Statement: Office of the President

A Future We Want: One Grand Challenge. Six Grand Solutions.

Lynden Tennyson — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:46:44 +0000

A Future We Want: One Grand Challenge. Six Grand Solutions. Lynden Tennyson Mon, 04/28/2025 - 10:46

Dear Fellow Patriots:

I am writing to announce the beginning of an important new chapter in the history of research at George Mason �鶹��. Drawing on our roots as the university that overcame adversity to become the nation’s youngest-ever R1 institution, we are now poised to launch a university-wide research project that will sharpen our focus on humanity’s most pressing needs while maximizing our competitiveness for vital research funding in this very uncertain time.

Last year I challenged a group of faculty and university leaders to identify the greatest threats to humanity’s ability to live a peaceful, healthy, prosperous and just existence. The point of the exercise was to establish a framework to align the full force of our scholarly enterprise around solving those so-called grand challenges.

They went to work. From their dazzling array of inspiring research came long lists of worthy possibilities, which the team carefully rendered to 13 groupings, and finally to six overarching challenges:

Advancing 21st century education for all
Building a climate-resilient society
Driving responsible digital innovation and sustainable infrastructure
Improving human health, well-being, and preparedness
Pioneering space exploration, research and collaboration
Strengthening peace, trust and engagement in democracy

These are grand challenges of our times as seen by our faculty. And I agree with them. But as I studied them, two astounding truths emerged.

First, the group inadvertently expressed each of these topics as solutions, not challenges. Their positioning tells of their ambitions to move immediately past problem articulation and on to problem solving. It is the most optimistic approach to grand challenges I have ever read.

Second, these are not free-standing challenges, but six interlocking solutions to a single, existential grand challenge—a future that is shaping up to be one we do not want for our children or choose for ourselves. This is the singular grand challenge confronting all of humanity. Unprecedented action is required immediately to secure the future we want, not one we are forced to endure.

�鶹�� world is at a crossroads: It is time either to brace ourselves for global decline and a future that none of us wants, or seize back control of our destiny and work to reverse course. It will take all of us working together on all of these solutions at once to alter the trajectory of our future.

But given today’s extremely volatile federal funding environment, why launch a new research initiative? In some ways, this a very good time to introduce such a project because the moment demands that research enterprises maximize coordination and efficiency to stay viable.

With that, I am proud to introduce The Grand Challenge Initiative. We have many ways of tackling our most fundamental threat. Still, we are indivisible in our resolve to do our part to assure that our descendants will inherit a world where it is possible to pursue the lives they want for themselves. In that respect, we are one world, one people, and one university, with one Grand Challenge in front of us. I encourage you to explore this website to see the many ways our faculty are already hard at work on the Grand Challenge.

To this challenge we will throw our six Grand Solutions. We will organize our research and learning communities around them. �鶹�� resources and priorities will be aligned to give preference to these efforts. Best of all, every academic unit on campus will be able to see itself in at least one of the Grand Solutions, and chart its contribution to the cause of defeating humanity’s ultimate Grand Challenge.

The world on the horizon can look very unsettling to the untrained eye, as changes that we experience all around us seem to give rise to an unrecognizable and often discouraging future.

But learned eyes like those of our faculty also can envision a world replete with possibility and opportunity. Instead of asking, “What if we can’t fix what’s broken in our world?” they ask a far more compelling question: “What if we can?”

Patriots, let’s all make answering that question the cause of our time together at this university.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington
President

Topics

Statement: Office of the President

�鶹�� condemns call for violence

Bronwyn Longchamp — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 01:29:47 +0000

�鶹�� condemns call for violence Bronwyn Longchamp Thu, 04/17/2025 - 21:29

George Mason �鶹�� is aware of a recent essay published online by one of its students that has created concern.

Upon learning of the essay, Mason Police referred the matter to state and federal law enforcement for evaluation of criminal behavior.

George Mason condemns this and all encouragements of violence. This is not the Mason way.

Update on Student Visas (President Washington and VP Pascarell)

Jeannine Harvey — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:08:43 +0000

Update on Student Visas (President Washington and VP Pascarell) Jeannine Harvey Tue, 04/15/2025 - 12:08

Update: As of April 28, George Mason has been notified that 14 of these students have had their SEVIS status restored and remain enrolled at the university. Another student’s visa was revoked, but that student’s SEVIS record was never terminated.

Dear fellow Patriots:

In recent days, George Mason �鶹�� has learned that the U.S. Government has terminated and/or revoked student visas of 15 international students. To date, these terminations have occurred without involvement of or prior notice to the university.

As we seek to learn why our students were selected for visa revocation and what decision-making process is being applied by the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security, we are writing to the George Mason community to affirm our advocacy for the appropriate treatment of all international students enrolled here. We will do whatever the law permits to assist our students, and we are actively exploring what those options may be. Steps we already have taken to assist affected students include:

First, our Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) is in direct contact with the affected students to provide them with support and additional external resources.
Second, students are being advised to contact their academic dean to see what options they may have to complete their coursework. The Provost’s Office is encouraging faculty to work with students who may be found in these situations, providing as much flexibility as possible.
And third, the university has reached out to appropriate federal authorities to learn what process is being used to identify students for revocations. So far, no answers have been given. We are also seeking appropriate legal clarity from legal support referred to us by the state Attorney General’s Office.

OIPS is continuing to monitor the situation, and more information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

We also want to answer questions that have arisen over whether the university has contributed to these federal actions.

To be clear, we have played no role in facilitating these visa terminations. We have not shared confidential student visa status or immigration information with federal authorities. As stated in a number of meetings on this matter, to date, we have not been asked for any information by the current administration to aid an immigration enforcement action. GMU Police officers do not engage individuals solely on the basis of immigration or visa status. Additionally, to our knowledge, federal agents have not been to campus to engage or detain international students.

The university’s only indicator that a student’s visa status has changed is by monitoring the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Only when OIPS staff see the change in a student’s SEVIS record, or perhaps first hear word directly from the students themselves, are we able to learn of a visa revocation.

To our 4,000 international students and our 36,000 American students, we care about your well-being, and we are doing everything possible to maintain a stable, positive scholarly environment for you. We will keep you updated as events warrant.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington
President

Rose Pascarell
Vice President for �鶹�� Life

Welcome back to George Mason for Spring 2025

Jeannine Harvey — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 16:40:17 +0000

Welcome back to George Mason for Spring 2025 Jeannine Harvey Thu, 01/23/2025 - 11:40

Dear Patriots,

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed your break and are looking forward to the spring semester on our campuses as much as I am.

There are more of us than ever geared up for the spring semester at the university that serves more students and families than any public university in our state. George Mason students have registered for more than 420,000 credit hours, an increase of 3.5% over last year. Undergraduate applications for admission are up 11%. And we have a record new enrollment of more than 300 from our ADVANCE program.

That spring bump is no blip. For fall 2025, new freshman applications are up about 5%. We also continue to grow our innovative direct admissions program. The university has extended nearly 10,000 direct admissions offers for the fall, a process by which high school seniors from select areas are offered admission before submitting an application. Of those who have received such an offer, 20% have applied.

The academic experience that George Mason provides, and our commitment to blazing new pathways to a degree for students of all backgrounds, are a testament to the work our faculty and staff do each day serving our students. On behalf of all 40,000+ of them, I thank you.

In addition to local and regional recognition, we’re getting national attention. Just this week, U.S. News & World Report issued its 2025 Best Online Programs rankings. Across disciplines, George Mason advanced its standing in nearly every online master’s degree program in which it was included, and led the state in several. These impressive online rankings are another indication of how we support students where they are. That includes our veterans – our programs for them fared particularly well in the rankings. We’re proud of that.

We have so much to look forward to in the coming months. Here are a few items in particular worth highlighting:

We are committed to examining artificial intelligence across research, academics, and partnerships to better comprehend AI and its many applications and implementations at our university and beyond. These efforts, as announced in the fall, will be led by Professor Amarda Shehu, our inaugural chief AI officer. As an indication of our growing expertise in AI, and George Mason’s tradition of innovation, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) will partner with the university to host the Mason-SCHEV AI in Education Summit on the Fairfax Campus on May 20-21.

Each year, we look forward to celebrating our outstanding faculty with our Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence. The nomination deadline is Feb. 10. These awards, honoring faculty at all stages of their careers, are the university’s highest recognition of faculty achievement in the categories of teaching innovation, research and scholarship of consequence, diversity and inclusion, and social impact in our community and around the world.

We encourage alumni to connect with the university, and with each other, when we celebrate Homecoming from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8. The week of activities includes our men’s basketball game Feb. 8 vs. Rhode Island, the only team to beat us in Atlantic 10 Conference play this season. The George Mason men have a 15-5 record and are in first place in the league. �鶹�� women’s basketball team, with a 15-3 record, is one game out of first place in the conference. Come out to EagleBank Arena and cheer on your Patriots! Patriot pressure is real and it’s truly a team effort (as our “revolutionary rivals” from George Washington �鶹�� found out in our thrilling double-overtime victory on Jan 18.)

We continue to add assets to our campuses to serve students, faculty and staff, and the greater community. The Life Sciences and Engineering Buildingon the Science and Technology Campus will house highly specialized instructional labs and classrooms. The Activities Community Wellness Building that we broke ground on last spring on the Fairfax Campus will promote student well-being. And last month we celebrated the commercial launch of Fuse at Mason Square, the state-of-the-art tech education and research hub that will advance opportunities for students, researchers, entrepreneurs, industry, and other community partners to work together to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in our region and expand the tech talent pipeline for our graduates and employers.

This promises to be an eventful spring semester for our university community. Again, I thank you all for your outstanding work to educate and support our students, and each other.

Go, Patriots!

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Statement: Office of the President

Campus safety update

Melanie Balog — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:36:26 +0000

Campus safety update Melanie Balog Thu, 12/19/2024 - 19:36

Dear fellow Patriots:

I am writing to update you on a new situation we are managing relative to a student who was recently arrested by the FBI, as it has caused security concerns among some members of the community that I want to address.

George Mason �鶹�� continues to take enhanced precautions to maintain a safe and secure university community in light of the recent FBI arrest of one of its students. The arrest, which the university learned of on Tuesday, December 17, so far appears to have no connection to an earlier police action involving two George Mason students whose home was searched in November.

Although the student did not live on campus, he has been barred from entering university property. As criminal proceedings progress, the university will take appropriate action on student code of conduct violations.

The recent developments have caused the university to take additional appropriate measures to maintain the safety of the university community. In addition to campus security measures first announced in November 2023 in the Patriot Plan for Campus Safety and Community Well-Being, the university has expanded its protective commitment on a number of fronts. �鶹�� like the two recent actions are proof that these systems are working as intended.

Enhanced law enforcement capacities – Robust law enforcement capacities are operational at George Mason, including the first fully equipped university SWAT team in Virginia.

Coordinated network of protection – George Mason �鶹�� Police (GMUPD) maintains close ties with local, state, and federal law enforcement to enhance early detection, prevention, and when necessary, law enforcement actions.

Student engagement – GMUPD officers are routinely present at student gatherings for those who express the need for enhanced security, and safety escorts around campus are increasingly conducted by uniformed personnel.

Constant university vigilance – A university threat assessment team meets whenever needed to assess each threat reported and quickly address appropriate measures to resolve it. The �鶹�� is constantly evaluating its safety protocols based on shifting conditions.

Emergency Operations Group – A cross-functional team of university officials meets regularly and as needed to provide on-demand emergency operations services to address a wide variety of campus emergencies.

These capabilities, plus more measures that by design remain invisible, form a protective web around the university campus that our proximity to the nation’s capital demands, with capabilities not always available to universities elsewhere.

As we work to maintain your safety here, my wish for you is a joyous and restful holiday. I’ll see you in the new year, Patriots.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Statement: Office of the President

Update on campus safety as fall semester concludes

Jeannine Harvey — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 21:51:53 +0000

Update on campus safety as fall semester concludes Jeannine Harvey Fri, 12/13/2024 - 16:51

Dear fellow Patriots:

As we approach the close of the fall semester, I want to put to rest concerns we have heard voiced on campus in recent weeks, as recent headlines and social media have left some worried about the safety of the George Mason �鶹�� campus. In particular, a recent off-campus police action has left many alarmed. Unfortunately, the often-distortive nature of social media has made matters worse.

Last month an ongoing investigation of felony destruction of university property necessitated that a search warrant be executed at the off-campus home of two students. Among the findings, the search turned up sufficient amounts of weaponry and materials calling for violence against Americans and in particular Jews to warrant immediate precautionary action to maintain the safety of the university community.

Following the completion of the search, based on the evidence obtained and in furtherance of the investigation, GMU Police had cause under �鶹�� Policy 1132 to issue a criminal trespass notice, barring two George Mason students from physically entering university property.

Additionally, under the student code of conduct, the university imposed an interim suspension on a registered student organization.

As the criminal investigation continues, the bottom line for you is this: You are safe here, and you belong here, no matter what community you identify with. �鶹�� police department and a number of other less visible security teams are looking out for you 24/7. �鶹�� university life staff are keeping a close eye on conditions for your well-being, and are available to you when you need them. Whether you can see them or not, extensive protections are in place, working as they are intended to, maintaining the safe learning and living environment we cherish.

I hope you are focused on three priorities now: final exams, commencement for those graduating, and a well-earned winter break. Those are what this time of year is really all about.

Good luck on your finals, travel safely when you are done, and have a joyous, restful and restorative winter break. You’ve earned it, Patriots!

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Statement: Office of the President

George Mason �鶹�� announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president

Jeannine Harvey — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:01:37 +0000

George Mason �鶹�� announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president Jeannine Harvey Mon, 04/29/2024 - 11:01

FAIRFAX, VA (April 29, 2024) – George Mason �鶹�� President Gregory Washington today announced James Soto Antony as the next Provost and Executive Vice President. He is a nationally recognized higher education scholar and leader with substantial experience as a faculty member and administrator at the �鶹�� of Washington, Yale �鶹��, Harvard �鶹��, and �鶹�� of California San Diego. He will begin this new role on July 1, 2024.

James Soto Antony

“We searched the nation for the very best provost for George Mason �鶹��, and James Antony was our number one choice,” Washington said. “He has the perfect mix of academic credentials, knowledge, and temperament to lead our academic enterprise as this university takes its place as one of America’s new leaders in higher education. I look forward to having Jim on the team.”

Antony is currently Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs at UC San Diego, where he also serves as Professor of Education Studies with a secondary appointment in the Rady School of Management. At UC San Diego, he has led a transformation of graduate and professional student financial support, created infrastructure to advance student professional development, prioritized student access and opportunity, and launched grant-funded initiatives to improve mentoring.

As Provost and Executive Vice President, Antony will help cultivate a dynamic and forward-thinking academic environment. In collaboration with senior leaders, faculty, staff, and students, he will be instrumental in advancing academic excellence, research, and scholarly pursuits in alignment with Mason’s core values and strategic direction. He will oversee all colleges, schools, and academic support units.

“George Mason �鶹�� is an inspiring students-first institution that prioritizes inclusive access and opportunity. As a first-generation college student from a low-income family, this resonates deeply with me,” Antony said. “As a young top 50-ranked university with significant research investments, Mason is on a fast track as one of the most compelling institutions in the nation. I look forward to being part of the Mason Nation helping to advance student, faculty, and staff successes and collaborating to continue the university’s rise as a world-class research university.”

A national search was conducted from September through March, following the departure of Mark Ginsberg, now president at Towson �鶹��. Interim Provost Ken Walsh will return to his position as chief of staff on July 1, 2024. Megan Healy, interim chief of staff, will also return to her role as special advisor.

"James Antony shares our strong commitment to ensuring access to a world-class education, an engaging campus experience, and a culture of belonging,” added Professor and Faculty Senate President Melissa Broeckelman-Post, who chaired the 20-member search committee. “His nearly three decades of leadership experience make him an ideal provost to help Mason navigate the many opportunities and challenges ahead.”

From 2015 to 2019, Antony served as Faculty Director of the Graduate School of Education’s Higher Education Program at Harvard �鶹��, and Co-Director of the Management Development Program. From 2012 to 2015, he was an Associate Provost at Yale �鶹��, where he worked on issues ranging from faculty development to the promotion of undergraduate student leadership. From 1995 to 2012, he held faculty and leadership roles at the �鶹�� of Washington, including Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy and Adjunct Professor in Sociology; Associate Vice Provost and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Graduate School; and Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Education. While at Washington, he also served as Director of the Graduate Program in Higher Education and was founding Executive Director of the Center for Leadership in Athletics, and its associated degree programs.

As a scholar, Antony’s research and teaching focus on the preparation of forward-thinking leaders in college or university settings, both domestically and globally. He has written about higher education faculty, the socialization and leadership development of future faculty and college leaders, and data-driven decision-making in higher education settings. He has taught courses in such topics as leadership theory, organizational change, assessment and evaluation, data-based decision making, introductory and advanced quantitative research methods, student affairs administration, leadership ethics, college athletics and athletic leadership, sociology of higher education, and the history of higher education.

Antony earned his baccalaureate degree in Psychology, and his master’s degree and PhD in Higher Education and Organizational Change, all from UCLA.

About George Mason �鶹��

George Mason �鶹�� is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

Get to know Provost Antony

Did you know...

The Office of the Provost has primary responsibility for George Mason's academic mission, including supporting scholarly excellence among faculty members and fostering academic success for students on all four campuses.

Learn more about the Office of the Provost

This content appears in the Summer 2024 print edition of the Mason Spirit Magazine with the title "George Mason Welcomes New Provost."

�鶹�� journey to modernize George Mason �鶹��’s brand identity

Jeannine Harvey — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:00:42 +0000

�鶹�� journey to modernize George Mason �鶹��’s brand identity Jeannine Harvey Wed, 04/24/2024 - 15:00

Dear Fellow Patriots

After three years of work, beginning with highlighting who we are and our accomplishments, and moving into our “All Together Different” brand positioning, today we begin the next leg of our journey to overhaul and modernize George Mason �鶹��’s brand identity. We are unveiling a new logo system that will put the university on par with dozens of powerful university brands that are in our market competing for resources, faculty and staff talent, students, and public support. To get a look at the new logo, click hereor just take a look at the university’s home page.

Why change the logo? Why now?

On every level, George Mason �鶹�� faces fierce competition for resources in order to deliver its mission in an increasingly volatile environment. The greater Washington, D.C., metro area represents not just the source of 84 percent of our student body, but is now the most intensely competitive higher education marketing in the nation. There are more than 140 other universities and counting with an academic presence within a 50-mile radius of George Mason’s campuses, including 75 from across the country in Washington, D.C., alone. We must stay current with competition or risk decline into irrelevance.

All brands change their look over time to keep pace with shifting demands. �鶹��s is no exception. �鶹�� current logo system, with the “Quill M” design, has served us well, but has grown inadequate to maintain best-in-class presence in the community, especially given the separate logos used to represent our athletics program. Collectively, they cause us to compete against ourselves, and present a fractured profile of the university, with underwhelming popular or commercial appeal. Yet they must compete side-by-side with some of America’s most iconic university brands for students, faculty and staff, public support, and alumni and donor engagement.

All Together Different

Starting in 2021 the Office of �鶹�� Branding held a series of extensive stakeholder engagements about updating our brand that ultimately involved nearly 1,500 students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and community supporters. In those exercises, stakeholders articulated the new essence of our identity and what we are to the public: An unconventional university that has risen to national prominence often by going against the grain, guided by our diversity, inclusivity, grit, and audacity. That narrative represents us well as a university that is “All Together Different.”

Improvements

The new logo system unifies the university under a single look, which now includes athletics. It includes a standard logo structure for all internal units and departments that cleans up our current cluttered unit logo system. It maintains our historic green and gold colors, but in bolder, more confident hues. And its design tells the story of George Mason as it is now: a university with multiple entry points and pathways for student success; an streamlined institution without needless frills, and a diverse learning community whose members harmoniously coexist.

Budget-neutral transition

Starting tomorrow, the Office of �鶹�� Branding will guide the university on a gradual, two-year transition into the new look. That extended time will be necessary to enable a more natural transition into the new logo usage, because this is designed as a budget-neutral project. �鶹�� Branding staff will stay in touch with unit marketing and communications staff members to offer guidance and support throughout the transition. Over the course of this summer—some starting tomorrow—units will receive their own new logos and will be guided to start converting in three steps:

First—Start with digital applications, which costs time but not money.

Second—Branded materials that need periodic replenishment—printed collateral and promotional items, for instance—should be allowed to run out, not be thrown out, which will take time. New logos should be used to create replacement supplies.

Finally—Logos of a more permanent nature will be replaced over time with funding supplied by the Office of �鶹�� Branding, through reallocation of their existing budgets, which are not being augmented to allow for this transition.

Orientation and Compliance

Tomorrow, April 26, �鶹�� Branding will release a comprehensive new online usage guide at brand.gmu.edu that gives guidance on how to use the new logo. Brand staff will immediately offer ongoing training and orientation, with outreach that began last week to unit staffers in communications, marketing, digital strategy, creative services, and events. In accordance with �鶹�� Policy 1111, compliance with these brand guidelines is mandatory. Compliance decisions are the responsibility of the Office of �鶹�� Branding, formerly the Office of Communications and Marketing. Questions on compliance should be directed to creative@gmu.edu.

Adjustment

New logos are often an acquired taste—it’s human nature to view changes like these with a certain amount of reluctance. I encourage everyone to give yourselves time to acclimate to this new look, and help integrate it into our operations by adopting it as soon as you practically can.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington
President

Topics

Office of �鶹�� Branding

Campus News

Statement: Office of the President

World events, the First Amendment, and George Mason �鶹��

Kristin Heydt — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 20:51:52 +0000

World events, the First Amendment, and George Mason �鶹�� Kristin Heydt Tue, 10/17/2023 - 16:51

Dear Fellow Patriots:
 
In the days since the terrorist attacks on Israel we have been a nation and a community in shock and mourning. Many of us have also been in the throes of the quintessentially American act of speaking out. Indeed, as the regions of Israel and Gaza prepare to enter a period of prolonged conflict, our society will follow along with many passionate demonstrations, speeches, and protests advocating for both sides of the conflict, testing our tolerance of the very free speech rights that help to define us as Americans.

Over the past week, George Mason �鶹�� has seen a number of public gatherings by interest groups related to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Some were discreet, while one in particular was quite visible, in the middle of the Fairfax Campus, in the middle of a day of classes. The messages expressed by all were heartening to supporters, maddening to detractors. We have fielded complaints from all sides, demanding that we bar those with views they oppose from expressing themselves on campus.

For every advocate who has called on Mason to muzzle those with opposing views, know that we have also received demands to muzzle your views. We simply cannot do any of that without running afoul of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, to say nothing of failing you in our guarantee as a marketplace of ideas. The reality is the First Amendment primarily protects speech that we do not like, and even abhor. It can be hateful and demeaning. In fact, one price of free speech is hate speech. Given this reality, it is possible to accomplish multiple things simultaneously that many find unsatisfying: We condemn the craven acts of terrorism by Hamas on innocent Israelis, while acknowledging the plight of the people of Palestine to seek self-government, and the deaths of innocent Palestinians last week.

In the days and weeks to come, there will be more conflict. There will be more demonstrations on our campuses. There will be more pronouncements that some will cheer and others try to shout down. That is guaranteed by human nature and the American system of free expression.
 
In that light, what is the commitment of George Mason �鶹��, both to this university, and to the community and Commonwealth we serve? We commit our fidelity to our principles, including:

Safety – The safety of everyone at George Mason �鶹��’s campuses is paramount, and while measures to assure our collective security are intentionally silent and invisible, they are nonetheless substantial and in place around the clock, with close coordination between university offices that come together to form a 360-degree university view and a holistic approach to our institutional response. �鶹�� aim with First Amendment gatherings is to maintain a safe environment at all times, and to stay out of the way for as long as safe and lawful conditions remain. Just because you don’t see all of the precautions that precede and support a public demonstration does not mean they are not functioning out of sight.
Lawfulness – Demonstrations represent a long-held American tradition, but actions by demonstrators must remain lawful if they are to enjoy legal and constitutional protection. We do not and will not permit unlawful conduct, even during moments of protest. Just so, it is not lawful for the university to curtail constitutionally protected speech, no matter how outrageous or objectionable others may find it. That includes the right of the street evangelist to shout condemnations into a megaphone to students on Wilkins Plaza for their sexual orientation or gender identity. It includes advocates for both the preservation and the repeal of abortion laws who protest each other at full volume. And it includes all perspectives in the Israel-Gaza debate. In the marketplace of ideas on a public university campus, even hate speech is protected speech.
Freedom and Learning – This is our institutional motto, and it proves itself indispensable in moments like this. Along with freedom of speech comes the commitment to learning what is happening, why, and what it might lead to. This critical sense-making is the vital role that our faculty play in educating Mason students, and by extension the university community. In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to shining a spotlight on their contributions to help us all find a way through and beyond this discouraging moment.

Moments like this have the possibility of pulling communities like ours apart, but only if we let them. My hope and optimism lie in our ability to use this as a moment to stay together despite the voices and agendas that seek to pull us into oppositional factions. Ultimately, we can grow stronger together through the experience.
 
Whether it is your style to pray, meditate, or simply think good thoughts – I invite you to do so on behalf of innocent people in harm’s way in Israel and Gaza, as the world waits with dread and resolution to see what happens next. Surely this is something we can all agree upon.
 
Sincerely,
 
Gregory Washington
President

George Mason �鶹�� statement on Supreme Court rulings regarding college admissions

Melanie Balog — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:43:23 +0000

George Mason �鶹�� statement on Supreme Court rulings regarding college admissions Melanie Balog Thu, 06/29/2023 - 10:43

Today’s United States Supreme Court decision barring the consideration of race for college admissions will not disrupt admissions operations at George Mason �鶹��, because Mason does not factor race into its admissions decisions.

George Mason’s admissions processes are race-neutral and have been test-optional for undergraduate admissions since 2007, more than a decade ahead of the national trend. As Virginia’s most diverse public university, Mason has long embraced an inclusive admissions policy that offers everyone who is academically prepared for the rigors of study at this top-ranked research university the opportunity to pursue the life of their choice.

When students apply to Mason, they are evaluated on their high school academic performance, extracurricular and community activities, and personal essays. Students who demonstrate they are prepared to succeed academically are admitted. As a result, we are proud to report an admission rate of more than 90 percent for undergraduates.

When we must decline admissions to applicants, we do our best to point them to alternate pathways to a college degree, which we hope will eventually lead them back to Mason for a bachelor’s degree and beyond.

While here, Mason students learn in an environment ranked by The Wall Street Journal as a top-50 public university experience. And when they graduate, they do so at rates above the national average, and without the performance disparities among demographic groups that most universities must contend with. Ultimately, Mason graduates are in high demand by regional employers, enjoying career successes that are comparable with even the most elite universities in the nation.

In August, Mason will once again welcome the largest and most diverse student body in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This diversity of origin, identity, circumstance, and thought is what drives our quality and defines our character. When walking across one of our campuses, the rich diversity everyone sees is not artificially curated by an admissions process primarily defined by keeping students out. It is attributable to our historic recognition that limitations of commonly accepted measures, like problematic standardized test scores or legacy affiliation, compel us to take a broader view of student potential. We have long sought to expand our reach to all communities, not lock down our opportunities for just a few.

To the countless students and parents who may now wonder if there is a place in college for them: be assured that there is. Everyone belongs at a university like George Mason, which commits itself fully to inclusive admissions, enrollment, university life, graduation, and career success.

George Mason �鶹�� is proudly Virginia’s largest, most diverse, and top-ranked university for innovation. Today’s ruling will not change that.

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