Associate Dean Sowle’s Announcements, February 5 - February 9, 2024

IIT Political Activity Policy. (From the IIT General Counsel's Office) Illinois Institute of Technology, as a tax-exempt entity, is prohibited from directly or indirectly participating or intervening in any campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective office and must refrain from engaging in partisan political activity. As such, there can be no campaigning by any Illinois Tech employee or staff member during regular working hours or on Illinois Tech property. While individuals are free to express their opinions and to support political candidates on their own, it must be clear that the individual is acting on their own behalf and not on behalf of Illinois Tech. No one should identify himself or herself as an employee of Illinois Tech when supporting a candidate. If, when speaking or writing on behalf of a candidate, someone is identified as an Illinois Tech faculty, staff or student employee, the individual should indicate prior to any speech or as part of any writing that their comments are personal and not intended to represent the views of Illinois Tech. Further, no individual or event may use the name, symbols, letterheads, telephones, campus mail, email accounts, funds or other resources of the university in any way in connection with any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for political office.

Further, until after the General Election on November 5, no political candidate or campaign may use or rent any Illinois Tech facilities on any of its campuses. Subject to certain conditions and restrictions, political candidates may be invited to speak at events hosted by the university or a unit of the university. However, no invitation for such an event should be extended without the extending party first discussing the proposed activity with the Office of General Counsel to ensure that it complies with applicable laws. Certain voter education activities, including voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, are permissible but only if they are undertaken in accordance with applicable rules and regulations and are conducted in a non-partisan manner. Again, before any such activities are undertaken, the initiating party should contact the Office of General Counsel.

Any questions about this policy should be directed to Walter Hazlitt, vice president and general counsel, at 312.567.3670.

IIT Policy on Firearms and Weapons on Campus. (From the IIT General Counsel's Office:) In general, carrying or bringing any type of firearm or other weapon in, on or to the campus or property of IIT is expressly prohibited by the IIT Policy on Firearms and Weapons on Campus. This prohibition applies even if you have all of the requisite permits to carry the firearm or weapon, including a concealed carry permit. The policy expressly defines “firearm,” “weapon,” “campus” and “property of IIT.” The policy does contain a very limited number of narrowly tailored exceptions, such as allowing ROTC to utilize firearms for training and permitting personnel of the Department of Public Safety and on duty police officers to carry firearms. The link to the full policy is available by clicking here. Everyone should familiarize themselves with it, as the policy will be strictly enforced.

Panel Discussion on the Trump Disqualification Case: Does the 14th Amendment bar former President Donald Trump from holding office? A panel of Chicago-Kent professors will discuss this question on Tuesday, February 13, 12:00-1:00pm in Rm. 704. Panelists will includes Professors Steven Heyman, Harold Krent, Mark Rosen, Christopher Schmidt, and Carolyn Shapiro. The panelists will examine the legal claims, the oral arguments at the Supreme Court, the various options available for the Court, and the potential implications of the case. The event is sponsored by the Chicago-Kent Institute on the Supreme Court of the United States (ISCOTUS).

July 2024 Illinois Bar Applications. Applications for the July 2024 Illinois bar exam are due by February 15, 2024. You may file a late application up to April 30, but penalty fees apply. The forms and instructions are available on the bar examiners' web site. All information you disclose on the bar application should be consistent with answers to questions on your Application for Admission to the law school. Please note, however, that the bar application asks for a considerable amount of information that you were not asked to provide on our Application for Admission. You only need to be concerned about the consistency of your answers for questions asked on both forms. You can amend your Application for Admission, if necessary, by addressing a letter to me setting forth the details of the omission or misrepresentation and the reason for it. Click here for more information about the bar exam and about Chicago-Kent's bar preparation support.

Dean's Certificate: The law school sends a “Certification of Juris Doctorate” to the Illinois bar examiners for every student who graduates in December or May. Please be sure to file an Application for Graduation (see information on the Spring 2024 Quick Guide page for how to file one) at the beginning of your last semester so we will know you plan to graduate at the end of that 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 Exams in Other States. If you plan to take a bar exam outside of Illinois, you should provide Dean Sowle with appropriate forms for the Law School to complete as soon as possible (by email to ssowle@kentlaw.iit.edu).

MPRE: Registration Information for 2024 Test Dates. The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) is required for admission to the bars of most jurisdictions, including Illinois. Students planning on taking the Illinois bar exam may take the MPRE at any time during or after law school. Click here for a list of 2024 test dates and deadlines for applying. 

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.

Joke of the Week. What is it called when you're afraid of a giant that lives up a beanstalk? Feefiphobia.