Critters of UVM
THE VERMONT
CYNIC Sept. 4, 2018
vtcynic.com
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Art Hop calendar 5 / Legal weed 6 / Men’s soccer preview 8
The Intervale “Burlington’s backyard” offers fresh produce and community outreach Bridget Higdon cynicculture@gmail.com
Sweet bell peppers, leafy green arugula and papery yellow onions create a rainbow at the end of an otherwise dusty and gray Vermont road. All this produce was grown by local farmers at the Intervale Community Farm, a 58-acre farm in Burlington that includes seven sections of the Winooski River’s lower floodplain, according to the farm’s 2018 member guide. The ICF is certified-organic and cooperatively owned. Members can purchase small, medium or large shares, which gives them access to fresh produce every week. At the entrance, a painted yellow sign hanging on an iron fence reads “Welcome to the Intervale Community Farm. Thriving since 1990” in curly black lettering. Inside the fence, shareholders mill about the pole barn or pavilion with reusable grocery bags over their shoulders, their hands digging into crates full of round squashes and large melons. On a chalkboard outside, an employee wrote “What’s your favorite summer recipe?” Below, dozens of responses appear in various colors and handwritings: gazpacho, zucchini bread, pesto. Behind the barn, everything
is green. Rows of low-growing basil and parsley stretch for several yards. Tomato and bean plants reach high, winding and draping themselves around wooden stakes. The ICF is a part of the Intervale Center, which was started by Will Raap in 1986. He spearheaded the clean-up of over 700-acres of land that had previously been Burlington’s municipal dump, according to the Intervale’s website. Carolyn Zeller ’10, the administrative assistant at the Intervale Center, has been involved with the Intervale since she was a first-year at UVM. “I used to go to the Intervale to use its public recreation trails,” she said. “We called it Burlington’s backyard.” Now that she works at the Intervale, Zeller said she is part of the organization on a more direct and meaningful level. “The Intervale Community Farm serves over 600 households during the summer season,” she said. “It is the largest and oldest community-supported agriculture farm in Vermont.” When individuals purchase a produce share for the season instead of shopping at the grocery store, they get a better value that goes beyond finances, Zeller said. “When you go the Community Farm to pick up your share, you
can catch up with the farmer who worked with the produce from the time it was a seed to the moment it’s in your hand,” she said. Junior Rebecca Nottonson was a community outreach intern this summer at the Intervale. She picked crops farmers didn’t get to and helped distribute produce to places like the Chittenden County Emergency Food Shelf, she said. “It was a very fulfilling experience,” Nottonson said. “We kept food from going to waste, which is important to me.” Junior Kendall Ross also interned with the Intervale this summer. “Harvesting leftover watermelon with a group of preschoolers was definitely a highlight,” she said. With help from volunteers like Nottonson and Ross, the Intervale can serve over 200 low-income Vermont families every week, Zeller said. There are a variety of ways for students to get involved at the Intervale, Zeller said. Interested individuals should visit: www.intervale. org/get-involved. The Intervale is a place where people of all ages can roll up their pant legs, wander into the fields and help their community while contributing to the sustainable food movement.
Photo Illustration by TAYLOR EHWA
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NEWS
2
Digital Exclusive Content Field hockey team takes on UMass
The field hockey team was defeated 1-3 by the UMass Minutemen this past Sunday. If you missed the game, catch the highlights in this slideshow.
Unexpected upsets from the World Cup This summer saw the return of the World Cup. Take a moment to look back at another tournament’s worth of upsets and controversy.
Concerts at Higher Ground Whether you’re new to Burlington’s concert scene or getting ready to dive back in, here’s what to look forward to at one of Burlington’s most active venues.
Inside Burlington’s biggest co-op
The Intervale Community serves over 600 households every summer. Take a look inside their 58-acres of farmland, rustic architecture and bountiful veggies.
Professor’s novel selected for actress’s book club A homicideobsessed artist mysteriously vanishes in UVM professor and alumna Maria Hummel’s most recent mystery novel, which was selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club.
Get the full story at vtcynic.com
The Vermont Cynic
Sept. 4, 2018
DeVos proposal concerns students Lee Hughes ehughes7@uvm.edu
On Aug. 29, the New York Times released a preliminary version of new sexual assault rules for college campuses proposed by Betsy DeVos’ Department of Education. DeVos’ rules would narrow the definition of sexual assault by requiring victims to go through police. They would also limit who can report assault, according to the Times. University Communications Director Enrique Corredera wrote in an email to the Cynic that since no official new guidelines have been released, UVM has no response to the proposed changes. The current UVM guidelines remain in full effect and can be seen in the University’s sexual assault and misconduct policy, Corredera wrote. “One of the hardest things about being a first-year is learning that those statistics about sexual assault are true and seeing your friends go through those awful, terrible events,” sophomore Aidan Doherty, chair of the Student Action Committee on SGA, said. If enacted, the proposed rules would also restrict a school’s responsibility for as-
PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic
A “Me Too” banner hangs outside Living Well in the Davis Center October 2017. Despite plans by Betsy DeVos’s Department of Education to update sexual misconduct policies, current UVM guidelines remain in full effect, according to University Communications Director Enrique Corredera. saults on campus and encourage them to use punishments that keep assaulters in school, the article stated. To roll back the rules currently in place would further the stigma that you can’t speak out about sexual assault, firstyear Haley Crean said. “Most people don’t actually accuse their rapists because so much of the system is set up against them,” she said.
Labor Day comedy show invites controversial star Lilly Young ehyoung@uvm.edu
UPB chose comedian Michelle Wolf to perform on campus for the Labor Day comedy show. After a controversial performance at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, Wolf was met with criticism for her jokes about Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. After watching Wolf’s performance, senior Tommy Switzgable, President of the College Republicans, said that he was not offended by any of the jokes, though many were aimed at his party. “I’ll get political when I need to get political, but she was just making jokes,” he said. “If you took [Wolf’s performance] literally, you’re an idiot.” College Democrats secretary, sophomore Sally Short, said that she was not offended, although she was sensitive toward the #MeToo jokes. “I think that Michelle did a good job at calling out everyone and targeting both sides,” she said. “There is more material when you cover the Trump White House.” The backlash Wolf received was understandable to a degree, but there was a measure of sexism involved, she said. “Having a strong woman making comments at a mostly male room will be met with backlash,” Short said.
Short does not think that students will have a problem with Michelle’s show at UVM because it is a generally liberal school. UPB member senior Emilly LaFleur said prior to the comedy show that she thinks most students will positively respond to Wolf, but acknowledged that some students may not. “I think there will be a generally positive response, but there is definitely a chance that there will be a negative backlash to her being on campus,” she said. “I welcome those folks to discuss their disagreements with her.” During her speech at the Correspondents’ Dinner, Wolf called Sanders an “Uncle Tom” figure for white women, and targeted her physical appearance. “I actually really like Sarah,” Wolf said in the performance. “I think she’s very resourceful. She burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye. Like maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s lies. It’s probably lies.” Wolf said she stood by her jokes in a May 1 interview with NPR. “I wouldn’t change a single word that I said,” she said. “I’m very happy with what I said, and I’m glad I stuck to my guns.”
The motivation behind the changes is to hold schools to the principle of “innocent until proven guilty,” according to the Times. “If you really break it down, it allows the University to do less work, it holds them to lower standards and it lets them get away with doing the bare minimum,” Doherty said. Often, people focus on the legal proceedings and fail to hu-
manize the emotional toll of being assaulted, which can be felt in all aspects of a victim’s life, he said. “This is just reinforcing that universities and the federal government don’t care about [victims] and they’re doing what they can to save their own ass,” Doherty said. “That’s a really scary feeling to feel helpless like that.”
Video of the Week
Life after legalization vtcynic.com/legalweed This past July, cannabis became legal for adults 21 and older to use recreationally in Vermont. As students return to Burlington after the summer, do they notice any difference in the city’s weed culture?
Podcast of the Week Local Mysteries vtcynic.com/localmysteries In 2004, Burlington teen Brianna Maitland disappeared on her way home from work. This podcast will examine events that happened before she disappeared and what could have happened.
international street food restaurant
free order of fries www.duinoduende.com 10 N. Winooski Avenue, Burlington limit one coupon per table coupon must be present // valid through 2018
The Vermont Cynic
NEWS
Sept. 4, 2018
3
Pedestrian hit by campus bus
Nurses seek public vote
Sawyer Loftus Sawyer Loftus
swloftus@uvm.edu
swloftus@uvm.edu
A pedestrian made “physical contact” with a Campus Area Transportation System bus and was sent to UVM Medical Center for injuries, according to UVM police services. A CatAlert was sent out to the UVM community at 11:45 a.m. Aug. 27 advising pedestrians and vehicles to seek alternate routes due to an accident on Carrigan Drive near the Jeffords parking lot. Initially, injuries could not be reported by police. Deputy Chief Tim Bilodeau of UVM police services later said the pedestrian involved was taken to the hospital. However, he would not disclose the extent of their injuries. While UVM police services was investigating the initial accident, a second collision occurred nearby on Carrigan drive involving a UVM utility truck and another CATS bus, he said. The Campus Area Transportation System provides an average of 1 million rides a year and serves students, staff and visitors, but this is the first accident of its kind, according to University Communications Director Enrique Corredera. When asked if the pedestri-
SAWYER LOFTUS/The Vermont Cynic
Police block off Jeffords Parking Lot following an accident involving a UVM CATS bus. Two separate crashes occured Aug. 27, both involving CATS buses, with one resulting in pedestrian injuries. an was a UVM affiliate, UVM Police Chief Lianne Tuomey declined to answer. The University is awaiting the results of the accident investigation and will determine its best course of action, Corredera said. “UVM police is an independent police force in the state of Vermont,” Corredera said. “The University has full confidence
in its professionalism and its ability to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.” First-year Lauren Hurst said the incident was an unsettling start to her first year at UVM. “I think it’s really awful and it was not the way all the firstyear students should have had their first experience at college,” Hurst said. “It’s a little
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scary to think about.” Despite the crash, Hurst still feels safe on campus, she said. “I still feel pretty safe on campus in terms of all the busses driving around,” Hurst said. UVM police services is working with Burlington Police and the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles to investigate the accident, Bilodeau said.
The UVM Medical Center nurses union is pressuring hospital administrators by holding a public vote of no confidence in the medical center board of trustees. The nurses have been in negotiations with the medical center since the end of March and have been working without a contract since July 9. The union is asking for a 22-percent pay increase in their next threeyear contract, union Vice President Deb Snell said. UVMMC nurses announced the release of the public petition at an Aug. 30 press conference at union headquarters in Williston, Vermont. Snell said the petition is the latest attempt to urge the medical center to increase contract proposals. “They seem to be putting profits and buildings over people,” she said. “This has been going on for a while under this administration and it’s time for it to stop.” UVMMC Spokesperson Michael Carrese said the hospital was disappointed union leaders were focused on issues that wouldn’t be resolved. “Our latest offer is fair and competitive and provides wage increases,” he said.
OPINION
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EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Greta Bjornson editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Ben Elfland newsroom@vtcynic.com Operations Manager Sorrel Galantowicz operations@vtcynic.com
EDITORIAL Copy Chief George Seibold copy@vtcynic.com Culture Bridget Higdon cynicculture@gmail.com Features Caroline Slack cynicfeatures@gmail.com News Brandon Arcari news@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts Chloe Chaobal vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Sports Sabrina Hood sports@vtcynic.com Video Ruby Bates video@vtcynic.com
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Photo Alek Fleury photo@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Addie Beach (Culture), Sophia Knappertz (Copy), David Cabrera (Podcasts), Nickie Morris (Sports), Sawyer Loftus (News), Lee Hughes (News), Kian Deshler (Features) Copy Editors Sophia Knappertz Page Designers Ed Taylor, Caroline McCune
ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
Staff Editorial
mployees of the Boston Globe had police stationed outside of their newsroom Aug. 30 after receiving threats to their lives. Robert Chain, a 68-yearold California man, was arrested Aug. 30 by the FBI for a series of violent comments to the paper after the Globe published an editorial Aug. 15. The editorial condemned President Donald Trump’s attacks on the media and defended the First Amendment, according to an NPR article published the day of the arrest. The Globe’s editorial began an effort among newspapers across the country to express their solidarity with the Boston paper’s stance, according to an Aug. 16 PBS article. More than 350 publications had participated by the time the article was published. Chain planned to retaliate against the paper for its stance against Trump, the NPR article stated. The President himself had called the media the “enemy of the people” in a tweet published the morning of Chain’s arrest. Thankfully, nobody was harmed in this case. Yet, journalists should never have to fear for their lives. Reporting means getting the facts, the truth and every side of the story. It isn’t meant to serve anyone but the public — as journalists, we’re here to uncover injustices, hold people accountable and inform read-
ers, all while remaining impartial and providing fair, balanced coverage. When the President spreads hateful rhetoric and actively denounces the press, it has real consequences, as Chain’s arrest revealed. As long as Trump continues to tweet about fake news, journalists face hatred and violence. He holds a national platform, but also a global one, making his message all the more dangerously present. On Aug. 5, Trump tweeted that the media “purposely cause great division & distrust.
They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick!” Comments like this only serve to fuel the division in this country and continue to endanger people who have worked for years without threats, only to be inundated with them because the President encourages it. We at the Cynic recognize that we are a student newspaper and are not full-time professional journalists, but the impact that free press has on society can be felt in all aspects of our culture. To the Boston Globe employees, we stand with you and
support you. To President Trump, we urge you to consider the effect your words have on your supporters — the media is not your enemy. 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.
Small campaigns mean more opportunity Mills Sparkman msparkma@uvm. edu
Social Media Peter Hibbeler socialcyniceditor@gmail.com
Layout Kyra Chevalier layout@vtcynic.com
Sept. 4, 2018
President fuels media distrust
Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com
Illustrations Holly Coughlan illustrations@vtcynic.com
The Vermont Cynic
T
his summer, I went through a ritual that most poli-sci majors take part in: I worked on my first campaign. It wasn’t a well-oiled incumbent machine headed for Congress or the Governor’s office. This campaign was for the Rhode Island District 4 state representative seat (not to be confused with a state’s House of Representatives seat). When a campaign is small, you have to think small. You have to personalize your communications, divide big plans into smaller chunks and know your limits. I decided to work for this campaign specifically because of its size. I felt I would be able to have more of an impact in a smaller operation and learn more about the inner workings rather than simply taking orders from higher-ups. At a canvassing training session, I met an intern from the Massachusetts Democrats. We chatted about long hours of door-knocking and send-
SHANNON O’CONNOR ing email blasts, and she mentioned that one thing she disliked about her experience was how impersonal it was.
By the end of the summer, I had gained confidence in my abilities and learned about the operations of a political campaign first-hand. She campaigned for multiple candidates, some of whom she had never even met, and she was often one of many interns with the exact same job
description. One perk of smaller campaigns is that the candidate and the staff have a deeper ability to connect with voters. When I went door-to-door with Mark Tracy, the candidate I was working for, he would often lag behind me because he would get caught up in conversation. Since it was a small area, we got to know people firsthand and connect with them as friends and neighbors, not just as constituents. Another advantage is that you can try anything with a smaller campaign. We experimented with hosting coffee hours, debates and “un-debates” (where candidates sit and listen to constit-
uents voice their concerns) and personal social media posts, instead of big-picture public relations strategy. Although I was the youngest in the room, I felt comfortable voicing my ideas and opinions and even had the chance to bring some of them to life. Unlike the MA Democrats intern, I had autonomy and real responsibility. By the end of the campaign, I was communicating regularly with volunteers and organizing them in order to accomplish our campaign’s goals. I also ended up doing a lot of Tracy’s social media because I knew how to best get the message across on different social media platforms. By the end of the summer, I had gained confidence in my abilities and learned about the operations of a political campaign first-hand. I wouldn’t have been able to do that in a larger, high-stakes campaign. Larger campaigns are a good place to cut your teeth later on. However, if you’re on your first one, smaller is better. Mills Sparkman is a sophomore political science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.
The Vermont Cynic
CULTURE
Sept. 4, 2018
5
Art event evolves, excites Keely Lyons Keely.Lyons@uvm.edu
The South End Arts and Business Association will hold its 26th annual Art Hop in the South End Sept. 7-9. The three-day event sprawls mostly along Pine Street, with over 600 artists displaying their work in studios or local businesses that are briefly reimagined as galleries, according to the South End Arts and Business Association’s website. While Art Hop may be a tradition for the Burlington community, it breaks the mold of other annual events, Art Hop’s event planner Adam Brooks said. “The event changes every year due to new artwork being produced, so you never know what you’re going to see around every corner,” Brooks said. With so many events scheduled, it’s best to plan your stops early for an enjoyable Art Hop. Listen to Sambatucada!, a Burlington-based street band, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Friday. The Afro-Brazilian street band will play rhythmic carnival tunes. Visit breweriess like Switchback as you peruse and enjoy all that the South End has to offer. “We’ll have a sculpture garden with metal work from artist Gerald Stoner,” Chris Nevins of Swithback said. “There will also be several new beers on draft.” Celebrate legalization with a cannabidiol-infused cocktail from the Green State Gardener from 5-10 p.m. Friday. Stop by Creative Jam from 6-8 p.m. Friday and network with local entrepreneurs, creatives and artists while enjoying light refreshments. If you’re looking for new ways to decorate your dorm
New film captures youth angst Cynic Cineaste Hunter McKenzie Hunter.McKenzie@ uvm.edu
AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic
A model walks up and down the runway during the STRUT! Fashion Show at last year’s Art Hop Sept. 9. The event, spread out mostly along Pine Street, will display the work of over 600 artists in studios or local businesses that are briefly reimagined as galleries. room, this year’s Artist Market has been expanded to 42 vendors from last year’s 14, Brooks said. The Market will take place from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday in the Dealer.com parking lot. Artist Katharine Montstream will give a watercolor demonstration outside of her studio on St. Paul Street from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday. All weekend, Burlington City Arts will hold an open house where you can view Crystal Wagner’s exhibition “Traverse.” Wagner manipulates recycled consumer materials, like tablecloths, to create pieces that leap off the wall, according the the BCA website. Stop by ReSOURCE, a shop for resale household items, for ReUSE mini golf and a quick
bite from a food cart. Curb your sweet tooth on Saturday by stopping by the chocolate sculpting event at Lake Champlain Chocolates, where a Chocolate Sculptress will introduce you to an edible art form. The Lake Champlain Chocolates Ice Cream Truck will be giving away free treats. The weekend isn’t just filled with visual art, however. Get your body moving while contributing to a unique and physical form with Martial Arts Hop. Everyone who attends a 20-minute martial arts workshop will receive a free onemonth membership to Aikido of Champlain Valley, a martial arts training facility. On any day of the weekend, visit the South End Arts
and Business Association Gallery and Headquarters and vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award. “The South End is the spot for college students or recent graduates to start their own creative business,” Brooks said. “Many businesses have grown and succeeded over the past 30 years in the South End.” Art Hop is a melding of veteran artists and novices, Burlington community members and college students. There is something for everyone. “Art Hop exhibits the vibrant heart of Burlington. There is something magic about a community bound by art,” junior Adelina Kirstein said.
What to check out at this year’s Art Hop: Friday CREATIVE JAM: ARTIST CREATIVE NETWORKING Creative JAM 208 Flynn Avenue, Suite 2J 6 - 8 p.m. SAMBATUCADA! Eight Space Art Studios, 4 Howard Street A-8 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. REUSE MINI-GOLF ReSOURCE: A Nonprofit Community Enterprise, 339 Pine Street
saturday
sunday
ARTISTS MARKET EXTRAVAGANZA! DEALER.COM parking lot, 1 Howard Street 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
SWITCHBACK BREWERY FUN Switchback Brewing Company, 160 Flynn Avenue 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
CHOCOLATE SCULPTING Lake Champlain Chocolates, 750 Pine Street 2 p.m.
FREE STUDIO SUNDAY! The Wellness Collective, Maltex Building, 431 Pine Street, Suite #312 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. SING ALONG TO BROADWAY’S “HAIR” Blue Bird Fairies, Howard Space Center, 4 Howard Street 1 - 2:30 p.m.
It didn’t occur to me until the first blinding moments of “Eighth Grade” that I didn’t remember what it was like to be 13 years old in middle school. But when I sat in my theater seat and watched as the film opened on a grainy, adolescent face in front of a webcam, it all came back to me. This face, wide-eyed, terrified but optimistic, belongs to Kayla (Elsie Fisher), a 13-year-old girl who is deep in the throes of her last days of eighth grade. She is seated in front of her camera against a homemade backdrop, making an “advice vlog” about “being yourself.” Kayla makes many videos like this. She uploads them to her YouTube channel, where she just speaks into the void, as she accrues only a dismal few views on each video. In them, she rattles off different themes of advice, platitudes that she, and many kids her age, are trained to know by heart like a script. But by her awkward, unsure demeanor we get the sense that she has not yet had the experiences to understand them personally, to speak on them sincerely. Coupled with clever, respectful filmmaking from Bo Burnham (of his own YouTube fame, in his first venture as screenwriter/director), Elsie Fisher’s sensitive performance makes “Eighth Grade” a late-summer stunner. Because the film was shot after Fisher’s actual eighth grade year, viewers never feel distant from the performance. Burnham skillfully shifts us back and forth between Kayla’s hopeful, digital interior world and her crushing reality with small touches: a boy retrieves his phone charging in another room, an Instagram timeline is populated with content from the actual kids we met just a scene earlier. Technology is not just a glossy prop in the film, it is a character, lived in, integral to the narrative. In a world that shames girls from a young age at any chance it can get, “Eighth Grade” forces us to stay with that girl, not letting us close out of the app or turn off the phone after we’ve judged her. “Eighth Grade” so generously gives us a portrait of a girl many of us have had the pleasure of knowing. She will end up just fine, making it even more of a triumph.
FEATURE
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The Vermont Cynic
Sept. 4, 2018
Lighting Up
Students navigate new cannabis laws Caroline Slack cynicfeatures@gmail.com
Recently, the laws on the books regarding cannabis in Vermont have evolved, loosening state regulations on pot. What remains unclear is how these laws have affected the lifestyle of UVM students. In January, Gov. Phil Scott signed Act 86 into law, legalizing recreational cannabis use and the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis by adults ages 21 and over in Vermont. The law also allows Vermonters to grow up to two mature plants and four immature plants per housing unit, grown outside of public view and in a secure, enclosed space. The Cynic reported in July that while it is legal to grow and possess cannabis, it is still illegal to sell it in the state. The law went into effect July 1. Junior Shaelagh Nelson said she associates students who are earthy and like to play guitars with cannabis culture on campus. Nelson feels that cannabis has always been a large part of UVM culture. “People are pretty comfortable with it,” she said. “Even kids from other schools know about it. It has a big reputation.” Although the substance was illegal in the state until two months ago, students still used it prior to legalization. Perhaps most notably, every April 20, hundreds of students gather on the Redstone green and light up together for 4/20 — a yearly celebration of the culture surrounding social cannabis use. As the Cynic reported in
July, pot remains illegal on campus, and students, regardless of age, are not allowed to possess cannabis on UVM property. Still, with many upperclassmen living off campus and reaching the legal age to smoke in Vermont, many students at UVM are now able to indulge in this once-illegal staple of UVM culture. Some students of legal age are taking advantage of the law off campus. “Yep, I smoke weed,” said senior Wyatt Garratt, who turned 21 in July shortly after Act 86 went into effect. While he personally enjoys the ability to use this substance safely and legally, he doubts that the change in law is going to attract new people to the drug. “I feel like more people are going to grow [cannabis plants] if anything,” Garratt said. “But those will probably be people that already smoked before. “I doubt many Burlington locals will start smoking because of legislation.” Junior Yael Dormont is 21, but hasn’t seen a change in the way her peers and community treat weed given the current law. “I think the culture would change if there were dispensaries,” she said. Nelson isn’t sure much has changed locally since July, she said. “I haven’t even heard of people talking about it being legal, but I think a lot of it has to do with the age being 21,” she said. “I mostly hang out with other students my age who aren’t 21 yet.” Junior Alison Forman-Katz reiterated this point, saying that she doesn’t see much difference
in the way her peers get their cannabis fix, because even those who are of age to legally possess and consume pot usually break the law by buying from dealers. “Not much has changed because it’s still illegal to buy and sell,” she said. “Also, if you’re under 21, [the new law] doesn’t really affect you.” This era of legal recreational cannabis in Vermont is just beginning. Only time will tell if the culture around cannabis will change dramatically, or if new laws will expand legal access or allow sale. For now, it seems that it’s business as usual for Vermonters who enjoy a casual smoke.
CAROLINE SLACK/The Vermont Cynic
(Top): Photo Illustration. (Middle) A pipe sits in the middle of a lighter and a makeshift ashtray on the window sill of a UVM student’s apartment. The restrictions regarding weed have loosened due to Act 86 that was signed into law by Governor Phil Scott in January. (Bottom) A homemade ashtray, filled with cannabis joints, lies on the table of a student’s home. “[Smoking] was always a big part of UVM culture. People are pretty comfortable with it,” junior Shaelagh Nelson said.
The Vermont Cynic
Sept. 4, 2018
FEATURE
Critters on Campus David Matthews dmatthe1@uvm.edu
I
t’s no secret that UVM students love the outdoors. With organizations ranging from the Fly Fishing Club to the Fungi Club, there are many ways for students to get involved in the environment around them. However, UVM is also home to plenty of creatures for students to simply appreciate on their daily walks to class. Squirrels, chipmunks and birds are always around to brighten up your day. And if you are lucky, you can catch a glimpse of one of the snowy owls that likes to hang out around campus. It might take some time, but with some dedication and a bit of luck, you’ll find that unique and interesting wildlife is all around us. Whether you go hiking through Centennial Woods every weekend or just walk to and from class, there are plenty of opportunities to spot some local fauna. UVM offers a great wildlife community that even the least outdoorsy can appreciate. Just remember to be respectful to the wildlife you observe, and always keep your eye open for something new.
DAVID MATTHEWS AND ALEK FLEURY / The Vermont Cynic
Chipmunks, squirrels, and birds are common sights around UVM. Long-time nature photographer and UVM student David Mathews captured these photos by simply walking around campus.
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SPORTS
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The Vermont Cynic
Sept. 4, 2018
Men’s soccer begins season with wins Valerie Courtright Valerie.Courtright@uvm.edu
As students return to campus, men’s soccer action returns to Virtue Field. The Catamounts are ambitious for this year, following an America East regular season championship in head coach Rob Dow’s first season. “The spring semester offseason was awesome,” Dow said. The guys focused on completing and winning the big games and maintaining a high level of play, he said. Dow said that the 10 newcomers bring a lot of talent and fit well with the team’s culture. “They’ve strengthened our squad,” Dow said. “They’ve done a nice job understanding the culture and philosophy of the team and the values that we stress.” One of the team’s captains, senior midfielder Mikel Kabala, praised the existing culture for helping the new players adjust quickly. “We’re regular guys just trying to have fun playing a game,” Kabala said. “We don’t have to try as hard to make them comfortable because of the existing environment.” Two players Dow has his eye on this season are senior forward Geo Alves and sophomore midfielder Daði Halldórsson, among others, he said.
SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cyinc
UVM junior Adrian Gahabka chases down Northeastern senior Harry Swartz during UVM’s 2-1 win on Aug 31. The team won in overtime with a goal by senior Trevor Colazzo in the 97th minute. “I feel like this is the best UVM team I’ve played with,” junior midfielder Barðdal said. “We have a similar team as last year, but we have a couple of new players that have improved the team.” Vermont started the season playing the John Rennie Nike Invitational in Durham,
North Carolina Aug. 24. The Cats played a game against Elon University and another against Duke University, UVM athletics stated. The Elon match started with junior goalkeeper Aron Runarsson receiving a red card. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Clay Thomas played the re-
maining 70 minutes in his second collegiate appearance, according to UVM athletics. Vermont won 2-0. The next game, the Cats played nationally-ranked Duke, who led Vermont twice during regulation. Alves scored two goals, forcing overtime. During overtime, the Cats lost 3-2, ac-
cording to UVM athletics. “What I learned is that our guys will fight to the end,” Kabala said. UVM won their first home game Aug. 31. They defeated Northeastern 2-1 in overtime goals by senior forwards Justin Freitas and Trevor Colazzo.
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