The Commonwealth Times; January 29, 2018

BEST SMALL, NON-DAILY —2017 Virginia Press Association The independent press of Virginia Commonwealth University

NEWS Professorship• 3

January 29, 2018• Vol. 59, No. 2

NEWS Student protests • 3 SPORTS Raphael Andrade Santos• 7

SPORTS Sanders signs • 6

SPECTRUM Islam Awareness Week • 8 SPECTRUM KI show• 7

OPINIONS Lectures• 9 PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

MAD MONEY Obtained records reveal how a VCU department mismanaged its multi-million dollar fund Auxiliary Fund Balance Fiscal Year 2017

Beginning fund balance (July 1, 2016) $5,751,879 Revenues $18,565,079 Expenses ($10,749,852) Capital projects and debt service ($7,685,979) Ending fund balance (June 30, 2017) $5,881,127 Actual Change in fund balance $ 129,248 Budgeted change in fund balance $ 4,135,993 Information courtesy of Parking and Transportation final report

DAKOTA RUST Contributing Writer

ILL US TR AT

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AI -P HU ON

After a review, VCU’s board of visitors concluded the Parking and Transportation department is not financially self-sufficient and fell some $4 million short of its anticipated margin, according to documents made public via a Freedom of Information Act request.

Audit and Compliance Services began a review of the department in April of last year, to determine if their budgeting process was effective. The final report determined P&T did not have “effective fiscal management processes for its operations.”

“Assurance services comes around and conducts audits to ensure things are being done properly to ensure that state resources are being used appropriately and wisely,” said VCU Police Chief

G BU I

John Venuti. “Audits are good things here at VCU.” P&T’s auxiliary fund balance for the 2017 fiscal year indicated it brought in more than $18 million that year. Approximately $10 million of those funds covered expenses, while about $7 million went to capital projects and debt service.

The department started the 2017 fiscal year with $5.75 million and ended with $5.88 million –resulting in a $129,248 difference.

Short of the more than $4 million margins P&T originally expected.

P&T Director Clayton Harrington said while the audit shows a difference in expected profit and what the department actually made, it does not signify that money went missing. continued on page 3

SARAROSE MARTIN News Editor

Pres. Michael Rao reiterated VCU’s commitment to diversity and research, and the university’s future in his annual State of the University Address Thursday.

Rao focused on the university’s responsibility to serve the public good. VCU has an annual economic impact of $6 billion, greater than any university in the state, he said, and the university supports more than $275 million in research and creative activity.

In a few months, VCU will launch Quest 2025: Together We Transform, building on the university’s current strategic plan.

Rao cited the strategic plan’s achievements, including a higher graduation rate than ever before. Rao said the university now grants 50 percent more degrees than when Quest was introduced in 2011. VCU has also been recognized nationally for graduat-

ing underrepresented minorities in more than 135 academic programs.

Rao said Black and Latinx students at VCU, especially women, graduate at higher rates than the overall population. Thus, the university has reached parity in the graduation rates among students of all races. “VCU and our public peers have long catalyzed the nation’s technological innovations, democratic vitality, and the promise of opportunity for each new generation,” Rao said. “Our legacy is America’s Dream.”

Rao reiterated the university’s commitment to serving a public good following a decline in graduate’s positive feelings towards their investment in higher education.

Nearly every state has cut funding for their public universities by more than a quarter in the last decade, on average, Rao said. The national cost of tuition rose faster than three times faster inflation. continued on page 3

PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

VCU President vows to foster social impact in annual address

Men’s basketball defeated SLU 75-74 in overtime Tuesday night before downing GMU 84-76 Saturday afternoon.

“You can either pack it in or keep fighting” Rhoades, Rams show resilience ZACH JOACHIM Sports Editor Men’s basketball won a pair of pivotal conference road games last week to improve to 14-8 on the season, 6-3 in A-10 play. The Black and Gold downed Saint Louis

University 75-74 in overtime Tuesday night before handling George Mason University 84-76 Saturday afternoon in Fairfax.

GEORGE George MASON Mason An 84-76 final scoreline does

not represent the dominance displayed by VCU against the Patriots of GMU Saturday. The Black and Gold led by as many as 17 in an affair that only featured two lead changes early in the first half.

“It was a good road win,” Rhoades said. “We let them get

loose a little at the end there, but I thought we did a good job overall of making these guys make some tough plays.” continued on page 4

news

The Commonwealth Times

CRIME LOG Sunday, January 14

Theft From Building 401 N. 12th St. Trespassing 1213 E. Clay St. Trespassing 1200 E. Marshall St. Monday, January 15 Threaten Bodily Harm 401 N. 11th St. All Other Larceny 1213 E. Clay St. Trespassing/All Other Offenses 1250 E. Marshall St. Simple Assault Domestic 1200 E. Marshall St.

Tuesday, January 16 Trespassing 1213 E. Clay St. Simple Assault 401 N. 11th St. Hit and Run 15th St/Franklin St.

Wednesday, January 17 Hit and Run D Deck 515 N. 13th St.

Friday, January 19 Theft From Building 401 N. 12th St. Theft From Building 1250 E. Marshall St. Hit and Run 515 N. 10th St.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALLISON VERJINSKI

Adult Virginians are split on banning anthem protests

Theft From Building 401 N. 11th St. Theft From Building 2924 Brook Road

Saturday, January 20 Simple Assault 1213 E. Clay St.

Sunday, January 21

Theft From Motor Vehicle 615 N. 10th St. All Other Larceny 401 N. 12th St

Monday, January 22

NIA TARIQ Contributing Writer Virginian adults have split feelings on whether to ban national anthem protests in high schools amid a controversy which stemmed from the NFL. When asked in a VCU poll whether they would support rules to restrict protests during the anthem, 50 percent of respondents were opposed, while 45 percent said they would support the bans.

Respondents were split among

partisan lines. Minorities and Democrat participants were more likely than white and Republican participants to oppose a protest ban. People from Northern Virginia and the Tidewater region were also more likely to oppose a ban.

Robyn McDougle, interim director of the Wilder School’s Office of Public Policy Outreach -- who conducted the poll -- said she thought it was likely a poll conducted in a university setting would have shown more opposition to a ban.

Kayla Smith, a sophomore track

athlete and NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member, said she agreed with McDougle; a ban would limit student athletes’ freedom of speech, Smith said.

“I don’t think it would pan out well just because so many college athletes have been [protesting],” Smith said. “I feel like we already have a lot of restrictions as to what we can do and what we can’t, so I don’t think that would be beneficial -- to impose more restrictions.”

For the most part, in her experience Smith said, university coaches support athletes expressing their

opinions on political topics, so long as they are aware of the consequences.

McDougle said she couldn’t anticipate what the results would be in a poll about banning anthem protests at the collegiate level.

“They really are apples and oranges,” McDougle said. “There’s a lot tied into college sports around the country with regards to endorsements, television time and what teams wear what athletic sponsors.”

VCU Athletic Director Ed Mclaughlin shared the depart-

ment’s policy on the issue which stated the university respects and understands students making use of their right to free speech.

“Our job is to prepare them to make choices for themselves,” the statement said. “We encourage our student-athletes to educate themselves on issues of social justice, especially before participating in any action of protest, so they understand potential impact and consequences.”

Theft From Building 1200 E. Marshall St

Tuesday, January 23 Drug Violation 659 N. 8th St. Theft From Building 1250 E. Marshall St. Theft From Building 1213 E. Clay St.

Disappointed by Norment bill, marijuana law reform advocates refocus agenda

Theft From Building 1250 E. Marshall St. Theft From Building 1250 E. Marshall St. Harassment 1250 E. Marshall St.

FADEL ALLASSAN Managing Editor

Harassment N. 11th S

SIONA PETEROUS Staff Writer

Wednesday, January 24 Thursday, January 25 Pickpocket 1200 E. Marshall St. Simple Assault 1213 E. Clay St. Destruction of Property 1220 E. Clay St.

Download the VCU LiveSafe mobile phone app to report crimes anonymously.

To contact the VCU PD: (804) 828-1196.

For an on-campus emergency: (804) 828-1234.

For an off-campus emergency: 911.

Marijuana law reform advocates are refocusing their agenda after Virginia’s Senate majority leader introduced a bill that eliminates jail time for first-offense possession but falls short of decriminalization — a concept he earlier said he would support.

Under the bill by Sen. Thomas Norment Jr., R-James City, firsttime marijuana possession offenders would be fined but also have a chance to have their records expunged. It isn’t the decriminalization bill Norment told The Virginian-Pilot he supported last November. But a spokesperson for the majority leader now says such a bill, which could have made firsttime possession a civil offense, would have little chance of passing the House of Delegates.

“It’s a disappointment to thousands of Virginians and particularly to his constituents, who were looking for him to be the leader on this issue.” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, a marijuana reform advocacy group.

Reform advocates, who gathered at the Virginia 2018 Cannabis Conference in Richmond on Sunday and Monday, said they support the bill despite it not going far enough, but are now focusing their attention on legislation including a measure by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-Henrico, that would expand the use of medical cannabis

in Virginia.

Decriminalization, however, isn’t dead yet in the assembly, and advocates said they support legislation including SB111 by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, and HB 1063 by Del. Steve Heretick, D-Portsmouth. But the bills face an uphill battle in the GOP-controlled legislature. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam has said he favors decriminalizing simple firstpossession charges.

In Virginia, people charged with pot possession as a first offense are typically eligible for a probationary program that gives the chance

for a judge to dismiss the charge.

Norment’s legislation would make that practice law and instead of dismissal, allow expungement.

“We were expecting a bill that was more analogous to decriminalization, but instead what we see is an expungement bill,” Pedini said.

On another front, advocates said they support Dunnavant’s bill, which would allow medical practitioners to issue certifications to allow patients to use cannabis oil.

It has been assigned to the Education and Health Committee and has the backing of the legislature’s Joint Commission on Health Care.

“Those health care decisions should be made by a licensed practitioner, not senators and delegates in Richmond,” Pedini said.

Last year, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed into law a bill that allows pharmacies to make and sell cannabis oils for treating intractable epilepsy. Dunnavant’s bill allows health care professionals to determine which illnesses can be treated.

Advocates at the conference – which was organized by the advocacy groups Virginia NORML, Cannabis Commonwealth and Virginia Cannabis Group – are also

making phone calls and lobbying against a bill that would allow law enforcement officers to strip search people at traffic stops if there is reasonable cause to believe they may possess controlled substances.

The law is intended to battle opioid and fentanyl possession, Pedini said, but could trap those who legally use marijuana to treat epilepsy.

“What we don’t want to see is a mother and her child driving home to be stopped and strip searched,” Pedini said.

CT FILE PHOTO

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A Virginia legislator introduced a bill to eliminate jail time for first time marijuana possession offenders.

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, Januaray 29, 2018

PHOTO BY MICHEL MAULDING

Audit shows money was not properly managed in Parking & Transportation Department

Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg gifted the School of Education $1.2 million in the largest single donation in the school’s history. The money will create a professorship focused on teaching practices in classrooms.

School of Education gets a million-dollar gift

ZOBIA NAYYAR Contributing Writer The School of Education got a $1.2 million grant to create a new faculty position focused on the effects of teaching practices on classrooms.

The Anna Lou Schaberg Professorship of Practice in Education is the largest single donation in the school’s history, helping create its first distinguished professorship.

“We want students to be prepared for the classroom from day one,” said Edward Kardos, who oversees fundraising and alumni relation efforts for the School of Education. “The Professor will formulate and build programs to

better prepare students – taking a practical approach.”

School of Education Dean Andrew Daire told University Public Affairs the school was “humbled and thrilled” to get the gift from the donors, Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg.

“This professorship will take theory and put it in action, preparing our teacher candidates to meet the needs of today’s education system,” Daire said. “Our students will transform their classrooms, school and children’s education.”

Lou Schaberg received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Richmond Professional Institute before attending VCU for her master’s degree in education. She

worked with Richmond Public Schools for 29 years and coordinated programs for gifted students from 1977 to 2000.

“My hope is that the professor of practice will prepare teachers not only to manage classrooms and instructional objectives, but to engage students in the learning and thinking process,” Schaberg said to University Public Affairs.

Following her retirement in 2000, Schaberg has served as executive director of The Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg Fund at VNHC, which supports nonprofit organizations and institutions that aid struggling populations. The fund has grown to support various organizations in Richmond.

The Schabergs created the professorship to create better lives for students as they navigate their future.

“I think it is a testament to a strong program that is 50 plus years in the making, but more importantly, an acknowledgment of the great things we are doing now [and] expected to do in the future,” Kardos said. “...

Before scientists can find cures and before the greatest leaders emerge, they must have the opportunity of a solid education.”

continued from page 1 There was an apparent disconnect between P&T and the administration division that oversees the department.”

Meredith Weiss, VCU’s vice president of administration, said in an email she learned of the issues brought up by the audit when she first saw it last August.

William Cole, executive director of audit and compliance services, said vice presidents review audit reports before they are presented to the board and set a time for them to be resolved. Weiss has not set that deadline.

The final report notes Parking & Transportation did not document operational procedures.

Some documents were apparently missing or outdated. The report also indicates the department did not present documents of several financial analyses.

Auditors had “considerable difficulty in obtaining and analyzing financial performance,” according to the report.

Auditors suggested P&T work with a team of fiscal resources from the administration and finance divisions as part of parking

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and transportation’s management action plan.

Weiss said the department brought in a team to work under the University Controller to take care of finances. P&T’s Finance Manager position is vacant.

“Recruitment and hiring of the Finance Manager position will be completed as soon as feasible,” stated the final report. “However, the preference is to have the appropriate fiscal processes in place before an effective hire date.”

In July, P&T released its fourth quarter newsletter listing Scott Jared as the new Senior Finance Manager for the department.

“Our new finance manager, Scott, is digging deep into the VCU financial world and has developed quite a few good resources helping him move towards a comprehensive budget” stated Clayton Harrington in the newsletter.

Scott Jared could not be reached for comment.

continued from page 1 Rao’s reiterated commitment to the university serving a public good follows a decline in graduates positive feelings towards their investment in higher education.

Nearly every state has cut funding for their public universities by about 26 percent in the last decade, on average, Rao said. And the cost of tuition nationally has risen faster than inflation by 3 to 1 since 2006.

However, VCU will challenge this trend, Rao said.

“Our educational experience helps students graduate with more opportunities than they had when they got here,” Rao said. “And the research and creative activity we pursue helps society by solving its most vexing problems.”

Last year, VCU’s School of En-

gineering was awarded a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the creation of the Medicines for All Institute. The institute works to address global health issues including treatments for HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases.

Rao said VCU is also leading efforts to combat the opioid epidemic through research, treatment and education.

In addition, Rao announced the opening of a health and wellness center in Richmond’s East End in the coming years. This will aid to efforts by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs this spring, to add new focus to addressing inequalities in health care, housing and safety in Richmond, Rao said.

PHOTO BY TERSEA BRICKER

Rao emphasizes research, diveristy in fifth annual address

President Michael Rao addressed more than 200 people Thursday as he introduced a new strategic plan for the university.

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sports

Monday, January 29, 2018

The Commonwealth Times

Stat of the Week

Justin Tillman recorded the 808th rebound of his career Saturday, passing Treveon Graham for fifth on VCU’s all time rankings.

PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

BACK IN BUSINESS

Rams show resilience, reel-off third straight win

Sophmore wing Issac Vann is averaging 9.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season.

Senior forward Justin Tillman posted his 11th double-double of the season — 18 points and 11 rebounds — to lead the Black and Gold to victory. Sophomore wing De’Riante Jenkins and senior guard Jonathan Williams joined Tillman in double figures with 15 and 10, respectively.

Senior forward Khris Lane put up his best outing in a VCU uniform. The Longwood transfer posted a whopping 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead all scorers. Lane drove the lane with ease all afternoon, as the 6’7’, 245-lb big man took advantage of GMU’s undersized frontcourt.

“It’s like a ladder,” Lane said.

“I’m getting better and better. The game is 80 percent mental and I’m getting.”

The Patriots began fouling to stop the clock with over a minute left, resulting in the tight final scoreline. The Rams struggled at the line down the stretch, but the ultimate outcome was never in jeopardy.

“It’s a tough league,” Rhoades said. “We had a rough six-day stretch there, but I’m really proud of the way these guys have responded, led by Justin, Johnny and Khris. The neat thing about this time of year is you can either pack it in or keep fighting. There’s no way we’re gonna pack anything in...I like where we’re going.”

through the cracks Tuesday evening in St. Louis, Missouri.

VCU trailed by as many as 13 points with 12:27 remaining in the game. The Black and Gold locked the Billikens down in crunch time, however, as St. Louis was held without a field goal for the final 8:27 of regulation.

After the Billikens sunk 1-2 from the line with a mere six seconds to play, VCU looked to be in dire straights. Then Jenkins came to the Rams’ rescue.

The dynamic sophomore wing raised up from the top of the key after a savvy pump fake from the right wing to make space for himSAINT LOUIS Saint Louis self. ‘Derry’ converted the clutch three to knot things up at 61-61 After dropping a multitude of and send the game into overtime. winnable games early on this seaDespite a hotly contested overson, the Rams finally pulled one time period, the Black and Gold out that easily could have fallen were on the front foot from Jenkins’

three through the final seconds of OT. A late three as time expired rendered the final score closer than the Black and Gold’s overtime dominance warranted. VCU took its first lead of the game 23 seconds into overtime on the strength of a Tillman put-back, and never relinquished the lead.

VCU has now rallied from a doubledigit deficit to emerge victorious on four separate occasions this season.

The resilient Rams will try and ride this mid-season momentum surge into a Friday night showdown with the ‘other’ Rams of Rhode Island University.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Stu on ESPN 2. No. 24 Rhody sits atop the A-10 at 17-3 overall, 9-0 in conference, two spots above the resurgent Black and Gold.

PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

continued from page 1

Fifth-year transfer Khris Lane posted 25 points and 12 rebounds against GMU, easily his best game in a VCU uniform.

Men’s tennis wins fifth straight to open season ADAM CHEEK Contributing Writer Men’s tennis added two more wins last week to extend their season-opening win streak to five matches, with victories over the University of Pennsylvania and Dayton University.

PENN Penn Sophomore Javier Amantegui and junior Arvid Noren teamed up to take the opening half of the doubles point from the Quakers, winning 6-4 at No. 2 doubles, while freshmen Inigo Torre Martin and Timo Zgraggen paired up to secure the point.

Noren swept his singles match, but Penn rebounded with wins at No. 4 and No. 1 singles. Amantegui had secured the lead in his singles match, but his opponent was removed from the match due to illness. Zgraggen then clinched the win for VCU, winning in a thirdset tiebreak at No. 5 singles to take the overall match.

PHOTO BY TERESA BRICKER

Dayton DAYTON

Junior Victor Lima made the 2017 All-Atlantic 10 First Team last season. Lime compiled 14 wins in singles matches in 2016-17.

VCU overcame a looming deficit against the Dayton Flyers to earn a dramatic comeback win on Friday.

Dayton opened matching VCU serve for serve, taking tightly-contested doubles points on two different courts. Noren and Amantegui again paired up to take a doubles win on court two, but Vitor Lime and Philip Mobius, both juniors for

the Black and Gold, were unable to overcome a tiebreaker on court one.

Dayton also took straight-set wins at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, extending their advantage over the Rams to 3-0. However, Noren and Mobius won in three sets at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, respectively, and this pulled the Black and Gold to within one point.

Noren dominated his first set and, although he bowed to his Flyer opponent in the second set, rallied to take a tightly contested third-set point. Mobius’s loss in the first set of his singles match only served to heighten his momentum, as he took two-thirds of the last 18 games to add that point to VCU’s overall total.

Zgraggen continued the Black and Gold rally, tying the overall match at No. 5 singles with a dominant sweep against his opponent. Torre Martin’s crucial role in the finale of No. 6 singles proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Flyers, as he won a do-or-die breakpoint on deuce for a 4-3 second set advantage.

Torre Martin then became the hero as he clinched VCU’s match win, with the Black and Gold rallying from 3-0 to win 4-3 for the overall match.

Men’s tennis’ match against the University of Richmond Wednesday has been postponed. The Black and Gold will return to action Saturday at home against East Tennessee State University at 10 a.m.

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Monday, January 29, 2018

5

PRESS BOX

Playing for the money, money, money guaranteed.

With incentives, Blount could have earned up to $2.8 million in 2017.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went from a three-year, $7.4 million contract with the Buffalo Bills in 2009, to one-year fully guaranteed $12 million contract with the New York Jets in 2016. After his contract was voided in 2017, Fitzpatrick signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year, $3 million contract.

These are only three examples out of countless deals where players have picked money over the team. Granted, there are a million different variables that can go into account when signing with a team, but you can’t deny that how much you get offered is a big incentive to sign on the dotted line.

This trend happens in every sport though — it is just in human nature to want to get the most out of where you end up. I guess my question is will there ever be enough?

Players can get drafted and sign

IO N B Y EL L IE K IM

ZACH JOACHIM Sports Editor Women’s basketball fell to 4-16 overall (1-7 A-10) last week following a pair of heartbreaking conference losses. The Black and Gold lost at the Explorers of La Salle University 62-57 Thursday evening before falling at home to the University of Richmond in overtime, 77-68, Sunday afternoon.

Atlantic 10 this past season. Some virtuoso performances at the heart of VCU’s midfield earned him Atlantic 10 honors each year.

He was on the Atlantic 10 AllRookie Team in 2014, Second Team in 2015 and First Team in 2016. He was on the NSCAA AllRegion Third Team in 2016.

Santos follows a series of players to have joined the big league in recent years. Dakota Barnathan and Dennis Castillo were selected in 2017 by Sporting Kansas City and the Colorado Rapids respectively. Kharlton Belmar joined the Portland Timbers in 2015. Jason Johnson and Juan Arbelaez joined Houston Dynamo and Montreal Impact in 2013.

RICHMOND Richmond VCU led by as many as 14 in the third quarter, but a dominant stretch run and overtime period for UofR dictated the final outcome Sunday at the Stu. Nineteen points off turnovers fueled the late Spiders’ onslaught.

Senior guard Micaela Parson led all scorers on the afternoon with 23 points in a game-high 43 minutes played.

VCU freshman guard Tera Reed finished just behind Parson with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals.

LA La SALLE Salle A 12-0 La Salle run late in the

PHOTO BY SHAYLA BAILEY

After an illustrious collegiate career, VCU’s soccer star, midfielder Rafael Andrade Santos, is turning the page on his time with the Rams and making the trek up I-95 to play for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.

The Brazilian was selected by the club in the 4th round of the MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 21. He joins a list of players who serve as a testament to VCU’s ability to produce high-level talent in soccer.

“I’m excited for Rafa as he begins his journey at the next level,” said men’s head coach Dave Giffard in an interview with the athletic department’s webpage.

T R AT

Rafael Andrade Santos “D.C. United is in an exciting time as a club as they open a new stadium this year and at the moment, they have some international roster space available so it’s an opportunity to go into preseason and fight for a job.”

The Rio De Janeiro man was prolific in front of goal for a midfielder, scoring 20 goals and registering 9 assists in 55 games. He saved the best for last during his senior year, in which he scored 12 of those goals and tallied five assists — enough to be recognized as the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year.

Santos racked up myriad accolades during his three years with the Rams. He was in the USC AllRegion Team and First Team All-

on to a team and get paid millions.

Years later, they get an offer from another team and then start this hopping around process of going through each team until they end up on the one that pays less because the team that paid more released them in a weeks notice.

How can the fans at home compete with that? How can the fans stay loyal to the player when all the player is concerned with is money?

Eventually the players who build a solid fan base leave that team in the dust and the fans are left to see the broken pieces of the team play out and wonder why have times changed so much.

Of course the paycheck was always a bonus but there was more heart into why you got that paycheck.

Now you can look at a roster from last season to the next and see who replaced who and who left for where and you can see the holes and gaps left behind. Times have changed, and so has the game.

Women’s basketball can’t catch a break

RAM IN ACTION:

FADEL ALLASSAN Managing Editor

IL L U S

them in the dust when the check book starts waving in the distance, waiting for you to sign your name Over the last couple years, I below the zeros and commas. have started to pick up on the patWide receiver Jeremy Maclin tern of athletes playing for the team was picked up by the Philadelphia that pays them the most money. It’s Eagles in the first round of the no longer about being on the team NFL draft with the 19th overyour parents watched for years, or all pick in 2009. Maclin signed a playing for the team that represents five-year, $15.5 million deal with your hometown. At the end of the $9.5 million already guaranteed. day, it’s about which team can give In 2014, it was announced Maclin you the bigger paycheck. would sign a one-year deal worth While NFL agents are making $6 million to keep him on the bank because their athlete went Eagles roster throughout the 2014 with the bigger payload, retailers season. The money wasn’t enough are also benefiting from these deci- though since Maclin signed a fivesions. More jerseys are sold for an year, $55 million contract with the individual athlete if they switch Kansas City Chiefs in 2015. Eventeams because fans remain loyal to tually an injury caused the Chiefs that player. Their first jerseys will to release Maclin in 2016. He then become vintage memorabilia as you signed with the Baltimore Ravens follow the trail of the player’s career. for a two-year, $11 million contract But whatever happened to stay- in 2017. ing loyal to the team? To staying a Running back LeGarrette left loyal player who played for the team the 2017 Super Bowl champion that wanted you in the first place? New England Patriots for the EaWho saw your greatness from the gles after signing one-year, $1.25 beginning? And then you leave million contract with $400,000 JESSICA WETZLER Staff Writer

Sophomore guard Jailyn Maddox has compiled 238 points in her VCU career. third quarter was the deciding factor in an otherwise back and forth affair Thursday in Philly.

The Rams dominated the glass in the city of brotherly love, compiling a whopping 54 boards. Reed led the Rams in scoring with 17 points to go along with six rebounds.

La Salle junior guard Amy Griffin was the star of the evening, posting 26 points to lead all scorers.

Women’s basketball will try and right the ship when they return to action Wednesday at the Stu versus St. Joseph’s University. Tip is set for 6 p.m.

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Andrade-Santos scored 12 goals and dished out 5 assists last season.

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The Commonwealth Times

PHOTO COURTESY OF VCU ATHLETICS

Track and field: Widener Multi Meet, Liberty Kickoff

Senior Kareem Payne placed second in the 60-meter dash at the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship with a time of 6.85 seconds. four in the final standings. A few veterans — juniors LeClare Beres and Sakia Konin — finished first Friday and second in the pentathlon, reFRIDAY spectively.

On Friday, Jan. 26 both the Beres had a point total of 2,894 women’s and men’s track and field while Konin was right behind her teams traveled north for the Wid- with 2,748. Freshman Courtney ener Multi and Weight Meet in Higgins placed fourth giving VCU Chester, Pennsylvania. a standout performance in the penBoth teams were very successful tathlon. Higgins point total for the in their appearances on the track pentathlon was 2,326.

Friday. In the women’s pentathlon Those same three runners in VCU had three members place top Beres, Konin and Higgins finished NILE MCNAIR Contributing Writer

first, second and third in the standings in the pentathlon 55 hurdles.

Beres was first with a time of 8.95 seconds. A VCU women’s runner finished first in all events at this meet.

The men’s track and field team was just as dominant as their women counterparts, securing two of the top three spots in the Heptathlon final standings.

Freshman Jonathan Mukeni placed first with a point total of 3,851. Mukeni also finished atop

the leaderboard in the 1,000 meters, which was a photo finish.

His final time of 3:05.56 was less than a second more than his opponent from Haverford, Cameron Albrecht, who finished second with a time of 3:05.72.

For the men’s 60 meter dash senior Kareem Payne placed seventh with a time of 6.88 seconds.

Payne’s teammate senior Marcus Finnie finished 14th, coming in at 6.95 seconds. Finnie’s 14th place finish gave VCU two runners in the top 15 for the 60 meter dash.

Saturday The men had one top five finish SATURDAY all day on Saturday — sophomore Both the men and women of the Chukwuezugo Aguolo, who ran in VCU track team were back in ac- the 500 meter dash. He placed fifth tion on Saturday in Lynchburg to with a time of 1:05.33. compete in the Liberty Kickoff.

The women had an amazing per-

formance in the triple jump competition, with three competitors finishing within the top 10. Taylor McCormick finished third, Aliyah Newman in fourth and lastly Metasebia Ermias finished tenth.

Both teams will be back in action next Friday in the Boston University Invitational.

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Monday, January 29, 2017

7

On this day

The Coca-Cola Company was incorporated on Jan. 29, 1892.

SIONA PETEROUS Staff Writer On the evening of Jan. 24, the Lamplighter Coffee Roasters Roast Lab — tucked away on Summit Ave. in the increasingly popular Scott’s Addition district — became a fundraising space for seniors in VCUarts Kinetic Imaging (KI) Department.

For these seniors, underemployment during post-graduate life is often a reality. This is especially true if a student graduates with a bachelor’s degree in a nonSTEM major.

According to the 2016 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, people who graduate with a STEM degree can expect upwards of $60,000 in their immediate post-grad jobs. Liberal arts majors can anticipate upwards of $40,000 and students who graduate with a Bachelors of Fine Arts have a wide median of expected salaries.

Art educators can start off upward of $50,000, while the reliance on the fluctuation of the gig-economy and freelance work means many former art students’ annual salaries can start as low as $30,000 but go beyond the $60,000 mark seen among STEM and business majors.

According to several KI students, fundraising is unofficially required by the 2018 graduating cohort due

to lack of funds given by VCU to ensure students have a space to present their senior thesis shows.

“This was organized by a group of upcoming 2018 Kinetic imaging graduates who want to take control of the our senior thesis,” said Foster Santiago, a senior in the KI program, “It is also organized by an artist collective of the senior students, H.264 collective, because we want to make it good, engaging and we really want to show that our department is something worth investing in.”

Santiago said he and the other students he worked with feel that creating a senior thesis that engages with the public is important in combating the lack of funding faced by many art departments.

“It isn’t just an issue with the lack of funding we get, but also is an issue with the fact the art adjuncts just don’t get enough credit or money for all the work that they do,” Santiago said. “The amount of stuff that is needed to buy, the amount of cultural influence the arts has, it doesn’t get enough credit.”

The fundraiser featured prints from VCUarts students, Payton Baril, Kelly Boyer, Devin Brook, Rebecca Ewing, Drea George, Amber Hook, Emma Jones, Marin Leong and Jackie Lu. In addition to prints being sold, there were sound performances Sam Mullany and Erik Rodriquez.

“The KI department is the only department that doesn’t have a set space for us to present work,” said Krysta Meredith, a junior in the .KI department. “I’m here just for support [of the current seniors] but it already has me thinking about how my class has to start planning and fundraising for our thesis show next year.”

The 2018 KI class started to plan their fundraisers in April last year and senior thesis show is tentatively set for mid-April this year.

They already held two fundraisers and the final one might be on Valentine’s Day. Payton Bario is a senior set to graduate from the program in May of 2018. They said the possibility of not being able to graduate because of a lack of funding occasionally crosses their mind and many art students learn to fundraise because of the expectation of a low salary.

“From my understanding the department that receives the most funding is the sculpture department” Bario said. “I love sculpture but it’s also so very fine art, it just isn’t just as accessible as KI that focuses on technology and the arts and I think it’s sad that the department doesn’t get as much funding because it is so relatable.”

Bario hopes to become an art curator after graduating.

Many undergraduate students struggle with understanding what

PHOTO BY MICHEL MAULDING

Kinetic Imaging seniors sell work to fund senior show

VCU Kinetic Imaging students sold prints as part of a series of fundraisers. their income will look like once they cross the stage. In fact, this uncertainty has shaped the image of the “millennial” in popular culture.

However, while most students have come to terms with the disparities in post-grad income projections, there are not many VCU students, besides those in the KI department, who worry about raising additional

funds to present their senior capstones.

Kenya Williams, a criminal justice major with a double minor in political science and homeland security and emergency preparedness, attended the fundraiser and felt it was disturbing to hear a basic requirement of a student’s graduation was not included in their tu-

ition.

“We have the top arts school in the nation, they already pay a lot,” Williams said. “It should just be part of their routine that they pay over the course of four years to cover a senior show and it’s a requirement that with my major I just never have to worry about.”

SAM’S TAKE

“Maze Runner: The Death Cure” is too late to the party SAMUEL GOODRICH Staff Writer

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The first “Maze Runner” film, released in 2014, was an adaptation of a young adult novel published in 2009. In the time since the book and movie have been released, the “Harry Potter” franchise ended, beginning a new spin-off series.

“The Hunger Games” kicked off another wave of book adaptations, which ultimately killed the young adult adaptation rush in 2015.

I bring this up because “Maze Runner: The Death Cure” feels cliched and dated, even by young adult novel adaptation standards. It feels more at home in 2012-2014, when this craze was reaching its peak. While I admit I have not read the books or seen the previous films, and my knowledge of the story is surface-level, I find it hard to believe that audiences can find any excitement or originality in this finale.

Taking place soon after the pre-

vious film, “The Death Cure” finds Thomas and friends trying to infiltrate the Last City and safe haven in this post-apocalyptic world run by the corporation WCKD. While their mission is to save their kidnapped friend, Minho, there seems to be more going on behind the city walls as WCKD tries to find a cure for the disease wiping out humanity.

While watching “The Death Cure,” I felt I had seen this all before. The setting and action scenes feel heavily inspired by the recent “Mad Max” film and the story and characters feel like less developed versions of the cast from the “Hunger Games” franchise.

This feeling of familiarity is the film’s largest problem, as it makes the entire endeavor unnecessary.

Audiences have most likely seen every set piece and heard every line in better movies, making the nearly two-and-a-half hour running time a slog to get through. Instead of taking “Hunger Games meets Mad Max” and running with that prem-

ise, the film simply takes the basic elements of those series and rehashes them verbatim.

This isn’t to say “The Death Cure” is a slow moving film, quite the opposite in fact. There are few moments of downtime, with the final hour consisting of non-stop action scenes and explosive reveals.

This is also an issue, as we never see these characters change over the course of the film.

While all of the development may have happened in the previous film, it’s still weird to see a whole cast of characters who remain the same despite the supposedly earth-shattering events happening around them.

In order to make up for the lack of development, the filmmakers try to have as many “cool” moments as possible, which are honestly laughable at times. There are too many convenient and inconsistent plans or character motivations to keep things coherent, making the final revelations and confrontations re-

semble the director shrugging at the audience.

Overall, that sensation of redundancy is the general feeling I get from this film. The actors and filmmaking are passable. The dialogue is so cliched I could predict most of the script and the plot developments are far from shocking.

Everyone seems to have shown up just to get a final paycheck, as if it were an obligation in their contract and not a story or series they felt invested in.

This negatively affects everything “The Death Cure” tries to do in an interesting way. Certain elements of the story and characters have unique elements, but since everyone seems to want to get the hell off the set, nothing is ever done to explore these aspects and make a better movie.

Overall, “Maze Runner: The Death Cure” is a confused, if predictable, film that never aims for higher aspirations, nor reaches its own low goals of satisfyingly end-

PHOTO BY JACOB MEDLEY

Art Works opens photography exhibits alongside dance performances

In addition to temporary featured exhibits, Art Works has permanent gallery and studio spaces for artists to rent.

GEORGIA GEEN Spectrum Editor Seven exhibits — four of which consist of photography — opened at Art Works Jan. 26 during an event that included performances by RVA Dance collective, a group that’s part of Dogtown Dance Theatre.

Photographer Elisabeth FlynnChapman’s exhibit is in the expansive Jane Sandelin Gallery. “Lost in Composition” consists of architecturally focused images inspired by Flynn-Chapman’s responses to ev-

eryday sights. She’s traveled across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and China — a fact reflected by the content of her work.

Works from a juried exhibition, “Simply Photography,” were also shown. The exhibit had 68 pieces from an original 175 submissions.

“It’s a really nice cultural night,” Art Works owner Glenda Kotchish said of the opening event.

Photographer Doug Turner has a permanent gallery at Art Works, in addition to a temporary space featuring his series, “Covered Bridges Re-

visited.” While some of the images in the temporary exhibit featured bridges in eastern parts of the U.S., most of Turner’s work depicts western landscapes.

“That’s where the parks are, that’s where the natural beauty of the country still is and hasn’t been plowed under into condos,” Turner said.

One of Turner’s photographs is decorated with a small ribbon, denoting it as a crowd favorite from a previous Art Works event. Entitled, “Waiting Master’s Return,” Turner was trying to take a photo of the sun-

set when the view shifted.

“This navaho dog comes and pops down in front of me, I immediately reorient my shot and took those,” Turner said.

Art Works, a center offering gallery and studio spaces for artists to rent, is in its 10th year of collaboration with Dogtown Dance Theatre. The annual performances run monthly in January, February and March. At the Jan. 26 event, exhibit attendees cleared space for two performances, a solo entitled “Fractured Light” and a group piece,

“Trilogy of Womanhood.”

“It adds an interactive [element] and another performing art to our art center, so we’re not just visual art,”Kotchish said.

Dogtown Dance Theatre Artistic and Executive Director Jess Burgess choreographed “Fractured Light,” a work inspired by her back problems caused by a car accident and subsequent herniated disk. The choreography centered around contrasting slow and fast movements, in addition to the dancer clutching spots on her back.

“I really was looking to try to find a way to articulate what the spine means from a physical level and kind of metaphysical level,” Burgess said.

The second performance, “Trilogy of Womanhood,” featured distinct changes in costume, style and music, accompanied by the dancers’ dramatic facial expressions.

Art Works is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Mondays and the new exhibitions will be on display until Feb. 17.

8

spectrum

The Commonwealth Times

Secretly Y’all presents stories of misadventure Speakers recall brushes with law and rebel phases

Live storytelling group Secretly Y’all presented “Adventures in Mischief ” Jan. 23 at the Hofheimer Building, where six storytellers recalled their experiences of getting into trouble to an audience that filled the large venue.

Proceeds from the $5 door charge were donated to the Milk & Cookies Children’s Program, offered by Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI), which provides support services to children impacted by family incarceration. The proceeds will go toward curriculum supplies and other needs — such as food, rent and utilities — required by the families involved.

Some of the speakers recalled legal consequences that came about as a result of their actions, while others were able to avoid severe punishment. AFOI Executive Director Fran Bolin remarked jokingly at the event some of the storytellers might be in need of her organization’s services.

“I found it an ironic twist on the evening, it’s fun to come in and have these laughs and kind of think about that,” Bolin said.

“It really shows that [incarceration] is not an issue that’s limited, that it can affect anybody at any time and that we need to be empathetic.”

Richmond poet Lydia Armstrong’s story began with her exploration of religion at age 14. Her freshman year conclusions from this study were that God doesn’t exist. As a result, “if God’s authority is a construct, all

authority is a construct.”

What started as skipping school to read the Bible ended with an expulsion from high school after ending up in a middle school with a Bible and a box cutter in her pocket. Armstrong said the box cutter was a result of rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1990s influence.

Toward the end of her time on stage, Armstrong pointed into the crowd, explaining that her mother was present. The audience responded with a mixture of laughter and applause.

“I’m a pretty responsible adult these days,” Armstrong said. “I don’t really break any laws, I’m pretty straight-laced. I definitely feel like my adolescence was tremendous in helping to mold my world viewpoint and how I frame things and how I think about the world.”

Kathleen Brady, a Secretly Y’all organizer, said the program’s popularity has risen thanks to word-of-mouth since the first show in 2009. She dates this time period as before the rise in popularity of podcasts. As a result, many people weren’t struck by the idea of live storytelling.

Brady said Secretly Y’all continues to operate as the incarnation of a nonprofit, meaning all of the proceeds go directly to a charity and organizers don’t make any money. Oftentimes, the charities selected are not well-known, Brady said.

“One of the awesome things that ends up happening is people will end up going and volunteering with that charity or heading up another event with that charity,” Brady said, “It’s not just about

the money that we raise that night, but also about creating that connection between people.”

Author and Secretly Y’all storyteller Erin Mahone said she was “basically born an old person,” but at 16, she tried out a rebel personality. The phase ended when, “in a moment of bravery,” she sat on the hood of a friend’s car, who proceeded to “take off.”

“I hope you’re all done eating,” Mahone said to the audience as she described her injuries from the ordeal. “I realized I am much better at making jokes than being a rebel.”

While Secretly Y’all does employ a small stage and sound system, the environment of the event isn’t that of a traditional show.

These stories aren’t performances, Brady said.

“There’s a big separation between what is happening in the audience [in traditional theater],” Brady said. “With our event, we’ve always tried to make it — yes, of course we want everyone to have a microphone so everyone can hear them — but a lot of that story being is also them interacting with the audience.”

RVA Magazine Editor David Streever told the Secretly Y’all audience of his experience stealing a “larger-than-life” cutout of David Hasselhoff with friends. The group succeeded in taking the cutout, but didn’t get much further.

Streever recalls confessing shortly after he was asked by police, “Sir, where is he, where is David?” He thinks he started crying.

ILLUSTRATION BY YEWEI WANG

GEORGIA GEEN Spectrum Editor

Weekend program educates locals on vegan cooking

PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

MADELINE WHEELER Contributing Writer

Miller’s cooking demonstration was part of a weekend-long program promoting vegan food.

Seasoned personal chef, entrepreneur and author Keva Miller gave a vegan cooking demonstration at Champion Brewing Jan. 27.

The demo was part of Richmond’s first 72 Hour Plant-Powered Weekend, presented by Richmond Vegan Action and advertised as a “vegan restaurant challenge.”

A number of Richmond restaurants, like Boulevard Burger & Brew and Postbellum, offered vegan options throughout the weekend as part of the event. Some venues donated a portion of their profit to the Central Virginia Food Bank.

Miller moved from Atlanta to Richmond to find herself and pursue a corporate career after leaving her culinary dreams in Georgia. After achieving everything she wanted as a child in the corporate world, she felt empty because she realized she had abandoned her passion.

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“From birth, we learn to figure out who we are through everything but ourselves…we listen to family, school, media,” Miller wrote on her website. “We learn very early on to become obedient to everything but us (because who are we to think that alone is good enough?)”

Following a self-proclaimed quarterlife crisis, Miller decided to return to her true passion: cooking. She started the company Feedshine, its website describes itself as Richmond’s “premiere spiritually based personal chef and lifestyle company designed to help streamline and simplify self-actualization via holistic living.”

Some of Feedshine’s services include in-home meal prep, private chef services, direct access to holistic specialists and instructors around the world, and a blog on natural foods, products, mindfulness and other self-care.

“Feedshine is the result of my own journey towards healing me. I

wanted to make self-actualization more approachable,” Miller said.

During the demo, Miller wowed the crowd with her smile and powerful words. The message was clear when it came to watching her cook: Miller has a fresh, hard-to-find passion for her career. As Miller tossed multi-colored vegetables in a skillet full of oil, she shared a story of reaching her childhood dream of corporate stardom only to realize she had lost what she truly loved: inspiring people through food.

Miller has more plans for the Richmond vegan scene. On March 6, Feedshine will host “Sprout: The Inaugural Private Plant Tasting at The Broken Tulip” in Carytown, a new restaurant created for diners to appreciate the experience of multi-course tasting meals. Featuring seven plant-based courses, the event has been described by Miller as “a transformative journey of the senses.”

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Monday, January 29, 2017

opinions

9

Quote of the week “By applying various learning techniques throughout the lesson, professors are much more likely to keep students intrigued.” — Rachel Terrell

Virginians deserve free college tuition JIMMY O’KEEFE Contributing Writer On Nov. 7, 2017, Virginia progressives let out a sigh of relief: Democrat Ralph Northam defeated Republican Ed Gillespie in the race for governor. Unenthused by Northam’s centrist policy positions, many progressives begrudgingly voted for Northam in order to keep a Republican out of the Governor’s Mansion.

If Northam wishes to simultaneously win over the enthusiasm of progressives and put Virginia on a path to a better future, he could do so in part by adopting a far more liberal higher education policy. Specifically, Northam should champion tuition free education for all public students in Virginia colleges.

If Northam wishes to simultaneously win over the enthusiasm of progressives and put Virginia on a path to a better future, he could do so in part by adopting a far more liberal higher education policy.

mand, and Virginians should accept, nothing less than free college education at all two year and Jimmy O’Keefe four year institutions in the state.

Critics, most prominently While campaigning, Northam Republicans and centrist Demoannounced his plan for higher crats, will immediately say this is education would include tuition impossible, citing high costs. But free two year community college, tuition free college is far from imunder the conditions students possible. Public college could be commit to a year of public ser- paid for with the federal governvice after completing their degree. ment and state governments covWhile this is somewhat of a step ering the cost. While this does in the right direction, it doesn’t require a tax increase, it could go far enough. Progressives de- be paid for simply by slightly

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increasing taxes on Wall Street. some of the highest standards Specifically, if there was a small of living in the world. When all increase in capital gains taxes on citizens are able to go to college, Wall Street, free public college everyone is able to learn what tuition could be paid for in no is necessary in order to succeed time. This tax increase will affect economically. Skilled workers a tiny number of people, but the create successful economies, and number of people in the country thus higher standards of living. who would benefit is much higher. Additionally, not having to conThere are several nations, such stantly worry about how college as Finland, Iceland and France, will be paid for creates a healthithat provide their citizens with er mental health environment. free college education. It’s not The state of New York is now a coincidence many of these allowing middle class residents to nations are considered to have attend state colleges for free. This

move allows people who previously struggled to go to college to receive an education that will advance their futures. Additionally, in the conservative state of Tennessee, Republican lawmakers enthusiastically voted for free community college, citing the skilled workforce that will emerge as a result.

Most importantly, Gov. Northam should be in favor of tuition free college because everybody should have the right to an education. A college educa-

tion means acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to living a successful, meaningful life; there is any institutional barrier to everyone being guaranteed that right is an injustice. A state with tuition free college means a more egalitarian state, one in which everyone is equally capable of achieving their dreams. This is a progressive vision for a better Virginia, one that Gov. Northam would be wise to adopt.

Lectures don’t work, let’s leave them in the past

ILLUSTRATION BY ALAN GARDNER

RACHEL TERRELL Contributing Writer Lectures have been used as a form of teaching longer than the white board, the pencil and the legend of King Arthur have existed. It has become one of the most prominent ways of teaching at nearly every university, including VCU. There’s even a painting from 1350 by Laurentius de Voltolin depicting students chattering amongst themselves and falling asleep during a lecture.

Unfortunately, not much has changed since the beginning. Lectures are still notorious for being dreary, dull and ultimately ineffective. Students pay thousands of dollars to attend a university — this outdated style of learning should be a last resort, not the norm.

Criticism for lectures comes from students and experts alike. A 2014 study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found undergraduate students were 1.5 times as likely to fail traditional lecture-style classes versus classes that employed other methods of teaching. The researchers also estimated alternative learning styles could boost students’ exam scores by around 6 percent – the equivalent of more than half a letter grade.

Perhaps the most common obstacle students encounter during lectures is the temptation to lose focus on the professor and instead hone in on distractions. Disengaging for a few minutes might seem harmless, but zoning out can quickly turn detrimental in a classroom where the only source of information is the passionless professor at the front of the room.

Aside from being downright boring, lectures fail to provide opportunities for students to enhance learning through collaboration with others. Chances to ask questions are scarce, if offered at all, and chatting with classmates is often prohibited. This comes as a stark contrast to the discussionbased learning VCU utilizes in departments like Focused Inquiry, and the contradiction can be especially confusing for freshmen who weren’t exposed to lecture-based or discussion-based teaching in high school.

Students pay thousands of dollars to attend a university — this outdated style of learning should be a last resort, not the norm.

Rachel Terrell Another major issue with lectures is their effectiveness and entertainment value both heavily rely on the disposition of the professor.

While this is arguably the case in any classroom, it causes the biggest problems in lectures, where professors generally serve as the only connection between students and the

information being taught to them.

If a professor speaks in monotone, skims past difficult concepts or seems disinterested in the subject themselves, their students are going to be directly affected.

So what can be done to overcome the disadvantages associated with lectures?

Although allocating smaller class sizes may seem like the most obvious answer, it isn’t always realistic. At VCU, general education courses quickly rack up hundreds of students; dividing even one entrylevel class into more manageable sections would mean hiring dozens more professors.

The size of lectures may be an inevitability, but that doesn’t mean their structure has to remain the same. Psychologists have estimated the average adult’s attention span is between 5-15 minutes – drastically shorter than any lectures offered at VCU. By applying various learning techniques throughout the lesson, professors are much more likely to keep students intrigued. This could be as simple as supplementing spoken lectures with videos or allowing students to discuss new concepts with each other during class.

Promoting group collaboration also makes a student’s experience less dependent on the capabilities of their professor.

No teaching method is foolproof, but colleges like VCU should be striving to provide the most comprehensive learning environments possible for their students. The traditional lecture simply isn’t going to cut it.

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