Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
Homecoming 2025 and Day of Service
Show your brave and bold spirit: The Mason Nation is invited to celebrate Homecoming. Events are happening through Feb. 8, including the George Mason women's basketball game vs. VCU, Homecoming tailgate, men's basketball game vs. Rhode Island, and more. .
Join Student Involvement for the annual Homecoming Day of Service, where volunteers will pack the SI2Go Truck with nonperishable food items and personal hygiene items. All items collected will be donated to the Patriot Pantry and Food for Others. A blood drive will also be underway.Join on Wednesday, Feb. 5, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.. Look for the SI2GO truck outside The Hub on the Fairfax Campus.
Staff Senate Meeting with President Washington
George Mason President Gregory Washington will join the as guest speaker on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 10–11 a.m. The general business meeting will follow from 11 a.m. to noon. Constituents are invited to attend the meeting in-person on the Fairfax Campus in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or via Zoom.
How C-SPAN Changed Our World
Join University Libraries for an evening with Brian Lamb, founder and former CEO of the C-SPAN Networks and C-SPAN’s former executive chair. “How C-SPAN Changed Our World” will be hosted on Monday, Feb. 10, from 6–7:15 p.m. at Mason Square, Van Metre Hall, Room 125/126. .
Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government, will interview Lamb, one of the United States’ preeminent contributors to the communications and documentation fields.
University Libraries’ is home to the C-SPAN records archives. The collection is a treasure trove of correspondence, viewer mail, photographs, photographic negatives, slides, newspapers, audiovisual materials, posters, pamphlets, memorabilia, and books created from 1978 to 2012.
James Buchanan and Vernon Smith Seminar
George Mason's Department of Economics invites the university community to the James Buchanan and Vernon Smith Seminar on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 5 p.m. The seminar and reception will take place on the Fairfax Campus in the Johnson Center Bistro (located on the ground floor).
This seminar series is designed to appeal to a broad audience. Gregory Clark, Danish National Research Council professor of economics at the University of Southern Denmark, will present "For Whom the Bell Curve Tolls: The Role of Genetics in Social Life, England, 1600–2024.".
Calling All Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi Members
The Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies welcome faculty and staff to participate in George Mason’s local chapters. Members should to get connected with local chapters and stay up to date on upcoming chapter events. Learn more about the honor societies on the George Mason and ɱٱ.
Southside Dining becomes a Certified Green Restaurant
Southside Dining is officially a Certified Green Restaurant®, recognized by the Green Restaurant Association for its commitment to sustainability. Restaurants generate more than 300 million tons of garbage every year, but Southside is working to reduce waste through recycling, water efficiency, and sustainable food practices. Mason Dining has also eliminated all polystyrene foam products, ensuring a greener dining experience for the campus community. This semester, ! Contact Sophia Nelson, Mason Dining, with questions.
New Student Strengths Coaching Program
The Center for the Advancement of Well-Being announces the launch of the Student Strengths Coaching program, which will build a collaborative team of students from across George Mason to be trained and hired as paid Strengths Coaches.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to share this new opportunity with their students. Students may apply through Feb. 28. For more information, . Information sessions are also available.
Training and Professional Development
Thrive at Mason Boot Camp: Call for Workshop Proposals
This year's Thrive at Mason boot camp is dedicated to fostering a growth mindset as we navigate an evolving landscape. This theme aims to inspire resilience, adaptability, and innovative thinking for personal and professional development.Faculty and staff are invited to submit creative and engaging workshop proposals. These contributions will play a pivotal role in encouraging the George Mason community to embrace the power of a growth mindset.
Proposals should be submitted through the by Friday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m. All submitters will receive notification of their proposal status by Friday, March 7. For questions, contact Daniel Labriola, Fiscal Services.
Title IX Mason Employee Mandatory Reporter Training
The Title IX Office is providing virtual training this spring. This training is for current George Mason employees who have not completed their annual Mandatory Reporter Title IX training (virtual or in-person) for the 2024–25 academic year.
Spring 2025 Title IX Virtual Training Schedule:
- Tuesday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m. to noon.
- Wednesday, March 19, 1–3 p.m.
Note: This training requirement may also be fulfilled by registering for and attending “Building Supportive Communities: Clery Act and Title IX” via MasonLEAPS. Contact titleix@gmu.edu with questions.
Suicide Prevention Training for Students, Faculty, and Staff
SOS (Signs of Suicide) for Higher Ed is a suicide prevention training program, which includes two 30-minute, self-guided, online training courses for students, faculty, and staff.
The trainings provide video and interactive learning to teach everyone on campus how to ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) in their role in suicide prevention. SOS for Higher Ed uses real and diverse stories of mental health struggles and recovery, along with modeled scenarios, to provide all learners with actionable steps to help someone in need.
Members of the George Mason community are encouraged to participate and learn:
- How to recognize signs of suicide risk
- How to have caring conversations that encourage someone to seek help
- How to build community connections that foster positive mental well-being
- An overview of available student mental health resources, on and off campus
For more details and to access the training, .
Expectations Unlocked: Developing Your Supervisor User Manual for Team Clarity
Register for a dynamic in-person workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 1–2 p.m., designed to empower supervisors to effectively communicate their expectations to team members.
First offered at last year’s Faculty and Staff Enrichment Day, participants will learn how to develop a personalized user manual that outlines their leadership style, preferred communication methods, and performance expectations. Key takeaways will include a customizable template, actionable tips for implementing it within their teams, and insights on enhancing employee engagement and accountability.
By the end of the workshop, supervisors will be equipped with the tools needed to create their own user manual guide for their employees. .
Spring 2025 Safe Zone+ Program
Registration is now open for Safe Zone+ workshops during the spring semester. The Safe Zone+ Program aims to create a safer, more welcoming and inclusive campus environment toward the goal of supporting the well-being of LGBTQpeople. All are welcome to attend, and all workshops are being offered virtually. .
The asynchronouswas added to Canvas in Summer 2024 and is available as a resource for faculty, staff, and course administrators. Contactlgbtq@gmu.eduwith questions.
The "High-Performing" Rating Returns
Over the next two weeks, George Mason’s annual will be updated to reflect upcoming enhancements to the annual evaluation process, which will launch Friday, Feb. 17.
The most notable enhancement is the return of the “high-performing” rating. This rating has not been included the past two evaluation years. Based on feedback, evaluation process data and metrics, and a strategic goal of fostering an engaging performance management experience, the university will return to a five-point rating scale for administrative/professional faculty and classified staff. To learn more, of Performance Evaluation Updates for 2025.
Resources for You
Upcoming Performances and Arts Events at George Mason
Mason Exhibitions—
Jan. 31 to May 3
Mason Exhibitions Arlington (3601 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia)
This exhibition examines the book, Nothing Personal (1964), a collaborative artwork in book form by two legendary American artists, James Baldwin and Richard Avedon. As we celebrate the 100th year since James Baldwin’s birth, and mark 60 years since the first publication of Nothing Personal, we continue to ask the same questions that Baldwin and Avedon were posing in 1964.
Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.
Off-campus: Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center (3740 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax, Virginia 22030)
In support of Virginia Opera’s world premiere production of Loving v. Virginia, this legal panel discusses the origins, challenges, and significance of the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that struck down state laws banning marriage between individuals of different races. Panel participants will include Mary Bauer, executive director of ACLU-VA, as well as other constitutional scholars, active attorneys and/or judges, and experts. A brief Q & A session will follow the discussion. This event is co-presented by the City of Fairfax and Center for the Arts at George Mason and offered in conjunction with the Center for the Arts’ .
Thursday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Sarah Sherman, a.k.a. Sarah Squirm, is currently a featured player on Saturday Night Live. She co-stars with Adam Sandler in the Netflix film You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah! Sherman is known for her popular live show, Helltrap Nightmare, and previously opened for Eric André on his national tour and wrote for The Eric André Show.
Friday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theate
In this beloved annual event, stellar student vocalists bring their talents to the stage, celebrating some of the biggest and brightest names in music and theater. In this year’s performance, they will shine the spotlight on the work of legendary Broadway director and producer Hal Prince. A devoted collaborator of Stephen Sondheim’s, the treasure trove of Prince’s work includes Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Evita, and Phantom of the Opera, among many more. See the School of Theater’s bright young stars and discover the talented performers who could be Broadway’s next big hitmakers.
Saturday, Feb. 8, at 11 a.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
Celebrate folk and children’s music from around the globe with Elena Moon Park & Friends. With an emphasis on east and southeast Asia, plus original songs reimagined to mix musical traditions, languages, styles, and stories, Park celebrates learning about the world through music. Sing and clap along to Taiwanese train songs, Tibetan jump rope rhymes, Cambodian folk songs, sing-alongs in English, and more, performed on string instruments, accordion, and drums. As an Artist-in-Residence, Park will also work with the community through classes and workshops during the week leading up to the performance.
Saturday, Feb. 8, at 5 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater
Dylan Triplett is a blues and soul prodigy from St. Louis, Missouri, and was raised in a musical family. He began singing at age 9 and has been performing professionally since late 2016. His rise in the industry recently earned him the 2023 Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist Album presented by the Blues Foundation and the 2023 Blues Blast Award.
Friday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
Virginia National Ballet’s delightful production of Snow White is a whimsical, enchanting ballet which follows the story of the Disney film and features its instantly recognizable music. Brought back by popular demand, the whole family will enjoy this upgraded production featuring gorgeous new backdrops and scenery, with world class choreography and dancing.
Saturday, Feb. 15, all day
Fairfax Campus, Harris Theatre
The Mason Jazz Festival is a yearly invitational, non-competitive event open to middle school, high school, collegiate, and community jazz ensembles. All concerts and events are free and open to the public (no tickets are required). The closing concert is at 7 p.m. and will feature the Mason Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jim Carroll and the U.S. Army Blues.
Saturday, Feb. 15, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Named “Los Angeles’ Best Dance Troupe for Hip Hop Empowerment” by LA Weekly, Versa-Style Street Dance Company immerses its audience in the electrifying world of hip hop and street dance culture. To mark its 20th anniversary, the troupe presents Rooted Rhythms, a mixed repertory program of its most popular works, paying homage to street dance styles such as whacking, popping, and house dance, as well as a blend of Afro-Latin styles including salsa and West African. As a , Versa-Style Street Dance Company will engage the community and students through a variety of events, classes, and discussions.
Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
The Acting Company presents 2022 Tony Award nominee Christina Anderson’s delightful modern verse translation of one of Shakespeare’s earliest works. In this farcical romp, separated families and mistaken identities create hilarious mayhem.
Dewberry School of Music
Sunday, Feb. 16, at 3 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Harris Theatre
The Dewberry Faculty Artist Series showcases the talents of our School of Music professional faculty. The series is presented every spring semester. The Spheres Project is a musical collaboration between George Mason string faculty and students. The project embraces both the differences and commonalities of our lived experiences. Each performance is created from the synergy between participants as they explore the intersections of their worlds. In this performance, The Spheres Project will present the Prokofiev String Quartet No. 2, Op. 92.
Sunday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The Acting Company returns with August Wilson’s Tony Award-winning play. Set amid the Civil Rights Movement, the drama centers on Memphis Lee, an African American diner owner whose business is set to be demolished for an urban renewal project. While Lee fights for fairness and dignity, his customers struggle with how gentrification is changing their lives in unpredictable ways.Two Trains Running is a poignant tribute to the spirit and perseverance of the people who make our country great even when faced with overwhelming odds.
Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
This concert seeks to explore the music of Janelle Monáe through the lenses of love, liberation, and joy. Musicians from The Army Band have curated a beautiful performance highlighting the music of this innovative artist. This performance is presented in collaboration with the Veterans and the Arts Initiative at AV.
Saturday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Join the Divine 9 as they compete for the title of 2025 National Pan-Hellenic Council Step Show Champions. This year's theme, “Icon: Celebrating Black Music,” honors legendary artists and unforgettable moments in Black music history.
Dewberry School of Music
Sunday, Feb. 23, at 3 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Harris Theatre
The Dewberry Faculty Artist Series showcases the talents of our School of Music professional faculty. The series is presented every spring semester. This recital celebrates the 25 years that Anna Balakerskaia and Linda Apple Monson have performed and taught together at AV and features duo-piano works.
Sunday, Feb. 23, at 4 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
The 2022 Gramophone Orchestra of the Year nominee, Czech National Symphony Orchestra makes its Hylton Center debut with a masterful program of fiery, powerhouse works under the direction of Music Director Steven Mercurio. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra ranks among the most highly sought after orchestras in Europe and the United States and is consistently praised for its versatile programs that include classical, film scores, jazz, musicals, and more.
Dewberry School of Music
Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The Mason Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band open their spring 2025 performance season with a joint concert performance, conducted by Director of Bands William L. Lake Jr.