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Virginia Commonwealth University

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
907 Floyd Ave
Richmond, Virginia 23284
Phone
(804) 828-0100
Email address
admrecruit@vcu.edu
School Information
"Virginia Commonwealth University and its academic health sciences center serve as one national urban public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of our students, patients, faculty, staff and community through: Real-world learning that furthers civic engagement, inquiry, discovery and innovation; Research that expands the boundaries of new knowledge and creative expression and promotes translational applications to improve the quality of human life; Interdisciplinary collaborations and community partnerships that advance innovation, enhance cultural and economic vitality, and solve society’s most complex challenges; Health sciences that preserve and restore health for all people, seek the cause and cure of diseases through groundbreaking research and educate those who serve humanity; Deeply engrained core values of diversity, inclusion and equity that provide a safe, trusting and supportive environment to explore, create, learn and serve..." The university enrolls over 30,100 students, employs over 2,500 faculty, and offers more than 200 programs. (Source: https://www.vcu.edu/about-vcu/mission-and-history/) (Source: https://www.vcu.edu/about-vcu/facts-and-rankings/)
General Information
VCU has explored its options on how to implement the study of race into its curriculum. The university is considering making a course on racism part of its required curriculum. However, the exact details of the course or whether it will be made a requirement are not clear. It is unclear whether this course will contain elements of C.R.T. See developments below:

Actions Taken

Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • The School of Education is beginning its "Becoming an Antiracist Educator" virtual series, which addresses "racial inequality and consists of nine sessions, covering topics such as deconstructing implicit bias and determining the impact of power and privilege."
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • VCU is considering making a course on racism part of its required curriculum.
Symbolic Actions
  • Starting February 2022 VCU will join 19 colleges “to serve as thought partners to develop a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Climate Assessment Toolkit through June of 2023.”
  • On April 20, 2021, following the Chauvin verdict, the VCU President released a statement saying, “though the trial is over, healing must continue, as pain continues for people of color in the VCU community, throughout the commonwealth and across the nation. Students, faculty, staff, team members and friends of VCU and VCU Health have shared with me their fear, disgust and absolute frustration at a system that allows continued violence and injustice against people of color, especially Black women and men.”
  • On May 31, 2020, following protests in Richmond, the VCU President released a statement saying, “what I see again and again is a very public manifestation of American history and, indeed, America’s present. It is impossible to comprehend centuries of horrifying injustice against minorities in this nation, particularly African Americans. Yet, even in 2020, your skin color still influences your social mobility and vitality even more so than where you were educated, live, or work. In America, it is still far too easy for those with privilege and prejudice to undo the hard-earned successes of others, particularly racial minorities. Individual, institutional, and structural racism is still our tragic reality.”
Last updated July 26th, 2022
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