Students and alumni of Long Island University's C.W. Post campus radio station WCWP recently announced that they are launching a campaign to reclaim the airtime they say is being taken away from them by the university's administration.

The students currently originate their own programming on WCWP for six hours a day from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Early last month students, they say were told that the time would be cut in half to provide more time for the station to simulcast programming from their sister station, WLIU in Southampton. The students will be allowed to host shows on the FM station, which can be heard within a five-mile radius, between the hours of 7 and 10 p.m.

At a recent meeting held at C.W. Post's radio station, Dr. Wally Smith, general manager of WLIU 88.3 FM and director of the Long Island University Public Radio Network announced that the radio station will shortly be broadcasting only news and jazz music. The station currently airs urban, top 40 and alternative rock music. Also, professional broadcasters will be hired to host the shows and mentor the students through the process. The students will be allowed to fill in during the five breaks allowed an hour for the hosts.

Smith explained that this move is part of a five-year business plan for Long Island University. "We have to create a service that the general public will pay for," he said. "Our objective is to provide more for the university and the students and not to take anything away. Our goal is guaranteeing radio opportunities for students and to provide a service and have it on a par with other great universities."

The students disagree and voiced their opinions that this move would take away from the opportunities that they have now. They are currently hosting shows on their own and don't want to "backtrack" and start helping a professional. "This is a class, not an internship," said one concerned student.

"It's sad and unfortunate that the educational mission is made to play second fiddle to other purposes," said Barbara Fowles, chair of C.W. Post's Media Arts Department.

Ted David, a C.W. Post alumnus and veteran broadcaster said, "WCWP is how I got my start in the broadcasting business. We were on the air from dawn to midnight and often later. The station was a true classroom. It is unfair to the students and the community that this airtime would be taken away. Producing programming somewhere else weakens the college's ability to offer a quality broadcast program, violates the inherent promise to all students that they would have a real on-the-air radio station at which to work, and in no way helps serve the local community of Brookville for which the license was originally granted."

Smith said that they are not here to educate disk jockeys, but rather journalists and broadcasters. The students responded by telling Smith that they doubt the radio station will be able to attract students in the future if the format is jazz music and most students present at the meeting said they came to C.W. Post solely for the radio station. Smith explained that news and jazz makes the radio station and the university "prestigious" a comment that brought a lot of rumbling from the students in attendance.

Student and WCWP Sports Director Travis Demers, said, "This move limits opportunity and takes away from our future. I decided to go to this school because of the radio station. Now they are taking that away from me. I feel gypped. They promised one thing and then gave me something else."

A student/alumni coalition has been formed to protest the university's decision and to explore what avenues they may have at their disposal. These include a complaint to the FCC and possible legal action.

Smith explained that this is not yet a done deal and he wanted to hear input from the students, as this meeting was the first time he met with them. "It was important for me to hear what you had to say and how articulate you are," said Smith.

The coalition is forming a website and will be gathering support from students, alumni and the community in an effort to get the administration not to cut back the airtime at WCWP.