The Observer, Volume LIII, Issue 25, 4/8/22

Sports: Softball splits against WashU 2-2 (pg. 11)

the

Observer

friday, april 8, 2022 volume LIII, issue 25 estd. 1969

CWRU community works to donate supplies for those affected by the war on Ukraine Amanda Wu Contributing Writer The humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted an outpouring of support and aid from across the nation. The White House has given details and listed various initiatives, including those that provide refuge to displaced Ukrainians and gives humanitarian assistance for those in Ukraine and those fleeing the region. Other causes that are being supported include those that advance accountability for Russian war crimes and those that strengthen public health and the global food supply.

Case Western Reserve University has been actively involved in helping those affected since this conflict began. The Office of Resiliency is

working in partnership with MedWish International, a nonprofit organization based in Cleveland, which works to “[save] lives and the environment by repurposing discarded medical supplies and equipment to provide humanitarian aid to people in need.”

Both sustainable in both nature and effect, MedWish International is responding to the humanitarian emergency in Ukraine, aiming to give necessary supplies as effectively as possible.

MedWish International also partnered with Medworks in collecting personal protective equipment (PPE) and other first aid supplies. Medworks provides “100% free medical, dental, vision and women’s health clinics to

anyone in need.” This partnership between the two, lasting from March 12-13, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. gathered much needed supplies for the people of Ukraine.

During this drive, almost any item was accepted in response to the war.

Items continue to be accepted for donation, with CWRU’s Office of Resiliency providing a list of needed items and locations on-campus where they can be donated. Items that are needed include, but are not limited to, basic supplies, PPE and first aid, with the CWRU community encouraged to donate whatever they can.

In solidarity with those affected by the unprovoked invasion, images of the Ukrainian flag have been dis-

played all over campus. Multiple murals depicting the Ukrainian colors stand proudly, with the Student Advocacy Wall on the Case Quad and the art studio on South Side both painted blue and yellow. At night, the Turning Point sculpture on East Bell Commons glimmers blue and yellow. The Peter B. Lewis Building’s unique rooftop also glows blue and yellow, with its colors shining brightly after sunset.

It is necessary to remember the civilians impacted by these horrific circumstances. These localized movements assisting relief efforts will hopefully construct a brighter outcome for many civilians, but also will hopefully serve as a beacon of hope.

Holi 2022 brought smiles and joy Christie Lanfear Life Editor Standing in a circle with our minds set on bags of colored powder, eyeing the friends we would soon douse, we were ready to begin. The countdown ended, the crowd went wild and then suddenly beautiful—and slightly suffocating—clouds of color rose into the air. Soon, the air was so thick that everyone had given up on not bumping into each other, and instead gave themselves over to the color, embracing the haze of happiness. The frenzy lasted for only a few minutes, but the smiles and laughter that it created could fill a lifetime. Those of us who attended Holi on Freiberger Field indeed had the time of our lives.

Friday, April 1 was the first Holi that I had the privilege of celebrating, and it was more beautiful that I could ever have imagined. Organized by the Center for International Affairs, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Undergraduate Indian Student Association and Satrang, the event celebrates the Hindu holiday that rings in the spring.

Despite feeling like the powder would never come out of my hair, the feel-

ing of partaking in such a magnificent and meaningful celebration of spring warmed my heart, despite the cold and windy conditions.

Holi is one of the oldest festivals in India and its meaning has changed slightly over centuries. However, the overarching theme remains celebrating the victory of good over evil, with the holiday specifically observing the death of the demon Holika at the hands of the deity Krishna. It also commemorates the power of love, namely that of Krishna and his consort, Radha. Some stories also describe Holi as an attempt to make the human race more colorful and I am sure everyone who attended Case Western Reserve University’s celebration would say that objective was achieved, and then some. It is, after all, the “festival of colors”.

While also creating visual beauty, each of the colors have a very special meaning in Hinduism. First we have blue, which symbolizes courage, power and the right actions that can contain evil. This originates from Shiva, the Destroyer, a deity who saved the

world when he drank poison, turning his throat blue. Next is green. This color is related to Rama, an avatar of the god Vishnu, who was exiled to the forest, and symbolizes vitality and rebirth.

Then we have yellow, which is related to merchants, and represents sincerity and piety. Yellow also has origins in turmeric, a spice that has been widely used throughout history and is quintessential to many South Asian dishes. In the festival, it symbolizes joy, sincerity and peace. There is also red, which has ties to matrimony, fertility, love and beauty. In Hindu culture, joyous matrimony is symbolized by bindi, a red dot in between the eyebrows. There were also lots of purple and orange mixed into the frenzy, representing spirit and strength, respectively. Perhaps my favorite color of the event was pink, which represents kindness and compassion. It was so pigmented and mesmerizing, surrounding everyone in a sunset-like haze.

There were a total of three rounds of color throwing, and each was somehow more exquisite than the previous. Each

time, the participants became even more colorful and everyone slowly became their own piece of chaotic art.

Even the ground turned into a masterpiece as the colors were worked into the soil by the hundreds of running feet.

By the end of the second round nearly every part of my body was covered by color. It was in my nose, my mouth and had even found its way into my socks, despite my wearing closed shoes. My friends and I all stood there, laughing with each other in joy, creating clouds of color as we shook our heads. Others present shared these feelings; with one participant yelling, “I am all color now and I am free!”

The color followed me all the way back to the North Residential Village, and I have to admit that I was slightly sad to wash it off. Despite the physical remnants of the celebration being washed away, my first Holi festival will certainly be something that sticks with me for a long time. It was so magical to see how it touched the soul of everyone present, and I cannot wait to celebrate again next year.

CWRU students run amongst the clouds of vibrant colors at Holi, enjoying the traditional Hindu welcome of spring. Elizabeth Melton

news

friday, april 8, 2022 volume LIII, issue 25 estd. 1969

The Healthy Minds Study comes to CWRU Grace Johnson News Editor Mental health is an incredibly important part of success, if not the most important part of success. During our college years, keeping our mental health in check is vital to our goals, as classwork, internships, jobs, extracurricular activities and volunteer work become increasingly taxing.

Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic turning our worlds upside down, measuring the mental health status of college students has become a recent interest for many academic and research groups.

The Healthy Minds Network (HMN), which launched in 2007, is one such research group. With more than half a million respondents from over 400 colleges and universities, the Healthy Minds Study (HMS) has become an incredibly valuable tool in attempting to draw awareness to the climate of mental health among students at secondary institutions.

So, how does this work?

Every year, the HMN releases a questionnaire that students can fill out; the students’ responses are then added to the data collected by the study. As per their website, the HMN claims to be, “using validated measures [to provide] a detailed look at the prevalence of mental health outcomes, knowledge and attitudes about mental health and service utilization. HMS emphasizes understanding help-seeking behavior, examining stigma, knowledge, and

other potential barriers to mental health service utilization.”

They look into student substance use, sleep, body image, sexual assault, the climate of diversity and inclusion, along with many other subjects. Individual colleges and universities are allowed to include up to ten university-specific questions for their own resources.

Their goal is to ultimately draw awareness to institutions’ mental health climate, but also to aid in finding grants for mental health resources, evaluate their existing programs and compare their standing to other institutions.

This novel study has come to Case Western Reserve University and it is currently being promoted by University Health and Counseling Services, with a number of prizes available for those who complete it. If you fill out the survey, you will be automatically “entered into a sweepstakes for 1 of 2 $500 prizes or 1 of 10 $100 prizes.” Plus, through CWRU, you will be entered into a raffle to win a weighted blanket.

It only takes about 25 minutes to fill out, is anonymous and is ultimately incredibly important in measuring our own campus resources for administration to take a look at and determine whether or not these existing resources are sufficient.

As of now, you cannot log into MyHealthConnect to set up a counseling session because they are all booked up, so it is more important than ever that we

as students express our concerns with the current standing of mental health help on this campus.

You can still participate in this incredible program, as the questionnaire

remains open for another week. Make your voice heard and, as a student body, let’s use this opportunity to truly let our opinions on the current mental health climate be known.

Healthy Minds Network is used in hundreds of colleges and universities across the country in order to help assess students’ mental health.

Courtesy of Healthy Minds Network

CWRU Film Society Double Feature & Sing-along

Friday, April 8, 2022

7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 11:30 p.m.*

Mamma Mia! (2008/2018)

Rated PG-13 (108,114 min.)

Directors: Phyllida Lloyd (1), Ol Parker (2) With Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Lily James Cosponsored by: The Footlighters

“I have a dream, a song to sing...” It’s a night of wall-to-wall ABBA hits and you can be a part! The classic songs illustrate the stories: bride-to-be Sophie wants to invite her father to her wedding, but finds three possible dads, all of whom arrive and remember the times they had with her mother, Donna; five years later, as Sophie plans to reopen her mother’s hotel, a series of flashbacks show the transformative summer she was conceived in, when Donna first met the three dads and got her girl group off the ground. Double feature or all night admission is just $6. Additional food and mocktails will be available!” *At 11:30, one of the films will be chosen by vote for an audience sing-along, and onscreen lyrics will help you belt out the tunes.

Saturday, April 9, 2022 7:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Promare (2019) Rated PG-13 (111 min.)

Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi With the voices of Tetsu Inada, Rikiya Koyama, Taichi Saotome Cosponsored by: Casecon and JapanCASE

Thirty years have passed since the appearance of the Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves Mad Burnish appear, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team Burning Rescue, and Lio Fotia, the leader of Mad Burnish, begins.

General Admission $4.00 Strosacker Auditorium, CWRU Campus Quad Free Parking: Lot 44 at Adelbert Rd and Murray Hill

FILMS.CWRU.EDU

life

friday, april 8, 2022 volume LIII, issue 25 estd. 1969

A guide to Ramadan for non-Muslims Shejuti Wahed Staff Writer On April 2, Muslims worldwide began celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. For 30 days, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking— not even water—from sunrise to sunset. It’s a time to strengthen our faith and character by practicing self-discipline, focusing on our worship and expressing gratefulness and compassion for our communities.

This Ramadan is particularly unique for me and many other firstyear Case Western Reserve University Muslims. Growing up, my Ramadans were always filled with warm memories—memories of chaotic nightly feasts with families and friends as we broke our fasts together and the late nights fighting to keep my eyes open in the mosque. This year will be the first year that I’m spending this meaningful month away from my family, and I’ll admit, it’s a bit terrifying.

Back at home, I never had to worry about finding food for iftar (the meal to break my fast), but Leutner’s signature offering on April 2 was pork, which I obviously could not have.

Having to prepare food at 5 a.m. in my little Smith dorm room without waking up my roommate has been a struggle, and don’t get me started on all the walking all over campus on an empty stomach. But amidst the challenges, most things have been incredibly exciting—the iftars that I’ve spent with my Muslim friends here at CWRU, the beautiful view in the Samson Pavilion that I enjoy while praying and the refreshing feeling of my first sip of water after breaking my fast.

Ramadan at college is new for so many Muslims and it may very well be something many non-Muslims have never encountered before.

CWRU students come from diverse backgrounds, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the first time that many non-Muslims have friends celebrating Ramadan. If you’re looking for ways to support a Muslim friend this month or simply want to understand what to do or what not to do during Ramadan, fear not. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make the most out of this Ramadan.

You don’t have to be an expert on Ramadan.

It’s okay to offer your Muslim friend a piece of gum if you forget they’re fasting. It’s okay to drink water or eat food in front of us. And while I don’t speak for everyone, the “not even water?!” disbelief nonMuslims experience is amusing to me. For the most part, no innocuous comment will be perceived as insensitive or offensive as long as it is said without ill intent. In fact, many Muslims light up when asked something about Ramadan. We welcome genuine curiosity in our religion and lifestyle—it’s something we’re proud of.

Avoid asking a Muslim why they aren’t fasting.

One area to be cautious of, however, is asking questions when you see a Muslim not fasting. The elders and young children, along with those who are ill, menstruating, breastfeeding or pregnant, are all exempt from fasting. Even outside those factors, some people feel uncomfortable explaining the reason they are not fasting. Some people are still coming back to Islam, and it takes them longer to adjust to this pillar after years without prac-

Muslim students who pray in the Samson Pavilion get to experience a beautiful view of the surrounding Cleveland area. Shejuti Wahed/The Observer Enjoy the Ramadan atmosphere ticing. Others are experiencing hard- scents of donuts and coffee are aw- while it’s still here! ships and hidden illnesses; it’s not fully tempting. Just know not everyRamadan is an exciting time for our place to question it. Regardless of one will be the same, and some will Muslims, but you can enjoy it as their reason for not fasting, it’s saf- definitely enjoy time alone more. well! Many Muslims appreciate the est to avoid discussing it unless they opportunity to have iftar with their bring it up.

At the same time, expect your non-Muslim friends; it’s an enjoyable Muslim friends to be tired often. and rewarding meal. Iftar foods vary Don’t feel obligated to cancel My sleep schedule has never been from culture to culture, and you may plans. the greatest, but this month it’s been get to experience a variety of cultural Ramadan is a time for personal and a bit more chaotic than usual. Wak- dishes from Egyptian mahshi to Banspiritual growth, and the great thing ing up at 5 a.m. for a pre-fasting meal gladeshi piyaju. It may be exciting to about it is that it’s different for every- (suhoor) and the morning prayer sit in on a prayer, or even participate one. Each individual has the ability to (Fajr) is not ideal for night owls, in the festivities of Eid-al-Fitr, the figure out how much time they need which most CWRU students probably day of celebration after the month of to dedicate to themselves and how are. Many Muslims will take naps Ramadan is over. much time they can spend with oth- during the day, but without coffee or Ramadan in college looks comers. Lunch and coffee breaks are still food to fuel our systems it’s hard to pletely different from what it is at lovely ideas; we just won’t be able to stay awake during late classes. So, I home and it’ll be a bit of a shift. But eat or drink during them. This may apologize in advance to my friends even if Ramadan doesn’t look the be a bit masochistic, but you’ll still for when I inevitably fall asleep dur- same, I am confident we can (inshalfind me working in Dunkin’ because ing our conversations. lah) enjoy it just as much in this new that’s my go-to workplace, even if the setting.

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life

4/8/22

“Bridgerton” Season 2 splits critics Kate Gordon Staff Writer “Bridgerton” is back and popular as ever, but it’s not clear whether the second season is a “diamond of the first water” or a glass of champagne gone flat.

While the first season was full of sex, drama and inaccurate period costume design, the second season is much more toned down. It instead chooses to portray a slow-burn relationship between Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey). While some praise the increased focus on character development and interpersonal relationships, others miss the campy, guilty pleasure show they knew and loved. The crucial question is whether the execution of the second season is actually good enough to justify its new tone.

Let’s start with what worked in this second season. Kate and Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), are a spirited pair of sisters whose onscreen chemistry, both with each other and with the comparatively lacking Anthony Bridgerton, provides the far more compelling half of the season’s main plotline. The show has also included substantial South Asian representation, as the Sharma family hails from Bombay (in reality, Simone Ashely and Charithra Chandran are both Tamil)—a source of acclaim. The Sharma sisters wear South Asian-inspired jewelry, speak to each other in Tamil and participate in the Haldi ceremony before Edwina’s wedding. While the first season did feature an ethnically diverse cast, the representation wasn’t on the same level as this new season.

Some beloved aspects from the first season return, much to the delight of fans. Wholesome Bridgerton family interactions are rare when they banter so much, but seeing the siblings dance together after no one showed up at their ball was heartwarming and showed off

Anthony’s softer side. Opulent set design and costuming gives viewers something to gawk at despite the lack of the earlier season’s steamy scenes. The many dances and parties the characters attend are set to covers of popular songs such as Madonna’s “Material Girl” and JatinLalit and Lata Mangeshkar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.” The aesthetic of the show, a frothy, pastel-toned Regencyera England on steroids, remained very much intact. You can definitely tell how much money was put in this show, with a reported budget of $7 million per episode.

But in my opinion, the biggest letdown of this season is an aspect that many actually enjoyed—the romance itself. Although not all bad, the setup is very predictable: the older sister Kate is determined to find a husband for her younger sister Edwina in order to secure their family’s fortune. However, even if the rich and titled Anthony Bridgerton would be a good match, she’s determined to keep the young couple apart due to Anthony’s bad reputation. And what’s more, while Kate and Anthony say they hate each other, their anger only seems to fuel the obvious romantic tension between them. So what’s the catch?

The biggest letdown is that Anthony Bridgerton is not a likable character. Just like in the first season, he starts out as bossy, stubborn, slightly misogynistic and inconsiderate. He has a list of nearimpossible standards for his future wife to meet, never acknowledging his own faults. And worst of all, instead of reconciling any of these issues on his own and growing as a character, he only progresses further due to his relationship with Kate. The writers seem to think that her accepting him as a match is an indication that she misjudged him or that

The second season of “Bridgerton” receives mixed opinions, and main characters Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma (pictured) are at the center of the turmoil. Courtesy of Netflix he’s changed, but to me, it’s not enough.

Since Anthony is hard to root for, it’s hard to root for him and Kate to end up together; some of their scenes together end up dragging as a result. I appreciate a slow burn, but this one was just a little too drawn out. There are only so many times I can watch two people breathing down each other’s faces without starting to feel uncomfortable, and Kate and Anthony definitely get to that point.

Even worse, while Kate and Anthony were busy lying about their feelings, the other characters were lacking in the drama department. Last season’s side plots featured a secret pregnancy, a mystery gossip columnist, sordid artist parties, thrown boxing matches and a near duel

to the death, among others. The subplots this season were lacking in comparison, and many were simply continuations of ones we had already seen. “Bridgerton” felt like it switched audiences completely, going from a show you watched with your friends to laugh at to one you would watch with your mom, and not in a good way. It’s clear that the intention was for the show to be taken more seriously, and while I can believe that they will get there one day, this season didn’t quite get to that point and ended up in an awkward middle. Hopefully, the next season will strike a better balance between entertainment and building a serious relationship—and not whatever was going on in that scene with the bee.

Learning more about religious festivals in April Aziz Radwan Staff Writer Religious festivals are not only a great time for people to embrace the beliefs in their religion, but are also a great opportunity to bring communities of different faiths together to observe shared beliefs and values. Festivals of this nature give communities the opportunity to come together in harmony, to preserve their culture and heritage and provides opportunities for outsiders to learn about different religions and their customs.

Perhaps the best thing to take away from religious festivals is that they can teach us the importance of togetherness and moral values. The month of April on the interfaith calendar this year is packed with religious festivals, so here is a list that briefly describes the origin and the meaning of each festival.

Easter (April 17) Easter is one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar.

Easter is a holiday that observes the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Christians, the meaning of this holiday is Jesus Christ’s triumph over death. To Christians, it proves that the God they believe in walked on Earth, and it symbolizes leaving their past, sinful lives for one that glorifies Jesus. Christians celebrate Easter because it recognizes that Christian people can leave behind their old way of living and move forward into a new life.

It implies that people have something amazing to look forward to in the future and something worthwhile to live for at present.

Passover (April 15-23) Passover is a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in ancient Egypt. Passover is normally celebrated with a traditional meal called seder, meaning “order” in Hebrew. Seder retells the story of the Jewish people leaving

Egypt. Traditionally, Jewish people eat matzah; a special unleavened bread. The biblical narrative for matzah is that the Israelites left Egypt hastily because they could not wait for their bread dough to rise. Although matzah might sound like “poor man’s bread,” it actually symbolizes redemption and freedom for the Jewish people. This unleavened bread serves as a reminder to be humble, and to never forget what life was like in servitude.

Vaisakhi (April 14) Vaisakhi is celebrated every year in mid-April. It marks the spring harvest, where Punjabi farmers celebrate with festivals and gatherings. Vaisakhi marks the beginning of the Sikh solar new year and is also a day to celebrate 1469, the new year in which Sikhism was born as a collective faith. The Sikh community does not strictly regard Vaisakhi day as “holy”, but rather an occasion for celebrating the growth of the Sikh community and recalling collective memories and shared values. In other words, Vaisakhi is about celebration, community and progress. This celebration is a great opportunity for the Sikh community to come together and raise their collective consciousness. In India, Vaisakhi is celebrated by singing, dancing, dressing in finery, observing wrestling bouts and enjoying parades.

Ramadan (April 2-May 2) Ramadan marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is observed

by Muslims as a month of fasting, spiritual purification and community reflection. Ordained in the Quran, the fast is an act of worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of God. Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset, with nothing to eat or drink. Instead of the traditional three meals a day, two meals a day are eaten

April is full of various religious festivals, including Easter, Passover, Vaisakhi and Ramadan. Photo by Eric Heininger on Unsplash during Ramadan: iftar (a meal consumed after dusk) and suhur (a meal consumed before dawn). Suhur is regarded as a blessing as it helps a person to fast during the day, to avoid weakness. Fasting is not only about refraining from food and drink during the day, but also sinful behaviors, sexual relations and smoking. Muslims are encouraged to pray in congregation and recite the Quran more often than they do outside of Ramadan.

Ramadan is regarded as a great opportunity to practice self-control, self-discipline and empathy to those who are less fortunate. Fasting instills compassion for the people who are food insecure, hence

inspiring a person to donate to those living in poverty.

At Case Western Reserve University, we have students from many different cultures, backgrounds and religions.

Therefore, we would all benefit from learning about religious festivals, including their origins and meanings. Although religious festivals have differences, we can notice that there are some shared values among them. If you have a friend who practices a different religion, take the initiative and ask them a few questions about their holidays in April. This shall help us to better understand and respect one another.

life

observer.case.edu

5

The soundtrack to “Turning Red” is just as good as the movie Alan Kronenberg Staff Writer A couple of weeks ago, I finally sat down to watch Disney-Pixar’s newest movie “Turning Red.” With all the hype surrounding it and my enjoyment of Disney’s recent “Encanto,” my expectations going in were pretty high. And while the story was wonderful and the animation was superb (i.e. that cooking scene!), I don’t think anything could have prepared me for its soundtrack.

Because, honestly, it slaps.

To give some background, “Turning Red” follows Meilin “Mei” Lee, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl in the year 2002 who has to deal with all the things that early teens face: puberty, friendships, crushes, family relations, etc. Sounds like your typical coming-of-age story, right? Well, wrong, because Mei has a hereditary disposition that turns her into a giant red panda whenever she feels any strong emotion. As the inevitable hilarity and chaos ensues, Mei begins to learn that both good and the bad experiences in life shape one’s identity, and accepts that these experiences are an important part of growing up.

With this premise, the soundtrack to the movie had to fit with both its characters and its time period. Such was the challenge for Grammy award-winning artists Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell as they composed the original songs of the movie, and renowned composer Ludwig Göransson—probably best known for composing the score to Black Panther—who was tasked with writing the score to the film. And thankfully they did not disappoint.

For the original songs in the movie, Eilish and O’Connell took the audience back to the year 2002 by creating three new pop songs for the fictional boy band 4*Town. Seeing as Mei and her friends were teens at the peak of the boy band era, the stylized conglomeration of the early Y2K scene, being reminiscent of the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and other boy bands of that era fit well.

One of their new songs, “Nobody Like U,” was featured heavily throughout the movie and has proven popular.

It was sung by both Mei and her friends in the film and the 4*Town characters as well—voiced by Jordan Fisher, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo, Grayson Villanueva and O’Connell himself. The song is a classic, early 2000s-sounding boy band song, full of odes to love, all in a harmoniously autotuned style, complete with a memorable bass-beating rhythm and a chorus that you can easily hum. But, if you only watched the movie, you would think that the song consists solely of just an initial verse and a chorus, since these were the only parts featured in the movie. However, if you look it up—which I highly recommend you do—you’ll see that there is a whole other verse full of rapping, a post-chorus repeating the words “like you” in a remixed, record-spinning (turntablist) kind of style, a refrain of the first verse and a double repeat of the chorus. These additions to the song completely enhance its overall vibe, making it into a full song that’s worthy of downloading and bopping to.

“1 True Love” is the next song created by Eilish and O’Connell, which is completely different from “Nobody Like U,” being a sad song about loss and heartbreak. In all honesty, I barely even knew this was a new song created by the duo for “Turning Red,” as only the intro and a bit of the chorus were featured in the movie. However, after having looked it up and listened to it, I can say that the main vocals by Jordan Fisher are really well done. His voice wonderfully hits the high notes in the

“Turning Red” is Disney-Pixar’s latest release, and the beautifully crafted sountrack makes this coming-of-age movie shine. Courtesy of Disney song in a nice falsetto. Also, after the first chorus, I was surprised as the vocals and piano arrangement shifted to a heavy guitar and a thumping drumbeat, strongly intensifying the song while the vocals become more powerful. And due to this change-up alone, I really grew to like this song and its conveyance of the volatility of heartbreak as it goes from a soft ballad to a rocking and passionate unloading of emotion.

The final song by Eilish and O’Connell for “Turning Red” is “U Know What’s Up,” which is another upbeat boy band song that draws from the early 2000s. Similar to “Nobody Like U,” this song was featured a number of times in the actual movie, most notably being played when Mei and her friends are profiting off of their schoolmates’ love for the panda (aka “U Know What’s Up – The Panda Hustle Version”), and also when the 4*Town members perform in concert. However, unlike the other two songs, “U Know What’s Up” is almost entirely played through in the movie over its two versions, with its catchy chorus repeating the phrase “I did it on my o-o-oo-own” to great effect and the bridge’s call-and-response sequence of “You want it? (I want it)” adding to the overall poppy energy of the song. While it may not be the most memorable or popular song in the movie—”Nobody Like U” takes that crown—it’s still a really fun tune that stands as a testament to the slavish recreation that Eilish and O’Connell have made of the

late ‘90s and early 2000s sound.

Moving on to the score for “Turning Red,” I was blown away by how well Göransson captured all of the aspects that make this movie unique; namely, that it centers around an adolescent protagonist who is Chinese-Canadian.

The resulting score comprises a whole slew of genres ranging from boy band beats, traditional Chinese music and more Western hip-hop, along with orchestral sounds. In total, Göransson produced around 20 new songs, encompassing all of these features and blending music styles together to create some truly unique, fusional music.

Some notable mentions include the opening music to the movie, entitled “Family,” which solely uses Chinese instruments to underscore Mei’s narration of what is most important in her conservative family: honoring one’s parents. Following this, the song “Turning Red” plays over the title cards in the beginning of the movie, combining an upbeat electronic sound via the spinning of records, a digitallymade bass beat, interspersed vocals, a flute, and much more. The flute is actually quite fitting since Mei plays a flute in her school band. Moving on to probably my favorite song of the score, “Temple Duties” plays while Mei and her mother, Ming, clean up their family temple at the end of day. This song is a perfect example of the masterful blending of styles that Göransson pulled off in this movie, since it combines Chinese instruments with

an aesthetically pleasing hip-hop vibe.

Finally, the last song I want to mention is “Pandas Unite / Nobody Like U (Reprise),” which is from when all the characters are singing in the stadium to help Mei’s family with the Red Moon ritual. It’s fitting that this song is near the end of the movie, because it’s here where Göransson pulls out all of the stops by brilliantly orchestrating an overlay of the “Red Moon Ritual” song with “Nobody Like U” towards the end of the track. The resulting piece is a skillful combination of the Cantonese ritual matching in step with 4*Town’s boy band hit, accentuating the mix of musical genres that Göransson does masterfully.

I can confidently say that I was not expecting to like the soundtrack of “Turning Red” as much as I do.

The 4*Town songs are expertly performed and are so catchy and similar to the boy band songs of the era that I’ve even seen people posting about how the voice talents should actually become a band and do live performances. Similarly, Göransson’s score is an artistic triumph that encapsulates the story of the movie so well through the various styles and fusions of music.

So, regardless of whether you’ve even watched the movie or not, if you’re in the mood for something with Y2K boy band vibes and an East-West hip-hop fusion, checking out the official album to Disney-Pixar’s “Turning Red” might cause a reaction of all out pandamonium.

fun

friday, april 8, 2022 volume LIII, issue 25 estd. 1969

Sudoku

Weekly Tarot

The signs as Local Bars

Read by Mulan Ma

Punch Bowl Social

The Hanged Man (Reversed) Do not mistake your acts of selfsabotage for rightful sacrifice.

Toli

Two of Cups (Upright) Celebrate your friendships this week and make sure your friends know they are significant to you.

Dave’s Cosmic Subs and Music

Ten of Cups (Upright) You are working in the right direction for long-term fulfillment.

Barley House

Two of Swords (Reversed) A relationship may be on the line if both parties do not forfeit the offensive stand towards each other.

Margaritaville

Tacologist

Libra

Leo

Good Night John Boy Lounge Leo

Sagittarius Capricorn Scorpio

Medium

Horoscope

Virgo

Cancer

Gemini

Easy

Taurus

Aries

Pisces Aquarius

Tarun’s LOLs

Queen of Wands (Upright) You are upbeat and courageous, this attitude will help you achieve more than you think.

King of Cups (Reversed) It is important to let people know your innermost feelings.

Ace of Wands (Reversed) A new beginning may come off with a few difficulties. Your progress may be delayed for some time.

The Chariot (Upright) You have the right balance and skillset to do what you want. Go forth.

Hofbrauhaus Cleveland

The Magician (Reversed) You should try your best to keep your intentions for the best interest of other people. Manipulating the ones close to you will be your downfall.

Jolly Scholar

Seven of Swords (Reversed) Use your wits for the upbringing of yourself, not for deceiving others to bring them down.

Society Lounge

The High Priestess (Upright) You are a rock in other people’s lives and your services will pay you back.

Velvet Dog

The Fool (Upright) Do take time out of your routine to meander and make busy doing nothing.

6 | fun

4/8/22

Crossword

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ACROSS 1 Dashboard gauge, for short 5 Palindromic title 10 Jared of “Dallas Buyers Club” 14 Pretty agile for one’s age 15 “+” terminal 16 Plow beasts 17 “That’s enough!,” to a hot dog-eating contestant?

19 Covet 20 Alfred Nobel and others 21 Doofus 23 “___-ching!” (cash register sound) 24 Full of nerve 25 “That’s enough!,” to a store clerk at Christmas?

27 Certain graph shape 28 Thin and graceful 31 Seeing red 32 Doc’s “Now!” 34 Bit of intimate attire 35 Miracle-___ 36 “That’s enough!,” to an assembly line worker?

40 Action verb that’s also a Roman numeral 41 Org. for the Suns or the Heat 42 Beauty pageant wear 45 Soothes 48 Dutch cheese 50 Siren’s place 51 “That’s enough!,” to a collagist?

53 Unexpected victory 55 Neighbor of Wash.

56 Singer DiFranco 57 I.R.S. inspections 59 Rich soil 61 “That’s enough!,” to

a carnival thrower?

64 Singer Guthrie 65 Ghostly 66 Sports shoe brand 67 Dangerous stinger 68 Gridiron units 69 Tennis units DOWN 1 Scolding sound 2 Jungle film attire 3 Unit involved in a shell game?

4 Overly promotes 5 Chess finale 6 &&& 7 Scooby-___ 8 Program producing online pop-ups 9 Whiz group 10 Simmer setting 11 Two-horse wager 12 Drill sergeant’s shout 13 Like books for long car rides, say 18 Bucolic verse 22 Vice president Agnew 24 Rental car add-on, in brief 25 Miscellaneous things 26 Gets wrinkles out 29 Mountain goat 30 A “T” in TNT 33 Marisa of “Crazy, Stupid, Love” 35 Pleased 37 View from a lookout 38 ___ Dhabi 39 Appliance with a pilot 43 Deems it O.K. 44 Deerstalker, e.g.

45 Body of environmental regulations 46 Dawn goddess 47 Super buys 48 ___ pig

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49 “Truth in engineering” sloganeer 52 Well-pitched 54 Falafel holders 57 The “A” in RNA 58 Island music mak-

ers, for short 60 Cleaning tool 62 Boston #4 in years past 63 Musical notes after mis

A Day in My Life

by Mulan Ma

opinion

friday, april18, 8, 2022 2022 friday, february volume LIII, issue volume LIII, issue 25 20 estd. estd. 1969 1969

EDITORIAL

Editorial: Mental health resources should be given more attention Editorial Board Throughout last week, the Office of Post-Graduate Planning and Experiential Education at Case Western Reserve University sent out four different emails detailing available internships and jobs for students, promoting numerous lectures occurring on campus and advertising opportunities for experiential learning. This office, as well as others on campus—including the Support of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE) office and the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities—is constantly sending out emails that disclose opportunities to students. These resources are incredibly valuable for those who are looking for them.

However, for some this constant stream of emails is a source of great stress and anxiety. It can make students feel as though their school pursuits are not enough to satisfy the current standards of being a college student.

Schoolwork is a lot by itself; many students take 15+ credits each semester, depending on their major, just to hit the requirements for graduation.

This insistence on constant internships, jobs and experiences during college is definitely important; experiential learning is sometimes more valuable than class time, especially when considering the expectations of

future employers. However, when there aren’t enough mental health resources and provisions available to students, a problem arises.

Mental health should be the primary concern for students, with all else, including the pursuit of a summer internship, coming second. Mental health requires constant attention, as good mental health doesn’t come from nowhere. Universities must foster an environment that encourages proper selfcare—only then will students be able to excel.

How is this possible, however, if the current resources on our campus are not well equipped to handle the glut of students who need help? With the lack of available mental health resources, some students are forced to forego mental health counseling altogether, ultimately leading them to be trapped within a bad mental space. Oftentimes slots are not available on MyHealthConnect, the student health portal, to sign up for a meeting with a counselor, even though the university boasts that students are allowed up to 12 counseling sessions for free.

These counselors, too, are way overburdened, especially during times like these when everything seems to be coalescing at once. Whether it be because of the stress of registering for classes,

the inundation of exams and projects, the pressure of finding a job or internship for the summer, the anxiety of knowing finals are coming or just the mere exhaustion of a rigorous semester, we are all overwhelmed to some degree.

CWRU needs to invest more in mental health resources to support student success. CWRU promotes the mental health resources available to students and even highlights them in the FirstYear Experience modules we all have to take, but there’s no guarantee that they will be available. Expansions to our counseling services have been promised over the years, especially when justifying tuition increases, but so far it doesn’t seem like much has come to fruition. Of course CWRU should hire more counselors, but there are plenty of other ways to help students and prioritize their mental health. The administration can schedule mental health days, host more mentally beneficial activities or perhaps provide things like therapy groups and accessible brochures on stress reduction techniques to students.

There is no question that this administration could be doing to prioritize their students’ well-being.

Furthermore, many professors need to become more aware of the mental health climate of the student body—this may mean dropping assignments and

lowering expectations when struggles are clearly seen. After all, it is not surprising that students are struggling considering the state of the world, with COVID-19 reigning, climate change accelerating, democracy crumbling and war brewing. That isn’t even mentioning the emotional toll that being online 24/7 has taken on all of us. Even just a guarantee of understanding and flexibility when students do ask for help would be better than the current state of affairs. Too many times professors tell students to simply “deal with it,” citing that it isn’t fair to other students if they provide accommodations for certain individuals.

The amount of stress and pressure students face as new adults is already absurd, and it’s only growing over the years as expectations increase. And with their lack of regard for mental health and their sole focus on success, CWRU adds tremendously to this stress. It makes sense that CWRU as an institution would want to promote their ability to bring jobs and opportunities to their students, but success has multiple dimensions. The university certainly has the ability to help us and prioritize our well-being, and the time for continual broken promises is long gone. CWRU needs to take action.

observer.case.edu the observer The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@ case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu.

Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of case western reserve university

executive editor & publisher SHREYAS BANERJEE director of print SARA KHORSHIDI director of digital media HANNAH ALLEN director of design VINAYAK MATHUR development editor BEAU BILINOVICH engagement editor MULAN MA news editor GRACE JOHNSON life editor CHRISTIE LANFEAR opinion editor KARUNA LAKHIANI sports editor PUNEET BANSAL social media editor SOPHIA POPKIN photo editor CHRIS HEERMANN

The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @cwruobserver.

web editor COLLIN WONG copy editors RITIKA DEVARAKONDA, JULIA FENG-BAHNS & SHIVANGI NANDA layout designer TARUN SEPURI business managers NIKKI D’COSTA, PHUONG NGUYEN

opinion 9

observer.case.edu

Eettickal: If you don’t mean it, don’t say it Enya Eettickal Staff Writer Have you ever heard of an apology so bad that it actually made your discontent for someone worse? I have.

There was a time when an ex-friend called me some not-so-family-friendly names because I refused to take his plate for him after he told me to “act like a lady.”’ He proceeded to throw a tantrum and stormed out of the building (before you ask, yes, this was in college). After confronting him, he said he was sorry that I was so “sensitive,” but never actually apologized for what he’d said and how he acted.

As a chronic overthinker and overapologizer, I think about apologies a lot. As long as people make mistakes, apologies are necessary—so it feels like we are constantly in a cycle of doling out and receiving apologies. However, all of that is contingent on one factor—the person in the wrong wants forgiveness and is willing to take responsibility for their actions.

That’s what apologies are all about: acknowledging fault and expressing remorse. It’s fairly simple—or so you would think. But the reality is that the simple ingredients needed for an apology are sometimes tough to muster up, and as a result, people try and find shortcuts. But these shortcuts, when evaluated under a narrower lens, reveal just how damaging a poor apology can be.

In order to understand the problem with bad apologies, we should look at what good apologies can (or cannot) accomplish in the first place. In the book “Mea Culpa: Sociology of Apology and Reconciliation” by Nicholas Tavuchis, the author outlines a number of defining characteristics of apologies.

First, he establishes a ceiling for apolo-

gies, saying that “an apology, no matter how sincere or effective, does not and cannot undo what has been done.”

Apologies aren’t made to fix a situation. Regardless, they may be the difference between mending or destroying a relationship. Apologies are so important because of how much they require from the person giving them. Tavuchis mentions how apologies can be embarrassing or humiliating and are a form of suffering for the person apologizing. They require someone to verbally acknowledge their actions and express remorse, while sitting face-to-face with the person you’ve wronged can be stressful and humbling. Theoretically, when a person apologizes like this, it’s implied the person wouldn’t commit the act again because they won’t want to be in the wrong or hurt that person again. Apologies work because they speak to a person’s character and allow them to separate themselves from the action.

That is, however, all in theory. The reality is that, even though apologies are the fastest way to remedy a situation at times, most people aren’t willing to put in the real work associated with an apology. Apologies may be delivered with words, but their weight comes from the attached remorse and humility. Therefore, pathetic apologies are ones that are only said, not felt.

There are a couple of common errors that you can spot in an apology. The first can be spotted by examining what the offender is apologizing for. While discussing apologies in class, my classmate Caroline Kuntzman pointed out a poignant distinction; there is a difference between impact apologies and action apologies. Impact apologies are

when someone apologizes for your feelings, instead of their actions. This is the, “I’m sorry you feel that way,” apology. The issue with impact apologies is that they deflect responsibility, placing fault on your feelings and emotions. Maybe if they’re feeling coerced into apologizing, they’ll excuse their actions, stating that you are sensitive or lack humor. No matter what it is, if, “I’m sorry,” is followed by the words “that you…,” listen closely and evaluate if they’re accepting culpability.

Good apologies are action apologies, meaning that the person says, “I’m sorry,” for what they did, specifying their actions. That’s the only way you both know you’re on the same page about what they did.

Another distinction to look for with apologies is whether a justification or an explanation follows the apology.

A justification should not follow an apology. An excuse diminishes their culpability and validates their hurtful behavior; no one is above fault, therefore, the person apologizing should be able to accept the fact that they were in the wrong. However, there is a fine line between justifying and explaining. Explanations are when a person provides insight into their thought process during or intentions behind the action. Humans make mistakes, and unless they were acting out of pure malice, understanding the reasoning might make it easier to amend your relationship with them. Understandably, the line between explanation and justification can be hard to distinguish. Although while someone is allowed to say and explain that they didn’t intend to hurt you, the intent doesn’t and shouldn’t undermine the impact it had on you; if they try to

argue as much, it’s a justification and shouldn’t be accepted as a true apology.

Now that we’ve gone through all of these distinctions, let’s talk about why it matters. Well, there are two parts to this. The first part is—don’t give out half-baked apologies. I understand that while trying to rebuild a burned bridge, apologies are a one-step path to reconciliation, but it won’t work if you aren’t willing to make the sacrifices that come with it. “I’m sorry,” isn’t a magical phrase that makes it all better.

It’s only as powerful as the remorse you put behind it. Giving insincere apologies may work superficially, but you may reach a point where someone sees through the lack of effort, and it may put you in a worse position than you were before.

Now, this leads me to the other half of my point—don’t accept half-baked apologies. It’s extremely easy to want to alleviate tension and accept the semblance of an apology that’s thrown your way, but I’m asking you to hold yourself to higher standards. If someone does you wrong, you deserve a proper apology. Apologies rely on remorse that motivates someone not to make the same mistake again. Apologies should result in a difference in behavior. If someone is disingenuous, and their apology doesn’t result in that change, they’re just using the act of apologizing to get you to dismiss their wrongs. Apologies without change are just manipulation.

Good apologies are incredibly worth it. And the more we are willing to commit to better apologies, the better off we all will be.

USG: Do not create an endowment with our tuition dollars Letter to the Editor We are the SEC Allocations Committee, the student body’s elected representatives that manage all things related to student finances. Specifically we oversee the Student Activity Fee (SAF), a fee every undergraduate pays to fund all the umbrella organizations on campus, and distribute it to all the major student organizations on campus. We also oversee all spending of the SAF, auditing these student organizations to ensure proper spending of your tuition dollars. Unfortunately we come to the student body with unfortunate news about how your tuition dollars are being spent by our student groups.

It is rare to ever receive funding for everything you need as an organization under the Undergraduate Student Government (USG). For instance, USG insists on funding items such as a pizza party at only $2/person, and small events at a mere $15/person. Many USG organizations have been forced to turn to alternative funding sources, such as the Allocations Committee (AC), to fund their basic expenses. Despite this, USG still has one of the larg-

est estimated buildups of unused funds out of any student group on campus— over $250,000. This is already not ideal, but new USG proposals would sweep this issue under the table, preventing our tuition dollars from being used to support the current undergraduates—funds that belong to students— and instead would serve only their own interests.

USG’s plan, as outlined by proposed Bill 31-17, creates an endowment fund to cover their basic operational expenditures. At Case Western Reserve University, organizations can create an endowment—a type of fund where you deposit money and only receive interest in return. Endowments typically accrue 4.9% interest, with the returns going back into one’s main account.

However, it is unclear why USG needs a fund that accrues over time. Summarized in the proposed bill are plans to spend the endowment on things that USG already funds—causes like the Student Activities Fair, S’party and discretionary spending. This is a flagrant misuse of the SAF, which should be going towards funding student life

in the same semester that students pay for it. The SAF goes directly to student groups, making it one of the few aspects of tuition that students have direct control over. Because the SAF is paid for by a portion of undergraduate tuition each semester, ideally all the semesterly allocated funds would be spent by the end of it, benefiting the activities and overall student life of that semester. Thus it is disappointing to see when organizations fail to spend their funds efficiently and in a manner that benefits the student body.

That being said, all of the major organizations directly funded by the SAF did not spend their entire allocation this semester—it’s been especially hard in recent semesters due to programming limitations—but USG is estimated to be the worst offender. Unused funds, or rollover, build up in their accounts over time, and should ideally be cut down over time through proper budgeting and spending. Although the ways that USG could cut down on rollover may seem apparent—such as imposing significantly fewer limits for their clubs or for their own internal spending so

these funds would get used—their new plan does not accomplish this. Instead it violates the principles by which our tuition dollars should be spent, keeping funds away from student organizations for no real purpose. It seems hypocritical to criticize CWRU administration for not using all of our tuition dollars to benefit the current student body when our elected student representatives plan to do the same thing.

By creating an endowment, USG is withholding $250,000 from the current student body. This is money paid by students currently attending CWRU and thus it should go to us. No one should be paying for the activity of future students—the spending of USG’s SAF allocation should reflect that principle. As custodians of the SAF, we at the AC strongly urge USG to reconsider their endowment plan and to instead find a way to bring value to us, the students at CWRU, especially when we haven’t had much of a student life over the past few years.

Signed, The SEC Allocations Committee

CWRU FILM SOCIETY PRESENTS:

THE 47th ANNUAL SCIENCE FICTION MARATHON

Dune: Part One (2021, PG-13, DCP) War of the Worlds (1953, G, 35mm) SURPRISE 1 (???, NR, TBA) The Lawnmower Man (1992, R, 35mm) Lifeforce (1985, R, Digital) Space Battleship Yamato (1977, G, Digital) Iron Giant (1999, PG, 35mm) Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith (2005, PG-13, DCP)

SURPRISE 2 (???, PG, TBA) Der Golem; Wie Er in die Welt Kam (The Golem: How He Came Into The World) (1920, NR, Digital) Howard the Duck (1986, PG, 70mm) Muppets from Space (1999, G, 35mm) Moon Zero Two (1969, G, Digital) Pacific Rim (2013, PG-13, DCP)

Pre-sales in TVUC (4/18-20) and Nord (4/21-22) $25 for CWRU Affiliate. $30 for General Public Strosacker Auditorium, CWRU Campus Quad More info at: films.cwru.edu/sfmarathon47

10 opinion

4/8/22

Chintada: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s hearing was all too relatable Latavya Chintada Staff Writer I’m sure most of us saw viral snippets of US District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings on social media.

From Ted Cruz asking if baby’s were racist to Marsha Blackburn asking how to define the word “woman,” most of us can agree that this was a ridiculous line of questioning for anyone—let alone someone as qualified as Ketanji Brown Jackson—to sit through.

As strange as it seems, some of us felt an all too familiar feeling when watching the hearings. You may ask, what could an average person even have in common with Judge Jackson, and what the committee made her endure? Well there are many shared experiences that stem from systematic oppression. How Judge Jackson handled these aggressive questions thrown at her is something all too familiar for many Black, Indigenous and Women of Color (BIWOC) seeking higher societal positions.

We saw our experiences in how she

adeptly deflected irrelevant questions asked by predominantly old, white men and eloquently answered ones that did matter. But most importantly, we saw our experiences in the long pause she took, followed by an extremely heavy sigh when Senator Ted Cruz asked her, “Do you agree that babies… are racist?” In that moment, I could see the internal calculation behind her eyes as she pondered whether to speak strategically or give Cruz a piece of her mind for such a bizarre, disrespectful question.

After a long pause, Jackson understandably decided against speaking out and instead answered with, “I do not believe that any child should be made to feel as though they are racist….” Although I cannot speak on Jackson’s behalf, it is highly probable that years of experience in predominantly white settings as a Black woman have given her the skills to deal with these situations appropriately. Unfortunately, BIWOC are discouraged from speaking up or

showing any type of emotional outburst for fear of being labeled as “emotionally unstable,” being taken less seriously or even having their words used against them. Our male counterparts can afford to make a scene and have it labeled as “standing up for himself.” If Jackson decided to let Cruz know how she really felt about his questioning, you could expect out-of-context video cuts on Fox News at 8 p.m. with Tucker Carlson.

Perhaps the fact that Republicans had to resort to such a comical line of questioning is an attestation to Judge Jackson’s clean record and impressive qualifications. With nothing to question about her character or intelligence, GOP senators instead demeaned her with irrelevant questions that simply do not pertain to her role as a judge. This is something high-achieving women underrepresented in their fields commonly face. They are constantly questioned, looked down upon and snubbed simply because of their gender or race.

It’s unfair for women of color to have to dance around the egos of fragile white men in order to make it to the top.

Ultimately, Judge Jackson’s hearing speaks to a long history of racism and sexism that many women of color have endured to get ahead in their fields.

Despite all the obstacles, such as being confined in a room with multiple ridiculous white senators, Jackson has proved that it is possible to overcome them. After a Senate deadlock on her nomination, more Republicans began to back her, advancing her nomination and setting her on a clear track to be confirmed as Supreme Court justice.

Judge Jackson would be the first Black woman to grace the seats of the Supreme Court—a historical event.

Her nomination and imminent confirmation demonstrate the resilience and qualifications that her and many other women of color possess. Judge Jackson has shown all of us that it is possible to achieve our goals, no matter what others may have to say.

Owsley: The problem with the modern research university Finn Owsley Contributing Writer Aristotle once wrote, “Those that know do, those that understand teach.”

While it is certainly true that understanding is necessary for teaching, it can be argued that far more is required.

One can possess an incredibly deep understanding of a subject without having the slightest ability to teach it to others.

Teaching is a skill to be appreciated in and of itself.

Yet the modern system of research universities seems to be entirely unaware of this. Research universities are defined by the fact that they combine teaching and research under one institution. This is a productive arrangement; students gain exposure to research that helps further their education, and researchers are able to draw from a body of students to aid them in their pursuits.

The problem arises from how research universities, such as Case Western Reserve University, tend to manage this relationship. Institutions often hire and promote professors based on their research and publishing accomplishments. However, one of the largest parts of many professors’ jobs is teaching undergraduates. The problem with research universities is that they com-

bine the roles of teacher and researcher without taking into account the differences in qualification. There is no reason why the person who teaches calculus or linear algebra needs to be the same person researching new topics at the forefront of modern mathematics.

The person best suited to do research is seldom the best suited to teach because they are two very different skills.

Too many professors are mediocre educators because they are forced to teach as part of their position when they would rather be conducting research.

And too many teachers are relegated to less-stable, lower-paid positions—such as adjunct professors and full-time lecturers—simply because they prioritize instruction over research. The irony is that those adjunct professors are often better teachers than the higher-status tenured professors for that exact reason—that their main focus is on educating students.

This system hurts both students and professors; students receive less passionate (or even unclear) instruction from professors who may not even want to be teaching them. The professors who are genuinely interested in teaching are underpaid and underap-

preciated. And the research-minded professors are split between research and teaching, making them distracted from the area they are passionate about and less attentive toward students. Of course, you can’t blame the researchminded professors for this. How can you expect them to be eager to teach undergraduates when the university hires them for their research accomplishments?

The fault lies in the system that research universities enable. There is often a divide between the ambitions of the research university and the needs of the students, where the school focuses on status rather than the actual student experience—leading them to fight over highly accomplished researchers and undervalue passionate teachers.

This is especially likely at schools like CWRU. The administration is eager to expand its reputation and budget, so it makes sense that they hire professors with impressive research backgrounds to bring in not only status, but also more funding in the form of research grants. These benefits are flashy and appealing, but they shouldn’t outweigh the goal of providing undergraduate students with a quality education.

Ultimately, we need to change the way we view professorship. The truth is that a teacher who knows more isn’t always better. Of course, a teacher should have an in-depth understanding of the subject at hand. But when it comes to the classroom experience, being able to make a course engaging and connect with students is more important than publishing thousands of papers.

Practically speaking, there ought to be more of a divide between researchers and teachers in universities. Institutions should treat these two positions as distinct from one another, with some overlap. There is nothing wrong with having professors who genuinely want to do both, and those professors should be free to do so. But for the most part, research universities need to understand that being knowledgeable in a subject and teaching that subject well are very different things—so they should hire for research and education separately. That way, the only people who need to teach would be those who are truly passionate about teaching, and researchers would be able to focus on their research.

Picture of the week

@Shreyas Banerjee

sports

friday, april 8, 2022 volume LIII, issue 25 estd. 1969

Men’s and women’s tennis sweep weekend matches, tout eight-game win streaks Puneet Bansal Sports Editor As the regular season winds down and the conference championships loom on the horizon, the Case Western Reserve University men’s and women’s tennis teams are rounding into their final form after sweeping their opponents this past weekend. The men’s team defeated North Carolina Wesleyan College (7-2) and Kenyon College (8-1), improving to a 17-2 record. Meanwhile, the women’s team sports a 15-1 record after taking victories over Christopher Newport University (9-0), Oberlin College (7-2) and Denison University (8-1).

Men’s Tennis Against the No. 13-ranked NC Wesleyan, the No. 1 CWRU men’s team fell behind early as the duo of second-years Vishwa Aduru/Sahil Dayal lost an 8-5 decision in second doubles. Third-year James Hopper/graduate student Jonathan Powell righted the course immediately with an 8-5 in first doubles. Fourth-year Chaitanya Aduru/third-year Michael Sutanto gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead in the match after taking an 8-6 victory in third doubles.

In the singles, first-year Ansh Shah opened with a 6-2, 6-4 win at third singles, while fellow first-year Ajay Mahenthiran won 6-4, 6-3 in sixth singles. Powell clinched the match win for CWRU after coming back to win fifth singles 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Though Hopper lost first singles 6-4, 6-4, the Aduru brothers came away with victories to seal the game 7-2.

Chaitanya Aduru took fourth singles with a 6-1, 4-6, 3-1 sequence while Vishwa Aduru won in a third-set tiebreaker 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (4).

The Spartans swept the doubles

Fourth-year Chaitanya Aduru went 4-0 in his matches over the weekend, earning him the UAA Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week honor.

Courtesy of CWRU Athletics against No. 24 Kenyon, with Powell/ sweep against No. 28 CNU. First-years Dayal securing an 8-1 win in second Hannah Kassaie/Lily McCloskey won doubles, Hopper/Sutanto winning 8-3 in 8-4 in first doubles, first-year Radha Pafirst doubles and Chaitanya Aduru/Shah tel/second-year Katherine Wang notched taking an 8-4 victory in third doubles. an 8-4 win in third doubles and thirdFor the singles, Powell won third singles year Nina Hoog/second-year Pallavi 6-4, 6-4 while Chaitanya Aduru battled Goculdas bested their opponents 8-5 in in a tough second singles to earn a 6-2, second doubles.

2-6, 6-3 win. Sutanto and Mahenthiran First-year Anna Kan, Kassaie and each played three-set matches to earn McCloskey came away with resounding their victories at first and fourth singles, victories in their singles matches, adding respectively. First-year Casey Hishinuma firmly to the team’s success in the doutook a 6-1, 6-0 win in the fifth singles. bles. Wang, meanwhile, came back from Second-year Daniel French recorded the a first-set loss to win the match on a thirdonly loss for the day in the sixth singles set tiebreaker 2-6, 6-2, 10-7. First-year match, falling 6-2, 6-4.

Madeleine Eiss also claimed a comeback Chaitanya Aduru was named the UAA win—3-6, 6-1, 10-6—in fourth singles.

Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week for his The Spartans defeated Oberlin 7-2 4-0 performance over the weekend. that Saturday afternoon. Kassaie/McCloskey recorded the only doubles win Women’s Tennis with an 8-1 victory in first doubles. AfThe No. 12 CWRU women’s team ter losing the second and third doubles, kicked off their weekend triple with a 9-0 the Spartans swept the singles to earn

their seventh straight win. McCloskey, who ranks 10th in the singles players in the Central Region, won 6-0, 6-2 in first singles, Eiss added a 6-1, 6-2 victory of her own at fourth singles while Kan came away with a 6-2, 6-1 win in fifth singles. Goculdas secured the Spartan victory in sixth singles with a 6-2, 6-1 showing. Third-year Savannah Bright and Patel recorded victories in third and second singles, respectively, to complete the match win.

The women’s team celebrated Senior Day on April 3 against Denison, honoring third-year Bright and fourth-years Eliza Georgiades, Nidhi Jha and Shreyaa Mukund. To add to the festivities, the Spartans demolished their opponents 8-1. CWRU came away with a 2-1 lead after Kassaie/McCloskey and Bright/ Wang took victories in first and third doubles. Goculdas/Hoog fell 8-4 in second doubles.

At sixth singles, Eiss delivered a flawless performance, winning 6-0, 6-0. Kassaie followed with a 6-0, 6-4 win in first singles, while Patel secured the team win with a 6-0, 6-2 victory in third singles.

McCloskey (7-5, 6-1), Kan (6-1, 6-0) and Bright (6-1, 6-2) finished off the perfect weekend with victories in the second, fifth and fourth singles, respectively.

The men’s tennis team will play three matches on the road to conclude their regular season. On April 10, they will compete against Kalamazoo College and the University of Michigan. Both the men’s and women’s teams will battle against Carnegie Mellon University on April 16 before heading to the UAA Championships in Altamonte Springs, Florida from April 21-23.

Softball splits against WashU 2-2 Puneet Bansal Sports Editor The nine-game win streak was not meant to last for the Case Western Reserve University softball team, as the Spartans posted an even 2-2 record this past weekend against No. 25-ranked Washington University in St. Louis.

The two teams went back and forth, with Washington winning the first game 7-2 while the Spartans answered with a 7-2 victory. In the third game, Washington squeaked out a 2-0 win, but first-year pitcher Lexi Miskey shut out Washington in the fourth game, leading to a 5-0 Spartan victory.

For the first game, both teams remained scoreless until the fourth inning. The CWRU defense was no match for the fiery Washington hits as they managed to score five runs, four of which came in a grand slam. After another scoreless inning in the fifth, the Bears scored two runs in the sixth, taking their 7-0 lead. The Spartans managed to get on the scoreboard in the seventh inning. Second-year catcher Jordon Manworren hit a double that allowed second-year outfielder Stevie Rieger to score. A single from fourthyear Grace Yeung scored Manworren, putting the final score at 7-2.

The Spartans came out strong in the second match, scoring three runs in the third inning. Second-year outfielder Kela Jagoda and second-year shortstop KaiLi Gross took bases following the Bears’ throwing errors. Gross then stole second base, putting CWRU in prime position for scoring. Rieger’s double scored Jagoda, and Manwor-

First-year pitcher Lexi Miskey was honored as the UAA Pitcher of the Week for allowing a batting average of just 0.157 against Washington.

Courtesy of CWRU Athletics ren’s single plated Gross and Rieger. baseman Liv Thomas allowed ManMiskey only allowed two Bears to worren to score the Spartans’ seventh reach bases in the first four innings and run. just a solo home run in the fifth inning Washington scored just one run in to cut the Spartan lead to 3-1. Unfortu- the seventh, and the game ended 7-2 nately for the Bears, CWRU exploded in favor of CWRU. Manworren went with a four-run inning in the seventh. three-for-three on offense, including a Third-year Carli Tucci reached second walk and a stolen base. Miskey earned base off a double and ultimately scored her fifth consecutive complete game on a bunt from Rieger. Gross, who had while allowing one earned run and reached third base following Tucci’s four hits to go along with six strikeouts score, plated following third-year sec- and one walk. Her earned run average ond baseman Amanda Riely’s sacrifice (ERA) was lowered to 1.44, the lowest bunt. Manworren’s double sent Rieger mark in the conference thus far. to home plate for the third run of the The third game was a disaster for the inning. A single from fourth-year third Spartans. In a battle between pitchers,

first-year Kylie Hosey was outmatched

by Washington’s Madison Denton. The two teams combined for only six baserunners in the first five innings before the Bears broke the spell. In the sixth frame, Washington scored two unearned runs. CWRU couldn’t respond in the seventh inning, dropping their third game of the season 2-0.

Miskey turned it around in the series finale, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out six batters to lower her season ERA to 1.24. In the second inning, first-year outfielder Isabella Russo’s double scored Thomas.

Russo then scored off a Bears error to cap off the Spartans’ scoring 2-0 in the inning. Thomas caught fire and hit a solo home run in the fourth frame to push the lead to 3-0. Riely scored in the sixth inning on a fielder’s choice

by Yeung, and Gross scored following a single by Manworren in the seventh. Miskey closed the game with two strikeouts.

Miskey received her first UAA Pitcher of the Week honors for allowing just one run in 14 innings in her two starts against Washington. She struck out 12 batters and allowed a 0.157 batting average.

CWRU now stands at 13-8 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Spartans will host a four-game series against Emory University from April 8-10.

The series opener will be on Friday at 3 p.m. in Mather Park. The teams will play two games on Saturday, at noon and at 2 p.m. The series finale will be on Sunday at 11 a.m.

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