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LIFE pg. 13: yoga day trains new meditative masters
See article on pg. 8
PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic (Top) Students painted letters to be displayed at SpringFest. (Bottom, left to right) Crowd watches artists in Jeffords Lot. Bibi Bourelly performs at event.
Police documentations in Coolidge have decreased Erika B. Lewy Assistant News Editor Joey Waldinger Staff Writer When a resident of Coolidge hall discharged a fire extinguisher on Feb. 18, ResLife directed police to do walks, director of ResLife Rafael Rodriguez said. The number of police documentations in Coolidge reached their highest in February. The fire extinguisher incident was one of 11 times police were called to respond to an incident in Coolidge, according UVM police’s crime and safety log. The number of documentations has decreased since the February peak. Police were called to Coolidge four times in the month of April, according to the log. “Police presence alone can’t be credited with this change, but the holistic approach has worked,” Rodriguez said. In February, ResLife directed UVM police to begin directed, targeted enforcement in Coolidge after a pattern of vandalism and marijuana use, Rodriguez said. UVM police and the Burlington Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in
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Coolidge at 1 a.m. Feb 18. Someone had used a fire extinguisher in the stairwell, according to the police report. The building was evacuated for a few hours while a cleaning crew cleaned up the dry chemicals from the extinguisher from the stairwell, according to the report. Following this incident, the Assistant Residence Director Janine Silvis and Payne Hiraldo, the assistant director for residence education, asked for “intentional and directed police presence,”Rodriguez said. “The behavior had escalated to a level of true concern,” he said. “The support needed in Coolidge was beyond the scope of the resident advisor role.” Four days before the fire extinguisher was discharged, police were called to Coolidge after someone had pushed a blunt under Silvis’ door. When police interviewed her, Silvis said her room had been vandalised numerous times over the course of the semester. Her name placard was ripped from her door, and someone had put chewing gum on her door handle earlier in the semester, according to the police report. Following the dispatch of the fire extinguisher, a few
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AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic The gap between the floor and doors in Coolidge are pictured. A resident put a blunt underneath the door in February. more instances of vandalism occurred. Someone smashed a handicap sign into pieces, according to the police reports. “ResLife staff responded to three incidents of vandalism that included targeting of a staff member living in the building within a week’s time in late January,” Rodriguez
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stated in an email. “There was also an increase in marijuana smell in the community.” Beyond this police presence, facilitating community circles and changing the schedule of RA walks have all made the dorm a safer place for residents, said Rodriguez. However, four Coolidge
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residents living on the first and third floors said they had not been invited to a community circle or meeting about the police presence. Sophomore Vanessa Palermo said she and other students were unhappy with
Coolidge Continues on pg. 3
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NEWS
rumpdates
What has 45 been tweeting this week?
In a May 1 interview with SiriusXM, President Donald Trump wondered aloud whether the Civil War could have been “worked out� and whether Andrew Jackson could have prevented it. Andrew Jackson died 16 years prior to the beginning of the war.
NEWS
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UVM aids in leukemia research Chloe Chaobal Senior Staff Writer
CAROLINE SLACK/The Vermont Cynic The entrance to the UVM Medical Center, the largest hospital in the state. The Medical Center will expand its treatment of addiction.
Medical Center ups community outreach Joey Waldinger Staff Writer The largest hospital in Vermont is working to improve its relationship with the community it serves. The UVM Medical Center is expanding the scope of their services and increasing their efforts to care for patients before they arrive, said Eileen Whalen, president of the Medical Center. “If we commit to community intervention, then the health of the community is going to improve,” Whalen said. Rise Vermont, a partnership between the UVM Medical Center and Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans, is one interventive measure. Focusing on addiction and obesity, Rise Vermont is a community coalition that looks at primary prevention, Whalen said. “We have seen really excellent early results, and our goal is to take this initiative statewide,” she said. Hospitals around the country have developed their own methods of combatting addiction, though many do so
Coolidge Continued from pg. 1 the hall. Sophomore Lauren Bird was one of the students who signed the petition. Bird said she was frustrated that her hall was getting targeted for activities—like drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana—that happen in every dorm on campus. “The building already isn’t working,” she said. “I don’t think a student is causing it. It’s the fact that it’s a terrible building in general.” Aside from signs that say the building is getting renovated and the hallways are getting painted, Bird hasn’t noticed any significant improvements in the building’s state, she said. Two Redstone campus RAs, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said residents vandalize the building and don’t take care of the hall because
by training recovery coaches and peer educators that interact with patients, said Karen Donelan, a medical researcher. Distributing Naloxone, a medicine that blocks the effects of opioids and is used to treat overdoses, to fire and police departments is another measure many hospitals take, said Donelan. Hospitals, however, have to identify problems in the community, like addiction, before they can address them, said Donelan. Many hospitals have begun to look at the social determinants of health, she said. The UVM Medical Center conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years, which helps the hospital identify areas of focus, according to the Medical Center’s website. CHNA’s findings, such as the fact that access to healthy food is the most pressing health concern in Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties, informs some of the services offered at the Medical Center, said Whalen. “MIND-ful Eating for Brain Health,” which teaches attendees how to avoid Alzheimer’s the living conditions are bad. Coolidge has a reputation of being a run-down building for partiers. Residents, upset with the living conditions, don’t feel obliged to take care of the building, the RAs said. Before Sophomore Gillian Greene moved into Coolidge at the beginning of last semester, had heard that living conditions would be gross, she said. Greene and her roommates didn’t want to live there, she said. “We were all really not trying to live in Coolidge, but it was the last space available on Redstone,” she said. Clogged toilets, overflowing showers, broken screens and mold are some of the issues residents face, Bird said. Bird was infuriated to live in such horrid conditions while paying the same as students who live in WDW or University Heights, she said. Though Greene had been
disease by changing their diet, is one of the many community health classes the Medical Center offers throughout the year, according to the Medical Center website. Other classes include “In Our Own Voice,” which is an open forum for people with mental illness to share their stories, and “Evening Yoga,” according to the Medical Center website. Similar complementary medicine programs, such as reiki and massage therapy, are springing up at hospitals across the county, Donelan said. However, she noted another widespread medicinal trend affecting the Medical Center’s operations: the burnout among physicians and nurses. A recently launched investigation into whether the Medical Center is lawfully respecting patient rights is based on complaints by licensed nursing assistants, who for months have complained of being overworked and understaffed, according to a March 16 VT Digger article. Effective LNAs are important because they help lift the burden off of nurses, said
sophomore Kate Amrein, a nursing student.. When nurses are overwhelmed with patients, the quality of care suffers, Amrein said. “I think a lot of careless mistakes occur because you’re trying to go faster and get meds quicker, and you’re not checking patients as diligently as you should,” she said. The over-exhaustion of nurses and LNAs has also had an impact on her education, Amrein said. Some nurses that Amrein have shadowed change occasionally change their methods to save time, she said. “As a result, a lot of the things that we’re learning about in school aren’t quite translating to the workplace,” Amrein said. Though Whalen’s office recognizes and respects the right of LNAs to organize under guidelines set up by federal law, it does not believe there is a need for further unionization, stated Whalen’s assistant Mike Noble in an email on behalf of the president’s office.
AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic A stairwell in Coolidge Hall. Some students believe mold is growing on the walls and consider the building unsafe. frustrated by the disrepair of the building, she had never felt unsafe, she said. Rodriguez, however, cited student safety as one of the main reasons that police were directed to do rounds in the first place. Now that the year is wind-
ing down, some residents are happy to be moving out. “Everyone that lives in Coolidge should get their money back,” Bird said. “To pay as much as I do to go to this school, and I’m also paying extra to be constantly monitored? No thanks.”
UVM contributed to a study that may lead to more effective research to treat leukemia. “It’s decades of work,” said professor Seth Frietze, who worked on the study in partnership with scientists from other American universities. “This scientific effort is extremely collaborative,” Frietze said. “A lot of old-school scientists work in little silos, but we come together.” The main goal of the project was to understand the association between different genes and leukemia, a cancer that affects blood and bone marrow, he said. “It’s an exciting time to be a part of biomedical research,” Frietze said. “You can make progress in our fundamental understanding of disease.” Many studies on leukemia observe basic pathways of cells, said Dr. Alan Homans, who specializes in cancer at the UVM Medical Center. “Part of it is just the joy of basic science in trying to figure out how things work,” Homans said. “We never quite know where those discoveries are going to lead.” Information gained from the study can help scientists identify different types of leukemia as well as different treatments, Frietze said. The study showed a relationship between a protein and the survival rate of patients with leukemia. Patients with high levels of this protein, called STAT5, had a lower survival rate, he said. Researchers can use this study to develop new treatments for leukemia, Frietze said. “This is the beginning of a process of translating results into something that’s clinically meaningful,” Frietze said. Some of the information gained from basic research may not be used for years, Homans said. “The research may never pay off for the patients I’m seeing in my lifetime, “ Homnas said. “But they may have amazing payoff somewhere.” Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for almost one out of three cancers in children, according to the American Cancer Society. “Everybody is impacted by cancer in some shape or form,” first-year pre-med student Emma Golden. When Golden was seven, her friend died of cancer. Since then, Golden has aspired to be a doctor, she said. There could be people we interact with everyday that are dealing with cancer and we don’t even know, Homans said. “This research could save the person you love,” Homans said. “This could save your children. This could save your parents. This could save you.”
NEWS
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Retiring professor finishes project John Riedel Senior Staff Writer As his last year of teaching ends, one UVM professor says he has brought his studies full circle with his latest published biography. Political science professor Garrison Nelson is retiring at the end of this semester, and has ended his 49-year career at UVM with a biography on U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John McCormack. “John William McCormack: A Political Biography” was published March 23 and looks at the secret life McCormack, who served as speaker of the house from 1962 to 1971, Nelson said. From Nelson’s beginning at UVM to his retirement, hisresearch on McCormack has brought his time here together, Nelson said. “McCormack’s plan was to conceal as much of his life as possible,” he said. McCormack lied about being Irish, Nelson said. He also lied about being 13 when his father passed away. “His mother was born in Boston, and his father was born in Canada and he’s a Scot,” he said. “To make it in Boston you had to be Irish, so John cooked up this huge lie to get elected.” McCormack’s father didn’t die when he was 13 but left the family, Nelson said. McCormack found out his father was alive through relatives living in Dorchester, Massachusetts, he said. “He [hid] this by becoming
Brandon Arcari Senior Staff Writer
MOLLY O’SHEA/The Vermont Cynic Political Science professor Garrison Nelson. Nelson will be retiring from UVM at the end of this semester, after 49 years of teaching after publishing a book he began at his career’s start. the most boring man in Washington,” Nelson said. “However, he had to conceal this his entire life.” McCormack never drank or cheated on his wife, so no one would be interested in looking into his personal life, Nelson said. McCormack’s father actually died in Maine when McCormack was 37, not 13, he said. Nelson’s research into McCormack’s life began in Washington D.C. in 1968, Nelson said. He met McCormack in 1968, just after Nelson had been hired by UVM, Nelson said. He was in Washington working on his dissertation. “I was escorted to his office, a beautiful huge office with a huge chandelier,” he
said. McCormack sat down with Nelson and offered him a cigar, Nelson said. “So there I am, 26-yearsold in the office of the Committee Speaker with a cigar puffing away,” he said. They talked about committee assignments, which led Nelson to do some research into the committee assignment process, he said. “Ultimately I compiled 150,000 committee assignments and seven volumes came out between 1993 and 2010,” Nelson said. Then, Nelson went on to write a book in the early 2000s about the amount of house speakers from Texas and Massachusetts, he said. “Earlier than that I made a
connection with Eddie McCormack in 1995,” Nelson said. Eddie was John McCormack’s nephew. He suggested nelson write a book about John, he said Eddie McCormack gave him six boxes of personal belongings of the late speaker’s, from these documents Nelson discovered the truth, he said. “I got turned down by 11 publishers because McCormack was boring,” he said. “He was deliberately boring.” Nelson has taught over 13,000 students at UVM. He helped many undergraduates publish articles as well, he said. He most enjoyed teaching undergraduate students and help shaping their education, Nelson said.
Bill could remove lawmakers from board Lucy Bisselle Staff Writer A bill to remove current lawmakers from UVM’s board of trustees is being reviewed by the Vermont House of Representatives Committee on Education. Rep. Adam Greshin, Rep. James Condon, Rep. Linda Myers and Rep. Oliver Olson proposed a bill to change the structure of the UVM’s board. The bill is designed to bring in UVM alumni to increase resources for the university. “My thought for this bill is that the board should better represent the UVM community at large,” Greshin said. The UVM board currently consists of 25 members: nine members chosen by the VT legislature, nine members appointed by the board, three governor appointees, two students, Gov. Phil Scott and President Tom Sullivan, according to UVM’s website. “The biggest concern among critics of this bill is that UVM is a state university, and it should have a public voice on the board,” Greshin said. SGA Vice President Nicole Woodcock raised her concerns about the bill. “Because UVM is a public institution, the presence of Vermont state legislators seems practical,” Woodcock
Walk raises awareness for Autism
MOLLY O’SHEA/The Vermont Cynic The Vermont State House. Bill H.41 would remove sitting legislators as members of the UVM board of trustees. said. “I think further research on what would happen without the presence of legislators is necessary so that the most informed decision can be made.” SGA operates closely with the board of trustees, so any changes to the board should involve opinions of the student body, said SGA President Chris Petrillo. “We feel it is imperative that the state legislature have representation in the board of trustees for the state’s flagship academic institution,” Petrillo said. This is a credible concern because with the reduction or
elimination of legislation you have a reduction or elimination of the public voice, Greshin said. This voice has diminished since UVM became a public institution in 1955, and the state funds now account for only 7 percent of UVM’s current operating budget, he said. “It seems odd to me that the legislature and the governor should have a majority of board seats, but a small minority of the budget,” Greshin said. The main reason for the bill is that freeing up positions on the board would allow UVM to bring in talented alumni from
the private sector, he said. “There’s a much wider universe to choose from,” Greshin said, “so having flexibility on the board to put smart people with good ideas, strategic insight and access to capital is critical for the University.” Junior Stevie Hunter said she is suspicious of getting rid of all public representation from UVM, as Vermonters are already underrepresented. “I think it would hurt students, staff and faculty of UVM to get rid of all lawmakers from the board of trustees,” Hunter said. A decrease in the number of state legislators seems reasonable, but barring them seems sudden and extreme, she said. Expanding the number of private board members would create greater opportunities for students and make UVM a more competitive university, Greshin said. “From a student standpoint, you wouldn’t notice anything different on a day to day basis,” he said. “But over time this bill should bring greater insight, resources and geographic diversity to the student body.” The bill is currently still in committee and will probably not move forward from the committee until sometime next year, he said.
Braving the rain and cold, senior Sheila Cruz led walkers from the Davis Center to City Hall to raise autism awareness. Cruz said she wanted to lead the first ever autism walk on UVM’s campus, and that it served as a senior year project for her. She fundraised and credited the support of groups including Teach for America and the Mosaic Center for Students of Color for her success, she said. The group of about 40 advocates could be heard chanting rallying calls as they walked downtown on April 30. Autism awareness walks work to raise money and destigmatize autism. The funds raised by attendees will be donated to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation, said Cruz. Cruz was inspired to become an early education and special education double major after her nephew was diagnosed with autism, she said. The walk culminated in a speech given by junior Jordan Quiles, who has autism. Cruz met Quiles at the racial aikido retreat held by the Mosaic Center. She was blown away by how he spoke about his autism, she said. Quiles spoke about his upbringing, and credited his mother’s hard work in helping him defy expectations and attend college. “We need people who will fight to challenge the stigma around autism,” he said. “Doctors said I wouldn’t speak or go to school, but here I am at a great university.” The UVM Medical Center’s Vermont Center for Children, Youth and Families, a subdivision of the department of psychiatry, has an Autism Assessment Clinic, directed by Dr. James “Jim” Hudziak. Hudziak is the director of the Wellness Environment and a licensed psychiatrist in the pediatrics department. “The Vermont family-based approach is our way of helping family members help each other,” said Hudziak in a 2014 Vermont Center for Children Youth and Families video. “Our research has shown that when a child struggles, the entire family struggles. The clinic opened in 2010 and partnered with the Vermont Child Development Clinic, which links families of children who are diagnosed on the autism spectrum with appropriate follow-up care and service connections. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to many conditions defined by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences, according to Autism Speaks, a charity that works to raise awareness and funding regarding autism.
OPINION
The importance of multiple truths EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Kelsey Neubauer editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Bryan O’Keefe newsroom@vtcynic.com Assistant Managing Editor Mariel Wamsley newsroomassistant@ vtcynic.com OPERATIONS Operations Manager Ryan Thornton operations@vtcynic.com Advertising Manager Cole Wangsness ads@vtcynic.com EDITORIAL Arts Benjamin Elfland arts@vtcynic.com B-Side Margaret Richardson bside@vtcynic.com Copy Chief Lindsay Freed copy@vtcynic.com
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Staff Editorial
veryone at UVM– from residents all the way up through administrators in Student Affairs– needs to be talking more about what does and does not work in Residential Life. These conversations have been happening for a while. Folks in the residential life sphere as well as those higher up in the University administration work tirelessly alongside students to create the most inclusive and safe homes for students on campus. The role of residential life is not to allow frequent partying that disrupts the foundation of a safe, happy and healthy home. In fact, its role is just the opposite — if one was to walk into any residential hall at any time there would be multiple bulletin boards stressing four cornerstones: community engagement, health and well-being, diversity and inclusion, and academic success. These are the cornerstones
that guide RAs, professional residential life staff and residential life administration each day. Their purpose in coming to work everyday is to help every student develop these. These folks have the hardest and possibly most important jobs on campus. At the same time, residents need to be given enough space to establish themselves in their own identities as college students without feeling perpetually uncomfortable in their own homes. We need to arrive at a place where everyone can recognize the need for staff to prioritize safety and order within residential halls, while also allowing students to grow and exist in an environment that does not feel suffocating or militaristic. This is a conversation that is happening around the country, albeit in a more serious context. What role does policing have in our communities? At what point does policing become counterpro-
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ductive? We do not claim to know the answers, but we call on the community to start creating an environment where everyone on this campus feels comfortable where they are, and has the ability to thrive in their own space. We call upon the University to include all community members in defining what safe and comfortable homes mean. In order to find a solution that accomplishes this, the University must recognize that multiple truths exist within residential halls. 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.
The door of the current Cynic editor-in-chief during her time as a resident adviser.
Enterprise Erika B. Lewy enterprise@vtcynic.com Layout Kira Bellis layout@vtcynic.com Life Greta Bjornson life@vtcynic.com Multimedia William Dean Wertz media@vtcynic.com News Olivia Bowman news@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com Photo Phillip Carruthers Max McCurdy photo@vtcynic.com Social Media Liv Jensen socialmedia@vtcynic.com Sports Eribert Volaj sports@vtcynic.com Video Molly O’Shea video@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Ariana Arden (Opinion), Bridget Higdon (Arts), Locria Courtright (Sports), Erika B. Lewy (News), Lily Keats (Layout), Karolyn Moore (Copy), Izzy Siedman (Life) Page Designers Tiana Crispino, Eileen O’Connor, Ed Taylor Copy Editors Brandon Arcari, Hunter Colvin, Michelle Derse Lowry, Rae Gould, Adrianna Grinder, Linnea Johnson, Kira Nemeth, George Seibold, Meline Thebarge ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
ALYSSA HANDELMAN
ResLife prioritizes the safety of residents Letter to the Editor
D
ear Editor, Recently, the issue of police presence in the residence halls has received much attention. Despite numerous interviews and discussions, coverage has failed to capture the complexity and challenges involved in ensuring the health and safety of our students. Genuinely, I am appreciative of the willingness of our students to share concerns and request clarity regarding our policies and practices. Not only is it one’s right as a student, but a responsibility. As an individual holding multiple identities, among them Latino, cisgendered male, and director, I am extremely appreciative of the parallels some have drawn as it relates to our current national context and climate and the impact police presence may have in a community. This reality personally resonates with me as I often find myself navigating what feels like very different worlds based on my physical location, in which bias, both off and on-campus, shapes and frames my experience. In upholding our responsibility to ensure the health and safety of our students and
staff, we are often responding to multiple and competing needs and expectations. Our challenge is to respond to issues and concerns in a balanced manner. Allow me to provide additional context missing in recent articles and clarify some of the misconceptions. In Coolidge Hall, Residential Life staff responded to 3 incidents of vandalism that included targeting of a staff member living in the building within a weeks’ time in late January. There were also increased reports of marijuana odor in the community. In response, two community circles took place with residents of Coolidge 2 and 3 on two separate occasions to address the vandalism and behavior in the community and to allow students to share the impact the of these incidents. Again, within a span of four days in February, another targeted vandalism event took place and in addition, a fire extinguisher was discharged in the Coolidge stairwell resulting in the evacuation of the entire building at 4:00 a.m. The evacuation lasted for some time until the hazardous material was cleared. At this juncture after much consideration, Residential Life
staff, specifically the Assistant Director and Assistant Residence Directors decided to request intentional and directed police presence in Coolidge Hall as the behavior had escalated to a level of true concern. The support needed in Coolidge was beyond the scope of the RA role. In addition to support from Police Services, RA community walk times were adjusted. Furthermore, RAs were asked to facilitate community circles in March to further discuss the ongoing issues and explain the role and presence of Police Services in the building. As you can see, the request for Police Service’s support was about more than responding to drugs. As I mentioned earlier, students, staff, and parents have multiple and competing expectations of us. In this case, students and staff were being impacted by ongoing negative behavior. Residential Life staff work with students, RAs, and staff to address issues that arise in the community. The Residence Director/ Assistant Residence Director work with the RAs to engage students and to resolve issues that arise. If Residential Life staff
begin to recognize a pattern of concerning behavior or issues that cause a significant negative impact on the community, the Residence Director/ Assistant Residence Director develop a comprehensive response plan. This plan can, but does not always include, reaching out to Police Services and requesting intentional and directed presence in the community. Intentional and directed response is not the first response nor does it occur in isolation without any other interventions. For all of these reasons, the frequency of police presence in the halls is far from consistent but rather limited in scope and frequency based on the specifics of the incident and/or patterns of incidents. I hope this provides additional insight into the thoughtful process for determining how and when we solicit the support of Police Services in the halls. I am happy to report that incidents in Coolidge have decreased significantly after our comprehensive response. Respectfully, Rafael Rodriguez Director, Residential Life
OPINION
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UVM ignores Converse residential concerns
I
Mo Quigg
f you have a car on campus, you must know how convenient it is that UVM provides parking lots for each dorm, especially given the hefty price students are made to pay for them. If you live in Converse, however, you are granted no such luxury. In fact, Converse students have been suffering all year from a myriad of problems UVM has not only caused, but refuses to acknowledge. This past winter, the main walkways of the dorm were not shoveled, not even when Burlington boasted over two feet of snow. Instead, students had to plow their way through mounds of the freezing stuff, resulting in wet socks and bad moods. Most dorms have a trash disposal area on each floor to keep rooms and communities tidy and comfortable. Converse residents must trek all the way to the basement, often to find the trashcans and recycling bins overflowing. There is also a room containing an asbestos hazard that in the past has been left open for days at a time, which is a health and safety concern for many of Converse’s residents. For all these issues, there are only three residential advisers to hear and address concerns. As for the parking issue, Converse students pay over $300 — the same price that all
GENEVIEVE WINN students pay — for a parking lot that does not exist. Parking services and UVM decided Converse students must walk from either Gutterson Parking Garage or Trinity Campus to get home. This is a 10 to 15 minute walk depending on traffic and conditions. Imagine this walk with arms full of groceries or suitcases if one is traveling home for a break or a weekend. Converse residents are not allowed to park in the Given Lot, because the University claims there is not enough space. The people who clean
the building, as well as our residence director, are allowed to park in this lot. When asked about this situation UVM parking services said it could not give a discount to Converse students because it “needs to stay on budget,” and “all parking spaces are worth the same amount of money.” The latter is very clearly a lie, when students who park in Gutterson pay $115 for day and evening passes, and Gutterson has free parking for anyone during the day. If UVM tries to claim they charge Converse residents
over $200 just for overnight parking, they are admitting to robbing students. Typically, when the standard service from a company cannot be offered, the customer receives a discount. UVM parking services clearly does not understand this concept. Converse students were lied to about why they were not allowed to have a parking lot. UVM claimed construction workers using the space, though all they did was store a small amount of materials there that could have easily been put somewhere else.
In addition, the lot was transformed into an emergency docking bay for the hospital the second semester of this year. UVM and parking services have ignored our questions on this matter. As for parking services needing to stay on budget, this is not the responsibility of the students in any way. Many Converse residents did not choose to live in this dorm. We were forced in, due to random housing or a bad lottery number — a system entirely flawed in itself. We are grateful that UVM gave students living in Converse a discount on housing due to loud construction. Yet, we cannot sit back while other injustices are thrust upon us. Several people have emailed President Tom Sullivan, parking services and myriad of other members of the University staff. They haven’t received any responses. Not only are we being ignored, but we are being downright neglected. UVM pretends to foster equality among students, a successful academic environment, mental health and happiness, but when the University is standing in the way of these things, it chooses to ignore the problem, and let students suffer on its behalf. Mo Quigg is a sophomore art history and Latin double major. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.
How the meat industry contributes to water scarcity
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Lily Spechler
magine an America in which you are insecure about your source of freshwater, like so many people are around the world. To be specific, 783 million people do not have freshwater access, according to the United Nations. Now, imagine a world where you choose to be a responsible consumer and live a healthier, slightly richer and water secure life. Which one sounds like a better reality? Just because today you have the ability to turn a facet and be confident in the fact that the water is safe to drink, does not mean that luxury will always exist. In fact, if we don’t change our ways as consumers, it most definitely will not. The situation has grown so dire, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence now ranks water scarcity as a major threat to national security alongside terrorism, according to the news organization The Hill. The dangers are largely underground and out of sight. They are in systems that are likely to break down or spread contaminants lead, according to the article. The meat industry is one of the leading causes of water scarcity and a contributor to
climate change. Currently, we have the luxury of walking into any grocery store and buying whatever we want, and because of this freedom we lose sight of the power behind our decisions. The USDA reports that agriculture is responsible for 80 to 90 percent of U.S. Water Consumption. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an animal rights organization. It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce just one pound of meat, but it takes just 25 gallons to grow one pound of wheat. Nearly half of all the water used in the U.S. goes to raising animals for food. We are completely disconnected from the impacts of our choices. With water scarcity on the perpetual rise, perhaps it is time to take ownership. Every single decision consumers make plays into the possibility of averting this crisis. We live in a world where the economy fluctuates based on the spending habits of the people. Since the Trump administration has shown little, if any, understanding of the severity of water scarcity and climate change, it is time to work together and make changes from the bottom up. A single quarter-pound of beef contains six and half pounds of greenhouse gases,
SEBASTIAO HUNGEBUHLER according to PBS. Singularly that doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up to about 158 million tons of greenhouse gases per year. This is about the same as 34 coal-fired plants. Changing one’s diet is one of the most directly impactful ways an individual can help avert the impacts of climate change. Only 5 percent of water consumed in the U.S. is by private homes, compared to the 55 percent of water that consumed by animal agriculture, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. And to make matters worse, this precious water is going to support a culture of
wastefulness and diabetes. Sorry if this hurts anyone’s feelings, but being overweight is not a good thing. It has nothing to do with aesthetics. Though situations vary, of course, being overweight is largely a reflection of a poor diet. More than one-third of U.S adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S was $147 billion. The medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. Vegan lifestyles emit 50 percent less CO2 than meat diets, use one-eleventh the
amount of oil, one-thirteenth of the water, and use one-eighteenth of the land, according to PBS. We can use one acre of land to grow 250 pounds of meat, or 25,000 pounds of plant-based food. New studies also show that a vegetarian diet could mean saving about $750 dollars a year. In my humble opinion, making an effortless decision to change consumption habits will be far less stressful than navigating a world without water. As a consumer, the power lies in your wallet. Lily Spechler is a senior natural resources major. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2016.
OPINION
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Last meeting of the semester: 7:30 p.m. in Waterman 427
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Music, dancing and fa UVM for annual Sp Bridget Higdon Assistant Arts Editor
UVM students finally got to trade-in their heavy winter coats and knit hats for shorts and sunglasses this past Saturday at the University’s annual SpringFest celebration. After having their tickets checked, students entered the Jeffords parking lot, which had been transformed into a festival hosted by the UVM Program Board. The festival was centered around a stage and featured many other attractions including face painting, a beer garden and more. “We try to pick a band that will make as many students happy as possible,” said Mikaela Waters, a member of the Concert Committee for UPB. Attendees swarmed to the stage when they heard the first strums of a guitar. Soon after, they were bumping elbows and hips with friends and peers as they danced to the music. Navytrain, the winner of UVM’s Battle of the
Bands competition at Nectar’s back in March, performed first. The band Blossoms, an indie pop band from England, followed. “[Blossoms’] music was fun and served perfectly as background music to my game of corn hole,” first-year Ben St. George said. Bibi Bourelly took the stage next. The 22-year-old singer-songwriter sang songs from her EPs “Free The Real” Parts One and Two. Both EPs were released in 2016, according to an Interview Magazine article from July 2016. Bourelly is well-known for co-writing several songs on Rihanna’s most recent album “Anti,” including the hit song “Bitch Better Have My Money,” according to the article. “I am originally from Berlin, Germany” she told the crowd. “It’s party city. I wrote this song about Berlin.” The song, “Guitar,” received cheers and hoots from the audience. Bourelly also sang “Ballin,” “Poet” and “Perfect.” She moved about the stage and
interacted with ten. “We gotta sti know, as a socie fore performing “Bourelly had voice,” St. Georg lyrics sounded l schooler being t feelings about b tion for an ungr poetry assignm Before exitin late afternoon, B are the most lit for in the last six you, Vermont.” While all of th acts had perform filled sky, the su as soon as the m Door Cinema C about a half hou Wearing a Br a leather jacket
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ace painting return to pringFest concert her guitarists of-
ick together, you ety,” she said, beg her song “Riot.” d a wicked nice ge said, “but her like a middle told to use their boys as the inspiraraded experimental ment.” ng the stage in the Bourelly said, “You crowd I’ve played x months. Thank
he other musical med under a cloudun finally appeared main-feature, Two Club, took the stage ur later. reton-striped shirt, and sunglasses, lead-singer Alex Trimble grabbed the microphone and began to
sing “Cigarettes in the Theatre.” Two Door Cinema Club is an Irish indie rock band. Its three members include Trimble, Sam Halliday on lead guitar and Kevin Baird on bass. The band’s set lasted just over an hour. They performed hit songs like “What You Know,” “Undercover Martyn” and “Changing of the Seasons.” They also performed “Good Morning,” from their 2016 album, “Gameshow.’ “Two Door Cinema Club was perfect as a SpringFest band,” St. George said. “The lead singer looked like Bill Weasley disguised in sunglasses. He was a boss and carried the show.” Although the energy of the crowd was still vibrant, the show eventually had to come to an end. “This is our first time performing in Vermont,” Baird told the crowd before beginning the cords to the last song. “We spent the whole day on campus wondering what it would be like to be a student here.” After a loud and uproarious
closing, Two Door Cinema Club said goodbye to the SpringFest stage, leaving hundreds of students to wander back to their dorms humming the feel-good tunes to themselves. “It was a really great turn out,” said Waters. “We’re very excited about how it turned out.” “I went [to SpringFest] for Two Door Cinema Club, but really enjoyed the other bands,” first-year Emma Naprta said. “Some of the songs each of them chose were kind of slow, but who has the endurance to dance for five straight hours of dance-inducing songs?” she said. Liz Darnell, also a first-year, had a similar experience. “I thought the bands were really nice, and it was overall really enjoyable,” she said. “SpringFest is a good way to bring everyone together before finals.”
PHIL CARRUTHERS/ The Vermont Cynic Navytrain, Blossoms, Bibi Bourelly and Two Door Cinema Club perform at UVM SpringFest April 29.
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UVM grad displays his artwork downtown
Bridget Higdon Senior Staff Writer Large-scale, abstract paintings bring color and life to an otherwise empty fourth floor room at the Burlington City Arts Center on Church Street. The Vermont Metro Gallery not only boasts lake and mountain views, but also the impressive seven-piece solo art exhibit, “Heavy Smile,” by Justin Hoekstra, ‘12. During his last semester at UVM, Hoekstra was an artist in residence at the BCA Center. He completed graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2014. “Baltimore is hot and swampy compared to Burlington’s mountains and beautiful lake,” Hoekstra said, “but I could get lulled to sleep up here.” Hoekstra, originally from a Chicago suburb, now spends his time between Baltimore and Burlington, he said. “My art studio is a sacred space and its location is top-secret,” Hoekstra said. Hoekstra likes to keep the place where he does his painting separate from his home, he said. “I guess I grew up on Mr. Rogers,” Hoekstra said. “He had a separate place where he took off his shoes and put on his cardigan sweater, and I liked that idea.” Some of his work can shape up in two weeks and other pieces take a couple of years to complete, Hoekstra said. He works with acrylic paint on canvas and uses a sanding technique that leaves the surface of the painting smooth. The small holes in the paintings of his “Heavy Smile” exhibit are actually burns from the power sander he uses, Hoekstra said. “I decided to let them happen naturally,” he said. “I like watching people find [the holes] in the paintings. You are welcome to engage however you want.” A series of three paintings that hang on the far wall of the
KIRA BELLIS/ The Vermont Cynic Two of Justin Hoekstra’s “Heavy Smile” pieces are displayed in the Burlington City Arts Center. The exhibit is open to the public through July 9. Metro Gallery titled “Room Enough for Regret,” were painted in 2016 during Hoekstra’s fellowship at The Lighthouse Works on Fisher’s Island in New York, he said. Two of the works in the room were started and completed in Burlington this year, Hoekstra said. “Chunky on the Shore,” is one of the most recently completed paintings in the exhibit. Its bright colors and bold composition are a stark contrast to the room’s white walls. “Inspiration is not something I think about,” Hoekstra said. “I show up to work and think about and engage with the void we all come from and are headed towards.” The name of the exhibit, “Heavy Smile” was something
MAX MCCURDY/The Vermont Cynic The BCA building is pictured. Admission to the building is free and open to the public. Hoekstra came up with to describe how the paintings make sense together. “We still sort of, you know, participate in activities that
bring us joy in life, despite horrible circumstances,” he said. “We live in an age of panic and despair, yet we still smile.”
Visitors can view the exhibit April 21 through July 9. Admission to the BCA Center is free and open to the public.
Alumna starts business to promote local musicians Healy Fallon Senior Staff Writer
ELISE MITCHELL
With the ever-evolving role of technology plays in capturing life, the opportunities to share moments and communities are endless. Noise Ordinance, an up-and-coming website and production company that showcases the multiple faces of the Burlington music scene, is aiming to do exactly this. The project was started by Betsy Besser, ‘16. “I remember I would go through an entire day of classes, and then go out for like five hours to shoot shows, and then do the whole thing all over again,” Besser said. “It was exhausting, but I loved it.” During her time at UVM, Besser studied studio art and started UVM Challah for Hun-
ger, a club within UVM Hillel that raises funds for HungerFree Vermont and Mazon. Her philanthropic work on campus helped her obtain a better idea of her future career path. “I realized that I love to work with people,” Besser said. Noise Ordinance is self-described as responding to the sound of Burlington, Vermont. Both the title is a play on the typical responses that latenight basement concerts elicit from a disgruntled neighborhood, Besser said. The website was started one-year ago and initially only involved Besser. She now holds the dual title of Founder & Creative Director, and Noise Ordinance became an official business last month. Besser says that Noise Ordinance is designed to pro-
mote a wide variety of musical groups and acts from within the Burlington music scene to the broader public. The website features collaborative studio session videos with local artists like NavyTrain, J Bengoy and Iva Mae. Noise Ordinance has grown to include a small team of editors, videographers, a graphic designer and a talent buyer of various ages and backgrounds. “I want everyone’s input and all different types of tastes and preferences included in the work that we do,” Besser said. “I want to give a voice to people on both sides of the camera.”
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Student-run celebration mirrors Caribbean culture Anna Gibson Senior Staff Writer
Students gathered downtown to celebrate Latin and Caribbean culture in the spirit of an annual celebration observed on islands worldwide. Long before the spring warmth arrived, three student groups on campus were anticipating this celebratory wave and working hard to plan a colorful, festive and philanthropic event: Carnival. UVM’s Black Student Union, Vermont Students Toward Environmental Protection and the Living and Learning Center Caribbean House collaborated to pull off the annual Caribbean Carnival at North End Studios in downtown Burlington April 21. “Carnival is an annual event that takes place in cities worldwide. It is the most significant event on any islands’ cultural calendar,” said Jasmine Laurent, junior and Program Director of L/L’s Caribbean House. “It’s said that if the islanders are not celebrating it, then they are preparing for it.” The carnival’s impact extended farther still than solely cultural celebration. Additionally, the carnival was planned to generate zero waste in honor of this year’s Earth Week, Headley said. The space was decorated warmly with string lights, flags of Caribbean nations and large potted plants. The music was lively, with artists DJ Sandstorm and King Zae actively engaging the crowd on the
KIRA NEMETH dance floor. “Preparation for Carnival was no joke. For me, planning began in the summer time and did not stop,” Laurent said. About halfway through the evening, a group of six students took the floor to perform a fast-paced dance routine, choreographed by Laurent, to a mash-up of Caribbean reggae, soca and dancehall music. The carnival was catered by Jamaican Supreme Food
Truck, providing cuisine which was, to many, the highlight of the event. “My favorite part was the food. I do go home to Philadelphia for the school breaks but I haven’t been back home, home — Barbados — for a few years now. The island food is truly one of a kind,” said RiRi Stuart-Thompson, first-year student and member of L/L’s Caribbean House. Ivonne Headley, junior and
president of the BSU, had a similar appreciation for the event’s focus on Caribbean identity. “I am a strong believer in giving back to one’s community, and for me my community includes Latin America and the Caribbean,” she said. “It was great to organize an event where funds would directly impact one of the many countries in the region that are in need of help.”
All of the ticket proceeds went to a nonprofit called Three Little Flowers Center, Inc. The organization works to provide financial, educational and technical assistance to the San Twa Ti Fle primary school in Haiti, which encourages students to learn in their native language. The San Twa Ti Fle school was severely impacted by Hurricane Matthew. It has faced many environmental and social justice challenges as a result, according to the Three Little Flowers official website. “The intersection of social and environmental justice issues that characterize the challenges faced by the San Twa Ti Fle school are exactly the kind of problems that must be centered in the modern environmental movement,” stated junior Sonya Buglion-Gluck, the BSU historian, in a recent blog post on BSU’s website. The event sold 200 tickets, yielding over $1000 toward Three Little Flowers, Inc. “This event was important to me because it was the beginning of what I hope can become an annual event at UVM, even after I graduate,” said Headley. “I couldn’t have done it without BSU and all of the hard work and dedication they put into all my wishes and dreams of what I wanted Carnival to look like. And from the reviews that I received it was worth every cent,” said Laurent.
Comedian looks to joke about own experiences Addie Beach Senior Staff Writer Comedy is all about crafting stories, and for Chris Distefano, his own stories make for the best material. Distefano, a New Yorkbased comedian, will be performing May 5 and 6 at the Vermont Comedy Club. In the past Comedy Central named him a “Comic to Watch” as part of the 2012 New York Comedy festival, and Distefano has headlined at the famous Gotham Comedy Club. Distefano’s style involves observation, but the core is storytelling, rather than traditional jokes, he said. “I’ve always been the type of comedian who prefers to be autobiographical,” Distefano said. A key theme of his standup is family, especially his experiences caring for his daughter. A lot of Distefano’s comedy comes from these interactions – how he was with his dad, how he is with his own kids. Distefano regularly includes bits about his wife and mother as well. “I think it relates to everybody,” he said. In addition to his standup, Distefano regularly appears on MTV2’s “Guy Code,” a reality show that serves as “the ultimate guy’s guide to the laws of
manhood,” according to the MTV website. Right now, he is working on the pilot for “Distefano,” a sitcom based on the comedian’s own experiences. The show is being produced by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, creators of the show “How I Met Your Mother,” and has been picked up by CBS. “Distefano” centers on two 20-somethings raising their newborn daughter and merging their loud families, according to Deadline, an entertainment news website. The show will focus on the Italian and Puerto Rican background of the couple, which is based off of him and his wife, Distefano said. The sitcom could potentially mean fulfilling a dream of Distefano’s. “My goals have always been to do a lot of standup about my family and get a network sitcom,” he said. Looking to the future, Distefano doesn’t think the sitcom will have too much of an effect on his act, at least not immediately. “If my show gets on the air and it’s successful, maybe my standup will change a little bit,” he said. “But for now, I’m still just focused on that goal of talking about my family and things that happen to me.”
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LIFE
Conference displays student research work Izzy Siedman Assistant Life Editor
Just two weeks before the end of the semester, hardworking undergraduate students presented their research projects to the community. The fourth floor of the Davis Center was dedicated to the Student Research Conference from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 27. More than 300 students signed up to participate in the ninth annual conference when registration opened back in February. During the conference, participants explained their projects through lightning talks, posters, creative displays and oral presentations. SRC navigation maps were handed out at the top of the stairs, indicating research projects from every discipline with color-coded dots. Motivated students spent months studying a range of topics. Senior Ethan Smith focused on the social cohesion created by farmer’s markets, while senior Ben Merrylees created a graphic novel from Shakespeare soliloquies. Though they had the help of professors and advisors in forming a proposal or thesis for their work, students’ results were not always what they anticipated, Smith said. “We wanted to see if there was a correlation between visiting farmer’s markets and feeling connected to the community,” he said. “Our data showed no association, but we did find that race and ethnicity affected people’s sense of social cohesion.” Parents, professors and peers weaved through the rows of posters, listened to talks and chatted with researchers. Everywhere on the fourth floor, murmurs of “wow, that’s so cool,” echoed through the
crowd, and undergraduate researchers beamed proudly. Some students, like Merrylees, got their ideas from professors. Merrylees was handed a stack of Shakespeare plays alongside a stack of graphic adaptations and was told to make something interconnected, he said. Others participated in the conference for a class, like first-year Sierra Maust. She worked with a group of three other students on a cell-phone box that promoted face-to-face interaction during mealtimes for their Advanced Design Thinking course, which focused on problem-solving. Some chose their project topics for their own independent interests. Junior Charlene Mburu studied packetized energy—an individually tailored way to control the energy grid—and how it could act as a flexible source for agricultural purposes in places like her
PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic UVM students present their research at the annual UVM Student Research Conference April 27. home country of Kenya. Most presenters agreed that independent research is taxing, but worthwhile. “It was so much work, and my research isn’t even fully done,” Mburu said. “I’m going to set it aside and breathe for
now, but I’m glad I did it.” In researching the possible uses and effectiveness of packetized energy, Mburu discovered more questions than she had time to answer, she said. Nonetheless, there was a tremendous quantity of
research output displayed at the event. “It’s incredibly impressive,” first-year Sonja Koblas said, “especially as a first-year, seeing the work that fellow students can put out.”
Spoken word club plans to unite fans of rap, poetry Katie Brobst Staff Writer
KIRA BELLIS
Expressing one’s creativity in class can be nerve-wracking, especially when it comes to creative writing. As a solution to this problem, junior Logan Whorton is starting the Spoken Word and Rap club this fall to give students an outlet for their creative work. “I felt that there wasn’t a venue for people interested in rap and spoken word,” Whorton said. “There are literature outlets where people can publish their work, but I saw that there was an underground culture of people interested in rap and spoken word who didn’t really fit into any of the club opportunities at UVM.” Spoken word — sometimes referred to as slam poetry — and rap are both performative art forms. Though they share many similarities, spoken word focuses on the performative aspects of the poetry, while
rap emphasizes music and rhythm, Whorton said. Whorton put “spoken word” in the name of the club to to bring people interested in slam poetry together with those who are interested in rap, he said. “It’ll be a collaborative platform: an open space where people can discover new rap and spoken word works,” Whorton said. “They can improve themselves in both of those art forms, which really aren’t that different.” Sophomore Drew Baker is looking forward to a community of spoken word artists at UVM. “I’ve been going to the Lamp Shop every Monday night and it’s been a really nice,” Baker said. “I would love to be able to bring that to campus. Logan also mentioned something about a co-op album, and I think that is a genius idea.” SGA, which won’t recognize the club until the fall semester, puts an emphasis on diversity. Every club must contribute
cultural, social, educational or recreational welfare to its members, according to the SGA guidelines for starting a recognized organization. The Spoken Word and Rap club is going inform members by showing them the culture of rap and spoken word in many countries around the world, Whorton said. “It’s really crazy,” Whorton said. “Any country you can pick on a map has a rap and spoken word history.” Baker and junior Alex Kulungian have no doubts in Whorton’s ability to run a successful club. “I think Logan is capable of establishing a really good club,” Kulungian said. The Spoken Word and Rap club will be holding an interest session at the beginning of the fall semester. Anyone is welcome to contact Logan Whorton for more information at Logan.Whorton@uvm.edu
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MAX MCCURDY/The Vermont Cynic Burlington community members gather to shop at the monthly BTV Flea Market. The event is put on by by the Vintage Inspired Lifestyle Marketplace.
Burlington flea market showcases antiques
Kailey Bates Staff Writer Artists and antique collectors sat beneath tents on Sunday afternoon, displaying their unique, eclectic treasures to customers outside despite the rainy weather. BTV Flea, a monthly Sunday flea market in Burlington’s South End Arts District, is an event put on by the Vintage Inspired Lifestyle Marketplace. The flea market is located in the parking lot beside the Marketplace off of Flynn Avenue. Inside the marketplace,
Frank Sinatra played overhead as shoppers looked over jewelry, kitchen utensils, furniture and many other authentic antiques from the faraway past. Mary Heinrich Aloi created BTV Flea ten years ago and opened the Vintage Inspired Lifestyle Marketplace fiveand-a-half years ago, she said. “There’s over 35 vendors here at the Marketplace, and they rent space from me,” Aloi said. “I don’t even take commission from their sales. It’s like they have their own little shops within my shop.” She also runs a smaller marketplace on 270 Pine St.
that sells artists’ creations. “My markets are a combination of both art and vintage merchandise,” Aloi said. “I like working with makers who sell their own work and the vintage dealers who collect you get a mix of both.” BTV Flea was voted by Yankee Magazine as the Best Destination for New England in May 2015. Hannah Greer, a community member, was shopping at the flea market for decorations with her friend. “I’m moving into a new apartment soon, so I thought I’d find some unique stuff for
it,” Greer said, as she held up a pastel blue plate with a picture of a kitten on it. “I’m a fan of this. It’s absolutely perfect.” Out in the parking lot, community member Barbara Dubrey and her sister sat behind tables displaying their antiques, which they had packed up and brought over all the way from Plattsburgh, New York. “My fascination in antiques began in childhood,” Dubrey said. “The hats, the jewelry, the vintage scarfs–everything is just so beautiful. Most of it’s made in the U.S.A too, which is amazing to me. There’s
always a story behind them all. I just love it.” Sophomore Jordan Kleiman held her newly-purchased woven basket, which she plans to use for summer picnics. “It was really cool to see old objects and be surrounded by all the memories, the lives these objects have lived,” Kleiman said. “They really do tell a story.” Check out @vintageinspiredvt on Instagram and Facebook to see more of BTV Flea’s upcoming events.
UVM Yoga Day commemorates certified instructors The Health Corner
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Michaela Paul
VM Yoga Day was celebrated April 30 for students graduating from yoga teacher training this year. The training lasts nine months. Students met for 18.5 hours over a weekend each month, said John McConnell, director of the program. This time frame matches the scheduling of the school year, making it accessible for college students to have theopportunity to graduate with both a degree and certificate to teach yoga, McConnell said. Nearly two-thirds of the class consists of college students. However, this program is open to all individuals who wish to gain yoga teacher certification, according to its website. The training offers students the ability not only to practice and learn the essential skills to instruct yoga, but other valuable life skills including time management, confidence, public speaking and self-care, assistant yoga teacher Jane Taylor said. The Yoga Day event is similar to a thesis. Where the graduating students from this
AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic UVM students and Burlington community members come together to practice yoga April 30. The free class celebrated students graduating from the yoga teacher training this year. program instruct the class with five of their peers and present their newly-learned skills as teachers, Taylor said. The room was filled with over 40 people, both students and members of the Burlington and UVM communities. The positive aura was paired with dim lighting, colorful yoga mats, laughter and congratulations. The music ranged from John Mayer to Beyonce, which made a for a light and happy vibe. The individuals in the room were ready to engage and embrace in self love, self-
care, positivity and laughter. Taylor became more connected to the practice of yoga when she realized it wasn’t about the physical component of the practice, but the mental aspect, she said. Yoga is a way to become mindful, focusing on the present, while also providing self-care and love, Taylor said. All of the graduates from this program have learned this essence and how to teach others how to practice mindfulness and self-love, which makes Taylor feel very proud, she said.
McConnell is drawn to yoga because it reminds him that life is a good thing, and things aren’t so bad, he said. He is able to realize that he is a good person, and he is surrounded by good people, McConnell said. Individuals facing eating disorders, addiction and other challenges who have joined in practicing yoga, have been able to gain new insight and a more balanced sense of themselves, Taylor said. Entering the practice, I was a little unsure about my physical ability to do yoga,
but as I listened to them talk about the mental aspects of yoga–including the flow of life, accepting change and letting go of negative thoughts–I realized what Taylor had said. Yoga is not about the physical component. I thought about my uncertainty; I embraced my uncertainty and then I let it go and I loved it. We took three powerful “oms” as a group. I hesitantly joined in, only to realize it became one of the most beautiful sounds I had heard when all of our individual voices became one. A graduate approached me during the practice and told me to embrace my shaking, as my hands were wobbling beneath me when I was in plank. This resonated with me, for it means one must embrace all of the balance and unbalance in one’s life, all of the stability and the chaos. Yoga is a tool to recover and to gain a deeper emotional and mental understanding of oneself. I left feeling confident, centered and happy, thanks to the new instructors. Michaela Paul is a senior biology major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2016.
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Club changes stigma around mental health Anna Power Staff Writer One club on campus is working to change the negative stigma surrounding mental health. Active Minds is an organization that empowers students and focuses on supporting their mental wellbeing, according to the group’s website. It was originally started in 2003 and includes multiple chapters across campuses in America. Junior Michael Werner, president of the club, said that in his experience, the negativity surrounding mental health is widespread. “Even growing up in a liberal state like Massachusetts and coming to school in Vermont, I have seen mental health problems stigmatized again and again, and something needs to be done about it,” he said. The club meets at 7 p.m. each Monday in the Davis Center. “Having weekly meetings is important to me because I think it often feels like we’re powerless in the face of big issues. Each week we provide a concrete way for people to get involved and work towards fixing a major issue,” Werner said. “We come from a variety of backgrounds, but all have a passion for advocating for the fact that everyone has mental
health,” junior Amanda Falkner, Active Minds secretary said. The group works to destigmatize mental illness on campus, which is important because it’s not often discussed despite its ubiquity, Falkner said. It is especially important to get the word out on social media, because we often see an influx of articles either romanticizing or stigmatizing mental illness, said junior Adria Suhr, the club’s social media chair. “All of us who participate in the club are incredibly passionate about advocating for change, and I think that is very powerful,” Falkner said. Active Minds is centered around mental health, which is something that is useful for everyone, sophomore Tiana Crispino, Active Minds treasurer said. The group “addresses issues that at some point or another people may experience, such as anxiety, depression or any sort of mental health issue,” Crispino said. They get their message out to the community by tabling events, Suhr said. “We hold events to reduce stress or have discussions that are charged by both logic and emotion on the intersectionality between mental illness and the world around us,” she said. The club also provides resources for students on
ISABELLA ALESSANDRINI campus and helps others to become mental health advocates, Suhr said. “Through this club, we have created an ever-growing, tight-knit community that is constantly working for a great-
er purpose that we have all seen the effects of,” she said. The club is excited to make even more progress on campus in the years to come. “Going into next year, we want to develop new avenues
to reach students, including a large display we have in the works for Suicide Awareness Month next September,” Werner said.
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Men’s soccer begins new era Greg Mandozzi Sports Writer
OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic Sophomore attacker Jenna Janes breaks downfield against UMBC April 29. The Catamounts would go on to lose 17-11, ending their season at 1-15.
Lacrosse finishes season in defeat
Locria Courtright Assistant Sports Editor
Defense was not in top shape on women’s lacrosse senior night. The Catamounts fell to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County 23-16 April 29 at Virtue Field to conclude the season, their first season under head coach Sarah Dalton. Prior to the game, festivities were held to honor the seven members of the senior class of 2017: defender Meghan Cobb, midfielders Alison Bolt, Emma Tizard, Rachael Smith and Brynne Yarranton and attackers Meredith Moore and Alex Bernier. When the game got going, it was the Maryland Retrievers that started on the front foot, scoring two goals in the first minute to grab an early
2-0 lead. The Catamounts responded with four goals in a row, including a pair by Yarranton, to take a 4-2 lead. From there, the remainder of the first half was a see-saw affair that saw the game tied four times until the visitors rattled off five goals in a row to go up 11-7. Following the 10th UMBC goal of the game, UVM swapped goalkeepers, replacing sophomore goalkeeper Catherine Green with sophomore goalkeeper Maddy Kuras. Yarranton completed her hat trick to cut the Retriever lead to 11-8, and junior attacker Elena McWright cut it further just over a minute later. The teams exchanged goals and UMBC went into the half leading 12-10. The Retrievers dominated
the second half, scoring five of the first six goals to extend their lead to 17-11. The Catamounts clawed one back through McWright, but just over a minute later UMBC restored their six-goal cushion through Sara Moller. Yarranton would score again about four minutes later to cut the lead to five again, but UMBC rattled off five of the next six goals to extend the lead to 23-14. Bolt added a pair of late goals, but by that point they were mere consolation. For the visiting Retrievers, Lauren McDonald led the way with a ten-point game, including nine goals, while Sam Nolan racked up eight points. The No. 20 offense in the country flexed its muscles with a season-high 23 goals, and secured the No. 3 seed in the America East Tournament
and a first-round matchup with University of Albany. The Catamounts were led by sophomore attacker Jenna Janes, who posted four goals and three assists for seven points. Yarranton finished the game with five points, all of which were goals. Moore added four assists, while McWright contributed a hat trick. Though the Catamounts gave up a season-high 23 goals, they also scored their second-most goals in a game, second only to the 17 scored against St. Bonaventure University March 23. Vermont finishes the season at 1-15 (0-6 America East), with their .063 win percentage ranking as the worst in program history, according to UVM athletics.
Women’s soccer raises cancer awareness Sabrina Hood Sports Writer UVM women’s soccer team hosted an annual 3v3 soccer tournament fundraiser. The women’s soccer team hosted Score For the Cure, which raises money for cancer centers, April 30. Teams for children ages 10 and under; 12 and under; and 14 and under played playoff and final tournament games from 9 a.m to 11 a.m. Members of the soccer team kept track of wins and coached the teams. UVM students formed their own teams playing playoff and tournament games from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to UVM athletics. It cost UVM students $7 and $15 for children to participate, according to UVM athletics. Some of the UVM students participating in this event were student athletes from other sports teams. “It was definitely nice to play other athletes with which soccer isn’t their comfort zone,” said senior Stefi Geiger, who is on the women’s swimming and diving team. Geiger and other members of the women’s swimming
SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cynic UVM students participate in the fourth annual Score for the Cure tournament. All proceeds from the event go toward multiple cancer centers. and diving team were excited about participating in this event since it was for a good cause, Geiger said. Even though this event was on land it’s so different but still really fun, she said. The 2014 women’s soccer team captain, Alexa DeMaio ‘14, started the event hoping to raise cancer awareness, according to an April 26 Cynic article. DeMaio chose this cause
because some players have lost loved ones to cancer, according to the article. Since Score for the Cure’s start, this event has continuously raised more money and has increased the number of participants, according to the article. Half of the funds raised go to the UVM Cancer Center and the other half go to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research,
located in Bethpage, New York, according to the article. Moe’s Southwest Grill presented the event by providing snacks for the participants, according to UVM athletics. “This was a fun event to get out on a Sunday afternoon, play some soccer and also raise money going toward a good cause,” senior Marcus Wadlington said.
The men’s soccer team has announced its new captains, who take over for the upcoming season. Junior defender Arthur Bacquet, junior midfielder Mikel Kabala and senior forward Tom Cole have been tasked with this role as the Catamounts say goodbye to many graduating seniors. As the team prepares to hit the pitch next season, a shift in the team leadership will take place. Bacquet, who is from Bruxelles, Belgium, played a pivotal role in defeating the Cats’ opponents with six shutouts in the 2016 campaign, according to UVM athletics. “I feel grateful to be a captain for the soccer team – it is such an honor to represent this program,” he said. “By losing 13 seniors, we have now a new team with really young players. My role is to share all my experience and transmit the culture of the team.” With many experienced players graduating, these captains will have to use experience to lead this young bunch. Kabala, who is from Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo, transferred from Providence College and made 18 appearances in his first season with the Catamounts, according to UVM athletics. Cole, the senior forward from North Salem, New York hopes to produce points on offense as well as provide leadership. After great success in 2016, with 14 single-season wins and hosting an NCAA Tournament game for just the third time in program history, the Cats want to have continued success moving forward. Along with these new captains being named, head coach Rob Dow has also added Ruben Resendes to the coaching team. “I believe Ruben is one of the top young coaches in the country,” Dow said. “ His aggressive recruiting philosophy and ability to motivate student-athletes will complement our already strong coaching staff.” Resendes has head coaching experience at the collegiate level and has worked with the top players in New England as part of the New England Revolution Academy staff, Dow said. With a new leadership team and assistant coach, the Cats will look for continued success in 2017 and beyond, he said. “I hope that we are going to keep the momentum going from previous years. We started two years ago with a championship and won a NCAA tournament game last year,” Bacquet said. “My hope is that next year we will make an even better run in the tournament.”
SPORTS
16
Champions League semifinals REAL MADRID Road to the semifinals Group Stage: 2nd in Group F with 3 wins and 3 draws Round of 16: 6-2 aggregate win vs Napoli (3-1, 1-3) Quarterfinals: 6-3 aggregate win vs Bayern Munich (1-2, 4-2) Top scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo (7 goals) Top assister: Cristiano Ronaldo (5 assists) Best Champions League performance: Champions (11 titles)
ATLETICO MADRID
LAST WEEK
L
L
Men’s lacrosse at UMBC
Top scorer: Antoine Griezmann (5 goals) Top assister: Antoine Griezmann (2 assists)
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
Best Champions League performance: Runners-up (3 times)
JUVENTUS
Road to the semifinals Group Stage: 1st in Group E with 3 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss Round of 16: 6-6 aggregate tie vs Manchester City (won on away goals: 3-5, 3-1) Quarterfinals: 6-3 aggregate win vs Borussia Dortmund (2-3, 3-1)
Road to the semifinals Group Stage: 1st in Group H with 4 wins and 2 draws Round of 16: 3-0 aggregate win vs Porto (0-2, 1-0) Quarterfinals: 3-0 aggregate win vs Barcelona (3-0, 0-0)
Best Champions League performance: Runners-up (once)
Visit vtcynic.com for more coverage and uvmathletics.com for schedules, tickets, score updates and additional information.
Road to the semifinals Group Stage: 1st in Group D with 5 wins and 1 loss Round of 16: 4-2 aggregate win vs Bayer Leverkusen (2-4, 0-0) Quarterfinals: 2-1 aggregate win vs Leicester (1-0, 1-1)
MONACO
Top scorer: Radamel Falcao and Kylian Mbappe (5 goals) Top assister: Thomas Lemar (4 assists)
UVM Scoreboard 7-10
Baltimore, Maryland April 29
16-23
Women’s lacrosse vs UMBC Home April 29
Men’s basketball junior point guard Trae Bell-Haynes declared for the 2017 NBA Draft this week, seeking to become the first UVM player to get drafted in the NBA.
RECORDS
Men’s Basketball 29-6 Men’s Hockey 20-13-5 Men’s Lacrosse 5-8
Women’s Basketball 9-20 Women’s Hockey 15-14-9 Women’s Lacrosse 1-15
Top scorer: Paulo Dybala (4 goals) Top assister: Miralem Pjanic (3 assists) Best Champions League performance: Winners (2 titles)
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