PAGE 4 // WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010
NEWS
the pendulum
Elon recognizes first Phi
Beta Kappa inductees
Legal clinics adjust
practices for economy
Amanda Bender
Senior Reporter
Elon University added its own chapter of
the Phi Beta Kappa, Eta chapter. Phi Beta Kappa
is a nationally recognized honors fraternity
for students who excel in the liberal arts and
sciences. Elon is the seventh institution in
North Carolina to have a chapter.
“(Phi Beta Kappa) is a sign that the student
has achieved a degree of excellence in the study
of the liberal arts and sciences,” said Russell
Gil 1, professor of English and president of Elon’s
chapter. “It means that
the student is graduating
from an institution that is
among the very best of the
liberal arts and sciences
institutions in the United
States."
Phi Beta Kappa was
founded in 1776 at the
College of William and
Mary and is the nation's
oldest honors fraternity.
About 10 percent of the
colleges and universities
in the United States have Phi Beta Kappa
chapters. Each year, only one out of every 100
college seniors in the nation are inducted into
the fraternity.
“It is a sign that it is a superior institution
offering the arts and sciences courses," Gill
said. “It is a sign of excellence, a certification
of excellence. The requirements that Phi Beta
Kappa makes of an institution help keep it
excellent and serve as a standard of continuing
excellence.”
The other six institutions in North Carolina
with Phi Beta Kappa chapters are Duke
University, University of North Carol ina Chapel
Hill, Wake Forest University, Davidson College,
University of North Carolina Greensboro and
North Carolina State University.
“1 think (Phi Beta Kappa) really brings
attention to what Elon is doing, how much it
is growing and the quality of academics that
they have to offer students,” senior Paige
Kensrue said. “I think it was a little bit under
the radar before. Now I think people are
actually starting recognize it as a top North
Carolina school."
Kensrue is an exercise sports science
m^or and co-captain of the women’s varsity
tennis team, as well as a new member of Phi
Beta Kappa.
“I think it is a really prestigious honor.
1 have had so many people come up to me,
congratulate me and
“THE REQUIREMENTS THAT
PHI BETA KAPPA MAKES OF
AN INSTITUTION HELP KEEP
IT EXCELLENT AND SERVE AS
A STANDARD OF CONTINUING
EXCELLENCE.”
-RUSSELL GILL
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH
tell me they had once
aspired to get inducted
into Phi Beta Kappa,"
Kensrue said. “I take
it as a really big honor,
especially to be in the
first class inducted
here at Elon.”
Kensrue plans to
study physical therapy
at UNC-Chapel Hill
next year. From there,
she hopes to find her
passion in the field and eventually open her
own business.
In total, 47 Elon seniors were invited to join
the Eta chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Students invited into the Eta chapter were
selected from those with the top GPAs in
the class of 2010. From there. Gill said the
committee choosing the inductees analyzed
each student's course load for courses in
the arts and sciences, especially focusing on
math and foreign languages. They looked at
whether they were an engaged student and of
good character.
“Do they seem to be active in the life of
the mind?" Gill said of the qualifications. “Do
they seem to enjoy intellectual and academic
pursuits? And how about character? Do they
exhibit proper character?”
Rachel Southmayd
Senior Fteporter
In Elon University's School of
Law, legal clinics serve as Important
learning tools for students. But
many legal clinics are modifying
practices because of the economy.
The Elon University School of
Law has three clinics that serve
different purposes.
The first is the wills clinic, which
works with lower-income families.
Margaret Kantlehner, an
associate professor of law, the
director of the externship program,
and the faculty advisor for the
wills clinic, said more students are
participating in the clinics in these
tough economic times.
“Students need experience and
it’s harder to find summer and
part-time jobs,” she said.
The needs of the client are also
changing.
“We’re finding we’re having
to become more flexible with
appointment times," Kantlehner
said. “(The clients) are reluctant to
take off work.”
Across the country, legal clinics
are experiencing opposition from
legislators. The state of Maryland
has passed legislation mandating
the University of Maryland’s law
school clinic to release information
about its clients, finances and
cases. If they do not, their funding
will be cut.
Conflicting interests have arisen
as the University of Maryland law
students take on large cases, such
as the suing of one of the state’s
largest employers.
Other states are experiencing
similar problems in their public
institutions.
So far, the University of
North Carolina Law School has
not experienced any legislative
backlash according to ion,
Kelly, associate professor of
and faculty advisor of UNC's
Community Development Law
Clinic.
“We have always had
tremendous support from both the
law school administration and the
legislature,” he said.
Kelly said he believed the
United States does a “shameful” job
providing low-income citizens with
legal counsel. Constitutionally, the
government is only required to
provide legal counsel in criminal
cases, not civil cases. The only
organizations that can help are
law school clinics and state legal
services.
“Without a doubt, the strain on
law school clinics and state legal
services is increased during tough
economic times,” Kelly said.
He said that many fundamental
rights are often at risk in civil cases,
and that sometimes pursuing these
cases involves attacking powerful
people and organizations. These
people then work to take legal clinic
funding away.
“The day could come when we
make someone really mad and
they could take away our funding.
But that day hasn’t come yet, and
hopefully it never will,” Kelly said.
At the Elon University School
of Law, these issues don’t apply.
Since the institution is private,
the ramifications are different it
becasue it is not publically funded,
Kantlehner said she understands
the conflict schools like Maryland
are facing.
“I hate for clinics to not be able
to pursue justice issues," she said,
"But it’s going to be more difficult
at a state school.”
"V
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