News

Grad students face finance, eval issues

Graduate students at the University continued to face a series of issues this year, ranging from the familiar struggles with funding to the new dilemma of placing TA evaluations online for students to see. While many University students said they were glad to gain access to course evaluations when choosing classes, other members of the University community said they are not pleased with the availability of TA evaluations -- especially of first-time TAs -- online. Graduate Student Council President Tom Bryan said he believes one problem with the use of these course evaluations is that the evaluations are not adapted to assess the work that TAs are expected to do. "Most TAs are operating under the supervision of a professor, so the fact that the evaluation system was using the same questions [that are used for professors] to evaluate TAs could mean that TAs would get praised or blamed for things they didn't really have control over," Bryan said. Politics Prof.

Wilsdorf reconciles science and religion

Albert Einstein once said, "After religious teachers accomplish the refining process indicated, they will surely recognize with joy that true religion has been ennobled and made more profound by scientific knowledge." The age-old question of whether science and religion are compatible is one on which scientists, philosophers and theologians often have been divided. But is there evidence that all religions share commonalities that can be justified in purely mathematical and scientific terms?

The Real Coach Carter

Community prepares for Foxfield Races

In an effort to minimize the sometimes dangerous, disrespectful and destructive behavior surrounding the alcohol-enhanced revelry of the annual spring Foxfield Races, event coordinators met with members of the University's Greek community to discuss preventative measures last night. "We love that the students come to Foxfield," Foxfield Marketing Director Anne Brown said.

Students, faculty respond to altered academic calendar

Changes to next year's academic calendar posted earlier this semester will cut the upcoming Summer Break a little short, affecting the summer plans of many University students and faculty. Students are set to return to classes on Wednesday, Aug.

Outstanding Greeks receive recognition

University sorority and fraternity chapters, as well as individual members of the Greek community, were honored last night at the fourth annual Greek Awards Ceremony, coordinated by the Inter-Greek Committee and sponsored by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. The Inter-Greek Committee presented the chapter of the year award to Phi Beta Sigma from the Black Fraternal Council, Phi Gamma Delta from Inter-Fraternity Council, Alpha Phi from Inter-Sorority Council and Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority from Multi-Cultural Greek Council. The Inter-Greek Committee also presented four Greek Person of the Year awards -- Dimitri Hughes of the BFC fraternity Phi Beta Sigma, Dave Bowman of the IFC fraternity Sigma Chi, Kat Shea of the ISC sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma and Christina Ridgway of the MGC sorority alpha Kappa Delta Phi were recipients. Award recipients said they were honored by the recognition. "I don't know why they exactly gave me this award, but I'm extremely honored that they thought I was deserving of it," Hughes said. The Inter-Greek Committee also awarded Phi Beta Sigma member Isaac Abeshie-Noye, St.

Same-sex couple denied housing

By Calisha Myers Cavalier Daily Associate Editor Earlier this month two incoming University graduate students were denied on-Grounds family housing for the fall semester since the Commonwealth does not recognize same-sex marriages or domestic partners. The graduate students, who requested not to be identified, will be beginning their studies at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences this fall.

UJC committee addresses hate

The first steps toward the formulation of stronger sanctions by the University Judiciary Committee against hate crimes within the University community were taken last night at the first meeting of the UJC's ad hoc committee for hate crimes. During the spring elections, 70 percent of students who cast ballots voted in favor of a referendum which sought stronger sanctions on individuals convicted of hate crimes. According to committee co-chairs Mai Hassan and Eli DeJarnette, the meeting aimed to outline the structure of the committee, set goals for the committee, and clarify the role of the committee within UJC. "The idea was to investigate possible ways of amending the UJC sanctions to deal with hate crimes," UJC Chair Tim Ormsby said. To provide prospective, former Student Council president Noah Sullivan summarized the intentions of the former Student Council members to get the UJC more engaged in addressing hate crimes at the University. "We wanted to find a way, as a community, to address this problem," Sullivan said.

Civil Rights news clips now available to the public

Over 200 clips documenting the Virginia civil rights movement now are available to the public because of the collaboration of the Virginia Center for Digital History, the University's Robertson Media Center and University students, according to History Prof.

Local Dems vie for Van Yahres' former House seat

Former Charlottesville Mayor David Toscano, University Urban Planning Prof. Rich Collins and local developer Clement "Kim" Tingley will compete June 14 for the Democratic Party's nomination to run for the 57th District's seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. The winner of the primary will vie for the House seat vacated by Del.

GAO report reveals effects of Pell Grant cuts

The Government Accountability Office released a report last week which revealed that 81,000 students will lose their eligibility to receive financial aid in the form of Pell Grants. The GAO, an investigative branch of Congress, created the report to analyze the effects of a decision made by the U.S.

Council swears in new members

In the final meeting of the 2004-2005 academic year, Student Council swore in new Council officials and passed four pieces of legislation regarding space allocations, committee chairs and Council's summer budget. Council swore in Vice President of Administration-elect Okey Udumaga, Executive Vice President-elect Darius Nabors and President-elect Jeaquetta Upton.

Children's Medical Museum to close Tuesday

The Children's Museum at the University Medical Center will close next Tuesday after operating for over 25 years, according to Medical Center spokesperson Peter Jump. Jump said the decision to close the museum was not based on budgetary or space needs but rather a need to facilitate and coordinate children's education. Jump said the space currently occupied by the Museum likely will be converted into extra space for patient registration at the adjacent primary care center. According to its Web site, the Museum has taken in over 150,000 visitors since its opening, including children ranging from toddlers to early teens.

Candidate Profiles

Phillip Collins Address: North end of Charlottesville Years Living in District: 34 years Employment: University Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning until June 1-- retired after that. Education: Undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin in history and English, PhD from the University of Colorado in politics with emphasis on public policy. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the area today? I think the biggest issue is the capacity of the local government to manage issues related to growth.

Computer porn leads to U.Va. employee firings

The University publicly issued a warning and dismissed two employees this semester after fellow employees reported they had used University computers to view and download pornography. A Dining Services employee was arrested in February and charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography, the University reported in its warning issued April 11. Cases of suspected possession or viewing of child pornography, which is federally outlawed, are immediately turned over to the police.

Task force addresses housing

The Charlottesville City Council voted last week 4-1 to accept a charge presented by the City's Housing Policy Task Force.

More prospective college students waitlisted

As students checked their mailboxes for letters from their choice colleges this spring, increasing numbers are finding that they have been placed on waitlists. According to the most recent State of College Admission report, conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, "middle selectivity-range" colleges, or those which accept between 50 and 85 percent of applicants, are "significantly more likely to report an increase in the number of students waitlisted than the most highly selective institutions." The report also states that, among colleges that hold a waitlist, there has been a 52 percent increase in the number of students who are placed on them. The University accepts fewer than 50 percent of all applicants, yet also has a very large pool of waitlisted applicants.

New system to organize room reservations

By Becca Garrison Cavalier Daily Associate Editor The system for requesting the reservation of spaces for meetings and events on and near Grounds will switch this summer, from the interim system COMPASS (Catalog of Meeting Places and Student Spaces) to the new SOURCE (Schedule of University Reservations and Calendar of Events). The SOURCE will be tested in a production mode throughout the month of August and be ready to serve students, faculty and staff as of the fall 2005 semester, according to University Registrar Carol Stanley. The idea of the system is that a member of the University Community can "go to the SOURCE and see what spaces might be available and submit a request," Stanley said.

playing in the grass

Army ROTC enrollment decreases

The University's Army ROTC has experienced an overall decrease in enrollment since last year but retention remains steady, according to the University Army ROTC Chairman, Lieutenant Colonel Hampton Hite. According to Hite, University Army ROTC enrollment is down 10 percent from last year. Some believe the possibility of deployment to Iraq is turning more prospective students away.