Nearly 40 percent of University students said they had felt so depressed in the previous 12 months that it was difficult to function, according to a 2003 study compiled by the American College Health Association.
First-year student athletes soon will have more guidance from their peers as they begin their University experiences if the Athletic Department implements a student-formulated plan. A team of five University athletes presented a plan developed to enhance orientation procedures as a part of the 14th annual "Athletic Prevention Programming and Leadership Education" conference hosted this weekend by the University's Center for Alcohol and Substance Education at the Doubletree Hotel. Forty-five colleges and universities, from all NCAA athletic divisions, participated in this year's APPLE conference, which boasted approximately 230 attendees from Maine to South Carolina. Each participating school sent a team of five student athletes and a team leader to develop substance abuse policies for their respective schools. The University's tradition of student self-governance was the initial inspiration for the APPLE conference, said Joe Gieck, the conference's organizer and a University professor of sports medicine and life skills director. "The program is unique in the fact that it gives student athletes a voice to develop their own substance abuse policies," Gieck said.
The Inter-Fraternity Council denied ETA Lodge admittance into the IFC for the second year in a row at Thursday's Presidents' Council meeting. ETA Lodge is not to be confused with Chi Psi, the national fraternity known as "the lodge" at the University. "The Council decided, at this time, it will not be sponsoring ETA Lodge as a probationary member of the IFC," IFC spokesperson Alex Berrang said. The Presidents' Council consists of the members of the governing board and a representative from each active fraternity. Berrang added that the Presidents' Council's decision was based solely on ETA Lodge's performance in the past year alone, and that no weight was placed on the previous year's decision, or the events leading up to it. "We've been working really hard towards this one goal for over a year, so to have no reward in the end is very disappointing and frustrating," ETA Lodge President Tyler Cain said. The meeting consisted of a presentation from the members of ETA Lodge, followed by a question-and-answer session.
While most students have not even begun to think about their Spring Break plans, members of the Nicaragua Orphans Fund have begun to organize their plans and spearhead a fundraising campaign. The group will hold a benefit concert tonight with all proceeds going towards its annual trip to Nicaragua during spring break 2005.
The University now is in full compliance with new procurement requirements set by Virginia Gov. Mark R.
The Inter-Fraternity Council held its first ever fall open house Friday night for all men interested in rushing a fraternity during formal rush this spring. IFC fraternities participated in the open house event, held from 4 p.m.
The Inter-Sorority Council will outline new changes to its recruitment procedures for the coming year starting Sunday as part of its annual series of informational sessions held to introduce women to Greek life. The series of sessions will also outline the ISC's expectations of the women participating in the process and recruitment counselors will be available to meet individually with women who have specific questions, ISC President Courtney Cherry said. This year, a new Web-based system, called "University Solutions," will essentially run the recruitment process, Cherry said. Women now will be able to pay and register for recruitment online.
What was supposed to be a Sherlock Holmes-style field trip to an abandoned hospital ended in the unexpected trespassing arrests of 23 University students and Justin Gifford, their graduate instructor. Charges against the class members were dropped Tuesday, but University officials yesterday met to discuss Gifford's role in the incident, and Gifford said his fate at the University still is undecided. "It's still up in the air as to what's going to happen to me," Gifford said. While he is unsure what sanction might be levied against him, Gifford said he was told by his dean that it is unlikely he will be fired. Gifford and his students, members of an American Detective Mystery Fiction class, were detained for trespassing at the abandoned Blue Ridge Hospital last week. The building is a former tuberculosis hospital, owned by the University Foundation, at the base of Monticello Mountain near the intersection of Interstate 64 and Route 20, University Foundation Executive Director Tim Rose said. Gifford said he took his Detective Fiction class to the hospital because the class was studying the meaning of the word "haunting," and discussions eventually led to abandoned buildings. "We heard about it through Web sites where various urban explorer types had gone through and taken pictures," Gifford said.
In the wake of the reported vandalism of fourth-year College student Amey Adkins' vehicle, various student groups have been critical of the University's response and The Cavalier Daily's coverage of the alleged incident. On Sept.
A tornado warning didn't scare everyone away from Friday night's Homecomings festivities. Although the second annual event moved from the Mad Bowl to Memorial Gymnasium because of inclement weather, it managed to attract over 1,500 students, said Farah Dilber, University Programs Council summer programs chair. "It was really successful in spite of the rain," Dilber said.
