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.
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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.
Student Council unanimously passed a resolution last night that will allow student groups to have expanded access to rooms and resources in Newcomb Hall. The resolution states that Council will cover the $3,500 fee for Contracted Independent Organizations, Special Status Groups and other student organizations to hold meetings and event in certain rooms of Newcomb. The bill will take effect in November, Vice President of Organizations Rebecca Keyworth said. Groups will now have access to the Board Room, Commonwealth Room, South Meeting Room and Room 389 along with the use of Newcomb's technological equipment. "One of the main purposes of Student Council is to be a governing body and an umbrella to students," Keyworth said.
The Honor Committee discussed the possibility of bringing back the non-toleration clause at its meeting Sunday night. The non-toleration clause, which allows honor charges to be brought on students who witness but do not report honor violations, was eliminated from the honor code in the 1970s. College Rep.
Former Associate Dean of Students and Education Prof. Annette Gibbs was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Award at Fall Convocation Friday. One of the most prestigious awards given by the University, the Thomas Jefferson Award has been presented since 1955, according to University Relations. The criteria for the Thomas Jefferson Award states a member of the faculty must exemplify in character, work and influence the principles and ideals of Thomas Jefferson.
The University Judiciary Committee welcomed 17 new judges to the First-Year Judiciary Committee last week. The new judges subsequently elected first-year College students Jamin An and Merriam Mikahil, as their chair and vice chair, respectively. According to UJC officials, the FYJC operates by the same trial procedures as the UJC, but its jurisdiction is limited to cases involving first years. "The First-Year Judiciary Committee hears cases of violations of Standards of Conduct that occur within first-year residential areas," outgoing FYJC vice chair Ben Cooper said.
Support for embryonic stem cell research continues to rise among the American public and many people believe a combination of creationism, intelligent design and evolution should be taught in public schools, according to Virginia Commonwealth University's 2005 Life Sciences Survey. The survey found that a majority of Americans, 58 percent of those surveyed, now strongly or somewhat favor embryonic stem cell research, up from 52 percent last year and 47 percent in 2003. The trend of increased approval of embryonic stem cell research can be attributed primarily to the American public garnering a better understanding of the process, said David Urban, director of the Survey and Evaluation research lab at VCU. There has been a lot of public attention on the subject of stem cell research recently, in the form of political legislation and platforms on the state and national level, as well as some high-profile cases of Parkinson's disease and spinal injury that have brought attention to stem cell research as a potential source of medical aid, Urban said. Urban also said with a growing number of older Americans, as well as a general interest of the American public in scientific discoveries -- 87 percent of those surveyed said they were a lot or a somewhat interested in scientific discoveries -- it's not surprising to see a greater general interest in medical research. "I think [the survey results] show how that stem cell research issue has risen in the consciousness of the American public," Urban said. John Arras, professor of Biomedical Ethics at the University of Virginia, said as the American public learns more about the possible medical benefits of embryonic stem cell research, they will become more comfortable with it. "My prediction is that opposition to stem cell research will completely fold once real cures are on the horizon," Arras said. The survey also found that there is no strong consensus among those surveyed about the origin of biological life, and regardless of personal beliefs, nearly half of those surveyed believe that a combination of creationism, intelligent design and evolution should be taught in public schools. The survey also presented subjects with three statements, each corresponding with one of the major origin of life views -- 42 percent of those surveyed related most to the creationist statement, 26 percent selected the intelligent design view and only 17 percent selected the evolutionist view. Urban said that these results are directly related to how people think of religion in their everyday lives, and reflects the rising religious population in the United States. Urban also said the favoring of creationist and intelligent design views may be a result of the scientific community doing a poor job of making its case for evolution to the public, while religiously-based views have been more aggressively promoted. This is the fifth year that the VCU Life Sciences Survey has been conducted.
Women now constitute 57 percent of college students nationally, according to data compiled by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.
The Federal Communications Commission recently ordered an expansion of an Internet surveillance law that will require universities to redesign their computer networks in order to give law enforcement officials easier access to online communications. The FCC's final ruling is still flexible, and the University is awaiting further direction. "It's not clear exactly what will be required anywhere because the standards are still being developed," University Director of Communications and Systems Jim Jokl said.
Governor Mark R. Warner urged students of all backgrounds to strive to engage in respectful and meaningful public debate, especially in light of the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial election in a speech delivered at the Class of 2007 ring ceremony Friday afternoon in University Hall. "Public debate has become increasingly shrill," Warner said, pointing to the use of sound bytes and the practice of "demonizing [political] opponents" as examples.
