University of Virginia Library

REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT

The President reported on a miscellany of items:

• Commenting on the current discussion in the University community about fraternity rush, the President noted recent statements made by the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth about alcohol abuse and fraternities, as well as police raids on fraternity houses at Virginia Commonwealth University for violations of the laws on underage drinking. There is great national concern about binge drinking and other forms of alcohol abuse and rightly or not, fraternities are blamed as accessories to these problems.
• The resolution passed by the Faculty Senate last fall which asks that rush be postponed until the second year is an expression of the faculty's general concern about students' welfare; the Senate and others worry that the orientation of newly arrived first year students is flawed by early rush and the temptations of alcohol abuse. The faculty's concerns, the President emphasized, are not anti-fraternity, but an expression of genuine interest in student welfare. The Dean of Students will decide on rush soon. The President noted that the Dean has a great deal of experience and is very effective; he assured the Board that the Dean has had extensive discussions with all parties involved in this matter.
• The President also reported on the support of organizations which provide services for Latino and Asian American students. Rather than combine these with support services for African-American students as had been proposed at one point, it seems more sensible to preserve the indivisuality of these organizations. All students, however will bave access on demand to the very successful peer advising program which is run by Dean Turner and Assistant Dean Terry.