Reaching a scientific milestone at least four months ahead of industry expectations, biotechnology company Celera Genomics Group announced Thursday it had taken the first step in unlocking the human genetic code by sequencing the complete genome.
The National Endowment for the Humanities announced Wednesday that six grants, totaling $1.01 million, will be awarded to researchers at the University - marking the second largest amount the NEH has awarded to any single institution this spring. Through supporting projects that explore all aspects of American history, the NEH aims to offer Americans a better understanding of their cultural past. The NEH offers grants three times each year.
David F. Noble, controversial higher education watchdog and history professor at York University in Toronto, spoke to about 30 professors and students yesterday afternoon in Ruffner Auditorium on the topic of online higher education. The author of several books and essays, including "Digital Diploma Mills: the Automation of Higher Education," Noble said he is particularly opposed to the computerization of university courses and electronic distance education. Vice Provost for Health Sciences Bob Reynolds introduced the speaker as "one of the most outspoken critics of distance learning." Noble focused his message on his belief that the elimination of the interpersonal aspects of the university experience degrades the quality of the education, especially because the goal of the educators becomes "profit" rather than "pedagogy." He began his speech with a brief history of what he called the "commoditization of higher education." As early as the 1890s, proponents of correspondence learning argued that using letters to communicate with teachers would soon eclipse traditional higher education by providing individualized and personalized attention to the student and added convenience, Noble said. He said the same arguments are used today by supporters of online universities. "The expectation of financial returns fueled by the extravagance of technological fantasies" has led to relaxation of legal safeguards and sound financial management, he added. Noble also spoke extensively on his work to expose the controversy over a contract between UCLA and the Home Education Network (now called OnlineLearning.net), a private company that provides university courses on the Internet.
University of Georgia officials said the death of Georgia sophomore Benjamin Folsom Grantham III in a traffic accident last week was related to a fraternity hazing incident. Grantham, an Alpha Tau Omega pledge, was riding in the cargo area of a sports utility vehicle driven by a fellow fraternity member when the vehicle flipped over and hit a tree.
Second-year Darden student Sergei Pirogov said he noticed heat and smoke on the balcony of his first floor Ivy Gardens Apartment shortly after 3 p.m.
A jury returned six guilty verdicts against Montaret Davis and recommended a sentence of 90 years in prison yesterday after almost seven hours of deliberation. Davis faced felony charges following his Oct.
A joint resolution passed unanimously by the Virginia State Senate eventually could lead to a statewide technology curriculum at all Virginia public colleges and universities. The resolution calls for a group of government officials to study the possibility of developing a technology curriculum, which would include an across-the-board set of competency requirements for all students throughout the Commonwealth. "For a university to be a great university in the 21st century it has to be technologically advanced," Computer Science Dept.
After hearing testimony from defendant Montaret Davis and listening to closing arguments yesterday, a six-man, six-woman jury deliberated for three hours on charges of rape and armed robbery.
The University of California system has admitted a number of minority students that surpasses pre-Proposition 209 levels for the first time since affirmative action was eliminated from its admissions process. In 1995, the UC Board of Regents decided to eliminate race and gender as a factor in admissions.
The University stands to gain considerably from the 7 percent increase in national science research funding recently proposed by the Clinton administration. Congress currently is reviewing Clinton's Science and Technology Initiative, which was unveiled in the 2001 Federal budget proposal and supports a $2.9 billion increase in research funding over the 2001 fiscal year. "It's significant because it's higher this year.
The Faculty Senate Undergraduate Research Awards are quickly growing into a well-funded program that some faculty members hope eventually will be a widely recognized part of the University's unique academic offerings. Faculty Senate Chairman David T.
In a quest to support future University growth and enhance the appearance of one of the University's major entry corridors, the University currently is in the process of buying a lot of land at the intersection of Emmet Street and Massie Road. One part of the lot lies near University Gardens, which is University housing for married students. The University wants to ensure that the land is not developed, which the city almost did about 35 years ago when it discussed building a road through the property, Board of Visitors Secretary Alexander "Sandy" Gilliam said. "The city had a misguided attempt to connect downtown Charlottesville to Emmet Street by connecting Emmet Street to Rugby Road," Gilliam said.
One of the issues conference participants tackled was the use of Human Growth Hormone - a hormone found naturally in the human body which induces growth during childhood and adolescence. Consumers, the FDA and bioethicists have discussed the ethics and the controversies surrounding this elixir. At a Conference panel entitled Genetic Enhancements, Prof.
(This is the second article in a three-part weekly series about the new Board of Visitors members.) Recently appointed Board of Visitors member Gordon F.
Police arrested 44-year-old University Parking and Transportation employee Ronald Gene Woodson yesterday after observing him removing change from a University parking meter without authorization, according to University Police Capt.
Jack Warburton, former president of Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity, said only nine out of 40 members in Pi Lamb are minorities - yet Pi Lamb is one of the most ethnically diverse fraternities at the University. The reason for the under-representation of minority membership, according to Sitha Ngan, one of the few Asian brothers in Pi Lamb, is due to the low number of Asians, blacks and Latinos that rush the system in the first place. "Minorities don't rush because they are intimidated by the stereotypically white Greek system," Ngan said.
In a time marked by scandal and distrust of political figures, the Center for Governmental Studies sought to define the role of character in politics through a national symposium hosted at the University Monday and Tuesday. Larry J.
Although it has been two years since former Dean of Students Robert T. Canevari moved formal rush to the spring, the issue still stimulates debate among the Inter-Fraternity Council and some University administrators. Now, even with the release of a detailed financial report compiled by two Darden students, the debate still has not come to a close. While some administrators want to keep formal rush in the spring, fraternity leaders claim spring rush hurts fraternity houses not only financially, but also with overall pledge numbers and with housing situations. The debate over the rush date began during 1997's Fall Convocation, when then-Faculty Senate Chairman Jahan Ramazani made a speech urging the University community to consider moving formal fraternity rush to the spring.
According to a census official, the Charlottesville community may suffer financial consequences because only a small number of University students have completed and turned in forms for this year's census. Hanna Coffey, assistant administrator at the Charlottesville Regional Census Bureau, said less than 20 percent of University students have returned census forms. Coffey said many students think their parents submit the forms for them, but this is not the case for students who live away from home. Low student participation in the census could result in decreased federal funding for the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, she said. Data from students living off Grounds is particularly important because those students reside within Charlottesville city limits, she added. Student participation will affect Charlottesville's census count because students make up a large percentage of the Charlottesville community.
A jury is set to deliberate the outcome of Montaret Davis' trial following the presentation of further evidence today in Charlottesville Circuit Court.
