Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Deadline iscloseof business Wednesday for inclusion in the following Tuesday's edition.
Campus Updates
Chart of Accounts Town Hall Meeting
The Chart of Accounts (COA) Redesign Project Team invites the Mason community to a town hall meeting on Thursday, Jan. 13, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
The team has been gathering input from the Mason community over the past year to prepare for this university-wide initiative. During the town hall, attendees will learn aboutprogress on the project, including decisions made to date and the expected timeline for activities leading up to the July 1 launch of the new and improved Chart.
Chart of Accounts Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, Jan. 13, 2–3:30 p.m.
Pass code: COA123
Join by phone: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Webinar ID: 961 2238 5039, Pass code: 436451
The session will be recorded and posted on the . For questions, contact coaproj@gmu.edu.
ITS Support Center Modified January Hours
The is operating under modified hours until the start of the spring semester:
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Normal business hours will resume on Sunday, Jan. 23, at 1 p.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.
Reminder: Mason Shuttles in January and Spring Semester
Schedules for the Mason Shuttles have been adjusted for the January intersession. Find details on the.
Spring service will begin on Monday, Jan. 24, on all routes except the On-Demand shuttle. On-Demand is moving to a weekend-only service starting Jan. 22. Fixed-route service has been added to help address the reduction in On-Demand service.
The West Campus shuttle will operate Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.The Student Townhouses have been added as a stop on the Sandy Creek to Metro shuttle for spring 2022.
The Arlington/Fairfax route will operate one bus (down from two) with service every two hours. A new stop will be added at Rappahannock River Lane. Both Sandy Creek to Metro and Gunston Mason are starting one hour later, at 7 a.m. and 7:15 a.m., respectively.
A complete list of changes is available at . Spring schedules for each route will be available later this week.
Contact703-993-2828 orshuttle@gmu.eduwith questions.
Nominations Open: Rick Holt Active Transportation Advocate Award
The Rick Holt Active Transportation Advocate Award honors Rick, “the Mason bike dude,” who passionately advocated for and encouraged active transportation at Mason and beyond.
Nominations are open for this new award, the recipient of whom will be recognized at the Outstanding Achievement Awards in April.
If you know a faculty or staff member who embodies Rick’s enthusiasm and commitment, we encourage you to submit a nomination..
Love to Bike? Winter Bike to Mason Day is Feb. 11
Winter Bike to Work Day is the Friday before Valentine’s Day! Join Parking and Transportation on Feb. 11 for a little bike love. Stop by the Merten Hall Lawn between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. with your bike for a beverage and some biking-related giveaways.
Training and Professional Development
Crucial Conversations Skill Shops
Faculty and staff are invited to join Human Resources and Payroll on Jan. 20 for the first in a five-part series of skill shops that hone in on the skills for holding difficult conversations featured in “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High.”
Led by certified trainers in the Crucial Conversations model, these sessions will focus on practicing the crucial skills needed to ensure your challenging conversations are handled effectively.
For more information and to register, visit the .
Stearns Center Webinar: Checking Quality Criteria of Your Online Course
Do your online course and teaching reflect quality? In this 60-minute webinar, the Quality Assurance (QA) Team will introduce, review, and discuss Stearns Center Digital Learning resources for online course quality.
This webinar is primarily directed to faculty and GTAs who are teaching/interested in teaching asynchronous online courses. The guidance, tips, and best practices for quality course design and teaching will be helpful for instructors teaching in any modality, including on-site, hybrid, and synchronous online. All are welcome to attend.
Webinar: Checking Quality Criteria of Your Online Course
Facilitators: Darlene Smucny and Monisha Tripathy (Stearns Center)
Friday, Jan. 21, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Research and Scholarship at Mason: Orientation and Refresher
The Mason community is invited to attend thesecond annualResearch and Scholarship at Masonorientation and refresher, sponsored by the Office of Research,Innovation and Economic Impact.This session will be hosted virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m..
The program helps faculty become more familiar with the grant life cycle at Mason andtheresources availableto help faculty obtain external funding for research, scholarship, and creative work.
ThePower of Moments Program Moves to Virtual Only
Many of the defining moments instudentsaffairs are the result of accident or luck, but why would we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them?
JoinUniversity Lifeon Wednesday, Jan. 12, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. forThe Power of Moments, an eventthatwill help supervisors leverage moments to enhancetheirsupervision style and create memorable experiences for staff.
This event is co-hosted by theand the, part of University Life Professional Development.
Register to attend. Out of an abundance of caution due to the current COVID conditions, event organizers made the decision to move the program to fully virtual.
Workshop:Promising Pedagogies to Support First-Generation Students
In collaboration with theStearns Center for Teaching and Learning, theFirst-Gen+ Centerwill host the third session of its faculty/staff development series, Supporting First-Generation College Students in the Classroom and Beyond:
Promising Pedagogies to Support First-Generation Students
Thursday, Jan. 13, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Hosted on Zoom
Attendees will engage with evidence-based practices to support them in preparingspring syllabi that are inclusive of first-generation student needs and ways of learning. The one-hour workshop will offer simple tips that can make a big difference to your students.
This session will be hosted by Shelley Reid (Stearns Center) and Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron (First-Gen+ Center and School of Integrative Studies).
Contactstearns@gmu.eduwith questions.
Resources for You
Preparing for Home Ownership or Refinance Webinar
Presented by Truist Bank/BB&T, join the Preparing for Home Ownership or Refinance webinar on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 6–6:45 p.m. to learn:
- How to assess your personal and financial readiness for homeownership
- Steps to follow to prepare for homeownership or refinancing
- How lenders evaluate mortgage readiness and make loan decisions
. Contact hr@gmu.edu with questions.
Rideshare Drop-In Meeting: Jan. 19 at Noon
Thinking about a new way to get to campus? Consider rideshare—carpooling or vanpooling.
Parking and Transportation will host an informal drop-in session via Zoom to answer carpool and vanpool questions. Learn about resources available in the region, as well as Mason programs that support car and vanpooling.
The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 19, from noon to 12:30 p.m. No need to register. .
Upcoming Performances at Mason
Saturday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Called “one of the most sought-after choreographers of her generation” by the New York Times, Camille A. Brown is reclaiming the cultural narratives ofAfrican-Americanidentity through dance. Now, her Bessie Award-winning company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, take the stage at the Center for the Arts for the first time. Her bold work taps into both ancestral stories and contemporary culture, capturing a range ofdeeplypersonal experiences. A pre-performance discussion will take place in Monson Grand Tier 45 minutes prior to curtain.
Sunday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Take an extraordinary journey through classical music with this family-friendly Keyboard Conversations® performance. Learn the compelling stories behind each piece and then enjoy each work played in its entirety. An interactive question and answer session will conclude this program.
VasilyPetrenko, music director
KianSoltani, cello
Saturday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Celebrate the diamond jubilee anniversary of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) with a program featuring one of the world’s most sought-after cellists, KianSoltani. Under the direction ofVasilyPetrenko, RPO is recognized as one of the world’s most forward-thinking and boundary-pushing symphony orchestras. This stunning concert of cherished works is the perfect performance to reconnect with live, classical music. A pre-performance discussion will take place in Monson Grand Tier 45 minutes prior to curtain.