Monday, May 30, 2011

Prices of Rooms onGrounds

Housing FINALLY posted up the prices of different rooms on Grounds. The 2011-2012 prices reflect an increased price.

Option
# Bedrooms Occupancy 2010-11
Rate
2011-12
Rate
Comments
Bice House 2 Double $5100 $5330
3 Double $4980 $5200
Brown Residential College 2 Single $5430 $5670
Copeley Apartments 2 Double $5100 $5330
Faulkner Apartments 4 Single $5570 $5820
4 Single $6480 $6770 Large bedroom
Maison Française (French House) 1 Double $5070 $5300
1 Double $5220 $5450 Large bedroom
1 Single $5590 $5840
German House 2 Double $5100 $5330
3 Double $4980 $5200
Hereford Residential College 1 Double $4660 $4870
1 Single $4720 $4930
International Residential College 1 Single $5240 $5480 Munford and Gwathmey
1 Single $5480 $5730 Lewis and Hoxton
1 Single $5710 $5970 Lewis and Hoxton (private bath)
1 Double $4680 $4890 Munford and Gwathmey
1 Double $4830 $5050 Lewis and Hoxton (small)
1 Double $5070 $5300 Lewis and Hoxton
Johnson, Malone and Weedon 1 Double $4660 $4870
1 Single $4720 $4930
Lambeth Field Apartments 2 Double $5100 $5330
3 Double $4980 $5200
Lawn 1 Single $5240 $5480
1 Single $5110 $5340 Small, no fireplace
Russian House 1 Double $5050 $5280
1 Single $5500 $5750
Shea House 1 Double $5070 $5300
1 Single $5590 $5840
Casa Bolivar (Spanish House) 1 Double $5070 $5300
1 Single $5590 $5840
University of Virginia Foundation Properties
Off-Grounds Housing

A Hereford single is about 98.21 square feet and costs $4930. This means each square foot costs about $50.20, (vs. IRC Munford single $35.58, Lawn room with fireplace $31.64).

Random Fact: Did you know that UVA owns property? This includes Cavalier Inn, the gas station on the corner of Emmet St and Ivy Road, apartments and more!

Information from UVA Housing website: http://www.virginia.edu/housing/compare.php?type=upperclass.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

New layout!

With the end of classes and the nearing of Graduation (for some!), I thought it would be appropriate to have a new, fresh layout. Let me know if you like it! Leave a comment!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

"What I Wish My New Employee Knew" - Repost

The thing about hiring motivated, smart, creative young people is that motivated, smart, creative young people – while invaluable – can also be hard to manage sometimes.

I wish my new employee knew that we were genuinely psyched that they found us; that we were flattered by their interest and thrilled by their acceptance of our offer. (We tell them that, sure, but I worry it rings hollow sometimes.)

I wish my new employee knew that some clients are a-holes, and some clients are incredibly appreciative, but they must all be treated equally. That means that the level of effort can’t flag for the prickly client. That means that you shouldn’t use your water-cooler time to gossip or kvetch about the tough cases; it’s unhelpful and nothing good comes of it. (Along with this, it helps to know that the nice clients far outweigh the jerks, over time. Never let the turkeys get ya down.)

I wish my new employee knew that Quality Counts. A typo in an email might not seem like a big deal. But it doesn’t take long for the client to wonder if that sloppiness extends to the way the agency is cultivating their image to the outside world.

I wish my new employee knew that we absolutely and gladly fire clients who are truly abusive. We’re vigilant about this, but most new employees assume that the client is always right and stay quiet for too long.

I wish my new employee knew that when I say I’ve got an open-door policy, it means swing by anytime you have a question about anything. I don’t bite. It’s not hard for me to offer two cents: it’s my job. And I love my job.

I wish my new employee knew that the beginning part of a career is usually a slog. It’s not all Social Media fun & games, sorry. To be effective & accountable strategists, we need databases, research, detailed reports. That’s how everybody starts out, even the rockstars.

I wish my new employee knew that “eagerness is everything.” If you’re eager; if you’re leaning forward; motivated, I’ll lie on the train tracks for you. If you’ve got a dark cloud over your head, its shadow casts a pall over the entire office. That includes my office.

I wish my new employee knew that it’s all fun and games til you complain about working til 8 o’clock every night. Barring a huge project or crisis, we don’t want you working that late; it doesn’t impress us, it makes us question your efficiency. Following a string of late nights in our SF office, we began to require written permission from a manager if someone felt the need to work past 6:30pm. People began to leave on time. Productivity soared. So did morale.

I wish my new employee knew that it’s okay to screw-up sometimes. The sooner you tell your manager, the smaller the screw-up will look in retrospect. If you never fall down, how can you learn to pick yourself back up?

I could go on forever.

-Reposted from PR Squared

Thursday, May 12, 2011

UVA names Michael Strine new CFO

What? What does that have to do with undergraduates? Hmm pretty much nothing.

Unless you consider the fact that Strine as the CFO will take responsibility for UVA's $2.4 billion budget. He'll be in charge of the finances of the University, including its schools and divisions like the Library System. This meant big things when Sandridge was CFO but who knows what the position will entail now.

By the way, Teresa Sullivan is looking to usher in a "new era at the University." Strine is part of President Teresa Sullivan's new team-on-the-top, as the Chief Financial Officer search comes to a close and Chief Academic Officer (CAO) position is still underway. Strine says "being on her team is a great honor, and I look forward to the challenges ahead."

We get a hint of his views when he says, "I realized that in the modern era, universities are the important engines of economic development, providing for jobs, research and health care innovations, community building and, of course, education." Why is it that education is the last on that list? And why is economic development the first? What are his priorities?

He continues to say, "Higher education has the ability to affect public policy issues that touch all of our lives." Clearly his eyes are on public... something.

By looking at quotes from his interview, we can see a lot of key terms being thrown around. The largest are "education," "great," and "public." One of these days, I'd like to see the words "preposterous," "zeitgeist," and "irenic" be the top three words used.




Here is full UVA Today's press release. Also, here is UVA's Operating Budget.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Study Distractions

It is funny how during finals is when I find the best youtube videos and the funniest websites. Last year, I introduced you to sporcle. Well, this year, I bring you Damnyouautocrrect.com and quickmeme.com.

The first one makes me belly-laugh. There aren't that many funny things in the world that make me belly-laugh (sadly). The Greeks had a word for laughter of other people's misfortunes. (I don't remember what it is and I don't think it was sadism.) Anyway, that stuff gets me. It is Quiet Hours and I, being a RA, keep my door open even during finals time. Yet, it's often that I'm snorting in my room because of the hilarious misunderstandings.

The second one uses a part of my brain that isn't fried from all of this essay writing. It's creative, it's hilarious, and it keeps me sane. 'nuff said.