Best of Burly
Women on $20
See what voters have named the best spots in town
Harriet Tubman to replace Andrew Jackson
FEATURES
BURLINGTON, VT
VTCYNIC.COM
VOL. 132
facebook.com/ thevermontcynic
ISSUE 28
LIFE
PG. 6-7
@vermontcynic
PG. 8
instagram.com/ vermontcynic
youtube.com/ cynicvideo
W E D N E S DAY, M AY 4 , 2 0 1 6
SPRINGFEST See article on pg. 12
Crowds gather at the barricade for The Head and the Heart’s performance at SpringFest April 30.
PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic
Bathroom laws ignite activism by marissa lanoff mlanoff@uvm.edu
On April 22, students gathered outside the Bailey/Howe Library, armed with megaphones and signs declaring “peeing is a right, not a privilege” and “#peeinpeace.” The issue of gender identity has been the subject of nationwide debate in recent weeks, sparking activism on campus. This occurred after North Carolina passed a law in March prohibiting transgender individuals from using bathrooms that do not match their biological birth sex, according to the Public Facilities, Privacy and Security Act. Junior Lindsey McCarron organized the rally to protest the absence of all-gender bathrooms in the library and express solidarity with those affected by this recent law. The protesters’ primary demand was the designation of two “all-gender” bathrooms on each floor of Bailey/Howe, McCarron said. McCarron said she prefers the term “all-gender” rather than “gender-neutral” because it doesn’t separate trans, queer, nonbinary or agender students from the general population. Wanda Heading-Grant, vice president for Human Resources, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, sent a letter to the com-
Sophomore charged with vehicular homicide, DUI by Bryan o’keefe bpokeefe@uvm.edu
(left to right) Lindsey McCarron, Lee Bick and Riley Moseley protest for all-gender bathrooms at Bailey/Howe April 22. Photo Courtesy of Marylyn Rogel
munity April 29, reaffirming the University’s commitment to restroom inclusion. She further announced the creation of a task force that will review the protesters’ demands and attempt to make changes by the end of this spring, as well as more long-term changes encompassing gender identity.
“At this time, multi-stall all-gender bathrooms are on the rise in the United States, and I believe they will become more common here before long,” said Dot Brauer, director of the LGBTQA Center on campus.
SEE GENDER IDENTITY PAGE 9
Wearing a neck brace and sling, a sophomore appeared in a Massachusetts court to plead not guilty to vehicular homicide. Joseph Castano was released on $25,000 bail in Massachusetts following a deadly drunk driving crash April 22. The incident left passenger Craig Sampson dead, according to an April 26 Boston Herald article. Sampson, Castano’s childhood friend, was a student at Endicott College, according to the article. He was also a graduate of local Champlain Valley Union High School. Castano, who played on the UVM varsity soccer team in 2014, faces charges of vehicular homicide after crashing his father’s BMW into a utility pole while leaving Endicott, according to Salem News. Castano was no longer on the team prior to the start of the 2015 season, Alastair Ingram, director of media relations and sports information for UVM athletics, confirmed in a May 2 email to the Cynic. Son of Assistant Provost Kerry Castano, Joseph Castano was found to have a blood alco-
Photo courtesey UVM Athletics
hol content of .22 percent after the crash, according to Salem News. His trial begins in June, according to Salem News. Until then, he will be allowed to return home to Williston, Vermont. Junior Lynden Prior attended Champlain Valley Union High School with both Castano and Sampson, but said he only knew them in passing. “They were both well-loved in high school and college from everything I knew about them,” Prior said. “I can’t even imagine what both families are going through,” he said.
2
THE VERMONT CYNIC
NEWS
W E D N E S DAY, M AY 4, 201 6
STEM construction ‘on track’ by caroline alkire calkire@uvm.edu
A light winter has allowed construction on Central Campus to come out of the cold right on schedule. The STEM building’s predicted May 2017 completion date will stay the same, said Bob Vaughan, director of capital planning and management. “Usually after winter we lose a couple weeks because of snow or because of the cold weather,” Vaughan said. “For this project we did not lose any time this winter; it was a positive winter for us because it was mild.” There have been rumors from SGA claiming construction was ahead of schedule, but this was not the case, Vaughan said. “I don’t know where they got that information,” Vaughan said. “Everyone’s been trying to get that out of me for the last three months, but in reality it’s just going smoothly since we didn’t get behind.” SGA President Jason Maulucci said SGA has not been spreading rumors about construction. There has been a lot of visual progress on the STEM building, he said. Masonry has started on the east side, the side closest to the Cook Science Building, and
Greek tax proposal is denied by Kelsey neubauer kaneubau@uvm.edu
A proposed compromise on a tax on Greek houses was denied by the Vermont Senate. On April 26, the Senate voted against a proposed partial payment of tax for Greek homes made by Greek students and SGA members, SGA President Jason Maulucci said. The proposal for partial pay came after a talk in the SGA executive office between Maulucci, members of the Greek community and state Sen. Tim Ashe April 18. “[Ashe] gave us background, and we proposed potential The new STEM complex being built on Central Campus. Due to the warmer weather, construction on compromises,” Maulucci said. campus is on schedule to be completed in May 2017. SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cynic Ashe stressed that the block on the reinstatement of the end.” by construction bothered her at brickwork will start sometime in tax-exempt status was not just Junior Jennifer Findlay also first, but she has gotten used to May. him, but the entire Senate fi“I’ve definitely noticed a lot said she had seen a lot of prog- it. nance committee, which Ashe Sophomore Nick Manderof progress each time I go by the ress on construction. chairs, Maulucci said. “It’s cool being able to see link said the construction’s construction site on campus,” Ashe said he does not bejunior Emily Friend said. “It’s everything unfolding every day noise has had negative effects lieve the homes should be comthat I walk by,” Findlay said. on the community. too bad that I’ll be graduating pletely tax-exempt but that he “It looks like there’s constantly “It’s annoying to hear all the by the time that it’s finished, but could see practicality behind I think it will look great by the work being done and that it’s beeping and machinery when the partial payment plan, Mautime it’s done and am excited to happening in a timely manner.” I’m trying to study in the lilucci said. She said the noise created brary,” Manderlink said. see what it will look like in the Ashe has not responded for the Cynic’s request for comment. Maulucci said he felt the decision to veto the partial payment tax was due to the timing the article. No. 49 for public state funding, said. of the proposal, and not for In-state first-year Michaela Sullivan said out-of-state according to the article. lack of interest. tuition would be lowered if the The Senate proposed a Eckler agreed. Senior Andrew Dazzo, a “If they’re planning to lower rule was removed, according to three-year suspension of the member of the Phi Gamma Delrule, during which the effects out-of-state tuition by getting the article. ta fraternity and recently electThe University will worry of removal would be evaluated, rid of the rule then that’s great,” ed senator to the SGA finance said Wendy Koenig, director of Eckler said. “As long as in-state about making plans for the recommittee, has been a lead promoval of the rule once the bill federal and state relations. isn’t raised.” ponent in the fight against the The decision would be reGreek tax. visited after three years, Koenig “While the decision is not said. what we had hoped for, we ap“I know a lot of out-of-state I know a lot of out-of-state students that got screwed preciate the legislative body’s students that got screwed with thoughtful consideration on the amount they have to pay to with the amount they have to pay to be here this issue,” Dazzo said. be here,” first-year Kim HenDazzo said he is appreciaKIM HENRY ry said. “And as an out-of-state FIRST-YEAR tive to the Senate finance comstudent it would be really cool if mittee for giving him and other I could pay less, but I also don’t The University has no inten- has been approved by the state members of the Greek commuwant in-state students to have to tion of raising in-state tuition as legislature, Koenig said. nity the chance to testify bepay more, either.” a result of repealing this rule, The bill is under review by a fore them, and looks forward In-state first-year Corey Pet- Richard Cate, vice president for conference committee to settle to working with the legislative tengill supported the idea of the finance and treasurer of UVM differences between Senate and body in the fall. House drafts, she said. rule being removed. said in a Feb. 10 Cynic article. Members of Fraternity and President Thomas Sullivan The combined draft of the “As long as no one ends up Sorority Life have plans for new paying more for college than asked the Vermont Senate com- bill will be voted on May 4. ways to oppose the tax in the they would have before I don’t mittee to remove the 40 percent next semester, Maulucci said. think it’s an issue,” Pettengill rule in February, according to
Vt. legislators cut ‘40 percent rule’ by michelle phillips mphill15@uvm.edu
Tuition rates for out-of-state students could soon change due to a new budget passed by the Vermont House of Representatives. In March, the House passed a budget that would remove “the 40 percent rule” completely. The 40 percent rule is a nickname given to a law created in 1959 that sets the in-state tuition rate at 40 percent of tuition for out-of-state students, according to a March 22 Cynic article. The price of tuition for in-state students is currently $14,664 while out-of-state tuition is $37,056, according to UVM’s website. UVM is ranked as the fourth most expensive public university for out-of-state students, according to a Feb. 10 Cynic article. Vermont was also ranked
Executive
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Kearns editorinchief@vtcynic.com MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Morgan newsroom@vtcynic.com
“
vtcynic.com
2011 Newspaper Pacemaker 2012 Online Pacemaker 2015 2nd Place Story of the Year
116 Dudley H. Davis Center 590 Main Street Burlington, Vt. 05405 The University of Vermont’s Independent Voice since 1883
Editorial
ARTS Molly Duff arts@vtcynic.com
LAYOUT Eileen O’Connor layout@vtcynic.com
B-SIDE Maggie Richardson bside@vtcynic.com
LIFE Marissa Lanoff life@vtcynic.com
Advising
COPY CHIEFS Lindsay Freed Mariel Wamsley copy@vtcynic.com
NEWS John Riedel news@vtcynic.com
FACULTY ADVISER Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
ENTERPRISE Sarah Olsen enterprise@vtcynic.com
Operations
OPERATIONS MANAGER Ryan Thornton operations@vtcynic.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Mark Ciarcia ads@vtcynic.com
OPINION Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com
PHOTO Phil Carruthers photo@vtcynic.com SOCIAL MEDIA Elizabeth Rummel socialmedia@vtcynic.com SPORTS Jack Estrin sports@vtcynic.com VIDEO Molly O’Shea video@vtcynic.com
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Kira Bellis (Layout), Bettina Cataldi (Arts), Bryan O’Keefe (Enterprise & News), Michelle Phillips (News), Oliver Pomazi (Photo), Eribert Volaj (Sports)
WEB Kylie Hearn web@vtcynic.com
PAGE DESIGNERS
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Miranda Gajda distribution@vtcynic.com
COPY EDITORS
Olivia Marelic
Nora Aronds, Hunter Colvin, Bridget Dorsey, Ben Elfland, Emma Hyatt, Linnea Johnson, Robert Kinoy, Emily Magoon, Brittany Miller, Drew Pizzo, George Seibold, Meline Thebarge, Margaret Turvey, Jared Blouin
OPINION
3
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
S TA F F E D I T O R I A L
A week of coffee and NBR
F
inals week. It’s the time of every semester that students fear. Final papers, exams and ever-so-dreaded group projects pile up and it seems like we will never get out of what can accurately be described as a scene from the “Hunger Games.” Caffeine is treated like gold, sleep is cherished and hard to come by and if you listen closely, you can hear the occasional weeping of students on the third floor of the library. A tradition strongly associated with this week is the Naked Bike Ride — an event where, on the last day of classes, students run naked laps on campus. There have been discussions of how safe this is, and whether or not it promotes binge drinking and drug use by students. The Naked Bike Ride is a tradition that creates lasting memories for many students and is a way to de-stress and unwind before finals week begins. If students are responsible
sarang murthy
SMURTHY@UVM.EDU
T ELISE MITCHELL
and safe, there is no reason why they should refrain from participating in the event. We at the Cynic hope everyone has a healthy and successful finals week. Take time for self-care and remember summer is just around the corner. Thanks for reading this semester, and we’ll see you in the fall!
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.
Response: Agency fees are theft Joseph Brown
JBROWN33@UVM.EDU
I
n response to professor Felicia Kornbluh’s letter published last week: Kornbluh’s assertion that agency fees are used solely for collective bargaining and policy proposal — and, therefore, such coercion is permissible — is an exercise in question-begging. It assumes collective bargaining and contract administration are inherently apolitical, when they certainly aren’t. In fact, had Justice Antonin Scalia lived past March 29, the Supreme Court would have struck down what Kornbluh deems permissible. Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association — which a 4-4 decision left to the discretion of the lower court, and deferred to the 1977 precedent on the case — concerned two questions: 1) Are the normal duties of unions, funded through coercive agency fees, inherently political, and therefore in violation of the First Amendment? and 2) Does the fact one must opt out of non-chargeable union activities — such as political advocacy and donations through super PACs — in order to save one’s money from going (almost inevitably) to Democrats, violate, again, the First Amendment rights of non-union members? To answer the second question: Yes, of course it does. We should always prefer affirmative consent to the “well, you didn’t say no, so I thought it was cool” rationale. Supposing even that one wanted to opt-out of those non-chargeable fees, it wouldn’t make a difference for a while. Terry Pell, president of the
The Fed cannot continue to react to bad headlines
Center for Individual Rights, wrote in Forbes Magazine: “The union [NEA] takes the position that it can use ordinary dues to fund its super PACs rather than having to raise funds through voluntary donations, as is the case with the union’s regular PACs. Though agency fee payers can apply for a refund, they have to wait until next year to see the money.” Moreover, as Daniel DiSalvo noted in National Review: “Among those who refuse to join [the union], some request a refund of their fees that is dedicated to political spending, but many neglect to do so.” What should you call it if I took your wallet by force, offered it back only if you asked, and, even then, you could expect to see it an entire year later? Pickpocketing, likely.
What should you call it if I took your wallet by force, offered it back only if you asked, and, even then you could expect to see it an entire year later? DiSalvo also noted that “unions have an incentive to lowball their spending on politics,” as well. Because the money is fungible, and there is almost no transparency in auditing such transactions, “the line between their spending on politics and their spending on ‘member education’…is blurry.” To answer the first aforementioned question: Yes, regular union activities are inherently political. How else would you label attempts to stifle school choice programs like vouchers: calls to raise taxes in order to raise
teacher salaries (in the notexactly-killing-it-budget-wise state of California), or the push for greater tenure protection? To the cloistered union big wigs, it’s just business. To the rest of us, it’s using government to promote the economic interest of a powerful group. Some call it cronyism. As Scalia noted of the case before his untimely death, “everything that is collectively bargained with the government is within the political sphere, almost by definition.” Unions complain it is necessary to force non-members to pay agency fees, or else they might suffer from a free-rider problem. But it is unclear why this problem should fall under the province of the state — or states, because around 20 states have legislation like California’s. The liberals on the court, Stephen Breyer in particular, claim allowing unions to compel non-members to fund views contrary to their own is a matter of “stability” — that is, overturning precedent that has existed since 1977 could prove disruptive to daily life — but of course there is no “stability clause” in the Constitution. There is, however, a First Amendment — and bad precedent is always worth overturning. One should imagine overturning Plessy v. Ferguson proved very disruptive in many southern communities; but overturning it was consistent with the letter of the Constitution, and just, as well. My prior comments stand, and I don’t believe I owe professor Kornbluh a retraction of what I have previously written.
Joseph Brown is a senior political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2012.
he U.S. economy is adding jobs rapidly. March was another strong month for the labor market and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 215,000 jobs being added to the economy. April’s job report is supposed to be a good-looking one as well. The Federal Funds Rate was raised in December for the first time in nearly 10 years. Back then, the Federal Reserve estimated it would raise rates in each quarter of 2016. But the start of 2016 has seen sluggish growth primarily as oil flooded the market and its price sank, followed by stocks tanking and fears coming from China as a result. In March, Fed Chair Janet Yellen indicated there will more likely be two rate hikes this year, not four. And although it is understandable the most powerful central bank in the world does not want to act when there is an air of uncertainty around global financial markets, it also needs to keep in mind something very important: a looming recession. The U.S. is now in its seventh expansionary year. As widely accepted, the period from one economic peak to the next that goes through one recessive trough is considered a business cycle. And even though the current expansion has not seen GDP grow by a lot, because inflation has been rather flat (but is expected to pick up soon), after the 2008-2009 recession,
things are looking a lot better. In any case, the National Bureau of Economic Research finds the average business cycle to be around six years. It is safe to say we are at the top of the curve (look at handy hand-drawn illustration), and are looking at an imminent contraction that will see us reach the trough. After the last recession, the Fed did all it possibly could to see monetary policy work to stabilize the economy. And for the most part it worked; the economy has recovered. Quantitative Easing was a quasi-success, but as the Fed Funds Rate, or the benchmark interest rate, had to be slashed in order to encourage more spending, the next recession (granted, it is not going to be as devastating as the last) cannot possibly be met with meaningful rate cuts. The Fed knows negative rates, like in Japan right now, are a risky game, and if it chooses to boost spending by cutting rates, it needs to raise them first. The target benchmark rate should mirror the inflation rate, and since the indicators are pointing to inflation catching up with overall growth at about two percent, I strongly believe Chair Yellen should put aside the opinion sections of other nationals that promote a dovish stance from the Fed, pick up the Vermont Cynic, be more hawkish and raise rates in order to effectively cushion the foreseeable recession. Sarang Murthy is a junior economics major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
SARANG MURPHY
Graph not to scale. Average period of expansion: five years. Average period of recession: one year. Average business cycle: From the first peak to the second through one trough.
CORRECTIONS
An April 27 article, “Period drive to give products to women,” was incorrectly attributed to Camilla Broccolo. The correct author is Jackie Flynn. An April 27 article, “Students dance, create Disney magic,” incorrectly named Sarah Senanyake as the ballroom dance team’s captain. She is PR chair.
We are committed to accuracy in all of our work. If for some reason there is an error, please email us at corrections@ vtcynic.com.
4
THE VERMONT CYNIC
OPINION
W E D N E S DAY, M AY 4, 201 6
MODEST PROPOSALS
Despicable rule: a minion takeover Daltrey Burris
DBURRIS@UVM.EDU
I
t all started July 9, 2010. It was innocent enough: finally, Steve Carrell was going to do some voice acting in a children’s movie — he had a silly enough voice for it, good for him. He played a supervillain named Gru, an Eastern-European man with a massive, hawkish nose. The character’s most noticeable attributes were a likelihood to fail miserably and a shiny, bald head. The point of the movie was that he was an ineffective villain — so much so that he adopted a small family of orphaned children. It was a family movie, with ample silliness for the kids to enjoy and enough wit to keep the parents somewhat entertained. The movie scored an 81 on Rotten Tomatoes, which isn’t bad for a children’s movie. It was fine; nothing to write home about, but completely alright. But you see, this marked the beginning of the end. While the initial movie and its sequel — the imaginatively named “Despicable Me 2” — weren’t exactly blockbusters, they paved the way for something even bigger: “Minions.” The producers in Hollywood quickly realized the audiences were fixated on the secondary characters in the film, known as minions, instead of the real plot. Steve Carrell was kicked to the curb and replaced by bumbling beings whose speech consists exclusively of nasal gibber-
SYDNEY LISS-ABRAHAM
ish and the word “banana.” To market the movie, companies started plastering the yellow, jelly bean-esque bodies everywhere. At first it was inoffensive, bordering on cute — some food items that already looked like the minions had their label altered for a clever and naturalistic ad campaign. Twinkie wrappers were given goggles and smiles, while bananas got little stickers. But over time, it became more aggressive: water bottles, paper towels and every other imaginable product was soon covered in these things. It was impossible to avoid them. Once July 10, 2015 hit, everyone saw the new movie and didn’t know why — it only got a 56 on Metacritic. Nobody wanted to watch it, but something inside of them just made them; it grossed more than any other movie had before, and that was just the opening day. The profits were so high that the creator of the minions,
Pierre Coffin, was able to run for president without a single super PAC. He was the most popular candidate by far in the “moms who use Facebook” and “people who actually watch ABC comedies” demographics, and since these are overwhelming majorities of the voting population, he won in a landslide victory. Pierre’s first executive order was to have every purchasable item branded with at least one minion. This actually wasn’t a big deal, as there were only two products nationwide that had to be changed — people didn’t seem to care that their dildos now had yellow faces, and it kind of made sense to start calling their steaks “filet minions.” As time went on, however, the laws became more extreme. Anyone caught giving the movie bad reviews were captured for “re-education,” and anybody else saying Coffin’s ways were “unconstitutional” were immediately “publicly executed.”
This all happened so fast it became a blur. First they came for the political opposition, and I did not speak out, because I was not a politician. Then they came for the movie critics, and I did not speak out, because I was not a movie critic. Then they came for the Steve Carell fans, and I did not speak out, because I was not a Steve Carell fan; I liked the British version of “The Office” better.Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me. So here I sit, waiting for my execution inside a frigid holding cell, hastily scrawling in the tattered remainders of a Moleskine notebook — I knew I shouldn’t have said “Megamind” was a subjectively better supervillain movie. Anyway, I just hope I can pass these words along to someone, so they will know how this all started. As the years slip by, it’s been harder and harder to recollect what life used to be like — it doesn’t help that they’ve rewritten all of the history books and censored all the news. The people must know how America once was, and only then can we make a change and win back our freedom. My brothers and sisters, unite! We have nothing to lose but our chains. And the mandatory denim-overalls/goggles outfits. Daltrey Burris is a senior psychology major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2015.
A sobering look at the drinking age in U.S. alexander collingsworth
ACOLLING@UVM.EDU
E
very Friday night in Burlington, hundreds of people buy booze for their friends and acquaintances who aren’t yet 21. How do I know this? Observation. Experience. Common sense. If I buy three 30-racks, a couple handles and a few bottles of wine, I’m clearly not buying for only my own personal consumption. About half my friends, rising seniors, are still under 21. The drinking age is not preventing any of them from obtaining alcohol. If we’re serious about preventing people under 21 from drinking, there should be limits placed on how much booze one person can buy. But we are not serious about it. Once you’re 21 the people who sell alcohol could give a rat’s ass what you do with the booze once you walk out the door. I’m not trying to argue that we should lower the drinking
age. Nor am I arguing that we should impose limits on how much alcohol one person can buy at a time. What I am arguing is that we should have one clear standard we actually enforce. What we have now is basically “don’t ask, don’t tell.” I think if we did try to impose restrictions on how much beer and liquor one person could buy, would see the greatest opposition coming from the people who make booze and the people who sell it. If tomorrow everyone under 21 no longer drank, every liquor store, beer company, vodka distiller and wine maker would see their revenues take a major cut. What share of the market people under 21 make up is unclear, and statistics on this would be hard to come by. But it’s surely a sizeable chunk. Beer and liquor companies want people under 21 to drink and need them to drink. Why did I have Miller Lite ads popping up on my Facebook page when I was 16? Watch any baseball game, any football game or pretty much anything, and you will be barraged with ads for beer and vodka. The drinking age is hypo-
SEBASTIAO HUNGEBUHLER
critical, but there are valid arguments for why it should be in place. It prevents teens from drinking and driving to a large extent. So would robust public transportation systems. So does Uber. I think we need to separate the two issues, drinking and driving. Many, many sober people die behind the wheel. Perhaps a new system would allow an 18-year-old to choose
between a drinking license and a driver’s license. I know which one I’d pick. It positively bamboozles my little brain that you can vote at 18 but you can’t drink. Surely, voting is one of the most important decisions a person can make. It’s a great responsibility. Yet 18-year-olds can’t be trusted to drink. You can get your leg shot off in Afghanistan, but when you come home you can’t have a beer. This is what makes me angry. Yes, 18-year-olds will abuse alcohol. They will get shitfaced. But have you seen 30-yearolds drinking? A responsible drinking age would probably be around 40, but that would not stand. I encourage people who are barred from drinking because of this arbitrary drinking age to launch a campaign in Vermont to lower the drinking age. I’d love to help, but I’ll be busy drinking Labatt at the beach.
Alexander Collingsworth is a senior English and history major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
Letter to the editor
Students should not be identified in campus news reports
D
ear Editor,
While writing in stone wears down and vanishes, Internet publications transcend the foreseeable future, constantly accessible through a simple Google search. The Cynic published an article April 19 concerning the drug-related arrest of Dylan Mortman, a first-year at UVM. While it’s important to inform the study body of current campus events, the lack of discretion in broadcasting information pertaining to this student is insensitive and invasive. Your article defines Mortman as a catalyst for danger on campus due to the fact that he was charged with a felony sale of marijuana. That being said, a catalyst only expedites a reaction; Mortman isn’t a “danger” to other students given that he is only part of the equation — the students he interacts with make the choice themselves to buy, use and resell drugs. Additionally, in using Mortman’s name in your article, a charge that had the potential to be pardoned in as little as a few years will now forever be a part of the public record. In painting Mortman as a threat, you are furthering the already-grave backlash that he is receiving from his peers, the University and the government. Your article utilizes two quotes from Mortman’s peers, both of which emphasize uncertainty regarding the events surrounding the drug bust. Later details are based off of what these students had heard, rather than what they had seen. The UVM Police Department’s comment is also an assumption: though Mortman was found to be in possession of drugs such as LSD and cocaine, there was no evidence that he had been distributing them — the officer simply assumes that there must be a connection. Publishing these inferences as fact is a distortion of the truth.This article will follow Mortman every time someone types his name into a search engine. Campus reporting should not ruin students’ lives. The final quote from the article comments upon the life-altering strain that this charge will put on Mortman, but by writing an article that does not grant him anonymity, his charges are immortalized. In the future, a less invasive approach to publishing a highly personal matter would be a far more ethical method of reporting. Sincerely, Blanca Matsumoto Class of 2019
ADVERTISEMENTS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
76251
5
A CAREER OF GIVING DESERVES A RETIREMENT WORTH GETTING. Rediscover what makes us a different kind of financial partner at the new TIAA.org
INVESTING
ADVICE
BANKING
RETIREMENT
BUILT TO PERFORM. CREATED TO SERVE.
C28792
5021A0113 Campus News_CAREER OF GIVING_REDISCOVER_C28792_10x10_Various_1.indd Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
MAKE SUMMER COUNT! FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST
At MassBay Community College, you can earn college credits that transfer back to the University of Vermont. At $184 per credit for Massachusetts residents, you will spend less money getting ahead. Summer Session I - Runs from May 23–July 1 Summer Session II - Runs from May 23–July 29 Summer Session III - Runs from July 11–August 19
START HERE. GO ANYWHERE. WWW.MASSBAY.EDU
N
P C P u E
6
best thrift store
Downtown Threads
best local bookstore
best concert venue
Crow Bookshop
Higher Ground best ski mountain
Stowe
best hiking spot
Camel’s Hump
best outdoor gear shop
Outdoor Gear Exchange
BURLI
the best of
best gallery
ArtsRiot
best ski shop
Alpine Shop best points place
Skinny Pancake best dining hall
Redstone Unlimited best bathroom
DC first floor By Kira Bellis & Eileen O’Connor Photos from Vermont Cyic archives
7
best vegetarian place
New Moon best breakfast place
Penny Cluse best coffee place
Uncommon Grounds
INGTON
best place with your parents
Leunig’s Bistro best cheap eats
Al’s French Frys
best delivery
Wing’s Over best tattoo and piercing
Vermont Custom Tattoo & Piercing best date spot
American Flatbread
best bar
Three Needs best grocery store
City Market
8
LIFE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
Harriet Tubman to knock Jackson out By GIANA CONGiUSTA & ANNA POWER gcongius@uvm.edu & ampower@uvm.edu
For as long as the U.S. monetary system has existed, paper bills have portrayed only male historical figures, but a new movement has added a woman to these bills. Harriet Tubman in particular is to replace Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 bill, while the former president is relocated to the rear, according to an April 20 New York Times article. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew called for this change to “replace the slaveholding Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill with Harriet Tubman, the former slave and abolitionist,” according to Jackie Calmes of the New York Times. Harriet Tubman, a 19th-century abolitionist, escaped slavery and then helped other slaves escape through the Underground Railroad, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Tubman went on to aid the Union in the Civil War, in which she acted as a spy and then became a women’s suffrage activist. Sophomore Delaney Row said she hadn’t heard about the change. “I think this is a great change our society is making,” Row said. “It’s nice that both women’s rights and blacks’ rights are being supported through this. Money is something most
of us handle almost everyday, and using something we see everyday as a part of a movement toward equality is a great way to spread it.” Felicia Kornbluh, professor of history and gender and women’s studies, said when she heard the news, her first reaction was, “Way to go U.S. treasury,” and that she was surprised. “The notion that women are full citizens and fully capable of political actors in the public world is still something that we’re struggling with a bit,” said Ellen Andersen, political science and gender, sexuality and women’s studies professor. “It’s one more symbol of feminism and women coming from the margins into the mainstream,” Kornbluh said. “How much more mainstream can you be than the American currency?” “The fact that it’s an African-American woman is important because feminism is often derided as a white movement, and there have been a lot of internal battles about race, so I think it’s a great gesture,” she said. “Every time [people] take out their wallet with a $20, what they’re going to see is an African-American woman with an amazing story on the front of their money,” Anderson said. “That’s a little bit of subliminal recognition that people other than white men played and continue to play a really important
MARISSA LANOFF
role in this country.” “I think there’s a peculiarly wonderful irony that a woman who was once sold for money now actually comes to embody money,” she said.
However, some black feminists have a different idea about this new movement. “As a feminist, I think this campaign is well-intentioned,” wrote Feminist Jones in a May
15 Washington Post column. “Women are rarely acknowledged as important contributors to the creation and development of the United States, and Tubman especially is regularly overlooked.” However, “Her legacy is rooted in resisting the foundation of American capitalism,” Jones wrote. “Tubman didn’t respect America’s economic system, so making her a symbol of it would be insulting. I do not believe Tubman, who died impoverished in 1913, would accept the ‘honor’ ...of having her face on America’s money.” Expert in feminine social and political theory and sociology Professor Eleanor Miller thought “it was great” upon hearing the news of the Harriet Tubman edition. “Although, I think women should have their own dollars instead of sharing!” she said. When asked how she felt about the angry feminists’ opinions,“they are right, but that is just a minor and whole different issue. This is just symbolic,” Miller said. She also said she disagreed with the idea that Tubman would not be pleased with this change. The final redesigns of the Harriet Tubman $20 bill will be revealed in 2020, according to the New York Times – just in time for the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Student Pricing available starting as low as $24.99/month!
Available to Burlington Telecom serviceable areas only. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Must provide valid student ID. Burlington Telecom reserves the right to end the promotion with 30 days’ notice.
THE VERMONT CYNIC
LIFE
9
W E D N E S DAY, M AY 4, 201 6
PEE IN PEACE RALLY CONT. FROM PG. 1 McCarron drew up a proposal for all-gender bathrooms in the library, which they said received more than 1,000 signatures of support. “This is a demand,” McCarron said. “This is an immediate and real need that is affecting people’s health and safety every day.” Protesters also took their stack of petitions, cut them to the same size as toilet paper and presented them to Dean of Libraries Mara Saule, McCarron said. “The dean of libraries responded by saying that when they do construction in 2017, there will be one more gender-neutral bathroom built in the library … but that’s so far away and it’s only one more,” McCarron said. “[This] affects me as both a dean and a human,” Saule said. “One of my frustrations is there doesn’t seem to be a University-wide approach to toilets,” she said. “There must be a standard for this. There needs to be an institutional context here.” “I believe we should have
‘Gender Splendor’ event created to discuss trans issues
PRESIDENT FOGEL CREATES LGBT COMMISSION
2001
more all-gender restrooms, rather than that pitiful one on the ground floor, and we plan to put up directional signs to lead people to them by the end of this year,” Saule said. This is not the first discussion UVM has had about gender. In 2003, Bailey/Howe didn’t have any unisex signs – the two side-by-side figures in pants and a skirt – on single occupancy restrooms, Brauer said. More than 40 signs were added over the summer, “which dramatically increased trans students’ safety and comfort on campus when they returned in the fall,” they said. The University also made national headlines again when it decided to recognize gender identities other than male and female. “Adding gender-neutral options to the University of Vermont’s information system took nearly a decade of lobbying, the creation of a task force of students, faculty members and administrators, and six months and $80,000 in staff time to create a software patch,”
lgbtqa Center begins to provide training to groups including police services
2003
2003
CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING ANNOUNCES COVERAGE FOR HORMONES FOR TRANS STUDENTS
2008
according to a Feb. 3, 2015 New York Times article. Students involved in the “pee in peace” movement are not asking for construction, McCarron said, but new non-gendered signs on the bathroom doors. “It’s just a matter of changing signs, so money cannot be a valid argument,” McCarron said. The sign should not show the gendered figures, but only the image of a toilet, they said. “Going to the bathroom should have nothing to do with your assigned sex, gender identity or expression, which is why we want to stop gendering bathrooms altogether,” McCarron said. On a daily basis, students who don’t identify as male or female go to tremendous lengths to use the bathroom. Many students will have to leave a building to go to another location that has a gender-neutral bathroom, which takes time out of their classes, McCarron said. Others may resort to extreme and unsafe measures.
preffered name option available in banner system
2008
uvm begins helping other schools become gender inclusive with information systems
2010
ACCORDING TO UVM LGBTQA ARCHIVES
The creation of the Book Nook By GRETA BJORNSON GABJORNS@uvm.edu
Every day, countless students filter through the Davis Center. Many drop by Brennan’s, popular for its local ingredients and extensive menu. But some congregate there for a reason other than a maple milkshake craving: a visit to the Book Nook. Founded in 2010, the Book Nook is tucked away in a corner of Brennan’s and consists of content entirely donated by students and faculty. JP Marton, Davis Center custodian, creator and caretaker of the Nook, was inspired by students “breaking open books instead of laptops.” When an empty, unused bookcase showed up in Brennan’s, Marton had shelves installed and brought his own The Book Nook donation box outside of Brennan’s Pub is pictured. books to fill the case after Students are encouraged to donate. PHOTO BY Phil Carruthers painting it and posting a “free provide the most informative, the Nook and establish it as the to adopt or give” sign. And so, entertaining and timeless read- primary destination for beloved the Book Nook was born. ing.” books of students, faculty and “After nearly emptying my According to Marton, in a staff. library, I contacted Kate Strot- typical week students adopt Marton hopes to continue meyer of Student Life and told the Book Nook and establish its her, ‘I think we are onto somelegacy. thing special,’” Marton said. “I hope to be [caretaker] for “The Book Nook from that the next 25 years … my goal is point onward has been a big to help establish the Book Nook I think we are onto collaboration at UVM and the as a venerable tradition that community.” something special. will always shine a bright light The range in content on the on the special students who Book Nook shelves is extensive, choose to attend UVM, to make as the only type of book not acit their university and alma maJP MARTON cepted is textbooks. CREATOR OF THE BOOK NOOK ter,” Marton said. “The best books are the The Book Nook is “a light ones that have meant some- between 10 and 30 books from that reflects the openness, litthing special to the reader, and the Book Nook’s shelves, a fig- eracy, creativity and practical they would like to pass the in- ure he calls “amazing and grat- brilliance of UVM students out spiration on,” Marton said. “We ifying.” Yet, Marton would also to the nation and the world,” he take great pride in being able to like to get the word out about said.
“
Junior Lindsey McCarron is pictured at an April 22 rally at the Bailey/Howe Library. Photo Courtesy of Marylyn Rogel “Some will drink or eat less to avoid having to use the bathroom,” McCarron said. “It becomes a serious health risk when students are malnourished or are getting urinary tract infections from holding their bladder.” During “all-night study,” students do not have access to gender-neutral bathrooms in Bailey/Howe and cannot go to the Davis Center because it locks at midnight. “I want trans and queer students to be able to study all night in the Cyber Cafe just like everyone else, but there are only
single-gendered bathrooms there,” McCarron said. “We need to keep re-evaluating and making change; there is always room for improvement,” McCarron said. Brauer is hopeful UVM will answer this call for equality soon. “It will take people a little while to adjust, but ultimately, humans are really good at adapting to change, especially when we understand there is an important reason behind a change,” Brauer said.
HUNTER DOES: A TINDER DATE
What to expect when you look to Tinder to find love hunter colvin
HCOLVIN@UVM.EDU
In case anyone was still unsure, Tinder is 100 percent a hookup app. I would know because I went on a Tinder date for the first, and probably last, time. Talking on Tinder is odd. There are some people who just want to get right to the hooking up part. There are some who never reply to messages. And then there are some who are way too persistent and end up friending you on Facebook an hour after you start messaging them. After sifting through the various creeps on Tinder, I found a guy who didn’t seem so bad. We decided to meet up for coffee at Muddy Waters, and the first part of the date was pretty good. We talked about school and summer jobs and internships and, you know, date stuff. Then we walked down to the waterfront to watch the sunset. I haven’t done that in years, so that was a surprisingly lovely part of the evening. Then we went back to my room and started making out a little. And to be honest, I wasn’t really feeling it. Like, at all. So I told him to stop and explained that I don’t have sex on first dates, which isn’t untrue.
And, like any normal human being should, he stopped when I said it. Then came the mansplaining. In case anyone was wondering, according to my Tinder date, he’s a good guy, so he won’t do anything. But I should be really careful about Tinder expectations because he has heard some real horror stories. He won’t try anything, even though he could, because he’s a nice guy, but I should just really be careful about bringing guys back to my room.
After sifting through various creeps on Tinder, I found a guy who didn't seem so bad. I think I was in shock a little bit because I had a million snappy comebacks running through my head, but the thing that came out was: “I’m writing an article about you for the newspaper.” Then he left. So if you want a straight hookup, look at Tinder. If you just want to make out with someone, find a boy or girl at a party and go to town. Hunter Colvin is a senior history major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.
10
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
Men’s lacrosse clinches a playoff spot by locria courtright ccourtri@uvm.edu
The men’s lacrosse team overcame a slow start to defeat the Binghamton University Bearcats 17-9 Saturday night at Virtue Field, clinching their second consecutive spot in the America East playoffs. Prior to the game, the Catamounts held senior night festivities for the seven seniors playing their final home game. The Catamounts started off slow, as Binghamton scored four times in the first quarter and added a fifth point early in the second, opening up a 5-0 lead despite trailing in the shot count. “I think we were a little tentative,” head coach Ryan Curtis said. “We weren’t taking the shots there that we would normally take.” “But once we started running a little bit, I think the guys loosened up and were able to do the things we were hoping we’d be able to do,” Curtis said. It could have been worse if not for the play of junior goalkeeper Jon Kaplan, who made 13 saves. “[Kaplan]’s a tough kid to figure out,” Curtis said. “But he’s playing great, and if he can keep doing that, then we should be in games.” However, the fifth goal seemed to awaken the Catamounts, who needed a win to make the America East Playoffs. UVM scored four goals in a row to shrink the Binghamton lead to 5-4 before the Bearcats added a pair to up the lead to 7-4. Then, with 17 seconds to go until halftime, sophomore midfielder Matt Gudas cut the deficit to two. The Catamounts, flexing their offensive muscles in the second half, showed why they entered the game ranked No. 14 nationally in goals per game, according to the NCAA.
Gudas and sophomore attacker Cam Stafford each scored their second goal of the game, pulling the game even. With about three minutes to go in the third quarter, senior attacker James Barlow’s second goal of the game put the Cats ahead 8-7, a lead they would not
“
But we’re rolling at the right time and I think we’ve got a good chance to do something special. MEN’S LACROSSE SENIOR NICK BARTLETT lose. The Catamounts’ offense took control as they scored eight goals in the fourth quarter, including first-year midfielder Elliott Mitchell’s first career goal, and Binghamton was only able to pull two of those back. Stafford and Barlow each recorded a hat trick, and UVM’s
leading scorer, junior midfielder Ian MacKay, finished the game with five points. The Catamounts’ defense and goalkeeping was also able to keep Binghamton’s leading scorer, Zach Scaduto, off the scoresheet. “It was a slow start, but after we got one or two goals to drop, we just sort of got back to what we usually do: grind, get the ground balls, out-tough them,” senior midfielder Nick Bartlett said. “And [Luc LeBlanc] did a hell of a job on the faceoffs. It was just a team effort, and that’s what it’s been all year.” The Catamounts wrapped up the third seed in the America East Playoffs, and will face Stony Brook University May 5 in Albany, New York in the semifinals. “They’re a great team,” Bartlett said about Stony Brook. “But we’re rolling at the right time and I think we’ve got a good chance to do something special and continue this run.”
(Top) Junior Luc LeBlanc cradles the ball between two Binghamton players in UVM’s senior day game. Vermont defeated the Bearcats 17-9. (Bottom) Sophomore Matt Gudas attempts a goal in the Catamounts’ April 30 win. OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic
NFL fans must learn how to be more patient Shane Town STOWN@UVM.EDU
P
atience is a very valuable trait in the NFL world for players, coaches and front offices as well as the entire fan base. It’s also something that, unfortunately, has grown nearly extinct. Gone are the days of drafting a quarterback in the first round with the intention of having him sit and learn behind the organization’s savvy veteran for a few years. Today, quarterbacks drafted in the first round are often expected to come in and play at an extremely high level from day one. The root of the problem lies in the fan base. When a fan base is upset about a bad year, the last thing
they want to do is be patient while their new top draft pick sits on the bench for what will probably be a few more lackluster years. In this day and age of Web 2.0, with companies having more deeply connected relationships with fans/consumers than ever, it’s much easier for organizations to hear, and subsequently act upon, all the negative noise that surrounds a team. The recent NFL draft is just another example of this rampant impatience perverting every decision made in front offices. The Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles both made similar moves, as they traded a barrage of picks from this draft as well as the drafts for the next two years to acquire the top selections this year. The Rams selected University of California, Berkeley quarterback Jared Goff while the
Eagles went with North Dakota State University quarterback Carson Wentz. This is the second straight year quarterbacks have been the top two selections.
This image grows more unavoidable when one considers the complete lack of wide receiver talent both of these guys are walking into. Another example of this im-
I believe ownership is only as patient as the fan base, so I humbly ask all of you to please slow your roll. An ideal situation: these guys would sit for at least two years, playing sparsely as they grow used to the accelerated speed and strength of the pro game. What realistically will happen: they will be thrown to the wolves and their football carcasses will be left rotting after fanatic buzzards and expert analysts have picked apart every interception and minute mistake.
patience lies in the draft trades themselves. So much of these teams’ futures have been leveraged in these nearsighted deals, where the team has opted for a small chance at immediate success over a larger chance at long term success. I believe ownership is only as patient as the fan base, so I humbly ask all of you to please slow your roll. Because of impatience and
the insatiable need for immediate gratification exhibited by professional fan bases, winning takes on an exponential, or snowball quality to it. Successful franchises are given the opportunity to continue to prosper only because recent success has bought them a certain leeway with their fan base. If the NFL provided more job security, both in terms of young players and coaches, it would result in plans asymmetrical to the ones outlined above by the Rams and Eagles. Teams would think more in terms of successful longevity rather than trying to quickly soothe the crying baby that is their fan base. The end result would be less turnover, equating to a less diluted product on the field. Shane Town is a senior English major He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2014.
ARTS
11
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
Beyonce serves lemonade erin lucey
College baseball flick hits near homerun in theaters Siobhan o’flaherty
ELUCEY@UVM. EDU
Lemonade
SBOFLAHE@UVM. EDU
Everybody Wants Some!!
W
hen life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Or, if you’re Beyonce, you drop an unapologetic, guaranteed-classic album about all of the ways you’ve been wronged. The visual album “Lemonade” is an hour-long visual album set to 12 tracks of genres ranging from trap to gospel, released April 23. In the album, Beyonce presents a narrative about infidelity and, more broadly, about the experience of black women in America. The album is an eclectic collaboration featuring artists like Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Jack White, Vampire Weekend, and the poetry of Somali-British poet Warsan Shire. Each artist brings a new dimension to the overall experience. At face value, “Lemonade” is a scorned woman’s diss album about her husband – but that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Beyonce devotes numerous emotionally-charged tracks to address rumors of Jay-Z’s extramarital affairs. However, she does not let his indiscretions overshadow her artistry. This is not an album about Jay-Z; this is an album about
May 4
G ALYSSA HANDELMAN
the cyclical nature of rebirth. The album serves not only as a “final warning” to Jay-Z, but also as a reminder to viewers that “the most disrespected person in America is the black woman,” as quoted from Malcolm X in the video. “Lemonade” is an album by a woman of color for women of color, and the rest of us are just bystanders to this phenomenon. An immediate standout track is “Daddy Lessons,” in which Beyonce reclaims country music by bringing it back to its roots. Here, set to the sound of steel-string guitars and clapping, Beyonce ties her experience with Jay-Z to her father’s own infidelity. “Daddy Lessons” somehow fits perfectly after “6 Inch,” a hauntingly dark and sexy col-
laboration with The Weeknd that could easily be her next radio hit. Despite criticisms that Beyonce’s performance of “Formation” at the 2016 Super Bowl was “too political,” she does not shy away from using “Lemonade” as a platform for social discourse. Beyonce embraces vulnerability, bluring the lines between political and personal in tracks like “Freedom” and “Forward,” which feature the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner holding photos of their deceased sons. As always with Beyonce, where there is vulnerability there is also strength. Erin Lucey is a senior English and anthropology major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2015.
o see this movie before school’s out. “Everybody Wants Some!!” is the thoroughly entertaining college romp director Richard Linklater describes as the “spiritual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused.” Taking place in 1980s Texas, the movie begins with first-year Jake (Blake Jenner) moving into the baseball house at the fictional Texas State University three days before classes begin. Logically, three days before classes means three days of non-stop partying for the boys. The rambunctious weekend contains every college stereotype possible – easy sex, crazy parties, constant drinking and getting stoned, with the overarching attitude that college is the greatest time of your life. What truly makes “Everybody Wants Some!!” funny are Jake’s teammates who relentlessly give each other a hard time, and the shenanigans they get into during the film. Although the cast lacks any well-known actors, each character is quirky and genuine,
which gives the movie an authentic, down-to-earth feel. The team features all the predictable college character types: the hazer, the pick-up artist, the pack leader, the nice guy and the stoner who encourages everyone to “just be weird.” There are some moments of vulnerability where the boys open up and contemplate their identities, dedication to baseball and hopes for the future. But it’s mostly boys making fun of each other and chasing girls, and actually features very few scenes of baseball. The film has been a brainchild of Linklater for years, who directed funny classics like “Dazed and Confused” and “School of Rock,” but also the more serious and artistic film “Boyhood.” “Everybody Wants Some!!” is entertaining and relatable for the same reason “Dazed and Confused” was 20 years prior. Both movies are coming-ofage stories that depict the ridiculous hijinks young people are allowed, and almost encouraged, to partake in. Even if you aren’t buckled over from laughing during the movie, you are guaranteed to leave the theater with at least a cheesy grin.
Siobhan O’Flaherty is a senior political science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
Summer Arts Calendar
Bands4Equality 3 p.m. @ Redstone Campus FREE
June
Zamata 3/4 Sasheer 7:30 p.m. @ VT Comedy Club 1/2 $20
July
August
Jared Logan 7:30 p.m. @ VT Comedy Club $15
2
Fundraiser: Rescue Me VT 7 p.m. @ Paint&Sip $35
6
Senior Art Show 5 p.m. @ Livak Lounge FREE
3
Discover Jazz Festival: Randy Newman 8 p.m. @ Flynn MainStage $25 - $65
2
And The Kids (w/ Vundabar) 8 p.m. @ ArtsRiot $12 advance, $15 day of
3
Pinegrove 7 p.m. @ Signal Kitchen $10 advance, $12 day of
7
A Benefit In Drag 7 p.m. @ ArtsRiot $10
6
Houndmouth 8 p.m. @ Higher Ground $20 advance, $22 day of
13
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros 6 p.m. @ Shelburne Museum $36 advance, $44 day of
5
Early Show: The Willoughbys 5:30 p.m. @ The Monkey House FREE
18
The Vermont Moth GrandSLAM II: When Worlds Collide 7 p.m. @ Flynn MainStage $28.50
22
Sip 101: Rose 7 p.m. @ Paint&Sip $45
28
VT Shakespeare Company presents: Julius Caesar Time TBD
12/13
Strangefolk’s Garden of Eden 6 p.m. @ Stateside Amphitheater Jay Peak $50 two-day pass
28
Lake Street Dive 6 p.m. @ Shelburne Museum $35 advance, $40 day of
25
Dead Sessions 8:30 p.m. @ Higher Ground $7 advance, $12 day of
29/30 Maritime Festival: Twiddle
4 p.m. Burlington Waterfront $59 two-day pass
12
ARTS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 THE VERMONT CYNIC
SpringFest: fun in the sun bettina cataldi BCATALDI@UVM. EDU
S
aturday was a sunny day filled with an abundance of body tie-dye, truffle fries, friends being escorted to the drunk tank and the highly-anticipated main musical acts Bison, Madalia and The Head and the Heart. UPB hosted its annual SpringFest March 31 in the Jeffords parking lot. This was the first year the event has been held at this venue. In addition to great music, the festival offered food from vendors like Ben & Jerry’s and Samosa Man. Concert-goers could also have their faces painted, but the most popular look of the day seemed to be tie-dyed arms, courtesy of Black Light Visuals. Bison and Madaila opened for The Head and the Heart, each playing for more than half an hour. The two bands represented
UVM well, as the student band Bison recently won the Battle of the Bands competition in April, and the Burlington-based pop band Madaila includes UVM alumni. Junior Sam Tully said he stayed for each band’s entire set, adding that experiencing Bison play live was “sublime.” Students were excited to answer the question of the day: “If you could describe SpringFest in one word, what would it be?” Early on in the day, junior Emilie Ferguson and sophomore Julia Levine respectively answered “strange” and “rad.” The students both said they were most excited for The Head and the Heart. Sophomore Miranda Lan had an alternative view of SpringFest. “Weird that it’s in a parking lot, but still fun. I just wish it was on grass,” Lan said. When asked to reduce her opinion to one word, Lan responded, “Grass.” The crowd grew almost twice in size after The Head and the Heart arrived on stage. Sophomore Maddie Freed de-
scribed the experience as “orgasmic” while swaying to the music. UVM Rescue, though not necessarily there to enjoy the concert in the same way as the students, had a sunny outlook on the festivities. UVM Rescuer Tim Hwang, a junior, described SpringFest as “warm.” Officer Brandon King of police services officer surveying the crowd, deemed it unprofessional to give his opinion on the day. Luckily for the officers and rescue crew, SpringFest was nothing more than a sunny day full of dancing and colorful appendages. The majority of students questioned had seemingly come prepared to answer the question in the same manner: with the three-word phrase, “so much fun.” As for my word for SpringFest, I’d have to simply say “bright.” Bettina Cataldi is a sophomore public communications major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2015. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic