{"id":10208,"date":"2022-08-26T11:09:58","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T15:09:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10208"},"modified":"2022-08-26T12:34:09","modified_gmt":"2022-08-26T16:34:09","slug":"george-mason-university-becomes-independent-april-7-1972","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10208","title":{"rendered":"George Mason University Becomes Independent, April 7, 1972"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Mason students and administrators watch Governor A. Linwood Holton, Jr. sign the bill that creates George Mason University, April 7, 1972. George Mason University Broadside<\/em> and Gunston Ledger<\/em>, #R0128. April 9, 1972. Note that the individual who captioned the photo mistakenly dated the ceremony “April 4”.<\/p><\/div>\n

This post is part of a four-part series detailing the history of George Mason University from the student perspective. Our initial post,\u00a0Before We Became George Mason University: Our First Campus at Bailey\u2019s Crossroads<\/strong>, can be read here:<\/em>\u00a0https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10138<\/a> and Establishing our Identity: George Mason’s Fairfax Campus<\/strong><\/em>, can be read here: https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10152<\/a><\/p>\n

On Friday April 7, 1972, representatives of George Mason College, led by Chancellor Lorin A. Thompson, met with Virginia Governor A. Linwood Holton, Jr. at Richmond to participate in the Governor\u2019s signing into law the bill separating George Mason College from the University of Virginia and creating George Mason University. During the brief afternoon ceremony Mason administrators, Student Body President, James Corrigan, Student Senator, Anne O\u2019 Grady, and student government members, Tim Watson and Marion Tisdale were photographed side by side with the Governor as he signed the bill, known as H-210.<\/p>\n

Mason began down the road to independence in the mid-1960s. Beginning in 1965 the area\u2019s growth, highlighted by a dramatic increase in the population of college-aged men and women, pointed out the need for an independent and accessible four-year institution of higher learning in the area. By 1969 local governments had purchased 421 acres of land on behalf of George Mason, increasing its campus size by nearly 400% and giving the potential regional university needed room to grow. Studies done in the late 1960s suggested Mason might be serving 15,000 students by 1985.<\/p>\n

\"\"

A news clipping from an unidentified source shows George Mason College Chancellor, Lorin A. Thompson pointing to a map showing parcels of land surrounding George Mason’s Fairfax Campus in 1967. By 1969 Mason had acquired 421 additional acres of land for future growth as a university. University Relations news clippings and press releases records R0004 Box 2, Folder 1.<\/p><\/div>\n

The University of Virginia planned to make its branch colleges independent for years but kept these plans quiet during the fall of 1971. By late January 1972 the secret was out. A bill to separate Mason from the University of Virginia (H-210) had been was introduced in the Virginia Legislature on January 28. On February 7 Broadside declared that the separation of George Mason from the University was \u201cimminent\u201d after learning that Virginia\u2019s Board of Visitors recommended the separation. The Board cited the college\u2019s accomplishments, current and expected growth, financial support, and backing from the State Council of Higher Education.<\/p>\n

After the passage of H-210, graduating students were given the option of having \u201cGeorge Mason College of the University of Virginia\u201d or \u201cGeorge Mason University\u201d printed on their diploma. About 40% of the Class of 1972 chose \u201cGeorge Mason University\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Commencement ceremony for the George Mason University Class of 1972, June 10, 1972. Members of this graduating class were given the option of having “The University of Virginia” or “George Mason University” printed on their diplomas. George Mason University photograph collection, #R0120, Box 2. This photo was taken from the roof of the South Building (now known as Krug Hall).<\/p><\/div>\n

Mason\u2019s rapid leap into Virginia\u2019s group of regional universities, pointed up the need for more academic and student-focused buildings. Administrators wanted more classroom space. Students wanted a student union and campus housing. A number of high-profile building projects began in 1972. The Physical Education Building (today known as the RAC), the University Union (today\u2019s SUB I), Robinson Hall (replaced by Horizon Hall in 2021) and the Fenwick Library Tower would be built in the next 5 years. Still, some students voiced their concern in letters to Broadside, and to their representatives in Student Government that there were no plans for residence halls. Also concerning to some in the Mason community, as well as others in northern Virginia, was the lack of diversity among the students, faculty, and staff at George Mason.<\/p>\n

The Special Collections Research Center has mounted an exhibit entitled: \u201cWe Are Mason: A Student History\u201d celebrating George Mason\u2019s 50th Anniversary and the role students have played in its history. Please visit\u00a0https:\/\/scrc.gmu.edu\/wearemason.php<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n

Follow SCRC on Social Media and look out for future posts on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. To search the collections held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our website and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail us at speccoll@gmu.edu or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post is part of a four-part series detailing the history of George Mason University from the student perspective. Our initial post,\u00a0Before We Became George Mason University: Our First Campus at Bailey\u2019s Crossroads, can be read here:\u00a0https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10138 and Establishing our Identity: George Mason’s Fairfax Campus, can be read here: https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10152 On Friday April 7, 1972, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":10219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,529,905,906],"tags":[902,896,901,907,908,303],"class_list":["post-10208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exhibits","category-george-mason-university-history","category-gmu-50th","category-gmu-50th-george-mason-university-history","tag-902","tag-a-linwood-holton-jr","tag-george-mason-university-50th-anniversary","tag-independence","tag-krug-hall","tag-lorin-a-thompson"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Class_of_1972-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1705&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-2EE","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9858,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9858","url_meta":{"origin":10208,"position":0},"title":"Remembering A. Linwood Holton, Jr.","author":"Bob Vay","date":"October 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"On Friday April 7, 1972, a group from George Mason College, led by Chancellor Lorin A. Thompson, met with Virginia Governor, A. Linwood Holton, Jr. at his office in Richmond. They were there to witness the Governor\u2019s signing into law Virginia General Assembly Bill H 210 separating George Mason College\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10061,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10061","url_meta":{"origin":10208,"position":1},"title":"We Are Mason: A Student History","author":"Bob Vay","date":"March 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Our university celebrates its 50th Anniversary as an independent institution this year. The above photograph is the only one from that day known to exist. It was most likely taken by a George Mason University (GMU) employee in a department housed in the North Building (today known as Finley) called\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7256,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=7256","url_meta":{"origin":10208,"position":2},"title":"The “Desegregation” of George Mason University","author":"Bob Vay","date":"February 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Today George Mason University enjoys the reputation for being one of the more ethnically and culturally-varied universities in the nation. By most counts, the non-white student population at Mason is about 57%*. The university places a high priority on being accessible to those who aspire to a college education from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"Page from 1966 GMC yearbook, The Advocate.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/1966-Advocate-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9173,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9173","url_meta":{"origin":10208,"position":3},"title":"Presidents Series: 2012 \u2013 2020 – \u00c1ngel Cabrera, Anne Holton, and Looking Forward","author":"Amanda Menjivar","date":"May 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"This post was written by Lana Mason, Processing Student Assistant. Lana has an Associate of Arts degree in Fine Arts from Piedmont Virginia Community College. She is currently studying Art History at George Mason University. Lana was the recipient of the University Libraries Student Assistant Scholarship for the 2018-19 academic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Merten-Hall.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Merten-Hall.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Merten-Hall.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Merten-Hall.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10138,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10138","url_meta":{"origin":10208,"position":4},"title":"Before We Became George Mason University: Our First Campus at Bailey’s Crossroads, 1957-1964","author":"Bob Vay","date":"May 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is part of a four-part series detailing the history of George Mason University from the student perspective. Other posts in this series include Establishing our Identity: George Mason\u2019s Fairfax Campus, which can be read here: https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10152 and George Mason University Becomes Independent, April 7, 1972, which can be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Final Day Exercises, 1963.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10152,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10152","url_meta":{"origin":10208,"position":5},"title":"Establishing Our Identity: George Mason’s Fairfax Campus","author":"Bob Vay","date":"June 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is part of a four-part series detailing the history of George Mason University from the student perspective. Our initial post, Before We Became George Mason University: Our First Campus at Bailey's Crossroads, can be read here: https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10138 In August 1964 George Mason College moved from Bailey\u2019s Crossroads to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/patriot.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/patriot.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/patriot.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10208"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10222,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10208\/revisions\/10222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}