Category: June 2015

The Staff Senate will begin accepting nominations in June for the upcoming Staff Senate Election. The first step in joining the Staff Senate is to nominate yourself (or have a colleague nominate you) as a candidate. The nomination period begins June 8 and ends June 19 at 5 p.m. To nominate yourself or a colleague, fill out the Staff Senate Nomination Form and return it in Word format to staffsenate@gmu.edu before 5 p.m. on June 19.

Elections will begin Monday, July 6, and end Friday, July 17 at 5 p.m. As a candidate, you are given an (optional) campaigning opportunity at the Staff Appreciation Events, where constituents will be voting. Voting will also be available online.

If you have any questions about the election process or what it is like to be a senator, contact Amanda Corrigan, Staff Senate Administrative Assistant, at acorrig2@gmu.edu. If you missed our Information Session, you can view our morning and afternoon presentations online.

George Mason University announced that Dave Paulsen will serve as Mason’s new Men’s Basketball coach. Paulsen comes to Mason from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he was a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year award winner. Coach Paulsen said he is excited to coach at Mason and to “build a foundation for success.”

Read more about Coach Paulsen in this George Mason Athletics article.

View a list of Mason Dining locations and hours for the summer.

You can save money this summer by dining at The Globe with a faculty/staff BYTE meal plan from now until August 1.

BYTE Plan Options:
50 Meals: $319.00 (43% discount)
25 Meals: $170.00 (40% discount)
10 Meals: $71.00 (36% discount)

Employees at the Arlington Campus and the Science and Technology Campus can receive 10% off purchases at their Mason Dining locations when using Mason Money. Consider loading funds on your Mason ID to save at Einstein Bros. Bagels (Arlington) or Randall’s (Science and Technology).

For more information or to sign up for a BYTE Plan, visit masonid.gmu.edu/mealplans/newmealplanfaculty.html.

 

June is National Employee Well-Being Month
Mason is a proud sponsor of National Employee Well-Being Month. Time to create a healthier lifestyle at work and at home. Let the weekly themes – connect, move, nourish and recharge – guide you on your path to increased well-being.  This first week, connect with family, friends, and co-workers, or try a device-free night. Visit hr.gmu.edu/worklife for additional resources and opportunities.

Summer-Inspired Recognition
Reward & Recognition has some fun, summer-inspired awards perfect for spreading a little sunshine by recognizing a colleague.

• Flip-flops in sizes small (6-7), medium (8) or x-large (11+). Indicate size when ordering.
• Shoelace pouches hold keys or money and clip to your shoelaces or belt. These are great to use while walking, running, or when you don’t want to bring your purse or wallet.

To request an item, email awards@gmu.edu with the employee’s name, G number, and reason for the award.  Visit hr.gmu.edu/awards/recognition.php for more information.

Global Professional Staff Exchange Program
The Office of Global Strategies, in coordination with the Staff Senate, is once again offering the Global Professional Staff Exchange Program. Now in its third year, the Global Professional Staff Exchange Program offers an international professional development exchange experience for staff that will enhance global awareness, encourage cross-cultural perspectives, and broaden professional expertise through direct in-service experience.

Upcoming opportunities include Spain in the fall of 2015 and Mason Korea in the spring of 2016 (application deadline is June 26).

For details, visit the Mason Staff Exchange Program website.

Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship Applications
Mason is offering a competitive $250 book scholarship created with the $25,000 endowment received from TIAA-CREF’s 2010 Raise the Rate contest. The application deadline is June 15, and applying is easy. For details, visit hr.gmu.edu/worklife/docs/BookScholarshipFAQ.pdf.  The application is available online.

Contributions to the book scholarship foundation account are always welcome at giving.gmu.edu. The account number is #160013, Raise the Rate.

Café Rio Discount and More
With a Mason ID, faculty, staff, students, and retirees receive 50% off on the first Wednesday of every month through June 2015 at four Café Rio locations. For details, see the Café Rio flyer.

Visit the Life/Work Connections Discount Page for other opportunities to save.

The Office of Global Strategy (GO), in coordination with the Staff Senate, is pleased to announce an initiative that supports Mason’s global mission and enhances professional development opportunities for its staff. Mason staff members play a vital role in supporting international initiatives across the campus. GO has created an international professional development exchange experience for staff that will enhance global awareness, encourage cross-cultural perspectives, and broaden professional expertise through direct in-service experience in Spain and the Mason Songdo Campus in Korea.

An information session will be held:

Wednesday, June 3
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. (at the Staff Senate General Meeting)
Fairfax: Research Hall, Room 163
Arlington: Founders Hall, Room B119
Science and Technology: Bull Run Hall, Room 254

Speakers will include Rita Rowand, Program Manager for Global Relations and Protocol in the Office of Global Strategy, and Cheryl Welch, recipient of the Global Professional Staff Exchange to Korea.

Applications for the Global Professional Staff Exchange must be submitted by June 26 to staffsenate@gmu.edu. Guidelines and application requirements and the application are available on the Global Strategy website.

During the month of June, high school graduations will occur in the Patriot Center on the following dates, with multiple ceremonies per day:

• Saturday, June 6
• Saturday, June 13 through Friday, June 19
• Monday, June 22
• Tuesday, June 23

Expect increased traffic around campus near the Patriot Center on those dates. Mason faculty and staff are advised to use alternate entrances to campus.

The CUE bus provides a free alternate transportation option to anyone with a Mason ID.

For a complete list of graduations, visit Today@Mason.

George Mason University’s Science and Technology Campus (formerly known as the Prince William Campus) has attracted high-profile attention with the opening of the new Institute for Advanced BioMedical Research. At the April 23 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Governor Terry McAuliffe spoke about the important scientific and medical research taking place at the state-of-the-art facility. (Read Governor McAuliffe’s remarks in this Mason News article.)

While the Institute for Advanced BioMedical Research highlights work being done in health, science, and engineering, the Science and Technology Campus is also home to the world-class Hylton Performing Arts Center, the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism, as well as many other academic programs.

Happy Summer! In my office (Orientation, Family Programs and Services), summer is the busiest time of year, welcoming 10,000 new students and their families to campus. In all my interactions, I am reminded of all the amazing staff that support these students both in their transition and while they are students at Mason.

Before my days as Staff Senate Chair come to an end, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to staff throughout the university. Thank you for making Mason an incredible place to call home for more than 7,000 residential students. Thank you for making connections with and supporting over 23,000 off-campus students who are proud to be Patriots. Thank you for making it an honor to serve as your advocate on campus and in Richmond. I am proud to have served you over the last two years as Chair.

Stephanie Payton
Chair, Staff Senate

Wednesday, June 3
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Fairfax Campus: Research Hall, Room 163
Arlington Campus: Founders Hall, Room B119 (videoconferenced)
Science and Technology Campus: Bull Run Hall, Room 254 (videoconferenced)

Guest Speaker:
Rita Rowand, Program Manager, Global Relations & Protocol, Office of Global Strategy, will discuss the Global Professional Staff Exchange Program.

Guest speaker begins at noon, followed by time to ask questions, express concerns, or offer accolades about issues concerning the Staff Senate.

For questions, contact Staff Senate at staffsenate@gmu.edu.

 

A heartfelt congratulations to Robert Sparkman, Fiscal Technician with Fiscal Services, for being selected as the May 2015 Employee of the Month award winner.

Read more about Robert in this Mason News article.

Do you know a superstar? Make sure he or she receives the deserved recognition and submit a nomination for Mason’s Employee of the Month. Additional information can be found on the HR awards page.

Contact Reward & Recognition at awards@gmu.edu with questions.