This past week The Cavalier Daily has published a large number of articles that shed light on some financial matters here at the University. Authors discussed the salaries awarded to university presidents in Virginia and highly paid University officials. Several pieces also discussed newly released documents that reveal possible preferential treatment for the children of major donors during the admissions process. Much of the information in these pieces came through the Freedom of Information Act. This law was passed in 1967 and established the right for citizens to request information from the federal government. Members of the press have frequently used information obtained through FOIA to break stories.
Generally, The Cavalier Daily was able to successfully use the data and information collected through public records. These articles increased transparency about the University’s internal practices, and shared financial information about the University with students, alumni and community members. However, some of the articles missed the mark in terms of their relevance to students and faculty. Readers also had a lot to say about the importance, or perhaps unimportance of the information obtained through FOIA this past week.
The piece which discusses disparities between pay for employees in the Medical School and the Engineering School does not present an argument. While it may be interesting that these two schools pay employees at vastly different rates, it does not warrant an entire article. Readers are looking for a narrative, and this article unfortunately was unable deliver. As it stands, this information may be more well suited to an infographic about the varying levels of pay employees receive in different departments. Finding an interesting angle for an article remains a challenge for Cavalier Daily authors and continues to frustrate some readers. Articles should engage readers and encourage an open discussion about a worthwhile topic.
Additionally, few readers seemed to believe that the University’s possible preferential treatment of wealthy students and potential donors was a problem. While The Cavalier Daily was not able to gather documents that proved that donations and connections actually affected acceptance rates, it was still worth discussing. It is certainly common practice for elite institutions of higher education to take legacy status and family donations into account when making admission decisions. However, the University is a public institution which prides itself on having high moral and ethical standards. This would imply that the University is disinclined to take financial incentives into account when making admission decisions. If nothing else, it is productive for Cavalier Daily staff to strive for increased transparency about the University’s admissions processes.
Jacquelyn Katuin is the Public Editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com or on Twitter at @CDPublicEditor.
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