Fourth Estate/Andani Munkaila

Students addressed concerns about letters to the student body, safety and funding to President Washington during Student Town Hall.

BY ERICA MUNISAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND BRANDYN FRAGOSA, OPINION EDITOR

Editor’s Note: Fourth Estate uses language in accordance with AP style guidelines. For more information on the use of the “Israel-Hamas war”, please visit the AP Stylebook.

The full transcript from the student Town Hall held on Feb. 7 can be viewed on Fourth Estate.

On Feb. 7, a Student Town Hall was hosted by University Life at The Hub Ballroom, in which the student body was provided the opportunity to ask questions to President Gregory Washington about the university. The Town Hall, scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m., ended 23 minutes overtime. 11 people spoke, with several asking follow-up questions.

The town hall featured several questions revolving around the Israel-Hamas war, funding and security topics along with protest demonstrations from Students in Justice For Palestine at George Mason University.

During the beginning of the session, Washington delivered a 16-minute speech addressing the Israel-Hamas war following the release of numerous letters to the student body since Oct. 10, from the Office of the Vice President and Office of the President.

“Our support of one group of students does not mean we are against another group. Our support of one group of students does not mean that we support their government or any government,” Washington said.

Washington went on to address more aspects of free speech at Mason.

“Look, I have been asked on numerous occasions to stop the student protests. Even when you’re protesting against me, I still support it because I support freedom of speech,” Washington said.

Washington also shared that antisemitic incidents have occurred on campus. “More than 70 incident reports that came to our offices were about instances of antisemitism… We’ve had now two confirmed assaults on students. Those were both to students of Jewish descent,” Washington said.

“This is an extraordinarily complex issue,” Washington said. “No, it’s not,” one protester interjected. “Apartheid is not complicated,” another protester added.

Washington also mentioned that students come to Mason to learn, with some of them considering future careers in the defense industry. In response, a member of the town hall interjected, “They want to be war criminals.”

Following Washington’s presentation, students lined up to ask questions, give speeches and provide statements. While Washington responded to the student’s concerns, attendants of the town hall voiced their rebuttals. 

In an Instagram post by SJP Mason, they encouraged students to join the Student Town Hall to, “make [their] voice heard,” and “Demand justice for Palestine.”

During the session, SJP Mason members took up the majority right side of the hall, wearing black and white keffiyehs and holding up red painted hands. Additionally, SJP Mason handed out posters with statements that read, “Israel bombs, GMU pays,” and, “Drop defense now, no money for genocide”

Regarding allegations of Mason’s funding, one SJP member accused Washington of investing $26 million towards the Israel-Hamas war, which was promptly denied by Washington.

“It is also public knowledge that George Mason University is investing in American corporations [which are] profiting from the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza,” said one SJP Mason member. “$26 million, approximately 10% of the student investment fund, is funding the ongoing genocide to murder innocent civilians, men, women and children.”

Washington responded, “We don’t know where that number came from… George Mason University does not actually invest money anywhere. There is a separate 501C3 called George Mason University Foundation that actually does all of the investments for the campus. It’s a separate 501(c)(3) with a separate leader with a separate board. It does not answer to the Board of Visitors, and it does not answer to the President… It is not your tuition dollars.”

Another attendant of the town hall said, “For disabled activists like me, face masks are vital in [the COVID-19 pandemic]… As someone who especially struggles with fine motor skills, pulling out my ID when prompted can be a struggle. Thus, I and many others are faced with the dilemma of either attending political actions…or forcibly [staying] at home… Why will you not support and protect disabled activists at GMU?”

President Washington addressed this concern about Mason’s Concealment of Identity policy, explaining that the university is required by Virginia state law to identify those who wear face coverings at venues or protests. 

“We don’t tell you that you can’t wear your face coverings. We just tell you that somebody has to identify who you are… That’s our way of meeting the spirit of the law while simultaneously allowing you to protest, and not doing what other institutions are doing when students show up in face masks and shut the whole protest down,” Washington said.

Washington was asked if he could halt tuition increases by an attendant who shared that they struggled to pay for their books and courses. “As you know, there are five R1 institutions in the state of Virginia. Of those five R1 doctoral institutions, Mason has the fourth lowest tuition. We live in the region that is by far the highest cost of living in the state, and in the top five highest cost of living regions in the whole country.” Washington said.

“I have to balance what the tuition is relative to what resources we need in order to provide the faculty and staff to be able to teach and support them. The fact that our tuition is as low as it is, given the constraints that we have, and that we are still able to operate, is actually a testimony to success,” Washington said.

Another attendant asked Washington to address alleged ties with military-industrial complexes and graduate students who go on to work for defense contractors.

“[It is] not just defense contractors. It’s Amazon, it’s Microsoft, it’s Apple, it’s everybody… George Mason University is a public institution. Those corporations pay public taxes…” Washington said. “A large percentage of students come to Mason to engage and get jobs from the very companies that you’re telling me to divest from. …Just because you don’t think you should take a job there… what about those students who actually are trying to get jobs at those companies?”

“The same companies that you will say ‘okay, well that company created a bomb that caused damage over [there],’ that same company produces the weapon that will defend your freedom. That same company provides the weapons that allow America to be what America is.” Washington said as multiple protesters interjected.

Towards the end of the town hall, one attendant delivered a four-minute speech related to the history of Palestine. In his statement, the attendant told Washington, “Look at me. Look at me. Don’t look around. Look at me.”

“Listen to me, we’re not going there. I will sit you down son, you will not disrespect me. You don’t tell me to look at you.” Washington said.

The town hall ended overtime at 2:23 p.m. Of the 11 people who had spoken, five people remained in line without asking a question while one SJP Mason member attempted to speak into the microphone while it was turned off. 

The full transcript of the Town Hall, including Washington’s presentation and questions from all 11 speakers can be seen on Fourth Estate.