Category: April 2025

Patriot Packout is a community-based initiative collecting like-new and gently used donations at the Fairfax Campus, Science and Technology Campus, and the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. PPO decreases waste incineration and addresses basic needs insecurity.

Donations are redistributed to George Mason Patriots and local community members, preventing useful items from ending up in the trash. PPO 2025’s donations support the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, Art Supply Sharing Cabinet, First Gen+ Center, the MIX, Parking and Transportation’s bike programs, and Food For Others, among others.

Visit the PPO webpage for accepted donation items, campus donation locations, and volunteer opportunities: https://go.gmu.edu/PatriotPackout.

During PPO 2024, 94% (11,000+ pounds) of all freely redistributed donations went directly to individual George Mason Patriots and George Mason’s on-campus resources like the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, First Gen+ Center, etc.

The Office of Access, Compliance, and Community is thrilled to invite YOU to Heal Together 2025 — our multi-campus celebration of healing, connection, and well-being as they kick off Mental Health Awareness Month!

Fairfax | Sci-Tech | Mason Square | Mason Korea
Wednesday, April 30 | 10AM – 4PM

Join us for an unforgettable day of mindful movement, cultural connection, and self-care experiences across all campuses. Whether you’re looking to recharge, reflect, or simply vibe with your community, Heal Together is your space to do just that.

Expect mindfulness sessions, a fabulous panel of healing experts, movement-based wellness, and more!

Questions? Reach out to [email protected] 

Event details: Heal Together 2025

Registration for Hybrid events: Heal Together (Hybrid)

Join University Sustainability and Facilities and Campus Operations, along with many partners, for a month of fun, educational, and engaging activities and events!

• Earth Month is celebrated every April at George Mason University in support of Earth Day observed on April 22. Learn about Zero Waste Mason, Patriot Packout, the Patriot Green Fund, sustainable agriculture on campus, the Greenhouse and Gardens Program, the Better Bins Preview, enhancements to recycling and composting, and much more!
• Make a sustainable impact, celebrate success, and learn about ongoing initiatives and how you can get involved in Earth Month. Visit the official Earth Month webpage and join us all through April.

The April General Meeting featured guest speaker Greg Farley, director, University Sustainability. Greg shared updates on current initiatives in University Sustainability.

Sonya Howell, director of payroll, Fiscal Services, joined the Staff Senate during the General Business Meeting Constituent Time to discuss the tax implications surrounding the Employee Tuition Exemption Benefit.

If you missed the session, you may review the recordings below:

• April Sustainability Update
• Employee Tuition Exemption Benefit Presentation

The Staff Senate May General Meeting will feature guest speaker, Sharnnia Artis, Ph.D., vice president, Office of Access, Compliance, and Community.

Wednesday, May 7
10 to 11 a.m. – Guest Speaker, Sharnnia Artis
11 a.m. to noon – Business Meeting
Constituents may attend in person in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or join the meeting via Zoom*.
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Meeting ID: 931 0040 3860 / Passcode: 621190

Add this meeting to your calendar.

The Staff Senate will collect questions in advance for consideration. Please submit your question using the form below by April 25. Live questions will be accepted, time permitting.

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 George Mason community. The work of the senate is accomplished through open and continuous communication with its constituents.

*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 George Mason-licensed Zoom account, you should not see a difference. If you are not already signed into your George 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.

George Mason University is making history as the first university to host Planet Virginia, a vibrant festival celebrating sustainability, health, and incredible food! Join us on April 27 for a day filled with 50+ food vendors, expert talks, interactive exhibits, and a Planet Play Zone for kids. Thousands of visitors from across the state are expected, making this an exciting opportunity to showcase George Mason’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. Learn more about this event on the Planet Virginia website!

Join the University Life (UL) Supervision Collective for the April Manager Meetup, Beyond the Numbers: Reporting through Storytelling, on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. This virtual, interactive session will discuss storytelling as a vehicle for reporting the work of your unit, team, or project. You can register here.

The conversation will be centered around understanding the components of storytelling, importance of narrative development, and reviewing provided case studies to build understanding of the topic.

In the session, participants will:

• Understand how reports can tell a story rather than just display data.
• Recognize the importance of narrative in reporting for various stakeholders.
• Learn the key components of storytelling in reports.

Resources will be provided for participants to continue the conversation with their teams following the session.

Registration Link

If you have any questions or need further support to ensure your full participation in the session, please email Meeghan Milette.

Do you want to help spread kindness in our university community? If so, we’re looking for you!

The Mason Chooses Kindness (MCK) Executive Leadership team is looking for individuals, representing diverse university-wide units/departments, to serve 2-year terms on the MCK Steering Committee. Learn more.