Category: August 2023

COVID vaccines are still available by appointment at the Employee Health & Well-Being Clinic in David King Hall. Appointment slots are made available on a weekly basis; hours vary based on demand. To make an appointment, visit the Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management website. For up-to-date eligibility guidelines and other information about the COVID vaccine, visit the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website. If you need assistance making an appointment or have questions, email ehw@gmu.edu.

Faculty and staff are invited to participate in welcoming back students at the university’s Ask Me Booths during the first week of class, Monday, Aug. 21 through Friday, Aug. 25, as part of the Welcome2Mason program. The booths are small tents spread across campus where volunteers help direct people across campus and answer any questions they may have. Shifts are on the hour at six different locations across the Fairfax campus. Sign up on the Welcome2Mason website. Email questions to Sara Heming or Phil Rippa.

Housing and Residence Life needs volunteers to help welcome new students to campus. Faculty and staff will pass out water, assist with crowd or traffic control, or assist at the main check-in site at the Angel Cabrera Global Center. Volunteer shifts are two hours long on Wednesday, Aug. 16 or Thursday, Aug. 17. Volunteers will receive a t-shirt and lunch. Fill out the volunteer form. Email questions to Erin Brandt.

Giving Surplus Furniture a New Life at Another State University 
In Summer 2023, George Mason University redistributed 855 pieces of surplus furniture to Virginia State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Along with being an HBCU, Virginia State is also a Public State Agency.

OLLI & Greenhouse and Gardens Program Summer Partnership
In Summer 2023, The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) partnered with University Sustainability to participate in the Greenhouse and Gardens program via a 6-week Sustainable Food Production class. Class instructor and Greenhouse and Gardens program manager, Donielle “Doni” Nolan designed this class alongside Potomac Heights Organic Garden coordinator Sven Jansen, to educate participants on sustainable agriculture. Topics included composting, plant identification, harvesting, and pest management!

As the incoming Staff Senate Chair, Vice Chair, as well as, all returning Staff Senators and the staff in large, we would like to welcome all incoming 2023 George Mason University Staff Senators. Ours is a space where we share in the collective excitement, enthusiasm and dedication to maintaining Mason’s mission of one community.  A community where all voices are heard, and one that is responsible for highlighting the voices of our constituents, forging new relationships, and cementing progressive partnerships.  In this community, we strive to support and advocate, fueled onward by innovation and inclusivity.

While we at the Staff Senate are commemorating the 24^th year of our existence, we are keeping an eye on the horizon toward our upcoming 25^th.  In the nearly two-and-a-half decades of existence, we have experienced so much growth. Growth not only in our possibilities, but also in the larger shape and structure of the university.  In the world at large, we have transitioned from one where the largest panic-induced fear was computers shutting down and taking out the world economy, into one where one of the biggest fears is computers becoming sentient and taking over the world’s creativity and humanity.  (Oh, the way things change while they stay the same.)  During this time, the Staff Senate has done its best to support our constituents through worldwide eras of terrorism, recessions, growth, promise, a pandemic, and so much more.  We have participated in such significant decisions as the most recent search for our university president, as well as smaller ones like the flavors of Rita’s Italian Ice served at our summer staff appreciation events. Throughout them all we have remained focused on the most important spirit of our foundation: How can we support our constituents?

As our university becomes larger and more widespread than ever, we want to be sure that we—as the collective Staff Senate—consider the ways we can continue to connect the university and remain grounded in our mission to inform, educate, and advocate for our constituents first and foremost.

Senators: Let us be sure to invest time into knowing those around us.  Our position in the university and devotion to its betterment work wonderfully in conjunction with our wealth of knowledge and widespread home departments. From the Board of Visitors to the students and all the faculty in between, we should continue to make sure that we advocate for our constituents as the need arises. We are the individuals who will drive progression, and it is with this honor that we look forward to serving with you.

Constituents: We are here for you.  Feel free to reach out and let us know what questions, problems, or concerns you have.  If we do not have an immediate answer, we will try our best to connect you with the correct resource on campus, or at least point you in the right direction for further inquiry.  If nothing else, remember that the Staff Senate is here to support you.

So, while we enter this new Staff Senate administration, this new era of technology, and this ongoing “new normal,”, we at the Staff Senate encourage everyone to come together as one larger community and work together to create a better Mason for all.

Lastly, we want to thank the outgoing chairs, Erin Iacangelo and Jessica Adams for their invaluable years of service. Both exhibited exemplary leadership during two challenging years. And like them, we are excited to press forward in excellence.

Sincerely,

Will Gautney and Jacqulyn Sims
Staff Senate Chair and Vice Chair

The Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center’s 2023/2024 Seasons’ single tickets are now on sale, including ARTS by George! headliner Renée Elise Goldsberry. Mason faculty, staff, retirees, alumni, and students receive a handful of discounts and offers, both for single tickets as well as subscriptions. Please visit the Center for the Arts website and Hylton Performing Arts Center website for more information. Additionally, the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) has a wide range of offerings this upcoming year, all of which are available on the CVPA website.

Mason is Going Mobile with the Launch of the Mobile ID

Exciting news! George Mason University is proud to be the first four-year university in Virginia to introduce a Mobile ID program, offering an innovative and optional digital ID card for the Mason Community! Now, you have the flexibility to choose whether to carry your Mason ID on your Apple or Android device. Embrace the convenience and sustainability of the Mobile ID – visit masoncard.gmu.edu/mobile for details and enrollment instructions.

Virtual License Plates are in Effect

Have you updated your license plate in your parking portal? Hang tags are officially a thing of the past and your license plate is now your parking permit! Be sure to associate your vehicle with your license plate at parking.gmu.edu. Learn more about our new Virtual License Plate Program.

Mason Dining Unleashes Exciting Innovations, Taking Campus Cuisine to New Heights

With an aim to revolutionize the dining experience, Mason Dining is bringing a wave of excitement, flavor, and convenience to campus this fall with several new dining concepts! We are excited to introduce The Difference Baker, a locally owned bakery and bistro that is certified free from 7 of the top 9 allergens! NuVegan will also be coming to the Johnson Center, offering vegan and vegetarian soul food. Visit our website to see all the changes coming to dining this fall.

Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day will be held on October 25, 2023, at the Johnson Center! To make this event a success, we are seeking innovative and engaging workshop proposals from our faculty and staff. This year’s theme is “Mapping Your Future: Discovering Mason’s Treasure.” The event aims to provide an opportunity for personal and professional growth by exploring new paths, unlocking potential, and discovering hidden treasures within ourselves and our work.

Visit the Human Resources website for more information.

 

The mandatory 2023 IT Security Awareness Training has been assigned to MasonLEAPS accounts of all Mason employees, including contractors, affiliates, and student wage workers. Employees must complete all training by Tuesday, October 31, to avoid having their NetIDs disabled, which interrupts their access to Mason’s IT services, including Patriot Web, Office 365, and Wi-Fi networks. Additional information about the training is available here. If you have issues accessing the training, contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or support@gmu.edu.

Fall Semester Parking Permit Sales Underway
Fall semester parking permit sales are underway.  Permits can be purchased here. Virtual permits are effective with the purchase of a permit.

For those faculty/staff who currently have payroll deduction permits, these permits will automatically renew in September.  The vehicle currently associated with a payroll deduction parking permit will automatically associate with the 2023-24 payroll deduction parking permit. Payroll deduction permit holders may add up to three vehicles to their permit (Faculty and staff generally can add up to three vehicles to their permit; off-campus students can add up to two vehicles, and resident students can add one vehicle to their permit.)  Payroll deduction permit holders should access their parking account and ensure their correct license plates/vehicles are associated with their parking permit.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 703-993-2710 or via email at parking@gmu.edu

Fall Shuttle Schedules Coming Soon
The Fall 2023 shuttle schedules will be available this week.

Please note: summer service operates through Friday, August 18 on Sandy Creek/Metro, Fairfax/Mason Square, and Fairfax/SciTech.

For Gunston Mason only, summer service operates through Friday, August 11 and fall service begins on Monday, August 14.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at shuttle@gmu.edu or call 3-2828.

Save the Date: Abandoned “As Is” Bike Sale
Parking and Transportation’s “As Is” Abandoned Bike Sale will be held on Friday, September 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the visitor section of the Shenandoah Parking Deck.  There will be about 65-70 bikes for sale. One bike per customer. Mason students, faculty, and staff only. Details, once finalized, will be at http://bike.gmu.edu. Questions?  Please contact Parking and Transportation at 3-2828 or via email at transpo@gmu.edu.