News

Virginians favor Warner over Allen in poll

Virginians favor former Gov. Mark R. Warner over current United States Senator George Allen by 49 to 32 percent if they were to square off against each other in a bid for president in 2008, according to a poll conducted by the University's Center for Politics released Wednesday. The poll found Warner led his fellow Virginian in every demographic questioned except for Republicans.

BOV assesses fundraising, diversity

The University exceeded its Capital Campaign fundraising projections for 2005, representatives of the Development Office told the Board of Visitor's External Affairs committee at yesterday's BOV meeting. The philanthropic cash totaled $128.88 million, 16 percent more than what was raised in 2004 and the second largest fundraising year in the history of the University, according to the briefing led by Robert Sweeney, senior vice president for development and public affairs.

Students jam ISIS, cause bottlenecks

Students across the University have faced extreme difficulties logging into the University's Integrated Student Information System, the computer registration and billing system, in the opening days of the spring semester. Students say the system, known as ISIS, is constantly busy and impossible to access, preventing them from finalizing spring semester schedules or completing final registration. Anda Webb, associate provost for management and budget, said University experts are working on improving the program. "We've tried to take steps to try and mitigate the problems by moving administrators off the system, making some improvements to the code," Webb said.

Honor to hold open trial Jan. 28

Another student accused of an honor offense has elected to hold an open trial, making this the second open trial during the current academic year.

U.Va. adopts new bias reporting system

The University administration unveiled a bias incident reporting system Tuesday. The new system allows members of the University community to file complaints online, by phone or in person. The University chose to define a bias incident more broadly to encompass incidents that would not necessarily meet the threshold under existing regulations, according to the incident reporting Web site.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Architecture graduate program rises in rankings

Architectural, engineering and design professionals rewarded the University's graduate program in architecture with a third-place ranking in the 2006 annual Design Futures Council survey published last November in DesignIntelligence.

Man arrested for alleged 1984 rape of alumna

A 22-year-old incident of alleged sexual assault has resurfaced after William Beebe was arrested Jan.

U.Va. boasts highest black graduation rate

A recent study conducted by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education showed that of the "public Ivies," the University has the highest graduation rate of black students at 86 percent. The study, which compared the graduation rates and enrollment of black students at high-ranked public universities, also concluded that the University has one of the highest percentages of blacks in its student body at 8.5 percent.

University to offer Semester at Sea program

This summer, the University will become the academic partner of the Semester at Sea study abroad program. The program, whose origins date back to 1926, has allowed almost 40,000 students to spend a semester aboard a "floating college," the MV Explorer.

Kaine begins term, names new cabinet

Freshly inaugurated in Williamsburg last Saturday, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will begin work with his new cabinet this session regarding issues in higher education. The Higher Education Restructuring Act Management Plan, previously known as the charter initiative that would give the University, William & Mary and Virginia Tech more financial autonomy, will be discussed in this session of the General Assembly.

U.Va. experts address Bush's warrantless surveillance

The controversy over whether President George W. Bush broke the law by authorizing warrantless surveillance on communications between American citizens and individuals with suspected ties to terrorism continues this week with Sen.

KA-CHING!

Baliles selected to lead Miller Center

Former Virginia Gov. Gerald L. Baliles will lead the Miller Center of Public Affairs as the fifth director of the Center, which researches U.S.

Honor society competition up

Participation in the oldest honor society in the nation, Phi Beta Kappa, is facing competition from newer honor organizations and is struggling with a lack of familiarity that is inhibiting membership at some public universities. The organization, which boasts 17,000 members among 270 chapters according to Phi Beta Kappa's national Secretary John Churchill, is launching a campaign to connect local chapters with the national body.

Let the holidays begin!

Black student acceptance rates higher at top schools

The acceptance rates for black applicants at 14 of the nation's top-30 rated universities --including the University -- were significantly higher than for white applicants in 2005, according to a report by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education released Tuesday. The report also indicated that at universities with colorblind admissions, such as the University of California-Berkeley and the University of California-Los Angeles, "the black student acceptance rate was significantly below the rate for whites." The University's acceptance rate for black applicants was 58 percent, the reported stated, while the overall rate was 37 percent. The release cautioned against assuming that the increased percentage means a lowering of admission standards for black students by suggesting that "a particular college or university with a high black student acceptance rate may simply have had an outstanding pool of African-American applicants." According to a written statement by JBHE Managing Editor Bruce Slater, "While there are standard concerns that racial conservatives on faculties and among alumni and trustees may interpret the figures as showing a so-called 'dumbing-down' of academic standards as in favor of unqualified blacks in favor of more qualified whites, the percentage is a strong gauge of the institution's commitment to diversity." Some University faculty members agreed that the statistics speak well of the University's admissions process. "You have to attribute that high-yield rate to the excellent job that the Office of Admission has done this past year," African-American Affairs Dean M.

Open honor trial jurors share thoughts on verdict

Jurors from the open honor trial of third-year College students Joe Schlingbaum and Lindsey McClung early last month disagree on the exact reasoning for the not guilty verdict.

Law School, Medical Center partner for pro bono work

Students in the University Law School will have the opportunity to assist in providing pro-bono legal services to low-income members of the Charlottesville community through a new program starting next semester. The Family Advocacy Program is a partnership between the Law School, the University Medical Center and the Legal Aid Justice Center. "Our clients have medical problems and legal problems that seem to be all intertwined," Legal Aid paralegal Liz Moore said.

Scientists explore enhancing effects of music

A mother rocks her baby's cradle gently, while the tune of Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" fills the air.