Monday, May 4, 2020 from 11 a.m. to noon

The Learning, Development and Organizational Culture team presents "Collaborating Remotely: A Positive Transition," a 60-minute webinar that explores how the change to working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis affects lives and work. It includes tactics to smooth the transition for individuals, collaboration features in Zoom and appreciative practices that build positive momentum and resilience. Sign up at Talent@VCU. A session will also be held from 2-3 p.m. May 7.

For more information, contact Shana Ryman at sryman@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/b13a0078-2372-4426-8177-e09b6fd033c2.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 2 p.m.

Jeff Wing, director of the National Scholarship Office and Fulbright Scholar Liaison at VCU, will lead an informational session for faculty, staff and alumni who are interested in learning more about the Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Specialist awards. Register to receive a Zoom link at the following URL. An online session will also be held at noon Feb. 15.

For more information, contact Jeff Wing at jawing@vcu.edu or (804) 317-5929 or visit https://bit.ly/2WvjS1s.

Thursday, May 7, 2020 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care will co-sponsor the panel. This online session via Zoom will be moderated by Alan Dow, assistant vice president of Health Sciences for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/Pk5v45FDAqXik9oT6.

Thursday, May 7, 2020 from noon to 1 p.m.

Join VCU Human Resources and Carolyn McCrea, director of the VACU Financial Success Center at VCU, to learn ways to find balance during these unprecedented times. This interactive webinar will provide ideas and best practices for keeping financially well even when times are tough. During the session, participants will work on their own personal finances to help maintain stability during this crisis and through economic recovery. Register in Talent.

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/worklife/.

Thursday, May 7, 2020 from noon to 1 p.m.

During these uncertain times, VCU Autism Center for Excellence is working to provide resources for families. Weekly Lunch and Learn presentations will address different topics. Each will include a Q&A and will be offered via Zoom. The first session will focus on helping your child make successful transitions at home. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Carol Schall at cmschall@vcu.edu or visit https://vcuautismcenter.org/te/lunchandlearn.cfm.

Friday, May 8, 2020 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

VCU Engineering will host a virtual Capstone Design Expo award ceremony. Project highlights from this year include a dissolving communication system for submarines, a collective-force driven robot and a skin conductance measurement device. View the projects and join the ceremony at the following URL.

For more information, contact Kendra Gerlach at kegerlach2@vcu.edu or visit http://www.egr.vcu.edu/capstone/.

Friday, May 8, 2020 at 10 a.m.

VCU Office of University Events will host a celebration of the Class of 2020. Visit the following URL for celebratory videos, graduate slides and live Twitter and Instagram feeds. Graduates, faculty and staff, families and friends are encouraged to share photos and posts on social media utilizing #VCU2020.

For more information, contact VCU Office of University Events at UNIVevents@vcu.edu or visit https://commencement.vcu.edu/virtual-celebration-2020/.

Monday, May 11, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will hold the first of two virtual hands-on workshops to introduce both the course management and coding capabilities of LON-CAPA. LON-CAPA (Learning Online Network - Computer Assisted Personalized Approach) is an alternative course management system available to all VCU faculty and students. The workshop facilitator, Sally Hunnicutt, has used LON-CAPA exclusively for her CMS for over 10 years. Register at the following URL to be sent a Zoom link.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX-4E45n2eCDQ8Lf3QPTRUaIxcSl280T5o4JNjGXv8b3-TTg/viewform.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 from noon to 12:30 p.m.

Join VCU Human Resources and VCU Recreational Sports for a virtual workout that can be carried out anywhere. Strengthen all the major muscle groups in this class led by Hannah Kotarski, VCU Rec Sports' group exercise coordinator. With a focus on body weight, dumbbells and resistance bands, participants will be guided through a series of exercises targeting the chest, back, arms, legs, glutes and core. Register at the following URL in Talent.

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/worklife/.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.

VCU C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research will host the monthly One VCU Clinical Research Teams Meeting via Zoom. The meeting topic will be “VCU and VCU Health Clinical Research Updates.” See Zoom instructions and the One VCU blog at the following URL.

For more information, contact Emily Komornik at komornikea@vcu.edu or visit https://blogs.vcu.edu/research/2020/05/03/one-vcu-clinical-research-teams-meeting/.

Thursday, May 14, 2020 from noon to 1 p.m.

For centuries, we have known the health of the brain and the body are connected. Now, science is able to provide insights into how to optimize our physical and cognitive health as we age. Join VCU Human Resources and Tina Thomas of the Alzheimer's Association online to learn about research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement, and use hands-on tools to help incorporate these recommendations into a plan for healthy aging. Register in Talent at the following URL.

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/worklife/.

Monday, May 18, 2020 from midnight to 11:59 p.m.

In partnership with the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture, "Solutions Journalism: Reporting During COVID-19 and Beyond" will be offered in an online, self-paced format with Karen McIntyre, Ph.D. The course will include guest speakers and online discussions, and students will report and write their own solution-based news story. The course is open to VCU students and VCU and VCU Health employees for credit, and to the community as noncredit. Eligible employees may use their tuition benefit/education assistance. Noncredit revenue will be split between funding solutions journalism research and assisting with student needs during the COVID-19 crisis. Register at the following URL by 11:59 p.m. May 19.

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

VCU Recreational Sports has added two new pages to the Virtual Programming section of its website. Visitors can now access Virtual Trivia and Ask an Athletic Trainer from the following URL. Virtual Trivia can be found directly at https://recsports.vcu.edu/about/virtual-programs/virtual-trivia/. Ask an Athletic Trainer can be found directly at https://recsports.vcu.edu/about/virtual-programs/ask-an-athletic-trainer/.

For more information, contact Connie Kottmann at crkottman@vcu.edu or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/about/virtual-programs/.

Grade sheets are now available on faculty eServices. Grades are due by noon on May 12, at which time grade entry will no longer be available. It is imperative to meet this deadline to ensure students have time to opt into the flexible grading option prior to their deadline. Faculty may now choose to use the feature to upload grades from an excel file in Banner 9. Faculty may only access grade sheets for courses to which they have been assigned.

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

The VCU Alumni African-American Alumni Council Mentoring Circle is in need of alumni mentors. The program connects African-American undergraduates with African-American alumni who share professional interests. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Larry Powell at wlpowell@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8194 or visit https://link.vcu.edu/hub/vcualumni/program/vcu-mentoring-program/about.

Construction and utility work at and around the VCU Health Outpatient Pavilion and Inpatient Children's Hospital sites will affect traffic patterns on the MCV Campus. For current information and updates, visit the URL below.

For more information, contact Carrie Carroll at carrie.carroll@vcuhealth.org or visit http://vcuhealth.org/traffic.

Human Resources presents "Retiring With the VCU Optional Retirement Plan" via Zoom. These sessions are open to VCU faculty and VCU University and Academic Professionals, not VCU Health System employees. See upcoming sessions at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Benefits at benefits@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://bit.ly/2XvaJIH.

The VCU First Destination Survey is live for May 2020 graduates on Handshake at VCU. Responses to the survey provide VCU with information used to improve career and academic advising, student recruitment and overall student services. The survey is open to both undergraduate seniors and graduate/professional students completing their degrees in May. Please encourage graduating students in your department or office to visit the following URL to complete the survey and be eligible to win prizes.

For more information, contact Danielle Pearles at ddpearles@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2216 or visit http://tiny.cc/VCUFDS20.

Current faculty and staff members are invited to participate in an IRB-exempt study examining views about Title IX policy. Completion of the survey at the following URL should take no more than 10-15 minutes and any risk is minimal. See the survey at the following URL.

For more information, contact Christina Mancini, Ph.D., principal investigator, associate professor of criminal justice, Wilder School, at cnmancini@vcu.edu or visit https://southalabama.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9MqZIX7nnUrHGvz.

Current flexible spending accounts end June 30 for faculty and staff participating in the state program, and are not automatically renewed or continued. To open a flexible spending account for the new plan year that begins July 1, complete an open enrollment election using the instructions at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Human Resources at openenroll@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/open-enrollment.

Premium Rewards for COVA Care and COVA HealthAware participants expire with the June 2020 premium. Payroll deductions automatically adjust to the regular premium beginning in July unless participants earn new Premium Rewards. To earn new Premium Rewards effective in July, employees and enrolled spouses must complete new or updated Health Assessments between May 1 and May 15 using the instructions at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Human Resources at openenroll@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/open-enrollment.

Do you have questions about reporting a sexual assault that occurred prior to, or during, the COVID-19 pandemic? The VCU Police Department has a list of frequently asked questions on its website to help survivors understand their options. VCU Police has specially trained, victim-witness officers on every shift, uses the You Have Options reporting program and takes online, anonymous and third-party reports. Officers can speak with survivors (and others) by phone or on Zoom.

For more information, contact Officer Jasmine Merricks at jnmerricks@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6356 or visit https://police.vcu.edu/sexual_violence/faqs-on-reporting/.

Open enrollment for health coverage and flexible spending plans takes place through May 15. Eligible university faculty and staff may enroll in flexible spending accounts and/or make changes to health coverage elections for the plan year that begins July 1. No action is required to maintain current health coverage elections for the upcoming plan year, but enrollment is required to begin or continue participation in flexible spending. 

For more information, contact VCU HR Benefits Administration at openenroll@vcu.edu or (804) 828-0177 or visit http://www.hr.vcu.edu/open-enrollment.

Do you know of an outstanding freshman or sophomore? Have you met with an impressive transfer student? Submit an Honors College student recommendation. The link can be found on the "For Faculty: More Ways to Engage" section of the Honors College website at the following URL or using this Google Form at https://forms.gle/WstVyLkCsne2ZrbN7.

For more information, contact Jenna Venable at honors@vcu.edu or visit https://honors.vcu.edu/for-faculty/more-ways-to-engage/.

VCU Recreational Sports and Human Resources are partnering to offer fitness and wellness challenges via two incentive programs through June 5. Register for the self-guided programs, Walk to Run and Go the Distance, at the following URL by noon on May 8 for weekly coaching and workout log submissions.

For more information, contact Sydney Dale at fitness@vcu.edu or visit https://ramstrong.vcu.edu/events/.

The VCU School of the Arts Dean search forums are now available. For candidate privacy with Zoom, the forums were not presented to a “live” online audience but were recorded. The university community was asked to submit questions on the search webpage which were used during the Q&A period. Forum recording and feedback forms are available at the following URL. Feedback for this search will close at 5 p.m. on May 11.

For more information, contact Jenn Arce at jmarce@vcu.edu or visit https://provost.vcu.edu/searches/artsdean/candidates/.

University Band (APPM 357) is open to all VCU students and staff. University Band is a one-credit course that meets Monday-Wednesday-Friday from 3-3:50 p.m. No audition is required. Members of this ensemble perform one concert each semester. Choose APPM 357 when registering for fall courses.

For more information, contact Duane Coston, assistant director of bands, at costonpd@vcu.edu or (804) 240-7974 or visit https://go.arts.vcu.edu/music/ensembles/.

The VCU Pep Band is seeking new members for the 2020-2021 season. Membership is free and open to all students and staff. No audition is required. The pep band performs at athletic and community events. Interested students should complete the pre-registration form at the following URL.

For more information, contact Duane Coston, director of athletic bands, at costonpd@vcu.edu or (804) 240-7974 or visit http://tinyurl.com/thepeppas.

VCU Active and Supportive Personal Networks Lab seeks undergraduate and graduate students at the university to participate in a 30-minute online survey about their mental health, school achievement and social relationships. Compensation for time and participation will be provided. Find the survey at the following URL. Questions, visit https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=3KYM8DDDX9.

For more information, contact Claire Luce at socialties@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5411 or visit https://rampages.us/aspnlab/2019/09/28/welcome-to-aspn-lab/.