Category: January 2016

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—one of the greatest NBA players of all time, a New York Times best-selling author, and social activist—will join professor Tyler Cowen at the Arlington Campus on Tuesday, January 26, as part of the Conversations with Tyler series. This event is free and open to the public. Register online to attend.

For more information, view this Mason News article.

Hoda Kotb will visit George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus to discuss her new book, Where We Belong: Journeys That Show Us The Way. The Washington Journalism and Media Conference and the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being are excited to host An Afternoon with Hoda on Friday, January 15, at 3 p.m. Join Hoda as she discusses her new book and signs copies at the close of the event. This event is free and open to the Mason community.

Register at hodaatmason.eventbrite.com. You can reserve your copy of the book at registration and pay for the book at the event.

Find more information at wjmc.gmu.edu/hodaatmason. Contact 703-993-5010 or wjmc@gmu.edu with questions.

DMV2Go will continue to visit Mason at the Arlington, Fairfax, and Science and Technology Campuses in 2016. The schedules are available at hr.gmu.edu/worklife. Mark your calendars today. For a list of services offered, visit DMV website.

Contact Human Resources and Payroll at 703-993-2600 or worklife@gmu.edu with questions.

Join the 2016 University Life Student Success Symposium: Achieving Our Goals Together on Monday, January 11, 2016. The symposium will provide participants with shared learning, innovative practices and methods, increased awareness of national trends and research, and meaningful dialogue in identifying existing issues and considering future practice. The University Life Student Success Symposium is designed to explore ways in which we, as faculty and staff, can best support and serve our students.

Visit the symposium website for detailed information, learning outcomes, and to register. Snow date is Tuesday, January 12, 2016.

For questions, contact Amy Snyder, University Life, at asnyder@gmu.edu or 703-993-2884.

As you prepare for the spring semester, consider attending a training to learn how to help people who are developing a mental illness or in a crisis. Learn the signs of addictions and mental illnesses and the impact of mental and substance use disorders. For more information about Mental Health First Aid, visit mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs.

This free training is split into two four-hour sessions. Sessions are held on the Fairfax Campus. You must attend both days:

• Session 1: January 6 and 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Session 2: January 13 and 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sign up here. For questions or more information, contact Katie Clare, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, at kclare@gmu.edu or 703-993-7078.

In October, Information Technology Services (ITS) announced the availability of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus for all active Mason employees. A similar program was made available to students in 2014. This program allows the installation of up to five copies of the Microsoft Office Suite on personal computers at no cost. ITS recently became aware that Microsoft partners are marketing other Microsoft products, including the Home Use Program, which provides the Microsoft Office Suite at a low cost. However, ProPlus is the only option licensed and managed by Mason ITS. Therefore, ITS recommends customers utilize this free subscription.

If you receive any email marketing from Microsoft or a Microsoft partner that offers the Office Suite at a cost or access to the Office Suite outside of ProPlus, contact the ITS Support Center for assistance in determining its validity before spending university or personal funds.

Contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or support@gmu.edu.

Financial Well-Being
Kick off the New Year with a plan to enhance your financial well-being. Visit the Financial Well-Being portal for resources and information to assist you. 

• Just starting out in your career at Mason? Register for The Starting Line: Why and How Retirement Savings Should Begin Now with TIAA-CREF, scheduled for January 21 at noon.
• Mid-career or later? Register for Preserving Your Savings for Future Generations with Fidelity Investments, scheduled for January 25 at noon.

You do not have to be a TIAA-CREF or Fidelity member to participate.

For a description of the classes and to register, visit hr.gmu.edu/learning/hr.php. Both sessions will be videoconferenced to Arlington and SciTech.

DMV2Go Coming to the Fairfax Campus in January
Take care of your Department of Motor Vehicles business at a convenient Mason location. DMV2Go will be in the Merten Hall parking lot on Monday, January 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. View the complete 2016 DMV2Go schedule.

Did You See the Human Resources and Payroll End-of-Year News and Reminders?
Our colleagues in HR & Payroll shared their End-of-Year News and Reminders before Winter Break. If you have not yet had a chance, we encourage you to take a look.

Heartfelt congratulations to Purshara Kiraly, Assistant Director, Technology, Admissions, for being selected as the December 2015 Employee of the Month award winner. Purshara is the 300th Employee of the Month at Mason. Read more about Purshara 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 and Recognition at awards@gmu.edu with questions.

I speak for the members of the Staff Senate when I say Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope that your break was refreshing and the next few weeks will continue to be low-key. It is January, and with that comes a new semester and the potential for snow. While I am always excited for a blanket of white across campus, it is important to know where to find information regarding the university’s operating status and inclement weather policies.

First, check the Mason homepage for any weather-related or emergency announcements. Add the University Switchboard (703-993-1000) to the contact list in your cell phone. Messages regarding Mason’s operating status will be recorded on that information line. If you have not signed up to receive Mason Alerts on your phone, I strongly advise you to do so. Mason Alert will send you inclement weather and emergency notifications throughout the year, but is particularly useful in the winter. Finally, information about the university’s Inclement Weather/Emergency Closure Policy can be found here. 

Staff Senate will not host an open meeting in January. Instead, we will be planning our goals for 2016. If you have suggestions, please send them to staffsenate@gmu.edu. Our next open meeting will be in February, but I hope to see you sooner!

Stay warm!

Nicole Roth
Chair, Staff Senate

In response to a recent You Ask, We Answer, the Staff Senate worked with Mason Athletics to offer a discount exclusively for Staff and Non-Student Wage for two upcoming Men’s Basketball games in February! Choose from the following games:

Saturday, February 6, at 6 p.m.
Mason vs. Dayton

OR

Wednesday, February 24, at 7 p.m.
Mason vs. Virginia Commonwealth University

Admission:  Tickets are discounted to $13 plus a $1.50 handling fee per ticket.
Enter Special Offer Code: SENATE
You will then be asked to log in or create an account.
Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. the day before each game (2/5 and 2/23)

Click HERE to purchase tickets!