News

Bill creates fee for completing many extra credits

The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates recently passed a bill which requires that a fee be charged to in-state students at public universities who have completed 125 percent of the credit hours needed to obtain a degree in their chosen program. The bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Walter Stosch, R-Glen Allen, passed the in House of Delegates March 15 and was passed by the Senate the next day.

Jurors express confusion over lying charge

Does Divestment STAND a Chance?

White paper human cut-outs lay sprawled across South Lawn on Monday as part of a "Die In" organized by Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND), a University CIO dedicated to promoting awareness of current events in Darfur, Sudan. STAND sought to use the symbolic paper corpses to represent the mass killings in the Darfur region that began in 2003.

Student faces felony charge for

A University student was arrested on a felony charge and referred to the University Judiciary Committee after detonating what he termed a "Drano bomb" on March 25. The student, a College first-year, was arrested on March 27 for violating a law prohibiting the manufacture, transport, distribution, possession or use of a "fire bomb or explosive materials or devices," according to a press release issued yesterday by the University Police.

Clarification Yesterday's news story "Rape case heads to grand jury after 22 years," was accompanied by a picture with a caption that indicated that the pre-trial hearing about the Elizabeth Securro rape case had occurred in the Charlottesville City Courthouse.

Jurors speak out about open honor trial results

Jurors from Sunday's open honor trial said they differ in their opinions about the issues that affected their deliberations.

Honor releases report on single sanction

The Honor Committee's ad hoc Committee on the Investigation of the Single Sanction released its report on the single sanction at last Sunday's meeting.

Minority Rights Coalition holds 'Hoos Got Privilege' Week

The Minority Rights Coalition, Office of the Dean of Students, Chief Diversity Officer Bill Harvey and other University organizations joined together last night to sponsor Rev.

Convicted student talks about trial

At the conclusion of Sunday's open Honor trial, third-year Engineering student Steve Gilday was found not guilty of cheating but guilty of lying in regard to the legitimacy of a test he had submitted for a re-grade.

Congress probes NCAA tax status

A congressional committee is inquiring about the tax exempt status afforded to the NCAA. The U.S.

Fall 2006 COD released online

The University Registrar placed the Fall 2006 Course Offering Directory online Friday. Class locales and times are determined through a detailed algorithm created by the registrar which is then used by individual departments, according to University Registrar Carol Stanley.

Open trial: Guilty of lying, not cheating

In an open honor trial yesterday, a 10-person panel of random students found third-year Engineering student Steve Gilday not guilty of cheating in submitting an altered test for a re-grade, but guilty of act, intent and seriousness for lying to the professor when asked about the legitimacy of the resubmitted test. The jury found Gilday not guilty of cheating on the question of act and intent. The requisite four-fifths of jury members then found Gilday guilty of act and intent to lie. Because the case was initiated before the spring referenda elections, the voter-approved "triviality" clause was not in effect.

Tramba chosen Honor chair; Blank to lead UJC

The University Judiciary Committee and Honor Committee announced their newly elected executive committee members last night.

Rape case heads to grand jury after 22 years

Judge Edward Berry ruled there was probable cause to send a 22-year-old rape case to a grand jury last Friday at Charlottesville's Juvenile and Domestic Relations court. The case was brought forth by University Alumna Elizabeth Seccuro, who initially met with the dean of students following the incident but did not file criminal charges at the time.

Number of international grad students grows

A report released yesterday by the Council of Graduate Schools shows that graduate school applications nationally from international students has increased significantly from 2005 to 2006. This year's 11 percent increase follows a cumulative decline of 32 percent from 2003 to 2005, according to the report. The report shows large gains in the volume of graduate applications from China, with a 23 percent, and India, with a 21 percent increase. Stuart Heiser, manager of government relations and public affairs at the Council of Graduate Schools, describes the increases in these two countries as a natural recovery after a noticeable decline following Sept.

Study shows effects of professors' politics

A study presented to Pennsylvania lawmakers on Wednesday announced that the perceived partisanship of professors by students may have an impact on the quality of a classroom. Matthew Woessner, assistant professor of public policy at Pennsylvania State University, and his wife April Kelly-Woessner, assistant professor of political science at Elizabethtown College, conducted a survey of 1,385 undergraduate politics students from schools in 18 different states. "We wanted to see how perceptions of professors' partisanship influence the students' assessment of the professors objectivity and overall caring of the students and classroom," Woessner said. The study found that the stronger the perceived political views of a professor, the less credible the professor seemed, Woessner said. "On the whole, when a professor is perceived as a strong Republican or strong Democrat, these professors had less credibility and objectivity in the eyes of students," Woessner said. Woessner added that at times these professors' views can distance students. "The reason that a strong Republican or Democrat can have a little more trouble in a classroom is that they tend to alienate more factions of the class than those that come across as moderate," Woessner said. Woessner said they are still deciding how to fully interpret the data. He added that they wouldn't recommend that faculty fully adapt their teaching to students, but they should offer a balanced ideological approach to curriculum. "It doesn't benefit their students to come across as highly partisan," Woessner said. Woessner added that they have formulated some suggestions for professors, such as providing a "balanced assessment of partisan events in the country" and refraining from "endorsing particular policies in the country". Some University professors agreed with Woessner's advice. "There's a difference between a study and an opinion, and in the classroom, you want to distinguish between the two when you're lecturing," politics Prof.

Judiciary Committee holds mock trial

The University Judiciary Committee held a mock trial last night to educate newly elected judges. In a fictitious accusation, current UJC chair Tim Ormsby stood accused of stealing a keg from Theta Delta Chi fraternity while intoxicated.

Va. ranked second in business friendliness

The Commonwealth has been named the second most "business-friendly" state for the second year in a row, according to a study conducted by Pollina Corporate Real Estate Co., a site-selection company. Dr. Ronald Pollina, president of Pollina Real Estate Co., has been conducting this research annually for three years, evaluating states in a two-phase system before ranking them. "First, we evaluate every state on fifteen factors, including how states tax businesses, human resources within the state, right to work legislation, energy costs, what they spend on infrastructure and workers comp.