With a turbulent start to the school year, the University of Virginia undoubtedly looks a little different than it did last spring. Although outgoing President Teresa Sullivan and the UVA administration were criticized for not doing more to protect members of the university community from last summer’s white supremacist torch-lit march, the events of August 11 and 12 have served as a catalyst for some policy changes, including requiring non-UVA-affiliated speakers to register before being allowed on Grounds.
Already in existence at UVA were several groups that serve as safe spaces for students, including the Sustained Dialogue Club and the expanding Brody Jewish Center. But Jefferson’s tenet that learning never stops has perhaps never been more clear, as the university continues to identify solutions for issues as they arise, such as constructing new student housing on Grounds to offset the number of students flooding the local market.
Some Lawn residents we spoke with, who saw their school make national headlines repeatedly in the last four years, say their time spent at UVA is impactful on many levels. The good that came out of tragic events, they say, includes meaningful conversations centered on creating change and an unbreakable bond. “[The events] taught me the value of student leadership and made me believe in the healing power of a community that comes together,” says fourth-year Maeve Curtin.