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University, community participate in technology outreach programs

By Justin Bernick | October 20, 2000

Charlottesville residents may soon be able to access free health information from the University's Medical Center over the Web and underprivileged children will have access to computers and personal technology training. These are just two of over 250 programs the University now is offering area residents through two new initiatives unveiled this week. The first initiative, Outreach Virginia, a Web site maintained by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Public Service, now provides online access to programs and services formerly little known to the community. The site offers a comprehensive listing of successful outreach efforts such as publications, teaching materials, medical care, public policy analysis, demographic information, training opportunities and degree programs. The Web site was one of the early recommendations of the Public Service Commission of the Virginia 2020 planning process at the University. Although the University offered many of these online programs in the past "it was difficult to find specific programs, for example, opportunities for high school students," said Gene Block, vice president for research and public service. Over 250 programs now are online at www.virginia.edu/outreachvirginia.

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Lack of funding forces library to cut resources

By Kadie Bye | October 20, 2000

If you've noticed that the library's research materials are looking a little sparse lately, blame the lack of state allocation for library funds. The General Assembly has not increased the $5.4 million library materials budget since the 1994-95 school year. As a result, the University has been forced to decrease the number of periodicals, books and other resources available to students.

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VDOT proposal dams area beaver populace

By Emily Roper | October 20, 2000

Those dam animals are everywhere. Beavers are posing a major problem for the Virginia Department of Transportation as the woodland creatures build dams near many roads throughout the Commonwealth. Once the beavers build dams, the water level of the stream tends to rise, causing massive flooding problems on nearby roads, said Colin Ceperich, public relations coordinator for VDOT. Not only does the flooding cause inconvenience and dangerous driving conditions, the water also loosens the dirt, sand and rock that make up the foundation of the road, Ceperich said. He said the problems have become more severe in recent years. "There just seem to be a lot more beavers now than there have been," he said. Drainage tubes located underneath the roads also are plagued by the beaver problem when the toothy critters build dams in the drainage system. "If they hear running water they automatically want to dam up that hole," said Stephanie Boyles, wildlife biologist for the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) a group that has worked with VDOT to solve the beaver problem in an animal-friendly manner. In late September, the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to spend $272,000 to hire USDA-Wildlife services to trap and kill the offending beavers, much to the dismay of PETA, which claimed the traps used would "cause immeasurable suffering" to the animals. To avoid euthanizing the beavers and bringing about their untimely deaths, PETA currently is working in conjunction with VDOT to develop a plan that will save both the beavers and the conditions of the roads. PETA and VDOT "had a meeting last week and we seem to be on the same page right now," Boyles said. One solution calls for the use of perforated pipes in all drainage tubes under roads.

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FSC changes name, revises constitution

By Christine Buurma | October 19, 2000

Concerned that its original name did not adequately underscore the diversity of the organization, the Fraternity-Sorority Council unanimously voted to change its name to the Multicultural Greek Council at a meeting Tuesday night. MGC also approved a more detailed constitution that clearly delineates who has voting power and how interested organizations can become members. MGC President Michael McPheeters said Fraternity-Sorority Council was "not the most creative name" and did not sufficiently describe the nature of the organization. Many people mistakenly thought FSC was the governing body of all the fraternities and sororities on Grounds, he said. McPheeters said the term "multicultural" is appropriate because it does not restrict MGC's jurisdiction to fraternities and sororities focusing on ethnicity. "All types of cultures come under Greek letter life," he said. Co-ed fraternities and Greek organizations focusing on sexual orientation are examples of non-ethnic groups that might fall under MGC's authority, according to MGC representative Amanda Crane. The MGC, founded in the fall of 1999, is the umbrella organization for fraternities and sororities that do not fall under the auspices of the Black Fraternal Council, Inter-Fraternity Council or Inter-Sorority Council. Omega Phi Beta, a Latina-oriented sorority, Lambda Upsilon Lambda, a Latino-oriented fraternity, and alpha Kappa Delta Phi, an Asian-oriented sorority, are members of MGC. The new constitution will enable MGC to become a "long-lasting, sustaining entity" at the University, McPheeters said. He said he expects the Council's membership to double or triple in the next few years. Assistant Dean of Students Aaron Laushway said he feels the name change is appropriate. The organization originally was given a deliberately vague name "with the precise intent that ... the Council would address its own needs and make changes if necessary," Laushway said.

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Test tube baby saves ailing sister's life

By Juliana Chan and James Tsai | October 19, 2000

In Minneapolis yesterday, doctors announced that a test tube baby successfully saved 6 year-old Molly Nash. Molly, who has the rare genetic disorder Fanconi anemia, would certainly have died if not for her brother, Adam, a test tube baby created using in vitro fertilization.

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Anti-sweatshop activists start new University organization

By Deirdre Erin Murphy | October 19, 2000

A division of United Students Against Sweatshops, a nationally recognized organization, held its first meeting at the University last night. According to the University's SAS organizer, Ross Kane, the new organization wants to create a code of conduct for companies that produce University of Virginia licensed merchandise.

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Faculty Senate may revamp online COD search feature

By Heather Klurfeld | October 19, 2000

The online Course Offering Directory - the Bible of many University students - might undergo its own reformation. The Faculty Senate has proposed an addition to the online version of the COD: a search engine to help students find courses by subject rather than by department only. "We want to leave the directory as it is, but create a system to cross-reference the courses," Faculty Senate Chairwoman Patricia Werhane said.

News

New committee to select police chief

By Kadie Bye | October 19, 2000

With the upcoming retirement of University Police Chief Michael Sheffield, the University has assembled an eclectic group of faculty, students and administrators to head up a search committee for a new chief.

News

Casteen, Board not liable in suit

By Rakesh Gopalan | October 19, 2000

U.S. District Court Judge Warren G. Moon ruled yesterday that University President John T. Casteen III and the Board of Visitors have no supervisory liability in former student Richard Smith's $1.25 million lawsuit. While the decision effectively dismisses both Casteen's and the Board's liability in the lawsuit, individual UJC members and William W.

News

Minor officially announces gift for College

By Abby Curran | October 19, 2000

Bill Gates may not have graduated from college, but Halsey M. Minor did. Minor's massive donation of $25 million to the College aims to secure the University's status as a world leader in the digital age, Minor said. Minor officially announced the gift yesterday afternoon at a Faculty Senate meeting in the Dome Room of the Rotunda. Minor is a 1987 College graduate and founder and chairman of CNET Networks.

News

Council overwhelmingly passes $45,000 budget

By Sarah Marchetti | October 18, 2000

With plans to use increased funds to better services to the University community and to improve technology in its offices, Student Council passed its 2000-2001 budget last night with a 24 percent increase in Student Activity Fee spending. Council will request $45,129.11 from the SAF fund - an $8,735.11 increase from the $36,394 it requested last year. Council Chief Financial Officer Marc Olsen said the increase in spending was largely because of an increase in the budget of the Community Affairs Committee, and the money allocated to two new committees, Housing Concerns and Technology. Olsen said although Council increased its budget this year, they used available funds more resourcefully. &nbsp Related Links Student Council Web site Three years ago, Student Council requested $100,000 of SAF monies for its activities, which was dramatically cut back last year to $36,000, he said. "We tried to use funds as efficiently as possible," he added.

News

Alumnus gives $25 million to College

By John McArdle | October 18, 2000

When Thomas Jefferson founded the University, he planned to create an Academical Village, bringing the talent and experience of professors from around the world to Central Grounds. This afternoon, 1987 College graduate and Internet entrepreneur Halsey Minor will give a landmark $25 million to the College to help bring these Jeffersonian ideals to a global community, in the information age. Minor's gift, the largest single donation ever received by the College, is designed to integrate digital technology with the humanities and social sciences program to create a "Digital Academical Village." "I asked myself 'If Jefferson were to build the University today, what would he build?' He wanted to create the most modern University in the world," Minor said. Today the University can only fulfill Jefferson's ideal by incorporating digital technology into the curriculum, he said. The idea for the technology-focused gift spawned from the E-Summit, a gathering of Internet business leaders held on Grounds last November, he said. "I've witnessed how a lot of venture- and corporate-based money has been used to make businesses more efficient as a result of the Internet," Minor said.

News

Presidential Issue Series:

By Emily Roper | October 18, 2000

(This is the third in a five-part weekly series examining issues in this November's presidential election.) With a best-selling book and a solid environmental record under his belt, Vice President Al Gore (D) holds a distinct advantage over Texas Gov.

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ISC bans alcohol at functions held at fraternities

By Margaret Chipowsky | October 18, 2000

No alcohol will be permitted at any sorority event held on fraternity property after the University's 16 sorority presidents late Monday night voted to enact a blanket policy on drinking at sorority events. The new policy, which became an ISC regulation after the sorority presidents voted to approve it, bans alcohol at any sorority sponsored or co-sponsored event held on fraternity property. The policy will go into effect at the end of October, and violations will be punishable by the Inter-Sorority Council Judiciary Committee. ISC President Allison White said she was pleased the presidents voted to enact the new umbrella policy. The change comes on the heels of Resolution 2000 - a policy handed down by the national chapters of 14 of the University's 16 sororities.

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