News

Community packs town hall meeting

Hundreds of students, staff and faculty members from dozens of student organizations and University affiliations overflowed the Rouss Hall lecture hall last night at a town meeting sponsored by the Black Student Alliance. The meeting was organized to address the University community's response to fourth-year College student Amey Adkins' report that a racial slur was written across a window of her car Sept.

Felker found guilty in open UJC trial

After a four-hour open trial that filled the trial room of Newcomb Hall last night, Graduate Student Rich Felker was found guilty of violating two University Standards of Conduct and was sentenced to 20 hours of community service with University Recycling and "suspension in abeyance." According to UJC Chair Angela Carrico, suspension in abeyance means that if Felker is found guilty of violating standards 4, 8 or 12 again, it will be "very strongly recommended" to the next trial panel that he be suspended. Felker, a member of Students for a Free Tibet, was charged with intentional disruption of a University activity and failure to comply with University officials when he attempted to chain himself to a banister in the Dome Room of the Rotunda during a speech by Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiech last June. "I'm disappointed with the outcome that the Judiciary Committee was not willing to stand up for the free speech rights of students who wish to make their voices heard at the University about issues they feel deeply about," Felker said. Felker said he understood the risk he took in attempting to stage a protest. "I went into this whole protest understanding that there could be consequences -- just or unjust -- against the actions I took.

Curry School receives $23 million from Boston donor

The Curry School of Education last night announced the second half of its largest donation in history, a $23 million gift from non-alumni Daniel Meyers, 41, who serves as vice-chair of the school's fundraising foundation. The donation will fund a planned addition to the Curry School near its current home in Ruffner Hall, to be named after the late Anthony D.

Affordability central issue in platforms on higher ed.

This fall, the presidential campaign's platforms on American higher education center on college affordability, but their impact after the election is uncertain. Although voters may have trouble seeing past the frequent attacks and electoral strategy that has marked the campaign to date, both President George W.

2005 ACC Leadership Conference to be held at University

The University will host the 10th annual Atlantic Coast Conference Leadership Conference in February. The event is expected to draw about 80 athletes and student leaders from the 11 ACC member schools. This year's conference is likely to focus on how schools can bridge the academic performance gap between NCAA athletes and the student body at large.

Fifth U.Va. president passes away

Former University President Frank Hereford, known for his success in attracting premier faculty, generating finance and establishing the University as a revered public institution, died Tuesday in Charlottesville at the age of 81. "Frank Hereford contributed in every important way to the University's development and progress over the course of 35-plus years," current University President John T.

LET'S TWIST AGAIN

U.Va. researchers named among top innovators

Futuristic technology is close at hand at the University as two of its researchers were named to a list of the 100 Top Young Innovators in the world. Richard Kent, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Shayn Peirce, assistant professor in biomedical engineering, were ranked on a list of 100 individuals under the age of 35 whose work and research hold the potential to dramatically impact technology.

Council OKs construction of memorial

In a unanimous vote, Student Council passed a resolution Tuesday night to support the creation of a student memorial on Grounds. Under the proposal presented by College Rep.

Students question response to vandalism report

In the wake of the reported vandalism of fourth-year College student Amey Adkins' vehicle, various student groups have been critical of the University's response and The Cavalier Daily's coverage of the alleged incident. On Sept.

NOW organizes Election Day carpools

The University's chapter of the National Organization for Women is organizing carpools to major cities in Virginia so students can vote in their registered cities on Election Day.

Council passes resolution for Asian-American Studies

In a unanimous decision, the Student Council passed a resolution last night to endorse the creation of an Asian-American Studies program at the University. "I believe people will be very supportive of the program," said Peter Yu, assistant dean in the Office of African-American Affairs.

Rep. body hears plans to reform CIO funding

Initiating a series of reforms that Student Council President Noah Sullivan calls the most important issues on Council's agenda this semester, Council Vice President for Organizations Rebecca Keyworth presented three plans last night to reform Council's appropriations process. "The system we have now was developed years ago for a smaller number of student groups," Keyworth said.

Group stages anti-Bush demonstration on Grounds

Donning underwear on top of clothing and phallic "Patriot Missiles" taped to their pelvises, six women known as the "Missile Dick Chicks," performed sarcastic songs supporting the Bush administration yesterday afternoon.

"Education for a Lifetime"

For many students, the senior year of high school is a time of transition as teenagers prepare to enter college, join the workforce or otherwise move on with their lives.

ROTC honors alumnus killed in Iraq

The University's Army ROTC department commemorated Capt. Humayun S. Khan, a University alumnus killed in Iraq in June, following the annual POW-MIA Recognition Ceremony held by the ROTC departments yesterday. All four branches of the ROTC program -- the Army, the Navy, the Marines and the Air Force -- gathered in the Amphitheatre to pay tribute to more than 50,000 prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. Preceding the ceremony, the Air Force Honor Guard held a 24-hour vigil.

Lack of diversity hurts health care system, study finds

Lack of diversity in health care professions could lead to poor health care for minorities, according to a study issued yesterday and outlined in the Chronicle of Higher of Education. In a report by the Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce, commission members found that "minority physicians, dentists, and nurses are more likely to serve minority and medically underserved populations." A shortage of minorities in health care professions harms minority populations, and since healthy communities tend to prosper, the population at large will suffer if the trend continues, the report concluded. "Cultural differences, a lack of access to health care, combined with high rates of poverty and unemployment, contribute to the substantial ethnic and racial disparities in health status and health outcomes," the report said. The report, titled "Missing Persons: Minorities in the Health Professions," was funded by Duke University's School of Medicine. The report suggests colleges and universities can play an important role in bringing more minorities into health care professions. The percentage of blacks, Hispanics and American Indians is not only disproportionate in the health care work force, it is also low in the faculty and student bodies of professional schools, the study found. Whether it is by shifting from loans to scholarships, decreasing the focus on standardized tests or boosting the image of two-year colleges in training minorities, the commission strongly advocated making education more achievable and financially reasonable to increase diversity. Officials at the University's medical and nursing schools could not be reached by press time. --Compiled by Esther Kim

Writing program pairs new, experienced profs

Struggling with term papers and theses is a constant for many liberal arts students. But professors, who write for a living, also suffer from occasional writer's block.

University to receive free cancer drug

The University's Medical Center will receive a free supply of the drug Taxol as a result of a recent legal settlement, according to the Hampton Roads Daily Press. States involved in the lawsuit claimed Bristol-Myers Squibb tried to keep the generic form of Taxol from reaching the market.