10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Nick Cooke, owner of Black Swan Books, will lead a roundtable about personal reading. Those who attend are invited to discuss books they are reading now, have recently read or are planning to tackle in the coming months. Come ready to share and make recommendations. Bonus points for sharing winter- or holiday-themed books. Receive a Zoom link to join the session by emailing the VCU Libraries Development Office at libdevelop@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Gregory Kimbrell at kimbrellgg@vcu.edu or (804) 393-2951 or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2020-2021/community-zooms.html.

Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 from noon to 2 p.m.

Laura J. Clark, assistant vice chancellor, Student Success and Professional Development and executive director, Virginia’s Community Colleges Student Success Center, will lead a discussion about significant childhood traumas that result in actual changes in brain development. The event, co-sponsored by Radford University's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning and VCU's Teaching and Learning Excellence, will also include traumas brought on by adverse community environments, cultural exposures and circuitry expressions. Research has shown that building resilience can help overcome traumas. Key ideas in this work will be discussed. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/cRrvymw3nyxtx68NA.

Monday, Jan. 11, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.

Caitlin Martin, M.D., MPH, an obstetrician-gynecologist and addiction medicine provider, will speak at a Discovery Dialogues seminar hosted by VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research. Questions: http://www.cctr.vcu.edu. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Pam Dillon, Pharm.D., research liaison, at pmdillon@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1519 or visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvdOmupj4vE9bGEdvtDS8-yYPNSb0UmHPT.

Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Google has added a number of features to Meet and Chat for team collaboration. Collaboration Services invites you to learn all about Meet and Chat to make you the master of your meetings and chats. This class will provide a walkthrough of Meet and Chat. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Dr. Gee at drgee@vcu.edu or visit https://go.vcu.edu/gogoogle.

For classified employees, annual leave will not be subject to the carryover limit until the end of the 2021 leave year on Jan. 9, 2022. There are no changes to the payout maximum for classified employees' annual leave. Carryover limits are also waived until the end of the 2021 leave year for 2020 annual leave for 12-month faculty and 2020 university leave for university and academic professionals.

For more information, contact VCU HR Leave Administration at leave@vcu.edu or (804) 828-0177 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/leave/.

Digital badges are web-enabled versions of a credential, certification or learning outcome that can be shared and verified in real-time, online. Learn more about the benefits of digital badges, how to demonstrate your skills in a new way and see the university's new badge collections at the following URL.

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/badges.

The Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign is the annual charity drive for employees of the Commonwealth of Virginia. VCU's annual campaign is coming to a close on Dec. 30. The CVC operates for and by state employees under the Executive Order of the Governor. Participants can contribute by payroll deduction or credit card.

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

Did you know VCU employees are eligible for many rebates and discounts by using one of the university's two approved real estate vendors? The vendors also offer services for VCU employees such as overview tours, drive-arounds and financial incentives including cash rebates after closing on a new dream home. See a list of VCU Human Resources discounts 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/employee-discounts/.

VCU's Honors College invites faculty to participate in the Berglund Seminar and Diverse Conversations Series. The series engages honors students with a variety of topics and current events. It is also an opportunity for faculty to highlight research, practice for an upcoming conference or spread the word about a course they will be teaching. Speakers are asked to sign up using the Google Form at the following URL. All spring events will be virtual.

For more information, contact Jared Johnson at jajohnson4@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_XpOYkMR27i9AmonpxN3nYUfVb5sVZr1j1MHtYqHqzo/edit.

The Office of the Provost invites faculty to apply to serve in a part-time role in the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. The focus will be anti-racist pedagogy, social justice and equity in teaching and learning. Faculty with expertise in critical race, intersectional, liberatory and decolonial pedagogies (and related areas) are encouraged to apply. Apply by 5 p.m. Jan. 15 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Kim Case at casek3@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/kypNKAGjDDWkZRVu9.