July 1, Virginia Commonwealth University will gain “Tier 3” status, a rank that allows them greater openness in certain administrative duties such as hiring. The concept of “tiered schools” was created in 2005 when the State Council of Higher Education sought a system to classify schools in order to enact and monitor the achievement of goals for Virginia’s public institutions. VCU originally qualified for Tier 3 status in 2005; however, the public school declined to seek the status due to the installation of a new computer system.
The university will join University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and the College as the only schools in the state to have that status.
