Virginia Commonwealth University students moved into the residence halls last weekend amid ongoing calls for the university’s leadership to address issues regarding firings, hirings tuition increases and on-campus living conditions.

“VCU students and faculty alike stand together and demand better,” VCU senior Harley Salmen said. “We demand a VCU that chooses us over a bigger check and demands higher education for a higher good.”

The Higher Ed for Higher Good rally was the latest action taken by faculty, students and others as part of a larger effort by the United Campus Workers of Virginia’s VCU chapter, in response to recent decisions and ongoing problems at the university they have criticized as devaluing students and teachers.

In addition to inadequate staffing and over-crowded classes, concerns about mold and other issues in the buildings and residence halls were noted.

“Without the voices of faculty and staff this university would never be able to provide the up-to-date informed education the students have come here for,” Delegate Wendy Gooditis, 10th District, said. “Without the voices of the students, the university would risk falling behind other fine schools in attracting a great student population.”

UCWA-VCU previously sought answers from VCU officials several weeks ago after a racial literacy course, created by VCU students and faculty and approved in 2021, was removed as a required course for undergraduates in late July. A delayed implementation plan instead was offered.

VCU’s actions triggered criticism and concern from inside and outside the university, including the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia, and the American Association of University Professors.

In response, administration officials have explained that only two courses have been created so far that meet the racial literary criteria established in 2020, with not enough space to accommodate the typical number of incoming students.

“The university needs more courses, and more course sections, to offer before this requirement can be fully implemented,” Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos wrote in a July blog post to students and faculty.

“When you consider the typical number of entering, first-time students and transfer students, VCU has an annual need of approximately 5,000 student seats. We cannot, in good faith, require of students something they have no opportunity to meet.”

A response from a VCU spokesman to the other issues raised by UCWVA-VCU offered similar explanations, pointing to inflation, utility costs and other needs as responsible for the tuition increase.

The spokesman also noted the nature of non-renewable contracts for faculty and encouraged those who find facility issues and problems to report them to the Facilities Self Service and the VCU Facilities Management Customer Service.

Last Friday’s rally is just one of several campaigns planned to run on campus this semester, said Kristin Reed, VCU professor and UCWVA-VCU chair, and all are focused on “ensuring VCU and its resources are meeting the needs of students, not executive admin and their private contractors.”

“This means ensuring accountability for student housing and classroom safety, reinstating the contracts of fired faculty, ensuring fair compensation for all workers, and ensuring the fully staffing and rapid implementation of the Racial Literacy requirement,” she said.