Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of听Alan听Merten听
Celebrate the life, legacy, and contributions of Mason鈥檚 fifth president,听Alan听Merten. Join us for lunch as we remember Dr.听Merten鈥檚 innovative vision.听
A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Alan Merten听
Saturday, Dec. 3听
11:30 a.m.听Lunch and Program, Center for the Arts Atrium听
2 p.m.听Alan听Merten听Classic Basketball Game and Halftime Presentation,听EagleBank Arena听
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Attire: Casual/Mason green and gold听
Tip-off for the听Alan听Merten听Classic men鈥檚 basketball game against the University of听Toledo is at 2 p.m. Dr.听Merten鈥檚 life and legacy will be celebrated during halftime.听听
You may also make a memorial contribution to the听.
Virtual Trivia with the Staff Senate
The听Staff Senate has partnered with听District Trivia听to host a virtual听听for classified staff and non-student wage employees on Wednesday, Nov. 30, from noon to 1 p.m.听
on Zoom.听
听as a team or as an individual.听Prizes will be awarded to the winning teams. Space is limited. Contact staffsenate@gmu.edu for more information.
Parking and Transportation Holiday Donation Drive
Would you like to help someone in need? Parking Services is holding its annual holiday donation drive. Now through Dec. 15 at 4 p.m., you can reduce the cost of an outstanding parking citation by听making a donation听to benefit the Patriot Pantry. Donations may be听dropped off听at any Parking Services office. For important details, .
Vision Series with Djola Branner 鈥 Real Characters, Imagined Events: Celebrities and Historic Figures as Fodder for the Stage听
The next Vision Series event will feature Djola Branner, director of Mason's School of Theater, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 7鈥8 p.m. From ancient Greek myths to Broadway musicals such as Hamilton, Tina, and Evita, audiences love stories rooted in historic fact. Branner will examine how contemporary playwrights and directors are weaving fact and fiction and creating theater that is entertaining, thought provoking, and inspiring.
The Vision Series will be live streamed through . Participants will have the opportunity to engage in the discussion by submitting questions via email or Twitter using #VisionSeriesMason. .听
Reminder: Mason Shuttles Thanksgiving Service Changes
The Thanksgiving holiday will bring changes to the Mason Shuttle schedules. .听听
鈥淓arthsgiving鈥澨齋ustainable Cooking Event听
Join Mason鈥檚听听for "Earthsgiving." At this听sustainable cooking event, attendees will create a meal out of local, wild, foraged, and campus-grown ingredients.听
Join them on Thursday, Nov.听17, from 5鈥8 p.m. in the Art and Design Building on the Fairfax Campus.听听(you must log in or create an account to register).
Starting听in 2023, Mason's Greenhouse听and听Gardens听program will focus on food security and student-focused events.听Join them as they听transition toward food security as the focal point of听their efforts.听Questions? Contact Donielle Nolan at听dnolan6@gmu.edu.
ITS Support Center Thanksgiving Hours听
In observance of Thanksgiving break, the ITS Support Center will close on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m. and re-open and resume normal business hours on Monday, Nov. 28, at 8 a.m.
If you have an emergency while the ITS Support Center is closed, call 703-993-8870 and listen to the prompts to be connected to a representative. Up-to-date information regarding alerts can be found on the .
Training and Professional Development
Apply to the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series
Applications for the sixth cohort of the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series (ELSS) are now accepted until Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. Participants must be Mason faculty or classified staff and supervise at least one employee who is faculty or classified staff. 听
ELSS is a 15-month cohort program designed to support supervisors as they: 听
- Develop a leadership mindset听
- Grow their self-awareness, relationships, and communication skills听
- Create a vision for their own leadership and their team听
To apply, visit Human Resources and Payroll鈥檚 .
Crucial Conversations Workshop: Mastering Dialogue
Join the Organizational Development and Learning team on Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to learn how to turn disagreement into dialogue for improved relationships and results.
Facilitated by certified trainers, Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is an engaging classroom course rich with group discussion, real-time practice, and coaching.听
IT Security Awareness Training Deadline Approaching
The deadline to complete IT Security Awareness Training is Wednesday, Nov. 16. The training is assigned to Mason employees, affiliates, and associates in听MasonLEAPS.听
Information Technology Services (ITS) made a change to the program this year: Employees who do not complete their training by the deadline will have their accounts disabled, and their supervisors or managers will be notified. If your account is disabled, you will need to contact the ITS Support Center to re-enable the account to take the training.听听
Additionally, employees who handle sensitive information are required to take role-based training, also assigned to them in听MasonLEAPS. For more information,听.
Registration Open: Engagement Strategies for Supervisors
Supervisors are encouraged to join one of two interactive sessions focused on faculty and staff engagement. Participants will take part in discussions surrounding听the听Gallup survey engagement data and current best practices, as well as learn new strategies to enhance the faculty and staff experience at Mason.听
.听Contact Faculty and Staff Engagement at听engagehr@gmu.edu听with questions.
Resources for You
Fall Handmade Marketplace from听The听MIX
The MIX will host a Fall Handmade Marketplace in Horizon Hall on Thursday, Nov. 17. Browse handmade items made by Mason students, faculty, and staff. Vendors will be set up from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Items range from artwork, knitted and textile creations, custom jewelry, and more.听Contact听mix@gmu.edu听with questions.
Washington Commanders Celebrate听Virginia State Employee Day with Discounted Tickets听
The听Washington Commanders听will celebrate听听against the听New York Giants听on Dec. 18.听Bring friends, family, and听colleagues to enjoy a fun-filled day at the stadium.听听
听are听also听available for听the game against听the听Dallas Cowboys听in January.听
Five dollars听from each听ticket听sale will be donated听to the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, the听commonwealth's only annual workplace giving program.听
听including听theme park tickets, vacation packages, entertainment, flowers,听and听more.听Be sure to check back often for updates on discounts for you and your family.
Commuter Choice Benefit Increasing in 2023
Beginning in January 2023, the maximum Commonwealth Commuter Choice benefit at Mason will increase by $20 to $300 per month. Currently, an Executive Order gives full-time state employees in Northern Virginia up to $280 per month to commute by public transit or vanpool.听This is a tax-free benefit paid by the university.听听
To take advantage of this increase beginning with the January benefit, be sure to submit your Commuter Choice Monthly Benefit Request form by Thursday, Dec. 8.听If you are new to the program, also submit an Enrollment Form.听听
For more information and links to the forms,听.
Bank On Your Success: Estate Planning Overview
This webinar from听Truist听Bank will assist employees with trusts and estate planning, covering the following:听
- Role of corporate trustee听
- Individual听vs. corporate听trustee听听
- Importance of updating听your听current estate听plan (i.e.,听power of attorney, health care proxy, will, insurance, trusts, etc.), and more.听听
Join听the webinar听on听Wednesday,听Nov.听16,听at 6 p.m.听This webinar is offered for Commonwealth of Virginia employees.听.
Uncovering the Kingdom of Red Lines: A Conversation with Abdulrahman Naanseh 听
Visiting artist Abdulrahman (Abi) Naanseh will be joined by Mason faculty members Yasemin Ipek (Global Affairs), Bassam Haddad (Middle East and Islamic Studies), and Lisa Marie Gilman (English and Folklore) for a discussion about Syria鈥檚 current and historical conflicts, paths forward, and how 狈补补苍蝉别丑鈥檚 artworks may illustrate these discussions.听
Uncovering the Kingdom of Red Lines 听
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 6鈥8 p.m.听
Fenwick Library, Main Reading Room听
Naanseh is Mason Exhibitions and the School of Art鈥檚 Artist Protection Fund Fellow-in-Residence. The Artist Protection Fund sponsors artists in threatened countries and places them with host institutions in safer countries. He will share what led him to flee Syria and the stories and experiences that inspire his Arabic calligraphy artworks.听
"Lives Shatter on Impact" Street Smart Safety Campaign Exhibit听
With the recent time change, it鈥檚 more important than ever to pay attention while walking, biking, and driving. More than 75% of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. 听
That is why the Street Smart 鈥淟ives Shatter on Impact鈥 safety exhibit will return to Mason on Nov. 29 in the Johnson Center Atrium. Part of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments鈥 , the objective of the exhibit is to educate and remind drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists about the importance of watching out for each other. The display shares heartfelt testimonials from area residents whose lives have been upended when they or their loved ones have been struck by drivers.
Contact Mason Transportation with questions.
Veterans and the Arts Initiative Workshop听
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Veterans and the Arts Initiative听听
Friday, Nov. 18, 1 p.m.听听
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m.听听
Off-campus: Haymarket Gainesville Library听
Collage is a versatile art-making technique that combines various things together to create a work. This workshop starts with historical botanical imagery combined with 21st-century mediated imagery. Participants will learn how to incorporate a range of materials and methods to produce contemporary imagery that can be both a vehicle for storytelling and decorative innovation.听Free and open to veterans, servicemembers, military family members, and military caregivers.
Upcoming Performances at Mason
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Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music听
Friday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m.听
Center for the Arts听
性视界传媒鈥檚 Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music听presents the 21st annual Jazz4Justice鈩 concert and fundraiser. The event raises funds to directly support vital legal services for low-income Northern Virginians, as well as financial support for the Mason Jazz Studies department, including scholarships, trips, recordings, and student projects. This year鈥檚 concert,听Jazz & Blues in America, explores the roots and development of America鈥檚 greatest contribution to the arts鈥擩azz.听Jazz4Justice鈩听is presented in partnership with Legal Services of Northern Virginia, a nonprofit legal aid organization that has served the region for more than 40 years.听
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Nov. 18鈥19, at 8 p.m.鈥听
Nov. 20, at 2 p.m.听
TheaterSpace听
It's 2017, and听a young doctoral candidate is in the final throes of his dissertation on ancient religious traditions in the modern world. His research takes him to a Buddhist monastery where he grapples with identity, history, culture, and ultimately with who is entitled to enlightenment.听Sutta听combines movement, music, and text as theatrical language, and this production marks its world premiere.听
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Saturday, Nov.听19,听at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.听
Hylton Performing Arts Center听
The Seldom Scene, Washington,听D.C.鈥檚 favorite bluegrass band and pioneers of the 鈥渘ew-grass鈥 movement, are back for an encore set of听American Roots听Series听performances.听Their time-tested sound stretches and blends seamlessly in the realm of country, rock, pop, and jazz and has led to听a devoted local and international following. This performance is appropriate for all ages.听听听
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Sunday, Nov.听20,听at 7 p.m.鈥听
Center for the Arts听
Keyboard Conversations庐听with听Jeffrey Siegel听is for both music aficionados and those that aspire to be so. He will draw you into the composers鈥 lives by sharing details about their creative processes. In听Immortal Impromptus,听Siegel听explores Romanticism with passion-filled, freestyling impromptus by Chopin, Schubert, and Faur茅. Learn more about the artists and how they expressed the ideals of an era through their musical compositions. An interactive question and answer session will conclude this program. This performance is appropriate for all ages.
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Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music听
Monday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m.听
Center for the Arts听
The Mason Symphonic Band presents an evening of historical and contemporary works for wind ensemble featuring Malcolm Arnold's Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo and Fisher Tull's Sketches on a Tudor Psalm.听This concert opens with a unique juxtaposition of winds versus brass with Andrew Blair's听(anti)-FANFARE for winds听and Katahj Copley's 鈥Song for Ursa鈥 for brass choir.听 Washington, D.C., native Shelly Hanson's Islas y 惭辞迟补艅补蝉, a musical rumination about Cuban composer, Alejandro Garcia Caturla, concludes this concert.听
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Saturday, Nov. 26, at 8 p.m.听听
Center for the Arts听
The 5 Browns, a quintet of talented pianists and siblings鈥擱yan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra, and Desirae鈥攁ll simultaneously attended The Juilliard School. They rose to acclaim in the early 2000s after being featured on Oprah and 60 Minutes. Indulge in a festive celebration of the piano that New York Post calls 鈥渢he biggest classical music sensation in years.鈥 This performance is appropriate for all ages.听听
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