Facilities

December 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month – Chris Dotson

Celebrating Christopher Dotson as the December 2023 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Christopher Dotson, Shift Supervisor - CHCP, Facilities Management (FM), for being recognized as the December 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month! Chris was nominated by Faizullah A Shaikh, Boiler Operator - CHCP, FM.

"Mr. Dotson is an outstanding employee and makes a positive impact on our team in Central Heating and Cooling Plant. Mr. Dotson is a hard worker and Technically knowledgeable and very friendly shift Supervisor, who always goes beyond the goals set for our department. He is one of our best Shift supervisors," said Shaikh.

"Chris is a very responsible and reliable Shift Supervisor who ensures the physical plant facility is always running efficiently, and providing heating and cooling condition for the Mason community, including Fairfax campus housing, auxiliary and E&G buildings," said Rod Billones, AD - CHCP, FM.  "Chris has good work ethics—he is honest, professional, respectful, always punctual, hard worker, and a team player who guides and trains new staff as well as offer help to co-workers in fixing physical plant operations problems, even on his day off.  Chris takes personal initiatives—he is proactive in reporting and fixing equipment problems found inside and outside of the physical plant within his capacity; he is always willing to help fill out the daily management report over the weekend even though it is not part of his job. Chris helps other zones in troubleshooting and fixing things."

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

University Day Service Awards 2023

Mason Facilities celebrates years of service. The below Mason Patriots are completing milestone work anniversaries.   Congratulations!

Celebrating 5 Years of Service:

Julian Kidd (6 years of service)
Amy Millman
Louis Robinson
Nicholas Valadez
Andrew Naylor
Ronald Fasso
Joseph Illig
Virginia Steele
Martha Rodriguez
Said Bouiftilen

Celebrating 10 Years of Service:

John Forgy
Urbano Flores
Arthur Stewart
Tae Seok Seo
Edward Ziliox
Angeline Anteola
Mario Salguero
Joseph Knight
Kelly Hayward Stone
Alfonso Nazario
Christopher Dotson
Manuel Segovia

Celebrating 15 Years of Service:

Milton Perla Flores
Nauman Khan
James Small
Marylou Holly
Alex Iszard
Rod Billones

Celebrating 20 Years of Service:

Emeka Ezidinma
James Cox

Celebrating 25 Years of Service:

John Wickline (26 years of service)

Celebrating 30 Years of Service:

Dennis Herring (31 years of service)
Angel Washington (31 years of service)
Luis Longoria

November 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month – Jayjay Castillo

Celebrating Jayjay Castillo as the November 2023 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Jayjay Castillo, General Maintenance II, Zone 3, Facilities Management (FM), for being recognized as the November 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month! Tan was nominated by FM' s Zone 3 Supervisor, Gordon Lansdowne.

It is a great honor for to nominate Jayjay Castillo as Facilities Employee of the Month.  "As I have worked with Jayjay for some time now, I know for certain that he always goes the extra mile in performing his job and always works overtime when he is asked and needed,' said Gordon.

Jayjay always helps his co-workers as needed, and he is very knowledgeable about the work we do in Zone 3. Also, he is known for completing his work orders in a timely manner. He is a good collaborator, and effectively supports his supervisor when work-related parts are needed to be ordered.

Above all, Jayjay always finishes his duties on time, and contributes responsibly to Facilities’ mission to Mason.

2023 Patriot Packout (PPO) – a Success!

Patriot Packout (PPO) 2023, George Mason University's annual end-of-the-year donation initiative, collected and redistributed 5,700 pounds of donations valued at up to $29,614. 4,113 pounds of donations went to individual Mason Patriots and Mason’s on-campus resources, and the remaining 1,587 pounds were redistributed to local community resources. Mason FacilitiesUniversity Sustainability team supported PPO 2023 and the Patriot Packout Planning Committee led the planning, design, and implementation of this year's PPO.

PPO provides on-campus donation resources for all Mason Patriots affected by move-out to divert new, like-new, and gently used items from the trash into the hands of Mason students, faculty, staff, and community members who need them.  

PPO first began in 2003 when Mason Facilities staff collected clothing items and transported them to the local Salvation Army. It became a formal initiative in 2010, through a partnership between University Sustainability, Housing and Residence Life, Parking and Transportation, and Facilities Management. 

PPO volunteers collect like-new, gently used, and new donations at specific sites on the Fairfax Campus, the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, and the Science and Technology Campus. Acceptable donations include clothing, non-perishable food and hygiene items, books and school supplies, small appliances, electronics, small furniture, and household goods.    

In 2023, University Sustainability launched the Patriot Packout Planning Committee to expand PPO’s impact and prioritize the free redistribution of donated goods to Mason Patriots in need. For PPO 2023, the PPO Planning Committee was co-facilitated by Colleen Regan, University Sustainability’s Zero Waste Specialist, and Ben Auger, formerly the Sustainability Engagement Coordinator with University Sustainability. More than twenty Mason community members served on the PPO Planning Committee and worked together to plan, design, and implement this year’s PPO with support from the Mason FacilitiesUniversity Sustainability team and more than 45 volunteers. 

Regan emphasized the collaborative nature of PPO 2023, saying that, “This year’s Patriot Packout would not have been possible without the commitment of the PPO Planning Committee and the collaboration of the entire Mason community. We set out to host a PPO event that was more reflective of the needs of Mason students, faculty, and staff across our campuses.”  

PPO 2023 occurred from May 5 – May 22 at the Fairfax Campus while being held from May 5 to the end of June at the Science and Technology Campus and Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Donations were collected at four pop-up locations near the residence halls and three 24/7 sites on the Fairfax Campus, in the Beacon Hall lobby on the Science and Technology Campus, and in the lobby of the G.T. Halpin Family Living and Learning Community residence hall on the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation Campus.  

This year marked the first time the Science and Technology Campus and the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation were formally integrated into PPO, led respectively by Michal Galvin, the Associate Director for Regional Campuses with University Life, and by Kristal Miller, Resident Director, and Susie Mueller, SMSC Facilities Admin. 

Another first for this year's PPO was the inclusion of two clothing ‘Swap and Hop’ events hosted on May 7 and May 8 by PPO Committee member and current Mason undergraduate student, Mona Hassan. Students swapped their clothes with previously donated clothing they wanted or needed while being encouraged to donate items to PPO.  

After donation collections ended on May 22, donated items were transported to the Gillespie Gallery of Art, generously provided by the Mason Exhibitions team as a temporary storage location. All donations were carefully sorted, organized, and inventoried by volunteers for data reporting purposes. 

After the process of sorting, organizing, and inventorying was completed, the redistribution of donated items began. Approximately 903 pounds, valued at up to $5,802, of high-need items were redistributed directly to the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, Art Supply Sharing Closet, the First Gen+ Center, Parking and Transportation, INTO Mason, Computing and Engineering Diversity Resource and Information Center (CEDRIC), Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), and the School of Art’s Painting Studio.  

On June 8, 304 pounds of food and unused, personal hygiene supplies (valued at up to $789) were donated to the Patriot Pantry to support Mason Patriots who are experiencing basic needs insecurity. This effort was made possible by Parking and Transportation’s integration of their end-of-semester Patriot Pantry Donation Drive with PPO, and Mason Dining’s partnership with Move for Hunger, who transported donated supplies. Move for Hunger brought another 100 pounds of donated food, hygiene, and emergency supplies (valued at up to $257$) that the Patriot Pantry could not accept to Food For Others, a Fairfax non-profit supporting people in the local community experiencing food insecurity.   

On June 26 and June 27, PPO’s first-ever Free Redistribution Event was hosted in the Gillespie Gallery. Thanks to this space, more than 110 Mason students, faculty, and staff attended the event and freely selected from the items donated during PPO. Mason Patriots received 1,815 pounds of items valued at up to $9,795 during this event, including academic supplies, clothing, bedding, household goods, electronics, and more.  

Following the Free Redistribution Event, 1,567 pounds of donations, valued at $9,590 that could not be redistributed to Mason Patriots were donated to the following local community resources: Committee for Helping Others, Food For Others, Immanuel’s Hope, Shelter House (Katherine Hanley), Women Giving Back, and the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. Additionally, items from the Science and Technology Campus and Fairfax Campus were donated to three non-profit thrift stores: House of Mercy, AmVets, and Green Drop. Non-perishable food donations collected at SMSC were donated to “Blessings Boxes” and all other items were donated to Page One. 

“Last year, less than 600 pounds of useful donations were distributed through on-campus partners, and this year we redistributed over 4,100 pounds of goods and supplies within our campus community – with 82% of that going directly to individual Mason Patriots for free. The greatest success of PPO 2023 was that it demonstrated the positive impacts that Mason students, faculty, and staff can make through our collective efforts,” said Regan. 

PPO provides Mason Patriots with items they need through free redistribution, and it educates the Mason community about appropriate waste disposal. The beginning and end of each semester are challenging for the Facilities Housekeeping and Waste and Recycling team members due to the tremendous volume of waste generated. Responsibly sorting and disposing of waste protects Mason workers from harmful exposures, facilitates efficient waste hauling to avoid overflowing bins, and ensures maximum recovery of waste resources by diverting them away from incineration through recycling and composting.  

By sorting waste materials and donating usable items, Mason Patriots helped save Mason Facilities and the University $1,414 in avoided waste hauling costs during Spring 2023 move-out. Kevin Brim, Facilities Waste & Recycling Supervisor, said that “As a Mason community, we continue to improve how we process our waste and recycling, which fall under strict rules and regulations. PPO demonstrates how donating usable items, instead of throwing them away, and appropriately disposing of waste is good for people, good for the environment, and good for the university!” 

To increase Mason Patriots’ access to donated items, approximately 567 pounds of items donated during PPO, primarily clothing and household goods, were put aside in a storage container provided by Mason Facilities Management for campus redistribution during the academic year. Mason Patriots can freely select any items they need, or swap items with others at the PPO ‘Swap and Hop’ table at Mason Dining’s monthly Farmers’ Markets on the Fairfax Campus.  

The upcoming Farmers’ Markets are scheduled from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, at the Wilkins Plaza near Southside Dining Hall and Wednesday, December 6, in the Southside Dining Hall Lobby. This monthly opportunity provides Mason Patriots with increased access to receive items they need or donate items they’re no longer using.  

Regan invites all members of the Mason community to participate in Patriot Packout. “Patriot Packout is a community-based initiative, and all Mason Patriots are welcome to join the effort to make PPO 2024 even better!”  
 
Folks participating in the monthly Swap and Hop events and all readers of this article are encouraged to join the Patriot Packout Planning Committee. 

 

PPO 2023 Impact Summary: 

  • 5,700 pounds of donations valued at $29,614 were redistributed during Patriot Packout 2023.  
  • Donations were redistributed directly to Mason Patriots in need as well as 9 on-campus and 11 off-campus partners.  
  • 88%5,016 pounds – of all PPO donations were redistributed for free to individual Mason Patriots, Mason campus resources, and local community resources  
  • 3,229.24 pounds of donations were redistributed for free and directly to Mason students, faculty, and staff.  
  •  82% of all freely redistributed donations went directly to individual Mason Patriots in need and Mason on-campus resources 

Want to support PPO and help make Mason even more sustainable? Submit your interest form to join the Patriot Packout Planning Committee  

Want to get involved? Attend PPO’s Donation Swap and Hops at Mason Dining’s Farmers Markets! 

Want to tell us about your experience during PPO 2023? Submit your Patriot Packout 2023 Feedback Form! 

Patriot Packout is people-powered and made possible with the support of volunteers, Mason partners, community partners, and the PPO Planning Committee. The Patriot Packout Planning Committee extends gratitude to all Committee members, Mason and non-Mason partners, volunteers, and everyone who donated to PPO.  

The authors recognize there are more PPO stories than can fit in a single article and invite folks to share their PPO stories by emailing facmktg@gmu.edu. 

Tour the Fairfax Facilities Complex

Join us on a tour of the Mason Facilities complex on the Fairfax Campus. You’ll see the Customer Service Center in action and walk through the different trades’ zones like the sign shop, automotive, snow response, waste & recycle management, our warehouse, and our Central Heating & Cooling Plant. Participants will be able to ask questions while getting a sneak peak of the 24-hour operation that keeps the Mason campuses thriving. 

Tour dates scheduled per each semester.

 

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October 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month – Tan Nguyen

 

Celebrating Tan Nguyen as the October 2023 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Tan Nguyen, Recycling and Waste Worker, Facilities Management (FM), for being recognized as the October 2023 Facilities Employee of the Month! Tan was nominated by FM' s Recycling and Waste Management Supervisor, Kevin Brim.

Tan has consistently demonstrated outstanding commitment to his work, making valuable contributions to our department since joining as classified staff in August 2021. Before Tan's promotion to a classified position, he served as a wage worker for over a decade and has maintained the same level of exceptional performance throughout his career at Mason.

"I'm nominating Tan as the Employee of the Month to not only honor his hard work and contributions as a classified staff member in our department, but in recognition of his diverse skill set, proactive problem solving, and long-standing dedication to improving our recycle operations," said Kevin.

Tan's versatility and attention to detail sets him apart as an exceptional employee. He speaks English as a second language and possesses a wide range of trades and job skills that often go unrecognized. Tan's always making repairs around our shop and takes the initiative to respond to equipment and mechanical issues that affect the entire team.

Tan's dedication to our goals as a dept is unmatched, and he approaches his job with a positive attitude every day. He is a self-starter and continues to improve each day. His performance and ability to quickly learn new things speaks to his commitment as a Facilities employee and makes him an excellent candidate for Employee of the Month.

Greenhouse & Gardens Partners with Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

The Greenhouse and Gardens Program – part of the University Sustainability unit in Mason Facilities – finished hosting 7 high school and undergraduate students for this summer’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) managed by the College of Science.  

Beginning in 2019, Doni Nolan, the Greenhouse and Gardens Program Manager, began to host ASSIP students each summer for an 8-week internship. ASSIP interns gain hands-on experience while conducting innovative research. Doni supervises, mentors, and supports each ASSIP student throughout their internship experience, utilizing the Greenhouse and Gardens Program’s sites, which include the Presidents Park Greenhouse, the Innovation Food Forest, and the Potomac Heights Garden.  

“They’re always so enthusiastic and work great as a team,” said Doni.  “I feel so lucky to have their help to continue my PhD research that also helps us grow more food at the [Presidents Park] Greenhouse. Some of the research has had significant results that inform our decision-making and lead to increased production.” 

In 2023, the ASSIP students completed their internships in the Greenhouse, located on the Fairfax Campus. The Greenhouse produces approximately 1,000 pounds of produce – microgreens, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, and more – every year using a hydroponic system and an aquaponic system, both grow crops with water rather than soil.  

Produce grown in the Greenhouse’s hydroponic system is provided to Mason Dining and incorporated into the salad and sandwich bars at the dining facilities. Hydroponic and aquaponic-grown produce is also made freely available for Mason Patriots who need food as part of the Greenhouse and Gardens Program’s food justice efforts – free pick-up times can be reserved here.  

Hydroponic production encounters different challenges than soil-based production. In a moist environment with recirculating water, pathogens can emerge that feed on the growing plants. “Root rot” - where the roots of a growing plant are compromised – is often a consequence of these pathogens that ultimately leads to the loss of the affected plants.  

This year’s ASSIP students committed to address this challenge.  Students began their research in the Greenhouse to better understand how root rot could be prevented.  

Through their research, the ASSIP students identified Pythium, which is a common and destructive phytopathogen that feeds on root tissues and new seedlings. This feeding can result in root rot and the death of young plants. However, diverse rhizo-microbiomes (the microbiome of root systems) are known to protect roots from microbial pathogens, if they contain the right bacteria and fungi. So, the students conducted research to determine which microorganisms might already be present in the Greenhouse and providing this protection.  

ASSIP students assessed the ability of six different microbiome samples to inhibit the growth of Pythium sp. Potato dextrose agar was sterilized and poured into petri dishes, then inoculated with each of the samples, left for five days to incubate, and then observed under 1000x magnification using microscopes by the students.  

After reviewing each of the samples, the students identified the bacteria B. subtilis as the dominant beneficial species throughout the Greenhouse’s systems. This bacterium created a zone of inhibition on the agar that exemplifies its ability to inhibit the growth of Phythium, and hence prevent root rot.  

The ASSIP students suggested additional research be conducted to identify the strains of B. subtilis that they found and determine what protein causes the protection. If the Greenhouse cultivated healthy cultures of the strains of B. subtilis, it could decrease root rot and improve overall produce yields. 

“The bacteria we found directly inhibited Pythium in the petri dish experiment we performed,” said Doni  “I’m excited to take next year’s students to the lab with me to sequence the proteins it creates and discover the microbiology of what’s happening. This research could lead to journal publications and patents potentially in the future.” 

Every year, the Greenhouse and Gardens Program hosts thousands of volunteers, dozens of interns, and special events. Mason Patriots and community members are invited to experience the Greenhouse and Gardens Program’s sustainable agriculture sites by volunteering. Learn more about the Greenhouse and Gardens Program’s sustainable agricultural efforts 

“I wouldn’t trade this opportunity at all,” said Anshu Palicherla, a Briar Woods High School student and part of the 2023 ASSIP.  “Doni encouraged us to be curious and make mistakes. I developed a strong love for research and challenging the unknown, which I would like to continue into my future.” 

 

Mason Facilities is a proud campus partner of the Institute for a Sustainable Earth’s (ISE) Mason as a Living Lab Initiative, encouraging and supporting student, faculty, and staff use of Mason’s campuses as living laboratories to develop and propose novel solutions to sustainability challenges.  

REFERENCE: College of Science’s article about ASSIP: https://science.gmu.edu/news/deans-blog-aspiring-scientists-immersed-meaningful-stem-research-mason  

Facilities Fall Prep 2023

During the summer months, in preparation for the start of the fall semester, Mason Facilities runs through an extensive checklist to get all campuses ready.  From landscaping upkeep to classroom refreshes to updating signage, Facilities ensures that each experience on campus is one of quality.  Below are just some examples of how Facilities handles the operations of making Mason run smoothly.

Adding New Aunt Flow Dispensers to Mason

This Summer 2023, Mason Facilities installed Aunt Flow Dispensers on the Fairfax, Mason Square, and Sci-Tech Campuses. This was done in partnership with The Patriot Period Project, a student-run organization that provides free feminine products in a few locations on Mason’s campuses. Mason Facilities collaborated with The Patriot Period Project and provided Aunt Flow dispensers as a way to provide free feminine care products across all three main Mason campuses. 

The project was started in Fall 2022, with initial plans to only install a couple of units on the Fairfax campus, but the project expanded to 15 dispensers. Although they’ve only recently been installed, they have already made a positive impact across our campuses. 

“We've heard so many positive comments about this project,” Said Sophia Nguyen, Student Body President of George Mason University and a member of the Patriot Period Project.  “Many students came to us saying how these dispensers saved their lives when they forgot their menstrual products at home as well.”

The current locations of the dispensers can be seen below:

FFX

  • JC – 1st floor (East/David King side)
  • JC – 3rd floor (West/PAB side)
  • Exploratory – 1st floor gender inclusive (near room 1102/JC side)
  • Peterson – 1st floor women’s (restroom between elevators and classrooms)
  • Engineering – 2nd floor women’s (near room 2247)
  • Horizon – 2nd floor gender inclusive (near room 2206)
  • Fenwick – 2nd floor gender inclusive (near Dissertation Services)
  • HUB – 2nd floor women’s (near Student Involvement Office)

 

Mason Square (Arlington)

  • Van Metre – 1st floor women’s room
  • Van Metre – 2nd floor gender-inclusive restroom (near room 211)
  • Van Metre – 3rd floor women’s room
  • Scalia – 1st floor women’s room (near elevators)

 

Sci-Tech (Manassas)

  • Colgan – 1st floor women’s (near room 115)
  • Katherine Johnson – 1st floor women’s room (near room 150)
  • Hylton - This location is still being finalized and approved by Hylton, but it most likely will be the first floor, main women’s room.

Additional contributors to the project:

  • Student Health Services
  • Mason NAAPC
  • Mason Student Government

Launching Custodial Pilot Program

Mason Facilities is excited to announce the Custodial Pilot Program launching this fall on the SciTech campus and in Merten Hall on the Fairfax campus.

This pilot program is part of Mason's ongoing efforts to establish new service models that enhance Mason’s efficiency and service delivery.

The Custodial Pilot Program will impact the following services:

  • Centralized Trash Cans: Centralized trash cans in common areas standardize cleaning protocols and resources
  • Focus on High Traffic Areas: Common spaces and high traffic areas will be cleaned daily
  • Bi-weekly Private Office Cleaning: Offices will be cleaned to the same standard, under a new two-week frequency*

We will begin the transition to centralized trash repositories October 1, 2023.  During the pilot, data from SciTech and Merten will be routinely collected and assessed.  We will be analyzing the data and each of the differences and successes of the pilot programs.

SciTech Campus - Pilot Green
  • All personal trash cans in offices will be removed.
  • Click here for a list of communal trash can locations.
  • Download and share Pilot Green details.
Merten Hall - Pilot Gold
  • Personal trash cans will remain in offices, though office occupants will be responsible for emptying those trash cans into the larger trash receptacles in common areas.
  • Trash can liner dispensers will be installed in breakrooms so office occupants may replace liners whenever needed.
  • Do not place food waste into personal trash cans in offices. Place all food waste into the large, centralized trash receptacles within common spaces as soon as possible.
  • If you would like to voluntarily opt-in to having your personal trash can removed, email csc@gmu.edu to let our Customer Service Center know.
  • Click here for a list of communal trash can locations.
  • Download and share Pilot Gold details.

Thank you for your partnership to improve Mason’s efficiency -- together we can make a difference! As always our mission is to create a safe, healthy, and high-quality, physical environment for all members of the Mason community.

For further questions, contact the Mason Facilities Customer Service Center at csc@gmu.edu

*Note: If office cleaning is needed outside of the new frequency, submit a work order.

FAQs