The Vermont Cynic

03/20/2023

As midterms hit and workloads ramped up the week before spring break, UVM students found themselves deprived of their favorite stimulant.

UVM was informed that Guayakí, one of the main retailers of yerba mate, sold their distribution rights to another company and would stop delivering the drink Feb. 24, according to a flier posted on an empty Guayakí fridge in the Davis Center’s Marketplace.

As midterms hit and workloads ramped up the week before spring break, UVM students found themselves deprived of their favorite stimulant. UVM was informed that Guayakí, one of the main retailers of yerba mate, sold their distribution rights to another company and would stop delivering the drink

03/10/2023

At the end of the fall semester, we said goodbye to some of our editors. Some went abroad, and some graduated. We are pleased to welcome five new, and very talented, individuals to our editorial board.

🗞️ Andrew Gould, News Editor
🗞️ Kira Schaefer, Podcasts Editor
🗞️ Molly Parker, Illustrations Editor
🗞️ Maxine Thornton, Features Editor
🗞️ Mary Kueser, Opinion Editor

Interested in learning more about our staff? Check out our staff page to read their bios or get in contact with them.

https://vtcynic.com/staff-page/

03/09/2023

I have always struggled with my sexuality, even when I was too young to truly understand it.

I have distinct memories from sixth grade of various people telling me I must be gay, or at least bisexual, just because of the way I acted or the clothes I wore.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/sexuality-is-a-wide-spectrum-dont-feel-pressured-to-label-yourself/

03/09/2023

The legacy of BIPOC student unions on campus signifies the strength and presence of the BIPOC community at UVM.

For decades, unions such as the Black Student Union, Asian Student Union and Alianza de Latines have been able to establish a widespread presence on campus while simultaneously working to create a space of comfort for BIPOC students at UVM to feel seen and heard.

https://vtcynic.com/features/hed-bipoc-student-orgs-provide-community-for-students-on-campus/

03/08/2023

One of the cultural shifts first-year Cy Stavros had to adjust to when coming to UVM was the culture of door-holding that is central to life on campus.

“I never held the door in high school,” Stavros said. “People would mostly just mind their own business. But since coming to UVM, I have made an effort to keep the door open for anyone I can.”

https://vtcynic.com/topstories/exploring-door-holding-at-uvm/

03/08/2023

UVM’s Learning Communities provide a false idea of dormitory living and do not meet the expectations they claim to fulfill.

All the information I received about the Learning Communities as an incoming first-year was a few short paragraphs from Residential Life.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/uvm-doesnt-need-learning-communities/

03/07/2023

It is undeniable that our campus has bizarre architecture and planning, from the peculiar conjoined nature of the Terrill building and the Davis Center to the out-of-the-way placement of Trinity campus.

While these decisions might be strange or inconvenient, they give our campus a unique look.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/uvms-campus-is-weird-but-lovable/

03/06/2023

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger opposes the measure to create a Community Control Board for police oversight that will appear on Town Meeting Day ballots, according to a Feb. 27 public safety newsletter from the mayor.

“I vetoed a proposal very similar to the current Control Board in late 2020,” Weinberger stated in the newsletter. “I still don’t think this is the right way to achieve police accountability.”

https://vtcynic.com/news/community-police-control-board-on-the-ballot-for-town-meeting-day/

03/06/2023

Patrick Leahy, former U.S. Senator from Vermont, was appointed as the president’s distinguished fellow at UVM, according to a March 2 press release.

In the new position, Leahy will participate in projects related to his work in the Senate and work as a guest lecturer and an adviser to students and faculty, according to the press release.

https://vtcynic.com/news/leahy-to-take-post-at-uvm/

03/04/2023

A new semester is full of new things: classes, seasons, and of course, Cynic editors. While we miss those of us who graduated or moved abroad, the new crew is just as stylish. Here’s what the new—and one of the old—Cynic editors are wearing.

https://vtcynic.com/topstories/cynic-fit-check-what-the-new-editors-are-wearing/

03/04/2023

After a long Saturday of running multiple dress rehearsals, flying designers to Burlington, styling models and preparing the Grand Maple Ballroom, the night begins. Crowds from across UVM’s campus, the Burlington area and the entire state begin to pour into the Davis Center for the culmination of the Black Student Union’s Black History Month festivities: the BSU Fashion Show.

Since its inception in the late-2000s, BSU has hosted its Fashion Show at the end of every February and eventually established the Davis Center’s Grand Maple Ballroom as its regular location. This year’s show, held Feb. 25, featured seven scenes, five designers, two musical performances and two dance performances.

https://vtcynic.com/topstories/living-in-color-uvms-black-student-union-takes-to-the-runway/

03/04/2023

In the past few decades, the movement for q***r rights has made undeniable progress, according to a Jan. 11, 2021 American Bar Association article. Societal acceptance and institutional protections have made it possible for many q***r people to be themselves and live without fear.

Still, there is work to be done. Transphobic rhetoric is altogether too common and is not just contained to conspiracy theories by fringe right-wing personalities, according to an April 21, 2022 Vox article, but is also used by well-known celebrities such as J.K. Rowling, as detailed in a Feb, 16 article by The Cut.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/the-harmful-myths-around-transitioning/

03/04/2023

If you ever find yourself in a music rut, know that you can find some excellent suggestions in the digital pages of the Cynic. Here are the culture staff’s recommendations for tunes to turn up to.

https://vtcynic.com/culture/culture-staff-recommends-favorite-albums/

03/03/2023

Two candidates debated Feb. 23 at the Davis Center in the race to represent student-populated Ward 8 in Burlington’s City Council.

Democrat Hannah King ‘22 and Progressive Rhone Allison, a junior, participated in Thursday’s debate ahead of the annual city election March 7. Topics of debate included housing and labor.

https://vtcynic.com/news/allison-king-debate-for-ward-8-council-seat/

03/03/2023

The Burlington City Council tabled UVM’s zoning proposal for more developments on Trinity campus, according to a Feb. 21 VTDigger article.

The zoning plan would allow the University to build denser on-campus housing up to 80 feet tall, according to the plan. The council is concerned that more student housing would lead to more student enrollment and exacerbate Burlington’s housing crisis, according to the article.

https://vtcynic.com/news/city-council-cites-enrollment-housing-concerns-in-tabling-trinity-rezoning/

03/03/2023

Students walk the runway at the Black Student Union’s fashion show “Living in Color” in the Grand Maple Ballroom Feb. 25. The name is reflective of Black artists in the fashion industry as well as the active experience of being a person of color.

This week's photo of the week is by Emily Kobus!

https://vtcynic.com/weeklyfeaturedmedia/photo-of-the-week/photo-of-the-week-50/

03/02/2023

Only about a quarter of UVM students are actually from Vermont, according to UVM’s Student Enrollment Dashboard.

Vermont produces the largest chunk of the undergraduate class. Outside of Vermont, almost 45% of students are from one of four states: Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut or New Jersey.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/carpooling-for-the-planet-and-the-people/

03/02/2023

A bill in the Vermont House of Representatives would force UVM to cap student enrollment at current levels until Burlington’s rental vacancy reaches 5%, said Troy Headrick, state representative for the Chittenden-15 District, in a Feb. 14 SGA meeting.

The bill, titled H.311, would address the housing crisis while ensuring UVM isn’t able to use the opportunity to increase enrollment, Headrick said.

https://vtcynic.com/news/house-bill-intended-to-ease-housing-crisis-would-limit-university-enrollment/

03/02/2023

Thank you to all our donors during the LuvMyClub fundraiser to help us raise $853! We also won $500 by tying for first place in our category for highest number of donors. In total, we raised $1,353, which exceeded our goal of $1,000. We are grateful for all our donors, as the small contributions of many will help us continue to do the work we do.

02/23/2023

The Vermont Cynic is participating in a one-week-long fundraising initiative for student organizations called LuvMyClub! We need to raise money each year in order to continue being able to offer the public service that we do as student journalists, on behalf of the entire UVM community. Equally important is our ability to support our internal operations—your donation will not only help sustain the Cynic's coverage, but also will help us obtain the necessary resources to train students as rising leaders in media production, whether it be just for fun or even in future careers. It would mean the world to us if you would consider supporting us in this mission.

Select "The Vermont Cynic" under the "Academic, Cultural and Recreational Clubs" designation tab.

Donate here: https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/33826/donations/new

02/23/2023

Every day, it seems like there is more news coming out about a new education bill.

As an elementary education major, I often find the language in these bills doesn’t make any sense. Simple child development terms are being twisted to fit whatever agenda policymakers want to push, and it seems like those who don’t know what these terms mean are blindly following.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/keep-policymakers-with-no-teaching-background-out-of-the-classroom/

02/23/2023

UVM’s board of trustees resolved to establish an Institute for Agroecology and a School of World Languages and Cultures at its Feb. 11 meeting, according to the board’s meeting minutes.

The establishment of the IFA and the SWLC will help strengthen programs focused on food and sustainability, as well as facilitate the unification of UVM’s language departments, respectively, according to the minutes.

https://vtcynic.com/news/key-takeaways-from-spring-2023-board-of-trustees-meeting/

02/21/2023

Last semester, Millis Hall experienced attempted arson around 2 a.m. on a Saturday night, displacing many students, according to a Dec. 7, 2022 Cynic article.

What this column aims to address is the root of these catastrophes.

https://vtcynic.com/uncategorized/dorm-etiquette-a-letter-to-underclassmen/

02/21/2023

People preach the importance of balance in life, but the guidance tends to stop there. College students are forced to figure out what “balance” means by themselves.

We are immediately faced with an overwhelming number of options regarding classes, clubs, friends and off-campus opportunities when entering college. However, if we pick and choose what matters to us and explore different possibilities within our schedules, it will keep us busy and content.

https://vtcynic.com/culture/balancing-it-out-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-college-experiences/

02/20/2023

I have always struggled to make friends because of my social anxiety, so in eighth grade, when I switched to a new school, I was extremely worried about meeting new people.

To my surprise, I quickly became close with another new student.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/dont-be-afraid-to-distance-yourself-from-codependent-relationships/

02/20/2023

The UVM board of trustees approved a proposal to create a new School of World Languages and Cultures within the College of Arts and Sciences Feb. 11, said Bill Falls, Dean of CAS.

The new school will allow for increasing both visibility of world language studies and collaboration in teaching and research, Falls said. It will officially launch July 1.

https://vtcynic.com/news/language-departments-to-merge-under-new-school-of-world-languages-and-cultures/

02/15/2023

No one alive today on this earth has ever seen me wear pants.

Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the fact remains that, for as long as I can remember in my life, pants simply haven’t been a part of my lifestyle.

https://vtcynic.com/opinion/my-name-is-christophe-and-i-dont-wear-pants/

02/15/2023

It seems fans of Vermont basketball will have to call Patrick Gym home for a while longer.

Eighty-seven million dollars is still needed to complete UVM’s new Multipurpose Center, according to a report the Multipurpose Center Work Group presented to the board of trustees at their Feb. 11 meeting.

https://vtcynic.com/uncategorized/construction-of-uvm-basketball-arena-goes-into-overtime/

02/15/2023

Old CDs are plastered across the wall of a dimly-lit music studio, guitars and amps are scattered across the floor. Listeners across Burlington turn on the radio and tune into a one-of-a-kind show.

WRUV, UVM’s radio broadcasting station, hosts “Exposure” every Wednesday from 6-8 p.m., a show during which they have local Vermont bands and artists play a live set and talk about their experiences as musicians.

https://vtcynic.com/culture/wruv-exposure-danny-the-parts/

02/15/2023

Whether it be all by yourself, with your friends or even your bae, the Cynic culture staff has the best rom-coms for you to watch in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. Here are a few of our favorites to help set the mood for a cute and cozy evening.

https://vtcynic.com/topstories/culture-staff-recommends-best-rom-coms/