The openness of our campus is one of the things that most distinguishes Hampden-Sydney from other colleges, especially in the minds of prospective students. We will be losing one of our biggest admissions selling points by tearing down Bagby Hall and locating the new science building in center campus.

Being closer to its two neighboring structures than any other building-pair on campus, it will give the center of campus an urban feel than the open rural feel that many of our alumni and students treasure. This building placement stands a good chance of eventually being resented, for being out of place and for having changed the nature of the campus so much for the worse – a new McIlwaine Hall.

By comparison, the lakeside site -- the one recommended by generations of master plans and boasting a commanding, jewel-like setting at the head of our lake, like the Commons at the University of Richmond -- has none of those practical or aesthetic drawbacks and has may additional advantages.

Our Campus Master plans for the last 50 years have said that any new large buildings should ring this end of campus, as Gilmer Hall, the new library, and the new dorm village do.

The center-campus site has many problems: Unsightly utilities and loading dock will be visible from every angle on campus, including the main street which visitors use. Its enormous bulk will be out of scale with all the historic structures around it. Its front façade will face a side street and can never be seen head-on.

Our original center campus is on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally nominated in 1970, the Hampden-Sydney College Historic District nomination was updated in 2019 with a specific inventory of  architecturally significant buildings as historic resources to add it to the national register. Bagby Hall is listed among this inventory of buildings.

It is not too late for everyone to help change this situation. The equipment is on campus to start demolition soon if we don't hurry and take action as soon as possible.

If you agree, please sign this petition and send President Stimpert and members of the board a letter that you will not support the campaign for this building unless it is built where it should be. Thank you for your consideration.