Issue 10 - Volume 136

THEVERMONTCYNIC THE Issue 10 - Volume 136 | October 29, 2019 | vtcynic.com

Protestors fill board meeting Julianne Lesch jlesch@uvm.edu

Zoe Stern

BOT chair skips out on meeting

zstern@uvm.edu

Emma Pinezich More than 50 students filled the last of session of the board of trustees to make their voices heard.

The students occupied all the seats in Livak Ballroom, leaving standing room only.

They lined the walls of the room with signs.

One student’s sign read, “We are all accountable.”

Students from the group Organize, an environmental group focused on pushing UVM to divest from fossil fuels took advantage of the period of public comment Oct. 26 to express why they think UVM should divest.

However, in a meeting Oct. 25, the board said UVM will not divest.

Despite calls from students, the board has historically refused to divest from fossil fuels.

Senior Emil Assing, a member of Organize said that it is a shame UVM has done a lot of environmental research, but won’t divest.

“UVM produces some of the most cutting edge advances and forward-thinking environmental research in the world,” Assing said. “It’s a shame to me that we have not followed our own advice about the danger of

epinezic@uvm.edu

MAC MANSFIELD PARISI/The Vermont Cynic

Students protest silently during a board of trustees meeting in Livak Ballroom, Oct. 26. The meeting was one of several that took place over the course of Oct. 25-26. fossil fuels and the renewable future that lies ahead.”

Ron Lumbra, vice chair of the board, lead the meeting and said he was impressed by the behavior and professionalism of the students.

“One hundred percent of the board respects the people that have come in and admire how they presented this, and that’s why you’re seeing such an engaged dialogue,” Lumbra said.

Divestment is unpredictable, so it is still a process, Lumbra said. Groups will continue

the dialogue and conversation will happen, he said.

Assing, sophomores Sarah Sciortino, Betsy McGavisk ‘19 and senior Christopher Harrell spoke directly to the board, while other members of Organize watched, with signs in hand.

“As of last night, we have 2,076 signatures and counting on our petition for UVM to divest, all gathered over the last five weeks,” Sciortino said.

Sciortino also spoke about how divesting could help the

University’s reputation for prospective students.

“We also talk a lot about how students come here for the green reputation of our University, and that’s why most of us came here,” Sciortino said. “As the media reports more and more about how we have not divested, it will draw people awawy from UVM. It is in their best interest to do so.”

Protest continued on page 3

The most powerful individual on the board of trustees was absent from Saturday’s Board Chair David public comDaigle ment meeting.

The comment meeting was the students’ only opportunity to voice their opinions to the board.

The board of trustees met at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 27 in Livak Ballroom for the last time before Jan. 30, 2020, without their chair, David Daigle.

Daigle said he had an important family commitment which caused his abscence.

“I was unable to be there because I had a family commitment and I look forward to continuing the conversation through the appropriate forum which would include a conversation with the investment subcommittee,” Daigle said.

Meeting dates are posted on the board of trustees website in advance. Currently, all 2020 dates are listed for the January, May and October meetings for next year.

UVM moves to invest millions more in sustainability Emma Pinezich epinezic@uvm.edu

UVM’s vice president of finance has agreed to double the amount of cash UVM has invested in environmentally friendly bonds at the SGA president’s request.

Richard Cate, UVM treasurer and vice president of finance, will increase UVM’s investments in green bonds from $10 million to $20 million.

Cate agreed to this increase at a meeting with SGA President Jillian Scannell and other SGA members, Oct. 9.

This decision follows ongoing concerns from students over the $27 million of UVM’s endowment which is invested in fossil fuels.

Green bonds are investments in sustainable projects, including international solar or wind power projects, Cate said.

They can also be invested in companies that have exhibited environmentally friendly behavior, he said.

“Students want divestment, and the administration knows that,” Scannell said. “Divestment is determined by the board [of trustees], so I feel like this is the administration’s effort to say, ‘We hear you, and we’re trying to be responsive to your call.’”

The now $20 million invested in green bonds is part of UVM’s $200 million of cash, which the administration controls. This is a separate pool of money from UVM’s over $500 million endowment controlled by the board of trustees, which has $27 million invested in fossil fuels.

None of UVM’s $200 million of cash is invested in fossil fuels, Cate said.

“I don’t want to minimize peoples’ concerns about fossil fuels and the endowment,” Cate said. “But I believe in investing this $20 million proactively in green bonds rather than divesting, because if we divest, somebody else is just going to buy those fossil fuel stocks.”

Junior Elizabeth Mackin, a

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

Richard Cate, University treasurer and vice president for finance, sits among over 50 student protesters at a board of trustees meeting, Oct. 26. Despite the protest, the board made no indication that UVM would divest from fossil fuels.

UVM Eco-Rep, does not believe that the green bond investments are better than divestment.

“I think that the green bonds are important but I also think divestment is important,” she said. “UVM’s reputation as a green and sustainable leader, and UVM investing $27 million in fossil fuels are two things that are just not compatible

with each other.”

Sophomore Sarah Sciortino, a leader of Organize, a group that has led the divestment movement at UVM, said that divestment needs to remain a priority for the board of trustees and the administration.

“You can invest as much as you want in green bonds, but if we have money in the fossil fuel

industry, it kind of cancels that out,” Sciortino said.

Although Cate has moved the money, it could take months for the $10 million to actually become invested in green bonds, he said.

“That’s just the way it is,” Scannell said. “It does take a while for that $10 million to move over, but it is happening.

It’s just a slow process.”

UVM transferred the original $10 million into green bonds in 2017 after a recommendation from the Socially Responsible Investing Advisory Council, which advises UVM on its investments.

Scannell and Cate are also working on other sustainability issues, like rebranding the Clean Energy Fund and updating UVM’s climate action plan.

The Clean Energy Fund, created in 2008, is a pool of money that goes towards student generated projects for improving UVM’s energy use. The CEF is funded by a $10 student fee per semester included in their tuition.

NEWS

Administration commissions new seal Lilly Young ehyoung@uvm.edu

A new replica of UVM’s seal is set to replace the current one that was commissioned nearly 100 years ago by a leading Vermont eugenicist.

Gary Derr, vice president of executive operations, is in the process of creating a new seal.

It will replace the seal commissioned by Vermont eugenicist Henry Perkins in 1924.

The new seal will be ready by spring semester, Derr said.

“I am having a seal made of the current image that we could use for ceremonial events,” Derr said.

UVM’s seal represents the values that UVM holds. The current seal is carved out of wood with images of the first building on campus and the sun coming up over the Green Mountains.

There is a diagram of the Pythagorean Theorem, a quadrant and a globe underneath the building. The University’s motto, “for studies and other honest pursuits,” is written in Latin on the seal.

Perkins was president of the American Eugenics Society from 1931-34, as well as a professor of zoology at UVM from 1902-45. He was the director of the Eugenics Survey of Vermont from 1925-36, according to UVM’s website.

According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary, eugenics is the movement devoted to improving the human species

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

President Suresh Garimella speaks at convocation, Aug. 25. The University seal hangs on the podium and is projected on the curtain behind him. through the control of hereditary factors in mating.

The seal that was commissioned by Perkins and built by Geno B. Lucarini was used at the installation of UVM President Suresh Garimella and is traditionally used at commencement and convocation.

However, it was not used at

convocation this year.

“The object that Perkins commissioned was a representation of the seal that was the official seal of the University at that time, prior to 1975, when the board of trustees made additional modifications to the seal,” UVM spokesperson Enrique Corredera said.

Perkins did not help to create the image of the seal. He only had someone build an object that was a replica of the seal at that time, Corredera said.

“It’s old. It’s almost 100 years old, and it’s fragile,” Derr said. “I’m not a wood expert, but pieces have broken off.”

The image of the seal was

SGA funds a club to bring activist to UVM Lilly Page lpage@uvm.edu

The Muslim Student Association successfully secured more than $3,000 to fund an event with a Muslim American poet and activist, at the Oct. 22 SGA meeting.

The activist, Mona Haydar, will be at Fleming Museum Nov. 4 to discuss her work and how she ties art and activism together.

In the SGA meeting, sophmore Lena Ginawi, the president of the Muslim Student Association, spoke about the bill to the senate, who voted to pass the bill, giving the association the $3,600 they needed.

Ginawi said she knew about Haydar for a while before the bill was passed and that her “Hijabi” music video, a song about how she proudly wears her hijab, was inspiring to her both as a Muslim and a poet.

“Just knowing that there was another hijabi, someone who looks like me, who is able to talk about these things and allow people to highlight these issues and start conversations regarding the hijab and what it means to her,” she said.

Ginawi said she fell in love with Haydar’s work because of how she uses art and activism to

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

Senior SGA Senator Olivia Machanic, chair of the Finance committee, speaks at an SGA meeting, Oct. 15. Machanic sponsored the bill that allocated funds to the Muslim Student Association. complement each other.

“I do write poetry in the sense where I like to talk about issues that aren’t being heard in the classroom and to reclaim my narrative and allow myself to tell a story that many people aren’t hearing in the media,” Ginawi said.

Haydar will already be speaking at Middlebury College Nov. 2, and her team reached out to Ginawi, saying that Haydar is doing a mini tour and they would like her to come to UVM. “I’m like, ‘This is perfect,’” Ginawi said. “It’s very impera-

tive that she comes now, seeing issues of white supremacy with the stickers that have been posted all over UVM. “The fact that she will be discussing that issue and how she uses music as a tool of resistance and how she uses music to shut white supremacy down and fight against it.”

In order to get the funding for the event, Ginawi filed a request through the diversity enhancement fund, since the association did not have enough money for the speaker.

Senior SGA Senator Olivia Machanic, chair of the Finance

Committee, sponsored the bill.

Machanic said she was inspired by Haydar and the bill especially since SGA had just passed a resolution about Ramadan, a Muslim holiday.

“I’ve watched a lot of videos that [Hayder] created,” Machanic said. “[The bill] was more impactful because it was actually connected to something we were already doing.”

Haydar speaking at UVM is an event that Ginawi said will make the UVM community more aware of the Muslim Student Assocation, which has about 40 people on their email list.

“We are going to try to have these discussions and increase people’s awareness on Islam and combat misconceptions of Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in America,” she said.

“We also want to provide a safe space for Muslims to talk about their experiences on a predominantly white campus.”

Ginawi said people should come to engage in conversations about Haydar’s work and how she uses art as a tool of resistance so that more people can be inspired and use art to fight back against social injustices.

created in 1807 and was modified in 1971 to add “the College of Agriculture” written in Latin, said Chris Burns, a special collections librarian.

Derr said that he is unsure where the replica of the seal commissioned by Perkins will be kept on campus.

UVM Police lose female sergeant Ella Ruehsen iruehsen@uvm.edu

UVM Police Services is now looking to fill a supervisory position after one of their sergeants left for a position in a federal agency.

UVM police posted the position on UVM’s job website Oct. 23 and have had a seperate job posting up since 2014 for regular patrol officer positions.

Former UVM Police Sergeant Mary Seller took a federal law enforcement job in May, according to Deputy Chief Tim Bilodeau.

With the UVM chief of police on leave and Seller leaving her job permanently, UVM Police now has only one woman in a leadership position, Deputy Chief Mandy Wooster.

The department has been understaffed for the past six years, Bilodeau said in a Sept.

10 interview.

There are currently only 19 sworn officers listed on the UVM Police website.

Bilodeau did not reply when asked how many officers the department needs to be fully staffed.

NEWS

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Board of trustees: four takeaways

MAC MANSFIELD-PARISI/The Vermont Cynic

Members of the board of trustees, including President Suresh Garimella, sit at a table during a meeting of the board of trustees, Oct. 26. David Daigle, president of the board, was not present at the meeting.

Staff Report news@vtcynic.com

The group that governs UVM met Oct. 25-26 on the University’s campus to discuss and vote on UVM’s future.

The group, the board of trustees, meets three times per academic year in October, February and May. This will be President Suresh Garimella’s first board meeting.

Here are four takeaways from this October’s meetings:

1. Multi-Purpose Center construction on track The construction of the $90 million new Multi-Purpose Event Center is on schedule and set to be finished within the next three years, said the director of UVM Capital Planning and Management.

At the board of trustees meeting, Robert Vaughan, the director, revealed updates to the project and showed a schedule, blueprints and pictures to highlight the progress of the project.

“We’ve got three years of work ahead of us to get all of this work done, and its been a number of months doing enabling projects,” Vaughan said.

The project, which was approved in May, consists of changes to UVM’s Patrick Gym, and will include a new basketball court and a renovation of Gutterson Fieldhouse.

Vaughan continued to tell the board updates, such as the mobilization of general contractors for the construction and the investment of materials for the construction.

2. Board discusses student mental health needs A subcommittee of the board of trustees said the way UVM addresses student mental Protest continued from page 1 UVM President Suresh Garimella was at the meeting.

Garimella said he doesn’t have direct control over UVM’s investments in fossil fuels but was proud of how students conducted themselves.

“I am very proud of UVM students,” he said. “They showed us how to professionally make their points. We are

health needs to evolve.

The Educational Policy and Institutional Resources Committee said student mental health should be better addressed, following a shift in the way the nation understands mental health, said Annie Stevens, vice provost for Student Affairs.

“There’s an increased demand for student mental health service,” Stevens said.

She said that this is in part due to removing the stigma around seeking help.

According to the report on student mental health needs, the University has expanded access to health care providers by adding staff to meet increased demand.

Parent and family outreach will also be enhanced.

3. Trustees concerned over unpredictable financial market Members of the board of trustees expressed concerns that an unpredictable financial market could stop UVM’s endowment from growing.

At 10:30 a.m. Oct. 25, members of the Budget, Finance and Investment Committee of the board met to discuss the performance of UVM’s $555 million endowment.

Member Donald McCree raised concerns about unstable numbers in the global market and how this could affect the endowment’s investments.

“As we look forward, we are concerned about the valuation of the markets,” McCree said.

“Just read the newspapers of what’s going on. I would expect to see modest growth going forward, if any.”

Other members, including board chair David Daigle, expressed concerns that unpredictable changes in global markets could mean that the value

Board of trustees members look over meeting documents. The board discussed student health, construction on athletic campus and other issues over the two days that they met.

happy to have the students convey their collective thoughts professionally, and I know that they are doing that... I just applaud them.”

Junior Olivia Vought, a student at the event, said in order for UVM to keep its green reputation, they must divest.

“A large reason I came to UVM was because of their extremely progressive advertising, and my feeling was that

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

of UVM’s endowment will not generate the same interest.

The board of trustees did not indicate that UVM would divest from fossil fuels, despite a student group’s plan to present a divestment proposal Oct. 26.

Chair member Robert Brennan Jr. said the board must stay committed to making sound

financial investments when asked about students’ divestment concerns at the Budget, Finance and Investment Committee meeting Oct. 25.

“Our primary lens through which we invest is the fiduciary responsibility,” Brennan said.

“So as we approach the topic of sustainability, we approach it through the prism of, ‘what’s the best way to make adjust-

ments for the endowment?’”

He said the endowment is investing more money in renewable energy because they happen to be financially beneficial investments, and not for environmental reasons.

“It just so happens that there are some phenomenal investment opportunities in the sustainable space,” Brennan said.

they were really aligned with my progressive agenda,” Vought said. “I feel like they are doing a lot of greenwashing marketing and that their marketing doesn’t align with their actual beliefs.”

Junior Matt Voss, who is on the officer team for Organize, said he hopes to keep the momentum going towards divesting.

“We are gonna keep it roll-

ing. That’s the main thing,” Voss said. “We just want to keep the energy going. There isn’t a board meeting for a couple of months, so we want to make as much change happen and bring the whole University into the movement.”

UVM has approximately $27 million of direct investments in fossil fuel companies as of June 2019, according to an email from Richard Cate, the vice

president of finance and University treasurer. This amounts to around 5% of UVM’s endowment, the email stated.

President Garimella tasked Cate to oversee UVM’s sustainability and climate action issues in September.

4. Board says no to divestment

Editor’s note: Senior Christopher Harrell is an Opinion Columnist for The Vermont Cynic.

OPINION Staff Editorial TH st

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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

EDITORS Copy Chief Liv Marshall copy@vtcynic.com Culture Sarah Robinson cynicculture@gmail.com Features Greta Rohrer cynicfeatures@gmail.com News / Sports Sawyer Loftus news@vtcynic.com sports@vtcynic.com Opinion Mills Sparkman opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts David Cabrera vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Social Media Sam Litra socialcyniceditor@gmail.com Illustrations Noah Zhou illustrations@vtcynic.com Layout Kyra Chevalier layout@vtcynic.com 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), Bailey Samber (Photo) Copy Editors Will Keeton, Caroline Jagger, Zoey Webb, Zoe Sheppard Page Designers Stephanie Hodel, Ed Taylor, George Weed

ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

The Cynic cannot fulfill its promise to students that we will keep them informed with timely and accurate campus news when a mile of bureaucratic red tape stands between us and an important interview.

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Give student journalists direct access

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ver the past month, the Cynic has struggled to obtain interviews with several UVM employees. We’ve hit roadblock after roadblock in our efforts to tell the truth.

For our Oct. 8 edition, the Cynic requested an interview with Daphne Wells, director of Student Life. Her email response to the Cynic stated: “We now have to submit all media requests to Director of Communications. Once I hear back...I will be in touch.”

For our Oct. 15 edition, the Cynic requested to speak with an expert on UVM’s new advising system, Navigate.

Instead, we were given a general statement from Enrique Corredera, the University’s executive director of News and Public Affairs.

For that same story, a Cynic reporter walked into the Honors College office late Oct. 11 and spoke to Dean David Jenneman. Through him, we received a valuable perspective on the positives of the Navigate system.

At the end of that meeting, which lasted around 15 minutes, Jenneman agreed to speak to the Cynic further and said he would be happy to help.

However, an hour later, when our News editor sent him an email, we were redirected by Jenneman to Corredera.

For our Oct. 22 edition, the Cynic requested comment from Cristina Vega, assistant director for Fraternity and Sorority Life. Vega forwarded our request for comment to Corredera, and he responded with an institutional statement.

Decades of First Amendment case law establish that public employees have a constitutional right to speak to the press without their employer’s permission, according to a brief by the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information.

In an Oct. 15 conversation with the

Cynic’s editor-in-chief, Corredera said UVM does not have a written policy stating employees cannot speak to the press.

Despite this, Corredera said he encourages UVM employees to reach out to the public relations office before speaking to the media.

“It’s not a policy, but it’s up in the air,” Corredera said. “People are encouraged to touch base with us.”

The Cynic reaches out to Corredera regularly for help in coordinating interviews with relevant University sources. He is accommodating, responding quickly to our emails and phone calls.

But sometimes, instead of facilitating our interview requests, Corredera provides comment himself.

And frankly, an institutional statement is never enough.

“It doesn’t matter how much you want to talk to someone about the details of some such and such thing,” Corredera said. “There are a few situations where all you’re going to be able to get is one institutional statement.”

Protecting the reputation of an institution is not sufficient reason to override employees’ First Amendment rights, according to the Brechner Center brief.

We do not believe the University is violating First Amendment rights, but we do think it is attempting to control our reporting process.

Waiting to hear from Corredera delays our news coverage. Interviewing only the individuals he deems appropriate changes our stories and jeopardizes the Cynic’s autonomy.

There is no possible way Corredera alone can successfully convey all the perspectives and information University sources have to offer. It is

not his job to be an expert in every aspect of the University.

When Cynic journalists are steered away from speaking with subjectmatter experts, our freedom of the press is infringed upon, and the quality of our news reporting suffers.

Our stories may be left with prepared statements from University spokespeople like Corredera, or with a lack of information that leaves readers with unanswered questions.

Since the Cynic was founded in 1883, our mission statement has read: “We shall honestly speak the convictions of our mind; it means our objects are utilitarian.”

The Cynic cannot fulfill its promise to students that we will keep them informed with timely and accurate campus news when a mile of bureaucratic red tape stands between us and an important interview.

The Cynic understands that talking to the press can seem intimidating.

Being asked questions in an interview can seem like a spotlight shining directly in your face.

But we ask University employees to speak to the Cynic directly. Statements from public relations officers are dry and impersonal. They are not enough.

Journalism works best when we all contribute — when we all tell our stories and when we all share our truths.

Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the editorial board, which includes the editor-in-chief, managing editor and opinion editor. 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.

OPINION

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Illustration by STEPHANIE HODEL

The spookiest costume is gender roles Tori Scala vscala@uvm.edu

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alloween is approaching fast, and to everyone stressing about what costumes to wear, please chill out.

This upcoming Halloween, girls and guys should dress the way they want, rather than how society tells them to.

In college, Halloween is more than just a one-night holiday. It is two consecutive weekends, usually referred to as “Halloweekend,” which is full of parties and fun get togethers.

I’m not the only one who has heard of girls getting turned away from parties because they were not dressed a certain way. Sophomore Isabel Wilder had an uncomfortable experience last Halloween.

Wilder saw many girls getting turned away from a certain party because the clothing they were wearing wasn’t revealing enough.

“I was horrified, I didn’t want to be judged by how much clothing I was wearing,” Wilder said. “All I wanted to do was go back to my dorm after seeing that.”

It was almost as if your clothing is your ticket into a party.

Sadly, Halloween isn’t the only occasion when girls are pressured to dress revealingly to get into parties.

This is happening on a weekly basis, and it is sexist and disgusting. Within col-

lege party culture, girls have to deal with high expectations of revealing clothing.

Halloween heightens this connotation that girls should be dressed a certain way.

Girls have feelings, and feeling unwanted and objectified is not a great feeling to have.

To all the guys reading this piece, pay close attention.

Imagine walking up to a house party with friends. The girls at the door look the group up and down, take in everything you’ve got and then tell you to leave.

Then you realize that you didn’t get into that party because you aren’t wearing skintight spandex and a bra, or even just a G-string.

My guess is no one would feel great, confident, pretty or wanted. Nothing good comes

out of getting turned away because of how you dress.

This Halloween, why don’t guys show off those dad bods, wear tight spandex and rock what you got.

But girls aren’t the only ones who have to deal with ridiculous societal rules. Guys who want to dress up deal with their own demons.

There is often a connotation that guys can’t get overly dressed up, or dress in a feminine way.

Society often tells us guys who get overly dressed up are too flamboyant and not manly enough.

Being manly enough or not showing enough skin on Halloween are two rules that make no sense in this day and age.

Both genders should not have to listen to these kinds of pressures from anyone, whoever that may be, whatever parties they might be throwing.

I think that a guy who goes all out for Halloween and has an original costume idea is pretty cool.

It’s about time guys stopped wearing their favorite sports team jersey and calling it a day.

That is way too easy.

Guys and girls should not be subjected to the sexist dress code of college Halloween parties.

This Halloween, and every Halloween to follow, let’s all wear what we want and not listen to society’s stupid rules.

Tori Scala is a sophomore business major. She has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2019.

ELENI PAPAS

Horror movies take a creative look at our deep fears Emily Johnston ejohnst2@uvm.edu

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very time I go to a movie theater it is to see a horror movie. They are the only movies that intrigue me.

As the years go by, horror movies continuously walk the fine line of tolerance, meaning they play with reality without breaking audiences’ suspension of belief.

This allows the genre to take creative leaps that make horrors more interesting than other films.

A huge contributing factor for me is the recent creative spark in horror films.

Long gone are the days of a young girl running from a murderer wearing a spooky mask.

Lately, horror films do not represent what is parodied in the “Scary Movie” series.

Rather than portraying an attractive lead who magically survives as everyone dies,

horror movies are now more realistic.

The lead actors don’t always survive, which feels more realistic than movies of the past.

Horror movies also focus on topics that are in the news every day, such as religious cults, racism and mental illness.

An example would be “Midsommar,” which was released in June. This movie plays on the human psyche.

The plot revolves around a group of students who travel to Sweden to study a remote culture. It acts as a reason to discuss how societies can commit horrors if they are social norms.

By setting the movie in scenic Sweden, the setting amplifies the unease by contrasting the beautiful with the horrific at all times, something few movies can master.

With 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is clear that this movie was a hit with not only myself, but a broader audience.

I attribute this success

CHARLOTTE MCCARTHY

to the cinematography and storytelling. It was believable, and that is what made it unnerving.

Horror movies also touch upon aspects of humanity most would rather avoid. They play with fear and anxiety in ways other genres do not.

“Get Out” brought race to the forefront. The movie is about a black man meeting his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time.

Racism makes people uncomfortable, and Jordan

Peele, the movie’s director, took full advantage of that fact from the opener of a black man getting pulled over by the police.

The film highlights the racial divide and the deep fear that has existed since slavery, and it does so in a captivating and chilling manner.

The themes involved in these horrors show the extremes of human capability.

They play with morality unlike any other genre.

Perhaps the most

compelling part of horror movies is the aesthetics.

These movies utilize every aspect to make the audience uncomfortable, from set design to lighting.

Even creations of CGI, moving digital art, play into aesthetic, with creatures fitting the desired vision of directors.

The advance in technology allows for less use of ketchup blood and more focus on realism.

This adds a layer of shock to a movie; watchers no longer suspend their beliefs when seeing a bullet wound or knife gash. It looks real.

The increasingly real topics in horror movies separate them from the rest and make them my favorite.

Instead of living in a fantasy world or focusing on only romance, I am facing reality.

The world is a scary place, so why not get spooked over it.

Emily Johnston is a sophomore environmental science major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.

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Mentally ill aren’t monstrous Gabby Felitto gfelitto@uvm.edu

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n Halloween night, a group of kids walked into the woods, never to be seen again. Some say it was an escaped mental patient who snatched them.

Many famous urban legends share this storyline. While variations of these legends all start differently, the villain often has a mental illness.

One of the most famous urban legends is “Cropsey,” which originated in Staten Island, New York.

In the legend, Cropsey was an escaped mental patient who lived in the abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution. Crospsey would snatch children off the streets at night.

While legends like “Cropsey” are a fun and spooky way to warn children to not go out alone at night, it enforces the trope of the mentally ill being dangerous to the public.

One of the biggest problems I have with “Cropsey” is how it’s based around Willowbrook, an abandoned institution that was infamous for keeping their patients in unhygienic living conditions, abusing them and even exposing some patients to hepatitis, according to a March 2008 NPR article.

Associating the legend’s murderous, mentally ill

Snickers ERIN: I don’t like Snickers because nuts are icky.

Not a good nut-to-candy ratio. 2/10 MILLS: Snickers have too many nuts. 3/10

CHARLOTTE MCCARTHY

escapee with this institution, where patients were innocent victims, links them to atrocities committed by “one of their own” and not by the abuse they suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to be helping them.

After Willowbrook closed in the ‘80s, the legend became stronger. Andre Rand, a former custodian of Willowbrook, was charged with kidnapping of four children, one of whom was found buried in a shallow grave on the abandoned grounds, according to a Jan. 8 The Lineup article.

These murders intensified the fear against those with mental illnesses, as many continue to associate them with Cropsey.

A mentally ill boogeyman

might be more believable to some because of the horrific nature of their actions, but they generate misconceptions about mental illness.

This reinforces the myth that people with mental illnesses are dangerous and harmful, according to Doris Schwartz, chief operating officer of the Mental Health Association of Westchester County in New York, in a May 2016 HuffPost article.

As these myths surrounding mental illness continue to live on through urban legends and other entertainment, many will not reach out for help.

Undiagnosed mental illness can lead to sleep loss, hallucinations and suicide, according to the HuffPost

article.

While it may be cool to tell urban legends and explore abandoned asylums, people need to understand the history surrounding them and that actual people were affected by these legends.

Just because there is an urban legend about a mentally ill murderer doesn’t mean that every mentally ill person is going to become a murderer.

We don’t need to continue the stigma around people with mental illness by making them into local boogeymen for our own entertainment.

Gabby Felitto is a sophomore public communication major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.

The real nightmare in “Joker” is austerity Chris Harrell crharrel@uvm.edu

I

f you told me a few years ago that the guy that made the “Hangover” movies was going to make a film about the horrors of economic inequality, I would have laughed at you.

But that’s exactly what happened. The new “Joker” movie flips assumptions of the Batman universe.

In this version, Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas Wayne, is a billionaire villain despised by the masses of Gotham.

And the Joker’s power of chaos doesn’t stem from evil plans or senseless violence but from the anger of Gotham citizens at the austerity and poverty that plagues their city.

Austerity is a political term: it refers to when governments implement a combination of tax increases and heavy spending cuts in order to reduce the cost of government.

It has been a mainstay of liberal policies across the world for the past 40 years, according to a July 2015 New Politics article.

By liberal, I don’t mean

OPINION Cynical opinions on Halloween candy

VALENTINA CZOCHANSKI

our typical definitions of “liberal” and “conservative.”

Liberalism, and more recently neoliberalism, is based on free trade, deregulation of private business and privatizating government services.

Neoliberal policy found its roots in the U.S. academic community post-World War II and has spread across the world.

Organizations like the International Monetary Fund, a global program to fund development in poor countries, have requirements that those who accept their loans and aid must impose spending cuts.

In “Joker,” Gotham’s

austerity is evident in social services cuts. Arthur Fleck, the “Joker,” loses his psychiatrist and medication when the city defunds programs in the name of budget cuts.

“Joker” could help American viewers understand austerity and the dangers of its implementation.

Chileans are rising up against their government after decades of austerity. The tipping point was an increase in the cost of subway fare, according to an Oct. 26 Slate article.

In Ecuador this month, indigenous leaders revolted against spending cuts,

according to an Oct. 23 Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting article.

The people of Lebanon are currently in revolt against a proposed WhatsApp tax that would disproportionately affect the poor, according to an Oct. 23 CNN article.

It’s not just me drawing the comparison between the austerity in “Joker” and the protests that have struck across the globe.

Protesters in Lebanon have started wearing the Joker makeup donned by Arthur Fleck as a symbol of the anger and rage they feel at their governments for leaving them behind, according to an Oct. 19 International Buisness Times article.

I hope that what American audiences take away from “Joker” is that a cold and inhuman government breeds anger and resentment.

And I hope, looking at the protests. they see this suffering is preventable by compassion and robust public services.

Chris Harrell is a senior political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2019.

milky ways EMILY: They aren’t great, but I would call them half-good because of the chocolate. 5/10 TORI: Very mushy. 4/10 CHRIS: Never had one.

0/10

REESE’S

Reese’s peanut butter cups EMILY: The best candy.

The only thing that is bad about them is that any time I buy a bag I eat them all in one day. 10/10 TORI: Try freezing them!!

10/10 LUCY: I’ve only had them once, and I don’t like the peanut butter and chocolate combination. 4/10

Starbursts EMILY: They’re chewy but not gum. 7/10 SOPHIE: Ew. They get stuck in my teeth and leave a bad aftertaste. Starburst, more like star-WORST. 4/10 CHRIS: The paper always gets stuck to them. 3/10

candy corn EMILY: Every time you buy candy corn, you remember why you DON’T buy it. 2/10 SOPHIE: Candy corn tastes like radioactive waste.

Nerds though… 1/10 CHRIS: Candy corn makes me feel like I have cavities.

3/10

SAVANAH TEBEAU SHERRY

CULTURE

Ghostly guide to UVM’s haunted halls Kate Germain krgermai@uvm.edu

Bronze leaves swirl and nights grow longer, making UVM a whole lot spookier.

UVM is no exception to the haunted essence of Burlington in the fall. Many students are eerily aware of the most unsettling spots on campus, and they have something to say about it.

ROYALL TYLER THEATRE

Royall Tyler Theatre is home to the infamous haunts around UVM. The theatre was built in 1901 and houses a friendly ghost, senior McKenna Black said.

Black said she witnessed a man interacting with the ghost in the Craftsbury room, on the second level of the theatre.

Black remembers telling the man to leave.

“He said he was sitting with his friend,” she said. “I was like ‘dude, there’s no one here, just you and I.’ And he said ‘no, my friend is here, too.’ He said that they chat every now and then.”

After the encounter, Black remembered hearing about the ghost that the man may have been communicating with.

“I heard that there was a ghost of a man that did a lot for the theatre,” she said. “So, it’s a respectable ghost, but, man, did that really get me at the time.”

CONVERSE HALL

Converse Hall is one of UVM’s well-known haunted dorms. Sophomore Simran Saini, among other UVM students, is familiar with the haunted hype surrounding the residence hall.

“I heard that some ghosts haunt up in the attic, and they’re

BAILEY SAMBER/The Vermont Cynic

Converse Residence Hall stands against the weather as rain begins to fall, Oct. 23. Converse is considered to be haunted by some students. all spooky and scary,” she said.

Sophomore Hannah Poquette lives in Converse Hall and spilled about some of her chilling experiences.

“People say that a ghost named Henry lives in the attic,” she said. “Also, someone in my hall said they heard whistling and creaking coming from the attic before school started.”

As if creaky attics and famed ghosts aren’t enough, Poquette has experienced her own share of haunting moments. Poquette described how her room has an eerie demeanor.

“The door to my room always slams like there’s a

draft, but we keep the windows closed,” she said.

Poquette added that hearing bumps in the night is common at Converse Hall.

“Converse doesn’t have common rooms, but there’s a basement and an attic,” she said. “There’s always noise coming from the attic. It’s creepy up there, like, there’s a bunch of little hallways. It’s just really scary.”

SIMPSON HALL

Besides the buildings that have recognition as haunted sites, UVM is home to many places that spook students.

Some residents of recently built

residence halls still claim to hear some bumps in the night.

Sophomore Anna Charland recalled feeling scared within her first week of moving into Simpson Hall on Redstone campus.

“I kept feeling like I was hearing people running around upstairs. After, like 10 minutes, I remembered that I live on the top floor, and there’s no one living above us,” Charland said.

Charland also said the water often runs cold in the fifth floor bathrooms at Simpson Hall.

“We know that it’s probably a maintenance problem, but it’s still kind of creepy,” she said.

As October progresses, with gray skies and bone-chilling air, the spookier side of campus makes its presence known.

No matter a residence hall, or the center of theatrical production, UVM is allegedly home to ghosts and ghouls, alike.

With the scariest season at its peak, students may find solace in knowing that many others also feel a ghostly presence lurking. Keep your spirits up for another UVM Halloween, or rather, keep them out.

Editor’s note: Senior McKenna Black is an illustrator for The Vermont Cynic.

Production of Halloween classic does the time-warp Kellyn Doerr kdoerr@uvm.edu

A group of UVM students are preparing to leave their audience invincibly fabulous this Halloween season.

The cast will perform a cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” 8 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Roxy Cinema. The show is free for UVM students.

The group will perform the show in its traditional form: a film and theater combination that encourages audience participation. The movie will play on a screen along with the actors’ performing in front of the screen.

The UVM “Rocky Horror” show is put on by UVM Program Board, but it is an entirely student-led production.

This UVM tradition-inprogress was started in the fall of 2018 by juniors Cobalt Tolbert and Em Lyden.

UPB was already set up to have a screening of “Rocky Horror” around Halloween when Tolbert asked if they

BARBARA BANCHIK/The Vermont Cynic

(Left to Right): Junior Cobalt Tolbert, junior Em Lyden and sophomore Zoe Silverman practice for UVM Program Board’s production of “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Oct. 22. The student-run show will be performed at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Roxy Cinema. wanted to have a shadow cast.

This year, UPB asked Tolbert to put it on it again.

“I’m always trying to find different ways to connect different student groups together,” Tolbert said. “And hopefully this is a way that people who want to kind of express queerness.”

Tolbert made in-class

announcements and posted to various social media groups to get the word out. Those who were interested showed up to the first rehearsal and chose their characters from there.

Tolbert was living on Trinity campus when the idea first arose in 2018.

Sophomore Charlotte Kelman said she decided to

participate in “Rocky Horror” this year because she’s always loved the show and saw this as an opportunity to dip her toe into UVM’s theater world.

Kelman saw “Rocky Horror” as a more inclusive and casual option for someone going in with any level of experience, she said.

Kelman said everyone in the cast is a “Rocky Horror” fanatic.

“It’s just kind of like, one big, ‘Rocky Horror’ geek out,” Kelman said.

There is a reason behind “Rocky Horror’s” firm place in pop culture. The film came out during the ‘70s, an important period for issues such as gay rights, gender fluidity, sexual expression and the uplifiting of the underdog, Kelman said.

“It’s really all about expressing individualism, which I think is really important,” Kelman said. “It stands the test of time in terms of the message.”

Shadow casts of the show traditionally encourage audience members to arrive in

campy get-ups of their own.

Sophomore Zoe Silverman acknowledged the ways in which the film is outdated.

“The movie is problematic in some ways, definitely for both women and queer communities,” Silverman said.

“Which is kind of ironic in a way.”

Some aspects of the show do not adhere to our culture’s evolved sense of political correctness, Tolbert said.

The cast has quickly become a tight-knit community that fosters a non-judgmental and expressive space, Tolbert said.

If the show becomes an official UVM production, Tolbert said he hopes it becomes an even more established queer space.

The show will be a risque and memorable way to kick start anyone’s “Halloweekend,” Silverman said.

“We have a lot of people doing [‘Rocky Horror’] as a way to get out of their comfort zone,” Tolbert said. “Supporting that on campus is super important.”

8

CULTURE

Sarah Robinson cynicculture@gmail.com

Silence permeated the audience as UVM President Suresh Garimella and his wife, Lakshmi, knelt to light the ceremonial lamp that signals the beginning of the festival.

The Indian Students Association held their annual Diwali celebration Oct. 27 in Grand Maple Ballroom.

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, which is observed every autumn.

This is ISA’s 13th celebration of Diwali at UVM. This year’s was particularly special because the celebration fell on the exact day of Diwali.

ISA Vice President Aayudh Das, a graduate student, said the club has been planning the festival for a year.

Garimella gave the opening remarks for the festival.

“I wish the lights were on in the room. It’s just an amazing sight,” Garimella said. “It’s the first time I feel like I’ve seen this much color at UVM.” Garimella

continued

by

reading a Sanskrit shloka, a type of verse that appears frequently in Sanskrit poetry.

“I salute this light which destroys darkness. And with this light, anything can be accomplished,” Garimella said, reciting the poem.

The celebration continued with performances from ISA’s team of dancers, drummers from UVM’s Taiko club and Jazbaa, UVM’s Bollywood dance company.

A few performers gave a tribute to A.R. Rahman, an Indian musician famous for his work on the 2008 film “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Senior Choeden Lama, one of the leaders of Jazbaa, appeared in most of the night’s performances.

“A lot of the members in our group come from backgrounds and cultures that celebrate Diwali, and for them, it’s a very special event,” Lama said. “I think it’s special because it feels like you’re home celebrating this.”

Das echoed the importance of attending events like Diwali.

“You are not complete

ZOE COLGAN-SELLERS/The Vermont Cynic

(TOP) UVM President Suresh Garimella (Kneeling) and his wife Lakshmi light the ceremonial lamp that signifies the start of Diwali, Oct. 27. This year’s celebration falls on the exact day of Diwali.

(LEFT) People sit in Grand Maple Ballroom to watch various speakers and performers. The celebration’s honored guest was President Garimella.

(RIGHT) Members of the Jazbaa dance company perform during the Diwali celebration. The festival of Diwali was first mentioned in Sanskrit texts dating back to the first century C.E. unless you experience other cultures,” Das said. “Students at UVM always come with love.”

The featured guest at this year’s Diwali was Indian folk singer Prahalad Singh Tipanya.

Durning Das’ introduction of Tipanya, he said Tipanya’s

music focuses on reinterpreting the words of the 15th century poet Kabir.

After the performance, attendees filed out into the lobby to enjoy traditional Indian cuisine. Das said ISA worked with UVM Dining to craft more

authentic Indian food.

Garimella sent well wishes to those at the event.

“Let this festival of light and happiness into all of our lives and remind us of the many colors and textures of our community,” Garimella said.

CULTURE

No tricks, only treats for VT families

9

Jenny Koppang jkoppang@uvm.edu

In this most eerie season, Burlington parents can attest that trick-or-treating in a college town is decidedly not the spookiest part of Halloween.

With this holiday comes hoards of college-aged witches and ghouls partaking in familyunfriendly festivities, though these rowdy shenanigans are not a source of anxiety for parents.

Burlington has a strong multi-generational population, from rowdy college students to budding families. This creates an interesting dynamic yearround but especially during Halloween.

Halloween is celebrated by various means throughout different age groups. As a result, there is an underlying fear of confrontations that could put children at risk.

Burlington parents’ attitudes towards their college neighbors dispel any sense of apprehension.

Local mom Samantha Tilton and her 6-year-old daughter have enjoyed a positive trick or treating experience alongside their college neighbors. “[Trick-or-treating in a college town] may have made the experience more fun,” Tilton said. “We have several houses of students on our street and usually they are very sweet to us on Halloween.”

Not only have UVM students not been a disruption

COLE FEKERT

to this holiday tradition, they can enhance trick-or-treating for children and parents alike.

“One year our neighbors, who were college students, dressed up as Teletubbies and handed out candy,” Tilton said. “Everyone that we have interacted with in our neighborhood has been safe and kind.”

Another local mom Nina Hanson also had a positive take on the students with whom she shares a street.

“We have a really friendly relationship with the college kids in our neighborhood,” Hanson said. “I’m aware that they probably get a little crazy for Halloween, but they’re very respectful of the families on the street and we hardly hear or see anything suspicious.”

Burlington families are

Halloween Comic

“Just be a ghost. No one wants to see that.”

By Izzy Pipa Cynic Illustrator

aware of college students’ reputation for partying, but they don’t feel the need to make adjustments to their Halloween routine. The schedule of a third grader looks very different than that of a 15th grader, which ensures the avoidance of unwelcome encounters.

“We go out early, usually around 5:45 p.m. to maybe 7 p.m. If there were any parties happening, they would probably be later,” Tilton said.

“If a house was having a loud party, we probably wouldn’t stop there anyway. We don’t change our Halloween plans due to students in any way.”

Though their interactions have been pleasant, parents naturally worry over dangers that accompany Halloween’s festivities.

“Our experience has been wonderful, but you always have to be careful,” Hanson said.

“It’s troubling to think that people might not be driving sober while my kids are out on the street, but that fear comes with every town, not just ones near a university.”

Every family must grapple with the risks associated with observing a holiday in a city.

UVM students do not appear to add to this misgiving, but instead bring an element of bigenerational fun.

Sophomore Colden Seaman grew up trick-or-treating in Burlington.

“I had a super positive experience,” Seaman said. “I had a close group of friends and knew the best houses to go to.”

His childhood fun was

not spoiled by the antics of undergraduates. Now that Seaman is one himself, he said that the festivities of these two age groups don’t intersect dangerously.

These Burlington residents’ sentiments towards their ability to safely celebrate Halloween is a positive reflection on the UVM community. Despite their close proximity to a college, families have very few qualms about trick or treating with their children.

Regardless of the fears of college shenanigans, the Halloween celebrations of Vermont involve no tricks, only treats.

Jenny Koppang is a sophomore global studies major.

She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2019.

10

CULTURE

Students bring awareness to assault Isabella Ross isross@uvm.edu

Dressed in however they chose, protestors left Waterman Oct. 28 to demonstrate that clothing, or lack thereof, does not equal consent.

UVM SlutWalk was started

by Brianna Ball ‘18 in 2017.

It has been run for the past two years by senior Riri Stuart-Thompson, a member of the Womyn of Color coalition.

“SlutWalk is my baby,” Stuart-Thompson said.

The festivities began with an introduction speech by Stuart-Thompson at Waterman and mobilized into a protest that spanned across campus — even stopping traffic along the way.

SlutWalk originated in Toronto, Ontario, after a police officer said that “women should avoid dressing like sluts” to prevent sexual violence in 2011.

Marches sprung up across the U.S., including UVM, to advocate for survivors of sexual assault.

Stuart-Thompson had to find ways to keep the day’s activities fresh and interesting.

“Not a lot of people want to sit in a lecture. How do I make this event engaging?” StuartThompson said. “I tried to get every aspect of those three: domestic violence, sexual assault and gender inequality, into SlutWalk.”

Stuart-Thompson said she was grateful to everyone who had attended but wished for more diversity in the crowd, particularly more men.

“I wish more men of color showed up because [men] are the number one perpetrator [of sexual violence],” Stu-

ZOE COLGAN-SELLERS/The Vermont Cynic

Students walk from Waterman building to the Living/Learning Center Fireplace Lounge, Oct. 26. The walk was the third annual SlutWalk, which calls attention to domestic violence, sexual assault and gender inequality. art-Thompson said. “That does not mean that men cannot get assaulted. There is just a higher chance that men are perpetrators.”

Protestors were met in the Living/Learning Center Fireplace Lounge with speakers and activities related to sexuality and violence.

After the event, sophomores Morgan Williamson, Robert Lucas and junior Cat Lawrence discussed some of the difficult subject matter of the day. “[I was] super excited because I don’t know as much about sexual assault and violence as I should,” said Williamson, who is in charge of commu-

nity outreach for the Womyn of Color coalition.

Williamson is an RA and said they don’t get enough training on how to handle sexual assault.

“We are mandatory reporters [and] have diversity training for two days, but two hours of sexual assault training,” she said. “[Sexual assault is] something we are much more likely to encounter on a daily basis on campus.”

Williamson said that ending sexual violence requires structural change.

“It seems like an easy problem to fix, but it’s like putting on a Band-Aid when the issue

is systemic,” Williamson said.

“These institutions are not built for LGBT communities, people of color or women. The University system needs to be rebuilt.”

Lucas said available resources for reporting sexual assault are a necessity.

“You are told that you have these things at your disposal, but you have to find it on your own,” Lucas said.

The event ended with Lauren Williamson, of no relation to Morgan Williamson, debunking myths about the sexual community of BDSM, which stands for bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism.

She gave a presentation that

challenged ideas of violence in the community. She defines consent as informed, sober, enthusuastic and can be revoked.

Lawrence said that some acts of defending survivors aren’t enough.

“You can paint your nails and say you support women, but at the end of the day, it’s about doing your own work,” Lawrence said.

Stuart-Thompson wants to see SlutWalk grow.

“I want it to be so big it fills the Fireplace Lounge,” StuartThompson said. “Words cannot express how much I appreciate everyone.”

Composer performs in protest for 24 hours straight Willow Scherwinski wscherwi@uvm.edu

In the middle of the night Oct. 24, young Burlingtonians hopped from bar to bar along Church Street while a lone violin song fought to be heard.

Violinist, composer and activist Daniel Bernard Roumain began his 24-hour performance at noon Oct. 24 outside of Burlington’s City Hall. Roumain hoped his song “Protest Song” would shine a light on immigration policies in the U.S., he said.

The protest piece was put on in part by Vermont Symphony Orchestra where Roumain is the artist-in-residence.

The event was set up as an open mic. Poets, singers, musicians and dancers took the opportunity to perform with Roumain.

Steve MacQueen, artistic director of the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, was one of the behind-the-scenes minds who organized and put on the event. “[Roumain] is the perfect

STEPHAN TOLJAN/The Vermont Cynic

The artist known as DBR performs at 1 a.m. Oct. 27 in front of Burlington City Hall. His performance was part of a 24-hour demonstration meant to call attention to U.S. immigration policy. artist for this,” MacQueen said.

“It’s amazing how he can fit in with anybody and everybody who comes up to play.”

Roumain grew up as the child of Haitain immigrants and therefore there was personal value in this issue.

Roumain said he is aware

that his strong progressive views might stir controversy.

“If anyone says something tomorrow that I do not agree with, that is not cause for me to stop,” Roumain said. “In fact, I see it as the opposite. I think the collaboration is more important than the conflict.”

Guayoyo, a local Hatian drumming group, was one of the groups that performed with Roumain during the event.

Member Mica McDonald said they were inspired by Roumain’s background and the cause.

“The discrimation that [President Donald] Trump’s administration has against all immigrants is really serious, and we believe in the message: fighting for better immigration policies,” McDonald said.

McDonald said he sees music as a way of understanding things he is not usually exposed to.

“I think that music is one of the ways that people can come together and celebrate diversity in a very positive way,” McDonald said. “It embodies a depth of culture that is both beautiful and powerful.”

A day prior to the performance, Roumaine attended the Drugs, Demons and Dancing class as a guest lecturer.

First-year Ulee Vogel is a student in this class and decid-

ed to check out the performance downtown the following day.

One part of Roumain’s visit to class involved performing in a circle around the lecture hall while a student read her poem.

“I think it was really special,” Vogel said. “A lot of people in the class engage in non-traditional ways and he was able to do that. He seems to be able to do the same thing here on Church Street.”

MacQueen said one of the reasons a 24-hour period was decided on was because it would grab the attention of all people in Burlington.

“The people you engage [with at] 10 a.m. to noon is so different than the dinner crowd from 6-8 p.m., who are so different from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. crowd,” MacQueen said.

Senior Carter Bradshaw attended the performance in its 14th hour.

“I think it’s really great to get the UVM community involved and engaged in issues that are as important as this one is,” Bradshaw said.

SPORTS

Top: Former men’s basketball players T.J. Sorrentine ‘05 (Left) and Taylor Coppenrath ‘05 (Right) flank athletic director Jeff Schulman before the men’s basketball game, Oct. 26. The ceremony honored the alumni and their time on the team.

UVM retires alumni jerseys Catamount country honors T.J. Sorrentine and Taylor Coppenrath Hayley Rosen hrosen@uvm.edu

Catamount country erupted in applause as the two newest banners sailed up into the rafters Saturday night, Oct.26.

The banners displayed the numbers 11 and 22, those of T.J. Sorrentine and Taylor Coppenrath, two UVM men’s basketball players from the class of 2005.

The jerseys were retired before the start of the men’s varsity basketball exhibition game against Brown University.

The pair received a standing ovation and eruptive cheering as they entered Patrick Gym. Both Sorrentine and Coppenrath were joined by their families and other former teammates for the evening’s ceremony.

Athletic director Jeff Schulman said during his speech that Sorrentine and Coppenrath are among the greatest to ever wear green and gold.

“These two Catamounts have clearly left an indelible mark on our basketball program, our University and the entire state of Vermont,” Schulman said.

Sorrentine and Coppenrath’s accomplishments include three consecutive America East championships.

They also secured a postseason win against higher-seeded Syracuse University in 2004, Schulman said.

UVM President Suresh Garrimella, head basketball coach John Becker and Schulman presented the former players with framed banners with their jersey numbers in recognition of their accomplishments.

“If the goal was to make me and Taylor feel special, this is a grand slam,” Sorrentine said.

Sorrentine next spoke about his now well-known nickname, “T.J. from the parking lot.” He

LUKAS DRAUGELIS/The Vermont Cynic

(CENTER TOP) Coppenrath (Left) and Sorrentine (Right) walk into Patrick Gym to cheering and applause. In addition to having their jerseys retired, the two former Catamounts were inducted into the UVM Hall of Fame in 2015.

(CENTER BOTTOM) Fans fill the bleachers of Patrick Gym to watch the ceremony and men’s basketball exhibition game against Brown University. UVM won the game 70-59.

(RIGHT) Athletic director Jeff Schulman speaks at the ceremony.

Coppenrath and Sorrentine are now the sixth and seventh basketball jerseys to be retired by UVM. acquired it after hitting a deep 3-point shot, which led to the first men’s basketball postseason win in the program’s history.

Following his UVM career, Sorrentine played in Europe and in the NBA Development League before beginning his coaching career.

Sorrentine became a member of the Brown University coaching staff in 2008. He is now Brown’s associate head

coach of men’s basketball.

He felt thrilled and honored to have his players present to witness the ceremony, he said.

“We’re going into the rafters alongside some incredible athletes, but more importantly, incredible people,” Coppenrath said.

The players Coppenrath referred to are Eddie Benton ‘96, Karalyn Church ‘00, Sheri Turnbull ‘94, Kevin Roberson ‘92 and his late teammate Trevor Gaines

‘02.

Coppenrath played in professional leagues for 10 seasons after his UVM career ended. He is now a high school basketball coach and math teacher.

Both Coppenrath and Sorrentine also expressed thanks to their families, teammates and coaches for always supporting them and pushing them.

First-year Aliceson Drollette attended and said the event was a cool merging of generations of UVM basketball.

“I thought it was so cool to see how the generations came

together through these alumni referencing potentially seeing [senior forward] Anthony Lamb’s number be retired one day as well,” she said. “It was neat even though Sorrentine is a coach for Brown now.”

Celebrations continued throughout the evening as Vermont took victory over Brown.

The final score was 70-59.

Men’s basketball’s next contest will be another home exhibition game at 4 p.m., Nov. 3 against Saint Michael’s College.

Stephan Toljan photo@vtcynic.com

Hundreds of students broke out their beanies and boots and flocked to Trinity campus to watch skiers and snowboarders alike ride the makeshift park as part of UVM Ski and Snowboard Club’s 11th Dawn of the Shred.

The park set up and snow were shipped from Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vermont. Club members spent days shoveling the snow in preparation for the event.

Competitors signed up at the UVMSSC’s Clubhaus in the Davis Center and dressed up in wacky outfits to prepare to compete in the rail jam.

One student wore a baby bjorn, com-

MADDY DEGELSMITH/The Vermont Cynic

Top-Left: (Left to Right) First-year students Lily Deible, Brendan Lombard, Holly Morway and Marissa Ledbetter watch as fellow students compete in the Ski and Snowboard Club’s Dawn of the Shred, Oct. 25. The event was held on Trinity campus.

Center-Left: A competitor rides the rail with a Red Bull in his hand. Participants were encouraged to dress in wacky outfits for this Halloween-themed event.

Bottom-Left: Students line the fencing that separates competitors from spectators.

Sponsors like Teton Gravity Research were also present at the event.

Top-Right: A student skier exits the rail to land successfully. Faction, the manufacturer of the student’s skis, is a company based in Verbier, Switzerland.

Bottom-Right: A skier mounts the rail. The pumpkin on the course seen in the bottom right reinforces the event’s Halloween theme.

Illustration by KATE VANNI

plete with a fake baby, while another student chose to ride the rail with a can of Red Bull in his hand.

Attendees enjoyed the tricks, the DJ and free cans of Red Bull as they watched the competitors fly down the course.

Professional snowboarder Zeb Powell, who is 19 years old, was a judge for the event.

Powell has competed in numerous International Skiing Federation events, and finished fifth in a slopestyle competition in 2018.

Maddy Degelsmith is a junior. She has been a staff photographer for the Cynic since fall 2018.