Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
High School Graduations at EagleBank Arena, May 24 to June 13
Heavy traffic is expected on and near the Fairfax Campus from May 24 through June 13 due to high school graduation celebrations at EagleBank Arena.
With multiple ceremonies most days, traffic will be entering and exiting campus from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., so please allow for extra travel time.
View a complete list of upcoming ceremonies. Follow Parking and Transportation on Facebook and Twitter for updates. Contact parking@gmu.edu with questions.
Summer Dining Options
Check out the list of dining options on campus this summer. Hours are posted on the Mason Dining website.
Feel like dining off campus? Consider these Patriot Perks merchants that offer Mason discounts.
Complete the Learning Management System (LMS) Feedback Survey by May 25
Faculty and staff are invited to help Mason choose its new Learning Management System (LMS). Vendor presentations from the three finalists took place May 8–10. Presentation recordings, including audience questions and answers, are now available on the LMS website.
Complete the feedback survey for each of the three finalists by Thursday, May 25. Those interested in sandbox testing accounts for each vendor should submit their information through the LMS Sandbox Request Form. A deadline to complete sandbox testing will be announced shortly.
A decision on a replacement LMS will be made within the next few months. After a platform is selected, there will be a transition period with an emphasis on faculty development and automated course conversions.
Requirements for Summer Programs Hosting Minors
Departments hosting summer programs, events, or camps (PECs) attended by participants under the age of 18 who are not currently enrolled at Mason must follow Mason policies and procedures when working with minors, including University Policy 1138 Minors on Campus.
Information about specific PEC procedures, including the required PEC registration process, is available on Mason’s Camps and Youth Programs website. Questions? Contact Buz Grover, Operations and Business Services.
Mason Shuttles: Summer Schedule Underway
Mason Shuttles began a summer schedule on Monday, May 22. Service is Monday–Friday only. The shuttle schedules are posted at shuttle.gmu.edu and a summary is also available.
Note: There is no shuttle service on the following dates:
- Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day)
- Monday, June 19 (Juneteenth)
- Tuesday, July 4 (Independence Day)
Contact shuttle@gmu.edu or 703-993-2828 with questions.
'All of Us' Education and Enrollment Center Exhibit
George Mason University will host the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Journey, a traveling, hands-on exhibit that raises awareness about the All of Us Research Program. The program aims to speed up health research and medical breakthroughs. To do so, All of Us is asking one million volunteers to share different types of health and lifestyle information—information like where they live, what they do, and their family health history.
The mobile exhibit includes an opportunity for visitors to sign up to participate in the program by answering surveys, giving their physical measurements, and more. Read about the exhibit.
The All of Us exhibit at Mason will take place May 30 to June 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Merten Lawn. The event is sponsored by University Libraries, the College of Public Health, and Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program.
Those interested in learning more about the data may attend a webinar on June 1.
Training and Professional Development
Annual University Business Consulting Summer Knowledge Share Series
Registration is now open for University Business Consulting’s annual Summer Knowledge Share Series. Sessions are open to all faculty and staff and offered both in-person (Fairfax Campus, Merten Hall) and via Zoom. Topics include:
- Peer Reviews and Benchmarking Primer for Non-Academic Projects: Thursday, June 1, noon to 1 p.m.
- Pitching and Presentation Best Practices: Thursday, July 13, noon to 1 p.m.
- Change Management Primer: Thursday, August 10, noon to 1 p.m.
Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone Training
Employee Health and Well-Being, a division of Safety, Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management, will provide Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone Training on the Fairfax Campus on the following dates from 1–2 p.m.:
- Thursday, June 22
- Tuesday, July 18
- Wednesday, Aug. 2
Training will be offered at Mason Square on Wednesday, June 21, from 10–11 a.m. Register for a training. Email questions to ehw@gmu.edu.
Crucial Conversations Workshop: Mastering Dialogue
Join the Organizational Development and Learning team in exploring the skills to step into disagreement—rather than over or around it—and turn disagreement into dialogue for improved relationships and results. Facilitated by certified trainers, Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is an engaging classroom course rich with group discussion, real-time practice, and group support and coaching.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
Thursday, June 15, and Friday, June 16
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (participants must attend both days)
Fairfax Campus, Merten Hall, Room 1203
University Life Student Success Symposium
Mason faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to register for the 2023 University Life Student Success Symposium. The pre-conference will be held Monday, June 5, and the symposium will be held Tuesday, June 6.
The 2023 UL Symposium invites attendees to engage with the “why” in our work as practitioners of student success. The symposium will provide attendees with interactive and engaging experiences to focus on the new and continued work of student affairs professionals in the ever-changing and evolutionary nature of higher education.
Registration is open through May 30. Contact the planning team at ulprodev@gmu.edu with questions.
All of Us Research Workbench Webinar
The All of Us Research Workbench is the largest, most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind. Built in partnership with participants spanning different ages, races, ethnicities, and regions of the country, it currently includes physical measurements, surveys, wearables, electronic health records, and genomics.
Join us as we learn about the participants, explore the data offered, and see how to start a research project using All of Us data and tools.
All of Us Research Workbench Webinar
Thursday, June 1, at noon
Hosted on Zoom
Attendees may also view the webinar on campus in Fenwick Library, Room 1014B. This event is sponsored by University Libraries, Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center, and the College of Public Health. This webinar accompanies the All of Us exhibit at Mason.
Contact Kathy Butler, Health Sciences Librarian, with any questions.
Resources for You
Mason Night with D.C. United
Celebrate Mason Night with D.C. United as the Patriots fill the stadium to watch D.C. United take on Inter Miami CF on Saturday, July 8. Attendees can also register for a pre-match reception at Tap99.
Pricing includes discounted seats and a Mason and D.C. United co-branded cinch bag. To receive the co-branded cinch bag, you must purchase the special Mason ticket.
Mason Forms Disability+ Justice Coalition
The Office of Faculty Affairs and Development recently created The Mason Disability+ Justice Coalition in collaboration with faculty and staff. This social justice group strives to create a safe and inclusive space for employees with disabilities and their allies. The group’s mission is to foster a community where members can discuss and combat discriminatory practices and cultures, share resources, successes and challenges, and create a welcoming environment where everyone feels celebrated.
To join the group, contact Amy Ayres. To learn more, visit the Affinity Groups webpage.
Discounted Subscriptions to Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center
Mason faculty, staff, and retirees are eligible for 50 percent off the ticket price for season subscriptions to the Center for the Arts (Great Performances at Mason and Family Series) and the Hylton Performing Arts Center (Hylton Presents, Hylton Family Series, and American Roots Series).
Subscriptions are packages of three or more performances. Present your Mason ID at the ticket office to claim your discount.
Contact the Center for the Arts at 703-993-8888 or the Hylton Center at 703-993-7759 with questions.
Sophrology for Well-Being Summer Sessions
Sophrology is a dynamic relaxation method that can strengthen the well-being of both your body and mind. Practicing sophrology involves techniques such as breathing, mental imagery, gentle movement, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation.
Join the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being for summer sophrology sessions on May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day. Sessions will be hosted online. You may participate in any of these sessions or all of them. Learn more about sophrology and register to attend.
Metro Orange Line Platform Work this Summer
Construction work will occur on Metro’s Orange Line over the summer. Stations between Ballston and Vienna will be affected from June 3 to July 16. For information on the project, including WMATA shuttle service while some stations are closed, visit the WMATA website. An overview of all planned Metrorail track work is available. Contact Mason Transportation to learn about alternate transportation options.
Film Screening with Kyle Finnegan, Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awardee
Join College of Visual and Performing Arts alumnus Kyle Finnegan for a screening of his new documentary short:
MSG: Mysterious Savory Grains
Sunday, June 4, at 4 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Johnson Center Cinema
Registration required
For a lot of Americans, monosodium glutamate is a scary ingredient. But for chef Tim Ma, it's an essential part of his cooking. In this short documentary, three experts discuss the history, stigma, and deliciousness of MSG.
Following the screening, Professor Ben Steger of Mason’s Film and Video Studies program will host a Q&A session with Finnegan.
This event showcases Finnegan’s latest independent film, funded in part by his award from the College of Visual and Performing Arts Young Alumni Commissioning Project.
Digital Implementations of Exercise is Medicine® with Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center
The Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center and its lifestyle medicine program, Exercise is Medicine® (EIM-FAFC), are excited to announce a new partnership with EXI® Therapeutics Inc., a MedTech company that has developed a robust app aimed at allowing certified health and fitness professionals to prescribe tailored exercise programs and monitor real-time data in a way that’s easy, effective, and accessible to a larger portion of the population. In coordination with EIM-FAFC, clients will have the support they need to achieve their health goals.
Exercise is Medicine is a 12-week program in which participants simultaneously work with a health and wellness coach and personal trainer in a series of sessions, after an individual assessment and prescription, targeted at three key areas: exercise, nutrition education, and lifestyle behavior change.
Read more about the program and the latest updates.
Help Prevent or Delay the Onset of Type 2 Diabetes
The Department of Nutrition and Food Studies in the College of Public Health (CPH) is conducting a clinical study aimed at helping individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes to prevent or delay its onset. Those interested in participating will be screened by phone; eligible individuals will be invited to take part in the study. Participants must be between the ages of 45 to 65, have a BMI between 25 to 39.9 kg/m2, and Hb A1c levels between 5.7 and 6.4. For details, visit the CPH website. Email questions to Blessing Seidu or Raedeh Basiri.