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News

Law attempts to curb alcohol abuse

By Sara Jeanblanc | February 5, 2001

In recent years, lawmakers have stepped in to curb underage drug and alcohol abuse on college campuses. In October 1998, Congress passed an amendment to the Higher Education Act that allows colleges to inform parents when a student under 21 has violated drug or alcohol laws. After the act passed, the number of universities with parental notification policies increased. The University also adopted a form of parental notification. When the Office of the Dean of Students receives notification from law enforcement that a University student has been arrested during an academic session for a drug-or alcohol-related violation, a professional staff member from the office will notify that student's parent or guardian. The staff member will encourage the student to make the initial call but will follow up with a phone call later. The parental notification policy makes "sure that the student has an adequate network of support," Asst.

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Law School finds two dean finalists

By Justin Bernick | February 5, 2001

The search for the University's new Law School dean is drawing to a close, and search committee members expect to present two finalists to University administrators this month. University Law School Prof.

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Woodward's 'Maestro' breaks a few strings, misses key notes

By Alex Rothenberg | February 5, 2001

Bob Woodward will probably go down in history as one of America's most influential journalists.

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Honor reviews proposals to alter bylaws

By Sarah Salwen | February 5, 2001

At a meeting yesterday, the Honor Committee considered proposals to alter its bylaws to comply with suggestions listed in the Honor System Review Commission Report, released last November. The changes discussed last night, which pertains to the investigations process, include changing the order in which honor investigations proceed, changing the order in which investigative panels proceed and eliminating the concept of "confrontation" of the investigated student.

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Youth Leadership Initiative begins classroom civics series

By Shelley Johnson | February 5, 2001

A team of 10 students from Henley Middle School trekked across the street to Brown Elementary early Friday morning, prepared to educate a class of first graders about the symbolism of the American flag. Support from the Youth Leadership Initiative and several University sororities made this civics session in the Albemarle County school possible. The Center for Governmental Studies launched YLI in 1998 to combat apathy and educate young students about the American political process. The civic sessions is one of the many programs YLI has instituted since its inception.

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NIJ grant to fund DNA research for sexual assault cases

By Huan Tran | February 2, 2001

With a grant from the National Institute of Justice in Washington, researchers at the University Health System are looking to improve scientific techniques used to identify offenders in sexual assault cases. Richard Rau, NIJ senior program manager for forensic sciences, said the project aims to decrease the enormous backlog of forensic evidence sitting in crime laboratories. Cell biologists, with the aid of $300,000 in funding, are looking at ways to pull male sperm cells away from cells of the sexual assault victim.

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DOJ releases campus rape statistics

By Kadie Bye | February 2, 2001

According to a recent Justice Department report, nearly 3 percent of college women will experience rape or attempted rape each academic year. The researchers interviewed 4,446 women attending two- or four-year colleges. In the survey, 2.8 percent of women reported they had been raped or had escaped an attempted rape.

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Report shows drop in doctorates

By Sara Jeanblanc | February 2, 2001

For the first time in 14 years, the number of doctorates awarded by American research universities decreased. The National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago announced the drop in Ph.D.s Monday after releasing the findings of its 1999 data. According to the released report, the decline in the number of Ph.D.s awarded affected almost every discipline at colleges and universities around the nation. The largest drop occurred in engineering, which experienced a 9.8 percent decrease, followed by the physical sciences, which showed a 6.2 percent drop. Social sciences, humanities and education were affected least. But the University did not experience the decreasing trend.

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Leadership center opens doors

By Mary Catherine Wellons | February 2, 2001

The Leadership Resource Center opened its doors yesterday, encouraging both experienced and new leaders to take advantage of the University's newest assets. The new resource center will "provide students with the tools to become a good leader," Asst.

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Miller Center commissions election study

By Justin Bernick | February 2, 2001

The University's Miller Center of Public Affairs and The Century Foundation, a public policy think tank, announced Tuesday the organization of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. Former Presidents Carter and Ford will be honorary co-chairs of the bipartisan commission. The commission "will look at changes that could be made at the federal level to improve the voting process," said Margaret Edwards, director of external relations for the Miller Center.

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Council to defund four student groups

By Deirdre Erin Murphy | February 2, 2001

In an unprecedented move, the Student Council Appropriations Committee decided to follow appropriations rules that exclude religious and political student organizations from funding. Each year, the Board of Visitors charges Student Council with the task of appropriating funds from the Student Activities Fee to various student organizations on Grounds. In past years, Council neglected to follow the specific guidelines given for this process by the Board.

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Digital texts grant moves faculty publications online

By Walter Witschey | February 1, 2001

The University will enter a new era of digital publishing with the help of a two-year, $635,000 grant from the Andrew W.

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Hybris virus laughs its way into University computers

By Juliana Chan | February 1, 2001

Melissa. I love you. Hahaha. These are the innocent-sounding names of some of the recent high-risk e-mail viruses that have paralyzed workplaces across the globe. Most recently, University students had unfortunate run-ins with Hybris, commonly known as the "hahaha" or "Snow White" virus.

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Financial Aid and Bursar's offices merge

By Shelley Johnson | February 1, 2001

University students will not be confused any longer about the difference between the Bursar's and Financial Aid offices.

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Civil Rights Web site offers educators new teaching tool

By Mary Catherine Wellons | February 1, 2001

Educators across the country will now have access to extensive Civil Rights movement documents, thanks to a Web site designed by Dorothy Vasquez-Levy, an assistant professor in the University's Curry School. Driven by a desire to educate students on recent history, Vasquez-Levy has embarked on a mission to make the expansive database available to teachers and students everywhere. Vasquez-Levy is now conducting research to develop a Web site serving as a "content-based curriculum" for teachers K-12. The database will incorporate a vast spectrum of multimedia resources.

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Proposal aims to expand Nursing School

By Justin Bernick | February 1, 2001

Nursing School Dean Jeanette Lancaster recently proposed a 30,000- square-foot addition to the Nursing School that will allow the school to enroll more students and address the pressing nursing shortage at University Hospital. The proposed expansion of McLeod Hall, introduced at the Board of Visitors meeting, will cost an estimated $13.2 million over the next three years. University Hospital's nursing shortage is part of a national trend in which medical facilities are struggling to retain full nursing staffs. "We have absolutely outgrown our building," Lancaster said.

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Program gives law students time to teach

By Melissa Tran | February 1, 2001

The courtroom can wait, at least for some aspiring lawyers. The Law School recently formed a partnership with Teach for America that will enable future law students to defer admission and teach full-time for two years as part of the program. TFA is a private national organization that offers college graduates with bachelor's degrees the chance to teach for two years at one of 17 low-income public schools around the country.

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Can quakes hit Virginia?

By Lisa Man | February 1, 2001

They have leveled buildings, flattened cities and villages, killed people around the world and caused up to $20 billion worth of damage at once.

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Mechanical leech may reduce surgery risks

By Helina Meri | February 1, 2001

Although humans have turned to nature to cure their illnesses for thousands of years, most people in the 21st century turn to modern medicine.

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Honor Committee begins education campaign

By Sarah Salwen | January 31, 2001

Over the next few weeks, University students will be bombarded with information concerning four honor referenda that will appear on the Student Council ballot at the end of February. Honor educators are mounting one of the largest education campaigns in recent history to inform students around Grounds about the proposed amendments to the Honor constitution. The proposed amendments include changing the role of oral advocates at trial, removing consideration of seriousness in cases of academic cheating, changing the composition of juries and changing the vote required for a guilty verdict. "This education effort is unequal to anything the Honor Committee has attempted" in the past, Honor Committee Chairman Thomas Hall said. Throughout the month of February, honor educators plan to hold forums, meet with several student organizations, pass out informative pamphlets, and lobby faculty members for support of the referenda.