New members of the Board of Visitors are sworn in at Merten Hall during their meeting on Feb. 26. In one of their first actions as part of Mason’s governing board, they unanimously approved an increase in room-and-board. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)
Spanberger-appointed Board of Visitors starts implementing new policies
BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
George Mason’s Board of Visitors met on Feb. 26, voting to increase the price of room-and-board at the university by 4%.
The housing rate for a traditional double room will rise from $8,390 in fiscal year 2026 to $8,730 in fiscal year 2027. Concurrently, the rate of an Independence meal plan will rise from $6,050 in FY26 to $6,290 in FY27. Room-and-board rose by 3.5% last fiscal year.
The motion to improve the 4% room-and-board increase passed unanimously, and was the first major decision for the board since 12 new visitors were appointed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
According to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Julie Zobel, the increase allows the university to keep up with external housing options such as The Main on University and will help cover the costs of operating the residence and dining halls.
“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,” Zobel explained.
Even with the increase, she stressed that Mason still prioritizes affordability.
“When compared with our peers for room and board, George Mason is the most economical option in the Commonwealth,” she said.
The increases come as the university continues to deal with financial fallout from recent federal government decisions involving immigration, resulting in a decrease of international student and graduate student enrollment.
President Gregory Washington said that even as Mason’s undergraduate population continues to grow, the loss of graduate students is hurting the university.
“That has a fiscal outcome for us,” he said.
Despite these challenges, Mason projects to host 40,500 students on their Fairfax campus in the fall, and the current number of undergraduates is the largest in school history.
A potential increase in tuition rate is expected to be discussed at the board’s public comment session March 31 and voted on at the full board meeting April 31. Mason was one of the only public universities to not increase in-state tuition for FY26, instead voting to increase student fees by 2.5% last May.
In his president’s report, Washington highlighted the difficulties the university is facing, dividing them into four categories: demographic, fiscal, political and technological.
“This is the most difficult time we’ve had in our history,” he stated.
The university continues to deal with lawsuits from the federal government, as well as technological advancements in artificial intelligence.
“We were one of the most scrutinized institutions in the country. I expect that some level of scrutiny will continue. And as a family, we will have to manage through that scrutiny together,” Washington said.
The board also discussed potential improvements to athletic facilities on campus. Currently in progress is a 30,000 square foot Basketball and Academic Performance Center addition to the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC). The project broke ground in spring 2026 and will be finished by the end of 2027.
