Responding to the State of the University
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkeAauWXdj8&w=560&h=315]
Thanks to everyone who participated — both in person and through Twitter — in this year’s State of the University address, held Jan. 27. The VCU community sent a number of questions via Twitter and here is a round-up of responses.
#VCUSOTU #LetsGoVCU Appreciate vision of inclusivity. How will people with disabilities be incorporated into this?
– Our vision of inclusivity incorporates all people.
@TitoLuna #vcusotu Is there a plan to increase affordability as you increase accessibility?
– Yes. We make every effort to balance the cost of an education with maintaining affordability for our students. That is why we are committed to setting aside an increasing amount of financial resources for our students, and part of why we have formed a taskforce of representatives from the entire university to address the need for a new budget model.
@IlnickiStudios @vcu @vcuarts With a top ranked Art + Design school here at VCU, do you think we should focus on STEAM gen ed, not just STEM? #VCUSOTU
– You raise a good point. At VCU, discovery and creative expression are equally important. We see them hand-in-hand. It is a distinction for us as one of the nation’s premier urban, public research universities. And part of why the launch of the Institute for Contemporary Art is a critical initiative.
@VCUpresident // what drives you personally? #VCUSOTU
– Collaborating to create opportunities for people to realize their dreams.
Can you speak about the renovated#CABELLlibrary? it’s new features? #VCU#MichaelRao #VCUSOTU. AND lower#tuitionrates never hurt.
– I will point you to one of our stories on the VCU News Center that describes the renovations and new features at Cabell.
– We make every effort to balance the cost of an education with maintaining affordability for our students. That is why we are committed to setting aside an increasing amount of financial resources for our students, and part of why we have formed a taskforce of representatives from the entire university to address the need for a new budget model.
@VCUpresident Can you speak about any initiatives that are creating connections between the MCV and MPC campuses? #VCUSOTU
– There are so many underway and in the works. For example, the Institute for Contemporary Art is designed to be a truly interdisciplinary facility. VCU Life Sciences, the schools of Allied Health Professions, Business, Social Work and Medicine are just a few with programs and initiatives underway.
@lebethanygrace: No SAT scores? Then what’s the plan?#VCUSOTU
– Studies have shown that a student’s GPA and the experiences gained through extracurricular activities are the greatest indicators of a student’s academic potential. Here is the VCU news story on why VCU is to drop its SAT requirement.
@RedKingofHearts #vcusotu What do you say is the most important factor that helps the success of a First Time college Student at VCU?
– Working with an academic adviser and enrolling in 15 credits. Our research has shown that students tend to maintain the course load they initiated in their first semester, throughout their academic career.
@Thedanimagus.@VCUpresident What steps will you personally take to ensure @VCU has a strong, accessible, & safe model for #TitleIX compliance? #VCUSOTU
– This is an extremely important initiative. Already, we are in the process of hiring a compliance officer and directing resources to help ensure that VCU has a strong, accessible and safe model for Title IX.