Print Edition of The Observer for Thursday, September 21, 2017

OIT provides update on changes to Wi-Fi

By NATALIE WEBER

a ssociate news e ditor

Last spring, the office of i nformation Technologies ( oi T) announced that the University would change its main Wi-Fi network from “ndsecure” to “eduroam.” since the transition to the new network over the summer, oi T has encouraged students to switch to eduroam, in place of notre dame’s guest network, “nd-guest.”

“The change to use eduroam for secure wireless access has gone smoothly,” Katie rose, oi T’s senior director of user services, said in an email. “approximately half of the devices on campus use eduroam instead of nd-guest. The biggest challenges have been making sure people know to use eduroam and also making

sure that they know why they should.”

There were two secure Wi-Fi networks on campus last year — nd-secure and eduroam — in addition to nd-guest. switching over to just one secure and one guest network has improved WiFi service, rose said.

“The two secured networks actually caused some conflicts that degraded performance, and the oi T received a lot of feedback about wireless being slow,” she said. “since consolidating the secured networks to just eduroam, we have seen much more reliable performance and faster speeds, especially as you move from one space to another.”

students should switch over to eduroam rather continuing to use nd-guest in order to fully benefit from the University’s online resources,

rose explained.

“eduroam is a secure network, so your wireless traffic is encrypted to protect your information,” she said. “it also is treated like a trusted part of campus, so you can access more services from eduroam than you can from nd-guest.”

maintaining notre dame’s wireless networks is an continuous process, rose said, due to the widespread use of its Wi-Fi.

“We continually optimize the network — with so many people, so many buildings, so much on-going change, we monitor and adjust the wireless network often to make sure you have the best experience possible,” she said. “eduroam has all the same functionality that nd-secure did, but eduroam also offers you the ability to visit other schools that use eduroam and easily get on

their network too. nd-secure couldn’t do that.”

rose said the shift to the new network has been positive, though oi T faced some challenges during Welcome Weekend.

“so far, we are hearing the WiFi is better than last year,” rose said. “during move-in weekend we heard from are a few people who had some issues getting signed onto eduroam, and we continue to look at how to make the sign-on process better.”

rose encouraged students to reach out to oi T if they are facing issues with eduroam. she said the information gained from these interactions helps oi T improve service for everyone.

“i f anyone has any questions, please call our oi T help desk at 574-631-8111,” she said.

“There are lots of details our

team needs to gather to help learn how we can continue to improve your experience, so a phone call makes it easier to gather those details.”

i f students need oi T assistance in person or want to access other oi T resources, they can visit oi T’s office in 115 debartolo hall, rose said.

“This year, we consolidated all of the places you could go for different things in the oi T into one space — 115 debartolo,” she said. “now you can get help with i T and printing questions, get your computer repaired and checkout a/v equipment ... for your class work all in one location. We hope this will get you all of the technology help you need in a more convenient location.”

Contact Natalie Weber at nweber@nd.edu

Notre Dame trustee emeritus dies at age 88

Observer Staff Report

n otre d ame trustee emeritus r obert Wilmouth died s ept. 14 at the age of 88, the University announced in a press release Tuesday.

University President Fr. John Jenkins said in the press release that Wilmouth left a lasting impact on the n otre

d ame community throughout his time as a student, alumnus and member of the b oard of Trustees.

“ b ob served on our b oard of Trustees for more than 40 years, providing invaluable advice on many matters, but especially with respect to our financial foundation,” Jenkins said in the release.

“ h is friendship, generosity and love for n otre d ame will never be forgotten. o ur prayers are with his family and friends.”

a ccording to the release, Wilmouth received his undergraduate degree from the c ollege of the h oly c ross before obtaining a master’s degree from the University.

a fter his graduation, he spent 27 years in the banking industry, founded the n atural Futures a ssociation and funded the Wilmouth Library e ndowment at n otre d ame.

Wilmouth joined the b oard of Trustees in 1975, and he acted as the chairman of the University’s b adin Guild

Vets

con T in U ed F rom PaGe 1

even enough and we add a third court or we need as many locations as possible.

Last year one court was full all day. We want to get both filled completely.”

s ophomore c aroline r eidy, another student organizer, also recognized the importance of expanding the event.

“We’re definitely trying to increase the size and get the word out more,” r eidy said “Last year was the first tournament and was a test-run... so this year we’re trying to make it bigger.”

m cGuckin predicts that 30 teams will sign up and is hoping for $1,000 in proceeds. T-shirts represent the most revenue so far.

The annual event not only supports veterans’ causes, but also fosters community between c arroll and Lyons h alls.

from 1992 to 1999, the press release said. The University awarded Wilmouth an honorary degree in 1984, and each of his five children also graduated from n otre d ame. a visitation will take place Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at s mith- c orcoran Funeral h ome in Palatine, i llinois.

“This is a great opportunity for c arroll and Lyons to grow in a relationship as brother and sister dorm,” b ridgman said.

m cGuckin said the students of the two halls have been instrumental in creating this year’s event through promotion and working shifts. s ophomore Katie b rown has also been working in conjunction with b ridgman, r eidy, and m cGuckin.

“ i t’s a lot of getting the halls behind it. Lyons has been great in pushing this forward. They have all been really excited about shirts, giving input, and signing up to work dining hall shifts and shifts the day of. We have people working on posters and c arroll has been working on food,” m cGuckin said. “There’s a big dormfilled energy which has just been great.”

Contact Morgan Johnson at mjohns56@nd.edu

Notre Dame awards honorary monogram

Observer Staff Report

notre dame awarded an honorary monogram to former secretary of state and member of the class of 1975 condoleezza rice, the University announced in a press release monday.

according to the release, rice joined former President Gerald Ford and former President ronald reagan as an honorary monogram recipient in a “surprise ceremony” sept. 1. The ceremony took place

after rice spoke at the unveiling of University President emeritus Fr. Theodore hesburgh’s Forever stamp.

director of athletics Jack swarbrick presented rice with the monogram after she spoke with the notre dame women’s basketball team, which swarbrick said rice represents.

“This is a program that achieves at a very high level,” swarbrick said of the women’s basketball team in the press release. “They have an

important symbol of when they have success. When they succeed in the classroom and when they succeed athletically, there’s a very special and unique honor they earn that they want to share with you.

“You represent the philosophy of our coach and this program so well. You said once, ‘We have to move past the idea that women can become leaders to the expectation that they will be leaders.’ That is what this program is built on and that is what these young women

represent. They would officially like to make you a notre dame monogram winner.” according to the release, the notre dame monogram club only bestows honorary monograms upon those who “have demonstrated a commitment to the betterment of notre dame athletics and the development of Fighting irish student-athletes and graduates.” rice achieved this status by acting as a member of the notre dame board of Trustees from

1994 to 2001 before moving on to serve as national security advisor and then secretary of state for former President George W. bush, the press release said. she was the first african-american woman to hold this position.

in addition to her honorary monogram, the University presented rice with an honorary doctor of laws degree at the 1995 University commencement ceremony, for which she was the commencement speaker.

pronouns. as members received this action positively, hannigan and Lynn expressed hope that such openness will lead to more involvement.

“everything we’ve done in the past has been open to everyone,” said Lynn, while adding that the organization’s members need more support in the coming year. in the past, saGa’s active membership has remained at a relatively consistent size, so the officers hope for growth.

“What we’re trying to do this year is actually get more people involved with everything that we do,” Lynn said.

Lynn noted that the only saGa meeting so far this year boasted higher attendance than in the past.

“it was exciting,” hannigan said. “We were so happy.”

With the new year and new

La Fuerza

students,” martinez said. “he is a member of our community that i think really embodies celebrating hispanic culture and celebrating who you are as a hispanic person in the United states.”

in previous years, La Fuerza has put on several hispanic heritage month events. however, martinez said this year they put all of their energy into the Kick-off and celebration dinner.

“Last year we tried to do a lot, and our quality was not as great,” martinez said. “so then this year, we are definitely focusing on quality over quantity.”

martinez said this dinner is important to the club because it allows them to recognize their individual cultures and diversity.

“it’s just important to celebrate every culture that the United states embodies,” martinez said. “because, the United states was at one point a melting pot ... and i feel like now a lot of the cultures are not as identifiable. and i feel like it’s time that we start celebrating our histories, our ancestors, our cultures because that’s what makes us who we are.”

martinez said that she believes that the political climate — and specifically the debate surrounding daca — makes hispanic

members, the planning process for the year is underway. The organization wants to simultaneously foster a sense of community within the active membership as well as facilitate events for the wider campus community.

regarding events in the near future, Lynn said there are plans for events surrounding LGbTQ history week and national coming out day, both of which are in october — the month observed in the U.s. to commemorate the history of the LGbTQ rights and civil rights movements.

in addition to these, a mixer with Prismnd — notre dame’s LGbTQ and ally organization — is set to take place in early october.

“a lot of our events and meetings will be second semester … so we don’t have everything set in stone yet,” Lynn said.

Contact Sara Schlect at sschlect01@saintmarys.edu

heritage month even more important.

“in a way for me, it just makes me even more proud of who i am and where i come from and who my parents are,” martinez said.

“You see the daca students, they are struggling firsthand what my parents did, what other people’s grandparents did ... i think hispanic heritage month for them is a unifying feeling.”

hispanic heritage month also allows students to come together and see there are many others that share their cultural background, martinez said.

“You definitely appreciate hispanic heritage month because you realize it’s not ‘you’ anymore, it’s a lot of ‘you’s,’” martinez said.

martinez hopes that bringing hispanic heritage month will allow students to gain a better appreciation of the hispanic community.

“There’s so much more, even as a Latina person that i can learn, and i feel that definitely showcasing that to the students here and the community at saint mary’s is a way for them to appreciate it,” martinez said. “appreciating it and learning what makes us unique and what makes us different is a way of loving each other, and i feel like that’s something that our school definitely embodies.”

Contact Jordan Cockrum at jcockrum01@saintmarys.edu

wanted to go on,” Walker said. “one of our goals was to make the intellectual and academic engagement in the library more visible. We wanted to partner with other University groups to provide research and learning services in the hesburgh Library. We wanted to provide quality and study work space for a whole use of the library.”

That “whole use” of the library, she said, applies to students, faculty and the almost 200 people who work in the libraries across campus.

“We need to manage our effective growth,” Walker said. so far, the entrance and the first, second, fourth and tenth floors have undergone major renovations.

“What’s important to note

here … is how dark it [used to be],” Walker said. “a nd now you have windows looking out onto the courtyard.”

Jessica Kayongo, a sociology librarian, said the next phases of the project — the complete first and second floors — should be completed by spring or summer 2018.

“it’s all behind construction walls right now, and we’re sorry because we know that takes up study seats, but we think you’ll be pleased once we emerge from this project,” Kayongo said.

There are intentionally many windows in the space, Kayongo said, lending themselves to natural light and transparency.

“That’s a result of a lot of student feedback, saying there was not a lot of natural light in the library,” Kayongo said.

“a nd … the artificial light was just not good, so we want to

allow as much light to pass through as possible and make our activities as transparent as possible.”

additionally, there will be what is known as the “Grand reading room” in the location where the Fishbowl currently is by 2020.

“There are a lot of seats in this space, so it would sort of be your quiet, heads down study space,” Kayongo said. “it will be a two-leveled space with a connecting stairwell.”

Finally, there will be a museum-quality update to the special collections area.

“This houses some of our most rare materials, and what we need to do is showcase it a bit more,” Kayongo said. “We think this is a great way to do that.”

Contact Rachel O’Grady at rogrady@nd.edu

ADRIAN MARK LORE

Associate scene e ditor

What’s that band you wholeheartedly enjoy, wholeheartedly trust — yet which nobody else seems to notice? For me, that’s easily mount Kimbie.

I’d been converted many years ago, upon the release of “c old spring Fault Less Youth,” their 2013 sophomore full-length record; it was one of the first vinyl records I ever owned. still today, I return to that record frequently enough; it is dark, industrial fuzziness — like the factory floor rendered on 8mm film — but it’s my aural “happy place.”

You don’t have to love it. c ritics thought it was solid, if somewhat redundant; and they were basically right. To each their own.

s o, I was surprised when mount Kimbie zoomed back into my radar this fall with the release of “Love What survives,” their follow up to “c old spring.” The electronic duo’s return was something of an inevitability; but this time, critics are eating it up.

This strikes me as hopelessly ironic, because “Love What survives” is what I’d call “horizontal” mobility; less a leap than a stumble forward — if it’s a forward step at all.

o n the new record, the duo plays down the industrial aesthetic, though the sound is still as moody and fuzzy as the album sleeve. c onversely, there is a greater emphasis on vocals, with five collaborative tracks against the two on “c old spring;” notably, James blake makes an appearance twice, while frequent flyer King Krule (Archie marshall) returns on “blue Train Lines.”

Unfortunately, the new record demonstrates that

mount Kimbie is something of a “one-trick pony,” and suggests that the duo exhausted many of its ideas on “c old spring.” While the record’s moderate stylistic departures from mount Kimbie’s backlog are welladvised, they leave the duo grasping at straws that would keep the record together.

Guest vocalists don’t complement, but dominate their respective feature tracks. “You Look c ertain (I’m not s o sure)” centers around Andrea balency’s quite plain voice, and the production itself is nothing above basic. It’s not bad, but nothing that should bring the listener back by any means.

King Krule’s renewed inclusion was reason to be optimistic, as his two features on “c old spring” were easily among the record’s best tracks. but “blue Train Lines” is among marshall’s weakest performances, as he audibly overexerts his voice on the track, and mount Kimbie’s cookie-cutter production does nothing to redeem him.

The two James blake features, however, are particularly troubling. “We Go home Together” is a solid track, but reproduces blake’s trademarks — the sulky organ, the slow dub — so closely that the extent of mount Kimbie’s contribution is unclear, if not inaudible. And while “how We Got b y” does feel more like a collaboration, blake’s layered voice still carries the track; that’s a shame, because the duo’s own delightful vocals go disgracefully underused.

The record’s central problem becomes painfully acute when one listens closely to the duo’s solo instrumental tracks. “Audition” goes nowhere fast over the course of four forgettable minutes. And if you’ve ever read an essay only to realize that you’ve zoned out

through its entirety, then know that tracks like “sP12 beat” and even “delta” produce the musical equivalent of this effect. even the album opener, “Four Years and o ne day” — though a promising setup for the record — feels somehow incomplete, as though it ends before it begins.

There are two moments of redemption on the record: the beautiful “marilyn,” which features m icachu’s vocals, and solo track “T.A.m e d.” both feel like fully developed songs and uniquely demonstrate mount Kimbie’s soulful production style.

These, however, are the exception. In a stifling way, many of the tracks could be the worst track of an otherwise excellent record. There is a hint of greatness in each cut’s melange of various colorful concepts. but rather than painting a series of dynamic sonic portraits, mount Kimbie formulaically blends these dyes down to a dull gray smoothie instead.

Contact Adrian Mark Lore at mlore1@nd.edu

“Love What Survives”

Mount Kimbie

Label: Warp Records

Tracks: “T.A.M.E.D.,” “Marilyn”

If you like: “study music”

scene Writer

If Angus & Julia released anything on their new album “snow,” it was an identity crisis.

The newly released album, from the Australian sibling duo that created a lasting hit with their 2010 track “big Jet Plane,” has significantly less bright spots and “hits” than it was expected to have. The album cover is the first indication of this — a cutesy snapshot for the Instagram age — sharply contrasting both the more artistic vibe of Angus & Julia stone’s past albums and the moody tone of “snow’s” 12 unimpressing tracks.

The inspirations behind “snow” seem to cover a broad range — from country western, to the kitschy duo she & him, to the American ballads of bruce springsteen. In fact, the influence of springsteen feels so strong at points that during the intro to “Who do You Think You Are,” I briefly thought I had accidentally shuffled into the springsteen classic “I’m on Fire.” many of the songs feature a similar sounding slow burn drum line, which on individual songs is a pleasant sound but grows old very quickly when featured on each tune. In fact, one of the main weaknesses of “snow” is its steady tempo and unoriginality; without variation, the album feels like a long drawn out text book rather than the collection of meshing short stories it should be. This is what makes “chateau” stand out so definitively on the album – it is a bit more upbeat, less unapologetically melancholy and more innovative than the rest of the duo’s album.

From “my house Your house” to “sylvester stallone,” the songs on “snow” tend to gravitate towards repetitiveness. The Angus & Julia stone “song formula” that they use so frequently throughout the album involves a verse or two of genuinely interesting lyrics, followed by a very extended bridge that repeats with a soft ending, typically involving a jingling tambourine. Another formulaic element that persists in showing up throughout “snow” is the lyric “my house / Your house” (separate from the song of the same title). It is not abundantly clear what Angus & Julia stone are going for with that overdone riff other than to extrapolate on the idea of a relationship in crisis, but the seeming motif becomes distracting and non-complementary to the album’s other meaningful lyrics. The formula would work once, perhaps twice, but when it is the noticeable go-to lyric for nearly a third of the album, it begins to feel stale. Although shaped off the “snow” formula, “bloodhound” is a needle in the haystack — it works nicely with the formula and becomes a highlight of the album. Angus takes the reins on the ballad with Julia providing backup, and they strike a vocal balance and harmony that is desperately lacking on the rest of the album.

one of the biggest issues with Angus & Julia stone as a duet is the lack of cohesion between their voices. Angus’s casual, conversational tone sinks while Julia’s nasal falsetto floats; individually, they both have lovely voices, but together there is an audible tension between them that worms its way into the listener’s brain

and serves to irritate. I have to admit that I was looking forward to listening to “snow” while studying, but by the time I reached “sleep Alone” — less than halfway through the album — I turned on another playlist out of sheer frustration and distraction caused by it. Angus’s constant vocal drop-off made me linger on each lyric, attempting to decipher them, while Julia’s sharp sound made me lose my train of thought. I was unsure whether this pull of focus was a good or bad thing until a simon and Garfunkel song shuffled onto my spotify, and I seamlessly sunk into the harmonious sound as I smiled and zoned in on my work. In a sonic landscapewhereitisimportantforduostoblend—anddoso effortlessly – Angus & Julia stone don’t. They delivered an album where two voices were singing in conflict, not in harmony.

Contact Grace Weissend at gweissen@nd.edu

“Snow”

Angus & Julia Stone

Label: Capitol Records

Tracks: “Bloodhound”

If you like: The Paper Kites, Ben Howard, Boy & Bear

The transition to college life

Erin Grimes news Writer

c ollege is different than I thought it would be, which, of course, makes sense as I have never experienced anything similar to what college is: leaving home and moving somewhere new, college classes, becoming an “adult.”

Witnessing my older cousins going off to college, I had some idealized version of what college was going to be, a reality that does not exist, where nothing difficult ever happens.

When I entered high school, I got a little more realistic in my expectations for college was going to be like: a time of transition where hard things will happen but also a time where I would try to figure what I wanted to do with my life and who I wanted to be.

The past summer, I was in denial about going to college. I told myself (and others) that I was not terribly nervous, but inside I was. I am the type of person that hates change. And honestly, I have learned that most of the time the idea of change is scarier than the actual change itself. I was lucky enough to have a pretty great life before college, and I did not want that to change.

And here I am now, a month into being at s aint m ary’s. c ollege has been better than I thought it would be, which sounds a little sad now reflecting on it. b ut for me, it is totally true.

d on’t get me wrong, it’s still incredibly scary being on my own for the first time in my life. I miss my home; I miss my family and friends. I miss attending my sibling’s soccer games and laughing at my family’s jokes. I miss the safety net that is being under my parents’ roof.

Yet, college has also been incredibly freeing. I like setting my own schedule. I like taking classes that I am interested in. The separation from my family and friends has not been nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I miss my home, but I also like it here at s aint m ary’s. The positives of college life have far outweighed the negatives.

We are now a month into classes, which is both crazy and reasonable to me at the same time. It feels like I have been at s aint m ary’s for an eternity but also that move in day was yesterday. It is crazy to think that time has flown by this fast already, and this is just the beginning of freshman year. What college is to me will, I am sure, continue to change as I continue to develop and grow into the person I want to be, but for now I am looking forward to the rest the semester, year, and four years.

Contact Erin Grimes at egrimes@saintmarys.edu

The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Notre Dame dorm system: encouraging gender discrimination?

We know this might shock you, but we have a gender problem here at n otre d ame. This problem presents itself most apparently through the dorm system. Though the dorms do have many positive attributes and we both still have a lot of love for and loyalty to our dorms, we must not sit complacently by when we see how harmful the dorm system can be. To the n otre d ame student population, it’s no secret that policy enforcement in the dorms is highly gendered. After conducting focus groups and engaging with sects of student leadership, this should be no secret to the administration either. To his credit, Fr. Jenkins vaguely alluded to this issue in the email that was sent out, writing, “ o thers were put off by a lack of consistency in procedures and rules across residence halls.” h owever, this discussion demands a much finer edge than simply pointing out inconsistencies amongst the dorms. Acknowledging a problem does not fix that problem, though it is the first step.

After three years studying gender and inequality in all its forms (race, class, ability, sexual orientation, etc.) at this university, we are not in the mood to mince words and avoid stepping on toes. The dorm system, as it currently stands, actively supports, allows and encourages gender discrimination to occur on this campus. Let us count (some of) the ways.

First are those inconsistent rules that Fr. Jenkins mentioned, though this is far from the only problem here. s tudents report this, everyone understands it, yet nothing is done. s ocial gatherings and underage alcohol consumption is widely tolerated in men’s residence halls and more harshly punished in women’s residence halls. m any readers will understand this. m any may not. Ask your friends who live in women’s dorms what their experience has been with authority, and listen to the answer. Yet, students regularly point to how evening out the rules and procedures regarding drinking and parties would result in an overall greater enforcement of the rules instead of an overall relaxing — but why does this have to be the case?

When the people who live in female residence halls are not allowed to make the same decisions as those who live in male residence halls, when they are held to different expectations on the basis of their assigned sex, structures of inequality and discrimination are reproduced daily. It also allows male residence halls to become the only on-campus sites of social gatherings and alcohol consumption, creating an environment in which male residents control setting and access to alcohol, and female residents are left powerless over these aspects of a night out. Female residents depend on their male friends in order to drink — leading to a lack of control over what they drink and what goes into that drink. We hope it is not difficult to see how this power differential

increases the probability for sexual assault. It is correct to say that policy enforcement is inconsistent, but it is crucial that we note that this is an inconsistency based on gender.

s econdly, the dorm system makes n otre d ame a rigid, binary gender environment. b y designating residence halls as male and female, the University excludes individuals who may not find a home within this binary. Gender non-conforming individuals find themselves imprisoned by the dorm system; they are forced to choose male or female, yes or no, in a way that is incredibly detrimental to their self image, mental health and development as a human. Those who run n otre d ame want us all to grow while we are here. Yet, they only want us to grow in a way that is acceptable to them (and honestly, the c atholic c hurch, but that’s a whole other issue).

In this way, the dorm system is fueled by heteronormativity. The male-female distinctions in the dorms are based on the assumed heterosexuality of the hall’s residents, so LG b TQ or gender non-binary folks are excluded on the basis of sexual orientation as well as gender identity. These people have the same right as other students to feel at home in their dorm — their home on campus — yet they have to live within a system that doesn’t even consider LG b TQ identities as a possibility. Further, though the institution of parietals has the purpose of building community, the common perception is that it is to prevent students from having sex — a perception that assumes that anyone a student would be having sex with would be from the opposite end of the gender binary. This assumption is naive and dangerous. Thirdly, and finally, in regards to parietals, we want to ask you a question: why do we have to assign genders to our definition of community? Parietals are often defended by the argument that these rules build community. We’d like to hear the University’s operational definition of “community”; aren’t we all one n otre d ame community? Wouldn’t we have the same sense of belonging and loyalty to our dorm if, say, the person who lived below you had a different gender than you? Why are we confining our residence halls to exist only within the gender binary, and what do we really gain from that?

s o, yeah, we think the dorms encourage gender discrimination. And that’s just one of the many reasons the new requirement to live on campus for six semesters is irresponsible, dangerous and utterly goofy.

Hope for change at the University I love

Samuel Cho diversity c ouncil

o ver the weekend, I had the privilege to attend a certain conference thanks to the help of the o ffice of s tudent e nrichment and their assistance. The conference is called o ut 4 Undergrad ( o 4U) and they had conferences geared towards college students that identified as LG b TQ+ all across the country pertaining to different fields of occupation: business, marketing, engineering and technology. As a computer science and graphic design student, the choice was clear and I attended the o 4U Tech conference located at Twitter h Q in s an Francisco, c A. The weekend was sublime and quite magical, and that’s underselling it quite honestly. Although the conference consisted of over 300 individuals from all across the world and different backgrounds, for that weekend we shared a single community. This community consisted of queer students, mentors, recruiters, directors and organizers who were all ready to make a meaningful change in the diversity of the workforce within the tech industry. It was a weekend of affirmation and confirmation that emphasized no matter our differences, it was our similarities that united us all together. After a weekend of networking, building relationships,

bumping elbows, making lifelong friends and handing out countless resumes, I hopped on a plane at s F o with a dream and my cardigan — actually it was a turtleneck, but no one needs to tell m iley that. When I landed in s outh b end and came back to n otre d ame, I realized that weekend was behind me. The weekend of nonassuming genders, open inclusive spaces, genderneutral restrooms and just being surrounded by some of the most fun people you’ll ever meet was gone and became a memory on my camera roll. Instead, I came back to a school where I’ve personally witnessed people mock trans issues, belittle the significance of gender-neutral restrooms and never stop to think that there are more genders than the two that are restricted to our on-campus housing choices.

c ontrary to the perception of my many criticisms of n otre d ame, I actually do love this place. I wouldn’t criticize this university if I truly didn’t care to improve the climate for all students on this campus. I chose n otre d ame as a first-generation college student because I visited during s pring v isitation Weekend my senior year of high school and fell in love with a university. I saw Prism nd in its first year of existence and heard of the efforts of all those involved in the 9 to 5 movement and witnessed a passion that really changed the atmosphere for LG b TQ+ students at

n otre d ame. This glimmer called me to nd and welcomed me with open arms. h owever, as the years have gone by, that glimmer has faded, but my hope for this University has not. I still hold out for hope that one day a student from n otre d ame can attend a conference for LG b TQ+ students and leave the very same environment that they’d be coming back home to. b ecause at the end of the day, this campus is our home for four years. And much like any other home, the entirety of its inhabitants need to participate to help make every member feel welcome. Whether that is simply searching up terms, listening to stories of LG b TQ+ icons, or just generally doing research on unfamiliar topics, empathy is key and the start of a long journey n otre d ame has in creating an inclusive space for its LG b TQ+ students. b ut I have faith it’s possible and that faith won’t fade.

The Diversity Council of Notre Dame advocates for awareness, understanding, and acceptance on issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other intersectional identities in the Notre Dame community. The viewpoints expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Diversity Council, but are the individual opinions of the author. You can contact Diversity Council at diversnd@nd.edu

The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Why can’t we be friends?

couldn’t bring down a friendship, what could?

Lucy Collins

A broad Abroad

I am a firm believer in the idea that a deep friendship is quite possibly the most significant and beneficial relationship you can have with someone (arguably aside from marriage, but for some, perhaps even including this). nothing beats time spent with dear friends, whether it’s dancing at a bar, debating around a kitchen table or sitting on a couch together in complete silence. b eing that I am roughly 4,000 miles away from the majority of my friends right now, I have been reflecting on what exactly it is I miss about each of them, and, oddly enough, have been coming up blank. obviously I miss being around them, but why? What is it about those particular people that bring about such a strong connection to my heart? This lead me further down the rabbit hole of the philosophy of friendship, and I began to question why I am even friends with these people in the first place. It didn’t take much reflection to realize that I disagreed in a major way about something that’s supposed to be very important to a person, be it politics, religion or overall view of life, with each and every one of my best friends. If being on opposite front lines in the war on such hot-button issues such as faith, government and lifestyle choices

Let’s consider my core groups of friends from back home. For one of my groups, we appear to be made for each other. We are similar in just about everything, from the way we dress, the hobbies we pursue, and our hopes and dreams for the future. however, I tend to disagree with them about one or two minor details — the existence of God and the role government should play in the life of its citizens. s ee, three of my closest friends are atheists, and I consider myself to be a relatively devout c atholic. Perhaps you’re thinking, as long as you just shove that subject under a carpet, it could be possible to develop a friendship, albeit a shallow one. however, we are absolutely not known for keeping silent about issues. In fact, I’d say we spend more time arguing than we do just about anything else. Yet, if it came down to it, I’m confident we’d die for each other. If God or government can’t make or break a friendship, I’m curious as to what could.

To add even more complication to the matter, sometimes I question whether my closest friends from each of my different worlds would even get along with each other. b ased on some experience … I’m doubtful. The mere fact that I have two distinct groups of “best” friends back home that very rarely intermingle, may serve as proof that there are some differences that simply cannot be accounted for by

persistence and tolerance alone. If these groups, from almost identical backgrounds, struggle to find enough common ground to be friends, what would my liberal, atheistic friends think of my relatively conservative, c atholic best friends from notre dame?

Perhaps the key to a lasting friendship extends into a more idealistic ground — if you’re hopes and dreams for the future align, do politics really matter? d oes the existence of a higher being play much of a role in a friendship, as long as your values — love, kindness, loyalty, hard work — are all there, regardless of their inspiration? o r perhaps it’s as simple as being able to laugh and have a good time with someone that really clinches the deal. I’m going to be honest — I have absolutely no clue. These are merely the wonderings of a curious person, so if anyone has any input, I’d be glad to hear it. All I know is that I am extremely grateful for the friendships I have, at nd and beyond, and perhaps shouldn’t try to look too far into the matter.

Lucy Collins is majoring in economics and history, and continues to write despite knowing full well no one cares what she’s got to say. She can be reached at lcollin8@nd.edu

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

happy b irthday: A steady pace will take you where you want to go. r efuse to let exciting but unrealistic ideas or proposals cause you to veer in the wrong direction. having a sound vision will help you execute your plans flawlessly. This is not the year to deviate when you should be keeping your destination in sight and your motives clear. your numbers are 9, 12, 23, 27, 32, 38, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): you can’t force things if you want to avoid discord. Work toward the goals you know you can accomplish. d on’t waste your time trying to do the impossible. Positive transformation will lead to future prospects.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Work hard, play hard and enjoy the gift of life. o pportunity is within reach if you open your eyes and take advantage of what’s available. It’s up to you to make the changes necessary to live life your own way.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): look for opportunities that will encourage you to get ahead. form partnerships and try doing things differently and you will excel. Take care of any matters concerning institutions. Positive change, kindness and understanding will encourage happiness and satisfaction.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): s hare your thoughts and feelings with those you are closest to and you will find out where you stand and who is going to be by your side. honesty coupled with well-thought-out solutions will put you in a good position.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): d on’t let criticism slow you down. Instead, consider how you can use the information to benefit you. your ability to give others the benefit of the doubt and to find the positives in any situation will serve you well.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): g ather pertinent information and pick and choose what works best for you. If you are detailed in what you do, you will succeed in making a point that will reverberate with those you wish to influence.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): r efuse to let your emotions take over. If you don’t like what’s going on around you, find an alternative solution that makes sense and will help restore balance and equality between yourself and those you are dealing with.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): your emotions will catch you off guard. It’s ok to share what’s on your mind. The suggestions made will encourage you to make whatever changes are necessary to help release you from any negativity that’s holding you back.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A little ray of sunshine will go a long way. spread optimism and positive thoughts, but don’t lie or offer false hope. m aintaining balance and integrity in all that you do will help you build a good reputation.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take care of your personal business. d o what you can from home. b e cautious about sharing information with someone you know little about. unclutter your life. g et rid of items you no longer use or need.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you crave change, consider what will satisfy your desire and make it happen. Talking about what you want to do but not following through will leave you feeling dissatisfied. follow your heart and your dream until you reach your goal.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A little soul-searching will help you redirect your energy into something meaningful. b eing mindful of others will help you see your own situation with greater clarity. o ffer practical help and solutions to those facing challenges or loss.

Birthday Baby: you are practical, stubborn and intense. you are judicious and reassuring.

bears fans should expect to lose

I’d like to dedicate this column to my mom and my grandma.

They are wonderful people who have nurtured my love of sports and I can confidently say I wouldn’t be in the position I am without them.

b ut watching sports with my mom and grandma can be trying sometimes.

m y mother’s side of the family has been die-hard north c arolina fans for many years and since my time at notre d ame, they’ve extended that intense fandom to Irish sports as well.

And that intense fandom manifests itself in yelling. And shouting. At the players, at the announcers, but most commonly at the referees.

“Why isn’t that a foul? Why didn’t they call that? he can’t do that.”

It may seem like I’m singling out my family, but I’m sure there are people you know who are like this. The people you love dearly in so many aspects of life, who just making watching sports a … let’s say an experience.

For a long time I thought their yelling at the referees was annoying. The referees couldn’t hear them, and we often watched games on tape delay to fast forward through commercials, so the play in question was lost to the past.

b ut as the years have gone on, I began to realize that there was something behind that shouting. There was energy and passion certainly, but the reason for the shouting comes from seeing the sports world in black and white.

In sports, just like in life, there is an accepted set of rules. b oth teams and the audience knows how many players can be on the field, how much time is in the game and other basics. It’s black and white.

b ut it’s when the rules don’t cover a scenario, or when the rule governing a scenario is flawed or when the actual event is unclear, then the passions flare up.

It’s hard to assuage

someone who feels an injustice has been done. Take a basketball game. The refs call a block. b ut the matriarchs of my family see their team’s player stand still and try to take a charge. They don’t see the player’s arms come down and make contact on the block attempt. They also don’t see the ref struggling to get in position to see the play or understand that the block or charge call is inherently difficult to distinguish and that referees flat out mess up sometimes.

o nce an area of contention in our household, these situations — which I’m dubbing “grey areas” — actually give us some of the most memorable and enjoyable moments in sports. When there’s uncertainty — both on the small scale of one play and on the larger scale of sports debate and commentary — that’s when sports shine.

Going for it on fourth down, going to the bullpen with runners on the corners and two outs — those types of decisions add as much excitement to the game as a touchdown or home run. Those are the type of plays that give a game shape, that true fans of a team remember. For example, anyone can tell you the c ubs won the World s eries. b ut, a real c ubs fan, like my dad, will constantly complain about manager Joe m addon’s decision to pull Kyle hendricks in the fifth inning of Game 7 in favor of Jon Lester.

o n the larger scale, the buildup to a game is objectively more exciting if the outcome is uncertain.

Talk shows have more punch if there is validity to both sides of an argument. m aybe someone should tell that to s kip b ayless.

s o, along with so many other things, I’d like to thank my family for helping me realize that grey areas make sports great.

m aybe I’ll even join the shouting.

Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu

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

Brissett seeks second chance as quarterback

Associated Press

I nd IA n AP o LI s — Jacoby b rissett let s unday’s big mistake linger long enough.

From the moment he threw his first and last pass in overtime, all the Indianapolis c olts’ new starting quarterback wanted was a second chance.

s o after thinking long and hard about what he could have and should have done differently, the 24-year-old second-year pro intends to make amends this weekend against c leveland.

“You know it’s definitely one you wish you could have back,” he said Wednesday.

“ b ut you’ve got to watch the film, be a man about it because other guys are going to do the same thing, so you’ve just got to learn from it.”

b rissett has had an intriguing education.

h e started college at Florida before finishing at n orth c arolina s tate. h e was mentored by b ill Parcells and b ill b elichick, tutored by

Tom b rady and will become Andrew Luck’s understudy whenever Indy’s franchise quarterback returns from offseason shoulder surgery.

Until then, b rissett will stick to the best advice he’s ever gotten.

“ n ever let a game beat you twice,” he said.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for two winless teams.

s ince the playoffs expanded to 12 in 1990, only three have made the postseason after starting 0-3. The last time it happened was 1998.

Indy (0-2) has only opened one season since 1999 with three consecutive losses: 2011 when Peyton m anning missed the entire season as he recovered from multiple neck surgeries. The c olts actually lost their first 13 that year before winning two of their last three and eventually selecting Luck at n o. 1 overall.

The fear around town before b rissett took over was that it could happen all over

again.

Luck has not practiced since having surgery on his throwing shoulder in January, though he was activated from the physically unable to perform list on s ept. 2 — the same day general manager c hris b allard acquired b rissett in a trade from n ew e ngland.

And while Pagano already has ruled out Luck for the third straight game, there is no timetable for his return to practice.

“You know as much as we know, as God is my witness,” coach c huck Pagano said, giving his latest update on Luck. “We listen to our doctors and trainers. I hate to sound like a broken record, but that’s what we do.”

The only other healthy quarterback on the active roster is veteran backup s cott Tolzien, who was benched after throwing two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns in a 46-9 season-opening loss to the r ams.

Weaver powers Cardinals to victory against Reds

Associated Press

c I nc I nn ATI — d exter

Fowler homered for the third straight game while m att c arpenter and Paul d eJong also homered as the s t. Louis c ardinals gained ground in their n ational League playoff push with a 9-2 win over the c incinnati r eds on Wednesday night.

Tommy Pham finished with two doubles, a single and two rb Is and Yadier m olina added a two-run double as the third-place c ardinals (79-72) gained a game on c olorado in the wild-card race.

r ookie right-hander Luke Weaver retired 10 straight batters in one stretch on the way to his seventh straight winning start, the major leagues’ longest active streak and the longest by a

c ardinals pitcher this season. The 24-year-old rookie allowed five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts in five inning.

Weaver (7-1) has fanned seven or more batters in each of his last seven starts.

r elievers Zach d uke, s eung h wan o h, s andy Alcantara and s am Tuivailala teamed up to retire the final 12 r eds batters.

c arpenter led off the game with his 21st homer. Fowler followed Pham’s rb I double in the third with a two-run shot into the right field seats. It was his career-high 18th homer of the season.

d eJong added his teamhigh 24th, the c ardinals’ second set of back-to-back homers in two nights.

The r eds broke up Weaver’s shutout bid with a two-run fifth. Patrick

Kivlehan’s drove in Jose Peraza from first with a double and scored on Jesse Winker’s single.

r ookie d avis (1-3) gave up all three homers and five runs on five hits with three strikeouts in three innings.

trai N er ’ s room c ardinals: c arpenter returned to the starting lineup on Wednesday after not starting Tuesday because of bursitis in his right shoulder that has plagued him for much of the season.

r eds: c F b illy h amilton was activated from the 10day disabled list (fractured left thumb), but he most likely will be limited to pinch-running and defense for at least a couple of days until he proves he can handle a bat without aggravating the injury.

Football

con T inued from page 12

teams that we’re probably not going to be able to hear too well. but other than that, you just wait for the silent count, wait for the calls to come in as best as they can, and other than that, you’ve just got to go play football.”

a lthough the captains said the preparation will stay the exact same no matter the opponent, they are aware that the m ichigan state-notre dame rivalry provides a little extra motivation going into the game.

“i think all the big rivalry games and the trophy games that we have are so important to our tradition and

what notre dame is and who those other programs are,”

mc glinchey said. “Like i said, as an offensive lineman, i love playing against m ichigan state. i love the kind of game that it is. it’s always the toughest game — one of the toughest games, one of the biggest fist fights that you’re going to have to be in just because of the way they play and who they are as a team. You know, it’s just something that you don’t like to see fade away. You want that kind of a game and that kind of an atmosphere and that kind of a tension to continue. it’s good for the programs. it’s good for the sport. it’s just good for you as a player individually, to get to be able to have these kinds of experiences.”

Tranquill echoed mc glinchey, saying he enjoys the physical nature of the rivalry.

“i mean, i’ve enjoyed playing m ichigan state in the time i’ve been here. it’s a great rivalry, a great game. i know guys enjoy it,” Tranquill said. “i think they’re just a tough, physical football team. it’s what you come here to do. They’re a perennial big power-5 school, and to have the opportunity to play them, just a great coach, a great program, it’s always a great game, and so we always look forward to playing teams of that caliber, and we’ll look forward to the rest of the season the rest of our career.”

Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu

W s occer

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come in more than just one way.

“i think we focused on our attack a lot in the offseason and it also helps that we’ve returned some players we didn’t have last year such as natalie Jacobs as well as sabrina and monica flores. Jennifer Westendorf has also gained a lot of valuable experience and is now a sophomore, and sandra Yu up front has been tremendous,” said romagnolo. “it’s been spread out scoring with a lot of players that can be dangerous which is good because it makes us hard to stop.”

The team sits at 5-2-2 on the season, and with just one game under their belt in conference play, the irish will certainly be looking for a repeat of last year’s regular season performance which ended in a conference championship. meanwhile, duke will not be an easy task as they sit at 8-1 on the season. romagnolo, however, feels that her team has put in strong preparation as acc play gets underway.

“i think our non-conference schedule was great and prepared us with tough opponents,” romagnolo said. “Those types of games prepare us for what we will see, so you look at clemson who is ranked high and we saw that game as a great team effort. We’re still getting people back and gaining chemistry, and it’s starting to click.”

a fter winning their game

m tennis

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f riday. o n s aturday, the doubles team of sophomore m att g amble and junior a lex Lebedev recorded two doubles wins (6-1, 7-6(7-5)), while m c c ormick recorded a singles victory (3-6, 6-4, 6-4). o n s unday, m c c ormick recorded two singles wins (6-2, 6-2, 10-5) to advance to the semifinal round before falling 10-7.

“ i t was a really good weekend for us,” s achire said.

“ b oth events were very strong and we competed against a lot of really good players and our guys played hard and played well. i t was definitely a good start to the year and we’re looking forward to building upon that as the fall goes on.”

When asked which of his players impressed him with their performance over the weekend, s achire pointed to Lebedev and some of the freshman on this year’s team.

“a lex Lebedev had a great tournament out in n apa valley,” s achire said. “ h e had an awesome summer and then really carried that same level of play and momentum into last week and did an unbelievable job

against clemson on the road in south carolina, a note which makes the win all the more impressive, notre dame will now have three straight matchups at home as duke, nc state, and Wake forest all make the trip into south bend over the next week. This marks a key point in the season where the team can seek to take advantage of the string of home contests in the early part of acc play. While romagnolo recognizes this, she also sees the importance in her team not getting ahead of themselves and just taking it one game at a time.

“We are just trying to get better at who we are. We always talk about an opponent but the focus is on what we do. We want to improve our team defense and be organized, continue to have good habits around the goal and have a strong competitive mentality to get it done.” said romagnolo. “if you look at our opponents, you can’t even look beyond the next game because they are all individual battles. otherwise, it gets too overwhelming. The goal is to be prepared and put on a good performance in our next game.”

Thursday’s matchup will be the first time the two schools have played each other since 2015, and the first time notre dame has played in alumni stadium in eighteen days. The team is encouraging the irish faithful to wear white, and additionally the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a “White-out duke” t-shirt. Kick-off is at 7:00.

Contact Alex Bender at abender@nd.edu

playing against some really good competition. The next group of guys to single out would probably be our three freshman that played last weekend: r ichard c iamarra, William h owells and Tristian m c c ormick. a ll three of those guys had big wins and really impressed not only with their play, but also how they competed and how their presence out there that whole weekend.”

s achire said that his team will look to improve their doubles play as well as some individual facets of his players’ games.

“We’ve got to get a lot better in doubles,” s achire said. “ o ur doubles results were not very good. i ’m not totally alarmed by that but it is definitely something we have to focus on and get better at. f rom a singles perspective, individual aspects of each guys game, but we talked a lot last year about serve and return of tennis is so important. We want to really make big strides in those areas and focus on our doubles here in the next couple of weeks.”

The c rimson Tide 4- i nThe- f all tournament begins f riday with competition going through s unday.

Contact Michael Ivey at mivey@hcc-nd.edu

FOOtbaLL

Irish look to redeem 2016 loss to Spartans

By MAREK MAZUREK Assistant managing e ditor

The last time notre dame and michigan state faced off, it didn’t go so well for the Irish.

Last year, the spartans (2-0) claimed a 36-28 victory at notre dame stadium, as a potential game-ending drive from deshone Kizer and the Irish offense fell short.

A year later, the Irish (2-1) travel to east Lansing, michigan, with redemption on their minds.

“Yeah, we have a point to prove,” captain and senior linebacker Greer martini said Wednesday. “obviously we didn’t like the outcome from last year, but it’s just all about taking each day at a time and getting prepared for this game, giving them our best performance on saturday night.”

Fellow senior captain and linebacker drue Tranquill said he had a tough time in last year’s game and hopes to rectify that this year.

“I mean, it was one of my worst games in my career, I think, and so I have a bigger chip and mentality going into this game,” Tranquill said. “I was very disappointed with the way I played against them last year and disappointed at the

way we played against them as a team. but we can’t control that. We can control what happens this saturday, though. We can control our preparation heading in. so our focus isn’t so much on the outcome of last year’s game as it is controlling what we can control heading into this game.”

however, no one on the current Irish roster has played a game in spartan stadium — the last time the Irish traveled to east Lansing was in 2012. despite a lack of familiarity with the stadium, graduate student left tackle mike mcGlinchey said notre dame has played in enough big games to be ready for the road atmosphere it will face.

“We’ve played places like there — it’s not like we haven’t played in loud stadiums or haven’t been to a loud stadium before,” mcGlinchey said. “I’ve been to the big house, doak campbell down at Florida state and clemson, and I played in that game, so I’ve got experience playing in a crowd like that, and we’re working on it. We’ve been working on it since camp started. We knew we were going to have to go on the road and play some

see FooTbALL paGe 11

Offense hopes to continue hot streak against Duke

By ALEX BENDER sports Writer

This Thursday, notre dame Women’s soccer will have itself a tough test as no. 4 duke comes into town for a showdown at Alumni stadium. For the Irish, this will be their second game in Acc play thus far as they are coming off an impressive 4-2 victory over no. 11 c lemson this past saturday. notre dame led for the majority of the game putting together a tremendous showing on the offensive side of the ball which has been the team’s calling card this year. In fact, the team has now put together four games of four goals just nine games into the season, three of which have come in their last four contests. That puts the team just six goals away from tying its season total from last year, certainly showing how their identity has changed since 2016. For head coach Theresa romagnolo, the best part of this offensive explosion has been that it has

men’s tennis

nd prepares for tournament play

By MICHAEL IVEY sports Writer

n otre d ame is set to start its second weekend of play during the fall season when it travels to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to compete in the c rimson Tide 4-In-The-Fall tournament at the University of Alabama Tennis s tadium.

n otre d ame head coach r yan s achire said his players will face some tough competition this weekend against teams from the sec , A cc and b ig Ten.

“We’re taking four guys down to Alabama,” s achire said. “Alabama will obviously be there as well as Florida s tate, o klahoma, Illinois, r ice, m emphis and m ississippi s tate.”

Last weekend, Irish tennis players competed at both the c howder Fest Tournament in c ambridge, m assachusetts, and the n apa valley c lassic in n apa valley, c alifornia.

At c howder Fest, freshman r ichard c iamarra and sophomore Jonathan s mall

recorded singles wins Friday. o n s aturday, s mall (4-6, 7-5, 6-0), freshman William h owells (3-6, 6-3, 6-3) and senior d rew d awson (67, 6-3, 6-4) each recorded comeback wins after dropping the first sets of their matches. o n s unday, s mall won his match in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. h owells dropped the first set of his match 6-1 before rebounding to win the final two sets 6-4, 6-3. s enior b rendon Kempin won his match in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, while junior d aniel r ayl won the last two sets of his match 7-5, 10-8 after dropping his first match 6-4. s ophomore c onor s omers defeated his opponent 7-5, 6-3. The doubles team of h owells/ c iamarra recorded an 8-4 win during the weekend.

At n apa valley, sophomore Guillermo c abrera (5-7, 6-3, 6-4) and freshman Tristian m c c ormick (7-6(7-4), 6-3) recorded singles wins on