- Add/drop period: A period where students can add or drop classes. Be sure to look out for the following dates: Last Day to Drop with 100% tuition refund for Full Semester, Drop period begins with 50% tuition refund for Full Semester, Unrestricted Withdrawal Period for Full Semester: 100% Tuition Liability. Be sure to note these dates before you add or drop a course.
- Adjunct faculty/professor: Adjunct faculty are part-time appointments appointed to fulfill the teaching and advising responsibilities associated with a specific course (or a set of specified courses) on a semester-by-semester basis. Adjunct faculty/professor works part-time as opposed to full-time faculty.
- Blackboard: A platform used to submit assignments, access course materials, and message classmates or professors.
- CARES Act: COVID-19 emergency grants are provided to students as part of the federal government’s COVID-19 CARES Act.
- Co-requisite courses: Courses you can complete before OR concurrently with the course that requires it
- Contemporary Student Services: Contemporary Students are defined as the following: adult Learners 25 and older, off-campus students, transfer students, married, widowed, or divorced students, veterans, and military-affiliated, took three years or more off from college, pregnant or parenting, previously in the foster-care system/foster care alumni.
- Degree works: The degree evaluation system that helps students identify graduation requirements for their general education, major, and minor. This evaluation will show details such as unmet and completed requirements.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are made up of the following offices: the Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment (CCEE). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ Resources Center (LGBTQ+), and the First Gen+ Center. The mission of these offices is to advocate and provide support for students’ needs.
- Duo Two-Factor Authentication: Protects student’s personal information by sending a code, message, or call to a student’s email/phone number when logging into a Mason platform
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: Loans for undergraduate students with financial needs. Interest does not accrue while the student is in school or on deferment.
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: Loans for undergraduate and graduate students. Not based on financial need. The interest accrues once it is disbursed until it is fully paid.
- Federal work-study: Provides part-time jobs to students while earning money for their education expenses. Students can find open federal work-study positions on Handshake!
- First-generation student: First-generation college student applies to those students whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not receive or complete any level of post-secondary education, enrolled at or earned a two-year degree from a community college, or earned any level of post-secondary education outside the United States.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): An application that determines a student’s eligibility for federal/state grants, work-study, and loans for college.
- Grants: A form of financial aid awarded by the state or federal government that does not need to be repaid. Eligibility is determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and the student’s enrollment status.
- Handshake: A platform for Mason students to apply for on and off-campus jobs and internships. It also has resources regarding employment advice and career fair details.
- Johnson Center (JC): One of the biggest Student Center buildings. The JC is known for its food court where students gather to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can also find many study spots in the JC along with meeting rooms that can be reserved!
- Learning Communities (LC): A group of students living on campus who share a common academic college, identity, or interest! To explore various learning communities, please visit this website
- Linked section: A course that has a linked lab and/or recitation that students must enroll in to successfully register for the course
- Loans: Money that is borrowed and must be paid back with interest. Major: A major is the main focus or subject of a student’s degree.
- Mason Alert: Mason Alert is George Mason University’s emergency notification system that is used to send emergency notifications and timely warnings to the university community via text, email, telephone call, and digital signage.
- Mason Core: The Mason Core is a set of required courses that create the foundation of an undergraduate degree. Students must complete the required mason core courses to graduate and complete their baccalaureate degree
- Mason Money: A prepaid card that students can deposit money to using Mason ID or Mason Money Card. Students can add funds to the card using Mason Money Online, Mason Money App, and Mason Card Office (Sub1, room 1203).
- Mason360: A platform for Mason students to browse on-campus student organizations, view upcoming university events, and connect with fellow Patriots.
- Minor: A minor is the secondary focus or subject that may or may not be related to the student’s major.
- Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, & Research (OSCAR): OSCAR is the home of undergraduate research and creative activities at Mason. The office connects students who want to pursue research or creative project with faculty mentors. OSCAR is in the Johnson Center, room 228.
- Override: An override allows students to register for courses that have restrictions due to missing prerequisites, corequisites, and limited capacity. Students can reach out to the course’s department to request an override, if possible.
- Patriot Activities Council (PAC): The student programming board that organizes university-wide events such as homecoming, Mason Day, amusement park trips, and more!
- Patriot Web: A self-service site where students can access the following services: register, add, or drop classes, check grades, view class schedule, order transcript, view account summaries and tax information … and more!
- Pre-requisite courses: Courses that must be completed before signing up for a course that requires it. Sometimes, these courses might require students to have certain minimum grade requirements.
- Registrar Office: Serves as the steward of academic information by creating, maintaining, certifying, and protecting student course, degree, and student records.
- Scholarship: Money awarded to students based on academic performance, achievement, or financial need. Scholarships do not have to be paid back.
- StarRez: On-campus housing portal that offers options for students to sign-up for on-campus housing, apply for Living Learning Communities (LLCs), and enter maintenance requests.
- Student Fiscal Services (SFS): The SFS office manages student billing, refunds, student account information, student tax reporting, and many more services. For more information, please visit this website.
- Student Services Center (MSSC): MSSC offers both in-person and virtual services for information regarding registration, enrollment, financial aid, billing, academic records, and other student support services.
- SUB I: Student Union Building I is a place students can use to relax or study at the Patriot Lounge. Some of the offices in SUB I are the Student Health Services, LGBTQ+ Office, Disability Services, First-Gen+ Center, and many more!
- The Corner Pocket: Located inside the HUB. The Corner Pocket has many arcade games, board games, table games, and video games. To view the game rates, please visit here.
- The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): A federal law established to protect the privacy of student records. Confidential student information will not be communicated to a third party, including immediate family members, without the expressed consent of the student, except when allowed under FERPA law.
- The Hub: The HUB has a game arcade where students can gather to play at the Corner Pocket. Many events and club meetings are also hosted at the Hub Ballroom and meeting rooms. Some offices at the HUB are Student Involvement, Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Office, Contemporary Services, and more!
- Time ticket: The time and date that is assigned to a student to register for classes for the following semester. Honors college students will receive priority registration. Continuing students are assigned a time ticket based on the number of completed hours.
- Title IX: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex under any education program or activity receiving federal funding. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX.
- UNIV Courses: These courses are designed to help students transition into college. Students can connect with faculty and other students through their UNIV courses. Additionally, students will learn about many college resources and opportunities by enrolling in a UNIV course. To learn more about UNIV courses, please visit this website.
- University Life (UL): UL is made of many offices that provide services and resources to ensure students’ academic success. UL offices include the following: First-Gen+ Center, Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment (CCEE), Housing and Residence Life, and more… To see the full list of UL Offices, please visit this website.
- Waitlist: If a student wants to register for a class, but it is full, they can waitlist for that class. Once a student drops out of the course, the next waiting waitlist will have 48 hours to sign-up for the class. Please be mindful that students are not automatically registered from a waitlist. The overrides will be removed once the 48 hours period has passed.
References:
Mason’s New Student and Family Programs
All links attached were used to define the listed terms.