Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 @commonwealthtimes @theCT1
VOL. 71, NO. 14 DEC. 3, 2025 THE INDEPENDENT PRESS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
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Spanberger suggests reforming, removing politics from college boards
‘LONG TIME COMING’ Renderings courtesy of VCU.
WEST GRACE STREET HOUSING PROJECT
VIEW FROM SOUTH
VCU advances new dorm project to replace Johnson Hall BRYER HAYWOOD Contributing Writer The VCU Board of Visitors gave the green light in November to begin construction on a new residence hall on the 700 block of West Grace Street — adding 1,000 beds for VCU’s growing student body. VCU has faced housing shortages in recent years following the closure of Johnson Hall in 2021 due to elevated levels of mold. Student enrollment has been gradually increasing — with the school having welcomed its second largest freshman class to date in August. Some students living in Rhoads Hall have said they feel crammed in their dorms after VCU converted double rooms into triples, and then those same triples into quads, unbeknownst to them ahead of the fall semester, according to a previous report by The CT. VCU offered students living in the arrangements a reduced housing rate, and some were placed in overflow housing — lounges converted into dorm rooms. Construction on the dorm is expected to begin in spring 2026 and be completed in fall 2028. It will include single, double and semi-suite rooms, a dining venue, two retail spaces, offices and a mail center. SPECTRUM
Art students plan ‘clown graduation’ in absence of official ceremony
The dorm is being built on top of the existing Book Holders building and an office space previously used by Student Financial Services. VCU housing and facilities management representatives previously told The CT the cost to renovate Johnson Hall would be higher than building a new residence hall. Johnson Hall may be used for administrative purposes instead.
First-year psychology and criminal justice student Jacob Carlson, who lives in an eight-person suite with one toilet, two showers and no desks, does not think the new residence hall will be enough to accommodate the influx of students. WEST GRACE DORM Continued on page 2
First-year students Josiah Fife (left) and Preston Ouoham (right) sit in their quad dorm room in Rhoads Hall. They were notified about their living arrangement only weeks before the start of the fall semester. Photo by Andrew Kerley. ANDREW KERLEY Executive Editor Instead of donning caps, gowns and cords as they walk the stage, some VCUarts students are planning to bring their “clowniest” garb and silliest instruments to Clown Graduation; a protest against the department not providing its usual artsspecific ceremony this winter.
Clown Graduation — set to be held in the lobby of the Murray N. DePillars Building on Dec. 12 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. — will see the “Clowncil” rise up when “VCU falls short,” as organizer Max Weker put it on the event’s poster. CLOWN GRADUATION Continued on page 8
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger speaks at a Monroe Park rally on Nov. 3. Photo by Burke Loftus.
ANDREW KERLEY Executive Editor Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger criticized incumbent Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin last month for bringing politics into Virginia colleges and universities throughout his term, and suggested reforms to the appointment system for boards of visitors. “The governor’s role is to appoint people,” Spanberger said in an interview with The Washington Post. “That’s it. That’s how it’s always been, until recently.” Universities in Virginia are governed by boards of visitors made up of 16 members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the General Assembly. The boards hold the power to budget, hire and fire presidents, shape university policy and approve course curricula for their respective schools. VCU’s board members are currently all appointees of Youngkin. The board’s actions throughout the Republican’s term have included voting to cancel a planned core curriculum requirement to reach students about race and racism, as well as ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Spanberger has a reputation as a staunch moderate who reached across party lines as a representative in Congress. Now, with Democrats set to hold a legislative trifecta and an expanded majority in the General Assembly come January, Spanberger wants to do away with governors’ involvement in the governance of public universities past the appointment process. Spanberger told The Post she would not weigh in on board decisions the way Youngkin did, and would largely not interact w ith board members after appointing them. She also said the incoming Democrat-controlled General Assembly should tighten the timing between the appointment and confirmation of board members. SPANBERGER Continued on page
Group projects are driving me insane
The NFL and college football remain divided
Sharing memories of Preston Spence
see OPINIONS page 12
see SPORTS page 6
see FEATURES page 10