Mystery stone structures to serve as models for sixth residential college

There is so much construction going on around campus that students tend to ignore the sight of cranes, trucks and cinderblocks. But recently, two stone windows — sitting on the grassy hill between Dillon Gymnasium and the tennis courts — have caught their eye.

"To me they look like the makings of a fort," said Corey Sanders '04 who peers at the odd-looking structures on a daily basis while walking to his classes from Forbes. "They're like arrow slits . . . the things people used to stand behind to shoot arrows at other people."

In reality, the two structures are mock-ups to show the type of material the University might use to build Whitman College, said Thomas Wright '62, vice president and secretary of the University. The Board of Trustees' committee on grounds and buildings will take a look at the structures during a meeting tomorrow to consider the aesthetics of the new college.

"The trustees need to make a decision fairly soon on which type of stones to use," Wright said.

Because of time constraints and the size of the sixth residential college, the construction company needs to order large amounts of material as soon as possible.

The Whitman College planning committee, in conjunction with the chosen architect, Dimitri Porphyrios GS '80, has decided to build the new residential college in the same collegiate gothic style as other dormitories on campus.

Porphyrios supervised the design and construction of the mock-ups himself. He will also be present at tomorrow's meeting.

"The mock-ups have been placed in positions to give them context," said Kathleen Mulligan, vice president for facilities. "We want to know what it would look like in the midst of Dillon, Patton and the other buildings in the area."

One mock-up is made of Wissahickon Schist — the same gray material used for Patton Hall. The other is made of argillite — Cuyler's reddish material.

The University will recommend that the building and grounds committee choose argillite for its mixture of colors and warm tones, Mulligan said.

But the stone selection also depends on availability, said Wright.

"Whitman College will take a lot of material," he said. "It may be necessary to mix and match several types of stone."

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Students not living in Forbes or Spelman might miss the opportunity to gape at the structures near Dillon Court if they do not venture down campus sometime soon. The two models will be removed a few weeks after the trustees make their decision.

"The mock-ups are for the grounds and buildings committee to see what is going on with the planning of Whitman College," said Jon Hlafter '61, director of physical planning.

Construction crews will break ground for the new college in 2004.

Whitman College is named for University trustee Meg Whitman '77, president and CEO of eBay, Inc., who donated 30 million dollars last fall.

In the spring of 2000, the Wythes Committee developed a plan to expand the student body on Princeton's campus. Whitman's donation will allow the University to add a sixth residential college to the existing five and institute a new four-year college program.

Once Whitman College is completed in 2006, the University plans to add 125 students to each incoming class, completing the Wythes plan by 2010. The intention is to make Whitman, Mathey and Butler colleges four-year residences to accommodate both graduate and undergraduate students from any class and.

Each four-year college will be paired with a two-year college that will still operate by the same system currently used in the residential colleges.