Third-year law students at the Syracuse University College of Law had 45 days left until graduation when they received notification from the school’s dean, Hannah Arterian, that it was up to them to find a commencement speaker.

The topic sparked debate at an open forum Thursday with the College of Law’s senior associate dean for academic affairs, Robin Paul Malloy, and also led to the law students questioning the leadership abilities of Dean Arterian and the rest of the school’s faculty.

The College of Law holds open forums once a month, but instead of the usual four to five students in attendance, approximately 50 showed up to Thursday’s meeting.

The forum was held in room 200 of the College of Law.

Scott Feudale, a third-year law student who attended the forum, said Arterian took the responsibility of booking a commencement speaker out of the hands of the third-year students’ student senate in February 2004, but now, with graduation just around the corner, is placing the burden back on their shoulders.

Malloy responded to this by saying Arterian took responsibility for finding a commencement speaker because students would often set their expectations too high for one.

‘They would want speakers such as Hillary Clinton that cost $50,000 to $80,000,’ Malloy said. ‘During the last several months (of the year) we would have to scramble to find a speaker.’

Tensions between law students and Arterian began early in the semester after the third-year students held their annual formal at the OnCenter. Alcohol was served at the event at an open bar both before and after dinner, Feudale said in an interview.

After the formal, the OnCenter sent a letter to Arterian that said the law students behaved disorderly, citing examples of profane language, broken bottles and dancing on tables, Feudale said.

Feudale said he did not see any of this activity that night.

‘I was there all night; I did not observe any of that personally,’ he said.

Danny DeVoe, a third-year law student who also attended the forum on Thursday, said the administration at the College of Law treats its students as if they are children. She also said she did not see any disorderly conduct at the formal.

‘I am an adult. I am almost 30 years old. I feel like I’m being treated like a 7-year-old girl,’ DeVoe said during the forum.

Malloy responded to DeVoe’s comment by saying it is not the faculty’s job to cater to students’ every need.

‘You don’t pay my salary and I don’t work for you. … I work for the university,’ Malloy said. ‘If you demand something, I don’t have to give it to you.’

Malloy also added the allegations issued by the OnCenter are being used to help reevaluate the College of Law’s drinking policy.

‘What is our drinking policy?’ Malloy said. ‘We don’t have a drinking policy and that’s a problem. …We don’t think you should be treated as undergraduates, and we don’t think you shouldn’t have alcohol at events.’After the OnCenter issued allegations to Dean Arterian, Arterian issued a letter to the third-year students, which DeVoe said was a ‘condemnation’ of the students.

‘There should’ve been a forum first before a condemnation was sent out,’ DeVoe said. ‘The dean basically shamed us; she exaggerated the situation.’

The law students in attendance at Thursday’s forum also expressed concerns about the future status of the College of Law, a school that once ranked among the nation’s top 50 law schools, Malloy said.

‘I think you’re unconcerned you’re about to lose a class, a class of donations,’ said one student at the forum. ‘You’re in danger of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars from students.’

Malloy said money was not the issue here.

‘I’m not concerned about turning the law school into a consumer relationship,’ he said.

Malloy also added the College of Law faculty is working to find ways to improve the school’s standing. He said Arterian spends a lot of time traveling the country to increase alumni relations, something he said is important to gaining more recognition.

Malloy said Arterian was in Washington on Tuesday, Rochester on Wednesday and is currently in Phoenix meeting with alumni.

‘The whole mission is faculty and students have interest in this law school. There’s no reason this shouldn’t be a top-50 law school,’ Malloy said.

But students present at the forum did not approve of the fact that Arterian spends so much time away from the school.

‘If (Arterian’s) job is to go to Arizona and not be in this school, then something needs to change,’ another student said during the forum. ‘There’s a national conference here this weekend and she’s in Arizona.’

Malloy said he agreed Arterian needs to connect with students and be visible within the College of Law, but she also has a responsibility to connect with ‘outside constituencies.’

‘The dean is not going to be in the law school every day and be available,’ Malloy said.

To this one student responded that the ‘dean has not made a connection with any student,’ to which Malloy replied, ‘I don’t think that’s true.’ The students in the room burst into laughter.

With many students still waiting to make their comments heard to the associate dean, Malloy was forced to end the forum because of a class that was to be held in the auditorium.

Published on April 7, 2005 at 12:00 pm