Associate Dean Sowle's Announcements, April 24 - April 28, 2023
Academic Calendar Reminder. Please note the following dates for the closing period of the semester:
| Friday, April 28 | Monday classes meet (Dr. King's Birthday make-up) (last day of classes) |
| Saturday, April 29 - Tuesday, May 2 | Read period |
| Wednesday, May 3 - Friday, May 12 | Final exams |
Teaching Evaluations. Teaching evaluations will be done online through the local Web for Students system for all classes, except for clinical classes (information has been sent separately to clinic students about submitting evaluations for clinic classes). The forms are available starting today and will remain online through the last day of classes, Friday, April 28. Once you log into Web for Students, click on appropriate link(s) in the lefthand menu. (Note: There are specialized forms for Legal Writing 2, Legal Writing 3, and Legal Writing 4; all other classes are under the General Course Evaluations link.)
Teaching evaluations are anonymous and will not be available to professors until grades are turned in. Instructors will review the responses to improve the quality of their instruction and courses. The evaluations are also considered as one important factor in tenure, promotion, and compensation decisions for full-time faculty and are used as a factor in determining the effectiveness of part-time instructors.
Summer 2023 Schedule and Registration. Please click here for the Summer 2023 schedule of classes and other information about the Summer term. Registration for Summer classes is currently open and will continue through Tuesday, April 25, 9:00 pm.
Pass/Fail Revocation Deadline. Students may revoke pass/fail elections and revert to standard letter grading through Thursday, April 27, 5:00pm. To revoke a pass/fail election, go to your Web for Students account and navigate to the appropriate link in the lefthand menu.
Fall 2023 Semester. We now expect to issue the schedule of classes for Fall 2023 in early May. Registration for Fall classes will take place after the conclusion of the Spring exam period (details to be announced). Information for first-year students on upper-level requirements and course planning is available below.
Information for 1L Students on Upper-Level Course Selection and Requirements. In preparation for Summer and Fall registration, we are providing a guide we publish annually that provides detailed information on graduation requirements, upper-level course selection, and related subjects. The guide, entitled "Where Do We Go From Here? Information for Students Entering Their Second Year," is available by clicking here.
Trial Team Tryouts. [Message from the Trial Team:] Are you interested in receiving individual instruction on trial skills, making invaluable career connections with practicing attorneys, and having tons of FUN? Join Chicago-Kent's nationally ranked Trial Team!
Who: Tryouts are open to any student not graduating this year.
When: Tryouts will be April 26th and April 27th from 4:00pm to 9:00pm. Callbacks will be held April 28th, starting at 4:00pm.
Where: Marovitz and Kohen Courtrooms.
How: Sign up for a time slot by clicking here. You must sign up by April 24th.
What: Just prepare (for either side of the case -- see below for detailed instructions): a 3-5 minute Opening Statement, a 10-15 question direct, a 10-15 question cross, and a 3-5 minute Closing Argument. If you would like to meet with a trial team member for some help before tryouts, please sign up here.
Informational packets with everything you need to know and the problem, Ricki Rhodes v. Los Diablos Correctional Center and Pat Mercer, are available by clicking here (information handout) and here (Los Diablos case). Contact cktrialtryouts@gmail.com with questions!
Classrooms for Remote Use. If you are taking an online class this semester, we have reserved rooms at the Law School for you to use if you won't have sufficient time to travel from home to school (or vice versa) in between your online class and an on-site class you have the same day. These rooms will remain the same throughout the semester. Click here for the list. Please note: You will each connect to class individually in Zoom and should have earphones or headphones with you.
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 communitnts, 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. Did you see that new kind of broom that came out? It's sweeping the nation.