Communications & News

George Mason University President Gregory Washington last week outlined his goals for the coming academic year, including the establishment of the Mason Virginia Promise to “be the institution for all Virginians” and implementing a five-year plan for Mason to climb more than 40 spots in the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Mason's Cynthia Lum, a former Baltimore City cop, talk about how evidence-based policing is part of an overall strategy to fight crime that also includes police being respectful to the communities with which they work.

Spencer Crew, A Robinson Professor of U.S. history at Mason and the first African American to lead a major Smithsonian museum, talks about the evolving role museums play in society, and how the Black community in the United States, and those who work with it, are trying to be the conscience of the nation.

Shane Caswell, co-director of Mason's S.M.A.R.T. Lab, discusses his research that could change the way we diagnose and treat concussions, and what the latest science tells us about concussions and CTE.

Robyn Mehlenbeck, director of Mason's Center for Psychological Services, discusses how colleges can help students, faculty and staff cope with the well-being stresses that have resulted from the pandemic, and how her center is extending services to the broader community.

As we turn our attention to the Fall Semester, we must all continue to do our part and work together to keep Mason safe. This starts with new policies for COVID-19 vaccination, testing and masking.

A false story has been told in this country about people of color, said Gail Christopher, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and a Mason senior scholar and it’s time to tell the truth about the ‘bad idea’ of the hierarchy of human value.

George Mason University President Gregory Washington has announced the recipients of the 2021 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence honoring the contributions of six Mason professors to the university, Mason students, and the greater community.

Emergent Ventures, which looks for big and unique ideas, has raised $60 million and funded 200 projects. Mason economist and co-founder Tyler Cowen says the program grants are “something you can win that’s not about connections.” Push ideas, he said. “Make the world tell you no.”

The verdict is in on the Derek Chauvin trial, and he has been held accountable for the injustice that occurred to George Floyd. We can breathe a collective sigh of relief that jurors reached the verdict they did.  With that being said, the nation must sustain its quest for systemic change to its criminal justice system, to ultimately make such episodes exceedingly rare.

First and foremost, all organizations need a North Star – a vision of what their best can be. With respect to diversity and inclusion, Mason’s North Star is that this university should reflect the rich diversity of our students, the broader Commonwealth of Virginia (whose tax dollars support us all), and the nation.

MLK Evening of Reflection