News

Hate crimes meeting explores legal options

By Whitney Gruenloh Cavalier Daily Staff Writer In an attempt to discover ways to prosecute racial and discriminatory events and crimes, last night the University Judiciary Committee's ad hoc Committee on Hate Crimes met with City and University officials to discuss possible legal solutions. The meeting's attendees considered ways to handle the conflicts of the First Amendment's protection of speech in relation to the hate crimes and hate incidents. "Words are very difficult to punish because we value words so highly, and rightly so," Commonwealth Attorney of Charlottesville Dave Chapman said.

BOV approves budget requests

By Catherine Conkle Cavalier Daily Associate Editor The Finance Committee of the Board of Visitors approved the University's 2006-2008 budget proposal Tuesday.

Cost of living in C'ville above national average

Increased living costs in conjunction with low wages have made Charlottesville a more difficult place to live for many local residents according to Larry Banner, vice president for the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Although living costs are increasing, the average salary of residents have remained the same, Banner said. "The high cost of living with a low average pay scale does not allow for the working person to live in a comfortable quality fashion in our region," he said. According to Banner, this imbalance poses a challenge for the average working person.

Where's the Free Food?

IFC reacts to weekend incident

The incident at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity early last Sunday morning, involving an attack by 15 to 20 currently unidentified individuals, was allegedly random and unprovoked and will spark greater vigilance on the part of Inter-Fraternal Council members, IFC President Ross Kimbel said. Among measures IFC members are considering in response to the incident is posting uniformed police officers at entrances, Kimbel said. According to Charlottesville Police Sgt.

U.Va. set to implement reporting procedures

University President John T. Casteen, III announced the University will, before the end of the semester, implement several proposals from a list of recommendations issued by the Working Group for Racial and Nonracial Bias Reporting last week. The Working Group, headed by African-American Affairs Dean M.

Piracy: is the booty worth the risk?

TINSTAAFL: There is no such thing as a free lunch. This basic principle of microeconomics is used to refer to the fact that everything has a cost -- even if it is free for you, someone else is paying the price.

U.Va. professor receives MacArthur Foundation award

Terry Belanger, a history and engineering professor and honorary curator of the Special Collections Library, was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship yesterday. The award grants five-year fellowships to those who exhibit "exceptional merit and promise of continued and enhanced creative work" and includes a $500,000 stipend, according to the MacArthur Foundation. Belanger's MacArthur Fellowship is the first to be awarded to a University Professor since 2002.

SAE alleges violence at party

A group of 15 to 20 individuals swarmed the deck of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house between 2:15 a.m.

Faculty release statement on intolerance

The Executive Council of the Faculty Senate adopted the "Statement of the Faculty Senate Against Intolerance" Monday. Executive Council Chair Houston G.

Virginia21 starts voter campaign

Virginia21, an organization which seeks to involve young Virginians in the political process, kicked off its Swing Generation Campaign yesterday to provide information to young voters as well as encourage them to participate in this year's gubernatorial election. "The Swing Generation Campaign is the effort in making sure students are getting to the polls," Virginia21 Communications Director David Solimini said. Solimini said this year's Swing Generation Campaign is especially important because the Commonwealth will elect a new governor. "Young voters are quickly becoming important, and they are voting in increasing numbers," Solimini said.

Bioethics in the house

ROTC holds annual POW vigil

After a 24-hour vigil on the Amphitheater stage, the University ROTC held a joint ceremony yesterday honoring all prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. Beginning at 4 p.m.

Gang grant for City expected

This week, the Charlottesville City Council is expected to approve an extended grant to the Gang Identification and Prevention Training Program, Mayor David Brown said. Theprogram, run by the Charlottesville/Albemarle Commission on Children and Families, is an attempt to educate the larger Charlottesville community about the recent increase in local gang activity and the potential for further expansion, said CCF Juvenile Justice Coordinator Rory Carpenter. "The idea was to provide training that would identify and prevent gang activity," Carpenter said.

Department of Education creates new national strategy for colleges

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced yesterday a new commission to develop a national strategy for post-secondary education, addressing "the economic and workforce needs of the country's future" and intending to attack issues such as access to and affordability of higher education. "We have a responsibility to make sure our higher education system continues to meet our nation's needs for an educated and competitive workforce in the 21st century," Spellings said. According to the release, Spellings said the commission will engage students and families, policy makers, business leaders and the academic community in a national dialogue about all key aspects of higher education. Samara Yudof, spokesperson for the Department of Education, said funding for the new initiative will come from the Department. Yusof said she could not provide any additional information regarding the specifics of the initiative because the program is in its pilot stage. The commission's charter provides a budget of $700,000, which is the same as the Title IV commission implemented a few years ago, she said. Vice President to the Provost J.

New crisis response set

The City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the University are part of an $18 millionproject that will improve communication between all of the emergency response agencies in each of the three jurisdictions, said Wayne Campagna, projects coordinator of the Emergency Communication Center. The project is a new single system that allows all agencies to operate independently, but in case of an emergency, multiple units can contact multiple agencies, Campagna said. Initiated in 1995, technical setbacks have previously impeded the program's progress.

U.Va. spearheads new approach to treating depression

University Medical Center doctors and University professors developed and are applying an innovative new depression-fighting technique using an implant connecting to the brain. The University doctors and professors, in conjunction with hospitals across the nation, developed the concept for the Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy System.

FBI seeks relationship with higher education

To strengthen relations between higher education institutions and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Director Robert S.

Two first-year dormitories evacuated after ticking sound in package

Two dormitories in the McCormick Road Residence Area were evacuated Friday evening after a package emitting a mysterious ticking sound was received in the mailroom of Page dormitory. According to University Police Capt.

Medical School breaks ground on new $71 million research facility as Board of Visitors reviews new construction plans

The Medical School broke ground Friday on a new $71 million research center as the Board of Visitors Buildings and Grounds Committee met to discuss further expansion. The new Carter-Harrison Research Building will provide laboratories, research support and office space to medical investigators working in the areas of cancer, immunology and infectious diseases. The 102,000-square-foot facility will be located behind Jordan Hall and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2008. "This new building is for research where scientists and doctors will use their knowledge and findings to eventually help patients," University Health System spokesperson Peter Jump said.