George Mason University’s board has extended President Gregory Washington’s contract through 2031 after a Trump administration-related dispute last year put the leader under scrutiny. The university said the extension reflects the board’s confidence during “one of the most consequential periods” in its history, citing record enrollment and fundraising. The case dates to U.S. Department of Education accusations in August that Washington led a “university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies” that allegedly discriminated on the basis of race. Washington rejected the demand for an apology and said the university did nothing illegal. The board action also lands amid shifting Virginia politics that reshuffled the composition of the university’s governing board, with Democrats and AAUP critics previously faulting the board for not defending Washington more forcefully.