Mason Staff Senate

Author: Rachel Spence

Categories
October 2023

Announcements from Facilities

Campus Sustainability Month

Campus Sustainability Month is celebrated every October at George Mason University in alignment with the month-long, international celebration of sustainability in higher education. Join University Sustainability and Mason Facilities, along with many partners, for a month of fun, educational, and engaging activities and events! Participate in Lights Out, Power Down, and learn about Zero Waste Mason, food justice projects, sustainable agriculture on campus, enhancing recycling and composting, and much more! Make a sustainable impact, celebrate success, and learn about ongoing initiatives and how you can get involved this Campus Sustainability Month. Visit the official Campus Sustainability Month calendar to start participating and check back throughout October! We have events happening all month long! 

Facilities Fall Prep 2023

During the summer months, in preparation for the start of the fall semester, Mason Facilities runs through an extensive checklist to get all campuses ready for the academic year.  From landscaping upkeep to classroom refreshes to updating signage, Facilities ensures that each experience on campus is one of quality.  See our website for some examples of how Facilities handles the operations of making Mason run smoothly.

Adding New Aunt Flow Dispensers to Mason Campuses

This Summer 2023, Mason Facilities installed Aunt Flow Dispensers on the Fairfax, Mason Square, and Sci-Tech Campuses. This was done in partnership with The Patriot Period Project, a student-run organization that provides free feminine products in a few locations on Mason’s campuses. Mason Facilities collaborated with The Patriot Period Project and provided Aunt Flow dispensers as a way to provide free feminine care products across all three main Mason campuses. Current locations of the dispensers can be found on our website.

Categories
October 2023

Collaborate with Government and Community Relations

Do you want to connect with government officials, engage the business community, or share your expertise with the community? Contact the Government and Community Relations team for guidance as you advocate on Mason’s behalf and build relationships with community groups. Explore our website to discover the variety of opportunities and collaborative relationships we provide.   

Categories
May 2023

Applications Open for Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship

Applications are now open for the Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship. This $250 annual award was created to encourage, support, and advance continuing education for Mason faculty and classified staff.

This scholarship is open to full-time or part-time Mason faculty and classified staff who:

  • Are enrolled in a degree or graduate certificate program at Mason
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
  • Have at least one year of service at Mason
  • Earned an overall rating of Successful or Outstanding in their most recent performance evaluation

To apply, visit the Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship page. Applications are due Friday, June 9.

Categories
May 2023

University Life Student Success Symposium

Mason faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to register for the 2023 University Life Student Success Symposium. The pre-conference will be held Monday, June 5, and the symposium will be held Tuesday, June 6.       

The 2023 UL Symposium invites attendees to engage with the “why” in our work as practitioners of student success. The symposium will provide attendees with interactive and engaging experiences to focus on the new and continued work of student affairs professionals in the ever-changing and evolutionary nature of higher education.  

Registration is open through May 30. Contact the planning team at [email protected] with questions. 

Categories
February 2023

Updates from Parking and Transportation 

Deadline Extended: Rick Holt Active Transportation Advocate Award

The Rick Holt Active Transportation Advocate Award recognizes a Mason faculty or staff member committed to utilizing, promoting, and advocating for the use of active transportation as part of their daily commute life. The award is named for Rick Holt, “the Mason bike dude,” who was a trainer in Human Resources and Payroll for 14 years, retiring in 2021. Rick contributed his expertise on a regular basis, teaching classes, serving on committees, and encouraging the Mason community to try active commuting.

Nominations will be accepted through Friday, February 24. The award winner will receive $200 and be recognized at the annual spring Outstanding Achievement Awards celebration. For more information, including award criteria and nomination instructions, click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Parking and Transportation at 3-2828 or via email at [email protected] 

Love to Bike? Winter Bike to Mason Day on February 10

Winter Bike to Work Day is the Friday before Valentine’s Day. Join us on Feb. 10 for a little bike love. Stop by the Merten Hall Lawn between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. with your bike for a beverage and some biking related giveaways. 

Guaranteed Ride Home

If you’re a faculty or staff member who bikes, carpools, vanpools, uses mass transit (e.g. bus, Metro) or walks to work at least two times per week, Parking & Transportation wants you to know that you always have a ride backup with Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH).

Sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), it’s free to sign up and free to use. Once you register, you can use GRH up to six times per year. If a qualifying emergency arises, call Commuter Connections and they will arrange transportation for you (e.g. taxi, car rental, transit). It’s a good idea to sign up before you need it. Conditions apply; for details and to register, visit the website (scroll to Guaranteed Ride Home Program). 

Mason Shuttles Spring Service

Spring shuttle service is underway. Schedules are posted at shuttle.gmu.edu. There have been some changes to the shuttle service:

  • Fairfax/Arlington Route: A second shuttle bus has been added to the route. Service will be hourly.
  • Sandy Creek/Metro Route: A third shuttle bus has been added to the route from 4–11 p.m. Service remains every 30 minutes between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. From 4–11 p.m., service is every 20 minutes. Note: The last three departures from Sandy Creek (10, 10:20, and 10:40 p.m.) will travel to Vienna Metro as they always have, but will return to campus via a different route. They will stop at the CUE Bus stop by Fairfax Square on the return trip.

If you have any questions, email [email protected] or call 703-993-2828. 

Categories
February 2023

Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason 

The Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason is one way faculty, staff, and students can come together, discuss the issues confronting working parents, and perhaps spur changes on campus. The group is celebrating its 20th year of meetings with a special event on Tuesday, February 21 at noon in Merten 1202. Jaime Lester, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, Strategic Initiatives, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, will be our guest speaker. Refreshments will be served.

This spring, the meetings will be a mix of in-person and virtual formats. 

For the full schedule, visit our website or join the Microsoft Teams group for more information.   

Contact Heather Aleknavage with questions. 

Categories
February 2023

TimelyCare provides 24/7 mental health support for students

We are spreading the news about Mason’s partnership with TimelyMD to deliver TimelyCare – a virtual mental health and well-being platform crafted specifically for college students.   

The TimelyCare platform augments the in-person and virtual mental health services that remain available to Mason students through Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Student Health Services (SHS).  

With TimelyCare, Mason students will have access to many virtual mental health and well-being resources that are free and available 24/7. Students have access to TimelyCare services 365 days a year, including breaks, after hours, and any time they need support.

Find out more about TimelyCare resources online at Go.gmu.edu/TimelyCare7   

Categories
February 2023

RAMP: Conflict of Interest Module Implementation

As the next phase of the GMU Research Administration Management Portal (RAMP) system implementation, Mason is implementing a new electronic Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure management module.

The onboarding phase of the COI implementation kicked off October 17, with a Go-Live anticipated in May 2023. The RAMP COI module will replace the homegrown COI disclosure system Mason has used since 2017, and it will have improved functionality and usability over the current system for all Mason faculty and staff. The new COI module will support financial interest and outside activity disclosures, as well as automated workflows for disclosure review and pre-approval requests. The new system will reduce redundant data input and delays due to the current manual processes, and it will thereby remove hindrances to compliance and foster a culture of transparency.

Future RAMP modules include Safety, IACUC, IRB, and Export Controls, with phased implementations continuing through October 2024. The RAMP Team will continue to share information regarding the RAMP project with the Mason community through the RAMP website and other forums. To view the full RAMP program timeline, click here. 

Categories
December 2022

Announcements from Human Resources and Payroll

Nominations Now Open: Outstanding Achievement Awards

The Outstanding Achievement Awards honor Mason’s faculty and staff across 16 award categories and celebrate their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the university. You are invited to nominate a colleague for an award by the deadline of Feb. 25, 2023. (Note that departmental awards may have different deadlines.) 

The Outstanding Achievement Awards ceremony is scheduled for April 25, 2023, from 10–11:30 a.m. in the Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall. 

For more information, visit the Outstanding Achievement Awards website or email [email protected]. 

Deadline Extended: Apply to the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series

The deadline to apply to the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series (ELSS) has been extended to close of business on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. ELSS is a 15-month cohort program designed to provide support as you develop and practice new leadership skills with your team while deepening your understanding of Mason policies. The goals of ELSS are to support participants as they: 

  • Develop a leadership mindset 
  • Create and implement a vision for their own leadership and their team 
  • Lead a high-performing team 
  • Learn tools and strategies to grow their self-awareness, relationships, and communication skills, which will support the objectives above. 

In addition to the curriculum, participants work with assigned workplace coaches to set goals related to their growth as a leader. Each participant will complete a developmental project and will have the opportunity to work with peers across the university to learn more about the institution and to build a network of fellow supervisors. 

Applicants must be Mason faculty or classified staff and must supervise at least one employee who is faculty or classified staff. This cohort will run from February 2023 to May 2024. All sessions will be held in person; fully remote applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

To apply, visit Human Resources and Payroll’s Organizational Development and Learning page. 

Self-Evaluation Learning Labs

Did you know Human Resources and Payroll offers self-evaluation learning labs? Gain the tools and knowledge to strategize your career growth, advocate for your workplace wins, and foster a collaborative and constructive relationship with your supervisor. Sessions are available on Jan. 11 (SciTech Campus) and Feb. 1, 2023 (Fairfax Campus). Register in MasonLEAPS. 

Categories
December 2022

Announcements from Information Technology Services

ITS Support Center Winter Break Hours

In observance of Winter Break, the Information Technology Services (ITS) Support Center will close on Friday, Dec. 16, at 5 p.m. and will reopen and resume modified business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 at 8 a.m. If you have an emergency while the ITS Support Center is closed, please call 703-993-8870 and listen to the prompts to be connected to a representative. Up-to-date information regarding ITS alerts is posted on the ITS website.

Zoom Link Safety and Zoom Bombing Prevention

ITS has recently seen an increase in Zoom meeting links and event passcodes for Mason-hosted events posted to Twitter. Posting this information, even for a matter of minutes, opens the event up to vulnerabilities and unintended guests (aka Zoom bombing). Please always remember when using Twitter or other social media platforms to promote events hosted via web conferencing tools such as Zoom, do not share the meeting link or passcode.

To learn more about mitigating vulnerabilities and how to remove disruptive attendees, see Securing Zoom Meetings and Classes and Getting Started with Zoom Security and Privacy.    

If you experience inappropriate activity in a Zoom meeting, you can report the incident to Zoom’s Trust and Safety Team.    

For questions about securing web conference meetings, contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or [email protected] or submit a ticket.    

New Telecommunications Vendor Update

In August, ITS announced the selection of Mason’s new telecommunications vendor, Vonage, Inc. Since the announcement, ITS has successfully rolled out the new system for all Mason Call Centers and is moving into the next phase of the project: faculty and staff phones.

ITS has met with Telecom Coordinators to coordinate a phased-approach implementation, which will kick off in early 2023. In the coming weeks, Telecom Coordinators will validate details with phone users (work location, phone numbers, etc.) in preparation for switching to the new system. ITS will provide additional updates and resources in January 2023. 

Mason’s current telephone system is end-of-life, and with a workforce increasingly dispersed, the new solution delivers advanced features (e.g., mobile applications, ring/accept calls on any device, presence awareness) and integrates into Mason’s tools (e.g., Office 365).