'Contract' Negotiations An estimated 120 faculty, staff, students and neighbors rallied peacefully in front of the School of Public Health on Thursday to express their anger over the budget cuts proposed in the Republican Contract with America. The protest was organized by the Hopkins-based student group Bridges Not Walls, as well as students from other university campuses and a handful of community associations. "We were ecstatic to have such grass roots involvement," said Marisela Gomez, a postdoctoral student at the School of Medicine and the Bridges Not Walls representative. The chanting, marching and speeches, which Gomez called "very serious and thoughtful," focused on three specific issues in the contract: student financial aid, social services and the environment. Organizers said they plan to send to Washington a petition opposing the contract passed around at the rally. "We also solidified the groups and individuals who want to organize more events with us," Gomez said. Among those events is a series of follow-up seminars scheduled to start on the Homewood campus next week. "I'm really excited that we over here on the east side finally connected with Homewood. This rally proved that Hopkins students are not apathetic about social issues."