Faculty/Staff Announcements 

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Campus Updates

Summer Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact 

The Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) will host the Summer 2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact on Friday, Aug. 2, from 1–3:30 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus in the Fenwick Library Main Reading Room (2001).  

Undergraduate students who participated in OSCAR summer programs will share their projects and research findings. The Mason community of scholars, faculty, staff, and students are invited to this event to celebrate student research accomplishments. Light refreshments will be provided.  

Parking Lot Paving and Closures on the Fairfax Campus 

This summer, parking areas on the Fairfax Campus will be milled, paved, and striped. The schedule is subject to change based on weather and existing conditions. Signage about closures will be posted at parking lot entrances. View the complete schedule.   

Mason Exhibitions Hosts Citizen Joy: A Celebration of Democracy 

Join Mason Exhibitions for “Citizen Joy: A celebration of democracy focused on agency, harmony, and gratitude” on Friday, July 26, from 4:30–6 p.m. at Mason Exhibitions Arlington (3601 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia). This event will feature the new exhibit, A Closer Look: Conflicted Art from Ukraine, along with music, poetry, and more. The Citizen Joy program takes place at art installations across the country and celebrates the joy of participating in the voting process. RSVP. 

This event is organized by Mason Exhibitions in collaboration with the College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Art, School of Theater, and Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music. 

Training and Professional Development  

Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day: Call for Proposals 

Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day (FSED) is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 15. This year’s event will focus on faculty and staff engagement, guided by the Gallup Q12. To make this professional development event a success, organizers are seeking innovative and engaging workshop proposals from faculty and staff. Learn more about proposal guidelines. Proposals are due Friday, Aug. 16, at 5 p.m. 

IT Security Awareness Training

All Mason employees, including contractors, affiliates, and student wage workers, were assigned Information Technology (IT) Security Awareness Training in their MasonLEAPS accounts on Tuesday, July 9. Those with specialized functions will also receive mandatory role-based training.

This year, Information Technology Services (ITS) is changing how it tracks and enforces compliance. Users must complete the training before their semi-annual password reset. If the training is not completed by then, users will be allowed to change their passwords and have 14 days to complete the training. Failure to comply will result in the user’s account being disabled. Additional information about how compliance will be enforced is available on the ITS website. Contact support@gmu.edu or 703-993-8870 with questions.     

New Adjunct Faculty Success Workshop

The upcoming New Adjunct Faculty Success Workshop will be hosted virtually on Saturday, Aug, 17. This workshop helps new adjunct faculty transition into their role at George Mason with professional development support, resources, and some friendly faces on campus. Departments should share the registration link with adjunct faculty as they are hired.

All new adjunct faculty hires should be entered into Banner to ensure they can obtain their faculty ID and NetID and participate in the important Blackboard and Patriot Web training on the day of the workshop. Learn more. Contact Faculty Affairs and Development at facaffs@gmu.edu with questions.

Resources for You

Queer Parents and Caregivers Group Meetup 

The LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Alliance is hosting a Queer Parents and Caregivers social meetup on Friday, July 26, from noon to 1 p.m. This event is open to all faculty, staff, and GTAs/GRAs who are LGBTQ+ parents, caregivers, and/or queer individuals in the process of building a family. The group will meet in the Women and Gender Studies Center (Fairfax Campus, Johnson Center, Room 240K).

Coffee and tea will be provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a lunch. For questions, contact Holly Mason Badra.

Kaiser Permanente Webinars: Caregiver Series 

In this four-week series offered by Kaiser Permanente, participants will explore caregiver resources and learn tips to manage their time and care for themselves, while caring for others. Register today. You do not need to be a Kaiser member to participate.  

Topic include:  

• Caring for Loved Ones: Discuss caregiver challenges and explore resources available to help with caregiving. 
• Owning Your Time as a Caregiver: Learn 10 practical tips to balance caregiving with other responsibilities and lessen stress. 
• Coping with Caregiving: Learn ways to overcome caregiver burnout and take care of you, while caring for others. 
• A Mindful Approach to Caregiving: Boost compassion for yourself and others through breathing, meditation and gratitude. 

Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group: Summer Sessions

The Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group will meet on Friday afternoons this summer. Kritikos engages in discussions on writing about the arts, critical studies, translation, the artist in society, and art as speech. Learn more.

Join them for the topic “Land Justice, Land Back: Gentrification, Reclamation, and Reparations” on Friday, July 19, from 1–2:30 p.m. via Zoom. This event is free and open to the public.

Upcoming Performances and Arts Events at George Mason 

Prince William Little Theatre: 110 in the Shade
July 12–21, multiple performances       
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater       
In the hot and drought-stricken American southwest small town of Three Point, traveling con man Bill Starbuck promises the local farmers he can conjure some much-needed rain. Lizzie Curry, whose advances are rebuffed by Sheriff Fife, blossoms as she pursues a romantic relationship with the charismatic stranger.       

ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre: Anastasia the Musical (Youth Edition)       
Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m.       
Saturday, July 27, at 2 and 7 p.m.       
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Merchant Hall       
This dazzling production transports the audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. Follow Anya, a brave young woman who sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.