Hundreds of members of the University community showed up Monday at John Paul Jones Arena to eat barbecue and honor Leonard W. Sandridge, who retires as executive vice president and chief operating officer at the end of the academic year — closing a 44-year career at U.Va.
At the luncheon, he was saluted by U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan and Rector John O. “Dubby” Wynne, roasted gently by politics professor Larry J. Sabato, and toasted by President Emeritus John T. Casteen III. Sullivan announced that a new AccessUVA scholarship for the children or grandchildren of U.Va. employees would be named in Sandridge’s honor.
UVA Today photographer Jane Haley captured several scenes; more photos after the break.
The cover story is a very well-done feature on U.Va. President John T. Casteen III as he prepares to step down Aug. 1 after 20 years in Madison Hall; the online version includes a couple of videos, one a tribute from Virginia Tech and the other a recap of the picnic on the Lawn that honored Casteen and his wife, Betsy, earlier this spring.
If you’ve got no time to read, there’s a humorous pictorial essay of people spelling out “U! V! A!” with their arms all over the world.
Despite many efforts to promote it, it remains a lesser-known fact that Virginia community college students who complete a specified curriculum with acceptable grades are guaranteed admission into the University of Virginia.
Today’s Washington Post has an article by Dan DeVise that details how many students are taking advantage of the community-college transfer option. Also, the DeVise follows up today with a College Inc. post on the same topic, focused specifically on U.Va. and including a Q&A with President John T. Casteen III, a passionate advocate for the community college system.
Even with final exams looming and graduation coming up in less than three weeks, the death of women’s lacrosse player Yeardley Love and the arrest of men’s lacrosse player George Huguely V in the case is the main focus of most in the University community.
A couple of developments:
Craig Littlepage, director of athletics, released a statement last night. He confirmed that both lacrosse teams will accept bids to participate in their upcoming NCAA tournaments.
The U.Va. Student Council is sponsoring a candlelight vigil tonight at 8 in the McIntire Amphitheater. Among the speakers: University President John T. Casteen III, Student Council President Colin Hood and Fourth-Year Class President Sarah Elaine Hart, plus musical performances.
UPDATE: The Catholic Student Association will hold a Roman Catholic mass for Yeardley Love, one of their members, on Friday at noon at the University Chapel. “This is neither a funeral nor the University’s memorial service; rather, an opportunity for Catholics within the University to pray for one of our own,” the announcement says. “The public is invited.”
Never mind the wet weather — today’s drop-in picnic on the Lawn to honor President and Mrs. Casteen is still going on today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Yes, there is a tent.) There will be entertainment and a student presentation at 12:45.
The menu includes beef BBQ, chips, slaw, a veggie pasta salad, and beverages, plus 6,000 cupcakes reportedly arranged for a very special effect.
On Rotunda Cam, it looks as if the Rotunda is wearing a big bib.
This is not her first gig at Howard. According to the announcement, “In 2004, she was a speaker at the Howard Graduate School’s International Conference on Inclusion in Higher Education, which was held in Bellagio, Italy and sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.”
The Washington Post reported yesterday that Dan Mote, president of the University of Maryland since 1998, will retire at the end of August.
U.Va. President John T. Casteen III — who himself will wrap up his 20-year tenure on Aug. 1 — welcomed his fellow ex-president-to-be:
“I think the world of Dan and his wife Patti. They have been good and generous colleagues. We have talked often about issues that arise because the two universities are similar in programs, and because we compete both for students (many apply to both universities) and in athletics. Dan has carried his weight and more in representing the interests of research universities on Capitol Hill. He had a central role in the work that led to
Congress’s action to designate ARRA funds for research — and in the process to make a direct investment in a more durable recovery than would have occurred otherwise.
“One result of working toward common goals has been a strong and abiding friendship grounded in respect for the work that colleagues at College Park have done.”
According to the Post story, the Motes will be moving to a house in Annapolis, so perhaps Casteen, a sailing aficionado, will be paying a port call or two in the coming years.
Just finished the first draft of the story on President Casteen’s State of the U address today, and thought I might empty the notebook here and note a few things that did not make it into the story (at least not yet, as the editors are now working):
This — along with graduation — may be one of the final major public events at which Casteen will make extended remarks before he retires Aug. 1. I know the weather forecast is not wonderful, and that the crowd usually consists of administrators, a few faculty and fewer students, but it would be nice if the University community packed the place in a show of appreciation for Casteen’s two-decade stewardship.
About 6,000 people turned out Saturday in the midst of a snowstorm for the men’s basketball game against Wake Forest. Certainly, a couple hundred folks ought to be able to find their way to Old Cabell at noon tomorrow.
For those of you who missed the announcement of Teresa A. Sullivan as president of the University …
You can find the video here, along with a bio, CV and the official announcement. A few highlights:
The motion for approval was made by Board of Visitors member Susan Y. “Syd” Dorsey, who has been one of the champions of diversity on the board. Very nice touch.
The motion included a five-year contract not to exceeed $680,000 annually for salary, deferred compensation and allowances.
In May 2007, Audrey Catalfamo of Virginia Beach, Va., became the first student to graduate with a University of Virginia diploma througha groundbreaking partnership program between Tidewater Community College and U.Va. that allows TCC students and recent alumni to earn a U.Va. Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree while taking classes on TCC campuses.
Thomas Jefferson Awards — the highest honors given to members of the University community — were bestowed upon outgoing U.Va. President John T. Casteen III and J. Thomas Parsons, chairman of the Department of Microbiology and F. Palmer Weber Professor of Medical Research. The awards were made at this afternoon’s Fall Convocation at the John Paul Jones Arena.
We probably should have noted this sooner, but in case you haven’t seen it, the 
U.Va. President-Elect Teresa Sullivan will be 
U.Va. President John T. Casteen III’s 
Retiring U.Va. President John T. Casteen III will return to his home region Friday 
Today is “rankings day” throughout the American higher education world, as 