Marion Underwood comes to Mason after stints at Colorado State University, Purdue University and the University of Texas at Dallas. (Office of University Branding / Fourth Estate)

Marion Underwood looks to help continue Mason’s academic mission

BY RITHVIK HARI, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

After a national search, George Mason University announced Marion Underwood as provost and executive vice president on May 27. 

The provost is the university’s chief academic officer overseeing all of the schools at George Mason and each of their academic programs. The provost is also the second-ranking official at the university, reporting directly to President Washington. 

Additionally, the provost is responsible for all faculty management decisions including hiring professors, approving promotions and granting tenure. They are also responsible for budget allocation between Mason’s 10 colleges and schools. 

Underwood started the role on July 27. She previously served as provost and executive vice president at Colorado State University and has also held senior leadership positions at Purdue University and the University of Texas at Dallas. 

In March, Provost James Antony departed from George Mason University after less than two years in the role. Following the announcement, Dean Ajay Vinzé was appointed as interim provost and executive vice president, serving in the role as a search committee got underway.

“The search committee was comprised of 21 faculty, staff, students and a [Board of Visitors] member and worked with the Greenwood Asher search firm to engage in a national search process,” Melissa Broeckelman-Post and Solon Simmons, chairs of the provost search committee said in a joint statement to Fourth Estate. 

“We had an excellent pool of applicants, and as with any search at George Mason, evaluated the candidates based on the criteria that we had outlined in the position description.”

Broeckelman-Post is the assistant provost of academic affairs and a professor of communication in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Simmons is a professor and the director of the Narrative Transformation Lab at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Simmons also serves as the president of the faculty senate and is on the president’s council.

Broeckelman-Post and Simmons added that the committee conducted a first round of interviews before narrowing the applicant pool to four finalists. Those finalists participated in on-campus interviews, allowing them to engage with members of the Mason community and give community members an opportunity to submit feedback, according to the statement. 

Provost Underwood’s office declined an interview with Fourth Estate, writing that “as she is still relatively new to Mason and focused on learning more about the University and its community, she is not participating in interviews at this stage.”

Underwood said in a university profile that she hopes to work with faculty and University Life to make Mason “an even more inclusive, welcoming community where all students can learn and experience the joy of feeling part of the community in close relationships with their peers, staff, and the faculty.”

Underwood said she was drawn to Mason because of its growth, innovation and distinctive position in higher education.

“I am strongly attracted by the opportunity to lead the academic enterprise at such an innovative university on a steep upward trajectory,” Underwood continued.

She specifically pointed to Mason’s Carnegie designations as both an R1 research university and an “opportunity research university.” The Carnegie Classification system groups U.S. colleges and universities using measures such as research activity, degree production and student outcomes. 

An R1 designation, Carnegie’s highest research category, means an institution has met thresholds for substantial research-and-development spending and research doctorate production. Mason has framed those paired classifications as central to its identity. 

Underwood said she was interested in collaborating with President Gregory Washington and the university community to help create “a national model of a large-scale, high-impact public university.” She also cited Mason’s stated values of inclusion, diversity, risk-taking and education as an equalizing force. 

Underwood said she plans to approach her first year by listening to Mason’s faculty, staff, students and academic leaders. She said she wants to understand how the university has developed since its founding and work with the community to identify new ways to advance its academic mission. 

As Underwood begins her tenure, the effects of her leadership will be measured by how her stated priorities translate into the everyday experiences of Mason students, faculty and staff. 

With the university continuing to expand its research profile while serving a diverse student body, her approach to student belonging, academic innovation, transparency and community engagement will help shape Mason’s direction in the years ahead.