2016 vol 132 Issue 24

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W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 0 1 6

UVM to offer new first-year program by michelle phillips mphill15@uvm.edu

The first-year experience will soon include programmed housing, tutoring services and college transition courses.

Provost David Rosowsky announced in both a March 23 faculty email and a January memo sent to faculty that changes will be made in order “to create a positive, seamless academic and co-curricular student experience” for first-years.

First, there will be a new Academic Success Center which will bring together the orientation program, a new first-year experience program, tutoring services and the new advising center.

The Academic Success Center will be led by Associate Director of Student Life and Orientation Director Dani Comey and a new Provost’s Faculty Fellow for Advising and the FirstYear Experience.

“This will be sort of an umbrella department for overseeing things like undergraduate orientation, the summer reading, convocation, welcome week and the new advising in the Da-

Students study in the fireplace lounge at Living and Learning April 4. All first-year students may be required to live in programmed housing similar to L/L. RYAN THORNTON/The Vermont Cynic vis Center,” said Annie Stevens, vice provost for student affairs.

There currently is no location for the Center, Stevens said.

Lastly will be the addition of a first-year course focusing on the transition from high school to college.

Further, administrators want to have all first-year students living in programmed or themed housing by 2018, ac-

cording to Rosowsky.

Programmed housing is when students live together and study an assigned theme outside of classes, according to UVM programmed housing’s website.

“We really want to mash together the curricular and co-curricular experience,” Rosowsky said. “So much growth and discovery happens in the residential halls.”

Residential halls that are not already set up like Living/ Learning will have broader themes and will not require applications. They will incorporate peer mentoring and increased faculty engagement, according to the memo.

This change will expand programmed housing and not restrict upperclassmen from getting into residential pro-

grams, Rosowsky said.

Students appeared cautious about requiring first-year students to live in programmed housing.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” said first-year Robert Rice, who lives in Sci-fi house.

“I like L/L, but I’ve made just as many or more friends outside my program.”

First-year Maria Kerchner, who lives in Harris Millis, said she likes her community.

“I think [themed housing] might lead to cliques, and if people don’t make friends with the people in their community, they might feel stuck,” Kerchner said.

Rosowsky and Stevens said the changes come as part of an effort to give first-years a stronger, seamless, enhanced experience as well as get them on the right track to graduate.

Rice was skeptical about the changes in general and the administration’s motivations.

“The administration tries too hard to get a certain image, like the whole ‘Public Ivy’ thing,” he said.

Comedian laughs off travel dilemma on April Fools’

by Adam mitrani amitrani@uvm.edu

Although audience members had to wait for over an hour, Friday’s comedy show was better late than never.

Comedian Jermaine Fowler’s free performance in the Grand Maple Ballroom was originally set to start at 7 p.m.

Fowler’s arrival was delayed after he missed his flight from New York to Burlington and ended up having to drive about 300-miles to make it to the show.

The show was part of his most recent tour around the country, which comes to a close later this month at the 202 Comedy Festival in his native Washington, D.C., according to his website.

Fowler was chosen for the annual April Fool’s event by the University Program Board’s committee for Comedy, Speakers and Education.

“We decided Jermaine would be an awesome rising comedian that we’d love to see on UVM’s campus,” said junior Tim Cece, a committee member.

Fowler decided to drive after missing his flight because someone told him the trip was

only three hours, Cece said.

“Much to his dismay, six hours later he was here and looking for a Red Bull,” he said.

was far from successful at the start.

“We had this talent show in the cafeteria after school,”

“

I always just terrorized substitute teachers, so that’s kind of how I knew I was funny.

JERMAINE FOWLER COMEDIAN Despite the delay, senior Isaac de La Bruere said the show was original and engaging.

“His jokes were original and hilarious,” de La Bruere said.

“Right from the beginning it was easy to see he was a genuinely funny guy.”

The 27-year-old comic said he began performing stand-up when he was a senior in high school, after watching Eddie Murphy’s special, “Raw.” “I got into comedy in 12th grade,” Fowler said. “I was always funny in school, since elementary school, but I always got in trouble. I always just terrorized substitute teachers, so that’s kind of how I knew I was funny.”

However, Fowler said he

he said. “I did it one time and bombed real bad; the judges hated me. They were all female judges and they hated my jokes, because they were fucked up.

They were just about period commercials and stuff.”

Fowler said his material consists mainly of true events in his life, which he embellishes for comedic effect.

At Friday’s show, Fowler told a story of going to Whoopi Goldberg’s house where he got to hold her Oscar, which is true, but then added that she forced him to watch “The Color Purple” with her.

“There are embellishments of course,” Fowler said, “that’s the comedy.”

Fowler said it took some time to mature as a comic,

something that happened after six months of doing stand-up.

“As a kid, I didn’t really have any filter,” Fowler said. “You know, when you’re 17 or 18, you just don’t have any filter.

So I was just, like, speaking my mind and didn’t understand why they didn’t like me.”

He said encouragement from his friends was the thing that kept him pursuing his dream.

“Had my friends not said that was the funniest thing they’ve ever seen,” Fowler said, “I wouldn’t have kept doing it.”

He said he considered many occupations before he became a comedian, including teaching, botany and even working in a museum.

“If I had to go back, I would still choose this one,” Fowler said. “This is the only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do.

On paper, people think this is a pipe dream, but to me this was something that I knew would work out.”

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

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THE VERMONT CYNIC

NEWS

W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 016

Commencement speaker selected for Class of 2016 by craig pelsor cpelsor@uvm.edu

Billings Library is pictured April 3. The building will be undergoing a multi-million project to relocate departments and offices. BEX ADAMS/The Vermont Cynic

Billings to get a makeover by bryan o’keefe & Caroline Alkire bpokeef@uvm.edu\calkire@uvm.edu

A new multi-phase project will both create and relocate student services and University offices.

Starting next week, the Billings Library basement will be undergoing renovation alongside the ongoing construction of a new dining hall, dorm and STEM building.

The construction will also impact the Davis Center, which will be renovated this summer to make room for new organizations, said Annie Stevens, vice provost of student affairs.

Before construction begins, the Office of Sustainability and the Office of Community-University Partnerships and Service Learning need to relocate from the upper floors of Billings, Stevens said.

The Office of Sustainability will move above the Office of Student and Community Relations on Colchester Avenue.

The Office of Community-University Partnerships and Service Learning is moving to the Harris Millis dorm to be closer to the Dewey House for Community Engagement, Stevens said.

A University Tech Center will be built in the bottom floor of Billings to give students easier access to technological help near the future STEM Center, Stevens said.

The CatCard Service Center is moving into the old WRUV space in the basement of Billings.

The space in the Davis Center where the CatCard center used to be will be the location

Executive

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Kearns editorinchief@vtcynic.com MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Morgan newsroom@vtcynic.com

of the new Advising Center, she said.

The Career Center is being moved from the Living/Learning Center to a space next to the bookstore on the second floor of the Davis Center, according to a Feb. 18 Cynic article. The ALANA Student Center will be moving to the old Career Center space in L/L, Stevens said.

The Career Center is being relocated to the Davis Center so it’s closer to the Career Hub, Career Fairs and easier to access for employers and students, she said.

Junior Tim Cece is current-

stone Campus will be turned into a nondenominational Interfaith Center, Stevens said.

The church recently decided not to renew its lease, she said.

The first phase of construction should be complete by August, but ALANA may not be complete until September, as the last move in the “big domino effect,” Stevens said.

“We’re taking spaces we already have and repurposing them for great reasons,” she said.

Cece said he loves that ALANA is being relocated to L/L because he feels the international

“

We’re taking spaces we already have and repurposing them for great reasons ANNIE STEVENS VICE PROVOST OF STUDENT AFFAIRS ly a Career Peer Mentor at the Hub, and said he feels bad when he has to tell students the meeting they just rushed to is at the Career Center in Living/Learning, and not in the Davis Center.

“Having to send students across campus to find resources that should all be centralized is a real pain,” Cece said. “I think the new Career Center location will be great, and I love that the new advising space that [SGA President] Jason Maulucci worked so hard on will be right next to the Hub as well.”

In addition, the Church of Christ Presbyterian located next to the Catholic Center near Red-

student population is centralized on Athletic Campus. He said he hates how the current ALANA facility is on the edge of campus, separated from everything else.

“Having the ALANA space be more accessible will definitely help some of those students out by providing more resources to them,” Cece said. “Plus, now ALANA breakfasts will be a lot easier to get to on Friday mornings.”

Relocating related services will make it both easier to find important student services and to provide more student engagement, Stevens said.

vtcynic.com

An award-winning UVM alumna will be speaking to the graduating class of 2016 at this year’s commencement ceremony.

The University announced March 24 that Gail Sheehy, a journalist and New York Times bestselling author, will speak at commencement May 22.

Sheehy graduated from UVM in 1958 before moving to New York City to become a journalist, according to her website.

She is known best for her coverage of topics ranging from the Black Panther movement, New York’s underground prostitution ring and profiles on

world leaders like Hillary Clinton, Saddam Hussein and Margaret Thatcher.

Further, her novel “Passages” was named as one of the 10 most influential books of our generation by the Library of Congress according to her website.

Sheehy was chosen by the UVM Honorary Degree Advisory Committee and confirmed

by President Tom Sullivan, coordinator of presidential events Kelly O’Malley wrote in a March 30 email to the Cynic.

“The UVM community is invited to submit nominations for potential honorary degree recipients and our commencement speaker,” O’Malley said in the email.

Cleaning the water supply

by Michelle phillips mphill15@uvm.edu

Dozens of students gathered in the Davis Center to discuss ways plants could clean our water supplies.

The Green Stormwater Symposium was held to educate students about green infrastructure March 30.

“The goal of the Vermont Green Infrastructure Collaborative [who sponsored the event] is to get everyone in the state of Vermont to know what green infrastructure is and all of the facets of it through different approaches like art and education,” ECO AmeriCorps representative Grant Taylor said.

Green infrastructure refers to soil and vegetative structures used to filter or recycle polluted water, according to the EPA’s website.

This approach to water management has been studied and applied by the symposium’s keynote speaker, UVM Professor Emeritus John Todd.

Todd spoke about the success he’s had cleaning water by using “restorers”: structures that allow specific plants and fungi to float in or line bodies of water.

He has used these restorers in oil-slicked rivers, fertilizer and pesticide-runoff agricultural reservoirs, sewage canals and whole buildings, Todd said.

He also introduced his newest project: a 130-foot catama-

ran that will double as an ocean restorer and sailing classroom.

UVM has a similar biological water-cleaning system in the Aiken Building.

“We’re taking water that was considered impossible to reuse and making it safe for watering crops and thriving biodiversity,” Todd said. “It is possible to do good things in bad places.”

Students found Todd’s success uplifting.

“I saw him before and he talked about a lot of projects that he was midway through so it was cool to get up to date,” senior Caronia DiStefano said. “It was so inspiring; a good feeling of hope for this depressing topic [of pollution].”

The symposium also featured students’ posters explaining their own local ecological design projects.

Engineers Without Borders member Ben Cares, a senior, was working on restoring the Votey rain garden that was installed in 2006 but not maintained.

The rain garden serves to re-route water from asphalt so stormwater can collect in the green space area just north of the Votey parking lot, according to the 2006 proposal.

The garden failed to be maintained because landscapers were not taught about its purpose or how to do upkeep, Cares said.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC

Bison prepares SpringFest setlist owen gomory

I

OGOMORY@UVM. EDU

t’s not often one comes across a group of musicians whose music is as tasty as their band name, but Bison is one of those rare bands.

The self-described nomadic disco punk rockers will be opening this year’s SpringFest April 30 for Madaila and The Head and the Heart.

The band consists of junior K.C. Dressing on bass, senior Charlie Hill on guitar and vocals and junior Fabian Gaspero-Beckstrom on drums.

Bison’s intern, Sage Hahn, often accompanies the trio and occasionally provides synth support.

Bison made their way to the finale of Battle of the Bands March 16 and won a close victory over two other UVM bands, B.U.M.F. and Squimley and the Woolens. The win gave them the opening spot at SpringFest.

The group started playing two years ago. Hill and Dressings, both from New Jersey, met at UVM and were soon joined by Gaspero-Beckstrom.

They played their first show together at Slade Hall, the environmental co-op on Redstone Campus which is now under construction.

Since then, Bison has been gathering fans and playing more live shows.

Each band member finds inspiration in various sources. For Dressings, inspiration comes from post-punk, synthwave and “anything in between,” while

Student band Bison performs during the March 16 battle of the bands. The group was chosen to open for The Head and the Heart at SpringFest. JEN RAMIREZ/The Vermont Cynic Gaspero-Beckstrom simply said he “listens to some weird stuff.”

For Hill, inspiration can even come from performing.

“Sometimes I just write about what I see on stage,” Hill said in a Oct. 5 Cynic article.

Their expansive influences can be heard in their music.

Songs like “Plug” float along beautifully with a mellow intro, while others, like “YFIO (You’ll Figure It Out)” start off sounding like an Alt-J cover and quickly morph into something

more funky and energetic.

The name Bison came to Hill during a wildlife conservation class where he said he learned about the American bison.

The animal’s tragic history of near-extinction in the mid19th century due to overhunting was significant to Hill, he said.

However, the American bison has since had a successful comeback, Hill said.

The band even said they enjoy eating bison.

“It’s pretty sweet to eat though,” Dressings said.

Bison will play nine shows in April including concerts at Sterling College, Stampede Fest in Winooski and, of course, SpringFest.

They will also have a residency at Radio Bean for the next month. Fans can catch them every Monday with the likes of Guthrie Galileo, Squimley and the Woolens and Hello Echo.

SpringFest “will be for sure

be the biggest stage [we’ve played],” Hill said.

Bison has something special planned for their SpringFest performance, “something to keep it weird and different,” Hill said.

Owen Gomory is a sophomore English and Spanish major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.

Wind ensemble creates worldly experience

By Ben elfland belfland@uvm.edu

Some of Burlington’s most adept musicians will be performing on campus at the end of the week.

The Vermont Wind Ensemble will be performing at 7:30 p.m. April 10 in the UVM Music Building Recital Hall, where they hope to once again impress the audience with their progression as a band.

The ensemble last performed at UVM Nov. 15. The group performs a differently themed concert at the end of each semester, according to their website.

“It’s an unusual group because it’s a pretty even mixture of students, teachers and townspeople,” conductor Alan Parshley said. “About 50 percent of the people are alumni from when the group was founded 30 or 40 years ago.”

By combining the expertise of the group’s veterans with the fresh brilliance of the current students, Parshley said the group is able to keep each recital unique, yet consistent in quality.

“It is really cool for me as a music student to get to know

The Vermont Wind Ensemble in concert April 12, 2015. The orchestra is led by music department lecturer Alan Parshley. PHOTO COURTESY OF VERMONT WIND ENSEMBLE the community around here with all the great players,” senior trombonist Mei Endo said.

More than just the personnel will be evolving in this iteration of the band, however.

Parshley has aptly titled the upcoming performance “Destinations” and expressed excitement over the globe-trotting experience it will create.

The set list will include com-

positions from across the country and around the world, from pieces written for performances at Central Park to African style pieces for Mount Kilimanjaro.

“Alan picks great reper-

toire for the group,” Endo said.

“Each piece is unique and different, and for this show he’s taking the audience on a road trip around America, and also manages to fly over to Africa to see Mount Kilimanjaro.”

With such a compelling show lined up, the Vermont Wind Ensemble is hoping to impress their loyal fans and also attract many new ones.

“People who don’t typically go would be surprised by the variety in the music,” Parshley said. “Very modern, traditional and worldly, there are cinematic western sounds like Silverado and John Williams music, not just marches and patriotic songs.”

The Vermont Wind Ensemble hopes to provide an engaging and enlightening show, particularly for concert-goers who have yet to broaden their experiences with classical music, he said.

“People are always enthusiastically surprised,” Parshley said. “The show is not terribly long, only about an hour. Don’t be afraid you’re going to be stuck at a very long concert.”

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THE VERMONT CYNIC

ARTS

W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 016

Author analyzes history of symphony

By Maddy freitas-pimentel mmfreita@uvm.edu

The interplay between art and history is often overlooked.

Bestselling author M.T. Anderson reminded his audience of the remarkable way art and history can intertwine during an evening of literature and classical music at the Fletcher Free Library March 31.

Anderson read the prologue of his new nonfiction book, “Symphony for the City of the Dead,” an account of the siege of Leningrad through the eyes of famous Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.

The book, published September 2015, is Anderson’s first nonfiction book for teenage readers and has been nominated for the 2015 National Book Award in Young People’s Literature, according to a New York Times review.

The talk was particularly interesting for senior Shyshy Fink, who is currently writing a research paper on Shostakovich’s symphony.

“Seeing him filled with joy about talking about Shostakovich’s life and his music at the lecture was great,” Fink said.

“And he knows so many interesting things about the composer that I haven’t found yet.”

“Symphony for the City of the Dead” delves into the emotional history of the siege of Leningrad.

“We need to understand the

depth of that historic sacrifice if we’re ever going to understand modern Russia and its people,” Anderson said in an interview with the National Book Foundation.

Leningrad was one of the longest and most destructive sieges in Western history — the German army blockaded and bombarded the city for almost three years, during which almost a million civilians perished of starvation.

“This is really a story of war and the power of music to triumph,” Anderson said, “which I

“

ich’s “Symphony No. 7,” which Shostakovich dedicated to “the victims of fascism and war.”

“This piece turned me on to classical music as a teenager,” Anderson said.

As the quartet played, he explained the hidden meanings within the piece. Listeners could identify the discrete drone of warplanes flying overhead. It ranged from pure chaos to ominous laments.

Shostakovich left the meaning of his music hidden and ambiguous.

“If he was more open or bla-

If [Shostakovich] was more open or blatant he would have been exterminated.

M.T. ANDERSON AUTHOR, “SYMPHONY FOR THE CITY OF THE DEAD”

think is really important for us to understand, if we are going to understand what it means to be human.”

While Shostakovich was in hiding during the siege, he wrote a piece called the “Leningrad Symphony” to tell the world what was going on. It was played in the United States and Great Britain, forming an Allied interest in the Russian cause during World War II. Anderson’s reading was complemented by a string quartet’s performance of Shostakov-

tant he would have been exterminated,” Anderson said.

When Anderson first heard the piece, he said he had no idea of its historical implications.

“Knowing the historical context of art definitely enriches it, but it’s not necessary,” Anderson said. “If you get something out of it, that’s what’s important.”

“Symphony for the City of the Dead” is dedicated to “all young musicians,” Anderson wrote. “Thank you for what you give the rest of us.”

Author M.T. Anderson talks about his new book “Symphony for the City of the Dead” in the Fletcher Free Library March 31. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

Film tells a touching story Photography show

exhibits community

Siobhan o’flaherty

By addie beach cbeach2@uvm.edu

SBOFLAHE@UVM. EDU

The Lady in the Van

A

stubborn homeless woman and an introverted playwright make an unlikely pair in “The Lady in the Van.” The film is based off the true story of Mary Shepherd (Maggie Smith), a homeless woman who lived in Alan Bennett’s (Alex Jennings) driveway for 15 years.

Jennings also plays Bennett’s imagined “writer” self, to whom he constantly rambles about his troubles and tribulations.

The film takes place in North London, and is directed

by Nicholas Hytner and written by the real Alan Bennett. The film closely resembles the play Bennett wrote after his experience with Shepherd.

Smith coincidentally played the same role 17 years prior in the 1999 theatrical version of the story.

“The Lady in the Van” is full of whimsy and charm, but tackles some difficult topics, such as the stigmas surrounding homelessness, mental illness and aging.

Illustration by ALYSSA HANDELMANN

Cruelty and judgment orbit Shepherd as a woman living on the fringes of society, and Bennett often grapples with his preconceived notions of her situation.

This is often aggravated by Shepherd’s seemingly ungrateful attitude towards Bennett’s hospitality and relentless demand for her privacy and personal space.

The two make a comical pair, as Shepherd is eccentric and constantly pushes Bennett’s buttons, who is too modest to stand up for himself.

However, impatience and judgment are counterbalanced

by Bennett’s fascination of and affection for the peculiar woman who, unbeknownst to him, is harboring a deep and disturb-

ing secret.

Compassion and concern for Shepherd likewise grows in the neighborhood over time, which is one of the more touching aspects of the film.

Although the relationship between Shepherd and Bennett is captivating, flashbacks and disordered sequences make the film challenging to follow at times.

What makes this film truly special is how personal and close to home the story is for Bennett.

Bennett’s vivid memories translate into a visually stunning and emotional film.

Siobhan O’Flaherty is a senior political science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.

There’s more to find in the Davis Center than just dining and study space: it might also change the way students view the community.

Throughout April, the Davis Center will be hosting a juried photo show to showcase photographers from UVM and the Burlington area.

The exhibit is being organized by the UVM student curatorial team, an organization that coordinates all of the art and exhibits in the Davis Center.

The jury includes professor Bill McDowell, senior Stephen Chevalier and photographer Gary Hall, according to the website Davis Center Art Program’s website.

The photos will be on exhibit in the Livak Fireplace Lounge on the fourth floor of the Davis Center from April 6 to 25. The opening reception will be held April 8 at 6:30 p.m., with prizes for the first, second and third place winners.

The curatorial team was led by senior Julia Blasius. Although the majority of the photographers participating are expected to be UVM students, Blasius said the show is open to anyone from the Burlington community.

“It’s an opportunity for stu-

dents, Burlington locals and any sort of photographer in the area to connect with UVM, connect with the Davis Center and show work,” she said.

The event will also serve as part of the Davis Center’s ongoing effort to showcase a wide variety of art, Blasius said. “[The Davis Center is] a public space,” she said, “and art can enhance your experience in any building.”

This is the show’s second year. While the format hasn’t changed much from the first show, the show is “continuing to grow with the support of the student curators, the art department, professors and community members,” said Katherine Strotmeyer, assistant director for marketing at the Davis Center.

Student curators play a key role. “[Their] energy, enthusiasm and community connections really make this possible,” Strotmeyer said.

Blasius said the curatorial program is currently aiming to reach a wider range of artists, something she said she believes can help draw attention to community diversity and connection.

“It’s a way of bringing people together, if anything, and just showing people what we’re up to,” she said.

LIFE

5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC

Slade still working to keep local food

by HANNAH CARPINO hcarpino@uvm.edu

In response to mounting outcry from Slade residents, ResLife proposed a compromise that would no longer mean the end of Slade as an independent community.

Instead of absorbing Slade into the GreenHouse program, which is housed in University Heights South, ResLife announced Slade will remain a separate environmental co-op in the cottages on Trinity Campus.

However, not all of the Slade community’s demands, spelled out in their formal petition and resolution on change.org, have been met.

Their request to remain off the traditional meal plan has been denied, and met with compromise from ResLife which “will allow them to maintain some of their traditions, as well as closeness and access to local food.”

“They can participate and have a regular plan, or we’ve provided them additional options that allow them access to quality food, local food,” co-director of ResLife Rafael Rodriguez said.

As a past residence director of the Slade community when it was originally housed on 420

South Prospect Street, Rodriguez said he has a unique understanding of and relationship to the community.

“I was involved with the process of them being moved to the cottages on Trinity,” he said. “I’ve helped navigate challenging times between Slade and ResLife.”

While the announcement that Slade will remain in the cottages for another year has been well-received, not all residents find the compromises appealing. .

“It’s kind of frustrating,” junior Slade resident Shiona Heidrich-Klein said. “I don’t think they fully understand why some aspects of what Slade means are so critical to the community staying exactly as it is, and as it has been for years now.”

She cited the meal plan change as an important issue.

“ResLife now says next year’s Sladers need to be on the points meal plan for $1900 per semester. That plan includes normally about 1400 points and 25 meal swipes.

“What they’re saying is Sladers would keep 25 meal swipes and 400 points, and the other 1,000 points are going to be returned to us for the conversion rate of $400 that we can use to-

ward farmers.

“That’s a $600 overhead that they claim is the conversion of points to dollars, when the conversion rate of points to dollars is actually 1 to 1, or I’d argue it’s even less,” Heidrich-Klein said.

Currently, they buy their food locally from farmers and co-ops. Heidrich-Klein estimates that each Slader pays only $400 per semester to do that.

“That is exponentially cheaper than any meal plan,” she said.

Some Slade residents said they feel it’s odd they should fight for this meal plan in a school so focused on the environment.

“Our classes are saying we need to preserve diversity, community organizing, local food systems,” Heidrich-Klein said.

“Slade represents everything that we’ve been taught about the environment at UVM, these ideas that university claims to support.”

Though their housing in the cottages for an additional year is confirmed, important debate remains regarding just how autonomous Slade will continue to be in coming years.

(Left) Junior Shiona Heidrich-Klein and sophomore Kiki Kane-Owens cook in the Slade community at Trinity Cottages April 4. RYAN

THORNTON/The Vermont Cynic

Save the planet: Tricks to keep your party green invest in a spork ERIN LUCEY

ENLUCEY@UVM.EDU

by jACKIE FLYNN JFLYNN2@uvm.edu

The Eco-Rep team is looking to reduce waste at UVM through reusable containers.

“The Eco-Ware program was started in 2011 by a collaboration of UVM Dining, EcoReps, Greenhouse RLC Students, Honors College students and the UVM Waste Management Team,” said sophomore Kristi Carr, the Eco-Reps’ student manager.

“The point of using EcoWare is to reduce waste from to-go containers,” Carr said.

“By using an Eco-Ware container, you’re not only reducing waste but also reducing the amount of packaging material UVM has to buy for standard to-go containers and utensils,” she said.

Eco-Ware containers cost $7.50, according to the Office of Sustainability’s website, but provide a 15 cent discount when used for points purchas-

es. Sporks cost $1 and add an additional 5 cent discount.

After eating, students can return the container to a cashier in exchange for a “cow tag,” which will allow them to use another container the next time they purchase a meal on campus.

“If one person eats two takeout meals per day every week during the academic year, then that person will use at least 340 to-go plates and boxes,” Carr said. “Last semester, Eco-Ware usage was cut in half, which was a big blow for the Eco-Reps.”

The Eco-Reps are working to educate students on the importance of Eco-Ware by tabling in the Davis Center, the Marche, Brennan’s and dining halls, she said.

“Through the reduce, reuse and recycle campaign, we’re trying to encourage students to reduce waste first, then either reuse or recycle that waste,” Carr said.

E

merging from Burlington’s warmest winter on record, one might want a drink or two to forget the ever-melting ice caps, the expanding hole in the ozone layer and the impending mass extinction of species held near and dear.

With that in the back of your mind, how possible is it to keep your partying green?

There are a few environmental considerations to remember when making a Friday afternoon run to Pearl Street Beverage: how your drink is packaged, where it’s from and, well, what it is.

Right off the bat, of the holy trinity of wine, beer and hard liquor, beer is considered the least eco-friendly due to its water-intensive production process.

This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a cold brew, however.

Here’s a crash course to minimizing your carbon footprint while partying hard:

1. BUY YOUR BEER LOCAL AND CANNED

ILLUSTRATION BY SEBASTIAO HUNGEBUHLER

Not only are you supporting your local beer scene, but you’re also reducing carbon emissions accrued during the transportation process.

The shorter the journey from brewery to your fridge, the better. As for cans themselves, the reduced weight of aluminum cans over glass bottles is an environmental plus. Aluminum cans are infinitely recycla-

ble, and the average can already contains 70 percent recycled material.

2. OPT FOR A KEG Kegs are returnable, refillable and recyclable.

In a half-barrel keg, there are 165 12-ounce servings of beer for you and a party of your closest friends.

I’ll pause to let you picture 165 bottles scattered across the streets of Burlington or stacked into a looming ‘beeramid’ in your living room.

While the word ‘keg’ may evoke woozy memories of failed keg stands and sticky basement floors, there are ways to do kegs with tact.

More and more craft breweries are putting their wares into kegs, so there is no need to compromise quality for eco-awareness. Bonus: use reusable cups instead of plastic cups.

Or better yet, forgo the cup completely and give that keg stand another shot.

3. THINK INSIDE OF THE (WINE) BOX Just like the keg, don’t let your first-year experiences ruin what can be a classy, eco-friendly and portable option. Transporting glass wine bottles is costly and emission-heavy.

According to a 2008 New York Times op-ed, switching 97 percent of wines meant to be consumed within the year from glass to box would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two million tons, which is the same as retiring 400,000 cars.

4. GIVE HOMEBREWING THE OLD COLLEGE TRY

Save cash as you attempt to save the planet. Home-brewing is a fun way to make your beer as eco-friendly as you want it to be.

While learning a new skill, you’ll also have complete control over where you source your hops from, how much water you use during the process and the materials you use to bottle your brew.

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM WOOLFOLK

In light of that whole irreparable global warming phenomenon, drinking responsibly has taken on yet another meaning.

To combat this, the EcoWare package for incoming first-year should include a growler or two.

Should this proposal go unnoticed - as I anticipate it will -use the aforementioned points to go forth and party with the planet’s best interest in mind.

Erin Lucey is a senior anthropology and English double major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2015.

6

THE VERMONT CYNIC

LIFE

W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 016

STUDY ABROAD

Bonded over a broken down bus Allie Parkin

APARKIN@UVM.EDU

I

’ve always loved a good adventure - I read a lot of books when I was young, following lone heroes on brave and arduous quests.

These quests rarely ever started with overheated engines or drunken Spaniards starting dance parties on the upper floor of a crippled double decker bus, but I guess every adventure is different, and that was the start of mine.

A week ago I ventured north to Lapland, which extends through northern Sweden and makes up a good portion of the Arctic Circle.

I went on a bus with 60 other international students, all from varying countries and backgrounds, all equally excited for sled dog tours and saunas and Northern Lights.

When our bus broke down eight hours into our 19 hour drive, we were all understandably concerned.

When we were told we’d have a new bus in “one or two hours, maybe more,” we lost all hope of an easy journey. I spent the next two hours playing card games with strangers from Italy, Denmark and Australia on the greasy table of a Swedish burger joint.

When we were kicked back onto the broken bus at 12:30 a.m., disgruntled and tired, the Spaniards I mentioned raised

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLIE PARKIN

everyone’s spirits with dancing and music, until we were finally placed in a hotel to sleep through what was left of our night. Our journey started up again the next day.

This adventure of mine was earth-shattering, but honestly, you have to take my word for it.

There is no way for me to explain how the bitter cold of the Arctic circle manages to feel both identical to and different from the winter winds of Lake Champlain.

I can’t clarify why the soft gold light from a cabin window and the electric green glimmer of the Aurora Borealis simultaneously reflecting off the snow makes you feel more alive.

It’s impossible to articulate the feeling of life that permeates the air when you’re running half-naked through the snow after a stint in the humid air of the sauna, with the Aurora twisting above you like a living thing.

I wish I could play you my experiences directly, because being on top of the world is life-changing.

I learned so much from every person I met. There is so much to see and so much to do in this wide world of ours.

And I’ve always loved a good adventure.

Allie Parkin is a junior animal science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.

Dean of CAS: Who is the real Bill Falls?

by Greta Bjornson GABJORNS@uvm.edu

Few can say that their dean has a pierced ear, rides a motorcycle and is learning to fly a plane. But, for students in the College of Arts and Sciences, Bill Falls checks all of those boxes.

Falls is a member of the psychology department and is principal investigator at the Falls Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, along with his duties as dean.

The top position in the College of Arts and Sciences is a natural fit for the extroverted professor.

“For me, the job is: how can I help people do their job to the best of their ability?” Falls said. “It’s really about stewarding good work, helping people, allowing them to get things done.”

The dean loves the social aspects of the job, particularly chatting with others and hearing new ideas.

“Every day’s a good day because that’s all I do all day,” he said.

Outside of work, Falls is a father who enjoys spending time outdoors and working around the house. His connection with his children is so strong that his son once convinced Falls to get his ear pierced at the mall. “[When] your 8-year-old double dog dares you, you can’t say no,” he said.

These days, Falls alternates between two “discrete” pieces of jewelry: a small cross or ichthys as a nod to his Christian faith.

Sports are Falls’ passion, and he played lacrosse throughout his time in college.

Falls describes his children as interested in athletics, and he coached their teams when they were younger.

“When they get to a certain talent level, dad can’t coach anymore,” he said.

Falls also lists carpentry and woodwork among his hobbies, which he attributes to his father’s influence.

RYAN THORNTON /The Vermont Cynic

that is, being at UVM — because I felt that it is the best of both

“

[When] your 8-year-old double dog dares you, you can’t say no.

WILLIAM FALLS DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Students might be surprised to learn their dean is a first-generation college student.

Both of his parents worked in Lynn, Massachusetts for General Electric, and his three siblings did not attend college.

“I was blessed to go to a small, liberal arts college … and a giant graduate school,” Falls said.

“This is my dream job —

worlds.”

Falls sees his background as having shaped who he is today, both as an educator and a person.

“Wanting to help people achieve and wanting to help people succeed and be the best they can be is what was done for me and what I want to impart on others,” he said.

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8

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC

S TA F F E D I T O R I A L

Giving first-years a choice in housing C ome August, first-year students arriving at UVM will arguably have a much different experience than what any of the current students reading this remember themselves having.

We all remember the awkward and nerve-wracking experience of orientation, the first-year reading we skimmed while on the beach and maybe even taking a TAP class in the College of Arts and Sciences.

These are all things receiving a major facelift in the next couple of years.

Undergraduate orientation, the first-year reading, convocation, Welcome Week and a new advising program in the Davis Center are all aspects of the “first-year experience” that will soon be revamped.

A new course for first-years will focus on teaching study skills, time management, using Blackboard, healthy relationships, diversity, goal setting and course registration, according to a January memo from Provost David Rosowsky.

Perhaps most surprising is the fact that the administration wants to have 100 percent of first-year students in programmed or themed housing by 2018. This programmed

housing will incorporate faculty advising and peer mentoring to foster “growth and discovery” in the residential halls, according to Rosowsky.

Programmed housing is without a doubt an extremely valuable and positive aspect of residential life at UVM. As it stands, it gives students the unique opportunity to live in a community of students who share common interests. It also gives them a core group of peers at the beginning of an often times unsure and intimidating part of the college experience.

However, if all first-year students are required to live in programmed housing, and live in a community in which they don’t feel a particularly strong connection, then the originally positive traits of the system could be diminished. Expanding programmed housing can indeed be positive, but students should be given the choice of whether or not they participate in it.

For some students, a more traditional residential hall living experience may be a better fit. Some first-year students may not feel the need or want for programmed housing. The choice of which housing option to choose should continue to be

left up to students.

All of these changes are being made with the goal of giving first-years an overall better and more enhanced experience as well as get them on the right track to graduate in four years with academic success.

The proposed new “firstyear experience” has incredibly positive intentions, and we commend the administration for putting in the effort to make sure all first-year students coming to our University have the best experience possible. Giving students the option of what type of living situation they desire, however, should be considered; for in reality, the University as a whole is their new home.

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.

Please send letters to opinion@vtcynic.com.

Illustration by ELISE MITCHELL

Alison Bechdel: LGBT cartoons Ariana Arden AARDEN@UVM.EDU

L

ast Thursday morning, the wonderful Alison Bechdel stood in front of my class and told us about her life.

For those who don’t know, Alison Bechdel is a cartoonist.

She created an influential strip called “Dykes to Watch Out For” that ran from 1983 to 2008, and wrote a memoir called “Fun Home” that was turned into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical.

She is remarkable woman, and having her speak to the class was a privilege. She gave us a “cartoon history” of her life as it has appeared in her comics and then fielded questions.

One subject she touched upon particularly caught my interest. She talked about the strides the gay community has made in her lifetime.

“The world has shifted under my feet,” Bechdel said.

She said she was interested and excited about all the progress being made, but was also somewhat hesitant to what the future might bring.

“If we got what we wanted… our culture would disappear,” she said nostalgically.

This grabbed me. There is a definite trade-off taking place that people tend not to think about. When minority groups are considered deviant, they band together. They protect and support each other, and a rich,

thriving subculture emerges.

Take the gay community as an example: if we went back 25 years or so we could find gay bookstores, gay newspapers, gay coffee shops, gay bars, etc.

Today, most of those outlets have disappeared – even gay bars are fading away. There is a loss of culture there that’s sad to see.

Important advances are being made, but at what cost?

Where is the tight-knit, thriving community that once was gay subculture?

The feelings of, “we’re special; we’re different; we’re living radical lives,” have gone away and been replaced by the feeling of “perhaps we’re not so different and special after all; perhaps we’re just like everyone else.” People have assimilated and become complacent with the dream of suburbia and the white picket fence.

Yet in these past 25 years, so many great things have happened for the gay community.

The American gay man and woman have stopped being less-than citizens and have become full citizens. People don’t have to feel fear for existing in public spaces as the people they are. That’s something that couldn’t be said in the past.

When her presentation was over, I asked Bechdel a little more about this idea.

“I’m nostalgic - I miss those times,” she said, “but I wouldn’t really want to go back either.”

And that seems to be the road we need to take on this issue. It is sad to see the disap-

TUFTS SUMMER SESSION 2016 Illustration by DAVID BERNIER

pearance of what once was this tight-knit community of people, supporting each other, building things together from the ground up. We don’t have that anymore.

However, we have marriage equality, anti-discrimination laws, decriminalized gay sex and the ability to serve openly in the military.

When a marginalized community becomes accepted into society, there is a give and take.

They gain their full civil rights, but must abandon their separatism.

It’s sad that there has to be a trade-off of culture and rights, but being able to live freely and openly as oneself is surely preferable.

Ariana Arden is a sophomore English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.

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THE VERMONT CYNIC

OPINION

9

W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 016

Remember context when looking back

D

ear Readers of the Vermont Cynic,

Kake Walk, perspective of the era and lessons learned applicable to today We were interviewed for the Cynic series regarding Kake Walk. We do not argue against its demise but because the mention of it is taboo and it is included in a series on racism, UVM may miss an important opportunity to learn lessons from the past applicable to today. We urge you to read the online version of this perspective.

We attended UVM from 1962 to 1967 and participated in 1965 as walkers , as coaches and younger brother of a walker , and band member and editor-in-chief of the Cynic (LM).

We were in the Boulder Society and the Peace Corps and our lives involved health care and human service. We and the vast majority of people on campus and involved in Kake Walk were not racist.

Context matters. The late 1950s and 1960s were turbulent times in the U.S., following decades of wars, an emerging middle class, assassinations of political leaders, an existential cold war and an awakening to racism from some extraordinarily brave and visionary leaders.

We can’t speak about the earliest years of Kake Walk but can of the period in which it was essentially a Winter Carnival and did evolve. One useful lesson is that society’s adaptation to problems is never easy, fast and effective enough.; particularly when viewed from a half-century later. How will you

(we) be judged in 2066 for the response to the hatred, racism and xenophobia now confronting us? Kake Walk was a winter carnival weekend in the dead of Vermont winter that was a focal point for intra-collegiate competition largely among the “Greek” houses, but also involving independents.

It was a social weekend with a king and queen election, skits, dances, concerts with famous artists, snow sculptures of remarkable detail and usually with social meaning and community spirit which provided an economic boost for Burlington. Many alumni returned year after year with great affection for UVM. The athleticism was challenging and training and competition serious business.

The routines were a mixture of gymnastics and coordinated “dancing” in which two people looked and acted as one. The black face, done to mask the identity of the walkers (see online) was something people were sensitive to and the makeup did change to light-greenface (1964) and green-and-gold face, the UVM colors (1965).

Makeup was only used on the nights of the competition.

From a Walker’s point of view, no makeup would have been fine. Uniforms were the fraternity colors. That the routines came from plantation days was recognized, but on the positive side the athletic skills were quite challenging and admired.

Senior faculty members were the judges. There were two nights of Walking competition with a full-house and tremendous spirit. For the competitors it was intense: two-minute routines requiring as close to per-

Illustration by ALYSSA HANDELMAN

fection as possible.

We posit that the standing room only audiences came to see a highly respected competition by teams they knew had spent serious months preparing to be more proficient and creative than the others, and that they did not come to see a denigrating racial practice.

There was tremendous mutual respect among teams and coaches. Winning a prize for the Walking, sculptures or the King and Queen was huge. The thought of this being racist was not a factor, other than a rising awareness of the issue of race in America.

UVM was not insensitive to the racial issues regarding Kake Walk and while the efforts may have been inadequate, might UVM, an institution in an essentially uni-racial state, have been a bit on the leading edge of the sensitivity to racial issues by trying to change Kake Walk?

We believe much is missed

with racism as the lens in which to view all of Kake Walk. A moral undercurrent in the early ‘60s at UVM helped usher in changes a few years later, so perhaps there might be some sense of pride or at least recognition of efforts by UVMers?

Would insight and more effective intervention by the adult leaders from the University and Burlington have allowed this Winter Carnival to be modified and the good parts saved?

It was improbable given the radical changes of the 1960s but it seems like the importance of the positive features of that weekend are now being considered with a Winter Carnival among the options. If so, learning from the past might allow for a more positive perspective on such a future event.

Experience and wisdom provide lessons that a) there are no absolutes so context and nuance matter, b) many people of a wide variety of backgrounds

Clarification on new budget model article

D

ear Editor,

I remain grateful for the continued interest and engagement in our transition to a new budget model. In response to the March 30, 2016 Cynic article on IBB, I’d like to provide the following thoughts and clarifications.

I, too, share concern about access, affordability, resources and the long-term financial sustainability of our institution.

Indeed, this is an almost universally-held interest among colleges and universities today.

I believe the best way to ensure our future is to support and enable our highest priorities around academic excellence and student success; and to empower our colleges and schools to make decisions consistent with their highest strategic priorities.

IBB does just that. It provides academic leaders in the colleges and schools with the information, tools and incentives necessary to create the best overall educational experience possible.

We’re already seeing exciting curricular innovations emerge as a result of our transition to IBB. In the last two academic years, seven new undergraduate minors, three new undergraduate majors, three new graduate degrees, and three new certificates have been ap-

result in the need for more, or fewer, faculty members in particular areas.

Contrary to what was reported in the March 30 Cynic article, IBB does account for the differential costs associated with full and part-time faculty members.

It is true that IBB allocates

Contrary to what was reported in the March 30 Cynic article, IBB does account for the differential costs associated with full and part-time faculty members. proved (or are slated for approval at the May 2016 board of trustees meeting).

As units develop and invest in programs where there is student interest, some rebalancing and redistribution of faculty will be necessary.

It has always been the case, and, regardless of budget model, it will continue to be the case that many variables (i.e., shifts in student interest and demand, new strategies, emerging priorities, available resources, etc.) play a role in faculty staffing decisions.

Changes in any of these can

some costs based on the number of faculty members in a unit (commonly referred to as “head count”).

This is the case for certain fixed costs that remain the same whether an individual is fulltime or part-time. Other costs, driven by use, are assessed on an FTE (full-time equivalency) basis, reflecting the differential use and impact of full-time and part-time faculty.

As noted in the article, our IBB model went “live” in fiscal year 2016.

But its development and implementation has been an in-

clusive, transparent, thoughtful three-year process dating back to a 2012 budget self-study highlighting the limitations of the prior budget model.

The process was faculty-driven, and is fully documented on the IBB website.

The University of Vermont is committed to providing a world-class education to our students.

We will continue to invest wisely and strategically in the people, places and programs that contribute most directly to this commitment.

Our commitment to excellence and to student success is what drives decision-making at all levels and throughout the University.

Sincerely, David V. Rosowsky Provost and Senior Vice President

now have needs that others should try to understand and assist with, and c) one should use caution when applying labels such as “racism” to a whole group or period of time as the efforts and accomplishments of the change-agents within may be lost.

We are pleased that there may be an opportunity for open consideration, exchange of ideas and dialogue so that the best possible lessons from the past are learned and applied to issues of racism, prejudice and inequality for which principled and courageous moral leadership and action are needed now.

Yours truly Norman Coleman (’66), MD, DSc (h.c.)

Warren Kaplan (’66), DVM Laurence Miller (’66), MD Larry Roth (’67), MBA

‘Sorority Life’ piece: rude and so misinformed

D

ear Editor,

This is in regards to the “Reflections on sorority life” piece that was recently published.

Not only is it offensive to a large number of UVM students, but it is horribly misinformed.

As sorority women, we try very hard to create a positive image on campus and I feel we’ve been taking huge strides.

But this piece was a slap in the face to all of us. To see such a lack of support from a fellow student when we make it a point to be involved with other campus groups is discouraging to say the least.

I hope that people will realize how untrue all of the information in this piece is and will give us another chance. As a community we are really trying to connect with our fellow students. Please don’t let something like this ruin all of our hard work. Thank you.

Taylor Gartland Class of 2018

10

THE VERMONT CYNIC

OPINION

W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 016

Modest Proposals

On Montreal and tragic poutine encounters daltrey burris

DBURRIS@UVM.EDU

O

ne of the perks of attending the University of Vermont is its proximity to Canada, a terrifying place where speeds are measured in thousands of meters per hour and milk comes in plastic bags.

The main reason anyone braves these dreadful conditions is the legal drinking age, allowing almost anyone who’s college-aged to finally experience the bars and general nightlife they’ve pined after for so long.

It’s also important to note Canada has looser regulations on the booze they distribute, allowing Molson Canadian to produce something so dangerously amazing that it’s banned in America: a 10.1 percent 40-ounce beer.

A cursory calculation shows that one of these behemoths contains around seven standard drinks, an utterly insane amount of alcohol to ingest in a short sitting. This, of course, is exactly why we bought them.

My friends and I were going to Montreal for a night to show our UMass buddies a good time.

We’d been there once before, and it went okay, I guess. Our hostel supplied us with sheets covered in dirt and hair.

When I asked the front desk for replacements, I was grumpily handed some new sheets, also covered in dirt and hair We all had high hopes for our excursion and channeled this excitement into frantic

drinking, starting with the aforementioned 40-ounce beverages. We stumbled from bar to bar, experiencing only the finest of what Canada had to offer — our hostel clerk made sure of that.

As we were leaving, the man at the front desk suggested a sizable list of places that “people like us” might enjoy: noisy dive-bars where waitresses wore slightly too little and nightclubs with names like “Complexe Sky” and “CODE.” I would have been offended by both his word choice and judgment of our group’s character, but that was exactly what we were looking for.

After we made it through about half of the concierge’s recommendations, our collective mental state began to deteriorate considerably, and our singular goal turned to food.

Now, America is renowned for its gluttony and diet-shattering meals. Our stranglehold on deep-fried, lard-injected, Paula Deen cuisine is legendary.

So when I heard Canada was famous for a French fry variation, nationalism took over, and I realized that I had to compare notes on this greasy delicacy.

Poutine — pronounced “poo-teen” (or “put-zin” if you’re a nonsensical French-Canadian) — is a dish consisting of fries covered in gravy and topped with cheese curds, which are lumps of mild cheese that squeak against your teeth with every bite.

It became my mission to seek out these cheesy treats and down them with an ecstatic, drunken fervor. Luckily, the dish is so popular it only

Illustration by SYDNEY LISS-ABRAHAM

took about five minutes to find a late-night diner that served it. I ordered my food to go and left shortly after, hands clasped tightly around warm Styrofoam.

As I plodded back to the hostel, I cracked open my meal and began to scarf it down with an intensity usually reserved for recently-released prisoners of war or hot dog-eating champion Takeru Kobayashi.

All of my being was focused on putting the entirety of the container’s contents into my mouth as quickly as possible.

This, it seems, was a mistake.

Because we had such a large group, we spread out over the whole sidewalk, forcing the person on the end to avoid errant street signs and curbs.

I handled myself pretty well throughout the night, so I felt cocky enough to be the one to duck under various advertisements. Silly me.

I began to crouch as I moved forward to avoid smashing my face into a sign, but I was too

focused on my food to see that there was a bar around shin height that was also connected to the sign. I hit the beam fullforce with my right leg, immediately sprawling my body to the ground.

The force of the impact jarred me enough to cause me to lose control of my hands and the poutine shot out of my grip, spilling all over the sidewalk.

“NOOOOO! MY POUTINE!” I bellowed instinctively.

I brought myself to a knee, as I faced a sight that will never leave me — three homeless men a foot away, laughing hysterically.

The ringleader of the bunch promptly stuck his pointer finger an inch from my face and cackled, “Forget about your poutine! You just ate it!”

Now I don’t know if you’ve ever been laughed at by a drifter before, but what happens is that absolutely everyone within earshot immediately turns and stares. Groups of passersby be-

gan to murmur at the spectacle of five young adults and three hobos pointing and howling at a tiny, crying man.

For the sake of the story, I wish I had sobbed due to the loss of my food, but it was actually because the pain was excruciating. I had to limp home with a massively bruised and bloodied shin.

While the scar left from that night has mostly healed, the cut left from that disdainful man is still raw.

I still think about it from time to time, mostly wondering how universal the colloquialism “ate it” is in terms of falling or if the bum was simply making a quip that I didn’t quite grasp.

Regardless, I learned two very valuable lessons that night: always watch where you’re going, and fries taste just as good when eaten off city sidewalks.

Daltrey Burris is a senior psychology major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.

Voices on Campus

Describe this presidential election in three words

Interesting, intense, complicated Jun Wang, senior

Messy, anti-establishment, change Jack Hurley, junior

Reality TV show

Very, very important

Jeff Maynard, senior

Will Kniffin, senior

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SPORTS

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC

Lacrosse first-year starts strong

By Locria Courtright ccourtri@uvm.edu

You only get one chance to make a first impression and one men’s lacrosse first-year is making the most of his.

On his Feb. 6 Catamount debut, attacker Dawes Milchling scored a hat trick in the Catamounts’ season-opening 17-16 loss to Jacksonville University.

The Cockeysville, Maryland native comes from an area where lacrosse is regarded as one of the major sports, and has brought his passion and scoring ability to UVM. “Growing up in Maryland, lacrosse is one of the biggest sports,” Milchling said.

Milchling is also not the only one in his family to play the sport.

“My dad played in college, and my older sisters had been playing since I was born,” he said. “So I was around the game all the time.”

Milchling said he has been playing lacrosse ever since he was a kid, when his dad first put a stick in his hands.

“My dad gave me my first stick when I was four,” he said.

“I really enjoyed it, and I have been playing ever since.”

Last season, while playing for St. Paul’s School in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Division, Milchling scored 34 goals in 19 games and added 18 assists, according to UVM athletics.

St. Paul’s finished second in the conference, according to the

First-year Dawes Milchling fends off a Dartmouth College player in UVM’s March 29 win at home. PHOTO COURTESY UVM ATHLETICS MIAA. As of April 3, Milchling ranks third in goal scoring with 17 goals his first-year season, behind only junior midfielder Ian MacKay and senior attacker James Barlow, according to UVM athletics.

His 6-foot-5 frame gives Milchling great range and wingspan, allowing him to make himself available to his teammates no matter where he is on the field.

“I think that my style of play is one that works off of my teammates,” Milchling said. “I try to get open off the ball and finish

shots that my teammates create off of dodges.”

In addition to setting up his teammates, Milchling said his skill set gives him the abiliuty to be a playmaker himself.

“I also would like to think that I can dodge and feed the ball if I have to,” he said.

Milchling has already been named the America East Rookie of the Week twice in his first year, according to UVM athletics.

The first award came after the first week of the season following his performance in Jacksonville.

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He matched this achievement the week of March 14, following his hat trick against Sacred Heart University at Virtue Field, which included a game-winning goal in overtime in the Cats’ 9-8 victory.

“I was just happy that we could pull out the win as a team,“ Milchling said.

Milchling is ranked seventh in the America East in points per game with an average of two, according to the America East Conference.

Milchling said choosing Vermont was an easy decision.

“The thing that drew me

to UVM was when I visited the school and the team for the first time.

I thought that it was a very good environment academically and athletically,” he said.

“All of the guys on the team, the coaches and the school were very welcoming,” Milchling said.

“It was an easy choice after that.”

If Milchling’s early-season performance is any kind of indicator of what is to come, he will continue to be an essential member of the team for years to come.

12

THE VERMONT CYNIC

SPORTS

W E D N E S DAY, AP R I L 6 , 2 016

BUSCH LEAGUE BANTER

‘Bro code’ defends cheater Shane town STOWN@UVM.EDU

K

obe Bryant’s farewell tour has been tainted by the locker room division, brought about by the actions of rising star D’Angelo Russell.

This seems to be a fitting conclusion for a team that is much more of a Harlem Globetrotter-esque traveling sideshow than a competitive basketball unit.

Russell recorded a conversation he had with his teammate, Nick Young, in which he seemed to lead Young in a purposefully incriminating direction as he asked questions about Young, who is 30, hooking up with a 19-year-old fan.

Russell’s actions have made him a leper among his own teammates – some reported it has gotten to the level of schoolyard bullying, with teammates rising from the lunch table when he sits – as well as a broad swath of basketball fans.

This wouldn’t be nearly as big of a deal if Young, nicknamed “Swaggy P,” were not engaged to hip-hop star Iggy Azalea.

Although the recording was meant to be private, it ended up leaking, and clearly showed Young admitting to cheating on Azalea.

However, more important than any of the sordid details of this tabloid drama is society’s

general consensus that Russell is a vile pariah for violating the “bro code.”

To be sure, Russell’s actions were extremely immature and almost certainly planned around personal gain.

However the fact that this NBA player was cheating on his fiance has been lost in the wreckage.

In addition, the nonchalant manner with which he spoke about it would lead one to be-

It's a sad world that thunderously chastises cheating on the court, but readily condones it off the court. lieve that this probably isn’t the first or last instance.

Analysts are avoiding this narrative because it’s an epidemic that permeates all professional sports, and must be swept under the rug so fans will continue to hold these players with reverent, godlike regard.

It’s much more prosperous than fans knowing many athletes are adulterous degenerates.

The other thing that is repulsive about this story is ev-

eryone’s quick defense of the “bro code” and the subsequent hatred directed toward Russell because of it.

While nobody likes a tattletale, and certainly not one who does so for his own gain, didn’t Russell inadvertently do the right thing in revealing this to Azalea?

At the end of the day, Nick Young still admitted to cheating on a women that he was planning on marrying.

Shouldn’t this be the bigger issue?

It’s disconcerting how much negative emphasis was put on revealing the infidelity, rather than on the immature way with which he did it.

In this case, the “bro code” is nothing more than a defense of cheating on one’s significant other through the use of teamwork, or at the very least turning a blind eye on it when it happens.

Should Russell have done what he did?

No. But equally important is the question, should we, not just in the athletic world, but society in general, really be teaming up to “adhere to bro code” when it comes to infidelity?

It’s a sad world that thunderously chastises cheating on the court, but readily condones it off the court.

Shane Town is a senior English major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2014.

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LAST WEEK

W

15-9

Men’s Lacrosse vs Dartmouth HOME March 29

L

19-8

W

11-5

Women's Lacrosse vs Manhattan HOME March 30

L

13-10

Women’s Lacrosse at Stony Brook

Men’s Lacrosse at Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY April 2

Stony Brook, NY April 3

THIS WEEK Women’s Lacrosse vs UMass Lowell

Women’s Lacrosse at New Hampshire

HOME April 6 3 p.m.

Durham, NH April 9 6 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosse at Albany

Track at UMass Amherst Quad

Albany, NY April 9 7 p.m.

Amherst, MA April 9 11 a.m.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: Men’s lacrosse sophomore Cam Stafford scored a cereer-best seven goals in the Cats’ 15-9 win over Dartmouth College at Virtue Field March 29 in the team’s first game under the newly installed lights.

RECORDS Men’s Lacrosse 5-6 Women’s Lacrosse 4-7

Women’s lacrosse opens their 2016 conference slate By ben steinlauf bsteinla@uvm.edu

The women’s lacrosse team opened their conference season March 26 against the same team that ended their season last year.

UVM suffered an overtime loss to the University of Albany in last year’s America East tournament, according to UVM athletics.

The Cats are hoping to do even better than last year in the 2016 season.

UVM began their regular season Feb. 15 against Bryant University.

They faced some challenges in their pre-conference games, falling to the hands of three strong teams on the west coast, including No. 11 University of Southern California, according to UVM athletics.

But the Cats came back to the East Coast and finished pre-conference play with two wins against Quinnipiac University and Siena College, prior to the team’s conference opener against Albany.

Head coach Jennifer Johnson said she is confident of the team’s ability, especially after a promising beginning from the younger members of the team.

“We have a new team this year and we’re a lot younger,” Johnson said. “So we’ve had to make some minor adjustments, and it’s a lot about them getting

to know one another on and off the field.”

She said she believes youth and versatility will be key to the team’s success this year.

“I think we have a lot of skill in a lot of different positions,” Johnson said, “so again, it’s about getting those younger players experience and building momentum for the season.”

Although the new Catamounts will play a significant role in the team’s success this season, the Cats also have firepower from the returning players.

Two games into conference play, senior midfielder Vanessa VanderZalm has tallied 24 goals.

VanderZalm entered her final season at UVM with 114 goals in only 52 appearances, according to UVM athletics.

Now she’s added another 24 just two games into America east conference play.

“

Although we had wins, there’s always things we can build on.

VANESSA VANDERZALM WOMEN’S LACROSSE SENIOR

Sophomore attacker Becca Olsen chases a loose ball in the Cats’ March 19 win over Siena College.

The team recently started America East conference play. PHOTO COURTESY UVM ATHLETICS The team pulled out a couple wins in their non-conference portion of the schedule, and according to VanderZalm, they are looking to continue that success into conference play.

“We’ve gotten in two good wins, and we’re hoping to build off that,” she said.

“We’ve just been working on things we think we have to build on from our last games.”

VanderZalm said that the team’s start to the season has not been perfect, however, the

team will look to improve.

“Although we had wins,” she said, “there’s always things we can build on, and of course the things we didn’t do well from the games we lost.”

The Cats’ conference opener was against none other than Albany, whom the Cats shared an overtime thriller with last year, unfortunately ending the Cats’ season almost one year ago.

This game was not quite as close as last year’s matchup, as the Cats fell 18-6 at home in their first game under the lights

at Virtue Field, according to UVM athletics.

In their second conference game April 2 against Stony Brook University, UVM fell again, this time by the score of 19-8, according to UVM athletics.

So far in conference play, neither Albany nor Stony Brook has lost a game, according to the America East site.

The Cats will play their next game at home April 6 against UMass Lowell.