Category: July 2022

Applications are now open for the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series (ELSS). This program aims to support Mason supervisors as they:

• Develop a leadership mindset
• Create and implement a vision for their own leadership and their team
• Lead a high-performing team
• Learn tools and strategies to grow their self-awareness, relationships, and communication skills, which will support the above three objectives

In addition to the in-class curriculum, participants will:

• Complete a developmental project
• Work with peers across the university to build a network of fellow supervisors
• Work with coaches/mentors to set goals related to their growth as leaders

The program begins in September 2022 and runs until December 2023. This will be an in-person cohort. Applicants who work fully remotely will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that applicants must be Mason faculty or classified staff and must supervise at least one faculty or classified staff employee.

For more information, including registration details and the program schedule, visit the Organizational Development and Learning website.

The new Research Administration Management Portal (RAMP) Grants and Agreements modules went live on July 11, 2022. RAMP, an integrated research web-based system to support Mason’s growing research enterprise, is supported by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) team and Information Technology Services (ITS). Faculty and staff who have a question or issue can enter a RAMP ticket for support or send an email to RAMP@gmu.edu, which will be routed to the appropriate team member for follow-up. 

Virtual live training sessions for RAMP are available for registration via MasonLEAPS.  Just go to the “Events Calendar” under the “Learning” tab and search for “RAMP.”  Training sessions include the following:  

• RAMP Exploratory Lab
• RAMP Create a Funding Proposal
• RAMP Create a Budget
• RAMP Complete SF424
• RAMP Ancillary Review, Certify and Submit, Sponsor Requests

  

In addition, training materials to include a series of short videos and quick reference guides for RAMP are available to the research community for their reference in MasonLEAPS by searching “RAMP.”  Please visit https://ramp.gmu.edu/training/ for additional training information and https://ramp.gmu.edu/resources/ for additional RAMP resources. 

Please email the Project Team at ramp@gmu.edu any time with questions, and be sure to visit the RAMP website at https://ramp.gmu.edu/ to keep up-to-date with the project. 

You can help green Mason with the Patriot Green Fund!  

Do you have an idea for how to make your workspace, projects, or operations more sustainable? The Patriot Green Fund (PGF) can help!  

The PGF is a $100,000 annual fund from Mason Facilities that finances infrastructure improvements and student research efforts that reduce Mason’s environmental impact.  

Any current student, faculty, or staff member may apply for funds to support a sustainability project, and quick fund applications can be submitted any time.  

 Staff have used the PGF to bring water bottle refill stations and recycling bins to campus buildings, upgrade necessary equipment for more energy efficient alternatives, reduce the amount of waste their operations produce, and more! 

Learn more about the PGF, check out the list of past projects, and submit a short interest form today at pgf.gmu.edu! 

Visit camps.gmu.edu for a list of summer camps and youth programs offered at Mason. The website includes camps sponsored by Mason programs/departments, as well as external groups that host camps on a Mason campus.   

Summer camps at Mason cover a wide variety of topics and activities, including academics, the arts, recreation, and sports. Both in-person and virtual options are listed on the website.  

Questions about individual camps should be directed to the camp organizers.   

For questions about the summer camps website, contact gmutoday@gmu.edu. 

Come to the plaza at Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus) for dynamic weekly programming and ongoing special events. All programming is free and open to the public!  

Check out the Game Social every day at noon, or the Craft Social at 3 p.m., Monday to Friday.  

Weekly events include:   

• Monday: Yappy Hour on the Plaza (bring your furry friends) and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with Coach Reza   
• Tuesday: Hip Hop Dance Class with Ava Dance Company   
• Wednesday: Movement and Self-Mastery   
• Thursday: Flow Yoga with Mind the Mat   
• Friday: Chess Social    
• And more  

View the complete schedule of events. Contact University Life at ularl@gmu.edu with questions. 

Faculty and staff can purchase meal plans, too! Faculty and staff Byte Plans are available with the following options for the fall semester:  

• 50 Meal Swipes: $395 ($7.90 per meal)  
• 25 Meal Swipes: $215 ($8.60 per meal)  
• 10 Meal Swipes: $95 ($9.50 per meal)  

Door prices (without meal plan):   

• Breakfast: $9.50  
• Lunch: $11  
• Dinner: $12  

Swipes can be used at Southside, The Globe, and Ike’s. Byte Plans can be purchased in person in the Mason Card Office located in SUB I, Room 1203 (bring your Mason ID) or online. Visit the Mason Dining website for more information. 

Applications are now accepted for the Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship. This $250 annual award was created to encourage and advance continuing education for Mason faculty and classified staff. The application period closes July 15.   

For eligibility criteria, FAQs, and instructions for applying, visit the Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship page. 

Highlights from the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM):

Check out this month’s financial wellness newsletter and the items below to obtain the details of the financial education offerings and resources. 

VRS. Whether you’re paying down debt or saving for a future goal, financial stress can either motivate you to make positive changes, or it can affect your well-being. In just 25 minutes, the Managing Financial Stress course in myVRS Financial Wellness will explain financial stress and generate a personalized action plan that offers tips and analysis. See the full suite of interactive courses when you log in to your myVRS account and select Financial Wellness. 

Employee Discounts. Have you visited the state employee discounts page? Find information here on discounts you receive as a state employee! Be sure to check back often for updates. State Employee Discounts 

Employee Assistance Program. All health plans offered to state employees and their dependents have employee assistance programs (EAPs). Included are up to four sessions at no charge for such services as mental health, alcohol or drug abuse assessment, child or elder care, grief counseling, and legal or financial services. Learn more 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. State employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Learn more