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Office Supply Swap is a staple of sustainability at Mason

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:22:38 +0000

Office Supply Swap is a staple of sustainability at Mason Lauren Reuscher Thu, 04/18/2024 - 09:22

They say one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. On a college campus, that treasure could be a stack of three-ring binders or sticky notes collecting dust in the office supply closet.

The Office Supply Swap gives new use to unneeded supplies, conserving resources and supporting Mason's zero waste goals. Photo by Getty

Someone else might need those supplies—and need them urgently. Jessica Adams, assistant director of knowledge management for fiscal learning and engagement at ��ӽ紫ý, remembers when a former colleague approached her with a last-minute purchasing crisis. The department was hosting a conference and organizers realized the day before that they needed additional supplies.

The commonwealth’s supply vendor policies are not always conducive to last-minute purchases, according to Adams. “I offered what advice I could from my place in Fiscal Services and asked if she checked with other offices to see what supplies they had available,” Adams said.

This last-minute request sparked an idea that had been on Adams’ mind for quite some time: Mason needed an office supply exchange, where departments could quickly and easily seek out or repurpose extra or unused supplies.

Adams shared the idea with her colleagues on the Staff Senate, and it took off from there. The Office Supply Swap launched on Microsoft Teams in Spring 2023, thanks to the efforts of the senate and University Sustainability.

April Lopez, part of the Staff Senate’s Environmental Justice and Sustainability Committee, took the lead in creating the online community. Lopez has worked as an administrative assistant at Mason since 2019 in the Division of Special Education and disAbility Research in the College of Education and Human Development.

“We realized that with new collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and an increase in familiarity with community groups like Buy Nothing, we could get this going with very minimal input and no additional storage space requirements,” Lopez said.

The supply swap is part of the larger Greener Mason Community on Microsoft Teams, where the Mason Nation can share ideas and collaborate on topics related to sustainability. Illustration by Getty

The supply swap channel is open to all Mason faculty and staff and sits within the larger Greener Mason Community on Teams, which covers a range of sustainability topics at Mason: recycling, plastics reduction, living landscape, and even environment and climate-related reading and listening recommendations. The group offers a place for the Mason Nation to connect and learn.

The rules for the Office Supply Swap are simple: faculty and staff post unneeded items on the Teams channel. If another department needs the items, they can comment and arrange pickup. If someone needs an item, they can ask if anyone has a surplus. All items must remain university property—personal items and personal use of items are not allowed. Technology and furniture items should not be offered in the swap; they should go through existing surplus procedures.

The supply exchange echoes one of Mason’s core values: We are careful stewards.

“There are financial savings in not buying new when there are things already at the university that can be reused,” Lopez said. Repurposing and reallocating supplies also supports Mason’s zero waste goals.

Adams is thrilled that the supply swap is thriving. “The idea needed to get to the right people, at the right time,” Adams said. “April Lopez is the real hero with execution. She has been the biggest catalyst in bringing the Greener Mason Community to life and has built it into what it is today.”

Lopez hopes that the project helps people recognize that small actions support sustainability at Mason.

“I hope that the Office Supply Swap helps us recognize the abundance we already have, even if we’re just talking about paperclips, three-ring binders, and suspension files,” Lopez said. “In our cabinets and desk drawers, we already have items that the university could use for years to come.”

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Meet the Mason Nation: Will Gautney, assistant master electrician and Staff Senate chair

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:11:21 +0000

Meet the Mason Nation: Will Gautney, assistant master electrician and Staff Senate chair Lauren Reuscher Thu, 10/19/2023 - 14:11

Will Gautney

Job: Assistant Master Electrician, Center for the Arts, and Chair of Staff Senate

Will Gautney started working at ��ӽ紫ý’s Center for the Arts as a part-time stagehand in 2013. The job involved lots of lifting, building, and prep work for shows. In 2018, he was hired full-time as assistant master electrician, his current role. He helps plan shows, leads the stagehands, and manages the technical aspects of lighting and design.

Will Gautney, assistant master electrician at the Center for the Arts, and chair of the Staff Senate. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Beyond his role in the Center for the Arts, Gautney was elected to Mason’s Staff Senate in 2021. He joined the advisory body to advocate for wage and non-traditional staff at the university—staff like him, who are working in non-desk jobs, or outside traditional business hours. In June 2023, Gautney was nominated and elected as chair of the senate, and he started that two-year term in July.

The show goes on: The main performance season at the Center for the Arts runs from September to May. Most days during the season are spent preparing for shows or reviewing the technical requirements for a performance. During the summer months, Gautney and his colleagues take the opportunity to organize and perform maintenance on theatrical equipment.

Lighter than air: When working on a show, Gautney spends most of his day in the theater space—running the crew, communicating with tour and artistic clients, and doing hands-on work. Sometimes with his feet on the ground, but sometimes not: “I enjoy being able to climb into a safety harness or ride up in a lift; really wherever I can be of assistance,” Gautney said.

“I enjoy making sure the production is as close to an artist’s vision as we can safely accomplish with our equipment and time available,” Gautney said. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

An art, not a science: Besides the technical and safety aspects of the show, Gautney works with the artistic staff to achieve their vision. “Because a lot of what we do is artistically-charged, there can be quite a bit of time devoted to ‘zhuzhing’ finer details to make something look artistically ‘pretty’ on top of necessary safety and functionality,” Gautney said.

Showtime means go time: “Some shows require a few hours of checking that the lights turn on and then pressing ‘go’ on the light board, or sliding faders,” Gautney said. “Other shows can require 18-hour days—including load-in of gear, set up, rehearsal, the performance itself, load out, and setting up another show for the next day.”

Variety is the spice of life: Gautney enjoys working with the broad range of performances at Mason, including both internal and external groups. “Everything from the student step show and fashion show to Mason’s schools of music, theater, and dance, Game Mason, Virginia Opera, and TheaterWorks children’s matinees.”

The magic of showbiz: Gautney appreciates the chance to help generate the thrill of the theater. “I enjoy making sure the production is as close to an artist’s vision as we can safely accomplish with our equipment and time available,” Gautney said.

Vote of confidence: Becoming the chair of Staff Senate was not something he expected. “With leadership, I typically follow a philosophy that people who strive for power are those who probably shouldn’t have it, and those who would be great in a role of power do not always want it,” Gautney said. He felt honored to be nominated and elected chair.

Representation matters: Since 2020, the chair of the Staff Senate has also served as staff liaison to the university’s Board of Visitors. Gautney wants to make sure staff voices are heard at the highest levels of the university. “The largest issues for staff at the moment are increased workloads, fair market compensation, outside misconceptions of staff whose work involves Mason’s diversity goals, and the acute need to support staff morale,” Gautney said. He said he will continue looking for solutions to these issues and advocating for staff interests.

Fun and games: When he isn’t busy with his many responsibilities at Mason, Gautney enjoys a good board game. If not playing in-person, he plays digital games with friends and family across the country.

Feeling (or feline) spirited: Gautney and his wife, who is a Mason alum, have a cat named Binx, named after the one in the film Hocus Pocus. He and his wife enjoy taking weekend excursions to escape the day-to-day hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia. Breweries and distilleries are some of their favorite destinations.

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Amanda Corrigan is April Employee of the Month

Colleen Rich — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 18:54:53 +0000

Amanda Corrigan is April Employee of the Month Colleen Rich Fri, 04/01/2022 - 14:54

Amanda Corrigan with President Washington. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Amanda Corrigan said she loves working for ��ӽ紫ý’s Staff Senate because the staff at Mason “are the heart of the university.”

“If there is any way that I can help support them, enable them, or be an instrument for appreciating them, I am happy to serve,” Corrigan said.

Corrigan, April’s Employee of the Month, is an administrative assistant for the Senate, which is a 28-member group with a mission of educating, appreciating, and advocating for the Mason staff.

Corrigan handles a variety of tasks, including providing administrative support for the senate’s executive committee, planning staff appreciation events, and aiding the awards committee with engagement and reward initiatives.

She also helps compose the monthly Staff Senate newsletter, coordinates the logistics and guest speakers for monthly meetings, guides new senators, and helps with the Staff Senate yearly election.

“Staff Senate quite literally could not exist without her, and her work is integral to the well-being of the entire staff body at Mason,” said Natalie Davis, a staff senator and research initiatives specialist in Mason’s Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact. “Mason could not be what it is without Amanda and the very crucial job she has.”

Corrigan also spearheaded a new technology sub-committee to ensure the Staff Senate’s virtual meetings run smoothly.

“It is because of Amanda’s work and dedication that the Staff Senate is successful,” said Stacy D’Angelo, staff senator and marketing coordinator for Mason’s Office of University Branding. “She is the glue that keeps us together and is the rock many of us lean on for assistance and guidance throughout the year.”

Corrigan began working at Mason in June 2012 as an assistant to the directors in the School of Art. She became a staff senator in 2013 and has since served as an events co-chair, awards chair, and vice chair of the senate. Corrigan moved to her current part-time administrative assistant position in 2015.

“I admire the work of the senate and those who volunteer their time to make Mason a better place for staff,” Corrigan said.

How she got to Mason:

My first memory of Mason was when I was on my college dance team at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) at the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament in the Richmond Coliseum, watching courtside as VCU and Mason fought to punch their ticket to the NCAA basketball tournament. I am now a Mason alumna. I received a MA in arts management in 2011 and a graduate certificate (CERG) in special events management in 2012, which is when I started working at Mason.

Best day on the job:

My best day on the job was when I took my kids to the Mason Day festivities on campus and watched them have a blast playing games, riding rides, getting balloon animals made, and having their faces painted. I love sharing with them the Mason culture and that Mason knows how to have fun.

What she likes best about working at Mason:

I love working at Mason because there is always something to learn or see. Nothing is more valued than learning and exploring the environment around you. I have loved attending performing arts events at the Center for the Arts, and one of my most memorable experiences was going to an Evening Under the Stars at the Mason Observatory.

What she does when she’s not working:

I am a busy mom of four, so I spend most of my time with my family. I love being involved in all my kids’ school and activities and seeing them grow and respond to the world around them. I enjoy traveling to the Outer Banks and to my family’s farm in southern Virginia, spending time outdoors, visiting national parks, hiking, baking, and cooking.

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Patriots at Work: The future of telework should reflect Mason’s core values

Colleen Rich — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:06:46 +0000

Patriots at Work: The future of telework should reflect Mason’s core values Colleen Rich Wed, 02/24/2021 - 12:06

When the pandemic is over, what will telework look like at Mason?

Telework has been a crucial way to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and support employees with caregiving responsibilities over the last year. But looking toward the future, we need to start thinking about telework as more than just a pandemic-response measure or an occasional stopgap.

As a university with physical campuses, there are many staff job functions that simply need to happen on site. But the pandemic clearly revealed that many staff jobs can be performed remotely at least some of the time.

Thanks to the efforts of staff in Information Technology Services, Human Resources and Payroll, and others around the university, our technology tools and infrastructure to support teleworking are stronger than ever.

Now that more employees have had the chance to telework, organizations have an opportunity to consider how they can keep the practice in place for both their employees’ benefit and their own. According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center, 89% of telework-eligible adults said that after the pandemic is over, they want to continue teleworking at least some of the time.

Managers can effectively coordinate staff telework schedules so that quality and accessibility of services are not negatively affected. In fact, shifting administrative processes online often makes them even more efficient. Many departments at Mason were already doing this successfully before the pandemic.

Research shows that when implemented in a strategic way, flexible work options like telework play a vital role in enhancing worker retention and productivity. Fewer interruptions and distractions offer a chance for employees to truly focus on their work.

When I ask Mason staff about their teleworking experiences, most talk about the benefits. An overarching theme? The gift of time. Fewer hours spent commuting means more opportunities to exercise, prepare healthy meals, spend time with loved ones, volunteer in the community, and even get more sleep.

Cutting back on commuting also protects the health of our planet. According to Mason’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory for FY2019 conducted by the Office of Sustainability, commuting is the second-largest source of GHG emissions at Mason (30.4%), after purchased electricity (34.7%).

In 2019, 78.3% of Mason faculty and staff used single-occupancy vehicles as a primary mode when commuting to work, according to Parking and Transportation’s bi-annual survey. Their average daily commute was 24.1 miles each way—in Washington, D.C., metropolitan area traffic, of course.

And although students account for the largest segment of Mason’s total commuting footprint based on their sheer numbers, staff travel to campus far more frequently than any other group, both in trips per week and weeks per year.

There are things we miss when we aren’t physically present on campus—especially the opportunity for serendipitous interactions with colleagues and students.

But for many staff, it is possible to get the best of both worlds. If the majority of our staff members teleworked a couple of days per week, it could go a long way toward enhancing employee well-being and cutting Mason’s commuting footprint.

This is an opportunity to model the behaviors and values we hope to impress upon our students. Using telework as a strategic initiative beyond the pandemic would signal Mason’s commitment to sustainability and employee well-being—both of which the university cites as core values.

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Ana Lopez offers insights into her work at Mason Engineering

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 17:33:58 +0000

Ana Lopez offers insights into her work at Mason Engineering Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 01/27/2021 - 12:33

An interview with Ana Lopez, a staff senator and administrative assistant with the Volgenau School of Engineering Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, was featured in a recent Mason Senate Staff newsletter. Here are her views on several important topics:

Role: I provide support to the director of advancement as well as to the VSE advisory board and alumni development board. I coordinate events and meetings, manage the office budget and provide stewardship to our donors. One of the most rewarding aspects is the awarding of scholarships to students. This past semester we awarded around $100,000 in scholarships.

What’s new: Recently, I assisted with the Mechanical Engineering Alumni Match Challenge to raise funds for the mechanical engineering student capstone projects fund and to establish a scholarship. I also work to increase the number of alumni who give and share the message that it matters not how much they give but the impact they can have by showing annual support.

For homecoming, student involvement and alumni relations will host virtual events from Feb. 5-14. They’re designed with alumni, students, faculty, and staff in mind.

Mason journey: I started at Mason in May 2016 as the administrative assistant in the Office of the Dean in VSE. A year later, a position became available in the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations. The journey has been quite rewarding knowing that our office is making a difference in the lives of our students and engaging alumni. It’s a tremendous source of pride for Volgenau that Mason is the leading producer of tech talent in Virginia.

COVID-19 transition: At the start of the pandemic, I helped pivot our department to remote work and ensured everyone had the resources to successfully telework. We created a student emergency fund that alumni, faculty, and staff have generously supported to help many engineering students through this difficult time. To further engage our alumni, we hosted virtual happy hours and games. We also hosted our signature event, “Whiskey, Widgets, and Wonks,” virtually. This is typically a reception that includes a whiskey tasting from KO Distillery, which is owned by a VSE alumnus, and lots of robots and engineering projects that are interactive, informative, and fun. For this year, we had the whiskey delivered to the participants’ homes and shared videos and presentations from our faculty.

Best thing about working at Mason: The people – staff, faculty, and students. I have had the great fortune of meeting a lot of wonderful and interesting people, and I treasure all these connections. In particular, the students have a special place in my heart. They are driven, smart, and want to make a positive change in their communities.

Why serve on the Staff Senate: Over the last few years, I have developed a deep appreciation of the work my fellow staff members do. They are often the unsung heroes of Mason. I feel that in these times of crisis, there will be important and hard decisions that the leadership will be making that will affect the classified staff. Therefore, I felt it is important for me to represent and advocate for my fellow staff members. Classified staff is the foundation upon which the university stands and I am proud to be their representative and advocate.

At the end of the day: I am proud to work at Mason and to represent our amazing staff. Mason is doing a wonderful service in the community by providing wonderful opportunities for its students. I look forward to making a positive difference in the lives of my colleagues.

Courtesy of the Mason Staff Senate newsletter

Posted: January 14, 2021