Up at the University of Virginia, 99 percent of students have laptops.

Thus, why have public computers? 

That's the thought process behind a gradual phasing-out of the public stations. 

There's more to it, of course. As the Chronicle of Higher Education reports here, Virginia will save some money by closing those computer labs.

Okay. This public university rivalry stuff is officially out of hand.

You may recall last week I wrote about a "flash" dance party some innovative UNC Chapel Hill students put together to break up the monotony of finals week. Yes, 700 students dancing to techno music in the middle of the library at midnight.

Click here to view that video and read an interview with one of the students who organized it.

So, the plot thickens. Up at the University of Virginia, someone was clearly inspired by UNC's goofy youtube stunt. Imitation, as they say, is the finest form of flattery. If you watch the video to the end, you'll see that the organizers actually credit UNC for the idea.

Enjoy.

I love a good online petition story, so here's another one.

Up at the University of Virginia, some enterprising students have come up with this genius idea: time off to vote on Election Day.

Crazy, you say? Well, an online petition there has more than 2,700 signatures and this very convincing plea:

 "By expressing an understanding of the students' desire to part take in this election, the administration and faculty of UVA will be sending a message indicating the significance of students' actively participating in the electoral process. We do not wish to undermine the importance of attending classes; however, we are in fact acknowledging through formal means the necessity of requesting leniency towards students missing attending classes in the name of our civic duties."

I'm no expert in the electoral processes of county voting boards in Virginia, but here in North Carolina, voting seems pretty easy to me. There's the early voting option, going on now. Many campuses have polling sites for students, and for those who vote off campus, student governments often arrange free shuttle to and from the polls.

And I suppose public university students, particularly those that draw heavily from their own communities, may have a better argument than private colleges who students come from all over.

"I don't know how successful having a day off would be," said Jordan Giordano, Duke's student body president and a native of New Jersey. "So many students here are registered at home or vote early."

There is no campus push similar to the one going on at UVA at either Duke or UNC Chapel Hill. 

There is some Virginia precedent for the UVA idea. At the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, classes are cancelled on Election Day.  

Election Day is Nov. 4.