The University of Virginia, like any other university, contains a plethora of young students who can have deeply held political beliefs.
University students often have been the ones throughout history to incite change and even revolution.
There are numerous political organizations here at the University made up of opinionated students all ready to fight for their particular cause, though some members of these groups say students could be more engaged and involved.
"I think there is a very apathetic atmosphere here at the University and this leads to not thinking about issues, which leads to a liberal perspective towards things," said third-year College student Ali Ahmad, chair of events for the College Republicans. "Also, ineffective leadership of the conservative groups versus a relatively more effective liberal leadership on Grounds has led to a liberal voice on campus over the past decade."
The College Republicans have 130 dues-paying members, 50 to 60 of which actively campaign for Republican candidates around the state. Beyond that, there are about 900 students on the group's e-mail list, some of whom come out for College Republican events.
"We hope that we can help put forth an alternative to that traditional leftist, cynical view for a more pragmatic, optimistic and intelligent conservative view," Ahmad said. "This year we have seen a growth of minorities and women moving into the conservative political clubs on Grounds. Our active membership is a female majority and this is often overlooked when people think of conservative groups. We are not a majority white male club."
The University Democrats have over 200 dues-paying members with a core group of over 100 particularly active participants and over 1,500 people on the e-mail list.
"I think that there is a much more politically charged atmosphere since the time I arrived here in 2000," said Ian Amelkin, fourth-year College student and University Democrats president. "Nine hundred people showing up to see Al Sharpton in Old Cabell is a good example of this recent emergence in political activity. I see U.Va. as an apathetic campus with an extremely active and vocal group on both sides. The liberal side has a more active and better organized component. Overall, as the 2004 election approaches, there should be a political climax in the spring and the fall."
The clash of liberal and conservative ideals has led the University's political atmosphere to lie somewhere in the middle.
"The campus seems to be more moderate than other university campuses," first-year College student Christy Elliott said. "Many higher education institutions seem to be radically liberal and yet there seems to be a balance here at U.Va. I think that there a lot of people at U.Va. who are willing to think about what they believe in and stand up for what their particular ideals."
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