VCU news

By Mike Porter

Many of Virginia Commonwealth University’s neighbors understand and appreciate the university’s important role in providing educational, cultural and job opportunities in Richmond. But some neighbors admit it’s not always easy living next door to one of Virginia’s largest universities.

With a student body of more than 32,000, there’s bound to be some people who are less than “neighborly.” In the spring of 2010, residents of Richmond’s Randolph neighborhood southwest of the Monroe Park Campus were upset with some of their student neighbors. Residents complained about loud parties that kept them awake at night and the cans, bottles and other trash that greeted them in the morning.

From those complaints, VCU created the “Neighborhood Team” to improve communication and relationships between neighbors and the university.

“We formed the Neighborhood Team to try to be proactive so we can be better neighbors,” said Cathy Howard, Ph.D., vice provost of the Division of Community Engagement. “We think it’s important that we all try to live in harmony and that our students learn that Richmond is their home while they are at VCU.” 

The team consists of representatives from the Division of Community Engagement, the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, the VCU Police Department, the Division of University Relations, the Student Government Association, the Office of Sustainability, Off Campus Student Services, Judicial Affairs, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the Wellness Resource Center.

The team shared some of its early success stories during a meeting of the Monroe Park Campus Advisory Group on June 22. The team used “clicker technology,” which is normally employed in the classroom to allow students to respond anonymously to surveys. In this case, the clickers were used to gauge the attitude of neighbors on issues of concern and VCU programs that address their concerns.

VCU Police Chief John Venuti explained the department has assigned personnel to attend neighborhood meetings to get ahead of potential problems.

“We’ve really tried to come to the community meetings and listen to your feedback,” Venuti said.  

And from the meetings, Venuti said police launched a new initiative to crack down on nuisance properties by sending letters to landlords. Police consider properties to be nuisances when they’ve been called repeatedly to the location to deal with problems. So far, police have contacted 12 landlords and the response has been effective.

“We’ve had landlords say ‘Do you want us to evict (student tenants)? Because we will,’” Venuti said.

Landlords get in touch with tenants and their parents, who are often co-signed on the lease. When landlords and parents get involved, visits by police decrease. Venuti said the number of nuisance properties declined significantly in the spring semesters.

Some neighbors were surprised to learn that students convicted of a crime also face disciplinary action on campus.

“We’re working to make sure that students understand that if they break the law, not only is it a criminal offense but it could be adjudicated on campus,” said Reuban Rodriguez, associate vice provost and dean of student affairs.

The Neighborhood Team reviewed “Paint the Town Green,” launched with the Student Government Association, to clean up surrounding neighborhoods during the fall and spring semesters. “Paint the Town Green,” which takes place the second Saturdays of October and April, allows students and neighbors to work together and get to know each other at an informal social gathering after the work is done. In the fall of 2010, 150 bags of trash were removed from neighborhoods near the Monroe Park Campus. 

VCU President Michael Rao discussed VCU’s “Quest for Distinction,” a six-year strategic plan endorsed by the Board of Visitors in May with focuses on academic excellence, student success, human health and community engagement.

Rao also highlighted current and upcoming university construction projects, including three new parking decks, the Grace Street South service learning-themed residential building and the new School of Medicine, scheduled to open in 2013.  

The Neighborhood Team also introduced a new student intern, Jose Menjivar, who will work directly with neighbors. The team shared a new email address, neighbors@vcu.edu, for neighbors to ask questions or report problems.