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

DATE: FRIDAY, August 18, 1995                   TAG: 9508190010
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: The Associated Press
DATELINE: FAIRFAX                                LENGTH: Medium

CRITICS SAY PUBLIC UNIVERSITY DABBLING IN ELECTION POLITICS

Some legislative candidates say a Northern Virginia business group seeking more state money for colleges, technology and transportation is getting an improper boost from a public university.

The Northern Virginia Roundtable, a group of 100 executives focusing on the region's economic development, has adopted a legislative agenda known as the ``Virginia First Policy Platform.''

The platform was distributed to General Assembly candidates earlier this month along with a letter signed by the roundtable's director, April Young. She is also George Mason University's economic development director.

Critics said they were upset by the tone of the letter, which said roundtable members are obligated to participate in the electoral process and ``should not support candidates who do not support the Platform.'' The letter, on Northern Virginia Roundtable letterhead, lists GMU's address.

``That is a big concern of mine,'' said Robert McDowell, a Republican opposing Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax. ``If they were using taxpayers' money to fund ... private ventures or proposals, that's wrong.''

Del. Robert B. Marshall, R-Manassas, also said the mailing raises questions.

``If this is a formal effort by the university, then that's stepping into elections, and a state institution is not supposed to be doing that,'' he said.

But Young, who was state economic development director during Democratic Gov. Douglas Wilder's term, said there was nothing improper about the mailing.

``The university didn't take that position, the roundtable took that position,'' she said. ``The university is not involved in elective politics.''

She said the university provides staff support, such as meeting rooms and help with correspondence, for the business coalition. She could not estimate the monetary value of that support.

GMU President George Johnson said Gov. George Allen has asked universities to use staff resources to help regional economic development councils.

``The university really is doing what the governor asked us to do,'' he said. ``Its involvement in politics is nonpartisan or bipartisan on behalf of economic development.''

Young said Northern Virginia legislators from both political parties helped draft the business group's platform.

All 140 General Assembly seats are up for election in November.

by CNB