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 GMU ASL Interpreter As the CD/HoH (Coordinator of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services), my main goal to is to be of support and encouragement to GMU students and to our interpreters. I hope this web page will be helpful to you and your employment while here at Mason. The following is to be used as a guideline for understanding your role as a professional interpreter in the university setting. ASSIGNMENTS As students, faculty, and staff of the university have need for interpreters they are made known to the CD/HoH. This is either done in person, over the phone, or through the ODS website Interpreter Request Form. Of course, for accuracy, the Interpreter Request Form is going to be the most preferred method of request. Once a request is made known, the CD/HoH will then administer an email using a Distribution List of interpreters approved by the university. This is where the interpreter will receive notice of the date, time and type of event. If the interpreter is available for the assignment, then a reply via email or telephone must be made to the CD/HoH. This does not mean the assignment has been agreed upon. Once the CD/HoH confirms in an email/ or by phone that you have been selected for the assignment, it is then yours. At that point you will be given the full details of the assignment. *Interpreters must understand that an assignment of any course is not a binding agreement between the university and the ASL interpreter. There are times when the student will drop a course, the course might be cancelled, or student/interpreter skills do not match, in which case the assignment becomes void. The CD/HoH in this circumstance will do his best to replace the assignment, if one is available. * Interpreters accepting courses at GMU must understand that final exams could be on a different date and time other than the normal class time. Please check with the professor’s syllabus to determine when the final will be given. * When a course is longer than two hours and requiring 2 interpreters, the interpreters will take turns interpreting the exam. Only one interpreter is needed during an exam period. If there will be lecture the same period the test is being administered, then both interpreters need to be present. COMPENSATION Once the CD/HoH has conducted a formal interview and the Human Resources office of GMU makes an offer of employment, the hourly rate will be based on the following criteria: Level of RID Certification VQAS – Virginia Quality Assurance Screening Years of interpreting experience (post-secondary/ K-12) CEU’s - Continuing Education Units Bachelor’s or Master’s degree REPORTING TIMESHEETS GMU HR makes turning in your bi-weekly timesheets hassle free. They even send you emails alerting you that timesheets are soon to be due. This can only be done by setting up your new gmu.edu email account. If you don’t want to have to check another email address, you may forward your gmu.edu emails to your personal email account. You may access your HR account through the Internet 24/7 (except for a few hours on Sunday morning when the site is down for maintenance). To set up your GMU email account or to turn in your bi-weekly time sheet, please see the appropriate links under “Resources”. PROFESSIONAL COURTESY Interpreters are asked to arrive to each class early enough to insure that everything is in place for the class interpreting assignment. This also gives the interpreter, student and/or professor the chance to exchange any pertinent information necessary for the class period. Interpreters are required to wait 15 minutes for each hour of the class for the student to show up. Interpreters are required to notify the CD/HoH when the student misses class or they receive information regarding any change in class or student status: (drops, withdrawal, absences, classroom time or change in location). This information is vital when a substitute interpreter is required. INTERPRETER EMERGENCY All of us experience an emergency from time to time in our lives. This is a fact of life. Being prepared for such an unexpected event is crucial. If an interpreter cannot make an assignment on time, or at all, he or she needs to contact the CD/HoH immediately. Lloyd Carrera is here to help you when emergencies arise. Either by taking over the assignment himself or trying to find a substitute. If you are unable to make it to an assignment on time or at all, please call his cell phone at 703.593.3910, offices: 703.993.3601; 703.993.2474 or email him at LCarrer1@gmu.edu. It is the responsibility of each interpreter to let the CD/HoH know within 24 hours if an assignment was missed. Above are three ways of communicating with the CD/HoH in an emergency. DRESS CODE There is no formal dress code for interpreters at GMU other than professionally representing our profession. You notice the key word in the prior sentence is “Professional”. So a rule of thumb should be, if you think something might not be appropriate to wear, it probably isn’t, so don’t wear it. (Exception would be if it is an out of class assignment, field trip, outing, or physical education course/activity…. Then the interpreter will dress accordingly.) SUBSTITUTE INTERPRETERS Please let the CD/HoH know who if a sub will be needed, the date, time, and place of the assignment. Emergencies happen to all of us at times we expect them the least. So please try to inform the CD/HoH as soon as you are aware that you are not going to be able to make the assignment. The CD/HoH is here to assist both you and the student and assure accommodations are provided to the best of our capabilities. Our CD/HoH, Lloyd Carrera’s office number is: 703.993.3601, cell phone: 703.593.3910. Interpreters are required to keep updated and current emergency contact information in their file with the ODS. Failure to do so may result in missed assignments. Interpreters are also encouraged to share contact information with each other and with the student in case one needs to notify the interpreter of his/her tardiness or absence from the class. CANCELLATIONS GMU follows our profession’s practice of a 48- hour cancellation policy for short term assignments. Short term assignments are defined as lasting anywhere between 1 day to 15 weeks in duration. If 48 hours notice is not received, the university will compensate for any work contracted within that 48 – hour period. RESOURCES Below are links that will assist you with administrative resources you will need while employed at Mason. Inclement Weather - 703.993.1000 Parking Information Campus Map Holiday Schedule Photo Employee ID HR Home Time Sheets GMU email account Apply to become an ASL Interpreter at GMU Interpreter Request Form Other professional links with valuable resources: VRID – Virginia Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf RID – Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf VQAS – Virginia Quality Assurance Screening NVCC – Northern Virginia Community College ITP (Interpreter Training Program) Gallaudet University 
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