Mason students react, call for answers
BY DANA NICKEL, STAFF WRITER
Mason’s Alumni Association (GMUAA) released their Board of Directors list for the 2020-21 year including 14 Mason graduates, one of which is David Kanos. The term for the new board is set to begin July 1.
The selection of Kanos as a director-at-large was met with pushback on social media from different Mason students.
Kanos graduated in 2018 and was Mason’s student body president during his senior year. In May of 2018, Fourth Estate released an article that described a Title IX complaint filed against Kanos for sexual harassment.
hey @MasonAlumni @HulaJenny @SumeetShri why did you all let David Kanos be the at-large director of the alumni board? he sexually harassed several female students and even one of their moms. The university failed the student, you all should not be a continuation of that. (1/2)
— chaotic good (@abbylinbc) June 22, 2020
I demand the immediate removal of David Kanos from his position as At-Large Director of the GMU Alumni Association Board. End his term before July 1st, survivors at Mason have suffered enough. https://t.co/xPwLJzPZjH @HulaJenny @SumeetShri @gmu96grad @gleasonrowe @GMURayRay https://t.co/NoMh8EJOnW
— Jennifer Shaskan (@jrshaskan) June 22, 2020
Mason for Survivors (M4S) tweeted a call to action for Mason students to reach out to GMUAA and demand “the immediate removal of David Kanos” from his position. Within the twitter thread, M4S provided a script for emails that the organization drafted and has sent to different members of GMUAA.
A representative from M4S told Fourth Estate that the organization brought the allegations against Kanos to Mason’s vice president of Advancement & Alumni Relations, Trishana Bowden.
Bowden said that GMUAA’s decision to bring on Kanos is now under review given the new information that has come to light.
Bowden did not respond to Fourth Estate’s request for comment.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. More details will be updated as they are made available to Fourth Estate.
