Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
FAU Economists: Delayed Data Leaves Fed Cautious on Rates
BOCA RATON, Florida, March 3 -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news:
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FAU Economists: Delayed Data Leaves Fed Cautious on Rates
By Amber Bonefont
Even as updated inflation data shows persistent price pressures, the Federal Reserve faces continued uncertainty over interest rates, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University.
The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCEPI), which is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, grew at a continuously compounding annualized rate of 4.4%
... Show Full Article
BOCA RATON, Florida, March 3 -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news:
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FAU Economists: Delayed Data Leaves Fed Cautious on Rates
By Amber Bonefont
Even as updated inflation data shows persistent price pressures, the Federal Reserve faces continued uncertainty over interest rates, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University.
The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCEPI), which is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, grew at a continuously compounding annualized rate of 4.4%in the last month of 2025. Core PCEPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in December 2025.
"Prices continued to rise, but at a slower pace than in the previous few years," said Eric Van Tassel , Ph.D., associate professor of economics in the College of Business . "While inflation has moderated, it still remains above the Federal Reserve's long-run target of 2%."
The Fed is tasked with maintaining price stability in the United States and aims for prices to grow at an average of just 2%. Stubbornly high inflation readings over the back half of 2025 led the Federal Open Market Committee to pause its rate cuts last month, with the federal funds rate target range held at 3.5 to 3.75%. FOMC members appear to be divided on whether--and, if so, when--to begin cutting rates again.
"Policy shocks, delayed data, and political pressures mean Fed officials are likely to remain cautious, keeping rates steady for now," said William Luther , Ph.D., associate professor of economics in FAU's College of Business. "FOMC members disagree about the proper path for the federal funds rate. Those disagreements stem from competing views on the many policy shocks realized over the last year and how best to deal with political pressure from the president."
The uncertainty from the Fed on how to set the federal funds rate could have far-reaching consequences for businesses and consumers alike. When there is uncertainty about the path of interest rates, firms may postpone or scale back planned investment and hiring. This can dampen productivity growth and job creation. For consumers, uncertainty can affect decisions about large purchases such as homes, cars and education.
"If the Fed keeps rates elevated longer than necessary, monetary policy could become overly restrictive. More broadly, sustained high interest rates could slow GDP growth and increase the risk of a 'hard landing' for the U.S. economy," Van Tassel said. "On the other hand, the primary risk of cutting interest rates too soon is that this will re-accelerate inflation."
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Original text here: https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/business-economists-inflation-report-fau.php
Eastern Kentucky University Issues Commentary: Building Kentucky's Healthcare Future at EKU
RICHMOND, Kentucky, March 3 -- Eastern Kentucky University issued the following commentary on March 2, 2026, by President David McFaddin:
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Building Kentucky's Healthcare Future at EKU
The health and wellness of Kentucky is dependent upon our ability to deliver world-class care, and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is ready to answer that call. EKU has been working for three years on a bold proposal to improve healthcare access, especially in rural Kentucky, with plans for the state's first public osteopathic medical program.
Across Kentucky, 94% of counties have a primary care shortage;
... Show Full Article
RICHMOND, Kentucky, March 3 -- Eastern Kentucky University issued the following commentary on March 2, 2026, by President David McFaddin:
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Building Kentucky's Healthcare Future at EKU
The health and wellness of Kentucky is dependent upon our ability to deliver world-class care, and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is ready to answer that call. EKU has been working for three years on a bold proposal to improve healthcare access, especially in rural Kentucky, with plans for the state's first public osteopathic medical program.
Across Kentucky, 94% of counties have a primary care shortage;eight counties have no physicians at all; and a staggering 48 counties in Kentucky have no pediatricians. The Commonwealth ranks 40th nationally for primary care workforce. We can do better, and Kentuckians deserve better.
EKU is already a premier healthcare education institution with a rich history of excellence. Our School of Nursing celebrates more than 60 years of serving Kentucky, and our nationally ranked Occupational Therapy program has produced highly sought-after healthcare professionals for 50 years. EKU's Speech-Language Pathology, Public Health and Doctoral in Clinical Psychology programs are recognized among the nation's best graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report.
The list of accolades continues, and the picture is clear: EKU provides quality healthcare education, and we're committed to meeting the workforce needs of our state.
EKU is proudly Kentucky first. Our graduates remain and work in Kentucky at the highest rate among the state's public institutions, and nearly 90% of our students come from the Commonwealth. The proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine represents a once-in-a-generation investment in Kentucky's health care future.
Last spring, legislation was passed removing a long-standing rule that had prevented schools like EKU from offering certain doctoral degrees, such as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). EKU has worked tirelessly for three years to move this proposal forward and we will continue to pursue partnerships with Kentucky healthcare providers. As part of the planning, EKU has formed a community advisory committee composed of healthcare executives, legislative leaders and community physicians. In addition, we're talking with our students, alumni and key stakeholders about what this opportunity will mean for the healthcare needs of Kentucky.
Raina Boggs, a junior pre-med major from Richmond, said, "I really want to be a doctor because it would mean a lot to me to be able to help people in rural areas who don't have access to healthcare. I chose to come to EKU because, financially, it was one of the best options. I was able to go to school without it being a huge financial burden. That will help me with the cost of medical school."
Like many aspiring physicians in Kentucky, EKU pre-med graduate Evan Singleton from Rockcastle County left the state to pursue his dream of becoming a physician. While completing his medical residency in Indiana, he said, "I'm excited to come back and practice in my hometown in a couple of years, but I think that EKU opening up the College of Osteopathic Medicine will help remedy that shortage much faster."
At a healthcare forum EKU hosted at the Kentucky State Capitol in the fall, Nick Bejarano, president and CEO of AdventHealth Manchester, said, "Recruiting physicians in rural Kentucky is very difficult. So starting a school would offer us the opportunity to continue to train people locally who would like to stay within these rural communities. So that's what's really exciting to us as part of AdventHealth and serving rural Eastern Kentucky."
We're truly excited about the journey to bring a public osteopathic medical school to Kentucky. This work will support our students, and importantly, it will transform the Commonwealth.
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Original text here: https://www.eku.edu/news/building-kentuckys-healthcare-future-at-eku/
Drone Mapping Project Wins $80,000 in UNT Diamond Eagles Excellence Funding
DENTON, Texas, March 3 -- The University of North Texas issued the following news release:
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Drone Mapping Project wins $80,000 in UNT Diamond Eagles Excellence funding
A newly-funded project will provide students at the University of North Texas with professional certifications and hands-on experience operating industry-grade drone systems.
Created by Pinliang Dong, John South, and Lisa Nagaoka, faculty members in UNT's Department of Geography and the Environment, the Drone Mapping Project was awarded $80,000 from the Diamond Eagles Excellence Fund. The fund is endowed by the UNT Diamond
... Show Full Article
DENTON, Texas, March 3 -- The University of North Texas issued the following news release:
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Drone Mapping Project wins $80,000 in UNT Diamond Eagles Excellence funding
A newly-funded project will provide students at the University of North Texas with professional certifications and hands-on experience operating industry-grade drone systems.
Created by Pinliang Dong, John South, and Lisa Nagaoka, faculty members in UNT's Department of Geography and the Environment, the Drone Mapping Project was awarded $80,000 from the Diamond Eagles Excellence Fund. The fund is endowed by the UNT DiamondEagles Society, a giving initiative within the Division of University Advancement that supports impactful projects created by and for the UNT community.
The funding will support the acquisition of an advanced drone system for the Aerial Remote Sensing Club and help cover costs for students pursuing remote pilot certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is required to operate drones for commercial purposes in the United States.
Dong, professor of geography and department chair, said the demand for professional drone pilots is growing across industries.
"In a recent search, we found more than 2,000 drone-related job openings in Texas alone," Dong said. "Private companies and government agencies are seeking pilots who also have data collection and processing skills."
To help students build these skills, the project will purchase a drone system equipped with advanced imaging technology. A hyperspectral sensor capable of detecting hundreds of channels of light allows students to analyze vegetation, soil and land conditions in detail. The system will also feature light detection and ranging, or lidar, technology, which uses a laser to create three-dimensional views of the Earth's surface. Together, the tools allow students to create highly detailed images, maps and three-dimensional replicas of the landscape.
South -- a geography lecturer, faculty advisor for the Aerial Remote Sensing Club and FAA-certified remote pilot -- said these tools will give students experience that is often difficult to gain outside industries that combine drone technology with geographic information systems, or GIS.
"Drones with these capabilities allow our students to conduct much more detailed research," South said. "They can fly over an area to identify and monitor plant species or analyze soil to determine mineral composition. We'll be able to teach them how to plan missions, collect high-quality data and produce a wide range of outputs -- from maps to terrain models to three-dimensional imagery and surveys."
Aerial Remote Sensing Club vice president Jesse Reyna, a master's student in geography, said learning to operate commercial-grade equipment and software is a valuable opportunity for students working to become drone pilots.
"We've been fortunate to get experience using the drones Professor South shares with the club," Reyna said. "But getting experience with a new system -- with the type of drone we'll be using in our future careers -- that's really exciting."
Club president Jenish Chauhan, a master's student in geography pursuing a concentration in data analytics, shared Reyna's excitement and said the project will give students access to current data critical for study.
"For my master's thesis, I've been analyzing data from 2019," Chauhan said. "Having a drone that belongs to the club will allow us to collect our own up-to-date data, which is very important to our research."
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The UNT Aerial Remote Sensing Club is open to all UNT students. To learn more or to join the club, email John.South@unt.edu.
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Original text here: https://news.unt.edu/news/2026/drone-mapping-project-wins-80-thousand-in-unt-diamond-eagles-excellence-funding.html
Columbia Law School: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Public Service and the Future of Local Prosecution
NEW YORK, March 3 -- The Columbia Law School issued the following news:
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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Public Service and the Future of Local Prosecution
At a recent Lawyers, Community, and Impact event, Bragg spoke with Dean Daniel Abebe about traditional and innovative approaches to public safety and Bragg's path to a career in public service.
On February 9, Daniel Abebe, Dean and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law, sat down with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for a wide-ranging conversation on jurisdictional issues, alternatives to incarceration, prosecutorial priorities,
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 3 -- The Columbia Law School issued the following news:
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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Public Service and the Future of Local Prosecution
At a recent Lawyers, Community, and Impact event, Bragg spoke with Dean Daniel Abebe about traditional and innovative approaches to public safety and Bragg's path to a career in public service.
On February 9, Daniel Abebe, Dean and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law, sat down with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for a wide-ranging conversation on jurisdictional issues, alternatives to incarceration, prosecutorial priorities,the importance of responding to community concerns, and the impact of public service.
Held as part of the Lawyers, Community, and Impact (LCI) series, the event, "Public Service and the Future of Local Prosecution," began with Benjamin L. Liebman, Robert L. Lieff Professor of Law and vice dean for intellectual life, introducing Bragg. Speaking before a packed lecture hall of students and other members of the community, Liebman cited Bragg's "incredible resume of public service." Bragg was first elected Manhattan District Attorney in 2021 and was reelected in 2025. The district attorney's office currently has 1,700 employees, including 650 assistant district attorneys, and Bragg oversees "one of the most high-profile prosecutorial jurisdictions in the world," said Liebman.
Dean Abebe began the conversation with a question for Bragg about jurisdictional boundaries, particularly within the current context of immigration enforcement. Bragg said that one of his priorities as district attorney has been to enhance community trust. "I'm a lifelong Manhattanite, lifelong Harlemite, and come from part of the borough with a historically fraught relationship with law enforcement. And so one of my main areas of focus has been to develop trust with all the communities we serve." When local police participate with federal law enforcement on civil immigration actions, he said, "even if intellectually you distinguish between what federal law enforcement is doing and your local law enforcement, it blends, it bleeds, and that trust in government gets eroded."
Bragg and Dean Abebe share a friendship that began when the two met at Harvard Law School, when Bragg was a 2L and the Dean was a 1L. They discussed their law school experiences, including clinics, courses, moot courts, and other moments that the Dean called "productive discovery." The Dean also asked Bragg about the path that led him to "thinking about law as not only a vocation but a commitment to public service." Bragg spoke about his personal experiences both growing up in New York City and with police accountability. "I had three unconstitutional gunpoint stops with the NYPD, and you did not need to take Con Law to know they were unconstitutional," he said. He also described personally experiencing a number of "traditional public safety issues: a homicide victim on my doorstep, a knife to my neck, a semiautomatic weapon to my head." Bragg said he was drawn to study law by this "juxtaposition ... [of] how we can achieve safety, both traditionally and then also safety from the people who are policing."
After graduating from law school in 1999, Bragg clerked for Judge Robert P. Patterson Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and worked briefly in private practice. He subsequently served as an assistant and later as chief deputy attorney general for New York state. When he joined that office, Bragg chose to work in the public corruption unit. "I felt very strongly about power asymmetry cases, as I call them," he said. At the time, he was trying to figure out if he had the temperament to be a prosecutor and send people to prison. "I wanted to see if depriving someone of their liberty was something I would be comfortable doing," he said. Bragg also served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Under Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office takes on an array of cases--from those involving shoplifting and violent assaults to cyber crimes and securities fraud. "Our practice represents the vibrancy of Manhattan," he said. While he does routinely send people to prison, he said he is also in a position to set policy that recognizes that criminality can have different causes, which require a range of responses and a consideration of community needs.
"Public safety is always going to be [our office's] North Star, but [we] pair that with a recognition that incarceration is not always what is going to make us safe," he said. With this in mind, he established the Pathways to Public Safety Division during his first year as district attorney, which assesses individuals for alternatives to incarceration, including by utilizing diversion and evidence-based programming. "Determining when to use [which method] is something we think about every day, and it's hard," he said.
Bragg concluded by saying that he hoped his visit would inspire students to pursue careers in public service. "We need people in the arena, and the arena is large," he said. "We need well-trained, driven people who are going to work in the public interest, broadly construed." Besides the personal reasons of enjoying public interest work in all its forms, Bragg said that there's another "great big reason to do it, which is that we help the world."
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About Lawyers, Community, and Impact: Launched in 2016, the series invites Columbia Law experts to talk about pressing current issues and brings deeper context and perspective to the work Columbia Law community members do both inside and outside the classroom.
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Original text here: https://www.law.columbia.edu/news/archive/manhattan-district-attorney-alvin-bragg-public-service-and-future-local-prosecution
University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Meet the Researcher Who Bridges Psychological Disciplines to Support Safer College Campus Environments
IOWA CITY, Iowa, March 3 -- The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences issued the following news:
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Meet the researcher who bridges psychological disciplines to support safer college campus environments
Teresa Treat, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, uses her multidisciplinary expertise to research ways to reduce harm in college settings.
By Bri Brands
At the time that Teresa Treat, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, took her first abnormal psychology class as an undergraduate, there was little intersection
... Show Full Article
IOWA CITY, Iowa, March 3 -- The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences issued the following news:
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Meet the researcher who bridges psychological disciplines to support safer college campus environments
Teresa Treat, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, uses her multidisciplinary expertise to research ways to reduce harm in college settings.
By Bri Brands
At the time that Teresa Treat, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, took her first abnormal psychology class as an undergraduate, there was little intersectionbetween clinical and computational cognitive psychology--so Treat decided she was going to be the one to make a change.
Receiving a joint PhD in clinical psychology and cognitive science from Indiana University has given Treat a unique perspective about the role of cognition in psychopathology, or the study of mental and behavioral disorders, which she now uses to research cognitive processing in sexual aggression among college students.
Treat's research broadly focuses on college students' sexual judgement and decision making as it relates to substance use, sexual perpetration, sexual victimization, and satisfaction with both casual and established sexual relationships.
On average, 20-25 percent of undergraduate women and undergraduate students who identify their gender outside the binary report that they experienced non-consensual sexual contact by either force or intoxication during college, Treat said.
"From my perspective, this is a huge public health problem," she said.
Any college or university that receives federal funding is congressionally mandated to provide sexual assault prevention programs, which gives institutions more of an opportunity to develop effective programs, as opposed to a non-college setting.
An untraditional researcher
Treat initially came to the University of Iowa because she knew it would be a place where she was welcome, even though she didn't fit into the traditional category of either clinical psychology or cognitive psychology.
"Iowa's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences has a reputation for being a rigorous and integrative department full of outstanding, collaborative scholars," she said. "The department's very invested in tearing down walls between areas and doing whatever they can to foster connections across departments."
Having the support to break down boundaries has allowed Treat to work with a colleague at Arizona State University and a former mentor at Indiana University to develop a new sexual assault prevention program.
While the program is still in the development stages, Treat says what they have seen so far has been promising.
"I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to explore ideas like this. It's really a passion for me to try to help make a difference in these areas."
In the long run, Treat hopes to incorporate diversity of sexual and gender identity into her prevention efforts.
Traditionally, much of the sexuality research in the field has adopted a heteronormative perspective that focuses on sexual interest and encounters between men and women, and assumes that, if sexual assault took place, it only occurred because men initiated and women were victims.
"We know that there are a broad range of sexual identities and gender identities," Treat said. "I think one of the most important things I can do is to incorporate the diversity of sexual experiences and preferences, as well as variability in gender identities, into my work to the extent possible."
Service to a wider community
As a part of her national service to the field of clinical science, Treat serves as the chair of the review committee for the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).
As the chair, she helps accredit top clinical psychology doctoral programs focused on producing graduates who conduct innovative and impactful clinical research and who share it broadly to advance our understanding, assessment, and treatment of public mental health.
Treat joined the committee because, like many psychologists and mental health professionals, she noticed how limited access to high quality, evidence-based mental health care is in the United States.
"It's an incredible privilege to work alongside the other members of the review committee to evaluate programs and suggest ways in which they might have a greater impact. This work enhances the body of high-quality research that clinical scientists are producing, and informs our efforts to address numerous concerning and long-standing problems in public mental health."
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Original text here: https://clas.uiowa.edu/news/2026/03/meet-researcher-who-bridges-psychological-disciplines-support-safer-college-campus
Frostburg State Engineering Team Finishes Top 8 at National Lockheed Martin Ethics Competition
FROSTBURG, Maryland, March 3 -- Frostburg State University issued the following news:
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Frostburg State Engineering Team Finishes Top 8 at National Lockheed Martin Ethics Competition
A duo of engineering students from Frostburg State University earned a Top 8 finish among 72 teams at the Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Case Competition held last week in Bethesda, Md.
Saylor Miller and Bryce Snyder competed against nationally recognized Division I institutions including the University of Maryland College Park, the United States Naval Academy, Texas A&M University, Duke University,
... Show Full Article
FROSTBURG, Maryland, March 3 -- Frostburg State University issued the following news:
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Frostburg State Engineering Team Finishes Top 8 at National Lockheed Martin Ethics Competition
A duo of engineering students from Frostburg State University earned a Top 8 finish among 72 teams at the Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Case Competition held last week in Bethesda, Md.
Saylor Miller and Bryce Snyder competed against nationally recognized Division I institutions including the University of Maryland College Park, the United States Naval Academy, Texas A&M University, Duke University,the University of Mississippi and Iowa State University to name a few. Frostburg's team advanced through three consecutive rounds to reach the quarterfinals before narrowly falling to Alabama A&M University, which went on to finish as the competition's runner-up.
"We are absolutely thrilled and incredibly proud of Saylor and Bryce," said FSU interim president Darlene Brannigan Smith, PhD. "It's truly an impressive accomplishment to have represented Frostburg State University so well among such prestigious institutions, and their success story is a testament to the strength and potential of engineering at FSU."
By midweek of the competition, Frostburg's presence was firmly established. "We were incredibly proud to represent Frostburg State University," said Miller. "On Monday we walked into Lockheed Martin and were asked repeatedly, 'Where is Frostburg?', but by Wednesday the teams and judges knew exactly who and where Frostburg was."
The Miller-Snyder team, which had never previously competed in this event, impressed judges and fellow competitors alike with its preparation, poise and performance. Several judges personally commended the pair following their rounds. Two competing teams, the University of Oklahoma and Christopher Newport University, even referred to the FSU students as "the cold-blooded killers," a testament to their competitive edge.
FSU's Dean of the College of Business, Engineering, Computing & Analytics Dr. Sudhir Singh echoed President Smith's sentiments. "What an extraordinary achievement! The fact that they walked into Lockheed Martin as unknowns and left having earned the respect of judges and competitors from some of the most prestigious institutions in the country speaks volumes about their preparation, their character, their caliber and their commitment to excellence. These two didn't just compete - they made Frostburg known."
For many participating institutions, this marked their second or third appearance at the national competition. For Frostburg, it was a debut performance, and one that firmly positioned the University's engineering program on the national stage.
"Saylor and Bryce performed exceptionally well," said FSU professor of mechanical Engineering Jamil Abdo, PhD. "They demonstrated not only strong engineering knowledge but also outstanding communication skills. Their performance clearly reflects the high quality of our engineering programs and the strength of our students."
Miller couldn't agree more. "Dr. Abdo, Bryce and I left Lockheed Martin having demonstrated that engineering at Frostburg State University is truly a force to be reckoned with."
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The Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Case Competition brings together two-student undergraduate teams and faculty advisors from institutions across the country to analyze and present solutions to a fictional case centered on complex ethical, business and engineering challenges. For more information, visit https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/who-we-are/ethics/academic-outreach.html.
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Original text here: https://www.frostburg.edu/news/2026/03/lockheed-martin-competition.php
'It Just Has to Stop': Why VCU is Accelerating Pedestrian Safety Action
RICHMOND, Virginia, March 3 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news:
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'It just has to stop': Why VCU is accelerating pedestrian safety action
Building on three years of collaboration and confronting recent tragedies, the university and the city of Richmond are implementing bold, aggressive measures to protect the community.
By Jake Burns
The data and community sentiment are clear: Pedestrian safety remains a critical issue in Richmond. Leaders, students and community members at Virginia Commonwealth University are embracing ongoing work to address the issue near
... Show Full Article
RICHMOND, Virginia, March 3 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news:
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'It just has to stop': Why VCU is accelerating pedestrian safety action
Building on three years of collaboration and confronting recent tragedies, the university and the city of Richmond are implementing bold, aggressive measures to protect the community.
By Jake Burns
The data and community sentiment are clear: Pedestrian safety remains a critical issue in Richmond. Leaders, students and community members at Virginia Commonwealth University are embracing ongoing work to address the issue nearVCU's two downtown campuses and beyond.
From personal accountability to institutional investment, VCU, VCU Health and the city of Richmond are examining and implementing methods to calm traffic, improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, and alter dangerous driving habits.
"We lost a dear friend in [longtime Valentine director] Bill Martin. We've lost too many students to vehicular traffic accidents, I'll call them. So, we're partnering with the city. We know that we have to do this together with the city," said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. "This is a really important thing we have to deal with. We will. We cannot stand to lose one more life or see anybody get hurt because of a car or any kind of vehicle. It's a shame, and it just has to stop. Period."
Engineering, education, evaluation, enforcement
Speaking recently to the VCU Board of Visitors and VCU Health Board of Directors, public safety leaders from the academic and medical enterprises highlighted the urgent need to promote and accelerate work to improve conditions, particularly following several fatalities involving pedestrians in Richmond in recent months.
"We must do all we can to prevent another pedestrian tragedy in our city and on our campuses - we owe this to our citizens, our students, our patients, our collective workforce and their families," said Meredith Weiss, Ph.D., senior vice president for finance and administration. "Now is the time for VCU and the city of Richmond to act with the highest sense of urgency and to continue to innovate - bringing new ideas, evaluating the data and adapting our strategies to achieve [safety strategy] Vision Zero. Lives depend on us."
A formal partnership between VCU and the city of Richmond related to pedestrian safety has been ongoing for more than three years.
"We are appreciative of the city's efforts and collaboration over the past three years, making VCU and VCU Health a safer place for pedestrians. However, there is a lot of additional work that needs to be done - it's clear our community wants to see results," said John Venuti, associate vice president for public safety and emergency services for VCU and VCU Health. "Dr. Rao and Mayor Avula have directed us to take bold, aggressive action enhancing pedestrian safety on both campuses."
From retimed traffic lights and improved pedestrian crossing signage to curb extension and turn hardening, dozens of projects have been completed to make VCU's Monroe Park and MCV campuses safer. View a comprehensive list here.
VCU and city leaders are actively working on a host of additional improvements in the coming months, including:
* Increasing pedestrian crossing times at key intersections.
* Speed feedback signage.
* Curb extensions at eight new intersections.
* Red light camera enforcement devices.
* Bike lane extension on West Franklin Street.
* The East Leigh Street streetscape project through the MCV Campus, including signal improvements and protected pedestrian/bike paths.
Leveraging transportation and enforcement data, public safety leaders reiterated to the VCU boards that a holistic approach to pedestrian safety, including infrastructure investment, is needed to make streets safer for all travelers.
"Our data clearly show exactly where we have high volumes of vehicular traffic and potential vehicle-pedestrian conflicts," said Clarence T. Hunter Jr., chief of VCU Police. "That information lets us target enforcement and safety efforts where they'll make the biggest difference."
Operation Safer Streets
VCU's campuses represent a unique challenge for travelers in the city, according to Lt. Edgar Greer of VCU Police. The sheer volume of foot traffic at all times of day, all year, raises the potential for vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.
Since early January, VCU Police have intensified traffic enforcement near both downtown campuses through Operation Safer Streets, a targeted program that leverages visible enforcement, community education and driver accountability
"By doubling our traffic division, highlighting pedestrian safety and making it even more of a focus than it already was, the return is going to come back," Greer said. "The return is we're changing driving habits. That's the biggest key."
In the first six weeks of the operation, VCU Police officers initiated 1,117 traffic stops and issued more than 890 summons. Those totals include:
* 324 speeding violations.
* 142 violations for failure to obey highways signs.
* 106 red light violations.
Beyond tracking stops and tickets, VCU Police are analyzing geographic data to pinpoint where certain types of traffic violations occur most often. Insights from this initial 90-day operation will inform the department's traffic enforcement plan moving forward.
"We're focusing on vehicles coming to and leaving our area. If they're speeding, we don't want to wait until they get to the core campus," Greer said. "We're pushing our officers out because we want [drivers] to slow down and not come through our campus doing 93 mph, like we caught one driver doing. ... We'll know exactly where we need to focus because that'll help us with our attempt to change habits around here."
Officer Kynneath Moss has been with VCU Police for six years and was assigned to the traffic division in January. He said he sees patterns of dangerous driving behavior in specific areas near both campuses. For example, speeding is a bigger issue along Belvidere or Leigh streets, while failure to obey posted signage is a major problem closer to the core of the Monroe Park Campus, such as along West Grace and East Broad streets.
The goal is to not have to write so many tickets, Moss said. Still, he thinks increased enforcement will serve as a deterrent for drivers.
"Think of it like that other person - a pedestrian, cyclist, driver - is your loved one. If there's an officer out there that's preventing them from getting hurt, that hits home with you," he said.
"Heads Up, Rams!": More than a hashtag
While learning to drive in Nigeria, Olajumoke Babatunde was taught to assume all other drivers on the roadway were "mad" - and not the emotional definition of the word.
Through lived experience and her time at VCU, the doctoral student in the School of Pharmacy has taken a personal interest in pedestrian safety.
Babatunde, a member of VCU Police's Student Voice Committee, recalls a recent moment while walking through the Monroe Park Campus with a friend, where she delivered a key message to one of her fellow students.
"We saw two students crossing the road, and they were on their phones. Then I just said, 'Heads Up, Rams' - and she put her head up and smiled," said Babatunde, who was citing the name of a VCU safety education initiative.
"If we could tell people to keep their heads up, try to keep your phone away - just for 10 seconds while crossing the road - that would be very helpful in saving lives," she said.
Transportation options are available
VCU provides a network of bus services to connect its two campuses and remote parking lots.
The newest addition, RamsXpress, which launched in August 2025, offers direct, point-to-point transit between the Monroe Park Campus at Cabell Library and the MCV Campus at the Larrick Student Center (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
VCU recently transitioned to its independent RamsXpress service, but students can still utilize the broader GRTC bus network at no charge.
For students using off-site parking, the RamRide shuttle service connects remote facilities such as the A, I and O lots to central campus locations.
"It's important for us to prioritize the safety of the VCU community and offer transportation options which allow students and staff to feel supported with both traditional and alternative transportation efforts," said Josh Stone, executive director of VCU Parking & Transportation.
Safety and alternative commuting options are also prioritized through specialized programs, including the free RamSafe night/morning point-to-point service, the RamBikes campus hub for cycling, Zipcar rentals for short-term needs, and citywide e-scooter and bike-share integrations.
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To learn more about VCU's pedestrian safety efforts, including a 2023 study into pedestrian safety near campus, the One VCU Masterplan site is updated regularly. Contact policedept@vcu.edu for questions or concerns related to pedestrian safety at VCU and VCU Health.
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Original text here: https://news.vcu.edu/article/why-vcu-is-accelerating-pedestrian-safety-improvements
