• ABOUT US
  • ADVERTISING
  • CONTACT THE NEWSROOM
  • GET INVOLVED
  • OPINION SECTION SUBMISSIONS

Fourth Estate

  • News
    • Breaking News
    • Campus
    • Administration
    • Mason Life
    • Student Government
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Culture
    • Faces of Mason
    • More Money Less Problems
    • Hidden Hangouts
  • Opinion
    • Pats For Pats
  • Sports
    • men’s
      • baseball
      • basketball
      • cross-country
      • golf
      • soccer
      • swim & dive
      • tennis
      • track & field
      • volleyball
      • wrestling
    • women’s
      • basketball
      • cross-country
      • lacrosse
      • rowing
      • soccer
      • softball
      • swim & dive
      • tennis
      • track
      • volleyball
    • columns

New quality enhancement plan introduced this semester

September 18, 2020 / no comments / 1026 views

President Gregory Washington has established a QEP that focuses on anti-racism

BY SUDIKSHA KOCHI STAFF WRITER

In an email sent out to students and faculty on Sept. 2, President Gregory Washington addressed the implementation of a new five-year quality enhancement plan: “Transformative Education through Equity and Justice: Anti-Racist Community Engagement.” The plan was established by Mason’s Reaffirmation Leadership Team with input from the Mason community. 

“The QEP, which is an important component of our upcoming reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), specifically focuses on improving student learning/student success,” Washington wrote.

The QEP has four major components. The first component has to do with curriculum and pedagogy, or the method of teaching. Faculty plan to implement a foundational course of “Diversity, Inclusion, and Well-Being” as a requirement for all undergraduates. In addition, the administration plans to review the process to address curriculums for bias and develop an anti-racist statement on syllabi.

“The topic reflects on the strengths of the original Civic Engagement proposal, addresses opportunities for qualitative improvement in student success, engages academic and co-curricular communities across Mason, and positions our students and faculty to respond to current social issues,” Washington wrote.

The second major component has to do with staff and faculty development, in which anti-racist critical pedagogy and consciousness trainings will be implemented. Departments are in charge of establishing funding and faculty development for an anti-racist community teaching and research.

“The success of our QEP hinges on the engagement of the entire Mason community — faculty, students, staff, and administrators,” Washington wrote.

The third major component addresses critically responsive student experiences. The administration will incorporate intentional dialogue around anti-racist community engagement during orientation and first-year transition. In addition, they will establish funding for the Bonner Leader Program, which is a four-year service scholarship program for first-generation students, and launch an anti-racism community-engaged scholar program as a paid opportunity for undergraduate students.

“We need to know where systems, practices and traditions of racial bias exist at George Mason University so we may eradicate them,” Washington said in a video message to students and faculty on July 23, when the task force for anti-racism was just established.

The fourth major component has to do with community engagement. Administration will implement critical dialogue series, racial healing circles and host an annual symposium on anti-racist community engagement. They will also launch a community advisory board to review community partnerships and advise on anti-racist community engagement initiatives. With these two propositions put in place, they are hoping to expand K-12 and community college partnerships.

“I want George Mason University to emerge from this exercise as a local, regional and national beacon for the advancement of anti-racism, reconciliation and healing,” Washington said.

Focusing on these four major components, Washington is hoping to have both short-term and long-term improvements in the quality of education and community building at Mason.

News
anti-racism civic engagement Gregory Washington
About Lianna Brown
Lianna Brown is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Fourth Estate for the 2021-2022 academic year. She is majoring in Government and International Politics, and can be reached at lbrown45@gmu.edu.
View all posts by Lianna Brown →
Read Previous
The Bookshelf
Read Next
What peace means to me on International Peace Day
  • PRESIDENT WASHINGTON REFLECTS ON YEAR, LOOKS AHEAD
    August 23, 2021
  • THE ARRIVAL OF GREGORY WASHINGTON
    October 18, 2020
  • Professor raises concerns about President Washington’s Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence task force
    October 16, 2020

Search

Sponsor

Twitter Feed

Fourth EstateFollow

Student-run news outlet for daily updates and in-depth coverage of George Mason University. •Ads are not endorsements• Find us online at https://t.co/CO7WMFotpZ

Fourth Estate
May 3rd, 2022 - 9:44 am

Missed last week's news? Catch up with a quick recap with the link below.
http://gmufourthestate.com/2022/05/01/last-week-in-the-news-18/

Reply on Twitter 1521485887263158273Retweet on Twitter 1521485887263158273Like on Twitter 1521485887263158273Twitter 1521485887263158273
May 3rd, 2022 - 9:43 am

The Asian Festival on Main aims to bring people together and celebrate cultural diversity through food and entertainment, set to take place from 12pm to 6pm on Sunday May 15. Link below for more information on the upcoming festival.
http://gmufourthestate.com/2022/05/01/asian-festival-on-main/

Reply on Twitter 1521485598275604481Retweet on Twitter 1521485598275604481Like on Twitter 15214855982756044811Twitter 1521485598275604481
May 3rd, 2022 - 9:39 am

A one-day pop-up art show commemorated to represent and celebrate undocumented and immigrant students took place in Merten hall a few weeks ago. More with the link below.
http://gmufourthestate.com/2022/05/01/undocu-masons-resilience-pop-up-art-show/

Reply on Twitter 1521484635678511104Retweet on Twitter 1521484635678511104Like on Twitter 15214846356785111041Twitter 1521484635678511104
May 3rd, 2022 - 9:37 am

Why do people cheat? Latest opinion piece by staff writer Momina Adem below.
http://gmufourthestate.com/2022/05/01/why-do-people-cheat/

Reply on Twitter 1521483998958129152Retweet on Twitter 1521483998958129152Like on Twitter 15214839989581291521Twitter 1521483998958129152
May 3rd, 2022 - 9:35 am

Check out Mason's weekly crime update with the link below
http://gmufourthestate.com/2022/05/02/two-arrested-at-panera-for-credit-card-fraud/

Reply on Twitter 1521483620598353921Retweet on Twitter 15214836205983539211Like on Twitter 15214836205983539211Twitter 1521483620598353921
Load More...
  • Recent
  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Pats For Pats – 5/5/22
    May 5, 2022
  • TWO ARRESTED AT PANERA FOR CREDIT CARD FRAUD
    May 2, 2022
  • ASIAN FESTIVAL ON MAIN
    May 1, 2022
  • LAST WEEK IN THE NEWS
    May 1, 2022
  • WHY DO PEOPLE CHEAT?
    May 1, 2022
  • Student government removes undersecretary of dinin...
    February 23, 2015 58
  • Meow Mason! Coalition reduces feral cat population...
    August 26, 2014 35
  • “Less democracy, better government,” s...
    March 3, 2015 33
  • OPINION: The price tag of birthright
    March 2, 2015 22
  • Native American students express frustration at Re...
    September 30, 2014 11
  • Alexander Kenny
    Great story! Should be distributed on a leaflet a...
    February 9, 2018
  • Amanda
    I'll happily watch the curling competitions and c...
    February 8, 2018
  • Scarlett Simpson
    Really great article! It definitely brings a pers...
    February 7, 2018
  • Johnny Walker
    I never thought about it but I bet biathlon reall...
    February 5, 2018
  • Art Taylor
    Great essay here! ....but, um, we're already Eagl...
    January 30, 2018

Follow IVE on Social Media

Media Madness

© Fourth Estate Designed by FairPixels.com