PhD and MFA education, and the work George Mason does with postdoctoral fellows, are important components in the university’s research, creative work, academic mission, and overall reputation.
In recent years, George Mason has taken steps to fortify its commitment to PhD and MFA education and has begun to hire more postdoctoral fellows. These early successes form an excellent foundation. But as the university grows in stature as a research institution, it must continue asking important questions about the future of PhD and MFA education and postdoctoral affairs, and it must develop an actionable blueprint for that future.
Therefore, the provost established a university-wide task force on Building a Blueprint for the Future of Doctoral and MFA Education, and Postdoctoral Affairs. The task force draws upon the comprehensive work of previous groups—including the 2021 Graduate Education Reimagine Task Force and the 2022 Graduate Division Implementation Teams—helping George Mason align its efforts in PhD and MFA education, and postdoctoral affairs with those of the nation’s best universities.
Charge
The Building a Blueprint for the Future of Doctoral and MFA Education, and Postdoctoral Affairs Task Force charge, issued in spring 2025, states:
The task force will examine two major areas: institutional infrastructure and funding and financial support.
Institutional Infrastructure
- Examine, and suggest improvements, for the definition of respective roles and responsibilities of school/college versus the Graduate Division (and other central units) when it comes to the work of recruiting, admitting, and supporting the academic and professional development of PhD and MFA students.
- Assess the university’s capacity to intellectually and professionally support postdoctoral fellows and assess whether a more unified infrastructure is needed (if so, where would that infrastructure be located, and what goals should it meet?).
- Suggest metrics the Graduate Division, in partnership with schools/colleges, should use and provide to track the success in providing academic and professional development support to students and postdoctoral fellows (i.e., how do we measure the impact of our work?).
Funding and Financial Support
- Articulate the steps the university—including the Provost’s Office, schools/colleges, and individual academic units—should collaboratively pursue.
- Articulate a bold vision for PhD and MFA student stipend support during the summer months.
- Articulate how the Graduate Division should work with schools/colleges, and other senior leaders, to set a uniform university-wide minimum level for PhD and MFA stipends during the academic year.
- Articulate how academic units should leverage their internal and external funding sources (including grants, contracts, industry and external partnerships, and philanthropic funds) to achieve all the above.
- Suggest a unified set of expectations for academic units to engage in cohort size planning on an annual and ongoing basis.
- Provide recommendations for the balancing of PhD and MFA student funding against possible master’s student funding.
Timeline
Work began in spring 2025 and a final report with recommendations was submitted for leadership review in spring 2026.
Spring 2025
The task force convened for initial discussions, reviewed past reports, analyzed existing data, defined the approach, and identified additional data needs.
Summer 2025
A subgroup of task force members continued work over the summer by conducting fact-finding and benchmarking work, and gathering additional needed data, as identified by the task force.
Fall 2025
The whole task force reconvened to assess the data collected over the summer. Members engaged in discussions with key university partners (e.g., deans, other senior leaders, PhD/MFA program directors, etc.) to gather their perspectives and ideas.
Because of the important financial elements of this task force’s charge, the task force also met with key finance administrators (e.g., those in the Provost’s Office, and school/college budget officers) to estimate the costs of proposals and develop an enhanced understanding of those leaders’ views on how to meet and sustain those costs.
Spring 2026
The task force submitted a final report to the Provost's Office, and its work has ended.
Task Force
Structure
The Office of the Provost launched a university-wide task force on Building a Blueprint for the Future of Doctoral and MFA Education, and Postdoctoral Affairs.
The task force was co-chaired by:
-
Laurence Bray, Senior Associate Provost for Graduate Education, Graduate Division, Office of the Provost
-
Solon Simmons, Faculty Senate President and Associate Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution
The task force consisted of representatives from each school and college, as well as the Graduate and Professional Student Association.
Roster
Co-Chairs:
-
Laurence Bray, Senior Associate Provost for Graduate Education, Graduate Division, Office of the Provost
-
Solon Simmons, Faculty Senate President and Associate Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution
Members:
-
Ann Ardis, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
-
Ken Ball, Dean, College of Engineering and Computing
-
Natalie Burls, Associate Professor, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, College of Science
-
David Hull, Senior Associate Dean, Academic Administration, Antonin Scalia Law School
-
Siona Listokin, Associate Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government
-
Angela Miller, Professor, School of Education, College of Education and Human Development
-
Nilima Hakim Mow, Graduate and Professional Student Association President
-
Greg Robinson, Associate Professor, Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music, College of Visual and Performing Arts
-
Ajay Vinze, Dean, Donald G. Costello College of Business
-
Robert Weiler, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Public Health
Project Support:
-
Noel Dickover, Senior Transformation Manager, Academic Administration, Office of the Provost
Engagement
Final Report
This group has completed its charge and submitted a final report to the Provost's Office. The report provides recommendations, not final decisions. The Provost's Office is reviewing the recommendations, and will move forward with implementation as resources allow, prioritizing the areas with the greatest impact.
Feedback
Thank you for your interest in this project. Please submit your questions, comments, and ideas using the Future of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs feedback form.