News

Nursing scholarship aims to combat national shortages

With the baby boomer generation aging and beginning to retire, the University Medical Center is initiating a scholarship program to help combat a nationwide problem: nurse shortages. The scholarship program is a product of the University's Health Task Force, an umbrella organization for several sub-task forces composed of nurses and representatives in the University Medical Center human resources department seeking solutions for the rapidly declining numbers of nurses, according to Medical Center Administrator Jeff Chitester. Nursing Asst.

Interim dean takes on duties at SCPS

Along with the students in the University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Lynda Phillips-Madson is looking for new career challenges as she steps into the role of interim dean of the SCPS.

Sen. Warner to step down after 5th term

Days after Virginia's Republican senator John Warner announced that he will not seek re-election in 2008, politicians reflected on Warner's unique contribution to national politics and are already speculating as to who will fill the vacant seat next term.

UJC plans extension of support officer training

The University Judiciary Committee discussed making significant improvements to support officer training, increasing awareness and ways to move forward in their first meeting of the semester yesterday. "I'm excited about moving the committee forward ... so we can continue to do what we do on a daily basis more efficiently," Vice Chair for Sanctions Dean de la Peña said. There are still a large number of cases pending from last spring that UJC plans to work on in the first few weeks of the semester.

East Asia department opens in response to increased interest

Students and faculty studying the languages of East Asian nations now have a department to call their own. The Department of East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures opened its doors this semester after splitting from the former Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, department Chair Anne Kinney said. "The reasons for the split were both because of practicality and to really have a more focused mission," Kinney said.

StudCo leaders react to concerns about VPO performance

Members of Student Council's executive committee met in late August to discuss how to address various concerns stemming from the performance of Vice President for Organizations Catherine Tobin, according to Victoria Ingenito, director of University relations for Council.

You are getting Very Sleepy . . .

Honor education targets new students

At its first meeting of the semester, the Honor Committee discussed its work during the summer and its plans to better involve first-years and faculty in the upcoming year. One such initiative, a dorm talks program, began yesterday and aims at facilitating conversations about Honor among new students.

Students to face additional types of test questions on November GRE

Students planning to take the Graduate Record Examinations in November will be faced with two new additional question types, one math and one verbal; however, there is no need for them to panic.

Job market continues to blossom in Charlottesville

Charlottesville has seen a significant increase in the size of its work force, largely due to the University's presence, according to the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

State aims to sober up roads

Television viewers can expect to see more alcohol safety commercials while channel surfing after the Virginia Attorney General's Office launched a new ad campaign this week designed to better educate Virginia citizens about the dangers of drinking and driving. The ad campaign is the next phase of Checkpoint Strikeforce, a six-month statewide effort initiated in July to crack down on drunk drivers through education and increased enforcement, according to David Clementson, deputy director of communications in the Virginia Attorney General's Office. "Intense programs like Checkpoint Strikeforce are aimed at bringing the rising figure of DUI arrests and convictions down as much as possible," Clementson said. With Virginia DUI arrests reaching almost 30,000 a year, the state attorney general's office and the Albemarle Police Department are looking at various ways to address the issue.

Report criticizes Va. Tech response time to shootings

The Virginia Tech Review Panel identified oversights by the state's mental health system and slow response time as factors that contributed to the occurrence and extent of the April shootings at Virginia Tech. The report, released yesterday and compiled by a panel formed by Gov.

Amps in the amphitheater

Va. schools to grow unevenly

Grade schools in Virginia counties will see record growth during the next five years, according to a study released Tuesday by the University's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

Meet Me at the Rotunda

Gov. requests university budget cuts

Following a $234 million budget shortfall during the 2006 fiscal year, Gov. Tim Kaine asked the University and several other institutes of higher education Thursday to submit proposals to cut spending by up to 7.5 percent, according to Kaine's spokesperson Kevin Hall.

Greek groups create anti-hazing hotline

In an effort to decrease the occurrence of hazing in fraternities and sororities, 21 national Greek organizations have banded together to create an anti-hazing hotline. The hotline, 1-800-NOT-HAZE, will allow students to anonymously report incidents of hazing within chapters. According to Norval Stephens, chairman of the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation, reports will be recorded on an answering machine in the office of Cincinnati attorney Manley Burke. "It took a lot of research and planning, but one of the things we've learned is that if you are trying to prevent a crime -- and hazing is a crime -- then you have to report it directly to an attorney," Stephens said.

Community reflects on impact of Katrina

Two years and a day after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the storm's devastating wake still weighs heavily on the minds of several University students and faculty members. Fourth-year College student Lauren Tilton, whose family lives in New Orleans, experienced the devastation firsthand and said the aftermath of Katrina still presents her and her family with several difficulties. "It's been hard because many of my friends haven't moved back to the city," Tilton said.

Search engine to aid diagnoses

For doctors at the University's hospital, one flesh-eating parasite has changed the face of medical diagnoses. Doctors are now using a diagnostic system called "Isabel" that allows doctors to enter symptoms and retrieve possible diagnoses.

Virginia SAT scores mirror national trend

Virginia high schoolers' average verbal and math SAT scores declined in the last year, according to a report released this week by the College Board.