Rotunda Renovations

It’s been 30 years since major work has been done on the Rotunda. According to an article in the Richmond Times Dispatch, the building is due for a face lift–a $40 million project that could take at least six years.
Restoring a Masterpiece

Text messaging alert system in place

In an effort to improve quick communication in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, U.Va. has established a text message alert system. Now, cell-phone-carrying students, faculty and staff can sign up so that in the event of “emergency situations in which there is an imminent threat to public safety,” they will receive a text message notifying them of the danger and indicating suggested action. A sample message is provided on U.Va.’s alerts website: “GUNMAN AT LARGE NEAR (LOCATION). SHELTER IN PLACE. DETAILS AT VIRGINIA.EDU.”

In addition to text messages, you can sign up for email or RSS feeds that will alert you of any dangerous threats. Texting is unique and particularly useful in that it is almost instantaneous, will get sent even when phone calls can’t go through, and allows users to receive information even when they don’t have access to a computer. More information at the U.Va. alerts site.

While laudable, let’s hope this new system never has to be used.

New! Alumni & Friends Calendar RSS Feed

A great new feature is available for alumni and other interested folks from the Alumni & Friends Calendar–RSS feeds! Now you can sign up using your preferred news reader, and let event information come to you. This particular calendar focuses on events pertaining to U.Va. alums–be it UVaClub events in your area, sports events, reunions, or general University/C’ville activities alums may find interesting.

What’s great about the new feed is that it’s customizable. Using the calendar’s RSS generator, you can customize your feed to only display events in a certain location or of a certain category.

Click here for more information. We’ve been having a lot of fun playing around with different feed options and we hope you do too!

Want to remain on Grounds…for eternity?

It’s not uncommon for universities and colleges to offer alumni and faculty a final resting place on the beloved campus (Grounds!) of their alma mater–U.Va. has such a cemetery across from Gilmer Hall on McCormick Road. However, with demand growing from aging alumni and faculty, and available space rapidly decreasing or non-existent, higher ed institutions are getting creative.

U.Va. led the way in the creepy trend of building on-campus columbaria–memorials used for the internment of funeral urns after cremation. U.Va.’s cemetery reached capacity decades ago. In 1987, the University approved the building of the University Columbarium despite some resistance among the University community at the time. One of the first on-campus columbaria, it consisted of a memorial wall of 360 vaults forming three rows, traversing the northern boundary of the cemetery. Since being built, dozens of columbaria have popped up across the nation.

While initially proposed as a way to meet growing demand and a logical fund raiser for the University, the columbarium has not made much money. Vault prices range from $1,800 to $2,500, depending on location. All but one of the 180 vaults available in the first phase of the columbarium have been sold. Coupled with the few sold from the second phase, more than 200 have been sold in 16 years. However, the profits primarily fund upkeep the University Cemetery.

At first, only full-time or retired faculty or current or former members of the BOV were eligible. Now the columbarium is available to all interested alumni. (Visit the cemetery website.)

If you think the price tag is a little steep, be glad you aren’t a Duke alum. If you want your ashes buried on a small plot in its gardens, Duke demands a $25,000 “donation” to the garden’s endowment fund.

Letter to the Editor: Wind Power

Dear Editor,

I am writing in reference to the article you printed entitled “Wind Chill,” regarding the wind power controversy. I completely agree with Mr. Webb and appreciate you sharing that perspective. Simply finding alternative ways to fuel our rampant consumption of energy is not going to solve our energy crisis. No matter how clean the energy, the sheer demand for it is so great that the infrastructure around obtaining the energy is going to leave a large and unsightly footprint on the planet (in this case, an array of towering machinery on our beloved Appalachians). The answer in my opinion is to curb our demand for energy altogether, thereby decreasing the overall need for energy production whether it comes from coal, wind, or elsewhere. It’s time we realize that even though we may drive hybrid-electric cars and only use energy-efficient light bulbs in our homes, we still need to only use the car when necessary and turn off the lights when they are not needed. True environmentalism is recognizing that one cannot be an environmentalist without also being a minimalist. Being prudent in our assessment of erecting wind turbines is part of this.

Vineet K. Aggarwal (Engr ‘01)
Ashburn, VA

Share your thoughts by commenting below!

See you Nov. 24th!

Painted Virginia Tech logos and words of support from U.Va. students have remained untouched on Beta Bridge since April. This week, Virginia Tech expressed their gratitude:

Two Hokies living in C’ville for the summer painted the bridge to express their hearty thanks for all U.Va. did to support VT back in April.

UPDATE: According to this article, the “Hoos for Hokies” painted message on Beta Bridge broke all records when it remained untouched for more than 50 days.

Reunions Weekend 2007

More than 3,000 alumni, family and friends returned to Grounds for Reunions this past weekend. We wanted to share with you a particularly memorable Reunions moment: alumni walking the Lawn one more time. Enjoy!

Remember to sign up for Reunions when your year comes around (www.alumni.virginia.edu/reunions).

The Cav Daily’s fight for free speech

Last year, The Cavalier Daily and Virginia Tech’s Collegiate Times, filed a joint lawsuit against the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for the right to sell alcoholic beverage advertisements in their publications. The newspapers, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, claimed that the current restrictions violate free speech. According to this article, last Thursday the ACLU asked a federal judge to throw out the decades-old ban.

The ban was levied in 1988 by the ABC in order to curb underage drinking. They maintain that alcoholic beverage ads often encourage binge and underage drinking and should not be promoted in publications where a disproportionately large percentage of the audience is under 21.

The papers’ ACLU attorney disagrees, saying that the effectiveness of such a ban is impossible to quantify and that the government should take other measures to curb underage drinking without violating First Amendment rights.

The Cavalier Daily is financially independent and relies entirely on ad revenue; the Collegiate Times receives most of its financial backing through ad revenue. The editors also argued that it was unfair for the papers to have more restrictions that a professional paper.

What do you think? As alumni, let’s weigh in. For many alums (pre-1988 grads), alcoholic ads were the norm. Do you feel that they were a negative presence in the CD? Do they have the potential to negatively influence underage students? If you’re a parent, how would you feel about your college-aged child being exposed to such advertising?

PS: Read this opinion article, published yesterday in the Charlottesville newspaper for one side of the argument.

Letter to the Editor: University Diner

Dear Editor,

I started at The University at age 16 in 1943 and received my M.D. in 1950. It was a wonderful experience for me. The story of the corner ["Down on the Corner," U.Va. Magazine, Spring 2007] reminded me of the University Diner and especially Alma Shifflett. During that period I was a regular customer. You could buy a $10 punch card that she kept in her cash register. A hamburger steak, three vegetables, dessert and a drink cost 55 cents! When you ran out of money on the card she would turn it over and write the charges on the back until your next check from home arrived. You settled the debt, bought a new $10 card and started all over. She kept me alive over those years. Then if you were “in the money” you could get a t-bone steak for $1.50 and if really well off order a grills-with. One of the memories I shall never forget.

W. Geoffrey “Bud” Wysor (’47, ‘50)

New web edition goes live!

We just launched the summer ‘07 edition of uvamagazine.org. You should be receiving your print copy within the next couple weeks. We are particularly proud of this online issue as we’re offering more multimedia elements than ever before. Visit our multimedia page for supplemental videos, podcasts, music clips and slideshows. Hope you enjoy! We always appreciate reader feedback.

PS: We also just introduced a new reader survey. Click here to take the survey and be entered to win a $100 U.Va. bookstore gift card.