This passage, while subtle, seems to accurately sum up the authors' primary motivation in writing this document and in establishing the ideal public institution of higher learning. The authors intended to teach the UVA student the principles of independence and the virtues of knowledge and morality that they may go forth to be contributing leaders in society. In other words, it seems as though every direction the authors make in the document is addressing how to best form these leaders during their time at the University. UVA demonstrates remains very dedicated today to developing these leaders "on whom...individual happiness [is] so much to depend." One example of this is the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy that was founded in 2007 to instruct the University's students in the skills needed to lead in local, national, and global communities alike.

Currently, only UVA first years are required to live in dormitories. Yet, this seems surprising to me given that the authors of the Rockfish Gap Report clearly intended for lodging to be a foundational part of the University. The UVA community seems to embrace every part of the school by decking out in orange and blue, abiding by the quirky, traditional lingo, etc. However, with each fall semester comes the infamous race of the first year class to secure an apartment and roommates off grounds before they've even had a chance to adjust to college. Though on-grounds housing is offered, I wonder why UVA doesn't make more of an effort to harmonize its lodging with the rest of the school spirit; to make living on-grounds as cherished as the Good Old Song or calling a sophomore a "second year." This would seem to make lodging a central part of the University's wholesome approach to education as the author's initially intended.

It is particularly noteworthy that the authors thought to use Anglo Saxon to teach about the development of language over time. Since this was the language spoken by most of the prospective students, tracking its changing history would provide an engaging demonstration of the dynamic nature of language. In other words, by using Anglo Saxon, students would be able to identity their own contemporary role in the timeline of an always developing language. Having this knowledge, students would (perhaps unconsciously) attain an understanding of how all art, not just language, can change meaning over time. This could help students in time grasp the developments occurring to their university which is, in many ways, a work of art in itself.

-Joe S.

I believe this sentence very accurately characterizes the intentions and the foundations of the New College Curriculum; The New College seeks to provide students with a core knowledge of the arts (especially how they are applied in our society) that can be further strengthened and complemented in studies of math and science should students so choose in the future. This sort of foundation, outlined in both the document and the mission of the New Curriculum, is important because it can allow students to examine a wide range of academic fields before studying concrete methods of applying those fields practically. Since I am taking the Art: Inside/Out Engagement, I also sought to interpret this sentence in taking "arts" literally to mean art in its various expressive forms. In this way, this sentence helps develop the important concept that art and maths/sciences in no way exist in conflict with each other; while many believe these two subjects to be on opposite sides of an academic spectrum, this section of the Rockfish Gap Report helps to remind that art and science can freely interact and engage with each other to work for the benefit of both.