The Board of Visitors Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Committee
These images featuring recruitment pamphlets from 1978 and 1983 demonstrate Mason’s evolving commitment to outreach targeting minority students, highlighting the university's efforts as part of a broader institutional response to state-level mandates and federal oversight.
These images highlight the minutes of the Affirmative Action Committee from 1981 to 1984, as the Board of Visitors navigated best practices and recommendations.
These images highlight the Committee's efforts to implement both the 1978 Virginia Plan for Equal Opportunity, and the 1983 revision.
The Virginia Plan for Equal Opportunity in State-Supported Institutions of Higher Education, first implemented in 1978, was the Commonwealth’s formal response to federal mandates requiring desegregation in public colleges and universities. It outlined goals for increasing the enrollment and employment of Black students and faculty, but early efforts were often criticized for lacking enforcement and producing modest results. A 1983 revision introduced clearer benchmarks and more aggressive strategies, marking a significant shift in how institutions like George Mason approached integration.