2017 vol 133 issue 17

BURLINGTON, VT

VTCYNIC.COM

VOL. 133

ISSUE 17

EPA FREEZE FEBRUARY 1, 2017

SPORTS pg. 11: Men’s lacrosse season preview

Trump’s actions against EPA may affect environmental programs at UVM FY16: Sponsored Project Activity Report

Enterprise: UVM in the Donald Trump Era While an environmental science major, Taylor Smith ‘16 spent the majority of his final semester at UVM planting 500 trees to revive the former grounds of Burlington College.

Smith now works as an environmental scientist for a Massachusetts engineering company, working on a contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Smith received an email that stated information would not be released by the EPA until further notice, he said.

“They sent out a mass email and said if you are working on an EPA contract, stop doing that,” Smith said.

“No one really knew what was happening.”

He was later told that current contracts were not affected, but no new contracts with the EPA would be issued, Smith said.

The freeze on grants and contracts was lifted Jan. 27, though the EPA is not yet able to post on social media, update blogs or issue press

releases, according to a Jan. 25 New York Times article.

UVM receives money from the EPA to fund various environmental projects that allow students to pursue research, among other things, said Nancy Mathews, dean of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.

Continues on pg. 3

Coach leaves team, prioritizes family life Locria Courtwright Assistant Sports Editor For the first time since 2004, UVM men’s soccer is on the hunt for a new head coach.

Jesse Cormier, who had been in charge of the program for 13 seasons, resigned from his post to take the head coaching position at Florida Gulf Coast University Jan. 23.

He will replace Bob Butehorn at FGCU who left his position

facebook.com/ thevermontcynic

to take the job at the University of South Florida.

Cormier cited family reasons as contributing to his decision.

“It was more centered around a family situation,” he said. “As I’ve gotten older, you realize what your priorities are and you have to consider [your family’s] feelings too.”

Cormier did not mask his emotions when he met with the team to tell them the news.

@vermontcynic

“I haven’t cried so much in the past few years,” Cormier said. “I met with the team [this morning] to sum it up...I just know how much those guys mean to me.”

Cormier said the UVM program improved over the course of his tenure.

“People always talk about ‘when you got it, how you left

Coach leaves team Continues on pg. 11 instagram.com/ vermontcynic

PHIL CARRUTHERS/ The Vermont Cynic Jesse Cormier pictured.

youtube.com/ cynicvideo

life pg. 6: got milk?

Faculty calls upon UVM values John Riedel Staff Writer Professors convened to reaffirm UVM’s values after the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump.

A faculty senate resolution, presented by sociology professor John Streeter and Faculty Senate Vice President Jan Carney on Jan. 23, states UVM will continue to uphold its values and help those experiencing harassment and persecution.

Streeter and Carney decided to create the proposal after seeing the concern of students of color in his class the day after the election, Streeter said.

“I wanted to say, ‘Don’t worry, it will be alright,’ and I realized I couldn’t say that and be honest,” Streeter said.

He said he wanted to reaffirm UVM’s values for the faculty as well.

“Science and tolerance are actively under assault inside universities in various parts across the country,” Streeter said.

Carney said we must, as a university, uphold our values established in the Common Ground.

“It’s the power of words, and the power of our unity and expressing those words,” she said.

Junior Rajit Sachdeva said he is not a fan of Trump’s immigration policies and supports what the faculty senate is doing.

“I’m all for inclusiveness,” Sachdeva said.

Senior Ebikebuna Rufus said he is not surprised Trump has been consistent with his stance on immigration.

“However, I don’t think this is the best way to fight illegal immigration or terrorism,” Rufus said. “It could actually fuel the ongoing crisis.”

History Professor Steve Zdatny said he worried the language could limit free speech on campus.

By then, English professor Hyon Joo Yoo had stood from her seat to voice her support for the resolution.

“As someone who wears racial differences, I get reminded daily in this city,” Joo Yoo said.

“Actually knowing that there

Faculty Senate Continues on pg. 11

vtcynic.com

NEWS

2

Students seek more campus art Colin Bushweller Senior Staff Writer Vermont’s Queen City has provided many opportunities for students to engage with local art, students said.

But, they are seeking more accessible and student-driven art on campus, students said.

The culture of art is already embedded into Burlington’s character, Sophomore Sydney Filler, an art minor, said.

“Burlington and UVM, in particular, both have a really vibrant art community,” Filler said. “Most students usually have a place to display their work and there are always exhibitions on-campus, either through the Living/Learning Center or the Fleming Museum.”

On campus, the L/L Gallery is open six days a week and exposes students to local, national and international artists, according to the UVM website.

Filler said UVM could do more to ensure art classes are more accessible to students, while also encouraging them to use studio spaces in L/L. First-year Lauren Juenker, who is minoring in studio art, also said she sees a need for improvement.

“We could do more at UVM to showcase newer art from students within the buildings on campus,” Juenker said. “I don’t feel like I see enough art when I’m going to class or walking in my residence hall.”

MO QUIGG/ The Vermont Cynic Burlington City Arts exhibit.

There ought to be more opportunities for students and community members to be able to submit their own pieces of art, which could then be displayed within various buildings around campus, she said.

Last year, a Burlington City Arts hosted over a hundred UVM students in their studios said Heather Ferrel the curator and director of exhibitions for Burlington City Arts.

First-year Zoe Katz, who runs her own small art business, said she sees both sides.

In terms of Burlington, she appreciates the city’s culture surrounding art, Katz said. “[Burlington] provides

Photos courtesy of Facebook Left to right: Lauren Juenker, Erin Bundock, Zoe Katz and shows more artwork than most counties that I’ve lived in, which makes me very happy,” she said.

BCA opened a new series of exhibitions to the public, which included local artists such as Shane Lavalette, Wylie Sofia Garcia, Molly Bosley and Athena Petra Tasiopoulos Jan. 20.

The exhibit is free and open

to the public, making it the perfect experience for a UVM student, Ferrell said.

“Whether you are studying to be an artist, a scientist, a philosopher or engineer,” she said, “the artists and larger themes embodied in the exhibitions often connect with the audience, it’s a personal experience.”

The exhibition’s goals are

to create dynamic, high-quality exhibitions of contemporary art, while also providing learning experiences through community-based programs that engage a broad audience, she said.

“Art is a lens through which individuals view, understand and reflect upon the world,” Ferrel said.

Although no formal statistics exist on individual visitors, BCA does track the tours that take place.

“I can say the [BCA] is a place where everyone is welcome,” Ferrel said, “and that the role of art in the community is intrinsic and essential.”

First-year Erin Bundock said she agrees that art plays a key role in the University’s culture and character, noting the array of artwork displayed throughout campus.

Bundock would like to see more student work on display, because there would be more room for academic crossover and social change, she said.

“Sometimes, we forget how important visual arts can be for social change, and it’d be pretty cool if more crossover happened between the social movements and the art culture on campus.”

UVM art professors Kelsey Brosnan, Steve Budington, Nancy Dwyer, Leslie Fry and Anthony Grudin did not respond to requests for comment.

SGA Updates Lauren Schnepf Staff Writer Off-Campus Housing Help There has been progress made on various off-campus housing programs, Gail Shampnois and Emily Howe of the Office of Student and Community Relations said while updating SGA members.

The programs aim to unite UVM students living off-campus with their non-student neighbors. Programs such as community gardens and annual block parties have reduced disturbances substantially throughout the community, they said.

The Off-Campus Living Workshop will be available online in May. This course will provide information regarding to rentals, how to sign a lease and how to communicate with landlords, they said.

After the completion of this course, students will receive a certificate and letter of recommendation they can present to potential landlords during their search for a lease, they said.

Construction workers smoking cigarettes on campus

New Diving Club A bill recognizing a new springboard diving club passed.

The club aims to share skills with the UVM and Burlington communities, and is committed to helping its members achieve their goals mentally and physically through diving, according to its mission statement.

The club plans to hold intra-club meets and public invite events, as well as creative and artistic diving competitions, it stated.

Fund distribution A bill granting funds to UVM men’s volleyball team to travel to Kansas City, Missouri for the men’s club volleyball championships was passed unanimously. The team will spend a week in Kansas City with 12 members.

A bill granting funds to the UVM climbing team for transportation to and from the climbing gym was passed unanimously. The club now consists of about 130 members and requires school buses to get the entire team to the gym and back.

Join our French Immersion School this summer and celebrate with us Montreal’s 375th

From July 10 to July 28, 2017

RegIStRatIon From January 23 to June 1, 2017 FoR MoRe InFoRMatIon info-immersion@fep.umontreal.ca

ecoledelangues.umontreal.ca/en/immersion

The senate wants to take action to prevent construction workers from smoking on campus in compliance with University regulations.

UVM has been a smokefree campus since 2015.

Faculté de l’éducation permanente École de langues | Formation continue ANNONCE UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL

PUBLICATION Cynic newspaper Université du Vermont

PARUTION Janvier 2017

FORMAT 6 x 7,5 pouces

ENTERPRISE

3

UVM in the Donald Trump Era: environmental programs on campus

Photo Courtesy of UVM George D. Aiken Center pictured.

Continued from pg. 1 Since the day of the inauguration, information on future funding has changed often, Mathews said.

It is unclear what the state of current and future projects will look like, she said.

“It has yet to be seen whether funding decisions made prior to the transition will be honored,” Mathews said.

UVM and the EPA UVM’s School of Natural Resources was established in 1973.

Following an alumni donation in 2003, the school was renamed the Rubenstein School, according to its website.

The school has been housed in the George D. Aiken Center since 1982, and there are around 4,000 active alumni, the website states.

UVM’s funding from the EPA varies from year to year, said Richard Galbraith, vice president for research.

For example, the University received $131,000 in 2014, but only $52,000 in 2011, Galbraith said.

The Aiken Center renovation was the largest project at UVM that received funding from the EPA. The project, completed in 2012, was supported with a $900,000 grant from the agency, according to University Communications.

The project’s total cost was $13 million.

Environmental programs at UVM receive federal funding from other federal organizations in addition to the EPA, Mathews said.

The future of environmental funding Sophomore Mike Perrin, a Rubenstein student, said reductions in federal environmental funding will make it difficult for graduates to secure federal jobs.

“With less attention focused on restoration and protection of the natural areas in the U.S., many other

Faculty Senate Continued from pg. 1 are some of us, some of you who have the courage to make this statement, that there will be space available for some-

students and I are losing job opportunities, secure livelihoods for the future, protection for the earth we love and finally, our patience,” Perrin said.

It will also belittle the education and work of countless students, scientists and environmentalists, he said.

Decreased federal role in environmental policy will leave states in charge of funding decisions, Dean Mathews said.

“The state does not have funding to compensate for the loss of federal funding from these agencies,” she said.

In 2016, the state of Vermont contributed about $2.5 million, or 1.75 percent of funding, according to the UVM Sponsored Project Administration funding report.

Programs prepare for change As the University prepares for change, Deborah Markowitz, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, will be a visiting professor in the Rubenstein School this semester, Mathews said.

Markowitz will be leading efforts to understand the impact of the Trump administration’s actions on environmental quality, Mathews said.

States and the EPA are responsible for implementing environmental policy, Markowitz said.

“If the EPA would no longer collect data that is important to our programs,” she said. “If the EPA no longer funded our environmental programs or investments, then Vermonters would lose out.”

Nearly one-third of the scientific and program staff at Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation are paid for with grants from the EPA, Markowitz said.

In November, Trump nominated Myron Ebell, director of environmental and energy policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, to lead the EPA. Ebell has been called a “climate contrarian” by PBS and the New York Times, among others.

CEI is partially funded by companies in the fossil fuel industry.

Ebell has been a vocal opponent of the Clean Pow-

one like me, it’s great encouragement.”

The University needs to show support for those who will be negatively affected by new legislation, she said.

“Divisions are being drawn

and we need to find some way to unify,” Joo Yoo said. “Those divisions are making social warfare, culture warfare, racial warfare and gender warfare.”

Students have come to her seeking advice on how the new

er Plan, developed by the EPA, according to a Nov. 11 New York Times article.

On Monday, Ebell said the U.S. will be pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and “clearly” changing course on its environmental policy, according to Reuters.

Robert Bartlett, chair of UVM’s political science department, spoke at a panel Monday moderated by former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin, where Bartlett said it is common for new presidents to reverse the policies of their predecessor.

Actions taken against the environment are not as easily reversible because the global climate crisis might be more concerning down the road, he said.

“It’s certainly possible that all of President Trump’s actions on climate could be reversed four years from now, but nevertheless the problem could be much worse by then,” he said.

Senior Daniel Horne, a wildlife biology major, said the Trump administration is placing importance on the wrong issues.

“We are in such a crucial time right now when working to curb climate change absolutely needs to be a priority,” Horne said. “Instead, we’re seeing this blatant refutation of replicated scientific results.

“It’s frightening,” he said.

Any changes in federal environmental policy will not affect the work of UVM researchers, Mathews said.

“The research priorities of our faculty are not likely to be impacted by the change in the current federal priorities,” she said, “given their unwavering commitment to the use of science, evidence and data to help our policy makers formulate strong environmental policies and regulations.”

First-year Ryan Buckley, an environmental science major, said Americans need to be taught about the opportunities provided by green energy and environmental protection.

“The environment is a partisan issue which is such a problem,” Buckley said. “Restricting the EPA is a massive risk.”

Reporting by: Kassondra Little, Hannah Morgan and Bryan O’Keefe

presidential administration will affect them, she said.

“After the election, a student of mine -- an African American student --came to me and said, ‘What should I do?’ He’s only 18,” Joo Yoo said,

“but he knew very well the ramifications of what’s going on in this country.” vThe resolution was passed.

Faculty Senate meetings take place on the fourth Mon-

4

OPINION

The environment belongs to us all EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Kelsey Neubauer editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Bryan O’Keefe newsroom@vtcynic.com Assistant Managing Editor Mariel Wamsley newsroomassistant@ vtcynic.com OPERATIONS Operations Mangager Ryan Thornton operations@vtcynic.com Advertising Manager Cole Wangsness ads@vtcynic.com EDITORIAL Arts Benjamin Elfland arts@vtcynic.com B-Side Margaret Richardson bside@vtcynic.com Copy Chief Lindsay Freed copy@vtcynic.com Layout Kira Bellis layout@vtcynic.com Life Greta Bjornson life@vtcynic.com Multimedia William Dean Wertz media@vtcynic.com News Olivia Bowman news@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com Photo Phillip Carruthers photo@vtcynic.com Sports Eribert Volaj sports@vtcynic.com Video Molly O’Shea video@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Ariana Arden (Opinion), Bridget Higdon (Arts), Locria Courtright (Sports), Erika B. Lewy (News), Lily Keats (Layout), Karolyn Moore (Copy), Michelle Phillips (News), Izzy Siedman (Life) Page Designers Tiana Crispino, Ed Taylor Copy Editors Brandon Arcari, Hunter Colvin, Michelle Derse Lowry, Rae Gould, Adrianna Grinder, Linnea Johnson, Robert Kinoy, Kira Nemeth, George Seibold, Meline Thebarge ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

Staff Editorial

T

he mission of the Rubenstein school is to bring people and the environment together. For over 30 years, it has produced graduates that go out to create a world where this is possible.

Not for some, for all.

The school provides training, not only for environmental education, but for community development and economics as well.

Over the years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has helped bridge this gap of inequality.

A large part of ensuring that communities across the nation is built upon the relationship between people and their environment. The EPA funds both environmental justice and educational justice, according to their website.

If we do not stand up against recent actions, not only are we allowing our own educational programs to be defunded, but our future leaders will be limited as well.

The place of science in the academic sphere is not something everyone has the privilege of accessing. It is our duty to educate others and to listen to their knowledge, too.

We are allowing money to be taken away from underprivileged neighborhoods, robbing

them not only of health, but education for our future world leaders.

Our generation’s number of eligible voters is as large as as the baby boomer’s generation, according to Pew Research Center.

Still, we have the highest rate of voter apathy.

Well, here’s our second chance to take a stand; if we don’t, we might as well be siding with climate change deniers.

We call on the members of the UVM community to stand up and speak up.

Being at UVM means we have the opportunity and privilege to make a difference, even if it feels like things are hopeless. We call on you to take on the responsibility, to remain politically active, to ensure the health and happiness of future generations.

We have no time for apathy. This is a pivotal moment to demonstrate our strength and fight for our future.

Our society has one fundamental misunderstanding: that humanity is somehow separate from the natural world.We bulldozed and paved over the natural world for the sake of civilization, leaving a conceptual gap between environment and humanity.

The only way to preserve our planet is to bridge the gap.

KIRA BELLIS & LILY KEATS

We ought to replace the idea of “the environment” with “our environment.” It’s our duty, as a green university, to reinforce this idea.

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.

Pack the Gut challenge fights gender bias Letter to the Editor

D

ear Editor,

Have you gone to a hockey, soccer or a basketball game at UVM? Have you ever gone to a professional or World Cup game?

Now that I have your attention, what was your immediate assumption as you considered the question?

Were you thinking about a men’s or a women’s game?

Why even ask the question?

Sports serve as a great barometer of how we are doing in changing attitudes and biases toward gender.

On Jan. 21, 20,000 individuals marched for women’s rights in Montpelier and millions marched around the world. If you were there, whether physically or in spirit, it’s time to put some action into those words about equality right here at UVM. There remains a strong gender bias in attendance at UVM sports.

The bias indicates a belief that men’s games are more entertaining and worth attending than women’s. I find it particularly sad and ironic that the bias is just as prevalent among women as men.

The bias that is seen in attendance at UVM games is the same bias that influences the makeup of cabinets, board rooms, and management posi-

ALYSSA HANDELMAN

tions. It is an unconscious bias that researchers discovered in the way girls were treated in math classes versus boys.

The reality is that our implicit bias; those deep-seated assumptions that go unquestioned, need to be questioned.

That we have not seen or experienced something does not mean it cannot or should

not exist. It means we need to open our thinking and our experiences.

Perceptions about capabilities of men and women are formed early and through multiple means. Watching sports is fun for everyone, but if our exposure to sports was largely of men’s teams, baseball, football, hockey etc.,

the implicit message was that men’s athletics are superior to women’s.

The media perpetuates stereotypes about gender roles but we individually are responsible for perpetuating the stereotypes if we do not seek out that which challenges them.

How do those stereotypes extend to other areas of society; to employment, wages, education and positions of power?

The fact is that your female classmates playing on UVM teams work hard and play hard to represent the University. They are skillful, and their games are exciting. They have earned your support and yet rarely see it.

Friday, Feb. 3rd, at 7 p.m. the UVM Women’s Hockey team will play the UNH Women in their annual Pack the Gut Challenge which is also a fundraiser for Meals on Wheels.

Let’s put the spirit of the Women’s March in action at the UVM women’s hockey game Feb. 3. It’s time to fill the seats and Pack the Gut! And then keep going to women’s games — of all sports!

Sincerely, Michelle B. Mathias, Principal of Edmunds Elementary and Middle Schools UVM Graduate

5

OPINION

The deafening truth about millenial tunes

I

Lily Spechler

t’s no wonder millennials are so uninformed. We can’t hear a damn thing.

Doctors warn that the access to loud music through earphones will lead to a generation with hearing loss.

One billion young people are at risk of hearing loss because of personal audio devices and damaging levels of sound at entertainment venues like electronic dance music festivals, where noise levels can top 120 decibels for hours, according to the World Health Organization.

One in five teens have some form of hearing loss, which is up by 30 percent since the 90’s, according to the American Osteopathic Association.

Next to HTML and Chinese, perhaps sign language will be the next most important language to learn.

We should all start listening to more songs like John Cage’s “4’33”. In other words, we should start listening to more silence.

So the question is, how loud is too loud?

The answer is simple. Basically, if you can’t hear noise around you, turn the volume down. You’re jamming too hard. If you are drowning out the sounds around you, that means you are playing your device almost at the same decibel level of an EDM con-

cert (120 decibels).

Damage also coincides with duration (duh). The longer the loud, the less you’ll hear.

The worst part is that hearing loss from loud noise is irreversible.

Think of your ear like a tissue box. Every time you take a tissue out of the box, you are one step closer to having an empty box and a dripping nose. To make a long story short, there are hair cells in your inner ear, and attached to these cells are stereocilia, or hairs that stick out.

The bending of these hairs are responsible for triggering the reaction that tells your brain to hear. However, if these hairs are bent too far from loud noises, they die or are permanently damaged, and they can never regenerate.

Once you start noticing signs of hearing loss, there is nothing that can be done, aside from wearing hearing aids. Preventative action is key.

The top signs of hearing loss are ringing in one’s ears, perceiving others to be mumbling, asking people to repeat themselves, speaking loudly without intending to, or having difficulty talking on the telephone.

Symptoms may also include tolerating country music, thinking President Donald Trump knew anything about politics after listening to him during the debates and watch-

ISABELLA ALESSANDRINI ing more than 10 minutes of “The Bachelor” without realizing that it is unwatchable.

Hearing loss is gradual, and individuals often do not notice for a long time.

A public threat: phantom flush

O

Ariana Arden

ver the years, many threats to our lives have been labeled public enemy number one: alcohol, drugs, inner-city crime, Hawaiian shirts — but today I’d like to talk to you about the new and true public enemy number one, America needs to be concerned with: automatic flush toilets.

We’ve all been there, we all know the story: you’re in the Davis Center minding your own business and think you’ll take a bathroom break.

You sit, doing your business and contemplating life when suddenly your backside is splashed with a cold and violating spray of the toilet flushing despite you not being done. You sit in your humiliation and feelings of disgust.

You wonder what you have done wrong in your life to lead to this horrible moment. You want only escape.

If you play your cards right, you may get out with only one of these violating, premature flushes, but more likely, as you shift to grab the toilet paper, you’ll be struck again.

This is the hidden menace of our lives; the menace no one will talk about, but truly the largest threat to society in our lifetime. We simply cannot stand for this kind of degradation.

Every person at the University — nay in this world — deserves a dignified bathroom

GENEVIEVE WINN break where the toilet flushes when, and only when, it is supposed to. We must take a stand.

To fight this horror, we must go back to its roots. Toilets did not always automatically flush.

Back in the good old days, one could simply reach and pull a handle when one’s business was done and feel no stress about the matter.

But some people would leave the bathroom forgetting this crucial step.

Others felt unsanitary about touching the handle, even though they were washing their hands immediately afterwards. And thus, the automatic flush toilet was invented to relieve these problems. Ah, what a dark day it was.

Supporters of the monstrosity claim it is more

sanitary and more efficient, that it saves water. These supporters are delusional. The sanitary claim can be debated, but there is no clear evidence for it. However the automatic flush toilet is anything but a water saver.

There is something called the “phantom flush” that plagues our nation. It refers to the horror of being flushed on while still sitting, but also to the toilet flushing when there is no one around.

Since the toilets operate on a motion sensor, sometimes they can be tripped off by something very slight and flush completely unnecessarily.

How wasteful. According to one estimate reported in the Guardian, bathroom water consumption can spike as much as 50 percent after installing automatic flush toilets.

Automatic flush toilets are not water savers. We must not give in to the false propaganda of their supporters, we must see through the lies.

We need a return to traditional flushing values and safety for the dignity of the children. So join me in the fight against this inappropriately-flushing plague and declare that the automatic flush toilet is the true public enemy number one.

Ariana Arden is a junior English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2016.

William Shakespeare put it best in “Romeo and Juliet.”

“The sweetest honey is loathsome in its own deliciousness. And in the taste destroys the appetite. Therefore, love moderately.”

Just do less. You heard it here first. Or did you?

Lily Spechler is a senior natural resources major who has been writing for the Cynic since 2016.

UVM spent $1.6 million marketing the University Letter to the Editor

D

ear Editor,

Last August I walked across campus and saw for the first time the banners hanging from lampposts: “Doing All Things with Purpose, Genuine Ingenuity, An Academic Ecosystem.”

Such are the slogans—generic, insipid, and utterly uninspiring—those banners display, and it dismayed me to realize that UVM paid close to $1.6 million to a Philadelphia consulting firm for such “branding.”

Then, I joined with colleagues from across the campus to try an experiment: Every week last semester we staffed a table in the Davis Center atrium and invited students to create their own “homegrown slogans” for UVM. The results were specific, engaging, and truly inspiring.

Here are a few of my favorites: “Experience Your Education” “Active Campus. Active Minds” “Where Knowledge Yields Action” “The Universe in a University” We had a serious aim in conducting this experiment: To tap into the tremendous

resourcefulness of the campus community and to demonstrate that $1.6 million could be better spent supporting the academic mission that nurtures these young and creative minds.

UVM’s academic mission and its much-celebrated “teacher-scholar” model is, in fact, in peril. Even as an aging professoriate — our mean age is 52 — retires, the number of assistant professors has plummeted — from 150 in 2006 to 96 today.

That nearly $1.6 million spent on marketing might have funded the first year’s salaries for 25 new assistant professors and halted such a brain drain.

Or that nearly $1.6 million might have funded four-year tuition scholarships — more than two dozen for Vermonters and nearly a dozen for out-of-state students — to address the serious problem of students graduating with more debt than opportunity.

UVM has a choice. We can continue to expand the number of consultants and administrators tasked with marketing the increasingly hollow idea of a UVM education. Or we can keep UVM’s funds in education and tap into the talent that a UVM education is devoted to cultivating.

Nancy Welch Professor of English

LIFE

6

Examining the pros and cons of milk The Health Corner

I

Michaela Paul

grew up being told milk was essential for my bones and health.

My mother always made me drink a tall glass of it with dinner and the “Got Milk?” slogan was ingrained in my mind with its constant appearances in classrooms, television ads and on posters.

Recently, however, I’ve noticed a variety of perspectives on whether the essential nutrients in milk outweigh the potential costs.

The U.S. is the largest producer of cow’s milk in the world, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center.

In 2011, the AMR Center reported that the U.S. produced 196 billion pounds of milk, less than 28 percent of which was processed into fluid milk products.

Ivonne Headley, a senior Dietetics, Nutrition and Food Sciences major, completed a semester-long research project with one of her classmates on the nutritional advantages and disadvantages of various types of milk during infancy, she said.

She discovered that, unlike in the U.S., it is common to consume other forms of mammalian milk around the world.

“Goat’s milk and sheep’s milk are actually very common

KIRA NEMETH

in other parts of the globe and have several benefits for infants,” Headley said.

“Goat’s milk is high in vitamin A, which is great for vision, skin, bone and tooth growth, and sheep’s milk has actually

been found to be more readily digested by infants compared to cow’s milk.”

Milk and milk products contribute to protein for muscles, riboflavin for energy, vitamin B12 for the nervous

system, calcium for bone mass and potassium sto help maintain a healthy blood pressure, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“There is nothing wrong nutritionally with cow’s milk [versus other mammalian milk],” Headley said. “Nowadays it has been fortified with several important vitamins such as Vitamin D, making its affordability and accessibility even more attractive.”

Vitamin D functions to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus, which helps to build and maintain bones, according to the USDA, and their daily recommended amount of dairy for women and men ages 17 to 30 is three cups.

Many nutritionists advise to make fat-free or low-fat choices and limit the intake of products such as two percent reduced-fat milk and chocolate milk, which contain trans fats and added sugars, according to the USDA. This is because a diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol can cause an increase in “bad” cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein in the blood, which the USDA says can increase the risk for coronary heart disease.

For those who are lactose intolerant or choose not to consume milk, the USDA advises to choose other calcium-rich foods, such as cal-

cium-fortified juice, almond milk, soy products and kale to maintain a healthy dietary balance.

Although milk is a great source of nutrients, many individuals choose to forgo it for a variety of reasons. One main reason is that they maintain a vegan diet and lifestyle.

“I don’t drink milk as a vegan, because female cows are tied down and inseminated to become pregnant to be able to produce milk for us,” said senior Sarah Bullock.

Most cows undergo hormone injections in order to produce large quantities of milk, Bullock said.

According to PETA, artificial hormones are injected into cows to increase the rate at which they grow.

Although the production of milk is an ethical concern for many, the large amount of nutrients and vitamins in fortified milk products are beneficial to the body—it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for you.

“I believe it is important to know there are more options out there than what the mainstream American food industry advertises,” Headley said.

Michaela Paul is a senior biology major. She has been writing for the cynic since spring 2016.

Speaker inspires activism Anna Power Staff Writer In March 1965, over 600 marchers flooded the streets of Selma, Alabama to stand up for their rights and protest resistance against black voting; among them was an eight year old girl.

Civil rights activist Sheyann Webb-Christburg gave this year’s keynote speech at the Ira Allen Chapel Jan. 24, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Christburg was named the “smallest freedom fighter” for her participation in the civil rights march known as Bloody Sunday, according to the event’s page on the UVM Bored website.

Professor Antonio Cepeda-Benito offered attendance to the event as extra credit in his cross-cultural psychology class, emphasizing its importance to his students.

Cepeda-Benito said Webb’s presence should act as a reminder that the work to achieving equality for all is ongoing.

Webb-Christburg began the lecture by explaining her immense motivation to participate in these marches despite the challenges she faced.

She then encouraged others to take action in fighting racism and other forms of discrimination that still exist in our society.

SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cynic Sheyann Webb-Christburg speaks at UVM’s MLK Celebration Jan. 24. Webb-Christburg started her civil rights campaign at age 8 in Alabama.

The event was inspiring and served as a reminder that one person can make a difference, junior Grace Wagner said.

“She empowered me to not just read articles and make posts, but to take action to implement change,” she said. “[The event helped] UVM convey and practice its commitment to advance social justice issues and celebrate diversity,” Cepeda-Benito said. “It brought us up close to racism, and to the … struggles of African-Americans who demand the freedom and justice our country denies them.”

Junior Adria Suhr said she appreciated Webb-Christburg’s

talk for its powerful message.

“I think many of us aren’t necessarily affected by a lot of negative things that are happening in this world,” Suhr said. “We need to take a more active role and [Webb-Christburg’s speech] is good for us to be inspired again.”

Suhr said she was amazed with the speaker and the atmosphere of the event. “[Webb-Christburg is] really well spoken, and it’s great that she came out,” she said.

“At the end when we all sang ‘This Little Light of Mine’ together, [it] was super powerful, and I think it was beneficial to our community as well.”

irthright 24/7 Helpline 800-550-4900 birthright.org/burlingtonvt 289 College Street, Burlington 802-865-0056

7

LIFE

Abortion in Trump’s America The Dapper Vagina

A

Sarah Heft

bortion. I am sure some of you are now picturing chopped-up babies.

Others may be envisioning an irresponsible teenager with her best friend walking into a clinic, ready to dispose of the mistake she made on prom night. These are two common images thought of when discussing abortion.

Well, I would like to paint a different picture.

Imagine a mother of three who has just learned her baby’s brain is developing on the outside of its body, or a woman about to be deployed to Afghanistan to serve her country or a young college student who is just starting to sort through the details of her rape, only to find out she is pregnant with her rapist’s baby.

Think of a young mother, overjoyed she has become pregnant, only to find out she has cancer, or a woman whose husband beats her every night.

You can only give an abortion to one of these women...who do you choose? Who will have to continue their pregnancy?

Will it be the mother who will give birth, only to spend an hour with her baby before it dies? Will it be the college first-year who will give birth to her rapist’s baby, and perhaps drop out of school because of it?

Will it be the woman who will now be stuck in an abusive relationship? Or will it be the woman who now has to skip out on cancer treatments in order to continue her pregnancy only for that child to grow up without a mother?

My point: you cannot choose. Only they can choose what will be best for them, their families and their future.

We are approaching a point in time where abortion will be illegal. Donald Trump has committed himself to appoint-

Sabrina Smith Staff Writer

KELSEY NEUBAUER/The Vermont Cynic Crowds march in Washington, DC in response to the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 21. ing a pro-life supreme court judge in hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade.

The 1973 Supreme Court case states that women have a constitutional right to privacy, and thus abortion must be legal up until viability of the pregnancy.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence believe by outlawing abortion, defunding Planned Parenthood and supporting abstinence-only sex education, abortion will become a thing of the past.

The truth is that only safe abortion will become a thing of the past, and we very well may see coathanger abortions come back into play, killing women, mothers, daughters and sisters.

Republicans do not care about the unborn. They care about keeping women, particularly low income and minori-

ty women, in their place. Once someone is pregnant, their whole world changes.

They may have to drop out of school, quit their job, stay in unhealthy and abusive relationships or be trapped in poverty, creating a cycle.

If Trump really hates abortion, he would be funding things that actually decrease the abortion rate. He would be pouring funding into comprehensive sex education and family planning clinics such as Planned Parenthood, and making sure the Contraceptive Mandate stays in whatever “replacement” of the ACA his little hands will sign.

But no, he does not care about lowering the abortion rate, but rather about keeping women in their place; keeping women dependant on men, in the home and out of the workforce.

A true pro-life politician would be doing everything

they can to decrease the abortion rate, as well as support initiatives that help single mothers after they have had their babies.

These programs, such as welfare, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, work to make childcare more affordable. But alas, these politicians are not as much “pro-life” as they are “pro-birth,” for after the baby is born they could care less about its health or well being.

As we push through these next four years, I urge you to learn, question and fight for every woman’s right to chose, and to not be fooled by the pro-life agenda, as it not about saving a fetus, but rather saving the patriarchy.

Sarah Heft is a junior gender, sexuality and womens studies major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.

Exploring Burlington’s thrift store scene Hunter Tries

J

Hunter Colvin

ust because I love shopping doesn’t mean my wallet loves it.

So, I decided to look into some local thrift shops to see if I could give my wallet a well-deserved break.

Second Time Around specializes in high-end, gently worn clothing, shoes and accessories for women. It isn’t the cheapest thrift store on Church Street, but it does mark high-end clothing down considerably. An $88 J. Crew sweater, for example, was marked down to $45.

It also has periodic sales, discounting the clothes even more. There is a drawback to STA: there isn’t a lot of inventory at or above a size 14 in clothes, or in size nine or bigger shoes.

Downtown Threads, also on Church Street, with its retro

Bike plan introduced on campus

flair and impressive collection of cowboy boots, is the exact opposite of Second Time Around.

In addition to the vintage dresses, Downtown Threads also has a large collection of leotards. Threads has both a men’s and a women’s section, although the men’s section is much smaller than the women’s. Similar to STA, they don’t have a lot of inventory above a size 12 for women.

Dirt Chic, on Main Street, is somewhere in the middle of these two. It has a wide range of clothing types, from t-shirts and flannels to gowns, suits and winter outerwear.

The brands range from Express and Charlotte Russe to Eddie Bauer and L.L. Bean.

There was also a 50’s house dress and an oil-baron type suit that would look right at home in an old western.

Being a plus-sized woman, shopping at the first two stores

ELISE MITCHELL was hard. But I did have luck at Dirt Chic, where I managed to find an L.L. Bean flannel for $8 and a sequined gold dress from Coldwater Creek for $15.

No matter what your style is, whether it’s high fashion or

retro bodysuits, Burlington has a thrift shop for you.

Hunter Colvin is a senior history major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.

In an effort to improve conditions for non-motorized transportation, UVM’s department of Transportation and Parking Services has created the first Active Transportation Plan.

Active transportation is defined as non-motorized forms of travel like walking, biking and skateboarding, as well as wheelchair and scooter use. The plan aims to promote safety and accessibility for the UVM community, according to the ATP. Though the plan was initially intended to improve conditions for bikes, it was later changed to be be more encompassing.

“There needed to be something overarching that guided us for continuity,” TPS director Jim Barr said.

The key recommendations of the plan are described as the five Es: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m taking up too much space on the road when I’m biking and that cars are frustrated trying to get around me,” junior Caroline Hooper said.

Sophomore Leslie VanDeMark agreed with Hooper, saying, “it’s easier to get to campus, but once you’re there it’s harder to get around because of all of the people and the buses.”

This issue is addressed in the engineering recommendation, which will include clearer signage, Barr said. The new signage will require further education on safe active transportation practices.

“The plan can really help make the University an even more pleasant place for biking, walking and boarding,” said Benito Cecenas, president of UVM Bikes. He was motivated to help with the plan by giving the director student perspectives, he said.

Since many students helped develop the plan, Barr said he hopes the changes will be embraced by the community.

The plan addresses bike theft as well, which some students have said is a concern of theirs.

“Bike theft is a real problem in Burlington,” junior Jack Metcalfe said. He has experienced theft firsthand at UVM, and knows of others who have had their bikes stolen downtown and on-campus.

Enforcement is a key recommendation and includes having trained police officers enforce the proposed new rules and to prevent theft, according to the ATP. The plan awaits final edits

by UVM’s Master Plan Committee, and then approval by the provost’s office before it can be fully implemented, according to Barr.

8

ARTS

WRUV Top Ten I t is undeniable that 2016 will go down as a memorable year in music history.

No one is more aware of that than the people who play it day in and day out.

The year marked the release of some of the most anticipated releases of recent memory. From the longawaited “The Life of Pablo” to the shocking return of Frank Ocean, music lovers were kept

1

22, A Million

by Bon Iver

3

Coloring Book

by Chance The Rapper

5

on their toes.

UVM’s community alternative radio station, WRUV compiled a top-10 list for the year based on its DJs’ favorite albums.

The list captures the most celebrated albums from every corner of the music world.

The list will be available in a video posted on WRUV’s website.

2

Blonde

by Frank Ocean

4

A Moon Shaped Pool

by Radiohead

6

Series return is fortunate event Review

N

Kim Henry

etflix is gaining ground in its steady lumber toward media domination with the release of its adaptation of the hit children’s saga, “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

The show follows the story of three orphans as they tumble through a series of guardians, evade a dastardly villain, and try to discover the truth about their parents’ deaths.

Like any successful adaptation, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” reinterprets the source material under the fresh gaze of the camera, elevating some aspects to new heights, though still falling awkwardly flat at times.

The show’s main villain demonstrates the range of quality the series is capable of serving up. Neil Patrick Harris stars as Neil-Patrick-HarrisIn-A-Wig, or Count Olaf, in a performance that flip-flops between cringe-worthy and comedy gold throughout the series.

Harris, because of his work in television and on the stage, is just too recognizable.

Just hearing him is a dead giveaway — a fact I discovered when his disembodied voice started crooning the show’s theme song.

However, Harris doesn’t just play Count Olaf. He plays Count Olaf playing a whole

ELISE MITCHELL gang of other ridiculous characters, and this is where the fun starts.

Taking on clownish mannerisms and exaggerated accents, Harris banishes any question of why Barney Stinson, his character on “How I Met Your Mother,” wants to steal these children.

However, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” doesn’t rise or fall Harris’ back. The star-studded supporting cast is the real heart of the show, offering excellent performances from Joan Cusak, Aasif Mandvi, Alfre Woodard and Patrick Warburton.

The show’s greatest asset is the vocal narrator, Lemony Snicket (Warburton).

Snicket, constantly interrupts scenes to provide commentary, creating a smart and funny visual presence on screen equal to that of the character’s role in the book

series.

Snicket isn’t the only impressive modification from the book. The show contorts the plot of the book series, incorporating spoilers it took several novels to reveal.

While the books went for more of a slow burn, the show creates intrigue by unveiling the puppet strings controlling the characters.

Add the dazzling sets that match the absurdity of the plot, and “A Series of Unfortunate Events” has a little bit of something for everyone; both witty and slapstick humor, an unfolding mystery, and Harris’s singing, perfect for those who just finished “Doctor Horrible’s Sing Along Blog” and need a fix.

Kim Henry is a sophomore English major who has been writing for the Cynic since Fall 2016.

you are invited to a

free advance screening

Malibu

by Anderson .Paak

7

We Got it From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

by A Tribe Called Quest

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 7:00PM

8

MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMA

222 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401

Teens of Denial

by Car Seat Headrest

9

Light Upon the Lake

by Whitney

The Life of Pablo

by Kanye West

PICK UP YOUR TICKETS STARTING TODAY AT DAVIS CENTER, ROOM 310 9:00AM–4:30PM

10

ADMISSION INTO THE THEATER IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. SEATING IS LIMITED TO THEATER CAPACITY.

Wildflower

by The Avalanches

© 2016 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia

GET OUT

HITS THEATERS FEBRUARY 24

9

ARTS

Photographer captures India Addie Beach Staff Writer Getting a glimpse of somewhere far away is easier than you may think.

The Fleming Museum will host “1008,” an exhibit focused on the work of photographer Catherine Jansen, starting Jan. 31. Jansen’s frequent trips to India serve as the inspiration for the exhibit and the book it’s based on.

Her talent lies not just in her careful study of Indian culture, but her ability to capture what is often hidden, Andrea Rosen, curator at the Fleming, said.

Jansen’s commitment to forming connections with those she meets “allows her to access rituals and spaces that a lot of people, Indian or not, male or female, avoid or are not welcome in,” Rosen said.

Although Jansen’s work is centered on chronicling Indian life in general, her website highlights a focus on children, animals and religious practices.

The real magic is in how Jansen transforms her pictures, Rosen said. The artist combines her photographs into larger composite pieces, which can reach up to 80 inches wide, she said.

In a Dec. 2016 press release, Jansen described her finished products as “intimate immensities [that]seek to recreate how we experience spaces in spiritual, emotional and sensory ways.”

The process gives the photos a unique impact, Rosen said.

“It’s not like a panorama – it doesn’t have the distortion of a panorama,” she said.

“Instead, it sort of captures the way a scene surrounds you.”

To further this idea, the exhibit will include a slide-

February Arts Calendar 1

Concert:Lady Lamp Arts Riot 8 p.m.

3

Lane Series: Orion Weiss UVM Recital Hall 7:30 p.m.

7

Lit Club at the Lamp Shop Light Club Lamp Shop 8-10 p.m.

8

Opening Reception for Spring 2017 Exhibitions Fleming Museum 5:30-7 p.m.

10 Concert: Moon Hooch Higher Ground 8 p.m.

show of all 1,008 photos from the book, accompanied by ambient sounds. Additionally, the pieces will be identified by a number instead of aname.

“Catherine doesn’t really like the idea of labeling the works, titling them, saying when or where they were,” Rosen said. “She wants people to move through it more meditatively.”

“1008” will be on display in the East Gallery of the Fleming until May 21.

15 Talk: India’s Histories Fleming Museum 12 p.m.

23 Half & Half Comedy Half Lounge 8-10:30 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Catherine Jansen Catherine Jansen and her photography book, “1008,” are pictured. An exhibit based off her book will open in Fleming Jan. 31 and run until May 21.

25 Concert: Phil daRosa Nectar’s 7-9 p.m.

R&B artist delivers female power on her first album Review

M

Healy Fallon

aking music is the most effective outlet for personal expression, and a single lyric or melody often reveals a vivid profile of the artist themselves.

With the recent release of her new album, titled “SweetSexySavage ” Jan. 27, up-andcoming R&B artist Kehlani Ashley Parrish, aka “Kehlani,” breaks down emotional barriers with authentic songs that suggest both empowerment and past mistakes, painting a portrait of herself.

Kehlani, a singer-songwriter originally from Oakland, California, rose to national attention with a run on “America’s Got Talent” in 2011 as a member of the group Poplyfe.

Before “SweetSexySavage,” Kehlani released two mixtapes, “Cloud 19” ( 2014) and “You Should Be Here” ( 2015).

The latter received a Grammy nomination in 2016 for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

At once edgy and spiritual,

“SweetSexy Savage” sends a message to listeners that is pure, honest and unapologetic.

In the intro track of the album, listeners are welcomed by the lush words of poet Reyna Biddy: “My condolences to anyone who has ever lost me/ And, to anyone who got lost in me/….I’m a holy woman/ I know what it’s like to give life to a being…. I’ve practiced how to hold my tongue long enough….The truth is, I’m a superwoman/ And some days I’m an angry woman/ And some days I’m a crazy woman….”

The entire monologue, which lasts for a mere 59 seconds, sets the tone for the rest of the album. It evokes vulnerability, anger, strength and freedom, yet also an acute sense of identity.

Although Kehlani embodies the “holy woman” image of the intro, she is still human, and makes mistakes just like anyone else. This concept is best summed up in “Advice,”

where she chides herself for not listening to the voices in her own head.

In tracks like “Piece of Mind,” “ Keep On” and “ Too Much,” the artist sings of romantic entanglements, emotional growth and self-respect.

Other highlights of “ SweetSexySavage” include “ CRZY” and “Do U Dirty,” songs that address a harder side of Kehlani’s image, full of sexual confidence and swagger. “Swear you see the good in me/ but that don’t beat the hood in me,” she says in “ Do U Dirty”.

“SweetSexySavage” is an album that should be noted for its clever and engaging delivery of the artist’s personal facets, resulting in an authentic sound. Old and new listeners should keep an ear out for Kehlani. She’s just getting started, and she has a lot to say.

Healy Fallon is a first-year English major who has been writing for the Cynic since Fall 2016.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

ARTS

10

Dance show raises funds for puppets Anna Gibson Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Peter Forbes Dance company Teen Jazz performs at a showcase supporting Puppets in Education. helper Melaney Pettini said.

“Whenever I mention this organization, every single one of them has a fond memory of Puppets in Education coming to their school and teaching them something.”

Sophomore Mea Anderson, a Chester, Vermont native, said the puppet visits at her school were really creepy.

The showcase itself will feature selections by dance companies from all over the

R U U VM O Y ORY? ST

WHAT ’S

As many native Vermonters between the ages of five and 40 could probably tell you, showing up to a grade school classroom to the sight of lifesize puppets is nothing out of the ordinary.

The seventh annual Dance Showcase fundraising event to benefit Puppets in Education will show at the Flynn’s Main Street Landing Black Box Theatre Feb. 4.

The event was started by puppeteer Sarah Vogelsang-Card, the main showcase organizer and a dancer, with a goal to foster a place where all these different types of dance — can come together, she said.

“The core of the organization’s mission is to teach inclusiveness, empathy and acceptance for all,” Vogelsang-Card said.

Puppets in Education’s teaching programs, on average, reach 10,000 elementary and secondary school students every year, according to their website.

Some of the topics addressed through different puppet programs include bullying prevention, alcohol and drug prevention, cultural diversity and inclusion, autism awareness and mental health, according to the Puppets in Education website.

“I’m not from Vermont, but I do know a lot of people who grew up here,” showcase

northeast, including UVM’s Ballet Viridis, as well as work from UVM dance professors Paula Higa and Lois Trombley.

To learn more about the dance companies that will be performing, find tickets

and support the mission of Puppets in Education, go to flynntix.org.

I

n the corporate university, students are customers, professors are content providers, and an army of administrators hire high-priced consultants to promote a campus “brand.”

In the corporate university, profit matters more than academics, and students pay for education with a lifetime of debt.

We are United Academics, the union of University of Vermont faculty.

We are reclaiming UVM from managers and marketers.

And we need your help—your stories of teaching and of learning, your stories of thriving and of struggling at our university.

Help Us Reclaim UVM One Story At a Time.

Come share your story.

Friday, February 2 11-1:30 pm Davis Center Atrium

SPORTS

Lacrosse ranked third in conference

11

Matt Chimenti-Carmen & Eribert Volaj Staff Writer & Sports Editor The men’s lacrosse team will be trying to go one step further than they did last season, when they lost the America East Championship final against Hartford.

Last year’s effort was one of Vermont’s most successful seasons, as they won nine games and made the AE final for the first time.

This year, 16 first-year players will try to be the push the team needs to make history.

These new players will not be the only new faces in the team this season; former University of North Carolina head coach Chris Feifs will be in charge of the team for his first season at UVM. It will be very interesting to see how the team does with so many new players and new management.

Feifs will have plenty of new faces to pick from all across the field in his first game.

While the defensive positions will surely be trusted to experienced captains, senior Ben Cox and junior Matt Leary, there are a few new defensive players on the team.

The one to watch is firstyear Riley Nestlerode, who captained his high school, The Hun School of Princeton, in Princeton, New Jersey, and was named in the All-Conference Team in 2014, according to UVM athletics.

UVM athletics lists 25 players as midfielders in the roster, suggesting there is immense depth in the side.

Junior captain Ian MacKay

will surely be the main man in midfield. Last season’s America East Offensive Player of the Year topped UVM’s scoring charts with 42 goals, as well as the assist charts with 28 assists, according to UVM athletics.

Among the newcomers, Michael Nelson of Southern Leigh High School in Coopersburg, Pa. is a standout. The first-year recorded 93 goals 48 assists in his final two years of high school as team captain, according to UVM athletics.

The expectations are also high for first-year midfielder Kyle Murakami, who attended South Burlington High School. Murakami recorded an outstanding 65 goals and 35 assists his senior year, and was named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American.

Further up the pitch, senior

attacker Cam Milligan will provide the experience. Milligan scored 30 or more goals both his sophomore and junior years, and will surely look to repeat that feature again this season.

Providing competition for him will be first-year attacker Marley Heimert, who finished his high school career as the all-time top scorer at Burlington High School, while earning U.S. Lacrosse All-American Honors in 2015, according to UVM athletics.

The team’s combination of experienced players with the energy of the youth should provide an intriguing season for Vermont.

In a recent America East preseason poll, where all the conference coaches voted, Vermont came third out of seven teams, only behind University

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic Top: Senior defender Ben Cox goes for the groundball off of the face off against the Hill Academy Jan. 27. Bottom: Sophomore attacker Dawes Milchling drives to the net against a Hill Academy player Jan. 27. at Albany and University of Hartford.

The team will kick off their

season Feb. 2, as they travel to Greenville, South Carolina to face Furman University.

Basketball continues solid run

Cormier Continued from pg. 1

Zach Falls Staff Writer

it,’ and we are in a better position, and I’m proud of that,” he said. “I think our facilities are phenomenal, certainly some of the best in the east and northeast; the culture’s in great shape.”

Cormier’s advice to his successor was to focus on how the program can improve instead of resting on the laurels of success.

“There’s certainly ways we can do better,” he said. “Don’t let the success spoil the environment.”

Athletic director Jeff Schulman believes the success the Catamounts enjoyed under Cormier will make it easier to find a new coach. ““I think the success of our program will help draw interest in the job,” Schulman said.

He had talked to Cormier over the previous weekend about his decision, he said.

“We spoke over a few different times this past weekend,” Schulman said. “Jesse has been upfront and honest with me about this process.”

Schulman knew that it was a possibility that Cormier would take the role, stating that FGCU athletic director Ken Kavanagh had asked permission to speak with Cormier, he said.

“I don’t want to stand in the way of one of our staff members who at least wants to explore something,” Schulman said.

Cormier had been a student-athlete at UVM before becoming a coach, and Schulman said that it made his departure particularly difficult.

“It’s obviously difficult to lose somebody of Jesse’s caliber,” Schulman said, “particularly someone who’s been a fixture in our program.”

Brian Wright, who just graduated and got drafted in the Major League Soccer by the New England Revolution, made his feelings about Cormier’s departure known.

“End of an era, but am thankful for all you’ve helped me with,” said Wright on a Twitter post. “Good luck with everything in Florida and God bless!”

Assistant coach Rob Dow has been named the interim head coach. Though Schulman will search for the next head coach, he said he believes Dow will be a candidate.

Cormier leaves UVM with a record of 114-89-47, tying Ron McEachen for the UVM record for wins by a coach. Under Cormier, the Catamounts reached three NCAA tournaments, including first-round victories in 2007 and 2016.

Men’s basketball is off to a hot start this season, compiling a 8-0 record in conference play, according to UVM athletics.

In last year’s America East Championship, the program had a heartbreaking end to their 2015-2016 campaign, suffering an 80-74 loss at the hands of Stony Brook University.

“Last season was a very good season, although the loss [to Stony Brook] was tough, having been up 15 points at halftime,” senior captain Kurt Steidl said.

On Jan. 28, the team avenged last season loss at Stony Brook, beating the Sea Wolves 71-64, according to UVM athletics.

Players and coaches have attributed the amount of talent on the roster, to the team’s record thus far.

“The reason for our success has been our depth and having sparks off the bench,” senior forward Darren Payen said.

Junior guard Trae BellHaynes also pointed out the team’s bench as a “huge weapon,” he said.

OLIVER POMAZI/ The Vermont Cynic Darren Payen pictured.

“Things aren’t always going to go our way,” Payen said.

“Having that experience is huge. We are able to stay composed and respond to any type of adversity.”

Head coach John Becker had high praise for his group of seniors, especially Dre Wills and Darren Payen, who both started many games for the Catamounts last season.

“As seniors, these guys have been able to accept their roles,” Becker said. “The tone was set with the sacrifice these seniors have taken.”

The team faced a great challenge early in the season, playing road games against Providence College, No.23

University South Carolina, and No.12 Butler University.

“We prepare for each game the same way, no matter who we are playing,” Payen said.

“We want to take it one game at a time.”

These three games resulted in three of the team’s five losses thus far, but with a record of 18-5, players and coaches have stuck to their philosophy of taking each day as it comes.

“You can’t look past any opponent,” Bell-Haynes said.

The team as a whole is first in total defense according to America East records.

In a Jan. 25 game against the University at Albany, the defense was huge as the Catamounts were able to hold the Great Danes to 49 points.

Bell-Haynes led all scorers with 18 points; first-year forward Anthony Lamb contributed on the defensive side of the court, tallying four blocks, according to UVM athletics.

However, as a program, the coaches said they try to ensure that the players aren’t satisfied with the status quo.

“We have to continue to do the little things,” Becker said.

“The key is consistency. We still have better basketball in us.”

12

SPORTS

Woods returns and fails Views from the Fairway

T

John Suozzo

iger Woods’ long anticipated return from injury was demoralizing for golf fans.

Woods returned to competitive professional golf Jan. 26 at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Ca. This was Woods’ first tournament on the PGA Tour in over a year and a half, after undergoing three back surgeries in the past year and missing all of the 2016 season.

Although he had won this event seven times in the past, with a total of eight professional wins at Torrey Pines, it did not seem like an ideal place for Woods to build confidence and try to get back to his winning ways.

Torrey Pines is one of the toughest courses in the country, and has hosted major tournaments such as the U.S. Open, which is reserved for courses that challenge the best golfers in the world.

Even with his familiarity and knowledge of the course, the setup at Torrey Pines proved to be too tough of a test for Woods in his first tournament back on the PGA Tour.

Tiger stumbled out of the gate in his first round by making bogey on the first hole of the tournament.

He clearly showed signs of rust, and even seemed tenta-

tive when swinging, a startling sight for golf fans hoping that Woods would continue to compete at the highest level of professional golf.

Woods finished his first round with a 4-over-par 76, which left him near the bottom of the leaderboard after the round.

Woods played marginally better in the second round, firing an even-par 72, but still missed the cut by four strokes.

He showed no signs of the brilliance he once played with, which could be attributed to rust and not being used to the competitive atmosphere after all the time away from the PGA Tour.

This uninspiring performance from Woods has become the norm recently. Oftentimes fans and golf critics are just excited to watch him get through a golf tournament without picking up another major injury, which happened all too often in the past few seasons.

However, my major criticism of Woods is not that he played poorly at Torrey Pines, but that he didn’t give himself the opportunity to succeed in his first tournament back.

Tiger has all the confidence in the world at Torrey Pines, since he grew up playing the course and has had many victories there, but it would have made much more sense for him to come back to the PGA Tour in a more

“friendly” environment.

No courses on the tour could be considered “easy,” but Torrey Pines is known for having very long and unforgiving rough. Hitting the fairway is arguably more important at this course than almost any other that he would have faced this season.

Playing from long rough is not an ideal way to come back from a serious back injury, as it opens a player up for a higher risk of reinjury.

Woods would have been much better served by coming back a week earlier and playing last week’s event, where the winner was 20-under-par, and one player, Adam Hadwin, even tied the PGA Tour record for the lowest round, a 13-under-par 59.

Easing his way back into tournament golf would have benefitted Woods, since he could have built some added confidence going into his next events.

Tiger Woods is one of the most confident people in professional golf. I’d hate to see his confidence and pride be the reason he doesn’t compete at a high level late in his career.

UVM Scoreboard

Visit vtcynic.com for more coverage and uvmathletics.com for schedules, tickets, score updates and additional information

LAST WEEK

W

71-64

Men’s Basketball at Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY Jan. 28

W

53-43

Women’s Basketball vs Stony Brook Home Jan. 28

L

1-3

Men’s Ice Hockey at UConn Hartford, CT Jan. 27

W

4-2

Women’s Ice Hockey at Connecticut Storrs, CT Jan. 28

THIS WEEK

• Men’s Basketball vs Maine Home on Feb. 1 at 7p.m.

• Men’s Lacrosse at Furman

Greenville, SC on Feb. 2 at 5p.m.

• Women’s Ice Hockey vs New Hampshire Home on Feb. 3 at 7p.m. & Feb. 4 at at 4p.m.

• Women’s Basketball vs Hartford Home on Feb. 4 at 2p.m.

John Suozzo is a junior Political Science and History major who has been writing for the Cynic since 2015.

RECORDS

Men’s Basketball 18-5 Men’s Hockey 16-8-2 Women’s Basketball 6-14

Women’s Hockey 11-10-7 Women’s Swimming and Diving 6-1

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