Fourth Estate Weekly
Veterans connect through Mason resources
|The Office of Military Services fills in the gaps left by other university services to help veteran students maximize their education benefits.
Military Services falls under the office of admissions, allowing them to inform students about their benefits and offer them assistance from the very beginning of their college experience.
President Cabrera, Parking Services use Twitter to connect with students
|In a world increasingly interconnected by social media, President Ángel Cabrera and Director of Parking and Transportation Josh Cantor utilize Twitter as a means to connect with and inform students.
President Cabrera joined Twitter in 2010, realizing that the website’s increasing popularity could be harnessed as a valuable student outreach tool.
National rise in Molly use leads officials to raise awareness
|Kathryn Hernandez first heard about Molly in a popular song on the radio.
Hernandez, a criminology major at Mason, didn't think much of the song until she received a mass email from Rose Pascarell, vice president of University Life, warning students about the dangers of the drug Molly.
"You always hear about it in songs on the radio, but I didn't know that Molly was something big on campuses," Hernandez said. "So her email really brought it to the forefront that it's becoming a problem among college students."
Mercatus Center project rates states on freedom
|The Mercatus Center at Mason has released the results of the Freedom in 50 States project, a study aimed to show how states match up to each other in terms of freedom.
The Mercatus Center, located in Arlington, conducts research on political and economic issues.
The Freedom in 50 States project was conducted and authored by William Ruger and Jason Sorens and ranks states based on different aspects of freedom.
Undercover ex-gay group accuses Mason of obstructing alternative therapies
|Voice of the Voiceless, an organization advocating for the rights of ex-gay individuals, recently went undercover at the Mason LGBTQ resource center to examine how individuals dealing with unwanted sexual attractions are treated at Virginia universities.
Christopher Doyle, president and co-founder of Voice of the Voiceless, believes LGBTQ resource centers at Virginia universities discriminate against both former homosexuals and individuals with unwanted same-sex attractions who do not identify as LGBTQ.
Recycling program encourages waste reduction on campus
|For the past year, an experiment has been underway at Mason. Located in every dorm room across campus are now more than 3,000 recycling bins intended to encourage residents to reduce waste.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Office of Sustainability, was jointly funded by the Patriot Green Fund, the Auxiliary Enterprise Management Council, and a grant from the Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Program.
Margaret Lo, the director of the Office of Sustainability, described the first year of the program as a success.
Parking Services provides transportation alternatives for commuter students
|For George Mason University student Julia Jazynka, who lives near the Vienna metro station, alternative transportation makes sense.
"I live right next to the metro so it's cheaper to just take the shuttle than have to pay for parking or anything," Jazynka said.
Not every student needs to live near a major metro station to have access to public transportation. Mason provides students with many options to avoid having a car on campus, most of which are either free or much cheaper than maintaining a car.
3-D Visualization lab opens for classes in spring 2014
|Located on the bottom floor of Exploratory Hall is the brand new Visualization Lab, boosting students’ educational experiences through the use of three-dimensional high definition technology.
In the works since the remodeling of Exploratory Hall, construction on the lab began in late May. The lab is expected to be completed in early 2014.
Justin Brown, the director of information technology and security, has been working with Senior Engineer Duane King on preparing the visualization lab for use.
Mason students weigh the costs and benefits of unpaid internships
|The days of hurried coffee runs and phone answering may be coming to an end for interns across America.
Safety systems updated to include neighborhood assistant program
|The Office of Housing and Residence life has entered into a new partnership with the Mason Office of Physical Security after ending their contract with Securitas, an external security firm, in July. OHRL has also started a new student neighborhood assistant program that works closely with the Office of Physical Security to ensure safety in the residence halls.