Kagan States Goals for Law School

Outlining the need for improvements in academics, public-service programs, and student life, Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan yesterday evening called on students to share responsibility in shaping the school’s future.

In her annual “State of the Law School” address, Kagan, who is entering the third year of her deanship, stressed the school’s “great responsibility” to bring about change worldwide in the years to come.

“This Law School did not get to where it is by being complacent,” she said.

Kagan has gained a reputation around campus as the “student-friendly” dean, but yesterday she turned the tables, saying that students themselves have a role to play in improving the school.

“The solution to almost any problem at the Law School lies partly in your hands,” Kagan told the crowd, which included more than 100 law students. “You are the joint venturers in a great project to make this the best educational institution it can be.”

In her 36-minute address, Kagan also touched on an issue that spurred controversy earlier this week—her announcement Tuesday that the Law School would grant an exemption from its nondiscrimination policy to allow military recruiters access to its Office of Career Services. Kagan said the Law School continues to value its students’ different politics, ethnicities, and races. “I want to especially say this week whatever our sexual orientation,” she added, “we can fulfill all our hopes and all our ambitions for this institution.”

Earlier in the speech, Kagan said the school will launch a number of efforts to boost its international programs. That includes bringing more international experts onto the faculty, expanding scholarship programs for foreign students, and strengthening overseas exchange programs, Kagan said.

“You cannot study only American law in school and come out of school prepared to deal with the legal issues that you will face in the profession,” she said.

A former official in the Clinton administration, Kagan said she believes that government service should be an “integral aspect of a legal career.” To that extent, she said the Law School will increase financial support to students interested in public service “so that money plays as insignificant a role as possible in career choices.” In the long term, Kagan said, the goal is to increase financial aid across the board so that students graduate with smaller debts.

Following her success with initiatives like free coffee, a new ice skating rink, and modernized student spaces, Kagan yesterday promised to continue her efforts to improve student life.

“When I became dean, what I realized was that this campus was really two campuses: one for faculty, which was awfully nice, and one for students, which kind of wasn’t,” she said, drawing laughs from the audience.

The school is still in the process of launching a new student information system, Kagan said, and, within five years, it will finish up a major construction project to create more classrooms and student organizing space on the northwest portion of campus.

First-year law student James N. Katz said that Kagan’s performance so far has been “remarkable.”

“In my experience in similar schools and institutions, I’ve never seen an administrator or leader who is so strongly committed to the well-being and happiness of everyday people within the community,” Katz said.

Tiffany M. Burns, who just began her first year at the Law School, said she was impressed by many aspects of Kagan’s speech.

“It just seems as though she is genuinely concerned and really wants to help improve the school for the better,” Burns said.

In her remarks, Kagan also announced that the school will host three Supreme Court justices over the next few months, including discussions with Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Antonin Scalia later this month. Justice David H. Souter ’61 will visit the school in November.

—Staff writer Javier C. Hernandez can be reached at jhernand@fas.harvard.edu.