Page 23 - Briefcase Volume 38 Number 1

No one saw it coming in January, but life at the Law
Center —and around the globe — was about to take a
dramatic turn. The outbreak of a viral infection, first
thought to be pneumonia, but soon found to be a highly
contagious and deadly coronavirus, was reported in
the Chinese provincial capital of Wuhan. The epidemic
quickly spread to become a global pandemic. Houston
was not initially hit as hard as cities such as New York,
Seattle, and San Francisco, but nonetheless schools,
including the Law Center, switched to remote learning,
businesses closed, events were canceled and everyone
was told to practice social distancing, stay at home and employer networking opportunities continued; and
wear masks in public. special events and panel discussions were held virtually.

The Law Center reacted quickly, well before the scope “I greatly appreciate the faculty, staff and students
of the threat became clear. The Health Law & Policy adapting to these unprecedented circumstances with
Institute alerted the public, media, and health and safety humbleness and courage,” said Dean Leonard M.
officials to the dangers of the coronavirus by hosting Baynes. “Each has demonstrated their remarkable
a webinar on Feb. 19, 10 days before the first reported leadership skills and flexibility as we moved forward
death in the U.S. The HLPI also compiled a Covid-19 during the pandemic. Also, everyone has shown
“toolkit” for the school’s website with links to various incredible patience and cooperation under these very
sources of information, including the Institute’s 2020 trying circumstances. Lastly our IT Department and
Texas bench book, “Control Measures and Public Law Librarians were there for us as we trained faculty
Health Emergencies.” and staff to be much more proficient in the online
delivery of classes and services.”
In the days to come, faculty, students and staff adapted
to a number of extraordinary measures to make the At this point, the Law Center will reopen for the fall
best of an unprecedented situation: the IT staff taught semester, with a mix of all online and HyFlex formats.
faculty on the ins and outs of teaching via Zoom; The HyFlex format would allow for a combination of
students went off to Spring Break and learned classes face-to-face and online instruction. To the best extent
would switch to remote-teaching upon their return; possible, based on prevailing local guidance, we plan
the building was closed; faculty voted to change the to offer the incoming first year students the traditional
grading system to Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory-No law school experience just in a socially distant manner.
Credit Reported; and commencement was postponed For the foreseeable future, we also plan that most
indefinitely. Students already dealing with the stress of upcoming alumni, student, and faculty events to be
law school, faced the added anxiety of family, friends offered online.
and themselves potentially contracting a deadly disease.
“We neither know the lasting effects nor the duration
Though the law school experience had changed of the coronavirus crisis, but do know that we plan to
dramatically for students, the Law Center’s mission remain flexible and adaptive by balancing the safety
of providing a quality legal education remained. By of our community while providing our students the
most accounts, remote teaching was a success; student best legal education like we have done in the past,”
support services, including online counseling and Baynes said.

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