For many students at the University of Virginia, the start of a new school year will bring to mind the violent death of lacrosse player Yeardley Love. She was beaten to death in May, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend and fellow student and lacrosse player George Huguely. The death stunned the community and raised questions about violence and campus safety.
The president of the university has called for a day of discussion in September to address those issues. In a letter to the university community, Teresa A. Sullivan wrote, "After the news of Yeardley Love's death reached me in Ann Arbor last May, I began to think ahead to joining the University of Virginia community and about what we as a community could learn from this horrific event and how we might begin to identify the characteristics of a caring community, one whose members recognize their mutual responsibility for each other."
With the start of a new academic year, it's important to continue the conversation that began in the wake of Love's death, Sullivan said. She hopes a full day of vigorous discussion about violence prevention and campus safety "will bring the us together in new ways so that each of us can feel safe to participate fully in the life of the university."
The Day of Dialogue has been scheduled for Sept. 24. Plenary sessions, keynote speakers and other concurrent discussions have been planned for the day. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.
