Monday, 7/7/97 UCLA law school reacts to shifts in its
enrollment Student groups struggle with reduced numbers; new
policies for outreach vague
By Gregory Mena Daily Bruin Staff UCLA law students and law
professionals are struggling to understand the impact of drastic
changes in the preliminary figures for underrepresented students
accepted to the law school. Preliminary figures show a drop in
minority enrollment for 1997-98 – from more than half of total
admissions to less than a third over the last four years. The slide
began in 1995, when the UC Regents decided to ban consideration of
race in admissions. This is the first year those criteria take full
effect. However, the complete picture won’t be available until
closer to the end of the month. Current projected enrollment
reflects only those students who have confirmed an intent to
register. The fear is that large numbers of minority students will
reject UCLA in favor of non-UC schools with aggressive affirmative
action policies. Ten days ago, UC Berkeley learned that none of the
10 African American students to whom it had offered slots had
accepted, and less than a third of the Latino students had agreed
to attend the Boalt Hall law school. No doubt remains, however,
that Native American students will be completely absent from this
year’s first-year law class. "It is kind of devastating to our
group," said Dana Stewart, president of the American Indian Law
Students Association (AILSA). Cultural solidarity has always been
difficult because of diversity among American Indian law students,
Stewart said. "There are hundreds of tribes and they are very
distinct. As it is, it’s tough keeping together." Preliminary
Latino admissions have dropped by almost a third from last year;
African American admits have dropped by almost two-thirds. Asian
Americans have marginally increased and "white and other"
admissions have increased by about eight percent. While law
students and law professionals assess the impact of these
enrollment changes and explore alternate methods for minority
recruitment. "The recent numbers are the resurgence of segregation
in higher education in California and the erosion of quality
opportunities for minority students," said Lolita Pierce, the
vice-chair of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). The
association is one of four student groups which used to take part
in the admissions process. Once law school applications were
received, student groups sent supplemental questionnaires to
minority students and applicants voluntarily responded. About 15
law students reviewed and evaluated each reply for merit not found
in test scores or grade point averages. Students gave their
recommendations and knew they were taken seriously, according to
Stewart. But now, student groups await word on the funding and the
guidelines for post-affirmative action outreach. "The
administration is concerned that certain activities may be
considered preferential treatment," said Daria Neal, chairwoman of
the BLSA. Student groups have not been given a clear explanation of
what they can and cannot do, Neal said. Outreach efforts have
previously been aimed at undergraduates, high school students and
even potential lawyers from junior high schools. Recruiting may
combat the falling applications to the UCLA law school. Students
are debating the reason for the overall drop in admissions – down
about a quarter over four years. Some attribute the drop to the
deteriorating reputation of the profession and the saturation of
the job market. Others suggest that the end of affirmative action
is directly related. "I think that students are discouraged from
applying to UCLA because they think that they won’t get in or they
think the the environment will be hostile," Neal said. Legal
professionals also are concerned. Some law firms, who look to UCLA
for employees, expect students to be well trained in terms of
diversity. "We will be trying to gather other legal employers and
judges associations, to send the message that the UCs have to come
up with some other method to ensure a diverse student body," said
Raymond Marshall, a partner with McCutchen, Doyle, Brown, and
Enersen. "The message is that you do jeopardize the ability to
place students with our firms," Marshall said. The majority of
graduated UCLA law students work in private practice. For a career
in law, a racially diverse background is a plus, said Roy Brooks,
law professor at UC San Diego. "There is a symbiotic relationship
between law and society," Brooks said. "If you’re exposed to
different perspectives in law school, that shows up in practice."
Employers often will contact the leaders of ethnic student
associations to find qualified law graduates, according to Amy
Berenson, a counselor at the Office of Career Planning. "Employers
look to us when they want to diversify their workplace," Berenson
said. Previous Daily Bruin Story Report says fewer minority
students apply to UC campuses, February 12, 1997