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 provided.

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

Monday, Aug. 20, 2018 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., hosts its annual Library Fest for new Rams with tours, giveaways, services overview, information sharing and orientation. Co-sponsors are VCU Libraries, VCU Dining Services, Technology Support Services and RamTech. Partners are VCU Police, Office of Sustainability, Writing Center, Campus Learning Center, Barnes & Noble @ VCU, The Well and Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2018/library-fest-open-house-welcomes-new-rams-monday-aug-20-2-to-4-pm.html.

Friday, Aug. 24, 2018 from noon to 1:15 p.m.

Human Resources presents "Retiring with the VCU Optional Retirement Plan" for university employees and faculty in Room 115 of the HR training facility, 922 W. Grace St. This session is open to faculty and university employees only, not VCU Health System employees.

For more information, contact Jennie Kim at jhkim5@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://training.vcu.edu/course_detail.asp?ID=16747.

Friday, Sep. 14, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Join the VCU Office of Faculty Affairs for the second annual VCU Academic Writing Retreat at the VCU Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County. The event, facilitated by Michelle Boyd, Ph.D., of InkWell Academic Writing Retreats, offers VCU faculty members the time to write and the opportunity to learn new strategies for writing projects. RSVP required.

For more information, contact VCU at vpfacaffrs@vcu.edu or visit https://provost.vcu.edu/engage/calendar/2018-academic-writing-retreat.html.

Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Center for Human-Animal Interaction will host Pups on the Plaza 2018, a fundraiser featuring the Dogs on Call therapy dogs. Meal tickets are $4 and event T-shirts are $10. Meal tickets and T-shirts may be purchased at the event, by email at chai@vcuhealth.org or from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 5 and Oct. 9 on the first floor of Main Hospital, 1250 E. Marshall St.

For more information, contact Jessica Hale at chai@vcuhealth.org or (804) 827-7297 or visit http://www.chai.vcu.edu.

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.

Academic Technologies hosts several Top Hat Student Response System training sessions for faculty throughout the summer. Faculty can register for these sessions at https://training.vcu.edu/ (enter keyword: Top). A link to join the online sessions will be emailed to the registrants approximately one week before the session. Face-to-face sessions will be held during new faculty orientation week, Aug. 20-22.

For more information, contact Jana Avery at jcavery@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/tophat.

Nominations are being accepted through Aug. 24 for the 2018 Dorris Douglas Budd Award, which recognizes outstanding administrative and office support staff who enhance the image and mission of VCU and the VCU Health System.

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

The federal government has enacted a program to provide protection for employees against reprisals for certain whistleblowing activities in connection with federal grants and contracts.

For more information, contact Susan Robb at sarobb@vcu.edu or visit https://research.vcu.edu/federal_whistleblower/index.htm.

Researchers in the Department of Health Behavior Policy at VCU want to learn more about the relationship between anxiety, health and mood by assessing heart rate variability. Participants may show any intensity of anxiety from not present to severe. Those eligible to take part should be between the ages of 18-35 years and able to safely engage in physical activity but not currently taking part in an exercise program. Participants will be compensated for their time.

For more information, contact Hannah Kotarski at kotarskih@vcu.edu or (804) 827-7259 or visit http://www.vcuanxietystudy.com.

VCU Recreational Sports Outdoor Adventure Program is offering a cycling trip Aug. 31-Sept. 1 from Harper's Ferry, W.Va., to Washington, D.C., and a camping/canoe trip along the Shenandoah River Sept. 1-3.

For more information, contact Karl Schmidt at kmschmidt@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1274 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure-program/trips-clinics-weekly-activities/.

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.

Researchers at VCU are offering a new behavioral weight loss program funded by the National Institutes for Health. The REACH Trial is designed for young adults who are overweight and between the ages of 18 and 25. Qualified participants will receive personalized feedback and coaching to meet their goals.

For more information, contact Ryan Wolf at Ryan.wolf@vcuhealth.org or (804) 827-2250 or visit https://reachtrial.vcu.edu/.

VCU's Graduate School is accepting applications to the 2018-2019 Graduate School Mentorship Program, which matches undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate student mentor applicants must be at least second-year and in good academic standing. Preference is given to undergraduate student mentee applicants going into their sophomore, junior or senior years and are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA. Completed applications must be submitted by Aug. 31.

For more information, contact Amy Sarcinella at gsmp@vcu.edu or visit http://www.graduate.vcu.edu/development/mentorship.html.