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.”
