The Mason Gazette
December 1998

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Mason School of Law

Arlington Campus Opens New Building

Additional Parking Options Now Available

The imposing new building with the modern curves and the windowed walls is nearing completion on the Arlington Campus. In fact, Phase I at Arlington opens its doors in January to hundreds of students, faculty, and staff. A dedication ceremony is planned for March 24, which is also the School of Law's Founders Day.

The first three floors of the 140,000-square-foot building will house the School of Law. The fourth floor will be divided between the law school, the Mercatus Center, and an outpost of the Buchanan Center for Political Economy. The mission of the Mercatus Center is "to advance a free society through research, education, and outreach," according to Tyler Cowen, general director of the Mercatus and James M. Buchanan Centers. The Institute for Human Studies (IHS), an independent entity affiliated with the university, will also lease space on the fourth floor. IHSsupports young people from around the world who aspire to work in academic and public policy. All of the groups will work together on projects of mutual interest.

The Institute of Public Policy's Master of Arts in International Com-merce and Policy program, currently located at Quincy Street, will move to the original building, joining other programs already located there, including the Fast Track M.B.A., actuarial math, economics, nonprofit management, and the Virginia Commonwealth Univer- sity master's program in social work.

"The programs at the Arlington Campus are growing rapidly," says Upen Malani, director of campus operations. "The nonprofit management program has already doubled its course options for next spring, and the School of Manage-ment is also planning to expand its programs at Arlington."

The new building features state-of-the-art moot court rooms equipped with video cameras, fully wired classrooms, and a law library.

A combination of on-site and off-site parking will accommodate the burgeoning student population at the campus. A new two-level parking garage under the Phase I building will team with a new exterior parking lot between the two campus buildings to provide approximately 350 spaces on site. Decal prices for both the parking lot and the garage will be the same as those for the Fairfax Campus this fiscal year, and some spaces in both locations will be reserved for faculty and staff.

In addition, about 250 parking spaces will be available off site at the Virginia Square Metro station after Dec. 31, within walking distance of the campus. An escort service will be provided. The university's off-site parking contract with the National Science Foundation terminates on Dec. 31.

For more information about the Arlington Campus, visit its website at www.gmu.edu/arlington.