Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, Sept. 23, 2022

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Volume 57, Issue 14 | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.coM

McGreevy discusses his ascent to provost John McGreevy reflects on his role in community as he begins his term as provost

By ISA SHEIKH Associate News Editor

John T. McGreevy began his work as the sixth provost for the University of Notre Dame at the beginning of July.

McGreevy, a history professor who has served on the faculty since 1997 and previously served as chair of the history department and the dean of College of Arts and Letters, was announced as the Charles and Jill Fischer provost in April, four months after Marie Lynn Miranda stepped down from the position. Miranda’s year and a half as provost was largely defined by the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Identified by a search committee of faculty, students and university president Fr. John Jenkins, McGreevy is cognizant of the fact that many do not understand the job he’s been appointed to.

“No one knows what the provost does,” McGreevy said. “The formal title is chief academic officer… and you’re supposed to guide the academic core; everything from hiring to how do we elevate the reputation of our departments? How do we do crosscollege programs? How do we do better with undergraduate education? How do we develop stronger graduate and professional school programs, all that in a general way falls to

the provost.”

Notre Dame established the provost position in 1970 under Fr. Hesburgh’s leadership, and the provost is tasked with the overall operation of the academic enterprise, including the faculty, colleges, schools, institutes, centers, libraries and student advising.

McGreevy said that his position allows him to direct Notre Dame’s academic work across programs and colleges, from a twenty-thousand-foot level.

“I won’t get involved in individual ‘we should offer this course this semester’ kind of decisions,” he said. Rather,

Courtesty of Notre Dame

see PROVOST PAGE 3

John McGreevy of the history department, has been in the Notre Dame community since 1997. Over the summer, he became the sixth provost.

SMC Votes uses ‘Rock the Vote’ to inform students

ND Stadium becomes cashless

By SAM GODINEZ News Writer

Notre Dame Stadium is in its second year of going cashless, and its effects have prompted the entire campus to switch to accepting cards only. While this is Notre Dame campus’s first year going cashless, this is Notre Dame Stadium’s second year operating as such. All athletic CHANCELOR GORDAN I The Observer

The students of Saint Marys College take the time to sit back and relax, enjoying each other’s company as they attend SMC Votes “Rock the Vote” event in Belle’s Backyard that took place Wednesday Sept. 21.

By CHANCELOR GORDON News Writer

Editor’s Note: Crystal Ramirez is a former Associate News Editor for The Observer.

SMC Votes hosted ‘Rock the Vote’, Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Belle’s Backyard. The event featured voting resources, treats and live entertainment.

Bellacapella and the Pearl performed while attendees requested region specific voting information and voted for the Most Popular Dog on Campus.

News PAGE 4

Rock the vote was an event created “to increase voter engagement and celebrate democracy,” SMC Votes co-coordinator Libbey Detcher said. The live music, furry friends, and numerous resources fostered a welcoming environment for people to come and get information on voter registration and requesting absentee ballots. “[Rock the Vote is] a positive way to bring people together. I feel like a lot of people in our generation are passive, but if you want change you’re going

viewpoint PAGE 8

to have to actively work for it and voting is one way you can do that,” sophomore McKenzie McDaniel said.

SMC Votes is an initiative under the Office for the Common Good. “[SMC Votes helps students with] registering to vote, requesting absentee ballots or making some kind of voting plan,” Detcher explained.

Founded in 2018, SMC Votes has worked diligently to improve the civic engagement of the student see VOTE PAGE 5

SCENE PAGE 10

facilities went cashless last year as well.

The move was promptly made after the Coronavirus pandemic, to limit the movement of physical cash.

Another reason involved security implications regarding cashiers’ handling of money.

“We had a lot of people in our food area sitting there see CASHLESS PAGE 4

NDPD announces use of bodycams

By ISA SHEIKH Associate News Editor

The Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) announced this month that its sworn officers are now wearing body cameras. The department also released the ND Safe app with multiple resources, including one-touch calls to Notre Dame police, St. Joseph County’s 911 center and nonemergency assistance, as well as

W SOccer PAGE 16

resources to share location with NDPD or one’s friends.

NDPD chief Keri Kei Shibata says that the decision to start using body cameras has been a long time coming. “We had been thinking about it for a number of years. In fact, we had officers who had been wanting to wear body cameras previous to [the decision],” Shibata said.

Shibata said that the see NDPD PAGE 5

Football PAGE 16

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After a winning green-out weekend, Notre Dame fans of all generations will miss football as the team travels down to North Carolina to take on the Tar Heels this Saturday. Fans can look forward to Notre Dame’s next home matchup against Stanford on Oct.15.

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Friday

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Sunday

Monday

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Student Govt.

Volleyball Match Angela Athletic Facility 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

SMC SGA vs. ND student government.

10-Hour Sprint Innovation Park Room 109 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Explore problems that need solutions.

Moon Festival LaFortune Ballroom 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Food and festivities to celebrate Moon Festival.

BAE-goals Reinbeaux Lounge 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Learn about healthy relationships while enjoying a bagel.

Afro-Latinx Poetry Now McKenna Hall All Day Six poets peform their work.

Fireside Chat with Sister Helen Prejean Eck Center Auditorium 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Chat on wrongful conviction in America.

Service Saturday Student Center Atrium 11:00 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Community service to set up for South Bend’s Rebel Art Fest.

Sundaes on Sunday Le Mans Hall Basement 8 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Join RAs for free sundaes.

Ukraine Flash Panel Online 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Discussion on if there is hope for diplomacy in Ukraine.

John Burgee Lecture 109 Walsh Family Hall of Architecture 5:15 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Lecture on restoring Notre Dame Cathedral.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | The Observer

Provost Continued from page 1

his role has a larger role in faculty promotion and tenure, developing and strengthening programs and institutionally promoting Notre Dame’s commitment to “really excellent teaching.”

McGreevy said that he is still developing his priorities as provost but he is guided by two overarching goals.

First is a common plan for the academic core, forged from various plans for each of the programs and schools under Notre Dame’s umbrella.

He said the goal is to “make Notre Dame better in terms of teaching and learning, in terms of its research programs, all those things.”

Second, McGreevy said he is focused on building strong teams among the leaders that report to him.

“We have a really great group of deans, great group of provosts, and just to get them really working together and helping me, because I need the help. I can’t do it on my own. And there’s so much wisdom in those rooms,” he said.

McGreevy says that challenges he’s identified moving forward include that the University is “a little bit behind on strategic plans.”

More broadly, McGreevy sees a larger tension at the core of Notre Dame’s path forward, a vision that he says is shared by Fr. Jenkins, and has served as the administration’s project since the 1960s.

“The big challenge for Notre Dame is can it be seriously Catholic and be great,” McGreevy said. “Can we be one of the best private research universities in the world with just absolutely terrific programs at all levels?

And can we be distinctly and seriously Catholic? And that’s the big picture mission.”

He says that question comes to the forefront when establishing Notre Dame’s credibility in research, as well as deciding which programs to invest in.

“So we started, a few years ago, a master’s in sacred music and then a doctorate in sacred music, and we’re really good at that. And that’s an example of a program that aligns with our mission, but we become really good at,” he said. “We need more things that everyone unequivocally says ‘okay, yeah, that’s a great program.’”

McGreevy also published a book this month — “Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis”

is a 528-page volume out with W.W. Norton. A review in The New York Times says that McGreevy has done “a remarkable job of explaining how the epic struggle between reformists and traditionalists has led us to the present moment in the Roman Catholic Church.”

McGreevy has long studied Catholicism and has published three previous books on various elements of the church’s history. This book drew less from primary research, and was written primarily during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s really based on trying to distill the secondary literature into a readable format and tell the big picture story.

So not much research, but a lot of time spent on the 10th and 11th and 12th f loor of the library sitting there looking at things and with my laptop writing,” he said.

McGreevy says the book is an attempt to explore the global dimensions of the church, “recognizing that Catholicism is the most multicultural and multilingual institution in the world. And we need histories that ref lect that diversity.”

Since the near-death experience of the French Revolution, the church has evolved and

changed in many ways over the past 230 years, according to McGreevy.

“We tend to think especially the church is sort of unchanging. And one thing I want to convey in the book is that a lot of things did change, not everything,” McGreevy said.

Beginning with the French Revolution, McGreevy explained that the event was transformative for the institution.

“What I really want to convey to people is how devastating the French Revolution was for an older, more aristocratic Catholic model, where the nation state and the church were very tightly allied,” he said. “That didn’t go away. But what came in the 19th century was a much more populist, devotional Catholicism, maybe even more a church of the poor. And a church very tightly tied to the papacy.”

The dramatic shift of the French Revolution is followed in history by another dramatic shift, Vatican II, McGreevy said.

“That form of the church, I argue, really lasts until the 1960s in the Second Vatican Council and we’re still trying to sort out what era we’re in now,” he said. “[Pope] Francis says that we’re in a change of era, not an era of change. It

seems throughout politics, culture, religion, that some things are fundamentally changing right now. And I hope the book provides a savvy history so Catholics and non-Catholics can better understand how we got to where we are.”

As a historian focused on Catholicism for much of his career, McGreevy says that work shapes his approach as provost.

“There’s a parallel that I think about a lot, that if we’re going to be a Catholic university, we are going to become more diverse at Notre Dame. That means diverse in American categories… but also diverse in international students too. And that will be the only way we sustain ourselves as a Catholic university,” he said.

He added that the day-today work of a history professor has also prepared him well.

“Being a historian is good training, you read a lot, and you read a lot as provost. And you do think about change over time and how institutions change. And I find myself thinking about that all the time: how Notre Dame should change,” McGreevy said.

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu

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The observer | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Tri-campus honors Latinx heritage

By ANGELA MATHEW Talent and Inclusion Manager

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to celebrate the cultures of Americans whose ancestors hail from Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain and Central and South America.

In 1968, the country observed Hispanic Heritage Week and by 1988, the week was expanded to a 30-day period. The independence days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile all fall in the first week of Hispanic Heritage month.

The Institute for Latino Studies at Notre Dame is hosting nine events to mark the month. Some of these events are more academic while others focus on highlighting inf luential Latinx alumni from the University.

First-year student Angela Olvera attended professor Luis Fraga’s “Latinos and the Reshaping of American Politics” lecture last Thursday.

“I’m from Texas, and Texas has the worst cases of voter suppression in the country and racial gerrymandering. Hearing about how the Latino population is close to 40% of the country, and yet only like 15% of us vote was interesting,” Olvera said. “It just goes to show how it’s an invisible demographic … the way professor Fraga talks so passionately about it makes me want to get out there and register everyone to vote.”

Olvera also attended the transformative Latina leadership lecture this past Monday with Dorene C. Dominguez, a Notre Dame alumna who is the CEO of Vanir, a construction management and real estate company.

“She talked a lot about impostor syndrome … because she was a first-generation student like I am … and I think it’s really important to just hear success stories about people who share your background and ethnicity,”

Cashless Continued from page 1

counting money.” Wendy Mott, Cash Manager for the University in the Office of Treasury Services, said.

“Hundreds of thousands of dollars go through in cash, and they were spending their whole time counting it.

Sometimes we would have up to three people count the same deposit.”

This process also caused problems due to a shortage of employees. “Right now we have a lot of difficulty in

Olvera said. “I love that they interviewed her … because there’s still so much machismo and sexism that goes on in the Latino community.”

The Institute for Latino Studies is also co-sponsoring events organized by other academic departments for example, the talk by California State senator Monique Limón last week and a lecture by Nathan Henne, an expert in Mayan culture, scheduled Oct. 10, which is Indigenous Peoples Day. One of these events is a discussion of the book “Crossing Waters” by Marisel Moreno, Rev. John A. O’Brien associate professor.

The book talks about the dynamics of undocumented migration between the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico.

Moreno, who teaches Latinx literature and culture in the department of Romance Languages and Literatures, says that the term “Hispanic Heritage Month” is problematic. “The label Hispanic was originally imposed by the U.S. government on a very heterogeneous population to refer to all people of Latin American backgrounds,” Moreno said. “Hispanic is derived from Hispania, which was a Roman region that coincides with what today is Spain. So [the term] Hispanic privileges European ancestry … and the Spanish language.”

Moreno emphasized the linguistic diversity of the Latinx community where people in Haiti speak French, Brazilians speak Portuguese and several other Latinx people speak indigenous languages.

“I call it Latinx Heritage Month and even that label is problematic. This is inspired by the hashtag ‘Latinidad is Cancelled’ that comes from Afro and indigenous people who would be labeled Latinx but don’t see themselves represented in the … label, because it erases Blackness,” Moreno said.

Nicholas Crookston, a

senior who is co-president of the Latinx Student Alliance (LSA) will be moderating “Latinx Identidades” next Thursday, a panel to shed more light on the diversity within the community.

“Students and faculty are going to share their stories and knowledge on the complexity … of what we mean

by Latino, Latina [and] Latinx,” Crookston said. “We hope to discuss the nuances of all experiences within our community including Afro Latinos, LGBTQ+ Latinos and first generation Latinos.”

“The panel is important because it’ll build cultural proficiency and people’s ease and understanding using the term, so they don’t feel weird about it,” Paloma GarciaLopez, associate director of the Institute for Latino Studies said. “We spent a lot of time in the media talking about the undocumented or recent immigrants, which really make up 15% of all Latinos in the US, so 85% are U.S. born.”

The panel is designed for audiences who might not have a lot of experience in Latinx communities.

“We’re trying to help increase the understanding of Latino communities in the U.S. for everybody at Notre Dame … and share some basics about US history that aren’t taught in high school,” Garcia-Lopez said.

The Institute for Latino Studies also collaborates with the Hispanic Alumni of Notre Dame (HAND) for an event each year.

Students who view the alumni presentations can make appointments for one on one mentorship with them.

“This is a way of exposing them to people who have done pretty creative things with their degrees … there’s boards to serve, community organizations to support and philanthropic efforts,” Garcia-Lopez said.

At Saint Mary’s, Latinx Heritage month celebrations have largely been

spearheaded by students.

Jackie Junco, a senior who serves as president of La Fuerza, the College’s club for Latinx students, said that the club held a photoop event where students could celebrate the diversity of the Latinx community by taking photos with different f lags of Latin American and Caribbean countries. La Fuerza also hosted a karaoke night in honor of the month along with their regular volunteering in the west side of South Bend.

“La Fuerza and our diversity clubs are … the main sources that help support students of color [at Saint Mary’s],” Junco said. “I think implementing some more institutional support and club funding is necessary.”

In light of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, senior Ashlley Castillo, co-president of LSA at Notre Dame also talked about the need for more institutional support.

“We know that there are other instances where the University has stepped up for other communities, and I feel like they’re not as responsive for the Latino community. Perhaps they can have a prayer service … at least or offer resources at the UCC to students from Puerto Rico who have had this traumatic experience before with Hurricane Maria a few years prior,” Castillo said.

Moreno and Garcia-Lopez both cited hiring more Latinx faculty members as a first-step to building a community that is more supportive of Latinx students.

Crookston hopes that Latinx Heritage Month events on campus will help build more unity between students of all backgrounds.

“LSA events have always been open for all to attend,” he said. “We want this to be an invitation for the wider community to celebrate with us this month, and year round.”

hiring people, as everybody does, and especially in those food service areas,” Mott said.

“Instead of counting cash, [employees] are able to be deployed to do other important things in the job as necessary, as [the University has] difficulty hiring her people.”

With a cashless process comes many benefits for the audience. These include saving time for the audience by ensuring faster lines when receiving food. “They don’t have to wait as long,” Mott said. “I think it’s a time saver.” This process was implemented in 2018 by GrubHub, where the

client can order food and be in line without his physical presence in attendance.

While she gave praise to its benefits, she also acknowledged the difficulties many international students face due to a lack of resources when coming to the United States. They usually come without a bank account, she said, but instead with physical cash. Thus, the treasury department worked to place handheld devices which trade physical currency to a card.

“Something we did different this year,” Mott said, “was that we rolled out kiosks,

Campus card kiosks, that are located one in Duncan and one in LaFortune.” In addition, students can use their Domer Dollars from their Irish1card, which can be used in stadium venues.

“Hopefully,” Mott said, “80 plus percent of the students shouldn’t even be impacted by going cashless.”

For the football game vs.

Stanford on Oct. 15th, Lev y, a third party concession stand vendor, will roll out a new credit card system, which will make transactions faster. As Lee Sicinski, Associate Vice President of

Contact Angela Mathew at amathew3@nd.edu

ND honors coach Beltran Observer Staff Report

Assistant coach for Notre Dame’s track and field team Adam Beltran passed away at 46 years old Wednesday after a battle with cancer, a University press release said.

“W hile Beltran’s coaching accolades and fingerprints are all over the pages of the Notre Dame record books, it was his personality and striking humor that will be remembered most,” the press release said. “He was a beloved figure among student-athletes, coaches and anyone who spent time around the Irish program.”

According to the press release, Beltran coached 11 NCA A qualifiers during his time at Notre Dame and mentored three ACC champion throwers throughout his career. “[Beltran] also had a knack for developing walkon athletes into elite coach contributors. A majority of his school record holders and NCA A qualifiers were walk-ons,” Notre Dame track and field and cross countr y director Matt Sparks said in the press release.

But Beltran was even more well known for his humor and “gentle giant” personality, the press release said.

Mass at the Basilica will be held Friday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 p.m. in honor of Adam.

“The Beltran family welcomes any staff, students, friends, alumni and family to be with them during this time,” the press release said.

University Events, said via email, “We will be replacing our point of sale system with a product from Shift4.

Moving to this new system should modernize the purchasing experience, allow for faster transactions, and provide a wider variety of cashless payment methods (tap-&-go, Apple Pay, Android Pay, etc). We expect this technology to ultimately enhance the experience for all fans, and get them back to their seat faster.”

Contact Sam Godinez at sgodinez@nd.edu

News

Vote Continued from page 1

body. “SMC Votes started in 2018 after we realized our voter registration and voter participation rates were really below national averages,” Director of the Office for the Common Good Rebekah Go recounted.

With an issue at hand, Go and the Office of the Common Good immediately took action under the new initiative.

“We started making concerted efforts to get students engaged in the process [by] helping them register and figure out how to vote, which is complicated because absentee ballot wielding is not streamlined at all,” Go said.

Since 2018, SMC Votes has made “significant strides” in increasing voter registration and participation with around a “30% increase” according to Go. The ultimate goal is to reach 100% of eligible voter participation at the college.

“We’re trying to get students excited about the electoral process and this fall’s midterm elections,” Go said as she reminded students that “their voice matters”.

The two clubs featured at the event, the Saint Mary’s College Democrats and the Saint Mary’s College Political Science Club, provide students with a way to get involved with the field of politics in addition to exercising their right to vote.

“We are an official chapter of the statewide College Democrats of Indiana and we are here to represent and get more engagement. [As] a brand new club here at Saint Mary’s [we are] looking to build community and are excited for the semester,” President of the Saint Mary’s College Democrats Crystal Ramirez detailed.

SMC Votes plans to host numerous events throughout the year including mobile voting, constitution day and educational events in the spring. “We are planning on hosting debate watches for district two on Oct. 4, and it’s just for students to come if they want to watch the debate, do their homework, de-stress, chill out, or whatever they want,” SMC Votes co-coordinator Jeanett Ochoa said.

Students should contact the Office for the Common Good at ocg@saintmarys. edu or stop by the Student Center for more information on voting and getting registered to vote.

“Everybody just wants their voice to be heard and I think voting is one way that everyone can come together for some kind of common cause,” Detcher said.

Contact Chancelor Gordon at cgordon01@saintmarys.edu

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | The Observer

5

Senate discusses ND Safe and gyms

By KATIE MUCHNICK News Writer

Notre on Senate discusses ND Safe app, dorm gyms The Notre Dame student senate passed resolutions regarding first-year class council elections and received nominations for Judicial Council’s Committee on the Constitution in its meeting Wednesday evening.

ND Safe app Keri Kei Shibata, chief of the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD), began the meeting by introducing the NDPD’s new app ND Safe. The app is designed for Notre Dame students, faculty and staff to easily access multiple safety resources, including one-button calls to the NDPD, ND Fire Department, St. Joseph County 911 and a non-emergency dispatch center.

The NDPD launched the app to address a common concern about expanding the blue-light emergency call boxes around campus. “[The blue-light phones] very rarely get used,” Shibata said.

“We thought it would be a more effective use of resources to put a mobile blue light in each of your hands.”

In addition to the mobile blue light feature, which allows users to quickly contact emergency services and share their location, the ND Safe app includes a Friend

NDPD Continued from page 1

department had held off due to existing safety technology that NDPD already employed.

“We have a number of CCTV cameras on campus, so usually when there’s something that happens, and there’s a question about whether something happened a certain way or not, we can investigate that way. But there’s no audio there. The officers have had in-car cameras with body mics for a very long time,” she said.

They ultimately decided to purchase the technology — developed by Axon Enterprise, a firm that develops technology for law enforcement, the military and general public — for a number of reasons.

“They’re becoming more standard for police agencies.

We know that the federal agencies are soon going to be required to wear them. And so it’s just becoming a best practice in law enforcement,” Shibata said.

Shibata also referred to national conversations around police reform. NDPD has engaged in that conversation following the death of George Floyd, releasing an extensive “Equity in Policing” report that outlines a commitment to solidarity and details training and policies for officers.

“We know that at times law enforcement in the United

Walk program. Friend Walk contacts a designated friend or parent and shares the user’s location so that the contact can monitor their walk home.

ND Safe also offers a “social escape” feature, in which the app will call the user’s phone within a designated amount of time. This allows the user to flee uncomfortable situations under the pretense of a friend or family member’s emergency.

The app has links to emergency contacts and resources related to Title IX, the University Counseling Center (UCC), University Health Services, a suicide lifeline and bike and scooter registration.

Shibata encouraged all students to download ND Safe and enable push notifications and location sharing to access all of the safety features. As of Wednesday evening, NDPD has recorded 350 downloads, Shibata said.

After the presentation from Shibata, sophomore Anna Dray, the director of University policy for the student union, updated the senate on her work to make dorm gyms more equitable. Dray has been reviewing surveys filled out by senators that reflect the state of dorm gyms.

“There is a notable disparity between women’s and men’s

gyms that we’re looking into,” Dray said.

She is continuing her research to better understand this disparity and to find out what funds dorms could use to improve their gyms.

The goal, though, is not to improve dorm gyms that already have high quality equipment, Dray emphasized. Rather, she is focusing on equity.

“We’re just going to try to give the dorms the same equipment, so everyone has the same access to the same things,” Dray said.

Additional resolutions Student body vice president Sofie Stitt then previewed several upcoming events, including a coffee and bagels giveaway with Residential Life on Sept. 23 and a suicide healing and memorial prayer service Sept. 27, before moving on to general orders.

The senate passed resolution SS2223-08, which suspends the elections for first-year class council representatives who are running unopposed.

Senior Madison Nemeth, Judicial Council president, and senior Jared Schlachet, student union parliamentarian, read out the nominations for Judicial Council’s peer advocates and Committee on the Constitution members. After a unanimous vote of approval, the senate congratulated the new Peer Advocates and committee members on their positions.

After the nominations, senators shared updates on resolutions they are currently writing.

Sophomore Derick Williams, who is sponsoring resolution SS2223-09 to lower the barriers that limit access to campus recreational programs, recently met with Mark Williams, the director of RecSports, Christine Conway, the director of the UCC, and Consuela Wilson, the director of the Office of Student Enrichment.

“All three parties are in agreement that it sounds like a great idea,” Williams said. “It sounds like they’ll be able to utilize the systems and structures that they already have to implement this program.”

Finally, Stitt introduced a new section of the senate meeting to allow senators to discuss new ideas and collaborations during the meeting. Many senators voiced ideas based on their constituents’ concerns. Notably, senators are looking to address the shortage of bike racks outside classroom buildings given the new rule that scooters must be left outdoors. Senators also discussed gluten free options in the dining halls and petitioning the provost to grant band and ROTC members early class registration.

After closing announcements, the meeting was adjourned.

States has played a role in dehumanization, oppression and the infringement of the basic civil and human rights of people in our country. Instances of police brutality are tragic reminders of the systemic racism that exists in the United States,” the statement reads. “We recognize that NDPD is part of the larger criminal justice system that needs to improve in many ways.”

“These truths are uncomfortable, they stain our history and tarnish the reputation of good people doing good work. But, they are truths that are nonetheless acknowledged by the Notre Dame Police Department.”

Shibata said the bodycams “allow us to be more transparent and accountable. It helps us to quickly investigate any complaints. It helps collect evidence in cases if that’s needed.

It can also help with training, so officers can review their interactions and supervisors can review with officers and say, ‘How could we have handled this a little bit differently?’ And then if there are disputes about what happened, it can clarify that.”

She said that current policy dictates officers must turn on their body cams any time they are on a call for service or law enforcement interaction, from someone locking their keys in an office to a more serious threat.

“The spirit of the policy that will always be the case is any kind of law enforcement and

action will be recorded,” she said.

Officers must tell citizens who ask if they’re being recorded that they are, and they can turn off the cameras if they are requested or for privacy reasons, such as offering care to a person potentially in a state of undress.

They would document the cause in any case this occurred.

In case the situation escalates, they would turn the camera back on.

NDPD exists because of a state law allowing colleges to appoint a police force. Notre Dame’s board decided to do so, giving NDPD jurisdiction throughout St. Joseph County, but primarily on campus, Shibata said.

“In an active violence or other serious public safety emergency NDPD officers know the campus inside and out and can get there quickly and take the right action or give the right instruction to the community and other responding agencies,” she wrote in an email. “In addition, in everyday situations we know the campus resources available to students, faculty, and staff so we often have the ability to connect them with those resources rather than taking law enforcement action if appropriate where other police agencies wouldn’t know the resources in that detail or the people to connect them with.”

With the release of the ND Safe application, the work to ensure

safety on campus continues.

“We’re very excited about [the app],” Shibata said. “We had been thinking about a safety app for quite a while. Student government had asked if that was something that we could do, and it was another thing that just fell together and it seemed like the right time to do it.”

Within the app, users can activate features like the Virtual Walkhome feature, which allows a police dispatcher to monitor their walk to or from a residence hall or other location on or off campus.

ND Safe has other features including FriendWalk, essentially a safety escort service without a person, designed to share a user’s location with friends or family. There’s also Mobile Blue Light, which shares the user’s location with NDPD. The app also has a feature called Social Escape, a self-scheduled call to the user’s mobile phone as a means to leave an uncomfortable or potentially threatening situation.

“It’s a great resource. I like it that people can choose either to have our staff involved or not, depending on what they feel they need. And then most of the options also enable people to really quickly contact 911 or our police department depending on where they are,” Shibata said.

Dorm gyms

Contact Katie Muchnick at kmuchnic@nd.edu

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu

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The observer | friday, September 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

Spooky season for cinephiles

Business is not a game Krista Lourdes Akiki The Lifestyle Nomad

Olivia Schatz Associate Sports Editor

Today is the first day of fall and spooky season is upon us! What better way to get into the mood than to put on a good halloween movie. From Hocus Pocus to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, halloween classics range a variety of genres. And while these classics are mentioned on every list, I thought I would create my own. This time, of the more forgotten Spooky Season films.

1.Practical Magic This movie is the most slept on Halloween movie out there. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witch sisters? What could get better than that? Don’t be turned off from the 23% on rotten tomatoes, critics don’t know anything; the audience score for this movie is 73%! I watched this movie for the first time years ago, and I can not listen to crickets the same way again. The movie follows two estranged sisters as they navigate the world of romance with magical powers.

While there are definitely some dark themes (i.e. abusive boyfriends and necromancy), the overall movie is not scary, although I would not recommend it for a super young audience.

Spookiness Scale 6/10, Fall Vibes 9/10 2. Over the Garden Wall I know, this is not technically a movie. But, this limited series is the perfect thing to watch to get into the Halloween spirit. This animated show follows two brothers as they go on a journey through a mysterious forest. The brothers (voiced by Elijah Wood and Collin Dean) find a plethora of funky creatures along the way. While it is not as spooky as some of the other films on this list, this series is the definition of Autumn Vibes. If you are the type of person who likes more lighthearted films, but still want a hint of spookiness, I would most definitely recommend this.

Spookiness Scale 2/10, Fall Vibes 10/10 3. The Invisible Man (2020) If I’m being honest, I am not the biggest fan of Elisabeth Moss. However, she killed it in this role. The Invisible Man is based off of the H.G. Wells novel of the same name, however, there is a more modern twist to it. If you enjoy thrillers, this would be my top pick for you.

I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this movie. While The Invisible Man does not have as many fall vibes as the other ones on this list, the spookiness scale definitely is highly. This movie is not for the faint of heart, there is domestic abuse and violence sprinkled throughout, but overall this movie is definitely worth the watch.

Spookiness Scale 8/10, Fall Vibes 1/10 4. Murder Party I have never heard anyone else talk about this film. Originally, I put it on as a background to doing work, but quickly I could not stop watching. The premise is just genius.

A man with no friends picks up an invitation to a “murder party” on the side of the road.

Believing it to just be a quirky halloween invite, the man attends, only to find out that the party is in fact to murder their guest list. I know, it sounds grim. However, Jeremy Saulnier somehow finds the perfect combination of seriousness and comedy to make this film work.

Spookiness Scale 11/10, Fall Vibes 8/10 5. Spirited Away The entire Studio Ghibli collection deserves a spot on this list. Spirited Away was my favorite film growing up. It follows a young girl, Chihiro Ogino, as she travels through the spirit world to save her parents. For a grown adult, this movie is not scary. But, as a young girl I had to cover my eyes for a good portion of this film. With ghosts, witches and dragons, this movie is two hours of fantasticism.

It is animated, but don’t let that turn you away! Studio Ghibli puts out some of the best movies of all time, and Spirited Away deserves a spot on that list.

Spookiness Scale 8/10, Fall Vibes 7/10 6. Hereditary There are hundreds of true horror movies I could have included on my list. The Conjuring and Insidious are go-tos, The Shining is just a classic or maybe I should have chosen the Cabin in The Woods, which I think has one of the best premises of all horror movies. But no, I decided on Hereditary. Yes, Hereditary is a well known horror movie, but I love this film so much that I can’t help but hype it up even more. While in the theaters, I saw this movie 6 times. Since then, I have watched it ten more times. And each time, I notice a new detail Ari Aster included.

There are so many iconic scenes in this film, and the last 15 minutes will have you screaming the entire time. I don’t even think I can tell you too much about the premise without spoiling the mastery of this movie, but it follows a family after the death of their grandmother. There are classic jump scares, a ton of gore and ghosts and witches to top it off.

Spookiness scale 9/10,Fall Vibes 2/10 So, as the season begins to shift, bundle up with a pumpkin spice candle and a bag of popcorn and turn on whatever flick best fits your vibe!

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

“In recent years, we have grown accustomed to the use of games as models for understanding institutional behavior,” observes Peter French, Director of the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics at Arizona State University. The business as a game metaphor has undeniably become ubiquitous in the language and culture of business. Even though this linguistic device can be useful in clarifying multiple business concepts like competition, hierarchical structures and goal achievement, the business as a game metaphor is not always morally neutral and can be quite ethically problematic. In fact, I largely believe that this metaphor also sets up a flagrant fallacy.

The business as a game metaphor overlooks a critical difference between the tenor and vehicle of the metaphor. While games are quite self-contained, business cannot be a self-contained activity as it connects deeply to the rest of society. A game is quite simply an isolated bubble that people can voluntarily choose to enter knowing what rules apply there, and more often than not people take part in games for personal enjoyment. More importantly, if one doesn’t like or doesn’t agree with the rules of the game, he or she has the power to just sit the game out. But opting out of the economic system is not as easy. Business and commerce are undeniable parts of everyone’s life. There is not as much voluntarism associated with it because opting out means completely isolating oneself and opting for a radical disconnect from modern corporate practices.

Another important consideration is how using the business as a game metaphor dramatically trivializes what’s really at stake. In any game, from poker to football, almost always, the only stakeholders that will be heavily affected by the outcome of the game are the players themselves who chose to be there and understood the cost and risks of the game. In business, however, the narrative is much more complex. With the business as a game metaphor, it is easy to forget that, in the process of seeking victory or outmaneuvering an opponent, business actually has much greater stakes than most people’s conception of games. These higher stakes can heavily impact the health, safety and quality of life of numerous constituencies.

Take, for instance, the Bhopal disaster. A couple of misguided decisions by a single corporation’s officials resulted in 40 tons of toxic gas being spewed from the factory and scorching the lives of thousands of people outside these walls. Thirty-seven years after the incident, the 70-acre site in Bhopal has remained mostly unchanged and still contains hundreds of tons of contaminated waste that continue to put the health of nearby villagers in grave danger.

Businesses are “fully situated in the realm of humanity” and affect a much broader spectrum of real, complex human lives than a game ever could. Another concern is that the business as a game metaphor falsely paints the nature of business as

temporary. Games cannot be never-ending; they have clear beginnings, middles and ends. Business practices, however, can not be so clearly delineated. Professionals in a corporate community may focus on short-term wins, but the success of a positive quarterly return may have been achieved at the expense of other social or ethical interests. Game-like, short-term thinking that’s rewarded in the marketplace is not always in the best interest of the larger community or even the corporation’s own long-term interests. Business activity has no clear end, yet the game metaphor artificially implies that a conclusion exists.

Moving forward, a critical downfall of the business as a game metaphor is that it attempts to separate moral spheres by implying that there exists a different set of ethics for business than the set of ethics practiced in everyday social life.

By making the morality of business selfreferential, like the rules of a game, corporations become less morally accountable to sources of normative ethics in society.

Once business is nominally understood as an institution made up of a separate class of “business professionals” who are less morally accountable than everyone else, the overlay of a strong metaphoric understanding that business is a game actually solidifies the differentiation and the compartmentalization of moral spheres.

All in all, this deep dive into the structural differences between business and games has revealed that the business as a game metaphor can be ethically problematic if not completely inadequate. Games are fun, have intelligible rules, and hold out the promise of glorious victory. But as businesses attempt to communicate their identity through visions and mission statements, ethically aligned practices will demand more than what normally constitutes game playing. As the French philosopher Roger Caillois comments in his work, “Man, Plan, and Games,” “The true problem starts here. For it must not be forgotten that adults themselves continue to play complicated, varied, and sometimes dangerous games, which are still viewed as games. Although fate and life may involve one in comparable activities, nevertheless play differs from these even when the player takes life less seriously than the game to which he is addicted. For the game remains separate, closed off, and in principle, without any important repercussions on the stability and continuity of collective and institutional existence.”

Krista Akiki is a senior majoring in business analytics and minoring in computing and digital technologies. She grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and moved back to the U.S. to pursue her undergraduate degree. She loves learning new languages, traveling and of course trying new foods. She craves adventure and new experiences and hopes to share these with readers through her writing. She can be reached at kakiki@nd.edu or @ kristalourdesakiki via Twitter.

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

The observer | Friday, September 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Religion is for Democrats too, not just Republicans Blake Ziegler News with Zig

You wou ldn’t be a lone in associat ing relig ion w it h t he Republica n Pa r t y a nd secu la rism w it h t he Democrat ic Pa r t y. Over t he last severa l decades, t he r ise of t he Relig ious R ig ht has cemented t he fact t hat t he Republica n Pa r t y is dominated by white eva ngelica ls inser t ing relig ious v iews into t he pa r t y plat form. Today, t hat sent iment is on ly reinforced as Republica n ca ndidates inf use Christ ia nit y into t heir ca mpa ig n st rateg y. At Republica n ra l lies t his yea r, we’ve w it nessed pra ise music, prayer, a nd ot her pract ices t y pica l ly associated w it h relig ious worship. These relig ious pract ices at ca mpa ig n events a ren’t super f luous eit her, as Republica n ca ndidates ca l l to end t he sepa rat ion bet ween church a nd state a nd decla re t he United States a Chr ist ia n nat ion. The Democrat ic Pa r t y, on t he ot her ha nd, has st r ugg led w it h relig ion due to t he diverse relig ious a nd non-relig ious por t ions of its membership. In a n ef for t to not a lienate voters, Democrats have avoided relig ious rhetor ic, of ten joined by crit icism t hat t hey a ren’t doing enoug h out reach to relig ious voters.

However, t hat appea rs to be cha ng ing.

During t he 2020 elect ion, a sig nif ica nt number of Democrats engaged in relig ious out reach.

During t he pr ima r y ca mpa ig n, t hen-Mayor Pete Butt ig ieg rout inely referenced his fa it h to demonst rate t hat Democrats ca n be relig ious too.

In one debate, Butt ig ieg employed a relig ious of fensive aga inst t he Republica n Pa r t y for hypocrisy bet ween its plat form a nd profession of Christ ia nit y. Ot her president ia l hopef u ls li ke Senators Cor y Booker a nd Eli zabet h Wa rren a nd t hen-Senator Ka ma la Ha rris a lso ut i li zed relig ious rhetor ic, spea k ing about t heir connect ion to G-d a nd specif ica l ly Christ ia nit y. President Joe Biden worked onex tensive out reach to white Cat holic a nd white eva ngelica l voters, reducing former President Dona ld Tr ump’s per forma nce a mong t hose g roups enoug h to help solidif y his v ictor y.

Relig ion a lso made a n appea ra nce w it h bot h Democrat ic ca ndidates for t he t wo seats in t he 2020-2021 U.S. Senate elect ions in Georg ia.

Senators Wa rnock a nd Ossof f ’s elect ion was a pivota l moment for t he Democrat ic Pa r t y, securing a majorit y in t he Senate. The inf usion of his prog ressive v iews a nd backg round as pastor of Ebenezer Bapt ist Church, where Dr. Ma r t in Lut her K ing preached, was a key factor in Senator Raphael Wa rnock’s v ictor y. A lt houg h more hesita nt to ment ion relig ion during t he ca mpa ig n, Senator Jon Ossof f referenced t he Jew ish va lues t hat informed his polit ica l v iews a nd beca me t he f irst Jew ish ca ndidate to w in statew ide of f ice in t he Sout h since 1974.

Addit iona l ly, we’re w it nessing ca ndidates in t he 2022 midterm elect ions bui ld of f t he relig ious momentum over t he last severa l yea rs.

Wa rnock has made relig ion a cent ra l message of his reelect ion ca mpa ig n, emphasi zing t he joint nature of devot ion to fa it h a nd commit ment to socia l just ice. His messag ing rout inely references his relig ious work a nd how it informs his polit ica l v iews. Just li ke it delivered him for his init ia l elect ion, Wa rnock is hoping Georg ia voters w i l l be draw n to his relig ious fer vor A lso in Georg ia, t he Democrat ic ca ndidate for governor, Stacey Abra ms, uses relig ion, but in a dif ferent way. As abor t ion becomes a pressing issue in a l l elect ions a f ter t he over turning of Roe v. Wade, Abra ms has discussed t he role her fa it h has played in shaping her v iews on t he subject. She’s open ly discussed how her upbring ing by Met hodist preachers informed her init ia l sta nce aga inst abor t ion, but she’s since cha nged her beliefs a f ter v iew ing it as a hea lt h issue, not a mora l one. Her approach to abort ion opens a new va ntage point for Democrats to reach voters who may be persona l ly opposed to abor t ion, but a re hesita nt to attempts t hroug hout t he count r y to reduce access to it.

In Pennsylva nia, Attorney Genera l Josh Shapiro is r unning for governor open ly as a Jew a nd ref using to cede relig ious voters to his opponent, Doug Mast ria no, a state senator.

Shapiro has used his devout fa it h to reach out to relig ious voters, especia l ly Black Protesta nts in t he state by attending worship ser v ices a nd spea k ing f rom t he pu lpit. He’s rout inely referenced his fa it h during ca mpa ig n events, hoping t hat some voters who t y pica l ly vote Republica n on relig ious g rounds consider sw itching. A mong ot her Democrat ic ca ndidates

who employ relig ious rhetoric, he’s especia l ly notable for attack ing Christ ia n nat iona lism as a n assau lt on relig ious liber t y, especia l ly for relig ious minorit ies.

A lt houg h relig ion may appea r to be a new w inning st rateg y for Democrats, it isn’t riskf ree. In t he last t wo decades, Democrats t hemselves have become less relig ious in t heir membership. This isn’t to say t hat non-relig ious Democrats wou ld vote Republica n, but it does risk a lienat ion a nd low voter turnout. These ca ndidates a re wagering t hat relig ious rhetoric w i l l eit her deliver more voters or drive voters away f rom Republica ns, but t he t hreat of a lienat ion w i l l a lways be present for a pa r t y as relig iously diverse as t he Democrat ic Pa r t y. This isn’t to a rg ue t hat Democrats who reference relig ion w i l l lose (we’ve seen t hat’s not a lways t he case), but to point out t here’s a reason why Democrats have been caut ious about relig ious rhetoric in t he past. Even if elected, t he div ision in t he Democrat ic Pa r t y bet ween t he relig ious a nd non-relig ious suggests t hat whi le relig ious rhetoric may cont ribute to electora l v ictor y, it doesn’t necessa ri ly t ra nslate to relig ious inf luence in polic y ma k ing.

This column is not a n endorsement of relig ion as a polit ica l tool for Democrats or Republica ns. The quest ion of relig ion’s role in polit ics is sepa rate f rom my obser vat ions of t he t rends in t he Democrat ic Pa r t y. The last few yea rs a re a demonst rat ion t hat Democrats ca n successf u l ly ut i li ze relig ion as a n out reach met hod on t he ca mpa ig n t ra i l. A lt houg h relig ion may st i l l be t ied heav i ly to t he Republica n Pa r t y, we’re beg inning to see pushback f rom t he Democrat ic Pa r t y a nd a potent ia l shif t in t he way t hat relig ion operates in t he polit ica l sphere.

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.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

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The observer | Friday, september 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Observer Editorial: Let’s create a safer campus Being back on campus means getting back into the swing of things. Whether that means getting used to school work routines, friend groups or even drinking and going out, it’s not always easy. In addition to a list of resources from our rolodex last week, we want to not forget general reminders that can go a long way in keeping you and your friends safe.

Have each others’ backs Going out to a bar, a party or even dinner can be fun.

Unfortunately, what can start as a great night can take a turn for the worse if we aren’t there for each other.

When you go out, make sure you go with friends you trust. Watch out for over-consumption, and respect each other when someone says they’ve had enough to drink, or simply don’t want to. And, help enforce that answer if someone else won’t respect it.

If a friend finds themselves in a dangerous situation, call the authorities for help — even if people in the group have been drinking underage. Indiana’s Lifeline Law provides immunity for anyone seeking help from law enforcement for a friend who needs medical attention due to alcohol. Don’t let the fear of getting in trouble keep you from protecting — or saving — your friends.

If you see someone outside of your friend group who might need help, reach out to them. Make sure they are okay and invite them to come home with your group if they seem alone or in an uncomfortable situation. You may not be comfortable with this yet, and that’s okay.

One great way to become more comfortable with helping others is to complete GreeNDot training. Bystander intervention is an important resource — the more people who know how to use it, the safer our community can be.

Watch out for yourself, too.

No one knows your limits better than you do. If you haven’t drank before, pace yourself. If you have, still pace yourself and listen to your body. It’s not the same

every time, and other factors can have an effect on how your night goes. Be careful not to put your drink down, leave it with anyone else or place it out of your sight for too long. If you think you see someone else’s drink tampered with, tell them.

Don’t walk alone at night When you’re in unfamiliar places, travel in packs.

Walking home with friends can be convenient, but it’s also important to make sure you’re careful. Even if you Uber to different dorms a few feet from each other, make sure you have a system to let friends know you’re home. Send a quick text saying “Made it!” or even something as simple as “Home.” If you have to be alone, call someone. You don’t have to talk. They can just continue whatever they are doing while you stay alert for what’s going on around you. If that doesn’t work for you, set up some kind of system that will. Another option to help you make it home safely is the new ND Safe App. There you can find several resources including safety options like a virtual walk home.

For students heading to Saint Mary’s, Blinkie is always a safe and reliable option. Blinkie runs Sunday through Thursday 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 p.m. to 4 a. m. Times will be adjusted as it becomes darker out earlier. For Saint Mary’s students heading back to campus after Blinkie’s hours SMCurity (Saint Mary’s Campus Safety) can always be called. They are able to pick students up from the Grotto bus stop and drive them back to Saint Mary’s.

These preventative measures are especially important this time of year. The start of fall semester through Thanksgiving break has been dubbed “the Red Zone” by the Movement. More than 50% of sexual assault instances on college campuses occur in that window, and it is especially unsafe for women — even those who know their campus well. Walking home with a group and having friends you trust to check-in with are two ways to make your evenings feel a little safer and a bit more manageable.

You don’t have to drink alcohol The social pressure to drink, while more monitored in some ways than other college cultures, is still present.

Whether at dissos, a house party or a pregame, drinking is often a big part of people’s evening plans. But it doesn’t have to be. If you want to go out, meet new people and hit different events throughout the year, try FlipSide, a Notre Dame club that provides activity alternatives without the social pressures of drinking. You can also go out to dinner, bowl or see a movie. Or even if you’re at one of those dissos or weekend parties with friends, you still don’t have to drink. Bring a water bottle and have fun with your friends anyways. Drinking is not a requirement at these events, and if anyone makes it seem like it is, that’s a good time to leave. On the other hand, a night in can be one of your most memorable and fun nights on campus. Order a pizza, decompress, do a face mask, paint your nails — anything that isn’t homework — and just relax for the evening. It’s a great way to spend time with friends, catch up about your week and take a moment to take care of yourself.

Look out for your mental and physical wellness Getting a reasonable amount of sleep is a gamechanger. Studies show that sleep deprivation has profound effects on human health in many different facets of life. It may seem like a pipe dream to get seven hours of sleep every night, but repeated sleep loss can lead to increased risk of depression, anxiety, hypertension and diabetes. It may even take longer for you to recover from your case of the freshman plague.

Anxiety and depression mixed with sleep deprivation can create a positive feedback loop of worsening mental health. When you are feeling anxious or depressed, you may get less sleep, and less sleep will worsen your symptoms.

When we start to neglect little acts of self-care like getting enough sleep, taking care of friends, drinking water and spending time with loved ones, our overall wellness is impacted. Checking in on each other shouldn’t stop at the edge of your social circles. If you see someone struggling, whether it be on a night out or just because of a bad day, offer a hand.

Now that we are a third of the way through the semester, classes are in full swing and football season fatigue is kicking in. Keep taking care of yourself and others.

Small acts make a difference.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Be Not Afraid: You Are Not Alone “Do not fear, for I am with you, be not afraid, for I am your God.” (Isaiah 41:10)w These words echo in the hearts of many of us in the Notre Dame family. The past few years have been strenuous, to say the least, both for our school and our country.

We students have never before experienced such unrest, turmoil and division. In the challenges and hardships of our everyday lives, it is so easy to forget that our Lord God is with us in all things.

We as a nation overturned an immense court decision that will have an effect on the lives of our families, our friends and our peers. In a world filled with death, we have truly taken the first step toward building a culture of life. For those unaware of the existent networks of support, protection, dependence, radical hospitality and abundant love for women in crisis, this decision understandably evokes a lot of fear In a post-Roe world, our society must remember the responsibility we have to each other: to support and protect the dignity and value of every human life, mother and child. We as human beings are intrinsically dependent on one another. We must rely on others for support and care, providing them the same in return.

We must learn to be not afraid. We must embrace the understanding that we are not alone. We must embrace the call to abundantly love and serve one another. In the words of the Gospel, “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (John 4:18).

We see the division on our campus, and in our nation, on the issue of abortion. We understand the fear and anxiety of those who are uncertain of what the future holds.

It is with all this in mind that we call each and every one of you to join us in reflecting upon our role in creating a society with respect and support for all human life.

As stated by Professor O. Carter Snead, Director of the Notre Dame De Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, in a post-Roe America, it has never been more important to ensure the “intrinsic equal dignity and value of every human life and to create a society where every child (born and unborn), mother and family is welcomed into a network of support and protection and loved unconditionally, from conception throughout the human lifespan.”

In accordance with the mission of the University and the Catholic Church, we embrace the fact that “appropriate and effective programs of support for new life must be implemented, with special closeness to mothers who, even without the help of the father, are not afraid to bring their child into the world” (John Paul II, Encyclical Letter, Evangelium Vitae) By supporting local and national organizations and initiatives, maternity leave policies, childcare benefits, adoption and foster care, education, housing, employment and health care, we are prepared to show women that they need not be afraid and that they will never be alone. We reflect this sentiment in our theme for this year’s Respect Life Week programming: Be Not Afraid: You Are Not Alone.

This Respect Life Week will feature prayer, service and educational initiatives as we remind one another to trust in God, remain peaceful in uncertainty and support one another in our needs both big and small. Supporting each person’s unique and intrinsic dignity begins with

recognizing the gift that your life is to others. God is with you in all things, He has a plan for you and He will never leave you alone.

We invite you to join us in welcoming Robin Sertell, author of Miracles Happen in the Wilderness and known for her story of surviving three separate abortion attempts while in her mother’s womb. Her keynote address, Abortion Isn’t Final: Exposing the secrets that the abortion industry doesn’t want you to know, will be held in the LaFortune Ballroom on September 29th at 7 pm.

Gather with us after 10 am Basilica Mass on Sunday, September 25th for brunch and fellowship in the LaFortune Ballroom. Partner with us in supporting mothers in a post-Roe world as we hold a week-long maternity clothing drive for the Family Resource Center and volunteer at the Women’s Care Center. Pray with us for the lives lost to abortion as we hold a memorial for the unborn on Wednesday, September 28th. A full schedule of the week’s events can be found here.

We invite you to join us on our mission this year, to abundantly and joyfully love and support others and to discover in return the fruits of a society that understands the nature of the human condition: we are dependent on one another, we support one another and no one, truly, is alone .

In life and love, Merlot Fogarty Notre Dame Right to Life president junior Sept. 19

9

The observer | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By CLAIRE LYONS Scene Writer

Rina Sawayama is ambitious. She’s a Cambridge graduate. She’s a musician. She wants to raise awareness about the struggles of being Asian American and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, all while embracing her inner child.

She’s trying to out-do her critically-acclaimed debut album with her newest release “Hold the Girl.”

Following up “SAWAYAMA” would be a daunting task for any artist. Sawayama’s hit single off the album, “XS” is a musical masterpiece. The song satirizes excessive modernday consumerism at the expense of the climate, all while accomplishing one of the most interesting feats of production I’ve come across in the past couple of years. She marries modern day pop with trap beats and heavy metal riffs, completely blowing away listeners within the first 20 seconds.

(Trust me, just listen to it.) Other fan favorites like “STFU!” and “Comme Des Garcons (Like the Boys)” have a similarly stunning production quality. Sawayama simultaneously carved out a niche for herself musically and garnered a loyal fanbase. Basically, she was a huge success.

Her new release, “Hold the Girl,” does a lot of things well, but it doesn’t meet the bar Sawayama set with “SAWAYAMA.” Generally, it’s been pretty successful with singles “This Hell” and “Hold the Girl” generating nearly 16 million streams on Spotify. The album’s songs address everything from anti-Asian hate, Sawayama’s complicated

By J.P. SPOONMORE Scene Writer

Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Primal” is a masterpiece like no other. Through blood and prehistoric rage, the silence of a show without dialogue is drowned under the terrifying screams of beasts fighting their very extinction. But this is more than just a show about a caveman and a T-rex fighting duo. Sprayed across this show’s violent tapestry is a hunt for meaning.

Now that the show’s second and final season has ended, I think it works best looking at the series in its entirety. In the aftermath of losing both their families, a caveman, Spear and T-rex, Fang, team up to survive and overcome their mourning.Without dialogue, and without characters able to understand each other, the nature of the human individual is fully dissected at its most vulnerable state.

Spear cannot express the deep emotions he experiences. Why he decides to keep fighting is never about overcoming doubt, it’s out of necessity. No matter how much of his life disappears, the only way to keep it alive is for him to keep moving.

Evolution is not kind to the lone survivor; the harder they fight it, the more they will be left behind.

Throughout the show, cultures are turned to rubble, and entire species are reduced to ash, yet

relationship with her mother, perfectionism, healing her inner child and accepting herself. In short, this album is all over the place. It lacks a lot of the cohesion and creativity that made “SAWAYAMA” stand out in 2020.

The most popular song of the album, “This Hell,” is a queer anthem that released just in time for Pride Month. It’s the song off “Hold the Girl” that sounds most like “SAWAYAMA.” With gnarly guitar riffs galore and Sawayama’s rockin’ vocals, she grapples with feeling unaccepted by the Church as a LGBTQ+ person. She sings a lot about this religious tension throughout the album, but it ultimately feels like a passing thought in the chaotic blur of themes Sawayama addresses. “This Hell” feels like it’s pandering to Sawayama’s loyal LGBTQ+ audience.

On the other hand, you have “Send My Love To John,” a heartfelt stripped-back guitar ballad that tells the story of an immigrant mother apologizing to her queer son for not accepting him. It’s not like “SAWAYAMA” at all. It isn’t angry and there’s no killer heavy metal riffs, but it’s sincere. It’s the only song on the album that made me feel anything.

“This Hell” rightfully spits in the face of bigots, but “Send My Love To John” also shows that hateful people have the capacity to change. Sawayama’s introspectiveness isn’t apparent in her pop ballads, but her personal growth shines more when she isn’t focused on creating stadium anthems. She sings in “Phantom” about her tendency to people-please, crooning “Once upon a time / There was

a girl pleasing the world / Dying to be liked.” Clearly, this problem still exists.

“Hold the Girl” reaches for inspiration in places other than Sawayama’s journal, though. “Minor Feelings” is named after a book by Korean-American poet Cathy Park Hong. “This Hell” tips its five-gallon hat with a classic Shania Twain “Let’s go girls!” ad-lib. She pays homage to the pop-punk ballads of Avril Lavinge in “Hurricane.”

Sawayama spends so much time trying to please her audience and emulate other artists, she ultimately loses what makes her music so special — herself. As a queer, intelligent, Asian-American woman, Sawayama has a lot of valuable things to bring to the table. I was blown away by the creative production on “SAWAYAMA,” but that doesn’t mean that she needs to rely on gimmicks to be successful. I just want Rina Sawayama to “Gimme just a little bit (more!).” here.

episode by episode, Spear and Fang escape the hurricane intact. It’s only after the fights end that they realize the world is moving on without them. They are destined to be alone, agents of eras long buried, and the only way to not be swept away in the avalanche of time is to cling to each other. It puts our modern place in the food chain into question by examining our very understanding of evolution.

This show wouldn’t exist without the legendary Genndy Tartakovsky, who was probably a staple of your childhood entertainment. The mind behind “Dexter’s Lab,” “Samurai Jack,” “Hotel Transylvania” and my personal favorite, “SymBionic Titan,” this guy knows how to craft dynamic stories with great action and unforgettable art styles. In a TV market booming with 3D animation, Tartakovsky’s drawings add texture through rough brush strokes and sharp character designs. The very outlines of Spear and Fang can puncture f lesh.

The physicality of their characters is visible in their silhouette, each shape and angle built to feel coldblooded. The show contrasts this antagonism with vibrant colors, blending venomous greens with cartoonish volumes of bloodied reds.

Even the sound design feels like it’s calling from the stone age with low horns and deep drums.

Nothing blends into each other; it all stacks into a mountain of iconic symbols and vivid memories.

Tartakovsky has mastered his craft, emphasizing texture and style over a clean image.

I do want to specify the evolution of this show after its second season. The first five episodes of the show are a social experiment: could they successfully create an engaging story through teeth, blood and screams? The answer was a resounding yes. But with that foundation proving successful, there had to be a next step. An evolution.

Season two’s job was to put a spine to the muscle.

The episodic adventures grow more serialized, more characters are introduced and themes drive the story rather than survival. I want to mention this because season one is a great way to pass the time, but season two is when it truly hones the story. Spear is no longer a simple caveman by the end of the show, he signifies something elemental about our species.

That something is that this show promises to revive, hoping we never let it slip into the past again.

Contact Claire Lyons at clyons3@nd.edu

“Hold the Girl” Artist: Rina Sawayama Label: Dirty Hit Favorite tracks: “Send My Love to John” If you like: Charli XCX, Grimes, M.I.A.

Contact J.P. Spoonmore at jpspoonmo@nd.edu

“Primal” Director: Genndy Tartakovsky

MEG HAMMOND | The Observer

10

The observer | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By WILLOUGHBY THOM Scene Editor

Music has become disposable. One day, you hear a new hit song, and then, a month later, it has vanished off the face of the earth. While this is not an entirely new phenomenon, the world of music has shifted greatly over the last decade.

Instead of relying on record sales, downloads or touring to gain popularity, musicians are relying even more on the power of social media.

Now, before you criticize me for “putting my dad hat on,” or you accuse me of “shout[ing] into the void [about] how no one has good taste anymore” (like one kind online-commenter said to me two years ago), please hear me out. Trust me, I’m tired of writing about the evil relationship between music and social media, but someone has to say this. These ramblings are not intended to complain about my favorite indie bands getting popular online in attempt to “gatekeep.” This is simply to educate the world about the industry of massmusic-production. While I might miss seeing my favorite underground bands play in intimate venues, I want them to play in front of thousands one day. I want them to achieve the recognition they deserve and if that needs to happen via Instagram or TikTok, by all means, have at it! But, if reaching this goal requires an adherence to mainstream ideals, also known as the loss of originality, then they might as well be called “sell-outs.”

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are tools with an angel and a devil on each shoulder; a place where personal and professional promotion reign supreme. If you are unaware,

By ANDY OTTONE Scene Writer

“Breaking Bad.” “Star Wars.” “High School Musical.” What do these have in common? They are all sprawling franchises with films and television series, which all tell one cohesive story. (If one of these looks out of place, I don’t blame you. I also did not know Breaking Bad released a movie.) Jokes aside, it’s time to “get’cha head in the game,” because I am about to break down the expansive High School Musical franchise.

The easiest place to start is the films: “High School Musical”, “HSM 2” and “HSM 3: Senior Year.” The first two films were released on Disney Channel in 2006 and 2007 respectively, with the third receiving a theatrical release in 2008. A fourth film, “Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure,” debuted in 2011, returning to the straight-to-television model. There was also a pilot for a TV spin-off, but it was never shown to the public. This takes us through the American installments of the franchise–with the emphasis on “American.”

In 2008, the franchise found itself “breaking free” of the United States, with the release of two separate movies released in Argentina and Mexico with both

“The Algorithm” (which we shall denote as its own entity) is a bully. The system is like Regina George from “Mean Girls,” if you don’t like [blank] then “you can’t sit with us.” This is true with any online platform, but TikTok and Spotify are the most brutal.

TikTok has become one of the most influential platforms for shaping music taste. Consider the story of the band Vunadbar. Almost a decade after their first album “Gawk” (2015) was released, their song “Alien Blues” suddenly experienced a rise in streams; a snippet of their song had gone viral. While Brandon Hagen (their lead vocalist and guitarist) expressed how strange it was to be known for a song he wrote when he was 18, they embraced their new-found popularity with a new music video and a re-recording of “Alien Blues” on their most recent album “Devil for the Fire” (2022).

While this is a positive story of embracing the power of TikTok, there is a downside. These “sounds” on TikTok are only a few seconds long, so you’re only getting a little taste of the greater picture. It was strange to see them live and see the crowd get the most animated for only two lines — what about the rest of the song? What about all the incredible music they have released since 2013? This is true for almost all TikTok sounds, creating a big dilemma: the disappearance of the bridge.

If you are not familiar with song construction, a bridge usually occurs after the second chorus, standing as its own musical element. A great example of a bridge is in Gwen Stafani’s “Hollaback Girl”: “This s**t is bananas, B-A-N-A-NA-S.” Because of TikTok’s format, despite the bridge being

one of the catchiest parts of any given song, most clips feature either a few lines in the beginning or simply the chorus — it’s all about grabbing users’ attention. This strategy is also found to be true on Spotify, and it’s often called “The Spotify Effect.”

There are two elements that go into the Spotify Effect. Firstly, if a song is skipped before it ends, The Algorithm considers it to be less desired, recommending it less to other users.

Secondly, Spotify won’t count a song as officially streamed unless it has been played for at least 30 seconds, so if it gets skipped in the beginning, artists won’t get paid. As a result, the combination of the two elements have forced producers and musicians to “get to the point” of the song, so they are less at risk of getting skipped. Today, music is made for consumption.

Now, you might echo my hate-commentor’s sentiments when they said, “Duh, it’s an economic game, what did you think would happen after streaming took away all of the artists’ revenue,” but none of this overproduced music is going to last. Many artists strive toward conformity because that is what is going to make them popular and get them paid, but no one is going to remember who they were in 30 years because they will have sounded like everyone else.

I am not trying to tell you who or what to listen to; you should listen to the music that makes you happy. I simply want to educate you about the powerful relationship between music and the Internet. There are many cool things the Internet has done for music, but let’s make sure it doesn’t take too much control.

films titled “El Desafío.” A third adaptation, for the Brazilian market, was released two years later, with a slightly different title: “O Desafio.” All three shared the same plotline. A fourth spin-off, “High School Musical: China - College Dreams” also released in 2010.

The franchise is still running, jumping from Disney Channel to Disney+. “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” makes the movies a fictional series (in the universe of the show) that the students perform as their school play, and the upcoming fourth season focuses on the fictional film “High School Musical 4: Reunion.” This segways well into the next piece of the High School Musical machine: real world domination. In 2006, Disney held a touring concert series to promote the film. Theater companies can license the rights to perform a stage adaptation of the first and second film. Additionally, there have been multiple reality shows to help Disney cast minor roles in the third film (“Get in the Picture”) and the foreign market films (“A Seleção”).

Now here is where things get weird. In the second film, during the final musical number, one new character shows up: Miley Stewart, from “Hannah Montana,” played by Miley Cyrus. This blows the door wide open. “Hannah Montana” already exists

in a connected universe of Disney TV shows, spanning as far back as “Boy Meets World” to recent shows such as 2015’s “Best Friends Whenever.” But, this is just Disney. We can take this so much further.

Time for the lightning round!

Hannah Montana appeared in an episode of “Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” “Suite Life” character Mr. Moseby guest starred in an episode of “Jessie”, whose cast of characters featured in an episode of “Ultimate Spider-Man.” Spider-Man teamed-up with the Avengers, who have met the Simpsons.

Homer Simpsons went to “Cheers.” “Cheers” introduced “Frasier.” Niles from Frasier was on “Caroline in the City,” whose titular character met Joey and Chandler from “FRIENDS.” Phoebe from “FRIENDS” is the sister of Ursula, the waitress in “Mad About You.” Kramer, from “Seinfeld,” made an appearance in “Mad About You.” And thus, the “High School Musical” to “Seinfeld” pipeline is complete, clearly the intention Disney Channel had all along.

Dear readers, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but we are out of time. Next time you watch “High School Musical,” think about what you now know. It might change how you view the film. I know it has for me.

Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu

Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu MAKAYLA HERNANDEZ | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

11

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take your time, mull over options and check to see what others do or say. Try something that raises your enthusiasm or that you can negotiate into a pastime you enjoy. Use your talents, and be open to trying something you’ve never done. Embrace life and choose the most comfortable path. Self-improvement projects will fetch compliments and respect.

Your numbers are 4, 17, 22, 29, 31, 35, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll have plenty of great ideas. Press forward physically and mentally, and you’ll reach your goal and impress someone who can help improve your life or position. Sign up for something that makes you feel good and helps a cause.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take control of your happiness and put your energy into something that pleases you. Personal improvements to how you look or do your job will make you feel good. Celebrate with someone you love.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stop worrying about others and concentrate on your pursuits. Think big, but when paying for things, look for a bargain.

Someone you think you can trust will not offer sound advice or the truth.

Verify information before you make a move.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put your wallet someplace safe. Impulse purchases will not pan out. Focus on saving, not spending, and you’ll be much happier at the end of the day. Use your time to improve your appearance or your home environment. Do more and say less.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t feel you have to make a snap decision. When in doubt, take a moment or remove yourself from the situation that is making you feel uncomfortable. Do what feels right, and don’t count on others if you want things done your way.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Live in the moment, and choose to do things that put a smile on your face. Engage in a creative process that entails physical improvements through diet, exercise and hanging out with people who bring out the best in you. Romance is favored.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An impulsive action will be costly. Don’t make promises or purchases that compromise your position. Be direct about what you will contribute or donate, and don’t budge, regardless of the pressure you encounter. Speak up, and you’ll get what you want.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A systematic approach to sensitive situations will prevent unwanted changes and disruptions. Using your intuition when delegating odd jobs to others will eliminate making a mistake. Keep the conversation playful but productive. An unusual attraction will develop.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Follow through with your thoughts until you get a clear picture of what’s to come. Planning and developing what you want to see will help you bring your ideas to fruition. Stick to your budget, and do the work yourself whenever possible.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A financial change is heading your way.

Take good care of your health, and don’t overreact to what others do or say.

Concentrate on what’s important to you, and do whatever it takes to lower stress and avoid unsavory situations or talks.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Do what appeals to you, and stop worrying about what others do or think. Protect your interests, and be honest about how you feel. A positive change in a close relationship will develop if you communicate. Put your energy where it counts.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Show your independence. Step up and talk about your intentions, and you’ll get feedback to help you adjust and move forward with your plans. Be careful while traveling, and don’t take a risk with your health or personal documents.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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sports

The observer | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Football

Observer Staff predicts Notre Dame-UNC Observer Sports Staff

After picking up his first career win as head coach in Week 3, can Marcus Freeman make it two straight this weekend in North Carolina?

The Observer staff is split on the pick.

Aidan Thomas, Sports Editor I’ve tossed and turned about this pick all week.

Not literally, but I truly have no idea what to expect. To put it slightly dramatically, the very moveable object (UNC’s defense) meets a nearly non-startable force (Notre Dame’s offense) in this matchup.

Here’s what makes the difference for me. Going back to the opener, Notre Dame shut down a vaunted Ohio State attack. They’ve given up 21, 19 and 17 points in three weeks. More notably, nobody has really beaten the Irish through the air, which is where UNC wants to operate. Their ground game is efficient, but it’s not their bread and butter. The biggest thing for the Irish is containing Drake Maye, who is a solid dual-threat quarterback. Notre Dame linebacker must be better, but that unit is operating without senior linebacker J.D. Bertrand for the first half which makes this task even more difficult. I think Notre Dame trails at the half — again — but starts figuring out how to target the Tar Heels in the second half.

They’ll pull off the mild upset over the Tar Heels.

Notre Dame 31, North Carolina 27 Nate Moller, Senior Sports Writer The Irish defense will have to be on top of their game this weekend against a balanced UNC offense that has thrown for 930 yards through the air and 712 yards on the ground. The Tar Heels have plenty of options through the air, as they have six players with over 100 receiving yards this season.

The Irish, by comparison, have just two players with over 100 receiving yards this season. The Irish have still yet to force a turnover this season, and winning that battle this weekend might be a key to victory. Despite UNC’s subpar defense, the Irish offense will have a difficult time keeping up with UNC quarterback Drake Maye’s offensive production. Unless junior quarterback Drew Pyne can up

his level of play this weekend significantly, a loss to a highly productive UNC offense seems inevitable.

North Carolina 38, Notre Dame 27

Liam Coolican, wAssociate Sports Editor If there’s an opportunity for Pyne and the Notre Dame offense to get rolling, it’s this weekend in Chapel Hill. Only one power-five team (Colorado) ranks lower than UNC in terms of scoring defense. The Tar Heels are allowing opponents to score nearly 38 points per game. Conversely, they are 6th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging more than 51 points per game. It’s a testament to the strength of this offense that the Tar Heels are 3-0. The Irish will have to w ork hard to slow down Maye and his impressive cadre of receivers.

A lot of this game will depend on the Notre Dame defense, because no matter how ineffective the UNC defense is, I am not willing (yet) to put my faith in Pyne in a shootout. One major concern is the inconsistency of Al Golden’s unit. They’ve played well this year, but have had stretches of poor play. In order to win this contest, they’ll have to be at their best for all four quarters, and that’s not something I’ve seen from them so far this year.

North Carolina 31, Notre Dame 28 Mannion McGinley, Assistant Managing Editor So Irish fans saw two almost takeaways this weekend against Cal. That was good. That was new this season. Did they end up counting? No, but we found other defensive success on both plays. Should that mean an interception or a strip is on the way? One would hope.

Will I predict that the Irish get one this weekend? No. No, I will not. The last time I did that, the Irish lost (despite my predicting a 35-point win).

Do the Irish need to force a turnover to win this weekend? Yes, that much is clear.

Pyne will be able to lead the offense just well enough to beat the UNC defense and keep pace with the UNC offense in terms of productive drives. Until he proves he can do more, he has proven that we can expect at least that much from him, and I believe in it.

It’s the defense that ends up controlling this game though. The defensive line especially needs to be able to get to Maye the way they’ve gotten to Plummer. I expect to see both Ademilola brothers bursting through that line, and I want to see the 2021 version of senior defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey right beside them. The new guys are still getting caught up, but even they are holding their own. The returners need to show them how it’s done to push Notre Dame over the top this weekend.

There needs to be an even cleaner fourth-quarter in this game than the bouncing Hail Mary from the Cal game. Another tight one for sure.

Notre Dame 31, North Carolina 28

Madeline Ladd, Associate Sports Editor After a nail-biter of a win last week against Cal, the Irish need to capture a solid victory against the Tar Heels this weekend. Though they infamously struggle to run the ball, Notre Dame’s passing game was more accurate last week with Pyne.

He grew more comfortable in the second half and has the ability to connect w ith receivers. There’s too much talent up front for the offense not to be better. Tyree and Estime will certainly be able to pound the awful UNC defense, as they are ranked 123rd in the nation.

Nevertheless, Tar Heel freshman quarterback Drake Maye has the potential to challenge the secondary and will most likely connect with returning wide out star Josh Downs. This will prove a fight, but finally the ND defense will get turnovers and hold off their opponent. Turnovers are the name of the game here, and if the Irish can do that they can continue their 10+ year win streak against the Tar Heels. I see it happening.

Notre Dame 37, North Carolina 28 Emily DeFazio, Associate Sports Editor This is the make-or-break game for the 2022 Irish season. Notre Dame won the Cal game, but that does not mean it is smooth sailing the rest of the way. In the final five minutes, there were at least three instances where that game was nearly tied. And one of those moments came on see STAFF PICKS PAGE 15

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | The Observer

13

football

Ranking Notre Dame’s remaining schedule

By NATE MOLLER Senior Sports Writer

Before the season started, the Observer Sports Staff ranked the toughest games on the Irish schedule. It is apparent now that Marshall was severely underrated in those rankings. Nevertheless, after three games, the remaining schedule ranks fairly similar to what the preseason rankings were. Let’s take a look at the remaining nine opponents the Irish will face this season.

1. USC (Record: 3-0, AP Rank: 7) The Trojans have arguably been the biggest surprise in college football this season.

Many, including myself, assumed that the Trojans would need time to adjust to Lincoln Riley’s air-raid attack style of offense, but that transition has been nothing but smooth so far. The Trojans have plenty of talent at the skill positions.

They are led by three player s from the transfer portal: quarterback Caleb Williams, wide receiver Jordan Addison and running back Travis Dye. Addison has been a beast for the Trojans. He posted five touchdowns and nearly 300 receiving yards in USC’s first three games. The Trojans have only played Rice, Stanford and Fresno State this season, but with an easy PAC-12 schedule, it would be shocking if the Trojans have more than one loss when they play the Irish at the end of the season.

Key to Irish victory: The Irish need to win this one in the trenches. The Trojans have what the Irish don’t: a prolific offense that revolves around a top-tier quarterback and a plethora of wide receiving talent. The Irish defensive line has to improve as the season

goes. They must find a way to put pressure on Caleb Wiliams.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Irish need to hope the offensive line continues to improve and they need to establish the run game. Similarly to the strategy against Ohio State, the Irish will need to do their best to keep the ball out of Caleb Williams’ hands as long as possible.

2. Clemson (Record: 3-0.

AP Rank: 5) There has been surprisingly very little talk surrounding the Tigers so far this season.

Although they only have wins against Georgia Tech, Furman and Louisiana Tech, the Tigers have won all of those games fairly handily. The key to the Tigers’ success has been running back Will Shipley, who has six touchdowns on the season and is averaging 7.8 yards per carry.

Quarterback D.J. Uiagelelei look s to be much improved as well, having completed 64.8% of his passes for 662 yards and five touchdowns. The Tigers are anchored by a solid defensive corps as well that has already forced seven turnovers this season. Despite the lack of national attention, this Clemson squad feels similar to their national title teams from a couple of seasons ago.

Key to Irish victory: This game is below the USC game because of the home atmosphere. Although the Irish fell at home to Marshall a couple of weeks ago, Notre Dame Stadium is going to be fired up for a game against Clemson. The Irish need to stop Uiagelelei’s production in this game. When Uiagelelei played in Notre Dame Stadium in place of Trevor Lawrence in 2020, he tore apart the Irish defense and nearly gave the Tigers the victory. The Irish defense

can survive some long runs by Shipley, but they will have to limit the Tigers’ quarterback production if the Notre Dame offense is going to keep up with Clemson.

3. BYU (Record: 2-1, AP Rank: 19) BYU was riding high after their double-overtime victory over Baylor two weeks ago, but last week’s 41-20 loss to Oregon brought the Cougars back down to earth. Quarterback Jaren Hall has been the centerpiece of a balanced BYU offense that has averaged 4.9 yards per carry on the ground and averaged nearly 300 passing yards a game. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cougars must regroup after last week’s disaster against Oregon. In that game, the big play destroyed the Cougars, as they allowed 227 passing yards off of just 14 completions. BYU has two very winnable games ahead of their matchup against Notre Dame, so it is likely BYU comes into the Shamrock Series game as a top-15 team.

Key to Irish victory: BYU’s defensive weakness appears to be the big play, which doesn’t bode well for an Irish offense that has failed to produce many big plays all season.

In order to win the game, the Irish need to contain Hall’s production and limit wide receiver Chase Roberts, who has 223 receiving yards on the season.

4. UNC (Record: 3-0, AP Rank: RV) The Tar Heels have a 3-0 record, but it has been anything but pretty. After squeaking out a victory against Appalachian State in their second game, they beat Georgia State by only one touchdown the following week.

The Tar Heels have a prolific offense that is led by freshman

Drake Maye. Their defense will need to improve going forward though if they are going to compete in the ACC.

Key to Irish victory: The Irish have to keep pace with UNC’s offense. They will need to get into an offensive rhythm against a subpar UNC defense. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Drew Pyne will need to step up and make some plays downfield.

5. Syracuse (Record 3-0, AP Rank: RV) The Orange are a somewhat surprising 3-0 after dismantling Louisville 31-7 in week one. In week two, they beat Purdue on a lastminute play last weekend.

Quarterback Garrett Shrader has completed 66.2% of his passes with eight touchdowns and he has yet to throw an interception.

Key to Irish victory: The Irish secondary will have to step up against Syracuse’s passing attack. Graduate student safety Brandon Joseph will have to lead the way, but others must step up as well if the Irish are to get a win in the Carrier Dome.

6. Boston College (Record 1-2, AP Rank: NR) The Eagles were stunned by Rutgers in the opening game of the season, and they also suffered a 17-point loss to Virginia Tech in week two. The Eagles have struggled to generate much of any offense this season.

Key to Irish victory: Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec will be out to prove himself on Senior Day. The Irish will have to keep him in check if they are going to avoid a Senior Day disaster.

7. Stanford (Record 1-1, AP Rank: NR) The Cardinal destroyed Colgate in the first game of the season but fell flat in a 4128 loss to USC. Quarterback Tanner McKee has as many interceptions as touchdowns and he will have to improve going forward if the Cardinal are going to compete in the PAC-12 this season.

Key to Irish victory: This is a classic rivalry game and if the Irish get fired up to play under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium, this one shouldn’t be a problem.

8. UNLV (Record 2-1, AP Rank: NR) UNLV has wins over Idaho State and North Texas with their sole loss being to Cal. Quarterback Doug Brumfield has been spectacular this season, completing 70.6% of his passes for seven touchdowns.

Key to Irish victory: The Irish beat themselves in their stunning loss to Marshall.

If they play even somewhat decently and limit their mistakes, they should have no problem against UNLV.

9. Navy (Record 0-2, AP Rank: NR) The Midshipmen have been atrocious this season, having scored just 20 points in their first two games. They are averaging just 3.3 yards per carry, which is not nearly enough in a triple offense attack.

Key to Irish victory: The triple offense attack has been far from successful for the Midshipmen this season. The Irish will have to keep it that way and prevent Navy from having long, time-consuming drives.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu@nd.edu

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

The Leprechaun leads the Notre Dame cheerleading squad and band out on to the field as the football team prepares take on California on Sept. 17, 2022. The Irish went on to defeat the Golden Bears 24-17. The victory marked Marcus Freeman’s first win as Notre Dame head football coach since being promoted from defensive coordinator last December.

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Sports

The observer | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

KEYS TO VICTORY

Football Column

Irish keys to victory over Tar Heels

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Editor

After earning their first v ictor y of the year, Notre Dame heads to North Carolina, eyeing a return to a .500 record. They face a tall task, entering the game as slight underdogs to the unbeaten Tar Heels. The stor y of this game is two programs w ith completely opposite strengths. Notre Dame ranks 115th out of 131 in scoring offense, but their defense has been solid, allow ing seven total touchdow ns in three games.

That included a battle w ith the vaunted Ohio State offense. UNC is averaging over 51 points a game, but they’re giv ing up over 37 per contest.

They haven’t faced a Power-5 program yet, so the offense w ill face their most difficult test of the young 2022 season. Notre Dame’s offense is certainly struggling, but UNC’s defense is truly an eye sore through three weeks.

To truly measure the stark difference: the Irish offense has scored seven touchdow ns this season…the UNC defense gave up six touchdow ns in the fourth quarter of their season opener. So there is a path to v ictor y for Notre Dame, but what are the keys to obtaining the slight upset w in?

Key 1: Minimize Drake Maye as a runner Drake Maye is going to be solid. He’s a really strong quarterback and w ill make some plays. But Notre Dame let Cal stick around last week v ia Jack Plummer escaping a collapsed pocket and ripping off a bev y of first-dow n runs. Against a far better runner, that cannot happen w ith the Tar Heels.

This responsibilit y largely falls to the Irish linebackers, who struggled against the Golden Bears.

They need a quarterback spy on Maye to make him uncomfortable outside the pocket. This w ill be difficult w ithout senior captain J.D. Bertrand play ing the first half (the tail-end of his targeting punishment from last week), but the Irish have the depth to fill his role for 30 minutes. Additionally, the Irish defensive line must finish their job. W hile they terrorized Plummer w ith six sacks and 27 quarterback pressures last week, Notre Dame whiffed on several sacks, allow ing the Cal signalcaller to escape. That can’t happen this week.

Key 2: Beat the UNC secondary at the line of scrimmage This is huge for Notre

Coolican: Find joy in this season

Dame, and it corresponds to a general strength for the Irish. UNC generally features a heav y dose of press coverage, and that makes beating your man at the line of scrimmage absolutely pivotal. The Irish have a tight end in junior Michael Mayer who can beat anyone at the line of scrimmage.

Sophomore w ide receiver Lorenzo St yles showed against Marshall and at times against Cal, he can beat his defender off the line and get open quick ly.

If they can w in quick ly against the cornerbacks, the Irish may be able to open up the vertical component of their offense that has been so sorely lacking.

This is a big test for these Irish receivers. They have struggled so far this year, and their offense has moved lethargically at times.

This is a unit they can expose, and if they can’t, it speaks to far bigger issues for this Irish offense moving into the middle third of the season.

Key 3: Downs

Contain

Josh

The key word here is ‘contain’. Notre Dame, in all likelihood, w ill not stop UNC’s dy namic receiver.

Injuries have limited Dow ns to one game this year. But he was a difference-maker in that contest, notching nine catches for 87 yards and t wo touchdow ns. The Irish would likely be ok w ith more yards from Dow ns but less scoring impact.

Last year, Dow ns caught 10 passes for 142 yards against Notre Dame; but he didn’t score. For Notre Dame, that’s successful containment. They made the Tar Heels find secondar y methods of scoring, and that’ll be key again on Saturday.

Ultimately, this is going to be a major test for the Irish. The defense faces a loaded offensive unit. On offense, Notre Dame was at full panic mode through the first half of the Cal game. After scoring 17 points in a three-drive span in the second half against a solid Cal defense, that panic subsided a little bit. N ow, against a weaker defensive unit, the goal should be 30+ for the Irish, a number they’ll likely need to hit in order to w in this road battle, and for head coach Marcus Freeman to snag w in No. 2 of his career.

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Junior tight end Michael Mayer scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against California. Mayer has 15 receptions on the season.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Liam Coolican Associate Sports Editor

The mood in the locker room after Notre Dame’s victory over Cal last weekend was jubilant. It was Marcus Freeman’s first career win as a head coach, and it was the first win of the season for the players and coaches who worked so hard in the offseason for this moment.

Compare that to the mood of Irish fans as the game came to an end. Rather than joy, it was more a collective sigh of relief that was heard across South Bend as Cal’s last-second Hail Mary attempt finally fell harmlessly to the ground.

Everyone in the stands seemed relieved that Notre Dame didn’t lose, rather than feeling happy that they won.

It is a challenge to find hope and joy in what some consider to be a lost season after just three weeks. This season hasn’t gone exactly to plan; dropping from fifth in the nation to unranked in the span of two weeks hurts, and it hurts badly.

Perhaps this is because of how high the expectations were for Notre Dame prior to the season. Despite losing their starting quarterback, a back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher, and one of the best defensive players in college football, Notre Dame was ranked fifth in the country before even playing a down.

Not only that, but the expectations the fans had for Marcus Freeman were astronomical. That’s a lot to put on the shoulders of a first-year head coach.

Irish fans everywhere, including myself, bought into this undeserved hype. And now, it seems, we are paying the price. Losses hurt the most when expectations are highest. Conversely, there is very little joy in winning the games your team expects to win.

In all honesty, expectations for a first-year head coach shouldn’t have been this high.

Yes, this is Notre Dame football. And like it or not, there will always be an extremely high level of scrutiny. It is undoubtedly part of the job description. However, it seemed that the expectations placed on Freeman were higher before this season than they ever were in 12 seasons under Brian Kelly.

This may have been because of the immense success Freeman had in recruiting over the offseason. Or the fact that his players clearly love playing for him. Maybe even

the lingering resentment over Kelly’s abrupt departure. Whatever the reason, the fanbase’s expectations of Freeman set them up for disappointment this year.

Still, we all owe it to ourselves to find joy in this season. This isn’t one of those “your team is terrible, here’s how to enjoy watching them anyway,” columns. Notre Dame is still a very good team that could challenge for another New Year’s Six Bowl this year. Despite the slow start, the season is far from over.

It is all too easy to fall into negativity when junior quarterback Drew Pyne throws the ball at the feet of a wideopen target. Or when the secondary allows a receiver to run free. Notre Dame fans aren’t used to seeing these kinds of mistakes. Fans have grown used to the Irish beating teams they are expected to beat, and often falling f lat in the rare instances when they are the underdog. This year has changed that narrative completely.

North Carolina, an unranked opponent, is currently a 1.5-point favorite ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

If the Irish manage to beat the Tar Heels this weekend on the road, celebrate like it’s the upset victory that it is. Not merely another win against a team they should beat. Winning a game on the road against a quality opponent would be a big step for Freeman and the team. And it should be treated as such.

For all of Notre Dame’s struggles this year, they are still a good team with talented players. Enjoy watching junior running back Chris Tyree break tackles in the open field. And junior tight end Michael Mayer bowling over defenders as he makes another first-down catch.

And senior defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey’s thirddown sacks.

But most of all, enjoy the wins. Here’s my advice for this weekend’s game against UNC, which is expected to be a close one. As are most of the seasons of the ones in Notre Dame’s season. Don’t sit on pins and needles waiting for disaster to strike. Instead, wait for the team to make a big play, and celebrate.

If fans are too busy waiting for failure, we may miss celebrating the unexpectedly great moments.

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | The Observer

Sot Continued from page 16

Irish Sports Daily. “Not the start we hoped for as a team. Special teamsw ise [though], we’ve done a good job. [But special teams] coach [Brian] Mason tells us being good isn’t good enough. We want to be the best of the best. We want to be elite. There’s improvements to be made all around special teams.”

For himself, Sot says he could be more consistent than he has been thus far, something he wouldn’t have been able to see in himself earlier in his career.

“W hen I was young as a freshman, I wasn’t able to find my deficiencies,” Sot said. “Now th at I’ve been in college for quite a while, I’m able, when I hit a bad punt, to figure out what I’m doing w rong and that’s been the most helpful thing for me.”

Making those adjustments required Sot to rely mostly on his confidence and putting the work in, he said.

“Being a fifth-year guy, I’ve played college football.

It might not have been on the same stage but I’ve been out there and I’ve prepared for different teams … I’m

confident in what I do,” Sot said.

Before he joined the Irish, Sot found success at Har vard too, albeit on a smaller stage. The 5-foot-10, 198-pound New Jersey native matched this year’s longest punt in his freshman year and punted farther than that in his sophomore year.

His average hovered around 40 yards at Har vard. Now three games in w ith the Irish, that average is up 5 yards.

But he has seen the most improvements over the years w ith his placements. Sot went from no placements inside the 20 to 10 in just three games. Those 10 punts tie him second in the nation.

Sot’s numbers have improved from his Har vard days in spite of a more intense stage, going from a crowd of about 20,000 people per game to close to 100,000.

“W hen I was a kid, it was the moment you dream of, just being able to run out there but you’ve got to be able to settle that dow n and go do your job.

That’s been the biggest change for me, just the atmosphere and seriousness of this level of football.”

Making that adjustment required Sot to dial in and rely on both the players around him and his coach,

Mason.

“I’m fortunate enough to have great blocking and a great special teams coordinator that trusts me,” Sot said. “I’m especially thankful for [long snapper] Michael Vinson, he’s made my job so easy.”

Off the field, Notre Dame is also where Sot wanted to be, he said. The graduate student w ill complete a master of science in management program at the end of th e year. He said he’s about to declare a finance concentration and is looking for ward to finishing that second degree.

“For me, aside from the football, another reason I was attracted to here was being able to pair Har vard and Notre Dame w ith my t wo degrees. That’s really something I’m proud of,” he said.

Sot takes pride in his work both on and off the field. He says his well-placed punts are just as exciting as the game changing plays.

“Putting them inside the 10, for me, is like throw ing a touchdow n or getting an interception because that’s what I do, so I take pride in that,” Sot said.

Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcgin13@nd.edu

Soccer Continued from page 16

in their ACC opener.

“We asked the team before the game to value certain things … I just felt like our energ y levels and passion today was such a stark contrast from Thursday to now,” said Norman. “I’m just so proud of how [the team] fought and competed. We needed a game like that to prove to ourselves that we could compete with anyone and tonight was a really good night for us to do that.”

Looking ahead, Notre Dame’s ACC slate seems much more manageable with a win over Virginia under their belt. Tests against Florida State and Duke still loom. But

Staff Picks Continued from page 12

instances where that game was nearly tied. And one of those moments came on the final play of the game.

Py ne needs to have gotten his sea legs and move for ward w ith a solid foundation and settle into his role as QB1. The Irish

Norman expressed excitement that Thursday’s win could be something of a statement of intent to opposing teams.

“We have a really simple goal,” Norman said.

We want to win a national championship. And hopefully a win like this puts us in the conversation, puts us in the group that can do that. We just have to continue on and have some consistency.”

Notre Dame will look to build off their major win with another home clash against Pittsburgh looming Sunday. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. at Alumni Stadium. It will be broadcasted on the ACC Network.

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

cannot afford turnovers and over-throw ing receivers in Chapel Hill. The Irish defense w ill need to remain on-point this week to allow the offense some grow ing pains. But I expect a fourth-quarter solidif ying of a narrow Irish w in.

Notre Dame 31, North Carolina 27

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The observer | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

SOT FEATURE

Crimson red to Irish green: Sot shines for Notre Dame

By MANNION McGINLEY Assistant Managing Editor

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Irish graduate student punter Jon Sot punts in Notre Dame’s season-opening 21-10 loss to Ohio State at the Horseshoe. The Harvard transfer has averaged over 45 yards yards per punt in 19 attemtps this season.

The 2022 off-season saw definitive upheaval for Irish football in ever y sense of the word. A new head coach, new coaching staff, a new starting quarterback, and then another one t wo games into the season.

Har vard graduate transfer punter Jon Sot became a major player in this upheaval. No one expected the Irish to start the season 1-2 and need a new quarterback after t wo games. But now, that that is the realit y Irish fans live in, they’re looking for reliabilit y. Sot has been able to fill that need for consistency.

Sot has taken 19 punts on the season, more than half of those placed w ithin the 20, including all four punts he took against Marshall. In the season opener at Ohio State, the former Iv y League punter unleashed a 75-yard

bomb, and he averages about 45 yards per punt.

Initially, Sot said he was ner vous to come into the Irish locker room. However, he found that this game is life to ever yone at Notre Dame, and they’re welcoming because of that.

“It’s been awesome,” Sot said during camp. “Footballw ise, it’s been great. The facilities here are awesome.

The coaches are the best around. The guys on the team are so dedicated to this, you know, they love this. This is their life. Being able to come in here and be a part of that is incredible. I feel like I belong here, they’ve made me feel that way. I can’t wait to see what this team does.”

Despite how the season opened, that energ y and that excitement haven’t faltered.

Sot said he’s seen where the good has come through.

“I love it here,” Sot told see SOT PAGE 15

Notre Dame Women’s Soccer

Late goal leads Irish to crucial victory over No. 2 Virginia

By J.J. POST Sports Wrtier

Notre Dame took home a landmark win Thursday night, dispatching No. 2 Virginia 1-0 in South Bend.

The win cements the Irish as one of the favorites in a competitive race for an ACC title. It comes against a Cavaliers team that had just defeated previous conference top dog North Carolina.

The victory was Nate No rman’s first victory over a top-ten team in twenty one tries as Notre Dame’s head coach.

The pregame rankings couldn’t have been less indicative of how the game played out. Notre Dame asserted themselves early, showing complete comfort in their preferred 3-5-2 formation that struggled the game prior in Clemson. A couple of early chances fell to forward Olivia Wingate.

But the graduate student was unable to convert and the teams entered the half

tied.

In the second half, the Irish ramped up their pressure and got a goal to show for it. Outshooting the Cavaliers 11-5, Notre Dame seemed emboldened by their strong first half and continually threatened Cayla W hite in net.

And while W hite held her ground for 75 minutes, the Irish eventually broke through on a set piece scramble in front of the goal. A corner kick by sophomore midfielder Korbin Albert found the head of junior midfielder Eva Gaetino, whose def lected header fell perfectly for senior forward Maddie Mercado. Mercado acted quickly, swiping the ball past W hite and into the back of the net with her first touch.

The final 15 minutes produced plenty of stressful moments for Notre Dame.

Head coach Nate Norman made a slew of changes to add defensive stability and fresh legs to the field. But

ultimately, the Irish held strong to close out the win.

In a mark of an excellent defensive showing, graduate student goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood was only forced to make one save all game, notching her first career ACC clean sheet.

Despite being the lone goal scorer on the night, Mercado was quick to spread the praise for the teams overall performance.

“This team deserves all the recognition,” Mercado said. “One thing we said in the locker room was we wanted to go out like we were possessed, and I think we did that and more. I was there to finish but our team got us there, got us the corner, Gaetino got the header, and I turned and finished.

So just a great team win.”

Coach Norman also gave credit to the team’s mentality, as the Irish rallied to the win within a week of a disappointing loss to Clemson see SOCCER PAGE 8

Max Petrosky | The Observer

Irish senior defender Maddie Mercado celebrates after scoring the lone goal of Thurday night’s 1-0 home victory against the Cavaliers.