Associate Dean Sowle’s Announcements, August 14 - August 18, 2023
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Building and Library Hours for Fall 2023. The building and library hours for the Fall 2023 semester are available by clicking here.
Summer 2023 Grades. Grades for Summer 2023 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 16.
U-Pass Information for Fall 2023. Information about the availability of the U-Pass for Fall 2023 students is available by clicking here. Please contact Dean Abhijeet (jabhijeet@kentlaw.iit.edu) if you have any questions about the U-Pass program.
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 the services it provides.
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.
What My Office Does. In my capacity as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, I have responsibility for a number of areas that affect your life as a student. I supervise the Registrar's office on scheduling your courses and maintaining your academic records. I'm also in charge of academic counseling of students, and applying the school's academic regulations. More generally, my job is to make sure that your life at the Law School remains as free from administrative hassles as possible. If you think I can be of help, please call me at (312) 906-5282 or e-mail me (ssowle@kentlaw.iit.edu). If I'm not the right person to help you, I should be able to point you in the right direction.
TO CONTINUING STUDENTS:
Welcome Back! I hope you had an enjoyable summer and that you have a successful and productive year. If you have any questions, please email me at ssowle@kentlaw.iit.edu.
Fall 2023 Semester Information. The current Fall 2022 schedule is available on the Fall 2023 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
-COVID-19 Policies
-Pass/fail elections
-Consortium courses
-Submitting applications for graduation
-Experiential course requirement
-64-credit classroom course requirement
-Taking reduced loads or extra credits
Spring 2023 GPAs and Class Ranks. Cumulative GPAs through the Spring 2023 semester, and Spring 2023 class ranks for those who receive ranks, are available in Web for Students --click on the "Spring 2023" link under "Grades and Rank." (Please keep in mind that you need to use a VPN connection to access Web for Students from outside the law school building.) Students who graduated last Fall or Summer will find their final class rank under the Fall 2022 or Summer 2022 links.
Class ranks are based on cumulative (not just Spring semester) GPAs. 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.
Note to Spring graduates: For J.D. students who just graduated, this information constitutes your final GPA and class rank.
Notes to first-year students: Please note the following:
*As noted in the Student Handbook, students who started last Fall or Summer receive class ranks only if they are in the top half of the class; the lower half is not ranked.
*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.
Spring 2023 CALI Awards. 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 2023 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 yet heard from the professor. Congratulations to all of you who received an award -- you should be proud of your achievement.