Although the University prides itself on the tradition of student self-governance, less than 40 percent of full-time students typically participate in the spring University-wide elections. The statistics In 2006 and 2007, 36 percent of full-time students cast their votes, but that statistic plummeted in 2008 when only 28 percent of students voted.
As Michael Chapman prepares to hand the reins of the University Judiciary Committee to someone else, he reflected on the past year as the Committee's chair. Going into the term, Chapman already knew that he would focus on education efforts directed to the rest of the University community. "We really wanted to reach out to the far reaches of the University and show how [students] can become a part of the UJC," Chapman said. The Committee's outreach efforts during the past term have continued even through this week's University-wide elections.
The Inter-Fraternity Council held its first round of elections last night for the 2010 term. Penn Daniel, a third-year College student and a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, was elected the IFC's next president. Daniel said his main priorities as president will be safety, expansion of recruitment and outreach, which will be done in part through co-sponsorships with other organizations.
Gov. Bob McDonnell hopes to avoid cutting even more funds from the state's higher education budget, even though the biennial budget proposed last year only addresses half of the commonwealth's $2.2 billion in debt, according to a Wednesday press release from the governor's office. "Large cuts over the past two years have already been made to higher education and public safety, so these areas should be largely protected," McDonnell stated in a letter to Sen.
About 60 percent of Americans believe colleges and universities are more concerned with finances than with providing their students a strong education, according to a recent poll released by Public Agenda and the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. According to the report, these Americans believe that institutions of higher education "operate more like a business, focused more on the bottom line than on the educational experience of students." The poll also revealed that 54 percent of Americans believe colleges could lower costs without having to reduce the quality of their students' education.
The Engineering School received a $594,000 grant Monday from private software developer Simio LLC. The grant will give University students, faculty members and researchers access to advanced 3-D modeling and simulation software. Simio's technology includes features that have yet to be implemented in the University's current software, such as object-oriented modeling and 3-D graphics, Engineering Prof.
[caption id="attachment_33251" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Facilities Management helped Engineering students install photovoltaic panels, which convert solar energy into electricity.
[caption id="attachment_33249" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Will Jacobs, who is studying engineering and physics, will attend the University of Cambridge.
Charles L. "Chuck" Perdue, a former Anthropology and English professor and renowned scholar of folklore, passed away Sunday at the age of 79. Perdue was an influential figure in both of his departments during his 36 years of teaching, which lasted from 1971 to 2007, according to a University press release.
A crystal that changes from and reverts to its original color could become a valuable new type of mechanical sensor technology, according to a discovery by Guoqing Zhang, a Graduate Arts & Sciences student in the chemistry department. Chemistry Prof.
[caption id="attachment_33215" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Leonard Sandridge, pictured with his wife, Jerry, will retire after serving the University for more than 40 years.
The University's endowment declined 22.7 percent during 2008-09, according to the 2009 annual report released by the National Association of College and University Business Officers and the Commonfund Institute. The decline reflects a larger national trend of decreasing endowments for higher education institutions, said John Griswold, executive director of the Commonfund Institute.
City Council unanimously voted to elect Maurice Jones Acting City Manager at a meeting last night. Jones, who currently serves as Assistant City Manager, will serve as interim manager after current City Manager Gary O'Connell steps down April 12 after 15 years of service. Council members expressed confidence in Maurice's ability to replace O'Connell, who was recently appointed to be the next head of the Albemarle County Service Authority.
The race for Virginia's fifth district's congressional seat has begun, and early poll results released by Public Policy Polling last week suggest that Robert Hurt leads the seven Republican candidates.
[caption id="attachment_33175" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Windows were shattered at Cocke Hall last weekend, the second break-in that has occurred on Grounds during the past two weeks.
Members of Student Council's Environmental Sustainability Committee outlined the provisions of a referendum to establish the Green Initiative Funding Tomorrow fund, which aims to bolster the University's commitment to sustainability, before Council's representative body Feb.
[caption id="attachment_33171" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="University alumnus David Foster is sworn in by the Honorable Ronald L.
After three Graduate Engineering students lost their home on Robertson Avenue to fire Feb. 8, various groups in the University community have come together to show support. "These students were made homeless and lost all of their belongings," Assoc.
The Ambassador's Speakers Forum will next bring Jaime Aleman, the U.S. ambassador to Panama, to the University tomorrow. Vice Provost for International Programs Gowher Rizvi founded the forum last fall.
The Women's Center has chosen Cheryl Mills, counselor and chief of staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as the 2010 U.Va.
