I will be on campus this weekend. Will get some high resolution pictures. The ground is already broken for the new HHS building. The connector between east and west campus is complete as well - will walk on this path and take some shots too.
GMU: Where Construction is Tradition
- Thread starter Yossarian
- Start date
I don't recognize this place from my school days (84-90).
It is changing dramatically. I cannot wait for the Southwest sector construction to kick in. The Library is key building as it is very large and core to the campus plan. The HHS building is another capital building rounding out the NorthEast sector development.
My family has been a part of Mason since my sister started studies in 1978. Pretty amazing to see it now. Hard to believe that Virginia's technology secretary proposed dumping Mason as a research university about 10 years ago. (I think this Huang guy lasted about 5 minutes in this job before going back to California) Some others suggested that Carnegie Mellon take over. Link below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5377-2005Jan12.html
Washingtonian
Hall of Famer
I am attending Mason, so I see things all the time, and Fenwick is coming along nicely (at least from the outside). The JC got a few new fast food places recently as well, which is good to see.
I think PiKapp can get better pictures than my cheap Canon Powershot digital camera can.
I think PiKapp can get better pictures than my cheap Canon Powershot digital camera can.
What a shortsighted loser. Merten definitely got the last laugh in that instance.
I am staffing manager for a 2 billion dollar federal contractor and Mason is on the resumes a majority of high level people we hire (most of it graduate degrees).
Mason's footprint as a research university in the industry is quite prominent. Every one on here should be very proud of our Alma Mater. Where we have gone academically and as a resource for local business and federal government since this article is quite amazing.
Huang isn't the only one who looks like a total dumbass in that article. The Reston venture capitalist didn't exactly cloak himself in glory, either.
In retrospect, it's incredible what Merten was able to do for Mason's stature and place in the commonwealth's higher education pecking order.
The Final Four helped put us on the national map, obviously, but Merten did something that most people considered unthinkable when I was an undergrad 25 years ago: He not only transformed Mason into a bustling residential campus and secured funding for a bunch of shiny new buildings, he improved the academic reputation to the point that a Mason degree is now something to be cherished.
Gotta love that guy ... even if he did hire Hewitt.
I remember when Hop Sing made his arguments summarized in this article and I laughed. I mean "expand vcu"??? Expand a fourth rate university to replace Mason?
While we have lambasted Merten with regards to athletics, he was the right President at that time in Mason's developmental history. He fought for our expanded footprint. I recall the groans made when the Prince William Campus was established. Yet - look at the building of large technical facilities like the Level 5 Bio-containment lab - one of four on the east coast. Additionally - look at the establishment of the Genomics lab. Because Merten was stubbornly focused on the research programs and the related facilities and academics, he kept us in the game and won the race. We are the second largest research institution in the state and we are in the most important location. We have a suite of campii with the main Fairfax Campus as the anchor/base, a growing (buildings and land) science and research campus in Prince William; a soon to be growing campus in Loudoun along with the Law School in Arlington. We also have the new Potomac Science and Potomac View mini-campus on Virginia's chesapeake bay coast establishing more research and education facilities.
Mermen's single mindedness beat back the government hacks in Richmond and established a major University with multiple satellite campii that shut down any thoughts of expanding vcu/Tech or God Help us ODU. We are all over and we won this argument. We are simply too large and too integrated in multiple districts to ever be threatened again.
Now we have Cabrerra who is the right man to take the next steps in our glorious future building on what Merten had accomplished.
Suck on that Hop Sing!
Seldom do I write to my elected politicians (I probably should more), but this one actually drove me to send a quite lengthy and well researched letter to the Governor's office, State Senate and State House back in 2005. Responses from the General Assembly were strongly in favor of Mason, including Sen. Colgan's reply (formal and hand signed, actually, on Virginia Senate letterhead) stating that he planned to push further appropriations for research programs at GMU. I don't remember a response from Mark Warner, but he was probably trying to hide the fact that he had such a clueless idiot on his staff.
I sent letter to my representative to when this was written. But I included a photo of his pet dog playing with Michael Vick at some undisclosed farmhouse. I think that got some mojo working.
This article in 2005. In 2006, we had hundreds of articles about the magical Final Four run. Now, if someone could write an article about a naked Merten, streaking the State Capitol, flippin the bird to these richmond hacks, while wrapped in our FF banner, then it would make my year.
I realize that we defended our territory in fighting off the idea of Carnegie-Mellon, etc coming in and setting up a research institute, but I think the state just chose the cheaper option. And indeed I'm not so sure that Mason got that much of a bump in funding.
Financial turmoil (worldwide and in Va) was only a couple of years after this and my distinct impression is that Mason is still underfunded and state investment in higher ed continues to go down. Don't have the data to back up this point in front of me, but I think Cabrera has made the point several times on the % that the state contributes to higher ed (vs the burden borne by the individual students).
Pay lone at a global level you are correct. The dynamic you mention is affecting almost all of Virginia's public universities. However, Mason has done a good job of getting research and grant funds from the state, federal government, and corporations. Additionally, Cabrera has been working donations. I believe we set a single year record last year of $76 million.
Broads, Buicks, and Buckley
Broads, Buicks, and Buckley
True. The responses of support from the General Assembly were written in the "salad days" before the Great Recession. I will say that I think Mason got a healthy share of the bond revenue for new facilities (hence all the new construction), but operating budget probably hasn't changed much or may have fallen off somewhat. I believe that both Merten and Cabrera have stated this and said that this is really making our out-of-state student cap of around 15% unrealistic. If current trends continue, look for Mason to push for the UVa/William and Mary hybrid public/private model of a reduced state operating budget but around a 33% out-of-state/foreign student population who pay the full out-of-state bill. I'm really not a fan of this because I think the good university system we have in Virginia should be primarily a resource for Virginians, but reality is reality.
ahem, ahem
I passed through the area today and noticed the new sign outside the Field House at University Dr. and Ox Road, that should look nice when completed. Didn't have time to go on campus to see what's new, will have to do that soon. Every time I pass by on Ox Road it strikes me a little more how much the buildings now touch the perimeter of the campus and are visible.
Sorry - been to dinners and proposals/ Will post when head is above water. Time of year to make it rain.
OK my youngest son was playing one of his SYA football games at Robinson - so during his warm up practice I took a drive around campus in my oldest son's car and video taped it with the iPhone. Nothing fancy just some random driving around Patriot Circle. I couldn't walk around center of campus - but it was early AM.
Enjoy
Enjoy
Last edited:
Bricker
Starter
I didn't have headphones handy at the office so I just turned it down really low before hitting play. Great music selection. Immediately sounded like I was trying to stealthily watch a porno at my desk to kickstart my week.
For those of us who no longer live in the area, that was a real treat. Thank you for doing that.
Looks like the construction of the new health sciences building is underway and, to quote Trump, it is going to be huuuge.
I still have no idea what the Fenwick expansion looks like. There aren't any new pictures even on the Internet. Very strange. It must look like crap. Which wouldn't surprise me, as the drawings looked like crap.
Looks like the construction of the new health sciences building is underway and, to quote Trump, it is going to be huuuge.
I still have no idea what the Fenwick expansion looks like. There aren't any new pictures even on the Internet. Very strange. It must look like crap. Which wouldn't surprise me, as the drawings looked like crap.
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Doc Nix and the Green Machine
Bill Bride - DMV Sports Shots
Patriot Brew Blog/Newsletter