News

News

Faculty resignation statistics lowest in years despite budget

By Anthony LaMesa | February 13, 2003

Despite restricted budgets and little expectation of faculty pay raises, University deans report that less faculty members are choosing to resign than have in recent years. In the College, no faculty members have resigned this academic year, said Adam Daniel, associate dean and chief of staff. "We have been able to counter every single danger [of losing faculty] that has sprung up," said Karen Ryan, associate dean for the arts, humanities and social sciences. Last year, 10 faculty members resigned from the College, which was one-third less than in each of the preceding two years, said College Dean Edward L.

---

News

Chalk and fliers herald campaign kick-off day

By Angela Manese-Lee | February 13, 2003

Armed with flyers and chalk, Student Council candidates spent the early hours of yesterday morning advertising, kicking off six days of campaigning before voting opens Tuesday. Election rules stipulated that candidates were not allowed to begin advertising until midnight. As soon as the clock struck 12 a.m., candidates began chalking and fliering around heavy-traffic areas, including the Lawn, Newcomb Hall and Alderman Road. Third-year College student Justin Ferira, a candidate for fourth-year class president, said he began his advertising at midnight and did not stop until 5 a.m.

---

News

University researcher wins lifetime award

By Suemedha Sood | February 13, 2003

Gov. Mark R. Warner and Walter R.T. Witschey, director of the Science Museum of Virginia, will honor a University Professor with the Virginia's Outstanding Scientists and Industrialists 2003 Lifetime Achievement award. Warner and Witschey will announce Biology Prof.

---

News

IBM grant to boost biomed department

By Morgan Whitaker | February 13, 2003

After being selected by IBM from a field of research institutions, the University will receive a $1.5 million grant that will fund biomedical engineering research in the fields of vascular disease, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound technology, and replacement tissue growth. IBM's Shared University Research grant program is designed to promote research in areas that will benefit both universities and IBM.

---

News

Investigation of Columbia tragedy continues

By Zach Pauley | February 13, 2003

On Feb. 1, 2003, space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas, killing all crew members on board.Since then, NASA's investigation into the cause of the crash has brought up some intriguing possibilities. It may come as a surprise that there were signs of trouble even when the shuttle was taking off. Foam fell off a fuel tank and struck the heat-resistant tiles on the left wing of the ship when it lifted off.This was not perceived to be a significant threat to safe reentry when the leak occurred. As late as January 31, 2003, there were malfunctions in hydraulic temperature and tire pressure readings as well as problems with different kinds of equipment on the left side of the ship. After last week's disaster, investigators immediately took a second look at the material previously dislodged from the shuttle during launch. Now that the investigation has progressed, however, reports continue to dismiss the possibility of the liftoff debris as a cause for the crash.

---

News

City considers development at Grady intersection to promote city expansion

By Nathan Vassar | February 13, 2003

A recent development proposal could bring new business and housing options to the Charlottesville area. According to Charlottesville Mayor Maurice Cox, the city is requesting proposals from private contractors to build on the one-acre plot of land at the intersection between Preston Avenue, Grady Avenue and 10th Street. "The city has put together a request for proposals to sell the land to a private developer to build upon a residential city block," Cox said.

---

News

Disaster may hinder astronomy research

By Sara Jeanblanc | February 12, 2003

Although most of the debris from the recent Columbia space shuttle disaster has been found far from the University, effects of the accident are much closer.

---

News

Exec Board says non-CIOs cannot endorse

By Alexis Unkovic | February 12, 2003

Last night, the executive board of Student Council, under the signature of President Micah Schwartz, sent an e-mail to Elections Committee Chair Julie Teater recommending that the Coalition and the First Year Council be prohibited from endorsing candidates for the upcoming University elections.

---

News

College of William and Mary launches record-breaking fundraising campaign

By Laura Good | February 12, 2003

State universities in Virginia have faced multiple rounds of cutbacks in state support in recent years.

---

News

Michigan gains support for policy

By Jon Breece | February 12, 2003

Two Harvard studies released last week concluded state programs that guarantee college admissions to a top percentage of high school seniors do not maintain diversity on college campuses. The reports examined the "percent" programs of three states -- Florida, California and Texas, all of which have eliminated affirmative action programs during the last decade. While reaffirming a commitment to the enriching nature of diversity, some University administrators claim these programs are based on flawed premises, regardless of their effectiveness. "Such programs assume certain things about the state's schools," University Dean of Admissions John A.

---

News

Warner creates Va. security institute

By Michael Behr | February 12, 2003

Last Friday, Gov. Mark R. Warner announced plans to create the Virginia Institute for Defense and Homeland Security. The Institute is a collaborative project between theCommonwealth of Virginia, Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology and 12 Virginia universities and colleges, including U.Va. "The program is for all the United States, recognizing the tremendous need right now to focus on homeland security technology," said Margo Dunn, CIT vice president of communications.

---

News

Faculty invited to sit in on Honor proceedings

By Natasha Altamirano | February 12, 2003

In a groundbreaking effort to dispel faculty misconceptions about the University Honor System, the Honor Committee now will permit faculty members to sit in on honor trials, according to Honor Committee Chairman Christopher Smith. The Committee sent out an e-mail last night informing faculty members of their new opportunity to witness live honor trials. "This really shows that students in the Honor Committee really value the faculty as a part of the system," Smith said.

---

News

Michigan gains support for policy

By Mary Pumphrey | February 12, 2003

The University of Michigan has gathered an increasingly diverse coalition of support in its effort to maintain race as an admissions factor -- a policy that soon will be challenged before the Supreme Court. In addition to universities including Harvard, Michigan's supporters now come from beyond the ranks of higher education and include large corporations such as Texaco and General Motors, labor unions and former military officers.

---

News

Delegate Sears resigns from black caucus

By Kara Rowland | February 11, 2003

The only black Republican in the Virginia General Assembly, Del. Winsome E. Sears, R-Norfolk, resigned from the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus last week amid accusations of partisanship and divisiveness. "The damage is done," Sears said, adding that her decision is final.

---

News

Report calls for oversight of athletes' academics

By Nick Caldwell | February 11, 2003

In a report published last week, the American Association of University Professors called upon university and college faculty to take a more active role in the governance of university athletics. The report, conducted in October, recommends that university faculty senates create committees charged with the oversight of academic standards within athletic programs. "Several years ago there were recurring concerns about athletics and academics," said Carol Simpson Stern, professor of performance studies at Northwestern University and former chair of the AAUP.

---

News

News In Brief

By Cavalier Daily Staff | February 11, 2003

-Students evacuated after pipe leak causes smoke in IRC The fire department was dispatched to Gwathmey Dorm at the International Residence College Sunday at 10:12 a.m.

---

News

Students fill Newcomb for women's health fair

By Riley McDonald | February 11, 2003

Students enjoying massages, eating vegetarian chili, examining sex toys, listening to live piano music and collecting colorful brochures from over 60 student organizations filled the Newcomb Hall ballroom and lounge yesterday as part of the University's first Women's Health Festival. "This was an opportunity to re-envision how women's health is defined," said fourth-year College student Kate Neuhausen, the executive director of the festival.

---

News

Gas prices raise an average of 11 cents nationwide

By Habab Mohamed | February 11, 2003

Weather patterns and international events have caused the nation's gas prices to rise for the first time since June 2002. The Lundberg Survey, an independent market research company specializing in the U.S.

---

News

White House indefinitely postpones poetry event

By Christine Wallace | February 10, 2003

The White House recently indefinitely postponed a literary event planned for Feb. 12 due to a potential conflict of interest concerning the impending war with Iraq.

---

News

Four BOV members to depart, replacements not yet named

By Angela Manese-Lee | February 10, 2003

The University's Board of Visitors will bid goodbye to four of its 16 voting members this spring when their terms officially end March 1. Elizabeth A.