becoming regulars at their Chicago performances.

Darien Sea, talent booker for the California Clipper, said he knew Clickbait would become one of his favorite bands after he heard them for the first time. Since then, Sea has booked the band several times.

Sea said he appreciates the band’s “holistic approach” to creativity that creates engaging, exciting music.

“It seems like there’s a lot of intention that goes into the music that they make, and all the lines flow together,” Sea said. “I was blown away the first moment I saw them.

Ashley Lemasters, Jen Lemasters’ sister, said her favorite memory of Clickbait was seeing them play at the Empty Bottle, when each member of the band was dressed as a fruit or vegetable.

Sea, Cher and Lemasters said they all appreciated the band’s unique style and costumes on stage –– something that sets Clickbait apart from other bands.

Clickbait often coordinates their outfits around a monochromatic color. The band crafts original costumes from thrifted material; Yau attended school for fashion design and works as a stylist.

Henke said that the costumes influence her onstage persona. She added that the band’s energy emboldens her to dance and move

around onstage, helping her relieve feelings of stage fright she’s experienced in other bands.

Ashley Lemasters said that Clickbait draws from a wide variety of influences to create fun, upbeat music, which belies how deep and sad the lyrics tend to be.

Musician Sharmon Jarmon, who recently became a Clickbait fan, compared the band to N.E.R.D, the 1999 hip-hop and rock band –– especially in their earlier days, when it was rock, alternative, and “in your face,” they said. Jarmon’s appreciation for Clickbait was instantaneous.

“Instantly I was like, whoa, this group is going places and what I loved was the energy of course, with the sound,” Jarmon said. “The sound was unique. Their stage presence was unique.”

Members of the band said they draw off the energy of the crowd and each other.

The group said they felt a cohesion and high energy connection at a show at Berlin, a venue in Lakeview. Yau said she amplifies her offstage self to deliver good performances to fans. She added that she feels a palpable connection with the audience.

“There’s definitely a reciprocated energy that comes between being in the band and people watching the band. Everybody in the room could feel it.” Yau said. “Their energy was resonating within my body.”

johnathanaustin2023@u.northwestern.edu

arts & entertainment

Editor

Ella Jeffries

Assistant Editors

Lexi Goldstein

Beatrice Villaflor

Design Editors

Valerie Chu

Danny O’Grady

Anna Souter

Photo courtesy of Sandra Yau

Clickbait posing for a photo after a show at the Empty Bottle in Ukranian Village. From left to right: bassist Jen Lemasters, drummer Nick Mayor, lead vocalist Sandra Yau and guitarist Kelsey Henke.

Illustration by Lily Ogburn

Many non-majors said they enjoy performing in musical and theatre groups across campus.

individual feedback for students.

“I find that students, particularly students in the social sciences who don’t have a lot of familiarity with (math), get very easily overwhelmed,” Bouchat said. “I was looking for ways to … invite students to participate in learning without having all of this triggered fear of performance.”

History Prof. Sarah Cushman uses a portfolio grading style, where students compile and revise their assignments throughout the quarter. Cushman said she avoids sticking with more conventional forms of grading just for the sake of tradition. She said grading is a relatively new practice in the grand scheme of education, and she wonders if it still serves its original purpose.

Letter grading did not become popular until the 1940s, according to Life Sciences Education, and it was created with the purpose of standardizing education.

“I don’t think that we can equate less traditional forms of grading with less rigor,” Cushman said. “It just means that there’s a different form of assessment.”

They said their cumulative grading style helps students learn time management skills and take responsibility for their education.

Cushman incorporates learning objectives into her class, allowing her students to self-reflect. As an undergraduate student, she said, she often wrote her papers the night before they were due with no revision, but in graduate school she began revising everything. She hopes revision aids in the learning

NU-CITY

From page 1

“Clearly, any use of property in connection (with a) reconstructed or expanded stadium — or extensive or increased use of the property — plainly comes within the consent decree,” Schoenfeld said. “That should be discussed in the committee.”

The discussion on what subjects the committee could discuss followed more than 40 minutes of public comment from residents opposed to current Rebuild Ryan Field plans and in support of a community benefits agreement between the city and University, which would require NU to invest more in Evanston public services.

Fiona McCarthy, a 7th Ward resident, said she is worried about noise pollution and adverse environmental effects that may result from the rebuild and new proposed uses of the stadium. Other residents in attendance agreed.

“These are major impacts to our lives that we didn’t sign up for,” McCarthy said.

Student representatives from NU Graduate Workers, Students Organizing for Labor Rights and Fossil Free NU also attended the meeting. They said they supported a community benefits agreement as well.

For SOLR, this support comes from campus-based past experiences, SESP sophomore and SOLR representative Hana-Lei Ji said, because the University

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process for her students.

“If the student is working for a grade and not for knowledge, then how is that serving their education?” Cushman said.

Communication freshman Tyler Callahan said his instructor, Communication Prof. Ana Díaz Barriga, used a non-traditional form of grading in her Theatre 240: Special Topics in Theatre Studies course. He said the class focused on how cognitive research can translate to live performance.

Callahan said the grading style confused him at times. The course involved a pair of paths on each assignment: a writing option and presentation option. Both options had different deadlines.

“It was a little bit hard to keep up with,” Callahan said. “I turned in some things like a couple of days late, but she was very forgiving about that.”

Although Callahan appreciated having the choice of assignment format, he said he would have found one path easier to follow.

Callahan said he could see how the options would be helpful in playing to student’s strengths and not restricting them based on the assignment format, with some students being better at writing and others at presenting.

But Callahan said he thought some of the two-path assignments were difficult to understand.

“If you’re a teacher and you’re trying to figure out one system of grading, it would be better to have one really thought-out idea for an assignment rather than two half-baked ideas,” Callahan said.

luiscastaneda2026@u.northwestern.edu

has not been able to keep promises it made related to workers’ rights on campus.

“The concerns of the Evanston community are completely justified,” Ji said. “This is why SOLR … supports the community benefits agreement to ensure that Northwest ern’s promises are followed through.”

Davis said NU plans to meet with committee chair Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) and other city officials on April 19 to determine whether the committee can discuss Rebuild Ryan Field under the consent decree.

Kelly said the University officials’ announcement during the meeting was the first time she heard of such plans. She added that she would like to see the committee hear about issues between Evanston and NU before the latter submits Rebuild Ryan Field requests to the city.

While the University has requested a zoning text amendment, it has yet to submit a planned development application, which allows construction for the new stadium. The city will review the two requests at the same time, according to the Land Use Commission.

“I would like to see that there’s a pause on this until we come to community agreements,” Kelly said. “That’s really essential for Northwestern’s success as well. You don’t want to go forward and create animosity with the community.”

williamtong2026@u.northwestern.edu

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SOLUTION TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

uncontested likely influenced voter turnout.

He said he and Whalen are taking the time to meet with students and various student groups on campus to learn about their concerns and demands. Whalen said many of the groups they’ve spoken to support the ticket’s proposal to send multiple groups with similar funding demands to meet the administration as a collective. Cusick and Whalen believe a coalition will better the chances of the administration meeting student’s demands.

“I wouldn’t necessarily mark (low voter turnout) up as low support for us,” Cusick said. “Voter turnout or not, it doesn’t really change motivation for still getting involved in and making a change.”

Cusick and Whalen have both participated in ASG since their freshman years. Cusick has served as vice president, interim chair of finance, chief of staff and a SESP senator. Whalen has served as executive officer of accountability, policy research chair and a Communication senator.

In their first days in office, Whalen said connecting with Susan Davis, NU’s new vice president for student affairs, will be a top priority.

“We really want to be able to build a relationship with her as that’s going to be really instrumental to how we’re able to work in the coming years,” Whalen said.

Cusick said Student Affairs handles student

WOMENS MARCH

From page 1

protections of abortion under Roe v. Wade.

Becker said the court is “dominated by Christian fascists” who have failed to follow judicial precedents and to protect women’s rights, a message echoed by several others at the protest.

“When we say fascism, we mean the rejection and overturning of democracy … we mean a passionate desire to impose traditional social hierarchies of class, race, nationality, and of course, gender,” said RU4AR volunteer Paul Street.

Since the Dobbs ruling, Street told The Daily that attendance at many of the group’s protests has declined. He said Saturday’s crowd was significantly larger, showing the importance of recent rulings on mifepristone to area residents.

Ahead of the potential Supreme Court ruling on mifepristone, Becker said RU4AR aims to broaden their activism network. She said protesters should be prepared to take immediate action if a decision on the abortion medication is made in the coming days.

For River Forest resident Iris Saavedra, who

concerns including conduct, funding and residential life. The Cusick-Whalen ticket prioritized improving student group funding and residential resource access for off-campus students in their platform.

Following the Clark Street Beach shooting Wednesday that exposed University emergency communication lapses, Whalen said she and Cusick have already reached out to administration to ask who will talk to ASG about student safety.

“Once (the administration) unveils their process for how they’re going to get feedback, I’m hoping that we can suggest appropriate adjustments if necessary, to make sure it’s not just ASG that they’re talking to but students at large,” Whalen said.

The two will also focus on assembling a cabinet in the upcoming weeks. Whalen said she’s looking forward to working with a new executive board, and added the pair’s past relationships with administration will allow them to “get started right away.” Cusick said he’s excited to continue having discussions with new people and seeing some of the changes he’s helped make this year extend into future years.

“I hope some of the things that we’ve been working on this year can continue and want to ensure promises from administration are followed through on,” Cusick said. “Hopefully (we can) really change some of the groundwork to make (ASG) and the University better in the long run.”

joannahou2025@u.northwestern.edu

attended Saturday’s protest, the importance of accessing proper healthcare throughout pregnancy is “a missing part of (the) debate.”

“I mean, there’s so much that can go wrong (during pregnancy),” Saavedra said. “So for somebody else to dictate that … it’s incredible ignorance of what science is and how women’s bodies work.”

Attendee Janice Constante said many lawmakers’ arguments behind the passage of recent heartbeat bills in several states that ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy are “not sound.”

Constante, who is a nurse, said many women don’t know they’re pregnant at six weeks.

Attendee Jett Emerson said her experience growing up in group homes drove her to join Saturday’s protest. She said abortion is key to protecting people from domestic abuse.

“I just see my sisters going through the cycle of domestic violence, and just that opportunity getting taken away from them by not having that upbringing or knowing what to do,” Emerson said. “It’s our body, (abortion) is a medical thing, so let it happen.”

lilycarey2025@u.northwestern.edu

DAILY CROSSWORD

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Three Ill. college unions strike over faculty pay

By KATE WALTER daily senior staffer @katewalter03

Members of the Eastern Illinois University union came to a tentative agreement with the university administrators Thursday, while unions at Chicago State University and Governors State University remain on strike.

Unions at the three Illinois public universities went on strike in early April after contract negotiations with their respective administrations fell through, primarily over increasing faculty pay. These movements come amid strikes at other institutions in the country, most notably at Rutgers University. Three unions at Rutgers went on strike last week.

After a six-day strike at EIU, members of the institution’s University Professionals of Illinois Chapter decided Thursday to suspend the strike to evaluate the administration’s “last, best, final offer,” according to a press release from the union. However, the bargaining team did not endorse the university’s financial offer, since it did not provide union members the opportunity to do work they missed during the strike.

“Our members knew that we had to consider this package despite the cost to our own financial wellbeing because we know that improving conditions for our advisors, counselors and faculty means improving the learning environment for all of our students,” the EIU union’s lead negotiator Billy Hung said in an email news release.

The CSU Chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois has been officially bargaining with administration since last June, calling on the university to raise wages. In March, union members voted to strike if a deal wasn’t met in future bargaining sessions with the university.

Ernst Coupet, a member of the bargaining team in CSU’s union, said contract negotiations have centered on a few key issues, including increasing faculty salaries to keep up with the pace of inflation.

“We came here because we love the mission,” Coupet said. “But we’ve been letting the institution just drive our real wages down too far. So enough is enough.”

Data from the Illinois Board of Higher Education show that faculty at CSU, a predominantly Black institution, are among the lowest-paid public university faculty in Illinois. Professors at Chicago State earned $88,000 on average in the 2021-22 academic year,

$7,000 less than the state average for public university professors, according to a report from the National Education Association cited by the union.

In a statement, CSU administration said it had “achieved agreement on significant issues” with the union, while acknowledging “the financial realities at the University” which limit its ability to meet the union’s proposals.

GSU’s chapter of UPI went on strike last Tuesday following failed contract negotiations with the university.

Mike Hart, the GSU UPI President, echoed similar concerns about faculty salaries failing to keep up with inflation.

Union members at Northeastern Illinois University may also strike soon, based on a recent vote by members. On Thursday, 95% of union members voted to

strike if an agreement is not met with administration officials regarding working conditions and wages.

All three strikes came less than three months after the UIC United Faculty at the University of Illinois Chicago reached a tentative contract agreement with school officials following their strike over compensation.

Aaron Krall, union president at the University of Illinois Chicago, said the recent strikes reflect a “reinvigorated higher education labor movement” in the U.S.

He said the wave of strikes results from disinvestment in public higher education institutions in Illinois. The state halved its spending on public universities between 2000 to 2023, according to a report from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Krall said the pandemic has also led many workers to reevaluate how they are treated by the institutions they work for.

Rosemary Feurer, an associate professor at Northern Illinois University, said labor laws in Illinois are “less restrictive” compared to other states, so unions have greater freedom. Feurer referenced the Educational Labor Relations Act and the Workers’ Rights Amendment, which was enshrined into the state constitution this past year and gives workers the right to collectively bargain.

Despite Illinois’ protections for striking workers, Krall said unions still face great resistance at state universities.

“We are in a state that’s very labor friendly,” Krall said. “And yet, our public universities really have not have not been very friendly to labor. And I think that’s something that’s going to have to change.”

katewalter2025@u.northwestern.edu

Illustration by Lily Ogburn

Unions at Chicago State University, Governors State University and Eastern Illinois University have all gone on strike over contract negotiations this month.

Cats pull away from Buckeyes, clinch conference title

By JAKE EPSTEIN the daily northwestern @jakeepste1n

Following an upset-filled week in the Big Ten — with No. 18 Penn State triumphing over No. 10 Maryland and No. 25 John Hopkins beating No. 13 Michigan, No. 2 Northwestern carried its 13-game winning streak into Columbus for a battle with Ohio State on Saturday.

While the Buckeyes (5-10, 0-5 Big Ten) punched well above their weight in a senior day showdown, the Wildcats (14-1, 5-0 Big Ten) overcame turnover troubles and moved one step closer towards an outright regular season title with a 17-11 victory.

Sophomore midfielder Samantha Smith corralled the opening draw and eventually fed senior attacker Erin Coykendall for a quickfire score in the game’s opening minute. Just 74 seconds later, senior attacker Dylan Amonte fired home a free-position shot, extending the NU edge to 2-0. After graduate student attacker Hailey Rhatigan picked up a yellow card, Ohio State attacker Chloë Johnson capitalized on the player-advantage, cutting the Cats’ lead to 2-1 with 11:18 remaining in the first frame.

Three minutes later, sophomore defender Samantha White scooped a ground ball and

BASEBALL

Northwestern suffers sweep to Cornhuskers

By LAWRENCE PRICE daily senior staffer @lpiii_tres

After winning its first series of the season versus Illinois last weekend, Northwestern sank back to the opposite end of the spectrum against the Big Ten leader in Nebraska, getting swept in a three-game series — its third three-game series sweep of the season.

Nearly nothing fell in the Wildcats’ (5-25, 3-6 Big Ten) favor during its trip to the Cornhuskers (21-11-1, 7-2 Big Ten), losing the first two contests by five and seven runs, respectively, and by 13 in the Sunday finale. The 18-5 loss comes in as the fourth-most runs NU has surrendered in a contest this season, following the 24 runs it gave up to Illinois-Chicago on Tuesday.

To spare readers from scanning a disappointing recap, here’s three takeaways to put this series in the past as quickly as possible:

1. Mound continues to be Cats’ worst enemy

9.13. That was NU’s ERA before their last contest — the 15th worst in all of Division I and without a doubt the worst in the conference. Illinois is second-to-last when it comes to that category, but is miles away from this dismal figure.

And the Cats’ weekend series versus the Cornhuskers underscored their high ERA, giving up nearly 12 runs per contest — 35 in total, to be exact. NU hasn’t been able to find consistency throughout its starting rotation and bullpen the entire season, headlined by hot-and-cold outings.

The right-handed trio of juniors Matt McClure and Luke Benneche and graduate Michael Farinelli has struggled to be in sync or produce back-to-back solid outings on the mound. For instance, Farinelli’s performance against Purdue two weekends ago led to the Cats’ lone victory in West Lafayette, Indiana, yet he has given up a combined 13 runs in his last two outings.

Of course, no pitcher is going to bring his best stuff every day. But with a bullpen that has continually struggled, on top of holding the worst batting average in the Big Ten, a successful start on the mound is of the utmost importance.

2. An eye for an eye: Cornhuskers are arguably the best team in the Big Ten

Although another sweep won’t sit well for anyone inside the Cats’ program, NU was never favored to down the Cornhuskers — the conference’s best team currently and a consistent Men’s College World Series attendee. Not to mention, the Cats’ loss to UIC on Tuesday made matters and odds even worse entering the weekend.

Nebraska’s 2023 fortune is exactly what NU is currently lacking. Before their most recent contest, the Cornhuskers held the second-best batting average (.316) and ERA (4.44) in the Big Ten, alongside the best fielding percentage (98.1).

With only five wins in the 2023 campaign, it’s clear that NU still hasn’t found its identity as a team and a groove to get going, emphasizing why playing the best team in the conference wasn’t ideal.

The Cats weekend trip wasn’t successful, but it isn’t the be-all and end-all.

3. There’s a possibility NU doesn’t win another series this season

The season isn’t over for the Cats. But looking ahead, success may continue to be a difficult result to come by.

With three conference series in the rearview mirror, coach Jim Foster and his squad still have five Big Ten series to go before the conference tournament — a positive in all of the madness. However, each future opponent could give NU more fits.

Two of these battles will be against Indiana and Michigan State, who hold the second- and third-best conference records, respectively. The three other opponents in Rutgers, Michigan and Iowa sit in the middle of the pack, but they have seen much more success than the Cats. The Scarlet Knights, NU’s next series matchup, held a five-game win streak before its last contest, while the Hawkeyes, its last regular-season series opponent, flex the best overall record in the Big Ten.

To say the Cats won’t win another series for the rest of their 2023 campaign may be a stretch. But after taking a step back to scan the playing field, it’s definitely a possibility.

lawrenceprice2024@u.northwestern.edu

hit graduate student attacker Izzy Scane in stride for a score. The Buckeyes soon punched back, though, as Ohio State attacker Jamie Lasda converted an unassisted tally to cut the deficit to 3-2. However, Scane wasn’t done just yet, slicing through the heart of the Buckeye zone to tally her 70th goal of the season. Then Coykendall flung a sidewinder from the eight-meter.

NU settled at a 5-2 NU advantage after one quarter.

Ohio State midfielder Jamie Level snatched an empty-cage goal to kickstart the second frame, but Rhatigan relentlessly rattled the Buckeye defense, weaving through gaps and racking up four goals in under four minutes. Following nearly five minutes of scoreless play, Scane and Ohio State midfielder Caly O’Brien traded a pair of goals to send the Cats into the half leading 10-4.

After the intermission, freshman midfielder Madison Taylor drew a shooting space call and capitalized on the free-position shot. Exactly a minute later, Scane flipped a feed to a cutting Rhatigan, who buried her fifth goal of the evening, marking an eight-goal margin for NU with 10:34 left in the third quarter. The Buckeyes drew one back, as attacker Nicole Ferrara exploited Taylor’s non-releasable penalty to make the score 12-5 midway through the period. With both squads trading blows, Ohio State kept the game within reach at 14-8

SOFTBALL

heading into the final frame.

However, the Cats shot out of a cannon at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Rhatigan grabbed her sixth goal of the day off a powerful shot from the eight-meter, then Coykendall dodged past two defenders before ripping a howitzer into the top left corner, upping NU’s lead to eight with just over 11 minutes to play.

However, Lasda and Ohio State didn’t go silently into the night, launching a late-game push. The attacker notched back-to-back scores to chip the deficit down to 16-10 at the 4:24 mark. But after Scane responded with her fourth goal of the day off a picture-perfect rolldodge, the Buckeyes scored only once more to finalize the Cats road victory 17-11.

Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s team will face off against her alma mater in No. 10 Maryland on April 22 in the program’s regular season finale. With the Terrapins coming off a disappointing defeat in University Park, Pennsylvania, they will be hoping to turn things around and shake up the Big Ten standings at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium.

After clinching a share of the Big Ten regular season title on Saturday, a Cats’ win would guarantee them the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and build on an impressive resume with another ranked victory.

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

NU ekes out Wisconsin wins

By RACHEL SCHLUETER the daily northwestern @rschlueter26

No. 20 Northwestern (28-9, 13-1 Big Ten) completed its third consecutive sweep this weekend, winning three games against Wisconsin (22-14, 7-5 Big Ten).

The Wildcats swept Penn State (2313, 5-9 Big Ten) and Illinois (24-20, 3-11 Big Ten) earlier this month and carry an eight game win streak. Before the series at Wisconsin, NU held a onegame first place lead in the conference standings. Now, the Cats possess a three-game lead over Nebraska (3013, 10-4 Big Ten) for the top spot.

The Cats’ first win of the series came after a pitcher’s duel. Junior pitcher Lauren Boyd started in the circle for NU, allowing no runs and just one hit through three innings.

NU struck first in the second inning with sophomore second baseman Grace Nieto drawing a six-pitch walk with the bases loaded, giving the Cats an early 1-0 lead. But after scoring in the second, Northwestern’s bats remained quiet.

After a scoreless three innings from Boyd, graduate pitcher Danielle Williams pitched the remainder of the game. Williams has been the Cats’ ace all season, leading the team in innings pitched and strikeouts with 83 and 118, respectively.

Williams continued to dominate in the circle during the first game against the Badgers, tossing four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven. The southpaw picked up the win with NU beating Wisconsin 1-0.

In that game, the Cats tallied their lowest run-total since March 17, when the team fell 1-2 to Oklahoma. Heading into Saturday’s doubleheader, NU looked to reignite the offensive firepower that has dominated its Big Ten slate thus far.

In the Cats’ first game on Saturday, freshman designated player Kansas Robinson walked with the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, putting the Cats on the board. In the top of the third, junior third baseman Hannah Cady and graduate first baseman Nikki Cuchran packed a one-two punch. Cady hit a two-out double and

Cuchran immediately drove her in with a single, handing NU a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, graduate pitcher Cami Henry gave up a solo homer to Wisconsin first baseman Katie Keller but bounced back, ending the inning by stranding a Badger on second.

Graduate center fielder Skyler Shellmyer led off the fifth inning with a solo shot over the left-center fence, stretching the Cats’ edge to 3-1. Shellmyer stayed hot in the sixth inning, stretching NU’s lead to 5-1 off a 2-RBI single. Graduate shortstop Maeve Nelson followed up with a sacrifice fly to left center, giving the Cats a 6-1 lead.

The Badgers threatened a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run homerun, but Williams entered the circle in relief and secured the final two outs to give NU a 6-3 NU victory.

The Cats won their final game of the weekend in dramatic, extra innings fashion. Senior pitcher Sydney Supple kept the Badgers scoreless through four innings.

However, the Cats were also scoreless up until the top of the fourth, when they put the first runs on the board. First, Nelson hit an infield ground ball to score the Cats’ first run of the contest. Then, with two outs, senior pinch hitter Kendall Peterson tallied a 2-RBI infield single, giving NU a 3-0 lead.

Supple allowed her first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of a single by Wisconsin shortstop Ellie Hubbard. But, she finished the inning with a foul out, stranding a runner on base.

The Badgers struck back in the bottom of the seventh, evening the score at 3-3 with a two-run homer. Williams then took the circle and finished the inning with a strikeout, halting Wisconsin’s offensive comeback.

Heading into extra innings, Cady ended the eighth by making a diving catch on a line drive to third base, gifting the Cats the momentum boost they needed to take the lead. In the top of the ninth, Shellmyer — who notched three RBIs in the contest — hit a sacrifice fly to score Nelson, securing a 4-3 win for NU.

Williams clinched her second win of the weekend and 11th of the season, compiling 11 strikeouts in 7.1 innings throughout the three contests.

With 94 career wins, Williams is now just three shy of tying the program record of 97 — and has nine regular season games left to do so.

The Cats will play a series against fourth-place Michigan (22-16, 8-5 Big Ten) this weekend. NU will look to extend its first place lead and road win streak.

rachelschlueter2026@u.northwestern.edu

Daily file photo by Seeger Gray

Daily file photo by Mary Randolph