VCU news

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University will welcome the largest group of freshmen in its history this week when the class of 2020 moves into the university’s on-campus residence halls, launching the annual Welcome Week schedule of activities that marks the opening of the academic year.

VCU freshmen will move into their residence halls from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Reuban Rodriguez, Ed.D., associate vice provost and dean of student affairs at VCU, will be available for media interviews about move-in days and the opening of the academic year from 10 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on Saturday in front of Brandt Hall, at the corner of Laurel and Franklin streets.

VCU will enroll an estimated 31,500 students this fall. The record-setting freshman class is expected to comprise approximately 4,200 students, of which about 35 percent are first-generation college students.

About 88 percent of VCU’s freshman class is from Virginia, including more than 1,600 students from Northern Virginia and 900 from the Richmond metro area.

Minority students represent 50 percent of the freshman class.   

VCU will also enroll about 2,000 transfer students, including 1,600 students from the Virginia Community College System.

Traffic congestion is expected in the areas near VCU’s student residence halls Friday evening and Saturday and there will be very limited street parking available. 

In order to ensure safety and order as students move into residence halls, the following streets will have travel restrictions or will be closed:

Franklin Street: The street will be closed to through traffic between Harrison and Belvidere streets; traffic arriving for move-in will be reduced to one travel lane between Harrison and Belvidere streets.

Grace Street: Travel lanes will remain open, however, drivers may experience some congestion between Ryland and Belvidere streets.

Harrison Street: The street will be closed to through traffic between Broad and Marshall streets.

Cherry Street: The street will be closed to through traffic between Floyd Avenue and Cary Street.

Floyd Avenue: The street will be closed to through traffic between Cherry and Harrison streets.

Linden Street: The street will be closed to through traffic between Park and Floyd avenues.

Madison Street: The street will be closed to through traffic between Main and Cary streets.

Cary Street: Travel lanes will remain open, but drivers may experience some congestion between Cherry and Jefferson streets.

Marshall Street: Travel lanes will remain open, but drivers may experience some congestion between Bowe and Hancock streets.

Laurel Street: The street will be closed between West Grace and West Cary streets. Parishioners of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart will be allowed to park in designated spots on Cathedral Street and in the West Main Street Parking Deck.

Pine Street: The street continues to be closed between West Cary and West Main streets for construction through 2018.

Traffic restrictions and closures will be in effect on Saturday from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. VCU Police will handle traffic control as students move in. In addition, Laurel Street will be closed between Franklin and Grace streets on Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.