Patriot Pop Quiz: A ‘cool’ new campus

Think you know a lot about George Mason University? Let’s find out if we can stump you with this Patriot Pop Quiz.

Question:

The Fairfax Campus officially opened 60 years ago on Sept. 14, 1964. It consisted of four small buildings, named North, South, East, and West. What amenity did these buildings offer, unlike any other college in the Washington, D.C., area at the time?

Answer:

When the Fairfax Campus opened its doors in September 1964, it was the only college in the capital region with buildings that were fully air-conditioned.

Though the temperatures were comfortable inside, some amenities still needed to be added to the campus buildings. Food service was not available at first, but efforts were quickly made to address that. During the first week of classes, vending machines were hastily set up in a study hall. George Mason would later set up a dining hall, the Ordinary, in the South Building (now called Krug Hall). The Ordinary was open until the University Union, now known as Student Union Building I, was built in 1974.

When the Fairfax Campus first opened, it welcomed 356 registered students, and the faculty included seven full-time and 18 part-time instructors. The first buildings still form the original quad as Finley, Krug, East, and West.