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W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2 , 2 0 1 6
Examining diversity on campus Exploring Race at UVM Part Two Page 6-7
Senior Court Stanley holds a sign at the Nov. 13 rally in support for the protesters at the University of Missouri outside of the Bailey/Howe Library.
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UVM, S. Burlington to consider a new arena BY john riedel jpriedel@uvm.edu
UVM and the city of South Burlington are looking into the possibility of making a multi-purpose recreational facility South Burlington City Manager Kevin Dorn said no decision has been made to build the center and the city is only looking into the possibility of building it. “[UVM and South Burlington] will be looking at the feasibility together,” Dorn said. He started looking at the possibility of building a recreational center for the public in September, he said. “This really is just a feasibility study,” Dorn said. “A lot of the programming studies have been done.” The arena would address the needs of student-athletes and seat around 5,000 people, he said. Dorn brought the idea to UVM’s attention in late fall 2015, said Thomas Gustafson, vice president of University relations and administration. “The idea that South Burlington approached us with was
‘Would you be interested in exploring having your intercollegiate athletic program... play in an arena in our new downtown that hasn’t been built yet,” Gustafson said. UVM is willing to explore the idea, he said. “They don’t even own the site that they are proposing to put it on,” Gustafson said. “So it’s got a lot of moving parts that we’re barely scratching the surface on.” UVM would not own any part of the arena and would be a tenant, he said. The city would pay for most of the project and the rest may come from donors, Gustafson said. “If it was named the Catamount Center it would mean we failed getting a corporate sponsor,” he said. Gustafson and other UVM officials will be looking into the probability of the arena with the city, he said. “I really don’t know where this is going at this point,” he said. “Let’s just say we’re cautiously optimistic something will happen but nothing might happen.” South Burlington has been
trying to gather support for the idea, Gustafson said. “They’re making it sound pretty real and it’s not real,” he said. “It’s just an idea.” One way in which the arena will benefit students, if built, will be its proximity to campus, Robert Corran, director of UVM athletics said. “It gives us a new competition site for men’s and women’s
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON
hockey and men’s and women’s basketball,” Corran said. The athletic department will have more space for campus recreation if hockey and basketball have their competition site at the arena, he said. “It doesn’t give us new facilities but it gives us space to develop facilities,” Corran said. Existing facilities would be renovated for campus recre-
ation, he said. “It does have that sort of domino effect by taking some of the pressures off of existing facilities with competition,” Corran said. This plan would be an alternative option to the campus recreation center, he said. The campus recreation center project is still in its funding stages, Gustafson said.
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THE VERMONT CYNIC
NEWS
W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2, 2016
UVM ROTC ranked in top eight By alexandra shannon amshanno@uvm.edu
UVM’s senior Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps recently received the 2016 MacArthur Award. The MacArthur Award was awarded to eight schools nationwide. There are 275 ROTC programs in the country, which are broken into eight brigades, Battalion Commander senior Julie Silverberg said. The top school was picked within each brigade. UVM was selected over 42 other schools. The winners are selected by the U.S. Army Cadet Command and the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Foundation, according to a May 2015 U.S. Army article. UVM is ranked second among the eight schools that have earned this award. The award distinguishes programs for their achievements in their mission, cadets’ performance, National Order of Merit List and cadet retention rate, according to UVM ROTC’s website. The ROTC program at UVM prepares cadets to become good officers after graduation and tries to incorporate the three principles of honor, duty and
patriotism into their training, Silverberg said. “We focus on those three things to help all of our cadets become the best officers that they can be,” she said. The UVM ROTC program started in 1916, according to their website. Upon graduation each cadet will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. On top of being full-time students, cadets also complete physical training, field training and leadership labs, according to the website. Lt. Col. Timothy Knoth, professor of military studies, said the award is based on academic, military and physical performance. “It’s nice to be recognized regionally by our brigade commander as the program that most emulates that of the 42,” Knoth said. “To have the objective scores behind it just means that people are working and are focused and helping each other.” Senior Fred Torde said the character of Green Mountain Battalion played a major role in being chosen for the award. “We strive to be better in every aspect, physical training, the
ROTC cadets during field training at Fort Ethan Allen in Jericho, Vt. Sept. 26. UVM’s ROTC was ranked No. 8 in the country among mid-sized schools. OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic military labs, as a person and community outreach,” Torde said. The program has a culture that challenges cadets to recognize what they do well and how they can improve, Silverberg said. “I think it speaks to all of the cadets here trying to better themselves which leads to the betterment of the organization,” she said.
L/L to have new programs by michelle phillips mphill15@uvm.edu
Dozens of students gathered in the Fireplace Lounge in Living/Learning Feb. 24 for this year’s program fair. L/L program members and spread the word about the various communities students can apply to live with next year. “The focus of the Living/ Learning Center are the 40 academic programs, each of which is a year-long plan of coursework, independent study, seminars, field trips and other special activities which support a specific program theme,” according to UVM’s L/L Information guide. Students live together in a suite and learn about a specific theme that corresponds to the program they live in, according to the guide. There are several new programs this year in the Arts Initiative, Global Village and Living/Learning Communities.
Executive
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Kearns editorinchief@vtcynic.com MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Morgan newsroom@vtcynic.com
Students display their pottery skills during the L/L program fair Feb. 24. The fair introduced new housing programs for next semester. SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cynic
New as of the 2015-2016 academic year are the Freestyle Ski, Ecological Art, Animal Welfare and Ecology as well as World Music houses. The Global Village will be adding India House. Also new this year are the Hiking and Climbing houses. For academic year 20162017, first-years Maddy Hoy
and Michaela McDonough are starting a UVM Moth: Storytelling House. The program is based on The Moth Radio Hour, which is a weekly podcast based in New York City. The community will focus on the craft of story construction and presentation, according to the L/L website.
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THE VERMONT CYNIC
NEWS
Transgender clinic to open by caroline alkire calkire@uvm.edu
The UVM Medical Center is planning to start a new clinic to help transgender children and teens. As part of the UVM Children’s Specialty Center, the clinic will be a collection of doctors, social workers, coordinators, mental health providers and fertility specialists to provide support for transgender youth, associate pediatric professor Martina Drawdy said. Drawdy and others involved with the program are currently working with the Medical Center and Children’s Hospital along with other organizations devoted to transgender research and treatment in children for funding, Drawdy said. Funding is primarily needed to pay new doctors, specialists and social workers, she said. “Funding is not as simple as it sounds; the ideal world and real world are different,” Drawdy said. “Even just getting a social worker or coordinator is complicated; we have to find funding and go through a lot of steps to make this happen.” Once they’ve gotten funding, Drawdy said she hopes the clinic can open within the next six months to a year from now. The children who will benefit from the clinic are those who
feel the genitalia they were born with does not correctly identify their sex, Drawdy said. The psychological support the clinic will provide is key for these patients to explore what gender they feel they are, she said. The confusion surrounding one’s identity as a young child can be unhealthy, making therapy an important part of treating adolescents who identify as transgender, Drawdy said. Drawdy’s role in the program will be helping kids who haven’t reached the age of puberty so they do not continue to develop towards the gender they don’t identify with, she said. “I start with the pubertal blockage to prevent these changes, and then later on we can give them growth sex hormones so they can start developing secondary sexual characteristics of the gender they identify with,” she said. Kids who have already started puberty or passed puberty can still benefit, Drawdy said. “There are kids who are full grown in puberty who still can benefit from the pubertal blockage even if they are in puberty just to put them in the limbo stage,” she said. Senior Krista Cantrell said she supports the opening of a transgender clinic near UVM. “I hope that UVM under-
by john riedel JPriedel@uvm.edu
The College of Arts and Sciences has selected a new dean. Dr. William Falls has been selected as the official dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. His term will begin March 1, according to a Feb. 24 press release. Falls was chosen from a pool of more than 100 applicants. “He joined the University of Vermont Faculty in 1998 and was appointed to full professor in 2010,” the press release stated. Falls was appointed interim dean July 15. He served nine years as the chair of the department of psychological science, the press release stated. The press release thanked the faculty members who served on the search committee. “As evidenced by his service as department chair and interim dean, and confirmed by the na-
tional search, [Falls] is a highly-productive and well-respected educator and scholar,” the press release stated. The former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Antonio Cepeda-Benito resigned last spring after three years in the position, according to a Feb. 17 2015 Cynic article. Cepeda-Benito credited his leave to a desire to change roles and responsibilities, according to the article. Falls said he believes the arts and sciences are vital to the strength of higher education, according to an Oct. 20 Cynic article. The search for a new dean included both recruitment and appointment processes directed by a committee that is selected by University President Thomas Sullivan, according to the article.
SGA Updates amshanno@uvm.edu
Recognition of College Diabetes Network A bill recognizing the UVM College Diabetes Network was passed. The College Diabetes Network is a nationwide nonprofit organization that works to empower and improve the lives of students affected by diabetes through peer support and access to information and resources, according to their mission statement.
FEB. 19 TO FEB. 27
CRIMELog by luke mcgreivy lmcgreiv@uvm.edu
The UVM Medical Center is pictured Feb. 27. The hospital is opening a clinic specifically for transgender youth. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The
Vermont Cynic
stands how beneficial this will be to a lot of people, and that the clinic gets the funding they need to make a difference,” Cantrell said. This new clinic will benefit people who are coming out at
staff report
New dean appointed for Arts and Sciences
F E B . 23
by alexandra shannon
a young age, said Becky Swem, the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the LGBTQA Center. Swem said she believes many people from around the state will come to the clinic.
Marijuana legalization bill passes the Vermont Senate
William Falls, the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is pictured during an interview Nov. 15. SARAH OLSEN/The Vermont
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W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2, 2016
Vermont is one step closer to legalizing recreational marijuana. The Vermont State Senate voted 17 to 12 to pass the measure Feb. 18. It will now head to the Vermont House of Representatives. If the bill passes the House, it would then go to Gov. Peter Shumlin for approval. The bill would make it legal for Vermonters ages 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, and non-residents up to a quarter of an ounce. The law does not permit the sale of edibles. “I think [marijuana] should be legalized. It causes a lot of unneeded arrests and is just as detrimental or less than alcohol is,” sophomore Sumner Lebaron-Brien said. Sophomore Senou Lynn also supports the bill being passed. “This law will provide an opportunity for new markets, and an economic boost for Vermont and small businesses,” Lynn said. Not every student is convinced that marijuana legalization in Vermont is a good path. Sophomore Elena McWright said she has concerns about the effects legalization could have on Vermont’s children. “I think legalizing could make marijuana use more attractive to kids,” McWright said. Pro and anti-legalization lobbyists debated the issue at UVM Feb. 22. “The bill is a disaster. It
threatens the very fabric of Vermont,” said Kevin Ellis, the lobbyist for anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana-Vermont. Members of SAM-VT are concerned about the health impacts of long-term pot smoking and see no reason to make it legal, Ellis said. Marijuana is a public health risk that will damage society, he said. “The war on drugs has been an utter, abysmal failure,” Bill Lofy, who represents the pro-legalization Vermont Cannabis Collaborative, said. Marijuana is already highly accessible here, and it should be regulated to make it safer, Lofy said. The state could tax marijuana and use the money for education and drug treatment, both for marijuana and other drugs like heroin, which is a serious statewide health issue, he said. UVM could also benefit financially by developing new technologies like roadside marijuana intoxication tests and selling them to the state, as Washington State University has done, Lofy said. The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee Feb. 22, and the full Senate voted Wednesday and Thursday. This story was reported in collaboration with the CDAE195, Media-Action-Policy statehouse coverage team, on-line at statehouse.vtcynic.com.
FEB. 19 11:53 P.M. Police received a report of a man exhibiting odd behavior. Police made contact and secured him. FEB. 21 12:10 P.M. An intoxicated male was found in an person’s room. He left upon request. Referred to school’s judicial system. FEB. 22 5:39 A.M. Police received a report of man driving on the sidewalk outside of the Billings Library. He was gone when police arrived. FEB. 22 8:06 A.M. A person had a seizure on campus. UVM Rescue arrived and transported the individual to the UVM Medical Center. FEB. 22 3:17 P.M. Police received a report of a stolen bike at the Redstone Lofts. The bike has not yet been recovered. FEB. 22 7:13 P.M. UVM Rescue transported an individual to the medical center due to a possible elbow dislocation. FEB. 22 10:27 P.M. Students tried setting up a tent on the University Green with no permit. Officers arrived and asked the students to leave.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
S TA F F E D I T O R I A L
The marijuana bill passed in Vermont T he Vermont State Senate made history Feb. 24 by becoming the second legislative body to legalize the sale and possession of marijuana, and the first to do so without the use of a referendum. This isn’t the end of the fight, however. The measure will now head to the House, and supporters will be fighting an uphill battle to get it passed. In truth, there is no practical reason to ban recreational marijuana. Gov. Peter Shumlin summed up the current legal situation by calling it a “failed policy of prohibition,” Feb. 24. He’s right about that. Marijuana has lost its dangerous veneer. Nearly 80,000 Vermonters admit to using marijuana on a monthly basis, according to a Feb. 24 Vermont Public Radio article. The state could tax marijuana and use the money for education and drug treatment, both for marijuana and other drugs like heroin. This could potentially help solve a statewide opiate issue. UVM could also benefit financially by developing new technologies like roadside marijuana intoxication tests and selling them to the state, as Washington State University has done, Bill Lofy, who
represents the pro-legalization group Vermont Cannabis Collaborative, said. Legislative analysts estimate that the 25 percent tax on retail marijuana sales will generate as much as $20 million annually, according to the VPR article.
stone this year to be a direct result of “responsible” 21 year olds. Truth be told UVM likely partakes in marijuana usage just as much as any other university, however we are still recognized as groovy UV.
With the legalization of marijuana comes a new standard for acceptable social behavior.
If the bill passes, possession of amounts of marijuana greater than one ounce would remain a criminal offense. Legalizing marijuana would not only bring more revenue into the state, but eliminate costs associated with arrests from the possession of small amounts of the substance. Additionally, there is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana leads to a substantial increase in its use. In fact, college students might find the drug to be less desirable as it will seem less mischievous. Making the legal age for marijuana use 21 will not eliminate underage usage. For example, look at 4/20 here at UVM. You can’t expect that cloud of smoke on Red-
That said, with the legalization of marijuana comes a new standard for acceptable social behavior.
Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the Vermont Cynic. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. Please send letters to opinion@vtcynic.com.
Illustration by ALYSSA HANDELMAN
Catching a ride on the educational terror bus Daltrey Burris DBURRIS@UVM.EDU
N
o mom, please, you can’t make me go! I won’t do it,” Arnold screamed. The two had been arguing for the entire duration of the twelve minute drive to school. Despite his protests, Arnold’s exasperated mother, Jane, grabbed his arms and began unwedging his squirming body from the seat. “You have to go to school Arnold,” Jane strained out between grunts. “Everyone does things they don’t want to. Do you think I like going to my job at the glue factory every day? I have to shoot the horses myself!” “No,” Arnold sighed reluctantly, “but you don’t know what it’s like here. Last week we literally flew into an active volcano, and a week before that everyone got shrunk down and drove inside our sick classmate’s body. I can’t believe anyone’s parents are signing permission slips for this!” “Kids have such an imagination,” Jane thought, as she finally ripped her son out of the vehicle and sped off, leaving him to cough on the exhaust. “Well here goes another day,” Arnold muttered to himself. Arnold walked slowly to the
Illustration by ELISE MITCHELL
school bus; it was field trip day. As he embarked, he was greeted by the horrible grins of his classmates and teacher, Ms. Frizzle. “Good morning Arnold,” they all droned in cold unison. Liz, the pet chameleon, was coiled around his teacher’s neck as always. It licked its chops and darted its eyes around menacingly. “Hey guys,” Arnold mumbled quietly, and slunk into his assigned seat—number fourteen, left side. The interior of the bus was stained with chemicals and smelled of ash and blood from past excursions. It made him
sick to his stomach, which was unfortunate, since it reminded him of when everyone actually flew into his digestive track without permission. As he put his head on the cold glass window, Arnold wondered if the bus had its own internal organs hidden somewhere below the cheap pleather seat coverings, as it was in fact, alive. The bus had eyes that rolled lazily around in their sockets and it could mimic facial expressions through the bending of its front fender. Perhaps the bus was possessed through some hellish
magic, and a demonic influence activated its whirling machinations instead of living flesh. Regardless, Arnold stomped his foot and hoped the bus felt pain, just in case it was the latter. The monster was also fully cognizant, showcased by how it responded to human speech with a variation of honks and beeps; its language was rudimentary, but still better than the average school bus. It was controlled by Ms. Frizzle, who was also the designated bus driver on field trips for unknown reasons. Maybe the school district was facing budget cuts and couldn’t afford
another driver. It didn’t really matter, but it always made Arnold uncomfortable. Suddenly, the engine growled and the bus began to move. “Seatbelts everyone!” chirped Ms. Frizzle, and the class joyfully snapped in. “Now we’re going to a very special place today class and I think all of you are going to just love it, even you Arnold.” Arnold’s eyes widened in excitement—maybe they were finally going to get to do what all the other classes did on trips, like visit a local prison or tour a waste-treatment facility. “Ms… Ms. Frizzle, a-are we going to go on a normal field trip today?” he wavered out. The entire bus erupted with laughter and pointed fingers mockingly at his direction. “What a loser,” someone sneered; “I wish we left you in the volcano,” another yelled; “A normal field trip? With the Frizz, no way,” shouted everyone else. They said that every damn time. “You’ll see when we get there Arnold. You’ll see,” Ms. Frizzle quipped ominously, as the ground swallowed them up.
Daltrey Burris is a senior psychology major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.
THE VERMONT CYNIC
OPINION
Don’t shame women voting for men Madison Heughins
MHEUGHIN@UVM.EDU
M
any people have told me that wanting to vote for Bernie Sanders is just a phase. They cite different reasons: I’m a college student, I’m young, I live in Vermont. But the reason that makes me the angriest is the one I hear most often: I’m a woman. I identify as a feminist and want to see all genders treated equally. Ever since I was little, Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright were some of my biggest heroes. I remember reading children’s books on them and their importance. I thought they were awesome people fighting for my beliefs. Unfortunately, I can no longer say that. Both bashed other women for not supporting Hillary Clinton. Albright introduced Clinton at a Feb. 6 rally in New Hampshire and shamed women who aren’t planning on voting for her. “We can tell our story of how we climbed the ladder, and a lot of you younger women think it’s done,” Albright said of the larger fight for women’s equality. “It’s not done. There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.” This is offensive to any woman not planning to vote for Clinton. Just because some of us don’t think Clinton would be the best candidate for the White
Illustration by RYAN THORNTON
House, we deserve to go to hell because we didn’t support a fellow woman in her fight to get to the top. To me, that seems pretty unfeminist. Feminism is working toward all genders being treated equally, so we should choose our candidate without regard to their gender. If anyone discounted Clinton as a presidential candidate because of her gender, I would tell that person how wrong they are, and that we need to look for a candidate who is right for the country, regardless of gender. Then, to add insult to injury, Steinem spoke to Bill Maher
on his HBO show Feb. 5 about women planning to vote for Sanders. ‘“When you’re young, you’re thinking: ‘Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie,’” Steinem said. Realizing that this was potentially offensive, Maher recoiled. “Now if I said that, ‘They’re for Bernie because that’s where the boys are,’ you’d swat me,” he said. But Steinem laughed it off, replying, “How well do you know me?” I don’t know any men who base their romantic choices on political affiliation.
I go around saying I support Sanders to men, waiting for an “I do, too!” just to forget all about my support for Bernie to fall in love with them. Secondly, I don’t see where feminism comes in here. Is she saying that all women are just chasing after a man to settle down with, which, by the way, is one of the things she fought against 50 years ago? She did issue a retraction, but it felt empty, short and inauthentic. You can’t just take statements like that back after the fact. She’s setting women back to the time feminists like her had to fight for people to stop thinking about women just being there to serve men. Do these women really want people voting for candidates based on their sex? There is so much more to a candidate than that, like their policies toward women’s rights and immigration, cost of education and the cycle of poverty. Steinem and Albright were invaluable during their time, and we are all lucky that they were around and led the feminist movement. However, maybe they don’t have a place in politics today. They don’t understand that right now, we need a president that makes America better for women, rather than just putting one woman in a position of power. Madison Heughins is a first year neuroscience major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
Follow your passion & Teach For America Sydney Triola
STRIOLA@UVM.EDU
W
ith graduation right around the corner, I have been reflecting a lot on the beginning of my time at UVM. I giggle when I think of how I imagined my life would be at the beginning of my first year. I thought it was very important to have the right bedsheets because I anticipated my new college friends would see them and know I was really cool. I also planned out every class I would take over the next four years, knew where I would get my master’s in art therapy and figured I would graduate college with a 4.0 GPA just like I did in high school. It only took one class, “Why Build That?,” to completely destroy my plan and make me fall in love with a new one. Before anyone gets too excited, let me explain: I fell in love with art history. I started using my homework readings as a study break from the psychology classes that were supposed to have my heart. For the first time, I realized that sometimes, planning brings me more of a sense of security than happiness. While my plans do keep me grounded, some of
the best moments of my life occurred when I allowed a little room for spontaneity. Let’s not get crazy — I haven’t thrown out my color-coded planners or joined a Spice Girls cover band. I was surprised when I received a call last summer from Teach For America, a prestigious alternative teaching certification program, I decided to let the recruitment manager tell me about this opportunity.
still did not hold the weight of interacting with the same kids every day and knowing that I had the potential to make or break their future. But when Dan, the recruiter, shared his experience teaching English to fourth graders in Houston, it reminded me of the English teacher that had saved my life in the eighth grade. My teacher saw me in a way that no one else had. After my
I wanted to have options after graduation, so Teach For America was already included amung the programs I hoped to apply to before the school year ever started. I wanted to have options after graduation, so Teach For America was already included among programs I hoped to apply to before the school year ever started. But to be perfectly honest, I never thought I was special enough to be a teacher. Formal classroom teachers have the power to affect hundreds of kids every single day. And, I had spent the last four years falling in love with art history. I planned to look for Museum Education positions in the tri-state area. I felt this type of position was a good compromise. While education was one of the greatest gifts I felt I had received, working in a museum
dad had died that year I felt so helpless. That year I ate lunch in her room every single day. It was the first time since he died that I actually felt like someone genuinely cared. She made me realize that the same things that made life seem unbearable were also the sources of my resilience. She made me feel as if my feelings and experiences mattered. Dan also made me realize that my leadership skills lent themselves well to becoming a person like my English teacher. Dan was looking for leaders capable of listening, learning quickly and building relationships. I’d done a lot of that during my time in under-
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grad and I could apply it all to a classroom. Teaching is certainly an immensely difficult job, particularly when serving students who face the challenges of poverty. But I know that my life has been profoundly changed by the teachers I have had, and I could not be the person I am today without them. I hope that their wisdom will stick with me over the next two years as I work in New York City teaching English special education. I never really noticed the leadership skills, ability to build relationships and passion for equity that I and so many others have honed in college as a path to the teaching. But using those skills I hope to challenge myself, learn and grow tremendously and make sure kids get the education they deserve is actually the best path I could imagine. So if you or someone you know is filled with heart, drive, dedication and a desire to advocate for justice, consider Teach For America. Teaching may not have been a part of your plan when you first got to UVM, but sometimes you discover the best things when you steer off course. Sydney Triola is a senior art history major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
Letter to the editor
Let students draw their own conclusions on controversies
D
ear Editor,
People make “hard to believe” and/or false statements all the time. When an email was sent to UVM students suggesting an Auschwitz crematorium was a hoax, the response from the UVM vice provost for student affairs was a statement that any communication that falsely proclaims inaccurate historical events has no place at UVM. A more purposeful response could have come from the president of UVM stating that there are many objectives of a university education, foremost of which is students must develop the ability to think for themselves, and to intelligently evaluate statements by anyone that appear incompatible with historical realities. Lies and deception are an unfortunate reality of life in modern society, and it is essential for students to acquire the ability to separate truth from fiction. In response to new developments in the classroom learning environment on campuses, the American Association of University Professors recently warned: “The presumption that students need to be protected rather than challenged in a classroom is at once infantilizing and anti-intellectual.” The same perspective applies to unsolicited emails containing false revisionist theories of history.
Sincerely, Gerry Silverstein, PhD Emeritus Lecturer-UVM
CORRECTIONS In a Feb. 24 article titled “Kake Walk” John Maley was incorrectly identified as being a member of Delta Psi. He is a member of Gamma Psi. We are committed to accuracy in all of our work. If for some reason there is an error, please email us at corrections@vtcynic. com.
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ENTERPRISE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
Exploring Race a
‘White people have
Students of color and the administration share their perspective on where UVM’s racial climate is at now
I
remember being in the Davis Center and just seeing a sea of whiteness and just getting dirty looks as if I wasn’t supposed to be there,” Joe Oteng ‘15 said. Oteng said he experienced some form of racial discrimination on a daily basis while at UVM. “If it wasn’t a microaggression it was something deeply impactful,” he said. “It was something I dealt with all the time.” Annie Stevens, vice provost for student affairs, said the microaggressions that occur include non-inclusive jokes, people questioning why students of color are even at UVM and if they are only here because of affirmative action. Nick Negrete, associate dean of students for retention, co-created the bias response program to address the different thresholds for every incident of this nature, such as bias, discrimination and harassment, he said. Every bias incident is not a hate crime, but every hate crime has bias intent, he said. “I think white people have a lot of work to do,” Stevens said. A group of first-year students once walked past Oteng’s room during the first week of school shouting racial slurs, making him feel unsafe, he said. “I think that good experience was darkened by all the things I dealt with,” he said. “If you asked someone how my college experience was they would say it looked great, but I was wrestling with a lot of things internally…having to constantly defend myself against racial discrimination.” Oteng said he spent a lot of time speaking with President Tom Sullivan about UVM’s racial climate and how to improve diversity education in the program. He said the staff and faculty at UVM were some of the most amazing people he’s ever known. The University currently requires all students to take two diversity courses, often called D1 and D2’s, which institutionalized the University’s commitment to provide a more diverse education at UVM, Stevens said. Following unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, the UVM community came together in solidarity to talk about the incident, Oteng said. “I remember getting up to talk and people breaking down crying,” he said. After the gathering, Sullivan invited students of color to his house to discuss what needed to be done about racial issues at UVM, Oteng said. Though students may not notice it, there’s a plaque at the entrance of the Bailey/Howe Library recognizing those who contributed to the construction of the Guy Bailey Library in 1969, which was rebuilt as Bailey/Howe in 1980. Among those listed are the Kake Walk Disbursement Committees of 1964 and 1965. The plaque seemed to be placed there “sneakily,” sophomore Bri Ball said. “[If] you have a powerful position at the school and you are aware of the past history and you are trying to build diversity on campus,” she said, “that’s something you should have thought about when putting that there.” Former SGA President Aya AL-Namee ‘15 said she first saw the Kake Walk footage her junior year. “I remember just sitting there and tears pouring down my face,” AL-Namee said. “How can a place that I love and respect so much have such a strong tradition that is hurting a lot of people and so underlying that no one can even pick up on it, and yet affects and hurts a lot of people on campus, including myself.” “Many people still don’t want to admit that the Kake Walk was a highly racially discriminatory event and the impact that it had on
campus that has an imprint on UVM today,” she said. The ALANA community provides students of color with the opportunity to recognize instances of racial discrimination that aren’t necessarily overt, Ball said. “It’s hard to know when someone is being discriminatory towards you unless someone calls them out for it,” she said, “or unless we have all these safe spaces where we have to go and talk.” Junior Ivonne Headley, a member of the Black Student Union, said despite UVM’s diversity, she feels very connected with the community. The Black Student Union is one organization doing just that, community events held throughout the year, Rob Parris, BSU presi-
“
AL-Namee moved to the U.S. from Iraq in 2008, and said as a woman of color, she had a bumpy start at UVM, but was able to navigate around the institution better after making connections with others on campus. She said she always felt like the token person in the class where the professor looked at her, expecting an answer on questions of race. Senior Court Stanley has gone through extensive training for her leadership roles on campus, she said. Through her roles as a student-leader at UVM she has learned how to walk a line between being patient and accepting of everyone’s level of understanding of social justice issues, including race, and not allowing people to “walk over you and others,” she said. “I have been trained to think about how my
I think my good experience was darkened by all the things I dealt with.
dent said. A lot of what BSU does revolves around members sharing their individual stories, he said. “We had two people at least come up and speak about who they are and who they are in the context of UVM,” Parris said. Ball said she is happy the recently elected student trustee on the board of trustees, Soraiya Thura, is a person of color. Thura said she appreciates the welcoming environment at UVM and the strong emphasis among different offices to enforce diversity in the curriculum. “The students are progressive,” Thura said, “but there might be some cultural microaggressions if there isn’t a strong diverse campus environment.”
JOSEPH OTENG CLASS OF 2015 [social] identities impact the situations I am in, and how I can handle the situation,” she said. According to a Campus Climate Survey Report from 2011, one-third of faculty and onefourth of staff and students have experienced discrimination, and two-thirds of faculty and half of staff and students have experienced bias. Non-white students are twice as likely to have experienced discrimination than white students, and 50 percent as likely to have experienced bias, according to the report. “The toughest aspect I dealt with was just talking to students and being real with them about the climate on campus,” Oteng said. “Those who are involved in social justice are an exception maybe, but some other students could care less about your racial background.”
at UVM : Part Two
THE VERMONT CYNIC
ENTERPRISE
W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2, 2016
a lot of work to do’
w, while members of Greek life talk about what they’ve done in social justice training since the Kake Walk.
MOLLY O’SHEA/The Vermont Cynic
SARAH OLSEN/The Vermont Cynic
OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic
Greek’s Diversity training
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hi Gamma Delta never wore blackface during the Kake Walk. The University chapter of Phi Gamma Delta was not founded until 1969 and only competed in the final Kake Walk, wearing white face to protest the racism inherent in the event, Jeff Blais ‘71 said. “Since our foundation [Phi Gamma Delta have] been leaders on that front,” sophomore August Siebs, president of the Interfraternity Council, said. In fall of 1969, Phi Gamma Delta released a statement to the Burlington Free Press stating they would not be participating in Kake Walk that year because “it is a degrading activity not fit for any winter weekend or celebration, particularly at this period in our nation’s history.” “We’ve never been a part of [discrimination]; we refuse to participate in it,” said junior Ian Ball, a member of Phi Gamma Delta. Though the Kake Walk ended in 1969, many people felt the University did not do enough to eliminate discrimination from its grounds, said Annie Stevens, vice provost of student affairs. Past UVM students agreed. This resulted first in a 1988 student takeover of the Waterman Building for five days, until then-President Lattie Coor signed the so-called “Waterman Agreement,” which was intended to bring in more culturally diverse faculty and students, according to a University web page on UVM’s history of diversity. Over the next three years, Coor resigned, and his successor President George Davis refused the agreement, leading to a second Waterman takeover in 1991, this one lasting on 22 days. On May 10, 1991, two days prior to the removal of the occupiers, supporters of the protesters constructed a collection of tents on the Waterman Green and called the makeshift community “Diversity University.”
From left to right: Students marching for Mizzou at the Nov. 13 rally. Sophomore Bri Ball stands next to a plaque commemorating that Kake Walk finances helped build the Bailey/Howe Library. A phrase written on a chalk board at the Franklin County Senior Center in St. Albans, Vt. following a Feb. 27 march. Diversity University aimed to provide alternate coursework to make up for UVM’s lack of cultural diversity. Panhellenic President senior Jenna Nash said the Panhellenic Council and the Interfraternity Council hold a new member orientation twice per year, and one part of the program focuses on the history of Greek life at UVM, usually with outside speakers. “Last semester, Pat Brown was actually nice enough to do that for us,” Nash said. “And Kake Walk was mentioned and briefly kind of discussed as to what it was, but unfortunately due to time constraints and programming, we didn’t have time to dive any deeper.” “So I would say the majority of our members have at least heard of what Kake Walk is and have some awareness of it,” she said. However, senior Caitlin Lynch, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, said Kake Walk is not something they are intentionally taught about. “It’s something that we just learn about through the grapevine of because we see old pictures or whatever it may be,” Lynch said. “It is not something that we are formally taught and given exposure to.” “We have a history section at our new member orientation and it is mentioned; however, due to time at that event, it is not only about the Kake Walk,” Kimberlee Monteaux De Freitas, assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said. “Typically other offices offer programs and many of our students attend.” Siebs said it’s “amazing” to learn the fraternities’ histories and where the founding brothers stood on it. “It’s amazing how so many years ago, this school let [Kake Walk] happen,” Ball said. Monteaux De Freitas said she even teaches a Greek leadership class and two weeks of it are spent discussing the Kake Walk. Joe Oteng ‘15 said the class Monteaux De Freitas teaches touches upon the history of the Kake Walk. Nash said fraternities and sororities can de-
cide what their chapter’s needs are at the time and schedule diversity training accordingly. Most do it at least two to three times per semester, she said. “It sort of depends on the chapter,” Monteaux De Freitas said. It also varies depending on what people feel they need to achieve that semester or year, Nash said. Last year, the Phi Mu Delta fraternity did a program relating to diversity, social justice or multicultural confidence roughly once per month, but other Greek chapters may not do it as frequently, Monteaux De Freitas said. This was because they were just an “active chapter” in philanthropy and social justice training, Nash said. There is also a social justice retreat for chapter leaders every year, called CLIMB, according to their website. During these two nights they cover gender and other social issues in small groups. “Unfortunately, we are only there for a weekend, so we can’t cover everything,” Monteaux De Freitas said. UVM’s Greek community was awarded the Diversity and Social Justice Initiative Award from the Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors in 2009 and 2012, in part because of their CLIMB retreat.
Read more at enterprise.vtcynic.com. This is the second part of a three-part series regarding the past, present and future of UVM’s racial climate. Reporting by: Bryan O’Keefe. Additional Reporting by: Kelsey Neubauer, Craig Pelsor, Cole Wangsness, Meghan Ingraham and Ryan Thornton. Enterprise Editor: Sarah Olsen. Also coming out online is the history of UVM’s racial climate from after the Kake Walk to now.
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LIFE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 , 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
Hypocrisy among youth vote BEX ADAMS RLADAMS@UVM.EDU
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ollege students love to root for candidates, plaster bumper stickers on their laptops and bash whichever candidate they deem most likely to cause the world to end, but registering to vote and voting are getting more rare in our generation. I bought a shirt with Bernie Sanders’ face on it before I had even registered to vote. Lots of people talk the talk, but how many people walk the walk to city hall? The presidential election is by far the most talked about election, but people forget the significance of making decisions at the local level. In fact, my vote could hold more value and power within smaller local elections than when determining the next president. My vote matters on a national scale, but locally I can see visible changes in the context of a smaller community. Our generation needs to learn to embrace our role as community members, rather than disconnected college students. Millennials’ growing use of social media for political participation is changing candidates’ campaign tactics and expanding the context in which political
SARAH HEFT
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conversations happen. Social media seems to be an up and coming political platform that has already proven to have a huge impact on elections. It’s already influencing the national election by serving as an outlet for voters to express their opinions, communicate with candidates and facilitate informal conversations between candidates. While social media may be changing the political process, it may however, also be leading to a drop in millennial voters.
Between 1978 and 2014, voters between the ages of 18 and 24 dropped from 25 to 17 percent, according to Harvard’s Institute of Politics. Millennials may not be voting because they feel social media platforms suffice a familiar and quick way to share opinions. “People feel like they have more of a voice when they are on social media because their friends can see it and they have that instant gratification,” junior Megan Proulx said. Social media seems to be the
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MO QUIGG
new voting ballot for younger generations. These resources have allowed this demographic to participate in a way they are familiar with. However, this isn’t reflected in voter participation. The signs are clear: our nation’s voting system needs to take new and innovative approaches in order to engage Bex Adams is a junior gender, sexuality and women’s studies major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
Ben & Jerry’s widens milk horizons CLEOW@UVM.EDU
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ermont’s ice cream icons, Ben and Jerry, want everyone to be able to enjoy their delicious ice cream flavors. After much prompting from fans and months of development, Ben & Jerry’s has finally revealed the highly anticipated dairy-free ice cream pints for consumers who are vegan or can’t tolerate dairy. I did a thorough taste test of these four new almond milk based flavors:
CHUNKY MONKEY
I had the original version of this flavor a long time ago, and thought this version tasted exactly the same. There were plenty of large chocolate chunks and walnuts as well as a smooth banana taste. I’m not the biggest fan of banana in desserts, but the texture and distribution of chunks won me over.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE
This flavor was very chocolatey but had a slight chalkiness. The chewy brownie swirls were definitely the best part. I’d eat the brownies on their own. This flavor wasn’t as sweet as the other ones, which I liked, but was still rich.
Women are inspired by the bralette SHEFT@UVM.EDU
CHRIS' CRITIQUE
Chris Leow
THE DAPPER VAGINA
COFFEE CARAMEL FUDGE
This one was way too sweet for me. The flavor is pretty much identical to a caramel frappuccino at Starbucks. The base had a nice coffee flavor but the chocolate chunks were a little too hard and the caramel ribbons were too sugary. This one definitely had a weird almond milk aftertaste and seemed more crumbly than the others.
P.B. & COOKIES
Cookies and peanut butter are a combination that’s hard to beat in my book. This was definitely my favorite flavor out of the four. The Oreo-like cookies had a nice crunch and the peanut butter swirls brought in a saltysweet element. This one had the most swirls and chunks, and can definitely compete with any of Ben & Jerry’s conventional flavors. These four new flavors are sure to appease both hardcore ice cream lovers and those averse to dairy. While certainly not the first dairy-free dessert on the market, Ben & Jerry’s puts out some competitive entries, and more companies are sure to follow suit in the near future. Chris Leow is a senior medical laboratory science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BEX ADAMS
remember my first bra. My mother came home from work and said she had a surprise for me. I started to feel butterflies in my stomach. I knew what it was. She had finally caved and bought me the new Pixter Plus art pack. She brought me up to my room and boy, was I disappointed when she pulled out what seemed to be a hacked up cotton tank top. “I picked these up for you to try out now that you are developing,” she said. I was heartbroken, not because I was leaving my childhood behind and entering the world of hypersexualization, but because I had really thought she had come through on the Pixter Plus art pack. Fast forward to today, and I am beyond the small cotton bras. I am a full-fledged member of the titty committee. Until recently, I could be found scouring the Victoria’s Secret semi-annual sale looking for my next bra. The push-up bra, the next device aimed to find the perfect amount of cleavage on even the slightest of chests. Insta-tits. This push-up bra, stuffed with so much padding, gel, and support, that it looks like a pair of boobs by itself. Well I, as well as the rest of the female population, have started to throw out my boob pillows. The newest bra trend is the bralette. Bralettes, usually made from lace, are unlined bras with no padding or underwire. No more artillery shells causing boob sweat, and no more razor sharp underwire poking you. The way I see it, the bralette is simply a way women are taking back the bra. Bras that have enough cushioning to break a fall, multiple straps, itchy lace and even bells are not made for women. Those over-the-shoulderboulder-holders are made for the visual gaze of men. At the end of the day, who suffers from these uncomfortable contraptions? Women do. Bralettes are the compromise between going commando and wearing a full-fledged “tit shelf.” Finally, something that is comfortable and sexy, but more importantly, something that questions our notion of the ideal female body. Women are realizing they don’t have to push their boobs up to their throat to fit into what society deems “sexy.”
Sarah Heft is a sophomore gender, sexuality, and women’s studies major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
ARTS
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
Instrumental band preps for Nectar’s By Adam mitrani amitrani@uvm.edu
Instrumental rock fusion group Tauk will be performing at Higher Ground March 2. Guitarist and alumnus Matt Jalbert said he, bassist Charlie Dolan and pianist Alric “AC” Carter became friends in middle school, and have been playing music together ever since. “We’ve always had some sort of band in the works,” Jalbert said, but the band officially formed just over four years ago, with the addition of drummer Isaac Teel, who Dolan and Carter met while attending New York University. Tauk has a wide range of musical influences. Jalbert cites Nirvana, Sublime, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd as some of his personal influences, but said each member brings different sounds to the table. Teel grew up playing in churches, which he said inspired both his personal sound and the band’s. However, the band does not draw inspiration solely from music, Jalbert said. “Everything is influenced by everything,” he said. “Reading a good book or seeing an awesome movie – all that stuff kind of melts together and inspires you to create your own thing. If you’re watching a good movie and a song comes on at the right time, that can inspire
Instrumental rock-fusion quartet Tauk performs a set. The band is currently on tour for their 2015 album, “Headroom.”
OF MASON JAR MEDIA
a melody.” The members of Tauk have taken up certain activities they enjoy on the road. “We are always looking for the best food around,” Jalbert said. “Eating is a big project for us.” In addition to sampling local food and watching “Rick and Morty,” Jalbert said the band enjoys playing sports.
“Basketball is something we take quite seriously,” he said. “We have an open challenge out to any fans who want to play against us.” They are currently touring as the opening act for prog-rock band Umphrey’s McGee. While every band they open for teaches them something new, Jalbert said Radiohead
and Phish are two bands he would love to open for. Tauk is currently working on their third studio album. “We are mixing [the album] right now, so it’s getting closer to being done,” Jalbert said. “Definitely very pumped about it.” The album does not yet have a release date.
PHOTO COURTESY
Jalbert said he hopes that he and the rest of the band will continue to grow as individuals and as a group in the coming years. However, they don’t want to force anything, he said. The goal now is to continue making good music and playing killer shows.
Kanye disappoints listeners with most recent release Izzy Schechter
The Life of Pablo
ISCHECHT@UVM. EDU
K
anye West has a reputation of being ridiculous and over-the-top, and his newest release “The Life of Pablo” has everyone’s knickers in a twist. The album provoked reactions from many college students before they had even listened to it, as it’s not available on conventional media platforms such as iTunes, Spotify or Soundcloud. Instead, “The Life of Pablo” is available through Tidal, a lesser-known music streaming service owned by Jay-Z. Tidal has been rejected by college students and notable artists like Mumford and Sons and Lily Allen, according to Billboard. The steep $20 monthly price tag is one reason to turn the other cheek, since there are countless means of free streaming. However, this album puts Kanye fans in a unique position: either pay for Tidal, miss out on the album or download it illegally. You can probably guess what option most college students pick. First-year Cassie Szogas said she feels this puts listeners in a tough position.
“I don’t necessarily want to illegally download the album,” Szogas said. “But if we’re being realistic here, there’s no way I’m paying the fee, so I’m really left with no choice if I want to get a hold of this album but to pirate it somehow.” Aside from difficulty acquiring the album, fans have expressed strong opinions about West’s artistry and production. First-year Sam Hedlund said he is conflicted by the lack of connection between the music and the lyrics. The production of the album is “absolutely beautiful,” Hedlund said, but soiled by the fact “Kanye shits all over it with his lyrics,” obstructing his ability to fully appreciate the work. “There’s a disconnect between the beauty of the music and the aggressiveness and abrasiveness of his lyrics,” he said. “All he talks about is violent sex.” In a review for Pitchfork, senior editor Jayson Greene agreed the album was lacking in craftsmanship. “There’s something distinctly preoccupied about this whole project — it feels wry, hurried, mostly good-natured and somewhat sloppy,” Greene
wrote. He added that perhaps the album, which hasn’t even appeared on Billboard charts, is a sign of West settling down with his family. Sophomore Jason Bard agrees the album is lacking lyric-wise and describes it as “obnoxious and cheap at times.” Bard said his theory is that West meant for this release to disappoint his fans as an artistic statement. Kanye’s backhanded intent to disappoint fans would add a serious twist, making “The Life of Pablo” particularly evocative. The rushed vibe and sound adds to the “aesthetic value and general artistry” by expressing supposed rawness and truth behind the lyrics, Bard said. All in all, most listeners can come to a consensus that this was a typical Kanye move because of how atypical it is. The album is consistent with the character that Kanye plays, Bard said. “He says some ridiculous, dumb and outlandish things because he’s kind of trying to get a reaction out of you, which is clearly working,” he said. “He also says some deep and smart things to show he’s in control of the madness, or at least it seems.” Izzy Schechter is a sophomore English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.
Illustration by ALYSSA HANDELMAN
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THE VERMONT CYNIC
ARTS
W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2, 2015
Musician curates monumental sound By Ben elfland belfland@uvm.edu
Four musicians are taking on the task of capturing the sound of a 30-artist ensemble. Wrekmeister Harmonies is an experimental music collective with only one permanent member that features the work of many other artists. The group will be playing at Nectar’s March 7 as part of the venue’s Metal Monday series. The group’s live shows will capture the monumental soundscapes and heavy melodies heard in their recordings according to their website. They will be performing music yet to be released as well as cuts from their most recent album, “Night of Your Ascension.” Wrekmeister Harmonies began in 2009 as the brainchild of artist J.R. Robinson. Robinson, the only permanent member, said he enlists the help of others to make his vision a reality. “I’m a very old person, and as you go along in this life journey, you become acquainted with certain talented individuals,” he said. “I’ve been around longer than anyone you know.”
Chicago-based experimental music collective led by J.R. Robinson (Center). The group is currently on tour for Robinson’s third album “Night of Your Ascension.” PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE HOVLAND Robinson began as a filmmaker, but entered the music scene when he recruited the talents of his musical peers to create a live score for one of his films at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Robinson said. Following this incidental brush with the art form, he delved in and has been on an upward trajectory since, he
said. Among Robinson’s contacts are metal and post-rock powerhouses such as Swans and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. His own music began as ambient instrumentals but has since moved closer and closer to a metal sound. “If you follow along, it’s a logical progression from what I’ve been doing, it’s not apples
and ping pongs,” Robinson said. “Just like anybody else would, I try to evolve.” The name “Wrekmeister Harmonies” has represented countless line ups. Robinson will be joined onstage by Dylan Desmond and Jesse Shreibman of Bell Witch on drums and bass as well as Esther Shaw on violin, he said. “[Shaw is] a multi-instru-
mentalist and is one of the most capable and talented people I’ve ever met,” Robinson said. “She’s a great weapon to have.” Wrekmeister Harmonies looks forward to gracing Nectar’s stage. “I’ll be happy to play in Burlington,” he said. “I’ve never been, but I always wanted to.”
Bluegrass duo tunes into musical traditions in Burly William Gotterer WGOTTERE@ UVM.EDU
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he long white hair on stage at the Flynn proved testament to the seniority of one bluegrass power duo this past Friday. Mandolin player David Grisman and rhythm guitarist Del McCoury, billed as “Del and Dawg,” delighted the audience with harmonic vocal interplay, ripping mandolin solos and stories of the bluegrass past Feb. 26. Grisman is most notable for his collaborations and longtime friendship with the Grateful Dead’s lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. The two released multiple albums together and were band mates in Old and In The Way and the Jerry Garcia Band. Grisman, who has been playing and recording since 1963, was given the nickname “Dawg” by Garcia according to his website. McCoury, a member of the bluegrass hall of fame, began his long career by joining Bill Monroe, the founder of bluegrass music, and his band in 1963. Now he regularly plays with his own band, the Del McCoury Band and has also performed with Phish and The String Cheese Incident. Between songs, the duo recounted their memories of music, placing the crowd in a time machine. While Del and Dawg are not the founders of bluegrass, they have played with the original musicians of the genre and have
had an influence on the music that is played today. “We watched bluegrass get to a whole new level of popularity in ‘50s,” McCoury said. The duo’s place in the evolution of American music added significance to their stories as they painted a contextual picture of what was going on musically and historically. The bone-chilling harmonies, accompanied by mandolin solos influenced by the jazz of guitarists like Django Reinhardt, went on for an hour and a half. After several songs audience, members leapt out of their seats, clapping and cheering in a standing ovation. While the duo has grown and changed the bluegrass style, “Del and Dawg” still hold on to tradition. The group uses mandolin and guitar, the original two instruments that were used by the original bluegrass musicians in the 1930s. While the music was the highlight of the night, the political discourse that periodically arose was equally interesting. About halfway through the concert, Grisman pulled back his suit jacket revealing a black “Bernie for president” T-shirt. Most of the crowd erupted in hoots, hollers and applause. At this moment, the woman next to me immediately became unsettled at the duo’s support of Bernie Sanders. She whispered loud complaints to her children throughout five songs, seemingly torn between the music and her political views. Eventually she got up and left during the second to last song, this time loudly stating
her desire to get her money back as I stood up to let her out of the row. Apart from being occasionally distracted by the talking
going on next to me, Del and Dawg delivered a great show, their voices holding up very well with their old age.
William Gotterer is a senior English major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.
THE VERMONT CYNIC
SPORTS
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W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2, 2016
Cats on roll with tournament set By john suozzo jsuozzo@uvm.edu
The Catamounts men’s basketball team has finished up their regular season schedule and are now shifting their focus to postseason play. First, the Catamounts will compete in the America East Tournament. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s DI Basketball Tournament. Based on their in-conference record of 11-5, the Catamounts have clinched the third seed and a first round home game in the conference tournament. The Catamounts traveled to New York to play the top-seeded Stony Brook Seawolves Feb. 27. Stony Brook boasted a 14-1 conference record prior to Saturday’s game, according to their website. Vermont got out to an early lead in the game and never looked back, eventually winning 76-62. With the win against Stony Brook, UVM secured their No. 3 position in the tournament. Patrick Gymnasium will be the site for the Catamounts’ first game in the America East Tournament March 2. “It’s great for our student-athletes to have the opportunity to play in front of their fellow students and our fans in a March Madness atmosphere,” head coach John Becker said. Senior forward Ethan O’Day expressed excitement about
Senior forward Darren Payen attempts to defend a shot against UNH in the Catamounts’ 73-67 win over New Hampshire Feb. 24. PHOTO COURTESY UVM ATHLETICS
having a playoff game at home. “Our fans have served as a sixth man for us in games this year and we feed off of the crowd’s energy when playing at home,” O’Day said. The Catamounts have won their last five games leading up to the conference tournament, according to UVM athletics. The Catamounts will host the No. 6 University of Maine on Wednesday night. Vermont is undefeated
against Maine this season, who is 4-12 in conference, according to UVM athletics, with both wins coming by greater than 15 points. “During the playoffs our team understands that we need to be more focused and locked in as it is the most important time of the season,” O’Day said. “There is more excitement and anticipation leading up to the game because we know that all the work we have put in had
led up to playoff time,” he said. A win against Maine would likely mean a second-round match-up with the University of Albany. The Catamounts have lost both match-ups with them this season. If the Catamounts are able to advance through the first two rounds of play, it would likely set up another match-up against Stony Brook, where the team could repeat their biggest win
of the season, with a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament on the line. “Making our sixth NCAA tournament would be a great accomplishment and a first for all our current players,” Becker said about the possibility of advancing to the tournament. “Nothing beats seeing your name called on selection Sunday and playing the best of the best on national TV,” he said.
UVM skier has local roots By eribert volaj evolaj@uvm.edu
One first-year Catamount with local roots is establishing himself as a talented skier. Henry Harmeyer recently skied at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Michigan. He finished third in the freestyle sprint and ninth in the 15K classic at the U.S. Cross Country Championships, according to UVM athletics. In doing so he secured himself a spot at the Nordic Junior World Ski Championships that took place last week from Feb. 21 to 28. Harmeyer, a South Burlington native, said his parents and former coaches are to thank for his success. “My parents … put me on Nordic and Alpine skis at a very young age in Underhill, Vermont,” he said. “[My former coach] Murray Banks was the one who introduced me to ski racing and invited me to my previous ski team, Mansfield Nordic Club,” Harmeyer said. He said he always wanted to ski for his home state, and the UVM ski team’s reputation as one of the best in the country played a role in his decision to commit to the University. However, there are difficulties associated with his success. “Time management and recovery are some of the most
difficult parts to being a student athlete,” Harmeyer said. “In the fall and winter the UVM ski team trains in various places around the Burlington area… about six days a week, sometimes twice a day.” Harmeyer’s coach, Patrick Weaver, had nothing but praise for him. “[Harmeyer] is a hard worker and is very smart about his training and how his body
Harmeyer said he was excited at the prospect of participating at the World Junior Championships. “I was happy to see that my transition to UVM and my training with the team has gone well,” he said. “I’m excited to go to Rasnov, Romania to test myself against some of best junior skiers in the world.” Not only has he tested him-
“
Time management and recovery are some of the most difficult parts to being a student athlete HENRY HARMEYER UVM SKI TEAM MEMBER feels,” Weaver saud. “He has been a nice addition to the team,” he said. Harmeyer has already hadsuccess in his career. He is a two-time Junior National Sprint Champion, and he competed for the U.S. in last year’s under-18 Nations Cup, according to UVM athletics. However, both he and his coach are cautious about his future in skiing. “I want to continue the next three years of my career skiing for the University of Vermont,” Harmeyer said. “After that, I’m not sure where I’ll be.” In the meanwhile, however,
self, but he has also proved himself as a promising skier. Harmeyer has done very well at the World Junior Championships, where he was America’s leading skier in the men’s 1.3K skate sprint race, according to UVM athletics. He finished 35th with a time of 2:50.06, UVM athletics stated. The ski season wraps up with the NCAA Championships March 9 to 12 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, which will be hosted by the University of Colorado, according to UVM athletics.
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THE VERMONT CYNIC
SPORTS
W E D N E S DAY, M AR C H 2, 2016
BUSCH LEAGUE BANTER
The legal duality in sports Shane town STOWN@UVM.EDU
A
thletes, both professional and collegiate, are frequently criticized on a multitude of levels. One common criticism of the pros, usually from non-fans, is “they get paid too much.” The reality is that in a free and open economy something gains worth only when others are willing to pay. The reason that they receive such high salaries is because they have a unique set of skills. Very few people could meet such intense athletic requirements. The unique nature of sports leads to an awkward dual-edged sword in the fluctuating power dynamic present in the leagues’ judicial systems. The professional athlete in America has a job based on publicity, which means all of these players are walking, talking representations of their league even when they are not on the field, ice or court. When athletes are glorified like this, minor infractions and misbehaviors off the field tend to translate into major punishments from league officials in an attempt to save face and protect the league’s image. Leagues often don’t even need a legal conviction to dish out penalties for alleged off-thefield crimes. The NFL personal conduct policy reads: “The standard of
conduct for persons employed in the NFL is considerably higher.” It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime. More tellingly, it also lists the following as a possible reason for punishment: “Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL.” It’s the subjective rhetoric that allows these governing bodies to do whatever is convenient for them. In other ways, however, the power dynamic shifts to favor the players.
It is not enough for athletes simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. Because athletes are such high profile figures that are so often idolized, they can receive legal and academic preferential treatment. Recently, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy received a light penalty from the NFL after he was arrested for domestic abuse. After being put on the Commissioner’s Exempt List where he got paid while dealing with his legal issues, Hardy was suspended for just 10 games for the incident, but after an appeal, faced a mere four-game suspension this past season.
Also, because of their unique abilities and level of public admiration, athletes hold considerably more power to strike than most employee groups. Because of this power, all leagues have collective bargaining agreements, which are agreements that players and leagues come to about financial distribution, scheduling and vacation time concerns and the investigative restrictions of punishing entities, among other things. Recently, Dennis Wideman of the NHL’s Calgary Flames received a 20-game suspension for intentional contact with a referee. During the investigation process, Wideman had to hand over his cell phone because the NHL’s bargaining agreements mandates that the commissioner must be able to “consider any evidence relating to the incident.” These text messages proved to be crucial as Wideman condemned both the “stupid refs and stupid media.” This example is in striking contrast to what we saw from Tom Brady, whose cell phone conveniently “broke” before he could turn it over for the NFL’s “deflategate” investigation, saving him from public scrutiny. There are many layers to the legality surrounding sports, but in the end, it all comes down to the influence of the dollar. Shane Town is a senior English major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2014.
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LAST WEEK
73-67
W 63-59
Men’s Basketball vs UNH
Women's Basketball at UNH
W
HOME Feb. 24
L
3-0
Durham, NH Feb. 25
W
4-2
Women’s Hockey at Boston University
Women's Hockey at Boston University
Boston, MA Feb. 26
Boston, MA Feb. 27
THIS WEEK Men’s Basketball vs Maine
Men’s Hockey at UConn
HOME March 2 7:30 p.m.
Hartford, CT March 4 7 p.m.
Men’s Hockey at UConn
Men’s Lacrosse at Michigan
Hartford, CT March 5 7 p.m.
Anne Arbor, MI March 5 1 p.m.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: Women’s basketball first-year guard Hayley Robertson was named as the America East Conference Rookie of the Week. Robertson averaged 9 points and 8.5 rebounds last week.
RECORDS Men’s Basketball 19-12 Men’s Hockey 12-20-3 Women’s Swim 6-3
Women’s Basketball 9-20 Women’s Hockey 9-25-3
Men’s hockey team ready for an international series By Jacob holzman jholzman@uvm.edu
Men’s hockey will be spending Thanksgiving overseas on Irish ice next year. Next season, the team is traveling to Belfast, Northern Ireland Nov. 25 to 26 over Thanksgiving break to compete in the “Friendship Four” tournament. Athletic director Bob Corran, who was born in Belfast and moved to North America when he was young, said the trip is a “genuine educational opportunity” for the players. “It’s not simply going to Ireland, having a nice trip and playing a couple hockey games,” Corran said. The team will participate in school visits and youth clinics as part of an effort to help with Belfast’s neighborhood relations, according to UVM athletics. “There’s a continuing strife” in Belfast as a result of tension between Northern Ireland, which is mainly Protestant, and the rest of the island, which is mainly Catholic, Corran said. “We’re trying to organize what we can here in terms of them learning about the social issues, the political issues, so that [the team is] that much better able to really have an impact when they’re there,” he said.
The UVM men’s hockey team dropped its final two regular season home games of the year against Boston College Feb. 19 and 20. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic
This trip also carries high stakes for the team next season. The last time UVM athletics played internationally was men’s basketball’s 2014 summer Canadian tour, but Corran said there is “a lot more on the line” on this trip, as one game will count toward the Hockey East standings while another will be treated as a regular NCAA non-conference game.
“[The 2014 summer tour] was a great opportunity for a new team to develop and get some extra practice; this is different,” he said. “These games count.” Head coach Kevin Sneddon said the trip to Northern Ireland is a “win-win” for the team. “We have a chance to go over there and do a lot of things within their community, with
school visits and experiencing a different culture, and there’s the hockey,” Sneddon said. Junior forward Brendan Bradley said he has family ties to Ireland: his father was born there, and he still has a lot of family there. He said he visited last summer. “It’s going to be a really good time,” Bradley said. Junior forward Jarrid Pri-
vitera sees the games as a valuable opportunity “I think it’ll be big for our team, to bond together and have a week in Ireland,” Privitera said. The first game will be Nov. 25 against UMass Amherst, followed by a game against either Quinnipiac University or St. Lawrence University Nov. 26.