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MGC considers revised constitution

A Multicultural Greek Council committee recently completed rewriting its constitution and bylaws and will meet tonight to finalize the changes before presenting it to the MGC Presidents Council for approval. Members of the MGC felt the need to have a revised edition of the constitution and bylaws to better accommodate the growth of the organization, MGC Parliamentarian Margaret Schiller said. Some of the major changes made in the constitution are clarifying the difference between an associate member and a probationary member, said Christina Ridgway, MGC vice president and head of the Constitution Committee. "The terms 'associate member' and 'probationary member' were used interchangeably with the old constitution," Ridgway said. In the new constitution, the associate member refers to an organization under research of becoming a member of the MGC, while a probationary member refers to one that is already an active organization on a probationary period due to misconduct. Another change in the constitution is a revision to the MGC mission statement to include three more goals. "We want our purpose to cover all of our objectives in terms of what we believe in and what our organization stands for," Ridgway said. Other changes proposed in the new constitution pertain to the leadership positions and the voting procedure. The new constitution establishes a one-year term for executive board members and a semester term for chair positions.

Gov. Warner visits University

Gov. Mark R. Warner unveiled a third generation broadband fiber-optic network connecting all of Virginia's university's to national and international research networks in the Dome Room of the Rotunda yesterday. The new network was hailed for its significance in increasing the competitiveness of Virginia universities in conducting ground-breaking research and receiving federal research grants. "If the Commonwealth is to be competitive, we must make our universities our intellectual capacity creators," Warner said.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

IGC coordinates Greek governing councils' efforts

The new presidents of three Greek governing councils and the outgoing president of the Black Fraternal Council met Friday to discuss their goals for this year's Inter-Greek Committee. The participation of the new presidents of the Inter-Sorority Council, Inter-Fraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, and Black Fraternal Council -- Christina Valencia, Ross Kimbel, Julie Chung and Ryan Chatman, respectively -- marks the first year that three of the Greek governing council presidents have previously served on the IGC. The IGC was founded in the spring of 2003 as a service group and programming entity in charge of Greek Week and Greek Awards, said Kat Shea, a fourth-year College student and IGC facilitator. The council is made up of the Facilitator and two representatives from each of the four Greek councils. One of the major goals of the IGC is involvement in community events, Kimbel said. "It is an avenue by which individual Greek governing councils can come together to reach out to the community of Charlottesville and the University community," Kimbel said. Shea said one of the biggest goals of the coming year is getting the executive boards of the four Greek councils to interact more often with the IGC. "One of the things that is lacking is an overall sense of Greek identity and recognizing we are part of such a large system," Shea said. The IGC is facing a strong year for growth, Valencia said. "It's huge," Kimbel added.

International students may face tracking difficulty

International students may have difficulty getting errors in federal tracking records corrected, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System is a detailed compilation of the travel plans and academic and criminal records of international students studying in the United States. SEVIS has been found to contain minor errors, and continuing technical problems can potentially cause travel and enrollment difficulties for foreign students, according to the GAO study. Though the report cited progress in the usability of SEVIS's Help Desk support since a June 2004 report, some students still experience difficulties. The GAO report was issued in connection with a Congressional hearing request regarding SEVIS. An Institute for International Education report, released last November, cited a decrease in the number of international students studying in the United States during the 2003-2004 academic year. The GAO report attributes the decline, to changing visa policies and "increased global competition," not SEVIS difficulties. SEVIS staff was increased in 2003 to improve Help Desk accessibility, and requests for data error corrections have decreased since 2003. The SEVIS records are maintained by U.S.

Jefferson Scholar candidates visit U.Va.

This weekend 96 of the University's most sought-after prospective students visited the University for a weekend of Jefferson scholar tryouts. The students took part in a number of written exercises and tests, interviews with faculty, alumni and administrators, and other activities designed to give the students an idea of what it is like to be a student at the University, organizers said. "It was incredible weekend," said Katherine Klem, a first-year College student and Jefferson Scholar. Klem took part in the program last year as a prospective student and showed Jefferson candidates around this year. "The best part was meeting the current finalists and the other finalists and just getting so excited about the possibility of coming to U.Va.," Klem said. Jefferson Scholars receive full four-year merit-based scholarships to attend the University.

Honor Committee elects new chairs

At their meeting last night, the Honor Committee announced its new Executive Committee for the 2005-2006 school year. The new Executive Committee was elected yesterday during the annual Honor retreat attended by the new and current Honor Committee. Newly-elected Honor Executive Committee members include Chair David Hobbs, Vice-chair for Services Trevor McFadden, Vice-chair for Education Randall Warden, Vice-chair for Investigations Lauren Ross and Vice-chair for Trials Stewart Ackerly. The Honor Committee announced its new Executive Committee for the 2005-2006 school year last night. Current chair Meghan Sullivan noted that the new Executive Committee has a combined 16 years experience with Honor. The new Honor Committee will spend the next two weeks preparing to take office. "One of the Honor Committee's main tasks over the next two weeks is transitioning the new Committee," Sullivan said. During the retreat the new Honor Committee was trained in the past and present state of the honor system, including the actions of the current Committee. "The current Committee is handing off a lot of good work we hope to carry forward," Hobbs said. Yesterday, on the last day of the three-day retreat, the new committee discussed their aims for the upcoming year. One of the major goals of the new Executive Committee is the pursuit of diversity. "We need to look into a new and permanent effort to gain diversity in the system," Hobbs said. Ross agreed that the University community has become very diverse and that they would like the Honor Committee to reflect that diversity. Ackerly referenced the issue of initiations bias against foreign students by noting the need to especially recruit international students. Other aims of the new Executive Committee include streamlining the logistical side of honor cases and improving honor education.

The silence of the horses

Four months ago, the wild horses of the American West were doomed to a deadly fate from which it is unlikely that they will be rescued.

The death of a hypothesis

In science everything must be questioned, but there seems to be a dangerous tendency to raise certain concepts above reproach.

Tsunami uncovers lost city in India

The Archeological Survey of India, a team of archeologists led by T. Satyamurthy, discovered the remains of an ancient temple and city walls near the town of Mahabalipuram, the Associated Press announced Feb.

Internet college television to debut

A new television network presenting programs from 33 college stations will begin airing on the Internet next month. Prashant Chopra, chief architect with Campus EAI Consortium, said the Open Student Television Network is television created for students by students.

Grant funds new Health System program

Global pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. and the Pfizer Foundation are donating $2 million over the next four years to the University Health System's Center for Global Health. The grant will fund a new exchange program of post-doctoral fellows and students between the University and several international partners to conduct research on global health issues. At least two fellows from the University will be able to travel abroad for up to one year to study infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, epidemiology and biostatistics.

HOOS GOT ME GREEN BEER?

A new television network presenting programs from 33 college stations will begin airing on the Internet next month. Prashant Chopra, chief architect with Campus EAI Consortium, said the Open Student Television Network is television created for students by students.

C'ville named sixth in job outlook

A recent survey by Manpower Incorporated, an employment services company, found that the City of Charlottesville has the sixth-best employment outlook in the nation for the second quarter of 2005. In its quarterly report released Tuesday, Manpower stated that the flourishing employment opportunities seen nationally in the first quarter of the year would continue through June, as 30 percent of the 16,000 employers surveyed said they expected to increase their workforce over the next three months.

City council members debate budget

The Charlottesville City budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year was recently proposed by the budget office and currently is being deliberated by the City Council. The Council had a work session Wednesday to review expenditures and will hold its first public hearing on the proposal Monday.

New SAT I premieres at March test date

The SAT I emerged from its makeover March 12 when the College Board administered the newly-revised test to perspective college students. "The test was revised in order to more closely reflect what students were learning in high school and to include the writing section," College Board spokesperson Caren Scoropanof said. The University will accept both the new and old SAT through fall 2006, Dean of Admissions John Blackburn said. Besides the addition of a writing section, the College Board decided to remove the analogy and quantitative comparison section, according to their Web site. "The test, on all parts, is becoming more like a classroom achievement test," Blackburn said. The addition of the writing section has extended the test from two hours 45 minutes to three hours 45 minutes.

U.Va. adopts new sexual assault policy

A newly revised set of polices and procedures for dealing with sexual assault in the University community was announced by Vice President of Student Affairs Patricia Lampkin yesterday. Additionally, the Sexual Assault Board has adopted a new set of operating principles including the suggestion to form a permanent advisory committee to research the issue of sexual assault within the University. Among the revisions to the University's procedures for cases of sexual assault, the confidentiality required during the Sexual Assault Board's hearing is more clearly defined, SAB Chair Shamim Sisson said. "The new procedures spell out more clearly the way in which confidentiality needs to be maintained in the process," Sisson said. Although the preparation and the process of the sexual assault hearings will remain confidential, the accusing party and the accused party both have a right to a determination letter, which states the SAB's final decision and includes the sanction imposed on any individual found guilty. "If a student decides to disclose this information, they may do that," Sisson said. Sisson also said the University recommends that the student discuss disclosing the information provided on the determination letter with legal council before talking about it, in order to avoid allegations of libel. The revised procedures "are a clear response to the student concern that the required confidentiality may have been overbroad and an abridgement of their rights," Sisson said. Terms used in the procedures have been redefined, particularly the difference between sexual assault and a slightly lesser offense, sexual misconduct.

U.Va. team, doctor treat Yuschenko

When a foreign presidential candidate became gravely ill as an election approached, when a standoff with the extremist anti-government group Montana-Freeman lasted 81 days, and during the protracted D.C.

Downtown merchants petition to allow car traffic to cross Mall

The Downtown Business Association of Charlottesville began circulating a petition last week among Downtown Mall business owners who would like to see a cross-street opened to pedestrian traffic. "Customers can't navigate from the north to south side of the Mall," said Alaina Tucker, Downtown Business Association intern and fourth-year College student. The Downtown Business Association has suggested that 4th or 5th streets be opened to vehicular traffic because current traffic patterns do not allow sufficient access to businesses on the Mall. "We are working on a petition for it to see how much support there is in the community," Tucker said.

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