In This Story
Dear colleagues,
When I was a child, my father—a gifted carpenter—spent years remodeling our fixer-upper home to meet the needs of our growing family. While I didn’t inherit his handyman skills, I did learn an important lesson: the right tools make all the difference. In higher education, our tools may not necessarily be hammers or drills but are oftentimes digital platforms that help us support students, streamline our work, and improve collaboration.
This spring, I’m excited to share that we’re introducing three powerful new tools designed to enhance our effectiveness and improve the student experience. To fully realize their potential, we’ll all need to incorporate them into our daily work—and your participation is key.
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Patriot Connect: Starting April 30, Patriot Connect will be our centralized platform for scheduling advising appointments, tracking student progress, and delivering high-quality student support. Just as electronic health records have transformed patient care, this platform will help us provide more holistic, coordinated advising by keeping vital student information in one place. To ensure every student receives the best guidance possible, all graduate and undergraduate faculty and staff academic advisors will be required to use Patriot Connect for appointments and advising interactions as soon as the platform rolls out.
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New Degree Audit Tool: Building on the foundation of strong advising, students also need a clear way to track their degree progress and plan ahead. That’s where the new George Mason degree audit comes in. This new planning platform allows students and their advisors to track their progress, ensure degree requirements are met, and create a clear roadmap to graduation. All academic advisors and success coaches now have access to their students in the new system, and I encourage everyone to explore its features to ensure we are fully equipped to provide the best possible guidance to our students.
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Canvas Transition: Finally, the countdown is on for George Mason’s transition from Blackboard to Canvas. Spring 2025 will be the final semester using Blackboard, with Canvas becoming our sole learning management system starting summer 2025. Now is the time to prepare—I encourage all faculty to explore Blackboard Retirement Resources and take advantage of available support to prepare for this transition.
Just as my father’s remodeling projects relied on the right tools to build a stronger, more functional home, these new digital tools will help us create a more connected, efficient, and student-centered university. The success of Patriot Connect, the new degree audit, and Canvas depends on all of us embracing them with enthusiasm and intention. Your engagement will ensure that these platforms truly enhance our work and, most importantly, support our students in achieving their academic goals.
Sincerely,
James Antony
Provost and Executive Vice President
- President’s Town Hall Sessions Scheduled for the Spring Semester: President Gregory Washington will host two 90-minute town hall sessions to discuss the state of the university and to engage with faculty and staff. Sessions will take place in-person and will be live-streamed on Zoom.
- Updates on Executive Orders and Federal Compliance: Shifting federal policies are raising questions and concerns across campus. Senior leadership will continue to provide updates as the university navigates these changes. Stay informed with the latest guidance and verified federal compliance instructions.
- Shaping Mason’s Future: Budget Model Nears Completion: We’re making rapid progress toward finalizing a new budget model. If you have questions, concerns, or feedback, now is the time to share. Learn more and share your input.