Rao announces online COVID-19 dashboard monitoring VCU’s active cases
Katharine DeRosa, Staff Writer Anya Sczerzenie, Contributing Writer VCU President Michael Rao announced the launch of a university COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday, providing students, faculty and staff with a centralized location to monitor active cases, on-campus isolation, prevalence testing and entry test results. There are 25 active student cases of COVID-19 and 11 cases among […]
Michael Rao’s op-ed supporting Navy Hill was ghostwritten by developer
Hannah Eason, News Editor Katie Hollowell, Contributing Writer A Richmond Times-Dispatch op-ed signed by VCU President Michael Rao endorsing the proposed Navy Hill project, which would redevelop the downtown area, was written by the project’s developer. A public relations consultant for NH District Corp., Jeff Kelley, helped draft the op-ed based on an interview […]
VCU to build $350 million children’s hospital
Fadel Allassan, News Editor VCU Health System is planning to build an 86-bed, $350 million inpatient children’s hospital at the university’s medical center, the university announced last week. The facility will be on East Marshall Street, between 10th and 11th streets, and adjacent to the outpatient Children’s Pavilion building downtown. The university expects to start construction […]
VCU president responds to Northam controversy
Walter Chidozie Anyanwu, Contributing Writer President Michael Rao is restating the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in light of the fallout surrounding Gov. Ralph Northam. In an email sent out to students, staff and faculty, Rao maintained that “bigotry and racism, conscious or otherwise, have no place in our Commonwealth or in our […]
“No better place to achieve the American Dream”: VCU president strikes optimistic tone in yearly speech
Chip Lauterbach, Contributing Writer Pres.Michael Rao painted an optimistic picture of the university’s standing in his annual address to the VCU community on Jan. 31, noting the school’s climb from a top-50 to a top-25 public research university. In the State of the University Address, Rao said he expects VCU Health to be ranked among the […]
VCU reverses announcement of spring commencement cancellation
Logan Reardon Staff Writer VCU will hold a university-wide May 2019 commencement, though details on the location have not been announced, according to the VCU Office of the President. This update comes one week after the university announced a cancellation of the event — which drew the ire of a number of seniors planning to […]
Rao delivers his fourth State of the University
President Michael Rao urged the VCU community to continue striving for progress, despite challenging times and difficult circumstances during his fourth State of the University address last Thursday. Rao reaffirmed his commitment to students protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, the measure implemented by the Obama administration allowing immigrants who arrived […]
Administration looks to measure diversity climate
Andrew Crider Online News Editor The VCU administration is asking students to assess VCU’s diversity climate in a new online survey which began on April 11 and concludes on April 29. Students completing the survey will be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift cards, or one of two grand prizes of a free semester […]
VCU celebrates $50.8 million completion of renovated Cabell Library
VCU president Michael Rao, Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton and university librarian John Ulmschneider gathered with donors, administration and other government officials Tuesday to officially open the $50.8 million renovated Cabell Library. “What we really are celebrating is the future,” Rao said during the opening ceremony of the library. “I still think of libraries […]
Rao addresses “relevance” during State of the University
VCU’s “relevance” as an institution was the theme of President Michael Rao’s annual State of the University address on Jan. 28. Rao, now in his seventh year in office, cited a poll by the Pew Research Center which indicates fewer than half of Americans believe attending college is the best way to succeed, while in […]