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VOL. 71, NO. 2 AUG. 27, 2025 THE INDEPENDENT PRESS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
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FRESHMEN OVERFLOW How VCU is accommodating the historically large Class of 2029
Construction of new curb extensions on Cary St. Photo by Nisha Chisolm.
MOLLY MANNING News Editor
The Incoming freshman class marches during the annual spirit walk on Aug. 19. Photo by Kieran Stevens.
ANDREW KERLEY Executive Editor JOSHUA PALER Contributing Writer VCU welcomed more than 4,500 incoming freshmen this fall — making 2029 graduates part of the largest class in four years, and possibly the second largest ever in VCU history. While the historically large number is consistent with the university’s growth, some students are concerned about whether or not campus is spacious enough to handle it. The growth in enrollment comes alongside a 2.5% increase in tuition and a $200 increase in fees determined in May by the board of visitors, according to
VCU News. The hike, which is below the rate of inflation, was necessary to cover unavoidable costs such as state-mandated salary increases, rising utility rates and other inflation-driven expenses, VCU spokesperson Michael Porter stated. “Even with higher enrollment, those costs outpaced tuition and state funding,” Porter stated. “The ‘net price’ for many families has actually gone down, and average student debt at graduation has dropped by 2%.” VCU was able to meet the housing needs of all first-year students in on-campus housing this semester, Porter stated. He credited recent steps to expand capacity, including converting single rooms into doubles at the Honors College Residence Hall, adding an extra bed to most single, double, or triple dorm rooms and starting the planning process for a new residence hall on West Grace Street.
SPECTRUM
VCU has also created “overflow space” in the lounges of Gladding Residence Center that Porter says can be used as temporary or long-term housing. Second-year psychology student Artie Tefel lived in Rhoads Hall their first year — the oldest in-use dorm on campus after Johnson Hall closed in 2021 due to black mold — in a twobedroom converted to fit three people. One year later, they now serve as a residential advisor in the same dorm, where that triple has been converted into a quad. Tefel said they were nervous to arrive on campus and see the newly reworked dorms after what they called “VCU’s housing crisis.”
CORA PERKINS Assistant Spectrum Editor
SAL ORLANDO Contributing Writer
Richmond’s only cat cafe, The Purrfect Bean, has officially opened for business. The cafe consists of an open-for-all coffee shop downstairs with a reservation-only cat lounge upstairs. The cafe had its soft launch on Aug. 10 and grand opening on Aug. 15. The openings were met with an abundant amount of business, according to Giancarlo Afable, lead barista at The Purrfect Bean. The cat reservations drive people in. “It is a little slower during the days, but we still are getting a good amount of business,” Afable said. “It's like, 90 people a day so far just from the cat reservations.” The cafe is sourcing their matcha from local cart, The Exit Plan, according to Camille Proctor, The Purrfect Bean’s general manager and coffee manager.
The Department of Public Works began installing curb extensions along street corners in Monroe Ward in July as part of an effort to improve pedestrian safety. The project is expected to create road closures through April. The purpose of curb extensions is to expand the sidewalk into the road at intersections to shorten the distance pedestrians have to cross, according to the DPW. The installations also block cars from illegally parking too close to corners at intersections, increasing visibility for drivers turning. “The Department of Public Works has secured hundreds of millions in discretionary funding for transportation projects to change the built environment,” DPW spokesperson Paige Hairston, stated in an email. Some of the projects include the construction of accessible sidewalks, the installation of pedestrian hybrid beacons for people crossing multi-lane streets and the conversion of intersections into roundabouts. Second-year business student Andrew Panel said the curb extensions make him feel safer. “There could always be more efforts, but I think this is a good step,” Panel said. “I think they’re doing a good job with adding these [curb extensions].” VCU plans to install 10 additional curb extensions in the coming years, according to VCU News. VCU students, faculty and staff say pedestrian safety is their No. 1 safety concern, according to VCU News. The university has made similar efforts since two VCU students died after being struck by motor vehicles in 2023,.
CAT CAFE Continued on page 10
CONSTRUCTION Continued on page 4
CLASS OF 2029 Continued on page 3
Illustrations by Lucie Bouton
Richmond's new cat cafe is a ‘purrfect’ addition
Richmond acts to boost pedestrian safety with new curb extensions
STAFF EDITORIAL
Byrd Renovation
Genocide
Ramfest Returns
see SPECTRUM page 10
see OPINIONS page 12
see SPORTS page 5