WEATHER INSIDE TODAY: cloudy EDITORIAL ................. 12 «> pearC chlnce c:A rain HIF:. Low: 408 FOCUS ........................ t6 STYL£ ......................... 19 AlDAY: rainy SPORT$..................... .23 HIF:.. Low: .as HUAAOR .......................29 Ct.ASSIFIEDS ............. 31 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY ntURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 1994 VOL 72, N0.8 Allen mandates budget reduction plans by Cyndy Liedtke JMU received $32 milUon from jobs eliminated. "I don't look news editor the state for its operating budget this forward to making those kinds of year, oearty $3 million more than the reductions," he said. Higher education, along with all year before. Every 2 percent cut Faculty would be the last group to other state agencies, may once again would be $640,000 less the look to for cuts ; n a worst case feel the pinch or budget cuts. university would receive in state scenario, Rose said. Gov. George Allen has asked all funds. Faculty pay raises will not be agencies. including public colleges Rose ~aid JMU would look at affected by the possible cuts. EZJN · and uruvers1ties, to prepare plans for previous plans the university made to according to Rose. The percentage possible bud~t cuts of 2. 4 or 6 c.J~T::T 's $$ prepare for possible budget cuts, and allotted by the Virginia General .. • Q percent for the fiscal )IC8r beginning that Lhey would have a new plan Assembly for raises is not part of the July I, 1995. Plans are due Oct. 17. ready io seven to 10 days. state's general operating budget It ~ to parole rVorm. all state agencies. Linwood Rose, JMU executive Regardless, the university will do comes from the central state including JMU, have been asked by Governor vice president, said, "1 like to think. what it can to impact students and appropriation fund. Therefore. AJJeu to rl\ake plans)n the c se of budget cuts of and I hope. higher education can academics the least. Rose said. "The JMU 's plans to go to a merit pay escape the budget axe this time." last thing we would do is affect system are not affected by the two four, and six percent. What this means for According to Mike McDowell, course availability," Rose said. possible budget cuts. JMU in actual dollars: spokesman for the State Council of Most cuts would have to come Tuition will also not be affected Higher Education for Virginia, from personnel, but not faculty, he by any of the proposed cuts. PER ENTAGE FEWER DOLLARS higher education has suffered cuts of said. A 2 percent cut would result in Raises in tuition cannot be used to $413 million since 1990. An a freezing oo hiring to fi II vacant jobs make up for any reduced funding, CUT F ROM S TATE additional 6 percent cut would mean but wouldn' t actually eliminate any according to law. $96 million less will go to Virginia current employees, Rose said. The General Assembly approved $ 640,000 public schools next year. But any additional cuts could legislation that caps tuition inc.reases "It would be very discouraging if require a reduction in current at 3 percent for in-state students and L1,2s o,ooo this came to pass. It would be a personnel. Wage employees would 5 percent for out-of-state students. hardship for many institutions," be looked at first and then full-time · McDowell said the governor McDowell said. He said many employees. Suppon staff cuts would restored $23 million to the higher schools might have to reduce be made next if necessary. services. BUDGET page 2 Rose said he does not want to see CJ GREBBI unior orri" Bridge to connect main campus with CISAT site by BeUy Smith The bridge wi II cross Interstate 81 and the connecting points to the bridge from both contributing writer empty directly onto the CIS AT campus just CISAT and from behind White and Weaver nortb of the Convocation Center, Knickrehm Halls. Building starts l • .!dents plannlng to take classes at the new said. Eventually, the road connecting the bridge JMU has already set aside S 13 million for College of Integrated Science and Technology to the CISAT campus will circumnavigate all construction of both the first CISAT building at new college will have an easier time getting there with a CISAT buildings and will connect with and connecting roads for the building. new bridge being constructed this fall. University Boulevard, he said. Knickrehm said. Costs for preparing the roads by Steve Lee The bridge will coo.nca from behind White State funds are supporting the building of to connect to lhe bridge are uncertain right and Weaver Halls. where there is now an the bridge. Lineberry said. The contract, now. staff w;iter extension of X-lot, to the new CISAT site. awarded to Fairfield Bridge Co., totaled $1.7 JMU set aside the money some time ago and Const.ruction of the first academic building According to Steve Knickrehm, JMU director million, according to Jeff Lineberry, assistant already has the money to pay for the new for the College of Integrated Science and of fi nancial planning, the lot behind the resident engineer at the Harrisonburg branch of construction, Knickrehm said. No student Technology will begin sometime this calendar residence halls wi ll be repaved and rebuilt to the Virginia Oepanment of Transportation. tuition money or normal operating money will year. support heavy traffic and will connect to the Knickrehm said that while the state is be used in the construction COSIS, he said. bridge. paying for the actual bridge. JMU must fund The 323-foot bridge will carry three kinds of According to Lyle Wilcox. CISAT provost, traffic: motor, bicycle and pedestrian. There the first CISAT building is expected to be will be two 12-foot lanes for two- way completed in 1996. vehicular travel. On either side of those lanes. Once completed, the computer science and integrated science and technology classes and there will be two paved bicycle lanes. Pedestrians will be able to use a 12-foot offices will be relocated there. he said. elevated cement walkway on one side of the Computer sc1cncc and ISAT classes and bridge. offices are now located in the modular building The cement walkway on one side of the across Interstate 81. Labs arc bcmg held 1n bridge will keep pe<!estrians from havi ng to trailers that are right next to the modu lar building nnd in the modular building itself. cross the street, Lineberry said. "We are C"''nstructing this bridge to suit A series of six other academic buildings will every person, whether they drive. bike or walk be constructed after the completion of the first to class," Lineberry said. building and all will be connected by an Fairfield Bridge Co., a Fishersville outdoor tunnel. Once the build1ngs are construction group. was awarded the contract completed. other departments in CISAT will to build the bridge Sept. I 5 from the relocate to the new buildings. Wilcox said. Commonwealth Transportation Board. Other buildings to be built on the CISAT A meeting regarding specific information campus include a set of residence halls and a about the bridge's construction will be held cafeteri a. The whole campus is ellpected to be Sept. 23, Knickrehm said. The meeting will completed 10-1 5 years from now, Wiloox said. include JMU officials, VDOT officials and A recreation center for use by all students is representatives from Fairfield Bridge Co. also being built in the area. One student said the new buildings are a MAGGIE WELTERI1tnior plwtoaro/}Mr Construction on the bridge is scheduled to begin within the next two to four weeks, welcome change. A bridge wlllati'Wtch ecrou lnterat8te 81 • a pathway, bikeway and roedway for thoee lr1lnllng from the IMin C8fiiPW to ctSAT, and ehauld M done by next Y""· BRIDGE page 2 COLLEGE page 2 S Thursday. Sept. 22. 1994. THE BREEZE ~~dJl~-1----------------------------------- Bridge _____________---=- that higher edocadon would receive to mate chmges. contlnued t1oom Pille 1 education budget last January in any of those cuts." But, JO the governor's aedit. Rose HCIIber Olis, a frelbmaD livinaln wouldn't return for keeping tuition increases al 1be governor wants to know what said Al.len is prepDia for lbe wont, Unebary said. Weavrx HaD. said she mind about the level of inflation and a wouJd happen if tbe cuts were to and he would rllbcr the aowmor ask Portions of 1-81 will be closed construction but thinks her suitemales will. promise from colleges and happen. she said. for plans for a reducOoo than to just durin& conatniCdoo time, Unebeny universities to restructure. Last year Sgro also said lbere is a provisioo make cuts. said. VOOT is planina to perform "I have 8 o'clock classes every was the first time the higher in the letter sent to cotteaes and 1bere is a big differeuoe between most conatruction lnvolvina the day. and early morning construction education budget had been increased universities that states special being ready for cuts and actually closing or the interstate at niaht, noises wouldn't bother me, but my roommate likes to sleep in, and 1 since 1988. consideration will be given to makina cuts," Rose said. Uoebeny said. Durin& the pl.lclna of the steel girders to support the think she might DO( like It too much," Because of the tuition caps, institutions with "real strong This is DO( the first time JMU and budget cuts could be diffi cult for restructuring plans." other state schools have had to make bridge. for example, VOOT Otis said. many institutions to bear, McDoweU According to McDowell, every plans for possible budget cuts.