GMU keeps embattled president, raises his salary to $823,000
George Mason President Gregory Washington was allowed to keep his job by the university's Board of Visitors amid multiple federal investigations.
The institution went a step further, increasing Washington's pay by 1.5 percent.
George Mason University’s Board of Visitors unanimously approved a 1.5% salary increase for President Gregory Washington on Friday, signaling institutional support for his leadership even as the university faces four federal investigations into alleged civil rights violations.
Washington had been under growing scrutiny from faculty, lawmakers, and the public ahead of his annual performance review.
The review, held during a closed-door session, came just weeks after the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice opened investigations into the university’s hiring practices and its handling of alleged anti-Semitic harassment on campus.
The Virginia Mercury reports Washington’s new salary is $823,452.43.
[RELATED: Department of Education investigates GMU for civil rights violations in faculty hiring]
The raise, provided for in Virginia’s General Assembly budget, followed a closed-door performance review that included Washington’s “Navigating Rough Waters” state-of-the-institution address. Washington emphasized the university’s growing role in Northern Virginia and touted the incoming freshman class of 2025 as the largest, most diverse, and most academically qualified in its history.
Federal agencies are currently investigating four allegations against GMU, including racial and sex-based discrimination in hiring, violations of Title VI, and anti-Semitic harassment. The investigations follow a pattern of increasing oversight into Virginia’s public universities, including the recent resignation of UVA President Jim Ryan under similar pressure.
Washington’s critics argue that his leadership failed to condemn anti-Semitism after the 2023 shooting of Palestinian students while issuing statements against anti-Muslim bias.
Some Jewish faculty members have since pushed back on the narrative of a hostile campus environment, expressing concern that the federal probes may chill academic debate under the guise of civil rights enforcement.
Supporters of Washington, including faculty leaders and Democratic lawmakers, previously warned that his job could be at risk and urged the Board to resist political influence in its decision.
Friday’s unanimous vote for a pay raise appears to solidify his standing for now.