Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
Staff Senate Meeting with President Washington
George Mason President Gregory Washington will join the February Staff Senate meeting as guest speaker on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 10–11 a.m. The general business meeting will follow from 11 a.m. to noon. Constituents are invited to attend the meeting in-person on the Fairfax Campus in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or via Zoom.
Outstanding Achievement Awards: Nominate a Colleague
The Outstanding Achievement Awards honor the hard work and achievements of George Mason faculty and staff. New award categories have been added this year, including the Rising Star Award, George Mason Lifetime Legacy Award, Wage Employee Service Award, Campus Culture Champion, Innovation Award, and more.
The ceremony will be hosted on Tuesday, April 15, on the Fairfax Campus. Nominations for many awards are due on Friday, Feb. 21. Visit the webpage. For any inquiries, contact awards@gmu.edu.
Celebration of Distinction: Nomination Form
The George Mason University Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Celebration of Distinction awards. Know an outstanding alum, student, or faculty member who should be recognized? Review the criteria and submission instructions. The deadline is Friday, March 7, 2025, at 5 p.m.
Parking and Transportation Updates for Spring Semester
George Mason students, faculty, and staff are reminded that traffic on and around campus greatly increases during the first few weeks of the semester. The following campus parking and transportation guide will help minimize potential parking and traffic delays. Read the full announcement.
Homecoming 2025 and Day of Service
Show your brave and bold spirit: The Mason Nation is invited to celebrate Homecoming from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8. Events include Homecoming headliner Sarah Sherman, the George Mason women's basketball game vs. VCU, Homecoming tailgate, men's basketball game vs. Rhode Island, and more. View the schedule of events.
Join Student Involvement for the annual Homecoming Day of Service, where volunteers will pack the SI2Go Truck with nonperishable food items and personal hygiene items. All items collected will be donated to the Patriot Pantry and Food for Others. Join on Wednesday, Feb. 5, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.. Look for the SI2GO truck outside The Hub on the Fairfax Campus.
How C-SPAN Changed Our World
Join University Libraries for an evening with Brian Lamb, founder and former CEO of the C-SPAN Networks and C-SPAN’s former executive chair. “How C-SPAN Changed Our World” will be hosted on Monday, Feb. 10, from 6–7:15 p.m. at Mason Square, Van Metre Hall, Room 125/126. RSVP.
Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government, will interview Lamb, one of the United States’ preeminent contributors to the communications and documentation fields.
University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center is home to the C-SPAN records archives. The collection is a treasure trove of correspondence, viewer mail, photographs, photographic negatives, slides, newspapers, audiovisual materials, posters, pamphlets, memorabilia, and books created from 1978 to 2012.
Training and Professional Development
Title IX Mason Employee Mandatory Reporter Training
The Title IX Office is providing virtual training this spring. This training is for current George Mason employees who have not completed their annual Mandatory Reporter Title IX training (virtual or in-person) for the 2024–25 academic year.
Spring 2025 Title IX Virtual Training Schedule:
Note: This training requirement may also be fulfilled by registering for and attending “Building Supportive Communities: Clery Act and Title IX” via MasonLEAPS. Contact titleix@gmu.edu with questions.
Suicide Prevention Training for Students, Faculty, and Staff
SOS (Signs of Suicide) for Higher Ed is a suicide prevention training program, which includes two 30-minute, self-guided, online training courses for students, faculty, and staff.
The trainings provide video and interactive learning to teach everyone on campus how to ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) in their role in suicide prevention. SOS for Higher Ed uses real and diverse stories of mental health struggles and recovery, along with modeled scenarios, to provide all learners with actionable steps to help someone in need.
Members of the George Mason community are encouraged to participate and learn:
- How to recognize signs of suicide risk
- How to have caring conversations that encourage someone to seek help
- How to build community connections that foster positive mental well-being
- An overview of available student mental health resources, on and off campus
For more details and to access the training, visit the Counseling and Psychological Services website.
Expectations Unlocked: Developing Your Supervisor User Manual for Team Clarity
Register for a dynamic in-person workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 1–2 p.m., designed to empower supervisors to effectively communicate their expectations to team members.
First offered at last year’s Faculty and Staff Enrichment Day, participants will learn how to develop a personalized user manual that outlines their leadership style, preferred communication methods, and performance expectations. Key takeaways will include a customizable template, actionable tips for implementing it within their teams, and insights on enhancing employee engagement and accountability.
By the end of the workshop, supervisors will be equipped with the tools needed to create their own user manual guide for their employees. Register.
UNIV Faculty Application
George Mason staff are invited to join the UNIV faculty team. University Studies is seeking staff to teach UNIV 100 Introduction to Mason in fall 2025. These introductory classes are co-taught by a George Mason faculty member and a peer advisor (a trained undergraduate student).
UNIV 100 supports first-year students by focusing on resources and opportunities available to them at George Mason. To learn more about this rewarding teaching experience, visit the website.
Spring 2025 Safe Zone+ Program
The George Mason community is invited to join the Safe Zone+ Program virtual workshops this spring. Registration is now available.
The primary mission of George Mason’s Safe Zone+ Program, like the LGBTQ+ Resources Center, is to create a safer, more welcoming and inclusive campus environment, and to strengthen community and encourage networking among faculty, staff, and students toward the goal of supporting the well-being of LGBTQ people. Read more about the different workshops and corresponding learning outcomes.
As a reminder, the asynchronous Intro to LGBTQ+ Communities session was updated and added to Canvas in summer 2024. This intro is also published to Canvas Commons, which allows faculty and other course administrators to reuse the module in their course. Contact lgbtq@gmu.edu with questions.
The "High-Performing" Rating Returns
Over the next two weeks, George Mason’s annual performance evaluation guidance website will be updated to reflect upcoming enhancements to the annual evaluation process, which will launch Friday, Feb. 17.
The most notable enhancement is the return of the “high-performing” rating. This rating has not been included the past two evaluation years. Based on feedback, evaluation process data and metrics, and a strategic goal of fostering an engaging performance management experience, the university will return to a five-point rating scale for administrative/professional faculty and classified staff. To learn more, register for an upcoming virtual session of Performance Evaluation Updates for 2025.
Resources for You
George Mason Night with the Washington Capitals
Celebrate George Mason night with the Washington Capitals as the Patriots fill the arena to watch the Caps take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m. Special ticket pricing options are available. A George Mason and Capitals co-branded beanie hat is available to those who purchase the special George Mason night ticket.
Join the George Mason University Alumni Association for a pregame reception at Clyde's Gallery Place before the hockey game on Thursday, March 20. Learn more.
Patriot Packout’s ‘New Year, New Me’ Free Store
Get items you need, save money, and help your fellow George Mason Patriots by donating items. The "New Year, New Me" free store is hosted by Patriot Packout in partnership with The Ridge and Housing and Residence Life. How it works:
- Attend as many times as you want. Bring your friends.
- Choose from any of the items you need—for free!
- Donation items are accepted but not required.
The store will be open for shopping and donations on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and Thursday, Jan. 30, from 11 a.m. to midnight at The Ridge, located between Blue Ridge and Sandbridge halls on the Fairfax Campus. Learn more about Patriot Packout.
Upcoming Performances and Arts Events at George Mason
Visual Voices with Chemi Rosado-Seijo
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts (and via Zoom)
Thursday, Jan. 30, 4:45–6:30 p.m.
Visual Voices is a lecture series hosted by Mason Exhibitions and the School of Art. Born in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, Chemi Rosado-Seijo graduated from the painting department of the Puerto Rico School of Visual Arts in 1997. In 1998, he worked with Michy Marxuach to open a gallery that transformed into a not-for-profit organization presenting resources and exhibitions for contemporary artists in Puerto Rico. RSVP.
Mason Exhibitions – Nothing Personal: A Collaboration in Black and White
Jan. 31 to May 3
Mason Exhibitions Arlington (3601 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia)
This exhibition examines the book, Nothing Personal (1964), a collaborative artwork in book form by two legendary American artists, James Baldwin and Richard Avedon. As we celebrate the 100th year since James Baldwin’s birth, and mark 60 years since the first publication of Nothing Personal, we continue to ask the same questions that Baldwin and Avedon were posing in 1964. Join the Opening Reception on Friday, Jan. 31, from 5–8 p.m. Contact Alissa Maru with questions about the venue or event.
George Mason School of Theater: Mason Cabaret 2025
Jan. 31 to Feb 2, multiple performances – Fairfax Campus, Harris Theatre
Friday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m. – SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
In this beloved annual event, stellar student vocalists bring their talents to the stage, celebrating some of the biggest and brightest names in music and theater. In this year’s performance, they will shine the spotlight on the work of legendary Broadway director and producer Hal Prince. A devoted collaborator of Stephen Sondheim’s, the treasure trove of Prince’s work includes Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Evita, and Phantom of the Opera, among many more. See the School of Theater’s bright young stars and discover the talented performers who could be Broadway’s next big hitmakers.
Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra with Branford Marsalis
Saturday, Feb. 1, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis joins the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra in this special concert. Marsalis is a band leader, featured classical soloist, and composer who has performed with acclaimed orchestras around the world. His legendary performances with the Grateful Dead and collaborations with Sting have made him a fan favorite in the pop arena. As a composer, Marsalis has scored films including Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the recent Netflix film Rustin. The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra is made up of the D.C. area’s finest musicians and is led by founder, artistic director, and virtuoso alto saxophonist Jim Carroll. This performance will also feature vocalist Darden Purcell, George Mason’s jazz program director.
Family Series: Mike Super – Magic & Illusion
Sunday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
See America’s Got Talent finalist and “America’s Favorite Mystifier” Mike Super live on stage. Super brings his immersive show of mind-blowing illusions to entertain and enthrall the whole family. He rose to fame as the winner of NBC’s hit television series Phenomenon, becoming the only magician in history to win a live magic competition on primetime U.S. network television. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Virginia Opera: A Taste of Opera
Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 1:30 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Jacquemin Family Foundation Rehearsal Hall
Enjoy a soaring selection of operatic delights performed by talented members of Virginia Opera, the official opera company of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Experience big talent in an intimate performance that includes famous arias and duets from the greatest hits of opera, in addition to Broadway showtunes and other diverse and exciting repertory.
Hylton Family Series: Elena Moon Park & Friends
Saturday, Feb. 8, at 11 a.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
Celebrate folk and children’s music from around the globe with Elena Moon Park & Friends. With an emphasis on east and southeast Asia, plus original songs reimagined to mix musical traditions, languages, styles, and stories, Park celebrates learning about the world through music. Sing and clap along to Taiwanese train songs, Tibetan jump rope rhymes, Cambodian folk songs, sing-alongs in English, and more, performed on string instruments, accordion, and drums. As an Artist-in-Residence, Park will also work with the community through classes and workshops during the week leading up to the performance.
Virginia Opera: The Constitution and Loving v. Virginia
Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.
Off-campus: Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center (3740 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax, Virginia 22030)
In support of Virginia Opera’s world premiere production of Loving v. Virginia, this legal panel discusses the origins, challenges, and significance of the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that struck down state laws banning marriage between individuals of different races. Panel participants will include Mary Bauer, executive director of ACLU-VA, as well as other constitutional scholars, active attorneys and/or judges, and experts. A brief Q & A session will follow the discussion. This event is co-presented by the City of Fairfax and Center for the Arts at George Mason and offered in conjunction with the Center for the Arts’ May 3–4 performances of the world premiere opera.
Spring Comedy Headliner: Sarah Sherman
Thursday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Sarah Sherman, a.k.a. Sarah Squirm, is currently a featured player on Saturday Night Live. She co-stars with Adam Sandler in the Netflix film You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah! Sherman is known for her popular live show, Helltrap Nightmare, and previously opened for Eric André on his national tour and wrote for The Eric André Show.
American Roots Series: Dylan Triplett
Saturday, Feb. 8, at 5 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater
Dylan Triplett is a blues and soul prodigy from St. Louis, Missouri, and was raised in a musical family. He began singing at age 9 and has been performing professionally since late 2016. His rise in the industry recently earned him the 2023 Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist Album presented by the Blues Foundation and the 2023 Blues Blast Award.
Virginia National Ballet: Snow White
Friday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
Virginia National Ballet’s delightful production of Snow White is a whimsical, enchanting ballet which follows the story of the Disney film and features its instantly recognizable music. Brought back by popular demand, the whole family will enjoy this upgraded production featuring gorgeous new backdrops and scenery, with world class choreography and dancing.
Versa-Style Street Dance Company
Saturday, Feb. 15, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Named “Los Angeles’ Best Dance Troupe for Hip Hop Empowerment” by LA Weekly, Versa-Style Street Dance Company immerses its audience in the electrifying world of hip hop and street dance culture. To mark its 20th anniversary, the troupe presents Rooted Rhythms, a mixed repertory program of its most popular works, paying homage to street dance styles such as whacking, popping, and house dance, as well as a blend of Afro-Latin styles including salsa and West African. As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Versa-Style Street Dance Company will engage the community and students through a variety of events, classes, and discussions.