GW students expressed diverse opinions about the University’s campus plan in a survey conducted by The Hatchet.

About 40 percent of the 100 students surveyed were undecided about how the Board of Zoning Adjustment should rule on the approval of GW’s campus plan for 2000-2010, and 31 percent of respondents said they had insufficient information to decide.

I think I saw an article about it in The Hatchet, but it was rather complicated and I didn’t really understand it, sophomore Robin Zimmer said.

She said the University should inform students about issues that will affect them such as the campus plan.

Of the students who said they had an opinion, 18 percent said the BZA should pass the campus plan, while 13 percent responded that they it should be rejected.

The University has been here since 1900, senior Shaun Jayachandran said. The rest of Foggy Bottom knows the University was here and complained instead of working with GW on the campus plan. They’ve reacted negatively and attempted to oppose us at every turn, forcing GW to take more drastic measures, instead of just accepting what they originally intended.

But senior Matt Hillson said he disagrees.

(The plan) seems not to take into consideration the community issues, he said. They’re expanding way beyond their boundaries. They’re doing sort of a scorched earth – this is our plan, try to accept it.

One point of contention between GW and the surrounding neighborhood is University expansion outside of the official campus boundaries. Students were also divided on the issue.

About 56 percent of students said the University should expand its boundaries, while 41 percent said they should not.

I think the city doesn’t have much to protest, senior Adam Hartman said. The area doesn’t have much on its own without the University.

Sophomore Matt Farber agreed.

It’s progress, he said. There’s no point in stopping it, progress has to happen.

Hillson said he sympathized with resident concerns.

People have lived here for 60, 70, 80 years, he said. Take that into consideration.

GW’s campus plan requires a new mandate that both freshmen and sophomores must live in on-campus residence halls – part of an initiative to house 70 percent of all undergraduate students by 2005.

About 84 percent of students surveyed said they disagree with this policy.

Sophomores being forced to live on campus is going to be bad for morale, junior Andrew Wurtzel said. Ithaca (College in upstate New York) does that and everybody is so unhappy about it.

Students said GW needs more space for on-campus housing, academic/classroom space, dining services and recreational facilities.

There are people who are sitting on floors in classrooms, and classes close so quickly, Hartman said.

Hillson said he disagrees with GW’s expansion practices.

I don’t have a problem paying the tuition, but I think there should be a reflective level of service, he said. (The campus plan) doesn’t solve the problem when the housing lottery comes around. Are they going to turn The Schenley and West End into freshman dorms, too?