Contemporary Student Services aims to support justice-impacted students through advocacy, resource building, and education.
Definitions of justice-impacted student vary slightly depending on the source (e.g. here), GMU’s Contemporary Student Services’ scope and definition of a justice-impacted student is a previously or currently incarcerated student or is someone previously or currently incarcerated pursuing a higher education degree or certificate.
Toolkit: Building Supports for George Mason University’s Justice-Impacted Students
This toolkit provides justice-impacted students, faculty, and staff with important resources in navigating higher education.
Click here to access the toolkit or use the url: bit.ly/jistoolkit1
This toolkit provides justice-impacted students, faculty, and staff with important resources in navigating higher education.
This toolkit was created for students and potential students of George Mason University impacted by the criminal justice system and the faculty and staff that will support justice-impacted students. Higher education institutions aren’t made for justice-impacted students to succeed. Unfortunately, this process can be isolating, and no student should feel alone or stuck because they don’t know what to do.
This toolkit provides tangible actions that can be taken before applying, during the application process, and while justice-impacted students are in school. We hope it can be used as a stepping stone towards finding additional opportunities for academic and non-academic success.
This toolkit includes both internal and external institutional resources to provide well-rounded support as some resources at George Mason need to be expanded. Due to the complexities of the justice-impacted student experience, and higher education process, resources may be cross-listed in multiple sections.
Although George Mason University does not have an official Prison Education Program, we are a public university committed to creating access to education. GMU is tied to the state, and the impact that the institution has on reducing recidivism through education, building a qualified workforce, and a culturally aware community radiates throughout all industries. It doesn’t matter where people go to school, just that they have the opportunity to build skills and knowledge, social and professional connections, and a sense of belonging in the community.
The toolkit is not all-inclusive of the resources needed by students and faculty or the background, history, and experiences of justice-impacted individuals. If you wish to provide additional resources, please contact George Mason University Contemporary Student Services at masoncss@gmu.edu.
