News

Student interest in 'passport' program grows

Last night marked the third in a series of six information sessions for the University's fledgling Passport Program, a joint initiative of students, faculty and administrators designed to encourage student participation in diverse programming and events. The Office of the Dean of Students launched the program last semester in conjunction with the Office of African American Affairs, the International Studies Office and Embrace Diversity. "The program gives people the opportunity to attend events that they would normally not go to and to get a better sense of the diversity within our community," Embrace Diversity President Barrie Leigh Moorman said. Although only in the primary stages of its second year, the program has already drawn a larger group of interested participants than last year, said Neha Shinde, graduate assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students and a member of the program's organizing committee. "At our first information session last year not many people knew about it," Shinde said.

Fair attracts diverse applicant pool

Tie and business suit-clad students with resumes in hand descended on the University's Minority Career Day yesterday. The event attracted approximately 1,000 students from 30 colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth and the District of Columbia, including the College of William & Mary and American University.

Correction

In Monday's news story "UTS bus hits health system employee," the third paragraph incorrectly attributed Rebecca White, director of University parking and transportation, with providing the names of the bus driver and the person hit by the bus.

Census to gauge characteristics of University Greeks

All students in Greek organizations come from upper-class backgrounds. Only those with legacy status will be recruited into certain houses.

Albemarle County SAT scores increase

Albemarle and Western Albemarle High School students demonstrated their ability to conquer analogies, word problems and geometry this past year. Albemarle County's SAT scores showed an increase above the national average for the graduating class of 2003. The average national SAT score for the class of 2003 was a combined total of 1026.

As University plans for future, land's use remains in limbo

If bigger is better, the University will soon be as good as it gets. Many examples of University expansion, such as the new parking garage, new basketball arena and the South Lawn Project, are well known to students. Others, such as the pending acquisition of the 180 to 200 acre Foxhaven Farm by the University's Real Estate Foundation, have gone virtually unnoticed, but nonetheless have implications for what the University and its surrounding areas will look like years down the road. Making a Deal Foxhaven Farm encompasses a wide swath of land to the West of Charlottesville that touches the Bel Air neighborhood and Birdwood golf course to the North and East, the Charlottesville Reservoir in the West and nearly to Fontaine Avenue in the South.

Southern Methodist University halts political protest, bake sale

Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas shut down a bake sale last Wednesday in which cookies were offered at different prices, according to the buyer's gender or race. The SMU Young Conservatives of Texas organized the sale and members said it was intended as a protest against the use of affirmative action in college admissions condoned by the Supreme Court in the University of Michigan case decided in June. A lower court banned Texas universities from using race as a factor in admissions in 1996. The bake sale's sign listed the prices for a cookie: $1 for white men, 75 cents for white women, 50 cents for Hispanics and 25 cents for blacks. Similar sales have been held by College Republican chapters at colleges in at least five other states since February. A black student filed a complaint with SMU, saying the sale was offensive.

Server crashes, students lose access to e-mail

One of Information Technology and Communication Office's four e-mail servers failed early yesterday morning, preventing many students from accessing their e-mail accounts between 5:30 a.m.

Historical marker dedicated Monday outside Poe room on Range

The University and the City of Charlottesville honored author Edgar Allan Poe Monday by unveiling a historical marker outside he occupied on the Range for one academic session in 1826. Charlottesville Mayor Maurice Cox spoke outside Poe's room, reminiscing about his first experience with Poe's literature and praising the author's prose and poetry. Cox and other officials congratulated the city's Historic Resources Task Force for initiating the historical sign project. Satyendra S.

Policy expert calls for more state revenue, reforms to tax code

If Virginia's antiquated tax code is not reformed to provide new state revenue, the Commonwealth will be unable to fund basic services such as public education at former levels of quality, a University economist said.

UTS bus hits health system employee

In what officials are calling the most serious accident in University Transit System history, a UTS bus traveling on the Green route struck a pedestrian in the early morning hours Friday. The bus, driven by Clarence Feggans Jr., a full-time non-student driver, struck Margaret Potts, an animal caretaker at the University Health System's Center for Comparative Medicine, as she attempted to cross Jefferson Park Avenue, according to Rebecca White, director of University parking and transportation. Potts' condition was listed as critical as of yesterday afternoon, University Health Center spokesperson Margurite Beck said.

Legislators respond to comment by U. Md. head

In the wake of University of Maryland President C. D. Mote, Jr.'s controversial remarks about the University of Virginia, some state legislators asked for a clarification while others downplayed the import of the statement. The Oct.

MIT students unveil file-sharing alternative

Amid a continuing campaign by the Recording Industry Association of America to crack down on Internet users suspected of illegal file sharing, two students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology unveiled yesterday a new system to legally distribute music to students and faculty on campus. The Library Access to Music Project uses the campus television cable system to broadcast music to listeners, who can go online and sign up to customize the playlist on any one of 16 available music channels.

Health reports show critical violations in University dining halls

Virginia Department of Health inspection records show that every University dining facility, with the exception of Newcomb dining hall, Java City and the French House, was cited with at least one critical violation at its most recent inspection. Routine health department inspections take place at random without warning to facilities.

Feds ready plan to track international students

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will announce regulations next week that will include an additional visa fee for all international students. The $100 fee will cover the cost of adding them to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a database created to track all international students within the country. Officials say the government hopes to have the final system up and running next fall.

Parent slams gay pride stickers in schools

A local parent is lobbying the Albemarle County School Board to order the removal of the upside- down, rainbow triangle stickers that some high school guidance counselors display outside their offices. Crozet resident Bill Rossberg, father two Western Albemarle High School students, said he believes the stickers, representing what is commonly considered a symbol of gay pride, have no place in schools. "Western Albemarle is a really conservative area," Rossberg said.

UMD president: University overrated

University of Maryland President C. D. Mote, Jr. inspired consternation and criticism throughout Virginia recently when he declared the University's top ranking "ridiculous." In an article published in The Diamondback, Maryland's student newspaper, Mote is quoted calling into question the University's number one placement in the U.S.

FUTURE FOOTBRIDGE

Student Council gears up for fall elections

Students disconcerted by the Student Council elections process will have an opportunity to change the procedure by which student governors are elected in the upcoming elections. On Nov.

City announces free leaf collection program

Beginning Nov. 3, the Charlottesville Department of Public Works will offer free leaf collection to city trash customers. Public Works employees will distribute clear plastic bags for leaf collection to customers this week.