Sunday, April 19th, 2026

News

VCU research initiatives, growing funds point to changing campus identity 

April 15, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU is aiming to “not just be a national, but an international hub for research and innovation,” according to P. Srirama Rao, the university’s vice president for research and innovation. In his annual State of the Research address, Rao outlined a lofty goal for the university — to reach $1 billion in sponsored research funding. The announcement comes amid an academic year packed with new grants for interdisciplinary studies, new and reworked minors and consolidated programs. As VCU has put more money into research and shifted its branding accordingly, some students and faculty have pointed to the campus possibly shifting away from its identity as a hub for the arts and humanities. VCU is ranked No. 46 nationally in research spending among public research universities by the National Science Foundation — yet it is ranked No. 72 in public schools overall by U.S. News & World Report. VCU’s research spending, and status as an R1, “very high research activity” university, is exceptionally high for a school of its prestige. VCU has a guaranteed admission policy for students with a high school GPA of 3.5 or above, per a previous report by

RVA communities raise cancer risk concerns as Trump softens regulations

April 15, 2026

Sal Orlando, Assistant News Editor The Trump administration recently reshaped federal standards on carcinogenic pollutants, adding greater risk to the Richmond area — which is designated by Propublica as a hotspot for elevated cancer risks from ethylene oxide. Richmond has two medical sterilization facilities that use ethylene oxide within six miles of each other, making the city vulnerable to higher cancer risks, according to VPM. Sterilization Services of Virginia, in Eastern Henrico County, was identified as a major contributor to elevated cancer risks in the area by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The facility is less than 10 miles away from Central Virginia Health Network/Bon Secours Mercy Health, another sterilization facility. Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas used to sterilize medical equipment and is carcinogenic to humans, according to the EPA. Humans who are exposed to EtO have increased risks of lymphoma and leukemia. Virginia Interfaith Power & Light is a nonprofit organization with the mission of bringing together communities of faith to advance climate and environmental justice, according to their website. VIPL communications manager Connor Eppley said the locations “form a Venn diagram” over VCU. “It’s not just out in Eastern Henrico, though they’re getting the brunt of it,

Virginia on track for codified same-sex marriage

April 15, 2026

Bryer Haywood, Staff Writer  Virginians will vote this November on amending the state constitution to protect same-sex marriage rights against any future, federal-level threats — and polling indicates they will likely vote “yes.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill in February to put the question of same-sex marriage on the November ballot — one of four referendums Virginians will vote on this year. Same-sex marriage is protected on the national level by the United States Supreme Court’s landmark decision over the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges case. If the Supreme Court were to ever overturn their decision, Virginia would revert to a 2006 ban on same-sex marriage written into its constitution, according to a previous report by The CT. The court declined to revisit their past ruling earlier this year. The ballot question Virginians will vote on this November asks to remove that ban and replace it with codified legalization for same-sex marriage. Under the proposal, the right to marry would be fundamental regardless of couples’ sex, gender or race. Over 57% of Virginians voted in 2006 to ban same-sex marriage, but support for LGBTQ+ people has dramatically grown in the last two decades. According to recent research by the Public

Do VCU students actually care about men’s basketball?

April 15, 2026

Bryer Haywood, Staff Writer Ben Martindale, Staff Writer Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU men’s basketball garnered national attention for its historic performance in this year’s March Madness. Their comeback against the University of North Carolina was the largest in first round NCAA Tournament history. Men’s basketball is undeniably the premier attraction for VCU Athletics, and it receives the funding to back it up. VCU Athletics Director Ed McLaughlin promised to devote $4-5 million to pay men’s basketball players last year.  With the success of the team this past season, that number is only slated to increase. The team is also already revered by the Richmond community, with home games averaging a sell out of 7,614 people. Even for away games, thousands of people show up to support the Rams.  Official statistics from VCU Athletics show that 14,178 Rams fans went to the second round game against the University of Illinois. Though the Rams ultimately lost that game by 21 points, the fervor for the team has not diminished.  However, while the community travels in droves to support the Rams, the student section tends to remain the emptiest come the opening whistle.  VCU is home to over 29,000 students, but the

Former General Motors CEO will be VCU commencement speaker

April 15, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor  Rick Wagoner, the former CEO and chairman of General Motors, will be the keynote speaker at VCU’s Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony. Spring commencement is one of VCU’s largest events of the year. The Spring 2026 ceremony will celebrate thousands of graduates at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on May 9. Past keynote speakers include Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor, former VCU basketball star and NFL player Mo Alie-Cox and former Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Around 100 students walked out of Youngkin’s 2024 keynote speech in protest, according to a previous report by The CT. Wagoner was raised in the Richmond area and graduated from J.R. Tucker High School. He spent 32 years at automotive manufacturing giant General Motors, and was the youngest CEO in company history, according to VCU. Wagoner resigned from General Motors in 2009 at the request of the Obama administration, according to Politico. It was during the automotive industry crisis and the Great Recession. General Motors lost billions of dollars under Wagoner. His resignation was a condition for the company to receive massive bailouts from the government. He left the company with over $10 million in benefits. Since stepping down, Wagoner has become the leader

Richmond Election Office faces money challenges amid referendum, primaries

April 15, 2026

Erika Vasquez, Contributing writer  Richmond’s elections office is voicing concerns over government support for its running of recent and upcoming Virginia elections. The electoral office has been making strenuous efforts to overcome challenges including the last two special elections and three upcoming elections left for the year. David Levine, director of Elections and General Register for the City of Richmond, said at a March City Council meeting budget constraints have been an emerging issue during the last two special elections. The Richmond election office’s struggles with budgeting include the wake of the 2024 presidential primary. Levine stated that only roughly 40% of what the state had reimbursed for that election had kicked in — while 57% expenses were at the local level. “My focus is on keeping the process consistent, reliable, secure and accessible, so that outcomes reflect the will of the voters and all voters can feel confident in how elections are run locally,” Levine said. As of the last special election, Levine noted that a projected total of over $250,000 was left unbudgeted for, highlighting the unforeseen financial burden of elections. The majority of funding for the electoral office comes from the local government, as the exact budget

VCU alum lives on with lunar crater named in her honor

April 15, 2026

Molly Manning, Managing Editor Before the Artemis II crew splashed down off the California coast Friday, they took the time to honor the life and legacy of NASA Commander Reid Wiseman’s wife, Carroll — a nurse, mother and VCU alum who died of cancer in 2020. The group aboard Artemis II was the first to visit the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, orbited the moon last week in order to “verify modern human capabilities in deep space and pave the way for long-term exploration and science on the lunar surface,” according to the Kennedy Space Center. The group was the first to see the far side of the moon since 1972, and broke the record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans, according to NPR. They spotted several craters that remained unnamed. The first proposed crater name was Integrity, the name of the spacecraft — the second was Caroll, for Commander Wiseman’s late wife. A new, bright spot on the moon’s boundary between near and far sides will forever be known as “Carroll” after Hansen requested the naming ahead of

Avula enfoca la vivienda asequible en el presupuesto de la ciudad mientras los precios suben

April 13, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, Editor de Noticias Richmond está poniendo un enfoque político y de planificación en la expansión de viviendas y en la asequibilidad a través de ciertos artículos del presupuesto y de el proyecto continuo para actualizar la zonificación de la ciudad. Mientras tanto, residentes se siguen enfrentando con gastos altos y una tasa alta de desahucio comparada a la nacional. Los cambios llegan a la vez que Richmond se convierte en una ciudad atractiva nacionalmente para estudiantes universitarios y para graduandos buscando alojamiento según realtor.com. La propuesta del alcalde incluye programas de subvenciones y cambios a financiación  Los puntos del plan para viviendas del alcalde promete establecer fondos predecibles para la construcción de viviendas asequibles, re-urbanizar viviendas públicas, luchar contra el desplazamiento y continuar actualizando el código de zonificación. Los fondos predecibles vendrán principalmente en forma de ingresos del impuesto sobre bienes inmuebles que irá hacia el Fondo Fiduciario para Viviendas Asequibles. Esa vía de ingresos ya fue aprobada por el ayuntamiento en febrero, y se espera que recaude más de $10 millones este año y más millones mientras crece la ciudad. Previamente, el fondo se financiaba regularmente, pero ya ha resultado en la construcción de unidades asequibles.

VCU research initiatives, growing funds point to changing campus identity 

April 15, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU is aiming to “not just be a national, but an international hub for research and innovation,” according to P. Srirama Rao, the university’s vice president for research and innovation. In his annual State of the Research address, Rao outlined a lofty goal for the university — to reach $1 billion in sponsored research funding. The announcement comes amid an academic year packed with new grants for interdisciplinary studies, new and reworked minors and consolidated programs. As VCU has put more money into research and shifted its branding accordingly, some students and faculty have pointed to the campus possibly shifting away from its identity as a hub for the arts and humanities. VCU is ranked No. 46 nationally in research spending among public research universities by the National Science Foundation — yet it is ranked No. 72 in public schools overall by U.S. News & World Report. VCU’s research spending, and status as an R1, “very high research activity” university, is exceptionally high for a school of its prestige. VCU has a guaranteed admission policy for students with a high school GPA of 3.5 or above, per a previous report by The CT. The school is inching toward hitting 30,000 total students. For comparison, James Madison University has 21,112 students and is an R2 university, or a “high research activity” university; The University of Virginia — considered by many to be the commonwealth’s most prestigious place of learning — has 26,685 students and is an R1 university. Rao pointed out that VCU’s research enterprise has continued to grow, including a 10% increase in federal funding in 2025, despite broader federal research funding cuts. The university previously ended Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and changed gender-affirming care policies in its hospitals to avoid funding cuts by the Trump administration, according to previous reports by The CT. Interdisciplinary initiatives, ‘convergence grants’ VCU’s Office of the Provost announced in March a request for proposals for “convergence grants” —  through which faculty can pitch their ideas for cooperation with other departments on research for up to $10,000 of funding. The provost’s office will accept proposals until April 30. The research funding must lie within five themes where departments could collaborate — AI, mental health, health outcomes, sustainability and neuroscience. The themes are meant to “unite traditionally siloed academic disciplines,” according to Tim Luckritz Marquis, the

RVA communities raise cancer risk concerns as Trump softens regulations

April 15, 2026

Sal Orlando, Assistant News Editor The Trump administration recently reshaped federal standards on carcinogenic pollutants, adding greater risk to the Richmond area — which is designated by Propublica as a hotspot for elevated cancer risks from ethylene oxide. Richmond has two medical sterilization facilities that use ethylene oxide within six miles of each other, making the city vulnerable to higher cancer risks, according to VPM. Sterilization Services of Virginia, in Eastern Henrico County, was identified as a major contributor to elevated cancer risks in the area by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The facility is less than 10 miles away from Central Virginia Health Network/Bon Secours Mercy Health, another sterilization facility. Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas used to sterilize medical equipment and is carcinogenic to humans, according to the EPA. Humans who are exposed to EtO have increased risks of lymphoma and leukemia. Virginia Interfaith Power & Light is a nonprofit organization with the mission of bringing together communities of faith to advance climate and environmental justice, according to their website. VIPL communications manager Connor Eppley said the locations “form a Venn diagram” over VCU. “It’s not just out in Eastern Henrico, though they’re getting the brunt of it,

Virginia on track for codified same-sex marriage

April 15, 2026

Bryer Haywood, Staff Writer  Virginians will vote this November on amending the state constitution to protect same-sex marriage rights against any future, federal-level threats — and polling indicates they will likely vote “yes.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill in February to put the question of same-sex marriage on the November ballot — one of four referendums Virginians will vote on this year. Same-sex marriage is protected on the national level by the United States Supreme Court’s landmark decision over the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges case. If the Supreme Court were to ever overturn their decision, Virginia would revert to a 2006 ban on same-sex marriage written into its constitution, according to a previous report by The CT. The court declined to revisit their past ruling earlier this year. The ballot question Virginians will vote on this November asks to remove that ban and replace it with codified legalization for same-sex marriage. Under the proposal, the right to marry would be fundamental regardless of couples’ sex, gender or race. Over 57% of Virginians voted in 2006 to ban same-sex marriage, but support for LGBTQ+ people has dramatically grown in the last two decades. According to recent research by the Public

Do VCU students actually care about men’s basketball?

April 15, 2026

Bryer Haywood, Staff Writer Ben Martindale, Staff Writer Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU men’s basketball garnered national attention for its historic performance in this year’s March Madness. Their comeback against the University of North Carolina was the largest in first round NCAA Tournament history. Men’s basketball is undeniably the premier attraction for VCU Athletics, and it receives the funding to back it up. VCU Athletics Director Ed McLaughlin promised to devote $4-5 million to pay men’s basketball players last year.  With the success of the team this past season, that number is only slated to increase. The team is also already revered by the Richmond community, with home games averaging a sell out of 7,614 people. Even for away games, thousands of people show up to support the Rams.  Official statistics from VCU Athletics show that 14,178 Rams fans went to the second round game against the University of Illinois. Though the Rams ultimately lost that game by 21 points, the fervor for the team has not diminished.  However, while the community travels in droves to support the Rams, the student section tends to remain the emptiest come the opening whistle.  VCU is home to over 29,000 students, but the

Former General Motors CEO will be VCU commencement speaker

April 15, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor  Rick Wagoner, the former CEO and chairman of General Motors, will be the keynote speaker at VCU’s Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony. Spring commencement is one of VCU’s largest events of the year. The Spring 2026 ceremony will celebrate thousands of graduates at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on May 9. Past keynote speakers include Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor, former VCU basketball star and NFL player Mo Alie-Cox and former Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Around 100 students walked out of Youngkin’s 2024 keynote speech in protest, according to a previous report by The CT. Wagoner was raised in the Richmond area and graduated from J.R. Tucker High School. He spent 32 years at automotive manufacturing giant General Motors, and was the youngest CEO in company history, according to VCU. Wagoner resigned from General Motors in 2009 at the request of the Obama administration, according to Politico. It was during the automotive industry crisis and the Great Recession. General Motors lost billions of dollars under Wagoner. His resignation was a condition for the company to receive massive bailouts from the government. He left the company with over $10 million in benefits. Since stepping down, Wagoner has become the leader

Richmond Election Office faces money challenges amid referendum, primaries

April 15, 2026

Erika Vasquez, Contributing writer  Richmond’s elections office is voicing concerns over government support for its running of recent and upcoming Virginia elections. The electoral office has been making strenuous efforts to overcome challenges including the last two special elections and three upcoming elections left for the year. David Levine, director of Elections and General Register for the City of Richmond, said at a March City Council meeting budget constraints have been an emerging issue during the last two special elections. The Richmond election office’s struggles with budgeting include the wake of the 2024 presidential primary. Levine stated that only roughly 40% of what the state had reimbursed for that election had kicked in — while 57% expenses were at the local level. “My focus is on keeping the process consistent, reliable, secure and accessible, so that outcomes reflect the will of the voters and all voters can feel confident in how elections are run locally,” Levine said. As of the last special election, Levine noted that a projected total of over $250,000 was left unbudgeted for, highlighting the unforeseen financial burden of elections. The majority of funding for the electoral office comes from the local government, as the exact budget

VCU alum lives on with lunar crater named in her honor

April 15, 2026

Molly Manning, Managing Editor Before the Artemis II crew splashed down off the California coast Friday, they took the time to honor the life and legacy of NASA Commander Reid Wiseman’s wife, Carroll — a nurse, mother and VCU alum who died of cancer in 2020. The group aboard Artemis II was the first to visit the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, orbited the moon last week in order to “verify modern human capabilities in deep space and pave the way for long-term exploration and science on the lunar surface,” according to the Kennedy Space Center. The group was the first to see the far side of the moon since 1972, and broke the record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans, according to NPR. They spotted several craters that remained unnamed. The first proposed crater name was Integrity, the name of the spacecraft — the second was Caroll, for Commander Wiseman’s late wife. A new, bright spot on the moon’s boundary between near and far sides will forever be known as “Carroll” after Hansen requested the naming ahead of