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New employee orientation
New employee orientation (NEO) is our way of welcoming you to the VCU community and positioning you to be a high performing, continuously learning contributor and partner. NEO is a one and a half day event where new employees will network with new colleagues, university leaders, internal partners from key departments, and subject matter experts. We provide you with information, tools and resources to take care of important decisions and initial tasks, enabling you to then focus on learning your new job and getting acquainted with the VCU community. You’ll leave NEO with a deeper understanding of the university, the higher education system, and how to gain the most from your employment with VCU.
VCU is a great place to work where you are valued, able to perform meaningful work, and have a tremendous number of resources on hand to support your success and help your career thrive.
Additionally, VCU offers an expansive array of benefits that include comprehensive health care and retirement offerings. Some examples include:
- a robust career development program
- well-being resources and activities
- generous employee leave and alternative work arrangements
- a multitude of employee discounts
There’s a lot to learn about VCU and all it offers. Whether you are a first-time VCU employee, or are a returning VCU employee, consider NEO as just one of the many ways you will start to learn about, or be refreshed on, the numerous benefits of working at VCU.
All new university and academic professionals are expected to attend NEO. We extend an open invitation to new faculty to attend all or part of NEO. Your department HR associate will register you for one or both days of NEO as soon as possible after your first day on the job.
NEO is offered every two weeks and spans one and a half days. We provide lunch on the first day, and snacks/coffee/water throughout.
Day 1 – VCU Culture and Connections
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Welcome, objectives, review agenda, and icebreaker
- All about VCU
- History
- Mission
- Vision
- Values
- Guest speakers
- University Leader presentation, Q&A
- Ethics, integrity and compliance
- Great Place Policy and benefits overview
- Paid leave for University and Academic Professionals
- Career development for University and Academic Professionals
- Performance management for University and Academic Professionals
- Learning management
- Optional campus and community bus tour beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Day 2 – Benefits Review
8:30 a.m. to noon
- Benefits of Working at VCU
- Employer-funded retirement and voluntary retirement savings
- Health benefits
- Life insurance and other benefits
- Wrap up and individual Q&A time
Learn about health and retirement benefits by visiting ALEX, your online and interactive benefits counselor, as soon as possible. ALEX assists you in making a decision about a health plan that best suits your needs. You can also learn more about VCU’s range of benefits and, if you are ready, enroll in a health plan and flexible spending account by visiting the Enroll in benefits page.
The Benefits FAQ page is another resource for specific benefits topics.
If you need special accommodations in order to attend NEO please talk with your department's HR staff, your immediate supervisor, or the ADA Coordinator. If you have dietary restrictions, please tell us when you are prompted via email to place your lunch order.
NEO is held on the Monroe Park Campus at 922 W. Grace Street in room 115. If you are coming from Grace Street, the building is located directly behind the RamTech store near the intersection of Grace and Harrison Streets. If you are coming from Broad Street, you can find us by walking through the breezeway next to the Barnes & Noble @ VCU bookstore, crossing the alley, and entering the building immediately on your left. If you run into Grace Street from this direction, you've gone too far.
If you drive, please be aware that street parking is extremely limited in space and allowed time (2-hour maximum). Parking for participants is available in the lot that abuts the building. Both street and lot parking require payment. If you are a current VCU parking subscriber, you may be eligible for reciprocal parking in the West Broad St. parking deck. Learn more about the closest parking options.
If you are traveling from the MCV campus, we recommend using the GRTC (Greater Richmond Transit Company) Pulse bus to get to the NEO location. This transit option is free for all VCU employees! Visit Parking and Transportation to learn how to get your bus pass and for more route information.
We extend an open invitation to new faculty to participate in new employee orientation (NEO). New faculty may find the benefits education on day 2 of NEO particularly helpful. Before NEO, you can learn about health and retirement benefits by visiting ALEX, your online and interactive benefits counselor. ALEX assists you in making a decision about a health plan that best suits your needs. You can also learn more about VCU’s range of benefits and, if you are ready, enroll in a health plan and flexible spending account by visiting the Enroll in benefits page.
Faculty should visit the website of the Provost's Office of Faculty Affairs to learn more about VCU faculty-specific onboarding programs, information and resources.
Faculty leave is administered at the department level however, general information is available for review on the Employee leave page.