Category: November 2019

Dear Mason Staff,

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am feeling grateful for the opportunity to work on a university campus. Mason always has a special air of excitement this time of year as everyone prepares for the end of the semester, Winter Graduation, and some well-deserved time off with family and friends.

This holiday season, the Staff Senate is sponsoring donation drives to collect food, children’s books, and other items for those in need. Check out more information here.

Beyond the holiday season, we have a lot to look forward to at Mason. I am serving as the staff representative on the Presidential Search Committee, and our work is underway. I invite you to share your thoughts on what you would like to see in our next president. The best way to share your feedback is through the search committee contact form. I encourage you to follow the search process at presidentialsearch.gmu.edu.

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Lauren Clark Reuscher
Chair, Staff Senate
Lclarkg@gmu.edu

 

December Staff Senate Meeting

Due to Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day on December 4, the Staff Senate  cancelled the December General Meeting.

During December, the Staff Senate is collecting items at the Arlington, Fairfax, and Science and Technology campuses. All non-perishable food items, personal items, and school supplies collected will be donated to the Patriot Pantry, a food pantry that provides access to non-perishable food items, toiletries, and basic school supplies to George Mason University students who are unable to afford them. In addition, we will also be collecting items for other campus-specific organizations. Click here for more information.

Extended Meeting Time in the Spring

Moving forward, the General Staff Senate Meetings will be extended by one half-hour from 10 a.m. to noon. This new schedule will be implemented starting at our February General Meeting on February 5, 2020. The new format will include a time for guest speakers and allow for a longer general business meeting.

The Red Door Spa & Salon recently changed its name to Mynd Spa & Salon!

With a Mason ID or business card, faculty and staff receive 15% off services and product purchases. The offer is valid Sunday through Friday at any Mynd Spa & Salon, including Fairfax Corner.

Please see the flyer for more details. To see all of your discounts as an employee, visit the Mason employee discount page.

 

 

With the holidays around the corner, it’s a perfect time to think about saving for future higher education expenses for your children, grandchildren or yourself. Watch this on-demand webinar to learn how to:

• Save for tuition and other college costs, such as housing, textbooks and more 
• Save for private or religious K-12 education 
• Take advantage of tax-free earnings and the Virginia state tax deduction 
• Meet your savings goals
  

If you have questions, email hr@gmu.edu. 

  

Registration is open for Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day on December 4. This daylong event is centered around the theme, “Adaptable, Flexible, Resilient” and features keynote speaker Lauren Cattaneo, associate professor of psychology at Mason, and lunchtime speaker Param Srikantia, professor at Baldwin Wallace University, as well as breakout sessions and events. 

For more details, and to register, visit the Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day site. The first 100 to register will be entered to win a prize. 

Follow us on Twitter @MasonFSED. For questions, contact hrlearn@gmu.edu.

 There are many ways to say thank you to your Mason colleagues, and Reward and Recognition has new Mason Flair to help you show your appreciation. 

• Canvas Tote Bags for that “Tote-ally Terrific” colleague 
• Media cases that hold business cards, tablets, or cell phones to say Just in “Case” You Didn’t Get the Message, Your Hard Work is Appreciated 
• Green fleece scarves for someone who has “Mason Spirit Wrapped Up” 

All of the Mason Flair can be requested on the Human Resources and Payroll website.

Questions? Contact awards@gmu.edu.

DMV2Go on the Fairfax Campus  

Take care of your Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles business at a convenient Mason location. DMV2Go will be on the Fairfax Campus on Monday, Dec. 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Merten Hall parking lot. For available services with DMV2Go, visit the DMV2Go website.    

Thanksgiving Regional Transportation and Mason Shuttles Holiday Schedule 

Mason offers affordable transportation to regional cities for the Thanksgiving holiday. Destinations include Virginia Beach, Christiansburg, and Richmond, as well as Philadelphia and New York. Buses will leave on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Wednesday, Nov. 27, and return on Sunday, Dec. 1. For a complete list of destinations, departure times, and pickup locations, visit shuttle.gmu.edu.

Additionally, a reminder that the Thanksgiving holiday also brings some modifications to the Mason Shuttle schedules. Details are posted here.

Questions?  Please call 703-993-2828. 

Zimsgiving  – Zimride for Thanksgiving! 

Heading home for Thanksgiving? Use Mason’s private Zimride network to share the ride! If you post a new ride at new.zimride.com/mason during the month of November, you will automatically be entered in the 2019 Zimsgiving Post a Ride Sweepstakes and have a chance to win a $200 Amazon E-Gift Card, one of three $100 Amazon E-Gift Cards, or one of six $50 Amazon E-Gift Cards.  

The next Mason Administrative Professionals (MAP) meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Johnson Center, Room C 

MAP welcomes anyone working at George Mason who considers themselves to be in an administrative professional role. 

For questions and to RSVP, contact mapmason@gmu.edu.

Looking for a convenient and National Association for the Education of Young Children-accredited preschool for your child? The Mason Child Development Center (CDC) currently has part-time schedules available for 3- and 4-year-old children.

The CDC is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and follows the Mason administrative calendar.

For details and to register for space, visit cdc.gmu.edu or email cdc@gmu.edu.