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(10/23/08 4:57am)
Charlottesville — an art-obssessed townFor the art-hungry sick of wandering around the U.Va. Art Museum on Rugby Road all month, greater Charlottesville is calling your name. For the uninitiated, art galleries usually change their exhibits every month. Luckily, October is far from over, leaving the opportunity to take one last peek at what the art world has to offer. Kluge-Ruhe showcases photographer John Ogden with “Australienation: Portrait of a Bi-cultural Country;” Les Yeux du Monde presents mixed-media from Shelby Fischer; Migration: A Gallery exhibits oil paintings by Jan Aronson; and the McGuffy Art Center hosts four shows, with paintings, jewelry and food-inspired works by various artists.— by stephanie garciaLil’ Wayne to release whole new Carter IIIIt’s been a big year for Lil’ Wayne — his blockbuster LP Tha Carter III has sold record millions on the strength of singles like “Lollipop” and “A Milli.” Perhaps hoping to capitalize on that success, Lil’ Wayne recently reported in an MTV.com interview that his next album will be called the exact same name. That’s right — while Wayne’s next opus will contain all new songs and content, it will still be called Tha Carter III. It is still unclear whether Wayne is serious or whether this is some sort of bizarre joke, but the rap giant insists he’s completely serious. As of publication, there is no release information for the second Tha Carter III.—by ethan hamlinLive from New York ... it’s Sarah Palin?With all the ridicule she has had to endure in the past weeks, few would have imagined Sarah Palin would ever show her face on Saturday Night Live. But Oct. 18, after a lot of convincing and phone calls with Lorne Michaels, that’s exactly what she did. The Alaskan governor and Republican vice presidential candidate appeared live in the introduction and Weekend Update segments of the show. In the opening, she filled in for her famed impersonator Tina Fey in a mock press conference. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Michaels hinted that he’s keeping another candidate appearance before the election under wraps.—by david replogle
(10/23/08 4:00am)
For the second year in a row, a major project at the University’s Institute for Advanced Technologies in the Humanities is making headlines. Last year, the institute worked with scholars to build a virtual model of Ancient Rome. This week, it announced a new initiative to digitize colonial Williamsburg. Few programs at the University bring as much attention as the institute, and it should be expanded to allow more professors to “realize their digital dream,” as director Bernard Frischer put it.IATH’s largest projects, like the Rome and Williamsburg projects, are typically funded by external donations, but it also sponsors a fellowship for a professor each year. The faculty fellows are funded from the commonwealth budget. As such, the budget for this program will undergo cuts in the next couple years, though Frischer said those cuts will be only 6 percent of the budget — small enough for IATH to adjust easily.The University’s budget crunch makes it hard to justify calling for expanded spending, but this institute should be a higher priority in the future. Its work benefits more than just the professors who win its fellowships.The institute was one of the first of its kind, and there still is no comparable digital humanities project in the United States, Frischer said. The opportunities it offers are a selling point the University can use to attract faculty — only University faculty have access to its resources. Frischer himself said he heard about IATH while at another university and wanted to know how he could get involved. Students and professors at other universities use the content produced from the institute’s collaborations with professors, drawing attention to the opportunities available at the University and building its reputation. At the University, the resources professors create through fellowships with IATH augment the classes they teach. “When a great research resource is created ... they’re done as research projects, but they are then out there and can be used for teaching,” Frischer said. “There is no hard and fast line between research and teaching.”Unfortunately, the demand for these fellowships far outpaces the supply. Only one fellowship is awarded each year. “When we first started, it was hard to find one applicant per year,” Frischer said. Maybe one fellowship was enough in 1992, but now many professors enter the competition for a fellowship and are denied. IATH tries to compensate by awarding associate fellowships to a few other deserving professors, who enjoy some access to the institute’s staff. The University has taken a number of steps recently to encourage professors to incorporate digital material into their courses, but for the most part, humanities classes are still dominated by books and articles, even if they are electronic form. IATH offers professors an opportunity to provide students with something beyond an electronic form of material already available. It presents them with the opportunity to create new media not previously possible to create.It is a shame professors offering worthy projects are turned down by IATH. The University should give it the resources to meet demand.
(10/22/08 7:00am)
There’s no better education than learning on the job. A class of 12 fourth-year students in the Architecture School is doing just that, working to provide Charlottesville officials with data that will help them understand the city’s housing woes. The students are essentially doing what they have been studying for years now, and in the process they are providing a service to the community. This approach should be adopted by more classes in all of the University’s undergraduate schools.The class project arose as a response to student requests, professor Nisha Botchwey said. Students in the urban and environmental planning department asked how they could apply their skills to the current housing situation in Charlottesville. It is not unusual for student projects in the Architecture School to deal with real issues. “That’s the norm for planning courses,” Botchwey said, adding that in her time at the University she has organized projects working in tandem with a number of local non-profit organizations.The benefits of this type of learning are obvious. Rather than dealing purely in theory or creating artificial problems to solve, students can get real-world experience while learning. If they are doing the work anyway, why not do something useful?The issue of collaboration among instructors and outside entities, even non-profit organizations, does raise some ethical questions. If professors are not careful, they could easily end up using their students as free labor for the organizations with which they are working. The housing project does not seem to have done this, as the information gleaned from the project will be useful to a large number of people, not just the Piedmont Housing Alliance, with which Botchwey worked to shape the project’s goals.Fourth-year planning students always do a project similar to this one, Botchwey said. Projects that focus on applying skills to Charlottesville are too rare in other schools, however. Professors in all disciplines should think about how their classes could extend outside of the classroom and produce real, useful research.Students can make this happen themselves. Projects for which students get to choose the topic offer an opportunity for students to focus on local issues and accomplish something beyond a good grade. Students should be encouraged to conduct thesis research on problems their efforts can help solve.Student Council’s Student-Initiated Courses offers one opportunity for undergraduate students interested in a real-world issue to address it with professor help. With several student organizations dedicated to social issues on Grounds and in Charlottesville, students clearly have the drive to work on real problems outside the classroom; professors should work with them in order to, as Botchwey put it, “bridge theory to practice.”
(10/21/08 5:06am)
University students will have the opportunity Nov. 4 to take a University Transit Service bus to two Charlottesville polling stations. “I think this is a great opportunity because the way it looks now, classes will not be cancelled on Election Day, said Marta Cook, chair of the Center for Politics Student Voter Registration Coalition and former Cavalier Daily Opinion columnist. “This will be the quickest and cheapest way for students to get out there and vote.”The University Alumni Association, as well as several other University sources that wish to remain anonymous, have agreed to provide funding for one UTS chartered bus, set to run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Cook said. “There has been a lot of concern about the length of lines,” Cook said, noting with this service, voters can go to the polls “any time of the day, rather than only one time when someone can give them a ride. This may give them chances for them to go to the polls at less trafficked times — times that will probably have shorter lines at the polls.” The charter bus will start at the Alderman Road residences, then stop at the McCormick Road residences and at the University Chapel bus stop before taking students to the two polling locations, Alumni Hall and University Hall, Cook said.“This is all done through UTS, and we’re basically trying to hit the high-volume areas of where students are located and taking them to the two main polling locations in Charlottesville,” Cook said. —compiled by Alexandra Hemenway
(10/21/08 5:05am)
University students and staff have been specifically targeted in an e-mail phishing scam asking users to provide their University usernames and passwords, said Shirley Payne, Information Technology and Communication office director for security coordination and policy. Those who have received the message are asked to not open but rather to delete the message. The message appears to have been sent from a University account, but is not an actual request, Payne said.“U.Va. will never email you asking for this information,” Payne said. “Such e-mails are an attempt to steal your private account information.”Payne said her office is aware of the message and has posted a warning on the ITC home page. Officials have also issued an alert to IT support staff in administrative and academic departments, she noted.“Both Gmail and Live@edu mail systems, as well as the mail systems managed by U.Va., use state-of-the-art technology to detect spam, including certain forms of scam messages,” Payne said. “Unfortunately, the technology does not exist to thwart all forms.”Because some forms of spam are not detected, Payne said awareness of the threat and online security in general is vital. The University will also offer several security awareness events unrelated to this scam Oct. 22 and Oct. 30, she said. —compiled by Thomas Madrecki
(10/21/08 4:50am)
As the University deals with state budget cuts and a shrinking economy’s effects on donations, every department of the University is trying to reduce its operating costs without affecting the services it provides students.At the same time, the Department of Information Technology and Communication now faces the possibility of increased costs if the U.S. Department of Education decides a recent federal law mandates further technological protections against Internet piracy. Hopefully, ITC will be allowed to deal with piracy through education and community norms, as it currently does, but the department should still be looking for ways to cut costs in the long term.If ITC takes simple, pragmatic steps, it can cut some waste in the resources it currently provides students. It can be hard to find a computer in the libraries some nights, but ITC could actually provide access to computers for more students by buying fewer computers.Not every student who sits down at a computer needs the full capabilities of the computer. Most students doing research need only access to the Internet and perhaps a word processor. The computer uses nowhere near its full power to handle this sort of activity. In short, resources are wasted.A virtual computing solution would allow ITC to purchase cheaper machines for each individual computer station, which would rely on a central server for most functions. For places like Clemons or Alderman libraries, which have large banks of PCs that are not generally used to run advanced programs, this seems like an ideal arrangement, since it would cost ITC far less to expand its computing access.At the same time, a virtual computing system would give students better access to certain programs licensed by the University. Though all ITC computers have a few basic programs on them, more specialized programs are only available on certain computers, meaning students must check ITC’s Web site to figure out where to find the program they need. A virtual computing solution could allow University students to run those programs from any machine. This is not just more convenient for students; it could free up some computers currently dedicated to specialized programs.Student focus groups have told ITC they tend to carry their own laptop computers to the libraries, and the renovation of Clemons Library’s fourth floor demonstrates ITC’s attempt to meet those students’ needs. Other locations, however, are less conducive to laptop computing. The second floor of that same building — typically packed after Alderman Library closes at night — has only two power outlets on each of the building’s support columns. This amounts to about one outlet for every four-person table. Power strips are already available for rent at the Clemons desk, and students should take advantage of those. Perhaps the library could better advertise their ability by placing a sign above each outlet.ITC officials say it is currently considering the option of virtual computing. The idea is just an example of how innovation can help the University meet the challenges of its budget crisis while continuing to serve students.
(10/20/08 4:05am)
The Honor Committee approved a bylaw last night that gives the Committee more jurisdiction over honor offenses that occur in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.The bylaw allows the Committee to apply some or all of its standard procedures to investigate honor allegations that originate from all SCPS courses, including ones offered online.According to the old bylaw, SCPS cases were to be investigated by the regional director of the SCPS location in which an offense took place. Under the new bylaw, the Committee retains the power to decide who will investigate a case — the Committee or the regional director. All trials will be held in Charlottesville, which is not a new policy.Committee Chair Jessica Huang explained at a previous meeting that the new bylaw seeks to ensure fair honor proceedings for all students. For instance, she said, it would be in the best interest of a student taking an SCPS course online who does not live within close proximity of the regional center to have the Committee, rather than the SCPS regional director, investigate his or her case. SCPS has locations in six regional centers: Central Virginia, Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke and Southwest Virginia.—compiled by Stephanie Kassab
(10/20/08 4:00am)
As the clock ran out on the Virginia football team’s 2005 win against then-No. 4 Florida State, fans watched with concern as the crowd on the hill behind the north end zone pressed against the fence separating fans from the field. The rush to stampede the field in celebration produced a scary moment as the fence collapsed, and some students were trampled — some sustaining serious injuries. This weekend’s victory against North Carolina was not marred by such danger, and changes implemented by the athletic department can be thanked for that.Since the 2005 game, there has been no physical barrier separating the hill from the field. Security guards and police officers have patrolled the area, as they always have, to ensure students’ safety as well as to keep them off the field. Those officials did not attempt to stop students from taking the field Saturday, but instead watched for students who may have been in trouble. This policy assured student safety as much as possible.Of course, the best option for assuring student safety would be to prevent students from rushing the field at all. This is not an option, however. A herd of a few thousand elated fans — some of whom have been drinking — would easily overcome whatever barrier is in their way. Many students see it as their right — or even responsibility — to charge the field after a big win, and to think enforcement efforts can shake their determination is foolhardy.The University learned that lesson at the Florida State game. Other schools still have not. East Carolina University dealt with allegations of police brutality as officers tried to keep students from taking the field after a win against West Virginia earlier this season. The Southeastern Conference fines schools whose students take the field — encouraging schools to attempt futilely to stop them. Fortunately, the Atlantic Coast Conference has no such policy.Students need to exercise caution as they run onto the field, and they should be reminded that stampedes of people can be very dangerous. As they did Saturday, students should look after each others’ safety.It is even good that the athletic department does not officially allow students to take the field. This prohibition keeps the occurrence to a minimum, as it should be. Rushing the field is an expression of the excitement of college sports and the passion with which students embrace their teams. Schools should not be asked to ignore it or pretend it is not a part of the appeal of collegiate athletics. In practice, they embrace it: The video of this weekend’s game on VirginiaSportsTV.com includes footage of the celebration on the field, and even coach Al Groh was quoted in The Daily Progress, saying “I was glad to see the students enjoy themselves.”Virginia fans did not enjoy themselves for much of this season, which makes students’ joy at defeating a ranked team in dramatic fashion — and defending the home turf at Scott Stadium, where North Carolina has not won in 27 years — understandable. The athletic department has had some trouble dealing with spontaneous student expression this year, but Saturday it allowed that joy to overflow — and in doing so, it helped protect students’ safety.
(10/20/08 4:00am)
MichelleThird-year, mechanical engineering major What extracurriculars do you participate in?Women’s Club Ultimate Frisbee, Society of Women EngineersWhat does your ideal weekend look like?Typically go out one night and spend time with my friends and relax the rest of the time. Although about one-third of my weekends a semester I’m gone for tournaments.What are the physical and personality attributes you are looking for in a date?I would like them to be taller on a physical standpoint but personality-wise I like when guys are funny without trying to be, motivated, a little bit of a guy’s guy and they have to love football, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers.What music do you like (genres and bands)?I am pretty much a fan of everything, with the exception of true country music (I can tolerate the pop country artists: Shania [Twain], Taylor Swift, etc, but they are not my first choice). Favorite artists: The Clarks, John Mayer, The Academy Is..., The Maine, Santogold, MGMT, Shwayze, Girl Talk, Wiz Khalifa, Cartel, Michael TolcherWhat’s your favorite food?Frozen yogurt.Describe your ideal date (not person but outing).Something casual, like dinner on an outdoor patio and then one of those concert in the park type deals.What are deal breakers?I would like the guy to be my age or older and not a smoker. Definite deal breaker would be if he thought women weren’t capable of doing technical jobs or were meant to stay at home in the kitchen.Where do you see yourself in 10 years?At 30 ... hmmm, I would like to be living a successful life in my career and at home. I’m not sure what that success means but I’ll figure it out.If you were a member of the circus, who would you be and why?I would want to be one of those tissue acrobats, I mean I know they are in Cirque du Soleil but the real circus should incorporate them more. It takes a lot of core strength and flexibility and looks really cool. PaulThird-year, biomedical engineering majorWhat extracurriculars do you participate in?I am on the Phi Eta Sigma Exec Board (Treasurer), involved with the UJC [University Judiciary Committee] and tutor grade-school children through Madison House.What do you like to do in your free time?I play guitar and piano, love to go golfing and go to the gym a few times a week to exercise. I also enjoy listening to music, watching movies and reading books, magazines and newspapers.What are the physical and personality attributes you are looking for in a date?Personality-wise, I like girls who can keep a conversation going, are outgoing and are serious about things like school but like to cut loose every once in a while. Physically, I would like a girl to take care of her body — to watch what she eats (most of the time), who likes to stay active, whether by going to the gym every once in a while, walking somewhere instead of driving or playing a sport and who doesn’t smoke.What music do you like (genres and bands)?I’m a big fan of rock music, from classic rock from the ‘60s to the hybrid rock/rap smashups of today. Not a fan of country; rap is acceptable. Techno is good for partying. Bands: I like a bunch, but the big ones include Radiohead, Oasis, Coldplay, The Beatles, Third Eye Blind, Muse, U2, Weezer, etc.What’s your favorite food?Hmm, either a good steak ‘n’ cheese sub or a Chipotle burrito, or wait, maybe a good rack of ribs ... too hard to decide. It’s all too delicious!Describe your ideal date (not person but outing).Take a stroll around on a nice sunny day and talk, then find a field and toss a frisbee around for a bit, then go find something to eat and finally end the date with a movie. Hopefully we would have enough to talk about, so that lulls in the conversation would be kept to a minimum. At the end we would both want to hang out again.What are deal breakers?Smoking, overweight, much taller than me (I’m about 5’10” or 11”), so anything over 5’11” or 6’ won’t really work.Where do you see yourself in 10 years?On the cover of “Fortune” after my cancer-cure manufacturing company goes public.If you were a member of the circus, who would you be and why?The ring-leader because I prefer to know what’s going on around me at all times.Date: Friday, Oct. 3Time: 6:30 p.m.Location: The Biltmore GrillPaul: I got there at 6:30 [p.m.], so I got a table on the patio and she showed up a few minutes later.Michelle: I was a bit late because my week was [hectic]. I took a nap after school and I did not set an alarm. But I got up on time and I was only three minutes late. He seemed like a really nice guy.Paul: She looked like she’d be fun to hang out with, someone that would be cool to get to know. The table was wobbly, and she used some sugar packets to fix it and make it sturdy, so that was pretty impressive.Michelle: I’m not that picky; I just had a sandwich and some french fries.Paul: I just got a hamburger. She got a crab cake sandwich. It was good, pretty standard; I didn’t want to go too crazy.Michelle: We’re both from out of state, so we talked about that a little bit. He’s in the E-School, too, so we knew a couple of the same people.Paul: I think we ended up being in the same stat class last year. We had a lot of classes in common, I guess, and a lot of the same experiences, so we could relate.Michelle: We started talking about people we knew in the E-School and midterms. He’s Bio Med, and I’m Mech E, so there wasn’t a lot of crossover, but we talked about that and a lot of technical, geeky stuff. Then we talked about sports. He’s a golfer, and I play Ultimate [Frisbee]. Since I had a tournament the next day, I explained a little how that went.Paul: She’s on the Ultimate club team and she travels around with that. That was cool. She likes to stay active, play a team sport and she gets to travel around to different colleges.Michelle: We both have brothers that are seniors in high school that are doing a lot of the same stuff — applications and such. Paul: We’re both the oldest kids in our families. Her dad’s retired and my dad wishes he was retired. After dinner, we took a walk down the Lawn. We talked about music. She likes Girl Talk, and she wanted to go to the show last year, but the person giving her tickets decided to give them to someone else at the last second. She ended up going to the Richmond show during finals week. I wished we had talked more about music.Michelle: He lives on Brandon [Avenue], and I live on JPA [Jefferson Park Avenue], so we walked back the same way through the Lawn, then parted ways at the awkward construction walkway. I think the date went really well. It was a constant flow of conversation, not really any awkward pausing. He’s a really nice guy, so we got along pretty well.Paul: I guess I could see us hanging out again but we’ll have to see what happens.Michelle: A second date? Maybe. It’s a possibility. I haven’t talked to him since the date; I haven’t really been home. I did get his friend request on Facebook last night, so I’m sure you guys are gonna put, like, “Friended on Facebook, and she accepted,” as always.Where they are now:Paul friended Michelle on Facebook and she accepted. They had a brief exchange on each others’ walls but have not talked since.
(10/20/08 4:00am)
The No. 14 Virginia men’s soccer team suffered its first defeat in more than a month, falling 1-0 loss to Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Friday night.The loss marks the end of Virginia’s six-game winning streak and gives Virginia its first conference loss of the season; the Cavaliers return to Virginia with a record of 8-4 (4-1 ACC).Boston College freshman forward Edvin Worley scored the game-winning goal for the Eagles in the 65th minute. The Eagles edged the Cavaliers 13-12 in shots, but the teams both had the opportunity to take five corner kicks. Freshman forward Brian Ownby led Virginia with seven shots but was unable to find the back of the net.Virginia will return to action Tuesday night when the Cavaliers take on Longwood at Klöckner Stadium.—compiled by Anders Sleight
(10/20/08 4:00am)
The Virginia field hockey team failed to improve upon its lopsided road record Saturday, losing to No. 7 North Carolina 0-3.The 3-goal deficit was the largest of the season for Virginia (11-6, 1-2 ACC), which was unable to capitalize on the absence of ACC scoring leader junior forward Danielle Forword. The Cavaliers mustered a single shot on goal from senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn off the team’s second and final penalty corner opportunity.The Cavaliers will return home to take on No. 3 Wake Forest at the University Hall Turf Field Saturday at 1 p.m.—compiled by Ben Gomez
(10/20/08 4:00am)
The Virginia men’s cross country team finished in sixth place with 205 points in the Men’s 8k White Race at the Pre-NCAA meet this past weekend, a solid showing in competition against 39 of the nation’s best teams. Sophomore Ryan Collins led the men as he finished 23rd in the pack with a time of 24:00.9. Seniors Ryan Foster and Andy Biladeau also finished in the top 50. Foster crossed the line 32nd with a time of 24:13.7, while Biladeau finished 38th running 24:17.9. Virginia’s team score was bolstered by senior Kevin Tschirhart, who finished 55th at 24:27.9, and junior Graham Tribble, who followed closely behind crossing 57th at 24:29.7. The Virginia men upset No. 3 Colorado and No. 11 Iowa State.The Virginia women finished 23rd with 596 points in the Women’s 6k White Race. Senior All-American Katie Read did not participate in the race. Junior Stephanie Garcia, who is a tableau editor for The Cavalier Daily, led the Virginia women as she took 17th, crossing the tape in 20:50.2. Freshman Morgane Gay also ran a strong race, placing 61st in 21:31.1. Junior Samantha Stafford finished 161st in 22:26.7, and senior Susan Brooks claimed 172nd in 22:34.8. Sophomore Lyndsay Harper concluded the Virginia women scorers with a time of 22:43.8 to take 185th. Virginia will now prepare for the ACC Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C. set for Nov. 1. —compiled by Emily Bareford
(10/17/08 9:02am)
University Librarian Karin Wittenborg will serve as the keynote speaker for this year’s Fall Convocation Oct. 24.University President John T. Casteen, III’s decision to select Wittenborg from a short list of candidates provided by a student-faculty advising committee continued the general trend of choosing University community members — especially faculty or administrators — as the keynote speakers for Fall Convocation, said Alexander Gilliam, special assistant to the president and secretary to the Board of Visitors.The idea is that Fall Convocation is a “University community occasion, and it should be kept in the family,” Gilliam said.Coinciding with Family Weekend, Fall Convocation is a longer-standing University tradition whose present purpose revolves around the keynote address and the awarding of intermediate honors, as well as the University’s prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award, Gilliam said.Ultimately, the choice of the keynote speaker tends to be based on certain personal attributes, Gilliam said. For example, he noted that there is generally a desire for a competent public speaker, with an interesting presentation, whom the University community holds in high regard.As with keynote speakers in past years, Gilliam noted, Wittenborg will be allowed to speak on topics of her choosing.“She could talk about anything she wanted,” Gilliam said. “Speakers in the past have talked about anything that is on their mind.”— compiled by Prateek Vasireddy
(10/17/08 9:02am)
In light of several incidents of computer theft and other issues, the University’s Department of Information Technology and Communication Security and Policy Office will host a series of events and implement a number of new initiatives aiming to increase awareness about cyber security issues on Grounds.Shirley Payne, vice president and chief information officer, noted that her department’s efforts to increase such awareness go on throughout the year, but that this month, National Cyber Security Month, in particular offers her office increased opportunities to do this.Payne said many of the scheduled events, including an IT professionals conference Oct. 11 and two presentations Oct. 14 and Oct. 30, focus on the protection of institutional data.Despite this, Payne noted, the information offered in these presentations could also be applied to private computer use.“Though the presentation [Oct. 14] was mainly focused on employees, students can get something out of it, as well,” Payne said. “What you learn at work about protection of institutional data can be transferred to your home computer where you do your own personal activity.”She also noted that the list of events includes an Oct. 22 presentation in the Newcomb Hall South Meeting Room by a security-focused partnership between the University, the University Credit Union, the Albemarle County and local city governments and K-12 school systems and Piedmont Virginia Community College called “Who’s Watching Charlottesville?”.The efforts to increase cyber security awareness follow up other security policy updates that took place earlier this year, Payne added. Among these previous updates was a decrease in the University’s use of social security numbers and an effort to reduce the storage of sensitive data, she noted.The sensitive data policy change “is another step in the whole initiative,” Payne said. “It basically says no one may store sensitive data on their [electronic] devices.”Payne said such sensitive data would include social security numbers, credit card numbers and dates of birth. She noted that individuals may often be unaware of sensitive data that they have stored for long periods of time.Because of this, Payne said, the University has implemented some tools to help employees comply with the policy. One of these tools, she noted, is a program called Identity Finder that can scan an individual’s computer or storage devices, such as flash drives, for sensitive data.Ultimately, Payne noted that increased awareness should contribute greatly to efforts to increase both institutional and personal cyber security.“The bottom line is [these] events would be of use to students and faculty and staff as well,” Payne said.— compiled by Prateek Vasireddy
(10/17/08 8:58am)
The Thursday, Oct. 12 news article “Palin rally puts focus on national economy” quoted University Democrats Communications Coordinator Michael Feuerstein as saying, presidential candidate Barack Obama “exercised that judgment in 2002 when he came out opposing Iraq, predicting the indeterminate cause and length the war would bring.” Feuerstein actually said Obama “exercised that judgment in 2002 when he came out opposing Iraq, predicting the indeterminate costs and length the war would bring.” The Cavalier Daily regrets the error.
(10/17/08 8:52am)
If the ability to draw big-name commencement speakers is any indication of a university’s prestige, the University needs to catch up to a certain institution in Lynchburg. Liberty University’s speaker last year was Chuck Norris, noted TV and film star (and conservative activist). The University’s speaker was Hunter R. Rawlings III, a classics scholar whose most notable achievement is his term as a university president — at Cornell.Of course, fame is not the only measure of a great commencement speaker. Relatively unimpressive individuals could write great speeches, and sometimes people who have done fascinating things are completely unknown. Certainly Norris’s professional achievements do not warrant him speaking at any university. But — like it or not — improving a university’s appeal to students involves increasing its prestige, and attracting well-known or respected speakers — commencement speakers and others — is important to a university’s reputation. Truly prestigious universities attract prestigious speakers. Just look at Harvard University. Its commencement speaker last year was J.K. Rowling, and its “Class Day” speaker — the Ivy League equivalent of the University’s valedictory speaker — was Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Not too shabby.Respected visitors to a university convey the message that it is a place where serious people discuss ideas. Prospective students see speakers who have visited a university as an indication of the quality of opportunities available at that university. Students talk about impressive speakers they have seen, spreading word about the university’s status as a world-class institution.Even controversial speakers benefit a university. David Horowitz, the conservative academic who spoke at the University this week, speaks at so many schools that his visit alone does not lend prestige, but the discussion his ideas provoked — even in the form of protest — improves the University. Ironically, the students who agree with Horowitz were likely the same ones outraged by former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami’s visit in 2006. That speech undoubtedly lent some prestige to the University, despite Khatami’s controversial image — especially since Khatami, a fan of the University’s founder, had asked to visit Charlottesville.More high-profile speakers — whether heads-of-state, captains of industry or respected scholars — would help the University as it tries to break into the ranks of truly elite American universities. Unfortunately, the University does little to attract them.The University has a policy of not paying for speakers, according to Fourth-Year Trustees president Christina Polenta. This is not unusual. Many universities invite speakers offering only the honor of being invited.The honor of speaking at the University does not seem to be enough to attract the best speakers. It is clearly not enough to get speakers to go out of their way to address the University. Both Rawlings and the previous year’s commencement speaker, John Grisham, were already living in Charlottesville.The University should reconsider its position on paying speakers. At the very least, valedictory speakers could be offered some enticement, and the University could fund high-level speakers throughout the year (selected by students, of course). Refusing to pay speakers might place the University in the same category as other elite schools, but that stance is invisible to those outside the University community. A more impressive slate of speakers would do more for the University’s status.
(10/16/08 5:08am)
The best of the best in college tennis gathered in Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the ITA All-America tournament last week. Sophomore No. 104 Michael Shabaz delved deepest into the tournament for Virginia, winning six consecutive matches, including a straight-set victory against No. 2 Denes Lukacs of Baylor, before falling in the quarterfinals to No. 31 Enrique Oliveras of East Tennessee State (7-6, 3-6, 2-6). Reaching the quarterfinal round guarantees Shabaz a singles berth in the ITA National Indoor Championships in November.Shabaz’s stellar performance highlighted the week for Virginia as he excelled in the qualifying rounds, fighting his way to the main draw, which held a field of 64 competitors. Five of the sophomore’s victories were against top-100 opponents — Shabaz defeated No. 53 senior Sascha Heinemann of Hawaii (6-2, 6-3) and No. 87 sophomore Jay Goldman of Arizona (6-4, 6-7, 6-2) in the qualifying rounds. Shabaz cruised through the first three rounds of the main draw defeating No. 69 senior Chris Clayton of Harvard (6-2, 6-0), the highly touted Lukacs (6-2, 6-4) and No. 14 junior Bruno Rosa of Rice (6-0, 6-4) before falling to Oliveras in the quarterfinal.Virginia junior No. 75 Houston Barrick also advanced to the main draw from the qualifying rounds, while senior No. 18 Dominic Inglot and sophomore No. 82 Sanam Singh automatically qualified for the main draw: Inglot because of his preseason ranking, Singh because of his ITA National Summer Championships singles title in August. All three lost their first-round matches in the main draw, though Barrick bounced back in the subsequent backdraw, reaching the semifinals before falling to freshman Raony Carvalho of Texas Tech (3-6, 4-6).The Cavaliers will travel next to Chapel Hill, N.C., to compete in the ITA Mideast Regional Championships beginning today and continuing through Tuesday.—compiled by Emily Bareford
(10/16/08 4:00am)
As Election Day draws near and polls indicate a photo finish, the Virginia State Board of Elections clarified yesterday voters are free to wear their hearts on their sleeves, so long as they do not also wear their preferred candidates’ name. The board defined the campaign materials prohibited at polling places to include “any material, object, item, advertisement, or piece of apparel, which has the purpose of expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.” Clarifying the law was a good decision, but we hope it does not prevent anyone from voting.The board’s decision was not an attempt to change any policies. “It was mainly just to create uniformity state-wide,” said Ryan Enright, an intern with the board. Clarifying how these rules should be interpreted is important. Varying application of these laws across voting districts or even across polling places can affect the outcome of an election — slightly, perhaps, but even a slight change could tip the scales in Virginia this year. As much as possible, the board should avoid affecting the election at all.The rules are nothing new for some areas. In the City of Charlottesville, for example, the clarification aligns with policies already enforced, Registrar Sheri Iachetta said. The city has always considered items on a voter’s person, including clothing, to be subject to the law banning campaign materials.That policy should be strictly enforced. Polling places are supposed to be free from pressure to vote a certain way, and it is widely accepted that campaign signs are not allowed within them. A sign pressuring people to vote one way and a T-shirt doing so have essentially the same effect — just ask the University’s athletic department.The policy’s implementation in polling places that have historically had more lax rules might create problems, however. Voters might arrive wearing campaign gear, only to be surprised it is not allowed inside.Even voters in Charlottesville may not be aware of the rule. Diehard politicos might know the minutiae of election laws, but the 4,000 newly registered voters in Charlottesville probably do not. This should not prevent them from voting.Those voters who arrive in campaign attire will be asked to leave or to cover the offending text, Iachetta said. But sending voters to get a change of clothes would increase the amount of time it takes to vote, meaning some voters likely would not come back at all. Rather than forcing voters to return home, city polling places should have some clothes on hand to offer voters who need to cover their political affiliations.Iachetta said her office has yet to discuss the impact of the board’s ruling, but it is clear Charlottesville must abide by it. In recent years, the city has provided clothes at polling places, though other times it has not. To ensure a fair election, we encourage the city to be strict in its enforcement of the commonwealth’s policy — and to have a few XXL sweatshirts lying around.
(10/10/08 8:26am)
Thursday’s news article “U.Va. groups host race discussion“ stated that Amanda Perez is president of La Alianza. She is actually the organization’s secretary. The Cavalier Daily regrets the error.
(10/10/08 8:21am)
48: Percent of students who would give up beer before giving up wireless Internet, according to a survey conducted by the Wi-Fi Alliance.52: Percent of students currently typing at their desk, enjoying a beer.50+: Percent of students who admitted to checking Facebook or MySpace during class in the same survey.99: Percent of professors who think statistics like these are the reason students should not have wireless Internet access.4,000: New voters registered in Charlottesville this election season, according to Registrar Sheri Iachetta, the result of grassroots efforts to encourage participation in the democratic process.4,200: New voters registered at Liberty University, the result of administrative efforts to promote its chancellor’s political agenda.36: Points scored by the Cavaliers in the first four football games of the season.31: Points scored last Saturday.7, 10, 18: National ranks of Virginia’s women’s soccer, field hockey and men’s soccer teams, respectively.53: The University’s rank, out of 139 schools, in Trojan’s annual Sexual Health Report Card.52: Virginia Tech’s rank.5: Percent by which Gov. Tim Kaine cut Virginia colleges’ budget yesterday in response to a struggling economy.$0: Amount faculty salaries were augmented by the Board of Visitors last weekend, as it delayed deciding whether to leave salary increases at the budgeted 2 percent for the first time in five years in response to a struggling economy.$8 million: Cost of a weather-proof “bubble” to go over the struggling football team’s practice field, endorsed by the Board of Visitors last weekend.