Associate Dean Sowle’s Announcements, September 4 - September 8, 2023
IIT Political Activity Policy. (From the IIT General Counsel's Office:) As a tax-exempt entity, IIT is legally prohibited from directly or indirectly participating or intervening in any campaign of behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for elective office and has an affirmative obligation to refrain from engaging in any partisan political activity. Violation of these prohibitions against such activities could jeopardize the university's tax-exempt status.
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 his or her own behalf and not on behalf of IIT. To this end, an individual should not identify himself or herself as an employee of IIT, and if he or she is identified as such, he or she should, prior to any speech or as part of any writing, indicate that his or her comments are personal and not intended to represent the views of IIT. Further, no individual or event may use the name, symbols or resources of the university to participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for political office. Specific examples of impermissible activities include, but are not limited to (i) using university letterhead, campus mail, telephones or IIT email accounts to solicit support or contributions for a candidate; (ii) using university funds to purchase tickets for a candidate's fund-raiser; and (iii) putting campaign posters on university property.
Political candidates may use or rent IIT facilities only if all candidates are allowed the opportunity to use or rent such facilities on equal terms and conditions. Subject to certain conditions and restrictions, political candidates may be invited to speak at events without jeopardizing IIT's tax exempt status; however, no such invitation should be extended without the extending party first discussing the invitation with the
General Counsel's Office, so as to ensure that the invitation 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 General Counsel's Office.
Any questions about this policy should be directed to Walter Hazlitt, General Counsel, at (312) 567-3670.
FERPA Rights and Notification of Access to Education Records. The Student Handbook outlines student rights and responsibilities regarding access to educational records. Please review sections 14.4 and 14.5. Please pay particular attention to section 14.5, which lists the types of information that Chicago-Kent classifies as "directory information" (which Chicago-Kent may release at its discretion) and the information published in the online Student Directory (available only to members of the Chicago-Kent community). Section 14.5 also explains how you may request that directory information, including the information published in the Student Directory, not be published or released.
February 2024 and July 2024 Illinois Bar Applications. Applications for the February 2024 bar exam are due by September 15, 2023. Applications for the July 2024 bar exam are due by February 15, 2024. You may file a late application for the February bar up to November 30, and for the July bar up to April 30, but penalty fees apply. The forms and instructions are available on the bar examiners' web site: www.ilbaradmissions.org. If you have any questions about the bar exam or bar preparation, please contact our Director of Bar Success, Erin Crist, at ecrist@kentlaw.iit.edu.
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.
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 at the beginning of your last semester so we will know you plan to graduate at the end of that semester. Important note: We will not certify any student to the bar examiners if the student has an outstanding balance owed to the school.
Bar Exams in Other States. Students who may practice in another state should familiarize themselves with those states' bar admission requirements, registration procedures, and deadlines. In particular, if you may take the New York bar exam, you should familiarize yourself with the coursework, pro bono, and other requirements described on the New York bar examiners website. If you plan to take a bar exam outside of Illinois, you should provide me with appropriate certification forms to complete well before the applicable deadline.
Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE). The MPRE is required for admission to the bars of most jurisdictions, including Illinois. The exam is administered in March or April, August, and November each year. The next exam, in November, may be taken on November 2 or 3, 2023. You may register online by clicking here. The deadline for applying for the November exam is September 12, 2023. Students planning on taking the Illinois bar exam may take the MPRE at any time during or after law school. If you have any questions about the MPRE, please contact our Director of Bar Success, Erin Crist, at ecrist@kentlaw.iit.edu.
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.
Classrooms for Remote Use. If you are taking an online class this semester (or a class that meets on campus some weeks and remotely other weeks), 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.
Joke of the Week. "I put instant coffee in the microwave and almost went back in time." (Steven Wright)