Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017 from 9 a.m. to noon

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety hosts Handling Dangerous Goods training for VCU and VCU Health employees who handle (as in receipt for, mark, label, pack and prepare/sign shipping documents) dangerous goods in the George Ben Johnston Auditorium. Registration is NOT required. Handling dangerous goods without training or with lapsed training is illegal and may subject the handler and university to fines.

For more information, visit http://srm.vcu.edu/media/safety-amp-risk-management/assets/Handling%20Dangerous%20Goods%20Training.pdf.

Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 from 11 a.m. to noon

VCU Massey Cancer Center hosts "Chemo 101" in North Hospital Lobby, Patient Resource Library. Attendees will get an overview of chemotherapy, its side effects and tips on managing those side effects. Attendees are welcome to bring lunch.

For more information, visit http://www.masseyintegrativehealth.org.

Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs presents a free screening of the National Geographic documentary "LA 92" in the University Student Commons Theater. Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, "LA 92" immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage. Produced by two-time Oscar-winners Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin, the film looks at the events of 1992 from a multitude of vantage points.

For more information, visit http://omsa.vcu.edu/.

Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The Office of Continuing and Professional Education presents "Top 10 Tips for Getting Organized" with Kathy Jenkins, certified professional organizer, as part of the third Wednesdays free community series in the Garden Room (off the food court) at Regency Square, 1420 N. Parham Rd. Attendees will learn top 10 tips and start the journey to a clutter-free, organized life. To R.S.V.P., visit the website below.

For more information, visit http://ocpe.vcu.edu/community.

Friday, Aug. 18, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Division for Inclusive Excellence invites the VCU community to attend its 2017 Equity and Inclusion Leadership Symposium at the Academic Learning Commons. The symposium connects VCU's commitment to diversity with significant, material action. The breakout presentations will involve VCU's already active and compassionate community. The range of sessions will be cross-disciplinary and designed to drop in and out as attendee's schedules permit. EILS is free and open to the VCU and VCU Health communities. To R.S.V.P., visit the website below.

For more information, visit http://go.vcu.edu\inclusive\eils.

Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017 from noon to 1:15 p.m.

Human Resources presents "Retiring with the VCU Optional Retirement Plan" for VCU faculty in the Larrick Student Center, Jackson Ward Conference Room B. This session is open to VCU faculty employees only, not VCU Health System employees.

For more information, visit https://training.vcu.edu/course_detail.asp?ID=15986.

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.

President Michael Rao, Ph.D., invites the VCU community to the 35th annual Faculty Convocation at the W.E. Singleton Center for Performing Arts. The event will welcome faculty members and honor this year's distinguished faculty award recipients. Faculty and staff traveling to the Monroe Park Campus may use the RamRide shuttle (Cabell Library stop) or find reciprocal parking options at http://www.parking.vcu.edu/parking/faculty-and-staff/reciprocal-parking/

For more information, visit http://go.vcu.edu/vcuconvocation2017.

Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

RamPantry holds its annual volunteer training events on the weekends of Aug. 26-27, and Sept. 9-10. To sign up for training, visit the website below.

For more information, visit http://vcustudentfoodpantry.com/.

The Office of Continuing and Professional Education, in partnership with the School of World Studies, holds cultural competency and language classes for VCU and VCU Health employees and family members for one academic credit, beginning in late August through early December. Intro to Conversational Spanish I and II; Intro to Conversational German I; Intermediate German II; and Intermediate Italian II are available. Tuition waivers/education assistance may be available. To determine eligibility, contact Human Resources.

For more information, visit http://ocpe.vcu.edu/languages.

Nominations are being accepted until Friday, Aug. 25, for this year's President's Awards for Professional and Administrative Distinction. These awards recognize and honor staff and administrative and professional faculty (A&P, non-tenured). The nomination site and award criteria are available at the website below.

For more information, visit http://www.president.vcu.edu/nominations/index.html.

Nominations are accepted through Friday, Aug. 25, for the 2017 Dorris Douglas Budd Award, which recognizes outstanding administrative and office support staff who enhance the image and mission of VCU and VCU Health. Eligibility criteria include minimum employment of five years, as of Sept. 30, 2017, in a secretarial/clerical support position at the health system (up to salary grade nine) or the university (up to pay band four). The nomination form, including criteria, is available at the website below.

For more information, visit https://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/wss/hr/.

The Wellness Employee Interest Survey is being implemented to gather feedback from colleagues about worksite wellness activities and programs in which they may have interest in. To complete the survey, visit the website below. *Note: Completing the entire survey will take less than 10 minutes. Participants must complete the survey in one visit; work cannot be saved to return to later.

For more information, visit http://baseline.campuslabs.com/vcu/employeewellness.

Grading for summer 2017 has begun. Grade sheets are available on faculty eServices. Grades are due by noon on Tuesday, Aug. 15; at which time grading will be turned off. Faculty may only access grade sheets for courses to which they have been assigned in the class schedule. If you do not see one of your grade sheets, contact your department's course scheduling representative.

All VCU Recreational Sports facilities, except the MCV Campus Recreation Center, will be closed on Thursday, Aug. 17, and Friday, Aug. 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for staff training.

The summer VCU Alumni magazines mark the 10-year anniversary of the VCU Division of Community Engagement with articles and profiles that highlight the steadfast dedication of students, staff, faculty and alumni to work in meaningful ways with their communities in Richmond and beyond to change lives. To read Shafer Court Connections, visit https://issuu.com/supportvcu/docs/scc_summer17_issuu or Scarab, visit https://issuu.com/supportvcu/docs/scarab_summer17_issuu

2017 marks the 46th annual service awards celebration for VCU and VCU Health faculty and staff with five to 55 years of service. The ceremony/reception will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 3-5 p.m. in the Stuart C. Siegel Center. Invitations will be emailed in late Aug. To see this year's list, visit the website below. Questions, changes or corrections can be submitted to the contact below (for the university) or HR4U@vcuhealth.org (for VCU Health).

For more information, visit http://www.hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/recognition-and-awards/annual-service-awards/.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs accepts proposals for American Indian Heritage Month. To submit proposals or program suggestions, use the contact information below.

Researchers in the OPT for health lab at VCU want to learn more about the relationship between anxiety, health, and mood. You may be eligible to participate in this research study if you: - Are between the ages of 18-35 and - Are able to safely participate in physical activity and - Experience symptoms of anxiety Participants in this research study will be compensated for their time. Visit www.optforhealth.org/research/studies to learn more and see if you are eligible.

For more information, visit http://optforhealth.org/research/studies/.