Pam Shepherd

New Academic Standards Office to implement training for faculty and students

P Shepherd — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 20:07:16 +0000

New Academic Standards Office to implement training for faculty and students P Shepherd Mon, 04/29/2024 - 16:07

In This Story

Starting in fall 2024, George Mason University will change how it approaches academic integrity and honor code violations. A review by the Office of Audit and Compliance found that student violations have been handled inconsistently and as such, a slate of new standards has been adopted and will replace the honor code. These new standards are affirmative, rather than prescribing exact sets of behavior that is disallowed.

“The honor code was a carryover from when George Mason University was part of the University of Virginia,” notes Janette Muir, vice provost for Academic Affairs. “This change provides us the opportunity to create fair and universal standards that are consistent with where Mason is going as a university. We are grateful to Tim Leslie, Academic Affairs Faculty Fellow, and his implementation team, for leading the efforts to reimagine Academic Standards and align sanctions across the university.”

In conjunction with these changes and following the recent approval by Interim Provost Ken Walsh and support by the Faculty Senate, the Office of Academic Integrity has been renamed the Academic Standards Office. Also included in this update is a standardized set of sanctions, guidance for faculty on how to handle cases that do not rise to the level of a violation, as well as guidance on when escalated sanctions are proscribed. Starting Fall 2024, all faculty will be required to take a virtual academic integrity training module on a recurring cycle. This will ensure faculty are up to date on developing trends, university processes, and evolving guidance to maintain our academic standards. Details on training modules will be released shortly.

Beyond the faculty, starting in spring 2025 all incoming undergraduate and graduate students—as well as those students who are found in violation—will be required to take academic integrity modules that complement the information learned during orientation and UNIV 100, ensuring that all students understand the expectations and importance of academic integrity. Local academic units will be required to invite the Academic Standards Office to at least one faculty meeting every other academic year to review academic integrity policy and processes, which will increase awareness and the ability to appropriately address academic integrity issues in ways that follow evolving institutional guidance and policy.

Email questions to Tim Leslie, chair of the Office of Academic Integrity Implementation team.

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Provost Newsletter

Students and faculty grow through undergraduate research

P Shepherd — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 20:01:00 +0000

Students and faculty grow through undergraduate research P Shepherd Mon, 04/29/2024 - 16:01

In This Story

Dr. Jesse Guessford

Undergraduate research experiences that include a mentoring relationship can be incredibly powerful, positively impacting the lives and work of both the student and faculty. And while many universities focus faculty mentoring efforts on graduate students, George Mason University’s goals to not only “expand the impact of Mason’s research, scholarship, and creative enterprise” but also to “deliver a distinctive and inclusive student experience” provide a vast wealth of opportunities for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience under the direct supervision from faculty who are leaders in their disciplines.

Many of these relationships are made possible through the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR), which supports undergraduates who want to participate in a research or creative project by connecting them to opportunities, helping to fund their projects, and identifying mentors. It is a reciprocal and beneficial relationship that allows faculty and students to learn from one another, providing a path to knowledge transfer, and helping one another in whatever capacity that they can.

“Through mentoring undergraduate research, the [faculty] mentor can spark the student’s passion for research and their interest in their discipline. For many, this is their only opportunity to work with undergraduate students one-on-one on a meaningful project,” Jesse Guessford, director of curriculum and initiatives in Undergraduate Education, said.

Faculty who mentor undergraduate researchers not only have the opportunity to pass on their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values, they can also experience a renewed enthusiasm for their work and gather ideas for other projects as a result of a student’s contribution. The relationship also allows them assistance in the pursuit of their own scholarly endeavors. Research that actively involves undergraduates achieves a number of benefits for faculty, including: keeping them intellectually vigorous, allowing them to make contributions to the field, and enhancing their quality of teaching.

For assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry Fei Wang, most of his research projects and proposals have been funded by OSCAR. As a result, he has had the opportunity to work with undergraduate students for years which he finds gratifying.

“It’s really fulfilling to see students grow and to see their points of view. There is nothing more rewarding as an educator to see students become independent learners and independent thinkers, be equipped with these necessary tools to solve real world problems,” Wang said.

Afra Saeed Ahmad, associate professor of psychology, understands the importance of undergraduate research from both a student and faculty perspective—as an undergraduate student in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program and graduate student responsible for running labs, as well as a faculty mentor who has the opportunity to work with and support the next generation of students and scholars.

“[As a mentor] it’s fun to get students who apply for different opportunities like a book chapter proposal or grant application and when they get it, they see what they’re capable of accomplishing,” she said.

For students, participating in research can alter their path for the rest of their career not only at George Mason, but also for the rest of their lives. Creating a close relationship with their mentor gives students a sense of belonging at the university and within their field. Through these mentoring relationships, the students learn how to research and create, how to share their findings with the world, and how to become advocates for their educational passions.

Kinesiology major Kayleigh Newman applied for an OSCAR award “on a whim” two years ago, not thinking she would get it. To her surprise, however, she was presented with the opportunity to work on a Summer Team Impact Project in kinesiology. “Everyone I’ve worked with, from the undergrads I started doing research with and the PhD students I’ve been working with, have taught me so much,” she said.

Victoria Gonzales, a double major in computational data science and statistics described her favorite part of undergraduate research as “working in a team. George Mason is diverse, I love working with all types of people and learning more about new perspectives.” She described her mentor, assistant professor of information science Myeong Lee, as “a huge contributor” to her success.

A virtual Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact is showing through Friday, May 3.

Visit the OSCAR website to learn more about this year's recipients and their projects.

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Provost Newsletter

Undergraduate Research

Office of Student Scholarship Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR)

MESA MyData transfers to Microsoft 365 in April

P Shepherd — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 16:06:29 +0000

MESA MyData transfers to Microsoft 365 in April P Shepherd Mon, 04/01/2024 - 12:06

All individual files located in George Mason University’s current enterprise file storage system, MESA M: mydata, will migrate to OneDrive in April.

Migrations will take place over several weekend periods, organized alphabetically by NetID, beginning on Friday afternoons and completed by Monday mornings. Prior to their scheduled dates, users will receive details regarding how to prepare and what to expect.

Friday, March 29 (A-I) (Complete)
Friday, April 5 (J-M)
Friday, April 12 (N-Z)

It is important for all users to note that OneDrive is not approved to store highly sensitive data (HSD). If there is institutional HSD in a MESA mydata folder, it must be deleted or moved to an approved department MESA shared folder. Users should contact their technical point of contact for assistance. Information Technology Services (ITS) is scanning MESA mydata folders for HSD. If a significant number of HSD records are found, ITS will contact the owner to discuss their needs and develop a strategy for storage before continuing with their migration to OneDrive. The requirements for storage differ depending on the type of data. For details, see data classification and storage requirements.

To provide further support, ITS will hold weekly office hours via the Collaboration Collective MS Team – MESA Migration Project channel. Contact the ITS Support Center with questions at (703) 993-8870 or support@gmu.edu. Full project details and training resources are available at MESA to M365 Roadmap.

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Provost Newsletter

ITS

Recipients of 2024 summer team Impact projects announced

P Shepherd — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 16:03:13 +0000

Recipients of 2024 summer team Impact projects announced P Shepherd Mon, 04/01/2024 - 12:03

In This Story

Keith Renshaw, PhD

The Office of Undergraduate Education recently awarded five groups with Summer Team Impact Project Grants, which will support multidisciplinary summer projects of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members. The summer grants are part of the larger Mason Impact program that prepares students to tackle significant global questions and challenges by investigating meaningful questions, engaging multiple perspectives, and creating new knowledge.

“These grants combine support for faculty from multiple disciplines to develop and tackle a research question with support for students to engage in that research effort—they are one of the purest examples we have of realizing our mission of access to excellence,” Keith Renshaw, senior associate provost for Undergraduate Education, said. “They also yield high-impact results—past projects have sown the seeds for what is now the Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial, the bruise and injury detection research in the College of Public Health, and more.”

Summer Team Impact Projects tackle global questions and challenges within all three focus areas of Mason Impact which include Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activities, Community Engagement and Civic Learning, and Career, Industry, and Entrepreneurship. Faculty present a question to a team of undergraduate students who work throughout the summer to create a solution and then present their findings, action plan, or prototype to the Mason community. The following teams have received funding for their topics:

Investigating the link between civic engagement, E-health, and health outcomes of older immigrants

Limei Chen, assistant professor, social work (College of Public Health)
Jung Yeon (Ellie) Park, assistant professor, quantitative research methods (College of Education and Human Development)
Kyeung Mi Oh, associate professor, nursing (College of Public Health)

Assessing Supports to Address Suicidality Among Northern Virginian Middle- and High- Schoolers

Melissa Villodas, assistant professor, social work (College of Public Health)
Anna Parisi, assistant professor, social work (College of Public Health)

Addressing the International Artificial Intelligence Cyber Question with US Cyber Command

Brian Ngac, instructor, information systems and operations management (Costello College of Business)
Nirup Menon, professor, information systems and operations management (Costello College of Business)

Recording the lived experiences of patients with chronic pain from minoritized and underserved communities

Samuel Acuña, research assistant professor, bioengineering (Volgenau School of Engineering)
Kevin Lybarger, assistant professor, information sciences and technology (College of Engineering and Computing)
Seiyon Lee, assistant professor, statistics (College of Engineering and Computing)
Siddhartha Sikdar, professor, bioengineering (Volgenau School of Engineering)

How do we recruit and retain a diverse, new generation of Virginia teachers?

Margaret Weiss, associate professor of special education (College of Education and Human Development)
Holly Glaser, assistant professor elementary education (College of Education and Human Development)

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Provost Newsletter

Provost's Office

grants

New programs ensure graduate students leave Mason with more than a degree

P Shepherd — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:28:54 +0000

New programs ensure graduate students leave Mason with more than a degree P Shepherd Mon, 03/18/2024 - 09:28

In This Story

Stephanie Bluth, Ph.D.

Laurence Bray, PhD

For decades, graduate students were left to their own devices to find employment and, even with a degree in hand, successfully landing a full-time position became increasingly more difficult. Historically, graduate students are academically prepared to do a job in their chosen field, but may lack the skills to GET a job, exacerbating the student debt issue and leaving many Americans to wonder about the value of higher education.

It was this dilemma, and the opportunity to change it, that brought Stephanie Bluth, associate director for graduate professional and career development, to George Mason University. In her role, Bluth has established programs that allow Mason to meet state, national, and federal requirements while preparing graduate students for the changing workforce and ensuring that those who come to Mason not only leave with degrees but also with job force readiness skills.

“All a degree does is tell you where the door is, it doesn’t open the door for you,” Bluth said. “Students want to know that when they leave Mason, they can navigate their career journeys with purpose, resilience, and satisfaction. Investing in career and professional preparation programs helps students gain the confidence they need to shine in an interview, connect with industry professionals, and seek mentorship—skills they will use for a lifetime.”

Stephanie Bluth, Associate Director for Graduate Professional and Career Development

So what does it take to ensure that when graduate students graduate from Mason, they are prepared to enter the workforce with the requisite knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes required in their respective occupations? Eighteen months into her position, Bluth has made dramatic progress in opening doors for graduate students. Her implementation of a three-pronged professional development approach adapts to evolving demands, helps students remain competitive, and ensures long-term career sustainability through: 1) career planning; 2) communications and research; and 3) teaching skills.

“Graduate students not only learn about alternative careers and how to find potential employers, but also gain confidence in speaking about their work or research and how to sell themselves,” she said. “Specialized training focusing on skill building and communication practices provides essential guidance, support, and resources to help students build confidence, explore career options, and achieve their professional goals. Mastering these skills empowers students to navigate diverse social and professional scenarios with confidence, ensuring that they can effectively share their ideas, goals, and accomplishments and land that first job or promotion.”

Career Planning
By the time students are accepted to graduate school, they know what interests them and are pursuing specialization. What they might not know, however, is how to marry their academic interests with a profession–which is where career planning comes in. Bluth implemented the Accelerate to Industry (A2i) Program, developed by the Graduate School at North Carolina State University and funded through a National Science Foundation Innovations in Graduate Education grant, which helps graduate students and postdoctoral researchers develop business, leadership, and communication skills through a variety of modules by offering networking events, discussion panels, presentations, workshops, team projects, site visits at local companies, and internships—all of which allow graduate students opportunities to gain valuable experience and to tackle global challenges in partnership with researchers and companies.

Mason’s A2i program, which is open to all graduate students and is led by the Graduate Division in collaboration University Life, demonstrates a continued commitment to prioritizing experiential learning through partnerships with industry, federal, and community stakeholders. By participating, students can explore employment opportunities with regional and national industry partners.

“A2i transforms the classroom by creating experiential learning opportunities to use in the community and then translate them into workforce readiness,” Bluth said. “This model emphasizes that students need more than the accumulation of disciplinary expertise—academic preparation needs to be bolstered by experience and opportunities to empower students to apply their learning through structured activities and experiential learning opportunities.”

In partnership with Graduate Student Life and University Career Services, Bluth launched the Graduate Student Career Conference, which was held earlier this month and had over 100 students registered. This groundbreaking conference provides graduate students the opportunity to not just talk with potential employers, but to work with industry professionals on improving their resumes and writing career statements, as well as work on their interview skills and network with fellow students and potential colleagues.

“When graduate students ask what they can do with their degrees or where they will work, this conference tells them how to transition from student to employee, how to find potential employers, and how to sell what they do,” she said.

Saskia N. Campbell, executive director of University Career Services, agreed and noted that the conference is “an important skill-building professional development opportunity for an interdisciplinary group of graduate students to think about and practice communicating the transferability of their degrees to careers outside of academia, which is the path most will pursue.”

Through these continued collaborations with campus partners, University Career Services and Bluth have implemented the Graduate Career Series that includes multiple graduate student career workshops and events. Each covers topics such as creating individual development plans, tailoring resumes for each position, boosting networking skills for the new global job market, as well as translating graduate experience to employers and previous work experience into new fields.

“I realize there are many more skills that you need to succeed than those taught in regular classes, and I appreciate that Mason offers so many opportunities that contribute to our professional development in those areas,” said Cecilia Barriga Bahamonde, PhD candidate in environmental science and policy. “The Communication Academy is an excellent example of a curated workshop that has helped me improve how I communicate my research in a way that sets me up for success in any academic or professional presentation, from conferences to my dissertation defense. The A2i Immersion Week at North Carolina State University was also filled with empowering workshops, panels, and networking events that helped me be more prepared and confident in securing my dream job.”

Communications and Research
Another initiative championed by Bluth is the Communication Academy. This interactive four-part performance workshop series, which launched in January 2024, is a partnership with Mason’s Communication Center and and Writing Center. The series prepares graduate students to share their knowledge, communicate across disciplines, and connect with broader audiences by teaching them techniques used by professionals and speech writers, helping them learn to perform, communicate, improvise, and respond dynamically to an audience. The Communication Academy supports and prepares students to participate in the Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference held each spring and the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition during the fall semester. The 3MT® is a research communication competition where PhD students present their doctoral research to a non-specialist audience using only one single visual—all in three minutes. Through lessons learned in the Communications Academy, graduates incorporate storytelling and body language while talking about their work, ideas, and research.

Bluth adjusted certain aspects to Mason’s 3MT® to ensure that participating students are eligible for all levels of the program competition, including international events. As a result, Steven Zhou, a PhD candidate in the industrial and organizational psychology program and Mason’s first ever regional 3MT® winner, recently participated in the regional competition hosted by the Southern Council of Graduate Schools in Greenville, South Carolina.

“Mason is educating a global workforce, and we need to provide services that directly support that work. Our students are as diverse as the opportunities that a graduate degree from Mason prepares you for,” Bluth said. “A major goal for me is to help students first identify their expansive options and then prepare them to translate all they have learned into the industry position. We don't just produce scholars and thinkers at Mason—we produce doers, creators, and innovators.”

Teaching Skills
Under Bluth’s watch, the Graduate Teaching Academy and Crystal Anderson, associate director for engaged learning in the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, recently launched “SkillCraft: Educating for Impact Community of Practice” which encourages graduate students to develop skills that are crucial to the creation of stimulating learning environments in and beyond the classroom. SkillCraft also provides graduate students with opportunities to document their growth and achievements through certifications at several levels. Workshops introduce the foundations for effective student engagement that can be applied in various educational settings, ranging from small-group recitations for teaching assistants to classroom management for graduate instructors of record, while boot camps help students design teaching materials for courses they teach or hope to teach.

In addition to building partnerships and consortiums within the university, Bluth played a strong role in Mason’s participation in the Graduate Career Consortium which has over 500 members from 220 institutions and organizations across the U.S., Canada, and other countries with a mission to "build a diverse community of professionals and empower them to advance the field of graduate and postdoctoral career and professional development.”

“None of these initiatives were built in a silo, which is what makes them so great,” Bluth said. “Mason is about global education and we have built partnerships that show that the university affects the whole region, not just the students on our campus. And it is through these partnerships that Mason is breaking down walls every day.”

Moving Forward
Bluth’s work, which Senior Associate Provost for Graduate Education Laurence Bray said “has had an invaluable impact on the graduate community”, has only just begun. She is committed to ending the decades-long tradition of graduates entering the workforce alone and instead, outfitting them with a roadmap that will combine their academic learning with work readiness skills and result in individuals who are prepared and can navigate their career journeys with purpose, resilience, and satisfaction.

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Reimagining Mason's global reach: new efforts take off

P Shepherd — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:33:58 +0000

Reimagining Mason's global reach: new efforts take off P Shepherd Mon, 02/05/2024 - 15:33

In This Story

Janette Muir, PhD

The political, cultural, and economic upheaval that followed the pandemic has resulted in what a recent report by Deloitte calls a “moment of change” for higher education, prompting colleges and universities to reinvent themselves to stand out and remain relevant. Four years ago, leaders at George Mason University weren’t entertaining the idea of expanding educational programming to countries other than South Korea, but with international student and faculty numbers returning to where they were prior to the pandemic along with the upcoming 10th anniversary of Mason Korea, the focus on global education shifted to more centralized efforts which required a change in the university’s strategic direction.

Over the years, Mason has cultivated a reputation for evolving its innovative programs to meet the needs of its students. As part of this decisive moment, the Office of the Provost launched several new areas such as the Community Engagement and Civic Learning Office, the revised Mason Core structure, and the Community College Partnerships Office. Today these efforts play an important role in the university’s strategic direction to improve the student experience, grow the research enterprise, and exemplify a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Through it all, Mason—which is home to the largest and most diverse student body in Virginia—values building sustainable pathways for growth that include creating opportunities for student success such as community engagement activities and advanced research projects. For decades, the university has facilitated global learning opportunities and fostered international research. It has also leveraged university partnerships to bring thousands of international students to Mason from more than 130 countries speaking 80 languages while providing programmatic learning for those who wish to study abroad in nearly two dozen countries each year. Mason Korea has grown from a small outpost to the gateway to Asia, hosting and graduating students each semester. And because Mason is a student-first university with numerous clubs, performances, and cultural events, those who are unable to physically study abroad can still experience a multicultural, and diverse learning journey within a vibrant international community in Virginia through virtual international programs.

In a post-COVID environment, preparing students for success in an increasing international and interconnected world while expanding and enriching Mason’s global footprint is now a university priority—making it critical for the Office of the Provost to reimagine and redesign Mason’s global vision and establish a path forward. Enter Chrishon Blackwell, an organizational development leader with a deep understanding of international education, as senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office (GEO).

Chrishon Blackwell, senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office

“It is a testament to Mason's global engagement that we now have Dr. Blackwell in her role as the Senior International Officer (SIO),” said Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs. “As Mason's SIO, she is the one who can continue to guide Mason into the next phase of global engagement, post-pandemic, and we are excited to see where this engagement takes us.”

Since arriving at Mason less than a year ago, Blackwell has spent months identifying how to leverage and utilize the university’s resources in ways that will further enhance students’ experiences while simultaneously exploring ways to maintain global competitiveness and strengthen relationships with its global partners.

“The goal is to create stronger global citizens and to do that, it is critically important to identify, help facilitate, and advance what’s already happening on campus,” she said. “If GEO is to provide students opportunities to immerse themselves in holistic activities that result in individuals who can compete on [an] international scale, we need to think more intentionally about what impacts them across the disciplines.”

And while international education encompasses the mobility of students in other parts of the world, it is also about the scholars who come to Mason to conduct research and share different styles of teaching, faculty who go to other destinations, and those who do community-based service learning. It further includes “thinking intentionally about international partners and engaging in deeper relationships [with] them” while leveraging existing affiliations and memorandums of understanding by establishing practices such as “exchanges with universities, delegation visits, and sister city partnerships,” Blackwell said.

Following a thorough review of Mason’s current international offerings, Blackwell recently identified and set forth a series of priorities in research, teaching, and engagement to expand and enrich the university’s global footprint. These priorities include initiatives such as exploring ways to support Mason’s global research activities and collaborations, examining strategies to globalize the student learning experience, and conducting a comprehensive review of Mason’s international partnerships.

A vital part of implementing these priorities consists of utilizing the recently formed Global Assembly and Global Operations Team, which engage a broad cross-section of the university to advance Mason's global initiatives, activities, programs, and services. Both teams consist of representatives from each college, offices that deal directly with global related activities for students, faculty and staff, and other relevant parties. By leveraging the expertise of the members of the Global Assembly, the aim is to collectively identify resources and opportunities that facilitate university-wide internationalization strategies while keeping internal stakeholders informed. The Global Operations Team, meanwhile, coordinates knowledge about Mason’s global footprint within a decentralized context, then directs and advises the university community on globally focused services and policies. 

“The establishment of the Global Assembly and Global Operations Team demonstrates a collective approach involving a variety of stakeholders across Mason’s campuses and by doing this, we are fostering a more globally aware and engaged environment for faculty, staff, and student,” she said. “By centralizing our global engagement efforts, we aim to create a more collaborative approach to managing global learning, teaching, research, and engagement.”

Mason’s revamped global engagement and emphasis on global learning signifies a deep commitment to advancing the university’s internationalization efforts. Not only will it elevate the student experience and provide valuable opportunities for faculty to globally engage, it will also include perspectives from alumni and partners who can assist in establishing new initiatives. Over time, members of the Mason community will be able to navigate a variety of cultural and political environments resulting in empathetic and inquisitive individuals who are educated in cross-cultural contexts and have the yearning and ability to collaborate.

Looking forward, Blackwell said this new centralized direction will allow the university to “think creatively and boldly about ways to expand international capacity” and is what will “make Mason a rich and diverse tapestry that will ensure the university is competitive around the world while meeting the community’s needs.”

Topics

Provost's Office

Provost Newsletter

Global Education Office

Faculty and Staff News

Strategic Direction

University makes changes to the academic calendar

P Shepherd — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:21:03 +0000

University makes changes to the academic calendar P Shepherd Mon, 01/08/2024 - 15:21

After a thorough and collaborative process led by the Office of the University Registrar and the Faculty Senate, George Mason University has modified its four-year academic calendar, delaying the start of the fall 2024 semester by one week, among other changes.

Adjustments were made to accommodate Election Day as an ongoing student holiday, give the university greater flexibility regarding fall start dates, realign the calendar to mirror other schools in the region, and maintain the two-week winter break.

“The academic calendar is a complicated document because it governs almost all aspects of the university,” said University Registrar Doug McKenna. “The new calendar presents several changes, but most academic functions remain the same.”

Set to take effect in fall 2024, changes to the four-year academic calendar include:

The start of the fall 2024 semester is delayed by one week to August 26, 2024.
Fall break will occur on October 14, with the university open but no classes held.
Election Day is designated as a university holiday in 2024.
To integrate Election Day as a student holiday, one reading day before final exams has been removed, eliminating the need to teach Monday classes on the Tuesday of fall break week. Classes will not be held on fall break or Election Day in the future, regardless of the university's operational status.
The last day of classes for fall 2024 will be December 9, with final exams from December 11 to 18.
Winter commencement is scheduled for December 19, 2024.
The winter break will span from December 23, 2024, to January 3, 2025.

The revised calendar, which includes these changes as well as the schedule for 2025 and beyond, has been posted to the Registrar’s website.

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Provost's Office

Provost Newsletter

Mason offers three free therapy sessions to all faculty and staff

P Shepherd — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:25:58 +0000

Mason offers three free therapy sessions to all faculty and staff P Shepherd Thu, 10/26/2023 - 12:25

Despite 9 out of 10 adults reporting in an October 2022 CNN/Kaiser Family Foundation survey that they believe there is a mental health crisis in the United States, the stigma around treatment remains and can lead to discrimination and create barriers to recovery. The truth is that everyone experiences a range of issues that impact their mental health in some capacity, from frustrating deterrents in life plans to an overwhelming crisis.

Individuals within the George Mason University community are not immune to mental health struggles and have learned that finding the right place for treatment can be difficult. As such, all faculty, staff, and contractors have the opportunity to receive three free hour-long telehealth intervention sessions with the university’s Center for Community and Mental Health (CCMH).

“If someone needs immediate coping skills to help them handle a crisis, it’s not an easy process,” said Robyn Mehlenbeck, director of the Center for Community Mental Health. “Universities typically provide students with free and low-cost mental health services but not to employees. That is why Mason offers this unique program which provides immediate services to all faculty, staff, and contractors.”

Robyn Mehlenbeck, director of the Center for Community Mental Health, during a mental health fair (photo provided).

Upon deciding they need assistance, individuals fill out a form that provides an overview of their needs to CCMH. They are then matched with and able to talk to a mental health provider or doctoral student who is trained in counseling within 48 hours of submitting the form. From there, the three free sessions typically occur once per week and are mapped out to set goals and start learning coping skills, add more skills once the previous skills are established, and then review and discuss any other needs.

“Our goal is to provide help when people realize they’re struggling before they get to a crisis point,” Mehlenbeck said. “We’re able to do this by teaching individuals how to manage their thoughts, understand their distress tolerance level and how to tolerate uncertainty, as well as stimulate behavior activation, emotion regulation, mindfulness, relaxation, and grounding skills, depending on what works best for each individual.”

While CCMH data shows that approximately 60 percent of those who take advantage of the sessions do not request more, those who would like to continue are referred to the CCMH wait list and are then matched with a therapist based on their needs.

“We take pride in our mission of providing culturally responsive evidence-based clinical training in assessment, consultation, and intervention, as well as providing accessible, culturally sensitive, state-of-the-art mental health services to the community. We work hard to adapt any intervention we do to ensure it is culturally sensitive and appropriate,” Mehlenbeck explained.

As anonymity can be a concern, Mehlenbeck noted that they are not connected to Human Resources and all services are treated confidentially; the records of all those who seek services are not released without permission. Faculty who are concerned they might be paired with doctoral students in their program should make a notation in their initial sign-up form to ensure there is no crossover.

For more information about additional sessions and costs, as well as other services, visit the CCMH website.

Faculty should be aware that University Life Vice President Rose Pascarell sent an email to all students on October 25 reminding them of a variety of additional available resources, including:

Counseling and Psychological Services
Patriots Thriving Together
Student Support and Advocacy Center
TimelyCare
Mason’s Center for Community Mental Health
Compassionate Listening Spaces

Topics

Provost Newsletter

Provost's Office

Mental Health

Richard Groover: An Adjunct with a Tremendous Impact on Mason Students and the Environment

P Shepherd — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:46:31 +0000

Richard Groover: An Adjunct with a Tremendous Impact on Mason Students and the Environment P Shepherd Mon, 08/28/2023 - 11:46

In his cult-classic work Deep Simplicity, John Gribbin wrote “some systems … are very sensitive to their starting conditions, so that a tiny difference in the initial ‘push’ you give them causes a big difference in where they end up...”

Richard Groover teaching a student (photo provided)

Imagine having that kind of influence as an individual, so simple and yet so powerful that what you say or do could ripple across someone’s life and transform their entire being. Perhaps the surprising reality is that it’s actually not difficult to recognize the truth of this statement if you know a member of Mason’s adjunct faculty. A rich combination of industry and agency experience, as well as connections and access to outside resources, means some of the most effective instructors Mason are adjuncts.

Richard Groover, an adjunct professor in environmental science and policy and author of three books including second edition of The Environmental Almanac of Virginia, is one of those consistent and dominant forces in Mason students’ lives. Though officially retired as an associate dean from Reynolds Community College, Richard is committed to lifelong learning and sharing that knowledge with others. As a dean, he spent much of his time working on administrative issues—all the while missing the classroom experience. Knowing that his interest areas could have a life-saving impact and his influence in the classroom could change student career trajectories, Richard made every effort to teach again and since 2017, he has brought a perspective outside of book materials to enhance the learning process: the professional, real-world side of things by providing students with knowledge, experience, connections and access to resources that full-time professors can’t offer.

“I like students and I like teaching. I like imparting information—it’s rewarding. And as an adjunct, I have freedom to investigate areas that give me a broader perspective of what’s going on everywhere,” he said.

But it’s what he finds the time to investigate that makes Richard unique: it’s not just climate change but rather the systems within the environment that shift with the slightest push. Insects and algae grew into a deep understanding of dragonflies, which he learned have inherent value because as predators, dragonflies help diminish diseases spread by mosquitoes, horseflies and deer flies. He is also one of the Commonwealth’s coyote experts and is actively sought out to educate the public, mitigate a pack’s presence, and teach what strategies people must take to live co-exist with the animals.

“Dragonflies and coyotes survive because they’re very good at living in whatever space they select. Both have a tremendous impact (positive and negative) on Virginia and through my research I’m able to share strategies and information, as well help deal with conflict, when it comes to animals, man and the environment,” he said. “My research [allows me to] try to communicate how we must learn to live with them.”

While he finds his work with dragonflies and coyotes to be personally gratifying, Richard is constantly surprised how much he learns from his students. Unlike insects and animals, humans aren’t necessarily good stewards of the earth but Mason students, he says, are different as their ability to grasp the severity the human experience can have on nature and create tools for renewal gives him hope for the future.

“Every year my students become more aware and knowledgeable of climate change. In fact, this generation has a different attitude about climate change—they clearly understand the consequences,” he said. “Being able to bring my first-hand experiences into the classroom and to think outside of traditional thought while connecting students with ways they can impact the world fills me with optimism.”

And with that ever so slight push Richard—and other adjuncts like him—provides his students, he knows the world is in good hands.

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For Anne Magro, Being Named the Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator is Only Part of Her Story

P Shepherd — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 20:20:47 +0000

For Anne Magro, Being Named the Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator is Only Part of Her Story P Shepherd Fri, 08/25/2023 - 16:20

In This Story

Anne Magro

For some, working on their taxes can be an anxiety-riddled experience, but for Anne Magro, co-executive director of the Business for a Better World Center (B4BW) and associate professor of accounting, tax is where she thrives. She’s so exceptional, in fact, that Anne was honored as the top tax educator in the nation, receiving the prestigious Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator Award from the American Taxation Association (ATA) at the organization’s mid-year meeting earlier this year.

Anne Magro

“Receiving the Sommerfeld award is one of the most exciting moments in my career because it represents recognition by my peers that education is so much more than just what goes on in a classroom,” she said. “It includes research and generating new knowledge. It’s also about educating ourselves and others to serve our community.”

If doing taxes ranks among American’s least favorite activities, what was it that piqued Anne’s interest? This self-confessed “terrible student”, who was incredibly curious growing up and always asking “why?”, was neurodivergent with undiagnosed ADHD which impacted her ability to regulate her focus and resulted in failing grades. With multiple changes to her major and numerous failed attempts to obtain her bachelor’s degree, Anne felt lost and struggled to find direction. One day she randomly filled an empty space in her schedule with an accounting class and suddenly her world changed.

“Things suddenly clicked for me because as it turned out, accounting is a good match between the way I think and the way numbers speak,” Anne said. “Accounting measures, reports, and predicts what occurs within organizations. It is the original business analytics. Accounting describes to different stakeholders what’s happening in an organization in a way that’s useful to them. It’s about story-telling, and I could get my head around that.”

But tax isn’t the only area where Anne excels. This fall she will teach a course in the Honors College on judgment and decision making that she recently taught at Carleton College, a small liberal arts college in Minnesota, as the Benedict Distinguished Visiting Professor of Cognitive Science. Anne also has been active in curriculum development including designing innovative classroom activities and courses, redesigning programs for new modalities, leading the redesign of the School of Business’ undergraduate curriculum and the development of its new degree structure, and developing new minors and concentrations. Anne also founded and leads

Mason’s Behavioral Tax Symposium that has attracted doctoral student researchers from around the world for the last 14 years. In recognition of her leadership in the university and profession, Anne was recently elected inaugural President of the American Accounting Association’s new Leadership in Accounting Education section, serving accounting program leaders and developing leaders for the future.

Anne regularly reflects on a business history course she took as an undergraduate that included the labor movement of the early 20th Century—a course that fed her interest in responsible business practices and the positive impact business can have in the world. Anne wants students to not only understand the traditional topics of business, but to consider business’ responsibility to society as well. Serving as founding co-executive director (with Lisa Gring-Pemble) of the Business for a Better World Center (B4BW) in Mason’s School of Business is a natural extension of her passion for this work.

“Just think about how much of the world’s resources (human, financial, and physical), are controlled by businesses. If business leaders don’t step up, we won’t make much progress on the world’s complex challenges. But if businesses lead and partner with NGOs and governments, we can get things done,” Anne said. “Companies need to take the long-term view—look beyond short-term gains for shareholders and create value for employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the planet that will lead to long-term gains for all stakeholders.”

Anne fully embraces B4BW’s belief that business can, and should, be a force for good in the world and believes that students are central to achieving the Center’s vision. Under Anne and Lisa’s leadership, B4BW is committed to making this transformation a reality by working inside the classroom and out to prepare students to act with people, planet, and prosperity in mind. B4BW initiatives developed by Anne and Lisa like Impact Fellows, Wicked Problems Bootcamp Summer Team Impact Project, Liberal Arts in Business summer internships, and a place-based initiative to reduce health inequities in Culmore Bailey’s Crossroads with Rebecca Sutter of CHHS serve B4BW’s mission. Anne does all this in the hope that today’s students will become tomorrow’s business leaders who change the world for the better.

“When I teach, I want to help students see what is possible and how their actions can change the world.” she said. “If we transform the way we teach business, we can transform the way business operates in the world.”

Between teaching, mentoring, curriculum development, and the many leadership roles she holds, Anne recognizes that she’s in an “interesting place” in her career—and she’s never been happier. Knowing that she’s helping Mason revolutionize the way it teaches business so graduates can transform the way businesses operate for the world reinforces that asking “why” from a young age can lead to great things.

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