On
VCU senior forward Courtney Hurt became women’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer Thursday night.
A 40-year-old man and his 3-year-old twin daughters were found dead in their Mechanicsville home by Hanover County deputies Saturday after the department responded to a call about suspicious deaths at the residence.
At 3:36 p.m., the sheriff’s office received an emergency call about the home off Mechanicsville Turnpike near Lee-Davis High School. When officers arrived, they found the man and the girls dead, said Sgt. Chris Whitley, a spokesman for the department.
Whitley did not reveal the cause of death and did not immediately release the names of the victims. He said the county medical examiner was investigating and that the names were being withheld pending notification of family.
The deaths were being investigated as suspicious, but Whitley said there was no danger to the public and that no suspect was being sought.
Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch
When it comes to volunteering, Richmond has some catching up to do.
In 2010, 20.9 percent of Richmond-area residents volunteered, 5 percentage points less than the national average and 7 points behind the state as a whole, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service website VolunteeringInAmerica.gov.
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, there has been an uptick in volunteering nationwide. In 2010, the country saw the highest growth rate in volunteerism since 2005, climbing to 63 million.
Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch
The man behind the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville wants to bring the first medical school to Southside Virginia.
The Martinsville Bulletin reports that the school is the brainchild of Noel Boaz, who turned an empty school into the Virginia Museum of Natural History.
Boaz has a medical degree and is an affiliate research professor of anthropology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
He envisions a medical school operated by the Integrative Centers for Science and Medicine, a nonprofit educational, research and charitable institutions based in Martinsville. It would cost $25 million for the first two years to start the college and get the medical school accredited.
Boaz said there are no medical schools in Southside and the state as a whole needs more schools to educate future doctors.
Brief by the Associated Press
The two stars of the Richmond Eagle Cam need names, but you are going to change that.
Today through Thursday, you can suggest names by emailing rspringston@timesdispatch.com. Include your name, telephone number and the locality where you live.
The Times-Dispatch will choose five finalists and announce them Friday on TimesDispatch.com. You will then be able to choose the two winning names in an online poll through Feb. 9. Winners will officially be announced online Feb. 10.
Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch
A professor from American University in Cairo says discovery of prostate cancer in a 2,200-year-old mummy indicates the disease was caused by genetics, not environment.
The genetics-environment question is key to understanding cancer.
AUC professor Salima Ikram, a member of the team that studied the mummy in Portugal for two years, said Sunday the mummy was of a man who died in his forties.
She said this was the second oldest known case of prostate cancer.
“Living conditions in ancient times were very different; there were no pollutants or modified foods, which leads us to believe that the disease is not necessarily only linked to industrial factors,” she said.
A statement from AUC says the oldest known case came from a 2,700 year-old skeleton of a king in Russia.
Brief by the Associated Press
Dozens of police maintained a late-night guard around City Hall following daylong protests that resulted in 300 arrests. Occupy Oakland demonstrators broke into the historic building and burned a U.S. flag, as officers earlier fired tear gas to disperse people throwing rocks and tearing down fencing at a convention center.
Saturday's protests – the most turbulent since Oakland police forcefully dismantled an Occupy encampment in November – came just days after the group said it planned to use a vacant building as a social center and political hub and threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.
An exasperated Mayor Jean Quan, who faced heavy criticism for the police action last fall, called on the Occupy movement to “stop using Oakland as its playground.”
“People in the community and people in the Occupy movement have to stop making excuses for this behavior,” Quan said.
Protesters clashed with police throughout the day, at times throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at officers. And police responded by deploying smoke, tear gas and bean bag rounds, City Administrator Deanna Santanta said.
Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan said about 300 arrests were made.
Brief by the Associated Press
President Barack Obama embraced the idea of federal action to restrain the rapidly increasing cost of higher education, giving a boost to a long-simmering policy idea that has gained steam amid growing frustration with rising tuition. His proposal that colleges and universities cut costs or risk losing out on some federal aid was part of a larger package of “college affordability” ideas unveiled by the president Friday in a speech at the University of Michigan.
Obama wants to increase money for higher education, mostly through an expansion of federal loan programs. He also will require colleges and universities to give families standardized information to allow comparison shopping on financial aid packages, graduation rates and employment prospects for a college's graduates.
Brief by the Associated Press
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In this section:
Bill would allow faculty to carry guns • 4 The Well enters early stages of data collection • 4 VCU kicks off RecycleMania • 5
When U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood held a town hall meeting at VCU to discuss President Obama’s State of the Union address, the turnout more closely resembled that of a ghost town, not a bustling institution of more than 32,000 students.
About 75 students attended Wednesday’s meeting, according to Katherine Witt, chair of academic affairs for the VCU Student Government Association, which hosted the event. A VCU press release put attendance a bit higher – at “nearly 100.”
The University Commons Theater, where the talk took place, seats 280 people. The space was about a quarter full for LaHood’s visit.
Kristine Hadeed and Jalisa House VCU InSight Claire Porter Capital News ServiceIn remarks that raised some eyebrows in the audience, the nation’s top transportation official said this week that there is an “unlimited supply of oil” in parts of the world.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made that statement Wednesday at VCU at the end of a town hall meeting attended by about 75 students, staff and faculty members.
In the last question of the hour-long meeting, Vicente Gonzalez, a junior majoring in social justice at VCU, asked LaHood about a previous statement he made regarding future standards for automobile efficiency.
“I was wondering,” Gonzalez said, “you said that by 2025, the deal is to have 50 mile-per-gallon (vehicles)?”
“Fifty-four, yeah,” LaHood said.
“Well,” Gonzalez asked, “if we’re expected to exhaust all the world’s oil reserves within the next 25, 30-ish years, then why is gasoline being discussed in these negotiations at all?”
LaHood responded, “There’s an unlimited supply of oil in many countries around the world.”
Gonzalez questioned that, saying, “Unlimited?”
“Absolutely. Absolutely,” LaHood replied. “Now, some of these countries aren’t our friends, others are.”
As the audience chuckled, Gonzalez
said, “So you’re saying the supply of gasoline will never end? That it’s unlimited?”
LaHood pointed at Gonzalez and said: “Not in your lifetime. Not in my lifetime. How else do you want me to say it? ... We’re not going to run out of gas; we’re not going to run out of oil for a long, long, long time. Many countries have an unlimited supply.”
LaHood’s comments appear to contradict statements made by President Barack Obama about the world’s oil supply. Obama has repeatedly called oil a “finite resource” in urging America to shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources.
In a recent article in the journal Nature, James Murray and David King wrote that global oil production has hit a ceiling and that, “We are not running out of oil, but we are running out of oil that can be produced easily and cheaply.”
The transportation secretary, a former congressman from Illinois, came to VCU to hold a town hall meeting the day after Obama gave his State of the Union speech.
While in Richmond, LaHood met with local and state officials and reviewed the progress on a federally funded project to restore bridges on Interstate 95.
At the meeting in the VCU Student Commons, LaHood said federal transportation spending was key to creating jobs. He said his talk offered an oppor-
tunity to prod Congress to pass a bill promoting highway and commuter rail construction.
“What we do at the Department of Transportation is put Americans to work,” LaHood said.
Nine of 11 bridges in the I-95 project are in Richmond. LaHood estimated that replacing the steel to increase safety and longevity of the bridges created 130 jobs.
LaHood expressed enthusiasm for alternatives to cars, such as light rail. He said communities are more supportive of mass transit developments such as light rail because of traffic congestion on roads.
“The future of the light rail is very bright. It’s coming to America; there’s no stopping it,” LaHood said. “People want to get out of their cars.
“We’ve probably built about all the roads we’re going to build. We’ve probably increased the capacity, and that’s why a lot of communities are looking for other forms of transportation.”
LaHood also lauded the administration’s initiatives for more cost-efficient vehicles.
“Because of President Obama’s vision, what we’ve done in the past three years is that we’ve persuaded car companies that by 2025, all new vehicles must raise their gas mileage standards to 54 miles per gallon.” CT
VCU enrolls more than 32,000 students, both graduate and undergraduate. With an audience of 75, that means one of every 426 students attended LaHood’s talk.
Witt, a junior majoring in political science and international studies, said the SGA received notification of LaHood’s visit only one week in advance.
“We advertised a little, but the short notice didn’t allow for much publicity,” Witt said. “To be honest, we just kind of went with it.”
The SGA’s main form of publicity for the event was email blasts to various academic units at the university, such as the School of World Studies.
The SGA did not post anything about the event on its Facebook page until about 24 hours before LaHood’s visit: “One of Obama’s Cabinet Members will be speaking here at VCU !!! RSVP.”
At 2:35 a.m. Wednesday, another post read, “There is no longer a need to RSVP for the State of the Union Town Hall: Presented by VCU SGA! Just be sure to come to the event with your student ID!”
As secretary of transportation, LaHood oversees about 55,000 employees and a budget of about $70 billion.
One day after LaHood’s visit to VCU, Egypt barred six Americans from leaving the country, including LaHood’s son, Sam LaHood. The six work for a nonprofit group that promotes democracy and civic participation. CT
Delegate Bob Marshall of Manassas proposed a bill that would allow fulltime faculty members to carry guns on college campuses.
House Bill 91 would ban policies by public institutions of higher education that prohibit full-time faculty members with Virginia concealed handgun permits from packing heat.
The Republican lawmaker’s rationale is that faculty members with guns could deter violence on campus. However, others believe the measure could backfire.
“I do not think the bill should be passed, but not because I am anti-gun,”
said John Aughenbaugh, a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. “My concern is how would the policy be implemented and specifically how would we ensure that all faculty members carrying concealed weapons have the necessary training to use firearms properly.”
Most college campuses have policies restricting firearms.
Aughenbaugh said proponents of firearms on campus believe such a policy would reduce tragic events, such as the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. Aughenbaugh said he’s not convinced.
“We do not know if having more firearms, especially without the requisite training and limitations, would increase the number of shootings on college
campuses,” he said.
Some students are concerned about HB 91 and the effect it could have on campus life.
“Initially, it would make me feel a little nervous knowing that there is possibly a loaded gun in the classroom,” said Zachary LaRoche, an international studies major at VCU.
“Rationally, I would not feel that my life is in danger. I think I would actually feel safer knowing that a certified concealed weapons user was in the room,” LaRoche went on to say.
Marshall’s bill is awaiting action by the House of Delegates Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee. CT
94% did not have their academics affected by alcohol use
79% of vcu undergrads have not smoked cigarettes in the last month
89% have health insurance
72% drink alcohol on five or fewer days in a month
81% of vcu undergrads use at least one “party smart” strategy when they party or socialize, such as avoiding drinking games, pacing drinks to one or fewer per hour and counting drinks
71% of vcu undergrads had zero or one sex partners in the last year
91% undergrads have not smoked hookah in the last month
72% had zero to four alcoholic drinks the last time they partied/socialized.
85% believe that vcu students are as healthy or healthier than they used to think
Mason Brown Staff WriterThe Wellness Resource Center at VCU has something to tell students: Odds are you’re not that different from everyone else, at least when it comes to health concerns.
The Well will begin collecting data of 5,000 randomly selected students by email on Feb. 15. Students will be asked a variety of questions regarding their health and habits while at VCU.
The survey is used to compare VCU student health to the national levels as well as direct the focus of The
Well and compare results over time.
“The survey allows the Wellness Resource Center and Student Health Services tailor services to meet the needs of VCU students,” said Katie Vatalaro, assistant director of The Well. “We also use the data from this large randomized survey to create the statistics for our social norms marketing campaign, ‘VCU Students Are Healthier Than You Think.’”
According to Vatalaro, the survey is confidential and asks questions that pertain to health topics involving substance use, stress, sleep behaviors, physical activity, sleep activity, nutri-
tion, sexual health, mental health issues and more.
Questions included in the survey range from the broad “How safe do you feel?” to the more specific “The last time you partied/socialized, how many drinks of alcohol did you have?”
The survey being issued by The Well is not a VCU-specific survey, however it does have some VCU specific elements.
The survey is based on the standardized American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II).
“They do allow you to ask some
VCU-specific questions at the end,” Vatalaro said. “This year we are hoping to find out more about use of energy drinks, celebratory drinking around VCU homecoming and whether students are reading the Stall Seat Journal and attending our clicker presentations.”
“We hope that by educating students about the healthy habits of most students, we will create a campus culture of health,” Vatalaro said.
Participants in the survey will have a chance win an iPad2 as well VCU T-shirts. CT
Keeping with its reputation as one of the most eco-friendly campuses in the state, VCU will participate in RecycleMania for the fifth year this semester.
Starting last week and running until the end of March, VCU will compete with more than 500 colleges and universities throughout North America to see who has the best recycling programs.
The friendly competition serves as a benchmark tool for recycling programs at colleges and universities and promotes waste reduction activities that will coincide with community efforts.
“It’s a fun competition because there’s so many schools competing,” said Parker Long, a recent VCU graduate and participant in RecycleMania. “It’s one of the more interesting competitions and events that we can promote.”
Over the 10-week period, schools will report recycling and trash data which will be compiled into a ranking system based on the largest amounts of recyclables per capita, largest total recyclable, least amount of trash per capita and highest recycling rate. Each week, reports are shown and the participating school can use the information to see where improvements can be made and to mobilize students in the competition.
The goals of RecycleMania are
to have a fair and friendly recycling competition at VCU, increase recycling participation by students and staff, and heighten awareness of schools’ waste management and recycling programs. They also hope to expand economic opportunities while addressing environmental issues, lower waste generated on-campus and have the competition act as a catalyst for college and universities to build and expand waste reduction.
“My whole goal was to make recycling simple and convenient so it’s not extra work and you don’t have to have a second thought about it,” said Steven Heinitz, VCU recycling and reuse coordinator. “It’s a behavioral thing and about sustainability. If you recycle people tend to think about using less energy, not using 30 water bottles a month, etc. It’s all related and RecycleMania re-emphasizes the things we want to do all year and reinforce them.”
Past surveys have indicated 80 percent of participating schools experienced a noticeable increase in recycling collection during the competition.
“We’re here as a resource for faculty staff and students,” Heinitz said. “I think it’s just sometimes the mindset of not thinking about recycling, if it’s convenient people will do it. We want to help them continue and establish good habits, and that’s what its really all about.” CT
VCU caught fire in the second half and snapped a three-game CAA losing streak, on its way to a 75-70 win over Georgia State.
In those three contests, turnovers haunted the Rams as they averaged 19 per game and only 51 points per game. That story line continued in the first half as Georgia State racked up 12 steals and forced VCU into 14 turnovers.
Everything changed in the second half as the Rams came out of the break on a 21-3 run. Although the offensive numbers are the most recognizable stat, coach Beth Cunningham attributes the run to the Rams' work on the defensive end.
"We came out and had a stretch there where our defensive pressure and our defensive intensity caused some turnovers,” Cunningham said. “We were able to rebound the basketball and get out and get some easy baskets in transition, and I think that was probably the biggest difference that got us going on the offensive end of the floor.”
In the second half the Rams shot 53.6 percent from the field on 15-for-28 shooting and got to the line 18 times.
It also doesn’t hurt that Cunningham has two dynamic players that can take
over games at any time. Andrea Barbour and Courtney Hurt combined for 43 points, 24 rebounds and nine assists.
After only scoring nine points in her last time out against Drexel, due in part to teams shifting zones her way, Hurt returned to the 20-point plateau, pouring in 28 points including 18 in the second half alone.
“I was wide open, so that was different,” Hurt said. “It was good having a nice clean look, and just seeing (the ball) go through the basket really helps.”
Hurt also reached the 20-point, 20-rebound mark for the second time this season and the third time in her career.
Aprill McRae continued her impressive freshman season finishing with 12 points, just one shy of her career high.
Robyn Parks chipped in with seven points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field.
The Rams now hit the road taking on a middle-of-the pack Towson squad with preseason favorite Delaware looming on Sunday.
“The way this conference is, it doesn’t get any easier,” Cunningham said. “It’s a constant battle everybody is fighting for position, and we need to find a way to go get that first game up at Towson before we look any farther down the road.” CT
Four years ago Courtney Hurt never thought she’d come to VCU and rewrite the record books. She was just a freshman vying for playing time at a level she didn’t think would be all that difficult.
“When I first got here, to be honest, I didn't think college basketball would be that hard,” the VCU senior forward said.
Whether it’s been difficult or not, saying Hurt has come a long way would be an understatement. Her freshman year she averaged just 4.4 points a game in less than 13 minutes of playing time. Her sophomore season Hurt’s numbers improved. She was receiving almost 30 minutes a game and averaging 13.7 points per outing. In her third year her numbers really started to boost. She shared time in the top-five scoring category in the nation and broke seven of VCU’s singleseason records.
Then Thursday night, Hurt notched her largest accomplishment to date: becoming VCU’s all-time leading scorer. Hurt shattered a 22-year-old record previously held by Kelly Hoover (1,750 points).
“It's cool, I guess … record!” a reserved Hurt said following VCU’s 47-41 loss to Drexel.
And even after it happened, Hurt still
didn’t think it was possible.
“Never would've thought I'd break records,” Hurt said. “I didn't come to college to get out there and break all these records.”
It seemingly took a lifetime for Hurt who was having trouble finding good looks against the Dragons. She was just 2-for-5 from the floor at halftime with four points, one shy of the record. In the second half Drexel picked up right where it left off, stacking the paint and making it difficult for Hurt to create any type of separation. It took Hurt over nine minutes after the break to even get a shot off, a missed jumper.
Then finally it came. On the ensuing possession Hurt pulled down an offensive rebound and was fouled on her way back up, giving her two shots at the free-throw line. Up until that moment, it was all business for Hurt. Playbooks and scouting reports were all that was running through her head. But a pair of free throws made time stand still for a few seconds, and that’s when it finally set in.
“When I was at the free throw line, I could tell that the crowd was getting into it so I thought about it then,” Hurt said. “But during the game I think about what we talked about during scouting and trying to execute on the court.”
Hurt buried the first free throw and stamped her name deep within the VCU record books. Cunningham called a timeout minutes later, and the record was announced over the public address system. Chants of “Courtney” rang throughout the Siegel Center.
“Tremendous accomplishment,” said Cunningham, in her ninth year as VCU’s head coach. “The thing I'm probably most proud of with Courtney is how far she's come since she's been here.
“I think you've seen a kid that's really worked on her game year in and year out she keeps getting better and better.
It was bittersweet for Hurt, who
had nine points and 15 rebounds in the Rams’ third straight loss. But it’s an accomplishment that’s been a long time coming. Hurt now sits atop the record books with 1,755 career points.
“Proud to have coached her,” Cunningham said.
“Proud that she'll have her name on that record.”
Cunningham – in the midst of her fourth year of coaching Hurt – donned a wide smile and put her arm around the new author of the VCU record books as the two exited the media room after the game.
“Congratulations,” she said. CT
Never would've thought I'd break records; I didn't come to college to get out there and break all these records.
”Hurt passed Kelly Hoover's previous scoring record of 1,750 points Thursday night. Photos by Chris Conway
VCU women's basketball snapped a three-game losing streak Sunday afternoon with a 75-60 win over Georgia State. Courtney Hurt led all scorers with 28 points and 20 rebounds along with An-
drea Barbour who chipped in 15 points, five assists and four rebounds. The Rams now head on a two-game road trip at Towson and Delaware before returning home for a three-game stint. CT
If there’s one thing we know about Troy Daniels, it’s that he likes to shoot three pointers – and if he has a clear head, said three pointers will be going in.
Daniels’ three-point game was on full display against Georgia State (14-8 overall, 6-5 CAA) on Saturday afternoon as VCU’s (18-5 overall, 9-2 CAA) premier shooter lit up the Panthers, going 5-of-12 from beyond the arc in the Rams’ 59-58 win in Atlanta. All of his team-high 15 points game on three-point shots, but his performance was not one-dimensional. He also had eight rebounds and two assists in what was one of his more complete efforts of the season.
Shaka Smart said after the Towson game that he did not think Daniels had his head in the right place, and that if he was only focused on his three-point shooting, he was selling himself short.
As a result, Daniels only saw 12 minutes of playing time as VCU beat Towson by 25 points. Daniels started the game and went 1-of-4 from three before being pulled for the remainder of the night.
Against Georgia State however, Smart allowed Daniels to put the Towson game behind him by giving him the starting nod once again. Daniels showed that he took the punishment to heart and played with a vigor that gave VCU the added energy they needed to escape Atlanta with a hard-fought road win.
Daniels sat just eight minutes on Saturday afternoon and will likely continue to see a lot of minutes if he plays a multi-dimensional game as he did against the Panthers. At 9.7 ppg Daniels is third on the team in scoring, and he leads the CAA in three pointers made with 60.
As Saturday showed, Smart’s decision to sit Daniels early against Towson was little more than a wakeup call. Twelve three-point attempts from Daniels against Georgia State revealed that he still has the “neon-green light” that Smart gave him at the beginning of the season, and if he continues to shoot the way he has, it will help VCU find its way on the right side of more close games this season. CT
In this section:
STRUT Fashion Show postponed; students respond • 13
NEW: Food reviews for the vegetarian palate • 15 Street Style: springtime in January • 16
On a campus where more and more students travel on two wheels, bike lovers are finally getting their dues from VCU’s Recreational Sports programs.
Beginning with the first installment of a weekly bike-repair clinic last Thursday and continuing to a free weekly mountain-biking trip later in the spring, the VCU Outdoor Adventure Program is pushing to include recreational cycling in its list of activities alongside kayaking trips, whitewater rafting and others.
This year, the OAP added 60 bikes to the Outing Rental Center across from the Cary Street Gym. The 30 mountain bikes and 30 road bikes will be available for student rental like the center’s other equipment, as well as available for the free weekly trail rides, which will take place Thursday afternoons starting in March.
Aside from the weekly bike-repair clinics, which began last Thursday, the
center’s new repair stands and tools constitute a new OAP Bike Shop, whose equipment is free for student use during regular hours.
The OAP’s assistant director, Joseph Parent, brings his expertise to the OAP and its new cycling program as a former bike-shop manager and self-described “pretty avid cyclist.” Parent earned his undergraduate degree from VCU and has been working with the OAP since August.
“While I was (a student at VCU), I did a lot of mountain biking,” said Parent, who graduated from the VCU department of photography and film in 2005. “And when I interviewed here, I was like, ‘(Cycling) is a really huge resource we’re not taking advantage of.’”
“There’s a push from a lot of people at the school that really wanted us to start a (cycling) program,” he said. “I was really psyched about it.”
Outside the OAP, VCU has enacted several bike-friendly measures in the past year. According to VCU Parking and Transportation Services’ Go
Green initiative, bike parking on both campuses has expanded to 237 bicycle racks with a total capacity of 1,880 spaces. Two “mobility hubs,” with sheltered bike parking, include nearby air compressors.
The city of Richmond has taken a similar route, instating its very first bicycle, pedestrian and trails coordinator in August and a project to paint bike paths on to select city roads. The pilot project began last November at Harrison and Broad streets.
All the official interest in Richmond’s bikeability has arisen in no small part due to the city’s bidding, and subsequent selection last September, as the location for the 2015 World Cycling Championships. The competition, whose previous homes have included cities such as Madrid, Copenhagen and Florence, was last held in the United States in Denver, Colo. in 1986. An official press release from the office of Major Dwight Jones cited a study that found the event “would generate more than $135 million for
the Commonwealth of Virginia and would attract nearly 500,000 onsite spectators.”
For the OAC’s part, Parent said that the changes are simply reflecting something that’s already a part of Richmond’s identity.
“(Bike culture has) been a major part of what makes Richmond Richmond, and it’s something the university is just starting to realize,” he said. “The university has kind of taken a really good stance recently to … promote that culture and try and make it part of VCU’s identity.” CT
The OAP Bicycle Maintenence Clinic is offered every Thursday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. through Feb. 23 at the Outing Rental Center, 130 S. Linden St., across from the Street Gym. The OAP Bike Shop is open free of charge to all students Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.recsports.vcu.edu/ outdoor_adventure.html
the petition and countless more have make a viral statement regarding their concern for the organization’s future.
VCU’s fashion community was stunned last week with the university’s announcement that the student-run fashion show, STRUT, would not be hitting the runway as planned this semester. The decision to cancel the annual spring show was made by the executive board of the University Student Commons and Activities.
As the news spread throughout the VCU community, many students, hoping to reverse the decision, took to creating Facebook groups and organizing petitions though change.org.
As one student writes on the group’s petition board, “I am not resigned to stand by and kowtow to the powers that be just because they arbitrarily decide to tear down our tradition and to devastate the legacy of our alumni!”
Clearly intending to evoke some change within the executive board, some 500 students have already signed
When Timothy A. Reed, director of University Student Commons and Activities, was asked for a statement regarding the board’s seemingly harsh decision, he replied that the board had only postponed the show to the fall semester.
Reed said he and the executive board ultimately decided that the caliber of the show presented a conflict of interest: The board decided their loyalty lay with the School of Arts (Fashion) and its own original large-scale fashion show, as it is a representation of a fashion scholar having completed their four-year degree.
Reed calls upon the students to become creative with the new circumstances and to likewise seek other opportunities for public acclaim such as Richmond Fashion Week.
CT reporters asked students what they thought.
I feel like they might be doing it because VCU doesn’t view fashion as well as they view medical or business. It could be someone’s dream, and they are shutting it down.
I wouldn’t go to the fashion show regardless. I’m not all that interested in fashion.
Accounting, Junior
I was going to perform a song I wrote, and I was trying to get the student organization choir to perform with me. I had this whole thing planned out. For those involved, I’m sure it’s important.
English, Senior
I’ve been on the committee in the past. I really wanted to try out this year, but they canceled it the day before the auditions. I think it is ridiculous that the people did not give us a really reason for why they cancelled it. I want my money back from my student activities because that’s what I’m paying for. You wouldn’t take from the medical campus, so why would you take away from the arts?
It sounds like STRUT has enough determination to get it done, and they are letting the man get them down.
• Groups with different tastes. With a such a variety of foods, the menu can please pretty much anybody, but keep it small: The seating is mostly booths for about four or five.
• First dates. It’s not so quiet any silence would be awkward and not so loud you can’t talk. When you run out of things to talk about, there are TVs and people to watch which always provide fun conversation.
Taylor Dayton Contributing Writer
If you’ve never heard of the Sidewalk Café on Main and Robinson streets, you’re not alone: it’s not widely known within the VCU community.
Despite this, it’s definitely worth trying out, whether you lead a meat-free lifestyle or not.
If you’re vegetarian and sick of following your meat-eating friends to places that have only the standard veggie burger, grilled cheese or hummus plate menu items, next time suggest Sidewalk Café.
The menu, atmosphere and proximity to campus combine to make Sidewalk Café a nice new option for the student-budget vegetarian diner. It’s reasonably priced and within walking distance from the dorms.
The atmosphere is like your typical bar: dimly lit, somewhat crowded seating, music playing (in this reviewer’s case, an awesome mix of Bon Iver and other similar artists). The only bar aspect Sidelwalk Café was missing was the noise level: You can actually hear the people you’re sitting with.
The menu has a great variety of both animal-friendly and less-animal-friendly items to keep everyone happy. The vegetarian options include a little bit of everything such as the usual soups and salads as well as entrees (around $12) like black bean cakes with rice and salsa, sandwiches (around $9) and sides like the hummus foccacia sandwich and the hot Mediterranean sub.
The roasted garlic potato pancakes; the garden burrito; and the portobello, roasted red pepper, and mozzarella sandwich are delicious. Our starter,
however, the potato pancakes, are a dish that leave questions in this reviewer’s mind. The taste was great, but the consistency is a mystery, kind of like pan-fried mashed potatoes that are also mixed with grits and maybe potato puree. They are topped with sour cream and scallions and definitely made with garlic. It’s the kind of food you would eat if it was given to you, but maybe wouldn’t order on your own. Liquid potato aside, the meal was fabulous. The garden burrito was delicious, but is not recommended if you don’t like spicy foods: The jalapenos are strong. The dish included a salad, nothing too special there, and then a huge plate for the burrito and a side of rice, covered in black beans, which are in turn covered in cheese. The burrito itself was pretty large and filled with a great variety of sautéed vegetables then topped with
sour cream and salsa.
The portobello sandwich had the awesome addition of roasted red peppers and was served on an herbed foccacia roll making it more exciting than your classic portobello sandwich that you could easily make at home. What really stood out about it was how not-chewy it was. When ordering anything with portobellos at restaurants, the mushrooms are too often chewy and difficult to eat, which can get awkward when you have food hanging out of your mouth and can’t bite it off.
Sidewalk Café makes a great place for your next weekend outing. This way your friends won’t get tired of your constant suggestions of Ipanema, and you don’t get tired of eating only veggie burgers and iceberg lettuce salads. CT
Courtney Marcellin Contributing Writer
Menswear-inspired layers are the perfect choice for the ever-changing Richmond weather. Tights and a lightweight sweater work for chilly mornings but can be easily shed for springy afternoons. Heavy boots help to toughen up an otherwise proper ensemble.
If you want to be noticed, try an unexpected mix of colors. Reds and greens aren’t just for Christmas when paired with a classic navy-and-white striped tee. Another great eye-catching color pairing to try: cobalt blue and golden yellow.
This classic ladylike look (ahem, scalloped collar) is instantly glammed up with a printed headscarf, oversized sunglasses and a bright red lip. This is also certifiable proof that white shoes can – and should be worn after Labor Day.
The contrast piping, collar and cuffs of this shirt are polished spins on the old western button-down, and the perforated leather brogues have a unique hint of sportiness. But his best accessory is, of course, his faithful four-legged companion, complete with coordinating harness.
In this section:
Making higher education a higher priority • 19 Comic: Trying too hard • 19
Competitive sports offer an amazing opportunity for students. Individuals who haven’t participated in sports before can discover new talents to be trained and honed. But a small segment
of students don’t have that advantage until they reach college level sports.
House Bill 947, nicknamed the “Tim Tebow Law” after former homeschooler and current Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, would enable homeschooled students in Virginia the opportunity to participate in public school
sports. This legislation is crucial because every student athlete knows that highschool performance is the basis for all major recruitment into college sports.
Homeschooled students have limited chances to interact with peers outside their home or neighborhood. It is important that young students build social skills by interacting with others, whether it is through classes or extracurricular activities. Social experiences are as important as academic performance when it comes to real-world interaction.
Not only do these students lack social opportunities, but also competitive challenges. Sports are an integral part to any college experience. Like
all skills, you have to train, grow, and nurture your talents in order to make it through college and into the real world. Homeschoolers lack the opportunities presented to students that attend public school, such as the pressure of competition and the allure of scholarships. The Tim Tebow Law would finally allow homeschooled students an equal opportunity to compete, for both medals and scholarships.
Homeschool sports leagues often lack a competitive air and the only people that really care are the parents. Students with genuine talent are stuck playing with others that may be less enthusiastic or competitive than they are. They also lack the opportunity to play with
other skilled players you would find on public high school teams.
Students also miss out on recruitment and scholarship opportunities for their upcoming college years. Along with that, they have to work harder to prove themselves to make it onto the university teams.
Opponents of the bill argue that homeschoolers do not meet all 13 Virginia qualifications for student participation in sports. Allowing homeschooled students to participate on high-school teams would give the homeschoolers an advantage over the
students who are in the public schools and do not qualify. They also think that they are not up to par academically.
The Home School Legal Defense Authority, however, rebukes this claim. According to a recent study, homeschooled students outperform public school students by 34 to 39 percent above the national average in standardized tests.
Supporters argue that the Tim Tebow Law helps bring about the social experiences that students don’t get through homeschooling, social experience that is highly valuable to life during and after college. Furthermore, 14 states already
With state legislators making sharp cuts to the funding of public colleges, average tuition and fees edging more than $8,000 per year and frustration over the ever-mounting credit debt of recent college graduates coming to a boil, college students are surely in need of financial aid or reform.
In his State of the Union address last week, President Obama threatened to cut federal funds to colleges and universities if they failed to stabilize and control the rising cost of tuition.
But will the president’s threats draw the desired reaction? Probably not.
While his proposal sounds tough, and every sane person is in favor of decreasing the cost of college, it also sounds a bit unlikely and paradoxical.
Colleges raise the cost of tuition to do a number of necessary things that keep their institution afloat, as well as adjusting for the cost of inflation. In fact, the rising tuition costs are a direct response to budgetary cuts from federal and state governments.
The federal funding that colleges and universities receive comes in the form of research funds, Pell Grants and subsidized loans. Cuts to those funds would mostly harm students, either through
their wallets or through the lost opportunity to conduct valuable university research that can be put on their résumés.
If the president intends to punish the institutes in this manner, it can and will have a detrimental and direct effect upon students.
Federal funding has become decentralized from the institutions; instead of fueling and funding the actual colleges, most of the financial aid follows the individual student, for better or for worse.
Furthermore, cutting federal funding for colleges if they don’t lower or maintain cost sounds an awful lot like an unfunded mandate, similar to former President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” Act, which critics derailed as a drain on state coffers.
But something must be done, and as ideologically dismissive as the notion may be for some, the federal government must be the one to take action.
Contrary to what some of the president’s conservative critics might believe, the federal government absolutely has a place in the financial regulation of higher education. Our nation’s ability to prosper economically is now more than ever reliant on the academic success of students, particularly those majoring in hard sciences, business and engineering.
Higher education should not be a luxury; luxuries are for the few: the metaphorical 1 percent. If the country
allow homeschoolers to participate in public school sports programs, with little or no problems reported.
As we all know, every little thing that goes into our college applications and resumes helps. For too long incoming homeschooled students have been slighted from their chance to participate on competitive sports teams. It’s time for them to get the opportunity they deserve. CT
as a whole is to prosper, success must be built from the bottom up. The construction of a mansion begins with the floor, not the chimney.
The educational sector must not be forced to make any additional sacrifices. Years of budget cuts and financial slights from both the federal and state government have put them in this corner. It’s not a point of pride when university presidents are forced to discuss the prices of their schools. The academic exclusivity colleges and universities tout should arise from academic performance, not high price tags.
President Obama has made some valuable achievements to make a college degree more accessible for students, including doubling funds for Pell Grants, capping the maximum amount of monthly student-loan repayment and introducing the $2,500 American Opportunity tax credit for tuition expenses. But now it’s time for our elected leaders to show their commitment to American students.
Only the power of cold, wordy legislation from Congress can bring about the education reforms students need. CT
Opinions expressed are those of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times or Virginia Commonwealth University. Unsigned editorials represent the institutional opinion of The CT.
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