Dear VCU Community,
At VCU, we proudly foster an environment where all students, faculty and staff have opportunities to succeed.
Earlier today, the VCU Board of Visitors approved a resolution affirming that the university must follow federal and state laws regarding discrimination. The resolution directed the university to discontinue the Division of Inclusive Excellence in order to align with new federal discrimination guidance colleges and universities received.
We recognize the impact of this change. Where appropriate, we will transition programs from the Division of Inclusive Excellence to other areas.
VCU’s commitment to embracing different backgrounds and perspectives is not defined by any one department — it is a core value woven into the fabric of the entire institution. This philosophy guides us in creating a welcoming, opportunity-rich environment for all people.
Additionally, the resolution calls for the administration to review relevant policies and programs, and their compliance with state and federal laws about discrimination. We will conduct this review by working with our university community and report back to the Board of Visitors at a future meeting.
The university will share more details as plans are developed.
Like colleges and universities across the country, VCU is closely monitoring updates from the federal government. VCU has created a website about federal actions to help keep you informed, in addition to our website focused on research-related federal issues.
As we have shared before, following federal and state laws and supporting all members of our university community are not mutually exclusive. Who we are at VCU does not change. Our mission does not change.
And now is the time to double down on our mission: empowering student success and opportunity, advancing academic and research excellence and serving our communities.
Thank you for your dedication to making VCU a place where all can thrive.
Sincerely,
Michael Rao, President
Fotis Sotiropoulos, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Marlon Levy, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health
Meredith Weiss, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer
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