University of Virginia Library

GEORGE MASON COLLEGE BOARD OF CONTROL

The following resolution was adopted:

• WHEREAS the Board of Control for George Mason College Land Acquisition, formerly designated as the Board of Control for the Establishment of a Branch College in Northern Virginia, established by joint resolution of the counties of Fairfax and Arlington and the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, recognizing the need for additional land for the growth and development of a university in Northern Virginia, arranged with the Northern Virginia Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission to undertake a study of the needs for higher education in Northern Virginia and to determine the amount of land which would be required for the development of a regional university;
• WHEREAS the Board of Control upon receiving the report from the Northern Virginia Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission arranged for an appraisal of the amount of money needed to acquire approximately 450 acres of land adjacent to the original site of the College, which sum was estimated at $3 million;
• WHEREAS the Board of Control determined a method of apportioning the $3 million among the four jurisdictions comprising the Board and recommended that each of the jurisdictions provide a proportionate share of the $3 million;
• WHEREAS the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria agreed to provide their share from current revenues and the counties of Fairfax and Arlington included their shares in bond referenda submitted to the voters in 1966, which were passed overwhelmingly;
• WHEREAS the Board of Control then proceeded to appoint a General Counsel, a Special Counsel and a Clerk of the Board to proceed with the land acquisition program as approved on the public facilities map of Fairfax County; and
• WHEREAS the Board of Control has now purchased 420 acres of land adjacent to the 150-acre site of George Mason College which was donated to the University of Virginia in 1959 by the then Town of Fairfax;
• NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia that we hereby proclaim and record our appreciation for the diligent, effective, and unselfish service of each and everyone serving as a member of the Board of Control since its creation in 1957 and, as a mark of our esteem, we do hereby direct the Secretary to record this resolution in the Permanent Minutes.