Mulford Q. Sibley Grove

Mulford Q. Sibley Grove. . , 1. Aerial photo of the West Bank before Professor Sibley's intervention, 1965 , 2. View of the grove shortly after the planting of trees, ca. 1971 , 3. Mulford Q. Sibley Grove, ca. 2018 , 4. Mulford Q. Sibley, 1977, Nature on the West Bank , Early renderings of the West Bank expansion in the early 1960s promised a campus flourishing with foliage amidst the new brick and concrete infrastructure., However, in the early years of the West Bank, the reality was far less green. Faculty and students from that period recall acres of unwelcoming concrete, and the professor who pushed to change that., Today, the West Bank is home to beautiful landscaping maintained by the University's Landcare team, including the Mulford Q. Sibley Grove. Thanks in large part to Professor Sibley's efforts, the West Bank is a far greener and more humane environment than the campus was in its early days., In 2018, the University dedicated the grove of trees outside the Social Sciences Building in honor of Professor Sibley, whose dedication to nature and the environment motivated him to pursue the creation of green spaces on the West Bank, to the lasting benefit of all who work, teach, and learn on this part of campus., Mulford Q. Sibley , Mulford Q. Sibley, Professor of Political Science, was an internationally renowned scholar of political thought and history. He was beloved by his many students, hundreds of whom would pack themselves into his lectures for engaging discussion and debate, or line up outside his office to meet with him individually., Though he expressed contentious viewpoints, he staunchly supported political activism and defended academic freedom and the freedoms of speech and conscience., Professor Sibley was a serious scholar and activist regarding nature, ecology, and the environment. His 1977 book, Nature and Civilization: Some Implications of Politics, sketched out utopian ideals based partly on the human need for "communication with Nature," envisioning citizens living in "garden cities.", Ultimately, Professor Sibley proposed and drove the planting of trees and the installation of benches in place of the concrete plaza outside the Social Sciences Building. His efforts humanized the campus and redefined its architectural style.