Vermont Cynic Fall 2014 Issue 14

10

The Vermont

CYNIC

The University of Vermont’s independent voice since 1883

Men’s Basketball defeated by Harvard

W e d n e s d a y, D e c e m b e r 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 – Vo l u m e 1 3 1 I s s u e 1 4 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

A food fight for UVM’s dining contract Margaux Rioux Staff Writer

This summer, the current on-campus dining service contract will come to an end.

Both the current provider, Sodexo and Aramark will be competing for the 2015-2020 UVM dining services contract.

The two companies held open forums with a question and answer period to discuss their proposal with members of the UVM community Nov. 17.

UVM has decided to open up the bidding process to the student community and a board of electors.

“I believe change is good,” sophomore Ben Hamilton said.

“I would definitely say that we could use some change in the quality of food, where we source our food and the overall ethical food choices for students here.”

During both open forums, representatives from the companies spoke about the their plans for the 2015-2020 contract.

Representatives from Aramark highlighted the fresh-take that they could offer to dining at UVM. During their proposal, Aramark suggested that they would bring more local partners to the University and reevaluate how the University uses their dining spaces.

One idea Aramark has to maximize dining space at UVM is to add an outside entrance to the Cyber Café in the library.

The added door would minimize the traffic backup during the day.

Both Sodexo and Aramark plan to bring in part-

JENNIFER RAMIREZ The Vermont Cynic

Sodexo leaders Melissa Zelazny and Phil Harty watch as District Chef Phil Roper presents at the open forum in Billings Library Nov. 17. ners from the community like Vermont Bean Crafters, Vermont Soy and Pizza Verita.

“Either way, there’s going to be more local food and more real food on campus,” SGA Vice President and junior Andrew Bowen said.

During Sodexo’s open forum, the company’s representatives promised to keep moving towards their Real Food Challenge.

This will mean that 20 percent of food on campus will be “real” food by 2020, which is the year the

five year contract will expire.

Melissa Zelazny is Sodexo’s regional dining manager and she talked about the movement towards more sustainable and healthy food.

“The Real Food Challenge provides us with the opportunity to change as the University changes,” Zelazny said.

UVM will be experiencing major growth in construction within the next few years.

The STEM science building will be constructed, as well as a new residential hall

on central campus, which will include another dining hall.

“As UVM changes, UVM dining changes,” Mark Bouchard, a Sodexo representative, said.

First-years Madison Duffy and Saylor Scheller are excited about the possibility of a new dining vendor on campus.

“I would much rather prefer sustainable and healthy choices,” Duffy said.

“I feel like the food just isn’t right, and it makes me feel sick,” Scheller said.

“If I had the power to

vote for a new dining provider, I would definitely choose Aramark,” Duffy said.

Whatever the future may hold for the on-campus dining provider, junior Kate Kude believes there will be change no matter what.

“They [Sodexo] should not be afraid to change things up a little bit,” Cude said.

“I believe the open bid process motivates Sodexo to do better and improve the quality and sourcing of their food.”

Faculty push for salary increases and smaller pay gap John Riedel Staff Writer

JACOB HOLZMAN The Vermont Cynic

Vice President for University Relations and Campus Life Tom Gustafson sits in his office in Waterman Dec. 3. Gustafson is in charge of teacher-administration relations amid salary contract disputes between the University and its branch of United Academics.

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After recent difficulties negotiating new contracts, UVM faculty members are unhappy with the difference between faculty and administrative pay.

During the past several months, contract negotiations have been slow between United Academics and the administration. Faculty members have pushed for salary increases amid uncertian contracts.

At the forefront of these negotiations is Denise Youngblood, professor of history and United Academics Union President.

“The administration insists that we be paid at the median survey amount,” Youngblood said. “The problem with the way people are paid here at UVM is that there is this pay gap.”

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UVM pays all employees based on market averages. The University has been using a national survey done by Oklahoma State University on average faculty salaries, according to the provost’s website.

“Their [faculty and staff] salaries are out of line with what salaries are in Vermont,” Youngblood said. “Staff are paid below average rates and are not competitive.”

Faculty and administrator salaries differ at every higher education institution in America, not just UVM, Tom Gustafson, vice president of Student Relations and Administration said.

“UVM tries to have all positions at or near the median of the employment market,” Gustafson said.

According to the provost’s website, faculty salaries are

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at 100.3 percent of Oklahoma State University survey average, while administrator salaries are at 97.5 percent of the average.

“Some positions compete in the national market, while others are local or regional. Even with faculty, salaries differ depending on academic discipline,” Gustafson said.

“It’s a market place issue and there will be some people who argue that the market place is flawed,” he said.

Based on UVM’s list of base pay salaries for 2013, rounded up to the nearest cent, the average administrator salary for a 12-month contract is $158,664.74. The average salary for staff members was $47,696.40. The average faculty salary, including lecturers and adjusted for a full 12-month contract, was $85,152.07.

See PAY GAP on page 2

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

PAY GAP Pay gap between adminstrators and faculty is a concern ...continued from page 1 However, lecturers are paid differently than professors, associate professors, and assistant professors.

“Lecturers are paid on the number of courses they teach,” Richard Cate, vice president of finances, said.

When lecturers are averaged separately, the average faculty pay adjusted for a 12-month contract is $91,543.15, while an average lecturer salary is $78,598.77, according to UVM’s annual list of base pay salaries. This is adjusted based on a four-month contract where the unadjusted average is $26,199.58. These numbers do not distinguish between academic rank.

“Just because everyone is doing it, which is what the median says, doesn’t mean we have to,” said David Feurzeig, a professor of music.

“When the new provost came in, they gave him $105,000 more than the last, that’s seven full time student scholarships,” Feurzeig said.

“If we can’t find someone who can come and work for a lousy $150,000 a year, then maybe we don’t need that person.”

“If you say we are paying our president $400,000 but the next president we will pay $100,000 you’re not going to get anyone who knows what they’re doing. I don’t endorse it but it is what it is,” Gustafson said.

No smoking on Church Street Sarah Olsen Assistant News Editor

A smoking ban approved by the Burlington City Council on four blocks of Church Street.

The Burlington City Council met Nov. 10 to vote on the ban, which was passed 11 to 3, according to City Council members.

Bianka Legrand of Ward 7 was in favor of the ban.

The smoking ban will help families with small children feel more welcome on Church Street, she said.

Legrand sees both sides of the issue, because of her mother.

“My mother is a smoker, I am not,” she said. “She isn’t happy about it but she certainly understands because of her small grandchildren.”

“It would be nice to not have to walk through a cloud of smoke when I walk along Church Street,” Sophomore Abigail Holmquist said. ` Rachel Siegel of Ward 3 has a different concern with the smoking ban.

“I have a sense of the powers that are interested in cleaning things up in a way that doesn’t include people who don’t fit the image of prosperity,” she said.

“That concerns me gravely.“ This concern almost persuaded her to vote against the ban, Siegel said.

Karen Paul of Ward 6 and Ron Redmond, director of the Church Street Marketplace Commission, disagreed about this concern. There are thousands of outdoor smoking bans across the nation, Paul said.

The entire downtown area of Atlanta and Times Square both have outdoor smoking bans, Redmond said.

“It was not an easy decision for me,” Siegel said. “Really what it comes down to is that I am a huge opponent of the big tobacco companies. I think they’re corrupt and I don’t think they should be supported.”

IJ IDRIZAJ The Vermont Cynic

A pedestrian smokes a cigarette on Church Street Dec. 2. The smoking ban will go into effect Dec. 17.

Signs regarding the ban will be displayed downtown and ashtrays will be removed from Church Street.

In a survey conducted by the Church Street Marketplace Commission, 86 percent of Chittenden County residents do not smoke.

Another smoking ban was discussed and passed by the City Council in 2012, but then vetoed

by Bob Tisch, the mayor of Burlington at the time, Siegel said.

Mayor Miro Weinberger accepted the smoking ban that just passed Nov. 10, Redmond said.

“So maybe it was just the change of administration also,” Siegel said.

Paul doesn’t agree that the change of administration is the main reason that the smoking ban in 2012 did not pass through and this one did.

The smoking ban ordinance vetoed by Tisch involved a ‘pay to play’ concept, Paul said.

“Basically if you could pay at a restaurant, then you could play or smoke,” she said.

The ordinance in 2012 also banned smoking in a wider area of downtown, Siegel said.

This smoking ban completely prohibits the use of all lighted tobacco products as well as all tobacco substitutes, such as electronic cigarettes at all times between the four blocks of Church Street from Pearl Street to Main Street, according to the Church Street Marketplace Commission.

The first violation will result in a warning, the second violation will be fined $50 and the third violation will be fined $100, according to the Church Street Marketplace Commission.

Further plans are underway to prohibit the use of lighted to-

bacco products and tobacco substitutes in all Burlington parks and beaches, according to Nancy Kaplan, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission.

“We first passed a modified smoking ban in 2011 where people are not allowed to smoke within 25 feet of a play structure or any other structure,” Kaplan said.

“What we’re trying to do now is ban smoking in the parks entirely,” Kaplan said.

The process to get this ordinance passed begins with the Parks Commission. They will hold a series of meetings to get input from the community. The commissioners will then vote on whether or not to pass on the recommendation to the City Council, she said.

Lastest taxi app service is launched locally Angel Yang Staff Writer A new app-based taxi service was anounced in Burlington Dec. 10 that offers passengers another easy and fast way to catch a ride.

The service ZabCab, allows taxi drivers to quickly locate passengers via GPS, which in turn, increases their amount of fares per shift, according to a press release from ZabCab. ZabCab is made up of three apps — one for the customer,

Nov. 13 3:22 p.m.

A student reported her laundry stolen from the Wills Residence Hall laundry room.

This remains an open investigation.

one for the driver and one for businesses.

ZabCab is the generic the freeapp for passengers, while ZabCab Driver is the corresponding app for cabdrivers, and ZabCab FrontDesk is the app for businesses requesting a cab on behalf of a customer.

All three apps will be launched simulaneously.

“ZabCab allows passengers to transmit their exact location to on-duty licensed cabdrivers in one tap, making it fast and easy for them to request a taxi-

Nov. 13 3:22 p.m.

A UVM non-affiliate was issued a court citation for driving with a suspended license on Quarry Hill Road. A stolen bicycle was also recovered from the same non-affiliate, which was returned to its proper owner in South Burlington. The non-affiliate was then charged with possession of stolen property.

cab and quicker for cabdrivers to increase the number of fares collected during a work day,” the release stated.

ZabCab was introduced to address a growing demand from both passengers and cabdrivers in cities across the U.S. seeking a better way to connect from a mobile phone, according to the release.

Sophomore Michaela Paul said she would consider using the app.

“I might consider using ZabCab. It could be a handy and

CRIME LOG Nov. 15 11:15 p.m.

A student in Davis Residence Hall reported a missing CatCard, and there are now vending machine charges to the student’s CatCard account.

This remains an open investigation.

safe option if me or one of my friends is in need of a ride in a critical time,” she said.

Rather than a transportation and logistics provider, ZabCab uses the smartphone technology that users already have to match them with third-party licensed taxi drivers, the release stated.

Cabdrivers are not charged a percentage of the cab fare on a per-use basis unlike other rideshare services or transportation apps.

There are also no hidden or surplus charges, contracts

Nov. 16 12:06 a.m.

An intoxicated student in Tupper Residence Hall was transported to the hospital, and then to the Correctional Center for detox. A report has been sent to the Center for Student Ethics and Standards.

or long-term commitments required for use.

“ZabCab differentiates itself from other apps by connecting passengers directly with licensed cabdrivers more easily and efficiently, rather than resorting to other ride-share or transportation services, which typically charge rates that are sometimes confusing, vary during the day and are often unaffordable for passengers,” said Martin Heikel, founder and CEO of Flatiron Apps LLC, the developer of ZabCab.

Nov. 16 12:25 a.m.

An officer encountered a student smoking marijuana outside of Tupper Residence Hall. The officer confiscated a small amount of marijuana from the student, which has since been destroyed. A report has been sent to the Center for Student Ethics and Standards.

—Jill Vaglica

N ews

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

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Early applications on the rise New faculty union president is elected Krista Cantrell Staff Writer

JACOB HOLZMAN The Vermont Cynic

A tour guide leads visitors around central campus Dec. 6. Early applications set a record this year.

Sarah Olsen Assistant News Editor The number of early action applications broke a record this year.

Beth Wiser, director of admissions since 2008, is not surprised by this.

As of this week, the amount of applications are running ahead by about 1,000 over this time last year and 2,800 over two years ago, Wiser said.

“We expected there to be an increase as we had that in our planning,” Wiser said.

“Since these early applications have been received, the percent of the increase is closer to last year, but we remain ahead of any year at UVM.” There have been a total of 14,558 early applications sent

to the admissions office this year, which is 48 percent higher than last year, and 40 percent higher than fall of 2013, according to a Nov. 7 press release by University Communications.

There has also been a 78 percent increase of in-state early applications from last year, according to the press release.

“We have continued to reach out and share the UVM story,” Wiser said.

“It’s an early sign that students are attracted to UVM’s strong academics and high value and are hearing about positive experiences from current UVM students when they go back home. It’s evidence that we are among the schools of choice for high school students, especially in New England.”

There is a trend that students

are applying to a higher number of schools, on average, than they were five years ago. This trend accounts for the increase in early applications, Wiser said.

“It is a good thing for the student to know by the winter break where they have been admitted or where they have been deferred,” she said.

“While admissions facilitated the encouragement for students to apply early action, the university really is what makes a student decide to apply,” Wiser said. “With the strength of our academic programs and with our ideal location, UVM is a great option.”

Early applications waive the standard application fee and were due Nov. 1, according to the press release.

Sustainability program designed Angel Yang Staff Writer The Rubenstein School recently designed a professional Master of Science program in Leadership for Sustainability that will offer a combination of residential and online learning experiences for emerging leaders.

“This is an amazing program,” Nancy Mathews, the dean of Rubenstein School, said.

“The primary focus is trying to get early career professionals to come back into a program,” Mathews said.

Students will also learn about skills needed to become leaders in the areas of sustainability and also to learn how apply ecological economics in sustainability issues, Matthews said.

The program is focused on developing students’ capacity to spark change and collaborate effectively across different fields and sectors, she said.

“We hope that when students graduate, they will have three things: first, a strong understanding of how ecological systems work and can apply leadership practices that will help living system,” Matt Kolan, the program’s co-director, said.

“Second is they can take a deep dive into systems and structures of power and privilege,” Kolan said.

“Last, they can identify their unique gifts to step more fully into their capabilities to be pow-

erful leaders.”

The new program that the Rubenstein School offers has a few qualities that makes it unique, according to the website.

“It’s different from other programs because it does have outside mentors,” Mathews said.

“These are well-known professionals who are probably leaders in the profits and a few

“They will develop very important and professional networks with peers and mentors which they can use their careers.”

Nancy Mathews Dean of Rubenstein School government leaders,” UVM faculty members are cooperating with a network of distinguished professional affiliates and leaders throughout the country.

They hope to offer an applied curriculum that integrates academic inquiry with professional skills, according to the program website.

“They are going to be a part of the teaching core to men-

tor each student in the project.

That’s unusual,” Mathews said.

“People who have demonstrated their success, capacity and innovation will be fascinating to students.”

Another feature of the new Rubenstein School program is network place-based learning, according to the program website.

“Each individual doesn’t have to uproot themselves from their community and go to graduate school of Vermont.

One can continue living in his or her community but be connected to other learners throughout the country,” Kolan said.

The program offers many online courses for students at the University and four residential short courses, which will happen in Vermont and a variety of urban locations.

“Students’ leadership approaches and skills will be deeply grounded in a relationship within an understanding of healthy ecological systems,” Kolan said.

The gathering opportunities will help build connections among students and provide experiential opportunities, according to the program website.

“And they will develop very important and professional networks with peers and mentors which they can use in their careers,” Mathews said.

United Academics elected a new president to their faculty union Nov. 24.

Felicia Kornbluh won the first contested United Academics election against Don Loeb.

Felicia Kornbluh has been working at UVM for five years as the director of the gender, sexuality and women’s studies department.

“I bring the same qualities to UA that I developed in that role: tenacity, eagerness to bring diverse perspectives into decisions, and enthusiasm for the project of making conditions as good as they possibly can be for our precious teaching and scholarship,” Kornbluh said.

She is also an associate professor of history, with a master’s and doctorate from Princeton University and a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard-Radcliffe College.

Winning the first contested election was a “great sign of the health and maturity of the union,” Kornbluh said.

Kornbluh specializes her studies in social and labor movements as well as in environmental justice. She wrote a book called “The Battle for Welfare Rights” in 2007.

Kornbluh became interested in running for president after former president Denise Youngblood decided to step down.

“Initially I was hesitant,

but since I have been the head of a program I know how to run a meeting, make an agenda and listen to people. So maybe I am qualified, I thought,” Kornbluh said.

United Academics represents both parttime and full-time faculty and advocates for fair teaching conditions through collective bargaining agreements.

In addition to the recent election, there is also a new tentative agreement for tenured and non-tenured faculty at the University. The new agreement is still unfinished, but once it is, it will go to the United Academics members for a vote.

In the years since the faculty at UVM has had a union, some of the biggest differences made have been on the side of part-time faculty.

“What part-time faculty needs is more security so that they can plan their lives. The union helps provide for that.

It can negotiate on behalf of the whole group instead of one individual trying to negotiate with the chair,” Kornbluh said.

There has been an increase in compensation and in salary and benefits. United Academics also provides more security in terms of quality of jobs and the nature of the work that teachers, professors and researchers perform, she said.

One of her main focuses will be increasing participation and bringing more people into the union, Kornbluh said.

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Life Students talk campus food Jackie Flynn Staff Writer

Sodexo’s contract with UVM is set to expire June 2015.

The University held an open forum Nov. 17 and is currently in a “competitive bid process,” according to UVM’s Division of Student Affairs website.

“Well I think this is awesome,” senior Adrian Rousson said. “I’d rather eat road-kill than live on Sodexo dining.”

The Cynic sat down with students to talk about what they would like to see from a future dining service.

“Reasonably healthy options with a good amount of variety and good quality,” first-year Kevin Slafsky said.

“It would also be nice to have Cook Dining Hall open on Saturdays.”

First-year Sonny Monteiro said he agreed with Slafsky’s desire for variety in the dining halls.

“Variety is the most important. I feel like Sodexo tries to have variety, but the food is too repetitive and lame,” Monteiro said.

“More vegetarian options, not just leftovers sprinked on chips.”

Noelle Cox First-year

Noelle Cox and Katie Lukes (center image) chat about dining options on campus.

He also would like to see consistency in a new dining service.

“Some days a meal will taste fine, but then a few weeks later that same meal is served and tastes really bad,” he said. “An ideal dining service would be consistent in quality, and just surprise me every now and then,” Montiero said.

Tommy’s Column

Warm up with an IPA was so high for this IPA all throughout the year that they decided to brew it all year long.

The beer was first brewed in 1993.

The Harpoon Brewery has never changed the ingredients for this brew, and it still has the same floral If you enjoy an IPA and smell that it has had since its have yet to stumble upon birth. this beer, you should get Even though Harpoon’s your life together and grab a IPA isn’t as high in alcohol cold Harpoon IPA. content as, say, Heady TopThis flavorful beer is per or Resin beer, the aftersuper heavy and warming taste isn’t too bitter. during the wintertime, The taste is so which is probably good, you can why so many of us just throw these 21-year-old stusuckers back. dents love it so So beware. much.

This beer With 5.9 is available percent alcoin bottled hol per volume, 6-packs, this bitter beer 12-packs, doesn’t go overfull and half board with added kegs, and can flavor as many of the 12-packs.

IPA imposters do in The Harpoon Bi-Weekly order to mask poor Brewery opened Beer Column brewing. in 1986 with a This Bostonbrewery in Bosbased brew has been ton, according to one of the company’s top their website. However, the sellers for two decades. brewery now has another loStarting just as a sumcation in Windsor, VT. mer seasonal, the Harpoon Brewery was one of the first Tommy Gambino is a junior craft companies to make English major. He has been seasonal beers. writing for the Cynic since spring Harpoon Brewery quick2013. ly realized that the demand

Tommy Gambino

First-year Noelle Cox said she would like more vegetarian options, “not just left overs sprinkled on chips.”

First-year Ben Ehret said he would like to see more “edible” meat options. “I like Sodexo’s bacon, but I want more edible meat,” Ehret said.

Other students agreed the next dining service should strive for “real” food options.

“I’d like for places like Alice’s Café to use real egg in their breakfast sandwiches rather than those egg patties. Omelets at the Marché would be great too,” sophomore Teresa Dotson said.

The new contract will begin July 1, 2015, according to the Division of Student Affairs website.

MAEVE CUTTS The Vermont Cynic

First-years Katie Lukes (left) and Noelle Cox fill out allergy forms for alternate food options in the Davis Center Marketplace Nov. 19.

“It would also be nice to have Cook Dining Hall open on Saturdays.”

Kevin Slafsky First-year

The power of the Yak Katie Hickey Assistant Life Editor Anonymous tips, confessions and quick one-liners bring students together on the social media app Yik Yak. Since the Cynic’s last article on the app, representatives for Yik Yak have been in contact.

The app has become increasingly popular throughout college campuses, especially at UVM, said Ben

“It shows testament to the morality of the UVM community.”

Tyler Davis First-year Topkin, a Yik Yak representative.

The app’s goal is to “locally voice your opinion to everyone on campus and create an open forum to people who would otherwise not have one,” Topkin said.

In contrast to other social media apps such as Twitter and Facebook, Yik Yak allows users to anonymously post messages within a 1.5 mile area of where they are.

Only users who are within the radius can then vote or comment on posts.

Depending on how people vote, the post is moved up or down the news feed based on

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY IJ IDRIZAJ

popularity.

For sophomore Tyler Davis, Yik Yak is an opportunity to post humor, while remaining anonymous.

“It allows me to be a comedian for the community,” Davis said.

Topkin credits the app’s success to its ability to connect people with similar ideals.

“The number one advantage to using Yik Yak is that you reach a lot more people a lot…quicker,” Topkin said.

Examples of UVM Yik Yak posts include: “PSA: Bacon samples in Brennan’s,” and “If I just helplessly lay in this pool of tears and textbooks, will I just absorb all the information I’m supposed to know by tomorrow?”

The app’s anonymous feature has also allowed it to be-

come a platform for calls for help and a “support mechanism,” Davis said.

“In our world it’s hard to get a sympathetic answer [support]”, an anonymous student said.

“Whereas Yik Yak users are willing to help.”

In a response to one user’s comment about a death of a family member, another user wrote, “Been there before buddy. Keep your head up and do your best. You got it.”

In other instances, posts that are found offensive such as “racist, sexist, and negative comments get rated right out,” Davis said.

“It shows testament to the morality of the UVM community,” he said.

5

Li fe

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

Lecturer shares experiences Rebecca Potter Staff Writer The Cynic had the chance to interview American Sign Language lecturer Shannon Fitzgerald regarding gratitude, chasing dreams as a member of the deaf community and why she loves to teach at the University of Vermont.

The Cynic (VC): What do you love most about teaching American Sign Language?

Shannon Fitzgerald (SF): I enjoy teaching ASL because I love sharing my experience of the language and sharing my knowledge and experiences of deaf culture.

The UVM community is so welcoming and a wonderful environment to work in.

VC: What do you hope students gain from your courses?

SF: I hope at the end of the semester the students

CODIE COTTRELL The Vermont Cynic

Lecturer Shannon Fitzgerald signs the letter ‘U’ in her classroom Dec. 5. Fitzgerald is working towards her a provisional certification in ASL.

“I hope that the students go away from my course sharing their knowledge and awareness of deaf culture and ASL with others.”

Shannon Fitzgerald American Sign Language Lecturer

gain fluency in their sign skills both receptively and expressively.

I also hope they gain the confidence to attend more deaf culture events to enhance their knowledge of deaf culture and improve their sign skills.

I hope that the students go away from my course sharing their knowledge and awareness of deaf culture and ASL with others.

VC: What extracurricular

activities do you enjoy?

SF: I absolutely love going to shows. I enjoy traveling to different cities, checking out museums, trying out restaurants, shopping, going to the movies or just curling up with a good book.

In the winter, I like to ski and ice skate. In the summer, I love being out by the lake if have a chance.

VC: Favorite holiday food?

SF: I do love turkey and

So Psyched

Tackling body image Marissa Lanoff Body dysmorphic disorder, also called body dysmorphia or dysmorphic syndrome, is a mental disorder characterized by a fixation with a defect in a person’s physical appearance, according to Psychology Today.

“These small insecurities just take over their lives,” sophomore Julia Boettger said.

These physical “defects” can be from any trait, large or small.

“People with BDD can dislike any part of their body, although they often find fault with their hair, skin, nose, chest or stomach,” according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s website.

“In reality, a perceived defect may be only a slight imperfection or nonexistent,” according to the site.

Those who suffer from the disorder may use compulsive or repetitive behavior as a means of covering up or improving their flaws.

This may include constantly checking mirrors, skin picking, excessive grooming,

excessive exercise or camouflaging with certain body positions, makeup, loose clothing or hats, according to the association.

“Mirrors show and tell us so much, but we choose to focus on just one thing. I’m not sure where all of that insecurity comes from. Maybe it’s Instagram. You don’t have any filters when you’re looking in a mirror,” sophomore Christopher Lopez said.

Students like sophomore Spencer Needham said they see how this could affect an individual’s life.

“I can imagine this disorder would absolutely screw your social life. I guess you wouldn’t want to go out with your friends and you’d probably stop doing the things that you love,” Needham said.

Boettger said she recommends that people struggling with this disorder seek professional help.

“In the long run, whatever advice I could give someone wouldn’t be stronger than the thoughts in their heads, so it’s important that these people go seek help before it spirals,” she said.

If you’ve ever fretted over a zit, or wished you had straighter teeth, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have body dysmorphic disorder.

We all have things about ourselves we aren’t crazy about. Just like many other psychological illnesses, the moment it becomes dysfunctional is when it’s time to seek professional help.

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

dressing. I love apple pie or apple crisp.

VC: What are you thankful for?

SF: I am thankful for my family. They are my everything. of?

VC: What are you proud

SF: I am proud of how far I [have] come and what I have accomplished. I did not let being deaf get in the way of my dreams or goals.

VC: If you had to choose between the power to read minds and the power to teleport, which would you choose?

SF: To read minds!

VC: What are your hopes for the future?

SF: My hopes for the future would be to continue to be happy and healthy.

Also [to] continue to learn and grow as a person.

Health Corner

A healthier New Year Allison Carey The end of 2014 may seem far away, but it is never too early to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions.

If you’re like me, you’ve made about a hundred promises to yourself over the past year that you haven’t put effort into keeping. Use these three tips to hold yourself accountable this year.

Tell Someone Tell someone what you’re doing. It is easy to talk yourself out of doing something if you have no one to answer to.

If your resolution is to hit the gym more often, find a workout buddy so you can’t back out without leaving them high and dry.

If you’re trying to eat healthy, ask someone to be on your case if you go for that second bowl of ice cream.

Finalize Goals Make your goals concrete. We all want to be more mindful and appreciate the good parts of life, but these are hard things to measure.

Try going to yoga class one or two times a week or meditating for five minutes a day. Having a goal that you can measure helps hold you to it and makes you feel proud.

Write It Down Whether it is in a journal, on a calendar or on a piece of paper hung from your refrigerator, have some way of reminding yourself of your goal.

Allison Carey is a senior English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2014.

6

d i st r act i o n s

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

How to make your finals experience less stressful

By Keely Agan

Here they are, sooner than we could have imagined: Finals. First-years are panicking because they don’t know what’s hit them and the rest of us are panicking because we do know. But whether you’re a first-year or a senior, everyone could use a few tips on how to make this experience a little less dreadful.

1. Make a game plan.

A way to ease your way into the insane amount of studying that you know you have to do is to make a game plan.

Make a study schedule of what subjects you will study first and last. Think about what is most important and what doesn’t need as much time.

“If you can, start early. That way you don’t feel so cramped,” sophomore Mary Rowley said.

Photo by Marisa Rosenthal

2. Find your space.

Are all your friends camped out on the third floor of the library, but you can’t stand the silence?

That’s ok. If you realize that you work much better tucked away in your room or in that random coffee shop downtown, then study there. It’s your getaway and your finals, no one else’s.

“You need to have a comfy chair and a big table,” first-year Kyle Kostell said.

In addition to comfort, a good location can also be important.

“Find a place with a good view,” sophomore Fernando Jimenez said.

Photo by Marisa Rosenthal

3. Get a study buddy.

For people that can stay focused while studying, a study buddy is a great way to prepare for exams.

If your friend is studying for the same exam, study with them and bring up discussion points. When you talk about material, you often understand it better.

“Having friends at tables in the library is nice,” sophomore Jake Saccoccio said.

Photo by Marisa Rosenthal

4. Give yourself some incentive.

Sometimes we need a little motivation to get us through hard times.

After you finish a chapter or a chunk of materials, treat yourself.

Eat a cookie, invite a friend to a quick lunch, or watch that episode of your favorite show that you missed last night.

“Even if you just give yourself one hour for Netflix, that can be enough,” sophomore Michaela Perry said.

Photo by Erin Lucey

ARTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF STACY LEE

Folk artist strums her way to new scene Maggie Richardson Staff Writer An seldom explored territory of music has been rediscovered by one wary traveler.

Corinna Rose guided her music to the folk genre.

This November, the folk singer and songwriter took on her first tour in the U.S. and her first trip down the east coast.

Rose grew up in Canada and attended McGill University. Since starting her music career, she has toured

almost exclusively in the northern United States and Canada.

Over three years, Rose has done five tours around Canada. “It’s a huge country,” she said.

In the States, “driving distances are way shorter,” but Rose said that she is still “seeing so much [she’s] never seen before.”

“A lot of big folk artists came out of Canada,” she said of the music scene.

Her own musical history started at a young age.

“My mom took me to see this film about women doing various jobs,” Rose said, which sparked her desire to be a musician.

Rose started with piano, then took up guitar and later banjo.

The banjo is “not a refined instrument,” she said, but “really intuitive and way more fun in a lot of ways.”

Her career started in university, when a classmate asked if she wanted to jam.

They soon formed a band they called Rusty Horse

and played together for five years.

After graduating, a friend and fellow performer asked Rose to come on tour. She has been traveling and performing with the group ever since.

“It feels very adventurous,” Rose said. “It feels good.”

Much like the adventure of touring in a new country, Rose finds adventure in folk music. “It’s kind of a funny genre,” she said.

“I love the direction

[folk music] going in,” Rose said.

“There’s always something new going on, but there’s also always something old going on.”

What Rose loves most about the genre is “those in between things where you’re not sure what you’re listening to,” she said. “There’s a lot of power in those spaces.”

Rose’s tour has since ended, but she ensures she’ll be back touring and traveling in the U.S.

Reggae-rocking rapper set to perform in Vermont Sam Heller Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF JARED POLIN

Perhaps the most wellknown reggae-rapping star is scheduled to play at Higher Ground Tuesday Dec. 16.

Matisyahu, an Orthodox Jew, writes reggaeton and rap music influenced by Jewish spirituality.

Matisyahu first rose to national prominence in 2005 when his single, “King Without a Crown,” became a top 40 hit.

His latest release, “Akeda,” came out June 3. The title is a Hebrew word meaning “binding.” It refers to a biblical story where the Jewish patriarch, Abraham, nearly sacrifices his son Isaac to prove his faith.

“I’m focused more on what happens after the incident – what happens after on the walk back. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is dead and he and Isaac go off in different directions. Isaac is blind after that, it’s interesting to think about what happens after,” Matisyahu said “I think every record is an opportunity for me to

work on making something different,” he said when asked if the stripped-down “Akeda” represented a departure from his previous albums.

“I played one of them a track and he was like, ‘you’re a jew aren’t you? Why are you singing about slavery and shit?’”

Matisyahu “I don’t like to go back and recreate the same sound,” Matisyahu said. “I like to move forward and in different directions. This record is another evolution of that sound.”

Matisyahu’s status as a Jewish rapper caused some critics to view him skeptically early in his career. Music review site Pitchfork included him in a list of the 15 worst releases of 2005 with

no explanation or criticism other than a blurb stating that he was a Hasidic rapper.

In an interview with Wanted Magazine, the rapper described facing similar discrimination when approaching the Wu Tang Clan’s label, Loud Records, for a deal.

“I played one of them a track and he was like, ‘you’re a Jew aren’t you? Why are you singing about slavery and shit?’” he said.

When asked what he thought about his critics, Matisyahu said that he didn’t.

“People all along have had their opinions about my work or what I am, but it’s really not that relevant to me,” he said. “I try not to pay too much attention to those things because they’re hurtful, and they can make you sour.”

“In the meantime, I’ve been able to have a career for over 10 years and work with these amazing musicians and producers and artists. It’s the type of life I want to live,” Matisyahu said.

8

A RTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 , 2014

First Night festival returns to town Sam Heller Staff Writer Those remaining in Burlington over winter break shouldn’t worry about making New Year’s Eve plans.

First Night Burlington has you covered.

First Night Burlington, Inc. is a private non-profit organization whose goal is “to bring the community together with an accessible, substance-free New Year’s Eve celebration centered on the arts,” according to the mission statement on their website.

The annual celebration is Vermont’s largest single day arts festival.

This year’s event will feature almost 100 artists and events spread across 18 venues, according to the organization’s website.

“First Night Burlington is about the arts, but it’s about so much more than the arts,” according to a Nov. 14 press release from Burlington Council woman Karen Paul.

“It celebrates our spirit, it celebrates our creative economy, our culture, our values, our commitment to children and families and encourages an accessible

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE STARLINE RHYTHM BOYS

Members of Starline Rhythm Boys Al Lemery (left), Danny Coane (center) and Billy Bratcher pose for a photo. They’ve been together for 16 years since forming in Burlington. and healthy way to celebrate the New Year,” Paul said.

First Night Burlington Executive Director Tom Ayers said that the organization has made an effort to

reduce prices and streamline the logistics of this year’s event in response to feedback from the community after last year’s festival.

“The cost of a First Night

adult button has dropped to just $15 this year. That’s a 25 percent reduction from last year’s price of $20,” Ayers said. “And in addition, for the first time in 30

Zombies infect hip-hop Jon Zinter Staff Writer Mosh pits, stage dives and hip-hop; the sold out Beast Coast show was one for the books.

Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice and Erick Arc Elliot of the Brooklyn hip-hop trio, Flatbush Zombies, returned to Higher Ground Nov. 30.

This time they brought their Beast Coast counterparts the Underachievers with them and sold out the Ballroom.

The two groups are on tour in support of their new collaborative mixtape “Clockwork Indigo.”

The show featured a set from each group performed individually, followed by a collaborative third set.

Flatbush Zombies’ popularity grew in 2012 with the release of their “Thug Waffle” music video and mixtape “D.R.U.G.S.” In 2013, they released their latest mixtape “BetterOffDEAD” to critical acclaim.

Fans come to Flatbush Zombies first for their gritty brand of psychedelic hiphop, but stay for Arc’s top of the line production and the group’s cohesiveness.

Plain and simple, nobody raps like Meech. Nobody.

The Flatbush Zombies’ set started off with a solo performance of the song

“Thugnificence” by Juice.

After that, Meech and Arc joined him for the new song “Don’t Do Drugs Kids.”

Flatbush Zombies are known for their high-energy shows and Meech alone has made the stage dive his live trademark “Death” and “Death 2”, a couple of morbid and aggressive songs from “BetterOffDEAD”, were connected by a chilling audio recording of Charles Manson.

“Open your fucking mind!”

Meechy Darko Flatbush Zombies Solo performances of “Death 2” and “Face-Off (L.S.Darko)” truly showcased Meech’s relentless flow and Caribbean drawl.

The songs fit together perfectly, energized the crowd and allowed Meech to take the spotlight.

The Flatbush Zombies’ confident stage presence during their classic songs “Mary, Nothing Above Thee” and “MRAZ” is a testament to their longevity.

“MRAZ” was as unique and edgy as it was two years ago.

Flatbush Zombies proved their rapping talent several times throughout the show when they cut the beat and rapped their lyrics a cappella without making a single mistake.

Their set ended with the bass-heavy “S.C.O.S.A.” The third and final set of the show featured both Flatbush Zombies and the Underachievers dressed in white.

Most expected to see them perform songs solely from the “Clockwork Indigo” mixtape.

Fans were pleasantly surprised, however, to see the groups collaborate to perform popular songs from both of their repertoires.

Everyone in the building seemed to know the words to “Thug Waffle,” and fans of the Underachievers got their “Herb Shuttles.”

Clockwork Indigo’s set was finished after “LUAM,” a song from the collaborative mixtape, which had verses from everyone on stage.

Both groups looked really comfortable performing together.

When the show was over and the moshing stopped, Meech took the spotlight to address a sweat-drenched crowd with his motto— “open your fucking mind!”

years First Night will be offering a student button for just $10, available to all students of all ages with valid student ID,” he said.

“Notable changes include scheduling all children’s and family performances earlier in the day and within adjacent venues, in order to make the festival more accessible to families with young children,” Ayers said.

Performances will also be grouped according to genre this year, which Ayers said will make Burlington’s First Night festival easier to navigate.

“Fans of particular performers and performance types won’t have to flit around quite so much at this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration, because each of our venues will be specializing in a particular genre of performance,” he said.

This years lineup is set to include “International music at the Unitarian Church, jazz at the Flynn Space, classical sounds in the First Baptist Church, etc.”

Tickets and buttons for the event can be purchased from Burlington First Night’s website at www. firstnightburlington.com.

WRUV DJ picks DJ Llu aka Llu Mulvaney-Stanak “Get Fresh with DJ Llu,” Sundays 8-10 p.m.

Artist: Asteroids Galaxy Tour Song: “Navigator” Album: “Bring Us Together”

Artist: Caribou Song: “Silver” Album: “Our Love”

Artist: Gregory Porter Song: “Be Good” Album: “Be Good”

Artist: Glass Animals Song: “Gooey” Album: “Zaba”

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Sports

A hard road to pay equity STAFF EDITORIAL Soon, the administration and the teachers union will sign their new contracts.

This year has been marked by slow progress and protests decrying the model of the “corporate university” and the overpaid administration.

We have seen a shift in the past thirty years or so from university administrations lead by faculty to professional administrators.

On the face of it, much of the controversy over the pay gap between the administration and the rest of the University employees is warranted.

It’s well known that President Sullivan is the highest paid public employee in the state.

According to United Academics, over the past decade, administrative salaries have risen by over 50 percent. By many accounts, the administration is being paid way, way too much.

Our faculty union must fight for this contract.

Without an active, powerful and concerted voice, the union may not be able to maintain its gains secured thus far.

What’s more, students suffer when the faculty is demoralized due to this pay gap.

Teachers who feel like they’re being treated fairly by their university are no doubt better for students who require quality, undivided attention from educa-

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and it isn’t with an overpaid administration.

There are factors at play that are beyond the scope of this disagreement.

money? For one, student loan debt is unforgivable if a person were to go bankrupt. In other words, banks, businesses and credit card debtors can discharge their obligations if they cannot make their repayments.

But this is not the case with student loan debt: Even if a person cannot pay their student loan debt, the interest on their debt will continue to accumulate.

Thus, these lending institutions have given students massive amounts of credit, regardless of their major future career goals, or their ability to pay back their debt.

This is quickly becoming a major problem. Student loan debt hovers over $1.2 trillion, with over 40 million Americans averaging $28,400 in student loan obligations.

So why do students continue to borrow more money to put themselves through school? One reason is that students assumed that it would increase their job prospects once they graduated.

But where are the jobs?

In the last 12 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that just over 2.6 million jobs

have been created. However, not every job that is created is equal.

According to a report by the National Employment Law Project, the majority of jobs that have been created have been parttime jobs in low-wage sectors.

In addition, the report states, “Today, there are nearly two million fewer jobs in mid- and higher-wage industries than there were before the recession took hold, while there are 1.85 million more jobs in lower-wage industries.”

Yet the National Center for Education Statistics estimates that nearly 3.8 million students will graduate this year, ranging from associate’s to doctorate degrees. Just from these two statistics, there is clearly a shortage of jobs being created for the number of students that are graduating.

This is not taking into account the 9 million people who are already unemployed, the 2.9 million who are long-term unemployed or the 7 million people who are underemployed.

With what funds will graduates repay their student loans if there is a shortage of jobs avail-

The crisis of our education

Cam Panepinto sports@vtcynic.com

Molly O’shea video@vtcynic.com

tors. The Cynic supports United Academics’ fight for fair contracts.

Unfortunately, the real problem isn’t with an unfair contract,

The “fat cat” image of administrators is an incorrect depiction of our University leaders.

The cost of college has been artificially inflating and the market rate of an administrator’s salary is, actually, astronomical.

But our administration is not composed of greedy individuals.

They want what’s best for this university, just like the faculty and staff.

The pay gap, by extension, is not a symptom of greedy UVM administrators.

It’s the sign of a clear economic reality that pits university communities like ours against each other at the expense of the faculty and the students, with administrators incidentally making off with the increased pay.

This is not an issue that new contracts between the administration and the union can fix.

If the administration wants to raise faculty pay, their choice is simple. They have to either drop their own pay or raise tuition.

If they drop their pay, the University will likely end up mismanaged — no competent administrators will want the job.

If they raise tuition, fewer students will be able to afford an education.

When administrative job positions compete with positions nationally, they compete within an unfair and broken national market.

That’s the real problem.

While students view their education as an investment for a brighter future that would grant them increased job opportunities, higher total lifetime earnings and even the ability to live longer lives, neoclassical economics views education as a profitable industry that can be exploited for personal gain.

Since neither student aid nor family income have kept pace with the increasing costs of tuition, the majority of students have needed to take out loans to help pay for their education.

Lending institutions like the federal government and private banks have loaned students the funds to help finance their education.

But why have they let students borrow increasingly more

able to provide them the income to repay their debt?

Even though students and the economy are struggling, business is booming. The Economic Policy Institute stated, “[corporate] profit margins are at their highest levels since the 1960s and show little signs of having peaked.”

In search of higher profit margins, many multinational corporations have relocated jobs overseas at the expense of college graduates, and ultimately the economy. By minimizing costs, corporate executives and stockholders make more money.

Due to tax breaks to multinational corporations and billionaires, tuition has been increasing as state funding for higher education has been diminishing.

There has been no “economic recovery” since the financial crisis and there will be no economic growth as long as our generation of students is crippled by debt.

Kevin Santamaria is a senior economics and political science double major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2011.

Correction: An article in issue 10 entitled “One-in-four” program out of the ‘man box’ cited a press release that incorrectly attributed a survey that included a question about rape to the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. UVM found an individual, not the fraternity, responsible for the survey.

Unsigned editorials officially reflect the views of The Vermont Cynic and its staff. All 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. Send letters to opinion@vtcynic.com.

We are also committed to accuracy in all of our work. If for some reason there is an error, please send all letters of correction to cynic@uvm.edu.

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Sports

Cats victorious in Hockey East series Alex Benoît Staff Writer A trip to the University of Maine Nov. 28-29 to face the Black Bears resulted in the Catamounts taking all four possible points in the Hockey East series.

Game one saw junior goalie Brody Hoffman start in net.

First-year winger Mario Puskarich scored two goals, including one on the power play, en route to the 6-3 win over the Black Bears.

Other goal scorers for the Cats were first-year Kevin Irwin, senior Mike Paliotta, firstyear Jarrid Privitera and junior Jake Fallon.

Game two tested Vermont’s ability to play short-handed.

The Cats survived all five of the penalties they took against the Black Bears.

Sophomore goalie Mike Santaguida backstopped the Cats to a 4-1 victory.

Puskarich and Privitera each continued their hot streaks. Both have scored three goals in their last three games.

Sophomore forward Brady Shaw scored a timely power play goal midway through the second period to give the Cata-

SKYE VESELIS The Vermont Cynic

The men’s varsity hockey team lines up at the blue line for the national anthem Nov. 8 against Maine.

The Catamounts are 11-3-1 this season after a pair of wins on the road against the Maine Black Bears. mounts the lead. They never looked back.

Before anyone knew it, first-year Anthony Petruzzelli

had scored the empty-net goal that sealed the weekend series for the Cats.

“I’m so proud of our guys.

This is such a tough place to come into and get a win let alone a sweep,” said head coach Kevin Sneddon, accord-

ing to UVM Athletics. “I’m very proud of our mental toughness and our physical toughness.”

Senior captain Mike Paliotta was named the TD Bank Student-Athlete of the week following the series according to UVM Athletics.

With the win, the Catamounts improve to 4-0 against Maine this season.

According to UVM Athletics, the wins give the Catamounts a 9-1-4 record against the Black Bears over the past four seasons.

The Catamounts currently sit in third place in the Hockey East with a 7-3-1 record in conference play and an overall record of 11-3-1 this season.

The Catamounts have two upcoming games next month against the No. 2 nationally ranked Boston University Terriers who currently have an overall record of 10-3-3.

Vermont had the weekend off in preparation for a twogame home series against St. Lawrence University Dec. 12 and 13.

Both games will start at 7:05 p.m. The Catamounts will return to Hockey East action Jan. 16 and 17 against Northeastern University.

Club soccer receives invite to tournament Sara Olsen Assistant News Editor

IJ IDRIZAJ The Vermont Cynic

Senior Hector Harold jumps for a layup during the teams win against the Hartford Hawks Dec. 3.

Harold is the teams leading scorer, averaging 27.8 points per game. The team is now 4-4 this season.

Men’s basketball falls late Owen Parr Staff Writer Over 2,500 spectators piled into Patrick Gym as the now 6-1 Harvard University Crimson topped the Catamounts men’s basketball team Nov. 6.

The 4-4 Catamounts kept it close until the end and were tied with the Crimson at the beginning of the second half.

The game went into double overtime, in which the Crimson scored 14 points and the Catamounts’ scored two, to end the night with a final of 64-52.

Vermont’s largest lead of the night came at the middle of the first half when the Cats led by eight points.

Senior forward and captain Hector Harold, led the team

in scoring with 12 points, but the Catamounts still could not overcome the Crimson.

“It was a great college basketball atmosphere, unfortunately we couldn’t pull it out,” head coach John Becker said according to UVM Athletics.

“Free throw shooting caught up with us and too many minutes for some guys.”

Vermont’s next time on the court will place them against the 2-5 Wagner College Seahawks at Patrick Gym at 1:00 p.m. Dec. 14.

After having lost to Wagner in a close game during the 2013-14 season, they hope to turn it around against the Seahawks this year.

Shortly following the game against Wagner, the Cata-

mounts will face the Yale University Bulldogs on Dec. 18, ending their 4 game streak of home games.

The Catamounts are 3-1 at home, and except for the recent loss against Harvard, they might be able to add to that record with a couple of wins before they head to Missouri to face the Saint Louis University Billikens Dec. 21.

With a win, the Catamounts could move over .500 on the season.

It has been done before.

Last season they started their first six games at 1-5 and then ended the season at 22-11, according to UVM Athletics.

The women’s club soccer team was chosen to compete in the National Championships for women’s collegiate club soccer Nov. 20-21.

Senior captain Alexandra Cerretani said she didn’t think they were going to get the chance to go.

“A week and a half before Nationals, we got an email saying that enough people had dropped out that we were being invited,” she said.

Junior Jacqueline Cardoza said it was just “pure excitement” when she found out they made it to Nationals.

The National IntramuralRecreation Sports Association hosts the tournament, which will be held in Memphis, Tennessee this year.

Making it into the championships is based on a twobracket system: the open bracket and the championship bracket, Cerretani said.

“The open bracket is mostly bigger schools with big club teams,” she said.

Getting into the tournament for the open bracket system was completely random, based on a lottery, Cerretani said.

During the regular season, the team only lost two games, Cerretani said.

One was against UConn and the other against Dartmouth College.

Last year, the team made it

to the regional semifinals, but this year they didn’t make the cut.

“It actually ended up working out because if we went to Regionals we wouldn’t have had the funds to go to Nationals,” Cerretani said.

Cerretani has been on the club soccer team since her first year at UVM, but she has been playing soccer since she was five.

“It’s been a huge part of my life for so long and I couldn’t really imagine my life without it at this point,” Cerretani said.

She said her “initial plan” was to play varsity soccer at a few other schools before she decided to come to UVM four years ago.

Cerretani chose UVM for academic reasons. None of the other schools she was looking at had an animal science major, Cerretani said.

“It was probably the best decision I have ever made,” Cerretani said. “I can’t imagine having a better group of girls that I would’ve played with anywhere else on a varsity team.”

As a senior, this was Cerretani’s last year on the team, but she said she believes she will be leaving the team in good hands.

“Everyone got along. I think we had the best season since I’ve been here.” she said.

The club soccer team will play a few games in the spring and their regular season will start up again next fall.

S Po rts

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

11

Making waves in the pool athletetweets “Our games may not get more than 400 fans, but at least we can say Sidney Crosby was one today & watched our game at NU! #iseeyou” Bridget Baker - sophomore forward, women’s hockey

Freddy Fields Assistant Sports Editor With almost half the season complete, it’s time to reflect on a successful year for the women’s swimming and diving team.

After dropping their first dual meet against Wagner University Oct. 11, the team has knocked off seven straight opponents to tie their longest winning streak of the past five seasons.

Along the way, Catamounts have collected four America East Performer of the Week awards. Most recently, the team took home sixth place at the Bucknell Invitational, where six new team records were set.

Junior diver Maggie Preston is having a stellar year on the diving board, having already collected three consecutive Athlete of the Week awards.

First-year swimmer Shannon Cowley, who helped set records in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke events, recently claimed the fourth award.

“We have a very strong team this year and we know that we have a lot of potential, so I do think we are more focused this season” Preston said. “We’ve been working really hard to do as well as we are, and we are continuing to keep each other motivated.”

The roster is well balanced this year, with an even distribution of veteran leadership with young talent. The team has at least five athletes from every grade. Their success may have

“Thankful for a lot of things. Girlfriend, family, and friends!”

Cameron Ward - sophomore guard, men’s basketball “Shattered phone, shattered life.”

Diana Parish - junior mid fielder, women’s soccer

Scores from last week Nov. 30- Women’s hockey vs Maine L 2-1 Dec. 1- Women’s basketball at Syracuse L 94-63 Dec. 3- Men’s basketball vs Hartford W 81-69 Dec. 7- Women’s basketball vs Dartmouth W 68-63

SKYE VESELIS The Vermont Cynic

Members of the swimming and diving team prepare for a meet at Forbush Natatorium. The team is 7-1 this season and several members have received individual accolades this year. to do with the coaching of twotime America East Coaching Staff of the Year Recipient, Gary Cournoyer, who is currently in his 15th year with UVM. Look

for the team to carry their success into the coming weeks, where they hope to take home first place at the America East and ECAC Championships.

NFL Picks

Week 15: Cynic predictions Colby Cunningham Every week, members of the sports section will predict who will be victorious in their NFL match-ups.

Cowboys vs. Eagles

While the Eagles rely more on passes, Dallas relies more on the ground game, led by star running-back Demarco Murray who leads the league in rushing yards, sitting at 1,187.

I think the Eagles will pull this one off, defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia this Sunday.

Cowboys: Armin and Zach Eagles: Alex, Andrew, Cam, Colby, Dave, Freddy, Jack, Owen and Stu

Despite having used both Dolphins vs. Patriots Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez, at the quarterback position, The New England Patriots the Eagles have maintained are 9-3 and in first place in the one of the most staAFC East as well as the entire ble offenses in the conference. The Miami league. Foles has Dolphins are 7-5, sitting missed the last second in the AFC East four games with and holding the sixth a broken coland final playoff spot. larbone, leaving The Patriots have Sanchez to take had a strong second half lead. of the season, aside from The Eagles their tough loss against scored a touchdown NFL PICKS Green Bay in week 13. on 35 percent of their For this one, being a red zone drives unfull hearted New England fader Foles, yet under Sanchez natic, I predict the Pats will they’ve managed to convert have no trouble defeating the 52 percent of their red zone Dolphins. drives.

Dolphins: Freddy

Patriots: Alex, Andrew, Armin, Cam, Colby, Dave, Jack, Owen, Stu and Zach.

Broncos vs. Chargers The Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers have already faced each other this year, with the Broncos taking the win 35-24. The Broncos have asserted their dominance in the league, sitting in first in the AFC West with the Chargers close behind in second place.

Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers is one of the best late season quarterbacks in the NFL, boasting a 33-6 record for regular season games in December and January.

I’m going say that the Chargers upset the Broncos due to the sense of urgency the last regular season games bring.

Broncos: Alex, Armin, Cam, Dave, Jack, Owen, Stu and Zach Chargers: Andrew, Colby and Freddy

Colby Cunningham is a junior entrepreneur major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2014.

Alex- 22-11 Andrew- 21-12 Armin- 20-13 Cam- 20-13 Colby- 19-14 Dave- 20-13 Freddy- 17-16 Jack- 19-14 Owen- 18-15 Stu- 22-11 Zach- 22-11

Upcoming Games Dec. 12- Men’s hockey vs St. Lawrence Dec. 13- Men’s hockey at St. Lawrence Dec. 14-Mens basketball vs Wagner Dec. 14- women’s hockey vs Dartmouth

Women’s rugby advance to Mid-Atlantic Regional Somer Brown Assistant Sports Editor This fall, the UVM women’s rugby team ranked sixteenth in the nation.

The team had an undefeated record of 6-0 for the regular season before entering the women’s collegiate rugby division I and II Fall Championship Mid-Atlantic Regional, where they made it to the first round of playoffs, the farthest women’s rugby has ever made it in the playoffs.

The team’s co-captains, seniors Darienne Martin and Danielle Marini, attribute their success to their teamwork and dedication.

“Our coach, Dougie, always screams at us that we’re relentless. Going into the playoffs, we were very much the underdog, but I think we went out there and proved that we are relentless… Our commitment and dedication is really strong,” Marini said.

“There’s 15 players on the field at once,” Martin said.

“We have a saying, ‘fifteen as one,’ which we say before the games.”

That philosophy has been a key part in the team’s success, according to Martin. “There was no star player. We were all equal … everyone had their

own passion for the sport and was really committed. Everyone wanted to be there,” Martin said.

The captains spoke highly of the squad’s teamwork. “In other seasons, we definitely relied on individual players to carry us along,” Marini said.

“With a lot of our seniors graduating, we had to change the way that we played our game…

We had to focus on working as a team more, and we did that really, really well.”

According to Marini, team bonding, such as movie nights and a “friendsgiving” helped strengthen team members’ connection. “We try to create more of a bond and be like a family unit,” Marini said.

In April 2015, the team plans to play in the Beast of the East Collegiate Rugby Tournament in Rhode Island, where each team plays four games.

The team also plans on hosting two tournaments of their own: the Prom Dress Tournament, in which players dress in prom attire and play rugby, and the Ruggers Against Rape (RAR) Tournament. This series of games includes an entry fee and t-shirt sales which profit HOPE Works, a group located in Burlington that is dedicated to preventing sexual violence.

A Dv ert i s em en ts

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