Author: Samantha Hill

Updated mask requirements for commencement

Dear Fellow Patriots:

Recent increases in COVID-19 cases have prompted concerns and questions in the university community that I want to address as we head into commencement week and the completion of the Spring 2022 semester.

We continue to watch conditions daily. The number of cases at George Mason University in recent weeks remains well below the high we experienced this winter. We are following current CDC and local public health guidance on how to respond to COVID conditions. As of this week, Fairfax County community rates are classified as medium, and the county is not calling for a return to mask mandates at this time.

We will continue our current campus policy except for upcoming commencement and indoor degree ceremonies. We recognize that these events will be attended by many family members who consider this to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness their loved ones complete a major educational milestone. Many attendees may have avoided public events due to COVID risks, so we owe it to our families to take added measures for these events and create as safe an environment as possible. In addition, many are coming from Northern Virginia, where the prevalence rate is classified as medium. Therefore, for commencement at EagleBank Arena and all indoor degree celebrations, we will require all students, faculty, staff, and guests in attendance to wear masks. We will have additional supplies on hand for those who arrive without a mask.

Looking ahead to the summer, we will require all summer students living on campus to be regularly tested and we will reevaluate if necessary. We will share more details about our summer plans shortly.

Congratulations on completing another semester in such a safe and responsible manner.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Mason Day is always a hit

Mason Chooses Kindness Events for Spring into Well-Being

Participate in the Spring into Well-Being Kindness Scavenger Hunt brought to you by Mason Chooses Kindness (MCK)! This opportunity gives you the chance to be reminded of simple, everyday ways of bringing kindness to your community. Participants who complete the 5-item scavenger hunt and submit documentation to the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29 will receive an instant prize and be entered in a raffle to win a Kindness Basket.

Scavenger hunt details can be obtained at the Spring into Well-Being Gratitude Stations (outside of the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at Northern Neck from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, April 22 and Monday, April 25) and at the Be Kind to Yourself event (Northern Neck from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 25).

Come hang out with us on Monday, April 25 at Northern Neck from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the SI2Go Truck! Near the truck, we will have two Polaroid cameras. Attendees can take pictures of themselves and write on the picture what they like about themselves (an act of self-love and kindness). Attendees will also have an opportunity to get MCK swag, learn about the MCK toolkit, and do Pats for Pats. After the event, we are going to hang up all the pictures for the rest of the week. At the end of the week, attendees can pick up their Polaroid pictures.

Learn more at:

Spring into Well-Being:

https://wellbeing.gmu.edu/siwb22/

Mason Chooses Kindness toolkit:

https://kindness.gmu.edu/mck-toolkit/

Pats for Pats:

https://kindness.gmu.edu/patsforpats/

SpringFest is Coming!

Patriot Pantry Serves Record Number of Students, Donations Still Needed

The Patriot Pantry is a trusted resource for George Mason students facing food insecurity. What started as a grassroots Pop-Up Pantry in 2014, was subsequently developed into a larger pantry in SUB 1 staffed by undergraduate students and supervised by professional SSAC staff. The pantry’s name was changed to Patriot Pantry when it became an official service of the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) in 2016. Enrolled students facing food insecurity and additional financial challenges are able to access free non-perishable food and hygiene items, up to once per week. With increased awareness about its services, and factors that may have affected students such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Patriot Pantry has seen a significant increase in student users in the past two years. During the Fall 2021 semester, 306 individual users accessed the service and 619 orders were filled. In contrast, during the Fall 2020 semester, 134 users accessed the pantry and 140 orders were filled.

The Patriot Pantry utilizes a contactless order and pick-up system where students place orders using the online order form and orders are filled by the Patriot Pantry staff within the week. In order to remain stocked and provide needed service to Mason students, the Patriot Pantry relies on the generous donations from the George Mason and greater Fairfax and Northern Virginia communities. The Patriot Pantry accepts donations through the Amazon Wish List, in person (drop off at the Pantry) or monetarily through the Student Food and Housing Insecurity Fund. A list of needed items can be found on the SSAC Patriot Pantry donation page. Enrolled students, who would like to access pantry services, should fill out the Request Support form.

Celebrate Spring into Well-Being Week April 18 – 22

Enjoy Mason’s annual well-being celebration – Spring into Well-Being – from Monday, April 18 to Friday, April 22. Each day of #SIWB22 features a theme to help you thrive:

Day 1: Kindness (#MasonChoosesKindness)

Day 2: Physical Health

Day 3: Strengths and Resilience

Day 4: Mental Health

Day 5: Thriving Together (community well-being)

Search SIWB22 in Mason 360 to find all event details and register. We want to see, like, and share your social media posts! Use the hashtag #SIWB22 to post about your Spring into Well-Being experiences on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.