Administrative Assessment

Dear Colleagues,

As a follow-up to Cody's June 18 communication regarding the administrative assessment, we encourage all staff to take advantage of the professional development opportunities available in the coming weeks.

These workshops and learning resources are designed to help employees strengthen their professional skills, invest in their continued development, and prepare for future opportunities, regardless of their current role or the outcome of the assessment process.

Upcoming opportunities include:

Résumé Development Workshop – June 24 | 1 to 2:00 p.m.
Interview Skills Workshop – July 16 | 11 a.m. to noon

Register to attend one or both virtual sessions.

The sessions, facilitated by University Career Services, will be recorded for those unable to attend, and recordings will be posted on the College's Administrative Assessment webpage. Staff are also encouraged to explore available LinkedIn Learning courses to further support their professional growth and development.

We recognize that this process may bring uncertainty and want to reiterate the College's commitment to supporting staff throughout the process. As information becomes available, we encourage employees to take advantage of available resources and professional development opportunities while continuing to engage with their supervisors, functional leads, and college leadership.

As shared in Cody's message, the goals of the administrative assessment are to better align responsibilities, create more focused and sustainable roles, reduce burnout, and support long-term employee success. We appreciate the professionalism, patience, and engagement staff have demonstrated throughout this process.

Please know that the Staff Advisory Committee remains available as a resource. We welcome your feedback, questions, and concerns and will continue to serve as a voice for staff while supporting transparent communication throughout this process.

Sincerely,

Staff Advisory Committee
College of Science

Colleagues,

I would like to provide an update on the administrative assessment project, including its current status and several upcoming professional development opportunities available to staff.

From the beginning, the goal of this assessment has been to better align responsibilities, improve operational effectiveness, and create more specialized roles that reduce burnout caused by staff taking on duties beyond their original scope. Throughout the review, it has become clear that many positions have accumulated a broad range of responsibilities over time, often resulting in workloads that are difficult to sustain and limiting opportunities for specialization, professional growth, and long-term career development.

Our objective is to create a structure that better supports employees by providing greater role clarity, more focused responsibilities, and opportunities for success within the college. This effort is not simply about organizational design—it is about ensuring that our staff have the support, resources, and environment needed to thrive professionally.

Most importantly, my primary concern throughout this process remains the well-being and success of our staff. I recognize that periods of change and uncertainty can be stressful. Please know that we are approaching this work thoughtfully and carefully, with a commitment to supporting our employees and maintaining open communication throughout the process.

The proposed organizational structure is currently under review by Central Human Resources as part of the classification and compensation review process. This review is intended to ensure consistency, clarity, and alignment of responsibilities across positions. As additional information becomes available, we will continue to communicate updates and next steps.

Although we do not yet have the finalized framework for next steps towards implementation, I can share there is a possibility positions emerging from the cluster model may be considered new roles and would follow Commonwealth of Virginia requirements for recruitment. If so, in accordance with state policy, these new roles would be posted, and current staff would be required to apply for any roles of interest. Internal George Mason University job postings cannot be limited just to staff within the College of Science; they would be open to all George Mason employees.

As part of our commitment to professional development and career readiness, the College is partnering with Career Services to offer optional virtual workshops focused on résumé development and interviewing skills. These sessions are intended to provide practical tools that can benefit employees regardless of their current role, future career goals, or the outcome of the assessment process.

• Résumé Development Workshop – June 24 | 1 to 2 p.m.
• Interview Skills Workshop – July 16 | 11 a.m. to noon

Additional information and registration details are available here

As a reminder, the following functional areas were included in the first phase of the Administrative Assessment and are currently under review by Central HR:

• Human Resources
• Finance and Procurement
• Research Administration (Pre-Award and Post-Award)
• Academic Affairs
• Faculty Affairs

I appreciate the professionalism, patience, and engagement so many of you have demonstrated throughout this process. Your feedback and participation have been invaluable in helping us better understand both the strengths of our current structure and the opportunities for improvement.

The college remains committed to supporting staff throughout this process and providing transparent, ongoing communication as decisions are made and information becomes available. We will continue to focus on ensuring that employees are informed, equipped, and supported throughout the transition process.

Regardless of the outcome of the review, we are committed to treating every employee with professionalism, respect, and care. Our goal is to ensure that staff have the information, resources, and support needed to navigate this process successfully.

Please continue to share questions, concerns, or feedback with your department chair, functional lead, or directly with me. We will also continue to post updates and information on the Administrative Assessment website as they become available.

Thank you for all that you do to support our students, faculty, and the mission of the College of Science.

Take care,
Cody

Dear Colleagues,

As part of the College of Science Administrative Assessment, we are hosting a series of tabletop exercises (TTX) to serve as collaborative workshop sessions where college-wide standard operating procedures are reviewed, refined, and documented.

These sessions provide an opportunity for staff to help shape the standards and processes that will guide how work is organized and supported across the college, ensuring we best meet the needs of staff, faculty, and departments as we transition to the new organizational framework.

Staff participation is encouraged, and members of the college community are invited to contribute to these conversations.

Upcoming TTX Sessions:

• June 25, 1:30 p.m. – New Hire and Onboarding
• July 21, 2:30 p.m. – The Upload Process
• August 12, 1:30 p.m. – New Hire and Onboarding (Part 2)
• September 15, 1:30 p.m. – Procurement

All sessions will take place in Exploratory Hall, Room 3301. If you plan to attend, please email Sheryl Rivett or Amy Stebbins in advance. However, walk-in attendees are also welcome on the day of the event. Please note that TTX sessions are designed for in-person participation. Those who are unable to attend in person may join via Teams to observe but will not be able to actively participate. A meeting invitation will be shared with the Teams link.

Sincerely,

Staff Advisory Committee
College of Science

Dear College of Science Staff,

Over the past three years, college leadership has worked closely with staff, functional leads, chairs, and central university partners on the College of Science Administrative Assessment. We recognize that there has been a great deal of discussion and uncertainty surrounding this process, and we want to provide an update on where the assessment currently stands and what staff can expect in the coming months.

First and foremost, leadership wants staff to have time and resources to prepare for future changes before any new roles or structures are finalized. Currently, central HR is diligently continuing their review of the proposed structure and associated position descriptions. Based on their recommendations and guidance, implementation strategies will be developed based on DHRM requirements. During this time, the college is intentionally identifying resources, trainings and materials for staff to proactively prepare.

During this period, staff will have the opportunity to participate in:

• Resume, cover letter, and interview skills workshops
• LinkedIn Learning Courses (view resource sheet)
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Tabletop exercise sessions focused on further developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and improving workflows across the college
   

The following functional areas are included in the first phase of the assessment, currently under review by central HR:

• Human Resources
• Finance and Procurement
• Research Administration (Pre-Award and Post-Award)
• Academic Affairs
• Faculty Affairs

We are also hosting tabletop simulations, collaborative workshop sessions where College of Science- wide standard operating procedures are reviewed, refined, and documented to help create consistent and sustainable procedures across the College of Science. Staff participation is strongly encouraged, and members of the college community will be invited to participate, as these discussions will help shape how work is organized and supported moving forward.

The standards and procedures developed through the tabletop sessions will serve as the operational framework for the college moving forward and are intended to help streamline workflows, improve consistency, and efficiencies to better support staff, faculty, departmental and college needs.

In addition, there will be opportunities for staff in other operational areas to contribute during future phases of the assessment project, including:

• Marketing
• Student affairs
• Information Technology
• Additional functional areas to be identified as planning continues

We understand that many staff members have questions about how this process may impact positions and organizational structure. While discussions and planning are still ongoing, we want to emphasize that this preparation period is being created specifically to help staff engage in the process, strengthen skills, and prepare for upcoming opportunities.

Additional communication will be shared in the coming weeks regarding schedules, workshop dates, training opportunities, and tabletop exercise participation.

More information about the Administrative Assessment process can also be found on the College of Science Administrative Assessment webpage.

If you have questions, please reach out to the appropriate functional lead or contact Meghan or Myisha directly.

Functional Leads:

Jennifer Bazaz Gettys (Academic Affairs); Andre Clayborne (Faculty Affairs); Jessica Hanna (Research Administration); Jason Kinser (Academic Affairs); Tracy Mason (Marketing & Communications); Jessica Rosera (Finance & Procurement); Ahmad Taheri (IT); Myisha Washington (HR); Gerald Weatherspoon (Student Affairs)

Thank you for your continued professionalism, engagement, and support as we work through this process together.

Sincerely,

Staff Advisory Committee

As shared in the recent Dean’s Town Hall, we continue to move forward with the College of Science Administrative Assessment, our effort to strengthen administrative support across our academic units and research enterprise.

This work focuses on improving efficiency, reducing administrative burden, supporting staff career growth, and helping the college respond to changing workloads. We are currently awaiting feedback from Classification and Compensation and expect to move forward once that information is received.

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Per the townhall slide above, over the coming weeks cross-functional teams are formulating and testing standard operating procedures, processes, and systems that can be deployed during the assessment roll out. 

Department chairs, functional leads, and classified staff are conducting tabletop scenario sessions to “road test” responses to key operational challenges. These sessions will inform ongoing SOP development and service accountability standards.​

A comprehensive training plan for the new cluster positions will be developed in preparation for implementation.

Dear College of Science colleagues,

I am pleased to share a positive update on the Administrative Assessment process that has been underway since 2023. We have now submitted our recommendation package on the proposed cluster structure to HR Classification and Compensation. This marks the completion of the recommendations phase and allows us to begin planning for the next stage: implementation.

The submission covers 59 positions and includes 22 new position descriptions, embedded within a cluster-based organizational model. As previously communicated, this proposed structure is designed to move away from requiring individual staff members to support highly specialized, multi-function roles that span areas such as HR, finance, and procurement. Instead, it advances a model built around consistent, college-wide processes and standard operating procedures.

If approved, this structure will better align our staff into functional clusters focused on specific areas such as HR, finance, procurement, and research administration. This approach will enhance backup and surge capacity, strengthen consistency across the college, and support improved performance, clearer career pathways, and a better overall quality of work life for our staff.

At this stage, we must await formal review and approval from HR Classification and Compensation, including decisions regarding both the overall structure and how positions will be filled. This review will take time, and we appreciate your patience as HR completes this important work. We will share updates as soon as information becomes available.

While we await feedback, we will begin preparing for implementation. Four key workstreams will be launched in the coming weeks:

• George Mason Organizational Development and Learning (ODL), in collaboration with department chairs, will finalize and approve the remaining position descriptions, including the four IT positions and the student support role.
• Functional leads, working with stakeholders across the College of Science, will develop and finalize standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the new cluster structure.
• Tabletop scenario sessions will be conducted with department chairs, functional leads, and classified staff to “road test” responses to key operational challenges. These sessions will inform ongoing SOP development and service accountability standards.
• A comprehensive training plan for the new cluster positions will be developed in preparation for implementation.

Although there is still significant work ahead, this milestone reflects the dedication, collaboration, and commitment of many colleagues across the college. Completing the recommendations phase and moving into implementation planning represents an important step forward for the College of Science.

Thank you for your continued engagement and professionalism throughout this process. We will continue to keep you informed as we move ahead.

Take care,
Cody

In this October 23, 2025 Dean’s Town Hall excerpt, Dean Cody W. Edwards shares an update on the College of Science Administrative Assessment and the next steps under review.

Dear Colleagues,

As we continue to work through the College of Science Administrative Assessment, we would like to address several commonly asked questions that have been raised. In particular, questions regarding where we are in the process and our estimated timeline to completion:

• Following up on the Working Group recommendations, functional leads (e.g., HR, finance, IT, Faculty Affairs, Marcomm, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, etc.) are currently in the process of reviewing the recommended structure from the Working Group and adding their lens to the recommendations, including proposed detailed position descriptions, potential clusters, recommended adjustments, etc.
• In parallel to this process, individual meetings were held with each department chair/program director and representative directors from College of Science research centers to gather their feedback and concerns with the proposed structure. This input is being incorporated into the refinement of the proposed structure.
• The drafted proposed position descriptions will then be submitted to the university’s central HR office for their review within the coming weeks. This is a critical step in the process which will allow us to understand what is possible within state requirements and regulations. Once this step is completed, it will be shared with chairs, staff, and others for continued review and input. This will take the office some time to review – they have limited staffing at this time and have many competing priorities, including restructurings across other units.
• From there, feedback based on central HR’s review and a refined structure will be shared with the chairs and Working Group members. This will likely shift the planned summer approval timeframe, and we will provide an update again as soon as we have more information on this step.

In the meantime, members of the Working Group drafted a very helpful overview and a set of FAQs that we are distributing broadly in the college. Once you've reviewed the overview and the FAQs, please submit any additional questions you would like addressed via the Feedback Survey.
As with any comprehensive change management initiative, there are many key stakeholders involved to ensure success. We appreciate your continued participation and valued input!

Sincerely, 
College of Science Administrative Assessment Working Group

Dear Colleagues,

The College of Science continues to make steady progress on our Administrative Support Assessment (Admin Assessment). Since the last update this summer, we convened a Functional Leads Group to build on the recommendations from the Admin Assessment Working Group. This team has developed a proposal for an updated administrative cluster structure and organization chart for leadership review and alignment.

The proposal includes:

• Detailed position descriptions for each functional area
• Recommended composition of clusters (academic units, research centers, etc.)
• Data supporting resourcing decisions
• Estimates and rationales for each cluster and functional area
• Although this extended our original summer approval timeline, we remain committed to transparency and to providing timely updates at every stage of the process.

Next steps:

• The Functional Leads’ recommendation will be shared with department chairs during the week of September 29 for their review and input.
• Following this, a dean-endorsed proposal will be sent to University HR for review and approval. At this stage, it is difficult to provide a definitive timeline for HR’s feedback or final approval, as both the review and subsequent implementation will require significant time and resources across the coming academic year.

To keep our community informed, we have created a dedicated webpage science.gmu.edu/AdminAssessment where you can find process updates, anticipated timelines, and opportunities to provide feedback as the project advances.

I want to again thank our Admin Assessment Working Group, Functional Leads Group, department chairs, and center directors for their excellent work and continued engagement. This project has been—and will remain—a collaborative, forward-looking effort that lays the foundation for a more efficient and responsive administrative structure for the College.

Take care,
Cody

Dear Mason Science colleagues,

As we complete our fall semester, I want to share an important update regarding the College of Science Administrative Support Assessment.

Based on the spring 2024 feedback from the College Administrative Assessment Working Group, we added process mapping to the administrative assessment scope this past summer, to be completed in the fall. As the process optimization phase has proceeded, our colleagues have made great progress mapping key processes and testing them in order to provide actionable information for a new college-wide administrative structure.

This phase is wrapping up, with process maps for relevant administrative processes completed in finance, procurement, HR, scheduling, and other administrative areas. The procurement pilot using the documented process has also been completed, and an HR pilot is planned for January.

Additionally, we continue to explore and discuss the many functional areas that make up administrative support of the College of Science (e.g. communications, student support, advising). While the project team determined that process maps were not an appropriate mechanism for documenting these functions at this time, the project team will highlight resource needs and intersecting procedures that are critical to college operations.

I believe this process optimization phase has given us necessary insights to think more comprehensively about potential college organizational structure changes. Given this phase is near completion, it’s now a good time to re-engage the College Administrative Assessment Working Group, with a meeting scheduled for early January. The agenda will include an overview of the administrative processes that have been completed to date, a review of the procurement pilot, an update on the HR pilot planning, and a discussion with participants of the process mapping on their relevance to think through scenarios as part of the college’s structure conversation.

My heartfelt thanks to all participating in the process optimization phase, including those reviewing process maps and participating in the procurement pilot which ended at Thanksgiving break. This is a critical step toward developing an informed administrative structure for the college, so your time and effort are truly appreciated.

Looking forward to the opportunities this will bring us in the new year and beyond.

Cody W. Edwards
Interim Dean

Dear College of Science colleagues,

As we begin the fall semester, I want to share an important update regarding the College of Science Administrative Support Assessment. As you may recall, based on feedback from working group staff members, we approved the addition of process mapping to the scope of the administrative assessment. This process optimization phase involves mapping key processes and testing them in order to provide key information for a new college-wide administrative structure.

This assessment remains one of the highest priorities for the College of Science, and both College and Provost leadership are committed to its success. I want to re-iterate that the purpose of the Administrative Assessment is to improve our college's efficiency, effectiveness, and career pathing, and will not lead to reductions in staff. I am happy to announce that the assessment is on track with the goal of instituting a new structure during the Spring semester.

To briefly summarize what the project team has been up to since May, they have:

- Completed Phase 3 of the Assessment – a comprehensive administrative review including 100 interviews across the College of Science
- Started Phase 4 Process Optimization Phase
- Developed Process Design Conventions
- Developed and refined a process map for the PCard process
- Initiated planning for the Procurement Pilot
- Started drafting HR process maps

For the Process Optimization Phase, the Provost’s office team has been conducting mapping and redesign sessions throughout the summer and will continue into the fall to document processes, identify opportunities for streamlining and enhancement, update College of Science policies and procedures as appropriate, and pilot proposed processes to gather critical feedback for future state deployment. Planned areas for process mapping include: procurement (including travel), HR, finance, research administration, IT, student support, marketing and communications, and administrative support.

The Process Design Conventions are common sense principles that guide this effort. If followed, the administrative redesign will allow for surge capacity for academic units in need along with easing the existing continuity of operations challenges. These design conventions include:

- Position descriptions should be based on process job functions
- Position descriptions should focus on only one key functional area where possible
- Training and job aids will be provided for each process
- Processes should be adaptive and flexible
- Process change should start from College of Science administration and cascade down to all levels

The planned pilots will involve select academic units in the college to test the college-wide processes to determine appropriate procedures and whether the new process will accommodate the planned volume. Planning for the procurement process is already underway, with other pilots following in the fall. I am grateful to all of those who have participated or will participate in process mapping exercises and pilots. This is a critical step toward an informed administrative structure for the college, so your time and effort are truly valuable and appreciated.

Updated Timeline: See this timeline for the Process Optimization Phase. Process mapping will continue into the fall, along with associated pilots for the process maps. At the beginning of the next calendar year the project team will shift to developing the proposed administrative structure.

The Steering Committee* will maintain project momentum throughout the fall, and regular updates will continue to be provided to the Mason Science community.

*Steering Committee: Patrali Banerjee, Paula Danquah-Brobby, Natasha Gilliam, Hillary Hamm, Cing-Dao (Steve) Kan, Jason Kinser, Mohammad Jawid Nawandish, Jessica Rosera, Meghan St. George, Iosif Vaisman, Lillian Virgil, Myisha Washington, and Gerald Weatherspoon.

~ Cody

In the College of Science, we recognized the need to standardize operations and review staff roles to enable a more targeted and experienced focus, foster growth and development, address performance gaps through improved training and resources, provide backup support, and implement succession planning—all while combating burnout and ensuring equitable support across departments. This led us to pursue a more centralized model for business operations positions to ensure greater transparency and efficiency. See the current proposed mockup below.

To help guide this change, College of Science leadership engaged the Provost Office Project Team who specialize in change management to facilitate ongoing meetings and work. The team conducted over 100 private semi-structured interviews with College of Science administrative staff in 2023 and 10 process-oriented Focus Groups on challenges and solutions to specific processes in 2024.

The College of Science established a Steering Committee composed of staff, department chairs, and leadership to guide the assessment planning efforts. Additionally, two larger working groups were formed: a working group comprised of staff was formed to identify key functional areas, develop workflows based on a centralized model, draft process documentation, and support implementation needs; and a working group comprised of functional team leaders (e.g., HR, finance, IT, research administration, academic affairs, student affairs, faculty affairs, Marcom) was formed to review and further refine the structure recommendation from the working group.

The entire college community—staff, faculty, leadership, and students—will benefit from standardizing operations and centralizing roles. These efforts support our mission to empower students, advance groundbreaking research, and deliver scientific leadership for a changing society.

A Reorganization is a management-initiated restructuring of duties, responsibilities, and/or reporting relationships involving multiple positions within or across a department’s organizational units. Reorganizations are typically undertaken to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, or realign business units with strategic objectives.

Change management is the strategic process that supports individuals and teams through such changes. While reorganization defines what is changing, change management focuses on how to help employees adapt, reduce resistance, and ensure a smooth transition. We are focused on both.

No. As noted at the beginning of this project, the goal has not been and will not be to reduce positions. New positions identified and recommended through the staff assessment initiative will be reviewed by Central HR and subsequently advertised. Recruitment efforts may include both internal and external searches. Internal employees who are interested and believe they are qualified are encouraged to apply for these new opportunities.

The launch of the staff assessment will not affect current salaries. As part of the initiative, existing positions will be reviewed for classification and compensation to determine whether current salaries are appropriately aligned. Any recommendations will be shared with COS leadership and addressed according to DHRM policies.

New positions that arise from needs identified through the staff assessment will be classified and assigned to a specific pay band. Internal employees who are interested and believe they are qualified are encouraged to apply for these new opportunities.

The University is looking at space in every college. While we, as a college, do not intend to remove staff or others from their office, at this time we cannot speak to where the college or university stands with space expansion. Our intention is that those who are primarily in the office will remain in their space. We do know that the university has stressed the idea of ‘hoteling’ or ‘hot desk’office space.

We cannot sustain our current operational model without facing significant and escalating consequences. Continuing this way will result in ongoing employee turnover, increased operational costs, declining morale, burnout, and unsustainable pressure on department chairs and supervisors.

More critically, we risk falling out of compliance with regulatory standards, which could lead to accreditation loss, legal penalties, or fines. The reputational damage from such outcomes would hinder our ability to attract and retain students, faculty, and staff—jeopardizing the future success and stability of our college.

A well-executed reorganization strengthens our ability to adapt, grow, and thrive. It fosters a culture of shared responsibility and collaboration, builds trust, and drives innovation.

This initiative focuses on enhancing organizational effectiveness through several key objectives. By streamlining operations and reducing redundancy, it improves efficiency and productivity while optimizing resource use to achieve significant cost savings. Aligning roles with employee strengths fosters greater engagement, boosting morale, performance, and professional development. The organizational structure is strategically designed to support core goals and initiatives, while clearly defined roles and reporting lines enhance communication and collaboration. Additionally, the initiative establishes flexible, scalable structures to ensure the organization is well-positioned for future growth and long-term success.

As noted in the model above, the intention is to keep at least 1 department admin in each department. Please note functional leads are currently reviewing the cluster model for functionality and feasibility before final determinations are made. Determinations about student-facing positions are still being discussed.

No. Each department will gain a team of subject-matter experts (SMEs), focused specifically on their respective functional area. In this model, the SME will now report to their respective functional lead.

Communication efforts will be led by functional leaders, who will prioritize support needs to maintain operational continuity. Any questions or concerns regarding the communication or performance of a clustered position should be promptly directed to the appropriate functional lead.

Details about implementation are being considered by College of Science leadership and in consultation with Central HR. Additional information and decisions are expected to be once central HR has received and reviewed the college’s proposed structure.

We will measure success through qualitative metrics (i.e. faculty and staff feedback, cross disciplinary collaboration), how well the model is achieving goals, workflow, and efficiency.

Essentially through assessing where and why gaps are happening, identifying duplication in effort, overload or missing functions and aid where needed (i.e. work-study position).

With this shared responsibility, the focus will be on customer service and accountability. Functional leaders will prioritize work to ensure operational continuity. Immediate needs or concerns should be directed promptly to the appropriate functional lead. We are also actively exploring the use of a tracking system for multiple operational areas to provide transparent updates on requests.

Supporting our students and addressing academic needs, equitably, across departments remain top priorities. The Working Group recommends that student and academic support roles stay within each unit, with continued backing from the College's Dean-level administrative offices. Discussions are still underway to determine whether these roles should be filled by staff or faculty, and the matter has been elevated to senior leadership for a final decision.

To date, project communications have primarily been shared via email. In response to feedback regarding communication frequency, we are taking steps to enhance the consistency and accessibility of updates through multiple channels, including this website, email listservs, and Microsoft Teams, as appropriate. Communications have previously been shared, and will be ongoing, with all staff, department chairs, and center directors who are tasked with sharing information with their department faculty as they deem appropriate.

College of Science Leadership, including the Chief Business Officer and Director of HR, have engaged Classification and Compensation regarding the ongoing staff assessment. Draft position descriptions generated by the functional leads were submitted and are under review by Class and Comp. This critical step in the process will take the office some time to review – they have limited staffing at this time and have many competing priorities, including restructurings across other units.