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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1998)
lursday • February 26, 1998 The Battalion STATE Wi T Law minority applications lecline, total number also falls c:; iUSTIN (AP) —The number of black applicants to University of Texas Law School next fall dropped lalffrom last year. But UT officials say the number ild be offset by applicants who did not identify lirrace. total of 3,157 first-year law student applications e submitted for the fall semester. Of those, 484 did identify their race or ethnicity. erall, first-year applications were down in all oth- thnic categories, including whites. By contrast, applications from freshman under- duates are up in all racial categories, prompting ad- ssions director Bruce Walker to declare, “We’re idedback in the right direction, aren’t we?” |At the law school, associate dean Cynthia Estlund Id she found it “extremely disappointing” that just 1 people identified themselves as black, down from | ilast year. These figures are disappointing in spite of some ^ y rigorous recruitment efforts,” Estlund said. UT’s law school experienced a steep drop in black i Hispanic applicants last fall after a federal court ruled that race could not be considered in admission or financial aid decisions. Just four blacks enrolled in the first-year class of 475, down from 31 in 1996. First-year Hispanic enroll ments were 26 in the fall, down from 42 a year earlier. “We’re all very disappointed” in the application numbers, said David Greenstone, president of UT’s Student Bar Association. “We recognize how impor tant diversity is to a quality legal education.” “I know they’re trying everything they can under the restrictions they’re living with to maintain their diversity, ” said Philip Shelton, executive director of the Law School Admission Council. “The drop in ap plicants makes it all the more difficult for them to do that.” At the undergraduate level at UT, freshman appli cations are up 15 percent overall, to 15,558. The increases include 14 percent more applications from whites, 7 percent more from African Americans, 21 percent more from Hispanics, 16 percent more from Asians, 55 percent more from American Indians and 6 percent more from international students. '■ |lUb Tes At Marooned Feb. 28th 4:00 p.m. Show at Dixie Theatre Feb. 28th “On a track of ever-increasing success since their rather inauspicious live debut to an audience of exactly two in a San Francisco bar, Train Aias performed to larger and larger audiences, attracting the attention of artists like Cracker, Ani DiFranco, Joan Osbourne, The Neville Brothers and Counting Crows. ” “Aware is proud to present Train’s debut album full of warm tones and songs honed to a pitch of emotion not heard since the passing of Jeff Buckley. ” Check out the guest spots from Counting Crows Charlie Gillingham and David Bryson, and the Matt Wallace-produced masterpiece “If You Leave. ” -Aware Records marooned "TH E" RECORD STORE IN B/CS 1 1 expose yourself Develop your skills as a photosrapher with the 1998 /Ajj/efendyearbook and get paid for doing it. Stop by Room 004 Reed McDonald and pick up an application today. Oprah jury begins deliberations in /Vmarillo beef disparagement trial AMARILLO, Texas (AP) —The multimillion-dollar question of whether Oprah Winfrey intentionally dis paraged a group of Texas cattlemen with her talk show about mad cow disease on Wednesday went to the jury. Jurors impaneled to referee the West Texas show down between the cattle feeders and Winfrey began deliberating at high noon after hearing two hours’ of closing arguments. After a brief lunch break, they re sumed work at 1:15 p.m. CST. The cattle raiser’s attorneys told jurors that Win frey’s talk show should be found liable for intention ally disregarding the truth about the risk of mad cow disease in U.S. beef. “They were on notice. They knew the truth. They broadcast it anyway because they were reckless," Joe Coyne said during closing arguments. Mad cow disease has never been detected in this coun try. Cattlemen charge that the April 16, 1996, program made it sound like an imminent threat to beef-eaters and caused the cattle market to plunge to 10-year lows. In response, defense attorney Charles Babcock told the eight-woman, four-man panel their deci sion will have a major impact on free speech rights in the United States. “This case is about the First Amendment,” he said. “It’s about robust debate and it’s about the unfettered interchange of ideas.” Just as Winfrey has a right to freedom of speech, co-counsel David Mullin said, “we have the right not to have our business damaged by a bunch of false hoods shot out of Chicago.” Mullin and Coyne represent a group of Texas cattlemen su ing Winfrey, her production company and show guest Winfrey Howard Lyman for business disparagement they say cost them $ 11 million. They said said all the statements broadcast dur ing the show were either true facts, opinions, hy perbole or rhetoric and therefore not actionable under the Constitution. Argued Coyne: “You look at that transcript all day. The word ‘opinion’ is not there.” . - Norwest® PC Banking is here. If your PC isn’t too busy. You’ve wanted it, you got it. Go on-line to balance your checkbook, transfer funds, even pay your bills. Works with Quicken® or Microsoft® Money software. For details, see your local Norwest banker or dial Norwest Phone Bank SM service at 1-800-224-7334. To The N th Degree 3000 Briarcrest 776-5402 Bryan/College Station / 801 Rock Prairie 776-3499 200 Southwest Pkwy. 776-3424 Elephants! Don’t forget. FINAL WEEK! Class of ’98 pictures are being taken for the Aggieland 1998 at A R Photography Drop by A R Photography at its new location on Texas Avenue, or call 693-8183 for an appointment