The Plan: The Nature of the Institution On any one day, George Mason might bring 2,000 school children to campus to hear the Fairfax Symphony, host a national business meeting for AOL, facilitate a meeting on campus between industry leaders and government and university representatives, attract 10,000 eager fans to the Madison/Mason homecoming basketball game, and serve the needs of a daily population of 25,000 people, 5,000 of whom live here. The majority of George Mason’s alumni stay in the region, fueling the workforce. The university’s programs in teaching and nursing fill fundamental community needs. George Mason is a catalyst for the region, and its role as a vibrant center closely involved with all dimensions of its surrounding communities is essential to its distinctive character and future development. The Distributed University The concept of the distributed university, with campuses strategically placed to serve the needs of the Commonwealth and the region, is the driver behind the physical development of the institution. Each campus is known for its distinctive academic focus, and plays a critical role in the economy of its area. By 2007 George Mason will be fully exploiting opportunities on its campuses in Arlington and Prince William. The Fairfax Campus will remain the principal center for undergraduate residence and life, with 2,000 additional beds bringing the number of resident students to 5,000. Both Arlington and Prince William will have distinct areas of academic specialization while also providing a wide array of master’s courses in information technology and management, and clusters of entry-level undergraduate courses. Arlington will be the university’s center for policy and law, with the law school, and a good portion of the School of Public Policy and the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution located there. Prince William will host an extensive operation in computational sciences and the life sciences, with expanded undergraduate concentrations in administration of justice, health, fitness and recreation, sports management, travel and tourism, and community arts management as well. Construction will keep pace with these program expansions. By 2007, Fairfax will have three new academic buildings, an expanded library, a new center for arts activities, expanded research space under construction either on campus or as part of development on the north side of campus, and a research park-like development, probably built in private partnership with industry, on the west side of campus. Arlington II will be complete, with planning for Arlington III well underway, along with private development consisting of two buildings owned by the George Mason Foundation. At Prince William, a new classroom/research building will be in use, along with an arts center constructed through university/community partnerships. Research space will be developed on the adjoining research park through industry partnerships. A new center in Loudoun County, to offer programs in such areas as technology management as well as an array of professional master’s, certificate and entry-level undergraduate programs, will also be under development. Two new specialized sites will be also be operational—Belmont Bay, focused on environmental science and policy, and Springfield, specializing in nursing and health systems management. Technology will be used extensively among campuses so that collaborative learning can take place across locations. Innovative uses of technology to enhance learning will continue to be developed and utilized. Beyond the campuses, distance education will focus on two areas—regionally, to deliver a wide variety of professional development courses, and internationally, to deliver selected programs to sites throughout the world.