Issue 7

THE INSTALLATION OF PRESIDENT SULLIVAN

FLEMING CELEBRATES FALL EXHIBITS

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TWITTER REPLACES BURN BOOK

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C YNIC THE VERMONT

The University of Vermont’s independent voice since 1883 w w w . v e r m o n t c y n i c . c o m

ALUMNI ART EXHIBITS WORK

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T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 – Vo l u m e 1 2 9 I s s u e 7 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

IMAGE COURTESY OF JULIAN GOLFARINI

A potential mockup of the new multipurpose center and arena if it were to be located on athletic campus. The arena has no projected completion date as of now.

The future of UVM athletics Proposed new arena to hold 6,000 spectators, cost $60 million

By Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor They may not be picking out treatments for the window drapes just yet, but administrators say that a new sports arena is on the agenda.

The facility has been discussed in broad terms, but a specific construction date has yet to be decided, Director of Athletics Bob Corran said.

“We do have a large chunk of it figured out,” Corran said. “We know that it will be a facility that is more functional than comfortable.”

While it may not feature “marble floors and brass trimmings,” Corran said the proposed arena will seat between 6,000 and 6,500 spectators, making it the largest event facility in Vermont — an honor that currently belongs to Gutterson Field House.

The arena would house the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams as well as possi-

bly a minor league hockey team, the Cynic reported last year.

The proposed site for the new event center will be between the Patrick Gym and Gutterson, according to a 2009 Campus Life Task Force II report organized by the Board of Trustees.

But a brand-new facility will not come cheap.

“I would expect any successful project like this at UVM to be in the $60 to $85 million range,” Vice President of Finance Richard Cate said. “The source of the funding for this will be done through private gifts.”

The report stated that funding the entire athletic facility overhaul — which amounts to approximately $189 million, including the new arena — can be broken down as follows: - $25 million in fundraising - $30 million in early student fee collection - $2 per ticket facility fee - The remainder through University bonds

INSIDE

The legacy of Patrick Gym

backed by building revenue and student fees.

Still, even with a $60 million price tag, Corran said he believes a new arena is much needed, especially because of its dual function as both a stadium for sports teams and a space for community ceremonies.

The plan for a new multipurpose center was a result of the trustees’ task force, in which students and faculty members strongly indicated that UVM’s current athletic facilities were inadequate and outdated.

Despite a slight decrease in student enrollment, gym usage this year has gone up considerably, something that Corran attributes to the proximity of the Redstone Lofts.

Director of Student Life Thomas Gustafson said in a previous Cynic article that when Gutterson was built in 1963, the entire campus could fill it.

The problem, he said, is that the UniverSee NEW GYM on page 3

New arena, new venue

pages 8-9

Facility expected to benefit future SGA shows page 11

A necessity or wasted money?

Point/Counterpoint on the new gym

page 12

Facility could increase recruiting page 15

NEWS 1-4 ‘UVM Start’ups: Beneficial bars

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DISTRACTIONS 5 This week in distractions: Athletics

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LIFE 6-7 — FEATURE 8-9 Students question The past, present and their rights future of the gym

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ARTS 10-11 Sarah Sickle’s this week in arts

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OPINION 12-13 Equality vs. equivalence

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SPORTS 14-16 Student athletes: Pop culture grid

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NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

‘UVM Start’ups: Beneficial bars Crime log

By Phoebe Sheehan Cynic Correspondent Two student entrepreneurs intent on combating poverty hope a caffeine-infused chocolate bar will create a buzz in the candy market while also stimulating the Ecuadorian economy.

Senior Varun Gopinath and junior Austin Davis created Napo Natural, an allnatural energy bar made from guayusa tea leaves, sugar and cocoa, after volunteering as medical aid workers in Napo, Ecuador last spring.

“It’s a very simple energy product that tastes great,” Davis said.

While traveling through the villages, Gopinath and Davis said they saw impoverished communities surrounded by a countryside rich in guayusa tea plants and cows. Guayusa, which is similar to its Amazonian cousin, matte, contains twice the amount of antioxidants as a cup of green tea.

The Napo Natural chocolate bar also contains the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, without the jittery effects, Davis said.

“So what we’re basically going for here is kind of a hybrid for your Red Bull culture mixed with your socially responsible consumer,” he said.

The vegan friendly bar is gluten and lactose-free, Davis said. Also, it slowly releases the caffeine to prevent any jitters or crashes that usually accompany caffeine products.

“It’s a completely different entity,” Davis said. “Something more, something sustainable, something socially responsible, something that’s going to give them the energy that they need that tastes great.”

With the help of UVM Start, a crowdsourcing website that pairs student entrepreneurs with alumni donors, the company hopes to obtain capital for their venture.

The team plans to support the people

By Lauren Drasler Staff Writer

Oct. 3, 1:12 p.m.

A student reported that his iPhone had been stolen from a duffle bag at Patrick-Gutterson Complex. The student said he had left the iPhone in his bag in the ice skating rink lobby. The person responsible for stealing the phone has not been found.

Oct. 4, 12:17 a.m.

LORENA LINERO The Vermont Cynic

Junior Austin Davis (left) and senior Varun Gopinath speak about their Napo Natural Ecuadorian energy bar during an interview in Henderson’s Cafe Oct. 2. of Napo, Ecuador by putting 10 percent of their profits into short-term projects and 15 percent into long-term projects for this cause.

“There are children and adults alike who suffer from waterborne diseases due to inadequate filtration systems, fungal diseases and rapid deforestation of the Amazon,” Gopinath said. “We hope to stop these activities through our endeavor.”

Davis and Gopinath also said they plan to lease a facility in Ecuador in order to create jobs in Napo and initiate a direct link with the U.S. market.

“We’re getting that money and wealth, then pulling it back down,” Gopinath said.

The mission of Napo Natural is not only to help the Kastrup farmers in Ecuador, but also provide a sustainable energy product for consumers, he said.

“I don’t see it as a means to exploit the people and get the cheapest product —

we’re here to help,” Gopinath said. “The economy can be utilized to help people and Napo Natural is what we believe is going to do that.”

The two plan to continue work on the company after they graduate from UVM. “I’d like to see Napo Natural in five years being profitable, running efficiently and with both of us running it together,” Davis said.

‘UVM Start’ups is a weekly staple which will highlight eight student groups that have started their own business and are using UVM Start to promote their work.

UVM Start is a crowdsourcing website that helps student entrepreneurs connect with alumni for donations and advice on their projects. More information can be found on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/uvmstart.

Marijuana was taken from four students behind Jeanne Mance Hall. An officer who was driving into the parking lot heard noise and smelled marijuana as they drove close to the students. The officer confiscated 6.3 grams of the drug.

11:59 p.m

Two students were seen smoking marijuana outside Coolidge Hall. As an officer approached the students, one student threw a joint on the ground. Nothing was confiscated from the students as they had finished smoking.

Oct. 5, 12:37 a.m.

An officer outside Wilks Hall saw two students playing with a bus stop sign. The officer was walking by, heard a loud banging noise and found two students pulling the sign back and then letting it go. The students were told to leave the sign alone and left upon request.

N EWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

3

Safety woes lead to cheaper taxis

By Stephanie Santos Staff Writer

ERIKA COLBERTALDO The Vermont Cynic

President E. Thomas Sullivan holds an 84 year old mace at the Installation Ceremony held in the Ira Allen Chapel Oct. 5. Among the attendees were Sen. Bernie Sanders and Gov. Peter Shumlin.

University makes it official

Tom Sullivan installed as 26th UVM president

By Keegan Fairfield Senior Staff Writer The band was playing, the choir was singing and flowers lined the stage.

President E. Thomas Sullivan stood in the midst of it all with flowing black robes, an 84-yearold mace and a fist-sized silver medallion engraved with the University seal.

So was the spectacle of Sullivan’s official installation ceremony at a fully packed Ira Allen Chapel, Oct. 5.

The afternoon’s speakers paid homage to Sullivan’s past accomplishments and said they were enthusiastic for the future of UVM under his direction.

“I’ve now seen him in action and he’s better than advertised,” Board of Trustees Chair Robert Cioffi said.

In his address, Sullivan called on members of the University community to further improve the quality and standing of UVM. “Together, we can all raise our expectations and aspirations to create an academic experience of the highest quality,” Sullivan said.

His address to the crowd highlighted the four primary pathways that will guide his ad-

ministration, all of which, he said, have to do with investing in people: affordability, priorities, facilities and the community.

Central to these priorities is the hope that the UVM experience will inspire students into a lifetime of achievement and contribution, Sullivan said.

I’m sure UVM will be very happy with Tom [Sullivan].

Walter Mondale Former U.S. vice president “A large part of our responsibility is to encourage students to stretch their imaginations and push their curiosity beyond how things are to raise expectations and aspirations, and to dream the big dream,” he said.

Sullivan’s speech was occasionally interrupted by periods of applause, and attendees gave an extended standing ovation at the conclusion of his address.

Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sullivan understands that education

Sullivan on...

Affordability “We must provide our students access to success through scholarships and financial aid.”

Priorities “We must advance academic excellence by rebalancing priorities and investing in this University’s strengths to create a distinctive teaching and learning environment.”

is a prerequisite for tackling the challenges of the state and nation.

“We need every faculty member to do the important work to make sure that the graduates of this school are prepared to critically think about the issues facing our great and troubled democracy,” Sanders said.

Also showing support for Sullivan was Gov. Peter Shumlin.

“What President Sullivan understands is that there are firm and tough things that we need to do to make UVM even better,” Shumlin said. “And he does it with tremendous grace.”

Former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale said that Sullivan’s achievements at the University of Minnesota have proven that he has what it takes to lead UVM to prosperity.

“He had a vision and he had the confidence of the entire campus,” he said. “And everyone believes that the results were transformative.”

Speaking to reporters at the Marriot Courtyard Hotel, Mondale, a longtime friend of Sullivan’s, opened up about his personal qualities.

“He’s a very bright, very nice human being,” Mondale said.

“I’m sure UVM will be very happy with Tom.”

Facilities “We must improve facilities and support creative endeavors and breakthrough research to our faculty and staff to attract and retain talent of the highest quality.”

Community “Central to our mission are public service, civic engagement, and outreach throughout Vermont to further economic development, health, civic life, and

First-year Caroline Bouillon spent almost $50 a week on taxi services downtown.

Thanks to recent initiatives focusing on student safety, Bouillon can now take seven taxi rides for less than half that price.

Vermont Tour and Charter, a small ground transportation company based in the Greater Burlington area, has expanded its services to the UVM community through an affordable prepaid taxi service.

As of Oct. 5, students can purchase a $20 punch card worth seven rides at the UVM Bookstore or from the driver during service, SGA President Connor Daley said.

The card averages out to only $2.85 per ride, he said.

“This is a really great idea for student safety and a great way to carpool,” Daley said.

SGA Vice President Samantha Holland explained that the taxi company was used in the past mainly to shuttle students back and forth to the Burlington International Airport, but they are now interested in branching out to the downtown Burlington area.

This area, called the Catamount Zone, includes UVM campus, downtown Burlington, off-campus housing areas, the airport, the Essex Amtrak station, University Mall and Higher Ground. The airport and Amtrak require two punches.

“They’ll serve the Catamount Zone now only for UVM students,” Holland said.

If the service tests out successfully, payments could possibly be made with Cat$cratch in the future, she said.

UVM Bookstore Director Jay Menninger was approached by William Cross, head of Vermont Tour and Charter, about this idea.

“I asked my work studies about it,” Menninger said. “‘What do you think about this? Seven rides, 20 bucks. Do you think it’s a good idea?’ Most of them said yes.”

Menninger said he hopes students will take advantage of the affordable investment in one’s safety because it is a good deal.

NEW GYM

“You can’t get from here to the airport for less than $20,” he said. “And if a student finds themselves downtown alone at 11 o’clock at night, they can just call or text the service’s number and the taxi will come and pick them up. I think from that perspective it’s a really good idea.”

For the past few months, Cross and his team have been racking their brains for approaches to provide their services to the UVM community, and they came up with the Catamount Zone Program.

“Our goal was to provide safe and convenient door to door transportation at extremely affordable prices,” Cross stated in an email. “Participants simply text or call for a ride. In most cases, the response time is less than 15 minutes.”

This is a really great idea for student safety and a great way to carpool.

Connor Daley SGA president

The service is available 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the week, with hours extended until 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday; transit with the airport and Amtrak is accessible 24/7.

Six of the passes have been sold in the bookstore as of Oct. 9, three of which were sold Oct. 8, said Enrique Peredo, business support generalist at the UVM Bookstore.

Bouillon does not have a car on campus so she often takes a taxi, but she said the rides get expensive and she could benefit from this service.

“The much cheaper price will be useful for students,” she said.

“For kids who don’t have cars, it’s great for safety. Even though Burlington is small, it’s safer to take a taxi than walk.”

Arena may be $60 million

...continued from page 1 sity’s population has since doubled — and coaches and student athletes alike say that there just isn’t enough room.

President Tom Sullivan said that he had observed these problems firsthand, and stated in an email that connecting with prospective donors would be key to making the new facility a reality.

“If we are able to realize the significant amount of funding that we need, we may be able to address this situation sooner rather than later,” Sullivan said.

While the question has now shifted from ‘if’ to ‘when,’ administrators said that the project is

still a long way off and it’s unlikely that current students will ever get to experience the new facility as undergraduates.

“The arena is on the list with 38 other projects,” Cate said. “It’s in the middle of the pack.”

Corran said he agreed, although he estimated that the actual construction time would be between 18 and 22 months. Any details beyond that are largely unknown.

“I can guarantee you it will not be done in the next five weeks; it’s a long-term project,” Corran said.

“The greater uncertainty at the moment is getting it started.”

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NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

Two Vt. senators strive to loosen laws on pot

By Marissa Beinhauer Cynic Correspondent Two Vermont senators’ hopes are high to decriminalize marijuana in the Green Mountain State.

Sen. Philip Baruth and Sen. Joe Benning are planning a bill that would revamp the criminal system by changing the degree of offense for possession and how it would be penalized, Baruth said.

Possession of one ounce of marijuana or less would be reduced to $100 and the case would be processed as a civil offense rather than a criminal one.

“Right now we’re working to reduce penalties — to decriminalize,” Baruth said. “Legalizing marijuana is a huge step that the majority is not ready to take.”

Decriminalization is different from legalization because it does not change the classification of the offense, but regards it as a lesser one, he said.

Baruth said his goal is to reform the misguided and expensive laws he believes are excessive for correction and processing action, which would limit the amount of state arrests.

“The system we have now is both time consuming and costly,” Baruth said. “The state is a little prison crazy and the bill would change these penalties.”

Benning, a Republican, said he approached Baruth, a Democrat, and suggested they join forces to seek change.

“As a practicing criminal defense attorney who also happens to be a Republican, I’ve seen

too often how our marijuana laws cost the taxpayers needless money and permanently impact ‘offenders’ who have really done nothing to harm society,” Benning said.

Marijuana laws aren’t working, Benning said. Legislators are reacting to public pressure that affirms this.

“Right now we’re working to reduce penalties – to decriminalize.

Legalizing marijuna is a huge step that the majority is not ready to take.”

Philip Baruth Senator “I think the conservatives suddenly realized that 70 years worth of taxpayer dollars spent to conduct police actions and court proceedings wasn’t working the way it was intended,” he said.

Diana Gonzalez, alcohol and other drug educator from the Living Well Center, said bills of this nature often gain a lot of support without people checking the facts.

“A lot of times, policies gain support and get passed based on misperception,” Gonzalez said.

“Numbers show that 70 percent of UVM students haven’t even smoked pot this past month.”

Although not in favor of decriminalization’s step toward legalization, Gonzalez said the reduced penalty that the new law would enforce is better from an educational standpoint.

“By skipping the legal proceedings and just paying a fine, the penalty is quicker and appropriately matches the situation,” she said. “Quick response and penalties increase the likelihood that people will learn from the experience.”

Information for or against marijuana is very biased, Gonzalez said. The real problem lies with the fact that Vermont has the highest per capita marijuana users in addition to alcohol users.

“Misuse and poverty are really connected,” she said. “We should find policies that allow Vermont to be healthier and decrease substance use.”

Sophomore Francesca Hall, who is working for Baruth’s campaign, disagrees.

“Before weed was decriminalized in LA, where I’m from, police officers were responding late to burglary and assault calls because they were working a drug bust where someone had under an ounce of marijuana,” Hall said.

She said that those busted for possession added to the overpopulation in state prisons.

“We shouldn’t be using resources to bring first time offenders to trials and jails,” she said.

“The state’s money can be put to much better use — like supporting a single-payer health care system and the closing of Vermont Yankee.”

MAX LANDERMAN The Vermont Cynic

Sen. Philip Baruth poses outside of Old Mill Oct. 8. He and Sen. Joe Benning are planning a bill to decriminalize marijuana in Vt. Congressional policies need a majority vote to get the bill out of a committee and onto the floor.

Baruth said he is confident that the bill will pass in January.

“I have been talking to senators and legislators trying to change hearts and minds,” he said.

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The Shelburne Fire Department takes on UVM students.

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D I S T RAC T I O N S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

This week in

5

Distractions:athletics work up a sweat

By Jenna Bushor ACROSS 4. Activities that place less stress on joints and bones.

5. Term to describe pain in the lower leg, usually occurs from running on pavement.

6. Strength training involving a constant amount of resistance.

9. Ability to sustain physical activity over a long period of time.

11. Medicine that reduces the heart rate.

12. A low force, high duration stretch where the muscle is held for up to 30 seconds at the greatest possible length.

13. Ability of a muscle to produce the maximum amount of force. 14. Type of training that involves a long period of high intensity exercise in a short time frame, followed by periods of recovery.

16. Activity that increases the body’s need for oxygen through the use of continuous movement for 10 minutes.

17. A series of exercises performed with brief intervals of rest.

18. Form of exercise that promotes balance, coordination, flexibility and meditation.

19. Body mass divided by

height.

21. Total weight of muscle, bone and all other organs.

DOWN 1. Gradual slowing of activity after exercise.

2. Exercises that place excess stress on joints and bones where the limbs are making contact with the ground or another surface with force.

3. Number of times a set is completed.

6. The measure of movement possible in a particular joint.

7. Muscle group that includes abdominals, lower back, obliques and hips.

8. An exercise that combines stretching with movement against resistance.

9. The body loses these salt ions in body fluids through exercise.

10. Period of exercise in which there is no progress being made.

15. Exercise using one’s body weight to develop muscle tone.

20. Act of stretching or exercising briefly before an athletic event.

Answers to “Animals” crossword ACROSS 4. Alligator 5. Cow 7. Eagle 9. Panda

12. Bat 15. Bear 17. Koala 18. Groundhog 19. Dolphin 20. Snake

21. Parrot 23. Seahorse 25. Turtle DOWN 1. Pigeon 2. Beaver

Camp Morning Wood by Scott Womer

Fun Facts Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his baseball cap to keep cool.

By Jenna Bushor

The heartbeat of an average marathon runner is 175 beats per minute.

The oldest tennis court in the world is Hampton Court. Cardinal Wolsey built it in 1530 for King Henry VIII. John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 after the longest set in tennis history at 46 hours 39 min. in 2010.

Sources: weirdfacts.com, royaltenniscourt.com, usatoday.com, sports.espn.go.com

3. Camel 5. Chameleon 6. Catamount 8. Raccoon 10. Dog 11. Morgan Horse

13. Lobster 14. Monkey 16. Aardvark 22. Cat 24. Hyena

6

LIFE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

Students pitch judges for cash

By Stephanie Beland Cynic Correspondent UVM’s first ever business pitch competition was held Oct. 6 in the Davis Center by the School of Business Administration and awarded $3,000 to fund a student project.

The competition allowed four entrepreneur groups on campus to showcase their plans for creating a business or product to a panel of judges.

Senior Max Ebenstein won the competition with his pitch for Doorack, a small and innovative rack for skis and snowboards that can be put onto the back of a door of a car without taking up much space or causing damage to the door.

“Anybody who skis or rides could use this technology,” Ebenstein said. “It can be easily utilized by college students.”

The rack is the first of its kind designed for both snowboards and skis, he said.

The audience gave Ebenstein loud applause after he was able to answer the judges’ questions with ease by using data to back up his points.

“Presenting in front of the judges wasn’t too bad,” he said.

“I know my market.”

Ebenstein began the project during his sophomore year, and the entrepreneur class helped him write his business plan.

Ebenstein received the prize to fund his project, along

with free entry to compete in a national $1 million entrepreneurship competition called the MassChallenge. “[With the money] I plan to work on patents and with lawyers to protect my ideas,” he said.

“I’ve been an enthusiastic supporter of students and the program – all did a great job [today]. This is getting students excited about what it takes to run a company.

Scott Bailey Founder of UVM Entrepreneur club The MassChallenge is a national, $1 million, nonprofit entrepreneurship competition, said Scott Bailey, director of partnership of MassChallenge.

Scott Bailey, a UVM alumnus and one of the founders of the UVM entrepreneur club, was at the event.

“I’ve been an enthusiastic supporter of students and the program — all did a great job [today],” Bailey said. “This is getting students excited about

what it takes to run a company.”

The competition got students involved, said Sanjay Sharma, dean of the business school.

“Originally, 20 proposals went through online and judging for preliminaries were done in April,” he said. “I think it is a fantastic start. It was organized and students did a great job.”

Other presentations in the competition were Community Roots by Dave Manago (second place), Ka-Pow by Abigail Beck (third place) and Cloud 9 by Graham Phelps and Asher Thompson (fourth place).

“I was very pleased [with the competition],” said Rocki-Lee Dewitt, professor in the school of business. “The students responded well to the judges.”

Dewitt has been involved with the entrepreneurship club from its start and said she sees this competition as great progress for the entrepreneurship club.

Judges for the competition were Bill Stenger, co-owner of Jay Peak, Lisa Groenveld, COO and co-owner of Logic Supply and David Aronoff, general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners.

Senior Tommy Barkovic, an officer of the entrepreneurship club, said that the competition went well. “Pitches were great,” he said. “They brought some really new ideas.”

A hike for Avi Over 40 student clubs hike “Catamount Classic”

By Johnny Sudekum Staff Writer The entire Long Trail was hiked by over 40 separate student organizations in the first annual “Catamount Classic.”

Hosted by the UVM Outing Club, this event happened on the weekend of Sept. 29-30.

While the weather was cloudy and rainy in some parts of Vermont, groups joined in to support the cause.

The Catamount Classic was created by seniors Joe Kasay, Sara Stanton and Kathryn Martin with the intent to bring UVM organizations together in the wilderness of Vermont.

“We are attempting to start a UVM tradition to bring UVM groups together and unify clubs in the outdoors,” Kasay said.

Each of the 43 groups involved in the hike was assigned a single section of the trail as either a day hike or an entire weekend trip. The hikes ranged anywhere from four to 15 miles.

Another important purpose behind the Catamount Classic was to remember and celebrate the life of student Outing Club leader and DREAM mentor Avi Kurganoff.

“Everybody was involved to honor our friend who had a philosophy of adventure ‘til the day you die,” Kasay said.

While not every participant knew Avi, students expressed a sense of being a part of something that he would have been proud of.

“In years when not many people at UVM will have known Avi, they will [still] know what kind of person he was because of this annual event,” Stanton said.

Between donations and the participation fee, the Catamount Classic raised over $3,000 — enough money to send two teens from the DREAM program on either an Outward Bound or NOLS course.

“People who don’t usually hike got out there and that is exactly what Avi would want,” junior Emily Leighton said.

Since the Outing Club plans to make this an annual event, creators of the Catamount Classic hope that it becomes a UVM staple.

“I think that this is a really amazing thing that we could do as a university,” sophomore Blaise Sullivan said. “This could be the new naked bike ride.”

“Footpath in the wilderness” LONG TRAIL

Burlington

272.5 miles of trail down length of Vt.

1912

year trail was founded and cleared by the Green Mountain Club

175 number of day hike trails

4

typical number of weeks to hike in its entirety

LI F E

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

7

Students question their rights

By Erin Focone Assistant Life/Features Editor Dealing with a noise violation or roommate dispute were only two of the many topics covered at the Student Rights and Responsibilities Fair Oct. 2.

The Inter-Residence Association (IRA) set up a panel of representatives in Living/ Learning aiming for a mellow and approachable environment for students.

The director of student advocacy, Felicia Mensah, had high hopes for the event.

“We have had low attendance in the past so this year we are trying to form a better relationship with students,” Mensah said. “We just want to get the words out to students about what they can and cannot do.”

The IRA said it wanted students to get involved and offered free food and giveaways, even the raffling of an iPod. In order for the students to be eligible, they had to talk to all of the representatives at the event.

The departments represented at the event were the Center for Student Ethics, Police Services, the Office of Student Community Relations and Residential Life.

Police Sgt. Brandon King said he was happy to answer all the students’ questions.

“I think this event is important,” King said. “A lot of students see all the bad that we

importance of the legal departments and students working together as a team.

“A lot of students see all the bad that we [Police Services] do, but we want to help them understand that living on your own comes with responsibility” Brandon King Police sergeant

LORENA LINERO The Vermont Cynic

Director of Student and Community Relations Gail Shampnois speaks to sophomore Patrick Carton (left) at the Student Rights and Responsibilities Fair hosted by IRA in the Living/Learning Center Oct. 2.

[Police Services] do, but we want to help them understand that living on your own comes with responsibility.”

Many students on and off campus have to deal with the police for various reasons,

and this event gave them the opportunity to speak one-on-one with a police officer.

Gail Shampnois, director of student and community relations, said she felt that the students’ rights fair was a positive event.

Fair trade aims for justice

“I wanted to support the IRA.” Shampnois said. “I work with the off-campus population in Burlington and I want to make sure students’ questions are answered today.”

The event stressed the

Health & Fitness Column

Burlington festival turns attention to growing movement for change

By Erin Focone Assistant Life/Features Editor The Peace and Justice Center held a fair trade festival at Burlington City Hall on Sept. 29 to educate the community about the importance of supporting fair trade.

Fair trade is an alternative way of trading based on the principles of economic and social justice.

The event was lined with tables serving various fair trade goods such as hand-knitted scarves, organic chocolate and coffee, handcrafted beverages and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Gaby Ochoa Brenneman, the program director of the Peace and Justice Center, has been involved with fair trade for the last 10 years. She organizes events and said she is passionate about the issue of fair trade.

“The center is important to me especially for the impact that it has in our community,” Brenneman said. “We are an organization that focuses on education, and to me it is only by creating learning opportunities on issues like social, racial and economic justice that we can make the changes that are needed in our society.”

The Peace and Justice Center focuses their work on opening people’s eyes to issues involving many areas of food production. Highlighted at the

event was the production of cocoa around the world.

According to information at the fair, 70 percent of the world’s cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Forty percent of the world’s cocoa and 50 percent of cocoa consumed by the U.S. comes from the Ivory Coast alone.

As of 2009, more than 1.8 million children worked in the cocoa sectors of both countries.

The event stressed that child labor and human trafficking have become a huge problem in this part of the world.

All of the world’s major cocoa companies, including Hershey’s, Mars, Nestles and Cadbury, employ the work of these children in their cocoa production. The center stresses that everyone can make changes in their life to address this issue, such as purchasing chocolate from fair trade brands like “Equal Exchange,” who were represented at the event.

Students went to the event for a variety of reasons. Firstyear Lauren Jacques was curious about what the event would entail.

“I don’t know anything about fair trade, but I hope I’ll be more informed about it,” Jacques said. “I also want to learn about what Burlington is doing to raise awareness about fair trade.”

Junior Julia Sheed, intern

with the Peace and Justice Center, was pleased with the way the event turned out.

“The event this Saturday was a great way for us to showcase what is being done by real companies to make an impact on the fair trade movement,” Sheed said.

“We are an organization that focuses on education, and to me it is only by creating learning opportunities on issues like social, racial and economic justice that we can make the changes that are needed in our society.”

Gaby Ochoa Brenneman Program director, Peace and Justice Center

The turnout increased from last year, according to the IRA, and students seemed very curious about what the event would entail.

“I came to see what was going on and what departments were being represented,” graduate student Courtney Doyle said.

“This is a cool opportunity to understand what exactly my rights are.”

For more information on the IRA and their events on campus, visit www.uvm.edu/~irauvmn.

KEVIN PELLETIER

Marijuana: new cancer stick?

If you are someone who believes that marijuana is relatively harmless, then you will want to hear what I recently learned at the UVM College of Medicine.

During a lecture, Dr. Kelly Butnor, an associate professor of pathology, explained that marijuana does, in fact, increase one’s risk of developing lung cancer, stating, “Smoking a single joint of marijuana is as carcinogenic as smoking an entire pack of cigarettes.”

I found this very surprising as you hear so many people defend the harmlessness of smoking marijuana. When you think about it, though, is it really surprising that inhaling something that is burning would be bad for you?

Another carcinogenic is charred meat — apparently, the body does not appreciate you ingesting things that are burnt.

A second lecturer from the UVM College of Medicine, Dr. Yolanda Mageto, a medical doctor with a master’s degree in public health, went on to note that marijuana contains more tar than cigarettes, which is made even worse due to the fact that marijuana smoke is typically inhaled more deeply than cigarette smoke.

However, she concluded by stating that a marijuana smoker has less chance of developing lung cancer than a cigarette smoker. She attributed this finding to the notion that marijuana smokers tend to smoke less than cigarette smokers do.

I strongly encourage Cynic readers to visit the PubMed website to investigate this controversial issue further. PubMed is a trusted online resource, home to the latest studies regarding all things medical.

Kevin Pelletier, a second year medical student at UVM’s College of Medicine and a regular at the gym, intends to share what he has learned about health and fitness. His background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology from McGill University.

8

feature

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

The legacy of Patrick Gym

By Matthew Bruns Cynic Correspondent Every winter as temperatures drop and snowdrifts pile several feet high, the Gutterson Field House and Patrick Gym’s capacity overflows with energized hockey fans.

The tradition of hockey games, which started in 1963, long before the Naked Bike Ride or SpringFest, has been a staple in the University’s history. However, as the student population has increased and top-notch facilities become significant in athlete recruitment, the University is weighing proposals for a new facility.

The proposed facility would offer students a sufficiently sized athletic facility. It would feature a large hockey and basketball arena, which, athletic director Robert Corran, said the University currently lacks.

“The Campus Life Task Force found that current facilities are inadequate for student

populations,” Corran said.

Gutterson and the Patrick Gym may not have video scoreboards and luxury boxes, but the University has made many investments to keep both facilities up to date.

The Gutterson’s ice sheet has been expanded throughout the years, and there were installments of media decks and television cameras, according to the Burlington Free Press.

The plans, which propose a facility with a capacity that would allow the student body to gather, could provide a completely different atmosphere that has been found at the Patrick Gym and Gutterson Field House for the past 50 years.

“There was an intimacy with the size of the rink and facility,” 1989 alumnus Karl Langmuir said. “No matter where you were in the stands, you felt like you were right there and felt like you were a part of it.”

Langmuir and 1989 alum Peter Putre agreed that, because of the closeness of the facility, it was easier for fans to rally around the Pep Band, the Catamount mascot and the music during intermissions.

“One of the best parts of going to the games back then was that it made you feel like you were a part of the school,” Putre said. “The size gives both [facilities] a close-knit setting for a game.”

There is a strong emphasis that the new facilities mimic the Field House and try to find a medium between size and intimacy.

“They wouldn’t want to make it too big — that would be one of the key things,” Putre said. “You don’t want to lose that tight-knit home team advantage-type atmosphere.”

Though the proposals may not affect all current students, many are still on edge about the possible discontinued use of both facilities.

If the proposal is followed through on, sophomore Ryan McNally would like to see that the new facilities display glimpses of the history that occurred in Gutterson Field House and Patrick Gym. “They should put some kind of remembrance into the new stadium,” he said. “They could hang banners above in the rafters — it would be a smart way to integrate the old into the new.”

Background reporting

by Julian Golfarini

An aerial view of Gutterson Field House after construction, 1963 (top).

The UVM hockey team plays a game on the new ice rink in the Gutterson Field House, 1963 (middle).

Gutterson Field house during construction April of 1962 (bottom right).

Gutterson after completion, 1963 (bottom left).

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAILEY/HOWE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

FEAT URE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

9

Patrick Gym (top left) and the Gutterson Field House (top right) Oct. 10.

PHOTOS BY NATALIE WILLIAMS Mockups of the potential design and location of the new multipurpose center. The arena is projected to either be located on athletic campus (center left) or on Main Street adjacent to UVM Police Services (bottom). The proposed arena will seat between 6,000 and 6,500 spectators. There is currently no projected date of completion.

IMAGES COURTESY OF JULIAN GOLFARINI

10

ARTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

Fleming celebrates fall exhibitions

By Andrea Cory Cynic Correspondent On the foggy Wednesday evening of Oct. 3, UVM students, professors and members of the Burlington community gathered at University of Vermont’s Fleming Museum of Art to celebrate the installation of four new exhibits this fall.

UVM President Sullivan was in attendance and helped open the reception by speaking about the value of the art and exhibitions newly on display for the campus as a whole.

“One of the things that pops right off the canvas this evening, and you’ll see, is this enormous connection between education and art and learning,” President Sullivan said.

The Oceanic Life exhibit, which opened on Sept. 18, depicts life in the Oceanic island chains and lands stretching from Hawaii to Australia and

“One of the things that pops right off the canvas [...] is this enormous connection between education and art and learning.”

Thomas Sullivan UVM president

Southeast Asia. It explores the various material objects that the people use in daily and ceremonial life.

“I was overcome by the beautiful simplicity I found in each object,” first-year Grace McGeehan said. “The collection took something as ordinary as a dish and gave me insight on what exactly it was used for.”

The display allows visitors to become engulfed in the culture of Oceania with detailed summaries explaining the purpose of each object.

Fleming collections manager Margaret Tumulonis worked with students in the anthropology department to curate the exhibit.

“What I really enjoy about working with students on a project like this is that they usually see things that I don’t see and I am really interested in those different perspectives,” Tumulonis said.

The second exhibit included in the opening was From Mourning to Night: John Singer Sargent and Black in Fashion.

This exhibit displayed a series of paintings, newspaper clippings and clothes that exemplifyied the pervasive culture of mourning in the 19th century.

In particular, the exhibit demonstrated artist John Singer Sargent’s role in popularizing the color black for mourning couture in America.

It included mourning dresses with intricate lace and bead-

PHOEBE SHEEHAN The Vermont Cynic

Residents Phil Morin (left) and Christopher Raubin view art on display during the Gala Reception at the Fleming Museum of Art Oct. 3. The event was held to highlight the four new exhibits premiering this fall. ing patterns that left viewers immersed in the beauty of his work.

The exhibit also includes fashion magazines and publicly exhibited portraits that helped spread the reach of fashion and paved way for the time period’s budding fashionistas.

Presented alongside these exhibits was Thornton Dial’s Life Go On and Lady Will Stand By Her Tiger. The exhibit featured

a series of watercolor paintings that depict the relationships between men and women as well as the struggle between power and faith through simplistic paintings of women presented alongside fish, roosters and tigers, which are all representations of men.

The fourth exhibit included in the opening was Outcasts and Rebels, a set of prints by William Blake and Leonard Baskin.

The exhibit displays a set of haunting prints portraying the struggle of the human soul trying to free itself from reason and organized religion.

From Mourning to Night, Thoughts on Paper and Outcasts and Rebels will be open until Dec. 14, and Oceanic Art and the Performance of Life will be open until May 24. Students receive free admission to the exhibits.

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ARTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

11

New arena, new venue Alumni art exhibit Facility expected to benefit future SGA shows

By Dillon Baker Assistant Arts Editor With a new arena in the works, sports won’t be the only events benefitting from a stateof-the-art facility.

In addition to hosting athletic events for sports such as hockey, basketball, volleyball and tennis, the new arena will be able to accommodate large scale events such as graduations, convocations, major speeches, concerts and shows.

In fact, events center seems to be a more appropriate label for the new facility.

“It is anticipated that the events center will present a significant opportunity to host SGA concerts/performances

and major University events in a much more comfortable and appropriate environment than Patrick Gym, which currently serves as the site for these events,” Associate Vice Presi-

“It is anticipated that the events center will present a significant opportunity to host SGA concerts” Robert Corran Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics

dent & Director of Athletics Dr. Robert Corran said.

With an anticipated seating capacity of up to 6,500 for community events, more students than ever will be able to pack into the arena for big-time UVM shows.

UVM senior Sean Wilcox, a member of UVM Concerts Bureau’s executive board, said that he hopes future FallFest concerts will be able to take place in the events center.

“By providing a site to bring together the campus community for a variety of activities, the events center will significantly enhance events such as Fall and Spring Fest and the quality of campus life,” Corran said.

recognizes works

By Sasha Kedzie Staff Writer The reception for the UVM Alumni Art Exhibit, featuring the artwork of 22 UVM alumni, took place in the Livak Fireplace Lounge on the fourth floor of the Davis center on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Organized by UVM juniors Blair Borax and Maya Curtis, the exhibition gives alumni the opportunity to showcase their work to the present student body and fellow alumni.

This is Borax’s second year working as a student curator.

“The exhibit was a challenge to coordinate,” Borax said. “But it highlights the alumni of UVM and what they’ve done since graduating.”

“[The exhibit] hightlights the alumni of UVM and what they’ve done since graduationg” Blair Borax UVM junior

IMAGE COURTESY OF JULIAN GOLFARINI

An image of a blueprint for a new multipurpose center. The arena could be used to host larger concerts.

The exhibit showcases the diverse talent of UVM alumni with its variety of artwork, including photography, paintings, sculptures and pottery.

Carolyn Guest and Chris Mastro’s works use particularly unique mediums and drew viewers’ eyes at the reception.

Guest’s work “Passages” features intricate paper cuttings made with sheep shears, and Mastro’s burnished pots were created using the Raku horsehair firing technique – a complex process that requires the application of horsehair onto the pots in the midst of firing.

According to Borax, one of the most interesting works is the photography series “Stick Trap” by Grissel Giuliano. The photographs depict creatures such as ants, mice and other bugs caught in stick traps created by the artist.

“It’s gross when you look at it,” Borax said. “But it has a kind of beauty to it.”

The plaque beside the photographs explains that they were inspired by Giuliano’s “connection to nature and the vital role it plays in life.”

Another photographer whose work is on display at the exhibit is Nina Schondelmeler.

Her photographs depict images from her recent trip to Tanzania, where she spent 10 days on safari.

African animals such as zebras, giraffes and lions dominate her images. Schondelmeler, one of the few artists that were able to make it to the reception, said that she is intrigued by the patterns that she sees in their pelts. “[It’s great] to be honored and have your work recognized,” Schondelmeler said.

For those who didn’t have the chance to attend, the exhibit will be open until Oct. 25.

This Week in Arts

By Sarah Sickle Arts Columnist This Week in Arts highlights upcoming events at UVM and in the Burlington community. Sarah Sickle provides her recommendations for local concerts.

Friday Oct. 12

which often feature more gritty material than you might expect from a contemporary ballad.

Josh Panda is creative and willing to take risks. With high energy, obvious musical talent and witty stage banter, Joshua Panda and the Hot Damned will rock your world.

Sunday Oct. 14

Tick Last October at On the Rise Deer Higher Ground Bakery p.m., $15 Richmond, 8 p.m.

Ballroom, 7:30

Trio Gusto

With their stripped-down sound comprised of just two voices and an acoustic guitar, Vermont-based duo Last October has a surprisingly big sound. Their writing style is comfortable and warm while simultaneously innovative. This is a great act to keep an eye on.

Radio Bean, 5 p.m.

Primus

Monday Oct. 15

Saturday Oct. 13 Memorial Auditorium, 7 p.m., $42.75

The members of Trio Gusto are some of Burlington’s gypsy jazz and swing specialists. If you’re looking to take someone out to dinner or drinks, want to do a little swing dancing or just hang out with some coffee and maybe start that paper you should’ve started days ago, it doesn’t get much better than Trio Gusto this Sunday night.

Seth Yacovone Acoustic Joshua Panda and the Hot Blues Moog’s Place in Morrisville, 8 p.m.

Damned Red Square, 8 p.m., 21+

Josh Panda is largely hailed as the next big thing out of Vermont. Originally from North Carolina, Panda lets his southern roots shine with a gospel style voice that is complimented by his original country songs and ballads,

Seth Yacovone is a Vermont legend. A local, Yacovone started blowing audiences away when he was just a teenager. Catching him with a band is always a special treat, but these days he mainly does a solo acoustic blues set at Nectar’s or Moog’s in Morrisville.

If you happen to be in Morrisville or feel like taking a drive, Yacovone is definitely worth checking out.

Tuesday Oct. 16 Morrissey

Flynn Theatre, 7:15 p.m., $57/$47

DJ Craig Mitchell

Red Square, 10 p.m., 21+ Craig Mitchell is one of the only DJs I will ever consistently recommend. Just do it.

Wednesday Oct. 17 Roland Batten Memorial Lecture: Architecture and Design Williams Hall Room 301, Free

Open Mic Night with Andy Lugo Manhattan Pizza, 10 p.m.

With very few exceptions, open mic nights in Burlington are painful.

Manhattan Pizza has one of the really good ones, hosted by long-time local singer/songwriter Andy Lugo of Jenke Records.

The vast majority of acts are excellent. Frequent performers include Canadian Lesbian Twins, Ben Donovan and Andy Lugo himself.

Every once in a while you get an

PHOTO COURTESY OF RUTHIE HILL

North Carolina native Joshua Panda performs. He is set to play with the Hot Damned at Red Square Oct. 13.

unintentionally comedic act, but it’s all part of the adventure. This is a great place to go with a group and have some cheap food and loud conversation.

Thursday Oct. 18 Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band Radio Bean, 11 p.m., $3

Whether it’s your first time hearing Kat or you’re a Radio Bean regular, this band never ceases to impress.

12

Opinion

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

POINTCOUNTERPOINT THE VERMONT

C YNIC

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Brent Summers cynic@uvm.edu

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New gym ignores UVM campus culture

Managing Editor Corrie Roe

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News

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Sports

Mike Eaton

As a D1 school, UVM needs new facilities

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JEFF AYERS

The plan for a new arena is still in its infancy and it is likely that no one reading this column will get to enjoy it as an undergraduate. However, the plans exist and a brand-new, shiny sports complex will one day reside on Athletic Campus.

For a school with a once elite hockey team hoping to regain that status and a basketball team that has made shining its dancing shoes for the March Madness tournament a yearly occurrence, a new stadium is long overdue.

Most Division I schools milk their athletic programs for bigmoney donations to the school and utilize the national media spotlight to brand an image.

Part and parcel with this effort is having an infrastructure in place that helps recruit talented student athletes, draws fans and looks good on television. In other words, you need an awesome new stadium.

But aside from raising the University’s athletic profile, the new arena would benefit campus life as whole.

Instead of packing the fourth floor of the Davis Center to enjoy FallFest, students could enjoy a big-name act — as well as some elbowroom — in a venue legitimate enough to draw that act.

While we did stuff President Obama into Gutterson Field House — sorry about that, Mr. President — it would be great to entice guest speakers of high stature and then greet them with a complex worthy of their prestige.

The University would even be able to draw revenue by renting the space to other organizations.

Some will make the argument that other projects should take priority. That a new arena is not worth the time and effort when there are many necessary projects left undone as a legacy of the “deferred maintenance” program.

Well, those critics should rest easy. The new arena is not being rushed. It has been an ongoing proposition since 2008, with a task force assigned to study the idea completing a report in 2009. Finally, in 2012, the administration has arrived at a tentative “yes.” And the formation of an actual budget, let alone any real construction, could take longer still.

In fact, on the master plan of campus building projects being submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval in the coming months, the new arena falls far from the top in priority.

But it is on the list and it deserves to be on the list. After more pressing concerns are addressed, a new stadium will be built and I will return to UVM and watch the Cats beat down UNH in grand style.

Jeff Ayers is a senior English major. He has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2009.

JACOB LUMBRA

There is no doubt that a top-notch facility would attract the type of talent that would uphold the University’s standard of excellence while catering to the success of current students.

And yet, fiscal responsibility and campus culture should have required UVM administrators to focus their attentions on updates that fall in areas other than athletics.

Rumored plans to renovate campus’ athletic center were touched upon in a WCAX interview with President Tom Sullivan on Sept. 30.

“It will be a very effective multipurpose building where there will be athletics and social and cultural events and academic programs in the building, but, quite frankly, as [much] as we need that, that is going to take a substantial private donor to help us,” Sullivan said. “Our best estimate at this time is that that facility will be about $65 million.”

The building mentioned would be an arena added or adjacent to the preexisting gymnasium, built in 1961. The new complex seems like a distant reality in the scheme of campus renovations, but its possibilities hold a valuable resource for those interested in athletics.

But, herein lies the problem with entertaining the prospects of new athletic facilities. Students at UVM are apathetic about sports. It’s true that we have a few competitive Division I teams, but there’s no support.

At most colleges, drunken parades and revelries of pride typically support athletics. This last homecoming weekend would have been a pivotal opportunity to display such enthusiasm, but, alas, this passion for athletics proved barren. UVM students do not embrace sports culture.

Therefore, let’s focus our efforts and funds in areas that matter. I think Sullivan may agree on some level, as illustrated in his interview with WCAX. “I think we need to focus ... and our priorities should be in restoring some of the lovely old buildings that we have where there have been repairs not made because of the so-called deferred maintenance problem.” He said, “I want to focus our attention on that issue, and specifically, we have engineering labs, we have science labs and we have medical school labs that really need to be competitive and first-rate.”

Sullivan is right when he notes that while athletic facility renovations are an important improvement, in the University, other places of outdated infrastructure and technology — those things which the student population embodies and value — are more urgently in need of attention.

Despite overcrowding in the fitness center and an outdated gym, such extravagant means of remedy should not be entertained. Our focus should be in the talents inherent to the University, rather than to expand and diversify the community beyond feasible reaches. Campus culture does not reflect the need for a new gymnasium and therefore it should not be our main priority.

Jacob Lumbra is a sophomore English and studio art major. He has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

CONTROVERSIAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I AM TROUBLED WITH FLASHBACKS OF HIS NAKED BODY, SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER BE ERASED FROM MY MEMORY”

- A victim who spoke out in court this past Tuesday in the Jerry Sandusky trial, who said he was 13 in 2001 when Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach, lured him into a shower

Unsigned editorials officially reflect the views of The Cynic and its staff. All 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. Send letters to cynicopinion@gmail.com

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OPINION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

COLUMNISTS

Twitter replaces Burn Book

EMILY MACK

Sunday night is crunch time for most students, but for Kara Alongi of Clark, N.J., her fun was just beginning.

It all started when she tweeted, “there is someone in my hour ecall 911,” and evidently someone did. With an Amber Alert out, the police took to the streets in search of the “kidnapped” 16-year-old, as her peers took to the Internet.

There were such an incredible amount of tweets concerning her, that within hours, “Kara Alongi” became a globally trending topic.

One would expect and hope that the response tweets would be in support of the missing girl, trying to inform people and maybe find a witness. However, tweet after tweet was ruthlessly mocking and bullying the alleged victim.

Kara’s first mistake was making her Twitter account

public. When the news about her alarming tweet and her missing status were first reported, it was everyone’s instinct to find her on Twitter.

Upon doing so, not only did they see her tweet crying out for help, but also along with it were almost 1,000 brutally rude, obnoxious tweets from the past, unprotected from the eyes of anyone with an Internet connection.

With her location still unknown and apparently dangerous, peers saw her as vulnerable and finally had their chance to get Twitter revenge. People scorned the tweet she seemingly wrote in haste about the intruder, saying to “#helpfindkara an English teacher” or “#helpfindkara manners.”

In other examples, people said it was ironic that no one cared about her and that if anyone needs Twitter followers they should just go missing. They painted a picture of her kidnapper, duct tape and the trunk she was in, said she never had to worry about going to school again and compared her to “Mean Girls’” character Regina George. They even alluded to her being dead.

Although the entire thing ended up being a hoax, and Alongi presumably chose to run away, this was still unknown, late

Sunday night when the backlash began.

Even though it is obviously immoral and extremely insensitive to fake your own kidnapping, and she does have numerous tweets that are distastefully hateful, there is clearly something painfully wrong in this situation with the added harassment.

Whether you are actually kidnapped, or fake it for attention, you are in need of help – either from police efforts or those of a psychiatrist. And even though we now know it was by choice, her family and friends are still looking for her and desperately want to know where their loved one is.

No matter how mean she seemed to her peers, this situation is dire and should be taken more seriously than it evidently was with all the jokes and insults.

Her Twitter haters are claiming that she is immature for seeking attention, but they are immature for using it as a chance to get a stab in. We all learned in kindergarten that two wrongs do not make a right, but apparently we did not realize in the 21st century that the rule transcends the playground and applies in the Twitter-world.

Emily Mack is a sophomore Communcation Sciences & Disorders major. She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2012.

Quick Opinions

Peyton Rosenthal “Eating yogurt with a fork is a self-fulfilling prophecy – you are bound by the laws of gravity to spill some on yourself.”

Brent Summers “One of the only good things about the cold weather is that it’s held off the invasion of salmon colored shorts.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

So, who really is the famous 47%?

Dear Editor,

I find myself slightly ashamed in confessing that my first exposure to Romney’s latest gaffe came not from any reputable news publication, but instead from my Facebook news feed. Accordingly, my perception of his “47 percent” comment was intertwined with the opinionated interjections of my Facebook friends. Most of their reactions were what one would expect of the eclectic mix of self-proclaimed liberal and very liberal teenagers – “shocking,” “appalling,” “disgusting,” and a litany of synonyms.

As repugnant and glaringly cruel that I find Gov. Romney’s comments to be, I couldn’t ear-

nestly say that I was particularly shocked or outraged. I sometimes consider whether I ought to invest in a tinfoil hat when I become convinced that many Republicans view the poor with disdain. However, thanks to the governor, I, at least temporarily, can rest assured that I wasn’t nearly as far off the mark as I wish were the case.

The GOP is rife with shameful quotes on the topic of America’s poor. Ever since Ronald Reagan famously ginned up the term “welfare queen,” the Grand Old Party has made it a point to take what its supporters may call a tough love stance on the matter of poverty. That is not to say that a serious discussion shouldn’t be had about the

effectiveness of public welfare programs. What concerns me is the lack of humanity with which those on the ideological right approach the matter at hand.

In the event that our compassionate conservative does not accuse the welfare recipient of being a drug user, he will at the very least write off the needy as being “lazy,” “unmotivated,” or “irresponsible.” Such willingness to resort to victim demonization is, at best, the mark of bafflingly staunch elitism, ergo Willard Romney, or at worst, an almost sociopathic lack of empathy.

Sincerely, Josh Gachette Class of 2016

13

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Equality vs. equivalence Dear Editor, Men and women are not equal, they never were and never will be, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Now, before you start taking up arms to burn the bigot, let me point out an important distinction: “equal” and “equivalent” do not mean the same thing.

To be “equal” is to be the same in summation of parts, i.e.

1+2=3, or fingers + palm = hand, while “equivalent” is to be equal in magnitude, not necessarily form, i.e. a square and a circle can have the same area, but their shapes are different.

To say two things are equal is to say that those two things take exactly the same form — or their parts assembled would — and thusly can perform exactly the same function(s) – not mostly the same, or practically the same, but exactly the same.

Equivalency requires the same overall magnitude – or, in humans one could say “ability” – but its expression may be rearranged and redistributed to produce a different function or effect. This may seem a fine point, but it is an important one.

In this sense, a man and a woman can never be equal, just as a cat and a dog can never be equal, just as an apple and an orange can never be equal, and just as me and any other human will never be equal, because to be equal is to be in summation the same thing, and unless one wants to argue that men and women are in fact the same thing and perform exactly the same functions — a demonstrably false claim, as dudes got dicks and bitches got tits — the argument for equality among the sexes will never be valid.

Now, that has nothing to say for equivalency among the sexes. It may very well be true that men and women are equivalent — a point rather difficult to make considering the vast number of variables which would have to be taken into account for an accurate study — but for the sake of this argument, let’s say they are: men and women are perfectly equal in overall ability.

This, however, does not mean that men and women should both be equally represented in all aspects of life, and this is my main point of contention with modern “feminism” — I use quotes here acknowledging “feminism” is a broad term and thus has multiple denotations and definitions.

Modern feminism seems to think that equal rights and opportunities should necessitate perfect parity among the sexes in everything, which just isn’t how reality works. Men and women have fundamental differences, not just physiological, which in the modern world is mostly irrelevant but, more importantly

neurological, which lend themselves better to different paths in life.

This is why veterinary medicine is dominated by women and most construction workers are men, not because socially constructed societal norms pushed them into these fields, but because each sex has specific differences which are better suited for their respective fields — women tend to be more caring and acute to others’ pain, including animals, and men tend to be more tactile workers.

When you start to pull strings around and re-rig the entire system in order get the “right” outcome, as feminism has done in so many aspects of life, instead of looking for the best candidate for the job, you lower the average quality of the candidates you receive, and ironically while trying for equality introduce a prejudicial system.

Men and women are not equal, they never were and never will be, and there is nothing wrong with that.

And here ’s where feminism really seems to fall down: Feminism advocates for equal rights of all human beings, yet it focuses on a false male-female dichotomy in doing so.

The world is not made up of just women and men, but of individuals, all of whom differ from one another, and all of whom don’t fit into an ideal “male” or “female” mold.

There are female CEOs just as there are homeless men, bodybuilding women just as there are emaciated males, and rock star chicks just as there are stay-at-home dads. Seeing the world as just disadvantaged women and advantaged men, or vice versa, is a gross oversimplification of reality.

This world is made up of individuals, and each individual should have equal rights and opportunity, and their merits will decide where they end-up in life.

I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman; all I care about is how good you are at what you do, and if more women tend to gather in one field, and more men in another because of their individual abilities, some of which may be sex-linked, and are best suited there, so be it; we’ll have a better world for it.

It’s not discrimination just because there’s not a 50/50 split of male/female, because, as stated previously, men and women are not equal.

Sincerely, Tony Yasi Class of 2015

Some food for thought Dear Editor,

Whoever decided that Joseph Brown needed his own column has destroyed what was once a very readable paper. He appears nothing more then a Fox News wannabe who throws the word liberal at everything

he disagrees with. He clearly doesn’t understand issues and makes ones out of things that are not.

Sincerely, Chris Murphy Class of 2013

14

Sports

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

New York in purgatory

WILL ANDREYCAK

ALEX EDELMAN The Vermont Cynic

First-year midfielder Teddy Gula heads toward a ball in a game against Niagara Sept. 9. The Catamounts are undefeated in America East play this season and sit in second place of the division.

Cats win again in division play

By Colin Hekimian Staff Writer Vermont beat Hartford in America East men’s soccer on Oct. 6, 3-2. Vermont is now 2-0 in league play and 5-4-3 overall. Hartford is 0-1-1 in America East play and 6-5-1 on the season.

Senior forward D.J. Edler scored a goal and earned an assist in the victory at Virtue Field.

This was his fifth goal of the season, tying his season-high in goals from last year. He picked up a loose ball in the Hartford defensive end and struck a low shot from the top of the penalty box to the left corner past Hawks’ goalkeeper Viltsu Tuumi to give UVM a 1-0 lead.

“This was a big game — we talked about it in the locker room,” Edler said. “Coach Jesse had a good pregame talk with us and we knew what was on the line and we came out and protected Virtue Field.”

Later in the game, Hartford’s Javoni Simms headed in a cross from Mathias Axelsson to tie the score at 1-1. It was Simms’ eighth goal of the year. With just over 20 minutes remaining in the second, Hartford took a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute when sophomore Rohan Roye knocked in another service from Axelsson and a flick from teammate Anthony Santaga.

The Catamounts answered back 52 seconds later. Senior Sean Sweeney’s free kick from midfield went to Edler, who knocked the ball to the top of the penalty box where Joe

Losier one-timed it into the net.

Losier’s fifth goal of the year tied the game up again 2-2.

Senior Zach Paul scored the game-winner wih his first goal of the year in the 68th minute.

He struck from just inside the penalty area after a pass from Losier beat Tuumi and gave the Catamounts the 3-2 victory.

“I was pretty happy with the performance because we were dangerous.”

Jesse Cormier Head coach Vermont men’s soccer “I thought we attacked very well. I thought we created a lot of opportunities, found the right spaces, had good timing,” head coach Jesse Cormier said.

“Overall, I was pretty happy with the performance because we were dangerous.”

Vermont outshot the Hawks 20-9.

The Catamounts are 3-1-1 at Virtue Field this season and Oct. 6 marked the first America East men’s soccer game at the facility.

Vermont has a road trip for a pair of league games next week, traveling to Boston University on Wednesday, Oct. 10 and Binghamton on Saturday, Oct. 13.

This past Monday was supposed to be a defining night for the future of the New York Jets.

Eight days prior, quarterback Mark Sanchez played his worst offensive game of his career in the Jets’ 34-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. His horrific play led to a firestorm of social media, and regular media for that matter, calling for Sanchez’s job in favor of the SecondComing himself, Tim Tebow.

Monday was to be the game in which Sanchez would either justify his status as franchise quarterback or succumb to the unstoppable, undeniable force that is Tebowmania.

Had Sanchez been benched in favor of Tebow, the Mark Sanchez era in New York would be over.

Sanchez would never recover and the Jets would be forced to use Tebow, or some other answer, at quarterback in the years to come.

Instead of serving as the defining night that I had so desperately hoped it would be, Monday night instead played out as a microcosm of Mark Sanchez’s tenure as the Jets’ quarterback.

Mark Sanchez is an average quarterback with flashes of brilliance, a quarterback that can win a good amount of football games with a solid offensive line and an above average ground game, and he is a quarterback that makes enough plays to mitigate – if only slightly – the moments of absolute mediocrity that plague his development.

This exact description fits his Monday night against Houston.

Sanchez prevented the coaching staff from benching him outright due to some – frankly – spectacular throws.

His touchdown pass in the first quarter to back-up tight end Jeff Cumberland was one such throw.

As the pocket was collapsing around him, Sanchez took two graceful strides up in the pocket as he protected the ball from the Texans’ defensive line and delivered an absolute perfect ball down the seam with touch and precision.

The Jets have an absolute broken roster right now and installing Tebow as the full-time quarterback will not make a significant impact.

Then again, as he is prone to do quite often, we saw Sanchez miss on throws that any competent collegiate quarterback could make. We saw him throw two interceptions at crucial points in the game and we saw the same old “woe is me” body language after a bad play.

He is bad enough at times where you question his ability to be a franchise quarterback, and yet he is good enough at times to navigate a team to the AFC championship game – twice – and have a career postseason record of 4-2.

In my opinion, the only way you can justify scrapping the Sanchez long-term blueprint is by coming up with a legitimate alternative.

There is no such alternative and that is why I believe their situation to be one of purgatory.

I do not believe Mark Sanchez is the long-term answer for the New York Jets, but I also believe

– and more strongly – that Tim Tebow is not that answer.

Skip Bayless and all those calling for Tebow need to realize one thing: short of Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers, there is not a quarterback in the NFL who could win consistently with the Jets’ current roster.

The once-feared Jets defense is old, missing their best player, cannot tackle and cannot in any way, shape or form stop the run.

The offense is averaging a whopping 3.2 yards per carry, the line is drastically overrated and their most experienced active receiver entered this year with 72 career receptions.

The Jets have an absolute broken roster right now and installing Tebow as the full-time starter at quarterback will not make a significant impact such that you would consider ending the Mark Sanchez era.

Tebow was moderately successful in Denver because he played for a team that had a defense that kept them in games and a ground game that was the best in football.

Kind of sounds like the type of team that Sanchez led to consecutive AFC Championship games, doesn’t it.

Does Sanchez have the ability to become an elite quarterback in this league? Quite simply, no.

But with the right team around him, he has proven that he can win, and it is unfair to scrap his entire career as a Jet because the team around him is flat-out bad.

The Jets have a whole host of issues that they need to address: the guard position, running back, line backer, receiver, take your pick.

Until they address these issues they will not be a winning organization. But quarterback is a position that they needn’t waste time improving.

So far now, Jets fans wait for an answer that isn’t coming anytime soon.

The deficiencies run far deeper than Mark Sanchez and the solutions are far more complex than Tim Tebow.

Club of the week: Dressage

By Julia Dwyer Assistant Sports Editor A niche for horse lovers can be found in the dressage club team at UVM. Dressage is an Olympic equestrian sport founded on a basic principle of mutual respect between horse and rider.

The horse is trained to be an obedient and responsive part of the activity and relies on the rider’s body signals to direct its course of action. This type of understanding does not come easily — horses and riders are trained for years to understand the complexity of movements.

The Dressage club has 14 active members competing in Region A (New England Schools) of the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA).

IDA began hosting informal dressage events for colleges in 1995 and has since grown to

include riders from across the United States and Canada. In IDA competitions, horses are randomly assigned through a lottery system — riders are given 10 minutes to warm up on the horse before having to perform.

“We have a hardworking and devoted group of girls who are wonderful to work with,” said senior captain Molly Mills.

“Everyone contributes a great deal back to the team and we have a ton of fun together.”

Each semester, the club attends four shows as well as IDA nationals in mid-April. On Sept.

29 and 30, the Dressage team competed in the first of these shows at the Champlain Valley Exposition. The IDA allows two groups of four team members and one coach for each competition. Team B of the Dressage club placed fifth in the overall competition. Mills and fellow

captain Natasha SprengersLevine placed sixth and fourth at first level, respectively.

Team members have two lessons per week instructed by head coach Bonnie Timmerman at the Birch Ledge Farm in Colchester, Vt. “We have some very talented riders and a terrific coach who just got the Intercollegiate Dressage Association National Coach of the Year Award,” Mills said.

Tryouts for the club occur in the fall semester and are open to all backgrounds and experience levels.

Mills said people looking to learn more about the team can email her or Sprengers-Levine.

The Dressage club will be back in action Oct. 13 at University of Connecticut and Mount Holyoke College Nov. 3 and 4.

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

Arena in the works

By Taylor Feuss Staff Writer Whether fidgeting in the seats in Patrick Gymnasium trying to watch some basketball, or constantly trying to readjust on the seats in Gutterson cheering on the hockey teams, Catamount fans have found the current indoor sports facilities to lack in both their size and quality.

However, the recent talk of a $500 million renovation for Patrick Gymnasium and Gutterson Field House has left many excited.

“While Patrick Gymnasium and Gutterson Field House have a certain ‘charm,’ they do not present much in the way of comfort for spectators,” said athletic director Bob Corran.

“A new facility, which would address these deficiencies, would also bring significant value to the entire student body and campus community,” Corran said.

At the time the facilities were built, when the school’s enrollment was less than 5,000 students, they were able to fit every student in a seat. However, the Catamount population has grown significantly over the years, and with that increase certain space concerns have arisen.

The athletic department is aware of these increases, and also how these problems affect competition between UVM facilities and those of other schools.

The renovations would have a “tremendous impact on the recruitment of future studentathletes” across UVM’s 18 varsity sports teams, Corran said.

While there is no talk about adding any new varsity sports to the program at this time, the department plans to stay focused by simply improving the overall quality of the current varsity teams.

Not only would UVM’s varsity sports feel the repercussions of a renovation plan, but so would recreational, intramural and club sports teams.

Due to current overcrowding and overbooking, all of the sports team levels are scrambling for gym or rink time for practices and games. With the addition of a new facility, the current facilities would be available for recreational, intramural and club teams.

These teams would also have access to the new facilities at times when they aren’t being used by their varsity counterparts. The plan for improvement would make time management much simpler and would also help prevent some late night practices.

The athletic department isn’t worried about renovations hindering fan turnout; rather, they’re confident that it will improve as the facilities do.

“We anticipate a greater number of students, alumni and community members attending games in the new facility,” Corran said.

If and when the project will be completed is still up in the air. However, the plan for the new complex is now on the University’s capital project list.

No action will be taken before there are enough funds raised to complete the project.

15

Pop culture grid The Cynic asks student athletes...

The best movie I saw this summer was...

Luke Apefeld

The Dark Knight Rises

Bre Pletnick

Ted

Tim Kelley

The Dark Knight Rises

H.T. Lenz

The Dark Knight Rises

I can’t wait for more The iPhone episodes 5 is... of...

Pawn Stars

a bit much

goddess of Homeland selfies

The best part of fall is... apple pie and football pumpkin spice everywhere

Modern Family

a mystery to me

that winter is close

The Office

not going to be purchased by me

it means hockey season is finally beginning

16

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012

NFL Picks Week 6 Minnesota Vikings vs.

Washington Redskins

Peterson will have his work cut out for him, but Christian Ponder should be able to exploit the Redskin defense.

Robert Griffin III is out with a concussion. That is a big blow to the Redskin offense.

Rex Grossman is an acceptable backup, but he is not the explosive player RGIII is. Running back Alfred Morris will be counted on to carry the team, and I think the rookie will shine under the pressure. Minnesota is off to a surprise 4-1 start behind the return of Adrian Peterson and a defense that is top 10 in points allowed, yards allowed, and rush yards allowed per game. If Washington’s offensive line can create holes for Morris, this game could be a high scoring affair.

Their defense, though, is bottom of the league in all categories except rush yards allowed.

Minnesota: Jeremy, Mike, Jake, Will, Colin and Josh

The Picks

Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers Despite a tough loss to New England, Peyton Manning and the Broncos are a contender in the AFC West. San Diego’s loss on Monday Night Football to the New Orleans Saints had to be the more painful loss. The Saints are without their head coach and had been winless up to that point. Both teams’ defenses have struggled this season and this game will likely be a major factor

Scoreboard: Will Jeremy Colin 10 -10 Mike 10 -10

12 - 8 Josh 15 - 5

12 - 8 Jake 10 - 10

in who comes out of the AFC West. While Peyton Manning is not the same player that he was in Indianapolis, he is still an elite NFL quarterback, a lot more than could be said of Phillip Rivers. Manning has developed a strong relationship with Demaryius Thomas and despite Willis McGahee’s late fumble, the Bronco running game has made Denver a strong balanced team.

The Chargers are middle of the pack offensively, and besides a strong run defense are average on defense too. Peyton Manning does not like to be below .500 and I think he will guide the Broncos back there Monday night.

The Picks Denver: Jeremy, Mike, Jake, Colin and Josh San Diego: Will

By Jeremy Karpf Staff Writer

Each we ek, the C ynic Spo winner of rts staff w some of ill predict the week matchup the ’s most a s. The pa ntic rticipants Mike Eato are Jerem ipated n, Will An dreycak, y Karpf, Colin He Aronson kimian, J and Jake osh Bielecki.

of the league in total yards per game. With the expected return of Aaron Hernandez, the Patriot offense should be back to full strength and more dangerous than ever. Russell Wilson has been a surprise this year, both earning his starting job and his performances in it. Pete Carroll’s defense has also looked solid this year, ranking in the top five in all defensive categories. Patriots are the better team, but in Seattle this one could be close.

The Picks

New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks The Patriots have put together an impressive couple of weeks. After a disappointing loss to Baltimore, and a difficult first half against Buffalo, New England’s offense has come alive.

The New England running game has put together back-to-back 200-yard games and has helped the Patriot offense to top three in rush yards per game and top

New England: Jeremy, Mike, Jake, Will, Colin and Josh

New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers Two of the best teams in the NFC enter this matchup having blown out their week five opponents.

The Niners annihilated the Bills, holding Buffalo to only a field goal all game and racking up 45 points. The Giants similarly blew out the Browns as Victor Cruz

hauled in three touchdowns and the Giant rush tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw and David Wilson combined for nearly 250 yards and two touchdowns. While both offenses are without a doubt potent, it will be the defenses that make the difference Sunday. The 49er defense is top of the league in points allowed and second in pass yards and total yards allowed. The Giants’ defense, though, is middle of the pack in points allowed and in the bottom third of the league in pass yards and total yards allowed. Despite Eli Manning and the Giants’ receiving core being better than their San Fran counterparts, the better defense will win this game. Without a doubt the better defense has to be San Francisco, and so they are my pick.

The Picks New York: Colin San Francisco: Jeremy, Mike, Jake, Will and josh