Category: Post

As part of the College of Education and Human Development’s continuing efforts to support student research here at George Mason University, we are sharing this research study participation request:

I’m Sasha Toophanie, a Criminal Justice Masters student at Mason, and I’m completing a white paper for CRIM 517, our practicum course. I’m writing my white paper for George Mason’s Police Department (GMUPD) and focusing on their community policing efforts, as well as current student perception of the police.

To gather data, I’m conducting an anonymous survey out to undergraduate students and alumni to assess student perception and provide data on how GMUPD can improve their community policing strategies in the future.

Participate in the survey here.

 

It’s here, CEHD students – the weekend before finals. Most of you probably have plans to hunker down and study material, write final papers, and memorize everything you possibly can for that timed virtual exam. And to you I say, “Bravo!” You’re almost to the finish line; this final effort will be worth it.  

As you settle into your productive weekend, keep in mind that a weekend dedicated to preparing for final exams does not mean nixing all self-care practices in the name of cramming. In fact, it should mean the opposite. Practicing self-care throughout your weekend, before, during, and after studying, will help you to keep anxious and stressful thoughts at bay, ultimately giving you more headspace to dedicate to studying. 

Do you want to make the most of the last weekend before finals? Commit yourself daily to your studies and to this checklist (click to expand): 

Choosing to be thankful only when circumstances are ideal runs the risk of spending most of our lives waiting around for a moment good enough to be grateful for.

As we return from Thanksgiving break most of us have our eyes set on one big, beautiful prize: saying goodbye to 2020. This year has mercilessly thrown one curveball after another, nudging each of us closer and closer to a breaking point. We’re exhausted, we’re lacking focus, and we left our motivation and daytime clothes somewhere back in April or May.   

In a time where we have every excuse in the world to be thankless, why would we extend Thanksgiving?

Beginning October 11, CEHD’s Student Success Team will be offering a 4-week on-demand Academic Success Toolkit on the topic of Time Management. Check your Mason email every Sunday for links to the latest Toolkit installment in The 2200 student news digest.  Today we wanted to share an excerpt from the first installment:

Time management is the way in which you organize your time spent on tasks set forth for each week, day, or hour.  Time management can either make or break your experience on anything in life, from getting ready and getting to dinner with your friends to completing a mid-term assignment.  What you do with your time minute-to-minute may seem small, but when we magnify those minutes into hours, and hours into days, the management of that time becomes your life.  It is likely you have already implemented a time management toolkit into your lifestyle, but let’s take an inventory of those skills to build them, strengthen them, and continue to evolve them.

Time management is a skill that will always be shifting.  The time you have to manage changes with each phase of life and how you do so will change in accordance to your new goals.  Where your time is being spent should be reflective of where you want to go next.  Thus, as a graduate student, new or returning, the way you manage your time this year will be different from the last.  This is why it is important to know how to assess your management skills and make them fit for you.  

Before managing time, you need to manage your supporting skills.  Do you know what is ahead of you?  Without the organizational skills to be aware of your expectations, there is nothing to manage except free time.  Not only should you be organizing your thoughts, but also your priorities.  The prioritization of tasks will lead you to manage your time most effectively and allow structure even on your most time-crunched days. Consider balancing responsibilities as an essential time management tool for your schedule and your wellbeing.  Remember, “no” is a one-word sentence.  Unexpected requirements will rear their ugly heads, but knowing where and when to opt-out can help you organize, prioritize, and manage your time.    

Lastly, your personal preferences are a key player in your time management toolkit.  Maybe you are a list person.  Maybe you keep everything in your smartphone.  What about a planner!?  The important thing is that you know what works for you on day one, and also what is still working for you on day 152 of the semester.  Time management is not a one-size-fits-all set of tools, but a customizable toolkit put together with an assortment of skills and concepts.   

Successful time management will look and feel productive, will harness just the right amount of stress to ignite motivation, and will likely result in a formed routine.  However, be aware that being busy does not always imply productivity.  Be sure that your managed time is distraction-free and that your free time, while still managed, doesn’t bleed into your production hours.  Take inventory of your time to know where you are spending it and what your hours look like.  Use this Time Management Toolkit to get a grasp of where you are, where you are going, and exactly how you want to get there.  The foundational skills ahead of you will help you move forward successfully in your personal life, in CEHD, and moving forward.

Today (September 15) marks the last day a student may drop a class from their fall 2020 full semester schedule. If you drop a class today, you will receive a 50% refund on the tuition for that course and the course will not appear on your transcript. But what if you realize a class isn’t going to work for you after today? 

That’s where Mason’s course withdrawal policy can help. Withdrawing from a course can help save your GPA or make a challenging semester more manageable, but there are also some repercussions to choosing this option. Read on to learn more about withdrawal options and their pros and cons.

Unrestricted Withdrawal

The Upside:  Withdrawing from a class results in a W on your transcript.  This can be much better than an F.  The W has no impact on your overall GPA.

The Downside:  No tuition is refunded when you withdraw from a course.  A withdrawal also counts toward the number of credits attempted on your academic record.  This is probably not a big deal if you only withdraw from one or two courses over the span of your entire degree, but students must successfully complete at least 67% of the credits they have attempted across all institutions attended to maintain the Satisfactory Academic Progress needed to qualify for financial aid and to maintain good academic standing.  Also, all students must complete their programs of study by attempting no more than 150% of the hours normally required for completion.  That’s usually 180 credit hours for undergraduates.

The Deadline:  All students may withdraw from a class via Patriot Web from September 16 – 28, 2020

Selective Withdrawal

The Upside:  The benefits are the same as Unrestricted Withdrawal but with the added bonus of more time to try to ace the midterm and boost your grade.  Undergraduates may use a maximum of three selective withdrawals for any reason over the entire course of their degree.

The Downside:  Sorry graduate students, Selective Withdrawals are ONLY FOR UNDERGRADUATES.  Like Unrestricted Withdrawals, Selective Withdrawals don’t come with tuition refunds and the course still counts toward your attempted credit hours.

The Deadline: Undergraduates can execute a Selective Withdrawal from September 29 – October 28, 2020.

Students can execute the withdrawals mentioned above online via Patriot Web.  However – and we cannot say this too much – if you’re making significant changes to your schedule, make an appointment to see your advisor!  This semester, CEHD academic advisors are available for appointments via video conference and may also be able to find time to give a little guidance via email.  A conversation with an advisor can help ensure that your course changes won’t have a negative impact on your degree path, financial aid, or housing status.  The Office of the University Registrar suggests you always see your advisor before withdrawing from a course.

Other Types of Withdrawals

The two methods of course withdrawal listed above allow eligible students to withdraw for any reason, and without needing to share that reason with Mason. There are some cases where, after these withdrawal periods have expired, a student may still need to request a withdrawal. Course withdrawals are sometimes granted for exceptional circumstances, such as a serious personal illness. These types of withdrawals cannot be made via Patriot Web, and are handled on a case-by-case basis. They also require extensive documentation of your reasons for making the request and require approval and processing by the college. Reach out to the CEHD Office of Student and Academic Affairs to initiate this type of withdrawal.

Do you still have questions about course withdrawal policy?  The College of Education and Human Development Office of Student and Academic Affairs is here to help.  Contact us at [email protected] or call 703-993-2080.