Is the UVA and Charlottesville brand damaged forever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent here who posted yesterday about my Black junior son. The bottom-line for him, and the bottom-line line for us, is that he doesn't feel that he will feel safe or fully included and welcome at UVA. If we had no other choice, my advice to him would be to do what a previous posters's daughter does and avoid parts of campus. But he has other choices, beginning with William & Mary, which is academically just as good, if not better. Particularly when UVA is supported by our tax dollars, it should be doing a much better job of cleaning up its act and making sure that all Virginians feel welcome and fully included in its educational programs.

Exactly

So what are your suggestions as to how to do that?

[Anonymous]

So what exactly is UVA supposed to do? Ban non affiliated people from assembling on non university grounds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forever or critically, of course not. But there is a sliming by association and I’m sure the vast majority of people who have any connection to UVA are hoping for a constructive, lasting resolution. It’s never a great thing for your college or its town to be all over the news sharing sentences with “Nazi”, “alt-right”, “protest”, “state of emergency”, “riot police”, “Confederate”, etc.

I have two sons at UVA right now. While we find what happened in Charlottesville last year terrible, none of are concerned that their diplomas will somehow be tainted by last year's events. Any employer with half a brain or grad school knows what happened has nothing to do with the students, or the univeristy for that matter.

Agreed, but brand is more than employer and grad school decisions. It also impacts student interest. We know lots of kids who just didn’t feel like dealing with the PSU debacle and didn’t apply. My brother went to PSU (long before the JoPa mess went down) and he definitely hears the “ped state” thing from time to time. It sucks for him. I don’t think UVA is to blame but if good prospectives are turned off by this situation then the school is impacted. Obviously OP’s question is absurdly worded.

I actually think the one year was generally positive for the city. It could’ve been a far uglier scene.

Penn State administration covered up pedophile activities in the university’s football program.

UVA has nothing to do with what happened in Charlottesville. There is a difference. And that is why concerns over the “brand” is really people looking for reasons to be offended and outside a for few angry people very few people have had their impressions of UVA affected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forever or critically, of course not. But there is a sliming by association and I’m sure the vast majority of people who have any connection to UVA are hoping for a constructive, lasting resolution. It’s never a great thing for your college or its town to be all over the news sharing sentences with “Nazi”, “alt-right”, “protest”, “state of emergency”, “riot police”, “Confederate”, etc.

I have two sons at UVA right now. While we find what happened in Charlottesville last year terrible, none of are concerned that their diplomas will somehow be tainted by last year's events. Any employer with half a brain or grad school knows what happened has nothing to do with the students, or the univeristy for that matter.

Agreed, but brand is more than employer and grad school decisions. It also impacts student interest. We know lots of kids who just didn’t feel like dealing with the PSU debacle and didn’t apply. My brother went to PSU (long before the JoPa mess went down) and he definitely hears the “ped state” thing from time to time. It sucks for him. I don’t think UVA is to blame but if good prospectives are turned off by this situation then the school is impacted. Obviously OP’s question is absurdly worded.

I actually think the one year was generally positive for the city. It could’ve been a far uglier scene.

Penn State administration covered up pedophile activities in the university’s football program.

UVA has nothing to do with what happened in Charlottesville. There is a difference. And that is why concerns over the “brand” is really people looking for reasons to be offended and outside a for few angry people very few people have had their impressions of UVA affected.

Yep, different. And yet my family in California now knows what Charlottesville is and they never did before. Not a great look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forever or critically, of course not. But there is a sliming by association and I’m sure the vast majority of people who have any connection to UVA are hoping for a constructive, lasting resolution. It’s never a great thing for your college or its town to be all over the news sharing sentences with “Nazi”, “alt-right”, “protest”, “state of emergency”, “riot police”, “Confederate”, etc.

I have two sons at UVA right now. While we find what happened in Charlottesville last year terrible, none of are concerned that their diplomas will somehow be tainted by last year's events. Any employer with half a brain or grad school knows what happened has nothing to do with the students, or the univeristy for that matter.

Agreed, but brand is more than employer and grad school decisions. It also impacts student interest. We know lots of kids who just didn’t feel like dealing with the PSU debacle and didn’t apply. My brother went to PSU (long before the JoPa mess went down) and he definitely hears the “ped state” thing from time to time. It sucks for him. I don’t think UVA is to blame but if good prospectives are turned off by this situation then the school is impacted. Obviously OP’s question is absurdly worded.

I actually think the one year was generally positive for the city. It could’ve been a far uglier scene.

Penn State administration covered up pedophile activities in the university’s football program.

UVA has nothing to do with what happened in Charlottesville. There is a difference. And that is why concerns over the “brand” is really people looking for reasons to be offended and outside a for few angry people very few people have had their impressions of UVA affected.

Yep, different. And yet my family in California now knows what Charlottesville is and they never did before. Not a great look.

There may be differences, but those usually get lost in the noise. And even the new Charlottesville mayor uses it to paint an unfavorable picture of UVA because of the two white graduate organizers. People are going to exploit, no matter whether it is justified or not. My point earlier was sooner or later any institution is going to have something unfortunate happen, but most seem to make it through OK, even Penn State.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly is UVA supposed to do? Ban non affiliated people from assembling on non university grounds?

The tiki torch rally was non-affiliated people on UVA grounds. I think the issue the university was not really ready for it, but I doubt that any Virginia college or small city would have been. That was probably one of the reasons the organizers chose that location, along with visual effect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent here who posted yesterday about my Black junior son. The bottom-line for him, and the bottom-line line for us, is that he doesn't feel that he will feel safe or fully included and welcome at UVA. If we had no other choice, my advice to him would be to do what a previous posters's daughter does and avoid parts of campus. But he has other choices, beginning with William & Mary, which is academically just as good, if not better. Particularly when UVA is supported by our tax dollars, it should be doing a much better job of cleaning up its act and making sure that all Virginians feel welcome and fully included in its educational programs.

Exactly

William and Mary scored very high in race relations in the recent Princeton Review rankings based on survey data. I'm not really sure what, if anything, they do different than UVA, though.

[Anonymous]

Someone already mentioned this and I agree with it, that UVA always had a reputation for being very white, fratty, & preppy that turned off a lot of kids. Yes, it is very sought after in VA because it is cheap & a good school. But I personally know countless high performing kids at dc's HS who opted for other schools (either to go to or as safeties) because they were turned off by this. I know kids who went onto top 10 schools who had applied to Va Tech or WM as safety over UVA. Unfortunately, this negative publicity fits in perfectly with the image that UVA already has just reinforcing this image. I don't think this necessarily affects UVA in terms of the instate students they will get, but I think it dramatically affects the out of state students that might apply. Out of state students have so many more options because they have to pay such a higher tuition & because they have to meet higher academic standards. Those high performing kids who can pay out of state tuition are likely to be able to go just about anywhere they want. Why would they choose UVA? Unless maybe you're coming from a southern state and want that kind of atmosphere. Like Vanderbilt where so many of their students are from TX, FL and midwest.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a little “southern frat boy culture,” whatever that means, might be good for some of you over sensitive trolls stuck in your NOVA culture sphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone already mentioned this and I agree with it, that UVA always had a reputation for being very white, fratty, & preppy that turned off a lot of kids. Yes, it is very sought after in VA because it is cheap & a good school. But I personally know countless high performing kids at dc's HS who opted for other schools (either to go to or as safeties) because they were turned off by this. I know kids who went onto top 10 schools who had applied to Va Tech or WM as safety over UVA. Unfortunately, this negative publicity fits in perfectly with the image that UVA already has just reinforcing this image. I don't think this necessarily affects UVA in terms of the instate students they will get, but I think it dramatically affects the out of state students that might apply. Out of state students have so many more options because they have to pay such a higher tuition & because they have to meet higher academic standards. Those high performing kids who can pay out of state tuition are likely to be able to go just about anywhere they want. Why would they choose UVA? Unless maybe you're coming from a southern state and want that kind of atmosphere. Like Vanderbilt where so many of their students are from TX, FL and midwest.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone already mentioned this and I agree with it, that UVA always had a reputation for being very white, fratty, & preppy that turned off a lot of kids. Yes, it is very sought after in VA because it is cheap & a good school. But I personally know countless high performing kids at dc's HS who opted for other schools (either to go to or as safeties) because they were turned off by this. I know kids who went onto top 10 schools who had applied to Va Tech or WM as safety over UVA. Unfortunately, this negative publicity fits in perfectly with the image that UVA already has just reinforcing this image. I don't think this necessarily affects UVA in terms of the instate students they will get, but I think it dramatically affects the out of state students that might apply. Out of state students have so many more options because they have to pay such a higher tuition & because they have to meet higher academic standards. Those high performing kids who can pay out of state tuition are likely to be able to go just about anywhere they want. Why would they choose UVA? Unless maybe you're coming from a southern state and want that kind of atmosphere. Like Vanderbilt where so many of their students are from TX, FL and midwest.

+1

Another +1.

But I don't think that UVA has the determination or stamina to rid itself of it good ol' boy prepster image. In fact, those who run the place were products of that climate and are happy with the way things are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly is UVA supposed to do? Ban non affiliated people from assembling on non university grounds?

The tiki torch rally was non-affiliated people on UVA grounds. I think the issue the university was not really ready for it, but I doubt that any Virginia college or small city would have been. That was probably one of the reasons the organizers chose that location, along with visual effect.[/quote]


This is correct. I was there that day and evening. Teresa Sullivan had no idea the protesters (alums or not) were going to march on the PUBLIC university grounds. She and Board and lawyers had been informed about the protest in the town only. The town had issued a permit. Nevertheless, Sullivan issued letters to all parents (no students were on campus yet), students' emails, faculty and staff email warning of the protest and suggesting that everyone steer clear of the protest area if in the town. I was even in the mall nearest the campus and didn't notice a single abnormality in late afternoon - certainly no rash of tiki torch sales at the Bed Bath & Beyond. It simply wasn't known that the alt-righters planned to march the evening before on campus. I think the school did what it could under very difficult circumstances. Sullivan was told by the Governor that UVA is a public university so campus police could do nothing. Charlottesville was not prepared for what happened, the police were not prepared (remember the two cops who also died the next day); the Governor of Va certainly was not prepared. UVA had nothing to do with the protest and I think most people understand that. Nevertheless, the University has taken many steps both to make the campus as welcoming as it can to black students (including the new memorial for slaves who helped build the university) and MANY security precautions taken for this last weekend. I can post those lists but sense that there are bigots here who don't want to hear good things about the University which is a shame. Sometimes it is just easier to wallow in ignorance and be critical rather than actually go and visit the University and walk the mall in Charlottesville and realize what good there is there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me, the lacrosse murder and then the Rolling Stone article were strike one and two with strike 3 being the neo nazi march. I don't think that makes me oversensitive.

To the PP who suggests the AA female student attend GMU instead, academically GMU might not be the right fit.

You do realize the Rolling Stone article was false? That Rolling Stone had to pay damages to UVA for that piece? UVA, as an institution, had nothing to do with the alt.right march. UVA didn't even know they were going to march there the night before the permit-allowed protest in Charlottesville.

As to the "lacrosse murder" I think you are confusing it with the Duke Lacrosse case. Please read here as to the 9 year old story of what actually happened, which could happen on any campus in the world. Huguely did not intend to kill his girlfriend. Alcohol was involved. Lacrosse was not. https://www.today.com/news/george-huguely-s-mother-speaks-out-first-time-death-yeardley-t107308

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me, the lacrosse murder and then the Rolling Stone article were strike one and two with strike 3 being the neo nazi march. I don't think that makes me oversensitive.

To the PP who suggests the AA female student attend GMU instead, academically GMU might not be the right fit.

You do realize the Rolling Stone article was false? That Rolling Stone had to pay damages to UVA for that piece? UVA, as an institution, had nothing to do with the alt.right march. UVA didn't even know they were going to march there the night before the permit-allowed protest in Charlottesville.




As to the "lacrosse murder" I think you are confusing it with the Duke Lacrosse case. Please read here as to the 9 year old story of what actually happened, which could happen on any campus in the world. Huguely did not intend to kill his girlfriend. Alcohol was involved. Lacrosse was not. https://www.today.com/news/george-huguely-s-mother-speaks-out-first-time-death-yeardley-t107308

I guess it's easy for PP to mix up which southern fratboy is murdering or raping which classmate. Might have been thinking of UVA sophomore fratboy Steven Dalton Baril, who was arrested for raping a classmate he meet at a campus bar.

[Anonymous]

This is correct. I was there that day and evening. Teresa Sullivan had no idea the protesters (alums or not) were going to march on the PUBLIC university grounds. She and Board and lawyers had been informed about the protest in the town only. The town had issued a permit. Nevertheless, Sullivan issued letters to all parents (no students were on campus yet), students' emails, faculty and staff email warning of the protest and suggesting that everyone steer clear of the protest area if in the town. I was even in the mall nearest the campus and didn't notice a single abnormality in late afternoon - certainly no rash of tiki torch sales at the Bed Bath & Beyond. It simply wasn't known that the alt-righters planned to march the evening before on campus. I think the school did what it could under very difficult circumstances. Sullivan was told by the Governor that UVA is a public university so campus police could do nothing. Charlottesville was not prepared for what happened, the police were not prepared (remember the two cops who also died the next day); the Governor of Va certainly was not prepared. UVA had nothing to do with the protest and I think most people understand that. Nevertheless, the University has taken many steps both to make the campus as welcoming as it can to black students (including the new memorial for slaves who helped build the university) and MANY security precautions taken for this last weekend. I can post those lists but sense that there are bigots here who don't want to hear good things about the University which is a shame. Sometimes it is just easier to wallow in ignorance and be critical rather than actually go and visit the University and walk the mall in Charlottesville and realize what good there is there.

May I suggest you break up a long paragraph like this in the future? You certainly have a lot to say.