1999 v27 special

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The Student Newspaper of Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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S p e c i a l C a m p u s C e n t e r E d itio n

Building WPI a “Living Room” C o u rte s y o f W P I M e d i a R e la t io n s

In th e la te 18 0 0 ’s , s ilv e r - tr a y t e a lo u n g e s , s m o k y g r a m o p h o n e r o o m s a n d w h ite lin e n d in in g d i s t in ­ g u i s h e d th e e l e g a n t u n io n b u i l d ­ in g s w h e r e B r itis h u n iv e r s ity s t u ­ d e n ts g a th e r e d to d e b a te , r e a d a n d p la y b illia r d s . T h e s e p r iv a te w o o d p a n e l e d u n io n s p r o v id e d th e b l u e ­ p r in t f o r th e m o r e e g a l i ta r ia n c a m ­ p u s c e n t e r s th a t to d a y s e r v e a s “ liv ­ in g r o o m s ” o n c o lle g e c a m p u s e s in t h is c o u n tr y . S in c e 187 1 , W P I h a s g r o w n fr o m tw o b u ild in g s a n d a n in itia l g r a d u ­ a tin g c l a s s o f 16 m a le s e n i o r s to m o r e th a n 3 0 b u ild in g s a n d a s t u ­ d e n t b o d y th a t n u m b e rs n e a rly 3 ,5 0 0 m e n a n d w o m e n . B u t th e c a m ­ p u s s till la c k s a liv in g ro o m . T h a t ’s a b o u t to c h a n g e . In O c t o b e r 1 9 9 7 , th e W P I B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s a p p r o v e d th e $ 1 7 m il ­ lio n W P I C a m p u s C e n te r P r o je c t. T h e 6 8 ,0 0 0 -s q u a r e - f o o t c a m p u s c e n t e r b u ild in g , to b e s ite d b e h in d t h e A lu m n i G y m n a s iu m , is b e in g d e s ig n e d by B o s to n a r c h ite c ts S h e p le y , B u lf in c h , R ic h a r d s o n a n d A b b o tt. F u n d r a is in g fo r th e p r o je c t w ill b e p a r t o f a m a j o r c a p ita l c a m ­

p a ig n th a t w ill b e p u b lic ly la u n c h e d in th e s p r in g o f 1 9 9 9 , a n d th e tr u s t­ e e s h a v e c a l l e d f o r g r o u n d to b e b ro k e n b y O c to b e r 1999. T h e id e a o f a W P I c a m p u s c e n te r h a s b een g e rm in a tin g fo r m an y y e a r s . T h e d r e a m m o v e d c lo s e r to r e a lity f o u r y e a r s a g o w h e n th e n W P I-p re s id e n t J o n S tra u s s a p ­ p o in te d a b r o a d -b a s e d p la n n in g c o m m i tt e e , c h a ir e d b y J a n e t B e g in R i c h a r d s o n , a s s i s t a n t v ic e p r e s i ­ d e n t fo r S tu d e n t A f f a ir s a n d d e a n o f s tu d e n t lif e , to d e te r m i n e w h a t a c a m p u s c e n t e r w o u ld a d d to W P I a n d to d e f in e th e r i g h t m ix o f fa c ili­ tie s , a m e n i ti e s a n d s e r v ic e s n e e d e d to c r e a te s u c h a c e n te r . T h e c o m m itte e s o lic ite d th e o p in ­ io n s o f m o r e th a n 4 0 c a m p u s fo c u s g r o u p s , p o r e d t h r o u g h i n f o r m a tio n f r o m e a r l ie r c e n t e r in itia tiv e s , s u r ­ v e y e d th e l ite r a tu r e o n c o ll e g e c e n ­

T h e W P I C a m p u s C e n te r, a s v iew ed fro m A lu m n i F o u n ta in a n d F re e m a n P la z a .

te r s w o r ld w id e , a n d v is ite d c a m p u s c e n te r s t h r o u g h o u t th e r e g io n . “ W e b e g a n b y a s k in g , ‘W h a t ’s m is s in g a t W P I ? ’,” R ic h a r d s o n s a y s . ‘T h e m o s t c o m m o n r e s p o n s e w a s ‘a p la c e in th e c e n t e r o f th e c a m p u s fo r th e c o m m u n i ty to g a th e r .’” T h e f o c u s g r o u p s a ls o to ld th e c o m m itte e th a t W P I la c k e d a d ­ e q u a t e d in in g f a c i li t ie s , s p a c e fo r

g r o u p s tu d y , s m a ll c o n f e r e n c e a n d m e e tin g r o o m s , m u ltip u r p o s e ro o m s , a n d o f f i c e s f o r s tu d e n t o r ­ g a n iz a t i o n s . T h e p r o p o s e d W P I c e n te r w ill h a v e a ll th a t, a lo n g w ith a b o o k s to r e , a p o s ta l f a c ility , e x ­ p a n d e d fo o d a n d d in in g s e r v ic e s , a g a m e ro o m , l o u n g e s a n d a c a m p u s in f o r m a tio n d e s k .

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A R TIST R E N D IT IO N C O U R TESY O F S H EPLEY , B U LFIN C H , RICH ARDSO N AND A B BO TT

A tour of the new Campus Center b y J u s t in D . G r e e n o u g h N e w s p e a k E d ito r -in -C h ie f

I t ’s o f te n b e e n c a lle d th e “ T h ir d T o w e r ” b y m a n y w h o b e li e v e t h a t it w ill f ill th e s o c ia l v o id in W P I ’s t r a d itio n . H o w e v e r , w h e n I m e t E liz a b e th “Z ib b y ” E ric k s o n , a p rin c ip a l a t S h e p le y , B u lf in c h , R ic h a r d s o n , A b b o t a n d a m e m b e r o f th e a r c h i te c tu r a l s t a f f w o r k in g o n th e C e n te r , s h e s h a r e d w ith m e a v is io n th a t w a s q u ite d if f e r e n t. T o h e r, it w ill b e a la n te r n , b e a tin g a w a y t h e d a r k n e s s o n th e e n o r ­

m o u s h ill t h a t w e c a ll o u r h o m e . T h a t la n te rn , u n lik e th e m a n y o th e r s tr u c tu r e s t h a t c a m e b e f o re it, w ill s e r v e to b r i n g th e b e e s to h o n e y e v e n in th e e v e n i n g w ith its la rg e g la s s p a n e s a n d h e a v ily lig h te d p e a k s . D u r in g th e d a y , it w ill b e a s u n - f i l l e d p l a c e w h e r e s t u d e n ts , f a c u lty a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s c a n fi­ n a lly c o m e t o g e t h e r in s o c ia l h a r ­ m o n y . T h e r e w ill b e s o m e th in g fo r e v e ry o n e , w e a v in g to g e th e r th e a c a d e m ic , r e s i d e n t i a l a n d a th le tic p o r tio n s o f th e c a m p u s . T h a t ’s a p r e tty b i g j o b f o r o n e

b u ild in g . B u t , if a n y b u i ld i n g c a n h a n d le th e t a s k , W P I ’s n e w C a m ­ p u s C e n te r w i l l b e w e ll e q u ip p e d f o r th e j o b . L ik e th e s t u d e n ts w h o w ill w a n d e r i t s flo o rs , th e C e n te r , w ith its lo n g a n d in c lu s iv e d e v e l ­ o p m e n t p r o c e s s , w ill b e a g r e a t m o n u m e n t a n d a w o n d e rfu l r e w a rd f o r th e g r e a t w o r k th a t g o e s o n at th is i n s titu tio n . In s h o r t, t h e c e n ­ te r is d e s t in e d to b e b u z z i n g w ith a c t i v i t i e s o f a ll s o r t s . W h e t h e r s h o o tin g p o o l, h a v in g a c u p o f c o f f e e w ith a f r i e n d , r e a d i n g a g o o d b o o k o r b ro a d c a s tin g th e la te s t s o u n d s f r o m W W P I ’s n e w s tu d io , s t u d e n ts a n d f a c u l ty a lik e w ill e n jo y t h e c o m m u n ity a tm o ­ s p h e r e th a t s u r r o u n d s th e m . J o in m e , a s I ta k e y o u o n a to u r o f th is w o n d e rfu l n e w w o rld . W e ’ll v e n tu r e in to t h e d e p th s o f t h e n e w W P I C a m p u s C e n te r a n d s e e w h a t a ll th e h y p e i s a b o u t. I a s s u r e y o u th a t y o u w ill n o t b e d is a p p o in t e d . W e ’ ll b e g i n a t t h e R e u n i o n F o u n ta in P la z a , fo r t h is w ill u n ­ d o u b te d ly b e o n e o f th e m o s t b e a u tifu l s p o ts fro m w h ic h t o v ie w th e C e n te r a n d v e ry lik e ly th e m o s t c o m m o n l y u s e d e n t r a n c e to a

A R TIST RENDITION CO U R TESY O F S H EPLEY , BU LFINC H, RICH A R D SO N AND ABBOTT

A n a r e a n e a r th e se c o n d flo o r e n tr a n c e to th e C a m p u s C e n te r. H e re , s tu d e n ts c a n e q jo y a c u p o f C o ffe e a n d c h a t w ith frie n d s in th e p lu sh lo u n g e a re a . A m e n itie s s u c h as a n A T M a n d e m a il te rm in a ls w ill a ls o b e a v a ila b le in th is a r e a .

b u ild in g th a t h a s tw o ‘f r o n t d o o r s ’. L o o k i n g to y o u r l e f t , b e t w e e n H ig g in s L a b s a n d O lin H a ll, im a g ­ in e a h u g e t w o - s t o r y g l a s s a n d b r ic k s tr u c tu r e th a t lo o k s a s i f it w a s a lw a y s th e r e . It is s u r r o u n d e d S ee T o u r, C o n tin u e d t o P g 4

WPI has been without a place to hold meetings, store student organization supplies or a place to come together as one campus community. In essence, we have lacked what has been called the "third tower*. .....H ..... *> : In October of 1 9 9 9 , the school will break ground on WPFs very own Campus Center. The Center, which is scheduled to be complete by Spring of 2 0 0 1 , will be all this and more. ft’s with great pleasure that Newspeak has teamed-up with the Student Life Office to bring you a preview of this fantastic venture. Join me, and the rest of the Newspeak Staff, as we explore a building that is more than just bricks and morter. It’s a building that will be the heart and home of WPI students for years to come. #4: in the enthusiasm that

R ic h a r d s o n s a y s th e n e w c e n te r s h o u ld m a k e W P I m o r e a tt r a c t iv e to p r o s p e c t i v e s t u d e n ts . C a m p u s c e n te r s , s h e n o te s , c a n p r o v id e a n im m e d ia te “ s n a p s h o t ” o f c a m p u s life to p o te n tia l s t u d e n ts a n d i n f lu ­ e n c e a p p l i c a n t s ’ d e c i s i o n s to e n ­ ro ll w h e n a c a d e m ic a n d s c h o la r s h ip c o n s id e r a tio n s a p p e a r e q u a l a m o n g

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th e c o ll e g e s t h e y ’re c o n s id e r in g . T h e c e n te r w ill a ls o fill a v o id in th e s o c ia l a n d a c a d e m ic life o f th e c a m p u s , R ic h a rd s o n sa y s, p r o v id in g W P I s t u d e n ts , f a c u lty a n d s t a f f a p la c e to g a th e r a n d e x p lo re s o c ia l, in te lle c tu a l a n d c u ltu ra l in te re s ts in a n in fo rm a l se ttin g . A n d , it w ill b e a S e e L i v in g R o o m , C o n t. to P g 4

C e n te r fo r W P I:

R e a liz a tio n o f a D r e a m by M ik e D o rs e y W P I D e v e lo p m e n t & U n iv e r s it y R e la t io n s

W P I h a s u n d e r g o n e d ra m a tic g r o w t h s i n c e i ts f i r s t g r a d u a t i n g c la s s o f 16 m e n s e t f o r th in 1 8 7 1 . T o d a y , th e U n i v e r s i t y ’s s t u d e n t b o d y c o n s i s t s o f s o m e 3 ,6 0 0 m e n a n d w o m e n , i n c l u d i n g m o r e th a n 1 ,0 0 0 g ra d u a te s tu d e n ts . It e m p lo y s

g ia lity , s o c ia liz a tio n a n d l e a r n in g . T h e s i t in g f o r th e C e n te r , a d ja c e n t to t h e A l u m n i G y m n a s i u m a n d f r o n t in g o n th e f o u n ta in in R e u n io n P la z a , i s th e g e o g r a p h ic a l c e n t e r o f th e c a m p u s , ty in g to g e t h e r th e a c a ­ d e m i c , r e c r e a tio n a l a n d r e s id e n tia l c o m m u n itie s . T h e u s e o f th e te r m “ c a m p u s ” r a th e r th a n “ s t u d e n t ” in th e C e n t e r ’s n a m e is p u r p o s e f u l. I n ­

m o re th a n 2 0 0 fa c u lty m e m b e r s a n d a s ta f f o f 4 0 0 , c o m p a r e d to th e h a n d ­ fu l o f e m p l o y e e s w h o w o r k e d h e r e 1 3 0 y e a r s a g o . A n d its c a m p u s h a s g r o w n fro m t w o b u i ld i n g s o n six a c r e s t o 31 b u i ld i n g s o n 8 0 a c re s . T h e s e c h a n g e s h a v e m a d e it i n ­ c r e a s i n g ly d i f f i c u l t to m a i n t a i n a

d e n t o rg a n iz a tio n s , c o n fe re n c e r o o m s , m a il fa c ilitie s , fo o d s e r v ic e s , g a m e ro o m , c o lle g e b o o k s to re , la rg e m u lt i p u r p o s e f a c ilitie s , v i s i to r r e ­ c e p tio n fo r c a m p u s g u e s ts , a n d lo u n g e s , th e C e n te r w ill s e r v e a s a

s e n s e o f c o m m u n ity . T h e id e a o f b u i ld i n g a fa c ility to a d d r e s s th is c o n c e r n h a s b e e n d e ­

g a th e r in g p l a c e fo r th e e n ti r e W P I c o m m u n ity . F o r m w ill f o llo w f u n c tio n in th e

v e lo p in g o v e r m o r e th a n th r e e d e ­ c a d e s . In th e la te 1 9 6 0 s , th e f a c u lty P l a n n in g C o m m i t t e e th a t d r a f t e d W P I ’s p r o j e c t - b a s e d c u r r i c u l u m re c o m m e n d e d th a t a c a m p u s c e n ­ te r b e b u ilt to h e lp f o s te r th e p o s i­ tiv e s o c ia l c lim a te a n d s e n s e o f c o m m u n ity th a t t h e c u r r i c u lu m d e ­ m anded.

C e n te r . T w o s e p a r a te “ f r o n ts ” w ill i n v it e a c c e s s f r o m th e tw o s e p a r a te h e a v i l y t r a f f i c k e d a re a s o f th e c a m ­

T h e C o m m i s s io n o n R e s id e n tia l a n d S o c ia l L if e a t W P I e c h o e d th is r e c o m m e n d a tio n in a 1 9 9 2 r e p o r t. P la n n in g b e g a n in e a r n e s t s h o r tly th e r e a f te r w ith th e c r e a tio n o f a C a m p u s C e n te r C o m m i t t e e t o d e ­ v e lo p a p r o g r a m a n d r e c o m m e n d a lo c a tio n fo r th e p r o p o s e d fa c ility . A t its M a r c h 1 9 9 7 m e e tin g , W P I ’s B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s r e s o l v e d to s u p ­ p o r t th is p r o je c t t h r o u g h th e s e le c ­ tio n o f a n a r c h i te c t a n d c o m p l e ti o n o f a d e s ig n r e a d y f o r b id d in g b y th e e n d o f th e 1 9 9 8 fis c a l y e a r. T h e B o a rd e sta b lish e d an O c to b e r 1999 s ta r t d a te f o r th e p r o j e c t a t its O c ­ t o b e r 199 7 m e e tin g , a n d e s ta b lis h e d th e C e n te r a s th e p r im a r y p h y s ic a l fa c ilitie s g o a l o f th e n e w C a m p a ig n . T h e C a m p u s C e n t e r w ill p r o v i d e a p h y s i c a l , s o c ia l a n d p h i lo s o p h i ­ c a l lin k b e tw e e n a c a d e m i c a n d re s i­ d e n tia l p o r tio n s o f th e c a m p u s ; it w ill b e a p la c e f o r c o m m u n ity c o lle -

c l u d i n g , a s it d o e s , w o r k a n d m e e t ­ in g s p a c e f o r f a c u lty , s t a f f a n d s t u ­

p u s , W e st S tre e t a n d th e Q u a d ­ ra n g le . A th ir d sid e , w ith tw o f lo o rs o f w i n d o w s a n d e a s y a c c e s s to a p a ti o a n d g r e e n s p a c e , w ill l in k th e C e n t e r w ith W P I ’s m a jo r f u n c tio n a r e a , H i g g i n s H o u s e . U s e o f th e C e n t e r b y th e e n tir e c a m p u s c o m ­ m u n it y is e n s u r e d — th e fo o d c o u r t, s i t e o f f a c u lty , s ta f f , s t u d e n t a n d g u e s t c a s u a l d in in g , a n d th e m a il r o o m w ill b e l o c a te d o n th e l o w e r floor. T h e d e s ig n h e ig h te n s s tu d e n t g r o u p i n te r a c tio n : s t u d e n t o r g a n i ­ z a t i o n a l o f f i c e s s u c h a s th e c a m p u s n e w s p a p e r, th e S tu d e n t G o v e r n ­ m e n t A s s o c ia tio n , th e I n te r n a tio n a l S t u d e n t C o u n c il , th e G r a d u a t e S t u ­ d e n t A s s o c ia t io n a n d th e I n t e r - f r a ­ t e r n i t y C o u n c i l w ill b e c e n t e r e d a r o u n d a la r g e s tu d e n t w o r k a r e a , w h e r e i n d iv i d u a ls fro m m a n y o r g a ­ n i z a t io n s w ill w o r k n e x t to o n e a n ­ o th e r . L o u n g e s s c a tte r e d t h r o u g h ­ o u t t h e b u i ld i n g i n v it e c o n v e r s a ­ t io n a n d s o c ia liz a tio n . T h e b o o k ­ s t o r e , e x p a n d e d i n to a “ m a r k e t ­ p la c e ” , a n d c o f f e e s h o p w ill p r o v id e f u r t h e r c u lt i v a t i o n o f p la n n e d a n d S e e D r e a m , C o n t in u e d to P g 4


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