Virginia Commonwealth University received $506 million in sponsored research funding in fiscal year 2024, thanks to 1,953 grant proposal submissions by faculty members. (Photo courtesy Virginia Commonwealth University)
Trees of Knowledge
A stroll about the Randolph-Macon College campus in Ashland can be a learning experience in itself. The school’s 125-acre campus recently earned designation as a Level 1 arboretum courtesy of former student Jonas Fike, who graduated in spring 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies.
Fike worked on his research project under the guidance of biology professor Nick Ruppel and identified 27 tree species on campus. Willow oaks and red maples predominate, but the campus is also home to American sycamore, maidenhair tree, Japanese maple, dogwood, sassafras and Lebanon cedar, according to ArbNet, the arboretum accrediting authority.
“The variety of flora on our campus has always inspired me and my students, and I am thrilled to have external recognition for our trees. I hope to continue sponsoring fieldwork and research that further catalogs this campus-wide asset,” Ruppel says.
The criteria for attaining Level 1 arboretum status include identifying 25 or more species of woody plants on the site, having at least one worker or volunteer and a governing body, and having an arboretum plan, according to Arbnet. Most Level 1 sites are small and open to the public, such as golf courses, school campuses or cemeteries.
Tracking Change
Three of Virginia’s Native American tribes are getting some high-tech tools for dealing with climate change through a collaborative project with the University of Richmond. One of these tools is an online portal that will provide access to information such as climatology, images from satellites and other geographic data to the Nansemond, Mattaponi and Monacan nations. The three-year project is funded through a $804,605 NASA grant.
The grant recipient is David Seward Salisbury, an associate professor of geography, environment and sustainability. He and UR geography professor Stephanie Spera, their students and researchers from Texas Tech will work with tribal members on the project.
“The online portal will work according to the planning, communications and educational goals of our Native American nation partners and will include the environmental, geographic, economic and social variables they prioritize,” Salisbury says.
Information available through the portal will enable the members of the three nations and their allies to monitor conditions and events and to identify climate trends so they can make informed decisions and actions, according to a release. Salisbury says the nations face common environmental factors, including changing temperatures, drought and rising sea levels.
“We anticipate the outcome will be an open-source online tool that facilitates greater collaboration between Native American nations and their governmental and nongovernmental institutional allies as we all work together toward a sustainable future in a Virginia whose climate is rapidly changing,” Salisbury says.
The project follows a NASA-funded effort led by Salisbury and Spera that worked over 20 years with Indigenous populations in the Amazon in Brazil and Peru.
No Comment Needed
In addition to earning its 10-year reaccreditation in December, Virginia Commonwealth University also earned a rare, unspoken honor: the inclusion of no recommendations for improvements.
“It’s never happened before in university history that anyone can remember,” says Jeffrey Kraus, director of executive communications, office of the provost.
The review was conducted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which describes itself as “an institutional accreditor for quality assurance in higher education.”
“A university undergoing an accreditation review with no recommendations is simply outstanding,” said Fotis Sotiropoulos, VCU provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, in a release. “That result is a testament to the work of our entire university community. A positive SACSCOC reaffirmation directly benefits students by adding legitimacy to their degrees.”
Steps in the review process include developing a Quality Enhancement Plan and conducting on-site visits.
“I am very proud of the results of this reaccreditation process, and of the staff and faculty who worked tirelessly to achieve it,” said VCU President Michael Rao. “It reaffirms what we see every day — that VCU is fully committed to the success of our students and ensuring they learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
Masters of Social Work
The social work master’s degree program at Virginia State University earned full accreditation in November, becoming the first such program specializing in trauma-informed care offered at a historically Black college or university, according to a release.
Jimmie Fedrick, the department chair, says the accreditation is an honor and a groundbreaking achievement for the school. “It affirms that our students are earning an education that meets the highest standards,” he said in a release. “Upon graduating, they will emerge as innovative, connected, global leaders, fully prepared to make a meaningful impact in the field of social work.”
Accreditation is through the Counsel on Social Work Education and is retroactive to fall 2022. The program began with 10 students two years ago under provisional accreditation and now has 68 students.
Funding Educators
Education students at Virginia Union University now have an opportunity to hone their skills and enhance their employment prospects through a teaching residency program. A pilot program this spring will enhance the existing 16-week student teaching experience by assigning mentors and giving stipends to participants. The goal is to expand the initiative to a yearlong residency program for the 2025-26 school year, according to VUU.
Program funding comes through a $230,000 teacher residency award — part of a $2.3 million grant through the U.S. Department of Education — and in partnership with VCU. According to VUU, the grant aims to address critical shortages in the teaching profession by enhancing the recruitment, preparation and development of educators, particularly in high-need areas.
“Over the three-year grant period, we hope to provide resources for program and staff development to help or impact 10 university students directly and more K-12 students with those program completers that will ultimately be leading classes in the commonwealth,” says Joan B. Johnson, dean of education for VUU.
Once the program expands to full time for the 2025-26 academic year, each student will receive a $20,000 stipend. “Research has shown that the stipend can impact the motivation of the student participants to complete the preparation program and increase chances of retention,” Johnson says. “The stipend provides an opportunity for the individual to dedicate their attention solely on the educational and experiential demands of the program. Those selected for the program will have the financial resources for tuition, cost of licensure assessments, [and] potentially child care or even rent during the program.”
