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.
Mail Services to Resume Delivery
Beginning Aug. 10, Mail Services will resume mail delivery service on campus. Departments that are staffed will need to opt in to mail delivery here.
Offices that are not staffed may continue to pick up their mail in the mail room. Normal mail room hours will resume Aug. 10:
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: Noon to 4 p.m.
UPS, FedEx, and other delivery services will no longer drop parcels at the mail room starting Aug. 10. Offices that do not have staff on site to receive parcels ordered through these services should have parcels shipped to homes or sites with staff available to receive them.
Canon has posted a mail FAQ with more information.
Questions or concerns? Contact Buz Grover at hgroveri@gmu.edu or 703-993-5784.
New Mason Hours of Operation Website
During COVID-19, University Information is facing challenges connecting patrons with offices and resources at Mason. For example, your office might not have a phone monitored regularly and have a virtual contact option instead. Perhaps you have different hours for phone vs. virtual options.
To aid in connecting the Mason community, departments can share their contact information and hours using this form. This information will be used to help:
- Switchboard staff guide patrons to your main office
- Create a new hours of operation website, listing contact hours for in-building, virtual, and phone availability, starting with the fall 2020 semester
Only one person needs to submit the form for each department.
Please share fall hours of operation by Friday, Aug. 7.
Some items for the “Note” section on the form:
- The Switchboard can transfer callers to a non-Mason phone number, if needed. If your office is using a personal phone number you do not want public, but can be used to transfer Switchboard callers without giving callers the number, please indicate it is private.
- If your virtual option is appointment only, indicate how someone can make that appointment.
For questions, contact Philip Stamper, University Information, at pstamper@gmu.edu.
Fall Shuttle Schedules Coming Soon
Parking and Transportation is putting the finishing touches on the fall shuttle schedules, which will be posted at shuttle.gmu.edu.
Note some important changes to the schedules:
- There will be both time changes and, in some cases, stop changes on the Mason Shuttle routes. Review the schedules carefully.
- The following routes will be in service this fall: Burke VRE, Fairfax/SciTech, Gunston Mason, and Sandy Creek to Metro. Due to the impact of COVID-19, we will not be running the Arlington Pilot, Global to Metro, Gunston George, or the West Campus shuttles.
Other COVID-19 impacts to Mason Shuttles include:
- Face coverings (or university-approved exceptions) are required.
- Shuttle bus capacity is reduced to 50 percent of seats.
- Fill seats from back to front to reduce passengers passing each other.
- Maintain a six-foot distance while waiting, boarding, and departing the shuttle.
- As in the past, a Mason ID is required to board. Visitors are not allowed on the shuttles until further notice.
Questions? Contact shuttle@gmu.edu or 703-993-2828.
Overtime Election
From Aug.1 to Sept. 4, all non-exempt employees (i.e., employees eligible for compensation for any time worked over 40 hours in a week) can choose how they want to receive overtime compensation.
For more details, visit the announcements section at hr.gmu.edu.
Contact Catalina Wheat at cwheat@gmu.edu for questions.
Bookstore Requests Students Purchase Textbooks Online
Faculty should include information in their syllabi noting that the George Mason Bookstore will be limiting the number of customers that can come into the store at a given time in order to maintain social distancing protocols.
Please encourage students to order the needed materials immediately after receiving their syllabi to ensure supplies arrive at their home on time. Students can purchase textbooks from the bookstore’s official website. The in-store pickup option will be available just before school starts, and students will be able to acquire their orders inside the bookstore.
For questions, contact Jack Smith, general manager, at jsmithw@gmu.edu.
Carpool Changes during COVID-19
Parking and Transportation is making some changes to Mason's employee carpool programs to encourage social distancing.
Only two-person carpools will be eligible for the Employee Premium Carpool program at the regular rebate of 20 percent. You can carpool with more than two people if you feel safe doing so (i.e., you are all in the same household), but there is only a 20 percent rebate.
Details will be posted soon on the Parking and Transportation website at transportation.gmu.edu.
Contact transpo@gmu.edu with questions.
Biking Events and Programs
Due to COVID-19, the annual abandoned bike sale will not be held this fall. We had hoped to reschedule Bike to Mason Days from April 2020 to September 2020, but we will have to postpone this celebration until further notice.
Additionally, the Patriot Bike Check Out Program—a collaboration among Mason Recreation, the Office of Sustainability, and Parking and Transportation—is temporarily not available.
Check bike.gmu.edu for the latest information.
New Adjunct Faculty Success Workshop
The New Adjunct Faculty Success Workshop will be held virtually on Saturday, Aug. 15, from noon to 5 p.m.
Register now to ensure you receive communications and updates from Faculty Affairs and Development.
For questions regarding orientation or registrations, contact facaffs@gmu.edu. For questions regarding onboarding, contact hr@gmu.edu.
The Print Hub Can Print Mason-Approved COVID Signage
Mason is providing a supply of signs to each department, but perhaps your department needs more. The Print Hub can help. Go to the Print Hub website to find the Mason-approved signs you need.
There are multiple sizes and types of signs. Just select the paper size to enter the product, choose the file name (images of each file are shown in the product), and how many you need. We will do the rest.
You can pick up your order at the Print Hub, or if your department has opted into mail deliveries, your order can be delivered to you.
For questions, contact printjob@gmu.edu or 703-993-9083.
Share Your Events on Today@Mason
During this time of virtual events, the university's official calendar, Today@Mason, is a resource for you!
Did you know that entries on Today@Mason are powered by 25Live reservations? Below are a few tips/resources to consider when submitting your 25Live requests:
- Review University Event's Virtual Event planning page for FAQs and guidelines
- Submit your events in advance—at least three days before the event (earlier is always best).
- Include brief, clear, and informative descriptions of your event. Submitters are encouraged to use the Today@Mason Guide Sheet.
- Follow ITS best practices for protecting your virtual events/meetings
For questions about Today@Mason, contact gmutoday@gmu.edu.
Support for Mason Families: Access to Babysitters, Pet Care, and More
Mason faculty, staff, and graduate students are eligible for a free membership to Bright Horizons, which provides access to sitters, virtual sitters, housekeepers, and pet care.
For more information and to activate your free membership, visit the membership website.
Questions? Contact worklife@gmu.edu.
CommonHealth Connections
Each week, CommonHealth, the state's Employee Wellness Program, releases a newsletter called CommonHealth Connections. These quick newsletters aim to enhance your well-being with tips on topics such as nutrition, sleep, exercise, and benefits for Commonwealth of Virginia employees.
Check out the announcements on the Mason's Life/Work website every week to see the latest CommonHealth Connections newsletter.
Questions? Contact worklife@gmu.edu.