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VOLUME 58, ISSUE 33 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Saint Mary’s sustainable farm to expand After a sharp rise in production and activity, the College invests in the farm’s future By KATELYN WALDSCHMIDT Associate News Editor
KATELYN WALDSCHMIDT | The Observer
The Saint Mary’s sustainable farm, which houses 180 chickens, two roosters and a variety of produce, has seen a large spike in activity and production. There are now plans to expand the farm in the works.
Due pa r t ly to sel f-pick produce a nd f lower s, popu la r it y of t he Sa i nt Ma r y ’s su st a i nable fa r m ha s spi ked t h i s yea r. A nd despite t he g row i ng sea son bei ng over, t he fa r m cont i nues it s pla n s to f lou r i sh. Du r i ng t he pa st few week s volu nteer s have st a r ted preppi ng t he ba r n for spr i ng. One step i s i nst a l l i ng a new hoop hou se. “A hoop hou se i s more or less a n u n heated g reenhou se t hat i s shel led i n
pla st ic r at her t ha n g la ss, t he w ay a cla ssic g reenhou se wou ld be,” fa r m d irec tor C h r i stopher Cobb sa id. T he pla st ic rol l s up on rol ler s l i ke a bl i nd wou ld, enabl i ng one to i nf luence t he temper at u re i n t he hoop hou se. Mat t hew I n sle y, ma nager of t he fa r m, la id out t h ree benef it s of t he hoop hou se. “T he f i r st i s ju st to g row h ig her qua l it y c rops,” I n sle y sa id. “A ny t i me you have a covered protec ted space, you’re goi ng to g row see FARM PAGE 4
College hosts International NDVGC anticipates future events Education Week By CHLOÉ TROXEL News Writer
This week, Saint Mary’s will celebrate International Education Week, giving students the opportunity to learn more about international cultures through interactive activities around campus. The Global Education Office, Career Crossings Office, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures and the Department of Global Studies are sponsoring the week’s events. Collaborators include Adriana Petty,
director of Multicultural and International Student Services, Marelys Valencia, an assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures and the Multicultural Offices. Throughout the week, the Noble Family Dining Hall will be serving cultural dishes from many regions. These include a Spanish lunch Monday, a French dinner Tuesday, an Arabic/Mediterranean lunch Wednesday and an Italian dinner Friday to end the week. To engage students in study
abroad, the student center will be having study abroad panel discussions, as well as a study abroad photo contest vote that will start Monday in the library, and end Thursday at 5 p.m. An alumnae panel on study abroad opportunities will take place in Welsh Parlor in Haggar College Center from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Following discussion panels will take place in Spes Unica Hall on Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A final study abroad information table will see EDUCATION PAGE 3
Beginning Logic class offers new approach to math By KATHERINE LIEBERTH News Writer
Ever y Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:30am to 12:30 p.m., students gather in Hayes-Healy Hall for “Beginning Logic,” a math class where you’re more likely to find proofs of
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language on the chalkboard than you are to find problems w ith numbers. Dav id Meretzk y, a fifthyear graduate student study ing logic in the mathematics department, is in his first semester teaching the course. “Writing proofs is
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something that mathematicians do in their day-today and it’s a powerful way of working and thinking,” Meretzk y said. “It’s good for your mind and it w ill make you a more rigorous thinker.” see CLASS PAGE 4
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By ADRIAN ZHENG News Writer
The Notre Dame Video Game Club (NDVGC) has re-emerged as a central hub for gaming enthusiasts at the University, blending recreation, artistic expression and competitive gaming. The club is relatively new, having been revived over the pandemic following a hiatus, club president Carlos Basurto said. (Editor’s note: Carlos Basurto is a viewpoint columnist for The Observer.) Although the club is starting back up, many activities and plans are already set up for the following semester. Basurto said he foresees an excellent start for the NDVGC. Weekly meetings form the core of NDVGC’s activities, where members democratically select games to play. These games range from various categories and genres, including adventure, MMORPG [Massive multiplayer online role-playing games], multiplayer online battles and many more. Members can play any game they choose if they prefer to not play the game the rest of the group selected. “Every week, we have a onehour meeting where we play a democratically elected game, have snacks, make friends and
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have a good time,” Basurto said. Beyond these meetings, the club also hosts a game development subsection, where members delve into the creative process of game-making, and an eSports section, where teams participate in games like “Smash Bros” and “Splatoon.” The club plans to later include “Valorant” and “League of Legends.” A major highlight in the club’s calendar is the upcoming Gamer Olympics set for April 2024. Basurto said the club is currently talking with the Student Activity Office (SAO) to gain approval for the event, which would mark the first time the new version of the club hosted its own broader campus event. The goal is to integrate video gaming into the ND community further, Basurto explained. “My hope is that video games are taken slightly more seriously...I hope that by growing the club...we will make people more interested in what this club has to offer,” he said. NDVGC also intends to sponsor the LepreCon festival. “We’re going to be a big part of LepreCon this January,” he said. Basurto said hopes participating in University-wide events see CLUB PAGE 3
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