Political arena
Athletics makes case for new facility |
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Photo
by Andrew Shurtleff
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| U.Va.’s
Keith Jenifer glides past a Long Island University opponent
in a recent match-up between the two teams. |
By Dan Heuchert
Eroding
budgets. Crumbling buildings. Travel restrictions. Larger classes.
No raises (again). And then to see plans for a shiny new basketball
arena …
It
makes some faculty members want to scream. Or at least to pass a
resolution asking the University to cease and desist, as was proposed
at a rare Assembly of Professors in October. Though the resolution
was tabled, at least partly at the behest of University President
John T. Casteen III, the message was clear: Some professors are
displeased with the prospect of spending $128 million on a new arena
in these budget-conscious days.
Craig
Littlepage wants faculty and staff to know that he understands their
skepticism.
“When
faculty are operating in this environment of being expected to do
more with less, and in some cases doing it in facilities that are
deficient — much like University Hall is deficient — certainly,
they look at the building of an athletic facility from a somewhat
perplexed attitude,” said Littlepage, U.Va.’s director
of athletics. Full story.
Warner: no more higher ed cuts
By Matt Kelly and Lee Graves
If
the General Assembly follows Gov. Mark Warner’s lead, the shadow
of deeper budget cuts in higher education this year will pass.
In
his address to the General Assembly on its opening day Jan. 8, Warner
vowed to veto any budget that cuts funding for education.
He
also asked for a renewed commitment to higher education.
“I
ask you to join me in working together to strengthen our worldwide
reputation for excellence in higher education,” Warner told
legislators. “Education is the centerpiece of our plans to
grow the economy and open new opportunities for the people of Virginia,
no matter where they live.”
In
December, well before the Assembly convened, Warner announced budget
proposals that spared higher education from another round of reductions.
But that good news was tempered. Full
story.
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