Vermont Cynic Spring 2014 Issue 28

The Vermont

SpringFest

CYNIC

was not stopped by rain and mud See the feature on page 7

The University of Vermont’s independent voice since 1883

W e d n e s d a y, A p r i l 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 – Vo l u m e 1 3 0 I s s u e 2 8 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

College will not renew faculty Staff Report

FAKING IT As more and more underage students are using false forms of identification to purchase alcohol, the bars of Burlington are cracking down Alexander Collingsworth Staff Writer If you Google ‘Fake ID’ you may find websites like reallygoodfakes.com and various forums that list fake ID vendors to buy from.

About 60 percent of the time people who are trying to drink underage use their siblings’ or friends’ old ID’s, said Mike van Gulden, founder and CEO of Chocolate Thunder Security, a Burlington-based security service.

Van Gulden said he has confiscated more than 500 fake ID’s.

“I’ve taken enough ID’s to cover a wall,” he said.

Colleen Kent, a bartender at Radio Bean, said she agreed that forging identification seems to be less common than using someone else’s ID who is of age.

“More often people have real actual ID’s. They are just not their ID’s,” Kent said. “It’s not easy to make a fake ID.” “To get the same feel of an ID down is not easy,” she said. “When it’s your job to feel ID’s, if it feels weird at all, then no way, you’re not going to get served.”

Danny, a first-year who asked to only be identified by his first name so that he may not incriminate himself, said he bought a fake ID recently from a “friend

of a friend.”

He said he already owned another one, but that it was “not very passable,” so he bought a new one.

Danny said he bought the new ID because he wanted to be able to buy alcohol himself instead of getting other people to buy it for him.

“I think it’s ridiculous that every other country has a drinking age of 18 or 19,” he said. “You can go to war at 18 but you can’t purchase a fucking beverage. The drinking age doesn’t stop anyone from drinking anyways.”

“From my own experience, Burlington is not the best place to try to drink underage,” said Joe O’Connor, a bartender at Ri Ra. Savanna O’Connor, a staff member at Radio Bean, said the holograms on fake ID’s are often obviously flawed.

If an ID says ‘official’ or ‘authentic,’ on it it is “pretty obvious” that an ID is fake, she said.

“Most of the time people will fight it if I call them out on using someone else’s ID. They will say ‘yeah that’s me.’ I’ve asked people to tell me their Zodiac sign, to test them. They say things like, ‘I don’t have one,’” she said.

In the state of Vermont people 16 to 20 years old who are caught lying about their age or using a fake ID are given the

option to complete an alcohol safety program which is run by the county court diversion program, according to healthvermont.gov.

If the underage person chooses not to participate in the program or does not complete all of its requirements they can be fined up to $300, and can have their drivers license revoked for 90 days, according to the website.

Second and third offenses can result in a fine of $600 and up to one month in jail.

A bar can be held directly liable for damages if a minor they have served alcohol gets into a car accident, O’Connor said.

Bartenders can often lose their job for carelessness and the bars themselves can lose their liquor licenses for not enforcing strict age controls.

“It can be detrimental to the business and to my own job. It’s better to be safe than sorry. I ID people who are 30 years old sometimes. It can be frustrating when patrons are embarrassed when we ID them, but that’s our job,” O’Connor said.

From his experience, van Gulden said that Higher Ground, Three Needs and Nectar’s Bar, were the three places that took away the most ID’s respectively.

See FAKE IDS on page 3

When returning next semester, students in the College of Arts and Sciences may notice something missing, many of their professors.

The Dean of College of Arts and Sciences has made cuts in four areas across the college that will affect both students and faculty, said Denise Youngblood, history professor and United Academics president.

“I am very concerned because these cuts will certainly affect the ability of the faculty to deliver a first-rate education to our students,” Youngblood said.

“Education is supposed to be the primary business of the University,” she said.

Youngblood said the reason is that this is necessitated by University-wide budget cuts.

Dean Antonio CepedaBenito, of the College of Arts and Sciences, has cut several faculty positions, she said.

The cuts come as part of the University’s new Incentive Based Budgeting plan.

The new system encourages departments to find new ways of bringing in revenue and boosting student retention, according to an article in the Cynic Oct. 22. “[Incentive Based Budgeting] will allow us to make difficult decisions,” Cepeda-Benito said.

“Everything we do is valuable, and everything is there for a reason,” he said.

“But then you put a price to it, then you have the value against the cost,” Cepeda-Benito said.

As a result the Dean did not renew the contracts of various lecturers in the departments of history and romance languages, Youngblood said.

“There are courses where it is not the end of the world if we don’t have them,” CepedaBenito said.

However, faculty members of those departments disagree.

See FACULTY CUTS on page 3

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2

N ews

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

Tuition may be raised in coming year Students may need to spend more for UVM Sarah Olsen Assistant News Editor Out of state students may see a few extra zeroes added to their tuition bills next year.

“I think that [the tuition increase] isn’t necessary,” firstyear Sarah Mantz said. “This is already the most expensive state school in the country.”

The University’s board of trustees will be deciding on the 2014-2015 budget plan May 16, Provost David Rosowsky said.

The tuition of out of state students, who make up 69 percent of the student body, will increase from $34,656 to $35,832, according to the 2014-2015 estimated undergraduate tuition fees.

First-year Liann Simonds said she disagrees with the possible increase in tuition.

“It’s already an expensive school for out of state people,” Simonds said.

The board of trustees has already approved a 3.6 percent increase in room and board fees, according to the estimated tuition fees.

If the 3.4 percent tuition increase is also approved, the

NICOLE REBER The Vermont Cynic

An employee of student financial services speaks to a prospective student in the student financial services office April 25. The UVM Board of Trustees has approved an increase of room and board fees by 3.6 percent. There is also a proposed 3.4 percent increase in tuition. cost of attendance will become $48,654.

“The proposed increase of tuition is actually the second lowest in 36 years,” said Richard Cate, vice president for finance.

The lowest increase of tuition in the last 36 years was last year. Next year’s prospective increase cannot yet be esti-

mated, Cate said.

Rosowsky also said that this coming year’s proposed increase of tuition is the second lowest in nearly four decades.

“We are doing everything we can to keep our tuition increases lower than those other schools,” Rosowsky said.

When asked about the rea-

soning behind tuition increases Cate provided some examples.

“We expect to pay more for electricity and we expect modest increases in compensation and all those things do add up,” he said.

UVM had more 24,000 applicants this year which is the highest ever, Rosowsky said.

“As UVM continues to gain

national visibility and recognition as a top academic institution, we continue to draw more and more students,” Rosowsky said.

Students are warned to dispose of bottles Alexander Collingsworth Staff Writer

DREW COOPER The Vermont Cynic

Cars sit parked in a parking lot near the Davis Center April 25. An environmentally friendly parking lot made of a porous material that manages water runoff was installed on Trinity Campus in 2012.

Parking lot is full of holes Jill Vaglica Staff Writer When it rains, it pours and when it pours, we get runoff.

To combat this stormwater runoff in an environmentally friendly way the University has been testing out a “hole” new parking lot design based on Trinity Campus.

The project cost $300,000, according to a Cynic article Oct. 3, 2012.

The plan is outlined in the 2009 research by engineering graduate research assistant George McCain and assistant professor Mandar Dewoolkar.

Porous lots, made of a type of rock full of small holes, al-

lows water to drain through the pavement’s surface, according to the research.

It is “kind of like concrete rice krispie squares,” said Jim Barr, director of parking and transportation at UVM. First-year Lily Spechler said she hopes for all of UVM’s parking lots to eventually be porous-based.

However, the new “sustainable” parking lot has met its fair share of problems.

“We’ve had a bit of a challenge with deterioration in some of the slabs in the lot,” Barr said.

Although this new system is relatively sustainable dur-

ing dry weather, almost any amount of rainfall can overwhelm the system.

Other issues have arisen when sand and frequently used ice salts mix with high levels of rain causing the porous holes to clog and runoff to continue, according to the research report.

“I’m still not sold on having them around here,” said Bob Vaughan, director of capital planning and management.

“You have to continually clean it so there is more maintenance that is associated with those types of parking lots,” Vaughan said.

Many residents of the Harris-Millis complex expressed concern after the misinterpretation of a complex wide email.

The email, sent by Resident Director Kester Barrow regarded the consequences of improper disposal of bottles of alcohol.

Following the email, many residents said they were under the impression that they would all be charged if the custodial staff is forced to dispose of alcohol cans and bottles, improperly disposed of.

“I think it’s ridiculous that the entire floor would be charged for one person’s acts,” first-year Ian Conde said. “I don’t think it’s right.”

The email asked residents to respect the complex’s rules and its quiet hours.

It also listed “concerning trends” such as the vandalism of bathrooms and the dumping of beer cans and other alcohol containers in the trash rooms.

However, Barrow sent out a second email to clarify April 29.

“Types of charges referenced are seen as unassigned damages amd we do not charge unassigned damages to any residential community at UVM,” he said.

“Our primary goal is to ensure that you are all provided with a safe, comfortable, healthy living environment.”

Kester Barrow Resident Director If a student has not specifically been communicated with regarding their involvement in an incident then they will not be charged, Barrow said.

“Our primary goal is to ensure that you are all provided with a safe, comfortable, healthy living environment,” he said.

The custodial staff has had to regularly remove beer cans from bathroom trash cans, said junior Jacob Pelland, a resident advisor in the hall.

Residents have also been taking their empty alcohol containers to other floors to dispose of them, he said.

The concern comes from the constant need for custodial staff to go out of their way to deal with the beer cans something, Pelland said.

N EWS

FAKE IDS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

Burlington bars are putting a stop to students trying to use fake ID’s

“Every bar is pretty gungho about taking away ID’s,” he said. “It’s kind of a badge of honor or a trophy when they take an ID.” If someone has given a falsified form of identification the “reasonable” thing to do is take their ID, van Gulden said.

If a person hands their ID over, they have given the bar employees consent to have the ID examined and possibly confiscated, he said.

However, those quoted above said they agreed that the drinking age should be lowered.

“It’s not fair that a 20 year old veteran who served in Afghanistan cannot go to a bar and get a beer,” van Gulden said.

“We were all underage once too. We know how much you all want to come out and listen to music and drink, but those businesses will get shut down for serving people under 21.”

Savanna O’Connor said.

Many community members expect students’ late-night behavior to escalate during this time of the year as the weather is warmer and students are taking to the streets.

“You guys aren’t going to get louder now that the weather’s getting nice, are you?” a resident of Isham Street said to their student neighbor. “I wouldn’t want to call the cops and get you in trouble.”

In anticipation of this issue, UVM’s dean of students, David Nestor, alongside the Burlington Police Department, released a Spring Quality of Life Statement April 11.

Local police are planning to introduce new foot and bicycle patrols, increase the number of cruiser patrols and initiate joint-patrols between UVM and Burlington police, according to the report.

“It’s a good idea, but not necessarily the right way to do it,” senior Aaron Dean said.

“It’s a little excessive.”

“We are in a bubble at times and forget that we have a huge impact on the community,” said junior Maggie Love, cochair of SGA’s legislative action committee.

“If we focus more on the positive impacts, we can show the community what other activities — beyond parties — students are involved in downtown,” Love said.

UVM’s Office of Student and Community Relations has taken this alternative approach described in the report.

Gail Shampnois, office director said that they work toward restoring the bond between students and the rest

CRIME LOG Lauren Drasler Staff Writer

April 20 2:21 p.m.

An officer who was on patrol discovered that two exit signs and window screens had been taken from Coolidge Hall on Redstone Campus. The exit signs were missing, and although the window screens were still in the building, they had been taken off the windows that they belonged on.

4:14 p.m.

JONATHAN POLSON The Vermont Cynic

A resident has her ID checked at Red Square April 17. Many underage students use fake IDs to buy alcohol. Others use an ID of a friend who looks similar to them. Doing so can lead to fines of up to $300.

Students striving to be neighborly Corey Wilga Cynic Correspondent

3

of the Burlington community.

In doing so, they have partnered with several community groups.

When resident Phil Hammerslough moved on to Isham Street 10 years ago, he said real estate agents told him to run away.

He said that he knew it has been known as a “notorious” student neighborhood in the past.

“It [Isham] always used to be known as a messy, sketchy place,” Brian Cina said, a resident of Isham Street.

Both residents said they were involved in starting the Isham Street Gardening and Other Optimistic Doings project four years ago as they both were expanding their gardens onto the street.

“A lot of issues that come up come from a lack of understanding,” Love said.

Residents work alongside student neighbors every spring to create greenbelt and bump-out gardens, which extend curbs to create vegetative space.

“With programs like this, neighbors begin to recognize the fact that students bring more to the community than noise violations and trash,” Love said.

“By making the environment a little more beautiful, you show that somebody cares,” Cina said.

There has been a significant drop in noise violations and burglaries since 2012, according to the Burlington Police Department.

Both Hammerslough and Cina said they are confident that the student-resident engagement has played a major role in this change.

FACULTY CUTS Dean makes cuts to several departments “The recent cuts seem unethical and unwise for both professors and students,” French professor Brenda BeaudetteKaim said.

Cepeda-Benito said if he were to keep all faculty members, tuition costs would increase, and less students would attend UVM because it would be “too expensive.”

“If fewer students come through the door, we have less of a need to teach some courses,” he said.

These are some examples of cuts Cepeda-Benito has made, while at the same time adding new administrative positions, Youngblood said.

“I was reduced to a 75 percent workload this past year and my contract will not be renewed due to more course sections being cut,” Beaudette-Kaim said.

Many students have expressed outrage with these cuts.

“Cutting a professor as engaging and helpful as Brenda [Beaudette-Kaim] is an atrocity,” first-year Jake Collins said.

“The fact that their cutting a professor who teaches an introductory course in arguably one

of the most popular languages in the school is almost laughable.”

In the next year, no one new will be hired in the College of Arts and Sciences, Youngblood said.

Cepeda-Benito said that “temporarily,” there also may not be as many course offered for one or two semesters.

This will lead to, “larger class sizes, fewer choices for students and a demoralized faculty,” Youngblood said.

Students may be forced to wait a semester or longer to take courses needed to graduate, Beaudette-Kaim said.

Cepeda-Benito has also announced that there will be a “freeze” on research funds for faculty of the college, Youngblood said.

These cuts are “not in the best interest” of the University as it strives to make itself a “premiere research University,” she said.

“Until universities start functioning like schools instead of corporations with highly paid, untouchable executives, change is unlikely to occur,”

An anonymous report came in to police services about a student that was using Twitter to discuss using heroin. Upon investigation, however, it was discovered that the student had never used the drug and wasn’t claiming to have used it on Twitter.

4:34 p.m.

Around one gram of marijuana was taken from a student who was smoking on the Redstone Green. The officer came upon the student, and confiscated the drug from him/her.

April 21 2:46 p.m.

An employee in the Physical Plant department contacted police services after discovering that a gate outside the University Heights South 1 complex on Athletic Campus had been damaged. It was not clear how the damaged occurred, but the gate was clearly out of alignment and had been vandalized.

April 24 11:29 p.m.

Hall staff in Marsh Hall on Athletic Campus contacted police services after smelling an odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room in the building.

When police arrived, they were unable to locate the source of the odor and the cause was listed as unfounded.

Classified STUDYING OR TRAVELING ABROAD?

DREW COOPER The Vermont Cynic

Chemistry professor Erik Ruggles gives a lecture in Angell April 25.

Student health and accident insurance for up to one year abroad. Three plans based on dates abroad. Insurer is HCC/Lloyds of London. For Rates & e-Brochure: SamMillerInsurance@ gmail.com 129 Miller Lane, Waterbury Center.

Vt. GR’60

Life

Seniors ready to build a new road Charlotte Fisher Assistant Life Editor It’s been a long road, but some UVM seniors have come up with a plan to create a new one.

Five civil engineering students have designed plans to make a new road in Essex Junction, Vt. for their senior project.

The team, made up of seniors Timothy Noordewier, Michael Koch, James Dee, Jacques Larose and John Olsen, worked on the plans with Essex Junction’s town engineer, Richard Hamlin.

The proposed project would close down the Essex Junction North Street railroad crossing to vehicle traffic and extend Educational Drive across Old Colchester Road to Route 2A, according to the group’s report.

“It would improve traffic conditions and there would be a safer crossing,” Noordewier said. “There’s no new crossing, it’s just moving a dangerous one to a safer location.”

North Street is an “unsafe” crossing area due to the potential for vehicles to get “backedup” on the railroad tracks, along with the potential for traffic from Essex High School, the group said.

“The No. 1 concern of civil engineers is always public safety, so that’s what we are after,” Koch said.

“I’ve driven there and parked at Essex High School,”

BECCA ADAMS The Vermont Cynic

Civil Engineering students discuss their senior project in the Davis Center April 25. Their project is a proposed new road in Essex Junction, Vt. They worked with the town engineer, Richard Hamlin, to create a safer crossing area around Essex High School in Essex Junction. alumnus David Dike ‘11 said.

“It’s a nightmare when you go and when you leave because of all the traffic.”

The plan also includes the possible implementation of a bike path along the Educational Drive extension.

This could provide a saf-

er bike route to Essex High School, while also demonstrating environmental awareness and a more sustainable transportation method, the group said.

“I think it will benefit bicyclists and pedestrians, especially walking to and from

Our Mirthful Board

The better bars of Burly Connor Daley The Our Mirthful Board staff got a little thirsty this week.

So we went on a tour of the best watering holes in town, chatted up our favorite bartenders and studied menu and special board alike.

Here’s what we came up with.

Leunig’s Lounge This is my personal favorite, but not many are aware this place even exists.

In an open room one floor above the front dining room, magic happens.

The Lounge boasts a full menu of signature drinks and small fare from Leunig’s famous chefs.

On a weekend evening, you’ll probably share the room before 10 p.m. with people waiting for a seat downstairs, but it’s slowly becoming a favorite for the later, younger crowd.

Wait staff is incredible and

the “Vesper” — a gin and vodka martini with Lillet Blanc instead of vermouth — is by far the best in town.

Juniper If you’ve heard of Hotel Vermont, you’ve probably heard something about the lobby bar, Juniper.

An open, Vermont-themed den, the bar offers the best array of locally sourced brews and booze.

Chill out by the fire, on a couch or at the window bar to get a view of the lake at sunset.

Better yet? The terrace next to the bar surrounds a large, open fire pit.

Oh and one more thing: it’s the only place on this list to feature regular live music on the weekends.

Church & Main One of the few restaurants on Church Street whose food is as good as its drinks, Church & Main is a great second-date destination.

But after the kitchen closes on weekends, dining tables are pushed aside and a DJ sets up near one of the black curtains that flank the dining room.

Set up at the regular bar or at the window bar to people-

watch.

Church and Main bartenders love to experiment, so take a look at the menu but feel free to tweak the recipes to your liking.

The highest recommended is the Purple Haze, an indigocolored dance of vodka, St. Germain and orange curacao.

Citizen Cider Tasting Room Okay, this isn’t a bar. But Citizen Cider’s new tasting room on Pine Street deserves a mention here.

Hard cider isn’t for everyone, especially for the brew crew, but this local company has achieved equality with most craft breweries in Vermont.

On tap at area bars and following Heady Topper’s mission to bring back the 16 oz. can, Citizen features five to eight regular ciders and experiments often.

Those experiments are best tested at this fun, woodaccented room, where visitors can grab a tasting board or fill a growler-style “Bootlegger.”

Connor Daley is a senior history major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2014.

school,” senior Monica Dahlgren said. “Also, the neighbors surrounding might be a little happier without the student drivers tearing up their road.”

“It makes it easier for people in the community to get to where they want to,” Dee said.

The five seniors presented

their plan to the Essex Junction Board of Trustees April 29.

“We’ve put a lot of time into this,” Noordewier said.

They said they believe that with enough public support, this project has the real potential to be built one day.

Weekly Health Corner

Those spring showers bring flowers or herbs Mint

Molly Ziegler Despite last week’s brief snowstorm, it looks like spring has finally sprung. With the warm weather coming quickly, I’m eager to start potting some of my favorite plants.

The idea of growing your own fresh herbs can be a bit daunting, so here’s a list of low-maintenance plants that are hard to kill and can add a delicious burst of flavor to your next spring meal.

Basil This classic Italian flavor thrives in a pot filled with moist soil and six to eight hours of sunlight each day.

As the plant grows, removing the leaves at the stems may encourage the plant to branch out, allowing for the growth of more leaves, according to the website Bonnie Plants.

Basil can be added to various soups, salads and pasta.

It comes in several different varieties, all of which are rugged and fast growing, according to Bonnie Plants.

Mint is also a spreading plant, meaning it takes up space quickly. It’s important that it is planted with plenty of extra space in the pot, according to the website.

Mint can be used in meat and fish dishes, as well as in delicious summer cocktails like mint juleps and mojitos.

Oregano This flavorful herb is very hearty and is said to bring good luck to gardens, according to Better Homes and Gardens.

While oregano prefers sunlight, it benefits from afternoon shade as well, according to Bonnie Plants.

This herb’s flavors and aromas are strongest in midsummer, just before they bloom.

Oregano can be used in homemade tomato sauces as well as being sprinkled over a green salad.

Molly Ziegler is a senior nutrition major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2014.

5

li fe

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 , 2014

24 hours to remember the names of 10,000 Danielle Goglia Life Editor Black apparel, 10,000 names and a message to “Never Forget.”

The no longer University recognized Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity spent April 28 commemorating the Holocaust as they recognized Yom Ha’Shoah also known as Holocaust Memorial day.

The actual date of Yom Ha’Shoah is April 27, but junior and fraternity president Jonathan Polson said they chose to celebrate the following day to gain more of the student body’s awareness.

“Because it was on a Sunday we preferred to do it on a Monday when people could see,” Polson said.

“Our goal is to make sure people on campus know that it’s Yom Ha’Shoah and to never forget the Holocaust,” he said.

The group has participated in two national awareness movements “We Walk to Remember” and “Unto Every Person There is a Name.”

“We Walk to Remember” is an event that the national Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter has been involved in for the past five years, but this was the second year Vermont’s chapter has participated, Polson said.

“The Holocaust did happen and it was a very bad time in history and it should never happen again to anyone.”

-Jonathan Polson junior

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

First-year Zach Chernick reads names of Holocaust victims outside Bailey-Howe April 28. The Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity read aloud names of various child Holocaust victims for Holocaust Memorial Day. In this event, members walk silently across campus dressed in only black wearing signs that read “Never Forget” across their chests.

More than 180 Alpha Epsilon Pi chapters across the globe participate in “We Walk to Remember,” Polson said.

“It’s a very powerful event all over college cam-

puses around the world,” he said.

For the second event, “Unto Every Person There is a Name,” brothers read the names of individuals who died in the Holocaust from the steps of Bailey-Howe Library.

This was the first year that the fraternity in Vermont had participated, Pol-

son said.

“We are reading them in 15 minutes intervals, some people are speaking longer and some shorter,” Polson said. “I read for 45 minutes.”

The group got through a list of more than 10,000 children that were killed as a result of the Nazi’s genocide in the 1930s.

“We decided to go with

children this year because we felt it was more powerful to see that these kids didn’t even have a chance,” he said.

Being the “Jewish Fraternity,” Polson said the members felt it was their responsibility to bring awareness to the historical event.

“We feel it is necessary to help Jewish causes and to understand that the Holocaust did happen and it was a bad time in history and it should never happen again, to anyone,” Polson said.

“Genocide is not something that should be wished upon for anyone and is not something to joke about, ever,” he said.

The fraternity plans to continue participation in the events and hopes to collaborate with local Jewish Community centers in the future, Polson said.

Our Mirthful Board

‘Quirky’ team competes Out of parm’s way Keira Tachibana Staff Writer

Can you make it across Europe using only cans of Red Bull as currency? Well a group of UVM seniors is trying.

Red Bull sent “Quirky Ky and the Terrible Two” off on the adventure of a lifetime April 4, with 24 cans of Red Bull to barter with for food, shelter and transportation.

In the “Red Bull Can You Make It?” challenge, 100 college teams were chosen to travel throughout Europe in one week using only cans of Red Bull as currency.

UVM group “Quirky Ky and the Terrible Two” is made up of seniors Kylie Fitch, Molly Hebert and Lauren Macklin who took on the challenge.

“Backpacking through Europe for one week with two of your best friends, no money and no phone — that’s right, Red Bull even took away our phones — was a life-changing experience,” Fitch said.

The crew competed against 300 other teams and were one of the 10 teams from the U.S., she said.

“We were basically their monkeys, at the beck and call of an energy drink competition, but we all couldn’t get enough of it,” Fitch said.

Each team had to make it to a minimum of six of the 30 designated checkpoint cities scattered across Europe and finish

Connor Daley Atmosphere: 2.5/5 Food: 3.5/5 Drink: 3/5

PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLIE FITCH

Seniors Kylie Fitch, Molly Hebert and Lauren Macklin backpack during the “Red Bull Can You Make It?” competition in Europe.

“Backpacking through Europe for one week with two of your best friends, no money and no phone — that’s right, Red Bull even took away our phones — was a life-changing experience,” Kylie Fitch Senior in Berlin, Germany by 5 p.m. the following Friday.

“Quirky Ky and the Terrible Two” covered 3,247 kilometers using 175 cans of Red Bull.

“Two weeks back in the States and I’m still utterly in shock at some of the stunts that we pulled,” Fitch said.

On the fourth day of the competition the team traded

six cans of Red Bull for 400 Euros’ worth of plane tickets to get from Naples, Italy to Berlin, Germany and continue their travels from there.

“We were fortunate enough to come home with 300 new friends from all over the world, only making our wanderlust turn to tenfold of what it was before,” she said.

Sticking with the nonChurch Street themes I established in my reviews, this weekend my friend and I grabbed a table at L’Amante on College Street.

It’s a place I often forget about because, except for the wooden door and subtle sign, L’Amante just looks like an office building.

A gracious hostess took our coats at the door and we proceeded around a corner to the dining room — nothing more than a large, square room separated from a small bar by only a wooden divider.

The menu contains a mix of light Italian and American bistro classics, with an impressive list of red wines — how very Italian.

I was feeling more American that evening ­— hence the headline — so I opted for the roasted chicken with truffle mashed potatoes, asparagus and rosemary jus.

Most rosemary chicken

dishes — and mashed potato sides — tend to be dry, but both of these were excellent.

A note on the wine. I’m not sure who began the rule that white wine should go with white meat, red with red meat and sweet goes with sweet, but it’s a terrible one.

I paired a light red to go with the asparagus, not the chicken. The spring vegetable is infamously difficult to pair with wine and I find it can make the wine taste metallic.

Our waitress suggested to me a lovely light red blend, Ambra’s Barco Reale.

L’Amante’s motto of, “casually elegant,” is fitting, but perhaps not in a good way.

The wait staff was dressed in pressed white-collar shirts, but with blue jeans.

The dining room was warm and softly lit, but it was so loud I could not even hear my friend across the table from me.

Not to split hairs, but the white tablecloths were a little much for the vibe.

All in all, L’Amante is a must-visit with parents or for a third or fourth date.

Final thoughts? “L’Amante” is Italian for “The Lover,” but love is way too strong a feeling for this restaurant and my relationship.

Connor Daley is a senior history major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2014.

ARTS

On constructing ‘Invisible Homes’ UVM professor fronts band of Vt. art rockers Alana Smith Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF INVISIBLE HOMES

Lecturer Sean Witters poses for a photo. He is the founder of a local band, Invisible Homes. Their debut album will be released May 8.

What happens when you give an English lecturer an electric guitar and a band of handpicked musical collaborators?

You get Invisible Homes, the Burlington art rock band fronted by UVM’s own English professor Sean Witters.

Invisible Homes’ debut album, “Song for My Double,” set to be released May 8, has been in the works for the last two years.

The project finally came together following their five days spent in a cabin, a place that has “personal significance” to Witters, he said.

The making of the album, however, was not necessarily an individual experience.

Witters said this project has been a huge collaborative effort.

“I called up every friend I ever played with. We have really built a community around this project,” he said.

Additionally, Witters said his wife designed the glass house artwork for the band logo and album cover.

“I think the classroom taught me to be extroverted

again,” Witters said in regard to how his position at UVM has influenced him in his art.

He also acknowledged the similarities between himself and William Carlos Williams, a modernist writer and pediatrician, who wrote his poems in between appointments.

The name “Invisible Homes” is taken from a Ralph Ellison essay, and is a “mark of the literary quality” that Witters said he brings to the album.

As an album, “Song for My Double” is a “meditation on doubleness” in its many forms, Witters said.

The group considers itself an art rock band comprised of veterans of the Vermont music scene who are striving for an eclectic sound driven by sonic experimentation.

The album features a “West African funk” track, as well as a trip-hop reggae number entitled “The Clown.”

The band has embraced what they call “creative accidents” stating that, “instead of throwing them out you work with them.”

Witters said the band has drawn influence from artists

“I called up every friend I ever played with. We have really built a community around this project.”

Sean Witters English Professor such as Radiohead, Mogwai, Wilco, and the Flaming Lips.

The band hosted its own Kickstarter fundraiser on March 11 to raise money for digital mastering in order to finalize the project. Invisible Homes reached its goal April 10.

Fans are invited to attend a free debut concert at Club Metronome, May 8 at 9 p.m.

The show will feature guest appearances by artists such as Barika, Zach duPont, Justin Levinson, Chris Dorman and more.

There will also be a live stream of the show on WRUV May 13.

Readers can like the event and follow the band on its Facebook page.

Comedy showcase A look at local festivals coming this spring Cynical Listener

Sarah Stickle Summers in Burlington may get a little lonely if your friends go back home. Luckily, the arts scene booms this time of year. You can get your groove on and make some new friends at these exciting upcoming events.

Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green Featuring some of my favorite concerts of every summer, Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green are your typical Vermont shows.

This year’s concert lineup is guaranteed to break my bank, as it will feature Ray LaMontagne May 28, Old Crow Medicine Show July 29 and more.

Price range: $28 to $54

Red Square Alley For consistently good bands at low prices, Red Square is the place to go.

Even as the wind blows

through the alley, the warm Burlington summers encourage t-shirts and shorts all night, every night.

Acts include Josh Panda and the Hot Damned, Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band, The DuPont Brothers Band, Ben Donovan and the Congregation, Waylon Speed, Craig Mitchell and many more.

Price range: Free to $7

Burlington Discover Jazz Festival — May 30 to June 8 The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival is one of Vermont’s biggest events.

In the past, the festival has seen acts such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck and Trey Anastasio.

This year is shaping up to be another big one, featuring headliners such as Tony Bennett and Maceo Parker, as well as free shows on Church Street from local favorites such as Josh Panda.

Price range: Free to $152

Lake Champlain Maritime Festival — Aug. 7 to Aug. 10

The Lake Champlain Maritime Festival is every family’s dream, from carnival activities to sailing and some of the best local music that Burlington has to offer.

Kick the weekend off with the Pirate 5k Run and check out performers such as The Avett Brothers, Buddy Guy and Umphrey’s McGee. Price range: Free to $50

Champlain Valley Fair Concerts — Aug. 22 to Aug. 31 The Champlain Valley Fair brings in Vermont’s biggest acts of the year.

An enormous event that has kept its “Vermonty” charm, the fair features rides, agriculture and livestock competitions and all the fried food you can imagine.

This year’s line-up features Dierks Bentley, Jeff Dunham, Hunter Hayes and the Goo Goo Dolls with Daughtry and the Plain White T’s.

Price range for concerts: $27 to $74.25

Sarah Stickle is a junior public communications major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2011.

Becca Friedlander Staff Writer Comedians near and far will be coming to stages around Burlington May 21 through May 25.

“I did some shows in Mexico and everywhere I go, as soon as I check into my hotel room, I immediately hang the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door or, for the Spanish speaking, ‘No Moleste,’” said Tig Notaro, a comic at this year’s festival.

“That was kind of a creepy feeling. Hanging that on my door before bed. ‘Nope. No moleste. Not tonight. Try a couple doors down,’” she said.

Tig Notaro, Myq Kaplan, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, ImprovBoston and Spark Improv Troupe will be among the more than 100 comedians at the festival, which also includes various UVM student comedians.

“I’ve been working with the producers to help make the shows happen,” sophomore Nicole Sisk said. “I really like making people laugh.”

Sisk is not the only performer who is also working behind the scenes. Comedians Nathan Hardwick and his wife Natalie Miller are

co-producing and performing at the festival.

“It’s fun to do an improv scene with [Natalie] because we know each other so well,” Hardwick said. “I know where she’s going just from one line or [the] look on her face.”

Co-producer Kathleen Kanz started the festival six years ago and brought in Miller and Hardwick in 2011.

“We’re the only ones doing it for a livelihood, so we have to be more excited than is good for us,” Hardwick said.

While he and Miller seem to have found their dream job, Sisk said she is less sure of her comedic future.

“It’d be fun, it’d be a great way to make a living, but at the same time I like it as a hobby, just a fun thing, and I don’t know if doing it as a career would change that,” she said.

The shows at the festival will range from a live recording of the Vermont Improv podcast to themed events, such as the uncensored show “That’s Just Wrong!”

The shows will take place at Burlington venues such as Nectar’s and Club Metronome. Ticket prices range from no charge to $25.

A rts

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

7

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Atmosphere rapper Sean Daley, also known as “Slug,” performs at SpringFest on the Chittenden-Buckham-Wills green April 26. The group was formed in Minnesota in 1989.

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Students cheer during a performance at SpringFest on the Chittenden-BuckhamWills green April 26. The event was held outside despite the rain that morning.

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Argonaut & Wasp members juniors Trey Schibli (right) and Theo Klein perform during SpringFest April 26. The group played DJ sets between other artists’ performances.

SpringFest right as rain Though SpringFest was caught in a cloudy rainstorm turning much of the Central Campus quad to mud, the weather failed to spoil the mood for students.

The lineup, which featured UVM bands Binger, Tar Iguana and Argonaut & Wasp, as well as national acts Tanlines, Remix Artist Collective and headliner Atmosphere, proved to be more than enough to draw fans to the Chittenden-Buckham-Wills green April 26.

In spite of the rain, overcast and 48 degree weather, Binger, made up of juniors Braden Winslow and Shakir Stephen along with Dalton Muzzy set up to perform on the smaller stage just right of the main stage as the first act.

Winslow came dressed in a fullbody penguin suit, alongisde Stephen who was dressed in a rabbit costume.

“The band with the funny outfits?

They were really good,” said Will Gregory, an audience member who came from Rutland, Vt. for the show.

Binger, one of the winners of the University Program Board’s Battle of the Bands, played a set of songs that varied in styles, often transitioning

from one genre to another mid-set.

“They’re like a combination of funk, rock and freestyle hip-hop,” first-year Evan Halnon said.

Both Winslow and Stephen rapped for the crowd and then even invited junior Mallory Duncan, also known as “Galactic Brown,” to join them on stage for a few songs.

Up next was Tar Iguana, the other winner of the Program Board’s Battle of the Bands.

Band members described themselves as a group that puts a “twist” on song covers.

“We’re the jammiest cover band you’ve ever heard,” guitarist and vocalist senior Chris Heres said.

“We’re going to play some songs for you. You’ll probably be familiar with many of them,” guitarist and senior Jack Schroader said before their first song.

Toward the end of Tar Iguana’s set, festival-goers crowded toward the main stage in anticipation for electronic indie-rock duo Tanlines.

Rain continued to fall as the band was introduced to the stage.

“We came from New York City to play a few songs for you,” percussionist Jesse Cohen said.

“This is sort of jam-sessiony,” guitarist Eric Emm said. “I was told I had to say that in Vermont.”

The band members said that SpringFest was their first time playing a show in the rain but Cohen said they tried “to bring some sunshine.”

But various students and newly self-proclaimed Tanlines fans said they felt that SpringFest didn’t need sunshine at all.

“I don’t feel the rain is inhibiting the show at all. Lots of people are still here,” sophomore Christina McLaughlin said.

“People don’t care that much [about the rain],” first-year Jane Strudwick said.

By the end of Tanlines’ set, even though they were unable to bring the sunshine to Burlington, they did manage to stop the rain.

“We’ll take credit for that,” Cohen said as the rain stopped falling.

Some students took advantage of the outdoors by playing Frisbee, dancing with hula-hoops and even playing in the mud.

Next up was Remix Artist Collective, or RAC, a group that remixes songs into electronic dance music, such as their remix of the Talking

Story by Michael Swain

Heads “Once in a Lifetime,” which they performed at the show.

McLaughlin and sophomores Nora Brosnan and Chelsea Gelwarg said they were at SpringFest mostly to see headliner Atmosphere.

“The only band here I’ve heard of is Atmosphere,” first-year Beth Potter said.

When the time came, Atmosphere fans made their presence known.

The audience, which had dispersed throughout the quad in between previous sets, pushed toward the front when the hip-hop duo came to the stage.

Gregory, a self-proclaimed “lifetime fan” of Atmosphere described the duo as “backpack rap,” or underground urban rap.

Festival-goers also took note of how energetic the duo’s performance was.

“Atmosphere is really high energy and good with the crowd,” senior Norio Costantino said.

Despite the weather, musicians and fans alike reported having a great time at this year’s SpringFest.

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STAFF

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STAFF EDITORIAL Some students’ favorite professors might not be here when classes resume in the fall.

Recently the College of Arts and Sciences cut numerous part-time or adjunct professors, lecturers and other faculty that were not on tenure.

This is due to the budget restrictions in the college and a desire to not increase student tuition.

The Cynic appreciates the desire to look out for student tuition and finances, however we would rather see the money that is at the University go towards faculty and teaching, instead of other projects.

If the University prides itself on being a teaching-first institution, why are they cutting faculty?

The University and the UVM Founda-

tion are currently conducting a “Comprehensive Campaign.”

This is a long-term fundraising campaign aimed at developing people and programs as well as capital planning projects like the Housing Master Plan.

The Housing Master Plan aims to transform the geography of the University through various building projects.

It is also the most expensive construction plan to ever be conducted at UVM. The estimated cost of this project is $100 million.

Most lecturers at UVM make $20,000 to $60,000 a year. Administrators can make $150,000 to $500,000 a year with President Tom Sullivan earning $429,093 as a base salary.

The Cynic reported this week that a $300,000 construction project from 2012, which was supposed to make a parking lot more environmentally friend-

Cynic Staff Quick Opinions

ly, turned out to not be as effective as intended.

We feel that the budget at the University needs to be reexamined.

The $300,000 spent on a failed construction experiment could have gone a lot further if it would have been applied to teaching.

The Cynic understands the distribution of finacnes throughout the University is more complicated than that, however, the administration should seek to change how they budget overall.

It would be great to see the budget and finances redistributed so that the emphasis is placed back on teaching and academics.

The reason we’re all here is for school anyway, and it would be great if our course offerings reflected that with a variety of options.

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OPINION

9

Droning on about war and peace Ty Williams From 2004 to 2010, the U.S. Air Force increased its ability to conduct combat air patrols by 600 percent.

This was done through the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, also known as drones.

Be it by dollars spent or lives lost, drones are much cheaper than traditional manned aircrafts.

Compared to traditional aircraft, a drone costs approximately $76 million.

If drones are so cost effective, what makes them so controversial?

Any study of drone warfare must include the high number of civilian casualties that occur when strikes don’t go as planned.

In 2010, the Brookings Institute stated that for every militant killed in Pakistan, 10 civilians were killed.

This statistic has been driven down as weapon systems now use more effective targeting systems, along with precise intelligence to provide the operator with a clear picture of when and where drone strikes will be most effective.

Unfortunately, using weapons beyond a knife almost guarantees that civilians will be negatively impacted.

As a result, reducing civilian deaths becomes intertwined with preexisting policy issues.

There are two major policy critiques of drone warfare.

First, drones don’t “win the hearts and minds” of people nearly as well as having “boots on the ground.”

This argument, while somewhat valid, is based on the assumption that differences can be reconciled in Pakistan and Yemen.

The desired peace process will most likely not come to be due to the need to retaliate against and deter further violent action from militants.

Drones merely do the same job at less cost.

It is believed that drone warfare depersonalizes the act

of killing, which increases the likelihood of collateral damage.

This relies on the assumption that leaders will miscalculate the political and military impact of a strike.

This seems unlikely given the extensive decision-making process already used by countries that have access to drones — the U.S., U.K., Israel and China.

In spite of the obvious downsides, drones are a much better fit for current U.S. counterterrorism operations when

Nix the Bechdel test Jacob Holzman The Bechdel Test, which was invented in 1985 by comic illustrator Alison Bechdel, gauges whether a film depicts women fairly.

I am all for more wellrounded, complex and independent female characters in movies.

But I oppose the Bechdel Test as a means of judging a film’s feminist value.

To pass, a movie needs a scene in which there are at least two women with speaking roles talking to each other about

something other than a man.

Not many works pass this test.

I argue that this test means nothing but trouble for films that fail.

It begs for film to be criticized under a feminist lens, even if the art in question has an empowering feminist tone or theme.

Filmschoolrejects.com features a list of “10 Famous Films That Surprisingly Fail The Bechdel Test.”

The article states that this test doesn’t engage the themes within a work, but criticizes the films for being problematic in their depictions of women hurting the work as a whole.

Take the first film on the list, “The Social Network;” this film failed because the female characters are poorly developed and

“It begs for film to be criticized under a feminist lens, even if the art in question has an empowering feminist tone or theme.”

never speak to one another.

The article jabs Aaron Sorkin, the film’s screenwriter, for presenting women as “prizes.”

But wouldn’t that actually boost a feminist reading of the film?

In this film, we’re supposed to hate Mark Zuckerburg, Jesse Eisenberg’s character.

If he views women as “prizes,” aren’t we also supposed to hate that objectifying viewpoint?

To Bechdel supporters, it seems as though it is not what lies within a piece of art, but the literal art itself.

The “Star Wars” prequels, which are universally-known as being of lesser quality than the original films, pass the test — but does that make the incredibly sexist depiction of Natalie Portman’s Princess Padame any less problematic?

Hollywood, like other American institutions, is rooted in sexism.

Films which present feminist, radically forward-thinking themes and characters, like “Her,” “Up” and “Under the Skin” are criticized by the Bechdel brigade. What if this hurts a film’s future?

I am all for more films with strong and complex female characters, as well as representation of a range of people through a feminist lens, including the LGBTQA community.

The Bechdel Test is irrelevant, however.

The issue at hand is not the filmmakers, but the industry itself.

Jacob Holzman is a sophomore English major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2013.

compared to having troops on the ground or manned aircrafts in the sky.

Drones will not change the nature of war as nuclear weapons or long-range missiles have.

To guarantee that drones are positively used, those in power must ensure that: unfavorable actions are prevented, all intelligence is appropriately evaluated to protect civilian lives and that drones are the best fit for the operation.

Most importantly, it must

be understood that drones do not erase the total cost of war, but rather deflate operational costs, despite it’s inherent political and military implications.

By understanding these points, drones can be successfully used to better international relationships interests.

Ty Williams is a junior history and political science double major.

He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2014.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Time to honor our grad Dear Editor, At the UVM commencement of 1838 Andrew Harris “was not permitted to speak or to come upon the platform to receive his diploma, but was obliged to take it one side.”

The reason? He was black.

I’m sure he thought it was the final indignity of his UVM career. But maybe not.

One hundred seventy-six years later it may be happening again.

Harris was probably the fifth black man to graduate from an American college.

I believe he was the first to be an “immediatist” abolitionist — that is, he believed slavery should end immediately.

He was also an extremely early advocate of full equality for African-Americans.

No matter how you add up the numbers, he was a pioneering anti-slavery activist and black intellectual.

The anti-slavery newspaper The Liberator called him “probably the best educated colored man in our country.” Harris devoted his entire life to the causes of freedom and equality.

The only reason you haven’t heard of him before is that he died young.

Fast forward to 2014.

On April 4 President Sullivan announced the formation of an Andrew Harris committee. That’s great. What’s not so great is that the UVM administration may be acting on the limited assumption that Harris was merely the first black guy at UVM. He was much, much more than that, and he deserves a monument that reflects who he was.

Take a few minutes to

decide for yourself. Read the new scholarship on his life here: http://www.uvm. edu/~kpthornt/harris If you’re in a hurry, just read pages 1, 13 and 34. If you do just that, you’ll know more about Harris than almost anyone in the administration.

Those few pages alone will be enough for you to know if he deserves a monument.

As a matter of justice, UVM owes him.

Harris deserves a permanent physical monument at UVM, like a plaque in the Davis Center lobby, or a granite obelisk in front of the library.

Something physical, in a prominent place, where UVM students and potential students can be taken to learn his important American story.

If you think UVM can’t afford a Harris monument, take a walk next to the reservoir between Main and Prospect and look at the nice granite arch halfway down. That went up in the year 2000, and it’s a monument to nothing.

Besides, UVM’s administration can raise the money.

Commemorating Harris would raise the University’s national profile and enhance alumni pride in the history of the institution. Individuals and Vermont corporations would be eager to donate.

Harris is somebody to be proud of. So is what he stood for.

Read and decide for yourself. If you agree, join the Students for Andrew Harris Facebook group.

Let’s not shove Harris aside a second time.

Kevin Thornton Department of History

10

d i st r act i o n s

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 , 2014

Six study snacks to survive finals It can be hard to look for the right snacks during exam time. Between the six books in your arms and four notebooks in your bag, a stop for food can sometimes get pushed to the end of the to-do list. Check out some of these easy and healthy snacks to keep you going without slowing you down.

Trail Mix

Veggies and Hummus

Coffee

Nuts are known for their healthy fats and high amounts of Vitamin E. Getting a healthy serving of Vitamin E each day has been shown to improve memory over time, according to WebMD.com.

Vitamin E is also associated with healthy skin, so eating trail mix can help you keep your skin clear even during the stressful week of finals.

This healthy and substantial snack is a great way to get the crunch you want from a bag of chips, but without all the calories.

“I always have carrots and hummus when I’m studying,” junior Ali Carey said.

You can find this snack near most study spots, as they are sold in small boxes at the Marketplace and the Cyber Café.

Coffee is a student favorite due to its high caffeine content, but it can actually help increase memory, according to caffeineinformer.com.

“I always bring a mug of tea or coffee with me whenever I’m going to study, really when I’m going anywhere,” junior Halley Fisher said.

Coffee can be easy to find on campus and only costs $1 on Wednesdays at the Marketplace. So why not grab a cup to help your memory and keep you going for that extra hour.

Apples and Bananas

Popcorn

Fruit and Yogurt

Not only are these two fruits incredibly easy to carry in your backpack, they also offer several different health benefits.

Bananas offer a large amount of potassium, which helps bring oxygen to the brain, according to chiquitabananas.com. As you can imagine, this is crucial for effective studying.

Along with many other nutrients, apples are a good source of Vitamin C. Since stress can sometimes weaken our immune systems during exam time, getting a healthy dose of these nutrients can help ward off illness.

If you’re expecting to have a long night, consider popping a big bowl of popcorn to accompany you along the way.

When prepared without excessive amounts of butter, popcorn can be a pretty low calorie snack, which means you can enjoy a lot of it!

In addition, popcorn is full of polyphenols, antioxidants found in plants that protects against heart disease and other health problems, according to CNN Health.

If you like things sweet, fuel up with some fruit and yogurt. Fruit contains antioxidants and nutrients that improve blood flow to the brain while enhancing mental performance, according to fiterazzi.com.

Greek yogurt contains plenty of protein that will keep you full as you’re studying.

It’s the perfect pair of brain foods that will keep your stomach quiet while you’re stuck on the third floor of Bailey-Howe.

By Abby Cole Photos by Krista Cantrell

Sports

Tennis makes a revival Greg Asnis Staff Writer In 2005 the mens and womens varsity tennis teams were cut by UVM, but now the club team is working to bring the sport back to the University.

The club tennis team started in 2006 after the varsity team’s absence, senior captain Gabe Stine said.

Stine, along with junior Terra Arguimbau, joined the club five years after the varsity team’s departure.

What started as a “low-key” recreational club, has turned into a team that is “more competitive than we have ever been,” Stine said.

Stine and Arguimbau said they have made an effort to make the club more competitive in recent years.

This was done by increasing the number of weekly practices, and becoming “more serious” in those practices and various competitions.

“We have really tried to take the club to a more competitive level,” Stine said. “Honestly, the past three years we have been really progressing a lot, we have come a long way.”

This season, 40 students came to tryouts in hopes of filling the less than 20 available spots on the team.

This gave the team a “large pool” to choose from, Stine said.

The team did “well” last season, Stine said.

They won a tournament hosted by the University of New Hampshire in September and placed second in a competition at Northeastern University later that year.

The team also tied for eighth place in a tournament hosted

by Harvard University Oct. 5.

Stine said that this was a “very competitive” tournament.

“We did the best we have ever done at Harvard,” he said.

Stine said that other competitive teams include Boston College, Harvard, Yale and other Ivy League schools.

High Cheese Chatter

Marathon runners race in the desert Kyle Mountain

LYDIA SCHWARTZ The Vermont Cynic

Sophomore Basa Zvarova serves the ball during a match April 24.

This semester the team competed in a tournament at Dartmouth College, where they placed second, he said.

The first coach to work with the club tennis team this season was Ramsey Hoehn.

“We have gotten so lucky with him, he’s an incredible guy,” Stine said.

“Having someone with his knowledge and his leadership experience, and having someone to run the team like that just really gets everyone in the mindset of being competitive and being more serious about tennis,” he said.

This is Hoehn’s first year coaching the club at UVM. He has taught various other tennis clubs such as Hay Harbor Club in Fisher’s Island,

N.Y. and Jupiter Island Club in Hobe Sound, Fla., according to his LinkedIn profile.

“Meeting the players and evaluating their games was the initial focus,” Hoehn said.

“We tried to gear our doubles play to focusing on shot selection and positioning,” he said.

“In singles we worked on shot selection, recovery and building the point with patience,” Hoehn said.

Looking ahead to next year, Hoehn said he is confident that the club tennis team will do well.

“Next year’s team will have great success, as there are many returning players who were strong contributors,” he said.

The Badwater Ultramarathon, a sporting event involving running and walking longer than the traditional marathon length, is commonly referred to as the world’s toughest footrace.

Held every July, Badwater is a 135-mile trek spanning the heart of Death Valley, Calif., where temperatures can fluctuate between 110 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months.

Although unknown to the general public and thought to be a test of craziness, the Badwater Ultramarathon is actuality a sought-after race within the “ultramarathoning” community.

It is considered to be the “Holy Grail” by the sport’s most brave and daring.

The ultramarathon is meant only for those who strive to test the true limits of their bodies,

minds and spirits.

In order to be considered, applicants must demonstrate their experience as an ultramarathon runner by providing proof of races they’ve competed in, along with the results from those races.

Of the thousands of people who annually apply, no more than 100 are chosen to compete in July.

Those lucky — or unlucky — enough to be chosen must then select a crew to accompany them throughout the race.

The crew will ride in a van alongside the runner during the race carrying various necessities, such as ice water, food, first-aid kits and extra footwear.

The racers’ shoes often melt on more than 200-degree Fahrenheit pavement.

Though it is beyond grueling for those that compete, doing so solidifies such competitors not only as certifiably insane, but as Badwater conquerors.

Kyle Mountain is a junior English and political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2014.

Illustration by Vicky Mooney

Athletes discuss hazing at UVM Hockey captain is named Somer Brown Assistant Sports Editor A college athlete should expect to feel safe both on and off the field, however many student athletes do not.

Members of college sports teams can often face hazing or bullying when new to the team.

“Back when I was younger [middle school] that’s where bullying was very obvious. In college, I haven’t seen it really, at all,” said sophomore Jackson McNally, club rugby member. “We’re all there to progress, we’re all there to play the sport.”

Hazing at the professional level may include physical and emotional trauma that begins at an earlier age, sports psychologist Evan Katz said.

This is the hazing that

many players on professional teams and college teams participate in.

He said a factor in the hazing phenomenon is insecurity.

“To become secure, they will wield the power and control,” Katz said.

UVM is not immune to some of these problems.

The UVM men’s hockey team faced hazing allegations and a lawsuit in 1999 when first-year Corey LaTulippe, claimed he and other new players had been hazed by teammates, according to an Attorneys General Report in 2000.

Junior Jack Leclerc said that things at UVM have changed in recent years.

“A big part of the reason I love playing at UVM is I got to make such great friends,” Leclerc said. “There is abso-

lutely no bullying on our team.”

He said that members of the club basketball team are just trying to play the sport at a competitive level.

Katz’s book, “Inside the Mind of an Angry Man,” looks at the reasoning behind hazing in sports.

Katz said that professional athletes begin bullying others because of their “star status.”

“The reason they do it is because they can,” he said.

Although Katz said that hazing and bullying can happen on all levels, sophomore Alex Romac said the atmosphere on the club soccer is very relaxed.

“There really isn’t any negativity towards younger players. Last year the seniors did nothing but go out of their way to help us out and show us a good time,” Romac said.

Cam Panepinto Assistant Sports Editor With two mens hockey seniors pursuing NHL careers and the departure of its threeyear captain, the team has named a new leader for the upcoming season.

Filling the leadership void that seniors H.T. Lenz and Chris McCarthy have left, head coach Sneddon and his team unanimously selected incoming senior Mike Paliotta to become the team’s next captain for the 2014-2015 season.

“Mike’s maturity as a player and as a leader led to his unquestioned election by his peers and our coaching staff,” Sneddon said.

The exit of the former captains leaves the program with a void that needs to be filled, but

Paliotta said he is not nervous.

“It’s an honor to know all my teammates have faith in me,” he said. “I’m just excited for the opportunity to be myself because that’s why the guys voted for me.”

Paliotta said the way Lenz and McCarthy pushed the team to “new levels” has inspired him.

“Mike has been great to play with and has pushed me to be better all the time and I think he will do a good job of leading by example,” first-year defensemen Rob Hamilton said.

Hamilton played alongside Paliotta for most of the year.

“There was no one more deserving with his combination of work ethic and character,” Lenz said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Mike lead the team to success next season.”

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

S PO RTS

St. Claire talks track and inspirations Freddie Fields Staff Writer Womans track and field member, senior Brittany St. Claire has seen much success in her four years at UVM. St. Claire competes in multiple events including the pentathlon, an event that includes the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put and the 800-meter run.

The Cynic sat down with St. Claire to talk about her success.

Vermont Cynic: When did you start running track?

Brittany St. Claire: I started in seventh grade, because I didn’t want to play softball anymore, but I still wanted to do a sport.

VC: Did you start with the pentathlon events?

BS: No, I was a triple jumper in high school and I would do a little bit of long jump. I tried hurdles but then I got too afraid of them, so I tried high jump.

VC: Who has been your biggest inspiration?

BC: I’d say my father because he always pushes me and I want to impress him.

VC: What’s been your best memory from competing here?

BC: I think sophomore year is when I made it to first rounds in north Florida. There were six of us that had qualified and it was such a great experience to be with the team in that sense.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALASTAIR INGRAM

Senior Brittany St. Claire competes in a track and field event at the Gardner-Collins Indoor Track. St. Claire competes in multiple events for the team including the pentathlon, an event that includes the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put and the 800-meter run.