Provost Newsletter

Reimagining Mason's global reach: new efforts take off

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:33:58 +0000

Reimagining Mason's global reach: new efforts take off Pam Shepherd Mon, 02/05/2024 - 15:33

In This Story

Janette Muir, PhD

The political, cultural, and economic upheaval that followed the pandemic has resulted in what a recent report by Deloitte calls a “moment of change” for higher education, prompting colleges and universities to reinvent themselves to stand out and remain relevant. Four years ago, leaders at ��AV weren’t entertaining the idea of expanding educational programming to countries other than South Korea, but with international student and faculty numbers returning to where they were prior to the pandemic along with the upcoming 10th anniversary of Mason Korea, the focus on global education shifted to more centralized efforts which required a change in the university’s strategic direction.

Over the years, Mason has cultivated a reputation for evolving its innovative programs to meet the needs of its students. As part of this decisive moment, the Office of the Provost launched several new areas such as the Community Engagement and Civic Learning Office, the revised Mason Core structure, and the Community College Partnerships Office. Today these efforts play an important role in the university’s strategic direction to improve the student experience, grow the research enterprise, and exemplify a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Through it all, Mason—which is home to the largest and most diverse student body in Virginia—values building sustainable pathways for growth that include creating opportunities for student success such as community engagement activities and advanced research projects. For decades, the university has facilitated global learning opportunities and fostered international research. It has also leveraged university partnerships to bring thousands of international students to Mason from more than 130 countries speaking 80 languages while providing programmatic learning for those who wish to study abroad in nearly two dozen countries each year. Mason Korea has grown from a small outpost to the gateway to Asia, hosting and graduating students each semester. And because Mason is a student-first university with numerous clubs, performances, and cultural events, those who are unable to physically study abroad can still experience a multicultural, and diverse learning journey within a vibrant international community in Virginia through virtual international programs.

In a post-COVID environment, preparing students for success in an increasing international and interconnected world while expanding and enriching Mason’s global footprint is now a university priority—making it critical for the Office of the Provost to reimagine and redesign Mason’s global vision and establish a path forward. Enter Chrishon Blackwell, an organizational development leader with a deep understanding of international education, as senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office (GEO).

Chrishon Blackwell, senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office

“It is a testament to Mason's global engagement that we now have Dr. Blackwell in her role as the Senior International Officer (SIO),” said Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs. “As Mason's SIO, she is the one who can continue to guide Mason into the next phase of global engagement, post-pandemic, and we are excited to see where this engagement takes us.”

Since arriving at Mason less than a year ago, Blackwell has spent months identifying how to leverage and utilize the university’s resources in ways that will further enhance students’ experiences while simultaneously exploring ways to maintain global competitiveness and strengthen relationships with its global partners.

“The goal is to create stronger global citizens and to do that, it is critically important to identify, help facilitate, and advance what’s already happening on campus,” she said. “If GEO is to provide students opportunities to immerse themselves in holistic activities that result in individuals who can compete on [an] international scale, we need to think more intentionally about what impacts them across the disciplines.”

And while international education encompasses the mobility of students in other parts of the world, it is also about the scholars who come to Mason to conduct research and share different styles of teaching, faculty who go to other destinations, and those who do community-based service learning. It further includes “thinking intentionally about international partners and engaging in deeper relationships [with] them” while leveraging existing affiliations and memorandums of understanding by establishing practices such as “exchanges with universities, delegation visits, and sister city partnerships,” Blackwell said.

Following a thorough review of Mason’s current international offerings, Blackwell recently identified and set forth a series of priorities in research, teaching, and engagement to expand and enrich the university’s global footprint. These priorities include initiatives such as exploring ways to support Mason’s global research activities and collaborations, examining strategies to globalize the student learning experience, and conducting a comprehensive review of Mason’s international partnerships.

A vital part of implementing these priorities consists of utilizing the recently formed Global Assembly and Global Operations Team, which engage a broad cross-section of the university to advance Mason's global initiatives, activities, programs, and services. Both teams consist of representatives from each college, offices that deal directly with global related activities for students, faculty and staff, and other relevant parties. By leveraging the expertise of the members of the Global Assembly, the aim is to collectively identify resources and opportunities that facilitate university-wide internationalization strategies while keeping internal stakeholders informed. The Global Operations Team, meanwhile, coordinates knowledge about Mason’s global footprint within a decentralized context, then directs and advises the university community on globally focused services and policies. 

“The establishment of the Global Assembly and Global Operations Team demonstrates a collective approach involving a variety of stakeholders across Mason’s campuses and by doing this, we are fostering a more globally aware and engaged environment for faculty, staff, and student,” she said. “By centralizing our global engagement efforts, we aim to create a more collaborative approach to managing global learning, teaching, research, and engagement.”

Mason’s revamped global engagement and emphasis on global learning signifies a deep commitment to advancing the university’s internationalization efforts. Not only will it elevate the student experience and provide valuable opportunities for faculty to globally engage, it will also include perspectives from alumni and partners who can assist in establishing new initiatives. Over time, members of the Mason community will be able to navigate a variety of cultural and political environments resulting in empathetic and inquisitive individuals who are educated in cross-cultural contexts and have the yearning and ability to collaborate.

Looking forward, Blackwell said this new centralized direction will allow the university to “think creatively and boldly about ways to expand international capacity” and is what will “make Mason a rich and diverse tapestry that will ensure the university is competitive around the world while meeting the community’s needs.”

Topics

Global Education Office

Faculty and Staff News

University makes changes to the academic calendar

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:21:03 +0000

University makes changes to the academic calendar Pam Shepherd Mon, 01/08/2024 - 15:21

After a thorough and collaborative process led by the Office of the University Registrar and the Faculty Senate, ��AV has modified its four-year academic calendar, delaying the start of the fall 2024 semester by one week, among other changes.

Adjustments were made to accommodate Election Day as an ongoing student holiday, give the university greater flexibility regarding fall start dates, realign the calendar to mirror other schools in the region, and maintain the two-week winter break.

“The academic calendar is a complicated document because it governs almost all aspects of the university,” said University Registrar Doug McKenna. “The new calendar presents several changes, but most academic functions remain the same.”

Set to take effect in fall 2024, changes to the four-year academic calendar include:

The start of the fall 2024 semester is delayed by one week to August 26, 2024.
Fall break will occur on October 14, with the university open but no classes held.
Election Day is designated as a university holiday in 2024.
To integrate Election Day as a student holiday, one reading day before final exams has been removed, eliminating the need to teach Monday classes on the Tuesday of fall break week. Classes will not be held on fall break or Election Day in the future, regardless of the university's operational status.
The last day of classes for fall 2024 will be December 9, with final exams from December 11 to 18.
Winter commencement is scheduled for December 19, 2024.
The winter break will span from December 23, 2024, to January 3, 2025.

The revised calendar, which includes these changes as well as the schedule for 2025 and beyond, has been posted to the Registrar’s website.

Topics

Anne Osterman named Dean of the University Libraries

Pam Shepherd — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 13:49:59 +0000

Anne Osterman named Dean of the University Libraries Pam Shepherd Wed, 12/06/2023 - 08:49

In This Story

Kenneth Walsh, PhD

Interim Provost Ken Walsh today announced that after a comprehensive review process led by a committee comprised of faculty, staff, and administrators from both the University Libraries and across Mason, Anne Osterman has been appointed to a five-year term as dean of the University Libraries and university librarian.

“I look forward to working in close collaboration with Dean Osterman as she continues her leadership of the University Libraries and serves as a senior leader at our university,” Walsh said.

Dean Anne Osterman

Dean Osterman was appointed as interim dean of the University Libraries and university librarian on December 1, 2022. During her time in this role, the University Libraries have grown the Open Access publishing options for Mason authors to include three additional major publishers, started a new comprehensive program of outreach about the Libraries’ collections, and hosted a university-wide series of sessions about generative artificial intelligence.

Dean Osterman joined Mason in 2012 as associate director of the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) and was subsequently appointed as deputy director (2013) and director (2015). VIVA is a statewide program that serves as the consortium of 71 nonprofit public and private academic libraries in the Commonwealth. With an annual budget of $21M, VIVA provides a shared core collection of library resources, a statewide resource sharing program among the member libraries, and an open and affordable course content program that lowers the costs of higher education for Virginia students.

Dean Osterman completed a master’s degree in library science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in statistics at American University, and a bachelor’s degree with a triple major in English, classical civilization, and religion at Florida State University. She has published widely on the topics of collection management and collaborative library services, including the monograph Electronic Resource Management: Practical Perspectives in a New Technical Services Model.

Topics

Libraries

Graduate Inclusion and Access Scholarship GIA

Faculty and Staff News

Mason doctoral student uses archival practice to unfold the present

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:23:28 +0000

Mason doctoral student uses archival practice to unfold the present Pam Shepherd Mon, 12/04/2023 - 16:23

In This Story

Laurence Bray, PhD

Gabrielle A. Tayac

As part of a military family, Timmia King, a doctoral student in history and art history at ��AV, was exposed to various cultures during her childhood. These experiences made her eager to explore new topics and gain insight into different people and their lives.

“I’m interested in community archiving, which is where community members participate in archiving and documenting their experiences,” said King. “It’s a way for individuals to take control of how they’re represented and put it out there for other people to participate or view.”

After earning a BA in Afro-American studies from Howard University and a dual MA from Indiana University-Bloomington in library science and African American and African diaspora studies, King chose Mason to pursue a PhD.

“The program I’m in focuses on not only pushing students into academia but also into the public history sector. I thought this would be a good place to gain academic training while being in an environment where it isn’t expected that you’ll solely go toward the academic route,” King said.

The community environment at Mason was a strong selling point for her, as were projects the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (RCHNM) had conducted in the public history field.

The community environment at Mason was a strong selling point for PhD student Timmia King. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Along with community archiving, King is highly interested in African American studies, especially the ways in which African descended communities have documented themselves and their archival practices over time. She is focusing primarily on how and why they choose to document their customs and represent themselves in certain ways. This includes memories, naming practices, cultural practices (e.g., dances), and other traditions that are passed down (e.g., recipes). 

“I think what really influences my research interest is the strong desire to understand how and why people, particularly of African descent, have chosen to document themselves in certain ways outside of archival structures,” she said. “One way I’m exploring this topic is through naming, choosing individuals’ last names after enslavement, how they inscribed the memories on themselves, and what that means for them and future generations.”

Gabrielle A. Tayac, associate professor in the history and art history department, serves as King’s advisor. “Timmia's focus area on African American archives with community ties cultivates attention and value to overlooked and obscured experiences. Her research uplifts people whose lives and actions reveal essential experiences in history,” Tayac said. “Timmia brings wholeness and brave truthtelling to archival scholarship.”

King wants to help others learn about history and spread knowledge through her own passion in exploring that realm. Her thesis “Strategies and Approaches for Building an African American Digital Archive” displays a deeper look at the theoretical underpinnings of online community archiving.

“I am honored to be able to support Timmia’s innovative, compassionate, and rigorous work that uplifts African American community memory through archival practice,” Tayac said. “I feel inspired and encouraged that her community beneficial archival work will recreate historic understandings.”

In 2021, King was accepted into the Graduate Inclusion and Access (GIA) Scholarship program at Mason, a competitive scholarship awarded to new PhD first-generation college student applicants in need of financial aid.

“The scholarship is a recognition of the work you’ve been doing and also a way to say that you have people that support you, believe in you, and let you feel that what you’re doing is important,” King said. “Being a part of this community has given me more confidence in myself and my work.”

Laurence Bray, associate provost of graduate education believes Timmia’s work is already having a significant impact on American history, culture, and memory. “Through the GIA scholarship, I am delighted to see that Timmia is able to pursue her research interests and accomplish her professional goals,” Bray said.

Currently, King is involved in an ongoing research project titled “History and Culture Access Consortium” as a graduate research assistant at the RCHNM.”

“The project’s goal is to provide visibility to the collections at various HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] around the country,” King said. Her work includes helping to make a public website using Omeka S to share these collections,

King is interested in expanding her journey into the public sector, possibly in a job with a library or a government archive.

“Whatever position I end up in, my goal is to be available as a community consultant so that I’m able to help and maintain archives and provide guidance to others with their own archival journeys,” King said.

Topics

Students

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Goodbye 'Mason Shuffle': Transforming the student journey at Mason

Pam Shepherd — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 21:38:18 +0000

Goodbye 'Mason Shuffle': Transforming the student journey at Mason Pam Shepherd Wed, 11/08/2023 - 16:38

In This Story

David Burge, MSE

Kenneth Walsh, PhD

��AV is embarking on an endeavor to optimize every aspect of the student journey, from recruitment and admissions to advising and alumni engagement. The student lifecycle transformation is a university-wide initiative, aligned with Mason's strategic direction. The overarching aim is to deliver a unique and distinctive student experience that fosters lifelong engagement.

"We began this transformation with one goal in mind: to make the entire student journey smoother, more personalized, and responsive, from the moment students first consider Mason to the day they graduate and beyond,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management David Burge.

The student lifecycle transformation embraces various projects, with Salesforce—a powerful Customer Relationship Management platform—as its core. Salesforce serves as the key tool driving the shift in Mason's approach to student engagement, keeping track of the entire lifecycle and interactions that occur during a student’s time at Mason, ensuring that each student receives the personalized support they need.

Mason will begin by adopting two important tools within Salesforce: Student Success and Recruitment and Admissions. The implementation of Student Success will allow Mason to identify and address each student’s unique needs, providing tailored support for their academic goals. Additionally, Recruitment and Admissions will enhance efficiency and responsiveness to prospective students.

“The adoption of Salesforce,” according to Interim Provost Kenneth Walsh, “will empower us to be more responsive and efficient in our interactions with both prospective and current students. We aren’t just investing in technology; we’re investing in the overall Mason experience.”

With Salesforce, Mason can centralize its efforts to foster collaboration and teamwork among offices that directly support students. The platform will unite data sources to create a holistic view of each student, offering a seamless experience and reducing the inefficiencies associated with the “Mason Shuffle,” a term familiar to students who have spent time seeking answers scattered across different offices and systems.

“As a staff member, I've witnessed the administrative hurdles and time wasted attempting to synchronize data between multiple systems. We're here to support our students, and a consolidated platform empowers us to do so more effectively, ensuring their needs are met,” said Kevin Brown, Salesforce administrator in the Costello College of Business.

Undergraduate and graduate students alike will benefit from this transformation. As an example, Salesforce will enable the university to offer personalized communication and support, catering to individual student needs. A user-friendly portal will provide students with easy access to essential information and services, and integrated tools like appointment scheduling and real-time communication will simplify their engagement with advisors and faculty.

By streamlining the admissions process, prospective students will find applying to Mason more accessible and transparent. Support services—including academic advising, counseling, and career support—will see substantial improvements, offering students comprehensive assistance throughout their academic journey. Technology integration will provide easier access to student information, learning resources, and administrative services.

But the transformation is not only about improving the student experience; it's also about streamlining operations and saving valuable resources. By consolidating various processes and systems into one unified system, Mason aims to optimize efficiency and allocate resources more effectively.

As the student lifecycle transformation takes shape, it underscores the university's dedication to empowering its students every step of the way. Mason students can look forward to a future where their journey is characterized by clarity, consistency, and unwavering support, making their university experience truly “distinctive and inclusive.”

“We want to create an environment where our students feel empowered and supported throughout their entire journey at Mason,” said Burge. “This transformation represents a commitment to providing an exceptional experience that transcends the traditional model of higher education.”

________

Questions? Check out the Salesforce FAQs, complete the Salesforce Stakeholder Engagement Form, or contact the Salesforce Project Management Office at salesfor@gmu.edu.

As a Salesforce-first institution, we are dedicated to ensuring that Salesforce aligns with the technological needs of our university. Units interested in acquiring technology solutions should consider how Salesforce can support business needs. Contact the Salesforce Project Management Office for a collaborative discussion tailored to your unit’s requirements.

Topics

Student Lifecycle Transformation

Faculty and Staff News

Salesforce

Patriot Connect

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: A farewell message

Pam Shepherd — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:48:17 +0000

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: A farewell message Pam Shepherd Thu, 10/26/2023 - 12:48

Serving as the Provost and Executive Vice President of ��AV, and earlier in my Mason career as Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, has been the greatest honor, and privilege, of my career. As I leave to become the 15th President of Towson University, the second largest public university in Maryland and a unit of the University System of Maryland, I thank my Mason colleagues, and our outstanding students, for your support. You have helped to make my Mason journey an incredible experience and for our university to become a home for me.

As often is said, “Once a Patriot, always a Patriot.” And now, as Professor Emeritus, I am thrilled that I forever will be a Mason Patriot.

Please watch my farewell address.

All the best.

Mark Ginsberg

Topics

New resources on mental health and student accommodations now available

Pam Shepherd — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:55:04 +0000

New resources on mental health and student accommodations now available Pam Shepherd Fri, 10/20/2023 - 16:55

In This Story

Kenneth Walsh, PhD

Rose Pascarell, MA

Dear Colleagues:

We are writing to share two important resources that we hope you will read, use, and share.

Accessibility, wellness, and mental health for our faculty, staff, students, and community members are top priorities for ��AV. We are committed to educating the Mason community about inclusivity, accessibility, and mental health; providing resources for faculty, staff, and students; and connecting those in need with clinical care. Community support for students with disabilities is core to Mason’s values of including a multitude of people and respecting differences.

Today, we are making two important resources available:

Language Matters: This guide provides faculty, staff, and students with critical information to dispel myths about mental health and to address language that may create barriers to seeking help. You can view, and are encouraged to share, this one-page summary (this document includes a general one-page summary, a summary for students, and a summary for faculty).
Let's Help Our Students: Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Students with Disabilities: This guide outlines for faculty and staff how to work with students who need accommodations by providing guidelines, key terms, laws and policies, examples, and resources to
help with inclusion and the breaking down of barriers. This also has a one-page summary.

Both guides are offered in support of Patriots Thriving Together – the Mason-wide initiative to improve the mental health of our community by 1) Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment, 2) Delivering education and training 3) Nurturing community, 4) Using research and evidence-based practice, and 5) Delivering clinical care.

Using the “right words” to discuss mental health and mental illness, and stressing the importance of student accommodations, can help to prevent stigma and discrimination. As importantly, it can help us continue to build a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can succeed.

All the best.

Kenneth D. Walsh, PhD Rose Pascarell
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Vice President for University Life

Topics

University Life

Mental Health