Author: Amanda Corrigan

Happy 2019! Welcome back, everyone. We have approximately eleven months, eight days, and counting to make the best of this year’s resolutions. Among them, I encourage you to utilize all of your benefits. You may have noticed that leave balances have been replenished (annual leave, sick leave, school assistance and volunteer, family and personal, and bereavement leave). Among some of the lesser-used benefits offered to Mason employees are the Life/Work Connections; Organizational Development, Learning, and Coaching; and Reward and Recognition. Check these websites to make sure you’re up to date with all that is offered. Now is a good time to implement that change you’ve been looking to accomplish.

You could also consider signing up for a short course with the Mason Enterprise Center. There are upcoming courses on developing Elevator Pitches, new Estate Planning regulations, Sales Strategy and Tactics, and Bitcoin and Blockchain, to name a few. Sign up to stay informed of other short courses that become available. This is a great way to learn new skills and network with others looking to do the same.

The Staff Senate’s Events Committee is looking forward to February and March, trying to determine the best time to hold Staff Appreciation Events and a possible Town Hall. They are taking into consideration the potential weather that may be coming our way in those months and pinpointing the optimal time to invite Staff out to an appreciation event. Stay tuned!

Chief of Police Carl Rowan will be our guest speaker on February 6 at 10:30 a.m. in Merten Hall, Room 1201. Chief Rowan will discuss the services the Police Department offers to the Mason community.

We’re also excited to announce that Shernita Parker, Acting Vice President of HR/Payroll and Faculty/Staff Life, is planning to speak at our March meeting about last year’s Quality of Work Life Survey. We are happy to discuss these results and gain insights into what the data reveals. We’re about progress at Mason, and we want to see staff achieve their career and life aspirations. Please come out to this meeting, listen, and ask questions. We anticipate this will be a very informative discussion.

Have you followed our Facebook account lately? We have some social media flair as different senators take over our online content. Check us out. Let our Education and Outreach Committee know if you have any information you would like to share with other Mason Staff through our social media channels.

With a new incoming senior vice president (SVP), Carol Kissal, we made our intentions known early on with the hiring consultants that the Staff Senate will like to be a direct-report to the new SVP. Currently, in the organizational chart, we report to the vice president of human resources. However, not all of our initiatives and goals have human resource components. We are proposing this idea to pursue a separate avenue in connecting staff concerns with university leadership. We will certainly keep you updated.

Please feel free to contact us, even anonymously, through our website, should you have additional comments, questions, concerns, or just to let us know how we are doing.

Thank you!

Very Respectfully,
Christopher J. Maier
Chair, Staff Senate

The time has come to bid a final farewell to Robinson Hall A. If you’ve been on campus lately, you may have seen the demolition in action.

Do you have any fond memories of Robinson A? We would love to hear them! Share your memories through our contact form. We may feature them in a future newsletter!

Read more about the construction project in this Mason News article.

 

Your 2018 W-2 is now available online! Retrieving your electronic copy is easy and immediate. If you have never accessed your electronic W-2, access it before January 27, 2019.

Step-by-step instructions on how to access your electronic W-2 are available at hr.gmu.edu.

If you do not access your W-2 electronically:

• Ensure your permanent mailing address is accurate in Patriot Web
• Your paper W-2 will be mailed no later than February 1, 2019

For more information, reference Your Mason W-2 Demystified and the FAQs.

Contact the W-2 Hotline at 703-993-2311 or w2info@gmu.edu with questions.

Recognizing Mason superstars is an important job, and everyone can participate!

If you work with an incredible Mason administrative/professional faculty member, classified staff member, or wage employee who goes the extra mile, collaborates successfully, and supports our students and colleagues, nominate them for Mason’s Employee of the Month award!

Have someone in mind to nominate? Additional information can be found on the Human Resources Payroll website.

Contact Reward and Recognition at awards@gmu.edu or 703-993-2600 with questions.

Mason supervisors are encouraged to participate in the following upcoming trainings:

Supervisor Boot Camp

Supervisor Boot Camp is a two-day program designed to provide essential information, resources, and contacts to supervisors who are new to Mason or new to supervising. Registrations are now accepted for April 16 and 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in Merten Hall. 

Participants must supervise at least one employee who is either administrative/professional faculty or classified staff. Space is limited and registrations are first come, first served. Contact Robyn Madar at rmadar@gmu.edu to reserve your space. 

Crucial Conversations for Leaders

Based on the award-winning book Crucial Conversations, this workshop gives Mason supervisors the tools to handle life’s most difficult and important conversations. You will learn how to: prepare for high-stakes situations with a proven technique, transform anger and hurt feelings into powerful dialogue, and make it safe to talk about almost anything and be persuasive, not abrasive. During this interactive session, facilitated by certified Crucial Conversations trainers Robyn Madar and Rick Holt, participants will learn tools and concepts and have an opportunity to reflect and practice. 

Sessions are scheduled for February 7 or March 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register, contact Robyn Madar at rmadar@gmu.edu. 

WeightWatchers at Work meetings are held every Friday at 11:30 a.m. in Merten Hall, Room 2500.

The Commonwealth of Virginia and WeightWatchers bring eligible faculty and staff special pricing and a 50% reimbursement opportunity on valuable and convenient weight-loss solutions.

For more information on how to join WW at Work meetings, visit hr.gmu.edu/learning/weightwatchers.php or contact hrlearn@gmu.edu.  

Calling all military spouses and partners employed at Mason!

Join other military partners and spouses for a brown bag lunch on January 29 at noon in The MIX at Fenwick.

Bring your lunch or a cup of coffee and meet new friends. This will be a great opportunity to connect with others, share advice, and discuss how this group can be a valuable resource for Mason military spouses and partners going forward.

View the full schedule here.

Questions? Contact Kim Coryell, proud military spouse for over 20 years, at kcoryell@gmu.edu.

Who’s Walking Wednesdays? Hopefully YOU! Join your colleagues for a walk at noon on the Wednesday of your choice! 

Walks begin at the Wellness Circle in front of Merten Hall. The goal is to encourage everyone to get moving, get up out of their chairs, break up the day, and enjoy some good company.

If you would like to lead a Who’s Walking Wednesday on the Fairfax Campus this year, sign up on the 2019 schedule. To join a Who’s Walking Wednesday on other campuses, please visit hr.gmu.eduworklife/lunch for more information.