The Honor Committee discussed a proposal Sunday night to change the wording of the seriousness clause of the Honor Constitution. To be convicted of an Honor offense, a jury must first find the accused student guilty of act and intent, and then find the student committed an act serious enough to merit expulsion.
The Board of Visitors announced the selection of its newest non-voting student member last Friday. Lizzie Mullen, a third-year American Studies major, was chosen out of 29 applicants to succeed the current student board member, fourth-year Catherine Neale. "I think that Lizzie has a firm grasp on student opinions and student issues and she has the ability to relate to the board members really well," Neale said. Neale, among other students, joined Pat Lampkin, Vice President of Student Affairs, and Board Secretary Alexander Gilliam on the committee that conducted interviews and selected the five finalists. "Lizzie knows and is well-known to a great number and variety of students," said Board Rector Thomas F.
On last year's Bid Night, 15 of 16 members of the Inter-Sorority Council reported the sexual assault of at least one of their members, according to Michael Goldsmith, president of the IFC and ISC's Joint Committee on Sexual Assault. Last spring, members of the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Inter-Sorority Council created the Joint Committee on Sexual Assault partially in response to that finding, Goldsmith said. The Committee's agenda is "still in the formation stages," Goldsmith said. This year, Goldsmith sent an e-mail to committee members, all of whom are sorority and fraternity presidents, to encourage discussion and prevention of sexual assault by fraternity members on Bid Night. Future plans of the Committee include the formation of a fraternity-sorority presidential mediation council to facilitate dialogue between fraternity and sorority presidents and members. "The atmosphere within the Greek system is going to change," Goldsmith said. Lee Sparks, president of Delta Delta Delta sorority, said her sorority took actions to prevent Bid Night assaults, such as the institution of a tougher Sober Sisters Program. The program was adjusted "just so we knew that there were a definite number of women who were sober and out walking around making sure that women were as safe as they could be," she said. Brian Kohn, president of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, described similar actions taken by his fraternity on bid night to prevent assaults. "We have brothers in the party staying sober and kind of watching out for guys taking advantage of girls or girls getting really drunk," he said.
University Chief Diversity Officer William Harvey presented his first public address to the University yesterday afternoon, highlighting the need for sustained efforts toward increased racial tolerance and diversity nationwide, In his address, entitled "Issues of Race at Predominantly White Institutions," Harvey noted that many of the racial issues he has studied throughout his professional career have yet to be adequately remedied, both at the University and nationwide. Harvey's address focused on the themes of affirmative action, diversity within curricula and the need for both students and faculty to take action. Institutional policies of affirmative action for faculty hiring have proven controversial and extraordinarily ineffective across the country, Harvey said.
African-American Affairs Dean M. Rick Turner said last night that while African-American students and faculty have had cause to celebrate in the past year, there is much room for improvement in race relations, equality and diversity both on Grounds and in the Charlottesville community. Turner reflected upon the achievements of the University's black community during his third annual State of the Office of African-American Affairs Address. During the last year, the nationally-acclaimed Peer Advisor Program and the Faculty-Student Mentoring Program have flourished, Turner said. "Students come with cultural, social and economic baggage," Dion Lewis, director of the Luther P.
The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would raise the interest rates on student loans, according to the Library of Congress' database of legislation. John Noble, press secretary for Rep.
The University is poised to take advantage of President Bush's new science and technology initiative introduced in his State of the Union Address, David Hudson, associate vice president for research in graduate studies, said. The president's plan entails allocating $50 billion to the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy Office of Science and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which will, in turn, be granted to institutions, said Barry Toiv, spokesperson for the Association of American Universities. The process for which universities acquire these grants is very competitive, Hudson said. First the agencies will need to decide in which areas they want to fund projects, and then, once the goal of the grant has been outlined, every research establishment is able to compete for the money, he said. Hudson added that the institution that presents the best proposal is the one that will be awarded the grant. "At this point we don't how these grants will take shape," Hudson said.
The Board of Visitors Special Committee on Planning convened yesterday to review its financial policies and discuss the University's current performance as assessed by statewide objectives. Board members discussed the performance standards that the University must adhere to as established by the Higher Education Restructuring Act of 2005, legislation created by former Gov.
Second-year College student and University football player Bryan Lescanec was arrested early Wednesday morning on charges of assault and battery, according to Charlottesville police. Yesterday afternoon, 19-year-old Lescanec, a walk-on running back, was dismissed from the team by head coach Al Groh for "conduct detrimental to the program," the Athletics department announced in a press release. According to a press release from the Charlottesville Police, Lescanec allegedly fondled a 21-year-old University student at A.J.'s Grill and Bar on Elliewood Ave.
Dramatic increases in property values over the past five years have caused a marked rise in housing costs, according to Charlottesville City Council member Blake Caravati. Property costs "have been rising precipitously since 2001, in the range from 12 to 18 percent and even 40 percent in some neighborhoods," Caravati said.
Two state bills concerning the allowance of in-state tuition for dependents of military personnel will be up for consideration in both the House of Delegates and the Senate. House Bill No.
Delegates Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, and William Janis, R-Glen Allen, are currently sponsoring a bill in the General Assembly that would protect criminal witnesses from liability whenever their testimonies or criminal identifications are made "with the good faith belief in its veracity." Some Virginia lawyers, however, say the content of the bill is already in practice. "It makes more clear what is already common law," Virginia attorney Tom Carter said. The bill comes in response to a lawsuit by Chris Matthew, a black Charlottesville resident who was accused of rape by a former University Law student.
Today the Board of Visitors will continue the process of developing long-term priorities for the University, taking into account the opportunities afforded by greater autonomy under the Higher Education Restructuring Act and the upcoming $3 billion Capital Campaign, when the Special Committee on Planning meets for the third time. The Committee will first seek to identify the measures by which state agencies will assess the University as a public, but financially more autonomous, institution, according to the meeting agenda.
University students and professors expressed mixed sentiments in reaction to President Bush's State of the Union Address last night. As President Bush delivered his address, he optimistically alluded to his administration's efforts to provide adequate healthcare, improve education, consider alternative energy sources and combat terrorism. Still, Politics Prof.
A student was struck by a car while crossing the street at the intersection of Sprigg Lane and Emmet Street on Sunday evening, according to Charlottesville Police and Assistant Dean of Students Daisy Rodriguez. The student, College first-year Hao Min Wang, suffered a pelvic fracture as a result of the accident and is currently undergoing some physical therapy and ensuring that she can walk, Rodriguez said.
Student Health initiated a new program in December that increased the number of certified HIV counselors available to students.
Music professors work at desks crammed into small offices that were originally designed to be storage closets.
