The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s
and report
and holy cross
it accurately
Volume 56, Issue 39 | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Students hold march ND Right to Life club organizes gathering for Day of Life By MAXWELL FELDMANN News Writer
The Right to Life Club, the largest student organization at Notre Dame, was all set to go to Washington D.C. to join the March for Life rally on January 21. However, on January 11, these plans were canceled due to rising concerns of COVID-19 and a shortage of tests at Notre Dame. As an alternative, the club held a Notre Dame Day of Life, celebrating Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart followed by a
campus-wide March for Life and rally. But the sudden change of plans did not come easy. Notre Dame senior Francie Shaft, president of the club, said that it took a lot of time and effort to plan what is normally a six-month affair in just ten days. “As soon as we were notified that the D.C. march was canceled, we went straight into planning for an alternate event … The Right to Life Club, Campus Ministry and the Center for Ethics and Culture worked rapidly to
plan the event,” Shaft said. Shaft added that long meetings were incorporated every day preceding the Day of Life in order to effectively organize and advertise the event. Nonetheless, Shaft said that it was a “joy overall to plan the event with students who are so committed to this issue despite the challenges,” as well as the “enthusiastic response.” A participant in Notre Dame Day of Life, Saint
Staff Writer
Holy Cross’s Transition to Teaching program, which began in Fa ll 2020 in response to loca l teaching shortages, is set to graduate its f irst students t his spring. The program consists of 24 credits of educationfocused courses stretched out over t hree semesters, leading its students to a K-6 teaching certif ication. “The Transition to
Teaching Program is essentia lly a fast-track to a teaching license in t he State of Indiana,” t he Director of Holy Cross’s Elementar y Education program Felicia Reid-Metoyer said. To participate in Transition to Teaching at Holy Cross, students are required to have an undergraduate degree, a llow ing Holy Cross to by pass t y pica l course requirements in undergraduate education programs which f uture teachers t y pica lly ta ke.
Reid-Metoyer said Transition to Teaching is geared towards t wo groups: “career changers” and t hose who a lready work in education — such as a teacher’s aide — but do not have an adequate teaching license yet. Maria Dunn, who works as a f ift h-grade teacher w it h an emergency teachers license at Our Lady of Hungar y in Sout h Bend, f its t he latter description. “The experience has been see TEACHERS PAGE 3
Lecture explores space With the advent of developing space companies and recent conversations surrounding the habitability of Earth, this year’s “Ten Years Hence” series uncovers profound reflections not only for the business world, but for the entirety of our current generation. “Life Beyond Earth” is the theme of the 2022 lectures, offered by the Mendoza College of Business. Christian Davenport, staff writer for the Washington Post, launched
the first of the seven scheduled talks by sharing insights regarding the commercialization of space. Author of, “The Space Barons: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos” (2018), Davenport related how the quest for the cosmos is intricately tied to the plight of the wealthiest individuals in the world. “The quickest way to go to space is to become a billionaire,” Davenport said. “And the richest among us are plowing big parts of their fortune into space.” He further explained his
SCENE PAGE 5
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
By MARCELLE COUTO News Writer
In lieu of its annual trip to Washington, D.C. for the national March for Life, the Notre Dame Right to Life club organized a gathering on Friday.
see MARCH PAGE 3
Holy Cross program aims to reduce teacher shortage By LIAM PRICE
MAXWELL FELDMANN| The Observer
reference to the “Space Barons” in his book’s title, “we have businesses competing in a way that governments used to,” Davenport said. Ten Years Hence course instructor Professor James O’Rourke notes that “enlightened self-interest” is the driving force behind this new space race. The vision of “the space barons” is similar, but unique in nature. Both Elon Musk and Jeffery Bezos plan to bridge the largest see SPACE PAGE 4
Sports PAGE 10
Service held in honor of MLK By MEG LANGE News Writer
On Saturday morning, members of the Saint Mary’s community met in Reignbeaux Lounge to take part in the Office for Common Good’s monthly event Service Saturday. This month’s event was inspired by the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and was coined “Serves: MLK Edition.” The event was organized by the Office for the Common Good (OCG), but was sponsored by numerous student-led
groups including Black Student Association, Student Diversity Board, Student Activity Board, Social Work Club, Gerontology Club, Fiat, Better Together, McAllen Trip and the Sisterhood of Service. The event consisted of six stations where students could put together different gift bags, baskets and personal products for community outreach programs. One of the programs represented at the event was Saint Joseph County Cares (SJC see SMC PAGE 4
Observer elects Editor-in-Chief Observer Staff Report
The Observer General Board elected Notre Dame News Editor Alysa Guffey as Editorin-Chief for the 2022-2023 term Saturday. “Alysa is incomparably committed to the work that we do. In the last year, I have been inspired by her leadership in the News department and the Editorial Board,” current
W BASKETBALL PAGE 12
Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez said. “I have immense faith in her ability to carry on The Observer’s legacy as its next Editor-in-Chief and continue to produce quality journalism for the tri-campus.” Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Guffey is a resident of Breen-Phillips Hall. She is a junior pursuing see OBSERVER PAGE 3
SWIM AND DIVE PAGE 12
2
TODAY
The observer | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022| ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com
Who would you like to switch lives with?
P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Kaley Gresham
Isabella Thompson-Davoli
senior Le Mans Hall
senior Opus Hall
“Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife.”
“Perry the Platypus.”
Lauren Honkamp
Shannon McClosky
senior Opus Hall
senior Le Mans Hall
“Saoirse Ronan.”
“Inej from ‘Six of Crows.’”
(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com
Catherine Kane
Gracie Molnar
Editor-in-Chief
senior Opus Hall
junior Flaherty Hall
“Florence Pugh.”
“Gal Gadot.”
Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez Managing Editor Evan McKenna
Asst. Managing Editor: Isabella Volmert Asst. Managing Editor: Colin Capece Asst. Managing Editor: Nelisha Silva
Notre Dame News Editor: Alysa Guffey Saint Mary’s News Editor: Genevieve Coleman Viewpoint Editor: Abby Patrick Sports Editor: Mannion McGinley Scene Editor: Aidan O’Malley Photo Editor: Allison Thornton Graphics Editor: Maggie Klaers Social Media Editor: Veronica Navarro Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf Ad Design Manager: Alyssa Rave Systems Administrator: Rachel Johnson Talent & Inclusion Manager: Siobhan Loughney Office Manager & General Info
Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising
(574) 631-4542 aperez8@nd.edu Managing Editor
(574) 631-4542 emckenn2@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors
(574) 631-4541 ivolmert@nd.edu, ccapece@nd.edu, nsilva1@nd.edu Business Office
(574) 631-5313 Notre Dame News Desk
(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s News Desk
(574) 631-5323 smcnews@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk
(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.om Sports Desk
(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk
(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Photo Desk
(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators
webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of any institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez. Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077
Today’s Staff News
Sports
Meg Lange Crystal Ramirez Liam Price
Aidan Thomas Mannion McGinley
Graphics
Claire Lyons
Maggie Klaers
Photo
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
The Notre Dame WVFi radio station, pictured above, is located on the second level of the Duncan Student Center. Students from the tri-campus community often come to the station, which airs on its website, to play music, host talk-shows and podcasts and DJ.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Scene Viewpoint Elizabeth Prater
Allison Thornton
Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Religious Persecution Panel Law school Courtroom 12:25 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. All are welcome to attend.
Virtual Postgraduate Service Fair Virtual 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Learn about service program opportunities.
Human Rights and Olympics Lecture Jenkins-Nanovic Hall 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Register to attend.
Theater: “Much Ado About Nothing” Washington Hall 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Tickets available online.
Canvas Painting Lafortune Ballroom 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Join in replicating the featured painting of the night.
Need to Talk Duncan Student Center Noon - 2 p.m. Talk to campus ministers.
Workshop for the PwC Center for Diversity & Inclusion Sorin, Dooley Rooms 4 p.m. All students invited.
Book Talk: “Life in Pixels” featuring Wendy Chun Virtual 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Register to attend.
Lessons on Peace Webinar Panel Virtual 12:30 p.m. -2 p.m. Register to attend.
Mindfulness workshop Saint Liam Hall 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. All students are welcome.
News
March Continued from page 1
Mary’s sophomore Elizabeth Sheets said that “the march is a great way to raise awareness for the pro-life movement” and that “not enough people are aware that abortion can be harmful to the mother and that abortion is not the only option.” Sheets said that as a Catholic, she sees life as sacred, and participates in the Notre Dame Right to Life and Belles for Life Clubs because she wants to be a voice for the voiceless. Notre Dame senior Mary Mueller, director of spirituality for the club, said that she was especially moved to hear Father Pete McCormick during the Mass and people at the rally speak on a variety of topics, such as services for mothers in intended and crisis pregnancies, international rights and institutional racism. Shaft said the march was “much more of a celebration of life than a protest.” In an interview with The Observer, Shaft spoke about how the Right to Life club aligns with the mission and identity of Notre Dame. “We are called to be forces for good here at Notre Dame but also in the world — all of these events, whether through education, service or prayer, really foster in students a desire to be a force for good and to live out their Catholic identity and prepare them to speak the truth,” Shaft said. Shaft said the club is explicitly written in the Catholic tradition shared by Notre Dame but “welcome[s] students from any faith tradition or lack thereof.” Shaft addressed how the anti-abortion argument has both secular and religious roots. “In the context of the law, it should of course be rooted in secular reasons and convincing to the American population. However, in any social justice context, it is very much rooted in faith.” Additionally, she added that although the Right to Life Club uses a Catholic perspective, it regularly integrates secular reasoning and philosophy. Shaft said that she believes there is a large misconception about the club. “We encourage [students] to come see what we are all about. We encourage curiosity and open discussion — I think people are very hesitant to talk about abortion, but it is very important to talk about things that matter.” To further reduce the difficult nature of the subject, Shaft and the club have implemented several events to encourage conversation, including Day of Life, Girl Talk, services, weekly prayer,
ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | The ObserveR
tabling events, speakers, Respect Life Week, You Are Loved Week, abortion debates and more — all of which invite students with differing beliefs to engage in open, positive discourse. Shaft also emphasized that abortion politics are only a small part of the club. The “pro-life” philosophy of the club goes much farther than just the contentious issue of abortion legality. The club fights for other issues such as opposing the death penalty and euthanasia, as well as increasing access to maternal care and resources. She added that the club focuses on social justice at large as it relates to the dignity of human life. “We are consistently prolife and maintain a consistent life ethic across the board,” Shaft said. Contact Maxwell Feldmann at mfeldma3@nd.edu
Observer Continued from page 1
a major in history with minors in digital marketing and the Gallivan program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. “I am extremely grateful to the General Board for trusting me to lead The Observer next term. I would not be able to fill such big shoes without all of my mentors at the paper,” Guffey said. “I look forward to serving a community that has given me so much and cannot wait to see all that we can accomplish in the next year together.” Guffey started out as a news writer for The Observer her first year. She became associate news editor before taking over as Notre Dame news editor in March 2021. Guffey will begin her term as Editor-in-Chief on Feb. 27.
Teachers Continued from page 1
just rea lly wonderf ul and fruitf ul,” Dunn said. She began t he Transition to t he Teaching program in t he fa ll, af ter graduating as an English major from Holy Cross in t he Spring 2021 semester, and is set to f inish t his spring. Dunn emphasized t he practica l nature of t he Transition to Teaching program. “Ever y t hing benef its you and you don’t feel like you’re wasting your time,” she said. “A ll of t he classes t hat we ta ke are classes t hat help t he teacher become better equipped to ser ve t he students.” W hen meeting w it h t he Indiana Department of Education, Holy Cross pointed to t heir a lreadyaccredited undergraduate courses as courses t hat would a lso be used for t he Transition to Teaching
Paid Advertisement
3
program. These courses, Reid-Metoyer said, are now “blended w it h undergrads and our Transition to Teaching students” and Holy Cross can run t he program w it hout needing additiona l facult y or staf f. “We ma ke sure t hat our classes accommodate t he fact t hat [t he Transition to Teaching students] may be busy during t he day, unlike a t y pica l college student,” Reid-Metoyer said. These accommodating courses include “high touch” online and night courses which Transition to Teaching participants can complete a long w it h anot her career or commitment. The program requires students to ta ke eight t hreecredit courses, a ll of which are part of t he undergraduate Education program at Holy Cross. “It’s most ly what
see TEACHERS PAGE 4
4
NEWS
The observer | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
SMC
present at the event where Gun Violence Initiative, Care Connections at Milton Village and Boys and Girls Club of St. Joseph County.
Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu
Cares), whose mission is to provide service and support that identify and meet the needs of children, youth and families. In partnership with SJC Cares, students made gift baskets for people and families who have been affected by suicide. Student leader for the office, Delia Lopez recognized the importance of serving the South Bend community in Martin Luther King Jr.’s honor. “I think it’s so important, as college students, entering the South Bend community to also give back to the community and make sure the work that we do is benefitting the whole South Bend area, while we’re on campus learning and growing here,” Lopez said. Another organization present at the event was Neighbor to Neighbor whose mission is to bring about mutual relationships among South Bend’s immigrant and nonimmigrant population. In accordance with the table working for this organization, the students decorated sugar bowls and added them to gift bags for South Bend’s population of Afghanistan refugees. Food waste fighter coordinator for the OCG, Akpedze Balo, discussed her unique
perspective of Martin Luther King Jr. “To me, it’s just different because I view him differently than the way others view him,” Balo said. “I see more than what he did as just serving. I do appreciate the fact that people are focusing on serving under his name, under his mission because that’s all he really wanted, for people to serve themselves and their communities, to help them become better.” At the event, Balo was working with the Mahogany Maternity. The students working with the group decorated bibs and onesies to put in gift baskets for new moms. “The organization Mahogany Maternity focuses on South Bend’s infant mortality rate,” Balo said. “The woman who runs this organization is a black woman, and also a doula, [so] her whole focus is on mothers and infant care. We’re just helping out by making care baskets for new moms.” Common good coordinator for the OCG Eliana Sanchez also added, “This organization is so important because Indiana has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country,” Sanchez said. “So, this organization really focuses on supporting new mothers to make sure that, the rate goes down.” Other local organizations
and internet, for instance — of course, for space, there is no infrastructure yet,” Davenport said. “Perhaps we are dawning an era of economic dynamism that creates a whole new market, similar to what the internet did to the world when it was first created.” Leading spectators through history, Davenport elucidated how the aura of hope for space travel now burns even brighter. He recalled the desolation of the Challenger space shuttle explosion and traced the quest to build
a reusable, cost-efficient rocket, from events like the historic landing of Space X’s Falcon 9 in 2015 to the Starship launch for orbit scheduled this year. With a multiplicity of companies such as Boeing, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, along with the ranks of astronauts proliferating, an unprecedented era of space exploration appears to be within reach. NASA’s plans to construct a new International Space Station and their recent launching of the James Webb Space Telescope are further
accomplishments which cannot be overlooked, as they will continue to enlighten the universe’s great unknown. Davenport even touched upon an eventual return to the Moon, remarking that “the reason we haven’t been beyond earth orbit for a while now is because of different, conflicting government administrations.” NASA’s Artemis project, adequately named after the mythological twin sister of Apollo, endeavors to brave through this feat once more. With the knowledge of
there being water on the moon, Davenport noted there is even a potential for it to become a “gas station to space.” Apart from the lecture, Davenport noted the importance of discussing these subjects in general, emphasizing his goal “to explain the issues of our time to people, including how the government is administering tax funded programs, and place that in a broader historical context; to inform the citizenry of this interesting time we hope to introduce in space, and how it might play a bigger role in people’s lives,” he said. “We must understand the advantages as well as the ethical challenges related to this.” Professor O’Rourke added that the series itself is designed to encourage students to ponder about major relevant issues of the near future. In ten years, “everyone in the room will need to adapt and/ or adopt an intervention strategy for the challenges and opportunities that emerge. These are topics you won’t encounter in an accounting or marketing course, and you get the chance to meet interesting, important and smart people along the way.” “Interesting people” will indeed appear throughout this series, featured among them a NASA Astronaut and U.S. Air Force test pilot, a mission manager for Blue Origin, scientist from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and beyond. A full program for this stellar course may be found at the Mendoza College of Business website.
Continued from page 1
Teachers Continued from page 3
we ca ll met hods classes, so t hey’re application rat her t han t heor y courses,” ReidMetoyer said. The program is “ver y f lexible,” Reid-Metoyer said. “I t hink t he beaut y of what we do here at Holy Cross is you get t his one-on-one adv ising from me as t he coordinator, and I sit dow n and I f ig ure out, what are your needs? How quick ly do you need or want to do t his? ” Dunn said t hat she recommends ta k ing t he Transition to Teaching program route to people interested in becoming a teacher, even over a more traditiona l route. “I was able to broaden what I was learning while a lso
Space Continued from page 1
gap dividing Earth from space: costs. While Elon Musk concerns himself with a “backup for humanity,” with Mars standing as the best candidate for such an option, Bezos’ philosophy is to preserve Earth and instead move industry to space. “When he founded Amazon, the resources he needed for the business to succeed were there: the credit card, post office
f inding my career being a teacher,” she said. Wit h increased teacher shortages, Reid-Metoyer said t he program is an important way to prov ide qua lif ied teachers for loca l schools in a stressf ul time. “COVID rea lly stuck it to our profession,” she said. “It took an emotiona l toll on teachers.” The program is graduating t wo students t his spring, w it h t hree more in t he program’s pipeline and plans to expand t he program f urt her in t he f uture. “We’re Holy Cross,” ReidMetoyer said. “We’re sma ll, t hough I like to say sma ll but might y.”
Paid Advertisement
When asked why it’s important to honor Martin Luther King through service junior Tess Diamond said, “He [had] such a large scale impact [in] our country,” Diamonds said. “If we can try to make an impact on a smaller level, try to serve the community, maybe not in such a significant way, where everyone would know about it, but if we can change the lives of a couple people by doing these events and serving our local community I think that’s a really good and genuine thing.” When asked for her opinion on Saturday’s event Sanchez reflected, “For me serving in [MLK’s] name means a radical way of serving the community, and I think that this event is one of the catalyst things to do to serve, this is how to get your foot in the door,” she said. “I’m happy to be a leader here because we’re providing that initial step for students. But to really serve and honor MLK is to go beyond this, and I think that providing that first step for students is amazing.” Contact Meg Lange at mlange03@saintmarys.edu
Contact Marcelle Couto at mcouto@nd.edu
The observer | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
5
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer | Image sources: courtesy of Ted Mandell and the FTT Program
6
The observer | monday, january 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Diplomacy and decolonization
Inside Column
A return to the movies
Trevor Lwere On the Other Hand
Genevieve Coleman Saint Mary’s News Editor
Late last month, I convinced some of my friends to come with me to watch “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Incidentally, the last movie I saw in theaters before the pandemic hit was the second installment of Tom Holland’s franchise “Far From Home.” It would be the understatement of 2021 to say I was excited to finally see the sequel. Determined to catch up with Peter Parker before the internet was f looded with spoilers, I dutifully found seats in nearly sold-out 3D Thursday afternoon showing, hitched a ride with my friends and arrived at movies after a two year hiatus. “No Way Home” itself was incredible. I’m not mean enough to give spoilers in this column but I will say I was intermittently laughing and crying throughout the whole thing. All the emotions were happening as the action unfolded before me. And in that span of two hours, I realized how much I missed the movies. I used to go about every six months with my family when I was younger and basically every time a superhero/fantasy f lick or an adaptation of a good book came out with my friends. With most recent movies being added to streaming platforms to balance out revenue lost from deserted theaters, I kind of forgot how special it was to experience a movie surrounded by people outside my social bubble. People, who like me, involuntarily screamed and gasped at all the right moments of the film. People, who like me, might have been drawing parallels between what they were seeing on the screen and the world they were about to walk back into after watching the mid-credit scenes. By the end of the movie, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has no one. As the title of the film so aptly puts it, Peter Parker has “no way home.” While I think this is a heav y blow to all Spider-Man fans, this loss resonated more with me because of the pandemic. At around this time last year, I tested positive for COVID-19. I did my time in isolation, asleep unless I was eating or checking in with a nurse about my moderate symptoms. I was convinced at the end of my stay, I’d be back at full strength and ready to take on the semester. I never expected that I would still be struggling with the effects of long COVID today. There are many times when I wonder whether I can finish the day with my levels of fatigue. I still can’t concentrate to read for class and I have lost track of the number of times I have had to search for the words to answer simple questions. I have never had a better understanding of the term “brain fog.” Like Spider-Man, I won’t be able to find my way back to the time before many parts of my life changed. However, if the end of “No Way Home” taught me anything, it might take everything in me to decide to carry on. After Peter takes the time to mourn his losses, he puts his Spidey suit back on and swings around a snow y New York City. With this to motivate me, I’m going to have to learn how to live within my new reality and accept the circumstances that are out of my control. But I am still holding out hope Peter Parker and I can find our way home. You can contact Genevieve at gcoleman01@saintmarys.edu. The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
Last week, the ninth ministerial meeting of the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government (C-10) was held in Kampala, Uganda. The C-10 was set up in 2005 by the African Union (AU) w ith a mandate to advocate and canvass the African Common Position on United Nations Securit y Council (UNSC) reform. The African Common Position ref lects Africa’s goal to be fully represented in all decision-making organs of the UN particularly the Securit y Council. Africa seeks to secure two additional seats in the categor y of the non-permanent members and two seats in the categor y of the permanent members w ith full rights and priv ileges as other permanent members, including the right to veto. The primar y reason for Africa’s claim to full and equal representation on the UN Securit y Council is to correct the historical injustices endured by the continent. At the time of the founding of the United Nations in 1945, Africa was under total colonial domination w ith the lone exception of Ethiopia. At its inception, the UN, despite being founded on principles of mutual respect and equalit y of all nations large and small, did not recognize the right to selfdetermination of Africans and other colonial peoples. As such, Africa, like other colonized peoples, had no one to speak for her interests. Hav ing fought and defeated colonialism, independent African states eventually joined the UN system. Yet, the marginalization of the continent especially w ithin the UNSC that is at the center of the UN system has remained basically unchanged over the life span of the UN. This is significant because the UNSC makes decisions that affect Africa albeit w ithout African input. A case in point was the assassination of Muammar Ghaddafi in 2011. Despite the African Union indicating a plan to inter vene in the Libyan crisis at the time, NATO and the UNSC acted w ithout conferring w ith the AU. The fall of Ghaddafi triggered the emergency of militias and armed groups that now w reak havoc across the Sahel in countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. The example of the overthrow and assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the independence prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, also stands out. Since Lumumba’s departure, the Congo has been dogged by incessant political, economic and militar y crises that the UN has utterly failed to resolve. In both cases of Libya and the DRC, Africans continue to bear the brunt of the decisions taken by the UN w ithout the input of Africans. For Africans who know the experience of colonialism all too well, the continued marginalization of Africa in the UNSC smacks of colonial paternalism. The colonialists administered the colonies w ith little or no input from the
colonized, yet these decisions affected the daily lives of the colonized. W hile we can say that the colonialists marginalized the colonized because they did not acknowledge their essentialit y as full human beings capable of managing their ow n affairs, the same cannot be said of the UN, a body founded on principles of mutual respect and equalit y between all nations and all peoples. The Africans who won their freedom and independence through sweat and blood know that this situation must be remedied and have set out to do so through the C-10 that has been at work since 2005. This attempt by the Africans, through their leaders, to reform the UNSC must be understood as a part of the protracted struggle for Africa’s decolonization that started w ith the founding of the African National Congress in South Africa in 1912. But how are we to understand decolonization? Franz Fanon described decolonization as a process of disorder in which “the last shall become first.” Amilcar Cabral, one of the icons of Africa’s liberation struggle defined decolonization as the re-entr y into histor y by a people that has been purged out of histor y. Colonialism stripped Africans of the agency to contribute to histor y — Africana and human histor y. Decolonization seeks to reclaim this power and control over one’s ow n ex istence. Permanent representation of Africa on the UNSC w ith full rights, priv ileges and obligations of other permanent members, including veto power, w ill give Africa control over what happens to her in the world of international affairs so that the historical injustices prev iously sanctioned by the UNSC w ithout African input or happened under its watch do not happen again. This w ill bring an end to the paternalism of the permanent members of the UNSC and their illegitimate monopoly of power over what happens in the world. Conversely, Africa’s legitimate stake in the ow nership of the world and contribution to the direction of world affairs w ill be secured. Yet, we must careful not to imagine that securing permanent membership on the UNSC would guarantee Africa’s securit y from non-interference and the adventurism of greedy, aggressive actors. The U.S invasion of Iraq ought to be a stern reminder that while we stay committed to a peaceful world, we should not lose sight of the fact that the world still operates on the principle of might makes right. Representation won’t be enough; Africa must build continental capacit y to defend itself and deter aggressors and adventurers. Trevor Lwere is a senior from Kampala, Uganda, studying economics and global affairs with a minor in PPE. He is a dee-jay in his free time and can be reached at tlwere@nd.edu or @LwereTrevor on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | Monday, january 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
7
With a little help from my friends Mary Ellen Woods MEWsings
With the recent batch of Notre Dame early admits, I am reminded of conversations about the Class of 2025 — the most diverse of any admitted to Our Lady’s University, until, presumably, the Class of 2026. Friends, cherished alums themselves, decried the demographics of last year’s enrolled class, suggesting that they diminished the value of our diplomas, their children’s accomplishments and lowered the standards for acceptance to ND. I saw the increase in first-generation, lower socioeconomic status (SES) and people of color as needed and overdue efforts to make Notre Dame more ref lective of society. And, the class represents our duty and obligation to be a “force for good in the world.” However, admitting this wonderful and diverse class of students is only the beginning. Our obligation extends to their journey through Notre Dame. ND is justifiably proud of our accomplishments in the classroom. We are understandably pleased with our standings on national lists. We even have recognized the need to increase the economic diversity of our student population as the US News ranking now includes Pell Grant eligibility as a factor. We need to remember that among the various measures US News uses, first-year retention and graduation rates are also considerations. ND is especially strong on these statistics. The perennial leader, Notre Dame, graduated 93% of undergraduates in four years in 2018 (the last year available from US News). Here are the four-year statistics for some peer institutions: UChicago, 91%; Princeton, 90%; Har vard, 86%; Yale, 84% and Stanford, 74% . First-year
retention is a measure of equal importance. ND is 6th at 98% . Our peers are strong with UChicago, 99%; Princeton, 94%; Har vard, 92%; Yale, 91% and Stanford, 96% . To sustain this leadership position, ND cannot take academic success for granted. This is especially true after a long pandemic year. Sociologists know that not all students have equal measures of experience or gifts — social capital, as it is called. Research tells us that those with higher measures of social capital do better at educational attainment than students without. We also know that first-gen and lower SES students tend to have different social capital that doesn’t tend to find currency in institutions of higher education. As a result, these students may be less adept at advocating for themselves. So, if ND is to continue to ensure that her chosen students stick it out through and beyond their first year and graduate on time, we have work to do. Are we willing to make the effort and investment needed to be sure that all are successful? ND has taken a needed first step in the creation of the Office of Student Enrichment (OSE). It looks after the financial health and well-being of students — helping them navigate a place that is ver y expensive and where social expectations can strain one’s “out of pocket” resources. OSE has been in place for a number of years and offers great programming, so we are grateful for that. But what about the academic challenges that face students who have no experience with college? I was pleased to see Fr. Jenkins announce the Transformational Leadership Program (TLP) recently. TLP will offer advising, research placements, internships, pre-matriculation programming, mentoring and other resources for students from low-resource backgrounds. I am more than
happy to see this announcement and hope that it is the start of a true commitment to the academic and life success of all our Lady’s students. These measures are important for another reason: the stewardship of our endowment commands that we do ever ything reasonable to ensure that we invest our money wisely. Our commitment to students new to the college experience must be made with the same rigor and high expectations of any other investment ND makes — but imagine the return when that first-gen student not only graduates from ND but goes on to be a doctor, a Ph.D. candidate or even be the first in her family to travel abroad to see the world. Our commandment is not limited to the administration and faculty of Our Lady’s University. We hold all our students to the highest expectations. Each student must take the greatest advantage of all that ND has to offer — in the classroom, in the dorm, the lab, the halls of the Main Building and even down to that last pesky email that is all too easy to overlook. I know that ND’s Admissions team has ever y confidence that our admitted students can and will succeed here, now let’s make that happen and sustain our track record of excellent retention and four-year graduation rates. Go Irish. Mary Ellen Woods is a graduate of the Notre Dame class of 1980. She has returned to campus as a Fellow in the Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI). As an undergraduate, she lived in Breen-Phillips and now lives off campus. Her columns appear every other Thursday. A longtime resident of Chicago, she can be reached at mewoods80@nd.edu or @MEWsmuses on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Inside Column
Why did I wait? Katie Harmeyer Viewpoint Copyeditor
Editor’s Note: This story includes mention of eating disorders and self harm. A list of resources can be found on the National Eating Disorder Association website or through their helpline. Mental health resources can be found on the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross websites. I’ve written a thousand versions of this column in my head. Every time, it comes out preachy, trite or redundant. I’ve also considered not writing this because I whole-heartedly believe the silliest inside columns are the best inside columns, and because I could unintentionally write something so specific that it’s triggering or so general that it’s inauthentic. Yet, I hate that there’s so much stigma around mental illness, and silence contributes to stigma. I’ve had a mental illness, so not writing this piece doesn’t solve a whole lot. Ultimately, I’ve landed on a more relaxed approach, and I’m sure it’ll still come out a bit jumbled and imperfect. Conveniently, being more relaxed and okay with imperfection are some of my goals. Maybe this will earn me therapy points. To be more specific, I struggled with a primarily restrictive eating disorder last school year, and I’ve been working on recovery since May-ish of 2021. Here are some of my semi-recovered thoughts since then. 1. “Well, are you hungry?” – Mom, May 2021. “I don’t know. Should I be hungry? Do you think I’m hungry? Maybe ask Dad and see if he thinks I’m hungry. Or maybe Daisy will know.” – Me. (Daisy is our family’s dog.) 2. What if I love food too much? Aren’t I supposed to
hate food if I have an eating disorder? 3. Oh! That’s like this time in therapy when … Wait, should I tell them I’m in therapy? Will they think I don’t have any boundaries? But shouldn’t I not care that I’m in therapy? Lots of people are! (Honestly, there’s then a 50/50 chance whether I bring it up.) 4. “How’s your support system?” – Doctor. “Oh, my friends? They’re great. They urged me to get the help I needed, even when I didn’t want to listen. And now that I’m in recovery, I can tell they’re careful not to make unhelpful comments. I know they’d listen if I asked, but they mostly just give me the space I need.” – Me. 5. Wait, that tasted really good. Wait, I feel really satisfied. Weird. Yay? (Yay!) 6. Should I do five more squats or ten more squats? 5 more, no 10, no 5, wait definitely 2, okay maybe 7… I am still crazy. 7. What do you want? A sandwich. Definitely. I will get better. 8. If my professor hadn’t let me Zoom into our Friday class, I wouldn’t have gone home for that weekend in April. Going home that weekend was the first time I got help. I didn’t even realize I needed help then, and I never would’ve been able to express it to a professor. 9. It’s not about my body. It is about my body. Is it about my body? (Partly.) 10. It’s about control. It’s definitely about control. 11. I hear the sound of my own laugh. Ah, I thought I lost her. There are a lot of things society gets wrong about mental illness, but, in my opinion, one thing we get right is the whole “I battled [insert mental illness]” language. At the risk of sounding overdramatic or self-pitying, for me, it does often feel like I’m waging a war in my own head. I’ve never been diagnosed
with another mental illness, but I’d imagine that feeling of a battle remains the same. I’d also imagine the deeply frightening isolation remains the same. And if I — someone whose family and friends are actively supportive, someone who actually has other friends battling eating disorders — am to this day often frightened by my sense of isolation, then I can’t imagine the experiences of the other nearly 30% of 18-24 year olds with mental illness. While I now identify with weighty words like “battle” or “isolation,” that certainly wasn’t always the case. I first vaguely considered going to the UCC for help in August of 2020, but another 10 months passed before I actually got into consistent care. Here’s the thing, though: I might not have actually met the criteria for an eating disorder in August of 2020. I was in purgatory. Some sort of in-between space that I imagine exists for any illness. But why did I believe I needed an eating disorder before I could improve my relationship with food? To get really sick before I could get better? Lastly, if I would’ve read this a year ago, I would have twisted it to prove that I didn’t actually need help. So not the point, you guys. Here are some resources that continue to help me: The UCC, especially drop-in services and group counseling Glennon Doyle’s We Can Do Hard Things podcast Life Without Ed by Jenni Schaefer (ED specific) And other great ones: National Alliance on Mental Illness National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 You can contact Katie at kharmeye@nd.edu. The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
8
Sports
The observer | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Track and field
Sports Authority
Jacobs runs sub-4 By JACK SIRIANNI Sports Writer
On Saturday, January 22nd, while the cold winds blew outside of Loftus Sports Center under the gray winter sky, inside the building, the warm fluorescent lights shined bright for the 2022 Notre Dame Invitational. However, the lights were not the only thing shining in Loftus. The Irish had a plethora of highlight performances throughout the afternoon’s competitions against Loyola Chicago, Depaul, Indiana Tech and Lewis University. Across many different events, Notre Dame put on an incredibly entertaining track meet for the fans in attendance. Even with the challenge of strong races via the representation from Depaul and Indiana Tech, the Notre Dame sprinting group managed to punch out a few finishes near the front of the pack. In the Women’s 400m dash, sophomore Eve Balseiro earned a second-place finish with a personal best time of 55.71. In the 800m race, the women’s team swept the podium finishes. Senior Erin Sullivan, junior Kaitlyn Ryan and sophomore Megan Hughes took 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Ryan and Hughes claimed individual personal records. In the 400m on the men’s side, as has become habit in their recent runnings, the athletes from Notre Dame have found themselves in a variable congregation just outside of the top of the podium. This meet, graduate student Theo Chambers led the lot with a thirdplace finish in 48.81 seconds. In a barnburner of a race, graduate student Max Frye was hot on his tail with a personal record of 48.83. Other assorted key performances included a personal-best by junior Nicholas Mota in the 3000m for a second place, a win by freshman Jadin O’Brian in the long jump, a win via season record by Nolan Blachowski in the Pole Vault, victories by both 4x400m relay teams and wins in two events by thrower Michael Shoaf. Despite a strong overall showing, there was one event that managed to stand out just a little higher above the rest this weekend. That would be the men’s and women’s 1600m run, commonly known as the mile. The deafening crack of the starting pistol marked the beginning of the women’s race that looked more like an open practice. It did not take long for seven Notre Dame runners to distinguish themselves from the competition. With 500 meters left, they build a nearly-insurmountable lead. It was a team win as the Irish finished in the top seven spots, all of which either hit marks of personal or season-bests. In the end, it was All-American junior Olivia Markezich who crossed the finish line first with a time of 4:46.57 in what she called “a rustbuster” of a race. Markezich talked about the
goal of competing at the national championships at the end of the season both individually and possibly with a distance medley relay. When asked about what it means to her to have such a team-oriented race she said, “It is all about being there for your teammates” and that her teammates are her “life support.” Also in this race was freshman Sophie Novak who finished with fourth place, and a personal best, after being seeded eighth. Novak said, “I am just very grateful to be here and humbled I get to run with my teammates.” The men’s race flashed by in the blink of an eye. It was quite apparent that this would be a special race when an onlooker exclaimed, “They are trying to break four minutes today!” For those readers not quite accustomed to the running world, this is a feat that only 605 runners, as of the Notre Dame Invitational, have ever done in history. The men’s race shaped up just like the women’s did. From early on it looked like the Notre Dame show with only Irish runners finishing in the top six, all with season records or personal records. The winner of this blisteringly fast race was Olympian Yared Nuguse in 3:54.46. He said about the race, “A big part of that race was pulling some of those guys to faster times and directly giving back to your team, so I always appreciate doing things like that for them.” That is exactly what Yared would do as he pulled teammate Dylan Jacobs to his career-best time of 3:57.67. Therefore, he also pulled him into the exclusive subfour-minute mile club as member 605. While Yared’s actions spoke to the phenomenal team spirit shared by the Irish, he also spoke about what his goals were for the rest of the season. While he helped Dylan break his own mark this weekend at Loftus, Nuguse had his eyes set on a greater mark later in the season. “I want to get the 3000m college record. In fact, there is going to be a fast race in a few weeks and I have a good shot, especially with seeing how good I was today at going for it.” These words of confidence about a possible record-setting season were masked behind a demeanor of complete approachability and humility as Yared spoke overwhelmingly kindly of his teammates and the coaching staff that got him to where he is today. While these two events provided a great deal of the firepower that could cause one to marvel at Notre Dame Track and Field, there were a large number of performances that were worthy of praise. The Notre Dame Invitational was indeed a resounding success for this team and will certainly prove to be a stepping stone for future success this season.
Take advantage of Embiid By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Writer
It takes a lot of things to win a championship in sports. Ownership, depth, health, salary cap management (when applicable), luck and a slew of other elements play an important role in deciding who comes out on top. But by far the most important thing, and the one that’s hardest to find, is an elite talent. That’s especially true in the NBA, where one player has a far greater impact on the game than in any other league. When you find a player, or even better, players with that special talent, you have a responsibility — to them, to your fans, and even to the league itself — to put yourself in a position to win a championship as many times as possible, as soon as possible. Injuries, contract disputes, cap crunches or, as we found out the hard way, a global pandemic can eliminate some of those opportunities in the blink of an eye. There’s no shame in coming up short in sports, but only when you maximize your team’s potential to win. It’s one thing to build a great team that just can’t quite beat an equally strong opponent; it’s another to disappoint from shooting yourself in the foot or kicking the can down the road, not realizing the road isn’t infinite and eventually leads off the end of a cliff if you don’t make the turn into win nowmode quickly and aggressively enough. There’s a staggering number of examples. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in Los Angeles, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton, Jack Eichel in Buffalo and Andrew Luck in Indianapolis are just a few other truly special talents who have never been surrounded with the help necessary to lead their teams within arm’s reach of a championship. Those six stars have combined for just seven playoff appearances and one conference championship appearance in large part because their front offices either took too long to or never surrounded them with a championship quality supporting cast. Most GMs are passive by nature, which is understandable considering the high stakes and pressure of their job. Slow and steady is a fine approach for a rebuild, but shifting into win-now mode is a task that demands aggressiveness and making tough calls. Elite talents and tough calls are in the spotlight in Philadelphia, shifting more into focus leading up to the NBA’s February 10 trade deadline. When Joel Embiid and Ben
Swim & Dive Continued from page 12
student Kelly Straub (375.45) and freshman Callie Brady (318.50) went one-two in the three meter
Simmons emerged as a potentially championship-caliber duo in 201718, the 76ers acted quickly and aggressively in trying to get the team over the hump — perhaps a bit too quickly. The Sixers have made the playoffs four years straight, appearing in the second round three times ... but never reaching the conference finals. That includes two of the more painful Game 7 losses in recent memory, the latter of which appears to be the final game Simmons will ever play in a 76ers uniform. But the good news for the Sixers is that it’s not too late to act. Far from it. Embiid is still in his prime, and after a slow start to the season, the 27-year old is playing at an MVP level. Through three games in 2022, Embiid has scored 122 points in just 92 minutes, including a 50-point performance to near single-handedly lift the 76ers to victory over the Magic. For everything that has gone wrong for the Sixers this season, from Simmons’ holdout to numerous injuries and COVID cases, to the point where they are literally starting Charlie Brown (Jr., but still), the Sixers are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Yes, they’re only the #6 seed right now. But they’re also just 2.5 games back of the first place Nets, who the Sixers have played tight in their three head-to-head meetings this season. It’s easy to take Embiid’s brilliance for granted in his sixth NBA season. He’s racked up all kinds of hardware in his career; four allstar selections, three all-NBA and all-defensive team nominations. There’s a good chance he wins an MVP or/and Defensive Player of the Year Award (he’s been a finalist for both previously). Not only is he a force in the paint on both ends of the floor, but he’s the rare big man who can make just about any shot. Seven-foot players shouldn’t be able to bring the ball up the court or drain nearly 40% of their threes. Yet Embiid seems to dazzle on a nightly basis, no matter who’s suiting up alongside him. However, no matter how dominant Embiid may be, who’s suiting up alongside him does matter. The 76ers do have some nice pieces, but it’s hard to see them seriously competing for a championship without the significant return that only one asset can bring back (or at least free up the cap space to add another one) — Simmons. GM Darel Morey has been very patient with his approach to trading Simmons, and with good reason. You only get to trade a star player once, and maximizing the return for Simmons will
go a long way to deciding whether the 76ers break their 39-year title drought during the Embiid era. But Morey can’t wait forever. Embiid has one year left after the current one on his 5-year, $147 million deal, after which a 4-year, $196 million extension kicks in. Winning before that extension comes onto the cap, both to keep Embiid happy and maximize the $10-20 million in savings the 76ers will have (depending on the year) between his current contract and the next one, should be paramount. Yes, it’s Morey’s job to maximize the return for Simmons. But that includes maximizing the number of games and playoff runs. You only get so many opportunities to win with a star player before you just run out of time — a feeling someone else who walks the home tunnels of the Wells Fargo Center knows all too well. Regardless of what happens, Claude Giroux will go down as one of the greatest Flyers of all time. He’s the longesttenured captain in team history, scored an overtime winner in the Stanley Cup Final at just 22 years old and is at or near the top of several franchise categories. He’s had top-three finishes for the Hart Trophy (MVP) in Art Ross (leading scorer) Trophies. And he might go down as the second greatest skater in Flyers history. When the Flyers embarked on a retool in 2014, they thought it would leave them with enough time to return to contention soon enough for Giroux to still be a significant contributor. After becoming the first team in NHL history to suffer two ten-game losing streaks in their first forty games Thursday, that calculation is almost certainly wrong. Giroux has always hoped to win a Stanley Cup and play out his career in Philadelphia. Now, it looks like the 34-year old will almost certainly have to choose between one and the other. It shouldn’t have to be that way for Embiid. Trading Simmons before February 10th doesn’t mean it won’t be. But doing so would almost certainly increase the 76ers chances of a deep playoff run this year, which increases their chances of winning a title with him as their centerpiece. That’s an offer Morey can’t afford to pass up — even if he hasn’t received one for Simmons that he feels the same way about.
event. Brady captured second in the one meter (303.60), with Straub in third (299.90). Senior David Petrison was the highest Irish scorer on the men’s side. The Irish are set to compete on January 28th and 29th at home at Rolfs against West
Virginia. This will be the secondto-last meet before the swimming and diving team moves into their championship season.
Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Madeline Ladd at mladd2@nd.edu
The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The
Contact Jack Sirianni at jsirian2@nd.edu
charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
DAILY
ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | The Observer
Crossword | Will Shortz
9
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Speak up, share your thoughts and get things done. A chance to get ahead awaits if you are realistic and organized. Rethink your purpose, and restructure how you go about reaching your goal. Put a system in place that minimizes clutter. A happy and content frame of mind gives peace and comfort new meaning. Your numbers are 3, 11, 16, 29, 34, 40, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): The tide is turning, and opportunity is heading your way. Don’t settle for less when you are capable of more. Fine-tune your skills and qualifications, and pursue your goal. Speak from the heart, and you’ll make a good impression. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Revisit your long-term plan, then consider if it’s still the path you want to take. Change begins with you. Consider what makes you happy and incorporate it into your daily routine. Inner peace comes from a kind and thoughtful heart. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Do something that has meaning and gives you purpose. Recognize your talents and use them to make the world around you a better place. Be the one to make a difference and to find inner peace. Socialize with like-minded people. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Check your options, see what appeals to you and get started. A change to your routine will give you a new lease on life. Don’t let an emotional situation get you down when a positive change is what’s necessary. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Avoid crowds and situations that can put you in harm’s way. Share only with people who you know and trust to look out for you and your best interests. Don’t make exceptions because you feel sorry for someone. Stick to the rules. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t stumble and fall because someone sends you a curveball; adapt and make the most out of whatever comes your way. Look for the positive in every situation, and you will create opportunities that can help you succeed. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do something constructive. Set up a space that allows you to do something innovative or educational. Structuring your time with a goal in mind will help you flourish. Don’t take a risk with your health. Stick close to home. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Pool your resources, draw on those who have something to offer and put together a plan that will help you get ahead. Use your creativity to make positive changes at home to ease your mind and help you pay the bills. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Consider how you earn your living and what you spend your money on, and make changes that will lower your overhead. Don’t feel obligated to pay for someone’s mistakes or put others before your needs. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Keep your emotions out of the mix when dealing with friends and relatives. Make legitimate suggestions based on truth and practicality. Live by the rules, regardless of what others do or say. A positive attitude will shut down someone’s negativity. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take care of your health and emotional wellbeing. Leave nothing to chance, and choose intelligence over chaos. Listen and formulate a plan that is cost-effective and helpful. Keep life simple and love in your heart. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be secretive regarding your plans until you have everything in place. The less time you give others to respond or think, the easier it will be to get things done your way and on time. A romantic gesture will improve your lifestyle. Birthday Baby: You are inventive, observant and resourceful. You are entertaining and thoughtful.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
Support student journalism. Donate to The Observer. ndsmcobserver.com/donate
Square Comic | XXX
Work Area
Make checks payable to and mail to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross communities. Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the three campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.
Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip
10
Sports
The observer | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Observer Athletes of the Week: Bottelberghe, O’Brien lead the way this week By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor
A bev y of impressive performances across the tricampus communit y lead to a hotly contested voting process for The Obser ver’s week ly athlete and team of the week awards.
Team of the Week: Notre Dame Hockey The Irish only played one game this week, so w inning this was going to be a ver y tall task. However, Notre Dame responded w ith their most dominant effort of the year in a midweek rivalr y clash w ith Boston College. In front of a rowdy and packed student section, the Irish throttled the Eagles, 8-2. Boston College entered the game just outside the top 20 and actually scored 17 seconds into the game. The Irish managed to tie the score in the first and then rode a five-goal outburst in the second period to take a commanding advantage. Offensively, sophomore for ward Ryder Rolston notched a hat trick to lead Notre Dame to a season-high eight goals. Notre Dame improved to 16-7 w ith the w in and w ill tr y to ride the
momentum into a weekend home series w ith #11 Minnesota. Despite just the one game, the Irish’s most prolific offensive effort since Februar y 6 of last season earned them the team of the week award.
Men’s Athlete of the Week: Josh Bottelberghe, Notre Dame Swimming & Diving Senior captain Josh Bottelberghe posted an incredible indiv idual effort at the Tim Welsh Classic to edge out a couple of other elite performances for the Men’s Athlete of the Week. Bottelberghe is one of five seniors on the men’s roster and the school recordholder in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. He looked the part this past weekend, w inning both of those events, while also contributing to two w inning relay efforts. Bottelberghe’s weekend started quietly, anchoring the 200-yard freest yle relay to a 2nd-place finish. He then helped the Irish end day one in st yle, taking the second leg of the 400-yard medley relay. The Irish won the event by 0.42 seconds. Bottelberghe
played the same role in the 200 medley relay to start day t wo of the event. He finished his leg — the 50-yard breaststroke — in 23.69 seconds, more than a full second sooner the next-best secondleg sw immer. Bottelberghe went on to claim some indiv idual glor y in his best events, w inning the 100-yard breaststroke by 1.27 seconds. He outswam teammate Tyler Christianson for a 2.1-second v ictor y in the 200. He led w ire-to-w ire in both events. The impressive fourv ictor y performance from Bottelberghe was enough to earn the Athlete of the Week amidst heated competition.
Honorable Mention: Matthew Galagda, Notre Dame Hockey For the second straight week, Notre Dame hockey prov ided the honorable mention w inner for the Men’s Athlete of the Week. Galagda and teammate Ryder Rolston were both nominated heav ily alongside Bottelberghe for the week ly honor. The impressive bounceback effort from Galagda featured a career-high 40 saves after giv ing up a goal on the first shot he faced. He stonewalled
a couple of point-blank breakaway and rebound opportunities.
Women’s Athlete of the Week: Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame Track & Field In a tight t wo-athlete race, freshman Jadin O’Brien rode a t wo-w in performance at the Notre Dame Inv itational to claim the Women’s Athlete of the Week. O’Brien won the long jump and anchored the w inning 4x4 relay team in a strong effort for the Irish. The Irish freshman got things started in a big way for Notre Dame, w inning the long jump in the first event of the meet. O’Brien sat in second place after her first jump of 5.55 meters but took the lead w ith a 5.66-meter leap on her second effort. Her third jump was good for 5.80 meters, a mark that no other jumper would exceed. She cemented her v ictor y by jumping 5.82 meters on her final leap to w in. O’Brien also won the preliminar y 60-meter hurdle sprint, but she did not compete in the final. It was possibly an effort to conser ve energ y for the 4 x 400 relay, which ran just over an hour later. O’Brien
anchored the w inning effort for the Irish, as Notre Dame blistered their way to a w in in 3:46.39. O’Brien’s v ictories in her only events of the day were enough to claim the Obser ver’s Women’s Athlete of the Week award.
Honorable Mention: Colleen Gillilan, Notre Dame Swimming & Diving Junior Colleen Gillilan won three indiv idual events and contributed to a w inning relay at the Tim Welsh Classic. A ll told, Gillilan competed in seven events in the t wo-day event for the Irish, leading the women’s team to v ictor y. Gillilan’s first v ictor y came in the 200-yard indiv idual medley. She led w ire-to-w ire in both the 100 and 200-yard butterf ly races, and she finished her weekend by sw imming the third leg of the 400-yard freest yle.
Other Nominees Michael Shoaf (ND Track & Field, second nomination), Ryder Rolston (ND Hockey, first), Grace Adams (Holy Cross W BB, first) and Rachel Tanzcos (ND Track & Field, second) Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
ARIANNA DENNING | The Observer
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer | ANYA RUFFINO | The Observer
Irish senior Josh Bottelberghe took home the Observer’s Male Athlete of the Week after winning both the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke races at the Tim Welsh Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Sports
ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | The Observer
11
Sports Authority
Sanchez: My 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot By JOSE SANCHEZ CORDOVA Sports Writer
The Hall of Fame. It’s the pinnacle of sport and this Tuesday, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) w ill announce the 2022 Hall of Fame class. Ever y year hundreds of baseball w riters receive a ballot to vote for 10 players who they believe deser ve baseball immortalit y in Cooperstow n. This year it’s a little different, this is the year of reckoning. For the uninitiated, each player on the Hall of Fame ballot gets 10 years of eligibilit y to get 75% of the vote for enshrinement into Cooperstow n. Additionally, players need at least 5% of the votes to remain on the ballot year after year, when they don’t reach 5% , they fall off the ballot. This is the year of reckoning because this is Barr y Bonds and Roger Clemens’ tenth and final year on the ballot. (Curt Schilling and Sammy Sosa are in their final year too.) That means the BBWAA have their final say on whether they belong in the Hall of Fame. Statistically, they are absolute no-doubters. Bonds has 7 MV Ps, the all-time home run record, and is the most feared hitter in the histor y of baseball. (I mean c’mon. This is insane.) Clemens is Bonds’ pitching equivalent w ith 7 Cy Young Awards, an MV P and third all-time in strikeouts w ith 4,672. The controversy surrounding their enshrinement is about per forma nce-en ha ncing
W Bball Continued from page 12
reckoned w ith come March Madness. A young squad that has seemed to improve w ith each big game they play, Notre Dame w ill need major contributions from both their experienced leaders like Maya Dodson as well as underclassmen such as Maddy Westbeld and Oliv ia Miles. Of Notre Dame’s four players that average 10 or more points in a game, three are underclassmen — their abilit y to rise to the occasion in big moments w ill define this upcoming homestand. Notre Dame tips off their next game at 6 p.m. Thursday night against Sy racuse at Purcell Pav ilion. The Irish look to move to 6-2 in conference play, while the Orange w ill look to improve to 2-6. Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu
drugs (PEDs). A lot of the discourse surrounding Hall of Fame voting over the last decade has been about players linked w ith PED usage during MLB’s “Steroid Era” in the late 1990s and early 2000s. PEDs ran rampant and now Hall of Fame voters tr y to figure out how to deal w ith players who allegedly cheated at a time when the league didn’t police its ow n rules. Personally, I like the idea of imposing a sort of “steroid ta x” on players linked w ith PED usage. Basically, if you were suspected of using PEDs or caught using them then you need to clear a higher bar for enshrinement than a clean player does. My reasoning behind this is that there are certain players that you simply need in Cooperstow n to tell the stor y of baseball. Baseball isn’t the same w ithout certain players regardless of whether they cheated. A lso, I don’t buy the argument that it tarnishes the integrit y of the Hall. This is about baseball, not about personalities. A nd it goes w ithout say ing that there are plent y of bad people in Cooperstow n already. A ll that being said, this is how I would vote if I had a BBWAA ballot:
one was doing what he did. Sometimes I just like to look at his Baseball-Reference page and admire it. It’s just so unbelievable. His stretch from 2001 to 2004 is probably the best four years of baseball ever. “Video game numbers” is a gross understatement. Simply put, you can’t have a Hall of Fame w ithout Barr y Bonds.
Roger Clemens Clemens was an elite starting pitcher for over 20 years in the majors. He won 354 games, struck out 4,672 batters and won 7 Cy Youngs and an MV P to go w ith his t wo World Series rings. He has more accolades than anyone else to ever throw a ball 60 feet and 6 inches and he belongs in Cooperstow n.
Curt Schilling Schilling is maybe the greatest postseason pitcher of all time. In 19 playoff starts he has a 2.23 ERA with 11-2 record and, most importantly, 3 World Series rings including a World Series MVP in 2001 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. During his time in Arizona, he formed one-half of one of the most dominant 1-2s in baseball history. His partner was Hall of Famer Randy Johnson.
Sammy Sosa Barry Bonds The first mark on my ballot is for Barr y Bonds. Potentially the greatest player of all time. I know he used PEDs and I do not care. For one, he never tested positive, and he was never suspended by MLB. Many others were doing it, and no
Sammy is best known for his 1998 home run record chase against Mark McGwire, and while he lost the chase, he did win the MVP that year. Otherwise, Sosa put together a terrific career as one of the best power hitters that baseball has ever seen. He sits 9th all-time with 609 home runs and he gets
my vote.
Scott Rolen A great combination of power and defense at third base, which is a presently underrepresented position in Cooperstow n. Rolen racked up 8 Gold Gloves and more than 300 home runs in his career. He also racked up 70.1 bWAR during his career which is actually more than the average (68.4) for hallof-fame third basemen.
Billy Wagner A more sabermetric pick, Billy Wagner is one of the best left-handed relievers of all time. He has 422 saves, good for 6th all-time and has a career ERA of 2.31, which is better than ever y Hall of Fame reliever not named Mariano Rivera. He also struck out a ton of batters w ith a career 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) rate in an era w ith a lot fewer strikeouts than now.
Andruw Jones Andruw Jones was the best centerfielder in baseball from 1996 to 2006. And for that, he belongs in the Hall of Fame. He is one of four players ever w ith 10 + Gold Gloves and 400 + home runs. He joins Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Schmidt and Willie Mays who were all first-ballot Hall of Famers. Enough said.
is A-Rod got caught and suspended after he admitted to using. However, I still think he was too good to not be in the Hall of Fame.
David Ortiz One of the greatest designated hitters of all time and arguably the most iconic Red Sox player after Ted Williams. Big Papi was an integral part of ending the Red Sox curse in 2004. He then led them to t wo more rings and won World Series MV P in 2013.
Jimmy Rollins Rollins won the 2007 NL MV P and led the Phillies to a World Series in 2008. He also played outstanding shortstop defense w inning 4 Gold Gloves in his career. As a Phillies fan, this is admittedly a bit of a homer pick, and mostly just because I don’t want him to fall off the ballot after just one year. Hall of Fame voting is messy and there’s a lot of grey area here, but I’m prett y happy w ith my 10 players. That said, there are definitely players on the ballot who I could’ve voted for that I couldn’t include here. (Mark Buehrle, Todd Helton, Joe Nathan). More than anything I’m just really hoping we get someone new to welcome to the Hall of Fame this Tuesday.
Alex Rodriguez A-Rod was a generational player. He won 3 MV Ps and hit 696 home runs. The only reason he isn’t getting in on the first ballot is, again, PEDs. The difference
Paid Advertisement
Contact Jose Sanchez Cordova at jsanch24@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
12
The observer | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Irish compete at Tim Welsh Classic; Gillilan and Bottelberghe emerge quadruple-winners By MADELINE LADD Sports Writer
MAX PETROSKY | The Observer
Irish junior Coleen Gillilan swims the breaststroke during Notre Dame’s Tim Welsh Classic. Gillilan was the first to win a race for the Irish, leading to the women’s first place finish in the meet this weekend.
The Notre Dame swimming and diving team hosted their first meet of the spring semester this past weekend after not competing for over two months. The women’s team finished first out of three teams by over 300 points at the two-day Tim Welsh Classic, with the men finishing second out of two teams. On day one, junior Coleen Gillilan was the first to capture an Irish win for the weekend with a time of 1:57.67 in the 200 individual medley. Sophomore Tyler Christianson went on to win the event for the men in a 1:46.71. Also on the men’s side, freshman Chris Guiliano won the 50 freestyle with a 19.72. To cap off day one, the quartet of junior Charles Korndorffer, senior captain Josh Bottelberghe, junior Cason Wilburn and Guiliano captured the win in the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 3:09.00. Korndorffer, Bottelberghe, Wilburn and Guiliano were back to kick off day two of the competition. This time, they won the 200 medley relay in 1:25.02, a time just
shy of the men’s record time of 1:24.88. Irish seniors captured wins in both the women’s and men’s 400 IM. Luciana Thomas claimed victory for the women in 4:17.46, and Max Miranda won it for the men in 3:50.26. Gillilan kept the winning streak going with a 51.76 100 butterfly. Junior Thatcher Scannell followed with a 1:37.85 victory in the 200 freestyle. Bottelberghe claimed double victory in both the 100 breaststroke (52.97), and 200 breaststroke (1:55.63), both events that he boasts the school record in. The Irish swept the women’s 1650 freestyle in a close race, earning the first three spots thanks to the victory from freshman Maggie Graves (16:35.13), second-place from freshman Sophia Karras (16:37.54) and third-place finish from senior Sammie Eyolfson (16:37.59). To round out the meet, sophomore Kallie Chelsvig, sophomore Sydney Whiting, Gillilan and freshman Madelyn Christman won the Women’s 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:17.38. For the dive team, graduate see SWIM & DIVE PAGE 8
ND Women’s Basketball | 77-63
After fall against Boston College, Irish down Panthers in Pittsburgh By J.J. POST Sports Writer
Notre Dame women’s basketball rebounded from a midweek loss to Boston College, dispatching Pittsburgh 77-63 at the Petersen Events Center. The first half was hotly contested, tied 39-39 at the break. However, a total team effort prov ided the Irish the firepower needed to overcome the Panthers. Five different Notre Dame players hit double digits on the scoresheet, w ith graduate student for ward Maya Dodson leading the way w ith a game-high 23 points. Dodson was the star for the Irish when she wasn’t scoring as well-chipping in team-highs in rebounds (12) as well as blocks (4). Freshman guard Oliv ia Miles also had a big game for the Fighting Irish, adding 14 points from the backcourt to finish second on the team in
scoring. Miles also showed why she’s considered one of the best creators in the conference, chipping in a game-high six assists to add to her ACC-leading total on the season. Miles’ gap atop the conference assist leaderboard continues to expand in impressive fashion. The freshman guard currently sits at 132 assists in 17 games — no other ACC player has more than 82 on the year. Jayla Everett led the way for the Panthers in the loss, filling up the stat sheet in just about ever y categor y imaginable. Everett led Pitt in both points and steals, and also finished second on the team in assists, rebound and blocks. Rita Igbok we was the main Panther force in the post, grabbing gamehighs in rebounds (13) and blocks (5). Looking ahead, the Irish now face a four-game homestand that w ill carr y them into Februar y. Notre Dame
has played their best basketball at Purcell Pav ilion this season and currently sit undefeated at home w ith a 7-0 record. That perfect home record w ill face some serious threats in the next four games, however. The Irish welcome Sy racuse and a trick y Boston College team that just recently took dow n Notre Dame in Chestnut Hill earlier this week. Then they host a North Carolina State squad that’s undefeated in conference play and a projected top seed in the NCA A tournament. The homestand concludes against a strong Virginia Tech team w ith a top-25 road w in on their resume. If the Irish are to emerge from the upcoming fourgame stretch still unbeaten at home, they undoubtedly w ill have cemented their place as a top fifteen team in the countr y and a force to be see W BBALL PAGE 11
ANYA RUFFINO | The Observer
Irish sophomore forward Maddy Westbeld goes up for a rebound sandwiched between defenders in ND’s win over UNC on Jan. 16.