Trespassing Students

BUFFALO. N Y--Nearly 90 Buffalo State University students are facing criminal trespass charges after they refused Last week to vacate a student union building that the administration plans to turn into a dental school facility.

University police made the arrests February 4 after the students refused to leave Squire Hall, the student union, at its midnight closing time, according to the Associated Press. On Thursday, at their court appearances, two of the 87 students accepted probation for six months in return for their cases not being tried. John Thurston, director of the university's News Bureau said yesterday.

Thurston added that the other 85 chose to have their cases heard and risk facing fines.

The school plans converting Squire Hall to a dental school facility as part of a master plan to reshape the campus, and the extra space is needed because the dental school's accreditation would otherwise be in jeopardy. Linda Grace-Kobas, a university spokesman, said recently. The student union building will close February 26 for the renovations. Thurston said.