Mason Staff Senate

Author: Amanda Corrigan

Announcements from Auxiliary Services and Operations

Sip Sip Club

Students, faculty, and staff can join Sip Sip Club for a flat fee of $99.99 for the academic year. At that time, they get the exclusive Mason Dining mug and unlimited brewed coffee or tea from six campus locations until the end of the school year. The locations on campus include Starbucks, Dunkin’, Einstein Bros. Bagels, The Difference Baker, Mason Square Café, and Randall’s Café. And for all handcrafted beverages, members get a 10% discount.  

Holiday Parties

Starting to think about those Holiday Parties? Look no further than The Corner Pocket—the game room and arcade right here on campus! Available to rent for students, staff, and the community, it’s the perfect spot to make your next event unforgettable. With unlimited arcade games, event services, lighting, and more, you can create a party that stands out from the rest!

November General Meeting Announcement

Charles “Cully” Stimson, Rector Board of Visitors. Photo by: Ron Aira/Creative Services/ George Mason University

Charles “Cully” Stimson, rector, George Mason University, has been invited as our November Staff Senate meeting guest speaker.

Wednesday, November 6
10:00 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Guest Speaker
11 a.m. to noon – General Business Meeting

Constituents are invited to attend in person in Merten Hall, Room 1201 or join the meeting via Zoom*
Passcode: SS123
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Meeting ID: 931 0040 3860 / Passcode: 621190

The Staff Senate will collect questions in advance for consideration. Please use the form below to submit your comment, question, or concern by Monday, October 28th. We will also be accepting live questions, time permitting.

The Staff Senate represents all classified and non-student wage employees at George Mason University. Working closely with university administration, we address concerns that have an impact on the quality of work-life for the George Mason community. The work of the senate is accomplished through open and continuous communication with its constituents.

*The Staff Senate is requiring that virtual attendees join our Staff Senate General Meetings with their Patriot Pass credentials. If you are already signed into Zoom using your George Mason-licensed Zoom account, you should not see a difference. If you are not already signed into your George Mason-licensed Zoom account, you will be told authentication is required to join, and prompted to sign in. For more information, please access our helpful FAQ document.

October General Meeting, University Sustainability Update

Greg Farley, Director of University Sustainability

Greg Farley, director of University Sustainability, presented a University Sustainability Update during the October Staff Senate general business meeting. For those who missed the meeting, or would like to re-watch the session, the recording is now available here.

A few follows-ups to questions asked in the presentation are below:

Recycling at Science and Technology Update:

  • The Better Bins Preview in Katherine Johnson Hall is on the 1st floor only – largely because funding does not allow the pilot to expand the whole building (yet).
  • Updated waste and recycling labels should go out institution-wide sometime in the next 8-10 months. The Office of Sustainability does not have a firm timeline yet, but the labels seen in the presentation will be coming to SciTech.
  • Glass recycling for events is institution-wide now; when you put in a work request for an event, please specify if you need glass recycling.

Regarding surplus and small electronic waste (e-waste), the two processes are interlinked — please start the process by putting in a work request for Surplus.  Once the Surplus team finds the e-waste, they will coordinate with the Information Technology team to clear it and make sure it is recycled in the correct manner.

Learn more about the Sip Sip Club here.

 

 

 

November General Meeting Recording and Follow Up

The October Staff Senate meeting featured Dr. Gregory Washington, president of George Mason University.

For those who missed the meeting, or would like to re-watch the session, the recording is now available here.

 

October General Meeting Recording

Gregory Washington, President, Office of the President, George Mason University. Photo by: Ron Aira/Creative Services/ George Mason University

The October Staff Senate meeting featured Dr. Gregory Washington, president of George Mason University.

For those who missed the meeting, or would like to re-watch the session, the recording is now available here.

The president will be providing follow-up responses by next month’s newsletter. Please continue to check this website for more information. Until then, Deb Dickenson, executive vice president, Finance and Administration, has provided a follow-up response from her visit to the Staff Senate in September.

Q: When was the decision made to outsource, and why has there still been no notification to the Mason community? When is it happening? What criteria was used to make this decision and by whom? Was the impact on student workers who list their position at the ITS Support Center as their first IT job even considered? Is there really a cost savings? How much? People come to work at Mason and stay because of the community and stability.  With the hiring “chill”, and now this outsourcing and layoffs, what impact do you think it will have on employee engagement and recruitment?

A: Due to George Mason’s recent budget challenges and our longstanding funding disparity, our university continues to pursue operational efficiencies and productivity improvements that may result in elimination of positions. When strategic realignments occur, leadership works closely with Human Resources to ensure that all relevant policies and procedures surrounding personnel matters are followed.

The decision to restructure the ITS Support Center was made after careful deliberation and with approval from the Senior Leadership Team, as part of efforts to meet budget savings targets while avoiding disruption to university services. The realignment is expected to provide an annual cost savings, as well as extending support hours to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide increased support availability.

We cannot provide specifics regarding personnel matters but will continue to provide updates at Board of Visitors meetings, as well as at Staff and Faculty Senate meetings. Please know that much thought goes into all decisions that impact employees, and we work diligently to provide appropriate resources and support to those impacted.

December General Meeting Announcement

Manager Meetup: Supervising Gen Z

Join the Supervision Collective for an interactive session to build the skills and strategies necessary to lead and inspire Gen Z, ensuring a productive and harmonious workplace for all generations. The session will be facilitated by the Supervision Collective on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 2 p.m.

During the session the presentation will provide tips, strategies, and a conversation space to share challenges and successes working with the youngest generation in our workforce.

Presenters will focus on the following topics:

  • The importance of setting and maintaining clear expectations for your team
  • Using the position description as a foundation to support staff in navigating their roles and understanding their interconnectedness to the unit, division, and institution
  • Strategies to help staff understand the complexity of workplace dynamic

Resources will be provided for participants to continue the conversation with their teams following the session.”

Register, here.

 

Announcements from Faculty and Staff Engagement

Faculty and Staff Experience Survey Town Hall on September 18

Faculty and Staff Engagement invite you to join President Washington, Gallup Senior Partner Stephanie Marken, and Human Resources on September 18 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the HUB Ballroom (Fairfax Campus).

This is your chance to review the key findings of the Faculty and Staff Experience Survey and collaborate on the next steps to enhance our community at George Mason University.   

This important event will also be available via live-stream webinar to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate.  

Upcoming Performance Management Session: Setting Performance Goals and Maintaining Momentum

As we are preparing for the Mid-Cycle Check-In, consider joining a Setting Performance Goals and Maintaining Momentum training session.   

The session helps participants understand the importance of setting goals for achieving performance and success, and how to track these goals throughout the year. By using SMART goals and objectives in performance planning, and potentially incorporating AI to draft these goals, employees can more effectively direct their work, inform supervisors and colleagues of their progress, document their successes, and create opportunities for growth and professional development. 

Fairfax Connection Opportunity: Tuesday Treks Kick-off – A Journey to Well-Being

Revitalize your mind and body this September 17 with the Human Resources Team as we kick off our Fall Tuesday Treks. Join us for a day packed with mindfulness, movement, and meaningful connections. 

Engagement in Action Trainings 

Join the Faculty and Staff Engagement team for upcoming Engagement in Action workshops.   

With the review of the Faculty and Staff Experience Survey data underway, we are pleased to offer sessions focused on the next steps of engaging our George Mason faculty and staff.   

Training options include the following: 

  • Engagement in Action: Strategies for Supervisors 

Supervisors are encouraged to join an interactive session focused on faculty and staff engagement. Participants will take part in discussions surrounding Gallup survey engagement data and current best practices and learn new strategies to enhance the faculty and staff experience at George Mason. 

  • Friday, September 27th, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Virtual 
  • Tuesday, October 1st, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., Merten Hall, Room 1204 

View upcoming sessions and register in MasonLEAPS. 

  •  Engagement in Action: Non-supervisor Contributions 

Non-supervising Mason faculty and staff are encouraged to join an interactive session focused on individual contribution to Mason’s engagement culture. Participants will increase awareness of Gallup survey engagement data, discuss engagement strategies that non-supervisors can implement and promote, and learn about resources available for recognizing and engaging colleagues. 

  • Friday, September 27th, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 
  • Tuesday, October 1st, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

View upcoming sessions and register in MasonLEAPS.  

Contact engagehr@gmu.edu with questions! 

Faculty and Staff Student Loan Repayment Information Session  

Human Resources and the Student Support and Advocacy Center have partnered together to hold an information session on how to repay student loans. This virtual event is open to all George Mason faculty and staff and will take place on Wednesday, October 9th at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. 

Shannon Osborne, Associate Director for Financial Well-Being, will present the latest information on Student Loan Repayment. This will include an overview of repayment plans, updates on the current status of the SAVE plan, and information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which Mason employees qualify for.   

Please register through the Zoom link below so we can provide all attendees with the recording of the presentation and PowerPoint. 

 Here is the Zoom registration for the event: 

https://gmu.zoom.us/j/92971586817?pwd=BEbfz0hYbO5hcFAPhPZeagongdkrFT.1 

For any questions please email the Financial Well-Being team at fwb@gmu.edu. 

Guidance for Classified Staff and Administrative/Professional Faculty

All A/P faculty and classified staff will receive an automated email from MasonLEAPS inviting them to begin the optional check-in process by completing their self-reflection. For more information including due dates and process, please click here. 

Workplace Appreciation 

The Faculty and Staff Engagement Team is excited to announce upcoming professional development focused on Workplace Appreciation.  Based on the book “The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace,” this training aims to help George Mason faculty and staff, including supervisors and non-supervisors, discover strategies for assessment and practical application of genuine workplace appreciation. Participants will have the chance to discuss the five languages of workplace appreciation, reflect on personal preferences for receiving appreciation, and determine impactful means of appreciating George Mason colleagues.  

Upcoming sessions include the following: 

  • Tuesday, October 8th, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Merten Hall, Room 1204 
  • Thursday, November 7th, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Virtual  

View upcoming sessions and register in MasonLEAPS. 

Additionally, business units can request the Workplace Appreciation workshop to be tailored to their unit goals and delivered at team meetings, retreats, etc.   

Reach out to engagehr@gmu.edu with questions or to schedule a customized Workplace Appreciation workshop.   

 

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Announcements from Auxiliary Services and Operations

Byte Plans are still available!
It’s not too late to grab a Byte Plan and enjoy flexible dining options on campus. With plans starting at $105, you can save on meals, connect with colleagues, and make the most of your campus experience. Plus, unused swipes roll over from fall to spring, so there’s plenty of time to take advantage!

Mason Commutes
We understand the importance of flexible commuting options and encourage you to explore all the great transportation alternatives available! Whether you’re interested in shuttles, metro access, biking, or our commuter program, there are plenty of ways to get to campus. Learn more about your options here: George Mason Transportation Services.

Shake Smart Grand Opening
Shake Smart is now open in Fenwick Library, and to celebrate, they’re offering free shakes on September 12! Founded by two college students, Shake Smart focuses on making healthy eating more accessible, balancing nutrients with an emphasis on protein. Stop by to try their shakes, smoothies, acai bowls, and more!

Patriot Tech is Now in the Bookstore
Patriot Tech has moved into the Bookstore at the Johnson Center! Don’t forget, you can use Payroll Deduction to purchase electronics and other tech essentials. Take advantage of this convenient option and visit the new location today!

Updates from Sustainability

New Procedures for Trash Collection and Cleaning in Campus Offices 

    • George Mason University implemented new procedures for trash collection and cleaning in campus offices. These changes support the university’s efforts to increase efficiency and cut costs. As of August 1, 2024, these changes are in effect in university offices at the Fairfax, Mason Square, and Science and Technology campuses:
      • Faculty and staff are responsible for emptying the individual trash can in their workspace into larger trash receptacles in common areas. Housekeeping staff no longer empty personal trash cans located at desks/cubicles/private offices.
      • Workspaces/offices are cleaned weekly.
    • Common spaces and high traffic areas are cleaned daily, and trash is removed from common area trash receptacles at least once daily. The cleaning schedule did not change in restrooms, kitchens, and common areas.
    • These changes were implemented after a pilot program was conducted on the SciTech Campus and in Merten Hall on the Fairfax Campus during the 2023–24 academic year. Read more about the changes.

Notice something that needs to be fixed/repaired? Need to request additional pick-up for large volumes of trash/recycling?

      • You may submit a work order online or contact the Facilities Customer Service Center at 703-993-2525 for repairs and pick-ups of large volumes of trash/recycling. Recycling collection will remain the same: once a week, unless additional collections are needed. If an additional pickup is needed, you will not be charged a fee for large volume trash/recycling pick-ups.