Issue 25

BANK TO VACATE DAVIS CENTER

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL INDECISION: SUPERMAN EDITION

C YNIC THE VERMONT

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CLOTHING STYLED ‘FRESH’

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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

T h u r s d a y , A p r i l 1 2 , 2 0 1 2 – Vo l u m e 1 2 8 I s s u e 2 5 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

Caution Caution Caution Vandals wreak havoc Dorm party tops 30 Drunk students smash Redstone Lofts

By Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor Three students charged with vandalizing the Redstone Lofts have pleaded not guilty to one count of burglary.

Sophomores Zachary Schaab, Joseph Levenson and Cameron Rivers were arraigned in Chittenden Superior Court April 10, one week after police reported damaged windows, toilet bowls, sinks and fire extinguishers on the Redstone Lofts construction site.

The damages amount to approximately $50,000, construction project manager Larry Bertand said.

UVM police officers Mark Schwartz and Robert Bailey were dispatched to the construction site at around 2 a.m. after a student called saying she heard the sound of breaking glass, the affidavit stated.

Schwartz noticed blood upon entering one of the buildings and later found Levenson and Schaab in the breezeway, according to court documents.

Schaab had a bloodied T-shirt wrapped around his right hand.

The officer saw the third student, Rivers, walking down the stairs with fire extinguishers in each hand, the documents stated.

“As we were waiting for rescue to arrive, Levenson and Schaab kept saying ‘We are so fucked, we are so fucked,’” Schwartz’s testimony stated.

“Schaab was crying uncontrollably.”

While Schaab was taken to the hospital for medical attention, Levenson and Rivers were

By Becky Hayes News Editor Officer Skyler Genest heard loud music coming from a dorm room in UHeights South that he said surpassed his definition of reasonable. Genest knocked on the door and was allowed to enter the suite style room, which was full of red cups, beer cans and students attempting to hide. Genest told everyone the party was over and 34 people exited the dorm.

Genest saw a bong on the

table and asked the student if it was all right to search the rest of his room. The student agreed. Genest confiscated a glass piece, marijuana vaporizer and a second bong in the shape of a gas mask.

When Genest opened the closet door, two female students fell out. They said they were not hiding from Genest and were allowed to leave the room. The student who owned the room was visibly upset because the females had damaged the closet and his clothes.

See the Crime Log on page 3

Student assaults

Moore threatens two with stun gun over tennis club dispute

By Becky Hayes News Editor PHOTO OBTAINED FROM UVM POLICE SERVICES AFFIDAVIT

Sophomore Zachary Schaab photographed in custody April 3.

The image was listed as “Picture 6: Schaab with paint on jeans and shoes” in the Affidavit. transported to the UVM police station, he said.

The court documents revealed that during interviews with police, Levenson said he had been drinking in his Christie dorm room with Rivers and

Schaab before heading over to the Lofts with a group of approximately 20 people.

A Breathalyzer test showed that Rivers had a BAC level of See REDSTONE on page 3

First-year William Moore was arrested April 7 for assaulting two students with an electronic stun gun outside of their home on Main Street, according to a press release from the Burlington Police Department.

Moore, a 21-year-old transfer student, was “upset and unhappy” about the level of his participation in one of the University’s club sports, the press

release stated.

Moore started attending club tennis practices at the beginning of the semester and demanded to be on the team, a team member said.

After some harassing texts, sophomore Jenn Mscisz and another team member explained to Moore that because tryouts were in the fall, priority went to students already a part of the club.

See STUN GUN on page 4

Campus hit by crime wave

Broken windows, graffiti, flooding are reported

By Amanda Sherwood, Staff Writer, Becky Hayes, News Editor

Acts of vandalism have swept across campus this month.

Vandalism incidents occurred March 16 through April 7 in dorms on Athletic and Redstone campuses, and included broken vending machines, stolen signs, flooding and graffiti in dorms.

In Harris/Millis alone: • More than thirty ceiling tiles were broken or damaged.

• A lobby vending machine

NEWS 1-5 WRUV beats other schools in contest

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was smashed, the contents were eaten and wrappers strewn across four floors.

• The rubber/plastic stairwell hand covering was torn off from the first floor to the fourth floor, which will cost $12,000 in damages.

Additionally, excessive vomit and excrement was found in an elevator and graffiti was on office walls, a window and a vending machine in the Millis dorm, according to an email from Resident Director Ebonish Lamar sent to the Harris/ Millis residents.

LIFE 6-7 Program teaches teen to DREAM

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ARTS 8-9 Marriage=death displayed downtown

“I am very frustrated and upset for our custodial and maintenance services staff that work so hard to keep our community sanitary, and orderly to provide a place where you all can feel comfortable,” Lamar said.

The result of this excessive vandalism, she explained, is that complex maintenance crews have been working tirelessly to clean the mess made by a few unknown students.

PHOTO OBTAINED FROM BURLINGTON POLICE DEPT. PRESS RELEASE

See VANDALISM on page 3

First-year William Moore, as pictured in the press release, was arrested for assaulting two students April 7.

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OPINION 10-11 Redstone vandals make art for love

DISTRACTIONS 12 Camp Morning Wood

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SPORTS 13-16 Cats fall to AE

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NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Bank to vacate Davis

People’s United will not renew contract

By Mat Degan Staff Writer

People’s United — the last remaining bank with a branch on campus — will be closing its doors at the end of the semester, leaving students without a location on campus to manage their funds.

The bank has maintained an office on the first floor of the Davis Center for five years, the minimum commitment through a lease. It chose not to renew its contract at the end of June, prompting a search to find a viable replacement, according to the Office of the President’s announcement.

Allen Josey, director of operations and events services at the Davis Center, called the bank’s decision to close their office at the Davis Center “unfortunate,” and said that the conversation leading up to the closing was not give-and-take.

“When People’s bought out Chittenden, their business focus was more oriented to commercial, larger balance accounts,” Josey said. “The typical college student doesn’t have $40,000 in their savings account.”

The branch’s location in the Davis Center has a substantial number of customers every day, Josey said. The real problem is in the changing business model of banks, many of which are closing locations due to convenient technology now available to their customers.

“In two years’ time, there might be no banks that want to bother [with opening a branch],” Josey said. “As everything goes onto your iPod or whatever, the ATMs will slowly become less common.”

Josey said he is now in the process of identifying potential tenants and is hoping to secure

one by the summer. He will spend the next several weeks reviewing proposals and meeting with other Davis Center employees as part of an advisory committee.

Based on the feedback from UVM students and faculty, another bank is the overwhelming favorite as a replacement, but other types of services have also been identified, including a Credit Union, a hair salon, Outdoor Gear Exchange and a pharmacy, Josey said.

“The typical college student doesn’t have $40,000 in their bank account.”

Allen Josey Director of operations and event services at the Davis Center The Davis Center sees 2.4 million visitors per year and is a unique location for interested companies whose service would have to cater to students’ tastes and also to their schedules, because foot traffic in the Davis Center declines steeply in the summer months, he said.

The price to rent the space is negotiable, but often comes out to about $30 per square foot, a comparable rate to downtown spaces in Burlington, Josey said.

“We’re waiting to see who’s interested,” he said. “Sort of like asking someone out on a date.”

Senior Matt Parisi has been

a People’s United customer for several years and has utilized the on-campus branch location, though he admits that online banking is often more convenient than the direction that banking is heading.

Parisi said he thought the biggest problem the bank faced was when People’s bought out the smaller Chittenden Bank, creating a large conglomerate bank that may have sacrificed some of its customer base in the pursuit of larger wallets.

“A year after, they changed the names,” Parisi said. “But here’s the problem: they decided to close about half the locations in Vermont. It’s smart economically, but destroys customer relations.”

Parisi was adamant that whatever replaces People’s United in the Davis Center should be a financial service, suggesting that a new bank could incorporate some educational component for students.

“A lot of students can’t manage their money,” he said.

Proposals from prospective tenants are due at the end of the month, though Josey said that the committee may not accept any of them.

He said the plan would be to carefully weigh all options and campus feedback to decide if a future tenant aligns with the needs and wants of the UVM community.

“We’re trying to make sure it will make sense for [the] student population,” Josey said.

“My goal is for something that everyone wants.”

The existing People’s ATM will remain in the Davis Center through the summer and possibly even until early next year, he said.

Anger rises over oil merger

By Ben Plotzker Cynic Correspondent An environmental student group is anticipating the possible reversal of flow in a pipeline located in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, and they plan to do something about it.

The student grassroots coalition known as Northeast Environmental Defense (NEED) is protesting the merger between Green Mountain Power (GMP) and Central Vermont Public Service.

This merger would allow a Canadian-based company to own approximately 78 percent of Vermont’s energy, according to VTdigger.com.

Protestors said they believe Enbridge, Inc., the gas and oil giant that owns GMP, will use this power to take on new projects that would be in Canada’s economic interest, according to a NEED press release.

“Enbridge is a much larger corporation than GMP would be,” NEED member and senior Blair Rancich said. “And even if they had no official influence, it’s hard to believe that a company wouldn’t have to at least take notice if such a large and powerful shareholder gave them a call.”

The proposed Trailbreaker

pipeline by Enbridge, Inc. would make use of a pre-existing pipeline by pumping tar sands in the opposite direction of its current flow, according to 350.org, an environmental website.

Members of NEED said environmentalists are concerned that because tar sands are a far more corrosive material than crude oil they could potentially deplete the metal structure of the pre-existing pipeline.

There is also a chance that the pipeline could rupture and release harmful tar sands into Vermont communities, fields, forests and waterways, NEED’s press release stated.

The pipeline has been in operation for 60 years and would require fewer permits than constructing a new pipeline, according to 350.org.

The old pipeline has only seen a flow of crude oil into Canada. The new plan would call for tar sands to be flowing from Canada to Portland, Maine.

Besides NEED members, other students said they are opposed to the pipeline construction in Vermont.

“We do not need a dirty source of energy being pumped through our sacred forests,” sophomore Tyler Struss said.

“We have spent a lot of time finding solutions to our future energy needs through renewable sources.”

“This would be detrimental to our country’s energy independence,” Struss said.

Opposition toward pipeline developments is not just limited to Vermont.

The Keystone XL Pipeline in the Mid-West has received the spotlight in recent environmental news. This pipeline would link the tar sands from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, a New York Times article stated.

President Obama made an executive decision to prevent the construction of the Keystone XL over aquifers and forests in the Mid-West, according to the article.

The work of environmentalist Bill McKibben, creator of 350.org, has been one influence on the University’s environmental movement.

“Thanks to Obama and 42 democratic senators, the connection to Canada remains blocked, and hence that remains a great victory for the people who rallied so fiercely all fall,” McKibben stated in his blog.

MACKENZIE JONES The Vermont Cynic

Employee Dana Kaplan plays music at WRUV April 9. WRUV recently won the Soundtap March Madness competition.

WRUV bests other schools in contest Radio station beats bracket

By Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor After nearly 2 million minutes of music, WRUV-FM 90.1 is now the most listened-to station in college radio, according to Soundtap.

WRUV won out over 63 other stations in the Soundtapsponsored March Madness competition that began March 15.

“It was awesome,” senior and WRUV program director Sarah Moylan said. “It helped us get more listeners, brought everyone together and everyone listened to each other’s shows more often.”

Taking a cue from the NCAA, the bracket-style contest involved pairs of stations going against each other in rounds of 64, 32, 16, 18, four and finally two.

“It was really close,” Soundtap co-founder and lead developer Sujay Vennam said. “It came down to the last hour.”

Vennam said each round included three days’ worth of airtime and the stations’ total hours accumulated with every additional listener who logged into Soundtap to listen.

After almost being knocked out by KTRU of Rice University in the eighth round with a margin of 148 hours, UVM advanced to the final against Carnegie Mellon University.

Even then the competition was close: with a little more than 3,645 hours, UVM listeners logged only 23 hours more than Carnegie Mellon, a University Communications article stated.

While the concept of Soundtap has been around for a while, Vennam said the website — which markets itself as “human powered radio” — is only about

a year old.

“The idea for the competition was pretty last minute,” Vennam said.

He explained it was the idea of a fellow Soundtap staff member who is from Kentucky, where March Madness is popular.

The contest almost didn’t happen, however, when Vennam and his fellow coders noticed a large amount of cheating activity on the site. Vennam even thought about calling off the whole event around the second round.

“Honestly, getting this kind of publicity and recognition is a prize in itself.”

Sarah Moylan WRUV program director

“It seemed unmanageable,” he said. “But we introduced some new features, like asking listeners to add their Facebooks and cell phone numbers for verification.”

“It was kind of a relief for it to be over; I was sleeping with my laptop next to me,” Vennam said. “But all the teams were really enthusiastic about it and we’d like to do this again in the future.”

The grand prize will be team jackets, although no design has been chosen yet, Moylan said.

“Honestly, getting this kind of publicity and recognition is a prize in itself,” she said.

N EWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

VANDALISM Reslife calls for change ...continued from page 1 Lamar said the staff puts a lot into maintaining a good environment in the complex.

“The Harris/Millis staff works very hard to provide a safe, clean, welcoming and inclusive community for you all,” she said.

Lamar reminded students of their responsibilities as members of the UVM community.

“It is an expectation that you all contribute positively to creating an inclusive community for all,” she said. “Respect each other and the property of Harris/Millis as fellow residential community members.”

Residents in both halls said they are upset at being required to pay for the damage they didn’t inflict.

“It’s unfair that we in the Harris dorm have to pay for what is happening in Millis,” first year Nadira Jegroo said.

“I don’t know why no one will speak up – they’re going to have to pay for it too.”

In Coolidge Hall on Redstone campus, a sink was ripped off the wall in the third floor men’s room April 7 and resulted in water damage in the hallway, Lt. Larry Magnant said.

An exit sign was also stolen out of Coolidge Hall March 31, Magnant said. The frame was still there, but the sign was gone.

Another sign on Athletic campus recently went missing.

The wooden sign outside the Honors College offices in University Heights North has been missing since the beginning of April, according to an email from Resident Director Erin Baker and Dean of the Honors College S. Abu Turab Rizvi.

Baker and Rizvi said the missing sign is expensive and

custom-made, which makes the loss of it “very disappointing.”

The email encouraged whoever took it to step forward and return it.

“It is truly a privilege for all of us to be able to live and work in this facility,” the email stated. “We are asking all of you to remember this, and to treat the building and its furnishings with the respect they deserve.”

Residential Life Director Stacey Miller said she wants students to treat their dorms as they would their childhood homes.

“Would you let someone walk into your parents’ house and start breaking stuff? I hope not,” Miller stated in an email.

“So why then do you think it’s okay in the halls? They are destroying their own home.”

Miller said that acts of vandalism not only make students feel less safe, but impede on their standard of living.

“For the majority of students who are not doing damage, they are burdened with living in substandard, and depending on the type of damage, less safe facilities,” Miller stated in the email.

Some students said they are not happy with the actions of a few classmates, and over the years, they have seen an increase in vandalism.

“I think it’s childish and unnecessary,” junior Kelsey Webb said. “As a junior, I’ve seen that vandalism has been taken to a whole new level this year and it needs to be taken down a notch.”

Students who hold any information regarding these vandalism acts are encouraged to report their knowledge and can do so anonymously, Lamar stated in the email.

University serves Campus community service recognized on U.S. honor roll

By Amanda Wassel Staff Writer UVM has made the honor roll.

For the sixth consecutive year, the University has earned a place on the president’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, a list of colleges and universities recognized for their civic engagement compiled by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

UVM was awarded a place on the “Honor Roll with Distinction,” among 110 other schools located throughout the U.S., due to an outstanding commitment to community service, according to the CNCS website.

The recipients of the award were announced March 12, the website stated.

UVM is home to over 20 community service clubs such as FeelGood, which raises money to end world hunger by selling grilled cheeses, Student Environmental Educators Doing Service (SEEDS), Big Buddies, and Alternative Spring and Winter Break.

Volunteers in Action (VIA) is a networking group that helps unite some of these campus clubs by providing, “a vital link

between the University of Vermont, Burlington communities and beyond through service,” the VIA website stated.

VIA is the second largest club on campus, although many students also participate in independent service organizations such as Greek Life.

The University hosts special events meant to educate students about community service and social issues, like “Servea-thon” in September, “Hunger and Homelessness Week” in November and “Community Works” in April, according to the UVM website.

UVM students are part of the 2.5 million students that CNCS honors. These students provide 105 million community service hours and 2.2 billion dollars in service every year, the CNCS website stated.

Sophomore Alana Caffrey participates regularly in FeelGood, DREAM, a mentor program, and went to New Orleans on Alternative Spring Break last year.

“Volunteer work has had such an impact on my college experience because it’s helped me connect to a community of people beyond the classroom and have a positive impact on others,” Caffrey said.

Crime log

By Lauren Drasler Staff Writer

April 1 6:18 p.m.

Smoke was reported to be coming from a cigarette butt container outside Converse Hall. It was thought that there was a fire from a lit cigarette, but when an officer reported to the scene the butt was just still smoking inside. Water was poured on the cigarette and

REDSTONE

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the container. No damage occurred from the incident.

found in the room and were reported to CSES.

April 6 1:45 a.m.

1:06 a.m.

A male student was criminally charged with simple assault after he punched another student in the face at the Marsh Austin Tupper complex. The student was taken into custody and the student that he punched was taken to detox.

April 7 12:58 a.m.

Alcohol and marijuana were taken from students in UHeights North after hall staff reported the incident to police services. Four beers, four bottles of liquor and .16 grams of marijuana were taken from the dorm room. Five people were

On nightly patrol, an officer came upon a student behind Robinson Hall. The student was clearly intoxicated, but not incapacitated and had a Blood Alcohol Concentration of .142.

Along with being impaired, the student was also carrying two traffic cones for an unknown reason.

2:39 a.m.

A student was publicly urinating behind Morrill Hall in the early hours of Saturday morning. An officer was out patrolling and happened upon the student while in the act. The student was reported to CSES and it is thought that alcohol played a role in this incident.

Schaab, Levenson, Rivers plead not guilty to charge

...continued from page 1 .139, the court documents stated.

Upon returning to the scene, officer Schwartz observed 155 broken windows and a pile of debris directly below the windows consisting of kitchen cabinets, several fire extinguishers, a toilet bowl, sink and other miscellaneous items, the affidavit stated.

Doug Nedde, co-owner of the Redstone Commercial Group developing the Lofts, said that the damages would not delay construction.

“We will still be opening on August 1,” Nedde said. “We’re looking forward to it. It’s just unfortunate.”

While Judge Crucitti decided to release all three defendants and allow them to remain living in their Redstone dorms until the end of the school year, the University will conduct its own judicial process.

President John Bramley declined to comment on this process.

“There is a legal process underway and I don’t think any further University comment is warranted or appropriate at

this time,” Bramley stated in an email.

Because UVM police services are still investigating the case, the criminal process has not yet been concluded and may delay the student conduct process.

“The students will have a campus judicial hearing at the proper time,” associate vice president of student life Annie Stevens stated in an email.

Each of the defendants is facing a maximum prison term of 15 years and a fine of up to $1,000, the court documents stated.

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NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Race is factor Miro to provide ‘fresh start’ Weinberger takes over as mayor of Burlington in police stops

By Keegan Fairfield Senior Staff Writer

By Keegan Fairfield Senior Staff Writer Law enforcement officials recently revealed that when someone is pulled over for a traffic stop, it isn’t always random.

A study produced by police officers from three departments in Chittenden County and UVM police services suggests that racial disparities exist in rates of traffic stops.

“What we find is there is a fairly consistent pattern of statistically significant racial disparity in Burlington and South Burlington,” professor of economics Stephanie Seguino said at a press conference April 2.

Segunio sought to answer three questions in analyzing data from traffic stops made by Burlington, South Burlington, Winooski and UVM police officers from 2009-2010: 1. Are you more likely to be pulled over as a minority?

2. Are men as a gender, regardless of race, more likely to be pulled over?

3. Are the penalties harsher for minorities after traffic stops?

African-Americans are twice as likely to be stopped by Burlington and South Burlington police officers proportionate to their representation in the general population, according to the study.

Further results of the study conclude: • African-Americans were 25 percent more likely to be stopped by UVM police • Following a traffic stop, minorities were more often searched and arrested, and received harsher penalties than whites in all of the areas of study.

• Penalties imposed following a traffic stop were nine percent heavier for blacks in Burlington, and Hispanics received harsher penalties than whites from UVM police 14 percent of the time.

• Blacks were 70 percent more likely to be arrested than whites in Burlington.

• Blacks were twice as likely to be searched by Burlington police than whites. In South Burlington, they were five times as likely.

Burlington police chief Mike Schirling said these results don’t necessarily indicate the presence of racial profiling.

“The report does not say that racial profiling exists,” he said. “It shows that disparities exist.”

With this data, Schirling said he hopes to discern the causes of such disparities and take measures to eliminate any such inequalities.

“This tool will continue to help inform our future conversations, shape our continued efforts and help guide us to the next step in the important process of mitigating bias in policing,” he said.

The study was the second of its kind, and is the result of a joint voluntary effort by the four departments and members of the community to pursue equality in the criminal justice system, Schirling said.

Seguino said that a more comprehensive and accurate assessment in this area would come in the future as more data becomes available.

Racial disparities in law enforcement have been a hotly debated issue in Vermont in recent months.

Following the release of studies evincing these trends, the Vermont House passed a bill in March that would fund a comprehensive study of policing practices across the state, said House Rep. Bill Lippert, who is chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

The bill would also require that all Vermont law enforcement agencies adopt a bias-free policing policy, Lippert said.

Miro Weinberger was sworn in as Burlington’s 42nd mayor April 2.

An exuberant crowd received Weinberger in Contois Auditorium at City Hall shortly after 7 p.m. with a standing ovation and a barrage of camera flashes.

The crowd remained tightlipped just long enough to allow Judge William K. Sessions III to swear in Weinberger as the first Democrat to be mayor in more than three decades.

With the oath of office affirmed, Weinberger set in motion his efforts to fulfill a promise of providing Burlington with the fresh start that voters had demanded.

In his inaugural address, Weinberger provided an overview of the Burlington’s state of affairs by citing some of the challenges facing the city, including financial woes, stagnant municipal projects and high housing costs.

“Perhaps most importantly, the paralyzing loss of trust between the mayor’s office, this council and the public must be repaired,” Weinberger said.

Despite these challenges, Weinberger expressed optimism in moving forward, and pledged openness, transparency and diligence in confronting difficulties.

He also called on leaders of the “vibrant colleges and worldclass hospital … [to] provide the foundation and services that

STUN GUN

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Mayor Miro Weinberger, speaks to students at the mayoral debate held in Brennan’s Pub Feb. 15. make this city great.”

Weinberger said Burlington was challenged but reinvigorated.

“Let’s roll up our sleeves; let’s seize the unique opportunity before us, and let’s get to work,” he said.

Student felt he was good enough to be on the team

...continued from page 1 “It would have been unfair to team members who already tried out and paid team fees,” the team member said.

When told he could not be a part of club tennis this semester, Moore did not appear upset, Mscisz said.

“A week later, he just went off,” she said.

On Saturday morning, Moore called a team member and asked him to come outside of his home.

The team member and another student confronted Moore at about 11 a.m., who argued that he deserved to be on the tennis team because he was good enough.

When the conversation escalated, the other student told

Moore that he needed to relax.

Moore took out a personal electronic stun device and attempted to stun both students, who ran, informed others and called the police, the team member said.

Simple assault is a misdemeanor punishable by not more than one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, the release stated.

Strange weather saps life out of maple syrup industry

By Mat Degan Staff Writer If local sap producers have waited to tap their trees, time may have run out.

Due to strange weather patterns this spring — including 80-degree highs in March and subsequent weeks of cooling — the maple sugaring season came earlier, leaving some local producers frustrated with the whims of Mother Nature.

“We had a strange season here in Vermont,” said Henry Marckres, consumer protection chief and maple specialist for the Vermont Department of Agriculture.

Some people were still seeing substantial runs of sap due to the huge pressure differences that come with fluctuating temperatures, but once trees begin to bud with the warmer weather, the syrup produced from them has an off-flavor that may

not meet industry standards, he said.

“Nature controls what kind of season we have,” Marckres said. “It all depends on when the producers tapped and what kind of systems they have.”

While Southern pockets of the state have benefited from more consistent weather and are not significantly below average syrup production, the Northern portion of Vermont has not been so lucky.

This is especially true for those producers who waited to tap their trees and used a traditional “gravity” method instead of the newer vacuum approach that helps to ease the sap from the tree, Marckres said.

“There’s an old adage that you don’t tap before town meeting day,” he said. “Most people who [tapped early] did pretty bad.”

This year’s total estimates for syrup production across the

state range from 700,000 to 800,000 gallons, a number that would have been a tremendous quantity 15 years ago, when a mere 1 million taps were put out across the state.

“My hope is that there aren’t many people who depend solely on that production for their income.”

Henry Marckres Consumer protection chief But now, with as many as 3.3 million taps across Vermont, there’s a lot more syrup being produced, even in a bad year, and expectations are higher, Marckres said.

“My hope is that there aren’t many people who depend solely on that production for their income,” he said.

Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States and yielded a record-breaking 1.14 million gallons of syrup last year, which may be why this year’s yield seems so low, Marckres said.

To solve the problem, producers will just have to adapt in future years to the changing climates and begin the tapping season earlier than has been traditional, he said.

Instead of the ceremonious first of March, taps may need to be secured on trees as early as mid-February, Marckres said.

“It’s probably not concerning over the near future,” he said. “It used to be that a lot of syrup was made in April and maybe even May – we don’t see that anymore.”

Sugaring runs in the fam-

ily for senior Dylan Bellavance, whose stepfather and brother maintain a small operation called Hull Bros. Sugarhouse behind the family’s home in Barre.

Bellavance said that since the family began sugaring five years ago, the hobby has grown with every new season.

The family now taps as many as 250 trees, collecting the sap after they return from their day jobs, and boiling it down into the sweet that douses pancakes across the country.

The family sells — and occasionally gives away — their syrup to friends and anyone else who wants it.

“This year was pretty rough,” Bellavance said. “Last year we made 86 gallons and this year they made 12. The weather was just so wacky this year that it wasn’t really in favor for making maple syrup.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

5

Rally cries out for slain teen Protestors decry profiling

By Becky Hayes News Editor A rally to raise awareness for the death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager killed by a neighborhood watchman in Florida, attracted a crowd of more than 40 April 10.

Students and community members held signs with phrases such as “We are all Trayvon Martin,” and “Being black is not suspicious,” at the event sponsored by UVM’s International Socialist Organization, the ALANA student center and Black Student Union.

The protest was organized to spread awareness on campus and in the greater Burlington community, said Felicia Mensah, president of the Black Student Union.

“Racism is still alive and we deal with it every single day,” Mensah said.

Mensah said she has heard a number of minority students on campus complain about the lack of diversity and lack of support from the SGA and in the classroom.

“We get that feeling of support from ALANA; however, we want to look to the whole Uni-

versity,” she said. “We pay to go here.”

This rally was a way to ensure that people knew what had happened to Martin and why it was important, Mensah said.

“Our hope is to make a difference today to show not only Vermont but the nation that we can work together,” she said.

NATALIE WILLIAMS The Vermont Cynic

Junior and president of the Black Student Union, Felicia Mensah, leads the rally to raise awareness for the death of Trayvon Martin, outside of the Davis Center April 10.

“Racism is still alive and we deal with it every single day.”

Felicia Mensah President of the Black Student Union

In between chants of, “Protect and serve — that’s a lie, they don’t care if black kids die,” students and community members took turns speaking to the crowd in the Davis Center and

on the steps of Bailey/Howe library.

“I’m really glad to see people out here in support of Trayvon Martin,” senior Emily Reynolds said.

Staff member Mary BrownGuillory said she was worried about her son and grandson being racially profiled and felt like Martin was her own son.

“We are not being profiled because I am a human being, we are being profiled because my skin is double dip chocolate chip,” Brown-Guillory said.

A few pwwassers by stopped and listened to the rally until a sudden downpour of rain sent the protestors back into the Davis Center.

NATALIE WILLIAMS The Vermont Cynic

Students rally with signs saying “Unite and fight racism, an injury to one is an injury to all” outside of Bailey/Howe April 10.

Student throws coffee at shouting evangelist

By Mat Degan Staff Writer, Corrie Roe Managing Editor Anger and disbelief were common emotions seen in the small crowd gathered around Shawn “the Baptist” Holes, who was one of four Cross Country evangelists rallying outside the Davis Center April 5.

As students gathered on the green in between classes and overheard messages condemning gay marriage and appealing to students to “cry out to God and beg him to save you,” some began chanting back, challenging the evangelist group’s positions and voicing that the homosexual community is here to stay.

“Why are you being such a troll?” was one of several comments directed at the Cross Country Evangelists.

One female walking by the rally threw her iced coffee at a church member standing on a rock and yelling at students as they made their way to class, prompting a UVM police officer to come to the scene and diffuse the situation.

Church members complained to officer Matthew Collins that there was a “doublestandard” in which if they threw coffee on a student, they would have been arrested or removed from campus. They also said that the action was unprovoked.

In response, Collins said because evangelists had organized the event and come to campus, they were in a “position of leadership” and held to a higher standard of accountability.

Collins said the student’s action was “disrespectful,” but

could not be classified as an assault because no physical harm was done.

Having handled these types of confrontations before, Collins said the evangelists are free to spread their opinions as long as physical violence does not ensue.

“We’re not here to be your enemy. We’re here to have a good, spirited discussion with you.”

Mike Stockwell Cross Country Evangelist “In the last couple years, I’ve been here and hung out,” he said. “There haven’t been any problems.”

Sophomore Kristin Nelson, who identifies as queer and was a victim of sexual assault, called the message the church was sending “hurtful,” and said that at times during their speech, church members were equating homosexuals with rapists.

“My main question is why UVM is letting them come here,” Nelson said. “It’s clearly having a negative effect.”

Asked whether she thought First Amendment speech rights should be protected no matter how controversial the message, Nelson said there are definite boundaries and they had been crossed during the demonstra-

tion.

“The line gets drawn when the goal and the objective of the speech is hate,” she said. “They said homosexuals have ‘wicked hearts.’”

Sophomore Dan Cmejla said it was good that these men could spread their beliefs, but by laying down such philosophical groundwork, the evangelists were not considering the values of other people.

“Why is he saying that evolution is a lie?” Cmejla said.

“That’s part of it — I mean, I believe in evolution; he loses some credibility for me there.”

Mike Stockwell, another member of the evangelic group, said it wasn’t until he was 29 years old that God saved him from a life “bent toward sin.”

For the past three years he has been an active member in the upstart evangelic group, traveling throughout the U.S. to preach the Gospel and proclaim “God’s truth.”

Stockwell dismissed students’ allegations that the group had come to UVM with the intention of stirring up trouble and antagonizing the community, saying that his only agenda was that students be “rational” and hear the group out.

“We’re not here to get people upset,” he said. “We’re not here to be your enemy. We’re here to have a good, spirited discussion with you.”

Senior Kyle Harrington walked through the gathered students, telling the crowd to stay in school to avoid becoming like the evangelists.

“I’m sure he comes from the Bible belt,” Harrington said. “I think he came up here last year

NATALIE WILLIAMS The Vermont Cynic

A crowd gathers around Shawn “the Baptist” Holes as he preaches to students outside of Bailey/Howe Library April 5 to preach, preaching all day just getting in fights with people — he just loved the attention.

“He probably knows nothing of science or any scientific reasoning,” he said.

Cross Country Evangelism is

based in Selden, N.Y. and is in the midst of a tour heading up the East Coast, stopping at various colleges and public parks along the way.

6

LIFE

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Rethinking transportation in an urban scene Lecturer promotes realistic change in travel; biking, public transit as alternatives

By Johnny Sudekum Cynic Correspondent The Burack Distinguished Lecture Series hosted sustainable urbanism and transportation expert Dr. Robert Cervero April 5 to explain developments and issues he has seen in creating environmentally friendly cities.

Cervero explained to his audience that he isn’t completely “anti-car.”

“I myself have a car and I drive a car,” he said.

Cervero then began to explain that using a car does not necessarily mean a person is committing an evil.

Cheap parking encourages the use of car travel for distance that could otherwise be biked or walked. This practice has implications that go beyond causing traffic.

“Cars have a role to play — we just have excessive use of them,” he said. “If you make it cheap and easy to park, people will use it.”

Cervero explained that although driving is convenient, it does have negative effects.

“We hugely overuse driving,” he said. “This requires more parking, which in turn pollutes rivers and air quality.”

Although Cervero is currently teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, his interest in sustainable living and transportation has reached a global level as he has witnessed new,

HEALTH AND WELLNESS CORNER

JUDE PAUL DIZON

How to properly use a condom

Condoms help to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy — here are some tips to keep condom effectiveness at 98 percent.

• Give the unopened package a little squeeze to ensure there is a small air pocket in the package. If there is no air pocket, the wrapper and condom could have holes — ditch the condom and get a new one.

• Also, make sure the condom hasn’t expired — there is an expiration date on every wrapper. The condom may be old if it is discolored, sticky or brittle. If it is, get a new one — don’t risk it.

• Another common user error is improper lubrication. Be sure to use only water-based lubricants with latex condoms, as oil based lubes, lotions

innovative ideas in creating a sustainable living area internationally.

He highlighted Vauban, Germany, a district that in recent years has tossed the autobahn and converted almost entirely to biking for its main mode of transportation.

“We hugely overuse driving. This requires more parking, which in turn pollutes rivers and air quality.”

Dr. Robert Cervero Transportation expert

“The equivalent of $17,000 a year is what it costs to have the privilege to park in [Vauban],” Cervero said.

He said that 70 percent of families who moved to Vauban explained that they felt happier living in Vauban.

“I thought this would be a largely hippie-based community, but what I found was that 40 percent of the inhabitants are families,” Cervero said. “It is very family friendly.”

By having an environmenand oils corrode the latex and reduce effectiveness.

• To open the wrapper, use your hands — no teeth or scissors.

• It is important to put the condom on the penis, sex toy or hand before vaginal or anal penetration because precum, vaginal secretions and blood from small cuts on your hands can transmit bacterial organisms.

• Place the condom, rolled rim on the outside, on the head of the penis, sex toy or fingers.

• If putting on a penis, apply some lube on the head of the penis first. Be sure to pinch the tip of the condom to create a small reservoir for semen and roll the condom down the base of the shaft of the penis.

• After ejaculation, hold the base of the condom in place and withdraw the penis. Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it away in a trash can.

On campus you can get free condoms in residence halls from your RAs and RDs, at the ALANA Student Center, Women’s Center, LGBTQA Center, the Student Health centers, Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS) and at info desks and Living Well in the Davis Center.

If you are not on campus, download iCondom, a locationbased app charting the location of over 6,000 different condom dispenser locations.

Contributing auhor: Riley Duffie, Wellness Associate with the UVM Center for Health and Wellbeing.

tally friendly town with convenient, practical transportation, Cervero explained that a more diverse working group would populate areas that make commuting easy.

“Easier transportation will bring a more diverse working community,” he said.

Environmentally friendly transportation can mean anything from functioning biking lanes, to bus routes which pair convenience with practicality.

In recent years UVM has added “Green Buses” to the onand off-campus transportation system.

These buses offer students a means of getting around while burning compressed natural gas, and emit 50 percent fewer nitrogen oxides than standard petroleum diesel burning buses, according to the CarShare Vermont website.

UVM has also partnered with CarShare Vermont, an organization committed to helping people travel with fewer cars.

For a monthly fee, all members of CarShare have access 24/7 to any company vehicle in the most convenient area to its member.

CarShare Vermont strives to make transportation as convenient as possible for the daily commuter while reducing the number of cars on and off the road.

CareShare Vermont explains in its mission statement that

LEV MCCARTHY The Vermont Cynic

UC Berkeley professor Robert Cervero speaks at the “Burack Lecture: Sustainable Urbanism” in Billings Lounge April 5. residents do not need to own their own car(s) for everyday life.

First-year student Derek Neal explained his view of transportation on campus.

“The bus is very convenient, although I miss [it] every other morning by 30 seconds,” Neal said. “I don’t think you need a car on campus.”

Holocaust victims honored Hillel and Holocaust studies department work together to organize week of remembrance

By Hannah Ullman Life/Features Editor Hillel and the Holocaust studies department are sponsoring a Holocaust Remembrance Week April 15 to 22.

“The Holocaust is one of the great atrocities of humanity,” Alan Steinweis, director of Holocaust studies said. “There are a lot of people who are still alive who lived through it.”

Steinweis said that it is important to study this historical event to recognize the danger signs so it does not happen again.

Vladimir Lermant, a firstyear student and member of Hillel’s planning board for the week, said the Holocaust is one of the most important events of recent history.

“It’s our duty to remember our past — make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Lermant said.

The opening ceremony on April 15 will center around a presentation in the Davis Center given by Gabe Hartstein, the child of a Holocaust survivor.

April 18, psychologist and playwright Henry Greenspan will be giving a talk about his one-man play “Remnants,” which was performed at Theresientadt, a theater space used during the Holocaust.

Greenspan will perform

scenes from “Remnants” on April 19 and give a talk titled “How survivors became fashionable: Holocaust survivors in the American imagination.”

Miles Schoenberg, a firstyear student and committee head for the events, said that the week will pay tribute to those who were lost in the Holocaust.

“The Holocaust is one of the great atrocities of humanity. There are a lot of people who are still alive who lived through it.”

Alan Steinweis Director of Holocaust studies “We’re trying to bring the community together to make it a really important week,” Schoenberg said.

He said he was personally affected by the magnitude of the Holocaust when he visited the concentration camps with a Jewish youth group.

When Schoenberg learned of the chance to be on the committee, he said he was the first

person to volunteer.

“It’s just something I think everyone really needs to be aware of,” Schoenberg said.

“This is something that actually happened.”

Other events include showing “Life is Beautiful” and “Korczak,” two Holocaust related films. There will also be a Shabbat dinner to pay tribute and a litany of names read outside of the Bailey/Howe Library for an hour each day.

The closing ceremony will take place at the Davis Center and will be a period of reflection with a candle lighting ceremony and poetry.

“There’s still genocides going on,” Schoenberg said. “We need to keep realizing that we’re lucky that we’re not in that position.”

LI F E

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

7

Clothing styled ‘fresh’ SpringFest to sell student’s urban wear

By Kevin Pelletier Cynic Correspondent

ALEXA ALGIOS The Vermont Cynic

Nursing student Clarissa Drill (right) shows fifth grader Miya McMahon and sixth grader Faith Villa nursing equipment as part of the DREAM job fair in the Livak Ballroom April 6.

Program teaches teens to DREAM

Job fair organized by mentors

By Melina Tej Chaouch Cynic Correspondent Mentoring kids and teens through Directing through Recreation, Education, Adventure and Management (DREAM) has positively affected both the children and their mentees.

On April 6, DREAM held their Career Fair on the fourth floor of the Davis Center.

“We asked a bunch of people who we knew to come in and speak about their careers and to give the teens a chance to hear about some things they might be interested in,” said sophomore Zoe Herwitz, one of the mentors for the program.

Most of the teens participating have not been exposed to these kinds of events, according to Herwitz. The DREAM organization hopes to inspire some of them to pursue degrees in higher education by giving them the opportunity to learn more about the careers they could pursue.

“We wanted to take time out of our week to devote time to just the teens, since a lot of them don’t have the role models they need at home,” junior and co-chair of the program Maggie Duffy said. “We’re trying to provide those for them.”

Duffy said that while she loved being able to see her mentee every Friday as a mentor, she now enjoys being able to plan events as a co-chair. Seeing that the events have a successful outcome makes her job truly worthwhile.

“Probably one of the more heartbreaking things is that it really gets you thinking about where you stand in the world,” junior and co-chair Madeleine Gibson said.

Gibson said that not every child has someone who he or she can look up to.

“Understanding the backgrounds of some of these kids and the responsibility that is placed on them, having to look after their brothers and sisters, it really makes you want to do more to connect with those kids and help them get involved,” she said.

It has been a logistical challenge to plan events for the organization, according to Gibson. The chairs are often responsible for up to 40 people, including a lot of the children and teens involved.

Laura Aldger, a junior in high school who is involved in DREAM, has benefited from being a part of it.

“I think a lot of the bonding that happens between the mentor and the mentee provides a really good environment for people to be themselves and to learn,” Aldger said.

Although she is a lot older than most of the kids present, Aldger believes that events like the career fair are really beneficial to the mentees, and she is glad they are starting programs like this so early.

Gibson explained that being a mentor is a huge emotional and physical time commitment, but the longstanding relationships that result between mentees and mentors are very rewarding.

To get involved with DREAM, contact Duffy, at mjduffy@uvm.edu. “[DREAM] holds interviews a few times a year, and if you’re interested, we’re always looking for new mentors,” Herwitz said.

When he was leaving Nigeria for the U.S., senior Michael Damilola Oyebola’s mother told him, “America really is a land of opportunity, Michael.”

This is a sentiment Oyebola has embodied with the creation of Mida Lifestyle, his street wear clothing brand, identified by its emblematic smiley face.

Oyebola’s artistic abilities were fostered by his uncle in Lagos, Nigeria, his birthplace.

Upon moving to Bronx, New York in 2007, Oyebola was exposed to the New York City fashion scene that, when fused with his art, would give birth to Mida, which comes from the ‘Mi’ in Michael and the ‘Da’ in Damilola, an expression of surprise in Estonian.

With great ambition, Oyebola plans to propel Mida Lifestyle into a well-known innovative brand, the likes of Supreme and Alife, two New York City urbanstyle clothing lines.

“My motto is ‘straight from dirt to a diamond,’” Oyebola said.

He intends to make high quality clothing that is original and makes people happy when they see it.

“Michael has really done a lot to push his brand here at UVM since its creation,” senior Julian Golfarini said. “He has really put blood, sweat and tears into the brand.”

Golfarini said that he was excited to see where Oyebola will take his company next.

“The Mida line is really fresh . . . I myself own a crew neck and a T-shirt and I like them both,” Golfarini said. “It’s easy to see why the clothes are cool because the founder of the company definitely has swag.”

Oyebola will be selling ur-

MATTHEW KUPERMAN The Vermont Cynic

Senior Michael Oyebola wears a Mida hoodie outside of the Davis Center April 2. He will be selling his clothing line at SpringFest. ban-style tank tops and crop tees at SpringFest 2012. Mida Lifestyle also can be seen when picking up a ticket to SpringFest at Growing Vermont, which is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“A lot of people like Michael’s clothing because it has an urban feel,” senior and a

manager of Growing Vermont Sunny Mitchell said. “And they really like the logo, which is this cool smiley face.”

Oyebola also sells his products downtown at a clothing store called Me. Check out what Mida Lifestyle has to offer by visiting www.MidaLifestyle.com.

Labeling GMOs mandated by bill SARAH ALEXANDER

Over 70 percent of all packaged foods sold in the United States contain genetically engineered ingredients.

Without labeling mandates for these food products, consumers are in the dark about what exactly they are putting into their bodies or feeding to their loved ones.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard of Vermont’s Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act (H.722). The popular legislative bill would require mandatory labels on genetically engineered food sold at retail outlets in Vermont. The bill has received an overwhelming amount of support with thousands of emails and calls and a 6-5 majority in the Vermont House Agriculture Committee.

However, the bill is losing steam with only four weeks remaining before the legislature adjourns for the year.

Despite the push to move forward, Vermont legislators are opting to idle the voting process with more public hearings in the hope to buy more time until the closing of the legislative session in the beginning of May.

Vermont needs to take responsibility and demand the basic right of knowing what is in our food.

This extra negotiation and lack of progression in the state House coincides with added pressure from corporate giant Monsanto, which strives to achieve sustainable agriculture.

Monsanto recently threatened a public official with the idea that it would sue Vermont if it dares to pass the bill.

Yes, Monstanto has a great deal of influence in our nation’s capitol as well as most state capitals, but elected Vermonters should not abandon public interest and ethics in the wrath of corporate intimidation.

Unfortunately, because of Monsanto’s incredibly powerful position, government and industry persistently side with the genetically modified giant rather than with the majority of the population supporting labeling.

Vermont, one of the most progressive states in the nation, needs to take responsibility and demand the basic right of knowing what is in our food.

For students passionate about the issue, there is a perfect opportunity to get involved and have your voice heard.

Attend the House Agriculture Committee’s public hearing on April 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Let your legislators know that you want to label GMOs.

8

ARTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Marriage=Death displayed downtown Senior takes a stance on LGBTQA awareness in new exhibit

By Madeleine Gibson Senior Staff Writer Art exhibit “Marriage = Death: A Transqueer Critique of Homonormativity” raises awareness about LGBTQA politics and represents queer art in the Burlington community.

In the exhibit, senior Hannah Melton combines raw, provocative text with objects to take a stance against mainstream queer stereotypes.

Chances are that most people who visit the exhibit will not have previous knowledge that mainstream queerness exists in the queer community, as well as in corporations, Hollywood and the political world.

“Homonormativity is when people who are not straight want to assimilate into hetero-institutions and are interested in fighting for rights, like marriage, that don’t necessarily benefit the queer community as a whole,” she said. “We need greater queer representation.”

The queer community has a complicated set of subdivisions, including people of many different races, sexual orientations and social standings; however, according to Melton, many members of the LGBTQ community are starting to abandon queer culture and shun people who don’t fit into a white, Christian, middleto-upper class stereotype.

She argued that the only mainstream gay figures are people like the happy, dancing and Cover Girl glossed Ellen DeGeneres, and Will from television

perpetuate the objectivity of women!”

Posters in the fashion of middle school sex education on male and female reproductive anatomy drip with thick red and blue paint in a horrific yet intriguing show of what Melton describes as a “bio mix-up.”

“The biology of sex and gender is a big part about how we feel about this,” Melton said in reference to the posters. “The male and female reproductive posters introduce a biological mixup that would switch how we assign gender, educating others on the fact that there is so much variation.”

“If you don’t see those representations out there, it is easy to think you are not normal.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH MELTON

Senior and artist Hannah Melton poses at the exhibit “Marriage = Death: A Transqueer Critique of Homonormativity” at the Allen House. The exhibit raises awareness about LGBTQ politics. series “Will and Grace.”

In addition, Melton said that marriage rights have become the sole, publicized concern of the queer community, and that other concerns for gay awareness, such as education and health care, have been brutally silenced.

The problems Melton described were magnified by the intensity of the surrounding exhibit.

Many of the pieces presented a queer critique of not only marriage, but also gender conformity

and the mainstreaming of LGBTQA politics, bodies, and practices.

Dangling skeletons dressed in torn, rainbow colored linen announced “Just Buried” with Day of the Dead decor and dangling, crushed beer cans.

In the holy grail of Trojan pleasure, limp condoms hung precisely from a wooden board with a heart-shaped foam Valentine that read, “Want me, please me, use me, protect me.”

“There is an intimacy to [the exhibit],” Melton

said. “I wanted to focus on gender a lot, but not all of it is necessarily just about gender.”

In “DIY SHALLOWMEN,” a hand-arranged collage of Seven Days’ back covers, Melton scrutinizes American Apparel’s flair for using homoeroticism as a marketing ploy.

In the piece, two girls share their lust for each other in Playboy Bunny suits alongside the message, “don’t just arouse the male population with their lesbian fantasies, shop with us to

Hannah Melton Senior and exhibit presenter This fall, Melton will attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and continue her work with the nonprofit Youth Chicago Authors, which introduces high school students to the world of artistic expression.

“If you don’t see those representations out there, it is easy to think you are not normal,” Melton said. “Many kids don’t have influential creative outlets.”

Marriage = Death will run until April 13 at the Allen House Multicultural Gallery from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

Slavic influences shape spring concert

By Theodora Ziolkowski Senior Staff Writer Blasts of wind and pockets of hail were no deterrent for the audience that attended the Eastern European-themed concert “Slavic Influences” April 4 in the Southwick Music Hall.

The concert was a part of the Music and Literature Series, which is sponsored by the English department and the Brigham Buckham fund. The series encourages audiences to contemplate the interwoven nature of history, literature and music.

“Slavic Influences” showcased sounds from both Russia and Czechoslovakia.

The first half of the performance featured Mussorgsky’s “Songs and Dances of the Death.”

Comprised of four poems written by Golenshchev-Kutuzov, the haunting melody of the songs was sung by bassist Erik Kroncke and accompanied on piano by Paul Orgel.

A sheet providing both

the Russian and English versions of the songs was distributed to the audience at the beginning of the program.

At the beginning, Kroncke and Orgel had the audience at the edge of their seats as they listened to the first two songs, “Lullaby” and “Serenade.” “Trepak,” a Russian dance, and the third song in the piece, sustained the dark nature of the songs.

The fourth and final song was the violent melody of “Field Marshal.”

“There is a core of generosity and wellbeing in all of Dvorak’s music.”

Paul Orgel Pianist Like Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, Mussorg-

sky composed during a time when he was “preoccupied with Russia’s tragic history,” Orgel said.

“There are strong influences of Russian folk and liturgical music in [Mussorgsky],” Orgel said. “It breaks a lot of rules and achieves great strength and beauty.”

Professor Tom Simone, who helped start the Music and Literature concert series at UVM, stressed the influence of the “richness of musical exploration from Russia and Czechoslovakia” on Western culture. He discussed how Mussorgsky’s music aligns with the history and themes in Leo Tolstoy’s novel, “Anna Karenina,” which he is currently teaching.

The first half of the program concluded with what the concert advertisement described as “one of the most challenging of all piano works.” Michael Arnowitt played three scenes from the piano rendition of Stravinsky’s “Petrushka,” a Russian

ballet that tells the story of three puppets that come to life.

“The Music and Literature Series brings incredible musicians to the stage at UVM and reveals the musical themes that resonate in the literature of the music’s time and origin.”

As an introduction to the piece, Arnowitt described the relationship between mechanical objects and humans, which he believed was the theme of the ballet.

“Stravinsky was one of the cleverest of modern composers,” Orgel said. He explained that Stravinsky left Russia early in his life much like Russian novelist Vladi-

mir Nabokov, who departed for the west, or Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, who traveled to France.

The program concluded with Dvorkak’s “Piano Trio in F minor.” Played by violinist Kevin Lawrence, cellist John Dunlop and Orgel on piano, the Dvorak featured a rich, romantic melody.

“There is a core of generosity and well-being in all of Dvorak’s music,” Orgel said.

“He is one of music’s great composers of melodies.”

The Music and Literature Series brings incredible musicians to the stage at UVM and reveals the musical themes that resonate in the literature of the music’s time and origin.

“We exist in a culture of many arts,” Simone said.

“Music is, by its nature, emotion and communication.”

It is the appreciation of these arts together in a concert like “Slavic Influences” that invites us to contemplate how different art forms interrelate.

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

ARTS

9

Film review

EMILY BARTON

Mirror Mirror on the wall...

PHOTO COURTESY OF GANESH PHOTOGRAPHY

Singer Trevor Hall poses. He played at Higher Ground April 1.

Hall wows with custom concert

New movie, “Mirror Mirror,” puts a hilarious and shockingly modern spin on the classic fairy tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

All of the key elements and characters from the Disney movie Snow White

a camera recorder from a girl near the front of the audience and walked around the stage with it, filming the band and the audience before returning the camera.

After a song accompanied

by Haley, who was brought back on stage, the band took a water break and laughed with each other.

Dugan, who had yet to acknowledge he was onstage in front of hundreds of people, played randomly and tuned his guitar. Hall threw another guitar pick into the crowd and spoke with the people in the front row.

“It’s always so nice coming [to Burlington] — you guys are really wonderful and attentive and supportive,” Hall said.

Hall played a final song, “Here With You,” waved goodbye and left the stage just after 10 p.m. Within a couple of minutes, he was brought back onstage for an encore.

Asking for the crowd’s permission, Hall chose to play a new song that he said was inspired by a place in India. Though the crowd cheered in support, Hall caught disapproval in the eyes of one concertgoer.

“I saw you roll your eyes,” he said jokingly. “Just go to the bathroom; it’ll be over by the time you’re done.”

After Hall’s new song, the crowd continued to cheer for more, suggesting songs and complimenting him. Hall brought back out the band for two more songs and left the stage half an hour later.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for coming out,” Hall said as he bowed his head. “Thank you so much.”

more than one occasion — a welcome change to any fairy tale.

Mirror Mirror keeps its form as a classic fairy tale and concludes with a happy ending.

Finally, the infamous seven dwarfs are given quirky new names and an occupation as thieves.

They team up with Snow to fight back against the queen and save the kingdom, and have a tendency to leave their opponents topless.

“Mirror Mirror” keeps its form as a classic fairy tale and concludes with a happy ending. However, even within the last few scenes, the film is able to mix in a modern twist — the poisonous apple is not forgotten, but the person who takes the first bite may surprise you.

Arts Calendar

By Molly Philbin Assisstant Arts Editor Several hundred people came out to listen to Trevor Hall’s feel-good music at Higher Ground April 1.

Before Cas Haley opened, concertgoers lingered in the ballroom talking among themselves and taking pictures. People wore long skirts, tie dyed shirts and beanies — many of the crowd rocked dreads as well as feathers, facial piercings, gages and flannel.

Haley went on at 8 p.m. and was accompanied by Hall’s band through most of his performance. Many people in the audience seemed as excited to see Haley as they were to see Hall. Haley developed a fan base in Burlington from previous performances, as did Hall when he opened for Matisyahu in 2009.

Hall came out a little after 9 p.m. wearing a thinly striped maroon threequarter button-down with his blond dreads tied up in a bun.

“Good evening Burlington,” he said as he idly picked at his guitar and waited for his band to get situated.

A couple of songs after the opening song “Sa Re Ga,” Hall threw the guitar pick he had been using out into the crowd, pulled another from his jean’s pocket, and continued playing.

Hall personalized many of the lyrics in songs such as “Unity” and “The Rascals Have Returned,” making references to the hills of Vermont and the popular restaurant Penny Cluse Café in downtown Burlington.

During a guitar solo by Aaron Dugan, Hall took

are present in “Mirror Mirror,” but each part of the original story is altered in a way that gives the film a brand-new feel.

Julia Roberts plays the cunning and devilish queen who steals the kingdom from Snow White, played by Lily Collins.

The queen’s desire to be “the fairest of them all” is as strong as ever, but she has upgraded her “mirror mirror on the wall.”

Upon saying these famous magic words, she is able to walk through the mirror and enter a chamber that contains her reflection and a goblet that allows her to see what is happening throughout the kingdom.

A new subplot introduced in this film is the love triangle that develops between the queen, Snow and Prince Alcott, played by Armie Hammer. This becomes yet another point of dispute between the queen and Snow.

Prince Alcott is somewhat of an underdog, which gives Snow the chance to do the saving on

Friday

4.13

Korean hip-hop artist Dumbfoundead

Davis Center, Silver Maple Ballroom Bollywood Dance and Henna Party Davis Center, Atrium

Saturday 4.14

FeelGood’s Jamm’n To End World Hunger Davis Center, Livak Ballroom Signmark Higher Ground

Sunday 4.15

Tuesday 4.17

UVM Concert Band Spring Concert Music Building Recital Hall

Bassnectar Higher Ground A Survior Stands Beside Me Exhibit Allen House University Symphony Orchestra Concert Music Building Recital Hall

10

Opinion

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

STAFF EDITORIAL

THE VERMONT

C YNIC

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

802-656-0337

Managing Editor Corrie Roe

cynicnewsroom@gmail.com

News

Becky Hayes

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Opinion

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Finding a better way to release your stress It’s that time of year again; our campus is getting rowdy. We at the Cynic propose the following hypothesis.

If you take one part nonexistent winter, add one week of 80-degree weather and then mix in a few weeks of rainy spring, you have the perfect combination for crime.

There exists a cycle at UVM where students emerge from the winter months and begin going outside again. The potent combination of improving weather and increased stress from classes causes a buildup. That buildup needs an outlet.

This past week, we have seen students dealing with their “spring awakening” in very destructive ways.

Some students decided to throw toilets out of the Redstone Lofts. Some decided to use an elevator as a bathroom.

Trust us, there are better options. Yes, finals are approaching and we all need to blow off some steam. But that’s no reason to start squatting all over campus.

Instead of throwing appliances out of your window, try picking up a hobby or going out on the weekends.

When you find yourself daydreaming about what kind of vandalism will “show Bramley not to mess with the students,” maybe it is time to consider joining an intramural sports team.

As students, we are all subject to the same pressures and it is important to realize that when you are invited to a party inside a construction site, chances are it will not end smoothly.

Keep in mind that your actions as students have a greater impact on us all; UVM does not exist in a bubble. These crimes have drawn attention from the surrounding community.

Burlington residents have commented on local media coverage of the increased crime, calling UVM students “brats” with “no discipline.” It’s pretty embarrassing to us all when a few students create that kind of reputation in our community.

So consider this our call to students. Keep it real, and don’t let your stress relief activities bring the rest of us down.

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COLUMNISTS

Fallacies of coffee stereotypes So, where is the proof that coffee is harmful?

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Earlier studies didn’t always take into account that known high-risk behaviors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, tended to be more common among heavy coffee drinkers at that time.”

BIANCA MOHN

Whether you are a coffee or a tea drinker, there is nothing like starting off the day with an aromatic, steaming beverage. From the warm curvature of a favorite mug to the nostalgic smell, a cup of coffee or tea makes the morning bearable.

But is one healthier for you than the other?

Picture a cliché coffee drinker: intense, hardened and possibly high-maintenance. Tea drinkers are associated with more peaceful qualities – easygoing, restful and at one with the earth.

For years, coffee has taken the blame for a multitude of health issues. Anything from heart disease and cancer to stunting children’s growth is fair game for encouraging people to avoid the “vile” substance.

As far as stereotypes go, coffee has the reputation of being more sinful than tea.

For years, coffee has taken the blame for a multitude of health issues. Anything from heart disease and cancer to stunting children’s growth is fair game for encouraging people to avoid the “vile” subtance.

In the past decade, scientists have unearthed evidence that coffee has incredible health benefits. Coffee contains antioxidants, which have been proven to moderately improve brain functioning.

Also, studies have shown that coffee can prevent liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Type 2 diabetes and even depression.

Before you get too excited

and go on a coffee binge, remember that moderation is key.

Seven or more cups of coffee per day is way too much caffeine. Also, adding sugar, heavy cream and other flavorings to your morning indulgence is quite unhealthy.

If you drink coffee in respectable quantities and without gross additives, you have nothing to worry about.

But, at the end of the day, if you want to choose the slightly healthier option, go with tea.

Tea, especially green tea, is chock-full of antioxidants, prevents heart disease and cancer, relieves stress, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, aids digestion and can even act as a mild pain reliever.

And, contrary to popular belief, it does hydrate instead of dehydrate.

Coffee is not the “enemy” as the media has portrayed.

So, if you enjoy a cup or two in the morning, don’t feel guilty.

But, as a loyal tea drinker and occasional coffee drinker, I will say that tea does make me feel lighter and healthier.

Whichever you choose, grab your reusable mug and enjoy.

Bianca Mohn is a first-year business administration major.

She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

DISTURBING QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“GEORGE BUSH WAS NOT ELECTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE VOTERS IN THE UNITED STATES. HE WAS APPOINTED BY GOD.” - Pat Buchanan, an American conservative political commentator and one time presidential candidate.

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, APRIL 12, 2012

11

COLUMNISTS

America’s youth have it rough Redstone vandals make art for love ARIELLE BOUTWELL

Us young adults have it rough. We have to establish who we are, what we stand for and what we want to do.

As if that is not enough, we have to continue to stand under the constant weight our parents, guardians and society put on our shoulders.

Parents and guardians put pressure on us with our best interests in mind: they want to see us successful and happy, and for us to go far.

Society, however, seems to only see us as statistics, and problems in today’s world.

Recently, the United States looks like it is unraveling before our eyes, but blaming it on young adults seems more than unfair.

John Della Volpe, who directs polling at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, said in an interview, “This generation is

going through an economic reset.”

Volpe argues the reason for the reset is that young people want to stay more connected with their hometowns. Data from the Census Bureau supports this trend with the likelihood of 20-somethings moving to another state dropping 40 percent since the 1980s.

According to Volpe, the reason the unemployment rate is 8.3 percent is that young adults are refusing to move in search of jobs. What he forgot to take into account is that young adults are in high school and college, which is just as demanding as a full-time job.

Todd G. Buchholz, an economist that served as a White House director of economic policy and the managing director of the Tiger hedge fund, said, “Today’s generation is literally going nowhere.”

Buchholz and Volpe need to look at the bigger picture.

Yes, the statistics say that the number of young adults living at home doubled between 1980 and 2008, but college is a factor that directly affects jobs and living at home.

Between 1999 and 2009, enrollment for college increased 38 percent. Young adults are seeking a better

education for themselves. Being in college is around-the-clock work, which would make it impossible to keep up with a full-time job to pay the rent.

Living at home is a no-brainer option.

Because it would be harmful to grades to keep a full-time job while in college, many students overlook full-time jobs. This is not a bad thing. We are in college to receive a degree. When we are adults with a career, the generation behind us will have big shoes to fill.

College was never as popular as it is now. Times are changing, which means that old statistics are not applicable to the present. When we are adults, there will be new fads and expectations that we will hold to our younger generation.

Society needs to lighten up a bit on their statistics, and just let the younger generation do its thing. In a few years from now, we will be the new elders; we should remember that the weight and blame should not always be placed on the younger ones’ shoulders.

Arielle Boutwell is a first-year English major. She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

Political war against the ladies been wearing pants for ages, and don’t even get me started on a woman’s chastity and virtue.

MTV’s “Teen Mom” is symbolic of obsolete values being thrown out the window.

PEYTON ROSENTHAL

The great spectacle of the contemporary ages seems to be a war against women. Contraception, rape, abortion are constantly revisited between the Republican primary candidates for president, among extreme right-wing conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and have even been addressed by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

So, what’s the deal? Does America want to see women submersed back into versions of stay-at-home mothers, donning aprons and cooking muffins all day? Is Mitt Romney going to eventually tell me I shouldn’t be allowed to vote? Am I going to be forced into Home Economics classes while wearing a long white dress as a symbol of my virtue and chastity?

Honestly, come on people.

It’s the 21st century. The Suffragette Movement happened over 100 years ago. Women have

Honestly, come on people. It’s the 21st century.

The incredibly right-wing Republican candidates highlight the intensity of the war on women.

Republicans not only want to reduce females’ access to abortion care and contraception, but now they are trying to redefine rape.

Georgia state Rep. Bobby Franklin, a Republican, doesn’t like the term rape “victim” and is in fact trying to introduce a bill mandating that state criminal codes refer to these “victims” as “accusers” instead.

Under this new definition, the change from “victim” to “accuser” demonstrates a portion of the government’s — in this case Republicans’ — view about victims who come forth with these allegations.

Franklin feels rape needs to be proven before the person being who was raped can even be called a victim. Because to declare you were raped, in the eyes of Franklin, is an accusation that may not be true. Targets of less

gendered crimes like burglary would still remain “victims.”

Currently in Congress, Republicans have proposed a bill that would let hospitals allow a woman to die rather than perform a livesaving abortion.

Another Republican amendment proposes cutting all federal funding from Planned Parenthood health centers, trusted providers of basic health care and planning in America.

Are these the people Americans are putting their trust in?

Government officials who believe that women don’t have the basic right to be called victims of rape, stalking or domestic violence need to check their patriarchal, sexist selves at the door.

The point to which these men are attempting to undermine women in a country that promises freedom and opportunity is absolutely disgusting and unnecessary. To allow the preventable death of a mother because men don’t like the concept of abortion and women’s right to control their bodies is absurd.

It seems as though some of our most trusted Republicans and right-wing conservatives have fallen victim to uterine envy. Or could they be compensating?

Peyton Rosenthal is a first-year anthropology major. She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

Quick Jacob Lumbra Opinions

“I am tired of a few particular dining hall employees being overly sassy and illwilled toward my person.”

Bianca Mohn

Illustration by Andrew Becker

“People who sing along to the music in the Marché — you make my ears bleed.”

JACOB LUMBRA

When the public discovered the havoc that had been wreaked on the unfinished construction site of the Redstone Lofts by three UVM students the morning of April 4, there was much discussion and uproar related to potential costs, move-in dates and the fate of the perpetrators.

While there has been extensive discourse on the students’ disregard for the property of others, another matter remains more curious — what motivated this group to do something so utterly stupid?

You may be familiar with Graham Greene’s short story, “The Destructors.”

This work of fiction tells the story of a gang of boys who diligently deconstruct an elderly gentleman’s home from the inside in order to ultimately bring down its superficial structure – definitely serving as a commentary on society.

The allegory working within “The Destructors” is the idea that deconstruction is a means of creation. The act of dismantling, in irony, procures something new, as if destruction is an act of building.

And there it is: the answer to our question. It couldn’t be that these vandals acted on limited reason or, much less, by a druginduced combat on ennui.

By tossing toilets out of windows, these students were making a statement on the confines placed on our generation. They took this heated opportunity to rebel and make art.

But perhaps it was not a yearning for art that motivated the group, but instead a more human desire – everyone knows chicks dig art.

Even if such romanticism was not enough for some fawning ladies, others have projected to me their weak-kneed appetites for such stimulating displays of brute strength and animalistic rage as toilet tossing might convey.

By tossing toilets out of windows, these students were making a statement on the confines placed on our generation.

These may only by my speculations, however.

The actions of these vandals leave the public wondering why in several respects. Any day of the week would be deplorable, but of all of them, why a Tuesday evening? Why Redstone Lofts?

Why do it at all?

Despite everything, these bad boys will have to deal with the consequences and a lifetime of shame. Not everyone’s art is well-received, nor is every heart met with admiration.

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UVMers volunteer for Obama 2012 Dear Editor, We appreciated your coverage of President Obama’s visit to Vermont, but were surprised that the Cynic missed the full story. While the occasion was certainly newsworthy, we would have expected UVM’s premier student-run paper to report on students’ ongoing engagement with the campaign.

Since November, more than 250 UVMers have signed up to volunteer. The rally galvanized those supporters and many more, laying the foundation for a grassroots, voter-to-voter campaign.

It was no mistake that the president chose to speak at the state’s flagship university; young Americans are crucial to the campaign both as voters and as volunteers.

As we confront grave economic and environmental uncertainty, our generation has recognized that we can no longer afford the luxury of complacency. Rather than preparing for the future,

though, President Obama’s Republican challengers share an anachronistic desire for a dissolved social contract.

This perspective is increasingly rejected by Americans both young and old. In the president’s speech, he offered his contrasting vision: “We’re all in this together […] we think about the next generation.”

Change is a process – it’s a commitment we made to each other. When we elected President Obama in 2008, he called on us to be responsible to one another as citizens.

Part of that responsibility is contributing to the public discourse even – and maybe especially – when we don’t agree. It is that principle of civic engagement that underlies the efforts of student organizers and volunteers at UVM and across the country.

Sincerely, Nick Garcia Class of 2012 Alma Arteaga Class of 2013

D I S T RAC T I O N S

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Camp Morning Wood by Scott Womer

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ACROSS 1- [Oh, well] 5- Boxer’s fare 9- Month of showers 14- Burn balm 15- Fling 16- Pale bluish purple 17- Bhutan’s continent 18- Plains native 19- Living in a city 20- Guitarlike instrument 22- Conspicuous 24- Kitten 26- Beverage commonly drunk in England 27- Mineral used as a weighting agent 30- Fishlike 35- Coeur d’___ 36- Architect Saarinen 37- Shrivelled, without moisture 38- Join a poker game 39- Unlit 42- Battery size 43- Gardner and others 45- “Venerable” English monk 46- Quizzes, trials 48- Courtroom jargon 50- Perfectly

51- ___ de mer 52- Portals 54- Indian of Oaxaca in Mexico 58- Highly original 62- ___ at the office 63- Campus mil. group 65- Start of a counting rhyme 66- Saturn’s largest moon 67- Eye layer 68- Ladies of Sp. 69- Inactive 70- A small town 71- Carry DOWN 1- Swedish auto 2- Ingrid’s “Casablanca” role 3- Enter 4- First to be bowled over?

5- Riding 6- Old stringed instruments 7- Debate side 8- Corrida cries 9- Lucky charm 10- Social outcasts 11- Bumpkin 12- Lendl of tennis 13- Fast time

21- External 23- A Musketeer 25- Ceded 27- Basic 28- Animated 29- Put a new price on 31- Algonquian language 32- Brewer’s need 33- Angry 34- Break off 36- Baby blues 40- White poplar tree 41- Tempest 44- Russian metal urn 47- Least difficult 49- Hidden 50- Boot part 53- Blender brand 54- Tubular pasta 55- Not “fer” 56- Crown of the head 57- Gunk 59- Emperor of Rome 54-68 60- Med school subj.

61- Dissolve, as cells 64- Egg head?

12

Sports Indecision: Superman edition THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

13

Dwight Howard struggles to find a court to call home

JAKE BIELECKI

Prior to the 2010-2011 season, LeBron James vilified himself with his infamous “Decision” where he spent an entire hour, time that could have been spent watching a full episode of “Desperate Housewives,” announcing that he was taking his talents to South Beach. The move was self-promotional and disrespectful to Cleveland fans.

The LeBron James decision pales in comparison to the Dwight Howard indecision.

Howard is holding the Magic organization and his teammates hostage with his inability to stick with a decision for any significant period of time.

Howard has requested a trade multiple times, then rescinded that demand.

In an attempt to appease the superstar, the Magic ownership recklessly signed and traded for numerous high-dollar players the past few years. These moves have crippled the Magic’s current financial flexibility.

They signed Rashard Lewis to a $118 million contract, traded for Vince Carter and signed the player that once was Jason Richardson. The list goes on.

routinely displays negative body language on the sideline.

Antics like this prompted Shaquille O’Neal to call his former coach “the master of panic.”

The real takeaway from this situation is how it affects Dwight Howard’s future in Orlando. Let’s assume Dwight did suggest to someone in management that they bring in a new coach. If that’s the case, Dwight is likely unhappy that a private conversation about his coach was leaked to Van Gundy.

Let’s assume Dwight didn’t ask for his coach’s firing. If this is true, Howard is now getting a

Howard is holding the Magic organization and his teammates hostage with his inability to stick with a decision for any significant period of time.

In the past week the drama continued. Coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters, seemingly unprovoked, that upper management told him Howard wanted him gone.

For once, the origin of Dwight Howard drama doesn’t fall on Superman’s shoulders.

What Van Gundy did is extremely unprofessional. He gains nothing by going public with this information, whether it is true or not. Howard denies his coach’s claims, but, considering their spotty history, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Howard did in fact request a new coach.

Van Gundy is renowned for being a good basketball mind, but he comes up short when it comes to managing players’ egos. The former Castleton State College coach is notorious for wearing on his players, and

Illustration by Stephanie Feinberg

ton of bad press and drama for something he played no part in creating. What’s more, Van Gundy is still around.

If Van Gundy’s claims are bogus, Dwight should be irate that Van Gundy wasn’t fired after creating an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere which contributed to their recent losing streak.

I believe this situation kills Orlando’s chances of resigning Howard this offseason. Their best player outside of Howard is Ryan Anderson. More than half of the NBA offers a better supporting cast.

Without Howard, this is a team that would likely win 25 to 30 games in an 82 game season. They’re also stuck with

the contracts of Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson for next year.

This may be wishful thinking, but Boston would be a great fit for Dwight

Howard. The Celtics have $30 million coming off the cap with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett’s expiring contracts. They offer an elite passer in Rondo and a great scorer in Pierce, and could realistically sign Allen or Garnett along with a max contract for Howard. Boston also provides the big market Howard has yearned for.

I’ll leave you with the wonderful image of a starting lineup featuring Rondo, Bradley, Pierce, Garnett and Howard: championship.

14

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

AL East powerhouses have reason to worry

WILL ANDREYCAK

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALASAIR INGRAM

Sophomore Nika Ouellette tosses a javalin at the Northeastern Spring Open in Dedham, Mass., March 24.

Cats compete in two meets, finish strong

By Julia Dwyer Assistant Sports Editor

A select group of University of Vermont men’s and women’s track and field athletes competed on April 7 in the Duke Invitational while the rest of the team competed at the George Davis Invitational hosted by UMass Lowell in Lowell, Mass.

The Duke Invitational hosted more than 50 schools at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. On the field, sophomore Brittany St. Clair placed second in the long jump with a mark of 5.30 meters — St. Clair’s personal best. Seton Hill’s Alexis Hawkins, who managed a 5.32-meter jump, topped St. Clair for first place.

In track, the 4x100-meter relay team of St. Clair, which consisted of senior Michele Langone, junior Mary Krug and sophomore Tess Cioffredi, won its division.

The Vermont women’s 4x100meter finished seventh overall in the tournament with a time of 50.01 seconds.

Junior Mitchell Switzer represented the men’s side of the Vermont team by earning a 23.10 time in the 200-meter dash and placing 26th overall.

In Massachusetts on the same day at the George Davis Invitational, the rest of the Vermont men and women’s track and field team competed and earned multiple victories.

In the 1,500-meter run, sophomore Yolanda Ngarambe captured the top title with a time of 4:37.16. Teammate junior Julie McGilpin followed Ngarambe with a time of 4:37.70 to grab

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second place. Both McGilpin and Ngarambe were top-10 finishes in the 400-meter dash, placing second and eighth respectively.

In the 3,000 steeplechase, junior Kirsten Weberg earned the top spot with a time of 10:53.74.

The women’s side continued dominating with a sixth overall finish in the 4x100 relay.

On the men’s side, senior Connor Jennings went second overall in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 15:00.00. Teammate junior Ethan McBrien earned fifth in the race.

“New athletes pushing the veterans is another important aspect of any team’s continued development.”

Matt Belfield Track and field head coach In the men’s 4x100 relay, the men finished second in their heat and seventh overall with a time of 44.63.

On the field side at UMass Lowell, senior captain Chris Lemieux placed sixth in men’s javelin. Sophomore Tyler Parent also grabbed a top-10 finish by earning ninth place.

In the high jump, sophomore Aaron Tenney cleared a height of 1.85 meters and finished sixth overall in his division. Mickey Krug, a first-year, earned sixth place in the long jump. Juniors

Varpilah Chase and Chris Ogletree went fifth and seventh respectively in the triple jump.

Senior Lisa Bunn finished in eighth place in the women’s hammer throw, while first-year Cassie Marion made a 10.71 mark in the triple jump to earn ninth overall.

“At UMass Lowell, I was impressed with rookies Mallory Duncan and Matt Feeley in the 400-meter hurdles, our horizontal jump performances, Nick DeLuna in the 800,” head track and field coach Matt Belfield said. “ [Also with] Connor Jennings winning the 5K, Kirsten Weberg’s win in the steeplechase, and the 1-2 finish – with very good times – by Yolanda Ngarambe and Julie McGilpin in the 1,500.”

While all different grade levels represented by earning placements in events, first-year athletes made their mark on the tournament. Multiple first-years had impressive performances including Krug, Feeley, and Duncan, who took eighth and ninth in the men’s 110-meter hurdles respectively.

“It is always encouraging when the younger members of our team begin making a contribution at an America East level,” Belfield said. “New athletes pushing the veterans is another important aspect of any team’s continued development. It helps everyone do better when there is a challenge from within the team.”

Vermont men and women’s track and field will travel to Dartmouth Saturday, April 14 to compete at Memorial Field in Hanover, N.H.

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Although three games of an MLB season are insignificant, the opening series of a season is always important to fans. The storylines of the opening weekend included the surprising 3-0 start by the Mets and Orioles, the impressiveness of the Detroit Tigers’ lineup and Yoenis Cespedes’ freakish power.

Above all else, however, the biggest storyline of the opening weekend came out of the American League East.

For the first time since 1966, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have dropped three consecutive games to open up a season. A powerful Detroit Tigers team swept the Red Sox while AL East rival Tampa tripped up the Yankees.

Certainly, three games mean virtually nothing in the context of a 162 game season, and both teams lost to quality opponents who are projected to make the playoffs. Still, both the Red Sox and the Yankees wanted to get off to fast starts after suffering disappointing finishes in 2011.

So which team sitting at 0-3 is in the most trouble?

New York’s worst loss of their three game opener was on Opening Day, when Mariano Rivera blew a ninth inning save and served up a walk-off hit to Carlos Pena.

Rivera, now 42 years of age, was a topic of conversation in the offseason among the media, specifically how effective he can be in what is projected to be his last season in pinstripes.

The early results aren’t positive, but it’s hard to imagine Rivera not putting up great numbers. After all, just a year ago Rivera posted a 1.92 ERA and recorded 44 saves.

The other two losses were less painful for the Yankees, who struggled against dominant Rays’ pitching.

David Price went almost seven innings and allowed two runs on April 7, and Jeremy Hellickson fell one short of a three hit shutout on April 8.

New York’s struggles were less in focus than the strengths of the Rays. Both Tampa and New York are elite teams that will battle for the division crown all season. New York shouldn’t be too worried about their 0-3 start, as they will likely play .500 ball against Tampa all season.

The Red Sox, on the other hand, have fans in Boston anxious after suffering three loses to Detroit in a dreadful fashion. On April 5, Justin Verlander shut down the Red Sox offense for eight innings before scoring two runs in the ninth off Tigers’ closer Jose Valverde to tie the ballgame.

In the bottom of the ninth,

however, the Red Sox bullpen recorded just one out before allowing an Austin Jackson walk-off hit. On April 7, Josh Beckett was roughed up for seven runs — including five home runs — in less than five innings as the Red Sox were shut out 10-0.

Easter Sunday, however, was by far the worst Boston loss of the young season. The Red Sox held a three run lead in the bottom of the ninth before Miguel Cabrera blasted a game-tying three run shot off Alfredo Aceves. After taking a one run lead in extras, Mark Melancon served up a walk-off home run to Tigers’ catcher Alex Avila.

After suffering the worst collapse in Major League Baseball history, the last thing the Red Sox needed was an opening series sweep.

In watching the Red Sox thus far, two things are evident. The depth of starting pitching is alarmingly thin and the bullpen is mediocre.

In watching the Red Sox thus far, two things are evident.

The depth of starting pitching is alarmingly thin and the bullpen is mediocre.

After Jon Lester, there isn’t a sure-armed pitcher in the starting five. Josh Beckett hasn’t put together back-toback quality seasons since posting sub 4.00 ERA seasons consecutively in 2004-2005.

Clay Buchholz — who allowed seven runs in four innings against Detroit— is coming off an injury that limited him to just 82 innings in 2011.

The four and five spots in the rotation are made up of former reliever Daniel Bard and young lefty Felix Doubront.

As thin as the starting rotation is, the bullpen for Boston is a disaster.

Andrew Bailey’s injury is the most significant, as Boston’s ability to close out games will be questionable for most of 2012. Alfredo Aceves has yet to record an out as Boston’s closer and after him, Mark Melancon, Franklin Morales and Matt Albers won’t cut it.

Both the Yankees and Red Sox are sitting at 0-3, but you get the feeling that the Red Sox are in far worse shape moving forward.

The Yankees’ rotation will get a boost when Michael Pineda gets healthy, and may even get quality innings from Andy Pettite. Their bullpen is stacked and a blown save from a 42-year-old Mariano is expected every now and again.

The Red Sox have no answers for their bullpen and their rotation. Bailey is out until August and the rotation will rely heavily on young and inexperienced arms.

The Red Sox need to get off to a good start more than the Yankees in order to wash away the bitter taste of 2011.

But after the first weekend of the year, Boston looks to be in serious trouble.

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Cats fall to last in AE

Third straight loss hurts playoff chance

The weekly recap

By Julia Dwyer Assistant Sports Editor

Boss of the week:

By Taylor Feuss Staff Writer

Bubba Watson

The Vermont men’s lacrosse team lost their third straight game when they hosted the top seeded University of Maryland BC Retrievers at Virtue Field on April 7. The game ended in a rough loss for the Catamounts as Maryland outscored their opponents 11-8.

Without these crucial wins, the Catamounts are unable to advance in America East standings. The Catamounts bring their overall record to a losing 1-9, a step down from the previous season.

As the game began, neither team was able to score until seven minutes in, when Maryland’s Ryan Johnston notched the first goal of the game. Three minutes later, Johnston’s teammate Matt Gregoire racked up another point for Maryland, inching them ever further ahead.

After an iconic path to victory, Bubba is the champ.

Watson topped Louis Oosthuizin in a sudden death playoff to win the Master’s and his first major title. Oosthuizen made clutch putts and forced

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a playoff on the 18th hole. On the 10th fairway in the playoff, Watson swung deep in the trees and managed to get 10 feet from the hole from 155 yards away. Watson finished 10-under.

Quote of the week

Kill the head and the body will die. We’ve got to do everything in the world to make sure we kill Frank Gore’s head. We want him running sideways. We want his head sideways.

-Gregg Williams, Saints defensive coordinator giving his defense orders to injure San Francisco players.

”

Goat of the week: Red Sox

At the halfway point, the game seemed it could sway in either team’s favor.

Junior Drew Philie got the Catamounts on the board with an unassisted goal on Maryland’s goaltender Adam Cohen.

Each team continued to score on each other throughout the first half of play. With just three seconds remaining, Philie scored yet again, bringing the tally at the end of the first half to 6-5, with the Catamounts trailing by one.

At the halfway point, the game seemed it could sway in either team’s favor. Vermont’s team members seemed to be passing well with good communication, traits that helped them execute solid plays throughout the start of the game.

As the clock started back up for the start of the third quarter, Philie scored for the Catamounts with assistance from Geoff Worley. With this goal, the teams were tied at 6-6. Philie scored four of the six himself.

The Retrievers responded with one minute left in the quarter, marking up another four back-to-back goals as they headed into the first 12 minutes of the final quarter.

Another four minutes went by before either team would score again. At this point Philie

15

ALEX EDELMAN The Vermont Cynic

Senior goaltender David Barton makes a save in a loss to UMBC, April 7. The Catamounts will face AE opponent Albany, April 14. again came back for the Catamounts, inching them closer to the Retrievers’ lead of 10-7.

Throughout the duration of the final quarter, Vermont continued to outshoot Maryland 34-26 overall, however the Retrievers won the majority of the face-offs, leading 16 to 7.

As the seconds continued to tick down, Maryland scored what would be their last goal of the game, bringing the score to 11-7 with one minute remaining.

With thirty-five ticks on the clock left, Vermont’s Thomas Galvin scored the game’s final goal off an assist from Geoff Worley, bringing the score to what would be the final, 11-8 in favor of the visitors.

Vermont will return to action Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m. when they travel to face third seeded Albany in their third league game of the season.

ALEX EDELMAN The Vermont Cynic

Junior A.J. Masson attempts to pass a UMBC defender in their 8-11 loss to the Retrievers April 7. The loss is Vermont’s third straight, bringing their record to 1-9 (0-2) and dropping them to last place.

It is certainly no September collapse and is too early to make predictions for the season, but the Red Sox really blew it against the Detroit Tigers. At the bottom of the 11th inning, Detroit’s Alex Avila nailed a ball deep to right field and earned a two-run homer.

The runs gave the Tigers a 1312 victory over Boston. The Sox start their season 0-3 with their new manager Bobby Valentine.

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S P O RT S

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Four McGlynn’s fine first year

By Jeremy Karpf Staff Writer Four McGlynn may be an undersized first-year guard, but don’t tell him that.

After leading Vermont in scoring, playing the role of sixth man and leading the team to their second ever win in the NCAA tournament, McGlynn earned America East Rookie of the Year honors.

Recently, the Cynic caught up to him to talk about the season and what he hopes to accomplish as a Catamount.

With all that he was able to accomplish as a first-year, McGlynn said the highlight of his season was winning the first game against Lamar in the NCAA tournament.

“It was the kind of thing that you watch as a kid and think how awesome it would be and then it actually happens,” McGlynn said.

“That was pretty cool.”

McGlynn was brought to Vermont by the recruiting of coach John Becker and former Vermont head coach Mike Lonergan.

Academics also influenced his decision. Both McGlynn and his parents wanted a place where he could get a good education and play basketball.

“It’s a great area, and I knew it was a place where I could come and play right away,” McGlynn said.

In high school, McGlynn starred on his high school team in York, Pa., averaging 24 points in his senior season. He was named all-county in each of his final

three high school seasons.

This shifted once McGlynn got to UVM. “I was still expected to score a lot, but it was more of a team environment,” he said. “I was expected to not only score, but also play more defense than I normally had to in high school.”

“It was pretty cool being able to come off the bench and be a huge spark for the team.”

Four McGlynn First-year guard for UVM men’s basketball The main thing McGlynn struggled with was defense. In high school, McGlynn “got to shoot the ball every single time.”

This was not the same in Vermont and coaches pushed him.

“At the end of the season I guess it was obvious that my defense had gotten better because I played a lot more minutes,” he said.

Sixth man was not a role that he had ever previously filled, but he got used to it as the season went on.

“It was pretty cool being able to come off the bench and be a huge spark for the team,” McGlynn said.

McGlynn has goals for the next season. “[I would like to] start and have the same scoring

impact, or increase it a little bit more,” he said. “Defensively still do the same things, like always play defense like the coaches ask.”

Going into next season, McGlynn’s focus is not so much on defense, but instead to, “work on my ball handling a little bit more and get better going off of the dribble.”

Despite losing against University of North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament, McGlynn thought that playing against one the top basketball schools in the nation was “awesome.”

“Obviously we wanted to win,” he said. “But they are a good team and I think all five of their starters are going into the draft and are projected to be in the top 15, so you can’t really be too upset about that. “ The Vermont community has impressed McGlynn and their support has meant a lot to him.

“It’s one of the best places that I have been. The community is behind you 100 percent.”

Only time will tell how far McGlynn is able to go here at UVM. His goals for his time here at UVM include, “basketball-wise playing in the NCAA tournament for four years ... In school, get a good degree, and if playing professional basketball doesn’t work out in the future, hopefully I have a great degree from UVM to fall back on.”

In just a few short months, the Catamount community will again cheer, “Four for three.”

MEGHAN PRIOR The Vermont Cynic

First-year guard Four McGlynn dribbles past a Hartford defender in their Feb. 4 win. McGlynn helped the Catamounts win the America East title and their second ever NCAA tournament victory.

athletetweets Why do people have instagram if they have no pictures??

Four Mcglynn

First-year point guard for UVM men’s basketball @fourbb_4

John J. Spasyk Induction Year

Graduation Year

1972

1942

Leadership

Sport Baseball, football, and track and field

Baseball team captain, 1942

Quote “John Spasyk made one of the biggest contributions to the track team of any athlete I ever coached at Vermont.”

- Archie Post

Former UVM track coach and UVM Athletic Hall of Fame inductee

Biography Spasyk received letters in football, track and field, and baseball for three years — 1939-1942 — at UVM. He was on both the football and baseball All-State teams for all three years that he played. He also served as the captain of the varsity baseball team in 1942, his senior year.

While at UVM, he was a member of the Gold Key, Key and Serpent, Boulder Society and Kappa honors societies. He was also listed in Who’s Who in College and elected to the national athletic honors society, Sigma Delta Psi, for two straight years.

He was given the Sunderland Trophy when he graduated, an honor given to a senior that recognizes character, leadership and persistence.

Bout to watch #titanic 3D. $20 buck says the girl next to me cries at least three times.

Geoff Worley

Senior attackman for UVM men’s lacrosse @daddylegend7

Could forcing your young child to listen to alter bridge, creed and nickleback be considered cruel and unusual punishment?

Aaron Rodgers

Quarterback for the Green Bay Packers @AaronRodgers12

The existence of Hogwarts has never been proven false #facts

Brendan Bald

Former junior guard for UVM men’s basketball @ bbald20