News

Clark earns 2 percent

By Peter Restrepo | November 3, 2010

Independent candidate Jeff Clark failed to find the same success at the polls that other anti-establishment figures across the nation enjoyed yesterday. Garnering roughly 2 percent of the votes cast in the Fifth District, Clark fell to both Republican frontrunner Robert Hurt, who won with about 51 percent of the vote, and Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello, who came in second with about 47 percent. Clark's campaign focused mainly on "breaking the political duopoly that is the two-party system in Washington" and shared many roots with the Tea Party movement.

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News

Honor presents diversity-related goals

By Sofia Economopoulos | November 2, 2010

[caption id="attachment_37780" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Honor Committee members heard the Diversity Advisory Board's proposed strategies to engage a broader range of students, particularly the University's community of international students, during Sunday night's meeting.

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News

U.Va. modifies benefits plans

By Mike Lang | November 2, 2010

The University's Human Resources department introduced changes in employee benefits yesterday, including a new online system for employees to manage their own benefits plans.

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News

Initiatives promote green transportation

By Ahn Dao and Ana Mir | November 2, 2010

Gov. Bob McDonnell has charged the state's transportation agencies to consider environmental factors in addition to budgetary concerns. The governor announced his "Going Green With Virginia Transportation" initiative Oct.

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News

Awards recognize equality boosters

By Callie Herod | November 2, 2010

The University's Office of Equal Opportunity Programs honored 11 people and organizations on Grounds with its annual Champion Awards last Friday. The awards recognize those individuals who assist in the office's mission to eliminate discrimination and particularly those individuals who may not have otherwise been recognized for their efforts, said Director Darlene Scott-Scurry. "They received the awards because of their contribution to social justice and equal rights," Scott-Scurry said. Recipients range from undergraduate students to faculty, staff and even organizations. Two students were among this year's honorees. Fourth-year Commerce student Jason Shapiro organized an events program for Disabilities Awareness Week to promote respect for people with disabilities.Fourth-year College student Reginald Benbow, Jr., who was also recognized, founded "My Brother's Keeper," a program at Albemarle High School that mentors black male students and helps prepare them for college.

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News

Obama stumps for incumbent Perriello

By Rebecca Rubin | November 1, 2010

[caption id="attachment_37723" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="More than 10,000 people descended upon downtown Charlottesville Friday to see President Obama speak in favor of Democratic candidate Tom Perriello.

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News

State budget reductions continue for University

By Audrey Waldrop | November 1, 2010

The University's budget is set to see more reductions - estimated to be between $2.4 million and $7.1 million - on top of the $14 million cut passed by the General Assembly this April for the next fiscal year. The Office of the Governor notified the University of these cuts Friday and asked the University to develop an updated budgetary plan, which is due to Gov.

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News

Credit card companies vie for student pockets

By Mike Lang | November 1, 2010

Credit card companies spent more than $83 million last year marketing their cards to college students through agreements with colleges and alumni associations nationwide, according to a report from the Federal Reserve. The report, required by the 2009 Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act, mandates the disclosure of all agreements between credit card issuers and college-affiliated organizations, said Josh Frank, senior researcher at the Center for Responsible Lending.

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News

Board releases theater details

By Virginia Terwilliger | November 1, 2010

Board of Visitors Building and Grounds Committee discussed the design and schematics for the thrust-theater addition to the drama building Friday. Totalling 20,500 square feet, the addition will include a 3,000-seat theater, an expanded lobby with additional restrooms, dressing rooms, support spaces and a rooftop terrace. "This plan and project represent the Jeffersonian notion of how landscape and buildings fluidly fit together, in a 21st-century way," University architect David Neuman said at the meeting. The primary focus of the plan is to link the arts buildings physically and create a shared outdoor space for students, staff, faculty and visitors to enjoy, Neuman said, noting that the addition is a pointed attempt to provide space for both informal and formal activity, including both faculty-student interaction and performances. The largest outdoor area can fit 1,000 people in folding chairs, made to accommodate graduation ceremonies.

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News

Officials explore bike safety

By Graham Welch | October 29, 2010

[caption id="attachment_37694" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Officials have discussed ways to make shared road space safer for cyclists in Charlottesville.

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News

Voters to weigh in on three state initiatives

By Rose Lee | October 29, 2010

On the ballot for Tuesday's midterm elections are three initiatives that would change the state's tax and budgeting policies. For two consecutive years, the proposed constitutional amendments have received bipartisan and nearly unanimous approval when put to a vote before the General Assembly.

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News

Eco group critiques practices

By Tyler DeBoard | October 29, 2010

After evaluating nine categories relating to green energy practices, the Sustainable Endowments Institute's Green 2011 Report Card gave the University an overall B grade, an improvement from last year's B-. The report provides in-depth sustainability profiles and includes those institutions with the 300 largest endowments in the United States and Canada. "The goal of the report card is to highlight schools that are excelling in promoting sustainability on campus in their operations and within their endowment opportunities," said Susan Paykin, director of communications for the Sustainable Endowments Institute. The average grade given to the surveyed colleges was a B, with 56 percent of surveyed colleges receiving the mark. The University received As in six of the nine grading components, doing well in administration, food & recycling, green building, student involvement, transportation and investment priorities.

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News

Honors go to Casteen for work in diversity

By Radina Belberova | October 29, 2010

[caption id="attachment_37690" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The former University president will be the first recipient of the award.

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News

Officials advocate new dose

By Sara Guaglione | October 29, 2010

The Federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices announced Wednesday that teenagers should receive a booster dose of the bacterial meningitis vaccine rather than a single dose. Officials noted that recent studies have revealed that a single dose is not as effective as previously believed.

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News

Students put out fire in Helms Theatre

By Kevin Mead | October 28, 2010

A small fire broke out in the drama department's Helms Theatre yesterday morning. The fire started in a prop box and did not spread, said Richard Jones, battalion chief with the Charlottesville Fire Department. The fire department is still investigating the cause of the fire, but Ralph Allen, the University's director of environmental health and safety, said a malfunctioning prop cigar was probably the cause. "In all likelihood, it was a stage prop that was designed to keep the stage safe," Allen said.

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News

UVIMCO names new CEO

By Kate Colwell | October 28, 2010

[caption id="attachment_37629" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Following a nationwide search that began after former CEO Chris Brightman stepped down last March, University alumnus Lawrence Kochard was selected to lead the company.

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News

SafeRide vehicle injures student

By Nicole DiAntonio | October 28, 2010

A SafeRide van struck a student on a bicycle at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of McCormick and Alderman Roads. The bicyclist, first-year College student Patrick Monk, was taken to the hospital, where doctors performed surgery on his broken ankle.

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News

Elections expect drop in turnout among students

By Rebecca Rubin | October 28, 2010

In 2008, Tom Perriello came from behind to defeat Republican incumbent Virgil Goode for the Fifth District congressional seat. This year, it appears the Democrat is now the one trailing behind and will fight to hold onto his seat in the Nov.

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News

Officials investigate vandalism incident

By Tyler DeBoard | October 27, 2010

[caption id="attachment_37568" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Ground crews worked Friday morning to repair the vandalism to the football field before the game Saturday.

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News

Post-graduation debt rises in

By Ana Mir | October 27, 2010

Last year's college graduates were immediately saddled with an average of $24,000 in debt upon leaving their undergraduate careers behind, an increase of 6 percent from the previous year, according to a recent report from the Institute for College Access and Success. The institute's report, titled "Student Debt and the Class of 2009," also shows that the unemployment rate for graduates was 8.7 percent in 2009, an increase from 5.8 percent in 2008 and the highest annual rate on record. Members of the University's class of 2009 had an average total debt of $19,939, and for those students who took need-based loans specifically, $15,571, said Scott Miller, associate director of student financial services at the University, The previous year, the average debt was $19,016 and $14,849 for students who took need-based loans, he said.