The Vermont Cynic
OCTOBER 17, 2017
VOL. 134 – ISSUE 8
FALLFEST 2017
VTCYNIC.COM
Students under investigation Police called to Bailey/Howe library twice in two weeks
The last time the gym was filled with such a loud crowd was during last spring’s March Madness tournament. This Saturday, instead of screaming after three-pointers, the crowd of students in the center roared for the strum of a guitar. FallFest, the annual UVM Program Board’s fall concert, took place at 8 p.m. Oct. 14.
Lauren Schnepf Assistant News Editor The UVM police are investigating two separate incidents that occurred at Bailey/Howe Library in October. On Oct. 10, continuing education student Evan Friedman was placed under investigation following a trespass order, said Tim Bilodeau, deputy chief of UVM police services. On Oct. 1, continuing education student Wesley Richter was reported for disorderly conduct and saying racial threats over the phone in the library. UVM police spoke with the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George to determine the charge of disorderly conduct. Annie Stevens, vice provost for student affairs, sent an email Oct. 2 which stated that racist and threatening language was overheard on campus. Junior Z McCarron said the administration’s email was too vague and did not sufficiently inform students. Stevens sent a follow-up email Oct. 4 stating that UVM police were investigating the incident and more information would be sent out. McCarron said students reported that Richter was being disorderly in the library.
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PHIL CARRUTHERS/ The Vermont Cynic
Lianne Tuomey, Chief of UVM Police, sent an email Oct. 5 stating that UVM police identified Richter as the student. While they issued a citation for disorderly conduct, they found no immediate threat to anyone’s safety. Richter is being prosecuted under Statute 1026 A1, which states that a person is guilty of disorderly conduct if they intend to cause public inconvenience or create a risk through threatening behavior. Richter’s lawyer Ben Luna is arguing that Richter is not guilty under the statute because the allegations involve the contents of Richter’s speech. It is unconstitutional to punish him under the circumstances, Luna said. The case should not have been brought to court, and the administration could have handled the incident better, Luna said. “It was not long before this alleged incident occurred that a group of protesters marched on the chancellor’s office or something like that,” Luna said. Luna said his client is being used by the University to prove a point. Richter will be arraigned in court Oct. 27.
Diversity courses are reevaluated by Faculty Senate Lilly Young Staff Writer UVM’s D1 and D2 courses, diversity-based classes, are being re-evaluated by the Faculty Senate. Since students delivered a list of demands to President Sullivan calling for racial justice on campus Sept. 25, there has been a push to re-evaluate the D1 and D2 courses at UVM. Sophomore Jamie Benson, SGA chair of academic affairs, said the reevaluation was a result of the SGA talking to the Faculty Senate. There was a meeting Oct. 12 with the SGA president, vice president and chair of academic affairs as well as the Provost Office and the faculty staff to discuss the re-evaluation of D1 and D2 classes. A conversation about the re-evaluation of D1 and D2 courses has been “long overdue,” Benson said. The movement to update diversity courses has been around since last year. Senior Emily Grace Arriviello held a forum last spring about the reformation of D1 classes as a part of the cam-
“
D1/D2 classes weren’t living up to the standards of what students wanted.
These classes are inaccessible. - Emily Grace Arriviello, Senior
paign for racial justice at UVM. D1 and D2 courses were instituted in 2006 and have not been reviewed since, Arriviello said. Students want smaller class sizes as well as better-trained professors teaching diversity
courses, Arriviello said. The small class sizes would “help [students] understand [their] racial identity in the United States and on campus,” she said. Smaller classes facilitate more intimate discussions
among students, said Reginah Mako, SGA chair of diversity inclusion and member of the Black Student Union. Professors need to be equipped to teach diversity courses in order to lead these discussions, Mako said.
Benson and Mako have been working with students and the Faculty Senate to change the curriculum regarding diversity. Benson recently had a meeting with SGA President Chris Petrillo and BSU President Harmony Edosomwan to talk in depth about the demands and what needs to be fixed in the curriculum, he said. SGA is working toward the goal of having “better educated, better informed and better global citizens coming out of UVM after taking a diversity course,” Benson said. They are not the first group of students to have this conversation with the Faculty Senate, and students need to be heard by faculty in order to implement change, Arriviello said. Benson is hoping that by the next academic year, D1 and D2 courses will be better. SGA is motivated to improve these requirements, Benson said. It is important for UVM to take a stand by fixing the problems with the diversity courses, Arriviello said.
NEWS
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The Vermont Cynic
Oct.17, 2017
ONLINE CONTENT News from abroad: Catalonia
Murder on Hyde Street
Cynic reporter Joey Waldinger, abroad in Barcelona, writes about what it’s like to be an American in Spain during the Catalonian independence movement. The Catalan people voted for independence in a country-wide referendum Oct. 10.
A 34-year-old Burlington man was arrested for a murder on Hyde Street Oct. 12. Aita Gurung is accused of attacking his wife and mother-in-law with a meat cleaver, according to the Burlington police.
Women’s soccer falls to Albany
Game recap: field hockey loss
Women’s soccer battled through a tough Thursday night game against Albany. They lost 1-0 after a gritty game which brought the Cats to an even-win loss record both overall and in the America East conference.
Despite a spirited comeback effort, the Catamounts fell 4-2 to the University of Massachusetts Lowell Friday, Oct. 12. The loss brought UVM’s losing streak to five games. They have yet to win a game in the America East conference.
United Academics, the UVM faculty union, has reached an impasse regarding contract negotiations. Negotiations have been in deadlock since Sept. 11. The Vermont Cynic Archives
Get the full story at vtcynic.com
Pregnancy...
Faculty negotiations halt A month later, United Academics and UVM administration contract talks remain at impasse. Brandon Arcari Staff Writer UVM’s faculty union United Academics has been in a deadlock with the University over a contract dispute about salaries since Sept. 11. The union, which represents roughly 850 full and part-time faculty members, renegotiates their contract with the University every three years. “After a prolonged bargaining process, UA and the administration of UVM have reached an impasse in our negotiations,” said UA President Tom Streeter, professor of sociology in a Sept. 12 email to the UVM community. The standstill follows the end of the previous three-year contract June 30. Last year, professors previ-
ously rallied outside of the negotiations room Feb. 6. This broke with the tradition that issues not be discussed publicly, said Enrique Corredera, executive director of UVM communications. The Sept. 12 UA email listed facts and figures that were intended to provide context about the contract that just ended. In the email, UA said they “are confident that [by] working together constructively and in good faith, [the two parties] will reach a mutually satisfactory outcome, as has been the case currently with all other employee groups at UVM.” UA contested some of the points made in the UVM release in their own press release later that day. It disputed UVM’s choice to
“deliberately distort and cherry pick facts instead of working constructively,” the press release stated. “UVM is not broke,” Streeter said. “We fully support a sustainable budget for UVM.” The next step for negotiation is the hiring of an outside mediator acceptable to both sides, according to both UVM and UA. An acceptable mediator has been hired, with the first meeting to take place Oct. 25, Streeter said. “There are very few issues left to resolve,” he said. “We fully expect to be able to come to an agreement on a contract before too long.”
CatCard office tests new tech Lindsay Freed Senior Staff Writer
irthright 24/7 Helpline 800-550-4900
birthrightvt.org 289 College Street, Burlington 802-865-0056
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In a few years, students will be able to use their smartphones to gain access to their residence halls. The CatCard office is testing a mobile ID technology that would allow students, staff and faculty to use their phones in place of plastic ID cards, said Mark McKenna, director of the CatCard Service Center. “You’ll be able to use your phone as an ID that you can use to unlock your door or do meal plan transactions,” McKenna said. The mobile ID is being tested by members of the office’s tech team. It has been tested at some vending machines on campus, he said. The new ID will likely be released some time in the next couple of years once potential security risks are minimized, McKenna said. “We have to make sure that if you don’t have password protection on your phone that the app is password protected,” he said. “If somebody picks up the phone [and you don’t have a password on it], then suddenly they’ve got access to your card.”
9/5/17 7:42 PM
The mobile ID wouldn’t replace the plastic cards, McKenna said. For now, the cards are the securest option available, he said. CatCards are encrypted with a code that only grants access to the information stored on the card if the reader is connected to the University’s system, McKenna said. “If this number doesn’t match the embedded code, it won’t work,” McKenna said. The University is also looking into increasing the use of biometrics like hand and fingerprint scanners, he said. These systems are already being used by Campus Recreation, McKenna said. Though there is a potential risk that people will try to copy the information from CatCards, UVM Deputy Police Chief Tim Bilodeau said there is not a major threat of someone trying it at UVM. The real risk to campus security is that people are too nice, McKenna said. “We have people who, if they see me with my arms full, will say, ‘Oh. let me get the door for you,’” he said. “Which is great, but theoretically you don’t know that I’m allowed in
the building.” Another major issue is people propping open doors for others, McKenna said. “It’s an access-controlled system,” he said. “It’s only as good as the people using it.” Students tend to let other college-aged people into residential halls, junior Ian Minearo said. “It’s nice not to have to take your CatCard out of your wallet, but it also makes it so people who don’t live there can get in,” Minearo said. “People are either a hit or a miss in terms of how decent they are as people and how they treat places they don’t live.” Reports of theft or unauthorized access from campus buildings are infrequent and are usually the result of forced entry, Bilodeau said. “If there’s enough value on something in some place, you can bet someone is probably trying to get into it,” McKenna said. “But we try to stay as current as we can with the technology and prevent that from happening.”
The Vermont Cynic
OPINION
Oct. 17, 2017
The Vermont
CYNIC
3
Scout’s honor: inequality Staff Editorial
L 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), Tiana Crispino (Layout), Kyra Chevalier (Layout). Page Designers Kira Bellis, 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 ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
ast week, Boy Scouts of America announced that the organization was opening the Eagle Scout rank to girls. We agree that gender is a social construct, and the aim of BSA is to show that anyone should be able to join the scouting organization. We understand that being able to enroll children in one scouting organization could be easier for parents. This sends the message that being a boy scout is a bigger honor. As if the “highest-ranked Eagle Scout award” is the actual highest rank. As if the girl scout Gold Award doesn’t exist or take twice the number of hours to complete or require twice the amount of community involvement and leadership skills? This solution invalidates the existence of Girl Scouting. In an effort to be inclusive, BSA is being misogynistic. “This decision is true to the BSA’s mission and core values outlined in the Scout Oath and Law. The values of scouting–trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, brave and reverent, for example–are important for both young men and women,” said Michael Surbaugh, the BSA’s Chief Scout Executive. But that’s already a part of Girl Scout law. It already exists for both men and women. “The BSA’s record of producing leaders with high character and integrity is amaz-
GENEVIEVE WINN ing,” said Randall Stephenson, BSA’s national board chairman. “I’ve seen nothing that develops leadership skills and discipline like this organization. It is time to make these outstanding leadership development programs available to girls.” There is something that develops leadership skills: Girl Scouts. Perhaps there should be a brand new American Scouting organization introduced that tailors to neither boys nor girls. Why must BSA make this move as though girls should only be so lucky as to get to join Cub Scouts? Or to achieve an Eagle Scout award? The point is that an organization equal, if not better, than Boy Scouts exists for girls, and it’s wildly successful. Trying to pull the enrollment of girls into Boy Scouts
and depleting the organization of Girl Scouts weakens the organization dedicated to the development of women leadership. 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.
CORRECTIONS Due to a publishing issue, six of last week’s articles had the wrong byline. Lauren Schnepf wrote “Students call for LGBTQA support;” Keely Lyons wrote “Weakening Title IX could hurt University;” Ian Nathan wrote “Safe spaces prevent University diversity of thought;” Bridget Higdon wrote “FallFest lineup revealed;” Addie Beach wrote “BCA hosts annual show;”and Locria Courtwright wrote “First-years shine in alumni weekend.” The Cynic regrets this error. The infographic “Students call for gender inclusive bathrooms” did not use the most updated UVM data. The number of gender-inclusive bathrooms on campus has changed since last year’s GIRT report. The new numbers for the incorrectly represented buildings are as follows: Gutterson/Patrick: 3, Bailey/Howe library: 6, Davis Center: 5, Discovery hall: 4, Stafford: 1 gender-inclusive bathrooms. The new information comes from the map available on the LGBTQA center website. The Cynic regrets these errors present in the graphic.
Sullivan’s Perkins letter was in poor taste Letter to President Sullivan
P
resident Sullivan, Your office’s recent email comparing students here at UVM to McCarthy was in incredibly poor taste. Students who are concerned or angry that a UVM building is named Perkins should not be vilified. If you are interested in the history of rhetoric in this country perhaps you know that it is an incredibly common technique to call one’s opponents Hitler, or Stalin, or Caligula or any other of a slew of people that we are not. You and your office should not sink to engaging in this, the weakest of arguments. If you have a good reason to want to honor Dean George Perkins I would be very happy to hear it. If your reason is so good that it actually outweighs the pain of those of us whose people suffered similar crimes to those perpetrated by Dean Perkins’ son, then I applaud your conviction and ask you to share that reason. However, I would guess that the desire of keeping the name Perkins in a place of honor on campus does not rise to level of the pain that the Abenaki and others have felt having it there. This dismissive claim used in favor of keeping the name does not show respect to the weight of a heritage harmed by eugenics. My people, the Sami, were forcibly sterilized, as was our culture. Norwegian and Swedish authorities systematically worked to destroy everything the Sami culture embodied and keep us from surviving to the present day. That is a stain that does not go away. The pain of knowing your culture was almost wiped out does not go
COLE THORNTON away. That is the pain that the name Perkins embodies here at UVM. You argue that the father should not be tried for the crimes of the son. I would agree with that simplified statement. But you leave out the complexity of the situation in an attempt to make a point. Henry Perkins was not only raised by his father, he taught at his father’s school. I think it is highly unlikely that his father had no idea what he was doing or knew but did not accept it. You say there is no evidence he participated, but neither is there any evidence that I can find that he tried to stop what his son was doing. When Henry came to UVM to begin his path to the Vermont Eugenics survey, he and his wife and daughters lived in George Perkins’ house with him. The two are linked much more closely than simple “as-
sociation,” as you put it. Furthermore, the building is not called the “Dean George Perkins Building” it is simply the Perkins Building, regardless of the plaque to which you refer. The name Perkins just as surely refers to the man who wanted the legal right to sterilize anyone he deemed damaging to an ideal Vermont as it does to his father. We cannot simply assume which person the University means to honor, because the name Bailey is still used despite his place in this issue. So we cannot assume that the University does not honor those who do not deserve it. Suppose, though, that we agree George Perkins has no fault in this. Then we are giving him credit as a person of some honor. Given that, is it not likely that he would not want the name he and his son share on the building? He might agree to
let it be named something else if he was really a person who cared about the pain of those people his son so despised. If, on the other hand, we assume that he would insist that the building remains “Perkins” despite the pain it causes students and despite the ties the name has to hate and to deliberate destruction of ethnic minorities, then he does not deserve to have his name there. I hold that the building should be named for Henry Perkins’ victims, but if you are so attached to keeping the building in George Perkins’ honor then might I suggest choosing a project of his or an aspect you ascribe to him to laud. You could name the building “loyalty” or “fortitude” or whatever term you see fit to match Discovery and upcoming projects. You call us McCarthy for condemning a name. Your insult is effective, perhaps, in making people feel uncomfortable, but it is hardly relevant. Simplifying an issue like this to a narrow view of history is ridiculous to say the least. I would give your office the credit of not having meant any insult, but instead I will give it the much higher credit of being intelligent enough to mean what it says. Given this, I would ask that you either clarify your position on the name Perkins and explain to everyone why it is so important that it remain, or change the name of the building. Respectfully, Josamine Bronnvik Class of 2018 jhall10@uvm.edu
SPORTS
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The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 17, 2017
Newcomers set to play key roles for hockey Locria Courtright Assistant Sports Editor
TYLER HARMON
Twelve newcomers joined the men’s ice hockey team for the 2017-18 season. An extended preview of each newcomer is available at vtcynic.com.
OWEN GRANT
GOALKEEPER
DEFENSEMAN
Harmon joins UVM from the U.S. Premier Hockey League’s Jersey Hitmen, where he was named the league’s Goaltender of the Year after posting a .922 save percentage and 22 wins last season. Before that, he spent four years at Ramsey High School in New Jersey where he was a multi-sport athlete. He played as a standout goalie for the hockey tean, posting a .948 save percentage his senior year. Harmon was a star attacker for the lacrosse team, posting 35 goals and 29 assists his senior year. At 6 feet 3 inches, he adds height to the UVM goaltending corps.
Grant comes to UVM after three years at the Central Canada Hockey League’s Carleton Place Canadians, where he won three CCHL titles. Grant also appeared in two Royal Bank Cups, the national championship for Canadian Junior A clubs, including an appearance in the 2015 finals. “Learning to play important games is huge because every game here matters,” Grant said. “The more you learn to play under pressure, the easier it is to continue.” He also represented Canada East at two World Junior A Challenges, earning a spot on the tournament All-Star Team in 2016. He was also named CCHL Defender of the Year as well as a First-Team All-Star.
Photo Credit: UVM Athletics
CHRISTIAN EVERS
VLAD DZHIOSHVILI
DEFENSEMAN Evers spent the last two seasons with the United States Hockey League’s Lincoln Stars, posting 18 points in both seasons. He switched his commitment last season after originally committing to the University of North Dakota. “Vermont was a better fit for me,” Evers said. “Not ragging on North Dakota–they’re a great program–but for my own development I felt Vermont was a better fit.” Before Lincoln, Evers played for the United States National Team Development Program for two seasons and won a gold medal at the 2014 World U17 Hockey Challenge. “It’s the top 25-26 kids in your age group, and it’s definitely an honor to wear the USA on your chest every day,” he said.
Women’s hockey pulls ahead of Union
FORWARD Hailing from the Russian capital of Moscow, Vlad Dzhioshvili is the first European to play for UVM men’s hockey since Tobias Nilsson Roos ‘13, a Swede, who suited up for UVM in 2013. Dzhioshvili previously played for the USHL’s Bloomington Thunder, leading the team in scoring with 42 points last season. Before the Thunder, Dzhioshvili played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights program. He possesses a strong shot and the versatility to play center or wing. He will have to wait to make his official UVM debut, however, as he suffered a lower body injury in practice.
FORWARD A center from the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Oakville Blades, Bryce Misley comes in with the biggest pedigree of this class, having been drafted in the NHL Entry Draft this summer by the Minnesota Wild. “It was a dream come true,” Misley said. “I know I have a lot of work to do to get there, but it was one of my goals.” Last season with the Blades, Misley posted 62 points in just 46 games. He was also teammates with Grant rerpesenting Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge. Misley describes himself as a playmaking center who can be dependable in the defensive zone and makes plays offensively, he said.
UVM SCOREBOARD
Steph Aurenz Staff Writer UVM junior forward Eve-Audrey Picard broke the school record for most goals in a game, posting four goals Tuesday. The women’s hockey team triumphed 7-0 over Union College Oct. 10. UVM junior goalie Melissa Black had her first career shutout. While the Catamounts came out strong in the first period, Union struggled, getting called for interference midway through the period. The Catamounts played a strong defensive game, with Black only having to make three saves. The Catamounts had nine shots on goal in the first period, one of which resulted in a goal scored by Picard and assisted by senior defender Taylor Willard. “We focused on being smarter in the offensive zone,” head coach Jim Plumer said. The Catamounts took their coach’s words to heart, as the second period was full of offensive plays. Sophomore forward Allie Granato passed to first-year forward Olivia Kilberg for a goal four minutes into the half. Another goal was scored two minutes later by junior
BRYCE MISLEY
Week of Oct. 9 - Oct. 15
W
Women’s ice hockey vs. Union
7-0 Men’s soccer vs. UMass Lowell
W 2-1 Sophomore forward Eve-Audrey Picard takes a shot on goal against Union College Oct. 10. Picard set a new varsity single-game scoring record with four goals, as the Catamounts won 7-0.
L
Women’s soccer at Hartford
0-1
RYAN KIEL-ZABEL/The Vermont Cynic forward Alyssa Gorecki, unassisted. Picard scored another goal off a pass from Gorecki to bring the score to 4-0 in favor of Vermont. With two minutes left in the period, sophomore forward Ali O’Leary received a pass from senior forward Mackenzie MacNeil and made the score 5-0. The Catamounts had 26 shots on goal in this period compared to Union’s eight. It was a high intensity period with lots of offensive action. The Catamounts focused on their passing more in the
final period and managed to score two more goals. Five minutes in, Picard scored first with assists from Gorecki and Valkama. First-year forward Kristina Shannon scored another with assistance from MacNeil and O’Leary. “We are looking at this whole thing more like a marathon,” Plumer said. “We just want to put the next one in the bank as another good game”. The next home game for women’s hockey is at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 against the University of New Hampshire.
Next Week Oct. 16 - Oct. 22 Women’s ice hockey vs. New Hampshire Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Home Men’s ice hockey at Michigan Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. Ann Arbor, Michigan Women’s swimming vs. Stony Brook Oct. 21 at 12 p.m. Home Men’s soccer vs. UMBC Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. Home
The Vermont Cynic
LIFE
Oct. 17, 2017
Sororities are not a stereotype Spare Rib
Autumn Lee
W
hen it comes to sororities, a lot of images come to mind— bleach-blonde hair, Greek letter t-shirts and lots of partying. Recently, I’ve tried to challenge my thoughts on the stereotype. Senior Natalie Mitchell admitted to stereotyping sororities early in college: pretty girls and partying. Meet junior Olivia Costa. Costa has pigtail braids, clear glasses and vintage Hilfiger jeans. She admits that she doesn’t seem like a sorority girl on the surface. Costa came to UVM with stereotyped perceptions of fraternity and sorority life. But after a closer look, she found that UVM fraternity and sorority life was different from that of other big universities. When her first-year roommate suggested she rush a sorority, Costa joined Alpha Chi Omega. It’s been a positive experience since, Costa said. But when students see a Fraternity and Sorority Life sticker on her water bottle, they usually react negatively, she said. Costa said that popular TV shows and other media show excessive partying and dumb girls. “This is far from reality,” she said. Alpha Chi Omega’s slogan
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Looking up to three women
A professor, a UVM sophomore and a local artist worth noting
Tracy DeLade Cynic Correspondent They dash between academic buildings, give lectures at at colleges across the country and work hard in downtown businesses. Here in Burlington, there
SHANNON O’CONNOR is “Real, Strong Women.” Costa described the environment as pro-women, full of support and protection. Two weeks ago, the members of Alpha Chi Omega spent their Friday night raising money for the nonprofit Steps to End Domestic Violence Vermont by making and selling milkshakes until 2 a.m. It is unfair to discredit these women who work hard for the community. Maybe it threat-
ens outsiders to see a group of women working together. It’s understandable, then, why a group of authoritative women in a sorority develops a negative connotation. My challenge to myself, and everyone on campus is to question your views on women in sororities. Autumn Lee is a sophomore art education major who started writing for the Cynic in Fall 2017.
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Kathryn Fox is a reminder that the world is full of ambitious and determined women. In her 23-year career at UVM, Fox has become an administrator for the College of Arts and Sciences in addition to being a sociology professor. This winter, she will be teaching sociology to prisoners in Swanton, Vermont. “I have had an interest in criminal justice for 20 years, and I’ve been in so many [prisons],” she said. “I’m not really afraid.” The Liberal Arts in Prison Program will be taught by roughly 15 other UVM faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences, according to the LAPP website. “Vermont citizens inside Ella Guinan is another example of a strong Burlington woman chasing her dreams of helping others through her education at UVM. A sophomore from Manchester, Connecticut, Guinan is majoring in psychology and sociology, with minors in writing and French. She participated in a rally against racial injustice Sept. 25 as a part of her involvement in the Black Student Union, she said. Guinan is also a member of a new club at UVM for women skiers and snowboarders called “Chicks on Sticks.” Double-majoring and having two minors is helping Guinan achieve her dream of being a journalist for women’s isAway from the academia of campus is a small art studio run by a hard-working woman. Katharine Monstream is a local artist who began her career accidentally. “I didn’t really have a dream of being an artist and never expected my career to turn out this way,” she said. Monstream graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, taking a waitressing job until she switched to real estate, she said. When Monstream sold about 15,000 handmade greeting cards in two years, her underground art business exploded, she said. So began her accidental career as an artist at age 26. “Every day is a day off,” she said. Monstream now dedicates
are countless women to look out for. Be it creating educational opportunities for the incarcerated, organizing student groups on camp or pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, the following women are changing the community–for the better.
Photo credit: Facebook. correctional facilities have the same potential for achievement, and they are entitled to opportunities to improve their lives,” she said.
Photo credit: Facebook. sues, she said. “Ella’s ability to make women feel strong is one of her most admirable qualities,” sophomore Sophia Clune said.
Photo credit: Facebook. more of her time to painting bigger works. She will be having a show in May.
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 17, 2017
ARTS
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Local festival tackles social issues with film Since 1985, the Vermont International Film Festival has brought global voices to the downtown Burlington movie scene. Sarah Robinson Staff Writer Burlington will once again be home to “the world’s oldest environmental and human rights film festival,” according to the Vermont International Film Festival Website. The 32nd annual VTIFF runs Oct. 20 to Oct. 29. “I think that part of the purpose of the film festival is to open people’s minds and make them informed,” said Orly Yadin, a filmmaker, producer and the executive director of VTIFF. “I think that the best democratic tool we can provide is to offer to people the chance to learn about diverse cultures and diverse ways of thinking.” When the festival began in 1985 it was the first of its kind, according to its website. This year, it will showcase 70 fiction, documentary and short films over the course of nine days in downtown Burlington. VTIFF was founded by the late George and Sonia Cullinen. It first took place at Marlboro College. The couple both grew up during the Great Depression and decided to pursue their artistic endeavors in retirement. George, a Spanish Civil War veteran and Sonia, a dancer from the New York’s Upper West Side, made a film titled “From Washington to Moscow” about the nuclear freeze movement of the 1980s. This film inspired the festival, George said in a 2001 Vermont Public Television interview. He said the festival had grown significantly since its inception. “We owe a debt of
Vermont International Film Festival volunteers pose next to a sign advertising the festival. The 32nd annual festival will run Oct. 20-29. Photo credit: Facebook.
gratitude to all the wonderful young people in Burlington who keep it going,” George said. Since 1985, filmmakers from across the world have come to Burlington to present their work. It has grown from the “mom-and-pop operation,” as Sonia described it, to a prestigious world-wide festival with a special emphasis on the environment. The process of choosing
films begins in March when filmmakers are invited to send in their films. From there, the festival directors select a portion of films to be played from a pool of hundreds, Yadin said. “We want to show the diversity of cultures and filmmaking from around the world and the U.S.,” she said. Yadin said she certainly has her secret favorites of the selection, but that the program in its entirety is a work of art.
“You can’t ask a parent who’s your favorite child,” she said. “They all make up a big family, and that’s how I see the festival.” Film goes beyond solely entertainment, Yadin said. With more open minds in the community, “[people] will become better citizens and be able to make more informed and intelligent choices,” she said. Her advice to aspiring film-
makers is to watch as many films as possible, she said. “We have 120 years worth of cinema history and I think any teacher would say that the more you watch, the better filmmaker you’ll become yourself.” Visit vtiff.org to learn more about the event and purchase tickets.
Students host October concert series at local venue Mason Haynes Staff Writer
Tancred and Weaves perform at ArtsRiot Oct. 12 as the second installment of Rocktober. Rocktober is a weekly concert series hosted by WRUV that takes place at ArtsRiot weekly through October. Photo Credit: Facebook
This October, UVM’s student run radio station is bringing artists from the worlds of country, hip-hop and everything in between to Burlington as part of their latest concert series. Rocktober is a weekly concert series hosted by WRUV that takes place at ArtsRiot for the duration of the month of October. The new event was inspired by the stations March Radness concert series that took place during spring of 2017, said senior Tate Kamish, the WRUV events director. The alternative radio station took the taste of its listeners and DJs into account when planning the shows, Kamish said. “Every DJ on our team is allowed to broadcast whatever they want as long as it’s never been on the [Billboard Hot 100],” Kamish said. “Everyone has a really eclectic taste.” In order to accommodate everyone’s taste, a survey was sent out to the stations’ staff with suggestions for each show, she said. When she compared the survey results with the artist’s schedules and WRUV’s budget, Kamish said she came up with a comprehensive list of both local and non-local names. The list included everyone from the alternative hip-hop
artist Milo, famous for his laidback beats and thought-provoking bars, to local up-andcoming MCs such as Sam Paulino, both of which will perform Friday, Oct. 20. Huntress and the Holder of Hands kicked off the series on Oct. 5. The band was formed by MorganEve Swain after the loss of her husband and musical partner in 2014, according to its Bandcamp page. The post-metal, Americana and blues influences on the five-piece group create a sound that explores love, loss and the power to overcome. Later in the month, country-rock band SUSTO and Esmé Patterson, a folk artist and former member of Paper Bird, will perform Saturday Oct. 28. Rocktober is what WRUV is all about: exploring new
sounds, discovering underground talent and sharing new findings with UVM and the greater Burlington community, Kamish said. “[ArtsRiot is] a local vessel to get WRUV’s influence out into the community and branch out into the greater Burlington area,” Kamish said. “Likewise, it helps ArtsRiot reach out to UVM students who may not know that it even exists.” Each artist will play live in-studio the afternoon of each of their respective Rocktober dates, she said. The remaining shows in Rocktober will take place on Oct. 20 and Oct. 28 at ArtsRiot. More information about ticket sales, Rocktober artists, show times and event openers can be found on the WRUV website.
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 17, 2017
ARTS
FALLFEST 2017 FALLFEST continued from page 1
“We sold out before the doors opened,” sophomore Taylor Magda, a UPB concert committee chairs, said. By 8:30 p.m, over 1,000 students were already inside Patrick Gym, she said. Students arrived wearing flannels tied around their waists, and boots perfect for dancing. Seventeen UPB volunteers were on site along with UVM police and rescue services, Magda said. Before running off to one of her many tasks of the night, Magda took a moment to praise Kudu Stooge, the UVM band that was the first group to take the the stage. “They just crushed it,” she said. The band of five upperclassmen played several bluesy songs that got the crowd warmed up. Vundabar was the next opener of the night. Brandon Hagen, the lead singer, played guitar while Drew McDonald rocked the drums and Grayson Kirtland the bass. Their plain t-shirts glowed under the bright, colored lights. All three band members howled and growled into the microphone between songs. Vundabar’s music was hard-core rock and caused several students to toss their hair and conjure air guitars. Junior Kevin Wu said this was his second FallFest experience. “I came last year and knew it would be fun again,” he said. Finally, at 10 p.m, the headliner, Oliver Lee of Snakehips, bounced onto the stage to the beat of the crowd’s enthusiastic whoops and hollers. Not a singer himself, Lee brought to the stage the voices of other artists. From behind his Mac computer, he remixed the lyrics of Rihanna, Sam Smith, Nicki Minaj and others.
Kudu Stooge, Vundabar and Snakehips perform at UVM’s annual FallFest concert Oct. 14 in the Patrick Gym. The event sold out right before doors opened at 8 p.m. PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic
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His remix of Chance the Rapper’s “All Night” had students singing along to every word. “UVM, you are f--king cool as hell,” Lee said towards the end of his set. Snakehips played track after track
"UVM, you are fucking cool as hell." - OLIVER LEE OF SNAKEHIPS
of vibrating, bass-dropping electronic rhythms. “We came for Snakehips,” junior Carrie Weisheit said, gesturing to herself and her friend. “I’ve been a fan for two years now.” But for other students, the musical acts didn’t live up to the hype. “I had a really fun time with my friends, but overall the vibes just weren’t all there,” sophomore Erin Richmond said. FallFest ended after more than three hours, leaving students to walk back with their hips still moving.
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FEATURE
THIS WEEK AT UVM OCT. 18
Exhibit talk with Peter Barnett, son of New England artist Herbert Barnett 12 noon @ Fleming Museum
OCT. 19
Talk with cartoonist Art Speigelman 7-9 p.m. @ UVM Recital Hall The Tenderbellies w/ the Wormdogs 9:30 p.m. @ Nectar’s $3 for 18+; $5 for 21+
OCT. 20
Burack Lecture Series hosts ‘Comics as Journalism’ talk with Joe Sacco 3-4:30 p.m. @ Carpenter Auditorium, Given Building
The Vermont Cynic
Oct. 17, 2017
Featured Art
OCT. 20 CONT. Of Land and Local Art Exhibition 12-5 p.m. @ Burlington Center for the Arts
OCT. 21
A Conversation with feminist cartoonist Alison Bechdel 6-8 p.m. @ Fleming Auditorium
OCT. 22 Spirited Things: Sacred Arts of the Black Atlantic with Vicki Brennan, UVM Associate Professor of Religion 2 p.m. @ Fleming Museum
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