Rao addresses university changes, student concerns

Erica Terrini

News Editor

A dwindling faculty, lack of state funding and financial aid were some issues addressed at the Student Government Association Presidential Roundtable Monday night in the University Student Commons.

About 100 student organization members attended the first roundtable for the spring semester to speak with VCU President Michael Rao, who spoke to students about how the university will change in response to the state economy.

“I don’t think people in powerful positions are sure of how we are going to handle all of what’s going on,” Rao said. “What we don’t know is actually much more than what we do know.”

Rao said a number of students he has talked to said they were drawn to VCU because of the diversity of the student and faculty population and of the Richmond community, but that point of pride might be affected because of a lack of financial resources.

“We feel this important obligation to the university to be a diverse environment in which we have the chance to learn from each other,” Rao said.

Rao said he thinks aspects of the learning environment at VCU are better than at other universities and there is much to be proud of.

“(VCU) has come a long way and has made great strides, and it continues to be on a relatively rapid trajectory toward success,” Rao said. “But it is an emerging university and it is one that once it found itself along that pathway, (faced) a challenge, particularly the one in terms of its relationship with a state that faces a tremendous economic crisis.”

Rao said he is concerned about where the university is headed and he is especially concerned about the small number of faculty and the lack of financial aid resources available for students.

“We are a people intensive organization,” Rao said. “There’s nothing to apologize for in that regard. We are very proud of the fact that what we do involves interactions between people and as you know it changes the lives of the people who come here.”

Rao said over the past 10 years, the university has experienced a 22 percent decline in the number of faculty members per 1,000 students. The university also had 8,500 fewer students 10 years ago.

The second concern is financial aid: Rao said VCU has about half of the financial aid resources available that its research university peer, Virginia Tech has and about 10 percent of the resources available to the University of Virginia. VCU only meets 68 percent of student needs for financial aid.

Rao said with the state budget cut of $13 million and an increase in student population has and will continue to take its toll on the university.

“I don’t want to create a self-fulfilling prophecy but it could actually get worse,” Rao said.

By July 2011, federal stimulus money for the university will no longer be provided. Rao said by mid-summer, the university has no reason to believe that the $43 million it is spending now will continue.

VCU has already cut $20.5 million in the past year. According to Rao, Virginia has the lowest investment from the commonwealth per student of all the southeastern states.

Rao said possible solutions include scholarship funds, continuing to request donations, offering more online and hybrid (online and classroom-based) courses and reaching out to state legislators.

Cicily Robertson, a junior pre-dental hygiene major said she noticed a lot of students had concerns about the recent budget cuts but her main concern was whether Rao was aware of student concerns.

“For him not to know that the lease is up on Ramz Hall made me question how in touch he is with the student body,” Robertson said. “Students may not have guaranteed housing—Ramz Hall is no longer going to be open for them to live in unless they get in contact with new leasing people.”

However, SGA President Gabriel Walker said Rao has worked closely with the SGA and considering the amount of issues regarding the university; Rao is often available to address students’ questions and concerns.

“We have got to figure out how to get back on track,” Rao said. “I’m going to do everything I can despite the fact that there are lots of people trying to drag me down.”

Following Rao’s speech, students were able to ask questions.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply