The newest group of Chancellors, the most prestigious honorary society of the Law School, consists largely of women, including three of the four who are highest in scholastic standing.
The top ranking student, the Grand Chancellor, is a man, Basheer Youssef Ghorayeb. The next highest in order are Brin Jeane Friel, Vice-Chancellor; Aron LeAnn Gregg, Clerk; and Marcie Allred McFarland, Keeper of the Peregrinus.
Other women Chancellors are Brenda Kay Lenahan, Heather Alyson Moser, Ellen E. Oberwetter, Laura Plazza Irani, Martha Lacey Russo, Heather Duplantís Savoy, Anne Alexandra Shirley, Anne Catherine Temple, and Rachel E. Vanlandingham.
Men Chancellors are Nicholas Jay Brunick, Luke Meier, Douglas Martin Rozek, and Eric Lee Schele.
"My warmest congratulations to all our Chancellors on this fine achievement," said Dean Michael Sharlot. "Women have historically performed well at Texas, and this group has done exceptionally well. When one considers that women made up 45 percent of the class when it entered, the feat is even more impressive."
Eligibility is limited to the sixteen students with the highest grade point averages among those who have completed 42 semester hours (which typically occurs mid-way through the second year). In practice, the Law School selects Chancellors once a year in the Fall, when most are in their third year. This newest group was selected in October 1999; it has seventeen members because of a tie between tow students.
The society was established in 1912. Until 1992, the school selected Chancellors twice a year—eight in the Fall and eight in the Spring. Women outnumbered men once before—in 1989, when five women and three men were selected.
Women Claim Top Journal Posts
Women students excel not only in course work but also in school activities.
During the current academic year (1999-2000), for example, female student
Kelly Rock chairs the Board of Advocates.
In addition, among the Editors-in-Chief of student-published journals, seven out of eleven are women. This includes the venerable Texas Law Review.
Editors-in-Chief in alphabetical order are: