Dear Patriots,
George Mason University’s commitment to safely and effectively meet the public health challenge presented by COVID-19 means most university employees are now working from home. Information Technology Services (ITS) acknowledges that for many members of our community, this switch to telework may come with uncertainties or challenges; resources and support are available to help you navigate this new environment.
All information related to telework technologies is available at Working Remotely: A Guide to Maintaining Continuity.
To help employees stay connected to the workplace, ITS offers communication, collaboration, and productivity tools, which are fully supported and meet the university’s standards for security, accessibility, and compliance.
- Office 365: Employee email and calendar
- OneDrive for Business: Cloud-based storage to store and share Mason-related files
- Virtual Private Network: Secure access from off-campus to select Mason applications, including MESA and Banner Admin
- Webex Meetings: Cloud-based web conferencing tool for meetings and collaboration
- Webex Teams: Commonly used for group and one-on-one chat, file sharing, screen sharing, and video/audio calling
Additionally, ITS has introduced new tools to help support the increase in remote work.
- Microsoft Teams: Unified communication and collaboration platform that provides chat, video meetings, file storage, and integration with the Microsoft Office Suite
- Windows Virtual Desktop (VDI): Secure access for users on personal computers to a Windows desktop environment for access to Mason applications and the Microsoft Office Suite
- Note: MS Teams and VDI require Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for Office 365. See the ITS website to enroll in 2FA for Office 365 and to request these services.
ITS continues to work with offices across the university to adapt our services to meet the telework needs of the Mason community and will continue to share information as it is available.
The ITS Support Center is available to support faculty, staff, and students during the following times:
- Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870.