Author: [email protected]

Fuse at Mason Square received a platinum rating in April, the highest level awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council and a first for the university. The rating was achieved through innovative sustainable design features, including a vertical solar array, a high-performance building envelope, and extensive smart building controls and monitoring.

An April naming event for Nexus234, Northern Virginia’s first innovation district, celebrated the region as a national destination for research-driven industry. Centered around Innovation Park alongside the SciTech campus, Nexus234 connects researchers, entrepreneurs, and technology companies ranging from startups to global firms across sectors, including life sciences, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, data centers, and AI infrastructure. The milestone builds on three decades of work and investment by George Mason, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas. 

George Mason marked National Fentanyl Awareness Day on April 29, with RSR-Employee Health and Well-Being hosting a free resource fair at the Johnson Center. The EHW team distributed Narcan kits and fentanyl test strips to students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, EHW replenished the Narcan supply for the George Mason Police Department, as their existing stock was nearing expiration. These supplies were generously provided by our partners with the Virginia Department of Health.

The first phase of this cybersecurity enhancement project consolidated more than 100 existing technology and security log sources into Microsoft Sentinel and Azure Data Explorer to better organize and standardize the data the university already collects. By centralizing and improving the quality of this data, the university can respond to threats faster, improve reporting, and make better use of existing Microsoft licensing investments. The final phase of this effort will migrate 100+ dashboards, alerts, and reports, implement secure role-based access controls, and provide training and documentation to help teams successfully adopt the new platform, with broader access targeted by the end of June.

One hundred and eighteen boulders were installed around the perimeters of parking lots A and L on the Fairfax Campus to prevent unwanted vehicles from entering the areas during university events. The installation was part of an ongoing partnership between Facilities and Emergency Management to enhance campus security. Each boulder weighs roughly six tons or 12,000 pounds.

The new solar panels next to the greenhouse were connected in April and are actively producing electricity. The 17.75-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system consists of 50 panels and offsets more than 80% of the President's Park Hydroponic Greenhouse’s annual electricity usage. The solar project was initiated in 2020 by a group of undergraduate students who received financial support from Sustainability’s Patriot Green Fund and Facilities Management to implement their vision. 

Mason Dining welcomed celebrity chef Jet Tila to campus for a special Wok This Way event featuring student meet-and-greets, a live cooking demonstration, and an interactive Q&A session. Beyond being a good – and delicious! – time for all, the event helped raise awareness around student food insecurity and highlighted available campus support resources. 

Student Centers hosted its annual Spring Fling event at the Corner Pocket, welcoming more than 150 attendees for an evening of games, karaoke, crafts, and community-building activities. The event capped off a great spring semester in partnership with the George Mason Craft Club.

RSR's Employee Health & Well-Being division hosted the annual Spring into Well-Being vaccine clinic on April 14, offering several routine vaccines and boosters (e.g., MMR, Tdap, pneumonia, and shingles) as well as international travel-specific vaccines (e.g., polio, typhoid, hepatitis A, and others).

After serving as interim Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management for almost a year, Aurali was appointed as the permanent VP and Chief Risk Officer. Under her leadership, the ERM program will further evolve as a strategic partner that strengthens enterprise planning and enables the institution to anticipate and address risks before they emerge. Learn more about Aurali and ERM in her recent Q&A in The George. 

The university increased its available faculty and staff housing at the SciTech Campus with the acquisition of five more townhomes, the last units to be delivered under last year’s purchase agreement. The two- and three-bedroom units are available to employees, providing convenient, affordable housing next door to the campus.

Risk, Safety, & Resilience’s Emergency Management program was formally recognized at the Virginia Emergency Management Symposium this March for having the Mitigation Program of the Year, specifically highlighting the team's excellent work mitigating potential emergencies at university events. RSR team members were present at the conference to accept the award and to present their mitigation strategies to help share knowledge with peers.

Risk, Safety, and Resilience co-sponsored this year's Health & Fitness Expo. The event, attended by students, faculty, staff, and community members, was the largest attended in its history. RSR provided volunteer coordination and day-of-event coordination, in addition to representing RSR with a table in the event hall. To learn more about this event, visit the Health & Fitness Expo event page.

RSR's Employee Health & Well-Being division hosted the annual Spring into Well-Being vaccine clinic on April 14, offering several routine vaccines and boosters (e.g., MMR, Tdap, pneumonia, and shingles) as well as international travel-specific vaccines (e.g., polio, typhoid, hepatitis A, and others).

Information Technology Services pushed the upgrade to George Mason‑managed Windows computers on March 12, enabling Microsoft 365 AI tools—including Copilot Chat—across Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Performing the work during Spring Break minimized disruption and aligned Windows devices with the AI capabilities already available on George Mason‑managed Macs. On-demand training resources are available here: Getting Started with Microsoft Copilot Chat.

Mason Dining hosted its Smokin’ Madness Chef Throwdown, bringing together Chartwells chefs from across the Atlantic region for a high-energy, March Madness–style culinary competition. Teams representing Ike’s and Southside Dining Halls crafted full barbecue menus for students and a panel of judges, featuring smoked brisket, pulled pork, specialty sides, and more.

The Child Development Center, Parking & Transportation, and Mason Police came together to distribute goodie bags to drivers in celebration of Transit Driver Appreciation Day. This small “thank you” recognizes the essential role these transit staff play in supporting daily campus operations and community safety.

In March, Information Technology Services launched the Operational Project Portfolio, which will consolidate Tier‑3 internal project tracking, improve governance transparency, and support required time‑tracking components tied to GASB‑51 audit findings. The project will have phased implementation, and work is underway to develop supporting definitions, data standards, and processes to ensure consistency. The initial phase focuses on inputting and organizing project data to create a reliable foundation to inform governance workflows, reporting, and decision‑making. Subsequent phases will refine processes, formalize review mechanisms, and align portfolio insights with broader planning and accountability goals.

Information Technology Services proudly participated in the Association of Collegiate Computing Services of Virginia’s (ACCS-VA) annual statewide conference for technology professionals, showcasing the university’s IT expertise through several presentations. These sessions highlighted key themes including technology self‑efficacy and faculty support in hybrid learning environments, large‑scale network modernization and automation, cloud transformation and Azure adoption, and embedding digital accessibility across the IT lifecycle—demonstrating George Mason’s leadership in innovative, inclusive, and future‑ready technology practices.

On November 23, George Mason completed the final step in a multi-year effort to modernize its core network, the high-speed data backbone that interconnects university campuses and buildings. Whether accessing Wi-Fi, wired connections, or university systems, this upgrade delivers dramatically faster connections across the university and between campuses. The new network provides a strong foundation for advanced research, digital learning, and seamless collaboration, positioning George Mason to confidently meet future technology demands. 

On November 6, Risk, Safety, & Resilience – Employee Health & Well-Being held a flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, and RSV vaccine clinic at the Population Health Center. Ninety-one people received vaccines at this free event for employees and their families. 

The Center for Collision Safety & Analysis has relocated to Katherine G. Johnson Hall and vacated the Commerce Building, which the university sold last year and has since leased. Led by Real Estate Strategy & Operations, the sale and subsequent move are part of the university’s efforts to leverage existing space and minimize external leases. The move was supported by ITS and Facilities in advance of the lease ending on December 15.  

ITS donated 15 laptops to the University's Office of Military Services in early November. These repurposed, fully functional laptops help the department continue its mission in the absence of the resources necessary to purchase new computers. This is part of ITS’s ongoing efforts to maximize the value and lifespan of existing resources while supporting the important work that is happening across the university. 

This new position is responsible for energy management, the combined heating & cooling plant, and sustainability within facilities & campus operations. Spader brings vast experience as a program and project leader for sustainability, energy efficiency, and decarbonization initiatives. She recently oversaw a $20 billion portfolio of innovative, high-impact decarbonization projects, including negotiations with Fortune 500 companies. 

It is now one step quicker to sign on at George Mason. In November, ITS removed the attribute release display from the single sign-on authentication process. User consent choices remain stored as a browser-specific cookie, and login processes are determined by each application vendor, so ITS determined that there was no impact on user security. 

ITS is simplifying George Mason University's Wi-Fi network this fall, fully transitioning to eduroam and retiring MASON-SECURE. Eduroam has been George Mason's primary Wi-Fi network since 2022, offering secure and seamless access across all campuses and at hundreds of participating institutions worldwide. While many users have already transitioned to eduroam, MASON-SECURE will be permanently shut down on Friday, December 19. For details, see MASON-SECURE Retirement FAQs.

In partnership with Athletics and the Office of University Branding, ABS Marketing and the Bookstore launched the new mobile merchandise trailer and the Collect the Spirit fan-engagement campaign. The initiative continues to debut exclusive game-day drops and amplify school spirit across home basketball games this season.

Parking & Transportation successfully transported more than 150 students to and from their Thanksgiving destinations via regional shuttle routes spanning from Virginia Beach to New York City. The service provided a safe, affordable, and convenient travel option for students heading home for the break.

Dining Services welcomed President Gregory Washington to Southside Dining Hall for the annual Thanksgiving turkey carving tradition. Students and staff enjoyed the festive experience, celebrating community and George Mason pride over a holiday meal.

Risk, Safety, & Resilience’s Emergency Management & Fire Safety piloted x-ray bag scanning technology at the Student Career Fair in Dewberry Hall, part of the university’s continued efforts to further enhance security at events. This technology is being considered for future use as it facilitates quick ingress into events while allowing students to carry their personal effects.

Facilities and Campus Operations held a town hall on October 20, focused on improving organizational culture with a focus on trust, transparency, excellence, and professional growth. Topics included department goals, upcoming initiatives, and discussions on, resources, recognition, and retaliation.

The project team has successfully deployed both an attended (user login) and unattended Robotics Process Automation resources for Fiscal Services. This will enable the eventual decommission of on-site desktop machines, instead of running in Windows Azure environments. This complex effort was made possible by the teamwork and commitment of ITS.

The RTS subsequent contract workflow went live on October 15. The new workflow modernizes the process to produce subsequent contracts for benefitted instructional/research/clinical faculty, postdoctoral research fellows, research staff, and administrative/professional faculty. There is a more efficient process that reduces turnaround time, risk, and cost to the university.

The Fuse building was selected by a panel of esteemed judges for the Environmental Impact Award at the P3 Awards ceremony in New York City on October 23. The judges noted the project’s comprehensive approach, spanning optimized systems, smart controls, climate resilience, and a living-lab experience. George Mason’s partner Edgemoor also won the prestigious 2025 Developer of the Year award for Fuse, as well as projects with the University of Nevada, Reno and University of Kansas.

A&O leadership participated in the Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day on October 16th. David Farris spoke about how to participate in, structure, and maximize the productivity of university committees. Charmaine Madison joined Amarda Shehu to present a session on integrating AI that introduced PatriotAI and CoPilot, part of George Mason’s effort to foster responsible and innovative use of artificial intelligence across campus.

In collaboration with Canon Print and Mail Services, Auxiliary and Business Services has initiated a major upgrade of George Mason’s campus printer fleet as part of a renewed contract agreement. This initiative will see more than 300 devices replaced across the university in stages over the coming weeks. The new devices feature a smaller footprint and improved energy efficiency, directly supporting the university’s sustainability goals, while also providing faster, more secure, and more reliable performance. This transition is designed to be seamless for faculty and staff, as all printer configurations and user access information will automatically transfer, requiring no action or reconfiguration from individual users.

Self-Service 9 (SSB9) for Finance was successfully launched on October 1. Led by the Enterprise Project Management Office, this upgrade delivers a refreshed interface, enhanced functionality, and new features that simplify and strengthen financial processes across the university. George Mason ITS was able to complete the roll-out of Patriot Web (Ellucian Experience) Banner 9 user interface as part of a long-sought-after enterprise user experience upgrade, in concert with the SSB9 Finance module for consistency. Retiring the SSB8 Finance Information tab is a crucial step towards full retirement of the Banner 8 platform elements still active in our ecosystem.

Thirty-seven George Mason classrooms have been modernized by upgrading educational technologies and creating state-of-the-art, innovative learning environments. ITS teams delivered advanced networking and instructional technology solutions, while the Facilities Department completed physical renovations. The project team coordinated planning, design, procurement, installation, and testing with campus partners, including the Provost’s Learning Environment Group and the University Registrar, as well as several external contractors.

The Policy Management Group is updating the university policy process for consistency, efficiency, and enhanced communication of policy changes, co-chaired by the interim vice president for enterprise risk management and assistant provost of academic affairs. The new policy process is anticipated to launch in early 2026 with broad communication to the campus community. The group also anticipates conducting a review of existing university policies to ensure they are on a consistent review cycle and reviews are to date, updated in alignment with changes in regulations, code or law, and consistent with other university policies.

Student Centers hosted its inaugural Movie Night, celebrating the 30th anniversary of "Toy Story" with an outdoor screening on Wilkins Plaza. Participants enjoyed complimentary popcorn and gained practical experience in event production, including setup and operation of a flown truss system, daylight outdoor projection techniques, and real-time color uplight coordination to match film scenes.

George Mason held an open house in October for the new faculty and staff condominiums in the Innovation Town Center, adjacent to the SciTech Campus, as well as welcoming the first resident. The open house drew strong attendance and generated several completed applications, moving closer to the goal of filling the first 10 units. Guests enjoyed music, refreshments, and the opportunity to tour the new Tessa and Julianne condos that will help with the University’s commitment to affordable housing for faculty and staff.

Condominium leasing is now available to faculty and staff. Two- and three-bedroom units are being offered with options starting at $2,200 per month. Contact [email protected] to schedule a tour.

Information sheet available to view here PDF.

Risk, Safety, and Resilience’s Employee Health & Well-Being is offering free well-body screenings, a non-invasive body composition scan with personalized results, a complimentary blood pressure check, and a consultation with a medical professional. This analysis provides physiological metrics for evaluating overall health. All slots are currently filled, but additional appointments will open on the sign-up page in the coming months. This service is open to George Mason faculty and staff (including wage, student wage, and adjunct faculty).

Risk, Safety, & Resilience – Employee Health & Well-Being will hold a flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, and RSV vaccine clinic at Population Health Center, Friday, November 6, 10 am to pm. This event is free and open to George Mason Faculty and Staff and their families. Register here.

Patriot Web, George Mason University's self-service site for managing personal, administrative, and academic information, was upgraded this month to a new, modern interface with improved navigation. A soft launch of the new environment was made available for use on September 1 at the Patriot Web login page. The prior version of Patriot Web was disabled on Tuesday, September 30.

ITS continues to implement new storage quotas to manage growth within our Microsoft 365 (M365) environment. The next phases include administering new email and calendar quotas, creating a MyHub request process for more MS Teams and SharePoint space, investigating M365 retention policies, and refining the account lifecycle process. For quota information and updated project details, see the M365 Storage Roadmap.

Enterprise Risk Management workshops for the identified top enterprise risks for FY26-27 have begun to take place. These workshops are focused on refining risk definitions, describing risk drivers and current controls, and identifying top mitigation actions to address these enterprise risks. These workshops will continue throughout fall 2025.

The new Activities Community Wellness Center has been substantially completed and is expected to be ready for use by mid-October following final safety inspections. The new 25,000 square foot facility features two full-sized basketball courts, other athletic courts, and meeting spaces for the university’s 350-plus student groups, as well as providing practice space for the Green Machine.

Risk, Safety, and Resilience is in the process of implementing TimelyCare well-being services for faculty and staff, which offers 24/7 virtual health and well-being services, fully independent of campus health and well-ness resources with no insurance required and no copays.

Employees can access immediate emotional support (TalkNow), scheduled mental health counseling, health coaching, self-care tools, and medical care for low-acuity issues. TimelyCare also provides a dedicated Guidance Line that faculty/staff can call to get expert help in identifying and connecting students in distress with appropriate resources.

This service is expected to be available to all employees by January 2026.

Parking Services introduced a new AI-powered license plate recognition system in the Van Metre, Vernon Smith, and Fuse garages that makes parking a faster, more convenient experience for the Mason community and visitors alike. Developed and operated by George Mason’s long-time partner, Metropolis, this cutting-edge platform makes parking seamless. Permit holders simply drive in and out as their license plate serves as their credential — no swiping or tickets required. Guests can quickly register their license plate and payment method on a mobile device, with charges processed automatically upon exit.

The laboratory was issued no findings from the Center for Disease Control, a rare accomplishment that is reflective of exceptional teamwork across Facilities, Safety, Operations, Research, and students being committed to upholding the highest safety and research standards.

The recently opened Fuse building at Mason Square has been nominated and put on the shortlist for an Environmental Impact Award from P3 Awards. The ceremony will be held in late October in New York.

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Julie Zobel hosted the first A&O leadership retreat for Administration & Operations (A&O) on August 7 and 8, gathering the department’s unit leaders and their direct reports at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. The 40-person group conducted Emergenetics teambuilding, organizational visioning, and identified priorities for the newly formed department.

SciTech’s job fair on August 15, drew far more participants than expected, requiring additional space and support for the surprisingly high turnout. Held at the request of U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), the successful collaboration provided support to the region’s workforce and strengthened community partnerships, while demonstrating the campus’s utility as a host for large-scale events.

Annual mandatory Emergency Preparedness Training was updated and launched in August on MasonLeaps, the university’s online, self-service learning and performance system. Based on feedback from the university community, training is condensed, easier to navigate, and a test-out option is now included. These changes will reduce the time and compliance burden on faculty and staff and is expected to improve training compliance.

Canon USA, George Mason’s partner in print, mail, and copy services since 2016, has been awarded a new five-year contract that began on July 1, 2025, with an option for a five-year extension. The agreement includes a $150,000 signing bonus, and technology upgrades such as a refreshed multi-function-device (MFD) fleet, a new smart locker system in the HUB, cloud-based support, and Wi-Fi compatible devices.

Emergency Management and University Events partnered to implement a physical security rubric into George Mason’s event registration process, 25live. George Mason will pilot this security process enhancement in FY26 to determine security requirements for internal and external events, before establishing it permanently in FY27, incorporating learnings from the pilot phase.

A working group has been established to examine the installation, use, maintenance, and testing of panic buttons installed throughout the university; procedures will be produced to mitigate false alarms and improve the utility of panic buttons.