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(09/30/09 5:29am)
Ever wanted to make a movie? How about doing so in only two hours? That was the task given to participants in the Xtreme Filmmaker's Challenge last weekend. Hosted by the University's Filmmaker's Society, the event gave beginning student filmmakers a chance to write, direct, shoot and produce their own films with only two hours of camera time.
(04/21/09 5:42am)
Stepping into the main work room of the Community Bikes Shop for the first time is like discovering a hidden treasure trove. Bike frames of every size and color hang in rows from the ceiling rafters, while metal nuts, bolts and screws gleam from their boxes along the shelves. It is a place of fascination and potential, where bikes that are a work in progress stand beside others awaiting repair or the right inspiration for a new project. The shop — a volunteer-run, non-profit organization — is dedicated to helping people maintain their bikes or build new ones, said former shop manager Thomas Canu, a fourth-year College student. “Our mission is making cycling accessible, [providing] environmentally friendly transportation and recycling bicycles.” The Community Bikes Shop is located in an old garage reminiscent of a warehouse, off West Main Street — right on the edge of Charlottesville’s project neighborhoods and public housing. The shop’s founders wanted bikes to be “really accessible for the people who need them,” Canu said. Because the shop is staffed by volunteers, it is open only from 2 to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, when anyone can come to the shop and learn about bike maintenance or how to build a bike, Canu added. This has been an increasingly popular activity among University students, said current shop manager Will Jacobs, a second-year College student. The procedure for bike building is that visitors come in and pick out the frame and parts, and then volunteers help them assemble it. The shop cannot guarantee that it will have a certain size or style, or how long it will take to build a bike, Jacobs added.It is difficult to build a bike in one day alone, Jacobs explained, so participants are encouraged to come back as often as possible to work on their projects. Generally, the process takes about two shop periods, or roughly six hours.In return for building a bike free of charge, participants are asked to spend about four hours of their time in the shop volunteering and helping new bike builders work on their projects. Donations also help the shop continue to purchase necessary parts and maintain its mission, Jacobs added.“We do expect [participants] to give back in some way ... [through] whatever they can do,” Canu said. Volunteering in the shop can be a different experience every weekend, he noted, especially when the weather is nice. The shop does not have running water or heat, which makes it difficult to use year round, Jacobs said.Since its opening in fall 2002, the Community Bikes Shop has continued to meet the changing needs of the Charlottesville biking community, Jacobs said. Part of the shop’s original mission focuses on recycling bikes and mentoring youth, Jacobs said. “When I first started [in fall 2006], there were definitely a lot more kids. The shop in general has become so much more popular in the last year or so,” Jacobs said.“There’s really been an explosion in Charlottesville with cycling ... especially within the U.Va. community,” Canu said. He noted that there has been a significant increase in the number of University students visiting the shop during the past year. “I’ve seen more University students coming to use it,” said Matteo Favero, a current shop manager and Charlottesville citizen. “It’s really growing.”The shop and its volunteers have worked to accommodate the demands of the increasing visitors, he said, which has drawn attention to the issue of helping some of the younger visitors. “Now that there’s an increase of the shop’s potential, we’ve had to separate the kids from adults .. .as they both have different needs,” Canu said. Working to address those needs with a limited volunteer staff has been a challenge, Jacobs agreed. “It can be very difficult when you have kids that need one certain set of instruction and adults that need another,” he said.Currently, the shop rules do not allow children younger than 18 years old to participate without a scheduled program, Favero said. The shop organizers, however, are exploring ways to continue mentoring children and meeting their needs while keeping the shop running normally. Working with the kids has “definitely [been] a part of the mission and it still is,” Jacobs said. One of the easiest ways to get children into the shop would be through structured groups, like school groups, Boy Scouts or other organizations that come with adult supervision, Favero said. Without a supervisor and additional volunteers, it would be difficult to make the program work. Like several of the volunteers, Favero said he enjoys working with the children who come by the shop to fix their bikes. “I know a lot of them by name,” he said. Unfortunately, many of the children — ranging from 7 to 18 years old — from the surrounding neighborhood do not have an adult supervisor who can accompany them on a frequent basis, Favero noted, but the volunteers at the shop do not want those kids to be left out. “How do we help them?” Jacobs said. “That’s a lot more difficult.” Other than working inside the shop to help people maintain their bikes, the Community Bikes Shop also has worked to provide bikes for many locals in need of alternative transportation, Favero said. Last November, Favero and other volunteers worked with a group of middle school students and their teacher Captain Brian Garriss from the Fork Union Military Academy to build bikes for refugees who were brought to Charlottesville through the International Rescue Community, Favero said. The completed bikes then were given to refugee families in the area, including nine refugees from Burma. With the help of translators and other volunteers, “everything went very smoothly,” Favero said. “Afterwards, we all rode through town together.” Now, the IRC has a written form that incoming refugees can use to request bicycles, and the volunteers at the Community Bikes shop will build and donate them, Favero added. The services provided by the Community Bikes Shop would not be possible without the dedication and willingness of its volunteers, Jacobs noted. He serves as the program director for the Madison House volunteering program that partners with the shop, which is “just a way for students to find out what Community Bikes does and to figure out a way to volunteer there.” Other service groups also come and help in the shop, like Alpha Phi Omega and other University organizations, he added. “It is these groups that are really helping us to move forward in terms of improving the shop space and working on long-term tasks,” Jacobs said.As the shop continues to grow, Canu said its potential will not necessarily be limited to its current mission. “I see it changing a lot,” Canu said, adding that there are a lot of promising projects in the works. Favero noted, however, that “the future of it really depends on monetary flow,” emphasizing that donations and even small contributions like paint or light bulbs for facilities maintenance can make a difference. “As an organization we’ve come a long way,” Jacobs said. “Physically, in the shop, in terms of how we’re managing the shop and improving our storage and our efficiency in being able to help people ... That’s the most exciting thing.”
(03/17/09 5:35am)
There is a city where rolling green hills stretch endlessly and small villages are in abundance. Red roofs and white walls of houses peek out from behind mountains and the smell of roasting meat is in the air. Aquamarine waves crash upon the shores, which are covered with stones that are thousands of years old. This is Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city.During Spring Break, four of my fellow students and I spent a week there as part of a travel and learn course organized by the International Residence College.Graduate Education student Noah Egge shared his love for Greek culture with us during weekly seminars at the University and led the one-week trip filled with hiking, cooking and learning about the country’s vibrant past and present. Egge arranged for our group to stay in the home of Christine and David Willis, a Greek and English-speaking family that he knew from his previous travels to Greece. The Willis family generously welcomed us into their home in the village of Lakkia — which is about 20 minutes from the heart of Thessaloniki — and they quickly taught us the ropes of living in the Greek countryside.Every morning, we awoke to a picturesque scene of the sun rising over soft green mountains and flowing grassy fields. Outside our windows, cats, dogs and chickens roamed freely through the side yard, as the snow-capped peaks of Mount Olympus towered in the background.After a daily breakfast of bread, feta cheese, jam, fresh honey and olives, we started our day by preparing the ingredients for dinner later. In one week, we learned how to prepare a host of different Greek dishes, ranging from Tyropita, a type of cheese pie, to the popular Tzatziki cucumber dip. Most of our ingredients came directly from the Willis family’s garden, located adjacent to a grove of olive trees near the house. Living historyOne of many factors that contributes to Greece’s rich history is how old everything is. I do not mean just a few hundred years, either — our first day in the city we walked along the Byzantine walls of Thessaloniki, most of which were constructed in the fourth century BC — meaning they are more than 2,300 years old! Their ancient bricks can be seen all around the city, surrounded by modern buildings or bordering people’s homes.Today, a number of people live along the walls, most of whom are neighboring Balkan refugees seeking sanctuary in Thessaloniki. The mixture of religions and cultural traditions that they bring add to the city’s already rich tapestry.Then, if the walls were not enough, we toured several of the city’s historic landmarks, including a site known as the Rotunda. This building bore a resemblance to the University’s Rotunda only in its shape. It was originally constructed in the fourth century to serve as the tomb for Emperor Galerius, but was instead used as a Christian church, then later as a mosque during Ottoman rule. Today, it is open to the public and used occasionally in local religious services. Its Byzantine tile designs and ancient architectural work are in excellent condition and continue to serve as a reminder of the city’s rich history.No rushA large part of our trip was to learn about the different lifestyles of people around the world and to examine what it means to “go slow” in everyday life. The phrase comes from the idea that it is possible to get more out of life by taking time to enjoy simple pleasures and to not give in to the demands of the fast-paced modern world. Before leaving for Greece, we were given excerpts from Carl Honoré’s “In Praise of Slowness,” which discussed the “Slow Movement” and its followers, who say they get more out of their lives by enjoying what they do while still keeping up with the pace of society.Granted, the overall pace of society in Thessaloniki seemed to provide a break from the typical “rat race” mentality that is characteristic of the United States. Call it different cultural mentalities, but in general, Greek people seemed to be in less of a hurry. Furthermore, rather than stressing out about work, they spend time visiting friends or family. Most stores and museums closed at 3 p.m. — because it was winter — and meals were expected to take at least an hour, if not longer. This was apparent even in the city, where people of all ages would spend countless hours at local cafes and coffee houses, just sitting outside and enjoying a conversation or a smoke. The concept of “slow food,” or eating slowly enough to savor a healthy meal, was also quite prominent in the rural countryside, where it seemed that food was the main thing that would bring people together for hours at a time. Compared to America, pre-prepared meals are non-existent in Greece, and no one seems to own a microwave. As a result, visiting Greece turned out to be an ideal real-life example of the “slow” philosophy.During the trip, we learned a great deal about Greek history and met people from all walks of life who lived and worked around Thessaloniki. We met with a local beekeeper, potter, high-ranking clergyman, Classics expert and university professor, music librarian and several resident musicians, as well as many other Greek citizens. These people all led very different lives, but each was passionate about his or her career. This type of positive approach and balanced lifestyle was interesting to observe and served to remind us of the benefits of taking life at a less hurried pace.When we were not talking with locals or touring historic landmarks, we spent our time in the countryside hiking through the surrounding mountains and exploring ancient sites, like the Neolithic ruins in the hills of the village of Paliambela, the tomb of Philip II — ruler of Macedonia in fourth century BC — in Vergina and touring the caves of Petralona, where many fossils — both human and animal — date back as early as 800,000 BC and are still trapped in the cavern’s walls. Greek CommunityOne of the things that amazed me most about Greece was how welcoming and hospitable its people are. Sure, I’d heard about Greek hospitality before, but it was not until I arrived in Thessaloniki that I understood what it truly meant. People went out of their way to be nice to us, whether it meant greeting us on the street with a simple “Yassas!” — which means “hello” — or putting up with our poor language skills as we attempted to order food or purchase goods in the market.One night, we visited the home of a woman named Vasso, one of the Willis family’s friends. We walked into her house to find a huge home-cooked meal waiting for us, with the dining room table groaning under the weight of plates filled with spinach pies, fresh greens, plates of feta cheese, cooked calamari and homemade bread. Never have I eaten such delicious food in such welcoming company before! Even though none of the undergraduate students on the trip could speak Greek, we always attempted to say thanks. Eventually, though, we found that a simple smile often served as the best universal language for gratitude.Another event that stands out most vividly in my memory is our trip to the church of St. Andre in the village of Peristera. Firstly, it seems that there are more Greek Orthodox churches — often remains of old Byzantine establishments — in Thessaloniki than there are Starbucks in New York City. One night we found ourselves in the little town of Perembelea and decided to visit one of the local churches. Upon opening the sanctuary doors, we found that there was an evening service in session, so we quickly turned to leave. Before we could get back out the door, however, one of the village women came up to us and ushered us inside the sanctuary, indicating that we should come in and join them. After casting a few dubious looks among the group, the six of us walked inside, Egge leading the way and serving as our main translator. We suddenly found ourselves in the heart of an eighth century stone Byzantine church, and ended up spending the next half hour or so talking with the priest. He was particularly interested in hearing about our studies and what brought us to Thessaloniki, and in return he told us about his village and the church’s history. We had a delightful conversation and even got a chance to speak with some of the other members of his family and congregation — some of whom spoke English — before we concluded our visit by taking a photo. I have been fortunate to attend religious services in many different countries, but I have never felt as welcome in any other place as I did that night in that tiny, ancient stone church.A beautiful blend of the modern and ancient worlds, Thessaloniki was full of adventure and relaxation — the ultimate Greek life.
(02/18/09 7:19am)
Since I first came to Charlottesville, I have been on a quest to find the best homemade Chinese food in town. After visiting Café 88, a restaurant specializing in Chinese cuisine located on Preston Avenue, I can finally end my search. Located in the shopping plaza directly across from the downtown Sticks Kabob Shop, Café 88 is a well-hidden but delicious gem. Advertised as a place for Dim Sum, Chinese snacks and bento boxes, Café 88 is the perfect place for hungry students to grab food to-go or sit down and enjoy a delicious meal. Upon entering the restaurant, I was warmly greeted by owner Li-Chen Chen, who was sitting at one of the tables closest to the register. Chen invited me to join her and personally guided me through the menu, detailing the ingredients of different dishes and explaining her experience in the food industry. Chen, who has lived in the Charlottesville area for a while, worked at local restaurants such as Ming Dynasty for more than 20 years before opening Café 88 about a year and a half ago.Guided by her recommendations, I decided to start off my meal with a selection of the Scallion Pancakes ($2.88). Thin and crispy, this Chinese snack resembles fried flat “tortillas” similar to those of fried dumplings. They were mouth-watering, especially when dipped in the accompanying sauces — a soy-sauce based dip and a spicy chili sauce. Even better, they come in such a large quantity that there were enough for me to eat my fill and still share with a few of my friends.Next, I ordered a cup of miso soup ($2.00), the perfect fix for Charlottesville’s chilly winter weather. Made of a rich and hearty broth, the soup also came with a generous helping of thick homemade wonton pieces that quickly melted in my mouth. A little heavy on the ginger for my tastes, it was certainly one of the most flavorful variations of miso soup I have tasted. Still, each spoonful was so warm and satisfying that it left me wanting more.For my entrée, I ordered the Wonderful Chicken ($7.88). While I waited for the meal to be prepared, I sat at my table, drinking in the sights and smells that Café 88 had to offer. Tasteful shades of orange and blue paint bring life to the café’s walls, creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere in the one-room dining area. The kitchen was located just behind the cashier’s desk, and the smell of fresh ginger and tantalizing herbs whetted my appetite. I did not have to wait long. In less than 10 minutes my entire meal was assembled before me, each item in its own bento box or bowl, all served on little square trays. The colorful meal filled up the entirety of my two-person sized table.The Wonderful Chicken was the crowning dish of the meal. As its name suggests, this dish was just that: wonderfully delicious. Served in a bento box with rice and two sides, it is made fresh to order. My slab of thinly-breaded chicken was accompanied by a savory medley of stir-fry vegetables including carrots and cabbage. There also was a portion of sautéed green beans that had been cooked with garlic and other spices to give them a rich, invigorating taste. Though I only mildly admit to liking green vegetables, I loved this dish. The flavors complemented one another well and nothing was too spicy. For those who like to “kick it up a notch,” however, the restaurant offers dishes such as the Amazing Chicken, a selection of dark meat chicken served with a “Spiced Amazing Sauce.” Café 88 also offers many vegetarian options such as the Japanese Omelet ($7.88) and the Pineapple Fried Rice ($7.88). And as if the outstanding taste and distinct flavor of the food weren’t enough, Café 88 is also clean and well-lit. Chen’s careful hands and years of experience in the food service industry are evident throughout the restaurant. Customers order food at the check-out table in the back, and then have the option of sitting at either one of the tidy tables found throughout the dining room or at the counter in front of the main window. Radio music from Lite Rock 95.1 FM plays softly in the background, creating a relaxing atmosphere for diners, many of whom are students, Chen said. Also to its credit, Café 88 falls in any college student’s price range. My full order, including a cup of hot jasmine green tea, came to only $13.91. The restaurant’s welcoming environment and calming atmosphere provides the perfect break for students wanting to get away from their studies to enjoy an affordable, homemade meal.
(02/12/09 7:28am)
Last summer, fourth-year Engineering students Ana Jemec and Eric Harshfield spent nine weeks in the bushveldt of South Africa.The experience, which Jemec described as “incredible,” allowed the two to conduct their own undergraduate research and was made possible through a $10,000 grant from the Davis Projects for Peace program, which they applied for in spring 2008.The Davis Projects for Peace program is just one of many grants and fellowships available to students for undergraduate research projects. Information about the University’s various undergraduate research opportunities is organized through the Center for Undergraduate Excellence, where students can learn more about what it takes to apply for grants that coordinate with their studies.Lucy Russell, director of the Center for Undergraduate Excellence, said the Davis Projects for Peace grant is run through the Davis Foundation, which “funds 100 projects at $10,000 each, proposed by students at colleges and universities throughout the United States.” She explained that the foundation looks for proposals and grassroots projects that would promote peace anywhere in the world during the upcoming summer.The application process for a Davis grant is highly competitive, Russell said, and requires a great deal of work. Like other grants and fellowships, there are many requirements that both the applicants and their schools have to fulfill. The University is only able to nominate one project and one alternate to the Davis Foundation to be considered for funding, Russell said.The Center receives applications from students from all areas of study at the University and is still going through the applications received last month for the upcoming summer, Russell said. To apply, students must turn in a two-page proposal, a budget, a résumé and cover letter, as well as two letters of recommendation.Once students submit their proposals, a University faculty committee reviews the students’ proposals and selects the projects to send forward to the Davis Foundation. “For some students, this proposal is the culmination of coursework and previous research experience,” Russell said. “For others, it provides the opportunity to build on volunteer or other interests and experiences.”For Jemec and Harshfield, working with the Davis Projects for Peace grant was a way to expand their studies beyond the classroom and out to the rolling bushveldt of South Africa, where they focused on building a water purification unit. Jemec said the unique experience taught her “a lot about development-related research projects.”The two fourth years, who were the first University students to ever receive the award, came across information about the program by looking on the Web site for the Center for Undergraduate Excellence, Harshfield said. “We were applying for lots of grants,” he explained, adding that the Davis Projects for Peace was one that worked with their studies. “It was a great way to get involved in undergraduate research.”Prior to the project, Jemec and Harshfield met in chemical engineering class and decided that they wanted to pursue their interests in undergraduate research. “I knew that I wanted to work on a water project in South Africa,” Jemec said.The project was a matter of not only completing the work, Jemec added, but also learning what to expect. During their time in South Africa, Jemec and Harshfield met a few cultural obstacles along the way. “I thought everything would run really smoothly,” Jemec said. “But everything works much more slowly there.”Although the project has been completed, it is still present in their current engineering studies, Harshfield said. Both Jemec and Harshfield are using their research topic for their theses and in their ongoing independent study programs, Harshfield said. He explained that he used the topic to help with a class he taught on global development last semester. Harshfield also noted that they plan to assemble another group of students to go back to South Africa and follow up on the project this summer.In the meantime, Russell said new applicants for the grant are being considered. “I am glad that our students have this opportunity and I’m delighted by student interest in the Davis Projects for Peace program,” she said.Harshfield also encouraged students to consider applying for grants of any kind: “If you have an idea for a project, you can change the lives of others,” he said. “Go for it.”
(01/29/09 7:56am)
Following a joint meeting with the Commission on the Future of the University Monday, Faculty Senate members gathered yesterday to further discuss six newly introduced initiatives and what kind of faculty involvement they will require.Faculty Senate Chair Edmund Kitch started by opening a discussion about Monday’s presentation of the six cross-campus initiatives, which include diversifying the University’s faculty, improving higher education instruction, improving academic departments’ access to new technology, incorporating more high-level computing systems into faculty resources, better connecting faculty members from different fields through technology, and building programs to make University students global students. He cited some concerns about the projects’ lack of emphasis on an outcome of excellence.In response, University Provost Arthur Garson said the true heart of the initiatives lies not just in excellence but in reaching for levels beyond excellence. “What we would hope is that the six different initiatives that we presented are about [being] outstanding at the next level along the way,” Garson said.Garson gave a detailed account of how many of the programs can be put into place, noting that some have more immediate priority. He explained faculty enhancement programs were particularly important at this time, emphasizing the importance of cultivating faculty excellence. The six initiatives and the motives behind them will provide a positive framework for the University’s future, Garson said.In regards to the faculty enhancement plans, Kitch encouraged faculty members to use the Faculty Senate as a platform to discuss their concerns with the initiatives and to brainstorm new ways to seek and secure funding for their departments.One issue that concerned many representatives, particularly College representatives, was the lack of attention to the University’s graduate studies in the initiatives.“We feel strongly that graduate students are that core of what is necessary to make the University a great [research] university,” College Dean Meredith Woo said. To improve these graduate programs, she said, the University must focus on diversifying its faculty and enhancing its programs to create global research students.“If we set [hiring more faculty and enhancing programs] as our goal down the road, there are certain things that we can do in five to seven years to ... raise [funds]”, she said.Vice President for Research Tom Skalak echoed these sentiments, saying that in order to secure funding for future programs, it will be necessary for faculty members to explore a number of innovative methods and even collaborate with other schools. “We just have to develop those relationships,” Skalak said.Though faculty members may need to find creative ways to come up with funding for programs, President John T. Casteen, III said the future finances of the University still look relatively stable. He reassured faculty members that despite the recession, the University is faring well. Casteen emphasized the methods used to cut minor spending, postpone construction projects, meet obligations without layoffs or cutting services, and maintain the everyday functioning of the University. Not having to spend additional funds on searches for new faculty members to fill vacancies is one way the University has been able to save money, Casteen said.He also noted the possibility that President Barack Obama’s stimulus package may include plans for colleges and universities, in which case additional funds could serve to relieve some of the pressure on state funds. This would be helpful, especially in light of more serious concerns facing the University, Casteen said, such as increased tuition, higher construction and electricity fees, a loss of state funding for the Echols Scholars Program and overall research funding reductions. The endowment has shown effects of the recession but is stable, Casteen explained, adding that, on a good note, the Capital Campaign is doing remarkably well.“Believe it or not, this campaign is still on time and on target,” Casteen said.As the search for new revenue sources, such as fundraising, continues, increased involvement from the Faculty Senate and other members of the faculty will be a vital element in determining the University’s future, Casteen noted.The economic downturn will not stop the University from looking ahead, Kitch said, noting that the economy will eventually stabilize. For the moment, the new initiatives “serve as a focal point for the faculty and administration to be working along,” Kitch said. “We are on the way.”
(01/27/09 6:36am)
Several initiatives aimed at distinguishing the University from its peers were presented yesterday afternoon during a joint meeting of the University’s Faculty Senate and the Commission on the Future of the University. University Provost Arthur Garson said the priorities and values expressed in the initiatives, which have already been approved by the Board of Visitors, were the result of a joint effort between the two groups present.“Our strategy is to strengthen our core resources while strategically funding selected new efforts that will further distinguish the University,” said Lili Powell, Faculty Senate Planning and Development Committee chair.In an attempt to increase diversity among faculty members, the University has created a pilot program that includes 30 diverse members of the faculty charged with the goal of developing a strong group of young, talented faculty members who can help to develop a new generation of leadership, Pediatrics Prof. Sharon Hostler said as she explained the first initiative.Hostler spoke about the importance of recruiting the best faculty candidates from an increasingly diverse academic workforce as well as supporting and retaining the faculty members already part of the University’s ranks. Currently, the faculty does not fully represent the diversity of the University, she said, noting that the initiative is aimed at addressing this problem.Another initiative seeks to improve higher education instruction by establishing the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, Education School Dean Bob Pianta explained in his presentation. The Center will help to provide the University with new ways to improve teaching in higher education classrooms. The program will be run through the Education School, but the staff will serve as the catalyst in establishing new activities in each of the schools across Grounds, he said. James Hilton, vice president and chief information officer, presented an initiative for the Center for Computation-Intense Research & Scholarship with co-chair Karin Wittenborg, the University librarian. The initiative would provide ways for the University’s many academic departments to access new technology and to support a computation-intense research environment, Hilton said.“The initiative is intentionally people-intensive,” he said in his presentation. “The focus is on providing ways for faculty to collaborate with each other, students and technically-oriented staff who are fluent in the methods of computationally-intense inquiry and to make sure that new and existing infrastructure commitments align with the needs of our scientists and scholars.” Computer Science Prof. Andrew Grimshaw presented another technology-oriented initiative focusing on incorporating more high-level computing systems into resources available for members of the faculty, in addition to the “basic tool” technology education that is offered now, Grimshaw said.Religious Studies Prof. David Germano, meanwhile, introduced an initiative for the social sciences, humanities and arts network of technological initiatives, which will help to connect faculty members from related fields.By comparison, in an effort to connect students through different fields, Vice Provost for International Programs Gowher Rizvi presented an initiative for programs that would better equip University students to be “global students,” he said. He added that it is important that students can understand different cultures and can be effective participants in a world of increasing globalization. To prepare students for international studies, he said, “you very much have to rethink what sort of education we are offering our students.”One of goals of the initiative is to ensure students are fully able to absorb and learn from the culture of another place when they study abroad, Rizvi said. Language was also a key factor, he said, adding that the project would help to “expand the ability of teaching languages to students.”Vice President of Research Tom Skalak presented the final initiative, which focused on science, technology and research. “U.Va. knows research,” he said, expounding on the ways in which the University has built up its research program in recent years and outlining the ways it can improve. Designing sustainable programs, buildings and research is especially crucial to the University’s future, Skalak said.For each of the new initiatives to be fully realized, collaboration between faculty and administration is absolutely necessary, Powell said. She encouraged faculty members to serve as representatives within their departments to engage other members of the faculty in the open dialogue process of implementing the initiatives.“The key question is how to organize ourselves,” Faculty Senate member Ann Hamric said. “We, as senators, have to grapple with that key concept.”—Prateek Vasireddy contributed to this article
(01/27/09 6:20am)
There is a place where the skyline of surrounding snow-capped aquamarine mountains is broken only by church steeples and medieval watchtowers. A place where homes are made of slices of sun-baked yellow, brown and red walls. It is home to some of the best art, history and gelato the world has to offer.Welcome to Florence. During Winter Break I had the chance to visit this city as part of the January Term course and trip, ARTH 335Z, “Renaissance Art on Site.” For about a week and a half I — and about 40 other University students — spent days touring cathedrals, studying sculptures and exploring quaint streets. For me, the trip had a good deal of personal significance because unlike the majority of other students on the trip, I was not an art history major and had little prior knowledge of art or architectural history outside of Art History 101. Being a travel addict, I had visited Europe several times before for other reasons but had never gotten a chance to access or appreciate fully the artwork its cities have to offer. Going on the J-Term trip to Florence was a way for me to travel with a focus on art and art history. In that way, I saw the city through new eyes.Class began early in the morning, and we would meet our professors on site for lecture, where we would stand for hours examining aged chapel frescoes or exquisite exterior arches of various buildings. The afternoons were our own to use for outside studies and exploration, so we would flock to various museums and historic sites, making sure to see Michelangelo’s famous David on display in the Galleria d’Accademia and even climbing up a long hill to the old monastery of San Miniato, which has one of the best views of the city.When we were not in lecture, taking notes or writing journals, my classmates and I would enjoy some of the culinary delights that are a natural part of the city’s culture. For a few euro we would enjoy piping-hot paninis, freshly cooked pasta, hand-tossed pizza, a bowl of cool, sweet gelato or even a fabulous Florentine steak after a long day of class. We bonded over long, delicious meals and bottles of sweet Tuscan red wine, all of us complaining about the cold winter weather and laughing about the events of the day.Beyond the culinary delights, Florence is a place that is meant to be explored. In less than 30 minutes, you can walk from the courtyard of the Santa Maria Novella cathedral in the northern part of the city to the side of the old bridge, Pointe Vecchio, which straddles the picturesque Arno River to the south of the Duomo. By then, you will have literally crossed the entire city, passing old palaces, watchtowers, markets and even the Duomo itself in your path. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to get lost in Florence because the city is fairly flat, and one can see the Duomo’s huge red dome from literally every corner of the city.My first afternoon in Florence I decided to go exploring before class, and after walking for more than an hour and wandering some of the curving side streets that give Florence its charm, I realized I had walked outside the limits shown on my map and had absolutely no clue where I was. After a brief moment of panic, I looked up the next street and was greeted by the sight of the Duomo itself. Filled with relief, I plunged back in that direction and ended up in the heart of the city 15 minutes later.Florence is also a city of color. From the bright purple fleur-de-lys, the city’s trademark symbol, to the rainbow spread of gelato flavors that tempt passersby from behind the windows of chic cafes, Firenze is a sensory adventure. Just one visit to the markets of San Lorenzo will quickly prove this. In the shadow of the plain-faced San Lorenzo basilica, which was commissioned by the de Medici family in the 15th century and entirely completed except for its outer façade, street vendors’ carts crowd the narrow street and provide enough goods to make that neighborhood a shopper’s haven. Scarves of every imaginable color, shape and design flutter in the chilly winter breezes alongside rows of purses, wallets and stationary kits. Sturdy Italian men in jeans and slicked-back black hair call out to passing shoppers, inviting them to come and try on a leather jacket or a new size of belt (“almost free!” one of the jacket vendors would call to my friends whenever we passed by, adding with a wink, “free Italian boyfriend included!”). Among the smell of roasting chestnuts or sweet waffles fresh off the griddle, the lines of time begin to blur as church bells ring across the city. Standing beside an old de Medici palace or churches that are at least twice the age of the United States, it is clear that the past is very much a part of the city’s present.Even now when I close my eyes I can picture the inside of Santa Maria Novella, my favorite cathedral, and feel like I am there again, with the cobblestone street beneath my boots and the blue skies of the Tuscan countryside above my head.To anyone who has ever considered visiting or studying Florence, I would say, “Go!” — Firenze is waiting.
(01/21/09 5:00am)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr, will be the keynote speaker for the 10th annual Conference on Public Service & the Law, hosted at the Law School from Jan. 30 to 31.“We want to highlight how public service has played a role in developing the law; what it means to be a public servant,” conference co-chair Nicole Stockey said of the conference, whose theme is “be not the bystander.” The conference will help to emphasize the importance of pro bono work, to which the Law School always has been committed, Stockey said. Alito has the ideal background for a keynote speaker, Stockey added, because “he has a pretty significant career in public service.” Previously, Stockey said, the annual conference has only hosted one Supreme Court associate justice: Steven Breyer. She added that event organizers are excited to host another. “We wanted someone who would inform what it means to serve the public and have a career in public service,” she said. Previous conference speakers have included Gov. Timothy Kaine and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., Stockey said. Best-selling author John Grisham will also speak at this year’s event, she noted.—compiled by Betsy Graves
(01/20/09 5:36am)
The University announced the creation of the John A. Blackburn Endowed Scholarship Saturday in honor of the retiring dean of admissions. Friends, colleagues and supporters have donated $1.5 million to the scholarship, which will be added to the AccessUVa endowment and will support the University’s financial aid program, said Gordon Burris senior assistant to the president.Blackburn — who was unavailable for comment — will be retiring at the end of the semester after working at the University for almost 30 years, Burris noted.“Dean Blackburn has been the dean of admissions since 1985, and he has been very committed to the AccessUVa program,” Burris said, citing Blackburn’s dedication to the University’s admissions office and his efforts in admitting thousands of students to the University. “Jack is really a legend in the field of admissions,” Associate Dean of Admissions Greg Roberts said. “He has really shaped admission policies at the University as well as across the country.”Blackburn first began working for the University when he was hired in 1979 as the associate dean of admissions by current University President John T. Casteen, III, who was serving as dean of admissions at the time, Roberts said. Since becoming the dean of admissions, Blackburn has become known as a “trailblazer” in terms of admissions, equity and access to the University, Roberts said. Blackburn’s scholarship has been set up as part of AccessUVa so the funds will go to assist students with financial needs, Financial Aid Director Yvonne Hubbard said. AccessUVa, which seeks to meet the financial needs of low- and middle-income students who are academically qualified to attend the University, Hubbard said, “is very dear to [Blackburn’s] heart.”Blackburn always has wanted to ensure students admitted to the University would be able to enroll, she explained. “That money — all of the donations — will be put into the [AccessUVa] endowment,” she said, adding that the interest from the endowment will be used to continue the scholarship each year. Currently, Hubbard said it is hard to predict how many incoming students will benefit from the scholarship, but as a part of the financial aid awards, “we’d like to give a little bit to a lot of students,” she added.Despite the status of the economy, Hubbard also said she hoped people would support the scholarship and “take the opportunity to honor Jack Blackburn.” The $1.5 million set aside for the endowed scholarship was collected during the course of a few months, Burris said, starting in fall 2008. “This is only what has been raised so far,” he added, noting that many people are “hoping that the final amount will be much more.” “The more money we can get into this scholarship, the better it will be for the students,” Hubbard added. Outside of his work with AccessUVa, Blackburn has also been known for his ability to reach out to prospective students in many ways, Roberts added. Programs such as the guaranteed admissions system established with Virginia community colleges and the joint venture between the University and Ivy League schools, such as Harvard and Princeton, to carry out admissions information presentations across the country, were all initiated in the admissions office during Blackburn’s time as dean, Roberts said.While working to make it possible for exceptionally talented low-income students to attend the University, Roberts added that Blackburn has focused on designing an application process that makes it easier for students of all income levels to apply to the University. “Thomas Jefferson imagined our University as an attraction for students from everywhere, and he admired talent and ambition above any kind of entitlement or privilege,” Casteen wrote in an e-mail. “Jack Blackburn made the University what Thomas Jefferson intended it to be.”
(01/16/09 9:22am)
Tightened purse strings and economic troubles have not stopped University employees from donating generously to both local and national charities through a workplace-giving campaign.University employees have given about $923,000 for the 2008 giving year, an increase from the $880,000 raised in 2007, noted Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign administrator Careen Waterman, a University community relations associate. Overall participation as well as donation totals increased this year, Waterman said, as University employees have given 3,870 individual gifts during the campaign, which began in October and is scheduled to end Monday.CVC is a workplace-giving campaign working with about 155 commonwealth agencies that allows employees to donate to the local, state or national charity organizations of their choice, Waterman said. University employees tend to give locally, she added.“This year, Blue Ridge Area and Jefferson Area food banks got double of what they received last year,” Waterman said, adding that the Charlottesville Free Clinic also received significant financial support from University employees.This is a common trend among commonwealth employees involved in education, CVC Program Manager Anne Dinterman noted.“Most of the colleges and universities tend to give locally,” she said.Although individual giving amounts have fallen about 5 to 7 percent from last year, total donations have surpassed the $4 million mark and are expected to meet the campaign’s goal, making 2008 a “banner year” for statewide employee giving, Dinterman said.“More people are giving smaller amounts, which is exactly what we had wanted,” she said, highlighting the importance of giving whatever can be spared.So far, the campaign has received 91 percent of the forecasted donation totals for 2008 and already has seen “a huge jump” in statewide employee participation from 27 percent to 41.5 percent during the past year, Dinterman said. “Probably about one-third of the state agencies have surpassed their totals from last year.”The deadline for donation submissions was extended through the end of this week to allow employees at commonwealth colleges and universities to still make donations after the holiday recess, Dinterman said.Giving totals this year have been significant not just in terms of dollar amounts, but also in light of the fact that there were fewer available donors this year in the commonwealth workforce because of recent layoffs and downsizing efforts, Dinterman said. Having a smaller number of commonwealth employees in the available donor pool, however, has not decreased giving but has encouraged people to give what they can and even make multiple donations, she said.
(12/05/08 8:54am)
Gov. Tim Kaine asked various agencies and higher education institutions to prepare budget reduction plans of 5 percent, 10 percent and 15 percent Sept. 2.. As the semester comes to a close and the University prepares for 2009, officials are preemptively taking steps to balance the budget and get through the current tough economic times.Colette Sheehy, University vice president for management and budget, said the possible reduction in state funds from the University’s budget next year is, in part, because the recession has affected the commonwealth’s revenue base.“Revenue collections are not keeping pace with the forecasted amount for the current year,” Sheehy said, adding that because officials in Richmond must balance the state budget, they need state agencies such as the University to reduce expenditures and costs.In response to such a request, the University developed a 7-percent budget cut proposal that “will take $10.6 million from the University’s General Fund,” Sheehy said. She added that these proposed cuts would be in addition to cuts the University officially put into place last year. “That was a permanent reduction to the Base Budget Plan and amounted to $9.2 million.”Leonard Sandridge, University executive vice president and chief operating officer, meanwhile, said the University has been proactive in seeking to accommodate the recent reductions in funding.“Schools and departments have applied thoughtful strategies to reducing budgets dependent on state funds,” Sandridge said. “The deans and unit heads have made budget reduction decisions that preserve the instrumental mission of the University, protect services to students and avoid employee layoffs.”Sheehy said revisions to the University budget are still ongoing. She noted that administrators are still compiling the details from each school’s reduction plan, which outlines possible funding cuts to a wide array of programs and services at the University.“These budgets include cuts in salary costs based on decisions not to fill certain vacant positions, reductions to supply costs and decreases in professional development and travel,” Sandridge said. Sheehy, meanwhile, said the cuts will also cause a reduction in or deferment of maintenance for certain buildings on Grounds. Sandridge said certain projects such as elevator maintenance and HVAC unit repairs are some of the few projects the University has placed on hold because of the state budget cuts. In addition to these adjustments, Sandridge said there will also be a reduction of custodial services as well as a reduction in landscape maintenance. Employee salaries, though, have not been reduced. Sandridge added that more budget cuts could be expected in the next fiscal year, but noted that the University is unable to predict the impact such reductions could have on tuition in upcoming years.“Tuition is affected each year [by these cuts] as cost increases occur,” Sandridge added. “For each dollar appropriated by the state for salary increases, the University must raise 61 cents from tuition with the remaining 39 cents coming from state taxes.”Sandridge added, though, that the University remains committed to its AccessUVa program.The Board of Visitors will be updated on the budget cuts in its upcoming finance meeting early in February. “There has not been a meeting of the finance committee of the Board of Visitors since the governor announced the budget reductions, so there were no specific proposals discussed in the October Finance Committee meeting,” Sandridge said, adding, though, that the rector and vice rector have been updated regularly in regards to sources of University funding.As for the University’s endowment, which recently has suffered in the unpredictable economic climate, Sandridge said he remains confident. In a letter written to the University community, Sandridge stated that despite the financial crisis, the University’s endowment continues to give the University the means to cope with reductions in state support and plan for the future. “When the economic crisis hit in the late summer, the long-term pool invested by the University of Virginia Investment Management Company (UVIMCO) decreased from $5.1 billion on June 30 to $4.2 billion on Oct. 31, which is a 20 percent decrease,” Sandridge wrote. In his letter, Sandridge also reassured the University community, stating, “while we know the University’s core endowment is extremely important to the University’s future and to supporting such initiatives as new academic programs and the growth of AccessUVa — funds from the endowment make up just 4.8 percent of the University’s $2 billion operating budget. We benefit from a very diverse set of revenue sources that stabilize our institution in times such as this sources that include tuition, state funds, sponsored programs, and gifts.”While administrators use the University’s financial versatility to move through the crisis, economic concerns and possible funding limitations within academic departments were also discussed during Faculty Senate meetings this semester.For these faculty members asked to cut down on unnecessary costs, reduced departmental spending could mean anything from not purchasing new computers this year or next to a shortage of basic supplies and classroom materials, such as a chalk, Senate Chair Ed Kitch said.“And as a teacher, chalk is very important,” Kitch added.Academic departments and schools have also been asked to not fill any existing vacancies in their ranks of employees, Kitch said, which will have a varied effect for the faculty; Kitch said there are vacancies in some places but not in others, making for a mixed picture when it comes to attempting to determine how much the state budget cuts will affect departments’ staffing.“The bottom line impact will be [determined] very soon school by school and department by department,” he said.Additionally, economic cutbacks could have a potential impact on proposed salary increases, Kitch said. The salary increase for members of the University classified staff that was set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2009, already has been deferred to summer 2009, Kitch added. It is unclear whether this will affect University employees’ decision to adopt the new employee classification system introduced earlier this semester, he said.The publication of scholarly articles and copyright issues has also been a subject of discussion as a result of potential funding cuts, Kitch said. The publication of scholarly articles is a difficult problem that many universities face, Kitch noted, because when professors produce articles, they hold the copyright to that material, but in order to be published in a scholarly journal, they are required to sign over their copyright to the publication. Most of the journals are privately owned and based on a smaller circulation and charge a significant fee for an annual subscription, which is most commonly an online database, Kitch said. “For people who are working in the field access to the journal will be absolutely essential, so the University libraries have to have copies,” Kitch said. University libraries then end up spending a large percent of their annual budgets purchasing copies or annual subscriptions to these research publications and academic journals, even though the University originally provided the funding for the professor to conduct the research in the first place, Kitch explained. “Universities are paying for most of the production cost in the first place [for research and scholarship], and then they have to go and buy it back,” he said. As a result, many universities are encouraging faculty members to push back on the terms of their contracts for the publisher’s demands so they will have greater access to their own work. “This has become a national issue,” Kitch said. The topic gained attention earlier this year after the National Institute of Health demanded that any scientific journal that publishes work produced by NIH must allow authors to retain their copyrights and make the research publication available for public access, Kitch said.On the whole, “it’s a very complicated and very intricate problem,” Kitch said, adding that the Faculty Senate hopes to reach conclusions on the topic through the work of a task force and discussions that will take place next semester.The Board of Visitors will next meet Feb. 5 to 7. Dates for the Faculty Senate meetings during the spring semester, according to the Senate’s Web site, are to be determined. Officials agree, though, that the economy and the state budget cuts will continue to be important on many levels across the University.
(12/02/08 6:46am)
University students and other community members seeking an easier way to visit Washington D.C. and New York City could be in luck if plans for an Amtrak expansion are approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.The proposed three-year pilot program, currently forecasted to cost $17 million, would establish a new series of train routes along the Route 29 and Interstate 95 corridors across Virginia. Charlottesville would be part of the newly reconfigured line, said Meredith Richards, a proponent of the new routes.Richards, who also serves as chairman for the Piedmont Rail Coalition and president for Virginians for High Speed Rail, said the routes would run through the Piedmont region from Lynchburg to Washington D.C. on a daily basis, providing new passenger rail services. The line would also include the introduction of a daily route along I-95 from Richmond to Washington D.C. This initiative is “part of a new model that Amtrak is using,” which allows the trans-national railway provider to partner with state governments to offer intra-state rail services, Richards said, adding that the proposed route in the Piedmont corridor would have many benefits for the Charlottesville area. With the new rail service, it would be possible to catch a train in Charlottesville early in the morning and arrive in Washington D.C. or New York City much faster than currently possible, she said. The pilot program would reprogram existing lines and would use equipment that is already in service between Washington, D.C. and New York City to make travel along that route more efficient, Richards added. “It will be a new paradigm for the state of Virginia,” Richards said. “There are [14] other states that are providing inter-city rail services.” In addition to improving transportation for business commuters, the introduction of the new passenger train routes also could be beneficial for University community members who live both in and outside the Charlottesville area, Richards said.“It will be such a boon for the University,” Richards said.In a proposal released earlier this year, Amtrak made suggestions for improving railway transportation across the state, several of which were focused on the Piedmont Corridor, the route that runs along Route 29, Richards said. According to the proposal, “Amtrak has recommended to [the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation] that steps be taken to implement new Lynchburg to Washington rail service ‘as soon as possible’ including any capital improvements needed to the existing rail line by the host railroad.”These suggestions, among many others, were taken into consideration by VDRPT, said Jennifer Pickett, chief of policy and communications for VDRPT. She noted that the department — which is an agency overseen by the advisory Commonwealth Transportation Board — has developed two main projects to respond to the railway needs of the region and is now awaiting official funding approval from the board as a whole. “We have been working to develop a funding plan,” Pickett said, noting that the $17 million estimated budget of the pilot plan would be designated as operational subsidies applied during the next three years to demonstrate the benefits of a new passenger rail service. This total only represents an estimated cost, though, because a source of funding for the project has not yet been identified, Pickett said. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will meet Dec. 17 to finish drafting a six-year plan for the proposal, and proponents of the plan will seek approval during a January meeting of the board, Pickett said.“The state revenue continues to be revised,” Pickett said. “We’re paying close attention to funding ... What we have to do at this point is to draw up a revision to the six-year plan in order to bring in funding for these projects.”Community meetings regarding the proposal will also be held Jan. 5 to 13, Pickett said.
(11/21/08 6:23am)
The Faculty Senate met yesterday to discuss an agenda heavily influenced by concerns pertaining to the global economy and the implications it could hold for current University operations. University administrators tried to assuage those fears by emphasizing the University’s still-strong financial situation. “Having a few minutes to reflect on the impact that the economy has had on the University of Virginia is worthwhile,” said Leonard Sandridge, University chief operating officer and executive vice president, at the beginning of his presentation. He noted that the recent financial crisis has had a significant impact on businesses and institutions of higher education around the world but said the University is faring relatively well so far.Despite the 15-percent reduction in the commonwealth’s budget and the continued instability of the international market, there are no certain, negative implications for the University and its future, Sandridge said. The best way to understand the University’s overall finances is to look at how the University handles liquidity and bills, deals with debt, manages funds from the commonwealth and maintains its endowment, he explained. Reports on the University’s endowments, along with those of other large leading higher education institutions such as Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University and Duke University have become increasingly popular in the general media during the past few months, Sandridge noted. Although the University’s endowment is down by about 20 percent, he reported, this should not be cause for immediate alarm. Economic troubles have hit some schools harder than others, he noted; some schools have had to freeze their construction programs and financial campaign development programs to compensate for lost funds, while the University has not had to resort to any of these measures.Overall, the University receives revenue from a number of sources ranging from tuition to private donations, and fortunately, “our donors have been generous in good times and bad times,” Sandridge said, adding that “it’s too early to assess what the long-term effects will be.”With no clear end to the financial crisis in sight, the University administration’s main objectives are to keep the University operating as usual and to protect its long-term interests, including future investments.“We still need to protect the opportunity to make investments in areas where we need to be making investments,” Sandridge said.Budget cuts also do not necessarily mean decreased funding for departments, University President John T. Casteen, III noted in his opening remarks. Casteen also discussed a financial award offered through the Higher Education for Development and the United States Agency for International Development to encourage collaboration between American and African universities focused on the topics of agriculture, science and technology, health and medicine, engineering, teaching, business management and economics. The goal of developing any new program is to “make bold steps, despite what might be happening with the economy,” Casteen said.In an open discussion at the end of the meeting, faculty members also voiced their concerns about decisions made by higher levels of administration that affected their departments but did not allow faculty members to have enough input in the decision-making process. Faculty also discussed the selection process for the Jefferson Scholars Graduate Fellowship program, with some voicing their fears that if the interview process is not improved, the program may end up losing some of its best candidates.Additionally, the Faculty Senate discussed the creation of two new awards that, if created, would emphasize lifelong service to the University and teaching achievements, Casteen said.
(11/11/08 5:43am)
Though Democratic candidate Tom Perriello declared victory Friday in his Fifth District congressional race against Republican incumbent Virgil Goode, the official outcome of the race remains unknown. According to Jessica Barba, Perriello’s communications director, the Virginia State Board of Elections will post results of the race Nov. 24. Currently, Perriello leads by 745 votes, but, as Barba noted, he cannot officially be declared the winner until all votes have been processed.Virginia voting law requires, explained James Alcorn, policy advisor for the Virginia State Board of Elections, that if the winner has less than a 1-percent lead, the loser of the election can request a recount of the votes after the results are released. The election process does not simply stop after Nov. 4, he pointed out, as “election officials work [on data] several weeks after the election.”The Board of Elections has received the ballots submitted by the 134 localities in the commonwealth and is going through the results to check for anomalies and any errors, Alcorn said. “The word as far as we know and stand ... is that the canvasses are complete,” Barba said, adding that the summary of votes for each district have been sent to the Board of Elections to be processed.Jerr Rosenbaum, a spokesman for Goode, said the congressman’s office is “still waiting for the results from the Virginia State Board of Elections.” In the meantime, Rosenbaum said, Goode has been spending time working in his congressional office. In the case that a recount is held, Barba said Perriello’s campaign would be open to such a request, although “it’s unlikely that the recount will change anything significant.”Alcorn noted that a recount “is very similar to the process that we’re going through right now.”While Perriello waits for the final results, his campaign has already begun to prepare for what appears to be a coming victory, Barba said. “We are moving ahead with transition plans, assuming that this result will hold,” she said. “As you know, there’s a lot of work to be done by the incoming Congress, and we have no time to waste.”She noted that Perriello’s transition efforts will be led by former congressman L.F. Payne, who held the Fifth District seat in Congress before Goode. New members of the transition team will be announced in the coming days, she added.
(11/10/08 5:55am)
Last week University Police Chief Michael Gibson was named Police Chief of the Year by the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Crisis Intervention Team. Gibson was recognized for his work training University Police officers through the Crisis Intervention Team program and was nominated by his colleague Thomas von Hemert, Thomas Jefferson Area Crisis Intervention Team Program coordinator.“I was pretty surprised,” Gibson said, regarding his award, which he received while attending the NAMI conference held last week in Atlanta.The award is given to a police chief with a CIT program, nominated by anyone in his or her department or “anyone who knows them,” explained Sgt. Robert Northcutt of the College Park Georgia Police Department. Gibson’s accomplishments were apparent through his use of grant money to increase the number of officers in his department who had received CIT training, Northcutt said. CIT training is a “win-win for everyone,” he added.The CIT program itself is based on national guidelines issued through the “Memphis model” for training, which focuses on training police officers to know how to respond to crisis situations, von Hemert said. “The CIT program is a collaboration of the criminal justice and mental health systems working together as a front-end system to keep people in crisis with mental illness out of the justice system,” he explained.CIT training is especially useful for police forces based near college campuses, Gibson noted. “With the Medical Center and the number of people that come in and out of that facility, and most all of them are in a trying situation ... the possibility of our folks running into [a crisis] environment where we need to use those skills is pretty high,” he said.Locally, the police forces have a long record of working with departments across jurisdictions, Gibson said, and receiving grant money to focus on CIT training was “an opportunity for us as a group to bring some training to the police officers that would reduce the risk of them having to deal with someone in a crisis episode.”A large majority of University police officers have received CIT training, Gibson said.“In our police department, the interest in CIT has been phenomenal,” he said, noting this is primarily because officers “recognize the value of it.”Part of the CIT training focuses on teaching officers how to recognize symptoms of various mental health disorders as well as how to deal with people in situations of high stress or crisis, Northcutt said. “It gives people a totally different perspective and the tools that they need to deal with them.”Having officers who are CIT trained is important in many types of situations, Gibson pointed out.“Some of the skills that an officer learns in this training [apply] to everybody that you come in contact with,” he said. “There’s an immediate value to this training.”The ideal implementation of the CIT program, von Hemert explained, involves not only training officers but also collaborating with the mental health and criminal justice systems to determine how they can work together. Creating better policies provides safety for everybody, von Hemert said.Training officers through the CIT program is also highly beneficial for the community, Gibson noted.“It helps us use our local resources for the right reasons – jail versus medical resources,” he said.Gibson has been working for the University Police since 1982 and has been chief for the past 3 years, he said, and has been supporting CIT since the early stages of his career.
(11/07/08 5:43am)
Why does the University have a Faculty Senate? What is its purpose? “Well, the Faculty Senate was established around the beginning of the 20th century when the faculty of the University had become so large that it was not feasible for the entire faculty to meet. Prior to that time, the faculty, which of course started at the size of like, eight, would simply meet together in a room to reach decisions. But by the beginning of the 20th century, it was clear that the faculty, which was then approaching 100 in size, was too large a group to meet, and so the Senate was set up as a representative body to speak for the faculty as whole.” What kinds of faculty members serve in the Senate, and how are they chosen? “I guess all kinds ... The faculty senate consists of 80 members with representation from all the schools, which is portioned by faculty size, so the biggest group of senators is from [the College], the second is from the Medical School, and the numbers are assigned to each school, and the schools then run the process by which their particular senators are selected.” Is there a certain length of term for the senators? “Yes, the senators are elected for four years.” How long have you been a member of the Faculty Senate? “I think five years, this time ... I was also a member in the 1980s, for four years. Have things changed since then?“Very similar; [President John T. Casteen, III] was [University] President both of the times I was on the Senate.” How would you describe the responsibilities of your position as Chair of the Faculty Senate?“My responsibilities are basically to act as a convener, to schedule and arrange meetings, establish agendas, and get people together to talk to each other.” What are some of the key issues the Senate is currently addressing?“Well, we have a task force which is reviewing the status of what the University now calls non-tenure track faculty, formally called general faculty. We have a significant number of faculty who are academic faculty and engage in research and/or teaching, but have this non-tenure track faculty status [yet] make an important contribution to the University ... so the task force is kind of reviewing the University’s relationship with that group and is going to make some recommendations about their status and position. Then we’re following and attempting to assist with the implementation of the report of the ... Commission on the Future of the University; quite a number of people in the Senate also put considerable time and effort into that planning project, and so we’re very concerned about how the recommendations are followed up on and implemented. And we have a [Committee on] Planning & Development ... which is working very hard to try and position the faculty to assist with the campaign, both in terms of planning initiatives and assisting in making the case for philanthropic support. And we have an Academic Affairs Committee; one of its responsibilities is to approve new degree programs or change existing degree programs. Last year, that committee was involved in approving the new [Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy], and there are always various proposals for new degrees. And of course we’re following the budget reduction process, and we’re trying to keep informed about its impact on the various schools ... I’m expecting to create a task force to look at the whole question of copyright in scholarly works, [looking at] the problem of increasing library acquisition costs for journals; the universities both write the scholarly works and pay for them when they acquire the journals and the expense of that has been rising very rapidly. So that project would kind of look at what adjustments should be made and the handling of copyright. The Senate has a grievance committee, which is available to all faculty members in the event that they feel they’ve been mistreated, and we are in the process of reviewing our grievance process and considering some changes to the grievance procedure.”How many Faculty Senate meetings are there in a year and/or semester?There are four [meetings] a year; [they are] two hours long each. Sometimes [there is] an additional retreat, which gives the senators a chance to get to know each other a little better. The timing for the meetings is set by the president’s calendar.”
(10/27/08 5:57am)
The symptoms of the common cold can be caused by the body’s response to a virus, rather than just the virus itself, according to a collaborative study by the University and consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble.In the study, scientists examined the body’s response to the rhinovirus infection, which is one of the main causes of the common cold, said Jay Tiesman, Procter & Gamble Genomics Group leader and author of the study.“What was very interesting is that we found that the human body really responds to rhinoviruses in a way by overstimulating the immune system,” he said. “We found a number of pathways that were identified in response to rhinovirus infection that made us think that maybe that some of the systems that we’re seeing with the common cold are really the responses to the over-stimulation of the immune system.”Identifying these systems and finding ways to temper the body’s response could help significantly in reducing symptoms of the common cold, he said. “We’re hoping that we can use some of these pathways that we’ve identified and learn more about how the body responds to the rhinovirus infection and develop new therapeutic compounds that can ultimately go into our products,” Tiesman said.For most people, Pediatrics Prof. Ronald Turner said, the rhinovirus is just responsible for a common cold. For individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions, though, contraction of the rhinovirus can exacerbate their preexisting conditions, he added.“Obviously the rhinovirus infection is a major problem in the world, and it affects a lot of people,” Tiesman said. “It’s not really normally a deadly disease but it’s associated with a lot of problems, like asthma. So hopefully by understanding this, we can impact not just the common cold but take it even further and have a bigger medical impact.”The study will not necessarily result in the immediate development of new medical remedies, Turner said, noting that researching causes and symptoms of the common cold is part of an important and continuing body of research.Tiesman, though, said there will be “efforts to take the information that we have now and develop new therapies for the cold and for related diseases.”The study was conducted at the University and used University student volunteers as test subjects, Tiesman said.“We don’t restrict our studies to college students, but the vast majority of our volunteers are [University] students,” he said. Researchers completed a general survey of cell responses to the virus, Turner said, adding that “by doing this, you find out things that you wouldn’t expect.”
(10/22/08 7:07am)
When you sit down in front of the television, do you ever change the channel when you want to turn up the volume instead? Or have trouble finding the mute button on someone else’s TV remote? If so, these are examples of “user errors” found in everyday tasks, noted Assoc. Engineering Prof. Stephanie Guerlain, who has been conducting research in the field of cognitive engineering.Guerlain, who presented a lecture last month at the 2008 Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, hosted by the National Academy of Engineering , said user error is relatively common and can stem from a lack of practical design and a lack of incorporation of important cognitive psychological factors. While user error varies across different products and systems, it can have devastating effects for “high-risk industries,” such as medical care, Guerlain said.In the case of industries where computer-generated systems are used, problems can easily arise simply by pushing a button or clicking on the wrong command.“You could make the mistake and not realize it,” she said. Guerlain’s research focuses on observing how people interact with different products and on improving that interaction by developing more easily accessible interfaces.“Some products are designed in such a way that they have user hazards, which means that the way that the system is designed leads to error,” Guerlain said.She added that this is particularly relevant in the medical field, where patient safety is the highest concern. “There are so many opportunities for us to improve our systems of care and our interfaces for care between us doctors and nurses,” said Margaret Plews-Ogan, clinical internal medicine associate professor and chief of the University’s Division of General Medicine. “Up to this point, doctors have been working harder to try and make health care safer, but we’re very interested in working with engineers,” she said. “If we want to do this well, we have to work as a team.”There are many opportunities for better design for systems in the medical field; even simple things like an IV label can make a large difference, Plews-Ogan said. If the label is poorly designed, a nurse could hang the wrong bag by mistake, which might harm a patient, Plews-Ogan said, adding that clear and systematic label design could assist nursing staff to prevent such situations from occurring in the first place.With problems like this in mind, the Medical School and University Medical Center collaborated to form the Institute for Patient Quality and Safety, which was “designed with the vision to bring together these different disciplines to improve our care for patients,” said Plews-Ogan, who is also the director of the institute. It was formed in January of the this year and incorporates faculty from the Medical School, Nursing School, Engineering School and potentially “everyone who has a stake in improving patient care.”This program is unique and part of an emerging field, Plews-Ogan said.“At the University, we’re farther along with this than many other institutions,” she noted.To understand the cognitive engineering behind existing systems better, University researchers use a system of task analysis to observe initial usage, then design prototypes to create a better model, Guerlain said.“We really think about the design and the users’ perspectives. Knowing how and why a system or product is supposed to carry out a task is crucial to its design from an engineering standpoint,” she said. “If you don’t understand how it’s supposed to work, it’s hard to have a workable design.”According to Guerlain’s research, one of the problems with most products today is that their systems do not “fit” with people’s pre-existing knowledge and their expectations for how products organize that knowledge. There are some cognitive activities that are fairly standard across human capabilities, and it is therefore beneficial for systems to incorporate these trends, Guerlain said.Memory capacity is also an important factor, she said, because “so many designs don’t take into account the limitations on short-term memory.” There are restrictions on short-term memory, she said, and when presented with too much information, people become quickly overwhelmed.“In short-term memory you can hold only a limited numbers of things – about seven things,” Psychology Chair Dennis Proffitt said. The things a person can retain are also dependent upon the type and size of the items stored, he said, noting that “unless you rehearse or reinstate the memory, it will be lost in 20 minutes.”There is often significant overlap between human and technical factors, Guerlain said. Finding an interface that is both practical and incorporates psychological principles requires a cross-disciplinary approach, she said.“The people that do it best are the people who bring in cognitive psychologists at the very start,” Proffitt said, noting that principles of cognitive psychology need to be introduced at the start of a project design, rather than waiting until something goes wrong. Overall, Guerlain said, cognitive engineering is a relatively new field and there is still much to learn. “It’s very broad-spectrum,” she said.
(10/08/08 6:47am)
Following the voter registration deadline Monday, the Charlottesville Office of Voter Registration is processing the final surge of local residents registering to vote in the November elections. This year, many organizations — both partisan and non-partisan — worked on and around Grounds to register University students to vote.Sheri Iachetta, general registrar for the Charlottesville Office of Voter Registration, said voter registration has been much greater this year than in past years. Since the deadline for voter registration just recently passed, though, it is hard to predict exactly how many applications the City of Charlottesville has received, Iachetta said.“We received [more than] 1,300 voter registration applications yesterday,” she said. “We’re going to be processing applications for a week.”Though the total number of voter registration applications in uncertain at this point, Iachetta estimated that over 4,000 people recently have registered in Charlottesville in order to participate in the upcoming election. It is difficult to determine how many of those people are students registering to vote in the area, Iachetta noted, adding that “there is no way to really estimate the impact of student votes as of right now.” With volunteers posted in key locations across central Grounds, many organizations tried to make it easy for students to register, said Emily Blakemore, campus coordinator for Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign. College Republicans Chairman Savanna Rutherford noted that her organization’s efforts included tabling on the Lawn to encourage and remind students to register.“If you are constantly reminded to vote, you’re less likely to forget and miss the deadline,” she said.Marta Cook, chair of the non-partisan Voter Registration Coalition and also a former Cavalier Daily Opinion columnist, said 13 organizations, both partisan and non-partisan, have worked together around Grounds to register University students to vote.“It’s been fantastic,” she said. “There are not many cases that allow disparate groups to come and work together.” Both Blakemore and Rutherford agreed that groups’ voter registration efforts were rewarded. Blakemore noted that in registering students to vote, her organization “registered a surprising number of first-time voters.” Many upperclassmen students tended to fill out absentee ballots, while first-year students represented the majority of those who switched to register in Charlottesville, she said.Iachetta noted that with the increase in the number of registered voters in Charlottesville, voters likely will have to spend more time waiting at the polls.“They’re going to need to have patience,” she added. Many University students, though, likely will vote by absentee ballot rather than in person. With the voter registration deadline now in the past, various groups are now turning their attention toward helping students acquire absentee ballots.