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

Page 13 text:

cials, who said Wednesday they were balding the perception that diversity at the University would wither after the Hopwood ruling. Of about 470 applicants who have paid deposits to secure places in the 1997 entering class, four are African-American and 25 are Hispanic students. Thus far, there are 17 fewer Hispanic stu- dents who plan to enroll in the law school this year. The number of Asian-American stu- dents at the law school has not dropped, Michael Sharlot, dean of the law school, said. Search for funds, speakers delays summit Wednesday, September 3, 1997 By Lisa Falkenberg, Daily Texan Staff A national post-Hopwood summit at the University planned for October has been postponed to November pending the resolu- tion of financial and scheduling issues. The summit ' s board of directors met Tuesday to plan the event, which is hoped to open up more discussion about higher educa- tion after Hopwood. Law student group rallies for diversity Friday, September 5, 1997 By Margarita Olivero, Daily Texan Staff Law Students for Diversity will sponsor a rally Friday to provide an open discussion about how to increase cultural diversity under the Hopwood ruling. The rally will begin at noon at the UT School of Law courtyard, and the speakers will include city council members Gus Garcia and Willie Lewis; Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Morris Overstreet, Democratic candidate for Texas attorney general. Law dean promises to consider diversity proposals Monday, September 8, 1997 By Ryan Bauer and Nathan Roth, Daily Texan Staff More than 200 students rallied for better student recruitment efforts and more diversi- ty in faculty hirmgs Friday. The raUy, sponsored by Law Students for Diversity, was the first of a series of rallies by the group this semester addressing post- Hopwood issues at the University. Law School Dean Michael Sharlot said he was unable to attend the rally but added that he is willing to consider the proposals. Professor ' s comments questioned Thursday, September 11, 1997 By lennie Kennedy, Daily Texan Staff Remarks by a UT law professor who said blacks and Hispanics can ' t compete academi- cally with whites might set hack efforts to increase diversity, Michael Sharlot, dean of the UT School of Law, said Wednesday. Blacks and Mexican-Americans are not aca- demically competitive with whites in selective institutions, said Lino Graglia, a UT law pro- fessor. Grappling with Hopwood - 9

Page 12 text:

Hopwood decision dominates UT news coverage In March of 1996, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that affirmative action policies are illegal because they consti- tute reverse discrimination. The decision bars Texas public uni- versities from using race as a criteria for the granting of admissions or financial aid. The case is named for lead plaintiff Cheryl Hopwood, who ( I.MFiu-d the UT law school ' s admissions policies discrimi- nated against white students. Before the ruling, the law school used a two-tier admis- sions policy that granted minority students with lower grade point averages and LSAT scores admission over white students with higher test scores. The case was originally filed in 1992. Since the decision, UT School of Law admission offi- cialy have worked on plans to keep minority applicants part of the student body. This past year, many opinions were expressed by students, fac- ulty and staff which filled the columns of The Daily Texan. On the following pages are excerpts from news stories which appeared in the Texan from June of 1997 through May m m ■ •V- - ■ :?-.-; M if 3 African-Americans enroll in Law School Wednesday, June 4, 1997 By Michael Crissey, Daily Texan Staff Three African-American applicants have indicated they will accept an offer of admis- sion to the UT School of Law, belaying fears that the school would not have a single African-American enrolled this fall, admis- sions officials said Tuesday. As of Monday, three of the 11 African- American students offered admission for next fall had put down their non-refundable $200 tuition deposits, said Shelli Soto, acting assis- tant dean for the UT School of Law ' s Office of Admissions. Soto also reported that 20 of 33 Hispanic students offered admission to the school have also sent in their deposits. Law School officials said the school will like- ly not enroll as many minority students this year as it had prior to the Hopwood court ruling and subsequent changes in admissions standards, but the numbers are not quite as dismal as some had feared. The law school enrolled 31 African- American and 42 Hispanic students last year. SG releases Hopwood board names Monday, July 28, 1997 By Chip Cheek, Daily Texan Staff The UT Student Government revealed on Friday the names of eight of the 10 people who will compose the board of directors for the Post-Hopwood Summit slated for November. Bernard Rapoport, former chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, has been select- ed as chairman of the board. The rest of the 10-member board will include SG President Marlen Whitley; UT System Regents Donald Evans and Lowell Lebermann; Brenda Burl, assistant to the UT dean of students for stu- dent equity and diversity; Terry Wilson, asso- ciate director of the Office of Pubhc Affairs; Hunter Stanco, associate editor of The Dally Texan; and John Doggett, a UT professor of management. The board will be responsible for selecting a venue for the summit, soliciting funding and finding guest speakers. SG officials have approached two other people about filling the two remaining spots on the board, but those names were not released pending confirma- tion of their participation. The Post-Hopwood Summit is designed to examine the effects of the March 1996 ruling by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Hopwood case, which bars Texas univer- sities from using race as a factor in admis- sions and financial aid decisions. Law School fights negative perceptions Thursday, August 21, 1997 By Amy Strahan, DaOy Texan Staff The latest figures from the UT School of Law show that four additional Hispanic students have sent the $200 deposit declaring their intention to attend this fall. The addition was welcome news for UT offi- 8 - Grappling with Hopwood

Page 14 text:

Graglia made the comments Wednesday at a news conference where students announced formation of a group to support the court ruling that banned affirmative action at the University. Gragha spoke as the honorary co- chairman of Students for Equal Opportunity, a new pro-Hopwood student group at the University. Graglia said it was unfortunate his remarks might be labeled racist, and went on to say that education was not valued in minority cultures. More calls for Graglia ' s head; firing unlikely Monday, September 15, 1997 By Beth Wawerna and Derek H. Martin, Daily Texan Staff Controversial comments will not affect the tenure of Lino Graglia, a UT law professor, even though student groups and state legisla- tors are calling for his resignation. In response to Graglia ' s remarks, UT System officials and UT administrators have received a number of complaints from lawmakers and minority associations urging them to re-eval- uate his merit as a tenured professor. Graglia said Sunday he has no intention of resigning his post. Comments prompt campus visit by Jackson Monday, September 15, 1997 By Lisa Falkenberg, Daily Texan Staff A diversity rally planned for Tuesday will feature Rev. [esse Jackson as its keynote speaker, a student group said Sunday. Students for Access and Opportunity, a UT student group opposing the Hopwood ruling, was contacted by Jackson Friday to arrange the speech, said Oscar de la Torre, a member of the group. The group will rally on the West Mall Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. to denounce the comments of Lino Graglia and call for L ' T officials to be more proactive in efforts to maintain diversity on campus in what has been termed as the post-Hopwood era. Rev. Jackson calls for unity in UT speech Wednesday, September 17, 1997 By Zack McLain, Daily Texan Staff Heated words engulfed 5,000 students Tuesday as the Rev. Jesse Jackson condemned institutional racism in higher education and called for student unity amid controversial comments by UT Law Professor Lino Graglia. You ' re making a choice today to go forward by hope and inclusion and not backwards by fear and exclusion, Jackson told the students who packed the South Mall. Jackson criticized Graglia for what many denounced as racist comments about African Americans and I-lispanics. Graglia said last week that Hispanic and African-American students can ' t compete academically with whites and that black and Hispanic cultures don ' t tondciiin failure. Jack.son said Graglia ' s remarks had no place in the academy. J Hfm, 10 - Grappling with Hopwood