Author: Eleftheria Giannopoulos

Dear Patriots:

We are approaching the end of the spring semester in what has been an extraordinary year at George Mason University and throughout the world. In other years, this would be a happy time, when longer days and warmer weather bring new life to our campus. We all look forward to returning to that time soon.  In the meanwhile, I’m grateful to our community and the way it has rallied to support one another. That is what makes us Mason Nation, and I’ve never been as proud to be part of this university.

The global pandemic has affected our community in so many different ways. We are all dealing with challenges, stress and uncertainty. I know that many of you have questions. The one I’ve heard the most is, what happens this fall?

First:  Let me say that we never closed the university. Our faculty and staff rallied to deliver classes online and keep our students on track academically. In this time of uncertainty, we believe our greatest contribution is to continue our mission of providing Access to Excellence, and because of the impressive work of our faculty, staff and students, more than 9,700 students will earn degrees this month, and thousands more will be one step closer to completing their degrees.

Second:  Our intention is to bring students back to campus and resume face-to-face instruction in the fall, with appropriate guidance of public health officials and with modifications as needed to ensure the safety of our entire community. To find the best solutions for how to navigate the challenges of safely moving back to a more normal learning environment, we have put together a committee of individuals from throughout the university—the provost’s office, faculty, university life, human resources, finance, facilities, emergency, health and safety and more. This group is called the Tiger Team, in a nod to NASA’s Tiger Team that figured out the solution that allowed the astronauts on Apollo 13 to safely return to Earth after their module malfunctioned.

This team is charged with exploring options for how we can best open our campus safely. That includes evaluating options for lower density classes to allow for appropriate physical distancing, continued use of distance learning, appropriate hygiene and cleaning protocols, reduced occupancy in residence halls, and more. We are blessed to have Vice President for Academic Innovation and New Ventures Michelle Marks leading this effort before she becomes Chancellor at the University of Colorado, Denver in July. Once the Tiger Team delivers its report to the University administration, we will be better positioned to make decisions for a successful fall 2020.

After questions about whether we will be open in the fall, the second most asked question is, what will tuition be? The Board of Visitors will adopt a budget at its meeting now scheduled for May 20, and that budget will include tuition rates for the next academic year.  This will require the Board to navigate a difficult balancing act, weighing the impact on students at this difficult time along with the need for critical investments in faculty and staff to enhance student outcomes.  My administration and the Board of Visitors have been seeking feedback all spring to guide us on this difficult task.

The Board held a session for public comment on April 2, and today we had an additional productive listening session with Rector Tom Davis and Visitor Simmi Bhuller, receiving feedback from more than 160 students and other community members, including dozens who spoke publicly. You can see an archived version of the town hall broadcast here. We also have received input from student surveys, along with guidance from state budget leaders. If you would like to give feedback on the upcoming year’s budget, please share your comments here.

Registration for the fall is open, and I urge you to start planning for the coming academic year. We know there are still many uncertainties, but one thing that is certain is our commitment to our goal of educating students, keeping them on track to graduate, and ensuring the fullest possible learning experiences in the current environment.  Student registrations will help the faculty and administration plan courses effectively for the fall. As you consider your plans, please reach out to your advisers and to other faculty members in your department – they are eager to help keep you on track and answer your questions.

We know many students face real and sustained financial impact because of the coronavirus. I encourage you to apply for financial assistance through the Student Emergency Assistance Fund or the Stay Mason fund.

As the semester comes to a close, I hope you’ll take a moment to recognize and appreciate all that we have accomplished as a university in the face of these unprecedented challenges. Our students, faculty and staff have exceeded expectations for success during this time. That entrepreneurial spirit is what makes Mason such a strong community and a great university.

I look forward to sharing more details about fall with you soon. Stay safe and be well.

Sincerely,

Anne Holton
Interim President

An “Interactive Demo – Change Grade Mode” video can be found on the University Registrar’s website.

Dear Patriot,

We hope your online classes are going well and that you are staying safe and healthy during this time. We recognize that collecting your belongings and moving out have been heavily on your mind and we appreciate your patience through this evolving process. We have created a flexible move-out process that allows students  two move-out options in an effort to accommodate varying needs. Students must select their option by June 1st.

Students can enter the Housing Portal and select their option as soon as their assigned timeslot opens and will be able to complete and submit the form until close of business on June 1^st.

May 1^st at 9:00am = Adams, Amherst, Blue Ridge, Brunswick, Carroll, Commonwealth
May 1^st at 9:30am= Dickenson, Dominion, Eastern Shore, Essex, Franklin, Grayson
May 1^st at  10:00am= Hampton Roads, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson
May 1^st at 10:30am= Kennedy, Liberty Square, Lincoln
May 1^st at 11:00am= Madison, ACGC, Monroe, Northern Neck
May 1^st at 11:30am= Potomac Heights
May 1^st at 12:00pm= Piedmont, Rogers, Roosevelt
May 1^st at 12:30pm= Sandbridge, Taylor, Tidewater
May 1^st at 1:00pm= Townhouses, Truman, Washington, Whitetop, Wilson

• Beginning on May 1^st students will be able to login to the Housing Portal to select a two-hour timeslot between June 10th-30^th to remove their belongings and complete the move-out process. Only one student in a room/suite/apartment will be allowed to move-out at a time.
• Housing and Residence Life will not issue green bins for the move-out process. Students are encouraged to bring their own hand trucks and dollies to assist with the move-out process.
• Students are allowed to bring one guest to assist with the move-out process and are required to wear face coverings during the move out process. Face coverings will not be provided by HRL.
• Students are expected to remove all personal items and trash within their rooms. Housekeeping ​will deep clean all spaces after students complete move out.
• Should a student not be able to come and pick up their belongings in person, a proxy may be designated to pick up belongings. The proxy should also be provided with an inventory of the belongings to be packed. Students utilizing the proxy option will need to select a move-out time that falls between Monday-Friday.
• Students will be provided a parking pass to utilize in the event they or their guest do not have a Mason pass. The parking pass should be displayed while the student is completing the move out process.
• Please note that students who miss their appointment should contact [email protected] for assistance. It is not guaranteed that students will receive a new appointment time and may be required to participate in the full-service move out option.

• Housing will identify an approved moving company to pack up and store the belongings of students that are not able to or are not comfortable with returning to campus to finish the move out process.
• Students who select this option will have their belongings packed up and stored in a facility located in Springfield, VA.
• Students will need to complete an online inventory of their belongings, both in their room and any common areas of the assigned space.
• Students will be responsible for covering the cost of this move.  Estimates for moving expenses will be approximately $700 which includes packing, moving, and storage. Students are responsible for any fees associated with shipping or retrieving their items directly from the facility.
• Students will be responsible for contracting directly with the selected company by June 10th in order to have their belongings packed after all other students have moved out. If the student does not complete the contract with the moving company then the students’ belongings will be packed and moved for them by the selected moving company. Housing is not responsible for any damages or losses that may occur with the move.
• Should a student have their belongings returned to campus for move-in and not pick up their belongings, Housing and Residence Life will retain the student’s belongings at an additional storage cost of $300 for 120 days. If the belongings are not claimed within 120 days, then the items will be disposed of for the student.

• Students who do not select an option by 5:00pm on June 1st will have their belongings packed and stored at their expense.
• The anticipated expense per student is $700 for packing and storing student’s belongings, but could be higher dependent upon how many students select the full-service move option.
• Housing and Residence Life is not responsible if any items are damaged or go missing during this process and as such, students who do not select an option are encouraged to work with their own insurance agency to obtain full value coverage for their belongings.
• Should a student not pick up their belongings when they have been returned to campus, Housing and Residence Life will retain the student’s belongings at an additional storage cost of $300 for 120 days.

• If you have already removed all of your personal belongings and do not need to utilize any of the options outlined above, please be sure to complete the Express Check-Out Form in the Housing Portal by June 1st.
• If you have already completed this form, no additional actions are needed.
• Students who may have moved out, but have not filled out the Express Check-Out form may be charged for belonging removal if items are not claimed prior to the moving company process
• If a student has completely moved out but has not returned their hard keys to HRL, they should be mailed to the following address and include the student’s name and G# (Mason ID or copy of ID not necessary). Students will have until June 30th to return these keys before a charge will be issued to their student account.
  
  Housing and Residence Life
  4400 University Dr., MS 5C7
  Fairfax, VA 22030

Dear Mason Patriots:

The Board of Visitors will host a listening session on the university’s budget for 2020-2021 at 10 a.m. on May 6. We invite our entire campus community to participate, particularly our students.

This listening session is an opportunity for you to share your views with university leadership and ask questions specific to the 2020-2021 Financial Plan and tuition. Interim President Anne Holton and Visitor Simmi Bhuller will join me for the listening session, which will be conducted virtually.

We know the coronavirus has affected everyone differently, and has created financial anxiety and uncertainty for many of our students. The Board of Visitors needs to hear from you as we consider the budget for the upcoming school year.

We ask that you register your comments in advance using this link so that we can hear from as many people as possible during the listening session. All comments submitted through the survey link will be read and reviewed by the board in advance of our May 20 meeting to vote on the budget.  You may also request to deliver your comments live during the session. A link to the May 6 meeting will be available on the university’s home page.

We hope to move back to more normal operations as soon as we can, but we recognize the need especially in the current circumstances to be careful stewards of our resources so that we can maintain our mission of providing access to excellence for our students.

I hope you will take this opportunity to share your thoughts and feedback with us.

Sincerely,

Tom Davis
Rector, George Mason University