My first four months as interim executive vice president and provost have reinforced a powerful truth: VCU\u2019s greatest strength lies in our commitment to interdisciplinarity.<\/strong> To solve society\u2019s most complex challenges, we cannot simply treat symptoms; we must identify root causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This requires us to look beyond the boundaries of our own departments and leverage the collective expertise of our entire institution. We are at our best when a social scientist, a public health researcher, and a philosopher collaborate to build a single ethical framework. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Innovation through collaboration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We see this “whole-picture” approach in action every day across our campus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Vision for the Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our mission remains clear: to train our students to be global citizens who approach the world with a balance of joy, curiosity, and critical thinking. By fostering an environment where we care for one another and value diverse perspectives, we ensure that VCU remains a leader in creative problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is a privilege to serve this dynamic community. I am inspired by the collaboration I see daily and look forward to the breakthroughs we will achieve together in the months and years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you, <\/p>\n\n\n\n Art<\/p>\n\n\n\n Art Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., MBA As we approach the final stretch of the Spring semester, we have much to celebrate. From our men\u2019s basketball team\u2019s historic comeback in March Madness to VCU\u2019s ranking among the top 225 universities in the world by TIME Magazine, our momentum is undeniable. These achievements, alongside our first annual VCU Day of Service, highlight the vibrant energy of our community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2410,"featured_media":1232,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,339],"tags":[310,361,360,156,321,350,26,341,344,359,363,362],"class_list":["post-1259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-provost","category-provost-messages","tag-310","tag-applied-arts-lab","tag-arturo-saavedra","tag-collaboration","tag-community","tag-future","tag-innovation","tag-interdisciplinarity","tag-provost-message","tag-spring-semester","tag-vertically-integrated-projects","tag-vision"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1247,"date":"2026-03-17T09:12:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T13:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1247"},"modified":"2026-03-17T10:31:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T14:31:39","slug":"convergence-seeking-proposals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/03\/17\/convergence-seeking-proposals\/","title":{"rendered":"VCU Convergence seeking proposals to spark transdisciplinary collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Internal seed funding will support faculty teams developing research, curricula and student learning opportunities tied to complex societal challenges.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Virginia Commonwealth University faculty are invited to apply for new team planning grants designed to catalyze cross-disciplinary collaboration through VCU Convergence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The internal funding opportunity will support faculty teams developing transdisciplinary research, interdisciplinary curriculum, and transformative learning opportunities for students across five convergence themes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU Convergence brings together faculty, students and partners from across the university to address complex societal challenges that cannot be solved by a single discipline. Often described as \u201cwicked problems,\u201d these issues require collaboration across fields and sectors to develop meaningful and lasting solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upcoming virtual information sessions will be held:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The planning grants are designed to help faculty build new partnerships across schools, colleges and campuses while exploring shared intellectual interests and research questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Projects must involve at least three full-time faculty members from two or more VCU schools or colleges<\/strong>, with preference given to teams that include collaborators from multiple campuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Funding of up to $10,000 per project<\/strong> will support activities that help teams plan and launch new initiatives aligned with VCU Convergence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grants aim to support work in three key areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teams may develop collaborative research partnerships, generate preliminary work that can seed external grant proposals or produce peer-reviewed scholarship and creative inquiry across disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Faculty teams may design or enhance team-taught courses, develop new academic offerings such as minors or certificates, or explore new training opportunities such as microcredentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Projects may create experiential learning opportunities for students, including undergraduate research, service learning or vertically integrated projects that bring students into real-world problem solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The deadline to submit proposals is April 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. EST<\/strong>. Selected projects will run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027<\/strong>, with funding provided through the Office of the Provost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Faculty interested in applying are encouraged to attend an upcoming pre-proposal webinar to learn more about the opportunity and the application process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Virginia Commonwealth University faculty are invited to apply for new team planning grants designed to catalyze cross-disciplinary collaboration through VCU Convergence. VCU Convergence brings together faculty, students and partners from across the university to address complex societal challenges that cannot be solved by a single discipline. The deadline to submit proposals is April 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. EST<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":1248,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[346],"tags":[156,348,354,341,355,357,353,356,358,347],"class_list":["post-1247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-convergence","tag-collaboration","tag-convergence","tag-grants","tag-interdisciplinarity","tag-interdisciplinary","tag-interdisciplinary-curriculum-development","tag-proposals","tag-transdisciplinary-research","tag-transformative-learning","tag-vcu-convergence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1247"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1247\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1236,"date":"2026-03-13T11:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T15:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1236"},"modified":"2026-03-13T10:28:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:28:42","slug":"accelerating-ai-expertise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/03\/13\/accelerating-ai-expertise\/","title":{"rendered":"Accelerating AI expertise: How VCU is leading AI through transdisciplinary collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Faculty, staff and industry experts recently gathered to help shape VCU\u2019s AI future at the VCU Convergence AI Accelerator Workshop. The event explored AI applications across business, data science, education and healthcare among other fields. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly 90 attendees engaged in forward\u2011looking conversations emphasizing interdisciplinary connections, practical implementation and opportunities for research and community impact. The workshop highlighted the potential for AI to transform multiple sectors while maintaining an ethical and responsible approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Panels covered real\u2011world examples and cross\u2011sector collaboration, with discussions on integrating AI into organizational strategy, advancing analytics, classroom innovation and applied applications. Panel discussions included VCU faculty, staff and representatives from CTE Workforce, Google, Ithena, Microsoft and UNOS. <\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU leadership from the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation introduced the event, including Andrew Arroyo, Ed.D.<\/strong><\/a>, senior vice provost for Academic Affairs and Lisa Ballance<\/a><\/strong>, associate vice president for research.\u00a0Milos Manic, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, professor of computer science and faculty lead for VCU Convergence AI set the stage for the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe evolution of AI demands that we focus more on just the technology. We must ensure that AI is responsible, fair and trustworthy, or, as we like to call it, responsible use of AI\u201d, said Manic. \u201cServing as a national authority in several academic disciplines, VCU is strategically positioned within Virginia\u2019s rapidly expanding data center landscape to become a leader in this field, advocating for the responsible use of AI for the public good.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The goal of VCU Convergence<\/strong><\/a> is to unite traditionally siloed academic disciplines and drive transdisciplinary research, interdisciplinary curriculum and transformative learning around strategic themes. VCU Convergence is building expertise and driving innovation to meet pressing societal needs and tackle widespread, persistent \u201cwicked problems.\u201d These ambitious goals aim to create collaborative, applied outcomes that impact communities and the public good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough VCU Convergence, we are not just expanding our curricula \u2026 we are pioneering interdisciplinary learning, transdisciplinary research and transformative community engagement,\u201d said Manic.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n As the inaugural event for the VCU Convergence AI theme, the workshop helped build bridges for future collaborations. Organizers and participants expressed enthusiasm for continuing the dialogue and expanding partnerships, shaping how AI research, education and workforce development evolve at VCU. VCU Convergence plans to host a public AI conference in the fall to continue the momentum and position VCU as a national leader in AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Faculty, staff and industry experts recently gathered to help shape VCU\u2019s AI future at the Convergence AI Accelerator Workshop. The event explored AI applications across business, data science, education and healthcare.\u00a0The workshop highlighted the potential for AI to transform multiple sectors while maintaining an ethical and responsible approach.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":1237,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,346],"tags":[54,25,349,28,156,348,350,26,341,347],"class_list":["post-1236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-affairs","category-convergence","tag-academic-innovation","tag-ai","tag-ai-applications","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-collaboration","tag-convergence","tag-future","tag-innovation","tag-interdisciplinarity","tag-vcu-convergence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1240,"date":"2026-03-12T11:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1240"},"modified":"2026-03-12T11:03:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:03:02","slug":"day-of-service-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/03\/12\/day-of-service-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Join us in partnering with our community: VCU day of service March 19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n VCU\u2019s Day of Service highlights the power of faculty and staff giving back by using Community Service Leave to support the communities that support us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When: March 19, 2026 VCU\u2019s Day of Service brings together students, faculty, staff, and alumni to partner with community organizations across the Greater Richmond region. This is not a one-day volunteer event built around charity. It is a collaborative day rooted in partnership, respect, and shared impact. We work alongside organizations and neighborhood leaders who are already leading meaningful work, supporting their efforts rather than creating short-term projects for visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Volunteer opportunities include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU\u2019s Day of Service highlights the power of faculty and staff giving back by using Community Service Leave to support the communities that support us. When: March 19, 2026Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM VCU\u2019s Day of Service brings together students, faculty, staff, and alumni to partner with community organizations across the Greater Richmond region. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":1242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[321,35,326,327,150,351,352],"class_list":["post-1240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-engagement","tag-community","tag-community-engagement","tag-events","tag-service","tag-vcu","tag-volunteer","tag-volunteering"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1240\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1231,"date":"2026-02-27T11:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T16:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1231"},"modified":"2026-04-03T17:12:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T21:12:43","slug":"partnering-for-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/02\/27\/partnering-for-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Partnering for Impact: A Note on Our Shared Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Dear colleagues, <\/p>\n\n\n\n I hope that you have weathered our recent winter storms and that we can look forward to sunnier and warmer weather in the coming month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last week, President Rao delivered the annual State of the University address<\/a>. Amidst all of the inspiring stories and accomplishments – including the fact that VCU and VCU Health have a total economic impact of $18.5 billion to the Commonwealth<\/a> – I was struck by two key themes: interdisciplinarity and impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a nationally-ranked, public research university, we are asking our students to consider how they will help solve some of our most challenging societal problems; these are problems like healthier communities, a stronger economy, a more resilient environment, a safer society, faster cures and smarter and more ethical technologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps the only thing that these challenges have in common is that they cannot simply be solved through a single focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our educational structures must match the challenges we are preparing students to tackle. Our research and curricula need to be flexible and designed to cut across disciplines, departments, schools and colleges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take for example our recent VCU Convergence AI Accelerator workshop. Featuring panelists from Google, Microsoft, and UNOS, 85 faculty, staff and students from across both our campuses joined around a common focus and brought their experiences and expertise from a tapestry of backgrounds. The result was a lot of momentum in addressing a multitude of AI challenges, including partnerships with other convergence areas and specific interdisciplinary research opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s partnerships and intentional collectives like these that help us move forward, together. And create impact which is representative of this great university. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As we continue on this path of increased national and international prominence, and chart a course to becoming a $1 billion research enterprise, the ability for us to work between our silos will be the way we get there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, as we move through this Spring semester, I encourage you to consider how you can partner with other faculty members across campus to bring those additional perspectives to your labs and classrooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is how we truly educate and prepare the next generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Art<\/p>\n\n\n\n Art Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., MBA Last week, President Rao delivered the annual\u00a0State of the University address. Amidst all of the inspiring stories and accomplishments, I was struck by two key themes: interdisciplinarity and impact.\u00a0As a nationally-ranked, public research university, we are asking our students to consider how they will help solve some of our most challenging societal problems; these are problems like healthier communities, a stronger economy, a more resilient environment, a safer society, faster cures and smarter and more ethical technologies.\u00a0Perhaps the only thing that these challenges have in common is that they cannot simply be solved through a single focus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2410,"featured_media":1232,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,339],"tags":[156,35,342,341,141,214,344,340,314,345,150,111,343],"class_list":["post-1231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-provost","category-provost-messages","tag-collaboration","tag-community-engagement","tag-impact","tag-interdisciplinarity","tag-interdisciplinary-learning","tag-interdisciplinary-research","tag-provost-message","tag-public-research-university","tag-spring-2026","tag-state-of-the-university","tag-vcu","tag-vcu-faculty","tag-vcu-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1228,"date":"2026-02-12T10:31:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:31:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1228"},"modified":"2026-02-25T10:37:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T15:37:55","slug":"call-for-nominations-dfa-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/02\/12\/call-for-nominations-dfa-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Call for nominations: Distinguished Faculty Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Dear Colleagues,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Virginia Commonwealth University is Virginia’s premier urban, public research university. This is due, in no small part, to the talent and dedication of our faculty members who excel as teachers, researchers, creative scholars, and clinicians, and distinguish themselves in scholarship and service every day. Our faculty serve as models of excellence who embody the goals and aspirations of our strategic plan, Quest 2028. <\/p>\n\n\n\n VCU’s faculty personifies our mission to advance knowledge and student success. Therefore, I am honored to issue an annual call for nominations for the Distinguished Faculty Awards Program. Since 1982, VCU has paid formal tribute at Faculty Convocation to members of the faculty who support our mission with distinction and exemplify what is best about the University. Starting in 2026, our faculty will be recognized at the Faculty Recognition Gala. The categories for the Distinguished Faculty Awards are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can view the criteria, timeline and instructions for your nominations on the Provost Distinguished Faculty Awards website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our professors are at the heart of VCU’s commitment to transform our students\u2019 lives and ensure their success as well as advance knowledge and creative expression. Thank you for taking the time to consider nominating your colleagues for the University\u2019s Distinguished Faculty Awards Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Art Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., MBA Our professors are at the heart of VCU’s commitment to transform our students\u2019 lives and ensure their success as well as advance knowledge and creative expression.\u00a0 Thank you for taking the time to consider nominating your colleagues for the University\u2019s Distinguished Faculty Awards Program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":1229,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1],"tags":[33,337,183,102,179,180,338,336,327,22],"class_list":["post-1228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-affairs","category-uncategorized","tag-distinguished-faculty-awards","tag-excellence","tag-faculty-achievement","tag-faculty-affairs","tag-faculty-awards","tag-faculty-recognition","tag-professors","tag-scholarship","tag-service","tag-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1226,"date":"2026-02-06T09:12:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T14:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1226"},"modified":"2026-02-25T09:22:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:22:45","slug":"guidance-office-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/02\/06\/guidance-office-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"Guidance on faculty office hours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n Dear VCU faculty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We hope your spring semester is off to a great start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The purpose of this message is to address the topic of office hours. It is designed to complement VCU\u2019s protocols on course modalities, which are posted to this blog<\/a> and located in chapter 2 of the Academic Affairs Handbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the primary points to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Open office hours are a crucial part of student success, and fundamental to the college experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for all you do to promote student success. We hope this office hours guidance will provide you with what you need to ensure a positive instructional experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andrew T. Arroyo, Ed.D. Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Ph.D. Guidance covering VCU\u2019s requirements for faculty office hours, outlining expectations for modality, frequency, accessibility, and oversight to ensure students receive consistent, equitable opportunities for support across all courses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":1227,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,7],"tags":[171,335,168,102,329,331,330,334,333,22],"class_list":["post-1226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-affairs","category-faculty-affairs","tag-academic-affairs","tag-additional-office-hours","tag-faculty","tag-faculty-affairs","tag-guidance","tag-hours","tag-office","tag-open-office-hours","tag-support","tag-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1207,"date":"2026-01-16T13:40:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T18:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1207"},"modified":"2026-04-03T17:12:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T21:12:28","slug":"welcome-spring-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/01\/16\/welcome-spring-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to the Spring 2026 Semester"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
Interim executive vice president and provost<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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Supporting collaboration across disciplines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Transdisciplinary research<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Interdisciplinary curriculum development<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Transformative learning opportunities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Key dates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Milos](\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1060\/2026\/03\/accelerator-post-1024x364.jpg\")
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To learn more about AI and other VCU Convergence themes, email<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>convergence@vcu.edu<\/em><\/strong><\/a> or visit <\/em>academics.provost.vcu.edu\/vcu-convergence\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1060\/2026\/03\/service-flyer-1024x664.png\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Interim executive vice president and provost<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
Interim executive vice president and provost
Virginia Commonwealth University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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\n
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\n
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Senior vice provost for academic affairs<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senior vice provost for faculty affairs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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