Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, January 20, 2023

Notre Dame students join March for Life

By MATTHEW BRODER news writer

For the first time since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade, thousands of students — including roughly 500 notre dame students — will coalesce on the u s capitol for the march for life.

The march began in 1974, the same year the supreme court ruled legalized abortion roe v. wade, legalizing abortion in the u s half a century later and after a historic ruling overturning the federal right to an abortion, notre dame’s right to life club will march alongside tens of thousands of fellow pro-life and anti-abortion activists. The club

Trethewey discusses writing

By JENNA ABU-LUGHOD news writer

s tudents, faculty and guests came together on Tuesday evening to listen to w alk the w alk w eek keynote speaker, n atasha Trethewey as she answered the question “ w hy i w rite.”

Trethewey is a former u s p oet l aureate and p ulitzer p rize winning poet, best known for her books “ m emorial d rive” and “ n ative g uard.” a s the i nitiative on r ace and r esilience artist-in-residence for 2022-23, she was

selected to give the keynote address for the eighth annual w alk the w alk w eek at n otre d ame.

Fr. John Jenkins kicked off w alk the w alk w eek, introducing the event and its significance.

“ w alk the w alk w eek is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on what it means to be n otre d ame,” Jenkins said. “ l et us listen to sieving, not only from the perspective of scholarly detachment, but let us open our minds and hearts to

has attended the march since it began.

yet one thing distinguishes this year’s march from those of years past. This past summer the supreme court ruled in dobbs v. Jackson women’s health organization that abortion is not a constitutional right, effectively overturning their prior decision in roe v. wade. now that overturning roe is no longer a rallying cry, right to life club leaders say they will campaign for other anti-abortion policies and support for pregnant women.

The notre dame right to life club is partnering with the de nicola center for ethics and

‘Hesburgh’ movie panel reflects on past president

By KELSEY QUINT news writer

s tudents and faculty gathered in the m endoza c ollege of b usiness auditorium wednesday evening to watch a screening of the documentary film, “ hesburgh,” which follows the life of famed, former university p resident Fr. Theodore h esburgh.

The event was put on by the m endoza s taff d iversity,

The film, released in 2018, was directed by notre

readon. weaving together historic photographs and footage with a multitude of

interviews, c readon brought hesburgh’s legacy to life.

b eginning with hesburgh’s call to priesthood and education at n otre d ame, the documentary weaves through the major progress hesburgh enacted on campus and at national and international levels.

i n his early days as university president, hesburgh

Members of the Notre Dame Right to Life club will travel to 49th annual march in Washington D.C.

Courtesy of Merlot Fogarty

Roughly five hundred Notre Dame students plan to partake in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. While they are there, the students will also host a mass for alumni and other community members.

KELSEY QUINT I The Observer

Notre Dame invited panelists to discuss the documentary film, “Hesburgh,” and their experiences with the former University president, Fr. Theodore Hesburgh as a part of Walk the Walk Week on Wednesday.

JENNA ABU-LUGHOD | The Observer

U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey took time to answer questions asked by the audience who attended her Why I Write keynote speech.

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Friday

SMC Activities Fair

Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex

1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Explore how to get involved.

Pro Basketball: Harlem Globetrotters

Joyce Center

7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Purchase tickets online to attend.

Ryan Campbell senior off-campus “Notre Dame football.”

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

Zach Baker grad-student off-campus

“Shrimp, hopefully not deveined but I’m not picky.”

Saturday

Walk the Walk Week Service Project

Duncan Student Center

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Sign up to volunteer.

SMC Women’s Basketball

Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex 3 p.m. Versus Calvin.

Sunday

Walk The Walk Week Prayer Service

Duncan Student Center

6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. All are welcome.

Men’s and Women’s Ministry

Pulte Lounges 9 p.m. - 10 p.m. Come join in prayer at Holy Cross College.

Monday

Social Concerns Fair

Geddes Hall, Coffee House

4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Featuring local youth organizations.

Music Program

LaBar Recital Hall

7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Presented by Patrick Yim (violin) and John Blacklow (piano).

Tuesday

Career Chat 114 Spes Unica Hall, Career Crossings 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Open to all Saint Mary’s students.

LIFT Internship Information Session Room 512, Duncan Student Center 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Register online.

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Ian Baker

Irene McNelis senior off-campus “Playing DnD.”

Petition created for A sL at notre dame

By GABBY BEECHERT news Writer

o ver winter break, a petition advocating for the acceptance of American s ign Language (A s L) at the University of n otre d ame was posted on the d isability Justice nd Instagram account and circulated on social media. b y signing the petition, students call on the university to accept A s L as fulfillment for the admissions requirement of taking two years of a world language in high school, provide proficiency exams for students with experiences in A s L and to offer classes in A s L that fulfill collegebased foreign language requirements.

The petition originated as a class project for sophomore Jill m audlin and her peers in their “ d isability at n otre d ame” course.

“We had to do a final project that culminated in somehow bettering the lives of disabled students on campus or furthering the cause of disability justice, so we chose to take on A s L

for that project,” m audlin said.

m audlin, who is also the d irector of d isability Advocacy in student government, specified undertaking this project was due to her assignment, not because of her position in student government.

When she was first assigned the project, m audlin said part of the reason they chose to address this specific issue was because of a story she had heard about another student in her dorm.

Junior c aitlin Papalia grew up in a household with two deaf parents, so A s L was her first language and her foreign language in high school. Upon her n otre d ame acceptance, however, she was told that her high school A s L classes did not meet the foreign language admissions requirement.

Papalia said she had to take s panish 1 and s panish 2 the summer before her first year in order to attend the university. Furthermore, students

interested in studying A s L while at n otre d ame must do so through another institution. Junior c hloe Lestitian takes A s L courses through Western Pennsylvania s chool for the d eaf over Zoom while attending n otre d ame.

“ r ight now, I’m thinking about being a physician, and sign language is a skill and language that would be really important,” Lestitian said. “It’s really useful to know how to communicate with patients in the deaf and hard of hearing community.”

The petition is not students’ first attempt at promoting inclusivity towards A s L at n otre d ame. Papalia wrote an argumentative essay titled “American s ign Language: Why n otre d ame s hould v alidate m y First Language,” and a resolution presented to the student senate on o ct. 12, which called for the acceptance of A s L as the world language admissions requirement.

m audlin helped write and present the resolution to the student government.

s he said it was an attempt to attain student government support before it was presented to the administration. The s enate decided to refer the resolution back to the d epartment of d isability Advocacy so the department could continue working on the resolution and present it again once it has more information.

“When student government turned [the resolution] down, it felt almost invalidating because that is what I speak at home,” Papalia said. “I was hurt already by n otre d ame not accepting it, but hearing other students say that we shouldn’t do it because of X, Y and Z made it a lot more difficult to hear.”

The petition, which now has almost 1000 signatures, was an alternative way of demonstrating student support of the cause, m audlin said. s he also expressed her belief that the University will be pushed to introduce A s L because many other elite institutions in the American Association of Universities (AAU), an

organization composed of research universities in which n otre d ame is not included, already accept A s L. 95% of AAU schools accept A s L from high schoolers, 63% offer A s L proficiency tests for free and 75% teach A s L, m audlin said.

“There are only a couple other elite universities who don’t do all three and n otre d ame is one of them,” m audlin said.

e ven so, m audlin is hopeful for change. s he said she believes that an optimistic timeline for n otre d ame to start implementing these three measures is by the spring of 2024, but a more realistic timeline would be the following fall. s he believes these changes are doable during her time at the university.

“With n otre d ame’s c atholic, service-based mission, we should be able to communicate with the people that need to have their voices heard,” m audlin said.

Contact Gabby Beechert at gbeeher@nd.edu

tackled issues on “religious liberty.” h e worked to uphold n otre d ame’s strong c atholic faith while ensuring it never fringed upon “academic freedom” as well as providing students with a universal education.

o n campus, h esburgh was known as “Uncle Ted.” b eloved by students, the film explains how h esburgh made it a point to make himself available to any and all students in need of advice. And, according to every film interviewee, his advice was unmatched.

b ut, what occupied much of h esburgh’s career outside of n otre d ame was his work in the c ivil r ights m ovement. h e served on the c ivil r ights c ommission for 15 years. According to the documentary, this was where h esburgh really emerged as a “bridge builder: between people and God and among people.”

h esburgh worked both behind the scenes in enacting true legislative change and also marched hand in hand with m artin Luther King Jr., a world-famous civil rights activist.

In addition to his work contributing to equality and civil rights, the film delves into how h esburgh was instrumental in mediating discussions between the United

s tates and r ussia during the nuclear arms crisis. b ack on campus, h esburgh made university history yet again by making n otre d ame coeducational in 1972.

Then, in 1987, h esburgh retired as president of the university, after progressinfused 35 years in the position.

Wednesday night’s screening of the film was followed by a panel discussion featuring three individuals that knew h esburgh personally: former University president Fr. e dward “ m onk” m alloy, v ice President for institutional transformation and advisor to the president r ev. c anon h ugh Page Jr. and one of the h esburgh Women of Impact and visiting teaching professor Joan m ileski.

Although “ h esburgh” told the tale of an esteemed university president, an international leader and a highly sought-after advisor, the panelists said they recall, most of all, a friend.

s pecifically, Page told the audience how h esburgh’s kind heart and generous spirit have stuck with him through the years.

“It always struck me that with the thousands of people that he knew on campus and around the world, he would always remember and always knew what it was I was doing,” he recalled. “The act of kindness from those who have positions of authority means an incredible amount

to those that are just starting off and making their way through.”

m ileski, who was among the first class of women admitted to the university, told listeners a personal experience with h esburgh’s kindness and love after her father’s passing.

“[ d uring graduation,] you go through the line and shake hands with the president and the students graduating, and my mother was just like a deer in the headlights. [ h esburgh] could tell and he said to her, ‘come over here,’” m ileski said. “It was the way he could just sense that.”

h esburgh’s successor, m alloy said he relayed one of the many amusing anecdotes about his friendship with h esburgh.

“ h e loved to travel. And he was able to be in 110 counties, and I’ve been to 90, so I trailed behind him,” m alloy said. “ b ut I got to Tibet… when he found out about it, he was so jealous because he had never been to Tibet. I said, ‘what about all those other countries you’ve been to?’ And he said, ‘well, I wanted to be to Tibet someday.’”

o verall, both the documentary and panelists could agree with the sentiments of the film’s tagline: “o ne ordinary man. o ne extraordinary life.”

Contact Kelsey Quint at kquint@nd.edu

culture to plan the event, including coordinating bus transportation for those participating. right to Life club president merlot Fogarty said the center is “crucial in helping us to execute this large-scale event and making it a success each year.”

The club will also host a mass in d c. for alumni and others in the notre dame family to attend, Fogarty added.

“[The mass] allows us to remain grounded in the true mission of our community, to promote and protect the sanctity and dignity of all human life in accordance with the teachings of the catholic church,” Fogarty said.

many members of the club have made the trip before and are excited to do it again this year, including first-year martha cleary who has gone twice.

“If there’s one thing that stands out in my memory of the march, it’s how joyful people were,” she said. “It’s a long walk, typically in the middle of really bad weather, and yet the sense of joy and community was contagious. I’m really looking forward to experiencing that same enthusiasm and community with notre dame right to Life.”

First-year Theo Austin, who has attended the march “at least seven times,” says that his favorite experience from the event in previous years has been reaching the top of capitol hill before getting to

the supreme court and looking back.

“You can see over the entire crowd of Americans who are standing together with one mission, to save the lives of the most vulnerable,” he said. “I find peace and strength in that.”

historically, the march has placed great emphasis on the overturning of roe v. Wade. cleary said one of the most common chants in previous years has been, “hey, hey, ho, ho, roe v. Wade has got to go!” currently, abortion legislation varies by state.

Yet students like the club’s sophomore class representative Frankie machado are undeterred.

“This year has obviously been big for the pro-life cause,” machado said. “but there is still a lot of important work to be done.”

The sentiment is echoed by anti-abortion advocates across the country, including here on campus.

“our club wants to emphasize its commitment to supporting women in this post-roe America,” Fogarty said. “We demonstrate this commitment through our partnership with saint Joseph Fertility care center in mishawaka, our service through the Women’s care center and so much more. We want to create a culture in which abortion is never necessary, and no woman ever feels pressured to take the life of her child.” Contact Matthew Broder at mbroder@nd.edu

senate votes to increase diversity in Ucc

By LIAM KELLY news Writer

This Wednesday, the n otre d ame s tudent s enate passed resolutions to increase LG b TQ+ and minority representation among the staff at University c ounseling c enter (U cc ) as well as give r eserve o fficers’ Training c orps ( ro T c ) students earlier registration times for selecting classes.

r esolution 2223-13, introduced by four senators as well as several executive cabinet directors, urges the U cc to make efforts to hire more LG b TQ+ and minority counselors.

The resolution came after recent surveys revealed that LG b TQ+ and minority students at the University feel less comfortable both reaching out to the U cc as well as sharing aspects of their identity with counselors.

b riana c happell, director of gender relations – LG b TQ+ advocacy, expanded upon this point, stating, “47.7% of students of color and 35.5% of LG b TQ questions declare that they have been hesitant to reach out to the U cc for support as a result of their identity.”

While students can specify if they would prefer either a male or female counselor or a counselor of color, c happell said the wait to meet with a specific counselor can be very long.

c happell also noted that the U cc is facing a shortage of counselors generally and that any and all efforts to increase the number of counselors ought to be taken.

“Additional staffing would not only increase diversity in the U cc staff but would also benefit all students on campus regardless of minority status,” she said.

o ne senator made a similar point, emphasizing, “we don’t have enough counselors to supply the needs of people that need health resources on campus, and hiring more diverse counselors helps everyone.”

The resolution passed overwhelmingly.

d uring this first meeting of the spring 2023 semester, the senate also passed resolution 2223-11, which requires the office of the Provost to work with the office of the r egistrar in order to help ro T c students get earlier class registration times.

Keough h all senator d errick Williams, a co-author of the resolution, spoke in favor of the change. h e argued out that ro T c students, like student-athletes (who do have early registration times), have complex schedules — making registering for classes much more difficult for them than it is for the ordinary student.

“With great complexity in their schedules and increased course load, ro T c students find it difficult and frustrating to obtain the classes they need while still maintaining a reasonable schedule,” he explained.

Williams added that the students often “deal with many of the same situations and challenges faced by n otre d ame student athletes. ro T c students must balance early morning drills, university travel and afternoon workouts to fulfill their ro T c responsibilities.”

Williams argued that having a scheduling system that is favorable for ro T c students will help the University to both maintain and recruit ro T c students.

“If the University is to continue to attract and recruit these valuable members

of the n otre d ame student community, the University must address the difficulty and frustration these students have when registering for classes,” he said.

A current ro T c student and senator also spoke out in favor of the resolution, explaining, his difficulty with fitting long lab classes into his schedule.

“If you ask any ro T c students on Tuesday and Thursday past two, a lot of engineering students have labs right then and they can’t go to those labs,” he added, “I think this is really valuable to recruit more ro T c students. I think it’s healthy for the university, and I just want to push this as far as we can get it.”

This resolution also passed overwhelmingly. c ampaign rules were the subject of two additional resolutions passed on Wednesday evening. First, resolution 2223-16 clarified the rules for campaign reimbursements.

Under the current University c onstitution, only candidates for student body president and vice president are guaranteed reimbursements for money that they spend

campaigning. While it is true that in the past two election cycles, candidates in all student government elections were reimbursed by the Judicial c ouncil, the council was under no obligation to do so.

n ow candidates for firstyear class council, any class officer position, hall senator, hall president and vice president, s tudent Union b oard ( s U b ) representatives and off-campus candidates are all guaranteed reimbursements under the University c onstitution.

Finally, resolution 222317 amended the University c onstitution to make clear that campaigning for student government offices is not allowed in the firstfloor lobby of the LaFortune s tudent c enter (LaFun). This comes after s tudent Government announced plans to relocate to the renovated s orin r oom on the first floor of LaFun.

n ext meeting, the senate will discuss a resolution to amend the constitution in order to give diverse student groups more freedom in planning events.

Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu

c lark expresses optimism for holy cross

By LIAM PRICE Associate news editor

holy c ross c ollege

President m arco c lark, who began his term last July, described his position as “enviable” due to the c ollege’s relatively strong and stable financial position.

“In recent years, several c atholic and small, independent liberal arts colleges have closed,” he said. “o ne of the ones that’s maybe very close to home is s t. Joe’s in c alumet, Indiana.”

c lark said holy c ross’ financial position will enable the c ollege to focus on progressive initiatives, focusing on growth rather than being held up in debt and stress. he also thanked his predecessor, Fr. d avid Tyson, the c ollege’s board of trustees, its senior leadership team and faculty and staff for having “sacrificed much” to improve its position.

“We’re not at a point of desperation. We’re at a point of hopefulness. We get a chance now with a very strong foundation to build towards a promising and not only sustainable, but a thriving future,” c lark said.

“holy c ross c ollege is one of the rare places in the

country that is a debt free college and has an endowment that is larger than its operating budget.”

Another strength of holy c ross which c lark emphasized is its location in the tri-campus, which he considers “the most influential c atholic higher ed zip code in the world.”

Leaders on both s aint m ary’s and notre d ame’s campuses, he said, have been very helpful in his transition to his own role. Furthermore, he said the c ollege plans to strengthen its ties with the tri-campus with future collaborations.

“I couldn’t begin to extend my gratitude more as the newcomer here and I’m really glad to say that holy c ross hospitality is alive and well here in s outh b end,” he said. “And without getting into any specifics of those at this time, I think that throughout the tri-campus we see some unique opportunities to collaborate even more for the greater benefit of all of our students on the three campuses.”

Leading with availability c lark began his term with promises to listen to students and said he hopes the c ollege

community feels he has lived up to that.

“I also have gone on basically I’ll call it a listening tour,” c lark said. “I’ve been meeting with focus groups. I have monthly meetings with groups of students, we call it ‘c offee with the President.’ I’ve been visible on campus and at activities.”

c lark reflected on his promise that he made at the beginning of the year, noting his transparency from the beginning of his term.

“I think that students, faculty and staff have found out that from what I said up front, I had been true to my word that I would listen,” c lark said.

s tudent body president d ion Payne-m iller complimented c lark’s availability and said the c ollege is a strong position to thrive under his leadership.

“he has lived up to pretty much everything he said he would do, which is to listen and have a steady presence on campus,” Payne-m iller said.

“You will see d r. c lark almost every day, at least. Like, that’s just how present he is, whether that’s in the cafeteria, whether that’s just passing in the halls, he is present.”

Payne-m iller also said

c lark has been helpful for him in his role as studentbody president by working with him to achieve certain goals on campus.

“For me as a student-body president, he has been nothing but gracious in the sense that he makes himself available to me. he truly embodies what it means to be a servant leader,” Payne-m iller said.

“h im and I have been able to converse a lot and it’s like a two-way street.”

As part of goals to be available and responsive to student needs, c lark has used several committees focused on co-responsibility for management

of the c ollege, aiming to involve student voices for each.

“o ne of the biggest messages that I’ve been saying to everyone about me personally and my leadership, is that I really believe that it’s important that today’s leaders are accessible, that they’re transparent, and that they’re willing to be held accountable,” he said. “b eing able to be here at holy c ross c ollege in this role, I see leadership as an act of love and I see leadership as an act of service.”

Courtesy of Lisa Kochanowski

Holy Cross students Dion Payne-Miller and Oscar Jarmon participated in this year’s Welcome Weekend with President Marco Clark.

engage in ways that lead us to action for peace and justice on our campus, in our local communities, in our nation and in our world.”

Trethewey then took the stage and began by paying a tribute to m artin Luther King Jr..

“It could be said that part of my journey as a poet began with d r. King when I was only in the third grade. I wrote my first poem for him and his message of social justice continues to guide me,” Trethewey said.

Titled The h ouse of b eing, Trethewey’s lecture was split into four distinct sections. The first section was titled “The World b ook”, named after an e ncyclopedia set Trethewey’s grandmother kept on her bookshelf.

“That the story of The World b ook’s provenance was passed down to me from the beginning made it even more prized. I was enthralled with the title,” she said. “The idea that a set of books could contain even a single year of the world beyond our house.”

s he then discussed her father’s role in introducing her to knowledge through books and stories.

“I heard Yeats’ “ s ailing to b yzantium”, r obert h ayden’s “Those Winter s undays”, Wordsworth’s “Lines c omposed a Few m iles above Tintern Abbey”, all in the cadence of my father’s resonant voice,” Trethewey shared. “When I think back on it now, I can see that all the stories my father told me, each with some form of the hero’s journey, must have taken root in my psyche, establishing early on the pattern to which my own journey would conform.”

n ext, Trethewey moved on to the second section of her lecture which was titled “ c rossroads.” In this section, Trethewey’s main focus was on her hometown of Gulfport, m ississippi.

s he discussed the cultural and familial significance of her homeland before going on to highlight the devastating changes which then took place.

“In the decades of the early 20th century, when my grandmother was growing up there, the land and the house on it had abutted a pasture. b y the time I was born, the pasture was gone, paved over to make way for new highway 49 and the house now stood at a crossroads — the intersection of 49 and Jefferson s treet,” Trethewey noted.

Trethewey then explained the significance of the changes to her

homeland, emphasizing the unjust concealment of many people.

“ o n every corner, four foot tall concrete pillars sunk deep in the ground and painted white, bore their names like monuments to the founding of the nation, the complex ideals embedded therein,” she said.“It was one of the myriad ways the landscape of my geography was inscribed with one version of America while simultaneously subduing or erasing others,” Trethewey said.

s he then continued her point by explaining that the geographical location one is born in, or grows up in, plays a significant role in determining their fate.

“Inevitably, individuals are shaped by the history and culture of inherited places,” Trethewey said. “Geography is fate.”

r eturning to the purpose of her talk, Trethewey takes a moment to link her story thus far to the purpose and reason behind why she writes.

“That is one of the reasons I write, to create the narrative of my life so that my story would not be determined for me,” Trethewey shared.

b efore moving on to the third section, Trethewey delves into the fact that she is biracial, as well as how that affected her writing.

“ d espite the passage of the c ivil r ights Act, my parents’ interracial marriage was still illegal in m ississippi, rendering me illegitimate in the eyes of the law,” Trethewey highlighted. “The act of writing is a way to create a world in language. It is an act of reclamation and resistance.”

Trethewey then moved on to the penultimate section of her speech which she titled “The h ouse of b eing.” h ere, Trethewey shared details about her grandmother’s job as a seamstress and how she was impacted by it.

“

s he made precise measures in cuts so that no material was wasted, nothing was out of place, the patterns true, the results a thing of beauty. That translates to me now as a way to think about syntax. h ow one writes is inseparable from why one does,” Trethewey said.

n ext, Trethewey shed light on the abusive relationship her mother was involved in after her parents’ divorce. At this point in her life, Trethewey was no longer living in m ississippi.

s he emphasized her extreme dislike for living in Atlanta as well as how much she enjoyed the summer when she got to return to her grandmother’s

house.

“At my grandmother’s house, I could relax and I’d spend a good deal of my time in solitary reverie, as the dreamy child does. I could sit down to read and lose myself all without fear of the chronic tensions I left behind in Atlanta,” Trethewey recounted.

Finally, Trethewey began her fourth section, “The Pasture.” In this section, Trethewey dove into her relationship with her mother, emphasizing how supportive her mother was.

“ s he will do whatever she wants,” Trethewey recalled her mother saying in response to doubtful comments made by her stepfather.

After discussing her close connection to her mother, Trethewey shared her reaction to hearing of her mother’s murder.

“Following her death, I turned to poetry, the only language that seemed capable of containing my immeasurable grief,” Trethewey said. “I placed my grief in the mouth of language, the only thing that would grieve with me.” b efore concluding, Trethewey returned to the big question one last time, giving a final insight on why she writes.

“I have turned to literature for the way it enables us to momentarily suspend time, to live in the moment of a story unfolding, wherein the intimate voice of a poem reanimates in the mind both for the writer and reader,” she said.

Prior to the conclusion of the event, there was an opportunity for a brief question and answer session. When asked about how she goes about unpacking something so traumatic, Trethewey shared that it is all about memory.

“The rhythm of my own thinking makes memories reemerge. I think that is one of the joys of writing poetry,” Trethewey said.

Another audience member asked a question about how Trethewey is able to overcome the fear of others’ perception of her work.

“First, I believe in the goodness of people. The second thing is precision in the telling of our own experience,” Trethewey responded.

Finally, Trethewey was asked about her upcoming work. s he shared that she plans to expand this very lecture into a small book. s he then plans to work on a memoir about her father in which she will really explore how she came to be an author.

Contact Jenna Abu-Lughod at jabulugh@nd.edu

cov Id booster offered

Observer Staff Report

n otre d ame will host a vaccination clinic for the cov I d -19 bivalent booster, which is required for students to enroll in the 2023-2024 academic year.

The clinic will be held on campus in the s tepan c enter on Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m, as announced in emails to the student body on d ec. 7 and Jan. 12. s tudents must register in advance through u niversity h ealth s ervices ( uhs ).

If students receive the Pfizer- b io n Tech booster at the clinic, documentation will be automatically uploaded. s tudents who elect to get the Pfizer or m oderna bivalent booster off-campus must upload their documentation to their uhs student portal.

As of s ept. 1, the bivalent booster is the only booster offered nationwide. Any student who received a booster dose after s ept. 1 is in compliance with the requirement, as long as documentation is uploaded. The deadline to receive the booster dose is

m arch 1.

The u niversity announced the student booster requirement in an email from uhs director e dward Junkins on n ov. 14. All students, including undergraduate, graduate, professional and those participating in virtual research or learning, are included in the requirement.

The bivalent booster marks an additional vaccine required for students to be considered fully vaccinated against cov I d for the 2023-2024 academic year, in addition to two doses of the Pfizerb io n Tech or m oderna vaccines or a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine was also required this year for the third time since 2020.

If students do not fulfill the bivalent booster requirement or receive an exemption, a hold will be placed on their accounts to prevent registration for classes for the 2023 fall semester. Those who have already received an cov I d vaccine exemption need not apply again.

Antique shopping

A simple message from a man to a woman, thanking her for agreeing to exchange letters. I wonder how they’d feel knowing I’d be a future third pen pal. I add it to my armful of loot, hoping it can be a subtle reminder of what might be out there beyond snapchats asking for nudes.

I think new Year’s resolutions are cheesy and insincere, but I sometimes make them halfway through the year. Two years ago, I made a resolution to write more and share my writing more. needless to say, that’s a paradox I’m still working out.

At the moment, it looks a little something like this: sentences scrawled on scraps of paper given to friends, sealed letters that sit on my desk awaiting some sudden burst of courage and journals bursting at the seams.

Those who write for The observer or any similar platform know the tension I’m describing. It is really quite something — relinquishing control of your words. but then again, what good can they do locked up in the dusty exhibits of your own brain?

I don’t have many answers. but occasionally, I have a compulsion to let them go, brazenly unafraid of the consequences. here’s my latest attempt, inspired by a visit to an antique store with my childhood best friend.

We arrived at the whimsical warehouse of forgotten stories around 4 p.m. The antique store smelled like mothballs and wet drafts, but anything can be romanticized.

There’s something substantial about a pair of jeans from the 80s, the way they’ve held up far better than my ratty jeggings from 2016. It’s real — the denim. It couldn’t last so well if it wasn’t.

After weathering so much, I won’t worry if they can withstand the tailgate lots. besides that, there’s the pride of discovery. I privately hope someone compliments the new pair, so I can chirp back: “I found them at an antique store.” That all makes $35 seem like a real bargain.

eager for a fresh set of displays, britton and I wander upstairs. she finds a picture window that lights her up like the break of day. she points out antique roll-down maps and school supplies.

“no, but why is this literally from our aging second grade classroom in st. mark?” britton asks with a chuckle.

The school closed in 2015, so it really would make sense. Liquidation sale.

I think we could learn a lot if we took one item and tracked its life. sometimes I wish the old grandfather clock could talk. or that roll-down map. It sure would know a lot about us, if it really is the same one.

In the next warehouse over, britton sets her eye on a bowl of dainty rings, her very own diamond in the rough. As to how she found them, my reason ponders: stumped.

britton patiently listens to me fawn over this and that, making delusional statements about how I want something in my future house despite the fact that I can’t afford a studio apartment.

We share a sympathy for vintage dresses, agreeing that many of the cuts are far more flattering than today’s. In gowns, I gravitate toward the 40s. britton prefers 80s or 90s. either way, there’s a mutual respect.

eventually we wander over a split to the south side of the building. still more labyrinthine caverns await, and we haven’t even been upstairs.

“It would be so easy to get lost in here,” britton remarks. “I bet they take a while to close and clear out all the corridors.”

While she speaks observantly, I too am lost in thought, pretending to be Tom sawyer rascal-ing around dim caves. britton and I read that book together for class — twice, because of the school closure.

I grow distracted by a box of old postcards. I like to search for places I know — and for handwritten notes. deciphering the cursive is a spy puzzle in itself, but I’m single-focused. I can’t bear the thought of a story going to waste.

Frantically, I try to breathe life into each, reviving the twists and turns in my own imagination. I found one letter from 1908 sent to rockford, michigan from new York.

I’ve lost britton, but we somehow quickly reunite. The maze is thick, but our ties thicker. settling on another colorful three-walled room, britton begins executing a vision of prints for her wall. I stand there nearly squealing out of shared excitement. I’ve grown a bit louder now that the shop has fewer patrons.

“Tape stuff to the wall! Tape stuff to the wall!” I chant, thinking of my own collection back in south bend.

once she’s finished the task, I drift over to skim titles on a bookshelf. I pause to look around the now eerily empty shop. I’ve just now realized there’s not a window in sight, there hasn’t been the whole time.

Gasping with surprise, I gravitate toward a cloth-bound hardcover “For Whom the bell Tolls,” the title gilded with shimmery foil and running down its spine.

“I call myself a hemingway fan, and I’ve never even read this.” I say, grabbing it to my chest.

britton is the first to notice that a light has gone dark in our shadows.

“I think it’s 6 p.m.,” she says. closing time.

I glance backward. Where we stood 20 minutes ago is now pitch black. neither one of us has to say a word. We’re speed walking to the checkout, but first, we must pass an Led-lit closet housing dozens of old china dolls. Their beady eyes laser through my skull, evoking an involuntary groan of fear and disgust. I stifle it as if they might hear it.

For someone with an (irrational?) fear of hauntings and curses, I sure do forget that in antique stores.

I want everything to have profound significance, but only the good kind. All memories and meaning with none of the omens.

We taste a bit of relief upon rounding the corner to find the cash register, a kind of island floating in the moat between the store’s halves. only the counter is deserted and the front door deadbolted.

Abandoning my collection, I urgently unlock the door, holding it firmly open with one arm — our escape route.

Putting on a brave face, one foot still out the door, I call out: “hello?”

Four more times with extra calls from britton. our shouts are greeted only by a slow creak sounding from upstairs. even the antique service bell yields no results. I’m not superstitious, but in retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have risked summoning something.

even though we both long to buy our discoveries — britton her curated collage and me my century-old postcard, we quickly change our minds. The store is dark now but for one light hanging above the register. The slate-colored skies pour cold sleet out on the street outside, but the night has never seemed so comforting.

We don’t think for a second about stealing our collections, easy as it would be. We drop them on the counter and fully fling open the heavy door.

“Actually,” I stubbornly say, “I want that tiny key.” remembering the price tag, I reach into my pocket for two quarters and drop them on the desk with a clip clop.

I don’t need the things; I just want the stories. And some people say life is nothing like a novel.

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

Maggie Eastland Assistant managing editor

Transparency, dissent and the soviet Union’s downfall

Pablo Lacayo reliable ramblings

The collapse of the soviet Union was one of the world’s most seismic events towards the end of the twentieth century. many political analysts have provided a plethora of hypotheses as to why the Ussr collapsed the way it did, and the different ways it could have either been avoided or mistakes that precipitated its dissolution. After 70 years of totalitarian government, it is important to explore how small shifts toward transparency and democracy blasted through the foundations of the old soviet regime.

Glasnost, russian for transparency had the explicit purpose of introducing openness and accountability into soviet society by encouraging frank and open discussion of the issues of the past and present. The iron grip the soviet government had retained over the narrative it fed its citizens was an indispensable part when it came to ensuring the stability, legitimacy and survival of the communist Party’s rule. With absolute control over what the population knew, the government was able to preserve a narrative that suited its interests. even if said narrative came to lose most of its shine following decades of unfulfilled promises and never-ending letdowns, the lack of alternatives was still an important tool for the soviet government to continue its control. If voices that countered the official line were allowed to emerge, and frank discussion came to upend the alternate reality presented by soviet propaganda, the very legitimacy of the system came into play. Uncovering the truth and allowing for it to be discussed in the open was a terrible blow to soviet legitimacy, as the regime

was built on covered-up economic failures and the lives of millions of citizens that died at the hands of political persecution instigated by those at the very top of the political food chain. Glasnost was intended by Gorbachev’s government as a means for the citizenry to provide their authorities with constructive criticism, but only from a communist perspective. Instead, Glasnost unleashed a check on the Ussr’s power that precipitated the Union’s dissolution in 1991, as losing control of the narrative emboldened people to organize themselves against a state they no longer believed in.

In terms of democratic participation, the soviet political system was designed to operate cohesively and without any room for dissent. The communist Party, as the Union’s sole existing political party, was supposed to retain a guiding role for the rest of the country and serve as the vanguard of the revolution and soviet people. There was little room for dissent within the official Party structure, as once decisions had been made by those at the top, everyone at the bottom was supposed to abide by their instructions. The very essence of the communist Party of the soviet Union was anti-democratic. The attempt to democratize the Party was an utter failure, as a party that claims to be marxist-Leninist cannot be democratic by definition. The introduction of multicandidate competitive elections allowed the soviet population to choose between different political directions and platforms. The election of independent candidates, including future president boris Yeltsin, to the newly established congress of People’s deputies, provided the opportunity for dissenting voices to make their case to the people as to why the soviet Union should remove the Party’s grip on power once and for all. Gorbachev’s push to open up the Party structure to the popular will

was intended to mobilize the general public. however, Gorbachev could not square establishing an open, democratic society while retaining the Party as the guiding force that led the way for the rest of the soviet Union. opening up the country to dissent under the expectation dissenting voices would continue to submit to the Party’s ultimate authority was unrealistic, and demokratizatsiya allowed independent voices to further their clamor for further freedoms. democratization further decentralized power within the Ussr, and allowed for autonomous reformist leaders to emerge, clearing the way for those that would come to lead the different soviet republics upon dissolution at the end of 1991.

Although the soviet Union collapsed well over thirty years ago, every december the news cycle is flooded with articles and pieces that once again pick apart the way history went down to bring about the fall of the Iron curtain. This winter break, I could not help but go down the same rabbit hole I fall into every year around christmas time, and once again gloss over what I think is a very interesting part of global history. As these events were crucial in developing the state of the world today, one cannot help but revisit the importance of the two elements that intended to bring democracy and hope to tens of millions of people living on the other side of a totalitarian iron curtain.

Pablo Lacayo is a senior at Notre Dame, majoring in finance while minoring in Chinese. He enjoys discussing current affairs, giving out bowl plates at the dining hall, walking around the lakes and karaoke. You can reach him at placayo@nd.edu.

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

A critique of awareness

Jack Griffiths neurodivergence

Welcome to the second semester of neurodivergent! While I know that my final column last semester may have given the impression that I was done as a columnist, I still have the desire to do more deep dives and tell more stories. so, to kick things off in a new year, here’s a (hopefully well-structured enough) rant inspired by seeing one bumper sticker on the way back to campus. simple phrases are the key cogs of successful charitable initiatives. Fundraising organizations look for phrases that succinctly summarize their goals, create a sense of urgency that leads to enthusiastic donors and can be easily promoted via shouts at rallies or Instagram hashtags. Among these campaigns, few words are deployed as much as the term “awareness,” a term that seems unproblematic but can produce unhelpful — or even harmful assumptions about people who experience hardship.

When the language of “awareness” is used, it often refers to debilitating conditions or circumstances. Think “cancer awareness,” “climate change awareness” or “bullying awareness.” All three of these examples blatantly call attention to problems. Furthermore, awareness then necessarily inspires action to address these problems before they damage more people’s lives. but what if people are told to be aware of something, even though it isn’t a problem in the first place?

This is my gripe with “autism awareness” — a phrase I’ve witnessed around me throughout my life. Although many of the people who hashtag the phrase and put it on their bumpers are genuinely well-intentioned, I believe that whenever anyone states that one should be “aware” of autism, autism becomes implicitly pathologized. This discourse indirectly makes the case that much like cancer, autism is a problem that must be stopped. Thus, autistic children become tragedies, treated like innocents

who had their lives permanently altered by a harmful force in their brains. As a result, we consider solutions like searching for the “cure” to autism or utilizing degrading forms of therapy, or else these autistic individuals are doomed to a lower rung on the social hierarchy. While the people advertising the “awareness” slogan may not be explicitly making such claims, they mold the cultural discussion around autism in a way that makes these ideas more prevalent.

now, being autistic is not easy. It can facilitate stress in social situations where you’re constantly worrying about coming off as awkward. It can make you feel sensations on overdrive, often against your will. but something being occasionally challenging doesn’t make it a problem. The difficulties faced by autistic folks do not justify the framing of autism as a “disease,” as something that people need to become aware of to help prevent or cure. For all the challenges, autistic people also can understand our world in a unique way, a way that doesn’t limit itself to the burdensome standards of neurotypical expectations. In addition, by building welcoming cultures for neurodivergent folks, we can give them the avenues to process their personal struggles or insecurities. rather than treating autism as the problem, we should identify the ways in which we have collectively failed to empower autistic individuals in ways that amplify the challenges they encounter on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, we often turn down opportunities to do this. because we automatically associate “awareness” campaigns with positive charitable efforts to improve people’s lives, we give our money and volunteer hours without taking the time to consider what the actual “problem” is. In our hectic lives, we often don’t spend enough time reflecting on how supposedly charitable organizations describe their goals. We simply listen to their phrases and buzzwords and assume that they must be doing the right thing. While this is a clear issue for how we think about autism, it’s also a general issue with how we think anything we use charity to address.

To be clear, there are numerous legitimate groups that use their resources to empower autistic people. The Autistic self Advocacy network (AsAn), for instance, is led by autistic people and forefronts the goal of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for neurodivergent individuals. however, it’s easy to be manipulated by people and organizations with fancy logos and memorable slogans that lack a vision for empowerment. I’m guilty of this too, as I’ve occasionally contributed to organizations because they claimed to be helping autistic people — only for me to eventually discover that their projects treat autism itself as the reason for people’s pain and suffering.

We should be holding these organizations to higher standards, encouraging them to take into account the insights and perspectives of autistic people and support justice-oriented solutions. In order to do this, however, we need to think before we elevate these organizations’ slogans and phrases so that we can recognize when their aims are misguided. We also need acknowledge that building an inclusive culture goes beyond simple awareness campaigns; rather, it requires systemic action to improve educational, political and social environments.

All of this is challenging work — much more challenging than spreading “awareness.” but inclusivity can only be ensured by those who are focused, dedicated and willing to deeply analyze the most common narratives about autism.

Jack Griffiths is a senior at Notre Dame majoring in English with a supplementary major in global affairs. His areas of interest include neurodivergence, migration and the intersections between faith and public policy. When he’s not writing, you can find him singing with the Liturgical Choir, walking around the lakes or playing Super Smash Bros with folks in his dorm. He can be reached at jgriff22@nd.edu.

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

Dysfunction and extremism: The failure of House Republicans as the opposition

The 118th congress has ushered in a divided federal government. The newly republican-controlled house will amplify the staunch opposition displayed by the GoP since President biden took office. still, with democrats in control of the senate and the executive branch, republicans are very much the minority party. With that in mind, let’s consider the role of an opposition party in a democracy and whether the GoP can meet those responsibilities.

Lord randolph churchill, member of the UK Parliament and Winston churchill’s son, said that “The duty of an opposition is to oppose.” even if churchill wasn’t talking about the American political system, we’ve taken a page from that playbook. When in the minority, democrats and republicans alike campaign on a platform of opposing the other party. democrats framed the 2018 midterms and 2020 presidential election as a referendum on former President Trump, which heavily contributed to their victories. In the recent 2022 midterms, republicans did the same maneuver against President biden and the democratic Party.

on its face, the assessment that the opposition party’s sole duty is to oppose seems intuitive. The minority party should only concern itself with criticizing the party in power as a pathway to eventually becoming the new majority party. It doesn’t agree with the other party and doesn’t want to see its opponents succeed, so ridicule is the best option. The very nature of an opposition party invites a personality of antagonism and stonewalling.

however, this understanding of an opposition party isn’t helpful for democracy. At its core, the duty of elected officials is to represent the interests of their constituents. This may often involve opposing the efforts of the other side, but it can also require cooperation on issues shared by both sides of the aisle. If the opposition party devotes its entire strategy to resisting the party in power, it displays itself merely as a nuisance, not as a legitimate alternative to governing. It consumes itself in the idea of opposition and fails to present a coherent platform or vision to the opposition’s own approach to governing. This strategy only serves partisan interests, not that of the nation. Instead of complete opposition, the role of the minority party is to selectively oppose. It should certainly criticize the party in power on issues they disagree on, but also cooperate on issues both sides share an interest in. That way, the opposition creates a clear picture of its governing strategy for voters.

Unfortunately, house republicans appear to be following the initial approach to opposition. Their plan on holding sweeping investigations into the biden administration and possible impeachments reveals a strategy of blocking democrats at every turn, not selective opposition. While this strategy of mere opposition provides no clear picture of what a republican government would pursue, it does reveal their inability to govern. Within the first few weeks of a republican-majority house, we can see two ways that highlight the ineffective and potentially dangerous governing style of the GoP.

First, the dysfunction of house republicans demonstrates that party infighting has bled into governing. The prolonged election of representative Kevin mccarthy (r-c A) to speaker of the house is a clear indication of this. despite being

nominated by his party’s conference, mccarthy failed to secure enough votes prior to the new congress convening. Following concessions to the far-right faction of his party, mccarthy was elevated to the speakership after a historic 15 rounds of voting. mccarthy’s inability to create a majority before the vote demonstrates the difficulty of building a winning coalition in his conference. If republicans were still in the minority, this wouldn’t be a problem. but as the majority party, continued failure to coalesce majorities threatens the house’s ability to pass crucial legislation.

This has dangerous implications for the country. For instance, as the U.s. hits the debt ceiling, there’s more pressure for the house to increase the federal government’s borrowing limit. however, infighting within house republicans amidst mccarthy’s promise to not raise the debt ceiling will likely ensue a financial crisis. If republicans somehow manage to avert an economic disaster, they still risk a similar outcome with voting on 12 individual spending packages rather than an omnibus bill, another one of mccarthy’s concessions. republicans have to pass each of these bills to avoid a government shutdown, an unlikely outcome with a slim majority and hostile opposition within the party.

second, house republicans’ toleration of extremism threatens our democratic institutions and well-being of the nation. Possibly one of the most significant concessions by mccarthy was to appoint three members of the Freedom caucus to the rules committee, which decides how bills are considered. The caucus contains many of the anti-mccarthy house republicans who opposed him in the speaker vote. handing the power to control which bills make it to the house floor over to his party’s radical faction will invite dangerous legislation while blocking essential bills from being voted on.

moreover, reappointing members like representatives marjorie Taylor Greene (rGA) and Paul Gosar (r-AZ) back to committees signifies the GoP’s lack of accountability among its members. Greene was removed for spreading (often antisemitic) conspiracy theories. Gosar was ousted for sharing a video depicting him killing representative Alexandria ocasio-cortez (d-n Y). We’re witnessing the beginning of a house GoP that tolerates extremism and violence, which never leads to productive governing.

my hope was that the house GoP would use its control of the house in a meaningful way. rather than merely score political points or oppose for the sake of opposing, I aspired for the spirit of bipartisanship modeled under the previous congress. however, it appears that instead of providing a meaningful opposition, house republicans have selected a strategy that won’t benefit Americans. We’ll continue to see a party that lacks the unity and goodwill to govern in a meaningful way, if it can govern at all.

Blake Ziegler is a senior at Notre Dame studying political science, philosophy and constitutional studies. He enjoys writing about Judaism, the good life, pressing political issues and more. Outside of The Observer, Blake serves as president of the Jewish Club and a teaching assistant for God and the Good Life. He can be reached at @ NewsWithZig on Twitter or bziegler@nd.edu.

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

Blake Ziegler news with Zig

By AYDEN KOWALSKI scene Writer

“Avatar: The Way of Water” has enough ambition to fill a cinematic universe, a masterpiece in computergenerated imagery that successfully whisks the audience away to the moon of Pandora and its picturesque oceans. but James cameron’s newest film has another trait lacking in today’s typical blockbuster: sincerity. This is a movie that unashamedly aims to encourage everyday compassion through the example of blue aliens who ride dinosaurs. It isn’t shameful to be earnest and a little bit strange. but it is beautiful and impactful, and ultimately, a soaring success that hopefully can be a model for blockbusters to follow. The world of Pandora is breathtaking, from its familiar forests to its gleaming seas. The flora and fauna are wonderfully designed: organic, imaginative and easily identifiable, so any audience can connect with them. The na’vi, the humanoid aliens at the center of the story, are fully expressive and feel real, even though there is still a layer of artifice to them. The filmmakers are aware of this inescapable unreality to Pandora, and they succeed in building a world that is beautiful on its own terms. The spell is only seriously weakened when live humans show up, though their presence in Pandora is much more believable in 3d, at least in this reviewer’s experience. In fact, the

film looks best in 3d, as the filmmakers take advantage of the extra depth this gives their frame, adding to the realism and immersion of the film, rather than trying cheap tricks to move the audience into Pandora, which the filmmakers know is impossible. c ameron’s dazzling vistas would be meaningless if the characters that inhabited them were dull and flat, and here, the screenwriters far exceed the first film, which was narratively lacking. “The Way of Water” follows a na’vi family on the run, as the father and patriarch of this family — Jake sully ( s am Worthington) — has a problematic history with the human colonizers of Pandora. As shown in the original “Avatar,” Jake was once human, before transferring his consciousness to a na’vi body and marrying a na’vi woman, neytiri (Zoe s aldaña). Jake is only a secondary protagonist here, as his children, mainly the rebellious and spirited Lo’ak ( britain dalton) and the spiritual and eccentric Kiri ( sigourney Weaver), lead the action. The screenwriters accurately capture the family dynamics, especially between Jake and his sons Lo’ak and neteyam (Jamie Flatters), the latter of whom is always obedient while the former continues to frustrate and scare Jake. Lo’ak’s misadventures alienate him from his father, while Kiri feels alone because of her unique way of interacting with the world and her deep connection to Pandora’s spirit, e wya. The hurt the family inflicts on itself

and the love within it all the while are real and deeply relatable.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” is a meditation on what it means to love, whether that be a culture, a place or a person. The sullies respond to the world and to each other with love; they want to understand where they are and the unfamiliar ways of those around them and to support and save their family. The human colonizers want to dominate the world around them and shape it according to their desires. c ameron demonstrates the destruction this latter approach causes viscerally while encouraging the audience to approach the world with wonder. This is why Pandora is so gorgeous: it is an easy place to love, and hopefully, we can come back to e arth with some of the sullies’ compassion.

Contact Ayden Kowalski at akowals2@nd.edu

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

Director:

Starring:

If you like: “Star Wars,” “Top Gun: Maverick”

By ANDY OTTONE scene Writer

Who doesn’t love Pinocchio? Whether it’s c arlo c ollidi’s original novel or Walt d isney’s 1940 feature film, many know the story of the wooden boy with the growing nose. In 2022, three film adaptations were released, and I took it upon myself to watch all three. I would be remiss to not mention an influence on many “Pinocchio” adaptations: Walt d isney’s ideas to make the talking cricket Pinocchio’s friend, and the blue Fairy bringing Pinocchio to life, both details not in the original text.

Let’s begin with the first from 2022. “Pinocchio: A True story” is a russian animated film that was released in the United states in 2022. shockingly, the film ignores two of the story’s most recognizable elements: Pinocchio’s growing nose and the talking cricket. The film is most famous for the line “Father, when can I leave to be on my own? I have the whole world to see!” which made the film’s trailer go viral. After watching it, I feel the need to advise anyone who might feel inclined to watch it based on that clip that it is not worth it; the voice acting is disjointed, the animation is stiff and the writing feels lazy. I strongly do not recommend this adaptation. If you want a laugh, just watch the trailer.

The second Pinocchio film was the latest in d isney’s current endeavor to remake their animated classics. helmed by robert Zemeckis, director of “Forrest Gump,” the film was a solid retelling of the d isney version of the story. While all three iterations from last year were musicals, I would say this version had the best music, albeit based more on the new performances of the songs from the original film rather than any of the new songs composed. The “Pleasure Island” scene was updated to show healthier forms of disobedience than the original smoking and drinking, instead having the children aim fireworks at each other. The film was a satisfying reiteration of the classic film, but not much more than that; a reiteration, and just satisfying. I felt the same way watching it that I feel when watching most other d isney remakes. I enjoy it. I think it has value as a new film, but I’ll most likely watch the original sooner than the remake again.

The last Pinocchio film to come out was Guillermo d el Toro’s “Pinocchio,” released on netflix in d ec. 2022. This movie separates itself from the others by changing the setting from a nondescript time period to one that is very real, and very unexpected for a children’s story: Fascist Italy during World War II. This version, I feel, was not necessarily made for children, dealing with heavy themes such as death

and the balance between personal morals and the duty to one’s nation. Geppetto is portrayed not as a jolly woodcarver but as a man dealing with serious grief due to the death of his son, leading the spirit of Life (taking the place of the blue Fairy) to give life to the puppet. Another changed aspect of the film is the combination of multiple antagonists into one, c ount volpe, with the novel characters of the Fox and the greedy puppeteer becoming a single character. In the place of Pleasure Island (or Toy Land in the novel) is a military training camp, and the island’s leader is presented instead as a military officer. The film’s animation is beautiful, being stop-motion animation which means every character is a real puppet, not just Pinocchio. Its music was also solid, with a stand-out being the song “c iao Papa.” o ut of the three films, this one stands out as the best, in my opinion.

If you really want to watch a Pinocchio movie, you cannot go wrong with the 1940s classic, but if you want to choose from last year’s offerings, d isney’s will give you a breezy, fun if not familiar adventure for the whole family; netflix’s by d el Toro is for the older kids, and gives a more contemplative watch; “A True story” is just one to avoid.

Contact Andy Ottone at

CLAIRE KIRNER | The Observer

James Cameron

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Britain Dalton, Sigourney Weaver

By ROSE ANDROWICH scene Writer

I’d never had the experience of loving something that is popularly recognized as bad, until “ velma,” hbo max’s new adult animation series reimagining “s cooby-d oo.” According to rotten Tomatoes, only 9% of its audience liked the show. Well, I found myself in that 9%.

I loved this origin story for my favorite “s coobyd oo” character and how the character is developed. velma ( m indy Kaling) blames herself for her mother’s ( s arayu blue) disappearance. The series has a twist: two stories of this disappearance develop, one from velma’s perspective and one from her father’s ( russell Peters). velma believed her mother disappeared, but her father eventually reveals how she left them. velma initially believes him but uses this proclamation as further means to blame herself.

velma finds herself unable to solve mysteries until she is accused of murder. she also sees visions while solving mysteries, and while these episodes are disturbing, they serve a further purpose. her visions reflect her trauma, which she cannot escape.

velma may be provided with a character arc, but this is not true of all characters. daphne ( c onstance

Wu) is characterized as a trophy girlfriend who is secretly a rebel, as she deals drugs. This is meant to be ironic, as her moms are detectives. They are not good detectives, however, as they fail to recognize the disguised velma and daphne when they catch the drug dealers. This storyline does not work, and falls flat.

daphne is not the only disappointing character in the show. Fred (Glenn howerton) is a spoiled rich boy unable to do anything himself. h is character is not developed beyond this trait: when he is accused of murder, he is found not guilty as his inability to cut his own steak makes it impossible for him to be the killer.

In the final moments of episode two, daphne and velma kiss. This LGbTQIA+ storyline affirms what some original “s cooby-d oo” fans believed to be true about velma’s sexual orientation. The detail recognizes a group of people who feel targeted for who they are.

velma is a complex character who faces a number of struggles, and this is what makes me love the show. she is represented by m indy Kaling and portrayed as a s outh Asian woman. Peers cheat off her in spanish because Fred believes her to be mexican. she is named incorrectly on a newscast. This velma

resonates a lot with me.

The mature themes presented in the series rebel against the presumed audience for animated shows. c artoons are often treated as a form of entertainment for kids, especially by those who create them. c artoon network, d isney X d and nickelodeon cartoons are targeted towards kids. velma is not. The show may not please everyone, but at least it is a unique project.

s ome may have gone into “ velma” hoping this incarnation of the character would mirror the original detective in “s cooby-d oo.” I view this project as creative and ambitious. As the series continues, I will be watching and enjoying it with the rest of the 9%.

Contact Rose Androwich at randrowich01@saintmarys.edu

“Velma”

Where to watch: HBO Max

Starring: Mindy Kaling, Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson

Favorite episodes: Episode 2

If you like: “The Sex Lives of College Girls”

By MARCELLE COUTO scene Writer

I know what you’re thinking. Another movie about how great and fantastic “the movies” are? We get it, we know directors think they’re amazing. but trust me, “The Fabelmans,” despite playing on this overused trope, manages to combine innovative and moving elements with grace and ease. It is steven spielberg’s most personal movie, and maybe one of his best. It is a collage of its director’s memories that becomes a beautiful celebration of the playful spirit and power of cinema in our imagination.

While none of the characters actually exist, spielberg has already made it pretty clear that “The Fabelmans” is about his relationship with cinema. but more than just showing how a young Jewish boy was enchanted by the big screen and its power to make us dream, he demonstrates this power by also examining the fragility of his own family. For this very reason, more than s am (Gabriel La b elle) himself, the Fabelman family is the main protagonist of the film.

Art is fundamental in the relationship between b art (Paul dano) and m itzi ( m ichelle Williams), the heads of the Fabelman family. d espite the almost devotional love they have for each other, father and mother see the world in diametrically opposed

ways. b art is that pragmatic figure, the man of science who believes that everything should be taken literally and rationally, which makes any and all explanations he gives seem like an endless lecture. o n the other hand, m itzi is a pianist who has given up music to become a housewife, but never abandoned her magical and fantastic lens for looking at life. This opposition between the parents’ worldviews is fundamental for s am as he find his own path. And this starts from his first trip to the cinema, when he learns, in one of the most beautiful scenes of the film, that cinema is nothing more than the ability to put dreams in the palm of your hand.

Producing dreams is an outlet for creatives and an exercise in control. That second aspect is what s am has in common with his father, whose hope of a happy family makes him want to control it. s am is the sole ruler of his dream world, and his mother recognizes how art becomes his psychological crutch early on in his childhood.

o ne of the greatest feats of “The Fabelmans” is that it uses the memories of its screenwriter and director without feeling corny or overbearing. Although it is a film made entirely about spielberg himself, it is not an egocentric work by an artist who sees himself as bigger than it. o n the contrary, the feature is made from pure heart. still, there’s no bigger star in “The Fabelmans” than spielberg. For decades, he has

been a master artist in hollywood, demonstrating perfect control of form in the service of mainstream narrative. h is dreams are precisely produced, which is what makes them wonderful, and that craft is very much present here, in everything from the composition of the frames to the immaculate sound.

“The Fabelmans” highlights the essential role of art in human life. It is a treatise on what cinema does, what it is for and what it requires from those who create it. There is poetry, of course, but there is also technique that is considered beautiful for its obvious perfection. There is mystery, that transcendence that occurs when a film ceases to belong to its creator and becomes the public’s, the images unfolding at 24 frames per second coming to life by themselves.

Above all, it is a film about the search for control as a guideline of the human experience and the maximum expression of the work to which the director dedicates himself. d rawing inspiration from the truth of his past, spielberg celebrates the “lie in 35mm film,” turns memory into a myth and shares his most intimate reflections with all of us. Inspiring from start to finish, “The Fabelmans” is a beautiful reminder of why we love this factory of dreams so dearly.

Contact Marcelle Couto at

Happy Birthday: keep life simple, be direct and arrange to change what is no longer benefiting you. Stick to the script, be honest about what you want and refuse to spend more than your budget can handle. look for an alternative way to cut costs or bring in cash. finding a balance between work and play, spending and saving, and a healthy lifestyle and overindulgence is encouraged. your numbers are 8, 15, 24, 29, 32, 46, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Excess is the enemy. Don’t overdo it or share sensitive information. Take a moment to evaluate the situation and the people you deal with before you respond. listen, be attentive and protect your property. focus on physical fitness, self-improvement and love.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Protect your health, wealth and reputation. Speak up and search for the best way to use your skills, experience and knowledge to avoid being taken advantage of and to develop what you want to happen. Don’t stop when it’s time to act.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Slow down, take a moment to review your strategy and adjust any foreseeable problems quickly. Call on those you value for what they know and contribute. you’ll gain respect if you handle matters efficiently and effectively. romance is encouraged.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Nurture relationships. Pay attention to what others say and do, and respond with honesty and integrity. head down an affordable path that you can apply precision and detail to every step of the way. Don’t allow anyone to derail your plans or prospects.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): fly under the radar and avoid interference. Set your sights on increasing your awareness about things that concern you. Expand your knowledge and interests to include subjects and pastimes that someone you want to spend more time with enjoys doing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A positive suggestion will far exceed criticism. Be open to others’ opinions and willing to finish whatever you start. Make room in your schedule to physically make a difference to someone who needs your help. Offer a unique alternative, and a surprise offer will unfold.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Emotions will spin out of control if given a chance. Avoid talks that make you uncomfortable and arguments you cannot win. look inward and strive for personal improvements that make you stand out and become super appealing to those observing your every move.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): let facts and figures guide you. face-to-face discussions will reinforce your confidence and encourage you to forge ahead with confidence instead of hesitation. Protect your physical well-being, home and profile. have a backup plan and damage control in place.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): you don’t have to exaggerate or overspend to impress someone. let kindness lead the way and living up to your promises stoke your reputation. A straightforward approach to life, love and the events you participate in will benefit you considerably. romance is favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): uncertainty will prevail if you don’t address concerns with someone who tends to interfere with your plans. Make what you want and plan to do clear, then proceed. Don’t spend on something you don’t need or change what still works sufficiently.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): you won’t have to stand alone. Share your thoughts and feelings, and the feedback you get will help you make the right decision. Change begins with you. Take a positive step forward and make your dreams come true. romance looks promising.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): keep your thoughts to yourself and avoid dealing with red-tape issues or government or institutional agencies. keeping secrets until you have worked out the best way forward will help bypass interference and misunderstandings. Create a to-do list. Birthday Baby: you are wise, heroic and timely. you are candid and compelling.

Jumble | DAvID hOyT AND JEff kNurEk

sudoku | ThE MEPhAM grOuP

Irish escape Tiger cage for the win

By TYLER REIDY sports Writer

no. 7 notre dame women’s basketball improved to 15-2 overall and 6-1 in Acc play with perhaps its most exhausting victory yet. The Irish defeated clemson 57-54 in a game that was never led by more than eight points. notre dame’s high-powered offense scored a full 24 points below its season average thanks to a slow start. however, sophomore guard olivia miles and the Irish defense came alive in key moments to survive a Thursday night thriller at Littlejohn coliseum.

before the game, head coach niele Ivey described clemson’s playing style as “organized chaos”. The early moments of the game were certainly chaotic for both offenses. In just over four minutes of first quarter action, notre dame and clemson combined for nine total turnovers. The Tigers found a bit of rhythm just before the midway point of the quarter, embarking on a 12-2 run to open up a 12-4 lead.

notre dame carried its sluggish offensive start through the end of the quarter, but its defense kept the game close. clemson did not score in the final five minutes of the opening frame, taking a 12-8 lead into the second. senior forward Amari robinson was impressive early for the Tigers, totaling six points and six rebounds through 10 minutes.

clemson got rolling again to start the second quarter, opening up a 19-10 lead. From there, the final eight minutes of the first half saw notre dame battle to draw themselves back into a close game. A 6-0 run brought the Irish within three, but a second 5-0 clemson run restores its eight point lead. That’s when olivia miles tapped into her elite offensive ability for the first time. she nailed two big three-pointers and assisted on junior forward maddy Westbeld’s late basket in the half’s final four minutes. At halftime, notre dame had cut the deficit to 29-26, and miles had racked up 12 points and three assists. The Irish took much better care of the basketball in the second quarter, playing without a turnover in the final 3:50 of the half.

notre dame found its game on the back side of the halftime break, opening the second half on an 8-0 run. Junior forward Kylee Watson scored the first four points, part of an impressive eight-point performance in 10 minutes played. however, just like the Irish in the first half, clemson would not go away. Junior guard Ale’Jah

douglas and sophomore guard madi ott drilled consecutive three-pointers to bring the Tigers back within three.

With the Irish lead thinning out, olivia miles played her best basketball at the end of yet another quarter. she buried a triple and set up graduate student guard dara mabrey for a three-ball of her own in the final three minutes. That helped the Irish keep up with clemson’s suddenly hot shooting to take a 44-44 tie to the fourth quarter.

The game’s final quarter started similarly to its first. clemson gave away seven turnovers in the first six minutes, while the Irish opened 1-for9 from the floor. eventually, notre dame opened up a 57-51 lead in the final 30 seconds, as miles and Westbeld hit their free throws. miles also came up with a huge block while clemson still trailed by six.

The Irish appeared to have victory in hand, but Westbeld went 0-for-2 from the line and graduate clemson student guard brie Perpignan immediately converted a three-pointer. Ahead by three in the final 10 seconds, notre dame inadvertently handed the Tigers their chance to force overtime. Upon receiving the inbound pass, sophomore guard sonia citron stepped out of bounds with 5.9 ticks on the clock. c lemson senior guard daisha bradford ended up taking the game-tying look with two seconds to spare, but she couldn’t hit. With that, the Irish eked out a 57-54 win and could exhale after holding their breath from start to finish.

notre dame’s olivia miles led all scorers with 20 points, adding 8 assists and 4 rebounds. After scoring 23 in sunday’s defeat of syracuse, she has delivered 20-point efforts in consecutive games for the first time in her career. miles spent much of the night teeing up maddy Westbeld, who collected 15 points. sonia citron had a difficult offensive night (1-8 FG), but she hauled in nine rebounds.

clemson offered up a balanced scoring attack highlighted by an 8-for-19 three-point performance. brie Perpignan hit three of those shots, earning 11 points on the night. Amari robinson neared a doubledouble with 10 points and eight rebounds.

All in all, notre dame escaped by cutting down on turnovers late, a problem which clemson never solved. The Tigers ended the night with 28 turnovers — eight coming in the final quarter. The Irish also played cleaner defensive basketball, getting to the free throw line 21

Irish fencing travels east for weekend invitationals

By OLIVIA SCHATZ Associate sports editor

n otre d ame fencing is back for a series of challenging meets to close out January. After a long winter break, some fencers returned to the 2023 U s A Fencing n orth American c up ( n A c ), where they proved that they were not rusty coming out of the holiday. n ine Irish fencers earned top-ten spots across six events. This included graduate student sabre Jared s mith, who tied for third in men’s sabre, and freshman epee s edna Gandhi, who tied for third in the juniors women’s epee.

h owever, n otre d ame’s season has really just begun, and their two upcoming tournaments will be the test for the rest of the season.

c oming up next is the s t. John’s Invitational in Queens, n Y on January 21. e lite teams from all over the country will be attending and hoping to come out on top. While n otre d ame has shown the ability to compete at a high level, this invitational will be a litmus test for the remainder of the season, and eventually the nc AA tournament. Assistant sabre coach c hristian r ascioni touched on the importance that this initial invitational will have on the rest of the season.

“It definitely is the biggest meet of the season, it is a very good test before nc AAs,” r ascioni said, “It’s a moment [where] we can face them and fence the best schools, the best programs: h arvard, c olumbia, Princeton, Penn s tate [and] o hio s tate.”

The Irish are currently ranked first in the men’s division and are followed by c olumbia, o hio s tate, h arvard, Princeton and Penn s tate respectively. o n the women’s end, n otre d ame is currently ranked second, with just Princeton ahead of them. e ach school will be coming into the competition looking to take those top spots. It is up to the

Irish to maintain their prestige. h owever, r ascioni is confident in his team and said that they have been training all week for this weekend.

The last time the Irish faced the Tigers, the women got away with a 17-10 victory while the men edged out a 14-13 win.

“The key is the stress,” r ascioni said on how to face teams of this caliber. “It’s always how can we manage the stress, especially these close bouts and fencing stronger people and fencers. It’s very important to be able to close the bout if you are leading and to not give up the bout if you are down.”

After the s t. John’s invitational, many of the same teams will travel to Penn s tate, where the Irish will again match up against the toughest competition in the division.

While n otre d ame has a stacked roster, they must rely on some of their most influential fencers to carry them through those close bouts.

s mith has proven to be a consistent fencer for the Irish, and as the season progresses, he looks to continue his streak.

“[Jared’s] doing a great job. b esides college fencing he’s doing really well nationally,” r ascioni said of s mith. “ h e was second and third in two n orth American cups and he qualified to make the national team … he has a very good momentum and we are hoping to keep this momentum for all the season.”

In the e lite Invitational at Penn, s mith won every single bout, proving crucial for the Irish.

o n the women’s side, junior epee Kaylin s in Yan h sieh is continuing to thrive after her undefeated sophomore season.

“I think the biggest challenge for her is going to be the consistency and the ability to keep the same level she was fencing in the past seasons,” r ascioni said. “ s he’s doing really well and she’s definitely

on the right path to do it, but it is going to be the most difficult thing just to handle the pressure to stay always there.”

Throughout the season so far, s in Yan h sieh is dealing with the pressure just fine, as she also went undefeated in the e lite Invitational.

While these veteran players will surely make their mark on the upcoming season, freshmen foil c hase e mmer and epee e szter m uhari are both proving themselves as fierce competitors.

“ h e has already made the senior team. h e was a bronze medalist in team in the last senior World c hampionships,” r ascioni said on e mmer. “ h e’s a freshman and of course it is not easy, even for such a good fencer like him, to jump into college fencing. It’s a completely different environment, and he’s still adjusting. b ut definitely, he’s gonna be a great replacement for our fencers who graduated last year.”

r ascioni also complimented m uhari, calling her one of the best in the world. h e noted that similar to e mmer, being a freshman comes with a laundry list of issues. h owever, r ascioni is confident that his freshman will make a big splash.

e ven with a talented roster, the Irish have a tough schedule ahead of them. h owever, r ascioni is not worried.

“They are a very consistent group, the dynamics are very strong. e ven inside a squad, which is the most important thing,” r acioni said. “And really, there is great team spirit that is probably what makes a difference in such the hard bouts.”

n otre d ame travels to Queens, n Y, to play in the s t. John’s Invitational on January 21. They then head to Penn to compete at the Philadelphia Invitational on January 22.

Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu

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The

notre dame 2023 depth chart projection: Irish need improved wide receiver production

By MANNION McGINLEY Assistant managing editor

The notre dame wide receiver room was a point of weakness in 2022, but there is reason for optimism heading into the 2023 season. The Irish will bring in sam hartman, a Wake Forest transfer quarterback who set several Acc records during his tenure with the demon deacons. hartman ranked first in depth of target in 2022 (Irish starting quarterback drew Pyne ranked 129th), so that immediately elevates the ceiling for what these receivers can accomplish in 2023. The Irish offense is looking to improve on their 31.8 points per game mark. notre dame finished 7-0 when exceeding that point total in 2022, but they were just 2-4 when they fell below that mark.

2022 summary

The Irish wide receiver corps was a shallow group, and they didn’t exactly turn heads throughout much of the season. sophomore Lorenzo styles, the projected breakout star of the group, struggled with drops throughout the season and caught 30 passes for 340 yards and a single touchdown. classmate Jayden Thomas ended the season as the group’s yardage leader with 361 yards on 25 catches. he tied braden Lenzy, who retired after the Gator bowl, for the wide receiver lead in touchdown receptions with three.

Thomas emerged late, posting 12 catches for 189 yards over the final four games, compared to styles’ seven catches for 53 yards. Additional pieces in the wide receiver room included Lenzy, who departs after totaling 24 catches and 309 yards, both ranking third among wide receivers. sophomore deion colzie

also emerged late as a solid thirddown option, finishing with nine catches for 192 yards in the final five games of the regular season. Freshman Tobias merriweather made one catch in the regular season, a 41-yard touchdown reception, but struggled with injury down the stretch. And finally, graduate student matt salerno added five catches for 62 yards.

Thomas and styles stand out as the guys with the best chance of making the jump to being a true Wr1 in the coming season, but colzie offered a glimpse of his ceiling in the latter portion of the season. Unhampered by injury, and with a full collegiate season under his belt, merriweather remains a name to watch.

Key Departures

In this department, it’s really just Lenzy. he vacates a starting role, and the Irish will need to fill it. Lenzy caught 56 passes for 659 yards over the past two years. It isn’t elite-level production, but he was the most proven receiver in the room. no other wide receiver that caught a pass for notre dame departs ahead of the 2023 season. Graduate student Joe Wilkins, a role player for several years, entered the transfer portal in november, having not caught a pass in 2022. he announced his transfer to miami (oh).

Transfer Portal Additions

virginia Tech transfer Kaleb smith is a name to know heading into 2023. his 2022 numbers of 37 catches and 674 yards would both have led the Irish wide receiver room last season. Like the notre dame receivers, smith is receiving an upgrade at the quarterback position and should be in line for a more impactful 2023 season. smith posted a pair of 100-yard games last season, which

no notre dame wide receiver accomplished. he’s the natural fit to replace Lenzy atop the depth chart and brings an explosive weapon to the Irish offense.

Incoming Freshman

The Irish pulled in four wide receivers in their 2023 recruiting class. braylon James, Jaden Greathouse, rico Flores and Kaleb smith (not to be confused with the virginia Tech transfer) all committed to notre dame, and all but smith enrolled early. That should help mitigate some concerns about learning the complete notre dame playbook, which seemed to delay merriweather’s development.

recruiting rankings don’t tell the whole story, but Greathouse feels the most ready to make an immediate impact. he played with clemson quarterback cade Klubnik for several seasons in high-level Texas high school football. At 6’2, 220 pounds, he has the physicality to get on the field early and make an impact on the 2023 Irish team. James is more of a merriweatheresque vertical threat, but with a solid spring, he should have a chance to make an impact next season as well. Flores is another early-enrollee and he’s not as highly regarded as Greathouse and James, but the freshman could still find a way to make an impact. he could find a home in the slot for notre dame, offering hartman a consistent target.

smith feels like the biggest longshot to impact the roster in 2023. he’s the lowest-ranked recruit and is not enrolled early, which will likely set him a few months behind his classmates.

Projected Depth Chart

WR1: Lorenzo styles, Jayden Thomas, Kaleb smith

WR2: deion colzie, Tobias merriweather, Jaden Greathouse This is one possibility for how the two-deep looks heading into the 2023 season opener. styles and Thomas should retain their starting roles. despite styles not making the jump many anticipated, he was still one of the Irish’s most productive receivers and remains a major talent with elite potential. The Irish need to see him make good on that potential sooner rather than later, but he remains atop the depth chart. he sits there alongside the quickly emerging Thomas. Thomas caught five passes for 66 yards as the team’s most consistent receiving threat in the Gator bowl. his routes looked crisp, and he made several contested catches. he needs to be utilized more frequently next season. replacing Lenzy is Kaleb smith. he enters as the most proven receiver, and expectations will be high off the bat. expect him to be starting in August.

In the second string, colzie represents the most experienced name. he emerged late and could be a huge weapon in 2023

if he continues to leap forward. his nine catches for 192 yards in a five-game stretch to end the season extrapolate to 22 catches for 461 yards over a full season. If the Irish can get that out of their fourth wide receiver, that signals good things for the offense. behind colzie is a pair of unproven talents. merriweather is a big-time vertical threat but needs to develop consistency that will hopefully come with a full spring and summer with the team. Greathouse is the freshman with the best chance to impact the team immediately and gives the Irish another rangy, athletic weapon.

beyond the two-deep, Flores and James remain intriguing options in the freshman class, and don’t discount salerno. The sixth-year and former walk-on brings some athleticism and a whole bunch of knowledge to this room. The Irish shouldn’t need to lean on him, but he could be on the field in some key moments in 2023 as well.

Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

have no issue replicating and exceeding Pyne’s performance given sam hartman’s track record.

Transfer portal additions

sam hartman (graduate student, arriving from Wake Forest)

n otre d ame brings in the A cc ’s all-time passing touchdowns leader in s am h artman. The former d emon d eacon threw for 110 scores along with 12,967 yards in his 48 career games at Wake Forest. n o quarterback in n otre d ame history has ever recorded a 3,700-plus passing yard, 38-plus passing touchdown season. h artman has accomplished that feat in each of the past

two seasons. h e led Wake to an 8-5 record in 2022, throwing three interceptions in a pair of games, but delivering at least three touchdowns in eight.

Freshman additions

Kenny m inchey (four-star, Pope John Paul II high schoolhendersonville, T n )

m inchey will compete for the starting job when h artman runs out of eligibility in 2024. For now, expect him to use this year to learn behind two signal-callers with 61 combined games of experience.

Projected 2-deep

QB1: sam hartman

QB2 : Tyler buchner

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

times compared to clemson’s six trips.

Up next

The Irish will return to Purcell Pavilion on sunday to battle the v irginia cavaliers (14-5, 3-5). The teams have not met since the 2019-20 season, when v irginia defeated notre dame 69-60. Prior to the loss, the Irish had gone 8-0 against the cavaliers since joining the Acc in 2013. notre dame scored at least 74 points in every game during that win streak. v irginia forfeited last year’s matchup due to cov Id-19 issues within its program.

First year head coach Amaka Agugua-hamilton leads v irginia’s program. she has

engineered quite the turnaround, bringing the program back to success after a 5-22 season. This year, v irginia was perfect in non-conference play, beating Power 5 programs minnesota and Penn state. The cavaliers then dropped four of five Acc contests, losing to three AP Top 25 teams by an average margin of 14.7. v irginia most recently defeated boston college 6650 on sunday, but fell 77-68 to Florida state on Thursday night.

v irginia’s offense is nothing to write home about, but they have defended at a high level. The cavaliers’ 35.1 opponents’ field goal percentage and 24.8 opponents’ threepoint percentage are among the nation’s top 20. senior forward camryn Taylor, junior guard/forward mir mcLean

and graduate forward sam brunelle all average between 11 and 13 points per game. mcLean has also snatched just under ten rebounds per game. With her help, v irginia has been one of the strongest rebounding teams in the country. The hoos have division I’s 13th-best rebounding margin (10.3) along with the nation’s 16th-best offensive rebounding average (15.4). notre dame will counter with divison I’s 4th-best rebounding margin (17.8) and 6th-best defensive rebounding average (32.1).

sunday’s game will tipoff at 2:00 p.m. eT at Purcell Pavilion. The conference matchup will be available on the Acc network and the notre dame radio network.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Irish sophomore wide receiver Lorenzo Styles dodges tackle during September 3, 2022 away game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Freshmen cornerbacks expected to help Irish offset losses at defensive back

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Associate sports editor

When freshman cornerback b enjamin m orrison was the toast of s outh b end after recording five interceptions during a threegame span in n ovember, The Athletic’s Pete s ampson dropped a bombshell that flew a bit under the radar. “ b efore the o hio s tate opener, a source at n otre d ame indicated m orrison might be the best cornerback n otre d ame had signed in 10 years,” the longtime Irish beat writer wrote.

While n otre d ame isn’t exactly known for its defensive back program, that’s still a pretty bold claim — especially since the source told s ampson this before m orrison played a single snap of collegiate football.

A year later, the only thing in question about that statement is just how far back it could hold up. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about n otre d ame’s

future. b ut its two young cornerbacks are pretty high up on the list. Fellow freshman Jaden m ickey wasn’t as productive as m orrison, who was downright dominant in the second half of the season. b ut m ickey, who like m orrison was a four-star recruit, has the talent to give the Irish a scary one-two punch at corner for the next few years.

The n otre d ame secondary has usually been led by its safeties. The Irish have quietly produced some excellent n FL talent at the position recently in h arrison s mith, Julian Love and Kyle h amilton. Graduate student b randon Joseph was the latest star to suit up at safety for the Irish, making an immediate impact at safety and returning punts after transferring from n orthwestern. c ornerback Tariq b racy, a solid presence in n otre d ame’s nickel defense, has used up his last year of eligibility. Joseph did have one left, but his

departure was not a massive shock. s afety h ouston Griffith also won’t be back.

The Irish secondary could have been hit harder, though. Graduate student safety d J b rown and senior cornerback c am h art both elected to return for another year. b oth, especially h art, have been maligned by fans at times. b ut the two were key cogs of an Irish pass defense that was top-25 in passing yardage against (198 yards per game) and a solid but unspectacular 42nd in defensive passing efficiency.

The Irish were unable to secure another star safety with five-star recruit Peyton b owen’s late decommitment. b ut it’s possible that the Irish secondary might still receive strong freshman contributions in 2023. Two of n otre d ame’s top nine commitments are cornerbacks, according to 247 s ports. Though playing time will be tough to find in a deep cornerback room,

c hristian Gray and m icah b ell will hope to become the next version of m orrison and m ickey. b oth have track backgrounds, so the Irish hope their elite speed will translate to the college ranks.

n otre d ame’s recruiting class also includes a pair of four-star safeties in Adon s huler and b en m inich. The transfer portal, meanwhile, was a net neutral for the Irish secondary. Jayden b ellamy, a three-star recruit a year ago, left for s yracuse. m eanwhile, n otre d ame added graduate student Thomas h arper from o klahoma s tate. h arper, who played between seven and 11 games in each of his four seasons with the c owboys, had one interception and two passes defended plus 30 tackles a year ago. s ophomore Justin Walters could also see more action after appearing in seven games over the last two seasons.

There is definitely room

for improvement for the Irish pass defense. Two of n otre d ame’s lowest points of the season — the double safety blitz against o hio s tate and the regular season-ending dud against usc — involved breakdowns by the secondary. b ut with defensive coordinator Al Golden firmly back in the college landscape after coming to s outh b end from the b engals before last season and a strong pool of young Irish talent, there is definitely a path for the Irish db s to hold their own in 2023 and beyond.

2023 Projected Depth Chart

Left Safety : d J b rown, Justin Walters

Right Safety: r amon h enderson, Thomas h arper

CB1: b enjamin m orrison, Jaden m ickey

CB2: c am h art, c larence Lewis

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcgiunn@nd.edu

program that hadn’t made the tournament in over a decade and not since the legendary d igger Phelps retired in 1991. b rey quickly made his own mark, qualifying for the tournament in each of his first three years with n otre d ame.

h e led the program through the transition to the A cc in 2013-14. In what is often considered among the toughest basketball conferences in the country, b rey made an immediate splash. In just their second year in the conference, the Irish won the A cc Tournament and made the first of what would be back-to-back e lite e ight appearances.

b rey has accumulated 481 wins in his 22-plus seasons at n otre d ame. h e has coached numerous nb A players including Pat c onnaughton, Jerian Grant and most recently, b lake Wesley. While success has been harder to come by over the last five years, b rey has found success on the recruiting trail recently. The biggest example of that is freshman guard JJ

s tarling. The b aldwinsville, n ew York, native is the first five-star and highest-rated recruit ever to sign with n otre d ame.

Aside from his success on the court, brey will also leave a legacy as the student’s coach. Prior to big games, he could often be found standing on tables in s outh d ining h all or spectating intramural basketball games at north d ome, handing out tickets and encouraging students to attend. notre dame will have the rest of what appears to be a lost season to find a suitable successor for a coach who has become synonymous with the program he leads. They could opt to promote internally.

Associate head coach Anthony solomon is well-regarded and has been an integral part of the team’s success. or the Irish could wait and see how the coaching pool shapes up in the offseason.

d espite their struggles thus far, n otre d ame will try to turn their season, starting s aturday when b oston c ollege comes to s outh b end. b rey will address the media Friday morning.

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

who emerged as a key member of the rotation when injuries shortened the Irish’s depth. All told, marcus Freeman and Al Golden will need to replace the vast majority of the team’s 2022 statistical production on the defensive line.

Transfer Portal Additions

Javontae Jean-baptiste was notre dame’s lone transfer portal addition at defensive line, adding experience to what is set to be a young unit in 2023. Jean-baptiste’s time at ohio state was characterized by solid if not necessarily flashy play. he served as a rotational member of a toptier defensive front that he never locked down a starting role on. At 6’5, 250 pounds, Jean-baptiste figures to be an addition at the “big end” position (should notre dame play the same defensive scheme as last year, which is not a guarantee), as opposed to the vyper role that Foskey came to define. The Irish likely saw value in Jean-baptiste’s senior year production, which was the strongest of his career. he posted four sacks in limited snaps.

Freshman Additions

The Irish added four players at the defensive line position in their 2023 class. brenan vernon, boubacar

Traore, devan houstan and Armel mukam signed with notre dame. only houstan will be enrolling early and as such be on the inside track to early playing time. vernon is perhaps the most interesting name to keep an eye out for as spring camp progresses. standing 6’5 and weighing 275 pounds, vernon should be physically ready for the adjustment from high school to college football. earlier in the cycle, vernon was seen as a five-star caliber recruit before ending as a high four-star. 247 sports’ Gabe brooks noted that he stood out in particular for his high floor as a prospect. such a high floor could prove key for the ohio native to find playing time early.

Projected 2-deep

DE: Jordan botelho, nana osafo-mensah

DT: howard cross, Gabriel rubio

DT: rylie mills, Aidan Keanaaina

DE: Javontae Jean-baptise, Junior Tuihalamaka

At defensive end, starters 1a and 1b will likely be Jordan botelho and Javontae Jeanbaptiste. It remains to be seen what specific defensive configuration notre dame will use, be it a recreation of last year’s system or a new setup to fit new personnel. both botelho (who was the clear next man up for the staff when Foskey opted out of the Gator bowl) and Jean-baptiste (who holds

four years of high-level game experience) have resumes that stand out among other potential options. behind them, the picture becomes less clear. senior nana osafo-mensah enjoyed a career-best year in 2022 and could be set for an even bigger role as a graduate student. And a breakout spring camp from someone on the younger end of the roster (the primary candidates likely being freshmen Joshua burnham or Junior Tuihalamaka) could likely thrust them into the rotation as well.

on the interior, the story is similar. There’s a decent amount of buzz that junior rylie mills, who looked out of place as a defensive end early on in 2022, could move fulltime to a more interior role for 2023. should that be the case, he stands out as an immediate starting candidate. howard cross III has not officially confirmed he’ll be returning for a fifth season. but if he does, the graduate student who’s been in the nose tackle rotation for three years would likely be primed for his first season as an every-game starter. After mills and cross, there’s less definitive production to consider for backups. Two names to keep an eye on as spring practice buzz begins to emerge, though, are sophomore Gabriel rubio and junior Aidan Keanaaina.

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

Mike Brey, winningest head coach in Notre Dame history, to leave at end of season

By LIAM COOLICAN Associate sports editor

m ike b rey, the winningest coach in n otre d ame men’s basketball history, plans to retire at the end of the season, the university announced Thursday afternoon. b rey is expected to tell the team after practice Thursday.

The news comes amidst a disappointing season for the Irish. A year after finishing second in the A cc and returning to the nc AA Tournament for the first time since 2017, the team has slumped to a 1-7 conference record this year.

“ m ike and I have talked often in recent years about a future transition in the program’s leadership and during our most recent conversation we reached the

DEFENsIvE lINE

mutual conclusion that the end of this season represented the right time,” said athletic director Jack s warbrick in an announcement posted on the athletic department’s website less than an hour after the news broke.

“It has been a great run for me and our program over the past two decades, but it is time for a new voice to lead this group into the future,” b rey said in the announcement. “I want to thank our student-athletes, assistant coaches and support staff who have played such a key role in the culture we have created.”

b rey was hired to lead the Irish prior to the 2000-01 season, after spending five seasons at d elaware. h e took over a

Irish face major losses along dL

By J.J. POST sports Writer

The notre dame defensive line loses both of their vypers from 2022 along with two of their regular defensive tackles. They’ll look to replace that production and spearhead a strong Irish defense in 2023.

2022 summary

defensive line started out as a confounding nonfactor early on in the season for the Irish.

In notre dame’s disastrous 0-2 start to the season, the Irish managed just two total sacks. Generally, in games where the Irish struggled, the defensive line struggled with it. Against stanford, the defensive front again managed just one sack, and against southern cal, it registered just two. but aside from the southern cal blemish, Al Washington’s unit eventually grew into the strength it was expected to be over the latter half of the season. senior Isaiah Foskey breaking the alltime notre dame sack record set by Justin Tuck was a notable high point. Keeping south carolina,

clemson, boston college and syracuse under 100 rushing yards proved instrumental to Irish victories in those games. Junior Jordan botelho’s two sack performance against south carolina provided a nice glimmer of hope for 2023 to cap off the year.

key Departures

Where do you start? In Isaiah Foskey, the Irish lose their 2022 leader in snaps at the position, all-time leader in sacks and a first round talent at a spot where it’s unclear if notre dame has a natural replacement (more on that later). Graduate student Jayson Ademilola perhaps wasn’t as prolific on the statsheet as Foskey, but he was a consistent presence in opposing backfields operating in the interior of the defensive line. Graduate student Justin Ademilola finished second in total snaps on the Irish defensive line, rotating in and out opposite Foskey on the edge. In graduate student chris smith, notre dame loses a dependable presence at nose tackle

qUARtERBAck

Irish 2023 quarterback room looking sharp

By TYLER REIDY sports Writer

Featuring major transfer portal addition sam hartman and a handful of highly-rated prospects to learn from him, notre dame’s quarterback group is set up for success. here’s a look at the signal-caller situation moving into next season.

2022 summary

Position leaders: drew Pyne (10 starts), Tyler buchner (3 starts)

The sentiment around notre dame’s quarterback position undulated throughout this past season. sophomore Tyler buchner received the season-opening nod but underwent shoulder surgery after two losses to ohio state and marshall. From there, the job fell into the hands of junior drew Pyne. he started shaky but performed well in wins over north carolina and bYU, establishing a firm connection with draft-bound tight end m ichael mayer. Pyne then regressed

again and acted as a game manager in notre dame’s poundings of syracuse and clemson. he saved his two best performances for november, posting a combined 85.1 completion percentage and seven total touchdowns against navy and southern cal. buchner returned for the Tax slayer Gator bowl, scoring five total touchdowns but throwing three interceptions. Ultimately, he led the Irish to a 45-38 defeat of south carolina and took home game mv P.

With next year in mind, notre dame’s greatest strength at the quarterback position was Tyler buchner’s rushing ability. he ran for 61 yards in the Gator bowl and rushed for two touchdowns against both marshall and south carolina. buchner attacks downhill with power and is a serious threat in the red zone. sam hartman will almost certainly assume the starting job, but don’t be surprised if buchner sees some work near the goal line throughout the season. on the other hand, the

overall quarterback-to-wide receiver rapport is still very raw in the Irish offense. notre dame’s top three wideouts barely combined for 1,000 receiving yards in 2022. moments of trust popped up between passer and target here and there, but never lasted more than a game. The Irish will look to sam hartman’s experience, leadership and pure talent to elevate an unproven receiving corps.

key departures

drew Pyne (departing to Arizona state)

Pyne moves on to Tempe after throwing for 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 2022. he also ran for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns, playing to an 8-2 record as a starter. All in all, the connecticut native got the job done and helped the Irish surpass mid-season expectations after being thrust into action unexpectedly. even so, notre dame should

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Irish men’s basketball coach Mike Brey exits the court at Purcell Pavilion after Notre Dame secures victory over the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. Brey will be leaving the Irish at the conclusion of the season.