ARIAS SUPPORTERS WANT REVIEW.

Byline: Chris Branam Daily News Staff Writer

Protesting the choice of Dick Dull as Cal State Northridge's athletic director, supporters of Robert Arias' candidacy for the job are seeking a review of the selection process.

William ``Blinky'' Rodriguez and members of the CSUN Advisory Board who supported Arias are planning to ask Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles, and CSU Chancellor Charles Reed to look into Dull's hiring on May 26. Dull resigned from his post as the athletic director at Moravian College, a Division III school in Bethlehem, Pa., to take the CSUN job.

In 1986, Dull was the athletic director at Maryland when the program came under fire after basketball star Len Bias' cocaine-induced death. Dull resigned five months later.

``We just feel like we can't allow it to be `business as usual,' '' said Rodriguez, a community leader who was an outspoken advocate of Arias. ``(Dull) doesn't know the community. He is not making fund-raising a No. 1 priority.''

Ken Swisher, the media-relations spokesperson for the CSU office, said Reed is on the East Coast and unavailable for comment. Swisher said he didn't anticipate Reed taking any action.

``That search was complete and it was a campus-based decision,'' Swisher said.

John Chandler, who works in CSUN's public-information office, said the university stands by the choice of Dull, calling him ``eminently qualified.''

Arias, a San Fernando Valley resident, was one of four finalists for the job that went to Dull, who starts July 1. Rodriguez said supporters of the inquiry include CSUN Advisory Board members Lee Alpert, Leroy Chase and Edward Moreno.

``From our understanding, the support (for Arias) was staunch,'' Rodriguez said. ``Many letters were sent to Blenda before she left. She never answered one of them. We want to know what happened.''