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

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CCIalavco Ochoo - ne of the significant changes that affected the lives of UT law students was the open- ing of the University Co-op East in its new location. Students and other customers can now enjoy a greater selection of merchandise as well as more breathing room. With three times the floor space, law stu- dents will no longer have to squeeze by one another in the aisles to pick out their textbooks. The Co-op East had been in its old location on the east side of Medical Arts Street since the early 1970 ' s. It served the textbook and supply needs of the Law School, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the Nursing School, and the art and music students. Space for merchandise was at a premium, creat- ing an atmosphere inside that was described as nice and cozy by assis- tant manager Bennie Garcia. During the book rushes that accompany the first weeks of school, temperatures skyrocketed and tempers flared because of the limited size and cramped quarters of the building. Because the building did not have a true loading dock, supply trucks often blocked the one-way traffic around the rear of the Co-op or simply unloaded through the front door. The University acquired the land on the opposite side of Medical Arts in 1992. A Bevo ' s bookstore and several private homes occupied the site, but the store was razed and the houses removed, refinished, and relocated. Construction of the Co-op East began in September of 1993, following the dismantling of the book-selling tent that the first-year students of that year remember so well. Because of local ordinances none of the trees on the lot could be removed, so the building was designed around them in a unique shape. By June of 1994 the exterior work on the structure was complete and shelves were being installed inside. University Co-op staff closed the doors of the original store the last weekend of that month and moved all the inventory over to the new location in just three days. Already having com- pleted a total transition to a new com- puter inventory and check-out system, the staff of the Co-op East reopened for business in the new building the first da y of July 1994. The new computer system has helped to greatly reduce inventory and has made the overall operation of the Co-op more efficient, said Bo Solomon, manager of the Co-op East. Sales are up, while inventory is down. Solomon also pointed out that the new location offers a greater selection of merchandise than the old, and he and his staff are open to suggestions, especially regarding service and supply needs of law students after the original book rushes of each semester. The majority of weekend Co-op receipts consists of sales of art supplies, with the customers coming from as far away as Waco. The new building not only offers law students more breathing room, but office space as well. Four law journals including The Review of Litigation and The Environmental Law Journal occupy the second floor on a three-year lease. The Co-op retains an option to expand vertically, but for now it has only uti- lized one room, for employees on breaks. Another feature of the new Co-op East is the expansive wood deck that highlights the north entrance. Shaded 4 - Changes in the Law School

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Ci7:1 97111,o 121W Schoo AcLaaL)sions Battle by Alex De Marban Although a federal judge in August, 1994 rejected as dis- criminatory a 1992 UT School of Law admissions policy, law students applauded his decision to allow the school to contin- ue using affirmative admission procedures. Affirmative action, if done correctly, can be very beneficial, said Brent Golemon, law school representative to the Students ' Association. Of the students I ' ve come into contact with at the University - blacks, whites, Hispanics, As ians - all are very qualified and highly motivated. Four white students filed suit against the School of Law in 1992, contesting the school ' s admission policy that separated applications into minority and non-minority groups prior to review. The plaintiffs were denied entrance into the UT School of Law although they had higher grade point averages and LSAT scores than some black or Hispanic applicants. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, a graduate of the UT School of Law, ruled that the 1992 policy discriminated against the four plaintiffs, but he upheld affirmative action policies. It is regrettable that affirmative action programs are still needed in our soci- ety, Sparks wrote in the Aug. 19, 1994 decision. However, until society sufficiently overcomes the effects of its lengthy his- tory of pervasive racism, affirmative action is a necessity. Sparks awarded each plaintiff $1 and said they could apply to the program next year without charge. He said he would not, however, order the plaintiffs into the law school because they did not prove they would have been admitted under a non-discriminatory admissions policy. Michael Greve, executive director of the the Center for Individual rights, a public rights law firm representing the stu- dents, said the plaintiffs would appeal Sparks ' decision. He estimated that the appeal would be heard some time in 1995. Had any of us been black or Mexican-American we would ' ve gotten in, said Kenneth Elliot, one of the plaintiffs. To me, that ' s blatant racism. The other three plaintiffs are Cheryl Hopwood, Doug Carvell and David Rogers. But Jonathan Quander, president of the Student Bar Association, said his education would be inadequate if his classes did not include students from a broad racial spectrum. You can learn as much from interaction with other students as you can from professors, Quander said. Government senior Eric Barden said it is necessary to make up for financial disparities among minority students, but affir- mative action often prolongs traditional stereotypes. The law school is making an assumption that the standards need to be lowered to increase the accessibility of the law school to minorities, said Barden, who hoped to enter law school in 1994. Affirmative action is racist in the sense that it assumes that a minority individual can ' t fulfill the same standards that someone of a majority race might, Barden added. But third-year law student Debbie Lin said affirmative action helps applicants be fairly assessed because it broadens entry requirements beyond Law School Admissions Test scores and grade point averages. I think it ' s looking at the applicant as a whole person, Lin said. The previous policy was in use from 1992 through 1994, said Michael Sharlot, then interim dean of the School of Law. The policy was abandoned before the case was heard in May 1994, said law professor Samuel Issacharoff, who rep- resented the school in the case. Sharlot said the law school continues to take race into account when deciding on admissions, but no longer places the applicants into minority and non-minority groups. Elliot called the law school ' s recent change in policy a minor adjustment to the system. Not a whole lot was really accom- plished, Elliot said. photo by Mark Sims lssacharoff said procedural changes in admissions are common, but the overall policy - to increase minority enrollment - will not change. The court upheld the necessity and propriety of our actions at this institution, lssacharoff said. UT School of Law admission requirements currently take into account economic and ethnic background, race and work experience. Over the past 10 years, the percentage of black and Hispanic students enrolled in the law school has decreased, according to figures from the Office of Institutional Studies. In the fall 1984, the two minority groups together represent- ed 20 percent of the 404 incoming law students. In fall 1993, they accounted for 16 percent of the 556 incoming law students. Lawsuit - 3

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by trees, it offers studets a place to relax, have lunch, or just escape from the daily grind. The Co-op staff also encourages university and law school groups to use the deck for meetings and for social events. It costs nothing to use and can be booked throughout the year. Professors could even hold classes outside on the deck, com- mented Garcia. At the moment we are negotiating with a cart vendor who will offer coffee and food during the day. As for the old Co-op buildi ng, it is still owned by UT. It was rumored that Kinko ' s had planned to expand its copy business by leasing the old location, WI at present the space is vacant and for lease. Though the construction of the new Co-op was financed by a loan, the current Kinko ' s lease helped to defray much of the cost. Meet you at the orange couches. What orange couches? Law students can no longer orient themselves by those familiar colored couches in the atrium. Through a pro- ject graciously funded by Joseph Jarnail and coordinated by Mrs. Elton Hyder, Jr., the couches, which evi- denced numerous holes and stains and had begun to come apart at the seams, underwent a transformation. Mrs. Hyder feels strongly that the law school should not only play the part of a great law school, but look it as well, said Michael Horn, curator of the art collection in the Library. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ryder loved the University of Texas Law School and thought it deserved surroundings commensurate with the quality of education provided. The Hyders donated the collection of paintings, tapestries, furniture, and other works of art that are displayed throughout the School of Law. The atrium project was a cooperative effort that involved not only Mrs. Hyder, but also Dean Mark Yudof and his wife, the school staff, and the Austin com- munity. Randy Race, a local designer, worked with Mrs. Ryder on the design. The goal was to blend good appear- ance with durability and use colors that would complement the existing materi- als, such as the wood, in the atrium. The whole project was done careful- ly. Mrs. Ryder and Ms. Race discussed many colors and fabrics, not wanting the new couches to look institutional. They searched for an orange fabric, but later ruled it out because none of the shades currently produced by mills were distinguished enough. Black was eliminated as well because it was con- sidered too somber. In the end, they chose hunter green velvet. The rich color and fabric resembled the interior of an old law firm. The velvet is a type of mohair and is made in Belgium. A local dealer supplied both the fabric and the rugs that are incorporated into the couches ' design. The rugs were chosen and cut to complement the fab- ric on the sofas. Kilims, the rugs select- ed for the couches, are heavy and diffi- cult to work with, but they were artfully sewn together by Brian Riley, a guild- trained Austin upholsterer with forty years of experience. Since the actual reconstruction was done over the summer, most students probably did not miss the couches. The project, spanning from the first visit in January by the designer to the couch- es ' reinstatement, took seven months. The couches were ready for use in the fall semester, and the fabric has already been tested and proven, sur- viving several Coke stains. New carpet was installed under the couches as well. While the original car- pet was delicate, showing wear early on, the new carpet is hard-wearing and easily cleaned. It also matches the floor in the atrium. The success of this huge project is due to Mrs. hyder, who worked closely with Randy, said Horn. They were a great team, and she [Mrs. Ryder] has an eye for quality. Any project she is involved in will be successful. by John dela Garza 4 4 photos by Mark Sims Changes in the Law School - 5