Category: September 2016

The September 2016 Staff Senate Newsletter is now available!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Representatives from Human Resources and Payroll’s Life/Work Connections team will be guest speakers at the upcoming Staff Senate meeting:

Wednesday, September 7
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Fairfax: Merten Hall, Room 1201
Arlington: Founders Hall, Room B119 (video-conferenced)
SciTech: Bull Run Hall, Room 254 (video-conferenced)

Submit your questions for our guest speakers:
To promote a dialog at the Staff Senate general meetings, the Senate is collecting questions from constituents. This is your opportunity to ask university leadership about things that are important to you as Mason staff! Submit your question in advance using the online submission form or email your question to staffsenate@gmu.edu. You may include your name, or you may ask to remain anonymous.

Staff Senate reserves the right to determine which questions are asked during the meeting. Any selected questions that are not asked during the session due to time constraints will be emailed to the guest speaker, and the responses will be published in the Staff Senate newsletter at a later date.

All who attend the Staff Senate general meeting are welcome to ask questions in-person, during the session.

For questions, contact staffsenate@gmu.edu.

George Mason University will celebrate Peace Week 2016 from September 12–21. Peace Week events explore, promote, and celebrate peace in its many different forms: inner peace, world peace, environmental peace, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, interpersonal peace, etc.

Visit the Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) website for a list of events.

The eighth annual Happy Heart Walk will be held in Arlington, Fairfax, and SciTech at noon on Wednesday, September 21, which is also the International Day of Peace.  Join us for this special Healthy Campus Week and Peace Week event!

For questions, contact worklife@gmu.edu.

Collaborative Video Technologies (CVT) recently upgraded the videoconferencing equipment in Colgan Hall, Room 221 at the SciTech Campus. The user experience is improved in a variety of ways:

• Two additional monitors allow users to see the other remote locations and content (such as PowerPoint presentations or shared documents) in full screen.
• The room can now accommodate up to 10 participants
• Colgan Hall, Room 221 is now the first high-definition videoconferencing space with camera tracking. The camera tracks and focuses on whoever is speaking in the room and allows a more seamless and immersive experience.

This room has been a popular space at SciTech for staff meetings that cross multiple Mason campuses, Human Resources and Payroll training sessions, interviewing remote candidates, and university-wide town halls. Students and faculty have also used this room for research collaboration, dissertation defenses, and classes taught between SciTech and Fairfax, as well as with other universities.

For more information about Colgan Hall, Room 221, other videoconferencing spaces, or to find out how to schedule space for meetings or classes, email cvt@gmu.edu.

Learn a New Language for Free: Rosetta Stone Access through University Libraries
University Libraries now offer free Rosetta Stone Language Learning Software to all Mason faculty, staff, and students. Access more information at library.gmu.edu/rosetta. Choose from 30 different languages, all at no charge.

Get to know our University Libraries! For more resources available to you, visit library.gmu.edu.

Outstanding Achievement Awards, Call for Nominations
Who will you “Elect for Success?” Nominate a Mason colleague for the 2016 Outstanding Achievement Awards. The nomination deadline is October 3, 2016, and the ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 3, at 10 a.m. in Dewberry Hall.

For a detailed list of the awards and nomination forms, visit hr.gmu.edu/awards/award.php. Questions? Contact Beth Baroody at 703-993-2739 or awards@gmu.edu.

The fourth annual Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service will take place on Friday, September 9. There are a number of terrific projects for which Mason faculty, staff, and students can volunteer.

For details on events and to volunteer, visit 911day.gmu.edu. Volunteering for up to two hours (with supervisor permission) can be considered work time for faculty and staff.

Once again, Mason is collecting donations for Women Giving Back, an organization that assists women and children in crisis. Clothing boxes are located in:

• Arlington: Founders Hall, lobby
• Fairfax: Merten Hall, 4th floor (Human Resources); Mason Hall, Room D205 (Honors College); Child Development Center; Aquia, Room 349; Innovation Hall, 4th floor lobby; Piedmont Hall, 3rd floor; Patriot Computers (Johnson Center); Collaborative Learning Hub (Johnson Center, Room 311)
• SciTech: Freedom Center, lobby; Bull Run Hall, atrium; and Colgan Hall, lobby

We invite you to donate new or gently used items. For a list of what is needed, see the Women Giving Back flyer.

Thank you for your continued support of Mason’s 9/11 Day of Service and the Women Giving Back clothing drive!

Healthy Campus Week will be held from September 19–23, 2016. This is a terrific opportunity to Plug Into Your Wellness with some opportunities and events highlighting wellness and well-being.

For details, visit Wellness by Mason. A Healthy Campus Week flyer is also available.

 

National College Colors Day celebrates and promotes school spirit by encouraging fans to wear apparel of their favorite college on Friday, September 2. Join shopMason on the North Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for friendly fun and great giveaways.

College Colors Day also kicks off another school year of Spirit Fridays at Mason, where everyone shows school pride by wearing Mason gear on College Colors Day and every Friday throughout the year. Visit wearemason.gmu.edu/collegecolors to learn how easy it is to participate in this year’s celebration.

Get ready for the big day with official Mason gear. Check out a list of licensed retailers, where you can pick up official Mason gear at locations on campus, off campus, and online. For example: Did you know that you can find licensed Mason t-shirts for a bargain price at the Walmart in Burke?

Follow Spirit Fridays on Facebook and Twitter for other opportunities to engage in the fun and excitement of the Green and Gold. Wear your colors on September 2, and every Friday!

Contact David Atkins at datkins1@gmu.edu or 703-993-3402 with questions.

TicketsatWork is offering Mason faculty and staff up to a $27 discount on each individual ticket purchased for select performances of Cirque du Soleil Kurios at Tysons II in McLean, Virginia. This offer is valid until September 18, 2016.

Conditions apply. Visit the website for details.

For questions, contact worklife@gmu.edu or 703-993-2600.