Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
9/11 Day of Service
Mason's 10th annual 9/11 Day of Service will take place on Friday, Sept. 9. A variety of service projects will be available for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Register for a service project today!
In addition to community service projects, the day’s events include a service fair, mindfulness and reflection sessions, and a luncheon for volunteers, first responders, veterans, and service fair partners.
Mason faculty and staff are encouraged to join the 9/11 Day of Service. Full-time classified employees and administrative/professional faculty receive 16 hours of paid volunteer leave per calendar year (pro-rated for part-time) to provide volunteer services through eligible nonprofit organizations. The 9/11 Day of Service is approved for volunteer leave usage.
50th Anniversary Reception at the SciTech Campus
Celebrate George Mason University's 50th Anniversary at a special reception held at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on the SciTech Campus. Join us as we honor our partners from the past, present, and future, with guests to include alumni and community business leaders. A special "Mason through the Decades" menu will be provided by BluSage Catering.
Reception Celebrating George Mason University's 50th Anniversary
Thursday, Sept. 15, from 5–7 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center
RSVP
This event is free to attend, but attendees should RSVP.
September Staff Senate Meeting
The September Staff Senate meeting will feature Andrew Lane, director of Performance Management and Employee Engagement, joined by members of his team, including Tamira Colbert, faculty/staff engagement assistant, and Stacey Ellis, faculty/staff engagement consultant, to discuss goals and initiatives following the results of the recent Gallup survey of Mason employees.
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to noon
Hosted on Zoom
Contact staffsenate@gmu.edu with questions.
Food Trucks at Mason Square Every Tuesday and Thursday
The fall semester has arrived, and with it comes the newest Mason Square initiative: food trucks on the plaza! A food truck will be parked in front of Van Metre Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The type of food truck will vary. Check out Goodfynd, a food truck tracker and ordering platform, to see the schedule or place an order in advance. You may also place your order on site at the food truck. Visit the Goodfynd website or download the app on your smartphone. Use coupon code FYND_2OFF for $2 off your first online order.
Updated Flexible Work Guidance
Human Resources and Payroll is in the final stages of updating Mason's flexible work policy to better align with the commonwealth's new telework policy. Please note the following changes:
- Flexible Work Agreements will now be submitted via Dynamic Forms instead of MasonLEAPS.
- The three-month supervisor check-in is no longer required.
- Flexible work requests may be approved for a duration of up to 12 months (previously up to 15 months). This change corresponds directly to the new state policy.
For more information, read the full announcement from Human Resources and Payroll.
Training and Professional Development
Faculty Matters Workshop Series Kicks Off Sept. 7
The Office of Faculty Affairs and Development and Research Development are co-sponsoring the Faculty Matters Workshop Series, which is designed to address key issues central to faculty development and success. Join the first workshop in the series:
How to Align Your Time and Priorities
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 1:30–3 p.m.
Hosted on Zoom
This workshop will focus on how to make the best use of your time and align your schedule with your goals. Attendees will have the chance to win a free book, Atomic Habits, by James Clear. Registration is required.
Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference
The Mason community is invited to the Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference on Sept. 30. Join us for a day of workshops, panels, teaching-focused presentations, and networking with colleagues.
This conference will include a variety of in-person activities, a diverse menu of livestreaming options, and on-demand content. Visit the ITL website for more information and registration details.
Keynote speaker Claire Howell Major, author of Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty, will share her principles of teaching students to advance learning and develop classroom engagement in higher education.
Terms of Engagement: Understanding and Promoting Student Engagement
Student engagement is important for learning across levels and disciplines. Recent research on motivation makes it clear that for students to be successful, they must value the task, expect to succeed, and be active participants in their own learning.
This hands-on, collaborative workshop will examine a model of student engagement and share specific teaching techniques that can motivate students to participate in the learning process.
Terms of Engagement: Understanding and Promoting Student Engagement
Hosted by the Stearns Center
Facilitator: Claire Howell Major, keynote speaker for the Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference
Thursday, Sept. 29, 3–4:30 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Research Hall, Room 163, or virtual participation
Register
Resilience Badge
The Resilience Badge program helps Mason students and employees strengthen resilience and earn a valuable digital credential in the process. Earn the badge at your own pace online anytime.
Mason’s Resilience Badge will allow you to build your resilience through content knowledge and practices, all of which are backed by the science of resilience. Deepening your own knowledge in these areas and honing your self-awareness will allow your thinking to become more flexible, more adaptable, and more creative. This will help you when it comes to solving problems, making decisions, and building the life you want.
Check out the video testimonials from Mason students who have earned the Resilience Badge. Learn more and register.
Resources for You
Purchase Patriot Tech via Payroll Deduction
Did you know you can purchase computers, iPads, and accessories from Patriot Tech via payroll deduction? All full-time faculty and staff who have been employed at least six months and are in good standing with the university are eligible to participate.
A 10 percent down payment is required, and the remainder is financed (between $500 and $3,000) and taken out in equal payments through payroll deduction over one year. Email Patriot Tech for details, or stop by Patriot Tech in the Johnson Center to start the process.
Mason Administrative Professionals Group
Mason Administrative Professionals (MAP) is a community of practice that provides opportunities to network, engage, and build relationships through knowledge management. MAP welcomes anyone working at Mason who considers themselves to be in an administrative role.
Join the group at an upcoming meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at noon. The session will be hosted on Zoom.
During this meeting, MAP will discuss next steps to move back to a successful community of practice. We need your help to steer this conversation. For questions, contact Heather Aleknavage.
Change Your Commute: Vanpool
Looking for a new way to get to work? Consider vanpooling. Travel with the same group of Mason colleagues and reduce the time you spend driving. Plus, for full-time faculty/staff, the cost of your commute can be subsidized by Mason up to $280/month.
Seats are currently available from the Fredericksburg area (work hours 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Or, start your own vanpool with four coworkers. For details, visit the Parking and Transportation website or contact transpo@gmu.edu.
Environmental Justice and BIPOC Art Exhibitions this Fall
Mason Exhibitions in the School of Art is offering numerous events and exhibitions that align with social justice themes or highlight BIPOC artists. Visit masonexhibitions.org for detailed information, a list of events, and RSVP links. Follow @masonexhibitions for the latest information.
Current and upcoming exhibits include:
Pressure/Movement/Effect: New Arabic Calligraphy by Abdulrahman Naanseh
Art and Design Building, Gillespie Gallery
Open through Oct. 15
Approaching Event Horizons: Projects on Climate Change by Atlantika Collective
Mason Exhibitions Arlington
Open through Oct. 1
Fragments of Truth: a Shared History by Justyne Fisher
Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery
Sept. 12 to Nov. 12
Zero and One by Bennie Herron
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Buchanan Partners Gallery
Open through Nov. 6
The Visual Voices lecture series also resumes this fall. View the list of upcoming speakers.
Contact Yassmin Salem with questions.
Rideshare Matching through MasonCommutes
Ride-matching is back at Mason! Help MasonCommutes become the go-to place for Mason ridesharing. The more people who create an account, the more robust the site will become. Create an account today at masoncommutes.com.
Upcoming Performances at Mason
Fall 2022 Comedy Headliner: Saturday Night Live’s Jay Pharoah
Friday, Sept. 16, at 9 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Mason’s Fall 2022 Comedy Headliner is Saturday Night Live’s Jay Pharoah! Student tickets are $10 for upper tier and $20 for lower tier. Faculty/staff/alumni tickets are $25 for upper tier and $35 for lower tier. Fees apply for online sales. Student tickets are also available at the Student Involvement office in The Hub, Room 2300, or at the Center for the Arts (CFA) ticket office. Non-student tickets can be purchased online or in person at the CFA ticket office.
Mason School of Theater: The Originals!
Friday, Sept. 9, at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, TheatreSpace
The Originals! offers talented student playwrights and creative artists the chance to share their work in a variety of forms. Whether it’s a musical, a one-person show, choreographed devised work, or the traditional 10-minute play structure, explore the brilliant imaginations of our talented students as they present this year’s Originals!
Veterans Virtual Guitar Workshops
Level I: Tuesdays, Sept. 6, to Nov. 8, from 7–7:50 p.m.
Level II: Tuesdays, Sept. 6, to Nov. 8, from 8–8:50 p.m.
Location: Online via Zoom
Have you always wanted to try the guitar, or are you looking for tips to improve your technique? Musicians of all skill levels are invited to participate in a 10-week series of virtual lessons with Glen McCarthy, guitar instructor and GRAMMY Foundation Finalist. If you have played guitar before, see the requirements for Level II to determine which level is best for you. These virtual workshops will take place Tuesday evenings and are open and free to veterans, service members, military family members, and military caregivers.