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Meg Nielsen

Wilsdorf Hall to open its doors today

By Meg Nielsen | November 10, 2006

The University's new $43.4 million interdisciplinary engineering research and educational building, Wilsdorf Hall, will be officially dedicated and opened in a ceremony this afternoon. The main goal behind the construction of Wilsdorf Hall was to create a "world-class facility for world-class research," said Barry Johnson, associate dean for research of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Research conducted in the new building will include the fields of nanotechnology, chemical engineering and material science and engineering. The building will house offices as well as laboratories for undergraduate and graduate student use. Johnson said the research facility "was intended to accommodate research the faculty was already doing but also to enable us to contribute in areas we had not been involved in." Wilsdorf Hall is physically connected to the Chemistry Library, the Chemical Engineering building and the Material Science and Engineering building. "The entire building was designed to create a collaborative atmosphere," Johnson said. David Oakland, of VDMO Architects P.C., said, by connecting these various engineering buildings, they hoped to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of academic work. Faculty members also said they hope the new facility will attract new faculty members and researchers. "By showing them the quality of the space they can move into, we are attracting new faculty," said Robert Hull, director of the Institute for Nanoscale and Quantum Science at the University.

Moving to a different beat

By Meg Nielsen | August 28, 2006

Second-year College student Jessie Shields said she doesn't like to run regularly. Instead, she said she swims, plays tennis, takes a volleyball class, goes rock-climbing, hiking, mountain biking and follows Jane Fonda workouts by on cassette tapes. "Running is hard and boring, especially in the winter, so I do lots of other things for fun and because it's good socially, too," Shields said. Shields is one of many University students who choose to stay in shape by participating in a variety of activities that are not all traditional ways of working out. At the University ranked "Hottest for Fitness" in Newsweek's 2005 Kaplan College Guide, some students choose to exercise in a variety of different ways that don't simply revolve around the treadmill and weights. "We try to offer a comprehensive program that offers different opportunities to lots of people," said Mark Fletcher, associate athletics director for U.Va.

Student faces felony charge for

By Meg Nielsen | March 29, 2006

A University student was arrested on a felony charge and referred to the University Judiciary Committee after detonating what he termed a "Drano bomb" on March 25. The student, a College first-year, was arrested on March 27 for violating a law prohibiting the manufacture, transport, distribution, possession or use of a "fire bomb or explosive materials or devices," according to a press release issued yesterday by the University Police.

Higher salaries in store for 2006 class

By Meg Nielsen | February 15, 2006

Starting salaries of college graduates with a bachelor's degree from the class of 2006 are expected to increase from 2005, according to a survey released last week by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Mimi Collins, director of information for NACE, said employers reported they were planning to hire 14.5 percent more college graduates this year than last year. "It's early, but it's a fairly good indication that the class of 2006 is going to graduate into a fairly good job market," Collins said. The survey collected salary offers by major for over 70 bachelor's disciplines at the bachelor's degree level, said Collins.

Preparations for chapel repairs begin

By Meg Nielsen | February 8, 2006

The University will begin construction on the deteriorating mortar on the exterior stone walls of the University Chapel's bell tower this summer, starting in early June and continuing until the following December. The deterioration of the mortar is not an "imminent danger, but it does need to be addressed now," said historical preservation project manager Jody Lahendro. Despite the fact that there is no immediate danger, in accordance with the current building code, a wooden safety fence is being erected 15 feet around the perimeter of the bell tower to ensure pedestrian safety, according to a press release from project manager Lynn Rush. The effort, named the Chapel Bell Tower Roofing and Masonry Repair Project, will include repairs to the mortar on the stone exterior walls of the tower, as well as roof and ventilation repairs, Rush said. "There are a lot of moisture problems right now," Rush explained. To ensure the historic integrity of the building, which was originally designed in 1883, the construction plans are being prepared with consultation from an architectural preservation firm, as well as a historic preservation masonry contractor, according to the release. "We recognize the chapel is a significant, important and historic aspect to the University, and we will ensure that the historic character of the building was understood, respected and then restored as we do the repair work," Lahendro said. While some of the mortar will be replaced without removing the stones, a few of the stones at the top will be taken out, he said.

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