The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 9, 2005 Page: 2 of 8
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The Rambler
Wesleyan
law school
hosts free
program
Texas Wesleyan Uni-
vesity School of Law hosted
its first People's Law School
on March 5. Community
members were invited to
learn general information
about various parts of the law
4t free classes held through-
out the morning. The school
partnered with the Tarrant
County Bar Association to
bring the program to Fort
Worth residents after its
proven success in other cities
such as Austin.
Wesleyan provided the
physical location for the
event, as well as student and
faculty assistance. Two of the
school's assistant deans were
on the planning committee,
which helped organize the
event and line up speakers.
"Part of our mission is
not only the betterment of the
legal community, but the
community as a whole," said
Kathy Chapman, assistant
dean of career services at the
law school.
Various judges and
lawyers from the community
volunteered to teach classes
on topics like family law,
small claims court, personal
bankruptcy and identity theft.
While the sessions stopped
short of providing insight
into attendees' specific cases,
speakers aimed to provide
information on individuals'
rights and simplify what may
seem like intimidating sub-
jects.
Chapman said Wesleyan
saw the event as a prime
opportunity to support the
community, as well as bene-
fit the law school.
"We do a lot of service
for the community and the
local bar because that bene-
fits our students," she said.
Students gain experience
from such programs as the
school's pro bono require-
ment for its students. They
must complete a certain
amount of free legal aid to
the community before gradu-
ating.
Chapman said she has
hopes that the People's Law
School will become an annu-
al event in Fort Worth.
"We're hoping it's going
to be an annual event, but it
depends on participation,"
she said.
- Staff Report
-Professional Program sends students
to compete in Ethics Bowl, Moot Court
Whitney Fowler
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Texas Wesleyan Pre-
Professional Program (3PR) sent
teams to compete in a Moot Court
competition Feb. 25-26 and the
national Ethics Bowl competition
Feb. 23-25.
As one out of more than 40
schools competing, Wesleyan's
Ethics Bowl team came away with
one win and two close losses out of
three rounds of tough debate, finish-
ing in the top third of the standings.
Eight students participated in the
Ethics Bowl this year as part of the
3PR4130 course, sponsored by the
M.D. Anderson Pre-Professional
Program.
The team first went up against
Indiana University, losing by four
points. In the second round, they beat
the University of San Marcos, but lost
to Detroit Mercy College by two
points in the third.
Heather Nichols, a senior politi-
cal science major, said the experience
was priceless. Students were given
the chance' to put into action what
they learned in class.
"We hope to continue to raise
awareness of the academic ability of
Wesleyan students among our peers,"
she said.
The team brought home a second
place trophy in the regional competi-
tion in fall 2004 and will prepare to
compete again this fall.
Callie Matthews, coordinator of
3PR at Wesleyan, said the students
benefit from the overall experience of
competition and the opportunity to
think deeply about ethical situations
people face in the world.
"It's like a big think tank of
scholars,'' she said. The judges ask
tough questions, and the competition
challenges students to debate ethical
issues.
Judy Allred, a junior, said the
team prepared for 15 diverse cases.
"Luckily, we had excellent cam-
pus experts and outside guest speak-
ers that brought insights to our prepa-
ration class." Allred said that she was
disappointed that they didn't bring
home a trophy, "but we did work well
together as a team in our responses."
Nichols also competed in the
Moot Court competition held at
Baylor University.
"We haven't won yet, but we
keep getting closer," she said.
Wesleyan's team ranked 12th in
the competition. Nichols explained
that the other schools have a distinct
advantage in that they can send multi-
ple teams to the competition.
The Ethics Bowl and Moot Court
are not the only opportunities the 3 PR
program offers to students who want
to pursue a career in one of the "help-
ing professions."
The program offers courses for
students interested in going beyond a
bachelor's degree by exposing them
to the real world of professionals such
as doctors, ministers, attorneys, clini-
cal psychologists and professors. It
helps students decide if they really
want to pursue a career in one of the
professions.
"I think it is excellent," said Dana
DufTey, a senior sociology major. "It
is one of the many points of light at
the university."
Duffey said she feels better pre-
pared for law school as a result of the
program.
•The freshman level 3 PR course,
an introduction to the learned profes-
sions, includes a series of seminars
and panel discussions with different
professionals. The sophomore level
courses deal with interpersonal
awareness, and the junior level course
prepares students for their standard-
ized exams and interviews for gradu-
ate school. The senior level courses
send students to compete in the Ethics
Bowl and Moot Court. The Moot
Court workshop is a course that
focuses on law in action with oppor-
tunities for students to compete at
both the intramural and intercolle-
giate level.
3PR initially began in 1979 with
a grant from the M.D. Anderson
Foundation and has been funded ever
since by M.D. Anderson.
I
it
Photo by Nici Sandberg
Jessica Krizek, president of SGA, recently surveyed
150 Wesleyan students.
Communicating, from page 1
all listening to the students or the fac-
ulty deeply concerns me. The admin-
istration seems to be exploiting the
relationships between the faculty and
students by assuming the students
cannot think for themselves," she
said. "I hope that the students who are
well-informed on the issues of the
university and the faculty who voice
their concerns might actually get the
administration to listen. Maybe then
all three entities will start working
together, rather than working against
each other."
Jeffcoat said that he makes time
for students and has an open door pol-
icy. He said that students are welcome
to speak with him in his office and
that he makes himself accessible by
spending time in typical student
areas.
Some members of
the faculty have
expressed similar con-
cerns about communica-
tion issues with admin-
istration. Jeffcoat
acknowledged the dis-
agreements and said he
is sensitive to the con-
cerns.
"Sometimes [facul-
ty] disagree about deci-
sions that impact par-
ticular academic pro-
grams, and at other
times disagreements
may arise over the
appropriate role of fac-
ulty, the administration,
even the Board of
Trustees in the gover-
nance of the university.
Still other concerns arise
allocation of scarce
resources," Jeffcoat said.
"On the fundamental issues we
are in accord. Where we may differ is
the manner of resolving some long-
standing challenges with which we all
must contend," Jeffcoat said. "Rarely,
but sometimes, the most effective
remedy to a critical issue may be the
most unpopular with both faculty and
staff. Then the president must sum-
mon [his] moral courage and do the
right thing for the right reasons
whether that action jeopardizes per-
sonal job security or not."
Dr. Benjamin Hale, chair of
Faculty Council, said, "The faculty
has tried on numerous occasions to
communicate our reservations. The
net result has been very little forward
motion."
over
the
Jeffcoat recognizes the fact that
there are some decisions that he and
the administration have to make, but
that others don't like.
"This administration has demon-
strated its capacity to make unpopular
decisions, the right decision for the
right reason. We did so the first
month in office and all through the
first three or four years. If needed,
we will do so again ... Why? One rea-
son: To provide to our students the
best education we can, at the lowest
possible cost to the student, in an edu-
cational environment rich with oppor-
tunity for personal growth."
He also said, "This administra-
tion never acts unilaterally, attempts
to reach consensus, but in the end,
when action is needed, still must act."
Krizek said she feels, as her sur-
vey results indicated, that accurate
information from the university is
hard to come by.
"The students are not able to
make accurate decisions about the
direction the university should take
because the administration fails to
inform the students what is really
going on," she said.
Another issue that has been
addressed by Jeffcoat and students is
a rumored seven-year contract exten-
sion for the president.
"Faculty says it is true, and Dr.
Jeffcoat said it was a rumor, which
implies that it is false," Krizek said.
Pati Alexander, vice president of
enrollment and student services,
declined to comment on the issue at
the March 3 vice president's forum.
"As for the rumor about the
extension of the president's contract,
that rumor, as most rumors, contained
misrepresentations of fact," Jeffcoat
said. "I have not initiated contract dis-
cussions nor applied for an extent
sion."
Dr. Ibrahim Salih, political sci-
ence professor, Dr. Carl Smeller,
assistant professor of English, and
Hale, met with Jeffcoat and Provost
Allen Henderson on March 3 to dis-
cuss some concerns. Henderson said
he thought the meeting was construc-
tive. The Faculty Assembly is sched-
uled to meet on March 10.
Krizek said that the first section
of her survey asked students to rate
the priority level that should be
assigned to different student concerns
such as student involvement in
changing the GEC, quality of food
and administrative support of student-
led initiatives among other things.
Those results have not been tabulated
yet.
According to Krizek, last semes-
ter SGA sent a 15-page packet to
Jeffcoat, "outlining several things on
campus that students wanted cleaned
up."
"He said he was going to work on
the list," she said. "Many of them
have yet to even be touched."
"As president, I want to make
sure that I am acting on behalf of the
students and what they want, not just
what the members of SGA want," she
said.
As for SGA's next step, "We
don't have anything specific in mind
with the surveys at this point, just
data and rating project priorities on
campus. Now the students are going
to watch and see what happens,"
Krizek said. "We have spoken up and
hope that we are heard. If after spring
break our concerns are not listened to,
then we will speak up even louder."
Child s Play
at Wesleyan
l eft: The 7th Annual Texas Wesleyan
Children's Art Exhibition allows Wesleyan fac-
ulty and staff's children to display their art-
work. The reception took place on March 6.
Right: Senior art major Paul Randall's two
daughters, Mahals, 5, and Alicia, 7, participat-
ed in the artistic activities.
Dr. Tom Smith, a marketing professor, did a
magic act to entertain, and refreshments were
provided. Peter Colley and Kit Hall of the art
department and President Hal JefTcoat were on
Photo by jad r Saxton hand to participate in the lightheaded event.
Photo by Jad B. Saxton
1 111 iliil I iiii j
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Fowler, Whitney. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 9, 2005, newspaper, March 9, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth253341/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.