ANNOUNCEMENTS

Updated Fire Alarm Testing Schedule

Parking Services Office Closed June 30 at 1:00 PM

New Catalogs Available Through Creative Services

HR Calls for Nominations for Three Awards

HR/Payroll News

Home Ownership Assistance

Amazing Recycling Factoid

Bistro Closing

The Mason Senator

EVENTS

Talk on Petro-Politics

Center for Health Policy, Research, and Ethics Hosts Interpretative Phenomenology Institute

Farewell Reception for Upen Malani, Director of Campus Operations, Arlington Campus

TRAINING

eVA Training

Banner Finance Training

HR Training

Mason E-Files

Posted June 20, 2005

Updated Fire Alarm Testing Schedule

Parking Services Office Closed June 30 at 1:00 PM

The Parking Services office will close at 1:00 pm on June 30, to complete the transition from Colonial Parking to Standard Parking. The office will reopen at 8:30 am on July 1. Any questions, contact Ann Moran in University Services 993-8868 or amoran1@gmu.edu.

New Catalogs Available Through Creative Services

Copies of the 2005-06 University Catalog are now available. To request delivery to your department or office, send a memo via fax to Catalog Request-Creative Services at 993-8784. Do not contact Central Receiving. The memo should include recipient name; department name; building and room number; and number of boxes requested (each box holds 16 catalogs). Creative Services handles catalog requests in an effort to accurately track the use of catalogs. Catalogs should be delivered within two days after receipt of request. For more information, contact Laura Jeffrey at ljeffrey@gmu.edu.

HR Calls for Nominations for Three Awards

Nominations for the Outstanding Achievement Award, Exceptional Support Award, and the Martha Reiner Customer Service Award are due in Human Resources by July 15.

The Outstanding Achievement Award is granted for achievements that result in significant benefit to the University, school, institute or department, i.e. specific accomplishments that improve processes, save time or money or improve customer service.

The Exceptional Support Award is designed to recognize those employees who are the "worker bees" of the University, i.e. those upon whom departments rely for the smooth running of daily departmental functions and operations.

The Martha Reiner Customer Service Award is presented to individuals who have contributed to the enhancement of quality customer service at George Mason University. The criteria for this award are exceptional initiative in "going the extra mile" to provide service to internal and external customers with timely and appropriate follow-up, responsiveness to the needs of students, patrons or customers and demonstrated improvement of customer service and satisfaction.

Nomination forms are found on the HR webpage under Forms and Materials. Completed nominations should be sent to Lucy Cummings, mail stop 3C3. For more information contact Lucy at 993-2739.

HR/Payroll News

New COVACare ID cards coming to a mailbox near you! COVACare members, keep an eye out for your new member ID cards. These cards will contain a new system generated ID number that will replace your Social Security Number. Make sure your current address is on file by logging on to EmployeeDirect at https://edirect.virginia.gov. Be sure to provide your providers with your new system generated ID number. You will receive new member ID cards even if you did not make an open enrollment selection. (Continuing Kaiser Permanente plan members will not receive new cards; your current Kaiser card already contains a system generated ID number.)

Faculty Leave Donations. Are you a 12-month faculty member who is going to "lose" annual leave after June 24? If you answered yes to this question, consider donating that leave to a fellow employee who may need it due to an extended illness. To donate leave, complete the Leave Sharing Donation Form located at http://hr.gmu.edu/forms/leave_sharing.doc and send it to HR/Payroll at MS 3C3. We must receive the donation form by June 24in order for this leave to be taken out of the faculty member's current year balance. Thank you for thinking of your colleagues.

Home Ownership Assistance

Arlington Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) Initiative. George Mason University employees who are first time homebuyers are eligible to apply to purchase, at a discount, condominiums at West Village of Shirlington (near the intersection of Four Mile Run and Walter Reed Drive). For more details and to complete the required “West Village at Shirlington Condominium—Assessment Form,” please visit http://hr.gmu.edu/benefits/EAH.html. Deadline for submitting the assessment form is this Wednesday, June 22.

How do I know which mortgage is right for me? Confused by the different types of mortgages available today -- fixed rate, adjustable rate, interest-only? Understanding the differences will help you choose the one that best fits your needs. The latest issue of the Home$ense newsletter is now available on George Mason University's Home Buyer's Assistance site, brought to the Mason community by Chevy Chase Bank and PHH Mortgage. This issue of Home$ense explains the differences between mortgage types and helps you evaluate which product is best for your situation.

Amazing Recycling Factoid

Did you know that one gallon of used oil provides the same 2.5 quarts of high quality lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil? Please recycle. For questions or info call Mason Recycling and Waste Management at 993-2547 or email rlim2@gmu.edu.

Bistro Closing

The Bistro will be closed Monday, June 20 through Tuesday, June 28 to make space for other programs and events. Watch for some of the "Best of the Bistro" to move up to the Johnson Center Court during any summer closures if you're a fan of the Sizzlin' Caesar, the Taco Salad or the Fajitas. In addition, the "Silver Streak" Hot Dog Cart will add burgers and chicken sandwiches to its menu during these periods also....although you may see the Streak moved a few meters from it's current home to make room for other programs on the Johnson Center South Plaza. As always, questions or comments can be directed to Michael at mgalvin@gmu.edu or 980-8747 if there is some urgency.

The Mason Senator

On Monday, June 20 the Staff Senate's newsletter, The Mason Senator, will be available for viewing on-line at http://www.gmu.edu/senate/staff/newsletter.html. This month's issue includes information and articles on Employee of the Month Chris Freas and A Message from the Chair bids farewell to two senators, Ida Barbour and Joycelyn Bourelle; the rest of the issue is dedicated to a review in words and photos of Staff Appreciation Day.

Talk on Petro-Politics

The GMU Summer Institute in International Development of the Center for Global Education hosts a talk at the Arlington Campus, Original Building, Room 256 on Wednesday, June 22 at 2:00 pm. Ian Gary, Strategic Issues Advisor-Extractive Industries, Catholic Relief Services will speak on Miracle or Mirage? Africa's Oil Boom and the Poor. The event is open to the public.

Center for Health Policy, Research, and Ethics Hosts Interpretative Phenomenology Institute

This week on the Fairfax Campus, the Center for Health Policy, Research, and Ethics hosts scholars from around the world for the Institute for Interpretive Phenomenology. The institute begins Thursday, June 23, and runs through Monday, June 27. It will provide participants with an in-depth exploration of the philosophical underpinnings of interpretive phenomenology and hermeneutical scholarship in the context of research and scholarship in the health and human sciences.

The institute was founded by Nancy Diekelmann, PhD, RN, FAAN, in 1991, and has been offered annually at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing. This is the first time they have been held at Mason. For more information, visit the center's web site at http://hermeneutics.gmu.edu or call Teri Fede, program coordinator, at (703) 993-1959.

Farewell Reception for Upen Malani, Director of Campus Operations, Arlington Campus

The University Community is invited to attend a farewell reception for Upen Malani, Director of Campus Operations at the Arlington Campus on Wednesday, June 22 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm in the Arlington Original Building, Room 245. Come thank Upen for his years of service to George Mason University and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

eVA Training

eVA, Virginia's electronic purchasing system, has been implemented at George Mason University. Individuals who purchase goods and services for their departments using the American Express Purchase card or the Limited Purchase Order (LPO) form are encouraged to attend an eVA training session. A state-issued eVA user name and password are required to purchase goods and services through eVA. The eVA request form available on the Fiscal Services web site may be used to request an eVA user name and password.

eVA training sessions are scheduled for Tuesday June 28, Wednesday, July 13 and Thursday August 4 from 9:30 am to noon in Innovation Hall. Those interested may register at: http://ittraining.gmu.edu.

Banner Finance Training

Banner Finance Self Service Training, Wednesday, July 6 from 9:00 am to noon in Innovation Hall 215G. Presented by Fiscal Services, this hands-on training provides an overview of the University's Banner Finance system, chart of accounts and reports produced by the system.

Banner Finance Faculty Self Service Training, Wednesday, July 6 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm, Innovation Hall Room 215G. Presented by Fiscal Services, this hands-on training focuses on managing grant transactions and budgets for faculty. Register at http://www.doiiit.gmu.edu/client/wems/workshops/default.cfm.

HR Training

The FISH Philosophy of Customer Service. Use the FISH philosophy to create a more interesting and energetic workplace, one where good customer service is a priority. June 23, 1:00 to 3:00 pm, Mason Hall, Room D5. Register online on the HR website or call 993-2621.

Let's Talk - Credit and Lending Traps. Presented by Phyllis J. Westall, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Washington. July 20, 1:00 to 3:00, Innovation Hall, Room 209. Register online on the HR website or call 993-2621.

Let's Talk - Processing Ca$h Transactions. July 26, 1:00 to 3:00 pm, Johnson Center, Room C. Register on-line on the HR website or call 993-2621.

Current Technologies: What's in it For Me? This session will show you which current technologies are worth knowing about and possibly buying and will also give you a sneak peek at some new technologies just over the horizon. Presented by Rick Reo. July 27, 12:00 to 1:30 pm, Johnson Center, Room A. Register online on the HR website or call 993-2621.