University of Texas School of Law - Peregrinus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Mark G. Yudof Chosen Law School Dean By Lynn f. Rossi Getting an appointment to meet with the new Dean of the UT Law School is not easy. Between meetings, trips, appearances at functions, and planning sessions, Mark G. Yudof's time is now scheduled for him - weeks in advance. They say its lonely at the top, but I always have company, he says with a smile. Sitting in his new office, chewing on his trademark cigar. Dean Yudof appears to have settled comfortably, and quite happily, into the job he assumed in August. Although he is only 40 years old, relatively young for a dean, he assures those concerned that he is indeed aging rapidly. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Yudof came to UT as an assistant professor of law in 1971. He came with outstanding credentials - editor of the law review, law clerk for a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judge, staff attorney and faculty member of the Harvard Center for Law and Education. And his accomplishments at UT have been equally as impressive. He was named a professor in 1974 and became Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in 1979. He was chosen as a member of the American Law Institute in 198J. Yudof has published one book. When Government Speaks: Politics. Law and Government Expression, one casebook and its supplement. Educational Poky and the Law. and a supplement to a Legal Deskbook for Administrators of Independent Colleges and Universities. In addition, he has wnt-ten four chapters for others' books, three concerning school law and one on propertv taxation. Twenty-eight law review articles carry his by-line, and he has authored numerous briefs amicus curiae for the U.S. Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit. Yudof is eager to outline his plans for his tenure as Dean. He hired Robert Wiley and Susana Aleman to serve as Assistant Deans, providing more per- sonalized service to students. He appointed Professor Bill Powers to replace him as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Yudof also plans many improvements to the educational package offered by the law school, with the first to be curriculum reform. Yudof wants to stress small classes for second and third year students, more instruction in legal writing, more diversity in teaching and testing techniques, and more feedback to students regarding their academic progress. He also wants to stress more interdisciplinary work for students, like his own class. Educational Policy and Law, or a shopping center development class. There, students would learn about zoning variances, financing, construction, contract negotiation, and taxation. Reforming the curriculum means hiring more professors, he explained, and convincing the faculty that curriculum development leaves are as important as writing law review articles. The new Dean wants to make the strong stronger by improving the library and by making UT more competitive when hiring faculty. Yudof also foresees a revision in the public financing of the law school and wants to improve the national and state-wide visibility of the school. He is also introducing increased use of technology into the law school and plans to computerize records in the 6

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Legend of the Peregrinus The Peregrinus, the patron saint of the law school,, was born from a classroom antic in 1900. Judge W. S. Simkins, having lectured in his Equity class on the Roman system of traveling ludges, called “Praetors Peregrinus,'' asked a hapless student to explain the previous discussion. When the student coukl only respond, “Judge, I don't know, unless it was some kind of animal, a fellow classmate furthered his misery with a blackboard caricature of a “peregrinus. This hybrid beast of Equity evolved with traditional meanings given to its physical features. The sharp beak penetrates the mysteries of the law, the arched back can spring forward to protect justice, and the hindquarters are those of a dog as man's best friend. The feet are clad in boxing gloves to show the power of the law and worker's boots with a lone star to symbolize legal protection accorded the common man. The bushy tail is poised to clear away legal technicalities so that equity prevails. After 85 years of guiding law students, the peregrinus remains our traditional symbol. To return the favor, since 1949 this publication has carried his name. 1985 PEREGRINUS STAFF EDITOR Lynn E. Rossi ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lisa Gaye Holden ASSISTANT EDITOR Ann D. Foster ASSISTANT EDITOR S. Rhett Robinson ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR Ann Barrier Smith PEREGRINUS PHOTOGRAPHER Steve Schroeter CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Arnold Aguilar Veronica Madrid Scott Ozmun Lynn E. Rossi Ethna Sinisi Bud Worthington SUPERVISOR Jerry Thompson ASST. TO THE SUPERVISOR Dewayne Bevil YEARBOOK ASSISTANT Mary Otting PHOTO SUPERVISOR Steven Pumphrey ADVERTISING Danny Magnus 5

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Main Office and the Placement Office. He plans to improve student support services by setting up advisory programs using faculty members, providing counselors, and monitoring students' progress. Improving the capability of the Placement Office to serve more than the top one-third of the class is also on Yudof's list. We must improve our students' self-images. They are in the top one-half percent of the nationwide population. Employers should have an appreciation of that quality.'' last, but certainly not least to the average law school student, are the improvements Yudof has already made to Keeton's Casino. Thanks to his efforts, law students now have bagels and cream cheese in abundance! Yudof's personal life is changing significantly as a result of his promotion. He says he is still getting used to the ceremonial aspects of the job, and must be careful about having one of his frequent jokes taken too seriously. He describes the morning mail delivery as a crisis and finds that the job is more time-consuming than he expected. He still makes time for his family, however. Yudof's wife, Judy, is currently president of their synagogue so she is equally busy, and the two tend to rendezvous at the microwave. They have two children, Seth, 13, and Samara, 7. They were both born on January lb, which shows you how precise a lawyer I am, he adds. With so many plans, Yudof is settling easily into the role. But it has its disadvantages. When a UT regent commented that he wished Yudof were five years older, Yudof said he assured him, I will be in one year. Dean Yudof 7