THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, January 27, 1995               TAG: 9501270643
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY SHARON LAROWE, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT 
DATELINE: HARRISONBURG                       LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

JMU STUDENTS PROTEST CLOSING OF DEPARTMENT AT LONGWOOD, 500 CRITICIZE ALLEN'S PROPOSED BUDGET CUT OF $1.1 MILLION.

Hundreds of students rallied in front of James Madison University's administration building Thursday to criticize the administration's the decision to close the physics department.

The demonstration came two days after the faculty approved a vote of no confidence in President Ronald E. Carrier.

``We're specifically not anti-Carrier; we're not anti-restructuring, but we're just concerned about the lack of communication concerning restructuring. And we're concerned with the recent decision to disband physics,'' said Deb Fuller, a graduate student in education.

``There's never any problems with students expressing their opinion,'' Fred Hilton, a JMU spokesman, said. ``It's good to hear their views.''

But, he said, ``I think the decisions made were good ones.''

Hilton estimated the crowd at 200 to 250 people, while student organizers said 300 to 400 students attended.

Many wore black armbands and carried signs saying: ``Welcome to James Madison Community College,'' ``Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.''

Meanwhile, at Longwood College in Farmville, 500 students protested Gov. George F. Allen's proposed $1.1 million budget cuts to Longwood.

Rob Postel, a junior from Virginia Beach who is the student government president, helped lead the rally. ``We're really trying to say: We need to contact Richmond and tell them what's going to happen to the school's budget.

``In the past, students have been apathetic. The purpose is to show what power they have.''

Postel said about 50 students camped in tents outside the student union building Wednesday night to show their discontent.

``We're continuing to do that until we hear from Richmond,'' he said. But so far, Postel said, Allen has not contacted them. MEMO: Staff writer Philip Walzer contributed to this story.

by CNB