Statement: Office of the President

��AV announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president

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

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

FAIRFAX, VA (April 29, 2024) – ��AV 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 University of Washington, Yale University, Harvard University, and University 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 ��AV, 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.

“��AV 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 University. 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 University, and Co-Director of the Management Development Program. From 2012 to 2015, he was an Associate Provost at Yale University, 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 University 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 ��AV

��AV 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."

Our journey to modernize ��AV’s brand identity

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

Our journey to modernize ��AV’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 ��AV’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, ��AV 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. Ours is no exception. Our 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 University 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 University 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. University 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 University Branding, through reallocation of their existing budgets, which are not being augmented to allow for this transition.

Orientation and Compliance

Tomorrow, April 26, University 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 University Policy 1111, compliance with these brand guidelines is mandatory. Compliance decisions are the responsibility of the Office of University 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 University Branding

Campus News

Statement: Office of the President

World events, the First Amendment, and ��AV

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

World events, the First Amendment, and ��AV 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, ��AV 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 ��AV, 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 ��AV’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. Our 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

��AV statement on Supreme Court rulings regarding college admissions

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

��AV 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 ��AV, 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.

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

Topics

Campus News

Statement: Office of the President

What it means to be a Patriot

Kristin Heydt — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:02:23 +0000

What it means to be a Patriot Kristin Heydt Mon, 03/27/2023 - 10:02

In This Story

Gregory Washington

Dear Fellow Patriots,

What does it mean to be a Patriot? Since I arrived at ��AV in 2020, I have periodically returned to this existential question. This time, we grapple with it relative to spring 2023 commencement.

In May, our featured commencement speaker will be Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. This announcement has deeply upset members of the Mason community who feel targeted by the Governor’s positions on teaching about race, or addressing the needs of transgender students in public schools. These students want the Governor replaced as a commencement speaker because of these policies. His inclusion in commencement has also been greeted as good news to those who support the Governor. I have heard from both groups.

Is his inclusion in commencement a betrayal of our core identity of diversity, and commitment to inclusivity? Or are his presence and the passionate objections it has inspired actually the purest reflections of who we are as Mason Patriots?

Mason students come by their objections to the Governor authentically, and their rejection of his positions are rooted in very real, deeply personal, often painful life experiences. It is my sincere hope that our students use this opportunity to share their stories, challenges and triumphs, and that the Governor will hear their opinions, respectfully consider and reflect on them, and consider that feedback when making, amending or changing his administration’s policies.

This discourse highlights one of the fundamental purposes of a university. It is a place to engage, debate, and educate on topics where we agree and disagree, sometimes profoundly. If the Governor’s speech were to be cancelled, it is unlikely that such public attention would be paid to the policies students so passionately oppose.

This is vital because our students must prepare to inherit and lead a world with endless conflicts and divisions. Would we really be preparing them for that world if we removed the opportunities for them to safely engage in debate and discourse?

Or is it better to expose them to people and ideas that may offend or challenge them, but in an environment of steadfast support and safety, so they may develop the agency to effectively express and advocate for themselves once they leave the university environment?

I believe it is the latter. If we teach that the only way to deal with opposition is to suppress it, we rob students of the very tools they will need to build an effective society.

As president of the largest and most diverse public university in our state, I support those students who are making their voices heard, and I applaud their courage and commitment to advocate for themselves and their communities. That being said, I don’t believe that we should silence the voices of those with whom we disagree, especially in this forum where there is no imminent threat present as a result of the disagreements. As a student leader at North Carolina State University, I did more than my share of speaking up and speaking out, and so I can identify with Mason students’ passion and conviction. That experience also taught me that once you start silencing people you disagree with, you open a door that ultimately targets historically marginalized communities more than it benefits them.

Over the past two years, the Mason community has undergone significant introspection through various strategic planning and branding exercises, and challenged ourselves to answer fundamental questions of who we are, who we wish to be, and why anyone should care. In other words, what does it mean to be a Patriot?

More than any four-year institution in our state, we are both progressive and conservative. We are both wealthy and impoverished. Privileged and historically marginalized. Young and old. Local and international. First-generation college students and second-generation Mason students. Working parents and working soldiers. Black, brown, white and every pigmentation of humanity. Gay, straight, cisgender, transgender, he/him, she/her, and they/them. We embody America’s highest aspirations and its flawed lived experiences. We are its galvanized unity and its infuriating divisions. We are complicated and messy, earnest and scrappy. It is complex to navigate all of these things, which is one of the most difficult and rewarding aspects of my job.

With our differences come many world views, beliefs, experiences and expressions, and the only way we thrive is by providing a safe and open public square that allows these differences to comingle. This environment can be uncomfortable to navigate because it requires sometimes hearing and seeing things you don’t like. But it also means everyone – including you – has a platform to advocate for your beliefs.

Mason has a long tradition of supporting free speech. That support extends to each person who gives a commencement speech. And no speaker can take away from our diversity. At Mason, diversity is about more than just looking different, it’s about believing differently, thinking differently, expressing differently, and having the environment in which to do so. At Mason, that environment extends to every student, staff and faculty member. It also extends to Governors.

As Patriots, we are many things, but we are ALL of these things TOGETHER. And that’s what makes us beautifully DIFFERENT. And that’s what it means to be a Patriot.

I look forward to meeting and continuing discussions on this issue.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Statement: Office of the President

Update on Virginia Employee Compensation

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 20:13:24 +0000

Update on Virginia Employee Compensation Lauren Reuscher Wed, 07/13/2022 - 16:13

To all Mason faculty and staff:

As you may know, the Virginia Assembly recently passed a state budget that includes an average 5 percent increase in base compensation for all state employees for each of the next two years. I am writing to give you an update on the process Mason will follow to distribute this year’s additional funds.

I want to begin by thanking each of you for your important contributions to Mason over the last year, as our university community continued to face such significant challenges. I am very pleased that the General Assembly and the Governor approved this increase for state employees. I know how hard you work to keep this university operating so successfully.

Across-the-board increase

Mason will follow its standard procedure of distributing increases across the board to classified staff, as governed by the General Assembly and Department of Human Resource Management.

For all employees, a current, satisfactory performance evaluation is required to receive any increase.

For IR and administrative faculty, we will suspend our standard practice of scaling increases based on performance and market factors for this year only, and instead allocate an across-the-board, 5 percent increase for all who qualify. We are taking this action for two reasons. First, current inflation is estimated at a 40-year high of 9.1 percent. And second, the late timing of state budget decisions, coupled with the timing of when performance reviews are traditionally conducted at Mason, preclude us from processing variable salary adjustments without creating unacceptably late delays. The timing of when performance evaluations are conducted at Mason will change next year to bring these two factors into sync.

One-time bonus

In addition to this year’s 5 percent increase, all employees will also receive a one-time state-allocated $1,000 bonus in December. It will carry qualifying criteria, which we will provide at a later date.

FAQs and other additional information will be available shortly at hr.gmu.edu, and via email. Watch your inbox for messages from Human Resources.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington
President

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

Statement: Office of the President

Upcoming Supreme Court decisions

Melanie Balog — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 19:59:22 +0000

Upcoming Supreme Court decisions Melanie Balog Wed, 06/22/2022 - 15:59

Dear Patriots:

In the coming days, the United States Supreme Court is expected to hand down several landmark decisions of a magnitude that may provoke vocal, public reactions from people on all sides of the issues being adjudicated. We also know the impact of those decisions may weigh differently, and have different consequences, for different community members.

We are writing to reaffirm that ��AV is a community of active and engaged scholars, students, and professionals who embody our motto of Freedom and Learning. As such we strongly encourage everyone who is moved to raise their voices by whatever the Supreme Court may release to do so lawfully and safely.

Mason is proud to be a university that is recognized for fostering an environment that welcomes free speech for all. Mason consistently earns a top national ranking for its campus climate from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). In 2021 Mason ranked No. 12 nationally for encouraging free speech when FIRE assessed tolerance for liberal and conservative speakers, students’ comfort in expressing ideas and having difficult conversations, administrative support for free speech, and student tolerance of disruptive conduct.

To that end, Mason maintains online resources to guide legal and safe First Amendment expressions, which can be found on our Mason Climate web page and our Free Speech at Mason web page. We encourage everyone who may consider demonstrating either in support of or opposition to anticipated Supreme Court decisions to consult these resources in order to remain safe and within the laws governing our rights to peaceably assemble.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington
President

Mark Ginsberg
Executive Vice President & Provost

Rose Pascarell
Vice President, University Life

Topics

Office of the President

Statement: Office of the President

Summer COVID update

Melanie Balog — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:34:38 +0000

Summer COVID update Melanie Balog Tue, 05/24/2022 - 10:34

Dear Patriots,

As we graduate our next class of Patriots into the world, I want to thank the entire Mason community for its contributions to the 2021-2022 academic year. Despite the persistence of COVID-19, we were able to successfully open our campuses and come together — in person — to learn, live, work, and thrive.

Now, the summer season is upon us, and as many of us look forward to time away with friends and family, we must remember that COVID isn’t taking a summer break. COVID case numbers continue to rise, and several local counties (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William) are in the MEDIUM transmission zone. Health department and other agencies project that despite the warm weather and time of year, our region may reach HIGH transmission levels at some point this summer.

As prevalence and community spread continue to increase, there is an increased risk of becoming infected during your daily activities. And while vaccines are very effective to lessen the severity of illness, you can still have a new COVID infection even if you are vaccinated and boosted. You can also have a new COVID infection if you have had a prior infection as new variants circulate.

The good news is that Mason Patriots know how to fight COVID and lower our risk. You can protect yourself, your family and friends, and vulnerable community members by voluntarily taking these steps:

Get your vaccine series and any eligible boosters to lessen your risk of severe disease. You can schedule an appointment to be vaccinated at Mason: vaccine.gmu.edu

Avoid very crowded places and opt to wear a mask if you must be in a crowded place or indoor area with others.

If you are not having symptoms but wish to test after a possible exposure/event, prior to seeing someone who is especially at risk, for general reassurance, or to help contribute to mitigation of spread on campus, please utilize our surveillance testing program at Fenwick A, Colgan Hall (SciTech), or Van Metre Hall (Mason Square).

If you are having symptoms, seek out a diagnostic PCR test. These are free and available to you on campus for students at SHS, and for employees at SEERM's drive up diagnostic site at the Peterson Clinic. Summer residential students will be required to test three times this summer starting this week. (Detailed information is being sent directly to residential students.) These appointments can be scheduled in your Medicat patient portal.

Consider utilizing an at-home rapid test if you have any questionable symptoms. (Vaccinated, low-risk people often have mild symptoms that can be mistaken for allergies, yet they are actually infectious and at risk of spreading COVID to others).

Continue to report COVID illnesses through the Mason COVID Health Check tool at: healthcheck.gmu.edu. This is a required step when utilizing Mason’s testing facilities.

As always, we will continue to monitor and keep you informed of changes.

Thank you for your commitment and diligence to keeping yourself and our community healthy and safe this summer.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Covid-19

Office of the President

Statement: Office of the President

Campus News

Updated mask requirements for Commencement

Melanie Balog — Fri, 13 May 2022 12:41:10 +0000

Updated mask requirements for Commencement Melanie Balog Fri, 05/13/2022 - 08:41

Dear Fellow Patriots:

Recent increases in COVID-19 cases have prompted concerns and questions in the university community that I want to address as we head into Commencement week and the completion of the Spring 2022 semester.

We continue to watch conditions daily. The number of cases at ��AV in recent weeks remains well below the high we experienced this winter. We are following current CDC and local public health guidance on how to respond to COVID conditions. As of this week, Fairfax County community rates are classified as medium, and the county is not calling for a return to mask mandates at this time.

We will continue our current campus policy except for upcoming Commencement and indoor degree ceremonies. We recognize that these events will be attended by many family members who consider this to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness their loved ones complete a major educational milestone. Many attendees may have avoided public events due to COVID risks, so we owe it to our families to take added measures for these events and create as safe an environment as possible. In addition, many are coming from Northern Virginia, where the prevalence rate is classified as medium.

Therefore, for Commencement at EagleBank Arena and all indoor degree celebrations, we will require all students, faculty, staff, and guests in attendance to wear masks. We will have additional supplies on hand for those who arrive without a mask.

Looking ahead to the summer, we will require all summer students living on campus to be regularly tested and we will reevaluate if necessary. We will share more details about our summer plans shortly.

Congratulations on completing another semester in such a safe and responsible manner.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Covid-19

Campus News

Graduation

Statement: Office of the President

Mason campuses are now mask-optional

Melanie Balog — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:12:24 +0000

Mason campuses are now mask-optional Melanie Balog Tue, 04/05/2022 - 09:12

Dear Fellow Patriots:

I have more encouraging news to share about our management of COVID-19. The presence of the virus is now at a low point both on Mason’s campuses and in surrounding communities. Our positivity rates have remained well below 1 percent and community transmission in Fairfax County is now categorized as “low.”

The current low level of COVID-19 means that we can take another step forward. Effective immediately, Mason campuses are mask-optional, except in certain event venues, healthcare settings, on public transit, or childcare settings. We are now also COVID test-optional, with the exception of unvaccinated, high-contact students. Visit the Safe Return to Campus page for when and where masks and tests are still required.

Every Mason Patriot should feel free to practice the masking measures that make you feel safe. If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, we support you. If you choose not to wear a mask where they are optional, we support you as well.

There are steps that we will take to keep our community healthy and safe:

We encourage all students, faculty, and staff to continue to complete the Mason COVID Health Check each day prior to coming to a campus, through Spring Commencement on May 20.
We ask that all students, faculty and staff get tested when they feel symptomatic, either at Student Health Services or at the Peterson Hall testing site.

And FREE 2^nd booster shots for anyone over 50, per CDC and VDH guidelines are available at the Fenwick Testing and Vaccination Center.

Your dedication and compassion for your fellow Patriots has contributed to our success. Let’s keep going and finish this spring semester healthy and safe.

Onward,

Gregory Washington

President

Topics

Covid-19

Campus News

Statement: Office of the President

Statement: Office of the President

����AV announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president

Get to know Provost Antony

Did you know...

Learn more about the Office of the Provost

More from Mason Spirit Magazine

Our journey to modernize ����AV’s brand identity

Topics

World events, the First Amendment, and ����AV

����AV statement on Supreme Court rulings regarding college admissions

Topics

What it means to be a Patriot

In This Story

Topics

Update on Virginia Employee Compensation

Topics

Upcoming Supreme Court decisions

Topics

Summer COVID update

Topics

Updated mask requirements for Commencement

Topics

Mason campuses are now mask-optional

Topics

��AV announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president

Our journey to modernize ��AV’s brand identity

World events, the First Amendment, and ��AV

��AV statement on Supreme Court rulings regarding college admissions