VCU news

By Brian McNeill

Virginia Commonwealth University has established a new office to serve as a one-stop shop for helping students navigate the services, support and resources offered at VCU.

The Office of Student Advocacy, part of VCU’s Division of Student Affairs, serves as a guide and gateway to the services and resources of the university and collaborates with community partners, both internal and external, to meet student needs.

Located in Suite 229 of University Student Commons, the office is available to help students understand VCU’s policies and procedures; address academic concerns and complaints; and find crisis support, financial assistance and help with food or housing insecurity, among other issues.

This office was created with student retention and intentional support in mind, and it is part of a larger goal in the Division of Student Affairs to focus on advocacy for students while also supporting them to self-advocate.

“Sometimes students encounter situations they do not think they can overcome, even though a resolution may be possible with the right support. When students are overwhelmed, it is hard to focus and see the path to a solution,” said Lynanne Jamison, Ed.D., interim director of student advocacy. “The Office of Student Advocacy provides intentional, hands-on support to connect students to resources and see them through the situation with guidance and follow-up. Sometimes just a little extra help may be the difference between staying at VCU or choosing to leave. The OSA wants to help students finish what they started.”

The office provides services that VCU has long provided – such as crisis support, emergency funding, housing and food resources, helping students find solutions to difficult issues – but in a way that is more visible, accessible and approachable.

The Office of Student Advocacy both directly assists students and refers them to other VCU and non-VCU resources. So, Jamison said, the office can help students who are encountering any challenge, academic or otherwise. Examples might include:

• Difficulty communicating with an instructor about circumstances affecting attendance or completion of assignments
• Suffering a tragic loss
• Financial challenges, such as losing a job or support from a parent/partner
• Food or housing insecurity
• Struggling to meet too many demands
• Assistance exploring off-campus housing or related issues
• Conduct, academic integrity and/or court process, in terms of understanding their rights or finding a guide for the proceedings
• Recent injury, illness or surgery that impacts participation or performance in the classroom
• Parenting, pregnancy or caregiving responsibilities.

“The office is important for students so that they can feel heard, learn how to more effectively advocate for what they need to be successful (in college and beyond) and have a greater awareness of resources designed to support them,” Jamison said. “While the Office of Student Advocacy will not be able to solve every student’s problem, the office will be able to help students better understand how to navigate the university and the academic and personal challenges they face.”

The Office of Student Advocacy is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students can stop by at any time during those hours for immediate assistance (if available) or can make an appointment by phone (804-828-8940), email (advocacy@vcu.edu) or through an online request form to get help from the team of advocates. The office also has walk-in hours daily from 1 to 3 p.m., when students can receive assistance without an appointment on a first-come, first-served basis.