Greg Washington

Fighting the fires of social and racial unrest

Mariam Aburdeineh — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:16:18 +0000

Fighting the fires of social and racial unrest Mariam Aburdeineh Thu, 01/21/2021 - 15:16

To honor the memory of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and recognize those on campus who actively live out his vision, �� will host the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Evening of Reflection and awards ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. via Zoom.

“This year, it is particularly important to continue on with the Evening of Reflection, as we consider the state of our nation,” said Hamal Strayhorn, director of the Office of Coalition Building and Diversity Education at Mason. “Our nation has experienced the loss of 400,000 lives to COVID-19, social and economic disparity in full view, the continuation of black bodies being murdered by police without accountability and racial unrest. On Jan. 6 we all witnessed a failed insurrection in our nation’s capital, which was rooted in divisiveness and racism.”

“Our hope is that students and attendees will understand that in our nation and world there is still a lot of work to do around issues of social justice, equity and inclusion and that ‘the time is always right to do what is right,’” Strayhorn said, quoting Dr. King.

Mason President Gregory Washington will be the event’s keynote speaker and will address this year’s theme of “The Burning House,” which comes from another Dr. King quote:

“I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply. We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know we will win, but I have come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house…”

“How will our commitment to anti-racism work be like the ‘firefighters’ preventing the ‘house’ from burning completely down?” Strayhorn said. “[President Washington] will also look at how the work of anti-racism touches and affects our students, professional members, the local community, the commonwealth and eventually our nation.”

Following the keynote address, representatives from the student body will have the opportunity to ask questions relating to the theme, the work the university is doing around anti-racism, or how they can play a part in keeping Dr. King’s vision at the forefront of social change, Strayhorn said.

Students, faculty and staff who are doing influential work centered on Dr. King’s vision will also be honored with the Spirit of King Awards.

“The MLK Evening of Reflection shows that �� is committed to diversity, excellence, and inclusion and to addressing the hard questions of where we are as a people and nation,” Strayhorn said.

The programs and services offered by �� 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.

In This Story

Gregory Washington

President Washington Announces Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence

Melanie Balog — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

President Washington Announces Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Melanie Balog Thu, 07/23/2020 - 06:00

The programs and services offered by �� 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.

Hello, Fellow Patriots,

In the days that followed the murder of George Floyd, I sent you a message that promised action to address racial inequities that persist here at ��.

As I enter my fourth week as president, I want to share with you the actions we will begin to take, as a community of Patriots.

�� enters this national conversation with an admirable track record as a pace-setter of action for racial justice, and for truth-telling about our own past.

We are proud to draw upon the expertise of:

The Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation �� Center, one of the first of its kind in the nation
The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, one of the nation’s few schools dedicated to social justice and peace, and one of the very best
The Enslaved People of George Mason research and memorial project, the ground-breaking undertaking by our own faculty and students to tell the full truth of our university’s namesake so that we may learn and grow from it.
And of course we take pride in hosting Virginia’s largest and most diverse university student body, with a majority of our students representing communities of color, and our Black student population in particular recognized as among the nation’s top academic performers

These are just some of the many examples of excellence and inclusion around racial justice that the Mason community has undertaken. They make us proud.

But we have work to do if we are to ensure that every student, faculty, and staff member is welcomed and respected as a full equal in this community of learning.

And the uncomfortable truth is not everyone at Mason feels equal, or is treated equally.

So, today I am creating the President’s Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence, and giving its members some big assignments.

We need to know where systems, practices, and traditions of racial bias exist at �� so that we may eradicate them.
We must build intentional systems and standards of anti-racism that will keep racial injustices from regenerating.
I want �� to emerge from this exercise as a local, regional, and national beacon for the advancement of anti-racism, reconciliation, and healing.

This task force will have a broad focus, with particular areas of emphasis including short-term and long-term improvements to how we approach:

Curriculum and Pedagogy
�� and Community Engagement
University Policies and Practices
Research
Training and Development

The task force will comprise many of Mason’s luminaries in racial justice, who will be joined by national experts in this topic. Members will be announced over the course of the coming weeks, and they will represent the full diversity of ��, including racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, and religious identity.

The recommendations that we act upon will be incorporated into the university’s planning and budgeting process to ensure they have the priority and resources to take root and flourish. I am not interested in reports that sit on a shelf, only to collect dust.

Many reforms at Mason will require thoughtful consideration over time by the task force and university leadership. Others are obvious, overdue, and simply require executive leadership.

So, in keeping with my pledge to deliver actions and not just words, I am announcing immediate steps that we are taking to advance systemic and cultural anti-racism at ��.

The many steps that we have identified are available in their entirety on my website, President.gmu.edu. The categories of immediate steps we are taking include:

Policing

In addition to state-mandated anti-racism training for all police personnel, we will convert the existing Community Police Council into a Police Advisory Board that actively monitors the nature of police activity and reports its findings to me.

University Policies

A number of university policies and practices that carry racist vestiges in their practices will be examined and/or curtailed, including:

Faculty salary equity – We will complete and act upon a faculty salary equity review and work with the schools and colleges toward correcting any issues over a three-year period.
Inclusive excellence planning – At the college and school level, we will establish Inclusive Excellence Plans that articulate the vision and definition of anti-racism and inclusiveness for that unit. The task force will develop a metric-driven template for units to use.
Implicit bias training – Mason will establish an Inclusive Excellence Certificate Program that certifies that the schools and colleges have completed Implicit Bias Training and have established Inclusive Excellence Plans.
Implicit bias recognition in faculty promotion and tenure – We will develop specific recommendations for the renewal, promotion, and tenure processes that address implicit bias, discrimination, and other equity issues (e.g., invisible and uncredited labor) to support faculty of color and women in their professional work.
Equity Advisors in every academic department – Equity Advisors are senior faculty members, appointed as Faculty Assistant to the Dean in their respective schools. Equity Advisors participate in faculty recruiting by approving search committee shortlists and strategies and raising awareness of best practices. Additionally, they organize faculty development programs, with both formal and informal mentoring, and address individual issues raised by women and faculty from underrepresented groups.
Recognizing and rewarding adversity barriers in promotion and tenure – We will develop specific mechanisms in the promotion and tenure process that recognize the invisible and uncredited emotional labor that people of color expend to learn, teach, discover, and work on campus.

Racial Trauma and Healing

We will increase the support provided to students, faculty, and staff through Mason’s Counseling and Psychological Services for students, and Human Resources for faculty and staff.

Curriculum/Pedagogy

We will finalize development and implementation of required diversity, inclusion, and well-being coursework.
We will require an anti-racism statement on all syllabi.

Buildings and Grounds

We will convene the University Naming Committee to evaluate names of university buildings and memorials to ensure they align with the university’s stated mission to serve as an “academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.”

Community Engagement

We will grow our K-12 and community college partnerships by 50 percent, and become a true partner in the development of our region.
We will establish a lecture series on anti-racism and inclusive excellence to establish a collective consciousness among the campus community.

Resource Commitments

We will identify associated budget to achieve above immediate actions, beginning with an initial $5 million commitment over three years to strengthen initiatives already underway and to fund critical priorities that need immediate attention.
We will identify an Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation �� Center.

Leadership in an anti-racism environment demands that we recognize how our history has shaped our view of the world and how our own actions can reshape it.

My vision is nothing short of establishing �� as a national exemplar of anti-racism and inclusive excellence in action. Given the considerable head start we have on most of our sister institutions in the United States, this is a vision we can realize.

So, Patriots, let’s get to work.

President Washington addresses Safe Return To ��

Melanie Balog — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:15:33 +0000

President Washington addresses Safe Return To �� Melanie Balog Thu, 07/09/2020 - 07:15

Preparation is underway for what may be the greatest campus-wide challenge the �� community has ever taken on – our safe return to campus.

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Office of the President

Greg Washington

�� News

Statements

July 7: Message from President Washington Supporting Our International Students

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 00:11:02 +0000

July 7: Message from President Washington Supporting Our International Students Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/07/2020 - 20:11

This week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that it would discontinue visa exceptions for international students on F-1 visas who take all of their courses for the semester online. This decision could force hundreds of thousands of international students to leave the United States and threatens to interrupt the academic work of more than 3,000 students here at ��.

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Office of the President

�� News

Statements

Mason advances in 2020 Young University Rankings

Mariam Aburdeineh — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:05:00 +0000

Mason advances in 2020 Young University Rankings Mariam Aburdeineh Wed, 06/24/2020 - 20:05

�� was named one of the top 50 young universities internationally in the recently released 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings.

Mason placed No. 39 out of 414 universities around the world that are 50 years old or younger. Mason advanced eight positions from last year and was the highest ranked university in the United States. Other U.S. universities that made the list include Rush University (No. 52), University of California, Merced (No. 65) and Florida International University (No. 99).

The London-based education data provider, THE, scored universities on 13 performance indicators, judging across core missions that include teaching (the learning environment), research (volume, income and reputation), citations (research influence), international outlook (staff, students and research) and industry income (knowledge transfer).

In addition to being one of the top 50 young universities, Mason ranked No. 44 for law programs, moving up 21 spots from last year. The university’s overall THE ranking also improved from the 301-350 group in 2019 to the 251-300 group in 2020.

Several Mason programs also received recognition:

Education: 151-175

Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health: 176-200

Social Sciences: 201-250

Business and Economics: 251-300

Psychology: 251-300

Arts and Humanities: 301-400

Computer Science: 301-400

Engineering and Technology: 401-500

Life Sciences: 401-500

Physical Sciences: 401-500

Joint message from Anne Holton and Greg Washington

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 23:51:15 +0000

Joint message from Anne Holton and Greg Washington Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/01/2020 - 19:51

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Office of the President

Press Releases

Gregory Washington, Mason’s incoming president, says school is ‘beacon for the country’

Colleen Rich — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 22:38:23 +0000

Gregory Washington, Mason’s incoming president, says school is ‘beacon for the country’ Colleen Rich Thu, 02/27/2020 - 17:38

^{Gregory Washington told regional and campus media that Mason's story is his story at his first press conference as ��'s eighth president. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing.}

Newly selected �� President Gregory Washington told a group of journalists Thursday that he’s “ecstatic” to be the school’s eighth president. He will join the university on July 1, 2020.

After a whirlwind tour of Mason’s campuses in Arlington and Manassas, Washington met with regional and campus media, including The Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, Associated Press, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, DVM, and local affiliates for NBC and Fox, along with The Fourth Estate, WGMU and Freshman Focus.

Washington said he was impressed with Mason as an institution that has combined world-class research with access to excellence.

Mason, Washington said, is set up to be “one of the beacons for the country.”

Washington said he was particularly attracted to Mason for its efforts to recruit and support first-generation and low-income students. Thirty-nine percent of Mason students are first-generation college students. Washington, Mason’s first African American president, is also a first-generation college student and said he comes from a low-income background.

“I recognize that the story of this institution parallels and is my story,” said Washington.

Washington said that he would be a strong supporter of programs promoting equal access to education, such as Mason’s Early Identification Program and its ADVANCE transfer pathway program.

“I have seen the power that education has in changing the fortunes of families,” said Washington. “I’ve lived that.”

Washington is dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at University of California, Irvine. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University. Learn more about his career.

During his meeting with regional and campus media, Washington introduced his wife, Nicole, and praised both Mason and the Northern Virginia community.

“This is a great fit for me personally,” said Washington. “This one just feels right.”

Gregory Washington named ��’s 8th president

Melanie Balog — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 18:24:05 +0000

Gregory Washington named ��’s 8th president Melanie Balog Mon, 02/24/2020 - 13:24

^{Gregory Washington was named 8th president of �� on Feb. 24, 2020. Photo provided by University of California-Irvine.}

The �� Board of Visitors on Monday announced the selection of Dr. Gregory Washington as the university’s eighth president.

Washington is the dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at University of California, Irvine. He will join the university on July 1, 2020.

“When the Board set out to fill this position, we were determined to find someone who was both a strategic thinker with the vision to see our future and a mobilizer with the ability to inspire our community to build on Mason’s success,” said Rector Tom Davis. “Dr. Gregory Washington stood out in a very competitive search. “He showed tremendous vision for the future of our region and how we fit in, and displayed the ability to motivate and inspire our community. I look forward to working with him and seeing him position Mason as a leader in higher education.”

“I am honored to accept this position and thrilled to lead Mason at this exciting time,” Washington said. “What attracted me to Mason was its reputation for having real impact, providing access and for its commitment to inclusive excellence. Those values are in direct alignment with how I operate as an academic leader. I look forward to helping continue to accelerate the trajectory of the institution. The Mason community has laid an extraordinary foundation and my job is take us forward and build on that success. I feel really blessed to have been given this opportunity and can’t wait to get started.”

Washington is an accomplished researcher who specializes in dynamic systems, with an emphasis in the modeling and control of smart material structures and systems. He is the author of more than 150 technical publications in journals, edited volumes and conference proceedings.

At UC-Irvine, Washington launched a new graduate and undergraduate programs with the Paul Merage School of Business and the School of Humanities, and is leading the development of the Horiba Institute for Mobility and Connectivity to advance next generation advanced mobility systems with an $8.5 million gift from Horiba, one of the top 25 analytical and life sciences instrumentation companies in the world.

He is a proven leader in both faculty recruitment and enrollment, having hired one of the most diverse engineering faculty cohorts in the country—more than 60 new faculty with more than 40% of those faculty being women or underrepresented. In addition, he expanded undergraduate enrollment by 1,100 students and graduate enrollment by more than 200 in seven years. He also launched a freshman experiential learning initiative that has led to more than 60 percent of UCI undergraduate engineering students conducting research.

He also established OC STEM, one of the nation’s first STEM ecosystems, in Orange County, which impacts more than 2,500 students per year and more than 250 K-12 teachers and administrators. He also established a citywide effort to help community college students transfer to four-year institutions.

“Greg Washington is a collaborative and solutions-oriented leader,” said Enrique J. Lavernia, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Irvine. “The prestige, popularity and external resources of UCI’s Samueli School of Engineering rose steadily during his tenure as dean. He worked closely with his colleagues, both on campus and throughout the community, to establish integrated research opportunities and a robust pipeline of future engineers. I have been impressed with his accomplishments, both as a provost and as a member of his faculty.”

Rector Tom Davis thanked the search committee for its outstanding work in helping find such an accomplished and diverse pool of finalists. “I’m particularly thankful for co-chairs Dr. Shannon Davis and Vice Rector Jimmy Hazel, who helped us navigate this comprehensive and nuanced process and ensured it was inclusive and thorough.”

“We had a very successful search for the next president at Mason,” said Hazel. “A number of highly qualified individuals from across the country applied for the position because of how impressed they are with Mason's positioning in higher education and our location."

Hazel said Washington brings the right mix of a strong academic and research-based background with demonstrated higher education leadership success.

Washington’s selection culminates an eight-month search that began with multiple listening sessions at Mason’s Fairfax, Arlington and Science and Technology campuses. The search committee included members of the Board of Visitors, faculty, student and staff representatives, as well as members of the �� Foundation Board of Trustees.

“Dr. Washington has been recognized as one of the best deans in the country,” Hazel said. “While he is proud of his engineering success, he has a clear understanding of the importance of other disciplines, such as the arts, humanities, and athletics, as well as faculty issues and student life and that all of these are part of the Mason community,” Hazel said.

Washington is Mason’s first African American president. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD at North Carolina State University.

“Gregory Washington is the Mason story,” said search committee co-chair and Faculty Senate Chair Shannon Davis. “His experience as a first-generation college student who rose through the ranks of higher education, coupled with his honesty and ability to bring people together, will enable him to connect with our community on a level that is rare for a president.”

She said Washington’s selection is an important victory for faculty.

“The board sought our input at several points during the process,” she said. “We had members on the search committee and for the first time in Virginia had a faculty member serve as a co-chair of the search committee. Furthermore, the board ultimately agreed to allow Faculty Senators to meet with the finalists and provide input ahead of the selection. We had real impact on this search, and I believe others will look to us as a model for how to balance the demands for discretion with the importance of shared governance.”

Interim President Anne Holton said she looks forward to working with Washington to ensure a smooth transition. “I am so pleased to welcome Dr. Washington as ��’s next president,” Holton said. “I congratulate the Board on its choice of a visionary leader who embodies George Mason’s core values of Access to Excellence.”

Washington and his wife will be formally introduced to the university community on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Board of Visitors meeting.

^{Gregory Washington addresses the Board of Visitors by video after being named the 8th president of �� on Feb. 24, 2020. Photo by Lathan Goumas, Office of Communications and Marketing.}