Provost

Announcing 'Java with Jim' sessions

Elizabeth Thakkar — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:27:12 +0000

Announcing 'Java with Jim' sessions Elizabeth Thakkar Mon, 11/11/2024 - 11:27

In This Story

Join Provost James ("Jim") Antony for an informal opportunity to connect over coffee and share your insights, questions, and ideas.

Provost Antony is eager to hear from members of the George Mason community. Four sessions are scheduled for spring 2025, each tailored to a specific group: faculty, staff, students, and a special session at the Mason Square campus. RSVP for one of four sessions planned below. Enjoy coffee and conversation, and share what matters most to you.

Session Dates

Mason Square Campus Session: Friday, February 28, 2025, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Fuse Plaza-Level Pilot Space

Staff Session: Monday, March 17, 2025, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in Merten 1201

Faculty Session: Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in Merten 1201
Student Session: Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Merten 1201

RSVP details will be available in January 2025.

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Provost

Provost's Message: September 2024

Elizabeth Thakkar — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:36:23 +0000

Provost's Message: September 2024 Elizabeth Thakkar Mon, 09/30/2024 - 10:36

In This Story

James Antony, PhD

Dear colleagues,

As we move through the fifth week of the semester, it’s been energizing to see the campus come alive again with activity. We’ve welcomed the largest and most diverse undergraduate class in George Mason’s history, including a record number of first-year students. This is an exciting time for us—and I know that each of you plays a crucial role, whether you're in the classroom, interacting with our students in various ways, advancing your scholarship and creative work, or engaged in other essential campus work.

In my ongoing efforts to connect with our community, I continue to listen closely, ask questions, and seek to understand your experiences and needs. I've been delighted to participate in several events and activities that showcase the vibrant life of George Mason, including move-in day, convocation, athletic events, research talks by several faculty, tours of many of our facilities, and orientation and welcoming sessions for new faculty and students. These moments have given me a firsthand look at the incredible dedication you all bring to advancing our mission as a university.

I’ve been reflecting on how best to communicate with our colleges, schools, and administrative units to ensure that you receive the information you need in the most effective and engaging way. While we’re still refining our approach, for now, we will transition from the Provost’s Newsletter to a Provost’s Message. This will feature fewer but more focused updates that I will curate to provide transparent and substantive information on key academic and administrative initiatives, important decisions, and progress on our priorities.

I am delighted to announce that one of our critical priorities this year will be a budget model redesign project, which will kick off in the coming weeks. This effort will create a more transparent and strategic approach to how we allocate resources, helping us make informed financial decisions that align with the university’s mission and directly support the success of our students, faculty, and staff. I encourage you to read more about this important project, as well as other notable updates below.

In the coming weeks, I look forward to connecting with many of you as I begin my visits to colleges, schools, and administrative units. In the meantime, I wish you all a productive and successful fall semester. 

Sincerely,

James Antony
Provost and Executive Vice President

President’s Town Hall Sessions Scheduled for the Fall Semester: President Gregory Washington will host two 90-minute town hall sessions to discuss the state of the university and to engage with faculty and staff.
New Resource Offers Guidance on Faculty Facing Harassment: The university has launched a new online resource to support faculty who may be targeted as a result of their scholarship.
Budget Model Redesign Work Begins: To better support the university’s mission and enable more thoughtful decision-making, George Mason is initiating a budget model redesign.
Patriot Connect Launches Program Website: George Mason has launched the Patriot Connect program website, a key resource to support the transition to a new system of engagement for the student journey.
New Tutoring Partnership with Knack to Support George Mason Students: George Mason University has entered into a new partnership with Knack, a tutoring platform, to provide free tutoring services for students in selected courses.

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Office of the Provost

Message from the Provost

Provost

George Mason University announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president

Jeannine Harvey — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:01:37 +0000

George Mason University announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president Jeannine Harvey Mon, 04/29/2024 - 11:01

FAIRFAX, VA (April 29, 2024) – George Mason University President Gregory Washington today announced James Soto Antony as the next Provost and Executive Vice President. He is a nationally recognized higher education scholar and leader with substantial experience as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Washington, Yale University, Harvard University, and University of California San Diego. He will begin this new role on July 1, 2024.

James Soto Antony

“We searched the nation for the very best provost for George Mason University, and James Antony was our number one choice,” Washington said. “He has the perfect mix of academic credentials, knowledge, and temperament to lead our academic enterprise as this university takes its place as one of America’s new leaders in higher education. I look forward to having Jim on the team.”

Antony is currently Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs at UC San Diego, where he also serves as Professor of Education Studies with a secondary appointment in the Rady School of Management. At UC San Diego, he has led a transformation of graduate and professional student financial support, created infrastructure to advance student professional development, prioritized student access and opportunity, and launched grant-funded initiatives to improve mentoring.

As Provost and Executive Vice President, Antony will help cultivate a dynamic and forward-thinking academic environment. In collaboration with senior leaders, faculty, staff, and students, he will be instrumental in advancing academic excellence, research, and scholarly pursuits in alignment with Mason’s core values and strategic direction. He will oversee all colleges, schools, and academic support units.

“George Mason University is an inspiring students-first institution that prioritizes inclusive access and opportunity. As a first-generation college student from a low-income family, this resonates deeply with me,” Antony said. “As a young top 50-ranked university with significant research investments, Mason is on a fast track as one of the most compelling institutions in the nation. I look forward to being part of the Mason Nation helping to advance student, faculty, and staff successes and collaborating to continue the university’s rise as a world-class research university.”

A national search was conducted from September through March, following the departure of Mark Ginsberg, now president at Towson University. Interim Provost Ken Walsh will return to his position as chief of staff on July 1, 2024. Megan Healy, interim chief of staff, will also return to her role as special advisor.

"James Antony shares our strong commitment to ensuring access to a world-class education, an engaging campus experience, and a culture of belonging,” added Professor and Faculty Senate President Melissa Broeckelman-Post, who chaired the 20-member search committee. “His nearly three decades of leadership experience make him an ideal provost to help Mason navigate the many opportunities and challenges ahead.”

From 2015 to 2019, Antony served as Faculty Director of the Graduate School of Education’s Higher Education Program at Harvard University, and Co-Director of the Management Development Program. From 2012 to 2015, he was an Associate Provost at Yale University, where he worked on issues ranging from faculty development to the promotion of undergraduate student leadership. From 1995 to 2012, he held faculty and leadership roles at the University of Washington, including Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy and Adjunct Professor in Sociology; Associate Vice Provost and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Graduate School; and Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Education. While at Washington, he also served as Director of the Graduate Program in Higher Education and was founding Executive Director of the Center for Leadership in Athletics, and its associated degree programs.

As a scholar, Antony’s research and teaching focus on the preparation of forward-thinking leaders in college or university settings, both domestically and globally. He has written about higher education faculty, the socialization and leadership development of future faculty and college leaders, and data-driven decision-making in higher education settings. He has taught courses in such topics as leadership theory, organizational change, assessment and evaluation, data-based decision making, introductory and advanced quantitative research methods, student affairs administration, leadership ethics, college athletics and athletic leadership, sociology of higher education, and the history of higher education.

Antony earned his baccalaureate degree in Psychology, and his master’s degree and PhD in Higher Education and Organizational Change, all from UCLA.

About George Mason University

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

Get to know Provost Antony

Did you know...

The Office of the Provost has primary responsibility for George Mason's academic mission, including supporting scholarly excellence among faculty members and fostering academic success for students on all four campuses.

Learn more about the Office of the Provost

This content appears in the Summer 2024 print edition of the Mason Spirit Magazine with the title "George Mason Welcomes New Provost."

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: A new year again brings special meaning

P Shepherd — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:08:57 +0000

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: A new year again brings special meaning P Shepherd Tue, 09/19/2023 - 11:08

Fall is a special time of year for many reasons.

Provost Mark Ginsberg

Last September I remarked in this column that while it is the start of a new academic year, in my family’s personal religious and cultural tradition it is also the season of the New Year. For those who observe the Judaic tradition as I do, we commemorate the “head of the year” or the holiday known as Rosh Hashanah. As I celebrated with my family, year 5784 began.

I was thrilled to spend the holiday in Seattle at the home of my eldest son and his family which includes two of our grandchildren, Abby and Cameron. They are both growing and developing and have become incredible children. My wife and I are so proud of them.

For me, the New Year also brings many new challenges.

As previously noted, I will leave Mason next month after nearly 14 years to join Towson University as its 15^th president. In working with soon-to-be interim provost Ken Walsh on a seamless leadership transition, I am reminded of author Mary Shelley who wrote, “The beginning is always today.”

This fall will be a new beginning for me as I prepare for my next (and final) professional and life chapter.

The fall Judaic holidays are also a time for celebration. This week, Mason learned it rose in the national rankings once again—and the ascension has been steep. Mason is now fully recognized as a “top tier” university by multiple outlets. Our university is ranked among the very best in the nation. As recognition of Mason continues to grow, I am reminded that we have become an “elite” university without becoming an “elitist” university. Of all our many accomplishments and achievements, this is among those that I am most proud. Mason provides access to excellence and opportunity for more than 40,000 students and we do so in our own way—a way that is special.

We must continue to look forward without turning back. Pioneering baseball star Satchel Paige once remarked, “Don’t look back, someone might be gaining on you.” Well, we must look back to recall from where we came and to not lose sight of who we are. We must also face forward as we gaze into the future, with our eyes on the horizon to what we will become.

Reflecting on my time at Mason—as a dean, provost, and member of the faculty—I am so very proud of Mason’s culture with our emphasis on inclusive excellence, integrity and ethics, high performance, and the success of every member of the university community. We must never lose that focus and as we look ahead, let us always remember what makes Mason special. It is the extraordinary nature of Mason that I am most proud. I hope I played a small part in making it so.

The Judaic high holiday season commemorates concepts such as renewal, freedom, and joy. As we consider our past year while envisioning our future, I hope these concepts are also rooted in your own reflections. For me, they are firmly linked to my thoughts as I plan for the transitions I will become engaged with over the next few months. I hope the same will be for each of you.

Life’s lessons are many. May the season that brings a new year also have special meaning for you, whatever your religious, spiritual, or cultural tradition may be.

Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Provost, Executive Vice President, and Professor

Topics

Provost Newsletter

Office of the Provost

Provost

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: Fall brings new opportunities and familiar challenges

P Shepherd — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:09:15 +0000

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: Fall brings new opportunities and familiar challenges P Shepherd Tue, 09/05/2023 - 09:09

Provost Mark Ginsberg

Each fall, as August turns to September, students settle into their classes and faculty become familiar with a new cohort. I recall some years ago that my mentor and dear friend, former Mason Provost and University Professor Peter Stearns, remarked, and I paraphrase: “If you are not excited and inspired this time of year, academic life may not be the right career path for you.”

I concur. And I am indeed excited and inspired that we educate in ways that transform lives.

As we began the 2023–24 academic year, I again hosted an Opening Session for our colleagues who work in and are affiliated with the Office of the Provost. Since joining Mason in 2010, I have hosted an Opening Session each semester. These gatherings have always been a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future, while also considering forthcoming issues that will require our attention.

This year we again considered such issues—yet for me, it was a very different kind of Opening Session as it will be my last at Mason. I will depart the university in October to become the 15th president of Towson University, the second largest public university in Maryland and a unit within the University System of Maryland.

There will be other opportunities for me to reflect on my time and journey at Mason. As such, I regularly will share some of my thoughts, observations, and reflections in this column.

While preparing for the fall 2023 Opening Session, I began to consider my legacy, both during my decade as dean of the College of Education and Human Development and over the last four years as provost. As I reflected, and as I told the more than 600 colleagues who were in attendance, I believe my legacy is YOU. By that I mean the colleagues I have had the honor and privilege to work with, learn from, grow with and support, and be supported by. We have created a team—a team that works in close collaboration. As often is said by athletic coaches, “There is no I in team.” This is true and if I have had success, it has not been because of ME, rather it has been a consequence of my collaboration with YOU—the many colleagues who have contributed to Mason’s success.

I am deeply appreciative and incredibly thankful.

Mason is comprised of incredibly capable and committed people—people who go the extra mile to facilitate the success of our students while supporting their colleagues and promoting the success of our faculty and staff. I often have said, as one of my undergraduate mentors Milton Mayerhoff wrote, that caring is about helping others to grow. At Mason, we care for our students and each other. It is what makes Mason, Mason.

Sometimes, however, we do so at our own expense and at times our own peril.

As I reflect on what is most important in my life, especially as I prepare to lead a large, complex university, it is critical for each of us to achieve balance in our own lives while simultaneously supporting, encouraging, and helping others. A contemporary proverb that has become a personal guidepost as I transition to the presidency of Towson University is: To truly achieve success, you must live your life in balance. This has special meaning for me and is a challenge I hope to achieve. I have come to understand that it is essential for my career success and life satisfaction—not for either, rather for both.

As we are more than two weeks into the new academic year, I urge you to do the same so that this contemporary proverb also will be meaningful for you. I know that when it is, you will be more fulfilled and even more successful.

I hope that you are enjoying the new academic year and that it will bring you success. I encourage you to seek and achieve life balance.

All the best.

Mark R. Ginsberg, PhD
Provost, Executive Vice President, and Professor

Topics

Provost Newsletter

Office of the Provost

Provost

Provost

Announcing 'Java with Jim' sessions

In This Story

Session Dates

Topics

Provost's Message: September 2024

In This Story

Topics

George Mason University announces James Soto Antony as new provost and executive vice president

Get to know Provost Antony

Did you know...

Learn more about the Office of the Provost

More from Mason Spirit Magazine

MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: A new year again brings special meaning

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MESSAGE FROM PROVOST GINSBERG: Fall brings new opportunities and familiar challenges

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