Assistant Dean Sowle’s Announcements, May 10-14

  1. The Record
  2. Announcements
  3. Assistant Dean Sowle’s Announcements, May 10-14

UPDATE RE: FALL 2021 SCHEDULE AND REGISTRATION (posted 5/12/21)

Fall 2021 Schedule and Registration.

•Schedule of Classes. The final Fall 2021 class schedule is available on the Fall 2021 Quick Guide page by clicking here, or by going to the Current Students Portal page and clicking on the Fall 2021 Quick Guide link. A list of changes from the preliminary schedule (including several additions) is provided at the bottom of this announcement.

•Registration Instructions. Registration will take place from Thursday, May 20, at 9:00am through Wednesday, May 26, at 9:00pm. You may register at any time during that period. After the end of the initial registration period, the registration requests will be processed according to each student’s registration priority. In other words, registration will not be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. As long as you register during the designated period, you will have an equal chance of being admitted to a class as other students within your registration priority group.

To learn what classes you have been admitted into, you must check the online registration site on or after Tuesday, June 1, at 9:00am. Registering for a class during the initial registration period is no guarantee that you will be admitted into the class – you must check the web site on or after Tuesday, June 1, to learn what classes you have been admitted into.

•Change of Division Requests. Students wishing to request a change of division for the Fall 2021 semester (e.g., from evening division to full-time or part-time day division, or vice versa) should contact me at ssowle@kentlaw.iit.edu.

•Exam Information. Information about exams -- which exams will be fixed, self-scheduled, and take-home, and the dates of fixed exams -- will be provided prior to the start of the Fall semester. We anticipate that exams in most upper-level courses will be self-scheduled or take-home.

•Graduating Students: Reduced Loads and Tuition Discounts. J.D. students graduating at the end of the Fall 2021 semester who need fewer than the minimum number of hours to graduate may take fewer credits without special permission. In addition, if you will be graduating at the end of the Fall 2021 semester and will be taking more than the 87 credits required to graduate, you may receive a 50% discount on each credit you take over the required 87 credits. If this affects you, please contact me by email no later than Wednesday, September 8. Important note: Financial aid is not available for any courses you take that are not necessary for you to reach the required 87 credits.

•Pass/Fail Limitations for Upper-Level Courses. Certain upper-level electives may be taken pass/fail, subject to the limitations described below; required courses, however, may not be taken pass/fail. Although there is no overall limit on pass/fail credits, there are two types of limits to the pass/fail credits you can take:

Pass/fail election: Students may elect up to 6 credits pass/fail during their entire time at Chicago-Kent. This pass/fail election applies to upper-level elective courses that normally are letter-graded; classes that are only offered pass/fail do not count toward this 6-credit limit. The following classes may not be elected pass/fail: (1) required courses, including any course taken to satisfy the Professional Responsibility graduation requirement; (2) seminars, whether or not being taken to fulfill the graduation seminar requirement; (3) courses that have been designated by instructors as ineligible for the pass/fail election (these courses are indicated on each semester’s schedule of classes); (4) Financial Services LL.M. courses; (5) Trial Advocacy and Appellate Advocacy courses; and (7) courses taken to fulfill the requirements of any certificate program. Fall pass/fail registration will open shortly before the start of the Fall semester (keep your eye on my section of the Record). A student taking a course on a pass/fail basis must earn at least a C to receive a P (Pass). If you pass the course but fail to earn at least a C, you will receive a grade of LP (Low Pass).

Clinic limitation: You may take no more than 24 credit hours toward graduation for the following courses combined: in-house clinical courses, externships, and Business Entity Formation & Transactions. (Students in the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Program (LADR) and the Criminal Litigation Program are exempt from this limitation.)

•Experiential Course Requirement. Students must complete a total of six credits from an approved list of experiential courses (click here for the list). Most students will already satisfy four of these credits through the required sequence of Legal Writing 3 and Legal Writing 4. However, students who opt for the Legal Writing 4 Equivalency Class (see below) should consult the list of approved courses to determine whether the qualifying activity counts toward the experiential requirement. Law Review does not count toward the requirement.

•64-Credit Classroom Course Requirement. At least 64 of the 87 credits required for graduation must be in courses that require attendance in regularly scheduled classroom sessions or direct faculty instruction. Clinical coursework counts toward the 64-credit requirement, but externships, extracurricular activities (including credits earned for participation in a law journal, moot court competitions, trial advocacy competitions, or as a Teaching Assistant), and courses taken in another academic unit (e.g., the Stuart School of Business) do not count toward the 64 credits.

•Changes from the Preliminary Schedule.

Classes added to the schedule:

-Acquiring Intellectual Property (Profs. Michalek & Yellick): cross-listed from the IPMM program; will be taught online.

-Land Use (Prof. Stern): Mon./Wed. 10:15-11:40 am.

-Legislative Advocacy (Prof. W. Kling): Tues., 4:00-5:50 pm (may be taken either as a course or a seminar).

Other changes:

-Futures, Swaps, & Other Derivatives (Prof. Tveiten Rifman): will meet Wed. 6:00-7:50 pm (not Thurs. 6:00-7:50 pm)

-Legal Writing 3 (section 431-03, Prof. Young): will meet Tues. 4:00-5:50 pm (not Mon/Wed. 4:00-4:55 pm)

-Litigation Technology: will meet Fridays 6:00-9:00 pm (not Fridays 9:00-12:00 noon)

Have a Nice Summer! Congratulations on (almost) completing the school year. For those who are graduating this semester, I wish you good luck on the bar and in starting your careers. For those of you who will be back next year, I hope you have a productive and restful summer.

Notices to Graduating Seniors. If you are graduating this semester, please read the information below about your Kent email and network accounts, and your locker. If you have any questions, please let me know.

•Email, Network, and Print Accounts. Email accounts: Your Kent email account is for life. You can continue to use your Chicago-Kent email as long as you chose to do so. Network accounts: Your network account will be deactivated on Monday, August 7 (the first Monday after the July bar exam). Print accounts: Your free printing quota will be reset to zero on Monday, May 17 (the first Monday after Commencement).

•Clearing Out Lockers. Please clear your lockers out no later than Monday, August 7 (the first Monday after the July bar exam). Anything left in lockers after that date will be removed. If you are unable to clear your locker out by that date, please contact me to make arrangements for your locker contents to be set aside for you. Please note: This applies only to graduating students. If you are not graduating, you do not need to clear your locker out; you will keep your current locker until you graduate. 

•Student Health Insurance. If you have student health insurance through IIT, your coverage will end on August 9, 2021.

Notices About U-Pass. As the Spring semester winds down, we would like to make you aware of how the U-Pass will work over the Summer.

•If you have a U-Pass, do not discard your card unless you are graduating this semester. You will continue to use your current card until you graduate.

•The last day of Spring U-Pass activation will be Friday, May 14 (the last day of exams) at midnight. This is the last day that you will be able to use your card with the Spring unlimited rides privilege.

•As in the Spring, the U-Pass will be "opt-in" for the Summer 2021 term.  If you are a full-time student, are taking at least one Summer class, and would like to use your U-Pass for the Summer term, you will need to fill out the Summer 2021 "opt-in" form, available here, no later than Monday, May 17. The cost is $72 for the term. Please note that this action is only required if you would like to have a U-Pass for the Summer term. If you are not interested in obtaining a U-Pass, you do not need to complete the form and will not be charged for a U-Pass. Summer U-Passes will be valid from Monday, May 24 (the first day of classes) through Wednesday, July 21 (the end of the Summer upper-level exam period). Please note: These starting and ending dates for the Summer term apply even if you are taking a class that starts earlier (e.g., Topics in Land Use), or ends later (e.g., Criminal Law for summer-start students), than the normal Summer term dates .

•If you are a full-time student and do not register for the Summer term (and you are not graduating), your unlimited ride privileges will not be reactivated until the start of the Fall semester.

•During breaks from school, you may continue to use your Ventra card if you add value to the card. You will be charged the regular fare amount. Please note: We have been informed that your Ventra card will continue to work during school breaks even if you do not add value to the card, but you will accrue a negative balance on your account. This can happen without your being aware of it. If you accrue a negative balance, the CTA will not activate your card for the next term until you pay off the balance. 

•Go to the CTA's Ventra site for more information on adding funds to your card. For more information about how the Ventra U-Pass functions when school is out of session, go to the CTA's U-Pass site. If you have questions or problems, you may contact Ventra Customer Service at the CTA's Ventra site or by calling 877-669-8368.

•The CTA has asked us to remind students that the U-Pass is to be used only by the student for whom it is issued. The card will be confiscated if anyone other than the person appearing in the U-Pass photo is using the card.

Spring 2021 Grade Submissions. For courses with fixed exams, grades are due four weeks from the date of the exam. For courses with self-scheduled or take-home exams, grades are due four weeks from the last day designated for submitting the exam for the course. For courses with no exam, grades are due Friday, June 11 (four weeks from the last day of the exam period). All grades, therefore,  should be received and posted no later than Friday, June 11. You can access your grades by logging into Web for Students, then clicking on the Spring 2019 link under the Grades and Rank heading. Grades are posted as they are received.

Fall 2021 Schedule and Registration. As previously announced, the university anticipates returning to regular in-person classes for the Fall semester. The preliminary Fall 2021 Schedule of Classes is available on the Fall 2021 Quick Guide page. The final schedule will be issued on Wednesday, May 12. We do not expect there to be more than a handful of changes in the final schedule, so you may use the preliminary version for course planning. Note to first-year students: If you haven't already done so, please consult the "Where Do We Go From Here?" Guide. The initial registration period will run from Thursday, May 20, through Wednesday, May 26. Further details about registration will be released with the final schedule.

Spring 2021 Final Exams.  The exam period runs from Wednesday, May 5, through Friday, May 14. Your exam number and exam schedule are available in your Web for Students account (navigate to the "Spring 2021" link under the "Schedule" heading). In addition to the information provided below, please also see the Exam Quick Guide and, for complete information, General Procedures for Exams. If you have any questions, please contact  exams@kentlaw.iit.edu.

•Types of Exams. There are four types of exams:

· Fixed Exams: The date and time are listed on your Exam Schedule in Web for Students.

· Floating Fixed Exams: For most first-year exams, there is a two-day window in which the exam can be taken. Please see the Spring 2021 Schedule of Classes for information regarding the open period for your course. 

· Self-Scheduled Exams: Self-Scheduled exams can be taken at any time during the exam period.  You will choose the date and time that you wish to take the exam. You do not need to preschedule the exam time.

· Take Home Exams: These are exams that are 24 hours or more. Please contact your professor regarding the exam parameters.

•Exam-Taking Details. This semester, most courses will have self-scheduled or take home exams, and all exams will be taken at home. The following instructions are applicable to all exams:

· You will use the Examsoft student portal (www.examsoft.com\chicagokentlaw) to download your exam questions and to upload your exam answers. 

· You only need internet access to the Examsoft website- you DO NOT need to download any software, as you will not be writing your exam answer in Examplify.

· You can use any word processing program that you like, but all exam answers must be uploaded as a PDF.

· If you are handwriting your exam answers, you can submit a PDF document of your handwritten exams answers. 

· Student conduct during examinations is subject to the Chicago-Kent Code of Conduct, which is set forth in Section XIX of the Student Handbook. With respect to communications between students during exam period, please note that, once you have taken the exam, you are not allowed to communicate with anyone about any aspect of the exam.

•Requesting Exam Space in the Law School Building. Students who need a quiet place to take exams or who have poor Internet connectivity at home should complete this form to request use of a room in the building.

•Exam Conflict/Reschedule Requests. The Student Handbook requires that you take your final exams at the times scheduled unless you have an exam conflict (as defined below), or you have a "serious illness or other extraordinary or compelling reason" beyond your control. If you have an exam conflict or believe you have other reasons justifying the rescheduling of an exam, please complete the Final Exam Reschedule form. To complete the form, log into Web for Students and navigate to the Final Exam Reschedule form in the lefthand menu. We will contact you to arrange an alternate date for you to complete your exam.

Summer 2021 Schedule and Registration. 

•Add/Drop Period. The Summer add/drop period is now open and will run  through Tuesday, June 1, at 9:00 pm. You may add open courses or drop courses without penalty through that date. The Summer Schedule of Classes is available on the Summer 2021 Quick Guide page. 

•Initial Reading Assignments and Course Materials.  A list of initial reading assignments for Summer courses will be available on the Summer 2021 Quick Guide page no later than Monday, May 17. 

•Classroom Assignments. A version of the Summer schedule that includes classroom assignments will be available on the Summer 2021 Quick Guide page no later than Monday, May 17. 

•Summer U-Pass. As in the Spring, the U-Pass will be "opt-in" for the Summer 2021 term.  If you are a full-time student, are taking at least one Summer class, and would like to use your U-Pass for the Summer term, you will need to fill out the Summer 2021 "opt-in" form, available here, no later than Monday, May 17. The cost is $72 for the term. Please note that this action is only required if you would like to have a U-Pass for the Summer term. If you are not interested in obtaining a U-Pass, you do not need to complete the form and will not be charged for a U-Pass. Summer U-Passes will be valid from Monday, May 24 (the first day of classes) through Wednesday, July 21 (the end of the Summer upper-level exam period).

•Consortium Arrangement. Chicago-Kent has a consortium arrangement with three other Chicago law schools -- DePaul, Loyola, and UIC-John Marshal -- under which students can take selected courses at the other schools. Under the consortium arrangement, students pay tuition to their home school, and grades transfer (not just the credits) and are counted in your GPA. We have now received course lists from all three schools. The lists are available on the Summer 2021 Quick Guide page. Please contact me as soon as possible if you are interested in taking a class through the consortium. Requests for available spaces will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: Consortium courses may count toward a Chicago-Kent certificate program only with permission of Dean Sowle and the director of the relevant certificate program.

•Course Fee. A course fee of $350, in addition to regular tuition, will be charged to full-time students for each regular classroom course taken during the Summer term, including any courses taken through our exchange program with DePaul, Loyola, UIC/John Marshall, and including classes taken through other ABA-accredited schools. The fee does not apply to part-time students; it also does not apply (for any student) to clinical courses, externships, or Independent Research credits pursued at Chicago-Kent; and does not apply to courses taken through Chicago-Kent exchange programs with universities abroad. If you qualify for financial aid loans, those can be used to cover the cost of the fee; scholarships, however, cannot be used to cover the cost of the fee. Notice to part-time students:  You may see the course fee on your account if you take a regular classroom course; a credit equal to the fee will be applied to offset the charge at the end of the Summer add/drop period.

•Petitioning to Take Summer Classes All-Online. As with the past two semesters, you may petition to take Summer 2021 classes remotely if you have health or other pandemic-related reasons for doing so. Please complete this form if you would like to request taking Summer classes online.

•Intensive Trial Advocacy. We offer two sections of Intensive Trial Advocacy 1 each year -- one in August, the week before Fall classes start, the other in January, the week before Spring classes start. Registration for the August section will take place as part of Fall 2021 registration (not as part of Summer registration).ᐧ

Law Review Summer Candidacy Program. [Message from the Law Review editors:]  The Chicago-Kent Law Review would like to invite any students interested in joining the Law Review to attend one of our Summer Candidacy Program information sessions: 

  • Tuesday, April 27 at 12:30 PM
  • Wednesday, April 28 at 3:30 PM
  • Friday, April 30 at 5:30 PM
  • Sunday, May 16 at 2:00 PM
  • Wednesday, May 19 at 6:00 PM

During these sessions, we will cover Bluebook basics as well as how to approach the summer write-on process. All sessions will be held via Zoom and you do not need to attend more than one session. Please see the attached flyer for the meeting links. 

As a reminder, the following students will automatically be invited to join the Chicago-Kent Law Review based on their academic performance:

  • Full-time day division students who have completed their first year and rank in the top 7% of the full-time day division class
  • Evening division and part-time day division students who have completed their first year and rank in the top 7% of the combined evening division and part-time day division class
  • Evening division and part-time day division students who have completed their second year and rank within the top 7% of the combined class of first-year day students and second-year evening and part-time day students

The other method for joining Law Review is through participation in the Summer Candidacy Program. Because the Law Review is no longer requiring applicants to meet a minimum cumulative GPA, the Summer Candidacy Program will begin before Spring 2021 grades are released. This is a change from past years. This means that first-year rankings will not be available prior to the start of the write-on process. For this reason, everyone is encouraged to participate in the Summer Candidacy Program regardless of the potential to fall within the top 7%. 

If there are any questions or concerns, please reach out to the incoming Executive Notes & Comments Editor, Elizabeth Jedrasek (ejedrasek@kentlaw.iit.edu), or refer to § 1.12 of the Student Handbook for more information about eligibility requirements. 

Dean's Certification Form for Illinois Bar.  We will mail a Dean's Certification form to the Illinois bar examiners for every graduating student after final grades for the Spring semester are received and processed and we can confirm completion of all graduation requirements. We compile the list of graduating students from the list of those who submitted Applications for Graduation listing Spring 2021 as their final semester. Important note: University policy does not allow the certification of any student to the bar examiners if the student has an outstanding balance owed to the school.

Bar Forms for Other States.  If you plan to take a bar exam outside of Illinois, you should provide me (at ssowle@kentlaw.iit.edu) with the appropriate form(s) for the Law School to complete as soon as possible. 

Counseling Services.  This is a reminder that the university provides counseling services free of charge for students. Click here for details on the available resources, including individual counseling through Skylight Counseling Services.

In addition to resources available through the university, the Lawyers Assistance Program also provides assistance to law students. LAP provides free and confidential assistance to members of the Illinois legal community, including students, and can help you with issues of addiction, stress, anxiety, depression, focusing, worries about the character and fitness process, and having a successful first-year transition. Click here for more information about LAP and the services it provides.

Joke of the Week.  "The difficult thing about quotes on the Internet is verifying them." (Abraham Lincoln)

The Record