Western Washington University - Klipsun Yearbook (Bellingham, WA)

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College Land Use Plan, T965-85 The condiTions of The campus siTe, iTs Topography, circulaTion and avail- able land have influenced develope- meni of The campus in The pasi and made iT whai iT is Today. Due To The topography The expansion of cerToin faciliTies will conflici wiih needs of ofhers for expansion. Prioriiies have This been assigned in order ThaT more imporlanf needs are filled firsT. These are informally ordered as academic buildings, sTudenT ser- vice core faciliiies, aThleTic faciliTies, dormifory complexes, The physical planT, and lasTly parking. The land requiremenis of parking faciliTies are greai, and The expense musf be carried by sTudenT and faculfy fee. Parking should peneTraTe various campus facilities, but noT Take priorify over siTes for academic buildings. ,,...--s- L i - - u1 QS Prize-winning Ridgeway dormiiory complex includes Commons and recreation facilities for 900 sfudenls.

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tinued to mal2e improvements acad- emically. There are even remem- bered cases of faculty members aiding the tense financial situation by neglecting to cash payroll checks-.during these years. During the presidency ofDr. Will- iam Haggard the college became accredited by-the American Qyssocia- tion of Teachers Colleges and hence renamed Western Washington College of Education. By T947 the college was able to offer graduate work in elementary education, and a four-year ilifGOUFS6 ' in arts and sciences. World War ll had an even more serious disruptive effect on the school than did the depression. With the return of eager veterans on the G.l. Bill the college was faced with affsudden influx of stu- dents. The basic problem no longer was just to upgrade the academic offerings, afgdesperate need for specialized buildings, more class- rooms, increased living facilities, and study areas was immediate, Recognizing this need, the state provided funds for additional dorm- itorieiff the Auditorium-Music Build- ing, a Student Union, Haggard l-lall, additions to the library and Sam Carver Gymnasium. By l962 Western officially changed its name again, and became one of three state colleges offerihg teacher ed. and arts and sciences programs. The next era of W,estern's growth whispers a promise of expansion perhaps worthy of becoming a uni- versity. But to date these whispers amount to lust that. Even though the projected student population for l97O is over 7,000, there is more to universitydom than bodies oc- cupying state land. The college will need to think seriously about en- larging graduate studies to the magnitude of aiseparate school, further specialize departments that they might stand on their own merits, and vitally important, fully moderate the emphasis on teacher education as the main purpose of the institution. A liberal arts pro- gram of stature is essential to university study, among several re- lated points, such as expansion at the library to include more detailed opportunity for research on specific areas of study. ' The Schmid medium protections for future student registration at Western are the basis upon which college planner Barney Goltz and architect George Bartholick foresee physical growth ofthe campus. Next Fall 5750 students are expected to register for classes, in l97O, 7lO0, and in l975, 7750. This, of course, presents problems in dormitory planning, classroom loads, student recreation facilities, numbers of faculty required, adequate academic buildings, not to mention the parking dilemna. Following is a- summary of the College Land Use Plan, T965-85.

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ln academic areas expansion may be solved either by creating a more dense and compact campus, or by expanding into new areas. Both cli- rections seem advisable. The Old Campus will remain the traditional College Green lwith possibilities of extending the library in this areal- new buildings will be absorbed south of Old Main as the new heart ofthe campus. Already planned for this site is the Science Computer building to be located on the Campus School playground. Thiswill enable the enrollment to rise to 6,000-7,000. Although it is difficult to visualize Western as a college of l0,000 or more students it is necessary to as- sume that pressent growth will continue unless a fixed enrollment is set. Expansion beyond l97l will go in the direction? of the proposed Fairhaven College. Sehome Hill is not recommended for development. The summit of the hill, however has space Wfor a build- ing complex, perhaps dormitories. Growth of the student recreation facilities will necessitate land use west toward Garden St. Union ex- pansion, Bookstore, music building additions, and a multi-level parking system withwa vehicularientrance on Garden St. are among areas pro- posed in this line. Additional auditorium space would more appropriately be placed in the Y area south of campus than to- ward the city, due to traffic, etc. During l963-64 resident students numbered 342 ofthe 3800 register- ed. The Auxiliary Enterprises Com- mittee stated a policy regarding future campus housing amounting to an attempt to provide housing for 662 of single students. By i967 the North End dormitory complex will be completed, including Mathes dorm, and another as yet unnamed. This implied that housing will be provided for 666 of every T000 students not living at home. The Ridgeway complex will increase to another 600-900 resident students. A Reserve Area to the south is planned, its capacity forecast as l,500 to 2,000. This includes the small valley insulated by a ridge on the west and Sehome l-lill to the east. As a reserve site it may be used as soon as needed. For future development the en- rollment proiections will largely de- termine the density of growth, low village type complexes, or large multi-level structures. By l967 2300 total units will exist, and the reserve land can support from 3,000 to 11,000 more units. This year the North parking area to Indian street was improved to hold 250 cars. Below the Union a multi-level parking structure has been studied, and is now being ex- amined for financing method- hope- fully to support more than 250 more cars. Property along Garden street will provide additional space to facilitate a landscaped entrance to the campus, and support parking facilities for l,000 to l,500 ve- hicles. A