Though the General Obligation Bond has received a lot of attention in the past several months, three other issues that will appear on the Nov.
Gov. Mark R. Warner's Tuesday announcement of sweeping statewide budget reductions brought with it news of cuts of 7 to 12 percent at Virginia's public colleges and universities. The University received the largest percentage cut of any public college or university, with a $14 million reduction totaling 12 percent of this year's budget. James Madison University, Virginia's most under-funded college according to statistics from the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia, will suffer a 10.4 percent budget reduction of $5.4 million. Fred Hilton, director of university relations at JMU, says this cut will lead to the elimination of 275 sections -- equal to 7,000 classroom seats -- if a proposed mid-year tuition increase is not approved. "A reduction of that magnitude could extend graduation time by a full semester," Hilton said. Even with the tuition increase, Hilton said some part-time staff would have to be eliminated, and further spending on equipment, supplies and travel reduced. Rocky said he fears for "retaining the outstanding faculty members" in the college, who have not received raises for two years and are unable to travel. Although the average student with one major should still be able to graduate on time in the sciences, Rocky said he is not confident this will remain true should more cuts materialize when the General Assembly convenes in January. George Mason University, which had the highest tuition increase of any public college for in-state students last fall with a 16 percent hike, might have to impose a mid-year surcharge to accommodate its 10.1 percent, $9.5 million cut. Daniel Walsch, director of media relations at GMU, said although "everybody is feeling pain in all departments," students should "still be able to graduate in four years." He added that it was likely the school's pool of adjunct faculty will be reduced and some courses dropped or combined. At Virginia Tech, Virginia's largest research university, there is no truth to rumors of the elimination of entire academic departments, interim media relations director Jean Elliott said. Now faced with an additional cut of $15.6 million for this academic year, however, a potential 300 jobs, on top of 144 already eliminated, could be lost, according to Virginia Tech President Charles W.
In the wake of the recent sniper shootings, which included the Oct. 7 attempted murder of a 13-year-old boy as his aunt dropped him off at his middle school in Bowie, Md., Charlottesville City Schools have increased security during times when students are entering and leaving the school. According to Sgt.
Aside from midterms, it's next year's housing that seems to loom over many University students' heads first semester.
In recent months the Department of Defense has pressured law schools across the country to reverse their policies barring military recruiters from their campuses. Since August, law schools at Harvard University, Yale University, Georgetown University and the University of Southern California all have allowed military recruiters on campus rather than risk losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. Previously, these law schools prohibited military recruiters from their campuses because they viewed the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward homosexuals as violating school anti-discrimination policies. The military unconditionally banned homosexuals prior to 1993, when Congress put into law a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
After months of acrimony, the University has received approval to begin construction of the Ivy/Emmet parking garage.
According to national crime victimization statistics, a woman in the United States is 10 times more likely to be raped than to die in a car crash.
Governor Mark R. Warner announced last week that Virginia retained its optimal AAA bond rating, a development Warner is using to make a case for the passage of the General Obligation Bond. Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch, three major bond rating firms, declared Virginia worthy of the best possible credit rating in spite of the state's budget problems. A state's bond rating affects the interest rates it receives when issuing bonds. The AAA bond rating "is not just a status symbol; it has real meaning because the state gets to borrow money at the most favorable rate," Politics Prof.
The University Housing Division will shut down Bice House for renovations during the 2003-2004 academic year. One of the 10 on-Grounds housing options available to upperclassmen, the Bice House apartments on Brandon Avenue currently accommodate 286 students. Slated to begin immediately following graduation this spring, costs for the renovations total over $7 million, according to University Capital Budget Manager Tom Leback.
Nervous Virginians across the Commonwealth watched last night as Gov. Mark R. Warner made a statewide, televised address outlining the "painful" funding cuts he sees as necessary for meeting this year's forecasted $1.5 billion shortfall in state revenue. "A budget shortfall of this magnitude cannot be solved by sound bytes of cutting the fat," Warner said.
Bush pledges increase in minority homeownership During last Monday
A University student nearly was run over by a train in a possible suicide attempt under Beta Bridge yesterday. At about 4 p.m.
The Assembly of University Professors filled the Chemistry Auditorium last night to address the budget crisis.
In observance of national sexual assault and domestic violence awareness month, student organizations around Grounds are coming together in a series of workshops, presentations and panels next week. Although the entire month of October is devoted to the promotion of sexual assault awareness, on-Grounds activities are focused on one week -- Oct.
Bright orange construction flags sitting in barrels on either side of the crosswalk across Jefferson Park Avenue behind Cabell Hall are only a temporary solution to a bigger traffic problem at the crosswalk. The city placed the flags at the location last Wednesday as part of an effort by the City of Charlottesville and the University to make the crosswalk safer for pedestrians. The flags are intended for people to carry across the street to increase their visibility. The extra safety measures come after English Prof.
Institute's handbook offers conservation strategies As city officials scramble to slow the decrease of local water reserves, the University's Institute for Environmental Negotiation is exploring long-term plans that could prevent future shortages. The Institute's new publication, "A Stream Corridor Protection Strategy for Local Governments," is a 63-page manual intended to help local governments within the Chesapeake Bay's 64,000-square-mile drainage basin protect their streams by implementing many facets of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement. The agreement, signed by the governors of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, sets goals for states within the region, such as creating 2,010 additional miles of forested stream buffers by 2010 and developing watershed plans that cover two-thirds of the bay's drainage basin. Historical Society to host upcoming 2002 Spirit Walk In an effort to preserve the history of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, the Albemarle County Historical Society will host the 2002 Spirit Walk on Oct.
Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage, who has starred in both dramas and comedies over the years, will headline the 15th Virginia Film Festival this year, the festival board announced Saturday. Cage will participate in two of the festival's events, including the presentation of his directorial debut, "Sonny," at Culbreth Theatre on Saturday, Oct.
Responding to the Commonwealth's financial crisis, two University alumni groups offered a combined gift of $300,000 that will aim to safeguard undergraduate courses in the College. Representatives from the Alumni Association and the College Foundation each presented checks of $150,000 to University President John T.
Teenagers today are increasingly the prime targets of malt beverage advertisements. Recent statistics show that 77 percent of teenagers watch television after 9 p.m.
Possible outcomes of the 2004 presidential election and election reform legislation both received substantial discussion in a presentation from CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider yesterday in Jefferson Hall. Schneider's presentation was a part of the Jefferson Society's speaker series. Citing several potential outcomes in the 2004 race, Schneider named Al Gore, Sen.
