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Volume 52, Issue 77 | thursday, february 8, 2018 ndsmcobserver.com
Rector of BreenPhillips Hall dies Observer Staff Report
Sr. Mary McNamara, rector of Breen-Phillips Hall, died Wednesday afternoon from complications resulting from a recent stroke, according to an email sent to students from vice president for student affairs Erin Hoffmann Harding. Sr. McNamara was a native of Cleveland and has served as rector of Breen-Phillips Hall since 2012. “Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the residents of Breen-Phillips
Hall, fellow rectors and other members of the Residential Life team, as well as with Sr. Mary’s religious community, extended family, campus colleagues and friends,” Hoffmann Harding said in the email. A memorial service for Sr. McNamara will be held in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the coming days. Hoffmann Harding said the University Counseling Center (UCC) and Campus Ministry resources are both available to members of the Notre Dame community.
Student body election results in runoff No ticket clears fifty percent, students to vote again By COURTNEY BECKER News Editor
The 2018 student government presidential election will continue with a runoff election between the McGavickGayheart ticket and the Kruszewski-Dunbar ticket, Judicial Council announced Thursday night. While none of the three tickets — McGavick-Gayheart, Kruszewski-Dunbar and Gannon-Moran — achieved the required 50 percent of
University updates policy on contraception Observer Staff Report
In a letter emailed to University employees Wednesday, University President Fr. John Jenkins announced further changes to the policies regarding access to contraceptives via University health insurance plans to take place within the year. “I write to announce steps based on Catholic principles that nevertheless provide
access to some of the coverage that members of our community seek,” Jenkins said in the e-mail. The new system will involve abandoning a third party, government-funded plan used by the school to provide contraception as dictated by a federal regulation, as this plan covers abortifacients. However, so as not to “burden” those who use contraception but rely on the University
for health insurance, the school will cover some contraceptives in its insurance policies. The change follows a court ruling exempting Notre Dame from the aforementioned regulation. “I have reached the conclusion that it is best that the University stop the government-funded provision of the range of drugs and services through our third party administrator,” Jenkins
Observer Staff Report
An email signed by University Health Services (UHS) director Sharon McMullen announced Wednesday to the Notre Dame student body that a “graduate student/professional school student” was recently treated for “symptoms associated with tuberculosis (TB).” “The student has been tested at a local hospital and the
NEWS PAGE 2
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
Mary in our campus community, the tickets are going to try to postpone the runoff election about a week, just to give everyone the proper time to kind of deal with that,” Ross said. “ … At the moment, there’s no campaigning for the runoff election. The candidates have all been told they’re able to post a simple statement on their Facebook pages or their social media, whatever, that we’ve gone to a runoff, but that’s going to be it for now.” Due to election timelines
Roxane Gay discusses writing on trauma
see POLICY PAGE 4
ND reports potential tuberculosis case results are pending,” the email said. Due to privacy concerns, the UHS is not releasing the student’s name or “identifying information” at this time. “Due to the public health implications of this disease and out of an abundance of caution, UHS staff members are working closely with the St. Joseph County Health Department to identify others who may have come in
votes to win the election, senior Matt Ross, the Judicial Council president, said the candidates all agreed to suspend campaigning and attempt to postpone the runoff election. Ross said they candidates came to this agreement in order to respect the Breen-Phillips Hall (BP) community as they mourn the death of their rector, Sister Mary McNamara, who died Thursday. “The tickets have decided that due to the loss of Sister
contact with this individual,” the email said. According to the email, individuals who are determined to have been “close contacts” with the patient will be able to take a TB test in the coming days. Students will be able to take the test at UHS in St. Liam Hall; faculty and staff will be able to take the test at the University Wellness Center. see TB PAGE 5
SCENE PAGE 9
KATELYN VALLEY | The Observer
Popular author Roxane Gay delivers a lecture at Saint Mary’s Wednesday night. She discussed the need for inclusive campuses. By MARTHA REILLY and GINA TWARDOSZ Saint Mary’s Editor and Associate Saint Mary’s Editor
Though her bestselling books deal with tropes such as outrage against gender conventions and opposition to institutionalized sexism, Roxane Gay did not always identify as a feminist, she said in a lecture in the O’Laughlin Auditorium at Saint Mary’s on Wednesday. “That was the problem for me growing up is that when
I thought of feminist, I just thought of ‘oh, angry, manhating, nobody likes that,’” Gay said. “It’s easy to say ‘I’m not a feminist’ because you want to be liked, you want to be part of the world and you want to be accepted. It’s challenging.” This incorrect interpretation of feminism, Gay said, survives because fearing change comes more easily than seeking reform. “The people who create those caricatures are afraid of see GAY PAGE 3
IRISH insider inside
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TODAY
The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
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senior off campus
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“Cookie dough.”
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Exhibit: Modern Women’s Prints Snite Museum of Art all day Selected prints by female artists.
Kevin Barry: A Reading 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Open to the public.
Bridal Expo 2018 Duncan Student Center 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Register online for the Sunny 101.5 FM expo.
Women’s Basketball vs. Georgia Tech Joyce Center 1 p.m. The Irish take on the Yellow Jackets.
Bob Burke and TAP Students Lecture Stayer Center for Executive Education 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Ethics Week lecture.
Blood Drive Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sign up online and use sponsor code: Irish.
Hockey vs. Ohio State Compton Family Arena 7:35 p.m. The Fighting Irish take on the Buckeyes.
Men’s Basketball vs. Florida State Joyce Center 4 p.m. The Irish take on the Seminoles.
Film: “Human Flow” (2017) Browning Cinema 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Part of the ScreenPeace Festival.
Digital Philology Center for Digital Scholarship 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. To attend, contact mbloomer@nd.edu.
SENATE
Group discusses Observer editorial By MARY BERNARD News Writer
Student senate discussed The Observer editorial “We deserve better” in senate Wednesday before holding a second, closed meeting to hear an appeal regarding a recent sanction placed on the Kruszewski-Dunbar ticket. “It’s not just this [editorial] but just how senate’s been talked about recently,” Sibonay Shewit, student body vice president, said. Student body chief-of-staff Prathm Juneja took issue with the portrayal of student government in the editorial. “When context is absent from something, it’s really easy to make assumptions,” Juneja said. “That [editorial] probably got thousands of views, so our goal is to see if we can reach that same audience.” The student government executive cabinet plans to write a response to the editorial and letter to the editor. “It’s not going to be an attack by any means,” Juneja said, referring to the Observer editorial as an attack against student government.
“The purpose of the response is to focus on what context was missing in the pieces that were written about us,” Juneja said. “I agree that there are changes that can be made to Student Government, but there are also things that we do well.” Shewit did not disclose whether the response had been written yet or when it would be released, but did say that it would attempt the clarify the reasons why the three senate meetings were closed, as well as the separation between Judicial Council and Executive Cabinet. “We by no means mean to speak for you guys or any member of the Senate, we just think that there are facts that need to be added,” Shewit said. O’Neill senator and junior Sebastian Lopez delivered a speech, light-heartedly referencing his dorm’s history which led it to be deemed “the angry mob.” “Since its inception, O’Neill Family Hall has stood defiantly in the face of oppression and tyranny,” he said. “In 1996 when Grace and Flanner halls were going to be converted into administrative buildings, the men of Grace Hall stood up and in response they protested. And they lit bonfires all across the quads.”
Lopez finished by motioning to close the senate meeting. The proxy member for Sorin Hall, Mark Spretnjak, seconded the motion. Spretnjak, a sophomore, was standing in for Sorin Hall senator Nick Lucci. Lopez and Spretnjak were the only two members of senate to vote in favor of closing the meeting. Sophomore Zachary Spitzer, proxy for Dunne Hall senator and sophomore Patrick Quinn, said senators should discuss student government initiatives with their dorms. “One of the things that I feel really really helps out with Senate is when Senators individually speak to members of their dorm on these issues,” Spitzer said. “ ... I really feel like when Senate really are transparent with people of their dorm on the individual level that really helps.” Associate news editor Natalie Weber and news writer Alexandra Muck contributed to this report. Contact Mary Bernard at mbernar5@nd.edu
News
ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, february 8, 2018 | The Observer
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PEMCo to stage satirical musical ‘Urinetown’ By MORGAN JOHNSON News Writer
The curtain w ill open this weekend on the Pasquerilla East Music Company’s (PEMCo) production of “Urinetow n.” The studentrun musical theater group w ill perform the satirical show Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. on the Washington Hall main stage. “Urinetow n” is a musical about a tow n that has undergone a drought. In order to compensate for the lack of water, a water company requires citizens to pay to use the restroom. The show follows the inev itable monopolization of bathrooms and the chaos and humor that ensues. Freshman Gabrielle Evans, who plays Hope Cladwell — the female lead — said the play is a coming-of-age stor y for her character. “It’s a weird premise at first, but when you think about it, it’s all about conversation,” Evans said. “The female main character grows up in a sheltered bubble and the show is her journey w ith the audience to open her eyes to what is going on around them.”
“Urinetow n” was entirely student produced. Students designed and built the set, props, costume, lights and audio and directed and choreographed the musical as well. PEMCo executive producer senior Kelsey Dool thinks that the show’s political commentar y is necessar y to create a conversation on Notre Dame’s campus about conser vation and respecting others’ beliefs. “It’s a satire so it’s shedding light on some f laws in societ y,” Dool said. “It doesn’t take a particular side though it’s satirizing ever y thing from capitalism to populism and musical theater itself. Our director mostly wants people to get out of ‘Urinetow n’ that being totally committed to one side of an argument is dangerous. He wants people to see a need for conversation especially since this is such a polarized time in societ y and people are not listening to the other side.” Evans also said despite the show’s facade of comedy and musical numbers, the actors are focused on conveying its deeper themes and relevance.
“It’s an important show for ever yone on campus to see because it has to do w ith taking care of the env ironment for ourselves and for the future,” Evans said. “It gives a real perspective on what could happen if we are irresponsible w ith our choices.” Director and sophomore Patrick Starner thinks that the tongue-in-cheek nature of the show and its self-awareness makes “Urinetow n” unique. “It takes such a ridiculous and over the top premise and makes it dow n to earth and relevant,” Starner said. “In theater you get the dichotomy bet ween drama and comedy but here there’s a happy medium. Yes, it’s funny and you’re going to laugh, but at the same time it’s encouraging you to think about the different themes.” Rehearsals for the musical began in November and the cast has used this week as a technical week to finally rehearse on the main stage and organize lighting and sound. Over the past few days, PEMCo has been actively promoting the show on campus through several
platforms, including social media and hanging f lyers in bathroom stalls. Freshman Nick Tow nley — who plays Bobby Strong, one of “Urinetow n’s” male leads — said the show’s humor is critical in effectively demonstrating the overarching themes and goals of “Urinetow n.” “The audience can expect some quick timed jokes,” he said. “The comedy is ver y timing based. A lso, make sure to go to the bathroom beforehand because it is a priv ilege to pee.” Junior Mario Simone — who plays Caldwell B. Cladwell, the other male lead — said the cast and crew are always upbeat during rehearsals, which has aided PEMCo in preparing for the performances. Senior Denise Dorotheo, PEMCo’s marketing producer, also noted that underclassmen compose a majorit y of students involved in PEMCo’s performance of “Urinetow n.” “This is a really young cast so people would be impressed to know that the male and female lead are both freshmen,” she said. “They’re doing an ama zing
job. It’s their first year and they’re really stepping up to the plate.” In addition to this weekend’s production, PEMCo also has a fall and spring show, an end-of-year rev ue and performs cabarets at Legends. One of Starner’s goals for the production of “Urinetow n” was for the cast to also have a strong part in directing the show. Throughout rehearsals, he emphasized the importance of the actors’ indiv idual voices and opinions shaping the ultimate production of the show. “For me working w ith the cast is always about what they want to bring to the show because I’m not in the business of hav ing a director that says this is how a certain character is going to be,” he said. “That discourages the cast from getting personally invested in the show. I’m a firm believer in collaboration and they’ve brought a lot of nice ideas to the table. This show is not my show in any way, shape or form. It’s ever yone’s show.” Contact Morgan Johnson at mjohns56@nd.edu
Keenan Hall prepares for 42nd annual Revue By ANDREW CAMERON News Writer
Starting in the LaFortune Student Center and w rapping around God Quad, the line for tickets to the Keenan Rev ue began forming in the morning on Jan. 30, and continued to grow until ticket distribution finally began at 4 p.m. Ever y year, all 4,500 available tickets to Keenan Hall’s signature comedy show t y pically are given out in roughly half an hour and this year proved no exception, Keenan Rev ue director and senior Dav id Troyer said. The tickets are available to all students free of charge, but only two tickets are given per student ID card presented. The 42nd annual Keenan Rev ue w ill be held in the Stepan Center at 7: 00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and w ill run for approx imately t wo hours each night. The theme for this year’s event is “Rev uena Matata” — a more lighthearted departure from last year’s theme of “State of the Rev uenion,” Troyer said. “We really just chose it because it sounded fun,” Troyer said. “Last year w ith ‘State of the Rev uenion’, that was prett y directly about
politics. I think we liked the challenge of it. We enjoyed kind of hav ing to discipline ourselves a little bit, because if you’re going to talk about politics you can’t just half-a-- it, so we really tried to be serious last year. Then this year, we thought ‘Rev uena Matata’ sounded a little more fun. … It was fun to do the branding and logos, and it really just came dow n to that it sounded like a fun thing to tr y. We have a whole process of picking all the themes — it’s a giant list that we whittle dow n, and [‘Rev uena Matata’] just kept coming up on top so we all just liked it.” Troyer said the initial planning began ver y early, w ith new ideas for skits being proposed as early as April of last year. “We have a couple of skits that have been in the works for a year or two just because we’ve never been able to figure out how to finish them until this year,” he said. “The rubber really hits the road around November. The head w riters [seniors John McDonough, Wilson Barrett and Michael DiRe] w ill have meetings in the basement of Keenan and we’ll start really workshopping skits and figuring out what’s what. That’s when the heav y editing
starts.” Keenan Rev ue producer, senior Ryan Smick, went into further detail on the process of choosing and refining skits for the show. “For our skit tr youts, we basically have t wo rounds, about a week apart,” he said. “The first round is where guys w ill come and tr y out skits that they’ve w ritten. In the process, we’ll have the head w riters looking over skits making sure they’re not going to offend anybody. For the second round of skit tr youts, we actually bring in people from different campus groups, so they w ill help us determine what’s okay and what’s not. In the past couple years, we haven’t had really any fallout from offending people. … For the most part I think we do a prett y good job and I don’t think we’ll have any problems this year.” Smick said the Rev ue held t wo separate promotional events on opposite sides of campus, a departure from past years. “The first one was a safari-like thing outside South Dining Hall,” he said. “Essentially, we had a bunch of guys in animals onesies goofing around, while a bunch of other guys were promoting the Rev ue. The
second promotional event was basically just a fake protest. We had some guys outside NDH [North Dining Hall] ‘protesting’ the rev ue, but also promoting it. A lot more effort went into promotion this year than in past years.” More promot ion isn’t t he on ly cha nge to t he Rev ue t his yea r, however. Troyer sa id t he sk its a nd overa l l tone of t he show w i l l a im to be more light hea r ted a nd creat ive t ha n last yea r’s show, which focused on t he polit ica l tension surrounding t he president ia l elect ion. “Politics is still throw n in — I think we’d be doing a little bit of a disser v ice if we didn’t mention any sort of politics,” he said. “This show w ill be a little different in that there were a lot more guys who came up w ith outof-the-box ideas. Usually we’re prett y heav y on dorm stereot y pes and things on campus — and we do still have a lot things around campus — but there are a few skits that aren’t entirely unrelated to campus, but could be more funny to outside audiences as well. That’s always something we strive for, but it’s hard when you’re w riting specifically for an ND audience. I think this
year, the main difference is we kind of let ourselves go a bit, creatively. I think it’ll be a little more lighthearted, a little less heav y on the politics and a little more laughter and smiling, hopefully.” W hile the event is, as always, intended to make audiences laugh, it has a greater significance for the Notre Dame communit y, Troyer said. “Last yea r, someone w rote a letter to The Obser ver about a joke we had in t he Rev ue a nd how it opened t heir eyes to somet hing t hey hadn’t not iced in t heir classrooms, a nd t hat’s t he k ind of t hing we rea l ly hope t he Rev ue ca n do: open peoples eyes to somet hing t hey hadn’t t hought about, or poke f un at somet hing people were a litt le hesita nt to poke f un at, because we have a litt le more t ime to t hin k about what we actua l ly wa nt to do w it h it,” he sa id. “So, whi le it’s supposed to be f un a nd it’s supposed to be light hea r ted a nd g ive people t wo hours to not be t hin k ing about t heir homework a nd a l l t hat, I t hin k it does help sta r t some conversat ions on ca mpus about bigger issues.” Contact Andrew Cameron at acamero2@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Gay Continued from page 1
women’s equality, and they have a lot to lose,” she said. “I think that we are each living examples of what feminism is, and it’s important to recognize that there is no one definition or one person [who] looks like a feminist.” Gay said surviving sexual assault and encountering other issues especially pertinent to women have shaped her perspective. “Writing has also been a way of reasserting control and re-ascribing the narrative that a lot of people have put on me over the years, making assumptions about me,” Gay said. “Writing has always saved me and has given me the kind of control that I have not necessarily felt in other aspects of my life. On the page, I’m in charge.” Relaying her experiences — even the traumatic ones — with vulnerability and candor has bolstered a sense of self-appreciation, Gay said. “Learning to accept myself and embrace myself as a I am and recognize that there is always room for improvement, but that I’m also okay where I’m at today has been a really useful tool for me,” she said. “I don’t write to heal, but that is a pleasant side effect.” Women and men should never feel obligated to openly profess their personal stories, however, especially because adequate resources for survivors do not always exist, she said. “It’s really easy to say ‘Why wouldn’t she come forward? Why didn’t she leave?’” she said. “Okay, let’s say it’s February. You have three children. It’s freezing outside. You have no money. Leave what? Go where?” Gay said sexual assault has longlasting repercussions that warrant recognition. “It’s not just what happens in the moment,” she said. “Recovery can take a lifetime. ... I think a lot of times people think that the sanitized versions of assault that we see in popular culture are representative of what recovery actually looks like.” Gay said she feels her novel “Hunger,” is necessary and timely, especially due to the recent Me Too movement. “I feel like I really did the right thing in writing “Hunger,” as difficult as it was, to show that, you know, sometimes you’re 12 years old and a good girl and you go to church every Sunday, and then one day, some guys gang rape you and your whole life changes,” she said. “It’s literally your whole life, and I don’t think we see enough of that story. People want to believe that we survive the trauma, and that’s that. They don’t want to know about after, and I wrote about after.” The Me Too movement is opening doors for women to share their trauma, Gay said. “With Me Too, we are seeing more of [the aftermath], with Mira Sorvino, Annabella Sciorra and Uma Thurman and all of these powerful women who are coming forward,” she said. “I think that is going to open the doors for women who are not in Hollywood, who are working at hotels and restaurants
and to be able to come forward and say, ‘this happened to me 20 years ago and I am still living with it.’” Gay said a side effect of the Me Too movement involves the pressure some individuals feel to share their incidences of trauma. “You may never be ready, and that’s okay,” she said. “Whatever decision you make about coming forward, about your history of violence, is the right decision.” Gay said she does not recommend publishing information writers do not feel entirely comfortable sharing, though she recognizes the link between producing compelling content and sparking consumer interest. “I think it’s important to decide early on in your writing career what your boundaries are, what you will and will not write about, because there’s something about this current moment and historical moments where women are asked to cannibalize themselves and to share their deepest, darkest secrets, and that’s how they matter,” she said. “I refuse to believe that, and I reject that. We never ask men to pour themselves out yet it happens to all kinds of women.” Writing about how her rape influenced her conception of her body in “Hunger” was an arduous task, she said. “The thing I wanted to write about least was fatness, and that’s when I knew … ,” she said. “I decided to write a memoir about my body.” Accepting all body types, rather than continuing to propagate a narrow margin of standards, serves as an integral step in eliminating policing against women’s bodies, Gay said. “Be kind to yourself because we just live in a world where a woman’s appearance is a currency, and some of us play that game better than others in terms of wielding that currency, and that’s okay, as long as you don’t oppress other people,” she said. The lack of representation of minority groups on campus, Gay said, indicates the need for Saint Mary’s to engage in active retention. “One of the things that that looks like is where do the black people here get their hair done?” she said. “You should be bringing in a beautician from Chicago once a week or twice a month to do their hair. It’s a small thing, but it’s also a big thing.” Orienting financial aid packages around comprehensive needs — such as travel expenses and winter clothing — rather than just tuition, can foster an increasingly inclusive atmosphere, Gay said. Gay said she wants students of color who feel as though they are not good enough to see themselves as equals. “If you’re always told from Day One, in general, that you have to be twice as good to get half the consideration, it’s exhausting,” she said “ … You have to understand that it’s not you, it’s the world that’s the problem and you are exactly as good as your peers, and you work just as hard, if not harder, than your peers.” Contact Martha Reilly at mreilly01@saintmarys.edu and Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu
Professor examines Trump administration’s first year By ALEXANDRA MUCK News Writer
Reflecting on the Trump administration’s first year and what it indicates about the future, professor of political science Gary E. Hollibaugh, Jr. said the president‘s largest accomplishments include the tax reform bill and his judicial appointments, during a lecture Wednesday night in Geddes Hall as part of NDVotes’ Pizza, Pop and Politics series. Drawing on an opinion piece written by President Trump in the “Washington Examiner” last year and the recent State of the Union address, Hollibaugh said the tax reform bill may be “the crowning achievement of the Trump administration’s first year.” Hollibaugh said most would argue the other large accomplishment of the Trump administration’s first year was the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. However, Hollibaugh said Trump has made more significant changes through various judicious appointments. “Given that these are lifetime appointments, this will probably be his most long-lasting legacy,” he said. Trump has filled more circuit court positions than any other president in U.S. history, Hollibaugh said, but that is partly due to the fact that there have
been an increased number of those positions in recent decades. Changes to the use of filibusters for court nominations has also helped more accomplish more nominations, Hollibaugh said. “They were actually able to leverage the fact that because of a lack of senate action on the judicial action during the waning days of the Obama administration, there was a historically high number of vacancies across all levels of the federal bench,” he said. Hollibaugh said Trump has also highlighted his congressional accomplishments, such as bills reforming the Department of Veteran Affairs, which were passed by a large bipartisan margin. “President Trump as well as senate Republicans have been able to streamline the process of filling judicial vacancies,” he said. “Most of these have passed on very close, mostly partisan margins, and this would not be possible if there were still a functional filibuster for judicial nominations.” Other than these few congressional bills, Hollibaugh said most of the Trump administration accomplishments have been based administratively, typically by executive order or memorandum. “We haven’t seen any real controversial legislation,” he said. Hollibaugh said Trump typically criticized President Obama for Paid Advertisement
passing executive orders. As presidential actions are easily undone — evidenced by Trump’s reversal of several Obama-administration executive orders — Obama told Trump to rely more heavily on congressional actions. Drawing on the recent State of the Union address, Hollibaugh said Trump has taken credit for the defeat of ISIS, the creation of 2.4 million new jobs and the rapid rise of the stock market. “For those of you who saw him on TV the other day, he was talking about how great the stock market was doing as it suffered a historic drop,” he said. “It was actually very interesting to watch.” In the future, Hollibaugh said not to expect many of Trump’s more controversial policies to make it through Congress. Hollibaugh also said the midterm elections will only “exacerbate the President’s problems.” “The accomplishments that the president will be able to get through the Senate in the next year will probably continue to be judicial nominations and whatever they can get through reconciliation, which will probably include something like increased military funding or maybe funding for a border wall,” he said. Contact Alexandra Muck at amuck@nd.edu
News
Policy Continued from page 1
said. “Instead, the University will provide coverage in the University’s own insurance plans for simple contraceptives (i.e., drugs designed to prevent conception) … The University’s insurance plans (as opposed to the government-funded program) have never covered, and will not cover, abortion-inducing drugs.” University plans will also pay for “natural family planning options,” the letter said. To further keep in line with the Church’s teaching, the University will not cover “sterilization procedures for the purpose of preventing conception.” Community members who sign up for health benefits through the University will receive a statement on Catholicism’s teachings regarding contraception. The policy change for employees will be implemented July 1, 2018 for employees and in August 2018 for students. Jenkins explained that in recent years the University had joined a lawsuit against a Federal mandate requiring the school to provide various “contraceptive drugs and services.” The mandate differed from previous regulations in that it did not exempt certain religious institutions,
ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, february 8, 2018 | The Observer
namely universities and hospitals. Jenkins said the school joined the suit to protect its identity and values. “The University of Notre Dame joined other plaintiffs in challenging this mandate to protect its ability to act in accord with its religious mission,” Jenkins said. After a lengthy legal battle in which a court initially ruled against the school, the suit was resolved “favorably” for the University in October 2017, Jenkins said. In the time period between the two rulings, the school had provided the contraceptive services in question through the government funded program. Jenkins initially proposed continuing this arrangement “When I delivered my Faculty Address in November, I thought it best, having established our right to decide, to allow the government-funded provision of these drugs and services to continue so that our employees could have access without University funding or immediate and direct involvement in their provision,” Jenkins said. However, Jenkins noted that abortifacients covered by the plan are “gravely objectionable” from the perspective of Catholic social teaching. This consideration ultimately led him to reconsider his earlier decision, according to the email.
Runoff Continued from page 1
being explicitly laid out in the Student Union Constitution, the student senate will need to meet to approve a postponement of the runoff election, Ross said. “We’re going to have to get senate to agree to suspend those sections of the constitution or to minorly change them in order for this special circumstance,” he said. “ … All of the candidates were in agreement to postpone the election for a week given the tragedy that our community’s had, and they were all in agreement of postponing campaigning as well.” Section 17.1(d) of the Student Union Constitution defines campaigning as “any public contact or the solicitation of votes” and “personal appearances, placement of posters or distribution of any election materials.” In addition to postponing the election and
TB Continued from page 1
The email explained that individuals can contract TB from “prolonged, direct contact” with the “respiratory droplets” of a person suffering Paid Advertisement
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campaigning, Ross said the candidates also agreed not to release the percentage of votes each ticket received in the initial election. Junior presidential candidate Gates McGavick asked everyone to respect the candidates’ decision to suspend campaigning in order to give the BP community and sophomore vice presidential candidate Julia Dunbar, a BP resident, the proper time to honor their rector. “We’re postponing the election out of respect for BP’s loss, for Julia’s loss, and we are completely respectful of that time,” he said. “ … A sense of civility, I think, is really, really needed from everyone. And we’re all Notre Dame students. That’s the most important thing. That’s more important than any of this — and I think that’s kind of reflected — and we all need to respect Julia’s loss and BP’s loss.” Dunbar said she was grateful to Judicial Council and all
the candidates for allowing her and the rest of the BP residents time to mourn without any distractions. “I appreciate the considerations being made so we can honor an amazing woman who was so special to the Notre Dame community and in my own life,” she said in an email. Freshmen Andrew Gannon and Mark Moran, who did not receive enough votes for the Gannon-Moran ticket to be included in the runoff election, encouraged their supporters “to abstain from the upcoming runoff election in an effort to ‘drain the swamp’” in a statement Gannon gave via email. While the runoff debate and election are currently scheduled for Sunday and Monday, respectively, Ross said those dates are subject to change due to the decision to suspend campaigning.
from the “active” TB. Although TB has the potential to be serious, it can be treated and is unlikely to be life threatening so long as patients receive appropriate medical care. “The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is of paramount
importance, and our prayers are with the individual who is experiencing symptoms of the disease. We appreciate the guidance provided by the staff of the St. Joseph County Health Department and will continue to work closely with them,” the email said.
Contact Courtney Becker at cbecker3@nd.edu
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The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Yo, ready for a ride?
Inside Column
Dear college students: watch ‘The Simpsons’ Owen Lane Scene Writer
Does anyone watch “The Simpsons” anymore? I know I could tackle much more pressing issues in my rare opinion piece, but this question has really been bugging me. Sadly, the cartoon has been a shell of its old self for about a decade now. Even so, I think it’s strange that I rarely meet another person my age who loves this TV show as much as I do. After all, it has been on for nearly 30 years and been in major syndication for my entire conscious existence. In 2007, the show generated a feature film that earned half a billion dollars at the box office. A lot of college students watch some shows from the 90s, like “Seinfeld” or “Friends.” Why does “The Simpsons” get snubbed? I suppose I ask this question because “The Simpsons“ has always been influential in my life. When I was about four years old, I told my pre-school teacher about a hilarious episode of “The Simpsons” I had watched while on a family vacation in Ireland over the summer. There are a few things to unpack in that sentence. Firstly, yes, I was the kind of kid who did not just explain what he liked to his friends, but also to his sexagenarian teachers. Secondly, I loved that “Simpsons” episode enough to, at age four, recall it during the school year when I likely saw it in July. Thirdly, you may, like my teacher, question why I was watching “The Simpsons” at four years old. My preschool teacher did have a point, it was probably not appropriate for a young child to be watching a show with so much adult humor. And for a little while after that day in preschool, I did not watch it. Luckily for me, however, Tim Lane had a theory. You see, my dad understood that the Simpsons was an extremely clever show, largely written by Harvard graduates. He theorized that watching the Simpsons would not only be harmless, but could even teach me plenty of things I would never encounter otherwise. I think time has proven him right. I would ask my brother, sister or my parents about any joke or reference I didn’t understand, and if that didn’t work, thanks to a new website called Wikipedia, I could just ask the computer. By age 10 I had a cultural vocabulary that vaguely resembled that of a nerdy 40-year-old history buff. I could probably trace back a hefty amount of my knowledge, useful and useless, to “The Simpsons.” It may sound like a stretch, but one could even argue that without the minor educational boost I received from the show I would not have gotten into Notre Dame. So thank you dad and thank you Matt Groening. At its absolute best (i.e. any episode that aired in the 90s), “The Simpsons” was everything a television show could be all at once. The show was a loving tribute to the cartoons that the Baby Boomers and Generation X-ers cherished. That tribute was then loaded with the wittiest cultural and historical jokes in comedy, molded to fit a dynamic storyline with multiple plots weaving together seamlessly, and hermitically sealed into a 22-minute time slot on Fox. It was a touching show about a family and a town that resembled an entire nation, and it never shied away from making fun of America’s flaws. I guess, like a good episode of “The Simpsons,” I’m trying to make a few points all at once. Be like my dad and think before blindly following the advice that others deem to be common sense. Be like young me and consume entertainment that makes you curious and opens intellectual doors for you. Lastly, just watch the show. I promise that you’ll laugh and fall in love with Springfield the same way that I did. For every good Netflix show, there are five terrible duds. Why take a chance? Check out “The Simpsons,” it is too good to be forgotten. Contact Owen Lane at olane@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Erin Shang Breve New World
It’s a Thursday night. You are just walking out of a party with some other girls. “Hey our Uber is almost here!” Tipsy girls were leaning on each other while waiting for the Uber, with joyful laughs. “You guys going back to campus? Can I tag along?” a guy asks. “Sure! … black SUV … our Uber is here!” a girl says. You step into the car and crawl into the back seat, chatting with the girls. You glance at the boy outside the car who’s still saying goodbye to his friends, and start to doze off. “What the f---! There’s a person in the trunk!” your friend suddenly yells out and startles you. Your sleepiness is shaken off. You look back and see a white blanket awkwardly covering something. “That’s just my husband, haha,” the female driver says, suddenly defending herself with an unnatural voice and a weird accent, while laughing a little nervously. Thousands of scenes from horror movies start f lashing through your mind. What’s under the blanket? Did she murder her husband and hide the body under the blanket? What is she going to do to us? You cannot breathe, as if someone was choking you. And your heart starts racing. The absolute horror completely paralyzes you. Your friend lifts up the blanket, and uncovers … well, sit tight. You are about to go through a really creepy moment. No, there’s no blood nor dead body. Nothing like that. There’s just a man curled up and hiding under the blanket — an adult male, alive. “Oh ... you know it’s kinda late, and I’m just trying to protect my wife in case anyone pulls out a knife at her,” he says with a deliberate and strangely calm voice. His lips starts to form a weird angle as he looks at you, and oh God, that’s the creepiest smile you have ever seen. At that moment, the most primitive, ancient and dreadful feeling engulfs you: fear. The adrenaline f lows through your vein as a fish through a river, but you couldn’t move a single muscle. You decide to give him the benefit of the doubt first, but everything still doesn’t make sense. If the man was really concerned about his wife, he could have sat in the front row with her, and he could have stopped her from driving Uber at night or he could have driven the car himself. It just seems merely impossible to you that any normal person would want to hide himself under a blanket in the truck in order to protect his wife. And if your friend did not happen to peak into the truck coincidentally ... well, no one knows what they could have done to you. And, you could have all died. Wait, you might think, is this for real? Trust me, this really happened. I was there. I was just sitting in the backseat with the man hiding below the blanket behind me. And it was undoubtedly the creepiest experience I have ever had. This was not the first time I have personally been trapped in a little cubicle with a weird driver. A middle aged man kept staring at me while driving and telling me that he wanted to marry me. Another driver asked me whether I wanted to visit him at his house after work. Quite a few instances and encounters have made me to come to the conclusion that, maybe Uber was not selective of its drivers. The criminal and competency assessments
provided by Uber are simply just not effective in filtering through the human potential to commit great evil. In fact, neither Uber nor Lyft uses fingerprints or goes through criminal records to background-check their drivers. I should say that I am quite the lucky one. Yet it is the first time I have ever felt this unsafe in an area around campus, near this place that I am proud to call home. Earlier this month, the Notre Dame Security Police (NDSP) received four reports of sexual offenses that are currently under Title IX investigation. What sent a chill down my spine was when I realized that the alleged locations for these events are “Main Building” and “Flanner Hall.” I think I do not need to go through wordy and lengthy explanation to come to reasonable suspicion that these reports should be far more dreadful than those that occur in school dorms. The Notre Dame bubble is not as safe as we thought it might be. We are simply unaware of how many crimes are committed each day, even in the daylight. I have so many friends around me, and even myself, who often ignore the slight chance that these crimes could have occurred to us. Even our internet is under attack right now. The occurrence of Elsagate should be subject to lack of parental advisory and public ignorance. And we, those 20-yearolds who oftentimes browse the internet and social media mindlessly as well. What’s wrong with these people? This question summarizes lots of people’s struggle and frustration with witnessing the darkest side of humanity. But after asking this question, we should think about what we could have done more to protect our community. I should admit that Notre Dame is relatively a safe area, but only having the NDSP guarding us is far from being enough. We should be more aware and we should do more. This week, we are going to vote for the student government president. As I went through most of the campaign slogans, what disappointed me slightly was that no one adequately brought up safety concern as a thing they would like to change. At least, being in a Notre Dame bubble made us ignorant of the most fundamental thing to protect. I don’t wish to speak for, nor against any candidate running for president, but I do petition that whoever gets elected could realize that in order to promote student well-being, we need to be safe first. This is an area that student government, and all of us, should strengthen. Raising awareness should be the first step. Many students have suspected that the two or three annual email alerts sent by NDSP are not the whole picture. Student government could work with NDSP to ensure the transparency of disclosing the crime log and raising awareness with regards to crime prevention. We could also be more proactive in discerning potential crime around us, as in the Uber story. I am not saying that we should scare one another to an extreme extent, but we should just care more. Lastly, please be safe. I hope I don’t need to say this, but the night is dark and full of terrors Erin Shang seeks to find the black and white from this world of messed up palette, the polygons from monotonous lines and passion from the shattered dreams in this brave new world we’re all living in. She is a sophomore studying Finance and ACMS at Notre Dame, living in Cavanaugh Hall. Erin welcomes comments of any kind, and can be reached at yshang1@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
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LETTERs TO THE EDITOR
The cost of Notre Dame In August 2016, I began college at Notre Dame. I lived through the ups and downs that everyone else did: first bad grade, first quarter dog, the 2016 football season and a Midwest winter (OK Chicago people, I don’t care if it was a “mild winter.” Humidity is killer). I also experienced true loneliness, exhaustion and uncertainty, but eventually found comfort in some of the closest friendships I’ve ever had. I can say without a doubt that that year was the most formative and rewarding year of my life so far. And at the end of that wonderful year, instead of making grandiose plans with roommates and scheduling classes for next year, I finalized my transfer out of the University of Notre Dame. College costs across the nation have risen dramatically, and Notre Dame has followed this trend enthusiastically. As many students (or their parents) know, the estimated cost for the 2017-18 school year is $69,395, with annual increases anticipated. This does not include the financial aid most students receive, and I freely admit that a Notre Dame education is extremely valuable. And again, this is part of a nationwide trend; universities with similar statistics have similar prices. But isn’t Notre Dame, a Catholic university, supposed to be different? One of the many invaluable lessons we learn in Moreau is that education should not be focused around money. That being true, I believe Notre Dame is being fiscally irresponsible. I don’t believe it can or should slash its prices to the level they were at decades ago; doing so would unavoidably result in a lower-quality education. Additionally, although the financial aid allocation system is problematic (especially for large families), this is not the place to break it down. Recent spending, however, has been undeniably
extravagant. For an obvious example, take Campus Crossroads, which has a predicted final cost of $400 million. Let’s make that more meaningful. For someone graduating in 2020, the year I would have, the average total cost of a Notre Dame degree (including financial aid) can be estimated at $115,000. Thus, if all the money for Crossroads had been spent on scholarships, 3,478 students could have had their educations completely funded. Unfortunately, Crossroads is just one part of a culture of constant spending. A Huffington Post article estimates that the cost of the gold in Notre Dame’s iconic football helmets could be as high as $700,000 per year. At the price above, that artistic touch is equal to six students’ educations each year. The video board, architecture building and geothermal project are much more expensive purchases. Recent announcements included plans for a $66 million art museum (in addition to the Snite) and two new dorms. I don’t think I am being unreasonable or undervaluing Notre Dame. I believe it offers one of the best educations in the country, and I tried almost everything to stay. But even if I had worked and gone deeply into debt, my parents would have been forced to take chunks out of their retirement savings, and I would have to live with the knowledge that my education was making it almost impossible for my younger siblings to attend a school of the same caliber. I am definitely not alone; more qualified and devoted students with similar situations are appallingly common, although most go quietly to their second options. For examples, simply look through College Confidential or other forums. I know at least one
of my friends at Notre Dame has a younger sibling who will not be attending purely because of cost. My roommate at my new school, also a transfer student, happens to be a lifelong Notre Dame fan. He was accepted, but chose to go elsewhere largely because of the cost. He has often wondered about that decision since then. I was fortunate to spend a year at Notre Dame and to end up at a secondchoice school I am happy with. Many students are denied both. With its reputation and loyal fanbase, Notre Dame could probably continue increasing its tuition and spending for longer than most universities. However, it has an opportunity and a responsibility to be an example of the applied morality it preaches. In a recent Money magazine list of best value colleges, Notre Dame is ranked, but below Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and thirty-six other colleges. The only reason is that Notre Dame’s average net cost is higher than every single university in the top 50, including Ivy Leagues. Was a $400 million expansion really essential? Couldn’t a $200 million project suffice? Is one art museum not enough? Especially with Notre Dame receiving incredibly generous gifts like the Ricci family’s $100 million commitment, the constantly increasing financial burden on students is inexcusable. I don’t expect an easy solution, but we must recognize a problem when one of the nation’s wealthiest universities forces teenagers to choose between their education and their family’s financial security.
Declan Kerwin former Notre Dame student Jan. 2
Only human, only students In response to the “We Deserve Much Better” letter to the editor by David Carmack, I just had a few points that I wanted to make, as I was a senator last year and feel like I can give some input into the situation. Carmack mentions that the allegations against Alex and Julia are “blatant misconduct,” as they did not explicitly state that the administration of this University were not endorsing the campaign. Just by stating that they have worked with administration in the past in their roles as student leaders on campus doesn’t necessarily mean that they were using them as an endorsement. In talking to other students about this issue, they thought that the candidates were just mentioning the administration that they had worked with in the past to “name drop for the sake of name dropping,” not that they were stating that these administrators were endorsing them. It would only be “blatant” if they specifically stated that the administrators were endorsing them. Sure, Alex and Julia should have put explicitly that they aren’t being endorsed by the administration, but they’re only human, they didn’t see that this could be an issue later on. I would also like to reiterate that Rohit Fonseca’s allegation and sanctions had no impact on the election results. If you look at the breakdown of the votes, Becca Blais’ ticket, even without removing the votes from the sanction, still had over 50 percent of the votes, which is the amount to win the election. Granted, I am of the belief that nobody should have votes taken from them, as it diminishes everyone who voted for that candidate and takes away their voice. But, that the five-hour, emergency senate meeting that we had is five hours of my life that I will never have back (five hours of studying that could have been done before an exam), had no impact on the imminent results of
the election was frustrating to say the least. As a senator, I was not happy to be called into an emergency senate meeting. However, I was happy to represent my hall’s opinions on the issue of the election misconduct. I was actually happy to vote to close the senate meeting, as it allowed senate to have a discussion about the issue at hand, without social repercussions based on the opinions of the senators. The results of these closed-door senate meetings can impact the student body as a whole, so in order to avoid being alienated by peers based on what is said in a senate meeting, to avoid being coerced into an opinion based on social pressures, I think it’s genuinely a good thing. However, I don’t think that the minutes of these meetings should be kept secret until the next term senators vote to release them. I think they should be anonymized (for the discretion of the senators) and published to keep a level of transparency. Some do see the closed senate meetings as a bad thing, with the opposite opinion of mine, that closing the doors allows for more personal views, rather than the views of their constituents. I do hear you on that, except that as a senator you are sworn in to uphold the views of your constituents. If you believe that the personal opinions will get the best of the people whom you elect, and if you believe that the oath they take means nothing to them, then maybe you voted for the wrong candidate in that senatorial election. Back to my experiences last year, Blais’ campaign might not have been the cleanest, with rumors f loating that she promised cabinet positions to people; the same rumors still f loat around about campaigns promising cabinet positions to people, which is against the constitution (as considered unethical behavior to attempt to gain more votes). I remember having a long discussion with some
senators about this at this time last year, which makes this rumor all the more frustrating for me to stomach. Of course, there is no proof of this; there was no proof against Becca last year either. All it could be is a rumor, and we may never know the truth. Maybe the sanctions against the Gates-Corey campaign were too tough on breaking an alleged rule. Two hours of campaign time punished? The senate meeting lasted longer. On a Friday night. And when faced with having to abandon all commitments on yet another Friday night regarding yet another allegation, we have to give credit to the anonymous senators that did show up for that second meeting, only to have their time wasted as they waited for quorum. Alex and Julia also had their time wasted during this process, as they were waiting at the senate meeting too. Maybe that was punishment enough for their misconduct. Let’s give people a little credit. Let’s give credit to our senators, who sat through hours and hours of meetings, passing resolution after resolution to get to where we are now. Let’s give credit to the leaders of senate, who made leaps and bounds to change senate over the past couple of years. It’s only human to make mistakes, and both candidates have made their fair share of mistakes. We’re only humans, all three candidates are only humans and only students, and to say that we deserve much better diminishes all of the hard work that people on student government put in, on top of being a full-time student. Not everything can change in a year’s term, but it’s the little things that really help make all of the difference. Rebecca Georgiadis junior Feb. 7
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The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Live, learn and respond carefully. Patience, tolerance and moderation will be required if you want to avoid useless battles and poor choices. Look at what you can accomplish. Instead of trying to change others, look inward and make self-improvements. Strive for perfection, kindness and understanding. Personal growth will motivate you to live better and try harder. Your numbers are 7, 18, 21, 25, 34, 39, 44. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Too much of anything will lead to disaster. Overindulgent tendencies will be costly. Explore opportunities for inner growth and implement personal changes instead of trying to change others. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Overreacting, taking on too much or getting involved in something that will drain you emotionally or physically should be avoided. Look for creative solutions that will enable you to focus on making personal gains. Walk away from indulgent individuals. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll face some setbacks if you let your peers influence you or take advantage of you emotionally. Stay on top of what matters to you and refuse to put anyone before your own interests. A personal change will improve your life. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t spend on products that promise the impossible. Focus on being creative and coming up with personal changes you can make that are within your price range. A partnership will turn out to be to your advantage. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ll tend to end up in situations that are emotionally overbearing. Refrain from overly indulgent behavior or making promises you cannot keep. Focus on physical fitness and self-improvement. Look out for your friends and family members. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): If someone overreacts or tries to pick a fight, choose to move forward on your own. Trust in your instincts and you will avoid getting tangled up in someone else’s mess. Business trips will lead to interesting information and opportunities. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The past will come back to haunt you if you have left matters undone. Tie up loose ends, get your personal books and documents in order and know exactly where you stand. Refuse to let an ex-partner cause trouble. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Too much of anything will cause a problem. Stick to what’s reasonable and refuse to get involved in someone else’s melodrama. Choose to work alone and to develop ideas that will help you stand out and move forward. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Divulging a secret will cause an emotional response that can alter the way you or someone else feels. Try not to fuel the fire by making an assumption. Don’t let anger take over or give in to emotional manipulation. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You may have some great ideas, but don’t go overboard. Overspending or taking on too much financially, physically or emotionally will be your demise. Look for the best way to use your energy in order to bring the highest returns. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sit tight, formulate your plan and be fully prepared to move forward before you take the first step. Know what you want, but don’t take what doesn’t belong to you. Taking one step at a time will lead to success. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t overdo it. Take stock of what is necessary and what isn’t. A steady pace will ensure that you get things done right the first time. Protect your assets, possessions and feelings. Take on a creative endeavor. Birthday Baby: You are playful, outgoing and expressive. You are nonjudgmental and proud.
WINGin’ it | BAILEE EGAN & Olivia wang
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
By MIKE DONOVAN Scene Writer
Peering through the mangled segment of fencing, her veins run cold. From a distance, the overgrown vines and bushes looked manageable. But here, alongside the century-old crumbling remnants of the zoo — once the gem of Belle Isle, — the weeds posture monstrously above her. “I’ll give you a lift,” he offers. She obliges, stepping into the cusp of his hands and squeezing through the oblique sliver in the fencing, nearly tearing her jeans in the process. A can of spray-paint slips from her windbreaker, tumbling into a nearby shrub. She recovers it, careful not to cut herself on the scattered shards of broken glass. He climbs through the sliver. “Follow me. I have to show you something,” she says. The two ascend slipshod steps to a skyway of sorts — crisscrossing above the flora-coated remnant of a long dead man-made jungle. “We’re in ‘The Goonies,’” she thinks. “Or maybe we’re the kids from ‘IT,’” she concedes, rather gleefully. When they reach the central building, a conic spire overlooking the central meeting area, she leads him inside, up a spiral staircase and onto the terrace. On the terrace, her message, painted two days previous in elegant script, reads clearly on the concrete ground of the meeting area: “Did I freak you out?” She certainly did. He’s not ready for the relationship. Not even ready for a talk. But he won’t tell her. He’s not that smart, nor that noble. She hands him the spray-paint, anticipating a response. The ensuing uncertainty pulls her into the headspace of Detroit songsmith, Anna Burch. Anna Burch’s debut LP, “Quit the Curse,” is the kind of
By DANIEL O’BOYLE Scene Writer
The entire concept for “Man of the Woods,” Justin Timberlake’s latest effort, is all too easy to make fun of. It’s an album of what’s still clearly Timberlake’s classic 2000s pop, but influenced by “the outdoors,” all while attempting to maintain the same level of sex appeal that was a cornerstone of his best work. The lyrical concepts for so many tracks are so bizarre, they become almost fascinating. In the title track, Timberlake lives in the woods and apparently stops “everyone outside” to “brag about” the subject of the song. However, he can’t devote himself completely to the woman because he’s a “Man of the Woods,” a role that apparently consists of stopping “everyone outside” to “brag about” his girl. There’s another track, “Supplies,” that attempts to make doomsday prepping sexy. Musically, the concept feels just as wrong. The production is smoothly polished, but few arrangements can make banjos and harmonica solos look good alongside 808s. Instead of some kind of revolutionary blending of genres that appear worlds apart, the moments when both threads of musical influence collide sound like a clunky mess. Then, there are some of the individual lyrics. Again, in the title track, you have one of the most embarrassing attempts at sexual lyricism of all time, from the man who once brought “Sexy Back.” Singing, “But then your hands talking, fingers walking / Down your legs, hey, there’s the faucet / Someone’s knocking like they know,” Timberlake
art that inspires other art. As I listened to the album, the above narrative formed in my head, transporting me to the rickety walkways above the Belle Isle Zoo, an island hideaway in the middle of the Detroit River where teens often venture (against their better judgment) spray-paint in hand. The abandoned zoo, and the youthful forays that take place within it, set the backdrop for Burch’s debut LP “Quit the Curse” (see: “Belle Isle,” the record’s fifth track). Lucid joys of a lost time — when Martha Reeves had reason the dance in the streets and Lou Reed could relish in the simplicity of his Sunday mornings — permeate both the Belle Isle ruins and Burch’s music with an adolescent’s melancholic ambivalence. In her lyrics, Burch enters into a dialogue with a “he” figure, an object of unrequited love. Burch sings that she craves the ecstatic “fireworks” of “the night we made out on Belle Isle,” but he, in his hermetic emotional state, postures as one “2 Cool 2 Care,” content only with the process of “slamming all [his] drinks” and folding uncertainties into “all [his] friends” and “all [his] meds.” Burch doesn’t set out to write a carbon-copy lovelorn indie record — “From what I can see, reciprocity, is boring,” she writes to her cold object of desire, “but I’m tired of unrequited love stories” — but a romance carried out on other, less orthodox, terms. Burch’s songwriting leads the listener to question whether anything really exists in dichotomies (especially love). Conversations between intentions and action almost never play out cleanly — “I forgot to fake the way I was feeling / I guess it’s too late / Now all my cards are showing.” The unedited version of things (reverberation and distortion bouncing around a mix) often manage to contradict our well kept plans — elucidated in the clean, spare and elegant structure of a 60s indebted guitar-pop arrangement.
finds an innuendo that even he cannot deliver smoothly and caps it off with a weirdly mixed metaphor. Yet somehow, none of these are the reasons why “Man of the Woods” feels like such a disappointment. Yes, the lyrics are awful, but it’s always been easy to overlook bad lyrics in lieu of good tunes. And, the worst lyrical moments on the album always seem to appear during the better musical ones. The moments where rhythm and blues and folk meet musically are not, by any means well-executed, but at least they’re something different and interesting. For the most part, “Man of the Woods” isn’t bad because of its terrible concept. It’s bad because it’s just not exciting. Lyrically, the outdoorsman theme of the album is mostly consistent, with the exception of album-opener “filthy.” But musically, virtually every track falls into one of two categories: a vastly toned-down version of the old school Justin Timberlake (someone whose style should never be toned down) or something that sounds like a mediocre piece of modern country-pop. The record’s not bad enough to sound like it’s from someone with zero country credentials, but it’s far from good and certainly not all that imaginative compared to the many innovative mainstream pop influences dominating the country charts in recent years. Not even Chris Stapleton, one of the best country artists operating in the mainstream today, can save “Man of the Woods,” since everything that makes Stapleton’s aesthetic so poignant gets lost in the sheen and repetition of “Say Something,” on which the country singer’s voice is overproduced to the point that he sounds like an
For some, the realization that perfection, or at least comprehension, only appears “In your Dreams,” is a terrifying prospect, but Burch finds solace in the notion. Love — real, honest to God love — entrenches itself in a relationship when the question arises: “Now what, what else can I do / When you’re there’s nothing more to say / And I’m still with you every day?” And there’s no answer to this question. The quandary stands out the open, awkward and gangly, until we choose to accept it or continue our quixotic journey towards an unforeseen definitive. This need for certainty is the curse that plagues my characters, the starry eyed young woman and freezes the romantic lemon of a boy in the zoo. Conversely, uncertainty (read: the future, growing up, “insert quantum episode here”) rightly freaks us all out. Do we just give up? Or can we, as Burch puts it, “quit the curse?” Can we live “Knowing it’s not about the waiting” in a state where we “Don’t even know what [we’re] anticipating?” Or do we resign to stay the safe side of the mangled fence? Contact Mike Donovan at mdonov10@nd.edu
“Quit the Curse” Anna Burch Label: Polyvinyl Tracks: “Asking 4 a Friend” If you like: Phoebe Bridgers, Alvvays, Bonny Doon
unidentifiable older, deeper voice. The rest of the album, once you get past the awkwardness of the gimmick — which gets old long before the 65-minute runtime is complete — you’ll notice that the tricks mostly paper over the fact that there’s nothing there sonically. The truth is, for all the jokes, a Justin Timberlake attempt to make an out-and-out country or folk album would have been something interesting, the kind of adventurous move that only a superstar has the freedom to try. Unfortunately, Timberlake gives us a weak attempt to recreate his best work, sprinkling in some moments of Americana to hide how uninteresting the album would be otherwise. The album isn’t a massive trainwreck, but it commits a crime that may be worse in pop music: boredom. Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
“Man in the Woods” Justin Timberlake Label: RCA Tracks: “Morning Light” If you like: Rejected songs from N*E*R*D*’s latest album, Glamping
DIANE PARK | The Observer
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Sports
The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Sports Authority
NCAA Men’s basketball | St. john’s 79, villanova 75
St. John’s beats No. 1 Nova NCAA transfer for second top-5 win rules need change Mia Berry Sports Writer
As the old saying goes, common sense isn’t too common nowadays — especially when it comes to the NCAA and how it treats its amateur athletes. While the issue of compensation for college athletes is frequently discussed, less attention is often given to a an equally controversial topic — NCAA transfer rules. More than 400,000 student athletes compete in 24 sports for the NCAA, with many hoping that they will beat the odds and one day become a professional athletes in their chosen sport. But what happens when that plan is placed in jeopardy because of a coaching change, a family illness or a range of issues life can throw at you? What then? What options are available? Transferring may seem like the most logical option, but the NCAA doesn’t make that option desirable even if it’s a necessary decision. The current NCAA bylaws require athletes that transfer to sit out a full year after transferring. The initial aim of the transfer rules was to primarily protect coaches from having their athletes poached under the disguise of an “academic year in residence” that gives athletes a year to get adjusted academically. Sure, there are multiple athletes that transfer for athletically motivated reasons, and the current rules discourage that behavior, but there are plenty of athletes that don’t fall into that category. Why punish them? The NCAA needs to seriously consider transfer reform in the best interest of its student athletes, especially considering the freedom on movement non-athlete students and coaches enjoy currently. Lucky for the NCAA they won’t have to start from scratch because the Big 12 has already proposed amendments to the current transfer policy. The Big 12 Proposal would amend some current conditions to the transfer rules and abolish some conditions altogether. Transfer rules regarding graduate transfers would remain the same and graduates would be eligible immediately, but schools would no longer be able to block a player, graduate or undergraduate, from transferring to any school. Also, identical to the current rule, the proposal calls for undergraduate transfers to sit out a year unless one of three conditions are met: 1. If a coach leaves or is fired, 2. NCAA sanctions are levied against a program and 3. If the player is a walk on without a written offer.
Condition one makes the most sense in the current coaching market where coaches are leaving and uprooting program without penalty in favor of bigger contracts or sporting market. In 2017 alone, the FBS experienced over 20 coaching changes from Power 5 schools such as Florida State, Oregon, Nebraska and Texas A&M. When coaches leave systems offensive and defensive systems and personnel can change to unfavorable situations for athletes, so if necessary transferring would be a viable and hassle-free option. The second condition concerns programs that have sanctions levied against them by the NCAA. When the NCAA cuts scholarships or imposed post-season bans, the effects on student athletes can be lasting and extend beyond simply winning a national or conference championships. Also, sanctions usually punish members of a current program for the sins of previous teams or administrations. There isn’t any justice in punishing current members without giving them a chance to leave. The final condition stipulates that walk-ons without a written offer can transfer immediately. Although a rarity, this new rule would’ve been beneficial for reigning Heisman winner Baker Mayfield when he was at Texas Tech before his transfer to the Oklahoma. While the new proposal doesn’t specifically account for every special transfer, it’s a start. Each condition seeks to add some control and protection to the student athletes over their academic and athletic careers, while still maintaining the integrity of the original rule. In an effort to challenge the public perception that the college system is tilted in the favor of the coaches, it would behoove the NCAA to seriously consider reforms to the current transfer policies. In the end, the transfer reform would be a win-win for both the NCAA and the athletes involved because the NCAA is likely receive fewer transfer appeals, which allows them to save time and resources from conducting appeal hearings, while student athletes would be allowed regain control when it comes to transferring. The Big 12 proposal for transfer reform will add a rare dose of common sense that the NCAA has been lacking for years. Contact Mia Berry at mberry1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — St. John’s took down another of the nation’s elite, and stunned No. 1 Villanova 79-75 on Wednesday night for its second win over a top-five team this week — and first over the top-ranked team in 33 years. Shamorie Ponds scored 26 points to spark the Red Storm (12-13, 1-11 Big East) to its first conference win of the season and easily their best week since Chris Mullin was in uniform, not the coach. Mullin played for St. John’s when it beat No. 1 Georgetown 66-65 on Jan. 26, 1985. And he was on the sideline exhorting his players in the final minutes of this shocker. St. John’s beat then-No. 4 Duke Blue Devils 81-77 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, snapping an 11game losing streak. It was the first win for St. John’s since Dec. 20 against Saint Joseph’s. The Wildcats (22-2, 9-2) ended a nine-game winning streak and will surely tumble from the top of the national rankings, where they’ve spent the last five weeks at No. 1. Jalen Brunson, a leading candidate for national player of the year, nearly rallied Villanova to victory down the stretch. He buried a jumper and scored on a fastbreak
set up by Omari Spellman’s blocked shot to make it 67-63. St. John’s turned the ball over off the inbounds play and Brunson, who led the Wildcats with 28 points, made the Red Storm pay on a crashing layup that sent him to the line. He hit the free throw to pull Nova to 67-66 with 1:34 left. Marvin Clark II flexed his muscles toward the St. John’s bench when he was fouled on a bucket. He sank the free throw to push the Red Storm’s lead back to four. Collin Gillespie nearly helped make it 10 straight wins for the Wildcats when he pulled them to 74-73 on a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left. But that was about the only clutch 3 of the game for the Wildcats — they missed 24 of 33 attempts. The Red Storm used just six players — and had the one that mattered most in Ponds. Ponds, a 6-foot-1 guard, scored a career-high 37 points against Villanova in early January at Madison Square Garden that led the Red Storm to the brink of an upset. In a season where the Wildcats have routinely roughed up the Big East, St. John’s only lost 78-71 and stayed tight until the final 2 minutes. Who knew, it was just a sign of better days ahead for the Red Storm.
The Red Storm picked up where they left off against Duke and took it to the Wildcats from the opening tip. St. John’s snapped a tie game with a 6-0 run and that gave them a 47-47 lead. Ponds hit his second 3 of the game for a 50-43 lead and they still led by 8 with 4:50 left. Ponds had 15 points, four assists and four rebounds — plus a 3 which he failed to hit the first time against Villanova — and helped St. John’s take a 3934 lead into halftime. St. John’s shot 56 percent from the floor and forced the Wildcats into six turnovers. Bryan Trimble Jr., who played in sparkly green sneakers that would have made Eagles fans proud, hit a 3 for a 31-29 lead.
Big picture St. John’s can hang with the nation’s elite — it lost by five points to No. 5 Xavier in a streak of three straight games against AP Top 25 teams. But how will the Red Storm fare when the competition softens up a bit compared to this recent stretch of games? Villanova is set for a rematch with Butler, the only other team to beat them this season. Kelan Martin scored 24 points, Paul Jorgensen added a careerhigh 23 and Butler made 15 3-pointers in a 101-93 upset on Dec. 30.
NCAA Men’s basketball | Virginia 59, florida state 55
Rally keeps No. 2 Virginia unbeaten in ACC play Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Devon Hall scored 17 points, Ty Jerome added 15 and No. 2 Virginia rallied in the second half to beat Florida State 5955 on Wednesday night. Kyle Guy scored 10 of his 13 points in the final 20 minutes as the Cavaliers fought back from a 32-22 halftime deficit to remain unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia was 5 of 10 on 3-pointers in the second half and had just one turnover. Virginia (23-1) is the third team since 2000-01 to win its first 12 ACC games, joining North Carolina (2000-01) and Miami (2012-13). It is the Cavaliers’ best conference
start since they were 12-0 in 1980-81. Florida State had two stretches over the final 26 minutes where it went over five minutes without making a field goal — including the final 9:01 of the game. The Seminoles shot 40 percent from the field (18 of 45) and made only two of their last 12. MJ Walker paced the Seminoles (17-6, 6-6) with 10 points, and Phil Cofer added nine.
Big picture Virginia: The Cavaliers allowed 32 points in the first half, which ended a string of 15 straight regular-season conference games where they held an opponent under 30
points in the first 20 minutes. It also tied a season high for points allowed in the first half (they allowed 32 against VCU on Nov. 17, 2017). Florida State: The Semi noles have dropped six straight against Top 5 teams. Their last win came against then-No. 4 North Carolina in the 2012 ACC Tournament final in 2012.
Up next Virginia: Hosts Virginia Tech on Saturday. The Cavaliers won the first meeting 78-52 on Jan. 3. Florida State: Travels to Notre Dame on Saturday. The Seminoles are looking for their first win in South Bend, Indiana, in their fourth trip.
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Sports
ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, february 8, 2018 | The Observer
Hockey Continued from page 12
overtime including some prime chances. For some teams, giving up this many shots would almost certainly guarantee defeat, but the Irish have thrived this season even in games where they’re conceding high numbers of shots. Morris said he likes playing in games where he’s being asked to make big saves. “Once you get a few shots on you’re into the f low of the game,” he said.“You don’t have to sit there and think about the last shot or the next shot. It allows you to just play the game and have fun with it, without spending long periods of standing there and letting yourself wander.” Jackson has been extremely
Ann curtis | The Observer
Irish senior forward Jake Evans competes for the puck during Notre Dame’s 5-3 victory over Penn State on Nov. 10 at Compton Family Ice Arena. Evans leads the team with 22 assists and 31 points on the season.
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impressed with the young goaltender this season, even saying that he deserves Hobey Baker Award (the equivalent of college football’s Heisman Trophy) consideration. “Cale’s had a phenomenal year for us, he’s a certainly been a big part of why we are where we are,” Jackson said. “It’s great for him and it’s great for our program that he’s had the kind of year he’s had. He’s caught everybody in the country by surprise. At the beginning of the year nobody even knew who he was. There’s not much more he can do to surprise me.” The Irish will take on the Buckeyes at Compton Ice Arena at 7:35 on Friday night and 7:05 on Saturday night. Contact Jack Concannon at jconcan2@nd.edu
RUNJIE PAN | The Observer
Irish senior forward Bo Brauer skates down the rink during Notre Dame’s 1-0 victory over Penn State on Nov. 11.
Fencing Continued from page 12
last regular season dual before post season play begins. Several members of the Irish squad will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, on Feb. 16 to participate in the USA Fencing Junior Olympics. “The USA Fencing Junior Olympics is the final selection for the U.S. national team for the upcoming world championship in April. We have several athletes competing for positions,” Kvaratskhelia said. On Feb. 24 Notre Dame will return to North Carolina as the team looks to clinch the ACC championship in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Kvaratskhelia said four athletes from each weapon group will represent each team. Those selections are based on the national power rankings of individual fencers that will be released in the upcoming weeks. Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu
Eddie griesedieck | The Observer
Irish junior sabre Blake Murphy steps forward during Notre Dame’s 16-0 win at the DeCicco Duals on Jan. 28 at the Castellan Family Fencing Center. Murphy had a 14-1 record during the tournament, which was his first outing since missing last season due to injury.
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The observer | thursday, february 8, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
HOCKEY
ND hopes to clinch Big Ten title over weekend By JACK CONCANNON Sports Writer
RUNJIE PAN | The Observer
Irish sophomore goaltender Cale Morris keeps an eye on the puck during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over Penn State on Nov. 11 at Compton Family Ice Arena. Morris made 55 saves during Saturday’s tie at Penn State.
This weekend the No. 1 ranked Irish will host the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes with an eye on clinching the Big Ten regular-season title in their first year in the league. The Irish can clinch the league title with two wins this weekend and be assured of the No. 1 seed going into the conference tournament. Irish head coach Jeff Jackson acknowledged that this weekend’s game is a critical one for the program. “We haven’t won a conference championship on the ice at Compton before,” he said.“The guys on the team are reading about how big this is. It’s no different than the winning streak. I don’t have to talk about it. The internet tells them everything they need to know. I don’t want to make it bigger than it needs to be. Every game from here on out is like a playoff game for every team we play. Everyone’s jockeying for position.” Back in November, the Irish travelled to Columbus and pulled off a road sweep
of the Buckeyes, solidif ying themselves at the top of the Big Ten and extending their win streak to three games (it would later finish at 16). Today, the Irish are still on top, but the Buckeyes have bounced back from being swept on home ice, putting together an impressive season to date — the Buckeyes are ranked sixth in the country and sit second in the Big Ten. Jackson said he believes a lot has changed between the first matchup and now. “They’re a very similar team to us on paper,” he said.“They have similar numbers on the penalty kill and in goals against. They’re disciplined, they’re well coached. They have some big time players and up front and in the back too.” Notre Dame owes much of its success to date to the skill of its net-minder, sophomore Cale Morris. Morris has dominated Big Ten competition as of late, coming off a 2-2 tie at Penn State in which he made 55 saves with five saves in see HOCKEY PAGE 11
FENCING
No. 1 squads prepare for tough competition By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Sports Writer
After hosting duals for the past two weekends, the No. 1-ranked Irish will travel to Durham, North Carolina, to participate in the Duke Duals. Irish head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia said he’s fully aware of the intense competition they’ll be facing this weekend. “All the teams there will be tough to deal with,” he said. “Especially No. 4 Penn State, Duke and North Carolina.” This matchup will serve as a preview for later ACC matches against the Blue Devils and Tar Heels. Both Duke and North Carolina participated in the Northwestern Duals held at the Castellan Family Fencing Center last weekend but neither competed against the Irish. The women will be without juniors foilist Sabrina Massialas and eppist Amanda Sirico, who will travel to Barcelona, Spain, for the World Cup. Kvaratskhelia said their
absence leaves the roster thinner than usual, but he’s confident others will step up and contribute. Sirico was recently named ACC Female Fencer of the Week after helping lead the Irish to an undefeated weekend at the Northwestern Duals, including victories in six ranked matchups. This was the second time Sirico, who improved her career record to 93-25, has been honored by the conference. “She’s been solid against top competition all season,” Kvaratskhelia said. “This honor is a tribute to her effort against top eppists from Princeton, Ohio State and Penn.” The men will look to recover after dropping two matchups in the Northwestern duals. The foil squad will face off against a strong Duke team, including Blue Devil freshman Brycen Rushing who was named ACC Male Fencer of the Week. This weekend marks the see FENCING PAGE 11
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Irish junior foil Nicole Gorman parries her opponent during Notre Dame’s 16-0 win at the DeCicco Duals on Jan. 28 at the Castellan Family Fencing Center. Gorman finished the tournament with a 12-2 record.