Annotations (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 8, Ed. 1, March, 1992 Page: 1 of 12
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Vol. XX No. 8
ANNOTATIONS
The Student Newspaper of South Texas College of Law
March 1992
What it thev gays, a/i election and nobody osmeZ
SBA races draw few takers
by Pamela Hilsher
South Texas students will have fewer
candidates to choose from in this year's
Student Bar Association elections. Accord-
ing to SBA Election Commissioner Monica
Stepchinski, only 11 names will appear on
the ballot for the nine different SBA of-
fices, leaving the only contested race that
for SBA president.
Thirty-three candidates were on the bal-
lot last spring, but only 17 have signed up
this year. And, that figure was reduced to 11
after six of the candidates were dropped for
failure to attend a mandatory meeting on
Monday, (see related story on page 3)
"We are not sure why so few have an-
nounced candidacy," Stepchinski said.
"People are either apathetic or due to the
job market, everyone is focusing on grades
and they do not have time for outside activi-
ties."
Stepchinski said the SBA is not con-
cerned about the apparent apathy running
over to voter turnout on March 16-17. Polls
will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and an
election area will be clearly marked for
students wishing to cast their vote.
To vote, students should be prepared to
show their student ID or their driver's li-
cense. Names will be marked on the student
roster to ensure that each student only votes
once. Scantron will be used to allow quick
results on the evening of March 17.
Stepchinski said election results will be
announced as soon as all ballots are counted.
Candidates were scheduled to launch their
see ELECTION, page 11
A Grand Old Party - Dean William Wilks, Harris County DA. Johnny Holmes and
STCL Republican Law Students Association President Charley Prine were among
the more than 300 attendees at the Feb. 27 reception for Republican judges
photo by David 1
judicial candidates.
New HPD chief has South Texas ties
by Steve Petrou
Houston's new top cop, Sam Nuchia, was
also a top law student at South Texas Col-
lege of Law, graduating with honors in
1983.
"I think it's super," said Dean William
Wilks, "that such a professional law en-
forcement officer got his law degree from
our school."
Nuchia took the oath of office as Houston
police chief earlier this month, after Mayor
Bob Lanier appointed him to replace Eliza-
beth M. Watson.
"I had him in one of my torts classes,"
said Assistant Dean T. Gerald Treece.4 'He
was one of the many who worked all day
and came here at night."
Nuchia was the head of the police
department's internal affairs and criminal
intelligence division while attending night
classes at South Texas.
Nuchia has told reporters that he was in
the top 9 percent of his law school class.
Several years after his graduation, Nuchia
resigned his post as deputy chief with the
Houston Police Department to accept a
position as a federal prosecutor with the
U.S. Attorney's office in Houston.
Nuchia was active in prosecuting alleged
drug smugglers, and he never lost in his four
years as a federal prosecutor. He is reported
to have won 30 cases.
Nuchia was a member of the Organized
Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.
"He's got a reputation as a high quality
professional," said Wilks.
While he enjoyed his success as a federal
prosecutor, Nuchia has said he felt like a
police officer inside and when he heard that
Lanier was looking for a new police chief,
he submitted his application.
"He's another example of what a law
degree can do for you,"
said Wilks.
"He'sagood choice for chief," said HPD
Officer Paul Dermody, who works a second
job as a security officer at South Texas.
"It will be nice to get back to law and
order," said Dermody, who was upset with
what he said were restrictive police policies
in the area of chasing and apprehending
criminal suspects.
"I knew him years ago when he was head
of internal affairs,'' said Dermody.' 'He's a
fair man, who obeys the rules."
As for the new chiefs law degree,
Dermody is convinced that it will come in
handy.
"He has a lot of connections with the
District Attorney'soffice and federal judges
and that will definitely help."
Faculty, students applaud new attendance policy
by Steve Petrou
Following months of complaints and in-
decision, the faculty has voted to do away
with mandatory checking of class atten-
dance.
"It's great," said Melody Tezino, SBA
senior senator. "They can't baby-sit us
forever."
As of the last week in February, profes-
sors were no longer required to check seat-
ing charts or to take a class roll.
"We're professionals and should be
treated as such," said STCL student Maggie
Zamora.
Under the new policy, students will be
asked to sign an affidavit at the end of t
final examination stating they attended
least 80 percent of the class meeting <
for that course.
Will students be honest?
"No, all students won't be honest," said
Tezino, "but when they get out in the real
world, there won'talways be someone check-
ing on them."
Swing into season
by Jennifer James
The Student Bar Association will hold its
annual Spring Banquet and Awards Cer-
emony April 11 at the Weston Oaks Hotel
to show appreciation to all students in-
volved in extracurricular activities. The
attire is semi-formal, and the SBA wants to
encourage all students to attend since this is
a collegewide affair.
The awards to be given out at the banquet
' 'The honesty of lawyers is no better than
anyone else," said Cliff McAdams, who is
graduating this May.
"Rather than inviting people to sign an
affidavit and lie, they should do away with
see ATTENDANCE, page 11
with spring banquet
are: the Presidential Award, Outstanding
Leadership Award, SBA Appreciation
Award, Annotations Award, Teacher Ex-
cellence Awards for both full-time profes-
sor and adjunct professor, SBA Faculty
Award, Graduate of the Year Award (male
and female) and the SBA Service Award.
Tickets are $10 and include two compli-
mentary drinks, dinner, live music by Miss
Molly and the Whips, dancing and an over-
see BANQUET, page 8
Health issues t<
photo by David Potts
agenda
by Lee King
wwfltwf rtiiic yfff
at the annual Law Week celebration at
South Texas, to be held April 6-11, Ass
tant Dean Doris Lee said.
The theme for Law Week, "Health and
the Law," was selected by a committee of
students chaired by Tina Lee of the Asian
Pacific American Law Students Associa-
tion. The members of the committee, rep-
resenting a cross section of STCL student
organizations, suggested the speakers and
did the legwork in lining them up, with the
official invitation letters being issued by
Lee from the Office of Student Affairs.
The keynote speaker for Law Week will
be Kay C. James, associate director of the
Bureau of State ami Local Affairs (BSLA),
of National Drug Control Policy
:P) She will speak April 6 on the
topic "What WeTogether Do: illegal Drug
se, Health and the Law."
James is a former assistant secretary for
Kablic affairs at the Department of Health
and Human Services and has beenactive in
both the public and private sectors for over
20 years. As associate director of BSLA,
and advocate for the National Drug Policy
al governments.
April 7, Dr. Simon Fxed
lylor Medical
Branch.
0& Stiles, will speak
April's on the topic of "Health, Science
V see LAW WEEK, pay 12J
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Marker, Andy. Annotations (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 8, Ed. 1, March, 1992, newspaper, March 1992; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth144483/m1/1/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting South Texas College of Law.