News: Jimmy Kimmel returns to air after suspension (pg. 4)
Friday, September 26, 2025
Volume LVII, Issue 6 Est. 1969
CWRU receives failing grade in national free speech ranking
Noah Paniagua Contributing Writer
Case Western Reserve University is among six Ohio institutions that received a failing grade on the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. With a score of 56.16 out of 100, CWRU ranked 163rd out of 257 universities surveyed, based on responses from 326 students. The failing grade places CWRU alongside Kent State University, Oberlin College, Ohio State University, the University of Dayton and the University of Toledo. Wright State University, which ranked 49th, earned the highest grade among Ohio schools, receiving a “D.”
Nationwide, Claremont McKenna College in California received the highest ranking with a “B-” grade, while Barnard College in New York City placed last with a score of 40.74 and an “F.” In Ohio, FIRE reported declines in political tolerance and administrative support compared to previous years. The survey, conducted by College
Pulse and FIRE, gathered responses from more than 68,000 students nationwide between January and June. It evaluated universities across nine components, including comfort expressing ideas, self-censorship, political tolerance, administrative support, disruptive conduct and whether institutions have adopted the “Chicago Statement” on free expression. Nationwide, 166 of the 257 universities ranked received a failing grade, and Ohio’s average grade of “F” matched the national average.
Like many other universities, CWRU has adopted the Chicago Statement, a widely cited framework for affirming campus free speech. It maintains that it supports students’ rights to protest and express views. The survey results, however, suggest student perceptions do not always align with formal commitments.
At CWRU, about 49% of surveyed students reported selfcensoring at least once or twice a month. Seventy-seven percent said shouting down a speaker was acceptable in rare cases, and 41% said violence could be justified in some
situations to stop speech, data that reflects similar trends in other universities across the nation. Comfort expressing ideas and administrative support for free speech were among the university’s lowest component scores.
FIRE’s chief research advisor, Sean Stevens, said the results in Ohio reflect a broader national trend. In FIRE’s summary of the rankings, Stevens noted that survey data shows a decline in students’ willingness to allow controversial speakers on campus, coupled with an increase in acceptance of disruptive protest tactics such as shouting down a speaker, blocking access to events or even using violence.
Recent campus events have also drawn attention to free expression at CWRU. In 2024, the university introduced new protest guidelines requiring pre-approval and limiting demonstration locations. Students for Justice in Palestine described the changes as “entirely authoritarian in nature,” while law faculty passed a resolution stating that the policy was “inconsistent with the stated free expression policy.”
In May 2024, the university temporarily withheld degrees from students involved in a pro-Palestine encampment. Law student Michael Grimm said the decision was a “clear violation of free speech,” and another student said he was barred from commencement activities due to an investigation. In April of this year, a university webmaster reported being asked to remove webpages about DEI scholarships, which she refused. She said the move “was very against Case’s values” and inconsistent with the school’s mission.
Supporters of FIRE’s rankings point to such incidents as evidence that universities can struggle to translate policy commitments into practice. On the other hand, critics of the rankings note that they rely heavily on self-reported student experiences and subjective measures of campus climate, which can vary widely by context. As higher-education institutions nationwide reflect upon their grades, these rankings prompt discussion about how free expression is defined and can be practiced on campus.
Lucas Yang/The Observer
CWRU community can expect the ISEB’s completion for October 2026
Alyssa Wang News Editor
As Case Western Reserve University students and faculty walk to the Case Quad, they can see the construction of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building. This new space will open up to the CWRU community in October 2026 and will feature innovative labs and technology platforms, all in hopes to support and further research at CWRU.
The idea for the ISEB arose from
the university’s 2015 Campus Master Plan which was a list of construction they wanted to accomplish.
President Kaler and the Board of Trustees approved the project in 2022 and then, in November 2023, Yost Hall was demolished, signaling the beginning of the construction.
“The project became a reality in 2022 with the development of a concept study and basis of design,”
Dean Tufts, Vice President for CWRU’s Campus Planning and Facilities Management, said. “Further design was completed with faculty engagement in the role of surro-
gate research leads contributing information regarding the research themes and cores.”
The ISEB will be a five-story research building of about 189,000 square feet, consisting of wet, damp and dry labs, offices and collaboration spaces. The first floor will include an open collaborative space, and a Caribou Coffee cafe will be located on the ground floor for students and faculty to enjoy. Furthermore, the building will be home to eight separate laboratories. These eight will be Life Science Therapeutics, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Electrochemistry, Neurobiology and Robotics, Sustainable Manufacturing and Materials, Human Fusions Institute, Climate and Ecosystems and Artificial Intelligence Applications.
“This building provides new, state-of-the-art space where various research focus areas can overlap,” Tufts said. “This provides unique, and sometimes unexpected, opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.”
The university allocated $300 million for this project, $150 million from donations and the other half from bond funding. The construction of the building has remained within budget, with no cost overruns or adjustments. However, the contractors faced another issue: location. The construction
of a building between the quad, Tomlinson, Wickenden and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive proved challenging because of the 20 feet change in elevation between MLK Jr. and the quad. According to Tufts, careful planning of site logistics helped mitigate the issue. Additionally, they closed a lane on MLK Jr. Drive and used a tower crane to allow access to the construction via the lane, rather than via the quad.
Currently, the university estimates they are about 37% complete with the building. The construction crew has completed their foundation work with the caissons and steel. Right now, they are working on the framing and masonry, mechanical systems and plumbing. They are also finishing their addition of metal studs, an electrical system rough-in on the inside and curtain walls on the exterior of the building. The crew’s next steps are the building of the envelope and roofing, with hopes to enclose the entire building by January 2026.
“The ISEB will enable our current faculty and researchers, and those we may hire in the future, to work in one of the most modern research facilities in the country,” Tufts said. “As for students, the ISEB will provide accessible collaboration and meeting spaces, as well as contribute to the greater educational experience that on-hands research work brings.”
News-in-Brief
CAMPUS
CWRU-led initiative is among 15 finalists for a $160 million prize
Northeast Ohio Strengthening Manufacturing for American Resilience through Technology, led by Case Western Reserve University, was named one of the 15 finalists in the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines Program. If they win, Northeast Ohio will receive up to $160 million over ten years in hopes of
NATIONAL
creating 200,000 jobs, educating and training Ohio’s future workforce and advancing multiple economic sectors. NEO-SMART was announced to be a semi-finalist in July, and within the upcoming months, NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines Program officials will conduct an in-person site visit for the final round.
President Trump claims acetaminophen is linked to autism
In a White House press conference on Sept. 22, President Donald Trump and several deputies, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced that the Food and Drug Administration would soon update drug labeling. These updates would notify physicians to discourage pregnant women from taking acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, because of its link to autism. Many experts argue that there are not enough conclusive studies that show connection between the two, and Tylenol can be safely consumed after consulting one’s healthcare providers. In a statement
sent to NPR as a reply to the conference, Kenvue, the company that produces Tylenol, said “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents.” The administration is also going to begin the approval process for a drug called leucovorin. Leucovorin is a form of vitamin B used for cancer treatment patients, yet federal officials hope to use it as a treatment for autism, despite limited evidence of its effectiveness.
COMMUNITY
The 2030 Special Olympics to be hosted in Cleveland
Cleveland will be hosting the 2030 Special Olympics USA Games, according to officials. Representatives from the Special Olympics and Cleveland Sports Commission signed a contract on Wednesday affirming the decision.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the extraordinary abilities, resilience, and spirit of our athletes from across the nation,” Jessica Stewart, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Special Olympics Ohio said. Hosted every four years in major cities, the games celebrate people with intellectual disabilities in an inclusive event. It will draw in thousands of participants–over 5000 athletes and coaches, as well as families and fans, from across the country and feature more than 16 sports in an 8-day competition. Next year, the 2026 games will be held in Minnesota.
INTERNATIONAL
The United Nations gathers for their climate summit
The 80th session of the United Nation General Assembly opened on Sept. 9, with high-level General Debate running from Sept. 23 to Sept. 27. One of the main topics discussed during this conference is climate change; in particular, China, for the first time, has vowed to increase efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the New York Times. Diplomats for 121 other countries also presented their plans to counteract global warming over the next decade. Although the United States was not scheduled to speak about their climate negotia-
tions, President Donald Trump delivered an hour-long speech which received criticism from many observers for his comments about countries’ immigration policies and climate change beliefs. Other subjects addressed during the assembly include Ukraine and Syria’s restoration of diplomatic ties after three years of severed ties and Brazil’s preparation for negotiations with the United States about artificial intelligence. The assembly will be formally concluded on Sept. 29, and live updates can be found on New York Times.
New clubs on CWRU campus begin activities
Anya Lin Analytics Manager
Between January and May, Case Western Reserve University welcomed 15 newly recognized undergraduate student organizations on campus. This includes 11 under the Undergraduate Student Government and four groups under the Undergraduate Diversity Collaborative. Many of these clubs are now starting activities this semester.
Among the 11 new clubs in USG are AnchorPoint, Global Business Brigades and Survivor Club. The four UDC clubs are Black Student Nursing Association, the Chinese Basketball Club, Color Stack and Latin Presence in Nursing. The full list of new clubs can be found on the CampusGroups website.
After being recognized, student organizations gain access to funding, a page on the CWRU CampusGroups hub, tabling and event space rights, support from the recognizing organization and more.
One new club under USG, AnchorPoint, states in its constitution that its mission is to “support young individuals transitioning out of foster care and into independent living after turning 18 years of age,” and to “raise awareness and provide essential resources and guidance to help them become self-sufficient.”
Third-year students Alex Kim and Evelyn Oh are the co-presidents of AnchorPoint. Kim says the idea of the club came from a similar club in South Korea that worked with orphanages.
“It turns out that the United States got rid of [formal] orphanages,” Kim said. “We shifted our idea from helping orphans into helping the youth in foster care and group homes.”
This year, they are collaborating with the Raven House, an emergency home for girls ages 7 to 12.
“We want to volunteer there and just offer tutoring, help on resumes and job applications or [assistance in] getting a higher education,” Oh said.
Students interested in starting a new university-recognized under-
graduate student organization must submit applications to the appropriate recognizing organization, typically USG or UDC. Generally, they must have 10 to 15 initial members— depending on the recognizing organization—an executive board, an adviser, a logo and a mission statement. They will then be contacted about the next steps in the application process. Further details about application requirements can be found on the USG and UDC websites.
Applications for both USG and UDC
Tyler Sun/The Observer
clubs this semester close on Oct. 1. Graduate students who wish to start a recognized organization should contact the Graduate Student Council for more information. The club application process can often be complex. Mariama Bah, the UDC vice president of internal development, encourages students to start preparing to apply early.
“Time is of the essence,” Bah said. “The sooner the application is submitted, the more time you have to work on and practice your presentation.”
Alyssa Wang News Editor
Sabrina Feldberg News Editor
Jimmy Kimmel returns to air after suspension
Sabrina Feldberg News Editor
American Broadcasting Company (ABC) News returned “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to its late-night slot on Tuesday after suspending the show “indefinitely.”
Kimmel had received backlash after making comments about the man who shot right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, with public criticism coming from the current administration and prompting a quarter of the network’s stations to opt out of airing the new episode.
In a monologue the Monday after the shooting, Kimmel had said that MAGA conservatives had been trying to paint the killer as “anything other than one of them” and desperately using it to “score political points.” The remarks caused backlash from conservative media outlets for what they deemed as misconstruing the politics of the killer. Yet, Kimmel had sent his regards the day of the murder on Instagram to Kirk’s family. And in his recent episode, he made it clear that “it was never [his] intention to make light of the murder of a young man. [He doesn’t] think there’s anything funny about it.”
“Most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway,” Kimmel said.
stood up in protest against these tactics. More than 400 artists signed a petition with the American Civil Liberties Union in defense of free speech after Kimmel’s suspension.
The day of Kimmel’s return, President Donald Trump posted, “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back…I think we’re going to test ABC out on this.” The president is threatening to take legal measures and sue the network for their actions. He had previously called the suspension “Great News for America,” congratulating ABC for “finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” Many observers have noted that these comments are extreme, given that Kimmel’s show is comedy-based.
And many fans and nonfans alike did not see ABC’s decision as an act of courage, but rather of fear: the fear of retaliation from the current administration for exercising their fundamental First Amendment rights.
Other instances of cancellations have been occurring with other talkshow hosts. Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) News recently announced that Stephen Colbert’s show would end in May. The news upset many fans, including secondyear student Penelope Cloonan.
Reporters have described Carr as threatening Kimmel with mafioso behavior, sending a message to oth-
The suspension occurred shortly after Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), took an interview on a right-wing podcast. He called Kimmel’s remarks “truly sick” and concluded that “we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
er artists and activists that dissent of conservative figures could potentially carry serious consequences. Carr, who believes that he can reserve the power to withhold broadcasting licenses that do not serve the public interest, has been known to criticize liberal media outlets. Numerous artists and activists
“I think political comedy is a really accessible way for people to kind of engage with the news,” Cloonan said. “People will engage with it on their level because comedy is funny, and they’re able to be entertained and actually learn something about the world. So I see the loss of political comedy shows as a real detriment to our ability to have civic responsibility.”
Following its suspension over comments about Charlie Kirk’s killer and the subsequent widespread backlash, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” returned to the airwaves on Sept. 23. Courtesy of Erin Scott via Wikimedia Commons
Play in a Day continues to slay
Penelope Cloonan Life Editor
The time is 8 p.m., Friday night. Writers are given a prompt: “Master of Deception.” They get their start and it is off to the races. The scripts are finished by that morning, actors and directors work on the scenes all day and by 8 p.m. Saturday, Case Western Reserve University is gifted three new short plays. These ambitious theater enthusiasts (and perhaps a few adrenaline junkies) write, direct and put on a completely new play all in the span of 24 hours. It is a campus tradition that remains impressive.
This semester, Players’ Theater Group (PTG) put on a good show, three scenes centering around deception, all showcasing pretty strong comedic chops. To give a brief rundown of the sketches: the opening scene titled “The Great Laundry Deception,” saw two security guards, one a bit more worldly than the other, attempting to catch a prisoner that the more gullible guard let out for “Laundry Duty.” The second sketch "The Man With The Money At The Claw Machine (TMWTMATCW)," involved more small-scale deception. In performances truly deserving of an Oscar, the stars are a girl who knows how to get the money needed to win at the claw machine, the eponymous man and the ever important claw machine—a silent but deeply important role. Watching TMWTMATCW fail to flirt with this girl over and over while dropping counterfeit money and a photo of Jared Leto among other things was a truly special experience. It is a simple yet effective sketch that can only be written on a time constraint, half asleep. The closer, “On the House,” tells the tale of assassination attempts continuously going wrong. The feuding pair and (spoiler alert) the double crossing bartender take on their roles extremely seriously, playing out almost like a noir murder story. All the punchlines pay off rapidly at the end in a style very reminiscent of “Dear Sister” by the Lonely Island, leaving the audience rolling in laughter. The world will never know how one of the would-be double-crossers caught so much air in springing back to life. It was a tight set and I remain amazed that this was pulled off in 24 hours.
My favorite thing about Play in a
Day is how welcoming it is. It is a feat of theatrical skill, but PTG welcomes anyone to write or audition—theater aficionados or not. As such, I sat down with one of the freshman actors starring in Play in a Day this year, Connor S. otherwise known as Gary the security guard from “The Great Laundry Deception.”
Penelope Cloonan: Hi Connor, let’s get straight into it. Did you have previous theater experience before Play in a Day? If so, how did you bring that experience into Play in a Day?
Connor S: I grew up doing little bits of theatre in summer camps and high school, and writing little shows in my bedroom, but I never wrote anything knowing for a fact that other people would see it. Those definitely gave me some practice from a writing end, but even then I've only ever created for the sake of creating rather than for other people's entertainment. I'm not saying Play in a Day was just all "Oh yeah, make this thing that *has* to be good because you now have these expectations" or anything—I really really enjoyed it and would love to do it every chance I get—but [it] was a really new way of approaching the writing, especially because we were so limited with the time. I think I turned in my script
around 2 a.m., and ended up sleeping at 4 a.m., only to wake up at 7:30 to start rehearsals. For acting, my high school has this thing called the student directed showcase, where four seniors each year get to direct their own 30-minute selections of pre-existing plays. I did that three times, and that definitely gave me a good idea about how to approach Play in a Day as an actor because we were working so closely together as peers and figuring it all out in real time together.
PS: Awesome. You’re a first-year, so I’m assuming this was your first time with Play in a Day. Are there any things that surprised you about Play in a Day, good or bad?
CS: This is my first! I was really surprised we had this here because I had applied to some other colleges that had advertised their own 24-hour theatre and thought that it would be something I wouldn't get here (and I would have to start myself), so I was very pleasantly surprised when it was announced. Especially because I'm a freshman, I was a bit scared about having to break my way into the theatre scene (also largely because I'm not a theatre major or minor), but I was able to make so many friends just in those 24 hours
from how closely we all worked together. I was also terrified to see how people would respond to the show I wrote (On the House) because it was one of the first times something I wrote wasn't being performed by me in my bedroom, but people seemed to really like it which was awesome.
PS: Anything else you want to say about Play in a Day or your experience?
CS: I think it's an experience anyone would like, even if you aren't a theatre person or you have never acted in your life. If anything, it's like this constant stream of adrenaline the entire day where you get super invested in this one thing for a day and then boom, it's over and what you've made is out there forever, but you get to know people so much better and find a community you may have never anticipated being so involved in.
For those of you who missed it this past weekend, I have good news. Play in a Day is semesterly, and should you want to participate, or watch in support, be sure to check back in at the beginning of Spring Semester. If you can’t wait for more PTG, check out their Youtube channel to see recorded performances or go see PTG Live!—another favorite tradition—on Oct. 24.
The Players' Theater Group tradition continued this past weekend, with the group continuing to put on entertaining shows with something for everyone—both in the audience and on the stage.Courtesy of Ashley Rosinski/The Observer
Courtesy of Ashley Rosinski/The Observer
Cleveland goes to Kurtistown: Kurtis Conner's Goodfellow Tour stops at Playhouse Square
Penelope Cloonan Life Editor
This past Sunday, popular YouTube Commentator and famed “Mayor of Kurtistown” Kurtis Conner stopped into the Mimi Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square for his “Goodfellow World Tour.” His style of comedy is reliant on snappy editing that felt at home on Vine, and overall leans into an awkward style of humor. Though he is funny, it’s an almost uncomfortable sense of humor. I was unsure if this would translate well onto the stage, especially after seeing reviews from his earlier standup sets claiming he was just unfunny and awkward. It is safe to say that while these concerns were warranted, Kurtis Conner has learned to hold his own on stage.
The opener for the show, like many of his previous shows, was his best friend and occasional guest on his YouTube channel, Jacob Sharpe. Sharpe served as a good compliment to Kurtis’s set, taking a personal but fundamentally immature tone that let the audience relax and have a good time. The bulk of his short set revolved around a little known fact about Sharpe: he is quite bald. In fact, he is “Cancer Bald.” He spent the rest of his set taking the audience through his journey after brain cancer, making light of it in a fun way. He then went on to the very contro-
versial topic of bald men as a whole, poking fun at the stereotypes of horrible bald men and sharing personal experiences with them. He is truly not like other (bald) guys. Sharpe
took a somewhat uncomfortable topic and was able to get the audience acclimated for the main set: Kurtis Conner.
Conner truly is an interesting person. As a Canadian with fairly immature humor who looks like he was pulled straight out of Bushwick, you never really know what to expect. Picture this: a white man with a mullet, mustache, baggy t-shirts, patchwork tattoos and the sense of a man who is somewhat “in touch with his feminine side.” I was not disappointed from a shock value perspective as his first bit centered around his general appearance.
He opened welcoming his lesbian fans and informing the audience that he consistently is told he looks like one. Having just attended the Performative Lesbian Contest hosted by WRUW this past week, I cannot disagree. This bit somehow led into “The Lesbians of Zelda,” a videogame concept he had come up with by combining his general love of video games and outside opinions on his style. It evolved in a manner similar to his videos, and by the end I was confused but laughing.
From this ridiculous starting point he transitioned into talking about his childhood habit of lying. He reminisced about when his deceased stepfather would catch him playing video games late at night. Conner takes this throughline a little more seriously than “Lesbians of Zelda”—obviously—which further welcomes the audience in.
With a YouTube video, it is very easy to develop close or even parasocial connections between the per-
former and the audience. A major issue that Conner struggled with in his first tour “Keep Busy,” was keeping that close feel without just copying his YouTube style. Adding in these more personal moments solves the intimacy issue fairly well. This section narrowly avoided tonal whiplash and was a welcome addition that resonated with the audience.
Given how large the theater is, Conner did not have the wherewithal to do much crowd work, but he did insert it when able. He opens his bit about childhood lies by asking the audience about if they lied to be here. The crowd here was remarkably honest, much to the surprise of Conner. It was a cute bit that would have worked with a better crowd. From this he goes into a few lies he told as a child and the high he got from them. His big lie involved a whole neighborhood of kids tricking a younger child that he had super speed. It’s the kind of mean-spirited prank that kids just do. The kids of “Goodfellow Street”—the tour’s namesake—further relate to the audience, the good, the bad and the ugly. Conner’s anecdotes really are sweet and solidify the transition from digital personal to live personal.
Overall, the show was fun. While I doubt anyone in that theater was there as a fan of specifically Conner’s stand-up and not from his YouTube channel, his show has legs to stand on after initially failing to translate from video to real life. For pre-established fans, it’s a good time. If you’re not a resident of Kurtistown, the nosebleed seats are probably worth it.
Too busy applying for internships, studying for midterms and copying p-sets to find someone marriage-worthy? Banking on the whole “marital bliss” thing suddenly coming together at age 30? Interesting bet. Lucky for you, the Case Marriage Pact is in the backup-plan business … and back for the week. Take out your marital insurance today. (And they say romance is dead). Look out for links from your friends and group chats to participate!
Noted YouTube commentator Kurtis Conner made a stop in Cleveland on Sept. 21 as part of his "Goodfellow World Tour." Courtesy of Cleveland Scene
Please, for the love of Kelvin, stop the PDA in KSL
Aphrodite Greek Goddess of Love
Ladies and gentlemen. Long have I been silently disturbed by this problem. I’ve whispered warnings into the study group chat, hastily sending red-alert texts like “don’t go near the back of the second floor, it’s bad.” But on Monday night, something so egregious, so vile, so traumatizing happened to me that I knew I had to issue a public safety announcement. I was peacefully walking through the KSL stacks, trying to find a good place to catch up on the previous five weeks of lectures I slept through the night before my exam, as one does, when all of a sudden, my eyes were assaulted by a couple’s re-enactment of 50 Shades of Grey. In the first floor stacks. Right next to the Dewey Decimals.
Now, there are things Kelvin Smith Library is designed for: crying, questioning your major, silently judging what people write on their white boards, etc. What it was NOT built for is serving as the set of your erotic fan fiction. And yet, every single day, couples treat KSL like it’s the Bachelor Mansion with better Wi-Fi (sort of).
Did
I kill Sears Grab-It?
Matthew Stall Video Editor
Last week I entered a familiar place for the first time this semester: Sears Grab-It. I was checking out the product selection, noticing some new items, and saw that some had been removed. This was all to be expected. However, with every second that I lingered in that small room, a dreadful feeling began to envelop me. And that's when I saw it: the old points system was gone, replacing it was an entirely new system to determine how much food you could get. Grab-It has changed ... Nay! It has been murdered!
For context, Grab-It previously had a points system. Each meal swipe was 12 points, and you could choose to spend them on entrees (six points each) or snacks (two points each). This system was needlessly convoluted, but it did give students the freedom to get two entrees or six snacks. Most important of all, though, the points system was exploitable. Complex systems beget great riches for those who choose to master them, and I was not about to miss out.
Here's how the math worked: First, assume the unlimited meal plan, allowing you to go all out on snacks and still have swipes left in the day for meals at other dining locations. At Grab-It, there were 12 points per swipe, but you could use a maximum of two Grab-It/Bag-It swipes per day. Two swipes gives you 24 points, equating to four entrees or an astonishing 12 snacks. Now let's extend this to a week. For each week you can use a maximum of five Grab-It/ Bag-It swipes, equating to 60 points; 10 entrees or 30 snacks. With my trusty bicycle, I was able to carry my spoils back to Cutler House with ease. Grab-It turned from a source of quick food in between classes to a free grocery store. My friends and I named this strategy, "Grab-It Maxxing." And, in case you were wondering, yes, there were some weeks where I did grab 30 snacks.
We must have flown too close to the sun, though, because the old Grab-It Maxxing strategy has been made completely obsolete through two crucial changes. Double swipes have been severely nerfed; a Grab-It employee informed me that you now must wait at least 10 minutes between swipes. As previously mentioned, the points system is gone. Now, there is an equally complicated, but much more strict set of rules, and a distinction between premium and non-premium entrees. The standard Grab-It limit is now one non-premium entree and two sides. As a result of these policy changes, Grab-It Maxxing is now dead. While there is still a significant amount of food one can theoretically procure per day from the minimart, the 10-minute swipe timeout makes this difficult to the point of being useless.
If it really was my exploits that led to this severe Grab-It nerf, I do apologize. But worry not, young first-years, there are still some lucrative opportunities available. The severely underutilized USEFULL containers seem like the next place to look for getting the most out of your meal swipe …
You’ve seen them. You know them. The couples who decide to “go on a date” to KSL. Apparently, nothing screams romance like splitting a Dunkin’ doughnut and gazing longingly at each other over the glow of dual MacBooks. Then, there are the hand-holders. And not just across the table—oh no. They hold hands under the table, over the table, while typing, while scrolling, while breathing. For what purpose? If you’re that worried your partner will wander off, maybe go on a better date than KSL.
And then, dear reader, the massages. Some couples look around the stressed room and think, “You know what this space needs? A deep tissue rubdown.” No one, absolutely no one, should have to watch shoulder kneading next to Cramelot Cafe.
Finally, the breakups. KSL has witnessed more heartbreak than Tinder, Hinge and the Bachelor franchise combined. There is nothing more soul-crushing than sitting on the third floor, trying to memorize glycolysis, while five feet away someone whispers, “it’s not you, it’s me,” and the other person bursts into tears over a copy of Transcendentals of Calculus.
Look, I get it. Love is powerful. However, KSL is not a love nest, it’s a graveyard of happiness, a mausoleum of stress and the only relationship I want to witness is between x and y on a coordinate plane. Please, for the love of Kelvin, keep the hand-holding, the straddling, the massages and the dramatic break-ups out of the stacks and let us all fail in peace.
Opinion Discrimination doesn’t sell jeans
Aleksandra Majewski Opinion Editor
American Eagle, is it genes or jeans? Because to me it seems like it’s more than clothing.
The “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign for American Eagle Outfitters struck its audience with mixed signals. For those who haven’t seen it: the campaign makes a play on words, emphasiz ing actress Sweeney’s blue eyes and blonde hair. This rest is left up to the audience to in terpret and, by the looks of it, it doesn’t look so great for American Eagle.
Many consumers have inter preted the campaign as an ideal ization of white supremacy and an overt form of discrimination against minority groups with different body types and skin color. Those consum ers are right. I mean, wearing “great jeans” isn’t necessarily novel or an objectively good marketing concept. It’s bland. This seems more calcu lated than that, especially for a suc cessful, nationwide company with more than enough resources to hire a decent marketing team. American Eagle leans into the soft, white look to give way for connotations of such. It’s even weirder that this advertise ment features men’s jeans and was meant for a male audience. With this in mind, it only causes its consumers to wonder where the company’s morals and values lie.
was about the jeans.” However, President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Sydney Sweeney and the campaign seems to extinguish the
American Eagle should recognize that. In general, clothing brands should learn a lesson or two about
sponse. The tone-deaf nature of American Eagle has failed its customers. Foot traffic declined nine percent amid the aftermath of the Sweeney jeans campaign.
At the height of the backlash, American Eagle broke their silence and responded to the criticism, saying that the campaign “is and always
It’s more than just jeans, American Eagle. The clothes we wear are an outlet for self expression and are what define us. As a clothing brand,
gender and body inclusivity. Brands like SKIMS by Kim Kardashian have leaned into the importance of diversity, body types and all. Each campaign is representative of more than just one culture and celebrates it. Clothes hold cultural value, which is subjective to each individual. It’s not up to a clothing company to de-
cide what is important and isn’t, just like how good “jeans” are subjective. Gap doesn’t have to show off its great jeans to bring customers into the store. The global girl group, KATSEYE, was selected to be the face of the “Better in Denim” campaign. The campaign doesn’t focus on the physicality of the jeans, but rather the abstract idea of individualism and self-empowerment. For decades now, Gap has fed its consumers with iconic campaigns. Within the first three days of the campaign’s launch, it earned over 400 million views throughout all social media platforms. The Gap campaign gives us a throwback song, a viral dance on Tiktok and a movement of cultural impact. On the other hand, American Eagle’s campaign leaves a bad taste in At the end of the day, it is up to us who holds power and who doesn’t. In light of current political turmoil, being an active voice holds weight. Boycotting American Eagle can set that example. The clothes we wear represent our values. Think about the feminist movement and shift from dresses and skirts to the normalization of wearing pants, like jeans. That cultural and social collective matters, which is something that Sweeney and American Eagle seemed to miss. Discrediting the importance of such and not taking accountability for their actions is lousy and incompetent. Diversity, inclusion and self-expression sells. Discrimination and the sexualization of women doesn’t.
A petition to dilly-dally: What happens when we always chase productivity
Riya Kulkarni Copy Editor
We’ve all been there, trying to study or finish that last assignment when all we want to do is … anything else. Maybe we’re overwhelmed with the work we have to do, or maybe we feel the pressures of perfectionism and don’t want to start. We push ourselves to “lock in,” but call it quits too often, feeling guilty each time we pick up our phones to doomscroll again and again. Doing anything but the work we have piled up always seems to feel better than actually getting things done, but the sinking feeling in our stomach knowing we’ve wasted time is much worse. Can we really consider these pauses to be “breaks” if we feel worse after taking them?
We may trap ourselves in a cycle of counterproductivity and double the time it takes to complete a task. In this “popcorn brain” mindset, we work and get little done, then stop
working and think about how we could be working. By the time we resume our work, we feel ashamed, not refreshed, and we stay up late in attempts to catch up.
A break is not shameful, not when it has the potential to act as a tool that makes productivity much more efficient. We just need to know how to use them.
Just as an athlete wouldn’t do 150 consecutive bicep curls while strength training at the gym, as students we must take meaningful breaks in reasonable intervals. One popular example of this is the Pomodoro method, where 5 minute breaks follow 25 minutes of work (10 minutes of break to 50 minutes of work is also a popular option). By time-boxing our productivity and knowing we will be rewarded, we remain more focused when we work in the meantime. When we do get a break, however, it’s important to take it seriously—stand up, take a short walk, drink a sip of water or refresh your bowl of snacks. Try to avoid the doomscroll, and find
something relaxing while also not too stimulating to do.
On the other hand, these nonacademic activities do not need to just be breaks from the “actual” work. In chasing productivity— which is to say our work—we forget that productivity can come from doing things for fun. From knitting a sweater to reading a book, pursuing hobbies is also important, and we can even gain new skills and perspectives.
Take, for example, communities that form around specific interests. Avid readers may join a book club, and find fellow readers to nerd out over exciting scenes. Thespians (or enthusiasts of the craft) may join together to put on or watch shows. Singers, songwriters and musicians may collaborate and start a band. These connections are important as well. Not only can we bond over our interests, but we can exchange ideas and opinions that are much more diverse than one field in the academic space. Beyond that, we learn different ways to problem
solve and communicate with other people, or even mitigate our stress. At the end of the day, it’s important to finish your assignments in a timely manner, but our hobbies and interests are what keep things interesting and elevate our mood when it comes time to sit down and start your English paper. Let’s take our hypothetical band. The singer may be a future doctor, the guitarist an engineer, the percussionist an English student and the piano player an aspiring forensic psychologist. At school, they will be in different classes, learn about different issues that excite them or drive their aspirations, which they can share with the members of the band. Connected by their love for music, this band is diverse in their backgrounds and perspectives, and they have a lot they can learn from each other.
Continue reading on page 10
True editorial freedom requires financial freedom
Editorial Board
On Sept. 15, Jimmy Kimmel commented on speculations about who fatally shot Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer and infamous ally of Trump. Soon after that, Kimmel was taken off air. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) argued this action had to be taken against Kimmel, and it could be done either the “easy way or the hard way.” This event, and many others, brought to light the harsh reality that the journalism industry is not as perfect as it should be. To some degree, the press has always been controlled. People with power, either political or monetary, are able to decide what information the general public receives. And particularly within the last few years, we’ve seen the true impacts of this power.
The FCC implements and enforces America’s communications network laws and regulations. It has the power to regulate the content that is aired, penalize companies that violate the Communications Act and “[revise] media regulations so that new technologies flourish alongside diversity and localism.” The president selects the commissioner who serves as chairman for the agency. This is just one of many reasons why recent developments have been concerning.
It’s impossible to deny the fact that American nationalistic sentiments are rising throughout the country. When Karen Attiah, the only remaining Black full-time opinion columnist at the Washington Post, spoke up against the controversial viewpoints of Kirk, she was fired. Today, terminations for less-public figures who have chosen to speak out against Kirk’s harmful
rhetoric have also been growing more common as well, especially with Vice President JD Vance calling on people to act as watchdogs of their colleagues: “Call them out, and hell, call their employer.”
Trump has been unjustly targeting his critics for years now. During the ongoing criticism of Kimmel, Trump claimed that “all [the networks] do is hit Trump. They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that,” as if being licensed by a government agency means that they cannot criticize the nation’s leader. The administration has set its sights on challenging the tax-exempt statuses of various nonprofits that have been critical of the president, aiming to make their missions more difficult to accomplish.
The Trump administration has cut NPR and PBS funding, leaving the nonprofit media organizations scrambling for funds. NPR, a radio network, has provided well-researched and reputable journalism for years. PBS has aired countless documentaries and news stories while maintaining a commitment to cultural diversity. By limiting the resources these networks have, the Trump administration is limiting the quality of coverage the nation can access.
This oligopoly over the media can also be seen in our social media as well. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, acquired Twitter in 2022 with the alleged aim to provide “civilization [with] a common digital town square.” Prior to its acquisition, Twitter, now X, was one of the most popular apps for promoting discourse and spreading news. It allowed for the quick dispersion of new political and social developments, providing an accessible forum for users to weigh in with their opinions. Before Musk took over, checkmarks were a way
to denote verification. Public figures could be identified and less at risk of being impersonated by bad actors. Now, though, users have the ability to pay a monthly subscription fee for a checkmark, which in turn pushes their content more than those who are unpaid users. This barrier to entry has created a platform full of Musk’s own supporters, parroting each other’s political views and providing useless or harmful commentary on important announcements.
Similarly, billionaire Mark Zuckerberg owns Meta which now encompasses Instagram. While Instagram was never intended to spread political awareness, in recent years it has grown to help with advocacy. Users post infographics about how policies can hurt people in America or quick reels to spread information, which can then gain virality and encourage protests. So often today, though, mention of certain political movements on the app receive limited visibility.
Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post. The billionaire’s control over America’s media came under fire when a pre-written endorsement for Kamala Harris during the 2024 election was axed prior to publication. After some individuals who worked at the company stepped forward to profess their outrage over the decision, Bezos wrote his own editorial, stating that “[p]residential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election.” At the time, the chief executive officer of Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Bezos, met with Trump hours after the Editorial Board of The Post had drafted its original endorsement of Harris.
As a student newspaper, this is the restrictive climate we must navigate within our operations. We have to make sure we are accurate-
ly reflecting the ideas of our campus community and being mindful of the opinions of our alumni and donors—who will, and have, vehemently pushed back when they feel the publication has stepped out of line. Every editorial decision requires calculation, not out of choice, but out of necessity. A newspaper should be a forum where complete freedom of speech should be lauded, yet we have seen in recent history that there can be severe consequences for saying exactly what we want to say in the way we want to say it. True editorial freedom requires financial freedom.
At the end of the day, our writers are not allowed to publish content anonymously. This is a hurdle when it comes to being vocal about incredibly controversial topics. This policy does not just encourage students to remain silent, it also highlights the fact that they can be exposed to administrative or political retaliation. If a student wants to share political views not widely held by rich and powerful Americans, they can be doxxed and harassed. This is what today’s environment of divisiveness, hatred and greed has cultivated. While all news sources contain a trace of bias, it is up to us to maintain a generally nonpartisan standard of reporting. The main exception is our opinion section, which is our primary avenue to express concerns about the world around us.
That being said, we encourage everyone who is interested to write us letters and articles for publication. Express how upset you are, say what you think are the biggest problems plaguing our country, dispel apathy. It is our job to distribute information about how our campus community feels, and our audience is the most vital piece of our job.
Editor’s Note
The Board of Directors
The Board of Directors would like to provide some clarification as to why the “Performative Male” contest post was taken down. On Thursday, Sept. 18, The Observer posted an “In Photos” collection on Instagram from our “Performative Male” contest which occurred this past Wednesday. Two of the contestants featured in the post were wearing keffiyehs, a cultural garment often used to show support for Palestine. We want to make it clear that the post was not taken down because the contestants were wearing keffiyehs, nor do we believe that wearing a keffiyeh is inherently “performative” in any way. At The Observer, we fully support the publication of politically-charged statements, including Pro-Palestine sentiments, in order to accurately reflect the feelings of those in our campus community. Overall, we hope to act as a forum for Case Western Reserve University and promote productive discourse.
The reason the post was taken down, though, was because of the manner in which some of the comments raised issues with the contestants wearing keffiyehs, specifically at a “Performative Male” contest. At the time of the competition, we had no reason to believe the contestants intended to imply that supporting Palestine is “performative,” however it is clear that, given the information present in the post alone, many people who viewed it did not conclude the same. Although it likely was not their intent, many of the comments were received in an inflammatory, rather than constructive, manner.
We also want to clarify that the contest was judged primarily based on answers to short and long form questions, rather than appearance. The contest itself was intended to be a lighthearted recreation of the recent social media trend on many college campuses, not as commentary on an extremely serious geopolitical issue. During the contest itself, none of the contestants mentioned the crisis in the Middle East,
Being on the premed track, I find it easy to neglect my hobbies because they never seem as important as the next assignment or exam. I allow it to sit in the corner of my mind, only to be accessed if I have free time. However, the people I have learned from the most are my writer friends, who I have discussed so many things from plot arcs to problems in today’s society. I aspire to learn as much about the world around me as possible, which
starts with connecting with the world around me. I cannot do this from a bubble. We cannot do this from a bubble. So, whether it be a break or a creative outlet, I propose that it is important to dilly-dally, to look beyond the need for productivity to grow and learn from the world around us. We can let our seemingly unproductive outlets be a door to new worlds, where there is so much to explore.
The Case Western Reserve Observer
Established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of Case Western Reserve University
Darcy Chew Executive Editor & Publisher
Hannah Johnson Director of Print
Sabrina Feldberg News Editor
Alyssa Wang News Editor
Penelope Cloonan Life Editor
Aleksandra Majewski Opinion Editor
Ellie Palaian Sports Editor
Michelle Bai Copy Editor
Riya Kulkarni Copy Editor
Siya Motwani Copy Editor
Abhishek Nambiar Copy Editor
Mariana Parilli-Castillo Copy Editor
Lily Zhang Copy Editor
nor acted out any verbal form of activism as part of a character. At CWRU, many students wear keffiyehs on campus, and it was an oversight for the Board of Directors not to recognize how the post could have been received. We now understand that, on a public platform and in a post about an event at which many viewers were not present, the content could be perceived as implying that pro-Palestinian activism is performative. For this egregious oversight we are incredibly sorry, and we accept responsibility for our actions and their negative implications.
The Observer values the opinions of all CWRU community members immensely. Given the discerned tone of the commentary surrounding the post, the Board of Directors made the collective decision to remove the post in order to protect the wellbeing of the individuals included, as well as to ensure that The Observer was not seen as trivializing political activism. That was never, and will never be, our intention, and we again apologize for the Board of Director’s failure to consider the alternative ways the photos could have been interpreted. For these reasons, it felt irresponsible to keep the post up without clarity being provided on The Observer’s part.
These comments raised important questions about when and why a keffiyeh should be worn, and we certainly understand any frustration that our framing of the event may have caused. We take full responsibility for the way our post was received and aim to do better going forward. We would love to hear your genuine thoughts and seek your guidance on how our newspaper can improve as a forum for the CWRU community. Our goal is to make this a platform for everyone to engage in constructive discourse and find productive solutions to the very complicated issues surrounding us. We would like The Observer to be a place where everyone feels safe to speak their mind and share their thoughts and opinions. Please continue to engage with us about how we can handle sensitive topics going forward.
DESIGN
Anjali Bhuthpur Director of Design
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DIGITAL MEDIA
Auden Koetters Director of Digital Media
Moses Fleischman Web Editor
Ayan Sheikh Video Editor
Matthew Stall Video Editor
Obafami Tidjani Web Editor
Phillip Kornberg Photo Editor
Tyler Sun Photo Editor
Esha Bagora Social Media Editor
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Ethan Daley Sports Broadcaster
BUSINESS
Tyler Vu Director of Business Operations
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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 via e-mail at observer@ 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.
The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram @cwruobserver.
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Honoring the class that redefined CWRU women’s soccer
Ellie Palaian Sports Editor
On Sept. 20, the Case Western Reserve University women’s soccer team celebrated its 10 graduating fourthyears during Senior Day at DiSanto Field. The ceremony honored cocaptains Jamie Goldfarb, Mackenzie Mueller and Alexis Sassower; defenders Emma Struck and Julia Flynn; forwards Maggie Farra, Ceci Dapino, Molly Shamah and Andrea Silva; and student manager Mikaela Ramos for their lasting contributions to the program.
Recruited by former Head Coach Jen Simonetti (2019–21) and having played under Abby Richter (2022–23) and current Head Coach Alyssa Johnson (2024–present), the group entered CWRU as a class of 15 and quickly set the standard for one of the most successful eras in program history.
As first-years in 2022, they captured the first and only UAA Championship title in CWRU women’s soccer history and advanced to the NCAA National Championship game, finishing as national runners-up to Johns Hopkins University. Since then, the class has led the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament each season while compiling an impressive 48-8-11 record over four years.
Over their collegiate careers, this senior class has helped set a program record for the longest non-conference unbeaten streak in CWRU women’s soccer history, going 60 games without a loss since 2018.
This graduating class has been defined by adversity. Over their four years, they’ve played under three different head coaches and seen six members of their original class depart for various reasons.
Four of the remaining nine entered college already recovering from knee
injuries, and all began their recruiting journeys in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which dramatically altered the process. Yet despite these challenges, they chose CWRU for its rigorous academics and, just as importantly, the sense of connection and chemistry they felt with the team during their visits.
“I knew the type of school I wanted: a place where I could balance academics and athletics,” Struck said. “I spoke in depth with a handful of schools, but ultimately chose Case because of the team culture. During my visit and conversations with former players, one thing consistently stood out: the incredible support everyone had for one another. The team truly felt like a family. Regardless of playing time or role, everyone wanted what was best for each other, and they always found ways to have fun together.”
This year, seven of the nine active seniors are fixtures in the starting lineup, continuing to anchor a team that has grown into a consistent national contender. Their leadership, consistency and commitment have left a lasting legacy for the program and will serve as the foundation for future success at CWRU.
Head Coach Alyssa Johnson set high expectations for this senior class and praises the way they’ve risen to meet them this year.
“I think we’ve put a lot of expectations on this group,” Johnson said. “We’ve dug into them at times, but we know that this group can handle it. I think we all know that it’s because we’re trying to reach these goals that we have this year. Both Coach Ross and myself have gotten into people a little bit, and when we have the conversation afterwards, it’s like, ‘no, we get it’, ‘it’s nothing personal’, and things like that. And I absolutely love that from them because you do need to rely on experience. And I think we’ve been able to do that a lot this year.”
Courtesy of Marcelo Dapino
Johnson appreciates the leadership each fourth-year has shown and the welcoming environment they have created for the classes that followed, as she believes it is what makes this team so special.
“I know a lot of them have talked about what it felt like when they were
“My biggest hope for this final season is to enjoy every moment and give it everything I’ve got,” Mueller said. “It’s my last time playing with my best friends, and I want to soak it all in: every game, every practice, every bus ride. I want to be present, have fun, and make the most of every second.
freshman and how the upperclassmen treated them, and now our upperclassmen are taking that opportunity to now give back and continuously cultivate that culture,” Johnson said. “I think that’s a big part of why we’re seeing the success that we have this year, because they are valuing that and making that something that’s at the forefront of whatever they do, whether it’s on the field or off the field with the team.”
Each of the 10 graduating fourthyears expressed gratitude for having navigated the past four seasons together. Struck, in particular, is thankful for her class, who stood by her through multiple season-ending injuries. She says she feels lucky to have been part of this group, noting how they have learned from one another, grown together and supported each other through both the highs and lows.
“I feel so lucky to have had such an amazing class on the team,” Struck said. “We all get along so well, have so much fun together, and always support each other through everything. In many programs, I might have felt left out because of my injuries, but my class has always been there for me, making me feel like a valued member of the team. Coming into college, I was nervous about being part of such a big class, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the friendships I’ve formed with each and every one of them. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things the future holds for us.”
While Mueller is excited for the remainder of the season, she wishes time would slow down so she can fully savor her final year as a Spartan. She believes she can graduate content if she knows she gave everything she had to the program.
And of course I want to win. We’ve worked hard for this, and I know what we’re capable of. Finishing strong means playing with heart, competing with everything we have, and walking off the field knowing we left it all out there.”
Johnson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead this class, noting that they have left a lasting impact on both the program and on her personally.
“With all the change they have gone through I am super appreciative that they have stayed true to who they are, but also been receptive to who we are,” Johnson said. “Whether they realize it or not, they have pushed me to be a better coach for them, because that is what they deserve.”
Second-year defender Kinzly Gootman is sad to see the 2026 class graduate but is determined to do everything she can to carry on their legacy.
“I hope that one day my class and I can have the same impact on future Spartans that this senior class has had on us,” Gootman said. “The adversity they have faced throughout their careers has helped them build a team culture that sets this team apart from others. They truly have redefined what it means to be a good teammate, a good leader, a good student and a good friend. While it will be a big change next season after they graduate, they will have left this team with all the tools that we need to succeed. And I just hope that we can make them proud in the future.”
For full profiles of each of the 10 graduating seniors, visit https://observer.case.edu/.
Disclaimer: Ellie Palaian is a second-year on the women’s soccer team.
Abhishek Nambiar Copy Editor
In a game marked by strong defensive plays on both sides, the newly No. 17-ranked Case Western Re-
serve University men’s soccer team tied Kenyon College 0-0 during their match on Sept. 20 on Kenyon’s home field in Gambier, Ohio. The matchup was especially significant as the Spartans’ last meeting with Kenyon in 2022 ended in a 4-0 defeat.
While this result marks the first time CWRU has failed to score in their 11 past matches, starting all the way from their game against the University of Chicago on Oct. 25, 2024, it nonetheless keeps the squad’s undefeated streak for the 2025 season alive. The Spartans move to 6-0-2 for this season, while the Owls drop 4-1-2.
The graduating seniors of the women’s soccer team have fought through countless challenges and shattered numerous program records.
Courtesy of Marcelo Dapino
Weekly Scores
Cross Country
Pre-National Meet (9/20)
Men’s 4th of 13 teams
Women’s 3rd of 11 teams
Men’s Soccer
vs Kenyon (9/20) vs John Carroll (9/24) T 0-0 T 0-0
Women’s Soccer
vs Calvin (9/20) W 2-0 vs Penn St. Behrend (9/24) W 2-0
Football
vs Westminister (9/20) L 23-28
Volleyball
45th Annual Ohio Northern University Invitational (9/19-20) at Ohio Northern (9/19) W 3-1 vs Millikin (9/20) L 1-3 vs Albion (9/20) W 3-2
Upcoming Games
Spartans suffer 23-28 loss in conference opener to Westminster
Olivia Wen Staff Writer
Maria Burrus Contributing Writer
Last Saturday, the Spartans hosted their first home game of the season on DiSanto Field, where they were defeated 23-28 by the Westminster College Titans from New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.
This season, the Spartans have played two non-conference games, both of which were plagued by weather delays. On Saturday, after falling early in a difficult first half, the defense was able to shut out Westminster from scoring in the second half. Unfortunately, the Spartans were unable to bring the game back, leaving the Spartan’s record now at 0-2-1 with a 0-1 record in conference.
The game began with the Spartans going three and out on the first drive of the game. After an out of bounds punt from first-year punter Nick Delfau, Westminster started with good field position which led to the first touchdown of the game at the 9:51 mark for the Titans. While CWRU responded with a kick return, it was called back due to a holding penalty which effectively ended their chance to equal the score in the first quarter.
Early into the second quarter, the Titans extended their lead with a three-yard touchdown. CWRU was able to get on the board after thirdyear quarterback Sam DeTillio completed a 24-yard pass to thirdyear wide receiver Liam O’Brien who fumbled the ball at midfield, but fortunately it was recovered by second-year running back Andy Kavcic who carried it in for the score.
Cannon was able to continue his solid game by catching an 80-yard touchdown from quarterback Sean O’Shea to keep putting pressure on the Spartans before the end of the half.
At halftime, the CWRU marching band, joined by the Spartan Dance Team, took the field to put on a worldwide performance. The CWRU baseball and softball teams were also recognized at half for their achievements last spring before the game resumed.
In the third quarter, after both teams struggled converting their first drives, Delfau pinned Westminster on their own one-yard line with a dart to the far corner. In the closing minutes of the quarter, the Spartans set themselves up well for a 22-yard field goal made by thirdyear kicker Gabriel Petrozzi to slow down the Titans’ lead.
DeTillio stepped up to the plate after playing back up for 2024 quarterback Alex Fromberg, who graduated last year. He managed to throw a career high of 386 yards. For the offense, receivers Cave and O’Brien broke the 100-yard mark with a touchdown for Cave. The Kavcic twins were also standout players during the game scoring two touchdowns total. On defense, co-captain and fourth-year linebacker Daniel King continued his recent success recording 15 tackles, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Spartans will begin a twogame road trip where they can hopefully improve upon their record in the PAC. To open this stretch, the Spartans will face Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia. CWRU has a strong 9-1 record against the Bison in their previous meetings.
Women’s Soccer
Men’s Soccer vs Otterbein 9/27 at Mount Union vs Baldwin Wallace 9/27 9/30 7:30 p.m., DiSanto Field
Football at Bethany College 9/27
Volleyball
UAA Round Robin #1 vs Brandeis vs Carnegie Mellon at Emory 9/27 9/27 9/28
Men’s Tennis
ITA Fall Regional Championship t Big Red Invite 9/26-29 9/27
The Spartans celebrations were cut short after a pivotal mistake on the kickoff resulted in a 100-yard touchdown for Westminster with six minutes left in the half. Thankfully, the Spartans were able to recover when DeTillio completed a 40-yard pass over the middle to fourth-year wide receiver Dylan Cave to cut the Titans’ lead to seven. The Titans’ wide receiver Brite
The Spartans trailed until DeTillio led a 93-yard drive that ended with a three-yard run by secondyear defensive back Jake Kavcic to make the score 23-28. CWRU attempted to make it a one score game but could not convert a two point attempt. An onside kick recovered by Westminster allowed them to run out the clock and steal the victory from the Spartans.
Although the Spartans struggled,
The Spartans have faced adversity this season. The Spartan defense lost eight out of their eleven starters from the past season, leaving a large gap to fill. The team is still adjusting to major player changes and injuries and are still finding how to promote team synergy. It won’t be until Oct. 11 before the Spartans return to DiSanto Field, where they will face the Allegheny College Gators for CWRU’s Homecoming Game.
Men’s soccer from page 11
As the game commenced, CWRU and Kenyon fought back-and-forth over possession of the ball as the defensive efforts of both teams took center stage. The Spartans were able to get two shots in during the first 18 minutes of the game, but neither were successful. These would also be the only two shots of the period for CWRU as both teams struggled to break through the other side’s defense. By the first half’s end, a mere six shots had been recorded: the two aforementioned shots from the Spartans and four from the Owls.
One very notable moment during the first half of the game came courtesy of fourth-year co-captain and goalkeeper Bradley Winter. As Kenyon fired a shot into the upper corner of the net, Winter dived towards the ball and got a hand on it, keeping the Owls off the scoreboard. This would be one of seven shots Winter faced during the game and the only one which required his intervention, allowing him to record his seventh shutout of the season and the record-extending 19th of his career.
While the defensive battle would continue into the second half, CWRU was able to make a rather quick breakthrough within the first five minutes of the period. Secondyear forward Amir Awais attempted a shot in the 49th minute only for it to be saved by Kenyon’s goalkeeper. This was the only shot the Spartans were able to attempt during the second half, though Kenyon did not fare much better as their three attempted shots during the period were all offtarget. Thus the game would come to a close with neither side having scored a shot during its entirety.
Commenting on the game’s result, Awais took note of how the game still highlighted the team’s strongest aspects.
“I think the game was very promising and a testament to our team’s culture,” Awais said. “Even though it wasn’t our sharpest game technically, our players battled on and off the field to earn a point. Building on this, one positive and promising takeaway from this game is that even when we aren’t at our best
technically, we can compete and will have opportunities to beat any team we play, as long as our mentality and effort are excellent.”
Awais also called attention to where the team can make improvements going forward given the tough competition they have coming up in their next games.
“[We] have to generate more goal-scoring opportunities and be more composed when staging possession in the attacking third of the field,” Awais said. “From here on out, we play two very good teams, John Carroll and Otterbein for our final two out of [conference] games and then we go straight into UAA competition, where every game is a warzone for points, so these fields are a necessity of growth in these next couple of weeks to get results in any upcoming game.”
Following their strong weekend performance, the Spartans earned their first national recognition of the season, coming in at No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 rankings.
Phillip Kornberg / The Observer