As the presidential election draws closer, two local registration and absentee ballot drives already have done their part to encourage student voting. The Center for Politics and a coalition of student groups have passed the two-thirds mark in their goal of registering and distributing absentee ballots to 2,004 students.
A tornado warning didn't scare everyone away from Friday night's Homecomings festivities. Although the second annual event moved from the Mad Bowl to Memorial Gymnasium because of inclement weather, it managed to attract over 1,500 students, said Farah Dilber, University Programs Council summer programs chair. "It was really successful in spite of the rain," Dilber said.
While the University escaped Ivan relatively unscathed, the former category-four hurricane wreaked havoc on several parts of Northern Virginia. Gov.
The University Judiciary Committee will hold what could be its first-ever open trial this Thursday, Committee Chair Angela Carrico announced last night. The trial is slated to begin this Thursday at 7 p.m.
Fitting in at the University can sometimes be a challenging undertaking. Whether it is standing in line at Observatory Hill dining hall or teaching history in front of a 100-person class, student and faculty newcomers alike can easily feel lost in the crowd. The University's Excellence in Diversity Fellowship Program, which establishes connections between first-year faculty and various members of the University community, has nearly doubled in size this year, according to program founder Jose D.
Students had ample opportunity to relax and have fun at the Office of Health Promotion's "hooFEST" last night in the Amphitheatre, where OHP staff passed out cards describing blood alcohol concentration and cups promoting alcohol awareness. Popular University a cappella groups, free snacks and "mocktails" provided the motivation for many students to attend hooFEST despite the ominous weather. "HooFEST is fun because I get free food and a card that tells me how to stay out of the red zone," third-year College student Amanda Smith said. Some students said they brought large groups of friends to the event. Third-year College student Megan Bernier, a resident advisor, attended the event with a group of her first-year residents. "I brought my residence hall so that they could learn about alcohol consumption in a non-threatening social environment," Bernier said. Social Norms Marketing Coordinator Jennifer Bauerle, who planned the event, said she hoped the attendees left with a new attitude toward drinking. "The aim of hooFEST is to create an event where students will have fun, while becoming more aware of the effects alcohol may have on them," Bauerle said.
I had never really appreciated the importance of eating. Usually, I grab a quick meal at the hospital cafeteria and inhale it while reading the newspaper or the Internet before getting on with my day.
Tropical Storm Ivan weakened as it made landfall on the Gulf Coast yesterday, but both University and commonwealth officials continue to urge caution on the part of students and the general public as the storm moves northward. The National Weather Service was predicting yesterday evening that the center of the storm would not cross Virginia.
As the honor system receives increased scrutiny from faculty and Honor Committee members, two new groups of concerned students emerged this week ready to raise their voices on honor issues. Students for the Preservation of Honor is dedicated to preserving the honor system's traditions, while another group formed this week, Hoos Against the Single Sanction, is dedicated to eliminating one of them. Third-year College student Josh Hess, an honor support officer, announced the creation of SPH on Tuesday. The group's two main goals are to "advocate for a set of policies which seek to preserve the honor system's greatest traditions like the single sanction and student self-governance" and to "energize the honor policy-making process by expanding it to the community of trust at large," according to a press release. SPH members support a platform they call the "Culture of Accountability." They say the creation of the honor system in 1842 marked a transition from a culture of violence and unruliness to one in which every student is responsible for his actions. "We are going to advocate for policies that remind us that we are accountable and that we do have a responsibility for honor's upkeep," Hess said. In an effort to maximize student exposure to the honor system, Hess said the group is looking into policy proposals that will help revitalize the "Culture of Accountability." At last Sunday's Honor Committee meeting, SPH member Matt Miller presented his "Honor Update" program which would post flyers containing "relevant, public information" about honor trials and initiations in dormitories, libraries and dining halls around Grounds. "We want to give honor a more public, approachable face," Miller said.
Italian Society President Laura Galante and Social Chair Maria Petrini eat gelato at the Italian Society's first meeting last night.
The University was named one of the 50 "best colleges for girls" in the October issue of CosmoGIRL!
The Virginia Pep Band continues to worry about the way its role is evolving at the University. Band members are upset about ambiguity surrounding their ability to perform at tonight's Homecomings rally, Pep Band Director Rebecca Louie said. Louie, Newcomb Hall Director Bill Ashby and Patricia Lampkin, vice president for student affairs, are holding a meeting this morning to discuss the nature of the Pep Band's proposed skit and whether the Pep Band will be allowed to perform tonight. Since today's Homecomings activities are a University-sponsored event, Lampkin said she "wanted to understand what role [the Pep Band is] playing" in today's show. As of press time, the Pep Band's spot is held for tonight's rally, Lampkin said. But earlier yesterday evening, Ashby told Louie the Pep Band could not perform at the show. The Pep Band had planned since last weekend to perform a skit designed as a spoof on the Lord of the Rings in which a Pep Band member would play Frodo Baggins and take on Akron's mascot, Zippy.
The FBI now can directly access international student and scholar records for review following a revision to the U.S.
Student Council President Noah Sullivan introduced a bill Tuesday night to establish a student liaison to Charlottesville City Council. Under the proposal, the student liaison would join Student Council's Chief of Staff, Chief Technology Advisor, Director of University Relations and the Chief Financial Officer in the Presidential Cabinet. "I think the student liaison could make a big impact," Sullivan said.
It took two Inter-Fraternity Council presidents and almost an entire year, but the IFC now is officially a corporation. Since Aug.
With the presidential election only 47 days away, student political groups at the University are employing various strategies to mobilize student voters. College Republicans Chair Ali Ahmad said that as the presidential election draws closer, the organization will table on the Lawn in order to distribute information, including a packet on the presidential agenda for America.
Adequate representation in local government was at the forefront of Charlottesville residents' concerns during a public hearing at Venable School yesterday evening. "I don't feel like I'm represented on a national level," City resident Marty Bass said.
In addition to the threat of having college acceptance letters revoked, Virginia high school seniors now have further incentive to avoid the so-called "senior slump." Gov.
