Fielding Dreams

Photographs by Andrew Shurtleff

Predicted to finish seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, U.Va.’s baseball team is now leading the ACC and ranked 15th in the country. Under new head coach Brian O’Connor, the Cavaliers had won a record 13 straight games through Tuesday and were 33-7 overall (14-4 in the ACC). Led by third-year shortstop Mark Reynolds (above) and fourth-year pitcher-first baseman Joe Koshansky (right), U.Va. travels to Florida this weekend for a showdown with the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes.

‘We want to see results!’
Board of Visitors calls for progress on diversity issues

Staff Report

At its three-day meeting last week, the Board of Visitors examined topics as wide-ranging as tuition and pollution control. However, the discussion that generated the most adamant call to action was the one that occurred during the April 16 meeting of the board’s Special Committee on Diversity.

In their report to the diversity committee, Vice President and Provost Gene D. Block and Arts & Sciences Dean Edward L. Ayers outlined their offices’ activities to increase the numbers of women and minority faculty at U.Va.

“One of my top priorities has been to increase the number of women and minorities in top positions at U.Va.,” Block said. “It is critical that our faculty be a diverse, creative group that represents the best of teaching and scholarship today. I believe there is a relationship, not a choice, between excellence and diversity, and we will not compromise in either.”

While encouraged by the reports, rector Gordon F. Rainey Jr. said the board wants to see goals and progress in recruitment and retention.

“Let’s be crystal-clear; we want to see results,” Rainey said. “The board has a deep engagement with this issue. I’m encouraged that we’re starting to get traction with more leadership in this area.”
With respect to full professors, Block said 2 percent are African American and 13 percent are women — numbers that have stayed relatively flat since 1998. Full story.