About 70 George Mason University students, and interim university president Anne Holton, will lobby state legislators in Richmond about issues that impact Mason and its community on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Mason Lobbies.
George Mason students visit Richmond to meet with lawmakers during Mason Lobbies 2019. Photo by Lathan Goumas/George Mason University
Why Mason Lobbies?
“Mason Lobbies gives our students insight into the democratic process and encourages them to become more civically engaged,” said Sarah Huang Spota, associate director of State Government Relations at Mason. “It allows students to be heard and represented by their local elected official, and the officials love hearing from students about how the bills and issues they are considering can have a direct impact on their lives.”
We spoke with Mason Student Body President and public administration senior Camden Layton about the upcoming Mason Lobbies:
Why are you attending Mason Lobbies?
“I am attending Mason Lobbies to advocate for the general population of the Mason community,” Layton said. “Though we focus on student needs and concerns, we also will advocate for the faculty and concerns they have. I attended last year for the first time, and it was a great time being able to meet with legislators and advocating for what we believed in, as well as telling the Mason story.”
Why is it important for Mason students to have their voices heard?
“The best advocates for Mason and the stories we have are the students, and it is crucial to have a civically engaged student population to be able to lobby for issues important to us.”
What have you learned from Mason Lobbies?
“I have learned the importance of getting out there and sharing our story. Many legislators know about Mason and what we have to offer, but by being physically in the room, it can have a much greater impact than by reading a paper with facts.”
What issues are you advocating for?
“I am going to be advocating for an increase in state funding proportionally to other state institutions. We have historically received very low funding compared to other universities, but our investments in the state are one of the highest. I am also advocating for HB 1157, introduced by Delegate [Kathy] Tran, which would allow for the student member of the Board of Visitors to serve in a voting manner, rather than as a nonvoting member.”