To commemorate the anniversary of the publication of W.E.B. Dubois's "The Souls of Black Folk," members of the University community participated in a panel discussion last night honoring the author.
The possibility of a University-wide shift from paper to online course evaluations because of budget concerns has sparked debate in the University community on the advantages and drawbacks of an online system.
City Council adopted an ordinance yesterday to be voted on at its March 3 meeting which would significantly lower water rates citywide. The ordinance follows a similar reduction of wholesale water prices by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority last month. Emergency water rate surcharges and increased municipal water usage since last year's drought left city water and sewer operations with a $500,000 surplus as of Dec.
University administrators and Gov. Mark R. Warner announced yesterday their concern over a proposed in-state tuition cap, which could jeopardize already emaciated revenue for higher education. The House of Delegate's tuition proposal would cap in-state undergraduate tuition increases at 9 percent, while the Senate is proposing a cap of 5 percent or $800, whichever is less. "I think with the Senate's cap it would be pretty tough to meet all of our expenses," said Colette Sheehy, University vice president for management and budget.
State legislators are meeting today to finalize a bill that would outlaw the execution of mentally retarded defendants.
Although students still are digging out from the weekend snow that blanketed the University, candidates for University offices said their campaigns are plowing full steam ahead.
As the University plans a new capital campaign, public universities all over the country are seeking greater private funding as a result of state budget problems. States around the country are having trouble balancing their budgets, leading to cuts in higher education funding like those experienced by the University. The University of Michigan, one of the U.Va.'s peer institutions, is an example of a school facing similar challenges. The University's share of funds that comes from the state has dropped drastically since 1990, and Joel Seguine, a spokesperson for the University of Michigan, said in recent years Michigan has experienced a similar trend. State funding accounted for 19 percent of Michigan's budget in fiscal year 2001 and that figure had dropped to 17.6 percent in 2003, Sequine said. The state government further cut the appropriations to Michigan for 2003 in the middle of the year, he said. Sequine added that the state's budget problems have worsened for 2004. "It's going to mean an even greater cut," he said.
Mortimer Caplin, former commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, will deliver the University's Commencement address during final exercises May 18.
Despite its 85 on-Grounds staffers, multi-million dollar projects and billion dollar expectations, many students have never heard of the University's Office of Development.
Drunk drivers may face stiffer penalties in Virginia because of the passage of a bill that will require mandatory fines and jail time for those convicted of DUI offenses, pending the signature of Gov.
Supporters of the University of Michigan's race-conscious admissions policy said Monday that by last night's deadline, the Supreme Court would have received more than 60 legal briefs supporting the policy. More than 300 colleges, congressmen, law schools, education organizations, businesses and labor unions have signed or submitted briefs supporting the policy now being contested before the high court. Lawyers for the plaintiffs dismissed the outpouring of support for the policy saying the Supreme Court is not running a "popularity contest" but "trying to decide what the Constitution requires."
Former University English Professor Cecil Lang passed away Feb. 15 at the age of 82. Lang taught at the University from 1965 to 1991 and was an acclaimed scholar of Victorian non-fiction in the English Department.
Local and state leaders across the area have dealt with the weekend snowstorm in very different ways. While University students returned to class, a day after the first weather-related cancellation in seven years, other college students across the state had another day off.
The Inter-Fraternity Council elections marked the beginning of a new era Thursday as nine young men became the new leaders on the 2003-2004 IFC executive board. The old and new presidents from each fraternity and then-current IFC executives elected Ryan Ewalt president.
Pending approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the University will add a Master of Public Health degree to its slate of Fall 2003 graduate degree offerings. The MPH is a professional degree program combining public health sciences, population-based research and community practice of public health.
Proponents of international peace assembled in front of the Rotunda Saturday afternoon to march against the prospect of war.
On Jan. 10, the Virginia Athletics Program received a $1.5 million contribution from an anonymous donor which will be used to implement much needed enhancements for the University's wrestling and volleyball programs. Memorial Gymnasium and Onesty Hall, the wrestling team's practice facility, will receive thorough makeovers, including fresh paint, new floors and updated equipment. "This gift is unique because it benefits two sports and the University community," said Dirk Katstra, executive director of the Virginia Athletics Foundation. Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage said that the project already has begun. "The planning for the renovations is already underway," Littlepage said.
If the General Assembly weaves a House of Delegates proposal into its final budget today, out-of-state students will be forced to help Virginia pay back the General Obligation Bond for college construction approved last November. "Fulltime out-of-state students would pay about 50 dollars a year for the fee," said Tony Maggio, legislative fiscal analyst for higher education in the House. The "capital fee" proposal is similar to one floated in the Senate last year, which would have charged both in-state and out-of-state students a fee, Maggio said. "The House proposal this year was that basically in-state students theoretically already pay for the cost of capital, because they're paying taxes," he said. Out-of-state students have yet to finance a major component of their education, said Vincent F.
The University cancelled classes yesterday for the first time since the early 1980s after over 10 inches of snow blanketed Charlottesville this weekend. Leonard W.
Despite the snow, the Hillel Jewish Student Union held their annual elections Sunday afternoon in Newcomb's Commonwealth room. Mother nature, however, had other plans.
