Picture of the Town Hall Meeting poster; Original source by Mason Korea Website https://masonkorea.gmu.edu/events/12610
On 10 September, the Fall 2021 Town Hall meeting was held by Campus Dean Robert Matz. The leadership of George Mason University Korea (GMUK) offered the student body as well as the faculty information regarding new changes in Mason Korea regarding academics and COVID-19 measures. Although this meeting was conducted via Zoom due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it was considered the successful session that proved that Mason Korea has a great future for all of the student body and faculty.
“I want to let you know that Mason is number one.” Dean Matz opened up the Fall 2021 Town Hall Meeting with the pleasing news and outcomes of George Mason University. “We were recently ranked the top US university under 50 years old. More broadly, according to the US News and World Report ranking, which is an influential set of rankings in the US, Mason has 18 programs in the top 50. And George Mason is the top university in Virginia for social mobility.” So, as he said, George Mason University has gained the desired outcome currently.
Starting off the Town Hall meeting, Dean Matz came out swinging with the question on everyone’s mind: What will the rest of the semester look like? Dean Matz explained that the Mason Korea faculty leadership sought the proper instruction model during the pandemic. Nevertheless, GMUK would remain the same as they currently operate due to the social distancing protocol. Online courses might be relatively low-quality compared to completing in-person courses. However, it still provides better learning experiences to students in this pandemic. In response to this reality, the Campus Dean ensured that students could maximize their education in GMUK, including active participation in classes and attending online office hours for better understanding.
There was also an improvement compared to the previous years for the more related news to GMUK. Dean Matz said about the current circumstance of Mason Korea, “We have this fall, the largest new fall class in Mason Korea’s history and the largest number of students during the fall coming from Mason in the US to study with us.” As more students are coming to the university, the university should prepare to have more faculty members. Furthermore, there will be more added courses for the students. Dean Matz put emphasis on this growth, saying, “You are resources for one another. More students mean more friends, more diversity, more energy for students’ organizations.”
During the Q&A session, one student raised a proposal subject about Fairfax Info Session concerning whether the Information Session would open this semester. The student strongly expressed her opinion that sharing information is necessary for providing opportunities for students who will go to Fairfax. In terms of the concern, Dean Marcel responded that our university would provide students with information sessions for transition to Fairfax each semester. Moreover, the president of GMUK Student Council, Claire Jung (GMUK, Conflict Analysis & Resolution, ‘23), presented that there are various supports for students who go to Fairfax campus, including Kakaotalk group chats, Everytime (online community), and a Korean Christian club in the States called “GMU Campers at Mason.” Through the personal interview, President Jung said, “This semester, 33 of our students received help from Campers @ Mason – which we are grateful for! I am glad that we were able to lay this bridge across.”
The Fall 2021 Town Hall Meeting provided an opportunity to have updates that all students of GMUK might consider deeply: the outcomes of the university, further measures to COVID-19, and necessary information of transition to Fairfax. Compared to the previous Town Hall Meeting, the student participation rate was smaller compared to previous years; however, it was pretty satisfying for both students and faculty. In this Town Hall, students could get satisfying answers to their inquiries. Sometimes, it may be essential to have a heated discussion and argument to find a better solution. However, by participating comfortably without any pressure or oppressive feeling, students and faculty became able to look forward to a better future for GMUK. It seems like both the leadership of Mason Korea and the Student’s Council will continue to improve students to have a better college experience in George Mason University Korea.
Written by Eun Cho | staff writer
Revised by Yu Bin Kwon | Managing Editor
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