Board of Visitors

Costello College of Business

Alumni

Board of Visitors members approve six-year operating plan and get updates on AI, Grand Challenge Initiative, quantum, enrollment and athletics

ckearney — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:47:31 +0000

Board of Visitors members approve six-year operating plan and get updates on AI, Grand Challenge Initiative, quantum, enrollment and athletics ckearney Wed, 10/07/2026 - 14:47

At the October 1 911�� Board of Visitors meeting, President Gregory Washington laid out his eight “bold bets” for managing the financial, technological, demographic, and political shocks affecting higher education and discussed a bridge period between the end of the current strategic plan and the implementation of a new Strategic Roadmap by April 2027.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The eight bold bets, also known as 911�� 2036, include further responsible integration of artificial intelligence (AI); exploring three-year degrees; developing a College of Lifelong Education; building curricula with employers; forming a global digital and physical campus encompassing the Virginia campuses, Korea, and the Gulf region; establishing a new budget model that is less tuition-dependent; faculty shifting from lecturing to more mentoring and research; and establishing the Lab-to-Launch initiative to leverage the region’s Innovation Districts to create companies and jobs.

In its first full meeting of the 2026-27 academic year, the BOV also approved the university’s six-year operating plan.

“A record year bought us time and credibility,” Washington said. “It did not buy us a sustainable path forward. We are doing what we can to push against the tide. But it is a strong tide.”

Washington detailed the university’s solid financial footing amid flat or declining revenue streams and the financial effect of steeply declining international graduate enrollment brought on by federal regulations on foreign students. Undergraduate enrollment, philanthropy, and state support increased.

More details are available in the posted BOV materials or the recorded livestream.

Aurali Dade, interim vice president of research, innovation, and economic impact, reported that research proposals increased by 10.5% from FY25 to FY26 and proposal dollars increased by 13.3% during that span. Research expenditures, however, dropped 23.6% to $156 million.

In year-over-year comparisons of August FY26 and August FY27, research proposal dollars nearly doubled to $171.2 million and award dollars grew by 29.4% to $46.2 million. Research expenditures dropped 17.4% to $32.6 million

“911��’s research enterprise remains strong and competitive with faculty pursuing larger, more ambitious projects and positioning the university for continued growth in the years ahead despite the tough external environment,” Dade said.

“Our faculty are to be commended,” Washington said. “The story that you hear nationally is discouraging in terms of going out and seeking awards and working on proposals. We have actually continued to be aggressive and write more proposals and have some success in terms of awards. All of that, in my opinion, shows a cohort that is dedicated to the profession and worthy of our support.”

Dade also discussed the seven Grand Challenge Initiative catalyst awards as the university enters the second year of the GCI. Campus community members and potential partners are invited to register for the Grand Challenge Lightning Talks and Matchmaking Mixer on November 10.

Lauren Bird, associate vice president for development, reported that the Mason Now: Power the Possible campaign has surpassed $688 million toward its $1 billion goal.

“Momentum is being driven by growing confidence from donors, alumni, corporate partners and the broader community,” Bird said. “These investments are helping accelerate our strategic opportunities and strengthen our impact across the commonwealth and beyond.”

College of Science Dean Cody Edwards gave a presentation on the strategic opportunities that quantum technology offers through the Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) and a $3.7 million GO Virginia grant that establishes the Virginia Quantum Hub based at the university, part of 911��’s charge to connect talent, research, infrastructure, partners and capital into a quantum ecosystem.

Last month the university announced a partnership with Oxford-based TreQ and Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) to bring a $7.7 million open-architecture quantum computing system to Virginia, the first in the state and the National Capital Region.

Washington and QSEC Executive Director Patrick Vora took part in the Washington Post’s “Building America: Quantum Innovation” program, another recent 911�� quantum highlight. In addition, the university this fall launched the state’s first interdisciplinary master’s degree in quantum science and engineering.

“The question is no longer whether Mason should be in quantum,” said Edwards, a keynote at the recent Quantum World Congress. “The question is how we turn that advantage that we've created into something that is durable, distinctive, and something that is nationally consequential. The institutions and regions that lead …will be the ones that build an ecosystem around all of the existing components.”

Edwards said Virginia has a combination of assets that bolsters its potential in quantum—strong research universities, proximity to numerous federal agencies, and burgeoning technology corridors.

“When you look at the states that are currently leading an investment in quantum, most of those states are attempting to replicate pieces of what already exists in the DMV,” Edwards said.

The Access to Excellence podcast with President Washington, Vora, and TreQ CEO and Founder Mandy Birch will be available Oct. 12.

At the Academic Affairs Committee meeting on September 16, Provost and Executive Vice President Marion Underwood reported that the university conferred 10,182 degrees during the 2025-26 academic year, 82% to Virginia residents, and she added that 911�� had again earned a Silver ranking as a Military Friendly® School for the 2026-27 academic year.

David Burge, senior vice president for enrollment and student achievement, citing enrollment figures as of September 3, said that the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 29,966, graduate enrollment of 9,576, and 710 law students for a total of 40,252 students, including a 911�� record for new transfer student enrollment (3,212). Thirty percent of the incoming class (1,283) enrolled via direct admissions. Official and final enrollment numbers will be available later in the fall. Burge also mentioned the university’s national search for a dean of admissions. He is serving in that role in an interim capacity. He said the goal is to fill the position by the end of the calendar year.

Amarda Shehu, vice president and chief AI officer, presented on the proposed AI fluency designation that would integrate AI competencies into undergraduate academic programs across disciplines to best prepare 911�� graduates for the workforce.

Women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, entering her sixth season, addressed the Athletics Committee meeting on September 16, sharing insights on the turnaround of the program. She inherited a team that had gone winless in the Atlantic 10 Conference the previous year and has since led the Patriots to a 99-58 record and three postseason berths.

The Patriots won the A10 tournament title in 2024-25, posting a school-record 27 wins and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth. The team was A10 regular season champs in 2025-26.

“We raised expectations, and belief became results,” Blair-Lewis told the board. “I truly believe we can redefine what is possible. With the right culture and the right people and proper financial support we do not have to set limitations because of how we are classified. We can recruit, train, develop, and win at a high level.”

She added that the Basketball Academic Performance Center groundbreaking on October 20 represents a commitment to 911�� basketball.

“Facilities do not win games by themselves,” Blair-Lewis said. "But they do help create an environment where winning can be sustained.”

Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, reported that 911�� athletes achieved a school-record 3.45 collective GPA during the spring season and a 90% graduation rate. Thirteen programs finished in the top half of the conference.

Power the Possible

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Strategic Direction

Visitor Shawn Chambliss Purvis honors family legacy with investment in future engineers

Katarina Benson — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 16:47:36 +0000

Visitor Shawn Chambliss Purvis honors family legacy with investment in future engineers Katarina Benson Mon, 08/24/2026 - 12:47

Where can a degree from 911�� take you? For students in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), Board of Visitors member Shawn Chambliss Purvis, MS Information Systems ’99, offers a powerful example.

Purvis is president and CEO of Sabel Systems, a leading provider of digital engineering, acquisition, manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics solutions. Her career spans 30 years of leadership and corporate governance at organizations including QinetiQ US, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and Lockheed Martin.

Purvis and her father. Photo provided

Now, Purvis has made a gift to 911�� that honors one of the exemplars in her life: her father. Established through her generous $50,000 gift, the Spencer Chambliss Sr. Scholarship Endowment will support students in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, with preference given to student leaders in CEC-affiliated student organizations.

Like Purvis, Spencer Chambliss Sr. was an engineer. A graduate of Norfolk State University in the 1960s, he moved his young family from their hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia, to the Northern Virginia region for a position at IBM Federal Systems in the company’s Manassas facility. He worked at IBM for more than 20 years as a chief engineer before retiring.

Purvis recalled her father’s trademark curiosity—and his remarkable ability to repair anything electronic in their family home. “He had a spirit of being able to look at something to understand its interconnections and then be able to go and build it, with this mindset that he could solve anything,” she said. “It’s just bringing the right solutions and the right kind of combinations together to get to the answer you’re trying to reach, whatever it is you’re trying to fix.”

Spencer Chambliss Sr. was an engineer at IBM. Photo provided

Chambliss’s tenacity served him both as a pioneer at IBM, where he designed microchips on a production line, and more broadly. “Both my parents were among the first Black people to integrate IBM,” said Purvis. “It was rare to have a person of color in a technical field, in particular, and to be an engineer in that environment, to show up with professionalism and to be able to handle all that was presented to him. He was a quiet soul; he was patient. He built camaraderie, and he tried to make those who were around him better. It’s something that I will always admire.”

By endowing a scholarship in her father’s name, Purvis hopes to create opportunities for aspiring engineers who share the courage and curiosity that he embodied. The scholarship will help attract and support talented students in electrical and computer engineering while advancing the commonwealth’s Tech Talent Investment Program, which aims to expand the number of graduates in computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering.

Purvis’s endowment also supports Mason Now: Power the Possible, the university’s $1 billion comprehensive campaign to expand student opportunity, strengthen academic and research programs, and address complex challenges facing communities in Virginia and beyond.

“The College of Engineering and Computing is deeply grateful to Visitor Shawn Chambliss Purvis for this visionary endowment supporting electrical and computer engineering students,” said Dean Kenneth Ball. “This scholarship, which honors her father’s life and work, will open doors to opportunity, easing financial burdens and empowering students to pursue research, internships, innovation, and leadership experiences. Visitor Purvis’s generosity will help talented students thrive, graduate with confidence, and shape the future of engineering and technology.”

A member of the university’s Board of Visitors since January 2026—and previously from 2015 to 2019—Purvis has long supported 911�� students and programs. She is a member of the CEC Advisory Council and has served as a speaker at the college’s degree celebration ceremony. In 2022, she was named CEC Distinguished Alumna, and in 2025, she was inducted into the CEC Academy of Engineering and Computing Excellence as part of its charter class.

Purvis earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Hampton University and a master’s degree in information systems from 911��. Her time at 911�� coincided with former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder’s and then-president George Johnson’s efforts to strengthen technological innovation at the university. “I really liked the idea that Mason was emerging into this next phase: implementing a strategy to produce top technologists in the field of engineering,” she said.

Purvis also valued her campus experience. “It feels like home,” she said of her alma mater. “And when I worked with President [Ángel] Cabrera and now with President [Gregory] Washington, I appreciate the 911�� vision to serve all that desire to further their education. The inclusiveness of 911�� is unprecedented in the state of Virginia.”

Through the Spencer Chambliss Sr. Scholarship Endowment, Purvis is creating a lasting tribute to her father while investing in the next generation of 911�� engineers. Her gift will help students pursue their ambitions, develop as leaders, and carry forward the qualities that defined Chambliss’s life and career. As Purvis said of those who follow, “I hope that they will embody my father’s love for engineering, his passion for helping others and his tenacity to improve the world, one innovation at a time."

Power the Possible

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College of Engineering and Computing

philanthropy

Alumni

Board of Visitors elects new executive committee, reviews president's goals, welcomes new provost, and announces transformative gift

ckearney — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:34:45 +0000

Board of Visitors elects new executive committee, reviews president's goals, welcomes new provost, and announces transformative gift ckearney Mon, 08/03/2026 - 15:34

At its first meeting of the new fiscal year, the 911�� Board of Visitors discussed President Gregory Washington’s goals for 2026-27, elected new leadership, announced a transformative gift for the College of Public Health, and officially welcomed new provost Marion Underwood to the university.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The backdrop of the BOV meeting on July 31, and the board’s annual planning conference the day prior, centered on how 911�� cannot only endure the transformation reshaping higher education in the face of fiscal, technological, political, and demographic challenges, but how the university can be a model for large public research universities in this evolving era.

Washington recapped institutional performance highlights from the past year, including increases in undergraduate and Mason Korea enrollment and increased philanthropy and state support. He also cited growth of the Early Identification Program, a balanced budget, launching the Grand Challenge Initiative, and university-wide AI implementation among the achievements.

Goals for the current fiscal year include initiating and executing a new strategic plan; forming Reimagining Education through the Doctorate (RED) task forces in every school and college to examine shortening time to earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; expanding direct admissions; leveraging the innovation districts at the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas and at Mason Square in Arlington; and launching the office of Organizational Excellence and Institutional Integrity by next spring.

Washington also mentioned starting a “university-wide entrepreneurship framework” to complement the career planning and placement structures already in place to give students more paths to success in a shifting job market being redefined by AI.

“The 911�� you are involved with now has never been greater and has never been stronger than what it is at this particular point in time,” Washington told the board, whose 16 members include 13 in their first year of service. “That’s even through all the turmoil. Even through all the challenges. Even through all of the back-and-forth. This university is in really good shape. It’s meeting its mission. It’s doing so like no other institution in the commonwealth. I feel really confident in being able to say that, and the data really highlights it.”

Washington asked the board members to tackle five priorities in the coming year: develop a comprehensive plan to advocate for 911�� in Richmond to close the existing state funding gap, connect the university with philanthropists, greenlight capital projects, broker new relationships with industry and government, and use their strategic and planning acumen to help advance the university’s future.

“This university has always overachieved,” Washington said. “We’ve always done more with less. We’ve always led and pushed the envelope. That’s actually what we bring to the commonwealth and what we bring to our peer institutions. Now is not the time to stop that. Now is the time to lean into our base in terms of who we are.”

Rector Sumeet Shrivastava. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The BOV elected a new executive committee. Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94, who had been serving as vice rector, was chosen as rector. Shrivastava is the former chair of the 911�� Foundation Board of Trustees and past president of the 911�� Alumni Association.

BOV members also elected Anne Altman, BS Marketing ’82, as vice rector; Paul Misener, JD ’93, as secretary; and Delbert Parks and Jon Peterson as members-at-large. Altman and Misener had been serving on the executive committee as members-at-large.

The BOV also welcomed one new member, James W. Dyke Jr., who served as the state’s Secretary of Education from 1990 to 1993 and as a domestic policy advisor to former Vice President Walter Mondale. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed Dyke to the BOV in June.

Like Washington, Shrivastava said he believes 911�� is in an advantageous position to emerge as the model of a modern university at a time of dramatic change in higher ed.

“911�� is in a perfect place to execute that,” Shrivastava said. “We’re a region that’s growing. … We’re already number one in Virginia for the outcomes families really care about—degree value and upward mobility. Doesn’t make the shocks and challenges less real. If we manage them with discipline, and frankly a little obsession—if not a lot of obsession—we help lead [the transformation]. That’s how a 50-year-old university becomes the model.”

The BOV announced a gift from Barry Dewberry and Arlene Evans to the 911�� Foundation in support of the School of Nursing—the largest philanthropic commitment ever for the College of Public Health and the first naming gift for an academic unit within the college. Pending approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), the school will be named the Arlene Evans and Barry Dewberry School of Nursing. Evans is a retired operating room nurse, and she and Dewberry are among the university’s greatest benefactors. Watch for a future George story about this gift.

At the BOV’s annual planning conference the day prior, Washington introduced Underwood and new Antonin Scalia Law School Dean Daniel B. Kelly. BOV members and other attendees took part in breakout sessions run by university leaders on fiscal sustainability, demographic sustainability, and technological sustainability.

Those sessions reinforced points that attendees heard earlier in the day from Washington and Daniel Greenstein, chief of industry transformation at higher ed technology company Ellucian and the former chancellor of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), where he led an extensive overhaul of that system.

The planning conference marked Greenstein’s second appearance at the university in recent months—he was a panelist at the P3•EDU MAP Summit at Fuse at Mason Square in March.

He too urged attendees to adapt to the changing landscape and said he believes 911�� is strategically poised to successfully adapt, more so than many peer universities.

“Higher education is the last and most reliable engine of social mobility and workforce development,” Greenstein said. “We have to prioritize mission over our current practice. I know that’s hard because change is hard and change is emotional. The alternative is irrelevance.

“Institutions that are going to be successful are going to learn how to remain uncomfortable. Use that discomfort to drive mission and to create the changes that are necessary.”

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911�� Board of Visitors extends President Washington's contract through 2031

ckearney — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:44:47 +0000

911�� Board of Visitors extends President Washington's contract through 2031 ckearney Mon, 06/22/2026 - 13:44

911��'s Board of Visitors has extended the contract of President Gregory Washington through June 30, 2031. Washington, who became 911��'s eighth president on July 1, 2020, was previously set to serve through June 30, 2027.

President Gregory Washington. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The extension reflects the board's confidence in Washington's leadership during one of the most consequential periods in the university's history — a stretch defined by record enrollment, landmark research recognition, significant increases in state funding, record fundraising, and a sharpened focus on student outcomes.

"Since 2020, President Washington has successfully led 911�� through historically turbulent times—navigating the COVID pandemic while simultaneously growing enrollments, improving rankings, and transforming our greatest challenges into opportunities for Virginia and the nation," said Board of Visitors Rector Michael J. Meese. "He has delivered tremendous results in what matters most: record-high enrollments, graduation rates, student well-being and success, faculty excellence, research activity, state appropriations, and private donations. We are thrilled that Dr. Washington will continue to lead 911�� as we are increasingly recognized as the model for exceptional university education both now and in the future."

When Washington arrived at 911�� six years ago, the university enrolled roughly 38,000 students. Today, 911�� surpasses 40,000 — the first public university in Virginia's history to reach that milestone — while maintaining or increasing the academic quality of the student body. The incoming class in fall 2025 was the most academically prepared cohort, with 25% earning a 4.0 GPA or higher and roughly 75% entering with a 3.5 or better. This growth in enrollment and quality has occurred in easily in the most difficult enrollment environment in the last 30 years.

The Wall Street Journal ranks 911�� among the top 35 public universities nationally, a climb of more than 100 spots since Washington's arrival. U.S. News & World Report ranks the university as the top public institution in Virginia for upward mobility and innovation. The university's ranking improved more than 20 spots among national publics to 52 from 2020 to 2024 and up 44 spots to 109 overall in the same time period.

In 2025, the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education named 911�� one of only 21 “opportunity” institutions nationwide classified as both an R1 research university and a Higher Access, Higher Earnings institution, a designation that recognizes both research excellence and meaningful upward mobility for students.

“If you set out to create a new kind of university from scratch, built purely to respond to today’s societal priorities and the emerging educational demands of the next century, that university would look at lot like 911��,” said Washington. “I am at just the right university at just the right time, and I am energized to continue the work.”

State appropriations have more than doubled, from $190 million annually to $386 million, the largest funding increase in the university's history. Fundraising has kept pace: Five of the six highest fundraising years in 911��'s history have occurred on Washington's watch, with more than $100 million raised annually (more than $640 million total) and record levels of industry support.

911�� also reached the highest sponsored research expenditures in its history under Washington's leadership.

More than 24% of 911�� undergraduates are first-generation college students. Nearly 28% qualify for federal Pell grants, above the state average. And according to a survey of 2025 graduates, 92% reported a positive career outcome within six months of completing their degree.

911�� graduates earn among the highest starting salaries of any Virginia public university, with 73% of in-state graduates launching their careers in Virginia.

Washington has overseen significant changes that exemplify the university’s responsiveness to workforce needs, including establishing Virginia’s first College of Public Health and its first School of Computing, the first master’s degree in artificial intelligence (AI) among public universities in Virginia and the first master’s in quantum science and engineering in Virginia. In 2024, he hired the state's first university Chief AI Officer.

At Mason Square in Arlington, Washington secured the largest public–private partnership in the university's history: Fuse at Mason Square, a $250M development that anchors 911��'s growing presence in one of the region's most economically dynamic corridors. The university also opened its Life Sciences and Engineering Building at the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, which is part of Northern Virginia’s first innovation district, Nexus234, which 911�� anchors under Washington’s leadership.

He also created the President's Innovation Advisory Council, bringing together more than 40 C-Suite industry leaders, local government, K-12 partners, and community organizations to build an innovation ecosystem with 911�� at its center.

Under Washington's leadership, 911�� has emerged as a national model for combining research excellence, access, and workforce relevance. The contract extension provides continuity as the university builds on that momentum and pursues its next phase of growth and impact.

Learn more about President Washington

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Office of the President

Governor appoints new BOV member, reappoints three visitors

ckearney — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:27:26 +0000

Governor appoints new BOV member, reappoints three visitors ckearney Wed, 06/10/2026 - 14:27

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Friday, June 5, announced one new appointment and three reappointments to the 911�� Board of Visitors (BOV).

The new appointee is James W. Dyke Jr., who served as the state’s Secretary of Education from 1990 to 1993 and as a domestic policy advisor to former Vice President Walter Mondale. Dyke, of Reston, is a senior advisor at McGuireWoods Consulting LLC.

Spanberger’s reappointees to the BOV are Delbert H. Parks, George D. Schindler and Jennifer M. Taylor, MBA ’98.

Parks, of Manassas, is vice president and site executive of Micron Technology Virginia. He is a former member of the 911�� Foundation Board of Trustees, and he also serves on the Virginia Business Higher Education Council.

Schindler, of Fairfax, is the former president and CEO of CGI, a global business and strategic IT consulting service firm he led from 2016 to 2024 after serving in many other leadership roles in the company. He currently serves on CGI’s Board of Directors. In 2024, he was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters from 911��.

Taylor, of Falls Church, is president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. She previously served as vice president of industry affairs at the Consumer Technology Association and in senior leadership roles at AARP, the American Red Cross, and technology startups.

Spanberger initially appointed Parks, Schindler, and Taylor to the BOV in January to complete the four-year terms of prior BOV members. They each start their own four-year terms on the university’s 16-member governing body July 1.

The one BOV member whose four-year term expires July 1 is Rector Michael J. Meese. He was elected to that position at the BOV’s Feb. 26 meeting..

Dyke has chaired or served in leadership positions on several regional and state boards and organizations, including the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Virginia Business Roundtable, the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the State GO Virginia Board, the Virginia Research Investment Committee, and State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) commissions and committees.

Dyke also served on the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors and chaired the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia.

The BOV will convene July 30 for its annual planning conference and will meet July 31.

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Wrap up for April 30 BOV meeting

Katarina Benson — Mon, 11 May 2026 18:52:50 +0000

Wrap up for April 30 BOV meeting Katarina Benson Mon, 05/11/2026 - 14:52

At its final meeting of the academic year, the 911�� Board of Visitors saluted graduates from the Early Identification Program, received an update on the men’s basketball program from Coach Tony Skinn, and passed a six-year capital plan, among other actions, including approval of a tuition and fees increase for 2026-27.

Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact, reported that 41 proposals (16 large, 25 small) had been submitted for the Grand Challenge Initiative. The initial funding recipients were announced in The George on May 6.

Faculty from all colleges and schools, including Mason Korea, submitted applications. Marshall noted that 38 of the proposals included more than one 911�� college or school and six proposals involved five or more colleges and schools.

“This initiative strengthens 911��'s competitiveness for large interdisciplinary awards,” Marshall said. “It also reshapes how we organize our institutional research. Finally, most importantly, it positions us to lead solutions to some of our most urgent societal needs, living up to our responsibility as a top-tier research university.”

Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, shared successes from his department and brought along a special guest—men’s basketball coach Tony Skinn. Women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis will be a guest at a future Athletic Committee meeting.

Lewis reported significant increases in corporate sponsorships, fundraising (including $2 million on Giving Day, doubling last year’s total), ticket sales, and men’s basketball attendance.

To improve student turnout at athletic events, the university is creating the position of assistant director of student involvement for student fan engagement. According to the job posting, the role “focuses on fostering connections between students, student organizations, and athletic programs to build a vibrant, spirited campus culture.”

“Most schools don't have that,” Lewis said. “But it shows the shared commitment in engaging our students, creating a community for our students, and our investment at the university level to make that happen.”

Under Skinn, the Patriots have posted three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in program history and amid a challenging recruiting environment. The team was co-regular season champion of the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2024-25 and has reached the NIT the past two postseasons. 911�� will enter the 2026-27 season seeking its first NCAA men’s basketball berth since 2011.

Skinn said the Basketball and Academic Performance Center for the men’s and women’s teams set to open in 2027 will be “transformational” for the program because it combines the team’s athletic and academic resources. The BAPC is a 27,870 square-foot addition and 14,341 square-foot renovation to the existing Recreation and Athletic Complex and will include a modern academic advising center for all 911�� student-athletes.

“Through men's basketball, I believe a return on investment reaches far beyond the game itself, driving enrollment, strengthening alumni engagement, fueling fundraising, elevating national relevance and deepening 911�� pride,” Skinn told the board. “That is what a successful basketball program can do for this university.”

Trishana E. Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the 911�� Foundation, reported that the university has raised more than $639 million toward its $1 billion Mason Now: Power the Possible goal. That includes $2.95 million raised from Giving Day on April 2, topping the $1.5 million collected last year for Giving Day.

Athletics, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Costello College of Business each had a record number of donors this year.

Bowden said that 237 faculty and staff made donations on Giving Day, and the day included 500 first-time donors.

The board congratulated 19 members of the Early Identification Program (EIP) who are graduating this month. Among them was Monica Amaya, an Honors College student and University Scholar who is earning a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in management information systems.

EIP provides academic preparation, leadership training, and college process guidance for first-generation students starting in the eighth grade. EIP is marking its 40th anniversary this year. More than 200 EIP alumni are currently enrolled at the university.

“When I arrived here at 911��, I didn't feel like I was starting from scratch,” said Amaya, who is from Manassas Park, Virginia. “It felt like I was continuing a journey. One I had already been prepared for. I felt supported, and most importantly, I felt like I belonged.

“I carry with me everything that EIP and 911�� have given me: Resilience, a drive to learn, and a strong sense of community. My success didn't happen by chance. It started with access, it started with support. It started with EIP.”

Amaya, an EIP peer mentor, has a job lined up at CACI as a software developer.

Leaders from three of the university’s schools and colleges made pitches to the board for new or upgraded facilities.

Alpaslan Özerdem, dean of the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, presented a plan to turn Point of View into a retreat and conflict center that could accommodate overnight visitors. Özerdem envisions a “civilian Camp David.”

Point of View, located in Lorton, Virginia, about 18 miles from the Fairfax Campus, is a retreat and research center guided by Carter School faculty. The facility, on 120 wooded acres on Belmont Bay, provides space and support for groups to resolve conflict, heal, and reconcile, and is also a community event space.

Özerdem said that the most effective conflict resolution programs enable participants to spend extended time together in common living and gathering spaces.

“When people share the dinner table, if they sleep under the same roof, they start to think about peace in a different way,” Özerdem said. “Live, think, negotiate together is what we want to achieve.”

Ozerdem said the university has secured $4 million from the state and needs another $10 million to upgrade the facility. He said a public–private partnership is one option.

Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, made a presentation to the board about CVPA fundraising activities and a proposed $104 million project for a new Center for the Arts. The current center opened in 1990.

“When the arts programs of 1990 are all counted up, we had 250 students and we now have 1,800 students majoring in all of our arts disciplines,” Davis said. "The building that we designed in the 1980s was designed for a whole different universe.”

Davis mentioned other potential projects, including a planning study for a new facility for the film and video studies program and game design program to share. Those programs currently are based in the Art and Design Building. Davis also discussed an “arts district vision” that would include a sculpture garden and campus museum.

Patrick Soleymani, associate dean of the Costello College of Business, presented a plan for a new business school building, an initiative that began in 2018. The proposed $165 million project is part of the university’s six-year capital plan (see below).

Soleymani said that Northern Virginia has more than 130,000 open jobs, including 80% in tech-related field, many of which are affiliated with business school graduates.

“Our reputation has outgrown our infrastructure,” Soleymani said. “A new home for Costello directly enhances student success and strengthens the university's position as being in charge of the economic engine of this community and region.”

The six-year capital plan includes several proposed projects. It establishes the university’s capital requests to be submitted to the commonwealth for consideration. The plan is updated on an annual basis and approved by the Board of Visitors.

Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB): Proposed as 150,000-square-foot building that will modernize and replicate the spaces within David King Hall and Planetary Hall to allow 911�� to repurpose or demolish the two antiquated facilities in accordance with the Master Plan.
Costello College of Business Building: The approximately 150,000-square-foot building is anticipated to collocate the Costello College of Business operations. A new building would allow for technology-rich, experiential business education while significantly improving visibility and competitiveness.
Baseball Stadium: Would address long-standing facility shortcomings and support the student-athlete experience and recruitment. The current facility has metal bleachers and no restrooms, lights, or concessions.
High-Performance Training Center: Envisioned in partnership with a potential private partner to leverage shared investment and expertise.
Field House: The current facility has exceeded its useful life and no longer meets current programmatic or building system standards.

The April 30 meeting documents can be accessed here. A video recording and transcript of the meeting is here.

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911�� Board of Visitors approves modest tuition and fees increase for 2026-27

ckearney — Mon, 04 May 2026 16:25:29 +0000

911�� Board of Visitors approves modest tuition and fees increase for 2026-27 ckearney Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:25

The 911�� Board of Visitors voted Thursday to increase tuition for the 2026-27 academic year, a response to rising utility costs, and the decades-long gap in state funding when compared with the university’s peers.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The increase, both for in-state and out-of-state students, is $360 per undergraduate student and $504 per graduate student. That works out to 3.5% more for in-state students and 1.0% to 1.4% more for out-of-state students. Law school tuition did not increase.

A financial presentation can be found in the board materials.

Of the six doctoral universities in Virginia, 911�� was the only one to not raise in-state tuition last year. Even with the increase, 911�� remains well below most peers’ current tuition rates. Many of 911��’s peers are considering or have already voted to increase tuition for 2026-27.

“We do know that an increase presents a challenge for any student, and this is an area the whole leadership team takes seriously,” 911�� President Gregory Washington said. “We remain a great value for people in the commonwealth and in the region.” Washington also noted that 911�� is the only large Opportunity University between Maine and Florida, the designation from Carnegie and ACE that reflects its strong return on investment for its students.

Many universities are facing a series of financial challenges, including a decline in graduate students and international students who cannot secure visas to enter the country. Rising utility and health care costs and a responsibility to finance partially funded state-mandated programs, like compensation increases and the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program, strains the university’s resources and hinders long-term strategic investments.

For the current academic year, 911�� is more than $7,000 per in-state student below the funding level mean of its five doctoral peer institutions in Virginia when state and tuition funding are combined. That gap equates to $180 million less in financial resources. 911��’s in-state undergraduate tuition currently is $4,000 below the mean of five doctoral peer institutions.

The BOV also voted to raise student fees by 3.5%—$132 for in-state and out-of-state undergraduates and graduate students and $98 for law students. Mandatory student fees support student engagement services and programs, student health and well-being, on-campus employment, athletics, recreational programs, transportation services, and other student-focused programs that contribute to the university’s welcoming environment.

The university offers many programs that support students who need financial assistance.

911�� is known for its affordability and efficiency. The university was named by Washington Monthly as “best bang for the buck” in Virginia and by the Wall Street Journal as the No. 1 public university in the state for value and salary outcomes. 911�� also has fewer employees per full-time student than any Virginia public doctoral university.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia found that 73% of in-state 911�� graduates stay in Virginia—3% higher than public four-year institutions in the state. For out-of-state 911�� students, 29% remain in Virginia after graduation, 9% higher than the state average.

A recap of the April 30 meeting will be published Thursday, May 7.

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Board of Visitors considers tuition increase for 2026-27 to fund infrastructure improvements and state mandates

Katarina Benson — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:07:11 +0000

Board of Visitors considers tuition increase for 2026-27 to fund infrastructure improvements and state mandates Katarina Benson Mon, 04/06/2026 - 13:07

911��’s Board of Visitors listened to public comments, toured the Fairfax Campus, extended negotiations for 911�� President Gregory Washington’s contract renewal through 2031, and considered a proposal to raise tuition and fees at the March 31 board meeting. The tuition and fees presentation is available in the BOV meeting materials. The video is here.

The proposal to raise tuition and fees about $500 per undergraduate student for the 2026-27 academic year to help offset rising costs and a longstanding funding disparity will be further discussed at the Finance and Land Use Committee meeting April 15 and will be voted on by the full board at their next meeting on April 30.

Enterprise Hall was among the buildings on the board's campus tour. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

911�� is more than $7,000 per in-state student below the funding level mean of its five doctoral peer institutions in Virginia when state and tuition funding are combined. That disparity equates to $180 million in unrealized support.

The funding gap, a marked decline in graduate students because of changes in federal policy, state-mandated programs that require university funding, and rising utility and health care costs, among other factors, necessitate the increase, said Dan Stephens, interim senior vice president and chief financial officer. Stephens and Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life, presented the proposal to the BOV.

The proposed tuition rate increase, both for in-state and out-of-state students, is $360 per undergraduate student and $504 per graduate student. That amounts to a 3.5% hike for in-state students and a 1.0% to 1.4% increase for out-of-state students. Law school tuition would remain flat.

The tuition increase would support infrastructure investments and compensation to attract and retain employees in Northern Virginia, the region of the state with the highest cost of living.

911��, named by Washington Monthly as “best bang for the buck” in Virginia and by the Wall Street Journal as the No. 1 public university in the state for best value and salary outcomes, has fewer employees per full-time student than any Virginia public doctoral university.

“According to the Federal Reserve, our nation's current inflation rate is landing between 3% to 4% across the board,” Stephens said, noting that 911�� did not raise in-state tuition last year. “So this means our proposed 3.5% increase aligns with the current inflationary drivers in our economy.”

Under the proposal, student fees would increase by $132 for in-state and out-of-state undergraduates and grad students—bumping the total from $3,924 to $4,056—and $98 for law students.

Mandatory student fees are used for student support and engagement services and programs, student health and well-being, on-campus employment, athletics, recreational programs, transportation services, and other student-focused programs.

The presentation that Stephens and Pascarell gave to the BOV mirrored the one they gave March 24 at a Student Government Tuition Town Hall. The March 31 BOV meeting included a public comment session for anyone who wished to weigh in on the proposed tuition increase in person or in writing.

“When you look at the whole package, Mason is low cost and very high value,” Pascarell said. “The mandatory student fees cover the ecosystem of services outside of the classroom that make the campus function. This is what makes Mason, Mason, for our students.”

Pascarell also shared the ways the university supports students with financial assistance.

BOV members and other university officials received a briefing and tour facilitated by Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Julie Zobel, in which they saw elements of the Fairfax Campus’ older facilities and capital project priorities. Stops included Southside Dining Hall, Planetary Hall, Enterprise Hall, Liberty Square residence hall, the Field House, and Spuhler Field.

The BOV also passed a resolution authorizing Rector Michael J. Meese to negotiate and execute a new contract for President Washington that would extend his employment to June 30, 2031. Per the resolution, Washington’s base salary would be $870,000 with annual consideration for a bonus of $125,000. He also would receive $50,000 annually as a stay bonus to be paid at the end of his term.

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BOV elects new leaders, approves academic program changes; hears campaign, research and admissions updates; approves room and board increase

sholla4 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:39:14 +0000

BOV elects new leaders, approves academic program changes; hears campaign, research and admissions updates; approves room and board increase sholla4 Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:39

The 911�� Board of Visitors welcomed 12 new members and elected new board leadership at its Feb. 26 meeting in Merten Hall on the Fairfax Campus.

The new rector is Michael J. Meese, formerly the vice rector. The new vice rector is Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94, one of the dozen new members appointed to the board in January by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

Returning visitor Armand Alacbay, JD ‘04, will continue in his role as secretary. The other two members of the board’s executive committee are new board members Anne Altman, BS Marketing ’82, and Paul Misener, JD ’93. Altman served on the BOV from 2006 to 2010.

Four of the board’s six standing committees are chaired by newly appointed board members.

“This reflects their willingness to serve and our commitment to bringing fresh perspectives into leadership,” Meese said. “I am very grateful for the willingness of the new and returning members to step into these roles.”

The new terms for the new executive committee and committee assignments will remain until the annual board of visitors meeting on July 31, 2026, when the board will reorganize based on the eligible board members.

In one early decision, the board voted to raise housing and dining meal plans by 4% to help offset rising costs in the state’s most expensive region and fund a backlog of deferred maintenance projects. The increase will be about $580 per student for the academic year. Rates vary by room style and meal plan. About 6,000 students, or 15% of the university’s enrollment, lives on campus.

Even after that increase, 911��’s room and board rate for the 2026-27 academic year will be lower than the other five Virginia doctoral universities’ rates are for 2025-26.

“911�� strives to balance the continued pressures of inflation and the high cost of living with the need to provide affordable food and housing to our students,” said Julie Zobel, senior vice president and chief operating officer in administration and operations. “The proposed housing increase allows us to keep pace with inflation and cover the costs of operating and staffing 40 residence halls in an environment where costs continue to rise.”

Last year the university provided more than $2 million in housing grants for lower-income students, Zobel said. The university also offers a housing and food insecurity fund.

There will be a tuition town hall for students at 4:30 p.m. on March 23 in Merten 1203 on the Fairfax Campus. The BOV will hold a public comment session on tuition on March 31, committee meetings on April 15 and a full board meeting on April 30.

The board approved two items regarding academic programs. Pending approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 911�� will expand existing curriculum in the College of Education and Human Development to launch a BS in hospitality, tourism and events management, a change that will “align the degree more closely with industry standards and course demand,” Interim Provost Ajay Vinzé said.

The BA in government and international politics in the Schar School will become a BA in political science, a name change that will be clearer to students and families and align with national norms, Vinzé said.

Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation and economic impact, noted that 911�� research expenditures have grown from $84 million in 2010 to $282 million in 2024 but added that recent federal policy actions have resulted in 53 terminated awards representing about $16 million in lost funding. The Grand Challenge Initiative, which will soon announce grant recipients, has focused the university’s research on areas most likely to attract external funding.

Marshall also highlighted the opportunities that Fuse at Mason Square provides for collaboration across industry, academia and government. “There is a great community that is building there,” he said. “Not just with the faculty and the labs, but the tenants. Not the least of which is also the presence of Mason Enterprise in order to support startups and commercialization of technologies that are coming out of 911��.”

One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation on Mason LIFE, an inclusive postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, from program director Linn Jorgenson. Mason LIFE is marking its 20th anniversary this year, and there will be more coverage of the milestone in The George in April. Student Nominzul Otgonbayar shared her experiences in the program. In Virginia, there are four universities with Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs. 911�� is the only university in the state to also have a Comprehensive Transition Program designation.

“That can only happen at a place as inclusive as this one,” Washington said. “There is a reason it is happening at Mason and not other places – because everybody can be at home here. That is the kind of institution we have. That is who we are.”

David Burge, vice president for enrollment management, noted that the university enrolls more undergraduate students now – 28,137 – than at any point in its history. That influx has helped offset a drop in international students as a result of changing federal policy. “We are educating more Virginians than we have ever educated as an institution,” Burge said.

One reason for the undergraduate surge is the university’s direct admission partnerships with 40 high schools across eight Northern Virginia school divisions. Students who meet certain academic criteria are informed they have been accepted to 911��, even if they have not applied to the university.

“We have talented students in Virginia who were self-selecting out of college,” Burge said. “We are doing a better job of getting them in at this point.” A projected 30 percent of the university’s incoming freshmen this fall will be from direct admission.

“I can guarantee you within 10 years, this will be the norm of how institutions admit students,” Washington said. “And by that time – even before that – five years from now, we need to be on to something else.”

Trishana Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the GMU Foundation, said the university has raised $620.3 million toward its $1 billion goal in the Mason Now: Power the Possible campaign. She also offered a reminder for Giving Day on April 2.

“This day is about giving to 911�� and to anything that you care about within our university, so it is something that strongly resonates with our community,” Bowden said. “We have seen the number increase every year and so we’re hoping that we will have the support of all our leadership boards and committees and advisory councils.”

Marvin Lewis, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, gave an overview of 911�� student-athletes’ success in the classroom (3.4 overall cumulative GPA) and in competition, new facilities (a planned groundbreaking in late spring for the Basketball & Academic Performance Center) and upcoming Atlantic 10 championships that will take place locally – the outdoor track and field championships at 911�� on May 2-3 and the baseball championship May 20-23 at Capital One Park in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Washington gave a shoutout to 911�� student Ilia Malinin, a gold medalist U.S. figure skater in the recently concluded Winter Olympics. Malinin schedules his course work around his skating training and competitions. “He is a contemporary student,” Washington said. “He is working, in terms of his craft and he is doing that while also being a student.

“At 911��, that’s Tuesday. We have a lot of folks like that and we know how to integrate and work with those young people while they are pursuing their dreams and also their academic pursuits.”

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