Issue 8 - Volume 136 by Vermont Cynic

THEVERMONTCYNIC THE Issue 8 - Volume 136 | October 15, 2019 | vtcynic.com

Who controls your privacy? We, the undersigned faculty, call on the administration to suspend immediately all faculty and staff access to the Navigate advising platform.

• The system as currently conﬁgured provides too much information too broadly.

Currently, in Navigate faculty are provided not only with a roster of students in their classes but also with access to information about each student’s transcript, GPA, advising notes, home address, phone number, demographic information such as “ﬁrst generation college student,” tuitiuon and fees “balance past due,” past academic alerts, current academic alerts for other classes and calendar of campus service appointments.

Moreover, under the current conﬁguration, even faculty using the system for legitimate purposes may inadvertently see information that can cause adverse effects for students, including unconscious bias. Excerpts from the faculty letter to UVM administration

Students left in the dark over who has access to their data at UVM Julianne Lesch jlesch@uvm.edu

Sawyer Loftus news@vtcynic.com

Professor Alex Zakaras said he felt uncomfortable when he could see detailed communications about his advisee’s mental health through the new Navigate advising system. He said he felt he shouldn’t have been able to see that. Zakaras, a political science professor, is one of more than 80 faculty members that signed a Sept. 26 letter asking for UVM administration to review the new advising system, Navigate. The software is owned by a company called the Education Advisory Board. Previously, UVM used a system

called Banner. In the letter, addressed to key members of the UVM administration including President Suresh Garimella, faculty members stated they were concerned with the potential bias that access to this information may bring. “Under the current conﬁguration, even faculty using the system for legitimate purposes may inadvertently see the information that can cause adverse effects for students, including unconscious bias,” the letter stated. The contract for this new system was signed in October 2017. Two years later, UVM faculty members raised concerns over how much student information is available to them under this new system.

The University elected to sign on with EAB for the Navigate system to address three concerns, according to a UVM webpage about the project: • Enhance the student experience • Create effective and efﬁcient practices in advising • Improve retention and graduation rates The online interface provided for campus advisers the following, according to the website: • Quickly access student information designed to guide advising conversations • Identify discrete problems and initiate early interventions • Proactively refer students to support services • Utilize timely, multi-modal means of communication for

reaching subsets of students • Access data mining capabilities and predictive analytics to guide initiatives Two years, and over $400,000 spent on the contract later, the University has said it is now doing an “assessment” to determine if the faculty concerns are warranted. In the meantime, the Student Action Committee on the faculty senate has voted in favor of suspending the use of the system until faculty concerns are addressed. At the same time, SGA has begun its own inquiry.

Navigate cont. on pages 6-7

NEWS

A look at UVM’s all male honor society Ella Reuhsen iruehsen@uvm.edu

Over a century ago, UVM men came together and decided they needed a way for the student body to directly communicate with the administration. To answer this call, the students founded the Boulder Society in 1905. More than a hundred years later, SGA has taken over that role, and now the Boulder Society serves primarily as an honorary society. Current president of this year’s Boulder class, senior Mwai Nyamu, said male senior students are nominated and go through an interview process. Then the current Boulder class selects the next class from the pool of nominees. “Every guy that has been in Boulder exemplifies scholarship, leadership and service,” Nyamu said. “That criteria is used to pick the next class, and it acts as an honor society.” But what any particular class actively does as a Boulder class is up to the class, he said. This year’s class has yet to set its agenda. “I think we as a group all want to do something this year,” said senior Ethan Foley, a member of this year’s boulder class. However, there are some time constraints to accomplishing things as a group, he said. “I personally have some ideas to run by the guys next time we hang out and hopefully something will come of that,”

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

The UVM boulder sits on its base outside Old Mill, Oct. 11. The boulder, being perfectly round, symbolises well-roundedness at the University, and is the historical namesake for the Boulder Society. he said. Sitting outside of Old Mill hall facing University Place, is the perfectly round UVM Boulder, the namesake for the society. The UVM Boulder was discovered in a pothole in the 1840s when workmen were blasting a roadbed for the Central Vermont Railroad, according to the society’s history. This 200-pound boulder had been formed and eroded into a natural sphere. Geolo-

gists from Dartmouth College and UVM speculated on its composition and how it came to take on its shape. A former Vermont governor helped UVM attain the boulder, and it was transported to Old Mill. It remained there undisturbed for almost half a century. In 1894, however, students began a Halloween night tradition of rolling it away to an area near where Williams Hall is today. After several years of this prank, the administration

warned students that continuing to take part in the practice would result in immediate expulsion of those involved. Being naturally round, the boulder came to be a symbol of well-roundedness and exceptional qualities that students at UVM were thought to exhibit. Former UVM President Matthew Henry Buckham suggested this analogy in a speech, and the symbol stuck ever since. When the Boulder Society formed in 1905, they took on

the UVM Boulder to represent their group. In 1947, the boulder was stolen by Middlebury College students to make a point for a football rivalry between the two schools. But the boulder was taken back by UVM and permanently attached to a base to end such occurrences once and for all. Read the full story online at vtcynic.com

SGA weighs increasing their pay and who controls it Zoe Stern zstern@uvm.edu

SGA is weighing the possibility of handing over the power of determining how much members get paid to a UVM employee. A proposed SGA resolution would allow their professional business manager, Blanka Caha, to increase student stipends, as opposed to retaining that power within SGA. The only stipend members of SGA are the president, vice president and chairs. In a statement prepared by Caha, but read by SGA Treasurer Taylor Gauthier, a junior, at an Oct. 8 SGA meeting, Caha said she supported increased pay due to the increased workload of the executive members. Currently, the president and vice president make $275 a week. The proposed increase would bring that to $300 a week. The treasuer currently makes $300 a week and a proposed increase would bring that amount to $320. Chairs of senate committees currently are paid $88 a week, but it has been proposed to bring that to $100 a week. Giving Caha authority keeps the process unbiased, Gauthier stated in a Oct. 8 email.

SAWYER LOFTUS/The Vermont Cynic

SGA Treasurer Taylor Gauthier, a junior, speaks during an SGA meeting, Oct. 8. A resolution granting the power to increase stipends to the business manager will be voted on next week. SGA President Jillian Scannell, a senior, said it also helps for the future. “How can we come up with a solution, so that future senates don’t have to deal with this,” Scannell said. “Because it’s going to come back up in however many years.” However, a future SGA could vote to change this in the

years to come, as each year the senate has the power to reverse past legislation. The resolution was introduced by the Finance Committee chair, senior Olivia Machanic. “We believe that allocating the stipend adjustments to the SGA business manager will allow for changes to be made on

an annual basis, and they can ensure that no funds will be taken from the pool for UVM clubs and organizations,” Machanic stated in an Oct. 13 email. The stipends for SGA members haven’t been changed in five to seven years according to the email. Comparative schools pay their executive teams hourly,

while UVM’s executive team is paid on a stipend, the email stated. Paying hourly wages instead of stipends is harder to do, due to Human Resources and payment systems, Scannell said. “Stipends are included in the SGA budget,” the email stated. “There is wiggle room in this budget for matters such as these.” Not all members of SGA support giving away the power, junior Jacob Weinstein, a senator on the Committee on the Environment, said. “I don’t know if I support that Blanka should decide the stipends for executive and chairs,” Weinstein said. “Because, it just rubs me the wrong way to not have the representative of student body decide how much our student leaders get paid.” Weinstein said he has heard mixed reviews from other senators. Some are more upset about it than others, he said. “As much as I love Blanka, no one elected her and I don’t know if I want to give up that voting power that I have,” Weinstein said. A resolution is expected to be up for a vote at the Oct. 15 SGA meeting.

OPINION Staff Editorial

Y NIC

EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Bridget Higdon editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Alek Fleury newsroom@vtcynic.com

OPERATIONS Operations Manager Tim Mealey operations@vtcynic.com Marketing Daniel Felde cynicmarketing@gmail.com Distribution Manager Dariel Echanis

EDITORIAL Copy Chief Liv Marshall copy@vtcynic.com Culture Sarah Robinson cynicculture@gmail.com Features Greta Rohrer cynicfeatures@gmail.com News Sawyer Loftus news@vtcynic.com Opinion Mills Sparkman opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts David Cabrera vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Social Media Sam Litra socialcyniceditor@gmail.com

ince 2018, UVM has softly rolled out its new advising software called Navigate, but how much say have students had in this process? Zero. According to the University’s own webpage detailing the project’s history, there is no indication students were a part of the leadership team for this project, that would have had a say in how much information can be accessed and by who. “Two small groups of faculty, staff and administrators will make up the content governance for Guide (mobile) and Campus (web),” the website stated. “Representation within the groups will come from Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.” This week, a Cynic investigation has revealed that this new advising software has a large amount of personal information contained in it about each student and can be accessed by every single UVM professor with advising capabilities. What the Cynic does not know is just how long that list of information is. The University has been unwilling to share and is currently investigating just how much information can be seen. But who knows how long that process will take. In the meantime, students should take the power back into their own hands and take ownership of their personal data by asking their advisers to

Photo Stephan Toljan photo@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Kate Vanni and Meilena Sanchez (Layout), Dalton Doyle (Copy), Allie O’Connor (Culture), Emma Pinezich (News) Copy Editors Will Keeton, Caroline Jagger Page Designers Stephanie Hodel, Ed Taylor, Brandon Arcari

ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

tell you what information they can see about you. But, be prepared for your advisers to not be able to adequately answer your questions. Through the course of reporting for this piece, we found that professors in some cases were unsure if they could even show students their own academic proﬁles on this system. Additionally, the University was asked multiple times to list what information has been collected on students. Each time Cynic reporters were met with the same line. “I’m not sure if that information exists.” But, that information does

exist. An SGA senator who was interviewed for the piece showed a reporter a copy of that list. The document breaks down what information is available for each student, who has access to that information and a comparison between the old advising system and Navigate, in terms of access to information. The senator was unwilling to give the Cynic a copy of this document but did conclude that there’s more widespread access in the new system. To be clear, a centralized advising system is not a bad idea. As students, we should welcome the concept of an easier and more well-informed

advising system. What is not okay is students being left in the dark in terms of how much information is available and who has access to that information. Students, take back the ownership of your data. Ask questions and be curious. Ask yourself, who should see my information? Staff editorials ofﬁcially reﬂect the views of the Vermont Cynic. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. lease send letters to opinion@ vtcynic.com.

Don’t pretend to be broke if it hurts others Mills Sparkman

Illustrations Noah Zhou illustrations@vtcynic.com Layout Kyra Chevalier layout@vtcynic.com

NOAH ZHOU

opinion@vtcynic.com

here’s a big division on campus that no one talks about. It’s not instate or out-of-state, it’s not Yerba Mate versus kombucha, it’s fake broke versus actually broke. Someone who’s fake broke has beer money but can’t Venmo you back for the time you bought them groceries. They go out every weekend, only to complain that they’re strapped for cash when you ask to be paid back. Our socio-economic status determines how we treat each other and how we define our problems as students. In a university as large as UVM, it’s necessary to recognize that not everyone is in the same financial situation. Claiming to be broke when you’re not can lead to inaccurate definitions of what

is affordable student income by UVM administration and other governing bodies. Let’s consider someone who eats at New World Tortilla twice a day and spends $18 or more to be “broke.” Policies will be made with that person in mind. Food prices will remain high at point

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Students, take back your data

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locations, and the very real problems of food insecurity on campus will not be addressed. One-fifth of UVM students are food insecure, according to the UVM Center for Health and Wellbeing’s website. How we define those students who count as food insecure matters, because it will determine what is the financial norm. Full disclosure: I count myself as someone who’s fake broke. My parents are paying my tuition, I’m an outof-state student and I live in a nice apartment downtown. If I run out of cash, that’s on me. Not every student is so lucky. UVM tuition for outof-state students is more than $40,000 a year according to UVM’s website, which can have a big impact on students and their parents’ finances. There are scholarships and financial aid, but they can only cover so

much. Calling yourself “broke” when you’re not minimizes the very real costs of attending college for those who aren’t upper-middle class, and further marginalizes them from the UVM community. Students who are not in the majority, such as firstgeneration college students face real financial and emotional challenges that contribute to a feeling of lost identity, according to a June 2015 Washington Post article. When we ignore that divide, we reduce the struggles those students face and further exclude them from the UVM community. We can’t move forward if we act like everyone has the same finances. When I say I’m “broke” I know full well I’m just dented. It’s time we all took a good, hard look at the true cost of our UVM education. Mills Sparkman is a junior political science major and the Opinion Editor.

NOAH ZHOU

T I RB

OPINION

ABR O AD How a Brit experiences the wonders of American college life Anna Rees arees1@uvm.edu

ome might say the transition from rural Wales to the U.S. wouldn’t come with many adjustments, but you couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been here for just over a month and it’s fair to say my visit in Trumpyland has been an experience. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve got their similarities; we’ve both got headless chickens running our countries for starters. There’s a few things we need to get straight. Yes, our accent is real, we’re not putting it on to get into parties, although it does help. On several occasions, we have turned up to parties and been flatly refused. But, once we open our mouths, there’s a few seconds of awe, then the door magically opens like the gates to heaven. Not that I’d describe a frat house as heaven. We appreciate the occasional compliment on our accents. But when the whole class is gawping back at you, it’s kind of petrifying. It’s also good to note, we do not all live in London, or even England for that matter. Wales is a country too, I promise. It’s slightly larger than Massachusetts, there’s more sheep than people and rugby is our king.

But the gesture is very much The third misconception we appreciated. In Wales, it’s what face on the daily is the perception we would call “lush,” loosely that we’re all clued up on Brexit. translated as awesome. I still Quite frankly, most of us haven’t haven’t got used to the constant got a clue at this point. We’re as enthusiasm, but I assure you the exhausted as you are. novelty will not wear off anytime Ignorant, egotistical and soon. When speaking to several arrogant are a few words used to other international students, they describe your current president, confirm this, claiming that it’s the Donald Trump. Although your most welcome they’ve ever been president may be quite aloof, made to feel. every American I’ve met couldn’t Studying at UVM has been a be further from this. I hope you shock to the system, from the cost can say the same about us and of textbooks, our very lack of public own Prime From the moment I transport and Minister, the endless Boris wake up in my dorm, reading. Johnson. there’s an American face How you get Being beaming across at me, anywhere surrounded without a car by the aura asking about my day, is a mystery. of Burlington what I’m doing, who I’m The city positivity is bus system definitely seeing. has been a one of the savior when perks of living travelling around Burlington, but here. It might have something to attempting to get any further is a do with the amount of coffee you task and a half. drink. We attempted a trip to the Ben British culture means passing & Jerry’s factory last weekend, someone on the street, shooting your eyes to the floor and avoiding only to realize that, firstly, the bus doesn’t run there on a weekend. any form of communication. But And secondly, that an Uber would American culture could not be cost $120, so that’s a writemore different. off. We’d appreciate any tips on From the moment that I getting outside of Burlington. wake up in my dorm, there’s an Please help, asking for a friend. American face beaming across at The thing that probably me, asking about my day, what shocked us the most in our first I’m doing, who I’m seeing. When week was the treacherous trip to in all honesty, I’m not awake the bookstore. In the U.K., all of enough at this point to engage in our textbooks are online for free, any such conversation.

so it was a shock setting my eyes on that $200 textbook I knew would only get used a handful of times. I have yet to find ways around buying textbooks here, but I’m told it’s easy enough. Worst yet, those plastic iClickers that do just that, they click. That’s literally it. It’s 2019, people, are we not yet familiar with apps? Most readings here keep us locked in the library for hours on end. Never did I think on my year abroad that I’d be spending this much time in the library. At my home university, reading amounts to around four hours per week, total. We spend the rest of our time, mostly in pubs, enjoying ourselves. I admit I have learned so much since being here, but the reading is something I will never become accustomed to. A common frustration amongst my fellow international students is the absurd drinking age. We’ve been drinking for years at home, then we turn up here feeling like kids again. I can’t say feeling like a kid is my favorite part of American culture. We’re still struggling to figure out how you all do it. To sum it up, in Burlington, I’ve drunk less, travelled less, worked more and learned more. I guess the trade-off isn’t too bad. Anna Rees is an exchange student and a geography major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2019.

OPINION

We shouldn’t put our faith in Warren Sophie Oehler soehler@uvm.edu

“E

lizabeth says ‘hi!’” is the caption underneath a photo of my parents smiling widely, arms wrapped around a blue cardigan-clad Senator Elizabeth Warren. I like Warren. I like her policies about increasing taxes on the wealthy, eliminating the electoral college and decreasing student debt. As much as I like her, I don’t think she will be president. Warren has built her campaign on the promise to increase taxes on households with incomes of over $50 million. It’s a strong policy but could end up being her downfall, since money speaks louder than words and people will do whatever it takes to protect their fortunes. Many millionaires, Democratic donors and Wall Street professionals have stated that they would be more likely to support President Donald Trump in a race against Warren, according to a Sept. 26 CNBC article. And sure, they’re called the one percent for a reason, but that doesn’t mean their vote doesn’t matter. Because if the wealthy take their vote to Trump’s side, they bring their money with them. Wealthy individuals and their corporations play a big part in campaign endorsement, meaning that any politician who wants to do well needs an army of rich business people behind them. Warren’s campaign also relies heavily on support from the working class, whom she has

tried to connect with through her support of unionization and heavy taxes on the wealthy. In the upcoming elections, voters should focus on choosing someone who is going to bring together Democrats and Republicans, particularly in Congress. In recent years, Congress has seen the biggest division between the parties since the Civil War, according to a November 2013 Ideology and Party Unity graphic, published by the Brookings Institution. This means that fewer decisions are made and fewer bills are passed. Therefore, the next candidate needs to unite our legislature, but they also need to unite our citizens. A lot of people have the image of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton still stuck in their head and the negative connotations associated with her. Clinton and Warren might be nothing alike, but not everyone in America is going to do their research on the country’s politicians. A lot of people see the older, white woman in Warren and assume she will be exactly like Clinton, which means they probably won’t vote for her if they didn’t vote for Clinton. In order to beat Trump, the nominee for the Democratic Party needs to be someone who can not only inspire non-voting Democrats to join the polls, but they also need to convince moderates and conservatives who don’t support Trump to fill out a Democratic ballot. Warren sports an activist-based campaign, which often has trouble following through on policy promises due to congressional gridlock, according to a June 10 New York Times article. Moderates and conservatives who don’t

ELENI PAPPAS

support Trump will struggle to back her activist policies and therefore will take their vote elsewhere, or nowhere at all. Warren is an unlikely choice for Democratic nominee, and that is disappointing to a lot of people.

If you want Warren, or another candidate, to beat Trump, you can make it happen. Do your research, spread the word to family, convince non-voters to participate this year and don’t let election season become a race for best

reputation.

Sophie Oehler is a sophomore politcal science and French major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.

Skateboarders need a place to skate so we can be safe Valerie Davis vdavis@uvm.edu

city of Burlington. And then there are others who just simply like to walk. However, let’s not forget about one specific group of

ou know when you’re walking around campus, just trying to get to class and you feel secure in the fact that no one is going to run you over? Me neither. I have a suspicion that it’s because there is no lane on the roads or sidewalks for skateboarders to safely skateboard. Everyone on campus has their way of getting to different classes, club meetings, practices, games and various other activities. Some people, who live on the outskirts of campus, rely on the bus to get them from point A to point B. There are the many bikers who like to ride not only around campus, but the entire

HOLLY COUGHLAN

people. The fearless, reckless, rugged and wild number of students on campus that like to make their way around on a piece of wood with four wheels:

the skateboarders. There’s always at least one skateboarder who makes getting to class harder. When I’m trying to get to class, one of them always feels the need to perform a trick that involves them flipping or jumping on the board, which then leads to them more than likely wiping out. Every weekday, when I’m walking back from my math class in Perkins Hall, there is always a group of skateboarders congregated outside Grossman. They are constantly doing tricks and skating back and forth from the sidewalk to the road. And hey, I give them credit for this. Being able to do those kind of tricks is very impressive. But I don’t think it is really appropriate to show off all these skills in between classes when people who are walking, biking or riding the

bus are just trying to get by. I think there should be a part of the road or sidewalk where skateboarders can ride to their classes in peace. I certainly wish skateboarders could just take their skateboarding elsewhere but I also understand that currently there is no lane for skateboarders to take advantage of. In no way do I believe skateboards should be banned. They are a very innovative way of getting around and entertaining oneself while at it. However, until we can figure who should go where, it would be best that skateboarders be considerate of their environment.

Valerie Davis is a first-year public communication major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2019

SARAH ALEXANDER - KENNETH ALLEN - JUAN ALVEZ - ALLISON ANACKER - ELLEN ANDERSEN - ERICA ANDRUS - JACQUES BAILLY - EMILY BEAM - PAUL BIERMAN - ADRIANA BORRA - ANTONELLO BORRA - VICKI L. BRENNAN - EILEEN BURGIN - KEITH BURT - KAZUKO CARLSON - SIN YEE CHAN - YOLANDA CHEN - SHEILA BOLAND CHIRA - ISAAC CATES - ANNE CLARK - SUSAN COMERFORD - MEGHAN More than faculty members COPE - TERRENCE DELANEY80- MAEVE EBERHARDT - TINA ESCAJA - MEAGHAN EMERYa letter - ANDREAasking ETTER =for JESSICA PENNY EVANS signed the UVM - JAN FELDMAN - ELIZABETH FENTON - DAVIDthe FEURZEIG administration to review new - SEAN FIELD - MADSEN FISHER YOLANDA FLORES SHIRLEY GEDEON advising system, Navigate. CLARE GINGER - KATIE GOUGH - SUSANMARIE HARRINGTON - LISA HOLMES =The JONATHAN HUENER - KYLE IKEDAto- MARY Cynic investigated see LOU KETE - JANE KNODELL DAN KRYMKOWSKI THOMAS MACIAS TRINA who can access student data. MAGI - TERESA MARES - MARGARET MCDEVITT - TODD MCGOWAN - ELEANOR MILLER - CHARLES-LOUIS MORAND-MÉTIVIER - HELEN MORGAN PARMETT - JUSTIN MORGAN PARMETT - DIANNA MURRAYCLOSE - DEB NOEL - SARAH OSTEN - HOLLY PAINTER - NICOLE PHELPS - ELIZABETH PINEL - MATTHEW PRICE - KOELA RA - SHELLY RAYBACK - JULIE ROBERTS - GUILLERMO RODRÍGUEZ - VAL ROHY - ALICE SCHERMERHORN - KATHLEEN SCOLLINS - JEANNE SHEA - ERIN SHOULBERG - JEAN SIENKEWICZ - JENNIFER SISK - PETER SPITZFORM - ALAN STEINWEIS - SEAN STILWELL - JENNIFER STRICKLER - BRIDGET SWANSON - BOB PEPPERMAN TAYLOR - DONNA TOUFEXIS - SARAH E. TURNER - GRETCHEN VAN SLYKE - CATALINA

NOAH ZHOU

NEW

WS Navigate cont. from page 1

HOW HAS UVM REACTED TO THE LETTER? The Cynic reached out to UVM’s Division of Enrollment for comment and information concerning what student data can be seen through this new advising system. The Cynic was denied the opportunity to interview a University Navigate expert for this story. Instead, Enrique Corredera, a UVM spokesperson, provided the following statement in an Oct. 10 email. “We are conducting an assessment and will be responding appropriately to our faculty to address their concerns,” the email stated. “We will be in a better position to respond once that takes place.” When asked if the University has a list of all the data requirements that Navigate requires, Corredera said he doesn’t know if that information exists. “I don’t know if such a list even exists because we’re talking about information that’s contained in a software system,” he said. The Cynic also made a public records request for a copy of the contract between UVM and EAB for this software. In the contract, the sections called “Data Requirements,” and “Data Acquisition” were blacked out and redacted, as that information is a trade secret, said Gary Derr, UVM vice president and public records officer. However, Corredera said what data was exactly collected from students was not in the redacted sections. “I’m telling you that I’ve seen it and know what’s redacted is not a list of data, it’s a narrative of the business procedures and practices that this company uses,” Corrdera said. “The information you’re trying to get is not contained in those redactions.”

WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE SEEN ABOUT STUDENTS? Nowhere in the more than 20-page contract does it state what data has been collected on students. However, a list was presented to the Cynic in an interview with SGA senator Nick Bouffard, a senior, that breaks down what faculty and staff can see what information. The chart was split, comparing the old Banner advising system to that of Navigate. Along the left side of the chart was a list of different points of information collected on students and beside each point was either a “yes,” indicating that information was available to faculty members or a “no,” he said. Along the top of the chart, it indicates which kind of UVM faculty or staff member has access, split between staff, teaching faculty and advising faculty, who also serve as advisers, Bouffard said. “Each row here is access to a certain thing [point of student information] and then over on this side is the Navigate System and what they have access to is a bit more nuanced,” he said. “But generally there is more access to more things.” Specifically, professors who are advisers have access to any UVM student and their full information. One section was called “citizenship” and another was notes from “student services” appointments. Bouffard is one of the SGA senators leading an inquiry into the new system. He thinks the system is a move in the right direction but is concerned about who can see what information about students, he said. He is concerned that some UVM faculty members may take advantage of the broad access to student information, especially information on stu-

dents who are not their advisees or students, he said. “I have full faith in people but also I know that if the temptation is there, there will be cases where people lose,” he said. Bouffard also made a request for the contract and was given the same copy as the Cynic, with the same redactions, he said. To Bouffard, the redactions seemed to conveniently mask the information regarding what details have been collected on students, he said. “I would like to know what exactly the platform has access to,” Bouffard said. “And I think by redacting that section, it seems kind of opportunistic that the section not displayed omits the fact. Everybody is concerned about exactly that right now.”

“I have full faith in people but also I know that if the temptation is there, there will be cases where people lose.” - Nick Bouffard SGA Senator

WHY DID PROFESSORS SIGN THE LETTER? Professor Alex Zakaras stood at his computer in his office and pulled a Vermont Cynic Editor’s page up on his Navigate system. The editor is not Zakaras’ student nor are they a student in Zakaras’ department.

But he could see the student’s full academic history. The view on the screen in the academic section showed the editor’s full transcript, including the courses they’ve taken, their GPA and the courses they had dropped. Additionally, Zakaras could see a note from the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The letter contained medical information: the student was absent for an extended period of time due to illness in the spring of 2019.

WHO CAN SEE YOUR INFORMATION? Currently, all faculty and staff with advising duties have access to the records of any undergraduate student, regardless if the student is an advisee, said Julie Roberts linguistic professor and president of United Academics, the faculty union. “In some cases, an adviser might have need of this information [GPA and contact information], but I have never needed to know financial information on any of my students,” Roberts said. “But all of that, nobody else should be able to see, in my opinion.” When asked why students should care, Roberts said students or parents should be able to decide who gets to view their information. “It’s possible that some students don’t care,” Roberts said. “But I think certainly that type of information should be up to the individual student to decide how broad the access is or it should just not be available at all to people that don’t need to have it.” In training sessions before the new system was officially rolled out, Zakaras said professors were told to take notes on every meeting they had with students, but to remain vague.

WHAT IS THE COMPANY BEHIND NAVIGATE The company behind Navigate, EAB, was created in 2007 and is focused on increasing student success and building stronger communities, according to their website. “Our mission is to make education smarter and our communities stronger,” the website states. EAB offers four pieces of technology for educators to use including Navigate for four-year colleges and community colleges, Academic Performance solutions and Education Data Hub. Navigate is meant to be a one-stop-shop to consolidate the advising process, according to the website. UVM has been paying EAB since 2017 and in total has spent $404,220 on the software, according to the contract between the company and UVM. Prior to Navigate, UVM had been using the Banner system created by a company called Ellucian. UVM began exploring new options to replace the Banner system in the fall of 2016, according to a UVM webpage. “In this partnership, we hope to help students and advisors navigate the many available resources that promote student success, during their UVM years and beyond,” the webpage stated. On the student side of the software, there’s both a desktop app and one for phones. In the iPhone app, students can see how much money jobs associated with their majors make and access to lists of student resources. The project was originally led by former Provost and Senior Vice President David Rosowsky. In the list of leaders for this project, there were no students or student groups listed. Additional reporting by Kyra Chevalier.

STUDENTS RESPOND HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL THAT EVERY ADVISER CAN SEE YOUR FULL STUDENT PROFILE?

DO YOU THINK STUDENTS SHOULD BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS?

“It’s terrifying, first of all. That’s definitely not the most safe feeling having someone else who doesn’t know you, doesn’t know your story, doesn’t know anything else, and just sees that information.”

“When you choose to go to a University, you’re choosing to be a part of the way they do things. I think that transparency is really important and that we should know and be aware of exactly what information of ours is out there.”

- Talia Levy Sophomore

- Clare Nelson Sophomore

“I would 100 percent say that I feel like that is an invasion of my personal privacy. I just feel like that’s a lot of information for anyone to have access to.” - Emily Duggan First-year

“Yeah, absolutely. I didn’t even know that [Navigate] was a thing, and I feel like people should know about this for sure.” - Noah Lind Junior

CULTURE

“Vermont has had my back through all of this.”

Noah Kahan comes home to Higher Ground Willow Scherwinski wscherwi@uvm.edu

The background music cut out as colorful lights illuminated the picturesque mountain set on stage while friends and fans cheered. Vermont native Noah Kahan performed Oct. 10-11 at South Burlington’s popular music venue, Higher Ground. The performance was a part of the North American tour for his debut album, “Busyhead.” For the folk-infused pop artist, who grew up going to concerts and competing in singer songwriter competitions in Vermont, he said performing at Higher Ground meant a lot. “I would come in second every year, and now I’m selling out at the big room,” Kahan said. “It’s the coolest, most realized challenge that I’ve ever had and being able to headline here is a dream come true.” The 22-year-old’s musical success was launched by a SoundCloud single titled “Sink.” Its popularity granted him attention from record label Republic Records, who he signed with in 2016. Shortly after, his first single, “Youngblood,” went viral. In just three years he went from residing in rural Strafford, Vermont, with a population of 1,079, to being a well-known name. “Being in big cities, traveling around the world, meeting so many new people and trying to adapt to that lifestyle has been a challenge,” Kahan said. “It’s been amazing though.” Kahan said that he feels as though everything has changed

and that his life has taken a 180-degree turn. Since being on the road, he has experienced a lot of successes and failures, causing him to mature. Emilee Bartusek, a merchandise manager for the tour, met Kahan while he was playing small room venues in Venice, California. She sees only positive changes since Kahan’s fame has skyrocketed. “I think he has a specific confidence about him now,” she said. “He’s realizing that his talent is worth people listening to. Other than that, he’s still a bright eyed and bushy tailed guy.” Kahan talked about the low points he endured throughout his journey and explained how being honest with himself during those experiences fuel ed his music. He said “Busyhead” is a collection of snapshots that portrays this period of transition and discomfort. Listeners can hear about Kahan’s doubts, anxieties, failures and ultimately, how he finds balance in his new reality. This honesty is something that Kahan values in his work and wants to reach his audience. “I hope that people who listen to my music are able to be honest with themselves the way that I try to be honest in my music,” Kahan said. “The great songs really connected me with the artist. That is what would really like to achieve, people to feel as though they have a connection to me.” Vermonter and first-year Zoe Macdonald has been listening to Kahan’s music for over a year and recognizes the intention in his lyrics. She said

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

(TOP): Noah Kahan performs on stage at Higher Ground, Oct. 10. (BOTTOM) Kahan strums a chord during a song. The artist was born in Strafford, Vermont. that the openness of his songs is something that many artists lack. “I feel like his music is very reflective of the things that he has gone through,” Macdonald said. “I think that’s necessary to really connect with the audience.” For her, the track titled “Carlo’s Song” is one that makes her feel close to the artist because of a shared experience about losing a friend. She sees this an inspiration for her own music. “He has inspired me to be more honest with the things that I have gone through and letting it shape your work,” Macdonald said. Another musician, first-year

Lance Tanner, is a fan of Kahan because of the emotional bond he demands with each person in the audience when he performs. Tanner got to experience this on Friday night when he attended the concert. “Being an audience member there, you feel very connected to him and everyone around you,” Tanner said. “It creates an environment of vulnerability and emotion that every musician strives for.” For other young artists wanting to share their work with a larger audience, Kahan had words of advice. “Don’t be too picky about messing up. Making bad music for awhile can mean ultimately

getting into some really great music,” Kahan said. “Make sure that you are not comparing yourself to other people, just focus on what you do.” Kahan walked back on stage at the end of each night, ushered by a cheering and applauding audience to perform his encore. Dressed in a Catamount jersey, the Vermont star thanked the crowd once more. “Vermont has had my back through all of this,” he said. “Thank you.” The appreciation was reciprocated as fans cheered him into his two closing songs. “Vermont loves you, Noah,” Macdonald said.

CULTURE

Classical duo strikes a chord at UVM Sophia Duplin sduplin@uvm.edu

As musicians tuned their instruments, classical music lovers and Lane Series regulars filed in for an unforgettable performance. Cellist Matt Haimovitz and pianist Simone Dinnerstein performed Oct. 11 in the UVM Recital Hall. As part of the Lane Series, a Friday night concert series presented by UVM, the cello and piano duo kicked off the classical performances for the season. Originally solo artists, Haimovitz said it has been a treat for the two of them, as well as their audiences, to hear this extraordinary duo together. “It’s great. She’s so sensitive, she can do anything,” Haimovitz said of Dinnerstein. “It’s such a pleasure.” Haimovitz and Dinnerstein each played solo pieces composed by Philip Glass. Glass has composed symphonies, operas and film scores that have gained him popularity in the music world. Hamovits played Partita No. 2 for Solo Cello and Dinnerstein played Mad Rush for Solo Piano. Lynn Paparella, executive director and CEO for Stowe Performing Arts, raved about this performance during intermission. “It was the most sensuous thing I’ve ever heard,” Pararella said. “It was jarring in a sense.” Other audience members were captivated at how physical and emotive the performance was, like senior Madison McNamara.

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

Cellist Matt Haimovitz (Left) and pianist Simone Dinnerstein (Right) rehearse before their performance in the UVM Recital Hall, Oct. 11. Dinnerstein has performed with ensembles such as the London Symphony Orchestra, and Haimovitz made his debut with the Israel Philharmonic at age 13. “The emotion just bleeds through,” MacNamara said. “They’re not up there just playing music, they’re actively participating in it and engaging the audience.” Glass originally composed Partita No. 2 for Solo Cello for his girlfriend, who plays the cello, and he cast this piece away into a filing cabinet for seven years upon their breakup. Later, while Haimovitz was growing in fame and notoriety, Glass asked the cellist to read and debut the piece.

“He wanted me to premier his second cello concerto, he sort of just picked me,” Haimovitz said. “And then we became very close.” Natalie Neuert, director of the Lane Series said Glass is known for repetition. “It forces your brain to listen for the slight variations in the repetition,” Neuert said. “It’s like a musical mantra.” Haimovitz’s energy and expressions could be observed through the movement in his face, body and bouncing of his

hair with every note. Dinnerstein’s expertise was revealed after she performed a 20-minute solo with her eyes closed nearly the entire time. “Her eyes were closed but her facial expressions gave an entirely new dimension to the performance,” McNamara said. “It was like she was in a room all by herself, pouring out all of her emotions through the music.” The artists were praised with standing ovations, and excitement for their performance continued when

they came out for an encore, performing “The Orchard” by Glass. McNamara said the show left her in awe of this marvelous duo. Haimovitz and Dinnerstein have gained several new fans in themselves and in the composers they presented. “I was definitely not a Philip Glass fan before this concert, and I didn’t really know who the artists were either,” McNamara said. “But that’s totally changed. Their music is definitely going to stay on my radar.”

The good, bad and “meh” of “Love, Death & Robots” Allie O’Connor aoconno8@uvm.edu

here are not many corners of the entertainment industry where you can find intelligent yogurt, cyborg gangs and a healthy dose of nihilism all wrapped up neatly. However, in a recent short form, mostly animated series, Netflix has collected all that and more into “Love, Death & Robots.” The anthology has 18 episodes, 16 of which were adapted from short stories, and displays Netflix’s unabashed willingness to push into the bizarre. With another season on Netflix’s horizon, let’s take a spoiler-free look at a breakdown of the episodes from this season. Here’s a guide to those that are good, bad and just plain “meh.”

Good Episode: “Sonnie’s Edge” I’m not really one to get pulled into the throes of a plot twist. This episode, however, threw me for the wildest loop and is hands down my favorite of the series. The story of Sonnie, an up-andcoming fighter in a grotesque

COLE FEKERT

and jaw-droppingly violent arena where contenders battle via genetically engineered monsters, is compelling, action-packed and just as brutal as you’d expect. The depth with which viewers are thrust into a dystopian society is breathtaking, which in contrast makes the distance that the short keeps between the viewer and Sonnie’s backstory all the more intriguing. With that in mind, the story’s ending is the most satisfying revenge story on Netflix.

Bad Episode: “Beyond the Aquila Rift” Though this episode admittedly isn’t the worst of the series, it was certainly the most disappointing. In another beautifully photorealistic romp, the story of a spaceship’s crew who traveled light-years off course had several moments of genuine emotion and amazing cinematography that should have bumped it onto the good episodes list. And don’t get me wrong, this episode does an amazing job of adapting my own personal nightmare of the unending void of outer space and all of its horrors into a mostly well-paced exploration of the questions of universe. However, what could be one of the best plot twists in the series was dampened by a long sex scene in the middle. Any and all momentum the story had screeched to a halt for a gratuitous interlude of sex that tries very hard to get itself out of the uncanny valley to little avail.

Meh Episode: “The Witness” The story of a woman running for her life after witnessing a murder features a brilliant and unique art style at best but doesn’t offer much plot-wise. While the plot twist does garner some interest, it almost feels like it’s too little, too late. It’s disappointing that an art style as vibrant as this episode’s is set against a plot that doesn’t consist of anything as interesting. What we see of the episode’s world is beautiful down to the last detail. Yet, the pacing in which we see it is so frantic that I spent more time watching the background than the events of the short, which as I said, is mostly running and screaming. Read the full story online at vtcynic.com

Allie O’Connor is a junior and Assistant Culture Editor. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.

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CULTURE

Sladers live sustainably together Christa Guzman cdguzman@uvm.edu

String lights illuminated the walls and people huddled into any free space they could ﬁnd as musicians, poets and storytellers took the stage. Students ﬂock to the Slade Coffee Haus every other Thursday night for an open mic. Slade Ecological Co-op, an off campus housing option for students, was founded as a way for student activists to form a community based in sustainability. After being on campus for 46 years, Slade moved off-campus and into downtown Burlington with UVM’s help and permission. According to Slade’s website, Slade Hall was built in 1921, and was in need of renovation in 2013. Slade was established in 1971 as UVM’s environmental-themed living community before establishing itself in Slade Hall on Redstone campus in 1979. The program was originally referred to as UVM’s Environmental Theme House. The name was eventually changed to Slade Environmental Co-op and is now Slade Ecological Co-op. Slade has kept its traditional practices similar to how they have run for years. Members hold open mics and make decisions by group consensus.

JENNY KOPPANG/The Vermont Cynic

Senior Clay Maroney (Left) and junior Courtney Smith (Right) perform at Slade Cooperative’s Coffee Haus, Oct. 10. Slade, an off-campus housing option for students, was founded as a way for student activists to form a community based in sustainability. Slade is now located on 315 Maple St. Their goal is to live sustainably, and what they eat is influenced by that goal. They buy sustainable food local to Vermont and have grown vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and squash this summer. Junior Mia Vaccaro is a member of the Slade community and said she enjoys the process of feeding the community.

“There’s a certain sense of purpose I feel when I’m cooking dinner for my whole house using ingredients from local farms that we’ve built relationships with over time,” Vaccaro said. Students who live at Slade take the time to cook together ﬁve nights a week. Their cooking crew starts at 5 p.m Monday through Thursday and at 4 p.m on Sundays. Outsiders can join them

for dinner at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at at 6 p.m. on Sunday nights. These dinners are open to anyone in the community. Slade is passionate about sustainability but it also puts a lot of focus into the arts and music. This is displayed on the walls of its home. Paintings and photographs hanging around make it look like a museum. They regularly put on events

such as Spacious Porch, which is an outdoor concert series. Spacious Porch and Coffee Haus both alternate every Thursday. The next Coffee Haus will be Oct. 17. At a recent Coffee Haus, some cuddled onto couches, others slinked into bean bag chairs. Slade prides itself for always aiming to be a positive environment. Junior Cobalt Tolbert is a regular attendee of Coffee Haus. “The environment at Slade is always super welcoming,” Tolbert said. “It is always a warm and inviting and you can see how passionate Slade is about the arts and sustainability.” Junior Sophie Berg is a current member of Slade. “I think Slade can be an especially important space for underclassmen who crave a home-cooked meal or somewhere to hang out off campus,” Berg said. The application to apply to Slade is located on their website, sladecoop.wordpress.com. Slade’s website states: “The plans and hopes of the Co-op’s current Sladers are to begin building a network of student co-ops in Burlington and UVM that can make living as a student more affordable, sustainable and fun. We’re doing pretty well so far.”

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Development team joins Frisbee Maryann Makosiej mmakosie@uvm.edu

UVM’s men’s Ultimate Frisbee program has added a third team to its roster, but the team has an uncertain future. Ultimate Frisbee at UVM, is split between men and women. Sophomore Natalie Connor said the three women’s teams, collectively called “Ruckus,” are split into an A, B and C level. For the men, there has traditionally been an A team and a B team but no C team. The collective men’s teams are known as “Team Chill.” This year a new development, or D, team, meant for players who sit between an A and B-playing ability, was created to fill the void of no men’s C team. Players are loosely placed into teams based on ability. The A team consists of the best frisbee players and has the most intense time commitment whilethe C team is meant for players to just have fun, according to their website. Sophomore Sam Hare Steig, who played on the men’s A team last year, said the program is dedicated to creating a strong team but doesn’t know if the new men’s D team will succeed. “They’re really serious about building a good team,” Hare Steig said. “I’m intrigued to see how it will play out.” Officially started in New Jersey in 1969 and begun at UVM in 1986, the sport is often seen as a fun alternative to more official athletics, according to the women’s team website. Connor has been playing

MAC MANSFIELD-PARISI/The Vermont Cynic

Members of the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team practice on an intramural field on campus, Oct. 10. Ultimate Frisbee officially started in 1969 and began at UVM in 1986, according to the women’s team’s website. since high school and joined the women’s B team during her first year. “Ultimate Frisbee is different because it draws a certain kind of person who is generally weird and funny,” Connor said. “We aren’t super competitive people. It feels good to win, but it’s not what we do it for.” Sophomore Liza Bryan said many aspects of the sport, especially the emphasis on well-rounded athleticism and use of a Frisbee, make it unique.

For example, the players have to be their own referees, she said. “Frisbee has no official judges,” Bryan said.” As a player, you have to know what’s right or wrong on the field.” Tournaments are governed by a basic philosophy called Spirit of the Game which relies on the individual responsibility of fair play, according to Ultimate USA, which is the national governing body for the sport. At even the highest levels of

play, there is no referee or official to settle contested moves– it’s up to the players to decide. Though practice schedules vary for each of the six Frisbee teams, the average is two to three times a week. The official competition season is in the spring with four serious tournaments. Most teams travel to a few tournaments in the fall for practice and community. The next competition, the Lobster Pot, is Oct. 19-20 in

South Portland, Maine. Bryan joined off-handedly after playing Frisbee with an Ultimate player. “The program is so big because of its welcoming nature,” Bryan said. “We take anyone and you feel like you don’t need to be good at Frisbee to be accepted.” Hare Steig said the team becomes a family. “People join for the exercise but they stay for the community,” he said.

MATCHES TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS MONTH WEEK OF OCT. 13-19 Men’s Soccer

Women’s Ice Hockey

Men’s Ice Hockey

Cross Country

vs. Colgate 7 p.m. Oct. 15 Home Virtue Field

vs. UNH 6 p.m. Oct. 18 Home Gutterson Fieldhouse

vs. Clarkson 7 p.m. Oct. 18 Away Potsdam, NY

Fall Foliage Invitational 1 p.m. Oct. 19 Away St. Albans, VT

WEEK OF OCT. 20-26 Women’s Soccer

Swimming & Diving

Field Hockey

Men’s Ice Hockey

vs. Stonybrook 1 p.m. Oct. 20 Home Virtue Field

vs. UNH 11 a.m. Oct. 20 Away Durham, NH

vs. UNH 3 p.m. Oct. 25 Home Moulton Winder Field

vs. UMaine 7:05 p.m. Oct. 25 Home Gutterson Field