George Mason University Korea will provide ‘Covid-19 Emergency Fund’ to students who are going through financial difficulty due to Covid-19, in collaboration with the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK). Mason Korea will also provide a Covid-19 Relief Grant to help continuing students successfully overcome this crisis.
Just by the numbers, George Mason University’s annual Spring Preview was a huge success, with 1,855 registered students and about 3,600 total attendees at the April 23 event.
But this preview was also about the boundaries Mason pushed, technologically and organizationally, to set up a unique event that was both virtual and personal. An online event that did its best to “open” a campus that is shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the health and safety of the university community being paramount, the decision has been made to move Orientation online for Summer 2020 and to cancel our Quill Camp programs. We did not make the decision lightly, but we feel a virtual option for Summer Orientation is the best alternative. We are committed to producing a high-quality virtual experience that will help students and families transition successfully into Mason.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the Mason community has rallied over the last two weeks with the Patriots Helping Patriots initiative, supporting students in unprecedented ways and at levels never before seen.
Using a combination of donations received since the crisis emerged and existing university funds, University Life has distributed more than $709,000 to 638 students since the application form for the Student Emergency Assistance Fund went online on March 19.
Mason’s fourth annual Giving Day is focused on providing urgent assistance to students in need, under the banner of Patriots Helping Patriots. Watch a video message from President Holton. See how much money has been raised. Then, make your gift.
Mason’s fourth annual Giving Day, Thursday, April 2, is normally an opportunity for every Patriot and friend to support their favorite cause or program at Mason.
With the extraordinary circumstances of the last few weeks, the effort has been completely reimagined and is now focused on a new purpose, providing urgent assistance to students in need, under the banner of Patriots Helping Patriots.
Dear Patriots:
The university continues to monitor the coronavirus outbreak and take additional measures as appropriate. This is important as we focus our efforts around resuming the spring semester through alternative virtual instruction, supporting the small community of students who must remain on campus, and providing essential operations to support our mission.
As a result of our continuing focus on the safety of our community, the University will be closing our buildings to the general public for the foreseeable future. We also will be mandating telework for all faculty and staff except for those who need to work on campus to continue critical functions for the university as outlined below.
Building security and core functions
University buildings will be closed effective Wednesday March 25, except as otherwise provided. All exterior and interior doors will be locked. Faculty and staff will continue to have cardswipe and key access but must comply with the telework mandates outlined below.
Police and Safety Headquarters will remain open, with police patrolling the campus and facilities monitoring buildings. Southside Dining will provide grab and go dining service for those remaining on campus during hours listed here. Retail dining establishments with separate entrances will be allowed to remain open so long as they are complying with the Governor’s Executive Order limiting numbers of occupants and enforcing social distancing; more details are available here.
Mason library facilities, including Fenwick, will be closed starting Monday March 23. Library services will continue to operate, will expand virtual access as feasible, and will be available virtually to support faculty and students in accessing needed materials for online classes and assisting with other resources and services. For more details about library services and accompanying policy changes during this period, please see: https://library.gmu.edu/
SUB I will be closed to the public, but Student Health Services, the Mason Card Office, and the Cashier’s Office will be open on a limited access basis. In an effort to limit risk of infection, we ask students to call 703-993-2831 and speak with a nurse prior to coming in to Student Health Services. For more information, visit the Student Health Services page and click the Patient Notice link.
Faculty, staff, and students who wish to access the Mason Card Office should call 703-993-1004 to make an appointment. The Cashier’s Office will be accepting cash payments by appointment Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; please call Bill Cunningham, Assistant Director, Cashier’s Office and Account Management, at 703-993-2498 to schedule an appointment. All check payments should be mailed to GMU Cashier’s Office, 4400 University Drive, MS 2E2, Fairfax, Virginia 22040.
The HUB will be closed to the public. Packages from USPS , UPS, FedEx and Amazon will be delivered to the Mail Center in the HUB. Individuals with a valid Mason ID will be able to access the HUB via the ground floor (basement level) door across from the Shenandoah parking deck, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday for mail and package pickup.
If faculty and staff need more information or have questions about card access please go to https://masonid.gmu.edu/access/ or contact the Card Access Security Office at 703-993-3127, or contact [email protected] or Key Control at [email protected] or 703-993-2823. If you need to request access to a locked building please review the list to determine the appropriate contact.
Telework mandate
The university is mandating that all employees who can work remotely should do so, except those who must report in person to carry out key university functions, such as critical research, teaching including online instruction, supporting students allowed to remain on campus, health care, and administrative and other obligations that cannot be conducted remotely.
Deans, directors, unit leaders and managers have the authority to identify those who must report in person, those who can work remotely, and those who may need limited, intermittent access. They should share that guidance with their faculty and staff. Those who need access, including on a limited basis, to perform key university functions should coordinate with co-workers to allow for social distancing and of course should continue to practice careful hand hygiene.
Employees shifting to telework should return to campus before Wednesday, March 25 to collect whatever items they may need to work remotely for the remainder of the semester. Please practice social distancing during this time; you may need to schedule individual time in your department for employees to retrieve belongings.
If you have questions about leave, your ability to do your job remotely or your current job duties, please contact your supervisor and/or Employee Relations. If you have questions about Virginia Public Health Emergency Leave, please review the PHEL guidance and/or contact the HR Benefits Team.
Notification of confirmed cases in our community
We want to let you know about another confirmed coronavirus case associated with our campus. On March 14, we received notice from a student regarding their positive diagnosis of coronavirus. The public health department has since confirmed that case and has informed us that since the student had not been on campus since Feb. 25, to include during the infectious period, there is no risk to the campus community from this case.
As I stated in my last message on Friday, we do not anticipate sending messages about coronavirus testing or positive cases each time we learn of a new confirmed case associated with our university. Instead, please visit the university’s confirmed coronavirus cases webpage, which will be updated at 2 p.m. daily if there is new information to share.
Please continue to monitor the Virginia Department of Health for the latest information about the virus in Virginia and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for national and worldwide updates, and George Mason’s coronavirus website for the latest Mason information.
Remember to practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, take time to get outdoors, and get sufficient rest. We remain focused on our core education and research missions along with our commitment to keep our community safe, and thank you all for your cooperation toward those ends.
Sincerely,
Anne Holton
Interim President
Dear Mason Patriot,
Our top priority remains the health and safety of you, our students. We know you have questions and concerns and we thank you for your continued patience as we have created a plan about residency and move out.
In order to minimize the risks to students and in light of the university’s decision to extend alternative virtual instruction for the remainder of the semester, we will begin to close the residence halls for the semester to all but those with exceptional circumstances. We will complete the process outlined below by 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.
Students who need to stay past Wednesday, March 25, will be required to show exceptional circumstances. Based on the guidance we’ve received, we know that by greatly reducing the number of students in residence, we will reduce risk and we can more easily manage social distancing and health concerns that may emerge.
The Mason Housing Portal will make request for exemption forms available starting Wednesday March 18. Please note: all students seeking an exemption must file a new request form.
Approvals will be granted within 24-48 hours and will be granted in exceptional circumstances where it is impossible for residents to return home. Examples include:
We know we can count on students to comply with these rules as well as all those in the student code of conduct which will continue to apply during this time.
Formal Moving Out Period
Beginning the week of April 13, we anticipate creating a staggered move-out schedule through the end of the semester. This will allow for appropriate social distancing for a safe move-out process. More specific details will come out once we have more information. We regret that requests to move out in the meanwhile cannot be accommodated.
At this time, we are exploring ways to refund students not returning. We realize this action prompts several questions and concerns and we will be following up with more communication soon to address this. Please continue to check your Mason email.
We thank you for your patience while we work together to navigate the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. You are in our thoughts and we wish you nothing but the best during this time. We are so proud of our resilient Mason Nation and thank you for your patience, resilience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Did you know, 3 million students drop out of college for financial reasons every year due to a crisis of less than $500? At Mason, we are proud to be home to over 37,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom face overwhelming financial obstacles while in school. And when our students are in need, Mason Nation answers the call. That’s why University Life, College of Health and Human Services and the Schar School of Policy and Government are working together on Giving Day to secure donations that will address the immediate needs of Mason students.
Join us on Giving Day, April 2, and make a gift to the UL Student Emergency Assistance Fund which provides resources to students experiencing an unexpected crisis, whether that be related to food and housing insecurity or another financial challenge.
Together, let’s ensure that every student with the ability to succeed at Mason has the opportunity to do so.
