Fairfax County

Fairfax community works to fight homelessness, hunger

Senior Yara Mowafy first thought of the idea of donating unused meal plans to homeless students while working on a project for a communication class.

Two years later, donating meal plans is out of the question, but Mowafy has managed, along with senior Jordan Bivings, to set up a Meal Plan Assistance Fund for homeless students. The fund is located in the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs.

Students in need of emergency meal assis­tance are either referred to the Office of Case Management and Student Support or can self-identify to this office.

OPINION: Uranium mining poses threat to Fairfax drinking water

Clean and safe drinking water is fundamental. And typically it’s a given—when was the last time you questioned the safety of your drinking water?

But sadly we are in the midst of a serious fight to protect our drinking water from significant health threats—both our surface waters’ like the Potomac and the Occoquan which are the source for our drinking water here in Fairfax, and groundwater sources that give water to rural communities not served by municipalities, like my family in Pittsylvania County.

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."

City of Fairfax takes steps to embrace Mason community

As Fairfax takes steps to embrace George Mason University, questions are raised about the changing relationship between the university and the community.

Week in review: June 22, 2013

While I was looking for numbers about the age of Mason's faculty, I stumbled across an annual "Factbook" that's compiled by the Office of Institutional Research and Reporting. The document is packed with information on everything from where freshmen are from to how the university spends its money. 

Fairfax passes 1-cent increase in tax rate, closes budget gap

Faced with reduced federal government spending, a $169 million budget gap and sequestration, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a compromise budget for the 2014–2015 fiscal year.

The budget presented by Fairfax County Executive Ed Long initially proposed a 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate, but the board ultimately decided on a 1-cent increase. According to a county press release, the increase will cost the average county homeowner an additional $216 in real estate taxes.

VIDEO: Connect2Mason speaks with Fairfax County Supervisor John Cook

On March 28, Connect2Mason sat down with Fairfax County Supervisor John Cook to discuss the relationship between the university and the community, his initial impressions of President Ángel Cabrera, and upcoming renovations to University Hall.

Cook was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2009. 

 

Students speak out against polling location change

At a public hearing held by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, students spoke out in opposition to a motion that would have changed the polling location on campus from University Hall to Mason Hall.

“There were challenges with the University Hall location. We had people voting in a concession area rather than in a closed room,” said Cameron Quinn, general registrar for the county. “There have also been issues with parking over at University Hall.”

Mason transportation study receives criticism from smart growth group

A new study by the George Mason Center for Regional Analysis has received criticism from smart growth advocates who believe the study’s results put too much emphasis on road construction as a means for economic growth.

In early October of 2012, the CRA released a study that measured which forms of transportation would help lead to economic growth in the area.

The study projects that by 2040, $977 billion dollars in Gross Regional Product (GRP) will come from automobile use, $298 billion will be from transit, and $67 billion will be from biking and walking.

Forum held to discuss university construction projects with community members

At a forum on Oct. 3, George Mason University officials spoke with community members to answer questions about ongoing projects and issues.  

The forum was held a week after the Fairfax Campus Advisory Board meeting, where elected officials from the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County met with Mason to discuss collaboration across the campus perimeter.

President Angel Cabrera was in attendance at the forum to introduce himself to the community and to listen to the concerns they had with the university.