Pavilion will undergo additional restoration
University officials announced Wednesday additional plans for the ongoing restoration of Pavilion X.
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University officials announced Wednesday additional plans for the ongoing restoration of Pavilion X.
In recent months the Office of Diversity and Equity has transitioned to new leadership after this past summer's resignation of Bill Harvey, the University's first Vice President for Diversity and Equity. This change in administration - which came almost four years after the office's creation - has provided administrators and student leaders time to reflect about the impact University officials have had on the creation of a diverse, inclusive community on Grounds.
The University Bookstore has partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Virginia to donate University football T-shirts to Charlottesville and Albemarle County youths.
Head Lawn Resident Ben Chrisinger yesterday announced the revised procedures for social activities on the Lawn and Range before home football games. The new rules are the product of a meeting between Lawn and Range residents and Dean of Students Allen Groves.\nChrisinger said many of the rules are similar to the guidelines put in place after last fall's football game against Southern California, which resulted in a short tailgate ban because of disorderly behavior on the Lawn.\nAccording to the guidelines, Lawn residents are allowed no more than 40 guests - identified by colored wristbands - to their rooms before each football game. Though wristbands were used even before last year's home game against University of Maryland, some additional changes to the policy also have been enacted.\n"One of the major changes is that wristbands are reusable," Chrisinger said.\nLawn residents receive only 40 wristbands for the entire season, and "distribution [to guests] is up to the Lawn resident."\nHe also said it is the resident's responsibility to collect and redistribute the wristbands after each event.\nCertain students, however, expressed dismay with the new wrist-band policy. Lawn resident Gardner Bell said the policy carries "the stigma that the privileged few get to enjoy the Lawn."\nSecond-year College student Daniel Furman echoed Bell's views.\n"It's like identifying VIP's," he said.\nThe new procedures also discuss the legal restrictions of consuming alcohol in the Lawn area. The guidelines state that "alcohol is not to be consumed in public areas of the Lawn and Range," in accordance with both University policy and state laws. Chrisinger's procedural guidelines did note, however, that alcohol may be consumed "on the patio space immediately outside of a Lawn or Range room."\nGroves also emphasized the restriction on alcohol.\n"There is no liquor license for the Lawn," he said.\nLawn residents will also be held responsible for their guests' behavior, according to the guidelines.\n"The primary drivers of compliance need to be the residents of the Lawn and Range," Groves said. The residents are also "solely responsible for ensuring that any invited guest who is provided a wristband and served alcohol by that resident is legally permitted to consume alcohol," according to the procedure.\nThird-year College student Jacques Farhi said he believes the new procedures are unfair toward University students.\n"Visitors are generally the people who have caused property damage," he said, questioning whether there was a way to keep the trouble-makers out without punishing the University community at large.\nSimilarly, Bell said although he understood the rationale behind the policies, he is concerned about unintended effects of the new procedures.\n"It's legally tricky," he said. "I thought tailgates were [a] great way to bring people to the Lawn, and it's sad to limit that."\nThe restrictions exist solely to prevent negative and disorderly situations from arising, Groves said.\n"In the last two years we have had bad situations that resulted in cancelling all social activities [on the Lawn prior to home football games]," he said. "We can't let that happen as a community"
The University Law School lost one of its most prominent alumni late Tuesday night when Sen. Edward Kennedy, Law School class of 1959, passed away after a long struggle with brain cancer.\nKennedy became known as the "Lion of the Senate" during his U.S. senatorial career, which began in 1962. He sponsored more than 300 bills and was known for being "warm hearted and a good leader," according to former Law School Prof. Mortimer Caplin, class of 1940.\nCaplin taught both Kennedy and his brother Robert when they attended the Law School, and noted that though Edward Kennedy was "as a paper student ... average," he also was an "exceptionally good speaker."\nCaplin recalled that Edward Kennedy developed a friendship with classmate John Tunney, who later became a U.S. representative and senator for California. The two future senators went on to win the William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition during their third year as law students.\nCaplin remarked that Kennedy very much enjoyed his time at the University and that "he was very proud of being an alumnus of the law school."\nJames Young, director of the University's Miller Center's Kennedy Oral History Project, said it was during Kennedy's preparation for the competition that he honed many of his skills that would become famous for in the Senate. It was one of Kennedy's first experiences learning "how to use evidence to win according to the rules." His thorough preparation was one his characteristics that would help him win the respect of his fellow Senators during his career.\n"He was one of our most famous graduates," Law School Dean Paul Mahoney said. "His ability as an advocate was honed at the Law School and he became one of the most prolific legislators of our time."\nCaplin said Kennedy's death will significantly impact the flow of national politics, noting that his endorsement of President Barack Obama during the 2008 Democratic primary was a decisive moment in the campaign. Moreover, his absence will be noted in the Senate.\n"They lost a great leader," Caplin said. "I think that had he been on the scene with the health care bill, it would be in much better shape than it is."\nDuring his career in the Senate, Kennedy was known for "reaching across the aisle" to advance legislation primarily in the health care, financial and educational arenas.\nKennedy stood up for his causes with remarkable consistency during his lengthy career, Young said, but will more so be remembered for "winning fair and square, and never denigrating his opponent"
The Information Technology and Communication office now offers technical service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Previously ITC only offered service during normal business hours, but "of course people here work outside those hours," said Mike McPherson, University associate vice-president and deputy CIO.\nAn outside contractor based in Cleveland, Ohio, mans the phone line rather than student employees.\nCurrently the new help desk, labeled 4HELP@UVa, does not offer solutions to problems with the new Student Information System. Terry Lockard, ITC director of computing support services, said she expects the new help desk to be completely ready by mid-November to December of this year.\nMcPherson said the initial response to the system, which debuted Aug. 3, has been very positive. He said the office has received 85 customer survey responses and that the average "overall experience" rating has been around four out of five.\nThe new help desk offers a variety of interfaces through which University community members can receive help. These include live chat, remote desktop troubleshooting and a hotline, 434-924-HELP.\n-compiled by Matt Conover
To accelerate renovations to Alderman Road residence halls and help save the University money amid the recession, the Board of Visitors approved a modified dorm demolition plan at its June meeting.\nThe University currently is engaged in a multi-year $65 to $78 million dorm revision project designed to offer students with more modern amenities and living quarters compared to existing structures near Alderman Road. Originally only Balz and Dobie houses were slated for demolition this summer, but because of a reduction in construction prices, Watson house also was added at the June meeting. University spokesperson Carol Wood said the demolition of Dobie house began July 1, and all three buildings were projected for removal by August 15.\nThe three old residence houses were viewed to require major structural repairs and additional renovations to bring them into line with current college student housing standards at the University and peer institutions, Wood noted. For example, she said, the buildings lacked controllable heating and air conditioning.\nThe demolition of the three old dormitories makes way for two six-story dormitories and a commons building. The new residences will be similar in style to Kellogg House, which opened to students last year. Each residence hall will house 442 residents and resident advisors, and will have amenities including public common spaces, seminar rooms, and laundry and vending spaces.\nDesigns call for each dormitory floor to be hall-style, similar to the McCormick Road dormitories. Each floor will have two halls with 10 to 12 double rooms in each hall. Additionally, every floor will have a common room, quiet study room and common bathroom.\nThe commons building will feature an assembly space large enough to accommodate at least 250 students. University architect David Neuman said in February he expects each building to receive at least a basic certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System.\nAll three buildings are expected to be available for use by May 2011.\nThe decreased construction costs also spurred the Board of Visitors to accelerate the demolition of Webb and Maupin houses by a year, from 2012 to 2011. The buildings designed to replace Webb and Maupin will be ready for use by May 2013.
Responding to recent incidents of alleged discrimination targeting University students, the Sikh Student Association, in conjunction with 11 other student organizations, organized a “Unite Against Discrimination” rally, scheduled to kick off this afternoon. The rally’s aim is to “show a unified force against these actions,” of discrimination, outgoing Black Student Alliance President Lauren McGlory said. Seth Kaye, president of Queer and Allied Activism, added that the rally’s purpose also is “to show we will not tolerate discrimination.” The rally will feature a banner reading “United Against Discrimination,” which people will be able to sign and which will later be hung in the Amphitheater. T-shirts and wristbands, also bearing the “United Against Discrimination” logo, will be distributed, Sikh Student Association President Justin Chhabra said. “We’re also going to [have] scraps of paper where people can write down any acts of discrimination they’ve experienced or witnessed,” Chhabra added. Students planned the rally in light of recent incidents of alleged discrimination against University students. The first occurred March 27, when a Sikh student was denied entry to the X-Lounge — at which the Indian Student Association was holding a party — because he was wearing a turban as required by his faith. The Sikh Student Association condemned the incident as a “woeful display of ignorance and discrimination,” in a recent e-mail statement. X-Lounge management, which said the lounge has a “no head covering” policy, later issued an e-mail of apology to the ISA. Sikh Student Association representatives have since met with X-Lounge staff. “They assured us that it won’t happen again,” Chhabra said. He also noted that the SSA is planning to meet with them again “to educate them about the religion and the various different head coverings that Sikhs wear.” More recently, a discriminatory act was committed against a gay University student April 4, during which he and his guest were assaulted by five males who uttered several homophobic slurs and broke the student’s phone when he attempted to dial 911.Also this past weekend, BSA members reported alleged verbal and physical incidents. McGlory said someone drove past Cohn’s on the Corner at about 11 p.m. and shouted a racial slur at a black student.McGlory and Kaye both said they believe discrimination is an ongoing problem at the University that needs to be addressed. “There’s systematic discrimination,” Kaye said. “[Though] no one will say anything [discriminatory] to your face.” Kaye said he believed that recent events show “exacerbated” discriminatory feelings. “Maybe there were more incidents that went unreported,” he said. McGlory said she believes it is important for all students, not just the groups that have recently been discriminated against, to show unity by attending the rally today. The SSA echoed this message in its e-mail statement. “We hope these incidents can catalyze increased team-work and strengthen ties between all communities facing similar struggles,” the e-mail stated.In response to the organized rally, Dean of Students Allen Groves stated in an e-mail that he sees the goals of the rally as positive and beneficial for the University community. “As I understand it, the students want to draw attention to discrimination in light of the X-Lounge incident and show solidarity in standing against it, which I see as worthy goals,” Groves stated. Groves added that on the whole, however, he believes discrimination is not widespread at the University. “Discrimination refers to people being treated differently or denied equal opportunities based on their race, gender, religion and the like,” he stated. “I do not think that discrimination, properly understood, is a pervasive issue at U.Va., as I believe all students have equal access to relevant opportunities provided by the University. What we have seen recently are sporadic and isolated instances of intolerance, which must be addressed as a community. However, I am not aware of an instance in which a student has been denied equal opportunity or access at the University by a person in a position of authority, which is how discrimination is defined.”The “Unite Against Hatred” rally will take place in the Amphitheater from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The University experienced a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions since 2000, according to a recent study conducted by three University students. The study’s authors also suggested several ways through which the University could lower its greenhouse gas emissions.Fourth-year College student Becky Schwantes, third-year College student Thushara Gunda and fourth-year College student Amanda Schwantes conducted the study and saw a 14.86 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions since the last time the study was conducted in 2000.The study also found that purchased electricity is the leading cause of the University’s greenhouse emissions, comprising 61 percent of the University’s total emissions. Schwantes said the figure did not surprise her, considering the increase in the number of buildings on Grounds. She noted, however, that there was a decrease in emissions per square foot.It “indicates our buildings are more energy efficient,” she said. “We hope this trend continues.”To lower gas emissions and ensure the University has the most energy efficient buildings, the University’s newest buildings are certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a popular building rating certification system.Schwantes said the University should also modify older buildings to meet the LEED standards to further ensure that emissions decrease.Andrew Greene, sustainability planner for the Office of the Architect, said the University is taking such steps to improve efficiency on Grounds.“We have 18 projects for LEED certification, new buildings and renovations,” Greene said. He said the University is specifically looking to improve lighting efficiency by replacing incandescent bulbs on Grounds with more efficient bulbs. Greene also noted that the Darden School has set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2020 and that this goal could become a University-wide ideal.“We want to know how to get there,” Greene said. “Those two efforts are being paired and we’re working on it.”In addition to steps taken by the University, Schwantes said students can do much to improve efficiency as well. For instance, she suggested that students put computers to sleep when not in use, unplug electronics when they are not using them and turn off lights when possible. “The purpose of the report is to be positive,” Schwantes said. “Departments have done a lot, and we want the University to come up with a statement that says reducing emissions is goal of the whole University.”
Semester at Sea, a University-sponsored study abroad program, announced a new curriculum and program that will focus on past and future Chinese-American relations in a Thursday ceremony in Hong Kong.“This program, whose creation is announced today, builds on Semester at Sea’s successful educational mission and dovetails with the University’s ongoing initiatives to expand its global footprint,” University President John T. Casteen, III stated in a press release. The new program is named after and supported by C.Y. Tung, a Chinese shipping magnate who was “instrumental in the founding of Semester at Sea,” according to the University press release. “The recent gift is in part a continuation of the [Tung] family’s interest in international education and in part a gesture of support for the conception of what we refer to as the academical village, but specifically as it exists when students and faculty members live and work together on the ship,” Casteen stated in an e-mail.Casteen said the Tung program will allow students to learn about various subjects related to Chinese-American relations, especially in the social sciences, through interactions with an international group of faculty members. Mike Zoll, vice president of enrollment and student affairs for SAS added that, “China has been one of the places that we say is crucial for cross-cultural understanding.”The program will create a new upper-level class about Chinese-American relations that will be taught by a team of teachers, SAS Director of Marketing Cody Hartley said. “We will have multiple perspectives in the curriculum,” he said, explaining that professors from American and Chinese institutions will teach the course. One of the professors will be University history Prof. John W. Israel, a respected authority on Chinese history. Other faculty for the course will include professors from Yale University and Fudan University, one of the most highly regarded Chinese universities. The affiliation with Fudan enhances both the Semester at Sea voyage and the University’s already beneficial relationship with the Chinese institute, Casteen said.“We are already linked to Fudan,” Casteen stated in an e-mail. “Fudan students and faculty members have come here to participate in student research seminars.” The program also will create 10 new scholarships, five for American students and five for Chinese students. Zoll said these students will take part in the new class and in special “field experiences” in China, which will likely include visits to Chinese historical sites, businesses and possibly Chinese universities as well, helping to promote a cultural awareness of China.The new program will begin during the Spring 2010 voyage, said Julie Benner, associate director of communications for SAS. The voyage will make 11 stops at ports, including two Chinese ports, as it circumnavigates the world.
An alleged incident of racial discrimination last week led a student group to demand an apology from a local restaurant and also led that student group to question the fairness of the business’ dress policy.At about 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, a Sikh University student was denied entry into the X-Lounge, a restaurant and bar near the Downtown Mall, for refusing to remove his turban.The student, who wished to remain anonymous because of the relatively low number of practicing Sikh students on Grounds, wanted to attend a party hosted by the Indian Student Association, of which he is a member. The student said as he was entering, the restaurant’s doorman quickly confronted him. “He said, ‘I can’t let you in with that thing on,” the student said, adding that it would have been against his faith to remove the turban.After the student was denied entry by the doorman, ISA Co-President Aparna Baheti said she then spoke to the restaurant’s manager. Baheti said the manager could not distinguish whether the headwear was for “religious or gang use.”Following her conversation with the manager, Baheti said most ISA members attending the party promptly left. “The ISA believes it’s a discriminatory policy,” Baheti said. Some ISA members, however, remained at the X-Lounge and called Charlottesville Police, who responded but “couldn’t do anything about it,” Baheti said. The police told the Sikh student that the restaurant’s owners had the right to not allow people into their private establishment, Baheti said.Following the incident, the ISA released a statement via e-mail to various student organizations discouraging them from holding parties or events at the X-Lounge. “We are contacting you because we feel that members of the University community would not stand for this kind of discriminatory behavior,” the statement reads. “The Indian Student Association is demanding ... a change in [X-Lounge] policy regarding head coverings.”In response to various student organizations’ complaints, X-Lounge issued an apology to the ISA Saturday afternoon via e-mail. The statement calls the incident “an unfortunate mistake” in judgement.“The X-Lounge has a ‘no head covering’ policy and at times this policy has created difficult situations,” the e-mail states. The statement also notes that the incident showed a “lack of common sense” and that the restaurant has taken steps to “make sure that this situation is never repeated.”While the apology was prompt, Baheti said she believes it is not enough to reconcile the situation and stop similar incidents from occurring in the future. “The part about what specifically is going to be done [to prevent future incidents] needs to be more specific,” Baheti said. “What’s happening to the manager who did this?” Although the incident occurred off Grounds, it still raised some concern within the University community. Baheti said ISA received many replies from organizations and individual students that were “pretty positive responses.” “We appreciate the gestures other organizations have made towards us,” Baheti said. Graduate Darden student Abhilekh Kumar also said he is currently working with Darden student representatives to have Darden refuse to officially hold events — more specifically, Thursday night bar events — at the X-Lounge until the venue issues a sufficient apology. “This is a most unfortunate and disappointing incident and shows that there are still people in our community who do not understand the basic tenants of our country,” University spokesperson Carol Wood said. “We are, however, grateful that an apology was issued quickly and hope that this will be a learning experience for all involved.” X-Lounge management did not return phone calls as of press time.
The University offered admission to 6,331 students from across the U.S. yesterday, putting together a prospective class of 2013 from an application pool that saw an increase in the number of applications, international students and financial aid requests.Exactly 21,839 prospective students submitted applications this year, more than ever before, Admissions Dean Greg Roberts said, adding that the number of applicants represents a 17 percent increase from the 18,598 students who applied last year.“Percentage increase [from last year] of in-state versus out-of-state was very similar,” Roberts said. From Virginia, 7,663 students applied compared to 13,764 out-of-state students. A total of 6,331 students were offered admission to the University. Of those accepted, 3,276 students were from Virginia and 3,055 were from outside the state, meaning that the University’s in-state admission rate was 42.7 percent while the out-of-state rate was 22.1 percent.The record number of applicants pushed the overall acceptance rate down to 28.9 percent from 35 percent last year, Roberts said.Roberts attributed the increase in applications to the University’s decision to accept the Common Application. He also cited the slumping economy as another reason for the increase.“I think we are considered to be a pretty good bargain in a time when families are being very careful about their spending,” Roberts said, noting that interest in state schools in general is up this year because of their cost-effectiveness.There also was a noticeable increase in the number of international applicants, Roberts said, adding that a significant number of applications were received from Asia, specifically China. A total of 2,188 international students applied for admission into the class of 2013, up from 1,484 applicants for the class of 2012.“I think China is more open now, for one,” Roberts said, adding that the University heavily targeted China during last year’s recruitment process.Of the 6,331 students offered admissions, 3636 students are Caucasian, 670 are African-American, 861 are Asian, 399 are Hispanic and 42 are American Indian, Roberts said.Accompanying the prospective class of 2013’s increased international diversity could be increased financial diversity, Financial Aid Director Yvonne Hubbard said. She noted that, given the current economic situation, she expects a “spike in the number of students on financial aid for the next couple of years,” which will level out as the economy improves.She said she is confident that her office will be able to handle the increase in applications, but also added that because of the new Student Information System, the department is already slower than usual in processing financial documents, Hubbard said. “We are learning quickly,” she said, noting, though, that she has asked students to remain patient with Financial Services because the office is simultaneously dealing with a high numbers of applicants and difficulties adapting to SIS.In addition to a more international and socioeconomically diverse class, the increased number of applications means the prospective class of 2013 is slightly more academically competitive than previous years’ classes.The average admitted student’s SAT score was 1390, Roberts said, and the middle 50 percent of students admitted had scores between 1300 and 1480. The average SAT score is up 10 points from last year, and both the midrange numbers are 20 points higher than last year. Also, 91 percent of admitted students were in the top 10 percent of their graduating class.“We’re seeing students who we have waitlisted who a few years ago would be Echols,” Roberts said.
The University’s economics and foreign affairs departments both recently decided to change their major requirements and required classes for those majors.The economics department has been discussing the changes to its major requirements for quite some time, said Ron Michener, director of undergraduate studies in the economics department. The most significant change to the economics major requires students to take a second statistics class, which will be ECON 372, “Introduction to Regression Analysis for most students,” Michener said. Previously, STAT 212, “Introduction to Statistical Analysis” was the only required statistics course. “Economics is a fairly quantitative major, as most social sciences are,” Michener said. “How can you take an economics major and not take two stat courses?”He noted that the addition of this course has long been considered. “This was literally discussed in a faculty meeting over 30 years ago when I came to U.Va.,” Michener said, adding that the techniques taught in this class are very practical in the field of economics. “You would run into some of the same techniques in the Commerce School as well,” he said. The department hopes that this additional course will help “to teach people the tools that economists make common use of in the real world,” Michener noted.In addition to the new course, there are a host of smaller major requirement changes that Michener described as “housekeeping.” The full list of new requirements can be found on the economic department’s Web site. Students now must receive at least grades of a C-plus or above in all prerequisite math and statistic courses, as opposed to the prior C prerequisite requirement. The department, though, is now allowing students to retake the same prerequisite course if they fail to achieve the required minimum grade. Students, however, can only take the same course twice and students who declare the major under the new rules will only need to complete four elective courses instead of the previously required five.Third-year economics major Rachael Roueche said she believes the new requirements may make the major more selective and thus more appealing to some University students. She also said, though, the changes could prevent many students from declaring economics as their major.“I think in the long run, it will make the major and department more prestigious,” Roueche said. “But I don’t think gaining that prestige is worth taking the opportunity away form students.“Unlike the changes to the economics major, the modifications made to the foreign affairs major were a direct result of recent budget cuts encountered by the politics department, said Leonard Schoppa, the undergraduate director of the politics department.Students who declare a foreign affairs major will now be able to choose “any combination of international relations and comparative politics” when choosing specialization classes, he added. Additionally, the department has also changed how it defines the regions of the world for its required “area courses.” Students are now required to achieve at least six credits in two different classes, both of which must specialize in one region. Eastern and Western Europe, formerly two separate areas students could study, have now been grouped together as one area of study. Similarly, Asia, which is now considered one area of study, was formerly separated into several different regions. “The old rules required us to offer courses on every region in every year, but with budget cuts, we realized this would be difficult to do,” Schoppa said. He noted, however, that this could give students more flexibility in what cultures they study. “There is a general trend away from focusing on one region,” he added. “The department hopes to be able to sustain our traditional focus on training our students [to] focus on one region in an era of budget cuts.”Third-year foreign affairs major Leyla Babaoglu said she believes the new foreign affairs requirements could have both positive and negative consequences for students.“Some students would really like this change because it’s sometimes hard to choose one specific region,” she said, also noting, however, that it could be harder for other students who may want to focus on more distinct regions for future jobs or careers. The changes to the economics major will apply only to students who declare their major after Feb. 1, 2010. The changes to the foreign affairs major, meanwhile, will go into effect next semester.
A recent survey of 600 college graduates found that only 30 percent of respondents like or love their current occupations.The study, conducted by the Rockport Institute, a career-counseling firm, surveyed college graduates living in the Washington D.C. area. The other 70 percent of respondents stated that they felt either neutral about their occupations or felt their career did not suit them well. “Mostly people would say that they didn’t feel like their talents were used fully,” Rockport Institute Director Nicholas Lore said, adding that many other unsatisfied respondents felt “uninterested in the subject matter” or “bored in their work.”He said those who were dissatisfied or neutral about their career paths displayed a recurring theme in their responses. “They’re looking at a lot of things in their life that they hadn’t thought of before,” Lore said, adding that in a college or university setting, “there really isn’t any way to find out how your talents would fit together for a career.” Kendra Nelsen, director for student services of University Career Services, said she did not find the results surprising. “A lot of folks don’t take the time to do the front end self-evaluation,” she said. Lore added that when searching for careers, people tend to neglect their unique talents and do not focus on areas of learning that may challenge them.“The way people pick careers is still pretty primitive,” Lore said.Nelsen also said it is difficult to know how satisfied someone will be with his or her career.“A lot of people don’t do the research before they choose a career,” Nelsen said. She emphasized that students should take advantage of opportunities such as internships and the services UCS provides to help in their career decisions.Lore, however, said the services college and university career centers provide cannot always successfully map out satisfying career paths.“Most college career centers do the best they can, but they don’t really have the time or tools to take people through a career design process on an individual basis,” he said.Despite this, Nelsen said she would like to think University graduates would show a more positive outlook about their careers if subjected to a similar survey. “My assumption would be that U.Va. students do give it a significant amount of thought,” Nelsen said. Lore, though, said even many elite university graduates felt dissatisfied with career choices. “What we noticed was that the results from more elite colleges weren’t really that different from other ones,” Lore said. —Emily Poe contributed to this article.
Future research conducted at the University could help NASA and the United States Air Force design the next generation of hypersonic aircraft, perhaps one day capable of travelling 12 times the speed of sound.NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Office of Scientific Research recently designated the University as the National Center for Hypersonic Combined Cycle Propulsion and awarded it $10 million for research, said James Pittman, principal investigator for the Hypersonics Project of NASA’s Fundamental Aeronautics Program at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. The goal of the new center at the University is to “advance the fundamental understanding of hypersonic propulsion,” he said.Jim McDaniel, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, will head the team that will benefit from the $10 million grant. His team includes co-researchers Harsha Chelliah and Chris Goyne. The team was selected out of an initial field of more than 60 entries, according to a NASA press release.McDaniel and team will first advance research for aircraft that can travel at Mach 5 — or five times the speed of sound — he said. Researchers hope to eventually create an engine that could propel aircraft to speeds exceeding 12 times the speed of sound. Pittman said in addition to traveling at high speeds, the aircraft would use the air in the atmosphere as fuel, instead of the oxygen from bulky tanks that aircraft like NASA’s space shuttle currently employs. This change will make aircraft lighter and safer.The future aircraft also could “operate more like aircraft,” Pittman said, noting that the future aircraft could fly more frequently and fill a more versatile role than current rocket-powered vehicles. He added that the vehicles designed with the help of the University and other institutions eventually could replace the space shuttle, but also emphasized that such a vehicle is decades away from completion.McDaniel said the University’s team plans to take full advantage of the school’s supersonic combustion tunnel, which can simulate Mach 5 conditions, while conducting its research.In addition to conducting research at the University, the team will coordinate the research of 11 different subcontractors, including Stanford University, Cornell University and the Boeing Company.“We knew the right people around the country to have on our team for the grant proposal,” McDaniel said, noting that he attributes these connections to the University’s 26 years of experience in hypersonic propulsion research.Between four and five graduate students also will work on the project. Undergraduate students will be able to work on parts of the project during a summer program or for their theses, McDaniel said.According to the NASA press release, centers at Texas A&M University and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging LLC also received $10 million in grant money to conduct research related to the development of new hypersonic aircraft. The new centers represent the first time the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and NASA have cosponsored research.
The length of study abroad trips does not affect the degree to which students become globally engaged later in life, according to a study presented at the Forum on Education Abroad, held Feb. 18 to 20 in Portland, Ore. Most students studying abroad will become more globally engaged, researchers said, but the amount of time spent in a foreign country does not deepen or lessen the impact such trips can have.University of Minnesota, Twin Cities researchers examined factors like civic engagement and philanthropy to determine whether students were more “globally engaged” after studying abroad, Minnesota Prof. Michael Paige said. Paige defined global engagement as a combination of five variables: civic engagement, philanthropy, knowledge production, social entrepreneurship and what Paige called voluntary simplicity — “a lifestyle that is mindful of our environment” by cutting back on potentially harmful activities like excessive automobile use.Through the distribution of more than 6,000 surveys to former study abroad students, researchers were able to gauge how involved those students later became in global affairs, Paige said. “The study looked at students as far back as 50 years ago,” Paige said, noting that he started the study to see what former study abroad students had accomplished after taking trips.Paige said the survey revealed it is not the length of time spent abroad, but rather the specific experiences — be it language, research or immersion in a foreign school — that make a difference.“People who study abroad become globally engaged no matter the length of the stay,” he said. “What we have found out is that the type of program you are in appears to be important to global engagement, particularly if you have experienced two or more kinds of these study abroad programs.”Paige noted that students participating in study abroad programs incorporating two or more kinds of learning are the most likely to volunteer in social justice activities. A trip during which a student participates in research and a travel seminar will have a deeper impact than a trip that just focuses on research, he added, regardless of how long the student stays abroad.Marina Markot, University associate director of study abroad, said she was not surprised by the study’s findings, citing many students’ increased international volunteering and political activism after studying abroad.Third-year College student Erin Paguio, who recently took a January Term course in Florence, Italy, said the study’s findings seem appropriate. Although her time abroad was much shorter than the time spent by students travelling during the fall or spring semesters, she said the experience resonated with her just as much. The limited amount of time spent in Florence forced her to appreciate each site she visited, Paguio said. “You knew it was the one day you would have to look at it, which gives you more appreciation,” she said.Although one’s engagement in global affairs may not depend on the length of the trip, both Paige and Markot agreed that longer stays are more effective in promoting what Paige called “better intercultural skills.” “Longer trips allow you to develop more friendships, which are really important in being culturally aware,” said third-year College student Eugene Resnick, who spent a semester in Copenhagen, Denmark and a January Term in Ghana. But, “if someone hasn’t been abroad, any length of trip is going to have an impact,” Resnick said.
Plans for the continued renovation of the Alderman Road dormitories were announced at the recent Board of Vistors’ Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting.The plan calls for the demolition of the Balz and Dobie dormitories this summer, making room for the first of two new dormitories. The new dormitories will be asymmetrical in design and will essentially be “four smaller buildings tied together to make two larger buildings,” University Architect David Neuman said.These new buildings will be similar in style to the recently constructed Kellogg House and will be hall style, accommodating between 20 to 22 students and one resident adviser per hall, Neuman said. Neuman said the first of the two new dormitories will be ready for use by summer 2011 and the second by summer 2013. The two new houses also will be accompanied by a student commons building that will serve as a multipurpose space and will provide sit-down dining for as many as 250 people, Neuman added. The commons building is intended to serve the entire first-year student community. “Anybody who needs the space at large can reserve it,” said Vicki Gist, director of Residence Life and interim associate dean of students. A major reason for the new construction is the current high maintenance costs of the existing dormitories. Neuman said these costs are not surprising because the residences were built to last only for a period of 30 years.He said the new buildings will be taller, creating more open space around the first-year houses. The new buildings also will be more resource efficient in construction and design, and Neuman said he expects the buildings to achieve at least a base certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System. In addition to being environmentally friendly, the buildings are expected to better accommodate the needs of future residents than the existing first-year dormitories in the area.“We are there to ensure that this space is equal to or better than Kellogg,” Gist said.The new dormitories will feature amenities that the existing houses lack, such as controllable heating and air conditioning, Neuman said. Gist noted that on the bottom level of each building, amenities such as study lounges, common areas, small kitchen spaces and laundry rooms will be available to residents.
University community members across Grounds have recently experienced a spike in problems with UVaCollab, which is being phased in as a replacement for Toolkit.Second-year College student Ernest Kushevski said he has seen an array of problems with the system since returning from Winter Break.“For me, it’s been taking a little longer to log in,” he said. He described the problems experienced as a “sort of a lag with NetBadge,” referring to the standardized University log-in system. Though Kushevski said the problems have been minor and inconsistent, he also said they have affected some of his classes. “One of my professors tried to access UVaCollab during class, but he couldn’t log in,” he said.First-year College student Kamille Seward encountered similar issues. She said she has been able to log in consistently but has not always been able to view materials or postings for each class. “I had a claim due for my ENWR class and I couldn’t access my classes on UVaCollab,” Seward said, adding that her instructor has been forced to use mass e-mails instead of UVaCollab to distribute materials for the class.Other students, however, said their use of UVaCollab has not been affected. Second-year College student Rebecca McGraw, for example, said she had yet to experience a problem.Mike McPherson, University associate vice president and deputy chief information officer, meanwhile, said the Information Technology and Communication staff is “acutely aware of the problem” and is attempting to respond as quickly as possible. He said the UVaCollab issues were affecting “stability and performance” throughout the entire system and noted ITC staff members believe they have found the problem and are currently testing a software patch for the system to make it sure it will both solve the problems and avoid causing any additional issues before distributing it.The current problems resulted from actions by individual users that “triggered a malformed communication with the database,” McPherson said. The subsequent high load on the server, he explained, caused the server to shut down.McPherson said he hopes to see the patch released in the next few days and, in the meantime, McPherson recommended students experiencing UVaCollab difficulties save their work often.
Gov. Timothy Kaine officially became chairman of the Democratic National Committee Wednesday, replacing former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose “50 state strategy” is often credited with helping President Barack Obama win the presidency.Kaine will continue to perform his duties as governor until next January when he will leave office, Kaine spokesperson Gordon Hickey said, adding that the two positions’ responsibilities will allow Kaine to do both jobs effectively until the end of his gubernatorial term.“A lot of the DNC work will be electronic and he’ll be doing [DNC business] long-distance,” Hickey said.Long distance or not, Republican leaders are doubting whether Kaine will be able to successfully manage both jobs. Gerry Scimeca, spokesperson for the Republican Party of Virginia, questioned whether Kaine would be able to give his full attention to his gubernatorial responsibilities.“It’s going to be a distraction,” Scimeca said, adding that Kaine’s new position is “especially inappropriate considering the state’s dire financial situation.”Virginia Democrats, however, said they are confident in Kaine’s ability to fill both roles. Jared Leopold, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Virginia, said the governor “has been clear that he will focus on being governor first,” noting that he expects Kaine to be able to both guide the Democratic Party and the commonwealth in a time of economic crisis.Leopold said Kaine’s appointment also reflects Virginia’s quality of leadership during the past several years. “I think you’ll continue to see that effective style of leadership on the national stage,” Leopold said.How Kaine performs in his new position could impact not only Virginia or the Democratic Party, Politics Prof. Larry Sabato said, but also Kaine’s personal considerations regarding other political offices in the future.“Kaine’s reputation will be riding on [the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial election],” Sabato said, also noting that Kaine will be able to steer DNC funds to other Democratic politicians from Virginia who may stand to benefit during the upcoming race in the commonwealth. He added, however, that Kaine’s appointment will not have as significant an impact for Democrats on the national level.“A party committee is less important when a president of the same party is in the White House,” Sabato said, explaining that most political affairs are run by the president instead of the committee chairman.
The University began using an eBay-like Web site last week to auction off its used property, including items such as LCD screen monitors, copy machines, stainless steel carts, fire extinguishers and a massage table.The site, Govdeals.com, is designed for local and state government agencies wishing to auction off surplus and confiscated goods, according to owner Liquidity Services’ Web site. Before switching to the Web site Nov. 10, the University sold its used property at more traditional public auctions, University Surplus Property Manager Bobby Carefoot said.The switch to Govdeals.com has allowed the University to move stockpiled or stored items out much more efficiently than before, Carefoot noted. According to a University press release, the University also is disposing of some surplus items through Charles W. Hurt LLC. That company will sell larger items, such as furniture, for which the University will receive a portion of the profits. The first pick-up occurred Nov. 18, according to the University Surplus Property’s Web site.One of the biggest advantages of the new system is that it reduces the amount of storage space the University must rent, said Eric Denby, University director of procurement services. He noted that the new system is also advantageous because it significantly increases the number of consumers the University can reach during the bidding process. “We’ve had customers from California, Idaho, just about everywhere,” Carefoot said. The Web site is very easy to use, both Carefoot and Denby said. If a University department has a surplus of any item, the department submits a form stating which items are surplus. Members of the Surplus Property Office bring the items to the surplus warehouse where they take pictures of the items that are then posted along with a description online, Carefoot said. Departments selling surplus items will receive profits exceeding $50, according to the University press release; lesser sales contribute to computer recycling costs.According to Govdeals.com, the items are up for auction for six days. According to the press release, items that do not sell are taken off the market. Carefoot’s office then will consider submitting a new written description or a better photograph for the item, or the item could be included with other items like it. If an item is purchased, the winning bidder has five days to submit payment, Carefoot said, noting that his office has yet to encounter a problem receiving payments from bidders.“We’ve had zero problems; we’re very pleased,” Denby said, adding that he is fully confident that the University will continue to use govdeals.com to sell its surplus goods in the future.