In what all parties involved describe as a tragedy, a University student and a local firefighter end up in an altercation after a night of heavy drinking, leaving one dead and the other in prison. One year later, a jury found former student Andrew Alston guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the Nov.
Physics Prof. Joseph Poon and Engineering Prof. Gary Shiflet were both named to "Scientific American's" 50 Award list in this December's magazine issue. The magazine's editors honored the professors for creating "amorphous steel that could strengthen skyscrapers and armor-piercing rounds." According to the magazine's Web site, the 50 Award is given to individuals who have "exhibited outstanding technology leadership in the realms of research, business and policymaking." --Compiled by Matt Galati
In a blood drive titled the "Crimson War," University students defeated University of Maryland students in a contest between the schools to determine which university could garner more blood donations. Ross Kimbel, Inter-Fraternity Council chair of community service, said the blood drive was one of the largest in University history. "It really sent shockwaves throughout the whole state of Virginia," Kimbel said. Kimbel said the state was short 300 units of blood before the drive, but through the Crimson War's efforts, the state is now 150 units over the shortage amount.
On Nov. 2, a few of my classmates and I gathered at a bar to watch the election results. As red started to take over the map, the topic of conversation became the impending second term for Bush.
The University Medical Center this week began distributing a new version of the influenza vaccine FluMist, which is applied via the nasal cavity. The country currently suffers an influenza vaccine shortage, caused by a contamination of vaccines from the Chiron Corporation, which eliminated a large percentage of the total supply. The traditional flu vaccine, administered through an intramuscular injection, is intended for almost anyone.
Student Council's plan to construct a 16-foot white, marble column student memorial outside Newcomb Hall was scaled down after input from the Board of Visitors. "Originally, we planned a column to go outside Newcomb Hall to honor people who have died while being a student of the University," College Council Rep.
As the first regular season basketball game approaches, students now can register for tickets through the University's new online ticketing system. The system was created to guarantee students seats upon arrival at University Hall, eliminating the need to camp outside the venue days before a game. But for students who want a seat on the floor, officials are unsure whether the line for those seats will begin at 8 a.m.
After $2.5 billion in sales last year alone, the manufacturers of the popular prescription drug Vioxx have decided to withdraw the drug from the international market, resulting in the largest withdrawal of a prescription drug in history.After approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 1999, Vioxx was introduced as an anti-inflammatory drug for the treatment of acute pain and arthritis.Five-and-a-half years later, over 80 million patients in more than 80 countries have received treatment. Now studies show that continuous therapy for a period greater than 18 months can increase risks of heart attack and stroke in patients.While some have been highly critical of the manufacturers of Vioxx (Merck & Co., Inc.), the FDA, and other international regulatory bodies for not designing trials specifically anticipating cardiovascular risks associated with Vioxx, other professionals feel that Vioxx is still a relatively safe drug and that there is not enough evidence to prove that it is the sole cause of increased risks in patients.Rofecoxib, the chemical name for Vioxx, falls into a class of drugs known as Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, which includes such drugs as Celebrex (celecoxib).These inhibitors work by specifically targeting the COX-2 enzyme and by blocking the enzyme that produces chemical messengers responsible for the pain and swelling associated with arthritis.As a result, inflammation is reduced. COX-2 inhibitors, in turn, are part of a larger class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).The other NSAIDs, which include aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.), are different from COX-2 inhibitors in that they target both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes.When the COX-1 enzyme is blocked, the protective lining in the stomach is reduced, leading to upset stomach, internal bleeding, and possibly ulcers.Over the past few years, Merck designed studies investigating the possibilities as to whether or not Vioxx could lead to these gastrointestinal side effects. The two clinical studies, the APPROVe (Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx) trial and the VIGOR (Vioxx Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research) study, showed that Vioxx had a lower rate of the gastrointestinal risks that were typically associated with NSAIDs.One of the major reasons Vioxx was such a popular drug is the fact that, according to the FDA, "Vioxx is the only NSAID demonstrated to have a lower rate of these side effects."However, while the studies revealed promising information, they unexpectedly indicated something else:relatively increased risks of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke. The results of the VIGOR study, which were released in March 2000, only showed increased cardiovascular risks when compared to naproxen (Aleve), another NSAID.However, Vioxx did not show these risks compared to placebo or other NSAIDs. Dr. Steven Snapinn, former senior director of the Department of Biostatistics for Merck Research Laboratories, worked in cardiovascular drug development for 20 years.He is one such professional who believes that it is still not clear whether or not Vioxx causes cardiovascular events.
Student Council President Noah Sullivan and Council Vice President for Organizations Rebecca Keyworth held a forum with representatives from over a dozen CIOs last night to discuss reforming the appropriations process, an issue a number of Council members have identified as the most important initiative that Council will undertake this year. "I think that a forum [about appropriations reform] is important because it gives us a chance to talk to students about what changes will be taken," Sullivan said.
As college campuses aim to become more globally aware and diverse, they are actually experiencing a decrease in the number of international students who come to their institutions. The Institute for International Education released their annual "Open Doors" report yesterday, which documented the 2003-2004 school year as being the first to show a decrease in international students studying at universities in the United States since 1971. The report breaks down data dealing with both international students and U.S.
The Faculty Senate's Academic Affairs Committee recently established a Subcommittee on Honor to sustain a dialogue about faculty and student concerns with the honor system, according to Faculty Senate Chair Marcia Childress. "The overarching goal has been to broker communication from many points of view about honor," Childress said.
For many 22 year olds in college, senior year is a time of preparing for graduation, applying to graduate schools and generally strategizing a career path. But this was not so for University of Richmond student Scott Erwin.
After more than four hours of deliberation yesterday, at 4:00 p.m. a jury sentenced former University student Andrew Alston to three years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the Nov.
The University's Mock Trial team earned several awards last weekend at the Great American Invitational Tournament in Washington D.C. Two University teams competed in the tournament -- Team 972 and Team 973 -- with Team 972 winning first place in the tournament, and Team 973 placing seventh with an honorable mention.
After more than five hours of deliberation, at 9:20 p.m. last night a jury found former University student Andrew Alston guilty of voluntary manslaughter, punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison. The courtroom remained silent after the verdict as the individual jurors voiced confirmation of their consent to the decision.
The University Sexual Assault Board, along with the Parents Program and other student organizations held one of two presentations last night in the Newcomb Art Gallery as part of a three-week Consent Campaign. "The campaign is aimed at raising the level of awareness in the University community about how often consent is not clear in intimate relationships and to educate individuals on how to be sure that it is present," Sexual Assault Board Chair Shamim Sisson said. In order to publicize the campaign, a planning committee was formed to get out the word by distributing materials such as flyers, brochures and bookmarks, as well as getting interest from students. Last night's presentation was given by Katrina Salmons, president of the Sexual Assault Facts and Education Organization, along with Sloane Kuney, coordinator of the Sexual Assault Leadership Council. "The posters will give you the basic info about what consent is and how to ask for it, the presentations explore more fully the grey areas," Salmons said. In the presentation, Salmons and Kuney further presented consent guidelines, answered student inquiries, and facilitated discussion among the audience. They ended the presentation by encouraging those in attendance to continue to discuss and voice issues of consent and sexual assault with other members of the community. "Silence is a huge enemy to anyone suffering any kind of violence, especially sexual," Kuney said. The idea for the campaign began when Alan Berkowitz, an independent consultant and activist, met with the Sexual Assault Board.
The Albemarle County Board of Zoning Appeals last night voted 4-0 to allow Planned Parenthood of the Blue Ridge, located on Hydraulic Road, to remain open.
Last Monday, the Metropolitan Planning Organization's Technical Committee presented a proposal for a Central Virginia light rail system to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Commission. The MPO Tech, a group that prepares plans for review by the MPO Policy Board, submitted the Regional Rail Concept Study in hopes of alleviating traffic congestion, which has resulted from the increasing population in Virginia. "The recommendations are a blueprint for how various rail services may be employed in the community," MPO Chair Dennis Rooker said.
With America's growing dependence on foreign sources of oil and the recent increase in fuel costs, large energy consumers such as the University are looking to minimize their energy consumption and utilize other, more environmentally friendly, sources of power. The recent fall elections ballot at the University included a referendum asking students if they would be willing to pay an extra $7 a semester to have the University purchase approximately 12 percent of its total energy usage, 33 kilowatt hours, in the form of wind power, as opposed to currently used sources of fossil fuel and nuclear energy. Though only ten percent of students participated in the election, an overwhelming 87 percent of students who did vote approved the referendum, which the initiative's creators view as a clear sign that students are in support of their mission to bring clean, renewable energy to the University. A true windfall? The referendum appeared on the ballot largely due to the efforts of two environmentally focused student groups: Student Environment Action (SEA) and Student Alliance for Virginia's Environment (SAVE). "We got the idea for the referendum by learning about other schools' projects and how successful they were in making a substantial environmental impact," SEA President Khalial Wibhen said. According to SAVE President Elizabeth Dubovsky, if the administration agrees to the ballot-approved plan, the $7 per student would be used to buy wind energy credits from different wind farms dispersed around the United States. These certificates would subsidize the cost that it takes the wind farms to put wind energy on the grid, Dubovsky said, and in exchange the University would get a contract that guarantees that a certain amount of energy will be "earmarked" for the University and then added to the grid. Because there are no turbines near the University, the system of buying credits is the only way to guarantee that the 12 percent of energy it uses is replaced on the grid by wind energy, Dubovsky said. By buying such credits, the University would be increasing the demand for wind energy, in turn increasing the supply of wind energy and, more generally, increasing the general use of clean, renewable energy, she said. The biggest problem with integrating wind energy into the existing power grid, according to University Environmental Science Prof.
