University of Virginia President John T. Casteen III has issued a statement that gives background information on University policies and practices with regard to market-competitive compensation for employees, with special attention to the circumstances of employees whose salaries fall at the lower end of the wage scale. It covers both U.Va.’s own employees and employees of contractors who work in the University. “These persons’ commitment and hard work make the University a vital and generative institution, and define quality in every sense. They deserve the best compensation we can provide consistent with the law and relevant market conditions,” said Casteen. Full story.

U.Va. News Services

Michael Rasbury (above) is in tune to the power of sound and to what heights it can take you. Rasbury’s own sonic exploration includes having spent several years as a musician, playing a “mixture of reggae, salsa, merengue, blues and mambo” at dance halls and music festivals. Afterward, he earned degrees in music and theater, composed scores for theatrical productions and traveled with touring companies throughout the United States and Europe. Now, the University of Virginia assistant professor of drama specializing in sound design has found harmony in teaching students how to transport an audience from the comfort of their seats to the varied worlds created on stage. In the process, he is bringing one of the newest, and fastest growing fields in the theatrical arts to U.Va. Full story.

Inside UVA/Photo: Dan Addison