The Commonwealth Times; Sept. 7, 2022

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University to implement hazing education for student organizations

“The first suspect is a black male, with dreadlocks and no shirt. The second suspect is a black male, with a low fade haircut, wearing a white T-Shirt and black shorts. They were last seen driving a dark blue or dark green sedan. Last seen heading towards the university,” the alert stated. The alert also stated Richmond Police are leading the investigation, and police have increased patrols in theThearea.university’s Division of Student Affairs sent an email to students yesterday afternoon, which consisted of an overview of the situation, safety reminders and links to mental health services. The email also confirmed the two individuals injured were VCU stu dents.“The students were near a large gathering of people on Laurel Street when shots were fired,” the email stated. For more information, go to https://alert.vcu.edu/

The ultimate goal is so students can identify what hazing would be and what resources are available for reporting and experiencestudentssupportingwhomayhazing.”

VOL. 64, NO. 2 SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 THE INDEPENDENT PRESS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY 2019, 2020, 2021 Newspaper Pacemaker WinnerCOMMONWEALTHTIMES.ORG@theCT

Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Shooting near campus injures two students

KATRINA LEE News Editor Richmond Police Department of ficers responded to the 200 block of South Laurel Street for the re port of a shooting on Sept. 5 at 8:09 p.m., according to RPD an emailRPDstatement.officers located two male victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Both males were trans ported to a local hospital for nonlife threatening injuries. The department did not com ment on any developments on the suspects involved in the shooting. A VCU alert was emailed to all students approximately two hours after the shooting at 10:13 p.m.

ANNA CHEN Audience Editor IRGINIA COLLEGES AND UNIVER sities are now required to pro vide hazing prevention training following the passage of Adam’s Law.

Many students are maskless while they wait in line at the Starbucks located in the James Branch Cabell Library.

“The goal of this education is to make sure that they [students] can know and un derstand what hazing is and how to report it,” Wheeless said. The training provides students with ed ucation on the effects and overconsumption of alcohol, Wheeless said. The education also includes information on how to identi fy hazing and the severity scale of different types of hazing, along with Virginia laws and VCU’s policies on hazing, according to Wheeless.

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‘WE’RE DEFINITELY ADAPTING’: Students adjust to relaxed COVID-19 policies

Joe Wheeless, director of VCU’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said he plans to keep an eye out for any reports of hazing as student organizations, clubs, sororities and fraternities begin their recruitment process.

“The ultimate goal is so students can identify what hazing would be and what resources are available for reporting and supporting students who may experience hazing,” Wheeless said. Students interested in joining fraterni ties and sororities will need to complete the hazing prevention training, per Adam’s law, named after Adam Oakes who died due to alcohol poisoning as a result of hazing on Feb. 26, 2021. The General Assembly passed the bill, and it was subsequently signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in April. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will keep track of student attendance. If the chapter is interested in the student’s bid, the office will do an eligibility check and share with the chapter if the student is eli gible to join or not, according to Wheeless. Along with hazing prevention training, the legislation requires Virginia colleges and universities to report any incidents and hazing violations to campus police or local law enforcement, according to the Virginia Legislative Information System.

See HAZING on page 3

Joe Wheeless, director of VCU’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Student organizations greet students at New Student Convocation 2021. CT File Photo

See COVID-19 on page 2

VARSHA

students

Stories of the week national: Juul Labs will pay nearly $440 millions in settlement after a two-year long investigation into youth marketing.

Students walk through the Compass on Sept. 6. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore walk through the Compass on Sept. 6. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore study in Grace E. Harris Hall. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Students

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Students

the Compass

international: Severe flooding in Pakistan leads to evacuation orders.

‘WE’RE DEFINITELY ADAPTING’: Students adjust to relaxed COVID-19 policies COVID-19

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Students

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“It’s not like COVID[-19] is that much of a danger anymore, but it is still a virus, and we are still in a pandemic,” Bowman said. Bowman said they didn’t feel as though they are missing out on any college tradi tions or experiences due to the pandemic so far in their freshman year. “I would say it’s pretty normal, the col lege life, except for wearing masks occasion ally, but that’s a precaution you take if you want to be safe,” Bowman said.

The health risks and impacts of COVID-19 have significantly reduced due to the implementation of the vaccine and other medical aids; however, the virus is still considered an “ongoing public threat,” according to the website.

Bowman said institutions such as VCU have kept the more “convenient” outcomes of the pandemic, like implementing more technology into education. “We’re definitely adapting, but I don’t think it’ll ever go back to the way it was before COVID[-19],” Bowman said.

As of Sept. 1, there were 40,527 con firmed COVID-19 cases in Richmond City, according to the Richmond City HealthCurrently,District.VCU strongly encourages re ceiving COVID-19 vaccination and boost er shots and offers free COVID-19 testing on campus to its students and employees, according to the VCU Safety and Manage ment website.

VASUDEVAN Staff Writer

Bowman said it was “a little weird” that VCU no longer required masks, but stu dents could still choose to wear them.

2.

they wait

accounting student Sylvie Bowman said they believe VCU is attempt ing to return to normalcy through more re laxed COVID-19 policies.

Starbucks

HERE IS A NOTABLE DECREASE in VCU students who are seen wearing masks in the library, class rooms and around campus as the 2022 fall semester begins. VCU made masks and face coverings optional indoors and outdoors on cam pus on March 21, according to the VCU Safety & Management website. There are also no longer physical distancing or mask ing requirements at events, according to theFreshmanwebsite.

2 The Commonwealth Times

“At the same time, teachers can also make a policy and say, ‘you have to wear a mask in my class,’” Bowman said. “I think that’s completely valid.”

1. walk through on Sept. 6. by Kaitlyn Fulmore Many are maskless while in line at the located in the James Branch Cabell Library. by Kaitlyn

Student organization VCU CHAARG, Changing Health, Attitudes and Actions To Recreate Girls, ambassador Izzy Gracias stated the club hosted weekly exercises and events for CHAARGmembers.is following VCU COVID-19 guidelines and currently does not allow members that tested positive for COVID-19 to come to events until they test negative, according to Gracias.

“I do think things are returning to normal, but it’s been so long since we’ve had normal that normal is being redefined,” Gracias stated. Freshman health services student Tobi Ojo said VCU should continue to emphasize the severity of COVID-19, but not enforce a mask mandate on campus in case it caused division among students. “If you don’t feel comfortable with some one having their mask, rather than trying to berate them for it, maybe pursue something else,” Ojo said. “I’m just concerned about the pushback with it. It gets annoying.” Ojo said masks should be required if a student or class was in contact with some one who tested positive for COVID-19. There is a sense of normalcy returning to VCU and was excited and nervous to begin their first semester at VCU, Ojo said. “I do like the VCU culture of being able to add to the diversity and inclusion here,” Ojo said. “It’s like being part of a legacy.”

Fraternities registered at VCU, such as Alpha Kappa Psi, Delta Epsilon Mu and Lambda Chi Alpha, have been reported to the VCU Division of Student Affairs for hazing, according to the VCU Regis tered Student Organization Conduct Re port. These fraternities have been put on suspension.VCUstudent organizations, such as Fil ipino Americans Coming Together and the Vietnamese Student Association, were also suspended due to a report of hazing, accord ing to the report.

Continued from front page

RACHEL MARCUS Contributing Writer

Environmental students, biology stu dents and other majors came together and explored the James River, according to Vonesh.Thisyear’s expedition took place over 31 days and spanned over 200 miles, from May 23 to June 23, according to the Footprints on the James website. Though the course is always studying about how the James River has “shaped cultures,” in past years, a cultural element has been involved, Vonesh said. “We’ve met with some of the coastal plain, Native American tribes have come and spoken to us about their cultural history, as it’s associated with the river,” Vonesh said.

Information compiled by Katrina Lee

“We are human beings at the end of the day and we’re all comfortable with [a] dif ferent level of things,” Ramakrishnan said.

Vonesh said that he and his colleagues want to make it possible for students to have a broad accessibility to the course. There is an application and interview process to join the course. Once that is complete, there are informational meetings, where alumni of the previous courses come and kind of talk about their experiences, saidTheVonesh.group learned about the wildlife as well as the river’s impact on human devel opment, according to Oluwarotimi John son, student of the 2022 Footprints on the JamesTheclass.daily expeditions varied in length, but were an average of 10 miles each day, Johnson said. He also said the course gave him real-world experience outside of the“Weclassroom.simply just travel from one campsite to another, stop in some areas our teacher deemed interesting to talk about,” Johnson said. “I had never experienced anything like thisHebeforehand.”saidthatthe expedition helped to strengthen himself, and he would recom mend taking Footprints on the James.

Photo by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

“This year, we looked at the emergence of insects and the insect diversity as we trav eled down using black lights. We sampled insects as we traveled down the river, you can attract them into black lights and ul traviolet lights,” Vonesh said. “We looked at how diversity and abundance of organisms changed as we traveled down the river.”

Hazing education and prevention implementation:

Wed. September 7, 2022 3 HAZING

Vidu Ramakrishnan, senior biology stu dent and president of the Chinese Student Association at VCU, said hazing prevention education is “extremely important.”

James Vonesh, environmental science professor

The group used the app iNaturalist to carry out a BioBlitz over the course of the session. A BioBlitz is an event to identify multiple species in a certain area over a fixed time period, according to NationalThroughoutGeographic.theexpedition, the group continuously added to the iNaturalist page with new pictures and information on different organisms they observed on the James River. Vonesh said the 2022 class made 6,000 observations of 500 different taxa. The group’s iNaturalist page features hundreds of organisms, including the Car olina Wren, the American Eel, the Flathead Catfish and more.

Provides eligibility checks for potential members

There were all a number of research proj ects to learn how the river functions em bedded in the course, according to Vonesh.

University to implement hazing education for student organizations

University required to report any incidents and hazing violations to campus police or local law enforcement

Provides students with education on the effects and overconsumption of alcohol

FOOTPRINTS ON THE JAMES, A SUMMER semester VCU expedition class, studied the James River in order to learn about its hu man and natural history, according to the Footprints on the James website. James Vonesh, environmental science professor and the course’s instructor, said Footprints on the James is an outdoor skills course focused on expedition planning.

“I think it’s definitely important to have education about hazing because it can real ly lead to some unfortunate circumstances where people are pushed beyond their lim it,” Ramakrishnan said.

Education on how to identify hazing and the severity scale of different types of hazing, along with Virginia laws and VCU’s policies on hazing

Vonesh has been instructing the class since it was first offered in 2014.

FACT has been put on deferred sus pension and is able to recruit, according to VCU spokesperson Matthew Lovisa.

As the president of his organization, Ramakrishnan said he wants to make his organization attainable and inclusive so ev eryone can join and be involved.

Students in Footprints on the James, a summer semester VCU expedition class, studied the natural and human history of the James River.

Students study James River, use app to document different organisms

“Everybody has different boundaries and different limits that they’re comfort able with,” Ramakrishnan said. “With what happened to Adam Oakes, it might lead to things being pushed way over the line and tragedies of that like happening.” Ramakrishnan said it’s important for not just fraternities and sororities, but also for student organizations as well to understand the importance of hazing prevention.

We sampled insects as we traveled down the river, you can attract them into black lights and ultraviolet lights. We looked at how diversity and abundance of organisms changed as we traveled down the river.”

VCU is expecting to experience a multimillion dollar shortfall, a result from enrollment projection not being met.

“We are hopeful to enroll more stu dents in the spring and refocus our efforts on next year’s enrollment,” LeGrande stated.

Photo by Ryan Dutcher

The approximate enrollment for the freshman class this year is 4,200 stu dents, which is “comparable to last year’s freshman class of 4,151 students,” said university spokesperson Brian McNeill. Actual enrollment numbers will become available later this fall.

The university is not expected to meet en rollment expectations for the fall semes ter, causing the uni versity to project a multi-million dollar budget shortfall. The university’s en rollment was around 29,000 students in fall 2021, according to VCU’s annual report. This year, enrollment is not expected to reach its 1% enrollment in crease projection, ac cording to Tomikia LeGrande, vice pres ident for strategy, en rollment management and student success. Falling short of enrollment projec tions is the result of multiple factors, such as COVID[-19],”freshmansultingdentsbringcasts.siveLeGrandeCOVID-19,stated.“VCUhadaggresenrollmentforeWeworkedtoinasmanystuaspossiblereinourlargestclasspost-LeGrande stated. “We have also been focusing on growing our retention of students. While we achieved many of our goals we did not achieve our loftyMoretargets.”than 600 incoming freshmen decided against attending VCU in 2020 after receiving their acceptance letters –– a near 30% increase from the previous year –– making first-year students the most significant part of an enrollment drop at the university during COVID-19, according to a previous report from the Commonwealth Times. LeGrande also stated the competition for high school graduates between uni versities is highly intense.

“More and more of these students are choosing to forego college, even af ter applying and being accepted,” LeG rande stated. “Additionally, community colleges have been facing enrollment declines over the past few years, which directly impacts the pipeline of tradi tional transfer students moving on to four-yearImmediateinstitutions.”collegeenrollment in the United States has decreased from 69.1% in 2018 to 61.8% in 2021, according to BestLeGrandeColleges.stated the shortfall in en rollment is isolated to a few schools with in the university, which were expected to grow in enrollment this year.

Virginia Tech is expecting to achieve their enrollment project this fall, accord ing to VT Media Relations Director Michael“InterestStowe.in attending Virginia Tech has grown steadily in recent years. For context, we experi enced a record num ber of applications for a second consecutive year,” Stowe stated. “However, I can say that we anticipate that we will achieve our enrollment goal of approximately 30,000 undergraduate students in Blacksburg this fall.” Stowe said defini tive enrollment census data for VT will also be available later in the fall.VCU’s Chief Fi nancial Officer Karol Gray stated in an email the university will have to make up the differ ence for this deficit. “The Universi ty plans to fund this shortfall with strategic reductions, as well as additional efforts in fi nancial aid, and reten tion packages to grow enrollment and retain students,” Gray stated. VCU is not plan ning to disengage from hiring faculty and staff despite the budget shortfall, according to Gray. The university received just over $33 million from the state this year. Gray stated this money is to support the mer it-based 5% salary increase for state em ployees of $13.7 million, central operat ing funds of $17.5 million and support for increased cost for O&M and the Rise initiative of $1.8 million. VCU administration presented a range of tuition increases last May for 2023 between 3% and 6% for undergrad uate and graduate students, following a three-year freeze on tuition, according to a previous report by the Commonwealth Times. VCU ended up keeping tuition flat for in-state undergraduates this year.

VCU is expecting to not meet enrollement projections this fall semester.

Photo by Ryan Dutcher

VCU projected to experience multi-million budget deficit

4 The Commonwealth Times

KATRINA LEE News Editor

“This is going to be a night to remem ber,” Mehta said. “I’m very proud of the work that has happened and am looking forward to sharing India and Indian arts with the many folks who come through.” Soham Apte, one of the musicians who performed at “Mother India’s” opening cel ebration, said Gallery5 has been the hub for cultural exhibitions and artists for some time“I’mnow.delighted that they have continued with the annual “Mother India” event driv en to empower budding Indian artists and musicians,” Apte said. “This empowerment represents key rudiments towards social and cultural vitalization.” Apte said he hopes people attending “Mother India” can understand that even though cultural experiences may be differ ent, art represents and connects all human beings“Upliftingtogether.and appreciating the beauty of cultural arts is cornerstone for understanding what really makes us so similar,” Apte said.

This is going to be a night to remember. I’m very proud of the work that has happened and am looking forward to sharing India and Indian arts with the many folks who come through.”

Mehta said those who attend the show will feel the essence of Gallery5’s mis sion: connecting the many communities of Richmond through art that inspires, educates, creates dialogue and entertains.

Classical Indian vocals and instrumen tal music, traditional Indian blessings for the audience and a Bollywood Dance Party on “Mother India’s” opening night filled Gallery5’s stage, according to Mehta.

People crowd around Ruchi Gupta’s artwork at Gallery5.

Photo by Noah Mondon

Prabir Mehta, Board of Directors chair at Gallery5

Gupta has worked as a full time ceramic artist for the past nine years in her home studio in Richmond. An article Gupta read about a studio potter while working IT in India sparked Gupta’s interest in ceramic art, she said. Her ceramic art featured in “Mother India” is an interpretation of the way she sees, relates to and gets inspiration from Indian culture, Gupta said. Gupta’s pieces feature intricate details, eye-catching colors and written word. Gupta’s work and the other art dis played at the “Mother India” exhibition will provide a window into Indian culture, Gupta said. “I like the idea that it’s the fine art and the performance art,” Gupta said. “It’s not only visual, but the whole experience is there at the ‘Mother India’ show.”

Contributing Writer Gallery5 opened its month-long art show “Mother India” on Friday, Sept. 2 as a part of First Fridays — a monthly celebration of the local cultural communities in Rich mond’s Art District and beyond, according to First Friday’s Facebook page. “Mother India” highlights Indian art and culture. This is Gallery5’s fourth year holding this show. The Gallery opened in 2005 and has since worked to uphold its mission: to engage communities through the arts, according to the gallery’s website. Prabir Mehta, Gallery5’s chair of the Board of Directors and creator of “Moth er India,” said the exhibition is an “exact manifestation of the mission.” As an Indian immigrant, Mehta said he has always felt a deep connection to India while simultaneously noticing the lack of representation Indians have in the arts. He then found himself with the opportunity to create a month-long show celebrating and sharing Indian arts, according to Mehta.

PEGGY STANSBERY

On this day On this day on Sept. 7, Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1822.

Fine art is included in the show along side performance art. One of the art ists showcased is Ruchi Gupta, a Rich mond-based ceramic artist. She hosted an artist talk at the opening night of “Mother India.”Gupta was born and raised in India and moved to the United States as an adult, she said. Growing up, Gupta said she always created art, but didn’t think being a full time artist was an option.

Gupta said she is joyful to be working as a full time artist after working in corporate IT for many years. “There was a phase when I would say I am a project manager trying to become an artist, so it is a proud moment that I can call myself an artist without any explana tion,” Gupta said. “It’s a very happy place.”

‘Mother India’ art show celebrates Indian art

Left to Right: Set of painted dishes displayed through glass. Painted portrait of a man hangs on the wall. Multicolored decorative drapery hangs from beams. Photos by Noah Mondon

8 The Commonwealth Times

“The fashion week idea just kind of came to me because I found that it was the easi est way for people that knew nothing about CPC to get involved,” Brown said. The collective wanted to hold an event that would be easy for the campus to par ticipate in and draw attention to CPC, Brown said. The event led to the organiza tion’s mixer welcoming new and returning members back to campus.

Contributing Writer

Student organization puts on fall fashion week

I think fashion is worldwide, and fashion is another unspoken language that we communicate with each other, and we let other people know, ‘this is who I am.

Rebekah Washington, CPC creative Editor 1. Connor Andre and Asja themedThroughparticipateQuerinintheDecadesday.

Students around campus took part in a creative fashion challenge wearing ani mal prints, earth tones, lace, throwbacks to the past and ideas of fashion’s future.

Photo by Alessando Latour 2. Eli participatesBrown in Post Apocalyptic themed day. Photo by Eli Brown 3. Eli participatesBrown in Fairy Dystopian Core themed day. Photo by Eli Brown 4. participatesWashingtonRebekah in Jurassic World themed day. Photo by WashingtonRebekah 1 2 3 4

Inspiration for the fashion week themes came from a fashion design project Brown worked on throughout the summer which focused on the concept of lim inal space, major periods of humanity and periods of transition, Brown said. Fashion week themes were Jurassic World, Fairy Dystopian Core, Through the Decades and Post Apocalyptic, according to CPC’s In stagram.“We started with animals based off the Bible. And, then, it was … the meta morphosis of fairies,” Brown said. “Then, decades is the humanity that we’re experi encing now. And, then, post apocalyptic, is ‘what do we do when humans are gone?’” Brown became involved with CPC spring semester through modeling and then became the organization’s model coordina tor, they said. Since many of the original founders of CPC graduated last year, the reins were passed down to them to become the president of the organization, Brown said.“I really believe in what CPC can do,” Brown said. “I just say come out to an event. I’m sure you’ll walk away with at least someone new that you didn’t know would be into the same thing as you, and I find that’s just life. We just wanted to create a space where that’s more readily available.” Senior fashion design student and CPC’s creative director Rebekah Wash ington said CPC was formed during the spring 2022 semester by five VCUarts fashion design students: VCUarts alumni Michael Robinson, Adaora Okoye, Chris tianah Owolabi, De’Jah “Jamahzea” Willis and current student, Washington. Washington said she and the other founders felt there were areas within VCU’s fashion department that did not allow for the learning, training and collaboration that the group was wanting. She said most of what was being taught in classes was a very “cookie cutter” and “commercial view” on designing for the fashion industry. “A lot of us have very niche styles, and we knew what we were interested in — they weren’t able to teach us,” Washington said. “So, we were like ‘you know what, let’s make this space and start col laborating with other VCU art students, other disciplines within the art school and other people in RVA.’” Washington said she uses fashion as a way of self expression and views fashion as “wearable art.” She said she hopes all students will see CPC as a safe space on campus and use the fashion week event to encourage others to dress up and wear styles that are different from their friends or classmates.“Ithinkfashion is worldwide, and fash ion is another unspoken language that we communicate with each other, and we let other people know, ‘this is who I am,’” Washington said. Junior English student Deloris Allotey said her aspiration is to break into the mod eling industry. Allotey modeled for the first time last semester and decided to partici pate in the fashion week event to get more involved with modeling opportunities, ac cording to Allotey. “I was like, ‘okay, I need more attention. I need more people to know me. I need to be on somebody’s radar, somewhere. I need to be seen,’” Allotey said. “I want my face to be recognizable. I need to go to events. It’s likeSophomorenetworking.”fashion merchandising stu dent Jeanie Barratt heard about CPC last semester while modeling for the senior fashion showcase. Barratt said she did not know the fashion week event was happen ing and found out by posting a picture of her outfit to her Instagram story. “I actually had posted my outfit of the day, and one of my friends reached out to me and was like ‘hey can you submit this for the fashion week’ because it kind of fits into the role of the fairy dystopian day,” Barratt said.She said she liked the different themed days that challenged people to step outside of their style and try something new. “I hope they do it more often,” Barratt said. “I feel like it allows a lot of different diversity in what we’re wearing on campus.”

Wed. September 7, 2022 9

VCU student-led organization, Creative Production Collective, is an organization committed to bringing people together to gain skills needed for future goals within the fashion industry, according to junior fashion merchandising student and CPC’s head curator Eli Brown. CPC put on a four-day fashion week event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 to raise awareness and get students involved in the organization, according to Brown.

NATALIE BARR

The Full Harvest Moon will occur on Sept. 10, reaching peak illumination at 5:59 a.m., in the zodiac sign of Pisces. This may lead to new beginnings or spir itual awareness about your identity and could reveal some deep rooted emotions.

Watch out for a big argument be tween you and a loved one. Try to resolve the conflict, and the love between the two of you will grow. In terms of finances, your income should grow in the later half of this period as new streams of revenue unfold.

1. Goonies (1985)

As long as you stay focused and avoid any controversy, your career life should bear some great results. Commu nicate calmly and respectfully, and your love life should remain positive during this time.

Your career and financial sides should remain overall positive. This might even be a good time to change jobs, as long as you avoid signing any new contracts during the Mercury retrograde. This time might bring mixed results in your love life; again, be mindful of communicating with your partner.It’s important to stay focused and practical during this time. Your finances and love life should stay relatively the same, but watch your health — as some of you may experi ence minor health issues

Available on Netflix 91% Rotten Tomatoes

Life of Pi (2012)

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

10 The Commonwealth Times Editor’s list of films to watch

on Sept. 9 in the sign of Libra at 11:38 p.m., and it will remain in retrograde until Oct. 2 at 5:07 a.m. Mercury retrogrades typical ly cause periods of confusion and cha os around communication, travel and contracts. Be mindful of these aspects during this time. Try to avoid major life decisions and long road trips. Aries (March 21 - April 20)

This time should remain posi tive in the career and financial front, but be careful not to over share your plans with others. You might have experienced some hardships between you and your partner these past two weeks. This time should bring about a lot more love and support on both sides, so keep your head up.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

Available on Amazon Prime 86% Rotten Tomatoes

CHLOE HAWKINS, Spectrum Editor

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

The Martian (2015)

This film is based on the 2001 Canadian novel by Yann Martel. It follows protagonist Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, played by Suraj Sharma, and his tiger. This wild animal and 16-year-old boy are the only survivors of a shipwreck. This movie takes you through their journey as they’re completely strand ed in the Pacific ocean. You will leave this movie questioning reality, but in a good way.

2. 5. Beast (2022)

I went to see this movie last week, since it’s currently in theaters. It starts out slowly introducing a family of three: the father Nate Samuels, played by Idris Elba, and two daughters Meredith, played by Iyana Halley and Nora, played by Leah Jeffries. They are adventur ing to a South African reserve. While it starts off as a cute family film, it quickly turns into a bloody thriller that exposes trauma in the household. The acting is im pressive, and oddly relatable for the setting.

The name Harvest Moon is linked to the time closest to the fall equinox rather than a specific month. The turning of the season into fall is when farmers would begin the harvest of their crops to pre pare themselves for the winter to come, farming late into the evening using the light of the Mercurymoon.goesretrograde

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)

Money might unexpectedly come your way during this time; but try to save it for future use. Your love life should stay relatively the same, but just remember again to communicate calmly with your loved ones, especially as Mercury goes retro grade.

You’ve been working hard these past two weeks. While the good work will pay off, be careful not to fall under too much mental stress from the workload. This period may bring some ups and downs within your relationships. As with many signs due to the Mercury retrograde, be mindful of communicating properly in order to avoid conflict. This time should bear good re sults in your career. If you’re also a student, just be careful that work doesn’t get in the way of your studies. This time might bring about some misunderstandings within your rela tionships. Remember to communicate with each other, and you will move forward with trust and confidence in your relationship.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

If your sun sign horoscope doesn’t res onate with you, try checking your moon and rising signs. Get your birth chart for free online to find your other placements.

Available in Select Theaters 69% Rotten Tomatoes

For those who are students, try to stay motivated with your studies, as you might find yourself feeling distracted. Keep your spending for important purposes, and try to avoid im portant financial decisions during this time. Be mindful of your fiery nature with your family members, as this may cause some family conflict.

This movie was based on the 2011 novel “The Martian” by Andy Weir. This film is not like other space-themed movies, because it’s meant to portray real life. Astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, leads this movie after being presumed dead during a failed mission to Mars. With little to no supplies, food or way to communicate to anyone, Watney fights to survive. You will be on the edge of your seat the entire two hours and 45 minutes of this movie.

Available on Disney+ 3.4.

Available on Netflix 77% Rotten Tomatoes

AUDREY FAUVEL

Contributing Writer Hi fellow Rams! My name’s Audrey. I’m a senior at VCU, and I’ve been studying all things metaphysical for almost three years now. I’m really excited to write the astrology section and hope y’all find it just as interesting as I do!

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

This movie is set in a typi cal neighborhood in Oregon where seven “mis-fit” kids live: Mikey, Brand, Andy, Mouth, Data, Stef and Chunk. Due to financial troubles, they go on a quest to find a hidden treasure. This adventure comes with many trials and trib ulations, including secret caves. I don’t want to spoil too much, but this film was a staple in my childhood.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

This classic 90’s romantic comedy is a must-watch. Per sonally, I “must-watch” it a little too much, but it’s such a nice comfort movie. Leg endary celebrities such as Julia Stiles, Larry Miller and Heath Ledger appear in this film. It follows the romantic interests of Kat Stratford, played by Stiles, and Patrick Verona, played by Ledger, but what one of them doesn’t know is that there are stipula tions that come with this relationship.

Finances may be a struggle for you during this time, but as long as you’re in control of your expenses and savings, all should be well. This is a great time for Aquarius students. You should see great results in your academics during this time. You might find yourself want ing to make a large purchase during this time. As long as you budget properly so that you have enough for the rest of the month, you should be alright. Avoid any large purchases that come with a contract during the Mercury retrograde. Along with that, communicate and spend quality time with your partner to avoid conflicts. This time might bring financial challenges for you; avoid making big financial decisions or dipping into your savings if you can. Your love life should remain overall positive.

Available on Peacock 76% Rotten Tomatoes

6. The Fundamentals of Caring (2016) This comedy-drama film is based on the 2012 novel “The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving” by Jonathan Evison. Benjamin, played by Paul Rudd, is Trevor’s, played by Craig Roberts, care taker. In the movie Trevor is disabled due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The two characters embark on a road trip around the United States to see all the famous landmarks, but what they also find is lifelong friendship. Along the way they meet Dot, played by Selena Gomez. At the time I clicked play just because I saw her name, but the other two characters really make this one of the most heart-felt films on Netflix.

Audrey’s Astrology: last retrograde of 2022

THAILON WILSON Staff Writer

DiOrio said she believes their mentality was the key to preventing the Pride’s plays and success in not getting goals.

“If we lose the ball ever, we want to win it back in five seconds. As soon as we lose it, just get the ball right back to us,” DiOrio said. “That’s our mentality.” Coach Martin said she was proud of finally pushing over the hedge to secure the Rams’ first win of the season after many competitive games to start the season.“We’ve had good performances this season and we have come short of the full result of a win. So for us to be able to get that win tonight. I think the team deserves it,” Martin said. Santangelo said she was also excited and proud of the first win of the season but is ready to go out and compete for “We’re excited that we won this one. We’ll process it and then on to the next one and it is time to get into the groove and to make our mark on the A-10 [Atlan tic 10],” Santangelo said.

The Pride started to ad vance their offense more at the start of the second half, but VCU graduate student Amber DiO rio blocked the shots from getting through. DiOrio calls this defensive press “lockdown,” and it was constantly on display tonight versus the“OurPride.whole back line calls it lockdown defense because we don’t want them to score on us,” DiOrio said.

The pressure of VCU’s of fense worked well in the second half to maintain possession because as the game continued, the Pride’s de fenders moved forward, which allowed for easier counterattacks.

Photo by Jay Stonefield

The constant running and pressure from offense kept the William & Mary Pride constantly on their toes on the de fensive side. The Pride could hardly get the ball away from their side of the field for the entire first half.

After a 10 second countdown by the announcer, the first half ended with the Rams holding a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

VCU women’s soccer scores first win of the season AGAINST WILLIAM & MARY

That was my first collegiate goal ever, so that was pretty exciting. After we scored, I thought, now it’s time to keep a clean sheet.”

The Rams will host

The Rams defeated the William & Mary Pride 1-0 to mark the black and gold’s first win of the season after zero wins, one tie and three losses. The Rams entered the game in a 3-52 formation, meaning three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards up front. Right off the gate, VCU applied constant pressure to William & Mary with attacks against the Pride’s defense. VCU women’s soccer head coach Lindsey Martin said she credits the players’ hard work over the summer, which allowed them to continue running throughout the entire match.

televisedThevcuathletics.com.information,um.BackersatUniversitytheofPittsburghPanthersonThursday,Sept.8at7p.m.theSportsStadiForticketvisitgamewillbeonESPN+.

Wed. September 7, 2022 5

VCU junior Aisha Maughan defends in a game against the College of William & Mary on Sept. 1. Photo by Jay Stonefield

“The kids are fit. They spend all sum mer coming in and making sure they’re ready,” Martin said in a postgame in terview. “I think that we’re constantly checking to make sure they seem like they can sustain and go the distance.”

The Pride went into ultra-attacking mode at the end of the game and tried to score the game-tying goal. The defense dispossessed the Pride’s ad vanced offense before the ball could even get towards the goal area.

Natalia Santangelo VCU junior defender VCU junior Milica Bulatovic looks to advance and score in a game against the College of William & Mary on Sept. 1.

The Pride had their only on-target shot of the game at 27-minute mark of the first half by graduate student midfielder Addie Puskar.The Rams continued the pressure until VCU junior defender Natalia Santangelo scored off an assist from freshman midfield er Kendyl Sarver at the 35-minute mark. “That was my first collegiate goal ever, so that was pretty exciting,” Santangelo said. “After we scored, I thought, now it’s time to keep a clean sheet.”

Stat of the week VCU junior Kyle Weldon finished No. 19 with a time of 18:43.2 in the cross country opener in Mechanicsville, Virginia, according to VCU Athletics.

CT SPORTS STAFF nother NFL season is set to start on Sept. 8, marking another year on the gridiron. The defending Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams, will face the Buffalo Bills, according to the NFL.The Vince Lombardi trophy is up for grabs this season. After a wild free agency and offseason, read along for NFL season predictions from The Com monwealth Times sports staff.

ThailonPredictionWilson’s

The Buffalo Bills will be the last team standing, winning the 2023 NFL Super Bowl. The Bills have a long history of un fortunate events in the past, losing four consecutive NFL Super Bowls in the ‘90s, according to Pro Football Reference. This year will break the curse of Buffalo. As a Dallas Cowboys fan, it kills me to say another team will win the Super Bowl. Unlike many other Cowboys fans, I have com mon sense — sense enough to understand how well-rounded the Bills are this season. The offense is set with MVP caliber quarterback Josh Allen and All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The defense should be a force, along with the 2022 NFL Champion and newly acquired free agent signee, Von Miller. Miller signed with the Bills on a six-year, $120 million deal, according to the team’s website.

The Green Bay Packers, with their tenured quarterback Aaron Rodgers, gives potential and hope for the team to win. Ranked No. 3 in the charts for the top No. 100 players by ESPN, report ers agree that Rodgers has defied age by staying consistently skillful. The Green Bay Packers have expanded in their of fense and defense since the 2022 season, signing and drafting qualified players. The Packers are ranked the No. 4 team to potentially win the Super Bowl. More specifically the odds for them to win are +1140, according to the Vegas Insider.

I believe the Packers will have the chance to win it all this year.

Arrick

The Pittsburgh Steelers gained a new quarterback, Kenny Pickett, who was a first-round draft pick. Pickett will try to fill the shoes of previous talent of Steeler great quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who retired at the end of the 2022 season. Pickett is familiar with the city of Pittsburgh, due to his time at the University of Pitts burgh as their quarterback during his collegiate career. Alongside this new quarterback, the Steelers have de fensive linebacker, T.J. Watt. Watt was recently voted the sixth-best player by the NFL. Watt accumulated 22.5 sacks last season while winning the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, according to the NFL. With these talents, the Steelers are already looking in prime shape to take on any opponent and go a long distance this year. The Buffalo Bills are the biggest contenders to hold the Vince Lombardi trophy after this season. The Bills are coming into this season with top talent on offense that includes NFL quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver StefonAlongDiggs.with this explosive duo on offense, the offensive line was bolstered with the signings of free agent veteran linemen Mitch Morse and Rodger Saffold, according to the NFL. The Bills always had an explosive passing offense, but have had a weak running attack. They fixed this issue in the NFL draft, picking up the University of Georgia running back James Cook, according to the Buffalo Bills. Alongside this explosive and slightly revamped offense, the Bills defense is elite as well. Their secondary contains the best safety duo in the league in Micah Hyde and Jor dan Poyer. Alongside the duo, they have a — hopefully healthy by week four — Tre’Davious White, slot corner Taron Johnson and University of Florida standout firstround pick Kaiir Elam.

PredictionWilson’sOliviaDileo’sPrediction

••

The defensive line has also gotten a boost with offsea son signees Von Miller and Shaq Lawson, according to the NFL. This team, with all the talent inside of it, is an instant lock for the playoffs and will be a dangerous opponent for any team come playoff time.

NFL season picks

A Illustration by Viv Rathfon

••

Sairis LukePredictionGonzalez’sReeder’sPrediction

The team may have hiccups at the beginning of the season without All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White. ESPN stated that White was physically unable to per form, or PUP list. Without White, the Bills may lack, but I believe they will hold the trophy at the end of the season. • The Steelers will win the 2023 NFL championship, be cause I have a good feeling about their off-season moves.

The Buffalo Bills will break their long Super Bowl drought and claim the title this season. The Bills are ooz ing with talent on both sides of the ball, most notably their offense, captained by superstars, quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, both of which are top 10 players at their respective positions, according to theTheNFL.Bills defense should not be overlooked; however, they are trotting out one of the most formidable sec ondaries in the league. Safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are one of the league’s best pairings and estab lished All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is coming off of a spec tacular season, where he threw for 4,407 yards and 36 touchdowns which was No. 8 in the league, according to Pro Football Reference. Allen has the tools at his disposal to help him exceed expectations this year. In addition to Stefon Diggs, Ga briel Davis looks to be a budding star wide receiver. The addition of rookie running back James Cook, could help push Buffalo over the edge, ultimately winning them their first Super Bowl title

6 The Commonwealth Times PRESS BOX CT SPORTS STAFF PRESENTS

My pick for this upcoming NFL season is the Green Bay Packers. Being a person that’s not super well known to football, I picked the team that looked consis tent throughout their years. The Packers are that team, having the chance to be poised for a championship season.

Wed. September 7, 2022 7 SEPTEMBER 2 GAME RESULTS SEPTEMBER 1 SEPTEMBER 3

“Our goal is to recruit at a high level here at VCU, but as soon as we get them here, we have to develop them and get them better,” LeCroy said.

VCU welcomes new head coach

VCU baseball is coming off a 42-win season with another A-10 championship, making it their third conference title since joining the A-10 Conference, according to VCU Athletics.VCU junior outfielder Cooper Benzin has big expectations for him self and the team to run it back this year and win the A-10 title again — and to make it further than the team did last “Ouryear.first goal is winning the A-10 regular season and then of course win ning the tournament,” Benzin said. “Our mindset is getting us further than we were last year, so going to the Super Regional and going to Omaha.”

SEPTEMBER 4

LeCroy has over two decades of coaching experience. Including 15 seasons at his alma mater, Clemson. In 22 total seasons as an assistant coach at Clemson, Tennessee, Western Carolina and LeCroyAnderson.has been a part of 18 winning seasons, 13 NCAA Tourna ment appearances, and an overall record of 756-520 (.592) Lecroy played at Clemson from 1997-2000 LeCroy’s first coaching job was at collegiate baseball at Anderson University, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordina tor from 2001-02. From 2006-07, LeCroy was an assistant coach at Western Carolina LeCroyUniversityserved as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for three seasons at the University of Tennessee from 2008-10.

WOMEN’S SOCCER - VS. WILLIAM & MARY WON WOMEN’S1-0 VOLLEYBALLAT WONNAVY3-1 Kristen Dickmann Invitational WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL - AT UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY WON 3-0 Kristen Dickmann Invitational MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY - AT SPIDER ALUMNI OPEN 5TH OF WOMENS12CROSS COUNTRYAT SPIDER ALUMNI OPEN 7TH OF WOMEN’S15 VOLLEYBALL - AT MICHIGAN STATE LOST 3-2 Kristen Dickmann Invitational MEN’S SOCCERAT NEW HAMPSHIRE LOST WOMEN’S1-0

The Rams have recently started their fall training since coming back to campus, and LeCroy said he be lieves the desire to perform at a high level is already instilled in the team.

Along with being known as a success ful player and assistant coach, LeCroy is a highly regarded recruiter who has been in the top No. 25 in national recruiting for the last ten years during his time at Clemson, according to Clemson Athletics.

“They have a great work ethic,” LeCroy said.“They have great attitudes and a cham pionship-winning mindset.” Coach LeCroy said he is eager to take over the already established culture that VCU baseball has and work hard through out the fall to prepare for the upcoming spring season later after winter break. “I’m super excited. I think the players are as well even though it’s a long journey. We just started and we’ve got till February until opening day, but the work ethic, the culture and makeup of the team is outstanding,” LeCroy said.

“I feel like if everybody buys into his process and the standards that he holds, we can go far,” Mathis said.

SOURCE: VCU ATHLETICS A new face up to bat:

I feel like if everybody buys into his process and the standards that he holds, we can go far” AJ Mathis senior outfielderCAREER STATS BEFORE VCU VCU head coach Bradley LeCroy poses for a picture. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics

THAILON WILSON Staff Writer VCU LOOKED TO CLEMSON, SOUTH Carolina to hire longtime assis tant coach Bradley LeCroy to fill the baseball team’s head coaching position.LeCroy is taking on the role after the team’s second consecutive Atlan tic 10 “Thewin.administration support staff has been fantastic helping me get ad justed and answering my questions,” LeCroy said. “The current players have been LeCroyoutstanding.”isaformer Clemson shortstop who became a tenured coach with over 15 seasons of coach ing experience with Clemson, as well as over two decades of total baseball coaching experience. Coach LeCroy worked under Hall of Fame coach Jack Leggett, when he first joined as an assistant, and he also worked with former Clemson head coach Monte Lee. David Hood previously wrote about LeCroy for Tigernet.com, a website on all sports news revolving aroundLeCroyClemson.learned many different coaching techniques during his time at Clemson, and he was stellar at cre ating good relationships with players, according to Hood. “He creates connections with players and he really gets to know them. He really likes to get to know his guys and work with them as base ball players, but also as young men,” Hood said.LeCroy said he believes it is important to develop the team to win games, but also to develop the team for the players’ futures after“Webaseball.arehere to develop young men into being successful past VCU. If they don’t get the chance to play professional baseball, we want to still be successful,” LeCroy said. “To do that you have to invest in people, and have good relationships.”

FIELD HOCKEY - VS. WOMEN’SWONLAFAYETTE3-2SOCCER - VS. EAST CAROLINA TIE 0-0

VCU senior outfielder AJ Mathis said he is already adjusting to the new coaching transition. Mathis said coach Lecroy will be a good leader for the black and gold, and he is excited to play for “Coachhim.LeCroy is amazing and I think this university really benefits from getting him and not only him, but this coaching staff in general,” MathisMathissaid.said he believes that as long as everyone puts in the work and fol lows LeCroy’s system, everything will move forward fluidly for the team.

— CORETTA SCOTT KING ISHAAN NANDWANI

e rst case alleges that Harvard Uni versity discriminates against Asian Amer ican applicants. e second case argues the

University of North Carolina consistently uses race to give admissions boosts to un derrepresented minorities. ese lawsuits were led by Students for Fair Admissions, an anti-a rmative action organization run by a coalition of students and parents.

Nick’s Picks: by Killian Goodale-Porter by Killian Goodale-Porter

Illustrated

According to a brief from the university in support of Harvard and UNC, Michigan has engaged in countless outreach e orts to increase enrollment of underrepre sented minority students, but these ef forts have been unsuccessful. Enrollment of underrepresented minority students has fallen.

What I really like about this space are the abstract lights hanging from the ceil ing and the ancient Chinese paintings on the wall, which give o an ambiance of authenticity.emenuoptions include dumplings, dumpling soup, noodle soup — ramen or udon — Asian street food, signature drinks, sides and combos that mix a few of these together. Pick from either the original pork, curry chicken, shrimp, chive and, for veg etarians, tofu dumplings. Dumplings are o ered steamed for the chicken and pork and fried for all other selections. The Asian street food consists of ei ther salt and pepper or chili sauce pop corn chicken, Japanese takoyaki or octopus dumplings and spicy dumplings that mix chicken and pork dumplings with a spicy house sauce. As for the sides, Got Dumplings o ers white rice, fried rice, seaweed salad, edama me, cold peanut avor noodles and kimchi. All of these are great choices to go with dumplings or to enjoy by themselves. e real deals, though, are in the com bo section: dumplings are o ered in a ve, six and 10 count with each combo having one or two sides to go along with it. I tried out two di erent combos: a ve fried pork dumpling combo with kimchi and a ve steamed curry chicken dumpling combo with white rice. is came out to about $20 total with tip included — a great value for ten dumplings and a pair of sides. I enjoyed both the fried pork and steamed curry chicken dumplings. The di erence between the fried and steamed options was the chewing consistency. e fried was slightly crispier and more avor ful, while the steamed was softer and more chewy. I tend to always order my dumplings steamed, though I must admit that the fried dumplings hit the spot and were more enjoyable. e kimchi was an excellent pairing with the dumplings — it add ed just the right amount of spice and crunch, which made the entire meal for Althoughme. the dishes are a vorful, I would not rely on Got Dumplings to take care of a hun gry stomach. It seems more of a snack or quick bite on the go. However, considering its convenient location, I could see myself coming here in between classes during one of my busier days. In many ways, Got Dumplings is a breath of fresh air in the community. I’m excited to try their signature drinks, as well as their soups once temperatures begin to drop. Solid four out of ve stars on the day.

Quote of the week “To abandon a rmative action is to say there is nothing more to be done about discrimination.” Opinions Editor iversity is almost certainly the buzzword of the 21st century for in stitutions of higher education.

It has been celebrated in charts on college pamphlets and brochures, laud ed by admissions officers in presenta tions to prospective students and served as the focal point of countless schools’ missionThere’sstatements.areason why diversity is so sought after though, particularly at elite schools. ese institutions recognize that while Black, Latino and Indigenous stu dents have historically been at a disadvan tage in the education system, their perspec tives and experiences are vital. A rmative action has been the solution to increasing diversity at prestigious universities and one that I believe to be essential.

A rmative action allows colleges and universities to consider an applicant’s race and background when making admissions decisions, although it forbids explicit racial quotas. Despite its bene ts, this practice has been frequently contested by those who argue that applicants should be evaluated by their credentials alone.

NICHOLAS BARAHONA Contributing Writer WELCOME TO NICK’S PICKS. Join me, Nick Barahona, on our jour ney through the city of Richmond where I review and showcase the di erent cui sines and restaurants in close proximity to campus, from the lens of a VCU stu dent. To all new and returning Rams, I welcome you to an exciting time ahead lled with great deals and good eats. Got Dumplings opened just over a year ago and has already made its mark on campus. Replacing what was previ ously Deep Run Roadhouse, this North Laurel Street location is an accessible spot for students on campus. Got Dumplings adds yet another cui sine option for college students, bringing more diversity to the area and comple menting its neighbors like &pizza, Chi potle, Cava, Panera and Five Guys. Given its name, it’s no secret that dumplings are the highlight at Got Dumplings — but that’s not all it has to oAser.you enter the restaurant, you im mediately catch a whi of the dumplings being prepared in the kitchen. Dining in will lead to an open space with tables and plenty of seats to enjoy your meal.

Illustrated

D

As always, eat up! For all things food, feel free to check out @nxreview on Instagram and Tik Tok for many more recommendations and reviews. action’s presence in college admissions is in danger, BUT

Although lower courts have ruled in fa vor of Harvard and UNC and the Supreme Court has upheld a rmative action in the past, given the court’s shift to the right — exacerbated by the three justices appointed by former President Donald Trump — the danger of this precedent being overturned is real. We’ve already seen abortion rights stripped away and gun rights expanded; another controversial decision from this court would not surprise me. The overruling of affirmative action would be catastrophic, both for our uni versities and greater workforce. A rmative action has been consistent ly proven to be the most e ective way to increase diversity at selective colleges. At the University of Michigan, an institution that is not permitted to practice a rmative action by state law, diversity has su ered.

Additionally, representation is essential — whether for the Black student who’s the only one of his race in his engineering lec ture at Harvard, or the young Latina stu dent who dreams of attending Brown but yearns to see someone like her admitted. If a rmative action is overturned, the mental health of underrepresented minori ty students may su er as their enrollment at elite schools plummets, leading to a vicious cycle that prevents these students from achieving the same success as their white and Asian counterparts. e impact of this decision will also be felt in the workforce. We will see less un derrepresented minorities who are physi cians, lawyers and engineers. In the med ical eld, my personal career path, studies have consistently shown that Black patients have better health outcomes when treated by providers that match their racial back ground. us, this decision has far reaching implications that extend far beyond the ra cial makeup of a university, a ecting some thing as sacred as one’s health. e Supreme Court must confront this sobering truth when deliberating these cases this Ultimately,fall. as the best method to in crease diversity at selective schools, a r mative action is an essential aspect of the admissions process. We can’t let it die out.

A rmative

Wed. September 7, 2022 11

Frighteningly, despite its longstanding history in college admissions, a rmative action is at risk of being banned. On Oct. 31, the Supreme Court will hear two cases that could overrule this precedent.

Diversity in itself is essential for a myriad of reasons. A racially ho mogenous student body would su er from not only a lack of physical dissimilarity, but also from an absence of diversity in ideas, worldviews and cultural perspectives.

IT MUST BE UPHELD Got Dumplings brings variety to campus

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DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Jessica Clary claryj@vcu.edu CREATIVE MEDIA MANAGER Mark Je ries mje ries@vcu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Owen Martin martinso@vcu.edu EXECUTIVE EDITOR Katharine DeRosa derosakf@commonwealthtimes.org MANAGING EDITOR Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves decamargg@commonwealthtimes.org COPY EDITOR Hollyann Purvis purvishm@commonwealthtimes.org NEWS EDITOR Katrina Lee news@commonwealthtimes.org SPORTS EDITOR Arrick Wilson sports@commonwealthtimes.org SPECTRUM EDITOR Chloe Hawkins spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org OPINIONS EDITOR Ishaan Nandwani opinions@commonwealthtimes.org PHOTO EDITOR Alessandro Latour photography@commonwealthtimes.org AUDIENCE EDITOR Anna Chen audience@commonwealthtimes.org ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR Killian Goodale-Porter illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Varsha Vasudevan, News Thailon Wilson, Sports Nicholas Barahona, Opinions

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The opinions pages of the CT are a forum open to the public. Contributions are welcome by email to Ishaani Nandwani, by mail or in-person at 817 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists and do not neces sarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The CT sta The Commonwealth Times strives for accuracy in gathering news. If you think we have made an error, please email the appropriate section editor. Corrections will appear on the news pages and/or online. One CT per person. Additional copies can be purchased at the Student Media Center for $1 each.

12 The Commonwealth Times Student Involvement by Nicole Hodge

The Commonwealth Times is the award-winning in dependent student newspaper at VCU, since 1969.

Expectations by Anthony Duong

DESIGN EDITOR Clare designerssmc@vcu.eduWislar GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Fiona TessClareMadisonMcMichaelTranWislarWladarSolimarSantoyo designerssmc@vcu.edu

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Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Sudoku Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visitDIFFICULTYsudoku.org.ukLEVEL1234 By The Mepham Group Solution to Monday’s puzzle Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold oncontainsborders)everydigit,1to9.ForstrategieshowtosolveSudoku,visit sudoku.org.uk © 2019 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved. Level 1 2 3 4 1/15/19 I OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES by Zachary David Levy Sponsored byLos Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle Sponsored by Contact Dominique Lee @ leeds3@vcu.edu Contact Dominique Lee @ leeds3@vcu.edu YOUR AD HERE YOUR AD HERE Sponsored by Contact Dominique Lee @ leeds3@vcu.edu YOUR AD HERE

6

110 Conundrum 111 Tilt 112 Potent start? 113 “Keep talking” 115 Unaccompanied 116 Rural tower 117 After-lunch sandwich 119 Crack up 120 Sweet tubers 122 __ Aviv 124 Braz. neighbor 125 In favor Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

I OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES

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Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, please visit sudoku.org.uk Solution to Level 2 OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES

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14 The Commonwealth Times ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT

16 The Commonwealth Times

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