On August 1, 2025, George Mason University’s Board of Visitors voted Friday to grant President Gregory Washington a 1.5% pay raise, bringing his annual salary to roughly $823,452. The decision comes at a time when the university is facing four federal investigations and preparing to make significant changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
The vote followed a lengthy closed-door session in which board members reviewed Washington’s performance. According to the board, the raise is in line with statewide guidance for public university leaders.
In the same meeting, the Board approved a resolution requiring GMU to eliminate all DEI programs not mandated by state or federal law within 30 days. The move follows new political pressure from Richmond and Washington to reduce diversity-based hiring and training initiatives at public universities. The resolution directs the university to replace those programs with what it calls “merit-based excellence” policies for hiring and promotion.
Some faculty and student groups have expressed concern that the cuts will weaken GMU’s commitment to supporting underrepresented communities on campus. The local chapter of the American Association of University Professors issued a statement backing Washington but opposing the DEI changes.
GMU is currently the subject of four investigations by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice. The probes center on allegations of race- and sex-based discrimination in faculty hiring, as well as the university’s handling of antisemitism complaints.
These inquiries are part of a broader national push by the Trump administration to challenge DEI practices in higher education. Earlier this summer, similar political and legal pressures led to the resignation of the University of Virginia’s president.
Washington, who became president in 2020 and is the first African American to lead GMU, has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the university’s hiring practices comply with all applicable laws. In his report to the board, titled “Navigating Rough Waters,” he highlighted enrollment growth, increased state funding, improved rankings, and reduced institutional debt as evidence of the university’s strong trajectory.
“I remain committed to ensuring that George Mason University is a place where all students can thrive, and where we operate within the law while pursuing excellence,” Washington said in a brief public statement.
With the start of the fall semester just weeks away, GMU now faces the dual challenge of complying with the new DEI resolution while responding to ongoing federal investigations. For local students, faculty, and alumni, the coming months will be a critical test of the university’s direction under Washington’s leadership.
President Washington’s 2025 President’s Report is available on the website
Author
Tania Hossain is the editor, publisher, and co-owner of The Independent News Press, a consortium of local print and online newspapers in Virginia. She focuses on writing about community issues and advocates for local newspapers, both print and online, especially in the age of Ai from selfie filters to betting on military strikes. A Merrifield resident, she is a keen backyard gardener, loves forest bathing and a curious biohacker, believing that proactive health keeps one out of the costly illness industry. Inspired by Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine launch, she feels fortunate to be running this newspaper.
