Mason Staff Senate

Author: Hannah King

Categories
February 2026

2025 Facilities & Campus Operations Team Member Awards

Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) have launched annual awards to celebrate many of their exceptional team members.

F&CO leadership and the Culture Champion Committee have partnered on this initiative and are excited to present the annual awards listed below.  All F&CO team members, and those outside the division, are encouraged to nominate their peers for future awards. Congratulations to the following award winners:

Team Member Awards:

  • Facilities Management Operations
    • Frank Pierpoint, Plumber, Zone 2
    • Epifanio Escamilla, General Maintenance Tech II, Zone 2
    • Jose Vargas, General Maintenance Tech II, Zone 4
    • Gordon Maginness, HVAC Tech I
  • Facilities Services
    • Keith ”Wally” Wallace, General Services Supervisor
  • Regional Campuses
    • Amanda Parnell, Mason Square Operations Manager
  • Business Services and Facilities Administration
    • Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Mason Program Manager
  • Planning, Design, and Construction
    • Jennifer Gantt, Project & Relocation Coordinator
  • Janitorial Services
    • Martha Rodriguez, Housekeeper
  • Rookie of the Year
    • Danielle Busch, Scheduling and Event Manager
  • Wage Employee
    • Audrey Kwakye, Communications & Marketing Administrator
    • Robert Kupczak, Gardens Coordinator
    • Demin Zhu, Patriot Green Fund Coordinator
    • Matt Gaines, Scheduling and Event Coordinator

Supervisor of the Year

  • Juma Handon, Zone 4 Supervisor

Culture Champion of the Year

  • Jason Reed, Electrician II, Zone 4

Innovation 

  • Tan Nguyen, Waste/Recycling Worker

University Community Partnership 

  • Donielle “Doni” Nolan, Greenhouse & Gardens Program Manager

Safety Champion of the Year 

  • Kevin Brim, Recycling & Waste Management Supervisor

Special Initiative / Project Team

  • Better Bins Preview
    • Ben Auger, Engagement Coordinator
    • Kevin Brim, Recycling & Waste Management Supervisor
    • Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Mason Program Manager
    • Amber Saxton, Campus Efficiency Program Manager
    • Maggie Accardo, Lead Sign Maker
    • Charlie Bobosh, Senior Sign Maker
    • John Forgy, Environmental Graphic Design Manager
    • Mike Lay, Assistant Director, Facilities Services
    • Chris Williams, Associate Director, Housekeeping
    • John Rogers, Associate Director of Housekeeping, Housing & Residence Life

Employee of the Year

  • Kevin Brim, Recycling & Waste Management Supervisor

If you’d like to learn more and read some of the kudos from the nominations, you may do so on the Facilities website.

Categories
January 2026

December 2025 Facilities & Campus Operations Employee of the Month Spotlight

Congratulations to Mirwais Safi, Construction Field Representative, for being recognized as the December 2025 Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) Employee of the Month! Safi was nominated by Cathy Pinskey, Capital Program Director. In addition to this nomination, Safi has received multiple nominations and letters of support for one of George Mason’s 2025 Outstanding Achievement Awards from members of F&CO leadership and university partners.

Learn more about Mirwais on the Facilities website!

Categories
January 2026 February 2026

2026 Outstanding Achievement Awards: Call for Nominations

The Outstanding Achievement Awards (OAA) are a cherished George Mason tradition, honoring the dedication and accomplishments of faculty and staff.

Last year, refreshed award categories led to a 146% increase in nominations! This year, Human Resources has decided to continue with those categories to ensure all non-student employee classifications have the opportunity to be recognized.

Submit Your Nomination Today

Visit the Outstanding Achievement Award website to review categories and nominate an individual or team. Nominations must be submitted via Dynamic Forms by Friday, February 20 at 5 p.m. (including all final workflow signatures).

Reflect on colleagues who have positively impacted your team or community and nominate them today! Recognizing a colleague not only expresses appreciation for their contributions but also nurtures a culture of recognition and appreciation at George Mason. 

Save the Date

The Outstanding Achievement Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 14 from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. in Dewberry Hall. Winners will be announced by early April.

For any inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Categories
December 2025

How to Prepare for Winter Break from ITS

Information Technology Services (ITS) reminds George Mason University employees and students to take the following precautions before leaving for winter break:

  • Log off your systems, and turn off all non-essential devices, including computers, servers (if you can), printers, and monitors in your office and on-campus residences.
  • Those who telework should log out of systems they are not using.
  • When checking email, be wary of phishing attempts, help desk support scams, malicious browser extensions, and look-alike website addresses.
  • Report phishing emails. If you receive a phishing email, report it to ITS Support at 703-993-8870 or https://its.gmu.edu/chat/.
Categories
December 2025

Well-Body Screenings and Consultations

 

Get a quick, non-invasive body composition scan with personalized results, a complimentary blood pressure check, and a consultation with a medical professional. Learn more about your body’s fat, muscle, water balance, and overall health. Limited appointments are available monthly, and they are open to George Mason faculty and staff (including wage, student wage, and adjunct faculty). Download the flyer to learn more. To register, click here. For questions, please contact [email protected] or call 703-993-6001.

Categories
December 2025

December Benefits Corner: TimelyCare for Staff

 

RSR-Employee Health & Well-Being has partnered with TimelyCare to provide George Mason employees with free, confidential mental health and well-being support, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Faculty and staff can access care from anywhere, at any time, using their George Mason email to register.

Your TimelyCare benefits include:

  • 24 / 7 / 365 emotional support with the TalkNow line.
  • Up to 12 free scheduled counseling sessions per academic year.
  • Health Coaching: work with experts to develop healthy lifestyle behaviors (nutrition, sleep habits, time management, and mindfulness).
  • Self-guided resources, mindfulness tools, and peer support – available 24 / 7 / 365.

Learn more about this resource on the Employee Health and Well-Being website.

Categories
December 2025

Parking and Transportation Updates

You can find End of Fall Semester/Winter Break Shuttle Schedule Changes on the Parking and Transportation webpage.

Permit sales for the Spring 2026 semester will begin on January 5 at parking.gmu.edu.

Parking and Transportation is hosting a Parking Citation Holiday Drive for the Patriot Pantry! When you make a donation valued at $15, $20, or $30 in person at any Parking Services office for Patriot Pantry, Parking and Transportation will take $15, $20, or $30 off an outstanding citation balance based on your donation amount. You can learn more about this on the Parking and Transportation webpage.

Categories
December 2025 January 2026

Programs Serving Minors Summit

Governor’s School students on the Science and Technology Campus. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

NOTE: Due to inclement weather in the region, this event will now take place 100% virtually. To join the event, see the instructions below.

Operational Risk Management will host a virtual Summit for Programs Serving Minors on Tuesday, Jan. 27 starting at 1:00 p.m. Representatives from a variety of campus offices will share presentations about the policies and procedures for hosting activities for minors at the university. University departments are encouraged to attend if they offer a program, event, or camp that serves minors, host minors in internships or mentorships, or are planning to develop such a program.

Presentations will cover information and guidance from University Events, Human Resources, Office of Access, Compliance, and Community, Housing and Residence Life, Risk, Safety, and Resilience, Parking and Transportation, Fiscal Services, Mason Dining, and the Office of University Branding. Following the presentations, there will be a Q&A session and an opportunity to connect directly with campus partners.

Join Virtually on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. EST:
Join Teams meeting
Meeting ID: 241 112 541 584 93
Passcode: N9yg6yZ9
Dial in by phone+1 571-397-2084,,862993368# United States, Washington
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 862 993 368#

Categories
December 2025

Wi-Fi Network Updates

ITS is simplifying George Mason University’s Wi-Fi network this fall to help the community stay better connected across campus. MASON-SECURE will be permanently shut down on Friday, December 19, at the end of this semester. For details, see MASON-SECURE Retirement FAQs. To ensure uninterrupted connectivity, ITS encourages all campus Wi-Fi users to switch to eduroam as soon as possible. To get started, visit the ITS eduroam webpage.

Categories
December 2025

Staying Up-to-Date on Provost’s Office Initiatives

The Provost’s Office is leading several important efforts that impact George Mason faculty, staff, and students, including expanding support services for undergraduate students, fully activating the SciTech and Mason Square campuses, standardizing internal surveys, and more. Visit the Office of the Provost’s website to learn more about these initiatives.