News

Student groups debate referendum

Representatives from Hoos Against Single Sanction and Students for the Preservation of Honor met last night to debate the merits and problems associated with the multiple sanction proposal which will appear as a referendum on the spring ballot. "The elections are coming up later this week and we believe it's very important for students to hear the arguments and make an informed decision," said Vadim Elenev, vice president of the Washington Literary and Debate Society, the organization that hosted the debate. The non-binding resolution, which was introduced to the ballot by a petition by Hoos Against Single Sanction, introduces changes to the Honor Constitution that would establish a multiple sanctioning system in dealing with honor offenses. Sam Leven, president of Hoos Against Single Sanction, and Rachel Carr, vice president of the group, argued that the proposal would increase reporting of Honor offenses and make the system less arbitrary. "I know there's a strong sentimental tie to the single sanction," Leven said.

University receives informatics program funding

The University will become one of the National Library for Medicine's sites for medical informatics training in June after having successfully filed a proposal for funding from the organization last March. The practice of medical informatics deals with applying "computer and communications technology to the field of health," according to a NLM press release.

Wax On, Wax Off

ETS announces alterations to GRE testing format to take effect in fall

The Educational Testing Service is making multiple changes to the Graduate Record Examinations, a standardized test required for admission to many graduate schools.

Student, professor victims of robbery while on Grounds

A University student and a University professor were the targets of a robbery Friday night in the E-3 Scott Stadium parking lot, according to a police report. The victims, ages 26 and 39, were approached at about 9:20 p.m.

Arizona gov. to speak to Law grads

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano was recently selected to speak at the Law School graduation this spring.

Hips Don't Lie

Honor endorses plan to add College reps. to Committee

The Honor Committee voted yesterday to endorse the referendum that would increase the number of seats for College representatives on the Committee and discussed the possible creation of an Honor Committee onboard the Semester at Sea program. The proposal, which the Committee voted onto the spring election ballot last week, would add two seats for students in the College to the Committee, reallocating the makeup of the Committee to reflect more accurately current College enrollment.

College presidents pledge to limit CO2

Seventy-two college and university presidents recently indicated their commitment to lower greenhouse gas emissions by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment; although the University is not a signatory, the administration is currently considering the initiative. Signing the commitment represents a pledge to become climate neutral, said ecoAmerica Executive Director Lee Bodner.

Colleges see more private funding

As the University's Capital Campaign increasingly relies on private donations, a recent study shows that other schools are also increasingly benefiting more from private donations. According to a survey conducted by the Chronicle of Philanthropy on the 60 most generous Americans, colleges and universities received more gifts from the top donors in 2006 than any other types of institution in America, as reported in an article by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Colleges received 34 gifts from the top donors while the next largest group, foundations, were given 28 gifts, according to the Chronicle. The University's Capital Campaign is heavily dependent on such large independent contributions, including John Tudor Jones' gift of $35 million given last year for the new arena, said Bob Sweeney, senior vice president for development and public affairs. "We anticipate in our campaign that we will need 133 gifts of over $5 million of principal gifts to become one of the truly elite universities in America," Sweeney said. The Campaign, which has a goal of raising three billion dollars by Dec.

Gov. Kaine addresses Law students

Gov. Tim Kaine addressed University law students this weekend, encouraging them to pursue careers in public service. The event, held Saturday, was part of the eighth annual Conference on Public Service & the Law, which addresses issues of social justice both in the United States and the world at large. The conference was organized entirely by graduate students, an effort that illustrates their dedication to the University and to public service, said Law School Dean John Jeffries in his introduction. Kaine also recognized undergraduate and graduate students' commitment to public service. He then offered five tips for beginning a public service career.

IFC elects officers for 2007

The Inter-Fraternity Council met last night to elect its non-executive officers for the coming year. Last night's election came a week after the IFC elected its executive board in the first of its two-part election process. The IFC Presidents' Council, which consists of all fraternity presidents, as well as the outgoing IFC governing board voted in the elections, according to outgoing President Andy Paradis. "I'm very pleased with the way elections went," Paradis said.

Med. School examines donations from pharmaceutical companies

The Prescription Project, a joint effort between Columbia University's Institute on Medicine as a Profession and the grassroots organization Community Catalyst, launched a campaign Monday calling on medical schools to end interactions with pharmaceutical companies that could result in conflicts of interest, said Susan Chimonas, co-director of research at the Prescription Project.

Students to vote on four referenda in elections

The University Board of Elections announced Wednesday the four referendum questions that will appear on the spring elections ballot.

Berry delivers Black History Month keynote address

Mary Frances Berry, a University of Pennsylvania professor who also worked on the Commission on Civil Rights in the Carter and Clinton administrations, delivered the Black History Month keynote address yesterday.

Bill sponsored by U.Va. advances

The Virginia Senate Education and Health Committee unanimously passed a bill yesterday granting the University more autonomy over the management and investment of certain funds.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

U.Va. looks to diversify tenure-track faculty

As administrators go through the process of conducting interviews to fill tenure-track positions for the 2007-08 academic year, the University continues to look towards increasing the diversity of its faculty. The current tenured faculty is 88.6 percent white and 75 percent male, according to Gertrude Fraser, vice provost for faculty advancement. Bill Harvey, vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity, said the University is ranked 12th among 61 institutions in the American Association for American Universities in terms of the number of black faculty members. "That sounds better than it is," Harvey said.

University surgeons perform transplant, first of its kind in Va.

Through a radical transplant surgery, the first of its kind conducted in the Commonwealth, University surgeons cured 15-year-old Ashley Lilly of a serious form of pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas.

Faculty, friends remember legacy of former assoc. dean of students

Former Associate Dean of Students Sybil Todd passed away at age 66 Tuesday in Dallas after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to a family friend.