Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
Join the Sip Sip Club: Unlimited Coffee and Tea with Mason Dining's Mug
The reusable Mason Dining Mug lets you enjoy endless brewed coffee and tea (iced or hot!) from spots on campus, plus get a 10% discount on handcrafted beverages until May 31, 2025. Purchase a mug at the Express in the Johnson Center on the Fairfax Campus, or at the Mason Square Café. Mugs may be used at Starbucks, Dunkin', Einstein Bros. Bagels, The Difference Baker, Mason Square Café, and Randall’s Café. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more.
New Vending Option: Just Baked Smart Bistro
Enjoy hot, fresh food items, ready in under two minutes from the new Just Baked Smart Bistro vending machines at George Mason.
Just Baked Smart Bistro machines are now available on the Fairfax Campus in Fenwick Library, Nguyen Engineering Building, and Peterson Hall, and at Mason Square in Van Metre Hall. Order by credit card through the mobile app. The option to pay with dining dollars is coming soon.
No Mason Shuttles Service on Independence Day
There will be no Mason Shuttles service on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Contact shuttle@gmu.edu or by phone at 703-993-2828 with questions.
Parking Lot Paving and Closures on the Fairfax Campus
This summer, parking areas on the Fairfax Campus will be milled, paved, and striped. The schedule is subject to change based on weather and existing conditions. Signage about closures will be posted at parking lot entrances. View the complete schedule.
Training and Professional Development
IT Security Awareness Training Begins July 9
All Mason employees, including contractors, affiliates, and student wage workers, will have Information Technology (IT) Security Awareness Training assigned to their MasonLEAPS accounts on Tuesday, July 9. Those with specialized functions will also receive mandatory role-based training.
This year, Information Technology Services (ITS) is changing how it tracks and enforces compliance. Users must complete the training before their semi-annual password reset. If the training is not completed by then, users will be allowed to change their passwords and have 14 days to complete the training. Failure to comply will result in the user’s account being disabled. Additional information about how compliance will be enforced is available on the ITS website. Contact support@gmu.edu or 703-993-8870 with questions.
Learn Mental Health First Aid this Summer
Complete Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to learn how to help someone suffering from a mental health crisis, increase your mental health literacy, and dismantle the stigma associated with mental health and substance use challenges. The Center for the Advancement of Well-Being will present MHFA training at these summer sessions:
- July 22 and 23 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- August 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The eight-hour training will be split into two four-hour sessions. Learn more and register.
Workplace Appreciation Workshops
In the Workplace Appreciation workshop, participants will discuss the five languages of workplace appreciation, reflect on personal preferences for receiving appreciation, and discuss impactful ways of appreciating colleagues. Check the schedule of upcoming workshops.
George Mason offices and departments may also request custom workshops to be delivered at team meetings and retreats. Contact Faculty and Staff Engagement for details.
Resources for You
Mason Throughout the Nation: New Employee Resource Group
A new employee resource group for hybrid and remote faculty and staff is kicking off this summer. Mason Throughout the Nation (MTN) is dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community for remote and hybrid faculty and staff.
The group’s mission is to bridge geographical distances to create a supportive network that fosters well-being, connection, and a sense of belonging. Through sharing healthy work-life balance practices, professional development opportunities, and social events to build camaraderie, we aim to ensure that no matter where our members are located, they feel connected and supported at George Mason.
Attend the first meeting on Thursday, July 18, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Learn more and register. Those who are unable to attend but interested in joining the listserv for future communications should complete the MTN interest form.
Patriot Packout’s Free Store
Patriot Packout’s annual “free store” will be open from July 1–3 and July 8–10 on the Fairfax Campus in the Art and Design Building. Items in the store were donated during Patriot Packout, the university's sustainable moveout program.
Clothing, shoes, accessories, books, art supplies, small appliances, electronics, household items, and more are included. This event is open to George Mason students, staff, faculty, and alumni only. Registration is required.
Faculty/Staff Commuter Choice and Bike Commuter Choice
Commuter Choice
Full-time faculty and staff are eligible for the Commuter Choice program, which covers qualified transit/vanpool expenses (not parking) up to the IRS limit of $315/month based upon actual commuting costs. For details, visit the website. The deadline to apply for August funds is Wednesday, July 10.
Bike Commuter Choice
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 (non-student) 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. Need help finding a comfortable route to campus? Visit the biking resource page.
Contact Mason Transportation at transpo@gmu.edu with questions.
Intro to Mindfulness: Online Sessions
Strengthen your well-being by learning mindfulness, meditation, and stress management strategies to integrate into your busy life. Join the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being for these online Intro to Mindfulness sessions this summer:
- Intro to Mindfulness Part 1 will meet on Wednesdays (July 10, 17, 24, and 31) from noon to 1:15 p.m. Register.
- Intro to Mindfulness Part 2 will meet on Fridays (August 2, 9, 16, and 23) from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Contact Katie Clare at kclare@gmu.edu to register.
Sophrology for Work Stress: Free Online Sessions
Sophrology is a dynamic relaxation method that can strengthen the well-being of both your body and your mind. Join the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being for free online “Sophrology for Work Stress” sessions on Wednesdays in July (including July 10, 17, 24, and 31 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.). You can join any individual session, or all of them. Learn more and register.
Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group: Summer Sessions
The Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group will meet on Friday afternoons this summer. Kritikos engages in discussions on writing about the arts, critical studies, translation, the artist in society, and art as speech. Learn more.
Join them for the topic “Black and Autistic” on Friday, June 28, from 1–2:30 p.m. via Zoom. This event is free and open to the public.
Upcoming Performances and Arts Events at George Mason
Mason Jazz Camp: The United States Air Force Airmen of Note
Thursday, June 27, at 3:30 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., the Airmen of Note is one of six musical ensembles that form The U.S. Air Force Band. Created in 1950 to continue the tradition of Major Glenn Miller's Army Air Forces dance band, the current band consists of 18 active-duty musicians, including one vocalist. Through the years, the Airmen of Note has presented its own brand of big band jazz as well as more contemporary forms of jazz to audiences via annual tours across the United States, deployments around the world, and local performances throughout metropolitan Washington, D.C. This performance is free and open to the public. Find more Mason Jazz Camp performances.
ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre: SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical
Friday, June 28, at 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 29, at 2 and 7 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre presents SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical, based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea and is the hottest star on Broadway? Why, it’s SpongeBob SquarePants! Audiences will delight in this brilliant, bright, hilarious, and brand new musical.
Prince William Little Theatre: 110 in the Shade
July 12–21, multiple performances
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
In the hot and drought-stricken American southwest small town of Three Point, traveling con man Bill Starbuck promises the local farmers he can conjure some much-needed rain. Lizzie Curry, whose advances are rebuffed by Sheriff Fife, blossoms as she pursues a romantic relationship with the charismatic stranger.
ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre: Anastasia the Musical (Youth Edition)
Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 27, at 2 and 7 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Merchant Hall
This dazzling production transports the audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. Follow Anya, a brave young woman who sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.