Communications

Date: September 1, 2011

To: All U.Va. Students

From:Allen W. Groves, Dean of Students

Re: Preserving the Heritage of the Lawn

A new academic year is a good time for each of us to reflect on the things that we value most as members of the University of Virginia community.

Certainly the Academical Village is something we all treasure. This area is truly unique. As the heart of the University and a visible symbol of our mission, it reminds us of Thomas Jefferson's vision of the student-teacher relationship.  It is a living, natural space that we are fortunate to be able to enjoy and use each day.  It is also home to more than 115 students and faculty members who live in the rooms and pavilions.  For visitors who make both frequent and once-in-a-lifetime trips to see the Lawn, it represents a historic site that is part of the American story.

Each of us is both a beneficiary and steward of the Lawn and Jefferson's Academical Village. We all can enjoy it at our leisure at any time of the day.  We all should care for it at the same time we benefit from it.

With the beginning of football season this weekend and the potential for heavy visitation to the Lawn and surrounding areas, I ask that you remember your responsibility to uphold the heritage and legacy of the Academical Village.  Specific reminders:

• Noise. Socializing on the Lawn is certainly encouraged, but please be aware of your noise level. Loud music/talking, and shouting do not fit the decorum of the Lawn and are disturbing to residents who are studying or trying to sleep. Remember, this is first and foremost a residential community.

• Trash. Please help keep the Lawn clean.  Above all, discard your trash in appropriate receptacles, and if you see trash, pitch in and help get rid of it even if it isn't yours.

• Posters and Billboards. To preserve the paint, finishes, and appearance of the Academical Village, materials such as flyers, posters, and billboards are not allowed on the columns, walls or any other areas.  Only residents, who have been made aware of the proper guidelines, can post items on their own doors.

• Grass and the Earth. Thousands of footsteps on the grass can wear it down very quickly, and bad weather can make the grass and ground even more fragile. Please take a few extra moments to use the sidewalks.  Driving any objects into the ground, such as stakes for croquet, also is damaging and not permitted under University policy.