THE VERMONT
CYNIC Feb. 26, 2019
vtcynic.com
President confirmed, salary announced
Students with regrettable tatoos
His salary, which will be higher than the current president’s, has recieved attention on campus.
The decision to get tattooed as a college kid is often quick, but the results are lifelong.
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History of the Waterman takeovers 4 / 21 Savage 8
BSU FASHION SHOW Keely Lyons
klyons12@uvm.edu
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UVM’s Black Student Union held its annual fashion show Feb. 23 in the Davis Center’s Grand Maple Ballroom. This year’s theme was “Paint it Black,” and it defied tradition in many ways. Typically, clothing is the centerpiece of the show, but this year, the models were front and center as they interacted with the crowd. Liv Numa, a program coordinator for Residential Life, said the best part was seeing how supportive people were. “My favorite part as an employee here was seeing students I advise just rock it on stage. It’s really cool to see them in a different light,” Numa said.
LILY SHARP/The Vermont Cynic
The host of the Black Student Union Fashion show, Young Prince, poses for the runway in a gray suit Feb. 23. This year’s theme was “Paint it Black.”
Cigarette ambassador role created Zoe Stern zstern@uvm.edu
The Center for Health and Wellbeing plans to hire student ambassadors to remind students of UVM’s tobacco-free campus policy. A grant, which was just approved, will help pay the students, said Dr. Harry Chen, executive director for the Center for Health and Wellbeing. “Two student ambassadors [will be] walking around campus, around different residence halls or the different hot spots we’ve identified where we found a lot of litter,” said Parker Holloway, program support coordinator for Living Well. The Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community, an organization devoted to raising awareness of drug addiction, approved the grant and funds will be provided by the Vermont Department of Health, Chen said. The students will be in pairs and with the help of Holloway or
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A sign indicating UVM’s tobacco-free policy on campus in front of University Heights Feb. 24. The Center for Health and Wellbeing is hiring two students for paid ambassador positions to enforce the tobacco-free policy. a Residential Life staff member will be given a script on how to approach students, Holloway said. They will also be able to provide resources for students who might want to quit. SGA has also created a resolution in support of cigarette
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butt receptacles. Their goal is a decrease in litter from the cigarette butts, while the Center for Health and Wellbeing has targeted the issue of on-campus smoking, said SGA Vice President Gillian Natanagara, a junior.
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Natanagara and sophomore Jacob Weinstein, senator on the Committee on the Environment, have been pushing for more receptacles around campus. The resolution, created in hopes of reducing waste being sent into Lake Champlain, introduces the idea of cigarette butt receptacles around campus, Natanagara said. “We want cigarette butt receptacles on campus and we’re using that language because we don’t want it to be limited to trash cans,” Weinstein said. “It could be these compactors called BigBelly that are on Church Street.” UVM hasn’t had outdoor trash cans since 2005, according to a February 2019 Cynic article. BigBelly is a solar powered waste and recycling bin that compacts waste in high traffic areas, according to its website.
Cigarettes continued on page 3
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Sex assault on campus Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu
The alleged perpetrator of a Feb. 23 sexual assault and theft on campus has been arrested and is being held on $100,000 bail. Tyson Cyphers, 37, was identified as a suspect for the crime in a Feb. 23 Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations press release, which notes that he is on the Vermont Sex Offender Registry. After the alleged sexual assault, Cyphers stole several items and fled, according to the press release. Cyphers was known by the victim, the press release stated. Cyphers will have his initial hearing Feb. 25. UVM issued a press release Feb. 24 regarding the incident. “UVM is deeply concerned about this sexual assault and grand larceny incident,” the release stated.
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NEWS
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The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
New president’s salary brings unease Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu
Suresh Garimella was confirmed as the new University president, but his offered income has raised concerns. Garimella will earn an income of $630,000 a year, according to a Feb. 22 Vermont Digger article. His base salary will be $480,000, and he will earn $50,000 in deferred compensation and $100,000 in a retirement plan, the article stated. Garimella’s base salary will be higher than current University President Tom Sullivan’s salary. Sullivan’s base salary for the 2018-19 school year was listed as $446,429, according to a UVM base pay list. After three years as president, Garimella will be able to draw on the deferred compensation account. The account will have accumulated $50,000 per year from when he begins his position, Communications Director Enrique Corredera stated in a Feb. 24 email to the Cynic. The board of trustees will contribute $100,000 to Garimella’s “nonqualified deferred compensation plan,” which operates like a retirement contribution after each year as president, he stated. This funding is to promote longevity and incentivize fulfillment of the board’s expectations, Corredera stated. United Academics, the fac-
ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic
Future President Suresh Garimella delivers an opening statement at his public Q&A Feb 14. He will take on the position of president July 1. ulty union, posted a meme to its Facebook page Feb. 23 in response to the new president’s proposed salary. “Tell me again how UVM can’t afford the humanities but can pay the new prez $630,000 a year,” the meme states, over a picture of Willy Wonka. Sophomore Cobalt Tolbert, a member of the Coalition for Faculty and Student Rights, said the coalition is upset by the
compensation Garimella is receiving. Tolbert said the pay is particularly upsetting since it comes along with the UVM community having less say in the next president than in past searches. “Coalition members are outraged about this happening right when the administration is insisting they are tight on money,” he said. “Suffice it
Students notice gym shortages Sophia Venturo sventuro@uvm.edu
to say, this is an insult added to the injury of a decidedly undemocratic process.” Sarah Alexander, associate English professor and president of United Academics, the faculty union, believes that the salary Garimella is being promised is too high. “It seems absolutely unconscionable,” Alexander said. “It is so much in excess of what the current president is compensat-
Fraternity activity ban continues, no end date Lee Hughes
While the University moves ahead with the new Multipurpose center, students are noticing an increase in broken gym equipment at the existing facility. Sophomore Cameron Clark is a campus recreation maintenance technician. The machines may seem perpetually broken, but the process to fix them is long, he said. “There’s been three or four complex machines that went down this semester,” he said. Gregg Bates, director of Campus Recreation, said the uptick in broken equipment is part of the cycle of the gym facilities. “We’re up to three to five machines broken and we’re constantly fixing equipment,” Bates said. “But the feeling is that there’s no more damage this year than in years past.” Clark speculates that these upticks in servicing are likely coincidental, but said shifting focus onto the new $95 million Multipurpose center may affect the current facility. “It’s purely coincidence that there’s a few more [broken ma-
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CLARA MARTORANO/The Vermont Cynic
A broken treadmill has an sign in the Fitness Center Feb. 21. “I think that there are slightly more broken machines this semester,” first-year Nick Koleszar said. “The digital bikes often have ‘out of order’ signs and when they don’t, they make clicking noises.” chines], but it makes sense if they don’t want to dump a lot of money into it if it’s about to be replaced,” Clark said. The funding of the two facilities are not related, Bates said. First-year Dylan Streb said he thinks the gym seems understaffed this semester. “At the beginning of the year, there was always someone at the desks greeting you,” he said. “Now there’s always people missing.” Last semester, Clark was of-
fered additional work hours at the gym but the proposal was retracted this semester, he said. “My boss offered me as many extra hours as I wanted, and then took back that offer this semester I think because of a funding problem,” he said. Bates asserts that any noticeable changes are not the result of administrative action. “There has been no changing to our staffing model. We have the same amount of shifts,” Bates said.
ed.” Garimella’s compensation is considered mid-range to comparable institutions, Corredera stated. “These elements of compensation are typical for presidents of national universities,” Corredera stated. “Garimella’s compensation is in the approximate mid-range of comparable institutions.”
The ban on UVM fraternity activities continues as no new information has been released by the administration. Fraternity activities were suspended Feb. 5 following the Feb. 2 death of first-year Connor Gage, according to a Feb. 5 Cynic article. Annie Stevens, vice provost for student affairs, said that the Burlington Police Department has evidence that Gage attended one or more fraternities the night of his death. Initial autopsy reports indicate that alcohol consumption and extreme cold factored into Gage’s death. No criminal charges are likely to be brought against individuals, as there is no clear evidence of criminal actions, said John Murad, deputy chief of Burlington Police. Should the ongoing BPD investigation show that official UVM fraternities were involved, those fraternities will face consequences, Stevens said. If they find that the fraternities are unregistered, individ-
uals in the fraternities, not the organizations, could face consequences from UVM. Stevens did not deny the potential of the ban to become permanent in the future. “Anything is a possibility at this point. Someone has died,” Stevens said. “All possibilities are on the table.” Currently, fraternity activities, including social, recruitment and philanthropic activities, are suspended, Stevens said. This is the first time in University history that all fraternity activity has been suspended for this length of time. There have been other instances in the past of fraternities being suspended and banned due to conduct violations. In 2014, after violating an activities suspension, Alpha Epsilon Pi faced a five-year ban, according to a March 2014 University Herald article. The fraternity activity suspension includes Sigma Phi Epsilon, a fraternity that returned to campus in fall 2018 after a seven-year suspension.
The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
NEWS
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Students mobilize against budget cuts Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu
Lindsay Freed lafreed@uvm.edu
In light of budget changes to the College of Arts and Sciences, students have expressed their frustration on campus and online. Students have been hanging posters, posting memes and helping organize protests after cuts were made to humanities programs, including the loss of lecturer positions in classics, Romance languages and linguistics. Senior Seth Wade has been hanging flyers since the beginning of February depicting Provost David Rosowsky wearing a crown and surrounded by bags of money, he said. The posters cite statistics about acceptance rates, expenditures and other facts about UVM he got from public records and studies of UVM, Wade said. One depicts Rosowsky saying “Fight amongst yourselves for your funds — don’t you know we’re in a financial crisis?!” Wade is part of the Coalition for Student and Faculty Rights, a group of students that intends to use protests and posters to get the administration’s attention about students' dissatisfaction, said sophomore Cobalt Tolbert, a Coalition member. The posters blame Rosowsky for a budget situation he did not create and contain misinformation that lacks important context, according to a Feb. 22 statement to the Cynic from
LINDSAY FREED/The Vermont Cynic
Sophomore Nina Singleton-Spencer sits among students and faculty during the discussion portion of a Feb. 5 United Academics meeting. Students have expressed their frustrations over the College of Arts and Sciences budget changes through posters, memes and protests. University Communications Director Enrique Corredera. Students have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the University through memes posted online in forums like Make UV Groovy Again. The Facebook group allows students to express their frustration and anger in a comedic format, said senior Camil Srna, SGA senator and MUGA administrator. Not all of the information posted in the group is always accurate, Srna said. “The sole fact that people have been posting about what
has been going on has helped with awareness as a whole,” Srna said. “What’s most important would be dialogue.” It’s good students are talking, but sometimes the information they share in memes and on posters is misleading, said senior Charlotte Malling, chair of the SGA academic affairs committee. “Making people laugh is one thing, but it's spreading misinformation that's not helping students, not helping faculty and not helping potential students,” Malling said. Malling and her commit-
tee are working on a fact sheet about CAS, but it has taken them longer than expected because of the situation’s complexity, she said. Academic Affairs is working with senior Meagan Cummins to start a “Humans of Humanities” Facebook and Instagram account that will showcase students and faculty involved in the humanities, Malling said. The project was inspired by Humans of New York, a photoblog that publishes portraits and street interviews, but comes out of a writing and visual arts campaign Cummins started for stu-
Police warn students of successful scams Lindsay Freed lafreed@uvm.edu
UVM police services is working with the FBI to investigate a phone scam that has been targeting students. The scam is a call made to look like it’s from UVM police services by spoofing their phone number. The caller says there is a warrant out for their arrest, and they will be arrested if they don't send money, said Tim Bilodeau, deputy chief of UVM police. UVM police services has received reports of over 30 attempts from students over the last three weeks, Bilodeau said. There has also been reports of an email scam asking students to cash a check and send back money or credit card information, but it is more generic and has been less successful, he said. UVM police services is working with the FBI to investigate the phone scam, because the scam may be coming from either another state or another country, Bilodeau said. The phone scam states the student has been involved with drug trafficking in the Domin-
JULIANNE LESCH/The Vermont Cynic
A UVM police services car idles outside the Central Campus Residence Hall Feb. 23. A phone scam made to look like it’s coming from UVM police services demanding money has been targeting UVM students. ican Republic, and if the student doesn’t send them upward of $1,000 they’ll be arrested, he said. The scams are sophisticated, using social media and UVM websites that have public information to find out more about targeted students, Bilodeau said. There have been over 30 reported attempts, several of which have been successful at getting financial information from students and several that
have been successful at getting thousands of dollars sent, Bilodeau said. The phone call scam is very convincing, using the names of real police officers, and has been more common and successful than the email scam, he said. People often fall for these types of scams because there can be an innate trust of the police, insurance companies, the IRS and other organizations or companies used as covers for
fraud, Bilodeau said. “There’s nothing wrong with asking questions or hanging up, no matter who you think the call is from,” he said. The police will never ask people to send money, payment information or warn someone about an arrest warrant over the phone, Bilodeau said. Senior Eliana Pacheco said she received a call from the scam Feb. 22, and at first thought it was UVM police services responding to an unrelated report she made earlier that week until the man she was talking to threatened to arrest her. “I was pissed,” Pacheco said. “My heart was racing, but it was just some slimy dude trying to get money from me.” Pacheco ended the call before she was told to send money, and reached out to UVM police services, who confirmed that the prior call was a scam, she said. This is not the first time students have been targeted by phone scams. Students were notified of a similar fraud attempt last year, according to an April 2018 Cynic article. No one gave money, according to the article.
dents to express why humanities matter, she said. Cummins, a chemistry major, said it’s important STEM students study the humanities to gain an understanding of how their research affects the human experience. “[As a chemistry major] you’re taught how to do a lot of things. It’s very conceptual and very theoretical, but you’re never taught the ethical implications of what it is you’re doing,” she said. CAS has made cuts to lecturer positions and hours as it works to resolve a $1.3 million deficit for this academic year, according to a Feb. 9 email from CAS Dean Bill Falls and Rosowsky. Not all students are opposed to these changes. Junior Grace Skylstad, a biochemistry major, said it makes sense that if fewer students are taking humanities they consequently have fewer resources. “There’s just not a better system in place,” she said. “It’s supply and demand.” Sarah Alexander, associate English professor and president of the faculty union, said that the cuts to lecturer positions were announced following cuts in the humanities the year before. “Even if we have fewer majors in certain areas I think those departments should exist," Alexander said. "A university is not a corporation. It’s about the production of knowledge and our role doing that."
Cigarettes continued from page 1 BigBelly has a high capacity compared to other trash cans. “I think there are opportunities. The reality is, places to dispose of cigarettes is really not my thing,” Chen said. Chen said that cigarette receptacle implementation would need to be carefully planned. “If you are going to have receptacles you need to be strategic about it," he said. Chen also believes that cigarette receptacles have the potential to affect where people smoke. "You put a receptacle, and that’s where everybody smokes,” he said. SGA doesn’t want to encourage people to stand around smoking in places such as the Andrew Harris green. But, having designated locations has worked at other colleges, such as University of Maryland, and they are seeing less litter, Natanagara said. “Smoking and tobacco are major public health problems in terms of colleges and U.S. college-age students,” Chen said. “It’s important for us to do our best to implement and have better compliance with the tobacco-free UVM policy.”
NEWS
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The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
The Waterman Takeover A tradition of protest at UVM Meg Trogolo margaret.trogolo@uvm.edu
One year ago, student activist group NoNames for Justice staged a takeover of the Waterman building Feb. 26 in order to protest racial injustice in the University’s administration. The takeover, in which over 250 students spent the day hanging banners, soliciting signatures from administrators on a list of demands and hosting teach-ins, lasted until the building closed, when protestors were asked to leave under threat of arrest. It was the third Waterman takeover to take place in protest of racism since 1988. The first takeover, as well as another that began April 22, 1991, both lasted multiple nights. After a near year-long hiatus, NoNames plans on hosting a rally to commemorate the anniversary of the most recent takeover, celebrate progress and continue their fight, according to the event’s Facebook page. The 1988 takeover came after a series of meetings between UVM’s Black Student Union, Asian American Student Union and University administrators, in which representatives from those student groups raised concerns about UVM lacking faculty of color. “The faculty members reflect on the students. It is more difficult to recruit minority students since we don’t have many minorities at the faculty and the administrative level,” thenBSU Vice President Angela Stover told the Cynic in February 1988. “The only way to put an end to this racism and increase recruitment is to promote awareness,” she said. Students from BSU and AASU began occupying the Waterman building after giving a list of demands to administration April 18, 1988. Demands included hiring more faculty of color and admitting more students of color until UVM’s racial demographics were equal to that of the general population. The list also asked the administration to create a mandatory racial awareness course for first-year students and establish a committee of students of color. The committee would work with the administration to oversee the agreement’s implementation. The occupation ended on April 23, 1988 when President Lattie Coor signed the “Waterman Agreement,” a document based on student demands that outlined steps UVM would take in order to combat racism and better represent people of color on campus. Provisions included increas-
ing the number of tenured faculty of color, doubling enrollment of students of color and creating the racial awareness course and committee of students of color. Coor resigned a year later, in 1989. He said that he was “a great believer in institutional cycles” and that therefore, it was time for his 14-year presidency to end. Coor’s successor, George Davis, did not take action on most of the demands outlined in the Waterman Agreement. Between 1989 and 1990, enrollment of students of color, which the University had promised to double by 1992, increased from 445 to 458. By 1991 UVM had hired 21 professors of color, but lost 14. In early 1991, Davis met with the board of trustees about the agreement without contacting the president’s panel on cultural diversity, a committee of students of color which had been established to oversee the agreement’s implementation. Some students also opposed the treatment of Maude Light-
burn, a former UVM Medical Center employee and part-time student who had submitted a formal charge of racial discrimination against UVM after being fired in 1990. On April 22, 1991, students took over Waterman in protest of racism for the second time. Twenty-two students of color began occupying the Waterman executive wing, planning to remain in the building until the administration met their demands. “We were just forced to empower ourselves,” an unnamed student said to the Cynic April 1991. “This is the only way that the University and President Davis are listening.” Davis declined to negotiate with the student group, saying there was an “atmosphere of coercion.” The group of 22 students remained in Waterman until May 12, when police entered the executive wing. Eight of those 22 students were arrested.
(TOP) (ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic) Posters wrap the the marble columns of the Waterman building during the student activist group NoNames For Justice take-over of the building Feb. 26, 2018. (BOTTOM LEFT) (GLENN BOOMA) Students of color stand in the Waterman building which they had been occupying for three days in April 21, 1988. (BOTTOM RIGHT) (BRYAN AGRAN) President George Davis climbs a ladder to get into his own office in order to negotiate with the student protesters occupying the building April 23, 1991.
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EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Greta Bjornson editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Ben Elfland newsroom@vtcynic.com
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Decisions behind closed doors
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Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Allie O’Connor (Culture), David Cabrera (Podcasts), Nickie Morris (Sports), Lee Hughes (News), Sam Litra (Photo), Liv Marshall (Copy), Caroline McCune (Layout), Sophie Spencer (Illustrations) Copy Editors Hadley Rawlins, Zoe Shepard, Luke Zarzecki, Dalton Doyle, Kelly Turner Page Designers Lindsay Freed, Meilena Sanchez, Kate Vanni
Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
The search committee was in charge of finding several candidates to bring to campus. The committee said the reason for the lack of publicly announced finalists was the unwillingness of candidates employed by other institutions to be publicly identified. In a Feb. 4 email to the University community, board of trustees Chair David Daigle stated that 10 finalists had been interviewed for the job of University president.
“Candidate confidentiality requirements necessitate that we not identify publicly the entire group of outstanding finalists,” he stated. While there is merit in wanting to attract the best applicant pool possible, it is outweighed by the need to make the presidential search process more democratic. The president is a figurehead in our University. UVM is a place where we all pay to attend and chose to
come to, so we should have a say in how this person is chosen. Over the past year, the administration has failed to satisfy the students and faculty they are supposed to support in their jobs on campus. The lack of information about the search process is a sign of how the administration addresses the needs of students and faculty only on their own terms. In order to meet the needs of everyone on campus, the administration must integrate students and faculty more deeply into campus decisions, like making the choice of our next president. This may mean sacrificing efficiency in the name of transparency and crowdsourcing, but the end result and lasting positive impact will undoubtedly be greater. Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the Vermont Cynic. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. lease send letters to opinion@ vtcynic.com.
Correction In a Feb. 19 article The changing face of UVM, a statement was misattributed to Chief Financial Officer Richard Cate. It should have been attributed to College of Arts and Sciences Dean Bill Falls. The Cynic regrets this error.
Pragmatism has no place in 2020 election Ari Kotler akotker@uvm.edu
Illustrations Holly Coughlan illustrations@vtcynic.com
Photo Alek Fleury photo@vtcynic.com
Staff Editorial
he University board of trustees officially confirmed the appointment of a new president, Suresh Garimella, Feb. 22. A year ago to the day, student activist group NoNames for Justice blocked Main Street to call for the resignation of current President Tom Sullivan, among other demands, because they believed he hadn’t adequately protected students of color. The day of Garimella’s first public visit to campus — Feb. 14 — in which he met with and answered questions from various students and faculty, coincided with a rally by the faculty union in protest of recent cuts to humanities departments. Suffice it to say, Garimella is entering an administration that has been on the receiving end of seemingly endless anger and criticism from both students and faculty. While a new president may be a key step in answering the dissatisfaction on campus, the process itself showed another instance of the administration’s unwillingness to respond to voices in our community. The search process happened almost entirely behind closed doors, with Garimella as the only candidate presented to the campus as the sole finalist. With no other options to compare Garimella to, the campus community was left with one option and no alternatives, and an option that was chosen for them, not by them. One student sat on the committee to find the next president. One student cannot represent or know the needs of all students.
Social Media Peter Hibbeler socialcyniceditor@gmail.com
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Marketing Daniel Felde dfelde@uvm.edu
ADVISING
OPINION
Feb. 26, 2019
The Vermont Cynic
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he Democratic primary is over a year away, but news outlets are already asking: who will you vote for in 2020? Voters’ choice will have profound consequences, with over 15 major candidates likely running as Democrats and a battle of ideas between the party establishment and the party’s left wing on Capitol Hill. The path voters will choose is uncertain. Over the next year, there will be calls for party unity, warnings against “purity tests” and pressure to fall in line. Policy, vision and ideology will be cast aside in favor of identity politics and incremental disdain. Don’t be picky. We need to be pragmatic, they say.
But pragmatists mistake strategy for ideology, and try to solve our most urgent challenges in half-steps. Their inadequacy is shown in our country’s political dysfunctions. At the same time, we’ll hear it should be a woman. It should be a person of color. That our representatives should look like us is central to representative democracy.
HOLLY COUGHLAN
But treating women and people of color as one dimensional instead of as groups with different backgrounds, ideologies and political interests represents incomplete identity politics. In American history, one class of people dominates policy: white, wealthy men. As our ruling class, they’ve pursued their interests with ruthless ef-
ficiency. Today, the ruling class has become less white and less male. It hasn’t become less wealthy or powerful. As long as our politicians, CEOs and highest achievers lead lives so segregated from our own, we’ll never make the changes we need to face our greatest challenges. As you consider political candidates, remember social class is part of our identity. Remember that ideology matters. Policy matters. Choose someone with courage to be radical, even when the political path is treacherous. Out of 325.7 million Americans, we can find one president, 435 representatives and 100 senators who pass that purity test with flying colors.
Ari Kotler is a junior political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.
OPINION
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The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
21 Savage and politics of deportation Gabby Felitto gfelitto@uvm.edu
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apper 21 Savage was arrested Feb. 3 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for overstaying his visa, according to a Feb. 8 Rolling Stone article. While he deserves the media attention he’s receiving, society should’ve been outraged over numerous deportations of black immigrants in recent years. Savage’s situation generated lots of public outcry on social media from music lovers, musicians and politicians. Jay-Z hired an attorney to help him, according to a Feb. 12 New York Times Magazine article. Throughout President Donald Trump’s term, there has been a reversal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that allowed immigrant children to stay in the U.S. There has also been separations of families at the border, numerous cases of people dying while in detention centers and other actions that have caused immigrants to suffer. Most recently, there have been stories of families crossing the border only to be hit with tear gas by the Border Patrol, according to a November 2018 CNN article. This has quickly been forgotten by social media as new controversies pop up everyday. One tragedy of this is how many black immigrants are tar-
JULIA BLISS geted and deported but aren’t getting as much attention as Latinx and Middle Eastern immigrants. A September 2018 News One article states that the deportation of sub-saharan mi-
grants has doubled from 909 to 2,184 in the first nine months of Trump’s presidency. Trump also revoked protections that provided temporary status and work authorization for 200,000 Salvadorians, but
also from 45,000 Haitians, according to a January 2018 New Yorker article. Many policies targeted Latinx and Middle Eastern immigrants but affected black immigrants, too. The Muslim ban
targeted populations from Libya, Somalia and Sudan. Many black immigrants are DACA recipients too, with 16,054 recipients born in Jamaica, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic, according to a Feb. 2018 Blavity article. A Feb. 6 BuzzFeed News article stated that black immigrants face challenges of a criminal justice system that targets black people. ICE can deport people who were convicted of a crime, even if they served time, according to the article. Just like police unfairly arrest black people, black immigrants are disproportionately vulnerable to deportation. Savage’s detainment was met with differing opinions. Many on Instagram downplayed the severity of his situation, saying, “He has money” and “They are deporting him to England.” Even though he has more advantages than most, his story is reminiscent of immigrants who come to America and build a life, only to be kicked out. His pain shouldn’t be minimized. While his detention shouldn’t have been the beginning of this discussion, it shined a light on the struggles of black immigrants. As with other stories of deportation, we shouldn’t let Savage and other black immigrants’ stories be drowned in the sea of mass media. Gabby Felitto is a first-year CSD major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
No ifs, ands or butts for tobacco-free ambassador job Mills Sparkman msparkma@uvm. edu
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SOPHIE SPENCER
n 2017, I wrote about UVM’s lack of cigarette receptacles and the litter it produced. According to their website, SGA just passed legislation to provide disposals for cigarettes and other tobacco products. That being said, they are getting it wrong again with a paid “Tobacco-Free Campus Ambassador” position. A tobacco-free campus is not one that pretends tobacco doesn’t exist on campus. Rather, it is one that aims to prevent it. This doesn’t mean paying a student to preach to the choir. It means real solutions, such as disposals and regular cleanup. Though I am optimistic about cigarette receptacles being good for the environment, the ambassador position has me worried. According to a Feb. 19 email from Jennifer Shasberger, Liv-
ing Well marketing coordinator, the position is aimed at students interested in education and outreach about the harmful effects of smoking on individuals, the campus and the environment. The online job description states that students will work in pairs, walking around the “hot-spots” on campus where
cigarette butts have been found in excess. Once there, they’ll talk with smokers and provide education and resources about the tobacco free policy, as well as ways to quit smoking. In addition, they plan and participate in a tobacco-free event during Earth Week this upcoming April. It is about four
to six hours of work a week and pays $13 an hour. I don’t see this position making a dent in tobacco use on campus. Unlike trash bins or ashtrays, someone telling you that smoking is bad for you doesn’t reduce pollution produced by cigarette butts. It is true that hearing it from someone else may make you feel ashamed of your unhealthy habits. However, it’s much more likely that it will direct resentment from your own personal choice to the person publicly shaming you. I see these ambassadors as the equivalent to teacher-chaperones at a Catholic school dance, warning you to “save room for Jesus” during slow dances. At best, they’ll make smokers feel embarrassed to be caught in public. At worst, they’ll be mocked when people roll their eyes or ignore them. Besides the mutual embarrassment factor, this policy is misguided.
Though I see many cigarette butts around campus, it’s much rarer to see someone actually smoking in broad daylight. Your basic drugstore cigarettes seem to be going out of style. Juuls and other vapes are more common among college students, with their higher nicotine content and variety of flavors. Especially with Juuls, people often take a puff inside rather than going to a designated smoking area, making it harder for ambassadors to reach them. To be clear, I am glad that SGA is taking steps to reduce pollution from cigarette butts and make UVM a more “green” school. However, a paid ambassador position is not only a waste of money, it is a waste of students’ time. Save us all the embarrassment; stick to the ashtrays. Mills Sparkman is a sophomore political science major and the Opinion section editor. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.
The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
BSU Fashion Show continued from page 1 Sophomore Anna Sherman said that instead of just being a show strictly about fashion, the BSU Fashion Show felt inclusive and community-building. The show’s host and production members interacted with the audience all night by singing along with the crowd and inviting audience members to come on stage to learn African dances. The crowd was encouraged to participate when they were invited to show off their own outfits on the runway. As familiar faces and friends walked the runway in designer gear made by artists from Philadelphia, Buffalo, New York, and New York City, the crowd cheered. “I just loved seeing my
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friends get up there and look beautiful,” junior Theresa Kirsimagi said. Designers from brands including MYB Clothing, Mimidesignss, Ataria NYC and Diamond Ayodele presented their work on student models, while local stores donated accessories. “It’s amazing to see people scream for their friends,” Numa said. After intermission, hip-hop group 99 Neighbors warmed up the crowd by performing recent releases from their debut album, “Television.” The lighting and set were designed by members of BSU. “I was really surprised by the level of professionalism at the event,” Sherman said. “I think a lot of professional fashion shows can feel very cold and distant.”
LILY SHARP/The Vermont Cynic
(TOP LEFT) Asim Doram ’18 opens his fur-lined jacket with no shirt underneath. The clothes were made by artists from Philadelphia, New York City and Buffalo, New York. (TOP RIGHT) Senior DaneiI Whyte and participant Tristen Thompson hold hands and look back at the audience at the end of the runway in colorful dresses. (BOTTOM RIGHT) Sophomore Christa Guzman and participant Pam Winee pose in matching purple outfits. Designers from brands including MYB Clothing, Mimidesignss, Ataria NYC and Diamond Ayodele presented their work on student models. (BOTTOM LEFT) Sophomore Luke Vanderminden and senior Starr Cobb smile to the audience on the runway.
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The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
“Pippin” challenges theatre department Anna Kolosky akolosky@uvm.edu
A father and son from the Middle Ages are reimagined in UVM’s production of “Pippin.” The theater department will debut its performance Feb. 27. Junior Anna Cataldo said that “Pippin’s” music is what she loves about the musical and that it is one of her favorite shows because of the score. “‘Pippin’ is probably one of my favorite shows because of the music,” Cataldo said. “It’s by the same guy who wrote ‘Wicked,’ and it’s a really good bridge between pop music and musical theater.” “Pippin” tells the story of a Roman emperor’s son, now a young prince, who is searching for passion and adventure. Stage manager McKenna Black, a senior, said she enjoys “Pippin” for its story and how relatable it is to a variety of people. “Pippin’s story is a very common human story of, ‘What is my purpose?’” Black said. “To see that played out on stage, I think, will be very moving for a lot of people, especially those who like to think about that sort of thing.” Black added that she is excited to see the finished product. “Pippin” has proven to be one of their largest and most challenging shows, Black said. “We have a total of 18 actors, and it’s a pretty substantial musical because it has a lot of moving parts,” Black said. “It’s testing, but really awesome.”
CLARA MARTORANO/The Vermont Cynic
The cast of the theater department’s most recent production, “Pippin,” strikes a pose on the last note of the show Feb. 18. The cast debuts its performance of “Pippin” Feb. 27. Black also added that “Pippin” has a lot of surprises and is a very over the top production. “We have a lot of surprising pieces that fly in, like signs or big drops,” Black said. “It’s a very technically heavy show and very flashy. It’s everyone’s concept of theater.” Theater department chair Gregory Ramos, director of “Pippin,” said a lot of different factors go into deciding what show the theater department will perform. “It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Ramos said. “In a four-year period, while a stu-
dent is here, we want to expose them to a breadth of different kinds of theater experiences, so we try to touch all genres.” The theater department’s choices range from classics to contemporary dramas and musicals. This gives students a variety of shows to participate in. “One of the reasons we chose it was because students were excited about it,” Ramos said. “It has a lot of great roles for students to tackle. “It was popular and we thought it would be a challenging show to put on from the de-
sign end.” Additionally, Ramos said that the musical score of the show really stood out to him, and he hopes it will impress those who come to see it. The theater department will typically do four productions a year. A one-act festival that is directed by students concludes the academic year. With all of these shows to put on, the department works fast to plan out the performances, Ramos said. “Pre-production for ‘Pippin’ started with the set designers
in the fall semester,” he said. “Then we rehearse from the start of the semester to opening week, which is about five-anda-half weeks.” Every theater production is made up of various students from different colleges and majors. “Students can come to theater department, talk to any faculty member about their interests and then we will get them in contact with the right people,” Ramos said. Cataldo said that she has enjoyed participating in the play and had a great time working with the cast of the show as well. “I’ve enjoyed my role a lot,” Cataldo said. “It’s probably my favorite role I’ve ever played. “I’ve enjoyed watching the other actors perform so much because everyone is so good in their roles.” Ramos is excited for the UVM and Burlington community to come see the show and appreciate all of the hard work the students have put into it, he said. “I think it’s a great example of the quality of talent we have at UVM amongst the students,” Ramos said. “It is a good example of the caliber of artistic theatrical work we’re capable of. “I think it’s going to be a good showcase for our department and students.” Disclaimer: The lead role of Pippin in “Pippin” is played by Alek Fleury, the photo editor of the Vermont Cynic.
UVM hosts local producers for Cheese and Dairy Fest Bridget Higdon cynicculture@gmail.com
The tangy aroma of cheese and the sweet scent of freshly-scooped ice cream gave busy students a reason to pause last week. UVM hosted its annual Cheese and Dairy Fest Feb. 19 in the Davis Center Atrium. Sponsored by UVM Dining, the event’s aim was to promote cheese and dairy producers in the state of Vermont. In 2018, the dairy industry in Vermont saw the closing of multiple farms. Milk prices have fallen below the cost of production for the fourth year in a row, according to a January 2019 report by the Vermont State Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Senior Noah Lindeman said he loved the Cheese and Dairy Fest. With a cup of Wilcox Specialty ice cream in hand, he said UVM should be hosting more of these types of events. “It made me feel like I was back at my hometown farmers market,” he said. Maplebrook Farms from North Bennington, Vermont,
provided samples of their handmade mozzarella and feta cheeses. Renata Pilato, a member of Maplebrook’s sales and marketing team, said the farm was asked to the event by Black River Produce, a Vermont-based food distributor that works with UVM Dining. “Maplebrook Farms supports community outreach,” she said. The farm employs over 50 people and also runs an apprenticeship program which teaches people how to make handmade mozzarella, Pilato said. At a table nearby, Wendy Brewer ’80 spread samples of Grafton Village’s smoked chili and maple cheddar cheeses on a red and white-checkered tablecloth. Brewer said she has worked at Grafton Village for over 15 years. “I studied dietetics at UVM, so I always knew I wanted to do something with food,” she said. The company smokes their cheddar in small batches in ovens located in Grafton and Brattleboro, Vermont, Brewer said. After opening in 1892, Grafton was revitalized in the 1960s
Image source: UVM
UVM Dining hosted its annual Cheese and Dairy Fest Feb. 19 in the Davis Center Atrium. The event was designed to promote cheese and dairy producers in the state of Vermont. by the Windham Foundation, a non-profit that works to protect and enhance Vermont’s rural communities, according to its website. “UVM and Sodexo support local,” Brewer said. “It’s important to educate students on local producers.” Marissa Watson, UVM Dining’s sustainability manager, said 21 percent of campus food is local sourced from local producers.
Cathy Vadnais was at Cheese Fest representing Hillside Creamery. She brought with her samples of the company’s milk and yogurt. “The blueberry yogurt is my favorite,” Vadnais said. “But sometimes the lemon really hits the spot.” Hillside Creamery is located in Milton, Vermont, and all of their products come from two Holstein cows. “Their names are Abby and
Addy,” Vadnais said. Milk and yogurt by Hillside Creamery is available for purchase on campus in the University Marche. Becky Loftus, the owner and cheese maker at Blythedale Farm, smiled as she offered wedges of brie and Camembert cheese to students. “We have the best soft cheese in Vermont,” she said. “At least we think so.” Based in Corinth, Vermont, Blythedale is a 750-acre dairy farm. “Usually we only do events with people in the industry, with foodies and retailers,” she said. “So it’s nice to come here and see the enthusiasm in the students.” Loftus and her husband Tom bought the farm in 2004, according to a March 2014 Stowe Today article. “I want students to see that there is wonderful, healthy food right here,” Loftus said. Sophomore Chloe Moulin said Blythedale Farm’s Camembert cheese was her favorite. “It really surprised me,” she said. “My family is from France, and we usually can’t find good French cheese here,” she said.
The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
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Pho Hong serves up sweets and spices Anna Kolosky akolosky@uvm. edu
T
he air was sizzling with spices as hungry patrons chowed down on huge bowls of noodles and curry. My friends and I had just walked into Pho Hong, a Vietnamese restaurant on North Winooski Avenue. My first impression of Pho Hong was that it was a bit small and crowded, with people sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. As soon as our table of four was called however, I didn’t even notice the proximity to other people. The atmosphere of the place took over, and it felt like I was sitting in someone’s house while they made me dinner. The casual setting was very soothing, and the black tea they served aided in my relaxation. We started off with drinks, ordering Thai iced teas and an iced espresso that did not disappoint. Served in a classic milkshake glass, the Thai iced tea was almost as sweet as a shake but had more tang to balance. The iced espresso was also delicious and refreshing, helping to wake you up and cool you down. We ordered an assortment of appetizers and entrees like wonton soup, spring rolls, curry, fried rice and grilled pork. The service was attentive
and quick, and we got our orders in no time. Sophomore Ellie McGee was very impressed with the coconut curry, she said. “[It] was amazing,” McGee said. “It was just the right amount of spice, not too much or too little, and very creamy without being heavy.” Sophomore Becca Turley added that she thought the combination of curry with Thai iced tea was the way to go. “The drinks were very sweet and delicious,” Turley said. “But they helped fill some of the lingering spice left in my mouth from the curry.” The grilled pork I ordered was savory and tangy, with sauce that was a little sweet and added extra flavor. The jasmine rice and vegetables that accompanied added softness and crunch, really taking my meal to the next level. When we finished, the check arrived with guava candies. Split four ways, we payed less than $20 each. For the quantity and quality of food we received, we got our money’s worth. We walked out into the cold Vermont night with our stomachs full of delicious food and agreed that Pho Hong was going to become one of our go-to places. Anna Kolosky is a junior English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
ANNA KOLOSKY/The Vermont Cynic
Spring rolls and Thai iced tea wait to be eaten as appetizers at Pho Hong, a restaurant located on North Winooski Avenue. Pho Hong serves a wide variety of Vietnamese food.
There is no room for cultural appropriation in music Rhythm and News Sarah Robinson srobin14@uvm.edu
A
s Ariana Grande incessantly reminds us in “7 rings,” she’s single, famous and exorbitantly wealthy. Since her breakup with comedian Pete Davidson, Grande has taken on a very public and inspiring single-girl persona who focuses on her friends, her work and, above all, herself. “7 Rings” currently holds the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 100. Grande is all over Instagram, Twitter and all of my friends’ Spotify accounts. It seems as if none of us can escape from her extremely well-manicured claws. I don’t like to hate on Grande, though I’ve grown significantly tired of her repeated message of wealth and consumerism. We get it. You want it, you got it. In all honesty, I enjoyed “thank u, next” and “7 rings.” That is, until I refreshed my Instagram feed and saw Princess Nokia’s video in which she accuses Grande of plagiarism.
REESE GREEN Nokia’s song “Mine” resembles the simplistic, poppy beat that runs throughout “7 rings,” though “Mine” was released almost two years prior to Grande’s single. After the release of “7 rings,” Nokia posted a video on Instagram comparing the two. “Does that sound familiar to you? ’Cause that sound really familiar to me,” Nokia said. “Mine” is a song about the respect that should be paid to women of color’s hair and the cultural significance that hair carries. Nokia identifies as Puerto Rican. “Ain’t that the lil’ song I
made about brown women and their hair? Hmmm. Sounds about white,” Nokia said in the since-deleted video. Like many white artists, Grande has profited and built her empire off of material that minority communities invented. It’s a tale as old as time. The white artist will also assume the “trendy” parts of minority identites to increase their fame. This is cultural appropriation. Grande’s repetition of “I want it, I got it” sounds a little too close to Nokia’s refrain, “It’s mine, I bought it.” Nokia’s refrain refers to ignorant
strangers asking WOC if their hair is “their real hair,” to which Nokia says, “It’s mine” because “I bought it.” “You like my hair? Gee thanks, just bought it,” Grande rap-talks in the chorus of “7 rings.” The problem with this line is that Grande uses the image of paid-for hair in this line. That very motif is one unique to people of color’s music because it represents the versatility and diversity of POC culture and more specifically, their hair. A white woman paying for clip-in extensions is in no way comparable to this long-standing pattern and demonstrates the cultural insensitivity that Grande repeatedly practices. This isn’t to say that white women can’t get extensions; they do it all the time. “Mine” ends with “Please do not ask me or any black or brown women if our hair is real or not. If it’s a wig, a weave, extensions, braids, don’t fucking ask. It’s very rude, it’s extremely personal to be put on the spot like that.” While I’m sure Grande has strangers trying to touch her hair constantly, I doubt any of them ask her if it’s her “real
hair” the same way that Nokia mentions. If you ask me, Grande’s skin is sprayed a little too tan for a white girl, and the effect she puts on her voice has often been referred to as a fake “blaccent,” similar to that of now-defunct rapper Iggy Azalea. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Grande, like many white artists, wants to be seen as trendy by abusing other races’ cultures for her own gain. Whether or not you believe that “7 rings” was plagiarized directly from Nokia, the cultural insensitivity that Grande practices repeatedly represents the larger problem of appropriation in American pop culture. Ask me which song I prefer. Is it the one about embracing diversity while also celebrating and defending the right for WOC to wear their hair how they choose without disrespectful comments from spectators, or is it Ari’s message of exorbitant wealth? I would pick the former every time. Sarah Robinson is a sophomore English and Spanish major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.
FEATURE
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The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
No Ragrets: Learning to Love an Unconventional Tattoo
Caroline Slack cjslack@uvm.edu
Junior Max Mitiguy has 70 tattoos, a lot of them are stick and pokes that he has done on himself. But of his more than many tattoos, Mitiguy only regrets a couple: a text piece that he says isn’t cohesive with the rest of his tattoos, and one of a safety pin, a matching tattoo with an ex. Getting a tattoo can take less than an hour to complete, but the results last a lifetime. Sophomore Abby Wight has two dinosaur tattoos on her thigh. One is a stick and poke that she let a friend draw on her, and the other is a free tattoo done by an apprentice at a tattoo shop. The latter was the apprentice’s first tattoo ever, and Wight was less than pleased with the result, she said. “The stick and poke that my friend drew is one of my favorites, but I came home with [both dinosaur tattoos] and my mom pretty much said, ‘OK, you’re getting them lasered off, that’s not optional,’” she said. “She hasn’t really pressed the issue. I plan to get the apprentice’s awful T-rex removed eventually, but I’m attached to the stick and poke.” Tattoos are becoming increasingly mainstream, with the Pew Research Center reporting that 38 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. Burlington is home to several tattoo shops: Yankee Tattoo, Onyx Ink, Vermont Custom Tattoo and Piercing, Moose Tattoos, Seven Symbols Tattoo and Fortune Teller Tattoo. Most of those shops are within walking distance of UVM’s campus and easily accessible to students. However, most students don’t get tattooed extensively, in part because of the cost. At shops in this area, small tattoos
CAROLINE SLACK/The Vermont Cynic
(TOP AND MIDDLE) Junior Max Mitiguy shows off his tattoos including a Kurt Vonnegut quote and a mason jar with “MOM” written on the inside of it. (BOTTOM) Sophomore Madi Long spontaneously decided to get matching lighter tattoos with two of her friends as a memento while she is away from home at UVM. start at $50, and larger works, such as a full back piece, can cost thousands of dollars. It is illegal to tattoo others without a license in the state of Vermont, but a quicker and cheaper option many college students gravitate towards is DIY stick and poke tattoos done on oneself or by a fellow student. Mitiguy said that sometimes he questions his “crazy tattoos” when he sees others who have
tattoos that are well-planned and executed with high artistry. “I think that getting your first tattoo is always a regrettable experience, because it’s never what you want it to be once you have a lot of tattoos,” he said. Even so, he has a passion for the art form of stick and pokes. “I enjoy the idea of taking tattooing back to a time when you had to, like, know people and you had to have your best
local resource as your friend down the street or a guy on the boat with you, whoever you knew who could do tattoos,” he said. “Now it’s like, ‘I saw this person on Instagram and I’m going to go drive down.’ “That’s cool in its own way because you can get amazing artistry, but I like the authenticity of stick and pokes, like getting one in a sketchy situation.” Veteran tattoo artist “Bald Bill” Henshaw of Yankee Tattoo on Pearl Street notes that professional tattoo artists, unlike students who stick and poke, are trained to avoid bloodborne diseases and understand how to work with skin. Though he doesn’t pass judgment on those who like stick and pokes, he recommends that those seeking a tattoo find a professional whose work they admire. He has been tattooing for over 40 years and takes pride in his work. As a former commercial artist, he now enjoys working on the human body as a canvas for art. “I make people happy with my art every day,” he said. “That’s the best part of what I do.” He says that he’ll often see
clients lack confidence when they first arrive at the shop, but light up after they receive a tattoo that means a lot to them. Henshaw fiercely disputes the idea that people who get tattoos are destined to regret them. He also doesn’t think that tattoos have to be beautiful to be valid. Even if a tattoo isn’t necessarily gorgeous as an art form or if it sparks judgment from others, it can be meaningful to its owner, he said. For some students, a tattoo can be part of asserting an identity. “When I came out as gay, I wanted something funny and phallic to be on my body,” Senior Jack Goldman said. Reluctant to get an overtly phallic symbol tattooed on himself, he chose a more subtle symbol to get inked. “I went with a banana because they are one of my favorite fruits and they are still phallic,” he said. For sophomore Madi Long, a tattoo of a lighter on her ankle, a matching tattoo with two close friends from her hometown, helps her stay close to them while she’s studying at UVM. She and her friends spontaneously went to a tattoo shop over winter break, picked the lighter design and added a heart to it. “When people ask me about it, I tell them I got it for my friends who are the lights of my life, and it reminds me of them whenever I look at it,” she said. Long’s mother was skeptical of the design, telling her that she wouldn’t be able to wear skirts anymore without tights to cover the tattoo up. Despite this, Long loves her tattoo, its meaning and how it looks. “You shouldn’t regret tattoos,” she said. “You wanted to get a tattoo in a certain time period of your life. It’s a reminder of who you’ve been.”
The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
SPORTS
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Scoreless on the ice prior to overtime Stephan Toljan stoljan@uvm.edu
Men’s hockey goalie Stefanos Lekkas, a junior, stopped all shots Feb. 22 during regulation minutes as the team tried to secure their playoff spot. Lekkas stopped all of the goal attempts by Boston University during three periods of regulation. The Bobcats scored the only goal of the game in overtime minutes. The men’s hockey team played Boston University Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 and lost both games, according to UVM athletics. The Feb. 22 1-0 loss means UVM won’t qualify for the playoffs, but they have two games left in their regular season, head coach Kevin Sneddon said. UVM also lost to BU Feb. 23 2-1, according to UVM athletics. Despite this loss, by the end of the third period of the Feb. 22 game, junior goalie Stefanos Lekkas had stopped all 40 shots-on-goal by BU. Sneddon said that the team will still bring everything they have to the ice. “We’re a very hard-working group,” he said. “We’re going to play our hearts out for the next two games.” BU led UVM in shots 5-1 eight minutes into the Feb. 22 game in a lead that would continue for the rest of the game. A BU player drove to the net, but junior defenseman Jake Massie kept the puck out. Richard Vlaicu, a Vermont fan from Ottawa, Ontario, said that he was enjoying the game.
STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic
Junior defenseman Matt O’Donnell fights for the puck against the glass during UVM’s Feb. 23 game against Boston University. UVM played two games against BU on Friday and Saturday but lost both. “It’s been a good game [so far],” he said. “It’s very fast, very physical hockey. We are used to seeing the Canadian league.” UVM closed out the first period with three saves, two from Lekkas and one from Massie. The first power play came three minutes into the game when UVM sophomore defenseman Christian Evers was penalized for slashing. UVM was able to prevent them from scoring, but BU led in shots 17-7.
Vermont’s first power play came five minutes later. Following a UVM shot attempt, both forward Liam Coughlin, a senior, and forward Alex Esposito, a sophomore, fought with BU players. Coughlin was penalized for roughing, giving Boston another power play. Lekkas ended the period with a save. After three minutes into the third period, BU gained control and made two scoring drives.
Lekkas then saved both shots. Twelve minutes into the period, Lekkas made a save and gained a standing ovation from the crowd. The officials examined the shot and ruled it as a no-goal. First-year Vanessa Dykstra, a pep band member, said she enjoys playing the trumpet at the games. “We play short cheers for in between plays, but also contemporary artists,” she said. “There are so many songs we play.”
During the five-minute overtime period, Sneddon pulled Lekkas and put another player on the ice. Ten seconds later, BU gained possession and scored. Sneddon said that although he and the team were disappointed with the loss, he was proud of his players. “They put great effort into tonight’s game and they were awesome in practice,” he said. UVM’s next game is March 1 at the University of Connecticut.
Lacrosse wins weekend game and maintains record Nickie Morris nrmorris@uvm.edu
In front of a packed and noisy crowd Feb. 23 at Virtue Field, the UVM men’s lacrosse team beat the Quinnipiac University 20-10. The Bobcats entered the game with five of their seniors, four of whom are starters, suspended for violating student conduct policy involving alcohol and hazing, according to an October 2018 NBC article. Vermont Head Coach Chris Feifs said the seniors’ absence didn’t change UVM’s plan of attack entering the game. “It didn’t affect our planning a lot because I think they have talented young guys,” Feifs said. “I think for them it probably lead to a little inconsistency which bailed us out a little bit with some of our mistakes.” The game began with a quick 2-1 Vermont lead in the first two minutes, with goals by senior midfielder Jack Knight and first-year midfielder Thomas McConvey. The pair scored two more goals each during the quarter, both unassisted from the left
PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic
First-year Michael Giaquinto trips over a Quinnipiac University defender’s lacrosse stick Feb. 23. UVM beat Quinnipiac 20-10. corner. Thomas McConvey’s twin brother, Jonathon, is also a first-year midfielder on the team who scored later in the game. Just before the end of the first period with the score at 6-2, first-year attacker David Closterman slid out-of-bounds while chasing a ball that almost left the field. Closterman passed the ball to Knight, who immediately scored unassisted with a hat
trick, the third of his college lacrosse career, according to UVM athletics. The score quickly rose to 7-4 in the second period when Vermont called for a timeout after two consecutive Quinnipiac goals. Seeming refreshed from the break, Jonathon McConvey scored, as did junior midfielder Liam Rischmann seconds later. Going into halftime, the score was 10-5. After five more UVM goals in
the third period, senior defender Warren Jeffrey crashed hard into another Vermont player sending both to the ground and gave the Bobcats a goal. Jeffrey was a high school teammate of the McConvey brothers, according to UVM athletics. Jeffrey rose very slowly and limped off the field with an athletic trainer, but Feifs said after the game the team suffered no injuries. After Jeffrey’s fall, the Catamounts rallied for five more goals to end the game, including two by senior midfielder Bryan Cahill. Feifs was pleased by the team’s second highest scoring game of the season. “I’m proud of the team today and most proud of the fact that we went perfect in the clearing game, that’s a focus right now,” Feifs said. The highest scoring game the team did have this season came against the University of Utah in their first game Feb. 1, according to UVM athletics. He also believed that Quinnipiac was not at their finest during the game.
“I don’t think we got to see the full power of Quinnipiac today, but that’s out of our control and we just try to play the best that we can every week,” Feifs said. UVM’s win left Quinnipiac with a 0-3 record. Last season, they had a 9-6 record, according to the Quinnipiac lacrosse website. Although the Catamounts 3-1 record is strong, it does not quite compare to the first seven games in a row that they won to start last year’s season. The team’s 12-4 overall record last year leaves much to live up to, despite falling short in the America East tournament. It was still their best record of this decade, according to UVM athletics. This season will bring just three more home games, despite nine regular season games remaining. The next men’s lacrosse game is at noon March 2 at Boston University. The men’s lacrosse players could not be reached for comment. 0
SPORTS
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The Vermont Cynic
Feb. 26, 2019
MADDY DEGELSMITH/The Vermont Cynic
Interim Head Coach Alisa Kresge was appointed after Chris Day resigned in April 2018. The team has found much success under her leadership, earning the most wins they’ve had in one season this decade.
Coach inspires program growth Under new leadership, women’s basketball has won more games this season Nickie Morris nrmorris@uvm.edu
This season, women’s basketball already has the most wins they’ve had in one season this decade, according to UVM athletics. So far, the team is 11-16 with just one regular season game remaining, according to UVM athletics. Former women’s basketball head coach Chris Day resigned in April 2018, according to a Cynic article from that month. Since Alisa Kresge was appointed as interim head coach, the women’s basketball team has shifted its philosophy, leading it to success. She also runs a summer basketball camp at UVM where first through 12th grade girls can learn and improve their basketball skills from Division I players, according to the camp’s website. Next season, the team does
have six new confirmed recruits that will also start practicing with the other members of the team this summer, Kresge said. The women’s basketball team will stay in Burlington for most of the summer for training and getting into shape, she said. Kresge motivates her players during practices, forward Hanna Crymble, a junior, said, and there’s a strong focus on improving the team’s defense. The results of the upcoming games could put them as high as third place in their America East division, or at worst, in fifth, according to the America East website. Despite this success, Kresge said that she focuses on the present and extends this view to the rest of the team. “We’re trying to look at it one day at a time, but of course the playoffs are coming,” Kresge said. “The big thing for us is we’re trying to finish strong,
keep confidence going into whatever the situation is and keep getting better until then.” The Catamounts have won six of their last 10 games, all of which have been against Amer-
“We’ve just become more confident and we’ve grown as a team.” Guard Josie Larkins ica East conference opponents, according to UVM athletics. Their remaining game is against No. 3 Stony Brook University March 2 in Stony Brook, New York, according to UVM athletics.
Despite this upcoming challenging conference game, Kresge said that she is confident and enthusiastic about the UVM women’s basketball program. “I really like what I’m able to do with our players,” she said. “I think [the players] understand how intense I am on the court and they’re doing all that we ask of them, which is really the best you can ask for.” In addition to the higher standard of play, Kresge’s time at the helm has also been highlighted by new hires on the coaching staff. Assistant coaches TJ Sawyer and Eileen Van Horn were both brought in by Kresge, and Dominique Bryant joined in 2017, while Kresge was an assistant coach. The all-time leader in assists at Marist College as a player, Kresge came to UVM after assistant coaching there for seven years, according to UVM athlet-
ics. While a senior at Marist Univeristy in Poughkeepsie, New York, Kresge and her team made the 2007 NCAA March Madness tournament, losing to the number one seeded University of Tennessee, according to the Marist basketball website. Crymble has watched Kresge’s transition from assistant coach to head coach and said that she is pleased with the team’s turnaround. “We’re still really excited about her, she’s a great coach who cares about all of us and she knows how to individualize our practices and push each one of us,” she said. “Spirits are high on our team.” Guard Josie Larkins, a sophomore, said that she enjoys the overall improvement of the team. “We’ve just become more confident and we’ve grown as a team,” she said.