The Daily Northwestern — April 9th, 2025

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The Daily Northwestern

Wednesday, April 9,

12 SPORTS/Fuchs

9 CAMPUS/Jeopardy

NU alum Adam Silverman earned a shot at gameshow glory wiht his “Jeopardy!” debut

7 A&E/Minecra ‘A Minecra Movie’ takes theaters by storm

NORTHWESTERN FUNDING FROZEN

e White House reportedly eezes $790 million in federal funding for NU

By JERRY WU, LEAH SCHROEDER, ISAIAH STEINBERG, DAVID SAMSON and LILY OGBURN daily senior staffers

@jerrwu / @lmschroeder_ / @isaiahstei27

@lilyogburn

e Trump administration froze $790 million in federal funding for Northwestern, e New York Times rst reported Tuesday.

e freeze comes amid recent a acks on some of the nation’s elite universities by the Trump administration, with more than $3.3 billion in federal funding having been paused or completely cut

thus far.

In an email to the NU community around two hours a er the news broke, University President Michael Schill said the federal government has not noti ed the University of the freeze. Instead, NU was “noti ed by members of the media.”

Schill wrote in the email that the administration will provide further information to those a ected by the freeze and the NU community “as the implications of these actions become clearer.”

e administration also froze more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell University Tuesday, according to e New York Times.

NU and Cornell join universities like Brown

Thousands protest Trump and Musk

Residents rally in Evanston, Chicago

By EMMA RICHMAN and MAYA HEYMAN the daily northwestern @emmarichman_ /@mayaheyman

Patricia Acha (Communication ’83) didn’t think she’d nd herself in Chicago on Saturday protesting President Donald Trump’s policies — at least, not again.

“ e rst term, I protested at every single protest,” Acha said. “I have a library of these signs in my kitchen, and I was just about ready to recycle them, and then this happens.”

An Evanston resident and lawyer, Acha said she’s grown concerned for the future of American democracy

since the beginning of Trump’s second term. at’s what brought her to the “Hands O !” rally at Daley Plaza.

On Saturday, Acha and hundreds of Evanston residents rallied in Evanston and Chicago for the national Hands O ! day of action. Over 1,200 demonstrations took place around the country in response to Trump and Elon Musk’s “all-out assault on our government, our economy and our basic rights,” according to the Hands O ! website.

Among the chief concerns of the rallies were the recent immigration crackdowns, federal worker layo s

» See HANDS OFF, page 11

University, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, which have all been a ected by threats to funding over the past several weeks.

e pause primarily targets grants and contracts from the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Health and Human Services, according to o cials that e Times spoke to.

Many of these universities are also undergoing federal civil rights investigations. NU is currently being investigated by the Education Department and the Department of Justice.

NU is one of 10 universities that the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism will be

visiting. According to a Feb. 28 news release, the visit is in response to allegations that the universities “may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty members from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law.” e task force will meet with university leadership, students, sta , local law enforcement and community members to “consider whether remedial action is warranted.”

NU is one of ve universities that the Education Department announced it would investigate as a result of reported “widespread antisemitic

Football players reach se lement with Northwestern in hazing case

Fitzgerald suit remains unresolved, trial set for November

By NICOLE MARKUS and ISAIAH STEINBERG daily senior staffers @nicolejmarkus / @isaiahstei27

Northwestern reached a se lement with a group of student plainti s in their claims of personal injury against the University, among other defendants, relating to allegations of hazing on the football team.

e se lement comes nearly two years a er University President Michael Schill terminated former football coach Pat Fitzgerald and instituted several safeguards a er the allegations of hazing and sexual abuse were made public. In lawsuits, players claimed they were

subjected to racial discrimination, hazing, physical abuse and retaliation.

e students and University engaged in a “mediation process” which resulted in the se lement, a University spokesperson told e Daily. e se lement documentation is still being nalized, according to the spokesperson. A orneys for the plainti s told e Daily the terms of the se lement are con dential.

“We intend to continue to work through the remaining outstanding issues to nalize a se lement that will hopefully allow both sides to move forward in a positive way,” they wrote in a statement. The settlement did not resolve Fitzgerald’s breach of contract suit against NU and Schill.

“While the se lement resolves the claims brought by the players, Coach Fitzgerald’s claims against Northwestern remain. He continues to assert that Northwestern illegally terminated his employment, violated an oral contract and defamed him, causing signi cant damage to his sterling reputation,” Dan K. Webb and Ma hew R. Carter, Fitzgerald’s counsel, said in a statement. A trial date for Fitzgerald’s case has been set for Nov. 3, according to Webb and Carter’s statement. is is a developing story that will be updated with more details as they are available.

i.steinberg@dailynorthwestern.com

nicolemarkus2025@u.northwestern.edu

Photo courtesy of Joshua Suko

The funding freeze comes amid investigations by the Department of Education and Department of Justice into Northwestern.

Boarini ponders election loss and achievements

By SHUN GRAVES daily senior staffer @realshungraves

Jeff Boarini roused himself from his first full night of sleep in forever.

Moments before 7 a.m. Saturday, the sole challenger to Mayor Daniel Biss awoke. No alarms. And so much light. The nearly eight hours he slept marked his longest slumber since his April 1 election defeat.

Later that morning, Boarini sat inside his narrow but airy home in a central Evanston condominium complex. He remembered what used to keep him up late during the campaign, when he’d get as few as four hours of sleep.

“Where it really affected me, I think, was in my concession speech,” Boarini said. “Between trying to process the loss, I just don’t think — I was not as energetic as I would’ve hoped to be at that moment.”

He also pondered, with more excitement, everything he’d achieved.

Despite garnering less than 40% of the vote, according to preliminary totals, the political newcomer and his closest supporters said he gave a voice to those who didn’t have one. In a matter of months, Boarini said he quickly cultivated a “resonance with residents” — using, his confidants told The Daily, a disarming humility.

The loss closed the door on many possibilities for Boarini: that perhaps he could topple a well-heeled incumbent who’d garnered endorsements from the likes of Gov. JB Pritzker. That perhaps he could boost accountability directly from the mayor’s office.

One dream lives on.

That perhaps, through all those restless days and nights, something lasting came into being.

“Even knowing the difficulties, knowing the hard work, even knowing the outcome, I’d do it all again,” Boarini said.

Making a voice last

Ahead of Boarini’s October 2024 filing that opened his campaign, the 34-year Evanston

resident mulled over his potential entry into the highly personal world of city politics.

He discussed his options with Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), his romantic partner, who recounted those early conversations during which Boarini could sum up hours of complex political discourse in four sentences.

“He was always able to really just cut through the chase, cut through it all, the political sort of web, and synthesize really quickly,” Kelly told The Daily. “It was really amazing.”

Kelly said she didn’t try to persuade Boarini to run, but she recognized his potential. He “effortlessly or innately just sees good in everybody,” she said.

And so did Ezra Shevick, who eventually helped coach Boarini through his campaign. He met Boarini during those formative days. Shevick had announced a run for the Evanston/ Skokie School District 65 Board of Education.

“I could tell from just our one interaction that he was sharp,” Shevick said. “He cared a lot about Evanston.”

When Shevick dropped out from the District 65 race, Boarini reached out. He wanted his help.

The once-quiet campaign kicked into high gear as the new year dawned. Boarini staked out his skeptical stance on Envision Evanston 2045, a sweeping plan to overhaul city policy pushed by Biss. He seized on comments by the mayor, who said that he saw it as “immoral” not to adopt the plan swiftly.

Soon, Boarini would need to make his case in front of audiences around the city. That’s where Shevick came in.

Aside from sending Boarini pointers and research, Shevick sat with Boarini in his kitchen, working through questions on the issues for hours, multiple days at a time. The discussions revealed Boarini’s engagement and personal connections with Evanston, the campaign coach added.

During some of those events Boarini prepared for, he came face-to-face with his opponent. Biss and Boarini would exchange smiles and handshakes, but their divergent visions for the city sometimes revealed themselves

through occasional barbs between the two men.

At a Feb. 9 forum, Boarini complained about how Biss wielded his mayoral power. Biss snapped back at Boarini, chastising him for a “snide attack.” At another forum, Biss criticized Boarini for staying mum about what the mayor saw as an “obvious conflict of interest” in having a romantic partner on City Council.

Boarini had to navigate how to address both Biss and the mayor’s critics, sometimes at his own peril. After the Feb. 9 forum, he apologized to Biss for some of his digs. And more broadly, Boarini worried about his occasional gaffe — a concern he now thinks he pondered too much.

When asked about what kept him up during the oft-restless campaign, Boarini joked that The Daily’s stories did. More earnestly, he continued, he’d mull over what he saw as gaps in his team: not having enough people to keep his bid humming.

Beyond all of Boarini’s worries, though, something became resolutely manifest to him and his confidants as the April 1 showdown neared.

“He changed the conversation that was happening in Evanston,” Shevick said.

‘An act of compassion’

The election night results swiftly ended Boarini’s bid.

Around 8 p.m. April 1, as Boarini’s campaign hosted his supporters at his Davis Street office, Biss’ resounding win already became clear.

“I could handle losing, but we were hoping that it had been somewhat closer,” Boarini said.

Soon, Boarini got a text from Biss. The mayor messaged Boarini that he’d speak at 8:30 p.m.

“Give me a few minutes, and I’ll call you,” Boarini remembers responding.

Over at Biss’ jubilant bash at a Central Street eatery, the mayor opened his victory speech by lauding Boarini’s concession call as “collegial” and pledging to work together.

Downtown, Boarini meanwhile consoled his supporters, pledging to carry their energy forward. He called on them to keep the mayor

accountable. Then he closed on a high note.

“Let’s let the party begin.”

That sort of levity has stood out to his confidants throughout the campaign. Even as it came to a brisk close, and while Biss garnered a healthy lead, Boarini’s supporters credited his comedic zingers and upbeat approach to fomenting a lasting movement.

Shevick said he thinks the campaign could’ve given more depth to Boarini’s policy vision, aside from broadcasting its qualms with the city’s direction. Yet any reflection on his campaign would not come without praise for the man behind it.

Over the course of the campaign, Shevick said he witnessed Boarini reveal a “difficult attribute in politics”: humility. Indeed, Boarini’s emotional verve seemed manifest from the early days.

“He really rose to that occasion to do what he felt was like an act of compassion, really for our community,” Kelly said. “When you have people feeling really frustrated and dismissed, he agreed to take it on. That impressed me.”

Kelly, who secured another City Council term, recounted the effort and time the couple spent campaigning for their respective races. Valentine’s Day came and went. Boarini and Kelly decided to hold off on celebrating — until later in April, when they’ll head off to Florida.

Not long after he awoke Saturday, Boarini sent out a lengthy missive to his team, to whom he recounted the campaign against Biss. How they “made him work for it.” How he felt “forever in debt” to every member of his team.

Then he closed with his typical flair:

“I owe you each a beer. Or a case. Redeemable anytime.”

Hedy Cohen had already taken him up.

Boarini’s former neighbor helped coordinate events during his campaign. On Friday night, Boarini returned some things to Cohen. They drank one of them, a bottle of wine.

“He’s a man of his word,” she said with a laugh.

shungraves2027@u.northwestern.edu

NU navigates a acks on speech, research

By TIA BETHKE the daily northwestern @bethketia

Amid political crackdowns on research mentioning diversity and other agged terms, Northwestern faculty are grappling with the federal government’s challenges to academic freedom and free speech.

Before the Trump administration froze $790 million in federal funding for NU Tuesday, the government had already slashed at least 700 National Institute of Health grants, at least 12 of which supported projects led by NU faculty.

Feinberg Prof. Cindy Veldhuis had two of her NIH grants canceled during the March 21 cuts. Without these grants, which fully funded her projects on LGBTQ+ couples’ behavior and family formation, she was unable to continue her research. Moving forward, Veldhuis said her research will have to focus on general populations rather than LGBTQ+ subgroups in order to get funding.

“I’m having to be really pragmatic and make decisions about what’s going to get funding back for me and my team,” Veldhuis said. “In terms of taking a more public stand by writing something that could be seen by anti-LGBT people, I have some pause, but I’m trying to get past that.”

An October U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Commi ee report labeled SESP Prof. Shirin Vossoughi a “radical researcher,” and criticized her outspoken support for students who participated in the pro-Palestinian encampment last year. It alleged her research on equitable education incorporated “subjective considerations” at the expense of objectivity.

Despite these targeted funding cancellations, Vossoughi said she hopes NU faculty will remain steadfast in their commitment to pursuing inclusive research and speaking out in their areas of expertise.

Feinberg Prof. Peter Sporn said his research on sarcoidosis, an in ammatory disease that disproportionately a ects Black women, is also at risk of being targeted — simply because it identi es a health equity issue.

Sporn, who spoke at “ e University Under reat” panel in March said, “Opposition to the war in Gaza is not antisemitism. is is a pretext to harm academic institutions and to deny us (the chance) to do the kinds of free inquiry, to look at evidence, to do unbiased investigation of important research questions, and to really follow the truth.”

Feinberg Prof. Amesika Nyaku said she has seen researchers “continue to be vanguards” and refuse to back down in the ght for inclusive research, especially LGBTQ+ health research.

However, she acknowledged that it’s stressful to work under the threat of funding cuts and public a acks.

Vossoughi said she was concerned about the federal government’s a empt to “silence” universities and reshape their research.

“I knew the risk I was taking,” Vossoughi said.

“I knew that there could be these types of a acks. I would do it again, because I believe in what I stand for.”

Earlier this week, the American Civil Liberties Union led a complaint with the NIH. e ACLU

alleged the cuts are an “ideological purge” of hundreds of projects with ties to “gender identity or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) or other vague, now-forbidden language.”

“We will defend the rights of our faculty to determine the content of their research and resist any e orts to undermine the fundamental purpose of the university — the search for truth and enlightenment and the transmission of knowledge to our students and future generations,” a University spokesperson told e Daily in an email.

Vossoughi said that although she thinks the recent surge of anti-DEI rhetoric and a acks on free speech are an a empt to silence her and others, it is more urgent than ever to stand strong against repression as faculty members and for NU to not capitulate to the federal government’s pressure.

“ e future of the eld is hanging in the balance,” Vossoughi said. “And I think it’s going to be important for us to be very wise in how we respond.”

tiabethke2028@u.northwestern.edu

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Many Northwestern faculty remain steadfast in their commitment to pursuing inclusive research.

OPINION

Waldman: Supporters of DEI ending shouldn’t hide

KEVIN WALDMAN

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

As a liberal, gay psychological researcher, my perspective on the issue of diversity, equity and inclusion policies has undergone a philosophical transformation since I began studying it intensely in 2018. Before working in higher education, I supported DEI largely out of ideological obligation as a liberal, without fully grasping its mechanisms or consequences.

Years of extensive research and personal experience have dismantled my earlier perspective, leading me to an unmercifully reversed conclusion. With a sobering relief of sharpened insight, I report that both institutions where I work — the University of Michigan and Northwestern University — have conceded to the pressures of the Trump administration and begun scaling back their DEI initiatives.

I share this evolution not as a provocation but as an invitation to finally celebrate critical discourse. So, today, I say: The time for virtue signaling is over — can we finally return to meaningful research?

The loudest voices in academia, like those in the recent open letter from 922 NU alumni and Weinberg Prof. Laura Beth Nielsen’s op-ed, are in fullblown panic mode. Respectfully, I can’t help but feel that these well-meaning advocates have truly suffered

LTE: If I see someone approached by federal officers, I’m intervening

After reading the Office of the Provost’s “Guidance on engaging with federal officials” circulated Monday, members of the Northwestern community might wonder if there are any other resources available besides the University Police in the event that “you or someone you know is approached by a federal officer on or off campus.”

I can think of one resource with a long and important history, and the piece of technology required is something all of us already have in our pockets: a

LTE: An open letter to the Board of Trustees from faculty

Note from Professor Helen Tilley: On March 18, I submitted this letter on behalf of its signatories to Northwestern’s Board of Trustees, including the chair, Mr. Peter Barris. It has been signed by 287 faculty across schools, including approximately 10% of tenure-line faculty.

The breakdown by school is: Weinberg College: 145 faculty; Feinberg School of Medicine: 50 faculty; McCormick School of Engineering: 27 faculty; School of Communications: 24 faculty; Pritzker School of Law: 15 faculty; Medill School of Journalism: 14 faculty; School of Education and Social Policy: 9 faculty; and Kellogg School of Business: 3 faculty.

The Chair of the Board is meeting with the Faculty Senate on April 9 and it seems fitting for this letter to be part of the public record at this point.

An Open Letter to Northwestern’s Board of Trustees:

We are an ad hoc group of concerned Northwestern faculty and we write to request that the Board of Trustees add consultations with faculty, students, and staff to your deliberations during this emergency. We would like an opportunity to brief members of the Board about how the current threats to higher education, civil liberties, and democratic institutions in the United States and beyond are affecting our campus community. The stakes of this moment are high for us all and we need to pull together.

Many of you have invested deeply in Northwestern over the years. We have too. Many of us began our careers here and have spent decades building programs, directing departments, chairing committees, and doing our part to make Northwestern a premier institution in STEM fields, education, medical research, humanities and the arts, the social sciences, journalism, and law, among other fields. We are deliberately working to bridge schools and disciplines because we know Northwestern is greater than the sum of its parts.

the weight of their own convictions. Nielsen claims that the rollback of DEI is an “authoritarian attack on democracy” and that resisting it is a righteous obligation.

But here’s the truth they refuse to acknowledge: DEI did not foster equality or intellectual freedom. It strangled it. It forced universities into inflexible ideological conformity that punished dissent, prioritized politics over academic excellence, and actively harmed the groups it claimed to uplift. The fact that some faculty members are quietly celebrating its abolishment is not a sign of cowardice — it is a sign that we can finally return to real academic work instead of policing political dogma.

Take the claim that rolling back DEI is an attack on democracy. This argument is illogical on its face. DEI programs did not create more free speech or intellectual diversity on campus. They enforced a narrow ideological structure that punished any deviation from progressive doctrine.

Just ask Prof. Dorian Abbot from the University of Chicago, whose views on merit-based admissions led to the cancellation of his Massachusetts Institute of Technology lecture. Or consider the case of Dr. Joshua Katz at Princeton, who criticized DEI programs and found himself targeted in a public smear campaign that conveniently resulted in his dismissal over unrelated allegations. Similarly, the case of Stephen Kleinschmit, a former clinical associate professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, who was fired in 2023 for objecting to the university’s race-based hiring policies, particularly the “Bridge to

Faculty” program.

When academia operates more like an ideological purity test than a space for debate, democracy is not thriving — it is suffocating.

The authors of these pro-DEI arguments also conveniently ignore how these initiatives fueled bureaucracy at the expense of real academic work. Between 2015 and 2022, universities nationwide poured millions into bloated DEI departments while slashing funding for actual research.

The University of Michigan employs over 100 DEI administrators, outnumbering the history faculty. What do these administrators do? They don’t teach. They don’t conduct research. They don’t advance scholarship. They enforce ideological compliance, ensuring that every department, every syllabus and every hiring decision adheres to a prescribed worldview. If that isn’t political interference, what is?

The irony is palpable when Nielsen and the 922 alumni claim that eliminating DEI will result in a loss of academic freedom. In reality, the end of DEI means faculty members can finally speak their minds without fear of retribution. Research grants can be awarded based on merit instead of ideological litmus tests. It means we can have honest discussions about race, gender and identity — discussions that don’t start from the assumption that dissenting opinions are dangerous.

If anything, DEI was the real authoritarian threat. It created an academic culture where faculty and students were pressured to self-censor, political agendas

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

phone with a camera. If I see someone approached by federal officers on or off campus, whether I know the person or not, I hope to intervene. The first thing I would do is start recording the officers with the camera on my phone. I would make sure that the location of the encounter was clear by recording things like landmarks and street signs. I would focus the camera on the officers themselves, and if their badges were visible I would get them on camera. If they had any weapons visible, I would make sure those were filmed. The same with any paperwork, like a warrant. If I could, I would film their vehicles and license plate numbers. If other law enforcement officials were present, I would get footage of them too.

Afterward, I would be very careful about what I did with the recording — immediately posting

to social media can be a big risk, as the identities of some individuals might need to be protected. The possibility of causing further harm has to be front of mind. Always, the priority must be the safety, dignity and agency of the person who is being targeted. I would get in contact with people close to that person, with lawyers and with activists, instead of acting alone.

Filming has risks, of course, especially if the person doing it belongs to a vulnerable group already. If you are concerned about filming, or for whatever reason you decide to stop filming while the scene is still unfolding, just watching can still make a difference. If I wanted to film but was afraid to in the moment, I would hope someone else there felt secure enough to take out their phone.

The message from many universities in this

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In advance of briefings, we want to share our diagnosis of the current situation.

1. There is no time to lose: The new administration is taking steps that are intended to radically destabilize the foundations of higher education in this country.

It takes decades to build first-rate programs of the kind Northwestern has in abundance. When crucial funding and staff are cut on so many fronts simultaneously – as this administration is doing – it can serve only one purpose: to destroy precious repositories of knowledge, expertise, and public goods. Historically, we know that when autocratic leaders have targeted their own universities, it has only weakened democracies and exacerbated or re-entrenched inequalities. We see this happening already.

2. Young people need us: We teach our students to wrestle with big questions and societal challenges, placing these in historical context and tying them to debates at the cutting edge of different fields. We have a responsibility as educators to support critical inquiry, engage with multiple perspectives, and explore different knowledge systems, past and present. Given our role in training teachers, doctors, psychologists, counselors, coaches and many others, disruptions to universities have immediate and widespread effects on our society, including K-12 systems.

3. We must speak with one voice in defense of our freedoms: The Trump administration is breaking laws and trampling on governing norms as fast as possible because they know legal challenges and court proceedings move slowly. On February 4th, Georgetown law professor David Super made this point to a Washington Post reporter: “So many of these [administrative actions] are so wildly illegal that I think they’re playing a quantity game and assuming the system can’t react to all this illegality all at once.” Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian of fascism at New York University, stated that “We’re in a real emergency situation for our democracy.”

Northwestern is one of several thousand universities and colleges in the United States. Our collective goal should be to defend our freedoms and call out illegalities as if our lives, and so many others, depend

dictated hiring and admissions and the pursuit of knowledge was secondary to ideological compliance. This is not about Trump, nor about “authoritarian control.” This concerns whether universities exist to produce demanding scholarships or to serve as indoctrination centers. The people lamenting the rollback of DEI are revealing their true priorities: They care more about enforcing their political beliefs than ensuring universities remain spaces of intensive study. They are more invested in controlling narratives than in producing results. And that, frankly, is unethical.

Universities are meant to be places where ideas compete on their merit. For too long, DEI ensured that only one perspective was allowed to win before the debate even started. With its grip loosening, we can finally return to real academic work.

Those who are quietly celebrating should not have to whisper their relief. They should be able to proudly and publicly say that it is time to move forward — not backward, not toward authoritarianism, but toward an academic culture that values truth over politics, research over rhetoric and excellence over ideological conformity.

Kevin Waldman is a student at The Graduate School. He can be contacted at kevinwaldman2026@u. northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

moment has been: If the government comes for you, you’re on your own — and the wisest thing for your coworkers and fellow students to do is collaborate in your disappearance by turning a blind eye. That doesn’t sound like much of a community to me.

The moral standards of this particular community could be a lot higher, whatever the Office of the Provost says. The students at greatest risk of being abducted and deported should expect more from the rest of us, and those of us who are safer should expect more from ourselves.

The right to photograph and film ICE officers is protected by the First Amendment. As a safe person, it’s the absolute least I could do for another student, coworker or neighbor.

— Andrew Holter

on it, because they do. Malicious and bad faith attacks – on faculty, students, staff, our president, our provost, our research, and our curriculum – should not go unchallenged. Nothing less than free speech, academic freedom, rights of assembly, rights of due process, and rights to dissent are on the line.

4. We must not repeat myths or falsehoods: US universities have an unparalleled breadth of intellectual opinion and are home to diverse constituencies. Yet, as most of us know, things were once much more homogeneous. It took decades of effort and social struggle to make universities more representative of and responsive to the needs of our society. In doing so, universities have played a crucial role in building more tolerant and equitable communities. What we are seeing now is a backlash of intolerance and exclusion, designed to intimidate and silence a plurality of perspectives and debate itself. Universities provide a necessary antidote to false claims because we endorse debate.

5. We must protect those who stand for human rights and peace: We would never expect members of the Board of Trustees to have uniform opinions since we ourselves disagree on points of substance. We do expect Board members to share our concern when constitutional and human rights are objectively under attack. Students, staff, and faculty at Northwestern have mobilized on various social, environmental, and geopolitical issues for decades. These campaigns have sought to extend human rights, redress past and ongoing wrongs, and ensure viable futures for all. Serious problems on all fronts will only get worse if US universities comply with draconian directives to arrest, expel, deport, or fire those who dissent from government policies. These directives are anathema to the values and mission of our University.

We hope that in this moment of crisis, you will make the time to hear from representative delegations and begin to exchange strategies on what we can do to sustain the vibrant intellectual community at Northwestern.

— 287 faculty members

If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

The Daily Northwestern Volume 149, Issue 1

Editor in Chief

Lily Ogburn

Opinion Editor Eli Kronenberg

Assistant

Opinion Editor Gabe Hawkins

Managing Editors

Misha Manjuran Oberoi

Danny O’Grady

Anavi Prakash

David Samson

Leah Schroeder

Shreya Srinivasan

Jerry Wu

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily office.

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arts & entertainment

WAVE presents plays from first-time directors

By DESIREE LUO

the daily northwestern @ desiree_luo

Communication sophomore Marcus Dowd performed in last year’s Dolphin Show. He has acted in Student Theatre Coalition plays. He minors in dance. And he just became a director. Dowd was one of three new student directors in WAVE Productions’ Directors’ Festival, known as D-Fest. The event showcased three 30-minute plays from Dowd, Communication sophomore Ash Aranha and Communication freshman Abby Pierson over four Friday and Saturday shows in Shanley Pavilion.

While all three directors had acted in productions, they had little to no backstage experience. In high school, Aranha directed one play — a 15-minute act featuring just one freshman from his school.

His D-Fest play “Achilles and Patroclus” depicted the romantic relationship between the two heroes. It was twice as long as the high school production and included four actors playing the titular characters and their younger

counterparts.

One of the biggest adjustments for Aranha was acclimating to working with actors his age and older. But with his prior acting and sound design experience, returning to directing form didn’t take long.

“By the third rehearsal, I was like, ‘I’m so back,’” Aranha said.

Although rehearsals only started in February, the production process began with petitions last fall. The directors also received advice from theatre faculty and graduate student mentors in D-Fest workshops. Prof. Erin Ortman taught Pierson about letting actors use their instincts.

This advice surprised Pierson, she said. Similar to Aranha, she acted alongside younger students in productions. She was used to strict instructions from her directors. However, Pierson soon realized her actors’ instincts usually matched her ideas without her telling them.

Pierson directed “Love Songs For Realists,” in which a band reunion reveals family secrets. She said this production is the play’s first performance.

“That is very exciting, to watch this script that I read on the plane home from winter break actually become a real life work of art,” Pierson said.

Dowd’s play was even newer than Pierson’s. The play, “meanwhile in the sun,” was written by communication junior Maggie Munday Odom and depicts poet Mary Oliver’s relationship with her partner.

The screenplay’s discussion of vulnerability, nature and a gay love story “checked every box that I didn’t even know that I had,” Dowd said. He met Odom before selecting the play, and they connected because they both had parents in the military.

This part of his history influenced his approach to directing. The workshops reminded him of his arts education, he said. Growing up as a military brat, he had new teachers everywhere he moved. With workshops, he only had four hours to learn from different people.

“That’s also how I’m used to learning,” Dowd said. “It really allowed me to create my own directing style rather than imitate and be a derivative of one of my mentors or

teachers.”

Because D-Fest featured three consecutive plays, the crew had only 10 minutes between each to replace sets. But discussion of nature in “meanwhile the sun” inspired what remained for the entire show — over 60 origami birds hanging from the Shanley ceiling. Communication freshman and scenic designer Seidy Pichardo said inspiration for the set came from the Japanese tradition of folding paper cranes to honor loved ones who had passed. To Pichardo, all three plays involved the theme of memory.

She and five other students folded the birds in a Kresge Hall classroom for four hours. In line with WAVE’s mission of sustainability, they used scrap paper, so some of the birds included drawings.

“It hasn’t been as elaborate as this in the past, but I think that this could be a new change for new student theater,” Pichardo said. “This is supposed to be a time for the underdogs to shine.”

desireeluo2028@u.northwestern.edu

Mee-Ow splits from Arts Alliance, collects petitions

By MAYA IKENBERRY

daily northwestern

Northwestern’s premier comedy group, The Mee-Ow Show, separated from its historical board sponsor of over 50 years, Arts Alliance, at the start of Spring Quarter.

Mee-Ow is one-third improv, one-third sketch comedy and one-third “rock and roll,” as it also includes The Mee-Ow Band. The group has held two shows every Winter Quarter since 1974. AA is a student arts organization that works to produce a number of NU art shows, such as the Garden Party and various musicals.

Communication junior Zoe Davis, MeeOw’s current producer, said Mee-Ow originated as part of Arts Alliance, but the two have had diverging goals in recent years. Davis mentioned she noticed a lack of passion and focus on Mee-Ow from AA.

“And so, through these 50 years of growing and having different values, we decided that it’s time that we orchestrate these values and goals as separate organizations rather than one together,” Davis said.

As a result of the separation between AA and Mee-Ow, Davis added, Mee-Ow will organize their own producer petitions for the 2025-26 season, instead of AA selecting the role.

Now, Mee-Ow will have two co-producers, an art and a business producer, and the cast and band will select them. AA has been very helpful in guiding Mee-Ow with the transition to become independent, according to Davis.

The returning cast and band members will select the co-producers based on petitions happening this week, which entail a written petition on a Google form, a coffee chat and an in-person petition.

“We’re hoping to find two collaborators that will work well together and are excited about leading this new era for Mee-Ow,” Davis said.

“Artistic and business separation is a goal that we have in terms of covering a lot of what AA responsibilities for Mee-Ow have been in the past.”

Co-Director and Communication senior Brenden Dahl said AA was often responsible for booking the spaces and running the producer petitions for the Mee-Ow shows in the past. But in recent years, Dahl said, it had become

unclear which of those duties were the board or Mee-Ow’s responsibility.

Dahl also said that there had been some “intense” financial mismanagement at the end of last year, including the disappearance of funds from Mee-Ow ticket sales. Dahl said he thought some of the tensions were the result of a lack of ownership for Mee-Ow from those on the AA board.

He said the board didn’t send many members to help build the first Mee-Ow set because most were working on The Dolphin Show, NU’s student-produced musical.

“I get it from (AA’s) perspective,” Dahl said. “They care more about this thing (Dolphin Show) that they’re actually working on than this random thing that their board supports.”

Communication sophomore Lane Ruble, executive director of AA, said structural issues made collaboration challenging.

Ruble said the turnover rate in Mee-Ow is very high, and there is a new production team every year which made communication between Mee-Ow and AA challenging. There was also little to no creative input from members of the AA board on Mee-Ow shows.

Mark Brogger (Communication ’85) is a Mee-Ow alum and served as a co-chair for the 50th reunion gala that Mee-Ow hosted in April. Brogger said when he was a student, the AA board was involved with all of its productions.

He also said that Arts Alliance and Mee-Ow worked well together to help produce MeeOw’s 50th reunion gala.

“Both organizations were extremely cooperative and enthusiastic. It was lovely to see. They helped us out with many things logistically,” Brogger said.

Ruble added that there is no animosity between the organizations and that AA and Mee-Ow have been considering separating for many years.

She said that though the organizations are separate, she is looking forward to seeing The Mee-Ow Show next year.

“This is a 50 year partnership,” Ruble said. “We have a commitment to making sure The Mee-Ow Show is able to have its 52nd year next year.”

makaikenberry2026@u.northwestern.edu

Desiree Luo/The Daily Northwestern

Encore! Free live music hits Evanston restaurants

By BARBARA BOMFIN the daily northwestern @barbarabom0203

Encore! Evanston, a pilot program bringing free live music to downtown Evanston restaurants, recently came to an early halt after its two-month run due to administrative matters.

Nonprofits Downtown Evanston, which supports downtown Evanston’s local businesses, and Likhaya, which promotes local artists, collaborated to launch Encore! Evanston in February.

Likhaya announced Monday on its website that Encore! Evanston would no longer continue. Despite the abrupt end to the program, artists and restaurants said it provided performance opportunities and boosted restaurant attendance.

Participating musicians performed at The Blue Horse Tavern, Ridgeville Tavern and Bat 17.

Originally set to conclude in late April, Encore! Evanston closed early on account of “unexpected” insurance and copyright licensing issues with the participating restaurants, Likhaya Co-Founder and President Jeremy Docken said.

“Even though it was unfortunate for the musicians, we think it was in the best interest of the

(restaurants),” Docken said.

Despite the early closure, Docken said Encore! Evanston was a “success” for Likhaya.

During Encore! Evanston’s run, Likhaya provided about $5,000 worth of equipment for its musicians due to the participating restaurant’s lack of sound equipment needed for live performances, Docken said.

“Normally (the musicians) would have to purchase the equipment, and it’s expensive,” Docken said. “We use our resources to provide them that so that they don’t have to take that out of their pay.”

With support from an anonymous donor, Likhaya covered 50% of the musicians’ wages. Participating restaurants funded the remaining 50%.

Justin Radtke, a participating artist, said Likhaya’s free equipment access especially helped him save on additional expenses for Encore! Evanston performances.

“Musicians getting paid — it’s a beautiful thing,” Radtke said.

Radtke is the lead singer for the indie-rock band Turning Birds and a member of Reality Bites, a ‘90s and 2000s cover band.

Radtke said he’s accustomed to playing threehour sets with a band alongside him, but Encore! Evanston presented him with a “fun challenge” to

craft a three-hour-long solo setlist.

That doesn’t compare to the “brutal” reality of trying to make a living as a musician, he said.

Radtke said Encore! Evanston provided musicians with a supportive community.

“We’re just like regular people who are artists that are trying to make sure that music is an important part of our culture,” Radtke said.

Docken said he was excited to expand performance opportunities in Encore! Evanston to Northwestern students.

Weinberg sophomore Alexandra Boico connected with Likhaya and performed three songs at The Blue Horse Tavern alongside Daniel Jackson, a participating musician and Likhaya’s head of member relations.

Boico said guest performing for Encore! Evanston was a “core memory” because of the connections she forged with fellow artists.

“The community is really the best part about Likhaya,” Boico said.

Downtown Evanston Executive Director Andy Vick said Encore! Evanston was a way to “use music as a tool” to attract the Chicagoland community to downtown Evanston.

Vick added that live music is a way to unite Northwestern students with the Evanston

community.

“(Music) brings people together,” Vick said. “It is just a joyous experience to hear good live music. You can’t replicate that in any way.”

Ridgeville Tavern Owner Ike Robertson said Encore! Evanston increased traffic to the bar on performance nights, noting that patrons stayed longer and ordered extra rounds of drinks.

Robertson added that the bar’s total revenue on Thursdays increased about 10% to 15% over the past year.

“I do think that the music has been a big part of that,” he said.

Although the pilot program concluded early, Docken said Encore! Evanston helped Likhaya grow from an “unknown nonprofit” to one that is prominent within the community.

Likhaya plans to move its headquarters to the Noyes Cultural Arts Center May 1 and is currently brainstorming new programs for local artists and musicians.

“(Encore! Evanston) was a great lesson,” Docken said. “It was great to watch the bands get more exposure. The businesses were happy. I’m really thrilled with the lessons learned.”

barbarabomfim2028@u.northwestern.edu

Reel Thoughts: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ delivers laughs

By DANNY O’GRADY daily senior staffer @dannymogrady04

All hope seems lost, the main characters are surrounded by zombies with nowhere to go — until a character unknown to them springs into action and saves the day to the tune of “Lil Boo Thang” by Paul Russell.

He then declares, “I am Steve.” The theater erupts in a cacophony of clapping and laughter as audience members yell with glee. This moment is but a microcosm of the joy which “A Minecraft Movie” packs in its 100-minute runtime.

Having sold over 300 million copies since its release in 2011, Minecraft is the best-selling single video game of all time. Given its success, it may seem like a no-brainer to adapt it into a movie, as video game movie adaptations are becoming increasingly popular.

Unlike some video games like “The Last of Us” which are built around its story, Minecraft has almost no storyline — which raises challenges, as a movie adaptation would need to build its story from the ground up, using only the world of the game. Still, a lack of story has never held Minecraft back, as its endless worlds have inspired players to explore and build to their hearts’ content.

A movie adaptation of Minecraft was first announced in 2014 and has undergone several major changes in personnel and story over the decade it took to bring the film to completion. Now that the finished product, “A Minecraft Movie,” has been released, it is safe to say that it is a fun adventure with an abundant supply of laughs to be had. Nevertheless, I can’t help but feel shortchanged, as the film failed to provide a message about creativity and exploration beyond a surface level. This problem comes in contrast to the video game, where those values are core to the gaming experience and make it stand out from most

others on the market.

Older titles like “Up” and “WALL-E” or recent hits like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Puss and Boots: The Last Wish” have shown that movies directed at kids can still contain important messages to learn from, so it is disappointing that “A Minecraft Movie” barely even tries to convey a surface-level message.

Thankfully, the movie definitely delivers on the most important front: comedy. Jack Black puts his all into his role as Steve, making him the standout character.

Having said that, the film’s humor does not translate as well to older audiences who will see the movie with their kids. The type of humor on display could be categorized as “brain rot,” which is fine for younger audiences who understand viral trends and gags, but likely will be lost on older viewers. This choice is not a major issue, as it succeeds for its target audience — but the best family movies usually provide entertainment for adults as well.

An important area where “A Minecraft Movie” knocks it out of the park, however, is its devotion to the source material.

The adaptation of the world is quite faithful to the game, which is sure to be appreciated by fans that have played Minecraft for over a decade. The blocky art style of the world, return of the crafting table and appearance of iconic minecraft mobs all ensure the movie oozes with Minecraft’s iconic style. The classic “Minecraft” theme song is included at the beginning and end of the movie to provide nostalgia and ease fans into and out of this new take on the world.

Taking a step back, it is abundantly clear that “A Minecraft Movie” greatly succeeds with its target audience, but struggles to be anything deeper. There is a great time to be had here, but the movie does not swing for the fences and is content to be not much more than a fun movie. Having said that, a fun movie is all it needs to be.

d.ogrady@dailynorthwestern.com

Reel Thoughts: ‘The White Lotus’ blends Buddhism, tragedy

By MAYA WONG daily senior staffer @mayaw0ng

This article contains spoilers.

“Stop worrying about the love you didn’t get. Think about the love you have,” said Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) in the final episode of “The White Lotus” Season 3. Such is a pervading theme in this latest season of HBO’s popular dark comedy.

Once again, Mike White has delivered the show of the year with another installment of “The White Lotus,” with eight weekly episodes that concluded on Sunday. Each season of the show focuses on a different location of the White Lotus hotel chain. Instead of Maui

or Sicily, Season 3 takes place at the chain’s Thailand resort. Amongst lush tropical scenery and idyllic suites, this season serves more character development, slower pacing and a heart-wrenching twist.

Because Season 3 moves noticeably slower than previous installments of “The White Lotus,” viewers come to understand characters’ psyches better, resulting in a better payout in the season finale. In line with its Thai setting, the season explores many Buddhist themes such as karmic consequences, the illusion of self-improvement, spirituality, the search for meaning in life and more. Yet, the ideas of being present in the moment and actively loving what you have now ring true in Season 3.

Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs — who you’d never guess played Lucius Malfoy in the Harry

Potter series) spirals during his entire vacation, as his company falls under due to fraud. In probably the most suspenseful moment of the season, Ratliff attempts to commit a murder-suicide involving his wife and two oldest children, rather than coming clean to his family and savoring time with his loved ones.

Divorced lawyer Laurie (Carrie Coon) and her two childhood friends, movie star Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Texan executive Kate (Leslie Bibb), are on their first girls trip together in a while — but tensions strain their relationship. Relatably, Laurie struggles with feeling left out and villainizes her friends by using past behavior as defining traits in her friends’ current character.

Chelsea’s older boyfriend, Rick (Walton Goggins), pays no attention to her because he is preoccupied with confronting the man who he believes killed his father. Rick’s insistence feels overdramatic and annoying at times as dwells on his lack of a father figure instead of focusing on Chelsea.

Buddhism preaches living fully in the present, as the past is long gone and the future is unknown. This idea is eventually adopted by Ratliff and Laurie through self-reflection.

Yet, Rick ignores Chelsea’s urges to drop his vendetta and feeds into his hatred. This decision leads to his, Chelsea’s and three other people’s demise.

Chelsea’s death marks the first non-comical one in all three seasons of “The White Lotus.” Armond and Tanya’s deaths in past seasons were simply funny. The most lovable character of this season, Chelsea always had faith in the good of others, supported Rick in his questionable decisions and believed that fate would do her well. Chelsea evoked happiness; Rick stood for pain. And pain won, as Rick’s stupidity killed her. Perhaps this season will go down in history as a tragedy.

“The White Lotus” Season 3 delivers audiences with some of the most shocking scenes yet: an incestuous threesome, an old man’s odd kink and a somewhat trope-y “I am your father” reveal, to name a few. There are brand new

iconic characters: alongside Chelsea, Southern mom Victoria Ratliffe (Parker Posey) solidifies herself as the new Tanya (think “Piper, no!”). Yet, the season finale leaves a couple of loose threads hanging, creating an unfinished feeling. Fans are left on their toes to see how the Ratliffe family reacts to Timothy’s fraud scheme. Some of the characters leave the hotel giddy and calm, despite a mass shooting occurring just a few hours prior — what happened? The audience needs more closure. But maybe closure is not something that fans of “The White Lotus” will ever get. The characters we’ve come to love and hate these past few weeks will continue their lives, and viewers will most likely not see them in Season 4, which is slated to release in 2027. Maybe it is better to live in the moment and focus on the delights of this present season, as Chelsea so often hinted. m.wong@dailynorthwestern.com

arts & entertainment

Editor Emily Lichty

Assistant Editors

Desiree Luo

Maya Wong

Design Editors

Henry Frieman

Rachel Schlueter

Matt Wasilewski

Illustration by Clare Kirwan

The Ratliffe family played a key role in the secrets and drama occurring at Thailand’s White Lotus resort.

Pink Poster Club organizes to redefine politics

By ANAVI PRAKASH daily senior staffer @anavi_52

Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, 5th Ward resident Emily Miller (Weinberg ’11) hosted postcard writing events for her two book clubs to help get out the Democratic vote.

When President Donald Trump took office for his second term and Elon Musk launched the Department of Government Efficiency, she and 6th Ward resident Savanna Essig-Fox wanted to take action, Essig-Fox said.

“We were meeting to be like, ‘We’re freaking out. This is awful. What can we do in terms of actions?’” she said.

In early February, the pair created posters that read, “Why does the richest man on Earth know our social security numbers?” and put them up in Metra stations, at Fountain Square and around Northwestern’s campus. A QR code on the poster took people to what is now called the Pink Poster Club website, which provides educational resources and suggests action items like calling legislators.

After this first poster, the two became hooked on postering. The Pink Poster Club also recruited members of their book clubs to join them.

In its two months of existence, the club has already printed five different posters on bright pink paper. Members have hung the posters around the city and passed them out to residents at places like school pick up. The club has also attended three protests, including the “Hands Off!” rally at Daley Plaza on Saturday.

The club’s name comes from the song “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, because it has become “an anthem for being who you are,” EssigFox said.

Poster inspiration comes from issues club members think are important, Miller said.

When a new poster drops and postering efforts are underway, Miller posts updates on the club’s Instagram page, @pink.posterclub. The account has over 300 followers, some from other Chicago suburbs. Miller said people often message the account asking for a copy of the poster to hang around their towns.

The two founders also post on their own Instagram accounts and promote the work of Pink

Poster Club to break through right-wing influence on social media, Essig-Fox said.

For Miller, getting people to mobilize through social media and posters is a way of reclaiming politics.

“Politics has been an ugly word, and I think it’s been done on purpose, like the idea that to be invested in politics is not for the ordinary person,” Miller said. “Politics is how we organize ourselves. Politics is about what happens in your community.”

The club, made up of mostly mothers, protests against threats to public education, women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community to protect

children’s futures and teach them about kindness, 6th Ward resident and club member Kelly Mack said.

As a small business owner and mother, Mack said making time to poster and attend protests is a sacrifice, but taking action has helped improve her mental health and not feel overwhelmed by the notion that “the world is burning.”

Essig-Fox emphasized that everyone involved with Pink Poster Club could be doing something else — work-wise or family-wise — but chooses to be involved because of what’s at stake.

Seventh Ward resident Lisa Leicht said she had never been very politically active, except when

Trump first became president, which she protested in Washington D.C. Now, however, she’s a mother of three girls, whose futures she says she is now standing up for.

Being involved with the Pink Poster Club is “energizing” and “rejuvenating” in a time that otherwise feels isolating, she said.

“It’s not necessarily typical for me to be going out at 9 p.m. at night and wandering the streets of Evanston putting up posters,” Leicht said. “But these are unprecedented times, and it’s important to stand out and say that this is not normal.”

a.prakash@dailynorthwestern.com

Photo courtesy of Emily Miller

The Pink Poster Club attended the “Hands Off!” rally at Daley Plaza last Saturday, its third protest in its two month existence.

CSB alum Adam Silverman makes ‘Jeopardy!’ debut

By MIGUEL TSANG

Biologist Adam Silverman (CSB ’21), a longtime fan of “Jeopardy!”, nally earned a shot at game show glory in March when he squared o in the iconic prime-time quiz show. Despite tough competition, Silverman fought hard and pocketed $13,000. Silverman sat down with e Daily to re ect on his experience. is interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

e Daily: How did you study for the show? Silverman: First, I think watching it religiously growing up probably was a good starting point, and my family de nitely did a lot of that. When I took the test, that was kind of on a lark. I’ve been doing it for a long time, and thinking ge ing on (the show) would be fun … Once I got the call, I realized, “Oh damn, there’s a lot I need to actually learn in advance of this.” … I spent the next month and a half or so cramming as much as I could, and then I made a lot of ashcards; that was kind of my approach. It’s interesting because there’s some areas where I came in expecting, “Oh, this is going to be really bad,” but it turned out they don’t ask a lot of questions about some of those areas. And then there were some things where it’s like, “Oh, I didn’t anticipate I was going to need so much to know so much about ’80s television, because why would I need to know anything about ’80s television?” But then you consider the average demographic that watched “Jeopardy!”

e Daily: ere was someone (in your group) who won several consecutive games. Was it intimidating to be matched up with someone like that?

Silverman: e interesting thing is they don’t lm “Jeopardy!” live. We lmed a month or two in advance, and they lmed ve episodes a day. I showed up at seven in the morning on the day of taping and Alex, who is the champion that I played, hadn’t played before (that day) either. He played the very rst game in the morning, and put up some ungodly number of dollars. And then I’m si ing in the green room the rest of the day watching him just beat the next set of people and the next set of people and the next set.

We had already watched him win three games; people tell you before you go out on “Jeopardy!”

what you don’t want to do is just watch somebody steamroll a bunch of other contestants. ey’ve got the real feel for the buzzer and the gameplay and all of that. It was hard. I started very slow in the game, and I think part of that was because he was really on re. He was a li le more experienced.

e Daily: Are there any details about the show that you only gather when you’re there in-person, that you don’t see on the TV?

Silverman: e fact that they lm ve episodes a day is very fascinating, because you don’t really realize it and they do their best to hide it from the viewers.

e other thing people don’t realize is how fast it goes. ey still lm it in 22 minutes, and it feels like

22 minutes. I got o the stage and I didn’t remember anything that happened. I’m pre y sure I lost but other than that, that’s all I can really remember from it because they keep it moving so quickly. ey really got it down to this well-oiled machine.

Everyone was super nice and nobody was hyper-competitive. I was a li le worried that it was gonna turn into a death ght in the green room or something.

e Daily: Did you get to meet Ken Jennings at all? Do you still talk to your competitors from the show?

Silverman: We have an email chain going where we talked a lot when our episodes were airing. You don’t really get to talk to (Ken) except when you’re

SKYLINE PIANO ARTIST SERIES

JEFFREY

on and some of that is due to signi cant laws against having contestants and the organizers of the show interact with each other, because there’s a chance that he could be sharing answers or giving advice to somebody.

e Daily: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Silverman: Shout out to my Northwestern bar trivia team, because that was probably the best preparation we could have done. When I was at Northwestern, we used to do bar trivia pre y much every Tuesday. … Go Frisky Lemurs, thank you for all your support.

migueltsang2028@u.northwestern.edu

AND GABRIEL

April 21 7:30 p.m. | $40/15

KAHANE DUO

Photo courtesy of Adam Silverman

Silverman poses with “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings.

Ducks Dan and Dave: A Sticky Situation

By: Kate Pollot

FUNDING

From page 1

harassment” on campus on Feb. 3. The Education Department later announced it sent letters to 60 universities on March 10, warning the schools of “potential enforcement actions” if the schools fail to protect Jewish students on campus under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Some lawmakers immediately decried the move.

HANDS OFF

From page 1

and federal funding cuts induced by the Trump administration.

In Evanston, more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at the city’s Fountain Square for a local Hands Off! rally. State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) and State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) delivered speeches, and local religious leaders discussed their worries for immigrants, veterans and senior citizens.

The Evanston rally was organized by Indivisible Evanston, a chapter of the national Indivisible organization dedicated to resisting the Republican Party agenda and promoting progressive policies.

Susan Sidell, an Indivisible Evanston leader, said they organized the local rally at the request of community members.

“Today, we are here to remind Trump, Musk and their billionaire co-conspirators that this country belongs to the people and we will not be silent,” Sidell said to the crowd.

While many Evanston residents made their voices heard close to home, others took to the streets of Chicago, including Susan Sidell’s husband, Steve Sidell.

Steve Sidell boarded the red line at Howard Station with a bag full of homemade protest signs leading a group of longtime Evanston residents. They joined more than 30,000 protesters to rally at Daley Plaza, just outside Chicago City Hall.

Demonstrators advocated for different issues — such as immigration, LGBTQ+ rights and climate change — and were united in their opposition to Trump. Many protesters held signs comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler. Anti-Nazi and anti-fascist imagery was on full display, and signs contained phrases such as “Mein Trumpf.”

Paul Barrosse (Communication ’80) and Victoria Zielinski (Weinberg ’78, Communication M.A.

In a statement to The Daily, Mayor Daniel Biss called the Trump administration funding freeze “reprehensible.”

“Cutting lifesaving research and innovation is part and parcel of Trump’s drive to dismantle what’s best of America,” Biss said in the statement. “The City of Evanston will continue to stand strong for our values in the face of yet another authoritarian overreach.”

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) said on X that “Trump’s reported decision to freeze

’79, Pritzker ’83) were among those worried about threats to democracy posed by the current presidential administration.

Some Northwestern students also attended the Chicago rally, including Weinberg junior and NU College Democrats coPresident Adam Durr.

“I’m really concerned about everything that Elon Musk and Donald Trump and the rest of their cronies are trying to do in the federal government,” Durr said. “I think it’s important that people speak out, especially with everything the administration is doing to target protesters.”

Protesters flooded the streets, blocking traffic as they marched about a mile through the Loop, circling back at Daley Plaza. The crowd chanted “rise up, fight back” and “this is what democracy looks like.” Others led protesters in “Free Palestine” chants.

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss marched on the front lines and said the way to fight back against the Trump administration is through mass public movements.

funding at Northwestern University will put lifesaving cures and critical research at risk.” She added that “this freeze won’t protect the Jewish students Trump claims to defend, it will instead undermine their academic endeavors.”

A University spokesperson told The Daily that the University’s “innovative and lifesaving research” is now at risk.

“The University has fully cooperated with investigations by both the Department of Education and Congress,” the spokesperson said.

Hannah Webster contributed reporting. This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.

j.wu@dailynorthwestern.com

l.schroeder@dailynorthwestern.com

i.steinberg@dailynorthwestern.com

d.samson@dailynorthwestern.com

l.ogburn@dailynorthwestern.com

“The attack on people, whether that’s immigrants, refugees, trans people, women (or) people of color, are obscene, deeply un-American,” Biss said. “But also the effort to tear down all of the institutions of our government to enrich a few billionaires is very dangerous.”

Many protesters expressed concerns about corporations and universities caving to Trump’s

agenda and abuse of executive powers.

Steve Sidell said he hopes the rally encourages people across the country to stand up, spreading enough resistance to flip Congress to a Democratic majority in 2026.

“There’s no way he’s gonna be able to fight

everybody,” Steve Sidell said. “This is the strength in numbers.” Ben Shapiro contributed reporting. emmarichman2027@u.northwestern.edu mayaheyman2028@u.northwestern.edu

Emma Richman/The Daily Northwestern

Thousands gathered at Chicago and Evanston protests to rally against Trump and Musk during “Hands Off!”

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

SOFTBALL

Northwestern readies for weekend’s Nebraska series

By AUDREY PACHUTA daily senior staffer @audreypachuta

Looking to retain its footing atop the Big Ten, Northwestern welcomes No. 23 Nebraska to Sharon J. Drysdale Field starting Saturday.

e Cornhuskers (28-10, 8-3 Big Ten) were once one of two conference foes ahead of the Wildcats (22-12-1, 9-1 Big Ten) in the preseason Top 25. Now, Nebraska is one of just four Big Ten teams still holding a spot in the rankings and represents the kind of postseasoncaliber opponent that has o en proved a stumbling block for coach Kate Drohan’s squad this spring.

In their nine games against ranked challengers this season, the ’Cats have won just two of them.

A successful three-game series against Nebraska could mark NU’s return to national conversation for the rst time since it dropped out of the Top 25 in February. Here are two things to watch for as the ’Cats prepare to host the Cornhuskers:

1. Jordy Bahl as an X-Factor

Ahead of the season, Nebraska welcomed back pitcher Jordy Bahl, one of the most dominant twoway players in college so ball. Bahl missed the 2024 campaign a er suffering a season-ending ACL injury

BASEBALL

during last year’s opening weekend. Before transferring to Nebraska, the two-time All-American posted a 44-2 record and 1.00 E in two seasons at Oklahoma. She closed out the 2023 World Series title game to cap o Oklahoma’s historic 53-game win streak.

Currently posting the secondlowest E and tied for the seventh-highest ba ing average in the Big Ten, Bahl poses a lethal threat that NU will look to contain on both sides of the eld this weekend.

In 115 innings pitched, Bahl has struck out 156 ba ers. She carries most of Nebraska’s pitching workload, whereas time in the circle among Drohan’s squad is more evenly distributed.

Watson: Home runs, clutch hi ing key for NU success

By ANNA WATSON daily senior staffer

@adub_sports

If you’ve tuned into any Northwestern baseball this season, you know that the team has lived up to its nickname: the Cardiac ’Cats.

Between the 2024 and 2025 squads, a change is clear. Simply put, balls can’t stop ying out of the park, and the Wildcats’ ability to produce runs in late stages of the game has proven pivotal.

With its improved hi ing, NU sits just four wins away from surpassing last year’s total — with many favorable matchups remaining on the schedule. Its o ense should prove paramount to exceeding its win count from last season.

is past Sunday, the Wildcats were just one out away from victory against Iowa in the top of the ninth when a Blake Guerin double tied the game up at four for the Hawkeyes.

Fortunately, sophomore in elder Ryan Kucherak saved the day. With two outs and the bases loaded in the bo om of the ninth, he singled to le -center eld, scoring Kno and securing the NU victory in walk-o fashion.

e two-out hit was Kucherak’s second walk-o of the year.

A er Sunday’s walk-o win, coach Ben Greenspan praised this clutch aspect of his team’s game.

“I’ve said it all year. e resilience of this group,” Greenspan said. “I’m so proud of the way we came back today.”

Similar to last season, though, NU ranks last in the conference in runs and on-base percentage and is tied for last in average.

Last season, the ’Cats hit .242, while this year’s squad is hi ing .259. eir on-base percentage has also seen a slight increase. What seems most compelling, though, is that the 2024 team hit 52 home runs in 52 games, while the Wildcats have already hit 40 in just 30 games this season. NU is currently on pace to reach 70 home runs this season, which would be a program record.

A big part of this lies in the hands of junior in elder Trent Liolios, who’s ba ing .333 this season. Liolios already has 15 home runs this season, a mark that ties him for rst in the Big Ten. More notably, however, the Newport Beach, California, native has already tied the NU program record for home runs in a single season. His .843 slugging percentage is nothing short of an elite mark. Liolios ranks rst in the Big Ten. e in elder ba ed just .209 a year ago, with nine home runs and a .398 slugging percentage.

“My timing and rhythm has changed a lot,” Liolios told e Daily a er he hit four home runs throughout a doubleheader against Penn State on March 15. “ e new swing adjustments we made really helped. I think that is kicking o the year right.”

Liolios isn’t just hitting balls out of the park, though, he is also hitting them when it matters.

Six of Liolios’ 15 homers have come in the eighth inning or later. Before Kucherak got the glory on Sunday, it was Liolios’ eighth-inning shot to right eld to take the lead that looked like it would put the game to rest before Iowa responded.

A few days before, a tenth-inning solo shot from Liolios broke the deadlock between UIC, handing the ’Cats the midweek victory. is win pushed NU to 2-0 in extra-inning games this season.

“You’re never out of it with power,” Greenspan said a er the Penn State series. “It just helps your o ense a lot when you have a guy swinging the way he is.”

Kucherak, an LSU transfer, is also supplying runs from long shots. e sophomore has six home runs this year — the second most on the team.

Kucherak hit three of those in game two of the ’Cats’ series against Illinois March 21.

Sophomore out elder Jackson Freeman, NU’s co-home run leader last season, has been pivotal as well, joining senior catcher Benne Markinson and Kno with four home runs this season.

Graduate student pitcher Lauren Boyd and sophomore pitcher Riley Grudzielanek share nearly equal time on the mound, with Grudzielanek having thrown just 5.1 more innings than Boyd. While Bahl ranks fourth in the conference for innings pitched, Boyd and Grudzielanek are ranked 24rd and 27th, respectively.

2. Containing the power o ense

While the ’Cats currently are staked at the summit of the Big Ten, their o ensive approach has been one of selectivity, rather than overwhelming force.

e Cornhuskers, by contrast,

have unleashed 76 home runs this season, second only to No. 24 Ohio State, who handed them two of their three conference losses this season.

In Evanston, Nebraska will face an NU pitching sta that has allowed this league’s second lowest mark with 19 home runs.

The Cornhuskers’ offensive repower is undeniable, as evidenced by their 370 hits, which is far more than NU’s 266.

ough Nebraska’s edge in hits is partially due to their three additional games played, the series will ultimately test whether the ’Cats’ pitchers can contain the visitors’ explosive lineup or whether the Cornhuskers will overpower NU’s

FIELD HOCKEY

more balanced — though less potent — a ack.

Freshman infielder Kaylie Avvisato leads Drohan’s group at the plate with a .383 average, but Nebraska boasts three hi ers with averages above that mark and ve more starters with .300plus averages. ree games against Nebraska could serve as a key measuring stick for NU, o ering a glimpse into the team’s potential as it looks to make a push for the postseason. e two squads will face o open the weekend Saturday at 2 p.m. with subsequent games Sunday and Monday. audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu

Fuchs inks long-term deal

By HENRY FRIEMAN daily senior staffer @henryfrieman

Coach Tracey Fuchs has agreed to a long-term contract extension, Athletic Director Mark Jackson announced Tuesday.

e three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year led Northwestern to a 23-1 record last season, capping o a dominant campaign with a commanding 5-0 national championship victory over Saint Joseph’s in November.

During her 16 seasons in Evanston, Fuchs has transformed NU’s eld hockey program into a juggernaut, leading the Wildcats to the last four consecutive NCAA championship games and winning two national titles.

“As one of the best players to ever play the sport, Tracey was referred to as ‘ e Michael Jordan of Field Hockey,’ and rightly so,” Jackson said in the press release. “As a head coach, Tracey Fuchs is simply ‘ e Tracey Fuchs of Head Coaches.’” e winningest head coach in NU field hockey history boasts three Big Ten regular season titles, two Big Ten Tournament championships and eight NCAA tournament appearances. She’s posted a winning record in 15 of 16 seasons.

Ashley Sessa and senior midelder Maddie Zimmer — to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, where she was an assistant coach for Team USA.

College baseball has resorted to a kind of “gorilla ball,” where the success of teams is highly dependent on their ability to hit home runs. Four of the last ve national champions have hit at least 100 home runs during their seasons. e last two champions, Tennessee and LSU, nished rst and second in the country, respectively, in home runs when they won.

While there have been obvious improvements within the squad, NU still has some work to do to hang with the top of the Big Ten at the plate.

As Greenspan said a er NU’s game three vic-

Details of the extension were not made immediately available, but Jackson said in the release that “(Northwestern Athletics) could have no other way for Tracey to nish her career than as a North-

win more games seems to be a product of increased home run production.

tory over Penn State, the o ense remains a work in progress.

the middle of the order can really start to

western Wildcat and we are beyond excited to make

Fuchs was no stranger to the Olympic stage, having spent 17 years as a member of the United States women’s national eld hockey team. She hoisted NU’s national championship trophy in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Nov. 24, 2024, 39 years to the day she secured the national title as a player at UConn.

Once she returned to the shores of Lake Michigan, her squad set a single-season wins record, saw the best start to a season in program history and featured the NFHCA’s National Player of the Year, Zimmer.

“I am incredibly grateful to Northwestern Athletics, and especially to Athletic Director Mark Jackson, for the University’s strong commitment to and support of our eld hockey program and women’s athletics as a whole,” Fuchs said in the release. “ is contract extension is a re ection of the hard work and dedication of our exceptional coaching and support sta , as well as the single-minded focus of the team … I am honored to work with the most talented student-athletes in Division I eld hockey, and I couldn’t be more proud to lead this team as we press forward to vie for

Fuchs journeyed with two of her players — sophomore forward more championships.”

Daily file photo by Anna Watson

Tracey Fuchs, the winningest head coach in Northwestern field hockey history, will remain on the Wildcats’ sideline for the foreseeable future.