Baker, Liv

Carmella, Angela

English

Seton Hall University Libraries

TRIBUTE TO EUGENE GRESSMANTRIBUTETO ACOLLEAGUEAngela Carmella & Liv Baker*We have had the great honor and privilege of working with ProfessorGressman during his seven years here at Seton Hall. He is without doubt,a brilliant teacher, scholar, and lawyer, and has made an outstandingcontribution to constitutional law. But what is so special about GeneGressman - and we speak for the entire faculty at Seton Hall Law Schoolis that he has been a marvelous colleague.Professor Gressman has never missed an opportunity to engage facultyin discussions of important legal and moral issues. We have all heard himutter his favorite opening line, "Did you see the article in the Times thismorning?" And we have all delighted in the discussions that follow, whetherthey be about politics, law, religion, speech, the Court. The lovely thingabout Gene Gressman is that the discussions were not about him, or howmuch he knew about a topic - though they could have been. Instead, heengaged us in true dialogue; he did not subject us to a monologue. He caredwhat we thought, how we felt, how we approached the question. And yet,after reluctantly leaving such a dialogue, how often have we discovered howmuch we have learned in these exchanges.Professor Gressman's passion for intellectual discourse with other facultymembers was not limited to hallways and offices. He asked us to come intohis classes, so that students could be exposed to the debates surroundingparticularly intriguing issues. And he came into our classes to do the same.His dedication to the life of the mind taught us that our project as lawprofessors was the constant evaluation and adaptation of the ideas that bindus together as a nation. Struggling together with the profound questions ofour time: this is what being a colleague is all about; this is what the greatprivilege of being on a law faculty is all about. And Gene Gressman hasbeen at the center, enabling us to struggle with the hard issues, all along.We would be remiss not to mention Gene's wife and lifelong companion,Nan, whom several of us have gotten to know quite well. Not only is Nana special person in our personal relationships, she is a well-known painterand sculptor in her own profession. Nan leaves behind beautiful works"Angela Carmella and Liv Baker are on the faculty at Seton Hall University School ofLaw, in Newark, New Jersey.1994464 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW JOURNAL Vol. 4which grace two floors of the law school, several homes and offices in thearea, as well as memories of impressive showings.So we will miss very much the presence of our special friend, GeneGressman, his generosity of spirit, unceasing kindness, and marvelous senseof humor. We wish him and Nan all the best as they return to NorthCarolina, and send with them our deepest thanks for the rich legacy of theirspirit which they have left here at Seton Hall.

Tribute to a Colleague

https://scholarship.shu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1085&context=con_law

Tribute to a Colleague

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