Print Edition of The Observer for Friday, February 17, 2017

The independent

To uncover

newspaper serving

the truth

Notre Dame and

and report

Saint Mary’s

it accurately

Volume 51, Issue 89 | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Students aid in local mayor’s DNC bid Volunteers travel to Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago to campaign for South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg

By MEGAN VALLEY Associate News Editor

South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg announced he was joining the race for Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman Jan. 5. On Feb. 25, 447 members of the DNC will vote in Atlanta for the new chair.

Until then, a group of 15 to 20 students from Notre Dame are working with members of the South Bend community on Buttigieg’s campaign.

“I think you can tell that he’s genuine, and you know that he has your best interests at heart,” fifth-year student Bryan Ricketts said. “ … He did that with South Bend and the business community, he did it with college students and he did it with the

communities that were disadvantaged. Generating action is what makes him such a compelling person and why I think he’d be great in the DNC chair.”

Some of the students traveled to the Detroit Forum on Feb. 3 and 4 to support Buttigieg and talk to DNC members about why they were rallying for him.

Senior Andrew Galo said they focused on “visibility” and relaying Buttigieg’s story and message. “[The forums are] exciting; they’re fast-paced; they’re highenergy,” he said. “Basically, [they are] day-long events with panel debates with all the candidates for the various offices. …

The whole day consists of them debating. see PETE PAGE 4

Photo courtesy of Andrew Galo

Notre Dame students campaign in Detroit on Feb. 3 for South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg in his bid to become Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

ND raises undergraduate tuition by 3.7% for 2017-18 Observer Staff Reprot

The University announced Thursday that undergraduate tuition and fees will go up by 3.7 percent for the 2017-2018 academic year, from $49,358 to $51,505. The average room-andboard rate went up by about

$500 to reach $14,890, bringing the total cost of attendance at Notre Dame to $66,395.

The tuition increase matches that of the previous two years.

“Student charges were set by the Board of Trustees at its Feb. 3 meeting,” the University

stated in a press release.

According to the 2016-2017 Bulletin of Information, the basic fee for an on-campus student currently ranges from $32,021.50 to $32,271.50 per semester. For a full-time, offcampus student, the fee is $24,842.50 per semester.

Syrian graduate student explores civil war, asylum

By SELENA PONIO Associate News Editor

When Majd Alshoufi spoke in the Eck Hall of Law on Monday afternoon, he made it clear that he was coming from a personal, rather than a legal, perspective.

Alshoufi, a Syrian Master’s candidate in international peacebuilding and an asylum seeker, was one of the speakers at a lecture titled “Asylum in the U.S.: Law and the Lives It Touches” — an event hosted by the International Human Rights

NEWS PAGE 3

Society and the Center for Civil and Human Rights. The event’s intent was to shed light on current refugee and asylum laws in the United States.

Alshoufi was an activist in the Syrian nonviolent resistance movement of 2011. On Aug. 22, 2011, he was arrested after taking part in a demonstration with 40 other men and women.

After being arrested, he was tortured and exiled. Today he continues his peacebuilding work in the U.S. “If you are deprived of the

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

ability to speak your mind, you can’t really feel it until you lose it,” he said. “Even worse than being shot was being arrested.

You were said to be sent behind the sun because no one knew what happened to you, and your life was over.”

Alshoufi said the main arguments people have against letting refugees into the U.S. are rooted not in logical reasoning, but in fear. He said there are two extremes on the spectrum: see ASYLUM PAGE 4

SCENE PAGE 8

SMC organizes conference for women in STEM

By GABY JANSEN News Writer

Saint Mary’s will emphasize feminism in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields this Saturday with Hypatia Day. Named after the Greek mathematician, astronomer and philosopher Hypatia, the conference takes place to encourage young girls in seventh and eighth grades interested in participating in STEM fields.

Associate professor of mathematics and computer science Kristin Kuter said the day is meant to interest more young women in STEM fields before they enter high school.

“The goal is to encourage these girls to continue to study STEM and to pursue an education in STEM,” Kuter said.

These girls will participate with Saint Mary’s students in activities in the fields in which they are interested. The chemistry, biology, physics, math, computer science, engineering

ND W BAsketball PAGE 16

and nursing clubs will host sessions with the girls, teaching them new things and giving demonstrations.

The day will start with a speech from keynote speaker Laura Kloepper, assistant biology professor. Kloepper said she wants to inspire younger girls to be in science.

“I like to get other people excited, not just about my work, but about science in general too,” Kloepper said.

After the speech, the girls will go to sessions and demonstrations in their chosen fields.

The biology club will help its participants to extract DNA from strawberries and put the DNA in necklaces.

“All the students can go home wearing a necklace of strawberry DNA,” Kloepper said.

Senior biology major Stephanie Dreessen said the club will also have the students examine and dissect preserved specimens. see HYPATIA PAGE 5

Hockey PAGE 16

2

TODAY

The observer | Friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

What is your favorite dinosaur?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Jimmy Hunter

Rob Braddock

freshman Keough Hall

junior Keough Hall

“Triceratops.”

“Diplodocus.”

Jakob Dodd

Jake Spraul

junior Keenan Hall

senior off campus

“Titanosaur.”

“Velociraptor.”

(574) 631-4542 mhynds@nd.edu

Lily Wick

Hannah Gillespie

Managing Editor

junior Pasquerilla East Hall

freshman Pasquerilla West Hall

“Pterodactyl.”

“Pterodactyl.”

Editor-in-Chief Margaret Hynds Managing Editor Business Manager Kayla Mullen Emily Reckmeyer

Asst. Managing Editor: Alex Carson Asst. Managing Editor: Zach Klonsinski Asst. Managing Editor: Clare Kossler

News Editor: Rachel O’Grady

Viewpoint Editor: Claire Radler

Sports Editor: Marek Mazurek

Scene Editor: Erin McAuliffe

Saint Mary’s Editor: Nicole Caratas

Photo Editor: Emmet Farnan

Graphics Editor: Lauren Weldon

Multimedia Editor: Wei Cao

Online Editor: Jimmy Kemper

Advertising Manager: Olivia Treister

Ad Design Manager: Madison Riehle

Office Manager & General Info

Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising

(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com Editor-in-Chief

(574) 631-4542 kmullen2@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors

(574) 631-4541 acarson1@nd.edu, zklonsin@nd.edu, ckossler@nd.edu Business Office

(574) 631-5313 News Desk

(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk

(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com Sports Desk

(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk

(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s Desk

ncaratas01@saintmarys.edu Photo Desk

(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators

(574) 631-8839 Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac and Saint Mary’s College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either 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 Margaret Hynds.

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 The Observer is a member of the Associated Press.

All reproduction rights are reserved.

Today’s Staff News

Sports

Emily McConville Lucas Masin-Moyer Gina Twardosz

Marek Mazurek Elizabeth Greason Kyle Barry

Photo

Scene

Emmet Farnan

Nora McGreevy

Viewpoint

Graphics

Evy Stein

Dominique DeMoe

Corrections An article in Thursday’s paper incorrectly stated that the “Iran Beyond Politics” photo exhibit would take place in the Snite Museum of Art. The exhibit was actually displayed in McKenna Hall.

The Observer regrets this error.

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

A young Notre Dame fan holds a “Go Irish” sign at Tuesday’s women’s lacrosse game against Marquette. The Irish beat the Golden Eagles 21-9 and will play their next game Saturday against Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

“Prolanthrophy: The Business of Helping Athletes Give Back” Mendoza College of Business noon - 1 p.m.

Cardio Kickboxing Rolfs Sports Recreation Center 11 a.m. - noon Arrive early. Space is limited.

Junior Parents Weekend Closing Brunch Joyce Center 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Tickets are required.

Workshop: “Writing A Strong Undergraduate Grant Proposal” Brownson Hall 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

“International Migration: Learning from the ‘Other One Percent’” Hesburgh Center 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Hockey vs.

Providence Compton Family Ice Arena 7:35 p.m.

Tickets available online.

Douglas Reed Organ Concert Basilica of the Sacred Heart 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Open to the public.

Vespers Basilica of the Sacred Heart 7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

All are welcome to join for evening prayer.

Book Launch: Julia Douthwaite’s “Rousseau and Dignity” Geddes Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Bengal Bouts Quarterfinals Joyce Center 7 p.m.

Tickets available online.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 17, 2017 | The Observer

3

Snite hosts ‘Valentine’s Day recovery’ event

By NATALIE WEBER News Writer

On Thursday, the Snite Museum hosted a “Valentine’s Day recovery program,” poking fun at Tuesday’s holiday and allowing members of the South Bend community to explore the museum’s art collections.

Titled, “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”, the event was part of the “Third Thursdays at the Snite” program, according to Sarah Martin, curator of public programs and education at the museum.

“Every month, we try to come up with something

different to really kind of get people’s interest piqued to come into the museum and rediscover artworks, or kind of fall in love with their favorite artworks all over again,” Martin said.

“This month, because it fell so close to Valentine’s Day and after Valentine’s Day, we thought a kind of recovery program from Valentine’s Day, or an alternative program to Valentine’s Day, might be a good idea.”

The event featured a number of romance-themed activities: Participants could write love letters to themselves, create dating profiles for the

works of art and go on tours of the galleries to learn about artists who had failed in their love lives.

At the love letter-writing station, students could choose to craft their letters using a Mad Libs template, a blank template or a pre-written template. Patrick Button, a third-year law student, was one of those who used a Mad Libs template to write himself a love letter.

“Apparently I love myself, even if I don’t have guns or rocks,” he said, reading from his letter. “It’s a nice thing to do after class, write Mad Libs valentines to yourself.”

Junior Jacqueline Pilato said she came to the event as part of an art history course she is taking this semester.

“We are required to come to a couple talks at the Snite and write about our experiences, so I picked this one because I saw the description and saw that it’d be a sarcastic take on Valentine’s Day,” she said.

“I thought it’d be interesting, something different than the Renaissance and Baroquetype art that we’re learning about right now.”

Mary Rattenbury, the Friends of the Snite Museum coordinator, said she thought the event was a good way for

others to explore Snite’s galleries and look at Valentine’s Day with a sense of humor.

“I think it helps us not take some parts of life so seriously, especially young people that might not have a relationship.

And holidays can bring people down, so this gives you a new approach to it,” Rattenbury said.

“I’ve been lucky to have been married for 38 years … but you know, I just think it helps you be less anxious and have a little fun with bringing life to art, by putting some storylines in with portraits or paintings.”

Contact Natalie Weber at nweber@nd.edu

SMC dining hall to begin composting

By COLLEEN ZEWE News Writer

Since Feb. 8, yellow bins have sat next to the tray disposal area, where students can drop their napkins, food scraps, condiment cups and other compostable items in Saint Mary’s Noble Family Dining Hall as part of a new composting program.

A sign next to the bins outlines what can and cannot be composted, and on the first few days the bins were in use, students involved in the program sat next to the bins to educate their peers on the importance of composting.

Student groups Saint Mary’s Environmental Action Coalition (SMEAC) and Sustainability SMC implemented the initiative.

“Composting was one of the main goals that Sustainably SMC tried to accomplish this school year,” Sustainability

SMC co-president Kristhel Torre said. “The need to spread knowledge and procreate positive change drove this mission.”

SMEAC president Mikhala Kaseweter, who studies sociology and also has a selfdesigned environmental studies major, said other students started a composting program in the dining hall two years ago, but it died out after they graduated. The goal of the clubs was to restart the program and make it permanent.

Kaseweter said the process was difficult, and that they have worked on implementing the program for the entire year. Kaseweter said Judith Fean, Saint Mary’s vice president for mission, guided her through the process. Kenneth Acosta, head of dining services, was also helpful.

“He provided the bins, table, information signs and a set of wheels,” Carolyn

Arcuri, the other co-president of Sustainability SMC, said.

“That’s right, a golf cart.”

Initially, students dumped food waste into the woods, but now there is a bin near the College campus, which is what the golf cart is for. Students take food waste to the bin at the end of each day.

“Carrying out the composting is quite the chore, but students have been very enthusiastic, so we hope to recruit more helpers,” Arcuri said.

Kaseweter said the groups hope to build a farm on campus in the next few years.

“Ideally we’ll make a more permanent bin when we get the farm,” she said.

The composted waste will help provide nourishment for the upcoming campus farm, and according to Arcuri, it is currently helping to fertilize the campus Community Gardens.

Kaseweter believes

composting is important for the community at large.

“It makes sense from a practical standpoint, aside from any environmental needs, because it recycles the nutrients while also eliminating waste,” Kaseweter said.

According to Kaseweter, composting also reduces landfill waste. Instead, waste can be turned into rich humus that feeds plants.

The presidents sit by the composting bins to help students learn about the program.

“We hope that the students can adjust and fully participate in this sustainable practice,” Torre said.

Kaseweter said she was excited about students’ enthusiasm.

“When I’m at the bins and directing students, so many people thank me for starting this and say they’re excited about it,” she said. “Random students even ask me how they can also get involved.”

Arcuri said she was surprised at how little students knew about composting before the initiative, but happy that they have shown interest in learning more.

“Surprisingly, many students did not know you cannot compost plastic, but that is why we sit at the bins,” Arcuri said. “Sitting there, I realized how many people were into sustainable practices. It was obvious that girls cared about the environment and were happy to help. The only thing the community is lacking is convenience.”

Sustainability SMC co-presidents Torre and Arcuri are juniors, so they will be available to continue the program into next year, and said they believe the enthusiasm of the students will help it last even beyond their graduation.

Contact Colleen Zewe at czewe01@saintmarys.edu

Paid Advertisement

Follow us on Twitter. @NDSMCObserver @ObserverSports @ObserverViewpnt @ObserverScene @NDObsPhoto

4

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Pete Continued from page 1

“Each campaign will have a table or a booth. We had South Bend goodies to hand out and platforms and buttons and stickers and all that. It’s basically a glorified school council election throughout the whole day.”

The next forum students attended was in Baltimore on Saturday. Galo, who attended both the Detroit and Baltimore forums, said seeing a young person make a difference in the Democratic party was inspiring. “[Buttigieg is] so accessible, and he’s really sought out every member of our community to bring them together and work for the city,” he said. “ ...

For us, as college students, it’s really great to have a member of our generation moving forward with the party. We’re millennials and we’ve got a bad rap; he’s a millennial too, and he’s looking to bridge that gap.”

Sophomore Prathm Juneja, who interned with Buttigieg as a freshman, said his story is “so inspiring”: Buttigieg attended Harvard as an undergraduate before being named a Rhodes Scholar, served in the U.S. Navy Reserves and was the first openly gay executive in Indiana.

NEWS

“[On Sunday], he had two fundraisers in Chicago, and he asked me if I could get four volunteers,” he said. “We went up to Chicago, and it was great. We basically just help out in anyway possible. That was organizing the events and getting them ready and decorating them and greeting people when they enter — anything to show how incredible [Buttigieg] is.”

If Buttigieg wins the chair, Ricketts said he has high hopes and expectations for the mayor to revitalize the Democratic party.

“One of the biggest struggles of the Democratic party is clearly connecting to voters,” he said. “There were huge losses and it’s not just about the presidency — it’s about the Congress, it’s about the state governors and the state legislators and even the local races.

“I think [Buttigieg], being a local guy, understands that winning the mayor’s race and winning the clerk’s race and winning the treasurer’s race, the sheriff, the school board; those are all important. … If we can build a party that recognizes it starts [locally] rather than in Washington, we’ll be much better off.”

Notre Dame students campaign for Pete Buttigieg in the race for Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Buttigieg was elected mayor of South Bend in 2010, and re-elected in 2015.

Contact Megan Valley at mvalley@nd.edu

South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg adresses volunteers. Buttigieg declared his candidacy Jan. 5 after weeks of speculation. He has said if he wins the race for DNC chair, he will resign as mayor of South Bend.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Galo

Photo courtesy of Andrew Galo

Paid Advertisement

News

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 17, 2017 | The Observer

Asylum Continued from page 1

on one end, that all Muslims are terrorists, and on the other end, that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism.

“We have to be brave enough … to go outside our comfort zone to see the truth,” he said.

“Hatred and discrimination against all Muslims empowers terrorists. ISIS has been extremely happy with the new

executive order. It gives them the opportunity to say, ‘Do you see how the entire world hates you?’ and recruit with this. They are empowered by this hatred.”

Alshoufi said President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders have put his status in this country in a state of uncertainty.

“I’m expecting an interview two years from now for asylum, but now I’m not sure, because of the recent executive

Paid Advertisement

orders,” he said. “If I’m denied, I’m unsure where I will go.

Will they send me to Turkey, where ISIS will be very happy to receive me? I feel like I’m in limbo.”

When talking about terrorism, Alshoufi used the phrase “do not be more royal than the king” as a caution to Western society, meaning that it should not claim to know more or know better about what to do when it comes to terrorism than those experiencing its effects firsthand.

He talked about change happening from within, led by the people affected.

“Terrorism is not just an American or Western problem,” Alshoufi said. “We Middle Easterners have a responsibility to fight terrorism.”

In 2014, Alshoufi founded New Syrian Human, an international NGO that provides community-based trauma therapy and peacebuilding services to Syrians around the world.

Lisa Koop, associate director of legal services at the National Immigrant Justice

Center and adjunct professor at Notre Dame Law School, explained the legal framework for how asylum law works in the U.S. Koop said the definition of a refugee is someone who has “a well-founded fear of persecution” due to religion, nationality or other factors. She said refugees meet this definition outside the U.S. and enter the U.S. with legal status and access to benefits, whereas an asylum seeker is someone already in the U.S. trying to meet this definition of a refugee. They typically do not have legal status or benefits.

Koop described the 32-step process that refugees have to go through before being allowed to settle in the U.S. as “incredibly exhaustive.” She said the executive order acts as an extra hurdle on top of that process.

“They were forced to leave because of circumstances out of their control,” she said. “It’s really miserable for people to have to leave and not be able to exercise their rights and be allowed to meaningfully

resettle.”

Koop said courts suffer from backlogs, with many cases scheduled into 2020. She said the trio of executive orders relating to interior enforcement, border security and refugee travel “conflate migration with criminality.”

Koop, who is also an immigration attorney, said the need for pro-bono support is now greater than ever. Koop specializes in litigation, policy and direct services advocacy on behalf of immigration survivors of gender-based violence.

The National Immigrant Justice Center educates immigrants on their rights, provides low-cost or free representation to immigrants and challenges laws and policies that violate the Constitution.

It serves around 10,000 clients a year.

“It’s important for people to understand what their rights are and how they can protect themselves,” Koop said.

Hypatia

as fruit f lies, seeing some differences underneath a microscope.”

According to senior nursing major Tyler Booth, the girls attending the nursing session w ill learn a lot of nursing practices, including bandaging and taking v itals.

“We’re teaching them how to w rap legs and arms,” Booth said, “We’re teaching them how to take pulses, blood pressures. We’re teaching them how to listen to heart sounds and lung sounds on our medi-man.”

Junior physics and applied math major Rachel Bonek said the physics club w ill teach its students projectile motion w ith a mini-cannonball demonstration.

“They can calculate how far it’s going to go based on the angle in the force we put behind it,” Bonek said. “It should be fun.”

One of the events of the day focuses on talking to parents about how to encourage their daughters who are interested in science.

“We talk about the academic preparation and development of the daughters,” Kuter said.

Senior biolog y major Cassie Libbing w ill be on the student panel, made up of STEM majors, which w ill answer parents’ questions about education and how to support their daughters.

“Just by sharing experience, I think it gives them a better vision of what it might come to be for their daughters and also see the variety of paths you can take within the STEM area,” Libbing said.

For the event, almost as many Saint Mar y’s students w ill volunteer as there are girls that attend. Kuter said

this can inf luence the v isiting girls by show ing how many female college students are pursing majors in STEM fields.

“These middle schoolers really do get to see a lot of examples of the possibilities and what the potential is w ith these undergraduate Saint Mar y’s students,” Kuter said.

Part of Hypatia Day’s goal is to reach out to girls in this age group to keep them from dropping their interest in the sciences, and Kuter said the impact of the day should keep these girls interested in science.

“Research has show n that that is the age when girls start pulling away from the STEM fields,” Kuter said.

“That transition is key in order to keep women engaged w ithin the STEM fields.”

K loepper said Saint Mar y’s, as an all-women’s college, facilitates a connection bet ween its students and young girls interested in the sciences through events like Hy patia Day. “It’s nice that we have this opportunit y to reach out to them and kind of say, ‘No, stick w ith it, it’s an ama zing career path,’” K loepper said.

Booth said she personally felt this impact when she was in middle school.

“I felt I was ver y English-y and liked w riting, and I wasn’t really interested in sciences because I thought that was something only boys did,” Booth said. “So I think it’s important to inspire them and show them that it’s something they can do too.”

Continued from page 1

“We have a sheep heart, some cray fish, [we’ll] look at differences of a turtle that lives on land verses water, some owls,” Dreessen said.

“And we’re also looking at some genetic base stuff, such Paid Advertisement

5

Contact Selena Ponio at sponio@nd.edu

Contact Gaby Jansen at gjanse01@saintmarys.edu

6

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

Mario Kart Monsters

Accountability starts with transparency

Lucas Masin-Moyer News Writer

Let me take you back to October of 2015, a little over a month into my college life at Notre Dame. My newly minted friends and I, seeking a way to come closer together, reluctantly decided to fork out $30 to buy Mario Kart for the Wii U. Now this seemed like a relatively mundane purchase at the time, something that we could do after meals to kill time 一 little did we know the monsters it would turn us into.

The long spiral into insanity began relatively slowly.

Feeling out the game, and getting accustomed to it, we would play most days, with results generally getting better over time. We all settled into a routine of a familiar kart and character 一 for me it was always Luigi on the B-Dasher, with button wheels and the Hylian Kite glider.

Slowly working our way up in our skill level, we transitioned from 50cc to 150cc races and from easy to hard computers. Though we recognized the relative absurdity of getting exceptionally good at Mario Kart, it was fun, so we kept doing it, slowly increasing the hours days by day.

The first indication to our later problems occurred right before spring break of my freshman year. With classes done we embarked on a 32-race grand prix, an ordeal that would take upwards of three hours to complete.

This test of the will resulted in a victory for the Polish mamba Bartosz Janczuk, solidifying his place in the lore of the men of Morrissey 2CD, whose definition of power and masculinity had come to center on an ability to best dodge green shells.

As the year wore on, these “32s” as we called them (a remarkably clever nickname if I do say so myself) became all the more common-place and one final mega prix served to cap off our freshman year.

Months apart and the heat of summer did nothing to dampen our desire to kart. In fact, soon after we returned, we concocted an idea that would bring our playing to the next level.

I will never forget that day when, as we departed 323 Morrissey after a daily prix, my friend Bart brought up the idea of keeping records of our finishes both on individual maps and prix. We spent the rest of the afternoon setting up the spreadsheet that would not only keep this data but find averages and trends in this data.

The early days of the spreadsheet era contain some of my fondest memories of Mario Kart. The competitiveness was at an all time high and each day I looked forward to getting together with my friends and bettering my average. Some of the truly iconic quotes were spoken during this time, most notably my triumphant cry on Donut Plains that, “I was dialed in this race, my God,” right as I collided with a green shell and was overtaken within a whisker of the finish line. These are the moments that, like Bart’s first triumph, will live in Morrissey lore.

Yet as time wore on, the game started to change, we all became more concerned with bettering our averages than playing and enjoying the game. Many times we left the game more angry than when we had started. This led to a revelation, around the start of this semester, that we ought to hang up our Wii-motes for a while. The game was fun when it was hanging out and messing around and casually trying to win, but making it into a codified competition had taken the fun out of it.

Now Mario Kart may seem like merely a game, but it is much more than that and it taught us all a valuable lesson 一 keep what is fun, fun. Now that the spreadsheet has reached its final resting place in our Google Drives, I can truly relish the exasperated cries of “a single mushroom” and the smugness with which we would shout “blue shell coming at you!”

Contact Lucas Masin-Moyer at lmasinmo@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

At 11:45 p.m. last Wednesday, the night of this year’s student body election, Judicial Council disclosed it would delay announcing the outcome of the election pending an appeal concerning allegations of misconduct related to campaign spending on the part of the juniors Rohit Fonseca and Daniela Narimatsu ticket. In a press release sent to campus media, Judicial Council said the ticket had purchased Facebook advertising prior to receiving proper approval from the Election Committee.

This happened only 15 minutes before the council was set to release the election results and almost three hours after electronic voting finished.

The appeals process transpired behind closed doors — including a 3 1/2-hour-long emergency student senate meeting last Thursday night — while the student body was left to make its best guess as to what the actions in question actually were, and their impact on the election results.

At 1:50 a.m. the following Friday morning — just over 24 hours after the results were originally due to be released — did the student body received its first and only communication at all from Judicial Council regarding the election results: Becca Blais and Sibonay Shewit had won the election, receiving a majority of all votes. The final vote tallies revealed the sanctions handed down to Rohit Fonseca and Daniela Narimatsu’s campaign had no impact on the outcome of the election, rendering the circus of the last 26 hours inconsequential.

Not included in the email from Judicial Council was any clarification regarding what misconduct inspired the sanctions, nor why the council chose to deduct 7 percent — later reduced to 5 percent on appeal — of the Fonseca-Narimatsu ticket’s vote. Also missing from the message to the student body was the fact that the penalty dictated by the student union constitution for the violation in question is “forfeiture of candidacy.”

What transpired in the closed, 3 1/2-hour emergency student senate meeting called the day after the election? How did the Election Committee decide on a 7-percent deduction as an appropriate sanction? Was that penalty proportional to the severity of the alleged violations? Or was it simply an arbitrary number?

Once results were released, these questions persisted — all rooted in the lack of transparency throughout the election process.

This time, the penalty was inconsequential: The Blais-Shewit ticket had secured victory with or without the sanctions leveled against its opposition.

But consider another scenario: If the FonsecaNarimatsu ticket had instead won a slim majority, the sanctions may have been enough to strip them of the win and hand it to Blais and Shewit.

Ultimately, though, the results of the election could have been decided entirely in secret, with no party holding significant accountability to the community as a whole.

Was the violation that forced the ticket to forfeit a portion of its votes a minor error, one that likely had minimal, if any, impact on votes? Or was it a more significant violation, where loss of candidacy would have been more appropriate?

In the scenario where Fonseca and Narimatsu had won more votes, no matter which ticket prevailed after the sanctions, students would have been left wondering why 7-percent, then 5-percent, penalties were levied. With no reasoning given, would the number have simply been chosen to orchestrate a specific result?

While the ultimate result meant we did not have to ask these questions this year, there is no evidence that similar problems might not happen in the future. In the majority of recent years, at least one ticket has been handed sanctions.

If those sanctions determined the result of an election, the student body would have a right to know the specifics — about the violation itself through to the decision-making process on the penalty.

Additionally, when it was announced that the results were being withheld, at least one of the tickets did not know there were any allegations or why the results would not be released that night.

The following day, the Election Committee would not answer questions clarifying its decision on the basis that it would hamper the impartiality of the appeals process.

For a period of time, the specifics of the allegations were not made clear to even those who were intimately involved in the process, including the tickets, senators participating in the appeals hearing and the reporters responsible for relaying this information to the student body.

The Election Committee, which is appointed by the outgoing Judicial Council president, consists of eight voting and two non-voting members and exists to “review all allegations of potential elections misconduct and all potential regulations,” according to the Student Union Constitution.

During elections, Judicial Council seeks to hold others accountable — but we are left wondering who holds Judicial Council accountable for its actions.

While Judicial Council may have had its reasons for the sanction it levied, the fact that the Election Committee seemingly ignored the penalty laid out in the constitution for this campaign violation is alarming. At the absolute minimum, if the committee is to stray from the constitution, there needs to be a clear explanation of the council’s reasoning to the constituents it claims to serve.

Had the emergency student senate meeting been open, perhaps the uncertainty would not exist.

Sessions are typically open, such that any student can attend. Normally, student senate can vote by a two-thirds majority to close a meeting, however, the emergency session was closed without a vote.

Again, it appears the Election Committee disregarded the constitution it is supposed to abide by.

It is now clear the results of the election were not impacted by the sanction, which leads us to wonder if any member of Election Committee knew the results of the election at the time it decided on the sanction. Judicial Council president Caitlin Geary said in an email that the council’s president and its SAO advisor are the only individuals who would ever know of the election results until they are released to the candidates. However, the Judicial Council president is a non-voting member of the Election Committee, and once again, there is no outside system of accountability in place to verify this.

On the other hand, if the 7-percent — later 5-percent — deduction was truly arbitrarily decided, with the committee having no knowledge of the results, the committee used its unchecked power in a way that could have decided the election without due process.

While the sanctions were inconsequential this time around, when the student body is disenfranchised — as effectively occurred here — it has a right to know why.

Without more transparency, it would be possible for election results to be determined by the closed-door decisions of Judicial Council alone.

Regardless of how or why the decision was made, the student body deserves an explanation.

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

The tarring of Congress Gary Caruso Capitol Comments

North Carolina, the “Tar Heel” or “Old North” State, is renowned for iconic events such as the Wright brothers’ aviation first in Kitty Hawk, honored on the state’s license plate with the phrase, “First in Flight.” Politically, however, after the Republican Party gained total control of the governor’s house and both legislative chambers for the first time in more than a century during the 2010 election — a nationwide backlash principally focused against former President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) — the GOP’s flight path has landed onto several peculiar public relations tar pits. Perched atop the list most notably is passage of House Bill 2 last year; most recently, the GOP legislature’s overreaching attempt to limit the newly elected Democratic governor’s duties.

The Tar Heel State stands as a poster child for politically aggressive, moralistic rigidity. Amidst strict voter ID measures, gerrymandered districts and restrictive voter procedures, North Carolina has brought upon itself public wrath and boycotts. HB 2, the enacted statewide so-called bathroom bill, requires individuals to use public accommodations consistent with one’s birth certificate — as opposed to one’s gender identity, the standard advocated last year by the Obama administration. In response, the lucrative NBA 2017 All-Star Game originally slated for Charlotte, North Carolina, was relocated outside the state. The NCAA also blacklisted the state by moving seven championship events originally scheduled to be played in North Carolina.

The HB 2 measure was the Republican-controlled government’s attempt to nullify federal measures and preempt a nondiscrimination ordinance in Charlotte that made it possible for transgender individuals to use public restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. But that was not a unique occurrence. Most recently after the legislature remained in Republican control but a Democrat was elected governor, the North Carolina Supreme Court blocked the

GOP legislature’s overreaching attempt to limit the newly elected Democratic governor’s duties, specifically removing the governor from managing the elections process.

For a casual observer, the reaction usually includes a sigh of disgust with the thought that both political parties do these power grabs on a routine basis. To an extent, both sides strive to advance their visions of governance (usually characterized as an “agenda” by the opposition). In simplistic rhetoric, the GOP would like its brand to be one of less taxation, less government regulation and a smaller government. The Democrats attempt to be more inclusive and diverse while utilizing government to assist the American society. Each accuses the other of stepping to far from the center.

However, it matters which party is given total control of a state or the federal government because the GOP enacts laws that are generally more restrictive, less diversely inclusive and notoriously attempt to advance their party’s electoral success through limitations and restrictions. Once called the “Party of No” for creating the gridlock during the Obama tenure, Republicans play a meaner, more ruthless and uncivil type of hardball politics. Compromise and bipartisanship GOP-style is when they control an entire governmental apparatus and force 100 percent of their philosophies onto a more diverse and complicated electorate.

This is a far cry from the days when both parties said, “yes,” during a Republican President Ronald Reagan and a Democratic congress led by Speaker Tip O’Neill who together both cut and raised taxes — nearly a dozen “revenue enhancement” tax hikes that included doubling the federal tax from 4 to 9 cents on a gallon of gasoline along with saving Social Security. Tax historian Joseph Thorndike said that two bills passed in 1982 and 1984 together “constituted the biggest tax increase ever enacted during peacetime.”

Today, the political parties are nestled snuggly in supersafe gerrymandered congressional districts that skew heavily towards both parties slicing communities along political and geographical lines to create super-safe districts. Some argue that the more balanced a district in its political

makeup, the more reasonable the representative. Statewide, however, voter suppression dramatically affects election results.

This week, three college professors released findings that demonstrated election turnout was in fact suppressed by strict voter ID laws. Their data showed that strict voter ID states had a 3 percent Latino gap versus 5 percent gap, 11 percent Asian gap versus 6 percent gap and 5 percent black gap versus 3 percent gap in states without strict ID laws. Given the razor-thin margins in some Rust Belt states, the effort to tilt regulations that manipulate voter district boundaries while limiting voter participation at the ballot box does pay off for the GOP. The historical pace (same-day HB 2 special session passage and signing) at which North Carolina GOP lawmakers sped down Bazaar-o Boulevard to enact their rigid, conservative agenda and pushed back at progressive change portends of what to expect in the U.S. Congress now that the Republican Party controls the entire federal government.

Already not a month into the Trump presidency, the GOPcontrolled House eased restrictions on coal companies dumping ash into water streams and weakened provisions that require federal contractors to pay workers prevailing wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Can a powerful GOP one-party government with no need for compromise consistently muddy the waters while picking the pockets of workers without inciting a public backlash reminiscent of 2010? We will only know if voters tar and feather the GOP congress in the 2018 off-term elections.

Gary J. Caruso, Notre Dame ’73 American Studies major, serves in the Department of Homeland Security and was a legislative and public affairs director at the U.S. House of Representatives and in President Clinton’s administration. His column appears every other Friday.

Contact him on Twitter: @GaryJCaruso or e-mail: GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

An open letter to my ND family I belong. I belong to the this University (even after graduation). I belong to this nation. I belong.

It isn’t something I’ve always felt confident about, this sense of belonging. Although born and raised in the United States, I grew up with an acute awareness that my last name, Fernandez, marked me as different.

It was being told, “you look Spanish,” even though my olive skin and dark hair come from my Italian-Maltese mother. It was being asked, “so did your family come here legally?” when talking about my immigrant father. It was the whisper in the back of my head telling me the only reason I got into Notre Dame was because I checked off “that box.”

Often, I tried to deal with this differentness by owning it, by turning it into a source of pride. I bragged about my Dad, who went from sleeping on a park bench to becoming COO of Cadbury Chocolates, who sent three children to college after spending some of his first paychecks on replacing the wedding rings his parents were forced to leave behind in Cuba. I told stories about my Abuela and Abuelo, who lied to the Cuban government so that they could f lee to freedom in the United States. I showed off in Spanish class, proud of my seemingly f lawless accent and prior knowledge. Every Thanksgiving, I endeavored to make my friends jealous with descriptions of delectable platanos, empanadas, ropa vieja and arroz con frijoles.

The problem with all these measures is that they could never get rid of the feeling that it wasn’t enough. Because although my accent was good, I spoke English at home and learned my Spanish in

the classroom. My last name was “Furnanndez” and not “Fairnaandez,” with English and not Spanish vowel sounds. Although my Dad and abuelos faced poverty and discrimination, I grew up in a privileged environment. I loved Cuban food, but knew nothing about Cuban culture aside from what ended up in my stomach. Guilt filled me when I thought about having benefitted from Affirmative Action when I didn’t even consider myself Hispanic enough to deserve it.

Torn between two cultures, I felt as if I never fully belonged to either. I was too white to be a “real” Hispanic, but too Hispanic to be considered “fully” white. I kept most of this to myself. The uncertainty remained an unanswered question mark lurking inside my heart, buried underneath the joys and sorrows of the present moment.

And then the election happened.

And then people were saying to build a wall to keep out the “bad hombres.” And then people were howling to keep out political refugees lumped into the same category as suicide bombers and terrorists. And then the black and white of Trump’s rhetoric brought the question mark back to the surface.

I identified with the political refugees who, like my abuelos and my Dad, were desperate to escape the violence and despotism in their homeland. I empathized with the Hispanic immigrants who merely wanted to give to their families the opportunities my Dad gave to me. But then, I identified with conservative Christians who have had their beliefs about abortion consistently ridiculed. I empathized with those who wanted a government that regulated less and cared more, given my family’s history in Cuba.

Slowly, I realized that my inability to identify with one group or the other was a strength, an antidote to the negativity generated by this election.

If we have learned anything from this election, we have learned how powerful a motivator fear can be: fear of the other, fear of the unknown. These fears have caused many in our country to believe that building walls, both physical and metaphorical, is the only solution. These are fears I know all too well. They are the same fears that caused me to build walls between my identities, to see them as separate and irreconcilable entities.

However, it is in breaking down these walls that I have come to feel a sense of belonging stronger than I have ever had before. My mixed and messy heritage is a symbol of exactly what Trump is seeking to snuff out: the gloriously confusing melting pot that constitutes America’s greatest strength.

I am the “both/and” that Trump doesn’t believe can exist. Both white and Hispanic. Both a patriot and a believer in open borders. I belong because I am “both/and,” and so do my brothers and sisters, my fellow humans. Now more than ever, we must embrace the dignity of each individual, and that means embracing the sometimes contradictory and often confusing totality of the human person.

If we do not, if we keep building walls, we will soon face the burdens of the world alone. No helping hand will be strong enough to break through the barriers we erect, and no soul will be brave enough to climb our towers of splendid isolation.

Elise Fernandez class of 2015 Feb. 16

8

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MIKE DONOVAN Scene Writer

The punk mentality, in the eyes of many, revolves around indiscriminate mudslinging. Landmark punk acts (i.e. The Sex Pistols, The Dead Kennedys and Black Flag) rallied swarms of fans, not by complexity of thought, but with sheer force. They threw ideas like grenades, aiming for whatever target would cause the biggest ruckus.

In doing so, they embraced the superficiality that punk was built to destroy. Effective punk requires a little more subtlety. Ideas, both lyrical and musical, hit a lot harder if employed deliberately. The D.C. band Priests, on their debut LP “Nothing Feels Natural,” sets a new standard for intellectual punk. They forgo ideological grenades for the precision of razor sharp poetics and eclectic musical stylings. Tools in hand, the brainy punks methodically strip away every layer of falsity covering the cultural pressure cooker that is modern America.

“Nothing Feels Natural” begins its surgical condemnation of the modern condition with deep cuts into culture’s commercialist outer shell. “It feels good to buy something you can’t afford,” singer Katie Alice Greer shrieks on “Appropriate,” applying a sardonic lens to an economic system that shoves garbage down gullets by the ton. She remarks later on “Pink White House” that this rampant consumerism thrives because it offers “Anything you want, anyone you want, anywhere you want,” whether it be a nice new car, a binge-worthy sitcom or a method of inquiry that never ventures below the surface. Everything is tailor-made to go down easy and foster addiction. Commercialism churns out potent

By ADRIAN MARK LORE Scene Writer

They came from nowhere. The Finnish shoegaze and noise rock outfit Kairon; IRSE! gained significant notoriety in 2014 following the release of their breakthrough album “Ujubasajuba,” amassing fans from around the globe after spending years in the obscurity of the Baltic experimental rock scene. Surely inspired by Scandinavia’s impressive metal output, the album’s colossal tracks feature icy, towering riffs richly evocative of the region’s polar winters and powerful drumming that hits like a blizzard. It was easily one of the year’s best records.

The band self-released “Ujubasajuba” digitally on the online music retail website Bandcamp, an unassuming format unworthy of the album’s magnitude. The album’s success, however, drew the attention of local labels, among them Svart Records, which recently reissued “Ujubasajuba” in both CD and vinyl format with all-new cover art. While the official reissue was called for, it was also executed in promotion of Kairon; IRSE!’s follow-up record, “Ruination.”

From the start, “Ruination” promised grandeur. After years of silence and an exciting record deal, the band released the album’s first single, “Starik,” last fall. The track instantly recalls “Ujubasajuba” with its moody, sinister aura.

Like many tracks on the former record, “Starik” experiments significantly with song structure, delving even more into progressive rock than the band’s earlier music. While the track includes more diverse instrumentation – notably including the saxophone – the focus remains on an expertly DOMINIQUE DeMOE | The Observer

distractions to stage what Greer calls “A puppet show in which you’re made to feel like you participate.

Having broken through the facade, the album turns its attention to the toxic social hierarchy underneath.

The deceptively melodic single “Jj” welds together a series of images — “a rich kid low-life in a very big jacket,” a speaker who thought she “was a cowboy” because she “smoked reds” and some “jock frat boys” — with a nostalgic soul groove. The lyrics convey depravity while the music distracts from it. “Puff” does just the opposite by soaking the mundane imperative to “Make your dreams a reality” in the expertly crafted dissonance of drummer Daniele Daniele, bassist Taylor M and guitarist C.S Jaguar, adding a sarcastic hue to the uneasy blend. These tracks, through their juxtaposition of cultural idealism and innate conflict, discredit the American Dream as a viable notion. Priests’ America is drowning in a sea of illusions and complacency.

The album, having established commercial dissonance on the macro scale, rides its themes into the individual’s headspace. Greer lays personal disillusionment bare on the spoken word piece “No Big Bang,” when she compares the consumer perspective to witnessing “the sheer stupidity of a roller coaster just staring you in the face / as blank and inescapable as the slab of concrete below.” The consumer knows that progress, motion and meaningless fun are empty concepts but has no power to escape them. The cultural sedatives inhibit communicative ability. “No words / No Big bang,” Greer mutters during the chorus.

While the record stays, for the most part, on its raging tirade, there are a few hopeful points. The title track, an

uncharacteristically delicate indie pop piece, searches for sincerity in self-criticism. “If I go 100 days without will I finally hallucinate a real thing?” Greer asks herself, flipping the roles of reality and imagination in one fell swoop. Maybe disconnecting from society and embracing the role of the outsider can free us from commercial America’s suffocating grip, and maybe the only natural course is the countercultural one she ponders over the dreamy arrangements. In this way, the quieter, more saccharine moments in “Nothing Feels Natural” also point back to the punk mentality.

Priests’ debut succeeds because it glues together a disparate patchwork of lyrical and musical ideas with the punk rock ethos. Their unique approach transcends the genre’s accepted parameters and gives their subversive ideas a deeply personal flare. “Nothing Feels Natural” creates its own miniature counterculture and stirs the pot however it pleases.

manipulated array of distinct and vibrant guitars, surely a plus in its own right.

The record’s first two tracks, “Sinister Waters I” and “Sinister Waters II,”are further inspired by prog-rock structures, incorporating angular leads and retro-sounding synth warbles over the course of 25 dynamic minutes.

Similarly, “Porphyrogennetos” devolves into a solo section reminiscent of King Crimson but entirely devoid of the band’s signature aggression – though it maintains a familiar cathartic vigor. Indeed, if “Ujubasajuba” were compared to the band Moonsorrow, “Ruination” would be more akin to Kebnekajse.

The ambition is plainly audible on the record, and one senses the band’s commitment to reinvention and innovation. Playing down the prog-rock influence, the title track “Ruination” is a spaced-out funk ballad pumped with highfrequency noise. And “Llullaillaco,” the record’s most concise track and arguably its foremost highlight, is a skillful study of pre-“Loveless” My Bloody Valentine that capitalizes on the band’s stylish, energetic ferocity.

It is worth noting, however, that the record’s best cut is also most out of place. That is to say, the band’s prowess was less reflected in the prog-rock moments than in other sections of “Ruination.” As a result, while the record as a whole constitutes a laudable effort, perhaps the band should refocus its energies elsewhere going forward.

Perhaps more constructively, however, they could benefit from perfecting the sound of their updated aesthetic.

The main drawback of their prog-rock execution was its occasional over-reliance on tried-and-true formulae. Both

halves of “Sinister Waters” grew occasionally laborious and their use of dated synthesizers felt both familiar and retrograde in a bad way. Additionally, some of the vocals were featured too high in the mix – and were performed in English – mitigating the dreamy atmosphere they created on “Ujubasajuba” and indeed on “Llullaillaco.”

If not quite as refreshingly radical as “Ujubasajuba,” Kairon; IRSE!’s follow-up and industry debut “Ruination” is a formidable work. Departing somewhat from their shoegaze and noise-rock roots to delve ambitiously into the more complex syntax of progressive rock music, Kairon; IRSE! demonstrates a genuine artistic drive that has become woefully uncommon, even in the underground scene. Overall, the record welcomes new listeners and should inspire excitement for the band’s future output.

Contact Mike Donovan at mdonov10@nd.edu

“Nothing Feels Natural” Priests Label: Sister Polygon Records Tracks: “Nothing Feels Natural,” “Jj,” “Pink White House” If you like: Sleater-Kinney, Savages, Sheer Mag

Contact Adrian Mark Lore at lore.1@nd.edu

“Ruination” Kairon; IRSE! Label: Svart Records Tracks: “Llullaillaco,” “Starik” If you like: Slowdive, Ride, Deathconciousness

9

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MATTHEW MACKE Scene Writer

In 2015, there were zero people of color nominated for an acting Oscar. In 2016, there were zero people of color nominated for an acting Oscar. In 2017, there are six. Among the films that tackle the issue of race and garnered the attention of the Academy are “Moonlight,” “Fences,” “Loving,” “I Am Not Your Negro,” “O.J.: Made in America,” and “13th.”

Rounding out that lineup is “Hidden Figures,” the 20th Century Fox film telling the long-forgotten story of the African-American women who played instrumental roles in making some of NASA’s most iconic missions possible. It centers on three women in particular, played by Taraji P. Henson, of “Empire” fame, Octavia Spencer, and popstar Janelle Monáe.

Henson is the ostensible star of the movie, serving as the primary protagonist and mathematician supreme. Her character, Katherine Johnson, is called out of the basement reserved for the black workforce and into the agency’s central operations center.

There she starts out as an equation checker, albeit one that is handicapped by white, male physicists and engineers who censor the their work to point that she has almost no data to work with. After managing to catch an error by holding a folder up to the light, she is promoted to work at the computer. As would be expected of the main character, she quickly proves herself as a mathematician without equal.

This rise, however, is entirely dependent upon Al Harrison, the character played by Kevin Costner.

This plot dynamic has emerged as a point of contention among some critics. Without Harrison, a white male, there to promote Johnson or heroically tear down the ‘colored’ bathroom signs, she would not have attained the success and respect that she did. Some argue that this is just a historical fact: without the approval of the white hegemony, women like Katherine Johnson could not have hopes to succeed. Others, however, consider this representation just another subtler reaffirmation of the patriarchy.

For my part, I think these plot decisions were made to protect the ego of the establishment. White people don’t like being portrayed as the bad guy, even when the term is historically accurate, as is the case in America’s long history of troubled race relations.

Fortunately, Henson’s Katherine Johnson is not the only heroic black female in “Hidden Figures.”

Octavia Spencer plays Dorothy Vaughan, the unofficial supervisor of the African American women at NASA. Vaughan is constantly passed over for promotion despite doing the work of someone in a managerial position. Rather than rely on the goodwill of the white people around her, she makes herself, and her girls, indispensable. Once she learns that NASA is bringing in ‘an IBM’ that will eliminate the need for bottom-of-the-ladder computers, she immediately begins learning and teaching how to code and operate the machine. Eventually, she demonstrates

that she knows the machine better than anyone and needs to be kept around. Ironically, Vaughan is soon on equal professional footing with the woman who consistently advocate against Vaughan’s promotion.

Given the divergent nature of the paths these actors played in “Hidden Figures,” it should come as no surprise that Spencer is an Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress, while the main actress did not receive a nomination. Henson delivered a solid performance, but is beaten out for the position of “only minority in the lead actress category” by Ruth Negga, of “Loving.” Negga plays Mildred Loving, a woman who goes from submissive housewife to empowered symbol of civil rights over the course of the film. It’s a theatrical range that none of the titular “Hidden Figures” demonstrate.

Despite the characters’ unremarkable development, “Hidden Figures” has managed to be a popular movie. This is because the story is just so compelling. It seems ridiculous that it took until 2017 for the tales of these women to be recognized by the general public. “Hidden Figures” may be a dramatization, but it tells the stories of real women of color who did truly amazing things and deserve to be remembered. Hopefully the success of “Hidden Figures,” both publicly and critically, will encourage more studios to take a chance on this sort of movie.

Contact Matthew Macke at mmacke@nd.edu

WEEKEND PREVIEW

WHAT: Dueling Pianos WHERE: Legends of Notre Dame Nightclub.

WHEN: 10 p.m. Friday COST: Admission is free with Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s or Holy Cross student I.D. Parents admitted free on Junior Parent’s Weekend. Tips encouraged for audience song suggestions.

WHAT: “I Am Not Your Negro” (2016) WHERE: Browning Cinema in DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Saturday COST: Student tickets are $4, available on the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center website. Senior tickets are $5 and regular tickets are $7.

WHAT: Saint Margaret’s House Winter Walk 2017 WHERE: Walk a mile in downtown South Bend.

Walk begins in the lobby of the County-City Building and ends at Saint Margaret’s House.

WHEN: On-site registration opens Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and the walk beings at 2:30 p.m.

COST: Donations encouraged.

The ever-popular Dueling Pianos return to Legends on Friday night. Enjoy the live music and exciting atmosphere as two talented pianists face off against one another, playing off-the-cuff renditions of songs suggested by the audience itself. Dueling Pianos presents a lively show which engages the whole crowd.

Come and go as you please – the event is scheduled from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday night and drop-ins are encouraged. Looking for something to do with your parents for Junior Parent’s Weekend? The show is appropriate and accessible for everyone and parents are encouraged to attend.

Nominated for an Academy Award in the “Best Documentary Feature” category, “I Am Not Your Negro” delivers an incisive and devastating critique of American race relations of both past and present. Raoul Peck, the director, drew on the unfinished manuscript of noted author and social critic James Baldwin, “Remember This House,” which chronicles his friendships with noted civil rights figures such as Medgar Evers, Malcom X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The film weaves Baldwin’s text, interviews, and other historical footage to communicate a compelling narrative of race relations throughout American history.

Walk a mile in the shoes of the women at Saint Margaret’s House. The day center, founded in 1990, serves women and children in downtown South Bend.

This annual fundraiser for the House helps to fund the numerous services Saint Margaret’s House provides to women and children in the community, including hot meals, showers, empowerment and educational programs, housing, case management, services for victims of abuse and a loving community. Participants may register online or simply register the day of the walk – just make sure to get there early. The one-mile walk is followed by a reception and open house.

DOMINIQUE DeMOE | The Observer

10

DAILY

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Stay calm and handle matters with humility and dignity. Your ability to listen, assess and move forward will be your best resource as the year unfolds. There is plenty to gain from quiet and focused pursuits. Don’t feel the need to get involved in joint ventures when you know you can handle matters proficiently on your own. Your numbers are 4, 11, 21, 23, 34, 36, 41.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Travel and reflection will help you discover the best way to move forward. Don’t sweat the little things when the big picture should be your focus. Seeing is believing. Get started and don’t stop until you finish.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Get involved in what’s happening at home, within your family or within groups or organizations you have joined. It’s important to offer suggestions. If you feel passionately about something, do your best to offer suggestions or solutions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Work hard and play hard. Interacting with the people you want to collaborate with will help you gain ground personally and professionally. Don’t downplay love and romance. Make it clear how you feel and what your plans are for the future.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Share your thoughts with the people you feel close to and you will come up with workable solutions to any problems you face.

Travel and involvement in cultural events or experiences will give you the incentive to improve your lifestyle.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep your emotions in check. A little mistake can set off a series of unwanted events. Ease your stress by offering an honest assessment of the situation as well as a solution that will provide equal opportunities to everyone involved.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your message crystal clear. Offer something special and innovative instead of something expensive and you will attract the kinds of people you can actually trust to work alongside you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll be tempted to spend on something you don’t need. Be wary of a fast-talking salesperson. Doing something that doesn’t cost much with someone you love will bring you far greater happiness and satisfaction.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Follow through with your ideas and plans and bring about the changes that will make you feel comfortable. Not everyone will agree with the choices you make, but you have to do what’s best for you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can be the instigator behind change if you devote your time to a cause you believe in. Sharing your thoughts and making sure the underdog is taken care of will position you well for advancement. Love is highlighted.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): When it comes to work-related matters or your reputation, choose whatever path allows you to maintain your integrity. Being honest will help you avoid being indulgent. Set your standards high and do not budge.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Grasp whatever situation you face before you leap in and take action. You will have a much greater impact if you assess and strategize before you move forward. You have the upper hand, and all you have to do is execute your plan precisely.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put more thought into the best way to invest in yourself and your skills. You can get ahead if you are honest about what you are capable of doing. Help will be offered if you present a precise picture of your plans.

Birthday Baby: You are outgoing, playful and experimental. You are popular and resourceful.

just add water | eric carlson & John roddy

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Draw comics.

Email Margaret at mhynds@nd.edu

Work Area

Make checks payable to and mail to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556

Published Monday through Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Community.

Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the two 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

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 17, 2017 | The Observer

SMC Basketball | HOPE 81, Smc 48

Sports Authority

NCAA needs to revise hiring rules Ryan Klaus Sports Writer

Earlier this week, in what on the surface seemed like a banal move, Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh added to his coaching staff by hiring high school coach Michael Johnson as an assistant. Though seemingly mundane, the hiring had a clear ulterior motive: Johnson happens to be the father of Michael Johnson Jr., the top rated dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2019.

This isn’t the first time Harbaugh has employed such a tactic to lure a top recruit. In his two seasons with the program, he has signed Wayne Lyons, Biff Poggi and Devin Bush Jr. within uncomfortably close proximity to the hiring of one of their parents.

In defense of Harbaugh and Michigan, Johnson is clearly not wholly unqualified for an assistant position with the program: his previous credentials include a decade as an assistant in the NFL, time with UCLA and previous positions with both the esteemed Jim and John Harbaugh.

Moreover, even if the hiring were primarily motivated by a desire to recruit his son, it would assuredly be far from the first time that programs in college sports have utilized the strategy. John Calipari has known about the trick since at least 2000, when he hired the father of Dajuan Wagner, the nation’s top recruit at the time. Why did future superstar Ben Simmons spend his one season in college basketball disinterestedly playing for a mediocre LSU team?

Part of it certainly had to do with the fact that his godfather, David Patrick, was an associate coach for the Tigers.

For decades there have been countless of examples of strategic hirings to bring in certain players, which is — simply put — a problem. While some players might dream of playing for their dads in college, recruits should not have to feel pressure to play for schools that might hinder their development or potential accomplishments just because their parents or mentors are hired by the program.

Take, for example, Villanova sophomore point guard Jalen Brunson.

Brunson, a heralded recruit from Chicago with offers to

11

play pretty much wherever he wanted to when he left high school, almost ended up at Rutgers because they showed interest in hiring his father Rick Brunson. The hiring fell through when Rick Brunson faced criminal charges in 2015 — charges which he eventually was acquitted of.

Had Jalen followed his father to Rutgers he would likely at best have made a lowly Big Ten squad a bubble team in his four years with the university. Instead, Brunson is not even two years in at Villanova and he already has a national championship and is widely considered one of college’s best players. For a player not widely considered a top NBA prospect, the difference between playing for a team like Rutgers and a team like Villanova in what ultimately might be the pinnacle of Brunson’s career is undeniably significant.

Of course, recruiting in major college athletics is filled with unscrupulous practices that no ardent fan would ever fully want to learn about. The whole process can be likened to watching how hot dogs are made; when it comes to the recruiting it is almost best for fans to learn as little as possible about the grotesque and slimy procedures used in assembling their favorite teams.

So, compared to institutionalized escort services and monetary bribes, the hiring of parents to increase a recruit’s interest in a particular school might not seem quite as disturbing. However, it is a practice that is both unfair to recruits, putting them in situations where they feel pressured to pick schools that may not be in their best interest, and seemingly easy to halt with the adoption of a simple bylaw.

Current rules and proposals have all been focused on making sure IAWPs (Individuals Associated With Prospects) are not hired outside of coaching.

It is now time for the NCAA to focus on preventing IAWPs from being put on coaching staffs in close proximity to the recruitment of their children.

Contact Ryan Klaus at rklaus1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverSports

Saint Mary’s loses to Flying Dutch on road Observer Sports Staff

Saint Mary’s lost its final road game of the season, as Hope got off to a quick start and remained out of reach.

After falling 5-0 behind in the first minute, the Belles brought the game back to within two points thanks to a jumper from junior forward Gabby Diamond and a free throw from sophomore guard Erin Maloney. However, those were the last points the Belles (2-22, 1-14 MIAA) would score for almost 10 minutes, as Hope (22-2, 14-1) built a 23-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Belles missed 19 consecutive shots after Diamond’s opener, until senior forward Kelsey

Ronan made the score 23-5 early in the second quarter.

The Belles offense improved in the second half, but the Flying Dutch remained productive and widened their lead to 43-18. Saint Mary’s saw only four players score during the first half, while the Flying Dutch had 11 different players all make field goals.

After the offensive struggles in the opening quarter, the Belles struggled defensively in the third. In the period, Hope scored 26 points, a total that would have been higher had the Flying Dutch made more than three of their nine freethrow attempts. By the start of the fourth quarter, Hope had more than doubled Saint

Mary’s points, leading the game 69-34.

The Belles put together their most complete quarter of the game in the last period, holding the Flying Dutch to 6-of-16 shooting as they slightly closed the gap to a final score of 81-48, thanks to a shot from sophomore forward Caroline Macius with two seconds remaining.

Diamond led the Belles in points with 13, while adding six rebounds. Freshman guard Ally Steve scored 12 points, while Ronan made three blocks and two steals.

The Belles will play their final home game of the season Saturday, honoring the team’s seniors as they host Olivet.

Tipoff is at 3 p.m.

pga tour | genesis open

Arnold Palmer’s grandson leads Genesis Open Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — This is the starring role Sam Saunders prefers.

Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer who so famously kept his composure during a heartfelt eulogy of The King, rolled in birdie putts and kept a clean card at Riviera on Thursday for a 7-under 64 and an early two-shot lead in the Genesis Open.

Saunders called it his best round on the PGA Tour, and it was merely a coincidence that it came on the 50-year anniversary of Palmer defending his title at the Los Angeles Open, when it was played at Rancho Municipal.

“He just always talked about how much he loved coming out there and playing,” Saunders said. “I think his celebrity matched pretty well with the celebrity atmosphere that you have here, so he was obviously comfortable with that.”

Saunders had a two-shot lead over Dustin Johnson, who has a chance to go to No. 1 if he were to win this week. PGA Tour rookie J.T. Poston joined Johnson at 66, while Phil Mickelson was among those at 67.

The first round was unlikely to finish because of a fog delay in the morning, and the bigger concern was a monster storm of rain and wind expected to arrive along the California coast later Thursday.

Saunders has kept a busy schedule over the last four months in the aftermath of

Palmer’s death. He is taking on a bigger role at the Arnold Palmer Invitational next month, along with being a husband and the father of two sons, and getting his golf game in shape.

“It’s been busy, but busy in a good way,” he said.

Saunders was rock solid Oct. 3 when he stood before thousands at St. Vincent College, and so many more watching the live telecast of Palmer’s memorial service. Speaking without notes, Saunders beautifully captured the spirit of Palmer as a golfer and as a grandfather, saying that day, “There wasn’t a big difference between the man you saw on TV and the man we knew at home.”

He has always been known as Palmer’s grandson, and Saunders has learned to embrace it. He no longer worries about trying to make a name for himself.

“I don’t need to compete against my grandfather’s career.

Nobody can,” he said. “I don’t care how many golf tournaments you win, nobody’s going to compete in the terms of doing what he did for the game.

And for me to try to promote my own brand or name would be foolish because I have such a great opportunity to promote and to continue what he has already done. That’s what I’m going to do and not make it about myself.”

The morning was perfect for scoring once the fog lifted, and Saunders rarely had a round with so little stress. He only

came close to making bogey twice, saving par with an 8-foot putt on the par-3 fourth hole and a 6-foot putt on the par-3 14th.

Saunders, with only conditional status this year, is playing on the first of what figures to be several sponsor exemptions. He missed the cut in La Quinta and Pebble Beach and knew with the forecast so dire that it would be key to getting off to a good start.

Johnson has come close to winning Riviera, one of his favorite courses, four of the last five years and he looked as though he might be tough to beat this week when he holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole as he made the turn, going out in 32.

He failed to birdie the par-5 first hole when his approach was on the fringe on the wrong side of the green, forcing him to hit a flop shot to the other side. Worse yet, he was stung on the neck by a bee, and stood on the next tee rolling a cold water bottle against his neck as his brother and caddie, Austin, removed the stinger.

Johnson hit two ordinary shots, but followed with a pair of 25-foot birdie putts. A bogey on the fourth hole dropped him to 5 under, and he finished with pars.

Mickelson is playing his fifth straight event, though the 46-year-old sure didn’t seem bothered by that. He went eagle-birdie-birdie around the turn to briefly take the lead and settled for a 67.

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 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.

12

Sports

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Baseball

Irish hope to start season right in Texas

By ALEX BENDER Sports Writer

Starting this weekend in San Antonio, Notre Dame will kick off its season at the Alamo Irish Classic.

The opening campaign will be the 19th time since 1995 that the Irish have made the trip to San Antonio with Irish head coach Mik Aoki having taken the team in all but one year over the course of his tenure. Coming into this year’s Classic, the Irish will be looking to defend their reign as back-to-back champions of the tournament.

Aoki said he has confidence that he has another strong team this year both on and off the field, as the season gets underway.

“I like where we are,” Aoki said.

“We had a really productive fall and I think our freshman became very much assimilated into the team, and I think our upperclassmen from our sophomores all the way up through out seniors and captains did a really good job of doing that. I thought our lifting and conditioning went really well and our

practices from September through November were really productive.

From an academic standpoint, we had our best semester since I’ve been here.”

Coming into this season, there is a mix of both familiarity and questions with the team. As has been the case in most years under Aoki, the Irish pitching staff is primed to be one of the biggest strengths for the team, with many of the arms from last year returning for this season. Recognition for Notre Dame’s pitching has already begun before games get underway, as junior Peter Solomon has been named a Preseason All-American

by Baseball America in addition to being named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spike Award Watch List.

At the other positions, things are less certain. One of the bigger questions comes in the infield where, among other things, the team lost second baseman and lead-off hitter Cavan Biggio to the MLB draft.

Even beyond this, Aoki admits the depth chart is not entirely figured out.

“If I had one question mark, it

probably related to our infield defense, and that’s not to say that I don’t think it’s going to be good,” Aoki said. “It’s just when you lose a kid like Zak Kutsulis and Lane Richards, and you lose Cavan Biggio, you’re replacing three of your four infield pieces and those guys played it at a pretty high level.

We have new guys stepping in and it’s their opportunity to rise to the occasion. I certainly think they’re capable of doing it, but they’re just not quite as proven.

“I think our outfield will be pretty solid, although I’m not sure that the personnel at each place has been figured out yet. … We also have to kind of settle on what our weekend rotation looks like and who’s going to fill out the bullpen behind them.”

In this year’s tournament, Notre Dame will be joined by three teams with which it has a history, including Lafayette, Saint Louis and Incarnate Word. While the Irish have not played Lafayette since 1967 and Saint Louis since 1994, they have faced Incarnate Word as recently as last year’s Alamo Irish Classic, a game which Notre Dame

took by a score of 13-2.

Play this weekend gets underway on Friday as Notre Dame looks to get started on the right foot. Aoki said he believes his team can do big things, but it just has to take it one day at a time.

“I think at the end of the year, when we look back at the tangible

ND faces ranked opponents Notre Dame returns from a series of California road games to compete in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge this weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Irish (3-2) will take on the No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers and the No. 11 Michigan Wolverines, facing each team twice over the course of the weekend.

The Irish opened the season at the Beach Kickoff Tournament in Long Beach, California, posting a 3-1 record by winning three games against Weber State, South Dakota, and San Diego State.

Against Weber State, Irish junior pitcher Katie Beriont carried the team through the first half of the game, striking out three batters and throwing no walks in the first four innings. A hit by junior infielder Sara White in the bottom of the seventh inning scored the first Irish run. After Weber State intentionally walked senior captain Karley Wester to load the bases, a wild pitch allowed freshman Chelsea Purcell to secure the 2-1 Notre Dame win.

Notre Dame’s only loss of the weekend came at the hands of Long Beach State, who hosted tournament. With both teams scoreless after three innings, sophomore pitcher Caitlyn Brooks opened the fourth with an RBI single to score junior infielder Morgan Reed and give the Irish a 1-0 lead. The 49ers turned on their offense in the fifth inning, taking a 2-1 lead via sacrifice flies.

The brief Long Beach State lead ended when Reed hit an RBI in

the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2, sending the game into extra innings. Sophomore MK Bonamy connected on an RBI double to give the Irish the 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning, but Long Beach State ultimately closed the game with a walk-off double, resulting in a 4-3 Irish loss.

In the games against South Dakota State and San Diego State, Brooks made several key plays on offense to help secure the wins.

Notre Dame also relied on Reed and sophomore second baseman Ali Wester. Sophomore infielder Melissa Rochford hit a home run in a season-opening tournament for the second straight year, helping the Irish reach the win against San Diego State.

Following the Beach Kickoff Tournament, Notre Dame travelled to No. 8 UCLA on Sunday where it suffered an 8-0 loss to the Bruins. Notre Dame will try to bounce back against Minnesota and Michigan after dropping from its spot at No. 22 in the rankings following opening-weekend play. In this weekend’s games the Irish offense will continue to rely on Karley Wester, who is the current NCAA leader in hits.

Michigan (3-2) enters the weekend with with its only losses coming at the hands of ranked teams in No. 3 Florida and No. 20 South Florida. Both losses came on Feb. 11. The Golden Gophers are undefeated so far this season.

Notre Dame continues its season Friday at 2:30 p.m. against Minnesota. The Irish then face Michigan at 10 a.m. and Minnesota at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday before closing the

Contact Alex Bender at abender@nd.edu

Paid Advertisement

nd softball

Observer Sports Staff

outcomes … I think everything is in play for this team,” he said. “We just have to worry about on a daily basis being as good as we can possibly be, and if we do that, I like our chances of going pretty far.”

weekend with a final matchup against Michigan at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Paid Advertisement

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 17, 2017 | The Observer

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish junior attack/midfielder combination Sydney Cardozo looks to pass the ball during Notre Dame’s 21-9 win over Marquette on Tuesday at Loftus Sports Center.

W Lax Continued from page 16

opener, last year’s encounter w ith Ohio State may be a place to start. The only road v ictor y Notre Dame recorded over a ranked team last season came against the then-No. 15 Buckeyes at another well-know n football site, when the Irish won 17-9 at Ohio Stadium. Halfpenny said she enjoys traveling

w ith her current squad and believes they have what it takes to start well on the road.

“The comf y confines of home are comf y,” Halfpenny said. “But this w ill be prett y fun. This team has been fun to travel w ith in the fall and preseason. They’re ver y lowdrama, they’re ver y f lex ible, they have great leadership and ever ybody’s just ver y excited to make this trip more exciting. We’re going to play

13

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish sophomore attack Nikki Ortega cradles the ball during Notre Dame’s 21-9 win over Marquette on Tuesday. Ortega scored a career high seven points in the game.

Michigan at The Big House, and that’s really neat. Not ever ybody gets to say they’ve played Michigan at The Big House.”

The Wolverines remain a young program, only in their fourth year of ex istence, w ith last year’s 6-12 record being a high for the program.

The Irish have met Michigan once before at Notre Dame in 2015, a game Notre Dame won 21-12. In t wo games this year, the Wolverines remain Paid Advertisement

w inless, hav ing lost to Oregon and James Madison.

Among the key players for the Wolverines w ill be senior midfielder A nna Schueler.

Schueler is tied for her team’s lead in goals, has recorded four of Michigan’s five assists and leads the team w ith eight draw controls. Halfpenny said that, despite their short histor y, Schueler and the Wolverines can still pose a threat.

“I’m excited about it,

Michigan is a ver y talented team, ver y athletic, ver y physical,” Halfpenny said.

“They have great speed, a great draw controller, they’ve got some serious weapons on offense.”

The Irish and the Wolverines w ill meet Saturday at Michigan Stadium in A nn Arbor.

Opening draw is at 1 p.m.

Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu

14

Sports

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Hockey Continued from page 16

return of sophomore forward Bobby Nardella, who came back from injury last weekend against Maine. Nardella played limited minutes Friday night, but was back to his former self Saturday night, assisting on a power play goal from junior defenseman Jordan Gross. Jackson is glad to have him back, not only for his offense, but also for his defense.

“He was doing a pretty good job with that before he got hurt, so as time goes on we’ll rotate him in, but I think he’s back to full speed,” Jackson said. “He certainly makes a big impact on the power play, and that could be part of the reason for the last month our power play’s kind of been inconsistent. But he’s also a factor offensively, whether it’s on a breakout, whether it’s through the neutral zone — even in the offensive zone with his skill set, he can make plays from the blue line.

The thing I’m most proud of though is that he became a better defender this year, he made a conscious effort — like Jordan Gross, the same thing, he made a conscious effort to become a better defender and it hasn’t really impacted his offensive abilities, but now we can trust him on the ice defensively. He’s not a high-risk player defensively, and that’s really important. He’s not the biggest guy in the world but he plays hard minutes, and he plays smart minutes, and defensively, that’s probably more important than the size and physicality in the position.”

Looking ahead to Providence, this weekend represents a couple of lasts for the Irish. Not only is it the last home series of the regular season, but on Saturday night, Notre Dame is honoring it’s two seniors on the team, forward Ben Ostlie and goalie Chad Katunar. While neither has had a major impact on the statistics this year, Jackson is very proud of them both, especially as leaders on the team. “[Ben’s] always been a little bit of a role player, but the good thing for me is the fact that he’s playing his best hockey right now for us,” Jackson said. “He got back into the lineup on a regular basis because of injuries, and he’s taken advantage of it, and I’m happy for him. He’s playing more than just role-time minutes, he’s playing 12 to 15 minutes a game right now, playing on a regular line. He’s taken advantage of it, and I give him credit. Chad is another story, we had higher expectations for Chad and I’m sure he did too when he came in here, but he’s always kept his head straight, he’s been a phenomenal student in the classroom, he’s been a good teammate, and it’s a hard thing to do, and

he hasn’t complained.”

For Jackson and the Irish, as long as they stick to the game plan they won’t be intimated by anyone, even arguably the hottest team in college hockey.

“We have to utilize our strengths and play our game,” Jackson said. “And like I said, no matter who we play against at this point, if we use our speed and have success managing the puck and make good puck decisions it doesn’t really matter who the opponent is or how well they’re playing, we just have to do what we do and do it better than they do.”

On Friday night, the game is slated for 7:35 p.m., and will include a ceremony during the second period intermission to honor the 2006-07 team, the first Notre Dame team to ever win a NCAA tournament game. Senior night will be Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

MACKENZI MARINOVICH | The Observer

Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu

Irish junior defender Jordan Gross looks to pass the puck during Notre Dame’s 4-1 loss to UMass Lowell on Nov. 17 at Compton Family Ice Arena. Gross picked up an assist on Notre Dame’s lone goal in the game.

Paid Advertisement

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 17, 2017 | The Observer

W Bball

M Bball

Continued from page 16

Continued from page 16

“[Clemson has] played well lately,” McGraw said. “They’re kind of a new team, a young team and [Clemson head coach Audra Smith has] them really playing well together. They’ve got a lot of energy. I was, again, I feel like I’m repeating myself, but our defense was just awful. We have no pride in our defense. It’s a shame because we could be really good, we just don’t care about defense.”

McGraw had a simple fix for the defensive issues.

“You sub,” McGraw said.

On the offensive side of the ball, however, the Irish had a stronger night. The offense’s shining moment came in the first quarter, when the team went on a 15-0 run near the start of the quarter to give them a 19-6 lead.

Sophomore guard Arike Ogunbowale scored 15 points on the night, despite going 5-for13, and tallied seven rebounds.

It was Mabrey, however, who paced the Irish with 29 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Mabrey’s night was highlighted by three 3-pointers. McGraw praised Mabrey’s effort and noted she carried the team throughout the game.

“She was phenomenal,” McGraw said. “She took it all on her back and down the stretch she hit every big shot and then the free throws at the end. … She doesn’t force things. She takes what they give her. If they give her shots, she takes them and makes them and if they don’t give her shots, she

The Wolfpack have, at times, shown glimpses of the team that was picked to finish sixth in the ACC before the season started. An 84-82 road win over now-No. 12 Duke last month was the key win, but N.C. State also blew past Virginia Tech in Raleigh in early January, 10478. On the flip side, though, Gottfried’s team has had its fair share of no-shows — a 51-point loss to No. 10 North Carolina was the most eye-catching, but a loss to last-place Boston College also stands out.

Brey and the Irish (20-7, 9-5), however, expect N.C. State’s best this Saturday.

“There’re certain nights they’ve really put it together,” Brey said. “And my feeling is they’re going to play great and we are going to have to play fabulous to win a road game.

I think you have to throw out the record right now of N.C. State given the dynamics of the program.”

Freshman guard Dennis Smith, the aforementioned potential top-five pick in June’s NBA Draft, was a big reason for N.C. State’s preseason hype — and Brey knows stopping him will be a test Saturday.

“Can you adjust to slow him down a little bit? Can you double team off some ball screens?

Can you make him a little more of a jump-shooter?” Brey said.

“Because when he gets into the lane, he’s going to get fouled.

He’s a heck of a passer, he makes plays. He can beat you.”

Notre Dame’s defensive approach against Smith will likely hinge on diversification, Brey said, with a guard from each class — freshman T.J. Gibbs, sophomore Rex Pflueger, junior Matt Farrell and senior Steve

CHRIS BOWERS | The Observer

Irish junior forward Brianna Turner attempts a jumper during Notre Dame’s 90-69 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday.

looks to contribute in another way by getting assists or playing better on defense.”

Junior forward Brianna Turner picked up nine points for the Irish, but the Preseason All-American got in foul trouble early in the second half, forcing her to take a seat for much of the half. McGraw was particularly displeased with Turner’s inability to keep her personal fouls to a minimum.

“We need to have Bri on the floor,” McGraw said. “You need to be smart, you can’t play half the game. … It was just really not being smart. When you’ve got three [fouls], you’ve just, you’ve got to give it up.”

Senior forward Kristina Nelson stepped up in Turner’s absence, scoring eight points, blocking two shots and nabbing two rebounds.

After scraping out the win over the Tigers, McGraw is looking Paid Advertisement

forward to Notre Dame’s next game against No. 21 Syracuse, which will be on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Syracuse’s Carrier Dome. “[Syracuse senior guard Alexis] Peterson’s really having a phenomenal year and [red-shirt senior Brittney] Skyes is a tough matchup for us, so they’re a very good team,” McGraw said.

McGraw she hopes to have some of her injury- and illnessridden team back and ready to play for the matchup. “[Junior guard] Mychal Johnson was only allowed to play a couple minutes tonight,” McGraw said. “[Sophomore guard] Ali [Patberg] will be back; [junior forward] Kathryn [Westbeld] hopefully will be back, I don’t know her status yet.”

Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu

15

Vasturia — capable of matching up against the Wolfpack star.

“Rex, Matty, T.J., Steve — we do have a number of different bodies who can guard him,” he said. “Playing some zone, we’ve got to do the whole thing with him.”

Pflueger will get another start Saturday, and while the Dana Point, California, native is known for his defensive skills, Brey said he offers help at the offensive end, too.

“We know he can guard, he’s proven himself there,” Brey said. “And you can put him on a real good guard. You can put him on Dennis Smith to start, which is a pretty good way to start it if he starts the game.

“But he’s very good with the ball — he went all those games without a turnover — so when we’re five-out, it’s another ballhandler on the floor that can make decisions; he can put it on the floor and go; he has made his 3-point shot at a much-improved clip … but he gets his hands on stuff.”

After Saturday, Notre Dame will have a week off before its next contest, a home tilt against Georgia Tech on Feb. 26 — and if the Irish can head into that break at 10-5, they could easily find themselves near the top of the conference standings by the time the Yellow Jackets visit.

“We talked about trying to get to 10-5 and then seeing what happens in the league the rest of that week,” Brey said. “If you got to 10-5, all of the sudden your position could be really interesting by that following Sunday when you play Georgia Tech.”

Notre Dame goes for a fourth straight win Saturday at N.C. State, with tipoff from PNC Arena scheduled for noon.

Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu

MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer

Irish junior guard Matt Farrell controls his dribble during Notre Dame’s 88-81 win over Wake Forest on Feb. 7 at Purcell Pavilion.

16

The observer | friday, february 17, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd women’s basketball | nd 84, clemson 80

hockey

Irish successfully fend off Tigers’ comeback attempt

ND tries for run at Hockey East

By ELIZABETH GREASON

By TOBIAS HOONHOUT

Sports Writer

Sports Writer

No. 7 Notre Dame was poised to extend its winning streak to eight for the majority of its matchup against Clemson on Thursday, maintaining a commanding lead from start to finish. Almost.

The Irish (24-3, 12-1 ACC) allowed the Tigers (14-13, 3-11) to claw back into the game, coming back from a 13-point deficit two minutes into the fourth quarter to draw within two of the Irish with seconds left on the clock. Notre Dame was able to pull out the win, as sophomore guard Marina Mabrey knocked down two free throws to give the Irish the 84-80 victory.

Irish head coach Muffet McGraw credited Clemson with a strong performance, but noted her team’s lack of focus on defense was what allowed the near-upset. McGraw criticized her team for its defensive struggles, which have been an issue throughout the season.

In a battle of two hot teams, the No. 15 Irish host the 10thranked Providence in their final home series of the regular season.

With only four games to go till the postseason, Notre Dame (17-9-4, 10-5-3, Hockey East) sits third in the conference standings, one point ahead of the Friars (18-8-4, 10-6-2). While the Irish used an away series sweep against Maine last weekend to move into firm contention for a firstround bye in the conference tournament, Providence has won nine in a row to completely turn around their season.

“Providence is the hottest team in the country right now,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “But I think we’ve been playing well over the last three or four weeks as well, so it’s setting up to be a really nice series in my opinion, but it’s going to be a challenge.

see W BBALL PAGE 15

EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer

Irish sophomore guard Marina Mabrey dribbles up the court during Notre Dame’s 90-69 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday.

ND WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Sports Writer

For the first time in program history, No. 8 Notre Dame will play at Michigan Stadium, as the Irish open this year’s road schedule with Michigan at the iconic football venue.

The Irish (3-1) come into the game having played four games at Loftus Sports Center in 10 days, the last of which was a 21-9 victory over Marquette. The victory was the third straight for Notre Dame, after the Irish lost the season-opener to No. 9 Northwestern by a single goal.

Speaking after the win over the Golden Eagles, Irish head coach Christine Halfpenny said her team has to recover quickly from the physical contest.

“We’re going to have to recover,” Halfpenny said. “It was high performance tonight, we emptied the tank like I asked them to, but we’re going to have high recovery tomorrow, break down this film and prepare for Michigan

see HOCKEY PAGE 14

men’s basketball

Michigan poses first road test

By DANIEL O’BOYLE

They’re a good team.”

Last weekend, with perhaps their postseason chances on the line, the Irish delivered two huge wins, a 3-2 win and then a 4-2 comeback victory, to solidify their season. For Jackson, the key to the recent success has been simply everyone doing their job.

“Hopefully it’s that we got our message across and they’re actually doing the things that are important for us to win, and it’s the little things,” he said. “I think we’ve been doing a better job of managing the puck, coming out of our zone and throughout the neutral zone, and that’s where it all starts. If we do a good job with the puck, then generally first of all we limit how many transitional chances the opponent has, and it also generates offense, so I think that’s been the biggest point.”

Another huge bonus for the team and the power play is the

Notre Dame looks to slow Smith Jr. at NC State

because we’re continuing to battle for the crown in the midwest. We’re going to work our way through these Big Ten opponents.”

After going 4-4 in road games last year, including a defeat at North Carolina in an NCAA Tournament matchup, the Irish will be hoping to set a tone of improvement on the road this year with this, the first of a three-game road trip that will see the Irish travel to North Carolina to meet Elon and No. 10 Duke before the end of the month.

The Irish have a chance to set that tone at the largest stadium in the country, as the Wolverines (0-2) host their outdoor games at Michigan Stadium. This will be Michigan’s last year of doing so before building a dedicated lacrosse venue, and this meeting therefore looks set to be the only lacrosse game — men’s or women’s — Notre Dame will ever play at “The Big House.”

If the Irish are looking for positive omens for their road

Mark Gottfried was fired as North Carolina State’s head men’s basketball coach Thursday. Well, kind of.

As a season that started with high hopes has slid into a near-nightmare, N.C. State announced Thursday that Gottfried will be removed as head coach after the end of the season. So, as No. 25 Notre Dame heads to Raleigh, North Carolina, for a Saturday showdown with the Wolfpack, it will be entering a unique situation.

That could give a talented, yet unsuccessful, N.C. State (14-13, 3-11 ACC) squad a bit of an advantage, Irish head coach Mike Brey said.

“Given the coach’s situation, I think that stirs the intensity and energy and probably fan base — and the team,” Brey said. “They have really good players. Certainly, they’ve got a top-five pick handling the ball, they’ve got a physical front line; there’s a reason they were picked high, they’ve got ability.”

see W LAX PAGE 13

see M BBALL PAGE 15

By ALEX CARSON Assistant Managing Editor

MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer

Irish freshman guard T.J. Gibbs surveys the court during Notre Dame’s 88-81 win over Wake Forest on Feb. 7 at Purcell Pavilion.