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VOL. 70, NO. 6 APRIL 2, 2025 THE INDEPENDENT PRESS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
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VCU’S NEW FLAGBEARER:
Phil Martelli Jr.
New VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. stands with VCU president Michael Rao and VCU athletic director Ed McLaughlin. Photo by Arrick Wilson.
VCU students
‘not surprised’
by cuts to DEI
See NEW VCU BASKETBALL COACH on page 5
EMILY GRINSTEAD Contributing Writer VCU announced on March 21 that it is dissolving its Division of Inclusive Excellence, following a Jan. 21 executive order issued by President Donald Trump titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.” VCU president Michael Rao addressed students in an email sent after the resolution, promising it does not alter VCU’s mission. “The VCU Board of Visitors approved a resolution affirming that the university must follow federal and state laws regarding discrimination,” the email stated. “The resolution directed the university to discontinue the Division of Inclusive Excellence in order to align with new federal discrimination guidance.” Appropriate programs formerly under the Division of Inclusive Excellence will be transferred to other departments within the university, according to the resolution. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits organizations receiving federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color or nationality. The executive order issued by President Trump on Jan. 21 stated that DEI programs are “dangerous, demeaning and immoral” and violate the Civil Rights Act by promoting race and sex based biases. See CUTS TO DEI on page 2
GalaxyCon returns to Richmond
Why is a woman’s sexuality so controversial?
‘The Art Happens Here’: Kinetic imaging senior capstone exhibition
see Spectrum page 10
see Opinions page 13
see Spectrum page 9