THEVERMONTCYNIC THE Issue 18 - Volume 138 | February 8, 2022 | vtcynic.com
Staff union says Provost neglects diverse applicant pools UVM’s staff union, UVM Staff United, released a petition Jan. 24 opposing recent additions to the administration by means of internal hires, according to the petition. UVM Staff United sent the petition to administration Jan. 31, calling attention to the recent promotion of Erica Caloiero, vice provost for student affairs, an internal hire who replaced a national search. The petition stated such actions stem from exclusion of diverse voices. “It is beyond frustrating to see high level positions that wield remarkable influence over the direction of this institution simply handed out without a national search,” the petition stated. “The frustration is only compounded when those actions are steeped in the perpetuation of white supremacy.” Patricia Prelock, provost and senior vice president, originally planned to conduct a national search to fill the vacant position, according to a Dec. 6, 2021 press release. Despite this commitment, she promoted Caloiero from her role as interim provost for student affairs, to the full position. Caloiero previously served as assistant dean for Student Affairs in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Prelock also worked in CNLS as dean of that college prior to being internally hired as provost, according to a Nov. 18, 2019 VTDigger article. The petition does not seek to remove Caloiero from the position, but instead aims to prevent this from happening in this manner in the future, said Troy Headrick, assistant director for community standards at the Center of Student Conduct and author and sender of the petition, who identifies as white. “We remain a campus that is overwhelmingly white,” Headrick said. “When white people in positions of power appoint white people into similar positions of power, it perpetuates the hoarding of power by white people.” National searches allow for the identification of the most qualified candidate and open the door to the inclusion of those who may want to serve UVM’s community from a different point of view, Headrick said.
UVM’s Recruiting Resources guide stated national searches are standard procedure for appointments. This same document stated UVM is an affirmative action employer committed to a fair
assistant at the UVM Medical Center Psychiatrics and UVM Staff United bargaining team member, who identifies as brown and mixed and signed the petition. “Even if your intentions
positive inclusive messaging, only to find himself mistreated as a result of his race, Medina said. These appointments show a continual disregard for the valuable and qualified
“ We remain a campus that is overwhelmingly white. When white people in positions of power appoint white people into similar positions of power, it perpetuates the hoarding of power by white people.
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Halsey McLaen Assistant News Editor
– Troy Headrick, assistant director for community standards at the Center of Student Conduct and welcoming recruitment process. “Underrepresentation doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by design. This is one component of that design,” Headrick said. “We systematically exclude people from having access to jobs. This appointment sends a message of continued disregard for staff of color at the University, said Norman Medina, research project
were the best, it doesn’t look right to the historic events that are happening already,” Medina said. “So what we see is a continuation of trying to put people in positions of power where they want to keep the oppression of everybody else.” People in power continually underappreciate and undervalue staff of color on campus, Medina said. Medina originally came to the University because of its
candidates of color both at UVM already and across the nation, Medina said. “The damage is done, you cannot repair it,” Medina said. “It’s not going to fix the culture that is already in place in which you appoint people that you trust.” Prelock appointed Caloiero for the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic as well as her qualifications and accomplishments, UVM
Spokesperson Enrique Corredera stated in a Feb. 1 email. UVM and Prelock are still committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion priorities. “While the University believes in the value of national searches, and engages in them regularly, it also recognizes that there are times and circumstances that warrant internal promotions when they are deemed to be in the best interest of the institution,” Corredera stated. Regardless of the reasoning behind both Caloiero’s appointment and any other internal hires, Headrick said the impact of these actions is the systematic exclusion of any qualified BIPOC candidates for that position. Prelock recently hired four staff members of color within the last 14 months out of six total hires in that timeframe, Corredera stated. Prelock hired Dr. Jane Okech, vice provost for faculty affairs, Dr. Amer Ahmed, vice provost for diversity, equity and inclusion, Dr. Noma Anderson, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Dr. Fitzroy Beckford, associate dean and director of UVM Extension in the College of Agriculture and Life Science, Corredera stated. However, the appointed staff of color do not overrule the white supremacy implications, Medina said. This petition comes as part of a broader UVM Staff United initiative to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, said Annie Valentine, education and training manager at the Center for Health and Wellbeing and UVM Staff United bargaining team member, who identifies as white. “This petition is embedded in what we are talking about as a staff,” Valentine said. “This petition is one action to help staff be able to start to use their voices and come together.” The union is hoping to get further student and faculty support for this petition and their other bargaining priorities, Valentine said. The union is holding a town hall meeting Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. accessible both at Brennan’s Pub and virtually, to promote their cause. Prelock and Caloiero did not respond to the Cynic’s multiple requests for comment.
NEWS
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The real story of Andrew Harris
Recreation facility slated for summer completion Ella Ruehsen News Editor
RJ Morrison Cynic News Reporter
The sign UVM has dedicated to Andrew Harris, the first Black person to graduate in the year 1838, does not detail the way the UVM community treated him while he was enrolled in the school. Among UVM’s mistreatments of Harris during his time at the University, administration often listed him last on class rolls and denied him the ability to attend his own graduation, according to one of several articles about Harris by Kevin Thornton, a former American history lecturer at UVM. Members of the local community resisted and students threatened to boycott classes Harris attended, when he enrolled in the University in November of 1835, according to Thornton’s article published by the Vermont Historic Society in fall 2015. “The majority of the class refused to attend graduation if Harris was allowed the privilege that every graduate received in those days,” Thornton said. “The administration [caved] on that and Harris [was] unable to attend his own graduation.” Although Vermont outlawed slavery with its first constitution in the year 1777, slavery persisted nationwide until the passing of the 13th Ammendment in
1865, according to National Geographic resource library. This happened 27 years after Harris graduated. Thornton submitted the application to feature a commemorative sign of Harris and wrote the text meant to honor Harris’ life and the time he spent at the University, said Laura Trieschmann, state historic preservation officer. In 2015, The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation worked with UVM to create the sign in Harris’ honor. However, the Division was dissatisfied with the original location assigned to the sign, which had low visibility on the Pomeroy Walkway, she said. UVM moved it in 2018 to the Andrew Harris Commons. When the sign was placed in its initial location, Thorton said he felt disappointed with the relatively low traffic of the area. He had recommended the entrance of the Howe Library when he first proposed to set up the sign in 2015 and did not know why it was originally placed elsewhere. The sign now stands outside the Davis Center that students walk by every day. After the relocation, UVM named the Commons after Harris, and more recently unveiled a marble monument in Harris’ honor, according to an Oct. 9, 2018 UVM Today article. The change came several
months after Thornton published his second Vermont Historical Society article in 2018, he stated in a Feb. 1 email. Thornton criticized the original placement of the sign, as well as the University’s failure to deal with the less pleasant parts of Harris’ story. “Just as in the 1830s, the people running the University today apparently find it far easier to think of Harris as a symbol than as a person,” Thornton stated in his 2018 article. “When I successfully petitioned the state of Vermont to erect a roadside historical marker to him, the university’s administration placed it at the back of a parking lot.” Before approving his draft for the commemorative sign, the University insisted the phrase “University of Vermont” be included on the sign, Thornton said. The sign stated Harris was an abolitionist, advocate for Black equality, first African American graduate from UVM and one of the first African Americans to earn a college degree. “He was a featured speaker at the 1839 meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society,” the sign stated. “Harris was one of the founders of the American & Foreign Anti-Slavery Society [and] a delegate to the first convention of the Liberty Party.”
The signs can only hold 765 characters, limiting how much information can be included, Trieschmann said. “He was a really admirable person, very concerned with promoting education among Black people, and very concerned with the struggle for equal rights,” Thornton said. “That’s what I wanted to emphasize. I didn’t want to talk about struggling at UVM and that wouldn’t have fit on the sign anyway.” Harris’ story was central to the story of the University and should be presented as such, said Leon Walls, a professor in the College of Education and Social Services and an instructor for one of UVM’s D1 course offerings, Race and Racism in the U.S. “Only one message should be sent about this individual,” Walls said. “And it is that he was a very courageous man, first of all. And it’s unfortunate we don’t really know a whole lot about him, we don’t have any pictures of him.” Harris graduated after three years, then became a Presbytarian minister in Philadelphia where he advocated for the immediate abolition of slavery. Harris remained there until his untimely death at age 27 resulting from a severe fever, three years after his graduation, Thornton said.
UVM’s board of trustees toured new recreation facilities in the Patrick Gym, Feb. 4, which will quadruple the amount of designated group fitness space on campus, according to a Feb. 5 press release. The tour covered the recently opened Recreation and Wellness Group Fitness Hub, which offers amenities for spinning, yoga, dance and meditation, as well as the Multi Activity Court facility, which is still under construction, according to the press release. The MAC will offer a stateof-the-art bouldering wall and a “spine” structure, which will upgrade on campus spaces for men’s and women’s hockey teams sports medicine and lockers, according to the press release. “Increasing fitness and recreation opportunities for students and employees will further contribute to a healthier and more resilient campus community,” UVM President Suresh Garimella said. UVM invested $68 million so far in this comprehensive project to expand recreation, wellness and athletic facilities and infrastructure, according to the press release. The complex the board of trustees toured accounts for about $27 million of efforts to date. The trustees will review timelines for the remaining aspects of the initiative later this year, following completion of the current phase, which is projected to occur during this upcoming summer, Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman said. “This space provides our students in the campus community, the opportunity to care for their physical well being that has an impact on their mental health, and the resiliency of our overall campus,” Schulman said. This series of athletics expansion projects began before the COVID-19 pandemic, but paused along with many projects around the state when COVID-19 hit, Schulman said. Since then, trustees and other University leaders have determined the best way to move forward was to focus on the Hub and the MAC, the recreation and wellness components, before continuing work on elements that more directly impact varsity athletics, he said. “It’s a unique time to be engaged in such a major construction project,” Schulman said. “Challenges around [the] supply chain are pretty well documented. We’ve been really fortunate. We’ve got a great construction partner.”
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NEWS
Sexual violence prevention position filled Reitz Wishtischin Cynic News Reporter
The University hired its first Sexual Violence and Education Coordinator, Dr. Elliot Ruggles, Jan. 13, eight months after students demanded change in UVM’s handling of sexual violence. Ruggles begins their role at the University Feb. 22 under Dean of Students David Nestor’s supervision, Nestor said. Ruggles will have an office in Nicholson House where all students and UVM affiliates visit. “It’s an honor to work directly with survivors […] and I carry all of their stories with me when I’m thinking of the prevention aspect of the role,” Ruggles said. “I’m excited to work on and form relationships with the students who are really passionate about this.” Ruggles will conduct a needs-based assessment in order to find what students feel are the knowledge gaps in their experiences when they begin operating in their new position at UVM, they said. “Unfortunately, throughout the U.S., we have varying degrees of comprehensive sexuality education,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to putting into practice some of that comprehensive sex ed training that I have.” Ruggles specilizes in sex therapy, addiction and trauma recovery, culturally competent LGBTQ+ services, comprehensive sexuality education and sexual, genderbased and relationship violence prevention and adovacy, their LinkedIn profile stated.
Ruggles identifies as trans, queer and polyamourous and practices ethical nonmonogamy, according to a Dec. 1 presentation to the UVM community. Ruggles comes from a position at Brown University, where they oversaw a variety of peer education programs, according the presentation. Prior to working at Brown, Ruggles served as the Director of the Sexuality and Resource Center for SUNY Oneonta in New York, according the presentation. “This is really a dream job for me to have a little bit of creative license,” Ruggles said. “I’m really excited to get started with the work and get to know you all there.” The search committee included Joe Russell, assistant dean of students for retention; senior Maddie Henson, SGA senator; Kelly Thorne, a sports psychologist and counseling coordinator at UVM; Genell Mikkalson, a nurse-midwife and clinical assistant professor at UVM; and Elise Prehoda, a second-year medical student. Prehoda is a part of the committee because many reports of sexual misconduct implicated the College of Medicine and students have drawn attention to its shortcomings in medical education surrounding sexual assault, she said. “My biggest core values are honesty, communication, and respect, and those are the three things anytime that I’m interviewing someone that I place at the forefront,” Prehoda said. “Elliot’s enthusiasm just exudes care.”
Image courtesy of an email sent to the student body
Nestor and Erica Caloiero, vice provost of student affairs, served as hiring officials for the process. They made the final decision as to who was hired, based on the recommendations of the committee. “The search committee screened, interviewed and ensured a broad set of stakeholders were engaged in the interview process,” Caloiero said. UVM first listed the position Aug. 3, Caloiero stated in a Feb. 3 email. Initially 37 people applied, but over three or four months the committee narrowed the applicant pool
down to three finalists, Henson said. The committee conducted hour-long interviews with each of the three finalists. The committee sought out candidates willing to break norms and exceed minimum expectations and goals of the position, Henson said. She wanted the role to be filled by someone unafraid to push the status quo. “I really hope [Ruggles’ position] will foster a new life and shift the dialogue towards positive sexuality, consent work, restorative justice, holding perpetrators accountable and
making sure that survivors are heard,” Henson said. Henson said she and other committee members hope this position involves preventative sexual assault work with an emphasis on helping BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals. “[The University] cannot absolve themselves now of any harm that they’ve done, but they should continue to hear student demands, student voices and continue the conversation,” Henson said. “The conversation doesn’t end with Ruggles’ hiring.”
Organize engagement drops following divestment Lila Cumming Cynic News Reporter
Organize lost momentum after the University announced the club’s initial goal of divesting UVM funding from fossil fuels in July 2020, said Organize President David Sidelle, a senior. Organize now focuses on holding the University accountable to its 2010 climate action goals. Since UVM failed to meet all of its Climate Action Plan goals, the University updated its CAP, according to an Oct. 27, 2021 Cynic article. Organize’s aim to hold UVM accountable for its 2010 goals, as outlined on its club webpage has yet to be updated in line with UVM’s new direction. “After the board of trustees committed to divestment in the summer of 2020 [...] our hope has been to ride the momentum from the victory and continue building an inclusive and compassionate community of student environmentalists,” Organize’s club webpage stated. The board of trustees announced plans in July 2020
to fully divest UVM’s funding from all direct and public fossil fuels by 2023, according to UVM’s website. The divestment was Organize’s primary goal when the club formed in 2019, according to the UVM Clubs website. “Things sort of died down towards the end of last semester,” Sidelle said. “We didn’t have a ton of continued engagement and that was just a product of the burnout of a lot of people and other opportunities and problems arising in different areas of our lives.” The impacts of the pandemic played a part in the decline in student engagement, said Organize Vice President Christine Fleming, a senior. “I feel like membership definitely dropped off when we went online because it’s really hard to get people to actively protest online,” Fleming said. “There’s not really much you can do besides talk.” One recent function the club took on aims to connect students to other off-campus climate justice organizing and
ANDREW BURGET/ The Vermont Cynic Organize President David Sidelle, a senior, and Vice President Christine Fleming, a junior, pose with activism signs.
advocacy work, Sidelle said. Last semester, Organize protested the Line 3 tar sands pipeline, a construction of pipelines impacting the land of indigenous communities, according to a Sept. 27, 2021 Cynic article. Organize more recently encouraged students to attend a protest opposing deforestation Feb. 5 outside Burlington City Hall. “The Green Mountain
National Forest is our state’s only national forest park,” said Organize Treasurer Matt Hand, a junior. “We wanted to protect that because logging is something that is important and can be done to generate profits for the state or other companies.” The protest went against the deforestation of the National Green Mountain Forest, located in the Telephone Gap, a resource project area located in Rutland,
Windsor and Addison counties, which could be used to facilitate logging affairs, according to the Save Public Forests website. Organize is considering putting energy into relevant issues for students, such as transforming lawn spaces into rain gardens, investing in greener transportation, the electrification of a bus fleet and generally being more costeffective to cut down carbon emissions, Hand said.
OPINION RM
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The Cynics are back on the stands
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EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Kate Vanni editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Greta Rohrer newsroom@vtcynic.com
OPERATIONS Operations Manager Emma Chute operations@vtcynic.com
EDITORS Copy Chief Dalton Doyle copy@vtcynic.com Culture Cameron Provorny cynicculture@gmail.com Features Liz Roote cynicfeatures@gmail.com News Ella Ruehsen news@vtcynic.com Sports Matthew Rosenberg sports@vtcynic.com Opinion Emily Johnston opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts Paige Fisher vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Layout Ellie Scott layout.cynic@gmail.com Illustrations Izzy Pipa cynicillustrations@gmail.com Photo Eric Scharf photo@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Grace Visco (Opinion), Ella Farrel (Layout), Halsey McLaen (News), Catie Segaloff (Copy) Pages Designers Nicole Bidol, Molly McDermott, Sabrina Orazietti Copy Editors Lauren Bentley, Kate Betz, Jacqueline Kelly, Maya Pound
ADVISING Andy Elrick Inquaries email cynic@uvm.edu
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Staff Editorial
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n Nov. 10, 2020, the Cynic published its last print issue, or what we believed would be the last print issue at the time. An image of students celebrating the 2020 election results plastered the front page. Biden won, and students were spraying champagne off the roof of their car in celebration. The headline read “DEMOCRACY TRIUMPHS” in all caps. Three weeks before the election results were announced, before our “final” issue was printed, Cynic editors sat outside in the grass in the Davis Center Amphitheater. I served as layout editor at the time, and I dedicated myself to leading a team in designing the pages for our paper. The current Editor-in-Chief began a difficult conversation. COVID-19 was at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Despite coming back to campus for a “normal” semester, people didn’t want to pick up and touch anything they didn’t need to. The newspaper’s circulation was at an all-time low, and a tough call needed to be made. We needed to stop printing. I remember fighting back tears and feeling the eyes of the other editors on me. My job fell obsolete. I chose to move past it. I worked to increase the number of infographics we used in our stories and design better content for our Instagram. It’s not a secret print is a
dying platform. As the weeks pushed on and we grew further away from our last print issue, I noticed a decline in our work ethic. The phrase “on deadline” didn’t hold the same respect it used to. When I became layout editor in 2019, the newsroom pulsed with energy. Sunday deadlines began at 3 p.m. and would sometimes last until 2 a.m. The door constantly swung open and closed as editors rushed to get final comments from sources, re-take photos that didn’t work and made trips to Brennans to grab fries. Three or four first-year writers from the news section shoved into a table meant for two people and pressed their ears to their phones as they feverishly transcribed the audios from their interviews. Editors opened InDesign and held hopeful looks as they pasted their stories onto the page, and an immediate “sigh” followed when the story ran too long or too short. The clamor of hard work and utter chaos of 15 sleep-deprived college students working to finalize the content from their respective sections before it was too late to send to the printer filled the Cynic office with so much life. That feeling evaporated after COVID-19. Editors pushed stories back because they could always upload them to the website the next day. Staff slacked off because the consequence of the paper not making it to the
printer was gone. When I was training to become the new Editor-in-Chief, I didn’t consider returning to print. It was too hard, none of the current editors had worked through a print deadline and training them seemed too difficult. Print is expensive. The Cynic requests $18,000 from SGA for printing alone. Print limits what we can do with a story. So many great pieces of information need to be cut at times to fit the story on the page. Print makes for rough headlines. When there’s only room for six to seven words, sometimes the ideal headline isn’t the best headline. Print can ruin art. Countless times our beautiful photos and illustrations became victims of colors that didn’t print well. There were so many reasons not to print. Despite all of them, I found myself on the phone with my Managing Editor during the summer of 2021 telling her I wanted to return to print. The challenges that arise with print journalism ultimately make us better journalists. We nailed down a transition plan featuring mock deadlines. We pretended we were printing from Day 1 of fall 2021 and planned for the first print issue to run the last week of the semester. These pretend deadlines allowed us to iron out all of the kinks in our process. Sometimes an InDesign file didn’t save or
stories wouldn’t come in. My Managing Editor and I would move past it. “We’ll deal with it next time,” we said. We knew during a real deadline there was no next time. If something didn’t come in, that was a hole on the page that needed to be filled. After 15 weeks of training, we were ready. Our debut issue was the Sex Issue, a special issue the Cynic began publishing years ago. Before COVID-19, the print company delivered papers every Tuesday. Every Tuesday we opened the battered cardboard boxes that made the 286-mile journey from the printing press in Trumbull, CT, to the loading dock of the Davis Center. The satisfaction of holding a physical copy of the work we spent countless hours on, and the drive to sit down and do it all over again, but better, was unparalleled. I am so grateful to my staff for working to bring this satisfaction back to current and future Cynics. It’s been a long process, but Cynics are back on the stands. Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the editorial board, which includes the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor and Opinion Editor. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. Please send letters to opinion@ vtcynic.com.
OPINION
Trinity needs repairs before expansion Harry van Dyke Opinion Columnist
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rinity campus has infrastructure problems. Residents of McAuley, Mercy, Ready, Sichel, Hunt, Richardson and McCann on
Trinity campus deal with poor living conditions and maintenance. Recently, UVM unveiled plans to expand Trinity campus. The project adds an estimated 350-400 undergraduate beds and 120 graduate suites, according to a Jan. 14 WCAX article.
laundry just because they’ve given up.” Laundry machines should work in all halls and be repaired when needed. A toilet overflowed in a suite in Ready, said sophomore Brendan Cox, who lives in the affected suite. “There was no apparent misuse of the toilet,” Cox said. MARTHA HRDY “We got back and water was all over the suite flowing out of the toilet.” The water damage needs to be repaired and the cleanup process is yet to be completed, Cox said. This is unacceptable. “The wall peeled off, so now we just have pieces of the wall sitting in our hallway and we don’t know what to do with them,” Cox said. “There are still fans in our bathroom.” UVM Residential Life did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The University created a plan to remove the
Instead of expanding Trinity, the University should focus on fixing the problems that currently exist there. “Laundry machines just break all the time and don’t get fixed for a while,” said first-year Charlotte Lundberg, a Mercy hall resident. “Some people come to McAuley to do their
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hazardous material asbestos from McAuley Hall in 2017, according to a Nov. 6, 2019 Cynic article. This construction was pushed back in 2019, according to the article. Construction has yet to begin as of 2022. UVM needs to stop dragging their feet when it comes to fixing problems on Trinity campus. The issue is abundantly clear: UVM needs to repair Trinity campus. Students living in standard size rooms pay the same amount, regardless of what hall they live in, according to the ResLife website. Students on Trinity are paying the same price for rooms with lower quality and higher risk. Before UVM builds new dorms, they need to renovate current facilities. No student should have broken washing machines, toilets and hazardous material in their primary living space. Replacing faulty appliances, providing appropriate repairs and removing hazardous material should take priority over expansion.
Harry van Dyke is a sophomore political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2021.
Give equal access of outdoor gear and equipment to all Emily Johnston Opinion Editor
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ll UVM students, regardless of economic background, deserve the same access to affordable outdoor gear. UVM is known for being outdoorsy. There is a Living/Learning community dedicated entirely to the outdoors called Outdoor Experience. UVM has several clubs dedicated to the outdoors: UVM Ski and Snowboard club, the Outing club,
MOLLY PARKER
Audubon UVM, Chicks on Sticks Vermont, UVM Bikes, UVM Kayak club, UVM summit sisters and People of Color Outdoors, according to UVM clubs. Despite the overwhelming outdoors culture, not all UVM students have equal access to the gear they need to participate. Outdoor activities should not be limited to those who can afford to partake. All students should be able to engage in whatever hobby they desire.
The Outing club, a club dedicated to connecting UVM students to the wilderness, supplies rental gear to students going on trips, according to the UVM Clubs lynx page. However, students do not have access to this gear outside of these trips. This problem extends to other initiatives for equity in going outdoors. Rubenstein is in the process of creating a library of gear, but the access is limited to those enrolled in the college, according to a Dec. 13, 2021 email from Brittany LeBeau to Rubenstein undergraduate students. These initiatives work toward equal access, but they do not extend to the entire UVM community of 11,081
undergraduates. UVM needs a campus-wide plan for outdoor gear access, extending to the wider campus community, rather than only having access for trips and students who can afford outdoor gear. Outdoor spaces lack diversity and inclusion. Historically, natural areas and parks catered to rich white people and left out people of color in the designs and creations of parks, according to a Dec. 14, 2020 North Carolina State University article. UVM providing a gear bank for all students may lessen these historical disparities and promote outdoor activities to those who never experienced them before. Of the population at UVM, 82% identify as “white, nonHispanic,” according to UVM’s 2020-21 Common Data Set. As a predominantly white institution, it is important for the UVM community to contemplate access for those without privilege. In terms of the outdoors, this means lessening the barrier to join in on activities for those who have never experienced it. Gear is expensive. The cheapest new backpacking equipment from
REI can range from just under $100 to $500, according to the REI Co-Op online shop. While REI and stores downtown such as Outdoor Gear Exchange offer discounted prices for used items, gear at a discount is still too expensive for college students. Considering other expenses such as tuition, housing and food, splurging on the newest crampons is not in the budget of many college-aged students. The multimedia desk in the library allows students to rent out camera, video and lighting equipment, according to the Howe Library website. This system should be adopted for outing equipment. If I did not have access to correct gear I would struggle to feel confident in my abilities outdoors. I am lucky to come from a family that hikes, a family who can afford gear. Not all UVM students come from privilege. The UVM community needs to reduce the barrier of entry and supply gear to all. Emily Johnston is a senior
environmental science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
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CULTURE
ASU hosts Lunar New Year celebration Bridget Mackie Culture Staff Editor
The UVM Asian Student Union held their annual Lunar New Year celebration on the theme of rebuilding bridges as a recovery from last year’s challenging times, said junior Drake Nguyen, ASU club outreach coordinator. The event was held Saturday, Feb. 5 in the Grand Maple Ballroom of the Davis Center. It included performances and food, as well as information about the hardships the Asian community has faced. “A lot of people within the Asian-American community felt the Stop Asian Hate movement to the core,” said senior Ellery Finn, ASU club president. “Many Southeast Asians were living in fear of going out and it wasn’t getting any coverage.” The club had fundraisers last year supporting national organizations like Stop Asian Hate and local organizations like the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Vermont, Finn said. The Asian-American community faced hardship in the form of anti-Asian sentiment. Between 2019-20 hate crimes decreased by 7% nationwide, but increased 150% against Asians, according to the items: Insights from the Social Sciences webpage. The Lunar New Year event brings attention to the Asian-
Members of the Asian Student Union pose at the Lunar New Year Celebration on Feb. 5. American community at UVM to the community both for vaccine and being in person for those who don’t celebrate it and activities, we’re rebuilding what and in Burlington, Finn said. “What we do is try to get the for those who share the same we have lost.” ASU was unable to put on word out about who we are, identity but don’t feel that it’s the Lunar New Year celebration and that may just be by existing being amplified.” Part of what inspired the in 2021 due to COVID-19, Finn physically in the space,” Finn theme was the disconnection said. This year the club aims to said. Events like Lunar New Year of being in a global pandemic, celebrate not just a new lunar year, but also a renewal after are important within the Asian- Finn said. “A lot was taken from the past couple of years. American community because “It’s important to have they offer a sense of community, not only our community but everyone during COVID-19,” that face to face interaction,” Finn said. “Each one of our members Finn said. “Businesses had to Nguyen said. “Especially with brings something very personal close and a lot of friendships the people that share similar to Lunar,” Finn said. “That’s were lost, but now that we’re experiences that you can build what we’re trying to give back given this opportunity with the off of.”
ANDREW BURGET/ The Vermont Cynic
The celebration included performances from studentrun clubs UVM Taiko and UVM Jazbaa, as well as from local organization Burlington K-Pop band Alkali and Burlington drag queen Sasha Sriracha. “The taiko drums were my favorite part,” graduate student Jenni Stocker said. “I used to go to Lunar New Year in New York and I’d always hear the drums and that memory is really special.”
Renaissance Faire brings fantasy to Essex Junction Dominic Minadeo Culture Staff Writer
Vendors, actors and attendees gathered to observe dueling knights, intricate crafts and psychic readings at the Vermont Winter Renaissance Faire. The Champlain Valley Exposition hosted the fifth annual Faire on Feb. 6 and
7. Jeffrey Folb, owner of VT Gatherings and host of the Faire, said his two main objectives for the Faire include providing attendees with joy and supporting small businesses. “I’ve always said that if I can make a living supporting other businesses and putting smiles on people’s faces, then I win,” Folb said. “And so far, I win.”
Folb emphasized the inclusive atmosphere that Renaissance Faires foster. He said most other Vermont events cater to either adults or kids while the Winter Renaissance Faire offers fun for all ages. “We make our events open to everyone, whether you’re five or 85, grandkids or grandparents. There’s something there for
MAC MANSFIELD PARISI/ The Vermont Cynic
Two attendees of the Renaissance Faire pose on stilts Feb. 5.
everyone,” Folb said. All businesses in attendance at the Faire are from Vermont or the New England area, and have become well associated through the years, said Melissa Staib, owner of Chicken Fried Quilter, a business that sells handmade stuffed animals at the Faire. “My favorite part of the Renaissance Faire is actually the camaraderie between the vendors,” Staib said. “We ended up getting to be a pretty tight knit group.” Inside the Champlain Valley Exposition, vendors set up in rows of colorful tents to showcase their different trades. Among them resided The Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword, a medieval education group committed to the presentation and practice of medieval history and Historical European Martial Arts, according to their Facebook page. The group does a weapons, soldiers and battlefield presentation in the morning, as well as a live steel presentation in the afternoon, where audiences can observe duels between trained combatants, said Brian de Catton, leader of The Brotherhood of the Arrow
and Sword. “We have a slew of handson educational displays and all of our presenters who will be there are all versed in talking to the public about what we do and what it was like back in the timeframe,” Catton said. The Faire also provided patrons with fantastical elements such as knights and duels, as some vendors stressed entertainment value over the educational. “Renaissance faires are to historical accuracy as cocoa puffs are to a good nutritious breakfast,” said Bruce Hoskins, owner of Lord Fafnir and Spawn, a psychic reading business. Regardless of the philosophy toward historical accuracy or fantasy worlds, the vendors agreed the Renaissance Faire provides an outlet for those wanting to escape the real world. “It’s the escapism, not just for myself, but you see it in a lot of patrons’ eyes and a lot of the Faire’s performers,” Catton said. “The escape from the humdrum of normal life, or the escape to what we would like life to be like.”
SPORTS
7
Lagunov leads men’s hockey after transfer Austin Chen Cynic Sports Reporter
After winning a national championship with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, UVM men’s hockey senior forward Phillip Lagunov now leads a rebuilding Vermont team. Lagunov played at UMass from 2017-21 during their rise from the bottom of Hockey East to a national championship, according to Hockey East. He entered the transfer portal after graduating from UMass and said he was looking for a change of scenery to challenge himself as an athlete. “It was pretty natural ending my chapter at UMass, having been able to graduate,” he said. “I had a really good conversation with Woody [UVM men’s hockey head coach Todd Woodcroft] and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to see what I’ve got at a fresh place.” Now Lagunov joins a UVM team attempting a similar rise. While Vermont has not finished above sixth in Hockey East since 2016-17, Lagunov said he sees similarities between the Catamounts and the UMass roster that went 17-20-2 in 2017. “Here at UVM, we’re basically where I was my
freshman year at UMass,” Lagunov said. “I think the biggest resemblance is having the large freshmen classes coming in with the new coaching staff.” Lagunov feels UMass head coach Greg Carvel and Vermont head coach Todd Woodcroft
are similar, as they both set a professional tone for the players, he said. “It’s that attention to detail every day and in the professional approach that we get at the rink,” Lagunov said. “We were getting treated like pros, and you’re expected to
perform every single day.” Lagunov learned from senior players at UMass that the most effective style of leadership is leading by example, he said. He has tried to apply that lesson as a veteran on a roster with 10 first-years and six sophomores.
“I think for me the biggest thing is work ethic and having that idea of ‘No days off,’” Lagunov said. “No matter what day it is, what we’re doing, it’s 100% dedication and commitment to what we’re doing in the task at hand.” Lagunov leads the Catamounts with seven goals and 13 points, including an overtime goal to defeat No. 9 Boston College on Oct. 29, 2021. He said his veteran role was made easier by the abundance of other leaders on the roster. “There’s the core leader group with the captains, Lagunov said. “One guy I should mention, too, is [senior defenseman] Joe Leahy. He’s done an incredible job. [Junior defenseman Andrew] Lucas has been a great guy and a great leader to a lot of the younger guys.” As his final season winds down, Lagunov said he hopes to inspire confidence in the young UVM team so they can find success after he departs. “I do really believe in every single kid in this room,” Lagunov said. “I know this season has had its ebbs and flows, but I want to make sure that they understand that’s part of the process.”
Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics.
McPherson’s saves lead UVM to historic success Lucia Gallo Cynic Sports Reporter
Sophomore goaltender Jessie McPherson’s performance in January earned her conference-wide and national recognition and led Vermont to an 8-1-0 record in the month. McPherson, a native of Chatham, Ontario, won all six of her starts in January. She earned recognition as the national goaltender of the month by the Hockey Commissioner’s Association, according to Hockey East. McPherson’s 0.963 save percentage ranked second in the country in January. Her success led the Catamounts to their first-ever win over a No.1 ranked team and their first-ever top 10 ranking, according to UVM athletics. “My team’s putting their body on the line and willing to do whatever it takes to keep the puck out of the net just like I am,” McPherson said. McPherson made 35 saves in UVM’s win at No. 1 Northeastern University, including a save with 37 seconds left that was No. 2 on SportsCenter’s top 10 plays of the day, according to UVM athletics. Despite the individual
accolades, McPherson was quick to credit her teammates, who blocked a season-high 38 shots against Northeastern. McPherson won Hockey East’s rookie of the year last season, according to UVM athletics. This season, she was injured in UVM’s season opener on Oct. 1 and did not return until Nov. 20. “It was kind of challenging,” McPherson said. “At the beginning of the season, I mentioned to a few people that I definitely set the bar high and I wasn’t able to reach it at the beginning of the season.” McPherson missed games at the beginning of 2022 due to COVID-19. She cited her teammates as a motivating factor for her success once she returned. “They have my back on and off the ice,” McPherson said. “Mentally and physically they’re there for me, and that’s been a key motivator.” UVM is the only Hockey East team to have three goaltenders record wins. First-year Sydney Correa and senior Blanka Škodová goaltend alongside McPherson. McPherson said the three of them are very close.
“They’re definitely my best friends,” McPherson said. “I guess we’re all known as the three weirdos on the team. So it’s nice to not be the only one.” Graduate forward and catain Kristina Shanahan said the team is confident in McPherson. “We know that we’re gonna get a great performance from her every night and we trust her back there,” Shanahan said. Head Coach Jim Plumer said he trusts McPherson as a last line of defense. “Jesse’s an elite goalie, and [we have] that confidence that she’s there to cover up inevitable mistakes that any team makes,” Plumer said. The team’s energy factors into their success, McPherson said. “A big key is in between periods, before the games like, ‘hey, let’s bring some energy, let’s have fun out there,’” McPherson said. “When we’re building each other up, that’s when the intensity and the swagger
Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics. kind of moves up and that’s when we’re playing with the most confidence.” Vermont has now won nine consecutive HockeyEast games for the first time in program
history. Vermont’s final two home games of the regular season are on Feb. 11 and 12 against Boston University.
NICOLE BIDOL
8
FEATURE
Students contribute to COVID-19 research
ELAINA SEPEDE/The Vermont Cynic Microbiology major junior Hannah Balda works in Dr. Dev Majumdar’s COVID-19 Vaccine Lab on Feb. 4. She began research three weeks ago.
ELAINA SEPEDE/The Vermont Cynic Senior biochemistry major Ben Will pours elements of the lab in glass beakers on Feb. 4.
ELAINA SEPEDE/The Vermont Cynic Labeled test tubes sit in organized stands in a Given laboratory.
Caroline Hess
“It’s crazy that I’m a senior in college able to do this research that some people will never be able to do,” Staples said. An exciting aspect of this project is that after Staples graduates, another undergraduate student can take it over and expand it, she said. “It’s ever evolving,” she said. The work being done in the lab has potential to bring a lot to UVM and the greater community, said sophomore Adam Zuchowski, a biomedical engineering student. “It’s not there yet, but it’s gonna get there,” Zuchowski said. “It just involves a little bit of forward thinking and kind of holding on tight till you get there.” Zuchowski feels driven by his curiosity to keep discovering new information about the vaccines, he said. “Somebody else’s similar research is on the front page of CNN, and you’re like, ‘wait, I’m actually kind of part of this,’”
Features Staff Writer
Undergraduate students strive to understand COVID-19 vaccines in a UVM lab under Larner College of Medicine surgery professor Dr. Dev Majumdar. Students of each graduating class work in the lab. Split into two components, half of the researchers work on mRNA vaccine development and half learn as much as they can about how COVID-19 works, Majumdar said. Senior biochemistry major Ben Will works in the lab on the vaccine production side, looking at results of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome vaccinations to determine their effectiveness, he said. “For a world changing event that has caused so much pain throughout humankind, it’s remarkable how much I’ve been able to take out of [the experience],” Will said. “[The re-
search] provides a greater understanding [of COVID-19] and that in turn removes the fear.” mRNA vaccines teach cells how to make proteins that will trigger an immune response inside the body, according to the CDC. This leads to the production of antibodies that protect against the COVID-19 virus, according to the CDC. In the lab, the students focus on antibodies to study the vaccine’s ability to neutralize the virus, Will said. “I’m able to see [COVID-19] from the perspective of someone that doesn’t know much about science,” Will said. “And then I’m also able to look at mutations in the virus and what’s happening on a micro scale. It puts it in a different light.” Will joined the lab in its early stages, which allowed him to involve himself in a project right off the bat, he said. “Doing this research has been an amazing experience,”
Will said. “I can’t imagine what my college experience would be if I hadn’t done this.” Senior Samantha Staples, a microbiology major, also works on the vaccine project. She values the opportunity to research such a relevant topic like COVID-19 vaccines, she said. “[This research] has the potential to change the thinking of how SARS and vaccines are understood and developed in the future,” Staples said. “It’s kind of crazy to sit back sometimes and be like, ‘Huh, I’m making vaccines for COVID.’ It’s an unreal feeling.” There’s a huge sense of community between the undergraduate students, Majumdar and the graduate students, Staples said. Staples feels like she has a lot more information on what potentially can happen going forward with the virus and the vaccines from doing this research, she said.
Zuchowski said. “I know what’s going on. And it’s a good feeling.” As one of the younger people in the lab, Zuchowski sometimes worries about belonging, he said. But then an experiment works and he forgets about that. The hands-on opportunities he’s had through this research have enriched his college experience. “We’re trusting the undergraduate [students] to do good,” Majumdar said. “The undergrads here are just fabulous and it’s extremely fulfilling to see them do well.” There’s a need for engagement between people doing basic biochemical research at UVM and the undergraduate students, Majumdar said. Young people should reach out and not be discouraged. “We’re all equal and we all work together,” Majumdar said. “I’m constantly being proven wrong.”