The 1918 Spanish flu is back. Earlier this month, U.S. scientists announced they had created a living copy of this deadly pathogen, which has not been seen on Earth for the last 85 years.
The Parents' Program of the University of Virginia Alumni Association announced yesterday it is donating an additional $30,000 to the existing $20,000 to any person who can provide information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the serial rapist. A concerned parent anonymously donated an additional $5,000, boosting the total reward to $55,000, which more than doubled the previous amount. The serial rapist is responsible for seven reported incidents of sexual assault over the past eight years, some of which affected University students. "The Parents' Program has long been very interested in student safety and security, and when they met last week, the issue of the serial rapist was brought up by some of the parents, and they felt a need or a desire to make a contribution that might help in the apprehension of the serial rapist," University spokesperson Carol Wood said. According to Parents' Program Co-Chair Jeff Hillebrand, the group meets twice a year to allocate funds donated by non-alumni parents to student programs and handle proposals from the University's administration and academic deans.
In science, there is often a predilection toward conceptualizing cognitive events in a discrete, measurable fashion.
This fall, over 1,700 students -- the largest class on record -- began their first year at the nation's 125 accredited medical schools, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The AAMC said in a press release that this class size represents a 2.1 percent increase from the class that entered in 2004. "For the last several years, enrollment has hovered at around 1,600, so this is the first time it broke 1,700," AAMC Public Relations Director Retha Sherrod said. In addition to the increase in class size, the AAMC also said medical schools experienced a 4.6 percent increase in the number of applications they received from 35,735 last year to 37,364. Mirroring this national trend, the University's Medical School has seen a slight increase in its class size as well as in its number of applicants, Medical School Admissions Director Beth Bailey said. Sherrod said the AAMC was concerned earlier this year that there could be a potential future shortage in the nation's number of physicians, due in part to a high number of "baby boom" physicians who will retire soon.
What would have been an open honor trial slated to begin Nov. 6 will now proceed as a closed trial at the request of the accused student. The student's name and his motivation for closing the trial were not released.
A recent study by the University's Energy Program and the Green Grounds Group shows that while the University is making efforts to prevent unnecessary expenditure of energy, it can do more to conserve energy and funds. Last week, a group of students met to determine instances of wasted energy on Grounds, Energy Program Manager Paul Crumpler said. Students observed 150 buildings on Grounds and noted the number of lights that were turned on inside various unoccupied buildings. According to Crumpler, the Green Grounds Group, a Contracted Independent Organization, contacted him to ask for opportunities to collaborate on energy conservation projects, and one of the projects they discussed involved identifying buildings with lights left on at night. Students were able to observe buildings across Grounds, from the Darden School to University Hall, as well as athletic facilities, that leave lights on at night when no one is there, according to Crumpler. While Crumpler said he has yet to complete a synopsis of the students' findings, he was able to identify positive and negative energy consumption practices. "In a majority of buildings, lights were turned off," he said.
The News article "Council to expand access to Newcomb" implied that student groups would have to pay a fee to rent a room in Newcomb Hall.
Students for Peace and Justice in Palestine held a protest yesterday in the Amphitheater as part of Palestine Week.
In the latest of a string of Charlottesville burglaries, an unidentified intruder assaulted a woman in her apartment on the 1500 block of Broad Avenue Monday night at approximately 9:30 p.m., according to the Charlottesville Police. The woman, a white female in her 50s, unlocked her front door, set a bag down inside and walked to her mailbox.
A report released last Friday by the National Center for Education Statistics reveals that students who are considered by the federal government to be financially independent from their parents comprise a majority of the undergraduate population. According to the report, 64 percent of students at community colleges are independent, while 37 percent of students in public and private four-year colleges are independent.
Imagine a library where the world's greatest books are available to anyone at the click of a button.
The University was recently acknowledged by the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) with the Award of Excellence for being its highest contributor within the Commonwealth for the 12th consecutive year. The CVC is a fundraising campaign that acts as "the annual workplace giving program for state employees, by state employees," Assistant Campaign Director Tamara Mann said. According to Mann, the CVC acts somewhat like a middleman, connecting Virginia state agencies to various charity organizations regionally, nationally and internationally while allowing employees to donate to charities of their choice. With over 1,300 charities, the CVC raised about $3.5 million, and according to University CVC Chair Ida Lee Wootten, University employees accounted for more than 18 percent of the fundraising, collecting about $640,000 during the 2004 year. "Last year we had over 3,200 employees who gave $636,750 that went to about 400 charities, the bulk of which are in our local area," Wootten said. According to University records, the majority of donations went to the Charlottesville Free Clinic and the United Way Thomas Jefferson Area, which received $56,110.87 from 315 University employees and $54,832.96 from 118 respectively. "I think the 12 consecutive years of leading the state in giving underscores the University of Virginia employees' dedication and commitment to public service," Wootten said.
The number of University students charged with underage possession of alcohol and public intoxication has risen significantly in the past year, according to statistics obtained from University Student Legal Services. Since last year, the number of students who have been charged with underage possession of alcohol and have scheduled consultations with Student Legal Services has spiked, from 15 consultations in September and October of 2004, to 52 consultations in September through Oct.
In series of vandalisms reported on 15th Street, side-view mirrors on parked vehicles were smashed off Saturday night or early Sunday morning, Charlottesville Police Sergeant Stephen Upman said. Vandalism, theft and some burglaries have occurred in the 15th Street area recently, Upman said.
With the new Course Offering Directory out last Friday, students are beginning to select classes for the spring semester.
Mark, a fourth-year Engineering student, had a common post-party craving earlier this semester: a sandwich from Littejohn's.
About 2,600 former University students and individuals who held contracts with the University Housing Division could have had their names and Social Security numbers available on the Internet, according to Chief Housing Officer Mark Doherty. Doherty said the University became aware of this breach of security in mid-September. "We were informed of this by a former student who Googled himself and found the information," he said.
