VCU cuts price for quad dorms, students say it’s not enough
VCU belongs with the big dogs in 2K
KYLER GILLIAM Staff Writer
College basketball is coming back to our consoles and joysticks, as video game publisher 2K recently announced a “college basketball experience” that will be released as early as 2027.
However, the excitement from sports gamers has been diminished by 2K clarifying only over 100 of the 361 Division 1 teams will make the cut.
SHINY CHANDRAVEL Contributing Writer
I wonder how quickly the Sumerians would have invented the wheel had the fire keeping them warm died out.
How would the polio vaccine have been synthesized if the lights above Dr. Jonas Salk flickered and died?
Imagine if Einstein had been denied the chalk that would one day illustrate the theory of relativity — changing our understanding of the universe forever.
These moments of human discovery stand as reminders to be grateful that our scientists and innovators had heat to warm them, lights to shine on them and resources to make their work possible. Their genius, while strong enough to support the gears that run civilizations today, was once vulnerable and fragile too.
I have worked in a microbiology lab at VCU for a year and a half now, studying a vaginal bacterium that may be linked to pre-term birth in pregnant women.
I vividly remember the week the Trump Administration warned universities not to fund research including the word “women.”
That day, my peers and I did not face our microscopes, pipetting away. We faced each other.
BRYER HAYWOOD
Contributing Writer
First-year computer science student Joseph Bellanti was only notified weeks before the start of the fall semester that an additional roommate would be squeezed into his Rhoads Hall dorm — turning a “triple” into a “quad.”
“It’s just pretty cramped,” Bellanti said. “There’s not a lot of space. I don’t think this room was made for four people.”
Bellanti is one of over 100 students at VCU who had their rooms converted over the summer to fit the university’s second largest freshman class in history, with more than 4,500 students arriving on campus.
The VCU Board of Visitors met on Sept. 11 and approved a rate reduction of roughly $500 for each student living in a “quad dorm,” bringing the price down to $7,645 for a ninemonth lease.
“I don’t think [for] any price they should just shove an extra student, an extra book case in here, an extra fridge,” Bellanti said. “I don’t think it’s possible, but they did it.”
VCU has grappled with high admission rates for years, partially as a result of the university’s guaranteed admission policy for high school students with a 3.5 or higher GPA. Around 80 students in 2023 were housed off-campus at the Graduate Hotel due to a lack of space, according to ABC 8.
Many students are currently being housed in “overflow spaces” — lounges converted into dorms — in Gladding Residence Center.
I work in a VCU lab to better the lives of women.
QUAD DORMS Continued on page 2
Students sit in their 'quad' dorm room in Rhoads Hall on Sept. 14. The room was originally intended to house three students. Photo by Andrew Kerley.
Illustration by Zoë Luis.
Illustration by M. Moreira.
News
Continued from front page
Additionally, some dorms meant for one, two or three people have been converted to house two, three and four people respectively.
VCU spokesperson Brian McNeill said all students who requested on campus housing this year were able to be accommodated in existing residence halls. McNeill also referred to the plan for a new residence hall on West Grace Street as a means to meet the housing demand.
The project is currently in the design phase and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 — adding 1,000 beds.
On a VCU Facebook group, some parents are posting that their kids are being “crammed into living spaces that are too small.”
One posted that their child has a desk under a loft bed, making it hard for them to study. Another parent expressed disappointment in VCU for the lack of transparency about housing assignments.
Jacob Carlson, a first-year psychology and criminal justice student, lives in an eight-person suite in GRC III designed for four people.
“We all share one toilet, two showers and two sinks and we don’t have desks,” Carlson said. “Mathematically, the reduced rate is a justifiable amount of money for cramming eight people into a space for four people.”
Stories of the week
national: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a rally at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
international: Protestors in Nepal set fire to their Parliament and Supreme Court buildings as well as police stations and politicians' homes, clashing with political leadership over a social media ban by the government.
These rooms are called “double efficiency suites,” according to Carlson. The spaces were created to accommodate the large influx of new students. Carlson said he was not provided a night stand in his dorm and fashioned a makeshift desk out of other furniture. He also said it was difficult to keep the room clean given the lack of space.
First-year psychology student Narah Parker lives in Brandt Hall. She said she thinks the $500 reduced rate is not worth it for students living in overflow spaces, and disagrees with the university’s plan to build a new residence hall.
Provost doubles down on new tenure policy despite faculty pushback
VCU plans to permanently amend its tenure policy to require professors to obtain the highest attainable degree in their field, typically a Ph.D. or MFA, in order to be promoted or receive tenure, per a directive from the Office of the Provost.
Former provost Fotis Sotiropoulos attempted to implement the policy in January — a week before many faculty were set to have their promotion applications processed — but delayed it following backlash. The new interim provost Beverly Warren, who also served as provost from 2011 to 2014, is moving forward with the changes, as announced in an August blog post.
Tenure gives professors nearpermanent employment status that can only be terminated under extraordinary circumstances. Tenured faculty tend to spend more time researching, as opposed to teaching classes. VCU’s new policy follows a nationwide trend of fewer faculty receiving promotions every year to replace tenured faculty when they retire.
The changes are meant to align VCU
with the standards of other top research schools, according to the provost. Some faculty teaching in more hands-on fields that value terminal degrees to a lesser extent — such as forensic science, mass communications and math — have spoken out against the changes, which remove their pathway to promotion.
VCU faculty have two different routes to promotion. Professors who are on the tenure track but do not yet have tenure are called “assistant professor,” while tenured professors carry the title of “associate professor.”
There is also a pathway with identical titles but for “term faculty,” who are not eligible to receive tenure and typically work on year-long contracts. The main benefit of climbing the ranks for term faculty is receiving a 10% raise at each step.
The decision to carry on the policy was made after “extensive faculty input and task force review,” Warren stated in the provost blog.
The Commonwealth Times filed a Freedom of Information Act request in January to obtain comments from faculty submitted in a feedback form. The results yielded over 30 comments — the majority of which were critical of the policy proposal.
“I think that they should use the space we have [Johnson Hall] better instead of building a whole new building,” Parker said. “Will the new dorm even be enough?”
Executive Editor Andrew Kerley contributed to this story.
“I do not think VCU should tie promotion to journal impact factor or similar metrics at the university level,” one comment read. “It’s very useful for some fields, and it’s near-useless for others.”
The new terminal degree requirement cannot go into effect until it goes through the appropriate channels for approval. It is currently in another open comment period for faculty feedback, where it will remain until Oct. 3, according to Warren.
The policies can be enacted in November following a vote from the university council, President’s Cabinet and Board of Visitors — all part of a shared governance process, Warren said.
“We will revise the policy in accordance with the feedback we’re getting,” Warren said. “We’re not behind schedule, so we should have Board of Visitors approval at the November meeting.”
The new tenure policy will also ask term faculty to have a terminal degree, which Warren called one of the biggest changes.
“It’s a way to ensure that we are giving our students the highest, most highly qualified individuals in the classroom,” Warren said.
Mark Wood, an associate professor of world studies and board member of United Campus Workers at VCU, stated VCU’s new policy is reflective of those being implemented at top-ranked schools.
“Currently, we [VCU] are facing budget reductions that do not suggest we are able to offer the kind of support or salaries one finds at universities like UVA, Columbia and others,” Wood stated.
Krista Alexander left her position as a mass communications professor last semester due to the policy change, which is a roadblock for opportunity, she stated.
“As a media producer, experience comes from being a working professional,” Alexander stated. “I don’t know a single person who has years of experience working in media who is also a doctor! I realized there would never be any real growth for me at VCU.”
Alexander believes that the new policy is meant to save VCU money, not better the institution or the faculty.
“I know it is holding instructors and professors back,” Alexander stated. “How many people will want to stay in a job with no growth? What incentive is there to perform above standard?”
Cabell Library to receive fourth floor special collections expansion
SAL ORLANDO Staff Writer
The VCU Board of Visitors voted on Sept. 11 to begin work on a fourth-floor expansion of James Branch Cabell Library that will revitalize the Special Collections and Archives section.
The project outlines plans to renovate the fourth floor of the library and add 18,000 square feet of space to Special Collections and Archives — which houses thousands of university records, art pieces, rare books and medical artifacts dating back decades to centuries.
The project will make way for a new Book Arts Lab, an exhibit area, three to
five offices and a shared workspace. 24,000 square feet of existing book storage space is also being renovated.
The renovations will allow the Health Sciences Library Special Collections and Archive materials to be relocated from the University Medical Center Campus to Cabell Library, which will make room for the proposed VCU Health Inpatient Tower. While the project’s main goal is to make room for the new hospital tower, the other fourth-floor additions will serve the broader VCU community, multiple students and faculty said.
YENNI JIMENEZ ACOSTA Contributing Writer
Interim provost Beverly Warren speaks at a VCU Board of Visitors meeting on Sept 4.
Rendering of the proposed Cabell Library fourth floor renovation. Photo courtesy of VCU.
QUAD DORMS
“The Book Arts Lab will expand the ability of others to create and be inspired by our Artist Book collection,” stated Irene Herold, dean of libraries and university librarian. VCU’s Artist Book collection is one of the largest on the East Coast, containing over 4,000 items.
Herold worked with the Facilities Management Division and architects last summer to help construct designs and
estimate costs for the renovation.
“This expansion was first discussed over a decade ago,” Herold stated. “I have been fortunate that I have been able to add some newer vision to the proposal in keeping with our mission and purpose of having a used collection.”
Virginia Totaro, a focused inquiry associate professor, previously taught in the
Brown’s Island to close for redevelopment in November
Assistant News Editor
Brown’s Island is undergoing renovations starting this November that will close the space to the public for about a year to add new infrastructure and fulfill a city proposal from over a decade ago.
The park, which serves as both a recreational area for residents and a venue for concerts and festivals, will receive permanent restrooms as well as new landscaping and accessibility measures, according to Venture Richmond, the nonprofit in charge of the redevelopment.
Brown’s Island will be divided into seven distinct sections — a “front porch” section right after its main bridge to Tredegar Street, three event-focused sections on the core of the island and three on the area’s periphery with denser flora and walking paths. The new spaces will make way for art installations shaded seating.
Carla Murray, the marketing director for VisitRichmondVA.com, noted her organization’s enthusiasm for the improvements. Visit Richmond will promote the region’s other attractions during the closure, such as the Capital Trail and Pocahontas State Park.
“We also still have plenty of event spaces, and I know that Sports Backers is
working on a different footprint for next year’s River Rock festival to accommodate the Brown’s Island project,” Murray said.
River Rock, a yearly sports and music festival typically hosted on Brown’s Island, was attended by over 100,000 people in May.
Sports Backers spokesperson Nan Callahan said organizers are still evaluating which nearby spaces they will use while Brown’s Island is closed for repairs, and are ultimately excited for the changes.
“I think anything that’s gonna promote the outdoors and the great active living that we have here, and make that more accessible and enjoyable for people in Richmond is huge, and a huge benefit to our area,” Callahan said.
The island regularly hosts events and concerts, but is also a popular destination for walking, biking and launching kayaks and paddleboards.
Resident Brittany Winston visits Brown’s Island to walk and connect with nature. She said she might visit Pocahontas State Park as an alternative during the closure. She does not see an imminent need for the renovations, but welcomes them nonetheless — and gave one suggestion for an improvement in the area.
“We need more trash cans,” Winston said. “We came all the way from the
library and would consider teaching classes there again given the addition of new office spaces, she stated.
“My students are required to utilize library search tools for my course,” Totaro stated. “As I tell them, your tuition and fees pay for access to a wide range of resources, so use them!”
Robert Carter, a second-year communication arts major, said there is not
Trail, I haven’t seen any trash cans. There’s nowhere to discard waste, there’s a lot of polluted spots.”
Fellow parkgoer and resident Laurie McGeever agrees that other areas of the riverfront could benefit from changes.
a lack of workspace at the library, but is looking forward to the coming renovations.
“I think there should just be more stuff in the library to attract people,” Carter said.
The library will be raising money from donors on Sept. 18 as part of an upcoming university-wide fundraising campaign, according to VCU Libraries spokesperson Sue Robinson.
“I’d love to see more done with the Canal Walk,” McGeever said. “Expand that a little more somehow, maybe out into the James and make it more exciting.”
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HECIEL NIEVES BONILLA
Capital
A biker riding along the Canal Walk at Brown’s Island on Sept. 12. The island will be closed for renovations for about a year in November.
Photo by Jose Segovia.
Sports
Stat of the week
Field hockey third-year goalkeeper Emma Clements made a career-high 14 saves on 16 shots faced in the 0-2 loss to Wake Forest University.
SCOUTING REPORT
VCU men’s soccer vs. Dayton
VCU men’s soccer will face the University of Dayton at Sports Backers Stadium for an Atlantic 10 matchup on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. The CT sports staff chose their notable players for the matchup.
ALEXIS WASHINGTON
Assistant Sports Editor
Mohammed Ibrahim — The second-year midfielder is a proven dominant threat on offense. Ibrahim contributed to a huge victory against No. 2 Clemson University on Sept. 9, scoring the winning goal. He is already becoming a household name, playing in all 17 matches in his first year, according to VCU Athletics. He was also named to the A-10 All Rookie Team and led all rookies with 667 minutes of playing time throughout the season. Ibrahim is not afraid of getting to the net, as his nine shots on goal tied him for second on the team in the category during his first year. With Ibrahim’s shooting and speed, Dayton does not stand a chance.
JENNY ALLEN Staff
Writer
Andrey Salmeron — VCU’s third-year midfielder is one of only four Rams to start all 17 games in the 2024 season, according to VCU Athletics. He led VCU in the past season with 38 shots and 15 on goal. In the recent upset victory over undefeated No. 2 Clemson, Salmeron scored the game’s first goal. Salmeron’s effective attacking ability will require smart defense from Dayton to prevent his goal-scoring opportunities. VCU’s offense collaborates well, and Salermon plays a large role in that. In order to come out on top against the Flyers, Salmeron must bring his leadership and skills.
DAYTON
DANIEL POINTER
Contributing Writer
Ethan Sassine — Dayton’s redshirt fourth-year forward will be one of the biggest impact players in the matchup with VCU. Sassine brings experience and leadership to the field as he played in all 16 games last season. He has come out flying this year, already taking an aggressive 15 shots through five games, according to the Dayton Flyers. While Sassine may not light up the stat sheet every week, there is an upside to his game, and shutting him down needs to be a part of VCU’s defensive gameplan.
SAANVI VOOTLA
Contributing Writer
Martin Bakken — The third-year midfielder has emerged as one of Dayton’s most dangerous offensive weapons. He started in all 20 matches last season, led the team with nine goals and 10 assists and earned multiple conference and regional honors. Bakken is a three-time A-10 Offensive Player of the Week and made A-10 All-Conference First Team, according to the Dayton Flyers. Bakken does not just score — he sets up his teammates by frequently racking up assists, making him an offensive force that VCU should look out for. Bakken’s leadership, experience and versatility on the field create a performance level that will be difficult to beat. Shutting him down or limiting his attack will be essential for VCU to emerge victorious.
DEVYNN ALSTON
Contributing Writer
VCU women’s basketball just released its nonconference schedule. With an almost completely new team, it is more important than ever for them to gel together. These matchups will give a glimpse into how well the new and returning Rams can work as a unit.
Here are a few notable games that will impact VCU’s season.
VCU AT VILLANOVA - NOV. 9
Toronto, Canada, will host VCU and Villanova as a neutral site for both teams. They last played each other in the 2024 Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament, where Villanova beat VCU 75-60 to end its historic season. In the upcoming matchup, both teams will have extremely different rosters from when they last competed. The Wildcats finished the season with a 21-15 record last year, losing in the WBIT semifinals. The coming game will be an early test for the Rams to see how they perform against a team with more chemistry.
VCU VS. HOWARD UNIVERSITY - NOV. 17
VCU will host Howard for its third matchup in three years. The two teams played each other last season, with VCU winning 72-48. Having added both new players and assistant coaches, the Bison look to be power players in the coming year. They ended their season last year with a 22-12 record. This game will be on for the Rams to gauge where they stand for the season.
VCU AT TEXAS A&M - NOV. 22
VCU will travel to O’ahu, Hawaii to play against Texas A&M. The Aggies will face the Rams for the first time in program history at the North Shore Showcase. The Aggies’ 10-19 record made them the worst team in the Southeastern Conference last season, but playing a member of a Power Six conference will prepare the Rams for many matches to come.
VCU AT PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY - DEC. 20
VCU will face off against Big Ten member Penn State in the 4 Tha Culture Holiday Classic. It has been about a decade since these two teams played each other, when VCU took the victory 82-52. The face-off will be the second time the teams have matched up during coach Beth O’Boyle’s era, and winning against another Power Six opponent will only bolster the Rams’ non-conference resume.
The Rams won the A-10 tournament in 2021 to mark their spot in March Madness, but have not been able to secure a conference title since.
If they can come out victorious during these four matches, the Rams will stand a much better chance once the postseason rolls around.
VCU belongs with the BIG DOGS in 2K
Continued from front page
This restriction of teams should raise one question for fans: IsVCUworthyofbeinginthenew2Kcollegebasketballgame?
The answer should be yes, however, I can see a world where the Rams are sadly left out of 2K’s triumphant return to college basketball
Since the release of the last college basketball game in 2009, VCU has appeared 11 times in March Madness, including making the Final Four in 2011, according to Sports Reference College Basketball. The Rams have continued their success and joined the Atlantic 10, one of the better mid-major conferences.
The Rams have been a marquee mid-major team for the past two decades and a recognizable brand in college basketball.
The A-10 is a respected basketball conference that VCU has thrown its weight around in, battling teams such as the University of Dayton, Saint Louis University, St. Joseph’s University and St. Bonaventure University.
VCU has played as a top 100 team in D1 for many years, including last year on its way to another March Madness appearance. VCU finished last season ranked No. 31 in the NCAA D1 men’s basketball NET rating.
This puts the Rams well within the “more than 100 programs” threshold that 2K set for its game. There are not 100 basketball programs better than VCU today. It will be a disservice to many mid-major basketball fans and avid sports gamers if the Rams don’t grace our screens — and it would be the fault of power conferences, not VCU’s own success.
The Rams have won three regular season conference championships and three conference tournament championships since joining the A-10.
If 2K wants to include teams such as Dayton and St. Louis, VCU should also make the final cut.
The teams that make up the Power Six conferences — including the Southeastern, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Big East, Atlantic Coast and Pac-12 — likely have priority over VCU.
There will be 88 teams playing in the Power Six conferences by 2027. A-10 schools will be fighting other mid-major programs for a position in the game.
VCU’s inclusion depends on what conferences and individual teams 2K deems important enough to be included. Conferences such as the American, Sun Belt and Mountain West might get the nod over the Rams and the A-10. No matter what 2K decides to do, VCU is worthy of being in the game. If they are not, it is an indictment of 2K’s laziness and thousands of fans will be left without their favorite team in college basketball’s video game return.
Illustration by M. Moreira.
PRESS BOX
VCU 2K
Spectrum
On This Day
On this day, Sept. 17, 1957,
Get covered in glitter at this monthly Richmond burlesque show
CORA PERKINS Assistant Spectrum Editor
“Pours and Pasties,” a monthly burlesque and variety show put on at Strangeways Brewing through Burlesque Right Meow, returned to Richmond on Sept. 12.
Radiating in glitter and glamour, the event combined dance, comedy and storytelling into performances that left the crowd roaring in applause. The performers, shimmering in pink or adorned with golden snakes, were a stark contrast to the beer barrels decorating the walls of the stage and the glowing lights strung across the front.
“Pours and Pasties” is open to more than just burlesque, according to Scarlet Starlet, the producer of Burlesque Right Meow and a burlesque performer.
“It’s predominantly burlesque for sure,” Starlet said. “But sometimes I’ll have comedians, or I’ll have sideshow performers or flow artists.”
The shows are open-themed — no one is required to stick to a specific concept or style to participate in “Pours and Pasties,” and there are all kinds of performers on stage.
“Usually fun, upbeat stuff does great there, but it’s a big mix,” Starlet said.
“Pours and Pasties” was different than other burlesque shows, according to attendee Helen Wasz.
“The local one was really interesting because there was a lot more diversity in themes as far as what the performers’ dances were themed around,” Wasz said.
Richmond has a large burlesque
community, according to D3ADP4NN, a performer based in the city.
“It was just a very close-knit community, and everybody was super friendly,”
D3ADP4NN said.
D3ADP4NN performed a unique act at “Pours and Pasties,” one that she will never do again. It was for her and her girlfriend’s anniversary, she said.
“I decided to take it a little bit slower and make it super sultry, but also something really special for my girlfriend,”
D3ADP4NN said. “This is like the first time I’ve ever brought someone on to the stage.”
For D3ADP4NN, burlesque is strength.
“You’re performing in such a vulnerable state, it takes a lot of confidence,”
D3ADP4NN said.
Luna Skyy, a burlesque performer from the DMV, had her “sweet 16” performance at “Pours and Pasties.”
“I did a traditional burlesque performance, where typically I perform in more theatrical ways and involve audience members or have some element of process to my storyline,” Skyy said.
Burlesque gives Skyy confidence, she said. It allows her to connect with her femininity and share her artistry with the community.
“It gives me the opportunity to sometimes share a message with the audience and then other times just to share my costuming art or my dance,” Skyy said.
Attending burlesque events like “Pours and Pasties” is a great way to support local
artists, according to Skyy.
“We all have our own way of expressing ourselves and sharing our art with the community, and I think burlesque just gives us all the platform to be able to do that,” Skyy said. “So I’d love for more folks to bring friends who maybe haven’t had the chance to see burlesque yet, and just come find something new and have a great night.”
The next “Pours and Pasties” event will be a Halloween special on Oct. 10 at Strangeways Brewing.
Native Arts Festival shares resilience through artistic celebration
DAIJAH HINMON Staff Writer ALANI GUILLAUME Contributing Writer
People of all ages gathered around the Grace Arents Garden to enjoy handmade delights like candles, jams and other artworks by Indigenous creators of all different tribes for the Kennanee Native Arts Festival on Sept. 14.
The event was held by the Virginia Native Arts Alliance at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
“Kennanee” is the Powhatan-Algonquin word meaning friendship, according to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden website. The event uplifted Native traditions through art, storytelling, food and play. Visitors were able to enjoy short films by Indigenous creators, a live shinny game, art markets and more.
The Kennanee Native Arts Festival is the biggest event the Virginia Native Arts Alliance has been a part of so far, according to Rebecca Hill, VNAA executive director and member of the Pamunkey Tribe. The focus is to bring Indigenous art and artists into non-Indigenous spaces.
Native art is not only the stereotypical mediums of pottery and jewelry making, Hill said. The VNAA wanted to showcase a variety of music performance mediums, and even brought in the Powhatan Shinny League to introduce games played by their ancestors.
“Anything made with Indigenous hands is Indigenous art,” Hill said. “We’re very proud of our heritage and very proud of our culture, but it doesn't have to be always craft art.”
Desmond Ellsworth, a descendant of the Nottoway Tribe and one of the festival’s artists,
hoped the event allowed attendees to see Native people for themselves, breaking stereotypes about what a Native American is “supposed” to look like, because multiple Indigenous communities live in Richmond.
“Richmond is a shared location of the Algonquin communities and Siouan communities,”
Ellsworth said.
The VNAA seeks out locations willing to work with the organization and show that Native people are all around us, Ellsworth said — not just what people stereotypically imagine a Native event to look like.
“The only restriction is you have to come from a state or federally recognized tribe, and be willing to put yourself out there and show that Native people still exist in Virginia,” Ellsworth said.
Events like these are important because they let people know Virginia Natives are still present in our society, said vendor Tamsye Deanna Stover, a member of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe.
“They think we’re no longer here, but we are,” Stover said.
The different dancers that performed and introduced themselves in the language of their tribes first was noteworthy, according to attendee Evon Dennis. They introduced a part of their culture with both their performances and descriptions in their Native languages.
“These kinds of events are important to remind people that there is no one kind of person that is living here in this world, in this state,” Dennis said.
Congo the Chimpanzee debuted his abstract artwork at a gallery in London.
Indigenous art on display at the Kennanee Native Arts Festival.
Photos courtesy of Will Nelson.
The mystifying Luna Skyy performing.
Photo courtesy of Luna Skyy. Graphic by Marty Alexeenko.
Sit and listen while these drag queens ‘Park and Bark’
MAEVE BAUER Spectrum Editor RACHEL NICHOLAS Contributing Writer
Drag troupe “Park and Bark,” kicked off its second season on Sept. 14. The energy in the Shafter Street Playhouse was booming, as drag enthusiasts buzzed with excitement to see what the queens have in store this year.
The troupe started this season with “The Pink Show.” Every seat was filled, and the crowd stomped and barked as they cheered on the cast.
“I feel like in the beginning it was just a lot of theater students, and now it’s like, I don’t even recognize anyone in the audience,” said Mary Kalinowski, a third-year VCU theater student. “I think it’s so cool, because like, so many different groups of people are coming to see it.”
“The Pink Show” is whatever you make of it, as long as it is pink — there were pink outfits, pink wigs, pink makeup and to top it off, volunteers from the audience had a lip-sync battle to the song “Pink” by Lizzo.
“Park and Bark” had its first show in 2024, and has hosted a show every month VCU has been in session — “The Pink Show” is their ninth.
ChiChi Ronnes, a founding member of “Park and Bark.” Her personal favorite is their retro night.
Donna Summers is one of my favorite artists of all time,” Ronnes said. “ I also love 80s music. I think the 90s, 70s music is premium, I love disco. I think that it really got to introduce our audience to drag classics, as well as showing that like, queer people need to know their history.”
of active drag troupes at VCU left a campy void that needed to be filled, according to Ronnes. They perform once a month at the Shafer Street Playhouse, located in the heart of the Monroe Park Campus.
to a performer who does not do much dancing. Instead, they park, stay still and bark, sing — or in queens’ case, lip-sync. However, these divas are doing everything but as they crawl, gyrate, flip and death drop across the stage.
Meet the Queens:
As one of Park and Bark’s founding members, Ronnes is not a newcomer to the drag community. She discovered her passion for drag at a very early age when her “guncle” [gay uncle] offered her wigs, makeup and encouragement to dress up. Ronnes saw her first drag queen in 2016 when she attended Pride, and has been performing ever since. She made her debut as ChiChi in her high school’s senior show, her name being a play on the word chicharones, a native dish to the Philippines, paying homage to her culture.
“Drag has always been so fierce to me and something I wanted to do, and I was very lucky that I lived in a place where I was able to do it,” Ronnes said.
ChiChi is not just a character that Ronnes takes on — she is a part of her and helped Ronnes navigate her personal identity.
“She’s a multifaceted person, with stories to tell and an experience,” Ronnes said. “She, to me, feels like almost an armor that I can wear and then put on stage and then I like, I don’t know, fight for the divas, like the enemies. Last year, I’d go to auditions in ChiChi, and go for female roles and I love it.”
Ngozi
Ngozi is the drag persona of Jhay Williams, a main Park and Bark cast member. She has been with the troupe since their Lollapalooza show in 2024, a competition taken from RuPaul’s Drag Race, where participants choose an opponent and the opponent chooses the song. Williams was invited to join the main cast after their Black Excellence Show.
Ngozi is an alien creature, sent out to be a freak-weirdo, according to Williams. She may be in her first year of drag, but her alter-ego has been in the works since middle school.
“I’m just like an alien creature,” Williams said. “You don’t know where I’m from, and you really wanna know where she’s from. You really don’t understand her, and she’s always weird. She’s really weird and creepy, but like, in a fierce way.”
Williams learned how to do makeup as a requirement for dance classes, and got extra creative with her makeup supply when she had to quarantine during the pandemic.
Camilla Versace
Cam Malone is new to drag and debuted as Camilla Versace at the Pink Show. Her first performance was to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” styled in six-inch heels, a pink slip, a pink robe and more feathers than a peacock.
Malone knew she wanted to incorporate her real name into her stage name, creating Camilla. The Versace part was added when she and a friend were going over ideas, taking inspiration from the legacy fashion houses.
As a newcomer to the group, Malone has found the members of “Park and Bark” to be very welcoming.
“It’s very community-oriented,” Malone said. “Everyone there is so sweet and so hype.”
And as Solicity said at the end of the show, “Never forget foreplay, take your meds and serve c*nt.”
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ Va Repertory Theatre begins season with
SAANVI VOOTLA
Contributing Writer
Eight passengers aboard the Orient Express in the cold and winter-stricken Istanbul, thrills, revenge and a journey of romance await the audience in this theatrical adaptation of “Murder on the Orient Express.”
The show had its preview night on Sept. 11 and will run until Oct. 12. It is showing at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre and is presented by the Virginia Repertory Theatre.
The crowd bustled into the theatre on preview night, filling nearly every seat, as they awaited the show’s start with bated breath.
Hercule Poirot, the famous detective, boards the train at the request of his friend, the owner of the train company. Poirot, fascinated yet suspicious of the characters that fill the train, believes that something is wrong … someone does not fit in.
Silence fills the train in the night between midnight and 2 a.m. — like the calm before a storm — as a murder takes place.
The question arises: “Who killed Samuel Ratchett, otherwise known as Bruno Cassetti?”
With conflicting stories from the passengers about their whereabouts, the detective is unable to declare who the culprit is until a hidden truth is revealed.
The crowd was hooked from the very first scene, experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions from laughter to shock to sympathy.
“‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ is a timeless title and we’ve been really happy with how the audiences have responded so far,” said Amy Wolf, the theatre’s director of marketing. “It’s always enjoyable as the director of marketing to have such beautiful stagecraft and luxurious costumes to photograph and video.”
Audience member Heidi Moss is an avid follower of theater. She is familiar with the original Agatha Christie novel, which led her to see the play.
“I’ve read the book before, and I thought, ‘Why not watch the play?’” Moss said. “Agatha Christie is a brilliant writer, and I enjoyed this show. It was filled with suspense and humor, and it’s on my list of
chilling rendition
favorite shows below ‘Wicked’ and ‘Hamilton.’”
Everything from the set design to the dedicated actors and actresses made “Murder on the Orient Express” come to life.
Cast member McLean Fletcher plays Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson in the show. She has worked as a professional actor for around a decade, and has lived all over the U.S. and Australia for her work, but said she enjoys the community in Richmond.
“The theatre scene in Richmond is smaller compared to the bigger cities, but I find myself coming back to Richmond for various jobs because I really enjoy the community, and the quality of theatre here has grown immensely,” Fletcher said.
It is exciting to see how the theatre family in Richmond will continue to grow, according to Fletcher.
To find out the unexpected ending to this play, watch other shows directed by Rick Hammerly or purchase your tickets, visit the Virginia Repertory Theatre website (va-rep.org).
ChiChi Ronnes
Pretty in pink, Camilla Versace makes her ‘Park and Bark’ debut.
Photo courtesy of Park and Bark.
Characters from Murder on the Orient Express traipsing on the intricate set at the November Theater.
Photo courtesy of the Virginia Repertory Theatre. Graphics by Marty Alexeenko.
Opinions
Quote of the week
“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” — Zora
Hurston, "Their Eyes Were Watching God"
I work in a VCU lab to better the lives of women.
Trump’s cuts are working against me.
Continued from front page
Uncertainty suffocated the room as we discussed the fates of potential Ph.D. positions, student-researcher programs and ultimately where our years of research might end up if we could not find the funding to support it.
Would our agar plates of growing bacteria colonies be tossed in the trash, indistinguishable from soda bottles and chewed-up gum? Do we just freeze what we can until a new generation of scientists dust off our unfinished work, because by then, learning about women’s bodies will be acceptable? These fears did not just remain within our four walls. Labs across our country were in the same position as us, having committed the crime of researching the prohibited — our country’s women.
The science purge did not start there. Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention stripped their websites of vital information related to HIV, sexual health and maternal health.
Science is not a political entity. It is as eternal as the water we drink and the air we breathe. But the encroachment of our government — censoring our papers and controlling the flow of funds — threatens not only our resources and scientific freedom, but something already all too vulnerable: our credibility.
Intellectuals are accused of twisting their “scientific findings” to push personal agendas. Vaccine standards, once hailed as medical miracles, are now considered political ploys, thanks to HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s intrusion in public health. Masks were once known to protect against infectious diseases. Now they are symbols of an “ideology.”
Our government, now more than ever before, toys with the public’s skepticism of science as if it were child’s play — removing
highly educated experts and replacing them with politically compliant figures before our very eyes.
Instead of rebuilding trust in education and research, politicians are sowing resentment and mistrust towards the very institutions meant to guide discovery. Yet, while the delicacy of public health and clinical research is manipulated in partisan games, the price will ultimately be ours to bear.
It is our decades of research we are losing.
It is our country’s brightest minds that are fleeing as intellectual refugees to China and other nations.
It is our schools that are losing programs and resources.
It is our Earth that will be irreparably hurt.
It is our hospitals, especially those in the lowest income and most rural areas, that are being closed.
It is our lives that will be lost.
The fragility of our labs and schools
today is not normal. It has been manufactured by leaders trading our future for their twisted vision of America, who weaken the very institutions that protect us so they may stand untouched upon our ruins.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in research funds have been cut from the National Institutes of Health, threatening thousands of grants, even cutting from the indirect costs that support the electricity, lights and heat keeping our laboratories running.
I ask you to be honest with yourself — do you really believe those dismantling our public health will remain to suffer its collapse?
Or have they already bought their escape routes, all while we remain gasping for air in our overcrowded emergency rooms, dying in the rubble of their wreckage.
Neale
Illustration by Zoë Luis.
SCIENCE CRISIS
Opinions
ALEX WHITE
Contributing Writer
The beginning of the semester at VCU means new students, new departmental changes and apparently a new desire to divest from one of the best public transit services in the nation: GRTC.
The university has rolled out a new shuttle service, RamsXpress, to run between the Monroe Park and MCV campuses — and it’s exclusive to VCU students, staff and faculty. Amidst mounting student and community outcry, these changes add yet another layer of insulation between VCU and the broader Richmond community.
But why?
I am not asking why VCU divested — that much is clear. The funding, which amounted to a little over $1.2 million in 2025, was only ever intended to assist individuals associated with VCU, according to VPM News. Other
VCU needs to put the ‘public’ back in public transportation
Richmonders enjoying the same privilege was an incidental benefit.
The contract struck between VCU and the GRTC, first signed in 2018 and renewed through July 2025, gave affiliated students and faculty access to GRTC buses at no cost. In 2020, a combination of state and federal grants, in addition to VCU funding, allowed the transit service to offer fare-free rides to the whole city.
With the new RamsXpress route bridging the gap between campuses this year, continued funding for the GRTC was just not worth it for VCU anymore.
It should not be surprising that a university prioritizes its students over the surrounding population. It is even less shocking that an institution driven by revenue would go for the cheapest option to solve a problem.
The “why” for VCU is pretty well understood, so here is my actual question — why do we, as members of this community, accept unreliable settlements to fund an essential resource like the GRTC? Why don’t we fight harder to put the “public” back in public services?
The money is there. VCU would not even necessarily have to contribute, but I would argue it should — not in donations
of convenience and goodwill, but by paying its fair share in taxes.
VCU and VCU Health are two of the most prominent institutions in the Richmond area, and combined, they employed over 21,000 people in 2024. They are also tax-exempt on the federal and state levels. In their 2024 financial statement, VCU reported an unrestricted net position of a little under $120 million, a whopping 8% of the total $1.5 billion held by VCU. Essentially, this $120 million is available for whatever the university wants to spend it on, including a hypothetical GRTC fund.
We could sit here and do the math on exactly how minuscule $1.2 million is to the enormity of VCU’s finances. We would need scientific notation for that, though, and even then that number would not really mean anything. Not to VCU, not to GRTC and certainly not to the rest of Richmond.
The fact that this funding was up to revenue discretion in the first place is the real issue underlying all of this — to make public transportation dependable, it needs to be publicly funded.
Despite operating as a not-for-profit public entity, VCU rakes in hundreds of
millions of dollars in revenue annually. If Richmond taxed VCU at the same 6% rate they do for other corporations then the city would have more than enough to keep the GRTC’s zero-fare initiative alive.
With the taxes Richmond is not receiving from VCU, not only could we be funding a bus service, we could also be funding other beautification and infrastructure renovations to make a net improvement in the lives of all Richmonders. This would obviously not be a one-and-done solution — the government at any level is not exempt from corruption or poor decision-making, but a step in the right direction is still progress.
Right now, the future of bus fares in Richmond is still up in the air, but according to the 2026 GRTC budget, zero-fare buses will continue through July of next year. By then, the transit service hopes to secure new funding from other donors to fill the hole VCU left.
Even if another private donor steps in, the problem will only be kicked down the road. At some point, it is time to stop praying for the benevolence of a profitmotivated organization and instead start working to find a more sustainable, reliable and most importantly public option.
Start building your post-grad social spaces now
HENRY JOBE
Contributing Writer
When returning to Richmond after spending any extended period of time away, I am always reminded of how wonderful it is to live in a walkable environment. Few things feel as satisfying as needing to get something or go somewhere, and knowing the usual headaches that come with getting in a car, dealing with traffic and planning out a schedule can be avoided.
One of my favorite things to do during my first few semesters at VCU was to sit at a table outside the Student Commons or near the Compass and do homework while greeting any friends who passed. However, as December graduation approaches, I have been visiting those spots less and less — and as I look towards my future post-grad, there are very few off-campus replacements.
I am not going to sit here and pretend that Richmond does not have social spaces — like most cities, it has them in abundance. Countless parks and coffee shops are within walking distance or accessible with a short bus ride, such as “Blanchard’s” or the newly opened “Purrfect Bean.” But they all seem to come with a price.
That price might be buying a drink so you can sit at an outdoor table without being asked to leave. In other cases, the cost is your comfort.
You can hang out at the park or shopping mall, but do not expect any accommodations beyond the bare minimum. Do not get me started on creating social spaces outside the city of Richmond proper. I cannot count the number of times I have tried to hang out with my friends in these places and been told to leave.
This hostility can even affect people psychologically, making them feel less comfortable gathering in public spaces out of fear of being unwelcome or considered “in the way.”
The broadest solution is for the city to build more public areas, but that can take months or even years. VCU makes their feelings on this matter quite clear when they opt to remove the seating in Monroe Park to prohibit unhoused people from having places to sit or rest, and the broader city is not much better. Regardless, there are many ways to
create welcoming spaces within your community. You do not need to invite strangers into your home or dorm, of course. But if you are fortunate enough to have a front porch or access to any outside space, use it. Set up some cheap chairs and hang out. Going out by yourself can be intimidating, so consider bringing friends and encouraging others to join you.
Meet up with your dormmates, plan a picnic in the park or a party on your block. Become that annoying next-door neighbor who will not stop coming over with cookies as an excuse to hang out.
The point is, you have to talk to other people. Simply discussing the lack of social spaces can engage communities. Public officials and leaders cannot ignore us if we speak up. The more demand there is for a public necessity, the more likely change is to be enacted.
So engage with other people. Find activist groups within Richmond — not just within VCU. Take advantage of the fact that you live in a city with many amazing community resources.
Social spaces do still exist, you just might have to make them yourself.
Illustration by Ivy Saunders.
Illustration by Ro Horner.
POSITIVELY CHARGED
By Michael Torch & Andrea Carla Michaels
Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle
73 Farm machine
74 Put up, in poker
75 Past the point of no return
8 Boxers Muhammad and Laila
58 Likely will, with “is”
Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol
POSITIVELY CHARGED
80 “Hasta la vista”
9 Storage unit, for short 10 Settle in advance 11 Overdramatic
By Michael Torch & Andrea Carla Michaels
29 Carpenter’s
30 Vellani of “The Marvels” 31 Riches of the Vatican? 34 Spheres of influence 38 Courses 39 New Year’s
first lady Gorbacheva 41 Letter-shaped construction piece 43 Combed 48 Blessing over
81 Drink to forgive and forget?
Edited by Patti Varol
83 Retired professor’s designation
73 Farm machine
12 Mermaid who sings “I wanna be where the people are”
8 Boxers Muhammad and Laila
59 “Said I Loved You But I Lied” singer Michael 60 “The Very Busy Spider” writer/ illustrator 61 Letter-shaped construction piece
58 Likely will, with “is”
Edited by Patti Varol
59 Postpone
64 Strong affection for school auditoriums?
67 River Achilles was dipped into
68 Rubs the wrong way
70 Buck passers?
71 Lena of “Chocolat”
74 Put up, in poker
85 Gorilla expert Fossey
75 Past the point of no return
86 Sitcom actress Georgia
80 “Hasta la vista”
87 __-eyed
88 Oxford heads?
90 Isn’t colorfast
81 Drink to forgive and forget?
13 Philosophy often translated as “way” 14 Thesaurus entry: Abbr.
15 Business bigwig
9 Storage unit, for short 10 Settle in advance 11 Overdramatic
16 Eel in nigiri
62 Seeing red
63 Origami medium 65 PC connections
66 Ancient Greek region
69 Lampoons
91 Army of Istanbul?
83 Retired professor’s designation
85 Gorilla expert Fossey
97 Avianca airlines destination
99 Swings around 100 Not fake
17 Old-fashioned copier, briefly 18 Back in the navy? 24 Ready for making emends?
12 Mermaid who sings “I wanna be where the people are” 13 Philosophy often translated as “way”
72 Storyteller 74 V-up muscles
75 “No kidding?”
59 “Said I Loved You But I Lied” singer Michael 60 “The Very Busy Spider” writer/ illustrator 61 Letter-shaped construction piece
62 Seeing red
63 Origami medium
65 PC connections
25 Drains, as strength
14 Thesaurus entry: Abbr.
101 “We’re doomed!”
86 Sitcom actress Georgia 87 __-eyed
106 Last Stuart queen
88 Oxford heads?
107 Lamaze class lectures?
29 With ears pricked up
15 Business bigwig
31 __-mutuel
16 Eel in nigiri
32 “How’ve ya __?”
110 Amtrak track
90 Isn’t colorfast 91 Army of Istanbul?
33 The Cavaliers of the NCAA
17 Old-fashioned copier, briefly
97 Avianca airlines destination
111 The Jonas Brothers, e.g.
18 Back in the navy?
34 City near Utah Lake 35 Indignation
24 Ready for making emends?
76 Kaput 77 Jigsaw puzzle starting point, often 78 Squeezed (out) 79 Chums
66 Ancient Greek region
69 Lampoons
72 Storyteller 74 V-up muscles
75 “No kidding?”
99 Swings around
112 Appeared ominously
100 Not fake
113 Cry for worms
101 “We’re doomed!”
114 D.C. group
36 City NNW of H-Town
37 Actress Rae
38 Fistfuls of dollars
25 Drains, as strength 29 With ears pricked up
81 “Clan of the Cave Bear” author 82 Japanese noodle 84 Cracker Jack bonus 88 “That’s not true!” 89 “C’est magnifique!” 90 Hunters’ hideaways 91 Winter Palace rulers 92 Arm bones
76 Kaput 77 Jigsaw puzzle starting point, often 78 Squeezed (out) 79 Chums
115 “That remains to be __”
106 Last Stuart queen 107 Lamaze class lectures?
116 Convent superior
31 __-mutuel
41 Accounts on the ’gram
32 “How’ve ya __?”
117 Rolls out the green carpet?
DOWN
110 Amtrak track 111 The Jonas Brothers, e.g. 112 Appeared ominously 113 Cry for worms
1 “Arrested Development” star Michael 2 Tournament type
3 Spam, lamb, or ham
114 D.C. group 115 “That remains to be __”
116 Convent superior 117 Rolls out the green carpet?
4 Cab prefix 5 Old PC drive inserts
6 Jai alai basket
DOWN
7 Weighed down
1 “Arrested Development” star Michael
2 Tournament type
3 Spam, lamb, or ham
4 Cab prefix
5 Old PC drive inserts
6 Jai alai basket
7 Weighed down
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, visit sudoku.org.uk
42 Palm with chewable nuts 43 “I need a rescue” letters 44 Gabs 45 “I’ve with you!”
33 The Cavaliers of the NCAA
93 Quarrel 94 Collapses, with “over” 95 Muppet who is fond of bubble baths
34 City near Utah Lake 35 Indignation
36 City NNW of H-Town
46 Archrival
37 Actress Rae 38 Fistfuls of dollars
47 Neuter
49 “Take your pick”
41 Accounts on the ’gram
50 Sweet popcorn coating
51 Ringlet, maybe
42 Palm with chewable nuts
52 Nest egg funds, for short
43 “I need a rescue” letters
56 Toe woe
44 Gabs 45 “I’ve with you!”
46 Archrival
47 Neuter
49 “Take your pick”
50 Sweet popcorn coating
96 Climb aboard 97 Atmosphere 98 Burn-soothing plants
81 “Clan of the Cave Bear” author 82 Japanese noodle 84 Cracker Jack bonus 88 “That’s not true!” 89 “C’est magnifique!” 90 Hunters’ hideaways 91 Winter Palace rulers 92 Arm bones
101 From __: one step 102 Places for napkins
103 Plant-based spread
104 Quick itinerary? 105 Baking soda amts.
107 Short change? 108 Resource in Minecraft or Catan 109 Male swan
93 Quarrel 94 Collapses, with “over” 95 Muppet who is fond of bubble baths
96 Climb aboard 97 Atmosphere 98 Burn-soothing plants 101 From __: one step 102 Places for napkins 103 Plant-based spread
104 Quick itinerary? 105 Baking soda amts.
51 Ringlet, maybe 52 Nest egg funds, for short
56 Toe woe
Sudoku
By The Mepham Group
Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle
107 Short change? 108 Resource in Minecraft or Catan 109 Male swan
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, visit sudoku.org.uk ©
Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle