Students voice isolation housing concerns
Arianna Rackham, Contributing Writer Junior Haya Hamid said living in VCU’s quarantine housing –– one of several methods used by the university to control the spread of COVID-19 on campus — was best described as a “series of unfortunate events.” The health, physical education and exercise science major said she didn’t receive food from the university […]
Student calls VCU’s reopening plan ‘atrocious,’ creates petition urging admin to revise
Eduardo Acevedo, News Editor When senior world and Africana studies double major Bianca Eaton first read VCU’s reopening plan in July, she knew she had to give VCU students a way to make their concerns heard. “The reopening plan, to me, was extremely atrocious,” Eaton said. Because of her and her family’s immunocompromised status, Eaton […]
Workers rally for justice in VCU contracting policies
Katharine DeRosa, Staff Writer Workers from the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters have been touting “Shame on VCU” signs around VCU’s Monroe Park Campus since July, gaining the attention of students and community members. Greg Ackerman, deputy political director for EAS, said the group began the demonstrations to put pressure on VCU to […]
Spread of COVID-19 at Richmond jail leads to protests inside, outside facility
Sagal Ahmed, Contributing Writer Shontrese Otey’s 20-year-old son is sitting in the Richmond City Justice Center waiting for his court date. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect incarcerated people across the country, Otey said she is nervous for her son and other people in the facility. “I was in tears because I knew this […]
Student petition demands reduced tuition
Katharine DeRosa, Staff Writer Many students are experiencing college in different ways this semester, particularly through the use of online classes, and some feel that the change in education should be reflected in a change in tuition prices. Sunny Lee, a senior psychology major, started an online petition last week, asking VCU to lower tuition […]
Some colleges add free vending machines with masks, sanitizer
Brandon Shillingford, Capital News Service Students returning to campus this fall will find vending machines stocked full of snacks, sodas, and now personal protective equipment too. The machines located throughout Richmond-based Virginia Commonwealth University are filled with masks and hand sanitizer and soon, wipes. The supplies are available to students and employees for free, with […]
VCU professors speak out against administration’s COVID-19 response
Katharine DeRosa, Staff Writer With more than 150 cumulative cases of COVID-19 at VCU and no direct statement from the university regarding continued in-person instruction, a group of professors is speaking out. VCU chemistry professor Everett Carpenter addressed the Board of Visitors during a meeting on Aug. 26 to express his concerns with coronavirus cases […]
House rules: Break COVID-19 guidelines, face possible eviction from VCU dorms
Anya Sczerzenie, Staff Writer For residential students, not following VCU’s COVID-19 policies could lead to being evicted from on-campus housing and returning home. VCU Residential Life and Housing posted a series of tweets reminding students to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines or risk facing eviction. Not only would the student’s contract be canceled, but they would […]
Police pull out of ‘Conversations at the Monument’ appearance
Eduardo Acevedo, News Editor Richmond residents, local elected officials and community organizers gathered on the medians around Marcus-David Peters Circle on Saturday afternoon to discuss citywide issues, including public safety and criminal justice, mental health and healthcare, housing, and education. Four canopies, or “conversation stations,” were pitched on the east side median near the traffic […]
SGA president-elect: Rao statement against violence was ‘precursor’ to Monroe Park arrests
Katharine DeRosa, Staff Writer Taylor Maloney, president-elect of the Student Government Association at VCU, was arrested for trespassing in Monroe Park while protesting against police brutality. Her arrest came on the heels of an email by VCU President Michael Rao, condemning violent protests that took place the previous night. “I personally believe what he [Rao] […]