Facilities

For its commitment to campus sustainability, George Mason University has earned a Gold rating in the STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) Assessment. STARS is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance and is offered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

The new Activities Community Wellness Building is designed to enhance campus life by providing a gathering place for students to engage with each other and deepen their sense of belonging at the university.

Helping the community understand the parameters of recycling and composting is one of the biggest challenges in recycling and waste management, according to Kevin Brim, supervisor in Facilities Management at George Mason University. “It can be confusing trying to decide what is recycling, trash, or compostable,” said Brim. His team is working hard to change that.

George Mason University Facilities has installed 23 Bigbelly zero waste stations on the Fairfax and Mason Square campuses. These solar-powered stations support Mason’s recycling and composting goals through their user-friendly design, technology upgrades, and capacity-based alerts. 

The Green Studio, located on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, is a permaculture garden, outdoor studio, and lab space dedicated to hosting ecological art and design projects by students from across the arts and sciences. Jennifer Ashworth wanted to elevate the space in preparation for more student projects in the future. She applied for funding through University Sustainability’s Patriot Green Fund and was granted financial support to revamp the garden in preparation for the new academic year.

George Mason University recently partnered with Virginia State University (VSU) to transfer surplus furniture from Mason residence halls. Through the efforts of staff from Mason Facilities and Housing and Residence Life, more than 850 pieces of furniture were transferred to furnish newly opened residential spaces at VSU, an HBCU located near Petersburg, Virginia.

One person has portrayed three different George Mason University mascots over the years, including the tricorn-hat Gunston (1993), the brief Gorilla period (1994), and the fuzzy Gunston (1996). He is still a Mason employee. Who is it?

The Patriot Pathbreakers Award, established by Human Resources and the Staff Senate, honors high- performing staff teams that embody the George Mason University value of “Thriving Together.” These innovative teams use individual talents to overcome obstacles and make progress toward their goals. They have adapted their services and processes when necessary to meet the changing needs of the Mason community. Their work makes Mason All Together Different.

Cathy Pinskey, capital program director at George Mason University, has watched Mason’s square footage grow a lot over the years—by the millions. As capital program director with Mason Facilities, Pinskey has overseen the university’s largest and most complicated capital projects to date, including the Core Campus Project from 2016 to 2022, which revitalized the heart of the Fairfax Campus. Today, her main focus is Fuse at Mason Square, a new building currently under construction.

University Sustainability and the Greenhouse and Garden’s Program are contributing to Mason's efforts to eradicate food insecurity by providing access to campus-grown fruits and vegetables.