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

Page 16 text:

Plaintiffs in the affirmative action suit that ended the use of race in admissions and financial aid at the University said Sunday they will appeal a $1 settlement issued by a federal judge last week. A U.S. district ju dge ruled Friday that each of the four plaintiffs in the March 1996 Hopwood vs. Texas case would receive $1, not nearly $5 million they demanded in their lawsuit against the UT System for its affirma- tive action policies. After being rejected for admission by the UT School of Law in 1992, the four white plain- tiffs successfully challenged the University ' s law school admissions policies created to boost minority enrollment. Texas law journals will be debating standardized test Friday, March 27, 1998 By Jarred Dunn, Daily Texan Staff Two Texas law journals will hold a discus- sion at the UT School of Law in April to debate the legitimacy and application of stan- dardized tests in admissions. Claiming that similar talks organized by UT administrators failed to acknowledge alterna- tives to affirmative action in countering declining minority enrollment at the law school, editors of the journals decided to orga nize their own event. The April 7 talks are organized by the Texas Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy and the Texas Forum on Civil Liberties Civil Rights. The discussion will center on the Law School Admissions Test, the standardized test all law school applicants must take. UT wants appeal of Hopwood settlement Thursday, Aprill6, 1998 By lennie Kennedy, Daily Texan Staff UT System officials said Wednesday they hope an appeal of the settlement ruling in the Hopwood case will lead to a re-evaluation of affirmative action policies in Texas higher education. In a letter Tuesday, UT System Chancellor William Cunningham asked Texas State Attorney General Dan Morales to appeal the settlement issued March 20 by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, UT System General Counsel Ray Farabee said Wednesday. In Sparks ' settlement ruling, he issued an injunction against the UT School of Law pro- hibiting it under a higher court ruUng from using race as a factor in admissions. 624 students demand review of law school Friday, April 17, 1998 By Krissah Williams, Daily Texan Staff UT law students said they will submit a pefi- tion to UT officials Friday demanding an external review of the law school ' s adminis- trative practices. The pefition has garnered 624 student signa- tures. Contents of the petition were not disclosed because supporters feel it contains informa- tion which could be potentially embarrassing 4 Morale 12 - Grappling with Hopwood

Page 15 text:

State lawmakers, minority organizations and tudents have called for Graglia ' s removal, )ut other faculty and civil liberties groups laid the tenured professor ' s remarks are pro- ected by the First Amendment. Protest demand met Wednesday, September 17 By Lisa Falkenberg, Daily Texan Staff UT System Regent Lowell Lebermann uesday arranged a meeting with system offi- ials and students after about 120 protesters efused to leave the atrium of the UT School f Law. The protest followed the Rev. Jesse ackson ' s speech, when about 1,000 students narched to the law school calling for an end what they described as institutionalized acism at the University. During the six-hour wait for a resolution, tudents sang and debated affirmative action nd how to improve diversity on campus. The agreement made Tuesday will give stu- dent organizations a meeting with the UT System Academic Affairs Committee to plan a discussion with regents. Both meetings are set to take place before the next regent ' s meeting in Brownsville on Nov. 13. The final agreement was made after stu- dents insisted Lebermann and student orga- nizers redraft an initial proposal that the regents would attend a meeting with students in good faith. Among the demands, students asked for a student body, faculty and administration that reflects the population of the state, in addi- tion to a cap on tuition and fees. The also demanded that the UT System challenge Attorney General Dan Morales ' interpretation of the Hopwood ruling, which prevents the use race as a factor in adinissions and financial aid. Law School admissions revamped Monday, November 10, 1997 By Rita Paul, Daily Texan Staff Information about applicants ' personal backgrounds and socio-economic factors will weigh more heavily in admissions to the UT School of Law for next year, said Dean Michael Sharlot. Applicafions for enrollment for the 1998 fall semester, unlike last year ' s forms, require stu- dents to write an additiona l essay about per- sonal challenges or disadvantages faced in their lifetime. Other factors, such as whether the applicant is the first in the family to go to college, whether English is the primaiy language spo- ken at home and if the applicant comes from an area under sei ved by legal services will also be included. The changes, initially approved last spring by the UT System Board of Regents, were more clearly defined by the law school admissions board this month. Hopwood plaintiffs get $1 each Monday, March 23, 1998 By Jennie Kennedy, Daily Texan Staff Grappling with Hopwood - 1 1

Page 17 text:

the administration. Confidential copies of the petition will be ent to the law school administrators, the UT jystem Board of Regents and UT President : rry Faulkner. Morales delays final decision on appeal Monday, April 20, 1998 By Jennie Kennedy, Daily Texan Staff Texas State Attorney General Dan Morales ielayed making a final decision on whether to ppeal the Hopwood ruling Friday. Morales did file a notice of appeal in the iopwood case, however, at the request of UT ystem officials. Appeal likely for Hopwood decision Monday, April 27, 1998 By Amy Strahan, DaUy Texan Staff The UT System ' s top attorney said Friday he Hopwood ruling will be appealed even if exas Attorney General Dan Morales refuses 3 take the case. While UT students, officials and state groups ask for a reevaluation of the ruling, Morales has said he might not appeal on behalf of the UT System because he doesn ' t think the University ' s case to reinstate affirmative action in higher education can be won. Morales refuses to appeal Hopwood case Wednesday, April 29, 1998 By Jennie Kennedy, Daily Texan Staff Texas Attorney General Dan Morales announced Tuesday he will not appeal the Hopwood ruling on behalf of the UT System, stating that race-neutral policies are more equitable than affirmative action. But Morales said he will consider allowing the University to seek outside pro bono coun- sel. Regents to consider appeal at meeting Tuesday, May 12, 1998 By Jennie Kennedy, Daily Texan Staff The UT System Board of Regents will con- sider the fate of an appeal of the Hopwood ruling at Wednesday ' s meeting in Odessa. After Texas Attorney General Dan Morales decided last month he would not seek an appeal of the 5th Circuit ruling in the anti- affirmative action case, he said he would con- sider allowing the University to seek outside pro bono counsel. UT officials hope an appeal of the Hopwood settlement will lead to a reevaluation of affii ' - mative acfion pohcies in Texas. Regents choose to appeal Hopwood case Wednesday, May 13, 1998 The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System chose Wednesday to appeal the Hopwood case on behalf of the University of Texas and to request Attorney General Dan Morales authorize the University to retain outside counsel to handle the appeal. The Daily Texan Grappling with Hopwood - 13