Author: Will Gautney

Categories
July 2023

Arts at Mason

“Edges of What I Feel” by Healing Artist Collective

Mason Exhibitions Arlington
On display June 2 – August 26, 2023

Edges of What I Feel, an exhibition by the Healing Artist Collective curated by recently retired George Mason University professor Peter Winant, features the artwork of an eclectic group of Mason School of Art students, staff, and alumni. The diverse group of artists participated in the exhibition with the common goal of healing.

For more information:
https://www.masonexhibitions.org/exhibitions/edges-of-what-i-feel

A recent article in The George:
https://www.gmu.edu/news/2023-06/healing-artist-collective-highlights-work-mason-students-alumni

Free digital performance of “Selections from CAMMO Voices”

Enjoy selections from the May 13 in-person performance of CAMMO Voices, which was filmed in front of a live audience at the Hylton Performing Arts Center. The performance featured the world-renowned Voices of Service, the American Military Spouses Choir, Tommy Stanley, Donnie Isaacs, and At Eaze. The emcee of the evening was standup comedian and combat-wounded Army veteran Dewayne White. The digital performance, as well as the pre-performance discussion, is now available to watch on Mason Arts at Home, free of charge.

To watch:
https://masonartsathome.gmu.edu/cammo-voices

To learn more about Mason Arts at Home:
https://cfa.gmu.edu/events/mason-arts-home

Mason Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Discounts

Mason faculty and staff save 50% off subscriptions (package of 3+ performances) to the Center for the Arts’ Great Performances at Mason and Family Series seasons, as well as the Hylton Performing Arts Center’s Hylton Presents season. Present your Mason ID to the ticket office to claim your discount.

Mason faculty, staff, and alumni save 10% off tickets for individual performances in the Great Performances at Mason and Family Series seasons. Some exceptions apply. Discounted tickets for individual performances are available beginning August 1. Faculty/staff, present your Mason ID to the ticket office to claim your discount. Alumni, call or visit the ticket office or register to receive communications and your alumni discount code.

The 2023/2024 Season at the Center for the Arts:
https://cfa.gmu.edu/events/2023-2024-season

The 2023/2024 Season at the Hylton Performing Arts Center:
https://hyltoncenter.org/ticketsevents/2023-2024-season

Categories
July 2023

Updates from Parking and Transportation

Commuter Choice Reminder

If you’re a full-time faculty or staff member, you have access to the Commuter Choice program which covers qualified transit/vanpool expenses (not parking) up to the IRS limit of $300/month based on your actual commuting costs. For details, please visit the Parking and Transportation website. If you have any questions, please contact Parking and Transportation at 3-2828 or via email at transpo@gmu.edu.

Faculty/Staff Bike Commuter Choice

Do you live within a few miles of campus and think biking to work could be good for your well-being? All faculty and staff (non-student) are eligible to participate in the Bike Commuter Choice Program. The program has four tiers of support. The more you ride, the greater the financial incentive. The introductory tier is just 5 rides per quarter. More details can be found at the Parking and Transportation website and selecting the Faculty/Staff Bike Commuter Choice Program. Need help finding a comfortable route to campus? Visit our biking resource page. Questions? Email us at transpo@gmu.edu.

Categories
June 2023

University Business Consulting Summer Knowledge Share Series

Registration for University Business Consulting’s annual Summer Knowledge Share Series is now open! Sessions are open to all faculty and staff. The three sessions this summer are:

1. Benchmarking and Best Practices Primer (June 1)
 2. Pitching and Presentation Best Practices (July 13)
3. Change Management Primer (August 10)

Sessions will be held over lunch in Merten Hall and via Zoom. Find out more and view prior sessions on University Business Consulting’s website. 

Categories
June 2023

Updates from Parking and Transportation

Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Reminder: Metro Orange Line Platform Work This Summer

WMATA is doing work on the Orange Line over the summer. Through July 16, there will be an impact at stations between Ballston and Vienna. For information on the project, including WMATA shuttle service while some stations are closed, visit the WMATA website. Also check the overview of all planned Metrorail track work.

Fairfax Parking Services Office Hours Change

The Fairfax Parking Services office will close for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. each day except for the first two weeks of the fall and spring semesters. If you have any questions, call 703-993-2710 or email parking@gmu.edu.

Mason Shuttles: Summer Schedule Underway

Mason Shuttles began a summer schedule on Monday, May 22. Service is Monday–Friday only. The shuttle schedules are posted at shuttle.gmu.edu and a summary is available.

Please note that there is no shuttle service on Monday, June 19 (Juneteenth), and Tuesday, July 4 (Independence Day). For questions, contact shuttle@gmu.edu or 703-993-2828. 

Categories
June 2023

Arts at Mason

The Road to the End
Mason School of Theater
June 1 to August 31
Virtual Event, Mason Arts at Home
Mason Arts at Home and the George Mason University School of Theater present the world premiere of The Road to the End. With huge life changes on the horizon, Henry and his father embark on one last adventure to the Grand Canyon. Along the way, the two rediscover old memories while making new ones. This play, at once retrospective and forward looking, reveals roads to healing and bridges generations. The Road to the End is written by recent Mason alum Bella Panciocco and made its world premiere at George Mason University’s School of Theater with The Mason Players on April 20, 2023, in TheatreSpace on the Fairfax Campus. This pay-to-view limited release will be available to watch from June 1 through noon August 31.  

Edges of What I Feel
Mason Exhibitions 
June 2 through August 26
Mason Exhibitions Arlington
The Healing Artist Collective exposes the raw discomfort of the day-to-day struggles posed by mental health issues as a result of chronic pain, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual assault, and domestic violence. This exhibition invites the viewer to become comfortable with being uncomfortable as the artists of the Healing Artist Collective speak candidly through their art, sharing the realities they face with their own mental and physical health challenges. The artists communicate through the universal language of art, offering the viewer a deeper understanding of their personal struggles and triumphs. 

Categories
February 2023

Announcements from Facilities

Mason Welcomes New Fleet of Vehicles

Mason Facilities has a new fleet of flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs) on the Fairfax Campus. Nine new vehicles were added this winter to the Facilities inventory. Both efficient and practical, these new vehicles are required for large, heavy-duty work including hauling, snow plowing, fuel and material deliveries, and much more. To learn more about them, click here.

New Lighting at the Rappahannock River Parking Deck

Mason Facilities transitioned to LED lighting at the Fairfax Campus’s Rappahannock River parking deck – replacing over 600 fluorescent light fixtures. Mason’s new LED lighting offers consistent illumination, glare control, and significant energy savings. To learn more, click here.

Recycling Through the Years

Mason Facilities’ waste management and recycling (WMR) operational processes have undergone significant changes over the last two decades. During this time, Mason Facilities identified several ways to streamline processes and workflows to improve efficiency of Mason’s waste management and recycling efforts.

To learn more about Mason’s WMR team, click here.

Categories
February 2023

Announcements from Human Resources and Payroll

New Classified Staff Performance Management Cycle

As a reminder, beginning in 2023, Mason will transition the classified staff performance management cycle to an April 1 to March 31 cycle. 

Implementing this new cycle has several benefits, including: less disruption to the beginning of the new academic year, increased efficiency for managers and staff with the aligning of classified staff and administrative/professional (A/P) faculty evaluation timelines, and alignment of the university’s performance cycle with the state’s budget approval timeline.  

For classified staff, this transition will result in a shortened evaluation period of October 25, 2022 to March 31, 2023. Evaluations will open in MasonLEAPS around March 1, 2023 to kick off the new cycle. The new anticipated performance evaluation timeline for classified staff and A/P faculty will then take place from March 1, 2023 to April 30, 2023. We recognize that this will result in many classified staff and A/P faculty experiencing multiple evaluations and ratings in a 12-month period. We view this as a positive in that employees will experience increased communication and understanding about job expectations and performance – which is responsive to the feedback so many of you have offered.  

Information sessions regarding these changes will be held virtually on February 16, February 23, February 28, and March 6. A/P faculty and classified staff are invited to sign up for these sessions via MasonLeaps.

For more information, read the full announcement from Human Resources.

Outstanding Achievement Awards: Nomination Deadline Approaching

The last day to nominate your colleagues for Outstanding Achievement Awards is Feb. 25. There are 16 award categories open, including excellence in customer service, diversity and inclusion, and teamwork, as well as special awards for outstanding members of the adjunct faculty, Housing and Residence Life, and Mason alumni. 

Visit the Outstanding Achievement Awards website for more information. 

Apply to the Leadership Legacy Program

Applications are now open for the 2023-2024 cohort of the Leadership Legacy Program. Leadership Legacy is designed for full-time Mason faculty and staff who are committed to furthering their leadership development, whether they are newly entering a leadership role, wish to prepare for alternative positions, or simply wish to strengthen their capacity to lead from their current position. 

The deadline to submit applications is March 20, 2023. For more information, visit the Leadership Legacy website. 

Categories
February 2023

Announcements from Operations and Business Services

Mason Dining Launches Kosher Program at Southside

Mason Dining has worked closely with Mason Hillel and the Chabad at GMU to provide students and faculty/staff with an eclectic mix of Kosher cuisine that will be served at Southside, enabling Jewish students to easily follow Kosher dietary rules. Read more…

Men’s Basketball Watch Parties Take Place at Patriot Perks Locations

Cheer on the Mason men’s basketball team at the Patriot Perks Basketball Watch Parties, hosted at off-campus locations during away games this spring. Bring a Mason ID or Alumni Association Member Card to receive exclusive discounts. Plus, there will be free Mason spirit items and giveaways provided by the Patriot Perks program. RSVP today…

Faculty and Staff Receive Free Delivery on $18+ orders with Grubhub

Mason Dining has partnered with Grubhub to provide easy online ordering of food and drinks for pick-up or delivery through their mobile app nationwide. Download the Grubhub app, set up your account (it’s called Grubhub+ Student but is applicable for faculty/staff), follow the prompts to sign in through your NetID and begin ordering to your office, your home, or even while you’re on vacation. To learn more about how to redeem the perks, visit the Mason Card Office Grubhub+ Program.