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Council opens with streamlined committees

Student Council opened its legislative season last night with a new committee structure designed to streamline its administration and give students more access to student government. Beginning last year, then Council chief of staff and current President Noah Sullivan began formulating a plan to cut down the number of smaller committees in favor of larger ones that deal with broader issues. "When I was chief of staff, I thought there were too many committees working in too many directions," Sullivan said.


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Partner benefits gain national attention

As the issue of domestic partner benefits is debated at institutions nationwide, the University remains bound by Commonwealth law which currently does not include such benefits. Recently, more colleges and universities have granted benefits to domestic partners, said Wendy Repass, a member of U.Va.


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Region prepares for worst-case scenario as Frances hits area

In the wake of Tropical Storm Gaston, which unexpectedly dumped 14 inches of rain on Richmond last week, state and local officials are taking precautionary measures in anticipation of the arrival of Tropical Storm Frances. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Albemarle County yesterday morning and predicted that the remnants of Frances would progress northeast into the mid-Atlantic states and impact the Charlottesville area through tomorrow. According to the NWS Web site, rainfall from the system could be significant across the region and could amount to as much as four inches. Dawn Eischen, spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, said state officials issued a warning Monday to area residents to prepare for potentially bad weather as Frances makes its way up the coast. "Just a couple of days ago we were all thinking Frances was going to hit Kentucky and Tennessee," she said.


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Fahrenheit U.Va.

­One state, one law, varying interpretations. Though it was developed to maintain uniform building code standards nationwide, the recently-adopted International Fire Code has been a common cause of confusion across the Commonwealth. Among other things, the new code regulates the amount of flame-resistant and flame-retardant material that can be attached to a wall or ceiling and prohibits the use of combustible materials as wall decorations in multi-unit dwellings, including apartment buildings and student dormitories, said Jim Tidwell, the national director of fire service activities for the International Code Council. "The idea is to limit the potential for flash fires, which travel at a speed faster than people will normally exit a building," Tidwell said.


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U.Va. doctor links epilepsy drug, alcohol

Popping a pill may actually be the latest and most effective weapon against addiction. Dr. Bankole Johnson, the newly recruited chair of the University's department of psychiatric medicine, soon will begin a second clinical trial studying the effects of the drug topiramate, currently used to treat epilepsy, at a University alcohol treatment center set to open early next year. An initial clinical trial conducted by Johnson at the University of Texas Health Science Center indicated that topiramate can actually help alcoholics quit drinking. "It just so happens that the medication developed for epilepsy has the same chemical properties that you need to combat the effects of alcohol on the brain," Johnson said.


News

Partner benefits Web site raises little money

DontGivetoUVA.com stopped accepting donations in late April and collected little money during its existence, despite receiving significant attention when it launched in February. The Web site, founded by two gay University alumni, asked potential donors to abstain from giving to the University and donate to the Web site instead as a protest against the University not providing benefits to its employees' same-sex partners.


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Area institutions receive diverse selection of CDs

Local radio station WTJU's music collection got a boost two weeks ago when a box of more than 100 CDs arrived at its doorstep. "There was a mixture of world music, classical music and jazz," WTJU Director Chuck Taylor said.


News

ETA tries again to achieve IFC status

It's take two for the men of the ETA Lodge fraternity, as they try a second time to push for acceptance into the Inter-Fraternity Council since losing their national charter in 2002. ETA Lodge will place a stronger emphasis on its community service projects this year, specifically Habitat for Humanity, which the fraternity became involved with last year, ETA Lodge President Tyler Cain said. ETA Lodge is currently in the process of organizing a golf tournament set for late October.


News

'Harambee' celebrates 20 years

Rousing applause and singing voices filled Newcomb Hall Ballroom yesterday afternoon as the Office of African-American Affairs welcomed incoming black first years to the University at its annual event, "Harambee." Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of Harambee, Swahili for "working together." According to African-American Affairs Dean M.


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BRINGING THE PAIN

Virginia linebackers Kai Parham and Rich Bedesem take down Temple quarterback Walter Washington during Virginia's 44-14 season opening win.


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Regional, University safety officials prepared for visit by Hurricane Frances

Officials in the Charlottesville area have begun taking precautions to prevent as much damages and injuries as possible in the event that Hurricane Frances strikes the region. Despite the likelihood that an approaching cold front will absorb most of the storm, City, Albemarle County and University officials set an emergency plan into motion last week, University Spokesperson Carol Wood said. The plan calls for officials to respond based on weather conditions, whether they require student evacuations or the emergency continuation of services, as happened last year during Hurricane Isabel when the Observatory Hill Dining Hall remained open during a power outage with the help of refrigerated trucks. In case the operation of services is threatened, those relating to community safety come first, Wood said. "Certainly what takes priority is the hospital and patient care," she said. According to a press release from University and local emergency officials, residents and students should avoid driving or wading through standing and flowing water.

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Since the Contemplative Commons opening April 4, the building has hosted events for the University community. Sam Cole, Commons’ Assistant Director of Student Engagement, discusses how the Contemplative Sciences Center is molding itself to meet students’ needs and provide a wide range of opportunities for students to discover contemplative practices that can help them thrive at the University.