Marked by record-breaking weather, devastating tragedy, an ongoing construction boom, athletic and academic triumph, and a change in leadership, 2010 was a watershed year for the University of Virginia. A chronological look at some of the major events of 2010 follows.

JANUARY

The End of a Tradition
The beginning of 2010 marked the end of a 122-year-old University institution. Citing mounting debt and lack of student interest, the staff of Corks and Curls announced in January that publication of the yearbook would be indefinitely suspended. Read “Corks and Curls suspends publication” >

FEBRUARY

Let It Snow
Last winter’s 55 inches of snow set a Charlottesville record, but closed down the University for only one day, thanks to hard work by Facilities Management employees. Edward Howell, vice president and CEO of the Medical Center, described the efforts it took to keep his division’s doors open: “As of March 1, we have cleared nearly 2 million square feet of snow. That equates to approximately 45 acres of snow. Interestingly enough, you could have created 464,504,334 four-inch snowballs, which when laid side by side could have gone 1.18 times around the earth.” Looking back at the “snowpocalypse” >

APRIL

Ongoing Budget Challenges
The Board of Visitors announced that tuition and required fees for in-state UVA undergraduates would increase by $956 for the 2010-11 academic year, bringing the annual total to $10,628, and out-of-state undergraduate tuition and required fees would increase by $1,902 to $33,574. The increases were spurred by dwindling state support, which has fallen from $12,011 per in-state student a decade ago to $8,601 for the current academic year.

“The University’s appropriation from the state general fund has been cut four times since 2007-08, by a total of $36.8 million,” said Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Another cut is expected in 2011-12, running the four-year total of state cuts to more than $50 million. Read more about the University’s budget challenges >

MAY

Tragedy Strikes
The tragic death of a student rocked the University community and attracted extensive attention from national media. On May 3, fourth-year student and member of the women’s lacrosse team Yeardley Love was the victim of an apparent homicide in her Charlottesville apartment. George Huguely, a fourth-year student and men’s lacrosse team member at the time of the incident, was charged with first-degree murder. 

When students returned for the fall semester, more than 1,500 members of the University community participated in a Day of Dialogue hosted by President Teresa Sullivan. She said she hoped that the event would give “voice to our mourning and grief for the suffering and death that have occurred here in Charlottesville, and that continues to occur in every corner of the world.” Read more about Yeardley Love and the candlelit vigil in her honor, learn ways to get help and keep safe at the University, and find out more about the Day of Dialogue.

Rowing National Championship
The No. 1-ranked women’s rowing team captured the program’s first national title with a victory in the 2010 NCAA Rowing Championship. The team’s victory gave Virginia its 20th team national championship in school history, and the second for the 2009-10 academic year (men’s soccer won the 2009 NCAA Championship in December). Read more on virginiasports.com >

JULY

Casteen Retires
After 20 years as UVA’s president, John T. Casteen III (Col ’65, Grad ’66, ’70) retired after leading the University to a far different place than when he took over in 1990. “In virtually every category, we are in a much better place than we were 20 years ago. Just look at the number of new buildings and programs, the increase in the faculty’s quality, and the dramatic rise in students’ qualifications and diversity,” says politics professor Larry J. Sabato (Col ’74). Read Virginia Magazine’s feature article on the career of President Casteen, “The Builder” >

AUGUST

Sullivan Takes Over
After serving as provost and executive vice president of academic affairs at the University of Michigan, Teresa A. Sullivan became the University of Virginia’s eighth president on August 1. “She knows this business extremely well,” says Leonard Sandridge, UVA’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “I have seen her in action, and she’s the real thing.” Read about how the new president hit the Grounds running >

SEPTEMBER

Mike London Era Begins
On Sept. 4, Mike London began his tenure as Virginia’s head football coach with a 34-13 win over the University of Richmond, the school he led to a national championship in 2008. London’s Cavaliers finished the year 4-8, but his solid recruiting efforts (ESPN ranks his class No. 21 in the country) are giving fans hope for brighter times ahead. Read more about Mike London and a Q&A with the coach.

One Brick at a Time
The ongoing construction of the University’s most significant expansion since the 1970s continues, but students were able to enjoy several newly completed building at the start of the fall semester, including the South Lawn Project, Bavaro Hall and the Claude Moore Medical Education Building. Read a field guide to the new buildings at UVA >

Rotunda Renovation in the Works
The Board of Visitors approved a $22.9 million plan to renovate and repair the Rotunda. It will be the first major work on the Rotunda since the mid-1970s restoration, and includes replacing the roof and restoring the capitals on the building’s columns. “The dome roof on the Rotunda is metal and 35 years old,” says David Neuman, architect for the University. “It has gone well beyond its life expectancy.” Read more on the costly renovation >

NOVEMBER

Another Rhodes Scholar
Laura Nelson, a fourth-year political and social thought major, became the University’s 47th student to win a Rhodes Scholarship since the program was created in 1902. “I didn’t really expect it to happen and I think I am still in a state of shock,” says Nelson, currently a Jefferson Scholar. “I’ve always had a dream of studying literature at Oxford.” Read more >

DECEMBER

A Decade of Lights
Now a favorite holiday tradition at UVA, the Lighting of the Lawn celebrated its tenth anniversary in December. This year’s festivities included performances by nearly 20 student groups, receptions in many Lawn rooms and pavilions, and the reading of the class poem. See members of the UVA community share holiday wishes at the Lighting of the Lawn >