Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
Board of Visitors Public Comment Registration Form to Remain Open until April 22
On Tuesday, April 5, the Board of Visitors conducted a meeting with an associated public comment session. This meeting included a presentation by Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Carol Kissal on Mason’s FY 2023 financial plan, which outlined proposals for tuition and mandatory fees. During this meeting, the Rector requested that the written public comment form remain open until April 22, 2022. For additional details on the meeting and the public comment process, visit the Board of Visitors website.
The Faculty and Staff Experience Survey Is Here
On April 18, Gallup sent a survey link to employees’ Mason email addresses. Please take some time to open your unique link and participate in the survey. The survey will only take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
The results will remain confidential. Data will only be shared in such a way that no one individual can be identified.
Taking the time to participate in this survey is vital to the Mason community, and the results are actionable—the data will be used to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
Visit the Faculty and Staff Experience Survey website for more information. Contact hr@gmu.edu with questions.
General Faculty Meeting Scheduled for April 20
Join President Gregory Washington for this year’s General Faculty Meeting on Wednesday, April 20, from 3 to 4:15 p.m. This meeting, provided by the Faculty Handbook, is an opportunity to engage with and hear from the president, provost, and key university leaders in a public forum on institution-wide initiatives, as well as participate in discussions on several issues that are important to the general faculty. The event will be held both in-person (Merten Hall, Room 1201) and via Zoom.
Outstanding Achievement Award Recipients
These awards celebrate the hard work, dedication and achievements of faculty and staff across a number of categories and support Mason's values and mission. See the full list of this year's recipients.
Transportation Survey Underway: Feedback Requested
Mason's 2022 Transportation Survey is underway through Friday, May 6. Take a few minutes to share how you get to, from, and around campus. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
After completing the survey, you may opt-in to a raffle for 10 prize packages, valued at $40 each. Ten participants will be randomly selected from those who opt-in.
As background to the survey, 30 percent 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, while sharing your feedback about key issues.
Participate in the survey. Contact transpo@gmu.edu with questions.
Spring into Well-Being: April 18–22
Mason’s annual well-being celebration, Spring into Well-Being, is underway from Monday, April 18, to Friday, April 22. Individuals from the Mason Nation and beyond will have the opportunity to participate in well-being events.
Each day features a theme to help you thrive:
- Day 1: Kindness (#MasonChoosesKindness)
- Day 2: Physical Health
- Day 3: Strengths and Resilience
- Day 4: Mental Health
- Day 5: Thriving Together (community well-being)
Search “SIWB22” in Mason 360 to find all event details and register. Use the hashtag #SIWB22 to post about your Spring into Well-Being experiences on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Victims' Rights Run/Walk
Join Mason’s Annual Victims' Rights Run/Walk (VRRW) 5K on Wednesday, April 27. In addition to the 5K, other activities are planned across Mason campuses—including yard games, yoga, and meditation. #5KYourOwnWay by choosing a physical activity that’s right for you.
Funds raised through VRRW will support student survivors through the Mason's Victims of Violence Fund. This fund provides Mason student survivors with trauma therapy, emergency housing, safety planning support, and many other resources. Learn more and register today.
Training and Professional Development
Student Loan Repayment Information Session for University Employees
Join the Student Support and Advocacy Center virtually on Wednesday, April 27, from noon to 1 p.m. for a Student Loan Repayment Information Session for university employees.
This is an informational session to make sure university employees are prepared for when the COVID deferment on student loan payments expires. This session is open to all Mason faculty and staff.
You do not need student loan debt yourself to attend this session, as it is also important to understand what Mason students face with repayment. Attendees will end the session with the confidence to get started on a path to successful student loan repayments. Register today.
Leadercast 2022 Coming to the SciTech Campus
Leadercast 2022: The One Thing is coming to Beacon Hall on the SciTech Campus on Wednesday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Prince William Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Prince William are teaming up to host this annual simulcast event.
This year, 10 influential leaders will all answer the question: “What is the one thing that makes a leader worth following?”
Register today. For questions, contact Donna Tressler, SciTech Executive Office, at 703-993-8355.
Resources for You
Prescribe to Thrive: Exercise is Medicine at Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center
The Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center has received a community grant from Sentara Community Health & Wellness Partnership. This grant will help accomplish the goal of improving the health of the Prince William County community by reducing the impact of sedentary lifestyles through Exercise is Medicine (EIM), a community-based exercise and lifestyle change program.
Through Mason, community health care systems, and the Freedom Center, the EIM model will help establish a standard of care where local health care providers are consistently making referrals to qualified community prevention programs to:
- Implement a clinical exercise and lifestyle change program for those at risk for chronic disease
- Empower patients to become responsible in managing their health and increase self-efficacy to perform and maintain new healthy behaviors, resulting in improved quality of life
- Improve biometrics
The Freedom Center offers a comprehensive, 12-week program that provides an accessible, low-cost option to help guide and encourage sustainable lifestyle changes for improved activity levels and overall well-being.
For more information, contact Tammy Rowland.
The Secret to Meal Prep Success: CommonHealth and WW Webinar
Get set up for success with WW’s free meal prep and meal planning webinar on Thursday, April 21, at 10:30 a.m. Register today.
Participants will learn:
- The benefits of meal planning and meal prepping
- How to master the grocery store
- How to build a successful week of meals
More than 2,200 state employees have joined the new WW PersonalPoints™ plan that can help you lose weight while eating what you love and living your life fully. It is based on your body, your goals, and the foods you love, meaning that no two plans are the same.
Contact worklife@gmu.edu for more information.
Shop Commemorative 50th Anniversary Merchandise
We are celebrating Mason’s first 50 years as an independent university by featuring a limited-time line of merchandise with commemorative 50th Anniversary logos and designs. The collection includes t-shirts, glassware, wine, home furnishings, and more! Shop today.
Contact Aliya Rinaldi, Operations and Business Services, with questions.
Bike Commuter Choice for Faculty/Staff
Do you live within a few miles of campus and think biking to work could be good for your well-being?
All faculty and staff are eligible to participate in the Bike Commuter Choice Program. The program has four tiers of support. The more you ride, the greater the financial incentive.
The introductory tier is just five rides per quarter. For details, visit bike.gmu.edu and select the Faculty/Staff Bike Commuter Choice Program. Questions? Email transpo@gmu.edu.
Upcoming Performances at Mason
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Featuring Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Saturday, April 23, at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
The Center for the Arts is proud to co-present a thrilling classical music program by the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO), featuring piano virtuoso Simone Dinnerstein, who the Washington Post has praised as “an artist of strikingly original ideas and irrefutable integrity.” Under Christopher Zimmerman’s baton, the FSO continues to reach new heights.
Acrobuffos
Sunday, April 24, at 4 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center
Full of color, light, and laughter, Air Play is “a joy from start to finish,” raves the Sydney Morning Herald. Created by the husband and wife circus team of Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone, in collaboration with kinetic sculptor Daniel Wurtzel, Air Play is a whimsical, heartfelt, and funny homage to the magic of the invisible substance all around us: air! This performance is family-friendly.
Lila Downs
Sunday, April 24, at 7 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Lila Downs is one of the most influential artists in Latin America. Whether it’s a full-throated mariachi song, an achingly tender bolero, or sultry jazz tune, this GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter draws audiences in with her unmistakable charisma and inspiring storytelling. Singing in Spanish, English, and several Native American languages, Downs is known for her impressive range and joyous performances with her longtime band. A pre-performance discussion will take place in Monson Grand Tier 45 minutes prior to curtain.
Mason Jazz Vocal Night
Monday, April 25, at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Join Darden Purcell, the Mason Jazz Voice Studio, and Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble for an evening of swinging standards and classic hits from the Great American Songbook! With special guests Forest Park High School Platinum Vocal Jazz, directed by Lara Brittain.
The Jazz Workshop
Mason Jazz Studies
Wednesday, April 27, at 8 p.m.
de Laski Performing Arts Building, Room 3001
Join the Mason Jazz Workshop, directed by John Kocur, in their spring concert. The Jazz Workshop explores the intersection of improvisation and composition in an atypical jazz ensemble, performing the music of Charles Mingus, Horace Silver, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, and more. This concert is free and open to the public.
Mason School of Theater: Just Like Us
By Karen Zacarias
Directed by Esteban Marmojelo-Suarez
April 29 to May 1, multiple performances
de Laski Performing Arts Building, TheaterSpace
Based on Helen Thorpe’s bestselling book, this play follows four Latina teens living in Denver—two of whom are documented and two who are not—through young adulthood. Based on the real lives of DREAMers, Just Like Us poses difficult, yet essential questions about what makes us American. The April 29 production of Just Like Us will be an ASL-interpreted performance.
Dewberry School of Music: Wind Symphony
Thursday, April 28, at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Watch the Wind Symphony present its spring concert, conducted by Mark Camphouse. This performance will feature premieres of wind band works, including a Virginia premiere by Mason’s own Mark Camphouse.
Mason Opera Presents Giacomo Rossini’s La Cenerentola
Dewberry School of Music
April 29 to May 1, multiple performances
Harris Theatre
Mason Opera is delighted to bring Giacomo Rossini’s La Cenerentola to vibrant and sparkling life. Composed in 1817, La Cenerentola is a charming, operatic dramma giocoso in two acts, which premiered at the Teatro Valle in Rome on January 25, 1817. In addition to the beautiful music and the exquisite sets, costumes, and lighting, Mason’s exciting spring opera production will feature the talents of the vocal and instrumental students from the Mason Opera and the Mason Symphony Orchestra. Join us for an evening of exciting artistry as we retell the beautiful Cinderella story.
Leslie Odom Jr.
Saturday, April 30, at 8 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center
Known globally for his Tony Award-winning performance as Aaron Burr in the hit musical Hamilton, Broadway superstar Leslie Odom Jr. presents a thrilling concert for the Hylton Center's 12th Anniversary Gala. Odom is a multifaceted performer whose career spans theater, television, film, and Grammy Award-winning music. Music fans will not want to miss this celebrated performer live in the Hylton Center’s Merchant Hall.
International Jazz Day Concert
Dewberry School of Music
Saturday, April 30, at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Share the vibrancy and vitality of jazz music with Mason Jazz students and faculty. International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts on all continents to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future, and impact. Featured groups include the Mason Jazz Ensemble (Jim Carroll), Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Darden Purcell), Latin American Ensemble (Juan Megna), District PANTET and the Braddock Road Brass Band (Graham Breedlove).
Steel Pan Ensemble | Latin American Ensemble | Braddock Road Brass Band
Wednesday, May 4, at 8 p.m.
de Laski Performing Arts Building, Room 3001
Travel to the Caribbean with the Steel Pan Ensemble (directed by Victor Provost), countries of Latin America (with the Down Beat Award-winning Latin American Ensemble, directed by Juan Megna), and back home again to the birthplace of Jazz, New Orleans (with the Braddock Road Brass Band, directed by Graham Breedlove!). This performance is free and open to the public.