South Texas College of Law Annotations (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 1, Ed. 1, September, 2007 Page: 2 of 8
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Letter from SBA President, Marc Eichenbaum
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. Throughout the summer, Student Bar
Association (SBA) officers met several times
to discuss the role of the SBA at STCL. While
officers* opinions varied, two conclusions
were unanimous: first, SBA is a synonym for
"voice of the students"; second, like our
administration, STCL students never accept
the status quo. With that being said, SBA has
redefined its expectations regarding its two-
fold purpose of fostering a school community
and representing students.
Essential to any higher educational
experience is the sense of a genuine
institutional community. Such a community
is even more important in a graduate setting
and especially law school, where the primary
focus is on class and studying, but distractions,
such as woik, extracurricular activities, and
family loom. SBA continuously provides a
myriad of social opportunities so that students
have the opportunity to interact with other
classmates, the faculty and staff. While law
school is stressful, your SBA provides a social.
component, with the goal of fostering a
balance to save our sanity.
Fortunately, STCL students are
extremely social. In fact, a true strength of
STCL students is our interpersonal skills.
After returning from the ABA National
Conference, I can say that no other law school
in state has the turnout at school events like
STCL. Over 600 students attend our end of
the semester parties, and for the third year in
a row, the Barrister's Ball (a/k/a prom) is
moving to a larger location to accommodate
student interest. This coupling of practical
legal knowledge and interpersonal skills
translates to success in the legal community.
This summer, both small and large firms took
notice of STCL Students, who unlike students
from institutions exhibited social skills
demonstrating their ability to effectively
interact with judges and juries, as well as bring
in clients. *
This year, SBA has appointed two
students to positions in charge of planning
sporting activities. This will allow SBA to
offer additional sporting tournaments and
leagues, as well as other social activities,
including more terrace parties and socials with
other Houston law and medical schools.
While SBA has typically concentrated
on the social side of creating a school
community, the elected representative body of
the students is more than just a party planning
organization. This year, in addition to
refocusing efforts to unite and provide support
to student organizations, SBA is rededicating
itself to representing the student body.
As students, we have real concerns and
suggestions, ranging from institutional issues
relating to technology and particular
departments, to more macro-defined issues
concerning the rising cost of housing and
parking, and state-wide efforts to pass
legislation calling for tax free textbooks. At
the same time, we are realistic, acknowledging
that we do not have the time or ability to affect
every concern of ours. However, that will not
prevent us from striving to do what we can.
SBA has recognized that concerns
exacerbate when not dealt with. Often
students are quick to complain, but not to
voice their concern and take appropriate
action. This year, SBA has and will continue
proactively approach the administration to
represent concerns and suggestions shared by
the student body at-large.
At its first meeting of the semester, SBA
hosted a Financial Aid Forum, where students
and administrators, with the single goal of
improving our institution, came together to
share concerns and suggestions. Future
•forums concerning the Registrar, Accounting,
and Career Services are already being planned,
If nothing resulted from these forums, they
would be useless; however, that is not the case.
This year the administration and department
heads have reaffirmed STCL's dedication to
listening to students and obtaining real results.
This focus on the importance of the
"student perspective" is pervasive throughout
STCL. It is also echoed in the Deans' suite,
where Dean Alfini asked SBA to appoint
students (not just SBA officers) to various
sphool committees. Through these
appointments, the student perspective will be
heard and taken into account regarding
curriculum, international programs, the
library, and for the first time, the hiring of new
faculty.
In closing, your SBA officers are working
on a platform with the objective of furthering
PRIDE. While many of us bleed burnt orange,
unexplainably "whoop," and chomp like a
gator, pride in your graduate school is just as
important as pride in your undergraduate
school. It is a sense of pride and ownership
in STCL that fosters a more enriching
experience as a student and institutional
greatness well into the future. Pride motivates
us to suggest STCL to prospective students
and in the future, to make donations and hire
STCL graduates. While we do not have an
athletic program, students, like myself, take
pride in our school for various other reasons.
Pride is found in our renowned advocacy
program, social student body, our world-class
professors and unparalleled classroom^
experience in the energy capital of the world.
STCL produces lawyers that can not only think
critically, but actually practice law. As we
enter , the second-third of the semester, stop
and ask yourself if you have a sense of pride
and ownership in STCL. If not, ask yourself
why, that is vour SBA's platform.
Do you want to get more involved? Do
you have a concern, idea, or suggestion
regarding om. school? What could be done to
foster or enhance your pride in STCL? Please
let your SBA know by emailing
SBA@stcl.edu or stop by the SBA office on
the fourth floor across from Joe Green
Auditorium and speak with SBA officers.
UPCOMING EVENTS ft AWMWCEMENTS
(Not an exclusive list- More TBD)
ARA T Jiw Ktiutent Division Fall Rmnufahlf STCL will host law students from around
the country for Fall Roiindtable meeting October 6th. The event will include
conversations with acclaimed legal professionals, Symposiums regarding issues facing
law students in general, opportunities to socialize with students from other law schools,
and more. For more information, or if you want to help coordinate die event, contact
J.V. Vela at jose.vela@stcl.edu.
Triple f toy Softball Tournament: Grab your bats and gloves to take on teams from
the University of Houston Law Center, Thurgood Marshall School of Law and area
law firms. This year, the tournament takes place October 20* and benefits Big Brothers
Big Sisters of Greater Houston. The registration fee is $25 per player and includes a
t-shirt, food and beverages. Registration forms are available in tibe SBA office or
room 101C. Space is limited to the first 7 STCL teams to submit a roster and registration
money by September ¿1". For more information, or if you know of a firm that would
like to play or dónale money, please call (713) 646-1825 or email wmorrow@stcl.echi.
Annual Halloween Ex-Parte: Spring is for the Barrister's Ball; fall is for Halloween!
Last year, SBA resurrected a STCL tradition with unmatched zeal and success. Over
450 students attended last year's Ex-Parte and'this year your SBA Mid-Law Senators
are planning an even bigger and better event. The event will take place at Live Sports
Bar and Café on October 27*, with tickets going on sale in mid-October.
As law students fitóhig debt reaching into the six-digits, we must remember
to others, we are still truly blessed and privileged. Once a year, we
nitment to the community by donating to the Houston Food
the past two years, we have raised over $25,000 in monetary and food
i year, the food drive will take place in early November, with a
For mare information or if you want to
President Sam Johnson at samuel.iohnso
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Lewis, Tamara E. South Texas College of Law Annotations (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 1, Ed. 1, September, 2007, newspaper, September 2007; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth144584/m1/2/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting South Texas College of Law.