Ferguson Reaction on Grounds (Aug. - Dec.)

18-year-old Michael Brown, a reportedly unarmed African-American man of Ferguson, Missouri, was fatally shot Aug. 9 by police officer Darren Wilson. The event thrust the topic of policy brutality and racial prejudice into the national spotlight.

Members of the Charlottesville community responded to the event by holding protests and forums hosted by the police department such as “Can Ferguson Happen Here?”

BSA also held a Rally Against Police Brutality and Media Misrepresentation in early September in which attendees walked the Lawn starting at Old Cabell Hall and stopped at various locations to hear speakers and members of the BSA talk about police brutality and racism generally and in Charlottesville.

The University NAACP chapter and the Black Student Alliance engaged in a variety of initiatives including a “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” photo campaign to a candlelight vigil and solidarity march on the Downtown Mall.

“This is an evil world, and evil things happen — and when they do, I need to call upon certain equipment and resources to keep us safe. But when it’s used, ask why.”

-Timothy Longo, Charlottesville Police Chief

Hannah Graham Disappearance (Sep. 13)

Second-year College student Hannah Graham was reported missing Sept. 14 to the Charlottesville Police Department after friends and family had not heard from her since 1:20 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 13. A long investigation by the Charlottesville Police Department and local search and rescue efforts led to the discovery and identification of her body Oct. 24. Albemarle County resident Jesse Matthew was arrested in relation to the disappearance Sept. 24, with charges of abduction with intent to defile. Matthew has since been charged with first degree murder, to be prosecuted by Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney Denise Lunsford.

Matthew is currently awaiting a June 8 trial in Fairfax for charges regarding a 2005 sexual assault. Matthew’s case in the disappearance of Graham will be scheduled for trial in a hearing on May 5. Matthew has pleaded not guilty in the Fairfax case.

Matthew is currently being held at the Albemarle - Charlottesville Regional Jail.

“Having verified that Jesse Leroy Matthew, Jr. has been charged in Albemarle County with the offense of abduction with the intent to defile as a result of events that allegedly occurred on September 13, 2014 in connection with the disappearance and death of Hannah Graham, the prosecution of him in the City of Charlottesville for that offense is duplicative and likely become barred by the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment. As a result, the Commonwealth has filed with the Charlottesville District Court a request for the entry of an order of nolle prosequi in Mr. Matthew's pending case in the City."

-Public release from Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Chapman

Rolling Stone (Nov. 19)

Rolling Stone released “A Rape on Campus” Nov. 19, an article by Sabrina Erdely detailing the violent sexual assault of a University student, Jackie, by brothers of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity in September 2012. The article also depicted Jackie’s experiences with friends, family and faculty after the incident and criticized the University’s handling of sexual assault cases. After its release, the article prompted protests, vandalism of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house and considerable national media attention.

President Sullivan suspended all fraternal organizations and associated social activities on Nov. 22. The ban was lifted at the start of the new semester, on Jan. 6, and the University released a new fraternal organization agreement. The new FOA was developed in consultation with student groups including the the Inter-Fraternity Council, Inter-Sorority Council, Multicultural Greek Council and National Panhellenic Greek Council. The University community continued to respond throughout the end of the fall semester.

By December, discrepancies and questions about the contents of the article arose, and Rolling Stone retracted part of the story. The Charlottesville Police Department launched investigations into the allegations at the request of the University, which concluded when police found no evidence in regards to the alleged rape incident and suspended the investigation on Mar. 23. Following a period for student and community feedback, the University released a new interim Sexual Misconduct Policy on Mar. 30 outlining resources available and procedures for students and employees.

“We remain ready and willing to assist with the fair and swift pursuit of justice, wherever that may lead, and steadfast in our resolve to ensure that nothing like this can happen, ever on our Grounds.”

-Statement from Phi Kappa Psi

Honor Referenda Passed (Feb. 28)

All three referenda of a controversial amendment proposed earlier this year to the University’s Honor System passed after winning a majority of votes in this spring’s University-wide elections. The three parts of the amendment were spearheaded by third-year College students Ian Robertson and Jaeyoon Park, who both ran for College Honor representative.

The first referendum requires the Honor Committee to convene on popular assembly every two years. The second referendum holds the Committee accountable to non-binding resolution on questions of student body opinion. The third referendum opens the door for the implementation of a multi-sanction Honor system, requiring the Committee to consider a vote next year.

Opponents to the amendment claimed all three referenda, while using unique wording, all sought to lay the groundwork for a multi-sanction system to replace the current single-sanction system in the near future.

Basketball's Stellar Season

Though capturing neither the ACC Championship nor a spot in the Sweet Sixteen this year, the University’s men’s basketball team played one of the greatest seasons in program history. With a 30-4 win record — all four losses against Sweet Sixteen teams — the Cavaliers garnered considerable national attention, enough to bring College GameDay to Charlottesville for the first time as the players geared up to face Duke. The season included a 19-game win streak, a months-long hold on the second ranked national spot and a defense that repeatedly held teams down to under 30 points.

Two-time USBWA National Coach of the Year Tony Bennett and his pack-line defense tied the 1981-82 and 2013-14 school records for most wins and saw the best season start since 1981. Throughout the season Bennett and his players received countless accolades from the ACC, AP, USBWA and NABC. While the team was lauded for its ability to work as a seamless unit and play arguably the best defensive game in the nation, this in no way stopped individuals from shining. After junior Justin Anderson was sidelined due to injury, senior Darion Atkins and junior Malcolm Brogdon rose to the occasion and led their team, Atkins earning recognition as the National Defensive Player of the Year and Brogdon breaking the 1000 point benchmark. Anderson will be heading to the NBA draft this year.

“It just leaves that feeling that you wish you could have taken it further. But it doesn’t take away — when all the dust settles — what was accomplished, and we give thanks for that, but will certainly learn from what took place.”

-Tony Bennet

Martese Johnson's Arrest (Mar. 18)

Third-year College student Martese Johnson was arrested in the early hours of March 18 in front of Trinity Irish Pub on the Corner. Johnson was arrested by Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control officer J. Miller and charged with obstruction of justice and public intoxication. Johnson sustained a head injury during the encounter that required 10 stitches.

Johnson was held at $1,500 bail with the specification he be released on an unsecured bond when sober. He was released at 6:01 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Johnson’s initial hearing occurred March 26 at the Charlottesville General District Court. The prosecution asked for a continuance in the case as the state investigation into the use of force during the arrest continues. The defense agreed to the continuance.

Following brief statements from Johnson’s lawyer, Daniel Watkins, and the presiding judge, Hon. Robert H. Downer Jr., the court set a control date of May 28 to reconvene on the case. The date is subject to change pending the conclusion of an ongoing criminal investigation conducted by the Virginia State Police.

Due to the continuation of the state investigation, Johnson did not enter a formal plea.

“Today, as U.Va. students, faculty, and staff who share a set of deeply held values, we stand unified in our commitment to seeking the truth about this incident. And we stand united in our belief that equal treatment and equal justice are among our fundamental rights under the law.”

-President Teresa Sullivan

Affordable Excellence Proposal Passes Board of Visitors (Mar. 24-25)

This year the University Board of Visitors introduced and approved Affordable Excellence — a multifaceted high-tuition high-aid financial model that aims to make the University more accessible to lower-income in-state students. The Board also increased funding for classroom technology and faculty salaries.The proposal passed in Board meetings on Mar. 24 and 25.

Starting in the 2015-16 academic year all in-state students will pay a 3.9 percent increase in tuition and all out-of-state students will pay an increase of 3.7 percent. All incoming in-state students also face a $1,000 step increase for the 2015-16 academic school year, and 2016-17 incoming students will be subject to an additional $1,000 step increase.

The plan initially was met with student opposition, including protests outside the Special Collections Library during a Board of Visitors session. In an effort to increase understanding about the model groups such as U.Va. Students United and United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity hosted “teach-ins” to push for transparency.

“The University is affordable if people leave with the smallest amount of debt, so they defined affordability in terms of minimizing the amount of debt you have when you leave. Middle income families are typically left out of a lot of the financial aid discussion — we actually have a pretty generous program for middle-income families.”

-President Teresa Sullivan

Columbia Journalism School Reviews Rolling Stone Article (Apr. 5)

The Columbia School of Journalism announced an audit of Rolling Stone’s now-infamous article “A Rape on Campus” in late December, commissioned by Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner. CJS released their findings on April 5. The review detailed numerous errors both in Erdely’s reporting and the magazine’s editing chain. Erdely and her editors “frequently made concessions and failed to reach out to key sources,” according the report

With the release of CJS’s report Rolling Stone fully retracted the article and Managing Editor Will Dana apologized to readers, “including members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and UVA administrators and students.”

The magazine has stated that they will not terminate employment of those involved in the incident. Phi Kappa Psi released a statement Apr. 6 declaring its intentions to move forward with a defamation lawsuit against Rolling Stone.

“Rolling Stone’s repudiation of the main narrative in ‘A Rape on Campus’ is a story of journalistic failure that was avoidable. The failure encompassed reporting, editing, editorial supervision and fact-checking. The magazine set aside or rationalized as unnecessary essential practices of reporting that, if pursued, would likely have led the magazine’s editors to reconsider publishing Jackie’s narrative so prominently, if at all. The published story glossed over the gaps in the magazine’s reporting by using pseudonyms and by failing to state where important information had come from.”

-Report from the Columbia Journalism School