Faculty/Staff Newsletter

Dietetics student Abby Suchoski shares her experience participating in Nutrition Legislative Day with the Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and discusses the role of nutritionists in health policy.

Infectious disease expert Amira Roess answers pressing questions in this faculty expert tip sheet about avian influenza cases reported across the U.S., in light of the first reported human death in Louisiana. 

Daphne King shares her expertise in this faculty expert tip sheet to bring awareness to the emerging topic of electronic intimate partner violence for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (February).

The College of Public Health is embarking on a strategic planning effort to guide our priorities and actions over the next five years. Grounded in our mission and vision, this plan will align with our core values and long-term goals. 

To support this important work, we have engaged experts from George Mason’s University Business Consulting (UBC) team. UBC has successfully led strategic planning initiatives across the University, including the implementation of the university-level Strategic Direction. Their expertise will help us not only develop a clear, actionable plan but also ensure it is effectively implemented and integrated into our daily work. Once finalized, UBC will continue to support us into the implementation phase, ensuring our priorities are sustainably executed. 

This is just the beginning—you will be hearing more as we engage faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders in this collaborative process. Be on the lookout for updates, and we look forward to collaboratively shaping a compelling and impactful vision the future of CPH.

The annual performance evaluation process for A/P faculty and Classified Staff hired before December 31, 2024, has now begun. The evaluation period is April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025. 

The first step, a self-evaluation, is now open and due on March 2. Find the evaluation on Mason LEAPS.

Visit the Performance Evaluation Annual Guidance website to learn more about the process.

Note to supervisors about Outstanding Ratings: Classified employees eligible for an Outstanding rating must have an Acknowledgement of Extraordinary Contribution form on file with Human Resources no later than March 1, 2025.

Congratulations to Carol Cleaveland for being honored with the Sojourner Truth Faculty Award. The award recognizes a faculty member's work that intersects race, teaching, scholarship, and activism. The Women and Gender Studies Program, the African and African American Studies Program, University Life, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Programs Fund sponsor the award. 

Faculty Senate gathered for a lunchtime discussion with the Dean and the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs centered on faculty leadership and pressing issues in higher education at the national level. This engaging exchange led to a decision to hold joint meetings twice each semester to continue these important discussions.

All full-time faculty are encouraged to attend at least one Faculty Senate meeting this semester to gain a deeper understanding of the issues being brought to the University and the roles and responsibilities of their faculty senators. Learn more here.

Additionally, there are opportunities for faculty to join College and University committees. If you’re interested in getting involved, reach out to your Faculty Council or Faculty Senate representative (listed below) to learn more about the impactful work of these committees.

CPH Faculty Council

Phillip Zane, Chair (HAP)
Amira Roess (GCH)
Andrea Landis (Nursing)
Lilian de Jonge (Nutrition)
Carol Cleaveland (Social Work)

CPH Faculty Senate Representatives

Anna Pollack (GCH)
Lee Black (HAP)
Carrie Sutter (Nursing)
Kerri Lacharite (Nutrition and Social Work)

The COACHE Faculty Satisfaction Survey as part of the George Mason COACHE Faculty Engagement Initiative, launched in early February and will be open until early April. The survey asks about faculty satisfaction on critical faculty themes, such as departmental culture and collegiality, shared governance, support for interdisciplinary scholarship, clarity of promotion and tenure expectations and policies, and much more. Learn more.

The University Adjunct Faculty Committee and the Provost’s Office seek adjunct faculty input to assess progress, determine how effectively current needs are being met, and uncover any new challenges that have emerged. In 2015, a prior version of this survey helped identify key needs and concerns. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The link below takes you to a single sign-on login page, however, all responses will remain confidential. 

CECiL course designations: Faculty are encouraged to apply for CECiL course designations through Mason Impact. These designations highlight courses that foster civic engagement and community-based learning, benefiting faculty through course promotion, training, micro-grants for related expenses, and recognition.

Upcoming online events include a writing workshop for teaching and mentoring statements, continuing professional development on high-impact practices, and a term faculty reappointment and promotion information session.

Student, faculty, and staff access to Blackboard ends on July 15, 2025. Be aware of how this date affects Incomplete Grades and Grade Challenges. If incomplete work cannot be submitted before July 15, work with the student for alternate methods of submitting the work. Consider what you will need to archive in anticipation of grade challenges. Additional details are provided in the following Blackboard Retirement Resource pages:

Many, but not all, courses have been automatically migrated to Canvas. There will be another opportunity later this spring to request automated migrations for courses that were not part of prior migrations.

Log into Canvas and review your migrated courses. In rare cases, some migrated courses were blank. In another rare case, some faculty members’ 2024 courses were not migrated. We recommend checking the state of your migrated courses now, before the window to request the final automated migration closes.

February 27 | 12–12:30 pm | Peterson 2000

CPH Staff Council is holding 30-minute brown bag events for all CPH staff (which includes AP faculty, research faculty, and wage employees) throughout February. This week, we will let our creative juices flow with drawing and coloring activities! Paper, markers, colored pencils, and pages to color will be provided. More info will be shared on the CPH Staff and AP/Research Faculty Community-GRP Team on Teams. Bring your lunch. 

Are you on LinkedIn? George Mason ORIE posts 10 grant tips each week. Follow them here. (Follow the College of Public Health too!)

March 5 | 11 am-12 pm | Merten Hall and Zoom | Registration required

Learn about the REACH Center, a new multi-institutional climate and health exploratory research center. REACH makes seed funding and student fellowships available. 

April 4 | 9 am - 3:30 pm | Potomac Science Center | Registration (free)

This 2nd annual Northern Virginia Public Health Conference will bring together health care professionals, public health leaders, and community partners for a day of collaboration and innovation. Highlights of the conference include:

✅ Engaging panel discussions
✅ Community-led presentations
✅ Interactive wellness activities
✅ Networking opportunities

March 4 | 1- 2 pm | 2001 Fenwick Library, Main Reading Room & Zoom | Register here 

George Mason Libraries March 2025 Salon series features AI and Health Care and Medicine, by Mason Health Science Librarian Elaine Hicks. 

February 25  | 6-7 pm | Merten Hall 1204 and Zoom:  https://gmu.zoom.us/j/92777044625

The MHA Heritage Panel honors Black and African American leadership in Health Administration. Dress code is business smart. RSVP here.

March 7 | 12:30-1 pm | PHC Multipurpose Room and Zoom: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/95576614739

*Note corrected time*

This workshop, presented by Farrokh Alemi, Sanja Avramovic, and HSR, PhD student Yili Lin, focuses on (1) setting up course content using AI, (2) developing video lectures using avatar and AI, (3) deploying intelligent tutors, and (4) evaluating students work. RSVP here. 

Calling all full-time and adjunct faculty to nominate your colleagues for the CPH Faculty Awards. If you need help with letter writing or anything else that may be standing in the way of nominating your colleagues, please reach out to Cathy Tompkins (ctompkin@gmu.edu). 

College Faculty Teaching  Awards - March 17

College Faculty Research Awards - March 17

George Mason Academic Advisor Awards 

HAP is in the lead, with Nutrition & Food Studies close behind. Lilian de Jonge had the most steps for an individual this past week. Report February 17 - February 23 steps by midnight Today, February 24.

2nd and 4th Mondays of each month | 4-5 pm | Zoom: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/92966601360

Bring your questions, ideas, or concerns—whether it’s about student issues, curriculum, research, or collaborating with other faculty—and receive valuable feedback from your peers.

PUBLICHEALTH.GMU.EDU

Access the CPH brand toolkit, including new CPH and department logos here.

View the newsletter archives here.