Christmas Ale is What hap- New “Iron awesome pened to Chef” hails Three members of The Thanksgiving? from C-town Gavel staff research and The Gavel explores the Chef Michael Symon is explore the beer that has commercialization of the new Iron Chef. He changed the lives of the the holiday season. shares a special recipe C-M community. for law students. LAW, PAGE 4 OPINION, PAGE 8 LAW, PAGE 4 THE GAVEL VOLUME 56, ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2007 THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT CLEVELAND-MARSHALL COLLEGE OF LAW C-M to implement Tuition increased new grading for 2007-08 without system student notice By Michelle Todd By Kevin Shannon that tuition increases ought to be STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER Pending approval from On June 28, 2007, the Cleve- expected by students, explain- Cleveland State University’s land State Board of Trustees ing, “that’s the way things go.” Faculty Senate, the grading sys- voted to increase the law school’s Another 3-L, Christian tem at Cleveland-Marshall will tuition by 10 percent. This year’s Moore, stated that he would soon convert to a more widely tuition of $16,477.50 for full have appreciated some form of recognized format that will af- time in-state students is a $1,495 notice about the increase. He ford professors a broader range increase from last year’s tuition. explained that the information of grades with which to reward While the law school’s tuition would have been helpful in help- their students. increased by 10 percent, graduate ing him plan his budget for the school year. The change, which will likely PHOTO BY PAUL DEEGAN—GAVEL school tuition increased by only 6 not be in effect until the Fall 2008 percent and undergraduate tuition Dean Geoffrey Mearns ex- semester, adds minus grades (A-, 2007 Annual Moot Court Night remained at $7,920 per year. plained that the Board of Trust- B-, etc.) to the possible letter On November 7th, C-M Osburn, Shawn Romer, and Most C-M students recognize ees ultimately approved the grades a law student can receive hosted its 39th Annual Moot Erika Imre Schindler, spon- that tuition increases are to be tuition increase after relying and also assigns point values to Court Night. Two C-M teams sored by Baker Hostetler, ar- expected. But, students did ex- heavily on the input of CSU these new grades (A- = 3.7, B+= argued in front of the Hon. gued for the Petitioner, while press surprise with the size of this President Michael Scwartz, Vice 3.3, B=3, B- =2.7, etc.). Boyce Martin, Jr., and the the team of Terrance Doyle, year’s increase and the lack of President for Business Affairs & Although the faculty of the Hon. Karen Nelson Moore, Cathy Reichel Smith, and notice provided by the school. Finance Jack Boyle, and Provost law school has already approved both of the Sixth Circuit, and Todd Wintering, sponsored Matthew Gambrel, a 3L, did Mary Jane Saunders. the new system, several other the Hon. John Gleeson of the by Jones Day, argued for not learn of the tuition increase Dean Mearns explained that university committees must also Eastern District of New York. the Respondent. The panel until he returned to campus this his involvement in the ultimate vote on the issue before it can The two teams competed in held for the Baker Hostetler fall. He felt that school admin- decision was limited and he real- actually go into effect. The fi nal front of a crowd of approxi- team, and Shawn Romer istrators “didn’t go out of their ized that some tuition increase vote needed is that of the mately 300, the largest in C-M was named best oralist. Both way” to let students know about was inevitable. However, he teams were coached by Prof- lobbied the administration to See GRADING, page 3 history. The team of Alexis the increase. However, he noted fessor Stephen Gard. See TUITION, page 2 Don’t bring political stereotypes to the polls You By George Sakellakis the best decision? Should GAVEL CONTRIBUTOR Most voters who perceive themselves as Repub- Republicans love guns, hate abortion, and will licans believe that their party is tough on terrorists Know make us pray while at school. Democrats love taxes, and will keep their borders safe. Some think they hate guns, and won’t let us worship where anyone else will eventually pay noticeably less taxes if they can see us. Republicans work tirelessly to empower continue to vote Republican, and others just can’t Upcoming Important Dates: us while Democrats toil away to keep us poor. Inde- stand Democrats because they all refuse to admit pendents are not sure what they want, so we should that they inhaled the chemical byproducts of burn- December 18 - Last day of Exams not take them seriously. ing vegetable substances. Others hide behind their Does this sound ridiculous? If it does, you’re party simply to protect themselves from the horrors January 7 - Spring Semester Begins on to something. Many supposed “members” of of “Billary.” More than a few blind conservatives the Republican and Democratic parties possess just will vote for Rudy Giuliani because they think they April 22 - Last day of Instruction enough familiarity about their party’s platform to get want a president with Republican values, but will them through a boring two minute conversation which later be surprised when he supports abortion, civil April 23 - 27- Reading Week culminates in a baseless argument. Soon, many of unions, and tougher gun laws. Mike Huckabee is these people will choose their candidates in the pri- gaining popularity as a candidate who leans solidly maries, and on November 4, 2008, they will take to to the right, but some voters might wonder about Important Holidays: the polls to select our next president. Too many of his plan to substitute federal income tax with a new them will vote based on political prejudice and strict consumer-based tax, or they might speculate as to Jan. 21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day party lines, fi nding answers to issues too complex for why his proposed answer to the health care crisis is most of us to understand in friendly smiles and 15- eerily similar to Hillary’s? Do these voters know that February 18 - President’s Day second radio/television ads. Come on, America. Real some Republican candidates are steadfast supporters people have sacrifi ced and died for our right to vote. of free trade? Isn’t that a democratic issue? March 9 - 16 - Spring Break Shouldn’t we honor them and ourselves by going to Democrats might believe that their party will the polls armed with knowledge, knowing we made See POLITICS, page 10 THE GAVEL Page 2 LawLaw December 2007 Our history of 2007-08 Tuition increased for students opportunity and Continued from page 1-- tuition increase. The first was He was emailing the administration up equity to the existing students. until the afternoon before the trustees justice keep the increase limited to a He thought it was unfair to charge approved the raise. Last month, Cleveland celebrated the 40th anniversary more reasonable 6 percent. current students with an increase Dean Mearns noted that he had not of the election of the late Carl B. Stokes as Mayor, the first Last year, Governor Ted that is the highest in recent history. received too many complaints about African-American elected mayor of a major American city. Strickland announced a tuition Dean Mearns was also concerned the tuition hike. He received one email Carl Stokes was a graduate of Cleveland-Mar- freeze for Ohio’s public universi- with the impact on C-M’s efforts to about it and his conversations with SBA shall. Two years after his mayoral election, ties. When asked if the freeze on attract new students. He explained President Nick Hanna revealed very his older brother, Louis Stokes, who also undergraduate tuition impacted that the tuition is much lower than little concern among the student body. graduated from our law school, became the the higher than normal law school other Ohio schools, including When asked what the students can first African-American elected to the U.S. tuition increase, Dean Mearns sug- C-M’s neighbor to the east, Case expect next year, Dean Mearns stated Congress from Ohio. gested that Western. Ac- that he anticipated some increase but The For the Stokes brothers, choosing our law it did not. C-M has a clinical pro- cording to Dean hopes that it will be modest. He rec- Dean’s school was a natural—a given for persons of According gram, an independent Mearns, the ognizes that students pay a great deal Column color aspiring to careers in law. We were the t o D e a n increase some- to attend C-M and he really wants to first law school in Ohio to admit women and M e a r n s , library, and a student what diluted the keep a lid on the amount of loans that one of the first to admit minorities. For most of the increase services center that all strength of this students take out. He is extremely the 20th century, Cleveland-Marshall was the state’s primary was meant selling point. focused on keeping C-M a law school legal educator of women and black attorneys. to make up contribute to the high The third of opportunity. Today, the legal profession in Ohio is diverse because for the law operating budget of the concern was However, students at C-M still get a of the role our black graduates played in breaking down the s c h o o l ’s the perception pretty good value for what they spend, barriers that separated the races.