Print Edition of The Observer for Monday, September 2, 2019

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Volume 54, Issue 6| monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

OCC opposes housing policy changes The off-campus student-led group lists concerns with recent developments in Residential Life

By GENEVIEVE REDSTEN News Writer

In recent years, the Notre Dame administration has made several changes to its housing policies, trying to discourage students from moving off campus.

Administrators say the policies will strengthen the campus community, but off-campus student leaders argue that the policies will push students further apart.

“It’s a family and a sense of belonging that I think they’re trying to take away from us,” senior Katie O’Sullivan, president of the Off-Campus Council, said.

Six semesters In September 2017, administrators announced the “six-semester policy” — the first of several major housing policy changes. The new rule requires that all Notre Dame students, beginning with the class of 2022, live on campus for six full semesters.

Quentin Colo, the student senator for the off-campus community, said low-income students feel squeezed by the six-semester requirement.

“Several students reached out to me and they said, ‘Look, I have to move off campus. I don’t want to pay $16,000 to live in the dorm. see OCC PAGE 3

Senior talks service abroad

By JULIANNA McKENNA News Writer

Saint Mary’s senior Grace Erving traveled to Kolkata, India, this summer to participate in a missionary program with the Missionaries of Charity. The social work major made the trek to India with only a travel backpack, spending one month serving the dying and destitute at Prem Dan, one of the Missionaries of Charity’s six facilities in Kolkata.

Prem Dan, meaning ‘Gift of Love,’ specifically caters to the needs of the elderly and dying in the poorer areas of the city.

“These women come to Prem Dan because they have been abandoned by their families and have nowhere see INDIA PAGE 3

Scene PAGE 5

NICOLE SIMON | The Observer

Pizza Pi celebrates grand opening

By NATALIE WEBER Assistant Managing Editor

When Monica Mesecar heard there was a new pizza restaurant opening on campus, she was a little skeptical.

But after the junior tried a ‘White’ pizza during the grand opening of Pizza Pi on Friday, she was sold.

“I originally wasn’t sure because we already have so many options for pizza on campus but they have some see PIZZA PAGE 4

NATALIE WEBER | The Observer

Notre Dame students hand out Pizza Pi promotional gear during the grand opening on Friday. Campus Dining hosted the event, which included games, music and giveaways in celebration.

Keough School launches new major

By MARIA LUISA PAUL News Writer

As Notre Dame strives to become a more globalized university, the Keough School of Global Affairs is officially launching its new Global Affairs supplementary major.

“We are the poster child of that mission. We have always had Notre Dame International, but we

viewpoint PAGE 6

represent a real integrative approach to that idea that being a global citizen doesn’t mean going to France for a semester. It means addressing this on a consistent level throughout your career here,” Denise Ayo, the associate director of undergraduate programs at the Keough School of Global Affairs, said.

According to Ayo, the Global Affairs major aims

Viewpoint PAGE 6

to address contemporary global issues in an interdisciplinary manner.

In order to emphasize the multidisciplinary nature of international issues, the Keough School decided to create a supplementary major, meaning that it must accompany another major.

“I think philosophically [the Keough School] believes that we want to help students globalize their

Swarbrick PAGE 12

education, and we think that it’s very important that this Global Affairs focus is seen as something to augment students’ primary majors,” Ayo said. “We see this as something that could be paired with anything.”

The Global Affairs curriculum consists of 10 courses and 30 credit hours — a greater amount than what see KEOUGH PAGE 4

ND Vollyball PAGE 12

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Baumer Hall, located on the North end of campus, opened for the first time this summer. The Dillon community will reside in the new dorm this academic year while Dillon Hall undergoes renovations. The building was a gift from John and Mollie Baumer.

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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Labor Day Campus-wide All day Faculty and staff offices are closed, but classes are in session.

Exhibit: “Looking at the Stars” Snite Museum of Art All day Explore an inspiring collection of Irish art.

Black Ecumenical Prayer Service Geddes Chapel Hall 11:30 a.m.

Traditional AfricanAmerican service.

“Europe’s Policies Toward Refugees” 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls 12:30 p.m.

Open to the public.

Diversity and Inclusion Conference Morris Inn 8 a.m.

Day of learning and community-building.

Information Session: Better Together ND Geddes Hall, McNeill Library 6:30 p.m.

Interfaith Program.

“Crafting a Strong Grant Proposal” G01 Bond Hall 5 p.m.

Workshop a grant proposal.

Recital: Eric Hwong & HyunSoo Kim LaBar Recital Hall 7 p.m.

Violinist Hwong and pianist Kim perform.

Recital: Indian Classical Dance Decio Theater, DPAC 7 p.m.

Bijayini Satpathy performs.

Memorial Mass for Prof. Nagel Basilica of the Sacred Heart 12:45 p.m.

Memorial service.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, september 2, 2019 | The Observer

3

Gun shots reported east of campus Observer Staff Report

The Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) received a report from the St. Joseph County Police Department

OCC Continued from page 1

W hy would I do that when I can pay $5,000, [and] get a cheaper meal plan off campus? ” Colo, a senior, said.

Additionally, off-campus leaders say the six-semester policy poses problems for transfer students, who aren’t guaranteed a spot in the residence halls.

“They’re overpopulating the campus but also shutting away transfers,” Susan Seiler, vice president of the Off-Campus Council, said.

With fewer housing options, O’Sullivan said many students’ needs will go unmet.

“There are a variety of reasons why people move off [campus], and taking that away from people — it’s not right,” O’Sullivan said.

Off-Campus “exclusion” policies In April, the University doubled down on its efforts to keep students on campus. The Division of Student Affairs announced that beginning in the fall of 2021, off-campus students will lose access to dorm dances and interhall sports teams.

The off-campus representatives argue that these changes — excluding offcampus students from dorm programming — will fracture the Notre Dame community.

“In my dorm, the people who are off campus who are still involved in the community — they’re looked up to.

They’re pillars of the community,” Colo said.

Without those off-campus students present at dorm events, the representatives say that ever yone — on-campus and off-campus students alike — will suffer.

India Continued from page 1

else to go. Most people come to Prem Dan in a really bad state, and it’s incredible to see how they progress to become so happy,” Erving said in an email.

The daily routine allowed Erving to connect with both her fellow volunteers, as well as the wider community.

“Every day we would go to Mass with the sisters. Mass felt homey and reverent since they always took their shoes off before entering the sacred

of shots fired near campus’ eastern boundary, NDPD police chief Keri Kei Shibata announced in an email to the Notre Dame community Friday. The reported

incident occurred Thursday around 10 p.m. ”in the area of Burdette, Bailey and Eugene Streets east of campus,” the email said.

According to the email,

the shots were fired from one ”moving vehicle” towards another. The involved parties encountered each other at ”another location earlier in the evening,” the email said.

NDPD and county police have been in communication regarding the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to notify the St. Joseph County Police.

“It’s hurting underclassmen who now no longer have people to look up to and talk to and ask about classes because they’ll never be at dorm events anymore,” Seiler said.

Colo said the University isn’t acting in students’ best interests.

“Most of the University’s policies, it’s kind of like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But the three-year policy and the recent exclusion policy are coming as wolves. There’s no way to look around it.

The only motive that I see is perhaps a profit one,” Colo said.

Key cards In previous years, Notre Dame students could enter any dorm using their Irish1Cards. But this year, the University restricted that access, citing safety concerns. Now, students’ Irish1Cards only open the doors to their own dorms.

For off-campus students, this change means they cannot enter any residence hall with their student IDs — including their old dorms.

Without that key-card access, the off-campus representatives say they feel pushed out of their own communities.

“It’s like taking away the keys to your house,” O’Sullivan said, “I think they downplayed the severity of that, but it’s a big thing. It’s just one more step in the … process of kicking off-campus students out of the Notre Dame community.”

Colo says he’s skeptical of the University’s reasoning behind the new Irish1Card policy.

“I do think the University has some concern about safety, and I understand that. We all want to live in a safe dorm,” Colo said. “But I

If the University had its way, and no students ever moved off campus, the Notre Dame community would lose important perspectives, the leaders said. Seiler explained that the dorms don’t prepare students for life after college.

“We actually need life skills. There’s not a class here that teaches you how to cook for yourself, how to grocer y shop, how to budget.

You don’t have to learn any of that living in a dorm,” Seiler said.

The off-campus leaders added that many students sleep, eat and shop on campus, and rarely venture into South Bend.

“Some kids just literally don’t know there’s a world

space,” she said. “After, all the volunteers would eat together and head to our assignments.

Every day I walked through the slums. People on the streets recognized who we were and where we were going, so they would greet us every morning and try to speak English to us.”

It was in the tiny acts of service, she said, that allowed her to connect with the women at Prem Dan. “Every morning we would go make beds and wipe everything down. Since some people can’t get out of bed, we would go back and make sure we

fed them,” Erving said. “I think this was the most rewarding thing we did. It’s an incredibly humbling experience to feed them and just sit and be with them.”

For Erving, being able to help provide both material and emotional support for these women was one of the greatest lessons.

“It’s one thing to feed someone’s material needs and give them a bed, food and water.

But people thirst for that intimacy and proximity to people,” she said.

“As Christians, we are called to

Observer File Photo

Following the announcement of new housing policies in April, more than a thouand students gathered in Notre Dame’s Main Building in protest of these policies. Many waited outside of administrators’ offices.

just don’t think that the most recent policies are [motivated by] safety. I just truly don’t believe that.”

Value of the Off-Campus Experience

outside of Notre Dame,” Seiler said.

This divide between the Notre Dame and South Bend community is a problem, the representatives said. They worr y that if fewer students move off campus, that divide could deepen.

“Being off campus has definitely attuned me to the problems of people who are living in South Bend,” Colo said.

Hearing but not listening The off-campus representatives say the University has been ignoring their concerns.

“We have not met with them about any of these changes. And I really question how much they actually listen to what we’re saying,” Colo said.

O’Sullivan said she’s reached out to administrators and tried to discuss the housing policy changes, but

see Christ in everyone, and by sitting and feeding people you don’t even know, you start to see Christ in them.”

While the trip wasn’t without its challenges, Evring said it ended up being one of the most transformative experiences.

“While there was a language barrier at first since I didn’t speak Bengali, I ended up learning to communicate in ways I didn’t think I could before,” she said.

“The women there were awesome. It was such a gift to just be able to go and spend time with them.”

administrators have not yet agreed to meet.

“I felt like we were just being pushed to the side,” O’Sullivan said.

In the meantime, the representatives are tr ying to organize the off-campus student community.

On October 1, they’re hosting an Engagement and Informative Housing Fair for students who already live off-campus or those who are considering moving off. They’re also developing a petition opposing many of the new housing policies.

But, as the University moves for ward with its housing initiatives, the offcampus students worr y that administrators won’t consider their perspectives.

“They always say they hear us,” Colo said, “I wish they actually listened to us.”

Contact Genevieve Redsten at gredsten@nd.edu

Erving said the greatest lesson she learned was how much your heart can open up to a new experience.

“After doing something like this, your heart grows in its capacity to love,” she said. “The world is not scary at all. People are people. There are good people wherever you go. You will find so many people along the way when you just open yourself up to the possibility of going and seeing how it goes.”

Contact Julianna McKenna at jmckenna01@saintmarys.edu

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NEWS

The observer | monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Pizza Continued from page 1

different ones,” she said. “I do like ‘White’ pizza and unless I go over to Blaze on Eddy Street, I can’t get one of them.”

According to its website, Pizza Pi will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight Wednesdays and Thursdays.

On Fridays and Saturdays, it will stay open until 2 a.m. and on Sundays, it will operate between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Mondays and Tuesdays, the restaurant will be closed.

Campus Dining hosted an evening of games, music and giveaways Friday to celebrate the opening of Pizza Pi. Serving handcrafted pizzas, piadina and salads, the restaurant also features a bar, which will be open during the evenings on weekends.

“For a lot of our students last year, they weren’t able to see this after we closed Reckers,” director of Campus Dining Chris Abayasinghe said. “So, we just felt, especially with the first weekend back, that we’d also tie this in. So maybe seniors can come here and enjoy their pizza and those of age can enjoy their beverage of choice

Keough Continued from page 1

is required by other supplementary majors, which usually consist of eight courses.

Students must take five core courses, including an introduction to global affairs course, a global politics course, a global cultures course and two economics courses.

The other remaining five courses are taken within the nine concentrations offered by the program — which include global Asia, transnational Europe, Irish studies, Latin American studies, African studies, peace studies, international development studies, global policy studies and human rights.

Moreover, students are expected to accomplish the

and then maybe go to Flick on the Field and kind of have a very wholesome experience.”

During roughly the first hour of the event, about 50 students stopped by, senior Katie McGuire, a Campus Dining brand ambassador, said.

After about the first hour of the event, juniors Auna Walton and Jordan Brown came to Pizza Pi with a group of friends to try the food.

Between bites of a ‘Perfect Pesto’ pizza, Brown admired the design of the restaurant, whose new booths, tables and redecorated walls come in a grey, black and navy color scheme.

“The interior’s real nice,” she said. “It has a more modern [look].”

Walton, who ordered a pepperoni pizza, was also happy with her experience at the restaurant.

“I got my food quicker now than I did in Reckers,” she said.

Mesecar, who came to the restaurant with juniors Mary Treacy and Michelle Tapp, thought the quality of food was better at Pizza Pi than its predecessor, but said the new restaurant was on the pricier side of campus food joints.

“A lot of the dining options we have on campus are

in a higher-tier price range, w ith the exception of Taco Bell and Subway,” she said. “I think Recker’s was also a little bit more homey. This feels a lot more restaurant-y which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but you might not get as many students coming in here to do homework.”

Sophomore MJ Haak said while he was not happy when Campus Dining decided to close Reckers, he was impressed by Pizza Pi. He added that he hopes the new restaurant will fill the void of the old food joint, which was known for its late hours, even after it announced it would no longer be open 24/7.

two co-curricular requirements of proficiency in a second language and a sixweek-long cross-cultural immersive experience, which can be achieved through study abroad, independent research or an internship.

Through this curriculum and requirements, Ayo said students would be able to develop and foster “a deep awareness of the world out there and a deep respect for other cultures, mindsets and perspectives.”

Joanna Oliveira, a junior majoring in International Economics and Global Affairs, echoed Ayo’s statement about the program’s goals. She said she has found that, through her classes, she is able to truly delve into international issues as well as provide an international perspective.

“I chose this major because

you get to really see the application of the theoretical concepts into current affairs.

Being Brazilian gives me more insight, as I have witnessed a lot of the systematic problems we discuss in class,” Oliveira said.

Adriana Bodewig, a freshman majoring in Economics and Global Affairs, said she was looking forward to her classes, especially because of the supplementary major’s focus on integral human development.

“I love the projects that you are able to carry out to help countries by working together with other nations,” Bodewig said. “I am very interested in studying about how countries are able to solve problems, because I feel that we can all learn about this, which is something that I find very important.”

Currently, over 40 students are enrolled or are in the

process of enrolling in the Global Affairs supplementary major. According to Ayo, the program is receiving a lot of interest, which is something she attributes to the students’ understanding of the importance of having a globalized education.

“Students are smart and know that we can’t be myopic and ‘America first’, despite some of the rhetoric going on,” Ayo said. “It’s very important that students understand what is happening in the world and position themselves as global citizens.”

NATALIE WEBER | The Observer

Students consume personalized pizzas at the grand opening of Pizza Pi on Sunday. The restaurant replaced the food joint and study spot Reckers. The new venue will also feature a bar for those of age.

CHARLOTTE EDMONDS | The Observe

Students work in the lobby of Jenkins Nanovic Hall, where the Keough School of Global Affairs is housed.

“That was definitely the nicest thing about Recker’s, that no matter when, you could always go there and get a snack,” Haak said. “So I hope this place provides that same kind of service.”

Contact Natalie Weber at nweber@nd.edu

Follow us on Twitter. @NDSMCObserver

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The observer | monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MATTHEW KELLENBERG Scene Writer

To some, Clairo is the lip-syncing teen in that viral “Pretty Girl” video, a serendipitous beneficiary of the mysterious YouTube algorithm. To others, she is a music industry plant, a young woman whose father’s connections paved the way for her swift rise. But through a string of dazzling hits, Claire Cottrill has proven herself to be something far beyond these understatements: the voice for a new generation of pop singer-songwriters.

That voice cuts through on her debut EP, “diary 001,” a grab-bag of catchy hooks and pithy verses. On the track “4EVER,” Cottrill’s voice bounces along the lively beats of an electronic keyboard. On the subsequent “Pretty Girl,” she juxtaposes her carefree vocals with a sardonic quip: “I could be a pretty girl/Shut up when you want me to.” And across these songs, Cottrill’s low-budget production gives her music a sense of honesty and intimacy. That fuzzy, warm aesthetic would serve as a catalyst for the bedroom pop trend.

In those respects, Clairo’s latest record “Immunity,”

By PATRICK WITTEMAN Scene Writer

“So Much Fun” is billed as Young Thug’s debut album. Considering Thugger has been releasing (quality) mixtapes since the early 2010s, influencing the likes of Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd and Lil Uzi Vert, “So Much Fun” shouldn’t feel like a debut album. Young Thug has had years to develop and tweak his sound, avoiding the music industry confines that come with putting out an official album. From influencing Carti and Trippie with the dark, pulsating “Barter 6” mixtape, to paving the way for Lil Nas X with the country twang and acoustic guitar-filled “Beautiful Thugger Girls,” Young Thug has remained a trend setter of the 2010s, Soundcloud-rap landscape.

“So Much Fun” is a departure from Young Thug’s previous work in the sense that it avoids taking large risks during its hour long run-time. “So Much Fun” has tracks that feel like watered down versions of songs that appeared on Thug’s more experimental mixtapes.

The result is an album which, while enjoyable, is a regression to the mainstream in terms of production and atmosphere. In an interview with GQ, Thugger explained that he targeted the masses and “really focused on putting out what people like” on “So Much Fun.” Thug fans and casual trap listeners will find tracks that are appealing, although both groups may

her first full-length album, is quite the opposite. The cuts on “Immunity” do not pop out so much as they glide from one to the next. At its best, this stylistic approach solidifies an emotional arc that befits a fulllength project. Just as Clairo lets the album lull in the outro to “Softly,” she pulls listeners back in with a powerful guitar intro to “Sofia.” But at its worst, this approach renders some of the album’s tracks forgettable. Her song “North,” which blends electronic music and guitar rock, gets lost between “Closer to You” and “Bags,” which each focus on either the former or the latter quality, respectively. In addition to her pacing, Clairo has also upended her production style. Out are her Casio drum beats and muffled vocals, in are refined harmonies and lush soundscapes.

Track two, “Impossible,” for example, boasts a cascading keyboard riff à la “Contra,” the colorful sophomore album from indie outfit Vampire Weekend. The connection is self-evident: Rostam Batmanglij, once a member of Vampire Weekend, joins “Immunity” as a co-producer. This is one of many ways in which Clairo’s new album — and particularly “Impossible” — leans on outside inspiration. The bittersweet bridge to “Impossible” seems to pull its melodic style

from the recent work of Kacey Musgraves, specifically her 2018 song “Happy & Sad.” With all this sheen and extrospection, “Immunity” lacks the direct emotional appeal of Clairo’s intimate, uninhibited “diary 001.” But for what the new record lacks in lo-fi charm, it pays dividends in dynamic, immersive pop pleasure. Claire Cottrill is no longer an everygirl making pop songs in her bedroom. And that is a good thing. Because if “Immunity” is any indication, Clairo is meant to be a star.

ultimately be left yearning for more following an album listen through. “Cartier Gucci Scarf” feels like a carbon copy of “Harambe” from Thug’s “Jeffery” mixtape, and “What’s the Move” feels like a track that didn’t make the cut on “Beautiful Thugger Girls.” That’s not to say that these tracks are bad by any means. Thug and hiphop fans will enjoy this album, albeit less than some of Thug’s earlier mixtapes.

Although the album does less in terms of deviating from Thug’s previous work, the album does have one thing going for it; “So Much Fun” is really so much fun. The album features production from some of hiphop’s most in-demand producers like Pi’erre Bourne, Southside and DJ Durel. This cast of producers give the songs that do incorporate elements of Thug’s previous work a more accessible, wide-reaching sound.

On “Surf,” Thug and Gunna float over an airy, Pierre Bourne trap beat that mirrors the sound that Gunna established on his solo work. In typical Thugger fashion, the track is filled with adlibs like “whoa,” “wave,” and “totally, dude,” reinforcing the idea that Thug wanted this album to be fun and laid back. Gunna makes a second appearance on the track “Hot”, one of the more popular songs off of the album. The Wheezy produced “Hot” flaunts the lives of excess that both of the rappers live, indicative of the continued commercial success of Thugger and the newfound success of Gunna.

One of the standout tracks on this album is “Jump Out the Window,” a Thugger solo cut that is reminiscent of work that appeared on earlier mixtapes. Produced by long-time Young Thug collaborator Supah Mario, “Jump Out the Window” sees Thug at his most aggressive, with a flow that mirrors Mario’s driving bass and hi-hats. Thugger is clearly having fun, making music that is both comfortable and fun, all while having more mass-appeal than ever (see “The London,” which is one of Thug’s first big hits as a lead artist). As a Thug fan, it is great to hear his tracks on the radio, with “So Much Fun” being a watershed moment of mainstream success for Young Thug.

Contact Matthew Kellenberg at mkellenb@nd.edu

“Immunity” Clairo Label: FADER Label Favorite Tracks: “Bags,” “Impossible,” “Alewife” If you like: The Marías, Cuco, Kacey Musgraves

Contact Patrick Witteman at pwittema@nd.edu

“So Much Fun” Young Thug Label: 300 Entertainment/Atlantic Favorite Tracks: “Jump Out the Window,” “Surf,” “Mannequin Challenge,” “Hot” If you like: Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Gunna

NICOLE SIMON | The Observer

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The observer | Monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

It costs to be creative Diane Park Graphics Editor

I went to a public charter school for the arts from seventh to 12th grade, and I’ve recently been increasingly reminded of this time as I begin my third year now at Notre Dame. Mrs. Oden, the Visual Arts Conser vator y Director at the Orange Count y School of the Arts, who adv ised me through middle and high school, would always tell us to appreciate the supplies we had — that were always stocked and replenished — while we could. But even by the end of my high school education — when I saw recent graduates from my school come back to “borrow” art supplies their new colleges didn’t readily prov ide — a reason to be so appreciative was never quite apparent. Now, hav ing already paid over $ 50 in art supplies w ith $120 due by Fall Break for my required courses this semester alone, all I can say is that Mrs. Oden was right.

Of course, college students of all kinds of disciplines must inev itably spend extra money on supplies and resources to support their education, so it wouldn’t be fair to ever yone if all creative supplies were covered when textbooks, laptops and lab kits are not. W hat is confusing, however, is not that Notre Dame studio courses require the extra fees or supplies, but that they require both the extra fees and supplies.

We’re told that the studio fees are used to maintain the facilities and tools we use in class. But if we have to pay for the tools that we use any way, then what do most of these fees end up financing? How much of our tuition funds these supplies?

I love my Industrial Design classes this year, and it’s my love for the creative capacities that my major entails that makes me want the money we pay to go to actual and meaningful use. But for now, we have one ver y old building to call our ow n, barely on the edge of campus. One class this semester has 19 students in a ver y physically production-heav y class that must share the same amount of tools and equipment used by a class half that size in the prev ious semester.

With more interest in creative innovation and respectively developing majors and minors, it is ver y exciting to see the grow ing awareness for how significant design can be. As an Industrial Design major, I’m not opposed to financially supporting the department’s grow th and advancement, as I’m sure many of my peers would also be. But when considering that all of the extra fees students are required to pay over the course of their time at Notre Dame don’t seem to be as clearly ref lected in the qualit y and quantit y of resources it claims to go into, this system only seems discouraging.

I can’t say which of these options students taking these classes would choose: buy ing their ow n supplies at prices they can choose or pay ing a fee up front to cover supplies and materials for the course.

Currently, I can only note that a choice doesn’t ex ist at all; students must pay not only tuition, but also a studio fee and the required studio tools that one would assume to be included in that fee.

Now, in my fifth semester taking required studio classes to graduate and pay ing for basic materials and softwares that I prev iously took for granted in high school, I really do appreciate the opportunit y to have been able to pursue my interests w ith such support. I can only hope that as creative departments continue to grow at Notre Dame, more effective support w ill appropriately follow.

Contact Diane at dpark5@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

In defense of limiting residential hall access Vince Mallett Politically Ambidextrous

Notre Dame recently instituted a controversial policy w ith regards to accessing residence halls on campus. In short, students who do not live in a given residence hall w ill no longer have access to that hall. The Universit y claims that this is in the interest of campus safet y. I believe that this policy change is in the best interest of Notre Dame, despite the numerous arguments to the contrar y.

First off, I reject the idea that the practice of entering a residence hall in which one does not live w ill become any more difficult. I live in the smallest and most remote hall on campus and there is nearly always someone available to open the door to an outsider, usually w ithout question. Anybody who has forgotten or lost their ID card knows this is true for their ow n residence hall.

I’ve heard the claim that this is not a matter of practicalit y, but a matter of principle. W hy should we be limiting the communities Notre Dame claims to be promoting and protecting?

That question misunderstands the nature of the hall communit y our Universit y cultivates.

The goal is not total libert y to go where one chooses and associate w ith whomever one likes; if it were, we would have been able to choose our residence halls for our first year.

Instead, Notre Dame fosters communities grounded in mutual support and common experience, where we become brothers and sisters not because we choose to do so but because we are called to do so. Prohibiting access to other residence halls does not impede but reinforce this sense of communit y by making clear the connection bet ween the hall communit y and the building they are given to grow in together.

That is not to say that the incidental exclusion of off-campus seniors also promotes the true nature of residential communit y. I heartily disagree w ith the Universit y’s proposed policy to exclude these students from hall events such as dances and interhall sports. These students are an integral part of their respective hall communities, and the administration should focus not on disincentiv izing off-campus liv ing but on fix ing the problems that currently ex ist w ith residential life. However, I think the access these students have to their former residences can be limited w ithout harming the communities w ithin those residences, and the safet y rationale described by the Universit y demands that limitation.

Off-campus seniors tend to have respect and sway in their former residences w ithout being under the super v ision or management of hall staff. They cannot be held responsible in the way that all other communit y members can. Given the w rong set of circumstances,

one can easily imagine seniors entering a residence hall and engaging in dangerous or discriminator y behav ior w ithout the staff know ing they are even in the building. With the new policy in place, at least all non-residents entering a building w ill have to knock or in some way engage w ith a resident, making it much more likely that hall staff w ill be aware of the v isitor’s presence. Off-campus seniors should be welcomed, but safet y must be the first priorit y.

Others have objected that the policy w ill disproportionately affect minorit y students by excluding those who moved off-campus for financial reasons or because they felt ostracized in their on-campus communities. W hile I agree disproportionate effects should be taken into account more often in decision-making, I don’t see in this instance why that would be the case. As I’ve already argued, I don’t think it w ill truly be much harder to access residence halls, so I am unsy mpathetic to the claim that low-income, off-campus students w ill be hurt by the change. Furthermore, the exclusion of minorit y students on campus won’t be solved by their inclusion once they move off-campus; the Universit y needs to address ostracization at its roots, not tr y to mitigate its effects.

I also believe the aforementioned safet y rationale proposed by the administration to be compelling. I feel safe on Notre Dame’s campus, but that’s also because I’m a largersized male who comes from a safe and secure background. If I were a smaller person, a woman, or had experienced trauma, I might ver y well feel unsafe in a building to which 8,500 people had instant access. I would feel much better know ing that ever ybody in my residence hall was either a resident or someone let in by a resident. Safet y and securit y is something Notre Dame must take seriously, and increasingly so; if our societ y seeks to genuinely combat the devastation of sexual assault on college campuses, of course ever y reasonable measure should be taken to do so.

I understand where people are coming from when they decr y the Universit y’s decision to restrict residence access. But I think those people are misguided and fail to see the underly ing efforts to protect our most v ulnerable. Notre Dame isn’t interested in giv ing its students ever y possible freedom to move about campus; it’s interested in protecting and developing its residence communities, and this is the right move to do so.

Vince Mallett is a junior at Notre Dame majoring in philosophy with a minor in constitutional studies. He is proud to hail from Carroll Hall and northern New Jersey. Vince can be reached at vmallett@nd.edu or @vince_mallett on Twitter.

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

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

The observer | monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

For Sohrab Ahmari-ism Brennan Buhr God, Notre Dame, Country

A fire ignited on May 29, 2019, and it continues to blaze today.

No, I am not talking about the catastrophic conflagration in the Amazon. I mean to discuss the long-running but recently-intensified debate within conservatism over the virtues and vices of classical liberalism, the American founding and the decadesold conservative consensus, sparked by author Sohrab Ahmari’s First Things article entitled “Against David French-ism.”

Ahmari’s critique of progressive liberalism and its classical forebear is not especially new. Years and years of extensive scholarly work (Professor Patrick Deneen’s “Why Liberalism Failed” is the best book to read on this front) have interpreted the popular angst that has recently proliferated throughout the Western world as a sign that the supposedly values-neutral regime of liberalism has finally revealed its true nature. According to Ahmari’s diagnosis, modern-day progressive liberals have simply taken “the logic of maximal autonomy … to its logical terminus,” a logic that has trampled upon the specious idea of a neutral public square to which paradoxical liberal-conservatives like David French have fallen hook, line and sinker (the all-important John Locke excluded Roman Catholics from his ideal regime of “toleration,” after all).

Thus, Ahmari believes that genuine social conservatism cannot be reconciled with the classical liberalism of Adam Smith or John Locke. It also cannot simply be blended today into a consensus with economic libertarianism or interventionist foreign policy, as post-Reagan “fusionist” conservatives like Paul Ryan or George W. Bush have explicitly or implicitly argued, without losing its grounding in the more ancient Christian tradition. A rightly understood Christian politics aspires to orient society according to man’s

highest good and final end, objective standards which are foreign to the liberal project.

The novelty of Ahmari’s article was to implicate, of all people, David French, a minimally prominent conservative writer for National Review, as the epitome of conservatism’s wrong intellectual turn. Now, French himself is no slouch; before his career as a prolific National Review columnist, French has defended numerous clients in religious freedom cases. Strictly speaking, Ahmari and French are on the same team when it comes to the outcome of these cases, as both of them (and virtually all consistent conservatives, nowadays) support broad protections for people of faith, Christian or otherwise, to carry out their work in medicine, cake-baking, etc. without being coerced by leftist ideologues to violate their religious beliefs.

However, the word “conservatism” inherently begs an essential question: What must be conserved? On this point, Ahmari and French profoundly disagree.

Ahmari in particular sees within French’s classical liberal fideism a hopeless naivete that conservatives can somehow negotiate a compromise with the left by accommodating their “libertine ways and paganized ideology” and in turn expecting that the left refrain from active hostility toward traditional Christian beliefs and practices. For Ahmari, this expectation ignores reality; the left does not want to play this game, and it has not been remotely interested in doing so for quite some time. The lack of consciousness that fusionist, liberal-conservatives like David French possess about this fact is part of the problem. As philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre might say, conservatism does not need another Reagan, but a new, and doubtless very different, St. Benedict.

Such is the overall framework of the broader debate within conservatism which, in my view, is absolutely necessary for conservatives in such turbulent political times, the roots of which run far deeper than the election of President Trump (although this is undoubtedly a key factor). And if my inaugural column has already

interested you enough to read up to this point, you’re in luck: Ahmari and French will have a debate right here at Notre Dame on Friday, September 13 at 11:30 am inside 1030 Jenkins-Nanovic.

From my perspective, Ahmari’s critique is compelling because it is rooted in a broader Catholic worldview which I wholeheartedly share, a philosophy which is quite different from David French’s evangelical predilections. Ever since Martin Luther, Western politics has become increasingly detached from their theological roots in St. Paul, Augustine and Aquinas. A myriad of faithful Catholics today, especially intellectuals like Ahmari, are recognizing the need to return to the beautiful tradition of the Church to find the resources that can help resolve our present sociopolitical ills.

That is not to say that there is no crossover among Catholic and Protestants within this crucial debate; Professor Philip Muñoz (a Catholic liberal-conservative) and Senator Josh Hawley (an evangelical Protestant postliberal) immediately come to mind in this regard. Nevertheless, there is a clear tendency within Catholic intellectual circles to place far more emphasis upon classical philosophy’s quest for man’s highest good and final end on the scale of society as a whole, whereas evangelicals like David French are generally at peace with promulgating Christianity purely within the marketplace of ideas to convince others of their sincerity. Although well-intentioned, both myself and Ahmari would agree that this strategy is doomed to fail. Christians must think and act differently.

Brennan Buhr is a senior Juggerknott from Albany, NY who studies theology, political science (but really, just theory) and history. He loves drinking cold glasses of skim milk and eating salad for dessert when he is not consuming “the living bread that came down from heaven” (Jn 6:51) at the Basilica. He can be reached at bbuhr@nd.edu or @BuhrBrennan on Twitter.

Why should 19 look different than seven?

Ashton Weber Welcome to Ashtown

I’ve been obsessed w ith being “adult” for as long as I can remember.

W hen I was in second grade, my little sister and I made computers out of Styrofoam and pretended we worked in a fancy office. By the time I was in eighth grade, most of my clothes came from Ann Taylor Loft. In high school, my Honda Pilot was outfitted w ith car seats and all the snacks.

But, at the same time, I’m one of the most childish people I know, especially when it comes to making spontaneous decisions.

Two months ago, I had scabbed knees and bruised elbows because my best friend and I rode Bird scooters dow n a steep hill in Memphis, Tennessee.

One month ago, I fell into the Puget Sound because I thought I was a much more skilled paddle board yogi than I actually am (google the crow pose and you’ll understand).

And, finally, I really wanted to decorate a cake last week.

If you’re confused and tr ying to figure out how cake decor fits into the realm of spontaneous and adventurous, calm dow n … I’m getting there !

Obv iously, we’re not talking about just any cake. This is one of those *cool* cakes w ith fondant f lowers and colorful frosting and sugar pearls.

But, the kitchen of my summer dorm (shoutout Seattle Universit y) was not outfitted for such a culinar y feat, so I did what any rational person would do. I called an Uber to take me to the

magical establishment know n as Miss Froglegs Kids Culinar y Academy in North Seattle. Duh. As I entered the building, I was over whelmed by the scent of pure sugar and the feeling of pure joy. But, the 16-year-old at the counter looked confused by my presence.

I was undeterred by his clear judgement of me, a 19-year-old alone at the site of ever y sevenyear-old’s dream birthday part y, and strode up to the counter, declaring, “Hi. I am here to decorate a cake.”

He laughed and directed me to a workstation that was outfitted w ith containers of assorted sprink les and candy, frosting in ever y possible color, and tiny rolls of colorful fondant. He then handed me a baker y box that held a six-inch vanilla cake w ith white frosting and set me loose to make this cake look however I wanted.

It was oddly liberating. No one told me what I couldn’t do or tried to prov ide direction. I was just alone w ith my cake and my imagination.

It was like being a kid again.

Being in college, on the cusp of full-time adulthood and the edge of childhood, I often find myself w rapped up in direction. Did I pick the right major? Does it make me look studious enough? Is my resume strong enough or w ill I be doomed to live w ith my parents forever? Do I seem mature and responsible and deser v ing of a successful life?

These questions and the many others that come w ith them are all roundabout ways of asking the overlying question: Am I doing this adult thing right? Is this the beginning of the amazing life I’ve been picturing for as long as I can remember?

As I sat on a tiny blue stool and partook in the

least adult activ it y, I realized that these ponderings don’t really matter. There is no “right way” to be adult and there is no “correct” future I need to fit into.

Instead of tr ying to shove myself into the boxes of my major and career prospects, I just need to chill out and reconnect w ith my imagination.

Becoming an adult doesn’t mean I have to give up my childish side.

W hen I was little, I had amazing aspirations and dreams, and I was able to sustain them because I wasn’t constantly focusing on the next step on the path to success. I just did whatever made me feel most fulfilled in each moment.

Being “adult” can mean a million different things, so why would I force myself into a boring adulthood that forgets how necessar y it is to do completely unnecessar y things sometimes.

Instead of constantly reaching for the future, I want to tr y to live in each moment in a way that would make my younger self proud.

Maybe the spontaneous thing isn’t for ever ybody, but I think that’s my point. It’s always been my thing, so I shouldn’t quit it just because I’m getting old. We should all find those things that make us who we are and keep them up, especially as we “grow up.” That’s how I think we can master adulting.

A lso, cake is super important. So, the more cakes that this adulting thing includes, the better.

Ashton Weber is a sophomore with lots of opinions.

She is majoring in econ and film, television and theatre with a JED minor. Making new friends is one of her favorite things, so feel free to contact her at aweber22@nd.edu or @awebz01 on Twitter.

8

Classifieds

The observer | monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Look for the good in everyone and everything. How you handle others will determine how far you get this year. Positive change is within reach, but having the support of the people you care about most will sweeten any adjustment you make. Traveling, educational pursuits and personal improvements will motivate you to be your best mentally, emotionally and physically. Your numbers are 7, 15, 26, 28, 33, 36, 42.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be observant, do your research and ask questions if there is something you don’t understand. You have plenty to gain as long as you are well-informed and you are ready to make a move that will encourage personal growth.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If you need a change, get involved in something that will provide you with mental and physical stimulation. Sign up for a challenge, a fundraiser or something that tests your knowledge, experience and skills.

Romance is in the stars.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stick to what and who you know. If someone prompts you to overspend or overdo it physically, take a pass. Protect your reputation, cash and possessions. Be secretive to avoid making a costly mistake. Practice self discipline for long-term rewards CANCER (June 21-July 22): Try doing things differently. Listen to someone you trust, and consider making a change or taking part in something conducive to meeting new people and trying something you’ve never done. Romance is on the rise.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Set boundaries. You can do only so much before you begin to feel used. Don’t feel you have to say yes to something because someone else does. Follow your heart and use your intelligence. Do your own thing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do something that will help you bring about a change that will lead to spiritual, physical or intellectual rewards. Concentrate on activities and pastimes that will enhance your life, not something that promotes indulgence and debt. Romance is encouraged.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep your priorities straight and your mind on what you need to accomplish. Emotions will surface if someone doesn’t pull his or her weight. Put your responsibilities behind you, and move on to pleasurable pastimes and people you love.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take a break; surround yourself with people you find mentally and physically stimulating. Start a creative project, or plan a day trip to a destination that promotes personal growth, physical improvement or learning something new. Romance is featured.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be careful who you share personal information with, and don’t fall for an offer that sounds too good to be true. Do your own thing, and keep your possessions, passwords and secrets well-hidden. You’ll find a greater sense of peace CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t let your emotions cloud your vision. A good deal is worth the expenditure only if it’s something you need. Focus on making positive changes at home and living up to your promises. Romance is on the rise.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t make a change because someone else does.

Do what suits you best, and don’t hesitate to invest in yourself. Expanding your interests will pay off as long as you take baby steps to ensure you don’t go over budget.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Set boundaries when it comes to indulgence, spending and getting along with others. If you disappoint someone important to you, it will cost you emotionally, physically and financially. Live within your means, and enjoy life and loved ones.

Birthday Baby: You are goal-oriented, amenable and humorous. You are bighearted and playful.

sorin elementary | ian salzman

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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football

Sports Authority

Ranking most obscure sports Hayden Adams Associate Sports Editor

“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”

Those are the immortal words of Patches O’Houlihan, seven-time American Dodgeball Association of America (ADAA) All-Star, played by the late Rip Torn in the movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.” Despite the number of fantastic sports quotes, virtually all pale in comparison to the visceral emotions kindled by O’Houlihan’s utterance.

Not only did this movie show its viewers what it means to have the heart of a champion, but it also introduced many to the world of obscure sports. “Dodgeball’s” cultural significance is evidenced

by ESPN periodically devoting a channel to obscure professional sports such as cornhole, arm wrestling and slippery stairs.

With this in mind, I’ve ranked the top-five strangest sports I could find. Without further ado, prepare to get weird.

Chess Boxing You’ll quickly find that many of these sports seem excessively cruel. The mental and physical torture exhibited by chess boxing is no exception. An straightforward sport, the contest consists of 11 rounds alternating between playing chess and boxing, with the game being ended by knockout, checkmate or judge’s decision.

Inspired by a French comic book artist and invented by a Dutch performance artist, chess boxing had its first official match in 2003 in Britain. The sport really took off in 2008 when the International Chess Federation recognized it.

Perhaps the strangest trait of chess boxing is that the sport has grown in India among poor women looking to escape poverty.

Shin-kicking Yet another absurd sport, shinkicking originated in England in the 17th century. Similar to chess boxing, shin-kicking is very selfexplanatory: two competitors face each other, grab one another by the collar and attempt to beat the other into submission by repeatedly kicking their shins.

Modern matches require competitors to wear soft shoes and stuff straw into their pants for padding. A referee watches the matches with a loser being declared when one competitor yells “sufficient,” similar to saying “uncle” in American culture. Wins in two out of three matches are required.

Camel Wrestling This is only the first of many animal-centric obscure sports, dating back over 2,400 years. Popular in the Aegean region of Turkey as well as other regions of the Middle East

9

and South Asia, camel wrestling involves baiting two male camels into a wrestling match by parading a female camel by them.

The camels attempt to force their opponent to the ground or to flee, at which point the remaining camel is declared the winner.

While understandably criticized by animal rights groups, camel wrestling is a staple of the tourism industry in many regions, and a prized camel could be sold for as much as $20,000.

Ferret-legging This may be the most downright cruel of all obscure sports.

Contestants must tie their pants around their ankles and place two ferrets in their pants before securely tightening their belt and standing in front of judges for as long as possible. Competitors cannot be drunk or otherwise sedated and, adding injury to injury, they cannot wear undergarments of any kind and the ferrets must have a full set of teeth.

Though existing for centuries and with disputed origins, ferretlegging gained popularity in 1970s among coal miners in Yorkshire, England. In 1981, retired miner Reg Mellor set the world record at five hours and twenty-six minutes, having gained experience by keeping ferrets in his pants for warmth while using them to hunt. His record was broken in 2010.

Irish hopes to avenge 2014 Senior Day loss Aidan Thomas Sports Writer

College football rivalries are rarely born in one game.

While Notre Dame’s seasonopening visit to the Louisville Cardinals may not be considered a classic rivalry clash, the game serves as an opportunity for the Irish to bury yet another harrowing reminder of their infamous 2014 collapse.

Irish fans remember well the 2014 season for its incredible promise, the team’s potential shining through in a 6-0 start before a heartbreaking defeat to No. 2 Florida State derailed the season, sending Notre Dame into a 1-5 tailspin.

While the season-ending skid had plenty of gut-wrenching moments and painful losses, one particularly tough loss was a 31-28 Senior Day loss at home to these very same Louisville Cardinals.

The game featured many of the struggles that plagued Notre Dame’s spiraling season. Bad defense, inefficiency in the red zone and missed field goals were just a few of the Irish’s many problems.

For the seniors in that game, it was a painful way to conclude their stellar careers. While no players on this year’s squad

carry over from that 2014 season, Irish head coach Brian Kelly certainly remembers the painful loss suffered just under five years ago.

In Kelly’s press conferences and interviews, he often preaches the value of moving on from losses, not allowing one poor result to shape their next performance. However, in that 2014 skid, the Irish suffered a horrific home loss to Northwestern, and they were embarrassed by rival USC on a national stage. Since 2014, Notre Dame has posted a 3-1 record versus USC and just last year the Irish marched into Evanston and emerged with a convincing victory over the red-hot Wildcats en route to an undefeated regular season.

Kelly’s Irish preach a “never look back” philosophy, but they do seem to have a tendency to avenge tough losses in convincing fashion.

Monday’s opener against the Cardinals will be the first time they meet since 2014, so don’t be surprised if the Irish use the sting of that Senior Day loss to deliver an impassioned performance against Louisville.

While the Irish haven’t had the chance to face Louisville since 2014, their recent

performance against the ACC also provides hope for a strong performance on Monday. The past two years, Notre Dame has made a strong statement towards reclaiming their spot amidst the other powerhouses of college football. In that span, the Irish have taken on 10 ACC opponents in the regular season. In those 10 games, the Irish boast an impressive 9-1 record, winning those nine games by an average margin of 22 points.

With Ian Book returning to pace the high-octane Irish offense, a scoring explosion seems likely against a Louisville team that gave up 50-plus points in six of their final seven games on their way to a 2-10 record.

Despite the most minuscule of sample sizes, the Cardinals make the list of teams Notre Dame has played yet never beaten.

However, come Monday the Irish will be seeking a chance to both avenge a painful memory and pick up their first-ever win against the Cardinals.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Buzkashi The national sport of Afghanistan, buzkashi, translated to “goat-pulling” in Persian, has got to be the craziest sport on record, both for its premise and popularity. It requires riders mounted on horses to drag a goat or calf carcass to a goal. The carcass is typically beheaded and may be soaked in cold water for 24 hours to avoid disintegration. Beginning in the 10th century among Turkic peoples, buzkashi is prominent throughout the middle east and has even spawned American variants.

Players wear protective clothing and headgear to combat opponents’ whips. A competitor, known as a Chapandaz, may be sponsored by someone wealthy who often provides a horse in pursuit of honor and pride.

There is no end to the outrageous sports people manage to come up with. One of these days the Olympics will institute Quidditch as an official sport.

However, no matter what game you’re playing, you’re set as long as you remember the five D’s of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Observer File Photo

Former Irish running back Tarean Folston stiff arms a defender during Notre Dame’s 31-28 loss to Louisville in 2014 at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish would go on to finish the season 8-5.

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10

Sports

The observer | monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

ACC Network Continued from page 12

coverage.

“It only made sense of the next evolution was to create a dedicated network,” she said.

One of the primar y pieces of this project that inf luenced the lengthy timeline between announcement and launching was the on-campus availabilit y. Aronow itz, who oversees all on-campus broadcasting facilities, spent much of the last couple years v isiting various campuses and developing stateof-the-art facilities that were custom to the needs of the school and network. The studio at Notre Dame is located in the Corbett Family Hall on the east side of the stadium.

“It’s really been a process that has been years in the making. And, and one that was done deliberately and done intentionally over this amount of time, to allow us to, to build out facilities and put us in a situation to launch, you know, at the right time that ESPN and the ACC both felt would be the right time,” she said. “… So there was a time where we that we’re working on the production, build out the operations, build out with travel around to all of the schools in the conference and just have cursor y conversations of what we’d call it … in air quotes because, you know, the deal wasn’t done yet.”

Aronowitz said throughout that process of traveling to the 15-member school campuses, the negotiations and deals were still being made at the highest level. Regardless, the entire staff continued to work in preparation for a deal to be finalized and the contract to be announced.

Once the details were confirmed, her team had about 18 months to build out all sites to manage the needs of the network.

As the primar y day-to-day contact with the partnering school, Aronowitz spent significant amounts of time on Notre Dame’s campus.

Mike Bonner, executive producer of live events for Notre Dame athletics, and Scott Rinehart, director of Broadcasting Technolog y for Notre Dame Studios, were both ver y involved in determining the construction of control rooms, production facilities and equipment needed for the facility.

Built in conjunction with the Campus Crossroads campaign, Aronowitz ultimately spent additional amounts of time working alongside the

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Notre Dame staff and administration “given that it was part of the capital project that was being built into the football renovation for about 18 months, and we made several visits to walk the space to look at the specs to spend time talking with all those folks about what was going to be in the space.”

W hile it might seem as though Notre Dame football would be the marquee coverage, Aronowitz and McCollum both insisted that the ACC network will differ from conference networks that have come before, becoming much more than just a football channel, highlighting the conferences unique dominance in Olympic sports and the desire to feature more women’s sports. The network will feature one away football game for the Irish, expected to be announced shortly.

“Any other network that we’ve launched, that we have a goal to ser ve the sports fans, and whatever that conference specific needs are, obviously, the ACC is, is as much as it is growing into a Football Conference — and it certainly is a football conference — it is it is ver y much known as a powerhouse basketball conference,” Aronowitz said. “There’s going to be basketball content on the ACC network 12 months a year, which is not necessarily something that you would see on some of the other conference networks.”

W hile Aronowitz’s assertion that the ACC is a powerhouse basketball conference — nine of the last 20 men’s March Madness champions are current members of the ACC, including last year’s champion, Virginia — McCollum built on that point citing the numerous national championships and All-Americans that have been produced in a number of sports throughout the conference, specifically citing lacrosse, softball and soccer. Beyond the trophies the conference has enjoyed throughout its illustrious histor y, the bigger asset to the conference strength is it’s depth down the schedule.

“W hat’s unique about the ACC is the depth of all of their other sports,” McCollum said.

McCollum — a graduate of Concordia University in Texas — said this unique approach and content creation is important to the conference and feels a personal tie to this project and hopes it inspires a whole new generation of athletes and sports fans.

“I played volleyball at a

ver y small school years and years ago and to have my daughter now have the opportunity to be able to see women like, you know, her or when she gets older, to know that if she wants to play volleyball, she wants to play soccer, that there’s an outlet there to be able to watch those games,” she said. “I just think that those underser ved sports are going to really enjoy the additional exposure. And it’s something that I’m personally ver y excited about.”

In addition to providing a broader range of coverage, the network hopes to be more innovative and creative with their approach of reaching out to viewers.

“We want to tr y to push the ACC as a technolog y driven network by combing the fan base and doing you know, marketing research to see who ACC fans are,” Aronowitz said. “Technolog y is really important to that.

So looking at unique ways to incorporate technolog y into the coverage of all ACC events in studio that you wouldn’t necessarily see on some of the other ESPN networks.”

Aronowitz said fans can expect to see a number of new fan interactive experiences and stories that will continue to evolve over the course of this next year.

“That’s really some of the ways that we’re just tr ying to set the mark in the metric for the ACC compared to the other networks. But we also don’t look at it as a competition, we look at it as delivering unique content to the core ACC fan and growing that fan base by giving them great content,” she said.

McCollum reinforced that vision, claiming the goal for this partnership is to elevate access and stor ytelling among the network.

“ESPN as a whole already does a tremendous job of stor ytelling. But we want to take that further,” she said. “And we want to make sure we’re telling the full stor y about the whole athlete. It’s not just about what’s happening on the field of play or on the court, we want to tell the stor y about the amazing volleyball player who may also be getting you know their PhD in neurosurger y or whatever it might be. And so stor ytelling is a huge tentpole for us, it’ll be an anchor. And we can do that a lot of different ways we can do that.”

That desire to create a narrative for the athletes and teams throughout the conference is similar to the Olympics, according to McCollum.

“I remember tuning in to the Olympics at that time, it truly was ever y four years.

And you fell in love with the athletes, not only because it was representative of your countr y, but because of the great stor ytelling that they always have done around the Olympics,” she said. “And so I’d like to think that we have an opportunity in front of us to shine a spotlight more on just some of those personalities, and what makes collegiate athletics unique and different. … We feel that we have an obligation and are committed to making sure that we’re also talking about just how hard these athletes work in the classroom.”

Discussing Notre Dame’s specific involvement at the network, Aronowitz acknowledged the loyal following Notre Dame athletics — and football in particular — experience. This brand loyalty is contrar y to the trend within professional sports where fans, particularly young fans, tend to follow individuals rather than franchises.

“We recognize that there is an affiliation and alumni affiliation associated with individual schools, and with conferences that is really like a birthright for these fans. …

W hat you hear most often in the college landscape is we play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back,” she said.

Aronowitz said the brand is so much stronger in the university than it is for an individual student athlete.

“Don’t get me wrong as a production philosophy, we often tr y to create stars and tr y to personalize and humanize student athletes,” she said. “But the fact of the matter is, in most instances, we only have them on campus for oftentimes, one two, maybe three years unless it’s an Olympic sport where they wouldn’t be there for four years. But even then, it’s really hard to develop a brand for an individual when they’re not going to be there long term. … I think you see that if you look at the ACC network animation package, all the elements that you see if you watch any of our coverage today, it’s such a cool animation package, but it is ver y specifically logo and brand driven based on the university and their mascots.

Because that’s what people associate with in the college landscape most often.”

Aronowitz went so far as to say it didn’t matter where Notre Dame finished in the conference, their fans will tune in regardless.

“Notre Dame alumni and

fans are viral, and they will watch anything that Notre Dame does,: she said. “And that’s a that’s a terrific problem to have. Right? If they’re watching, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they know the student athletes that are on the field or on the court.

But they’re watching because they’re Notre Dame fans.”

One of the projects McCollum shared she was personally excited about was an in-depth feature of the Notre Dame women’s basketball team and head coach Muffet McGraw, in particular.

“But I think that’s, you know, that was one of the things that drew us immediately to, you know, can we do something with coach McGraw,” McCollum said.

“And we all know her as a basketball coach, but do we know more about her? W hat else can we do to show her personality and what she’s like with her team? ” Covering a women’s program that has been dominant in their field and led by a coach who has become a pioneer in her field and champion of female empowerment is particularly fitting among this production team.

Led by senior vice president of college networks for ESPN, Rosalyn Durant, the executive team consists of almost entirely women. W hile both Aronowitz and McCollum acknowledge the unique experience working with a primarily female staff provides, they both reiterated that it was organic development, as the team was created in search of the most qualified candidates who just so happened to all be women.

“We just happen to be the right women, the right people for the job, and it happened organically,” Aronowitz said.

“And the more and more, we all kind of sat around at meetings, as we were going through the planning, the more and more. We all started to recognize what a unique opportunity this was, because it’s ver y rare. … It was never a conversation of ‘Oh, you’re sitting in this room because you’re a female.’ It was a conversation of ‘Alright, what’s next on the check list? W hat do we need to get done? ’ And we’re all equally respected for that ability.”

McCollum echoed those sentiments.

“It’s pretty special,” she said. “And I’ll tell you, it’s something that ESPN is incredibly proud of, as well.”

Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, september 2, 2019 | The Observer

Volleyball Continued from page 12

Observer File Photo

Irish sophomore outside hitter Charley Niego passes the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-1 win at home over Boston College on Oct. 28. Niego recorded 10 kills for Notre Dame over the Eagles.

Observer File Photo

Irish sophomore setter Zoe Nunez places the ball for former outside hitter Rebecca Nunge to approach during Notre Dame’s 3-1 win over Boston College on Oct. 28 in Purcell Pavilion.

Swarbrick Continued from page 12

are putting players in the pros across sports is participation in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Membership in the league has been excellent not just for basketball, but across Irish sports.

Swarbrick believes the partnership with ACC has been a massive success.

“It’s great for all of our sports.

It’s the best lacrosse conference in the country, it’s the best soccer conference in the country, it’s right at the top in baseball, the list goes on and on. Certainly, basketball is the

bellwether of the conference,” he said. “It’s how the ACC built its reputation. It’s been phenomenal. You’re playing a likely tournament team every night.

Many nights you’re playing somebody who is competing for national championship at the end of the year.”

Swarbrick believes that these big games are exactly what fans and players alike are seeking in a schedule.

“It’s exciting, it’s great for the fans, and it’s great for the players,” he said. “That’s why they come to a place like this. They want those games. It’s great that the conference delivers.”

The challenging nature of the

ACC schedule can make competing annually a challenge.

The 2017 men’s team suffered injuries and fell short of its lofty goals, and then the team struggled last season after graduating key players. When it was suggested that head coach Mike Brey will be seeking a Brian Kelly 2016-like turnaround, Swarbrick stated the back-toback NCAA Tournament misses reflect a much different set of challenges than the one faced by the football team in 2016.

“It’s a very different situation that requires a different solution. We knew last year was coming and we would hit a year where we were very

We have an emotional maturit y we have to develop – the abilit y to go ver y hard all the time, to attack all the time.

And [while] we have these lessons to learn w ith these young kids, these young kids represent the Universit y of Notre Dame and the lessons need to be learned.”

With these goals in mind, Johnson ref lected on what he hopes the Irish (2-1) can stand for this year.

“I want to define us more by our effort, our execution, our abilit y to respond to tough situations, and in that regard, I think we have work to do,” he said.

The team opened competition on Friday, beating La Salle (1-2) 3-1, w ith three of the four matches being decided by three points or less.

The Irish returned to Purcell Pav ilion on Saturday to take on Wright State (2-1).

Johnson’s team came back from a 2-0 deficit before eventually falling in five sets. However, they managed to bounce back to earn the w in over Bowling Green (1-2).

W hile Johnson referenced the team’s successes in the Bowling Green game as a starting point for their improvements, he maintained that they still have a long way to go if they plan to make it through the long regular season and qualif y for postseason play.

“I thought we played cleaner in the Bowling Green match, but we are far from the finished product at this point,” Johnson said.

The team took a 3-1 victory in the match, after Bowling Green forced a fourth set following two sets that ended in Notre Dame’s favor.

The Irish hope to focus their efforts on a simple list according to Johnson — the “ability to improve our serves and serves received, our ability to set with regularity, and our ability to get [the] defense packaged together to put the pressure on people.”

young. I think it felt a little bit more dramatic because of Bonzie [Colson] and [Matt Farrell’s] injuries the year before,” he said. “We left the Maui Championship with a title and a top-five ranking and we were positioned for a very special year. When the injuries hit that year went a little south on us, and now we have a second year we knew was coming. You put them together and it feels like they have some significance that I don’t necessarily think they do.”

As of two seasons ago, Brey is now winningest coach in Notre Dame history. He is a master developer of talent, turning

11

The team hopes to double the effort and up their intensity to have a better chance of a good outcome on the court throughout the regular season.

Shortcomings aside, Johnson spoke highly of freshman outside hitter Caroline Meuth’s performance for exemplif ying what the team hopes to work toward.

“She did a really good job of putting very external language and ultimately left her on the f loor completely because of it,” Johnson said.

In the midst of the Wright State loss, Meuth led the attack with 21 kills. Both she and sophomore middle blocker Lauren Wenzel were named to the 2019 Golden Dome Invitational AllTournament Team for their stand-out performances over the weekend.

Johnson and his squad will look to build on their momentum come Wednesday when they host fellow instate rival, Valparaiso. The Crusaders went 2-1 in their opening weekend tournament, with their one loss coming to South Dakota. The two teams haven’t met since 2017 when they played each other to open their season in South Bend. The Irish ultimately won that match 3-1.

The game is scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion.

Notre Dame will return to action on Friday to take on No. 17 Purdue at 7 p.m. in one of Notre Dame’s highest profile games of the season.

The Boilermakers, who recently won their first game on Sunday, defeating Ohio University 3-1, are coming off a second round departure from the NCA A Tournament, falling to Kentucky last December.

Notre Dame and Purdue met in early September of last season and the Boilermakers handled Johnson’s team in West Lafayette, Indiana, winning 3-1. However, all four sets were decided by five or less points.

Contact Adeline Chappuis at achappui@nd.edu

two-star recruits like Matt Farrell into stars. Swarbrick stated he has full confidence in Brey to return the men’s program to near-annual tournament visits.

“I have great confidence in this program and in Mike [Brey] and in this team. Between the youth and the injuries last year it was a challenge, but I love the development,” he said. “Everybody’s a year older, stronger and more experienced. If we can maintain our health I think we can surprise a lot of people.”

Contact Jack Concannon at jconcan2@nd.edu

12

The observer | monday, september 2, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

jack swarbrick

Jack Swarbrick lauds Mike Brey, talks importance of professional placement

By JACK CONCANNON Sports Writer

Editor’s Note: This is the third part in a series featuring The Observer’s conversation with Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick. In this final installment, Swarbrick details the general health of the Universit y’s athletics programs.

Notre Dame director of athletics Jack Swarbrick attends the men’s basketball team’s 64-60 victory over Georgia Tech in 2017. Swarbrick, a Notre Dame grad, took over the position from Kevin White in 2008.

Placing athletes professionally is a key aspect of what the athletic department is currently working on, Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick said.

“It’s a commitment that for students who come here as athletes w ith an aspiration of becoming professionals that we have an absolute obligation to help them get there,” he said. “Just like anyone who comes here w ith a desire to go to medical school or go to Wall Street or whatever it may be, that is the obligation we have. We

nd VOLLEYBALL | nD 3, La salle 1; Wright state 3, nd 2; nd 3, bowling Green 1

acc network

Observer File Photo

love it when that happens.”

Last summer, five of the top 19 picks in the W NBA draft were Notre Dame players. Last week Notre Dame women’s basketball announced the hiring of former Irish guard Michaela Mabrey as an assistant. Three of the last four NFL first rounds have featured at least one Irish player. Swarbrick believes that the school has been ver y successful in developing professional athletes in recent years.

“Women’s basketball is a unique and powerful example w ith five draft picks, but the success of football draft picks in recent years, soccer too,” he said. “It’s been a really strong time and demonstrating that we can prov ide an extraordinar y education for you but also prepare you for professional athletic opportunities.”

One reason why the Irish see SWARBRICK PAGE 11

ACC Network Irish open season at Golden Dome Invitational launches on ESPN

By ADELINE CHAPPUIS

By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS

Sports Writer

Managing Editor

This past weekend, the Notre Dame volleyball team opened its season at the 2019 Golden Dome Inv itational w ith two w ins against La Salle Universit y and Bowling Green and a loss against Wright State. With t wo out of three successes, head coach Mike Johnson remained dissatisfied w ith the team’s performance but env isions a grow th for the team as a whole going for ward.

“I think we have to get a lot better. We have a lot of work to do. We have some – a lot – of young kids who are kind of new on the court and I think there are many lessons to learn from game day, and the conditions are different on game day,” Johnson said. “If those conditions change us that tells me there are things that aren’t deeply in place yet.

And so, we have work to do.

On August 22, ESPN launched the ACC Net work, joining the ranks of several other major conferences to have a dedicated programming channel. The net work has been a project long in the works and has taken countless mov ing pieces to bring it to fruition.

“It’s a conversation that has happened and evolved over the years bet ween [ACC] Commissioner [John] Swofford and different ESPN leadership at various times,” Meg Aronow itz, head of remote production for the network, said.

Aronow itz cited John Skipper, a long-time former executive of the net work and president of ESPN from 2012 to 2017, as an early force in this project. Skipper, a graduate of North CarolinaChapel Hill, was “ver y passionate about the ACC, and was ver y passionate about the project before he

see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 11

Observer File Photo

Irish junior outside hitter Jemma Yeadon serves the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-1 victory over Boston College on Oct. 28.

departed ESPN, and was really the driver of pushing to launch an ACC net work and partner w ith the conference on the net work.”

Stacie McCollum, head of programming for the network, echoed Aronow itz’s recollection, say ing the project was conceived as early as 2009, but didn’t gain momentum until late 2014, early 2015. The partnership bet ween ESPN and the ACC was announced in July of 2016.

“It’s something that always they have had in the back of their mind in the last decade,” McCollum said. “And something that we knew that we wanted to be a part of.”

McCollum said ESPN has a unique relationship w ith the conference due to their exclusive ow nership of all rights. W hile the net work has more complicated deals w ith ABC and Fox Sports over the Pac-12 and the Big Ten, they manage all ACC see ACC NETWORK PAGE 10