News

U.Va. meets security standards

The University has met the nearly all of the recommendations for campus safety and security recently proposed by Virginia21, an "action-tank", or political advocate, for young people, Dean of Students Penny Rue said. Virginia21 announced its newest plan to increase safety and security on college campuses state-wide Thursday with the three-part "Protect Virginia Students" proposal. Virginia21 has three main goals: strengthen campus police, increase the accountability of universities and give power to college communities to solve problems on their own, according to Virginia21 spokesperson David Solimini. The "Protect Virginia Students" plan, which comes after an extensive two-year study of campus crime by the Virginia Crime Commission, will create a "college law-enforcement center to set standards and guidelines for campus police across the state," Solimini said. The Center will also create a centralized data collection network to be implemented by all state universities, he said. Currently, the State Department of Education evaluates Virginia colleges and universities annually in areas including affordability, diversity and availability of financial aid.

Virginia General Assembly votes to lift sales tax

The House of Delegates voted unanimously Monday to suspend the five percent sales tax on back to school items for three days in August, according to the General Assembly's legislative database.

U.Va. experts speculate on Boehner's impact on higher ed.

As Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, takes on the role of majority leader in the U. S. House of Representatives, University faculty said they are waiting to see what actions the former chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce will take in reforming higher education in his new position. Boehner has been active in promoting education legislation, specifically the College Access and Opportunity Act, which would reauthorize the Higher Education Act.

Board of Visitors makes diversity a broader goal

Suggestions for improving diversity within the University became a major discussion point among the Board of Visitors' seven standing committee reports presented to the entire Board Friday. While the Special Committee on Diversity was developed in 2003 to focus specifically on the University's diversity initiatives, Friday's meeting featured discussion of diversity among all of the Board's committees. This development "is quite different from how it was three years ago," said Warren M.

Honor seeks to clarify "seriousness" wording

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.

Student BOV member selected

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.

IFC, ISC work to curb sexual assault

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.

I've Got rhythm

University officials speak on diversity

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.

University officials speak on diversity

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.

Bill to increase student loan interest rates

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.

University anticipates additional science grants

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.

BOV discusses University's performance

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.

University football player arrested, dismissed by Groh

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.

Charlottesville faces increasing property values, housing costs

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.

February is Black history month

Delegates sponsor military tuition bill

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.

Bill aims to limit liabilityof witnesses

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.

BOV to review administration perceptions

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.