Author: Samantha Greenberg

This time of year can be extremely hectic as students cram for exams and arrange plans to leave campus for the summer.  To help you and your student navigate this busy time, we have compiled information to help you and your student living on-campus plan for summer break.  For additional information, please visit housing.gmu.edu/moveout.

All students must move out of their on-campus housing assignment within 24 hours of their last final or by May 12 at noon, whichever comes first. Students seeking an exception (including those staying for the reasons listed below) must apply for an extended stay.  The extended stay application is available on the eLiving website.

Exceptions are:
-Graduating seniors
-Students officially participating in Commencement (band members, volunteers, etc.)
-Students living in summer housing for summer school or internships
-Essential campus employees, Patriot Leaders and conference staff

Check-Out:
Students have two options for check-out; standard check-out and after hours express check-out.  With both options, Housing and Residence Life staff will evaluate the condition of the room/unit and charges will be assessed to residents for damages or cleanliness issues.

Standard Check-Out:
Standard check-outs occur from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.  All students will complete a standard check-out with a Resident Advisor, unless their check-out time needs to occur after hours.  During the standard check-out students will be present with the Resident Advisor during the room inspection to assess damage and cleanliness.  Students should attend their floor meetings to discuss specific check-out procedures for their neighborhood.

After Hours Check-Out:
After hours check-outs are only available from 10 p.m. – 9 a.m.  If a student needs to complete their check-out process after hours they must go to their neighborhood desk.  Students completing an after hours checkout waive their right to appeal any damage charges assessed in their space.

Parking and Loading Vehicles
Parking and loading vehicles can also be a bit hectic during move-out.  Once a student is ready to load his or her vehicle, he or she can go to the specified neighborhood location to get a loading pass.  These one-hour loading passes will allow students and families to park in designated areas for ease of move-out.  Please note that Parking and Transportation will continue to ticket vehicles that are left beyond the one-hour limit or are in a space that is not designated for move-out.

For additional information, please visit housing.gmu.edu/moveout.

Kristen Wright
Graduate Assistant
Family Programs and Services

Over 7,000 students will be eligible to take part in the 49th annual Spring Commencement and Convocation ceremonies at Mason on Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. in the Eagle Bank Arena.

As part of the graduation festivities, each school or college also holds a special celebration called Convocation for its graduates. Graduates are encouraged to attend both the official University Commencement and their individual Convocation ceremony. Convocation ceremonies may include a formal entry procession of graduates and faculty, an invited guest speaker, a student speaker, musical pieces, and the reading of the graduates’ names as they cross the stage. Most ceremonies, including Commencement, last approximately two hours.

A complete list of all the ceremonies along with detailed event information may be found by clicking here. 

Tickets
Individuals eligible to participate in the annual Commencement ceremony include all Summer 2015 doctoral graduates, all Winter 2015 and Spring 2016 graduates, and all bachelor or master candidates planning to graduate in Summer 2016.

Guest tickets are needed for the Commencement ceremony as well as some of the individual Convocations. Eligible students may obtain four Commencement tickets at the Eagle Bank Arena between now and May 11. Commencement tickets that are not picked up by 5:30 p.m. on May 11 will be distributed to other graduates needing additional tickets. If your student is interested in obtaining extra tickets, encourage him or her to visit the Eagle Bank Arena starting on Wednesday, May 11 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a George Mason ID. If tickets are still available, the final opportunity to acquire them will start Saturday morning, May 14 at 9 a.m. until the Commencement ceremony begins.

Parking
Parking lots on campus during the ceremonies are open and free for guest parking. Accessible and special-assistance parking is available in Lot A which is adjacent to the Eagle Bank Arena’s south entrance, and near the Concert Hall in specially marked areas. Most Convocation events will take place at either the Eagle Bank Arena or the Concert Hall on the Fairfax Campus.

Commencement Schedule
Commencement morning begins with students gathering near the Johnson Center. There, they will be greeted by faculty marshals who will guide them to their place in the formal university processional line, which will begin at the iconic George Mason Statue. Members of the Alumni Association will also be on hand to welcome the students with tokens in honor of their soon-to-be alumni status. The festive atmosphere includes light morning refreshments, music, and a visit by President Cabrera. As the processional passes the Mason statue, degree candidates traditionally rub George’s toe for good luck. After the ceremony, it is a tradition to return to the statue for a photo in cap and gown.

Commencement at Mason is a traditional ceremony where graduates and faculty wear academic regalia. Bachelor degree candidates wear a green mortarboard style cap and gown and may add a green tassel to the mortarboard. Master degree candidates also wear a master’s hood that denotes by color the different fields of study. All regalia may be purchased by visiting the University Bookstore.

Personalized announcements, college rings, diploma frames, mugs and other mementos are also available at the University Bookstore. Undergraduate students who have earned honors status will be notified by the Registrar’s Office via email. Those students may wear Mason honor cords, also available at the Bookstore, to all graduation events.

As part of the ceremonies, degree candidates cross the stage and receive a “stage” diploma. Actual diplomas are mailed to the address designated by the student during the online graduation application process. Diplomas are mailed within five to seven weeks following degree conferral.

Graduation is a special time for both students and their families, and if Events Management can be of any help in your student’s transition from Mason this spring please do not hesitate to contact us by calling 703.993.2853 or emailing [email protected].

Barbara Lubar
Executive Director
University Events

May 3	Make up day for Jan. 25
May 4	Make up day for Jan. 26
May 4	Last day of classes
May 5 - May 11	Final exam period
May 14	Commencement
May 16	Summer Term A begins
May 30	Memorial Day (University closed)

Summer is right around the corner and many students are busy wrapping up the semester with final exams, papers, and projects. Because this time of year can be particularly demanding for your student, we want to provide you with several ways to help your student manage stress during the final weeks of the semester.

Learning Services
If your student is feeling overwhelmed by his or her workload, encourage your student to visit Mason’s Learning Services for access to resources about time management, tutoring resources and academic counseling. Learning Services also offers a variety of workshops for students to help manage stress levels such as sessions focusing on exam strategies, managing performance anxiety and overcoming procrastination. Click here for a full list of available academic skill workshops.

Study Locations
Many students are spending long hours studying and writing papers during this hectic time of year. Encourage your student to utilize the extended hours of the libraries and Johnson Center as safe study spaces on campus. Students can also reserve group study rooms in the libraries as well as the Johnson Center by clicking here.

If your student lives off campus, encourage him or her to visit the 24-hour Off-Campus Finals Study Lounge located in George’s Restaurant, which is on the top floor of the Johnson Center between May 4 and May 11.

De-Stress Fest
Every year Student Involvement hosts a week of events to help students de-stress before finals. This year, De-Stress Fest will take place between April 25 and April 29. Visit si.gmu.edu/destress-fest/ for more information on the week’s events and encourage your student to attend for several opportunities for free refreshments, exam kits and fun ways to relax before exams.
 
With all of the demands the end of the semester brings, students often struggle to manage stress levels. Please encourage your student to take advantage of these activities in order to relieve stress and power through the final weeks of the semester.

Kristen Wright
Graduate Assistant
Family Programs and Services