VCU Developments

[creativeclass]

Because of recently-passed legislation, very soon VCU will no longer need the Commonwealth's permission to demolish a building on campus. NYCJSW, did you draft this?? What's still unclear is if the Department of Historic Resources would still have any say in future VCU-proposed demolitions. (As previously disclosed, DHR has no say regarding West Hospital due to a past agreement with VCU). Your taxpayer dollars at work!

The Details: Tier 3 Legislation - Delegate Chris Jones and Senator John Watkins introduced legislation (HB 1124, SB 358) on behalf of VCU to grant the university the highest level of operational flexibility in key areas under the Higher Education Restructuring Act. Both bills have passed the General Assembly unanimously and were signed by the Governor on March 12th. This legislation will go into effect on July 1, 2008.

Edited March 26, 2008 by creativeclass

[JSI]

Barriers and fencing have been erected around the Old City Auditorium (Cherry & W. Cary) for construction of the new VCU rec. center.

Edited April 20, 2008 by JSI

[D_C]

Barriers and fencing have been erected around the Old City Auditorium (Cherry & W. Cary) for construction of the new VCU rec. center.

Have they begun moving the old brick stable building to the corner of the soccer field block yet? That should be interesting.

[JSI]

Have they begun moving the old brick stable building to the corner of the soccer field block yet? That should be interesting.

I believe it's been moved. Linden Street was/is closed down for the move.

[Shakman]

Anyone able to see the rendering of the Engineering School addition in this past Sunday's RTD? At this time, I did not have the ability to scan documents.

[Brent]

Masonry work has begun on the new Broad Street building (the one that replaced the School of Nursing building). It looks fantastic (like the old hospital building across Broad). Perhaps VCU has turned a corner, aesthetically anyway...

[wrldcoupe4]

I haven't seen the RTD pick up this story, but it looks like VCU will be teaming up with W&M instead of UofR.

VCU and William and Mary Announce Health Policy and Law Initiative in Downtown Richmond

The VCU-William and Mary Health Policy and Law Initiative will bring together faculty and students from a variety of disciplines to conduct research, provide public service and offer joint degree programs that focus on solving current problems in health policy, law and bioethics....

Faculty and students from VCU's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, the VCU School of Medicine and the William and Mary Law School will work together in the Initiative, with the ultimate goal of establishing a Center for Health Policy and Law....

"This is a new form of inter-institutional collaboration in Virginia," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani. "As public institutions of higher education, we are pooling the resources of two major universities to leverage our strengths in public policy, health and law to help solve a major problem."

The Initiative will be housed at the Theater Row Building in downtown Richmond, close to VCU's medical campus, and at the William and Mary Law School in Williamsburg.

[journiyin]

I haven't seen the RTD pick up this story, but it looks like VCU will be teaming up with W&M instead of UofR.

VCU and William and Mary Announce Health Policy and Law Initiative in Downtown Richmond

This must also be apart of the Medical Schools realignment of several other departments... the New School of Public Health will be housed in the same building... interesting combination of neighbors...

[burt]

This must also be apart of the Medical Schools realignment of several other departments... the New School of Public Health will be housed in the same building... interesting combination of neighbors...

In defense of the Times Dispatch, they did cover this story in last Friday's edition:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...05-16-0151.html

[wrldcoupe4]

Thanks Burt... I didn't see this on Friday.

[creativeclass]

How far will a university comprimise its own rules and values when money is at stake? Pretty far, if the university is VCU, which signed a contract with Philip Morris that restricts the university from publishing their studies, or even talking about them, without the company's permission. From today's New York Times...

At One University, Tobacco Money is a Secret

Dr. Trani was unavailable for comment for the article.

Excerpt:

[wrldcoupe4]

Not good publicity for VCU really...

And it's pretty sad that very thorough journalism like this about local Richmond topics is coming from Burt's territory!

[D_C]

Not good publicity for VCU really...

And it's pretty sad that very thorough journalism like this about local Richmond topics is coming from Burt's territory!

I'll tell you what else is scary, the fact that research and development findings are in a position to be hidden from public view until the company doing the funding, in this case, a company that could suffer directly from any published findings that show further negative aspects of tobacco, agree to release such findings to the public. I can understand wanting to keep any new products secret, but findings crucial to public safety should not be in this position.

[burt]

Not good publicity for VCU really...

And it's pretty sad that very thorough journalism like this about local Richmond topics is coming from Burt's territory!

It's a pretty devastating report. I haven't noticed any mention of it in the Richmond press. Guess it takes the NYTimes to sniff out the good AND the bad whether in Richmond or Kalamazoo.

[creativeclass]

It's a pretty devastating report. I haven't noticed any mention of it in the Richmond press. Guess it takes the NYTimes to sniff out the good AND the bad whether in Richmond or Kalamazoo.

Not good publicity for VCU at all; I was disappointed when I read it this morning. Someone needs a lesson in business ethics.....it's hard to regain a good reputation if it can be sold at such a low price. I'd like to see an official response from VCU about this.....just silence so far.

[wrldcoupe4]

Does not Trani step down in the next couple years? I think I once read that Gov. Kaine would love to be a university Preseident. He's tied to Richmond, perhaps VCU ?

[burt]

Does not Trani step down in the next couple years? I think I once read that Gov. Kaine would love to be a university Preseident. He's tied to Richmond, perhaps VCU ?

Is Tim academically qualified to be president of a major university? He'd get my endorsement in a New York minute (if you'll excuse the reference.)

Tim might be offered a post in the Obama administration, but I hope he finishes out his term as Governor.

Edited May 23, 2008 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

How far will a university comprimise its own rules and values when money is at stake? Pretty far, if the university is VCU, which signed a contract with Philip Morris that restricts the university from publishing their studies, or even talking about them, without the company's permission. From today's New York Times...

At One University, Tobacco Money is a Secret

Dr. Trani was unavailable for comment for the article.

Excerpt:

[creativeclass]

Interesting spin from our local "journalists." I admire VCU's ambition to become a high-profile and well-regarded institution, but when unchecked ambition affects its ethics, BIG PROBLEM.

The New York Times actually obtained a copy of the contract before writing their story, and got a senior VCU official to admit the following:

[journiyin]

Is Tim academically qualified to be president of a major university? He'd get my endorsement in a New York minute (if you'll excuse the reference.)

Tim might be offered a post in the Obama administration, but I hope he finishes out his term as Governor.

i would have to think he will be offered a position high enough for him to consider resigning immediately. He didn't play as major of a role as he did not to get something cabinet level or higher - of course if Obama loses this means nothing.

[creativeclass]

Obama / Kaine '08!

[burt]

Obama / Kaine '08!

That would be a good ticket, but don't you suspect Barrack will go with Hillary?

[creativeclass]

Hillary on the ticket would create too much internal rancor at a time when the Dems need to focus on McCain. If Obama is elected, he ought to reward her with a nice ambassadorship...or she can continue to serve in the Senate. Virginia's very much in play this year, so Tim would be an excellent choice for Veep, though I suspect Barack might go for someone with a deeper resume to reassure those who feel he lacks "experience".

Okay, enough politics, back to the topic!

[burt]

Hillary on the ticket would create too much internal rancor at a time when the Dems need to focus on McCain. If Obama is elected, he ought to reward her with a nice ambassadorship...or she can continue to serve in the Senate. Virginia's very much in play this year, so Tim would be an excellent choice for Veep, though I suspect Barack might go for someone with a deeper resume to reassure those who feel he lacks "experience".

Okay, enough politics, back to the topic!

OK. But I think Kaine does not have the name recognition for VP. And Horrors! If he WERE on the ticket, the Governorship would have to be turned over to you-know-who.

On the VCU front, there is a nice rendering of the new School of Dentistry on the web site Coupe gave us -- http://www.provizions.com/portfolio_index.html. You have to dig around to find it, but it's there.

Edited May 25, 2008 by burt

[Shakman]

School of Dentistry:

http://www.venturerichmond.com/downtown/projects-vcu.html

There is also an interior vitual tour of the Boulevard Theaters.

http://www.provizions.com/portfolio_clips.html#

Edited May 26, 2008 by Shakman