Maroon

              THE LOYOLA MAROON Volume 57, Number 6, Loyola University New Orleans, La November 16, 1979 L.U.'s Law School trails Tulane, LSU BY DAN KALMANSON For the sixth year in a row, Loyola Law School graduates trail those of Tulane and LSU in performance on the Louisiana Bar Exam. Only 74 percent of Loyola's law grads initially passed the July 1979 exam, compared to 89 percent of Tulane's grads and 87 percent of LSU's grads. The declining test scores over the past three years substantiate the importance of the problem. The reasons for Loyola's recent history of poor performances on the bar exam remain a controversial issue among students, faculty and administration of the law school. "The first priority is to gear classes toward the exam and to remedvMke courses in the areas that do poorly on in the exam," explained a law school student who like miny of her fellow classmates wished not to be identifieiL "Teachers should review on the exam that their area of concentration," said another graduate student.Law professor Gerald A. Rault, head of a committee to study the performance problems, takes an opposite view on this solution. "A law school should be more than just a prep school for bar exams. We need to teach what the law ought to be as well as what it is," said Rault in a recent interview with "The Code" (Oct. 31 issue). According to Marcel Garsaud, dean of the law school,"Ninety percent of the bar exam courses are required courses in the law school curriculum." There are nine basic subject areas that compose the exam and all concentrations are available at Loyola's Law School. Lawstudents also cite the poor teaching skills of the faculty, which is primarily composed of former attorneys, as a major factor in the low passing rates in the bar exam. But John J. McAuley, associate dean of the law school, believes that, "if students do the right kind of job in their three or four years of study, they would have no problem passing. Having been a practicing attorney is a definite plus for a teacher." "They're attorneys - not teachers," stated a former high school teacher presently enrolled in the Loyola Law School. Many of the law students interviewed believe that by increasing the size of the present 20-member faculty while simultaneously hiring more academically-oriented teachers, results on the bar exams should improve. However, according to the Three Year Plan, prepared by members of the law school faculty and administration last spring, "The addition of faculty members imposes the need for additional office facilities, staff, library and the like which cannot readily be accommodated in the Law Building." The Plan calls for a reduction in the jßk of the law school student Vpiy to approximately 600-610 full- and part-time students. Duf to this proposal, law school tuition would be increased to make-up for the loss of revenue.^^ Varfflrc proposals have recently been submitted by the law faculty to revise the Plan. The proposals call for a less severe cut in the law class size and the addition of two new faculty members during the next two years, according to Dean Garsaud. However, the tuition will still be increased to a figure which is yet undecided. Presently, Loyola's Law School tuition is 51,375 per semester for day students and $990 for evening students. Compared to T ulane's Law School tuition which runs $2,195 per semester, Loyola's moderate fees attract many prospective law applicants. When Loyola's present law students were asked why they chose a law school with a poor record on the bar exam over that of the leader next door, many quickly answered, "too expensive."Ray Alvarez, Loyola law student, elaborated on why he applied here. "It seemed like a practitioner's school, more practical than academic." Placement results for Loyola grads who passed the bar exam support Alvarez's statement. Between the years of 1976-78, Loyola's placement records equalled or surpassed those of the national average for all law schools. Overall, the students, faculty and administration do agree upon the seriousness of the declining scores but do not agree upon a workable solution. Meanwhile, Loyola's law classes are suffering the effects. As one irate law student put it, "Loyola is like the Schwegmann's law schools. The education getting is cheap." Iranians remain at Loyola BY MIKE TIFFT Loyola's two Iranian students will not be affected by President Jimmy Carter's order to deport all Iranian students who are not attending school fulltime. In an effort to curb violence and demonstrations in the United States, this measure was in response to the continued occupation of the American Embassy in Tehran. Farshid Amirpahahi, a freshman at Loyola, feels Carter's decision was right. "If we leave Iran to study in America," he said, "we should be deported if we don't." Olga Aidiniani, also a freshman, disagrees. "I don't think it's fair," she said. "But his decision commands respect. If he hadn't done anything, I would hold him in contempt." The new Orleans District Office of Immigration has asked city universities to advise their Iranian students to visit the Immigration office this week. The students will be required to present their immigration papers, a financial and academic account of their standing in school and their current address. Both Amirpahani and Aidiniani are full-time students. Aidiniani visited the Immigration office Tuesday. "I had no trouble at all," she said. Amirpahani does not expect any trouble either. "There is no problem with my visa," he said. "1 can stay as long as I study." However, he seemed a bit concerned that he and other Iranian students at the office on Wednesday were photographed. "I think they are starting a new file on every Iranian student," he said. Both students felt that Claire Paolini, director of Loyola's Office of International Student Affairs, was a great help. Paolini feels there will be no problems with anti-Iranian feelings on Loyola's campus. "1 feel they have adapted very well to living here," she said. "I anticipate no difficulties." Iranians on the University of New Orleans campus have not fared as well. Crude signs proclaiming anti-Iranian sentiments have been put up. "Someone has been xeroxing 'Iranians go home' signs," said one UNO student. Dr. Alice M. Roper, director of UNO's International Student office, verified this. "Signs have been put up by person(s) unknown, but I don't think they represent the general feeling." Amirpanahi does not agree with the militant student takeover of the U.S. Embassy. "Absolutely not," he said. "There is no reason to gamble with anyone's life. However, he did voice feelings against U.S. reactions. "We don't hate Americans, we disagree with their policies." In spite of the instability in Iran and Khomeini's anti- American tactics, students have not had difficulty getting in touch with their families in Iran. Neither the mail nor telephone service has been affected. "Of course, they don't allow you to send money out of Iran without a certificate from school," said Aidiniani. Olga Aidiniani (MAROON photo by Mark Botello) Consortium confusion BY PATRICE HEMES AND MARIE SIZWEG This is the second part of a two-part series concerning the problems plaguing the Consortium Connection. Each year Loyola, Xavier and Dominican spend approximately $39,260 by operating three Consortium shuttle buses every semester. However, the buses are frequently empty. "If students don't want to ride the buses, there is no sense putting that much money into it," said Mary Ellis, a member of the faculty at Dominican College and excutive director of the Consortium program. The shuttle service, or Consortium Connection, loops around Loyola, Xavier and Dominican College. It transports passengers free of charge with a valid ID. The program was initiated to ease the parking and commuting problems between the three consortium universities. Students have avoided the buses, however and use their own cars, hitch rides or catch city buses. Everyone is confused as to why no one rides the buses this semester, including the executive committee that governs the shuttle service. The committee consists of Dr. Robert A. Preston of Loyola, Anthony Rachal of Xavier and Dr. Mary Shea of Dominican. The shuttle service was started with the idea that if students who were cross-registered rode the buses, it would be an economical service. All three insitutions share the expenses. If students participated fully in all Consortium programs, cross registration would increase substantially. The programs have a lot to offer, including the "Unique Majors" program allowing a student to major in any one of 35 fields not offered at his home, institution. He can take his course requirements at another consortium school and still get the degree from his own university. Dispelling myths About women Everything women always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask, will soon be answered. Page 2 Racquetball, Anyone? The new game on the courts is old at Loyola. Page 5 For love Not money They may walk the streets of the French Quarter, but they don't make much more than a dime. Page 7 Old comedy New fun Poor noah, whose biggest problem was his wife not the flood, is entertaining audiences on campus. Page 8