Thursday, April 30th, 2026

VCU’s new provost on tenure policies, research, academic freedom

April 29, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU’s year-long search for a new second-in-command and chief academic officer finally came to a close last week. Arturo Saavedra, the former School of Medicine dean and interim provost since December, was confirmed by the VCU Board of Visitors into his new role as the permanent provost. Saavedra is the third person to hold the high office in the last year, as former Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos departed in April 2025 for his same job at Pennsylvania State University. It was then held by interim Provost Beverly Warren until December 2025. Now, at the crossroads of new goals, policies and a shifting university identity, Saavedra sat down with The CT to discuss the matters most important to the VCU community. EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity. The full transcript can be read here. Why do you think you were chosen to be the new provost? Saavedra: “I would like to say that through my life, my utmost goal has been to be of service, to understand where I sit from the perspective of impacting change so that others benefit.” For those who have no idea, how would you describe the job of

Qatar student describes hope, adaptation as Iran war settlement stalls

April 29, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor  As peace talks between the United States and Iran continue on an unpredictable path, a student from VCU’s Qatar campus spoke to The CT regarding his experiences of living through threats of bombing and a peace in the balance. VCUarts Qatar shut its doors to the public on Feb. 28 in response to hostilities in the area when the U.S. and Israel began a bombing campaign on Iran, according to previous reports by The CT. The conflict went on to impact the entire region through retaliatory strikes and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar lies beyond the strait in the Persian Gulf and has been the target of Iranian strikes on industrial, military and natural gas infrastructure. Second-year VCUarts Qatar graphic design student Anirudh Anil Kumar said the university had students limit entry to the campus as much as possible for several weeks afterward. “They told us not to come to campus, like ‘come only if necessary to take important items, and just don’t come in as a group, so you don’t get crowded in here.’” Kumar said. “So we had a system to come one by one or something like that, and

A letter from the staff

April 29, 2026

The Commonwealth Times Staff As many of us prepare to move on from VCU, we, The CT staff, are reflecting on the period of substantial growth and change we have undergone this past academic year — and the meaningful stories you allowed us to retell. We began in August with a staff of almost entirely new faces, hoping to produce a newspaper that would truly reflect and honor our community.  We came together from different backgrounds, majors and experiences. This short-lived staff sought to give a voice to the underrepresented and underserved. We recognize VCU as a unique, nuanced institution that exists within the boundaries of a beautiful, growing Richmond. To the people of RVA, thank you for tolerating us. We hope our reporting reflected those sentiments. This era of The CT ushered in new ideas across every corner of the publication. We initiated a streamlined hard news operation to promptly deliver vital information to our readers. We found new ways to tell stories in an evolving world; our four sections became five with “Features.” Our digital footprint widened with new video and audio content. We translated stories to Spanish in a principled step to broaden our reach, promote language

As a prospective teacher, RPS budget cuts are disheartening

April 29, 2026

Katie Meeker, Opinions & Humor Editor When I first received my acceptance letter for VCU’s masters in teaching program, I was so excited to finally be getting a foothold in my future.  I’d struggled all through undergrad trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with my English degree. I knew I wanted to do something that gave back to my community, and after much soul searching, I realized education was a perfect way to fulfill that need.  Beyond the specific appeal of VCU’s program, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to live and work in Richmond — I’ve grown very fond of the city and its people, and student teaching would allow me to give back to the place that has become my home.  However, I quickly realized that recently, Richmond hasn’t been too kind to its educators. In January, the proposed Richmond Public Schools budget for the coming fiscal year included plans for more than 40 layoffs, raise delays for staff, the elimination of summer school programs for all non-high school students, a reduction in mental health programs for students and the termination of the district’s online learning program.  There are certainly a

Punks, ravers come together for moshing, mutual aid

April 29, 2026

Cora Perkins, Assistant Spectrum Editor It was a normal day in Scuffletown Park, the birds were chirping, the flowers were blooming and the punks and ravers were moshing and dancing.  Femmefest, a festival of DJs and hardcore punk bands, celebrated feminine-presenting people, both in and out of music.  Miles Dillahunt, vocalist of PlutoniumWomb and creator of the fest, wanted there to be a space for newcomers to become involved in the scene.  “I wanted to create a safe space for people who might be nervous to get involved with activism or shows due to their queerness or femme identity, just so that way they feel less alone and encouraged to go to more shows,” Dillahunt said.  A big motivator for the event was the reaction to a previous story by The CT about women in the hardcore scene in Richmond. The comments under the article spoke volumes to how many men in the scene feel about women speaking out against issues they face within the hardcore community, Dillahunt said.  “The comments were vile,” Dillahunt said. “Both Judas and Lexi received death threats for speaking on their lived experiences. A lot of the people in the comments aren’t even authentic punks,

Professor teaches VCU’s first Asian American history class 

April 29, 2026

Burke Loftus, Staff Photographer VCU’s Department of History now offers a new course, Intro to Asian American History, the first of its kind in the university’s history.  Second-year political science student Trina LaFortune is a Filipino American from Annandale, Virginia. Growing up in Northern Virginia, she said most of her knowledge of Asian American culture came from conversations with her family, who immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in the early 2000s, and other Asian immigrant families. “We only highlighted ‘Asian studies’ in junior and senior year, and that was the extent of it,” LaFortune said. “There [are] a lot of Asian people in NOVA. Even then, my education just had a narrow scope of what Asian American history was.”  In the fall of 2025, LaFortune’s focused inquiry professor, Frank Cha, announced to the class that he would be teaching an Intro to Asian American History course in the spring — asking students to email him if they were interested. “Part of me was like, ‘Oh my god, this is representation,’ but also part of me was like, ‘No, I think I’m just more curious to see what else I can learn,’” LaFortune said. “I wanted to see

APRIL 29 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 29, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer Men’s tennis Atlantic-10 conference tournament VCU men’s tennis entered this year’s A-10 tournament as the No. 1 seed in pursuit of what would be their ninth consecutive A-10 championship. Quarterfinal — VCU vs Davidson College VCU got off to a good start in the A-10 tournament, kicking off its first match by winning the doubles point. In singles play, second-year Mads Bredschneijder opened things off for the Rams, winning 6-3, 6-2. VCU first-year Patrik Petera followed up his A-10 rookie of the week winning performance with another excellent showing, winning in dominant fashion 6-1, 6-1. Third-year Alfred Almasi clinched the match for the Rams winning 7-5, 6-0. Semifinal — VCU vs University of Richmond VCU’s season, and reign as A-10 champions, came to an end in the second round of the conference tournament. Richmond won the opening doubles point and never ceded the lead to VCU. The Rams fought hard, but lost a competitive match 4-3. Women’s tennis A-10 conference tournament VCU women’s tennis entered this year’s A-10 tournament as the No. 2 seed looking to win their second consecutive A-10 championship. Quarterfinal — VCU vs Saint Louis University VCU hit the ground running against Saint

After A-10 win, women’s tennis sets sights on NCAA Tournament

April 29, 2026

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer  VCU women’s tennis is setting a new standard for the program. The Rams won their second straight conference championship tournament in the Atlantic 10, marking their 10th title since 2013. The Rams finished the regular season 14-10 while being 5-0 in conference play. VCU carried that flawless mindset into the conference tournament and defeated Fordham University 4-3 in a close contest. The matchup between VCU and Fordham was a mostly even matchup boasting similar records with both teams being unbeaten in conference play.  VCU striked early securing the doubles point before battling back late in singles play. With the match tied 3-3, second-year Andrea Magallanes clinched the championship with a comeback three-set victory, sealing the title for the Rams. The win highlights a season built on a strong lineup and consistent performances across both singles and doubles play.  In singles play, VCU posted a 98-66 overall record, including a 15-2 mark in conference matches and a .882 winning percentage, according to VCU Athletics. Multiple players stood out this season for VCU. Magallanes finished 17-7 overall and remained perfect in conference singles play and first-year Viktoria Lackova finished the season with an 11-2 conference record. Both third-year

PRESS BOX: New WNBA bargaining agreement redefines women’s sports

April 29, 2026

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer The Women’s National Basketball Association and the Women’s National Basketball Player Association announced a new collective bargaining agreement in March.  The new seven-year CBA began in the 2026 season and extends through 2032. It marks one of the most groundbreaking labor agreements in professional sports.  In recent years, professional women’s sports have been exceeding expectations, quickly winning over fans.  Despite the argument regarding the value differences between men’s and women’s professional sports, both athletes work equally as hard and both should be recognized for their skills.  Disregarding gender bias — fans support talent, dedication and hard work; the women’s professional sports industry growth has proven what they have to offer is equally as enjoyable and compelling as men’s sports.  The hypergrowth is currently expanding 4.5 times faster than men’s sports, according to Denver 7. The global revenue for women’s sports are projected to reach $2.3 billion this year alone.  As a result, the CBA agreement will result in major changes towards WNBA players compensation with a salary cap set at $7 million for the 2026 season. This is a 364% increase — the largest in U.S. professional sports history. The cap will be adjusted annually depending

Lacrosse outclasses Patriots 13-2 in Senior Day celebration

April 25, 2026

Marcus Leary, Contributing Writer VCU defeated its in-state rival, George Mason University, in a 13-2 rout on Senior Day.  The Rams finished their season with a program high in wins with 12. They are ending the year at 12-4 overall, 7-1 in conference and as the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament at Davidson College. While the Rams forced a running clock for the fourth quarter by going up 10, the game was won in the details. VCU won the ground ball battle 19-11 and led the draw control margin 13-5. Fourth-year midfielder Kiley Kozak was a key player for VCU, securing four draw controls on top of two goals. Kozak was one of four players honored at Senior Day. She mentioned that in her four years with the team, they went from “not even making it to the tournament” to earning the No. 2 seed and a bye into the semifinals. “I never want another team to look down on us,” Kozak said. “It’s such a cool experience, every year just seeing how the skill and the talent have improved. This program really is stepping up.”  The Rams started the scoring early in the first quarter. Second-year

VCU welcomes one of highest ranked recruiting classes in program history

April 22, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer In 2025, VCU head men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. started his tenure with the Rams by bringing in the No. 46 ranked recruiting class in the country. Now, following a successful first season, Martelli and his staff welcome an exciting group of fresh faces to the fold. Ranked No. 29 in the nation according to Rivals, this year’s incoming class is one to look out for. Incoming transfers Blake Harper Blake Harper is a 6-foot-7-inch third-year guard with huge upside. In his first year, playing at Howard University, he became the first Mid-Easter Athletic Conference player to win rookie of the year and player of the year in the same season.  Harper is a proven scorer, averaging just shy of 20 points per game at Howard, making him a welcome addition to an already talented Rams backcourt. The third-year guard is coming off of a less productive season at Creighton University in which he averaged 7.7 points per game. Torey Alston Torey Alston is a third-year forward who boasts a lengthy 6-foot-8-inch frame and has exciting two-way potential. Alston averaged an impressive 13 points and eight rebounds last season at Middle Tennessee State. His highlight

VCU’s new provost on tenure policies, research, academic freedom

April 29, 2026

Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor VCU’s year-long search for a new second-in-command and chief academic officer finally came to a close last week. Arturo Saavedra, the former School of Medicine dean and interim provost since December, was confirmed by the VCU Board of Visitors into his new role as the permanent provost. Saavedra is the third person to hold the high office in the last year, as former Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos departed in April 2025 for his same job at Pennsylvania State University. It was then held by interim Provost Beverly Warren until December 2025. Now, at the crossroads of new goals, policies and a shifting university identity, Saavedra sat down with The CT to discuss the matters most important to the VCU community. EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity. The full transcript can be read here. Why do you think you were chosen to be the new provost? Saavedra: “I would like to say that through my life, my utmost goal has been to be of service, to understand where I sit from the perspective of impacting change so that others benefit.” For those who have no idea, how would you describe the job of

Qatar student describes hope, adaptation as Iran war settlement stalls

April 29, 2026

Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor  As peace talks between the United States and Iran continue on an unpredictable path, a student from VCU’s Qatar campus spoke to The CT regarding his experiences of living through threats of bombing and a peace in the balance. VCUarts Qatar shut its doors to the public on Feb. 28 in response to hostilities in the area when the U.S. and Israel began a bombing campaign on Iran, according to previous reports by The CT. The conflict went on to impact the entire region through retaliatory strikes and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar lies beyond the strait in the Persian Gulf and has been the target of Iranian strikes on industrial, military and natural gas infrastructure. Second-year VCUarts Qatar graphic design student Anirudh Anil Kumar said the university had students limit entry to the campus as much as possible for several weeks afterward. “They told us not to come to campus, like ‘come only if necessary to take important items, and just don’t come in as a group, so you don’t get crowded in here.’” Kumar said. “So we had a system to come one by one or something like that, and

Opinion

A letter from the staff

April 29, 2026

The Commonwealth Times Staff As many of us prepare to move on from VCU, we, The CT staff, are reflecting on the period of substantial growth and change we have undergone this past academic year — and the meaningful stories you allowed us to retell. We began in August with a staff of almost entirely new faces, hoping to produce a newspaper that would truly reflect and honor our community.  We came together from different backgrounds, majors and experiences. This short-lived staff sought to give a voice to the underrepresented and underserved. We recognize VCU as a unique, nuanced institution that exists within the boundaries of a beautiful, growing Richmond. To the people of RVA, thank you for tolerating us. We hope our reporting reflected those sentiments. This era of The CT ushered in new ideas across every corner of the publication. We initiated a streamlined hard news operation to promptly deliver vital information to our readers. We found new ways to tell stories in an evolving world; our four sections became five with “Features.” Our digital footprint widened with new video and audio content. We translated stories to Spanish in a principled step to broaden our reach, promote language

As a prospective teacher, RPS budget cuts are disheartening

April 29, 2026

Katie Meeker, Opinions & Humor Editor When I first received my acceptance letter for VCU’s masters in teaching program, I was so excited to finally be getting a foothold in my future.  I’d struggled all through undergrad trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with my English degree. I knew I wanted to do something that gave back to my community, and after much soul searching, I realized education was a perfect way to fulfill that need.  Beyond the specific appeal of VCU’s program, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to live and work in Richmond — I’ve grown very fond of the city and its people, and student teaching would allow me to give back to the place that has become my home.  However, I quickly realized that recently, Richmond hasn’t been too kind to its educators. In January, the proposed Richmond Public Schools budget for the coming fiscal year included plans for more than 40 layoffs, raise delays for staff, the elimination of summer school programs for all non-high school students, a reduction in mental health programs for students and the termination of the district’s online learning program.  There are certainly a

The Rundown

Spectrum

Punks, ravers come together for moshing, mutual aid

April 29, 2026

Cora Perkins, Assistant Spectrum Editor It was a normal day in Scuffletown Park, the birds were chirping, the flowers were blooming and the punks and ravers were moshing and dancing.  Femmefest, a festival of DJs and hardcore punk bands, celebrated feminine-presenting people, both in and out of music.  Miles Dillahunt, vocalist of PlutoniumWomb and creator of the fest, wanted there to be a space for newcomers to become involved in the scene.  “I wanted to create a safe space for people who might be nervous to get involved with activism or shows due to their queerness or femme identity, just so that way they feel less alone and encouraged to go to more shows,” Dillahunt said.  A big motivator for the event was the reaction to a previous story by The CT about women in the hardcore scene in Richmond. The comments under the article spoke volumes to how many men in the scene feel about women speaking out against issues they face within the hardcore community, Dillahunt said.  “The comments were vile,” Dillahunt said. “Both Judas and Lexi received death threats for speaking on their lived experiences. A lot of the people in the comments aren’t even authentic punks,

Professor teaches VCU’s first Asian American history class 

April 29, 2026

Burke Loftus, Staff Photographer VCU’s Department of History now offers a new course, Intro to Asian American History, the first of its kind in the university’s history.  Second-year political science student Trina LaFortune is a Filipino American from Annandale, Virginia. Growing up in Northern Virginia, she said most of her knowledge of Asian American culture came from conversations with her family, who immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in the early 2000s, and other Asian immigrant families. “We only highlighted ‘Asian studies’ in junior and senior year, and that was the extent of it,” LaFortune said. “There [are] a lot of Asian people in NOVA. Even then, my education just had a narrow scope of what Asian American history was.”  In the fall of 2025, LaFortune’s focused inquiry professor, Frank Cha, announced to the class that he would be teaching an Intro to Asian American History course in the spring — asking students to email him if they were interested. “Part of me was like, ‘Oh my god, this is representation,’ but also part of me was like, ‘No, I think I’m just more curious to see what else I can learn,’” LaFortune said. “I wanted to see

Sports

APRIL 29 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 29, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer Men’s tennis Atlantic-10 conference tournament VCU men’s tennis entered this year’s A-10 tournament as the No. 1 seed in pursuit of what would be their ninth consecutive A-10 championship. Quarterfinal — VCU vs Davidson College VCU got off to a good start in the A-10 tournament, kicking off its first match by winning the doubles point. In singles play, second-year Mads Bredschneijder opened things off for the Rams, winning 6-3, 6-2. VCU first-year Patrik Petera followed up his A-10 rookie of the week winning performance with another excellent showing, winning in dominant fashion 6-1, 6-1. Third-year Alfred Almasi clinched the match for the Rams winning 7-5, 6-0. Semifinal — VCU vs University of Richmond VCU’s season, and reign as A-10 champions, came to an end in the second round of the conference tournament. Richmond won the opening doubles point and never ceded the lead to VCU. The Rams fought hard, but lost a competitive match 4-3. Women’s tennis A-10 conference tournament VCU women’s tennis entered this year’s A-10 tournament as the No. 2 seed looking to win their second consecutive A-10 championship. Quarterfinal — VCU vs Saint Louis University VCU hit the ground running against Saint

After A-10 win, women’s tennis sets sights on NCAA Tournament

April 29, 2026

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer  VCU women’s tennis is setting a new standard for the program. The Rams won their second straight conference championship tournament in the Atlantic 10, marking their 10th title since 2013. The Rams finished the regular season 14-10 while being 5-0 in conference play. VCU carried that flawless mindset into the conference tournament and defeated Fordham University 4-3 in a close contest. The matchup between VCU and Fordham was a mostly even matchup boasting similar records with both teams being unbeaten in conference play.  VCU striked early securing the doubles point before battling back late in singles play. With the match tied 3-3, second-year Andrea Magallanes clinched the championship with a comeback three-set victory, sealing the title for the Rams. The win highlights a season built on a strong lineup and consistent performances across both singles and doubles play.  In singles play, VCU posted a 98-66 overall record, including a 15-2 mark in conference matches and a .882 winning percentage, according to VCU Athletics. Multiple players stood out this season for VCU. Magallanes finished 17-7 overall and remained perfect in conference singles play and first-year Viktoria Lackova finished the season with an 11-2 conference record. Both third-year

PRESS BOX: New WNBA bargaining agreement redefines women’s sports

April 29, 2026

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer The Women’s National Basketball Association and the Women’s National Basketball Player Association announced a new collective bargaining agreement in March.  The new seven-year CBA began in the 2026 season and extends through 2032. It marks one of the most groundbreaking labor agreements in professional sports.  In recent years, professional women’s sports have been exceeding expectations, quickly winning over fans.  Despite the argument regarding the value differences between men’s and women’s professional sports, both athletes work equally as hard and both should be recognized for their skills.  Disregarding gender bias — fans support talent, dedication and hard work; the women’s professional sports industry growth has proven what they have to offer is equally as enjoyable and compelling as men’s sports.  The hypergrowth is currently expanding 4.5 times faster than men’s sports, according to Denver 7. The global revenue for women’s sports are projected to reach $2.3 billion this year alone.  As a result, the CBA agreement will result in major changes towards WNBA players compensation with a salary cap set at $7 million for the 2026 season. This is a 364% increase — the largest in U.S. professional sports history. The cap will be adjusted annually depending

Lacrosse outclasses Patriots 13-2 in Senior Day celebration

April 25, 2026

Marcus Leary, Contributing Writer VCU defeated its in-state rival, George Mason University, in a 13-2 rout on Senior Day.  The Rams finished their season with a program high in wins with 12. They are ending the year at 12-4 overall, 7-1 in conference and as the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament at Davidson College. While the Rams forced a running clock for the fourth quarter by going up 10, the game was won in the details. VCU won the ground ball battle 19-11 and led the draw control margin 13-5. Fourth-year midfielder Kiley Kozak was a key player for VCU, securing four draw controls on top of two goals. Kozak was one of four players honored at Senior Day. She mentioned that in her four years with the team, they went from “not even making it to the tournament” to earning the No. 2 seed and a bye into the semifinals. “I never want another team to look down on us,” Kozak said. “It’s such a cool experience, every year just seeing how the skill and the talent have improved. This program really is stepping up.”  The Rams started the scoring early in the first quarter. Second-year

VCU welcomes one of highest ranked recruiting classes in program history

April 22, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer In 2025, VCU head men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. started his tenure with the Rams by bringing in the No. 46 ranked recruiting class in the country. Now, following a successful first season, Martelli and his staff welcome an exciting group of fresh faces to the fold. Ranked No. 29 in the nation according to Rivals, this year’s incoming class is one to look out for. Incoming transfers Blake Harper Blake Harper is a 6-foot-7-inch third-year guard with huge upside. In his first year, playing at Howard University, he became the first Mid-Easter Athletic Conference player to win rookie of the year and player of the year in the same season.  Harper is a proven scorer, averaging just shy of 20 points per game at Howard, making him a welcome addition to an already talented Rams backcourt. The third-year guard is coming off of a less productive season at Creighton University in which he averaged 7.7 points per game. Torey Alston Torey Alston is a third-year forward who boasts a lengthy 6-foot-8-inch frame and has exciting two-way potential. Alston averaged an impressive 13 points and eight rebounds last season at Middle Tennessee State. His highlight

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