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Casteen announces new commission

President John T. Casteen, III presented a speech outlining the role of the new Commission on the Future of the University during the Board of Visitors' first meeting of the semester yesterday afternoon. The commission, which is the third of its kind at the University, is an addition to the work already underway for the 10-year academic plan, according to University spokesperson Carol Wood. "The 10-year plan is really strong on nuts and bolts, but the Commission on the Future of the University will add a layer of aspiration," Wood said. The five committees of the proposed commission will use that aspiration to help improve various aspects of the University, according to Casteen. "It is the start of a plan that will carry us through six to eight months of intense work," Casteen said. According to Wood, Casteen hopes to finalize the commission by fall 2007. In its current state, the commission includes of Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Tim Garson, vice president and Medical School dean, who will serve as co-chairs. The committee on programmatic initiatives will work to analyze the "University's competitive posture," according to the draft of the commission presented by Casteen.


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Irvine addresses achievement gap

Jacqueline Irvine, professor of urban education at Emory University, spoke about the white-black achievement gap in education yesterday at the second annual Dr. Walter Ridley Distinguished Lecturer Series. Chief Diversity Officer William Harvey introduced Irvine, expressing his enthusiasm about her visit during Black History Month. Irvine, a graduate of Howard University, said she thinks the two most important issues to address are school segregation and the gap in test scores. She said 48 percent of schoolchildren today are from a diverse background, but noted that "growing diversity does not entail growing integration." Irvine attributed a lack of integration in public schools to the enrollment of white children in private schools. "Private school enrollment by white students today is comparable to white private school enrollment in 1968," Irvine said. The achievement gap that exists between black and white students affects every student at the University, Irvine said, because these students are the future. The disparity in test scores cannot be explained solely by a socioeconomic dynamic between whites and blacks.


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Proposal aims to slow rise in tuition

The Virginia House of Delegates Higher Education Subcommittee recently proposed withholding funding from state colleges and universities unless they agree to keep tuition increases low. According to Colette Sheehy, University vice president for management and budget, the University created a six-year plan last year that lays out the optimal scenario for cost-sharing between the state government and students. "Every institution has a different rate of cost-sharing," Sheehy said.


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Father found guilty

James Garrison­­ -- the father of 2006 College graduate Stephanie Garrison, who was acquitted in an open honor trial in September -- was charged Tuesday with the assault and battery of Gavin Reddick, University Judiciary Committee vice chair for sanctions, according to Patrice Winston, deputy clerk of Albemarle General District Court. According to the case report, the altercation occurred last Sept.


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Council debates amendment

Student Council introduced and discussed four new resolutions last night, including the proposals include a bill to amend the Student Council Constitution, a resolution to support the Curriculum Internationalization Survey and a bill to create a committee in charge of a peer support program.


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Research parks promote collaboration

Approximately eight miles north of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia on Route 29, near the Charlottesville/Albemarle Airport, there are signs that read 'University of Virginia.' Past these signs, expansive tracts of land spread out in all directions, and a burgeoning, "masterplanned," state-of-the-art community rises amidst the natural beauty of the Virginia landscape.


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U.Va. researchers find behavior linked to genetics

A study recently conducted in the University's psychology department shows that disruptive behavior in children may have genetic origins rather than simply stemming from exposure to factors such as familial interactions. The study analyzed the connection between conflict within a marriage and children's conduct disorder, said Paige Harden, a psychology graduate student leading the research. Specifically, the purpose of the study was "to find out... whether it was the marital conflict itself that caused the problem" or whether it was the result of "parents with genetic liabilities" who then pass these genes on to their children," Harden said. What the researchers found was that behavioral problems do have a genetic component, she said. The study describes this specific relationship in genetic terms, and examines the effects of marital friction on children's development. According to the study, "there are not genes 'for' arguing with a spouse, but the process of selecting, shaping, and perceiving social environments involves genetically-influenced behaviors and personality attributes." The research was conducted by observing samples of identical twins "who differed in their marital conflict," Harden said.


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Research: A Walk In The Park?

Approximately eight miles north of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia on Route 29, near the Charlottesville/Albemarle Airport, there are signs that read 'University of Virginia.' Past these signs, expansive tracts of land spread out in all directions, and a burgeoning, "masterplanned," state-of-the-art community rises amidst the natural beauty of the Virginia landscape.


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University researchers work toward developing male contraceptive drug

For over 20 years, researchers in the University's Center for Research in Contraceptive and Reproductive Health have been working toward developing a male contraceptive drug, and thanks to recent advances in the center's research, this goal continues to be promising. John Herr, director of the Center for Research in Contraceptive and Reproductive Health, explained that his research focuses on targeting certain sperm proteins. "We've been working for many years to identify proteins that are unique to the process of spermiogenesis," said John Herr, director of the Center for Research in Contraceptive and Reproductive Health.


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Health System launches online heart health program

The University of Virginia Health System recently launched a new online program, Club Red, designed to educate women about the risk of heart disease. Women can join the Web site to gain access to nutrition and exercise tips, as well as a message board where they can post their own tips for how to incorporate heart health into their lives, Health System spokesperson Carol Keese said. "Club Red is a membership program about engaging women in making a commitment to themselves about being heart healthy," Keese said. Keese noted that other campaigns have attempted to raise women's awareness about heart disease, such as National Wear Red Day, which began four years ago.


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Clarification

Yesterday's Life article "Rushing Around Grounds," referred to Trigon as "the Engineering School's fraternity," implying that Trigon was the only fraternity based in the Engineering School.


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Va. House passes HPV vaccine bill

The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill yesterday that would require all girls entering middle school to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus. The Virginia Senate had previously passed a bill requiring all girls entering the sixth grade to be vaccinated unless parents specified a medical or religious exemption.


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The Peer Health Education program is made up of students who work to empower their peers to develop healthier habits. Evie Liu, current Outreach Coordinator of PHE and fourth-year college student, discusses the role of PHE in promoting a “community of care” in the student body and expands on the organization’s various initiatives.