Operational Updates

September 2025

• Patriot Web Upgrade: Patriot Web, George Mason University’s self-service site for managing personal, administrative, and academic information, is being upgraded this month to a new, modern interface with improved navigation. A soft launch of the new environment was made available for use on Monday, September 1. Users can access the update via the Patriot Web login page. Any actions taken in the new environment will be reflected in the current version of Patriot Web, which will be disabled on Tuesday, September 30. 

• Windows 11 Reminder: Microsoft will end support of Windows 10 this fall on Tuesday, October 14. In anticipation, ITS has been gradually upgrading managed Windows 10 systems to Windows 11. As a reminder, users can self-upgrade their systems at any time through their device’s Software Center. If your system does not support Windows 11, please coordinate with your department to receive a new device. Systems still running Windows 10 after end of support are subject to removal from the George Mason network. For more information, see the Windows 11 Roadmap. 

• macOS Update: On Monday, September 15, Apple released the newest version of macOS. To ensure all George Mason software and services can be supported, ITS will prevent upgrades on managed systems to this new version for 30 days. Once confirmed, all systems that support macOS 26 Tahoe will be upgraded. Systems that do not support macOS 26 Tahoe will be upgraded to its highest possible macOS version. As a result of these changes, Apple is ending support of macOS 13 Ventura. Systems still running macOS 13 Ventura after the release of macOS 26 Tahoe will be removed from the George Mason network. 

• M365 Storage Update: ITS is continuing to implement new storage quotas to manage growth within our Microsoft 365 (M365) environment. The next phases include administering new quotas in Exchange (email and calendar), creating a MyHub request process for more MS Teams and SharePoint space, investigating M365 retention policies, and refining the account lifecycle process.  For quota information and updated project details, see the M365 Storage Roadmap. 

• AI Toolkit and AI Prompt-A-Thon: On Tuesday, September 9, ITS hosted the inaugural Copilot Chat Prompt-A-Thon, bringing together students, faculty, and staff for an engaging introduction to Copilot Chat. Microsoft experts were on hand to guide participants through interactive demos and real-time exploration of this powerful generative AI technology. This event marked the beginning of a series of AI-focused workshops and training sessions that will be offered throughout the academic year. To explore university-supported AI tools and discover how to integrate AI into your work or classroom, visit the AI Toolkit.