As
we look forward to the start of the new academic year, we proceed in an
uncharted landscape with a raging pandemic, social and racial strife,
and a major economic downturn.
In
these moments of anxiety and confusion, it is vitally important to
realize that “we are one community.” It doesn’t matter if you are Black,
White, Latinx or Asian! It doesn’t matter whether you are male, female
or nonbinary! It doesn’t matter whether you are Christian, Jewish,
Muslim, Buddhist, or agnostic. It doesn’t matter whether your ancestors
came on a slave ship, the Mayflower, or across the Rio Grande Valley. It
doesn’t matter whether you’re a first-generation college student or
multiple generation law school student. And it doesn’t matter whether you
are taking classes wholly online or in the classroom!
You
are part of “one community” – the UH Law Center community. As members
of this community, we respect each other; we look out for each other,
and we hold each other accountable.
The Pandemic and Law School Classes
As
we start the school year amid this ongoing pandemic, I want to assure
you that the health, safety, and the well-being of our students,
faculty, staff, and alumni remain our highest priority.
Please continue to visit the University of Houston COVID-19
resource page where you will find the latest campus information and
guidelines. Here are some highlights of what each of us must do to keep
each other safe:
| • | Face coverings are required on campus unless an exception has been granted |
| • | Adhere to classrooms reconfigurations designed to maintain social distancing |
| • | UH has launched the Coog Strong, Mask On campaign, which encourages the UH community to protect each other. Visit webpage |
| • | Frequently wash your hands |
| • | Monitor your health. Don’t come to campus when you feel sick |
| • | Keep social distance from those who don’t live in your household |
| • | Don’t touch your face |
Law
school courses will be delivered through either distance education or
HyFlex modalities. HyFlex is a combination of distance and in person
learning, which gives faculty members maximum flexibility to organize
lectures through in person and/or hybrid modalities. For the upcoming
semester, most law faculty have decided to conduct classes through
distant education. Law students also have maximum flexibility to attend
all their classes all online.
Over
the summer, law faculty perfected their online teaching; they held
weekly sessions called “Teach Our Colleagues Something” which
highlighted best teaching practices for online education. Clinical
Associate Professor Lauren Simpson served as cochair of the UH Faculty
Engagement and Development Committee charged with creating campus-wide
best-practices for HyFlex and online teaching. Members of the law
faculty also met to discuss best practices to keep everyone safe.
Racial and Social Justice
Since
George Floyd’s death, the Law Center faculty have been a leader on
these issues. The faculty and staff unanimously passed a resolution
condemning racism and discrimination in all forms and pledged to work
to serve as anti-racists committed to eradicating the scourge of racism
from our nation and community. The faculty and staff also unanimously
passed a resolution petitioning to change the name of the portion of Calhoun Rd. that traverses the UH campus to Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd. A Racial Justice and Human Rights Initiative
was created to catalogue all the important things that the Law Center
does in this area. We have held several forums to address the issue of
systemic racism in our community. Finally, as part of Orientation, Dr. Laura McNeal will conduct implicit bias training for all incoming first year students.
Economic Challenges
Many
of our students and recent graduates are facing tougher job prospects
given the state of the economy as well as other economic challenges.
Many thanks to those who have given to the Cougar Emergency Fund. We
have raised $50,000 which is available to students who have incurred
financial need from the Pandemic. In addition, we have afforded
fellowships to recent graduates who may be facing bleak job prospects in
this upcoming job market. Fellowships help recent graduates to work in
government and public interest jobs to get necessary experience to
enhance their opportunity to obtain a full-time paying job.
Conclusion
It
is our collective responsibility to work together so that we can safely
pursue our academic, research, and managerial goals in this very
challenging environment.
As
we return to campus, I want us to do so with the mindset that “We Are
One Community.” We will work throughout the academic year to uphold that
motto. Everyone will be treated respectfully, equitably, and fairly,
and we all have a moral responsibility to each other.
Finally,
I would like to thank law faculty, staff, students, and alumni for
their flexibility while maintaining our overarching goal which is to
ensure that our students have an outstanding legal education.
