To alleviate Virginia’s $4 billion debt, former Gov. Tim Kaine proposed a budget amendment that would shift close to $19 million from public universities to the state general fund. This initiative will be released to the General Assembly for discussion Feb. 21,; if passed, the University would absorb about $3.8 million in losses from state funds. Because of the recent onslaught of budget cuts, the University’s management and budget office is well equipped to deal with such depletions and has prepared to ensure the reverberations felt are not widespread. But if higher education funding continues to dwindle as it has during the past two decades — regardless of the state of the economy — the university’s academic standing may suffer.

The financial losses would not cut into the University’s aim to provide a strong academic program, said Colette Sheehy, vice president for management and budget. Rather, funds for general maintenance and those originally allocated for ongoing construction projects will be reduced. Though state funding for higher education is being cut, the University’s financial directors avoided jeopardizing students’ core educational experiences. Instead, they have directed such reductions toward aspects of the University’s operations that have less of an impact on academics.

Nevertheless, the disconcerting trend to reduce higher education spending in federal and state budgets during hard times has proven detrimental to Virginia public schools. Noticeably, spending for criminal corrections continues to outpace budget growth in education on both state and federal levels. Facing a bleak economic picture, the General Assembly is now recognizing the need to create efficiencies in the public safety system by exploring alternative sentencing for non-violent offenders. Regardless, these spending reductions are not comparable to cuts in higher education budgets, even though public colleges and universities have dealt with dwindling state financial support during the past two decades.

Colleges and universities are arguably the state’s strongest drivers of long-term economic growth; therefore, removing high percentages of funding could have severe consequences. This portion of the budget needs to be understood for the significant role it plays in the state’s welfare and should no longer be considered expendable. Kaine’s latest budget proposal outlines a 26 percent cut for public colleges and universities. As a result these costs may be passed along to students in the form of tuition hikes. Such increases in tuition could cripple the Virginia Community College system which is especially concerned with offering affordable education.

President-elect Teresa Sullivan’s new administration should treat these budget cuts as red flags and continued with the University’s move toward financial independence. State budget cuts should serve as a catalyst for spearheading new fund-raising efforts and capital campaigns. If the cuts total $3.8 million this year, then there is no telling what may come next.

One person’s news is another person’s trivia. Some folks soak up every tidbit of information and gossip about politics, sometimes confusing campaigns and party competitions with governing. Some immerse themselves in the minutia of one sport or another – or several sports. Other people really, really want to know how this year’s crop of celebrities are misbehaving in their spare time. And often there’s little overlap among those and other niche news consumers.

So I ask you — what were the biggest stories in The Cavalier Daily last semester? How well did the paper cover those stories? What events or issues should have gotten more attention? What did The Cavalier Daily miss altogether?

I have some ideas.

Morgan Harrington’s disappearance would have to make the list. That story’s not finished, since the person responsible for her disappearance and death hasn’t been caught. But when a story that gets national attention and literally involves life and death begins where your basketball team plays its home games, that obligates a newspaper to pay a lot of attention.

The search for a new president is always a big story in the life of any university, and the choosing of a successor to John T. Casteen, III has to be one of the biggest stories for the University  over the past semester.

It’s not as weighty, perhaps, but the change in the University’s football coach was also a big story. It involves lots of money and a sport that draws tens of thousands of people to Scott Stadium. And yes, even this past season, the crowds could still be counted in the tens of thousands.

I plan to talk to some Cavalier Daily editors about their coverage of those stories — not just what got in the paper and on the Web site, but also the thinking and planning that put those things there in that particular form.

And I’ll ask what they think were the biggest stories of the fall semester.

I’d also like to ask them about what you see as the biggest stories. So tell me. What were the biggest stories? Where did the coverage come up short? What got missed altogether? And what do you think got way too much attention?

I plan to spend at least a column or two on this, and I’d like to have your help. That’s not just because I’m fishing for ideas. Part of what I’m supposed to do is help readers understand and influence The Cavalier Daily — and vice versa.

Part of my role is to serve as a disinterested observer. Because I have some experience in journalism — I started when I was younger than most University students and I’ve been at it longer than most University students have been alive — I’m supposed to offer some guidance to both sides of the conversation. The idea is that I’ll recognize when The Cavalier Daily staff has gone astray. And I’ll be able to explain to readers when the staff has done right even though some people might not recognize that fact. Some of the time, I pick the subjects myself. But I’d rather write about what you’re interested in.

So, if you want to be part of this series of columns, or if you have a completely unrelated question or complaint, e-mail me.

And, while we’re at it, e-mail is the best way to reach me on any subject. Some folks have left comments on the Cav Daily’s Web site expecting the ombudsman to respond. I don’t see all of those. But I do read my e-mail. I welcome your comments and questions about my work and the work of The Cavalier Daily’s staff. I’ll try to find answers and share them with you.

So let’s get this started. Tell me what you think. The biggest stories. The missed stories. The coverage that just went wrong.

I’ll see what I can find out.

Tim Thornton is The Cavalier Daily’s ombudsman.  He can be reached at t.thornton@cavalierdaily.com

As the debate over healthcare reform has raged on during the past year, hyperbole seems to have become its defining feature. This is unfortunate because it has obscured many of the genuinely impressive aspects of the reform bills that have made their way through Congress. Now that the process seems to have temporarily cooled, however, it is worth taking a step back and examining the sorts of changes that individuals could actually expect to experience as a result of healthcare reform. For students at the University, there would be a number of subtle yet tangible benefits that would enhance their personal security and increase their opportunities both during their time in school and upon their graduation. For the sake of clarity, the ones listed below and the descriptions attached to them are all part of the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which is the legislative incarnation of health care reform that is most likely to be signed into law.

The most direct and immediate benefit to students is a provision mandating that health insurance companies allow young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until they are 26 years of age. Such a policy would be in place within six months of the law being signed and would relieve students of one part of the pressure that they face upon graduating from college by ensuring that they no longer have to worry about medical coverage during the time that they spend looking for jobs. Furthermore, if the only jobs that are available to them do not offer health insurance coverage then young adults would have a few years of breathing room to either find employment with better benefits or to save up a financial cushion that would allow them to buy individual health insurance.

When purchasing that individual insurance, consumers would encounter a restructured marketplace that would be less like the Wild West and more like a grocery store. Think for a moment about how one currently chooses between individual health insurance plans. The process is so convoluted that it is difficult to describe, but generally it involves studying the Web sites of various insurance companies, placing a number of calls to each one, and then haggling with agents about intricate details that are beyond the average person’s comprehension. If one is really lucky, he might know someone who has had prior experience with an insurance company and can provide feedback about the experience. Under very few circumstances, however, is a consumer actually going to be able to gather enough unbiased information to make an educated decision about what policy is right for him. Compare this process to shopping for groceries, which is extraordinarily easy since all of the items are lined up right next to each other with the prices and contents listed in plain view, and one gets an idea of how muddled our current health insurance system is. The Senate health reform plan, however, would create state-based health insurance exchanges that would sell a variety of different private plans that would be clearly described and presented side-by-side in a format not unlike what one would find at Kroger or Harris Teeter. On top of that, consolidating these insurance plans into one market would allow regulators to closely monitor and prohibit the unsavory business practices that currently define the insurance industry.

Foremost among these is the charging of higher premiums to individuals who are deemed to be of greater risk to insurance companies. Women of childbearing age are particularly hard-hit by this practice, often facing premiums that are 25 to 50 percent higher than those charged to men for identical plans. This adds yet another layer to gender inequality in America by placing a needless obstacle in the way of young women who are trying to advance in the labor market while simultaneously raising families. By preventing insurers from charging higher premiums because of gender, the Senate plan would protect young women who are already unfairly receiving less income than men from also having to pay more for their health insurance coverage.

Another component of health care reform applicable to a specific subset of young adults is a provision that would increase funding for scholarships and loan repayment from the National Health Service Corps to medical students who pledge to work as primary care practitioners in underserved areas. The effect of this policy would be to substantially lower the cost of medical school for many individuals, and it would offset any pay cuts that health care professionals might experience down the road as a result of lower insurance reimbursements. Additionally, by reducing the prohibitive cost barriers to medical school, this initiative would channel more talented and motivated young people into an industry that desperately needs their contributions.

Although it is easy to forget amidst all of the talk of “death panels” and “socialism,” the health care reform bill that is only two steps away from becoming law would have concrete positive impacts upon most people in America. Students at the University are no exception, and it would be a shame if due to apathy or a lack of understanding they were to contribute to allowing this rare opportunity to slip away.

Matt Cameron is a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Police forces are now confident that the person responsible for the death of Morgan Dana Harrington — the 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who disappeared Oct. 17 after a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena — was familiar with Anchorage Farms and the surrounding area.

Harrington’s remains were found in a remote hayfield at Anchorage Farms Jan. 26. Access to the field was hindered by obstacles that could not have been avoided, according to state police.

“Traveling to the Anchorage Farm location would have created a significant risk for any person not familiar to the area and not comfortable with that kind of setting,” State Police Lt. Joe Rader said.

“As a result of the responsible person’s past experience with that location or with the general area, the responsible person was inclined to return back to that vicinity during a high-stress situation.”
Any person unfamiliar with Anchorage Farms and the North Garden area would not have been able to navigate through the obstacles between the road and the field, Rader said. Instead of choosing an accessible, convenient location — such as the shoulder of a highway — the culprit chose to navigate through streams, fences, defects and changing terrain to dispose of the body.

Police officials suspect people in the area — without even realizing it — may know the offender.

“It’s fair to say that if you’re a student, be that [at] U.Va. or any other university for that matter, and you participated in any other activities that involved Anchorage Farms, please call the number that I gave,” Rader said, adding that relevant activities may have taken place in years past. Hunting has taken place on the property, Rader said. He did not deny that fraternity parties may have occurred there or that activities may have occurred without the permission of the owners.

People familiar with North Garden or Anchorage Farms are encouraged to call 434-709-1685, Rader said.
—compiled by Virginia Terwilliger