While so much of UVA's aims as a university has changed since this writing, I feel that the objectives (referred to in the document as "objects") remain today. These goals are essentially to transform the students into the best versions of themselves, both for themselves and their community, and I think UVA still does this today. The objectives taken in the context of the time of the writing, however, changes not so much the meaning of the objects, but the gross, cruel, senseless exclusivity of them, pertaining to only white men. As we have discussed in my class, Telling the Truth, the historical context can greatly alter the complete truth of something. I feel that these objects today are true as we read these differently from the writers of the RFGR, specifically we include all races and genders in the definition of words such as citizen and equal, and we see these groups as people with rights as well. While the objects have not changed themselves, their exclusivity has, so in that sense they remain as true to part of the schools basic principles and goals. -Drew Parks

I think all would agree that this kind of legislature, being implemented with the aim of promoting freedom and the equal rights of one another, is for the best, yet this idea holds a fair amount of hypocrisy in the time of this documents writing. As they set the foundations of UVA in the ideology of freedom and equality they simultaneously have slaves constructing the grounds. I also picked this quote because I thought it related to my current engagement class, Telling the Truth, where we analyze the interplay between the beauty of a medium of information and the truth. Metaphors comparing this legislature to "a sound spirit" evokes a wholesome mood, yet this beautiful writing in a way hides the deep flaws and hypocritical nature of this statement which claims to establish equality. -Drew Parks

Both science and language are integral parts of societal advancement, and more often than not, these concepts work together as language acts as a medium to share new information and ideas. Furthermore, I feel that by stating the commencement one must take to science from such a young age reflects the nature of true science. Good science will take years of dedication, with even more time to allow for revisions to theories. The RFG seems to support this idea of science as a slow but steady way of understanding the phenomena of the natural universe.

As communication has always played a key role in the scientific method, language truly does act as a vehicle to the future. Unfortunately, today the communication of science has its flaws due to the general public's lack of common access to scientific journals. University students presently have access to countless scholarly scientific sources as this document intended, yet the emphasis on the importance of communication of science suggests a more global goal. Thus, the university should do all it can to work with organizations such as the Center for Open Science in order to allow for a stronger bond between language and science in the community within and beyond UVa.