Around Mason: Week of September 24, 2019

Faculty/Staff Announcements

Have something to share? Submit an announcement from your unit using the online form.

Deadline is close of business Wednesday for inclusion in the following Tuesday's edition.

Farmers Market on Tuesday, Sept. 22

Mason Dining is hosting a Farmers Market on Tuesday, September 24, in the Southside Lobby from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Check out free samples and purchase some fresh produce from local partners. Payments will be accepted in the form of cash, credit, debit, or Mason Money.

Contact Bridget Bukovich, Mason Dining, at 703-993-6095 or bridget.bukovich@sodexo.com with questions.

Happy Heart Walk: Sept. 25

Time to get pumped! Mason's annual Happy Heart Walk is coming up on Wednesday, September 25, at noon.

This marks the 11th year of the Happy Heart Walk. Join fellow students, faculty, and staff for a walk across all campuses to promote heart health.

Awards are given to the team with the most spirit and to the largest number of participants from a single department. Encourage your colleagues to attend! Did we mention there will be giveaways?

Check out the flyer for more details. Bring your walking shoes and your best heart puns!

Questions? Contact worklife@gmu.edu.

Rock the Block with Mason!

Join George Mason University and the Patriot for our free annual block party in Fairfax City! Enjoy music, food trucks, special promotions, giveaways, and more.

Rock the Block with Mason
Friday, September 27
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Fairfax City's Old Town Square

Bring your colleagues, registered student organization, or friends and family.

Wear your green and gold and party with Patriots from Student Government, Athletics, Government and Community Relations, Contemporary Student Services, Alumni Relations, and more. 

For questions, contact Dawn Hicks, Athletics, at dhicks20@gmu.edu or 703-993-2958.

October Staff Senate Meeting: Active Threat Preparedness and Response

The October Staff Senate general meeting will feature guest speaker David Farris, executive director of safety and emergency management, Environmental Health and Safety. The discussion will focus on active threat preparedness, response procedures, physical security, and Q&A regarding initiatives and resources at Mason.

Staff Senate General Meeting
Wednesday, October 2
10:30 a.m. to noon (guest speaker 10:30 to 11 a.m.)
Fairfax: Research Hall, Room 163
Arlington: Van Metre Hall, Room B119 (videoconferenced)
SciTech: Colgan Hall, Room 221 (videoconferenced)
WebEx: gmu.webex.com | Meeting Number: 648 314 965 | Meeting password: 2ktMam99 | Join by phone: 1-240-454-0879

All are welcome to attend the Staff Senate general meeting.

For questions, contact staffsenate@gmu.edu.

Shuttle Schedule: Fall Break

An abbreviated Mason Shuttles schedule will be in effect for Fall Break on October 13–14. For questions, contact shuttle@gmu.edu or 703-993-2828.
 

Fall Career Fair Expanding to 150 Employers Each Day

Encourage your students to attend the upcoming career fair:

Fall Career Fair
October 2–3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Johnson Center, lower level

Registration is not required. Students are encouraged to attend both days, as each day features many different employers (view the list). 

Student Prep Events:

  • Attend the Prepare for the Fair Workshop on Monday, September 30, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in SUB I, Room 3B.
  • Bring your resume to the Resume Clinic on Monday, September 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Tuesday, October 1, from 1 to 7 p.m. in SUB I, Room 3400.
    • Virtual resume reviews will also be available on October 1 from 4 to 11 p.m.

For more information, contact Bernadette Davey, University Career Services, at 703-993-2372 or bdavey@gmu.edu.

Celebrating 10 years of The EDGE: Open Climb on Challenge Course

The EDGE, Mason Recreation's Team Building and Experiential Learning Program, celebrates its 10 year anniversary this October. Join the celebration at the SciTech Campus with games, activities, light snacks, and fun!

The EDGE 10th Anniversary Celebration | Open Climb
Saturday, October 5
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
SciTech Campus

The event will feature an 'Open Climb' on the 50-foot Alpine Tower (free and open to students, faculty, staff, and community members).

Register today. For questions, contact edge@gmu.edu.

Pedestrian Safety Advisory

Distractions are everywhere today and becoming more and more difficult to avoid. Remember that, as a pedestrian, your eyes and ears are your best tools for keeping safe.

Put down the phone, don’t wear headphones, use crosswalks, stay on sidewalks when possible, and follow the rules of the road. Visit the Risk Management website for additional tips on staying safe while walking, or biking, on campus.

Stay alert and watch out.

Active Threats Awareness and Prevention Video Screening

University Police and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) host facilitated viewings of the university’s Active Threats Awareness and Prevention video.

During each two-hour session, held in the Johnson Center Cinema, University Police and EHS review the university’s active threat response procedures and address questions and concerns raised by the audience.

View available dates and register today.

Contact safety@gmu.edu or 703-993-9715 with questions.

3rd Annual Summit for Programs, Events, and Camps Serving Minors (PEC)

Working with an activity that includes minors? Come to Mason’s third annual Programs, Events, and Camps (PEC) Serving Minors Summit to learn about the policies, procedures, and resources available to PECs.

PEC Summit
Monday, October 7, 10 a.m. to noon
Fairfax: Merten Hall, Room 1201
Arlington: Van Metre Hall, Room B119 (videoconferenced)
SciTech: Colgan Hall, Room 221 (videoconferenced)

Representatives from Human Resources, Risk Management, University Events, and other policy stakeholders will present and answer questions. Service providers such as Sodexo and Parking Services will also provide helpful information. Many of the most successful PEC hosts will be available to share their expertise. 

New this year, the Office of University Audit will present information about its role in the PEC policy process.

The session will be videoconferenced to Arlington and SciTech. Webex recording will be available for those unable to attend.

Questions? Contact Buz Grover, Auxiliary Enterprises, at 703-993-5784 or hgroveri@gmu.edu.

MasonCARES Suicide Prevention Training

Counseling and Psychological Services hosts MasonCARES, a two-hour “gatekeeping” training on suicide prevention.

Attendees will learn why people attempt suicide, how to talk to somebody about suicide, how to respond to a person in crisis, warning signs, myths about suicide, and how to make a referral. 

Separate training sessions are scheduled for faculty/staff and students. Follow the links below to register for an upcoming session. Additional training dates are also listed on the registration pages:

Student MasonCARES training: Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m. 
Faculty/Staff MasonCARES training: Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 9 a.m.

Contact Kheia Hilton at 703-993-2380 or khilton6@gmu.edu with questions.

School of Education Graduate Programs Open House

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) School of Education invites you to its Graduate Programs Open House.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about master’s, certificate, and PhD programs, meet with faculty, and ask questions about admissions and financial aid.

School of Education Graduate Programs Open House
Saturday, September 28
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Merten Hall, Room 1201

Register today.

Contact Chanel Figueroa at 703-993-35692 or cfiguer6@gmu.edu with questions.

Bicycle Commuting 101

Bicycling to campus can be fun and great for your well-being. Research indicates that those who bike to work are the happiest with their commute.

Join Rick Holt from Human Resources and Payroll and League of American Bicyclists certified instructor for an upcoming workshop:

Bicycle Commuting 101
Thursday, October 10
Noon to 1 p.m.
The Hub, Room 3

During this session, Rick will share information to help you feel more confident about getting to campus on two wheels. The workshop will cover basic bicycling information, and Mason Transportation will share biking resources.

Sponsored by Mason Transportation and Human Resources and Payroll, the training is open to faculty, staff, and students. Register by logging into Mason LEAPS.

Flexible Spending Accounts Reminder

If you were enrolled in flexible spending accounts (FSA) during the 2018–19 plan year, you have until September 30 to send Anthem your reimbursement claims and necessary documentation. These claims are for eligible expenses incurred between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.

Reimbursement forms are available on the Human Resources/Payroll forms page. Be sure to use the forms for Anthem. For assistance with form and claims processing, call Anthem FSA at 877-451-7244.

For more information, see the homepage announcement section at hr.gmu.edu. For questions, contact benefits@gmu.edu or 703-993-2600.

DMV2Go on the Fairfax Campus: Oct. 8

Take care of your Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles business at a convenient Mason location. DMV2Go will be on the Fairfax Campus on Tuesday, October 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Merten Hall parking lot.

For a list of available services, visit the DMV2Go website. Check out Mason's complete DMV2Go schedule for additional dates.

Limited Time Offer: 25% Off All Women’s Clothing at Fairfax Bookstore

Time to grab some new Mason gear for the fall!

From September 23–27, the George Mason Bookstore is offering 25% off all women’s clothing, both in-store and online. Stop by the bookstore in the Johnson Center or head to gmu.bncollege.com to start shopping.

Learn to Ride Cycling Class

Want to experience the joys of biking, but haven’t gotten around to learning? Here is your chance! 

Join Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB) instructors as they teach the basics of bicycling on Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m. to noon on the Fairfax Campus.

Cost for the class is just $10 for Mason faculty, staff, and students (ages 18 and up). Bikes and helmets will be provided.

For registration information, visit bike.gmu.edu. Contact transpo@gmu.edu with questions.

Campus Fire Safety Month

September is Campus Fire Safety Month, and Mason's Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHS) is pleased to use this opportunity to remind the Mason community of a few essential fire safety tips.

Review the university’s Fire Safety Plan, which describes roles and responsibilities, policies, and procedures designed to mitigate the causes of fire, prevent loss of life and property, and maintain fire protection and life safety systems at George Mason University.

Read more at ehs.gmu.edu/campus-fire-safety-month.

Contact Meredith Muckerman at 703-993-9715 or mmuckerm@gmu.edu with questions.