
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 4, 1994                    TAG: 9406040260 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: D4    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY PHILIP WALZER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940604                                 LENGTH: NORFOLK

NATIONAL LITERARY CENTER'S HEADQUARTERS WILL MOVE FROM ODU TO FAIRFAX IN JULY

{LEAD} A national literary organization, based at Old Dominion University for 16 years, is moving to Northern Virginia.

The Associated Writing Programs, looking to gain more influence near Washington, will move its headquarters to George Mason University in Fairfax in July.

{REST} But it will maintain a presence at Old Dominion, with a new international literary center.

``It's not a divorce from ODU in any way,'' said Mark Johnson, executive director of the group. ``It's a matter of AWP growing dramatically . . . and we need a national presence.''

Jo Ann Gora, ODU's provost, said, ``I'm very disappointed that they're moving their headquarters.'' But she added, ``I don't see it as really impacting students' lives.''

The organization, housed in one of ODU's cottages on 49th Street, has 13,000 members. Its projects range from finding jobs for writers across the country to developing creative-writing programs in high schools and historically black colleges. AWP has also helped ODU plan its annual literary festival.

ODU has given the organization about $32,000 a year to cover the salary of a part-time employee and printing costs. AWP is also allowed to use the office rent-free. George Mason will offer a similar arrangement, said David L. Potter, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at George Mason.

Aided by newly won grants, AWP's annual budget will jump from $400,000 to $2.1 million next year. Its full-time staff will grow from six to 10.

The Washington area will be the best place for the organization, Johnson said. ``We will be able to better serve our members by finding jobs and opportunities for them.''

The move, he said, will also boost AWP's effort to win a grant to sponsor a program in President Clinton's new national-service plan. The program would hire 60 writers in three cities to work with underprivileged schoolchildren.

AWP will also focus more on lobbying for writers and writing projects. The percentage of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts for literature has dropped from 9 percent two decades ago to 3 percent, Johnson said. ``We will provide a more visible presence for literature.''

At ODU, the organization will hire a full-time director for its international center, which will stay at the 49th Street office. The center will maintain a list of international writers visiting the country, encourage faculty and student exchanges around the world, and plan regular international writers' conferences at ODU, the school's English chairman, Philip D. Raisor, said.

Those efforts, Raisor said, will complement the university's push to emphasize international affairs across the curriculum.

``When I found out they were moving to new headquarters, I was very depressed,'' Raisor said. ``But I am very, very excited about the way the components are coming together'' for the international center.

by CNB