By Mykia Glass and R. Brannigan

  In the face of increased reports of Anti-Semitic and Islamophobic activity on campus, George Mason University students continue fighting for a town hall with President Gregory Washington. 

  Virginia colleges are no strangers to campus-wide “town halls,” a common practice where the student body expresses its needs and concerns to the greater administrative body, yet, an odd exception to this rule is the bustling campus of George Mason University, the largest public university in Virginia.

  Historically, the university has hosted multiple town halls each year, yet the current president, Gregory Washington, has not hosted a town hall for the students despite the rising distress and lack of safety that many students of all backgrounds have expressed. After four months of pressure from the Mason Student Government, a day and time was chosen for the first public town hall, February 7, 1-2 pm. However, students’ troubles persisted. 

  The Student Senate met on February 1^st., discussing some of the issues that had developed in the recent weeks. Student Senator, Caden Garofalo released a statement criticizing the university for failing to meet the communicative needs of its students. 

  “To this whole senate, I ask, why do we settle?… I don’t know what’s happening because I am not being included in any conversations whatsoever. They [the administration] seem like they don’t want to collaborate with us.” 

  Garofalo’s comments come on the heels of the recent deletion of the Mason360 event, a platform used extensively by the university, and the refusal of the school to allow Student Government members to hand out fliers made by Student Senators Garofalo and Gabriel Curtis. 

  Many members of the public, gathered by Garofalo to bear witness, pressed together, crowding the small gallery to watch in stony silence as the Student Senator continued. 

  “We are not a puppet of the administration. We are our own body… I ask that we reflect inward on what Student Government really means. Are we just members of the administration, trying to say we have the students’ voice, or are we a body for the student voice?… I believe that we need to really look at what we’re going to represent this coming semester. And what role of accountability we’re supposed to play.” 

  Garofalo concluded by calling for the addition of an appendix– a pair of emails sent to Vice President of University Life, Rose Pascarell from Student Senator Curtis. Within the emails, Pascarell refused to acknowledge concerns regarding the alleged lateness of President Washington as well as concerns that the students would not have complete freedom to air their grievances. She instead commented that the tone of his requests were “disrespectful” and that President Washington would decide how “his town hall is managed.”

  In response to the accusation that his message was disrespectful, Curtis addressed the Senate, stating, “I don’t really care if the administration feels angry at the students for trying to speak up about student concerns. We should be focusing on what the students feel and conveying that to the administration.” 

  The appendix was later removed, following another Student Senator’s statement; “I don’t think that student government’s conduct regarding this town hall has been entirely perfect either. We shouldn’t fight fire with fire and I think including this appendix isn’t a good look and isn’t really representative of the student body either.” In the end, all but Garofalo voted in favor of the email’s removal. 

  As of now, the town hall remains, though all forms of advertising have been largely quelled. Chalk drawings, another popular medium for students to advertise upcoming events, were erased on Wednesday, January 31, at around one in the morning. “I saw someone washing away the chalk,” an anonymous witness reported. “I don’t know who they were, I just saw someone with a bucket splashing it.” 

  Posters have been permitted by Mason only two days before the event, with little time to circulate. In protest, posters unconnected to the University have begun circulating, calling for students to attend this event despite the setbacks. 

  If any students are curious about the town hall and wish to attend, it is on Wednesday, February 7th from 1-2pm. In the HUB Ballroom It is important to note that in order to attend this meeting everyone must register for the event on the newly created Mason360 link. https://mason360.gmu.edu/ULIFE/rsvp_boot?id=2263132