Provost's Newsletter

About the Provost's Newsletter

The Provost issues a weekly newsletter during the academic year that highlights graduate education, undergraduate education, faculty affairs, academic innovation and new ventures, university life, Mason in the news, and a variety of upcoming meetings that involve faculty and staff. To read past issues, click on the links below. If you have a story suggestion, please email gmuprov@gmu.edu.

SUMMER 2021 SEMESTER

July 14, 2021
More Safety Precautions Put in Place for Fall Semester; Mason Ranks 7^th in Best Online Master’s Programs by Optimal; MESA Will Not be Replaced by Office 365; Please Submit Textbook Orders to the Bookstore; Dr. Jason Dodge Hired as Director for ADVANCE; Mason Links to Presidential Appointees in US Department of Education; Scholars Building Resources to Help Student Communications Skills; Study: Robotic Automation Will Make Public Sector Agencies Faster, More Efficient, and Cost-Effective; Four CEHD Scholars Named Editors of Prestigious Education Journal; OSCAR Virtual Celebration of Student Scholarship Set for Aug.5-6; Mason Study Abroad Week Set for Sept. 20-24
June 30, 2021
Cleaning Supplies to Remain in Classrooms; President Washington Issues Message on Campus Reopening and Vaccination Requirements; Please Submit Textbook Orders to the Bookstore; Judges Needed for Fenwick Fellowship Proposals; July Professional Development; New Course on Racial Justice to Teach Understanding; Newest Mason Reads Book Announced; Center for Government Contracting Wins Over $1 Million for Defense Finance Studies; Schar School Faculty Members Assume Co-Editorship of Nonprofit Journal
June 16, 2021
Deans Review Inclusivity Plans and Pledge to Promote Diversity; Campus Mask Requirement Lifted for Vaccinated Individuals; Research-Related Guidance Now Follows Main COVID Protocols; Faculty Handbook Updated; Learn About Two New Blackboard Tools on June 24; Apply Now to be a Faculty Writing Fellow; Welcome2Mason Funding Requests Now Open; Curriculum Impact Grants Winners Announced; Department of Information Sciences and Technology NOVA Advance Partnership; Off-Campus Housing Virtual Fair Set for June 29
June 2, 2021
Brian Gibson Departs GEO, Marie alice Arnold Appointed Interim Executive Director; Additional Information Announced Regarding Mason COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements; How to Prepare for MasonLive Migration to Office 365; No Automatic Extensions on Degree Conferral Deadlines; Mason Korea Selects Pat Quinn As New CBO; New Seed Grant Starts Work on Infrastructure Protection, Emergency Response; Changes to NCBI Access; Apply for the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series; Encourage Students to Apply for Mason’s Break Through Tech Guild Program
May 19, 2021
In today’s newsletter: Thank You For Making Commencement Week a Success; MasonLive Student Email Migrating to Office 365; Deadline for Annual Assessment Reporting in Tk20 is June 1’ Graduate Council Recommends Not to Grant an Automatic Extension of “Time to Degree Policy”; Annual Adjunct Faculty Committee Summary; Soyoung Kwon Appointed as Member of Incheon’s Peace City Initiative Committee; Professor's Book Examines Mexico's Drug Wars; Schar School to Host Three-Day Workshop on Pandemics and Global Health; Apply for the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series; Encourage Students to Apply for Mason’s Break Through Tech Guild Program

SPRING 2021 SEMESTER

May 12, 2021
Thank You, Faculty and Staff; First Year of National Science Foundation-Funded Training Project Draws to a Close; Subscribe to the Special Summer Series of the Online Teaching Coaching Newsletter; Terry Gudaitis Named 2021 Career Connection Faculty; First-Generation Faculty and Staff Needed in the Career Influencers Network; Mason Aims for Zero Waste; Summer Dining Hours at Mason Eateries
May 5, 2021
Message on Final Exam Period; Mason Students and Vaccines: Reminder to Faculty; Newsletter to Publish Bi-Monthly During Summer; Graduation Week Volunteers Needed; Classroom Software Installation Requests Due July 15; Faculty Senate Elects Melissa Broeckelman-Post as Chair; Andrew Light Nominated for Assistant Secretary of International Affairs at U.S. Energy Department; SCHEV Approves School of Computing; Criminology Professors Receive Awards; Padhu Seshaiyer Receives Top Educator Award from NCWIT; MSSC Expands Virtual Services; OSCAR Spring Celebration of Student Scholarship Runs Through May 7; Deadline to Submit 2021 ITL Conference Proposals for the On-Demand Collection is May 31; Recording of Mason QEP Town Hall Available; Student Success Virtual Symposium Set for May 19 – 20
April 28, 2021
Mason Academic Advising and Success Coaching Update; Thomas Lovejoy Inducted into National Academy of Sciences; Graduation Week Volunteers Needed; Spring 2021 Student Evaluations of Teaching Open; Donation to Support Underrepresented Students Studying International Affairs and Diplomacy; Mason Awarded Scholarship to Dublin City University; 2021 Teaching Excellence Award Winners Announced; Daniel A. Menascé Receives David J. King Teaching Award; Secure Manufacturing Saves Energy and Protects Businesses; Mason Conference, Schar School Testimony Lead to High Court Reversal of a Decision; J-RIG Offers Rapid Response Research Grants; Apply Now to be Faculty Fellow for Faculty Affairs and Development; Reminder About the Libraries’ Course Reserve System; Libraries Offer Workshops Teaching Essential Data and Computational Skills
April 21, 2021
Faculty encouraged to support students who may be experiencing vaccine side effects; Domestic Travel No Longer Needs UTAC Approval; Fall 2021 Accommodations, Adjustments, Modifications Process for I/R Faculty; Library Survey on Journal Article Access; Apply Now to be Faculty Fellow for Faculty Affairs and Development; P.J. Maddox Named Faculty of the Year; Philip Martin Among Guggenheim Foundation Distinguished Scholar Awardees; Center for Government Contracting Taps Two Fellows; Mason Team Analyzes Genomes to Support Conservation, Cloning Project; Graduate Education Reimagine Task Force Formed; Winners of 3MT Competition Announced; Save the Date: Family Weekend
April 14, 2021
Next Vision Series is 4/19; Mason QEP Town Hall on April 28; Highlights from the April 7 Faculty Senate Meeting; Emily Sample Awarded Phi Kappa Phi Dissertation Fellowship; Film Celebrates Earth Day; TEDxGeorgeMasonU Conference Set for April 16; Victims’ Rights Run/Walk During Week of April 18; LuLu Géza Kelemen’s Work on Gender Identity to be Featured in Sociology Textbook
April 7, 2021
Spring 2021 Commencement to Have In-Person Options; Mason to Begin Faculty and Staff Vaccinations April 10; Jackie Luu Named Mason’s First Goldwater Scholar; Master of Science in Finance Degree Launched; International Week Celebrates 40^th Anniversary
March 31, 2021
Mason Has 8 Graduate Programs Ranked Among Top 25 Nationally; SCHEV Approves Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing; Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning Updates; Apply Now for Fenwick Fellow Program; International Week Starts Friday
March 24, 2021
Continue Wearing Your Face Mask Even If You’ve Been Vaccinated; Messages from the Stearns Center; Highlights from the General Faculty Meeting; Recording Available for Term Faculty Info Session; Nominations for Adjunct Committee Members Due April 1
March 17, 2021
Updates to Your Mason Zoom Account; Vision Series to Tackle COVID-19; TODAY: General Faculty Meeting; Summer Study Abroad Programs Cancelled; CHHS Publishes COVID-19 One-Year Milestone Special Report; Mason Offers New Data Analytics Credential; IDIA Issues Call for Proposals
March 10, 2021
In today’s newsletter: Planning and Modifications for Fall 2021; Andre Marshall Joins Mason as VP for Research, Innovation and Economic Development; Solidarity with Our Mason Asian Community; Highlights of March 3 Faculty Senate Meeting; Academic Help Available for Students
March 3, 2021
Board of Visitors Approves Changes to Faculty Handbook; Mason Awarded Grant to Further Diversify Region’s Tech Ecosystem; Patriot Learning Pod to Hold Spring Break Explorers Club for K-3 Children; OSCAR Launches Research and Mentoring Program with MITRE; Distinguished Mentor Applications Due March 12
February 24, 2021
Faculty Should Not Ask Students for COVID Test Results; Exposure Guidance for Those Who Have Been Vaccinated and Then Exposed to COVID; Get Zoom Updates; General Faculty Meeting Set for March 17; Tenure Clock Extension Update
February 17, 2021
Mason Vision Series kicks off Feb. 22; Anti-Racism Inclusive Excellence Town Hall Set for Feb. 23; Patriot Learning Pod Accepting Students; Stearns Center Establishes YouTube Channel
February 10, 2021
RRP&T Processes for Term & Tenure-line Faculty; Gift Card Scam Targets Mason Faculty; Highlights of Feb. 3 Faculty Senate Meeting; Submit Nominations for the Jack Wood Award AND Outstanding Achievement Awards
February 3, 2021
In Lieu of Spring Break, We Suggest Mason Meeting Free Week; Changes Student Evaluations of Teaching; Anti-Racist & Inclusive Pedagogy Team Members Needed; Winners of 2021 Provost’s Summer Team Impact Projects Competition
January 27, 2021
Provost Ginsberg Thanks Faculty & Staff; Reminder of National Guard Deployment & Mason’s Military Activation Policy; Changes to Disability Services Student Support & Testing Center; Faculty Spotlight; Weekly Well-Being Tip
January 20, 2021
Covid Vaccine Schedule for Virginia and Mason; Messages from the Stearns Center; Introduction of Faculty Affairs Well-Being Program; STIP Announced; Library Announcements; OLLI Offers Virtual Lifelong Learning Classes

FALL 2020 SEMESTER

December 16, 2020
Congrats to the 2020 Graduates!; Beloved Mason Employee Amy Speed Passes; VPR Candidates to Give Public Presentations; Academic Video Online Now Available; 2020 Spirit of Advising Excellence Awardee Announced
December 9, 2020
Holiday Message from Provost Ginsberg; Spring Semester Academic Plans Announced; Help Needed for COVID Testing; Changes Coming to Blackboard Navigation
December 2, 2020
COACHE Summary Reports Available; Changes to Mason Study Abroad Programs for Spring; Elsevier Journal Access; Admissions Office Announces Spring 2021 Virtual Event Lineup; Mason Ranked #1 in Cybersecurity by OnlineU
November 18, 2020
The Impact Gov. Northam's New COVID Measures Will Have on Mason; Campus Operations Through January RPT Process Update; Faculty Well-Being; Interim Deans Named for Proposed School of Computing; QEP Committee Members
November 11, 2020
Provost's November blog on the meaning of the harvest; Launch of the Military, Veterans, & Families Initiative; Student COVID Survey
November 4, 2020
Rose Pascarell Named as Pillar of the Profession by NASPA Foundation; Nominations for Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence Due Jan. 8; Submit Nominations for 2020 Spirit of Advising Excellence Award
October 28, 2020
Faculty Encouraged to Complete Evaluation of Administrators; Student & Faculty Resources Available for the Election; Captioning/Transcription Services During COVID; 2020 Celebration of Distinction to be Held Nov 10
October 21, 2020
Submit Textbook Orders to Bookstore by Oct 30; New Student Evaluations of Teaching Tool Launched for Fall 2020; Library Produces New Resource Guide on Anti-racism, Black Lives Matter & Civic Action; Recipients of 2020-21 4-VA@Mason Awards Announced
October 14, 2020
Short & Long-Term Expectations for Faculty w Sick Students in Classes; Deadline to Request Use of Instructional Spaces Following Thanksgiving Nov 20; Addressing Respondus Questions About Video Monitoring
October 7, 2020
TTIP Faculty Thematic Hiring Initiative; Faculty Spotlight; Flu Shot Clinic Scheduled for Oct 13; Download and Share Health and Well-Being Resources Available for Students
September 30, 2020
RPT Information Session Set for Oct 2; Guidance Available Regarding COVID Student Notifications for Faculty Teaching Online; Guidelines for Accepting/Returning Written Materials in the Classroom
September 23, 2020
No Fall Break, Mason Closed Election Day & Thanksgiving Pivot; New Center for Humanities Research; New Dean of Admissions, Executive Director for Enrollment Services; Faculty Invited to Participate in AshokaU 2021 Exchange
September 16, 2020
RPT Reminder for Eligible Faculty; Locked Classroom Openings to Coincide with 25LiveSchedule; Download COVID Guidance Charts for Those On Campus; Update to FAQs on Faculty IP Rights
September 9, 2020
Faculty Must Use Mason Email Address for All University Business; Notes Regarding Classroom Access; Fall Break, Election Day & Thanksgiving; Fellowships Office Expands; Assistance for Students w/ Sensory Impairments
September 2, 2020
Faculty Purchasing Equipment for Teaching at Home; Faculty Can Reserve Demo Rooms to Record Lectures; Faculty Should Establish Emergency Virtual Teaching Coverage
August 26, 2020
Election Day Information; Message on Faculty Evaluations; Student Lab Kit Waivers; More Faculty FAQs; Micro-credentials at Mason; Cyberinfrastructure Survey; Upcoming Events
August 24, 2020
Thank you letter to faculty and staff... please know how much I appreciate all that you have done & continue to do to make #MasonNation safe. Also check out photos /descriptions of classrooms

August 19, 2020
The Mix; Faculty Tours of Classrooms/Technology; Syllabus Information; Library Announcement; Office Connectivity; New OIEP Website

SUMMER 2020 SEMESTER

August 12, 2020
Classroom Cleaning Protocols; Carol Urban to Lead Mason's COVID Surveillance & Testing; Quentin Alexander Joins Mason as Senior Director of Advising; Kamaljeet Sanghera to Serve as Interim Exec Dir of IDIA
August 5, 2020
HR Provides Details on Voluntary Temporary FTE Reduction Option; Work Modification Form Update; Dr. Justin Sutters Named SACSCOC Faculty Fellow; HathiTrust Emergency Access Online Lending Program Extended; FAQs Posted
July 29, 2020
Copyright Ownership FAQ Coming Soon; Library Announces Pickup and Return Dates; Clarification Released on ICE Restrictions for International Students
July 22, 2020
Summary of faculty town hall on copyright language; an update on international students; promotes a webinar to help faculty use Zoom to enhance class strategies; & encourages faculty to place their book orders
July 15, 2020
July 21 Town Hall on Copyright Ownership, Federal Limits on Academic Activities, Hybrid Academic Advising Plans are Underway, Bookstore Requests Students Purchase Textbooks Online & New After-hours Crisis Service for Students
July 8, 2020
Apply Today for SACSCOC Faculty Fellowship; Libraries Establish New Center for Mason Legacies; Business Process Toolkit Available Through MasonLEAPS; Curriculum Impact Grant Recipients Announced
July 1, 2020
Aurali Dade Named Interim VP for Research, Innovation & Economic Impact; Explanation of Copyright Ownership of Scholarly Materials & Online Education Delivery; GEO Offering Virtual International Education Experiences
June 24, 2020
You Must Take Online Training Before Returning to Campus; Scheduling for Fall 2020 Classes Moving Forward; Libraries Shares OER Information for Faculty
June 17, 2020
Friday classes cancelled to observe Juneteenth; June 24 Town Hall to address campus reopening; Webinars to help faculty with online classes; Resources available for supporting Black Lives Matter & activist well-being
June 10, 2020
There will be 2 course development primers offered this summer & Institute for Digital Innovation will Officially Launch June 23
June 3, 2020
Faculty planning to teach online fall classes should contact Stearns Center for course development assistance
May 27, 2020
Update on Student Evaluations of Faculty; Stearns Center Provides Examples of Syllabus Language; Summer Orientation Goes Virtual; College of Science to Host Weekly Webinars on Pandemics
May 21, 2020
Student evaluations of faculty for fall 2020 will be done in an online format & shares resources to help faculty prepare for the summer
May 19, 2020
Link to provide input to help university leaders decide on actions for Fall 2020 semester; Library extends due dates to 9/30; CHSS Hosts Weekly Webinar on COVID-19 & a reminder to sign up for June Faculty Weekly Writing Challenges

SPRING 2020 SEMESTER

May 14, 2020
Deb Crawford's new job opportunity at the Univ of TN-Knoxville, has the semester's final message from the Stearns Center & provides a Mason FACTs update
May 12, 2020
deadline for grade submissions, where to find the documents on how to hold a successful virtual event & be able to download the most recent RPT session
May 7, 2020
Deadlines for annual assessment reporting in Tk20, David J. King Award & Distinguished Library Faculty Award recipients, & the Virtual Celebration of Student Scholarship
May 5, 2020
Mason's new electronic MOU system and a number of new events in the graduate school, undergraduate school, the Mason International Collaborative’s Research Committee, & Institute for a Sustainable Earth's webinar series
April 30, 2020
Board to Host Listening Session on Mason's Budget; Admissions Office Shares Details on How to Host Successful Virtual Events on May 6; Participate in Q&A Session with Finalists for Senior Director of Advising; Summer 2020 Graduate Assistant Hiring Guidance; Mason Teaching Excellence Award Winners Announced; Mason Professional Development Program Offers Educational Opportunities; Industrial Immersion Program Hosts Project Presentations May 1
April 28, 2020
Fall 2020 registration will begin May 1; Highlights of virtual Spring Preview for 1,800 prospective students; Changes made to Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services Amid COVID
April 23, 2020
Deferring Study and Tenure-Track Leave; Increase in GA Minimum Compensation Rates; Update on the Electronic MOU System
April 21, 2020
Changes in the Academic Innovation and New Ventures Office; next RPT meeting, virtual experiences for prospective students; changes to summer orientation
April 16, 2020
Faculty tips for managing their time; notes that faculty maintain ownership of IP created during Spring and Summer 2020
April 14, 2020
Covers David Wu's final day as Provost; revised report on Mason’s proposed School of Computing
April 9, 2020
Managing Feedback to Students; Selective Withdrawal Extended; Alterations to Graduate Policies; Bob Baker Named Interim Dean of CEHD; International Research Sharing Session Set for Friday, May 8
April 7, 2020
All Summer Courses to be Held in Online Format; Please Participate in the COVID-19 Risk Assessment; University Life Website Maintaining Repository for Messages Sent to Students; Virtual Workshop for Curricular Impact Grants Scheduled for April 17; Spring 2020 Withdrawal Option and Alternative Grading Updates for Graduate Courses; Malerie Gamblin Named Academic Advisor of the Year Award
April 2, 2020
RPT Process Extended; Selective Withdrawal Period Extended to May 11; Student Information on Spring 2020 Grading Options; Changes Announced for Academic Standing During Spring 2020; Scanning Needs Must be Submitted in by April 4; Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm Named Dean of College of Science
March 31, 2020
Mark Ginsberg Named Interim Provost and Executive Vice President; Grading Options Announced for Spring 2020; Deadline Extended to April 7 for Distinguished Mentoring Fellows; April 14 Term Faculty Committee Forum Cancelled; April 17 is Deadline to Rank QEP Proposals

2019 - 2020 Academic Year

2018 - 2019 Academic Year