Category: September 2020

The October Staff Senate meeting will feature guest speaker Dr. Gregory Washington, president, George Mason University.

Wednesday, Oct. 7
11 a.m. to noon
General meeting will precede from 10. a.m. to 11. a.m.
Zoom Meeting: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/97615034925?pwd=dHhrSy9OeUxxMW1Ic2liV0F0czlmdz09
Passcode: SS123
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Webinar ID: 976 1503 4925 / Passcode: 572793

The Staff Senate represents all classified and non-student wage employees at George Mason University. Working closely with university administration, we address concerns that have an impact on the quality of work-life for the Mason community. The work of the Senate is accomplished through open and continuous communication with its constituents.

Thank you for submitting your questions and comments to Dr. Washington in advance of our session.

 

In addition, each month, the Mason Staff Senate:

• Presents the Employee of the Month with a gift
• Attends Human Resources and Payroll’s New Staff Orientations to welcome new employees and introduce them to the work of the Staff Senate
• Recognizes the service of Mason retirees with a letter of appreciation
• The Communications Committee meets monthly to coordinate and publish a monthly newsletter distributed to classified staff and non-student wage employees

The Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason is one way faculty, staff, and students can come together, discuss the issues confronting working mothers, and perhaps motivate changes on campus.

The 19th year of group meetings will look a bit different, as we plan to meet virtually for the fall semester. The first one will be on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. We also adjusted the time, as the lunch hour is not ideal for working moms with young children at home.

If you are interested in sharing stories and being part of an informal organization of working mothers, join us here:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/91081740443?pwd=SG5Kem5uSUlRMGNybGhCWmdkRStDUT09
Meeting ID: 910 8174 0443
Passcode: 058387

Feel free to visit our website for more information or contact Heather Aleknavage at haleknav@gmu.edu.

Change Your Commute: Vanpool  

Looking for a new way to get to work? Consider vanpooling. Travel with the same group of Mason colleagues. Reduce the time you spend driving. Plus, for full-time faculty/staff, the cost of your commute can be subsidized by Mason up to $270/month. 

Seats currently available from the Fredericksburg area (work hours 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Or, start your own vanpool with four coworkers. For details, visit transportation.gmu.edu/carpoolvanpool/employee-vanpool or contact Parking and Transportation at transpo@gmu.edu.  

       

Try Going Car-Free  

It’s always a great idea to have more than one way to get to Mason. Car-Free Day, on Sept. 22, is an opportunity to try a new way to commute.

Take the Car-Free pledge at carfreemetrodc.org and receive promo codes for discounts and be entered into a raffle for some great prizes. If you are a full-time employee, remember that public transportation costs and vanpool are subsidized up to the IRS limit of $270/month. 

Details on the Commuter Choice Program are available at transportation.gmu.edu/commuter-choice.

 

Parking and Transportation: Fall 2020  

COVID-19 has necessitated a number of changes within Parking and Transportation. We have some resources to assist you as you return to campus, including: 

• Parking and Transportation FAQ
• Riding Mason Shuttles, Fall 2020 (short video)
• Transportation Guide, Fall 2020
  

Reach out if you have any questions by calling 703-993-2828 or emailing transpo@gmu.edu.

  

Mobile Commuter Store: Arlington Campus  

Drop by the Mobile Commuter Store in front of the Arlington Campus each Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (3301 Fairfax Drive).  The Mobile Commuter Store brings commuter information and fare cards right to you. For more information, visit the website. 

View the full schedule for the Mobile Commuter Store.

The Hylton Performing Arts Center is thrilled to welcome you to Hylton on the Hill, a new outdoor performance space with seating on a natural rise just behind the theater. Enjoy these performances in your own seating area, physically distanced from other audience members.

Charm City Junction
Sunday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m.
Hylton on the Hill, SciTech Campus

From dance-inducing Old Time rhythms and foot stomping Irish melodies to hard-driving bluegrass, Baltimore-based acoustic roots quartet Charm City Junction creates a fresh soundscape that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats wondering where they’ll go next.  Buy Tickets 

Ranky Tanky
Sunday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m.
Hylton on the Hill, SciTech Campus

Charleston-based quintet Ranky Tanky is about to bring an outdoor concert to the Hylton Center that is part folk, part funk, and totally fearless. Buy Tickets

The Queen’s Cartoonists
Sunday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m.
Hylton on the Hill, SciTech Campus

With virtuosic musicianship, multi-instrumental mayhem, and large doses of comedy, The Queen’s Cartoonists will change the way your family sees (and hears) the Sunday funnies. Buy Tickets 

 

Check out the new Hours of Operation website, which lists in-person, virtual, and phone contact hours for Mason offices and services. Visit hours.gmu.edu. 

Don’t see your department listed, or need to submit a change? Share your department’s contact hours using this form. 

Only one person needs to submit the form for each department.  

Please share the hours.gmu.edu link with your students to help them connect with the services they need. 

For questions, contact Lauren Reuscher, University Information, at lclarkg@gmu.edu. 

The September Staff Senate meeting featured Dr. Kevin W. Rockmann, professor of management and dean’s scholar, School of Business. Dr. Rockmann shared thoughts on telework culture and its effect on employee well-being.

The Virginia Department of Human Resource Management’s Office of Workforce Engagement has published the third edition of its magazine for employees by employees, EmployeeExperience.

Read it for engagement ideas for managers, get to know employees statewide, find out what some are doing to help their communities, see some in action for National Employee Health and Fitness Month, ideas for movement activities, and recipes. 

This year’s Mason Nation 9/11 Virtual Day of Service is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. This year’s day of service will be a little different, given the impact of COVID-19, but we are committed to providing our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members with the opportunity to make a difference and give back to the community.

There are over 20 service projects available. For more information and to RSVP for the 9/11 Virtual Day of Service, visit 911day.gmu.edu. 

Participants will have a chance to: 

• Recognize the value of an individual’s contribution to our community’s effort towards positive social change 
• Engage and participate in service projects to support our community 
• Describe at least one way they can promote positive social change within an organization or in society in general 
• Participate in active self-reflection regarding one’s own leadership and how they use their experience to contribute to positive change
  

This year’s Mason Nation 9/11 Virtual Day of Service is designed to allow for flexibility and encourages staff to engage in service as they are able to. We realize schedules are very busy and complex, so we are offering several different service projects for everyone to participate in virtually on their own time. We have also created a few Zoom rooms for participants to join in if they would like to connect and engage with folks who are working on similar service projects during the day. This year’s virtual service projects are also designed to allow for family and friends to participate. We are excited to share that we have partnered with military veteran Ben King from Armor Down to host our first-ever morning mindfulness and meditation session. 

RSVP for a service project (feel free to RSVP for more than one) so we can track where our service and outreach is taking place. If you would like to participate in our Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service Social Media Campaign to track our service, please use #masongivesback when posting and sharing photos or email photos directly to Lisa Snyder at lsnyder2@gmu.edu.  

We hope you will also be able to join us for a few other amazing programs for this year’s Day of Service! 

Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service Fair

Don’t forget to RSVP for our annual George Mason University Service Fair. Connect with more than 45 different community partners and leaders, discover various service opportunities, and learn more about the issues facing our diverse local communities. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about various community organizations and the volunteer opportunities they may offer.

Held virtually on Zoom from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., join us for a great afternoon of engaging with our local community partners!  

Arlington Police, Fire and Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5k

Join the George Mason University team and run where you live. The Arlington Police, Fire and Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K Race provides an avenue for local area businesses and residents to remember the victims of the attacks on 9/11. The race also honors the countless first-responders and military personnel who responded that day and honors their continuous fight in the war on terrorism.

This year’s event will take place virtually and all proceeds will benefit the Pentagon Memorial Fund. 

• Registration Link: zippyreg.com/online_reg/index.php?e=1323 
• Registration Fee: $30 
• Race results can be posted between Sept. 5–12, 2020 
• Mason Project Coordinator: Whitney Sublett, Information Technology Services