314 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(08/31/17 6:13am)
Shortly after the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, City Council leaders were quick to point fingers. A series of leaked memorandum — which blamed poor communication between city officials for the chaos of the rally — show the mayor and city leaders bickering with each other, with none of them assuming responsibility. This debacle has created a divisive environment within City Council, with officials blaming each other instead of showing solidarity in the wake of tragedy. Moving forward, City Council should do away with this childish behavior and begin to show unity in times of crises.
(08/28/17 1:36am)
Each Fall semester, housing becomes a prominent concern for students at the University as they begin to explore housing options both on and off Grounds. Fortunately for some, The Standard, a newly constructed apartment complex on West Main Street, will begin offering leases in less than a month. The fully-furnished complex will feature restaurants, retail shops and other luxurious amenities to appeal to University students. Unfortunately, these new housing options often carry with them hidden costs borne by the community. As students, it’s time for us to question what sacrifices are made when Charlottesville makes such accommodations on our behalf.
(08/24/17 2:53am)
On Monday, the Black Student Alliance, in partnership with other University groups, presented and read a list of demands to hundreds of students and community members who gathered to protest the recent white nationalist demonstrations. The list of demands includes specific initiatives, such as the removal of Confederate plaques on the Rotunda and the enactment of a “strategic and actionable diversity plan.” Much of the pressure to initiate these changes has fallen on Student Council, which has remained predictably inactive and irresolute toward the list of demands. As the primary embodiment of student self-governance on Grounds, it is frustrating that Student Council has failed to address — much less come to a decision on — such a prominent concern for students.
(08/22/17 1:01pm)
Because the University was founded by Thomas Jefferson, a lot of weight has traditionally been afforded to his legacy. While Jefferson may have founded the University, he does not own it. If it were up to him, the vast majority of current students wouldn’t be allowed to apply, much less attend the University. When Jefferson penned the words “all men are created equal,” we know it was meant exclusively for white men. Whether or not you are an admirer of his, the University and the country he helped build were intended to solely benefit white men. Yet, here we are — 40 percent of the undergraduate student body is comprised of nonwhite students, and over half are women. In light of the recent racial tensions in Charlottesville, it is essential for the University community to recognize that Jefferson does not define the University — students do. Just as we imbue meaning to his words in the Declaration of Independence which he surely did not originally intend, many of us, simply by being here, imbue new meaning to his most treasured institution. It is up to each class to decide for themselves what direction they hope to take the University.
(05/12/17 4:04am)
The Echols Review Committee recently submitted a report to Rachel Most, Assoc. Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs, recommending multiple changes to the Echols honors program. The committee, comprised of one current student, five College professors, one representative from the admissions office and an Academic Programs Manager, convened last fall semester to consider how the Echols Scholar Program could be re-envisioned for the 21st century. The report included several proposals, such as creating an Echols fellowship program, discontinuing housing first-year Echols Scholars in only the Balz-Dobie and Tuttle-Dunnington residence halls and diversifying the class of scholars. Although this redefining set of proposals is still in its early stages, it presents a solid groundwork for transforming Echols into a real, modern honors program.
(05/02/17 4:13am)
Last Friday, absentee voting for the primary elections in Virginia officially opened, enabling anyone unable to visit local polling stations on June 13 to participate in the election. The primary elections are an opportunity for Virginia residents to nominate Democratic and Republican candidates for state and local races in November. As the academic year comes to an end, students should vote absentee in the primary election this June.
(05/01/17 4:28am)
Last Wednesday, the University’s Systems and Informations Engineering department held its first meeting with undergraduate students to discuss a potential merger with the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. The discussion provided roughly 75 students an opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns on the potential merger. Student opinion was overwhelmingly opposed to the idea, and some undergraduates expressed concerns regarding student involvement in the process.
(04/27/17 5:12am)
January
(04/25/17 4:11am)
Student Council released a report last week on allegations that the University’s admissions process offers preferential treatment to applicants tied to major donors. The nine-page document by second-year College student and Representative Ian Ware neither discredits nor fully explains the claims originally made by author Jeff Thomas. According to Ware’s report, which is explicitly labeled as his own views and not those of Student Council, the University significantly limited the investigation. The administration’s overall lack of transparency in responding to this issue is made all the more concerning by their lack of cooperation with student representatives.
(04/24/17 5:23am)
The Board of Visitors approved increases in tuition for undergraduate students at the University last Thursday afternoon. The new rates, which will take effect in the next academic year, will increase tuition by just over two percent for in-state students and over three percent for out-of-state students. Given that this tuition increase will only worsen the already excessive financial burden on students, the University administration should actively search for ways to help students save money in other areas — starting with textbooks.
(04/20/17 5:22am)
On Tuesday, Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Pat Hogan, University executive vice president and chief operating officer, unveiled the University’s action plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions during an Earth Week Expo at the Newcomb Hall Ballroom. The plan consists of directly powering University buildings with solar energy and making University employees and students more aware of sustainable practices and programs — an important milestone in the University’s work on sustainability. It is important to recognize the contributions our University is making in the renewable energy movement, and to encourage a move to more sustainable practices throughout Virginia.
(04/18/17 4:23am)
The University launched its Humanities Week April 17 with a poetry workshop, roundtable discussion on hunger and a kick-off celebration. The theme of the week, “Living (In)Equality,” offers community members a chance to engage with social issues through artistic expression and interpersonal dialogue — an opportunity seldom granted in an environment which often dismisses the applicability of humanities. Humanities Week demonstrates the significance of these areas of study in understanding and addressing social issues, and the University’s Institute of the Humanities and Global Cultures should be commended for its work.
(04/17/17 5:46am)
Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Tech mass shooting. The tragic event, which claimed the lives of 32 people, was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history at the time. A decade later, victims and their families are still healing and actively working to prevent future mass shootings. In this time of reflection and remembrance, our University community should discuss emergency preparedness and campus security.
(04/13/17 5:29am)
Today, the University community comes together to celebrate Thomas Jefferson’s 274th birthday. This commemoration offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on an issue that surrounds many facets of our lives: information. Throughout the past year, the country has witnessed an unprecedented proliferation of misinformation and propaganda, often for the sake of political gain. This trend poses a great danger to our community’s ability to make decisions based on verified information.
(04/11/17 4:24am)
Rep. Tom Garrett (R-Va.) proposed last week to declare April 23 “Barbara Johns Day,” in honor of the Virginian and her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. On that day in 1951, Johns initiated a student walkout at Robert Russa Moton High School to protest separate and unequal facilities for black students. If passed, the proposed bill would recognize the contributions Virginians have made toward promoting inclusion in the United States.
(04/10/17 4:05am)
Two years ago, the University renewed its dining services partnership with Aramark. Under the 20-year contract, Aramark will invest over $20 million in upgrading dining facilities and provide a wider variety of local products. Aramark will also continue to provide contracted workers to operate the University’s dining halls for the next two decades. Although the University works closely with Aramark, the administration has refused to gather information on contracted workers’ wages. This lack of information prevents the University from ensuring contracted employees are paid wages comparable to those of direct employees.
(04/06/17 5:31am)
A group of state lawmakers held a closed meeting yesterday in which they decided the Virginia State Crime Commission will study marijuana decriminalization. While a state-sponsored study does not guarantee the decriminalization of marijuana, it will serve as a strong foundation upon which state legislators can discuss a potential policy change.
(04/04/17 4:08am)
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) on March 27 proposed an amendment to the state’s budget which would expand Medicaid coverage across Virginia. The proposal follows Congress’s failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, though McAuliffe has pushed for the Medicaid expansion in the past. Expanding Medicaid would bring health care to a large number of Virginians who currently do not have it, and would make Virginia a model for effectively utilizing federal health care funds.
(04/03/17 7:03am)
The Washington Post recently obtained documents showing that the University’s advancement office has helped prospective students related to prominent donors and alumni who apply for admission by flagging their applications for special handling. Although not surprising, the uncovering of this practice serves to show how admissions at the University are not based solely on merit. Instead of providing further advantage to students with privileged backgrounds, the University should be actively leveling the playing field for all prospective students.
(03/30/17 5:36am)
When President Donald Trump signed his first executive order on immigration in January, which was subsequently frozen by a Federal judge in Washington state, university officials around the country became fearful of the policy’s immediate and long-term impact on higher education. The revised order, frozen by another Federal judge in Hawaii, included a 120-day suspension of the refugee program and a temporary ban on the issuance of new visas for people from six countries. Although concerns at this point are mostly anecdotal due to the speed of legal challenges, such a policy could have widespread consequences for higher education in the United States.
