News Archive

It seems IU McKinney students have always found a means of communicating with one another. Now of course those methods are digital, through social media outlets and electronic newsletters. As the next installment in our series of stories in commemoration of the law school's 125th anniversary, we thought we'd take a look at law student newspapers.

Over the years, the publications—depending on who was editing them—ranged from serious issues and law school happenings written by faculty and students, to tongue-in-cheek columns and illustrations that offered some comic relief.

Most prominent and long-running was The Dictum, which was printed from the 1970s through at least 2000. Earlier publications included The Barrister (a news publication that was printed in 1967 and periodically after), and The Appeal (at least one issue from 1971 exists in the IU Archives). There have also been special-interest newsletters, such as Caucus Voice, a publication for Women’s Caucus, which was founded in 1977.

It appears that The Student Bar Association Newsletter of the Indiana University School of Law Indianapolis Division began with the 1962-63 academic year, with the late Professor Larry Jegen as the faculty advisor. It contained comments from the dean, news of interest to law students, and items submitted by the faculty.

After the law school moved into the location at 735 West New York, a mimeographed gem called The Ooiepooie Aardvark appeared in April 1970. Was someone suggesting a possible mascot for the new IUPUI campus? It was definitely put together by someone connected with the law school, as it's full of items that only law students would be interested in. It mercifully had a short life.

The Dictum took over the following year, beginning in 1971. A staff box appears in the publication beginning in 1972, listing who was responsible for the various sections of the newsletter. Issues produced in the 1970s were typically full of student-produced content and issues in the middle of the decade were tabloid-sized.

The 80s may have been the decade of big hair and big shoulder pads, but budgets were another story. During the hair band era, The Dictum began to shrink. By the middle of the decade, issues were produced on a copy machine, which of course cut down on costs.

The Dictum was back to being professionally printed by the early 1990s, and was produced on newsprint by the end of the decade. An issue from September 1999 contains a piece from the late Dean Norman Lefstein, in which he discusses the new law school building, our home at 530 West New York Street, which we all know and love.

Social media has doubtless made it easier for law students to communicate with each other. We had to smile when the Student Bar Association began producing the SBA Digest a few years ago. Produced twice a week during the academic year, it's full of items submitted by faculty, staff, and law student organizations. The electronic newsletter offers an up-to-the minute accounting of what's happening in and around Inlow Hall. We can't help but smile at its name, too. It's an almost an abbreviated version of the first law student newsletter produced by IU McKinney students.