
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 24, 1994                   TAG: 9501180023
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Medium

LEGISLATORS URGE ALLEN NOT TO CUT COLLEGE FUNDS

Democratic and Republican legislators have urged Gov. George Allen not to cut the budgets of six public colleges whose state-ordered restructuring plans have not yet passed muster.

The legislators said Tuesday that the restructuring process was designed to help the state's colleges streamline administrations and revamp academics - not to penalize them financially.

But that will occur, legislators said, if Allen follows through on his pledge to cut by up to 6 percent the 1995-96 budget of any college that fails to gain approval for its restructuring plan.

Failing to win that approval so far are Christopher Newport University, Longwood College, Mary Washington College, Norfolk State University, Radford University and Virginia State University.

``The institutions that don't have acceptable plans right now are the smaller schools that may be somewhat limited in help,'' Sen. John Chichester, R-Fredericksburg, said Tuesday at a meeting of the General Assembly's Commission on the Future of Higher Education.

Others have charged that the six schools' plans weren't approved because a show of force had to be made by state education officials, who targeted the least powerful colleges to make that statement.

State education officials have said the rejected plans were not specific enough.

Senate Majority Leader Hunter Andrews, D-Hampton, suggested that any money taken from the schools be held in escrow for them until their plans are approved. Also promoting that idea is the State Council of Higher Education, which maintains that the six schools are the least able to afford cuts.

Education Secretary Beverly Sgro opposes the escrow plan and has recommended that Allen impose the cuts. The legislators' appeal did not persuade her to change that position, she said.

by CNB