Month: June 2020

Student Health Services Commitment to Create a Culture of Inclusion and Trust

“I can’t breathe.” Those words resonate strongly for many Black Americans and do as well for those working in healthcare. In healthcare, those words often spur action to save a life. With those words, Student Health Services mourns the killing of George Floyd, Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black Americans, and we stand with the racial justice movements working to prevent the further loss of Black lives.

The Black Lives Matter movement and the current covid-19 pandemic continue to emphasize the public health crises brought about by systemic racism and racial injustice. Black and Brown communities have a higher burden of infection and death from covid-19 and other diseases and are at increased risk of experiencing institutional violence. Systemic racism underlies both of these disparities. Black lives matter. Black voices must be heard.

Student Health Services recognizes that to fully support the health of our students of color at Mason we must move beyond only cultural and linguistic competency and take a more active role to support movements for racial equality. Student Health Services commits to using a framework of racial justice to examine our own procedures and initiatives as we work toward creating a culture of inclusion and trust.

We commit to listening to the voices and hearing the experiences of Black students and underserved students. We will be vocal and active in conversations and movements that support the Mason Black community.

We will continue learning about social, economic, and environmental conditions that put Black students and students of color at higher risk of disease, violence, and negative health outcomes and take action to address those disparities in our practice. We will identify and address our own privileges and implicit biases that could harm students and our patient interactions. We will do the hard work needed to create an environment of trust and inclusion.

-Student Health Services

The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.

Survey shows continued career success for Mason alumni

George Mason University alumni have a strong track record of landing jobs they want, and that professional success continued with the class of 2019.

In the university’s Career Plans Survey, 87% of respondents reported attaining a position that aligned with their career goals, up from 82% in 2018. The survey also showed that 86% of students who earned graduate degrees and 81% of students who earned undergraduate degrees reported a positive career outcome within six months of graduating, both remaining consistent with 2018.

A holistic approach to student health

All Mason students have access to high-quality health care, counseling and health education at Student Health Services (SHS). Visits with a health care provider are free, and services such as supplies, immunizations, physical exams, and lab tests carry only nominal fees. Students do not need health insurance to be seen at SHS.

“SHS doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses have experience with treating a wide range of health concerns, from illness to injury, to sleep and chronic health concerns. We offer diagnostic and preventive health care services including an on-site lab, physical exams, nutrition and health counseling,” said Lisa Park, MD, executive director of SHS.

Mason students organize peaceful protest for victims of police brutality

UL: UNITING ACROSS ALL CAMPUSES OF GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: Commitment from University Life Arlington and University Life SciTech

George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown and many, many others have lost their lives as victims of violence and racism. These lives were taken because a system or a person or a group decided they did not matter. Today, in our communities and in our nation, we are called to make positive change.

The University Life teams based at the Arlington and Science & Technology Campuses, in partnership with our colleagues across the Mason Nation, are committed to working, partnering, and leading that change on our campuses and beyond. We stand with you.

We acknowledge the systematic oppression and trauma our Black students and colleagues face every single day in our community. We believe and stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. We firmly believe that we must be a part of the work to support Black students and colleagues and to address systemic racism in our community and on our campuses. University Life Arlington and University Life SciTech are committed to being a part of the deep and important work to support racial justice.

We will do this by working to understand our privileges.
We will do this by promising to not burden our Black colleagues to educate us, but instead by actively engaging in this work and by listening and supporting initiatives and programs shared by Black voices.
We will lift up black voices because they deserve to be heard because Black lives matter.
We will do this by being vocal and active in conversations and movements that support the Mason Black community.
We will do this by devoting time and resources to educating ourselves about the needs of Black students on each of our campuses.
We will do this by centering the voices of Black scholars, students, practitioners, and survivors in our community as we work to be a part of creating an inclusive university community.
We will take the time to listen and hear what is happening around us, and we will do the hard work that is needed.
We will acknowledge our biases and missteps and we will continually strive to do better.

University Life across each of Mason’s campuses and locations shares with you a collective commitment to a society in which all public officials are held accountable for advancing the well-being of the people they serve. We dream with you of a system of justice that consistently upholds human dignity and the equal protection of law. Please reach out if you are interested in initiating or actively engaging in dialogue or programming at any of Mason’s campuses or locations. We stand with you in community, in support of our Black students and colleagues. We will not stand in silence.

—

Melissa Thierry, Associate Director, University Life Arlington
Michael Galvin, Associate Director, Univerisity Life SciTech
Lori Scher, Assistant Dean, University Life Regional Campuses

ODIME and LGBTQ Resources Statement

ODIME and LGBTQ Resources asks our community to reflect on the countless Black lives impacted by systemic racism and violence. There is no liberation without accountability and #change. We uplift and say the names of #GeorgeFloyd, #BreonnaTaylor, #TonyMcDade, and #AmaudArbery and reaffirm that #BLACKLIVESMATTER. ✊🏾 While we ask that you reflect and grieve, we also ask that these conversations on systemic violence do not go in vain. Allyship and accountability are needed to shift our culture to centering the lives mostly impacted by oppression.

Allies, NOW is the time to take action. NOW is the time to have those uncomfortable conversations. NOW is the time to engage in and read about anti-racism. NOW is the time to ask, what are we doing to center people and lives that are often not included and systemically vulnerable?

Our office will continue to center and uplift historically-marginalized populations on campus and we will continue to work to co-create an inclusive university community.
——
#SayTheirNames #Justice #BLM

From https://www.facebook.com/ODIMEGMU/posts/3304063899617819

EIP Statement 6.5.20

Dear EIP Students, Families, and Friends,

In light of recent events such as the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the health and financial well-being of our communities, to the murders of unarmed African Americans, and most recently the brutal killing of Mr. George Floyd, I want to let all of our EIP families, students, and staff know that I have a profound appreciation for you all, your courage, and willingness to make sacrifices and take actions that make this world a better, safer, more equitable place. As we can all see, our nation is hurting. We have to deal with a sickness that has plagued this country from its inception – racism.

I want to speak specifically to our students here: Mason’s mission reads, “We are an inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.” And I truly believe that you all, our future generation, offer a great deal of hope for our society. You hold the key to advancing this nation away from racism and toward change. Eric Hoffer says, “In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists.” We are not only witnessing a world that is screaming for change, we are seeing the change. You all are the “learners,” and you are coming of age in extraordinary times. I know you may feel uncertain about your future, but I must admit that you are a very special generation – a generation that has been chosen to reimagine and rebuild a world that is different, a world where your whole being is appreciated and your full humanity is recognized. If there was ever a time to focus on education, that time is now.

This year your Early Identification Program’s Summer Academy theme is “I-believe.” As Bryan Stevenson says, “Hope is our superpower,” and I personally will work to embody this belief to change conditions that lead to the devaluation of all life, especially Black and Brown lives. I believe that we are all blessed with the resolve and wisdom to navigate these turbulent times. I believe that we are able to see each other and recognize, embrace, and appreciate each other’s humanity. As we continue to strive for something better, please be reassured that the Early Identification Program is committed to your success and to the continued fight for racial justice.

In solidarity,

Mr. Davis
Director

Uniting in Solidarity and Community: LEAD’s Commitment

UNITING IN SOLIDARITY AND COMMUNITY: LEAD’S COMMITMENT TO LEADING ETHICALLY AND STANDING WITH OUR BLACK STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES THROUGH AUTHENTICITY, LEARNING, REFLECTION, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY

The Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Office would like to share our continued commitment to leading ethically and standing with our Black students and colleagues through authenticity, learning, reflection, education, support, and advocacy.

It is extremely difficult to find the words to express the raw emotions that so many are experiencing right now related to the continued and systemic racism, police brutality, violence, injustices, and years and years of trauma that Black people have had to endure.

As Rose Pascarell, Vice President for University Life shared earlier this week: Mason’s Mission – “We are an inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world’ – cannot fully be realized until we come to terms with systemic racism and the racial injustice that continues to result from it.” (June 2020)

After reflecting upon and reviewing LEAD’s work, as well as our mission and vision, we would like to recognize, acknowledge, and commit ourselves to the important work that is needed to support our Black students and colleagues through the following:

Participating and actively engaging in opportunities to challenge ourselves, and our thinking, in order to breakdown any harmful stereotypes and detrimental historical narratives that we may have
Expanding our understanding and knowledge around issues that disrupt anti-blackness
Strengthening our efforts when developing leadership programming, workshops, and trainings, to incorporate more education around diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and other social justice issues
Consistently engaging with our Mason community and fostering spaces for the hard conversations
Collaborating to eliminate structural barriers to equity and justice for our Black students and colleagues
Empowering and inspiring our Mason community to make positive change through activism and advocacy

We will take the time to listen and hear what is happening around us, and we will do the hard work that is needed. There will be times when we fall short, and we will not only do our best to acknowledge those missteps, but we will learn and change our behaviors. We will fight for justice and equity and we will strive to combat anti-blackness and racist behaviors and actions. The LEAD Office is committed to doing this essential work not just today, but everyday. If ever there was a time for leadership for positive change, it is now.

If you are looking for ways to help end white supremacy, disrupt anti-Blackness, and support our Black students and colleagues, here are just a few ways you can help today:

Listen, reflect, and take the time to educate yourself.
Read and learn about anti-Black racism.
Challenge yourself by reflecting on your identities, privileges, behaviors, and actions.
Call out/in friends, family, and colleagues who say/do racist things. Challenge their words and actions.
Donate funds and support initiatives and platforms that support Black lives.
Reach out to local and national representatives to help change systemic behaviors and policies. Demand for them to implement policies and initiatives that support Black lives.
Connect and engage with one another.
Honor and keep saying the names of those killed by police brutality

In community, we stand in support of our Black students and colleagues. We will not stand in silence.

~The Leadership Education and Development Office (LEAD)

Message from Housing and Residence Life

Dear Patriot,

Earlier today President Holton shared Mason’s plans to return to on-campus operations for the fall semester. Please know that students with a current assignment and/or first-year prospective students and transfers who have a deposit submitted by June 1st will have a housing assignment this fall. Needless to say, we are going to have a lot of questions around this and we want to answer them with full clarity. However, please be patient as we work with these parameters that will include taking physical distancing measures, new community standards for living in residence, and additional guidelines for moving in, dining on campus, and more into consideration.

Our hope is to communicate out and have answers by the end of next week (June 12th). We will send this information directly to students via their Mason e-mail and will post additional information to our various social media accounts. Additionally, updates are often sent out via the Mason Family Flash newsletter and through the Mason Family Association.

We look forward to having nearly 4,500 students return to university housing in the fall and we will be in touch soon. In the meantime, please contact [email protected] if you have immediate questions before then.

Housing and Residence Life

Safe Return to Campus

Dear Patriot,

Through the years, George Mason University has served as a gateway to hope and promise for so many students. This academic year tested us in ways never imagined, and yet our response culminated last month with the largest graduating class in Mason history. That’s a testament to our community, and the reason students are eager to come back each year.

Now we begin the next big challenge: laying the foundation for a Safe Return to Campus. Our plan calls for starting the fall semester on time and bringing students back for a mix of in-person instruction and expanded online classes, as well as the continuation of research. This hybrid approach will allow for appropriate social distancing on campus, while making alternatives available for those students who are not ready to return.

Our guiding principle throughout this process is our commitment to offering the best educational experience for our students while making the safety, health and well-being of our entire community a priority. We must meet our core mission of providing a rich and rewarding education that positions our students for success. Re-opening the campus, under proper conditions and with safety modifications, is an essential element of the Mason experience. We know that many students benefit from being on campus, interacting in the classroom, and having an opportunity to engage in person with faculty and fellow students. We are also proud of our online offerings and understand that online courses may be the best fit for some students. But for many, there is real value in the opportunity to connect within the vigorous living and learning community we treasure so much at Mason.

While not all risk can be eliminated, the evidence tells us that with appropriate precautions it can be greatly reduced. That premise underlies our approach. The effort to reopen our campus has drawn on a wealth of talent and experience across our university and beyond – and particularly the best scientific evidence and advice available from public health experts. It began with the work of our Patriot Tiger Team, which started the conversation with our campus community in early May and provided options for us to build on. We also benefited from feedback about the Fall semester from our community through surveys, dialogue sessions and virtual town hall meetings, and we will continue to do so.

I have personally consulted extensively with students, faculty and staff and know that many of you have concerns, particularly around members of our community who are most vulnerable to this virus. Based on this input, we have developed a blueprint to reduce risk and enhance safety as we move toward our fall reopening. We now have 18 working groups who are developing and implementing the detailed plans, standards and policies that will guide us going forward, under the leadership of our Emergency Management Executive Committee.

Our Safe Return to Campus plan assumes that Governor Northam and public health officials will have determined by early August that general conditions in Northern Virginia will allow for a safe return, pursuant to the Governor’s phased approach to reopening Virginia’s economy. This will of course depend on the progress of the disease in our area, current scientific evidence and the advice of health professionals – as well as the ongoing expansion of local capacity to manage the public health response and the public’s adherence to health and safety precautions. We are working closely with state officials and will comply with all guidance and directives for higher education. We are also working closely with local public health officials, pursuant to guidance from the Virginia Department of Health, to coordinate our efforts. Part of our goal will be to rally our university community to understand and follow state and local directives to contain the disease.

Based on our teams’ work and what we know now, we believe conditions will allow us to start classes as scheduled on August 24. We are evaluating whether to complete the semester as scheduled, or end in-person classes before Thanksgiving and hold final exams online. We are aware the outlook can change, and if it does, we will remain nimble and adjust as needed. Our incredible faculty and staff are working hard to ensure we have the capacity to offer high-quality online instruction, including the ability to revert to a fully remote option if and when needed.

Even as we proceed as planned, campus life won’t be exactly how we remember. Flexibility remains crucial in this period of uncertainty. But I am confident in our collective capacity to serve the needs of our community and provide students a rich and rewarding educational experience.

Here are a few details around our thinking:

A balanced approach to instruction that gives us flexibility

Instruction has always been the center of the Mason experience, and that hasn’t changed during this crisis. In this new environment, the priority for in-person instruction will be courses that most benefit from face-to-face interactions including laboratory sections and classes that engage experiential learning in a wide variety of subjects. Larger classes and lectures will be online. For other courses, the university will consider a number of factors, including classroom size, space availability and faculty member availability for teaching in-person.

Regardless of whether classes are taught in person, online or a hybrid of the two, we plan to increase instructional support and resources for faculty and students.

By reducing occupancy in residence halls and adding new measures, we can reduce risk

Our plan for on-campus housing seeks to reduce risk in the residence halls. This includes reducing occupancy to allow for increased physical distancing. We are adding extra cleaning precautions and establishing community guidelines that limit the number of students who can gather together in common areas. We are also setting aside adequate space for residential students who need to isolate should they become sick because of COVID-19 and those who need to quarantine because of exposure to those with the virus.

Creating a new culture on campus

Our commitment to safety starts with everyone respecting physical distancing norms. The university will reduce the number of students in classrooms to increase the amount of space for physical distancing. Where appropriate, we will also give guidance for physical distancing around campus.

Face coverings will be required for everyone in all public areas – including classrooms. While there is so much unknown about this virus, research shows that wearing a face covering greatly reduces the spread and therefore is a must for our community. The university will provide two free reusable cloth masks to all students, faculty and staff.

Classrooms and other public spaces will be modified in certain cases. We will have hand sanitizing stations readily available and institute enhanced cleaning of public spaces across campus.

Public health protocols

The university will coordinate with local public health officials to ensure plans are in place for testing, contact tracing, and responding to potential outbreaks on campus. Individuals who have had close contact with persons infected with COVID-19 will be required to quarantine, and those who are suspected or have confirmed positive cases must isolate. Other monitoring measures will be instituted as appropriate, with a particular emphasis on detecting and responding to a potential outbreak in the residence halls.

We will also ask students, faculty and staff to be vigilant about symptoms that signal sickness, including requiring regular health self-assessments. Everyone will be expected to stay home if they are sick, and to cooperate with public health directives.

Protecting our most vulnerable populations is a priority

We know that certain segments of our community are at greater risk because of their age or health status, and we are taking steps to address their concerns.

Faculty who are at high risk due to age or medical vulnerability will be given the option not to teach in-person courses in the fall. Telework will be encouraged for staff who do not need to be on campus. Students with special vulnerabilities will be provided options to continue their education remotely or to return to campus with additional protections if feasible.

None of this happens without everyone’s commitment

For the university to reopen campuses, we must be vigilant and adapt to the new reality. This includes adding new training for students and employees. Everyone will be asked to signal their commitment to these new policies for the health and well-being of the broader community. Our intention is to create a safe environment for learning and research and to make adjustments where necessary. Everyone’s patience and flexibility will be necessary and appreciated.

We are ready to pivot, if things change

Finally, the university is prepared to pivot back to fully remote operations, if that step becomes necessary to protect the safety of the community. Such a pivot could be triggered at any point prior to the start of the semester or during the semester, either by government directive or Mason’s own assessment.

Our planning is taking place in real time, with the best information we have at the moment. We continue to consult public health officials and will rely on their expertise throughout this process. This remains a very dynamic situation, which is why we believe this hybrid approach is the best way to serve our mission and prioritize safety at the same time.

We know that many of you will have questions and concerns about the university’s plans for the fall. We will be holding a town hall later this month to address questions and will provide details in a subsequent message next week. The Mason community is encouraged to submit questions or comments here. We will also be updating the university’s main website with more details about the Safe Return to Campus in the coming weeks.

These are challenging times. But we will get through them together. And we will be a stronger Mason Nation when this is over.

Sincerely,

Anne Holton
Interim President