The first issue of UVM’s University Cynic (later to become the Vermont Cynic) was published in 1883. Then, a person had to be on campus to stay current with the stories that gave expression to student voices and views, information about campus events and student life, and local advertising.
Through all of those years, life at UVM was reflected in its pages, the times we relish telling the stories of as well as those we don’t. The stories shed lights on student lives, through all their time on campus.
Former Interim Special Collections Director Chris Burns played a key role in getting the project underway. It’s one that means a great deal to the mission of UVM Libraries.
Dean of Libraries Bryn Geffert reflected that the ready availability of these publications is an important part of information access.
He wrote, “The UVM Libraries take UVM’s land-grant mission seriously, believing that research libraries succeed in part to the degree they make collections available to everyone, everywhere, regardless of means. Digitization projects like this are a key means of doing just that—making important (and, in this case, fascinating) information available without charge.”
And not only important information but compelling too, Dean Geffert said.
“I lost more time than I care to admit perusing accounts of UVM life in the early 1900s.”
An Anonymous Gift with Impact for All Generations
And though the person whose gift made this project possible has chosen to remain anonymous, they were able to share their thoughts with us via email.
What does the Cynic mean and represent to you?
As a UVM graduate who has spent almost their entire working career in academia, I advocate for public accessibility of student publications such as the Cynic for a variety of reasons. On a personal level, I remember the Cynic as a campus microcosm. I observed firsthand the fascinating process of creating the weekly paper by a passionate group of writers, editors, photographers. At that time the Cynic offices were located in the smoky and damp ski-lodge-odored basement of Billings, and I regularly visited and observed a writer and eventual editor-friend put the paper together every week. Writers fought for their pieces, formatted the layout, solicited ads, sparred with administration, and did everything it takes to create a campus paper. As a result in part of this experience, I have had a life-long fascination with the media, particularly newspapers. I "see" the people behind the stories.
What are your hopes for what can happen with it online?
For former and current students, faculty, and staff of UVM, Cynic content can be searched and serendipitously browsed as a trip down memory lane. Some would call their college years "the best years of their lives," and the online access provides a way to look at those times with new and old/er eyes. And yes, you can find articles covering local controversies, events, sports and activities, and tragedies. But you can also see cafeteria menus, concert reviews and advertisements (Pat Methaney, $6!!), news and ads for defunct clothing stores, bars and restaurants from "old Burlington", and national news. You can seek out friends, professors, fraternities & sororities, and buildings. You can research burning campus questions like whatever happened to FADC, the Dairy Bar, and wait, speaking of burning, how many dorm fires have there been?
For researchers, these open archives are a vital link to a Vermont & UVM perspective. It would be an understatement to say/write that Vermont is underrepresented in national academic archives, and the digitization of the Cynic partially fills that gap. Where else can one look to find notice of Bernie Sanders' early public career, or the rise (resurrection?) of Vermont's political voice, or oblique yet tragic mentions of the 1919 flu, the losses of wars, etc.? As more and more big city and regional newspapers of record are bought out, go behind paywalls, go defunct or are subsumed by national corporations, access to the historical record becomes increasingly important. This project fills a gap and gives voice to a time and place!
What might you say to people considering philanthropic support to something they value at UVM/their alma mater?
It doesn't have to be a huge amount but pick something that is or was meaningful to you at the time: a student organization, a club, an academic program, a space. Or search the UVM foundation for a keyword and locate a program of interest. Give a little! I searched... Cows! And look, there are multiple endowments that support students wanting to work with the campus herd!
Supporting What’s Important at UVM
We are grateful and excited by what this gift will mean in providing access to UVM student news and voices, going back nearly 150 years. The Silver Special Collections Library is truly a gem in preserving UVM legacy and archives.
Whatever you care about, there are similar opportunities to support students, research, and experiences related to them at UVM. Learn more about areas to have an impact here or reach out to Kevin Morgenstein Fuerst at kmorgens@uvm.edu to start your own conversation.
Read More about What Donors Mean Here
Vermont Cynic Archives Now Online (Thanks to an Anonymous Donor)
Cheryl Carmi
Apr 22, 2025