The Richmond Times Dispatch recently reported that Virginia Commonwealth University is planning to increase its visibility with larger signs around its campus.

“Beginning this fall, the university will install more of the large VCU letter signs that dot its campus. They are metal, bright yellow and roughly 7 feet tall. They let visitors know when they are about to enter campus, which is why VCU calls them “front doors” to the university.”

In a followup phone interview yesterday evening, VCU officials confirmed that there will be an additional element unveiled later in the year- an inflated medallion dirigible sign that will be floated hundreds of feet above Monroe Park.

“Having secured permission from the Mayor’s office, President Rao wants this to be a shining beacon that can be seen from 64 and 95, and both sides of the river” gushed a member of VCU’s publicity department.

While many college and universities have produced inflatables, VCU plans to super-size theirs.The giant inflated medallion will have internal LED lights around the VCU logo so that it will glow brightly at night. It will be anchored with large steel cable that can be reeled in during times of inclement weather. It will be located at the northeast corner of Monroe Park, which has changed greatly over the last decade with many mature trees destroyed.

Further questions about costs were deferred to later, as were questions about a $415 million capital project for its planned VCU Dentistry Center, a new United Campus Workers committee focused on issues of campus-wide health and safety, a change in basketball coaches, and a new proposed tuition increase “because of inflation”. But then, VCU administration did state back in December that it needed to ‘raise’ $51 million in order to maintain standards.