A Growing Concern: How to Combat Aloof Law School Administrations
Throughout the Leadership Institute, I’ve heard students express concerns about how tone deaf their administrations seem to be when it comes to the changes they advocate for on campus. As I and my fellow chapter board member Grace made very clear, our school (Georgetown) is pretty abysmal when it comes to respective students’ reproductive health (principally by denying us access to contraception while offering it to faculty and staff). Despite our advocacy efforts (and support from the student body), the administration doesn’t want to budge. So I was simultaneously heartened and dismayed to hear that other LSRJ members are experiencing similar rejection from their administrations. Heartened because it always feels better to suffer together rather than alone, and dismayed because the more widespread the reproductive oppression, the more obvious it becomes that our message has yet to be heard by all.
Forsaking the pessimist label, my new friends and I had multiple conversations about making our voices heard on campus. I think one of the principle themes to come out of our discussions was this: apart from the financial viability that we provide to our law schools by paying tuition, there are at least three other reasons our administrations should be taking us seriously. First, we are their future colleagues! In a mere three years or less, we will have our J.D.’s and we will be fully qualified to challenge any of these restrictive policies in court (provided that our employers are on board). Second, we are future alumni! Our law schools will be asking for our donations very soon, and we will be in a position of power to turn them down if it turns out that our law school experiences went sour because of a nonresponsive or disrespectful administration. Third, we are on the right side of history! Our fight for reproductive justice lies in the broader unfolding of progress, a process that will come to fruition in the years to come. The question isn’t whether but when, and if our administrations choose to be on the wrong side of history, they will be left behind (read: their enrollment numbers will drop) because they will be seen as antiquated obstacles to the lives future law students will want to lead.
Our challenge is to embrace these realities and advocate skillfully so that our voices are heard in this coming school year. I for one am leaving the LI with a renewed passion for creating change on my campus, and I hope that feeling spread throughout the entire group! Thanks to everyone for supporting each other and making this fantastic weekend possible!
Lucy Panza