Esther I. Brown
dynamic, detail-oriented creativeC-VILLE Issue #18.07
Issue #18.07 :: 02/14/2006 – 02/20/2006
WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE THE WAHOOS?
UVA students trot the globe in record numbers
Here’s a way to deal with the shortage of housing on UVA’s campus—send those Wahoos abroad. Indeed, UVA students have been hitting the road in record numbers in recent years.
UVA Study Abroad Advisor Mary Jo Bateman says that while “in general, students don’t want to leave UVA,” around half of UVA’s 13,400 undergraduates do study abroad before graduating, primarily during the summer months. In fact, according to Open Doors, an annual report published by the Institute of International Education, UVA ranks 17th among research institutions in terms of undergraduate participation in study abroad.
Bateman says Italy continues to be a popular destination for students, and that while Florence and Rome remain favorites, cities like Sienna are becoming increasingly popular, particularly with the rise of programs where students can take classes in English. These programs allow students to study subjects other than language, Bateman says.
Many students also opt to travel to English-speaking countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom. At the same time, language study continues to be the most popular type of program, with many students traveling to France and Spain. Asian countries are also increasing in popularity.
When asked about study abroad trends post-9/11, Bateman says she believes that “if anything, there has generally been an increase” in the number of UVA students going abroad. Bateman is right—in the past four years, the number has doubled.
The increase is partly due to a newly endowed $3,000 study abroad scholarship created from Continental Tire Bowl revenues. “I think we’ve got a terrific policy here at UVA,” Bateman says. “Students are able to take their financial aid with them and it is adjusted according to the cost of the program.”
The increase in study abroad at UVA is reflective of a larger national trend. According to Open Doors, even as international student enrollment in U.S. institutions continues to decline, “the number of American students studying abroad increased by 9.6 percent in 2003/04, building on the previous year’s 8.5 percent increase.”
—Esther Brown
LOCAL COURTS UNPREPARED FOR HISPANIC NEEDS
Family and friends often translate in court
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the nation’s Hispanic population grew 3.6 percent from 2003 to 2004, accounting for about half the nation’s total population growth of 2.9 million people. Locally, the 2000 Census pegs Albemarle’s Hispanic population at about 2,300 people, although that number has almost certainly grown since then.
Charlottesville Public Defender James Hingeley says the increasing number of Hispanics is putting a burden on the local courts.
“You really see this when a defendant appears for the first time and needs to be advised as to their right to counsel,” Hingeley says.
There are no Spanish-speaking public defenders in Charlottesville, and the shortage of interpreters often means that defendants must rely on their friends and relatives. Because the court has a duty to provide interpreters, in jury trials multi-ple interpreters often end up working in shifts.
Court interpreters must gain certification. Police, however, are not required to use certified interpreters. In cases where individuals have apparently waived their rights, Hingeley says experience has taught him to “have some question about whether or not they adequately understand the right to counsel,” which concerns him, because “once an interrogation is done, that’s it.”
—Esther Brown
