We are living in an age of disruption. Over the past few years, we have experienced hurricanes, floods, winter storms and freezes, political polarization and instability, abrupt changes in legal precedent, contested elections, the COVID pandemic, mass shootings, police violence against unarmed citizens, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Every day, there seems to be a societal or political event swirling around us, and our collective refrain to ourselves is that is unprecedented.
In legal education, similar disruption is occurring and what we thought was sacrosanct is now changing. Almost 25% of law schools are boycotting the US News rankings; in response, US News is planning to radically change their ranking methodology causing much uncertainty. The ABA is considering eliminating the LSAT as a requirement for admission into law school. The Supreme Court is also weighing whether to eliminate diversity as a factor to be used in admissions. And we are seeing the growth of powerful new AI chatbot tools which can generate original essays, achieve a very strong LSAT, and pass the bar exam. All of which may significantly affect how we admit students, grade students, enforce the honor code, and teach students.
As leaders, we are confronting situations for which there is no playbook. As such, we must dig deep and guide our institutions through these unprecedented times. We recognize that there is uncertainty. We must put the anxiety aside and move forward by holding true to our values and our mission. UH Law’s mission is two-fold: (1) to provide students an excellent legal education and enable them to develop the skills necessary for a successful career; and (2) to serve as a hub for innovative research and legal scholarship that fuels important policy discussions on a global, national, state, and local level. In essence, our mission focuses on educating our students while serving as an academic resource for the formulation of law and policy.
Furthermore, we must have hope. The late and great Archbishop and theologian Desmond Tutu had it right when he said: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” The Bishop’s activism led to the dismantling of South Africa’s apartheid regime. You might find of interest the tribute to Archbishop Tutu highlighted in this Wash. Post editorial cartoon. I am inspired by his words and activism that changed the course of South Africa’s history.
We must also have faith in ourselves and each other. As lawyers and law students, we are uniquely qualified to work on these collective national traumas. The Law Center is a top tier law with several nationally ranked programs. We have a well-credentialed, well published, and highly accomplished faculty. We have one of the most diverse entering first year classes with the highest median GPA in the Law Center’s history as well as being tied as having the highest median LSAT in the law school’s history. We have an outstanding staff who help make the law school run smoothly. The legal education that we afford our students is second to none. As an institution, the Law Center is well positioned to educate and bring together students, alumni, and members of the public to discuss important societal issues in order to shed light, not heat on them.
Finally, we must know that together we can be the solution to these problems. It requires continued understanding and patience; it requires each of us to tap into our own reserves of empathy and compassion toward each other and especially with those whom we may disagree. We must continue to remain steadfast to our values of upholding the constitution and the rule of law and providing justice to all members of our population. We need to continue to be leaders in our communities. We need to model ourselves as we convey these values to others especially our students. The collective future of our society, democracy, and profession requires us to continue to be leaders on these issues. We can continue to highlight and resolve injustice through our faculty scholarship, our clinics, our institutes and centers, and pro bono activities. Our world and nation depend on us to continue to do so.
Many thanks to all of you for your patience and allyship as we work and struggled through these unprecedented times. The teamwork of our faculty, staff, alumni and students is legendary, and together it will help maneuver on a steady path forward. |
