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Profile of a Senator October 2021

Meet Kristen Wever: Staff Senator and Assistant Director of the GeorgeSquared Advanced Biomedical Sciences Program

Kristen Wever, Staff Senate. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Role: GeorgeSquared (G2), housed within the College of Science and located on the SciTech Campus, is a partnership between George Mason and Georgetown universities. It offers a nine-month pre-health preparatory, graduate-level program designed to help qualify students for medical, dental, or other health professional schools. I advise prospective, current and former G2 students and assist them on their journey to becoming health professionals. In addition, I assist with program development, recruitment, administrative duties, and much more!

Mason journey: I previously worked for Mason as an academic advisor for the School of Business from 2014 to 2016, left and worked with online Medical Laboratory Science programs for George Washington University for a few years and then found my way back to Mason in June 2019 when I started my current role. I love working in higher ed, especially in an advising role, and really enjoy making a difference in the lives of students and their academic and professional journeys.

Getting back to campus: When COVID started, I was pregnant with my second daughter so the shift to working from home with one child out of daycare and another on the way was quite a challenge, as it was for many. I have enjoyed being back on campus this fall (and having the kids back in daycare 🙂 ) and can say that I really did miss the routine! Most importantly, I missed seeing my colleagues and students. I am really proud of how Mason has handled the pandemic and I look forward to seeing the community work together in our “new normal.”

Best thing about working at Mason: This has been said countless times, but it’s true! The people I work with, the people I meet, are what make working at Mason so exciting. I love the diversity, the innovation and collaboration.

Why serve on the Staff Senate: I love being connected to various offices, campuses, etc. and seeing what else is being accomplished at Mason by the wonderful staff members. I enjoy being a part of a supportive group that is helping to ensure that all voices are being heard, especially during these unprecedented times.

At the end of the day: I love my family and friends and I love my job. Working with students day in and day out, hearing about different life stories, helping others on their journey towards becoming a health professional — someone who will really make a difference in this world — is very rewarding. Oh, and go Washington Football Team, Nats, CAPS, and Wiz!

Categories
October 2021

September in Review

Categories
October 2021

October General Meeting Recording

The October Staff Senate meeting featured guest speakers Ken Walsh and Keith Renshaw, who shared and discussed the work of the Mason Innovation Commission.

If you missed the session, you can watch or listen to the recording

 

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Categories
October 2021

November General Meeting Announcement

 

The November Staff Senate meeting will feature Jimmy Hazel, Rector of Mason’s Board of Visitors.

Wednesday, November 3
10 a.m. to noon
Guest speaker will present 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (general meeting to follow)
Hosted on Zoom: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/93999749658?pwd=UGRZMXdJbFpXaXpRdmRhdG1wMXMyZz09
Passcode: SS123
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Webinar ID: 939 9974 9658/ Passcode: 224754

The senate is collecting your questions for consideration through October 27. Use the form to submit your questions. If you choose to ask your questions live, you must provide your name and Mason e-mail.

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. Find more ways to engage with the Senate before, during, and after our general meetings.

 

Categories
October 2021

Committee Opportunity: 17 Rooms-U Mason

About Mason’s 17 Rooms 

The Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) and the Business for a Better World Center are coordinating Mason’s 17 Rooms-U initiative, a series of deep-dive discussions into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 17 Rooms is a proven catalyst for engaging, inspiring, and shaping an organization’s mission around the goal. Participants with diverse expertise and perspectives are invited to convene in 17 small groups – one group per SDG – and work together to identify actions their organization can take within 12 to 18 months to make progress toward their goal. 

The intent of ISE’s 17 Rooms-U is to obtain a set of coordinated actions across SDGs and catalyze action.

Who is invited? 

Participants in each room include students, staff, faculty and stakeholders, all coming together for a series of discussions guided by the Moderator Team.

We are creating a community of people at Mason who are knowledgeable and excited about advancing the SDGs and identifying a few ideas for advancing each goal and who are ready to spring into action. Bring your passion, ideas, narratives, initiatives! Everyone will share. 

To indicate your interest, fill out this participation form. 

Learn more: ise.gmu.edu/17-rooms

Categories
October 2021

Committee Opportunity: Honor Committee

The Honor Committee is selected to promote academic integrity as a core value for our university community. Members of the committee also serve on hearing panels established to investigate and resolve alleged violations of the code.

Membership on the Honor Committee is limited to Mason faculty, staff, and students. Faculty members, administrative faculty members, and classified staff members who join the committee must have a minimum of a master’s degree from an accredited program. Faculty members cannot participate in resolving cases they have referred. Faculty members, administrative faculty members, and classified staff members who join the committee must successfully complete the training and orientation program.  

Honor Committee panels consist of three Honor Committee members. 

In cases where a graduate student has been referred, at least one member of the Honor Committee must be either a graduate student, a classified staff member, an administrative faculty member, or a faculty member. 

You can find more information and the application process on the Office of Academic Integrity website: https://oai.gmu.edu/honor-committee-recruitment/  

Categories
October 2021

Let’s Help Our Students: A Faculty and Staff Guide for Supporting Student Well-Being and Mental Health

 

At Mason, we are focused on our students’ success and cultivating a culture of well-being. The challenges of 2020 (and 2021), including the COVID-19 pandemic, have been extremely trying for our students. Whether these difficulties involved health concerns, personal losses, isolation, race-based violence, or uncertainty about their future, it is more important than ever that we support our students in need.  

This guide is designed to help faculty and staff recognize students’ concerns and guide them in managing challenges. Please use this guide to support our students’ well-being and mental health.

Categories
October 2021

Announcements from Information Technology Services

MASON-SECURE Retiring in December 2021 

At the end of the fall 2021 semester, eduroam, a worldwide wireless service developed for the international research and education community, will replace MASON-SECURE as the primary Mason Wi-Fi Network. To learn more about these improvements, see the ITS Spotlight. In anticipation of MASON-SECURE’s removal, Information Technology Services (ITS) encourages all campus Wi-Fi users to connect to eduroam. To get started, select eduroam from the available Wi-Fi networks and log in with your Mason email address (NetID@gmu.edu) and Patriot Pass Password. For more information, visit its.gmu.edu/eduroam. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or support@gmu.edu 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month & IT Security Awareness Training 

Information Technology Services (ITS) is observing Cybersecurity Awareness Month throughout October with speakers, daily tweets, and an Ask Me Anything Reddit thread. Full details about Cybersecurity Awareness Month events and activities are available at https://its.gmu.edu/bulletins/2021-cybersecurity-awareness-month-events/. October also kicks off annual IT Security Awareness Training for Mason employees. Those required to complete this training received an email on Friday, October 1, with details and can access their assigned training at masonleaps.gmu.edu. Training must be completed by Monday, November 15. 

Categories
October 2021

Virtual eVA Upgrade & Transition Forum

The Fiscal Services Training and Communications team invites you to join us for any of our Virtual eVA Upgrade & Transition Forum sessions. Virginia’s electronic procurement system, eVA, is undergoing a complete update that will go live in early January 2022. Updates may be found on the eVA Transition Room website. 

Fiscal Services will be hosting multiple forums to discuss these updates. 

Please register for available sessions in MasonLeaps. (Registration closes the day before the session will take place.) 

  • Tue, Oct. 26, 2021, 11 a.m. – noon
  • Thu, Nov. 18, 2021, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Tue, Nov. 30, 2021, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Thu, Dec. 9, 2021, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Tue, Jan. 11, 2022, 11 a.m. – noon
  • Thu, Feb. 3, 2022, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Categories
October 2021

President Washington’s Investiture Events

The Investiture ceremony celebrates the university’s achievements, goals and endeavors, and authenticates the president’s role as leader of the academic community. The ceremony itself has symbolized the pursuit of knowledge since the Middle Ages. Today, universities and colleges view investitures as opportunities to welcome a new era and celebrate as a community. 

The university has many activities for the community to participate in leading up to the official ceremony, including meet and greet opportunities with the Washingtons at the SciTech, Arlington and Fairfax campuses, thought-provoking discussions with faculty, special events geared toward students, families and alumni, and more. Learn more in the outline below or on the official Investiture website: https://president.gmu.edu/investiture 

George Mason is encouraging as many employees and students to attend the Investiture ceremony as possible. Campus leaders are asked to please provide as much flexibility as possible to allow the community to attend this historic milestone in the university’s history, while ensuring the continuity of campus operations.  

The Investiture ceremony will be a memorable moment for the university community as we begin this new era. Every registered attendee at the ceremony will receive a commemorative coin along with some items that are personal to Dr. Washington. For those who are unable to attend in person, the Investiture ceremony will be streamed live on GMU-TV.  

Please RSVP today to attend these unique and engaging Investiture events, as well as the ceremony!  

The latest information and RSVP links can be found at president.gmu.edu/investiture   

OCT  

14  

Investiture Event (Korea Campus)  

8 – 9pm  

OCT  

15  

2021 Mason Nation Thriving Together 5K  

Oct 15, 7am – Oct 17, 10pm  

OCT  

15  

Breakfast with the Washingtons (Sci Tech)  

9 – 10:45am  

OCT  

15  

President On the Plaza (Arlington)  

12 – 2pm  

OCT  

16  

Mason Families Give Back  

11am – 1pm  

OCT  

16  

Mason’s Got Talent  

5 – 6pm  

OCT  

18  

President’s Lunch on the Lawn (Fairfax)  

12 – 2pm  

OCT  

18  

Faculty Panel: Grand Challenges  

5 – 7pm  

OCT  

19  

Accelerate 2022  

Oct 19, 8am – Oct 20, 10pm  

OCT  

19  

Faculty Panel: Robinson Professors – Issues of our Time  

2:30 – 4:30pm  

OCT  

19  

Alumni Reception  

5:30 – 7pm  

OCT  

20  

Motivational Speaker Dr. Calvin Mackie (Faculty/Staff)  

8:30am – 10am  

OCT  

20  

Student Leaders Luncheon w/ Dr. Calvin Mackie  

11:30am – 1pm  

OCT  

20  

Mental Health and Well-Being as Strategic Priorities for Student Success  

2:30 – 4pm  

OCT  

20  

Faculty Meeting/Discussion with Dr. Calvin Mackie  

4:30 – 5:30pm 

OCT  

21  

The Investiture of Gregory Washington   

Thursday, October 21, 1 p.m.
EagleBank Arena, Fairfax Campus
George Mason University

RSVP: Students, Staff, Alumni, and Friends  

RSVP: Faculty