News

Va. Tech reverts to original race-conscious admissions

Less than eight months after the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors made headlines flip-flopping on the issue of race-conscious admissions, the university has declared its original policy in compliance with the law. The report came from a board ad-hoc committee Sunday, following two Supreme Court decisions last summer that defined the constitutional use of race in admissions. While undergraduate admissions are permissible, some private and federal scholarships that offer money exclusively to students of certain races or ethnicities are problematic and require further attention, reported the committee, after working with the university provost's office and the Virginia attorney general's office. "What we do here at Tech may very likely become a model for other universities," Tech spokesperson Larry Hincker said. Tim Murpaugh, spokesman for the attorney general, said his office is working with other colleges and universities in the Commonwealth to bring admission policies into compliance with the court decisions, but could not comment on the specifics at any school. "The Michigan decision did not provide us with a hard and fast rule on the use of race, so each program has to be looked at within its own context or with its own set of facts," Murpaugh said. Two landmark Supreme Court cases last June stemming from contested admissions policies at the University of Michigan provided a much-anticipated judgment on the use of race in admissions at colleges and universities. In Gratz v.

Albemarle County tackles urban sprawl

A portion of the area Thomas Jefferson once described as "The Eden of the United States" will remain untouched by urban sprawl, thanks to a $22,500 grant from the Piedmont Environmental Council. Albemarle County accepted the donation last Thursday in an effort to halt development in the Southwest Mountain Historic District. Located between Routes 20 North and 22/231, the 170-acre district is one of many areas in which the environmental council has been working to preserve Virginia's rural heritage. Albemarle County Executive Bob Tucker praised the donation, crediting the environmental council with slowing urban sprawl. "We are very delighted that the PEC has made this donation and we will use it to develop other development rights and I hope they will consider making future donations," Tucker said.

Work of newly-formed Virginia Stone Carvers Guild to be featured at University

The artspace committee of the University Programs Council opens a new exhibit today featuring work from the Virginia Stone Carvers Guild.

Student hospitalized after weekend assault

A second-year College student remains hospitalized after sustaining head injuries in an altercation outside the Sigma Chi fraternity house early Saturday morning. Though an official report from University Medical Center was not available at press time, friends who visited Carson Ward at the hospital yesterday said his condition has improved since Saturday, when he allegedly was struck by a brother of Sigma Chi in the early hours of the morning outside the fraternity house, located on the 600 block of Preston Place. Charlottesville Police Sgt.

University doctors qualify for 2003 list of top physicians

The 2003 edition of America's Top Doctors includes 46 physicians from the University Medical Center, according to the Health System Media Relations office.

Former dean honored atConvocation ceremony

The University honored former School of Medicine Dean Robert M. Carey with the Thomas Jefferson Award during Fall Convocation Friday. The highest honor given to a member of a University community, the Thomas Jefferson Award recognizes an individual who represents the principles and ideals of Mr. Jefferson through personal character and contributions to the University. "This award is the most prestigious or prominent award given to members of the University," President John T.

INTO THE NIGHT

Local delegate again runs unopposed in reelection bid

At least one local politician will not be sweating out Election Day tomorrow. Democrat Mitch Van Yahres, who represents Charlottesville and some surrounding areas, once is again running unopposed for the House of Delegates. Van Yahres has served in the House for 22 years, and said roughly half of his past campaigns have been unopposed. Van Yahres, a former arborist, said his desire to return to Richmond is motivated by what he sees as unfinished business, especially relating to budgetary matters, in the Republican-dominated General Assembly. "I don't agree with the legislation that a lot of our conservative Republicans are putting forth," he said.

Study shows diversity lowers drinking

Binge drinking on campuses by the nation's at-risk demographic -- white, underage males -- is lower at schools with greater numbers of women, minority and older students, according to a recent Harvard study. Co-authored by researchers Meichun Kuo and Henry Wechsler, director of College Alcohol Studies at the Harvard School of Public Health, the study concluded that colleges should implement policies to promote greater diversity on campus and in college housing. In previous College Alcohol Study reports, white, underage males were found to be overwhelmingly the student subgroup most likely to engage in binge drinking. The researchers defined binge drinking as the consumption of five drinks in a row once in the past two weeks for men, and four drinks in a row for women. The study found white freshman students who were binge drinkers in high school were less likely to continue if they attended colleges with greater numbers of African-American, Hispanic and female students. Additionally, non-binge drinkers in high school were less probable to start if attending a school with more diversity on campus. The study's findings are based on data collected from 52,312 college students at 114 predominantly white colleges and universities from 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2001 College Alcohol Study surveys. Entitled "Watering Down the Drinks: The Moderating Effect of College Demographics on Alcohol Use of High-Risk Groups," the study appeared in the November issue of American Journal of Public Health. In the interest of public health on American campuses, the authors of the study suggest predominantly white colleges establish an atmosphere appealing to diverse students, encourage more older and female students to live on campus, and dilute heavy housing concentrations of young, white, male students. Large concentrations of high-risk students allow peer pressure to fester and establish a social norm accepting of heavy drinking, the study also said. A lack of emphasis on drinking in the African-American community discourages binge drinking, University African-American Affairs Dean M.

Researchers at Health System awarded grant

A $3.7 million government grant was recently awarded to University Health System researchers to fund their studies of diagnostic tools and drug treatment for peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. The grant, from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, will pay for a five-year study of PAD physiology.

Center for Politics study finds high schoolers politically naive

Quick quiz: Can you name at least one of Virginia's two U.S. Senators? 56 percent of Virginia high school students cannot.

ALL HALLOWS' EYE

As Halloween night nears, pumpkins cropped up on Lawn room steps and in front of the Pavilions. Hundreds of children will descend on the Lawn tonight for the annual trick-or-treat marathon, which can cost Lawn residents upward of $80.

University to observe HIV/AIDS awareness

University President John T. Casteen III has designated November "HIV/AIDS Awareness Month" at the University. A slate of activities extends the annual observance from its usual one week to one month. University observance initially was created as a service learning project through "HIV/AIDS: A Personal and Social Perspective," a School of Nursing course taught by Reba Moyer Childress. A variety of awareness and fund-raising events, including an a cappella concert, a vigil and free HIV testing, will be held throughout November and into early December. In addition to these events, awareness will be raised around Grounds with an awareness banner contest and an AIDS memorial quilt displayed in Newcomb Hall.

University to open dining facility in Hotel E on range

Students and faculty soon may find a new place to eat, relax and study in the newly-approved dining facility "Java City Cafe at the Colonnade," to be built in Hotel E on the West range. The Colonnade Club, which manages Hotel E, approved the designs for the new cafe Monday.

U. California bans student-faculty affairs

The enactment of the first-ever system-wide policy banning sexual or romantic relationships between faculty and students in University of California school system could lead to an increasing number of restrictions at other universities, said Abby Lunardini, a spokesperson for the UC Office of the President. Lundardini also said she expects other universities to adopt broader, more cohesive policies banning faculty-student relationships in the future. "I know that nationwide there have been an increasing number of colleges drafting policies and everyone is handling it differently," she said.

Anti-spam system will filter U.Va. inboxes

While many students have experienced everything from denied access to delayed mail delivery and inundations of mass e-mails this past week, ITC has good news for frustrated University computer users. Students soon may have the convenience of a user-friendly spam filtration option through the University's Webmail service. ITC Network Systems Manager Robin Ruggaber said the preliminary tests for the anti-spam system look good. "We're fairly optimistic that it will work," she said. Ruggaber said they hope to make the system open to the public in the next few weeks. Anti-spam measures are "something that people have been asking for, for a long time, so we're pretty excited about the project," she added. Third-year College student Matt Oberhardt complained about the abundance of spam in his inbox. "Spam is a pain in the ass," Oberhardt said.

Housing changes application procedures

Changes to the University Housing Division's assignment process for the upcoming year will make it easier for first-year students to acquire their desired housing choices, officials said yesterday. Last year, upperclassmen who wanted to switch rooms or housing locations did so in a phase prior to first-year students in the Alderman and McCormick dorms applying for housing, according to Director of Accommodations John Evans. This year, upperclassmen who wish to switch rooms will enter a lottery for priority assignment at the same time as first-year students, which will be conducted after Jan.

Wounded bear roams Charlottesville

A wild black bear has been spotted roaming in the city of Charlottesville for at least the past few weeks. The bear was last seen Tuesday near Barracks Road and Blue Ridge Road, according to Charlottesville Police Sgt.

U.Va. Health System: Careful when carving pumpkins

The University Health System issued a media advisory yesterday just in time for Halloween, warning potential pumpkin carvers to use caution, or stick to paint, when working on this year's spooky creations. Serious hand injuries can result to both children and adults as a consequence of pumpkin-carving accidents, warned Dr. Greg Degnan, director of the Virginia Hand Center at the University Health System. Serious cuts and permanent tendon and nerve damage can occur instantly if a pumpkin carver's hand is in the wrong place while dislodging a stuck knife, Degnan said. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in a recent study recommended the use of pumpkin carving kits in order to stave off hand injuries.

Yes, they're real: Duke creates telekinetic monkeys

Although exploratory neurosurgery in the field of primate neurocomputation sounds relatively simple, it has, in fact, proven exceedingly difficult for a very long time.