OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090309/WLURG39_RTP_20090309_001.2.txt 5 THE How many couples do you know at W&L? Columnist Aleishae Butler wonders why students here think dating is “weird.” OPINIONS / page 3 WSHINGTON Am; LEE UNIVERSITY RING—TUM PHI. ONDAY, MARCH 9, 2on9 3 y T H E STUDENTS AND FDR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME CXII, .1 Law school gets $2 rn.for new curriculum The donation from law school alum John Huss will support a new hands- on approach for third-years By John Henderson NEWS EDITO R The Washington and Lee School of Law has received a $2 mil- lion gift from John Huss, a W&L law school alumnus from the class of 1965, to support the new third-year curriculum which puts stu- dents through real-world legal simulations to provide a transition between school work and legal work. “John’s extraordinary gift comes at a critical time in the history of the law school,” law school Dean Rodney Smolla said, according to a recent university news release. Smolla said in the inaugural year of the program, which will begin in the 2009-2010 academic year, one-third of the faculty will join with judges and practitioners from top law firms to create these real-world simulations. “John’s gift will help ensure that this new program will be abso- lutely first-class in every respect,” Smolla said. The program is an unprecedented step away from the traditional law school curriculum, which focuses on classroom instruction, ac- cording to the new release Instead, third-years will have the chance to interact with clients and develop the skills necessary to practice law. All third-year students in the program will be required to ob- tain a Virginia practice certificate. At the same time, these students will be immersed in a year-long" professionalism program consisting of legal ethics, civility in prac- tice, civic leadership, pro bono service, and law firm economics. ' “We are at a turning point in the history of the legal profession and the history of legal education,” Smolla said in a message to the community regarding the new program. Smolla said law schools nationwide have followed the Harvard Law School’s curriculum for the past 100 years, developed by Dean Christopher Columbus Langdell, which teaches legal theory, rea- soning and doctrine. While this model is apt preparation for first- years, it does not completely prepare students for the law profes- sion, Smolla said. Now, law schools are recognizing the need to revamp their style of education to prepare students for the real world, Smolla said. “At Washington and Lee, we are proud to be a leader in this na- tional movement. We believe it is incumbent on our Law School to be more ambitious in our mission and innovative in our approach to education,” he said. The recent $2 million gift will go toward clinical activities and technical and administrative support for the new program, accord- ing to the news release It will also fund faculty positions and visit- ing professors. Law professor Mary Z. Natkin, law school class of 1985, has already been promoted to Assistant Dean for Cinical Education and Public Service. The school has also brought in Virginia Supreme Court Justice Donald W. Lemons and criminal defense attorney Judy Clarke'to help teach the new simulation courses. The law school has also announced the addition of James E. Mo- litemo to the faculty. Molitemo, a leading educator in experiential learning, designed the ethics, skills and professionalism program at William and Mary’s law school. Elections, 2009 New oficers vow to uphold transparency and accountability Bylamie Kim STAFF WRITER Transparency and account- ability were two dominant themes during the Executive Committee (EC) and Student Judicial Council (SJC) elec- tions this year, in which Eric Hoffman, Scott Centorino, Bill Larson, Crighton Allen and Caitlin Cottingham have all won positions. The elected will take up their new positions spring term. In the March 3 elections and March 4 runoff, second- year law student Hoffman was elected EC president, sopho- more Centorino was elected EC vice president, first-year law student Larson became EC secretary, sophomore Al- len was voted in as the SJC chair, and junior Cottingham was elected SJC secretary. The campaigns leading up to the election featured color- ful posters and flyers distrib- uted throughout the commons, speeches, Facebook groups and numerous emails sent to student organizations, friends and friends of friends. “The posters were fun to look at,” said sophomore Alex Sweetser, who said it was help- ful when candidates visited the sorority houses. “They were very witty,” said sophomore Rasaq Lawal, referring to the see-through signs symbolizing transparen- cy created by Denis O’Leary, a candidate for EC president. “I thought it was ‘a very tight race as far as the presi- dential bracket goes,” he added. “It was exciting to see a potential African-American EC president.” The race for EC president came down to a runoff on March 4 between Hoffman and senior Aaron Toomey. “I definitely put a lot of effort into the election,” said Hoffman. “It pretty much dominated my life for about two weeks. It was pretty ex- hausting, but it was also great, meeting new people and talk- ing about issues I care about that related to W&L.” Emphasizing the impor- tance of transparency during his campaign, Hoffman said the EC would have regular meeting times, inform students of their ability to come to the EC to discuss any issue or con- cerns related to the university, and create a regular dialogue with the Phi and the Trident. Beyond transparency, he plans to work on various is- sues related to student life, next year. “ Kenneth Hopkins, another candidate for EC president, said the election created new challenges because he was ad- dressing the entire school, not just his class. Hopkins who currently represents the class of20l0 plans to run for his seat next year. “It would be great to finish college doing something I enjoy,” he said. Centorino said he got through the stressful cam- paign-period with help from his fratemity brothers. “Campaigns, on any level, should never be left to one “I would really like to increase student awareness for who we are, what we do and how we can start to be seen as less of a punitive body and more a resource for I students. ’ Crighton Allen, SJC chairman-elect ‘ such as Traveller, student self- governance, student relations with the Lexington Police De- partment, designated tailgate areas at home football games and student turnout for athletic events. “I can’t say all of those ideas would be successful, but at least we will create a dia- logue on these and other issues to improve student life,” Hoff- man said. Hoffman has served as the law school’s class of 2010 rep- resentative for the last year. “I think the biggest differ- ence with being president will be the time commitment and representing the EC and the student body to the faculty, the administration and the Board of Trustees,” he said. “I’m definitely up for the challenge though, and am excited for person because they can eas- ily tum into a self-serving, monolithic conquest,” he said. “I like always having people around me, giving me feed- back, bringing me down to earth. The great thing about the campaign is it that it really helps you see the big picture all over again and it helps you remember why you ran for the EC the first time.” Centorino said he enjoyed going out and talking to stu- dents about the issues they care most about on campus, such as sexual assault, the health of the honor system, the administra- tion and the Greek system. “While it is important to master the technical side of closed hearings and the bud- getaiy process, it’s also impor- tant to always keep in mind the people you’re representing and their much bigger concerns,” he said. Allen, who is currently serving as the sophomore jus- tice on the SJC, said his fore- most goal for the SJ C next year is furthering R. E. Lee’s notion of individual responsibility for one’s actions. “I am not sure that some in the W&L community fully understand what the SJC is and what kind of cases we handle.” he said. “I would really like to increase student awareness for who we are, what we do and how we can start to be seen as less of a punitive body and more of a resource for students with questions about the stan- dards of conduct they are ex- pected to uphold.” Alongside Allen will be Cottingham, currently the law school’s class“of 2010 repre- sentative, as the new SJC sec- retary. “The other current SJC members were a huge help with the campaign, especially on the undergraduate side,” she said. “My new role as sec- retary will involve more logis- tics and planning hearings.” To EC secretary-elect Lar- son, maintaining a strong relationship with the W&L community continues to be an important goal. “I have enjoyed and felt honored to serve as the first year law representative this past year,” he said. “The EC secretary has more responsi- bilities. I look forward to the challenges ahead and working to improve communication be- tween the EC and the student body.” Current EC President Rich Cleary said some of the offi- cers’ previous experience on the EC and commitment to the Honor System will serve them well, “as they uphold our esteemed traditions of honor, integrity and student self-gov- ernance next year.” Toni Locy offers a lesson in ethics Locy defends the right of journalists to use government insiders, but warns of the risks By Jessica Strait STAFF WRITER When journalism professor Toni Locy was a reporter for USA Today, she refused to re- veal her confidential sources in a federal court case, believing the law was on her side. “I thought the First Amend- ment of the Constitution would be enough to protect me,” said Locy. It did not. Locy was fined $5,000 a day to compel her to reveal her sources, and the court banned her employer and family members from helping her pay. Locy did not budge, and sev- eral days layer a higher appeals court put a stay on the fine. Locy shared her unique experiences with an audience of students and faculty last Friday as the keynote speaker for the 47th Institute on Ethics in Journalism. Journalism department head Brian Richardson introduced Locy as a journalist who protect- ed her sources and made tough decisions to provide the public with the information it needed. Locy, a veteran cops and courts reporter who has worked at the Washington Post and U.S. News and World Report, remem- bers the “palpable fear” in Wash- ington that came after the 2001 anthrax attacks. “The two and a half years af- ter 9/ll were the most intense in my career,” said Locy, who was working at USA Today at the time. She recalled the “highly charged atmosphere” of the country following the terrorist attacks. Of the thousands of stories she has written in her career, two stories that weren’t even front- page scoops were the cause of her trouble. several months after Attorney General John Ashcroft named Steven Hatfield a “person of in- terest” in the anthrax attacks. The stories came I Locy found the accusatory term suspicious and in best jour- nalism fashion started to dig. She said the term is used even more today, usually when there is a lack of evidence. ’ with ulterior motives from those sources who have reliable infor- mation. Locy defended her record as an accurate and fair reporter who did her job by questioning those “I worry that editors and publishers will avoid covering tough stories...Journalism is in dan- ger of being destroyed out of fear ’ 7 Toni Locy, journalism professor and keynote speaker Following Ashcroft’s an- nouncement, Locy relied on sources that included some 12 people in the FBI and Justice Department. Locy argued that journalists need government insiders now more than ever, but must be careful about the sources they use. She warned students in the audience to follow their instincts and separate the “pretenders” in power and informing the pub- lie of what the government was up to. _ “I did my job and I did it well,” said Locy. “Everything I wrote was true.” Locy said her sources were upset when Ashcroft targeted Hatfield, and spoke to Locy be- cause they wanted to help cor- rect the inaccurate reporting that was going on at other papers. In her stories, Locy ques- tioned whether Hatfield, who was on 24/7 surveillance at the time, should be the FBl’s sole focus. Hatfield was later cleared and the man who was apparently be- hind the attacks, Dr. Bruce Ivins, committed suicide before being formally charged. Hatfield promptly filed a privacy act lawsuit against the government in 2003, in which U.S. District Judge Reggie Wal- ton called on Locy to reveal the confidential sources she used in her stories. When she refused to give up the names of her sources, Walton imposed the $5000-a-day fine. Before the ordeal, Locy said she didn’t believe in shield laws, which protect journalists from revealing sources. Now she sup- ports them and spent last week testifying in front of Texas leg- islators on a shield law that is up for consideration in that state. “I worry that editors and pub- lishers will avoid covering tough stories” due to the possibility of a lawsuit against news organiza- tions, Locy said. “Journalism is in danger of being destroyed out of fear.” Locy’s talk was well-attended by students and faculty from the journalism department as well as participants in the Ethics Insti- tute, including a polling analyst for yhe Washington Post, report- ers from the Virginian-Pilot, the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Roanoke Times, and CBS news correspondent Bill Whit- taker. ‘ “I think her comments about confidential sources are impor- tant,” said junior Alex Eichen- baum. “You’re not only protect- ing your own credibility but also the credibility of others. If you give up one, who’s to say you don’t have to give up all? It kind of opens a flood gate.” NUMBER 18 OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090309/WLURG39_RTP_20090309_002.2.txt UNIVERSHY LIBRARY WASHINGTON 8: LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON. VA 24450 MAR 1 :3 ;?si!£!8 Congratulations to the Class of 2009 GRAD FAIR 3-DA Y ANN UAL U G GRAD FAIR Wednesday, March 11th - Friday, March 13th 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / Atrium, Elrod Commons The time to celebrate the end of your four year journey is fast approaching! From the moment you first stepped on campus, you knew you were entering a most special place. The defining traditions of Washington and Lee University: academic rigor student self governance and lives measured by truth and integrity will mark you as honorable men and women and leaders of the future. As your journey comes to a close and as you celebrate your graduation day on June 4th, enjoy the memories of campus life, afternoons spent at Goshen, hikes up House Mountain, Fancy Dress and the many friendships you have made. Celebrate with family and friends this ‘ special day! From the moment you first stepped on campus, you knew you were entering a most special place. The defining traditions of Washington and Lee University: academic rigor, student self governance and lives measured by truth and integrity will mark you as honorable men and women and leaders of the future. As your journey comes to a close and as you celebrate your graduation day on June 4th, enjoy the memories of campus life, afternoons spent at Goshen, hikes up House Mountain, Fancy Dress and the many friendships you have made. Celebrate with family and friends this special day! Washington and Lee University Engraved Chairs Arm Chair or Rocker “a lasting memory ” The Official Class Ring A 2009 Graduation photos S en 1- am! (Each graduate will be photographed Order in time to Wearfor graduatl-On! as they receive their diploma from the University President. Photos may be purchased at PhotoStore after graduation) Quality photo frames, lined with a mat embossed with the University name and crest are available at the Grad Fair and the Washington and Lee University Store PhotoStore photostore.wlu.edu OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090309/WLURG39_RTP_20090309_003.2.txt 0 MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009 THE RING-TUM PHI ° 3 opinions WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY .................... .. RING -TUM PHI. ALLISON CHOPIN JOHN HENDERSON CODY BEAUCHAMP CELESTE CRUZ- CARANDANG WILL DORRANCE MANAGING EDITOR . NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR sponrs EDITOR’ CRIGHTON ALLEN ALEISHA BUTLER JAMIE KIM KATHERINE ROBERTS JESSICA STRAIT VALAREE TANG SUSAN TAYLOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGN EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MNGR. LAR‘A JORDAN MORGAN HARRIS STROCK MOORE ‘ ROB GEORGE MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING—TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING—TUM PHI IS PUBLISHED MONDAYS DURING THE UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL YEAR. THE R/NG-TUM PHI IS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA BOARD, BUT IS OTHERWISE INDEPENDENT. QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PHI SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE EDITORS AT PHI@WLU.EDU OR TO THE MEDIA BOARD AT MED/ABOARD@WLU.EDU. THE MEDIA ‘BOARD IS AN INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WORKING WITH ALL MEDIA OUTLETS ON THE WASHINGTON & LEE CAMPUS. ALL INQUIRIES WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. THE RING—TUM PHI WELCOMES ALL LETTERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT SUBMISSIONS FOR CONTENT AND LENGTH. LETTERS AND ADVERTISING DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINION OF THE RING—TUM PHI STAFF. THIS NEWSPAPER OBSERVES CURRENT COURT DEFINITIONS OF LIBEL AND OBSCENITY. THE RING—TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540) 458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PHI@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 W&L Women's Cross-Country (Captain), Track & Field (Captain), Peer Mentor for Information Literacy/ Econometrics , Undergraduate Economic Prcyfil es 111 Leadership: Kitchens volunteer, Kemper Scholars RebeCCC1 Ta)/101' Program, member ofODK, Pi Beta Phi. Review (Associate Editor), Campus V _V What energizes you about taking. . V on the responsibilities of campus I leadership? “I get energized about the Con- sensus building aspects of leadership; establishing goals as a team/community along with the steps ‘or accomplishing these goals. Anything I can do to facilitate these aspirations and to keep them in focus gets me excited.” V What has been one ofthe most re- warding aspects of leadership at W&L? “I find that in motivating others, especially when they are as talented and driven as those in the W&L community, I keep myself motivated toward my own goals.” What legacy ofleadership do you hope you've left for others at W&L? “Positive thinking, believing in your purpose, and dedication are contagious. One ofmy favorite quotes is from Jim Henson’s The Muppets: Ifjust one person believes in you Deep enough and strong enough Believes in you hard enough and long enough Before you knew it, someone else would think “If he can do it, I can do it” Making it two. Two whole people who believe in you. And maybe even you can believe in you too." Any words of advice for those who follow? “Don't take yourself too seriously; however, your dreams are never a laughing matter.” Tuesdavs with Leadership: Effective Communication l2:l5 and 6:30 PM, Room 214 Elrod Commons Explore the concepts and both the speaking and listening skills necessary to communicate well P§£l}AL Cart {mesh 3;. "ins. ’i§"()v Cf.»il<“l§ (i}rtla;' from our complete menu Or Join as for mu: ofom" ALL l""(;>i./' CAN 133 T Ergfjets.’ Friday Night Seafood Buffet with Crap Logs 5pm~1Qpm Saturday Night Prime Rib Dinner 5pm-1 0pm Sunday Saked Chicken, Pork Loin, & Pot Roast Mani-9pm Friday & Saturday Late Night Srealsfast Bar 10pm-2am Ereakfast Bar 7 Days a Week Gain-‘i iam Daily Hot Country Bar t‘iam~1{}pm Daily Soup, Salad, St Fruit bar ‘ttamtl Gpm ("inlet §3rcaI»:.fasr 24 t~lours :3. day. 7 days a week! I-Ionzra CT‘r.iois“eri Meals & Smirfzcrn lfuspiltzliiyf 'l.oc:u«;:d at 3.32 El HATE} PLAZA I483 I-6-1, I-Exit I95, Z-Z516! lwluiséi Lee Elwyn. l.s:>cingtori. 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