Statements

Statement on faculty hiring

Lynden Tennyson — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:39:43 +0000

Statement on faculty hiring Lynden Tennyson Tue, 09/09/2025 - 09:39

Dear �鶹��Ƶ Faculty:

I hope this message finds you well, and that your fall semester is off to a great start. As we welcome yet another record student body to our campuses, I want to remind you that for more than any other reason, our students came here to learn from each of you.

I am writing to touch on a Washington Post story published last Friday about the ongoing federal inquiries into �鶹��Ƶ’s faculty hiring practices, which has prompted conversation and questions about the state of diversity among our faculty.

I am writing to offer further depth and clarity on one matter included in the article, the complexity of which could not be captured in the story. Nor could the nuances of the faculty hiring process.

The article listed the percentage of current tenured, tenure-track, and research faculty by demographic identities, which demands a deeper dive to fully understand. As you surely know, the university, and I personally, stand accused of creating a pervasive environment of discriminatory hiring practices against white and Asian faculty applicants.

The article accurately states the percentage of white faculty at �鶹��Ƶ as around 60 percent. While that number has gradually declined in recent years that predate my arrival in 2020, I hasten to make clear that an examination of hiring data shows that this was not caused by racial discrimination, and certainly not because anyone put their thumb on the hiring scale to achieve certain outcomes.

The faculty hiring process itself is governed by the Faculty Handbook, which is written and voted on by our faculty, and ratified by the Board of Visitors. Contrary to the narrative about my supposed heavy-handed drive to force faculty diversification, the president and the provost have very little sway over the faculty hiring process. Appropriately, it is a bottom-up process ratified by the board.

The shifts in faculty ethnic diversity reflect two realities. First, a disproportionate number of Asian applicants were hired into our rapidly proliferating engineering faculty, reflecting the demographics of the prevailing applicant pool. Second, late-career and more generationally white faculty have left, primarily due to retirements, some of which was due to incentives we began offering to all faculty in 2021 and others because of the natural progression of their careers. Their successors have come earlier in their careers, with generational demographics that are naturally more ethnically diverse.

But even these realities have not greatly moved faculty demographics. In fact, 80 percent of the 211 tenured and tenure-track faculty hires during my time here have been either white (42.6%) or Asian (37.4%). Black, Latino, Native American/Alaskan, and multiracial faculty combined accounted for just 19% of our hires. By contrast, 177 of the 234 faculty who retired or otherwise left the university during that same time – more than 75% – were white. In raw numbers, the university has only experienced a net gain of eight black, eight Hispanic, and two Native American/Alaskan faculty since my arrival in FY 2021, and experienced a net loss of two multiracial faculty.

With that said, it is important to return to George �鶹��Ƶ’s definition of diversity, which is far broader than the current and exclusive federal focus on ethnic diversity. At George �鶹��Ƶ, “diversity” is defined as one’s origin, identity, life circumstances, and viewpoint. We are the world in microcosm, which I believe should be celebrated and emulated.

The Post article itself even showcases our viewpoint diversity by including defenders and critics alike from within our own faculty. That is as it should be, as this is the �鶹��Ƶ Way. I will continue to defend every faculty member’s right to speak, think, research, and teach freely, unfettered by ideological threats or intimidation. It’s one aspect of our campus that truly makes it special.

Have a great semester, fellow Patriots!

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Statement on status of SJP

Lynden Tennyson — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:58:27 +0000

Statement on status of SJP Lynden Tennyson Mon, 09/08/2025 - 12:58

A recently-posted Instagram video from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) that has raised safety fears and alarm among members of the university community was taken down by SJP on September 2 at the university’s insistence, citing its non-discrimination policy.

SJP was suspended as a student organization last academic year, one of its leaders was expelled from the university, and three individuals were trespassed from campus until November 2028 as a result of a university police investigation into acts of vandalism on campus. SJP has been reinstated as a registered student organization following all university policies and procedures. University officials recently met with SJP leaders to reiterate the institution’s zero-tolerance enforcement approach.

The GMU Police Department has pursued its investigation into the August 2024 vandalism incident as far as the law allows, which included a home search of two leaders of SJP in November 2024. Despite these efforts, the Commonwealth’s Attorney declined to file charges based on the evidence presented.

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding Department of Education resolution

Lynden Tennyson — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 20:32:13 +0000

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding Department of Education resolution Lynden Tennyson Fri, 08/29/2025 - 16:32

In compliance with the deadline set by the Department of Education, the �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors informed the Department that it would like to negotiate a resolution to its violation determination. It will be doing so, through counsel, alongside counsel for President Washington. The Board remains committed to ensuring that George �鶹��Ƶ complies with all federal civil rights law and remains hopeful that a favorable resolution can be reached.

The Board of Visitors

�鶹��Ƶ

August 29, 2025

Statement from Board of Visitors Regarding Department of Education’s OCR Findings

Lynden Tennyson — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:52:07 +0000

Statement from Board of Visitors Regarding Department of Education’s OCR Findings Lynden Tennyson Fri, 08/22/2025 - 10:52

Today, the Board of Visitors received notification from the United States Department of Education that the University has been in violation of federal civil rights law. This is a serious matter.

The Board is reviewing the specific resolution steps proposed by the Department of Education. We will continue to respond fully and cooperatively to all inquiries from the Department of Education, the Department of Justice and the U.S. House of Representatives and evaluate the evidence that comes to light. Our sole focus is our fiduciary duty to serve the best interests of the University and the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Board of Visitors

�鶹��Ƶ

August 22, 2025

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding transmission of responses to federal government requests

Lynden Tennyson — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 20:43:47 +0000

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding transmission of responses to federal government requests Lynden Tennyson Fri, 07/25/2025 - 16:43

In keeping with our commitment to keep the public informed, today, we are beginning to transmit GMU’s detailed responses to the federal government’s requests.

The Board’s responsibility and singular focus is serving the best interests of the University and the Commonwealth. GMU must continue to excel as a world-class academic institution.

One aspect of excellence is full compliance with all federal anti-discrimination laws. We are cooperating fully with the Departments of Education and Justice.

Like other leading universities, we have, through the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, engaged outside legal counsel with experience and expertise in navigating these issues. These attorneys are in communication with the Board, University leadership and the U.S. Government to ensure complete, transparent and timely compliance with all requests.

The Board of Visitors

�鶹��Ƶ

July 25, 2025

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding new federal investigations

Jeannine Harvey — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 19:30:07 +0000

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding new federal investigations Jeannine Harvey Tue, 07/22/2025 - 15:30

The University received notice yesterday from the Department of Justice regarding new Title VI investigations alleging racial discrimination in admissions, scholarships and student benefits and the University’s response to antisemitism on campus. This is in addition to the previously announced Title VII investigation relating to hiring and promotions and earlier notices from the Department of Education. The Attorney General of Virginia has appointed outside counsel to represent and assist us with responding to these inquiries. Our attorneys are communicating with the DOJ and are working with the University to respond fully to the Government’s requests. The Board of Visitors will ensure GMU complies with all federal anti-discrimination laws as it continues to excel, provide a world-class education, and serve the Commonwealth.

The Board of Visitors

�鶹��Ƶ

July 22, 2025

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding federal investigations

Lynden Tennyson — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 18:36:59 +0000

Statement from Board of Visitors regarding federal investigations Lynden Tennyson Mon, 07/21/2025 - 14:36

�鶹��Ƶ is an institution of excellence that plays a special role in educating Virginians and students from across the country and around the world. The Board of Visitors has a fiduciary obligation both to �鶹��Ƶ as an institution and to the Commonwealth of Virginia to ensure that the University continues to thrive as the largest public university in Virginia. This includes making sure that GMU fully complies with federal anti-discrimination laws as it excels in its mission. The University and the Board will respond fully and promptly to the requests from the U.S. Government and intends to keep the public informed along the way.

The Board of Visitors

�鶹��Ƶ

July 21, 2025

Statement on the passing of Edwin J. Feulner

Bronwyn Longchamp — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 19:13:18 +0000

Statement on the passing of Edwin J. Feulner Bronwyn Longchamp Sat, 07/19/2025 - 15:13

�鶹��Ƶ mourns the passing of Dr. Edwin J. Feulner, a distinguished public servant, thought leader, and former member of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Board of Visitors.

Dr. Feulner, founder and longtime president of The Heritage Foundation, brought a legacy of principled leadership and dedication to public policy during his tenure on George �鶹��Ƶ’s Board of Visitors from 1997 to 2001. His commitment to academic excellence, civic responsibility, and the pursuit of knowledge helped guide our university during a pivotal moment in its growth.

“Ed Feulner was a champion for freedom and liberty not only in our country, but for people across the globe,” said Charles “Cully” Stimson, Rector of the Board of Visitors. “He served on the Board of Visitors along with former Attorney General Ed Meese, and together they helped put our beloved university on a path to greatness. We all owe Ed Feulner a debt of gratitude for his service to this university, our Commonwealth, and our country.”

The university extends its deepest condolences to the Feulner family and honors Dr. Feulner’s enduring legacy of leadership and service.

Background on new investigation from Department of Justice

Lynden Tennyson — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:31:21 +0000

Background on new investigation from Department of Justice Lynden Tennyson Fri, 07/18/2025 - 10:31

Dear fellow Patriots:

As anticipated, the US Department of Justice has joined the US Department of Education to investigate allegations of discriminatory hiring practices at �鶹��Ƶ. I am writing to update you on what we understand to be unfolding.

�鶹��Ƶ learned of the new investigation when a news release was distributed yesterday. Because the Board of Visitors has opted to outsource the university’s engagement with federal agencies to the Torridon Law firm, university staff is not able to make direct contact with the DOJ in order to learn more about the complaint.

Regardless, we will as always work in good faith to cooperate fully with the investigation, and are gathering requested information as required. We remain confident that facts and evidence show that George �鶹��Ƶ does not engage in “illegal DEI,” as the general accusation has been labeled.

Based on yesterday’s news release and accompanying letter sent to the law firm, it appears parts of the complaint are based on outdated digital posts, namely a tweet from my account from June 27, 2022, in which I praised a faculty member’s award for his work in diversity and inclusivity, and a livestreamed town hall from November 2020, in which a group of university leaders described how we hoped to answer the public’s demand for more inclusivity in university operations.

Historical context

I am compelled to offer historical reminders to students, faculty, and staff who were not on campus in 2020. Context is vital to fully understanding why these statements were appropriate at the time and in fact were complying with state mandates.

Both the 2020 video town hall and my 2022 tweet occurred in the wake of several tragic events culminating in George Floyd’s murder. As part of addressing this national reckoning, we were examining ourselves, looking for ways to become better. Not only were we working to improve, being Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university meant government leaders and the public expected George �鶹��Ƶ to play a meaningful part in creating structures and programming to address old biases and persistent inequalities in business operations.

Engagement with local and state governments ensued, and this culminated in Gov. Ralph Northam announcing the launch of the ONE Virginia plan in March 2021 to advance “inclusive excellence across state agencies.” At the time, then-Director of the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management Emily Elliott said, “We charge all agency leaders to adopt the ONE Virginia Plan and subsequent Principles of Community to create an engaged workforce that leverages diversity as a strength … and practices that hold each agency accountable for expanded access, success, and overall inclusive excellence.” And George �鶹��Ƶ did as expected by state government.

In March 2021 Virginia also enacted amendments to Virginia Code 2.2-602, which now requires George �鶹��Ƶ and all state agencies to “establish and maintain a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan in coordination with” the Governor’s Office. Law requires the plan to “integrate the diversity, equity, and inclusion goals into the agency's mission, operations, programs, and infrastructure.” It goes on to require us to address “barriers to equal employment opportunities,” “foster pay equity,” “promote diversity and equity in hiring,” and “promote employee engagement and inclusivity.”

This is current law in Virginia.

Our practices and initiatives, including some being questioned by the DOJ, emanated from this framework. They were developed in collaboration with our Board of Visitors, and through shared governance with our students, faculty and staff. It has never been a “one man show” at �鶹��Ƶ.

After the 2021 gubernatorial elections, newly-appointed members of the Board of Visitors who held critical views of DEI activities began directing staff to review and scale back DEI efforts by late 2023. However, in June of 2022, the new Governor had not yet rolled back those directives in the ONE Virginia plan. By 2025, after a year of study from two university committees whose membership included board members and staff, and followed by a subsequent restructuring, the board instructed us to dismantle programs and reassign or eliminate staff, which we have done.

Just as we complied with leadership expectations to increase DEI programming, we have also worked in good faith to follow directives in the opposite direction. Throughout the shifts, we have leaned on our institutional values, and stayed true to our core ethos to remain a constant beacon of welcoming and inclusivity to everyone who seeks us out. It’s a very difficult path to travel, but we have worked in earnest to maintain that path.

Free expression, but not exclusionary policies

It is true that on regular occasions I have publicly and passionately expressed my aspirations and goals to erase bias against any and all groups, and maintain an environment welcoming to all who seek it out. I remain as passionate about that today as I was when I arrived in July 2020.

It is inaccurate to conclude that we created new university policies or procedures that discriminated against or excluded anyone. To the contrary, our systems were enhanced to improve on our ability to consistently include everyone for consideration of every employment opportunity. That is our ethos and it is core to our identity as a national leader in inclusive excellence in higher education.

Being under such federal investigations is not familiar territory to George �鶹��Ƶ, and I understand how this can be upsetting and distractive to so many who work or study here. As we work through this, it is my hope that we will be granted due process to explain in detail much of what I have highlighted above. I will always do my best to keep you as informed as possible on events as they occur.

We have weathered so much as one community, not least of which a pandemic and a recession. As always, we will come through this as the George �鶹��Ƶ community always does: together.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington

President

Update on University response to investigations

Lynden Tennyson — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:24:10 +0000

Update on University response to investigations Lynden Tennyson Wed, 07/16/2025 - 10:24

Dear fellow Patriots:

By now, you know that last week �鶹��Ƶ was given a second notice of investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), this time regarding alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 relative to our faculty hiring.

As in all cases, we will cooperate fully with the OCR.

We are also thankful for the outpouring of support for George �鶹��Ƶ from our greater community – from on campus, the Northern Virginia region, and around the nation.

On Friday, I was notified by the rector of our board of visitors that the board has retained the Torridon Law firm to represent the university on all matters related to both investigations. Torridon also now serves as the only authorized news media interface on all matters related to the OCR inquiries.

Though university staff is no longer coordinating the university response, I can assure you that George �鶹��Ƶ has always operated with a commitment to equality under the law, ever since our inception. It is simply the �鶹��Ƶ way, and in my experience, it has not discriminated based on race, color, national origin, or otherwise. Our diversity efforts are designed to expand opportunity and build inclusive excellence – not to exclude or advantage any group unlawfully.

The investigation reportedly stems from a complaint alleging that the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts amount to unlawful racial preference. The university strongly rejects that characterization.

In Response to a Widely Distributed Press Release

The Department of Education issued a press release at the same time it notified George �鶹��Ƶ of the latest investigation, and I want to be sure that our community has an accurate understanding of the realities of how we hire faculty and staff at George �鶹��Ƶ.

No academic units mandate outcomes based on race, color, national origin, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law. These practices are consistent with equal opportunity principles.
There are no mechanisms in �鶹��Ƶ’s promotion and tenure policies that give preferential treatment based on race, color, national origin, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law.
There are no academic unit performance evaluations authorized at George �鶹��Ƶ that use race or anti-racism measures as determinants of institutional success.
All task force work around inclusivity has aligned with state-level policy priorities and directives included in Virginia’s “One Virginia Plan.” No task force outcomes instituted hiring quotas or race-based policies.
We support units in developing rigorous standards in alignment with strong research institutions nationally, the university does not define those standards, and all hiring evaluations are based on the required and preferred qualifications listed in our position descriptions. Units are never instructed by the university to hire individuals with credentials below those standards or based on race or any other characteristic protected by law.

Why Title VI Exists – and What It Was Meant to Correct

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted to dismantle explicit and systemic racial discrimination that denied access to education, employment, housing, and public services based solely on race, color, or national origin. It was designed to ensure that no person in the United States would be excluded from participation in federally funded programs because of who they are.

Before the Civil Rights Act, it was legal in many states – including Virginia – to deny African Americans access to quality public schools, equal job opportunities, and basic services. Activists like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., alongside countless citizens of all races and faiths, sacrificed their lives and livelihoods to secure these protections. Title VI was born from this movement and was intended to be a tool to expand opportunity – not to suppress efforts to build fairer, more inclusive systems.

Today, we are seeing a profound shift in how Title VI is being applied. Longstanding efforts to address inequality – such as mentoring programs, inclusive hiring practices, and support for historically underrepresented groups – are in many cases being reinterpreted as presumptively unlawful. Broad terms like “illegal DEI” are now used without definition, allowing virtually any initiative that touches on identity or inclusion to be painted as discriminatory.

This shift represents a stark departure from the spirit in which civil rights law was written: not to erase difference, but to protect individuals from exclusion and to enable equal opportunity for all.

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Broader Commitment

As Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university, �鶹��Ƶ enrolls more Pell-eligible students than any other institution in the Commonwealth and graduates students from all backgrounds at similarly high rates. It admits 90% of applicants and proudly offers an elite education to the broadest possible public. Its mission is grounded in excellence, access, and impact, not exclusion. And we send students into an economy that depends deeply on George �鶹��Ƶ to be a reliable source for career talent. This region would not be the powerhouse it is without our university, carrying out its mission in what we often refer to as “the �鶹��Ƶ way.”

That “�鶹��Ƶ way” includes the belief that diversity includes thought, background, and circumstance and any attempt to artificially redefine our diversity, as one of race-based exclusivity, is doomed to fail no matter who ends up being excluded.

I will continue to update you as circumstances allow, and wish everyone a continued productive and rejuvenating summer as we anticipate another record class of entering freshmen next month.

Sincerely,

Gregory Washington
President