President

President Washington to host two town hall meetings during fall semester

Pam Shepherd — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:12:15 +0000

President Washington to host two town hall meetings during fall semester Pam Shepherd Thu, 09/28/2023 - 12:12

In This Story

��ӽ紫ý President Gregory Washington will host two 90-minute town halls to discuss the state of the university and to engage with faculty and staff.

The first town hall, for Mason employees working in non-academic units, will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 3–5 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus in the Hub ballroom.

The second town hall, for employees working in academic units, will take place on Monday, Nov. 6, from 1–3 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus in the Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall.

For those unable to attend in person, both town halls will be livestreamed on Zoom. Please contact your respective unit leadership for Zoom links and passwords.

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Office of the Provost

Mason experts appear on regional vaccination information panels

Colleen Rich — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:21:56 +0000

Mason experts appear on regional vaccination information panels Colleen Rich Thu, 04/15/2021 - 12:21

The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area (CUWMA)—a nonprofit collaborative with 18 higher education member institutions from across the Washington, D.C, metropolitan area, is hosting a series of discussions to address community concerns and answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

These Consortium Community Conversations, “Vaxx Facts: Our ‘Shot’ at Recovery,” feature experts from the member institutions who have years of experience working and researching in public health, the sciences, and medicine, as well as presidents from the universities within the consortium.

��ӽ紫ý President Gregory Washington will be part of a panel of experts on Monday, April 19.

These panels address community concerns about the vaccines, especially among campus community members who may be vaccine hesitant. The events will have a Q&A format, with the moderators posing questions to the experts on the panel. There will also be time for questions from virtual attendees.

Monday’s panel will take place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Moderated by Gallaudet University President Roberta J. Cordano, the conversation includes the following participants, in addition to President Washington:

Andrea Anderson, MD, FAAFP, Chair of the Board of Medicine and Associate Chief of Family Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University
Wilbur H. Chen, MD, MS, Chief, Adult Clinical Studies, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Jesse L. Goodman, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Georgetown University, former Deputy Commissioner for Science and Public Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

On Friday, April 30, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick moderates a panel featuring Mason experts Saskia Popescu, PhD, MPH, professor in the Biodefense Program of the Schar School of Policy and Government and affiliate at the Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center, and Jim Olds, PhD, professor of neuroscience and public policy, along with:

Vanessa Northington Gamble, MD, PhD, University Professor of Medical Humanities, Professor of Health Policy and American Studies, and Professor of Medicine, George Washington University, and
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, PhD, MPP, Director, Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab, and Professor, Department of Justice, Law and Criminology, School of Public Affairs, American University.

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Campus News

coronavirus; COVID-19; Editorial

President

President Washington: A promising outlook for the fall

Colleen Rich — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 23:55:38 +0000

President Washington: A promising outlook for the fall Colleen Rich Thu, 03/04/2021 - 18:55

In This Story

Gregory Washington

Hello Mason Patriots,

We are approaching the midpoint of the spring semester, and I’m pleased to say that our community continues to do a remarkable job of showing how to thrive during this pandemic. A crisis can be an opportunity to learn and lead, and we have done both.

This spring we leaned into the expertise of our faculty and staff to improve and advance testing on campus while reinforcing the safety guidelines offered by public health officials. The results have been impressive: We are testing thousands each week and the number of active cases on our campus is currently 57—which is well below many of our peers at institutions around the commonwealth. Additionally, ��ӽ紫ý has played an important role in helping distribute vaccines to the most vulnerable in Northern Virginia, working with our local public health departments to conduct clinics on our Fairfax Campus and in Prince William County.

Our people are working hard to help end this crisis, and we are starting to see real results. More people are vaccinated. Cases nationally are declining. Children are returning to K-12 schools. And this week, President Biden said the nation was on track to have enough supply of vaccines for every adult in America by the end of May.

With more progress on the way, we are looking to expand operations in the fall and resume a more normal campus environment. This includes:

Bringing classrooms back to their original capacity with some modifications to ensure safety, with a goal of having at least 75 percent of instruction on campus.
Building a schedule that supports choice of instruction for students, with a focus on robust on-campus engagement, while continuing opportunities for hybrid and online modes of learning that are integrated within our curricula.
Creating a vibrant and safe campus environment, filled with more on-campus activities, programs, and opportunities to connect and enrich the student experience.
Expanding capacity in residence halls to near normal levels.
Continuing to require masks, testing and enhanced safety protocols until public health guidance changes.

Students deserve a choice to learn in an environment that works best for them, and we will do our best to offer multiple modes of learning and experience. At the same time, we are mindful of concerns raised by faculty and staff, and we will continue to follow the guidance of public health officials. We are prepared to change course, if necessary.

I’m excited to see more people on campus and feel the full impact of Mason Nation spirit. Now’s not the time to drop our guard, but to double down on safety and look forward to a promising fall. Thank you and best wishes for the remainder of the semester.

Gregory Washington
President, ��ӽ紫ý

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Campus News

President

coronavirus; COVID-19; Editorial

Statement: Office of the President

Mason Lobbies gives students access to Virginia leaders

Colleen Rich — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 21:22:26 +0000

Mason Lobbies gives students access to Virginia leaders Colleen Rich Wed, 02/03/2021 - 16:22

In This Story

Gregory Washington

About two dozen ��ӽ紫ý students took part in the ninth annual Mason Lobbies on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

About two dozen ��ӽ紫ý students took part in the ninth annual Mason Lobbies on Wednesday, Feb. 3, discussing issues with lawmakers from across the Commonwealth of Virginia, including Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Eileen Filler-Corn, House Majority Leader Charniele Herring and Secretary of Education Atif Qarni.

This year the program was virtual but still featured opportunities for interaction with state leaders.

Herring and Qarni are Mason alumni, and Filler-Corn hails from Northern Virginia and is a long-time supporter of Mason.

“You are the future leaders,” said Filler-Corn, who has served in state office ever since Mason Lobbies began. “I’ve always been inspired by you all. Challenging times, but I know that we’re going to get through this together. And I just feel better knowing that you all are going to be at the helm.”

Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni speaking to Mason students during a virtual Mason Lobbies on Feb. 3

Organized in part by Maria Hernández and Nicholas Sheets of Mason Student Government’s Government and Community Relations team, this year’s Mason Lobbies also included student body president Shelby Adams and vice president David O’Connell as well as Mason President Gregory Washington, among others.

Washington encouraged the student lobbyists to be “not just lifelong learners but lifelong engaged citizens,” and to understand the impact of their advocacy.

“It begins with individual leadership,” Washington said. “You all have shown that today by putting the time and the effort into this event. Our legislators love hearing from you. I’ve heard personally from them that they really appreciate the ability to engage with you all.”

Washington shared his legislative priorities, including funding for financial aid and to address Mason’s state-leading enrollment growth, increased compensation for faculty and staff, funding to cover costs incurred during the pandemic, and support for Mason’s “Tier 3” management status, which would offer the university the greater financial and administrative flexibility enjoyed by peer universities in the state. Washington also voiced support for a bill that would enable Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students to qualify for financial aid.

In addition to their discussions with legislators throughout the morning, students posed questions to Qarni about Title IX, international students, pay raises for educators, food insecurity and other issues.

Acknowledging his fondness for Mason, Qarni said that his admiration goes beyond his personal ties.

“We’re supportive of [Mason’s] efforts because the leadership is doing great work,” Qarni said. “You all really care about all of your students, you fight hard for them, and you’re doing all the right things.

“We want to support your work, because the values are right.”

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Washington tells of Mason’s plans to help re-educate workers at Board of Visitors meeting

Colleen Rich — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 19:13:12 +0000

Washington tells of Mason’s plans to help re-educate workers at Board of Visitors meeting Colleen Rich Fri, 12/04/2020 - 14:13

��ӽ紫ý is looking at ways to provide education to experienced workers who were displaced as a result of the economic downturn associated with the coronavirus pandemic, President Gregory Washington told the Board of Visitors Thursday.

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Board of Visitors

President

Mason Talent exchange

Campus News

Working together to keep Mason safe now and in 2021

Melanie Balog — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:16:46 +0000

Working together to keep Mason safe now and in 2021 Melanie Balog Tue, 12/01/2020 - 10:16

We are nearing the end of a remarkably successful fall semester, especially considering where we started and what we’ve been through. Just five months ago, our greatest challenge was figuring out how we could deliver a Mason education to a record number of students during a global pandemic. Now, in two weeks, we will graduate a class at winter commencement that includes more than 4,600 graduates and more than 5,000 when counting students earning certificates.

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Statement: Office of the President

Mason expands urine-based test for Lyme disease

John Hollis — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Mason expands urine-based test for Lyme disease John Hollis Thu, 10/29/2020 - 05:00

A urine-based Lyme disease test created by a team of ��ӽ紫ý researchers could soon become available statewide after a recent clinical validation study confirmed that it meets sensitivity and absolute molecular specificity standards.

Topics

Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM)

President Washington gives update on spring semester

Melanie Balog — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 20:57:17 +0000

President Washington gives update on spring semester Melanie Balog Mon, 10/19/2020 - 16:57

We are halfway through the fall semester, and by all accounts, we have passed one of the biggest hurdles facing universities: ��ӽ紫ý has successfully reopened our campuses, kept our community safe, and delivered on our educational mission despite the pandemic. This has been challenging work for everyone in our community, and I want to applaud the efforts to make Mason a model for success.

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President

COVID-19 Operations

Office of the President

Campus News

Statement: Office of the President

Soccer Champion Abby Wambach inspires students to level-up and lead at Mason Reads

Mariam Aburdeineh — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Soccer Champion Abby Wambach inspires students to level-up and lead at Mason Reads Mariam Aburdeineh Tue, 09/29/2020 - 01:00

Abby Wambach (top left), Mason President Gregory Washington (top right), Director of Mason's Contemporary Student Services Emilie Dubert (bottom middle).

Members of the ��ӽ紫ý community learned about leadership and activism from world soccer champion, double Olympic gold medalist and author Abby Wambach at Mason Reads on Monday afternoon.

More than 400 attendees watched the virtual event held in partnership with Fall for the Book. The discussion and Q&A moderated by Mason President Gregory Washington focused on Wambach’s book “Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game.” It also touched on leadership, activism, women’s rights and pay equity, and making the most of life’s opportunities.

“True activism is about figuring out what breaks your heart the most,” Wambach said.

For Wambach, being an advocate for women’s equality was “sheer necessity,” she said. When Wambach received the 2016 ESPYS Icon Award with athletes Peyton Manning and the late Kobe Bryant, she realized they were walking into very different retirements.

“Their biggest concern was where they were going to invest their hundreds of millions of dollars, and my concern was how I was going to pay my mortgage,” Wambach said. “Knowing that this was happening to me, I had to know and accept…that this was happening to every woman on the planet…in every job, in every industry.”

This realization helped Wambach not only work to solve inequalities, she said, but also to inspire women to be their authentic selves and grow stronger together.

Wambach’s book is based on her 2018 commencement speech at Barnard College and outlines eight rules women can use to change their lives and the world. One of those includes making failure one’s fuel.

In the current pandemic and struggling economy, President Washington asked Wambach how students can create such fuel from the challenges they face.

“You can focus all of your energy about what the whole adult world [and] governments have done to make this hard for you,” Wambach said, “or you can start thinking about this as one of the most unique opportunities [to learn and focus on what is important to you].”

Wambach also encouraged students to embrace challenges to “level up.”

“If you want to be the president of a college…if you want to be a soccer player, if you want to be an investment banker, you’re going to have to go through some discomfort to get there,” Wambach said. “[To] have the life you want to have, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices, and you’re going to have to level up along the way.”

For students, the opportunity to hear from Wambach was motivational.

“[Wambach] is a role model to me,” said freshman Jacqueline Mack. “Her book inspired me, brought me to tears, and encouraged me to work harder and fight for what I believe in everyday. I thought this was an awesome opportunity to engage with her.”

“What I loved most about listening to Abby is that she is solution-oriented,” Mack said. “Abby’s message is that there is so much you can do to solve [problems] even in your own community. I learned so much from her in that regard.”

Abby Wambach and President Gregory Washington.

Office of the President

Campus News

Gov. Northam highlights Mason as a model for safe reopening during Fairfax Campus visit

Colleen Rich — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 21:53:28 +0000

Gov. Northam highlights Mason as a model for safe reopening during Fairfax Campus visit Colleen Rich Tue, 09/22/2020 - 17:53