For more details and the full text of the report, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Written by David Timberline<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Core values of \u201cempathy, humility and gratitude\u201d are fundamental to the program\u2019s human-centered approach to civil rights. In its first comprehensive annual report published this week, VCU\u2019s Equity and Access Services (EAS) office outlines a human-centered approach to creating a more inclusive, equitable and fair learning, living and working environment at VCU. EAS serves as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1245,"featured_media":26,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[24,2,5,25],"class_list":["post-25","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-annual-report","tag-eas","tag-equity-and-access-services","tag-fy22"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":21,"date":"2023-01-20T18:35:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T18:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/?p=21"},"modified":"2025-07-18T18:36:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T18:36:40","slug":"eas-vcu-top-accessibility-urban-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/2023\/01\/20\/eas-vcu-top-accessibility-urban-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"Equity and Access Services leads the charge in making VCU a top accessibility urban campus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n VCU\u2019s integration within the City of Richmond poses unique accessibility challenges. The university\u2019s inaugural chief accessibility officer will help address those challenges, improving the landscape of both VCU campus and Richmond in the process.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not many public universities in the nation have a chief accessibility officer. Virginia Commonwealth University counts itself among the select few that does have one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Katy Washington, J.D., Ph.D., is VCU\u2019s inaugural chief accessibility officer, a role housed within Equity and Access Services<\/a> (EAS). Washington is also president of the Association on Higher Education and Disability<\/a> (AHEAD) and brings 18 years of experience working in disability services. In her role, Washington will provide expertise and be an advocate for accessibility at VCU. The chief accessibility officer will report to the associate vice president of institutional equity in the Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success<\/a>, Cleopatra Magwaro, and have a dotted line to the vice president for administration, Meredith Weiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Magwaro stated, \u201cThis new role is pivotal to VCU\u2019s goal of becoming a top accessibility urban campus. While some universities are built from the ground up within college towns, VCU is integrated throughout the City of Richmond, seamlessly.\u201d Our campus sprawls across the region, creating what Magwaro calls \u201ca truly borderless community,\u201d that only continues to grow. This makes VCU an exciting place to learn and live, but also poses distinct accessibility challenges. For instance, constructing every new building from scratch isn\u2019t an option. With new buildings, people can actively plan for accessibility needs such as elevators, bathrooms and classrooms. VCU, being an urban campus, often has to purchase older buildings, which can be much more difficult to renovate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU needs to have greater collaborations throughout the entire enterprise in order for us to transform lives through human-centered practices. The chief accessibility officer is going to help us champion that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cleo Magwaro, associate vice president of institutional equity<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe new chief accessibility officer is working through BenchmarkABILITY\u2122, a Cornell University self-assessment tool on leading practices that promote disability inclusive spaces, that VCU launched in 2021,\u201d says Magwaro, who served as interim ADA and accessibility coordinator for a year before the chief accessibility officer role was filled. \u201cWe need accessibility maps, lactation rooms, gender inclusive spaces as well as meditation wellness spaces\u2013to name a few. VCU needs to have greater collaborations throughout the entire enterprise in order for us to transform lives through human-centered practices. The chief accessibility officer is going to help us champion that,\u201d Magwaro says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those collaborations will include specialists from a number of different fields, including IT, Facilities Management, real estate and planning and design architects, just to name a few. An integral part of Washington\u2019s role will be to help facilitate those collaborations and educate university leaders and partners on what accessibility is and how to sustainably achieve it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding the language of accessibility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n \u201cAccessibility is a word that sounds complicated,\u201d Washington says. \u201cBecause it sounds complicated, it doesn\u2019t have dimension, so it\u2019s easy for people to say they don\u2019t understand what it is or how to do it. It\u2019s important to develop an understanding around the language of accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Madeline Doane, a recent VCU grad, knows this well. During their sophomore year at VCU, Doane broke both of their feet, becoming temporarily physically disabled. Suddenly, VCU\u2019s urban campus became treacherous for them to navigate, especially while using a motorized scooter to cross busy Richmond streets. Once, she got stuck in a campus bathroom stall for nearly half an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause I hadn\u2019t really come to terms with the fact that I had physical disabilities, I didn\u2019t feel like I could be in spaces with people with permanent disabilities. I just felt really alone and that all of these things I was experiencing were my fault or were character flaws,\u201d says Doane. Many people feel this way precisely because there aren\u2019t enough large-scale conversations happening about accessibility. It\u2019s often said that anyone can become a person with disabilities at any time. When we don\u2019t have those important conversations and learn the common language of accessibility, as Washington puts it, we do a disservice to both people with disabilities and to ourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWithout having an understanding of what being disabled can mean or look like, it led to a lot of self-sabotaging and not knowing how or where to ask for help,\u201d Doane explains. \u201cSo I think increased visibility is super important as well as acknowledging that there are spaces whether physically or otherwise that aren\u2019t accessible, and I think that awareness component is really important. As an alum, the work being done in the Equity and Access Services office resonates with me, and I imagine that folks currently at VCU or considering going to VCU will be happy to hear that these projects are underway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accommodations don\u2019t have to be expensive<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Glynis Boyd Hughes, a VCU alum, faced a myriad of challenges as a nontraditional student. As an adult student with an overnight job, it was difficult for her to submit assignments on the same schedule as her younger peers, and she didn\u2019t feel like the resources were in place for her to advocate for herself. Hughes also observed people close to her having difficulties receiving physical accommodations, even with the proper medical documentation. She shares a story about a friend who cannot take in-person classes at VCU because their size prohibits them from using the provided desks and chairs, and that the friend must take virtual classes instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope we start talking about disabilities not as a hindrance, but as an identity,\u201d says Hughes. \u201cI have a lot of faith in VCU, I think that VCU does great things, I do. No one\u2019s perfect and I am a VCU fan. And because I\u2019m a fan, I want us to have these conversations\u2026No matter who you are at VCU, you deserve to have a positive experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We want VCU to be the university that people look to for examples of how accessibility should work on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Katy Washington, J.D., Ph.D., VCU\u2019s inaugural chief accessibility officer<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n While building renovations are essential for accessibility, physical accommodations don\u2019t have to be expensive. An important and often life-changing accommodation comes at nearly no cost: the ability to work remotely. Katie Cappuccio, a financial specialist for the Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success and a member of VCU Staff Senate<\/a>\u2018s Accessibility and Inclusivity Working Group<\/a>, can attest to this. Cappuccio, who has several autoimmune conditions, worked in-person prior to the pandemic. Between missing work for surgeries and commuting to campus to sit while working all day, she lived\u2013and sometimes suffered\u2013with chronic pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPost-pandemic I moved to a different department on the Monroe Park Campus in which the job is permanently remote and it has truly changed my quality of life,\u201d says Cappuccio. \u201dI can say with 100% confidence that I am a better employee working from home to deal with several autoimmune conditions as opposed to getting myself together to do the same job on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ian Kunkes, director of the VCU Office of Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity<\/a> stated, \u201cWe are already looked at as a national standard for the provision of disability-related services and support for our students. I am confident that Katy\u2019s arrival at the university will help further these efforts and elevate the conversation at a national level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want VCU to be the university that people look to for examples of how accessibility should work on campus,\u201d Washington says. Making that a reality will truly require an enterprise-wide effort. There\u2019s work to go around, from demystifying accessibility as a concept, to educating people on what accessibility means and how to advocate for it, to actually building the infrastructure that allows everybody to thrive, including neurodivergent people and people with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe work is bigger than EAS,\u201d Washington says. \u201cI am humbled by this opportunity and I\u2019m really excited to see what we can do on this campus.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" VCU\u2019s integration within the City of Richmond poses unique accessibility challenges. The university\u2019s inaugural chief accessibility officer will help address those challenges, improving the landscape of both VCU campus and Richmond in the process. Not many public universities in the nation have a chief accessibility officer. Virginia Commonwealth University counts itself among the select few […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1245,"featured_media":23,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[22,23,2,5],"class_list":["post-21","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-accessibility","tag-accommodations","tag-eas","tag-equity-and-access-services"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":15,"date":"2022-12-02T19:11:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T19:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/?p=15"},"modified":"2025-07-14T19:13:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T19:13:31","slug":"lactation-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/2022\/12\/02\/lactation-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Lactation policy helps support parents in the VCU community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n New policy and lactation room reviews are latest additions to resources Equity and Access Services offers to support pregnancy and parenthood<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The work of one student can have a profound impact on a campus. While the development and implementation of the new campus-wide lactation policy has involved dozens of people, it started with Kirsten Olsen, a former master\u2019s degree student in VCU\u2019s School of Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKirsten approached Karah Gunther, VCU\u2019s vice president of external affairs and health policy, with information on the lactation policy that VCU Health<\/a> had implemented,\u201d explains Cleopatra Magwaro, the associate vice president of institutional equity within the Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success. \u201cMy office took it on as an accessibility and equity project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lactation space in Snead Hall. A map of campus lactation rooms can be found\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Magwaro created a working group of 28 people that included VCU and VCU Health System medical doctors, nurses, social workers, students and other faculty and staff, several who had assisted in similar projects on a national level. While one committee within the group worked on drafting a lactation policy, other committees were in charge of reviewing the physical lactation spaces on campus and communicating the details of the policy to the campus community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unanimously passed last month, the new policy<\/a> provides guidelines that support both employees and students who need lactation space while on campus. It requires that spaces other than restrooms be designated or designed to allow lactating individuals to express milk in a private, comfortable setting. The policy is featured on a new page on the Equity and Access Services (EAS) website that includes a comprehensive list of resources in support of Pregnancy, Parenthood and Lactation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Magwaro says the need for accessible lactation spaces quickly came to the forefront. \u201cWe heard directly from students about how they use current lactation spaces and one of them detailed how she\u2019s carrying two sets of bags every day: one with lactation equipment and one with what she needs for her studies,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the building where most of her classes are, student life mostly happens on the 6th and 7th floors but the lactation spaces are in the basement,\u201d Magwaro says. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t really feel like belonging in the way that we espouse it here at VCU.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We don\u2019t know of any other school in the country that is specifically designing lactation spaces in all new buildings<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cleo Magwaro, associate vice president of institutional equity<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The work of the committee has led to VCU taking the lead in supporting lactating individuals on campus. \u201cWe worked with two architects and a designer so when VCU is constructing new buildings moving forward, lactation spaces will be already strategically accounted for in the design and they are not going to be in the basement,\u201d says Magwaro. \u201cWe don\u2019t know of any other school in the country that is specifically designing lactation spaces in all new buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dana Lippman, VCU\u2019s ADA specialist with EAS, has been reviewing currently designated lactation spaces on campus for accessibility and adherence to the new policy. \u201cI\u2019d say the quality of current spaces is something of a mix,\u201d Lippman says. \u201cSome are great but many are in basements or shunted off to the side. Sometimes, even if there is a great space, not many people know it\u2019s there or there are complications like access codes to get into them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are also working to add lactation spaces in places like the Student Commons, high traffic areas where there is a need,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lactation space at the School of Nursing. Lactation rooms should be comfortable, private and include access to necessities like refrigerators and sinks.<\/p>\n<\/div> With the approval of the lactation policy, Magwaro is working on next steps like improving access to current spaces and increasing communication about what is available. \u201cPart of our low-hanging fruit philosophy is making those spaces that are currently available more accessible and working with building managers to identify appropriate spaces for new lactation spaces,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lippman says there are some relatively simple standards for what needs to be in a lactation space that she works on addressing. \u201cThere are best practices around what should be provided: is there a sink or way to wash your hands? Is there a trash can? I saw many spaces that didn\u2019t have trash cans.\u201d she explains. \u201cI\u2019m working with building managers on figuring out the common things and then setting a standard that goes above that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Magwaro says that accessible lactation spaces are part of creating an inclusive environment. \u201cIt\u2019s a human nutrition issue,\u201d she says. \u201cWe talk about having five generations in the workplace<\/a>. People need to be able to bring their whole selves to school or to their workplace, even when they\u2019re lactating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKirsten planted a seed and now a tree is growing from her efforts,\u201d says Magwaro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Written by David Timberline<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New policy and lactation room reviews are latest additions to resources Equity and Access Services offers to support pregnancy and parenthood The work of one student can have a profound impact on a campus. While the development and implementation of the new campus-wide lactation policy has involved dozens of people, it started with Kirsten Olsen, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1245,"featured_media":17,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[2,5,19,20,21],"class_list":["post-15","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-eas","tag-equity-and-access-services","tag-lactation-policy","tag-lactation-rooms","tag-policy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":13,"date":"2022-10-19T17:40:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T17:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/?p=13"},"modified":"2025-07-23T14:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T14:22:46","slug":"eas-guest-speakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/2022\/10\/19\/eas-guest-speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest speakers from Equity and Access Services to kick off event on disability employment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Cleopatra \u201cCleo\u201d Magwaro, LL.B., LL.M, and Dana Lippman will also introduce VCU\u2019s new chief accessibility officer, Katy Washington, Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n View the following event description from VCU School of Medicine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In recognition of\u00a0Global Diversity Awareness Month<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0National Disability Employment Awareness Month<\/a><\/strong>, the School of Medicine\u2019s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will host a\u00a0Disability Employment: Equity and Awareness<\/strong>\u00a0learning session via\u00a0Zoom on Oct. 21, from noon \u2013 1 p.m.\u00a0<\/strong> Visit the VCU School of Medicine\u2019s website<\/a> for more information about the event. Visit Equity and Access Service\u2019s website<\/a> to learn more about VCU\u2019s equity and access resources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cleopatra \u201cCleo\u201d Magwaro, LL.B., LL.M, and Dana Lippman will also introduce VCU\u2019s new chief accessibility officer, Katy Washington, Ph.D. View the following event description from VCU School of Medicine: In recognition of\u00a0Global Diversity Awareness Month\u00a0and\u00a0National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the School of Medicine\u2019s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will host a\u00a0Disability Employment: Equity and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1245,"featured_media":30,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[15,2,5,13,16,14,17,18],"class_list":["post-13","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-disability","tag-eas","tag-equity-and-access-services","tag-event","tag-global-diversity-awareness-month","tag-guest-speaker","tag-national-disability-employment-awareness-month","tag-school-of-medicine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":7,"date":"2022-06-23T18:15:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T18:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/?p=7"},"modified":"2025-07-03T17:46:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T17:46:57","slug":"eas-title-ix-turns-50","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/2022\/06\/23\/eas-title-ix-turns-50\/","title":{"rendered":"As Title IX turns 50, Equity and Access Services promotes a human-centered approach to meeting student needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \u201cAs we mark this anniversary, I hope we will continue to embody our mission as One VCU by fostering a culture of respect, accessibility and opportunity for all.\u201d <\/em>President Micheal Rao, June 23, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 turns 50 today, June 23rd. Title IX changed the landscape of American education by prohibiting sex discrimination in education. Consistent with this commitment, VCU prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities, and prohibits such discrimination by members of the university community. (VCU\u2019s Title IX Sexual Harassment policy is located here<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Situated in VCU\u2019s Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success (IES) is Equity and Access Services (EAS), home to the Title IX office. Title IX, the landmark law, is known for effecting the most change in collegiate sports. But Title IX protections are also referenced in programs and activities off the athletics field. Title IX is constantly evolving as it seeks to serve and include protections for everyone in higher education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As with many situations where laws are required to be interpreted and applied, the Title IX process includes procedures and legalese, which some may find challenging. What sets VCU apart from other institutions is the intentional approach: human-centered, with an equity lens, and a holistic understanding that each student has a unique lived experience. This approach makes Title IX accessible to all.<\/p>\n\n\n Malorie Yeaman, who joined VCU in May 2021, is the Title IX coordinator & director of outreach and support. Yeaman says there are a variety of tools and approaches that her office uses in order to stop and resolve allegations of misconduct under the policy. \u201cTitle IX at VCU is here to support members of the VCU community through supportive measures, assistance connecting with resources, and various resolutions available through applicable policies and procedures,\u201d Yeaman explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeaman adds that she and her team are open to speaking with anyone at VCU about their Title IX situation. \u201cMembers of the Title IX office are available to meet with students, visitors, or employees who have experienced prohibited conduct,\u201d she says, \u201cAnd we are available to speak with anyone who has questions about VCU policies, training or other assistance they may need.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n At VCU, the most common approach to resolution is the investigative process. This process applies to cases where domestic, dating or sexual violence occurs, for example. With this type of case, a trained Title IX investigator follows up with the parties and any witnesses identified during the investigation. The investigator develops a comprehensive timeline and narrative using the facts gathered during the interview process. At its conclusion, the matter may go to a hearing panel, depending on the policy. This hearing panel typically includes trained VCU faculty and staff. Following a decision by the hearing panel, each party has a right to appeal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At VCU there are multiple resolution options available. The parties in a case have to agree to participate in an informal resolution process; otherwise, the matter goes through the formal resolution process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Restorative or transformative justice options provide a safe way to informally resolve non-violent Title IX concerns: the parties can express what justice<\/em> or being made whole<\/em> looks like for them. The parties also benefit from being heard in a manner that brings healing or restoration<\/em>. EAS is providing training on restorative and transformative justice to members of the IE Council (VCU campus diversity, equity and inclusion officers). VCU faculty and staff trained in informal resolution methods are also invited to serve as mediators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur expert civil rights team facilitates an environment that is fair and equitable for all parties,\u201d says Cleopatra Magwaro, associate vice president of institutional equity and interim ADA coordinator. Magwaro leads EAS and assumed her role in January 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n Magwaro\u2019s human-centered philosophy has evolved VCU\u2019s approach to more equitably and effectively address civil rights. \u201cThis is a \u2018next practices\u2019 approach,\u201d she says. In referring to her EAS colleagues, Magwaro said, \u201cOur team is often called upon to resolve cases in which students have a diverse level of comprehension of concepts such as consent, healthy relationships, sexuality and sexual orientation, and are also exploring their own identities. Our approach is to foster an environment where individuals feel psychologically safe, and trust the process.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other supportive aspects of the EAS approach includes a virtual format for resolutions. Also, EAS will soon move to a new physical environment. The offices at Grace Street Center include a gender inclusive bathroom, lactation and reflection space, and emphasize an intentionally welcoming space for anyone seeking civil rights resources and resolutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Magwaro and her team bring diverse expertise and lived experiences to the 50-year-old Title IX space. Their human-centered approach goes beyond removing barriers to equal opportunity by reaching for next practices that serve the VCU community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Richmond region, of which VCU is such an integral part, is well-known for being a welcoming and open community,\u201d says Magwaro. \u201cMy hope is that in the next 50 years, VCU students, employees and alumni will pay forward the human-centered approach to transforming lives, wherever they find themselves. EAS is committed to leaving VCU transformed and better\u2013 now and for future generations.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit equity.vcu.edu<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n June 23, 2022 update: The Biden administration has released a notice of proposed rule-making for Title IX. Learn more about the proposal<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cAs we mark this anniversary, I hope we will continue to embody our mission as One VCU by fostering a culture of respect, accessibility and opportunity for all.\u201d President Micheal Rao, June 23, 2022 Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 turns 50 today, June 23rd. Title IX changed the landscape of American education by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1245,"featured_media":9,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10,2,5,11,12],"class_list":["post-7","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-anniversary","tag-eas","tag-equity-and-access-services","tag-title-ix","tag-tix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5,"date":"2022-01-03T17:34:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T17:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/?p=5"},"modified":"2025-07-17T16:30:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T16:30:23","slug":"new-non-discrimination-training-sustains-inclusivity-at-vcu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/2022\/01\/03\/new-non-discrimination-training-sustains-inclusivity-at-vcu\/","title":{"rendered":"New non-discrimination training sustains inclusivity at VCU"},"content":{"rendered":"\n The VCU Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success (IES)<\/a> launched the VCU Non-discrimination Training on Oct. 28, 2021. The purpose of the VCU Non-discrimination Training is to provide all VCU faculty and staff with a common foundation of concepts related to non-discrimination and equity in the workplace. The training is one way IES sustains its commitment toward a more inclusive and equitable university community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During 2018-19, the national climate led to an increase in concerns of discrimination both nationally and at VCU, with heightened pressure for the university to respond expeditiously and transparently. By 2020, there was a clear need for civil rights compliance training to address concerns about discrimination in the employment context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Equal Employment Opportunity\/Affirmative Action Plan (EEO\/AAP) office was operationalized in mid-2021 by Cleo Magwaro<\/a>, LL.B. (Australia), LL.M. (U.S.), associate vice president for institutional equity. This reimagining and reframing of civil rights and equity was in response to VCU\u2019s need to specifically prevent and respond to non-discrimination concerns unrelated to discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities, which are handled by the Title IX office. The non-discrimination training was implemented under the new EEO\/AAP office so all VCU faculty and staff have access to non-discrimination and equity resources. The office is part of VCU\u2019s civil rights Equity and Access Services<\/a> (EAS) and has purview over VCU\u2019s non-discrimination policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a civil rights compliance and best practices effort, mandatory training provides a common baseline foundation regarding expectations in the workplace. The nondiscrimination training is a proactive first step in preventing, redsponding to, and eliminating discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause of [VCU\u2019s] human-centered approach to civil rights outreach and support, the non-discrimination training will remove structural barriers of reporting, enhance openness about expectations in the workplace and expedite efforts towards a VCU culture that supports our core values of mutual respect and civility, which in turn supports inclusivity and the retention of a vibrant and diverse workforce,\u201d said Magwaro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EAS is scaling its outreach and support services to provide additional training in the future. The office encourages VCU faculty and staff to further explore non-dscrimination and equity concepts through resources such as IEXcel\u2019s<\/a> RAMmalogues series<\/a>, where faculty, staff and students can engage in dialogues on important social and cultural topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Guest speakers from VCU\u2019s\u00a0Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0will begin by introducing their new chief accessibility officer, followed by a presentation on accommodations and employment equity for those with disabilities. Afterward, a vocational rehabilitation counselor from the\u00a0Rehabilitation Research and Training Center<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0will explain disability-specific etiquette and its implementation within health care.\u00a0
Join the conversation here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n![\"Professional](\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/eas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1470\/2025\/07\/malorie-yeaman-683x1024.jpg\")
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