Dictionary of Meaning
<<Back
Please select a letter:
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
0-9
Click here for Shopping
Virginia Commonwealth University
*** Shopping-Tip: Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Image:virginia_commonwealth_university_seal.gif Official Virginia Commonwealth University seal
| Established |
1838 |
|---|
| School type |
Public university |
|---|
| President |
Eugene P. Trani |
|---|
| Location |
Richmond, Virginia |
|---|
| Enrollment |
29,349 students |
|---|
| Faculty |
1,696 full-time, 975 adjunct |
| Annual Budget |
US $1.5 billion |
| Endowment |
[http://www.vcu.edu/campaign] |
| Campuses |
Urban area Urban, Monroe Park Campus - 78 acres (316,000 m²), MCV Campus - 52 acres (210,000 m²). |
| Mascot |
Rodney the Ram |
| Sports Teams |
9 varsity, Division I NCAA, Colonial Athletic Association CAA Conference |
| Web site |
[http://www.vcu.edu www.vcu.edu] |
|---|
image:Virginia_commonwealth_university_logo.gif thumb|left|120px|VCU logo'''Virginia Commonwealth University''', or '''VCU''', is a large public
United States American research
university with its main campuses located in downtown
Richmond, Virginia Richmond,
Virginia. Particularly recognized for its nationally ranked
art, social work, health administration, and medical
Academic degree degree programs, VCU is one of the largest universities in Virginia with more than 29,000 students at the beginning of
2005. It is one of four Virginia universities rated Doctoral/Research—Extensive by the [http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/Classification/index.htm Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education].
Formed by a merger with the
Medical College of Virginia (MCV) in
1968, VCU is home to a renowned
medical school that is home to the nation’s oldest
organ transplant program. VCU is also known for its
diversity, with the highest percentage of minority students among Virginia public universities, and is host to the annual
VCU French Film Festival, the largest French film festival in the United States.
Image:vcuaerial.jpg frame|none|Aerial view of the Monroe Park Campus looking eastward in the direction of downtown Richmond, Va.
Campuses
As a result of its merger with the
Medical College of Virginia (MCV) in 1968, VCU has two main
campus campuses in Richmond: the Monroe Park Campus and the Medical College of Virginia Campus. VCU also has a branch campus for its nationally ranked School of the Arts in
Education City, Qatar, which is heavily subsidized by the Qatari government. Informally, the campuses are known respectively as the "academic campus," "medical campus," and "VCU-Qatar."
Monroe Park Campus
Home to most of VCU's general education facilities, the Monroe Park Campus is located at the eastern end of the
Fan district, a historic
neighborhood built adjacent to downtown Richmond in the early
20th century. The Monroe Park Campus begins at
Monroe Park on North Belvidere Street and continues west to Harrison Street. Most buildings are located on or between West Broad Street and West Main Street. Originally home to the
Richmond Professional Institute and then the Academic Campus of VCU in 1968, the Monroe Park Campus took on its current name in June of
2004.
=Notable buildings
=
'''Many VCU buildings are named after influential people in the school's history or in Richmond history.'''
*The '''Pollak Building''', is named after
Theresa Pollak, who founded the School of Art at VCU when it was the Richmond Professional Institute. Pollak was one of Virginia's more famous artists and who is often credited with bringing modern art to Richmond.
*The '''Ginter House''' at 901 West Franklin Street, the main administrative building on the Monroe Park Campus. It is named for cigarette magnate
Major Lewis Ginter (1824-1897), one of Virginia’s wealthiest men who was responsible for developing Richmond’s Ginter Park neighborhood and commissioning the
Jefferson Hotel.
*University Student Commons
*Stuart C. Siegel Center
*Sports Medicine Building
*
James Branch Cabell Library
*
T. Edward Temple Building - ''General academics, mass communications''
*School of Business
*Oliver Hall - ''School of Education''
*School of the Arts Building
*Hibbs Building - ''College of Humanities & Sciences''
*Shafer Court Dining Center
*Pollak Building - ''School of the Arts''
*Trani Life Sciences Building
=Housing
=
*West Grace Street Honors Housing
*Ackell Residence Center
*RAMZ Hall
*Brandt Hall
*Rhoads Hall
*Broad & Belvidere Apartments
*Capital Garage Apartments
*Johnson Hall
*Gladding Residence Center
MCV Campus
The
Medical College of Virginia Campus is home to the Health Sciences Division of VCU. This includes the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Allied Health, Nursing,a recently established School of Public Health, and the MCV Hospitals, which is the major component of the VCU Health System. The Campus is also home to the
Massey Cancer Center (an
NCI-designated Cancer Center). MCV Campus is an integral part of Richmond, located adjacent to the city’s business and financial district near the
Virginia State Capitol state capitol. It has made Richmond the home and font of many medical discoveries.
=Notable buildings
=
*Main hospital
*Gateway Building
*
Egyptian Building
*Massey Cancer Center
*Sanger Hall
*Tompkins-McCaw Library
*Larrick Student Center
*
West Hospital
=Housing
=
*Cabaniss Hall
*Bear Hall
*McRae Hall
*Warner Hall
*Rudd Hall
Academics
Degrees
*
Bachelor's degree Baccalaureate
*
Master's degree Master's
*
Doctorate Doctoral
*
Professional and Certificate
Programs
Over 40 of VCU's programs are unique to Virginia, such as the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness major in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, as well as the Real Estate and Urban Land Development degree in VCU's School of Business. The university also offers a wide range of study options with more than 170 certificate, undergraduate, graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in the arts, sciences and humanities in fifteen different schools of discipline.
In addition to its [http://www.vcu.edu/ugrad/academics/programs/index.html undergraduate] and [http://www.vcu.edu/graduate/gp/index.html graduate] degree programs, as well as its [http://www.vcu.edu/honors/ honors program], VCU now hosts the
Illustration Academy, a program taught by nationally renowned illustrators. The program is open to all applicants, from students to
professionals, and features demonstrations from the artists, classes, and lectures on the business side of the industry.
The university's medical campus provides students with several opportunities for postgraduate study at VCU. This has led to the development of "guaranteed admission programs," whereunder select incoming undergraduates are guaranteed a spot in a variety of professional schools so long as a high academic standard is maintained throughout their undergraduate studies. Schools with such a program include medicine, physical therapy, dentistry, pharmacy and others.
In addition, an accelerated program in the School of Education offers a combined undergraduate, teaching certificate and master's degree in five years.
Faculty
Notable faculty members include
analytical chemistry analytical chemist John Fenn Dr. John Fenn, who in
2002 was awarded the
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to the field of
mass spectrometry.
Schools
*College of
Humanities &
Sciences [http://www.has.vcu.edu/]
**School of
Mass Communications [http://www.has.vcu.edu/mac]
**School of
World Studies [http://www.has.vcu.edu/wld]
**
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and
Public Affairs [www.has.vcu.edu/gov]
*School of Allied Health Professions [http://www.sahp.vcu.edu]
*School of the
Arts [http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/artweb]
*School of
Business [http://www.bus.vcu.edu]
*School of
Dentistry [http://www.dentistry.vcu.edu/]
*School of
Education [http://www.soe.vcu.edu]
*School of
Engineering [http://www.egr.vcu.edu]
*School of
Medicine [http://www.medschool.vcu.edu]
*School of
Nursing [http://www.nursing.vcu.edu]
*School of
Pharmacy [http://www.pharmacy.vcu.edu]
*School of
Social Work [http://www.vcu.edu/slwweb]
Athletics
image:vcurams2.gif leftVCU currently sponsors nine varsity teams in
NCAA Division I play through the
Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). These teams include
basketball,
baseball,
volleyball,
soccer,
tennis,
golf,
field hockey,
track and field, and
cross country running cross country. Other sports not sponsored by the university include men's[http://www.studentorg.vcu.edu/mensrugbyvcu] and women's[http://www.studentorg.vcu.edu/WomensRugby/]
Rugby union rugby,
ice hockey[http://www.vcuhockey.org] and men's and women's
lacrosse. Previous club sports have also included wrestling, tennis, and cycling. VCU's mascot is Rodney the Ram, and the teams as well as students are called VCU Rams.
Like other universities such as
Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins, which also boasts a prominent medical school, VCU does not support a football team. Sweatshirts are sold in campus bookstores that jokingly read "VCU Football - still undefeated." The current university president, Eugene P. Trani, has been quoted as saying that he will not allow football to come to VCU under his watch due to the extra incurred cost. VCU does not currently have a stadium that would be suitable for hosting football-related events.
Image:vcurams.gif 250px|thumb|right|VCU varsity logo
Facilities
*
The Diamond
**''Baseball''
*
Alltel Pavilion at the
Stuart C. Siegel Center
**''Basketball''
**''Volleyball''
*
Richmond Sports Backers Sports Backers Stadium
**''Soccer''
**''Track and Field''
*Cary Street Field
**''Field Hockey''
*Thalhimer Tennis Center
Championships
The VCU men's basketball team defeated
George Mason University George Mason to win the 2004 CAA championship and received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Rams were seeded #13 in the East Rutherford Region and faced #4
Wake Forest University Wake Forest in the first round in Raleigh, N.C. VCU led for much of the second half before the Demon Deacons prevailed 79-78. The VCU Rams are coached by
Jeff Capel III Jeff Capel who is the youngest coach in Division I. The 30-year-old Capel has compiled a 60-31 record (.659) during his three seasons as head coach of the Rams, including a 39-15 mark (.722) in the Colonial Athletic Association. VCU was 19-13 this past season and finished second in the CAA with a 13-5 record. The Rams received an NIT bid, their second straight post-season appearance.
In 1985, VCU received an invitation to the NCAA men's basketball tournament as a #2 seed in its region, the highest seeding that the team has ever earned. However, it was upset in the second round of the tournament by #7 seed
University of Alabama Alabama.
The VCU men's tennis team was ranked 14th pre-season by the International Tennis Federation (ITA) in 2005, and has been nationally ranked in the top 50 since 1993. The Rams have had 13 straight NCAA tournament appearances and had won nine-consecutive Colonial Athletic Association tournament crowns until being dethroned in the 2005 CAA tournament final by William and Mary. In 2000, the men's team reached the NCAA Finals after defeating Illinois (Quarterfinals) and Tennessee (Semifinals) respectively. In the finals, Stanford rallied to win the doubles and swept Virginia Commonwealth in the singles to claim its 17th NCAA men's tennis title 4-0.
The nationally ranked men's and women's soccer teams have both won CAA championships, having then advanced to national finals as well.
The Men's and Women's Track & Field Teams have also enjoyed success, having won multiple conference titles. The men's team won three consecutive outdoor track & field conference titles from 1994-1996 and an indoor track & field conference title in 1995. The first two conference titles came as a member of the Metro Conference and the third was won in the Colonial Athletic Association. VCU moved from the Metro Conference to the CAA when the Metro was dissolved and many of the teams merged to form Conference USA.
The VCU men's rugby team took the 2005 Virgina Rugby Union and Mid-Atlantic Rugby Union Division III Collegiate Championships and received a bid to play in the East Coast Chapionship which will be hosted by VCU April 22-24 of 2006. The team also announced plans to move up to Division II the following season.
Organizations
Student Government Association
The SGA serves as the unifying voice for all students to members of Virginia Commonwealth University administration, faculty, staff, and the Board of Visitors as well as to the City of Richmond. It is the goal of Student Government Association to represent the concerns and interests of all students to the various groups that have an influence on student life. SGA is an organization that provides services and programs that effect more students and in a more tangible way. SGA could also helps in accomplishing many projects and services throughout the year. SGA oversees more than 400 student organizations.
Other Organizations
VCU has numerous student organizations, including the Black Awakening Choir which won first place in the 2005
Baptist Student Union National Choir Competition in Atlanta, GA. In addition, VCU boasts a well-established net of ethnic and cultural organizations such as the
Muslim Student Association,
African Student Union,
Latino Student Association and the
Vietnamese Student Association, among many others. Similarly, VCU offers a variety of religious organizations, such as an
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Chapter,
Catholic Campus Ministry,
Chi-Alpha Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship house,
Baptist Student Union BSU,
Hillel @ VCU, and
Lotus Buddhist Group.
History
Though officially created with the merger of the
Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) and
Medical College of Virginia (MCV) in 1968, VCU's history stretches back to 1838, when MCV first opened its doors as the medical department of
Hampden-Sydney College. VCU recognizes the latter date on its official seal and promotional materials. RPI traces its roots back to 1917, when it began as the Richmond School of Social Work.
Timeline
*'''1838''' - The Medical Department of
Hampden-Sydney College opens in Richmond
*'''1844''' - The Medical Department moves into its first permanent home, the
Egyptian Building
*'''1854''' - The Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College receives an independent charter from the
Virginia General Assembly and becomes the '''
Medical College of Virginia''' (MCV)
*'''1860''' - In return for a $30,000 appropriation MCV conveys all its property to the Commonwealth of Virginia and becomes a state institution
*'''1893''' - College of Physicians and Surgeons, later University College of Medicine, was established by Dr.
Hunter Holmes McGuire just three blocks away from MCV
*'''1912''' - McGuire Hall opens as the new home of the University College of Medicine
*'''1913''' - MCV and UCM merged through the efforts of Dr. George Ben Johnston and Dr. Stuart McGuire. MCV acquired the Memorial Hospital as a result of the merger
*'''1917''' - Richmond School of Social Work and Public Health established
*'''1925''' - Richmond School of Social Work and Public Health becomes the Richmond division of the
College of William and Mary
*'''1939''' - Richmond division of William and Mary becomes the "'''Richmond Professional Institute''' of the College of William and Mary" (RPI)
*'''1947''' - MCV Foundation is incorporated.
*'''1962''' - RPI separates from William and Mary to become an independent state institution.
*'''1968''' - The first
heart transplant at the Medical College of Virginia is performed by Dr.
Richard R. Lower. This was only the 9th such operation performed in the United States, and the 16th in the world.
*'''1968''' - State legislation merges MCV and RPI to become
Virginia Commonwealth University. MCV retains the right to use its name.
*'''2000''' -
VCU Health System authority is established
*'''2004''' - The name
VCU Medical Center is adopted to refer to MCV Hospitals and VCU's medical schools
Expansion
More recently the university has focused on what it calls
life sciences as an avenue of future expansion, with the 2001 opening of the Lois E. and Eugene P. Trani Life Sciences Building. Construction has begun on a Monroe Park Campus Extension, which will include the second phase of the School of Engineering building and a new home for the School of Business. There will also be a new dorm facility along with retail development.
The university has expanded rapidly in recent years, with construction focused mainly along the Broad Street corridor. The school is approximately 70 percent commuter and 30 percent on-campus resident, with new residence hall Brandt Hall having opened in August 2005. RAMZ Hall opened in mid-January 2005, seven months behind schedule after a fire destroyed most of the still-under-construction building in March of 2004. The Shafer Court Dining Center (permanently taking over cafeteria functions from the Hibbs Building, now under renovation) and Phase III construction and renovation of the University Student Commons were completed in 2004. The Ackell Residence Center (formerly known as West Broad Street Student Apartments) was opened in 2001 across the street from the West Broad Parking Deck, e2 (pronounced "e-squared") Bookstore and VCU Welcome Center that were completed in 1998. 1998 also saw the opening of a new School of the Arts Building, also on Broad Street.
West Grace Street Student Housing is home to the University Honors Program and freshman honors housing with single one-person rooms. Formerly the Capital Medical Center, the university purchased and converted the building in 1998. The building was once also home
VCU OccuHealth Alliance, part of the
VCU Health System, but is currently being used to house College of Humanities and Sciences facilities during the renovation of the Hibbs Building.
=Growing pains
=
VCU has also seen a significant growth in student enrollment and bureaucracy over the past few years, with each successive freshman class being the largest in the university's history. Because the university offers such a wide variety of degrees with relatively sparse classroom space, some have complained that there are not enough course offerings to meet demand.
An increase in non-tenure track "teaching collateral," or adjunct, faculty has yet to catch up with increased student enrollment. The loss of senior, tenured faculty through early retirement buy-outs has also yet to be offset. In 1993, for instance, a much smaller VCU had 1,009 tenure-eligible faculty; by the Fall of 2003 this number had decreased to 879. With the last five years seeing a 20 percent growth in enrollment, some classes formerly taught in sections of 30-40 students are now taught in sections of 100-300.
Especially in upper division offerings, some classes are offered on a rotating basis by semester, sometimes forcing students to take longer than the normal four years to complete their degree. The University has responded to the challenges, in part, by funding the Center for Teaching Efficiency, or CTE.
VCU/MCV naming controversy
A policy statement by the VCU administration in 2004 caused some confusion and controversy over the MCV name. A separate institution before 1968 and located across town from the Monroe Park Campus, MCV retains much of its separate identity, and students and alumni alike voiced protest over a policy statement by the administration promoting the name "VCU Medical Center" over MCV.
The only reason given for the name change was an internal e-mail in 2004 which cited incorrect media reports such as a 2003 front-page USA Today article which referred to MCV as the "Virginia Medical College, a teaching arm of the University of Virginia". A
Venn diagram showed the name "VCU Medical Center" applying only to the School of Medicine and MCV Hospitals, while the rest of MCV facilities were referred to as the VCU Health System. The campus retains the MCV name, though signs on buildings and around campus read "VCU Medical Center" with "MCV Campus" posted in smaller type below.
In the original legislation merging RPI and MCV, both MCV and RPI were able to retain the right to use their original names. Only MCV kept its name, and as recently as 2005 (Res. No. 72) the campus was referred to by the General Assembly as the
Virginia General Assembly as "The Medical College of Virginia Health Sciences Division of Virginia Commonwealth University." This was the same language used in the bill that merged RPI and MCV in 1968.
In 2005 the Medical Society of Virginia passed a resolution requesting an explanation of VCU's statutory authority to change the name. The policy of promoting the name "VCU Medical Center," however, has received no response from the General Assembly to date. In addition, several people involved in the passage of the MSV legislation have been reprimanded by senior medical school officials, who cited concerns over funding due to the name controversy.
In general, the current administration led by President
Eugene P. Trani has pursued a policy of promoting the VCU name as a unified identity to the outside world. This policy is applied through internal pressure on faculty and staff to use VCU instead of MCV in any official meetings or correspondence, and President Trani is rumored to be quick to anger regarding the issue.
Regardless of the current controversy, the MCV name and tradition is still alive and well in the medical student body, who much prefer their own student produced MCV paraphenalia to any VCU labeled products; while the name may change (and change again) the school's cultural identity with MCV remains steadfast.
Another interesting facet to this story is that the MCV alumni house still uses "MCV", and not VCU Medical Center, on all literature requesting donations and contributions to the alumni fund.
External links
-
vcu.edu – Official Web site
-
vcurams.vcu.edu – VCU Rams (official athletics site)
-
VCU Qatar campus
-
Illustration Academy
-
VCU Student Government Association
-
VCU Top Spots
{{Public colleges and universities in Virginia}}
{{Colonial Athletic Association}}
Category:1838 establishments
Category:Universities and colleges in Virginia
Category:Richmond, Virginia
Category:Schools of Medicine in the United States
Category:Art schools in the United States
Category:Nursing schools in Virginia
Category:Virginia Commonwealth University *
Main article:
Virginia Commonwealth University
Category:Universities and colleges in Virginia
Category:Richmond, Virginia
Category:Schools of Medicine in the United States
Category:Art schools in the United States
Category:Nursing schools in Virginia
*** Shopping-Tip: Virginia Commonwealth University
