Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor  As peace talks between the United States and Iran continue on an unpredictable path, a student from VCU’s Qatar campus spoke to The CT regarding his experiences of living through threats of bombing and a peace in the balance. VCUarts Qatar shut its doors to the public on Feb. 28 in response to hostilities in the area when the U.S. and Israel began a bombing campaign on Iran, according to previous reports by The CT. The conflict went on to impact the entire region through retaliatory strikes and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar lies beyond the strait in the Persian Gulf and has been the target of Iranian strikes on industrial, military and natural gas infrastructure. Second-year VCUarts Qatar graphic design student Anirudh Anil Kumar said the university had students limit entry to the campus as much as possible for several weeks afterward. “They told us not to come to campus, like ‘come only if necessary to take important items, and just don’t come in as a group, so you don’t get crowded in here.’” Anil Kumar said. “So we had a system to come one by one or something like that,

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU’s payroll shows a substantial gap between the salaries of administrators and other staff. Data shows that gap has increased nationwide, and VCU salaries are consistent with those of other universities — with some notable exceptions. The CT obtained VCU’s stated payroll for active employees as of April 2026 through a Freedom of Information Act request. It includes the salaries of 7,925 employees who make more than $10,000 per year. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PAYROLL The median salary earned across all employees at VCU as-listed is $74,257, and the average is $91,149. Those figures, and the following averages, only include the university — not VCU Health. The average salary for professors of any type is $167,984, according to an analysis by The CT. An assistant professor’s average salary was less than half that at $82,277. The average associate professor makes $106,388. Highest earners and administrators Employees with “chair” in their title, such as department, division or program leads, make an average of $201,194. The average employee with “dean” in their title makes $413,750. There is noticeable variation in the salaries deans receive. College of Humanities and Sciences dean Catherine Ingrassia

Maeve Bauer, Spectrum Editor  “VCUarts Fashion has made my work into a minstrelsy,” read a post by third-year student Taylor Hodge last Thursday — less than a week before the annual VCUarts Fashion and Merchandising show at the VMFA. Fashion design and merchandising students submitted their works in hopes of being selected for the fashion show, something usually seen as an opportunity for students to share skills they have been harnessing at VCU. When submitting their work, students are asked to fill out a comment card for any specifics they had about their work and how they would like to see it displayed. One of the sections asked if there were any cultural considerations to be taken into account. Hodge requested a Black model wear her design. Her selected two-piece suit was part of her “Sapphire Collection,” named for the “angry Black woman” stereotype. The looks were scored and decided by a board made up mostly of VCU donors and some alumni. Students have no communication with the board, according to Hodge. The models were chosen before the outfits were selected in March by a board of professors and community members. Hodge heard from other designers that the models for