Dear Patriots,
I am thrilled to welcome you to the inaugural edition of Bits & Bytes, the Information Technology Services (ITS) community-focused newsletter. As the Chief Information Officer, it is my privilege to share with you the exciting advancements and initiatives we are undertaking to enhance our technological landscape.
In today's rapidly evolving digital world, our commitment to providing reliable, secure, and innovative technical solutions is stronger than ever. We are dedicated to ensuring that our students, faculty, and staff have access to the best tools and resources to support their academic and professional endeavors.
A key focus of our efforts in 2025 is strengthening our cybersecurity posture. Protecting our university's data and ensuring data security of our community members is paramount. We are vigilant in implementing robust cyber security measures and continuously monitoring potential threats to safeguard our digital environment.
Additionally, we are committed to providing agility and operational efficiencies across our IT services. By streamlining processes and adopting flexible solutions, we aim to enhance productivity and responsiveness, ensuring that our university can adapt swiftly to changing needs and opportunities.
This newsletter will serve as a platform to keep you informed about the latest developments in our IT infrastructure, upcoming projects, and opportunities for collaboration. We will also highlight success stories and achievements within our community, showcasing how technology is making a positive impact on our campus.
I encourage you to stay engaged and share your feedback with us. Your insights are invaluable as we strive to create a more connected, secure, and efficient university environment. Together, we can harness the power of technology to drive innovation and excellence.
Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey with all of you.
In Community -
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Dr. Charmaine Madison
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Information Technology Services
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Moving George Mason's Network Into the Future
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To prepare for now and the future, ITS is working to replace aging equipment, scale George Mason's core capacity, and take advantage of the efficiencies and features. Discover how we are implementing this new architecture and what's next for the network upgrade project.
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ESG Lifecycle Update & Supporting Domain Councils
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From network improvements to new buildings, launching new services, and retiring old systems, the ITS ESG team manages significant technology initiatives and oversees the governance of the Technology Project Portfolio. Learn about their efforts to address the university’s increasing demand for technology projects.
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5 Back-to-School Tips for Your Best Semester Yet
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As we enter 2025, now is the perfect time to set yourself up for success to be your best – both mentally and digitally. ITS is committed to supporting all faculty, staff, and students every step of the way. Read about and explore our resources to kick off the semester right!
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Microsoft Copilot: Microsoft Copilot for the Web, a free AI-powered web chat, is available for George Mason students and employees to access generative AI. For full details, visit the Copilot ITS service page.
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LMS Transition: With the spring semester underway, more than 3,500 courses are using Canvas. The spring 2025 semester marks the final term that courses can be taught using Blackboard (Bb) as the university moves toward all courses using Canvas this summer. Project and important transition details will continue to be communicated, including next steps for Bb deprecation, archival processes, and moving Bb Orgs to Canvas. Training will be available throughout the spring semester and archived online for those just getting started with Canvas. Please visit lms.gmu.edu for project information, timelines, and training details.
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- Zoom Updates:
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Zoom AI Companion, a generative AI digital assistant delivering powerful, real-time capabilities for improved productivity and collaboration, has been enabled for faculty, staff, and students using a George Mason license Zoom Pro account. The AI features are automatically off and must be enabled by the user and should not be used in meetings where protected categories of information will be shared/discussed. For more information, see Getting Started with Zoom AI Companion. For additional guidelines about leveraging the benefits of the Zoom AI Companion while maintaining a safe and responsible learning environment, see Responsible Use of Zoom AI Companion.
- On Friday, May 16, 2025, ITS will implement a new security measure requiring all Zoom meetings to use a waiting room, passcode, or authentication for entry. If you currently have a Zoom meeting scheduled on or after the implementation date with no security measure in place, a waiting room will automatically be added to your meeting.
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Windows 11 Upgrade: Microsoft will end support of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. In anticipation, ITS will begin gradually upgrading managed Windows 10 systems to Windows 11 starting Tuesday, February 4. As a reminder, users can self-upgrade their systems at any time through your device's Software Center. If your system does not support Windows 11, please coordinate with your department to receive a new device. For more information, see the Windows 11 Roadmap.
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PVCL Reminder: In December 2025, ITS consolidated our virtual desktop environments into a new single service, Patriot Virtual Computing and Labs (PVCL), powered by Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop. PVCL provides faculty, staff, and students with secure, remote access to academic applications and university services through an innovative and enhanced platform. As a result of this change, Patriot Virtual Computing (PVC) and the Citrix Virtual Lab (CVL) were decommissioned. For more, see the Virtual Lab Changes Bulletin.
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Records Retention: When using George Mason collaboration tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, it is important that all users adhere to university guidelines and retention policies. For more, see the Collaboration Tools Retention Policy.
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Campus Phone Safety Reminders
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ITS recently implemented a new telecommunications system with Vonage across all campuses. As a reminder, only ITS staff are authorized to relocate any desk phones due to emergency services procedures. If your phone needs to be moved, please contact your Telecom Coordinator.
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International Data Privacy Week 2025
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International Data Privacy Week is an observance designed to empower people and businesses to respect privacy, safeguard data, and establish trust. To participate, check out our latest ITS Bulletin for helpful tips and tricks to protect yourself online.
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Homecoming 2025: Patriots are invited to celebrate Homecoming from Friday, January 31, to Saturday, February 8. Events include a comedy show, basketball games, tailgating, and more. Visit the website.
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Outstanding Achievement Awards: While carrying on the tradition of recognizing our faculty and staff, Human Resources is excited to announce a refresh of the OAA Award categories for 2025! With additional award categories, we look forward to ensuring all non-student employee classifications have the opportunity to be recognized and appreciated. Visit the Outstanding Achievement Award site to review the new awards and submit a nomination in either individual or team award categories.
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George Mason Night with the Washington Capitals: Celebrate George Mason night with the Washington Capitals as the Patriots fill the arena to watch the Caps take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m. Special ticket pricing options are available. A George Mason and Capitals co-branded beanie hat is available to those who purchase the special George Mason night ticket. Join the George Mason University Alumni Association for a pregame reception at Clyde's Gallery Place before the hockey game on Thursday, March 20. Learn more.
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