Mason Staff Senate

Category: 2024

Categories
May 2024

GMU Toastmasters Open House

GMU Toastmasters will host their last Open House of the 2023-2024 Academic Year. Visitors can learn about Toastmasters both in-person and virtually! The meeting will occur in person at Merten Hall, Room 3300, or via Zoom. For those who want to join on Zoom, follow this link.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. In a supportive community or corporate environment, members prepare and deliver speeches, respond to impromptu questions, and give and receive constructive feedback. It is through this regular practice that members are empowered to meet personal and professional communication goals. Founded in 1924, the organization is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, and has approximately 270,000 members in more than 14,200 clubs in 148 countries. George Mason University Toastmasters Club (GMUT) was established on June 6, 2008.

To learn more about GMU Toastmasters, follow this link.

Categories
May 2024

Announcements from Auxiliary Services and Operations

  • Planning for Orientation? Our on-campus Print Hub offers customized prints like flyers, postcards, yard signs, pull-up banners, and more! Elevate your events and projects with custom prints PLUS free delivery to your office.
  • Save this summer with Patriot Perks! While you’re out and about in Fairfax, don’t forget to check our ever-growing list of restaurants, hair salons, nail salons, activities and more where you receive a discount with your Mason ID!
Categories
May 2024

Patriot Packout

Patriot Packout (PPO), Mason’s annual sustainable move-out initiative ends on May 10! Donate like-new and gently used personal items at the Fairfax Campus, Science and Technology Campus, and the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation.

Donations are redistributed to individual Mason Patriots, on-campus resources, and local community members, preventing useful items from ending up in the trash.

PPO 2024’s donations support the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, Art Supply Sharing Closet, First Gen+ Center, Parking and Transportation’s bike programs, and Food For Others, among others.

Visit the PPO webpage for a list of accepted donations, campus donation locations, and volunteer opportunities.

 

Categories
May 2024

Announcements from Faculty and Staff Engagement

Apply for the Faculty and Staff Book Scholarship

Mason faculty and staff are invited to apply for the Faculty and Staff Book Scholarship, a $250 scholarship, dedicated to paying for books, software, and supplies needed for Mason courses. 

The criteria to apply are as follows: 

  • Enrolled in a degree or graduate certificate program at Mason; 
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0; 
  • Have at least one year of service at Mason; and 
  • Earned an overall rating of Successful or Outstanding in their most recent performance evaluation. 

To apply, complete the nomination form by May 24, 2024. Please include a written statement (max. 500 words) outlining your educational and professional goals, your program of study, and how the scholarship will positively impact your academic pursuits. The statement should also address how you uphold the Mason graduate values of being an engaged citizen, a well-rounded scholar, and one who is prepared to act. 

Email [email protected] with questions. 

Mason Degree and Certificate Milestones: Let’s Celebrate Your Success!
Mason Classified Staff, A/P Faculty, I/R Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, and Non-Student Wage employees are invited to share information on the degree/certificate (Trade certification/license, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Graduate certificate, Doctorate, etc.) that they have earned during this current academic year.

Human Resources is eager to highlight achievements and success stories of Mason faculty and staff who are seeking continual professional development.   

Complete the Celebrate Degree/Certificate Milestones Survey and the HR Faculty and Staff Engagement team will follow-up with you on your successes! 

Standard Telework Form: Documentation Updates for Classified Staff

Classified Staff are required to follow the Department of Human Resources Policy 1.61 (Teleworking).

In accordance with DHRM Policy 1.61, “all (classified) employees applying for telework must submit a Standard Telework Agreement.” 

The state has recently made an online platform, for telework agreement submission, available to higher education institutions. As per state guidelines, George Mason classified staff requesting a new telework agreement or a renewal with changes must use the COVApp form.   

The Standard Telework Request and Renewal form in Dynamic Forms will be used to initiate all telework requests. Renewals with the same number of telework days previously approved by the state or temporary requests (14 calendar days or less) will continue with all workflow processes in dynamic forms.   

New telework requests or renewals with a change in number of telework days will begin initiation in the Standard Telework Request and Renewal form.  The Faculty and Staff Engagement team will initiate the official form using the COV App system.

Following form initiation for new telework requests or renewals with changes, employees will receive an email from COVApps (VITA) The email has been vetted, is legitimate, and will ask you “to click here” to complete your form request. 

The telework form is available in the state’s COV Application system, which uses the same login information as Cardinal.

Classified employees and their supervisors must have Cardinal access to complete and approve forms. To access Cardinal login or locate your Cardinal ID in Patriot Web, use the directions here to do so. Once a login is established, follow the state’s guide detailing how to complete your form as an employee. Supervisors should follow the state’s guide on how to process forms as a manager.

Categories
May 2024

Updates from Parking and Transportation

Deadline Extended: 2024 Transportation Survey Underway

The 2024 Transportation Survey is underway through Friday, May 10. Please take a few minutes to share how you get to, from, and around campus. The survey takes about ten minutes to complete. After completing the survey, you can opt-in to a raffle for prize packages worth approximately $30 each. Raffle recipients will be randomly selected from those who opt-in.

As background to the survey, 30% of Mason’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributed to commuting. By participating in this survey, you will help us understand and improve how Mason commutes and add your feedback about key issues.

Visit here to participate in the survey.

It’s Bike Your Way May: Spring Cycling Opportunities
  1. Bike Month Challenge Started May 1. May is National Bike Month!  Help grow Mason’s biking culture. Parking and Transportation invites you to join the Bike Month Challenge run by LovetoRide.net. Registration is free and you can sign up as an individual.
  2. Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 17. Celebrate the Washington region’s Bike to Work Day! Start your day off cycling with pit stops all over the VA, DC, MD area. Find more details and register, here.
  3. Check out bike.gmu.edu. Lot of resources including smart cycling videos from the League of American Bicyclists, how to get connected to cycling in your community, how to use a bike rack on transit and much more!
Motor Pool Fuel Cards, Required Training, and Reminders

Fuel cards are available for Motor Pool rentals to have fuel charges charged back to the university. Drop by the Transportation Office located in Lot C to check out a Fuel card before your rental pick-up date. Entering Fuel Agreements or allowing Enterprise to refuel after returning vehicles empty is not permitted. If you have a fuel card in your possession from a past trip, please remember to return it.

Drivers for Motor Pool rentals must complete a University Driver Safety Awareness Training and a refresher training every two years through the Office of Risk Management to be eligible to drive.

To be eligible to drive a maxi van, you must be at least 20 years of age and pass the “Van Driver Familiarization Class.” Outside of the Commonwealth of VA, Enterprise’s age requirement to drive a 12-15 passenger van is 25. Links to upcoming training sessions and important reminders, can be found here.

Summer 2024 Parking Permits On Sale

Summer parking passes went on sale on Wednesday, May 1. Online sales only. Please visit parking.gmu.edu for details. Reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

Parking and Transportation’s Patriot Pack Out Donation Drive for Patriot Pantry

Would you like to help someone in need? Through 4pm on Wednesday, May 15, make an in-person donation at any Parking Services office to benefit Patriot Pantry and reduce the cost of an outstanding parking citation by $15, $20, or $30. For important details, including the donation/credit framework for donations, please visit transportation.gmu.edu/donation.

Vanpool Survey

Are you a full-time faculty/staff member who is interested in another way to get to work at Mason? Would you like to have your commute costs reimbursed up to $315/month tax-free, not have to do all the driving, park free at Mason, and reduce carbon emissions? If so, consider vanpooling.  Parking and Transportation is continuing its vanpool outreach and has developed a short vanpool match survey.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at 703-993-2828 or via email to [email protected].

Summer 2024 Mason Shuttles Schedules Available

The Summer 2024 schedules for Mason Shuttles and a summer service summary are posted at http://shuttle.gmu.edu. Summer service begins on Monday, May 13 and is Monday-Friday only. Spring service ends for all routes on Friday, May 10 (except On-Demand which ended on Sunday, May 5).

Friday, May 10 is the last day of service for the West Campus shuttle until fall. West Campus permit holders could begin parking in the non-restricted general areas on the East Campus for the summer beginning at 8pm on Thursday, May 2.  The On-Demand shuttle will not be operating for the summer.  The last weekend for spring service on Gunston Mason, Sandy Creek/Metro, and the Fairfax/SciTech routes until fall was May 4-5.

There will be no Mason Shuttles service in observance of the holidays on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day), Wednesday, June 19 (Juneteenth), and Thursday, July 4 (Independence Day).

If you have any questions, please contact us at 703-993-2828 or via email at [email protected].

 

 

 

Categories
May 2024

May General Meeting Recording

Photo by: Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The May Staff Senate general meeting featured guest speaker Trishana Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations, and president, George Mason University Foundation.

As a follow-up answer to one of the questions asked by a senator, just over 1,500 faculty and staff members are alumni of George Mason University.

For those who missed the meeting, or would like to re-watch the session, the recording is now available here.

Categories
May 2024

June General Meeting Announcement

Photo provided.

The June Staff Senate general meeting will feature guest speaker Mary Lucal, vice president, Human Resources, and chief human resource officer.

Wednesday, June 5
9:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Staff Senate Recognition Ceremony
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – General Business Meeting
11 a.m. to noon – Guest Speaker

Location Change: Constituents are invited to join in person in Merten 1201 or join the meeting via Zoom*.
Passcode: SS123
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Meeting ID: 946 9452 3314 / Passcode: 760740

*The Staff Senate is requiring that virtual attendees join our Staff Senate General Meetings with their Patriot Pass credentials. If you are already signed into Zoom using your Mason-licensed Zoom account, you should not see a difference. If you are not already signed into your Mason-licensed Zoom account, you will be told authentication is required to join, and prompted to sign in. For more information, please access our helpful FAQ document.

The Staff Senate collected questions in advance for consideration. We will also be accepting live questions, time permitting.

 

Categories
Junior Patriot May 2024

Junior Patriot Passport

Junior Patriot, Cailey, displaying her completed Junior Passport Card

The Mason Staff Senate enjoyed meeting Junior Patriots at the Fairfax Campus on April 25, in a scavenger hunt for stamps that were collected on a provided passport card at different sites and activities. A special thank you to the sites, locations, and Human Resources for their support in making the activity a success!  The activity was part of Take Your Junior Patriot to Work Day!

Congratulations to Andrea Ponger and Kaden for being selected as winners in the random drawing after collecting five stamps and submitting their passport card to the Staff Senate!

Locations visited: (find a hint to the location with the answer below)
START HERE: Your mission begins, pick up your card, find five stamps, and enter for a prize!
  • Find Amanda with the Staff Senate on the Merten Lawn, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Textbooks, swag, gifts, merch, and more. You can find it all here in one SUPER store!
  • Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Johnson Center, 1st Floor, Check-out Counter, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you enjoy the performing arts, visiting this concert hall is great place to start!
  • Center for the Arts, Box Office Window, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Graphic design, painting, sculpture, and photography…these are just a few installations you will see!
  • Find Mary in the Art and Design Building, School of Art, Suite 2050 (main desk), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More than just textbooks, the shelves are stacked high, check out what you need so you don’t have to buy!
  • 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Fenwick Library, Reading Room 2001
  • 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Fenwick Library, Room 1014 A & B
Forage the forest, sow some seeds, discover ways to give back to our Earth all that it needs!
The day has been filled with a lot of fun make sure to save some energy for Dance, Dance Revolution!
  • 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., The Hub, Corner Pocket. Main Desk
Looking for s’more fun? The “sky” is the limit!
  • 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Skyline Fitness Center during the Fun, Tents, and S’mores activity for all ages
Hint: A blend of art and science, creativity and design, a keyboard and a quest are just a few things you will find!
  • 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Computer Game Design and the Virginia Serious Game Institute, Art & Design Building, Room 2002
Categories
April 2024

Follow-up Questions from April Meeting with President Washington

During the session with President Washington on April 3, we received questions from constituents that were not addressed due to time limitations. The President has provided written responses.

Question 1: If the BOV does not approve the 3% tuition increase, where does that leave us with regard to balancing the budget?

President Washington: If maintaining Mason’s budget at the same level, it would require additional slowing of expenditure growth by approximately $6M, based on in-state undergraduate tuition only; note that approximately 1/3 of impact would come from not incrementing student financial aid.

Follow-up Question: Will we need to make reductions?

President Washington: In all budget scenarios, year 2 of the planned budget mitigation will be ongoing. Please plan on attending or watching the May 2 Board of Visitors Finance & Land Use meeting for additional information.

Question 2: Why didn’t the rebranding initiative include more people? Also, was the cost to schools and offices considered? It may not cost OUB money, but it will cost schools and offices a lot of money?

President Washington: Inclusion – All told, the three-year rebrand process involved more than 1,500 people from the seven stakeholder groups: students, parents, faculty, staff, donor, alumni, community supporters/leaders. Most of the feedback we used was gathered on the front end, early in the process. In this, we asked a broad range of questions that gave us direction for the entire branding project – the framing of our identity, under the All Together Different theme, and eventually to evaluate a new logo design.

As we worked on the visual logo, we engaged the President’s Brand Advisory Counsel, which is comprised of a cross-section of university leadership and marketing/communications practitioners from across the campus to add to the input we’d gathered prior to rolling out the “All Together Different” brand. We then worked with a small, interdisciplinary team of subject-matter specialists and our brand consultant, Ologie, to produce and test various design concepts, to ensure that any options we considered could stand the test of being used in the endless myriad of contexts (digital, large-format display, apparel, business collateral, etc.). That group included experts from academic units, facilities, advancement, athletics, and the Office of University Branding.

Ultimately, we arrived at two finalist options, and we invited the entire community to take a sneak peek and answer specific questions about each option, which informed our final decision. About 200 people participated in that exercise.

The university’s new logo will do what great visual branding is supposed to – and what our current system unfortunately is not – which is to represent our full brand story in a way that we can all display it compellingly and consistently. It won’t be popular at first, because new logos never are. Its job is not to be popular among faculty and staff. Its job is to compete in the DC metro region – the fiercest, most highly contested higher education marketplace in America.

Cost – In fact, this will cost the Office of University Branding a lot of money, which they are paying for with significant reallocation of funding for the next two to three fiscal years. It will not require local units to spend any additional money. The first thing to change should be digital uses, which should not impact the budget – just our time.

If your unit has materials with the old logo on it – use them up and then replace them as you naturally would. Our mantra is, “Run out, don’t throw out.” More permanent logos, including signage, will be replaced at the expense of the Office of University Branding. This should not compete with existing budget priorities for local units, unless that leader makes the independent decision to accelerate her or his unit’s conversion to the new logo.

This is truly designed as a budget-neutral conversion.

Question 3: Does the 8% increase in staff hires take into account the number of staff that have left the university during/after the pandemic? My experience is that we are short staff – not staff heavy. Are there any data on employee retention rates/ turnover rates at Mason?

President Washington: Please refer to this spreadsheet provided by HR.

Chart showing data on turnover and new hires at Mason from FY19 to FY24 to date, disaggregated by employee group. For full details, see pdf linked below.

(download pdf of HR data)

 

Please note, as this is the end of fiscal year and data is pulled in July of each year, it will differ from what some headcount and other data may be found through other resources, such as the OIEP or MicroStrategy reports.

Data queried as of the following dates, subject to change thereafter:
FY19 – As of 6/30/2019, queried August 2019
FY20 – As of 6/30/2020, queried 7/1/2020
FY21 – As of 6/30/2021, queried 7/12/2021
FY22 – As of 6/30/2022, queried 7/14/2022
FY23 – As of 6/30/2023, queried 7/10/2023
FY24 – to date 4/2/2024

Question 4: Speaking of west campus and partnerships: now that it seems that the cricket partnership doesn’t seem like it’s the right choice, has there already been exploration into other partnership opportunities?

President Washington: The facilities we use to train and compete in Division 1 Intercollegiate Athletics, engage students, faculty, alumni, and the community, and activate our brand internationally are functionally obsolete and do not support the University’s strategic priorities. Although the cricket partnership did not ultimately meet the University’s needs in the Temporary Multipurpose Ballpark, the strategic priorities (outlined in the 2023 Strategic Direction: Mason is All Together Different) remain. It is our responsibility to ensure all units are positioned advantageously, and resources are deployed appropriately to achieve our goals. As such, we will continue to explore potential partners that enhance our campus experience while reserving state funding for other much-needed improvements.

Question 5: Thank you for what you said earlier about those whose positions require them coming to campus 5 days a week being the ones who deserve a parking break as they also have the highest commuting and time costs. Fully remote employees do not have parking costs. Does the university currently have an overall policy on in-person versus remote days expected for staff or is this now decided on the college or department level?

President Washington: Mason’s current Flexible Work policy does not include guidance on in-person vs. remote office days. Supervisors are encouraged to review business unit goals/needs and employee job descriptions to determine telework eligibility and scheduling. For further questions or information on flexible work training, including “Supervising a Hybrid Workforce,” reach out to [email protected].

However, you do bring up a valid point and we need to rethink if we should or could provide an additional benefit to those who cannot have a flexible schedule. I will ask our HR team to look at that.

Categories
April 2024

2024 Outstanding Supervisor Award Announcement

The Outstanding Supervisor Award, sponsored by the Mason Staff Senate, seeks to recognize supervisors who routinely go above and beyond to provide unparalleled leadership, mentorship, and support within their departments or offices. Outstanding supervisors model and promote a positive work-life balance and strive to serve not only their departments or offices but also their personnel. Other actions that an outstanding supervisor demonstrates include:

  • Acknowledging exemplary performance
  • Supporting innovation and soliciting input from employees
  • Being fair and flexible
  • Encouraging and providing opportunities for professional growth
  • Promoting diversity and inclusion

2024 Outstanding Supervisors:

  • Cindy George, AIM-VA Director and Assistive Technology, Kellar Inst. for Human disAbilities
  • Kristin Tyburczy, Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Criminology, Law and Society

The Staff Senate received a record number of nominations this year. Thank you to these supervisors who go above and beyond and all recipients being recognized at the Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Thank you to the supervisors who were nominated this year for the Outstanding Supervisor Award:

Amanda Torres
Anne Reynolds
Barbara Snyder
Beverley Jackson
Brian Benison
Brittani Hall
Caitlyn Fulcher
Casey Machuga
Catalina Wheat
Chris Freas
Daniel Minot
Daniel Reed
David Namiotka
Debbie Fray Williams
Dorothy Kroll
Dr. Margaret Rodan
Emily Schneider
Erin McSherry
Eva Bramesco
Glenda Cosby
Gurpreet Schmelzer
Jenna McGwin
Jessica Hanna
Joe Balducci
Julia Decker
Karen Reedy
Kathleen Diemer
Kristina Bonfiglio
Lauren Long
LeAnn Pittman
Maggie Kébé
Mary Lechter
Michael Hunter
Nusrat Sultana
Pam Lewis
Rob Faber
Ryan Wetter
Sara Montiel
Sara Synder
Sharon Cullen
Sharron Corradino
Teri Fede
Tory Sarro
Vanessa Correa
Yuko Kuo
Zoë Charlton