Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.13
Liaison Parker Long
Submission Date July 25, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Virginia Commonwealth University
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Jacek Ghosh
Director of Sustainability
VCU Sustainability
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Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s participation in federal TRIO programs:
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A brief description of the institution’s policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students?:

VCU offers work-study jobs, grants, installment payment plans, loans, scholarships, and veteran benefits for low-income students.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to equip the institution's faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:

VCU human resources offers diversity training to all faculty and staff. This training includes topics of age, class, race, ethnicity, gender, and more.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

Students that demonstrate need are chosen for the work-study program which allows students to work during the semester for funds.


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

Many of the departments offer need-based scholarships including Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, and Study Abroad, as well as others.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:

VCU admissions has a website dedicated to helping parents understand and learn how to finance college.


A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Our Pathways to Success program is a college preparation series designed to share information with Richmond public high school students about the college selection process that will help them gain a better understanding of the opportunities available at VCU and other institutions of higher education. The program is held twice during an academic year, once in the fall and again in the spring.

We also host a program for Latino high school students and their families entitled Primeros Pasos or First Steps. It is a one-day program designed to motivate and encourage Latino high school students to attend college.

In addition to these programs we also host and welcome campus visit by various outreach organizations, including Project Discovery, AVID and Gear Up. Furthermore, we have established a partnership with the Center for Student Opportunity (CSO), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting higher education opportunities for first-generation and other undeserved college-bound students.


A brief description of the institution’s other admissions policies and programs:
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A brief description of the institution’s other financial aid polices or programs:

VCU financial aid makes information to students available on grants, scholarships, work-study, veterans benefits and an installment payment plan.


A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs not covered above:
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The website URL where information about programs in each of the areas listed above is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.