Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 at 6 p.m.

The Institute for Contemporary Art offers extended gallery hours on the first Friday of each month. The ICA at the Markel Center, 601 W. Broad St., also has food and beverages at Ellwood’s Café at ICA, free tours, performances and other special events. The galleries, shop and café are open until 9 p.m.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU at ica@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/events/firstfriday-0104/.

Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 from noon to 1 p.m.

Cultural competency and language classes for VCU and VCU Health employees and community members will be held on the Monroe Park Campus. The classes, for one academic credit, will be offered by VCU's Office of Continuing and Professional Education in partnership with the School of World Studies. Courses run from late January through early May and include Intro to Conversational German I, Intermediate German II, Intro to Conversational Italian I, Intermediate Italian I, Intro to Conversational Spanish I and Intro to Conversational Spanish II.

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.

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

VCU Recreational Sports Fitness will hold an interest meeting for those wishing to become an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer or Group Exercise Instructor. The meeting will be held in the Cary Street Gym WET Classroom, 101 S. Linden St.

For more information, contact Sydney Dale at dalesm3@vcu.edu or (804) 827-6411 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/fitness-and-wellness/become-an-instructor-or-personal-trainer/.

Friday, Dec. 28, 2018 at 4 p.m.

Yoga instructor and performance artist Owl Rare will perform. The event at the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center, 601 W. Broad St., is part of Rashid Johnson's "Monument" installation. A performance will also be held at 3 p.m. Dec. 29 at the ICA.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at ica@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/performances/provocations-1228/.

RamSafe will operate on its normal schedule of 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. throughout the winter break, with the exception of Dec. 23-25. On these days, RamSafe will operate from 5 p.m to 1 a.m.

For more information, contact Dwain Cosby at ramsafe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/ramsafe.

U.S. Postal Service postage rate changes take effect Jan. 27. See structure changes, postage statement updates and technical specification updates at the following URL.

For more information, contact Donnette Haynes at haynesds@vcu.edu or (804) 828-3868 or visit http://apps.bsv.vcu.edu/MailServices/uspspriceoverview.pdf.

VCUDine announces Au Bon Pain will offer expanded swipe exchange hours starting in January. Dining plan holders will be able to swipe 7-11 a.m. Monday-Friday and again 4 p.m. to close at the café, 944 W. Grace St. Weekend swipe exchange will remain the same (all day long, open to close). Sign-up for the Spring 2019 plan is available at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lauren Hay at lhay@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1148 or visit http://vcu.campusdish.com.

Are you currently experiencing low back pain, between the ages of 18-60 years old and interested in the possibility of nine weeks of nonsurgical experimental treatment? If you answered yes to all three you may qualify for our research. What? New, innovative, and fun virtual reality games designed to help people with chronic back pain move and feel better. Where? All appointments, testing and treatments are conducted at VCU. When? Participation in the study involves 24 one-hour appointments scheduled over a 57-week period. Who? The VIGOR Study team consists of professionals in the field who have been selectively chosen and extensively trained. Interested? Contact us at the following URL. You may be compensated for your time.

For more information, contact Tiffany Amos at mcl@vcu.edu or (804) 628-2902 or visit https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=KLJ48RJMPR.

During VCU's winter break, loans of laptops have been suspended by the IT Support Center on the lower level of James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. The service resumes Jan. 7.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu.