Thursday, April 9, 1998
Law school dean honored
LAWSCHOOL: First female law dean in UC system steps down after
16 years
By Emi Kojima
Daily Bruin Contributor
Law students clad in jeans and their administrators in more
formal attire greeted each other like long time friends and chatted
lightly in the sunny garden setting.
Their informal mingling showed the group to be members of a
shared community, all assembled to celebrate Dean Susan Prager and
to mourn her future absence.
On Tuesday, the Women’s Law Union (WLU) held a tea for Prager to
show their appreciation for her work at the Law School. She will
step down from her position at the end of this year and return to
the faculty. Prager will step down from her position as dean at the
end of the Law School’s semester.
"You have helped increase the sense of community we all feel
today," Associate Dean Barbara Varat said, her voice cracking with
emotion.
"(Prager) set the standard of excellence and stretched us to be
the best we can be," she said.
"Thank you for everything you’ve done for all of us," Varat
said.
A group of about 40 students, alumni, faculty, and
administration members gathered in the courtyard of the UCLA Law
School. Colleagues gave brief speeches in front of the standing
group about their memories of Prager’s career.
Students from the WLU spoke about how they have been influenced
by Prager.
"The Dean provides a role model in every sense of the word,"
said Dia Warren, the WLU reception chair of the event and
third-year law student.
In 1981, Prager was appointed as the UCLA Law School dean.
Prager was the first female law dean in the UC system.
"She really has been at the head of women breaking into academic
positions in law. It’s good to have a visible female role model at
our school," Warren said.
Prager, however, downplayed her success at the Law School.
"When asked why I’ve been able to stay the dean for so long, a
big part is because of the excellent faculty," she said.
This year marks her sixteenth year as dean. She has served for
over four times over the national average for law school deans.
"Working for you has always been challenging because it doesn’t
matter how hard any of us work. (Prager) works longer and harder,"
Varat said.
Prager has overseen the UCLA’s development over these years and
promoted diversity and community within the Law School. She
currently is working with donors on completing the new Law
Library.
"She’s made this a remarkably effective faculty and
environment," said Kenneth Karst, professor of law.
"It’s one of those jobs that you get in your car and you’re glad
you’re going where you’re going," he said.
In addition to the more serious moments, law professor Carole
Goldberg recounted tales about Prager that evoked laughter from the
crowd.
"I remember (Prager) and I were the first faculty members to
have children," Goldberg said.
"Well, she went to the deans’ meetings at Murphy with Case (her
daughter), and the Chancellor and everyone – all male – would be
looking at the baby as if it was a bomb," she said, laughing.
She cited the little things that Prager did to make the Law
School a friendlier place such as arranging for cookies at meetings
and food at student events as well as establishing the first set of
women’s bathrooms.
"It was a nice touch," she said. "There were very few of
them."
The WLU presented Prager with a certificate of appreciation
after the preliminary speeches.
Warren had the idea to hold the tea.
"(Prager) is nice to students in the hall and very friendly
(despite) her demanding schedule," she said.
"We wanted to honor Dean Prager’s accomplishments and show our
appreciation for all the Dean has done for women in teaching and
learning," she said.
She told the WLU her idea of holding the tea to show the
students’ gratitude for their dean.
"There hasn’t been an event for the general students and faculty
to recognize the dean – at least this year," Warren said.
"Many people appreciated the idea and the fact that it was
done," she said.
During the event, Prager expressed her appreciation toward the
WLU.
"The Women’s Law Union and Journal have been pleasures for me
because they are completely problem free," Prager said.
The WLU is a social organization that is more informal than its
counterpart, the Women’s Law Journal which publishes a journal. The
organizations collaborate for some events.
Prager ended her speech on a word about the future of the law
school after her leadership.
"We hope some of this crop of students will enter the teaching
professions," Prager said.
Prager studied as a law student at UCLA in her youth. She served
as editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review and received her JD in
1971.
She became a faculty member in 1972, a year after working for a
law firm in North Carolina.
"(Prager) was my student, and I’ve known her from the
beginning," Kart said.
"I’ve got admiration for her as a student and now," he said.
UCLA School of Law
Law School Dean Susan Prager