Author: Amanda Corrigan

Does your department provide services to Mason staff? If so, consider participating in the Departmental Information Fair at the Sizzlin’ Summer Social Staff Appreciation Events at the Fairfax Campus (July 13) and SciTech Campus (July 19).

If your department is interested in attending the fair at the Fairfax and/or SciTech Campus, fill out the Registration Form and return to [email protected] by July 6.

This year, the Sizzlin’ Summer Social at Arlington will be combined with the Arlington Campus’ own Summer Social, and there will not be a department information fair at the event.

Contact [email protected] with questions.

Election season is here! Voting in the Staff Senate election will start on July 11 and end at 5 p.m. on July 22.  

Meet the candidates at the Sizzlin’ Summer Social on your campus. You can also preview a sample ballot on our website in early July. Online voting begins July 11.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see highlights of the election, learn about the candidates, and find out election results.

Contact [email protected] with questions.

Join the Staff Senate at the summer Staff Appreciation Events! Take a break from work to enjoy light refreshments and network with your colleagues. Activities include an information fair, raffle, and voting in the Staff Senate Election.

Fairfax: Wednesday, July 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sub I, Patriots Lounge
SciTech: Tuesday, July 19, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Bull Run Hall, Atrium
Arlington: Thursday, July 21, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., Founders Hall, Plaza*

*The Staff Senate is collaborating with Arlington Administration and University Life Arlington to combine the Staff Senate Staff Appreciation Event with the Arlington Summer Social. Staff Senate activities will include additional raffle prizes and voting in the Staff Senate election.

 

 

The Future Is Bright: Celebrate Summer in the Faculty/Staff Lounge
Join Human Resources and Payroll in the Faculty/Staff Lounge in the Johnson Center (formerly the Bistro) on July 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as we celebrate summer and look forward to a bright future together at Mason. Bring your lunch or just come for dessert and enjoy free giveaways, while supplies last!

Summer Bridge Camp
Sometimes summer camps end a little too soon, leaving time that needs to be “bridged” before public elementary schools start. To help with that challenge, Human Resources and Payroll is piloting a summer bridge camp from August 15 to September 2 for children ages 6-10. Choose one, two, or three weeks.

The camp theme is “Junior Detective Agency.” Camp will be held on the Fairfax Campus. For details, including camp pricing and before/after camp care, see the Summer Bridge Camp flyer. If you have questions or would like to discuss this new opportunity, contact Tina Morris at 703-993-5807 or [email protected].

Summer Kindness
The folks who make Kind bars are sponsoring #kindawesome, a sweet opportunity to give a shout out to someone who is being kind. You celebrate their kind act and they receive a free Kind bar. Sweet and simple. Go for it at howkindofyou.com. Here are some other resources to help practice summer kindness:

• Reward and Recognition DIY
• Pinterest

Well-Being: Individual Retirement Counseling Sessions
Healthy finances are a cornerstone of your own personal well-being. It is always important to be saving for your long-term goals: retiring student debt, buying a car or home, saving for the kids’ or grandkids’ college education, and the big one– retirement. No matter your age, retirement is one of everyone’s long term goals. To help with your plans, take advantage of on-campus individual retirement counseling sessions offered by TIAA, Fidelity, and ICMA-RC. For dates and times, visit hr.gmu.edu/benefits/retire/tiaa.php.

Saving Money
Check out the Life/Work Connections discount page for money-savings opportunities, including a host of discounts through the Commonwealth’s Department of Human Resource Management.

Who’s Walking Wednesday
30-minute campus walks are held each Wednesday at noon in Arlington, Fairfax, and SciTech. Drop by or sign up to lead one. Details are on the Life/Work Connections Lunchtime Possibilities page; scroll to Who’s Walking Wednesday, and select the campus of your choice. Who’s Walking Wednesday? Hopefully it’s you!

From Mason Recreation: Outdoor Adventures Equipment Rental
Are you planning an outdoor adventure this summer and need gear, but don’t want to purchase it? Mason’s Outdoor Adventure program can help. They offer a full line of rental equipment; if you need a tent, sleeping bag and pad, pots and pans, cooking stove, or trekking poles, they can help you out.

Rental gear and prices are listed here. All rentals are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and reservations are required.

Contact Ryan Murphy at [email protected] or Susan Johnson at [email protected] with questions or to make a reservation.

Mason Libraries offer 24/7 online access to Rosetta Stone, the premier software for language learning. Acquire a new language or brush up your skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as well as grammar and vocabulary.

It takes the average learner 50 hours to complete a chosen language level with the Rosetta Stone Library Solution. Schedule 30 minutes a day and best practices show that within 20 weeks the self-paced learning can be accomplished.

For more information, visit the University Libraries website.

Mason’s senior leadership is providing additional holiday leave for salaried faculty and staff this summer. Called Mason Flexible July, it includes:

• Four hours of additional holiday leave when Mason closes administrative offices at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 1
• Four hours of additional Special Flex Holiday leave that can be used, with supervisor permission, during July or August of 2016
• A special promotion of flexible work schedules for the month of July to encourage the use of flexible scheduling (such as working four 9-hour days and one 4-hour day)

Check out the FAQs for additional information. Contact Human Resources and Payroll at 703-993-2600.