Faculty and Staff Networks
Mason has a variety of faculty- and staff-led networks intended to support our core values of “Diversity is Our Strength” and “We Thrive Together.” We encourage faculty and staff to join networks that will best support their engagement, well-being, or professional needs and interests.
Employee Resource Groups
Employee resource groups are voluntary, employee-led groups that serve as a means of connection for faculty and staff while fostering a diverse, inclusive environment aligned with the institutional mission, vision, business practices, and objectives. Mason’s employee resource groups are open to all classified staff, administrative/professional and instructional/research faculty, adjunct faculty, and non-student wage employees.
If you are interested in starting a new employee resource group, please contact the Faculty and Staff Engagement Team at engagehr@gmu.edu.
Communities of Practice
A community of practice (CoP) is a group of employees who have similar professional roles or interest areas that makes time to learn together, share best practices, problem-solve, and acquire new knowledge. The CoP is driven by the group’s collective interest in growth and development in a shared professional area; members drive the direction of the group with support from Human Resources.
If you are interested in forming a new community of practice at Mason, the Organizational Development and Learning (ODL) team can aid in your process of creating a group mission, vision, and practice. To get started, reach out to the ODL team at hrlearn@gmu.edu.
Affinity Groups
Affinity groups facilitate connections and professional partnerships and champion strategic efforts to support the success of their members. The Office of Faculty Affairs and Development supports faculty and doctoral students' affinity groups as part of Mason's commitment to inclusive excellence. These groups provide our diverse faculty and doctoral students with a sense of community and belonging; they also provide safe spaces for discussion of issues that impact the success and well-being of Black, Indigenous, Latine, Multiracial, Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islanders, and historically underserved faculty and doctoral students.
Mason’s affinity groups are open to all instructional/research faculty (tenured, tenure-track, term, adjuncts) as well as administrative/professional faculty. In cases where the mission of a group would benefit from a more inclusive membership, classified staff are included in the group’s membership (e.g., the AAPI Affinity Group, First Generation Affinity Group, and Mason Hispanic/Latine Alliance, and the Mason Disability+ Justice Coalition). The doctoral students’ affinity group is open to all doctoral and MFA students.
To view Mason's current affinity groups, visit the Faculty Affinity Groups website.