[caption id="attachment_31528" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Honor Committee reviewed Vice Chair for Community Relations J.J.
University Judiciary Committee members last night reviewed a proposed amendment that would define term length for the First Year Judiciary Committee and add this new definition to the committee's constitution and bylaws. The amendment, presented by outgoing FYJC Chair Halley Epstein, also clarifies who will adjudicate first-year trials during the lame-duck session, which is the period from August, when FYJC members have officially entered their second-year, to October, when the new FYJC is elected. Currently, the FYJC's term limits are not defined in UJC's constitution or by-laws.
In a statement released Friday, Virginia State Police reported that Morgan Dana Harrington, who disappeared from a Metallica concert Oct.
The University administration has revised its health care plans for University employees in an attempt to stop arbitrary hikes in insurance premiums and maintain general financial stability. The new changes include additional cost sharing for both the high- and low-premium plans and increased premium levels for the high-premium plan only. An influx of new University health insurance users prompted the switch, noted both Anne Broccoli, University director of faculty and staff benefits for the Human Resources department, and Human Resources Communications Manager Alexandra Rebhorn. In an effort to increase cost sharing in both plans, brand-name prescription drugs are now part of an employee's co-insurance, not the co-pay, meaning that an employee will pay a percentage of the drug's costs with caps instead of a flat co-pay rate. Additionally, co-pays for both plans increased from $15 to $20 for primary service and from $30 to $40 for specialists. Though the University raised the premiums for the high-premium plan, the plan features less overall cost-sharing, through deductibles and co-insurance, at the point of service than the low-premium option. More than 91 percent of University employees who take part in the University's health care plans are enrolled in the high-premium plan.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia presented a special addendum resolution at its meeting Tuesday detailing a recommendation for an increase in commonwealth funding for financial aid at colleges and universities. Lee Andes, SCHEV assistant director of financial aid, said one part of the three-part recommendation would contribute an additional $58.7 million in state-funded financial aid to undergraduate public institutions - $19.9 million by 2011 and another $38.8 million by 2012.
At its working meeting yesterday, the Faculty Senate discussed the draft resolution on scholarly publication and authors' rights, as well as changes to University employee health insurance plans. "I want everyone to be as informed as possible," Senate Chair Ann Hamric said in regards to the Senate's copyright resolution, which proposes a requirement that all faculty should retain the appropriate rights to have their articles stored in a public University repository.
The University Health System recently received a $5 million donation from PBM Products to pursue new diabetes-related research. Diane and Paul Manning, founder and CEO of PBM, which sells diabetes products, infant formula and baby food, made the donation in hopes of bringing the University to the forefront of diabetes research in the next few years. The University will receive $1 million each year for the next five years said Cindy Barber, PBM's vice president of regulatory medical and clinical affairs.
The Miller Center of Public Affairs has established an office in Washington, D.C. to be closer to the nation's policymakers.
Daniel and Gil Harrington, parents of Morgan Dana Harrington, released a statement yesterday thanking the Virginia State Police Department, the University Police Department, Metallica band members and other supporters for their efforts to help locate the couple's missing daughter, who disappeared from a concert at John Paul Jones arena Oct.
[caption id="attachment_31432" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Bystanders saw someone matching Harrington's description walking along the Copeley Road bridge in the direction of Ivy Road between 9:20 and 9:30 p.m.
Ten weeks into the fall semester, Student Council President John Nelson's administration has broken ground on a number of its initial goals to improve outreach.
Poets & Writers Magazine ranked the University's creative writing master's degree program third overall in the country in its November/December 2009 issue. "[The program is] one of our biggest strengths and [it is] obviously one of the best writing programs in the country," English Department Chair Cynthia Wall said. Director of Creative Writing Christopher Tilghman said Poets & Writers based its rankings partially on factors like funding and postgraduate placement, but placed more emphasis on polling students applying to the programs. "They were trying to avoid the bias of people who had already gone through programs," Tilghman said.
The James Madison University Judicial Affairs Office has brought charges against student journalists for allegedly committing policy violations while reporting. Journalists working for The Breeze, JMU's student newspaper, declined to comment on the issue per their attorney's advice, said JMU Media Arts and Design Prof.
[caption id="attachment_31402" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The University will significantly expand the Health System in the near future.
Student Council and Hoo Crew are launching a joint fundraiser called "Hoos for Herzlich" to honor Boston College athlete Mark Herzlich, the 2008 ACC Defensive Football Player of the Year who was diagnosed this spring with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Council and Hoo Crew will work to raise money for Uplifting Athletes, a non-profit organization comprised of current student-football athletes who raise awareness of and funding for rare diseases. "We want to do our part to support our fellow conference athlete ... with a goal of raising $10,000 before Boston College comes to play here on Nov.
The University ranked 28th on the 2009 Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, receiving an overall "sexual health" GPA of 2.94
[caption id="attachment_31404" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Darden School. Photo by Iram Shaikh."]
The University Judiciary Committee introduced the new First Year Judiciary Committee at its weekly meeting last Sunday.
[caption id="attachment_31357" align="alignleft" width="223" caption="Rep. Tom Perriello, pictured on the campaign trail last year, and delegates David Toscano and Robert Bell were shown scale models of turbines at the University's Rotating Machinery and Controls Laboratory to simulate wind energy options.
In an effort to improve its outreach, Student Council has developed a number of programs to encourage co-sponsorship among student groups and to support the functions of contracted independent organizations. Last Monday, 85 student leaders from various CIOs, seven members of the University administration and staff members from Student Activities and Business Services convened at the CIO Leadership Dinner in the Newcomb Ballroom for a keynote program with resources from dominant organizations on Grounds, including the University Programs Council, the University Judiciary Committee and the Fourth Year Trustees. The dinner was intended to initiate conversations about co-sponsorship among attendees.
