Opinion

Opinion

KABIR: Meriting attention

By Fariha Kabir | September 17, 2013

Originally, when I read about merit-based pay raises, I hesitated to support it. I recalled opposing this idea in high school, wherein merit pay for teachers would be based on standardized test scores, especially because test scores do not necessarily reflect student learning. By extension, basing pay solely on how college students do on their exams would also be artificial. However, because of the holistic approach that the University is taking to evaluate its faculty, I think merit pay is an effective mechanism for mitigating pay freezes.

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Opinion

Breaking away

By Managing Board | September 16, 2013

The report tells us something interesting about the University’s oft-uneasy relationship with the commonwealth. But it’s not what you might think. The proposal for the University to strike away from the state is not a realistic suggestion. It is the result of lingering resentment. This resentment comes from two sources: first, a trend of declining state appropriations (though state funding increased by roughly $8 million in fiscal year 2013); and second, the attempted ouster of University President Teresa Sullivan, instigated by state-appointed officials, that left the school reeling last June.

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Opinion

Disrespecting your roots

By Caroline Bartholomew | September 16, 2013

Cuccinelli claims on the campaign trail that he nearly witnessed an attempted sexual assault on Grounds, inspiring him to become an advocate. But then as a politician he refused to support one of the most successful prevention efforts against sexual violence in recent history.

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Opinion

'Try' again

By Sarah Buckley | September 16, 2013

Fritz Metzinger’s article, “Worth a Try,” suffers from an excess of assumption and a dearth of nuance.

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Opinion

Virginia and virginity

By Managing Board | September 16, 2013

Off the Hook is more than anti-hookup. It is also pro-abstinence. The organization’s AtUVa page reports that the group believes that “sex is good, but only in the context of marriage.” The group’s purpose, according to its blog, is to promote an “alternative to the hookup scene.” The alternative it offers is simple: don’t do it.

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Opinion

SPINKS: Talking about sex

By Ashley Spinks | September 15, 2013

We have been conditioned to believe that our sexuality is shameful: something to be hidden, something we shouldn’t mention.

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Opinion

RIPLEY: A matter of taste

By Katherine Ripley | September 15, 2013

Even in a world where casual sex is commonplace, we have not lost the ability — despite our best defenses — to fall in love.

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Opinion

CAPPS: Did I mention I was abroad?

By Carrie Capps | September 15, 2013

When I arrived back in the States, my first problem arose when I wanted to get a coffee. I ordered a shot of espresso and the cashier had to ask his manager how to ring me up since no one had ever ordered one before.

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Opinion

BROOM: Working both ways

By Christopher Broom | September 15, 2013

If you feel there is something important, I suggest reaching out to the various press outlets you hope will cover the meeting or event. They may not choose to cover it, but it will get some consideration that might not happen otherwise simply because they might not know the meeting is taking place to begin with.

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Opinion

KEADY: The porn identity

By Walter Keady | September 15, 2013

Perhaps the best way to look at pornography and maintain a healthy sex life is to take it with a grain of salt — porn is not meant to be realistic or grounded, and should not be assumed to be so. Most importantly, however, is to be true to oneself — whether in a Google Chrome incognito window or not.

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Opinion

TODD: A national treasure

By James Todd | September 15, 2013

Much has been written through the years about activist judges; however, the definition of activism is somewhat elusive. I’ve heard both the late Chief Justice Rehnquist and retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor say that an activist decision is one with which you do not agree. There’s a lot of truth to that, but it’s not very helpful identifying the line beyond which a judge has exceeded his or her proper role.

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Opinion

BERGER: Unhooked

By Meredith Berger | September 15, 2013

These “casual encounters” could be a one-night stand or a dance floor make-out (commonly referred to as a DFMO). In these scenarios it can be unclear to one or both parties what the result will be of the casual hookup. Does he like me? Will she text me later? Is this the beginning of a possible relationship?

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Opinion

An uncommon curriculum

By Managing Board | September 12, 2013

For universities that are thinking through their global initiatives, a joint effort between Yale and the National University of Singapore (NUS) provides a useful case study.

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Opinion

An uncommon curriculum

By Managing Board | September 12, 2013

For universities that are thinking through their global initiatives, a joint effort between Yale and the National University of Singapore (NUS) provides a useful case study.

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Opinion

Joining the posse

By Managing Board | September 11, 2013

Programs such as AccessUVa give moderate help to many rather than extraordinary help to a few. The University’s financial-aid program is merit-based insofar as a student must win admission to the school to be eligible for aid. But apart from this baseline assessment of merit, AccessUVa assists students based on need alone.

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Opinion

BOGUE: On dying well

By Russell Bogue | September 11, 2013

My grandfather died about three years ago. His last several weeks were spent in a hospital bed, hooked into gleaming machines, undergoing countless tests and treatments that ultimately proved useless in the face of death’s advance.

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Opinion

BROWN: Keeping up poise

By Forrest Brown | September 11, 2013

The most recent headache to confront Obama is the situation in Syria, which continues to deteriorate and create complex international political situations. Polls show that Obama’s approval rating on this issue has been steadily dropping as he pushes for intervention, which many see as another political blunder. But I would argue that Obama’s handling of the Syria issue has been his most politically effective campaign in years.

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Opinion

Ask your TA: back-to-school edition

September 11, 2013

Trudie’s back! After an idyllic summer hanging out in her Alderman carrel, shooting the breeze in the Philosophy library, and having her pick of the Clemons DVDs, Trudie has returned to face the realities of the new semester — TA-ing. But Trudie’s here for you too — she isn’t agonizing over her Powerpoint and discussion questions to see you fall at the first hurdle! So life-hack your sections with these tried-and-Trudie tips, prompted by questions from readers just like you.

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Opinion

Circular reputations

By Managing Board | September 11, 2013

To argue that national rankings help shape a university’s reputation seems like a truism. But it is worth bringing up because — pop quiz — what variable in the U.S. News methodology gets the most weight? The magazine treats a university’s reputation, weighted at 22.5 percent (tied with retention), as the most important factor in determining its rank.

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Opinion

YAHANDA: Doctor, give me the news

By Alex Yahanda | September 10, 2013

Purdue says that it has no business regulating doctors — a reasonable policy since its job is to produce drugs, not directly control how those drugs are used. Physicians themselves must ultimately make judgment calls on which situations most require the prescription of particular drugs. That being said, if Purdue has reason to suspect that some physicians are abusing the prescription of their product, they need to divulge that information.