Work is progressing steadily and on schedule for a Feb. 20 grand opening of the new diversity center, currently in construction on the third floor of Newcomb Hall, officials associated with the project said yesterday. "We hope that, assuming no last minute glitches, construction will be completed on Feb.
With the pungent smell of gas permeating the chilly air, thousands of faculty, staff and students were evacuated from University buildings surrounding the new Observatory Hill Dining Hall construction site yesterday afternoon because of a backhoe striking a high pressure natural gas main there. The accident occurred at approximately 1:49 p.m.
University Health System researchers discovered they could prevent diabetes from recurring in diabetic mice by transplanting insulin-manufacturing islet cells and then administering an anti-inflammatory drug called Lisofylline, according to a University Health System press release. Researchers knew that transplantation was promising in treating type 1 diabetes.
As the Harrison Awards enter their fifth year, the Center for Undergraduate Excellence and the Faculty Senate announced yesterday the awards will now be open to first-year students. Previously only second- and third-year students could apply for a Harrison Award, which funds an undergraduate research project during the summer or academic year after the awards are given. "We think this is a great opportunity to help students as early as the first year to fit research into their curriculum," said Nicole Hurd, assistant dean and director of the Center for Undergraduate Excellence. This year also is the first year that the Center for Undergraduate Excellence will oversee the application and awards process.
A Richmond judge and a landscape architect were selected Friday as the recipients of the Thomas Jefferson Medals, a pair of awards that honor prominent figures in law and architecture each year. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation and the University selected J.
About 70 people went before the Commonwealth's Interstate-81 project advisory panel Thursday night to discuss plans to widen the four-lane highway. The panel used teleconferencing equipment to create a statewide public hearing that included participants from Richmond, Bristol, Salem and Harrisonburg. Most speakers opposed both of the two available multibillion-dollar proposals and instead suggested rail service expansion or increased police patrols on I-81, which spans a total of 325 miles in the western part of the Commonwealth. Those who are in favor of widening the highway oppose the installment of tollbooths to fund the project, arguing that truckers and other travelers would congest area country roads in order to bypass a toll. Once the panel decides whether or not to approve one, both or neither of the proposals, it will forward its decision to hearings conducted by the state transportation commissioner. --compiled by Natasha Altamirano
Former Greene County Sheriff William Morris is working on a granite memorial to honor County Sgt.
In an effort to revamp its minority recruitment efforts, the Inter-Fraternity Council passed a resolution Thursday to create the position of diversity outreach chair on its 16-member executive board. By a unanimous vote, the IFC Presidents Council passed the resolution, which takes effect today, IFC President Ryan Ewalt said. "The position will focus specifically on recruiting within the minority population at the University," Ewalt said.
As early as the end of this semester, students may be exploring their housing options in a new and simpler way by visiting just one location, the Off-Grounds Housing office. Student Council members said they hope to offer students leasing options, roommate mediation, housing information and legal advice all under one roof by the end of this semester. Student Council representatives Marisa Nelson and Greg Moore presented their plans for the office to the Board of Visitors student affairs and athletics committee Friday afternoon in order to garner more support for their project. According to Moore, Council has had the Board's general support since October but this meeting helped to clarify the new office's goals. Board members "were very interested and very supportive," Moore said.
A national association of business leaders announced Wednesday the creation of an institute at the University devoted to examining and instilling ethics in future business leaders. The Darden School will host the Business Roundtable's Institute for Corporate Ethics.
Recently completed paintings by artist Eli Frantzen now adorn theoffices of the Education Council.
The Inter-Fraternity Council kicked off formal rush last night, one day earlier than its traditional schedule, in an effort to increase participation and to allow for more adjustment time as students settle into their spring semester schedules. The IFC decided to begin rush activities one day earlier in order to add an extra "no contact" day, IFC spokesperson Scott Cohen said. "We added another day because it could increase participation," Cohen said.
The $99.1 million budget proposal introduced by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last Friday could force enrollment into the University of California system to be reduced by as much as 10 percent. The proposal, with over $4 billion in reductions toward eliminating an estimated $10 billion shortfall in the state budget, would eliminate $372 million in funding for the state's flagship public university system, which includes top-ranked campuses at Berkeley, San Diego and Los Angeles. In order to facilitate the cuts and maintain the state's Master Plan, which guarantees admission into public colleges for high school students in the top 12.5 percent of each graduating class, the budget would set aside $500 per student for those who choose to enroll in community college. Under the governor's proposal, students qualifying for the Master Plan but not accepted to a state university could attend two years of community college for free before receiving guaranteed admittance into the University of California system at a specific campus. The change is expected to effect 8,200 students out of the estimated 37,000 high school seniors who will qualify for participation in the Master Plan this year. Other reductions in the governor's proposed budget would cause a 10 percent increase in undergraduate student fees for the University of California system raising average tuition to $6,028 per year.
Suspended third-year College student Andrew Alston, who faces charges of second-degree murder, appeared in Charlottesville General District Court for a preliminary hearing yesterday.
Pat Payne, who has been the face of Student Council for many University students over the last 10 years, has assumed a newly-created position in the University administration in order to help student organizations in a more tangible way. While Payne has served as the Student Council receptionist for the last 10 1/2 years, she will now assume the new role of assistant to Student Activities Business Manager Bill Hancher. Before, Hancher was the only person managing the Student Activities Fund, but now Payne will help him manage the CIO allocations. Hancher said he looks forward to the extra help that Payne will provide. "She's the most logical person because she has the best knowledge about the CIOs other than myself," Hancher said.
Local business owners have expressed opposition to a proposed residential and commercial development at the intersection of Preston Ave., Grady Ave.
Two accomplished College students will head overseas this fall to earn masters' degrees as recipients of prestigious Mitchell and Marshall fellowships. Fourth-year David Buckley, a political and social thought major, is bound for Northern Ireland to study comparative ethnic politics as a Mitchell Scholar. Buckley is writing a thesis on religion and international peacemaking in Northern Ireland and Israel and Palestine.
Within the first 24 hours that Pennsylvania State University made its pilot legal file-sharing service available free of charge through the campus network, over 3,000 students registered to use it, university officials announced Tuesday. The university purchased an 18-month subscription to Napster 2.0 in an effort to fight music piracy on its campuses, according to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education. University officials did not disclose how much they paid for the contract, which was first announced in November. Students will be able to access about 500,000 streaming audio files in the Napster library and download the songs to their computers for the duration of their subscriptions. Students will be charged 99 cents per song to record music on a CD or to transfer it to a portable music device such as an MP3 player. University officials plan to make the service available to nonresidential students and faculty members by the fall semester. They also plan to expand the service outside Penn State's University Park campus to its other campuses.
While the first couple weeks of the semester can be a hectic time for many students, those involved in the shortened Inter-Sorority Council recruitment process this week are facing new stress in addition to the frenzy to buy books and course-action into classes. The ISC reduced its recruitment calendar from the traditional two weeks to just one week this year. "It makes it easier on the sisters and potential members, aka 'rushees,' if we're only coinciding with two days of class instead of seven or nine," said Jessie Swisher, ISC vice president for recruitment.
