Sunday, June 28th, 2026

News

Some ICA staff describe ethics violations, ‘toxic’ work culture

June 28, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor  Current and former employees of the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU described a deteriorating work environment marked by ethics complaints, restrictions on expression, a fear of retaliation among staff and a high turnover rate.  The ICA has been involved in at least 32 formal ethics complaints since its opening in 2018, according to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by The CT.  Beyond the ethics complaints, some staff said work environment issues are longstanding and have been exacerbated under new leadership and a shift in direction since 2024. Grievances include Title IX complaints The CT viewed correspondence for three Title IX reports filed by separate ICA employees. They all described repeated harassment by the same administrator working for the institute.  EDITOR’S NOTE: The CT made the decision to omit the administrator’s name for legal reasons, as well as to protect the identities of victims.  The employees observed frequent sexual comments made by the administrator to or about femme-presenting coworkers and their bodies, including younger and undergraduate workers.  Complainants variably described the administrator’s “grooming” of young coworkers and in-house retaliation against employees of past romantic interest. Two complainants described the existence of a group chat

VCU Police ward off bear in Oregon Hill

May 14, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU Police officers had just gotten out of a morning briefing when the department received an unusual call. “Somebody told them they thought it might be a big Rottweiler or something, and they saw it and they were like ‘yeah, no, that’s not a dog,’” VCU Police spokesperson Jake Burns told The CT. After arriving at the scene, the initial report officers received was confirmed to be true. A teenage, 100-pound black bear was wandering around the VCU-adjacent Oregon Hill neighborhood.  The notice came in around 6:50 a.m. on May 14 from the 400 block of South Pine Street — just next to Pleasant’s Park. VCU Police officers Gregory Perry and Jason Malone could not find the furry fellow at first, not until bystanders proved its presence with videos off their phones. They decided to look again, this time up, leading them to find the bear in a tree. The officers kept the bear cornered off until animal control and state officials could arrive. The creature roamed between people’s yards, and at one point even got on someone’s roof. “As he was hopping the fences, we made loud noises and shouted and made ourselves look big,”

VCU’s new provost on tenure policies, research, academic freedom

April 29, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU’s year-long search for a new second-in-command and chief academic officer finally came to a close last week. Arturo Saavedra, the former School of Medicine dean and interim provost since December, was confirmed by the VCU Board of Visitors into his new role as the permanent provost. Saavedra is the third person to hold the high office in the last year, as former Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos departed in April 2025 for his same job at Pennsylvania State University. It was then held by interim Provost Beverly Warren until December 2025. Now, at the crossroads of new goals, policies and a shifting university identity, Saavedra sat down with The CT to discuss the matters most important to the VCU community. EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity. The full transcript can be read here. Why do you think you were chosen to be the new provost? Saavedra: “I would like to say that through my life, my utmost goal has been to be of service, to understand where I sit from the perspective of impacting change so that others benefit.” For those who have no idea, how would you describe the job of

Qatar student describes hope, adaptation as Iran war settlement stalls

April 29, 2026

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,

VCU’s $720 million payroll reveals wide wage gaps

April 29, 2026

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

Virginia lawmakers bluntly decline Spanberger’s cannabis bill changes

April 29, 2026

Erika Vasquez, Contributing Writer   Virginia lawmakers rejected Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s proposed amendments on legislation to create a retail cannabis market during the General Assembly’s reconvened session on April 22. This follows lawmakers expressing disappointment towards the governor’s recommendations on retail cannabis markets in Virginia. Since the legalization of cannabis possession in 2021, adults above the age of 21 have been able to possess an ounce of cannabis and to own up to four plants. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin  twice vetoed bills to provide consumers with a way to purchase regulated cannabis legally during his tenure. With six years of legal possession but nowhere to legally purchase recreational cannabis, many Virginians have been left anticipating the results of the ongoing legislative dispute. “I have been waiting for this because it’s so many people, you know — college students sometimes partake in recreational weed use to get off the edge a bit,” third-year English student Owen Collins said. “I think a lot of us are watching very closely as to what will be the outcome of this for sure.” Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, the bill originally establishes the framework for the creation of a retail cannabis market in Virginia

Student calls out fashion department for denying request for Black model

April 29, 2026

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

‘We’re not going anywhere’; VCU’s service workers start contract renewal effort

April 29, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor Service workers represented by chapter 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union began a public effort to ensure a fair negotiation as their contract is set to expire on June 30. The workers held a rally in Monroe Park on April 24, which featured words from custodial and maintenance workers and local legislators. Angela Arrington, a lead housekeeper at VCU and 32BJ union member, said she attended the rally because Compass — the third-party umbrella corporation which contracts her and other housekeepers’ work at VCU — has avoided coming to negotiation on the workers’ demands. “We don’t want a sliver of the pie, we want a slice of the pie,” Arrington said. Arrington described grievances with Compass over her need to use vacation days for doctor’s visits so she can afford to do so, and over Compass’ pay structure for events. “I work from 7 to 3:30, if they have an event within that time, I don’t get paid [overtime],” Arrington said. “Compass is getting paid. First of all for them to have the event. Secondly, if they request a porter, they get all of that money in my eight hour

Some ICA staff describe ethics violations, ‘toxic’ work culture

June 28, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor  Current and former employees of the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU described a deteriorating work environment marked by ethics complaints, restrictions on expression, a fear of retaliation among staff and a high turnover rate.  The ICA has been involved in at least 32 formal ethics complaints since its opening in 2018, according to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by The CT.  Beyond the ethics complaints, some staff said work environment issues are longstanding and have been exacerbated under new leadership and a shift in direction since 2024. Grievances include Title IX complaints The CT viewed correspondence for three Title IX reports filed by separate ICA employees. They all described repeated harassment by the same administrator working for the institute.  EDITOR’S NOTE: The CT made the decision to omit the administrator’s name for legal reasons, as well as to protect the identities of victims.  The employees observed frequent sexual comments made by the administrator to or about femme-presenting coworkers and their bodies, including younger and undergraduate workers.  Complainants variably described the administrator’s “grooming” of young coworkers and in-house retaliation against employees of past romantic interest. Two complainants described the existence of a group chat with only male coworkers in which “lewd” comments and sexual jokes were shared. According to at least two of the complainants, some of the administrator’s behaviors changed after submitting their Title IX reports. The complainants stated their reports “did not go far,” were dismissed or did not result in the requested actions by VCU. The administrator in question remains in their position.  Title IX is a federal law provision that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education settings, and encompasses sexual harassment, sexual violence, dress code discrimination and more, according to the United States Department of Education.  VCU’s Title IX policy can be found here. Reports can be filed to the Office of Equity and Access Services, which responds to complaints of misconduct.  VCU’s Integrity and Compliance Office tracks reports and investigations from across the university regarding programs, systems and staff.  The 32 ICA-related complaints include eight “substantiated complaints” and two “partially substantiated complaints,” according to record requests by The CT.  Annual reports show there have been 1,926 complaints across the university between fiscal years 2018 and 2025.  The number of complaints involving the ICA appears disproportionate to its staff size. The institute has roughly 40 employees, per a university-wide

VCU Police ward off bear in Oregon Hill

May 14, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU Police officers had just gotten out of a morning briefing when the department received an unusual call. “Somebody told them they thought it might be a big Rottweiler or something, and they saw it and they were like ‘yeah, no, that’s not a dog,’” VCU Police spokesperson Jake Burns told The CT. After arriving at the scene, the initial report officers received was confirmed to be true. A teenage, 100-pound black bear was wandering around the VCU-adjacent Oregon Hill neighborhood.  The notice came in around 6:50 a.m. on May 14 from the 400 block of South Pine Street — just next to Pleasant’s Park. VCU Police officers Gregory Perry and Jason Malone could not find the furry fellow at first, not until bystanders proved its presence with videos off their phones. They decided to look again, this time up, leading them to find the bear in a tree. The officers kept the bear cornered off until animal control and state officials could arrive. The creature roamed between people’s yards, and at one point even got on someone’s roof. “As he was hopping the fences, we made loud noises and shouted and made ourselves look big,”

VCU’s new provost on tenure policies, research, academic freedom

April 29, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU’s year-long search for a new second-in-command and chief academic officer finally came to a close last week. Arturo Saavedra, the former School of Medicine dean and interim provost since December, was confirmed by the VCU Board of Visitors into his new role as the permanent provost. Saavedra is the third person to hold the high office in the last year, as former Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos departed in April 2025 for his same job at Pennsylvania State University. It was then held by interim Provost Beverly Warren until December 2025. Now, at the crossroads of new goals, policies and a shifting university identity, Saavedra sat down with The CT to discuss the matters most important to the VCU community. EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity. The full transcript can be read here. Why do you think you were chosen to be the new provost? Saavedra: “I would like to say that through my life, my utmost goal has been to be of service, to understand where I sit from the perspective of impacting change so that others benefit.” For those who have no idea, how would you describe the job of

Qatar student describes hope, adaptation as Iran war settlement stalls

April 29, 2026

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,

VCU’s $720 million payroll reveals wide wage gaps

April 29, 2026

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

Virginia lawmakers bluntly decline Spanberger’s cannabis bill changes

April 29, 2026

Erika Vasquez, Contributing Writer   Virginia lawmakers rejected Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s proposed amendments on legislation to create a retail cannabis market during the General Assembly’s reconvened session on April 22. This follows lawmakers expressing disappointment towards the governor’s recommendations on retail cannabis markets in Virginia. Since the legalization of cannabis possession in 2021, adults above the age of 21 have been able to possess an ounce of cannabis and to own up to four plants. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin  twice vetoed bills to provide consumers with a way to purchase regulated cannabis legally during his tenure. With six years of legal possession but nowhere to legally purchase recreational cannabis, many Virginians have been left anticipating the results of the ongoing legislative dispute. “I have been waiting for this because it’s so many people, you know — college students sometimes partake in recreational weed use to get off the edge a bit,” third-year English student Owen Collins said. “I think a lot of us are watching very closely as to what will be the outcome of this for sure.” Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, the bill originally establishes the framework for the creation of a retail cannabis market in Virginia

Student calls out fashion department for denying request for Black model

April 29, 2026

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