In the midst of an uptick of COVID-19 cases and an online semester, George Mason University Korea held a Town Hall meeting on Monday, 7 September 2020. While active communication is critical at all times for a young university, due to the increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, the leadership of George Mason University Korea decided to conduct a virtual meeting to assure both communication and safety from the spread of the virus. In an effort to address the numerous concerns of the student body and professors, Campus Dean Matz and his team began the Town Hall.
The meeting focused on presenting the main goals of George Mason University Korea to sustain its effectiveness as a university during the pandemic as well as to address the growing concerns among students and faculty alike. Campus Dean Robert Matz first spoke on the importance of disease prevention, active participation in online learning, and students getting involved with Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) so that the school can continue to develop. Dean Matz identified a variety of metrics to examine the growing success of the young university. Included in this information were a 20 percent growth in enrollment rates each year for the past two years and an impressive employment rate of 80 percent for recent graduates. While the beginning of the meeting focused on the past actions and achievements made, the presentation shifted to strategic plans designed to cope with the COVID-19 situation. These plans were mostly regarding high-quality instruction, a variety of new student opportunities, and an increase in scholarship funds.
During the Town Hall, Dean Matz stated that “communication is needed to sustain and grow our Mason Korean community,” as such, the Town Hall was closed with a nearly hour-long question-and-answer session to foster direct dialogue between students, professors, and the administration. Some of the most frequently asked questions were regarding the quality of online learning, financial transparency, and textbook accessibility. On the issue of online class quality, Dean Matz outlined that students’ individual efforts are needed to tackle this issue. Specifically, he, as well as Dean of Academic Affairs, John T. Crist, identified that only when students come forward with their issues can the administration take appropriate actions. While there was a follow-up question asking for specific criteria or guidelines for professors to follow while online, Dean Matz clarified that he trusted the faculty at George Mason University Korea to take the actions they see fit for their respective courses. Additionally, Dean Matz confirmed that professor post-course evaluation surveys will likely return for the Fall 2020 semester as a way for students’ concerns to be heard.
For the second question about the financial transparency, the faculty provided a website link that shows the information on student enrollment, tuition, and so on; however, many students seemed dissatisfied with the information not being directly posted on the official George Mason University Korea website. Lastly, there were questions throughout the Town Hall regarding textbook accessibility, especially in the era of COVID-19. While the answer was not definitive, Dean Matz indicated there is a possibility for a campus store to be opened in the near future to solve this issue.
While there are still lingering questions caused by the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the university’s response to these issues, the active willingness of the leadership of George Mason University Korea to hear the concerns of students and faculty alike highlights the growth of the university. Despite the stumbling blocks and setbacks caused by the pandemic that have resulted in frustration for the student body and faculty, it is clear that the leadership is willing and ready to take on these challenges to continue to grow our Mason Korea community.
Written by Yeonseo Shim | Staff Writer
Comments