Around Mason: Week of Aug. 9, 2022

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Faculty/Staff Announcements 

Have something to share? Review announcement guidelines and submit an announcement from your unit through the online form. 


Campus Updates 


Submissions for the 50th Anniversary Time Capsule

What item best captures your Mason Nation experience? Is it a graduation photo, acceptance letter, buttons or other keepsakes from a club or organization, or even a homemade scrapbook?   

Submissions are accepted for Mason’s 50th Anniversary time capsule—and any current or former students, staff, and faculty can submit an idea for consideration!   

Provide information about your item through the submission form by August 31. Items will be chosen in fall 2022. 


Mason Night at Nationals Park 

Mason Night at Nationals Park is on Friday, September 30, with a first pitch at 7:05 p.m. EST.  The first 1,500 fans who purchase a ticket through this offer will receive the new limited edition baseball hat with the 50th mark. There is also a scheduled pre-game reception from 6-7 p.m. for the first 100 ticket purchasers. Purchase tickets HERE.


Fall Semester Parking Permit Sales Underway 

Fall semester parking permits are now on sale online only at parking.gmu.edu. Payroll deduction permits for faculty/staff will automatically renew on September 1, and no action is necessary. 

For more information, check out the Fall 2022 Parking and Transporation Update. Contact parking@gmu.edu or 703-993-2710 with questions. 


New Equipment in Most Mason Parking Decks 

If you currently have parking deck validations, are a current deck permit holder, or plan to purchase one for the fall 2022 semester, you may know that there are new equipment upgrades underway in the Mason Pond (FFX), Rappahannock (FFX), and Van Metre (Mason Square ARL) parking decks.   

For departments and individuals with visitor validations for Van Metre Garage and Mason Pond Deck, the validations will need to be exchanged for new ones that utilize QR codes. You may use existing Mason Pond Deck validations in Shenandoah Deck for a short while more, but please note that Shenandoah Deck will have new pay stations in September or October, similar to the ones in Rappahannock Deck that use validation codes instead of tickets.  

Also, new hourly visitor rates for all garages took effect on August 8, 2022, with the all-day rate increasing to $18. Although the rate is increasing, you can replace your current validations with the new QR code validations by visiting the Parking Office at no cost. 

During the transition, the gates for these decks have been up, but they were lowered on August 8 in Van Metre garage and on August 9 in Mason Pond when the new technology was activated.  

For information on how the new equipment will impact you as a permit holder, please visit transportation.gmu.edu/new-equipment-in-most-mason-parking-decks. 


Fall Shuttle Schedules Available 

Fall 2022 shuttle schedules are posted at shuttle.gmu.edu. For a summary of fall shuttle service, visit Fall 2022 Overview. Please note: many routes have schedule changes from this past spring, including reduced service levels on Fridays on some routes. A reminder that the Burke VRE route has been suspended indefinitely. 
 
Additionally, summer schedules are operating through Friday, August 19. Fall schedules begin with weekend service on August 20-21 on the Fairfax/SciTech, Gunston Mason, and On-Demand shuttle routes. Fairfax/Mason Square, Sandy Creek to Metro, and West Campus fall service begins on Monday, August 22. There will be a special one-day Sunday service on the West Campus shuttle on Sunday, August 21, only from noon to 10 p.m. 
 
Questions? Please contact Parking and Transportation at 703-993-2828 or via email at shuttle@gmu.edu.


Abandoned Bike Sale 

Parking and Transportation’s “As Is” Abandoned Bike Sale will be held on Friday, September 16, from 2-4 p.m. in the visitor section of the Shenandoah Parking Deck. We have about 75 to 80 bikes to sell this year. One bike per customer. Mason students, faculty, and staff only. Details, once finalized, will be at bike.gmu.edu. Questions? Please contact Parking and Transportation at 703-993-2828 or via email at transpo@gmu.edu. 


Resources for You 


Patriot Perks—Relaunched!  

We are excited to present our newly relaunched Patriot Perks website! The new website easily highlights the exclusive deals available to the Mason community and also has more searchable features making it easier than ever to find deals of interest. Check it out at patriotperks.gmu.edu.