VCU news

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University will welcome its largest freshman class this week when the class of 2022 moves into the university’s 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 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Reuban Rodriguez, Ed.D., associate vice provost and dean of student affairs, will be available for media interviews about move-in day and the opening of the academic year from 10 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday in front of Brandt Hall, at the corner of Laurel and Franklin streets.

VCU will enroll an estimated 31,000 students this fall. The freshman class is expected to comprise approximately 4,600 students. The previous record freshman class had 4,234 students in the fall of 2016. Thirty-three percent of this year’s freshmen are first-generation college students.

About 90 percent of VCU’s freshman class is from Virginia, including more than 2,000 students from Northern Virginia and about 900 from the Richmond metro area.

Minority students represent 55 percent of the freshman class.                                                      

VCU will enroll about 1,650 transfer students — 70 percent from the Virginia Community College System.

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

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

• Franklin Street: One lane will be open for 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.
• Cary Street: Travel lanes will remain open, but drivers may experience some congestion between Cherry and Jefferson streets.
• Laurel Street: The street will be closed between West Grace and West Main 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 (until 2 p.m.). Drivers may experience some congestion between Cathedral and Cary streets.
• Floyd Ave: This street will be closed to through traffic but parishioners from the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart will be able to utilize it.

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.