Issue 25 - Volume 135

Fraternity ban lifted

THE VERMONT

CYNIC April 2, 2019

vtcynic.com

Two organizations named in connection to student death

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

The Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house was the last place first-year Connor Gage was seen before heading toward North Winooski Avenue Feb. 2. Alpha Epsilon Pi was one of two fraternities identified by the Burlington Police Department as being directly connected to Gage’s death.

Sawyer Loftus swloftus@uvm.edu

Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu

After a first-year died on his way home Feb. 2 following a night of drinking, a police investigation identified the two fraternities he was at that night.

It has been determined that he was first at Delta Tau Delta and then Alpha Epsilon Pi, an unrecognized fraternity, the night of his death.

First-year Connor Gage died Feb. 2 behind 294 North Winooski Ave. after attending two off-campus fraternity events, said Jon Murad, deputy chief of the Burlington Police Department.

Nearly two months later, the police have finished their investigation, while UVM’s own

investigation continues.

UVM announced a ban on all fraternity activity Feb. 5.

The University has provided a path back to active status for all fraternities, except DTD and AEPi, according to a March 29 letter from Daphne Wells, director of student life.

AEPi lost its status as a “recognized” fraternity back in 2014, Wells said.

They were initially suspended for hazing and alcohol violations, according to UVM’s Fraternity and Sorority Life website.

Unrecognized fraternities are not allowed to do any programming or recruit on campus, according to UVM policy.

However, AEPi was in the middle of their “Spring Rush,” or recruitment process, according to a an online flyer advertis-

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

Junior Robert Hamann and senior Chris Haines sit for a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity chapter meeting March 31. Sigma Phi Epsilon is among the fraternities allowed to conduct actvities after the end of a near two-month activity ban. ing recruitment events around the time of Gage’s death.

The University is not in a position to disclose if Gage

was specifically rushing either DTD or AEPi, but Gage was in contact with “specific organizations” for recruitment purpos-

es, Wells said.

No students involved in AEPi’s Vermont chapter were allowed to provide comment, said Jon Pierce, a spokesperson for AEPi International.

Pierce said the Vermont chapter is cooperating with investigations into Gage’s death, but none of its members have been found “culpable.”

“As of this time, we have not seen that anybody did anything that violates our health and safety policies,” Pierce said.

AEPi International does not have a specific policy that bans alcohol in chapter houses, Pierce said.

But, UVM policy does state that all fraternities are supposed to be substance-free.

Fraternity investigation continued on page 2

SGA President named after biggest election in years Emma Pinezich epinezic@uvm.edu

Junior Jillian Scannell and her running mate, sophomore Owen Doherty, won the SGA presidential and vice presidential elections.

Scannell and Doherty’s victories were announced March 29.

The only other presidential candidate was sophomore Harmony Edosomwan. Doherty ran unapposed.

Scannell won with 1,724 votes. Edosomwan gathered 1,116 votes.

2,861 students voted in this year’s election, the highest voter turnout seen in recent years.

facebook.com/ thevermontcynic

Scannell and Doherty’s platform includes working toward a sustainable and just campus, increasing access to affordable housing and making it easier to take cross-college courses.

“Owen and I believe that we can enhance the student experience here for all students on our campus,” Scannell said at the SGA debate March 22.

Scannell ran against Edosomwan, a student activist and leader of NoNames for Justice.

Edosomwan’s main platform goals included increasing funding for identity centers and diversity-based clubs under SGA, increasing funding for College of Arts and Sciences and expanding Counseling and

@vermontcynic

Psychiatry Services locations and funding.

“Owen and I are really thankful for this opportunity,” Scannell said.

“This is where the real work begins,” Doherty said. Sophomore Meg Stevens expressed her excitement over the election results, and discussed what changes she hopes to see next year on campus.

“I was really happy about the election results,” Stevens said.

“I voted for Jillian because the environment was a huge part of her platform, and because UVM markets itself as such a green school we need to actively be making as many steps as we can to practice what we preach.”

@vermontcynic

ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic

Sophomore Owen Doherty answers a question at the SGA presidential debate March 22. Junior Jillian Scannell won the SGA presidential election with Doherty as her vice president.

youtube.com/ cynicvideo

www.

vtcynic.com

NEWS

2

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

Union blocked out of admin office Emma Pinezich epinezic@uvm.edu

Get the full story at vtcynic.com Photo

Slideshow: Women skiers hit the slopes

Founded by two students in 2016, Chicks on Sticks is an all-female ski group that hosts the event Power Through Powder, which took place Feb. 5 to March 21.

Podcast

Prime Times Cats: Admissions scandal Do your parents really love you if they trust their money over your ability to learn? It’s complicated. Tune into this week’s episode to hear more about college admissions.

Video

Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu

The faculty union and student activists were locked out of the executive offices when they tried to deliver a petition.

United Academics, the faculty union, hosted a 2:30 p.m.

March 26 rally on the Waterman Green. It was attended by 40 faculty and students, including members from the Coalition for Student and Faculty Rights, NoNames for Justice and the Queer Student Union.

The rally was to support the UA’s petition, which includes demands for the reinstatement of two lecturers whose contracts were recently not renewed, and support for the students who received conduct hearing notices following participation in a Feb. 26 rally hosted by NoNames.

UA President Sarah Alexander, associate English professor, said she was surprised that the door was locked since people can normally walk right into the executive offices.

“It feels a little bit like they don’t care what we have to say enough to even allow someone in their office to accept our petition that had close to 1,000 signatures. We didn’t intend to disrupt anyone or make a ruckus,” Alexander said. “They clearly knew we were coming.”

Alexander gave the petition to Jim Vigoreaux, associate provost for faculty affairs, who was standing outside of the executive offices in Waterman.

Vigoreaux told her that he would give the petition to President Sullivan, Alexander said.

Communications Director Enrique Corredera stated in an email that the University ensured that the petition would be

ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic

First-year Jordyn King delivers a speech at the March 26 United Academics rally on the Waterman Green, which was attended by 40 faculty and students. The rally was to support the UA’s petition, which demands for the reinstatement of two lecturers and support for students who received conduct hearing notices following participation in a Feb. 26 rally hosted by NoNames for Justice. delivered to a senior leadership team member.

Vigoreaux will be sharing the petition with other senior leaders, he stated.

At the rally, students gathered on the green and listened to Alexander and theater professor John Forbes speak about their concerns regarding the administration’s cuts to the College of Arts and Sciences.

Forbes stressed that tenured faculty need to speak out in order to defend their colleagues and the future of CAS. “We face the absurd situation where we are being presented with cuts in resources as a way to strengthen the college.

This is idiotic,” Forbes said.

Students, including sopho-

more Jordyn King and senior Seth Wade, spoke about the letters from the administration.

The letters informed the students that they could potentially face disciplinary actions after events that took place Feb. 26 during a NoNames rally.

At the NoNames rally, nine students were given conduct violations by administrators after using a loudspeaker inside the Waterman building.

“We are all in this together,” Wade said. “The more we get out the word of what is happening on this University, the more of a chance we have to fight this and make a change.”

The speakers highlighted the three demands in the petition: that UVM administra-

Fraternity investigation continued from page 1

Students and faculty protest budget cuts

The faculty union held a rally March 26 on the Waterman Green to protest cuts to the College of Arts and Sciences faculty and programs at UVM.

News

Goodbye party held for cut classics prof.

A goodbye party was held for senior lecturer Brian Walsh March 28, whose contract was not renewed because of budget cuts to the classics department.

“All our events for FSL in regard to recruitment are all alcohol- and substance-free,” Wells said. “Our members are not supposed to be engaging in any type of substance use with any new members.”

Pierce could not answer if any members of the Vermont chapter were involved in Gage’s death since the term “involved” is too general, he said.

“I don’t know what that means. ‘Involved’ is sort of a very broad term,” Pierce said.

“Involved could be anything.

They could have written an article in your paper and that would mean they’re involved, right? So, culpable is a more accurate term.”

Additionally, Pierce refused to say whether or not there was an official or unofficial event at the AEPi house in Burlington.

AEPi will continue to be “indefinitely suspended” until they adhere to their initial suspension which they received in

Image source: Facebook

Connor Gage died Feb. 2 in a North Winooski Avenue parking lot after exposure to subzero temperatures following visits to two off-campus fraternities.

2014, Wells said.

UVM policies won’t change any time soon since the problem is not with the policies, rather it’s with the fraternities, Wells said.

“It wasn’t anything in regards to our University policies

that allowed this type of behavior to happen,” Wells said. “It was the behavior of the members of the chapters, so that’s where the change needs to happen.”

Senior Rachel Frankenfield wrote the March 9 letter to the

tion reinstate laid off faculty, that they freeze course caps on introductory courses campus wide and that they commit to preserving UVM’s language, arts and humanities programs.

Sophomore Harmony Edosomwan, a leader in NoNames for Justice who was running for SGA president at the time of the rally, took the microphone to discuss how funding for CAS was at the center of her campaign platform.

“All I have to say is, just keep fighting the good fight for UVM,” Edosomwan said to students, after urging them to join UA and deliver the petition directly to Sullivan’s office.

editor “Prioritize safety, not just punishment” asking UVM and fraternities to prioritize safety.

Frankenfield said she’s happy there is a path for most fraternities to get back on track.

But, she is concerned as to how the University will be able to hold AEPi accountable since they are unrecognized.

UVM has provided a way for other fraternitites to come back from suspension, Wells said.

Each recognized fraternity, except DTD, has to fill out an individual plan that will be reviewed by officals in Student Life.

The plans have to include how fraternities will live up to UVM policies around alcohol and other substances, Wells said.

Sophomore Aaron Goldstein, president of DTD, was unavailable to comment while awaiting counsel from his attorney.

Junior Jack Grossman, president of AEPi, did not respond to requests for comment.

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

NEWS

3

UVM measured against peer colleges Julianne Lesch jlesch@uvm.edu

Lilly Young ehyoung@uvm.edu

Representatives from various colleges visited campus as part of the reaccreditation process, but few people showed up to the open forums.

When a university is accredited, it means that the institution has met certain standards in order to demonstrate that quality education is being provided, according to the New England Commision on Higher Education website.

The results of the accreditation can affect students’ financial aid and the University's standing.

Being an accredited university is important since it allows people to trust the education that is being provided, said Brian Reed, co-chair of the Accreditation Executive Committee.

“There is an assurance to prospective students, parents and the public that we undergo a vigorous process to maintain academic excellence, financial viability and so on,” Reed said.

A student's ability to receive federal financial aid is dependent on whether or not UVM gets reaccredited, Reed said, since accreditation provides the University access to Title IV funds.

Only three students showed up to the student forum, and roughly seven attended the faculty forum.

Gary Derr, vice president for executive operations, stated in an email to the UVM community that the meetings for students, staff and faculty were all taking place at the same time.

On the UVM website, the dates and

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

Representatives from various colleges made a visit to UVM as part of the reaccreditation process in order to ensure that UVM has met certain standards to provide quality education. The discussions among the staff included performance assessments, sustainability on campus and how wage raises are distributed. times for each meeting were listed correctly, stating the student and staff forums were happening at the same time March 25 and the faculty forum happening March 26.

Senior Nick Bouffard, SGA member on the Academic Affairs Committee, said accreditation serves as insurance for the students, since the University is compelled to review itself and its students.

“It’s like a moral code in a way for the institution. It asserts a lot of things, many of which include student rights,” Bouffard said. “This is an institution for

academics, and it is ensuring that the institution provides those.”

Bouffard believes that students ought to care about the reaccreditation process because it gives them data concerning how the University is handling various topics.

“Students should care because it provides language and research for which we can argue for things for ourselves and it serves to hold the institution to higher standards,” he said.

Major topics discussed among students included the amount of distribu-

tion requirements students have, advising and the ability to transfer credits from other institutions.

David Dooley, president of the University of Rhode Island and the chair of the visiting team of representatives, was concerned about the fact that students have such as hard time double majoring, especially across colleges.

Bouffard said that he can recognize the need for having a broadened experience that distribution requirements give, but it can make double majoring hard.

“It’s nearly impossible. You’d have to do it from day one,” SGA President Ethan Foley, a junior, said.

The discussions among the staff included performance assessments filled out by staff, campus sustainability and wage distribution.

Sustainability Director Gioia Thompson felt that the NECHE members asked good questions and addressed the topics that she felt were significant to the staff.

Thompson said that although it was a small group of staff members at the hearing, she still felt that all the important topics and issues were touched upon.

“Everybody gets a chance to learn and to grow,” Thompson said about the reaccreditation process.

“The idea is that the report has legs, that it has credibility, because we can actually show the data that we are drawing our conclusions from,” Reed said.

The University should hear back from NECHE about the final findings of the entire process by some point during the fall semester, Reed said.

Faculty union and admin release contradictory data Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu

The faculty union circulated a flyer at its March 26 rally asserting the University has cherry-picked the data it offered them about funding and enrollment.

A March 26 rally on the Waterman Green centered on United Academics' demands to reinstate two cut lecturers, support liberal arts and drop minimum course caps.

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Bill Falls sent out a fact sheet Feb. 13 stating that CAS has a $1.3 million deficit.

UA President Swarah Alexander, associate English professor, passed around the flyer at the rally. The March 26 rally is another in a series of rallies by UA in response to cuts to liberal arts.

The UA held a meeting Feb. 5 to plan action following the December 2018 memo from Falls announcing cuts to CAS, including two lecturers whose con-

tracts were not renewed.

The UA held a Feb. 14 teach-in with the student activist group the Coalition for Student and Faculty Rights, pushing for the reinstatement of the two lecturers, returning 10 lecturers hours to precut levels and prevent minimum course caps.

Minimum course caps will affect 12 percent of courses, according to Falls' fact sheet.

Chief Financial Officer Richard Cate

said for shortfalls, one-time sources do not fix the problem since money is needed every year to fix it.

Sophomore Cobalt Tolbert, who attended the UA rally and is a member of the Coalition, wants the administration to say that they intentionally misrepresented the information in their fact sheet.

“What has been the most infuriating part of all this is that they won’t even take our demands seriously,” he said.

FUNDING STATISTICS POSED BY EACH SIDE RICHARD CATE Chief Financial Officer

When there is a shortfall, one-time sources do not work since he needs to address the short fall every year, Cate said.

“We have a shortfall in CAS. A lot of us spend most of our waking hours trying to figure out how to fix it,” he said.

While CAS enrollment has increased recently, its credit hours being taught have dropped, which has led to less funding. Endowment money has restrictions. Without donations, the cut lectures can't get endowment money, he said.

Cate said that the $72 million cited

by UA is in addition to the CAS budget.

UVM spends less on administration than peer institutions' average, Cate said.

$50M $550M 2011-2019

in fundraising for student scholarships; chairs & professors; academic support; improved facilities.

2011-2019

UVM says it spent $50 million of endowment money on CAS, but that's only 1/11 of what was raised.

$72M $2.6B 2012-2019

in central funding for capital projects; faculty start-ups; lab renovation; and facility improvements.

2012-2019

UVM says it spent $72 million on CAS facility improvements, but the general fund budget came to roughly $2.6 billion.

$2M $12M Annually

Annually

Special allocation from the president and provost to help reduce budget shortfall.

If UVM reined in spending on administrative costs to match peer institutions, they would generate $12 million annually.

Source: UVM College of Arts and Sciences

Source: United Academics Faculty Union

SARAH ALEXANDER President of United Academics, the faculty union, associate English professor

The United Academics fact sheet’s purpose is to put the money CAS receives in context, Alexander said.

“Their sheet includes cherry-picked and out-of-context numbers,” she said. “We’ve had this budget imposed on us. They’ve created it, and then they say there is a shortfall.”

UA calculated the additional money saved by matching the University's administrative costs using different institutions than UVM, Alexander said.

“We’re not asking them for facility improvements. We’re asking them to retain the curriculum,” she said, in reference to the $72 million. “We’re asking them to retain the teachers they have laid off.”

OPINION

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EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Greta Bjornson editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Ben Elfland newsroom@vtcynic.com

OPERATIONS Operations Manager Sorrel Galantowicz operations@vtcynic.com Marketing Daniel Felde dfelde@uvm.edu

EDITORIAL Copy Chief Sophia Knappertz copy@vtcynic.com Culture Bridget Higdon cynicculture@gmail.com Features Kian Deshler cynicfeatures@gmail.com News George Seibold news@vtcynic.com Opinion Mills Sparkman opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts Chloe Chaobal vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Sports Sabrina Hood sports@vtcynic.com Video Jordan Mitchell video@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com Social Media Peter Hibbeler socialcyniceditor@gmail.com Illustrations Holly Coughlan illustrations@vtcynic.com Layout Kyra Chevalier layout@vtcynic.com Photo Alek Fleury photo@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Allie O’Connor (Culture), David Cabrera (Podcasts), Nickie Morris (Sports), Lee Hughes (News), Sam Litra (Photo), Liv Marshall (Copy), Caroline McCune (Layout), Sophie Spencer (Illustrations) Copy Editors Isabel Coppola, Tori Wilson, Allyson Cooke, Zoe Sheppard, Dalton Doyle Page Designers Meilena Sanchez

ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

When action plans are not enough Staff Editorial

T

he University announced March 29 the end to an investigation into fraternity involvement in the death of first-year Connor Gage.

Gage died in the early morning Feb. 2 from freezing temperatures and alcohol consumption, according to autopsy results.

The action the University is taking based on the results of its investigation will likely punish those directly involved in Gage’s death, but fails to put measures into place that will effectively prevent similar student deaths.

The University needs to not only articulate, but also enforce restrictions on fraternities that proactively stop dangerous situations, such as Gage’s death.

All fraternities — except the two Gage attended, as determined by the investigation — are eligible to resume normal activity if they complete an “action plan.”

To lift the ban, the chapters must meet requirements like meeting with Fraternity and Sorority Life, submitting a recruitment plan and submitting a new member education plan.

University policy already prevents alcohol use at such events, a policy which was obviously ignored to fatal consequences. An agreed-upon action plan does not guarantee enforcement. “[We’ll] take a pause until we can figure out really what happened,” Vice Provost for Student Affairs Annie Stevens

HOLLY COUGHLAN

said at the start of the ban.

“And so we learn from it, and also to understand if there is accountability in some way that needs to happen.”

With the end of the ban in sight, it is unclear whether or not the University has learned from the event as Stevens implied.

How many student deaths must Greek life be held responsible for before we see a meaningful policy change?

The University’s response to the death of one student has been reactionary; it will punish specific individuals after the fact, rather than taking steps to prevent it from happening again.

Before the investigation,

new fraternity members were required to attend a BASICS session.

These are hour-long educational sessions held in the Living Well office where a group “discusses alcohol and substance use with an intentional focus on chapter culture and norms,” according to the program’s website.

While the obvious intention of this is to prevent dangerous alcohol use through education and discussion, it did not work.

In the case of Gage, the lessons of the sessions went unenforced, with a student death as the consequence.

Furthermore, alcohol use at fraternity events is already prohibited by University policy,

what more will the action plan do to prevent the type of situation that led to Gage’s death?

An action plan, while it is a step in the right direction, is just another step fraternities must complete to create an administrative facade of safety.

Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the Vermont Cynic.

Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so.

The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. lease send letters to opinion@ vtcynic.com.

Conserve Vermont’s nature, support new wildlife bill Letter to the Editor

T

rapper, hunter and angler interests have long driven wildlife management decision-making through their influence on the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

But after years of trying to convince the Department to allow the public to participate, Vermont Wildlife Coalition and key sponsors have crafted H.190. This exciting bill creates a “working group” of legislators who will make recommendations to the legislature about:

1. Including the full range of wildlife values and public voices in wildlife decision-making, not just hunters, trappers and anglers 2. Bringing trapping and hunting laws and regulations in line with today’s cultural values and conservation principles 3. Creating new, sustainable funding for wildlife conservation at the Vermont DFW Vermont’s Title 10 states that wildlife is a resource of the Vermont public and must be regulated. The DFW only regulates non-game species, but it’s

EMMA PINEZICH

their job to regulate game species such as raccoons, fish and deer meaning those that are trapped, hunted or fished.

This bill would take the decision-making out of the hands of special interests and into the hands of all Vermonters, based in sound conservation and ecological knowledge.

DFW revenues from license and permit sales will continue to decline. The six-member legislative working group created by the bill would identify collaborative, long-term solutions to ensure our state’s wildlife is protected and sustainably funded for future generations.

The department board members are all unelected.

Recently three new Fish and Wildlife board members have been appointed — all hunters. Board members hold power over bag limits, seasons and other activities impacting bears, bobcats and even our dwindling moose population.

One member of the board is a taxidermist and opposed a petition for a suspension of fox hunting and trapping. Two members are trappers who have nuisance wildlife trapping

businesses and opposed a petition to require minimal oversight of nuisance trapping.

Why does the state continue to marginalize wildlife watchers, rehabilitators and others who want a voice at the decision-making table?

If wildlife is a resource for all Vermonters, shouldn’t viewpoints representing all Vermonters be reflected in the makeup of the board?

The Vermont Wildlife Coalition really needs your help.

Essential actions include: 1. Emailing the Fish and Wildlife Committee (and your legislators) that you support H.190 2. Sharing information about the bill on social media 3. Reaching out to people you know and ask them to do the same Emails to the committee can be sent to Laura Bozarth at lbozarth@leg.state.vt.us. Full info about H.190 as well as the VWC mailing list can be found at the VWC website.

Sincerely, Noah Rappel, Junior

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

OPINION

5

Why college is a time for self-reliance Izzy Abraham isabraha@uvm.edu

O

ver the past several months, one thing has re-sparked my interest in Facebook.

It’s not a group posting pictures of lacy prom dresses, it’s not an environmental activism page — it’s the closed Parents and Family of UVM Students group.

I’ve heard some leaks from this page regarding what parents of Catamounts are furious about, or more often, what their children are wondering about campus life and sights in Burlington.

This took me by surprise.

Cats, we go to school so we can grow up, sharpen our claws and earn diplomas, not rely on mommy and daddy.

The page contains hundreds of posts like, “Where can my student take their bike to get fixed?” “What are good dining halls for my vegan student to eat at?” and “When are club sports tryouts?”

To be frank, there are plenty of online resources, including UVM’s home page and UVM Program Board, that can answer those questions.

A great deal of students are fortunate to have parents who are invested in their college careers.

But this is an important time to parent ourselves, too.

While Cats should heed their parents’ advice and wishes, this is a crucial time to inch ourselves closer to the real, adult world.

We don’t need to ask our

HOLLY COUGHLAN

parents where the best self storage in Burlington is or what types of volunteer opportunities are available for their nowgrown child.

The best thing students can take away from college is independence, second even to a diploma.

By failing to be self-advocates, we are depriving ourselves of one of the most important lessons a university experience can give us.

Sophomore Katherine Peck agrees that even though it’s sometimes difficult to let go of the people who raised us, it’s important to not rely on them

for everyday problems once we’re in college.

“College students should be less dependent on their parents because they’re learning to live on their own,” she said. “It can be a rocky transition, but the majority of people could benefit from a little more space from their families.”

College is the perfect setting to learn who you truly are as you navigate decisions that don’t need your parents’ seal of approval, Peck said.

It’s also important to be aware that students can find support for themselves even in their parents’ absence at

school.

Without our parents’ affirmations and supervision, we can excel to be who we really are.

“Living away from home is new for most students and it allows them the room to grow and see who they are outside the context of their home,” Peck said.

By balancing the love of my parents with my own quest for independence, I’ve deleted unnecessary stress and become much happier.

When it came time for me to search for a place to live off-campus, I didn’t ask my

parents to post in a Facebook group for suggestions. I teamed up with my friends to research apartments in Burlington. A few weeks later, we had a place to live.

I want to open your eyes not only to how important it is to be independent, but how much simpler and straightforward college life can be if we just take things upon ourselves — and tell our parents after things are said and done.

Izzy Abraham is a sophomore political science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.

The “other” admissions scandal at public universities Tori Scala vscala@uvm.edu

T

he college admissions scandal that surfaced in early March has made me reflect on the biased way in which colleges accept incoming first-years.

Based on my personal experience as a current college student and someone who went through the college admissions process, the news of this college admissions scandal disgusted me.

For me, the college process was anything but easy, and the fact that 50 of my peers cheated the system leaves me feeling aggravated.

Forbes Magazine reports in a March 18 article that this scandal has led to the arrest of 50 people thus far.

The scandal involves all areas, from cheating on college entrance exams to falsely claiming to be an athletic re-

cruit.

Colleges favor the rich and then tend to admit everyone else, but at a high cost.

In all honesty, UVM was not my first choice for college.

When I was rejected from my “dream school” I felt as if I wasn’t good enough and I was very hard on myself.

For many students, the college admissions process is overwhelmingly stressful and hard. I’m not the first one to say that the SAT was not my forte.

I can’t imagine how easy my life would have been during my junior year of high school if I had the opportunity to skip out on SAT prep sessions after school.

Nor can I imagine how easy life would be if my parents wrote a check to get me into my dream school.

Thankfully, UVM is not involved in this scandal, but sometimes there are legal ways to buy yourself a spot in a top university.

A March 12 article from

VALENTINA CZOCHANSKI

USA Today stated that Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump’s husband, was accepted to Harvard after his family donated $2.5 million to the university.

People should be more aware of the tuition gap between in-state and out-of-state students, which is a major problem currently plaguing our campus.

According to the UVM Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the cost of attendance

for a full time in-state student is estimated at $35,220.

This is an outrageous amount considering UVM is a state university.

Compare this to the in-state tuition at University of Massachusetts Amherst, which is $29,876.

This difference in cost sends a clear message to many that UVM is too expensive, end of story.

On the other hand, the esti-

mated cost of attendance for an out of state student is a whopping $60,468.

Many prospective out-ofstate students have to give up on UVM due to the steep price tag.

Money should not be a factor in whether a student can receive an education at the university of their choice.

I am glad that the guilty parents are finally seeing the effects of what they have done.

As for UVM, too many potential students have had to give up on their dreams on attending due to the hefty tuition.

The tuition gap is a pressing issue that needs to be discussed and eventually solved.

People always believe that money can solve all problems, but in these cases, money is the problem.

Tori Scala is a first-year political science and Italian major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2019.

CULTURE

6

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

Culture Staff Recommends

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pril showers may be here to stay. Brighten your rainy days by checking out what the Cynic Culture writers are currently excited and passionate about.

Podcast Always Open

Movie Velvet Buzzsaw

Allie O’Connor

Anna Kolosky

aoconno8@uvm.edu

akolosky@uvm.edu

In weekly romps of comedy, alcohol and introspection, hosts Barbara Dunkelman and Mariel Salcedo take on questions about life, love, sex and everything in between on “Always Open.”

Alongside a rotating cast of fellow employees of the popular media production company Rooster Teeth, as well as the occasional internet celebrity, Dunkelman and Salcedo handle fun icebreaker games and fan-submitted questions with relatable and comedic flair.

As one of many podcasts in Rooster Teeth’s network, “Always Open” sets itself apart from the rest with its honest and vibrant discussions of everything from mental health to how to handle working in the entertainment industry.

Directed by Dan Gilroy, “Velvet Buzzsaw” is a suspenseful film of drama, satire, art and body horror that blends humor with the supernatural.

With a cast comprised of Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Dyer and Daveed Diggs, this film is full of great acting.

The film’s plot revolves around the art world. It explores the work of a painter whose art is discovered, only to lead to a disturbing fate for those who find it.

Using the dangers of greed and money, it works as a cautionary tale that blends genres to tell its story.

Despite a cheesy ending to a complicated plot, “Velvet Buzzsaw” is a great choice for lovers of horror and thriller and is certainly worth a watch.

Album When I Get Home Jack Eccleston jeccles1@uvm.edu

Solange’s newest album casts aside the burden of structure and embraces atmosphere and abstract introspection, to great effect.

“When I Get Home” combines elements of contemporary rhythm and blues and neo-soul, serving as an homage to growing up in the Third Ward of Houston, Texas.

Fans expecting Solange’s signature lyrical virtuosity may be disappointed, but despite noticeably short songs, Solange is soft and reflective, as well as jarring and experimental. She brings an early contender for album of the year.

comedy special Growing Bridget Higdon cynicculture@gmail.com

In her new comedy special on Netflix, Amy Schumer, the well-known party girl from Long Island, has matured both in her humor and her own life.

Schumer’s act is a balance of her classic, raunchy jokes and new, more personal stories. She takes time to discuss her complicated pregnancy and she’s real about her arrest at the hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Schumer’s strong feminist messages aren’t revolutionary, but they don’t need to be. She’s a comic, not a politician, and her jokes amplify women’s trials in a way that makes the experiences more digestible.

Senior lecturer’s paintings heal and inspire viewers Juliet Malkowski jmalkows@uvm.edu

In the bleakness of late March, a look at Cameron Davis’s bright, earthy canvases is like stepping into the beauty of blooming spring.

Davis is a senior lecturer of art and art history, and teaches Drawing, Perspectives on Art Making and courses on art and ecology. She currently has her work on display both at the UVM Medical Center and the Annex Gallery in Vergennes, Vermont.

Davis said that her work uses recognizable imagery: plants, water patterns, honey bees and insects as a reference to the natural world and her own inner sense of presence.

After entering through the main entrance of the UVM Medical Center, take a left, then a right just past the gift shop.

Davis’s collection of work, “Endless Spring” is hanging on a curved wall.

Davis’ artist statement mounted alongside the paintings states that the series refers to one of many Buddhist terms for enlightenment or awakening.

“With the fluctuation of climate, spring’s renewal is no longer a given,” she said.

Davis’ painting process al-

lows her to emotionally address collective ecological emergencies, she said.

“These same emergencies call us to embrace our belonging to Earth and the cosmos, remembering that what we do to Earth, we do to ourselves,” she said.

Davis said that a painting can take several months to several years for her to complete.

“Sometimes they lay dormant, and I come back to them and rework them,” she said.

Her paintings are a collaboration between viewer and nature. She utilizes translucent acrylic layering as a way to sink into the depth of the painting, she said.

“The layering invites an immersive gaze, where we find ourselves within a space, just as we are within this whole living system we call life,” Davis said.

In Vergennes, at the back of the Shelburne Village Wine and Coffee, is Annex Gallery, an art gallery owned by Justine Jackson and Sophie Pickens.

The opening reception for Davis’ work there was March 29.

Jackson first met Davis after taking one of her art classes at UVM and wanted Davis’ work to be displayed at their gallery.

“I have always been excited by her direct engagement in ac-

TAYLOR EHWA/The Vermont Cynic

Senior lecturer of art and art history Cameron Davis stands in front of one of her pieces March 28 in the UVM Medical Center. Her collection is entitled “Endless Spring,” which refers to one of many Buddhist terms for enlightenment or awakening. tivism through her art,” Jackson said.

At the gallery, the paintings are large and span nearly from floor to ceiling, so the viewer is often looking up into her works, Jackson said.

“When you walk into the space, you are fully immersed in

the world of Cameron’s work,” she said. “It creates the immediate effect of feeling small and simple ... which I think is important to the larger message of her paintings.”

When viewing the paintings in UVM’s Medical Center, sophomore Alden Krawczyk noted

that Davis’ works are important, earthy and abstract paintings.

“In a hospital, people look up at these, and people see these paintings as very serene, whose purpose is to help heal,” he said. “If you have a chance to look at it you should.”

The Vermont Cynic

CULTURE

April 2, 2019

7

CHICKS ON STICKS

Skiers shred for women’s health care and empowerment

Marjorie McWilliams mmcwilli@uvm.edu

It’s not unusual to see stacks of colorful skis in the dining hall on weekend mornings as student skiers eat an 8 a.m. breakfast before hitting the slopes.

For campus organization Chicks on Sticks, skiing is more than a pleasant pastime — it’s connected to social justice.

Founded by Emily Lisotwich ’18 in 2016, Chicks on Sticks is an all-female ski group that hosts Power Through Powder, now in its second year.

From Feb. 5 to March 21, three groups of skiers left campus at 5 a.m. from Gutterson Fieldhouse either on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and drove to Bolton Valley Ski Resort each week.

The group skinned up the slope, reaching the summit around the 7 a.m. sunrise.

Skinning is when skiers hike up a ski trail by attaching furlike skins to the surface of their skis. The skins flatten as a skier moves uphill, providing traction. The skins are removed before skiing down the slope.

Power Through Powder raises money through participants, who pay $25 if they already have their own gear and

$35 if they borrow from the UVM Outing Club. Additional money is raised from outside donors like parents or friends.

Half of the money raised goes directly to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and the other half to Chicks on Sticks VT. Chicks on Sticks advocates both for the availability of reproductive health care and resources, as well as female leadership in snow sports.

Junior Brett Koslowsky said the all-female atmosphere is an important aspect to many of the women on the team and influences the way they ski.

“I did sports with mostly guys in high school, and Chicks on Sticks has been a new experience for me because I find that the sport is more about the journey up the mountain than a race to the top,” she said. “It makes it a comfortable environment because no one is trying to prove themselves.”

However, Koslowsky is quick to reassure that this group of female skiers is resilient.

“We’re out there no matter how cold it is,” she said.

This year, the club skied in temperatures that fell below zero, making extra layers of clothing and constant move-

ment necessary to stay warm.

Senior Maddie Glow agreed that skiing with other women was a memorable experience.

“For once, I was not focused just on making it to the top of the mountain. I wasn’t trying to be the first one up,” she said.

“I was not at all embarrassed or felt like I had anything to be ashamed about by not being the best athlete on the trail.”

According to senior Elizabeth Lee, 25 women participated last year, but this year, 50 women turned out, a number which matched the amount of gear available.

The UVM Outing Club provides the gear used by Chicks on Sticks, including the skins, bindings and other tools that make it possible to ski uphill.

BRIDGET HIGDON/The Vermont Cynic

“It was incredible to think that literally double the amount of people showed up, and that number could have been more if we had the equipment,” Lee said.

Lee has participated in Chicks on Sticks since her sophomore year.

Skiers of all ability are encouraged to participate, although the ability to ski down a mountain in any condition is necessary, because being stuck on the mountain certainly isn’t an option, Lee said.

“It’s a mixed bag on backcountry skiing ability,” she said.

Many of the participants feel as strongly about women’s rights and reproductive issues as they do skiing.

“There’s a pressure in the

political climate for women’s reproductive health, and I think this is a safe, healthy way to support what you feel strongly about in a calm environment,” Lee said.

PPNNE will use the funds raised by Chicks on Sticks to continue to provide high-quality, affordable health care and sex education, according to their website.

As of March 21, $10,612 had been raised from this year’s Power through Powder event, Lee said. Last year, the club raised $7,606.

Chicks on Sticks meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Williams Hall room 402 to plan ski day meet-ups, as well as additional fundraisers and networking events.

(TOP) A member of the all-women ski group Chicks on Sticks skins up one of the peaks at Bolton Valley Resort. Half of the money raised by the event goes directly to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

(MIDDLE) Senior Victoria Nash removes the skin from her ski in order to ski down the mountain.

(BOTTOM) Senior Meghan Driscoll smiles while skiing down the mountain March 20.

CULTURE

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The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

Art and classics join forces in Boston Jonathan Greenberg jgreenb9@uvm.edu

Mummies, pottery and ancient art are a classicist or archaeologist’s favorite subject.

But it was a group of UVMstudents who went to view these artifacts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

A bus full of students who were quick enough to secure a seat on the trip made the four hour drive to Boston March 23, to view the MFA’s large collection of historical artifacts.

The largest museums on the East Coast are the MFA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Philadelphia Museum of Art, Angeline Chiu, an associate professor of classics, said.

Faculty took students to the MFA because the musems had recently finished construction on a new gallery.

“The art department, classics department and the classics club all threw money at the trip to make sure it could happen,” she said.

Students had to pay $30 to go on the trip, Chiu said.

Without the department and club money, the students would’ve had to pay $80 each, she said.

“Budget cuts are going to make trips like this even harder,” she said.

Chiu said that with less of a budget, the departments will probably have to make students pay more than $30.

Some students went to the MFA due to an Ancient Egypt class requirement, but more than half spent the entire day, getting up before 7:30 a.m., just for the experience.

Others went because the field trip has been occurring for several years, and serves as a kind of tradition.

“It’s a bit of a classics club tradition to go on this trip, and I wanted to spend time with my friends,” junior Catie Michael said, referring to the club consisting of classics majors and other enthusiasts of that era.

Many people were simply happy to be with friends.

“I also went because I wanted to hang out with my friends,” Jarvis said.

Upon arriving at the museum, students were allowed to either go on a tour led by Bill Mierse, an art history professor, or go their own way.

“My favorite pieces were a Greek statue of the Athena Parthenon and bust of Augustus,” sophomore Tori Jarvis said.

Students were able to view artifacts of ancient history and objects of contemporary art.

“I loved Vincent van Gogh’s painting of a hill,” junior Marci Murdock said.

Many students said they would be disappointed if trips like this were no longer able to happen.

“This is absolutely something other students should do,” first-year Henry Stone said. “It’s a total blast.”

Underneath all the enthusiasm for the trip, some resentment remained over the recent budget cuts to the College of Arts and Sciences, as all of the students on the trip were a part of the college.

“I’m disappointed that they punish the departments due to the lack of funding that CAS brings in, despite CAS having the most enrollments out of all the colleges in the University,” Jarvis said.

Chiu was optimistic that this would not be the University’s final trip to the MFA. “It’s a lot of work, but it is a labor of love for us,” she said.

JONATHAN GREENBERG/The Vermont Cynic

UVM students who attended a field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston admire an ancient vase.

“The art department, classics department and the classics club all threw money at the trip to make sure it could happen,” associate classics professor Angeline Chiu said.

UVM FeelGood gathers most donations for poverty fund Mateo Cardenas-Clarimon macarden@uvm.edu

UVM’s chapter of FeelGood is the nonprofit organization’s most successful chapter.

UVM FeelGood is a student-run deli with a mission to raise money for the Commitment 2030 fund, an investment strategy to end poverty by 2030.

Located at the entrance to the Davis Center tunnel, FeelGood is open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

“We make grilled cheeses with all local ingredients, and all the proceeds are equally allocated to our four partner organizations,” said senior Sam Morse, co-president of the UVM FeelGood chapter.

FeelGood collaborates with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by contributing money to The Hunger Project, Pachamama Alliance, Choice Humanitari-

CLARA MARTORANO/The Vermont Cynic

A volunteer in UVM’s chapter of the nonprofit FeelGood layers cheese and fresh basil pesto on a sandwich for a customer.

UVM’s FeelGood raised $25,000 last year for The Hunger Project, Pachamama Alliance, Choice Humanitarian and Water for People. an and Water for People.

“Last year, we raised $25,000, while other organizations raised $1,000 to $4,000,” Morse said. “We are so far the most successful of the 25 chapters out there.”

Each FeelGood chapter is separated into tiers based off of the amount of money they

are able to collect for the 2030 fund. Currently, UVM FeelGood is the only Tier 5.

“We were in Tier 4 originally, and FeelGood decided that we were way too big for this.

So they created another tier just for us,” Morse said.

The club’s biggest fundraisers is their monthly late night

event. From 8 p.m. to midnight they deliver grilled cheeses all over campus, Morse said.

Junior Kate McGann, co-president of the UVM FeelGood chapter, said the club’s advertisement team puts up big posters all over campus and little flyers in bathrooms.

Not only does the club work to raise awareness of its own projects and goals, but they also partner up with other groups on campus.

FeelGood will often use bread made by Challah for Hunger, a UVM club that bakes challah every week to raise money for its partner organizations.

FeelGood hopes by using the group’s bread for their sandwiches, they can spread the word about both groups.

“We once even made a special jam sandwich that we called Jamming with MaCoco for the Womyn of Color Coalition,” McCann said. “Partnering with other organizations

on campus is a big part of our club.”

The supplies and ingredients – including bread and cheese – are often sourced through local donations, according to the official FeelGood website. None of the revenue is used by the organization itself.

“We get our bread from Red Hen and Cabot Cheese supplies our cheese,” said sophomore Shannon Taggart, the FeelGood prep manager. “Then all the other ingredients come from our ingredients manager, and what she can find.”

The FeelGood club is always looking for new volunteers who are willing to put even a little bit of time towards helping them reach their goals, Morse said.

“It’s a low commitment club,” she said. “If you want to come in for one week and never again, or come every week, then that’s okay.”

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

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COINCIDENCE? WE DON’T THINK SO. THE VERMONT

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GENERAL MEETINGS 6:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN THE FISHBOWL MT. MANSFIELD ROOM, 2ND FLOOR OF THE DAVIS CENTER WRITE | ILLUSTRATE | PHOTOGRAPH | DESIGN | PODCAST | COPY EDIT

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The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

The Spectrum of Inclusivity: Being Queer at UVM

Greta Rohrer grohrer@uvm.edu

UVM has a “queer-friendly” reputation among state schools, advertising to prospective students a “4.5 out of 5-star ranking on the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index” on the Prism Center website.

As a public institution with over 10,000 undergraduate students, UVM represents a variety of identities and backgrounds.

But the reality of being queer at UVM varies dramatically student-to-student.

“I think people, in general, are pretty accepting here,” sophomore Matthew Carlton said. “I think the biggest problem is that there’s such a lack of an overall sense of community or presence of an LGBTQ community at UVM and Vermont that it feels, in a sense, isolating.”

Sophomore Alex Howe, a native Texan and the Queer Student Union’s outreach/social media coordinator, feels differently about the presence of the queer community.

Here, Howe stands out less than he did in Texas as a transgender student, he said, and this makes his participation in advocacy easier.

“When I first came here, I was definitely an optimist,” Howe said. “I’m still optimistic, but I’ve definitely become more aware of UVM’s shortfalls.”

UVM has room to improve its inclusion, despite popular college ranking website Niche’s description of UVM as “hippie,” “progressive” and a place where you can “be accepted for who you are/who you want to be.”

“I’m not entirely sure if they want to be inclusive or not, and that’s sort of like a general sweeping statement,” Howe said, referring to the administration. “I think they’re more interested in appearing to be progressive, rather than actively taking the steps to make students feel safer on campus.”

Prism Center Director Kate Jerman said the administration’s budget for the Prism Center’s programming has not grown for “many years,” though though it has a pivotal role in making “UVM a more welcoming, equitable campus for people of all sexual and gender identities,” she said.

Jerman also emphasized the need for a space that’s exclusively for the Prism Center.

Currently, the Prism Center shares the Allen House with many other offices and does not have one single space.

“Budgets can go up and down, but a space students could call their own is an invaluable resource,” she said.

QSU Activism Committee member Margaret Thompson,

ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic

(TOP): Junior Jameson Flint sits in his Redstone Lofts apartment.

Flint, who identifies as transgender, does not participate in any UVM LGBTQ clubs or participate in the Queer Student Union.

(BOTTOM LEFT): Senior Alex Howe poses in the SGA offices during Queer Student Union office hours.

(BOTTOM RIGHT): Sophomore Zoe Silverman smiles for the camera in her suite in the Living/Learning Center. a sophomore, said that this year QSU received $4,000 less than the past two years from SGA. Both organizations participate heavily in making UVM a more accepting campus for queer students, and this includes advocating for gender-inclusive housing and bathrooms.

When gender-neutral bathrooms aren’t available, junior Jameson Flint said there’s “mental preparation before walking into a public men’s bathroom” that’s taxing and inconvenient as a transgender student.

Carlton applied to be in the LGBTQA Collaborative housing but was disappointed when he couldn’t join because of the limited spots.

“I think yes, we could probably fill more beds if we had them,” Jerman said. “But I think ResLife is doing the best they can with the number of

beds they have available.

“We should start exploring why gender is the deciding way that we sort people into housing situations.”

Both Thompson and Jerman commented on improving the housing contract’s accessibility for queer, transgender and nonbinary students to navigate.

These organizations aim to engage and foster a sense of community at UVM, but not all queer students have found a sense of community within UVM’s queer organizations.

Carlton recognizes the opportunities around him, but chooses not to join these organizations despite wanting to meet more people in the LGBTQ community, he said.

Flint and sophomore Zoe Silverman also aren’t active in the QSU and aren’t involved in other LGBTQ clubs, either.

“It seems to be a kind of

small group with people with very different experiences, so if you don’t have the same experience, it would be kind of hard to interact with,” Silverman said.

With some students feeling excluded from the LGBTQ community, as Silverman put it, there are also other students who have active involvement in the QSU, Prism Center and other LGBTQ organizations.

When confronting the inclusivity, or lack thereof, on campus, Jerman encourages self-reported gender and sexual identities on UVM’s admission applications.

According to the National Survey of Student Engagement, about 30 percent of the student body identifies along the

LGBTQ spectrum.

But, this is just an estimate and not officially considered by the administration, Jerman.

Through self-reported identities, Jerman asserted that UVM would have the statistical framework to make the University a more accepting place.

“We’ve done a lot of great things and you can always point out examples of schools that are way behind us, and say ‘great, we’ve done all of these things,’” Jerman said. “But we could always improve and there’s a really big difference between accepted or tolerated somewhere, and being celebrated.”

The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

SPORTS

11

Five-game winning streak ends in loss Jared Paquette jvpaquet@uvm.edu

During a blustery Saturday afternoon battle on Virtue Field, women’s lacrosse faced conference rival University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Vermont ended a five-game winning streak with the loss, according to UVM Athletics.

The Catamounts concluded with a final score of 14-13 for the March 30 game.

Vermont scored first from senior attacker Jenna Janes, but UMBC was able to respond quickly with two goals in the following two minutes to regain the lead.

The Catamounts were then able to prevent the Retrievers from scoring for the next 12 minutes, picking up three more goals coming from senior midfielder Elise Koehl, first-year Attacker Maris Large and a second goal from Janes.

Janes was able to finish the game with four goals to lead the team, as well as two assists, according to UVM Athletics.

To finish the first half, the Retrievers were able to take the lead at 7-5 after a Koehl goal which briefly gave Vermont the lead, something that UMBC would hold on to for the rest of the game.

During the second half, the Catamounts suffered from penalties.

They picked up three yellow cards, two of which directly led to UMBC goals.

Vermont Head Coach Sarah Dalton said that the penalties her team gave up were key factors in the outcome of the game.

“I think we need to learn from our yellow cards, which hurt us and allowed them to

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

Senior Alex Vignona and first-year Dani Paterno battle University of Maryland Baltimore County players for a ground ball. UVM lost the match-up 14-13 March 30. score two goals,” she said. “Every play matters, all the little stuff matters, and we got to keep valuing that possession of the ball.”

First-year Jalyn Collins also commented on the penalties given in UMBC’s favor.

“It felt like we were slowly fighting back into the game,” she said. “The penalties and goals scored off them just stopped our momentum.”

During the second half, the Retrievers built their biggest lead of the game 11-8 with 20 minutes left in the game.

The Catamounts were able to spark a run, tying up the game again at 11 with help from first-year attacker Dani Paterno, first-year midfielder Grace Giancola and again from Koehl.

Koehl ended the game with four goals and one assist, becoming the 18th Catamount to record over 100 career points.

After mounting a comeback with 10 minutes remaining, UMBC was able to take advantage of Vermont’s penalties, taking a 14-11 lead with just five minutes to go.

First-year Ian Cole com-

mented on the significance of these penalties and some controversial calls.

“It seemed as if the referees were making poor calls throughout the game against us,” he said. “It may be because I’m a Catamount, but some calls seemed to be wrong.”

The other Catamount fans also felt this way, when there were collective sighs and boo’s when yellow cards and penalties were issued.

Vermont regained life in the final minutes of the game, scoring twice in the closing minutes

to bring it to 14-13 in UMBC’s favor.

UVM had the final possession with one minute remaining.

They committed a penalty which allowed the Retrievers to let the game end and go away with an America East conference win.

The next women’s lacrosse game will be on the road April 3 against University at Albany.

The next home game is at 11 a.m. April 6 against Stonybrook University.

Pay disparity overshadowed by big baseball contracts Nickie Morris nrmorris@uvm. edu

I

n the past month, four high-paying, long-term contracts worth a combined $1.3 billion have been signed

by Major League Baseball players under the age of 30.

The MLB gets away with paying minor league players less than minimum wage.

Meanwhile, billions of dollars go to major league players.

The lowest salary for a rookie minor league player is $1,100 per month, but only during the season.

There’s no compensation during spring training and instructional league play, according to the MLB website.

Minor league players that play in farm leagues are in a class action lawsuit to make minimum wage and get compensation for time they were required to work without pay,

according to a July 2017 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

Less than 10 percent of these players typically make it to the major league, according to the article.

Yet the MLB is drowning in wealth and gives its best players enormous contracts.

The Colorado Rockies’ star third baseman Nolan Arenado received $260 million eight year contract extension, according to a Feb. 27 ESPN article.

Arenado still had one year left on his original contract, according to ESPN. The free agent rush started with Manny Machado signing a $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, according to an April 2018 CBS Sports article.

Former national league MVP outfielder Bryce Harper was also a free agent.

Harper later signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for $330 million over 13 years, according to an March 1 MLB.

com article.

This was the end of the biggest explosions for major league free agents.

Mike Trout signed a 12 year extension worth more than $430 million, according to an March 19 ESPN article.

Trout is often acknowledged as MLB’s best player today.

His extension came after speculation that he might sign with Philadelphia and join Harper.

At age 27, Trout may never be a free agent again.

This cash influx comes during disputes with the MLB and their players union.

Paying minor league players less than minimum wage not only makes the organization look bad, it is also inhumane for a league where baseball is a full-time job.

Nickie Morris is a sophomore English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.

JULIA BLISS

SPECTACLE

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The Vermont Cynic

April 2, 2019

comida 2019: a night of Dancing & dining Alek Fleury photo@vtcynic.com

“Though I am more Che than Chavez, I am still a dove,” reads David Tomas Martinez’s poem “Love Song.”

Martinez, who teaches creative writing at Columbia University and who has won multiple awards for his poetry, delivered a reading at Alianza Latinx’s Comida Para La Gente in the Grand Maple Ballroom March 30.

Student attendees in semi-formal wear were treated to chicken, pork, beans, seitan and fruit salad along with performances by the UVM Salsa Society.

The event closed with students showing off their own moves in a salsa dance off.

Photos by Matt Dooman