Evening star., 1956-12-09
Location Row
|Peri|s Branch
For U. Of Va.
Boord Of Visitors
Defers Action After
Hedring Protests
BY PAUL HOPE
star stan Correspondent

l8.-Northern Virginia faces the
possible loss of a branch college
Iof the University of Virginia
latter the Board of Visitors heard
today a threat of withdrawal of
financial support by Washington
area localities if the branch is
located in Herndon.
The Board of Visitors voted to
postpone action on the selection
of site until its March meeting.
1t said it would then reconsider
whether to establish the branch
at all in light of the controversy.
The board action was taken in
executive session after a public
hearing attended by approxi-
mately so persons.
I Members of the board said
they gathered from the public
hearing that the branch might
not be supported by Jurisdictions
not favorable to a particular
location.
Focus on 2 Locations
Arguments centered on two
principal locations. One, backed
by the Northern Virginia Uni
iversity Center Advisory Coun-
ell, Is a 75-acre site located on
Ravensworth estate near Spring.
field. The other, backed by
a special three-member commit
tee of the Board of Visitors. by
-ILoudoun County officials and
several officials of towns in part
Iof Fairfax County. is a 250-acre
tract on the Sunset Hills farm
at the outskirts of Herndon.
John Ticer. member of the ADJ
Ivisory Council and of the Alex
Iandris City Council, said his
governing body would have to
reconsider its position in light
of the services to be offered" If
the branch is located at Hern-
don.
He said the Alexandria coun-
ell put funds in its budget for
flrst-year operational costs Of
the branch in the belief that it
would be located at Ravensworth.
Tenth District jurisdictions
Alexandria and Falls Church.
and Arlington and Fairfax
Counties-have been asked to
lunderwrite the first two years
operational cost. Cost Of the first
year is expected to be 100000.
Harrison Mann, State dele
gate from Arlington who spon-
sored legislation authorizing the
branch, also said there was a
definite possibility the urban
areas would not support the
branch if it is located at
Herndon.
Distance Is Issue
Mr.. Mann protested that the
intent Of the legislature was TO
establish branch to serve only
10th district Jurisdictions and
not the surrounding counties.
Although both locations are in
Fairfax County. the Sunset Hills
site is considerably out Of the
Heavily populated area.
George B. Zehmer, dean Of
the university's extension divi-
sion. said there we're serious
dangers involved in locating the
branch as far from the center Of
population as has been recon-
mended by your special com.
mittee." He did not specifically
indorse the Ravensworth site,
but he said If the branch is
situated at Herndon 1t would
be likely that the university
would have to establish another
downtown" branch or face the
possibility Of another univer-
sity establishing a branch in the
urban area.
He said II another univer-
sity moved into the urban area,
Iit would take 20 per cent Of
the potential enrolment.
Cites Burden on Students
"The great majority of the
students will have neither the
time nor the money to travel
once or twice daily to a fairly
distant center" Dean Zohmer
said.
This position was backed BY
Joseph Duvall. a student at the
present extension center in
Washington-Lee High School in
Arlington. who presented pc
titions signed by some 400 stu
dents in favor Of the Ravens
worth site.
The special board committee,
headed by Federal Judge Albert
v. Bryan Of Alexandria, rec
commended the Herndon site on
grounds that it would provide
room for future growth and be-
cause the population growth Of
the area is expected to be toward
the Herndon area. It also said
1t kept In mind the needs OF the
adjacent rural communities" II
said the proposed airport at
Burke was another considera-
ton.