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University Resources

The following offices at George Mason University provide resources and support to students, faculty, and staff in need. Click on the name of each office to learn more about the type of support they may be able to provide.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI provides leadership, resources, information, and support on matters relating to equity, diversity, access, respect and inclusiveness for all members of the George Mason University community.

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Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS provides a wide range of free services to students, faculty, and staff. Services are provided by a staff of licensed clinical psychologists, social workers, professional counselors, learning specialists, and psychiatrists. Our individual and group therapy, workshops, online self-help, and community education programs are designed to enhance students’ personal experience and academic performance.

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Human Resources (HR)

The Employee Relations Team has access to a large number of resources to help faculty and staff effectively address problems in the workplace.  To speak with Employee relations, contact (703)993-3878, emprel@gmu.edu, or visit the Human Resources and Payroll Department on the 4th floor of Merten Hall.

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Office of Disability Services (ODS)

As part of George Mason University’s continuing commitment to upholding the letter and spirit of the laws that ensure equal treatment of people with disabilities, the university established and maintains Disability Services. Under the administration of University Life, the center implements and coordinates reasonable accommodations and disability-related services that afford equal access to university programs and activities.

Disability Services is available to serve all students with disabilities, including those with cognitive, learning, psychological, sustained head injuries, sensory, mobility, and other physical impairments.

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Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC)

The Student Support and Advocacy Center provides support services to explore healthy life choices. We offer educational programming, one-on-one consultations, and resources in the areas of interpersonal violence, personal wellness, and alcohol and drug use. We assist students encountering barriers to personal success.

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Student Health Services (SHS)

SHS provides accessible and affordable health care to all currently enrolled Mason students in a caring and confidential environment. We offer a wide variety of services to keep our community healthy. From diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury, to immunizations and prescriptions, to nutrition counseling and physical exams.

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Title IX Coordinator

Items that are investigated under Title IX include stalking, intimate partner violence, sex and gender-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, complicity and retaliation. If you have experienced any of these behaviors, remedial and protective measures and support services are available for you.
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Definitions

Click any of the below terms to read its definition.

Aggravated Assault

An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. (It is not necessary that injury result from an aggravated assault when a gun, knife, or other weapon is used which could and probably would result in serious personal injury if the crime were successfully completed.)

Arson

Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

Burglary

The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. For reporting purposes this definition includes: unlawful entry with intent to commit a larceny or felony; breaking and entering with intent to commit a larceny; housebreaking; safecracking; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.

Criminal Homicide

Manslaughter by Negligence: The killing of another person through gross negligence.

Non-negligent Manslaughter: The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.

Dating Violence

Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on (1) the reporting party’s statement and with (2) consideration of the length of the relationship, (3) type of relationship, and (4) frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. For the purposes of this definition, dating violence includes, but is not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse.

Domestic Violence

Violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the complainant, by a person with whom the complainant shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the complainant as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the complainant under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred, or by any other person against an adult or youth complainant who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred.

Hate Crimes

If any of the aforementioned crimes, or larceny-theft, simple assault, intimidation, and destruction, damage, or vandalism of property or any other crime involving bodily injury, that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim’s actual or perceived race, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or disability, then the incident must be reported as a hate crime.

  • Larceny-Theft is the unlawful taking, carrying, leading or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Constructive possession is the condition in which a person does not have physical custody or possession, but is in a position to exercise dominion or control over a thing.
  • Simple Assault is an unlawful physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon, nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness.
  • Intimidation is to unlawfully place another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words and/or other conduct, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the victim to actual physical attack.
  • Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property is to willfully or maliciously destroy, damage, deface, or otherwise injure real or personal property without the consent of the owner or the person having custody or control of it.
Motor Vehicle Theft

The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. (Classify as motor vehicle theft all cases where automobiles are taken by persons not having lawful access even though the vehicles are later abandoned including joyriding.)

Robbery

The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

Sex Offenses

Any sexual act directed against another person, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent. The term ‘Sexual Assault’ encompasses an offense that meets the definition of the following:

  • Rape: Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim
  • Fondling: The touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or, not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her youth or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental incapacity.
  • Incest: Non-forcible sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.
  • Statutory Rape: Non-forcible sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.
Stalking

Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to-(A) Fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or (B) Suffer substantial emotional distress. Examples of stalking behaviors include, but are not limited to, the following: non-consensual communication, including face-to-face, telephone calls, voice messages, email, texts, written letters; unwanted gifts; threatening or obscene gestures; pursuing or following; surveillance or other observation; trespassing; vandalism; and non-consensual touching.

Weapon Law Violations

The violation of laws or ordinances dealing with weapon offenses, regulatory in nature, such as: manufacture, sale, or possession of deadly weapons; carrying deadly weapons, concealed or openly; furnishing deadly weapons to minors; aliens possessing deadly weapons; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.

Crisis Hotlines
  • Suicide and Crisis Hotline
    Free and confidential support for people in distress
    988
    Online Crisis Chat
  • Veterans Crisis Line
    800-273-8255
  • Mason Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Crisis Line
    24-hour crisis support resources
    703-380-1434
  • Crisis Text Line
    Serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information
    Text 741-741
  • Crisis Line
    24-hour suicide, crisis, and information and referral hotline
    703-527-4077
  • Non-Emergency Contact
    Counseling and Psychological Services
    703-993-2380
    Student and Support and Advocacy Center
    703-993-3686