Gov. Bob McDonnell signed a bill yesterday repealing Virginia's 19-year-old law which limited individuals to one handgun purchase per month. This action came after McDonnell talked extensively Saturday with family members of those killed in the 2006 shootings at Virginia Tech, who opposed the law's repeal. "Virginians are still widely against overturning this sensible law, and in signing its repeal, Gov.
Occupy Charlottesville protestors yesterday picketed outside the Verizon store on Long St. in solidarity with anti-corporate protests occurring in 70 cities around the nation. Protesters said they organized the event in response to a call from the national Occupy movement to "shut down the corporations." The Charlottesville protest specifically targeted Verizon and the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization which the protesters claim ghostwrites laws at the state level to benefit corporations. "This event is all about blowing the whistle on these giant corporations who funnel millions into our political process," Occupy Charlottesville spokesperson Erin Rose said.
Members of the Living Wage campaign will meet today with University administrators for the second time this week to further discuss the campaign's goals on the 12th day of its hunger strike. David Flood, Graduate Arts & Sciences student and member of the campaign's negotiating team, said the campaign wants to talk at today's meeting about the definition of a contract worker and the time schedule for the possible implementation of a living wage for contract employees. "At heart, we're making a moral demand of the University," Flood said.
After an hour and a half of debate at its representative body meeting, Student Council yesterday evening withdrew proposed legislation which would have endorsed the Living Wage Campaign. Third-year College Rep.
The Virginia Senate yesterday approved 21-19 an amendment to House Bill 462 which excludes victims of rape or incest from the pre-abortion ultrasound mandate. The original bill, introduced last month by Del.
The Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney Office is currently investigating the third-party group Organizing for America after it allegedly failed to submit voter registration forms on time, preventing 147 Virginians from taking part in the March 6 state primary. Organizing for America could face a class one misdemeanor for its late submission of the forms.
The University and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation yesterday announced the recipients of the Foundation's Medals in architecture, law and citizen leadership. Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, former U.S.
Five Living Wage Campaign representatives met with University President Teresa Sullivan 7 a.m. yesterday as the campaign's hunger strike entered its 10th day. Following the meeting, the wagers delivered a speech on the Rotunda steps in which Graduate Arts & Sciences student David Flood, one of the campaign representatives, said "no real progress has been made." The campaign announced plans to continue the hunger strike, now in its 11th day.
Ticket prices for Virginia football games will increase by $1.82 and ticket prices for men's basketball games will increase by $.94 in the next five years as part of the athletic department's five-year budget plan. The Virginia athletic department plans to announce the price increases, which will affect all categories of tickets, in the next few days.
The University Programs Council hosted a "fireside chat" in the Newcomb South Meeting Room yesterday evening with music critic Tom Breihan, who spent an hour offering advice to students hoping to get involved in journalism or the music industry. Breihan, who recently moved to Charlottesville to work for the music blog Stereogum, has written for many well-known websites such as Pitchfork Media.
A study released last week by the University's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at the Education School found giving students autonomy increases their level of engagement.
Third-year College student Johnny Vroom, Student Council's current chief of cabinet, defeated four opponents in a student-wide election last week to be named Council's president-elect with 2,909 votes.
The confrontation between the Living Wage Campaign and University officials reached the boiling point recently as student activists initiated a hunger strike and began protesting across the street from the office of University President Teresa Sullivan.
The Honor Committee yesterday evening voted unanimously to change its bylaws to require a four-fifths majority of a jury to validate a conscientious retraction at trial time.
The Board of Visitors Finance Committee discussed Friday the Virginia General Assembly budget, a version of which the state Senate rejected Thursday. Board member W.
Members of the Living Wage campaign Friday rallied on the steps of the Rotunda to mark the seventh day of their hunger strike, which they hope will encourage the University to introduce a $13 minimum wage for its employees and employees of private contract companies, such as the University's catering company Aramark. University President Teresa Sullivan agreed to meet with representatives of the Living Wage campaign 7 a.m.
The Board of Visitors Friday appointed third-year College student Hillary Hurd the body's student member. As the Board's student member, Hurd will attend its meetings to predict and assess student opinion on long-term appointments and policies affecting the University community. "U.Va is such a large, diverse student body... it's going to be a challenge to fully represent student opinion when I don't think there's a consensus on very many issues," Hurd said.
The Inter-Fraternity Council yesterday evening elected six additional chairmen in a council-wide election to add to its 12-member executive body for the 2012 term. Outgoing vice president for administration Joey Connor said the six chairmen positions chosen yesterday are the best way for fraternity members to get involved in entry-level leadership positions. Tommy Hanson was elected chairman for membership education and scholarship, Stephen West as chairman for community service, and Tim Bernica as chairman for alumni and faculty relations.
Third-year College student Brianne Pitts, a Living Wage Campaign supporter who had fasted for the past six days, dropped out of the campaign's hunger strike after feeling faint and breaking out in a sweat in her economics class yesterday.
