11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Military Student Services presents Veterans Among Us in the James River Terrace of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Faculty and staff veterans are invited to pick up their branch-specific VCU lapel pins and meet fellow veterans.

For more information, contact Stephen Ross at stross@vcu.edu or (804) 827-8730 or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhUtRovN1nrF4T2AsAM862qH4mZDEmeWOTwRMaCCTdZ3SYPQ/viewform.

3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Artist Heath Matysek-Snyder, assistant professor in VCUarts' Department of Craft/Material Studies, will be present for brief celebratory remarks, Q&A and refreshments at James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., for "Fall Line," his wood sculpture and functional bench. The work, designed to evoke the James River, was installed in the lobby of the library in the spring as the finishing touch for the new building.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2018-19/fall-line.html.

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 at 1 p.m.

The Records Management Office will hold a Records Management 101 training session in Room 202 of the Technology Administration Building, 701 W. Broad St. Training will cover recordkeeping requirements and practices to be compliant with state regulations and University policy. Self-paced Records Management 101 training is also offered. Registration is available at http://training.vcu.edu (keyword "records"). On-site department training can be requested at recman@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Amber Peranski at aperanski@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2097.

Monday, Aug. 20, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Meet VCU's president, Dr. Michael Rao, in Commonwealth Ballrooms A and B, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., along with members of the Presidential Student Ambassadors. Student affairs departments will be represented, photo opportunities will be available and refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Wyatt Booth at psambassadors@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1200.

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018 at 5:15 p.m.

VCU Alumni invites students, student organizations, alumni and community members to the annual Ram Spirit Walk. In a Welcome Week tradition, the new incoming class and The Peppas spirit band will march from New Student Convocation to a block party on Floyd Avenue. Line up along Harrison Street, Park Avenue or Linden Street to cheer incoming students as they parade from the Siegel Center. Wear spirit gear and make banners to welcome the Class of 2022.

For more information, contact Allison Toney at aktoney@vcu.edu or visit https://www.vcualumni.org/Events/Ram-Spirit-Walk/..

Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018 at 3 p.m.

President Michael Rao invites the VCU community to the 36th annual Faculty Convocation at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave. Faculty members will be welcomed and this year’s distinguished faculty award recipients will be honored. 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, contact Office of Events and Special Programs at UNIVevents@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/vcuconvocation2018.

Monday, Aug. 27, 2018 from noon to 1:15 p.m.

Human Resources presents "How to Retire With the Virginia Retirement System" for VCU employees in Jackson Ward Conference room B of the Jonah L. Larrick Student Center, 900 Turpin St. This session is open to VCU employees only, not VCU Health System employees.

For more information, contact Jennie Kim at jhkim5@vcu.edu or visit https://training.vcu.edu/course_detail.asp?ID=16790.

A revised draft of VCU's new bicycle parking and removal policy is open for university comment through Aug. 21.

For more information, contact Erin Stanforth at eestanforth@vcu.edu or visit https://policy.vcu.edu/policies-open-for-public-comment.

The VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education offers a variety of on-campus and online learning opportunities for VCU faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members. Continuing education is available in addiction studies, craft beer, cultural competency and languages, disability support services, event planning, paralegal studies, play therapy training and test preparation for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT and ACT. Noncredit online courses and certificates in customer service, sales, self-publishing, computer skills, workplace topics, Google tools and podcasting are also offered.

For more information, contact VCU OCPE at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 or visit http://ocpe.vcu.edu.

Utility work and construction at and around the former Virginia Treatment Center for Children site will affect traffic patterns in the area of the MCV Campus over the next several months.

For more information, contact Jake Hughes at jake.hughes@am.jll.com or visit https://www.vcuhealth.org/news-center/building-projects/outpatient-facility-updates.

Nominations are being accepted until Aug. 24 for this year’s President’s Awards for Professional and Administrative Distinction. These awards recognize and honor full-time university and academic professionals, classified employees of VCU and staff members of the VCU Health System. Questions may be directed to Marella Briggs in the President’s Office at mbriggs@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Debbie Fitzgerald at dmfitzge@vcu.edu or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/recognition-and-awards/presidents-awards/.

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs is accepting applications for the VCU Leadership Development Program. The goal of this 10-month program is to develop current and emerging leaders who represent the academic and administrative units of the university and the VCU Health System. Applications are due Oct. 15.

For more information, contact Olivia X. Barnes at gehli@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1169 or visit https://www.gehli.vcu.edu/.

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation has issued an open call soliciting faculty, staff, pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral associates for speaking proposals in its "Because of You" seminar series. The series demonstrates to VCU’s research administration staff how their work impacts research across the institution.

For more information, contact Susan Robb at sarobb@vcu.edu or visit https://research.vcu.edu/events/Call_for_Speakers.pdf.

VCU's Department of Psychology, principal investigator Kirk Warren Brown, Ph.D., seeks participants in a research study of two stress reduction programs. Those who take part will receive a free, 14-day smartphone-based stress reduction course and receive up to $300.

For more information, contact Hadley Rahrig at rahrighm@mymail.vcu.edu or (804) 250-1534 or visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03485807?term=stress+reduction&recrs=ab&cntry=US&state=US%3AVA&city=Richmond&rank=1.

VCU Recreational Sports will hold staff training on Aug. 16-17. All facilities (except MCV Campus Recreation Center) will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. VCU Recreational Sports will host Recreational Sports Night on Aug. 20. On that day, the Cary Street Gym will be closed from 4-5 p.m. and the Aquatic Center will be closed from 3:30-5 p.m. in preparation for the night's events.

For more information, contact Amanda Simmons at alsimmons@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0321 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/facilities/facility-hours/.

Handshake at VCU, a program for job seekers, is live for all students and is replacing HireVCURams. Use the Handshake app or web interface to schedule career-advice appointments with VCU Career Services, College of Engineering Career Services and School of Business Career Services. Find and apply for Federal Work-Study jobs, internships, part- and full-time jobs, co-ops and other opportunities. Register for career fairs, programs and on-campus interviews.

For more information, contact VCU Career Services at careers@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1645 or visit http://vcu.joinhandshake.com.

The Office of Continuing and Professional Education, in partnership with the School of World Studies, will hold cultural competency and language classes for VCU and VCU Health employees and community members. Courses, worth one academic credit, begin Aug. 28 and run through early December. Intro to Conversational German II, Intermediate German II, Intro to Conversational Italian II, Intro to Conversational Spanish I and Intro to Conversational Spanish II are available. Contact HR to determine eligibility for tuition waivers. The sign-up deadline is Aug. 29.

For more information, contact VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 or visit http://ocpe.vcu.edu/languages.

The unconference, Aug. 24-25 in Room 303, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., focuses on the intersection and sharing of technology, history, storytelling and hidden voices. The free event, sponsored by VCU Libraries and the Humanities Research Center, is open to all. Spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2018-19/thatcamp-new-souths-2018.html.

Grading for Summer 2018 has begun. Grade sheets are available on faculty eServices. Grades are due by noon Aug. 14. At that 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.

For more information, contact Records and Registration at rar@vcu.edu.

VCU's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program is asking faculty to provide position descriptions for work-study research assistants for 2018-2019. Maximum cost for faculty is $200 per student.

For more information, contact Herb Hill, UROP Director at hhill@vcu.edu or visit http://wp.vcu.edu/vcuurop/2018/08/06/wsra-2018-2019/.

VCU Libraries is sponsoring a travel scholarship to OpenCon 2018, an international conference on openness in research and education to be held Nov. 2-4 in Toronto. The event is applicable to graduate students, postdocs and early career faculty interested in open access, open education and/or open data. Online applications must be completed by Sept. 3.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2018/vcu-libraries-offers-travel-scholarship-to-international-conference-on-openness-in-education-and-research.html.

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute is holding its 12th Annual HIGHER Ground Women's Leadership Conference from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. This year’s theme is "The Power of Collective Action: Shifting the Leadership Culture."

For more information, contact Olivia X. Barnes at gehli@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1169 or visit https://www.gehli.vcu.edu/.

Summer climbing clinics offered by the VCU Recreational Sports Outdoor Adventure Program will conclude Aug. 15. A belay clinic that began Aug. 13 will be held 6:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 14-15. A session on climbing techniques will be held 7-9 p.m. Aug. 15. Clinics are held at the Cary Street Gym climbing and bouldering wall.

For more information, contact Sam Albert at scalbert@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1274 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure-program/climbing-and-bouldering/.

The Campus Connector has resumed its fall semester operating schedule of Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to midnight, and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to midnight. Track the status of RamRide in real time through the "RamRide" tracker, available on VCU Mobile. Also, all VCU and VCU Health students and employees have unlimited transportation access on the GRTC Pulse and GRTC's regular local and express fixed-route bus service with a valid ID card.

For more information, contact Jonsette Calloway at ramride@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/ramride.