George Mason University’s governing board has approved a 1.5% raise for President Gregory Washington in exchange for reducing some of the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The decision comes as the Department of Justice investigates the institution over alleged discrimination in hiring practices, amid ongoing political and legal scrutiny of DEI initiatives under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Washington, who began his tenure as president at GMU in 2020, has faced mounting pressure from the Trump administration to end race-conscious hiring practices. In a comment following the board’s approval, Washington said,