The move, 5 years in preparation, is "in part in response to growing enrollments" in science and engineering, which now capture about a quarter of the university's undergrads, says Yale President Richard C. Levin. Playing a major role has been Dean of Engineering D. Allan Bromley, former science adviser to President George Bush. "There's always been a feeling that we're a liberal arts university, and science and technology are second place," says Bromley. "This is no longer Yale's policy."

Yale will turn one side of the university's Science Hill into an "environmental campus" and another part into a "molecular campus." So far, about 10% of the money is in hand--$25 million was pledged some years ago by Edward Bass (Yale '68) of Biosphere 2 fame; then in December, another alum, cable TV magnate John Malone ('63), kicked in $24 million. Yale intends to put up five new science buildings, beef up facilities, and hire additions to the 300-person science faculty.

The project is expected to take 6 to 8 years. If gifts don't cover the cost, says Levin, Yale will borrow the rest: "This is simply an indispensable investment."