Law School Dean Says Student Life a Priority

First-term Dean of Harvard Law School (HLS) Elena Kagan named improving student life as the school’s top priority and outlined several strategies for solving the school’s long-debated problems in a state of the school speech last night.

Kagan’s solutions to the student life problem ranged from buying better gym equipment and providing free coffee in the morning to building more space for students and upping the size of the faculty to allow for smaller sections.

“We really have two campuses here, one for the faculty that is very nice, and one for the students, which is not so nice,” Kagan told packed audience of mostly students in the Ames Courtroom, in the law school’s first such address. “And we need to change that.”

In 1999, consultants from McKinsey wrapped up a study of HLS and found students unhappy with many aspects of the school, ranging from class sizes to grading.

“The single worst thing about this school is its students’ detachment,” Kagan said. In some ways, HLS faculty “have created this problem,” she said, but added the solution “rests in the [students’] hands.”

Kagan also criticized students, urging them against complacency and to “not just complain, but also create.”

Nevertheless, Kagan quipped to the audience of mostly students that “the State of the School is strong, and that is largely because of you.”

“The faculty don’t like to hear this, but you, the students, are our school’s most valuable asset,” she said. “You are not just the consumers of a product and you have a responsibility to enhance the rule of law.”

Kagan directed her speech primarily at students, focusing on issues pertaining to the student experience such as academics, public service, and student life.

She discussed changes she initiated at HLS over the summer, including a brand new website, free coffee for students in the mornings, new equipment for the gym (although she admitted to atttending the Charles Hotel’s Wellbridge herself) and renovations to some classrooms and the grounds.

Kagan said she eventually plans to introduce an online system where students could get their grades and add and drop courses with the click of a mouse.

Physical as well as academic growth will be a focus of the law school’s future. Kagan said that she hoped HLS would soon have “a physical campus worthy of its people.”

She said that HLS would “surely need to expand its northwest corner,” in the near future, regardless of whether the school stays in Cambridge or moves to Allston.

Kagan also addressed the issue of curricular reform, noting that HLS still uses the same first-year curriculum that former Dean Christopher Columbus Langdell put into place more than a century ago.

She has set up three faculty and student committees to review the curriculum, but emphasized that reform would take time.

“Schools are replete with curriculum reform that have crashed and burned,” Kagan said, but “these committees will be investigative and fact-finding.”

Kagan also spoke about the importance of international law classes and funding for international students as well as study abroad opportunities.

“You can’t deal with only American law—the world is too interconnected,” she said, noting that 70 percent of law students have never taken a class in international or comparative law.

Kagan also focused on the importance of public service. She praised an HLS program that gives grants to students who do work in the public sector over the summer and said she would expand the program to meet demand.

She told students—many of whom have complained that HLS doesn’t encourage public service work—that “if you point the finger of blame at the Law School, you won’t have taken advantage of your opportunities.”

Students expressed guarded optimism for the future of the school as outlined in Kagan’s speech.

“I’m psyched about the physical changes, but I hope that Dean Kagan is as committed to the academic changes she discussed as well. There are a lot of things that need big scary changes, like the first year law [program] where the legal writing is too compartmentalized,” HLS first-year Jennifer Carter said.

“I’m happy she discussed financial help for international opportunities,” said masters student Tuvan Yalim, “because it seems like that is something that is limited.”

Although she acknowledged the many problems of student life at the law school, Kagan wrapped up her speech on an positive note.

“It really bothers me that some students don’t like it here,” Kagan said. “I want you all to love this place as much as I do . . . and I want this to be a great year.”

—Staff writer Lauren A. E. Schuker can be reached at schuker@fas.harvard.edu.