UC Hastings Scholarship Repository Hastings Alumni Publications 9-1-1988 Hastings Community (Fall 1988) Hastings College of the Law Alumni Association Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.uchastings.edu/alumni_mag Recommended Citation Hastings College of the Law Alumni Association, "Hastings Community (Fall 1988)" (1988). Hastings Alumni Publications. 72. http://repository.uchastings.edu/alumni_mag/72 This is brought to you for free and open access by UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Hastings Alumni Publications by an authorized administrator of UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. FALL1988 University of California, Hastings College ofthe Law m Patino Fellowslin Increases to $7500.00 students have become Patino Fellows. selected as Tony Patino Fellows-elect. At this year's Selection Day Reception and Though the three Fellows-elect come from Luncheon held at the St. Francis Hotel in diverse backgrounds, they share the accom- San Francisco, three members of the plishment and character sought by the Hastings Class of 1988 were named Tony Fellowship. Patino Fellows, they are Mr. David Balter, "The Tony Patino Fellowship is a unique Ms. Shana Chung and Ms. Mary Jo Quinn. program. Its generous support of our Al three spoke of what the Fellowship has students is unmatched; its high and consis- meant to them and thanked Mrs. Turner for tently recognized ideals are compelling, her constant encouragement and generosity. said Dean Read. "The Fellowship identifies In addition, three incoming Hastings highly promising students at the beginning students -Melyssa D. Davidson, Leah Sue of their legal careers and gives them an Goldberg, and Stephen P.Van Liere -were enormous boost through the Fellowship's financial support.- Leah Sue Goldberg, one of this year's Fellows-elect, experienced some of the confusion many law students feel at Dean Read, 1988 Patino Fellows Mary Jo Quinn, David M. Balter, Shana K. the beginning of their legal studies; she is Chung and 1983 Patino Fellow Martha Podolak Belcher grateful to the Patino Fellowship for reassuring her that she has personally made Mrs. Francesca Turner, founder and prin- tent and ethical lawyers but leaders at the the right decision. "Ive thought of law cipal donor of the Tony Patino Fellowship, community, state, national or international school as an educationally exhilarating has announced a 50" increase of the levels. The Fellowship looks with favor on experience and as a financial hardship as Fellowship sanIal studeIt awards from law students who have been involved in well, but because of the Patino Fellowship I $5,000 to $7500 the largest award given at political activities and who intend to pursue am able to concentrate on my studies and Hastings. careers in politics or government. not worry about graduating burdened with a The Tony Patmo Fellowship, established The Fellowship is awarded for one year tremendous debt; the emotional support the in 1974 in memory of Hastings student only, but is renewable for two consecutive Fellowship has given me is phenomenal,' Antenor Patino Jr. by his mother, Mrs, years based upon the Fellow-elect's personal Fellow-Elect Leah Sue Goldberg said Ms. Goldberg. Francesca Turner, supports Hastings students and academic performance and his or her whose personal and academic histories show participation in the legal profession or leadership, good moral character, ethical public service during his or her summer conduct and good citizenship. Since 1977, breaks. Upon receiving two renewals of the alass of 1991 Bists Off the Patino Fellowship has distributed over Fellowship, final approval of the Patino 300,000 to Hastings students, renewal committee, and a Juris Doctor 0 fhe Fellowship hopes to help law degree, the Fellow-elect is named a Tony A change in the national law school applications, the College has seen a students not only who will become compe- Patino Fellow." Since 1981, 19 Hastings admissions picture and a surge of significant change in applicant behavior. applications have left Hastings with a first Large numbers of applicants abandoned the year class approximately 19% larger than common practice of reserving space at more expected. Because of the overenrollment, than one law school, and opted for reserving MloingForiward the College offered for the first time in its space at only one, While nationally, the 111 year history, a year's deferment to any percentage of applicants reserving space at student accepted in 1988/89. Fifty-six only one law school increased by 19%I,the The overriding message of the successful this year is to increase total giving by 40% students accepted the offer, leaving the number reserving space only at Hastings 1988 Annual Fund Campaign was coming and to add at least 300 new donors to the Class of 1991 with just under 550 increased by a phenomenal 64%. That 64% together;" the message for 1989 is moving names of those now supporting programs students. increase, the College believes, accounts for forward' The momentum gathered during of the College. Of the 4,331 applicants, 1,425 were offered such a large first year class. 1987-88 by doubling the funds of the This year's Annual Fund Campaign began admission. Based on statistics gathered over Admissions Director Tom Wadlington previous year and more than tripling the with the welcoming of Dean Tom Read to the last eight years, the College assumed expects to see even more applications for number of gifts makes it possible to set the Hastings. Throughout his inaugural year the that 32% of those offered admission would this coming year. Two years ago the goal of $550,000 for the 1988-89 fiscal year. Dean will visit with alumni throughout the accept. Surprisingly, in the end 42% College received 3,619 applications and he While the number of donors and amount country carrying the message of the vigor of accepted, leaving the College with an expects to see more than 4,500 for this year donated last year represent an impressive the College and plans for the future. incoming class of 548 students, 88 over the "With 56 slots allocated to deferred students, increase over prior years, Hastings still ranks By now, all graduates and friends have projected number. and the expected increase in applications, low among prestigious law schools in terms received the Fall Annual Fund appeal. The Though nobody seems to really know the this is going to be a very tough year to get of alumni support. The goal of the program Continued on page 3 reason or reasons for the surge in into Hastings," predicted Wadlington. ------------------------------m Loan Assistance at Hastings The Student Loan Amnesty Project (SLAP) approved by the Board, a fundraising effort was founded in September 1987 by Hastings will commence, directed at foundations, students who sought to mitigate one of the law firms, and alumni. biggest obstacles to practicing public interest law-money. ABA Action The typical Hastings graduate enters the At its annual meeting in August, the ABA legal profession almost $30,000 in debt; this adopted a resolution encouraging law translates into monthly payments of about schools, Bar associations and lawmakers to 375. Public interest salaries generally establish loan forgiveness programs for law range from $15,000 to $28,000 (one third graduates accepting low paying public to one half of the corporate scale). This interest employment. The resolution and means that the graduate earning $20,000 accompanying report documented the effect and straddled with a $30,000 debt would of escalating law school debts on graduates' take home just over $800 a month. Thus, career choices and the decline in the the graduate faces a Hobson's choice, he or number of individuals accepting public she can either work in the lucrative private service positions. The resolution introduced sector or accept low paying public interest by the Law Student Division of the ABA was "SERVE'S" UP - BEACH PARTY '88 employment and suffer severe financial resoundingly passed by the House of Sea air. Crashing waves. The roar of traffic. Hastings Beach. Who could ask hardship. Delegates. for anything more? Incoming students got a chance to relax at an Orientation Last year, SLAP worked with interim Lunch hosted by the Associated Students of Hastings, Phi Delta Phi and Dean Daniel Lathrope to design a proposal Setback in Sacramento the Office of Student Services. Treasurer Phyllis Bursh and other A.S.H. for a program which would allow Hastings Last spring, SLAP was intrumental in officers took turns dishing out the chicken and advice. Orientation gave the alumni who hold public interest jobs to Class of 1991 an opportunity to meet with Dean Read, their professors, introducing legislation in Sacramento to alumni and fellow students before hitting the books. apply for assistance in repaying their appropriate money to administer loan educational debts. The level of assistance assistance programs at the 16 ABA would depend on three factors: how long accredited California law schools. Sponsored the applicant had practiced public interest by Terry Friedman (D-L.A.), AB 3955 passed law; his or her salary; and most importantly, through the Assembly Education and Ways ean Scholarship how much money was available to the and Means Committees before dying on the program. The SLAP proposal drew from Assembly floor. The bill received support ogram Inaugurated similar programs in place at 16 law schools from Assembly Democrats, including across the country, including Harvard, Assemblymen John Burton and Tom Hayden. Stanford, Yale, USC and a state-wide SLAP is considering an attempt to This is the inaugural year of the Dean's Each Dean's Scholar will receive $,000 over program in Maryland. The proposal was reintroduce the idea in the coming session. Scholarship Program, createdlast spring by the next three years, over and above the unveiled to the Board in April.