Mabus announced as Commencement speaker
By Matt Comey | November 15, 2013The University announced Thursday that Ray Mabus, the United States secretary of the Navy, will deliver the Commencement address at Final Exercises in May.
The University announced Thursday that Ray Mabus, the United States secretary of the Navy, will deliver the Commencement address at Final Exercises in May.
Finance was the topic of the hour at the Board of Visitors’ Strategic Planning Committee meeting Thursday afternoon. As University President Teresa Sullivan and the rest of the University administration sought the Board’s approval of their strategic vision, several committee members questioned the plan’s vague price tag. “If we approve [the plan], aren’t we just setting up contention at later meetings year after year?” Board member Frank Genovese said.
The Board of Visitors’ Education Policy Committee met Thursday afternoon to discuss a new University mission statement and the future of the school’s global presence. President Teresa Sullivan approached the Faculty Senate earlier this year about revising the current mission statement, which was developed by the Faculty Senate and approved by the Board in 1985.
The Board of Visitors’ Buildings and Grounds Committee convened Thursday in its final meeting of the academic semester to sign-off on project proposals and discuss future improvements to the University.
The Board of Visitors’ Student Affairs and Athletics Committee met Thursday to discuss the importance of student self-governance and to express support for members of the University’s athletic community. Patricia Lampkin, vice president for student affairs, began the meeting by speaking about student self-governance within University student organizations and how it allows engaged students to deal with “the messy realities” of leadership. “Nothing is in a box and then handed by professionals to them,” she said.
The University is currently testing a new activity-based budgeting model intended to change the way schools and departments receive funding.
In discussions of the University’s finances, one word constantly crops up: the endowment. But an endowment is nothing if managed poorly — the University can credit a large portion of its endowment’s size and comparatively high growth rate to the University of Virginia Investment Management Company (UVIMCO), the non-stock corporation that manages the University’s investments. UVIMCO is administered by a Board of Directors, three of whom are specifically selected by the Board of Visitors and one whom is selected by the University President.
University partnerships with outside scholarship agencies have long strived to make the University more affordable for prospective low-income students, offering an entryway outside of the realm of University aid programs such as AccessUVa.
After an uncharacteristically tight race between Virginia State Senators Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, and Mark Herring, D-Loudoun, unofficial results posted by the Virginia State Board of Elections show that Herring currently leads the polls by a mere 164 votes more than a week after the Nov.
As the admissions process for the Class of 2018 begins, attention has been drawn to how applicants’ social media interactions may reflect on their eligibility for admission.
The recently launched Seriatim, a journal of American politics at the University, hosted its inaugural speaker event Tuesday evening to discuss American security and lead a debate over boundaries of privacy in America.
A new strategic plan for the University’s College at Wise will be discussed at the Board of Visitors meeting Friday, Nov. 15
Student Council unanimously passed a resolution on the importance of all-grant aid for low-income students at its representative body meeting Tuesday evening. This bill was passed following controversy regarding the University Board of Visitor’s decision to end funding to the financial aid program AccessUVa and a Nov.
After Typhoon Haiyan, one of the deadliest storms in Philippine history, left more than 600,000 people displaced and thousands dead last weekend, The Organization of Young Filipino Americans at the University launched a campaign to raise awareness and aid for the victims. On Nov.
The Miller Center hosted its 2013 installment of the William C. Battle Symposium on American Diplomacy Monday afternoon, with two panels discussing lessons the United States learned from interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both panels were moderated by visiting Miller Center Prof.
Just in time for Veteran’s Day, the Servicemember Education Reform and Vocational Enhancement Act was announced last week by Sen.
After the Board of Visitors’ revision of the program to remove all-grant aid packages — students in the lowest income bracket must now take on loans as part of their aid packages — numerous students, parents and graduates have voiced opposition to the change.
On Friday night, Reddit co-founder and 2005 University graduate Alexis Ohanian came to discuss his new book and speak with students. Around 250 interested students crowded a Rouss Hall auditorium, some even spilling into the overflow room where a live feed was displayed, to hear Ohanian’s speech.
This month the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences began the process of formulating its budget proposal for the 2014-2015 budget year. During the next few months the College will work to organize its proposal before submitting it to the University in February.
A new report from the Council of Graduate Schools said there was a 30 percent increase in offers of admission to Indian students and a decrease in growth rates of first time enrollment and admissions offers to Chinese students. Trella said the University has seen a steady increase from 8 percent in 2012 to 10 percent in 2013 of Chinese students. Trella attributed the constant growth to the University’s recruitment efforts in China.