College of William and Mary - Colonial Echo Yearbook (Williamsburg, VA)

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The Master Plan Construction Or Destruction? On October 30, Paul Verkuil and the BO V accepted a Master Plan designed to guide the next 20 years of development at William and Mary. That evening, the uproar began. Condemned by the order of Paul Verkuil and the BOV Pro- test signs appeared in front of every lodge. Rumours abound- ed on campus. I heard they ' re going to gut James Blair and make it the New Campus Cen- ter, explained junior Susan Strobach. The ecological con- cerns raised by students and faculty over the new Intramu- ral Facility and its effects on Lake Matoka carried over to Crim Dell and the ravine sys- tem. It was feared that heavy equipment and more construc- tion would damage the deli- cate ecological erosion balance thoughout campus. Many stu- dents also believed the Master Plan was Paul Verkuil ' s first formal step in expanding the size and scope of William and Mary. ' T came here because I liked the small, colonial atmo- sphere. I don ' t want William and Mary to become another UVA, explained Caryn McBride. The actual plan was made up of three distinct program areas. The short term goals, sched- uled for the first five years, in- cluded enhancement of cam- pus, establishment of a com- prehensive parking plan, and construction of a new Campus Center Enchancement includ- ed cleaning up Lake Matoka trails, the amphitheatre, and other nature areas. The recom- mendation for parking areas was utilization of the periph- ery. Parking along Landrum Drive and in front of Dupont would be abolished. William and Mary Hall and other lots on the outskirts of campus would become the major park ing areas. The ideal location for the new campus center, accord- ing to the plan, was on top of the lodges. The Master Plan slated the old Campus Center for administrative offices. The mid-term (six to 13 years) opportunities were highlighted by plans to move all students onto the main cam- pus, construct a new academic building on Old Campus, and build a connector road. Accom- modations for 211 students on campus called for construction of new residence halls around Dupont, Yates, and the fraterni- ties. The recommended sixth ilities and plans for campus woods development required investigarion. Finally, the plan would need review, refine- ment, and updating for further direction. The majority of student op- position stemmed from the planned demolition of the lodges. 1 can ' t believe they ' re razing the lodges. Why, they ' re the Versaille of campus hous- ing! exclaimed Kathleen Dur- kin. Tommy Carnell stated, As long as they ' re here next year, I ' m happy I panicked when I thought my well-laid housing plans were falling apart. building on Old Campus would complete the original blueprints, which called for three pairs of symmetrical aca- demic buildings surrounding the Sunken Gardens. In order to alleviate heavy traffic flow at Confusion Corner, the plan suggested building a road to connect Richmond and James- town Roads. During the final phase of the Master Plan ( 1 3 to 20 years), the connector road would be com- pleted. Additionally, ideas for new campus academic fac- Nonetheless, the realistic prob- ability of building a new cam- pus center was slim. Funding, as always, remained a major stumbling block. Dean Saddler also assured students that the new student Campus Center would be only for the school ' s benefit. If emphatic student opposition arose, the construc- tion would not take place. The educated student objec- tions emerged over sediment and erosion control. With what ' s happening now (runoff into Matoka and Crim Dell from construction), why should we believe the Master Plans ' assurance that quality control will take place? ques- tioned senior Eric Plaag. Even if the existing ledge could sup- port new buildings around campus, and construction cha- os could be repaired, the prob- lems of drainage and erosion would remain. Britton Robins, a senior with a car on campus, remarked, I worry about the parking plans. It would be unsafe for women to have to walk to their dorms at night from periphery park- ing. Since 1977, however, there had been at least one stu- dent-car accident on campus every year The plan highlight- ed the need to reduce vehicle- pedestrian conflict areas throughout campus. The administration empha- sized the flexibility that existed within and about the plan. Charles Lombardo, director of operations, stated, It sets guidelines, limitations, and goals. It is not written in stone. MFC and Associates, hired to coordinate the implementation process, held many forums and meetings to get student input. Additionally, the SA and other administrative organizations formed committees to deal with implementation of and reaction to the plan. Dean Sad- dler eased many student wor- ries when he confided, ex- pected growth for the next nine years calls for only a 200 person increase in enrollment. They will be mainly graduate students. It became evident through the plan ' s flexibility that a great deal of thought went into this idea in order to please both stu- dents and faculty as well as to maintain the atmosphere of the college. — Michelle Fay

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Making Our Lives A Little Easier, The SA Provides A Year of Gradual Change! The Student Association was not content just to put on dances, run a film series, and get students to the airport for less than half the regular price. Those were iniportant programs, but the students pushed student government beyond the traditional role by emphasizing issues which opened up another dimen- sion of the organization. Initiatives of the SA were not as visible because it chose not to scream loudly and or- ganize marches and protests. It found it was more influen- tial by taking a professional approach, being persistent, and doing its homework. By working within the system, the SA was taken more seri- ously and made a much great- er impact. There were many notable changes in student life. Last fall, after more than ten years without one, students were able to capitalize on years of efforts to get a Deans ' List. Somewhat controversial, compromises were worked out to have a floating GPA re- quirement and an unpub- lished list. Letters were sent to those who made it, thus al- lowing individuals to choose to tell others if they desired. Persistence and extensive background work won stu- dents a long sought-after vic- tory in the passage of the 3- consecutive final exam res- cheduling policy. The SA also had many broad goals. Among them was public relations - getting the word of the SA out through various means. The SA was movin ' on up in a greater sense than just the of- fice moving from the Campus Center basement to the first floor. To achieve some of these PR goals, the SA Forum program was established to get the message out to indi- vidual residence halls. Rec- ognized by the Office of Resi- dence Life as an educational program, the SA Forum sur- prised many and taught oth- ers, as it gave students a chance to have direct input into the way the SA made policy for the student body. The Master Plan, first re- leased in October, was the most controversial issue this yean With much confusion over its purpose and use, many students were con- cerned with rising enroll- ment, the preservation of the Lodges, and maintaining the natural beauty of the campus. As a result, the SA Master Plan committee was formed to first of all educate the col- lege community about its in-