2017 vol 133 issue 24

BURLINGTON, VT

VTCYNIC.COM

VOL. 133

ISSUE 24

MARCH 29, 2017

B-SIDE PG. 9: wruv & Artsriot team up for month of festivities

Students to choose new Students react to increased policing in Coolidge president

Heightened Surveillance:

Erika B. Lewy Assistant News Writer Lauren Schnepf Staff Writer

Erika B. Lewy Assistant News Editor Residents of Coolidge Hall are now used to seeing many police officers walking up and down their hallways this semester.

UVM police services began doing community walks at residential halls in February under the direction of ResLife.

They were told to respond to vandalism and drug use in Coolidge, Deputy Chief Tim Bilodeau said.

At the beginning of the school year, sophomore Vanessa Palermo invited friends to her dorm in Coolidge Hall to listen to music and paint.

She kept her door open so friends could filter in and out as they pleased, she said.

Palermo has kept the door to her room closed since the start of increased police presence. Her friends living in other buildings don’t spend time in Coolidge anymore because it’s uncomfortable, she said.

Sophomore Lauren Bird, who lives on the first floor of Coolidge near the entrance, said police have been in the dorm nearly every night since February.

“Yesterday, I left my room to go take a shower, and two police officers were standing outside my door,” Bird said.

Two residential advisers, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said ResLife requested they do extra walks in Coolidge to reduce the amount of police in the halls.

At a staff meeting this month, the two RAs said they were asked to spend their Friday night in Coolidge, and told to take their walks seriously because the hall was an area of “high risk activity.”

The RAs were told at

VOTING OPEN: 8:00 a.m. March 28 4:00 p.m. March 29

POLICE

the staff meeting that their presence would cut down on police patrols, they said.

Both Palermo and Bird said they feel they’re being watched, and that the level of scrutiny police and ResLife give Coolidge is excessive.

“It’s anxiety-provoking even if you’re not doing anything illegal,” Palermo said.

“We’re afraid of doing anything that might make noise. We’re afraid to attract unnecessary attention.”

Students understand the need for some police presence, but her issue is not with them being in the halls, Palermo said.

Rather, Palermo was frustrated with the amount of time police spend in the building, and that it seems like police are looking for trouble instead of responding to issues, she said.

After speaking with other residents who felt the same way, Palermo wrote a petition in February asking ResLife to get police out of Coolidge, Palermo said. Eighty-one people signed it.

While everyone recognized that police are spending more time in Coolidge this semester, students, ResLife, RAs and police services have different reasons for why police walks

began in the first place.

The RAs said they first heard police were going to get involved in late January, in the wake of a few incidents of vandalism and drug use.

An RA on walks found someone had discharged a fire extinguisher in the hall. Around the same time, residents complained that someone was pushing drug paraphernalia underneath their doors, the RAs said.

Police officers started showing up regularly in Coolidge in February after a

Coolidge Continues on pg. 6

SpringFest headliner announced by UPB Staff Report This year’s SpringFest will feature exclusively international artists, with the exception of one local band.

UVM Program Board announced the headliner for this year’s SpringFest, Irish indie-rock band Two Door Cinema Club, at Nectar’s March 25.

German R&B singer-song-

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writer Bibi Bourelly and English indie pop band Blossoms will also be performing.

Bourelly has written songs for artists such as Rihanna, including her 2015 hit, “Bitch Better Have My Money.”

SpringFest will be held April 29 in the parking lot of Jeffords Hall.

Last year was the first time SpringFest was held in the Jeffords lot, breaking from the

@vermontcynic

tradition of holding the event on the central green.

Navytrain won UVM’s Battle of the Bands, clinching a spot as a SpringFest opener.

The band consists of seniors Cole Davidson, Ray Belanger and Zebulon Carney.

UVM bands Jeddy, Rose Street Collective and Kudu Stooge also performed at Battle of the Bands.

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Photo courtesy of Bandcamp youtube.com/ cynicvideo

An SGA presidential campaign video set against a projection of a galaxy photo and scored with the “Game of Thrones” theme song has been viewed over 6 thousand times, according to Facebook.

The video was produced by candidate junior Niko Wu, a sociology major. Wu is running against junior Chris Petrillo, a mechanical engineering major.

“It’s a funny video, but SGA president is a very, very serious position,” said current SGA President Jason Maulucci.

Maulucci endorsed Petrillo for the position at an SGA meeting on March 21. Voting for the elections opened at 8 a.m. on March 28 and will close at 4 p.m. on March 29.

Maulucci said it is Petrillo’s substantial, detailed platform and demonstrated preparation for the role that garnered him the incumbent’s support.

He said that Petrillo shadowed him in the weeks before the election to get an understanding of what responsibilities the presidency entails.

Maulucci encouraged students to look closely at the candidates’ platforms and choose the candidate with the most substantial platform.

“Petrillo has a clear and firm grasp of the issues at hand,” Maulucci said. “He has good ideas and will provide fresh perspectives. He’s shown to me that he’s an incredibly hard worker, and that he really cares. He’s the best candidate for the job.”

In order to run, presidential and vice-presidential candidates must collect at least 500 signatures each.

In response to concerns that the election process was rushed in years past, Maulucci said SGA took steps last year to move deadlines back.

This year, SGA announced the date, rules and other details of the election on February 22.

SGA Continues on pg. 5 vtcynic.com

2

NEWS

rumpdates

What’s been happening on Capitol Hill?

Health care reform sparks chaos in D.C., divides GOP Republican leaders in the House of Representatives decided to pull a bill that would repeal the Affordable Care Act March 24, fearing that it did not have enough votes to pass, according to a New York Times article.

“We’re going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future,” House Speaker Paul Ryan R-Wis. said at a March 24 news conference.

President Trump took to Twitter on the morning before the repeal vote.

“After seven horrible years of ObamaCare (skyrocketing premiums & deductibles, bad healthcare),” Trump tweeted, “this is finally your chance for a great plan!”

This tweet came before Ryan went to to the White House to inform Trump that the repeal bill, called the American Health Care Act, did not

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has sunk to

36%

the lowest it has been since he took office Jan. 20, according to Gallup.

This new rating is two points below Barack Obama’s lowest of

have enough votes.

Ryan and Trump decided they would rather pull the bill than see it fail on the House floor, according to the New York Times.

After the bill was pulled,Trump waited until the next morning to tweet about health care again.

“ObamaCare will explode and we will all get together and piece together a great healthcare plan for THE PEOPLE,” he tweeted. “Do not worry!”

According to a report by

the Washington Post, Ryan got down on one knee to plead with the longest-serving Republican in Congress, Don Young, R-Calif., to get him to support the bill.

Ryan’s pleading came to no avail, however, as the bill never saw the light of day in the House.

A report by the Congressional Budget Office published March 13 stated that the proposed bill would leave an additional 24 million Americans uninsured by 2026.

38% recorded in 2011 and 2014, according to Gallup.

Farmers Market changes spots Staff Report

Photo courtesy of TJ Thran Students and friends celebrate Brett Cohen’s life at the Shred for Brett event at Stowe Mountain Resort March 26.

Friends honor late student with event at Stowe Erika B. Lewy Assistant News Editor

More than 100 friends and family members of the late Brett Cohen gathered at Stowe Mountain to ski, ride and share memories in his honor.

His friends, seniors Dewey Sheehan, Sloane Ross, Zack Pensak and Lucy Lee, worked with Stowe to get discounted day passes, reserve rooms, and organize a torch lit ski parade March 26, Pensak said.

Cohen, who died after a snowboarding accident at Stowe Feb. 14, was a senior nutrition and food science major, a member of Hillel and an avid snowboarder.

To start the event off, 55 of Cohen’s friends gathered at the top of Stowe’s gondola to do a group run. They wore matching “Shred for Brett” tee-shirts that Ross designed for the day.

“We were all wearing same the same tee-shirts,” Pensak said. “It was breathtaking, an incredibly wonderful experience to run with all these people. All of us laughing and going down the mountain in memory

of this friend of ours.”

After an afternoon of skiing and snowboarding, the group joined others at the base of the mountain to swap stories about Cohen and eat pizza.

Two UVM a cappella groups, Cat’s Meow and Hit Paws, sang in honor of Cohentheir friend, Pensak said.

Attendees skied with torches when it started to get dark around 7 p.m., Pensak said.

“It was mesmerizing,” he said.

To close the evening, the group set off fireworks, according to the event’s Facebook page.

The event was another example of the supportive community that has sprung up to celebrate Cohen’s memory, Pensak said.

“It’s all about the memory of person who was such a wonderful, wonderful part of our lives,” he said. “Sunday meant being able to be part of a community and remembering the happiness and joy that Brett brought us.”

On select Saturdays, the Davis Center transforms from a student center to a community space as it hosts the Burlington Winter Farmers’ Market.

“It bridges the gap between the community and the University,” junior Alex Cahill said.

Prospective students wandered around the market with their families March 25, intermixed with current students and Burlington residents.

“I love how accessible [the Farmers Market] is to students,” Cahill said.

The usual flow of students and clacking of billiard balls was mixed with the chattering and bustle of the local community.

The decision to move the market from its original location, the Memorial Auditorium in downtown Burlington, was made earlier this year because the city did not want to use the aging building.

Since moving to the Davis Center, some vendors said they have seen a growth in profits.

“I like it much better here,” popcorn vendor Karen Briane said. “I’ve had much more traffic here and the load in and out has been far less of a hassle; the free parking is also a plus.”

The decision to move the market from its original location, the Memorial Auditorium in downtown Burlington, was made earlier this year because the city did not want to use the aging building.

Charlotte Sullivan and Jackie Thonet of Shelburne Farms said that although they have made more money at UVM, the layout of the market is not as intimate as the Memorial Auditorium.

“The Davis Center is more sprawling,” Thonet said.

While there have been some benefits of moving the market to the Davis Center, University President Tom Sullivan expressed a desire for something more. the Memorial Auditorium was more centrally located downtown, Sullivan said.

“I feel like you might have gotten more of the Burlington community when it was at the Memorial Auditorium,” Cahill said.

The auditorium was much colder, and the building was in need of certain repairs, such as broken windows, Thonet said.

“One thing this place has is nicer light and it’s certainly warmer,” bread vendor Scott Melone said.

The Farmers Market will be in the Davis Center from 10:00- 2:00p.m. on Saturdays until April 8.

Impact on Student Employees Hosting the market has brought different responsibilities for Davis Center student employees, as well.

Atat the information desk on March 25, a few were pulled away to assist a vendor with loading his stuff out.

Student employees of the Davis Center assist in helping the vendors set up and move out, said student employee, Robert Parris.

This, though, was was not unusual for Davis Center employees.

While the employees said there was a change in scene, their actual workload did not change much.

“It’s just like another busy day, just a different kind of busy,” said Parris.

Another student employee at the information desk said that the increased noise level

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vemront Cynic Burlington residents take part in the winter farmers market in the Davis Center Nov. 12, 2016. and aroma from various vendors have diffused throughout the floor.

Davis Center student employee Hana Nielsea works at the third floor information desk. She also said she has noticed a volume change, and that people often ask where the farmers market is.

“My shift is more quiet usually,” Nielsea said. “There is definitely a smaller ratio of students in comparison to community members here during the farmers market, depending on the weather that day.”

Nielsea said that for the farmers’ market, there are more shifts available to the Davis Center employees.

Maggie McCarthy said there are more shifts at Henderson’s Café, too, in preparation for more people in the Davis Center.

NEWS

3

Burlington non-profit houses students and inmates Erika B. Lewy Assistant News Editor Like in many other homes on Buell Street, residents of the Dismas House and their guests sat down at 6 p.m. Thursday to share dinner and talk about their days.

Everyone said what they were grateful for and swapped stories over bowls of pasta and vegetables.

Residents Roger and Ed both got new jobs, while Jamie had been interviewed on a radio station earlier that day.

The conversation could have been happening at any Vermont table. People talked about wild blueberry and elderberry shrubs, the similarities between horses and humans, the magical healing power of honey and just how cool Ben and Jerry are.

However, this dinner was different because Roger, Jamie and Ed are former inmates. And the house is the Dismas House, a national nonprofit that houses former prisoners alongside college students.

“The idea is that students and former prisoners are preparing to enter society in really different ways, but they’re both preparing to re-enter society,” said political science professor Alec Ewald, who’s made dinner at the house nearly once a month for the past four years.

In recent years, Dismas has had trouble filling the two beds that are meant for college students, said Kim Parsons, director of the Buell Street Dismas house.

Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, UVM students who were attracted to an alternative living experience and cheap rent — students and former inmates pay $350 per month rent, utilities and weeknight dinners — filled those beds, Parsons said.

In recent years, however, Dismas has had trouble recruiting students, Parsons said.

Parsons and Ewald have been working with senior Tori Staley over the past two years trying to rebuild the connections between Dismas house and the University, Ewald said.

Ewald first heard about the

MAX MCCURDY/The Vemront Cynic Members of the Dismas house gather for their weekly community dinner March 24. The Dismas house is a national nonprofit that houses former prisoners alongside college students.

Dismas house four years ago from his neighbors in Shelburne, who cooked dinners with a community group.

Ewald and his family started making and bringing dinners themselves, and he ended up volunteering on the Buell Street house’s board, he said.

As a professor, Ewald saw the Dismas House as a way for students to break out of the social, political bubble that develops on university campuses, he said.

When Staley came to Ewald’s office and told him she wanted to engage with the community in a meaningful way, Ewald saw a place for her at Dismas, he said.

While Staley wasn’t able to live in the house — she had already signed a lease for an apartment — she knew she wanted to be a part of the organization, she said.

Staley started organizing a group of students to make and bring meals to the house a few times that semester. Through dinners, she got to know the

residents and the people who ran the nonprofit, Staley said.

In May 2016, Ewald asked Staley if she wanted to join him on the local board of directors.

When Staley accepted the position, she became the board’s first-ever student representative, Ewald said.

Both Staley and Parsons said they think one of the problems facing Dismas is that students either don’t know the house exists or don’t understand how it works.

This year, Staley and Ewald have worked to increase student awareness by bringing students to dinners at the house, talking to students in political science classes and working on the board to get the word out, Staley said.

Wendy Pelkey-Grant, a former prisoner and Dismas resident since 2014, said students might also be scared to live in the house.

“When they get here and they get to know us, when we all talk about our experience, people learn that we’re just

people who made mistakes,” Pelkey-Grant said. “We’re people.”

Staley said everyone’s efforts are starting to pay off. Students, like Becca Watson ‘17, who lived in the house this fall, are starting to show interest again, Staley said.

“Watson said she same across the house because she was having trouble finding an affordable place to live” The first Dismas house began in 1974, when a class of Vanderbilt University students studying criminal justice saw that former prisoners were having trouble finding homes and were becoming further disconnected from their communities, according to the Dismas website.

The house aims to reconcile the relationship between former prisoners and their community by recruiting college students to live with them, according to the Dismas House website.

Residents eat dinners prepared by volunteers every week night. They volunteer a few times a year at Vermont Youth Conservation Corps farm, go camping and have movie nights, Pelkey-Grant said.

The Burlington Dismas house has been unable to follow the original model due to lack of student interest, Staley said.

James, a former prisoner who chose to omit his last name for privacy reasons, moved into Dismas five months ago. He said he wept after he passed his three interviews and was accepted.

“I was scared, living in a motel and running out of money,” James said. “When Kim [Parsons] said she’d accept me, I couldn’t stop crying. These people saved my ass.”

When James left prison, he missed the routine and community. The real world seemed too fast and unfamiliar, but Dismas has provided the family he was missing, he said.

Still, James said Dismas

could be better: more students could live there.

“It’s hard sometimes. I don’t want to always be around other people from jail,” James said, of the other former inmates he lives with. “I love them. When I got hip surgery, everyone helped me put my socks on.”

But James wants to welcome and joke with UVM students, talk about the classes they’re taking, what it means to be in a transitional time of your life and the dangers of drugs, he said.

“I think it’d be great to have more students,” James said.

“That’s what we’re missing here.”

The past few months have given Parsons hope that more UVM students will start working with and living in the house, she said.

“Today, it seems like more students are interested and aware of people living on the margins than there used to be,” Parsons said.

Staley will graduate in May, but hopes that the relationship with UVM and Dismas continues to strengthen, and that students continue to bring dinner and apply to live there.

The Buell Street house hopes to keep a student on board, she said.

Staley hopes students see the opportunity for what it is: the chance to learn about people with completely different backgrounds than themselves, she said.

“If you’re coming out of college thinking you want to be helping or influencing society, you have to know what that society is,” Staley said. “This is where you learn.”

Living with Dismas was simply living at home: they carved pumpkins, wrapped presents and decorate the Christmas tree Watson said.

“I realized that it was like living with a bunch of brothers and sisters,” she said. “Yeah, sometimes they’ll get on your nerves — but they’re also going to protect you no matter what.”

NEWS

4

New center sparks varying responses

Lucy Bisselle Staff Writer After navigating Patrick Gym, students stood looking out at the Green Mountains while waiting to use weights and cardio equipment.

UVM has outgrown the Patrick-Forbush-Gutterson Complex, which was built in 1963, Athletic Director Jeff Schulman said.

“You mean the maze?” first-year Julian Lathrop said in response to whether Patrick Gym would be missed. “I support the new facility as long as it is easier to navigate and less crowded than Patrick.”

The discussion over updating UVM’s facilities has been ongoing, said Tom Gustafson, vice president for University relations.

While some think that the new center will benefit the University as a whole, others have expressed concern that UVM is shifting its focus to the wrong areas.

“Whoever made this decision must be out of touch with what student life is really like,” junior Scott Weiner stated in a comment on a Facebook post regarding the center. “Instead of taking care of the students that UVM pays to be here, why doesn’t the University take care of the students that pay to be here.”

The board of trustees unanimously passed a motion for the construction of a new multipurpose center five times the size of the current gym Feb. 3.

This motion allows for the designing and planning of the new center, but not the actual construction of it, according to the committee.

The board approved approximately $750,000 for this next phase of planning which includes designing the facility, but the total cost of the center is around $80 million, Gustafson said.

“The financial model to pay for this project is almost certainly going to be a combination of institutional sources and privately raised funds,” Schulman said.

The private funds will come exclusively from donors, and the money coming from UVM is likely to come from

Athletics and Recreation Fees of Institutions

College/University

Athletic Fee

Recreation Fee

Ath/Rec Total

University of New Hampshire

$1,175

$508

$1,683

William & Mary

$1,173

$196

$1,368

Maryland-Baltimore County

$993

$0

$993

University of Connecticut

$526

$200

$726

Stony Brook University

$529

$164

$693

University at Albany

$551

$140

$691

Binghamton University

$508

$106

$614

University of Colorado, Boulder

$63

$523

$586

Syracuse University

$0

$434

$434

UMass Amherst

$403

$0

$403

Boston University

$0

$398

$398

University of Vermont

$374

$0

$374

Boston College

$330

$0

$330

University of Maine

$0

$0

$270

UMass Lowell

$0

$0

$0

Data from UVM board of trustees finance and investment committee documents student fees, he said.

“It’s a very similar funding model to the Davis Center, although the student fee is not likely to be as high,” Schulman said.

The current Davis Center fee is $592 per student. The trustees discussed a student fee for this project in the $200300 range per year, he said.

UVM athletics has people who have donated and prospective donors who are interested in supporting this project, Schulman said. These donors are people whose primary interests are health, wellness and athletics, he said.

The construction of the new center will cancel out over $40 million worth of maintenance that has yet to be done to Patrick Gym, Schulman said.

Other concerns include the

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic The view from the current fitness center in the Patrick Gym complex. The board of trustees approved construction of a new multipurpose center March 3.

loss of 100 parking spaces in the vicinity of Patrick Gym. “The 100 or so parking spaces that will be lost are not currently allocated for students,” Schulman said. “Those are exclusively faculty and staff spaces.”

The reduction of parking will have more of an impact on parking for games and other athletic events, he said.

Schulman said he knew a project of this magnitude would be criticized, but feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I think it’s a very exciting project and that will be truly transformative for the entire campus community,” he said.

“Students in particular will be far better served with this facility than they are currently

by Patrick Gym.”

Senior Bethany Kelly, who works at the fitness center, said although the current facilities are clean, well-kept and accommodating of all students, she was excited to hear about the renovations.

“I think it would be great,” Kelly said. “The PFG complex is outdated, and allocating funds to either repairing, remodeling or adding additions is definitely worthwhile.”

The new multipurpose center will improve the overall student experience, said Beth Wiser, executive director of admissions.

“Our students can do their best work when they have great recreational facilities,” Wiser said.

Other members of the UVM community have concern over the new center, such as English professor Nancy

Welch.

Welch said UVM needs to focus more on its core academic mission rather than marketing the University through this multipurpose center, stating that 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,” she said, “or we can keep UVM’s funds in education and tap into the talent that a UVM education is devoted to cultivating.”

The board committee stressed the importance of the new center being student-oriented and focused on improving overall wellness at UVM, but some students think it is an unnecessary addition.

Junior Izzy Schechter said the need for a new stadium or gym isn’t important to students’ experience at UVM. “I don’t want the culture of this school to change,” Schechter stated in a comment on the same Facebook post regarding the center.

“This is UVM, we aren’t like other schools, and there’s more pressing issues on students’ radar than this one.”

Some community members in Burlington are supportive of UVM’s efforts to modernize its facilities, including Mayor Miro Weinberger.

The development process of UVM’s new multipurpose center has been collaborative, professional and productive with the city of Burlington, Weinberger said.

“UVM’s success with this important undertaking will be

the city’s success as well,” he said.

The arena could provide a powerful economic stimulus for the region, said Kevin Dorn, South Burlington city manager.

At the moment, the city of Burlington will not be contributing financially to the construction of the new center, though it is open to tax negotiations should UVM decide to expand their facilities off campus, according to the mayor’s office.

Despite complaints about Patrick Gym’s twisting halls and small spaces, students have given Campus Recreation 4.7 out of five stars, according to its official Facebook page.

“We have a strong tradition in Vermont athletics,” Wiser said. “This project helps to put us on similar ground with the other schools in our comparator list that students consider when they also are considering UVM.” Junior guard David Urso of the men’s basketball team described his experience in Patrick Gym. “Patrick has been tremendous,” Urso said. “It’s a gym and facility with a lot of character, which I think reflects the community and the fans who support us every game.”

He went on to say the facilities are a little out of date and could use some modernization, but ultimately will miss the current gym.

“It will be extremely hard to replace Patrick and the atmosphere it has,” he said.

Izzy Siedman contributed reporting.

NEWS

5

Candidate Fast Facts

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic (left to right) Niko Wu, Chris Petrillo and Nicole Woodcock discuss issues facing the UVM community during the SGA Presidential & Vice Presidential Debate March 27.

SGA Continued from pg. 1 campaign rules and a petition to be signed by students, were made available to candidates before spring break.

Petrillo and his running mate, junior Nicole Woodcock, picked up their packets the week before break, Maulucci said Wu picked up his packet on March 21, the day before signatures were due, according to Maulucci. He collected over 500 signatures by the following day, Maulucci said.

Wu said if his platform seems rushed, it’s only because he decided to run 15 minutes before the deadline to declare.

“I AM IN HERE,” Wu’s platform states. “When I worked for SGA last year, I recognized that SGA could truly do a lot connection with different organization around campus.

Living Well. ResLife. Dining Hall. Or Lovely Bus Transportation.”

If elected, Wu will use his role as president to help enhance the connections among students, clubs, SGA and other University affiliates, he said.

Wu, who is a resident ad-

viser in the Wing Davis Wilks complex, learned about the importance of communication and feedback when he served as a senator on SGA’s committee for club affairs last year, he said.

“In my opinion, our students are the shining stars,” Wu said in the video. “We are brilliant with our fantastic ideas to make our fantastic sky called UVM.” Petrillo’s platform focuses on continuing projects that current SGA President Jason Maulucci and Vice President Tyler Davis began in their historic two-year tenure on SGA’s executive board, he said.

During their tenure, the first two-year term in over 50 years, SGA Senate had an 80 percent senator retention rate, which was higher than in years past, according to a May 2016 Cynic article.

Petrillo plans to continue several projects that Maulucci and Davis started: continuing the work of the Peer Advising and Mentoring Center, the Safe Ride program slated to begin in the fall and the Catamount Innovation Fund, which will provide funding to student entrepreneurs, Maulucci said.

Petrillo said he wants to protect students’ academic freedom, elaborate on student rights and improve the delivery of student health services by shortening wait times for mental health appointments at Counseling and Psychiatry Services.

“I’m voting for Niko because he’s easygoing and friendly; he gets along with everyone,” first-year Justin Schimmel said. “That can be applied to dealing with people and programs in the presidency.”

Still, some students are unaware that the election is happening. Sophomores Lauryn Rowland, Charlotte Hoeft and junior Cooper Long said they were not aware of who was running in the election.

While Hoeft was aware that new SGA positions were open, she thought new positions were only in the senate, she said.

In the final days leading up to the election, Woodcock said she had a message for students going to vote.

“Think really critically about what people are standing for,” Woodcock said. “Are things really going to get done?”

Chris Petrillo Year: Junior Major: Mechanical Engineering Running for: President VP: Nicole Woodcock Year: Junior Major: Biology Platform • Increase rights of students • Academic freedom • Recommend professors release syllabi earlier • Longer add/drop and withdrawal periods • Better access to mental health resources • Reinstate reading days Chris’ Experience • Shadowed Jason Maulucci to learn aspects of his projects • Sat in on Senate meetings Nicole’s Experience • Senator on academic affairs committee

Niko Wu Year: Junior Major: Sociology Running for: President Platform • Representing student voices • Getting information from students about what they want • Increase communication between clubs and SGA Experience • Served as a senator as a sophomore • Committee for club affairs • Resident adviser in WDW Campaign Strategies • Campaign video received over 6,000 views by March 28 • 500 signatures in one day • Speaking to students in classes

Campaign Strategies • Social media

Budget for SGA sponsored clubs hits $1.3 million Lauren Schnepf Staff Writer

Each year, SGA is tasked with creating a budget to help fund all 147 student organizations recognized at UVM. The budget, a total of $1,306,307.82, allocates funds to SGA-recognized organizations for the 2017-2018 academic year. It was passed March 21.

The budget is $59,326.62 more than it was in the 20162017 year, according to documents obtained by the Cynic.

The budgeting process allows clubs and organizations to reach out to other students and enhance their programs as well as the greater UVM community, SGA President Jason Malucci stated in a March 23 email.

The allocation of funds is determined by looking at budgets from previous years, as well as a hearing process required for any club requesting over $20,000, stated Jake Guarino, chair of the SGA finance committee in a March 23 email.

According to the SGA financial policies document, other

factors that determine the amount of money allocated to any club include the number of members the club’s impact on the UVM community, and the club’s past integrity, financial responsibility and performance.

Clubs are likely to obtain only a percentage of the funds they requested. This year, many were allocated less than half their funds.

In the upcoming academic year, clubs that received the greatest amount of allocated funds included the club crew team, the Outing Club and the Ski and Snowboard Club, which were the highest budgeted clubs last year as well.

Ski and Snowboard Club will receive $50,200, over half the amount of their requested $77,290. The Outing Club also typically gets more money than most clubs; they will be allocated $61,495, nearly 80 percent of their requested $77,696.

The crew team may have such a high budget because it has over 80 members that need to be transported to and

SGA Club Budget 2017-2018 School Year Budgeted Funds

$1,306,307.82

Requested Funds

$2,609,742.52 from regattas, in addition to the expense of regatta fees, paying coaching staff and various amounts of equipment, said senior Alyssa Handelman, crew team treasurer.

Club crew will receive $98,600 for the 2017-2018 school year, more than any club; this is just 50 percent of their requested amount of $198,346.

The leaders of SSC declined to comment about their budget.

Even the top-funded clubs have concerns about not being

allocated their entire requested budget.

“One of the reasons our requested budget was high was because our current head coach has to leave after this year,” Handelman said. “In order to attract a new coach we wanted to be able to offer a salary that matched the level of commitment and caliber we’re hoping for.”

While SGA attempts to allocate adequate funding to each club, it is impossible to give all clubs the amount of funding they request, Guarino stated.

The funding for these clubs comes from a $200 fee that all UVM students pay, stated Richard Cate, UVM vice president of finance in an email March 23.

Clubs can request the funds they feel they need and are then given the funds the SGA feels is necessary, depending on the budget, Guarino stated.

If the clubs are unhappy with this allocation, they can later appeal to SGA, he stated.

“The appeals process is not meant to be a re-do of the budget” Guarino stated in a Mar. 27 email “but rather just a few items that we can hopefully help them with.”

The process opens a week after the budgets are sent to clubs, who can then come in and meet with the Finance Committee and discuss a few parts of the budget they wish to prioritize, he stated.

Guarino stated that for the most part, SGA is able to give clubs some additional funding than their original budget, but this is on a case-by-case basis.

Disclosure: Alyssa Handelman is a full time Cynic Staff

NEWS

6

Foreign officials study Champlain

Joey Waldinger Staff Writer Following their interest in Vermont’s environmental laws, a team of Chinese researchers and government officials visited Burlington in March.

This delegation, which was representing the School of Law at Fudan University in Shanghai, studied how Vermont has drafted laws to clean up Lake Champlain in an effort to learn more generally about how the United States assesses and corrects ecological damage.

As China is trying to draft stronger environmental laws, it is essential that they understand how to effectively fix environmental damage, said Siu Tip Lam, Vermont Law School professor and director of the VLS U.S.-Asia Partnership for Environmental Law. This delegation discussed U.S. environmental legislation with experts from VLS and UVM, who co-sponsored this conference, Lam said.

Lake Champlain was chosen for this study because the federal and state agencies studying the lake have already come out with a restoration plan, Lam said.

This plan, called the total maximum daily loads of phosphorus, was created by the Environmental Protection Agency with the help of the Vermont Department of Natural Resources.

The Clean Water Act, which pushed the state to develop this plan, was another area of interest to the researchers, as it “forces states to determine how to address water restoration issues,” Lam said.

Hao Shen, a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, China who was a part of this

MAX MCCURDY/The Vermont Cynic Seagulls rest on posts along the Lake Champlain shorefront. The lake and its ecology are being studied to be an example of how China can fix its environmental damage. delegation, said the trip was a comparative study between China and U.S. environmental policies.

The delegation, led by Zitai Zhang, director of the Center for Environmental, Natural Resource and Energy Law at Fudan University, hopes to implement some aspects of U.S. policy into their own legislation.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China is developing a policy that may be impacted by the delegation’s research, Shen said.

This policy, which is yet to be named and will be officially launched in 2018, states that governments can try to negoti-

ate settlements with polluters.

If no settlement is reached, the government can file a lawsuit against polluters.

Zhang’s team, which is largely responsible for developing the details of this law, is going to continue to study the Clean Water Act in an effort to see if they can adopt a version of this program, Shen said.

Doing this will prove to be a challenge, as the two countries have such different political backgrounds, Shen said.

“Legislation in the U.S. can not be directly used in China,” Shen said.

“The key of course, as in the U.S., are the regulations that implement the law,” said Jody Prescott, an adjunct pro-

fessor in the political science department who specializes in environmental law.

For example, China created the law on prevention and control of water pollution in 1984, which functions similarly to the Clean Water Act in that it uses permits to enforce water quality and air pollution standards, Prescott said.

However, China only just brought its permitting system online in 2000, Prescott said.

Rachel Gladstone, a sophomore in the Rubenstein School, shares Prescott’s concerns. “It is important to have more than just quality standards,” Gladstone said.

“Governments must regulate these standards as well.”

Burlington among top cities for children Chris Dilllon Staff Writer Burlington is among the top five safest cities for kids, according to a recent study.

The study, released in January by the data-based finance website ValuePenguin, gave Burlington high ranks for community, access to healthcare and education, but scored lower in the category related to crime.

The study, released in January by data-based finance website ValuePenguin, ranked Burlington among the top safest cities for its community, access to healthcare and education. Burlington’s lowest score was in the crime category.

“The No. 1 problem is the opiate epidemic, which is causing children in large numbers to be taken out of their homes,” said Bonnie Beck, community affairs officer for the Burlington Police Department. “I mean, children are watching their parents overdose from the backseat of cars.”

Carolynne Erwin, BPD recruiter and mother of a six-month-old, said the opiate problem affects everyone,

including children.

As the largest agency in the area, however, BPD has many resources such as a drug unit, a domestic violence expert and assistance from advocates, Erwin said.

“If there is something that happens to a child, we thoroughly investigate it and involve all the help we can,” Beck said.

Despite the fact that drug addiction has motivated violent crime in the area, the community supports police work and its own members, she said.

“Community policing goes beyond just being touchy-feely and kissing babies,” Beck said.

The department has developed relationships with community members through involvement with the Special Olympics and the Everyone Wins reading program, she said.

BPD also places officers on the same foot patrols for many years so they can get to know the people, Beck said.

“We really cherish tolerance [in Burlington], and that means a spirit of communal pulling together,” said Isaac Cates, English lecturer and father of a six-year-old.

Burlington’s strongest area in the study was community, ranking No. 1 nationally. This included data related to child services and access to museums and libraries.

“Between education, support networks and the general vibe of the town, it definitely feels like a good place to raise a kid,” Cates said.

It is not just parents that have spoken positively of the inviting community of Burlington.

“It’s much more friendly than anywhere else I’ve lived,” sophomore Jhanavi Kapadia said.

For Cates, access to afterschool resources and quality educators in the area has been a blessing, he said.

Elementary students in Vermont schools have the advantage of comparatively small class sizes — an average of between 8.6 and 20 students depending upon grade level; the national average is between 18 and 23 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

“If you look at our full list, and with its detail on the factors that got the top-rated cities to the top, you’ll see there’s no strong pattern,” said Paul

OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic Corporal Carolynne Erwin talks about Burlington’s ranking as a safe city in terms of families, but not in crime.

Reynolds, ValuePenguin editor. “[This variety] complicates profiling any one archetypal great city for kids.”

Coolidge Continued from pg. 1 residential director called and asked for assistance dealing with drug use and vandalism, Bilodeau said.

The directed police presence in Coolidge is a measure the University has taken in five dorms in the past, ResLife Director Rafael Rodriguez said.

Bird disagreed with ResLife’s explanation of why police are in her home.

“They say they’re here because someone stole an exit sign and someone blew a fire extinguisher,” she said.

“And students drinking — that happens in every residential building, but the police are here.”

Coolidge is targeted because of last year’s reputation as a party dorm and because of the building’s already dilapidated conditions, two things that current residents had no control over, Bird said.

Bird said there are days where all of the toilets on the first floor are clogged. One of the two showers on her hall regularly overflows, so all residents share one shower, she said.

Rodriguez said Coolidge is not being targeted for being a party dorm.

“Coolidge is a hall like every other we have,” Rodriguez said. “We have students in the halls ... and time to time, the community might be louder than others.”

However, he saw an increase in marijuana and alcohol use in Coolidge, which hindered the capacity of the community to keep looking and functioning in the ways ResLife expects, Rodriguez said.

Increasing the amount of police in a residence hall would never be ResLife’s sole response to problems in the community, he said.

In addition to police presence, facilitating community circles and shifting when and where RAs are present were other measures that ResLife took to address these student concerns, Rodriguez said.

Palermo and Bird both said they were not invited to attend community circles or meetings. The Cynic has not received as to whether or not these invitations were sent.

“The anxiety and fear that the police stir in Coolidge residents presents a paradox,” he said.

ResLife is aware of Palermo’s petition and other student responses to police presence, Rodriguez said.

“We understood students’ concerns,” he said. “Our first focus was bringing members of Coolidge together to provide context for what is happening and why it’s happening. We saw the petition as an opportunity to provide clarity.”

“The police presence is kind of a slap in the face,” Bird said. “Nothing is getting fixed, and I’m still getting monitored by a lot of people who are watching my every move.”

Sophomore Gillian Greene said the constant police presence has made her more resentful of authority.

OPINION

Chris Petrillo for SGA President 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 Manager Ryan Thornton operations@vtcynic.com Advertising Manager Cole Wangsness ads@vtcynic.com EDITORIAL Arts Benjamin Elfland arts@vtcynic.com

Staff Editorial In at least the past ten years, the Cynic has not endorsed a candidate for SGA president. This year, we are endorsing Chris Petrillo.

After two years and a historic administration, it is again time for UVM students to choose one person to represent them. Chris Petrillo is the best person to do so.

An SGA president’s role is to act as the face of the student body to administration, board members, staff and local governing officials.

In order to do so they must build effective relationships with various governing organizations within the university that will thereafter propel change .

In addition, they balance

a million dollar budget. It is their signature that determines where funding will go.

With such a great responsibility, SGA presidents must surpass a mere likability and good-spirit to be qualified.

They must be well-prepared, equipped and capable of understanding the role and responsibility that they are stepping into.

Petrillo has shadowed current President Jason Maulucci and attended every Senate meeting since January.

He has laid out a clear plan for his administration. He will continue to foster existing programs, and use the energy of innovation that has defined the past two years to create more opportunity for UVM students.

There are signs of the

greatness of SGA over the past two years everywhere: a defense of reading days, a new peer advising center, the Safe Ride Home initiative, a step towards reestablishing a varsity baseball team and the highest senator retention rate of all time.

The maintenance of this essential progress will be determined by the choice UVM students make this week.

Over the past months and during Monday’s debate, Petrillo has shown to be a qualified candidate. His intentional campaign and careful preparation illustrates his understanding of the job at hand.

Petrillo’s humble commitment to the student body, active participation and excellence in various areas of his

7

public life make him the ideal candidate for SGA The student body deserves a leader as qualified as Petrillo.

Go vote.

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.

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

SEBASTIAO HUNGEBUHLER

Multimedia William Dean Wertz media@vtcynic.com News Olivia Bowman news@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com Photo Phillip Carruthers Max McCurdy 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

Pondering over the post-grad job market Alexander Collingsworth

G

raduate seeking employment: will work for free As a college graduate, it seems, my job prospects are fairly limited. I’m wondering if I can collect unemployment benefits immediately upon graduation.

Yes, many places are hiring.

Chipotle is always looking for people who can tolerate asking a thousand people a day whether they would prefer black or pinto beans.

I was talking to the philosophically-minded Sarang, one of the people I talk to about such things, about our job prospects after college.

We were driving back up to VT from D.C. It was just him and I in the car, so I had to talk to him.

I told Sarang I’d been imaging going to my upcoming High School Reunion.

Five years since we graduated. People would be talking about the internship they got at Goldman Sachs, or about starting law school. What are you up to, they’d ask me. Oh, I’m walking dogs this summer.

Oh, that’s cute, they’d say.

We agreed that we’ve been raised to look down on manual labor. I think this is dismaying,

but if I got a job doing physical work, or a job in the service industry, it would seem like I had just wasted four years of my life. Not for nothing though: if I got a job in construction in DC, i’d probably make more money than even my business major peers who would be getting jobs in finance straight out of college.

Washington, D.C. is currently experiencing a housing boom. There are two construction projects on my block alone. Whole rows of row houses are being demolished to make way for “luxury” condos and apartments.

Sometimes the old facades are preserved, the old masking the new. On my block, a church — yes, a church — is being converted into apartments. Down the block, an old auto repair shop is being made into apartments. Now if that’s not hipster as hell, I don’t know what is.

I was telling my friend that I wouldn’t even know how to go about getting a job in construction, yet that seems to be where there is a great deal of new, decent paying jobs.

Working in construction is not easy and can be dangerous, but a skilled construction worker in D.C. can expect to

make more than $50,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In New York City the median wage for a carpenter is almost $70,000 a year; in D.C., it’s $46,000.

We stopped at a gas station in New Jersey. New Jersey law requires all gas stations to be full service –– you’re not allowed to fill your tank yourself.

There were a couple guys standing around smoking cigarettes, one of them came to our car when we pulled up.

“Now that would be a decent job,” I said to my friend.

“Are you kidding me,” he said.

“That job would suck.”

I thought it would be a decent job just because you didn’t have to do too much.

Just stand around and occasionally pump gas.

What about being a cop, I asked Sarang. Like a detective.

That might be alright; solve some crimes, try not to shoot innocent people. Not to disparage what I’m sure is a hard and often thankless job.

We passed through numerous tolls on I-95. We paid $13 to cross the George Washington bridge into New York.

That sort of makes sense. I wondered if it was free to leave New York and go to New Jersey.

But passing through, we

had numerous brief interactions with the toll collectors, mostly consisting of some salutation and then the statement of how much we had to pay.

The problem, we agreed, is that we wanted to do something that we were suited to, that would be challenging and rewarding, and that perhaps would lead to at least modest recognition and perhaps fame.

Security guards, toll collectors — hell, even state troopers — there certainly were a lot of jobs where you could get paid to stand, sit or cruise down the highway all day.

It’s scary graduating and trying to decide how you’re going to make a living, but the other day I had a revelation: I had plenty of time to get my dream job.

Right now, I have a world of opportunity to experiment, try out different things, try to get my foot in the door. Maybe I could be a detective. A fireman. A teacher. Why not be a ski instructor for a couple of seasons?

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

OPINION

8

Consent is not sexy, but it is mandatory

S

Lily Spechler

ince it is such a hot topic on college campuses, I can say with certainty that everyone has heard of the word “consent.”

By The Free Dictionary’s definition consent means “permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.”

Generally, I have noticed that consent is referenced to as the moment of agreement between participants who are about to engage in sexual activity. Individuals are encouraged to obtain consent before making physical advances.

Although I absolutely agree that there should be a distinct moment before people agree to have sex, I believe sexualizing consent is selling it short of its importance to the harmony of life and to the well being of individuals. I seek to change the conversation from consent being a precursor to sexual activity to consent being a way of life.

Think about trees in a forest; when a tree grows, it grows in the direction of the sunlight.

However, this is not a linear process, which is why trees are jagged and curved.

They live in the same space as other trees, who are also seeking the light. When one tree starts to steal the light away from another tree, the tree curves away and follows a new direction to get the light.

The tree that stole the light does not continue to follow or possess the other tree, but rather continues to grow towards the direction of the light. There is no malice, there is simply light-seeking, and this is why trees can exist in a forest in perfect harmony.

I believe that people should be more like trees. It

is okay to seek light, the same way it is okay to try to pursue friendships and growth with people.

However, when someone curves away, or in any way insinuates that their light has been stolen, it is pertinent to harmony to let them continue to grow and find their light.

Imposing oneself on anyone, in any way, is wrong, and goes against the very nature of harmony. This is where the idea of consent comes into play.

No one should ever feel like they have no option to grow away from a circumstance that is blocking their light. But no one should ever have to feel like they even need to speak up or exert force in any way in order to achieve this freedom.

Consent should be in the mindset of every single person who seeks to interact with anyone on any level.

If one is going to approach someone on the dance floor, instead of putting someone in a situation when they even need to say, “no, leave me alone,” approach that person with the mindset of consent.

Be receptive of the way they are feeling, their body language and their facial expressions.

If one is truly living within the lens of consent, they won’t even need to say “leave me alone” if they don’t want to dance, it will naturally be understood.

And even if it cannot be read immediately, at the very least, respect when someone expresses disinterest. It is nothing personal — the person who does not want to dance is simply perusing his or her personal light.

And you must now find pursue your own light in a different direction. And this

GENEVIEVE WINN understanding of one another will foster harmony and mutually positive feelings, because it will reflect the respect of each individual’s pursuit of happiness and growth.

Instead of reducing one another to “things” that can be possessed, rethink one another as individuals who seek to achieve harmony within themselves and with others. We are all on the quest to achieve optimal growth.

This notion of consent

extends further than the realm of sexuality. In all interactions, when someone begins to curve away to find their light in any way, be receptive and allow for growth, just as trees do in nature.

If someone wants you to leave them alone, then leave them alone. Do not try and possess anyone or impose on anyone’s light.

Simply grow and find the light for yourself, while respecting the path of those

around you, and by doing this you will achieve peace and harmony both internally and externally.

Consent starts long before the bedroom, and I believe it is time to change the conversation so that we can all grow to our maximum capacities as one functioning ecosystem.

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

Western feminism has it wrong James Simpson

T

ISABELLA ALESSANDRINI

here have been tremendous strides made in the realm of gender equality and women’s rights over the past several decades in the western world. Today, men and women are equal under the law.

American women are among the freest, most well educated and most self-determining women on the planet.

However, women in many parts of the world do not enjoy the rights western women do.

Instead of devoting their attention to areas of the world where women suffer horrific human rights violations, western feminists devote too much of their attention to more trivial matters by comparison.

For example, hundreds of thousands of women marched across the nation to protest President Donald Trump and some sexist remarks he has made in the past.

I acknowledge that Trump has said some concerning things about women. Sexism and discrimination based on gender are totally unacceptable.

However, while women gathered for Women’s Marches wearing vagina hats and holding vulgar signs, women in other areas of the world were suffering.

According to the World Health Organization, 200 million women alive today have been subject to female genital mutilation.

In Yemen, women are not allowed to leave the house without a male companion, nor is a woman’s testimony in court seriously considered unless it is accompanied by a male’s testimony to back it up, according to the Washington Post.

According to the New York Times, Saudi Arabia prohibits women from driving cars.

Women in China have been subject to forced abortions.

In 2009, a woman who was seven months pregnant with a second child was forced into an abortion, according to the Washington Post.

In 2012, a 16-year old Moroccan girl committed suicide after being forced by a judge to marry her rapist, according to the Washington Post.

Suddenly, Trump’s sexist

remarks might not seem so bad.

I am not saying that western feminists don’t care about what goes on in other countries. What I am saying is that they don’t focus enough of their efforts to advocating on behalf of women who suffer from state-sanctioned oppression.

Americans have tremendous resources and influence that can be used to assist others around the world who do not enjoy the same legal protections and rights given in the US. If western feminists put as much effort into advocating for the oppressed women around the world as they do the issues they fight for at home, the lives of women across the globe could be greatly improved.

Until then, too many women will be continue to be treated as second-class citizens and be denied basic human rights.

James Simpson is a sophomore political science major.

He has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.

B-SIDE

9

WRUV joins ArtsRiot for a month of festivities

A

Max McCurdy

round this time of year, many nonsports fans may feel left out by their basketball-loving friends. The culprit is none other than March Madness, one of America’s most popular sports tourna-

ments.

For those of us who aren’t too keen on basketball, March may leave something to be desired. That was until WRUV and ArtsRiot answered our collective prayers and blessed the non-sporty student body with an equally exciting month-long event: March Radness.

March Radness — as the name suggests — is a rad concert series that takes place every Thursday in the month of March.

The idea for the concert series came about when ArtsRiot reached out to senior Eli Coretti and junior Tate Kamish, the PR Director and Events Director for WRUV respectively.

“ArtsRiot is trying to engage more with the college scene, because they feel like a lot of students either don’t know about ArtsRiot or think it’s too far from campus,” Kamish said.

When asked why they chose to do it in March, Coretti said.

“The hope was that it was going to start to get warmer, so people would be more inclined to trek down to ArtsRiot, but that didn’t really happen,” he said.

Coretti and Kamish went on to explain their unorthodox choice to have the concerts on Thursdays rather than over the weekend.

“It jump starts your weekend, and what else are you doing on a Thursday night?” Coretti said.

Kamish then asked a question that every student has asked at some point: “Why doesn’t the weekend start on Thursday?”

The decision also may or may not have to do with the fact that neither Coretti nor Kamish have any classes on Fridays.

March Radness isn’t just about reaching out to college students or providing Burlingtonians with quality live music every week, it’s also about supporting artists both on and off the stage.

The concert series would not have been possible without their partnership with Collective Arts Brewing, a Canadian “grassroots” brewing company.

The brewery uses its beer cans as a canvas to feature limited-edition works of art that change every few months.

The brewery is dedicated to promoting artists and raising creative consciousness through the sociability of craft beer, according to its website.

“At the concerts they sell this great beer at a cheaper price, and it comes in a cool can,” Coretti said. “It’s cool because they’re supporting the arts, we’re supporting ArtsRiot and ArtsRiot is supporting us, so we’re all a part of this artistic community who are all supporting each other and it’s really wonderful.”

Even though — like everything in Burlington — March Radness has some focus on the arts, the main attraction is certainly the consistently impressive lineup of musicians.

The series started out with a very diverse show March 2, opening with the mind-bending sounds of Burlington locals Karavan, followed by the grungy garage pop stylings of Hammydown.

The night was topped off by the dream-pop trio Uni Ika Ai, who coupled ambient synth melodies with hazy yet lucid vocals.

The following Thursday saw the night opened by Burlington-based group Gestalt. They were followed up by the pop quartet Adult Mom, who make self described “queer indie bittersweet romantic pop music.”

The grand finale of the night was Palehound, a lo-fi indie rock band lead by a ferociously talented frontwoman who balances speedy guitar riffs with catchy dream-like vocals.

Both Coretti and Kamish testified to the greatness of that show.

“That night was a lot of the bands we individually suggested, so it was really fun actually seeing it happen,” Kamish said, “and they looked like they had a great time.”

Coretti also took time to appreciate the often overlooked curtain-raisers, “The whole bill was really awesome, the openers were really good as well.”

This last Thursday saw the first sold out show of March Radness kicked off by Bleach Day, a local group whose sound seamlessly meshes a lo-fi vibe with upbeat surf-rock-esque guitar riffs. They were followed by Ryan Power, a Vermont-based producer-songwriter who had his own productions provide a smooth backing track for his powerful, otherworldly vocals.

The grand finale was Homeshake, a group founded by and centered around Montreal-based singer-songwriter Peter Sagar. Their live performance stayed true to their sound, incorporating elements of R&B and Funk into a framework of rhythmically diverse synth jams.

Unfortunately, March Radness is coming to an end this week, with the final show taking place this Thursday, March 30. Fortunately, it promises to be an amazing evening, with Scantron opening up for the neo-blues-rock powerhouse Low Cut Connie.

Scantron have described themselves as “a sumptuous extension of rock and roll tradition and North-

Photos courtesy of Bandcamp

MAX MCCURDY/The Vermont Cynic Eli Coretti (left) and Tate Kamish (left) do work in the WRUV office. east soul.” They certainly live up to this description by creating a dense, guitar-fuzz-filled nostalgic sound that may want you to stay up all night dancing and drinking cheap beer.

The night will be finished off by Low Cut Connie, a Philadelphia-based group front-manned by Adam Weiner, a high-energy vocally impressive pianist.

The band has been heavily praised for their live performances in the past, perfectly illustrated by LA Weekly’s concert review by Dan Weiss.

“Their ferocious live show...is unmatched in all of rock right now,” Weiss states.

“They’re a hard-working American band that has been plugging away and touring a lot,” said Coretti.

Kamish seemed palpably excited for the show, saying, “It’s the music I really like, it’s got a really classic sound. It should be really fun with lots of people dancing.”

For anyone looking for the right way to approach seeing Low Cut Connie live, look no farther than Kamish’s personal prediction: “I’m gonna be jumping up and down a lot and probably be really sweaty by the end of the night.”

MAX MCCURDY/The Vermont Cynic Homeshake performs at ArtsRiot in conjunction with WRUV March Radness March 23.

10

ARTS

Battle ofthe Bands Student band to open at SpringFest

Bridget Higdon Assistant Arts Editor

Under colored lights, the sound of instruments reverberated off brick walls as four bands dueled in front of a lively and spirited crowd.

The finale of UVM’s Battle of the Bands took place March 25 at Nectar’s in Burlington.

Navytrain, Rose Street Collective, Kudo Stooge and Jeddy were the four student bands competing for a chance to open for SpringFest’s main act.

“We’re so pumped for Navytrain,” said Madelaine White, the Coordinator for Campus Programs at the University Program Board. “[The bands] were all so good. It was definitely a tough decision, the scores were really close.”

The winner of the night, decided by attendees’ votes, was Navytrain. The band’s four members are Cole Davidson, Ray Belanger and Zebulon Carney.

Davidson is the lead guitarist, Belanger plays percussion and Carney plays bass. All three members contribute vocals.

The musicians met by living on the same floor their first year, and they have been friends ever since, Carney said.

They formed Navytrain in September 2016, according to the band’s Facebook page.

“We had messed around before, but never really decided to start anything until this year,” Davidson said.

The band’s first EP, “Souls,” came out Dec. 2, 2016. “[The band] started out as a distraction,” Davidson said, “but now it’s turned into more of a serious idea.”

Given the correct circumstances and opportunities, the members would consider continuing the band after graduation, Davidson said.

Navytrain will have a residency at Nectar’s for the month of April, they said. The band will take the stage 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The preliminary rounds of Battle of the Bands took place at Brennan’s Pub in the Davis Center, according to UPB’s website. 12 bands entered the competition, and they battled over the course of three nights, Belanger said.

Navytrain was performing at Parkside Lounge in New York City the night prior to the finale, Davidson said.

AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic Rose Street Collective, Navytrain, Kudu Stooge, and Jetty compete at the UVM Battle of the Bands March 25 at Nectar’s.

“We had to hustle and drive through the night to get back in time for Battle of the Bands,” Carney said.

The band thought Nectar’s was the perfect venue and was surprised at how many people showed up, Carney said.

“It was really fun to play in front of such a big crowd like that at Nectar’s.”

150 people attended the event which used to take place in the upstairs

of Club Metronome, White said.

“This is the biggest Battle of the Bands we’ve had so far,” she said. “We switched to a new time and a new venue, which I think made a difference.”

Senior Grace Yasewicz said her favorite band of the night was Navytrain.

“Navytrain’s clear sound is so unusual,” said Ariana Ferraro, who agreed that Navytrain was her favorite act.

“All four of the bands were really impressive,” senior Emily West Geary said. “[UPB] did a great job organizing the event.”

Navytrain was surprised by the end result, and is now excited to open for Two Door Cinema Club at SpringFest, Davidson said.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Davidson.

ARTS

11

CASTING

CALL! ELISE MITCHELL

Radio show offers a voice to the native community Maddy Pimentel Staff Writer One woman discovered the power of community radio in 2009, when the indigenous people of Vermont were still not recognized at a state level.

Some tribes of the Abenaki nation, the people native to the region now known as Vermont, achieved state recognition as late as 2012, according to the state website.

Deb Regers, host of Moccasin Tracks on 90.1 WRUV, felt conversations about these people were held exclusively at state and professional levels.

“As a non-native person, I felt like I needed to know the truth,” she said. “I wanted to hear the truth from the people themselves, not be told by privileged white people.”

Regers created Moccasin Tracks to voice the stories and perspectives of Native Americans.

“The material that Deb single-handedly brings to this radio station is unmatched, here and at other radio stations,” said sophomore Rachel O’Neill, WRUV station manager.

Through her show, Regers shares the current cultural revitalization of the Abenaki with the larger community, she said.

“Some descendants are trying to reclaim their identities in these modern times,” Regers said.

Many Abenaki people are discovering who they are by learning their native languages, songs and traditions, she said.

Languages survive through music and oral stories which are passed on through generations, Regers said.

“All the music I play is by native artists from all over the country,” she said.

Moccasin Tracks also hosts a range of artists, including a traditional basket weaver and a birch-bark canoe maker.

Like music and language, traditional arts are passed down through generations, Regers said.

“I don’t think people are aware these arts are still practiced by many of the nations today,” she said.

“There is a huge network of history, art and music,” Regers said. “The challenge is: how do I bring that on the radio? How do I share that with the larger community?”

O’Neill remembers listening to a broadcast around Halloween on cultural appropriation which brought her to tears, she said.

“If we can understand history through communicating with the original people, we can achieve mutual respect,” Regers said. “There is racism everywhere, including Vermont.”

In recent history, Abenaki people were sterilized due to eugenics, a science dedicated to improving a human population by controlled breeding, Regers said.

Henry Perkins, a UVM professor in the 1920s, was a major proponent of the Vermont eugenics movement, according to the University’s website.

Moccasin Tracks also focuses on current events such as political and environmental challenges, which are threatening native culture, Regers said.

“They are losing a lot of human rights, tribal rights, sovereignty and the ability to protect the earth for future generations,” she said.

Native Americans who participated in the Standing Rock resistance have voiced their experiences on Moccasin Tracks.

“I want to hear from the grassroots people,” Regers said. “Although I have heard from professors and professional people, I’m really interested in the extraordinary things ordinary people do.”

Through Moccasin Tracks, Regers calls for an awareness of societal and cultural conditioning, she said.

“From doing this radio show I am learning to be an ally; I am learning to decolonize the way I think,” Regers said. “A lot of the times that means relearning what I have learned in school.”

While certain setbacks still exist, such as enduring prejudices and resistance to climate protection, Regers is grateful to be alive during this time of rising consciousness, she said.

“It’s a beautiful thing to witness,” Regers said. “The Abenaki people are re-indigenizing themselves and reaffirming their traditions with each other and with their larger communities.”

Regers hosts Moccasin Tracks from 2-4 p.m. every Thursday on 90.1 WRUV.

A

re you concerned about skyrocketing tuition, heavy student debt, and the market takeover of university education? It’s time to get dramatic!

Join United Academics faculty and concerned students to prepare for a staged reading of the short one-act play “Monte Verde U 2045,” a dystopian drama about the grim future for higher ed if the corporatizers have their way.

No experience necessary and no lines to memorize!

Rehearsal Reading Wednesday, April 5 6–7:30 pm Old Mill 225

Pizza served!

To RSVP, email Professor Sarah Carleton at sarah.carleton@uvm.edu.

The UVM University Players present:

Like

Any Other Woman

In 1887, American politics changed forever.

Tickets: $10 general admission $5 for students

April 1st at 2pm April 1st at 7pm April 2nd at 2pm

Email uplayers@uvm.edu to reserve tickets.

12

ARTS

Students transform trash to clothing

Addie Beach Staff Writer Tables loaded with sewing machines, outfits inspired by coral reefs and containers full of free tea were just a few of the sights at Patagonia’s Worn Wear tour.

Patagonia teamed up with the Outing Club to host the event in the Davis Center Atrium March 23.

The tour, which stops at universities around the country, celebrates the stories we wear, according to Patagonia’s website.

Among the features of the event was a “trashion show” displaying student-made recycled clothes, a thrift shop hosted by the Vermont Student Environmental Program and a number of student-run stations focused on sustainability efforts.

The UVM Eco-Reps was one of the groups to run these stations, with a display focused on recycling. The UVM Eco-Reps website states that the group is dedicated to promoting sustainable practices through student leadership.

Their station included a presentation on plastic bottles and a trivia wheel on recycling facts, sophomore Eco-Rep Connor Herbruck said.

Also featured at the station was an exhibit on microfibers made out of recycled plastic.

These microfibers are often used in Patagonia clothing, and can be harmful when they enter the water supply, Herbruck said.

Patagonia is working on technology that will prevent

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic Top: Patagonia workers and UVM students fix worn and torn clothes together.

Right: Students show off refurbished clothes in the Patagonia Trashion Show March 22. these microfibers from getting into the water, he said.

Other exhibits were centered on repair efforts, such as UVM Bikes offering to fix students’ bikes, according to their Facebook page.

Sophomore Tim Smith, Outing Club vice president emphasized the collaborative

nature of the event.

“It was a huge combined effort,” Smith said, stating that the work of other organizations such as UVM Recycling and the art department was essential for the event.

“Anyone at UVM who helps reuse stuff was there,” he said.

The tour included a Worn

Wear repair station sponsored

by Patagonia. The station repaired any article of clothing that needed mending, Patagonia Burlington representative Cody Mears said.

The message of the station was to reuse, Mears said.

“If it’s broke,” he said, “fix it.”

Local singer-writer pursues musical dream

Anna Gibson Staff Writer

Life as a 20-something can be blindsiding: it seems to throw curveballs which can completely alter one’s perception of his/her future.

For ivamae, local musician and New York native, this moment arrived 2 1/2 years ago after an unanticipated breakup, she said.

“I grew up with my mom playing guitar and singing,” ivamae said. “I was always a sports kid, so I never really thought about [pursuing music] or even had the confidence to perform in front of people.”

The artist moved to Burlington in the fall of 2007 to study film at Champlain College for one year, then transferred to UVM to study environmental studies and agriculture, ivamae said.

After a total of two years as an undergraduate, she decided to drop out and stay in Burlington. 2 1/2 years ago, she was on the farm and homestead track, but following her breakup at that time, decided to throw herself into music, she said.

“I broke up with somebody that I thought I was actually going to get married to and have kids with,” ivamae said.

Photo courtesy of Ivamae’s Facebook page.

Local musician and New York-native Ivamae is pictured.

Only after her “whole world sort of crumbled” as a result of the breakup did she realize that this boyfriend could not support or push her in her work, as he was not an artist himself, she said.

Up until the breakup, even though ivamae played her guitar occasionally in college and after, music largely remained

“in the background” for her, she said.

“I decided to do this total 180 and was like ‘I’m going to try this, and if it doesn’t work out, that’s okay,’” ivamae said.

“I don’t want to wake up at 40 and regret that I never did something that brings me a lot of joy.”

As a 27-year-old, ivamae

often feels like her music is not as skillful or developed as that of other musicians her age, she said.

She is working on giving herself credit rather than critique when comparing herself to those her age who have been making music for much longer and demonstrate higher skill levels, ivamae said.

As a bartender at Radio Bean, the young musician’s life is very social. For this reason, alone time is very important for her composition process, she said.

Going on runs and listening to hip hop music is another quirky method that helps generate creativity for her, ivamae said.

The artist prefers not to be tied to a single genre, but cites Bill Withers and Donny Hathaway as two of her biggest musical inspirations, she said.

“My music definitely has influences from foul, R&B, folk — and some jazzy chords, you know,” ivamae said, laughing.

“Mainly, I just want my music to carry this idea of vulnerability,” she said, “of honoring who you are, whatever that may be, regardless of what people are expecting of you.”

Recently, ivamae has felt a turning point in her music and performance, she said.

Ivamae described feeling truly empowered for the first time at a recent basement show.

When a group of young women in the audience caught her eye, mesmerized by her performance, ivamae for the first time felt a “duty to do the best that [she] could possibly do to inspire them” to feel as confident, she said.

ARTS

Space Jam lets everyone in on the Madness

13

Column Kim Henry

T

he last relentless days of winter can be so joyless, it is no wonder colleges across the country choose March as the month to inject with a little madness.

For some, the excitement of the college basketball tournament is just the extra juice needed to reach spring.

While many are following March Madness, however, what is there for those of us less athletically inclined?

If real life basketball is not exactly your cup of tea, you can still participate in the spirit of the season with a nostalgic look back at the 1996 masterpiece, “Space Jam.” In the film, Michael Jordan must help the Looney Tunes win a basketball game against a group of alien amusement park employees who want to kidnap and enslave the Tunes at its park, Moron Mountain.

Watching it for the first time in over a decade, I was surprised to find so many hilarious nods that I had not noticed as a kid.

The unlikely standout of “Space Jam” is not Michael Jordan’s acting (he tried), but the movie’s supporting cast of NBA and Hollywood superstars.

Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Larry Bird are only some of the players that brought their A-game to this movie. Also, Bill Murray plays

ALYSSA HANDELMAN

himself in this film for no apparent reason.

In one sentence, Wayne Knight’s character, Stan, manages to promote Hanes, Nike, Wheaties, Gatorade and McDonald’s. Yet, I cannot seem to fault the movie for the thinly veiled advertisements that are practically jokes themselves.

If you were a fan of the film, it may be of interest that the “Space Jam” soundtrack will be re-released on vinyl for Record Store Day in April.

The movie’s absurdly star-studded soundtrack includes artists like Salt-nPeppa, LL Cool J, Coolio, Barry White, R Kelly and Jay-Z, who wrote a rap for the movie to be

performed by Bugs Bunny.

So, if you’re a nostalgic millennial with a record player — a statistical likelihood — check record stores for the album April 22.

Revisiting “Space Jam” may force the realization that childhood nostalgia is a capitalist artifice, but honestly, who cares?

So, when your friends bring up sports talk until March Madness is over, you can convincingly pretend you watched the game by just recapping the plot of “Space Jam.” Kim Henry is a sophomore English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2016.

Do you want to...

MEET GARY DERR? Well, I’m not sure we can do that for you. But now that I have your attention, you should join the Vermont Cynic, UVM’s student-run newspaper.

Write | Design | Illustrate | Photograph | Copy Edit

Cynic general meetings: Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Waterman 427

LIFE

14

Sleep Out raises homeless awareness Izzy Siedman Assistant Life Editor A group of about 25 UVM students pitched their tents and laid down their sleeping bags outside the Davis Center, gathering in support for the homeless community in Burlington.

On March 25, the Student Sleep Out group slept through 21-degree weather at the lowest point in the night, according to the National Weather Service.

In 2014, 1,556 Vermonters, including 371 children, were homeless, according to the state’s Point in Time Count, which measures how many people are experiencing homelessness in a certain period. That means that nearly one in four homeless people in Vermont are under the age of 18.

Spectrum, a youth and family services organization, holds Sleep Out fundraisers in Vermont each March.

This year, their executive Sleep Out, which invites more than 100 businesses and community leaders to spend a night outdoors, raised over $26,000 through donations, bake sales and silent auctions.

“Guys, it’s like below freezing,” a passing student shouted to group as they pitched their tents in the snow.

This much was true, but nonetheless students spent the night sharing why they were there, “playing games, eating pizza and drinking hot chocolate, said senior Haley Newman, the event’s organizer.

The Outing Club donated thermal sleeping bags and

SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cynic UVM students prepare tents to sleep outside of the Davis Center March 25. Students slept outside to show their support for the homeless community in Vermont. blankets for the event, but some participants did not use any of these supplies and instead faced the cold.

“Most of the homeless don’t have any form of shelter, so for one night, nor will we,” junior Sophie Robledo said.

When the sun rose around 7 a.m., students like sophomore Michaela Eckler reflected on their experience.

“For us, sleeping out is a choice, but for others, there’s

no different option,” she said.

“It’s a necessity.”

Saturday’s Sleep Out was the coldest one to date, according to Newman, and she was thrilled at the turnout, she said.

“This was the first one at UVM,” Newman said. “It was freezing, but we all made it out with a greater appreciation for the housing that we have.”

Burlington residents march to support clean water Izzy Siedman Assistant Life Editor Wednesday in Vermont, the temperatures dropped to 15 and the water pipes still ran.

Wednesday in North Dakota, the temperatures were similarly chilled, but the water was under attack.

Just after dark, 13 students from the Burlington area marched to the waterfront in 15-degree weather March 22.

The event, hosted by senior Cheyenne Fowler, was intended as an act of support for the Water is Life campaign, because “nationwide solidarity is the key to stopping DAPL once and for all,” she said.

“As an Abenaki woman, I can’t sit by and do nothing,” Fowler said. “I am privileged enough to go to college and be part of a community that will stand behind me.”

The recent movement disputes the Dakota Access Pipeline, which affects the lives of natives in the Standing Rock Reservation along with others downstream.

This proposed project from Energy Transfer Partners would transport crude oil from fracking sites in North Dakota to Illinois, according to the DAPL website.

The website also mention that, although the pipeline would not impede directly on reservation land, it would be buried 95 feet below the Missouri River, not only posing an environmental concern, but also renewing the fracking demand in the area.

Enbridge Energy, a partner in the current project, contaminated the Kalamazoo River in Michigan when hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil spilled from a ruptured pipeline in 2010, as stated by the EPA. The Sioux tribe, along with thousands of supporters, have gathered in protest of the project since 2014, according to a Time Magazine article published Oct. 28, 2016.

Daniel Ramos, a senior at Saint Michael’s College who participated in Wednesday’s march, noticed the call to arms when he volunteered on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation last summer, he said.

“Families picked up their lives and left to protest,” Ramos said. “It was just incredible how quickly people came together for this cause.”

The small protest group consisted of students from UVM, Champlain College,

AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic Students and Burlington residents gather outside Waterman in protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline March 22.

Saint Michael’s and Vermont Technical College.

Following a path all the way down College Street from Waterman Building to the waterfront, the protesters chanted phrases like “people over pipes,” and “hey hey, ho ho, DAPL has got to go.”

Heads turned, cars honked their horns in solidarity and fingers holding #NODAPL posters turned numb with cold.

With the Burlington lights glinting off the water of Lake Champlain, the group reached the bottom of the hill and

took a moment of silence in solidarity.

“Water is integral to life,” Saint Michael’s graduate Meaghan Diffenderfer said. “Living here, we take it for granted; it’s our job to use our privilege to protect our Earth and stand up for those who need it.”

LIFE

THE BIG “O”

52%

orgasm gap between men and women

During their last heterosexual encounter:

91% 39% of men orgasmed

Meanwhile...

85%

of women orgasmed

of men believed their partner orgasmed

Mind the gap: females orgasm less than men The Dapper Vagina Sarah Heft

W

e have all heard of the wage gap: the average white female makes about 77 cents to the white man’s dollar.

The gap increases for women of color and trans women.

Common knowledge.

Less commonly known, however, is the orgasm gap.

The orgasm gap is a phenomenon referring to the lack of orgasms in women having heterosexual sex compared to their male counterparts, according to a 2016 study by Psychology Today.

There is a 52 percent orgasm gap between men and women, according to the study.

Ninety one percent of men said they had an orgasm during their last heterosexual encounter, while this was true for only 39 percent of women, according to the study.

Even more shocking: when men were asked if their partner had an orgasm during their last sexual encounter, 85 percent of men said yes, even though only 39 percent of women had actually had an orgasm.

So what gives?

Anatomically speaking, yes, it is easier for men to have an orgasm than women according to the Journal of Sexual Medicine. In fact, it takes women longer to have an orgasm than it takes men.

The same study, however, revealed that women who identified as lesbians had more orgasms than their straight counterparts.

Our society doesn’t talk too much about female pleasure.

From my experience in sex ed class the clitoris is often neglected, while male orgasm and ejaculation is heavily discussed, most likely because those are what can get you pregnant.

Sex scenes in movies always showcase guy-ontop penetrative sex, which is probably the worst sex act and position for women to achieve orgasm. These scenes also showcase the man and woman climaxing at the same time, and sex being over after the guy finishes.

Other reasons for the orgasm gap are the stigmas surrounding women engaging in casual sex and body image issues.

It is pretty hard to orgasm when you are concerned about how fat you look at a certain angle.

So what do we do? Communication is key, especially if you are with a new partner.

Women, don’t be afraid to speak up and tell your partner exactly what you want. Nobody can read minds.

Men, maybe try to follow the “ladies first” policy when having sex so you know that when you are finished, you can truly be finished.

If worst comes to worst, practice makes perfect —and nobody minds a little extra practice when it comes to “getting it on.”

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

15

LIFE

16

Reflecting on March,Women’s Month Telling It Like It Izz Izzy Siedman

A

IZZY SIEDMAN

s March winds down, we all start crossing our fingers for temperatures above freezing, but it’s not time to put away your pussyhats quite yet.

In 1987, Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month.

Since this designation, it has been recognized as a time to commemorate and study the vital role of women in American history.

To spread the word, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art and other nationwide institutions contribute material to recognize and demonstrate the role women play in our country.

They aim to make public items such as the 2,650 photographs in the records of the National Woman’s Party.

During March this year, events like concerts, interviews and lectures have taken place in honor of Women’s Month, all of which have been promoted on the official Women’s History Month website.

And at UVM, the community is taking time to commemorate women’s month on campus.

Earlier this month, UVM took submissions from students that included poetry, photos and art for a feminist showcase in the Davis Center.

The showcase featured two internationally touring poets, Shira Erlichman and Angel

Nafis.

UVM Program Board is collaborating with the UVM Women’s Center to host the national co-chairs of the Women’s March, Tamika Mallory and Bob Bland, March 29, which is pretty freaking cool if you ask me.

I already have plans to attend with my friends, and of course, we’ll all be wearing our pussyhats that were handmade by my roommate’s mom.

The entire month has been especially uplifting: it’s been a fantastic reminder of all the contributions women have made to our country, but it also has prompted us to look at the issues that women still face today and every day of our lives.

Women are mothers, teachers, activists and government officials. And in fact, 50.8 percent of the American population consists of women, who have facilitated enormous amounts of change throughout history. Just because March is nearly over, it does not allow us to forget this.

The next four years are pretty daunting for women, among other groups, and March is a month for people of all genders to solidify their support for women because we are truly stronger together.

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

Making use of hair dye as a means of self expression Hunter Tries Hunter Colvin

F

or the last four years, I’ve always gotten the same haircut: one inch off the length to cut split ends and shortening the bangs from the top of my ear to the bottom of my eyebrow.

One time I got layers put in, but only that was only once; trying to braid hair with layers is a disaster I don’t want to repeat. And there was no highlighting or dyeing for me.

I know it’s boring and predictable, but that’s how I like it. I know how to style my hair at this length: ponytails, messy buns, French braids — and, if I’m feeling fancy — a Dutch braid.

I like my hair’s natural color just the way it is.

So, it was a tremendous leap of faith to let my cousin dye a chunk of my hair purple, my favorite color.

I sat on a swivel stool in the garage of our rental house while my sister and her boyfriend played ping pong and my cousin carefully sectioned my hair, bleached and dyed it.

While it wasn’t exactly comfortable having to sit as stiff as a board during dinner so I didn’t smear wet dye all over the dining room chairs, and bending almost com-

pletely over so we could wash out the bleach and then the dye in the kitchen sink, it was exciting.

It was also excruciating to wait for over an hour to see the final product because we didn’t time it right and dinner was served while the purple was setting. But the wait was worth it.

I thought I would be more nervous during the whole process, but I wasn’t. I trusted my cousin and I knew that this was something I wanted.

It’s not a lot, just a small section at the nape of my neck.

But it’s made a huge difference for me.

I like my hair — love it, actually; in the sunlight it looks like it has streaks of gold in it, it’s thick but soft, it has a mind of its own but I can still make it do what I want if I try hard enough. But with the purple, I feel more me.

I feel more like the strong, independent woman I strive to be with that bright streak of purple proclaiming my uniqueness.

Some people didn’t understand how that could be, or why I waited until I was 22 to have my teenage rebellion.

But for me, it’s not about rebellion. It’s about being true to myself.

Now my true self is bold and carefree enough to have

KIRA NEMETH

purple streaking through my French braid.

For me, dyeing my hair is the same as wearing makeup.

It’s not that I’m trying to hide or cover up my natural beauty — I like my natural hair and my face.

But I also really like purple and slathering as many spar-

kles as I possibly can on my face.

My natural beauty doesn’t go away, it just gets jazzed up with a bright purple streak and some poppin’ highlighter.

The color will fade in a couple of weeks. I might re-dye it, I might not. Maybe I will dye it a different color,

or I might dye it back to my natural color.

But whatever I do, it will be a reflection of how I feel and who I am at the time, and that’s what’s important.

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

SPORTS

17

Basketball season ends on high note Locria Courtright Assistant Sports Editor A historic season has come to an end for men’s basketball.

The 2016-17 season saw the team break numerous records.

UVM set a new program record for overall wins with 29, including a 21-game win streak stretching Dec. 29 to March 11.

This streak included a 16-0 record in America East, the first time in conference history that a team posted a 16-0 record, and only the third unbeaten season in America East history.

The Catamounts swept the America East individual awards as well.

Head coach John Becker was named Coach of the Year; senior guard/forward Dre Wills was named Defensive Player of the Year, senior forward Darren Payen was named Sixth Man of the Year, first-year forward Anthony Lamb was named Rookie of the Year and junior guard Trae Bell-Haynes was named Player of the Year.

The streak, the longest in the nation when it ended, saw its climax in the America East Tournament.

The Catamounts defeated the University of Maine 86-41 in the quarterfinal round, earning a spot in the semifinals.

There, they defeated the University of New Hampshire Wildcats 74-41 to punch their ticket to the America East Championship game, which they would host as the highest remaining seed.

There, the Catamounts met the University at Albany, and despite the visitors’ best efforts, the Catamounts were not to be denied. Vermont edged the visitors 56-53 to win the America East Tournament and earn a spot in the NCAA tournament.

The Cats then travelled to Milwaukee, Wis. for their first-round matchup against Purdue University, where the Boilermakers secured a 80-70 win, led by their star forward, Caleb Swanigan.

Bell-Haynes said the winning streak stood out as a highlight for the season.

“I think the 21 games definitely stand out, but the 19-0 [in conference play] specifically,” he said. “You see teams twice, and we saw some teams three times, and we were able to figure them out each time.”

Becker said the team performed above expectations this season, and credited the team’s mentality.

“I believe we exceeded our goals; to do that is really difficult,” he said. “It’s a credit to the coaches and it’s a credit to the players, and the focus, drive and determination

Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics First-year forward Anthony Lamb dribbles around a Purdue player during the first round of NCAA March Madness, March 16. they’ve had is just amazing.”

Becker admired the way his team played against tough non-conference teams, he said.

“We went toe-to-toe with the best team in the Big Ten,” Becker said. “Just like how I

felt when we played Butler, the second place team in the Big East; it wasn’t trying slow the game down and trying to hope they missed shots, we played those teams.”

The Catamounts finished the season with a record of 29-

6, with defense as their calling card. The Cats were No. 12 in the nation in scoring defense, according to the NCAA.

Upsets continue as Final Four is confirmed March Madness Report Matt Chimenti-Carmen

T

SEBASTIAO HUNGEBUHLER

he college basketball world was blessed with a plethora of great March Madness games this weekend.

The Elite Eight kicked off Saturday night March 25 when the No. 1 seeded Gonzaga University stacked up against the No. 11 seeded Xavier University.

Gonzaga was the first team to punch their ticket to the Final Four with an 83-59 victory.

They were able to pull away in the second half behind 23 points from junior guard Nigel Williams-Goss.

Hoops continued Saturday night when the No. 1 seeded University of Kansas faced off against the No. 3 seeded Oregon State University. The Jayhawks came into this matchup with spiked confidence following a 32-point victory over Purdue University in the Sweet 16. On the other side, the Oregon Ducks squeezed into the Elite 8 after a one point victory over University of Michigan.

The Ducks were able to jump out to an 11 point lead in the first half, and never looked back. Tough defense and missed shots from the Jayhawks down the stretch gave Oregon a 74-60 win. The team is heading to their first Final Four appearance in almost 80 years.

Less than 18 hours later the madness continued when the No. 4 seeded University of Florida squared off against

the No. 7 seeded University of South Carolina.

Florida’s senior forward Justin Leon helped the Gators capture a seven point halftime lead, but the South Carolina Gamecocks stormed back in the second half behind senior guard Sindarius Thornwell.

The Gamecocks were able to score 44 points in the second half and punch their first ever ticket to the Final Four with a convincing 77-70 victory.

The final Elite 8 game of the tournament featured a highly anticipated matchup between the No. 1 seeded University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the No. 2 seeded University of Kentucky.

Both teams were looking forward to this matchup following their epic showdown in mid December. That time, the Kentucky Wildcats were able to pull off a 103-100 win after first-year guard Malik Monk hit a corner 3 pointer with only a few seconds left.

Since then, both teams have drastically improved on both ends of the court.

The Wildcats established an identity behind their elite firstyear backcourt composed of De’Aaron Fox and Monk.

The Tar heels found success from their veteran core.

Junior guard Joel Berry II, junior forward Justin Jackson and senior forward Kennedy Meeks are the leaders of this Carolina team.

The game was close throughout, with neither team

jumping out a to significant lead. However, the Tar heels strung together 12 straight points over the last five minutes to gain control.

It seemed North Carolina was in full control until Monk hit two consecutive, extremely difficult 3-pointers to keep the Wildcats in the game. Seconds later, UNC sophomore forward Luke Maye made the biggest shot of his life, to give the Tar Heels a two-point lead with .3 seconds left on the clock. UNC punched its ticket to the final four with a 75-73 win.

The Final Four is set for April 1. The first game will tip off at 6:09 p.m. between the No. 1 seeded Gonzaga and the No. 7 seeded South Carolina.

Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss and Jonathan Williams will be looking to fill up the stat sheet. Sindarius Thornwell leads the Gamecocks in points and rebounds.

The second Final Four game will get under way at 8:49 p.m. as the No. 1 seeded North Carolina will battle the No. 3 seeded Oregon.

The Tar Heels will look to their veteran core to set the pace of the game come Saturday night.

Dillon Brooks has been a leader all year on this resilient Ducks team. Watch for Brooks and the team’s leading rebounder, junior forward Jordan Bell to lead the way.

Matt Chimenti-Carmen is a sophomore Business major who has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2017.

SPORTS

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Vermont first-year skier wins national title Greg Mandozzi Sports Writer Vermont continued its historic year in sports with yet another achievement, this time from the skiing team.

First-year skier Paula Moltzan raced to victory at the 2017 NCAA Championship, winning the national title for women’s slalom.

Part of a banner day on the slopes for the Catamounts, Moltzan’s big win helped to move Vermont to fifth place in the national standings with 399 total points.

With a combined time of 1:56.57, she was able to top the nation with dominating numbers as a surging first-year.

Moltzan ranked third after her first run with a time of 58.91, but improved in the second run with a time of 57.66, according to UVM athletics.

Moltzan, a medical laboratory science major, said preparation was very important to her success.

“We train almost every day of the week on snow [at Stowe] or in the gym,” she said. “This event wasn’t any different for me than any other races we have had this year.”

Though often it takes time for first-years to settle in a new

environment and start winning titles, Moltzan is showing her skills right out of the gate.

The Prior Lake, Minn. native is the fifth UVM woman to win a national slalom title, and the first first-year to do it since Gabriella Hamberg ‘90 31 years ago, according to UVM athletics.

“Winning the national championship title as a freshman is pretty amazing,” Moltzan said. “Even though it is an individual title it is awesome to have a bunch of great teammates to celebrate with.”

Moltzan and her teammates have plenty reason to celebrate as they have accomplished so much this season.

Moltzan is one of multiple Catamounts who have earned their way to the podium this year; senior William St-Germain finished second overall in the men’s alpine race and senior Alayna Sonnesyn finished second in the women’s 15k freestyle race.

“Paula is a great teammate to have,” said Sonnesyn. “I have been able to get to know her a lot throughout the year.

She always has a positive attitude and works hard in school and with skiing, but has fun doing it.”

Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics First-year skier Paula Moltzan is pictured. Moltzan won Athlete of the Week after winning the individual women’s slalom national title..

Moltzan only has NCAA eligibilty for the next two years, but plans on continuing to ski past college with either the U.S. ski team or on her own, she said.

“I hope to win a couple more titles for myself and the team,” Moltzan said.

Moltzan was named the TD Bank Student Athlete of the Week for the period ending

March 12, adding on to her list of achievements.

Established stars looking to end duo’s domination The Soccer Report Eribert Volaj

F

or nearly a decade now, the title of the best soccer player in the world has belonged to one of two men: Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Since Ricardo Kaka won the Ballon d’Or in 2007, with Ronaldo coming second and Messi third, the duo have won the award a combined nine times: Messi has five, and Ronaldo is right behind him with four.

The success of these two players has put them at the top of the all-time record books.

No one in the history of the game had won the award more than three times in the past. Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten all peaked at three.

Every year, at some point, someone raises the question of if it is finally someone else’s turn to win the award.

In 2010, Messi’s teammate at Barcelona, midfielder Andres Iniesta came closest to breaking the duo’s domination, finishing second after scoring the World Cup winning goal for Spain.

Since then, Messi and Ronaldo have won the award each year, with the “loser” finishing second.

Pundits argued that 2016 would be the year to end the domination, because French forward Antoine Griezmann and Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez had terrific years and deserved recognition — but the award was never truly in question.

Ronaldo got more votes

LILY KEATS than Messi, Suarez and Griezmann combined, after leading Real Madrid to an 11th Champions League trophy, and Portugal to their first ever international trophy at the 2016 Union of European Football European Championship.

This year, there are signs that the competition is truly tightening up.

Messi is at the top of the goalscoring charts in Spain, having netted 25 goals in 25 games, and in the Champions League, with 11 goals in seven games.

However, he has been oftentimes overshadowed by his

teammates, Brazilian winger Neymar.

The 25-year-old leads both the Spanish La Liga and the Champions League in assists, with 10 and 11, respectively.

Neymar played arguably the best game of his career earlier this month against Paris Saint-Germain, leading the team to a 6-1 win with two goals and an assist in the dying minutes of the game, to overturn a 4-0 loss in the first leg.

Messi was almost invisible in that game: his only direct contribution was a penalty goal, after Neymar was fouled in the box.

Messi and Neymar could suffer to register votes at the end of the year if Barcelona do not rack up the trophies at the end of the season.

Their 4-0 loss to PSG showed that they are not invincible in Europe, and they’re already two points behind Ronaldo’s Real Madrid in La Liga, with Madrid having one more game to play.

Ronaldo has only scored two goals in eight Champions League games this season, an almost unacceptable record by his standards.

He has scored 19 goals in the Spanish league, but sits behind both Messi and Suarez.

Griezmann sits behind them with 14 goals.

While Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Griezmann and Ronaldo are all doing pretty well this year, soccer is being played elsewhere too, not just in Spain.

Bayern Munich is once again showing their strength in the German Bundesliga, having moved a whopping 13 points ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig. In the Champions League, they destroyed Premier League side Arsenal, winning 10-2 in aggregate.

Two Bayern players have stood out throughout the season. First, there is forward Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker is once again in top form this season, having scored 41 goals in 42 games for club and country.

The other Bayern star with a shot at individual glory is midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

The Spanish maestro has been crucial for Bayern this season, dictating the tempo of a dominating Bayern midfield.

His performances have raised the interest of his former team Barcelona, but Bayern have declared he is not for sale, according to Sport, a German newspaper.

In the Premier League, Chelsea’s dominance has highlighted the importance of N’Golo Kante. The French midfielder is having another terrific season, after his groundbreaking season last year, when he lead minnows Leicester City to the Premier League title.

Eden Hazard and Diego Costa may also be recognized for Chelsea’s dominance in the Premier League, meanwhile Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne have an outside chance of glory.

Elsewhere in Europe, Juventus have all but secured the Italian Serie A title.

If Juventus makes the Champions League title theirs, forward Paulo Dybala and legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon may stand a chance of winning the Ballon d’Or. It is really early to make predictions for this year’s Ballon d’Or winner. The Champions League will play a huge part in this year’s voting, with no major international tournaments taking place during the summer.

While Messi and Ronaldo still have to be considered favorites, Lewandowski, Neymar, Suarez, Kante and Thiago will feel it’s their time to shine.

Eribert Volaj is a junior Business Administration major who has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2015.

SPORTS

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UVM Scoreboard

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

LAST WEEK

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Men’s lacrosse at Binghamton Vestal, NY March 25

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Women’s lacrosse at Binghamton Vestal, NY March 25 Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics The women’s soccer team huddles together before their game against Hartford Oct. 30, 2016. The team lost seven seniors, but gained six first-years for the upcoming season.

Soccer recruit diverse athletes

Matt Chimenti-Carmen Sports Writer

The Vermont women’s soccer team will take the field next fall without seven current seniors, who will be replaced by six incoming first-year players.

The Catamounts posted a 7-8-4 record in the 2016 season, and watched their season come to a close after a 1-0 loss to the University of Hartford in the second round of the America East tournament.

The team will head to campus early in August to practice with the incoming players.

During this time, the team will go through conditioning and skill development workouts to begin the 2017 season.

Kacey Lambertson joins Vermont as a goalkeeper following a great career at Matawan Regional High School in Matawan, N.J. Lambertson was a four-year recipient of Matawan MVP award, according to UVM athletics.

Angie Salvi joins the team as a midfielder from Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Ill . Salvi started all four years at Carmel, and won the conference’s best offensive player award in her junior campaign.

Maddie Eddleman comes to UVM as a forward after starting all four years at Lambert High School in Suwanee, Ga. During her time at Lambert, Eddleman was voted team captain three times, according to

UVM athletics.

Ella Bankert, a Cuttingsville, Vt. native, joins Vermont as a midfielder following a very successful career at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H. Bankert won many awards during her time at Kimball, including the conference championship and the MVP award.

Aly Spencer from Tewksbury, Mass. joins the Cats from Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA.. She had a successful stint at Holy Cross, earning rookie of the year honors in the Patriot League.

Maggie Matthijs joins Vermont as a defender from Holmdel High School in Holmdel, N.J. Matthijs was a two-year captain, and was part of Holmdels’ first-ever championship during her sophomore year, according to UVM athletics.

The incoming first-years will work hard to learn head coach Kristi Lefebvre’s system as fast as possible.

“They are a great group,” Lefebvre said. “They are extremely motivated students and athletes and we know they will add a lot of talent to the current team.”

The coaching staff chose these athletes for a few particular reasons, she said.

“They are competitors and

they know what it takes to win,” Lefebvre said. “They are also good people and those are the two biggest qualities we look for aside from academics and soccer ability.”

The incoming first-years come from a wide geographic range in the United States. Lefebvre believes this will be an important aspect to the team.

“Most of them come from different club teams and different coaches,” Lefebvre said. “The fact that they’ve had different experiences will add to our overall team culture and experience level. I think it helps diversify the team and allows us to have more balance in terms of style of play and personalities.”

Lefebvre is looking forward to working with the incoming first-years, she said.

“Each year for first-years there are so many firsts.

Lefebvre said. First road trip, first minutes, first time in the starting lineup, first goal, etc,” Lefebvre said. “Of course, we are also looking forward to seeing them blend with our returning group and how their training has paid off over the spring/summer.”

The Catamounts will look to use their new additions to post a stronger regular season record.

The team is looking to be a legitimate threat in the America East conference, and ultimately make a push to the America East Championship.

W

5-8

17-10

Women’s lacrosse vs St. Bonaventure Home March 23

CANCELLED Women’s lacrosse at Binghamton Vestal, NY March 25

THIS WEEK

• Track and Field at Bryant Quad Smithfield, RI April 1 at 12p.m.

• Men’s lacrosse vs Hartford Home April 1 at 12p.m.

• Women’s lacrosse vs New Hampshire Home April 1 at 3p.m.

• Women’s lacrosse at Albany Albany, NY April 5 at 3p.m.

RECORDS

Men’s Basketball 29-6 Men’s Hockey 20-13-5 Men’s Lacrosse 4-5

Women’s Basketball 9-20 Women’s Hockey 15-14-9 Women’s Lacrosse 1-10

Pregnancy...

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

SPORTS

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NCAA March Madness Final Four 1 Kansas

60

74

3 Oregon

74

Gonzaga

75

1 N. Carolina

75

Xavier

60

7 S. Carolina

60

S. Carolina 4 Florida 1

11

Gonzaga

Key Players Nigel Williams-Goss

#5

Tyler Dorsey

#5

Oregon

Gonzaga

The sophomore guard has scored 20 points or The junior guard lead more in seven consecGonzaga with 23 points utive games, including in their Elite 8 win over a game-high 27 against Xavier. The WCC Player Kansas. Dorsey is one of the Year has reached of only two players to the 20-point mark five start every game for times in his last seven Oregon this season. games and is averaging 16.7 points per game.

Justin Jackson

#44 UNC

Sindarious Thornwell

#0

S. Carolina

The senior guard leads South Carolina in The junior forward points (21.6 per game), leads UNC in points rebounds (7.2) and with 18.2 per game, steals (2.2). Thornwell and has made a school scored a game-high 26 record 101 three-point- points in the Gameers. The ACC Player of cocks’ win over Florida the Year lead the team State, becoming only against both Butler and the eighth SEC player Kentucky, with 24 and to score 100 points in 19 points, respectively. the NCAA Tournament.

Oregon

N. Carolina 2 Kentucky

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Key Stats

0

The number of times South Carolina and Gonzaga have previously appeared in the Final Four South Carolina has won four NCAA Tournament games this season, the same number of games they have won in their previous nine appearances combined.

55.3%

Gonzaga’s chances of winning the tournament, according to ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index. North Carolina is second with 25.9%, followed by Oregon with 16.8 percent and South Carolina with 2 percent.

44

The number of years that have passed since two teams making their first Final Four appearances played each other. In 1973 it was Memphis vs Providence; in 2017 it is South Carolina vs Gonzaga.

0.3

The number of seconds left in the clock when UNC’s Luke Maye hit the game-winning shot over Kentucky on Sunday night. On Monday morning, Maye showed up to his 8 a.m. class and received a standing ovation from his classmates.