George Mason University: Around Mason: Week Of Jan. 11, 2022

Mount Vernon VA

10 January, 2022

2:35 PM

Description

Press release from George Mason University: January 11th, 2022 Have something to share? Review announcement guidelines and submit an announcement from your unit through the online form. Deadline is close of business Wednesday for inclusion in the following Tuesday's edition. 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 about progress 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. Hosted on Zoom 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 Chart of Accounts website. For questions, contact [email protected]. ITS Support Center Modified January Hours The ITS Support Center 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 Mason Shuttles website. 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 shuttle.gmu.edu. Spring schedules for each route will be available later this week. Contact 703-993-2828 or [email protected] with 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. View more details. 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. 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 Human Resources and Payroll website. 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. Register Research and Scholarship at Mason: Orientation and Refresher The Mason community is invited to attend the second annual Research and Scholarship at Mason orientation 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. Register today. The program helps faculty become more familiar with the grant life cycle at Mason and the resources available to help faculty obtain external funding for research, scholarship, and creative work. The Power of Moments Program Moves to Virtual Only Many of the defining moments in students affairs are the result of accident or luck, but why would we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them? Join University Life on Wednesday, Jan. 12, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. for The Power of Moments, an event that will help supervisors leverage moments to enhance their supervision style and create memorable experiences for staff. This event is co-hosted by the University Life Supervision Collective and the Awards and Recognition Committee, part of University Life Professional Development. Register to attend virtually. 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 the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, the First-Gen+ Center will 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 Registration required Attendees will engage with evidence-based practices to support them in preparing spring 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). Contact [email protected] with questions. 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 Register today. Contact [email protected] 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. Read more details. Upcoming Performances at Mason Mason Artist-in-Residence: Camille A. Brown & Dancers 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 of African-American identity 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 of deeply personal experiences. A pre-performance discussion will take place in Monson Grand Tier 45 minutes prior to curtain. Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Fantastic Fantasies 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. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko, music director Kian Soltani, 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, Kian Soltani. Under the direction of Vasily Petrenko, 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. This press release was produced by George Mason University. The views expressed here are the author's own.