News

News

Americans glued to the tube more than ever before

By Alice Chiu | March 28, 2002

If television were a chemical, it probably would be America's favorite drug. According to some experts, Americans glued to the television face a greater risk of experiencing stress in their family relationships as well as psychological discomfort. Health experts carefully avoid using the word "addiction" to describe long hours in front of the tube. "Drug addicts might readily steal or commit crimes to get money to buy drugs whereas people might not rob a convenience store to watch television," said Gary Miller, a pharmacology and toxicology professor at the University of Texas-Austin. TV-Free America conducted a survey in 1999 revealing the average American spends the equivalent of 11 years in front of a television set over an average lifespan of 72 years. According to the group's survey, the average American watches 3.7 hours of television a day, which amounts to an astonishing figure of 56 days a year. The average American household owns 2.5 televisions, collectively switched on for six hours and 47 minutes every day.

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College adds American Studies major

By Chris Wilson | March 28, 2002

Starting next year, students will be able to major in American Studies, which until now only has been offered as a concentration within a department. The American Studies major received final approval from the College's faculty yesterday afternoon. American Studies is a 30-hour major that includes three core courses, AMST 301, 302 and 401, as well as seven classes from a list of 180 possible courses from a variety of departments. "I think of this as a horizontal sampling across all kinds of disciplines," said English Prof.

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U. Md. hazing death sparks discussion

By Sharon Lynch | March 28, 2002

Nearly a month after University of Maryland student Daniel F. Reardon died following a bid-night party for Phi Sigma Kappa, investigations continue into the events surrounding his death and its implications.

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Eastern religions enlighten world of science

By Sreejit Nair | March 28, 2002

College students routinely express great apathy toward religion, thinking the answers to the "how" and "why" of the world can be found in science alone. Others, however, ignore science and stick to the teachings of their religion instead. Both such groups would be surprised to learn science and religion parallel each other in many interesting ways. These parallels grow especially obvious in the doctrines of Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. Astronomy Prof.

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News in brief

By Cavalier Daily Staff | March 28, 2002

Washington & Lee University names Burish new president Thomas G. Burish, a faculty member at Vanderbilt University, was named Washington & Lee University's next president yesterday. Burish, an expert on the psychology of cancer patients, will begin his new position July 1. He will replace John Elrod, who died of cancer last July. Laurent Boetsch, W&L's vice president for academic affairs, had been the acting president since Elrod's death. After 10 years of serving Vanderbilt University, Burish resigned from his position as provost this month.

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Senator Warner addresses politics course

By Ben Sellers | March 28, 2002

Senator and University alumnus John Warner, R-Virginia, addressed a crowd of about 500 in Wilson Hall yesterday, focusing on the war on terrorism. Warner spoke for Politics Prof.

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U.Va. issues tuition proposal

By Abby Fox | March 28, 2002

The University finance committee will propose an undergraduate in-state tuition increase of 8.8 percent at the Board of Visitors meeting April 5, which will raise it to $4,569. "The Board usually doesn't make changes to our recommendations," said Colette Sheehy, vice president of management and budget.

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Letter prompts student to leave

By Jenn Roberts | March 28, 2002

Second-year College student Abdalmuhssin El-Yacoubi, who wrote a letter that helped trigger an FBI investigation against two alleged terrorists, is confirmed to have left the University. Patricia Lampkin, associate vice president for student affairs, said El-Yacoubi will be gone indefinitely. El-Yacoubi wrote the letter to his older brother, Mohammed El-Yacoubi, who was traveling with a friend, Mohamed Osman Idris, to Israel. The letter's references to jihad, or Islamic holy war, placed Mohammed El-Yacoubi and Idris under suspicion of planning a suicide attack. Lampkin said University faculty are struggling with how to respond to the issue. "We're on new territory here," Lampkin said. Faculty members still are considering whether to offer any support to Abdalmuhssin El-Yacoubi. "We want to be even-handed and fair to all," Lampkin said. Lampkin could not comment on whether the student left willingly or was forced out by the University. University spokeswoman Louise Dudley said faculty members will continue to look at how the case should be handled.

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College Board may change SAT

By Adrienne So | March 27, 2002

Following criticism of the SAT's accuracy as a gauge of college success, the College Board is considering making extensive changes to the content of the test. The proposed changes might include the addition of a writing section and more difficult math problems using advanced algebra and trigonometry.

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University student sues law professor

By Nick Chapin | March 27, 2002

First-year Law student Marta Sanchez is filing a complaint against Law Prof. Kenneth Abraham claiming she experienced "extreme discomfort" in an introductory Law School program last summer and is considering action against the Commonwealth. On February 26, Sanchez filed a claim of assault and battery in Albemarle Circuit Court, seeking $25,000 in compensatory damages and $10,000 in punitive damages. Sanchez attended an "Introduction to Law School and Legal Methodology" program, a presentation Abraham volunteered to teach to 20 selected incoming students.

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A Fine Romance

By Abby Fox | March 27, 2002

It sounds like the ideal life: dedicating the working hours to your passion, knowing the one whom you love and live with shares your interests and dedicates his or her life to similar endeavors. The dreamy vision translates into reality for many married professors at the University. Karen Chase, English professor and wife of English professor Michael Levenson, said the hard work of writing books with and team-teaching with her husband would hardly dim the romantic notions of academia many students have. "We really love working together," Chase said. She concentrates on the nineteenth century, and he focuses on modern literature and culture.

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Council changes committee structure

By Alexis Unkovic | March 27, 2002

Last night, Student Council unanimously voted to divide the ethnic and religious affairs committee, thereby creating two separate committees. Bill SB02-2 amends the Council by-laws which now will provide for both the racial and ethnic affairs committee and the religious affairs committee.

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Lawmakers seek to loosen underage drinking laws

By Paul Quinlan | March 27, 2002

The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill now awaiting Gov. Mark R. Warner's signature that could loosen laws related to the underage purchase or possession of alcohol. Sponsored by Del.

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University explores uses for vast Kluge property

By Chris Wilson | March 27, 2002

Planning for the 7,400 acres of land that philanthropist John Kluge donated to the University continued Monday afternoon in a presentation to interested University and community members. Morven Farms Director Heather Craddock spoke with a small group in Newcomb Hall, presenting an in depth description of the property and discussing plans to organize proposals for how best to use the land. The donated properties, which spread over southeastern Albemarle county, total to an acreage greater than the city of Charlottesville and more than double the University's land holdings. "Morven Farms is a very precious gift and is a very exciting opportunity for the University," said Clo Phillips, special projects director in the Office of the Provost. Kluge divided the estates into core and non-core land.

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Student's letter leads to federal indictment

By Paul Quinlan | March 27, 2002

A letter written by a University student became the crux of an FBI investigation of two men who were denied entry into Israel in December based on suspicions that they were planning a suicide attack, according to court papers unsealed yesterday. In the sworn document, a copy of which The Cavalier Daily has obtained, one of the two suspects, Mohammed Osman Idris of Annandale, Va., is accused of lying to a grand jury.

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Garson to oversee medical school

By Josh Goodman | March 26, 2002

University President John T. Casteen III named Dr. Arthur "Tim" Garson Jr. the University's new vice president and dean of the School of Medicine yesterday afternoon. Garson, who now serves as senior vice president and academic dean for operations at Baylor College of Medicine, will begin his new position June 25, replacing outgoing Medical School Dean Robert Carey. "He's an excellent physician," Carey said of Garson.

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Fifth bomb threat puts new protocol to test

By Jen Michaels | March 26, 2002

A bomb threat on New and Old Cabell Halls yesterday tested the effectiveness of the University's bomb threat protocol and created a hectic and unique situation for students and visitors alike. During the incident, the new University protocol, which designates alternative class meeting sites, came into effect for the first time.

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BFC elects Dunkley, Webb as next co-chairmen

By Chris Wilson | March 26, 2002

The Black Fraternal Council elected third-year College student Michael A. Dunkley, a member of the Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., and second-year College student Rowland Webb Jr., a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the new co-chairmen of the Council yesterday evening in Newcomb Hall. Dunkley and Webb both were highly optimistic about their new positions. "We as co-chairs in our newly appointed positions want to keep the BFC as one of the more powerful organizations on campus through positive programming, community service, social events, forums and the principles that unite us all," Dunkley said after the elections. Webb expressed similar goals for an atmosphere of activism. Our goal is "an energetic environment in which there are always programs available," Webb said.

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Guster, Virginia Coalition to play free April concert

By Ben Sellers | March 26, 2002

The University Programs Council officially announced yesterday that national recording artist Guster will headline Springfest, a free event for University students to take place Saturday, April 13 in the Mad Bowl. Guster will be one of six bands performing at Springfest, said Jbeau Lewis, programs coordinator for PK German, the committee that organizes on-Grounds concerts within UPC. The daylong Springfest, which starts at noon, also will feature Texas country star Pat Green, Northern Virginia's Virginia Coalition and local acts Benny Dodd, Dogger and Vandyke Brown. In addition, the festival will include its annual Gusburger competition to see how many of the White Spot's signature hamburgers students can eat.

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Harvard study finds binge drinking remains common

By Martin Olivier | March 26, 2002

A Harvard University report published yesterday finds that, despite efforts on the part of colleges to reduce heavy drinking, the percentage of college students across the country engaging in binge drinking remains the same as it was eight years ago. Officials at the University, while largely rejecting the usefulness of the binge drinking statistic, maintained that the incidence of dangerous drinking at the University has decreased in recent years. The study, conducted by Harvard University Professor Henry Wechsler, found that 44 percent of college students between the ages of 18 and 23 had engaged in binge drinking -t defined as the consumption of five or more drinks in a row for men, and four in a row for women - within two weeks of taking the study.