Back In My Day We Treated Law Students With Respect!

By: Chris Reed

It was about two years ago during my 1L year when some friends and fellow classmates asked me if I’d be interested in writing an article for Blackacre as they were looking to revive the dormant publication. They knew that I studied English and Journalism in college and told me it would be a natural fit.

I, however, was somewhat reluctant. Perhaps it was because I questioned how much I learned in college studying two subjects that often clashed in their style of writing. I was skeptical of how much I learned as an English major forced to read existentialist novels while laying poolside with a drink in hand. Maybe there were just too many distractions at the University of Arizona. I also wondered how much I learned as a Journalism major who was forced to cover local politics that were so maddeningly right-wing that the discussion usually centered on how high and with how much voltage they would build their border fence.

Perhaps I was reluctant to write an article for Blackacre because nothing seemed important enough to divert my attention away from the 75pg Torts outline that I thought would revolutionize test-taking(I ended up scrapping it the night before the final). I did have something I wanted to write about but I felt that it was petty, immature, and that I should be above such complaints.

Since then I have tried to maintain my composure whenever confronted with what seems to be a uniquely Loyola problem, but a reasonably prudent person can only take so much. I’m referring to everyone’s number-one nuisance at school, and they are everywhere. They monopolize the revolving door at the north side of our law school. They hold our beloved Nina’s Café ransom to their schedule. And worst of all, they clog up perfectly good classrooms while we are herded like cattle into sub-standard facilities down the street. We have all seen these individuals in our way. We’ve all rolled our eyes as these people pack into the elevator as if another one won’t be around in a minute or less and take it from floor 6 to floor 5.

I’m talking about UNDERGRADS, of course. Or even more broadly, our school’s insanely frustrating relationship with its undergraduate institution. I realize that we were all undergraduates at one point in our lives, so I can sympathize, but that doesn’t mean that I still want to go to school with them. I guess what I’m getting at is that I would love for someone to explain to me why law students who pay considerably more to attend Loyola are forced to share our space at an extreme inconvenience.

What reason could possibly justify forcing law students into Maguire Hall while undergrads take up perfectly good classrooms (and even get their own annex–thanks for building that as noisily as possible during my 1L finals). And in case you’ve never had the pleasure, allow me to explain. Maguire Hall is that building at Pearson and State that annoyingly requires an ID to enter, and is entirely ignorant of the temperature outside. It is a building that is conveniently never shown to prospective law students, yet one that you will likely spend a great deal of time in.

Now at this point you’re probably thinking one of two things: “Thank you, Chris, for finally saying what we have all thought. Amen, brother.” Or more likely, “stop complaining, be a nice person, and be nice to the undergrads!” I would say either statement is fairly valid. But like I said earlier, I had dealt with this problem for over two years like an adult (I complained less-openly to my closer friends who are used to hearing me babble about whatever). But a few weeks ago, after being treated like a joke at their campus, I realized that we’ve reached a turning point with the undergrads.

Now, I know you’ve all been dying to find out what it is that pushed me over the edge, thus inspiring me to write this article, and we’ll get there. But first, let me tell you (and prepare to have your conscious shocked) that it costs $12 for law students to use the Lakeshore gym. Yes, $12 dollars! Apparently, nowhere in our nearly $40,000 a semester is there anything allocated for us to use the gym. Now, for someone who went to a University that shared their gym with their graduate students, this is a bit shocking to me (See, I don’t mind sharing). What’s more, as an alumni member who pays $50 a year, I can still use the gym at the University of Arizona… if only it were closer! Talk about sticking a knife in me and twisting it…

Anyway, I digress. Despite this outrageous fee, a group of us lawschoolers flex the talents we used to have (Jim Arce) several times a month go ball it up at the Lakeshore campus. However, a few weeks ago, for the second time this semester, I drove to the Lakeshore campus only to be refused entry upon arrival. To put the icing on the cake, both days I was turned away I drove in on a Saturday morning from my parent’s place in the suburbs.

Why was I refused entry you ask? Well, because the gym was being used for other activities that don’t involve me playing basketball, so I was told. Never mind the fact that someone in my group had called ahead to make sure the gym was open at this specific time. It appears that the fine young man who works at the front desk of the Lakeshore gym failed to adequately check the schedule when we asked him two days prior. And who was this fine young man? …And here’s the kicker, the inspiration of my story… Why, he was an UNDERGRAD, and quite the sarcastic one at that.

Now, I don’t want to seem too negative. I have loved my experience at Loyola. 25 East (when I’ve been privileged enough to learn in it) is gorgeous. I have had some professors (hello Kaufman, Anderson, Tracey) who are incredible teachers and just all-around awesome human beings. They are the kind of teachers who inspire you, who make you want to do well in their course just to impress them because you respect them so much. They are also people who you would love to (and probably have) gotten drinks with outside of class.

But let’s be real about something – there is no justifying the infestation of undergrads in our law building. There is no justifying that law students pay $12 to use the Lakeshore gym; and the relationship that our fine law school has with its parent institution seems too one-sided. If I had one complaint about law school, it would be the undergrads. Then again, I haven’t fully engaged in a job search yet…