Welcome back to VCU for a new year and a new semester. I hope the time away from classes allowed all of you to recharge for the spring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s always important to take care of ourselves, mentally and physically, but it\u2019s a lesson we often forget when work or life are making demands on us. That\u2019s why this article from Harvard Business Review seems worth considering:\u00a0Five Mistakes We Make When We\u2019re Overwhelmed<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As much as we may resolve to stay on top of things this semester, we all are going to feel overwhelmed at some point in the next few months. The article reminds us of a few important ways we thwart ourselves when we\u2019re overwhelmed, and what we can do differently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes giving ourselves permission to relax our focus and slow down; being flexible in how we approach problems; and maintaining connections to our support system of friends and family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider taking a few minutes to read it \u2013 it\u2019s worth the time to consider how we respond to stressful situations, and what we can do to better prepare ourselves for those situations that we all experience from time to time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, as always, thank you for being civil and respectful with others, even when you disagree or are being challenged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This coming week, we are honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with a focus on his message about economic justice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway in 1964, Dr. King said, \u201cI have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone deserves those things, and yet nearly 60 years later, we still work toward becoming a society where all human beings have access to food, education, equality and freedom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those goals speak to our mission at VCU and VCU Health<\/a> \u2013 to put the needs of students and patients first, and provide greater access to education and health care as we help build and support thriving communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Please attend one of the events celebrating Dr. King\u2019s life<\/a> and his abiding legacy of empowerment and justice. His work continues to teach us lessons and inform our future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And as we move through this semester, we keep Dr. King\u2019s words in mind \u2013 that we have the audacity to believe in and work toward a more just and equitable world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for making VCU a great place. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Welcome back to VCU for a new year and a new semester. I hope the time away from classes allowed all of you to recharge for the spring. It\u2019s always important to take care of ourselves, mentally and physically, but it\u2019s a lesson we often forget when work or life are making demands on us. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8,9,1,553],"tags":[577,578],"class_list":["post-5097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-21st-century-university","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","category-uncategorized","category-vcu-health","tag-mlk-week-2023","tag-new-year-message-2023"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5097\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5090,"date":"2022-12-09T16:29:44","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T21:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5090"},"modified":"2022-12-09T16:31:43","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T21:31:43","slug":"addressing-vcus-historical-connections-to-slavery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/12\/09\/addressing-vcus-historical-connections-to-slavery\/","title":{"rendered":"Addressing VCU’s historical connections to slavery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n As a forward-focused, inclusive and diverse community committed to saving and improving all human lives, VCU must acknowledge and thoughtfully examine the role of racism and the institution of slavery in the institution\u2019s past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With our full support, in 2021, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation focused on Virginia\u2019s five oldest colleges and universities \u2013 including VCU \u2013 researching their historical involvement with slavery to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU commissioned a national expert to lead our efforts to more fully understand the Medical College of Virginia\u2019s connections to the institution of slavery. With MCV\u2019s roots dating to 1838, in the city that became the capital of the Confederacy, we anticipated that those connections would be present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And we were correct. We now have the results of that report, and presented our Board of Directors and Board of Visitors with the executive summary this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The report demonstrates that MCV was built and operated using the labor of enslaved people. Their work supported the lives of physicians, and their bodies were used without permission for medical research. While these findings were expected, they remain harrowing and disturbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are profoundly sorry for MCV\u2019s history with the institution of slavery. It\u2019s important that we be deliberate and thoughtful, as well as compassionate, about our next steps as we continue to reconcile the institution\u2019s past with its present and future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing VCU\u2019s History<\/strong> More than a decade ago, I charged a representative group to address the East Marshall Street Well. The East Marshall Street Well project <\/a>has worked to address critical issues and concerns regarding the remains of human beings, believed to be largely of African descent, that were discovered in a well near MCV \u2013 with a focus on emphasizing the dignity and respect that should be accorded to these human remains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And our VCU Committee on Commemoration and Memorials<\/a> has worked to remove from VCU buildings and grounds names and symbols that commemorate the Confederacy. That work is ongoing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier this year, VCU renamed the Department of African American Studies\u2019 building<\/a> as Gabriel\u2019s House, in honor of Gabriel, an enslaved Richmond man who organized a rebellion in 1800 intended to end slavery in Virginia. These experiences demonstrated the importance of working with internal and external community members to ensure that the university\u2019s actions are reflective and transformative. That\u2019s why our next step is to create a special commission to evaluate this report and its findings, and determine our path forward. We will include business and academic leaders, scholars in the field, current and past board members and community members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our goal is to report back to the Board of Visitors by the end of this academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We want an engaged, inclusive and reflective conversation by creating and providing spaces to engage in processes of racial healing and efforts at reconciliation. We expect this will result in truly meaningful action. This is an important time to continue making purposeful changes that reflect the inclusive public university and health system that we are today \u2013 and accord respect and dignity to all human beings, present as well as past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I want to see VCU lead as a model nationally and beyond with actions that make a difference in the lives of all human beings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As we move forward with this project, thank you for your support as VCU reckons with its past, engages with its present and strengthens all communities for the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As a forward-focused, inclusive and diverse community committed to saving and improving all human lives, VCU must acknowledge and thoughtfully examine the role of racism and the institution of slavery in the institution\u2019s past. With our full support, in 2021, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation focused on Virginia\u2019s five oldest colleges and universities \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":5001,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8,9,1],"tags":[99,202,206,576],"class_list":["post-5090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-21st-century-university","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","category-uncategorized","tag-east-marshall-street-well-project","tag-mcv","tag-medical-college-of-virginia","tag-vcu-committee-on-commemoration-and-memorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5090\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5087,"date":"2022-11-23T16:33:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-23T21:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5087"},"modified":"2022-11-22T16:34:50","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T21:34:50","slug":"a-message-of-gratitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/11\/23\/a-message-of-gratitude\/","title":{"rendered":"A message of gratitude"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Earlier this month, I gave a talk at the Association of Public Land-grant Universities\u2019 annual meeting in Denver. I attend this conference most years, but this year it felt different \u2013 because it seemed like everywhere I turned, VCU was engaging people\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were one of four finalists nationwide<\/a> for APLU\u2019s 2022 Degree Completion Award, which recognizes public universities that are increasing degree completion rates while improving educational access, quality and equity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU also earned APLU\u2019s Innovation and Economic Prosperity University designation<\/a>. The IEP designation is awarded to universities that are committed to significant and sustainable economic engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These recognitions speak to our mission to increase access and deeply engage our communities. I\u2019m grateful to everyone whose tireless work and dedication powered these accolades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prioritizing your well being<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While at APLU, I was invited to help lead a discussion about the mental health of staff and faculty \u2013 something that has continued to be on my mind. The American Psychological Association (APA) last month published a survey <\/a>that said more than a quarter of U.S. adults say they\u2019re so stressed they can\u2019t function. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, the APA says mental health providers are in increasingly high demand, as more people seek treatment for anxiety and depression than before the pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m very concerned by those statistics \u2013 and by the anecdotes I hear across campus and the health system that tell me our folks are stressed and anxious, too. And, I\u2019d be remiss to not mention that I\u2019m concerned about the stress levels faced by our providers, including those supporting the mental health of others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We talk about having a culture of care; that means a culture of empathy as well. I expect all of us to treat each other with civility, professionalism and respect \u2013 and yes, with empathy and consideration for others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us remember that kindness is a choice we can make every day \u2013 and that we should extend that kindness to ourselves as well. Finding time for self-care and recharging helps us be mindful of what is truly important in our lives. VCU students and employees can find mental health and wellbeing resources \u2013 including our new TimelyCare virtual care tool \u2013 at https:\/\/ramstrong.vcu.edu\/<\/a>. VCU Health team members can find resources on the intranet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanksgiving is an opportunity to focus on gratitude. I am grateful for you.\u00a0You are what makes VCU all of what VCU is to so many people.\u00a0 Please\u00a0 have an enjoyable Thanksgiving, and accept my warmest of wishes from my family to yours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Earlier this month, I gave a talk at the Association of Public Land-grant Universities\u2019 annual meeting in Denver. I attend this conference most years, but this year it felt different \u2013 because it seemed like everywhere I turned, VCU was engaging people\u2019s attention. We were one of four finalists nationwide for APLU\u2019s 2022 Degree Completion […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,9,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-21st-century-university","category-to-vcu","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5087"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5087\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5080,"date":"2022-11-14T10:20:49","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T15:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5080"},"modified":"2022-11-14T12:21:39","modified_gmt":"2022-11-14T17:21:39","slug":"shooting-in-charlottesville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/11\/14\/shooting-in-charlottesville\/","title":{"rendered":"Shooting in Charlottesville"},"content":{"rendered":"\n To our VCU community:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know you join me in sending our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by yesterday\u2019s shooting at the University of Virginia. Our condolences to the UVA community and the families and friends of those killed, injured and impacted by the shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU has offered our assistance to the UVA community and we stand with them during this terrible time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have directed that VCU Police have an increased presence on our campus. We are dedicated to promoting a safe and secure environment for learning, living, working and visiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information about how VCU Police works to keep our campus safe, please visit police.vcu.edu\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During difficult moments such as these, it is important to remember that we draw strength from each other as members of our compassionate and caring VCU community. Support is available for students, faculty and staff at counseling.vcu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While sending our best to UVA, let us also care for each other today and every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael Rao, Ph.D. To our VCU community: I know you join me in sending our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by yesterday\u2019s shooting at the University of Virginia. Our condolences to the UVA community and the families and friends of those killed, injured and impacted by the shooting. VCU has offered our assistance to the UVA community and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":5001,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-to-vcu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5080"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5080\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5077,"date":"2022-06-30T14:39:32","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T18:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5077"},"modified":"2022-06-30T14:39:34","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T18:39:34","slug":"state-and-vcu-budget-actions-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/06\/30\/state-and-vcu-budget-actions-update\/","title":{"rendered":"State and VCU Budget Actions Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Dear colleagues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier this week, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin ceremonially signed the state\u2019s two-year budget, which includes historic levels of funding for VCU<\/a>. We are grateful to the governor and all legislators in the Senate and the House for the budget\u2019s record support for VCU\u2019s top priorities, including $181 million for our new VCU arts and innovation building; needed improvements to our technology infrastructure; student financial aid; and record funding for VCU Massey Cancer Center. We have always had a tremendously strong, positive working relationship with state leaders, and I am very grateful for their support of VCU\u2019s important statewide mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The budget also makes final pay increases for eligible faculty and staff. This is an important recognition of the immense value of the work that you do to advance our important mission, and the General Assembly and Governor joined the university in making this a priority. Pay increases will take effect July 10, reflected in paychecks on August 1. More information will be coming from Human Resources soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The finalization of the state\u2019s budget allows us to move forward with VCU\u2019s budget process. The Board of Visitors in May approved a 3% tuition increase, and today approved a one-time scholarship<\/a> for in-state students to offset the increase and minimize the impact on students and their families in this difficult period of pandemic and inflation. This will keep tuition flat for all in-state undergraduates for the fourth consecutive year and effectively bring the net undergraduate tuition increase for in-state students to zero for this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will be difficult, but it\u2019s the right thing to do in light of the economic challenges that students and their families are facing. Consistent with VCU\u2019s mission, this plan will positively impact Virginia students and their families. VCU enrolls the most need-based students and the largest number and percentage of in-state students among Virginia\u2019s top three research universities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m enormously grateful to our wise and visionary leaders for this strong budget. And I\u2019m incredibly proud of our faculty and staff members. You perform critically important and outstanding work, day after day, to fulfill our mission of putting the needs of our students and patients first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincere thanks to all of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael Rao<\/p>\n\n\n\n President, VCU and VCU Health System<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear colleagues: Earlier this week, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin ceremonially signed the state\u2019s two-year budget, which includes historic levels of funding for VCU. We are grateful to the governor and all legislators in the Senate and the House for the budget\u2019s record support for VCU\u2019s top priorities, including $181 million for our new VCU arts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":4403,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9,1,553],"tags":[573],"class_list":["post-5077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","category-uncategorized","category-vcu-health","tag-vcu-budget-update-2022"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5077"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5077\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5073,"date":"2022-06-23T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5073"},"modified":"2022-06-16T10:59:16","modified_gmt":"2022-06-16T14:59:16","slug":"the-50th-anniversary-of-title-ix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/06\/23\/the-50th-anniversary-of-title-ix\/","title":{"rendered":"The 50th anniversary of Title IX"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Today we mark the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX<\/a> legislation, signed by President Richard Nixon June 23, 1972. That law changed the face of civil rights in public education, and has created opportunities, greater equality, and protections against discrimination for millions of American students. Because of Title IX, opportunities never imagined became a possibility. The law\u2019s protections have helped make VCU the great place that it is, where we treat all who come here for an education or treatment with respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At VCU we believe in endless opportunities for students who choose to live, learn and represent the university on the field and court. We\u2019re unwavering in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Every member of the VCU community has the right to reach their fullest potential in a safe and supportive environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our mission to put the needs of students first can be found in our work to cultivate and care for a diverse student body, create opportunity and graduate students ready for a promising, more equitable future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am grateful for my colleagues with the Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success<\/a>, the VCU Police Department<\/a>, the Division of Student Affairs<\/a>, the Wellness Resource Center<\/a> and many other university offices and community partners. Their work supports a campus environment that equitably meets the needs of our VCU community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As 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. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today we mark the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX legislation, signed by President Richard Nixon June 23, 1972. That law changed the face of civil rights in public education, and has created opportunities, greater equality, and protections against discrimination for millions of American students. Because of Title IX, opportunities never imagined became […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":4402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4,6,7,8,9],"tags":[230,317,571,574,386,575],"class_list":["post-5073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-21st-century-university","category-community","category-diversity","category-health","category-news","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","tag-one-vcu","tag-title-ix","tag-vcu-division-of-student-affairs","tag-vcu-office-of-institutional-equity-effectiveness-and-success","tag-vcu-police","tag-vcu-wellness-resource-center"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5069,"date":"2022-05-31T09:27:46","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T13:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5069"},"modified":"2022-05-31T09:27:47","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T13:27:47","slug":"budget-update-and-what-is-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/05\/31\/budget-update-and-what-is-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Budget Update and What is Next"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Dear VCU and VCUHS Community, The board also voted unanimously to increase mandatory student fees 4.7 percent. VCU\u2019s mandatory fees remain among the lowest for Virginia colleges and universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU, like other Virginia universities, increased tuition and fees after much discussion about the university\u2019s budget. We refuse to place the entire burden of our budget on students and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, with this increase VCU still faces a budget deficit of $13 to $24 million next year depending on the level of our support from the commonwealth. Because we decided not to seek a higher tuition increase to address this deficit, we must make difficult decisions about our budget this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More details about how we will cut our budget will be ready once our funding levels are finalized at the VCU Board of Visitors meeting on June 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are committed to putting students first, which means our top budget priority is providing an exceptional educational experience and continuing to grow our impact as a research-intensive university. To do that, we must invest in our academic enterprise; compensation that attracts and retains the best and most committed faculty and staff; modern, top-level research and educational facilities and infrastructure; and financial assistance for our students and needed student support services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU is one of Virginia\u2019s top three research universities and we must provide the highest quality, and highest value, educational experience to our students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am grateful to the entire community for its support of our important mission. Your contributions are an important part of what makes VCU a vital resource to Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dear VCU and VCUHS Community, On May 13, the VCU Board of Visitors unanimously approved a three-percent tuition increase for the upcoming academic year. This is our first undergraduate tuition increase in three years, a remarkable testament to our goal of keeping VCU affordable and accessible. The board also voted unanimously to increase mandatory student […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":5001,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8,9],"tags":[329,337,573,372],"class_list":["post-5069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","tag-vcu","tag-vcu-board-of-visitors","tag-vcu-budget-update-2022","tag-vcu-health-system"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5069"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5069\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5063,"date":"2022-05-16T16:31:20","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T20:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5063"},"modified":"2022-05-16T16:31:23","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T20:31:23","slug":"congratulations-vcu-class-of-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/05\/16\/congratulations-vcu-class-of-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Congratulations, VCU Class of 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n VCU celebrated the Class of 2022 this weekend. It\u2019s an honor to welcome over 5,000 new members to the VCU Alumni family. Below, is my speech to VCU Class of 2022.<\/em>\u00a0GO RAMS!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Good morning! It\u2019s a great honor to join all of you \u2013 our graduates and your happy families\u2013along with our Board of Visitors, my faculty colleagues, the provost, our deans, staff, and so many other members of our team who make this momentous occasion possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take a moment to applaud VCU Director of Bands and professor Terry Austin. He\u2019s retiring after a remarkable 36 years of service to VCU. During that time, he\u2019s never missed a commencement and always delivered outstanding performances \u2013 thank you, Terry!<\/p>\n\n\n\n ***<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Today we celebrate one of the most important milestones in your life \u2013 your graduation from Virginia Commonwealth University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As VCU students and members of the Ram Family, you\u2019ve worked so hard to get to the place you are today. We\u2019re all particularly proud of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re a unique class of graduates. Your years here at VCU have been a time of tremendous change and challenge \u2013 but you\u2019ve adapted and you\u2019ve persisted. Scholar, diplomat and Nobel laureate Ralph Bunche said, \u201cYou can surmount the obstacles in your path if you are determined, courageous and hard-working. Never be faint-hearted. Be resolute, but never bitter.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n These are definitely qualities that describe YOU \u2013 the class of 2022. You\u2019ve cleared so many obstacles \u2013 things we never could have imagined when you started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve seen your courage and hard work. You\u2019re determined and resolute \u2013 true to who you are and true to what you believe in. Most of all, the grace and care you have shown for each other is a model for people everywhere to follow. Through the pandemic, we\u2019ve seen many human responses, some of them good, and some not so good. The VCU community \u2014 you \u2014 have shown us the best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve helped us to envision and move toward what a truly public research university should look like. At every opportunity, you\u2019ve insisted that VCU be a place where all people are embraced and cared for \u2013 and where all people can and do succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And now, the more than 5,000 of you who are graduating with undergraduate degrees, you\u2019re joining the more than one-third of the people in this country who have earned a bachelor\u2019s degree. You\u2019ll take what you learned at VCU out into the world. You\u2019ll continue to grow and become the best version of yourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those of you who have earned a master\u2019s, doctoral, or professional degrees \u2013 more than 1,400 this spring \u2013 you\u2019re now part of the 13 percent of people in the U.S. to have specialized knowledge that will benefit so many people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To all of you, whether you\u2019re graduating today with a bachelor\u2019s, or the highest degree you can achieve in your field, we are so glad VCU has been a part of your education and that you\u2019ve been a part of VCU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We celebrate one of your most important life milestones this morning. Today, you\u2019ll walk out as graduates ready to make the world and the human experience better than ever for all human beings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many paths open to you now. Many opportunities are coming your way. Great things are coming your way. You\u2019ll have to see these things for them to become real. It\u2019s important for you to believe in you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever you do next, do what your heart tells you to do, not what others may try to tell you to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do the things that are true to who YOU are, and do the good things that you believe in doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And as you do the amazing things, I know you\u2019ll do in the future, I feel deep faith that we can count on you to be leaders of GOOD, leaders of civility, professionalism, and all of the things that you know are not only good for you, but good for other people. Just one in every seven people in the world has a degree \u2013 as a college graduate, you\u2019re joining that group. You\u2019re a leader in this world \u2013 one who will use your influence, knowledge, and skills to move our world and our people to better places\u2013better than we\u2019ve ever seen in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll set the tone for our future. You\u2019ll create our future. You\u2019ll have power \u2013 and as a famous superhero once said, with great power comes great responsibility. Our excitement and optimism for what comes next, comes from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We know that you\u2019ll use what you\u2019ve learned at VCU to think critically. To do what\u2019s right. To embrace others with empathy and grace. And we know that you won\u2019t forget who you are. We know that you will stay true to who you are in your own heart, no matter what. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because you\u2019re a Ram, and Rams believe in good and make good things happen for themselves and, perhaps more importantly, for others. Rams carry powerful positive energy that helps them to overcome any obstacle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We are so happy to rejoice with you today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of us in the room today feel a mixture of pride, relief, excitement, nostalgia, and just overwhelming gratitude that all of you brilliant young people are entering the next great phase of your lives. We\u2019re excited for all of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I say \u201cwe\u201d because of course I am very proud of you as your president \u2013 but also because our son Miguel is here graduating with you. Miguel, Mom and I are so proud of you. We love you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To all of the families, friends, and mentors who have supported all of our students: THANK YOU. The care you have shown for your students deserves to be celebrated. You are their support system. Thank you for entrusting them to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU Class of 2022, you\u2019re a beacon, lighting our path to the brightest and most exciting future we\u2019ve ever imagined as humans. We\u2019re so happy to celebrate you and the hope that you carry with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Congratulations and GO RAMS!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" VCU celebrated the Class of 2022 this weekend. It\u2019s an honor to welcome over 5,000 new members to the VCU Alumni family. Below, is my speech to VCU Class of 2022.\u00a0GO RAMS! Good morning! It\u2019s a great honor to join all of you \u2013 our graduates and your happy families\u2013along with our Board of Visitors, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":5064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4,7,8,9,1,553],"tags":[333,572],"class_list":["post-5063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-21st-century-university","category-community","category-diversity","category-news","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","category-uncategorized","category-vcu-health","tag-vcu-alumni","tag-vcu-class-of-2022"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5063"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5063\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5054,"date":"2022-03-09T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5054"},"modified":"2022-03-09T10:00:47","modified_gmt":"2022-03-09T15:00:47","slug":"statement-on-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/03\/09\/statement-on-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Statement on Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n The news from Ukraine grows more heartbreaking every day. People who two weeks ago went about their daily routines are now torn from their homes, separated from loved ones, fleeing for their lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For those of us fortunate to have never experienced war \u2013 especially a war in our own land \u2013 it\u2019s difficult to imagine the terror and the heart-rending choices people are forced to make. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The war\u2019s impacts reach beyond the borders of Ukraine, bringing thousands of refugees, along with turmoil and uncertainty, to other Eastern European countries. Here in the U.S., there are ways we can help, such as contributing to relief efforts. Beyond that, however, many of us feel powerless \u2013 and many feel fearful as well. Large, worldwide uncertainties loom. This war in Ukraine will be felt everywhere \u2013 we just don\u2019t know how yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But in all this turmoil, there are reasons for hope. We can take hope from the courage of the Ukrainian people, defending their homes, their country, and their right to determine their own future. In responses around the world, we see that most people want peace, not conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We stand with Ukraine and with our Ukrainian community, here at VCU and in Richmond. Students, faculty, and staff with ties to Ukraine can find support through the Global Education Office and Division of Student Affairs<\/a>. My sympathies are also with those in our community with ties to Russia and Eastern Europe, who are also affected by this conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I join with our VCU community, and with people around the world, in hoping that peace comes swiftly, for Ukraine and for us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The news from Ukraine grows more heartbreaking every day. People who two weeks ago went about their daily routines are now torn from their homes, separated from loved ones, fleeing for their lives. For those of us fortunate to have never experienced war \u2013 especially a war in our own land \u2013 it\u2019s difficult to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1076,"featured_media":4403,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9],"tags":[569,571,570,366],"class_list":["post-5054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-periodic-update","category-to-vcu","tag-ukraine","tag-vcu-division-of-student-affairs","tag-vcu-geo","tag-vcu-global-education-office"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":5050,"date":"2022-02-21T10:13:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T15:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/?p=5050"},"modified":"2022-02-21T10:13:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T15:13:20","slug":"call-for-nominations-2022-presidential-awards-for-community-multicultural-enrichment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/president\/2022\/02\/21\/call-for-nominations-2022-presidential-awards-for-community-multicultural-enrichment\/","title":{"rendered":"Call for nominations: 2022 Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n To the VCU and VCU Health System Communities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We proudly champion diversity and inclusion as a core value, and engage in initiatives that create and nurture a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. All people of differing cultural backgrounds, identities, abilities and life experiences are embraced, engaged and empowered to drive excellence and success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Annually the Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment (PACME)<\/a> honors individuals or organizations who have made extraordinary contributions toward enhancing VCU\u2019s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Every person and organizational unit recognizes and contributes to the advancement of an inclusive environment. This is an integral part of VCU\u2019s mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I am pleased to ask for your nominations for the 2022 PACME awards. The awards will be presented on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at 3:00 p.m., in the University Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To recognize members of our university community for their outstanding service, four separate awards are given:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each award winner will receive $500. In addition, one of the four recipients will be selected to receive the capstone award – The Riese-Melton. This special award, named after two VCU employees who were brave pioneers of championing diversity and inclusion, is given for contributions made in advancing cross-cultural relations. The awardee will receive an additional $250 gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nominations should be submitted electronically, and are due on or before March 14.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Instructions and the nomination forms can be found here: https:\/\/president.vcu.edu\/nominations\/pacme\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This report is the latest example of VCU\u2019s commitment to addressing its past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
President, VCU and VCU Health<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On May 13, the VCU Board of Visitors unanimously approved a three-percent tuition increase for the upcoming academic year. This is our first undergraduate tuition increase in three years, a remarkable testament to our goal of keeping VCU affordable and accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Michael Rao
President, VCU and VCU Health System<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"