The Exponent Print Edition: Oct. 4 2023

Overdoses spur drug-policy awareness

By ELLA YORK Managing Editor

Editors Note: This article includes discussions of substance abuse.

Following an apparent drug overdose of four Baldwin Wallace University students and one alumnus, which took place in off-campus housing on Sept. 17, BW has taken measures to increase awareness about the resources available for students to handle overdose situations.

According to a story published by WKYC on Sept. 19, Berea Police confirmed that the drugs in question were marijuana and what is suspected to be cocaine. Further tests will be performed to find out the contents of the drugs through an open investigation from the Berea Police Department.

All five of the men, current or former men’s lacrosse players have since been released from the hospital.

This incident has encouraged the university to put a greater spotlight on BW’s medical amnesty policy, which provides students with substance education in

lieu of the student conduct process for calling for help in an emergency dealing with drugs or alcohol, said Lena Crain, the Dean of Students. Amnesty is granted to both the person calling and the person needing help.

“Medical amnesty policy is in place for folks for whom there might be a barrier in seeking help out of fear of getting in trouble,” Crain said. “It takes that barrier out of the way and really just centers the importance on seeking help.”

Crain said the students who made the 911 call after they suspected the individuals suffered from a potential overdose deserve recognition.

“I want to praise the individuals who, in this specific event, acted really quickly. They sought help by calling 911 and really just kept a level head,” Crain said.

All five of the men were former or current members of the men’s lacrosse team. Tim Hall, the associate director of Counseling Services, said that it is understandable for students to be “shaken up” when a tragic event such as this one occurs to their fellow students, and in lieu of this, Counseling Services has met with both the men’s

and women’s lacrosse team on Sept. 18 to speak with them about the incident.

“We’re all concerned about the health and the well-being of everybody on campus, so anytime that is jeopardized, especially with a medical emergency, that’s gonna affect anybody whether we know the students or not,” Hall said. “That’s just kind of a consequence of who we are at BW.”

Hall said that when students experience any kind of tragic event, they should be aware of the emotions they may experience afterward. Anxiety, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, inability to focus and developing triggers are all normal responses after experiencing a traumatic event.

“Understanding why something is happening helps decrease the impact of it a little bit,” Hall said. “Reaching out to loved ones and supportive folk that we have to be able to just talk to and spend time with while a little bit of time passes.”

Crain said the first thing a person should do if they suspect that someone has overdosed is put the individual in recovery position after contacting 911. Recovery

position includes putting the impaired person’s nearest arm at a right angle with the back of their other hand by their cheek to support their head. Then turn the person to the side and bend their far knee. This will help keep the airway clear.

Symptoms of overdoses caused by depressants, which include opioids and alcohol, are lethargy, a slowed heart rate and slowed or stopped breathing. The individual may pass out, act confused or have delayed reactions to stimuli.

Overdoses caused by stimulants, which include cocaine and caffeine, will look much different. Victims of this type of overdose may experience chest pain, nausea, increased heart rate, hyper reactivity and hyper response, Crain said.

The Health Center and Counseling Services offer a wide range of support to students both on and off campus, including 24/7 on-call counseling and TimelyCare. If you need to contact counseling services, you can call (440) 8263382 or visit the Health Center at 207 Beech St.

$3 million deficit partially caused by unclear financial reports

By SIMON SKOUTAS Executive Print Editor

Baldwin Wallace University is currently in the process of budget cuts for the 2023-24 year following an overreaching budget plan that would have placed the University in a deeper hole than its budget deficit of over $3 million accrued, at least in part, to issues made in financial reporting.

From July 2022 to June 2023, the university ran up a budget deficit of over $3 million, partly due to being unable to spend according to plan, as their regular budget reports were inaccurate. Still, BW is not alone in its deficit, with other universities reporting high deficit spending resulting in

changes to departments along with a shrinking workforce, a potential outcome for BW.

Dan Karp, assistant vice president and director of University Relations, said that while BW's end-of-theyear profit and loss statement was accurate, the reports made throughout the year were not entirely correct.

“During the year, reports are generated or were generated, and it would pass by the [Chief Financial Officer’s] office and in some of those reports there has been accurate reporting as to the current status to our expenses versus our revenue,” Karp said. “And in some of those indicated, [they] did not reveal the amount of spending we had. So it did not clearly show the full expenses.”

Moving forward, under

the direction of the new CFO, Gregory Cingle, the University can expect to see enhancements to how reporting is completed, Karp said.

“Just like in any other area, you’re constantly improving your ability,” Karp said. “In the ability of our finance department, it’s being able to automate, use technology and to put in multiple controls that allow us to have actually even more accurate budget reports,” Karp said.

President Helmer, who attended a student senate meeting on Sept. 27 and was asked questions regarding the budget, said that while raises for faculty are always attempted, it is still unknown whether faculty will see raises following the year 2023-24.

“It’s all dependent on the roll-up button to see when it comes out,” Helmer said. “The first stop for everybody is ‘don’t impact students.’”

Other Universities are also seeing budget deficits, and in some instances, staff were laid off.

During the University of Akron’s deficit crisis in 2020, the University laid off over 178 employees, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Amidst the University of West Virginia’s budget deficit, they recently laid off around 132 employees.

“I think everything’s on the table,” Karp said. “But right now, you start with the first thing you can do before you get to a more difficult decision. You want to have the least impact on our people.”

According to an email sent by Helmer on Sept. 13 to all University faculty, one area where they are engaging in cuts is in a hiring freeze across all departments with “essential replacement positions” up for review as needed.

Karp said that the University also started a Voluntary

Simon Skoutas, The Exponent President Helmer responds to questions about the budget deficit at a Student Senate meeting.

Green thumbs down University turns down the Green Revolving Fund proposal due to the budget deficit.

STUDENT EDITORIAL STAFF

Executive Print Editor

Simon Skoutas exponent@bw.edu

Executive Web Editor

Hannah Wetmore

Exec. Business Coordinator

Sunaina Kabadkar

Executive Art Director

Alexis Watkins

Managing Editors

Cole Graham

Benjamin Michael Hall

Tommy Maroon

Meredith McCord

Kayla Muro

Hailey Noszek

Ursula Saadeh

Ella York

Staff Writers

Ryan Acevedo

Cadence Downey

Caitlin Bowshier

Bailey Croft

Bryanna Feagler

Hailey Gandias

Israel Gole

Maria Vurbic

Saraphina Groh

Nick Irelan

Emma Lambert

Kathryn Raubolt

Isabel Rivera

Sophia Rossero

Jason Tafoya

Justin Verhosek

Mae Werstler

Cartoonist

Halle Vargo

FACULTY ADVISOR

Huixin Deng, Ph.D. hdeng@bw.edu

NEWSPAPER POLICIES

The Exponent is the student-run newspaper of Baldwin Wallace University, which is intended for the entire college community. T he Exponent is funded by the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences as well as advertisements. The Exponent is produced by the student staff on a biweekly basis during the academic year. Questions or concerns about the content of articles or other material published herein should be directed to student staff of The Exponent or the faculty advisor. The office of The Exponent is located in Loomis Room 185. It is the right of The Exponent to print all material deemed newsworthy and gathered in a fair and unconditional manner. No advance copies of stories will be shown, and reporters' notes are considered confidential. No "off the record" information will be accepted.

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Anyone wishing to advertise in The Exponent should email the advertising director at exponentads@bw.edu. Ads must be submitted by the Monday before publication date and not conflict with the university mission.

Articles and photographs in The Exponent, letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements within these pages do not necessarily reflect the position of Baldwin Wallace University.

Administration denies Green Revolving Fund

By SOPHIA ROSSERO Staff Writer

The administration has denied the implementation of the Green Revolving Fund, a direct source for capital that would be used for funding various sustainability projects on campus, as a result of tight finances in the face of the deficit.

Emma Stamper, chair of the Sustainability Committee, a committee aimed at pushing BW toward more sustainable goals, said that she recognizes the university’s progressive strides, but also said that the University should step up.

“It’s time for the university to regain its leadership in sustainability,” Stamper said.

BW has had several projects that have promoted sustainability in the past and was the first university in the state to offer sustainability as a major for undergraduate students.

Ted Demarco, a member of the Sustainability Committee, said that the GRF would allow the University to continually fund sustainability projects through investing the money saved through other initiatives.

“If Baldwin Wallace got the GRF and wanted to put

solar panels on a residence hall, the school would save $10,000 in annual energy costs. The amount saved, $10,000, would be returned to the GRF. This example is with the assumption that, out of the savings, 100% of it will be reinvested,” Demarco said.

Stamper said that other universities, such as Mount Union University and Denison University have implemented their own version of the green revolving fund.

At the start of the semester, Stamper found out that the fund was not going through due to the deficit and the budgeting issues that BW is facing.

“The fund, due to timing, is not going to happen right now,” Stamper says. “Hopefully when it’s fixed, the fund will happen.”

While there is not a specific amount needed to begin the fund, Demarco said $5,000$10,000 would be a reasonable start to the project.

Demarco said that a portion of the money for the student activity fee could be used to support the fund. If the fund was to be implemented, some of the projects the community could see are more sustainable forms of transportation, increasing

sustainability education and solar installation.

The committee plans on continuing to do projects that do not require the fund’s aid. Projects include eliminating plastic cups in the Union dining hall and encouraging the Colony Café’s new option to dine-in.

The Sustainability Committee said that they are looking to increase awareness and bandwidth in the future. Stamper says that besides the few additions they have had in the committee, it’s always the same group of people striving toward sustainability on campus.

“Outside of those of us who are involved in environmental science, sustainability major or minor, I do not hear anything about our environmental impact as a campus or anything to do with sustainability in general,” Jena Parks, junior student said.

For members, faculty and students of the BW community who want to advocate for more sustainable action, the meetings for the committee happen on every second Monday in the Center for Innovation and Growth from 4-5:00 p.m. The next meeting will take place Oct. 9.

DEFICIT: University creates retirement plan for faculty and staff in lieu of budget issue

Continued from page 1

Separation Incentive Payment, which would allow faculty to take early retirement if they have worked at BW for at least 15 years and are over 55 years of age. Karp said that the faculty would retire at the end of December this year and that the University would provide them with six months of pay and a stipend for health care costs.

“This is the second time that BW has done that,” Karp said. “We did one right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and what that does is that [it] allows a university to reduce its total labor expenses, and at the same time [it] helps those members who are on the edge of retirement.”

Departments that may feel a change in the face of the recent news of the deficit are the departments located within the School of Social Sciences and the School of Humanities, which may merge into one school. Tom Sutton, professor of political science and chair of the faculty senate, said that while the merge may have already happened, the news of the budget shifted the conversation.

“When this budget thing hit we knew that as two schools we had to start looking at doing things differently,” Sutton said. “That kind of accelerated that question like, ‘Some of our majors are really small and can they continue?’”

Karp said that while the budget cuts are coming, the University is working hard to make sure that students will not feel a shift in their experience.

“It’s important to understand that any reductions that have happened have wanted to focus on the fact that it has the least possible effect on the student experience,” Karp said. “It’s important that the student experience remains, like we like to say, an extraordinary student experience.”

Class of 2027 breaks enrollment records after new grant

By KATHRYN RAUBOLT Staff Writer

In the 2022 college application season, the Baldwin Wallace Admissions Office created new initiatives to increase enrollment numbers, bringing in the largest class since 2015 with 730 full-time students and record-breaking statistics for the university.

The class of 2027 most notably saw increases in the number of first-generation students, up 4 percent, students receiving a Pell Grant, up 5.7 percent, and average incoming high school GPA, going from 3.75 to 3.77 from the previous year.

Within the last recruitment cycle, BW admissions implemented new tactics to draw more students to campus with a Visit Grant that consists of $2,000 per year to any incoming student, outside of the Conservatory of Music, that visited campus before

Dec. 1. Students applying to the university to potentially enroll in fall 2024 are still eligible for the grant if they visit campus before Dec. 1, 2023.

Scott Schulz, vice president of enrollment management, also said the department enhanced the visiting experience by bringing faculty and student affair cocurricular representatives into the Welcome Center to speak to visiting families. Students are also given 10 stinger bucks during their visit to use at Starbucks or the spirit shops on campus.

“It was a really hospitable all-hands-on-deck effort to try to enhance that visit experience and drive more students to visit the BW community,” Schulz said. “We had a huge surge in the number of students who came and checked out campus as we were at about 700 more visitors over the course of the recruitment cycle.”

Later on in the recruitment

Reporter's Notebook: Student Government

By JUSTIN VERHOSEK Staff Writer

President Bob Helmer discussed a 10-year plan that would bring major changes to campus. Highlights include renovating residence halls, a coffee shop for Ritter, putting air conditioning into Lou Higgens and the Student Activity Center, adding lounges in different academic buildings and removing Loomis to add a pavilion. The Student Senate met these changes

cycle, text messages would be sent to parents of potential students to increase engagement during the application and enrollment process.

Once students are enrolled in the university, involvement continues with the parent -family programs that allow parents to still be involved in their student’s college experience.

“Parents are the number one influence on a student on where they decide to go to college and so, [we are] trying to continue to engage parents through that process,” Schulz said.

The class of 2027 is also the first class required to live on campus for three years instead of the former requisite of two years. With increasing enrollment numbers, Kristen Brewer, assistant director of residence life, noted that BW is renovating the Berea Townhouses and may decrease the number of junior and senior buyouts to house the

with hesitancy, questioning the future of the tennis courts and the e-sports facility. Helmer said the plan is subject to change, and he will present a finalized plan after meeting with the Board of Trustees on Oct. 27. Additionally, the Wellness Committee is addressing concerns regarding the quality of the washers and driers, as well as seeking better fruit options in the Union. The committee said that the quality of the machines is poor and they have contacted a representative to investigate the issue.

additional number of students in future years.

“We just completed the renovation of North Hall last fall, and we have the Berea Townhouses coming online in 2024,” Brewer said. “So, while space may be tighter, we will still have enough space to house the students that we have on campus.”

Both departments said that the desire to create community from the time the student applies until after they graduate is important. Schulz said that the more involved a student is, the more likely they are to be successful in both their classes and what they take away overall throughout their college experience.

Malak Alrzayiq, a firstyear digital marketing major, decided to enroll at BW because of scholarships, proximity to home and for the involvement within BW’s community.

“The community is really involved as there’s really something for everyone,” Alrzayiq said. “I thought it was a joke when I first came here, but it turns out there’s literally a club for everyone and it’s all just very welcoming.”

Reporter's Notebook: Berea City Council

By KAYLA MURO Managing Editor

On Sept. 18, the Berea City Council had the first reading of an authorization to enter a purchase agreement of property at 27 Henry St. with intentions of expanding the fire station. This location was a singlefamily home.

The council did a second reading to authorize an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation

to resurface a portion of SR-237, also known in Berea as Prospect Road, from Baker Street to Church Street.

On Oct. 2, the council awarded the Cleveland Browns with the 2023 Berea Chamber of Commerce Legacy Award. The council further had the first reading to apply for cooperation agreements with Cuyahoga County for various health expenses

Kathryn Raubolt, The Exponent Students watch a presentation in First Year Experience taught by Catherine Lane, professor of mathematics.

Cuyahoga County Democratic Party endorses marijuana initiative

By HANNAH WETMORE Executive Web Editor

On Sept. 23, the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Executive Committee endorsed multiple issues for the upcoming Nov. 7 general election, including Issue 2, which aims to legalize cannabis in Ohio and apply regulations that would treat marijuana the same as alcohol.

The initiative will legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and sale of marijuana and marijuana products to adults ages 21 and up…” as well as “home grow for adults ages

21 and up with a limit of six plants per person and 12 plants per residence.”

The law however will allow landlords and employers to still prohibit the use of cannabis for their residents and employees.

This initiative is supported by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol who have contributed 4.62 million dollars to the initiative in fundraising.

Spokesperson of CRMLA, Tom Haren, spoke at the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Executive Committee meeting asking them to endorse the Issue 2 ballot initiative and canvas on their

behalf to increase public support for the vote on Nov. 7.

“We already have a very successful medical marijuana program that has changed the lives of thousands of Ohioans, but too many people still don’t have access to medical marijuana… for instance veterans suffering from PTSD” Haren said.

Haren said that there would be many benefits for the economy if marijuana was legalized, which he said would bring over 400 million dollars of revenue to the state of Ohio, each year.

Haren said that he wants to put that money back into the community through a

social equity and jobs fund and renewal of the local host community fund. In addition to funding the community they also propose an increase in funding for addiction and drug abuse treatment programs.

Although some members present at the committee meeting were against the official endorsement of the issue, the committee ultimately voted to endorse the measure and support the initiative both in name as well as in devotion to resources towards canvasing for public support on the issue.

As for public support, Forbes recently reported that 59% of registered Ohio voters

supported the ballot measure, and less than a third, 32%, responded saying they did not support the initiative, only 9% declaring themselves undecided on the issue.

In addition to this proposal, there were two other initiatives supported by the Cuyahoga County Democratic Patry Executive Board including a tax that would increase funding for Cuyahoga Community College and an amendment to Ohio’s constitution, Issue 1, which would enshrine the right to “make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions”.

This would include rights to abortion, contraception,

fertility treatment, miscarriage care and continuing pregnancy decisions. This bill would still allow restrictions on fetal vitality by the state to a degree but only when it does not harm the pregnant patient’s life. These proposal’s failed precursor, Issue 1 in the Aug. 8 special election, would have made the passage of these ballot initiatives much more difficult, as it would have required ballot initiatives to receive a 60% supermajority to amend the Ohio constitution as opposed to the 50% of the votes.

Churches on Seminary Street increase engagement efforts with students

By MEREDITH MCCORD Managing Editor

The United Methodist Church and the St. Thomas Episcopal Church are connecting to BW through community engagement programs that both students and community members can participate in.

“We’ve partnered with BW for many years including students and professors in our ministry, and over the past few years we’ve really had an intentional effort of doing outreach with and for students,” Pastor Carrie Antczak, the pastor of the

United Methodist Church, said.

These efforts have resulted in several outreach programs for community members of all ages.

Some of these efforts include a morning Bible study, messy church, a program designed for families and the Porch, a program designed for students.

The Porch consists of tabling with therapy dogs and a Bible study in the Colony Café that is open to anybody that would like to attend.

“These past few years we’ve really grown to offer a lot of different outreach opportunities and out of

the box ministry ideas for people to just pop in and get acquainted and learn what the faith community is all about,” Antczak said.

Along with activities to increase engagement in their Church, some of their programs are specifically designed to directly help community members facing difficult situations.

“There’s also the bread ministry here that we hope that the college knows about, for those that are food insecure, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:00pm to 2:00pm,” campus minister Judy Hammer said.

The United Methodist

Church is also attempting to make a more direct connection with the BW community by working with the David & Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement.

“We are also making a new effort to collaborate with the Brain Center because they control all of the community service and outreach, so we are trying to establish a partnership with campus plate so that we can contribute to the pantries too,” student minister at The Porch, Mia Basit-Hightower said.

However, the United Methodist Church is not the only Church who is attempting to connect with

the community around them.

The St. Thomas Episcopal Church has taken a different approach to engaging with students through a program called the Red Door Café.

The Red Door Café is a free coffee bar that operates at the church’s entrance on Bagley Road. This program was started in the spring of 2021 and has been serving coffee to students and other community members ever since.

“We thought that setting up a coffee stand might be a really great way for the BW community to get to know our church and vice versa,” Dave Radzik, church Rector at the St Thomas Episcopal church,

said.

The Red Door Café is open on Tuesday’s from 10:00am2:00pm for both students and other members of the community to stop by for coffee and engage in conversation with the members running the café.

Radzik said the motivation behind starting the Red Door Café originated because they thought it would be a “compassionate and loving presence for the BW community.”

The Expression

Arts and Culture Coverage from The Exponent

AT THE MOVIES

'A Haunting in Venice’ offers supernatural spin to murder mystery

JUSTIN VERHOSEK Film Critic

To the uninitiated, ‘A Haunting in Venice’ would appear to be a standalone film, and in many ways, it can be treated as such. However, it is actually the third film within a murder mystery series. Each is based on different cases taken on by detective Hercule Poirot, the main character in many of Agatha Christie’s books that have since been adapted for film.

This famous Agatha Christie character, who was portrayed by Kenneth Branagh, has returned from

JUSTIN VERHOSEK Film Critic

Following its appearance in “The Nun,” the demon, Valak, returns as a headliner to the film in “The Nun II.” Despite being a major component of the popular “Conjuring” universe, this entity fails to make this film worthwhile.

It isn’t just the demon at fault, either. The film, though it has potential, suffers from a plethora of errors, including poor character development,

his appearances in both "Murder on the Orient Express" from 2017 and its sequel from 2022, "Death on the Nile." Branaugh not only returns to star in his pivotal detective role but also returns to direct the third installment after leading the helm of the previous two entries.

The story takes place on Halloween night in 1947, when author Ariadne Oliver, played by Tina Fey, convinces retired detective Hercule Poirot, played by Branaugh, to come to a Halloween party to investigate a mysterious murder that potentially has a supernatural cause.

"A Haunting in Venice,’" based on Agatha Christie’s

new sightings of the return of the demonic entity Valak. She is eventually reunited with Maurice, who is possessed by the demonic entity, at a boarding school in France and comes face to face with Valak again.

Much of the main cast of the first film returns, with both Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene and Jonas Bloquet as Maurice, a.k.a. Frenchie. Noticeably Demián Bichir, the first installment’s Father Burke, is absent with only a passing mention despite a

novel "Hallowe’en Party," is a more traditional installment within the murder mystery genre with the added twist of a supernatural entity also being a suspect. Although it is an intriguing spin, as the renowned detective is faced with the unique challenge of not just solving a murder but also validating his own belief that spirits and ghosts do not exist.

This would have made for an intriguing plot if balanced correctly. Unfortunately, the film struggles to interweave the murder mystery plot with the supernatural plot. They do, of course, coexist, but once the murder mystery is underway, the question of

The film suggested that Valak may return in the previous film when Valak left a mark on Maurice, creating a connection between them.

Ultimately, the choice to bring back the majority of the main cast members was an odd one since their initial appearance failed to leave much of an impression, and it essentially puts this film at odds with the continuity of the rest of the franchise.

The continuity isn’t this film’s only issue, as the story itself is so close to saying

whether a haunting is actually occurring is significantly sidelined to being just an inconvenience until the climax of the film.

Fortunately, although the supernatural spin on the murder mystery genre serves more as a hook than anything else, the murder mystery portion itself still works. Along with Branaugh, I was pleasantly surprised by Jude Hill’s performance as Leopold Ferrier. Although his character falls into a bit of the trope that many child characters do, which is to make them sound smarter than everyone else, it comes across as really believable and even, at times, a little creepy,

make for some interesting commentary on how women are often the backbone of Catholic communities despite the main roles of authority being delegated to men. In the case of Sister Irene, the payoff for such an arc is entirely there but lacks in any of the setup.

This lack in development is especially noticeable when you realize that Sister Debra is incredibly underutilized and could have served as a force to push Irene to call for more respect at the beginning of the film in order to properly set up the arc that never finds its completion within the film.

On top of all these issues, it doesn’t help that there is also a lack of genuine scares as

given he is one of the few characters that insists on the supernatural being real.

Along with him, Tina Fey as Ariadne Oliver and Michelle Yeoh as Joyce Reynolds both pull off very well-done yet distinct performances, with both characters having interesting angles on the events that transpire. Unfortunately, a number of the cast were left with very little to do, with almost half of the potential suspects filling space on screen rather than adding anything of particular interest to the story.

Ultimately, "A Haunting in Venice" manages to be a solid murder mystery even though it stumbles a bit

well. A lot of the film likes to build up tense moments and overutilize cheap jump scares, but other than the magazineflipping scene shown throughout the trailers, nothing else was particularly interesting or unique.

It was interesting to see the demon take on a different form at one point other than the nun, but although this form was unique, the film fails to do much with it, and it eventually just fades into obscurity rather than as a device to further the plot.

Along with this, when in the nun form, nothing much is done other than creepy sudden appearances.

The problem continues from the original film with

with its supernatural spin on things. If you are expecting more of a unique spin on the genre, as seen in films like "Knives Out’"or "See How They Run,’"then this is not the film for you.

However, for those of you who are more inclined towards a more traditional murder mystery, this film is a solid choice. It will be interesting to see if Branaugh’s version of Poirot will make another appearance and, if he does, if a more traditional approach will be taken instead.

the demon having poorly defined powers and goals that makes its motives questionable. A detailed history is unnecessary, but the film would benefit from some context that could provide motive and reason behind the seemingly contradictory actions, which as they are written, leave the character as simply a device to serve the script.

Ultimately, "The Nun II" is a major installment in the popular “Conjuring” franchise, but it fails to truly do the franchise any favors as it struggles in almost all aspects.

‘The Nun II’ misses mark as sequel in conjuring up scares

'The Secret in the Wings' transports audiences into fairy tale world

By URSULA SAADEH Staff Writer

Theatre & Dance students will enchant audiences with their production of “The Secret in the Wings,” which premieres in the Black Box Theatre in Kleist Center For Art & Drama on Oct. 5.

“The Secret in the Wings” recounts various lesser known fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. The show opens with Catie, a young girl whose parents have hired their neighbor to babysit her for the night. However, Catie is terrified of this neighbor because she knows he is an ogre.

The ogre reads Catie the fairy tales, and the cast members emerge from the

stage wings to bring these stories to life. While each tale begins happily, the plot twists become evermore eerie.

Keira McDonald, associate professor of theatre and dance and head of the BFA acting program, describes this production as an “exploration of the darker Grimm fairy tales.”

“I think it asks the question, ‘Why do we tell children fairy tales, and how do those fairy tales infiltrate our psyche?’” McDonald said.

McDonald dared the cast members to throw themselves into their roles and utilize techniques learned in their acting and movement classes to embody each of their multiple characters fully.

“The goal is physical transformation from actor

to different characters,” McDonald said. “Many of the actors have multiple characters to play, so they have to be physically … and vocally different.”

With so many characters to play, students such as Catie Popelka, a sophomore acting and directing major who plays Catie, said they have found it challenging to understand each of their roles.

“I think this is one of the hardest characters I’ve played to figure out,” Popelka said. “It’s been so fun trying to figure them out, but at the same time, it’s so difficult because I feel like when I discover something about the character I have to change my performance a little bit.”

“The Secret in the Wings” stitches the fairy tales together

Show Schedule

Oct. 20 "Science Fiction" cast opening night

Nov 4. "Double Feature" cast opening night

Nov. 10 "Double Feature" cast

Nov. 11 "Science Fiction" cast

in a non-linear structure, reminding audiences of reading from a storybook. By holding performances in the intimate Black Box Theatre, the cast can have a more personal connection with the audience.

Assistant stage manager Grace Pruchnicki, a sophomore stage management and arts management and entrepreneurship student said that this space will help audiences “escape into the world.”

“I think it’s going to be a lot more up-close and personal,” Pruchnicki said. “It’s going to be good for audiences to actually be able to [be] in the world of the play rather than just seeing it up on Mainstage.”

McDonald said that seeing the production design

elements of the play come together has been very exciting for her. The set is designed as a basement with a forest growing from it, showcasing the play's real-world framing and the fantastic fairy tales that come to life within it.

“Considering what the stories are about … I think the set is going to be different than what people expect it to be,” Pruchnicki said. “And I think that’s a good thing because it’s very interactive, and there’s a lot of really cool things about the set that correlate with the story.”

Although the play draws upon dark humor throughout its nearly 90-minute run time, it greatly emphasizes childhood and how children view fairy tales in their minds.

“I would say it will put them

in touch with their inner child and the imagination of a child. And there will be moments where I expect people to go, ‘Oh,’ McDonald said. “It’s a little bit creepy, a little bit touching [and] a little bit funny.”

“The Secret in the Wings” runs Oct. 5-8 in Kleist’s Black Box Theatre. Tickets are free for students and can be purchased here: https://www.bw.edu/ events/recurring/the-secret-inthe-wings.

Student production ‘Rocky Horror’ to return to campus, encouraging self-expression

By EMMA LAMBERT Staff Writer

Baldwin Wallace University’s student production of the cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is back, with the shadow cast opening on Oct.

20 in the Student Activities Center.

The eerie midnight show will involve the shadow cast performing as the film plays behind them, aided by audience participation. Viewers may dress up, purchase props and prepare to engage with the cast in a truly unique viewing experience. This is part of a longstanding cultural phenomenon that emerged shortly after “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” premiered in theaters in 1975.

Due to its success last year, the production has returned, headed by production manager Delilah Hartlage, a junior dance and movement major who doubles as the creative director of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" collective at BW.

“[It’s] completely unique in that it’s all about being who and what you want to be,” Hartlage said. “It’s a really one-of-a-kind opportunity to express yourself, to get wild and a little crazy and to

celebrate the LGBTQ+ cult classic that is Rocky Horror.”

Hartlage also gave advice for newcomers, called “virgins” per Rocky Horror tradition.

“Each night before our shows, we do what is called a ‘virgin sacrifice.’ It’s a chance to partake in a classic tradition, play some fun games and win some prizes,” Hartlage said. While it is not necessary, audience members will often dress like their favorite characters in the show said the production manager, Allison Woodhouse.

“The most important thing is to feel comfortable and have fun,” Woodhouse said. “Wear whatever you feel best in. Anyone is welcome.”

Woodhouse said that people should always be who they are at the show.

“There’s something for everyone at Rocky Horror, it’s a place of self-expression and freedom,” Woodhouse said.

Choreographer Elise Dobbins, a junior arts management and entertainment student, said that along with the traditions, the plot drives home the shows uniqueness.

“Not many people understand the plot at all, but that's what creates such a cult following for it,” Dobbins said.

The play involves a couple

that find themselves in an old castle owned by Dr. Frank-NFurter that is “filled with aliens and weirdos,” Dobbins said. The strange residents perform choreographed dances as Frank-N-Furter experiments in his lab to create the perfect man, Rocky. In the midst of all this, a murder occurs.

Dobbins said she is most excited to perform a selfchoreographed number called the “Lips Feature” during the opening song “Science Fiction/ Double Feature.”

“After choreographing it last year, I was honestly sad that I couldn't perform in the number, but this year's choreo is even better than last year, and I get to be a part of it!”

Dobbins said.

The “Science Fiction” cast will feature Drew Branstetter and Kristen Miller as confused couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss on opening night and Nov. 11. The fabulous Dr. Frank-N-Furter will be played by Lin Kohne, and his creation, Rocky, will be played by Da’von Mcdonald.

This cast also includes David Keller, Delilah Hartlage and Allison Woodhouse as Riff Raff, Magenta and Columbia respectively. Finally, the characters Eddie, Dr. Scott, and the Criminologist are brought to life by Maya Avalos,

Kaitlin Smith and Geneva Millikan.

The “Double Feature” cast performing on Nov. 4 and Nov. 10 is similar but includes Madison Helenthal as Janet, Kohne as Riff Raff, David Keller as Frank-N -Furter and Destini Haith as Magenta. Other differences include Junie Carter as Columbia, Bella Issa as Eddie and Maya Avalos as Dr. Scott.

The show also features many more actors in the form of the Lips Trio and the Transylvanians, who are also excited to bring the show back to BW this year.

“This year, we have a larger cast and crew, with a lot of freshmen as well,” Woodhouse said. “There’s more room for collaboration than ever, and as a senior, I hope we can pass this tradition on so it can become an established production!”

Information about how to obtain tickets is coming soon, as the exact details are to be determined.

Ursula Saadeh, The Exponent

Left to right: Eric Scott Golovan, Raina Thiegs, Troian Butlet, Gioianna DiGiorgio, Jake Diller, and Bella Issa rehearse the tale of the “Three Blind Queens.”

Ursula Saadeh, The Exponent David Keller rehearses a scene as Frank-N-Furter from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

Ursula Saadeh, The Exponent

Left to right: Abby Nagle, Da’Von McDonald, Junie Carter, and Bella Issa rehearse “Hot Patootie” from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

Ursula Saadeh, The Exponent Geneva Millikan and Lin Kohne rehearse a scene from “The Secret in the Wings.”

Life & Styles

Colony Café switches to reusable plates, utensils

Environmentally friendly system creates more steps for student employees

By LILLY ENGELHART Contributing Writer

The Colony Café, located in the Union, has started offering reusable plates and silverware to students who choose to dine in. By offering these new plates, they are expanding options for students while encouraging sustainability by eliminating some of the singleuse plastics.

David Krueger, co-director of the sustainability program and Charles E. Spahr chair in managerial and corporate ethics, said that while they had the option between compostable dining items, which are more expensive, single-use plastics and reusable plates and utensils, the reusable option offered the best choice.

“Reusable plates and knives and forks are even better than compostable items because

those are still one time use things,” Krueger said.

Krueger said that a major reason why the reusable option is a better choice compared to single-use plastics is because the plastics end up in our oceans, ultimately harming the life in our ecosystems.

Anna Tucker, a junior psychology major, has utilized the new dine-in option this semester and said that they enjoy avoiding the waste.

“I think they’re really cool it's nice to just be able to eat there,” Tucker said, “I do prefer this way. I feel like it's more eco-friendly. I'm a sucker for anything that's good for the environment.”

Tucker said that the new system has worked well for students.

“I think it is a pretty good system,” Tucker said, “If you're going to eat there, you get the dishes but if you're gonna go they give you a bag so it doesn't

really change how you eat.”

However, the reusable plates may come with difficulties for those who work in the Colony Café, said Isabella Muniz, a sophomore criminal justice major and student worker for dining services.

“For us it’s more work because it's like we have to make the plates [and] we have to make sure the bowls and the plates are clean,” Muniz said.

The added step of washing the dishes adds more labor for the workers, and there are not extra employees whose job it is to clean the plates. Although the reusable plates may be eliminating single-use plastics, the reusable plates may cost more water, which potentially could cut back on their sustainable impact, Muniz said.

“We have to run it through ourselves. Like that's nobody else’s job but ours,” Muniz said.

Girls Club seeks to empower women in sports

By ARUNDEL STEVENS

Contributing Writer

The Girls Club, a new on-campus organization offers networking events and informational workshops to help women form connections and gain confidence as they pursue a career in the sports industry.

Andi Lyons, the faculty advisor for Girls Club and a member of the BW sports administration, said being a woman in athletics can be very alienating, even if you successfully make a career out of athletics.

“Up until this year I was the only woman and the only African American female on our staff,” Lyons said. “You don’t want to be seen as a token just because you’re a woman, and your employer had to fill this position because it’s a woman.”

Karia Montgomery, founder of Girls Club and senior sports management student, said that she founded the club to create a space where women in sports can relate to each other and

make an impact. The club aims to create more awareness about the judgement surrounding women working in a sports environment.

As a senior with a sports management major, Montgomery said that she is very aware of her significance in a male-dominated field.

“It is such a male-dominated industry, which I’ve seen throughout my classes when there’s, like, three girls in my sport management classes,” Montgomery said. “So, it’s just being able to show that you have learned about sports and you have the right to be there.”

Lyons said that the inequality and alienating circumstances of being a woman in a career related to athletics is exactly why she endorses the creation of Girls Club.

“Our mission is to provide services and support and avenues and networking, ways to get into this industry,” Lyons said.

Megan Hughes, a sophomore and vice president of Girls Club, said that women’s athletics have always

Resources available to students amidst midterms stress

Active Minds and the Center for Academic Success and Achievement provide tools for student success

By LILY KNOX Contributing Writer

With midterms season kicking-off, student anxiety may begin to rise, leading some to look for the resources available to them on campus.

Mazzagatti, a first-year finance student, said that although he was feeling well about his studies, the CASA resources were a cherry on top in slowing down the material he was learning into more digestible chunks.

partners to support them along with reaching out to ask for help when needed.

been underappreciated in comparison to men’s sports.

As a female athlete, Hughes said she feels frustrated seeing male sports receiving significantly more funding than non-male sports and coeducational teams. For Hughes, this is why Girls Club is such an essential addition to campus.

"We want to give people a safe space to enjoy their hobby without any criticism. And on top of that, to network with females in sports, because working in the sports industry as a female is really tough,” Hughes said. “Girls Club is a platform for all girls wanting to make a statement in the ultimate boy’s club, sports!”

Girls Club can be contacted on their Instagram page, @ girlsclubbw or at their biweekly meetings on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Over the course of the semester, the organization plans to host a variety of events, including a panel discussion from established women with careers in sports and a workshop discussing the imposter syndrome facing women in athletics.

Cat Hughes, a junior stage management student, said that during midterms season she always prioritizes “selfcare” and turns to people she trusts when in need. Hughes is also the president of Active Minds at BW, an outreach organization that works toward destigmatizing conversations surrounding mental health.

“I set very hard boundaries with myself about when I’m studying,” Hughes said. “I don’t do any work on the weekends.”

Every year, Active Minds plans “stress less week” for students, hosting events almost daily. For example, last year, one of the activities involved throwing ceramic plates at a wall to let out anger and stress.

Megan Weiss, a learning specialist from the Center for Academic Success and Achievement, located on the top floor of the Ritter Library, said that time management, working backwards, calendar planning and attending dropin tutoring are very effective methods of preparation.

One student who utilized the CASA resources, Mano

“I felt good about midterms because I was doing well and doing my homework, but I did end up going to CASA to get tutoring for math class.”

Other than drop-in tutoring, CASA offers other means of support such as academic coaching, reading and writing support and various online resources through their new website on Jacket Connect.

“You get Grammarly Premium as part of your tuition,” Weiss said. “There is also Brain Fuse, which offers 24/7 support and online tutoring.”

In a new addition to the first-year experience course, a faculty and peer-led class required for all first-year students designed to support their adjustment to college living, students visited CASA in person to learn about the resources available to them and spoke about how to stay mentally and physically healthy during midterms season.

Claudine Grunewald Kirschner, the director of first-year and second-year experience, said that students should try to find study

This year consisted of students visiting CASA in person to learn about the resources BW has to offer. Grunenwald Kirschner said that the class will talk about how the students feel going into midterms while also focusing on reflection that helps academically, mentally and physically.

As for upper-classmen, Abby Collier said that the workload can increase throughout the years, but that learning to balance it is part of the process.

“Content isn’t extremely difficult, but definitely how much material we’re getting is something that I’m learning to balance and it’s a lot different than other courses that aren’t as rigorous,” Collier said.

Most importantly, Hughes said that when you study a subject that you enjoy, this can reduce stress immensely.

“It’s been a lot more of hands-on stuff for me, so it’s not been too difficult,” Hughes said. “I did switch my major to studying something I actually liked, which has been very helpful.”

Courtesy of Lily Knox

Courtesy of Lilly Engelhart

BOLD & GOLD HOMECOMING 2023

By ISRAEL GOLE

Pep rally kicks off homecoming weekend

Energy and excitement filled the air at the Bold and Gold Homecoming pep rally Thursday at 9 p.m as the marching band created an emphatic atmosphere, playing their show lineup, including “Anyway You Want it,” “Birdland,” and “Land of Make Believe” while students filtered into the gymnasium. The Baldwin Wallace cheerleaders also led the students in chants showing their BW pride.

Highlights of the night included Moondaze Acapella performing the BW Alma Mater, the BW Dance Team and Urban Dance Association, who received a thunderous applause after their energetic performance. The winner of the t-shirt competition was Circle K International, chosen for its creativity, BW pride and artistic vision. Additionally, many groups at the pep rally prepared chants in advance for the Chant of Champions competition. The winner of the Chant of Champions was the Marching Yellow Jackets. The homecoming court includes two junior members and ten senior members. The junior members include Liana Gonzalez and Brenna Holliday. The senior members include Emily Alico, Jonas Ardillo, Brianna Bell, Kevin Bubnick, Geneviéve Carreño, Nelia Rose Holley, Jason Luck, Da’Von Angelo McDonald, Kierra Mykel and Zach Ottenweller.

Geneviéve Carreño and Da’Von Angelo McDonald win homecoming royalty

At the homecoming football game Saturday against Marietta, the homecoming royalty was announced in front of the packed bleachers at Georgie Finnie Stadium. Geneviéve Carreño and Da’Von Angelo McDonald won the 2023 homecoming royalty.

“It means so much to me, it feels like a ‘thank you’ from the community, and it feels like all the love I put into this community is all coming back to me,” McDonald said.

“I am so humbled and grateful for this honor,” Carreño said.

QUOTEACROSTIC

B Y PHY-10 4 GENERAL PROBLEM SOLVING CLASS

Fill in the answers on the blank spaces with the help of the clues. Then, write those letters in the grid to reveal a quote. Black squares indicate the end of a word, and punctuation has been removed. When you're done, the first letters of the answers to the clues will be the author and subject of the quote. Answers will be posted on bwexponent.com.

Allison Reed, The Exponent

Allison Reed, The Exponent

Israel Gole, The Exponent

Allison Reed, The Exponent

Allison Reed, The Exponent

Esports unveils new competition arena in ribbon cutting ceremony

By KONNER HINES Staff Writer

On Sept. 29, the Yellow Jackets esports team had its official ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome the 2023-24 roster of players along with the unveiling of the new esports lounge and competing arena in Loomis Hall.

Assistant director of esports and 2023 Great Lakes esports Conference Director, Jake Grasso, said the sport will provide a valuable addition to the campus community.

“We live in a world where

October 4

people just don’t understand each other, and they just don’t talk with one another,” Grasso said. “With this you're able to do that…you're able to see where people come from and their background, ethnicities, cultures…this is about understanding the people that you are with so when you leave here you can communicate effectively and problem-solve.”

Timeka Rashid, the vice president for student affairs, said that the popularity of esports has exploded over the years, citing that 557 million people have participated in

them since 2020, and Rin Kramer, junior student and president of the esports club, said the industry was valued at $1.4 billion in 2022.

“I think within the last few years video games have spiked, and a lot of people have been super introverted before," Kramer said. "And now this gives them the time to go and find people and also gives them the opportunity to compete in college and make a career.”

Not only will the team be competing with other in-person universities, but also virtually in national

tournaments.

“Esports offers a unique opportunity to build connections across diverse populations,” Rashid said.

Along with the launch of the new team came also the opening of the new facility. It is equipped with brandnew computers, monitors, Nintendo Switches, loungegaming chairs and couches.

“Now that we have our own space, we can practice whenever we want, and it’s awesome to have a great sense of community and really talk to the other teams for the first time,” Kramer said.

Upcoming Fall Sports Events

Men’s Soccer: Mount Union vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: BW vs. Mount Union @ Kehres Stadium 7 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. Mount Union @ Ursprung Gymnasium 7p.m.

October 7

Men's Golf: OAC Fall Preview @ River Greens Golf Course; West Lafayette, Ohio

Women's Golf: John Carroll Fall Invitational @ Manakiki Golf Course; Willoughby Hills, Ohio

Men's Tennis: Washington & Jefferson vs. BW @ Janet Swanson Tennis Center 9 a.m.

Men's Cross Country: Dickinson Pre-National Meet @ Big Spring High School; Carlisle, Pennsylvania 11 a.m.

Women's Cross Country: Dickinson Pre-National Meet @ Big Spring High School; Carlisle, Pennsylvania 12 p.m.

Women's Volleyball: Wilmington vs. BW @ Fred Raizk Arena 1 p.m.

Men's Soccer: Wilmington vs. BW @ Williams Stadium 2 p.m.

Women's Soccer: Wilmington vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 2p.m.

Men's Tennis: Penn State

Behrend vs. BW @ Janet Swanson Tennis Center 3 p.m.

October 8

Men's Golf: OAC Fall Preview @ River Greens Golf Course; West Lafayette, Ohio

Women's Golf: John Carroll Fall Invitational @ Manakiki Golf Course; Willoughby Hills, Ohio

October 9

Men’s Golf: John DiCillo Memorial Invitational @ Sand Ridge Golf Club; Chardon, Ohio

October 11

Men’s Soccer: John Carrol vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 7 p.m

Women's Soccer: John

Carrol vs. BW @ Don Shula Stadium7 p.m

Women's Volleyball: John

Carrol vs. BW @ Ursprung Gymnasium 7 p.m

October 14

Men's and Women’s Swimming and Diving: Wilmington vs. BW @ BW Natatorium 1 p.m.

Women's Volleyball: Muskingum vs. BW @ Ursprung Gymnasium 12 p.m.

Women's Soccer: Muskingum vs. BW @ North Turf Field 1 p.m.

Men's Soccer: Muskingum vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 2 p.m.

Women's Volleyball: Juniata vs. BW @ Ursprung Gymnasium 4 p.m.

Football: Muskingum vs. BW @ McConagha Stadium 7 p.m.

October 18

Men's Soccer: Heidelberg vs. BW @ Hidden Valley Soccer Complex 4 p.m.

Women's Soccer: Heidelberg vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 7 p.m.

Women's Volleyball: Heidelberg vs. BW @ Seiberling Gymnasium 7 p.m.

October 21

Men's and Women’s Swimming and Diving: Notre Dame College vs. BW @ BW Natatorium 6 p.m.

October 21

Football: Otterbein vs. BW @ Memorial Stadium 12:30 p.m.

Women's Volleyball: Otterbein vs. BW @ Ursprung Gymnasiu 1 p.m.

Men's Soccer: Otterbein vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 2 p.m.

Women's Soccer: Otterbein vs. BW @ Memorial Stadium 5:30 p.m.

October 25

Men’s Soccer: Ohio Northern vs. BW@ Kerscher Stadium 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: Ohio Northern vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 7 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. BW @ ONU Sports Center 7p.m.

Women’s soccer put up fight against No. 2 in nation, Carnegie Mellon

By NICK IRELAN Staff Writer

On Sept. 24, the team faced their most significant challenge yet, squaring off against No. 2 Carnegie Mellon Tartans. Despite the loss, the Yellow Jackets became only one of two teams to score against them this season.

BW’s preparation was different for this matchup due to the Tartan’s “quick and skilled” athletes, said senior Ellie Pinar, senior soccer player.

“We changed our formation to mirror theirs, so every Carnegie player was matched up with one of us,” Pinar said. “We worked on switching the field to have them chase us and worked on passing the ball to our feet rather than space.”

Kickoff started at noon on Tressel Field. The Tartans came out of the gates quickly, notching a goal within the first 10 minutes by senior midfielder Caitlyn Owens.

The Tartans kept heavy pressure on BW throughout the first half, but Junior Academic All-OAC goalkeeper, Katie Scott, recorded three saves in the net, keeping the YellowJacket’s alive.

At the end of the first half, the Tartans were up 1-0 with eight shots on the goal, while BW only managed to score one. The Tartans were an offensive powerhouse, keeping the ball on the Yellow Jacket’s side for most of the half. Staying strong, BW showed consistent defensive pressure, keeping this game neck and neck.

The Tartans scored another goal 17 minutes into the second half by junior forward Maria Askounis.

Despite trailing 2-0, BW displayed unwavering determination. First-year forward and Ohio Athletic

Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Kalyn Rich, scored her sixth goal of the season with an assist from Senior All-OAC forward, Sydney Rice. This was only the second goal scored against Carnegie Mellon this season.

With approximately 18 minutes left in the second half, BW had to make a final push to tie up the game.

The Tartans continued to dominate defensively and only allowed BW to attempt two shots on the goal through the second half, resulting in a Carnegie Mellon win 2-1.

“They always win balls out of the air, which is how they ended up scoring the first goal,” Plinar said. “I specifically had to watch the outside runners and make sure they didn’t either serve the ball or score off them.”

Even though Carnegie Mellon won, the Yellow Jackets showed that they could compete with one of the best teams in the country.

“In terms of our team, I would say every time we play a ranked team like Case or Carnegie, it challenges us in different ways to be better,” Pinar said. “After we played Case Western, we really needed to work on the transition from offense to defense, so we applied ways for us to transition better for the next few games and have seen better results because of it."

As the season progresses, the BW women's soccer team stands at a respectable record of four wins, three losses and one draw. With numerous matches ahead, they have many opportunities to leave their mark and further hone their skills.

Illustration by Halle Vargo

The lounge is equipped with brand-new computers, monitors, Nintendo Switches, gaming chairs, couches, other gaming essentials

Konner Hines, The Exponent Jake Grasso, assistant director of esports addresses the crowd at the ribbon cutting ceremony in Loomis 172.