The Commonwealth Times; April 6, 2022

University tuition

KATRINA LEE News Editor

CU ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY presented a range of tuition increases for 2023 between 3% and 6% for undergraduate and graduate students, following a three-year freeze on tuition.

The proposed tuition increase is based on a state-mandated 5% salary increase for university faculty and for supplemental funding towards the financial aid budget for undergraduate students. The range of increase is dependent on funding the university will receive from the state, which has yet to be approved, according to VCU’s Chief Financial Officer Karol Gray.

“If the state gives us more we could lower tuition increases. If they don’t, then we’re going to have to manage a shortfall on our budget. And we’ll do that,” Gray said.

The budget recommendations include an increase of $145, or 4.8% in mandatory fees, according to the VCU Annual Tuition and Budget Student Forum presentation on March 3. The changes include a $112 increase in the university fee, a $15 increase in the technology fee, a $5 increase in the health service fee, a $5 increase in the academic support services fee and a $4 increase in the library fee.

The university fee, which will increase the most, funds the University Student Commons, recreational sports, academic advising, career services, University Student Counseling and student athlete services, according to a previous report by The Commonwealth Times.

“The university’s very mission-based and very sensitive to putting tuition increases on our students, but we’re in a financial position that we have to retain our faculty,” Gray said.

Gray said faculty members at VCU are underpaid compared to other universities.

The average employee salary in 2020 was $94,907, according to OpenPayrolls. The average salary for professors at VCU is between $79,000 and $180,000, according to Glassdoor.

a whole lot leftover if you’re making $90,000 a year. So that seems like a lot of money, but the reality is, that just doesn’t go very far for a family of four in Richmond.”

Wintersieck said the publicly available data on the internet of the average salary of university employees is not “transparent,” as she said it only shows data for those who make more than $50,000 a year. There are thousands of employees at VCU who make below the cost of living, according to Wintersieck.

“This is an issue of equity,” Wintersieck said. “There are a lot of people who worked for VCU, and they work hard for VCU. They’re putting in nights and weekends. I’m sure you’ve talked to your financial aid advisor on a Sunday, that is outside the scope of their job. And they are doing that for poverty wages.”

Wintersieck said, ideally, she wishes the university never has to touch student tuition, but that is the “path of least resistance” for meeting the 5% state salary requirement.

salary raises

lever that we look to, in order to move the institution forward,” Allen said.

Sophomore stage management student Hope Fuller said she can respect the reasons for increasing tuition, despite having to eventually pay her parents back for college.

“It definitely adds a little more stress, hearing about tuition rates rising. But I understand that, as long as the money is actually going towards what they said it is,” Fuller said.

Fuller said she felt VCU’s tuition is very fair given the quality of the education, faculty and other aspects of the university.

“I have a couple of friends that go to [Virginia] Tech and from what I remember it was a little more expensive,” Fuller said. “If the tuition was too high I probably would have gone somewhere else.”

“We want to retain them [university faculty] and recruit them and have them stay and be happy. So we have our strategic plan in spite of the mandated salary increases, we have a strong commitment to increasing faculty salaries,” Gray said.

Students should understand the reasons behind the tuition increases proposed for the 2023 academic year, according to Gray.

Political science professor Amanda Wintersieck said she thinks raises for faculty are “absolutely necessary,” because she said Virginia is an expensive state to live in.

“Richmond happens to be a fairly affordable option if you live in Virginia, but the cost of living in Richmond is about $90,000 a year.” Wintersieck said. “That doesn’t leave

“Does the president need a raise? I mean, [President Michael] Rao makes over $600,000 a year,” Wintersieck said. “Is it reasonable to say that some people over a certain threshold who are doing quite well, economically, don’t need a 5% pay increase?

David Allen, the assistant vice president of the Office of Budget Analysis and Financial Planning, said the proposed tuition increase comes after a freeze on tuition because of COVID-19. Under normal circumstances, tuition does increase annually based on the university’s needs.

The Office of Budget Analysis usually focuses on moving funds internally first before looking into increasing tuition for students, according to Allen.

“We try and look at what we can do in order to fund those things without touching tuition. Tuition really becomes the last

projected to increase, accounts for state-mandated

Amanda Wintersieck, political science professor

VCU’s Financial Aid Office is located in Grace E. Harris Hall. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Stories of the week

national: America’s oldest national park ranger retires at 100-year-old.

international: The European Union implements new sanctions targeting Russian coal and ships.

Little Ram Pantry Locations on Monroe Park Campus

RAM PANTRIES’ EXPANDS TO NEW LOCATIONS ON MONROE PARK, MCV CAMPUS

VARSHA VASUDEVAN Staff Writer

LITTLE RAM PANTRIES, A PILOT PROGRAM created to study food insecurity among students on campus, has expanded with new locations on VCU’s Monroe Park and MCV campuses, according to the program’s founder and environment science professor John Jones.

The expansion into the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center at MCV follows the success of the initial Little Ram Pantries, which were installed around the Monroe Park Campus in October 2021, according to a previous report from The Commonwealth Times. The

new locations at MCV also expands Little Ram Pantries’ “service area,” according to Jones. He said the expansion was initially planned for later in the semester, but was accelerated following requests from faculty and staff from MCV to open the pantries there as well.

“A few faculty, mostly administrators, over at MCV read one of your [The Commonwealth Times] earlier stories, and contacted me, and actually said, you know, ‘hey, could you expand to MCV?’” Jones said.

“I said, ‘okay yeah, I’ll do my best to get it there as soon as possible.’”

Jones said Little Ram Pantries is a “quasi-experiment” conducted to examine the reality of food insecurity among the student population.

“This was an idea I had about two years ago to try to help reduce the problem for students at VCU, especially during COVID[-19],” Jones said.

VCU students experience food insecurity at an average rate of 35%, according to research conducted by VCU School of Social Work professor Youngmi Kim, Ph.D., prior to the Little Ram Pantry initiative.

In Kim’s study, only about half of the 21 focus groups were aware of Ram Pantry, which is the central student food pantry on campus, according to the VCU Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success website. The Ram Pantry includes perishable and nonperishable items, unlike the Little Ram Pantries, and was established in 2014.

Before the expansion of the Little Ram Pantries, there were over 1,000 total interactions recorded since the launch in October 2021, averaging around 75 interactions per week.These numbers do not account for Little Ram Pantries’ newest locations, according to Jones.

To measure engagement, Jones said each box has magnetic sensors which detect whenever the pantry doors have been opened and closed.

“Those are the numbers basically as we were getting ready to launch the expansion,”

Jones said. “I mean, we’ve more than doubled since the recent expansion.”

Associate director of the Virginia Center on Aging Dr. Leland “Bert” Waters is a contributor to Jones’ ongoing study on food insecurity in college students. According to Waters, their research indicates that graduate students experience more food insecurity than undergraduates, warranting the expansion of Little Ram Pantries to the MCV campus.

to convenient transportation like cars and the shortage of nearby grocery stores were risk factors for food insecurity among college students.

“It just leaves students really vulnerable to get fresh produce, baked goods, things that you can’t really get with your meal plan, since meal plan food is like all prepared food,” Vazquez-Miller said. “It definitely is a problem on our campus.”

Environmental science professor and Little Ram Pantries founder John Jones said he was exploring opportunities for a “student design group” to remodel the pantries to have a more “permanent design.” The redesigns may include new shelving units and storage spaces for flyers and infographics, according to Jones.

Jones said Little Ram Pantries also plan to provide college specific cookbooks, which are available through the VCU School of Business, and other “food tangential resources” for students.

In December 2021, Jones said he was also working on a partnership with Feed More, a food bank in central Virginia, to receive food for the pantries at a lower cost, according to a previous report by The Commonwealth Times. Jones said the efforts for a partnership are ongoing in a recent interview.

“In part, we believe that’s because as an undergraduate student, you get more support from your family members, and as a graduate student, you’re more responsible for your own income,” Waters said.

Little Ram Pantries student coordinator Reyna Vazquez-Miller said the program was a helpful initiative, especially since VCU has a “huge issue” with food insecurity.

Vazquez-Miller said being able to see more physical locations of the Little Ram Pantries on campus might help advertise the program more and reduce the stigma around receiving help for food insecurity.

Vazquez-Miller said the lack of options in the VCU meal plan, not having access

“A number of senior officials at the university are investigating that and I have turned it over to them,” Jones said. “I think that they’re continuing to make progress and hopefully there’ll be good news on that soon.”

Jones said his hope was that as research on food insecurity through Little Ram Pantries concludes, the initiative would be passed onto VCU Division of Student Affairs, if proven impactful.

“One way or the other, we’re going to try to keep it going through the end of next school year,” Jones said. “After that, it’s quite unknown because it depends upon grant money coming in.”

‘LITTLE

“Those are the numbers basically as we were getting ready to launch the expansion. I mean, we’ve more than doubled since the recent expansion.”

John Jones, environmental science professor

Information compiled by Katrina Lee Infographic by Madison Tran

The Pace Center Pantry

James Branch Cabell Library Pantry

Academic Learning Commons Pantry

Engineering Research Building Pantry

Snead Hall Pantry

Cary & Belvidere Pantry

Cary Street Gym Pantry

University Student Commons Pantry

Community advocates, mayor dispute solutions following increase in gun-related deaths

KATRINA LEE News Editor

AROUND 2,000 PEOPLE GATHERED in-person and over Zoom for the Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities’ annual Nehemiah Action event.

The event, hosted at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Tuesday, called on public officials to discuss social issues with a focus on gun violence in the city.

“Our community is hurting, we are hurting because our people are being gunned down in the streets,” Pastor Ciarra SmithBond said at the event. “If one of us hurts, all of us hurt.”

RISC is an organization dedicated to holding public officials accountable for solving Richmond’s critical problems, according to the organization’s website. The organization has focused on the issue of gun violence because of the Richmond community’s concern over the issue.

Smith-Bond addressed the crowd on Tuesday, asking them to “suffer through” the uncomfortableness the discussion may cause for those who have been victims of gun violence.

Homicides involving firearms in Richmond increased from 61 in 2020 to 76 in 2021, according to the Richmond Police Department website. The crowd took a moment of silence during the event to stand with cards with the names of the victims who had died from gun violence in Richmond.

RISC has tried to meet with Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney since he was reelected to discuss the organization’s proposed gun violence solution called “Group Violence Intervention,” or GVI, according to a press release from the organization.

GVI is a proposed solution intended to reduce homicide and gun violence by partnering community members with law enforcement and support and outreach providers to reduce homicide and gun violence, according to the National Network of Safe Communities.

James Nolan, press secretary for the mayor’s office, stated in an email that the mayor has proposed a multitude of prevention efforts, including funding towards community-based organizations, the hiring of a community safety coordinator plus

three “Violence Interrupters” and a gun buyback program.

Nolan stated the mayor decided not to use GVI as part of his proposed gun violence solution, as it is a “law enforcement-heavy approach” that “lacks causal evidence.”

“RISC advocated full implementation [of GVI] and insisted that we sign a contract to fully implement this plan.” Nolan stated. “The administration respectfully disagreed and has invested in a community-based approach focused on prevention, especially with youth – and that is precisely what we’re implementing.”

“We went to the mayor in February of 2020 and said ‘you need a gun violence prevention program,’” Hodge said. “Well, murders went up. In 2021, the murders were even higher.”

Hodge said he doesn’t agree with parts of Stoney’s approach to preventing gun violence in Richmond, including the mayor’s “insinuation” at a press conference that the Violence Interrupters would be hired by the police department.

Violence Interrupters are individuals who, because of their past positions in the community, retain the ability to reach and talk to key active gang members, according to the National Gang Center. Violence Interrupters utilize these personal relationships to address ongoing disputes, which may prevent them from escalating into shootings.

“Well, our initial response to that was, you do not want to have Violence Interrupters as part of the police department,” Hodge said. “If you want to get someone killed, that’s a good way to do it.”

Hodge said that he doesn’t believe that public officials understand the reality of gun violence and how to solve it.

“But the issue of resolving gun violence is not done through having more police officers on the street. You can put tons of cops on the street. That’s not what’s going to fix gun violence,” Hodge said. “That might make you feel safer. But that’s not going to solve it. The real solution is to create targeted intervention programs.”

VCU basketball forward, student both found not guilty on simple assault charges

KATRINA LEE News Editor

VCU basketball forward Jalen DeLoach was found not guilty on simple assault charges he was arrested on last month. Taylor Cook, the student who reported the assault, was also found not guilty for simple assault in connection to the case, according to the Virginia Judiciary online court system.

Arnold Henderson, DeLoach’s attorney, stated in an email that he was “pleased” with the not guilty verdict and that DeLoach is able to move forward with his c ollegiate experience.

“It is unfortunate that persons who are well known in a particular community sometimes are faced with situations and allegations that can potentially derail their future,” Henderson stated. “Jalen and the many eyewitnesses to this event may now continue to focus on their academic and athletic pursuits at VCU.”

VCU police received a report of the assault on Feb. 20 at around 12:57 a.m. Cook, 18, reported that she was assaulted in the off-campus student apartment complex of 8 ½ West Canal Street at around midnight of Feb. 19, according to VCUPD Spokesperson Corey Byers on March 3. The apartment complex is owned by American Campus Communities.

Cook was served with an outstanding warrant for simple assault the next day, according to Byers.

VCU Public Relations declined to comment on the verdicts for both DeLoach and Cook.

Patricia Mills, a spokesperson for RISC, advocated for GVI at the event on Tuesday, and said it has proven to cut homicides in half and is the “opposite of over-policing.”

“The traditional way of over-policing involves harassing and over-policing the entire community where violence takes place. GVI on the other hand recognizes that it’s only a small number of people in that community that are connected to the violence,” Mills said. “So instead of over-policing the entire community, GVI focuses on the small group of people and provides them with a much needed intervention.”

RISC co-president Pastor Ralph Hodge said the community could “sense the tension” leading up to the increase in homicides since 2020, the highest number of deaths related to gun violence in Richmond since 2004.

CORRECTION

During the Nehemiah Action event, members of the crowd hold up signs with the names of the victims who died due to gun violence in Richmond. Photo by Alessandro Latour

You can put tons of cops on the street. That’s not what’s going to fix gun violence. That might make you feel safer. But that’s not going to solve it. The real solution is to create targeted intervention programs.”

Pastor Ralph Hodge, co-president of RISC

Freshman VCU basketball forward Jalen DeLoach was found not guilty on simple assault charges. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Stat of the week

THAI WILSON Contributing Writer

THE MEN’S TENNIS TEAM continued its seven-game winning streak after defeating the University of Texas at San Antonio on Sunday.

Men’s tennis win three-game weekend rally

The Rams had two other games against the University of Charlotte and the United States Naval Academy, Friday and Saturday at the Thalhimer Tennis Center in Richmond.

Along with the continued winning streak, graduate student Iñigo Torre Martin and freshman Joaquim Almeida received Atlantic 10 Performer and Rookie of the Week honors from the conference, for the games played March 28 to April 3, according to the A-10 website.

Despite the team’s recent success, head coach Anthony Rossi said the team’s focus is on taking its schedule a day at a time.

“We’re looking at one match at a time, so I didn’t even know that we had won six games in a row,” Rossi said.

FRIDAY: APRIL 1 VERSUS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE 49ERS

The Charlotte 49ers won both doubles sets, giving Charlotte a 1-0 lead at the start of the game.

The games featured some key matches, like Intercollegiate Tennis Association ranked No. 119 VCU graduate student Iñigo Torre Martin versus Charlotte graduate student Mikhail Sokolovskiy, and VCU junior Maxence Bertimon versus Charlotte sophomore Stefanos Savva

Maxence Bertimon won against Savva in his second set to guarantee the Rams its second point, giving the black and gold a lead of 2-1.

In the third game to finish, Charlotte graduate student Thomas Brown beat VCU

senior Charles Bertimon to tie the game 2-2. Martin then won his match against Sokolovskiy in two sets changing the overall score to 3-2.

VCU senior Rayane Stable finished his match first in two sets to tie the game 1-1 and VCU sophomore Matisse Bobichon won his match, ending the game in the Ram’s favor with a score 4-2.

SATURDAY: APRIL 2 VERSUS UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY

Coming off a win against the 49ers, the Rams played the United States Naval Academy on Saturday.

VCU started strong by winning the doubles point. VCU sophomore Matisse Bobichon and freshman Joaquim Almieda, along with junior Maxence Bertimon and junior Tom LeBlanc gave the Rams an early 1-0 lead.

Next came the singles matches, where Navy sophomore William Pak won his singles match against LeBlanc in one set due to a forfeit by LeBlanc, leading to a tying score of 1-1.

The black and gold answered back in the next singles match with VCU senior Rayane Stable going 2-0 in his sets to give the Rams a 2-1 lead over Navy.

Stable’s win was a momentum shifter, as Almieda won two sets in a row to make the score 3-1 to finish his match. Bobichon finished his match in two sets, securing the win for the Rams with a score of 4-1.

SUNDAY: APRIL 3 VERSUS UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO ROADRUNNERS

The Rams came out the gate swinging by securing the doubles point with the help of wins from VCU senior Rayane Stable and graduate student Iñigo Torre Martin, along with freshman Joaquim Almieda and sophomore Matisse Bobichon. This gave VCU a 1-0 lead to start the game.

Charles Bertimon commented on the team’s ability to work together.

“We work a lot in doubles, even though it’s only one point for the team. It makes the difference in the end, and I think it is just that we keep the momentum when we finished our balls,” Charles Bertimon said.

In the singles matches for the Rams, Almieda defeated UTSA sophomore Garrett Skelly in two sets to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Rams. Bobichon also beat UTSA fifth-year Javier Gonzalez in two sets. The win added another tally to the black and gold’s score, making it 3-0.

UTSA freshman Tiago Torres won his match against VCU junior Maxence Bertimon in two straight sets to make the score 3-1, but the Roadrunners failed to win the three remaining matches to secure the win.

While the two other matches occurred, the match between Martin and UTSA sophomore Sebastian Rodriguez came to a close. Martin won the match in two sets, which awarded the black and gold the final point needed to finish the match 4-1.

Martin said he was happy about the team’s win, but looks to the future preparing for the upcoming games.

“We’re just gonna go one day at a time. We started practice and the day we have matches we just give our best every single point and let’s see what’s the outcome,” Martin said. “That’s the only thing we can do.”

Even though his doubles match went unfinished because VCU already secured the doubles point, VCU senior

The black and gold will travel to Jimmy Powell Tennis Center in Elon, North Carolina on Friday, April 8, to face the Elon

University Phoenixes.

VCU men’s baseball notched up a season-high 19 hits to defeat George Mason University, winning the first Atlantic 10 conference series of the season, according to VCU Athletics.

We’re just gonna go one day at a time. We started practice and the day we have matches we just give our best every single point and let’s see what’s the outcome. That’s the only thing we can do.”

Anthony Rossi VCU men’s tennis coach

Left: Junior Maxence Bertimon attempts to score a point against UTSA on April 3. Right: Graduate student Iñigo Torre Martin serves against UTSA on April 3. Photos by Guy Enkh

The final quarter of the game featured back and forth action between the two teams. After two Duquesne goals and three VCU goals, the teams were tied at 10 goals each with the game coming down to the wire. Slack scored a tiebreaking goal for the Rams with about five minutes left in the game. Slack said it was a very positive feeling to score the goal, but credited her teammates.

RAMS

JJ HENDRICKSON Contributing Writer

The VCU women’s lacrosse program defeated the Duquesne Dukes 13-10 in a Sunday afternoon matchup at Cary Street Field.

The win halted a two-game losing streak for the Rams, according to VCU athletics. VCU head coach Nicole Flores said the team did not have a perfect performance, but ultimately did enough to get the win at the end of the day.

“I thought we were resilient,” Flores said. “We weren’t lacking in errors and mistakes, but we found a way to make up for it and put the ball in the back of the net.”

In the first quarter, neither team was able to get on the scoreboard for the first 11 minutes. Duquesne senior midfielder Alana Piano was able to break the drought with a goal. Freshman midfielder Mackenzie Leszczynski scored just 37 seconds later to double the Dukes’ lead.

At the end of the quarter, Duquesne was leading 2-0. Despite the Dukes taking seven more shots than the Rams, the game remained close thanks to the play of VCU redshirt junior goalkeeper Meghna Dawar. Dawar had six saves through the first 15 minutes.

Duquesne scored another goal early in the second quarter before VCU was able to find the back of the net. VCU sophomore midfielder Kelsey McDonnell opened the scoring for the Rams with her team-leading 24th goal of the season, according to VCU athletics. After one more goal from the Dukes, VCU was able to hit its stride. VCU senior midfielder Savannah Slack, junior attacker Juliana George and junior midfielder Lauren Marosi each scored a goal in about a one minute stretch to tie the game.

Both teams were level at four goals each entering the halftime break. Duquesne took twice as many shots as VCU, but Dawar continued to deny many of the Dukes’ chances, with four more saves in the second quarter.

The black and gold struggled early in the second half, as they had no answers for Duquesne’s attack and surrendered three unanswered goals. Similar to the second quarter, VCU found the spark they needed and got themselves back into the game. VCU freshman midfielder Casey Murray scored twice and senior attacker Abby Osmeyer scored to level the score once again, 7-7.

Slack said the Rams’ calm demeanor is what allows them to fight through deficits like the one they faced on Sunday afternoon.

“I think from the sidelines to going on the field everyone just stays composed the whole time,” Slack said. “We don’t get any negativity, we stay positive the whole time and just say, like, we got this in us.”

The Dukes bounced back with a goal of their own with four seconds left in the third quarter. Duquesne regained the lead entering the fourth quarter 8-7.

“It was a great feeling, but again, I have to hand it off to the rest of my teammates because I wouldn’t have gotten that goal without all of them,” Slack said.

The Rams scored twice more before the horn sounded at the end of the game. Slack and George finished with three goals each, while George added an assist as well. George said the team’s preparation allowed her, along with the rest of the team, to have such a high level of success.

“I think we went into [the game] very prepared from our coaches,” George said. “We moved the ball quickly, worked as a unit, which I think is one of our main goals recently, and everyone did their job well. We had many different scorers on attack, which I think helped. We all played together.”

Six different Rams had their names on the scoresheet by the time the game ended. Coach Flores said having so many individual scorers is important for the team.

“It’s vital. They were playing a high-pressure zone, so we were able to move the ball, find the gaps and finish the play,” Flores said.

The win brought the Rams’ record to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

The Rams’ next game will be against the University of Virginia on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in Charlottesville. The game will be televised on ACC NetworkX.

I think from the sidelines to going on the field everyone just stays composed the whole time. We don’t get any negativity, we stay positive the whole time and just say, like, we got this in us.”

Savannah Slack VCU senior midfielder

Junior attack Juliana George hugs her teammate after scoring against Duquesne University on April 3. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Freshman midfielder Casey Murray runs downline on April 3. Photo by Alessandro Latour

VCU FANS, DON’T PANIC ABOUT NEXT SEASON

ARRICK WILSON Sports Editor

DESPITE OUTGOING TRANSFERS and graduating seniors, Havoc fans from Broad Street, Richmond and beyond should not fret about the black and gold in the upcoming season.

During the last press conference of the season, VCU head basketball coach Mike Rhoades said the team persevered through injuries that plagued the beginning of the season.

“People counted us out early in the year because of who we played and some of the results, and look what we did,” Rhoades said in the press conference.

The Rams started the season without three key players, due to injury, taking rough home losses from Wagner College on Nov. 13 and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Nov. 20. Yet the Rams finished the season second in the Atlantic 10, according to the A-10 website.

Three VCU basketball players, including sophomore forward Mikeal Brown-Jones, junior guard Marcus Tsohonis and junior forward Jimmy Nichols Jr. entered the NCAA’s transfer portal this past month.

The NCAA’s transfer portal is a database of every player who has an interest in transferring from their current program to another institution. To transfer, an athlete must have their school’s athletic compliance department express the athlete’s intent to be entered into the transfer portal. Once an athlete’s name is in the portal, schools all over the country can reach out to the athlete, according to ESPN.

Sophomore forward Mikeal BrownJones’s transfer announcement was surprising due to his development with the team over the years. The Pennsylvania native boasted a career-high of 15 points against George Mason University on Feb. 23, according to VCU Athletics. Brown-Jones announced his decision to transfer on Twitter, stating his overall respect for the program.

GAME RESULTS MARCH 28

GOLF - AT SEAHAWK INTERCOLLEGIATE (WILMINGTON, N.C) 2ND OUT OF 14

MARCH 29

MEN’S BASEBALL - AT WILLIAM & MARY WON 4-2

APRIL 1

WOMEN’S TENNIS - AT GEORGE WASHINGTON WON 6-1

MEN’S TENNIS - VS. CHARLOTTE WON 4-2

WOMEN’S LACROSSEAT MASSACHUSETTS LOST 20-7

MEN’S BASEBALLAT GEORGE MASON LOST 7-6

APRIL 2

MEN’S TENNIS - VS. UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY WON 4-1

“I’d

thank the VCU coaching staff and

apart of the program for the opportunity. The time had I had here at VCU has been nothing short of FUN!” Brown-Jones stated. “The Ram Nation has shown me much love when I did get on the court. I will never forget you!”

Junior guard Marcus Tsohonis followed suit on Brown-Jones’s decision, adding his name to the transfer portal a day later. Tsohonis transferred to VCU this past offseason, and averaged 5.1 points per game, according to VCU Athletics.

have an immediate positive impact for the black and gold.

Incoming freshmen who will also make an impact are Richmond native, Alphonzo “Fats” Billups, and Christian Fermin. Both incoming Rams are ranked in the top 100 high school players by the national recruiting site Sports247. The incoming VCU 2022 recruiting class is also ranked number one in the A-10 conference, according to Sports247.

Billups was named Virginia Class 4 Player of the Year while leading Varina High School to the Class 4 State Championship at the Stuart C. Siegel Center, according to Virginia basketball website Virginia Preps.

MEN’S BASEBALLAT GEORGE MASON WON 9-2

APRIL 3

MEN’S TENNIS - VS. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO WON 4-1

WOMEN’S LACROSSEAT DUQUESNE WON 13-10

Definitely just a good fit for me. It’s close to home, just the play style of VCU, just fitted me well. Just felt like home when I stepped on campus.”

Alphonzo “Fats” Billups Incoming freshman forward

Junior forward Jimmy Nichols Jr. also added his name into the portal after one year with the Rams. Nichols appeared in eight out of the 32 games this season, averaging 4.8 minutes per game, according to VCU Athletics.

With these losses in mind, the black and gold will have to attract players in the transfer portal. With the graduation of senior guard KeShawn Curry, graduate forward Levi Stockard III and senior guard Vince Williams Jr., VCU fans should look to the development of incoming freshmen and transfers to impact the team next season.

On Sunday, VCU landed freshman guard Zeb Jackson a University of Michigan transfer and former Top 50 recruit, who announced his commitment via Twitter.

Jackson averaged 3.3 points over four contests in 2021 for the Wolverines, and should

“Definitely just a good fit for me,” Billups said during commitment day. “It’s close to home, just the play style of VCU, just fitted me well. Just felt like home when I stepped on campus.”

Fermin was named Player of the Year, according to the Pocono Record, a Pennsylvania daily newspaper. Standing at 6 feet, 10 inches tall, the Philadelphia native would be the tallest player on VCU’s roster.

VCU fans should also not forget that sophomore guard Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr. and freshman guard Jayden Nunn. Both athletes were named to the A-10 All-Conference honors, and are returning next season.

Baldwin averaged the second-most points on the team this past season with 11.4 points and 5.5 assists per game, while Nunn averaged 8.6 points, according to VCU Athletics.

After an early exit in the A-10 tournament and NIT this last season, VCU fans should look forward to the next season and the potential to go far in the A-10 tournament. This upcoming season will be an interesting one for the black and gold, with returning key players, incoming freshmen and transfers in the black and gold.

The future of Broad Street basketball is not only in good hands, but capable hands.

MEN’S BASEBALLAT GEORGE MASON WON 15-5

MEN’S BASEBALLAT GEORGE MASON WON 15-5

GOLF - VS. IRISH CREEK INTERCOLLEGIATE (KANNAPOLIS, N.C) 3RD OUT OF 15

MEN’S BASEBALL - VS. VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE LOST 4-1

like to

everyone

Photos by Kaitlyn Fulmore and Alessandro Latour

Photo illustration by Gabi Wood

On this day

‘Beyond the Horizon’:

TEDxVCU speakers bring new ideas to campus

EMILY RICHARDSON Contributing Writer

A LARGE SCREEN AT THE FRONT of the room read “Beyond the Horizon,” and on the ground below stood a simplistic sculpture of red and white that read “TEDxVCU.”

TEDxVCU’s second annual event occurred on Saturday at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU and featured a variety of talks from VCU students, faculty and community members.

“It’s about challenging yourself to think beyond what you already know,” staff advisor Justin Raibolt said ahead of the event.

TEDxVCU is a conference-style event independently coordinated by local organizers, according to the event’s website. The event follows the style of a “TED Talk,” an annual conference that invites speakers to present a wide variety of topics.

Raibolt said he helped to oversee the event planning process, including selecting speakers to give the Talks.

“Our goal was to find the idea and not the speaker,” Raibolt said. “We weren’t necessarily looking for big names. We have speakers who have never done anything like this before, but had great ideas.”

TEDxVCU student leaders Nira Harikrishnan and Stella Tessarollo took to the stage as the lights dimmed, ready to introduce the event and upcoming speakers.

Preparations for the event began in July 2021, according to Harikrishnan. She and Tessarollo worked closely

together to make sure every step of planning the event went smoothly.

“It’s been a long process,” Harikrishnan said. “We’re finally starting to see all the pieces come together.”

VCU graduate student Ira Birch gave a talk titled “How the Singularity Will Help You Change your Oil.”

Birch’s talk highlighted that a high percentage of non-binary people and women do not feel like there is a place for them

to improve their mechanical skills, which led Birch to create a prototype version of a mixed-reality program to assist people in learning skills like basic construction.

“That’s something that I personally experienced: a lot of stereotyping and not being comfortable in those sorts of places,” Birch said. “Mixed reality is the perfect way to help people get past those confidence barriers.”

Birch said their interest in the subject came from an independent study they completed last semester as a student at the VCU Brandcenter.

Birch said they hope their talk will change the way people think about technology.

“There’s so much discussion about it being negative all the time,” Birch said. “I think, ideally, people would be inspired to work in that space.”

VCU undergraduate bioinformatics student Kirthana Srinivasan gave the final Talk of the day with “Let Me Pick Your Brain.” The talk was inspired by a brain injury Srinivasan suffered in her senior year of high school that presented with atypical symptoms, according to the event program.

Srinivasan said she wanted her talk to give people more than just her story, which was studied by medical students for extra credit, according to Srinivasan.

“I didn’t want the audience to just listen to me. I wanted them to apply my story to their lives,” she said. “What I’m telling them is the potential that my mind had, which I realized only through my injury, but you don’t have to undergo a brain injury for you to realize the power that your mind holds.”

Other speakers included VCU faculty Dr. Jay Jayaraman, student professional Cynthia Ong, student Madeline Narkinsky and community member Chris Mayfield.

“With TEDx, you really get to focus on the community that you’re a part of, and VCU is such a diverse and unique community,” TEDxVCU student leader Nira Hirakrishnan said. “We’re trying to foster diverse conversations.”

Editor’s Note: Spectrum Editor Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves works under Justin Raibolt at the University Student Commons. For this reasons, she did not contribute to this report.

The opening ceremony of the first Summer Olympic Games happened on April 6, 1896 in Athens, Greece.

Speaker Kirthana Srinivasan talks to attendees after the TEDxVCU Talks on April 2. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Left: Ira Birch, presents their TEDxVCU Talk ‘How the Singularity Will Help You Change Your Oil’ on April 2 at the ICA. Photos by Kaitlyn Fulmore. Right: Cynthia Ong, presents their TEDxVCU Talk ‘How My Immigrant Parents Set An Impossible Standard For Love’ on April 2 at the ICA. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore.

GABRIELA DE CAMARGO GONÇALVES Spectrum Editor

“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking,” Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly said in “The Devil Wears Prada” as the season approached.

Spring represents a restart, where harsh winds turn to soft breezes and the clouds disperse. After months of avoiding the outdoors because of the cold winter, the season gives all a chance to shine among the blooming trees and the warm sun.

Richmond has much to offer for those wishing to revel in the nice weather and breakaway from final exams. The privilege of having VCU’s campus in a city means infinite possibilities for things to do, but here are five suggestions to inspire “groundbreaking” outings.

Sightseeing in Downtown Richmond

One bus ride or a 20-minute walk to the heart of Richmond opens the door to many spring opportunities. Springtime blooms in Shockoe Slip with cobblestone-paved streets and trees closing in on historical buildings. The neighborhood offers local businesses, bookstores, restaurants and the opportunity to spend an afternoon in the city.

Just a couple of blocks away is the Pipeline Trail overlooking the James

FIVE PLANS TO ring in the spring

River. The trail is a hidden gem of scenery with small beaches throughout, as the trail meets the horizon in its length.

The Riverfront Canal Walk gives the opportunity to follow the James River and Kanawha and Haxall canals by foot, bicycle and boat with restaurants and public art exhibited throughout the trail. •

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The VMFA in the Museum District is available during any season. It’s possible someone enjoyed it as their first Richmond excursion the fall of their freshman year, or looked at the art one winter while it was snowing outside. Students may have even showcased the museum to their out-of-state parents during the summer.

•The museum is a favorite for VCU students to spend their day looking at artwork, but its beauty isn’t limited to the inside of the building. The lawn of the museum glows in a special kind of way on a spring day, with the huge sculptures adorning the landscape.

The spacious greenery allows for a picnic at the museum with friends or for simply establishing the brand of a mysterious and ethereal person that lounges while reading a good book.

It is the perfect plan to shake up the traditional outing to an art museum or try to expand from the usual picnics in Monroe Park, which can quickly fill with blankets once the sun comes out.

• Spring movies

Spring is a favorite season for some, but for others it’s the start of allergy season. For those who want to escape the pollen or the spring rain, movies that will flourish one’s love for spring are the best getaways.

These films embody spring with their cinematography and stories that puts anyone in the mood of the season. “Notting Hill” (1999) is a love story about a famous actress and a bookstore worker in the picturesque Notting Hill, a West London district, and immerses the audience in British springtime.

“Fever Pitch” (2005) is the perfect romantic comedy about a couple that falls in love during the Red Sox’s off-season, but have to deal with the trials of getting around baseball schedules when spring comes along.

“Palm Springs” (2020) is all a film needs in terms of romance, comedy, mystery and everything in between. The movies is about two people that live the same day, every day, in the beautiful Palm Springs.

Finally, “Emma” (2020) is the classic retelling of Jane Austen’s novel of the same title that also inspired “Clueless” (1995). The film puts anyone in the spring mood with its beautiful cinematography, and even by just looking at the movie poster.

Farmers markets

Farmers markets are the perfect opportunity to break out the tote bags ready to be filled with fresh produce.

South of the James Farmers Market is open year-round, but definitely dazzles during the blooming season. It features farmer and artisan products in the open air at Forest Hill Park every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and it encourages people to shop local and support small businesses

Birdhouse Farmers Market starts in May, but offers an online option all year round. It is within walking distance of the VCU campus.

•

Maymont’s Butterfly Trail

Marie’s Butterfly Trail at Maymont leads the way through butterfly-attracting plants like yarrow, butterfly weed, cone flowers, butterfly bushes, sunflowers, blue spirea and herbs, according to its website.

While Maymont offers multiple specialty gardens for free, the Butterfly Trail will bring to life the heavenly dream of walking through flower beds and their colorful flying friends during the peak of the season.

Illustration by Clare Wislar

Quote of the week

Complex academic writing excludes students and minorities

DIANA FLORES Contributing Writer

I’VE SPENT COUNTLESS NIGHTS

reading long and jargon-filled articles that I’ve mastered the skill of skimming just to muscle through 100-page readings. Reading soon becomes a function rather than an experience. What once was something enjoyable, can become grueling and unstimulating.

The constant worry of not feeling “smart enough” discourages many students not only from participating in classroom settings, but also makes us question our ability to succeed within our fields.

Whether you’re in the sciences or humanities, you will likely encounter professors who are so trained in their niche that they often forget how to communicate and relay their knowledge to novice students.

As a political science major, most of my work revolves around dense reading and writing. I sometimes worry that I’m not writing at the same standards as my peers and other academics in my courses and begin to doubt myself. As a first-generation Latina student raised by immigrant parents, most of my challenges have been trying to obtain and practice these skills on my own.

Many times, my writing has been described as “too conversational” or “too

NICHOLAS BARAHONA Contributing Writer

informal” by my professors. I am often confused by this because the purpose of writing should be to have a conversation with your audience — is it not?

Scholarly discourse is a game played by elitists. Writing that reads as clear and concise should not be deemed insufficiently insightful simply because it’s seen as accessible work. Like Hakeem Jefferson, a professor of political science at Stanford, once said; “Rigor is not incompatible with legibility.”

Those in the ivory tower should consider this statement as they think about their next publications and who they want their work to truly reach. On the rare occasion a

non-academic would want to read an academic article, they may not have the time to go back and reread that same convoluted sentence a third time, or have the expertise necessary to power through such a complex piece.

Training students under such outdated notions further reinforces the idea that success can only be achieved through the comprehension of jargon-filled reading and writing. Our academic programs suffer when the students we train don’t reflect the world we study.

Academic success often depends on one’s ability to hold conversations with other experts in their respective fields, as opposed to

ordinary people. Whether they’re interested in the political behaviors of youth violence or health disparities among Latina women, researchers have studied the social and scientific behaviors of many marginalized groups, yet these very groups are often absent from important conversations.

My question then becomes: what is the purpose of conducting this research and engaging in these conversations if they are only understood by those in elite academic circles?

Researchers should care about their storytelling just as much as their findings, with the aim of maximizing understanding of their work. Employing creative writing among those in the ivory tower would not only provide a way to engage readers, but also diversify research writing.

We must find our own voice and remember that whatever feedback we may get, we can’t let academia beat the friendly writing out of us — the world is already full of unwelcoming writing.

I believe any kind of research is capable of liberating and educating communities that reach far across the globe — it just has to be accessible enough. As sociologist Anthony Ocampo once said, “Research can save lives, so long as the rhetoric in which it’s packaged resonates with those who need to hear it the most.”

NICK’S PICKS:

Join me, Nick Barahona, on my journey through the city of Richmond where I will review and showcase the different cuisines and restaurants in close proximity to campus, from the perspective of a VCU student.

Beauvine Burger Concept is not your average burger joint

Today’s stop brings me to Beauvine Burger Concept, to check out if a restaurant serving burgers, fries and shakes from 11 a.m. to midnight seven days a week should be up for consideration for your next meal.

Just a 12 minute walk from Monroe Park lies a burger joint on West Main Street. As you approach the restaurant, you’re welcomed with open arms as your eyes gravitate towards the well-lit sign that illuminates beautifully at night. With both indoor and outdoor seating as an option, I decided to dine inside for the review.

Inside, you will find hightop, booth and bar seating. There are a few TV’s above the bar, often displaying sports games and other entertainment. On busier nights, you may have to wait to be seated, as the restaurant can become crowded at dinner time. The restaurant does not take reservations, so seating is provided on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Beauvine offers eight different types of artisan burgers — signature burgers with a set of toppings and spreads — to choose from. If you are someone looking for a more traditional burger, they have a “create-yourown” option.

I enjoyed seeing the amount of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options that are possible with menu items such as burgers and buns. These include a vegan soy burger, vegan plant-based protein burger,

gluten-free bun and lettuce-wrapped burger. It’s great to see Beauvine have an inclusive menu that accommodates all types of diets.

For dinner, I decided to go with the Belle Ringer. At $10, this burger comes with herb-goat cheese, pickled red onions, spring greens, tomato jam and herb aioli. Although on the pricey side for a burger, the quality you are getting is higher than any $4 to $6 burger at chain locations. Though fries do not come with your order, I of course went ahead and ordered a $5 side of the Duck Fat Fries.

The interesting mix of goat cheese and tomato jam in the Belle Ringer surprisingly works excellently together. The salty cream cheese-like mixture, combined with the sweet tomato jelly and tangy pickled onion, makes for a firework of flavor when taking that first bite. The burger is definitely carried by its goat cheese — maybe even a bit too much. I did find the burger to have an excessive amount of cheese placed inside, dripping with every bite.

Beauvine uses nicely toasted brioche buns, so there’s no need to worry about the burger being soggy. The satisfaction of eating a burger without feeling all greasy afterwards is a win in my book. The size is respectable as well, not too small or too big. It fills you up, especially with a side and drink to go along with it.

The Duck Fat Fries are a staple: straight-cut fries that are just salty and crispy enough to enjoy with a burger and shake of your choosing. The fries don’t

outshine the burger, but instead complement it with a consistent crunch in every bite.

For my drink, I ordered the Fruity Peb bles milkshake, which will take you back in time to mornings before school having a bowl of fruity cereal. The milkshake is nothing like you can get anywhere else, consisting of vanilla and a distinct Fruity Pebbles taste that lingers on your tongue. At an $8 price point, the shake is on the expensive side, but is certainly worth it if you have the option to splurge on something. You can find five other milkshake flavors at Beauvine, plus a rotating sea sonal option.

Beauvine Burger Concept is a place you can walk with your friends any day of the week to enjoy some quality burgers, fries and top-notch milkshakes. If you’re plan ning to go all out, expect to pay upwards of $25. If you’re just looking for a burger, I suggest heading over during Beauvine’s Happy Hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when burgers are $2 cheaper.

Beauvine gets a big thumbs up from me and my stomach. Out of 5 stars, our first restaurant review earns itself a solid 4 ½ stars based on the quality of my experience.

For more things food, feel free to check out @ nxreview on Instagram or TikTok for many more recommendations and reviews around town.

Stay easy Ram family and as always, eat up.

Illustration by Loki Bischoff

An ivory tower is a fine place as long as the door is open. — Walter Darby bannarD

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