MOLLY MANNING News Editor
Some faculty, leaders and the Chief of the Chickahominy, one of Virginia’s 11 native tribes, are calling for the university to create more opportunities for Indigenous students and teach a fuller version of their history.
VCU and VCU Health adopted a formal Land Acknowledgment in November 2024, stating a commitment to relationships with the 11 tribes. Chief Stephen Adkins said that it is an important
VCU issued a land acknowledgement; but in historic visit chief calls for curriculum focus, scholarships
step, but should only be the beginning of greater efforts to reconcile.
“I would like to see the university be more aggressive in its outreach to potential Native American students,” Adkins said during a visit to VCU on Tuesday.
Adkins, a VCU alum, visited his alma mater to discuss his tribe’s history and role in Virginia’s past, present and future as faculty and leaders across departments prepare to introduce a new minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies next fall.
Adkins outlined the past of Indigenous nations in Virginia, including the Chickahominy, noting historical events
that he said ought to be in school books. It is the responsibility of education institutions to ensure they teach a correct history to their students.
“I’m not a fan of the Native American history month, because were history taught as it should be, we wouldn’t need a special month,” Adkins said. “If it’s part of the ongoing lesson plans in classrooms from pre-K through Ph.D., we don’t need the special time. So I want you to hold hands and push forward to ensure that textbooks teach history.”
Beginning with Manifest Destiny, Adkins explained the timeline of events
BRYER HAYWOOD
Contributing Writer
ANDREW KERLEY
Executive Editor
VCU adjusted the scope of a scholarship program intended to benefit students descended from enslaved people in order to comply with President Donald Trump’s
orders to end Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
The Gabriel Scholars Program — named after the enslaved Richmond man who started a slave revolt — was launched as a result of a law passed in 2021 requiring Virginia’s five oldest institutions to reckon with their legacy of slavery.
The program was originally intended to benefit Richmond Public Schools graduates, who grew up in close proximity
News’ initial report. There, the remains of Black people whose bodies and corpses were used for illegal experiments were discovered in 1994.
“It was common for students to bring their slaves with them to college,” said Shawn Utsey, chair of VCU’s Department of African American Studies.
VCU hired an outside firm following Trump’s orders to review remaining DEI language in their policies, including seven scholarships. The firm recommended [...]
that eventually brought the Chickahominy Nation to federal recognition in 2018, including the 1614 treaty between settlers and the Native tribes, the 1622 uprising against settlers throughout Virginia and the eviction of the Chickahominy people from Chickahominy Ridge.
Adkins shared how his parents travelled to Washington, D.C. to marry because of the 1924 Racial Integrity Act, a Virginia law that prohibited interracial marriage until the Loving V. Virginia case in 1967. In the same year, the Indian [...]
See CHICKAHOMINY on page 3
The recent New York City mayoral election has caused quite a stir not only in the city but across the nation. People from all over the world have weighed in on the discourse surrounding the mayorelect Zohran Mamdani, a democraticsocialist who made history by being the city’s first Muslim mayor, and the youngest Mayor in over a century. This attention — both the good and bad — has also been directed at Mamdani’s wife: artist, advocate and VCUarts alum Rama Duwaji.
There is a very thin line between admiration and obsession, though, and when it comes to Gracie Mansion’s new prospective residents — especially [...]
See RAMA on page 14
national: The House of Representatives voted almost unanimously to pass a bill demanding the Justice Department release the “Epstein Files,” all of its investigative files on convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein, who is a former friend of President Donald Trump.
international: On Monday the United Nations Security Council approved Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. Many Council members said the resolution did not include enough clear language about Palestinian statehood, and Russia and China both abstained from voting.
SAL ORLANDO Staff Writer
Nearly 2,000 VCU students are receiving their instruction fully online this semester — continuing a trend of online enrollment growth
Forbes ranked VCU in their list of the top 10 best online colleges with a high acceptance rate.
Acceptance rate, affordability, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio and socioeconomic diversity are factors that determine the ranking.
VCU Online currently has an acceptance rate of 93% and a graduation rate of 69%, according to Forbes. The average cost of undergraduate tuition and fees per year for in-state students is $16,458.
VCU supports distance learning by providing academic advising, affordable laptops and resources like counseling and a writing center, Forbes stated in their article.
Currently, VCU offers 44 fully online degree and certificate programs. Overall enrollment at VCU Online has grown 131% since Fall 2022.
Hernan Bucheli, vice president for strategic enrollment management for VCU, stated he believes that removing financial, geographic and technological barriers is important when providing higher education.
“We are exploring new online degree pathways in high-demand fields,” Bucheli stated in an email. “Additionally, VCU Online is expanding partnerships with Virginia employers to create tailored professional development programs. These initiatives will further strengthen our role in workforce development and broaden opportunities for students statewide and nationally.”
Bucheli thinks the initiatives that VCU Online offers will broaden opportunities for
students statewide and nationally. Students today want flexibility without sacrificing a quality education, he stated.
Kip Krumwiede, a VCU accounting professor, teaches courses online and stated that he finds increased accessibility through online programs raises diversity in education.
“These courses offer flexibility to students often working two jobs to support themselves and their family,” Krumwiede stated. “Oftentimes, the in-person courses are only offered in one section at a given time. Students often have work or other course conflicts, so the online modality helps them get the courses they need to stay on track for graduation.”
Though online courses offer more flexibility to those with busier schedules, some students
dislike virtual or asynchronous classes because it is harder to connect with the professor or classmates.
Amani Blowe, a second-year theater performance student, is taking Introduction to African Studies online and finds it difficult to interact with a professor online. Blowe said she would never take a fully online course schedule.
“There are so many people in online classes, so it’s like, when would they have time to answer whatever questions I have?” Blowe said.
Conner Lash, a first-year art education student, will be taking Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics and Environmental Biology next semester. Lash said he is skeptical about whether the information he receives in those courses will be as good as what he would receive in an in-person class.
Citizenship Act granted Native Americans their citizenship, which Adkins said was not a coincidence, but another way for the government to exploit Indigenous people.
In 1950, Adkins said two Indigenous students applied to the Medical College of Virginia, which would later become a part of VCU. These students were made to understand they were not welcome in the program.
Adkins said he thinks universities should be reaching out more to potential students in Indigenous populations and working to allow more opportunities for them to attend.
“We deserve the next step of higher education within the confines of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Adkins said. “I think it would be more than appropriate for the state-funded universities in the commonwealth to provide reduced tuition for aspiring [Indigenous] students.”
VCU spokesperson Brian McNeill said the university does not currently provide scholarships or aid specifically for students who are members of Virginia’s Indigenous communities.
Faculty in the College of Humanities and Sciences and the HRC Indigenous Humanities Lab are currently working to launch a minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies, which Humanities Research Center director Cristina Stanciu said she hopes will be introduced in Fall 2026 following approval from the appropriate committees.
Stanciu noted the Departments of English and History also support the new minor.
Stanciu said VCU is behind other Virginia universities, such as Virginia Tech, William and Mary and the University of
for the memorial. Photos of Spence are encouraged to be sent to theatre@vcu.edu.
In 2004, Preston Spence graduated from VCU’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program. Soon after, he went traveling to work with the University of California San Diego’s theatre department. Later, Spence returned to Richmond to work as an assistant professor and theatre director for VCU.
Counseling services are available to all students and staff who are grieving. There is a 24-hour hotline available at the number (804) 828-6200, as well as a grief support group and free individual sessions with a counselor, which can be found on VCU’s counseling service page.
Additional services can be found on the RamStrong website.
Virginia, which have hired tribal advisors or liaisons and created infrastructure for Indigenous studies and to support their Indigenous students.
“We hope to catch up to other Virginia institutions in terms of building an infrastructure for VCU to offer not just classes for Native students, but also to create a climate where Native students feel at home here,” Stanciu said.
VCU is on the right track, Stanciu said. She hopes the university will follow suit in hiring a Native advisor or liaison and creating opportunities like summer camps for students from local reservations to come to VCU and later enroll at the university.
“I think a liaison with the tribes would be a first step,” Stanciu said. “Having Chief Adkins here and hearing his vision for how the university can move forward in engaging with local Indigenous nations is key before we launch something formally.”
VCU has already hosted three May graduations for Native students, but Stanciu said there is much more to be done to make spaces for Indigenous students on campus. The framework exists, the only thing left is institutional commitment, Stanciu said.
“I think we have a lot to learn from Chief Adkins,” Stanciu said. “As both an educator, a tribal leader and somebody who has really educated us and the Virginia community about why it’s important to tell the story of Virginia Native tribes, and why we as educators have to have a responsibility to incorporate materials about local Native tribes into our curriculum.”
Continued from front page
the university expand eligibility requirements for the Gabriel Scholarship Program to apply to everyone else in Virginia, as being RPS-specific could be interpreted as a proxy for race.
It was common for students to bring their slaves with them to college.”
Shawn Utsey, Chair of VCU's Department of African American Studies
Following suit, VCU expanded the scholarship to include any Virginia student with ties to enslavement or from a community that “continues to experience the negative legacy of enslavement in Richmond,” according to the VPM News report. But that did not come without pushback from Stephanie Rizzi, the director of VCU’s greater racial reconciliation project: Project Gabriel.
“Are scholarships okay as long as they don’t serve majority minority populations? I am just unclear what the actual argument is against focusing on a particular region,” Rizzi wrote in an email to President Michael Rao’s chief of staff, obtained by VPM News.
Trump’s DEI cuts required VCU and other universities to cease considering race in admissions, hiring, promotion, financial aid, scholarships, housing and graduation ceremonies and all other aspects of campus life.
VCU risked losing federal funding if it did not comply with Trump’s orders. In the 2024 fiscal year, the university received $445.4 million in federal dollars, mostly for student loans and research grants.
Seven Gabriel scholarships, $5,000 each, have been awarded to qualified undergraduate students in good academic standing, a VCU spokesperson stated in an email on behalf of Rizzi.
VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations will continue fundraising to support the Project Gabriel Scholarships. Staff are working to assemble a community advisory group that will assist with developing proposals
regarding memorialization and community economic benefits, such as student internships.
Ciara Norfleet is the second vice president and education chair for VCU’s NAACP chapter. She also works as a special education teacher for RPS. She said the adjustment to the Gabriel Scholars Program was disheartening seeing as many students in the area cannot afford college.
“It’s a remembrance of what their family put in to build this very school,” Norfleet said. “I feel like it’s making it harder for students of color to attend college.”
NAACP chapter president Ashley Brown said the change was reflective of VCU’s willingness to comply with pressure from the state or federal government. She harkened on the university’s 2024 decision to cancel a racial literacy core curriculum requirement that students and faculty spent years developing.
“It’s almost like VCU just gave in very easily,” Brown said. “In other universities, while they have the same pressures, they did not give in how VCU did.”
BRYER HAYWOOD
Contributing Writer
Mayor Danny Avula announced on Nov. 7 that Richmonders will not be charged for late fees or be disconnected from utility services for the month of November in an effort to provide relief following the longest government shutdown in United States history.
The shutdown lasted 43 days and saw disruptions in the distribution of people’s SNAP benefits and hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without work or pay. Virginia has one of the highest concentrations of federal workers out of any state.
“The intention was to ease the financial burden on utility customers who were affected by the federal shutdown,” said Scott Morris, Richmond’s director of public utilities.
The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program was paused due to the shutdown. In 2024, it assisted more than 1,200 city residents with their bills, totaling $550,757, according to a press release from the mayor’s office.
The city’s relief measures went into effect on Nov. 1 and will last through the end of the month.
In addition to the utility bill relief
measures, there have been other city-wide efforts to support residents during the government shutdown.
The City of Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico Counties contributed a combined $300,000 to Feed More, the regional food bank of Central Virginia.
The city’s Community Emergency Response Team partnered with Feed More to help distribute meals. Richmond Public Schools have also provided meals to families in need.
With temperatures dropping, Richmond also partnered with the Salvation Army to open its Inclement Weather Shelter earlier than previously scheduled. The shelter opened on Nov. 6 and can house up to 100 people overnight. CARITAS will have an overflow shelter that can house up to 60 people.
The Richmond Department of Public Utilities also offers multiple year-round assistance programs to help residents pay their bills.
Residents who have fallen behind on their payments can set up a payment plan with PromisePay. The Equal Monthly Payment Plan spreads residents’ gas bills over 12 months. The MetroCare Water and Heat programs offer financial support to residents struggling to pay their water and heating bills respectively.
ERIKA VASQUEZ Contributing Writer
Virginia experienced a massive blue wave two weeks ago, with Abigail Spanberger flipping the governor’s mansion back to Democratic control and becoming the first female governor in the state’s history.
Democrats were propelled to victory in part by a high youth voter turnout. Voters under 30 showed out the most they have since 2021, proving themselves as an advantage for Democratic candidates.
Many Virginians feel like they can take a fresh breath of air now, said Richard Meagher, a political science professor at Randolph-Macon University.
“We are glad it’s over,” Meagher said. “I think everyone, even the ones who didn’t win so much. In Virginia where we have elections every year, I think election fatigue can be real, so it just felt like the end of a very long election cycle.”
NextGen America, a youth-based advocacy group, mobilized thousands of young voters ahead of Election Day to turn out for the issues that are most important to them, according to a press release. They used intensive outreach on college campuses, digital organizing efforts and issue-based messaging to energize firsttime or infrequent voters.
Some college campuses showed doubledigit growth, such as William and Mary, where youth turnout increased 34% from 2021. At James Madison University, turnout increased 41% from 2021. Turnout grew 8% at VCU.
The Democratic Party of Virginia regularly tabled around VCU leading up to the election — getting at least 800 students to register to vote and over 1,000 to commit to vote, according to organizers.
Spanberger made a campaign stop at Monroe Park just one day before Election Day. Around 100 people crowded around the candidate and spoke out about abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights and other issues important to them.
Stephen Farnsworth, director of the center for leadership and media studies at the University of Mary Washington, said it can be a challenge for candidates to connect with young people as the world changes rapidly. He said Spanberger was effective in connecting with younger voters by speaking about economic anxiety.
“Both campaigns were much more focused on social media than campaigns in the past,” Farnsworth said. “I think politics increasingly is recognizing that it is a wide strategy to reach voters on social media. That's where you see a lot of young voters today.”
Celine Lac, a first-time voter, said she is happy with the election results.
“Honestly, I feel satisfied,” Lac said. “First of all the party I picked won and as a first-time voter in anything, I’ve learned a lot. I definitely realized the impact my vote has and I am just happy to see changes since that is something we need right now.”
Spanberger, lieutenant governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi and attorney generalelect Jay Jones — became the first female governor of Virginia, first Muslim woman to hold statewide office and first Black attorney general of Virginia respectively.
While the Republican party has scrambled following their loss, Democrats expanded their majority in the House of Delegates by 13 seats, winning in 64 of the chamber’s 100 districts.
The Board of Elections will certify results on Dec. 1. Spanberger is set to be sworn in on Jan. 17.
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Women’s basketball fourth-year guard Mary-Anna Asare scored a season-high 25 points in the win over Howard University, the final three coming in the form of a game winner.
ALEXIS WASHINGTON
Assistant Sports Editor
DANIEL POINTER
Contributing Writer
VCU remained undefeated at home and ended Howard University’s winning streak on Monday.
The Bison won the tipoff, but that did not stop the Rams. Third-year forward Lucía Sotelo drove to the basket for a layup after back-to-back missed shots from VCU.
Both teams saw the free throw line early in the game. Howard first-year guard Ariella Henigan did first, followed by Sotelo 10 seconds later.
Shots were exchanged back and forth until VCU locked Howard down offensively — forcing a three-minute drought.
The Bison shot back-to-back free throws, trying to start a run. However, a jumper by VCU redshirt third-year forward Ann Zachariah shut down that potential, tying the game 10-10.
VCU took advantage of Howard’s missed shots and took the lead back with a three pointer by Zachariah with one and half minutes remaining.
Stepping back on the court after missing last game due to an injury — VCU fourthyear guard Mary Anna-Asare closed out the quarter with a buzzer beater three pointer and ended the quarter 22-15.
“I wasn’t out for a long time. But it’s always nerve wracking, coming in, and thinking how I’m gonna produce and how I’m gonna do because I know I’m a big part of this team,” Asare said.
The Rams opened the second quarter going on a 8-0 run, shooting from all over the court. It all started with VCU secondyear forward Katarina Kneževic driving to the basket for a layup.
The Bison forced back-to-back turnovers at the eight-minute mark. Asare shot a threepointer, followed by another from Kneževic.
Howard finally ended VCU’s run at the six-minute mark with a layup by third-year forward Rayne Durant, followed with one made free throw from redshirt second-year Dally Moreno.
Despite Howard’s efforts to control the game, VCU withheld its biggest lead of the second quarter, 30-20.
Asare has not been shy when it comes to scoring under pressure. She made a twopoint jumper at the buzzer again to end the half VCU up, 34-25.
Both teams ended the half with shooting under 40%. VCU shot at 38% and Howard under with 25%.
Howard scored the first points to open the second half with a three pointer by redshirt third-year Zoe Stewart.
Things began to heat up as a layup by Asare was quickly answered with a layup from Howard fourth-year forward Nile Miller on the next possession.
Howard made it a one score game after a layup from their fourth-year forward Zennia Thomas, but VCU’s lead was quickly extended by another three-point jumper from Asare.
The Bison kept the game tight to end the third quarter with a buzzer beater from third-year forward Sa’lah Hemingway, ending 25-34.
Howard kept its winning chances alive with free throws as Thomas took eight trips to the line in the fourth quarter alone.
At the final timeout with four minutes left, VCU led Howard 61-58.
After a series of poor free throw shots from both teams, the game intensified with a three pointer by Thomas.
The Rams still held the lead over the Bison 62-61 with two minutes remaining.
Zachariah set the stage for an exciting final minute of play with a mid range jumper.
Miller tied the game at 66 at the free throw line.
Despite a swarm of Bison defenders under the rim, Asare weaved her way to the basket to score the game-winning point with four seconds left.
Head coach Beth O’Boyle said Asare is made for moments like this.
“There’s no doubt in my mind I could have pretty much called the end one coming, because
that’s what Mary does,” O’Boyle said. “She does it every morning. She does it every practice.”
Asare ended the game with 25 points, giving her a new season high and the highest single-game total by any Ram this year.
Third-year forward Lucy Ghaifan also broke a personal record with a new career high of 11 rebounds and four points.
O’Boyle said the team can pull valuable lessons from their last two wins that will prepare them as they head to Hawaii for a tournament starting Nov. 24.
“I mean, you’re looking at three teams that are all doing really well,” O’Boyle said. “Two power five teams, it’s going to be really tough and it’s back-to-back.”
VCU is set to take on Texas A&M University in its first game of the North Shore Showcase in O’ahu, Hawaii on
SAANVI VOOTLA
Contributing Writer
VCU women’s volleyball finished off the Atlantic 10 season steady with a 12-6 record, placing it third in the conference rankings ahead of the A-10 Tournament on Nov. 21.
The Rams started the season strong with a 3-1 win against Duquesne University.
Fourth-year opposite hitter Julia Rienks has been a dependable force for the team since the beginning. She scored a high of 18 kills, leading the way for the Rams.
Rienks’ consistent production gave VCU a reliable go-to in the attack, and second-year outside hitter Lara Del Core added another 15 kills and four blocks.
Keeping the same winning spirit, the Rams went on to win five consecutive games between Sept. 30 and Oct. 12 against Davidson University, Saint Louis University and the University of Rhode Island.
Rienks blasted a career-best of 29 kills, three blocks and seven digs against the Davidson Wildcats. Graduate student libero Haruka Sugimoto dug 16 balls and reached a collegiate dig count of 2,000.
Fourth-year outside hitter Alicja Jaryszek scored a career-high of 25 kills for the Rams against the Saint Louis Billikens on Oct 3. Second-year middle blocker Letizia Galli aided with 10 kills and six blocks. Rienks contributed another 12
The rest of the season brought challenges for the Rams as some losses started to tally up.
VCU lost the first match of a two-game set 1-3 on Oct. 17 against George Mason University. However, the Rams were able to fight back and flipped the score in their favor the next day with a win of 3-1 against the Patriots.
VCU then faced a few consecutive losses against George Washington University and the University of Dayton, but picked right back up in the game against Fordham University on Nov. 15 and
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A map of every location on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus where you can find a copy of The CT.
VCUArts Depot — 814 W Broad St.
Dunkin’ Donuts — 900 W Broad St.
Murry N. DePillars Building — 1000 W Broad St.
Welcome Center — 1111 W Broad St.
Barnes & Noble @ VCU — 1111 W Broad St.
Grace and Broad Residence Center 1 — 1000 W Broad St.
Au Bon Pain — 944 W Grace St.
Village Cafe — 1001 W Grace St.
Christian’s Pizza — 404 N Harrison St.
Harrison Street Cafe — 402 N Harrison St.
Pollak Building — 325 N Harrison St.
Singleton Center — 922 Park Ave.
Hibbs Hall — 900 Park Ave.
Shafer Court Dining Center — 810 Cathedral Pl.
Sitterding House — 901 Floyd Ave.
University Student Commons Info Desk — 907 Floyd Ave.
Piccola Italy Pizza & Subs — 1100 W Main St.
Health and Life Sciences Engineering Building — 600 W Main St.
T.Edward Temple Building — 901 W Main St.
Cary Street Gym — 101 S Linden St.
Gladding Residence Center — 711 W Main St.
College Of Engineering West Hall — 601 W Main St
Cary and Belvidere Residential College and SMC Office — 301 W Cary St.
Snead Hall — 301 W Main St.
The Pace Center — 700 W Franklin St.
Rhoads Hall — 710 W Franklin St.
Brandt Hall — 710 W Franklin St.
Blanton House — 828 W Franklin St.
Founders Hall — 827 W Franklin St.
Ginter House — 901 W Franklin St.
President’s House — 910 W Franklin St.
West Grace North — 830 W Grace St.
Panera Bread — 810 W Grace St.
VCU Honors College — 701 W Grace St.
Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU — 601 W Broad St.
Broad and Belvidere Student Apartments — 734 W Broad St.
Larrick Student Center — 900 Turpin St.
VCU Health Sciences Library — 509 N 12th St.
VCU Medical Center Critical Care Hospital — 1213 E Clay St.
McGlothlin Medical Education Center — 1201 E Marshall St.
Hunton Student Center — 1110 East Broad St.
Sanger Hall — 1101 E Marshall St.
West Grace South — 207 N Laurel St.
VCU Brandcenter — 103 S Jefferson St.
Harris Hall — 1015 Floyd Ave.
Commons Entrance — 907 Floyd Ave. OMSA in the Commons — 907 Floyd Ave. Cabell Library — 901 Park Ave.
Academic Learning Commons — 1000 Floyd Ave.
Franklin Terrace — 812-814 W Franklin St.
500 Academic Center — 1020 W Grace St.
Grace and Broad Residence Center 2 — 1000 W Grace St.
Goodwin Research Center — 401 College St.
“The Commonwealth Times is here to serve you. Skip to our masthead on page 15 for our staff emails. Reach out any time!”
-ANDREW KERLEY, Executive Editor
On this day Nov. 19, 1975, the Academy Awardwinning film One Flew Over a
was released in theaters across America.
Even in simulation, students must navigate partisan divide at Virginia
HECIEL NIEVES BONILLA Assistant News Editor
College students from all over the commonwealth came to downtown Richmond last week for several days of power-broking, debate, compromise and deception in the second annual Virginia Government Simulation.
The event simulated a Virginia General Assembly legislative session, in which bills are proposed, amended and voted on. Student participants spent their time in committee meetings and on the floor of the House of Delegates, deliberating issues that often reflected real-life legislation.
Program director and VCU political science professor Amanda Wintersieck said she believes the increase in participants and formal structure made students take the simulation more seriously.
“I’ve had multiple students from different parts of the state tell me this is the first time they’ve been to Richmond,” Wintersieck said. “And what a wonderful experience, to be able to come to your state capitol and
be involved … particularly in a state like Virginia, where our lives are so subsumed by what’s happening north of us in D.C.”
The program is sponsored by VCU’s Institute for Democratic Empowerment and Pluralism, also directed by Wintersieck, who described its goals as teaching civic engagement and engendering skills.
“There’s a lot of skills being learned here, not just parliamentary procedure and how a bill becomes law, but how you negotiate with people that you barely know,” Wintersieck said.
The program selected 97 student participants, though absences resulted in 81 total voting delegates. In real life, the House of Delegates has 100 members and the Senate, which students did not simulate, has 40.
Some students were assigned to the Republican side to balance the simulation, as few chose otherwise to play the GOP.
This year’s more developed leadership structure was truer to the real-life General Assembly and included party leaders and whips, as well as a Democratic speaker
of the house, Republican governor and Republican lieutenant governor — the latter played by University of Richmond student Aaron Ress.
“It used to be a lot more one-on-one dealing between delegates,” Lt. Gov. Ress said. “Party leadership has a lot more control and we’re making sweeping deals with each other.”
Those deals were made after a nearuniversally expressed wish for bipartisanship towards the beginning of the program — one that waned as the program went on.
Many bills passed the committee stage near-unanimously, but many others died to either Democratic opposition or Republican opposition with some Democrats crossing party lines.
Democrats — who hold a majority both in the simulation and in real life — dominated some committees, but faced defeats in others.
In the relatively balanced House Education Committee, Republicans successfully defeated bills promoting sex education and reducing absenteeism in K-12.
During debate on the sex-ed bill, Republican delegates first removed language referencing abortion and unwanted pregnancy, and then successfully defeated it entirely with the help of one breakaway Democrat.
Every other bill from the education committee was either tabled, voted down or vetoed by the governor — a resounding victory for Republicans in the session.
The most controversial piece of legislation from the session was a GOP bill to disallow utility bills, bank statements, government checks or paychecks to be used as identification when voting.
Democrats defeated the bill, but some students anonymously told The CT they were disappointed the bill was allowed on the floor after some Republicans were caught admitting it would disenfranchise Black voters. They felt the behavior broke the simulation’s code of conduct.
Democratic House Whip Gabriella Czymbor said she felt positively about cooperation with Republicans on Thursday morning, but acknowledged voter ID policy would be a point of contention. By Friday,
she said her caucus had a new strategy.
“We’re steamrolling the Republicans,” Del. Czymbor said. “We’re keeping them in the dark until we get to the floor because we hold the majority … They know they don’t have any leverage, so they try to create leverage while threatening to kill bills that would normally pass bipartisan.”
Republican delegates generally voted unanimously for much of the session in a way that Democrats struggled to match on the first day of committees. Del. Czymbor recognized that and attempted to correct it on the final day of voting, while describing a different strategy when it came to Voter ID.
“We knew that we were gonna kill it,” Del. Czymbor said. “We made a deal with the Republicans to pass voter ID through the committee and they wouldn’t veto [a bill securing government shutdown funding for] SNAP benefits and Medicaid. But I only made a deal for committee. So when it got to the floor, they were very upset that we did not pass it through the floor. But that wasn’t the deal I made.”
Many students used the simulation to engage with subjects they are passionate about beyond the halls of the Capitol.
Third-year Hampden-Sydney College student Alexander Albright, while presenting a bill increasing funding for mental health care, told a personal anecdote about a colleague who took his own life in high school.
Another delegate told her story of being a recovered addict and 12-time felon — all for legislation to support rehabilitation and treatment for non-violent drug offenders.
Those bills, along with most criminal justice reform bills, passed the main floor nearunanimously on the last day of the simulation.
Bridgewater College student Elizabeth D’Aurora said she was glad people of different perspectives found common ground on rehabilitation, and hopes to effect change in the real world as a lawyer. She said she is glad she attended the simulation and felt positively about many of the people she met.
“I think the simulation is very accurate when it comes to the world of politics, I’ll put it that way,” D’Aurora said. “You take it however you want.”
CORA PERKINS Assistant Spectrum Editor
What do a Lego sidekick, an awkward bassguitarist and a Norwegian entomologist have in common? They are all played by beloved musician and actor Michael Cera.
It goes really perfectly with the whole concept of No Shame, we really try to focus on the weird and absurd things people can do. We try to pick themes that make people come up with acts that are just kind of nonsense, so it fits with the Cerapalooza tradition.”
George Sullivan, co-host of No Shame
Cera is a fan favorite among young adults and “No Shame”, VCU’s only variety show, put on a special iteration, displaying their love for him, “Cerapalooza” last Friday. The variety show consisted of all things Cera, with performances of his hit songs,
most famous scenes and anything else best representing the undying love for the actor.
The show began with a heartfelt opening speech about their love for Cera by co-hosts George Sullivan and Kylie Metheny, followed by the two performing a choreographed K-pop dance.
The program continued with a multitude of different performances, including a speech about what it means to be a “Michael,” complete with a history of the name and famous Michaels, multiple musical performances of famous songs by Cera and a love ballad between two “Superbad” characters.
“Cerapalooza” also hosted the first “No Shame” roast of the season, an annual tradition for the variety show.
The event comes from Sullivan and Metheny’s seven-year-long tradition celebrating the Canadian actor.
“It goes really perfectly with the whole concept of “No Shame,” we really try to focus on the weird and absurd things people can do,” Sullivan said. “We try to pick themes that make people come up with acts that are just kind of nonsense, so it fits with the “Cerapalooza” tradition.”
Shafer Street Playhouse, home to “No Shame,” was full of bustling Cera fans and students, according to Sullivan.
“I was worried that people were going to be turned away, but we were still pretty much a full house of people just dressed up in their favorite Michael Cera attire,” Sullivan said.
Novella Edwards was one of those students; she originally did not know a lot about Cera, but attended the show to support her friends.
“I’m not a super big Michael Cera fan, but even then I really didn't need to know a lot to have fun and to enjoy myself,” Edwards said. “Which is kind of beautiful about “No Shame” anyway.”
Edwards left Shafer Street Playhouse a new fan, excited to watch more of Cera’s movies.
“There’s just so much music that seems to be involved with these movies and I really want to get into it now,” Edwards said.
“No Shame” is a place for people to overcome feelings of embarrassment, Metheny said.
“Especially in the period we’re in now, I think I just want it to be an artistic outlet for everybody and for people to be able to make art, no matter how weird and nonsensical it is, and be able to put it on stage,” Metheny said.
The two co-hosts said they hope that if Cera had witnessed “Cerapalooza,” he would know how loved he is.
“I think it’s interesting because he also came from a very much a live theater background, and so even though he’s in on the big screen now, the live theater community has his back and we’ll dance for him,” Metheny said.
The two hope to see the tradition of “Cerapalooza” continue and for “No Shame” to continue to get weirder, just like Cera.
SAANVI VOOTLA
Contributing Writer
Channel 410, a project from students taking MASC 410, is mixing news-desk skits and street interviews around VCU and the Richmond community. They deliver a hybrid of real campus happenings and satirical “hit or mis-information” for students to enjoy.
MASC 410 is a media entrepreneurship class offered to mass communications majors and is responsible for inspiring students to choose projects that touch the community through multimedia.
Past class projects included documentaries, albums and commercials — all created by students.
A row of bright lights in a small television studio on campus, a make-shift news desk, green screens, silly costumes and student anchors make the Channel 410 project come to life.
In an era where students juggle academics, jobs and extracurriculars, Channel 410 provides them with laughter and unserious news.
“Our goal for this entrepreneurial venture was to create something that was not only going to challenge us, but would entertain our community as well,” scriptwriter Hannah Johndrow said.
Channel 410’s skits and street interviews reference genuine campus and Richmond topics, but with comedic twists and framing.
“Channel 410 was aimed toward providing our VCU and RVA communities with completely unserious news catered towards our campus culture, hoping to bring lighthearted humor to our audience,” Johndrow said.
A recent interview on their Instagram — listed as “Rodney the Ram Shakes Up
the Election” — included Stuart Shafer asking students around campus about their thoughts on “Rodney the Ram entering the race for Virginia’s governor,” while sporting a coat hanger for a microphone.
The bit — released on the day of Virginia’s nationally-watched election — channeled the importance of being civically active while making it less politically intensive.
Pressure builds for the team as they try to continue to create this content that entertains the audience and fulfills the expectations of the team.
“At first I felt a lot of pressure of being on the scripting team, as it felt like we
had the fate of our channel in our hands, but we’ve had so much fun experimenting with different ideas when scriptwriting,” Johndrow said.
by Natalie Fajota.
Brief sketches from Channel 410 that take a lighter approach to serious matters allow both participants and viewers to acknowledge stress without being crushed by it.
Fan favorite stories from the channel include “VCU turns Johnson Hall into Spirit Halloween” and “Francine the Lowe’s Cat Speaks Out: Exclusive 410 Interview.”
“We’ve had mostly positive interactions with students regarding our content,” Johndrow said.
But with any form of media comes criticism, and the same is true for Channel 410.
“People have come up to us and said we’re funny, which makes our day,” Johndrow said. “We’ve also gotten criticism, but we’d like to think that that’s how we know we’ve made it.”
Laughter is one of the most commonly used coping mechanisms for people of all ages, helping them connect with others in times of stress or despair. Humor and laughter can foster resilience and enhance group cohesion.
“My favorite part of working on Channel 410 is collaborating with my classmates and it’s been really fun to bounce ideas off of each other when writing scripts,” Johndrow said.
On a large urban campus like VCU, these comedic interludes act as social glue for students to relate to other interviewees on the channel. The campus-town boundary blurs and all things become material. The result: laughter becomes a shared currency.
Channel 410 is not just about jokes; it is a student-run entrepreneurship project that hopes to combat serious, stressful matters with a sense of community and comedic relief.
For more Channel 410 content, check out their Instagram @ch4nnel410.
A new Thai restaurant opened up in the Fan a few weeks ago. From the owners of RVA’s favorite underground Thai restaurant, My Noodle & Bar, Thai Boat is slinging soups, noodles, curries and more at the corner of Addison and Main streets.
BEN MARTINDALE
Contributing Writer
Leaving home and attending college can be a challenge for anyone — add a Tourette syndrome diagnosis into the equation, and everything gets even harder.
For VCU graduate student William Atkins IV, the difficulties of living with Tourette’s syndrome is not something to complain about; it is just life.
“The best way I can describe it is you wake up in the morning and an invisible backpack gets strapped to my back and I go through all day with the backpack on,” Atkins said.
Tourette syndrome is now a central part of Atkins’ identity, but it was not always that way. Atkins was not officially diagnosed with Tourette syndrome until he was 16 years old.
Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes sudden, unwanted and uncontrolled rapid and repeated movements or vocal sounds called tics, according to the National Institute of Health. In the media, that is usually represented by loud, uncontrolled swearing, but that is not always accurate in real life.
“It’s the number one thing people ask me,” Atkins said. “‘Do you curse?’ ‘No, I don’t curse. That’s called coprolalia.’”
Misconceptions about Tourette syndrome are a prominent part of living with the syndrome, even among medical professionals.
Brad Cohen, an award-winning teacher and founder of the Brad Cohen Tourette’s Foundation, said he has seen misconceptions and misdiagnoses throughout his career as an advocate.
“It depends on where you grow up, a lot of times doctors have some knowledge of Tourette’s, but if they’ve never diagnosed a kid with Tourette’s, it could go misdiagnosed,” Cohen said. “A lot of times when kids are growing up, they see it as a behavioral problem and not as a neurological disorder.”
The struggles of living with Tourette syndrome go far deeper than just the tics themselves — for Atkins, it also means facing physical challenges that people often do not associate with the syndrome.
“From the moment I wake up in the morning to the moment I fall asleep, my body is ticking,” Atkins said. “That’s a lot on the body.”
Instead of shying away from the challenges of Tourette’s, Atkins has embraced them and
begun using his voice to advocate for others like him.
“I didn’t want to make my whole personality about me having Tourette’s, but then I also realized that me not mentioning it was a problem as well. It felt like I was leaving a key part of myself out,” Atkins said. “I’ve had encounters where people look at me like I’m an alien because they don’t understand what’s going on. Nothing is going on, I’m a regular person, I just have a medical condition.”
Atkins has taken to social media to raise awareness for Tourette syndrome. His posts are used as a way of expressing his unique brand of individuality and also helping others see that they are not alone. In being himself, Atkins said he hopes he can encourage others to be comfortable in their own skin.
“When I was 16, I spoke in front of Congress to raise money for Tourette’s awareness, so I got to meet a whole bunch of other people with Tourette’s,” Atkins said. “I was the only Black man in the room; the rest were all white people. Nothing wrong with that, but it just made me realize Tourette’s isn’t common for people like me.”
While Atkins has not transitioned to his role as an influencer full-time, he is already having an impact on others in the community.
“Sometimes parents will message me and tell me, ‘Oh my gosh, my son is seven and he has Tourette’s, he loves your videos!’” Atkins said. “And that makes me happy.”
For now, Atkins is focused on his studies and advocating for people with Tourette syndrome in whatever ways he can, but said his goal in the future is to open a foundation for children with disabilities.
“I want to create a space for kids where they are celebrated, cared for,” Atkins said. “I think children who are oftentimes mocked, teased and bullied because they’re not ‘normal’ should feel comfortable in their own skin.”
Despite the challenges Atkins has faced on his personal journey, he remains incredibly optimistic for the future.
“I just want to live a long, happy, healthy, prosperous life,” Atkins said. “Just try to live a good life in your own shoes. That should be the end goal, no matter what you have or don’t have, disability or no disability, that’s it.”
Quote of the week
“Men are what they are because of what they do. Not what they say.”
— Fredrik Backman, ‘A man Called Ove’
KYLIE GRUNSFELD
Contributing Writer
On Halloween, I saw Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia,” a film about two conspiracy theorists living in rural Georgia who kidnap a CEO, convinced she is an alien.
The character Teddy, the main conspiracy theorist whose motives and backstory are thoroughly explored, got me thinking: “How do we view people like him?” Or rather, “how and why do we immediately dismiss people like him?”
Take a Virginian who voted for Winsome Earle-Sears in the recent gubernatorial election as an example. It’s easy to point a finger in their face and call them evil, but ignorance and hate are different things — even if they can often be found within the same person.
Earle-Sears’ transphobic campaign — which notably failed — was targeted at
people susceptible to fearmongering who don’t actually know much about Gov. elect
Abigail Spanberger’s policies.
One of Earle-Sears’ most prominent advertisements said “Spanberger wants men in girls’ sports, bathrooms and locker rooms.”
If you take the ad at face value and go down a rabbit hole searching for those allegations, you’ll end up in an internet echo chamber reinforcing what Earle-Sears wants you to believe.
Spanberger was never campaigning to put grown men in spaces with minors — yet that’s exactly what Earle-Sears’ ads suggest.
This is why it is so essential to understand people’s “why.”
Someone who is well-researched and genuinely hateful is different from someone who has only been shown a partial truth or been completely disinformed.
“Bugonia” took the time to explore Teddy’s “why,” and as a result we got much
more than a black-and-white villain — we got a character informed by his traumas and the circumstances of his childhood.
Nobody is so far gone that they cannot change. As we know, people are often a product of their environment.
Different geographical, educational, religious and familial backgrounds greatly contribute to who — and what — people elect. Sometimes they have never known anything else.
Our natural instinct might be to view opposing groups as monoliths, but we must acknowledge the varying degrees of knowledge and experience within that group.
We don’t have to be friends with these people, and they don’t have to be in our lives. However, taking time to understand why someone believes what they believe will help us all become more successful in educating them otherwise — and being more empathetic as people.
Continued from front page
Duwaji — people are really starting to skate that edge.
At 28-years-old, Duwaji is New York’s first “Gen Z” first lady and has captured the hearts of many across social media. With the election hardly over, her chic style, haircut and unflappable attitude have already christened a style trend being called “aloof wife autumn.”
Beyond her impeccable personal style, Duwaji is also an activist and a vocal advocate against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the violence in Sudan and other global injustices. She promotes a better, more just world with her artistry.
Duwaji has been using her newfound fame to champion these causes — most of her Instagram posts since the election have hardly mentioned her husband and instead focus on her activism.
Palestinian fashion designer Zeid Hijazi created part of the outfit she wore to Mamdani’s victory speech, a choice as deliberate as it is powerful.
Duwaji’s new status as a fashion icon and her dedication to social justice have left an indelible mark on the minds of the people, for better or for worse.
For one, there seems to be a deep-seated fixation on Duwaji’s looks — not just her fashion style, but her physical attributes. Critics and haters alike have taken potshots
at her appearance, comparing her to rightwing women like first lady Melania Trump and disparaging her “un-American” look.
Even those who support Mamdani’s politics have given Duwaji’s appearance special attention, commenting on her “first lady” caliber or singing her praises in a way that borders on uncomfortable.
Both the attacks and disturbing praise hold little weight, but they are indicative of a larger problem: Duwaji is not allowed to exist in her identity as an artist and advocate without also reckoning with her womanhood. Her first lady status is the vehicle that gave her this new recognition, but it also hinders her, as she is solely thought of in relation to her husband.
“Is Duwaji pretty enough to be first lady?” “She doesn’t fit the typical build — what is she doing to revolutionize it? Is she succeeding?” Most importantly: “is she
making her husband look good?”
Duwaji’s eponymous “aloofness,” a word used interchangeably with “detached” and “unfriendly,” is also a product of this phenomenon. Duwaji’s Instagram page features little to no mention of her husband and his campaign, and she was absent from most debates and major events prior to election day.
While this “aloofness” started an entire fashion trend, it should be noted that Duwaji is so associated with this trait because she prioritizes her art, causes and personal life over the standards typical of being first lady: public support and exaltation of her husband.
This is not to say Duwaji was not involved in Mamdani’s campaign — she has boosted his social media presence, helped design his logos and was a major source of personal support for her husband during the long trail towards Election Day.
It is interesting, however, that she is still
characterized as “aloof” when all she did was maintain a public degree of separation between her own passions and Mamdani’s.
I know everyone is excited about the first Gen Z first lady and her killer fashion, powerful, beautiful artwork and dedication to justice — I am too. But it's no excuse to overlook basic decency and respect. We need to remember that, despite Duwaji’s veneer of coolness, she is just a person, and boiling her down just to her appearance and relationship is unjust.
Stop being weird about Rama Duwaji. Her husband hasn’t even been sworn in yet; calm down.
If you truly want to show your appreciation, then stop spending so much time discussing her appearance and spend more time talking about her contributions to the world as an artist and advocate — she deserves that much, at least.
RFK and MAHA are right, we need to be healthier So why are they controlling our research?
Contributing Writer
I was pleasantly surprised when I began reading the beautifully designed “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment.”
Trump cabinet members like anti-vaccine advocate and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised concerns that I agreed needed to be addressed to maintain a happy, healthy American population.
People across the political spectrum would agree that the increase in childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health crises, allergies and autoimmune disorders should be addressed. The report attributes those issues to ultra-processed foods, environmental pollution, technological isolation and over-medicalization.
They then decided to show the extent of those issues with a pie graph: disqualifying factors for military service eligibility among Americans aged 17-24.
To me, this implies their main need for
American children to be healthy is to support a larger military force.
Then the last page details the next steps of the plan, actions that loosely correlate with the issues listed, and instead opt to emphasize something called “Gold-Standard Scientific Research.” Multiple key terms on this page are not included anywhere else in the report, leading me to believe they had the action items before anything else.
The following strategy report, released Sept. 9, echoed those platitudes. The largest emphasis is placed on advancing research, followed by realigning incentives, increasing public awareness and fostering private sector collaboration.
My question is this: Have we not done enough research already to address those issues? Shouldn’t we focus on actually solving the problems listed in the report by providing school children with free lunch and breakfast, by banning companies from leeching waste into our water and regulating additive-filled foods?
Generally, the health of a population is a matter of infrastructure. The social
determinants of health include access to nutrition, safe housing, job opportunities, healthcare, education, clean air and water.
In the United States, life expectancy and chronic diseases can greatly vary from zip code to zip code. Socioeconomic status and infrastructure help determine chronic nutrition, stress levels and environmental exposure.
For this inequality, I point the finger at big corporations. They have a long history of obfuscating empirical evidence that reveals environmental and public health impacts because it would harm potential revenue.
Purdue Pharma with OxyContin, DuPont and 3M with PFAs, ExxonMobil with global warming — the list goes on and on.
Large corporations like Kraft, General Foods and Nabisco have specifically designed addictive, hyperpalatable foods linked to diabetes and heart disease. This is one of MAHA’s main complaints, but their current plan will only study the impacts and not reduce the causes.
We should focus on regulating these corporations, not “fostering relationships”
with them. The idea that the government will influence scientific research like these companies have is concerning.
Continued research is necessary, but the extent of government involvement is a slippery slope. Concerned scientists are already feeling pressure from an authoritarian executive branch unchecked by judicial and legislative branches.
When writing grant proposals for federal funding, researchers can expect automatic denial when specific words are included. This may direct researchers to self-regulate away from topics that the government would not like explored.
This administration is closely tied to corporate interests and billionaires. I doubt they would regulate corporations in any real way, unless it is as punishment for not complying with Trump’s demands.
Even if MAHA appears to be keeping the best interests of the American people in mind with this report, we have to remember that it is spearheaded by an administration that seems more focused on appeasing the whims of an autocratic leader than actually helping U.S. citizens.
Don’t let their pretty words distract you from the truth: all of this comes from the party with a senator who responded to concerns about Trump’s medicare cuts with “Well, we are all going to die.”
By Jim Quinlan
By Jim Quinlan
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