Monthly Academic Report (May 2024)
Message from the Provost
Thank you for an amazing academic year!
I often say that great universities don’t simply fall from the sky. They are built intentionally – one decision, one student, and one discovery at a time. And they are built through the tremendous work of incredible faculty and staff members.
As we prepare to graduate the Class of 2024, I want to share my appreciation for all the work that you have done to elevate VCU.
In so many ways, this has been VCU’s best year yet. And every sign indicates we’re only getting better.
- Overall applications and out-of-state applications are up and setting records.
- Our record $271 million fundraising last year has made VCU 21st among all public universities.
- We are focusing on passing $500 million in sponsored research funding – which will be another record.
- Our new School of Public Health has received the necessary approvals to achieve accreditation. This will help us recruit highly talented faculty, grow graduate enrollment and develop our undergraduate program.
- Our QEP, “Every Ram’s a Researcher” is already boosting undergraduate research participation and has been described by accreditors as a potential national model.
- And our faculty-led repositioning exercise has created final recommendations that leverage VCU’s strengths as we future-focus our academic enterprise.
Of course breaking records is fun. But it is the impact of our efforts that matters most.
We will see that impact, once again, in just a few weeks when we see another class of Rams walk across the commencement stage and into the next chapter of their life. I’m grateful for all that you have contributed to their success and that of the entire university!
Best regards,
Fotis
Celebrating VCU Faculty
- Carlos R. Escalante, Ph.D., an associate professor in the VCU School of Medicine is among the newly elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as an AAAS Fellow honors individuals whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications in service to society have distinguished them among their peers and colleagues.
- The National Endowment for the Humanities recently announced that it is awarding two grants to projects in the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University. The first project, led by Sachi Shimomura, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of English, “Crafting a Health Humanities Minor,” will receive nearly $150,000 in support of a three-year effort to establish a minor in health humanities. The second project receiving an NEH grant, “Between Leisure and Servitude: Postcards and the Early Cultural History of African American Travel, 1850–1945,” is led by Michael Ra-shon Hall, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of English, and was supported with a $6,000 summer stipend.
- Five VCU community members, Shawn Utsey, Ph.D., Kim Case, Ph.D., Christina Davis, Austin Ezzard and KáLyn “Kay” Coghill, were honored at the 2024 PACME (Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment) ceremony.
- Carol Schall, Ph.D., associate professor at VCU’s School of Education and co-director of the VCU Autism Center for Education, was named recipient of the Faculty Award at the 2024 Burnside Watstein Awards.
- Nicholas Frankel, an author and professor in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of English in the College of Humanities and Sciences, has been named a 2024 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellow in support of his upcoming book about the diverse career of 19th-century polymath William Morris.
Current Initiatives
- I recently released a statement on the status of VCU’s Racial Literacy recruitment efforts.
- Hurry if you still intend to register and attend the ConnectED Symposium Annual Event on May 1.
- The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) is preparing to host the annual Cultural Achievement Ceremonies from May 2nd – May 9th. These ceremonies provide graduating students who identify as Black/African American, disabled, Indigenous/Native American, Latinx, Asian-American + Pacific Islander, and LGBTQIA+ an opportunity to celebrate their academic achievement in a setting that recognizes and affirms their cultural identity and rewards their hard work and dedication. For complete details visit this website.
- RVSP for the Virginia Hazing Prevention Summit on June 4 from 8:30 AM to 4 PM in the University Commons! VCU is partnering with the Love Like Adam Foundation to host the first ever Summit for Virginia university and college professionals and partners whose work influences and impacts hazing prevention. Registration is now open until May 10 – note there is no registration cost! For more information about the Summit, visit the Hazing Prevention website!
Quest 2028 Data Point
“Why are there different numbers for the same metric?” is a frequently asked question that IRDS encounters. While answers vary based on the context of each data request, inconsistencies are often related to the data source. For example, institutional data is particularly useful when tracking trends at VCU, exploring breakdowns by school/college, and measuring strategic plan progress. However, when it comes to comparisons with other institutions, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is often the go-to source. IPEDS standardizes data collection and definitions, which makes benchmarking more reliable. However, IPEDS does not include VCU’s Qatar campus, which is part of why you may see differences. Keep in mind that IPEDS is also nearly always at least a year behind institutional data.
When you have a moment, try exploring IPEDS and think about which comparisons could be beneficial to your work and decision making.
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Categories Monthly Academic Update