Associate Dean Sowle’s Announcements, August 12 - August 16, 2024
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Building and Library Hours for Fall 2024. The building and library hours for the Fall 2024 semester are available by clicking here.
Summer 2024 Grades. Grades for Summer 2024 courses are due four weeks from the date of the exam or, for courses with no exam or self-schedules exams, no later than Wednesday, August 14.
My Successor. As many of you know, I will be retiring on August 31. My successor as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will be Prof. Mary Nagel (mnagel1@kentlaw.iit.edu).
Revised Policy on Postings and Flyers. Please click here for the recently-revised policy on postings and flyers in the Law School Building, including rules about where postings and flyers can be placed and how long they can remain.
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, 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 its services.
TO ENTERING STUDENTS:
Welcome to Chicago-Kent! For those of you starting your first year, you chose a terrific law school and we are pleased that you are joining our community. You have an exciting several years ahead of you.
Orientation Week. The schedule of Orientation events for day students is available here, and for evening students here. If you have any questions, please contact Jenna Abhijeet, the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, at jabhijeet@kentlaw.iit.edu.
TO CONTINUING STUDENTS:
Welcome Back! I hope you had an enjoyable summer and that you have a successful and productive year.
Fall 2024 Semester Information. The current Fall 2024 schedule is available on the Fall 2024 Quick Guide page. The following Information is available on the Quick Guide page:
-Classroom assignments (listed in the current version of the class schedule)
-Add/Drop Period
-Initial reading assignments
-Academic calendar
-Book ordering information
-Pass/fail elections
-Consortium courses (note: Loyola courses are now available)
-Submitting applications for graduation (for Fall graduates)
-Experiential course requirement
-64-credit classroom course requirement
-Taking reduced loads or extra credits
-Graduation checklist
-Making up Incompletes
Spring 2024 GPAs and Class Ranks. Cumulative GPAs through the Spring 2024 semester, and class ranks for students who receive them, are available through Web for Students (click on the "Spring 2024" link under "Grades and Rank"). Students who graduated last Fall or Summer will find their final class rank under the Fall 2023 or Summer 2023 links. Reminder: Please keep in mind that, in order to access Web for Students from outside the law school building, you must use a VPN connection -- click here for more information. Class ranks are based on cumulative (not just Spring semester) GPA. For students who transferred into Kent in January, please keep in mind that you will not receive a class rank until you have been here for two semesters.
The class rank GPA cut-offs as of the end of the Spring 2024 semester are available by clicking here.
Note to Spring 2024graduates: For J.D. students who just graduated, this information constitutes your final GPA and class rank. Graduating students should wait until next week if you wish to request transcripts reflecting your degree conferral and/or graduation honors, as the Registrar's office will be entering that information in the coming days.
Note about class ranks: Please keep in mind that, for students who started in Fall 202 or later, only those in the top half of their class receive ranks.
Note to first-year students: If you are a first-year full-time student, the cumulative GPA for you in Web for Students includes all of your coursework through the end of the Spring semester. However, as previously announced, class ranks were determined using an alternate GPA calculation excluding Legislation or any elective course taken in its place, in order to ensure that all first-year full-time students were assessed on a common set of courses for purposes of class rank. Likewise, probation and dismissal decisions, eligibility for Law Review, and eligibility for merit scholarships are based on first-year performance excluding Legislation or any elective course taken.
CALI Awards for Spring 2024. The CALI Excellence for the Future Award, sponsored by the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, is given to the student or students who receive the highest grade in each section of each course. The CALI award recipients for Spring 2024 courses are available by clicking here. If a section or a course is not listed, that means the professor elected not to give a CALI award, or we have not heard from the professor. Congratulations to all of you who received an award -- you should be proud of your achievement.