completed this set of projects, not just the Science Building but the dorms that

became necessary and the landscaping which I think is pure genius? The set of

projects we've completed say something about our commitment to beauty, to

natural beauty, and to the beauty of a built environment that is compatible

with the natural beauty of this campus. It says that we care deeply about

science. It says something about our commitment to sustainability. It says

something about the importance of the liberal arts emphasis on integration. We

have faculty and students who warrant a facility of this sort, whose research and

teaching deserve to occur in a place that allows them to do their best work.

We have an alumni body and a Board of Trustees who are also ambitious on

behalf of the college, and willing to support its academic mission to ensure

that Amherst remains the best possible undergraduate institution in the country.

This is not a case of "If you build it they will come." They are here. They are

our esteemed faculty, whose academic distinction is only surpassed by their

talent and commitment as educators of our students. And they are our students,

right here, right now.

A building at the end of the day is just a space. It is those people who make this

space a place.