News

Sabato chosen to co-anchor BBC election coverage

Politics Prof. Larry Sabato has been selected to co-anchor election night coverage for BBC America and BBC International next Tuesday. Sabato, who can often be seen offering televised political commentary, will be commenting on and analyzing the various congressional elections going on throughout the day. According to Ken Stroupe, chief of staff for the Center for Politics, Sabato will be commenting alongside Katty Kay, the BBC News Correspondent who typically covers American politics, at the BBC Washington Bureau. "There has been a long-standing interest on the part of the BBC to have Prof.

Kaine releases Va. plans to combat obesity

Gov. Tim Kaine released the preliminary report from the Commonwealth's Healthy Approach and Mobilization Plan for Inactivity, Obesity and Nutrition, or CHAMPION program.

JPJ to host employers for Diversity Career Day

In its young life, the John Paul Jones Arena has played host to national acts such as Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney.

Webb, Weed rally support at U.Va.

With the senatorial midterm elections only a week away, Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Jim Webb and other candidates visited the University yesterday in order to rally support from students and the local community. University Democrats President Katie Cristol introduced State Sen.

Former ambassador evaluates U.N. role

Former Ambassador William S. Luer, president of the United States Chapter of the United Nations Association, gave an address on the importance of the U.N.

it's not easy bein' orange

Student groups address issues of diversity

Student leaders gathered last night to discuss ways to increase diversity in historically white organizations at a forum sponsored by Student Council Diversity Initiatives. The event centered around the efforts of four groups -- Student Council, the Honor Committee, the University Judiciary Committee and The Cavalier Daily -- to advance race and diversity-related issues within their organizations. Leaders of organizations within the Minority Rights Coalition responded to the statements and questions of the group leaders and of audience members. Student Council President Darius Nabors noted the importance of looking at diversity in two ways, both in representation of diverse backgrounds within an organization and in the actions an organization takes to respond to the issues of different underrepresented groups. Nabors said that while he does not think there is a large problem with current participation in Council, he believes the organization can "do a better job of representing minority issues on Grounds and having continued involvement." Eli DeJarnette, UJC vice chair for trials, and Honor Chair Allison Tramba both noted their groups' efforts to reach out to underrepresented student populations while recruiting support officers who could eventually become leaders in their organizations. Tramba noted that Honor has revived the once-defunct Diversity Advisory Board this year in order to encourage discussion of issues that affect minority groups at the University. DeJarnette noted that while UJC does not have a standing diversity committee, it created an ad-hoc committee last year to deal with hate crimes and also recently changed its constitution to allow the Committee to take bias incidents into account during the sanctioning process. Cavalier Daily editor-in-chief Michael Slaven said there has been an effort in recent years to improve coverage of events sponsored by cultural organizations.

Salvadoran justice discusses human rights

Salvadoran Supreme Court Justice Mirna Perla spoke last night on human rights and domestic violence in post-war El Salvador in the auditorium of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.

Candidates spar over Webb's novels

As Election Day draws near, personal character continues to be a focal point in the close race between incumbent Republican George Allen and Democratic challenger Jim Webb. The Webb campaign has recently found itself defending Webb's 2001 novel "Lost Soldiers," which includes descriptions of pedophilia and incest. Webb spokesperson Jessica Smith said the Allen campaign has brought up the novels in another personal attack. "After six years in the Senate, Allen doesn't have a record to run on," Smith said. Smith described the Allen campaign as having nothing better to do but thumb through Webb's novels to find something objectionable. "With one week left, the only thing he can resort to is attacking Jim for being an award-winning author and journalist," Smith said. Allen campaign manager Dick Wadhams said commenting on the content of Webb's novels was not a character attack. "Webb continually refers to himself as a writer," Wadhams said.

Man suffers head laceration in attack on JPA

A 19-year-old male was the victim of an attempted robbery on the 1800s block of Jefferson Park Avenue during the late hours of Thursday, Oct.

W&M removes cross from Wren Chapel

The College of William & Mary has removed the cross from the altar in its chapel in response to the structure's frequent use for nonreligious events. William & Mary President Gene Nichol released a statement to the college community saying that he has "not banished the cross from the Wren Chapel.

Honor proposes changes to adjudication process

The Honor Committee discussed procedural changes involving a streamlined investigation process last night. The proposed changes include scheduling investigation panels to take place between 15 and 20 days after the start of an investigation, restructuring investigations so that the reporting witness and the accused student are interviewed twice, removing the automatic assignment of an Honor advisor to a reporting witness and creating a form outlining the necessary information about the process for involved parties. The proposed restructuring would also include a reworking of the investigation panel hearings "ending appearance at the hearings by counsel, advisors, investigated students and reporting witnesses," according to the proposal. The Committee's by-laws state that an investigation panel now includes a 15-minute presentation by each counsel, an opportunity for both the reporting witness and the accused student to speak and time for panel questions. Investigation panels are composed of three Committee members who decide whether or not they will accuse a students based on the standard that "more likely than not" an honor offense was committed with dishonest intent and that the act in question was serious. "These are not nibbles anymore," Vice Chair for Trials Jay Trickett said of the proposed changes. Trickett said the changes will significantly alter the roles of several parties currently involved in the process. "We want to shift the role of the reporting witness ... from that of a party in an adversarial relationship with the accused to that of a witness reporting a case," Trickett added.

University hosts pilot project on dating violence

This month the University is participating in the pilot project of Virginia's first campaign to address dating violence on college campuses. The project, known as the Red Flag Campaign, was created by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Alliance in association with college groups around the state, said Kate McCord, public awareness manager for the Alliance and co-coordinator of the campaign. "We are a statewide coalition of individuals and agencies working to respond to and prevent sexual and domestic violence," McCord said.

Time for a little Croquet

Study examines effects of 'pre-gaming'

A recent study was conducted in Pennsylvania on "strategic drinking," better known among college students as "pre-gaming." This study explored both the negative and positive outcomes of pre-gaming. During the study, pre-gaming was defined as "the practice of drinking alcohol in a private setting prior to attending an organized event/social activity where alcohol might or might not be served." Students from 10 private and public higher education institutions in Pennsylvania completed a questionnaire about their drinking habits.

Census data highlights degree advantage

The U.S. Census Bureau released a series of tables yesterday titled, "Educational Attainment in the United States: 2005," showing a significant difference in earnings of employees with bachelor's degrees and those with high school diplomas. According to the table, available on the U.S.

SFS opens in Newcomb

Students no longer need to trek to Carruthers Hall to handle administrative matters with Student Financial Services and other offices.

U.Va. research used to analyze children, nature

The National Dialogue on Children and Nature Conference, which included research contributed by the University Architecture School, was held recently at the National Conservation Center in West Virginia. The University's Institute for Environmental Negotiation, part of the Department of Urban and Environmental Planning in the Architecture School, was one of the main participants in the conference. This was the largest U.S.

Suspect in rape case pleads guilty

John Henry Agee pled guilty on Sunday to the charges of rape and object sexual penetration of a former University Law student. The victim, whose name has not been disclosed to the public, was a first-year Law student at the time of the attack, Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney Elizabeth Killeen said. The attack occurred approximately 1 a.m.

Top Docs: 51 physicians make the grade

Fifty-one physicians at the University of Virginia Medical Center have been named among America's top physicians in a book published this month entitled "America's Top Doctors." The book, now in its sixth edition, is published annually by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., an independent research company which releases consumer guides about the health care community. According to a Castle Connolly press release, the list of more than 5,000 physicians is compiled through a peer-recommended and mediated process involving thousands of medical professionals.