News

Increased cellular phone usage causes decrease in Housing revenue

As the number of students using cellular phones steadily increases, the University is losing revenue generated from the long-distance phone calls made by students over the land-lines provided by the University. Between 1998 and 2004, the number of minutes students spent making long distance phone calls has decreased by nearly 4.3 million, Mark Doherty, Chief Housing officer said in an e-mail. Doherty cited the increasing use of e-mail and competitive calling card and cell phone packages as reasons for the decline in revenue. Despite the drop, there has been no effect on Housing's budgetary considerations, and there will be no effect on electronic services currently provided for students living in on-Grounds housing, said James A.

Cigarettes now available for sale in the Castle snack bar

As of a few weeks ago, University Dining began selling cigarettes at the Castle amid some criticism from the University community. Although cigarettes had previously been sold at other locations on grounds, including the Treehouse, the expansion to the Castle was the result of student demand. "The only reason we carry cigarettes is because students are asking for them," said Eddie Whedbee, the director of operations for U.Va.

Charities continue causes in light of tsunami relief effort

Although there has been an outpouring of donations in response to efforts for tsunami relief, local charities have discerned minor and varying fluctuations in the donations received and said they could not definitively attribute the changes to the international tsunami aid.

Alpha Phi Alpha joins IFC

For the first time since the creation of the Black Fraternal Council in 1992, a black fraternity has left the BFC to join the Inter-Fraternity Council. The Iota Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha achieved the two-thirds vote necessary last Thursday to become full members of the IFC. "Alpha Phi Alpha is a fantastic addition to the IFC because of the quality of their members, their organization and the presentation they gave to the IFC," IFC President David Bowman said. Joining the IFC was a business move, Alpha Phi Alpha Secretary Cameron Webb said. As the only black fraternity with a house, the constitution of the IFC matched the goals of the Alpha Phi Alpha better, Webb said. Alpha Phi Alpha began looking at the switch this summer when comparing the constitutions of the two fraternal councils. "It went from thought to reality very quickly," Webb said. Now that the Alpha Phi Alphas have joined the IFC, they say they look forward to being able to show that they serve the University Community as a whole, not just the African- American community. The biggest opportunity the IFC offers is "to be a part of a Greek community -- not just a black Greek community," Webb said. The Alpha Phi Alpha chapter remains on good terms with the BFC. "It was an organizational decision and we wish them the best," BFC Co-Chair Ryan Chatman said. Alpha Phi Alpha president Brian Pennington agreed. "We're going to make every effort to stay involved with the BFC and know their events and so support them," Pennington said.

Forum attendees shareexperience with hate

The South Asian Leadership Society, the NAACP Student Chapter and the Sikh Students Association co-sponsored a forum yesterday evening entitled "AMERICAN HATRED: are YOU part of it?" reflecting on recent University concerns of minority animosity. The forum began with attendees sharing their experiences of hatred at the University with each other and the event drew undergraduate and graduate students as well as administrators from many different backgrounds. Aleea Maye, a fourth-year College student and president of the NAACP chapter at the University and Neela Pal, a third-year College student and president of the South Asian Leadership Society, opened the forum by discussing the importance of finding common ground for dialogue and change. The forum was led by Preetmohan Singh, director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education fund, and M.

Honor strikes down adding 'forgiveness' to spring ballot

The Honor Committee voted against a resolution to place a "forgiveness clause" on the spring ballot last night.

UBE gears candidates for spring elections

The spring season of University student elections starts today -- in order to inform prospective student voters, the first candidate information session of the election period will be held tonight in Newcomb Hall. Created in the spring of 2003, the University Board of Elections oversees all student elections.

Cavalier Daily elects Managing Board, new department editors for 116th term

With the opening of the new semester, The Cavalier Daily has reached its annual changing of the guard.

Study: City population growth stabilizes

The University's Weldon Cooper Center unveiled its recent provisional population growth estimates for the Commonwealth on Friday.

Study: Aid linked to tuition hikes

A study released Tuesday concludes that the increasingly generous financial assistance programs used to make college more affordable for lower income students may be fueling tuition increases nationwide. "Federal loans, Pell grants and other assistance programs result in higher tuition for students at our nation's colleges and universities," the study reported. The study, published by the libertarian Cato Institute's Policy Analysis, is entitled "Making College More Expensive: The Unintended Consequences of Federal Tuition Aid." Economist Gary Wolfram, the George Munson Professor of Political Economy at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich., wrote the report. "To the extent that we give more people aid and get more people to come we are going to bid up prices," Wolfram said.

Tsunami relief events raise thousands

The Charlottesville area has donated tens of thousands of dollars to South Asian tsunami relief efforts during the past few weeks. Tsunami Relief Charlottesville, a one-day fundraising event, was held on the Lannigan Field Track Saturday.

A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE

After days of snow and rain, Ted Yokoyama takes advantage of the brisk air and bright skies to practice with the ultimate Frisbee team in Mad Bowl.

Search for diversity officer continues

Applications for the University's newly established Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity are due Monday. The position was outlined in and prescribed by the report given by the President's Commission on Diversity and Equity in the summer of 2004.

Sanction referendum vote set for Sunday

The Honor Committee will decide this Sunday whether it will send the forgiveness clause, developed by the Sanction Reform Committee, to this spring's student ballot. In the meantime, students involved in the debate over sanction reform are split over whether the SRC proposal changes too much or too little in the honor system. Under the forgiveness clause, a student convicted of an honor offense would be suspended for two semesters, and would then be eligible to re-enter the University.

AUDITIONS FOR SHAKESPEARE'S MACBETH

Sofka letter asks Ayers for specifics of removal

A day after a letter detailing the reassignment of Politics Prof. James R. Sofka from his position as director of the Echols program became public, Sofka yesterday responded to College Dean Edward L.

Report: More students passing AP exams

The College Board announced yesterday that the number of students who passed an AP exam has risen in all 50 states. The "Advanced Placement Report to the Nation," made in anticipation of the AP program's 50th anniversary in the 2005-06 school year, showed that the percentage of high school seniors who received at least a 3 on one of the tests has climbed from 10.2 percent in 2000 to 13.2 percent in 2004. In addition to detailing AP success, the report also announced adjustment planned for the AP program. According to Ayeola Boothe-Kinlaw, director of equity and access initiatives for the Advanced Placement program, one of these adjustments applies to the way grades are reported to schools, districts and states. "We've changed the way schools receive their grades," Boothe-Kinlaw said.

Miller Center hosts writer Ron Suskind

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Ron Suskind spoke last night at the Miller Center for Public Affairs in a forum titled "Faith, Certainty and the Presidency of George W.

Online CityLink to serve City residents as of May

Soon Charlottesville residents will be able to forgo the trek to City Hall to pay their parking tickets.

Proposed bills alter charter plans

Although the proposed chartered universities legislation has yet to be debated in committee or on the General Assembly floor, it has already undergone significant changes since its original proposal by the University, William & Mary and Virginia Tech during 2004. Sen.