Vermont Cynic Spring 2014 Issue 22

The Vermont

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Burlington

CYNIC

See the spectacle on page 5

The University of Vermont’s independent voice since 1883

W e d n e s d a y, M a r c h 1 9 , 2 0 1 4 – Vo l u m e 1 3 0 I s s u e 2 2 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

HALF SNOW DAY

Professor discloses GPAs in message Sarah Olsen Assistant News Editor

Page 2 ERIN LUCEY The Vermont Cynic

Senior Heather Peatman skis back from class outside of Bailey-Howe March 13. Many students skied around campus during the snowstorm. This was the first time since 2007 that UVM has delayed school due to snow. Some professors canceled all of their classes for the day.

Budget will make cuts, limit tuition Alexander Collingsworth Staff Writer The administration is currently drafting the budget for the fiscal year 2015 that will introduce budget cuts that could affect departments and students across campus.

In order to close the almost $7 million budget gap predicted for FY15 there will be almost “across the board” budget cuts, SGA president Connor Daley said.

But administrative and business units will shoulder most of the burden, according to provost David Rosowsky’s incentive based budgeting website.

“We have a tendency at UVM to cut the tips off of everybody’s fingers instead of saying, ‘okay, this finger is basically dead and is costing Like us on Facebook

T h e Ve r m o n t C y n i c

everyone. Let’s just chop that General Fund Spending Categories one off.’ That way we can actually invest in the other fingers,” Daley said.

The administration said that they are trying to cut in a “fair way” while coming up with new ways to make money.

“We are in the final stages Financial Aid 24.1% of developing a plan for a balanced budget for FY15,” said Richard Cate, treasurer and Wages & Salaries 38% vice president for finance.

Service 4.6% bt De The board of trustees’ bud% get, finance and investment y 2.4 Energ committee will be reviewing the final draft of the plan April Operating & Library 14, at which time it will be Aquisitions 1.9% Equipment Benefits 14.8% available to the public, he said.

12.8% Rosowsky said that there were less budget cuts this year than last year.

The goal is to lower costs and increase efficiency while Graduate Stipends 1.4% limiting the cost of tuition, ac-

See BUDGET on page 3 Follow us on Instagram

@VERMONTCYNIC

Graphic By Ashlin Ballif

F o l l o w u s o n Tw i t t e r

@ Ve r m o n t C y n i c

Visit us online

w w w. v e r m o n t c y n i c . c o m

A UVM professor made a mistake March 12 that not only violates student privacy but also a federal act.

Professor Jane Kolodinsky sent out an email to the entire Community Development Applied Economics (CDAE) student listserv that contained the GPAs of all the seniors in the school, according to a follow up email she sent.

Senior Eva Wimberley was one of the students whose GPA was on the spreadsheet.

“Honestly I had a lot going on,” Wimberley said. “But I know some people were upset.”

Kolodinsky said she meant to send the email to the CDAE faculty members only, according to the follow up email.

“This is a technological nightmare and beyond,” Kolodinsky said. “All I can ask at this point is for all students who receive this email to delete it immediately and honestly.”

Kolodinsky violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as FERPA. In order for a school to release a student’s records they must have permission, according to the act.

“We are taking all the appropriate steps to fix this problem,” Enrique Corredera, director of communications said.

The steps include following the protocol outlined in the policy, reaching out to all the affected individuals and takings steps to minimize risk of a similar future incident, he said.

“We are working with the CDAE to maybe sort their listservs into folders rather than just as email addresses so that the mistake does not happen again,” he said.

This is not the only listserv error in recent weeks.

An email was sent to the UVM students’ listserv from the registrar office regarding fall 2014 classroom assignments for faculty, according to the email.

No one from the registrar office could be reached for comment.

Wa t c h C y n i c V i d e o

w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / c y n i c v i d e o

2

N EWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

The Cynic Investigates drug abuse on campus: Part two

Adderall used more often as academic aid Taylor Delahanty Staff Writer An increasing number of students at UVM and nationwide have turned to prescription drugs to improve their focus and academic performance.

Earlier this year, President Sullivan sent an email to the UVM community detailing what he said were the facts and implications of “high risk behavior.”

Such actions that were mentioned were “excessive” drinking, smoking marijuana and the illegal use of prescription drugs, namely Adderall and other ADHD medications.

“You definitely hear of some kids using those kinds of things to help study and/or write papers,” junior Kendall Sweeney said.

President Sullivan outlined his plan to work with the National College Health Improvement Program in the email.

His goal is to generate data on the statistics of high-risk drinking and drug use at the University.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 20 percent of all boys receives a diagnosis of ADHD by the time they turn 18,” a Feb.18 article from an issue of the New York Times

stated.

Kelly Thorne, assistant director for prevention & community-based services at the UVM center for counseling and psychiatry services answered questions about Adderall use at UVM. “The non-medical use of prescription stimulants has been on the rise for teens and college students,” Thorne said.

“Full time college-aged students are twice as likely to have used Adderall for non-medical purposes in the past year than their peers who are not fulltime college students,” she said.

Based on AlcoholEdu 2013 data collected from first-year students at the midway point of first semester, 5.6 percent indicated that they have used prescription stimulants, Thorne said.

“Mainly because teens and college students believe that these drugs will help boost academic performance and/or enhance their learning,” she said.

UVM has a policy on the illegal use of prescription drugs and the implications if you are caught using or distributing them on campus.

“We don’t generally arrest for illegal, non-prescribed use even though possessing any prescription drug not prescribed to you is technically a

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY WALKER SULTZBACH

Some students are using prescription drugs such as Adderall in an attempt to boost their academic performance. In an email to the student body, President Sullivan expressed concern about the trend. crime,” UVM police chief Lianne Tuomey said.

“We refer people to student conduct which generally includes referral for drug abuse/ addiction assessment,” she said.

Vermont has adopted the federal Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) classification scheme under the federal

Wash Spot Laundromat OPEN 24 HOURS 7 DAYS/WK 207 Riverside Ave, Burlington Next to Newton’s Carwash, 1/2 Mile from UVM

Will match any value put on Wash Card OVER $20 and up to a $50 Match with student I.D. See website for details.

STUDENTS MUST EMAIL US FOR THE MATCH TO BE MADE TO YOUR WASH CARD High Extraction Washers = Less Dry time 8 Load Washers - $10.39 5 Load Washers - $6.19 3 Load Washers - $3.54 2 Load Washers - $2.14 Wash-Dry-Fold Service FREE Wi-Fi (bring your laptops) Accepts Credit and Debit Cards www. thewashspot.com

clean@thewashspot.com

Controlled Substances Act. The act divides CDS into five ‘Schedules,’ Tuomey said.

The consequences for illegal use or distribution of prescription drugs, as decided on by the state of Vermont, can become very serious she said.

Fines range from up to $2,000 for possessing less than 100 times the benchmark dos-

age to $500,000 for 10,000 times the benchmark dosage.

Jail or prison terms range from up to one year in jail, to up to 20 years in prison, Tuomey said.

These drugs are reported to be prevalent at the University and it is going to take quite a bit of work to bring the numbers down, Sullivan said.

Sullivan delays start Hannah Kearns Assistant News Editor Cars were stuck in the street, snow drifts reached seven feet tall and some students found it easier to ski to campus for their half-day of classes.

Students were awoken on the morning of March 13 by a CatAlert informing them that classes and offices would be closed until noon due to a severe winter storm.

“I was very surprised because UVM never cancels,” first-year Rozy Isquith said.

The last time that the campus was closed due to snow was the Valentine’s Day storm in 2007, said Gary Derr, vice president for executive operations.

At the time campus was closed starting at 12 p.m.

Feb.14, and didn’t open until 6 a.m. Feb.16.

There was also a delayed opening March 11, 2011, he said.

Kailee Brickner-McDonald, director of the Dewey House for Civic Engagement said she had a tough walk in to work on Thursday.

“It was hard to navigate on foot from one mile down Winooski hill,” McDonald said.

“There were cars spinning out, it was a mess.”

McDonald said she would have expected campus to be closed for the full day, a sentiment shared by senior Jessica Cohen.

“All of my classes were can-

celled but it still would have been nice for campus to be closed for the whole day,” Cohen said.

Professor Patrick Neal sent an email to his political science class, stating that a half snow day was the worst possibility.

“Anticipating a snow day is one of the great pleasures of human existence,” the email stated. “To have one’s hopes crushed by no cancellation is bad, but half-a-snowday is just rubbing it in.”

Because campus was closed until noon, it was confusing for students to know if their 11:30 a.m. classes were cancelled; which started before, but ended after 12 p.m., Cohen said.

Some professors teach multiple sections of the same class, making it more difficult to keep the different sections in line.

Professor Erik Ruggles, however, said it was not much different than the MLK or Presidents’ Day holidays.

“You want to keep the classes at the same pace,” he said.

“With good timing though, it is manageable.”

Ruggles was more concerned with the conditions that some professors had to deal with on their drive to campus.

“A lot of UVM faculty and staff commute from areas where a lot more snow was received along with severe drifing,” he said. “I would have gone with a full-day, but the don’t pay me the big bucks for that type of decision.”

n ews

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

Support of drivers voiced Hannah Kearns Assistant News Editor “The drivers make the bus go ‘round and round. Fair contracts now,” shouted dozens of protestors March 14 to picket in support of local Chittenden County Transit Authority (CCTA) bus drivers.

The picketers held the rally at the corner of Church Street and Cherry Street in support a fair contract for the drivers.

The bus drivers said they have been concerned about long work hours on split shifts, during which they said they become tired and more at risk of accidents.

They also said that they were “worried” that the recent push by the CCTA to add more part-time drivers may threaten their jobs, according to an article in Seven Days Feb. 19.

“I showed up here because UVM relies on the CCTA bus drivers,” junior Emily Roland said.

“It’s an integral function of UVM, so I think having support and solidarity with the bus drivers is really important if we’re going to get people from downtown and faculty and staff to campus,” she said.

Roland said she thinks that it is “completely unfair” how the drivers have to work long shifts with little to no bathroom breaks and be “humiliated by the people in charge.”

BUdget Budget being drafted for fiscal year 2015 ...continued from page 1

ERIN LUCEY The Vermont Cynic

Residents hold a protest in support of the CCTA bus drivers on Cherry Street March 14. The drivers are on strike as of Monday.

She believes that people shouldn’t have to work under those conditions.

“The drivers are just tired of being treated like children, like they don’t exist,” Chuck Norris-Brown, a retired CCTA bus driver said.

Norris-Brown said he believes that the drivers and the management need to talk to each other one on one about the issues at hand.

“I can tell you, you can just change 10 sentences in that contract and it would be acceptable to the drivers, it’s not that hard,” he said. “And if you were a manager that was really caring about your drivers and

your image in the public, that’s the first thing you would do.”

Participating in the rally was an opportunity for the UVM community to stand together and fight for workers’ rights, sophomore Sophia Hoffacker said.

“Lots of UVM students and staff depend on the busses to get to and from school everyday and to get where they need to go,” Hoffacker said.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous that the people who work hard to keep us safe on the bus are being treated unfairly by their bosses,” she said.

cording to the Incentive Based Budgeting website.

The cost of providing benefits to faculty and staff is expected to rise by around $4 million, according to the UVM website.

This is in part because of the Affordable Care Act, according to the website.

On the other side of the equation, the University is receiving about $1 million less than it usually does from indirect cost recovery and administrative costs from federal research grants.

For every grant that a faculty member gets from a national institute or agency, a certain percentage is skimmed off of it and goes toward the University, Daley said.

Up to 49 percent of a grant can be taken by the University for covering the administrative and upkeep costs of a project, he said.

The administration was authorized in February to move to a Cost Plus health insurance plan, which will avoid a $1.4 million a year increase in premiums, Cate said.

“The cost of health insurance and other benefits are expected to increase next year and we hope to increase wages and salaries for faculty and staff,” he said

Currently the University is in negotiations with the faculty union, United Academics, Cate and Rosowsky said.

Both men said that they could not comment on the issues of salaries and benefits in detail while negotiations were in progress.

The Provost said that there are three major issues which include salaries and benefits, limiting the cost of tuition and providing financial aid to students.

“Salaries and benefits comprise the majority of expenses at the University so they are always a major consideration,” he said.

The administration is also focused on ensuring access and affordability by limiting tuition increases and continuing their investment in financial aid, Rosowsky said.

The University also has an eye on building new residence halls, he said.

“We are about to issue a request for a proposal to create a partnership with a private developer who would present a plan for developing and funding a new residence hall to replace Chittenden-BuckhamWills,” the Provost said.

“I am confident that we will have a balanced FY15 budget to present to the board of trustees this spring,” Rosowsky said.

CRIME LOG Lauren Drasler Staff Writer

March 11 2:42 a.m.

A custodial supervisor at the Patrick-Forbush-Gutterson complex on Athletic Campus called police services after he/ she asked a person to leave the area.

The caller stated that he/ she had observed a person using a laptop in a lounge area of the building.

The person became angry and the caller wasn’t sure if the person actually left.

When police arrived, the officers searched the area, but no one was found, and no further incident was reported.

7:09 a.m.

An employee working in the Waterman building on Central Campus contacted police services after seeing a car parked in the parking lot of Waterman for the second day in a row.

The employee called the police because he/she had never seen the car prior to observing it for two days.

Upon investigation, however, it was discovered that the owner of the car was a woman who was dropping her husband off for work in Waterman.

6:40 p.m.

On a nighty patrol, an officer observed a student smoking marijuana near the Redstone Lofts parking garage. As the officer approached the student, the students “tossed” what they were smoking.

Nothing was confiscated from the student since the marijuana had already been smoked by the time the officer arrived.

9:47 p.m.

Officers responded to a fire alarm that went off in the Wing-Davis-Wilks complex on Redstone Campus. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the alarm was caused by students who had burnt food that they were making. No further incident was reported.

March 13 2:47 p.m.

Hall staff in the U-Heights South 2 complex on Athletic Campus contacted police services after smelling an odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room in the building.

When police arrived, they were unable to locate the source of the odor so the cause remained unfounded.

3

TUFTS SUMMER SESSION 2014 prepare. eXpanD. Develop.

school of arts and sciences | school of engineering

Three sessions: May 21–June 27 | July 1–augusT 8 | May 21–augusT 8 go.tufts.edu/summer

College and Pre-College Programs Day & Evening Classes Affordable Tuition Outstanding Tufts Faculty Online Courses

Life

Whitfield’s book gathers residents Carter Williams Staff Writer A crowd ranging in all ages gathered March 13, to hear about the history of slavery in Vermont and slaves’ journey to freedom.

Dr. Harvey Amani Whitfield, associate professor of history, spoke at Phoenix Books.

“Dr. Whitfield has a way of using his humor, charm and truth to make you think about history and its importance in how we see our world today,” Hope Bauman, Whitfield’s former student, said.

In his book, “The Problem of Slavery in Early Vermont, 1777-1810,” Whitfield explained how emancipation was a 30-year process.

“The 13th Amendment [to the U.S. Constitution] didn’t end slavery,” he said.

During the 30-year period after slavery was abolished in Vermont, freed former slaves faced the constant threat of being illegally sold out to owners out of the state.

They were sold to mostly the southern states and to owners in Montreal, Whitfield said.

Residents Dan Nissenbaum and Jan Mueller, attended Whitfield’s talk.

“He forces you to expel your judgments in order to make you really think about what was really going on.”

Jan Mueller Resident

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Dr. Harvey Amani Whitfield poses for a photo in his office March 14. Whifield is an associate professor of history at UVM. He held a lecture about the history of slavery in Vermont at Phoenix Books March 13.

The two spoke about the delusional mental state that people during the emancipation period found solace in.

Such topics they discussed regarded the realities behind the emancipation process.

“That just acts as this excuse to continue the same institutions, even though

they’re not legal,” Nissenbaum said.

Another threat for former slaves was being held by their Vermont masters, who wouldn’t grant them their rightful liberties as free persons, even after the abolition of slavery.

“It seems like sometimes we assume that [the blatant disregard for laws protect-

ing emancipation] are stories,” Nissenbaum said.

Bauman also mentioned a memorable quote of Whitfield’s that she remembered from class.

“The thing about the history of slavery in the United States is that we tend to judge the people from the past, and their worldview according to what is per-

ceived as morally right today,” he said.

“What we should try to do is understand them by accepting that they were human, and that their ideas made sense of the world in which they lived,’” she said.

Bauman said that she thinks this is what makes Dr. Whitfield, his class and his book “brilliant.”

“He forces you to expel your judgments in order to make you think about what was really going on,” she said.

At the end of the lecture, the audience spoke out about how “unbelievable” they thought the disregard for emancipation laws were in Vermont.

“It somehow strikes me that maybe their perception of it was that it was not slavery,” Nissenbaum said.

Weekly Health Corner

Burn fat for spring Molly Ziegler

according to Health Media Ventures.

Try oatmeal, barley and quinoa for their added fiber benefits.

Green Tea Despite the recent winter blizzard, the first day of spring is upon us, according to the calendar anyway.

While I’m sure we’re all eager to put our down jackets away for the season, the transition to a spring wardrobe can be a daunting one.

Our bodies have been in a state of hibernation for the past six months.

The extra layer our bodies have accumulated this winter isn’t exactly conducive to wearing crop tops and mini skirts.

Getting back in tip-top shape is never easy, but in addition to a little time at the gym.

These fat-burning foods will have you reaching for those short-shorts in no time.

Whole Grains Your body burns twice as many calories digesting whole foods than it does digesting processed foods,

The consumption of green tea promotes shedding pounds, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

EGCG, a compound found in green tea, speeds metabolism and can contribute to weight loss.

Cinnamon This spice is not only tasty, but boasts numerous health benefits.

Cinnamon increases insulin production in the body, which regulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

The spice also reduces LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol in the body.

This helps to prevent against cardiovascular disease, according to Organic Authority.

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

S p ectac le

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 , 2014

Spectacle

a look through the lens

Top: Rebecca Rogers, singer of “Everybody’s Favorite Irish Drinking Song Band,” performs at Red Square March 17.

Middle left: Buck Shepherd of “Everybody’s Favorite Irish Drinking Song Band” plays the harmonica at Red Square March 17.

Bottom left: Senior Eoin Kenny lays on the ground on South Willard Street March 17.

Bottom Right: Junior Steve Gregory stands on a snow bank on South Willard Street March 17.

PHOTOS BY Victoria Cassar

5

This poet bares all Dana Burns Cynic Correspondent A visiting poet stood barefoot before an audience at Living and Learning March 14 to share her own original pieces and promote her new book.

Clementine Von Radics, of Portland, Ore., was joined by local poets, consisting of both students and residents.

The event was hosted by sophomore Maxx Vick, who introduced the various acts throughout the show.

“It’s cool to see that kind of thing from a community of writers and poets, everyone being really supportive and having different [things] to share,” he said.

Von Radics has recently been visiting various cities across the country promoting her new book, “Home.”

The night opened with performances from local artists.

They combined their spoken words with other mediums, such as guitar and synthesizer.

“I was very impressed by the talent displayed, and the variety kept it interesting,” sophomore Claire Spies said.

One act that Spies said she particularly enjoyed was a performer who integrated the ‘Twilight Zone’ theme song into their poem.

Resident Claude Mumbere also performed his own original works as well as the poem “A Dream Deferred”

by Langston Hughes.

Senior Alex Griffin then presented a number of poems that he wrote while visiting New York City.

“I was very excited that there was this huge array of styles and voices that showed up to be involved, and everyone got a positive reaction,” Vick said.

Von Radics then fol-

“She was just very honest and sincere, which made it so much easier to connect with her and her work.”

Claire Spies Sophomore lowed, barefoot and equipped with only a copy of her book “Home.”

She confessed to the crowd that she had misplaced her set list in Boston and would thus be performing an impromptu set of her favorite pieces.

“She addressed the audience humbly,” Spies said.

“There was no pretention or sense of superiority,” she said. “She was just very honest and sincere, which made it so much easier to connect with her and her work.”

Von Radics performed poems that spanned an array of topics from her love of Portland to her struggle with maintaining a long-distance relationship.

“There was a great mix of light-hearted, as well as intensely personal poems,” first-year Sarah Proulx said.

At the end of the show, Von Radics sold copies of her new book and spoke with fans of her work.

“Clementine is a poet who does her best to get intimate and close with her audience,” Vick said.

“I was really happy to have her here all the way from Portland. It was a great time for everyone who came,” he said.

Launch your international career through Peace Corps service

PEACE CORPS AT UVM Tuesday, March 18

INFORMATION SESSION

4:30pm to 6:30pm Dean’s Conference Room Morrill Hall

ARTS

An unusual musical Alana Smith Staff Writer “Urinetown” tells a tale of “unlikely love,” capitalist greed and a Marxist revolution in a world havocked by drought.

In the play, townspeople are forced by environmental circumstance, as well as police state over-sight, to do “their duty” in public toilets.

As the character of Bobby, played by junior Andrew Fusco, said, “[You can’t] pee for free.”

Wayne Tetrick, marketing and outreach coordinator for the Royall Tyler Theatre, said, “Bobby, he’s so good.”

“Urinetown” itself, as the character of Little Sally, played by sophomore Kaitie Bessette, said, “is a metaphysical place.”

When the evil businessmen of Urine Good Company dispose of political non-conformists they say they are being hauled off to Urinetown.

Meanwhile, the revolution is literally driven underground, as Bobby Strong and his followers camp out in the sewers.

The UVM theater department opted to have sets with few props, indicating scene changes with only projected backdrops.

One scene, depicting a police search at night, is portrayed with the stage in complete darkness with the exception of a handful of patrolling flashlights.

Authoritarian messages appear on the set’s backdrop during scene changes. One warned, “Charging fees as we please is our right. It’s not wrong.”

Wednesday night’s dress rehearsal audience laughed at the musical’s banter and physical comedy, such as when the character of Penelope Pennywise, played by senior Hope Salvan, threat-

ened, “If you gotta go, you gotta go through me.”

“It was a fantastic production with an equally talented cast,” sophomore Rachel Feins said. “Everything was done exceptionally well — sound, lights and the live band.”

“Urinetown,” the musical, opened at the Royall Tyler Theatre March 13 and will close March 23. Specific dates and times are available at uvmtheatre.org.

Those who choose to attend the musical March 20 will also be treated to a postshow discussion on topics of water usage and water is-

sues awareness.

The talk will utilize conditions depicted in the play to achieve environmentally conscious ends, Tetrick said.

The show’s director, Gregory Ramos, will lead the talk, along with Eric Howe, an environmental analyst with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

Neil Kamman, a program manager in the watershed management division at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and Liz Royer, a source protection specialist for the Vermont Rural Water Association, will also participate.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNE TETRICK

Members of the cast of “Urinetown” perform during rehearsal. The play is about unlikely love, capitalist greed and a Marxist revolution. “Urinetown” opened at the Royall Tyler Theatre March 13.

Cynic picks

DJ “Sho Sho” shares trio of tracks Sadie Holliday, DJ name “Sho Sho,” has two shows on WRUV. One, which she co-hosts with DJ Aqua Marina, called “Shollida’s Palace,” that airs Thursdays 4 p.m. through 6 p.m.

Her solo show, “Do I Make You Feel Shy?” airs Fridays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Learn more from UVM Peace Corps representative Sierra Poske! peace.corps@uvm.edu

Peace Corps peacecorps.gov - 855.855.1961

H 1 2 3 4 5 Song: I’m Jerry, Right?

Artist: Jerry Paper Album: “Feels Emotions” (Patient Sounds)

Song: Rodas 1916 Artist: Tonstartssbandht Album: “Now I Am Become” (Arbutus Records)

Song: Do I Make You Feel Shy? Artist: Connan Mockasin Album: “Caramel” (Mexican Summer)

A RTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

7

CashorTrade tackling ticket crisis Jacob Holzman Assistant Arts Editor Have you ever wondered why concert tickets can sell out so fast?

Burlington start-up CashorTrade has the answer and aims to provide a solution to this problem.

CashorTrade was started in 2009 by brothers, Brando and Dusty Rich, after they tried to buy tickets to see their favorite band, Phish.

In the process they discovered a problem. The show they wanted to go to had sold out almost instantly once the tickets went on sale.

What the brothers found was that scalpers were getting their hands on huge amounts of tickets by using scalping programs and selling tickets for prices much higher than their original value.

“When everyone else is sitting by their computer clicking to get them, there’s [scalpers] that are just scraping thousands of tickets off the top,” Dusty said.

“Then they turn around and go to places like StubHub, where they can sell them for way above face value,” he said.

For them, they created CashorTrade as a means to fix a problem they said was “ridiculous.”

They crafted a free trade

online market that they said would “benefit all parties involved.”

The brothers said they believe the negatives go beyond the fans paying more.

In addition, bands end up playing to technically soldout shows that have empty seats because of the scalping programs, the duo said.

As well, the concert vendors end up not profiting as much as they could be.

“The artists lose, the vendors lose and the fans lose,” Dusty said.

“But the scalpers gain,” Brando said.

CashorTrade is a grassroots organization and fairtrade marketplace that helps users buy, sell and trade concert tickets.

Tickets are sold at face value to eliminate ticket scalpers and steep prices, said Gabi Natale, an intern at the organization.

The community and inner working of CashorTrade functions by allowing a user to find a post or an ad on the site with someone who is willing to sell their ticket at its original price.

Both users “commit” to the trade, thus making the deal final.

Payment is made through whatever means the buyer and seller agree on, whether it be in-person trading or by PayPal. After the transaction,

“When everyone else is sitting by their computer clicking to get them, there’s [scalpers] that are just scraping thousands of tickets off the top.”

Dusty Rich CashorTrade co-founder both users can rate each other’s reliability, giving them what Dusty called a “tangible karma.”

“People work hard to get a positive review, “If they show that they sold, let’s say, a New Year’s Eve show ticket for face value, when other people see that on their reviews they’ll be like, ‘Oh, that guy’s awesome — they could’ve scalped his ticket but they didn’t,’” Brando said.

He particularly sees the immediate incentives for people to use the site as less important than the way in which it can solve the problem on a grander scale.

All in all, the brothers said they see this site as being most useful to students, as, to them, “they cannot afford the markup.”

Visit cashortrade.org to use the site and see what it has to offer.

Fresh spin on forgotten film Michael Swain Staff Writer One man’s trash is another man’s Found Footage Festival.

As bored high school students in Wisconsin, Joe Picket and Nick Prueher began searching local garage sales for “buried treasures,” in the form of home videos.

Starting in 2004 the duo began turning their collection into a live comedy tour, which is set to come to Higher Ground March 23.

“In the ‘80s and ‘90s anyone with a pulse could put out a video even if they had no business doing so,” Prueher said.

This ease of amateur video production is what inspired them to start the Found Footage Festival.

“When there was nothing going on, which was most of the time, we’d have friends over, watch videos and make jokes,” Prueher said.

This is the experience the duo said they aim to produce with their live shows.

“The thing it recreates is sitting around in a living room popping in someone’s weird videos,” Prueher said.

To accomplish this, Picket and Prueher said they use an “informal approach” to

introduce themselves and the story behind each find.

“It’s like a guided tour for our video collection,” Prueher said. “We’re going to be watching some really weird videos.”

Once they started touring, Picket and Prueher were able to hit garage sales and thrift stores on the road.

“By touring we sustain the show by finding enough footage for next year,” Prueher said.

Following last year’s tour, Prueher and Picket collected over 1200 videos.

The difficult part, they said, is sorting through

the footage once they have found it.

“It’s very much locking yourself in someone’s apartment with energy drinks and potato chips, holding hands and trying to get through it together,” Prueher said.

Looking past the junk videos and junk food binges they said they find reassurance in their results.

“You find something so great that you can’t wait to show people and you remember why you do it,” Prueher said.

See the Found Footage Festival at Higher Ground March 23 at 8 p.m.

ERIN LUCEY The Vermont Cynic

CashorTrade co-founders Dusty Rich (left) and Brando Rich meet in their office March 14. They hope to curb concert ticket scalping.

70%

of EXECUTIVES THINK ToDAY’S GRADS ARE NOT PREPARED. THE oTHEr 30% HaVE mET a BEnTLEy grad.

At Bentley University, we’ve developed an MBA program specifically for young professionals looking to jumpstart their career.

Our EmErging LEadErs mBa program delivers real-world experience through a Business Process Management field project, Corporate Immersion class and a 10-day international Global Business Experience — so you’ll be 100% prepared to make immediate contributions upon being hired.

To learn more, visit BEnTLEy.Edu/graduaTE

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL

Founders Joe Picket and Nick Prueher perform at Found Footage Festival. The comedy show is set to be at Higher Ground March 23.

Opinion EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Natalie Williams cynic@uvm.edu

802-656-0337

Managing Editor Taylor Feuss

cynicnewsroom@gmail.com

Arts

Aidan Dolbashian

cynicartseditor@gmail.com

Copy Chief

Elizabeth Bengel

cyniccopychief@gmail.com

Design

Aviva Loeb

layout.cynic@gmail.com

Distractions

Laurel Saldinger

cynicdistractions@gmail.com

Life

Danielle Goglia

cyniclifeeditor@gmail.com

Interim News Mike Eaton

cynicnews@gmail.com

Opinion

Josh Gachette

cynicopinion@gmail.com

Photo

Phoebe Sheehan

cynicphoto@gmail.com

Social Media Olivia Stewart

socialcyniceditor@gmail.com

Sports

Stu Laperle

cynicsportseditor@gmail.com

Video

Cory Dawson

cynicvideo@gmail.com

Web

Emma Murphy

vermontcynicweb@gmail.com

STAFF Assistant Editors Matt Blanchard, Jacob Holzman, Hannah Kearns, Sasha Kedzie, Walker Sultzbach, Erin Lucey, Madeleine Trtan, Seth Wade

Illustration by Vicky Mooney

Snow day or bust STAFF EDITORIAL Despite inches and inches of snow, classes continued last Thursday.

Students received a CatAlert at 5:37 a.m. informing them that University operations would be closed until noon.

As a result, students were left teased with the prospect of a snow day, yet the afternoon was filled with class as usual.

Many scheduled 11:30 a.m. classes began at noon and lasted for 45 minutes.

Some professors with multiple sections chose to cancel all classes, even those in the afternoon, so nobody would be left behind.

The Cynic thinks the administration

should have cancelled the University operations for the entire day.

Burlington faced around 18.6 inches of snow. It was one of the biggest storms in recent times.

Why tease students with only a halfday? If the weather was bad enough to begin the day late, then UVM should have simply given students the entire day off.

Additionally, for those who had class on Thursday, they saw that the clean up lasted for more than just the morning. Thus, making the reasoning for the half-day obsolete.

Students who were walking to and from campus had to do so in the streets because the sidewalks in Burlington were not plowed or salted yet.

Even professors expressed concern about the half-day.

Some addressed the fact that the University was denying students the basic joy of a snow day. Others expressed concern about their multiple courses and consistency in their schedule.

The Cynic understands that the show must go on and the administration must have wanted University operations to continue if possible, but they should have made an all or nothing decision.

Next time we hope the University makes a firm decision one way or another.

Students would have preferred a full snow day to appreciate the mass amounts of snow, even if it has to come in March.

Cynic staff quick opinions

Page Designers Ashlin Ballif, Alana Luttinger, Collin Nealon, Vivian Nicastro, Anita Para, Irene Sue, Emily Tenander, Carter Williams

Copy Editors Emily Bergen, Felicia Chu, Hunter Colvin, Sarah Evans, Chris Leone, Mariah Noth, Morgan Safford, Caitlin Trimmer, Kelly Westhelle

OPERATIONS

“Quick opinion is bad and we’re not funny.”

- Matt Banchard Assistant Video Editor

‘“Shenanigans” means ‘sly like a fox’ in Irish-Gaelic. Thanks NPR!” - Josh Gachette Opinion Editor

Operations Manager Spencer Reynolds

cynicoperations@gmail.com

Advertising/PR Manager Katie Zimmerman

cynicalads@gmail.com cynicpr@gmail.com

ADVISER Faculty Adviser

Editor’s Note: A News article in Issue 21 incorrectly stated that the email cited in the article was the frisbee team response and sent from the official frisbee team email. The article should have stated that the email shown was sent from a student through the listserv and that additional emails were sent from the official frisbee team email.

Chris Evans

crevans@uvm.edu

Unsigned editorials officially reflect the views of the Cynic and its staff. All signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so.

The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. Send letters to cynicopinion@gmail.com

First issue free, second issue 50 cents.

The Vermont Cynic 116 Dudley H. Davis Center 590 Main Street Burlington, Vt. 05405 802.656.0337 Advertising cynicalads@gmail.com 802.656.4412

Visit our website at www.vermontcynic.com 2012 Online Pacemaker 2011 Newspaper Pacemaker

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 , 2014

Syria in dire straits Sammie Ibrahaim This past weekend marked the third anniversary of the Syrian revolution.

Three years of deadly conflict have left more than 140,000 Syrians dead, more than 7,000 of them children.

One-third of the Syrian population has been displaced, creating what the United Nations calls “the worst humanitarian disaster in modern times.”

In a particularly grim milestone, the United Nations office of the high commissioner for human rights has stopped updating its Syrian civil war death toll altogether.

It is too dangerous and too difficult to verify reports.

While Syrians are being killed at an average rate of 5,000 per month, the world has remained silent.

A 72 hour oral memorial for Syria took place this past

weekend in front of the White House, in which the names of 100,000 deceased Syrians were read.

In a similar gesture, my Syrian-American friends flood Facebook daily with images of Syrian men, women and children brutally murdered by the Assad regime.

These haunting images that greet me as I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed between classes remind me that every one of those “numbers” had a

These images allow me to see the dead as people. name, a face, family and a life.

These images allow me to see the dead as people.

It allows me to resist the temptation to shrug away the statistics intended to convey the immense human suffering occurring in Syria.

As well as the refugee camps in neighboring camps.

As the civil war enters its fourth year, nothing on the

ground will change in the foreseeable future.

All sides in the conflict have seen too much death to surrender, and yet no side is strong enough to win.

And so the cycle of violence and human suffering will continue until the international community decides to put a stop to the conflict and find a political solution.

“The revolution that sprung from the primal, human desire to live has taught us instead infinite wisdom about death,” Syrian architect Lina Sergie Attar said in the March 10 New York Times.

I continue to look at the pictures of the dead on my Facebook and Twitter feeds.

I carefully study the details of their faces in an attempt to remember them.

Remembering means preserving.

These faces look outward, from the computer, toward the world.

Sammie Ibrahim is a junior political science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2012.

COMIC

Camp Morning Wood by Scott Womer

9

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Workers put the brakes on CCTA management Dear Editor, On March 17, northern Vermont bus drivers went on strike after their management stonewalled through months of negotiations.

Chittenden County Transportation Authority Drivers (CCTA) drivers and Teamsters local 597, are in a long-term battle with management over multiple concerns.

Such concerns included extended and unsafe work schedules, the expansion of part-time drivers and constant surveillance and harassment.

The attitude of company bosses toward the concerns raised by drivers about health and safety is that the drivers are there to drive, not run the company.

And workers who do raise their voices are concerned about company response.

Such responses with discipline measures have become little more than an intimidation tool.

With a practice that would make the National Security Agency and Walmart proud.

Supervisors pull tapes from random buses each day without cause in order to comb them for infractions that allow them to write up and discipline drivers.

CCTA’s schedule runs on split shifts that force drivers to work several hours in the morning and then again several hours in the evening, with about five hours of unpaid time in between.

For drivers who live outside of Burlington, they have their own set of problems.

Such examples include that they are unable to go home and often choose to sleep in their cars to make sure they are reasonably well rested for their evening shift.

Management’s demand to increase the time spread in the split shifts flies in the face of the professional experience of drivers who know that their working conditions impact the

public’s safety.

During a press conference, Rob Slingerland, a bus driver, pointed out that the majority of accidents involving CCTA buses are a result of driver fatigue.

But management, in line with speed-up imposed on workers in many industries, is not only trying to increase the length of the workday, it also wants to increase its intensity.

CCTA is creating tighter route schedules and allowing fewer breaks for the drivers. This has reached the point where several drivers have reported urinating on themselves due to an inability to take a bathroom break.

After the months of insincere contract negotiations, topping a basic failure to abide by the last contract.

Management shows no recognition of drivers’ right to a union and collective bargaining.

CCTA even wants its memos, for example, to override contract language on wages, hours and working conditions.

The drivers are not only fighting for their union’s ability to defend livable jobs, but also to defend a safe and environmentally responsible mass transit system.

Fortunately, the bus drivers are not alone.

CCTA buses service students and low-income workers with no other means of transportation.

Thus, the drivers’ issues are ones that resonate deeply in the community.

Drivers, riders and Vermont residents are mobilizing for a solidarity campaign to fight for livable jobs and make sure that management’s attempts at intimidation don’t work.

Sincerely, Nolan Rampy Psychology graduate student

Campus voices How did you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? “By getting a black eye and passing out on a Tempurpedic mattress.”

- Junior Colby Rackliff “I don’t really celebrate the holiday. I’ve been on penicillin for a while now, so I couldn’t celebrate in the traditional college way.”

- Junior Frances Lasday “Played FIFA, hung out with friends and went to bed at a reasonable time.”

- First-year Brian Boisjoli

10

B est o f B u r li n gto n

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

The Best of Burlington Every year the Vermont Cynic presents a Best of Burlington issue where we highlight the best of what this town has to offer. But we need your help.

Please fill out our survey below and write in your favorite places around town. Then please return this form to the Vermont Cynic office on the first floor of the Davis Center by Friday, March 21 or vote online at www.vermontcynic.com. Participants will be entered to win a prize.

ON-CAMPUS Best fraternity

OFF-CAMPUS EATING Best breakfast place

Best sorority

Best sandwich

Best dorm to live in

Best bagel

Best secret study spot

Best late night food

Best professor

Best cheap eats

Best on-campus bathroom

Best place to go on a date

Best unlimited dining Best points dining Most attractive building Best food truck on University Place

Best burger

Best bar food Best food cart on church street

OFF-CAMPUS STORES

OFF-CAMPUS ATTRACTIONS

Best thrift shop

Best beach

Best place to go if your parents are paying

Best local bookstore

Best non-profit

Best sushi

Best place to buy outdoor gear/apparel

Best farmers market vendor

Best ski/snowboard shop

Best up-and-coming artist

Best grocery store

Best local artist

Best jewelry store

Best ski/snowboard mountain

Best bakery

OFF-CAMPUS DRINKS Best coffee shop

Best piercing/tattoo shop Best pizza

Best weekly drink special

Best hiking spot Best clothing store

Best Mexican food

Best local beer Best shoe store

Best place if you’re a vegan or vegetarian Best Chinese food

Best Church Street performer

Best bar Best concert venue Best tea place

Best ice cream/creemee Your name:

Thanks for voting!

Winners will be announced in our Best of Burlington issue on stands April 2.

Sports

Dietary assistance absent on campus Taylor Malinosky Staff Writer An up-and-coming trend among universities nation wide is the ability to access a fulltime sports nutritionist.

As of now, varsity athletes along with all students at UVM do not have a full time sports nutritionist.

However they do have access to Candace Polzella.

Polzella works as a certified sports dietetics specialist at the Center for Health and Wellbeing.

The nutritionist works with UVM athletic trainers and the sports medicine staff to improve the wellness of the athletes and assist the team as a whole.

Polzella is available to athletes, as well as all eligible students at the University, by appointment.

She takes on the role of the sports nutritionist for UVM by holding team consultations and working with the athletic trainers.

Sports nutritionists have a wide range of duties from scheduling meals on the road, to providing individual or team dietary intake plans and much more, Marcia Bristow said.

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Students exercise in the Gucciardi Fitness and Recreation Center March 16. UVM does not have a fulltime sports nutritionist for athletes. The school does have a certified sports dietetics specialist at the Center for Health and Wellbeing. Some hope that a full-time sports nutritionist can be hired at UVM. Bristow is a registered dietitian and lecturer of sports nutrition at UVM. Bristow also encourages students of all athletic abilities to take the sports nutrition

class that is offered at the University.

“Sports nutrition helps students understand scientifically based nutrition and exercise physiology principles that sup-

port and enhance training, performance and recovery,” she said.

Athletes often have detailed plans for their physical training but a plan for their nutritional

needs is some times overlooked, Bristow said.

Joe Gervais is the supervisor for the athletic performance center and liaison with athletic medicine at UVM. He said that it is “difficult” for the athletes to set up an appointment at the Center for Health and Wellbeing because of time constraints and busy student schedules.

UVM has had a full-time sports nutritionist in the past, however due to budget cuts the school was no longer able to continue the position.

If the funds do become available in the future Gervais said he hopes to be able to fill the position and give athletes nutrition education to go hand in hand with physical training.

Sports nutrition teaches the role of nutrition in achieving optimal performance and to understand the three critical periods of nutrition day-to-day, Bristow said.

These periods are the preevent, during an event and post-event,” Bristow said.

However, until there comes a time when there is a full-time sports nutritionist available to the students and Division I athletes at UVM, Polzella and Bristow are resources that can be used by all students on campus.

UVM skis to second place Cats fall in semifinal Greg Asnis Staff Writer The men and women of the varsity ski team have yet again earned success on the national stage.

The team clenched second place overall in the 2014 NCAA Skiing Championships in Park City, Utah March 8.

In first place was the University of Denver with 556 points, followed by UVM with 487.5 points.

The University of New Mexico trailed and last year’s winner, University of Colorado, took fourth place.

The host of the event, University of Utah, came in fifth.

Nine athletes on the ski team received All-American honors, while earning top-10 finishes.

“If we do not do exceptionally well on something we strive to do better the next time,” senior Kate Ryley said.

Ryley said she believes that

it is the team’s determination that has caused them to excel, and be continually competitive.

“When the goal has been set at this level it gives the team something to strive for,” Weaver said.

“The skiers who come here know they can get better and we attract athletes who want to get better,” he said.

Senior Anja Gruber finished strong in the 5k classic Nordic race, winning her second consecutive NCAA championship title in this event.

Nordic head coach Patrick Weaver said he was impressed with Gruber’s finish.

“Winning once is hard enough and to come back and repeat was really amazing to be a part of,” he said.

UVM dominated the women’s slalom, clenching all spots on the podium.

Prior to this win, only one team had ever swept the podium in an alpine event in the NCAA skiing championships.

Junior Kristina Riis-Johannessen claimed her first ever NCAA title, achieving second place the past two years. Ryley followed in second, with junior Elise Tefre in third.

“When the goal has been set at this level it gives the team something to strive for,” Weaver said.

“The skiers who come here know they can get better and we attract athletes who want to get better,” he said.

On the men’s side of the alpine events, Catamount senior Jonathan Nordbotten placed third in the slalom race.

“My college races were a little bit up and down,” Nordbotten said.

Discussing his performance internationally, Nordbotten said, “I had better results in the World Cup races when I represented my national team [Norway].”

“I was really close to making the Norwegian Olympic team which would be really cool,” he said.

athletetweet “@Katyperry tryna go to prom with me?”

Dyson White- Junior attackman for UVM men’s lacrosse @LennieBones

Ben Parsons Cynic Correspondent Although Vermont was not able to move past the semifinal round of the women’s Hockey East tournament, head coach Jim Plumer said the team had a record-breaking year.

“I am incredibly proud of this group, we learned a lot of hard lessons along the way,” Plumer said.

The Catamounts posted school records in numbers of wins with 18, conference wins with 13 and goals scored with 93.

They finished with an overall record of 18-14-4 and a record 13-7-1 in Hockey East play.

“I feel like this group grew up this year and our program matured. I’d like to think the expectations will be that we will pick up where we left off,” the coach said.

Vermont ended their season with a 3-1 loss to the No.6 ranked Boston College Eagles in the Hockey East semifinal last Saturday in Hyannis, Mass.

Sophomore Dayna Colang scored Vermont’s lone goal, and goalie Douville finished the night with 35 saves.

Prior to the game, Vermont had come off a triple overtime win against Maine in the quarterfinal March 1.

This was the first playoff game hosted at Gutterson Fieldhouse in UVM women’s hockey history, according to UVM athletics.

Junior forward Brittany Zuback scored the victory goal in

“I feel like the group grew up this year and our program matured.”

Jim Plumer Head Coach the third overtime period, 17 minutes in.

The match marked the longest Hockey East women’s game ever, and the longest game in UVM hockey history, according to UVM athletics.

Senior Roxanne Douville’s 50 saves ranked as the third most by a goaltender in a single game in Hockey East tournament history, according to UVM athletics.

The team was also recognized by the Hockey East and collected numerous awards.

Four players were named to Hockey East All-Star teams.

Douville earned First TeamAll Star, while Colang earned Honorable Mention-All Star.

Junior defender Gina Repaci earned and junior forward Amanda Pelkey both earned Second Team-All Star.

First-year Victoria Andreakos set the UVM rookie records in points, goals and assists.

The first-year was also named to the Pro Ambitions Hockey East All-Rookie team.

Plumer was also named Hockey East Co-Coach of the year along with Katie King Crowley of Boston College.

12

S PO RTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

Hardwood Reflections

Putin’s law sparks Sochi controversy Rory Leland “In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them . . . for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams.”

This is the Olympic oath taken every year by the hosting country’s athletes, according to the Olympics website.

The oath is taken on behalf of all the competing athletes from across the world.

It is a declaration that can become troubling when the rules governing the Games conflict with the “honor” of the visiting teams.

Some seven months before the opening ceremonies in Sochi, President Vladimir Putin sparked controversy by signing into law a bill that criminalized the spreading of “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” to minors.

Stripped of political jargon, it’s a bill that makes it illegal to tell children that homosexuality exists. According to the official publication of the bill, fines

range from $150 to $6,250 for insinuating that homosexual and heterosexual relations are “socially equivalent.”

The Olympic games have always been a time where the international community comes together to celebrate the mutual appreciation of athletic excellence.

“For the glory of sport!”

It is this commonality that can bring us together, but it can

also serve to highlight how far apart we are in other seemingly fundamental aspects of societal values.

In 2009, Vermont became the first state to legalize gay marriage according to the Washington Post.

In 2010, a survey found that 74 percent of Russian citizens reject homosexuality altogether according to Pew Research.

While the U.S. appears to

be entering into a future of increased tolerance and understanding, the spotlight cast over the Sochi Winter Games showed a country peddling backward when it comes to social progress.

In addition to the attack on LGBT values, and the exploitation of migrant workers who helped build the Olympic town, the turmoil in Ukraine provided an unsettling subtext to the

competition.

Protests over Russia’s questionable policies in both domestic and foreign affairs provided a bleak background for what was meant to be a celebration of a peaceful coming together of humanity.

Rory Leland is a senior English major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2013.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! Weeknights until 8pm, Open Sundays

62 Merchants Row Panera Bread Building Williston 802-872-2800

570 Shelburne Road Shaws Plaza South Burlington 802-651-1000

Like us on Facebook to learn about specials!

Like us at ‘Supercuts of South Burlington’