ANNOUNCEMENTS

Celebration of Distinction Award Nominations Due

IRC 427 Lab Spring Hours of Operation

When Walking Hurts - Peripheral Arterial Disease

Intramural and Rec Sports Registrations

Do Your Students Write? Schedule An In-Class Writing Center Roadshow

Homecoming 2006 - Faculty/Staff Involvement

EVENTS

Mason's MLK Jr. Day Celebration

George Mason University Symphony Orchestra

English Language Improvement Programs Begin Next Week

New Exhibit Captures the Spirit of the Children of South Africa

Cultural Studies Spring Colloquium Events

Apple Fest Scheduled for February 10

It's Almost Here. Faculty-Staff Appreciation Night at Mason Basketball

Men's Basketball Plays Again on Saturday

Hemlock Overlook Launches Winter Workshop Series

TRAINING

DoIT/Tops 2006 Comprehensive Courses

Banner Finance

Cash Transactions

HR Training

Mason E-Files

Posted January 23, 2006

Celebration of Distinction Award Nominations Due

Every year the Alumni Association recognizes outstanding alumni, students, and faculty at Celebration of Distinction, a dinner and awards ceremony. Top awards include the Alumnus of the Year, the Alumni Service Award, Faculty Member of the Year, and Senior of the Year. These awards are designed to recognize alumni, faculty, and students that are making a difference for Mason. Three scholarships are also awarded to students -- the John C. Wood Scholarship, the John C. and Louise P. Wood Graduate Scholarship, and the Peter Forame Student Leader scholarship. In addition, the award ceremony allows alumni chapters and departments to present various awards. This year's Celebration of Distinction will be held on Wednesday, April 19.

All faculty and staff are encouraged to provide nominations for the Alumni Association awards. Details and nomination forms can be found on the Alumni Affairs website (http://www.gmu.edu/alumni/awards.html). Nominations are due no later than Monday, February 13.

For more information, contact Katie Mirick Thomasson at 993-8737 or smirick@gmu.edu.

When Walking Hurts - Peripheral Arterial Disease

Starting out on a walk, your legs start to hurt but when you stop walking the pain subsides? Sound familiar? The INOVA Health Source recommends not dismissing this as an inevitable part of aging.

Leg pain that occurs with walking and stops at rest, sores that won’t heal and constant severe leg pain could be symptoms of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD occurs when arteries become narrowed or blocked due to plaque deposits and changes associated with aging, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and smoking.

To treat PAD, doctors often recommend positive lifestyle changes – diet, exercise and smoking cessation – and medications that lower blood pressure and cholesterol. However, some patients may require some surgical procedures.

For more information contact www.inova.org or the Safety Office 993-2479.

Intramural and Rec Sports Registrations

5 on 5 Basketball League. Rosters are due on Wednesday, February 1. Play will begin the week of February 5. Team roster forms may be downloaded online at http://recsports.gmu.edu/intramural. All team captains (or player representative) are required to attend the captains meeting held on February 1 in the PE Building Main Gym. Download the roster form and bring a copy of the completed form to the Captains Meeting. Rosters are limited to 16 individuals. Men's and women's leagues are available.

3 on 3 Basketball Tournament. Rosters are due on Wednesday February 1 by 4:00 pm in Room 105 of the Aquatic Center. No rosters will be accepted after 4:00 pm. Rosters are limited to a maximum of 4 individuals. There will be a men's and women's bracket.

Texas Hold 'Em. Registration will begin on Monday, January 23 for the spring student and faculty/staff Texas Hold 'Em Tournament. Registration will be limited to the first 84 individuals registered for the tournament held on Saturday, March 25.

For more information on Rec Sports visit http://recsports.gmu.edu/intramural.

IRC 427 Lab Spring Hours of Operation

Beginning Monday, January 16 and continuing throughout the Spring Semester, the Instructional Resource Center’s (IRC) Lab (IN 427) hours of operation will be Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 7:00 pm. If there are any questions regarding the IRC Lab or lab hours of operation, contact the IRC at irc@gmu.edu, by phone at 993-3141, or the IRC Lab Manager, James Ouellette at jouellet@gmu.edu.

Do Your Students Write? Schedule An In-Class Writing Center Roadshow

Writing Center tutors are available to visit your class for 10 minutes to introduce your students to our services. If you or your students would be interested in such a presentation, send an email to Sarah Baker at sbaker@gmu.edu. Include the name/number of your course, the date and time you would like us to visit, and your classroom location. Writing Center locations include the Fairfax (Robinson and Enterprise), Arlington, and Prince William campuses. The presentation requires an overhead projector.

We also hope you will include the Writing Center URL, http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/, on your syllabus and mention us in your class. Our web site includes many helpful resources, and we now have online scheduling for appointments.

Homecoming 2006 - Faculty/Staff Involvement

I Heart Mason Homecoming 2006 is just around the corner. Faculty and staff are encouraged to show their spirit and participate in the many events offered during Homecoming Week (February 6 - 11).

Sign-up to enter the Office Decorating Competition and the Banner Competition. Offices and departments can decorate their offices and/or design a banner to be displayed in the Johnson Center Atrium. Our theme for this year is I Heart Mason. Office decorations will be judged Monday, February 6, and the winners announced during half time at the basketball game on Saturday, February 11. Prizes for the office competition include a plaque and a catered continental breakfast. The prize for the banner competition is a $150.00 check made out to your department/office courtesy of the The Coca Cola Company. More information is available on the Homecoming website http://www.gmu.edu/homecoming.

Don't forget about faculty/staff day a Ciao Hall Tuesday, February 7. Wear your favorite Mason gear and enter your business card for a chance to win some more fabulous prizes.

Homecoming events include faculty/staff day at Ciao Hall, office and banner decorating competitions, college row, block party, kidzone, and much more.

Mason's MLK Jr. Day Celebration

On February 2, the university will celebrate the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This annual event is open to the entire Mason community and the local community as well. The theme for this year's event is Empowering Community: Realizing the Vision, and the keynote speaker is Kevin Powell, journalist, author, educator and activist.

The day long activities include a Civil Rights Era Exhibit from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm in Dewberry Hall; a Read-In Discussion at 10:30 am in Johnson Center, Robeson Room 240; Symbolic Unity March from SUB II to the Johnson Center at 1:00 pm; and the main program with choral prelude and keynote speaker at 1:15 pm in Dewberry Hall.

Join your friends and colleagues in the spirit of community to celebrate Dr. King's extraordinary life. For more information, check the web site http://odps.gmu.edu/MLK2006.htm

George Mason University Symphony Orchestra

Mason's Symphony Orchestra will perform on February 7 at 8:00 pm in the Concert Hall.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students/seniors and are available through Tickets.com, 888-945-2468 (service charges), or in person at the Center for the Arts box office, Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. For more information, call 993-8888, or visit www.gmu.edu/cfa or www.gmu.edu/departments/music.

English Language Improvement Programs Begin Next Week

This spring, the English Language Institute, an office of University Life, will offer programs for non-native speakers of English on the Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William campuses

On the Fairfax and Arlington campuses, Writing for International Graduate Students, a 12-week, non-credit writing course, will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from January 30 to April 26. Class times will be 3:00 to 4:15 pm on the Fairfax campus and 1:00 to 2:15 pm on the Arlington campus. Tuition is $300 for fully-admitted Mason graduate students and visiting scholars and $540 for extended studies students. The application deadline is this Friday, January 27. To apply, or to receive more information about the writing course or about other spring programs (including free pronunciation, grammar and conversation workshops), contact Melissa Allen at malle2@gmu.edu or 993-3642 for Fairfax information or Julie Park at jpark1@gmu.edu for Arlington information.

On the Prince William campus, free workshops and drop-in tutoring will be held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. For more information, contact Melissa Allen at malle2@gmu.edu or 993-3642 or Carol Auerbach at cauerbac@gmu.edu.

New Exhibit Captures the Spirit of the Children of South Africa

The exhibit runs February 8 – March 22. The opening reception will be held on Wednesday, February 8, 7:00 - 9:00 pm in the Mason Hall Atrium Gallery.

As South Africa struggles to free itself from centuries of racial discrimination, is it really a land crumbling under the pandemic of AIDS, plagued by crime, guns, drugs? This was the question facing a group of visitors on a Fulbright-Hays program, who documented their journey in The Children of South Africa: The Way Forward, opening February 8 in the Mason Hall Atrium Gallery.

Harold Linton, currently chair of Mason’s Art and Visual Technology Department, organized the exhibition of 30 photographs chronicling the Fulbright group’s visit to the schools and shantytowns of Durban and its environs while he was chair of the Art Department at Bradley University in Illinois. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has written the catalog’s foreword, underscoring the importance of the exhibit’s humanitarian message.

Cultural Studies Spring Colloquium Events

Thursday, January 26, 4:30 pm, Johnson Center Room E. Roger Lancaster presents The Fall and Rise of Bioreductivism: Sex and Race in Science Today. Lancaster will update developments since the publication of The Trouble with Nature: Sex in Science and Popular Culture (2003).

Thursday, February 9, 4:30 pm, Johnson Center Room E. Cultural Studies PhD students Kathalene Razzano (co-author of Vulture Culture: The Politics and Pedagogy of Daytime Television Talk Shows) and Randa Kayyali (author of The Arab Americans) discuss their new books.

Thursday, March 23, 4:30 pm, Johnson Center Room E. New Media Studies, a faculty panel in three genres. Radio: Timothy Gibson, Communication, Low Power Radio, Health Promotion, and the Politics of Media Reform; Film: Alison Landsberg, History, Squaw Men and Indian Wives: Mapping Masculinity, Race and National Belonging in the Silent Western; Video Games: Mark Sample, English, Virtual Torture and the War on Terror.

Tuesday, April 18, 9:00 am - 6:30 pm. Spring Conference: Who Owns Knowledge? A Symposium on Science and Technology in the Global Circuit. The current science wars (debates around stem cell research, global climate change, and intelligent design) raise anew long-standing questions central to the field of science and technology studies. Speakers at this daylong event will consider socially relevant questions having to do with the imbrication of science, technology, and culture.

Wednesday, April 19 - 22. SCA Meetings. The Cultural Studies Program will host the annual meetings of the Cultural Studies Association on the Arlington Campus. What better way to interrogate the state of the field?

Thursday, May 4, Johnson Center Room E. Student Presentations.

Apple Fest Scheduled for February 10

The ITU Security and Project Office is sponsoring a technology briefing with Apple Computers on Friday February 10, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, in Johnson Center Rooms E and F. The event, which is titled Apple Fest, is for all faculty and staff.

Room E will be used for presentations on podcasting, Office 2004 for the Mac, iTunes and other topics of general interest. Room F will have product displays, including Powerbooks, iMacs, and other new items.

A more detailed event flyer is available in Patriot Computers in the Johnson Center. Seating is limited and reservations are required. RSVP to Apple representative Matthew Brutsche at mattb@apple.com.

It's Almost Here. Faculty-Staff Appreciation Night at Mason Basketball

The George Mason University Athletic Department invites all Patriot faculty and staff to a fantastic George Mason community-oriented night of fun, as the men’s basketball team presents Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 pm in the Patriot Center against William & Mary. Mason faculty and staff can receive four free tickets by just showing their Mason ID at the Johnson Center Information Desk or the Patriot Center Box Office. Additionally, Sodexho will serve free food and beverage for a pre-game meal (5:30 - 6:30 pm) in the hospitality room on the Patriot Center main concourse.

For more information, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 993-3270.

Men's Basketball Plays Again on Saturday

The Patriots dual another top CAA contender when ODU comes to the Patriot Center on Saturday, January 28 at 2:00 pm. It's Minnieland Kid's Day as all kids get in for only $4. Get your picture with Mikey the Chimp and see him dunk at half time. Mikey has appeared in movies including Manchurian Candidate with Denzel Washington and on numerous TV shows. Mason is red hot and you won't want to miss their run to the Big Dance so get your tickets now at the Patriot Center Box Office. This game can also be seen on Comcast SportsNet.

For more information, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 993-3270.

Hemlock Overlook Launches Winter Workshop Series

Hemlock Overlook has announced that the Center for Professional Development is launching a series of workshops scheduled for the 2006 winter months. The series is called The Inspired Leadership Workshop Series, and it is for individuals and leaders who are interested in exploring leadership, skill building, and learning about their own leadership styles.

Tuesday, February 7 - Shifting to Leadership. Focus: skills and information for new (or soon to be) leaders.

Thursday, February 9 - Leading in Times of Change. Focus: positioning an organization for positive change.

Wednesday, February 15 - The Communication Wheel. Focus: communication skills.

Thursday, February 23 - Foundation for Leadership Influence. Focus: relationship building.

Tuesday, February 28 - The Anatomy of Agreement. Focus: coordinating action for results.

Tuesday, March 7 - Embodied Leadership. Focus: leadership presence.

Thursday, March 9 - Creativity and Innovation Through Improv. Focus: creativity.

Tuesday, March 14 - Choice-ful Action. Focus: choosing appropriate actions.

Leadership Learning Community. Focus: an ongoing learning community designed to provide support and encouragement to new leaders. Content will be tailored to the specific needs of the group. This group will meet once a month for two to four hours for six months.

The mission of Hemlock Overlook Center for Outdoor Education is to challenge individuals, organizations, and communities to grow, change, and develop by facilitating high-quality experiential programs.

For more information, visit www.hemlockoverlook.org or call Kari Alexander at 993-9831.

DoIT/Tops 2006 Comprehensive Courses

DoIT/TOPS is offering the following spring 2006 Comprehensive Courses to faculty and staff at the Fairfax campus: Access 2003, Excel 2003, and PowerPoint 2003

The purpose for each course is to offer each participant the ability to gain a thorough knowledge of Access, Excel, or PowerPoint 2003 software. Also, participants are being prepared to take the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) certification exam.

The Access course starts on Monday, January 30 and meets each Monday thereafter from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon through May 8, for a total of 15 classes.

The Excel course starts on Wednesday, February 1 and meets each Wednesday thereafter from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon through June 21, for a total of 20 classes.

The PowerPoint course starts on Friday, February 3 and meets each Friday thereafter from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm through April 28, for a total of 13 classes.

Initially, a Word 2003 comprehensive course was also being offered, but due to lack of interest we have decided to offer Excel instead. However, if anybody is interested in learning Word 2003, regular workshops will be offered during the spring semester 2006.

Our mission is to provide quality instruction at an inexpensive rate to Mason’s faculty and staff. There is a fee of $150 which covers all training materials and manuals for each course.

If you are interested or have any other questions, contact Marlys Shoup at mshoup@gmu.edu or 993-3371.

Banner Finance

Banner Finance Self Service. Tuesday, January 24, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon in Innovation Hall, Room 215G. This hands-on training provides an overview of the University's Banner Finance system, chart of accounts and reports produced by the system for individuals who work with budget and financial activity.

Banner Finance Faculty Self Service. Tuesday Tuesday, January 24, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm in Innovation Hall, Room 215G. This hands-on training focuses on managing grant transactions and budgets for faculty.

Those interested may register at http://www.doiiit.gmu.edu/

Cash Transactions

Wednesday, February 1, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm in SUB II, Rooms 1 & 2.

This training provides a review of cash handling policies, departmental deposit processes, credit card procedures and processes for handling returned checks.

Those interested may register at: http://ittraining.gmu.edu/

HR Training

Weight Watchers at Work. It's not too late to join Weight Watchers at Work. Meetings are held every Friday through April 7 in the Johnson Center, Room C from 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm (Bring your lunch if you'd like). Note: There will be a weigh-in at each meeting. You do not have to attend the entire meeting, but can come at the beginning or the end to weigh-in.