7 p.m.

The VCU Music Guitar Studio presents a recital on "Music of the Classical Era" in the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall. Admission is free.

For more information, visit http://arts.vcu.edu/music/events/.

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs presents "The Opioid Epidemic: Impact on Communities," a discussion on the epidemic from a variety of perspectives focusing on how deterioration of communities has invited and encouraged drug use and crime, in the University Student Commons, Richmond Salons. Access to health care and public opinion on treatment will also be discussed. The session follows the theme of VCU's Common Book, "Dreamland," by Sam Quinones.

For more information, visit http://www.wilder.vcu.edu.

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation presents the next in its series of "Because of You" seminars in BioTech One, Founder's Room. Danielle Dick, Ph.D., will speak about "We've Launched the Largest University-Wide Project on Substance Use and Mental Health - Come Learn about what You've Made Possible." Refreshments will be available before and after the seminar.

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

VCU Recreational Sports Wellness presents "Love Your Health: How to Look and Feel Good" in the Cary Street Gym Lobby to discuss current research about nutrition, exercise and overall wellness. Attendees will learn how important health is to their mind and what they can do for their overall health. Walk-ups are welcome.

For more information, visit https://portal.recsports.vcu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=59c97665-caf1-40f9-a6d1-c36bf0f64939&semesterId=2747cef5-50b3-4321-bf68-a95f2d1b3ea5.

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018 at noon

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs hosts a Black History Month feature for its "Hump Day Dialogue" featuring Kimberly Matthews, Ph.D., VCU LEAD professor, as the keynote speaker discussing "African American Male Retention through Ph.D. Programs" in the University Student Commons, OMSA Office, Room 215. "Hump Day Dialogues" are interactive presentations that educate students and staff members on the importance of diversity and inclusion. The content of these presentations are educational and informative and help develop students into better global citizens.

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m.

The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development presents as a part of its 2018 spring seminar series, "New Technologies and Methods for Controlling Crystal Nucleation and Growth" in the School of Nursing, Room 1013. Mo Jiang, Ph.D., assistant professor, Chemical and Life Science Engineering, will facilitate.

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018 at 2 p.m.

The VCU Media, Art and Text (MATX) Ph.D. Program and the Robertson School of Media and Culture host Itai Himelboim, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Georgia, and director of the SEE Suite: Social Media Engagement and Evaluation, delivering a lecture on "A Cluster-Centric Approach to Social Network Analysis of Social Media Conversations" in Hibbs Hall, Room 308. Examining the emergence of online communities, identifying users in key positions, and content that crosses community-lines, Himelboim proposes a new approach to understanding social media activity and dynamics.

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

The Department of African American Studies and the National Jericho Movement present a forum on black boys in public education in the Academic Learning Commons, Room 1105. The forum will be facilitated by Evandra Catherine, a Ph.D. student in the Special Education and Disability Program at VCU. Her research focuses on teacher responsiveness to black boy behavior in grades K-2, the identification of black boys in special education and the shortage of black male educators in the teacher workforce. Free and open to the public.

For more information, visit https://rampages.us/thecommunityforum/.

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

*Note date correction* Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (SAEO) presents the Student Accessibility Conference in the University Student Commons Theater. Over a series of four, one-hour sessions, experts from across the VCU community will present a general overview of disabilities, mental health and wellness at the university; pertinent information on emotional support animals and service dogs on campus; strategies and tips for making classrooms and materials accessible to all students; and making online content accessible.

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

VCU Libraries and the ICA look back at the celebrated and influential artist and VCU faculty member, Richard Carlyon (1930-2006), in a one-night program and art showing featuring some of his multimedia creations in Cabell Library, Lecture Hall. The event, held in conjunction with a retrospective exhibit at the Reynolds Gallery, marks the recent acquisition of Carylon's papers and digital works by VCU Libraries. Refreshments will be served. Free and open to all. Register by visiting the website below.

For more information, visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2017-18/richard-carlyon-.html.

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Division for Inclusive Excellence invites faculty, administrators and staff to its two-day VCU Building Inclusive Communities (BIC) workshop from Feb. 8-9, in the University Student Commons, Richmond Salons. To register, visit training.vcu.edu using the keyword: diversity. BIC supports the university community in creating an engaged, diverse and inclusive campus environment. Workshop goals include understanding historically marginalized and privileged group dynamics; learning to identify and avoid behavioral traps that contribute to cycles of inequity; and creating a personal plan for changing inequitable behaviors and practices. Seating is limited and advance registration is required. Registration can also be found at the website below.

For more information, visit http://www.inclusive.vcu.edu/initiatives/building-inclusive-communities/.

Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m.

The Center on Health Disparities invites the VCU community to a free hands-only CPR training in the Larrick Student Center, Jackson Ward Conference Room. This annual training is sponsored by the Richmond Ambulance Authority. Lunch will be provided. RSVPs are appreciated by emailing the contact below.

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

Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m.

Strategic Enrollment Management presents "First-Gen Fridays" in the University Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom A, for students, faculty and staff who will be or were the first in their family to graduate from college. "First-Gen Fridays" is for first-generation college students to meet each other and faculty from around the university. The brief topic this month is VCU Summer Studies. Pizza will be provided.

For more information, visit https://nsfp.vcu.edu/studentevents/first-gen-fridays/.

Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Graduate Organization of Biology Students and the Department of Biology presents the 19th annual Darwin Day featuring Anna Di Rienzo, Ph.D., Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, discussing "Human Diversity: Endless Forms Most Beautiful" in the University Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballrooms. Darwin Day will be a celebration of Charles Darwin's courage, integrity and devotion to the extension of human thought and vision of the world we inhabit. In spirit of Charles Darwin and his contributions to science and society, this event will serve to inspire the local community, promote intellectual curiosity and reflect on the veracity of scientific inquiry.

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 at 6 p.m.

Good Clear Sound holds its first open mic night of the semester at The Depot. Participants can bring poetry, comedy acts, songs and performances for VCU to see.

Friday, Mar. 2, 2018 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs presents the Black Excellence Scholarship Ball: Climbing Beyond Expectations in the University Student Commons, Virginia Rooms A-D and Richmond Salons I-II. Academic achievements of undergraduate students will be recognized, as well as art and performance awards. There will be cocktail-style mixing and dinner, a live DJ and dancing.

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

VCU RamBikes free rental bikes have a new home on campus. Students, faculty and staff with valid VCU ID can now borrow bikes from the RamBikes shop, 201 N. Belvidere St. Rental hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The rental period is 72 hours.

For more information, visit https://bikes.vcu.edu/.

When the Commonwealth of Virginia last updated its compensation structure in 2000, it collapsed all the different salary ranges into a handful of “pay bands”. The pay bands were made very wide to fit all the state job titles into these few pay bands. The new VCU job family structure does just the opposite. It has a separate market-based pay range for each job title. Job titles are “stacked” using a 1,2,3 and Senior 1, 2, 3 structure to create a job series or a career path. Employees are able to advance in their career moving across and up through these market ranges through “non competitive” (i.e. no search) promotions in place. To better compare the state pay band to the VCU market ranges, compare the entry level salary for the “1” level job title and the maximum for the Senior 3 level job title. To see an example, visit https://greatplace.vcu.edu/media/greatplace/docs/Paybandvsalaryrange.pdf

For more information, visit https://greatplace.vcu.edu/.

The Department of Psychology and the Virginia Youth Tobacco Projects Research Coalition present the sixth triennial "Virginia Conference on Youth Tobacco Use: Translating Research into Practice and Policy" on March 21-22, at Delta Hotels by Marriott, 555 E. Canal St. For comprehensive information on accommodations, poster abstract due dates, prices and full agenda, visit the website below. Special rates for early bird registration are available through Thursday, March 1. Abstracts are accepted and due by Monday, Feb. 26.

For more information, visit http://www.cvent.com/d/ptq3xx.

VCU Business Services is accepting applications for 13 academic scholarships for the 2018-2019 academic year. Scholarships vary from $5,000 to $7,500 and are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Scholarship applications are available at the website below and must be submitted by Thursday, Feb. 15, at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit https://bsv.vcu.edu/scholarships/.

VCU Libraries, the Office of the Provost, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and the ALT Lab invite applications for Affordable Course Content Awards, a program that helps faculty who want to adopt or author free or lower-cost alternatives to expensive textbooks. Academic Technologies, Online @ VCU, Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity, and the VCU Bookstore have also committed to serve as resources. The deadline is Monday, April 16. Information sessions will be held in February.

For more information, visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2018/-faculty-apply-for-new-affordable-course-grants-by-april-16.html.

A revised Art on Campus policy is now open for university comment through Monday, Feb. 5. The draft policy can be found at https://policy.vcu.edu/policies-open-for-public-comment.

For more information, visit https://policy.vcu.edu/policies-open-for-public-comment.

A revised Student Code of Conduct policy is now open for university comment through Thursday, Feb. 8. The draft policy can be found at https://policy.vcu.edu/policies-open-for-public-comment.

For more information, visit https://policy.vcu.edu/policies-open-for-public-comment.