I looked this up, and while it directly translates to "beautiful letters" in French, it refers to a style of writing regarded as light and elegant.

I find it very interesting that business seemed to be the end goal for a college education. Today, students attend college for a variety of careers, but college was designed originally to provide citizens with the skills to run their own businesses. I think this reflects in how highly the commerce school is valued at UVA. It is an honor to be in the Comm School, and I think that shows in the initial creation of the university.