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Volume 55, Issue 45 | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
MARY O’REILLY | The Observer
Tickets discuss ideas in virtual town hall By ALYSA GUFFEY Associate News Editor
The three presidential and vice-presidential ticket candidates met in a virtual town hall Monday night to answer student-submitted questions centered around civic engagement, diversity and inclusion and relations with the administration. The candidates running for student body president and vice president this year are juniors Allan Njomo and Matthew Bisner, juniors Max Siegel II and Zachary Holland and juniors Mabry Webb and Jacob Calpey.
Judicial Council President Thomas Davis introduced the tickets. Some questions were addressed to all three tickets while others were specific to each pair of candidates. Each ticket was allotted 25 minutes to speak based on a random drawing. Njomo and Bisner spoke first, followed by Webb and Calpey and finally Siegel and Holland. Njomo said he believes he and Bisner are prepared to lead the student body through unexpected challenges based on their five combined years of student government experience. They are running on a platform of boldness and uplifting marginalized student voices and prioritizing student well-being.
In response to a question on how their plan to be bold would work with an administration that is at times reluctant to change, Bisner said his ticket wants to remind students of their power as undergraduates in the Notre Dame community by navigating them to the right channels. “We know that boldness is certainly sometimes associated with irrationality. And so that’s why we’ve worked so hard to marry the creative, innovative and bold solutions that we have on our platform to
SiegelHolland
WebbCalpey
see TOWN HALL PAGE 4
MEET THE CANDIDATES
NjomoBisner By SERENA ZACHARIAS
By MARIAH RUSH
By CLAIRE RAFFORD
Notre Dame News Editor
Managing Editor
Assistant Managing Editor
Juniors Allan Njomo and Matthew Bisner are committed to bold ideas. With an 11-page platform, Njomo and Bisner are one pair of three tickets vying for student body president and vice president respectively this election cycle. Njomo is a business analytics and political science major originally from Arlington, Texas. On campus, Njomo lives in Stanford Hall and serves currently as its hall
Juniors Max Siegel II and Zachary Holland, the selfdescribed “outsiders” of this years’ student body election, are running a platform for student body president and vice president on three distinct pillars — equity, community and transparency. The pair are one of three tickets throwing their hats in the ring for the student body presidency for this coming year and have outlined their goals in a four-page platform.
Juniors Mabry Webb and Jacob Calpey, running for student body president and vice president, respectively, said their campaign is focused on three main pillars: “Support, Serve and Succeed.” “To support means uplifting marginalized campus communities, preventing sexual assault and safeguarding victims and their rights,” Webb and Calpey said in their platform. “To serve means fighting for
see NJOMO PAGE 4
see SIEGEL PAGE 5
see WEBB PAGE 5
news PAGE 3
viewpoint PAGE 6
scene PAGE 10
HOCKEY PAGE 16
ND m bball PAGE 16
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ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
After a snowman-building contest held at Saint Mary’s during Monday’s reading day, a snowman appearing to be a cat smiles at the camera. College President Katie Conboy was the official judge of the competition, which took place on Library Greene.
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US Poet Laureate shares work at live reading By EMILY DeFAZIO News Writer
February 22 marked the beginning of Notre Dame’s 2021 Walk the Walk Week. Monday night, as part of this observance, Poet Laureate Joy Harjo performed a live reading at a virtual event sponsored by the Multicultural Student Programs and Services and the new Notre Dame Initiative on Race and Resilience. Professor of romance languages and literature and member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Fish Clan, Andrea Topash-Rios began the event with a greeting, followed by an introduction of Harjo by professor of English and Africana studies and director of the Notre Dame Initiative on Race and Resilience Mark Sanders. This event served as the official launch of the project. Sanders also introduced Notre Dame senior and member of the Cherokee Nation Michaela Murphy, who helped organize Harjo’s appearance and begin the question and answer segment of the night. Harjo, member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and award-winning writer, was appointed the nation’s 23rd Poet Laureate in 2019; she is the first Native American to hold the position. Sanders described her poems as ones of “place, myth and memory” that offer her readers the “music of language.” She began by reading her work “A Postcolonial Tale,” which she said we are all living through together. The metaphor of “falling”
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer
U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo spoke at a virtual reading hosted by NASAND, MSPS and the Initiative on Race and Resilience on Monday as part of the beginning of Notre Dame’s Walk the Walk Week.
appeared throughout the piece, with Harjo repeatedly mentioning we were unaware of our descent. “W hen we fell, we were not aware of falling,” she said. “No story or song will translate the full impact to falling with the inverse power of rising up, of rising up, of rising up.” The poem finished with an emphasis on imagination: an imagination that illuminates, speaks, sings, drums and loves with us. Harjo said that when she reads the poem, it reminds her of poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, who she deems one of her “poetry ancestors.” She continued by reading new pieces of hers. The first was a poem entitled “Somewhere.” She was asked
to write this piece in memory of the 100th commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. “We don’t need any of that,” Harjo said of the racial hatred that spurred the crime. “We all come from the same place and we will go back to the same place… Diversity marks a healthy culture.” W hen questioning how to write a poem about something of this magnitude, Harjo said that the poem found her in the form of a woman standing on the corner of the street, who Harjo described to be like “a ghost from that time.” Instead of setting the poem at the time of the event, she told the story from a modern perspective, talking about how “ghosts keep their place among us.”
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In this selection, she also repeated the notion of “going nowhere.” Harjo combined the history of the tribal nations of the area with the history of the event, noticing that history was everywhere in that locality. She wrote if the harsh stories are not told, “history goes nowhere,” and society cannot progress. “At the corner of justice and fight, the thought of the miraculous was miles from my mind,” Harjo said. “It was nowhere in my mind. It was curled up in a distant field in the heart of a once loved country.” Afterwards, she chose to read a selection from her new memoir that will be released this year, entitled “Poet Warrior.” She said the book
is really about teachers, ones from several areas of her life. In the reading, she spoke specifically about her ancestor Chief Monawhee “Menawa,” who fought against President Andrew Jackson in retaliation to the removal of his people from their homeland at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. She recalled her favorite stories usually centered around him. “That’s how we humans are,” she said. “We have our stories that we go back to.” The reading ended with a song from her new album entitled “I Pray For My Enemies.” The song she chose, she said, is the song that she prays for her enemies with. “The heart is the smaller cousin of the sun; it sees and knows everything,” one of the lyrics reads. “The door to the mind should only open from the heart. An enemy who gets in risks the danger of becoming friends.” The event then transitioned into a question-andanswer segment. Murphy began by asking how location impacted Harjo’s identity. “I was warned; some people say ‘Don’t go back,’” Harjo said of her trips to her native homelands. “So to go back here and then to go a lot more intimately into the story was … it was heartbreaking … But it makes me also realize — because those stories live within me, within all of us — I also came to realize that we’re still part of that story, we’re still part of those lands. And since I’ve been there it feels much more intimate to me, even though we also had to deal with the pain of it.” Finally, Harjo spoke about her writing process. She said every poem is different for her. For some, she thinks about the shape of the piece and fills in the words within that. She constantly writes notes as well: in notebooks, online and even on scraps of paper. In fact, Harjo wrote down some notes while on the call. She also enjoys the idea of repeating things in her poems, saying there can be “a cumulative power in repetition.” Specifically for the poem “Somewhere,” this idea of power rang true. “I was thinking about the relentlessness of history, and are we somewhere? Are we going nowhere? ” she said. “I’m a poet, so my way of approaching these questions and looking for solutions like everyone else is to poetry. Just like a scientist has their particular measurements, well, I use words as structures and measurements.” Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu
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The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Town Hall Continued from page 1
feasibility within the scope of Student Union power,” Bisner said. The Webb-Calpey ticket is running on the promise to prioritize response to sexual assault, urge transparency from both student government and the administration and serve minority groups. As the only woman on any of the tickets, Webb said her ticket will bring a perspective on women’s health issues to the forefront of discussions. “I’m especially passionate about certain women’s health issues that we’ve been able to address in our platform, including preventing and advocating for survivors of sexual assault, as well as other general mental and physical health issues,” Webb said. Siegel and Holland want to promote equity on campus by increasing funding for cultural clubs, making student government more accessible and
Njomo Continued from page 1
president. He previously served as Stanford’s hall senator, and he’s a member of Fighting Irish Scholars, Young Life Michiana Team and Wabruda. Bisner is a political science, peace studies and gender studies major who hails from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Bisner currently lives in Baumer Hall and is co-vice president of PrismND. Bisner was also Judicial Council President before he stepped down from the position to run for student body vice president. Bisner said their first priority if elected would be to expand sexual education materials on campus and increase student awareness to University Health Services’ STI testing, sexual health screenings and HPV vaccination services. “No one’s been talking about sexual education, or the sexual health of this campus,” Bisner said, noting that Notre Dame draws from a “largely abstinenceonly high school population.” As first-generation, low-income students themselves, Njomo and Bisner look to prioritize financial inclusion by fighting to make Notre Dame affordable for students. Specifically, the team hopes to work with the Office of Student Enrichment to subsidize summer classes for first-generation, low-income students and to generate pride among these students with a Scholars’ Lounge and graduation tassels. “I am a QuestBridge student, but I did not receive a full scholarship,” Njomo said. “And whenever that textbook list comes, and I see how much I have to pay for textbooks, my heart always sank. And I wasn’t always able to put money together, and I had to reach out to sources and see if
rebuilding community in their term as president and vice president. While Siegel and Holland said they have found leadership experience in areas outside of student government, they are ready to adapt and learn in the roles while bringing a new perspective to the office. “I’m a big believer in horizontal leadership rather than vertical leadership. And this means that while I’d lead the senate, I’d recognize that every single individual there has earned a seat in the senate and they’ve got their own issues that they’re passionate about, and true leadership means taking the time to understand every single person and help them pass initiatives that they support,” Holland said. Davis asked each ticket what their contribution to diversity and inclusion would be in their term. Njomo responded that he and Bisner would seek to diversify offerings on campus, such as offering haircare options particularly for the
Black community and building accessibility for disabled students. Bisner added that a main goal of theirs would be to work toward making Notre Dame more affordable for lowincome and first-generation college students. Webb and Calpey want to protect identity clubs as special interest organizations as well as work with residential life on the challenges of LBGTQ+ students in dorm life. Webb also said they want to work with the Office of Financial Aid to alleviate the challenges of the position of resident assistant for low-income students. Siegel simplified his and Holland’s goals in regard to inclusion and diversity into three feasible goals: implementing a cultural advocacy program for dorm staff, diversifying the Welcome Weekend teams so students can see ambassadors that looks like them and reporting public records of racially-charged violence to the community. In addition, each ticket was questioned on their response
to student concerns regarding the new Campus Compact as part of COVID-19 policies. All three tickets shared worries about the lack of due process and inadequate time for defense, as well as lack of a fair trial. On Wednesday, as well as voting for the student body president and vice president, students can vote on a referendum that would raise the number of signatures necessary for a petition to reach the student senate from 200 signatures to roughly between 442 and 707 signatures, or 5 to 8 percent of the student body. All three tickets said they do not support the referendum. Njomo said raising the number of required signatures does not allow every voice to be heard. “The honest truth is if every Black student signed a petition here at Notre Dame — if the referendum number is raised — that number is not enough to get a petition to the student senate. That is wrong,” Njomo said.
Webb said supporting the referendum would go against her ticket’s goal to uplift marginalized groups and give them representation. “Additionally, many dorms have 200 or less students and they all have their own senators. So the fact that they have that representation I think that a petition can kind of constitute the same sort of representation,” Webb said. Siegel stressed that he and Holland saw the problem as more procedural and do not see raising the number of signatures as productive. “I think this really comes from the idea that raising the threshold is really going to negatively impact communities of color and a lot of the issues that they face,” Siegel said. Election day is Wednesday, Feb. 24 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Students will receive an email to vote for president and vice president, as well as on the referendum, Davis said.
they could help me.” Another critical element of the Njomo-Bisner platform is improving community through more open communication on campus. Their team plans to implement student voice summits to give students a voice in campus policy and programs and send out a biweekly newsletter to update students. Njomo and Bisner would hold virtual and in-person office hours while emphasizing an open-door policy in the student government office. Njomo said their team also wants to work on transparency between the administration and student government and hold University leadership accountable. “We’ve been in several meetings, Matty and I, where as
students we speak about issues that we are passionate about and no action is taken,” Njomo said. In addition to working with the administration, Njomo said one of the key challenges facing students is maintaining sustainable practices while adhering to COVID-19 protocols. The ticket plans on working with the Office of Sustainability and encouraging the University to halt investments in the fossil fuel industry and transitioning University computers to use Ecosia. “Divestment from fossil fuel industry has been a demand since the early 2010s, and it’s part of our platform to research investments to give to students, and hopefully build up a strong campus climate that can respond and mobilize around
those issues,” Bisner said. Like many of the past student government administrations, the Njomo-Bisner ticket will continue to pressure the University to alter the non-discrimination clause to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Bisner admitted changing the policy will be a challenge, and students will likely continue to fight for this revision in years to come. Among a number of other reforms, Njomo and Bisner hope to increase accessibility on campus, re-establish the annual powwow with Native American Student Association of Notre Dame and Multicultural Student Programs and Services and encourage more students to participate in GreeNDot. Njomo said he’s motivated to run for student body president
partly because he hasn’t always felt he was a part of the community. “There’s so many students are Notre Dame that haven’t felt like they belong, and the numbers for the Campus Climate survey are very indicative of that,” Njomo. “As a Black student here at Notre Dame, I remember stepping on campus and not seeing a lot of people that look like me. And for the longest time that made me feel like an outsider.” Even with such a long platform, Njomo and Bisner said they believe their ideas are feasible, though they are bold. “We just have to be creative in how we approach issues,” Njomo said.
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Siegel Continued from page 1
Siegel, a psychology and global affairs major from Indianapolis, is a walk-on offensive lineman for the Notre Dame football team and sits on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for the University. He had “opened a line of communication” with University President Fr. John Jenkins over the summer regarding the Black Lives Matter protests, and cited it as a strength in his potential presidential position. Holland, a former member of First Undergraduate Experience in Leadership and the Junior Class Council, as well as a former co-president of College Democrats from Athens, Georgia, is a political science and economics major with a minor in the Hesburgh Program in Public Service. Both are former Zahm House residents currently living off campus. After a tumultuous year, Siegel and Holland said they are running for student government president and vice president to ensure Notre Dame moves on in the best way possible from the events of the past year. “… we don’t want a Notre Dame that heals from this year just to return to a place where we have students who feel marginalized by their peers, by our culture or by those who represent them to administrators,” they wrote. Siegel said he made the decision to run for student president after his past activism in the community spurred conversations. “I think what I realized is that you can only go so far in terms of having conversations and talking with people,” Siegel said. “There’s a lot of different policies that Zach and I would like to see put in place that we feel can really bring the campus community together and take us in the right
steps in terms of equity.” Siegel named increasing club funding — particularly underfunded minority clubs through using outside grants — as his first priority. While Holland said he would love to “shoot for the stars” with goals, he knows the pair would want to get some tangible goals checked off their list first. He specifically mentioned amplifying usage of Speak4ND, an existing video project that allows students to upload live or prerecorded video messages to be watched, into a community building tool to give students a way to voice their concerns and opinions. The team’s first pillar emphasized in their platform is equity. The two want to work with administrators to raise wages for student jobs, create a subsidiary fund for secondary costs of attending Notre Dame — such as textbooks and tutors — as well as sponsor and promote events for students of color and minority students. Additionally, Siegel is trained in the MiNDful program (Microaggression Intervention at Notre Dame) and wants to require leaders across campus — including Welcome Weekend leaders and resident assistants — to undergo the same or similar anti-racist and diversity training. Their second pillar is a focus on community. The Siegel-Holland ticket would increase club funding through the student senate and expand GreeNDot training to South Bend bars, football ushers and other members of the community via their executive branch policy. Ideas that would work through University-made policy and would require teamwork with Notre Dame are included in this pillar as well. These include rescheduling events like Junior Parents Weekend and Domerfest, increasing off-campus referrals from the University Counseling Center, increasing
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nighttime lighting around the lakes and working with student athletic teams to promote sexual assault reporting and racially-charged incident reporting through information campaigns at home games. Siegel also emphasized the importance of integrating the tri-campus community with events for everyone, specifically referencing how Holy Cross students are typically only included when they are in the Gateway Program. The Siegel-Holland ticket’s final pillar is focused on transparency. Through work with the University, they want to increase the amount of data available on the Notre Dame HERE dashboard, advocate for due process in the Campus Compact violation hearings and recommend pass/fail for any semesters affected by COVID-19. “Right now, [student government] is not transparent and there’s no follow up,” Siegel said. “… I think that a lot of the wording and how student government’s been handled in the past can be very discouraging or hard for the average student not involved in government to really digest …” He cited the potential creation of a crime report for racially charged incidents as an example of transparency that could provide “safety and comfort” for the student body. Holland said they would like to continue weekly “office hour” style meetings as the current Ingal-Galbenski administration has done, and would provide “more rationale” regarding decisions made by the new administration, as well as provide a monthly student government newsletter to update the student body. Holland and Siegel are both passionate about advocating for off-campus students and working against the off-campus exclusionary policy. Siegel said the policy specifically affects minority and lower income students who move off campus to more affordable housing, even if they enjoyed living in dorms on campus. “Students of color are moving off campus at a higher rate, and it affects dorm life,” Siegel said. “But first, we need to protect off-campus groups so they can still be engaged with Notre Dame.” While Siegel and Holland acknowledged they have similar ideas to some of the other tickets running, they said their perspectives as outsiders would be valuable to the job. “We have [similar] platforms but bring a fresh set of eyes … We are obviously not within student government. We thought, ‘we’re outsiders,’ but we’re excited because we feel like we can bring a new perspective to student government,” Siegel said. “I think it’s really important to emphasize that we have been approaching this as being novel, but not novices.” Contact Mariah Rush at mrush@nd.edu
Webb Continued from page 1
equitable outcomes that affect the entire student body. … To succeed means championing goals that will positively impact student life.” Webb is majoring in science business and Spanish with a minor in Latino studies. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she currently serves as co-president of Cavanaugh Hall, in addition to being a member of Junior Class Council and the Junior Parents Weekend planning committee. Webb said serving as her dorm’s president was part of the reason she decided to run for student body president. “Taking part in leading my community through some of the struggles of the past year inspired me to run in order to try to help make a bigger impact on a bigger scale across the whole student body as opposed to just my dorm community,” she said. Calpey, who hails from Orlando, Florida, is studying science business with a real estate minor. He has served as treasurer for his dorm, O’Neill Family Hall, for the last two years, in addition to being a Welcome Weekend captain. “We feel like we can make campus a better place,” Calpey said. “We think we have some awesome ideas to help, you know, the health and wellness of the students, the inclusion of all students, and we really just want to bring the Notre Dame family and the Notre Dame love to everybody. Because everybody should be able to partake in that experience.” If elected, Webb and Calpey said their first priority would be to create a Sexual Assault Response task force. “That’s a huge priority for us, as that’s established as a best practice across other universities and not something that we currently have, as well as advocating for student mental and physical health, especially during COVID,” Webb said. Calpey added that though the two have many ideas and projects they’d like to complete, they recognize that not everything will be able to be completed within one year. “We’ve really narrowed it down to what we feel is most important for the Notre Dame student, and what we can have an effect on,” he said. “So [there’s] lots of feasibility in our platform. Our platform is really centered around f lexibility and feasibility.” Another goal of the WebbCalpey platform is improving transparency between student government, the
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administration and the student body. They aim to do this by providing a public budget log for student government expenses and creating a “one-stop shop” for information regarding student government in the ND mobile app and holding office hours. “I’ve definitely heard that complaint from a lot of my peers … They either don’t understand what’s going on, or they don’t think it actually affects them,” Webb said. “So I think the issue of transparency kind of comes to light … [with] people understanding what student government does, and how student government can be helpful to improving the Notre Dame experience.” Calpey and Webb also said an issue they were passionate about was improving mental and physical health resources on campus. In regards to mental health, the two propose allocating more funding and resources for the University Counseling Center, subsidizing off-campus referrals and providing support for students after a mental health crisis. “Since getting sent home in March, students have struggled a lot with the feeling of being isolated, which is definitely something that was probably new to them,” Webb said. “… So we have the issue of mental health, as well as the issue of physical health under COVID.” Their platform also proposes weekend telehealth availability for St. Liam’s, increased awareness of STI testing offered on campus and providing free menstrual products to all buildings on campus, including dorms. In addition, the WebbCalpey platform focuses on accessibility on campus and making buildings and the new structures, such as the lodges, accessible, especially during the winter months. “There’s so many things that we can do on campus in the COVID era and outside of the COVID era to make our campus [a] more welcoming and accessible place to all,” Calpey said. Ultimately, Webb and Calpey said their desire to lead comes from a love for the Notre Dame community. “Notre Dame would not be Notre Dame without the people,” Webb said. “If it was just like the body it is with the administration and the classes, it certainly wouldn’t be the same experience. So the fact that I’ve had so many great relationships that have helped make Notre Dame such a special place for me, I just have the desire to serve those people who have helped me you know, kind of find my place here.” Contact Claire Rafford at crafford@nd.edu
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The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
The Observer endorses Siegel-Holland After nearly a week of campaigning, three pairs of students will appear on the online ballot as candidates for Notre Dame student body president and vice president. In this unusual year, election traditions such as the debate and the gathering of petition signatures took a different form. Nonetheless, students will still be presented with the choice between six juniors: Allan Njomo and Matthew Bisner, Max Siegel and Zachary Holland, and Mabry Webb and Jacob Calpey. The Observer Editorial Board interviewed all three tickets Sunday. After weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each ticket and their respective ideas, the Board unanimously endorses Siegel-Holland. Siegel is a walk-on offensive lineman for the Notre Dame football team and sits on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Holland has experience with student government as a current member of the Junior Class Council and a First Undergraduate Experience in Leadership member during his first year. He also served as co-president of College Democrats. Having garnered much of their leadership experience from areas other than student government, the pair consider themselves “outsiders,” but we believe them to be wellequipped for the jobs. Their outsider position provides a unique opportunity to include those who are usually not engaged with the student government. The ticket also provides a break from the recent succession of student government insiders holding these top positions. Siegel and Holland present the potential of a new kind of outreach which is promising. While Njomo and Bisner have connections that might make enacting some of their policy initiatives easier, we believe Siegel and Holland’s newcomer perspective gives them better insight into the student
body itself. This is evident in their plan to send the student body monthly newsletters regarding student government’s work and initiatives, as well as with their varying connections with other campus organizations. Webb and Calpey’s platform includes initiatives to increase financial transparency and deliver an address to the student body about student government activities each semester; however, they provided no other opportunities for students to learn more about their work on an ongoing basis. Siegel and Holland presented a thorough platform with innovative ideas for increasing club funding by working with the Club Coordination Council to apply for outside grants. The ticket’s commitment to improving the experiences of minority students is reflected in their plan to restructure funding for clubs to ensure smaller cultural clubs aren’t left with small budgets and their plans to increase diversity training for all members of hall staff through the MiNDful program. Both spoke passionately about the off-campus differentiation policy, and their platform promises to “revisit” it without overestimating the feasibility of changing it. Siegel also spoke of inclusion in the tricampus community as an effort that should go beyond simply aiming to welcome Gateway students. Though all three tickets put forward similar platforms — including the addition of a staff member trained through the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program to the St. Liam’s staff and a call for more precise COVID-19 data from the University — Siegel and Holland strike the most effective balance between passion for their unique points and practical approaches to enact them. Their platform clearly delineates ideas for Executive Branch policy, which they would have the power to affect directly, and University policy, which they would advocate for with the respective officials. The Njomo-Bisner ticket presents admirable ideas when it comes to helping first generation and
low-income students build community and pay for educational expenses, but the feasibility of such initiatives is questionable. Their objectives — such as expanding the nondiscrimination clause and creating better sexual healthcare options on campus — build on the work of previous student government administrations. Any work they do if elected would likely only lay the groundwork for future administrations. As a result, they come across as activists rather than potential executives who would be able to implement significant policy changes during their year-long term. Webb and Calpey’s short platform includes practical ideas, such as increased access to recycling and donation bins to make moving in and out of the dorms more sustainable, but included little mention of ways to amplify minority voices, specifically from students of color. After a summer of racial reckoning across the country as well as within the tri-campus, such an oversight is extremely concerning and disappointing. While the two clearly love Notre Dame, the community model they seem to be advocating for is one of the past which only fits a certain type of student and fails to address our diverse campus community. The endorsement of Siegel and Holland does not come without reservations. Some of their ideas — such as GreeNDot training employees at bars and other off-campus establishments — seem less than feasible. Their proposed use of Speak4ND as a major method of communication with the student body appears to be out of touch with the current usage of the platform, and their desire to create a peer advocacy program for sexual assault survivors raises concerns of confidentiality and comes across as reactionary. A more comprehensive plan for sexual assault prevention will be necessary if the pair takes office. Regardless, Siegel and Holland hope to bring equity to Notre Dame, and we believe their unique positions throughout campus organizations and their passion for reviving the community will make this possible.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Vote no This Wednesday, the student body will be faced with an important choice: it must decide which presidential ticket it wants to represent its values, its concerns and its dreams over the next academic year. Yet, as dazzling as the personality politics of this election can be, we want to take this opportunity to shine the spotlight upon another less alluring vote that will be settled on this week’s ballot. Due to the success of a recent resolution proposed by the Judicial Council at the student senate, there will be a referendum presented regarding the number of signatures required for student petitions to receive a hearing from the senate. The question that will be posed on the ballot is as follows: “Raise the standard of valid signatures required of petitioners to the student senate from 200 to a number between 5-8% of the Undergraduate Student Body (442-707) to be determined by the Student Senate? Options: Yes, No, Abstain.” As members of the student senate and the student body at large, we want to urge you to vote no on this issue. Before we outline why we think voting no is the right choice, we will first explain why the referendum is being considered. The answer is simple: Complicating the petitioning process is more convenient for the senate. One student leader described the problem as follows: “[The petitioning process] immediately forces the senate to talk about it within one week. … Whenever there’s some constitutional bar that says you must do this in a week, it really slows down business.” However, instead of seeking solutions to this problem — for example, lengthening the time that the senate has to consider a petition — many have resolved to instead make the process more difficult for students. This is an unnecessary change, and one that carries negative consequences. Forcing students to get more signatures — or have an enumerated position to get a say — hampers the voices of minority and special interest groups on
campus. The senate exists to represent every student, not just those in the majority. Raising the bar does more to obstruct students from expressing their beliefs and does nothing to address the procedural problems about quick senate action. The main issue of representation within the Student Union can be observed in the demographics of Notre Dame compared to many of the peer institutions the Judicial Council used to construct benchmarking slides brought to the student senate to structure their argument. These institutions, which include Duke University, Baylor University, Washington University and Indiana University, require 5% or more of the population to sign a petition for it to be heard by their student government. There is a significant exclusion of information in these benchmarks: the population and minority percentages. Notre Dame has both a smaller population than these institutions, but also a smaller proportion of minority students. For example, in 2018 it was reported that Notre Dame’s Black student population accounted for approximately 3% of the undergraduate student body. Based on recent trends, it is unlikely that this percentage has increased significantly in the past two years. At Indiana University, the Black student population accounts for 7.5% of the population, at Washington University,10.42%, at Baylor, 6.21%, at Duke, 7.19%. If every student who identifies as Black at Notre Dame signed a proposed petition with a minimum percentage of 5%, the petition would not be brought to the senate. It is no secret that diversity of thought at Notre Dame, in any form, is not always appropriately represented in student government. We urge the student body to consider the communities of students with different sexual orientations, religious beliefs, racial identities and socioeconomic backgrounds on our campus and remind themselves of their rightful seat at the table. Petitions have always been about providing a platform to
students who struggle to have their voices heard. This is not about limiting the democratic rule of the majority; it is about ensuring that minority opinions are always represented. Petitions are a lifeline for small groups of students who struggle to reach the halls of power, and we believe that protecting that ability is more important than any inconvenience the process might pose to the student senate. Even the argument that the petitioning process somehow wastes the time of the student senate seems to be flawed. Over the past decade, students have seldom taken advantage of this democratic procedure in the Student Union to make their voices heard. This year, however, the student senate has received unprecedented levels of direct student input through the petitioning process, perhaps due to the unusual circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Petitions empower students who might not have some visible, official position to make change and take part in the work of student governance. This year’s concentration of petitions represents students’ increased agency in the policymaking process. It is a trend to be celebrated and nurtured, not strangled in the cradle. Dane Sherman freshman Eliza Smith sophomore Henry Jackson sophomore Renee Pierson sophomore Feb. 22 Editor’s Note: Dane Sherman and Renee Pierson are former News Writers for The Observer.
The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
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For the curly tops Sydni Brooks Everything is Fine
For the past three years, I have been barraged with propaganda about how massively important it is to take GreeNDot training. It was part of our welcome weekend intro curriculum, our freshman year Moreau class and, last year, my dorm wanted us to all get trained so we could have a better chance at winning Hall of the Year. But, unfortunately, the training is four hours long and I’m a chronically busy person, so I was never able to get to it. Enter winter session, a 10-week break that I purposefully kept un-busy. It was the perfect opportunity to finally participate in this crucial training and the Gender Relations Center (GRC) was offering virtual training sessions, two hours a day for two days, so how could I not attend one? In the first week of December, I logged onto my computer to start the session. All I knew about GreeNDot was that they would teach me how to prevent power-based personal violence on campus and that their methods of choice are direct, distract and delegate. Two days and four hours of training later, I logged off of the Zoom call fuming. What I had entered knowing was all they taught. It’s important to note now that I study gender, so I am acutely aware of power-based personal violence and the fact that it occurs so commonly on college campuses. I also study sociology, and this combination gives me special insight into the fact that power-based personal violence is a reflection of institutional violence. When a Black student is called racial slurs in a bathroom on campus, that isn’t random. It reflects the racist colonial nature of academia and the idea that many white people, including some University officials, still believe that BIPOC don’t belong here. When a queer student is publicly harassed and called derogatory names, it isn’t just because one student is a bigoted homophobe. It’s intrinsically related to the fact that queer people at Notre Dame have been fighting for years to have our full humanity recognized by this University. (Don’t believe me? Check out this amazing project by junior Marty Kennedy.) When a woman is sexually harassed by a man here, it’s not just because he’s a predator. It’s related to the fact that he feels empowered by our school’s continued history of excluding women. Last year, all three of those seemingly hypothetical
KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer
examples happened to one student at the same time. When she protested the violence and started End Hate at ND, the University threatened to expel her for peaceful demonstration and the violence written into the structure of this institution became even more painfully clear. Over winter session, I also took a class. It was called “Transformative Justice” and, for three weeks, we studied methods of violence intervention, harm reduction and community safety that aren’t rooted in punitive justice. We talked about why violence happens and how we all contribute to it because punishment seems to be the only method of dealing with harm that we know. It was a revelation to me to read these words from activist Danielle Sered: “No one enters violence the first time by causing it.” Through those words, I realized the thing that made me so angry about GreeNDot when I was sitting in training: it was completely lacking in accountability. At the beginning of training, we talked about the fact that some of us on the call were survivors of the most acute forms of power-based personal violence, but we neglected to address the truth that each of us in the Zoom room had perpetrated violence at some point and that we all, as Notre Dame students, continue to perpetuate violence every day, as we live and work and benefit from oppressive and violent structures. When we address violence as though there is a binary between survivor and aggressor, we fail to hold the complexity of violence. We fail to recognize that each of us has experienced harm and been taught to harm by social structures and norms. We also fail to recognize that those who perpetrate acute forms of harm are often empowered by social structures which imbue them with power or the desire to acquire it. If we forget that power-based personal violence is rooted in power and that upholding unjust power structures therefore empowers power-based personal violence, it remains impossible for GreeNDot to achieve its goal of reducing violence in our community. The first week of winter classes contained Jan. 6, the day that white supremacists stormed the Capitol building. In
case you missed it, someone brought a Notre Dame flag to the siege and raised the words “God, Country, Notre Dame,” proudly next to a Trump flag. My first thought was not shock or disgust or fear, it was actually quite the opposite. I was completely unsurprised. Over the next few days, the expected emotions set in and I started to realize how incredibly messed up that is. If someone was waving a UCLA flag at the white supremacy party, the general reaction would be more along the lines of “WTF?” or “That’s so random.” But, for some reason, a Notre Dame flag in the same position is entirely unsurprising. As a community, that’s something we desperately need to talk about. The intersection of the axes of power that our institution rests upon (capitalism, white supremacy, Catholicism, cisheteropatriarchy) gives us the unique opportunity to either make radical changes for good in the world or to continue upholding racist colonial power. As our university currently spends much time and money doing the latter, my transformative justice classmates and I have decided to create a new program to bring accountability to our community. We’re calling it Beyond Green Dots, because we believe that there’s more to violence prevention than making “good choices” in tough moments. This spring, we’ll be presenting a workshop to address the ways in which harm is perpetrated on our campus and beyond, and how we can individually stop feeding into the power structures that empower violence on a larger scale. You can follow @ beyondgreendots on Instagram to learn more about the project. None of this is to say that I think GreeNDot is entirely ineffective and that Notre Dame is too deeply-rooted in violence to ever do good. GreeNDot does offer some great tools to our community and Notre Dame has offered some great things to the world. But, without embracing the principles of transformative justice and becoming accountable to the harm that we are accomplices to, the harm will never stop. Sydni Brooks is a junior at Notre Dame Studying English and gender studies. She is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and calls Flaherty Hall home on campus. With equal passions in writing and helping others, she hopes to serve her community well in her future. She can be reached at sbrooks2@nd.edu or @sydnimaree22 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Can money buy happiness? Justice Mory In the Interest of Justice
In a class this week, the idea of money being capable of buying happiness was brought up. When the professor posed this question, a student responded that money could not buy happiness. The professor then commented on her large Canada Goose winter coat and asked the student if they would be unhappy going outside without it, in the freezing February weather. He then went on to cite a study he had read, claiming that there is a gradual increase of reported happiness up until around $75,000 per year, and then it plateaus. This is what inspired me to write this piece. This topic of discussion isn’t new or revolutionary, but I believe that it is important to keep some level of perspective. In Kanye West’s song Good Life, he says “Havin’ money’s not everything, not havin’ it is.” Money is not the only thing that matters or that can make you happy. People often say there is so much more to life than money. I agree with these sentiments; however, many times, it comes from people who never struggled to make ends meet. It is drastically easier to downplay the role of money when it is something you don’t have to worry about. A lot of worries in life that cause so much stress melt away when an individual knows that money will not be an obstacle to overcome this adversity. In a 2010 Princeton Study by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton, they
conclude low income “exacerbates the emotional pain associated with such misfortunes as divorce, ill health and being alone.” While money itself may not create happiness, it seems to without a doubt make bad events or situations worse. Maybe money can’t buy happiness, but having no money can prevent happiness or increase unhappiness. When money is a concern, it dominates the front of your mind, keeping you on edge in case of unexpected or costly situations. Budgeting and planning become essential not to grow an investment portfolio or pay for fancy things, but to pay the rent, keep the lights on and purchase meals. With physiological and safety needs not guaranteed, there cannot be peace of mind. This can leave people unfulfilled, unable to reach level of needs such as belonging, esteem and self-actualization, as described in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Working to spend entire paychecks on essentials, just to do it again the next pay period with no time in between to do what you want is not how most people would define happiness. This is a long-winded way of saying that when money is an issue, it makes every issue that much worse, and it has the potential to limit opportunities to create happiness and fulfillment. Another thing to think about is how money is spent. I think, when thinking of this topic, the common way people associate money being spent is on luxurious material goods. However, money can do a lot to create feelings of happiness aside from luxurious material goods. Besides alleviating financial anxiety, it can be used to help others.
Being able to help others, such as family and friends or others in need, has been linked to increasing happiness in many studies. Buying experiences instead of material goods also provides a way to create positive memories to look back on and more moments of happiness. Money may create more leisure time where enjoyable things become more realistically doable. There are a lot of things money can enable people to do. Who can we trust to tell us whether or not money can create happiness? The very wealthy person who may not know what it is like to be without money? Who just want to blend in and not seem boastful and make others feel worse? There is no right answer, because there are so many other confounding variables to happiness. However, it is important to understand that in a world where basic needs are unassured and one financial or health emergency could cause impacts as significant as homelessness or death, money becomes a major tool to escape unhappiness. Is this so different from buying happiness? Justice Mory is majoring in business analytics and is part of the John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. He is from Southern California and now lives in Duncan Hall. His main goal is to keep learning and to continue to become more informed. He can be reached at jmory@nd.edu or @JmoryND on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Rethinking free college Andrew Sveda Church and State
Should college tuition be free? For the past five years or so, Senator Bernie Sanders has been particularly vocal on this subject, going as far as to call free college a “human right.” But with the inauguration of Joe Biden, who supported a very generous free college program during his presidential campaign, what was once considered a radical pipe dream could very well become a reality. Free college isn’t without its critics, of course. Many wonder, reasonably so, about the large cost of such a policy, while others are concerned this will only further accelerate the credentials arms race among students who are increasingly told that a university degree will not cut it. Many of us have heard this first-hand. An undergraduate education (with two majors, of course!) only keeps you with the pack. What you really need to stand out in today’s competitive job market, we are told, is a master’s degree. Free college doesn’t solve this problem but only moves the competition one rung higher. Author and economist Bryan Caplan states the problem of free college well: “Trying to spread success with education spreads education but not success.” This is a pretty fair critique, but watch closely where it leads us. If college primarily serves as a credential on a resume, as this objection seems to assume, if we’re mainly looking for a way to sift through future job applicants, college seems like a very strange way to do it. Four years of college (and college tuition) are quite an arduous, time-intensive and costly process for something that could perhaps be achieved through a series of standardized tests. Under this view of higher education, college is, or at least should be, an intricate system of hoops students must jump through, signaling to employers a student’s dedication and ability to complete complex and sometimes boring work. “But college is more than just evaluating if you have the
right pre-existing skill set,” I can hear someone saying. “It’s not just some signal to employers or a four-year certification test. College itself should serve to prepare you for future jobs — high-paying ones at that. It should focus on helping you learn the concepts you will use in the career you pursue.” Fair enough. Yet the current university model seems like a pretty poor way to do this. Vocational school seems more fit to fulfill this role. Why should we waste time teaching students what they will never use or need to know to be successful in the workplace? Why does a future lawyer need to study calculus, and why does a future doctor or welder need to take English or history? Not only should students stick with classes in their field, but it seems if we hold a utilitarian view of college, we really should drop the humanities and most of the social sciences. You’re not going to be quizzed about Dante and Freud in a business meeting or during surgery, so why should you learn it? This model offers an interesting answer: You shouldn’t. Red flags are probably going up in your head at this point. Something doesn’t seem right here. “College isn’t just about job training,” you might be thinking to yourself. “College is about learning about the world and being an informed person and citizen. College is about acquiring knowledge and understanding.” But knowledge about what? What subjects should we teach, and which ones get preference over the others, which is to ask which are more and most important? Going to college “to learn” is far too vague to be a guiding mission statement. There must be some underlying philosophy of education that drives the university to offer different courses and subjects. Without this, a university would lose all structure. It would look more like a library than a class, where the professor chooses what to teach the class and put on exams. But even a library only has a selection of books, so a college built on the general “pursuit of knowledge” must be even less structured than that! If we think the real point of college is to “learn things,” we are fooling ourselves. At most
it is to know certain things, and we must begin to ask ourselves what those things are and why. Even if we accept the “learning-based model” of college (which is certainly up for debate), the real purpose of college, the thing that leads us to discriminate between subjects and courses, still evades us. So why am I saying all this, and what does it have to do with the question of free college? Quite a lot. If we’re to have any real, substantive conversation about free college, we must first understand what the purpose of college is. Most of the time we rush into this political issue assuming we all know the true purpose of college education and no discussion is needed. But what I hope this column has shown is that most of us really don’t have a good idea about what college is about at its innermost core. We may know that things like credential earning, job training and gaining knowledge are important parts of a college education, yet we also realize none of these should be considered the main objective of college. What is the main thing, the purpose of college that takes precedence over all other factors and shapes what a meaningful college experience looks like? It cannot be multiple things at once. If we are to have a coherent view of education, there must be in both philosophy and action that is preeminent in our calculations. But we struggle to think of what that actually is. We simply haven’t put much thought into it, and it shows. We need to build solid foundations in our thinking about college, or we risk miscalculation and error and, for us, wasting our short time in college. It’s time to go back to the basics. Andrew Sveda is a sophomore at Notre Dame from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in political science. In his free time, he enjoys writing (obviously), reading and playing the piano. He can be reached at asveda@nd.edu or @SvedaAndrew on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
A tortoise, a hare, a Democrats’ happy ending Ellie Konfrst Butterfly Effects
We all know the one about the tortoise and the hare, right? I assume I don’t need to spend time recounting the tale, the fable employed to teach every third grader in the country about the importance of hard work and perseverance. From a young age, we’re taught that “slow and steady wins the race,” and we’re warned about the dangers of embodying the proverbial hare. It’s unsurprising, then, when this same logic seeps into political conversations among adults. I consider myself a pretty far left-leaning progressive, and have spent a fair share of my time arguing with moderate Democrats about the best way to achieve our (supposedly) shared goals. In those conversations, I’ve had the hare’s unexpected and deserved loss to the much-slower tortoise thrown in my face more than once. “Slow and steady wins the race,” they say. Aside from the obvious issues with this analogy (I’m pretty sure the hare loses because of his arrogance, not because voters had a distaste for his speed), there’s an underlying assumption being made that I don’t think is applicable. What if the tortoise and hare just weren’t running the same race? We generally assume, by holding political opinions broadly considered “left of center,” that we all have the same end goals. Even if they’re just named in broad terms, like “universal health care” or “combating climate change,” Democrats, or left-leaning voters, are generally thought to have an agreed vision of what society should look like, and any intra-party disputes are purely disagreements about how best to achieve that vision — should we be tortoises or hares? Increasingly, though, it’s looking like that might not be the case. In the official Democratic Party Platform in 2020, Democrats officially declared that, as a party, they believe “health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the few.” Yet, the platform does not endorse a government-run health care system, like Medicare for All, instead opting to back “universal, affordable” health care. Similarly, the platform
pulls language straight from Bernie Sanders’ stump speeches on climate change — endorsing the concept of “environmental justice,” for example. Yet, again, the platform does not mention the progressive Green New Deal, focusing instead on “investments in clean energy” and “reducing air pollution.” It’s as if the tortoise and the hare have completely different finish lines — all they can seem to agree upon is that finishing races is good. The 2020 General Election was broadly a success for those on the left, with Democrats taking back the White House, maintaining their majority in the House and eking out a majority in the Senate. However, the Democratic presidential primary was plagued with intra-party divisions, with the progressive and moderate wings of the party struggling to come to a consensus on key policy debates, and Democrats didn’t see nearly as much success in downballot races. As much as Democratic party leaders want to neatly comb over major disagreements within their coalition, those divisions have not disappeared just because Joe Biden was elected President. Young people, who lean progressive and seek a more progressive Democratic party, played a major role in delivering Biden’s victory, and over time they will only become a more important caucus within the party. If they want electoral success like they had in 2020, the Democratic Party needs to adapt, and to do so, they need to recognize what adaptation looks like. Key to that adaptation is the recognition that not everyone in the Democratic coalition wants the same thing. The nomination and election of President Biden is illustrative of this. As a Democratic voter who never wanted to vote for Biden, I am the first to admit that, in the 2020 election cycle, progressives just lost. Biden was never a compromise candidate — he was always an openly moderate candidate. Unlike most other Democratic candidates, who, at one point or another claimed to support something they called Medicare for All, Biden never did. Biden has never even alluded that Medicare for All, or some form of governmentprovided health care, is the ultimate end goal, somewhere down the line. He thinks it’s too expensive, and he thinks it’s
bad that people wouldn’t get to choose private insurance. On Medicare for All, and a multitude of other issues, Biden (and moderate Democrats at large) do not believe their proposed policies are a step on a longer path toward progressive goals. To them, their policies are the end goal. Now, none of this is to make some bad faith argument that moderate Democrats are the same as Republicans; it is just to point out that they are also not the same as progressive Democrats. At some point, as this country’s crises of health care, climate and poverty grow increasingly dire, those on the left will have to reckon with the fact that we are not all running the same race. There is not a compromise to be made between Medicare for All and Biden’s health care goals — progressives will not be satisfied until Medicare for All becomes law, and moderates will likely oppose anything beyond Affordable Care Act reforms. Even if we agree that health care is good, at a certain point, broad platitudes like that are not enough to maintain a coalition. In 2020, Democrats found a way to help both the tortoise and the hare win. Soon enough, though, they will both look around and realize that their racing partner is nowhere to be found. Democrats will have to realize that their intraparty conflicts are not over method and strategy, but over ideology and policy outcomes, and compromise will be increasingly hard to find. For the sake of progressive goals, and for the sake of this country, I hope they are able to recognize that soon and find ways to overcome their differences. If they don’t, we may soon be looking at a political environment where the hare loses patience, the tortoise quits early and both are overtaken by the elephant behind them. Ellie Konfrst is a junior majoring in political science, with minors in the Hesburgh Program for Public Service and civil & human rights. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, she’s excited that people will finally be forced to listen to all of her extremely good takes. She can be reached at egloverk@nd.edu or @elliekonfrst13 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By NICK BRIGATI Scene Writer
When I saw Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” in theaters last fall, the first time I had stepped in a cinema since the pandemic began, I was disappointed. The dialogue was inaudible, there was a tiresome amount of exposition (surprise, surprise) and of course, as is the biggest problem with many of Nolan’s films, it lacked any trace of pathos. While I can’t deny that the film’s visuals provided brief flurries of entertainment, I couldn’t help but regret having risked my health to see the film. So, given these blatant flaws and more, I was surprised to still see scores of people doting over the film and Nolan’s “genius.” To these fans, the nonsensical plot, superfluous exposition and lack of emotional weight were somehow all pros of the film. And with each social media post I saw or conversation I had about the film, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the particular type of fan praising the film. My issue was not with people who merely liked the film — everyone has different tastes — but with a certain type of moviegoer I believe has become problematic in general discussions about film. I like to call them “21st century auteur fanboys.” These “fanboys” are primarily male, millennial/ Gen-Z 20-somethings who are obsessed with the quasi-art films of the current century. The “auteur fanboys” were born with the advent of the internet
By COLLEEN FISCHER Scene Writer
A part of the charm of “Freaks and Geeks,” a single-season 1999 comedy-drama, is the fully developed and compelling characters. Each character has a strong narrative — there’s Lindsey’s relationship w ith her parents, Sam’s journey to deciding what he wants and Danny’s desperation to belong. Even the guidance counselor ser ves as a central character, developing along w ith the students, defining them as they grow, bringing them together and occasionally separating them, all w ith a gentle hand. Intrinsically tied to the characters is the music, so much so that the show’s creator Paul Feig said he never considered changing the music because it would be like cutting Lindsey — the main character — out of the show. “Freaks and Geeks” features major artists such as Joan Jett, The W ho, the Grateful Dead and Billy Joel. Music offers strong and quick labeling for characters who ex ist in between adulthood and childhood, tr y ing to find themselves and define their tastes. There are moments where music is
— on discussion boards, YouTube and social media. To them, Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson and Quentin Tarantino are basically the holy trinity; names Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa and Jean-Luc Godard are unknown. Take a look at the top-100 rated movies on IMDB (“fanboys” love IMDB): “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Fight Club” all hold spots in the top 10. I love these movies besides “Fight Club,” but come on. Six of Christopher Nolan’s films and 4 of Tarantino’s are in the top 100 alone, and “Citizen Kane” isn’t even in the top 100 — it’s ranked 117th, 97 spots behind “Interstellar.” This rather skewed list can largely be accredited to how a “fanboy” watches and criticizes films. One way is by viewing films not as an art form but as a puzzle — the more convoluted the movie’s plot, the better. This is evident on YouTube, where one can find hundreds of videos deconstructing movie plots, theorizing about these directors’ films and explaining why they are the greatest directors of all time — I found five videos all basically titled, “Why Christopher Nolan is the best director.” The complexity of a film’s plot is not the only way “fanboys” judge a film; they also value style over substance. Whether it’s the aestheticization of violence in a Tarantino film, Wes Anderson’s use of symmetry or Guy Ritchie’s aggressive camera style, “fanboys” are easily swayed by a film’s appearance rather than its characterization or themes. On Instagram, you will
see countless accounts devoted to Tarantino and the visual styles of him and his contemporaries — the cringe-worthy named “cinemamonamour,” “goosebumpscinema” and f—inggoodmovies are just a few. What is even harder to find than a focus on substance on these accounts is a discussion of films that speak to the experiences beyond those of the “fanboy’s” experiences of overwhelmingly white, American, males. A film such as “Moonlight,” which focuses on Black identity and sexuality, is of little interest to the “fanboys;” neither is a foreign language film, which in their eyes is universally inferior to American films. Now, you would think from my writing that I dislike these films. On the contrary, I enjoy watching many of them, and I don’t have a problem with people who like to watch films for merely entertainment, but that is not what the “fanboys” do. They are problematic because they delude general audiences on what cinema is as a medium. It isn’t a narrative puzzle for solving or aesthetically pleasing cinematography, but an art form (I’m aware that may sound pretentious) which has the ability to reveal truths of the human experience to audiences through emotion (the very thing Nolan struggles with). The close-minded, at-times condescending views of the “fanboys” ultimately take away from valuable discourse to be had over films and their artistic merit.
essential to the plot, such as when Danny decides to tr y a punk look in order to impress a girl, when Nick does the same thing w ith disco, and of course when Lindsey gives up the last bit of her geek persona to follow the Grateful Dead on tour. Not only did music inf luence “Freaks and Geeks,” but “Freaks and Geeks” eventually inf luenced music. The iconic title sequence has made appearances in content for bands such as Modern Baseball and Wallows and has been remade hundreds of times by high school film students and AV club members. The people who have the time to sit in their rooms making music are those who resonate w ith the show, which is a love letter to counterculture and misfits. W hen “Freaks and Geeks” was made in the ‘90s, creators procured the music rights for episode premieres and reruns, not streaming. W hen the show left Netf lix in 2018, it was over issues related to the music rights. Thankfully, “Freaks and Geeks” is back on Hulu and the original music is still there. I came to “Freaks and Geeks” when it came onto Hulu. I started it w ith my parents and finished it last week, watching on my dorm room f loor w ith a bottle of w ine because I had became
so attached and needed to mourn the end. But in the age of endless reboots, this is a show I hope never gets a reunion episode. It is perfect where it is. The characters live as eternal adolescents, forever dreaming their futures, always in the perpetual maybe. “Freaks and Geeks” is the only T V show I’ve seen that features misfits w ithout making their realit y be the joke. It isn’t funny that they dream, it’s sad that others don’t. Realit y hovers over them like a promise. The specific music choices help to build the alternate realit y where they can always ex ist, never hav ing to sacrifice their dreams for a stable paycheck. In the weeks since “Freaks and Geeks” was made available for streaming, more than a couple of friends have texted or stopped me to tell me the show was perfect for me. For them — and later for me — the music was a sticking point. Now I’m happy that high school students and college kids w ill be able to spend their afternoons, evenings and lunchtime breaks w ith such a great show — music intact.
Contact Nick Brigati at nbrigati@nd.edu
Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu LIYA BLITZER | The Observer
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The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By MIA MARROQUIN Saint Mary’s News Editor
Picture this: It’s a Friday night in your childhood bedroom, and you splurge $20 to stream the latest from girl-power director Emerald Fennell, starring Carey Mulligan and out-from-the-shadows YouTuber-turned-actor Bo Burnham. The film you have chosen, “Promising Young Woman,” is a fast paced, thought-provoking piece that is sure to leave v iewers questioning the effectiveness of the #MeToo movement and engrossed by the passion of a woman w ronged. In a crowded bar, a woman finds herself stumbling over her words, tequila spilled on her lap and lipstick smeared across her face. Enter “the nice guy.” He steps in to make sure the woman gets home safely (or, at least, back to his place). Just as quick ly as “Prince Charming” attempts to take advantage of her, the damsel in distress — who turns out to be fully sober — confronts him, often making him second-guess any thing he was about to do. This charade is a week ly occurrence for medical school dropout and barista Cassandra “Cassie” Thomas, but it is only part of her longterm revenge plan.
By LEXI KILCOIN Scene Writer
As we round the corner on week four of the spring semester, there’s no doubt that we’re feeling stressed from tests, assignments, and ever y thing in between. But don’t fear! There are plent y ways to de-stress while enjoy ing the great outdoors (and the last few weeks of w inter snow). Howard Park in dow ntow n South Bend has utilized their amazing space to create fun activ ities that people of all ages to enjoy. I’ve taken the time to put together a list of fun, rela x ing activ ities for you and your crew to enjoy!
1. $5 Skate Night This event, hosted ever y Tuesday and Wednesday night, is probably the most college student-friendly of the bunch, seeing as it costs only $ 5 and is filled w ith photo ops. Make sure you get your tickets in advance (thanks to COV ID, space is limited).
Yet the film transcends the average rape revenge stor yline. For starters, Cassie is acting on behalf of her late best friend, Nina. The film is also div ided into numbered acts, each representing an indiv idual whom Cassie believes holds responsibilit y for the events that lead to Nina’s death. Each situation is stark ly unique in that Cassie methodically plans just how best to mess w ith her targets’ psyches, whether that means conv incing them they have committed adulter y or that their teenage daughter has been kidnapped and left alone in a male dorm room. W hile she never lets the bits carr y on forever, enough time seemingly passes for the perpetrators to ref lect on their actions. But what’s any strong female lead w ithout a man to bring her dow n? W hile working as a barista, Cassie encounters an old medical school classmate, Ryan, who is now working as a pediatric surgeon (okay, pull at my heartstrings more). The dy namics of Cassie and Ryan’s budding relationship seem almost too good to be true. The duo quick ly hit it off, and a reluctant and emotionally guarded Cassie slowly lets dow n her walls for him. That is until she learns his fatal f law — after finding v ideo footage implicating Ryan at the scene of
Nina’s rape, Cassie calls it quits and quick ly adds him to her list. With a runtime just shy of t wo hours, v iewers could be tempted to turn off the mov ie after the clima x at 1:45, but boy, would they be making a mistake. Despite hav ing the potential ending after the untimely death of the protagonist, the last 15 minutes are a rollercoaster of suspense, satisfaction and sweet, sweet revenge. With ever ything from posthumous texts to a ruined wedding, the ending of the film leaves v iewers slack-jawed wondering what in the world just happened.
The next skate night is Februar y 23, so hurr y and get your tickets today!
4. Drumming + Yoga
2. Yoga on Ice Turn dow n the heat on March 6. From 10-11 am, Howard Park is hosting yoga on ice ! This fun t w ist on hot yoga is sure to make your muscles shake. Make sure you bring your ow n mat and beach towel to secure your mat on the ice. This is a fantastic way to relieve some stress; plus, it’s FREE !
3. Broomball Ever played hockey w ithout skates? Well Februar y 24 at 5 pm is your chance to hone your skills and hit mini soccer balls w ith brooms. It may sound kind of cra zy, but you’re guaranteed to have the time of your life and to make some fun memories— not to mention that this activ it y, like the others, is bank account friendly, w ith an affordable $ 5 admission fee.
Contact Mia Marroquin at mmarroquin01@saintmarys.edu
“Promising Young Woman” Director: Emerald Fennell Staring: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham Genre: Thriller, Black Comedy If you like: “Fatal Attraction”
Freezing cold yoga isn’t for you? Don’t worr y, Howard Park has got you covered ! Join yoga instructors ever y Tuesday at 6:30 pm for a rela x ing (and free) yoga session (indoors) accompanied by rhy thmic drumming.
5. Cross Country Skiing Last but not least, you can learn how to Cross Countr y ski Februar y 26 from 2-4pm. During this session, you w ill discover the basics of skiing cross countr y, and then you’ll be set loose on the trails. Ski rentals and lessons are both included in the $10 fee. W hether you’re looking for a rela x ing activ it y or fun w inter activ it y to get the blood pumping, Howard Park surely has something for you ! Make sure you take some time for yourself during the semester: it’s important! Click here to reser ve your spot! Contact Lexi Kilcoin at akilcoin01@saintmarys.edu MARY O’REILLY | The Observer
DAILY
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | The Observer
Crossword | will shortz
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Find your place, and live in the moment. Enjoy what life has to offer. Set a realistic pace that brings you the comfort and joy you deserve. Update the way you live, how you handle your money and personal matters, and aim to secure your position and status. Stop doubting, and start discovering what’s important to you. Your numbers are 4, 11, 20, 27, 31, 34, 45. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Refuse to let your emotions interfere when making a decision. Stay calm, use discipline and verify facts before you take action. Put your energy into something original you want to pursue that will help avoid discord. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Alter your life for the right reason. Your aim should be in your best interest, not trying to impress or please someone. Push your ideas and vision, and invest time and effort into pursuing what makes you happy. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Recognize what’s possible, and success will follow. Your future depends on your ability to discard negativity and letting your innovative ideas set new trends. Promote peace and love; you’ll defuse anger and discord. Make romance and love priorities. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be a vessel for information. An open mind will encourage you to try something new. Express your thoughts and feelings. Share something special with someone who can contribute to your plans. A legal contract or partnership looks promising. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stay on course; you will make progress. Look for the right opportunity and put everything into your objective. If you take on too much, you will fall short of your goal. Use intelligence, bring about change and persuade others to follow suit. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Information, education and communication will lead to positive changes. Focus on your relationship with your peers and what you have to offer to get ahead. Adapting to what’s trending will draw attention and help you excel. Don’t be afraid to make the first move. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t let an unexpected change bring you down. Look for the silver lining and proceed. Take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way, and let your positive attitude transform your dream into a reality without compromising your financial status or health. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t let uncertainty or confusion be your demise. Look at the possibilities and use your skills to bring about the changes that will make your life better. Put an end to bad relationships, outside interference and responsibilities that don’t belong to you. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Settle into something you do well or love to do. Opening up to someone you love will help you make decisions that add to your comfort and well-being. Don’t let others make decisions for you. Ask questions, and follow your heart. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider how you earn and handle your cash, and make amendments that will stabilize your financial future. Look at what’s trending and how you can take advantage of an opportunity to use your skills and services efficiently and effectively. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Weigh the pros and cons of every situation you face. Be careful when dealing with peers, relatives and people who work for institutions. Choose your words carefully, and agree only to changes that will not compromise you in any way. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Make your space inviting. Move things around to suit your lifestyle. Share with people you love, and build better relationships and a strong foundation for whatever you want to pursue. Make self-improvements and show affection to loved ones. Birthday Baby: You are kind, passionate and original. You are content and resourceful.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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Sports
The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Sports Authority
Sports Authority
The curious case of Carson Wentz Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 22. In my columns detailing the state of the quarterback market, I had connected the Colts to Carson Wentz, saying that dumping him was the best move for the Eagles. However, I thought it would be a poor signing for the Colts, as they might have to give up too much to get him. I ended up being partially right; Wentz went to the Colts on Thursday, but the Eagles didn’t get all that much — a third round pick and a conditional second — much less than I had thought. Adam Schefter of ESPN said that the reason the price was so low was that no one but the Colts had wanted Wentz. A better deal never came in, and he went cheaply to the Colts. Nobody can seem to agree as to how well Carson and the Colts will do next season. I’m here to project how well Wentz does next season.
Philip Rivers First, I want to start with why the Colts felt the need to go out and get a QB: Philip Rivers’ departure. Philip Rivers left the LA Chargers to come to the Indianapolis Colts for one last run at a Super Bowl on a team that is more of a contender. The expectations were reasonably low for Rivers; he had regressed the year before, and people thought he would continue the poor play. He had a solid season, but the Colts lost to the Bills in the wild card round. Rivers retired shortly after the loss. Why did I want to start with Rivers? It’s relatively simple; he is coming from a similar, if not identical, situation to Carson Wentz. Both played on poor teams, with both having questions surrounding their play. Both went to the Colts, a massive upgrade in O-Line, weapons, and defense. I don’t think that Rivers’ statistics jump is coincidental with changing teams; the leap in statistics is due to the change in teams. I have a system that I use to evaluate individual players’ value (it’s how I make my NFL picks), so I applied these equations to the 2019 Colts and 2019 Chargers offensive units.
Let’s do the numbers The Chargers were rated 451.2, and the Colts were rated as 490.8, so not a significant difference, but I think it is substantial. To confirm that the Rivers got better due to being around better talent, I ran his 2019 and 2020 numbers. In 2019, Rivers’ value was 150.0 points, and in 2020 he jumped to
194.9 points. Again, a noticeable jump, but it isn’t a massive change (For context, this season’s MVP Aaron Rodgers’ rating is 287.4, and the Packers offense a 613.7). If you accept my calculations as proof that Rivers improved because he was around a better team than his previous team, then I think the same thing holds for Carson Wentz. By taking the 2020 season and dividing it by the 2019 year, I got the percent change. This system is by no means perfect, but I think it will give a decent projection of Wentz statistics for next season. Using this method, I came up with Wentz having a 3,000-yard season, throwing about 20 touchdowns and cutting the interceptions down to eight. The sacks Wentz took dropped down to 35 from 50, and his accuracy went up to 60%. These all seem reasonably accurate, and to me, at least, reasonable.
Let’s revise the numbers There are a few adjustments I would like to make to Wentz’s stat line, however. I think that the accuracy will go up at least a few more percentage points, maybe 63-65%, mainly due to a lack of drops. I also want to kick his yards up a notch, more like 3,500-4,00, primarily due to the weapons upgrade. I’ll only adjust the TD/INT ratio; slightly, I think he gets 25 TDs and only throws 6 INTs. The Colts arguably have the best O-line in football, whereas the Eagles had one of the worst. So I don’t think Wentz will have 35 sacks because that O-line will be that much better. Nor do I think he will have as many as Rivers. Rivers is an incredibly stationary QB, scrambling once all season. So despite a quick release time, he was going to get sacked. Wentz ran 22 times, gaining an average of 8.3, so Wentz could be sacked only 10-15 times.
What does it mean? Now I know what Colts fans are saying: We traded a third and second round pick to get an average stat line? And he’s getting paid how much to do it? I don’t think that that stat line is as average as it would first appear. The Colts are a QB away from being favorites to win the AFC; they have it all: the O-line, the run game, the weapons and the great defense. I’m not saying that the Colts are a lock to win the Super Bowl. I will say their ceiling is a Super Bowl berth, contenders for the AFC and the AFC South’s best team. Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Brooklyn’s experiment is working early in season Liam Coolican Sports Writer
When James Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets last month, the Nets sent the league a clear message. They were going all-in for a championship, whatever the cost. The cost was quite large. Three regular contributors, three first-round picks and four pick swaps. Many likened the trade to the infamous Kevin Garnett/ Paul Pierce trade, in which the Nets traded a similar number of draft capital to the Celtics for two aging stars. The deal brought the Nets little success — a second-round playoff appearance, before Pierce left as a free agent after just one year — and the franchise floundered for several years until current general manager Sean Marks came in and built a contender from the ground up. This trade, however, is completely different. First, Harden is in his prime, while Garnett and Pierce were well past theirs. Secondly, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving already on the team, the Nets were contenders even before acquiring Harden. Adding a player of his caliber puts them among the favorites for the title. There are still concerns, chief among them the fact that the NBA has never seen three ball-dominant players on the same team. The phrase “there’s only one ball!” was uttered by perhaps thousands of fans and pundits. While the three stars have only played six games together since the trade, if early signs are to be believed, this trade was a great success for Brooklyn. While some showcased the growing pains of learning to play together, including a 147-135 double-overtime loss to the Cavaliers, the Nets are 4-2 in those games. Perhaps the best example of their potential was the win over the Warriors on Feb. 13. Irving had a team-high 23 points, Durant scored 20 and Harden added 19 with 16 assists. The three played seamlessly off of each other, and the Nets dominated the game from start to finish. The defense focused so much attention on the “Big Three” that they created easy opportunities for the likes of Bruce Brown and Joe Harris. Durant has been absent since that contest with a hamstring injury, but this game showed the immense potential of what can happen when all
three are on the floor together. If they can keep that up for an extended period of time? Not a team in the league can stop Brooklyn. Harden has publicly stated that playing on the Nets, where he doesn’t have to carry the entire load offensively is refreshing. This sentiment has been evident in his play-he leads the league with 11.3 assists per game. When speaking to reporters, Irving said he told Harden that Harden was the point guard and that he would play shooting guard. That level of unselfish play will allow the Nets to reach new levels, as Irving’s creative dribbling and ability to create shots matched with Harden’s elite floor vision and shooting create a nightmare for opposing defenses, and that doesn’t even factor in Durant. Yes, the defense still isn’t great. Harden is still a belowaverage defender, and Irving isn’t much better. However, it has been improving. The Nets held the Lakers to under 100 points Thursday night, their first time accomplishing that feat since late January. Yes, the Lakers were missing Anthony Davis, but it still shows that as the three stars get more comfortable playing with each other, the defense will naturally improve. The depth is also a concern. After trading away the likes of Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Caris Levert to acquire Harden, the Nets depth took a significant hit. The center position is especially a concern, rotating through the often ineffective DeAndre Jordan and two-way players. The Nets haven’t had a solid inside presence since Allen departed. But when you can have a future Hall of Famer on the court at all times, is depth really an issue? They have a solid supporting cast, from three-point specialist Joe Harris, to Bruce Brown, who has proven to be a highly effective defender and off-ball scorer, to the emerging Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Additionally, in the playoffs (which, let’s be honest, is the only thing that matters to Brooklyn this season considering their relatively short window to win a championship) rotations traditionally shrink and stars get bigger minutes. As long as the Nets can keep their foot on the gas in the early rounds, beating teams in four or five games, they should be well-rested if they reach the
conference finals. The biggest question mark will be staying healthy. Durant has missed a number of games this year due to COVID-19 protocols and a recent hamstring injury, and while his recovery from his Achilles injury is impressive, that will remain a question mark. Irving’s availability will also be key. Earlier this year, Irving missed seven games due to “personal reasons,” and later discussed mental health and family matters. Mental health is a serious concern, especially during a pandemic, and Irving’s reputation as a bad teammate is not fully deserved. He is described as a locker room “cancer,” yet his peers selected him as vice president of the NBA player’s association. He has used his platform to advocate for social change, including recently purchasing a home for the family of George Floyd. Irving also has a history of injury concerns, as well, so it will be vital to the team’s success for him to stay fully engaged and healthy. The Nets went all in for a championship, and they may consider the trade a failure if they don’t win one. Harden is under contract until 2021-22, and with a $47 million player option for the following year. Durant is already 32 and has publicly speculated about retiring at 35. They don’t have to win the championship this year, but the window is fairly limited. They also don’t have very much salary flexibility considering they owe their big three a combined $113 million this year — more than the combined salaries of three NBA teams, according to BasketballReference. A championship is far from guaranteed. Teams like the Lakers, Clippers and Bucks are all high quality and would challenge the Nets, even at their best. It is far too early to call the Nets undisputed winners of this trade. The playoffs will determine that. Regardless, the NBA has never seen a big three like this before, and even their early successes show that, given the right mindset and devotion to the team above oneself — which these three clearly have — such an experiment can succeed. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | The Observer
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nd women’s tennis | boston college 4, nd 3; syracuse 4, nd 3
ND falls to Boston College, Syracuse at home Observer Staff Report
Fresh off a winning weekend, the luck of the Irish shifted this weekend as the Notre Dame women’s tennis team (7-5, 2-3 ACC) closed out a double-header at home with one loss to Boston College (2-2, 1-2 ACC) on Friday, 4-3, and another 4-3 loss to Syracuse (3-3, 1-1 ACC) on Sunday at noon. The Irish started the weekend out strong with a straightset win (6-2, 6-2) from senior Cameron Corse over Eagles senior Yufei Long in the No. 1 slot. Boston College answered with a straight-set win from
M Bball Continued from page 16
Irish committed eight turnovers after halftime. Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey admitted the Irish struggled to put the memory of blowing a large lead against Georgia Tech in early February behind them when Syracuse decided to turn up the full-court pressure. “I think when a team has been hurt by [the press], there’s a little bit of a mental hurdle with it,” said Brey. “And there’s a little bit of, ‘Here we go again.’” After a dominant first half, Brey said his team talked in the locker room about withstanding an imminent Syracuse run, but to no avail. “They’re too good a team, you know, we weren’t gonna win by 15,” he said. “The run was coming. And I talked to them at halftime. ‘Can we hold him off, and then make a run back?’ And we never could.” Notre Dame never trailed in the first half and got off to a hot start by exploiting the soft spots in the interior of the Syracuse zone. Graduate student forward Juwan Durham established himself in the paint early with 10 quick first-half points. The Irish found the Tampa, Florida, native inside for four big dunks and an elbow-jumper within the first seven minutes to force a Syracuse timeout with Notre Dame leading 17-9. Durham would not score for the rest of the game. After a good game against Miami and with fellow junior guard Cormac Ryan playing reduced minutes due to injury, Trey Wertz replaced Ryan in the starting lineup and capitalized on the opportunity with 11 first-half points off a perfect 3-3 from three-point range. The second of those triples from the Santa Clara transfer capped a 13-2 run that put Notre Dame up 23-11 with 12:34 to go in the half. The Irish shot a blistering 7-14 from beyond the arc in the first half and also impressed with
senior Kylie Wilcox (6-2, 6-3) over Notre Dame senior Ally Bojczuk. The Irish won another two singles matches in straight-set decisions that resulted in a 6-3, 6-3 win for sophomore Page Freeman and a 6-3, 6-1 win for freshman Yashna Yellayi. Observer File Photo Irish senior Ally Bojczuk swings through a volley against Bowling Green in a match Notre Dame won 7-0 at home on Jan. 23, 2019. The only split set decision in the singles between the Irish and the Eagles was between BC first-year Marice Aguiar
and Notre Dame junior Maeve Koscielski. Koscielski opened the match with a 7-6 set win, but Aguiar answered with a 7-6 win and a 6-2 deciding set to close their match. Boston College went on to sweep the doubles matches. The No. 1 match between Long/ Wilcox and Corse/Freeman was decided 5-2 and went unfinished. Eagles pair Aguiar and Lopez had already defeated Bojczuk and Koscielski of the Irish, 6-4, earning the visitors the doubles point. Both losses in the doubles and the two singles losses cost Notre Dame the match,
with BC earning another singles point uncontested due to a reduced Irish roster and COVID-19 related limitations. Sunday’s match started rocky for the Irish, with singles matches No. 1 and 2 both going to the Orange. Corse fell to Syracuse first year Viktoriya Kanapatskaya (7-6, 6-2) and Bojczuk fell to Syracuse graduate student Natalie Novotna in a split match after coming back to win the second set (7-5, 2-6, 6-2). Freeman and Koscielski brought the Irish back into it after winning matches No. 3 and 4 respectively in two straight-set wins (6-4, 6-1 and
7-6, 6-3). Notre Dame went on to win the doubles matches (6-1 and 6-3 with 3-5 unfinished) but it was the No. 5 singles match where Yellayi fell to Syracuse sophomore Polina Kozyreva and the fact that the Irish had to forfeit another No. 6 match for the same reasons as with Boston College that Syracuse came away with the win. The Irish will be back on the court next weekend to face off against North Carolina and Duke on Feb. 27 and 28, respectively, both at 11 a.m. The matches can be watched live at UND.com
their play on the interior early. Despite entering the game with a -2.3 rebounding margin, Notre Dame won the battle on the glass 20-14 and outscored the Orange 20-16 in the paint in the first twenty minutes. Notre Dame led by as many as 18 in the first half and went into halftime up 46-32. The hot shooting initially continued after the start of the second half. Junior forward Nate Laszewski hit back-toback threes before Wertz added another triple to give the Irish their largest lead of the night with 16:49 to go. Laszewski entered the game leading the Irish with 15.2 points per game but finished with only 11 points. Wertz, meanwhile, led the Irish with 17. However, Syracuse eventually turned to their full-court press and embarked on a 29-5 run to establish a 64-60 lead with 6:53 left in the second half. Notre Dame looked helpless for long stretches against the press and turned the ball over five
times in about a five-minute span midway through the half. Brey said the reason his team was unable to break the press was twofold. “We probably weren’t the best of receivers for the guy who was trapped,” he said. “And I think we got trapped a little bit too easy.” Brey also said his team’s failure to capitalize offensively meant Syracuse never felt compelled to go back to their halfcourt defense. “We had some plain looks, like three-on-twos,” he said. “You got to make a couple of those when you break the press to kind of get them out of it. And we never could. And then you’re back on your heels.” After posting a 54.5 FG% in the first half, Notre Dame shot just 32% from the floor after halftime. The ‘Cuse comeback intensified with just over 11 minutes to play. Buddy Boeheim hit two threes sandwiched by a traditional three-point play before sophomore forward Quincy
Guerrier hit a three of his own to cut the Irish lead to one and force Brey to call a timeout with 8:30 left. The timeout did little to stop the bleeding. Boeheim made another three with 7:36 left to give the Orange a 62-60 lead, their first of the night. Wertz’s fifth three of the afternoon with 4:20 to play cut the Syracuse lead to one, but Boeheim hit a dagger three to stretch the Orange lead to 71-63 with just 2:15 to go. Boeheim led all scorers with 29 points and went 6-10 from beyond the arc. Notre Dame junior guard Prentiss Hubb was the only player on the floor to play all 40 minutes. He narrowly missed out on a double-double, finishing with eight points and 10 assists. With the loss, the Irish missed the chance to grab their seventh win out of their last nine games. Notre Dame will now travel to Louisville for their penultimate road game of the season Tuesday night.
When asked about what the Irish need to do to put their second-half capitulations behind them, Brey said it was a question his team’s veterans need to answer. “You’d have to ask our leadership,” he said. “It’s on their a– to figure out how to bounce back and play in Louisville.” Brey also emphasized that Notre Dame is likely to face no reprieve from the full-court press against the Cardinals (115, 6-4 ACC). “We’ll try and get our guys in better spots against the press, because Louisville will press us maybe the whole game,” he said. “And either you’re tough enough to attack it, or you’re not. It’s [a] great educational experience for young men. Either you’re gonna get over the hump, or you’re not.” Tip-off at the KFC Yum! Center Tuesday is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
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Adams Continued from page 16
the squad came back to gain four goals in the third, pushing the game to an overtime period, which ended without any more scoring. This matchup marked milestones for certain players on the team: St. Cyr had a season-high 39 saves, while Alex Steeves, Landon Slaggert, senior forward Colin Theisen and sophomore forward Max Ellis all walked away with multi-point games. The Irish started early again, as sophomore forward Trevor Janicke scored a goal in the first five minutes of the game, marking his second of the season. Notre Dame then saw of their two shots bounce harmlessly off the post, and their early lead was nixed when Wisconsin scored by the end of the period, with Ty
Lynch Continued from page 16
streak, Notre Dame was one of four teams ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense and offense, and looked like a team that had all of the pieces — veteran leadership coupled with talented youth — necessary for a title run. With that being said, the season abruptly ended just days before the highly anticipated bout between No. 1 North Carolina and the No. 2 Irish, a game that would have proved to those still doubtful whether or not Notre Dame was a legitimate national title contender. Thus, the unfinished season left some unanswered questions of the Irish and their true potential. For answers, you need not look further than the team’s 2021 roster. This year, Notre Dame returned 11 of 12 starters from a season ago, and 21 total upperclassmen to go along with 12 new
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | The Observer
Pelton-Byce pushing the puck across the goal line during a power play. In the second period, after shutting down another power play on Wisconsin’s end, the team fell behind just after the Irish returned to full strength. The Badgers extended their lead to two points six minutes later, with Wisconsin’s Cole Caufield pocketing his nineteenth goal of the season. Even with Ellis’s attempt at leveling the score, the stats remained against Notre Dame. The third was a flurry of scoring both teams, starting with the Irish. Steeves quickly narrowed the gap with a successful shot during a power play seven minutes in, and a minute later Ellis’s pass to Theisen garnered a goal, tying the game again at 3-3. A quick succession of goals followed; Wisconsin fired back, putting them up once again, but Steeves responded again with
freshmen from the No. 5 ranked recruiting class in the nation. Yet, what’s most revealing about this team and their aspirations is the fact that seven of the 41 total players came back to play as graduate students. So, while they may not have convinced the larger landscape of women’s college lacrosse that they are for real, the Irish evidently have an unwavering belief in themselves that has persisted in spite of chaotic outside influences. This conviction is the reason why graduate student Samantha Lynch, the oldest player on Coach Halfpenny’s roster, came back for a sixth season in 2021. Lynch, a native of Huntington, N.Y., who committed to Notre Dame as a sophomore in high school, has been present for much of the growth of the program under Halfpenny. In Lynch’s freshman season, the Irish made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, the furthest in program history up until that point and since. Two
his second goal of the game. Notre Dame’s retook the lead 36 seconds later on another assist from Ellis, with sophomore forward Solag Bakich gaining the goal. Wisconsin pulled their goalkeeper in the final minutes, and the gambit paid off for them. Pelton-Byce shot the game-tying wrister with 27 seconds left in regulation, and the teams headed to overtime. Despite an early Irish power play, neither team scored in the extra 20 minutes and the game ended in a statistical tie at 5-5. In the shootout for conference standings, Ellis got the score in the second round, and with St. Cyr not letting a puck past him, the Irish got two Big Ten points. The Irish go back on the road next weekend for a pair of games against Michigan State, the start times of which have yet not been announced.
seasons later, Lynch got injured against Boston College in the first game of the season and missed her entire junior season. That year, in 2018, Notre Dame missed the tournament for the first and only time under Halfpenny. In effect, Lynch has been a part of some of the best and worst moments in Irish women’s lacrosse recent history. The 2018 injury is what prompted Lynch to take her fifth-year graduate season last season, but when the season got shut down a year ago, Lynch believed her time was up. “At first, I didn’t think I was going to make it back for another year, I just thought my time was up and maybe it was someone else’s turn,” she said. “But after talking to the coaching staff and a lot of the other girls on the team and hearing that they were hoping I was going to come back, they wanted me to be back and they really felt strongly about what the
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Swim&Dive Continued from page 16
out there was really impressive to me.” Laporte placed sixth with a time of 16:19.02 and Eyolfson’s placed eighth with a time of 16:28.80. Litzinger also had high praise for senior Kelly Straub and junior Luciana Thomas. “Kelly Straub was very impressive, finishing third, fourth and fifth and each of the disciplines and diving,” Litzinger said. “And then Luciana Thomas just keeps doing her thing, making the championship final in the 500 free and the 400 IM [and] the 200 butterfly.” Litzinger made sure to highlight the improvement he saw from Eyolfson. “She’s never made it to the ACC team before her junior year,” he said. “She spent two years working in the training pool trying to make the team. This year she got
team could do again this year, that kind of helped me make my decision. I’m really happy to be back for another year. I wouldn’t have thought about this three years ago, but everything happens for a reason, and I’m glad to be in the position I’m in.” The 2021 season is now officially underway, and in their seasonopening 19-5 victory over visiting Vanderbilt, Notre Dame looked more like a team in midseason form than one that hadn’t played a game in 11 months. Lynch was the player of the game for Notre Dame, netting five goals and dishing out two assists en route to ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors. It was the fourth five-plus goal performance of Lynch’s 110goal career over six seasons, and it highlighted exactly why Lynch’s teammates and coaches all wanted her back after last season. Seven total points also ties a career high. The Long Island native has been a part of six different Irish teams,
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her shot, and all of a sudden she’s scoring in three events at the ACC Championship and in the final for one of them so to me that’s really impressive.” Concluding, Litzinger talked about the NCAA tournament coming up in the next few weeks. The Irish will have five swimmers and two or three divers that will travel and compete at Greensboro. When asked about re-entering taper season and getting in the championship mindset, Litzinger elaborated on his plan. “There’s not a lot of magic in it,” he said. “It is kind of a reset, refocus and get back to your pacing and speed. I think we’ll handle that well. We usually swim, a little bit faster at the NCAA.” The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team will compete at the NCAA Championships March 17-20. Contact Sean Kelley at skelley5@nd.edu
but this one already stands alone for reasons beyond COVID-19. “This year you go into the locker room, and during the little time we can spend together in the locker room every day, there’s just energy just bouncing off the walls. The girls are so excited to go to practice every day,” Lynch said. “There’s just so much chemistry off the field between the freshmen who are 18 to our grad students who are 23 years old, and I think that’s a really great sign that our goal of winning the national championship this year definitely could be a reality if we just stay the path and take it one day at a time.” Lynch, who was a freshman when former three-time AllAmerican defender and threetime team captain Barbara Sullivan led Notre Dame to the Elite Eight as a graduate student, has tried to model her approach as a captain and veteran leader of the team after Sullivan, whom she describes as “one of the best leaders in the program that [she’s] ever seen or ever come across.” She may not be one of the seven Irish who were named Preseason All-Americans, or one of the five who were Preseason All-ACC selections, the Vanderbilt game shows Lynch is an integral part of the squad. Notre Dame is a team that in recent years has cultivated a winning culture on and off the field, an insatiable desire to be the best. Samantha Lynch has played an integral role in such development. This season will be Lynch’s last, regardless of the circumstances, as the two-time captain now looks forward to attending medical school next fall back where it all started: in Long Island. She remains hopeful about the possibility of lacrosse playing a role in her future beyond Notre Dame in terms of coaching or sports medicine, but, for now, she is most concerned with trying to win Notre Dame’s first ever women’s lacrosse national championship. Contact Grant DelVecchio at gdelvecc@nd.edu
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The observer | tuesday, february 23, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
hockey | wisconsin 4, nd 2; nd 5, wisconsin 5 (OT)
ND loses, ties against Wisconsin Observer Staff Report
This past weekend, the Notre Dame hockey team looked to avenge their season-opening sweep by Wisconsin, but the Irish (10-12-2, 8-10-2 Big Ten) left LaBahn Arena in Madison with a loss and a tie against the No. 5 Badgers (15-8-1, 13-6-1 Big Ten). Notre Dame started strong Friday, with junior forward Alex Steeves scoring a goal 31 seconds after the puck dropped to start the game. Junior forward Graham Slaggert and freshman forward Landon Slaggert both earned assists on the play, a puck that was deflected past Badgers graduate student goaltender Robbie Beydoun. The same cast of characters teamed up again eight minutes later as the Irish added to their lead. The elder Slaggert notched his sixth goal of the season, with Steeves and Landon Slaggert providing assists. The home team got on the board early in the second
nd men’s basketball | syracuse 75, nd 67
Irish collapse in second half versus Orange
period, however, and they evened the score at 2-2 midway through the period on a power play. This ended a perfect 18for-18 penalty-killing record while on the road for Notre Dame this season. The Irish outshot the Badgers 10-8 in the frame but were unable to find the back of the net. Linus Weissbach gave Wisconsin the lead eight minutes into the third, and Notre Dame was unable to convert on any of their looks, as they were held to seven shots while allowing twelve. Irish senior goaltender Dylan St. Cyr headed to the bench with 1:19 left in the game, but the extra man was not enough and the Badgers added an empty-net goal with 25 seconds left. The Irish battled to a tie in their second matchup of the weekend Saturday night, but they earned the extra Big Ten point for the team with a shootout win. After a rough first two periods, with only one Notre Dame goal being scored, see HOCKEY PAGE 15
By GREG McKENNA Sports Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 22.
Photo Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Irish graduate student forward Juwan Durham goes for a block during a 75-67 loss to Syracuse on Saturday at Purcell Pavilion.
Lynch’s leadership buoys Notre Dame’s title hopes
Squad places 5th in ACC tourney
By GRANT DelVECCHIO
By SEAN KELLEY
Sports Writer
Sports Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 22.
After a year of uncertainty, Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team put together an impressive finish at the ACC Championships, placing fifth. This was a season unlike any other for coach Mike Litzinger’s team, but one that this team took full advantage of as an opportunity to improve and swim fast. “This was a test meet for the NCAA Championships, which is going to be held in Greensboro in a couple of weeks, and it was successful,” Litzinger said. This year’s ACC Championship meet at Greensboro Aquatic Center looked radically different from years past. “There were no spectators,” Litzinger said of one major difference. “So we were all up in the stands in our own sections socially distanced, and our group tested three times while we were here.” With the irregular, also comes the regular for Litzinger’s team. After their arrival in Greensboro,
see LYNCH PAGE 15
see M BBALL PAGE 13
nd women’s swimming & Diving | ACC CHAMPionships
nd women’s lacrosse
“Last year was no one-hit wonder, nor will 2021 be. There’s been a lot of groundwork done for this team to be in the conversation of a national contender,” Notre Dame head women’s lacrosse coach Christine Halfpenny recently said in a preseason interview with U.S. Lacrosse Magazine. Halfpenny, now in her 10th season as head coach, believes Notre Dame is poised for a breakthrough and ready to compete for a national championship. That breakthrough nearly came in 2020, as prior to last season’s cancellation, the Irish held a unanimous No. 2 ranking after starting the season off 7-0 with wins against No. 3 Northwestern, No. 22 Duke and No. 18 Boston College. During the undefeated
Notre Dame blew a 20-point lead and the chance to climb back to .500, Saturday in a devastating 75-67 loss to Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. The Irish (9-11, 6-8 ACC) led 55-35 with just under 17 minutes to go, but the Orange (13-6, 7-5 ACC) stormed back midway through the second half behind a suffocating press and 20 second-half points from junior guard Buddy Boeheim to deny Notre Dame a third consecutive win at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse’s win was the first by the home team in the series since Notre Dame’s 84-66 victory in South Bend in 2017. Before Saturday, the away team had won the previous four matchups. After turning the ball over just twice in the first half, the
Photo Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Irish graduate student attacker Samantha Lynch, left, celebrates during Notre Dame’s 19-5 win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 13 at home.
much of the team was buzzing about one of Litzinger’s new team traditions. He explained that the team has “a WWE-style championship belt.” “Whoever sets a new Notre Dame record gets the belt for the evening and gets to sign their name, the date and the record that they broke on the back of it in a metallic marker,” Litzinger said. Litzinger was thrilled with the response to the belt and will continue this tradition for seasons to come. Continuing, Litzinger spoke about the standout events of the weekend. “I was really impressed with [juniors] Madeline LaPorte and Sammie Eyolfson’s 1650 freestyle,” he said. “That’s a grueling event. You have to train really hard for that event, and it’s on the last day of the meet, so you’ve already been through two and a half days of swimming before you get to it. So, for them to step up and you know really do a great job see SWIM&DIVE PAGE 15