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RALLYING CRY: Faculty and others
have asked the University to reconsider its plans.
Linda A. Cicero |
hundreds of red and black
helium balloons soared to the height of a five-story
building. Staked out every 20 feet, the balloons outlined
the proposed footprint of the Munger Graduate Residences
in parking lots adjoining Stern Hall and the Law School
at a November 30 campus rally that drew more than 80
faculty, staff and students.
They had gathered to voice objections to the size and
scope of the proposed complex, which would house 600
graduate students, half from the Law School. It is named
for the lead donors, Charles and Nancy, ’45, Munger,
who have given $43.5 million toward the estimated $100
million project.
“I cannot overemphasize the importance of this
project,” Provost John Etchemendy said in a November
29 statement. “It benefits virtually every person
on campus.” As he explained to the Faculty Senate
in October, first, it provides housing for graduate
students, traditionally a difficult fund-raising aim.
Second, it frees up Crothers and Crothers Memorial for
undergraduates, allowing the “unstuffing”
of overcrowded dorms. Third, it enables the construction
of several academic buildings under the General Use
Permit with Santa Clara County, which requires the University
to also build student housing.
Based on community input, the University announced modifications
to the project plan on November 29; instead of three
buildings of four to 51⁄2 stories, it now calls
for a less dense grouping of four to five buildings
of three to 51⁄2 stories.
Those who have voiced objections are still hoping for
more. Many praise the generosity of the gift and agree
that graduate housing is needed. But they’d prefer
it to be built further from the center of campus, or
less tall, or both. “My main concern is the height,
which I believe is out of scale with the surrounding
buildings,” says Gail Mahood, a professor of geological
and environmental sciences who is the faculty representative
on the Board of Trustees Committee on Land and Buildings.
Her departmental colleague Marco Einaudi is one of many
nearby homeowners who has raised concerns. He has calculated
that the new dorms would shadow the lower floors of
Stern Hall’s Serra and Casa Zapata for much of
the day from November to January.
Peter Stansky, professor of history and chair of the
University Committee on Land and Building Development,
favors an alternate site. “The way the provost
and president have presented it to the University, if
we have 600 beds, all sorts of good follows,”
Stansky says. “That’s true. But what they
don’t say is that there’s no stipulation
by the General Use Permit that the 600 beds have to
be next to the Law School.” Proximity to the Law
School is important to the donors, Etchemendy, PhD ’82,
told the Senate.
“The public input has been and will continue to
be very helpful in creating the best design for this
project,” Etchemendy said in November. “Obviously,
not every suggestion will be taken, but even now, I
think the project has benefited from [the interested
groups’] input.”
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