The Vermont Cynic VOL. 134—ISSUE 6 OCTOBER 3, 2017 VTCYNIC.COM
Sullivan responds to diversity protest Lilly Young Staff Writer Brandon Arcari Assistant Breaking News Editor President Tom Sullivan met with 12 leaders of student divrsity organzations Wednesday regarding the list of demands presented to him. Leaders of the Black Student Union, the Asian Student Union and Alianza Latinx coordinated a march to the Waterman building Sept. 25. The group brought a list of demands for how the University can improve the climate of inclusion and diversity on campus. The list calls for diversity training and a higher retention rate of black and brown faculty on tenure. It also called for UVM to expel junior J.T. Reichhelm for stealing the Black Lives Matter flag last year. It also called for the renaming of the George Perkins building. “It is important that the general body knows this isn’t just a student of color issue, this is a UVM community issue,” said sophomore Harmony Edosomwan, BSU president. Sullivan emailed the student body at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 in response to the march. “Today, I received a list of concerns from a group of students engaged in issues around racial equality and social justice,” Sullivan stated in the email. He also stated he would schedule a meeting with the student leaders who led the march. “Sullivan’s response did not meet our demands,” Edosomwan said. “He did not provide an action plan, but instead defended what the administration is doing.” Edosomwan said she thought Sullivan was “‘yessing’ [the leaders] to death” and not giving them a detailed plan of action. The goal of the meeting was to get concrete steps for how the University was going to meet the list of demands, said junior Blaise Cureg, ASU president. The leaders “took control of the meeting,” said sophomore Amanda Martinez, Alianza Latinx president. The leaders asked Sullivan to publicly respond to the list of demands by Oct. 4 and explain the steps UVM is going to take. Sullivan was receptive to the leaders and agreed with the demands presented at the meeting, Cureg said. “[It is now] a matter of accountability and making [the demands] happen,” she said. Since the meeting, UVM has taken down the Kake Walk plaque hanging on Bailey/Howe Library. The Kake Walk was a UVM tradition where fraternity members dressed up in blackface and emulated slave dances. It was held annually until 1969, according to a Feb. 24 Cynic article. Sullivan was unaware of the plaque until Edosomwan brought it up to him, Edosomwan said. “I wonder if he is actually interacting with students, especially students of color,” she said. Sullivan sent out an email Friday after his meeting with the leaders, addressing each listed demand. In the post-meeting email, Sullivan said the University was already taking action on most of the demands. In the email, Sullivan committed to expanding diversity training for administration, faculty and other staff. SGA President Chris Petrillo said that “it is good
to see students getting involved in issues so early in the year,” though he said he did not fully understand where some of the demands were coming from. Petrillo said that SGA provides funding for student groups equitably. “As far as I am aware, [ALANA groups] haven’t used their full budget in the past,” he said. “We want to work with [ALANA groups] to make sure they get the funding they need.” UVM’s Fraternity and Sorority Life administrators work to promote inclusivity in FSL activities, according to Kimberlee Monteaux, assistant director for FSL. “UVM FSL offers various educational programs throughout the year,” Monteaux said, naming a bi-annual our award-winning social justice retreat and numerous other ways to learn more about diversity, social justice and inclusion as examples. FSL is piloting a new program titled Diversity & Inclusion Education Path, which outlines requirements for membership in FSL organizations for each year a student is at UVM. The first-year program requires “an introduction diversity educational program facilitated by a Fraternity & Sorority Life staff member during the new member process,” according to a document provided by FSL. Programs for upperclassmen require members attend a session on “the history of fraternity and sorority life and the intersections with social justice” and documented work to continue their understanding of diversity beyond that, according to the document. FSL met with students from the Multicultural Committee for Climate and Campus Change April 25, according to Monteaux. “This is just the beginning,” Cureg said. The president’s office declined to speak after multiple requests for comment and directed the Cynic to a press release.
UVM students carry signs and march toward Waterman Sept. 25. The rally was organized by the UVM Black Student Union, the Asian Student Union and Alianza Latinx and lead by sophomore Harmony Edosomwan. OLIVER POMAZI & PATRICK LANGLOIS/The Vermont Cynic
NEWS
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The Vermont Cynic
Oct., 2017
ACLU warns burlington police Meg Trogolo Staff Writer ACLU of Vermont is claiming Burlington police violated the First Amendment when they arrested multiple people of color. An Aug. 23 letter from ACLU of Vermont states cases in which boys and men of color were charged with disorderly conduct for what ACLU calls protected speech. The letter was sent to Burlington police chief Brandon Del Pozo and Chittenden County State Attorney Sarah George. The organization received complaints about some of the incidents, said Jay Diaz, ACLU staff attorney. ACLU attorneys decided to write to the Burlington Police Department after internal conversations and discussions with those involved in the incidents, Diaz said. “We decided this represents a concerning pattern, especially regarding the First Amendment rights of communities of color,” Diaz said. Diaz wrote in the letter that confrontational and challenging speech deserves greater protection when directed at police officers than when directed at civilians. He cited the Supreme Court’s decision in City of Houston v. Hill 1987, which states, “The freedom of individuals verbally to oppose or challenge police action without thereby risking arrest is one
First-year members of the Wellness Environment sit outside of the Central Campus Resident Hall Sept. 15. The number of students enrolled in programed housing jumped from 47 percent in 2016 to 72 percent this year. The Aug. 23 letter from the ACLU of Vermont to the Burlington Police Department in response to the arrest of boys and men of color in Burlington. The letter stated that the boys and men were charged with disorderly conduct for what ACLU calls protected speech. Photo Credit: Twitter of the principal characteristics by which we distinguish a free nation from a police state.” “It’s a little alarming,” junior John Zambarano said. “I feel like students on this campus should’ve received some sort of notification from the administration.” Del Pozo said in a Sept. 14 email to the ACLU that the police department would implement training on First Amendment rights and the ways in which they affect officers’ interactions with the public, according to a Sept.15 Burlington Free Press article. “My intended training will focus on encouraging officers to use discretion in instances where probable cause exists
but the content of the speech act invokes First Amendment considerations,” Del Pozo said in the article. “Freedom of speech gives Vermonters great latitude in creating verbal disturbances directed at police, as it should, but the right to do so isn’t absolute,” he said. While Del Pozo’s email addressed the ACLU’s concerns, the police department has not contacted the ACLU with any requests for help in putting the training together, Diaz said. “We are grateful to see the chief take some action,” Diaz said. “We hope that action actually occurs and that the department changes its behavior.”
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UVM does not reach programmed housing goal Ellyn LaPointe Staff Writer Last year, UVM set a goal to have 100 percent of incoming first-years enrolled in programmed housing. Reslife offers a number of programmed housing options, centered around a theme that seeks to create a community within the dorms, according to the UVM website. “Residence halls are more than simply a place to live,” said Annie Stevens, vice president of student affairs. “We know that students benefit when they participate in learning communities created with a shared purpose that engage students in active learning.” Originally, ResLife had hoped to have all incoming first-years of 2018 in programmed housing, according to UVMs strategic goals and current initiatives statement. This goal has recently been changed from 100 percent to 80-85 percent, according to ResLife Director Rafael Rodriguez. This year, student enrollment in programmed housing jumped to 72 percent from 47 percent in 2016, according to Rodriguez. This increase can be accredited to refinement of the selection process, and crafting of intentional common goals throughout the learning communities, Rodriguez said. Next fall’s first-years will not be required to choose a learning community, Rodriguez said. While the long term goal is to eventually have 100 percent of first-years in programmed housing, ResLife would prefer to see this happen through student interest, according to Rodriguez. “It’s a self-driven process,” Rodriguez said. The purpose of promoting programmed housing is to provide students with opportunities to connect around a common interest, participate in a class based on that interest, and build sources of support, he said. UVM hopes to enhance the on-campus living experience with programmed housing, Stevens said. “Learning communities will be collaboratively creat-
ed to promote student leadership and build lasting friendships and meaningful faculty and staff connections through a student’s four years and beyond,” she said. The overarching feedback from students in programmed housing has been positive, according to ResLife. All communities opened either full or with a waitlist without any push from ResLife, Rodriguez said. “Being in a program where you already have one thing in common with someone else makes it easier to form friendships,” said first-year Drew Whitney, who lives in Outdoor Experience. Some in regular residential housing, like first-year Abbi Knight, said they do not need a structured community to make connections in their dorms. “I wanted to meet a variety of people that don’t necessarily have the same interests as I do,” Knight said. “Non-programmed housing is perfect for a variety of people and it brings different groups of people together.” ResLife asserts that the idea that programmed housing lacks diversity is a misconception. “It’s a false narrative,” Rodriguez said. “You still meet a variety of people.” Students in both programmed and regular housing have also expressed concern about ResLife’s ultimate goal for 100 percent programmed housing. “I don’t think every person can fit into something,” said first-year Hannah Ritz, who lives in the Leadership learning community. “I don’t think it’s really fair to force people to try and fit in somewhere.” Reslife will not require firstyears to live in programmed housing right away, according to Rodriguez. Their hope is that student interest will grow to reach 100 percent naturally. Required program housing is still in consideration, but not for the immediate future, Rodriguez said. “It will be interesting to see how this naturally progresses as members creep up on their own,” Rodriguez said.
The Vermont Cynic The Vermont
CYNIC EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Erika B. Lewy editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Olivia G. Bowman newsroom@vtcynic.com OPERATIONS Operations Manager Ryan P. Thornton operations@vtcynic.com Advertising Manager Cole Wangsness ads@vtcynic.com Distribution Manager Brittnay Heffermehl distribution@vtcynic.com EDITORIAL Arts Benjamin Elfland arts@vtcynic.com B-Side Margaret Richardson bside@vtcynic.com Copy Chief Mariel Wamsley copy@vtcynic.com Life Izzy Siedman life@vtcynic.com Multimedia William Dean Wertz media@vtcynic.com News Greta Bjornson news@vtcynic.com Oddities Healy Fallon oddities@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com Social Media Liv Jensen socialmedia@vtcynic.com Sports Eribert Volaj sports@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com Layout Lily Keats layout@vtcynic.com Photo Phillip Carruthers Max McCurdy photo@vtcynic.com Illustrations Genevieve Winn illustrations@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Bridget Higdon (Arts), Locria Courtright (Sports), George Seibold (Copy), Lauren Schnepf (News), Katie Brobst (Life), Aaron Longchamp (Web) Page Designers Kira Bellis, Kyra Chevalier, Tiana Crispino, Lindsay Freed, Carly Frederickson, Sasha Hull, Caroline McCune, Katie Rearden, Grace Ross, Chloe Schafer, Meg Stevens, Isabelle Vogell, Helena Weisskopf Copy Editors Lindsay Freed, Isabella Abraham, Brandon Arcari, Anna Colfer, John-Luke Giroux, Max Greenwood, Rae Gould, Adrianna Grinder, Sabrina Hood, Sophia Knappertz, Michelle Derse Lowry, Karolyn Moore, Jacob Potts, Greta Puc, Isabel Rennick, Jill Reynolds, Meline Thebarge, Alex Verret
Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
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Support your fellow UVM student leaders
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ADVISING
OPINION
Oct. 3, 2017
Staff Editorial
he past two weeks on campus have been filled with protests, marches, rallies and emails about diversity and inclusion at UVM. Student leaders of various diversity organizations on campus delivered a list of demands to president Tom Sullivan asking for the University to take specific action to improve our community in Sept. 25. These students demanded that UVM do better. After they marched, President Sullivan met with the leaders to hear their demands. After the meeting, he sent an email to campus expressing support for the student leaders he met with. But, instead of outlining actions the University would take to promote diversity and inclusion, he listed actions he said the University is already doing that promote these things. Clearly if people are protesting, if they feel unwelcome and unsafe on campus the University is not doing enough. Although a plaque was taken off of Bailey Howe since the protests, we know the University can do more. Students want an outline of very specific measures that will be taken to meet the demands of our student body–– and so do we. We the Cynic staff, stand with these protestors. UVM needs diversity, especially in our teaching staff. As a newspaper we encourage all students to show support for the list of demands and the students who wrote them by joining in the conversation. To the right, you will see the contact information for our
University President Tom Sullivan and Gary Derr the Vice President for Executive Operations. Just as you would contact a national representative to request change, call and email our University leaders to support the list of demands and change on campus. The leaders of this University need to hear your concerns and beliefs. The most valuable thing a student possesses is their voice and now more than ever is the time to use it. Call your leaders, join new clubs, write to the Cynic. So, if you are interested, contact us. We are an organization designed to showcase your voice, your opinions and your beliefs. Voice your opinions, your campus needs to hear them. Remember that change does not happen unless you speak out. 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.v
Contact Information TOM SULLIVAN, President 802- 656 - 3186 Thomas.Sullivan@uvm.edu
GARY DERR, Vice President for Executive Operations 802- 656 - 8937 Gary.Derr@uvm. edu
Club Information Alianza Latinx WHEN: Tues. 6-7 p.m. WHERE: Living/ Learning CMS 216
Asian Student Union WHEN: Tues. 8 p.m. WHERE: Living/ Learning 226
Black Student Union WHEN: Wed. 7 p.m. WHERE: Living/LearningBuilding E, at Mosaic Center
Myanmar genocide ignored by the media Madeleine Cary
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e are glued to our Twitter feeds, distracted by meaningless gossip and our anxious anticipation of the latest crisis and catastrophe from Washington like an absent parent looking at her phone while crossing the street with a stroller. We are caught up in a deluge of bull---- while leaving desperate nations and people out to dry. There is currently a horrific genocide underway in Myanmar that no one is talking about. Myanmar is a Buddhist-majority country with 135 officially recognized ethnic groups according to a Sept. Al Jazeera article. The Myanmar government refuses to count the Rohingya Muslim ethnic group as one of those 135. As a consequence, the Rohingya people have suffered as social and legal outcasts, unable to exercise basic rights and freedoms, including education, healthcare, employment and marriage enjoyed by legal citizens of Myanmar. The genocide began in October 2016 after Rohingya militiamen killed nine border patrolmen. Since then, over a million people have been forced out of their homes. Half a million Rohingya refugees are now crowding in a grossly under-equipped desolate refugee camp in Bangladesh--a country that is struggling to feed its own native population. Most recently, Rohingya militiamen attacked police outposts and killed a dozen
MAX GREENWOOD policemen Aug. 25, according to a Sept. 28 Associated Press article. In retribution, troops zeroed in on Rohingya settlements in the Rakhine State of Myanmar and opened fire, according to a 2017 Al Jazeera article Villages have been bombed and buildings torched. Women attempting to escape the chaos face gunfire or systematic rape by Burmese soldiers, according to the article. The Arkan Rohingya Salvation Army is preventing men
and able-bodied boys from leaving the Rakhine State so they can stay and fight the Burmese Army, according to the article. A majority of the desperate and starving refugees fleeing on foot are women and their children. The refugee camps in Bangladesh cannot accommodate the influx of desperate terrified people, according to a 2017 New York Times article. Aung San Suu-Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the defacto leader of Myanmar, refuses to condemn or even
acknowledge the plight of the Rohingya people. Meanwhile, millions of men, women and children are fighting for their lives. Shut down the distractions, pick up a newspaper and pay attention. The minute we start to turn our backs, innocent people will slip through the cracks. Madeleine Cary is a junior English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.
OPINION
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The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
FEMA still falls short 12 years after Katrina Matthew Hagberg
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s much as we would like to think they can help, the harsh truth is that more often than not, government agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot adequately provide support. Seeing destruction firsthand in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy, I would think relief efforts would be implemented immediately. However, what I saw was mass confusion and chaos. While FEMA deployed nearly 2,000 “community relations specialists” to New Jersey and the surrounding areas, they had a severe “lack of training,” according to a 2013 report by ASIS Security Management. They were so untrained that Congress passed the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act in January 2013 outlining the changes that could be made to FEMA processes to provide more effective relief efforts after a disaster. Sandy was not the first time we saw FEMA mishandle a natural disaster. The agency was highly criticized for its de-
SAMANTHA GRAHAM layed response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the storm killed 1,200 people. Thousands of people required aid after the hurricane, and FEMA officers were urged
to stay put until being dispatched. The wait was due to a need to coordinate between “federal, state and local” sectors, according to the FEMA website. Three months later, over 6,000 people were still miss-
ing and bodies were still being found, ABC news stated in November 2005. Many accuse former President George W. Bush of distancing himself from Katrina. When he traveled to New Orleans in December 2005, he
spent less than 24 hours in the area. Besides his apathy, Bush’s lack of response highlighted the racial divide in America. In a Washington Post poll, 70 percent of respondents blamed Bush and federal agencies for the poor response. Additionally, 68 percent of respondents felt that the response would have been quicker if those trapped had been white. This brings us to present day with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Millions of people will file for federal disaster aid, and FEMA is already running out of funds. FEMA is down to its last $1 billion dollars in funding according to Bloomberg Politics. Plus, one-third of FEMA leadership positions are unfilled, according to a Newsweek article. Hopefully, federal agencies will learn from their mistakes to get Americans back in their homes as quickly as possible. Matthew Hagberg is a firstyear political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.
Dietary issues ignored at UVM Cammy Schiller
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ove-in day came along, and I couldn’t wait to get to the dining hall to eat the wonderful food that I had experienced at orientation. But Sodexo won over my love and then completely let me down. The food and the service were not as I had remembered from my first experience. I recieved eye rolls from kitchen staff when I asked for gluten-free pizza or pasta. Isn’t their job to accommodate to all students’ dietary needs? All of my friends had eaten two or three meals before my food even came out. Shouldn’t I be able to get food at the same time as everyone else? I was forced into an unlimited dining plan first semester with no knowledge of how to get out of it. Second semester I switched to points and my life became a little easier. But now I end up eating the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, I am lucky there are some gluten-free options, but nearly every other person on campus can have a different breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Pizza, pasta, mozzarella sticks, burritos, sandwiches, fried chicken, burgers and endless french fries fill the plates of my classmates while I have the same thing day after day. Also, Sodexo, thanks for adding on a dollar or two for every gluten free item available. I don’t choose to be gluten-free; therefore I shouldn’t have to pay more.
TALIE KNUTSEN
Trump’s odd tweet marks the beginning of the end
G GRACE ROMANIA UVM promotes health and well-being through endless services, the Wellness Environment, a free gym and health care, but why not through food for the many students with allergies? Food allergies inhibit many students from doing their best work. So why can’t I get the food I need to succeed? It is no joke when it comes to me and gluten. A swap of regular and gluten-free pasta could land me in the hospital. If one grain of gluten ends up in my food, I am in bed for the rest of the day, unable to do any school-work. I throw up for hours upon hours and eventually faint from my body working so hard to get all of the gluten out. Unfortunately, the fad of being gluten-free has ruined
it for those of us who have allergies. Why is this not taken more seriously by all kitchen staff? I am begging that UVM and Sodexo work together to improve the way people with allergies are treated on campus. It is crucial to our health and well-being. I will be a better student and friend if I am eating healthier and safer food every day. I know that this change will not fully happen while I am a student here, but students in the future deserve to feel comfortable eating anywhere on campus. Cammy Schiller is a sophomore math and secondary education major. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.
Ariana Arden
ood news: we’re all going to die. The Boston Globe reported that North Korea is considering Donald Trump’s tweet Sept. 25 saying “they [North Korea] won’t be around much longer” as a declaration of war, and that they will respond in kind. And I would just like to say, I called it. Some people laughed last November when I said this president was going to get us into nuclear warfare via Twitter, but who’s laughing now? We are not technically there yet, but come on. We’re there. “I am hoping cooler heads will prevail” was my father’s response to the above sentiments. They won’t. But yeah, sure. Okay. But hey, come on. Let’s just accept it: we’re all going to die. Why not? We all accepted that fact before, we just thought it was going to happen a little further down the line in our lives. Nuclear holocaust isn’t
exactly how I want to go, but we all have to go somehow, I guess. In the face of this revelation, I advocate we all turn to nihilism. There are two kinds of nihilism: Nothing matters so why do anything? And nothing matters so why not do anything? I believe it is now time for the latter. If we’re all going to be perishing soon in a fiery hell, why not live it up a little first? I’m not saying we should all turn to lives of crime, but it’s due time we take a few more risks. Get that tattoo; ask that girl out; tell your mom she’s being rude; tell someone you love them. Do that thing you were always too nervous to try. Good news: we’re all going to die. So it’s high time we make sure we have lived first.
Ariana Arden is a senior English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2015.
The Vermont Cynic
ARTS
Oct. 3, 2017
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Do Confederate statues have artistic value?
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Bridget Higdon
n recent months, Americans across the country have been questioning the definition of art and the purpose of monuments in our time. When UVM’s Black Student Union presented a list of of demands to President Tom Sullivan Sept. 25, this national conversation came knocking at UVM’s door. Among the demands made by the BSU was a request for the renaming of the George Perkins building. The building serves as a monument to the former professor, dean and interim president whom it was named after, according to Sullivan’s email response to the UVM community Sept. 29. George’s son Henry, however, shares the Perkins name and was an active participant in the eugenics movement, according to the email. The BSU’s demand for change is timely, coinciding with the analysis of Confederate monuments by art historians across the country. When asked if these monuments should be kept in place for their artistic value, Kelley Helmstutler Di Dio, a professor of art history and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences who grew up in Virginia, firmly said no. “They have some historic value, but 99 percent of them have little artistic merit,” Di
A plaque dedicated to the Kake Walk Disbursement Committees of 1964 and 1965 hangs outside the Bailey/Howe Library. The plaque was removed Sept. 28 after student diversity leaders discussed racial injustices on campus with President Tom Sullivan. Dio said. “These monuments were mass-produced and put up in a time when the South was trying to figure out race relations.” Di Dio’s research has been focused on sculpture for the majority of her professional career, and she knows its value and purpose, she said. The Society of Architectur-
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al Historians has the same view as Di Dio. “This is not a controversy about art or its censorship. The monuments were not intended as public art,” according to a Sept. 13 article by Dell Upton posted on the SAH website. There are a few historians, though, who believe the Confederate monuments are sig-
HARMONY EDOSOMWAN nificant to the art world. Hollis Robbins, a humanities professor at John Hopkins University, said many of the monuments are works of art in an Aug. 18 New York Times article. It is important to understand that many of the monuments’ creators did not have political motivations, but rath-
er aesthetic ones, Robbins said. For example, the statue of Stonewall Jackson in Charlottesville, Virginia was crafted by renowned sculptor Charles Keck in 1921, according to the SAH. But just because the artist of the Jackson statue was wellknown, does not mean the monument belongs in its current, very public location. “[It] belongs in art museums, which are full of aesthetically pleasing images of unsavory people,” according to the SAH. Many of the monuments in the South were funded solely by lone individuals who shunned the voices of African Americans and even most whites, the SAH article said. “We should always be revisiting why things exist, especially the names of historical buildings and other art on campus,” Upton said. “We must be really transparent about how images are represented to the community.” Both nationally and on UVM’s campus, the monument debate is far from its conclusion. These discussions about the dedications of structures and their implications are essential to the forward progress of the nation. Bridget Higdon, assistant arts editor, is a sophomore English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2016.
Theater department opens fall season Carolyne Sandoval Staff Writer “The Exonerated” is a play telling the true story of six people wrongfully convicted of crimes and sentenced to death before the were found innocent. It will be performed at the Royall Tyler Theatre from Wednesday, Oct. 4 to Sunday, Oct. 8. The play is directed by Gregory Ramos, chair of the UVM theatre department. The play stars eight UVM students and two additional actors: Randall Harp, a UVM philosophy professor and Jolie Garrett, a professional actor. “The theatre department wants to use theater not only as entertainment but as a means of looking at the world we live in today,” Ramos said. “The Exonerated” uses a blend of fictional dialogue and transcripts from the real legal proceedings of the six subjects of the play. It is done in a style of theatre called documentary theatre, which the American Theatre journal describes as “performance typically built by an individual or collective of artists from historical and/or archival materials.” Garrett says the play departs from traditional theatrical realism. “We’re less actors in this show than storytellers,” he said. “I am just trying to be a
9/5/17 7:42 PM
The cast of “The Exonerated” stands outside of the Davis Center. The play is a collection of six real stories of injustice and redemption all curated from interviews, letters, transcripts and public record. Photo Credit: UVM Department of Theater vessel.” The play includes material about sexual violence and murder and provides commentary on the American justice system from the perspective of the people within it. “It was an illegal search and seizure,” Garrett said, referring to an incident he had with a police officer. “It was very humiliating and insulting. There was a black guy in a car, so it must be something illegal.” He stressed that these confrontations happen everyday. The characters in the play are in similar situations, he said. To supplement the performances there will be talk-
backs, a type of discussion, with the cast and audience after the performances on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, the talk-back will be moderated by Harp and on Friday, by Associate Dean Kathryn Fox of the UVM sociology department. There will be a talk prior to the performance at 4 p.m. Friday with Ashley Lucas, a professor at the University of Michigan and a playwright who has written about the experiences of inmates. There will be performances at 7:30 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday and two additional matinees on 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
B-SIDE
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The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
Beers, music and games aplenty. Burlington closed out the last of the summer heat at Oktoberfest, Sept. 21 to 23 at Waterfront Park. Bettina Cataldi Staff Writer On a quest to make it through the last days of Burlington’s summer, locals found a clear solution: bubbling brews, festive hats and games for tipsy people to win prizes. The third annual Oktoberfest Vermont ran from Sept. 21 to 23. Forty local, regional and international brewers and seven food vendors set up at Waterfront Park to bring Burlingtonians a taste of German festivities. The pink and orange Friday night sunset over Lake Champlain was washed by the sound of the traditionally costumed German band The Inseldudlers. The band kept the night lively playing all sorts of music from traditional German tunes to “Sweet Caroline” until the taps closed at 10 p.m. Attendees received a small glass and 15 green tickets, each valued for one mini beer. Magic Hat Brewing Co. and Sierra Nevada lined the park had booths. Citizen Cider offered hard cider for gluten-free people or those who prefer a little sweetness in their beverage. Upon arrival, 15 tickets didn’t appear to be enough. After five high-percentage beverages, the amount of tickets was plenty to sustain a socially-acceptable buzz. The crowd ranged from older, local beer buffs to German-outfitted festival lovers, to college students looking to enjoy some cold brews in lieu of lukewarm backpack beers. “It’s my first time here,” senior Garrett Chisolm said. “I’ve tried some great local brews and food, and I’m really loving looking out onto Lake Champlain.” Oktoberfest’s food catered to a range of palettes, from local favorite Kountry Kart Deli to traditional cuisine from the Vermont Spatzle company. The night wasn’t only for drinking and eating. Festival vendors also brought games to the table. A local sticker company, Sticky Brand, had a plinko board set up in which players could drop a wooden chip to a numbered slot determining
how many stickers they won. Samuel Adams brought an inflatable slide filled with hops flowers. A group of friends and I attempted the Escape Room challenge set up in the middle of the grounds. The theme was to escape from a drunk tank, so we were all handcuffed to a wall in the prison cell-themed room. We were given the last slot. Our group drank a lot before we attempted the game. Contrary to the title of the game, we did not escape the room. “About 75 percent of the teams have been able to escape the room,” said Mike Garber, an employee of Escape Room. Apparently, we were in the unlucky 25 percent. By the end of the evening, the crowd began to dissipate, and seemingly disappeared once the clock struck 10 p.m. and the taps closed. Overall, participants appeared happy with their choices in brews and abundance of food and games.
Sights and sounds from the third annual Oktoberfest Vermont festival include sunset views, tasting from local brewers, live music and games for the whole family. The festival ran from Sept. 21 to 23 and has been running since 2014. BETTINA CATALDI/The Vermont Cynic
The Vermont Cynic
ODDITIES
Oct. 3, 2017
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Burlington responds to expensive housing Brigitte Riordan Staff Writer Affordable housing is hard to come by, especially since the housing crisis. It seems that everywhere we turn, rent is going up. So now more than ever, more people are building their own tiny houses. Downtown Burlington has an extreme shortage of housing priced for those with a moderate income, -according to a 2015 housing market analysis from the city of Burlington’s government website. College students are all too familiar with the affordable housing crisis in this city. A true solution feels out of reach, as it would require a systemic reworking and building projects that could take years. “Looking at what I pay for rent as a college student, it’s clear they can exploit the housing system here,” senior Sophia Giovannetti said. “The 12,000 students at this school have to live somewhere, so there is demand.” Though building your own home seems daunting, it is a way to break free from the stress of temporary and expensive housing. When tiny-house ownerMurphy Robinson decided to move to Vermont, she built her own tiny house with just the money she had saved and a few books on construction. “I was a nomadic wilderness guide, and I wanted to get out of the month-to-month rent cycle,” Robinson said. “I started with $3,000 and built it with many salvaged components.” Robinson walks about her wooded property and identifies the origin of every window and board. “I wake up every morning in a house I built myself—I feel proud, like I could do anything,” she said. Robinson decided she would solve her housing problem on her own, so she learned
HOLLY COUGHLAN
how to build her own little purple and green home. Now she seeks to share her skills within the community. “My tiny house has been a powerful tool for personal financial freedom,” she said. “Reducing my living expenses enabled me to live my dream of owning a wilderness education business.” Robinson is collaborating with artist, builder and tiny house-dweller Miwa Oseki Robbins; together they will share their knowledge and love for tiny houses with those who are interested in starting their own project. Through her wilderness ed-
ucation business, Mountainsong Expeditions, Robinson will hold a course on tiny house construction taught by Robbins to teach the skills necessary for construction and tiny house living. The course will take place Oct. 14 and 15 at Mountainsong’s wooded, stream-side basecamp in Worcester, Vermont, about an hour south of Burlington. The workshop will be “open to women, trans folks, queer folks, and friends and family of any gender that these students wish to bring along,” according to the Mountainsong website. “This is great. I think we
definitely need more women’s spaces to learn basic construction skills,” Laible said. The course will focus on learning the basics of tiny house construction. By building an 8-by-12 foot structure and discussing everything from material sourcing to where to park it once you’ve built it, students will leave with a lot of tiny house knowledge.Knowing what materials to look for and how to use them can be a big part of the challenge. “You have to get all the materials, you have to know what to use, you have to make a plan,” senior NatalieLaible said. For seven years, Robbins
has been using the process of building to empower people in making their ideas reality, according to the Mountainsong website. Spots for the course are limited. It will be small and handson, so early registration is encouraged. The course costs $295 and includes hot lunches and free camping on site. Robinson’s company offers courses in a variety of primitive living and expeditionary skills, with descriptions and opportunity for registration on http://mountainsongexpeditions.com.
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LIFE
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
Students finagle fall fashion in spite of heat Libby Camp Staff Writer Late September is usually full of cool air, crisp leaves and cups of hot coffee, but a recent heat wave has caused all things fall to fall out of favor. Burlington experienced a high of 92 and an average of 76 degrees this month, according to the Weather Underground website, strangely summer-like temperatures for the official start of autumn. Not only has the weather prevented the transition to hot pumpkin spiced beverages and fuzzy blankets, it has affected the way students dress, too. “I like to wear pants, so this sucks,” sophomore Adam Slamin said. Instead of pulling out sweaters and wool socks, students are breaking out bathing suits to take a dip at Leddy Beach and putting on shorts to beat the heat. Students who came pre-
pared for the cold have become a bit desperate when it comes to their fashion. “I have like four or five outfits with shorts, so I’ve just been recycling the same ones over and over,” Slamin said. According to Slamin, the heat has been a bit of a letdown. “I moved up north because it wouldn’t be hot, but now it’s hotter than it was this summer,” he said. Students also expressed concern over the cause of this mid-autumn heat wave. “I’m tired of all these natural disasters and we’re still not doing anything about it,” sophomore Kristen Brown said. “I think this should be a hot red flag,” Brown said. “Yo, this is Vermont and it’s almost October and it’s 90 degrees out.” 16 of the 17 warmest years on record all have occurred since 2001, according to NASA. However, students are not letting the weather get in the
way of their fall fashion planning. Slamin and others are excited to bust out their fall staples to show off around campus, he said. While there are some similarities that seem to run through UVM fashion trends-flannels, boots and Dickies brand items--each student has their own style. Brown enjoys wearing “good thigh-highs, denim jackets and just a lot of plaid,” she said. Thrifting seems to be the name of the game in finding fun, affordable pieces for your closet, Brown said. Places like Goodwill, Battery Street Jeans and Savers are all popular for student shopping. “[Savers] always has those embroidered Venice Beach t-shirts,” first year Luke Gelinas said. One place to find your fall fashion is at clothing swaps, events where community members bring items of clothing to swap with each other. “It’s a great way to upcycle and it’s cheap,” Brown said. “You just swap your clothing for your friends’ clothing.” As far as fashion inspiration goes, UVM students don’t have a single point of reference. Gelinas enjoys skate culture and Young Thug, whereas Slamin gravitates to an indie-rock vibe. When clothing creativity falls flat of the fall fashion standard, a quick Google search brings articles like “10 Ways to Rethink Your Fall Wardrobe” from Elle Magazine and “Hipster Fall Fashion” boards on Pinterest to the rescue. No matter the sudden burst of fiery fall weather, UVM and its fashion diversity are ready to herald in the harvest style along with all things autumnal, Russell said. “I just like pumpkin pie,” he said.
Sophomores Adam Slamin, Kristen Brown, Brian Russell and first-year Luke Gelinas show off their fall fashion looks. With an average temperature of 76 degrees over the past month, many students have found it difficult to whip out their precious flannels and cuffed jeans. AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
LIFE
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Self care is vital to managing time
Katie Brobst Assistant Life Editor
Whether it’s by using a bulleted list, Google calendar or mindfulness practices, students need to keep track of their commitments. With exams around the corner, UVM students and staff say scheduling is a priority. “I think that poor time management can negatively affect our overall health because we feel rushed and not present,” Living Well employee Annie Valentine said. Students often over-schedule themselves and don’t allot enough time for individual responsibilities, Valentine said. “For a one hour presentation, I actually need an hour to prepare, a half hour to get situated, time to debrief and extra time in case something goes wrong,” she said. “That hour turns into four, so allotting enough time to do the task you’ve committed to is important,” she said. Keeping track of time requires some method of organization, and different methods work for different people. Junior Eliot Heirich prefers to keep it all close at hand, that is, in his head. “Usually the night before I think, okay, what do I have to do tomorrow? I ask myself if I have anything due, and if I haven’t done it, I panic and do it,” Heinrich said. Taking on an improvisational method Heinrich “really [doesn’t] have any organizational tools except trying to remember it and hope for the best,” he said. While simply keeping one’s schedule and to-do list in one’s head works for some, other stu-
GENEVIEVE WINN
The pill is one option of many The Dapper Vagina Sarah Heft
MEREDITH RATHBURN
dents take a more strategized approach. Junior Nikisha Falcone is a full-time student, an RA, works for UPB, and is on the varsity track and field team, she said. “I use Google Calendar, and I look at that probably twenty times a day,” Falcone said. She also finds her bullet journal helpful for keeping a to-do list. “Like psychology says, if you write it down you’re more likely to do it because you can physically cross it off and feel good afterwards,” Falcone said. New York University’s tips for effective time management
are similar to Falcone’s strategies. NYU writes that time spent organizing is time well spent, and students should organize in a way that makes sense to them. It doesn’t matter if it’s neatly filed or filled with pictures and side notes, whatever works. Something both the NYU and UVM OutReach websites suggest is to take breaks and incorporate rewards. “I just started doing selfcare!” senior Olivia Schrantz said. “I didn’t realize it was a concept until recently,” she said. Schrantz suggested lots of
sleep and self love. Valentine’s advice for selfcare is to attend the classes and use the resources Living Well offers and to get a checkin buddy. A check-in buddy is someone with whom students can share and discuss each other’s workload and mental state. “Make a study date, or go for a walk,” Valentine said. “Self-care is what refills our cup that gets drained by all our responsibilities.”
Intervale provides local food to students Kailey Bates Senior Staff Writer Fresh, local and sustainable food -- this is what UVM is progressively feeding their students, and it’s made possible by organizations like the Intervale. The Intervale Center is a 360-acre farm in the middle of Burlington and a food hub that runs a Community Supported Agriculture program. It delivers produce from nearby farms to UVM’s dining halls and other campus eateries. The Intervale promotes the importance of food systems, and makes the farm-to-table process more transparent, said Teddy Gamache, general manager at the Intervale. According to Gamache, the Intervale and Sodexo have a great working relationship since they began shipping food to UVM two years ago. “This year we’re trying to get as much local food up on campus as possible,” he said. For a side of fries with your veggie burger, a lot of the potatoes going to Brennan’s or Harris Millis Dining are from the Venture Center in Hardwick, Gamache said. “95% of what we ship to UVM is fresh produce, whatever is in season at the time.” he said. Ed LaDue, executive chef in the Davis Center, enjoys cooking with in-season produce, he said. “We get some great greens this time of year,” he said. “Everything coming from the local
farms right now is just perfect produce.” LaDue is aware of students’ opinion towards Sodexo food, he said. “A lot of students assume UVM’s food is out of a frozen box,” he said. “If you look in our walk-in refrigerators, you’ll find fresh, organic food. The chefs make meals from scratch everyday.” LaDue added that working with UVM has been an eye-opening experience in cooking with local food, compared to other institutions he has worked for in the past. “No other restaurant in this state could financially run all these products and still be afloat,” he said. The Intervale is also linked to UVM through education and research services. “Our farm is essentially a living laboratory for students,” said Travis Marcotte, executive director at the Intervale. Students can work with staff and farmers to conduct research. “We not only get students access to healthy food, we also get them talking about how they can change the world -from raising wages for farmers, to taking care of our land and water,” Marcotte said. Sophomore Clarissa Libertelli went on a field trip to the Intervale last year with her environmental studies class. Libertelli is interested in environmental and social justice. She admires the Intervale’s commitment to sustainable food systems, she said. “Since Intervale sources
A plate of french fries from Brennan’s, which are locally sourced from the Intervale Center. 95 percent of the food the center ships to UVM is fresh produce, no matter the weather. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic food that is in season, you really get to connect with the land, which is important in getting people to care about food justice and issues of the food system in general.” she said. The Intervale’s CSA program delivers food baskets to Redstone campus and the Davis Center every week, Gamache said. Students can select the College Season subscription and
choose from a variety of packages, such as the Localvore package or the Vermont Vegetable package, according to the Intervale website. LaDue said students should take the time to get to know the food they’re eating. “Those that understand where our food is coming from realize they’re getting quality products.” he said.
What do pills, patches, shots, implants and rings have in common? They’re all forms of hormonal birth control. Hormonal birth control is used to manage moods, regulate periods and yes, have baby-free sex. Birth control sounds like a no brainer, especially now that the Affordable Care Act requires insurance to cover it with no co-pay. Though the pill has advanced women in the workplace and increased their autonomy and sexual empowerment, I am not ready to refill my prescription just yet. I started birth control in high school to “regulate my period,” when in reality I wanted it so I could have sex with my boyfriend. But not all birth control pills work the same. You have to find one that works for you. For about six months, I suffered through the side effects such as sore breasts, acne, fatigue and heavier periods. As soon I switched pills and got one side effect under control, another popped up. After eight months and four different pills, I found the one for me. By that time, my boyfriend and I were over. It wasn’t until sophomore year of college that I decided to stop taking it. Without the motivation of a consistent sexual partner, there wasn’t a point. But once I stopped taking the hormones, my periods came back, and they came back with a vengence. My face resembled a pizza, my breasts were sore and I bled for a month straight. My body had become dependant, and I was in withdrawal. After three weeks, I couldn’t take it. I got back on the pill. My prescription was meant to empower me, but I felt like a slave to it. I had to take it to function. The pill was no longer a choice; it was a necessity. After three months, I came to the conclusion that I needed to relearn my natural cycle. Hormonal birth control is a great option, but it is not the only one. Condoms, diaphragms, spermicides and sponges are all other ways to prevent pregnancy without hormones. Resources are available at Planned Parenthood and the UVM student health center. tteropped for the night, and it didn’t matter much. As the gas gauge crept low and the clock Sarah Heft is a senior gender studies major. She started writing for the Cynic spring 2016
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SPORTS
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
Newcomers set to play big roles for hockey Locria Courtright Assistant Sports Editor The 2016-17 men’s hockey season saw the Catamounts post their third 20-win season in the last four years, going 2013-5. Despite the year’s success, the Cats were swept by Boston College in the Hockey East quarterfinals, conceding seven goals in both games. Returning players are using the defeat as motivation, senior forward Rob Darrar said. “That definitely left a mark on the returners,” Darrar said. “It wasn’t how we planned it, and it made guys work harder this summer and in the first couple weeks of school.” There has been plenty of roster turnover. Nine players graduated and four other players left the program. 12 firstyear players took their place, headlined by first-year forward Bryce Misley, who was drafted by the Minnesota Wild this summer. Head coach Kevin Sneddon said he is excited by this crop of young talent and how they will be eased into the system. “There are a lot of exciting players,” Sneddon said. “The nice thing is they’re not necessarily forced to play top-six minutes right away.” Vermont still has plenty of scoring, despite the graduation of last year’s top scorer Mario Puskarich. Sophomore forward Ross Colton has posted 27 points and earned a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, while junior forward Brian Bowen had a breakout year, going from seven points as a first year
The men’s hockey team celebrates after scoring a goal against the University of Maine March 3. The Catamounts opened their season with a 1-0 over the University of Waterloo. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic rienced over the summer, as This season’s schedule proto 27 in his sophomore year. the net, making it difficult for Pat Feeley and Mike Santaguvides a challenge for the CatColton can be even better sophomore goalie Stefanos ida both graduated and were amounts. They will play 15 Lekkas to see and stop pucks, this year, having done summer games against teams ranked in Sneddon said. replaced by first-year goaltenwork to bulk up, Sneddon said. U.S. College Hockey Online’s “We got beat up around the ders Tyler Harmon and Matt “He’s put so much time and preseason top 20. Six teams are net a little bit,” he said. “BringBeck. effort into getting stronger, and in the top five. He has embraced his role as he looks really confident,” he ing in guys like [first-year dethe veteran. Vermont opens the regular said. fender] Cory Thomas and season at home Oct. 6 against “Feeley and Santa did a The team made an effort to [first-year defender] Christian great job of taking me under Colorado College. Evers, those guys are big bodget more size on defense in this ies back there.” their wing last year, and I’m year’s group. Lekkas has gone from the trying to do the same thing to Last year, the team was team’s youngest to most expeTyler and Matt,” Lekkas said. physically outmatched around
Women’s soccer loses America East opener at home Aryanna Ramsaran Staff Writer The women’s soccer team played their first game in the America East Conference Thursday night at Virtue Field. The Catamounts lost 2-1 against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. The women’s overall record is now 4-5-1 and their conference record is 0-1. The Wildcats scored an early goal in the third minute of the game. Senior defender Jackie Feraco took the free kick, which was deflected in the goal by a Vermont defender. “A goal is a goal, so you’re always going to have to fight back for it,” head coach Kristi Lefebvre said. “I think we played well despite that happening.” The Catamounts soon had opportunities of their own. A corner kick taken by first-year midfielder Ella Banket led junior captain Brooke Jenkins to take a shot at goal. The shot was saved by the UNH goalie Mia Neas. In the 30th minute of the game, senior goalie Coco Speckmaier deflected a save off the crossbar of the goal. A rebound from UNH junior midfielder Gaby Dorsey gave UNH
First-year midfielder Malla Anna Eiríksdóttir dribbles the ball upfield against UNH Sept. 28. The Catamounts fell to the Wildcats 2-1. OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic their second goal. mined to come back from the cording to UVM athletics. After coming back from two goals. “We knew coming into the halftime, the Catamounts They had five shots toward second half we were going to started the second half deterthe beginning of the half, achave a lot of work to do, and I
think we kind of just knew we were going to have to put in extra work,” Jenkins said. In addition to the initial save for the second goal, Speckmaier had four other saves. “You know you have to get serious but also have fun. As a whole team we had our goals and [wanted to] see if we exceeded them by halftime,” Speckmaier said. Despite the loss, both Speckmaier and Jenkins were proud of the way their team played. “We’re just looking to bounce back from this game,” Jenkins said. “Playing on the road on Sunday is going to have to be a big win.” They did bounce back, defeating Binghamton University 2-0 Oct. 1. Senior midfielder Colby Snyder and junior midfielder Brooke Jenkins scored the goals. Jenkins also added an assist, according to UVM athletics. Women’s soccer travels to University of Massachusetts Lowell Oct. 5 and will host the University of Maine Oct. 8.
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
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SPORTS
UVM athletics unveils counseling program Maddie Allen Staff Writer UVM athletics has unveiled a new counseling and psychology program. The Catamount Sports Psychology and Counseling program is the work of the Center for Health and Wellbeing and UVM athletics. “UVM is the first school in the America East conference to implement a program of this kind,” athletics director Jeff Schulman said. The program will offer one-on-one counseling services and will also incorporate programming. It will offer mindfulness, yoga sessions and workshops on how to destress, senior swimmer Kelly Lennon said. “For many years, we have been providing our student-athletes with first rate care for their physical well being,” Schulman said. “It has become increasingly clear that in order to fully care for our student athletes, we need to pay equal attention to their mental health and well-being.” The program consists of a staff of three people: Kelly Thorne, PsyD, Ari Shapiro-Miller, M.A. and Sheila Stawinski. Stawinski will continue in her previous role as a sports psychology consultant, while Shapiro-Miller and Thorne were added to the staff as a part of the program.
Director of athletics Jeff Schulman (pictured) unveiled a new counseling and psychology program Sept. 12. The program is a joint effort between the athletics department and UVM’s Center for Health and Wellbeing. PHoto Credit: UVM Athletics “[I am] very appreciative of our two student leaders, Trae Bell-Haynes and Kelly Lennon, who sparked this idea with last year’s Rally Around Mental Health,” Schulman said. Lennon is a part of the America East Student-Athlete Advisory Council; according to Lennon she and Bell-Haynes have been in discussions with the conference following the success of Rally Around Men-
tal Health. Student athletes have trouble finding time to go to Counseling and Psychiatry Services. Some believe there is a stigma associated with it, Lennon said. “It’s especially hard for student athletes to get past the stigma of going to seek counseling,” she said. “If it’s in a place where it is more comfortable and accessible, they will
be more likely to use it.” Lennon believes that the program will help athletes to cope with stress. “You’re taking anywhere between 12 to 18 credit hours and you have 20 hours of athletics on top of that,” she said. “These services will really help people to find a way to destress.” The ultimate goal of the program is to raise awareness
about mental health within the student athlete population at UVM by making help more readily available, Schulman said. “I’m confident that more will reach out for help and that ultimately we will have a healthier student athlete population.” he said.
Athletes have the right to kneel for national anthem Greg Mandozzi
W
eek three of the NFL season is usually the time of year where we see what teams are made of. We notice who might be championship material. We get to see which teams are outshining expectations and which teams are rebuilding for the future. But, this past weekend, we saw a lot more go on around the NFL. Last summer, former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick sparked a national debate as he took a knee during the national anthem before a preseason matchup in 2016. Kaepernick continued to protest the ceremony in the following weeks. Many believe this led to his dismissal from the league. President Donald Trump added fuel to the fire in a series of tweets posted Sept. 23 of this year. “If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or country) and should stand for the National Anthem,” Trump tweeted. “If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do.” After this tweet, during the
first game from New England, several players on both teams took a knee during the anthem. Jaguars owner Shad Khan linked arms with his players on the field. Shortly after, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin informed the media ahead of their tilt on Sunday that the entire team would remain in the locker room during the anthem. The only Steeler to emerge to salute the flag was former U.S Army Captain Alejandro Villanueva. Villanueva stood from the tunnel with his hand on his chest. He said his past service was the motive for him to come out and leave his teammates. Various Miami Dolphins players wore t-shirts with “#IMWITHKAP” written on the chest, as they paid respect to the quarterback that began the conversation. Multiple Denver Broncos Players kneeled, including Von Miller. Trump’s speech against the NFL was an “assault on our most cherished right, freedom of speech,” Miller said. Multiple players on the New England Patriots kneeled, while Tom Brady interlocked arms with a teammate. Many Philadelphia Eagles players were seen raising a fist as the anthem played. Veteran running back Le-
Sean McCoy even continued to warm up and stretch at the time the song was being sung. The anthem singer ahead of the contest between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons, Rico Lavelle, ended the song by kneeling as he finished. The NFL has responded to the president’s statements. It is everyone’s right to protest how they please, and say what they want, so long as it is peaceful. Coaches, players and owners kneeled down in response to being told they did not have that right. Every single player that kneels during the national anthem has that right. Who is anyone, including the president, to say it is the wrong way to stand for what you believe in? Whether you would kneel during the national anthem or not, one cannot tell anyone it is wrong. We each have the right to express ourselves. That is one of the best things about this country. To the people that say kneeling during the national anthem isn’t going to change anything, that may be true. But it is getting us to talk. Greg Mandozzi is a junior business administration major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2017.
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SPORTS
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 3, 2017
UVM SCOREBOARD Week of Sept. 25 - Oct. 1
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Women’s soccer vs. New Hampshire
0-2
Women’s field hockey vs. Bryant
W 1-0
Women’s soccer at Binghamton
W 2-0
Next Week Oct. 2 - Oct. 8 Women’s soccer at UMass Lowell Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. Lowell, MA Men’s ice hockey vs. Colorado College Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 at 7:05 p.m. Home Men’s soccer at Albany Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. Home Men’s lacrosse vs. Dartmouth Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. Home
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