2017 vol 133 issue 20

BURLINGTON, VT

VTCYNIC.COM

VOL. 133

ISSUE 20

sports pg. 11: women’s hockey on road to quarter finals

green FEBRUARY 22, 2017

is UVM?

How

SGA initiative prompts discussion on enhancing environmental sustainability on campus.

Lauren Schnepf Staff Writer SGA is working on a program targeting the sustainability of its affiliated clubs and organizations.

Carbon Neutral SGA is a program that will ensure student clubs and organizations have a net-zero carbon footprint within the next two years, said Sen. Rachel Gladstone, an environmental science major.

This new program falls on the heels of a University-wide initiative started in 2007 called the Climate Action Plan.

CAP intends to reduce UVM’s energy consumption and eliminate its carbon emissions by 2025, said Nancy Mathews, dean of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.

While UVM is a environmentally friendly school and passionate about the planet, it still has many areas that could benefit from improvement, Gladstone said.

UVM is the ninth most environmentally friendly school

in the country, according to the Princeton Review.

Another “green” program at UVM is the Real Food Challenge, with which the University signed the Real Food Campus Commitment in 2011, according to UVM’s website.

In the commitment, the University pledged to serve 20 percent real food by 2020, stated Emily Portman, the UVM Dining sustainability manager, in a Feb. 13 email.

In order for food to be considered “real,” it only has to meet at least one of the four categories—local, human, fair and ecologically sound— according to the Real Food Challenge’s website.

“So many people don’t realize this,” first-year Caroline Spiccioli said. “It isn’t right.”

While UVM is close to providing 20 percent real food, up from around 2 to 10 percent when the challenge started, this number needs to be higher, Gladstone said.

“We need to stop comparing ourselves to other schools and start comparing ourselves to the earth,” she said. “Twenty

percent real food isn’t enough.”

There is a belief that once the 20 percent goal is met, the aim to have more real food will increase, Portman said.

“As we get close to 2020, I expect that the Real Food Challenge will be re-envisioning what the campaign will look like going forward,” she said.

Junior Kunal Palawat, an environmental science major in the Rubenstein School, said UVM still has a lot to work on with regards to its sustainability programs.

“The Real Food Challenge and sustainability requirement are good baby steps, but this University and its student body are known for being

leaders when it comes to green initiatives,” Palawat said.

“These programs are not good enough.”

Green Continues on pg. 3

Senior dies, friends remember him as positive spirit Olivia Bowman News Editor

Photo courtesy of Facebook Senior Brett Cohen pictured. Cohen died after a snowboarding incident at Stowe Mountain Resort Feb. 14. facebook.com/ thevermontcynic

@vermontcynic

Voices in a College Street apartment chimed over one another while talking about their friend Brett Cohen and his passion for adventure.

Hailing from Needham, Mass., Cohen was a senior at UVM when he died Feb. 14 after a snowboarding incident at Stowe Mountain Resort.

“He would sacrifice sleep for an adventure in an instant,” senior Ian Lorberfeld said. “I’d watch him hit the coolest cliff and he would just be grinning ear to ear.”

Cohen was an avid snowboarder and could often be found on the mountains of Vermont with his friends, according to many people who knew him.

“Whenever he went out, Brett was always so conscientious about safety and was

instagram.com/ vermontcynic

always wearing his helmet,” senior Sloane Ross said.

Everyone in the room agreed.

“That’s why his death has been so hard for our group,” senior Maggie Medzigian said.

“This could have happened to anyone.”

On Feb. 13, Cohen fell into a tree well while snowboarding, and the position in which he fell made it very difficult to get out, according to a Feb. 16 report by New England Cable News.

Tree wells are cavernous open spaces that develop under the base of coniferous trees like spruces or firs. The snow below is very thick and can be deep, making them dangerous, said John Abbott, assistant director of student life and outdoor programs director.

Cohen went missing around 3:30 p.m. Feb. 13.

youtube.com/ cynicvideo

after being separated from his friend and the trail at Stowe Mountain Resort, according to a Feb. 14 MassLive article.

He was found unresponsive 60 ft off-trail at 11:30 p.m., according to a Feb. 14 Boston Globe article.

Dozens of ski patrollers and other rescuers spent eight hours searching in a grid search pattern for him, according to a WCAX article.

There has not yet been an official cause of death from the medical examiner. It is believed Cohen could have suffered from hypothermia or suffocation due to snow immersion, according to WCAX. “This could have been anyone: me, you or Brett.” Abbott said. “I mean, you see a ride and separate from your group momentarily, assuming you’ll meet them at the bottom of

Brett Cohen Continues on pg. 4

vtcynic.com

NEWS

2

Genome lab to improve patient care Lucy Bisslle Cynic Correspondent A new lab in the UVM Medical Center is using cutting-edge technologies to find new ways to treat patients.

A new genomic lab will allow doctors to focus treatment on a certain part of the cell instead of killing both healthy and unhealthy cells like chemotherapy would, said Dr. Debra Leonard, chair of pathology and laboratory medicine.

The $2.5 million laboratory was funded by the Medical Center and will improve the quality of care, Leonard said.

“An individual’s genome contains crucial medical information, and we’re currently not using that in medical care,” she said.

“Genomic medicine provides the fundamental information we need to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment, which is critically important as we move to a health care model that emphasizes keeping people healthy,” said Dr. John Brumsted, president and CEO of the UVM Health Network and CEO of the UVM Medical Center.

“The center seeks to raise $75 million to create new facilities on our Burlington campus and to advance patient care, research and education throughout The UVM Health Network,” the UVM foundation stated.

Genomic testing is only available at a limited number

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic Debra Leonard, Ph.D., explains the process of sequencing a genome in the new genomic medicine laboratory in the UVM Medical Center. of academic medical centers in the U.S., according to the Medical Center’s press release.

The ultimate goal of UVM’s clinical lab is to expand the availability of genome testing specifically for patients in Vt., the press release said.

“This is a great advance for the UVM Health Network and the patients and families we serve,” Brumsted said.

Leonard stressed the importance of reducing the costs of treatment and providing access to genomic medicine for all patients, regardless of financial status.

“We have the most expensive healthcare in the United States with the poorest outcome of any developed country,” Leonard said. “That’s not sustainable.”

Genomic medicine focuses on prevention methods as well as treatment. The lab will help improve family health through preventative strategies for heritable diseases, she said.

Leonard is excited about the opportunity for clinical experiences of medical students and pathologists through the new lab.

“We’re so lucky to have this here at UVM,” Eleni Cawley, a sophomore nursing student, said. “It’s great that we can work with the lab and bring our knowledge to other hospitals after we finish school.”

The progressive technology that the new genome lab offers will be an asset to the medical center and the experiences of nursing and medical students, Cawley said.

“I am really amazed by the can do attitude that exists at UVM and at the UVM Medical Center,” Leonard said.

It is a part of the UVM

“Move Mountains” campaign, according to the UVM foundation.

Sullivan requests additional $1 million from state Jacob Ide Cynic Correspondent President Tom Sullivan requested an additional $1 million from the state for UVM funding Feb. 15.

The money would be invested exclusively in low income and first-generation Vermont students, he said while addressing the House Education Committee.

This funding will make the University more accessible to low-income students from Vermont, who presently make up between 27 and 30 percent of the student body, said Enrique Corredera, director of news and public information.

Sullivan’s presentation stated UVM was important to Vermont, noting that the University is the state’s only comprehensive research institution.

Sullivan expressed the value of Vermont students by highlighting recent graduation statistics.

Data presented to the legislature showed that the four-year graduation rate of Vermonters is equal to the University-wide rate, while their six-year graduation rate is 7 percent higher than the schoolwide average.

Data presented to the legislature showed that the four-year graduation rate of Vermonters from UVM is equal to the University-wide rate of 64 percent, while their six-year graduation rate is 7 percent higher than the average.

OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic President Tom Sullivan pictured.

The additional funding from the state would be aimed towards raising these numbers even further, Corredera said, by “ensuring students’ financial access, success, and timely graduation,” he said.

In addition, Vermont students tend to stay at UVM, with a retention rate of 90 percent.

This is higher than the UVM average of 86 percent, Sullivan said.

“Vermonters stick with UVM and graduate at higher rates than students at peer institutions,” Sullivan said.

President Sullivan emphasized the impact UVM graduates from Vermont have on the economy of the state down the line.

Sixty-three percent of Vermonters who graduate from UVM are later employed in Vermont, as compared to twenty-eight percent of out-of-state graduates, according to the presentation.

Sullivan also outlined Vermont’s relatively low level of spending on higher education.

Vermont ranks No. 49 in the U.S. in yearly spending on colleges and universities statewide, according to the State Higher Education Executive Officers.

The extra $1 million would be UVM’s first increase in state funding in ten years, Sullivan said.

“The request was motivated

by the first principle of the University’s Strategic Action Plan, which states “that UVM remain financially accessible and affordable while offering a high quality educational experience to students,” he said.

The request is a step in the right direction for the University and for Vermont students hoping to attend UVM, said first-year Alex von Stange.

“I think it’s great that President Sullivan is advocating for

more funding, especially given the sharp decline in Vermont students attending UVM,” he said.

University statistics show that the number of Vermonters enrolled at UVM has been dwindling since 2010, decreasing from over 5,300 in the Fall of that year to the current total of around 4,200.

“Hopefully the increase in scholarship money can reverse that [trend],” von Stange said.

NEWS

UVM reacts to Trump’s travel ban

3

Erika B. Lewy Senior Staff Writer In a White House press conference Feb. 16, Trump announced his plans to issue a new, “very comprehensive order” related to the travel ban next week.

Trump’s previous executive order, which banned travellers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S., was struck down by a federal circuit court and met with lawsuits and national protests.

Fewer than two dozen people at UVM from four of the seven countries are affected by the order, according to a Feb. 17 email from University Communications.

The University’s Office of International Education, which serves international students, faculty and staff at UVM, will advise community members after reviewing the new order, the email stated.

Kim Howard, Director of OIE released a travel advisory for UVM students and employees who hold citizenship from countries on Trump’s ban list Jan. 28, advising them not to leave the U.S. for at least 90 days.

Howard advised students and faculty not to give information about their immigration status to people through electronic communication in a Jan. 27 email.

“Real government officials have OIE’s phone number and email addresses and will contact us if needed,” the

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic Travelers move through Burlington International Airport Feb. 20. President Trump announced plans for a new order related to his previous travel ban against 7 countries. email stated. “People with bad motives may attempt to take advantage of you.”

With the threat of another executive order, OIE will continue to support students and employees as best they can, University Communications stated.

The Mosaic Center for Students of Color, a University organization that supports

minorities on campus, stated it would continue to offer services for students scared of how the order might affect their or their family’s ability to enter the U.S. “It’s heartbreaking to see that students and staff who hold citizenship from one of the seven countries don’t have the right to go and visit their families like the rest of us can

Medical school changes lecture model The UVM Larner College of Medicine has gained national attention by moving away from traditional lecturing in the classroom, according to New England Cable News.

The Medical School began transitioning toward more active learning classrooms this year and plans to replace traditional lectures altogether by 2019, according to NECN. This will include a new classroom model intended to promote team thinking. The goal will be to have students problem-solve with their peers, for greater success doing this later, in their medical futures, according to Dr. William Jeffries, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education.

“We’re going to deliver the best doctors we can, and we’re saying we think this is the best way,” said Dr. Jeffries.

“Our responsibility is not to our teachers or our students. It is to patients and the public.”

The new curriculum will be helpful in education for patient-centered care, in which healthcare workers need to work together to develop a course of treatment for the patient, said first-year medical student Lauren Donnelly.

“I’ve become so much better at expressing my concerns and opinions, but also better at

Morelli said she was proud of UVM for taking a stand.

“They’re reminding these community members that they are worthy human beings, no matter what America as a whole tries to tell them,” Morelli said.

UVM students who have questions regarding their ability to travel and re-enter the US should contact the Office of International Education at 1-802-656-4296. In time-sensitive situations or in case of emergency, OIE staff is available 24/7 by calling UVM police services at 1-802-656-3473.

Green Continued from pg. 1

250 mi le

Greta Brown Cynic Correspondent

,” said senior Amanda Morelli, who has worked in different roles at MCSC for four years.

local food for s diu ra

UVM

AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic Senior associate dean Dr. William Jeffries pictured. collaborating with my peers to reach a solution,” said Donnelly.

In 2014, the National Academy of Sciences published a comparison of active learning classrooms and traditional lectures in undergraduate science courses.

Students failed 55 percent less of the time while in active learning environments as opposed to traditional lectures, the study stated.

“Notes don’t really sit in your memory bank for long,” said Dr. Thomas Peterson, professor in the department of Family Medicine, “so this new approach makes for a much

more engaging classroom experience where students have a greater opportunity to apply their knowledge.”

Lecture funding will be redirected to support resources needed for this new model of active learning, Jeffries said.

In September 2016, UVM Medical School alum Dr. Robert Larner ‘39, M.D. ‘42, and his wife donated nearly $100 million to the medical school, according to a Cynic article published that month.

Some of the donated funds will support the transition, Jeffries said.

Another environmental awareness program set in place by the University is the sustainability course requirement, which requires all undergraduates to take at least one course dedicated to some aspect of sustainability, according to the UVM website.

The requirement was put in place so students will graduate with a basic understanding of the effects their ways of life have on the environment, Mathews said.

Gladstone said that while UVM’s sustainability requirement is a good thing, the material covered in the classes lacks substance.

“There is not enough edu-

cation on waste management and on how we can personally change the impact we have on the environment,” she said.

Junior Raven Tether said they feel the “sustainability” label is tacked onto classes so the University can just say all the students are learning about it.

“In my courses, we don’t really spend any time on sustainability,” Tether said. “If it’s done, you can tell it’s just been quickly and haphazardly added in.”

These classes were implemented several years ago and are still in the process of being fine-tuned, Rubenstein professor Amy Seidl said.

NEWS

4 Brett Cohen Continued from pg. 1 the mountain.”

Cohen was snowboarding in legal bounds at the time of the incident, senior Lucy Merriam said.

“He was not putting anyone in danger, and we feel there have been some misconceptions in media about that,” Merriam said.

Cohen’s friends have been sharing #shredforBrett on social media to remind the UVM community not to be afraid of living for adventure and doing what they love.

“Brett had the most contagious smile,” said senior Dewey Sheehan, long-time friend and roommate of Cohen. “He was always down to drop anything for an adventure.”

On the night of his services, his group of close friends were not focused on Cohen’s death but on all of the memories they had shared with him.

“He loved fireworks,” Sheevhan said. “Oh, and midnight chess; we played midnight chess all the time,” and after a pause: “He was just so real with me, a best friend and a brother.”

Mostly, Cohen’s friends say they will remember his easygoing personality.

“You could just be yourself around him,” junior Emily Bauer said. “I will always miss him.”

Cohen was a nutrition and food science major in CALS. “Brett was the person who stayed late in lab to help clean up, blasting ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ while dancing in his lab coat,” stated Danielle Slabine and Julia Onorato in an email to the Cynic Feb. 20.

“He made the best of every situation, living each day to the fullest. His strong listening skills made those around him feel valued and loved, while his warm, friendly personality left a mark on everyone he met,” they stated.

Cohen lived in Jeanne Mance Hall his first-year, and in Wilks Hall on Redstone campus his sophomore year.

“He always radiated good vibes and positivity,” said senior Erin Okrant, who lived on the same floor as Cohen their sophomore year. “I will never forget the legendary times we had with the old crew. Much love for you, friend,” she said, referring to Cohen.

His junior year, Cohen lived off campus on School Street in an apartment all of his friends said they remember fondly.

“We would always go to Goodwill to buy art to deco-

Photos courtesy of Facebook Top (from left to right): Brett Cohen, Mike Ball, Dewey Sheehan, Lucy Merriam and Isabella Mastrogiacomo. Above right (from left to right): Dewey Sheehan, Sloane Ross and Brett Cohen. rate that whole house,” said senior Mike Ball, Cohen’s friend and roommate.

Cohen was also involved in Hillel and the UVM Ski and Snowboard club during his time at UVM. Since his death, multiple communities on campus have been affected.

“His death has rippled through the entire ski and ride community,” Abbott said.

“There hasn’t been less of an impact on one UVM community versus another; this has had a huge effect on all.”

Many said they remember Cohen as community-oriented and inclusive.

“His lighthearted spirit impacted more people than he will ever realize, uniting friend groups and spreading positive vibes across the entire community,” Slabine and Onorato stated.

About 90 people were in attendance of the Feb. 17 Shabbat dinner at Hillel where the group said Kaddish, the Jewish prayer of mourning, in memory of Cohen.

SLOANE ROSS

“Brett brought such a sense of joy and life to all,” said Matt Vogel, executive director of Hillel, while pausing to try and find the right words. “You just could not help but smile around him.”

Brett’s closest friends have felt a great amount of support from the UVM community.

“I mean, I’ve had phone calls and texts; I’ve had moms stopping at our house to drop off meals,” Sheehan said. “I have, like, five lasagnas in the fridge.”

The day after Cohen’s death, Annie Stevens, vice provost for student affairs, sent an e-mail to the entire campus.

“We extend our deepest sympathy to Brett’s family,” Stevens stated. “Our sincere thoughts of care and sympathy are also extended to Brett’s friends and to faculty and staff who were close to him.”

Cohen’s friends and different organizations in the UVM community said they want this incident to serve as a reminder to stay safe on the mountains.

“I think a big thing moving forward is that people aren’t going to stop going to the mountains,” said senior Scott Greacen, president of the Ski and Snowboard Club. “I hope this can help emphasize people to be more aware of the precautions they can take.”

The general suggestion from administration and Cohen’s friends is to ski in groups of three to prevent potential hazardous situations.

“Every time I go to ski now, I will ski for two,” Lorberfeld said. “Brett will always be with us.”

Poem written in memory of Brett Cohen by senior Danielle Slabine I have never felt so broken inside I have never felt so shocked or confused I have never felt such nausea and pain My heart hurts, it feels bruised I feel like crying in a ball for hours I want to punch walls til my knuckles bleed I feel numb inside, empty and dark I want you back, I plead and plead I am paralyzed in grief As it pulls me into its quick sand How could we lose someone so young and strong?

I just don’t understand You were always smiling when I saw you You had the most lively spirit of anyone I knew You were supposed to graduate and start your life We were supposed to share so many more memories with you None of this feels real at all I hate talking about you in the past tense No matter how much I ponder, None of this makes sense I long for the day my pain will turn into happy memories When I will think of our cherished times and smile But for now I am lost in grief accepting you’re gone will take awhile Thank you for your contagious smiles, humor, and positivity Thank you for being the nicest, funniest friend ever You have touched my life so deeply And you will be in my heart forever

OPINION

5

State funding for in-state students 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 Social Media Liv Jensen socialmedia@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), Izzy Siedman (Life) Page Designers Tiana Crispino, Ed Taylor Copy Editors Brandon Arcari, Hunter Colvin, Michelle Derse Lowry, Rae Gould, Adrianna Grinder, Linnea Johnson, Kira Nemeth, George Seibold, Meline Thebarge ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

Staff Editorial

A

s Vermont goes through a budget transformation, President Sullivan has added UVM to the conversation of where funds should be allocated.

His request this time specifies that funds be used for low income, in-state students.

This is one event in a decade-long conversation surrounding increased state funds for UVM. It is a complicated issue for many reasons.

One of these is that around two-thirds of UVM students come from other states.

This would mean increased funds, if allocated without specific direction toward Vermonters, may go to students from outside Vermont, who often do not stay in the state after graduation to contribute to put money back into the state economy.

Meanwhile, state colleges, whose budgets were increased nearly 15 percent earlier this year, serve more Vermonters.

So naturally, why wouldn’t funds go to these places — serving Vermonters that will put money back into the economy after graduation.

Sullivan’s recent request for funding asks for $1 million

KIRA BELLIS specifically for the benefit of Vermonters. This changes the conversation a bit.

It is unclear where this money could be taken from and whether or not this reallocation would benefit the state.

In other words, would this money be best spent invested in UVM students? Would the output be more profitable to the state as a whole?

The Cynic’s role in the upcoming years will be to answer these questions and bring

others to the table in order to present readers with the most complete facts on this issue.

But for now, as long as it goes toward Vermonters, we feel this allocation will benefit the state. It is a good investment for the state.

The outcome will provide Vermont with more educated citizens that can then contribute to the community and give back to the state.

Vermont should feel obligated to help its citizens

seeking higher education.

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.

Gorsuch: preserving constitutional rights

P

James Simpson

resident Trump’s Supreme Court nominee was called an “extreme right winger” in a Cynic article

by Alexander Collingsworth.

However, when looking at some of Judge Neil Gorsuch’s less famous decisions, there are many instances where he and those on the political left can find some common ground.

Gorsuch’s judicial philosophy closely resembles that of the late Antonin Scalia, leading to him being referred to as “Scalia 2.0.”

Like Scalia, Gorsuch is an originalist and textualist. This means he interprets the Constitution the way it was meant to be interpreted at the time it was written and exactly as it is written.

For the sake of our Constitutional freedoms, Gorsuch is a home run, and by looking at a few of his notable cases, it is easy to see why.

He is a champion of religious liberty, one of the cornerstones of a free society.

In the Hobby Lobby v.

Sebelius decision, Gorsuch upheld the First Amendment right to freely practice one’s religion.

He ruled that owners of closely held businesses cannot be forced to provide contraception to employees if doing so violates their religious beliefs.

In another religious liberty case in 2014, Gorsuch ruled against the Wyoming state prison system after a man was denied accommodations to practice his Native American

faith because the state deemed it too expensive.

Free speech is also safe with Gorsuch, as shown by his ruling in 2010 in favor of a University of Northern Colorado student who mocked a professor in an online parody.

He also has upheld the rights of public employees who were subject to retaliation for exercising their rights to free speech and free association.

In the arena of criminal justice, Gorsuch dissented in a case in 2011 that upheld the arrest of a New Mexico seventh grader who was arrested after interfering with classroom instruction by generating fake burping noises. Gorsuch did not believe that making noises justified putting a child in handcuffs.

Gorsuch is also a friend of the Fourth Amendment. In one case, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents illegally entered private property, ignoring a series of “No Trespassing” signs.

While the case upheld this man’s conviction, Gorsuch dissented on constitutional grounds.

While Gorsuch has never ruled directly on abortion, a book he wrote on the issue of assisted suicide gives insight into how he might rule on the issue.

He argues “all human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong.”

This stance makes it likely that he would rule against abortion and on the side of protecting unborn life.

ELISE MITCHELL The addition of Gorsuch to the Supreme Court will have a profound impact on the balance of the court for decades to come.

With his confirmation, the Supreme Court will continue to lean conservative.

I disagree with the idea that Gorsuch is an extreme conservative. His rulings are consistent with the Consti-

tution and the rights that our founding document protects.

However, if supporting our fundamental rights makes someone an “extreme right-winger,” then sign me up.

James Simpson is a sophomore political science major.

He has been writing for the Cynic since Spring 2017.

6

OPINION

It’s time to close the laptop and open a book Alexander Collingsworth

T

he Netflix logo is beginning to seem diabolical.

Am I watching Netflix or is Netflix watching me?

It seems that these days you must make a conscious and intentional effort to turn off your screens and to pick up a book or newspaper and read it.

If you’re reading this article, you are probably one of the Cynic’s dedicated copy editors, you know me personally or you have picked up a copy out of curiosity or sheer boredom.

Admittedly, when I read the Cynic, I pretty much just glance at the front page, flip through it, check how my article turned out and then perhaps read a couple things written by people I know.

It’s a shame more people don’t read it. We really do have the best words.

I applaud the folks who write for the sports section.

Their stuff is right at the back of the paper. Props to whoever did those fantasy picks back in the fall. They were pretty good.

It seems that no one our age sits down and reads the newspaper. No one reads books anymore. No one reads.

Of course, the people who were going to read anyway -- people who are interested in literature, people who love books, you know, nerds -- those people still read, but I find it is a conscious effort to

LILY KEATS

shut my laptop and cast aside my phone and crack open a book.

Yes, people do “read” when they scroll through their facebook feeds, but I find that when I click on an article I tend to just read the first paragraph and then I leave the tab open, sometimes for a week or two, intending to go back and finish the article, but I never do.

I wish I read more, but at the end of the day, after classes and reading dry academic articles for class, I’m just trying to Netflix and chill.

Over winter break I did read a lot, partially because

I had a lot of time to kill and partially because that’s just what my family does.

When you walk in the front door there’s not a screen in sight. Our living room is dominated not by a big screen TV, but by two massive bookshelves .

The couches do not face a screen, but each other. Yes, we do have a TV, but it’s in our basement. We make the decision to go down there if we want to watch a movie or put on the game.

Here at college, though, it’s the opposite. The TV is always on.

My two roommates prob-

ably play about two hours of Fifa (or Fifs as they call it) a day and even more on the weekend.

Fifa, if you’re unfamiliar, is a game where two people yell at each other, hurling abuses that you would not hear elsewhere, with the occasional goal sometimes scored, resulting in the hurling of more abuse.

It’s a dumb game. I’ve tried to play and I’m truly bad at it, but I’ll sit there and watch them, giving a running commentary or trying to hold a conversation while each of them has their eyes glued to the screen.

Woe to the man who tries to walk in front of the TV while they are playing.

We eat most of our meals while watching television.

We hold negotiations on the way back from Chipotle runs over what we’re going to watch when we get home. It is very rare that the judgement reached satisfies all parties.

My roommates and I must make the conscious decision to turn off the TV if we want to just hang out and talk or listen to music.

Usually, if we’re not watching something, then we’re drinking heavily, preparing to go out.

Drinking is a sort of refuge from TV, but it presents its own problems.

I’m trying to avoid making broad statements, like people aren’t good at talking anymore,

but I feel like that is the case.

When you see people sitting at a bar they’re all on their phones, messing around on Snapchat. One screen replaces the other. One of my roommates drinks the way he plays Fifa: he yells a lot and tends to get competitive.

What sort of a life is that, where if you’re not working, you’re watching TV or drinking heavily? Where your relationships are moderated through Snapchat and Facebook, where you break up with someone through text?

No doubt many people enjoy the work they do, but for a lot of people work is meaningless: punch in, punch out.

It is a mindless life, and the consequences of having a country full of mindless people are becoming apparent.

Call me old fashioned, but a world where everyone is wearing virtual reality goggles is not a world I want to live in.

As technology comes to dominate every part of our lives, we must make the conscious decision to create boundaries, like keeping the TV in the basement.

When my friends and I go out to eat, for example, we pile our phones in the center of the table. If anyone touches their phone during the meal, they have to pick up the check.

Alexander Collingsworth is a senior English and history double major who has been writing for the Cynic since 2016.

New technology takes fake news to multimedia level Lily Spechler

W

ith the velocity of information perpetually on the rise, it’s impossible to slow down long enough to discern fact from fiction.

Fake news is the intentional spread of misinformation, and though the news might be fake, the repercussions are very real.

For example, a Dec. 20 article published by AWDNews mistakenly quoted former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon as threatening to destroy Pakistan with a nuclear attack if it sent troops into Syria.

This fake-news story led to a terrifying response by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who assumed the news story was real. “[Yaalon] threatens nuclear retaliation presuming Pakistan’s role in Syria against Daesh. Israel forgets Pakistan is a nuclear state too,” Asaf tweeted Dec. 23.

And who could forget the “Pizzagate” scandal, which claimed Hillary Clinton was operating a child-sex trafficking ring in a pizzeria and led to an attack by infuriated Edgar Maddison Welch using AR-15 assault rifle.

Welch was attempting to investigate the truth for himself, but authorities did not necessarily agree with his forensic tactic, to say the least.

Although no one was injured by Welch, I can’t say the same for the poor, poor victims of the “Bowling Green Massacre”. Oh wait—Kellyanne Conway made that story up on live television, according to Politifact, a fact checking website.

I believe there is a difference between fake news and propaganda, but unfortunately propaganda is occurring in the U.S. at the same time as fake news, and no one knows who to believe.

This is especially problematic since our president is doing everything in his power to discredit the media and paint himself to be the only credible source.

On Feb. 7 President Trump mistakenly reported that the crime rate is the highest it has been in 47 years in order to promote his immigration and deportation policies.

Although there was a slight spike between the years 2014 and 2015, Trump’s statement was a blatant lie.

In fact, the number of number of murders declined by 42 percent between 1993 and 2014, according to Politifact.

It is hard to prove whether or not Trump is lying intentionally, but the fact that his statements are false is indisputable. Not only are Trump’s statements untrue, he is using those falsities as the basis for very real policies.

ISABELLA ALESSANDRINI The scariest part of all of this is the spread of misinformation is about to get a whole lot scarier.

According to a research paper published June 2016 by professors from Stanford University and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, technologists are capable of controlling someone’s facial expressions on camera in live time.

For facial re-enactment to work, there must be a “source actor” who is controlling the facial expressions of a “target actor.”

During a live video, both the facial expressions of the target actor and the source actor are tracked, and technologists “convincingly re-render the synthesized target face on

top of the corresponding video stream such that it seamlessly blends with the real-world illumination,” according to the article. In other words, even though the target actor might be smiling in a live video, if the source actor is frowning, the target actor will appear to be frowning.

I highly recommend watching the YouTube demonstration to fully understand how easy it is to be fooled by this technology.

Simply type in “Face2Face: Real-time Face Capture and Reenactment of RGB Videos,” and prepare for your mind to be blown.

What happens when live speeches are hacked?

Vanity fair pointed out a potential scenario in which a

political group creates a fake video of Trump saying he is going to drop a nuclear bomb on China. The velocity of news contagion would mean that the Trump administration would have very little time to prove that the video was fake and avert an international crisis.

If we’re getting duped by both print and video media sources, how will we filter out the truth?

There is reason to be alarmed here, and I hope that you don’t find this media warning too ironic to take seriously.

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

ARTS

7

BSU explores freedom with art show Healy Fallon Senior Staff Writer This semester, the UVM Black Student Union is making efforts to emphasize black pride and identity through various events.

BSU held an art show titled “What Does Freedom Mean to You?”, a collaboration between BSU and Davis Center curators, on the fourth floor of the Davis Center Feb. 17.

Student artists of any year were prompted to answer the question “What does freedom mean to you?”

A wide compilation of poetry, photography, ink and pen sketches, collages and digital prints presented various answers to the question.

BSU envisioned the show to be a celebration for Black History Month, and hopes to make the show an annual event, according to senior Ivonne Headley, the president of the BSU. “The whole point of the show is community,” curator Julia Blasius said.

BSU and the Davis Center curators are aiming to make “What Does Freedom Mean To You?” the first of a series of art shows, he said.

She has ambitions to publicize future shows in order to generate greater interest amongst students. She also said she hopes to see more submissions from students, Blasius said.

The show is also an effort to raise awareness for the art pieces that are exhibited in the Davis Center, she said.

“What Does Freedom Mean To You?” sends a message that emotionally resonates with many who feel marginalized and unsettled, especially in the current political environment, Headley said.

It’s an empowering message that the BSU intends to make clear at UVM, she said.

“We’re here, and we exist,” said Headley.

Headley feels that the

MAX MCCURDY/The Vermont Cynic Student art is displayed in the Davis Center Feb. 16 as part of the BSU Art Show. The show exhibited a mix of paintings, protest signs and written word. organization has a unique and important role to play on a predominantly white campus, she said.

She said that it’s ironic that UVM promotes the creation of spaces and programs that emphasize diversity and social justice, yet a majority of the students involved are students of color.

Headley and Gabriel Mar-

tin, the vice-president of BSU, said they intend to increase their efforts to engage as many students they can in honest, constructive dialogues about privilege and inclusion within the campus community.

“I feel like a lot of the time people here at UVM are coming from a neo-liberal bubble,” Headley said.

The vice-president echoed

the sentiment.

“I feel like there’s an underlying line in the sand that’s been drawn that a lot of people won’t step over,” Martin said. “ We want people to cross those lines, and to be uncomfortable, so they can actually learn things.”

R&B group brings some soul to Burlington Anna Gibson Cynic Correspondent

Photo courtesy of Facebook Lee Fields of Lee Fields and the Expressions pictured.

In a small 1960s North Carolina town, the talent of a local teenager was spotted for the first time.

Lee Fields & the Expressions will be performing Feb. 23 at ArtsRiot.

Initially, Fields did not intend to pursue a music career, he said.

“I was a paperboy, and I wanted to be a businessman,” Fields said.

The artist described singing along to the current pop hits on his transistor radio, but he never expected anything to come of it, he said.

Field’s original plan of being a businessman flew out the window one night, never to return, when a friend dared him to enter into a local talent show, he said.

“I got up and started singing at the talent show, and I got a great response,” Fields said. “Then a band that was there at the talent show hired me to be their singer, and I’ve been singing ever since.”

He was influenced by a variety of musical genres and artists, such as The Beatles, James Brown, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Buddy Holly, his primary goals as a musician are to “write what the public is actually feeling,” and to capture “the rhythm of the people,” Fields said.

The artist’s passion for performance is undeniable.

“Making people happy, that’s my prime objective,” Fields said. “By far the most thrilling thing for me to see, to see that joy on the people’s faces. That makes me feel so great.”

Fields has not lost any of

this passion with age.

“In a curious case of musical evolution, the older Fields becomes, the closer he gets to perfecting the sound of soul that he grew up with as a young man,” stated DJ Oliver Wang on the group’s official website.

While some musicians hit their prime early, Fields, who is in his mid-60s, seems more energized than ever.

“I’m gonna try to give [the audience] the best show that I possibly can give,” he said. “I want to thank them in advance for supporting me, and for supporting me for all these years.”

The concert, “Lee Fields & The Expressions,” will be at ArtsRiot Feb. 23. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance, and $22 the day of the show.

8

ARTS

WRUV music of the week

Photo courtesy of Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck

Kurt Cobain’s legacy lives From the Arts Editor Ben Elfland

T

here are few artists whose impact has been so great they are still talked about as if they are still active decades after their death.

Monday marked the would be the 50th birthday of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Cobain made his musical debut with Nirvana in November 1988 in the form of a cover of “Love Buzz” released as a single on Sub Pop records.

A year later the band released their punk rock and metal influenced debut album, “Bleach.”

It wasn’t until 1991 when the group began work on

“Nevermind” that they catapulted to the forefront of pop culture.

The lead single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” found the band with unexpected success. The expertly written song captured the caustic apathy of a generation and articulated it in a way everybody could understand.

Cobain’s love for abrasive, hard music and knack for writing melodies married the worlds of hardcore and pop music. Never before had punk rock been so accessible, nor pop music so aggressively emotional.

Nirvana became the bridge between tenderness and rage that connected the marginalized with the mainstream. This manifested not only through

the music but in seemingly everything Cobain did.

Using his new platform to assume the position of a spokesman for a generation, he took great care to maintain his punk-inspired values.

Cobain’s stubbornness reinforced Nirvana’s value in an industry that was becoming increasingly more and more commercialized.

“He was one of the few rock musicians who succeeded in packing amazingly deep sorrow in catchy songs,” said rock music historian Piero Scaruffi.

“Rather than living his life, he simply lived the idea of it.”

From his progressive political views to the creation of grunge fashion, Cobain’s cultural influence is alive and well 23 years after his death.

Photo courtesy of Bandcamp Every week the DJs of WRUV, UVM’s student radio station pick an album or song that has caught their attention. This weeks DJ pick is Danny and the Darleans’ “Little Black Egg” from their album “Bug Out,” reccomended by DJ Luna.

“Bug Out” is the latest project from the Detroit based garage-rock trio. Much of the album was recorded live in the studio to capture the raw energy the genre is known for.

The group is lead by singer and guitarist Danny Kroha, a veteran of Detroit rock music. He first came into the spotlight as one third of the Gories, who would come to be known for their groundbreaking primitive sound.

On his latest effort, Kroha’s simple yet unique riffs and solos give the band’s music a sound all its own. Combined with technical skill and power of the drums (Richie Wohlfeil) and bass (Colleen Burke) “Little Black Egg” manages to capture the band at its peak.

B-SIDE

Local band headlines ArtsRiot after touring nation

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Eva Bartels

he crowd at Arts Riot had already experienced a few hours of head banging mosh madness from Bison and Sleeping In when it was finally time for Apartment 3 to take the stage.

They were the last to perform and the only ones the crowd demanded an encore from.

The group was debuting their new album for the crowd and used the already existing exhilaration in the air to continue a great show.

When asked about their start as a band, they emphasized the casualness of how the group began. Their process is mostly reliant on friends enjoying each other and the music they create, they said.

This is evident in the way they perform in front of a crowd, enjoying the music as much as the audience.

The group formed when they all chose to move to Burlington. James Tierney, the lead singer and bassist, eventually began living with Dylan Adair, singer and guitarist.

Once they began to make music together, Tierney and Adair found another music duo consisting of their new rhythm guitar player, Ivan Marrinson, and their drummer, Jon Kraus.

They found themselves occupying the same building,

some living in apartment 3, the group’s namesake.

“I went over to my neighbors to say they could tell me if I was being too loud, and he just responded ‘no let’s make some noise,’” said Tierney of his bandmate Adair.

The group would casually hang out as typical 20-somethings do. They are friends doing something they love and contributing to the effort they all feel individually tied to.

“Some shows are total busts but the good ones are really good,” Adair said about their touring around the Northeast region.

Their travels to Philadelphia and western Massachusetts were unsuccessful and long, and often led to completely empty shows for the band.

“When you tour, you never know what you’re getting into,” Adair said. “It can be a bad show with weird vibes or it can be the best show. It’s walking into a dark unknown place when you leave your home town.”

Most of their performances are in random basements around Burlington, which is not unusual for groups starting out in this town, Tierney said.

But the music always feels good to them because they were always about making the music they love and making it with friends.

“We had to grow our fan base here, it definitely didn’t happen organically,” the band said.

Although the group spoke casually of their past work and any future endeavors, they obviously have managed to learn from the process and create better work.

Their first album was recorded with a local Burlington “legend” named Joey Pizza Slice who used a random collection of tape recorders to make their album.

“Being loud and rocking, the attitude and jumping around and being energetic, not concerned with being an epic band,” Tierney said of what they want to represent and how they want the nostrings attached enjoyment of loving the music.

The band feels personally close to the genre of music their sound is a part of, noting it as a part of the west coast garage punk scene that is inhabited by other artists like Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and Parquet Courts.

Continuing with the theme of a community-based creation of music, the band established a page called Almost There, where local and traveling groups can search for venues in Burlington.

With this site, Apartment 3 became the middleman of people interested in perform-

Photo courtesy of Bandcamp ing in Burlington and those that have the spot for them to do it, whether it’s a registered music venue or even your typical Burlington basement show.

With part of the group now living in Philadelphia, they don’t have anything on the immediate horizon at the moment. The band will continue

to progress as it has in the past, coolly generating popular music with friends for people who love the same sound and energy.

LIFE

Sugar is good for you in moderation

9

The Health Corner Michaela Paul

I

am a self-proclaimed sugar addict.

Everywhere I look, I’m warned about its affect on my health — in documentaries, news reports, pamphlets, social media.

I wondered if completely removing sugar from my diet was necessary for my health.

The average individual in the U.S. consumes 358 calories of sugar in a single day, according to the American Heart Association. This is equivalent to 22 teaspoons per day.

And an alarming study published in 2013 found that lab rats saw sugar to be more rewarding and attractive than other drugs such as cocaine.

The researchers found the rats chose sugar over cocaine every time they were given this choice.

This drug-like, addictive quality explains why humans have a desire to consume as much sugar as we do.

There are two types of sugars that people consume: naturally occurring and added sugars, according to the AHA. Naturally occurring sugars are organically found in foods, including fruit and milk. Added sugars contain no nutritional value and are often added in the process of preparing food or drinks.

The two largest sources of added sugars in the U.S. are beverages like soda or fruit juices and snacks like candy or cake, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Although we consume

so much of it, added sugar actually offers no nutrients, proteins, healthy fats or enzymes, according to a Harvard University blog by Mary E. Gearing.

Added sugar is simply empty calories. Marcia Bristow, registered dietitian nutritionist and lecturer at UVM, states in her blog that these empty calories from added sugars could potentially lead to both weight gain and obesity.

I found that, in order to prevent type II diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, most women should limit the amount of sugar intake to only 100 calories, which is equivalent to six tea-

spoons of sugar per day.

On a given day, I probably consume 100 or more calories of sugar. I add it to my daily coffee, I eat sweetened yogurts, bread, salad dressings and I sometimes treat myself to chocolate. The amount of sugar I consume adds up quickly and in ways I did not realize.

It is suggested that men should consume 150 calories, which is nine teaspoons of sugar, according to the AHA. This recommended caloric intake is much less than what the average American consumes currently.

According to Bristow’s blog, all carbohydrates are composed of sugar, including fruits, vegetables and dairy,

meaning that it is not possible to give up sugar completely without eliminating these necessary food groups as well as critical vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Thus, it is not healthy nor possible to give up all sugar in its entirety.

Senior Natalie Hewitt, a biology major, said that despite her sweet tooth, she makes sure to eat everything in moderation, especially foods with added sugars.

“Although it might be easy to give in and drink soda or choose the more processed product with added sugar, I must resist this tendency,” Hewitt said. “This information is still constantly being ingrained into my mind now through news and other media

sources and even in my nutrition course.”

According to the USDA, I can limit my added sugar intake if I drink water or other unsweetened beverages and eat processed sweet foods only in moderation.

Based on my research, there’s no need for me or the rest of the U.S. population to renounce sugar. Although I know about its potential consequences, I found that moderation is key in order to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle.

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

The Tinder apps shapes this campus’ hookup culture Tell It Like It Izz Izzy Siedman

R

ight next to Facebook and Instagram on my home screen, there it is: Tinder, mascot of the hookup culture that has swept college campuses.

“You have to get it,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said.

“Just do it for the laughs,” chanted my friends. And I did.

For a couple days, I had a blast. My ego was awash with matches and messages reading “hey beautiful.”

The unending horde of users to choose from made it easy to ignore the people that opened with “I eat ass” or “show me your genitals.”

But after a few dates and an enormous number of disturbingly similar conversations, it became apparent what larger element of our generation this trend represented.

In the media, millennials are portrayed as having massive quantities of wild sex — but in real life, it doesn’t seem that way.

In fact, studies by the University of Chicago show that our generation reports fewer sexual partners during our college years than Generation

X did.

So yeah, I swipe my finger across a screen and match with someone. Yet, the truth is that usually nothing happens.

I wanted to find out if other users felt the same, so I decided to use my app for some very forward interviews.

“I’ve only hooked up once off Tinder and that was two years ago,” one sophomore said. “Besides that, I delete it pretty often and then download it when I’m bored.”

Here is the epitome of hookup culture: not only is sex a status symbol, it’s also a game — another way to pass the time when Snapchat and Tumblr fail to do so.

Not everyone was quite so gentle in their response, though.

“I’ll tell you my full experience with hookup culture if you hook up with me first,” one senior said. Thanks, Tinder boy.

I recently listened to an NPR podcast called “Hookup Culture: The Unspoken Rules of Sex on Campus,” and its analysis gave me shivers.

Hookups are defined by their absolute opposition to anything traditionally romantic, said Lisa Wade, a sociol-

ogist at Occidental College.

Both parties should make it clear that they don’t care about each other, deeming the encounter meaningless.

With our generation constantly seeking instant gratification, hookups also tend to be followed by what has been coined as “ghosting,” a complete and utter cold shoulder.

Some people think sex is just sex, so you go over someone’s house, screw and then go home. There’s little room for emotional attachment.

On the other side of the spectrum, hookup culture seems to be emotionally damaging for some.

Students in Wade’s book, “American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus,” exposed the two options of hookup culture: either you are used or nobody wants to use you. Neither feels good.

Whether you stand on the casual or the careful side, hookup culture is almost unavoidable today.

“I hate it because it’s mainly our only option in college,” sophomore Sarah Smith said.

“We either have sex by hooking up with guys or we don’t have sex at all.”

On the other hand, it works

GRETA BJORNSON

for some, like two of my closest friends who found fulfilling long-term relationships through Tinder.

At the end of the day, your sex life is your decision. If Tinder suits your needs, go for it.

The philosophy surrounding

sex needn’t be limited to two extremes.

Izzy Siedman is a first-year english major who has been writing for the cynic since fall 2016.

LIFE

10

Cost of rent prompts roommate life in cities Pride and Prejudice Marissa Lanoff

R

oommates: they’re the family you get to choose.

They’re whom you say goodnight to before bed and whom you say good morning to over a cup of coffee. They’re the people you love and yell at.

They’re the ones who teach you lessons you didn’t know you needed to know.

But some may be wondering just how long this stage will last, questioning how long it will be until they can stop writing their name on food in the fridge.

It’s not just during college, either. The roommate period often extends well into one’s 20s.

Rent is expensive, with three bedroom apartments costing up to $2,400 per month, according to Allen & Brooks, a South Burlington real estate research firm.

For many current students or grads with an education and even a good job, the American Dream just isn’t quite attainable. For those lusting after a chic Brooklyn apartment with a beautiful view, it may only be possible with a roommate and red tape splitting the room in half.

According to a 2012 study

conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, entry-level hourly wages have fallen for both men and women.

Additionally, the unemployment rate for 20-somethings remains unsettling, at 8.3 percent as of January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This percent is about double the rate of unemployment for those older than 25.

Today’s 20-year-olds are 50 percent more likely to be financially dependent on mom and dad than those of their parent’s generation, said psychologist Laurence Steinberg in his book, “The Age of Opportunity.”

Childhood now stretches all the way to 25, Steinberg stated.

A non-surprising statistic reveals that nearly 60 percent of children receive financial support from their parents post-graduation, according to a 2011 study conducted by the market research firm Harris Interactive and sponsored

by Forbes and the National Endowment for Financial Education.

It’s exceedingly difficult these days to get a job in one’s major, let alone a job at all.

According to Fortune Magazine, between November 2015 and March 2016, the U.S. added about two million jobs, but the number of 20 to 24

GRETA BJORNSON year old employees decreased by 200,000 during that same time. Most jobs, even retail and service industries, ask for experience. Internships that promise future opportunities often go unpaid.

It seems impossible to navigate life after graduation

with hundreds of thousands of dollars in college debt, while simultaneously affording rent and groceries, all without being able to land a job.

It’s like a balancing act out of the circus from hell.

With this uncertainty of the future, many millennials may

be forced to spend their 20s, 30s or even 40s splitting rents with others in their income brackets in order to stay afloat.

Marissa Lanoff is a junior psychology major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2014.

Kombucha’s popularity climbs Chris’ Critique Chris Leow

K

ombucha, a fermented tea beverage, has become quite the trendy drink in recent years.

Believed to originate around 200 B.C. in Asia, according to the journal “Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety,” Kombucha is not a new find in the world of home-remedies.

That isn’t stopping its popularity from continuing to rise. Kombucha sales could increase to $656.7 million in the U.S. alone by 2019, according to the research firm Euromonitor International.

The beverage is made using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast called scoby that looks like a jellyfish.

During the process, the bacteria eat the sugar and produce nutrients, organic acids, a trace amount of alcohol and carbonation. Other flavors, like pear, cherry and lemon can be added after fermentation, or it can be left plain.

While kombucha can be brewed at home using your own scoby, most grocery stores, like City Market and Healthy Living Cafe, now carry the vinegary beverage. The fermented tea is served cold and tastes slightly sour and fruity with a light carbonation.

Much of the recent interest in kombucha has come from its list of supposed benefits.

“My mom read a book about how probiotics are good for your brain, so now I drink kombucha,”

GRETA BJORNSON

The ultimate guide to lubing up your sex life The Dapper Vagina Sarah Heft

KIRA BELLIS sophomore Leslie VanDeMark said. “It’s an acquired taste — some flavors are pretty gross — I prefer the fruity ones.”

People are banking on health benefits like disease prevention, energy improvement and even diminished aging effects, according to an a 2013 NPR podcast.

While very little is known about its health properties, kombucha does contain probiotics, which are associated with better digestion and possibly boost the immune system, the podcast states.

I personally find that kombucha gives me an energy boost, helps with digestion when paired with a meal and is nice to sip when I’m feeling sick.

If you’re interested in trying it, Aqua Vitea Kombucha is a local kombucha producer based in Middlebury

that offers exotic flavors like Turmeric Sunrise and Hibiscus Ginger Lime.

They even have a Blue Bernie Blueberry flavor named after U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Aqua Vitea sells its kombucha in individual bottles, but also has fountains located in local restaurants and grocery stores, where you can fill up a reusable bottle or growler.

It is the cheapest way to get kombucha because it’s sold in bulk.

Whether or not you buy into the health-hype, kombucha is an excellent option for a functional beverage to keep you awake during class, substitute sugary sodas or just refresh you.

Chris Leow is a junior medical laboratory science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.

C

ondoms and sex go together like peanut butter and chocolate.

What makes peanut butter and chocolate even better?

Bananas.

What makes condoms and sex even better? Lubricant — and lots of it.

I had my predetermined biases about lube. I always figured condoms came pre-lubricated and eliminated the need for anything else. I even thought lube was for older women who couldn’t get wet.

Boy was I wrong.

Sebastian of “The Little Mermaid” told us that “it’s better down where its wetter,” and I wholeheartedly agree with him.

Lube not only makes sex less painful and more pleasurable by decreasing friction, but it also makes sex safer.

Decreased friction leads to less condom breakage, keeping you and your honey protected against unwanted pregnancies or STDs. Before you close your

laptops and put down your papers to go run out and buy a bottle of lube, there are some things you need to know first.

Not all lube is created equal: There are three types of lube on the market. Oil-based lube, water-based lube and silicone-based lube. Water-based lube is your best bet.

Water-based lubricant washes away easily, is condom-safe and is less likely to cause infections.

Silicon-based lube is your best bet if you want to have some fun in the shower because it doesn’t wash away as easily as water-based. It’s also safe for condoms. Oil-based lube can be used as a massage oil, but it breaks down condoms.

So the next time you are stocking up on condoms, add some lube to the mix. If you want to try it out before buying your own personal supply, pop into Living Well and pick up a small bottle on UVM’s dime.

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

SPORTS

Hockey splits a week before quarter finals

11

Locria Courtright Staff Writer A split against Merrimack College on senior weekend sent Vermont women’s hockey on the road for the Hockey East quarterfinals.

The Catamounts scored first Feb. 17, striking in the last minute of the second period.

Junior defender Katherine Pate took a shot from the top of the face-off circle that beat Merrimack goaltender Lea-Kristine Demers and put the Cats up 1-0.

Vermont doubled their lead 97 seconds into the third period, as senior forward Bridget Baker took advantage of a bad Merrimack line change and beat Demers glove-side.

Merrimack cut the lead in half about a minute later. Forward Emily Volpe’s pass from behind the net found forward Paige Voight, who beat senior goaltender Madison Litchfield blocker-side to shrink the UVM lead to 2-1.

The Cats restored the two-goal cushion not long after that, as first-year forward Ève-Audrey Picard pounced on a rebound to extend the lead to 3-1 Vermont.

Picard’s goal set a new program record for goals by a first-year: 12, breaking the record held by senior forward Victoria Andreakos, who scored 11 her first year.

Merrimack would not go away, and scored just un-

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic Sophomore forward Saana Valkama takes a shot on goal against Boston College Jan. 20. der two minutes later when forward Katelyn Rae beat Litchfield off a rebound. The Warriors would tie the game less than five minutes later, as defender Chloe Cook beat a screened Litchfield on the power play.

The tie didn’t last long, as the Catamounts netted the winner just 30 seconds later.

Senior defender Rachael Ade took a shot from the point, and the puck banked in off the blocker of Demers to put Vermont up 4-3, a lead they would not relinquish.

“We didn’t play well the

first 10 minutes of the game, but I really liked the way we played after,” head coach Jim Plumer said.

After a tough loss the previous weekend, the win restored confidence in the team, Plumer said.

“We needed to prove to ourselves that we could play well again,” he said. “It really had been some inconsistent play dating back to UConn Jan. 27 and 28.”

Though Saturday was Senior Day, it was a first-year, Merrimack goaltender Demers, who stole the show.

The Cats jumped out to an

Multipurpose center approved Zach Falls Staff Writer The committee in charge of the planning for a new arena on Athletic campus approved a concept to upgrade Gutterson Fieldhouse at its latest meeting.

UVM athletics brought to the public the approved concept to upgrade Gutterson, and to add a new event center Feb. 3.

“The goal was to present the ideas for major improvements in health and wellness, along with the concept for the new event center,” Athletic Director Jeff Schulman said.

The proposal includes major renovations including upgrades to the scoreboard, seating, concourse and locker rooms, Schulman said.

This idea was well received, as it allows Gutterson to remain one of hockey’s most historic and energizing venues, according to the board of trustees.

Along with the new upgrades to the Gut, a concept for a new event center was approved.

The new event center will host the varsity basketball programs, with a new arena for competition.

Location for this new arena is tentatively planned for the parking lot between Gutterson and Patrick Gym. It will be a space for campus events, social activities and entertainment as well as

early 2-0 lead, as Baker scored off a rebound and senior forward Cassidy Campeau tipped a shot by junior defender Taylor Willard past Demers.

However, the Warriors fought back. About two minutes after Campeau’s goal, Voight took a shot from the face-off dot that beat Litchfield high glove side to cut the lead in half.

Merrimack would then tie the game in the last minute of the first, as defender Dominique Kremer scored on a delayed penalty to tie the score at 2.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest has lost its importance Views from the Fairway

I Photo courtesy of UVM Renders for the proposed new Events Center pictured. a practice and competition home for varsity basketball, Schulman said.

As for Patrick Gym. the former historic sight of UVM basketball will be renovated into a health and wellness center.

The concept includes a new weight training facility, suspended track and court space, according to designs.

With the new design and upgrades to Patrick Gym, the health and wellness center will expand to nearly six times its current size, increasing from 15,000 square feet of space, to about 86,000 square feet, Schulman said.

A former concept was to build an entirely new arena that would host hockey and basketball off campus, according to UVM athletics.

This idea was rather expensive, totaling nearly $200 million. After the approval, the new design now will cost

roughly $80 million, according to UVM athletics.

“What’s significant about this concept is that it remains entirely on-campus,” Schulman said.

With the approval of the concept and budget, the next step is to move further with the schematic design of the entire project, according to UVM athletics.

The next step is for an architect to perfect the design and to get approval from the board of trustees, according to UVM athletics.

After the design is approved, the University can move forward with planning, and then construction, which could take up to three years, according to Local 22 News.

This concept allows UVM athletics to continue to improve the competitiveness of varsity athletics, as well as promote health and wellness around campus, he said.

xThe Cats did everything they could to get the go-ahead goal, but Demers thwarted their attempts time and time again. She finished the game with 48 saves, and Merrimack would get the winner with just over four minutes to go.

Forward Madison Morey tapped it past Litchfield after a wraparound attempt by Rae, and the Warriors held on for a 3-2 win.

Vermont now travels to Providence, R.I. for the Hockey East quarterfinals against Providence College. The bestof-three series begins Feb. 24.

John Suozzo

t’s time to officially abandon the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

The Slam Dunk Contest has often been seen as the marquee event of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, where recently four NBA players will appear on center stage to show off choreographed slam dunks that all look vaguely similar.

The contest has turned away from what made it great in the recent social media age, and has become borderline unwatchable for basketball fans in the last few years.

Players tend to bring out the biggest celebrities they can find and somehow incorporate them into their planned dunk, and following with ridiculous celebrations to gain a bigger following on social media or to become a more recognizable figure in the NBA. The best players have started to refuse to participate in the event, watering down the talent level of the event to mostly players who are generally unknown to those who aren’t diehard basketball fans.

In the early years of the Slam Dunk Contest, the NBA’s best players participated in the event, making it a good opportunity for players to challenge themselves against their peers, and made it enjoyable for the

common fans of professional basketball.

Legends Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins and Kobe Bryant all participated in and won a contest during their careers.

These early contests all were based on raw physical ability and a certain degree of creativity, as there were no props or overly complicated dunks performed.

Recent contests have long been ridiculed for the participants’ dunks, which have included jumping over a parked car, dunking a ball suspended above the rim from a drone, and jumping to dunk over DJ Khaled while he takes a selfie of the whole experience — I can’t make this up.

Many of these elaborate dunks take more than one attempt to perform, which takes away from the appeal.

Essentially, the Slam Dunk Contest was great when the best and most athletic NBA players wanted to take part in it.

Now, players are using it as their platform to make a name for themselves in outlandish ways because their play on the court isn’t necessarily good enough to do that for them.

John Suozzo is a history and political science major who has been writing for the Cynic since Fall 2015.

12

SPORTS

UVM Scoreboard

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

LAST WEEK

W

T

87-66

Men’s ice hockey at Boston College

Men’s basketball at UMass Lowell

Chestnut Hill, MA Feb. 17

Lowell, MA Feb. 15

Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics Athletic director Jeff Schulman (right) promotes interim head coach Rob Dow (left) to head coach of the the men’s soccer team Feb. 17.

New coach to lead young team

Locria Courtright Staff Writer

Men’s soccer has found its new head coach, and the program did not have to look far.

Athletic director Jeff Schulman announced Rob Dow as the eighth head coach of Vermont men’s soccer Feb. 17. Dow’s contract will run for four years.

Dow, has spent five years on the UVM coaching staff.

He served as an assistant for three years, and has been associate head coach the past two years.

This is his first head coaching job at the Division I level.

He will replace Jesse Cormier, who left earlier this year,

according to a Feb. 1 Cynic article.

Cormier was enthusiastic about Dow’s candidacy, Schulman said.

“After having some very indepth conversations with Rob, and getting feedback from my colleagues who did the same, it became very clear to be that the best person for the job was right here, in this department,” Schulman said.

Dow is excited to work in a program with a positive atmosphere around it, he said.

“We have great people in this program, we have great people around it who support it, and we’re very lucky to have that,” Dow said.

“Jesse and I obviously

spoke quite a bit right around his departure,” he said. “There was never any question who he was advocating for.”

The team reacted very well to the news of Dow’s promotion, Schulman said.

“This is my fourth team that I’ve shared the news about a new head coach with, and I never had a reaction quite like I had,” Schulman said.

Dow said he looks forward to the challenge of taking over a young team after an extremely successful 2016 season.

“For me, this is an opportunity,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for guys to step up and get their time.”

W

3-3

L

14-8

Men’s lacrosse vs Holy Cross

11-14

Women’s lacrosse at Colgate

Home Feb. 18

Hamilton, NY Feb. 18

THIS WEEK

• Men’s basketball vs Albany Home Feb. 22 at 7p.m.

• Women’s basketball vs Albany Home Feb. 23 at 7p.m.

• Men’s ice hockey vs Merrimack Home Feb. 24 at 7:05p.m.

• Women’s ice hockey at Providence

Providence, RI Feb. 24 at 5p.m. Feb 25 & 26 at 2p.m.

RECORDS

Men’s Basketball 24-5 Men’s Hockey 17-10-5 Men’s Lacrosse 3-0

Women’s Basketball 8-18 Women’s Hockey 13-12-9 Women’s Lacrosse 0-3

Men’s basketball receives national attention after historic season From the Sports Editor Eribert Volaj

W

OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic Redshirt senior forward Darren Payen pulls up for a jump shot against UMass Lowell Jan. 19. The Catamounts are on a 16game winning streak as they head into the last games of the regular season.

hether due to individual brilliance or impeccable team chemistry, the Vermont men’s basketball team is reaching new heights.

With every game, there seems to be a new broken record.

Their dominating 87-66 win over UMass Lowell sent the team into the history books, as they clinched a program-record 16th straight win.

It was also the 14th straight conference win, also a program record.

With this win, Vermont gained at least a share of the America East Regular Season title, needing only one more win, or a Stony Brook University loss, to make the title their own.

Behind this success stands some of the most promising athletes in America East, if the numbers are anything to go by.

First-year forward Anthony Lamb was awarded the America East Rookie of the Year for the seventh time this season last week. Lamb became the first Catamount to collect seven of these awards, according to UVM athletics.

Lamb is not the only player breaking records this season. Senior guard Kurt Steidl became the first player in program history to with 1,000

points, 500 rebounds and 200 three-pointers, following Vermont’s win over UMass Lowell.

No team has ever managed to go 16-0 in conference play in America East, according to Feb. 14 Sports Illustrated article dedicated to Vermont’s incredible season.

Sports Illustrated also pointed out another impressive achievement: UVM holds the second-highest winning streak in the country with 16 wins, only behind Gonzaga University’s 26.

The winning streak, combined with the promising talent at Vermont, has attracted the attention of several “bracketologists.”

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi ranked the Cats as the No. 12 seed against the No. 5 ranked Southern Methodist University in the South region, while CSN New England’s Robert Snyder ranked them as the No. 12 seed against the No. 5 ranked University of Wisconsin in the Midwest region.

Head coach John Becker has also gathered attention for his team’s achievements. Becker was named as one of the top five mid-major coaches of the year, and was featured in a Mid Major Madness article.

One of the things he has done so well this season is sharing the responsibility among the team’s star players.

Offensively, Lamb, junior guard Trae Bell-Haynes and

redshirt junior forward Payton Henson all average more than 11 points per game.

Steidl and senior guard Dre Wills are two of the most impressive defensive players, combining for 182 defensive rebounds and 58 steals.

Every player knows their role and does it well; the best example of this is redshirt senior Darren Payen.

The Milford, Conn. native has come off the bench every single game but one, and his impact has been very positive.

With only two games to go, Vermont has already secured a share of the America East regular season title, and appears in good shape to go undefeated.

The last team with such an achievement in the America East conference was the University of Delaware when they went 14-0 25 years ago, according to Sports Illustrated.

Vermont will look to be crowned as the only America East champions tonight when they host University of Albany.

If Becker’s team keep this up, maybe the March Madness fever will catch Vermont too.

Eribert Volaj is a junior business administration major who has been writing for the Cynic since Fall 2015.