George Mason University is committed to ensuring that all undergraduate students have the academic support they need to succeed.
Recognizing opportunities to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of learning support services, the Undergraduate Learner Support Task Force was convened in spring 2024 to assess the current landscape of academic support at George Mason. The task force examined existing services, identified best practices from peer institutions, and explored ways to improve visibility, consistency, and integration of support resources. One of the key recommendations made by the task force was to make learning support services more cohesive, accessible, and responsive to student needs.
Charge
The Undergraduate Learning Supports Implementation Committee is responsible for strategically enhancing George Mason’s academic support services to better serve students. Building on the recommendations of the Undergraduate Learner Support Task Force, the committee will develop a comprehensive implementation plan for an Undergraduate Learning Supports Center that:
- Establishes a student-centric, team-based model for delivering key learning support services.
- Expands accessibility by increasing service hours and offering multiple modalities.
- Proposes a shared governance model that ensures consistency across services while maintaining discipline-specific oversight.
- Defines principles for service inclusion/exclusion within the center.
- Develops a training and supervision framework for near-peer leaders, balancing minimum standards with flexibility for customization by individual services.
- Outlines a comprehensive outcome assessment model applicable to all services.
- Identifies the specific services to be included in the center.
- Defines the space requirements necessary to accommodate selected services.
- Identifies key partners essential for successful implementation.
By creating a clear and actionable plan, the committee will position George Mason’s academic support services to be more effective, cohesive, and student focused.
Timeline
Committee