Tag: Walter Smith
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The New Racial Calculus in UVa Admissions
by Walter Smith and James A. Bacon On March 20, 2022, The Cavalier Daily student newspaper trumpeted the fact that the University of Virginia set a record low acceptance rate, offering slots to only 9,534 applicants, or 19% of the nearly 51,000 total. Of particular note, 52% of the offers went to “students of color”…
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Who Holds the UVa Alumni Association Accountable?
by Walter Smith Who owns the University of Virginia? The answer is clear: as an agency of the state government, UVa is owned by the citizens of Virginia. The governor appoints the members of its governing board, the General Assembly allots a significant percentage of its budget, and, although it has been granted considerable autonomy,…
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UVa, Defend Your Women!
Letter to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors from Walter Smith. Now that International Transgender Day of Visibility is behind us, it is safe to discuss your lack of visibility in the matter regarding UVa student Emma Weyant, who, in the world where reality and truth are valued, is the true women’s NCAA 500…
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Asleep at the Wheel
Letter to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors from Walter Smith. Ladies and Gentlemen: I expect you will ignore me, as usual, but, for purposes of establishing a record when the time for your contextualization comes, I must document your many failures and refusal to do your fiduciary duties, because I believe, if you…
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How Wokism Is Destroying UVa and Charlottesville
by Walter Smith A few months ago, Jim Bacon wrote an article asking, What’s the Matter with Charlottesville? My answer: UVa. Charlottesville used to be the proverbial sleepy, college town in a beautiful setting, blessed by a rich history centered around a giant of the Western world. The University of Virginia stuck to educating students…
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Undocumented Aliens vs. Undocumented Vaccinations
by Walter Smith Prior to the fall 2021 semester, the University of Virginia disenrolled 238 students, including 49 who had already registered for classes. What was their offense? Take a guess. Entering and residing in the country illegally, or Refusing to get COVID vaccinated in violation of a university policy that has since been overturned.…
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UVa Free Speech Committee Could Use Some Transparency
by Walter Smith In February of 2021 University of Virginia President Jim Ryan appointed a committee to articulate the university’s commitment to free speech and free inquiry. With great fanfare, the Board of Visitors “unequivocally” endorsed the tepid, politically correct statement on June 4, 2021. On June 7, 2021, I submitted a Freedom of Information Act…
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Emil Faber Weeps
by Walter Smith The statue of Emil Faber, founder of Faber College (of Animal House fame), bears a quote, “Knowledge is good.” The reigning philosophy at the University of Virginia, by contrast, seems to be, “Only some knowledge is good.” By way of introduction, let us note that the University of Virginia Alumni Association this…
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The Memory (Hole) Project
by Walter Smith “And when memory failed and written records were falsified—when that happened, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human life had got to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any standard against which it could be tested.” — George Orwell, “1984” Charlottesville…
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Does Jim Ryan Value Jefferson’s Legacy?
by Walter Smith University of Virginia President Jim Ryan has stated that, as long as he holds office, the Thomas Jefferson statue in front of the Rotunda will remain in place. UVa’s founder, he says, will not be de-memorialized. Talk is cheap. When given a golden opportunity to publicize Jefferson’s contribution to religious freedom —…
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Why Is UVa Hiding Its Campus Climate Survey Results?
by Walter Smith Jim Bacon recently posted an article urging Governor-elect Youngkin to take full advantage of his higher-ed Board of Visitors appointments if he wishes to remain true to the education reform momentum that played a big part in his election. Bacon’s bits (pun intentional!) on the Boards as political plums with a go-along-to-get-along…
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Hey, Show Some Respect!
by Walter Smith There is a new conservative meme loose in the land. It is profane and disrespectful, and it does nothing to elevate the civic discourse. But it gets the point across. It seems that crowds in football stadiums around the country have taken to chanting, “F— Joe Biden!” Hilariously, one sports commentator…
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Unequivocal Support for Free Speech… but Not Transparency
by Walter Smith To the tune of “Unforgettable”… Unequivocal you’re not at all Unequivocal nowhere this fall Like an empty phrase that runs from me How your illusion does things to me Never before has something been less Unequivocal in every way The University of Virginia formed the Free Expression and Free Inquiry Committee in…
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Side Effects? What Side Effects?
by Walter Smith Have you noticed that pharmacy ads on TV close with a long list of side effects and warn you to ask your doctor if BigPharma XYZ is right for you? How come there is no similar warning for COVID shots? You must be an anti-vaxxer, I imagine you are thinking right now.…
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UVa’s Bait and Switch
by Walter Smith The University of Virginia announced its COVID-19 vaccination mandate May 20. Unless students filed for a medical or religious exemption, they had to be vaccinated this fall. If they failed to comply, they would be subject to weekly testing. No mercy for COVID survivors who had developed natural immunities. On August 6th…