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Academic Policy Manual – July 22, 2024
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS SCHOOL OF LAW
July 22, 2024
ACADEMIC POLICY MANUAL
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Academic Policy Manual – July 22, 2024
Table of Contents
I. MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS ................................................................................................ 1
I-1. Mission Statement ......................................................................................................................... 1
I-2. Vision Statement ........................................................................................................................... 2
A. Professional Preparation ............................................................................................................... 2
B. Scholarly Engagement and Societal Reform................................................................................. 2
C. Service and Community ............................................................................................................ 2
II-1. Admissions Requirements............................................................................................................. 3
II-4. Withdrawal from Law School; Readmission After Withdrawal; Leaves of Absence .................. 4
A. Withdrawal .................................................................................................................................... 4
B. Readmission after Withdrawal ...................................................................................................... 4
C. Leave of Absence ...................................................................................................................... 4
D. Effect on Degree Time Limit .................................................................................................... 4
II-5. Dismissal and Readmission .......................................................................................................... 5
A. Dismissal for Improper Conduct ................................................................................................... 5
B. Dismissal for Academic Reasons .................................................................................................. 5
C. Readmission .............................................................................................................................. 5
II-6. Scholarship Policy ........................................................................................................................ 6
II-7. Refunds Upon Withdrawal............................................................................................................ 9
A. Return of Title IV (Federal) Aid ................................................................................................... 9
B. Withdrawal Procedure................................................................................................................... 9
C. Calculation of “Earned” Federal Aid ........................................................................................ 9
D. Institutional and State Refund Policy ...................................................................................... 10
III. ACADEMIC STANDARDS POLICIES .............................................................................................. 11
A. BASIC ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................... 11
III-A-1. Basic Academic Requirements .................................................................................................. 11
A. General Learning Outcomes ....................................................................................................... 11
B. Institutional Assessment Policy .................................................................................................. 12
C. Summary of Requirements ...................................................................................................... 12
D. Summary of Requirements for LL.M. in U.S. Law degree ..................................................... 13
E. Time Limits ................................................................................................................................. 13
F. Exceptions for Transfer Students and Visiting Students ............................................................. 13
Addendum to Academic Policy Manual III-A-1.C.6 .............................................................................. 13
During the 2023/2024 and 2024-2025 academic years, students required to enroll in LAWS 711 will be
required to enroll in LAWS XXX. Topics: Professional Responsibility: Skills Intensive instead of
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LAWS 711. Successful completion of this course will also satisfy the graduation requirement of
LAWS725 Professional Responsibility.III-A-2. Duration of Study and Course Load Requirements .... 13
A. Maximum/Minimum Course Load ............................................................................................. 15
B. Duration of Study ........................................................................................................................ 15
III-A-3. Upper-Level Writing Requirement ............................................................................................ 20
III-A-4. Public Service Program ............................................................................................................. 21
B. Guidelines for Approved Public Service..................................................................................... 21
C. Administration ........................................................................................................................ 23
D. Completing the Public Service Requirement .......................................................................... 24
III-A-5. Determination of Credit Hours .................................................................................................. 27
III-B. COURSE REGISTRATION AND ELIGIBILITY ....................................................................... 28
III-B-1. Registration ................................................................................................................................ 28
A. First-Year Students ..................................................................................................................... 28
B. Upper-Division Students ............................................................................................................. 28
III-B-2. Adding and Dropping Courses .................................................................................................. 29
A. First-Year J.D. Students .......................................................................................................... 29
B. Upper-Division J.D. Students .................................................................................................. 29
C. Withdrawal from Course ......................................................................................................... 29
D. LLM in US Law Students ....................................................................................................... 29
E. MSL and LLM in Organizational Ethics and Compliance Students ....................................... 30
III-B-3. Auditing ..................................................................................................................................... 31
III-B-4. Supervised Research and Writing .............................................................................................. 32
III-B-5. Distance Learning ...................................................................................................................... 33
III-B-6. Courses in Other UST Academic Units ..................................................................................... 34
III-B-7. Courses at Other ABA-Accredited Law Schools ...................................................................... 35
III-B-8. Summer Programs Abroad ........................................................................................................ 36
III-B-9. Law Review ............................................................................................................................... 37
III-B-10. Minnesota Law School Consortium ........................................................................................ 38
III-B-11.1 Elective Externship Program ................................................................................................. 40
A. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 40
B. Course Components ................................................................................................................ 40
C. Expectations ............................................................................................................................ 40
D. Prerequisites ............................................................................................................................ 41
E. Credits and Grading .................................................................................................................... 41
F. Application and Registration Process ......................................................................................... 41
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G. Other Externship Policies ........................................................................................................ 41
III-B-11.2. Policy on Compensation for Externships.............................................................................. 42
III-B-12. Courses at Other Non-Law, Non-UST Graduate Institutions .................................................. 43
III-B-13. Practicum Courses ................................................................................................................... 44
III-C. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GRADING ...................................................................... 45
III-C-1. Good Academic Standing .......................................................................................................... 45
A. Basic Rule ................................................................................................................................... 45
B. Academic Probation .................................................................................................................... 45
C. Dismissal ................................................................................................................................. 45
A. Basic Rule ................................................................................................................................... 46
B. Academic Probation .................................................................................................................... 46
C. Dismissal ................................................................................................................................. 46
III-C-2. Grade Policy for J.D. Students .................................................................................................. 47
A. Grading Averages ....................................................................................................................... 47
B. Class Rankings ............................................................................................................................ 48
C. Spring 2020 Grading Policy .................................................................................................... 48
III-C-3. Grading Policy for MSL and LL.M. in Organizational Ethics and Compliance Programs ....... 49
A. General Grading Policy ............................................................................................................... 49
B. Spring 2020 Grading Policy ........................................................................................................ 49
III-C-4. Grading Policy for LL.M. in U.S. Law Program ....................................................................... 50
A. General Grading Policy ............................................................................................................... 50
B. Spring 2020 Grading Policy ........................................................................................................ 50
III-C-5. Grade of “Incomplete” ............................................................................................................... 51
III-C-6. Grade Changes ........................................................................................................................... 52
III-C-7. Attendance and Preparation ....................................................................................................... 54
A. General ........................................................................................................................................... 54
B. Default Attendance Policy............................................................................................................. 54
C. Course-Specific Attendance Policies ............................................................................................ 54
D. Consideration in Grading ............................................................................................................... 54
E. Excused Absences .......................................................................................................................... 54
III-C-8. Graduation Honors, Dean’s List, and Class Rankings ............................................................... 56
A. Graduation Honors ...................................................................................................................... 56
B. Dean’s List .................................................................................................................................. 56
C. Dean’s Award ......................................................................................................................... 56
III-C-9. Examination Retention .............................................................................................................. 56
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III-C-10. Scheduling Examinations ........................................................................................................ 57
A. Scheduling of Examinations ....................................................................................................... 57
B. General Rules on Rescheduling Examinations ........................................................................... 57
C. Procedure for Rescheduling Examinations ............................................................................. 58
D. Grading of Rescheduled Examinations ................................................................................... 58
E. Examination Time for LL.M. in U.S. Law Students ................................................................... 58
F. Use of Language Dictionaries for LL.M. in U.S. Law Students ................................................. 58
III-C-11. Course Syllabus, Course Learning Outcomes and Course Assessment .................................. 60
A. Course Syllabus .......................................................................................................................... 60
B. Bar Examination Subject Courses ............................................................................................... 60
C. Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 60
D. Mid-Term Examinations for the First Semester of the First Year .......................................... 61
E. Additional Assessments in Other Courses .................................................................................. 61
F. Proctoring Exams ........................................................................................................................ 62
G. Timing of Student Feedback on Midterms and Other Assessments ....................................... 62
III-D. OTHER ACADEMIC STANDARDS POLICIES ....................................................................... 63
III-D-2. Limitations on Student Employment ......................................................................................... 64
IV. FACULTY-RELATED POLICIES ...................................................................................................... 65
IV-1. Faculty Meetings ......................................................................................................................... 65
A. Eligibility to Attend .................................................................................................................... 65
B. Eligibility to Vote ....................................................................................................................... 65
IV-2. Standing Committees .................................................................................................................. 66
IV-3. Departmental Structure of School of Law Faculty ..................................................................... 68
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, March 6, 2023IV-4. Appointments Process: Tenure
Track Faculty 71
IV-5. Appointments Process: Dean ...................................................................................................... 77
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, March 6, 2023IV-6. Promotion, Tenure and
Evaluation 77
A. Timing of Promotion and Tenure Decisions/Evaluation Decisions ............................................ 78
B. Criteria Applicable to Promotion and Tenure Decisions ............................................................ 78
C. Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................ 90
D. Use of “Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate from an accredited institution” ................................... 91
E. Third-Year/Triennial Review for Faculty Candidates Not Simultaneously Seeking Promotion 91
IV-7. Promotion and Tenure: Specific Standards for the School of Law ............................................. 92
I. Teaching ...................................................................................................................................... 92
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II. Scholarship .................................................................................................................................. 95
III. Service .................................................................................................................................. 104
IV-8. Promotion and Tenure: School of Law Promotion and Tenure Timetable and Operating
Procedures ............................................................................................................................................. 107
I. General Provisions .................................................................................................................... 107
II. Triennial/Tenure Review Timetable and Operating Procedures ............................................... 108
III. Promotion Timetable and Operating Procedures .................................................................. 110
IV-9. Appointment and Evaluation of Non-Tenure Track Clinical Faculty ....................................... 116
IV-10. Teaching Course Loads ............................................................................................................. 117
IV-11. Unpaid Leaves of Absence ........................................................................................................ 119
A. General Policy ........................................................................................................................... 119
IV-12. Outside Employment and Consulting by Full-time Faculty (UST) ........................................... 120
A. Outside Employment ................................................................................................................ 120
B. Consulting ................................................................................................................................. 120
IV-13. Outside Employment and Consulting by Full-time Faculty (UST Law) ................................... 122
A. Outside Employment ................................................................................................................ 122
B. Outside Employment Report ..................................................................................................... 122
C. Use of University or Law School Letterhead ........................................................................ 122
IV-14. Faculty Presence and Availability ............................................................................................. 123
A. General Expectations for Faculty Presence............................................................................... 123
B. Availability to Students ............................................................................................................. 123
IV-15. Adjunct Faculty ......................................................................................................................... 124
A. Summary of University Policy ................................................................................................ 124
B. Hiring Adjunct Faculty ............................................................................................................. 124
C. Developing the Teaching Skills of the Adjunct Faculty ....................................................... 124
D. Evaluating Adjunct Faculty Members .................................................................................. 125
IV-15. Reimbursing Attorney License Fees, Bar Dues, and CLE Expenses ........................................ 127
V. OTHER POLICIES .............................................................................................................................. 128
V-1. Statement on Religious Identity and Mission ........................................................................... 128
A. Faculty Hiring and Promotion/Tenure ...................................................................................... 130
B. Student Admissions .................................................................................................................. 133
C. Religious Affiliation and “Mission Fit” ................................................................................ 133
V-2. Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action .............................................................................. 135
A. Preamble ................................................................................................................................... 135
B. Policy of Non-Discrimination ................................................................................................... 135
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C. Affirmative Action Plan ........................................................................................................ 136
D. Students ................................................................................................................................. 136
E. Faculty....................................................................................................................................... 139
F. Individuals With Disabilities .................................................................................................... 140
V-3. Postings ......................................................................................................................................... 141
V-4. Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) ............................................................................ 142
A. Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 142
B. Program Features ...................................................................................................................... 142
C. Eligibility Changes ................................................................................................................ 146
D. Leave of Absence Policy ....................................................................................................... 146
E. Parental and Family Leave ........................................................................................................ 146
F. Special Guidelines for Clinical Fellows .................................................................................... 147
G. Program Administration by Minnesota-LRAP ..................................................................... 148
V-5. Code of Student Responsibility: Honor Code .............................................................................. 150
Part I. Rules Governing Conduct ...................................................................................................... 150
Part II: Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings .......................................................................... 152
V-6. Approval of New Courses ............................................................................................................ 164
A. Provisional Courses .................................................................................................................. 164
B. Title, Description, and Justification .......................................................................................... 164
C. Course Content ...................................................................................................................... 164
D. Conduct of the Classes .......................................................................................................... 165
E. Credit Hours .............................................................................................................................. 165
F. Restrictions on Enrollment........................................................................................................ 165
G. Permanent Additions to the Curriculum ............................................................................... 165
V-7. Data Privacy Policy ................................................................................................................... 166
A. Designation of Members of the School of Law Community for Professional Confidentiality
Protection .......................................................................................................................................... 166
B. Confidentiality Protection for Designated Members of the School of Law Community .......... 166
C. Civil Subpoenas .................................................................................................................... 166
D. Need for Access in Cases of Alleged Serious Misconduct ................................................... 167
E. Access to Emails and Files for Technical Reasons ................................................................... 167
F. Copying and Securing Information ........................................................................................... 168
V-8. Student Complaint Policy ......................................................................................................... 169
A. Procedures for Bringing Complaints ......................................................................................... 169
B. Procedures for Responding to Complaints ................................................................................ 169
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I-2. Vision Statement
The mission of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, as a Catholic law school, is to
integrate faith and reason in the search for truth through a focus on morality and social justice.
To implement this mission, each member of the law school community is dedicated to promoting
excellence in:
A. Professional Preparation
By providing, from a faith-based perspective, practical skills and theoretical legal education and
mentoring, the law school commits to preparing students to become accomplished servant
leaders in the practice of law, in the judiciary, in public and community service, in business, and
in education. The law school’s faculty and curriculum will be distinctive in supporting and
encouraging students’ integration of their faith and deepest ethical principles into their
professional character and identity. Because a legal education is enhanced by a broad
understanding of global society’s many challenges, the law school will also provide students
with opportunities for interdisciplinary study and experiential learning.
B. Scholarly Engagement and Societal Reform
The law school will undertake to expand knowledge about law and society and participate in the
improvement of legal institutions and other organizations through recruitment and development
of a faculty of outstanding teachers and scholars, sponsorship of academic lectures and
interdisciplinary research activity, and establishment of a strong law library collection and staff.
As members of a Catholic law school, students and faculty will particularly explore the
intellectual integration of religious faith into the study of law, professional ethics, public policy,
and social justice.
C. Service and Community
The law school will work to establish a diverse community of talented students, faculty, and staff
dedicated to supporting and serving each other, the law school’s mission, and the local, national,
and global communities. The law school, inspired by Catholic social teaching, and members of
the law school community, drawing on their own faith and values, will promote and participate
in service programs designed to address the needs and improve the conditions of the
disadvantaged and underserved. The law school will strive to enhance social justice and will
assist students in integrating their commitments to serve society into their personal and
professional lives.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, March 20, 2002
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II. ADMISSIONS POLICIES
II-1. Admissions Requirements
See Viewbook for admissions requirements.
International students must submit the following information.
1. An Application for Admission.
2. A $50 application processing fee drawn on a U.S. bank (make personal check,
travelers check or money order payable to the University of St. Thomas School of
Law).
3. Personal Statement.
4. LSAT scores. Please contact Law Services at www.lsac.org for information on
testing sites, dates and fees. If undergraduate work was done in Puerto Rico or
Canada, the student can subscribe to the Law School Data Assembly (LSDAS)
and have their transcripts and letters of recommendation sent to Law Services.
5. If undergraduate work was done outside the United States, Puerto Rico, or
Canada, then the student should not subscribe to the LSDAS service but have the
transcript(s) of their post-secondary education reviewed by a U.S. transcript
evaluation service to determine its equivalency to a U.S. baccalaureate degree.
The transcript evaluation must be sent directly from the evaluation service to the
UST Law Office of Admissions along with two letters of recommendation sent
directly from each recommender to UST Law Admissions.
6. If the student is a non-native speaker of English, they must take an English
Proficiency Test (TOEFL at www.toefl.org). UST Law requires a minimum
TOEFL score of 600 on the written test or 254 on the computer-based test. This
official score report has to be sent directly to the UST Law School Admissions
Office by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, NJ. UST Law
testing center number is 6110.
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II-4. Withdrawal from Law School; Readmission After Withdrawal; Leaves of Absence
A. Withdrawal
A student may, upon written notification to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, withdraw
from the Law School and preserve his or her eligibility for readmission.
1. After a student’s written withdrawal from the Law School, the student’s
permanent record will show a “W” (“Withdrew”) in each course. “W” carries no
academic penalty.
2. A student who withdraws from school without notifying the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs in writing will receive an “F” in each course in which the
student was registered that semester.
B. Readmission after Withdrawal
If the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs determines that (1) the student previously withdrew
for good cause, and (2) the time since the student last attended UST Law School is no longer
than is reasonable under the circumstances, the Associate Dean may readmit the student. Any
student readmitted will be bound by all regulations and requirements in effect at the time of his
or her readmission. A student who withdraws while on academic probation must apply for
readmission according to the policy for readmitting students dismissed for academic reasons (see
Policy II-5, Dismissal and Readmission).
C. Leave of Absence
A student may, with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, take a leave of
absence for no more than two (2) semesters. The Associate Dean’s permission must be sought
before the first day of class of any semester during which the student wishes to take a leave.
Should circumstances require a student to seek a leave of absence during a semester, the student
shall request the permission of the Associate Dean; if the permission is granted, that semester
shall be deemed the first of the two allowable semesters, and the student’s record will show a
“W” in each course undertaken during the semester.
D. Effect on Degree Time Limit
A withdrawal or leave of absence does not extend the time limit for the completion of
requirements for the Juris Doctor degree.
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II-5. Dismissal and Readmission
A. Dismissal for Improper Conduct
A student may be suspended or expelled from the Law School for improper conduct pursuant to
such standards and procedures as the Law School Faculty may prescribe. No student expelled
from the Law School for improper conduct will be eligible for readmission.
B. Dismissal for Academic Reasons
A student who has been dismissed for academic reasons (see Policy III-C-1, Good Academic
Standing) shall not be eligible for readmission until at least one academic year following that
student’s dismissal.
C. Readmission
Petitions and all other matters concerning readmission shall be decided by the Readmission
Committee, composed of the Dean, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the chair of
the Admissions Committee. Readmission of any student shall be subject to such conditions as the
Readmission Committee may specify.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, May 1, 2002
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II-6. Scholarship Policy
The School of Law awards both full and partial tuition scholarships to students admitted to the
J.D. program. Unless the dean or his/her designee agrees for good cause to extend the time or
credits covered, J.D. scholarship awards are effective for enrollment in the law school for up to
89 credits (except joint or dual degree students) and for as long as a student is continuously
enrolled or on approved Leave of Absence. For J.D. students entering prior to Fall 2016, a
scholarship award is effective only as long as the student remains in Good Academic Standing as
indicated in Policy III-C-1. For J.D. students entering in Fall 2016 or later, scholarship status is
not contingent upon Good Academic Standing.
For J.D. Students Entering Fall 2013 or Earlier (Per Credit Tuition applies)
Full J.D. Tuition Scholarships have the following features:
1. Applies to all UST law tuition in all periods of enrollment (i.e. Fall, J-Term, Spring,
Summer, Rome program) up to 89 credits or, in cases of joint degrees, the maximum
needed for the degree program.
Partial J.D. Tuition Scholarships are awarded as an annual amount and have the following
features:
1. Annual scholarship amounts will be divided evenly between fall and spring semesters.
There are no exceptions to this.
2. Will not be applied to summer session.
3. Will be available for up to three years (six semesters), or 89 credits of law school
enrollment, whichever comes first
4. Will not exceed UST law tuition in any given semester.
For J.D. Students Entering Fall 2014 or later (Flat Rate Tuition applies)
Full J.D. Tuition Scholarships have the following features:
1. Applies to all UST law tuition in all periods of enrollment (i.e. Fall, J-Term, Spring,
Summer, Rome program) up to 89 credits or, in cases of joint degrees, the maximum
needed for the degree program, in cases of joint degrees.
Partial J.D. Tuition Scholarships are awarded as a percentage of law tuition and have the
following features:
1. Applies to all UST law tuition at the awarded percentage in all periods of enrollment (i.e.
Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer, Rome program); up to 89 credits or, in cases of joint
degrees, the maximum needed for the degree program, in cases of joint degrees.
Special Situations
Non-Law Electives
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J.D. scholarships apply to up to 6 credits of approved electives taken in other UST academic
units (e.g. Opus College of Business). J.D. scholarships may apply to up to 8 credits in situations
where the first non-law course taken is a 4 credit course (such as languages). The second course
may be 2, 3, or 4 credits and the scholarship will be applied. See link for Policy III-B-6
J.D. scholarships do not apply to tuition for courses taken in other UST academic units (i.e. Opus
College of Business) when the student is admitted as a joint degree candidate. See section below
for more information on how scholarships apply for students enrolled in joint degree programs.
Consortium Courses
Courses taken at the other local law schools under the consortium agreement are treated as UST
Law courses for purposes of tuition and scholarship. Per the consortium agreement, students are
limited to no more than six credits total in such courses.
Joint Degree Programs
For J.D. Students Declaring Joint Degrees Fall 2013 or earlier
1. J.D. students enrolling Fall 2013 or earlier will be charged tuition per credit hour for all
law credits if they are enrolled in a joint degree program.
2. J.D. scholarships are only applied to law tuition with the same limitations described
above.
For J.D. Students Entering Fall 2014 or later
1. J.D. students enrolling in Fall 2014 or later will be charged tuition under flat rate rules
unless they declare a joint degree. Once a joint degree is declared, students will be
charged tuition per credit hour for all law credits if they are enrolled in joint degree
program.
2. J.D. scholarships are only applied to law tuition with the same limitations described
above.
Example: The JD/MBA program requires a total of four years (eight semesters) of study
– two all law years, one all MBA year, and one “blended” year. Full tuition scholarships
will apply to all UST law tuition up to the maximum of 76 credit law hours needed for
the degree. Partial scholarships awarded as an annual amount (students entering Fall
2013 or earlier) will be limited to three years (six semesters) of study (two law years, one
“blended” year) and will not exceed UST law tuition in any given semester. Partial J.D.
scholarships awarded as a percentage of law tuition (students entering Fall 2014 or
later) will be applied to UST law tuition at the awarded percentage in all periods which
include law enrollment up to a maximum of 76 law credit hours.
J.D./LL.M. Programs
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1. J.D. students enrolling in Fall 2014 or subsequent semesters under flat rate tuition and
later enroll in an LL.M. degree program will be charged tuition at the flat rate for any
semesters in which they are enrolled 12-17 law credits and when total credits earned or
anticipated include the first 88 credits. For each semester after 88 credits are earned, the
student will be charge per credit tuition.
Example: A student finishes the fall semester with 80 credits and enrolls in 14 credits for
spring semester. Because the spring semester includes the final 8 credits required for the
J.D. degree, the student will be charged at the flat rate because she is enrolled in 14
credits. Subsequent semesters will be charged at the per credit rate.
2. Students first enrolling Fall 2013 or earlier in dual degree programs will be charged
tuition per credit hour for all law credits.
3. J.D. scholarships will only be applied to the first 88 credits of a JD/LLM candidate’s
tuition.
The JD/LLM in Compliance requires a total of 100 credit hours for UST Law J.D.
students and UST Law J.D. graduates (depending on courses taken for the J.D.).
a. Full J.D. tuition scholarships will apply to the first 88 credit hours required for the
dual degree; it will not apply to the final 12 credit hours required to complete the
LL.M. portion of the dual degree.
b. Partial J.D. tuition scholarships awarded as an annual amount will apply to the first
three years (six semesters) of enrollment.
c. Partial J.D. tuition scholarships awarded as a percentage of law tuition will apply to
the first 88 credits attempted.
Example: A student finishes fall semester with 80 credits and enrolls in 14 credits for
spring semester. Because the spring semester includes the final 8 credits required for the
J.D. degree, the student will be charged at the flat rate because she is enrolled in 14
credits. Subsequent semesters will be charged at the per credit rate.
Calculations:
i. Full-tuition scholarship – Flat rate divided by 14 x 8 credits toward J.D. =
scholarship amount credited.
$18,422 divided by 14 = $1,315.86 x 8 credits = $10,526.88
ii. Partial-tuition scholarship (annual amount) – semester amount applies so long as
it does not exceed per-credit rate x 8 credits and is within the first 6 semesters of
enrollment. Maximum scholarship would be $1,256 x 8 credits = $10,048.
iii. Partial-tuition scholarship (percentage) – Flat rate divided by 14 x 8 credits
toward J.D. x scholarship percentage = scholarship amount credited. If 75%
scholarship:
$18,422 divided by 14 = $1,315.86 x 8 credits = $10,526.88 x 75% = $7,895.16
Revised November 25, 2013
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Revised November 3, 2014
Revised January 13, 2015
Revised October 28, 2016
II-7. Refunds Upon Withdrawal
If a student intends to withdraw, or does withdraw, from all courses at the University of St.
Thomas School of Law before the completion of an academic term they need to be aware of the
financial aid consequences. Different policies exist depending on the type of aid (federal, state or
institutional) received. The following information will help the student understand the different
policies in effect.
A. Return of Title IV (Federal) Aid
Withdrawal from all courses at St. Thomas during any given term results in a calculation of
“earned” versus “unearned” federal financial aid. This policy assumes aid is earned based on the
number of days enrolled in a particular term. The date of withdrawal, not institutional costs, will
determine how much aid must be returned to the federal programs.
B. Withdrawal Procedure
The student must withdraw officially in one of three ways: through MURPHY telephone
registration, MURPHY On-line or by permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
The withdrawal date is the date the withdrawal process is begun. If the student fails to withdraw
officially, the withdrawal date will become the midpoint of the term, unless the university can
document a later date. In certain circumstances if an earlier date of last academic activity is
determined, this date may be used in the calculation of “earned” federal aid.
C. Calculation of “Earned” Federal Aid
Once the withdrawal date is known, the university divides the total number of calendar days in
the term for which the student was enrolled, including weekends and excluding breaks that are 5
days or longer, by the total number of calendar days in the term. This figure is the percentage of
federal aid that has been “earned” and the student is allowed to keep. If the student withdraws
after completing 60% of the term, they have earned all of the federal financial aid for that period.
St. Thomas and the student share the responsibility of repaying unearned federal aid. Before a
student’s portion is determined, St. Thomas’ share is calculated. Federal funds will be returned to
the programs in the following order:
1. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
2. Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
2. Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
3. Other Federal Assistance
St. Thomas’ share may be enough to cover all unearned aid that must be returned to the federal
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programs. If this is the case, no further payment is required from the student. However, should
the student be required to repay a portion of their loan through the student’s share calculation,
they will NOT be expected to return the loan funds immediately, but rather when repayment
begins according to the terms and conditions of the promissory note.
D. Institutional and State Refund Policy
The return of Title IV Aid calculation, as cited above, only takes into consideration federal
funds. It does not include institutional, state or outside funding sources that may be included in a
student’s financial aid package. This section explains the institutional refund policy and how
these other sources of aid may be affected by a withdrawal from the University of St. Thomas.
The University of St. Thomas offers tuition refunds if a student withdraws from the university, or
drops an individual course, according to the following schedule for fall and spring semesters:
Through the first 14 calendar days of the semester 100%
From the 15th through 21st calendar days 80%
From the 22nd through 28th calendar days 60%
From the 29th through 35th calendar days 40%
From the 36th through 42nd calendar days 20%
After the 42nd calendar day 0%
If a student withdraws during a period of time that allows for a tuition refund, a portion or all, of
the institutional, state, and/or outside funding may be reduced or cancelled. If the student
received a 100% tuition refund on all courses for a particular term, all institutional, state and
outside funding must be returned to the appropriate aid program(s). If the tuition refund was not
used to fully repay the Return of Title IV Aid, then a proportional share of the remaining tuition
refund must be returned to the appropriate aid program(s).
It is very likely that St. Thomas would be required to return more federal money to the various
programs than the student received in institutional refund. If this happens, the student will be
responsible for paying the balance. However, if this causes undue hardship, a satisfactory
payment arrangement can be made with the St. Thomas Student Accounts Office. The office can
be reached at 651-962-6609.
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III. ACADEMIC STANDARDS POLICIES
A. BASIC ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
III-A-1. Basic Academic Requirements
A. General Learning Outcomes
Inspired by justice, guided by faith, grounded in reason, committed to excellence, and devoted to
advancing the common good, the University of St. Thomas School of Law sets forth the
following general learning outcomes as we work to form professionals who practice the law with
purpose:
Learning Outcome 1: Professional Formation and Ethical Responsibilities
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of their professional and ethical responsibilities in
serving clients, the profession, and society. Whether working in law, business, government, or
the non-profit sector, each graduate will be able to describe his or her evolving professional
identity, which is grounded in a moral core, includes a commitment to self-directed professional
learning, and reflects a concern for the disadvantaged and those who lack access to justice.
Learning Outcome 2: Knowledge of Substantive and Procedural Law
Graduates will identify and be able to explain basic concepts, underlying theories, policy
implications, and rules of law both in the required curriculum and in their chosen fields of study.
Learning Outcome 3: Legal Analysis, Reasoning, and Problem Solving
Graduates will be able to analyze and assess strategies for solving a problem, including
identifying legal and non-legal issues that may be important to clients and exercising good
judgment in advising clients.
Learning Outcome 4: Written and Oral Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to communicate effectively and appropriately in written and oral formats
with a variety of audiences and in a variety of contexts.
Learning Outcome 5: Legal Research and Factual Investigation
Graduates will be able to retrieve, analyze, and effectively use legal resources; to appreciate
different types of resources and their appropriate use as references or authorities; to evaluate the
relevance, reliability, currency, and varying strength of legal authorities; and to gather relevant
non-legal information or collaborate with non-legal professionals to better understand how the
law may apply to a particular situation and the real-world consequences in a given situation.
Learning Outcome 6: Teamwork and Relationship Skills
Graduates will demonstrate competence in initiating and sustaining professional relationships
and working with others towards common goals. Graduates will also demonstrate competence in
interacting effectively with people across cultural differences.
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B. Institutional Assessment Policy
The School of Law will regularly engage in assessment of its programs of legal education with
emphasis on whether these programs accomplish the “General Learning Outcomes” in section
III.A.1.A. Through the assessment process, the School of Law will identify changes, if any, that
are appropriate to better accomplish the learning outcomes or to modify the learning outcomes.
C. Summary of Requirements
For the J.D. degree at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, the graduation requirements
include:
1. Credit in at least 88 hours of course work recognized by the University of St. Thomas
School of Law. At least 64 of those credit hours shall be earned in courses that
require attendance at regularly scheduled classroom sessions or via direct faculty
instruction. This includes most regularly scheduled courses, clinical courses, distance
learning courses and supervised research and writing. The 64 credit hours may not
include credit hours earned from co-curricular coursework (trial or negotiation
competitions, law journals, moot court, etc.) or field placement and externships
(including Mentor Externship), or credit hours earned either in another department of
UST or earned by participation in studies or activities outside the United States in
compliance with Standard 307 for studies or activities that are not law-related.
2. A final cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0;
3. A passing grade in all required courses; and
4. Satisfactory completion of all requirements associated with:
a. the Upper Level Writing program,
b. the Mentor Program,
c. the Public Service Program,
d. one or more experiential course(s) totaling at least six credit hours.
5. Experiential Courses: Effective for the entering class 2015 and subsequent classes.
a. As per III-A-1.C.4,d, six credits of experiential coursework is required for
graduation.
b. Completion of the Mentor Externship program will count as two credits towards
the experiential course requirement. Students may not engage in other externship
courses unless they have successfully completed 28 credits of coursework.
c. The Curriculum Committee shall review existing permanent courses and
recommend to the faculty which courses the faculty shall designate as experiential
courses for this Section. After this initial curriculum review, the designation of a
course as an experiential course will happen through the regular course approval
process in Section V-6 – Approval of New Courses.
6. Starting with the spring semester of 2020, a first-year student with a cumulative GPA
of less than 2.6 after the spring semester of the first-year must enroll in LAWS711.2L
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Legal Analysis Review* in the fall semester of the student’s second year, and must
enroll in LAWS773.3L Introduction to Bar Exam Skills in the student’s third year. In
addition, any other upper-level student who ends up on probation must enroll in
LAWS773.3L Introduction to Bar Exam Skills in the student’s third year. In
exceptional circumstances, this requirement may be waived by the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs.
D. Summary of Requirements for LL.M. in U.S. Law degree
For the LL.M. in U.S. Law degree at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, the graduation
requirements include:
1. Credit in at least 24 hours of course work recognized by the University of St.
Thomas School of Law.
2. A final cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0;
3. A passing grade in all required courses; and
4. Satisfactory completion of all requirements associated with the Mentor Program.
Passed by the law school faculty on February 10, 2020
E. Time Limits
Under normal circumstances, a JD student is expected to complete 88 credit hours within four (4)
academic years. In no event will a JD student be allowed to take longer than five (5) academic
years to complete all requirements for the degree without the written approval of the Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs obtained during the five-year period.
F. Exceptions for Transfer Students and Visiting Students
Any student who transfers into the University of St. Thomas School of Law, or any student from
the University of St. Thomas School of Law who concludes studies for the J.D. by visiting at an
ABA-accredited law school, may petition the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to request
modification of the graduation requirements related to the satisfactory completion of all
requirements associated with the Upper Level Writing Program, the Mentor Program and the
Public Service Program for students. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant a
modification of such requirements for good cause.
Addendum to Academic Policy Manual III-A-1.C.6
During the 2023/2024 and 2024-2025 academic years, students required to enroll in LAWS 711
will be required to enroll in LAWS XXX. Topics: Professional Responsibility: Skills Intensive
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III-A-2. Duration of Study and Course Load Requirements
A. Maximum/Minimum Course Load
In the first year, JD students must take 31 credit hours, all of them in required courses, unless
admitted as a part time student or granted permission to take fewer hours by the Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs. In no case may the Associate Dean permit fewer than 8 credit hours each
semester of the first year of study in the JD program, and in usual circumstances the Associate
Dean should not permit fewer than 11-12 credit hours in either semester of the first year. After
the first year, JD students must take a minimum of 6 credit hours each fall and spring semester
unless they take a leave of absence or need fewer than 6 credit hours to graduate. A JD student
may take up to 17 credit hours in a fall or spring term. With the permission of the Associate
Dean, students may take as many as 18 credits, as set forth below in III-A-2-B(1). Pursuant to
ABA requirements, in no case will a student be permitted to register for 19 or more credit hours
in a fall or spring semester. A JD student may take up to 7 credit hours in a summer session; a
student may petition the Associate Dean for permission to take up to 8 credit hours in a summer
session.
LLM in US Law students may take between 8 and 16 credit hours in the fall and spring
semesters. With the permission of the Associate Dean, students may take as many as 17 credit
hours.
MSL and LLM in Organizational Ethics and Compliance students may take between 6 and 17
credit hours in the fall and spring semesters. With the permission of the Associate Dean,
students may take fewer than six (6) credit hours (provided the student is continuing to progress
toward graduation) or as many as 18 credits.
Last updated by the faculty on October 24, 2016
B. Duration of Study
1. Basics
The School of Law’s full time program of legal education is designed as a three-
year experience. Completing course work on an accelerated schedule can be a
disservice to students and deprive them of experiential learning opportunities that
may require additional time commitments, such as clinics and externships, as well
as legal employment opportunities during the summer and extracurricular
activities during the school year. Further, when students enroll in too many
courses in a semester, their performance may suffer. Accordingly, as noted
above, students may not take more than 17 credits in the fall or spring semesters
(18 with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs), or more
than 7 credits over the summer (8 with the permission of the Associate
Dean). Most full time students enroll in 14 or 15 credits in the fall and spring
semesters to graduate in three years, and part time students average 10-11 credit
hours each fall and spring semester to graduate in four years. Students should
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make steady progress toward graduation. Taking fewer than 12 credits in a
semester (or fewer than 31 credit hours in the first year) should be done
thoughtfully, understanding that it will usually take longer to graduate. Situations
that might merit a lighter load include: when a student has the opportunity to
pursue professional opportunities that would require a lighter course load or needs
fewer than 12 credits to meet graduation requirements in the student’s final
semester, or faces a personal situation that necessitates flexible scheduling and a
reduced credit hour load. Full time students must enroll in the Mentor Externship
Course every semester, even if they are taking fewer than 12 credits, except in
exceptional circumstances or if the student has already completed all required
Mentor Externship course hours. Students must complete 28 credit hours before
enrolling in the upper level Mentor Externship courses (LAWS 930 and LAWS
933), which typically means that part time students may not enroll in these
courses until their 3
rd
and 4
th
years. Students should check with the financial aid
office to determine how a course load of fewer than 12 credits (or fewer than 3
hours in the summer semester) would affect their financial aid.
There is no formal requirement that students take six semesters of courses. For
students who take summer courses, it is possible to complete the 88 credits
required for graduation in fewer than six semesters. Note that all graduation
requirements must be met, and students who wish to graduate early must notify
the School of Law Registrar before the beginning of their final semester and make
arrangements for satisfying the Mentor Externship Course requirement with the
Director of the Mentor Program.
2. Requirements for Transfer Students
In addition to fulfilling the graduation requirements as set forth above, a student
who transfers to the University of St. Thomas School of Law from an ABA-
accredited law school must complete at least 44 credit hours at the University of
St. Thomas School of Law to receive a J.D. degree from the University of St.
Thomas School of Law.
3. Credit Hours for Joint Degree Students
A candidate for a joint degree in an approved program may apply 12 hours of
credit and successfully completed in the second discipline toward the
requirements of the J.D. degree, provided the student satisfactorily completes the
requirements set out for the joint program by the faculty conferring the second
degree.
4. Students Visiting Other ABA-Accredited Law Schools
A student who will complete at least four semesters of at least 12 credit hours at
the University of St. Thomas School of Law may petition the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs for permission to visit for one or two semesters at an ABA-
accredited law school. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will not grant
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permission absent good cause. Students requesting study away at an ABA-
approved law school must provide a written statement showing good cause to the
Associate Dean. For requests to visit at another ABA-accredited law school, good
cause includes, for example, the petitioning student’s need to relocate in order to
provide care to a family member of to accompany his or her spouse to a new job.
Good cause requires circumstances beyond personal convenience or financial
considerations.
Students approved to visit at another ABA-accredited law school must satisfy
the graduation requirements of the University of St. Thomas School of Law,
but a course required by St. Thomas may be taken at the host institution with
the advance approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The student
must have the written agreement of the Mentor Director concerning how the
student will satisfy the Mentor Externship requirements outside the formal
program during the semester(s) of the visit. The student must complete at least
12 credits of course work at the host law school during each semester of the
visit.
Students studying away are charged an administrative fee by UST Law. The
Assistant Dean for Administration will provide information on the current fee.
5. Students Visiting at Foreign Law Schools
A student who will complete at least four semesters of at least 12 credit hours
at the University of St. Thomas School of Law may petition the Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs for permission to visit at a non-ABA approved foreign
law school when permitted under the ABA's Standards for Approval of Law
Schools. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will not grant permission
absent good cause, which requires a finding that the petitioning student is
mature, has well-defined career goals, and that foreign study will enhance the
student’s preparation for the practice of law. The petitioning student carries the
burden to establish clear academic objectives related to career goals, along with
sufficient maturity, academic capability, and sufficient foreign language skills
to meet these objectives.
A student applying for foreign study carries the burden to ensure that he or she
complies with all ABA Standards with respect to such study. Only in the most
exceptional circumstances where a student shows personal hardship will the
Associate Dean approve study at a non-ABA approved foreign law school for
more than one semester. The visit cannot extend beyond two semesters under
any circumstances.
Students approved to visit at a foreign law school must satisfy the graduation
requirements of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, but a course
required by St. Thomas may be taken at the host institution with the advance
approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The student must have
the written agreement of the Mentor Director concerning how the student will
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satisfy the Mentor Externship requirements outside the formal program during
the semester(s) of the visit. The student must complete at least 12 credits of
course work at the foreign law school during each semester of the visit.
A student applying for foreign study must meet the following additional
requirements:
a. The student must find, and obtain written confirmation from, a UST
Law full-time faculty adviser both to approve the student’s foreign
study program in advance and to monitor the student’s foreign study.
The student and the UST Law faculty adviser must first agree on a
written plan to be submitted to the Associate Dean that defines how the
foreign study will achieve clear academic objectives related to career
goals, and explains how the student has sufficient maturity, sufficient
academic capability, and sufficient language capability to realize the
academic objectives. The written plan must define the methods of
evaluation to measure whether the student’s educational objectives have
been attained.
b. The student will secure a full-time faculty adviser at the foreign law
school.
c. The student will work with the UST Law faculty adviser to obtain
written confirmation from the foreign law school faculty adviser that the
student’s educational objectives can be attained.
d. The student will secure all syllabi of courses to be taken and provide
them for the review of the UST Law faculty adviser.
e. The UST Law faculty adviser will review both the confirmation from
the foreign law school adviser and the syllabi and provide a written
recommendation, attaching these documents, to the Associate Dean
indicating what credit UST Law should give for the courses taken at the
foreign law school.
f. At the end of the foreign law school study, the student shall provide to
the UST Law faculty adviser and the Associate Dean an official
transcript of the student’s grades and a portfolio of the student’s work.
The UST Law faculty adviser will certify to the Associate Dean that the
work has satisfied the student’s written plan outlined in paragraph A
above.
g. Students requesting study away at a non-ABA approved foreign law
school must satisfy all the requirements of the ABA standards and
criteria for studying at a foreign non-ABA approved institution.
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III-A-3. Upper-Level Writing Requirement
To meet the upper-level writing requirement, each student must demonstrate competence by
producing a paper or two related papers under the supervision of the same supervising professor.
For purposes of this policy, “paper” means a single paper or two related papers. A paper may
take the form of, for example, a brief, note, comment, or memorandum of law.
The paper must:
1. Reflect substantial legal research, as evidenced by a working bibliography in a form
appropriate to the paper;
2. Reflect critical analysis by making use of appropriate resources and authorities to support
the descriptions, analysis, and positions taken;
3. Be well-written and carefully edited;
4. Contain no fewer than 7,500 words, including appropriate footnotes or endnotes;
5. Reflect revisions incorporating the critique and suggestions of the supervising instructor
on at least one previous draft;
6. Merit a grade of C+ or better from the instructor for the paper, and
7. Be certified by the instructor as satisfying all of these requirements.
A student satisfying the upper-level writing requirement through a supervised research project
must obtain written permission from the supervisor before registering for the supervised research
and writing class. If a paper is a collaborative project of more than one student, each student
must establish that student’s quantitative contribution.
Examples of papers that might satisfy the upper-level writing requirement include those prepared
as supervised research projects or those prepared for seminars or other courses that require a
substantial research and writing project.
Revised by the Law Faculty on March 20, 2017
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III-A-4. Public Service Program
A. Purpose
Law students must complete 50 hours of approved public service as a prerequisite to graduation.
Transfer students shall complete a number of hours prorated to the number of semesters they will
spend at the law school. All other members of the law school community (administrators,
faculty, and staff) are strongly encouraged to complete 50 hours of approved public service every
three years.
The Public Service Program (Program) exists for four reasons: 1) to ensure that law students
remain members of the broader community with all of the accompanying responsibilities; 2) to
foster students’ commitment to pro bono work throughout their legal careers; 3) to foster
students’ commitment to volunteer work and public service throughout their legal careers; and 4)
to fulfill the law school’s commitment to service as articulated in its Vision Statement.
B. Guidelines for Approved Public Service
The scope of public service that will be approved for public service credit is broad and includes
virtually any type of uncompensated work that (1) in the case of legal services, would be
considered as satisfying a lawyer’s obligation to provide pro bono public legal services under the
Minnesota Rules for Professional Conduct or (2) in the case of non-legal services, addresses the
need of another and is consistent with the missions of the University of St. Thomas and its law
school.
1. Uncompensated
“Uncompensated” means that the student receives neither monetary nor academic
compensation for work done in satisfaction of the public service requirement.
a. Monetary: Public service completed under the auspices of an employer
may not qualify for public service credit unless the student performs the
activity in addition to work expected during a compensated time period.
Students who receive grants or stipends for work within the public service
sector may petition for partial exemption from this rule by submitting a
one-page letter to Public Service Board explaining any disproportionality
between the compensation received and the work performed.
b. Academic: Public service completed under the auspices of another
educational requirement (i.e. course, clinic, upper-level paper, or
mentorship hours) may not qualify for public service credit unless the
student does not receive credit toward the other educational requirement.
2. Legal Services
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Qualifying legal services include those that meet the definition of pro bono public legal
services under the Minnesota Rules of Conduct, which includes the provision of legal
services to
a. persons of limited means;
b. charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational
organizations in matters that are designed primarily to address the needs of
persons of limited means;
c. individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil
rights, civil liberties or public rights, or charitable, religious, civic,
community, governmental and educational organizations in matters in
furtherance of their organizational purposes;
d. participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the
legal profession.
3. Non-Legal Services That Addresses the Need of Another
The Program broadly interprets the law school’s Vision Statement, which articulates the
school’s dedication to “promote and participate in service programs designed to address
the needs and improve the conditions of the disadvantaged and underserved.”
a. Need. Qualifying public service may address the holistic needs of a person
or community, including non-legal, spiritual, emotional, educational,
environmental, and physical needs.
b. Another. Qualifying public service should benefit those outside of
students’ immediate social spheres (i.e. family, friends, and the law
school). Any exceptions require consultation with the Public Service
Board (PSB).
4. Consistent with the Missions of the Law School and University
The Program will not provide public service credit for activities that conflict with the
respective missions of the University of St. Thomas or its law school.
a. Catholic Social Teaching. Catholic social teaching encompasses the
Church’s principles regarding the welfare of humanity. Among other
themes, Catholic social teaching promotes the sanctity of human life, the
dignity of the human person, the stewardship of creation, preferential
option for the poor, promotion of peace and disarmament, the role of
government and subsidiarity, economic justice, and the common good.
Activities that conflict with Catholic social teaching, including those
activities aiding organizations whose missions conflict with Catholic
social teaching, may not qualify for public service credit.
b. Moral Responsibility. The University dedicates itself to educating
“morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work
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Academic Policy Manual – July 22, 2024
skillfully to advance the common good.” The Program may refuse or
revoke public service credit for service activities in which a student acted
irresponsibly, disrespectfully or unethically.
C. Administration
1. Public Service Board
The Public Service Board (PSB) administers the Program. The PSB consists of four
first-, five second- and six third-year law students in good academic standing. The PSB
maintains and distributes information about public service opportunities; oversees the
maintenance of the Logging System; determines whether particular activities constitute
approved public service; and maintains records of approved public service performed by
law students.
The PSB receives applications for membership each spring from current students and
each fall from incoming students. The PSB nominates applicants and presents them to
Student Government for approval. Members of the PSB serve renewable one-year terms.
2. Advisor
The Dean appoints a member of the faculty or administration to advise the PSB. The
advisor is responsible for general oversight of the Program, including assuring the
Program’s compliance with the Program policy; advising the PSB on policy issues; and
considering (and, where appropriate, recommending to the faculty) revisions to the
Program policy. The advisor provides the faculty with an annual Program report. The
responsibilities necessarily entail attendance at PSB meetings and events.
3. Staff Administrator
An administrative staff member will initially review all Log Entries in accordance with
Program precedent. This staff member will approve or reject all Log Entries. Rejected
Log Entries will be sent to the PSB for review. This administrative staff member will
also perform other administrative tasks as requested by the PSB or Dean. The staff
administrator also will certify satisfactory completion of the Program requirements by
law students.
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D. Completing the Public Service Requirement
1. Time Period of Completion
Each student must complete his or her 50 hours of approved public service between the
beginning of his or her first semester of law school and the end of his or her last semester
of law school. Public service may be performed at any time during this period, including
any semester in residence at another law school, any semester in residence at another
school that is part of a joint degree program, any vacation, and any summer. Students
may also log service completed as incoming students through pre-orientation projects
sponsored by the Minnesota Justice Foundation or the law school.
2. Approved Service
a. Service Opportunities List: The PSB will maintain a list of service
opportunities presumed to constitute approved public service projects.
This list is not intended to be exclusive but rather intended to illustrate the
types of public service for which credit will be given. The list will also
include activities that have been denied. The list of approved public
service opportunities shall be reviewed annually by the faculty.
b. Pre-Approval of Novel Opportunities: If a student performs any public
service outside of those on the list, the PSB can determine whether it
meets the Guidelines for Approved Public Service prior to the student
logging the hours. The PSB shall consult with the advisor and the Dean to
resolve novel issues. Students are advised to seek determination prior to
logging the hours by consulting with either the PSB or PSB Advisor.
Members of the faculty, staff and administration do not have unilateral
authority to pre-Approve activities.
c. Forgoing Pre-Approval: Students may log public service hours for
opportunities outside of the approved list and without consulting the PSB.
However, such activities may be rejected after initial review. Students are
encouraged to seek approval from the PSB before logging public service
hours with respect to service not on the service opportunities list.
3. Logging Public Service Hours
Upon completion of public service, a student must submit a Public Service Log Entry (Log
Entry) via the Public Service Logging System (Logging System). All public service activities
should be logged contemporaneously. The number of approved hours will be displayed within
the Logging System.
a. Direct or Administrative Service
A student must distinguish between direct and administrative public
service in his or her Log Entry.
(1) Direct public service helps individuals or communities in need.
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(2) Administrative public service enables an individual or
organization to help individuals or communities in need. Administrative
service includes time spent
a.) organizing or administering organizations dedicated to
providing direct services to underserved populations;
b.) organizing or administering specific direct service
projects on behalf of such populations; and
c.) completing training or clerical work ancillary to
approved public service projects.
No more than 25 hours of administrative service will be credited toward a student’s 50-
hour graduation requirement.
b. Travel Time Exclusion: Time spent commuting to and from the site
where public service is to be performed will not qualify for public service
credit absent extraordinary circumstances. The PSB will determine the
circumstances that justify awarding credit for commuting time.
c. Hours Exceeding the 50-Hour Requirement: Fellowship programs,
employers, and the law school itself may consult a student’s aggregate
number of public service hours before awarding honors or making
employment decisions. Therefore, the Program encourages to students to
report for all direct and administrative public service exceeding the 50-
hour requirement.
d. Hardship Exception: A student who has a special need for relief from the
public service requirement shall petition the Dean no later than the end of
the student’s fifth semester at the law school. The Dean may accommodate
a student’s special needs and, in exceptional circumstances, may waive the
requirement entirely.
4. Service Approval or Rejection
a. Initial Review: The administrative staff member will review the Log
Entries and, if necessary, seek clarification on the service provided. A
student who fails to respond to a clarification inquiry within 30 days will
have the hours rejected. Upon clarification, the administrative staff
member will approve or reject the service. If the service is approved, the
logged hours will be credited to the student. The number of approved
hours will be displayed within the Logging System. If the service is
rejected it will be sent to the PSB for review.
b. PSB Review process: The administrative staff member will forward all
rejected service activities to the PSB Chair. The PSB will review the
rejected activities at the next regular meeting, or within 30 days of the
rejection, during the Fall and Spring semesters absent extraordinary
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circumstances. The PSB will determine whether the rejected activities
meet the Guidelines for Approved Public Service. The PSB will add the
activities that are approved to the List of Service Opportunities. If the
activities are rejected by the PSB the student may appeal the
determination. The PSB Chair will notify the student of the decision to
reject the public service activity.
5. Appealing a Determination
A student whose public service activity has been rejected by the PSB may appeal that
decision to the PSB Faculty Committee which includes members of the faculty appointed
by the Dean. The student may appeal an activity’s rejection by submitting a document no
longer than five pages via email to the Chair of the PSB. The appeal may be filed within
30-days from the date the student was notified within the academic semester of the
decision, unless the decision is made within the last 30 days of the semester, in which
case the appeal must be made in the first 30 days of the next academic semester. The
Chair will transmit the appeal to the Committee.
After reviewing the appeal letter, the PSB Faculty Committee will make a
recommendation to the Dean for either acceptance or rejection of the public service
activity. The Dean will make the final decision and transmit the decision to the Chair of
the PSB who will notify the student.
In addition, the PSB will maintain a record of the determinations of appealed service
hours.
6. Reconsidering a Prior Decision
The Board may, in its discretion, reconsider a decision to accept or reject an activity on
its own motion or upon suggestion from a law student, staff member, or law school
faculty member.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, May 1, 2002
Revised, April 23, 2007
Revised, April 23, 2009
Revised, October 6, 2014
Revised January 6, 2022
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III-A-5. Determination of Credit Hours
The number of credit hours awarded for a class must comport with an appropriate amount of
classroom or direct faculty instruction and a commensurate expectation for out-of-class student
work per week. Generally, each class must meet a minimum of 700 minutes of classroom time
(or direct faculty instruction) for each hour of credit awarded. For each credit hour of class, an
instructor should assign and expect 30 hours of out-of-class work per semester per credit hour.
For externship courses, 50 hours of field placement, preparation and classroom responsibilities
are required for each credit hour awarded. There will be a classroom component with regular
meetings throughout the semester.
For clinic courses, 42.5-45 hours of coursework over the semester are required for each credit
hour awarded.
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III-B. COURSE REGISTRATION AND ELIGIBILITY
III-B-1. Registration
A. First-Year Students
First-year students are registered by the administration, at the mandatory fall orientation, for the
entire first-semester curriculum. Failure to attend the mandatory fall orientation, without
approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, will lead to a student being dropped
from the entering class.
B. Upper-Division Students
1. Pre-registration for a semester’s classes will occur at the time (during the
preceding semester) and in the manner prescribed by the School of Law. Pre-
registration will reserve seats in the upcoming semester’s classes.
2. Final registration for a semester’s classes will also occur at the time and in
the manner prescribed by the School of Law. If a student fails to register in a
timely manner,
a. the student will be assessed a late fee; and
b. the student may lose a reserved seat in a closed class to a waiting-
list student who has timely registered; and
c. a student who, without approval, fails to register by the end of the
first five (5) days of classes in a semester will be denied
authorization to register for that semester.
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III-B-2. Adding and Dropping Courses
A. First-Year J.D. Students
A first-year student may alter his or her registration by adding or dropping a course only with the
permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who will consult with the instructor.
B. Upper-Division J.D. Students
Upper-division students may drop or add courses provided that they continue to satisfy the
minimum course load, and that they also meet the following requirements:
During the fall and spring semesters (for courses that meet for the entire length of the term):
1. Within the first five (5) business days of a semester, students are permitted to add or drop
a course without the permission of the instructor, unless notice requiring the instructor’s
permission has been posted concerning a particular course.
2. Within the 6
th
to 10
th
business days of a semester, the student must obtain the permission
of the instructor.
3. After the end of the 10
th
business day of a semester, the student must obtain the
permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who will consult with the
instructor.
For summer courses or courses that meet on a compressed schedule (often called “January
courses” or intersession courses):
Beginning one week before the first class day, students are not permitted to drop a course
without the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who will consult
with the instructor.
Students may be permitted to add a course only with the permission of the Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs, who will consult with the instructor. A course may not be
added if it has already met for 20% of the total class sessions unless there are exceptional
circumstances.
C. Withdrawal from Course
If a student drops a course after the eighth week of a fall or spring semester, or after more than
half of the class sessions have occurred (for courses that do not meet the entire length of a
fall/spring term, or meet in some other time period), the student’s permanent record will be
marked with Withdraw. The student will receive no credit, and the course will not be considered
in computing the student’s grade point average.
D. LLM in US Law Students
Beginning on the first class day, LLM in U.S. Law students may not add or drop classes without
the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who will consult with the instructor.
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III-B-3. Auditing
A. A student in good standing may audit a course only with the written permission of the
instructor. Auditing a course entails adherence by the student to such standards and
conditions as the instructor may prescribe, except that the student shall not be required to
submit papers or to take a final examination, nor shall he or she be entitled to a grade in
the course.
B. The fact that a student has audited a course shall be indicated in the official records of the
Law School.
C. If a student has audited a course for eight (8) weeks or more, the student may later enroll
in that course for credit (a) only with the permission of its instructor and (b) only on a
pass/fail basis.
D. If the combined credit hours for a student’s registered courses and a proposed audited
course would exceed 16 credit hours, that student must obtain the permission of the
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to audit any course, in addition to the permission of
the course’s instructor required in paragraph 1 above.
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III-B-4. Supervised Research and Writing
A. A supervised research and writing project may be either a one- or two-credit course,
depending on the scope of the project as determined by the supervising instructor. No student
may take more than four credit hours of supervised research and writing toward the J.D. degree;
nor may any student register for more than two credits of supervised research and writing in any
semester. Although specific requirements fall within the discretion of the individual instructor,
and are dependent upon the other requirements of a given course or project, the principal writing
requirement for supervised research courses, as in seminars, is typically 15 pages, or 3,750
words, per credit hour. Students may not satisfy required-course obligations through supervised
research and writing; they may, however, satisfy the upper-level writing requirement. Any
proposals for research supervised by anyone other than members of the full-time law faculty
must first be approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. For purposes of this policy,
full-time law faculty members include full-time visiting law faculty and emeritus law faculty.
B. Before registering for a supervised research project, a student must have the permission
of the supervising instructor or, where required, of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. No
instructor may undertake supervision of more than five (5) student research projects in any
semester.
C. The supervising instructor and the student shall establish a regular schedule of
consultation for the entire semester.
D. The student must submit both a first draft of the written product and the final written
product, at the times established by the supervising instructor. The final written product must be
submitted no later than the last day of the regularly scheduled examination period for the
semester, unless the supervising instructor sets an earlier deadline. A detailed outline, or its
equivalent, is strongly encouraged, and may be required at the option of the instructor. In
individual cases, the supervising instructor may grant an extension and permit the student to take
a grade of “Incomplete.” A final grade will be entered after the student’s submission of the final
written product. The final written product shall conform to a standard citation convention, such
as The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, the Chicago Manual of Style, or American
Psychological Association (APA) Style.
E. The individual supervising instructor may impose more stringent requirements prior to
the date set for submission of the first draft of the written project.
F. The supervised research project contemplates original research and writing by the student
performed under the supervision of an instructor. It is not to consist substantially of work done
for compensation or in other academic programs, or simply be a compilation of work done by
others. The project, however, may be carried out and its product submitted for purposes of a
student’s participation in a legal writing competition.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, March 2002
Revised, April 20, 2015 and March 20, 2017
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III-B-5. Distance Learning
A. Under ABA Standard 306, “A distance education course is one in which students are
separated from the faculty member or each other for more than one-third of the instruction and
the instruction involves the use of technology to support regular and substantive interaction
among students and between students and the faculty member, either synchronously or
asynchronously.”
B. The law school will identify any course that is a distance education course on its course
registration list.
C. A student may not enroll in more than 10 credits of distance education during the first
one-third of the student’s program of legal education.
D. A student may not enroll in more than 29 distance education credit hours toward the J.D.
degree.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, February 23, 2015
Amended by the Law Faculty, September 24, 2018
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III-B-6. Courses in Other UST Academic Units
A. With the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, non-joint degree UST
law students may apply toward the requirements for the Juris Doctor degree as many as
but no more than 6 credit-hours from courses of suitable academic rigor offered in other
UST Schools or departments. For purposes of interpreting the phrase “suitable academic
rigor,” courses offered for credit toward any UST graduate degree shall presumptively be
deemed to be suitably rigorous, unless disapproved by the Curriculum Committee.
Likewise, courses in foreign languages shall be deemed sufficiently rigorous regardless
of their level, subject also to disapproval by the Curriculum Committee. Grades achieved
in such courses will not be used in computing a law student’s GPA.
B. A candidate for the joint JD/MBA may commence studies in either the Law School or the
UST College of Business; however, the candidate must participate in and complete an
integral first-year Law School course of studies.
C. A candidate for a joint degree in an approved program may apply 12 hours of credit and
one full semester of residency successfully completed in the second discipline toward the
requirements of the J.D. degree, provided the student satisfactorily completes the
requirements set out for the joint program by the faculty conferring the second degree.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, November 7, 2001, January 23, 2002,
December 5, 2005 and September 26, 2011
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III-B-7. Courses at Other ABA-Accredited Law Schools
Students (other than visiting students discussed below) may count up to 10 credit hours of
courses from other ABA-accredited law schools toward their 88 credit hours of courses required
for graduation by the University of St. Thomas School of Law, subject to the conditions set forth
below:
1. Students (other than transfer students) must take all required courses at the
University of St. Thomas School of Law, though if the student receives
permission to visit full-time for one or two semesters at another law school, a
course required by St. Thomas may be taken at the host institution with the
advance approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs [see Policy II-A-
2(B)(3)].
2. A student seeking to receive a J.D. from the University of St. Thomas School of
Law who will complete at least four semesters of at least 12 credit hours at the
University of St. Thomas School of Law may petition the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs for permission to receive credit for up to 32 credit hours of
courses taken while a visiting student at an ABA-accredited law school or, when
permitted under the ABA’s Standards for Approval of Law Schools, at a foreign
law school, under the conditions set forth in section III-A-2(B)(4) and (5).
3. Students may not be allowed to take up to the full 10 credits to the extent that they
are seeking to count up to 6 credits toward their 88 credit hours required for
graduation associated with classes from other departments at the University of St.
Thomas (see Policy III-B-6).
4. Students may seek credit for summer courses from any domestic or international
Summer School program sponsored by an ABA-accredited law school.
5. Students also may seek credit for courses from other ABA-accredited law schools
taken during the fall or spring semester.
6. UST will accept the credits from the above-described schools and programs as
long as the student achieves a grade of “C” or better in each course for which he
or she seeks credit.
7. Grades achieved in such courses will appear on the student’s transcript, but will
not be used in the computation of a law student’s GPA.
In addition, a student seeking to receive credit under this policy for courses taken
at an ABA-accredited law school or pursuant to a Summer School program
sponsored by an ABA-accredited law school, must petition the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs, prior to enrolling in such course, for permission to have such
course count toward the 88 credit hours of courses recognized by the University
of St. Thomas School of Law, which permission the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs may grant for good cause.
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III-B-8. Summer Programs Abroad
Receipt of credits for courses in foreign summer programs is subject to the relevant requirements
of Policy III-B-7 as well as the following:
A. UST will accept credits from a foreign summer program of an ABA-accredited law
school, as long as that program has been approved by the ABA and as long as the student
achieves a grade of “C” or better in each course for which he or she seeks credit.
B. No matter how many credits a student earns in an overseas summer program, the student
will still have to be in residence on the UST campus for six (6) semesters. A student may
not graduate early because of credits earned in overseas programs.
C. A first year student who has not achieved at least a 2.00 GPA in the first semester may
not enroll in an overseas summer program or make a deposit on such a program without
the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
D. A student may not earn credit in an overseas summer program if he or she is not in good
academic standing. For example, a first-year student who has not achieved at least a 2.00
GPA in the second semester may not earn credit in an overseas study program during the
summer between the first and second years of law school. Students should bear this
policy in mind when deciding whether to make a non-refundable deposit on a program.
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III-B-9. Law Review
This section applies to membership on the University of St. Thomas Law Journal and on the UST
Journal of Law and Public Policy. Associate Editors earn one (1) pass-fail credit per semester of
membership. Members of the Editorial Board earn two (2) pass-fail credits per semester of
membership. Senior Editors earn three (3) credits per year. The additional credit may be applied
to either semester at the choice of the Senior Editor. Students may allocate their total number of
credits between semesters of the academic year.
At the end of each semester, the managing editor shall submit to the faculty advisor a list of all
members indicating which students have met their responsibilities for credit. With input from the
editor-in-chief and the managing editor, the faculty advisor shall certify the grades.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, April 16, 2003
Revised, January 10, 2005
Revised August 31, 2015
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III-B-10. Minnesota Law School Consortium
The University of St, Thomas School of Law participates in the Minnesota Law School
Consortium Agreement with the University of Minnesota School of Law and
Mitchell|Hamline College of Law. The agreement among the three Minnesota law schools
allows students to register for certain courses at any of the four law schools.
Rules
1. Courses qualifying for consortium status must not be offered during the academic year at
the home school of the enrolling student.
2. Students are allowed to earn no more than six consortium source credits during their law
school career.
3. Students must be in good academic standing to participate in the program.
4. Summer classes are excluded. Students are eligible to take summer courses as visitors on
an individually approved basis.
5. Tuition remains at the home school and is charged on the home school’s fee schedule.
6. Students must abide by all rules of the visiting school.
7. Clinics, externships, internships, independent studies, and seminars are excluded from
consideration.
8. Registration Process
Students may check available courses mid-March for fall registration and mid-October for
spring registration on each of the law school’s websites –
http://www.law.umn.edu/
http://www.wmitchell.edu/ https://law.stthomas.edu
Students must obtain permission from the Academic Dean to register for a specific course.
When permission is granted students will contact the home school registrar to facilitate
registration at the visiting school. If approved by the visiting school, it is the student’s
responsibility to inform the home school’s registrar of course name and credit amount for
registration.
12. The visiting institution will assign examination numbers to consortium students from the
other law schools.
13. Students who have an examination conflict receive a variance from the home institution,
and the home institution’s examination will be rescheduled. Emergency variances, however,
are handled by the visiting institution.
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14. The visiting school awards grades and submits transcript information, but the home
institution determines how to accept the transfer credits and how the transfer credits will
appear on the home institution’s transcript. Students are responsible for requesting that the
official transcript be sent to their home school immediately after the grade is posted.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, April 16, 2003
Amended April 23, 2012
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III-B-11.1 Elective Externship Program
A. Introduction
The Mentor Externship program, discussed elsewhere in this Policy Manual, is a part of the
required curriculum. The elective externship program supplements and supports that program.
An elective externship provides students with a substantial experience reasonably similar to the
experience of a lawyer or legal professional advising or representing a client or engaging in other
lawyering/legal tasks. Externs complete fieldwork under direct supervision from a legal
professional at the placement.
In externship placements, the student’s experience and education are paramount. Supervisors
and those working at placements operate with the understanding that the student is the primary
beneficiary of the St. Thomas Law Externship Program and that the purpose of any field
placement is to allow the student to learn through the experience of working as a lawyer/legal
professional.
B. Course Components
An externship involves both a fieldwork and a classroom component. Fieldwork must be
completed onsite at each placement under a field placement supervisor’s guidance and
supervision. The classroom component involves instruction by a professor and requires regular
in-class sessions.
C. Expectations
Each field placement is expected to provide opportunities for performance, feedback, and self-
evaluation to assist students in gaining practical experience and developing competencies. The
field placement is also expected to provide a substantial experience similar to the experience of a
new lawyer or legal professional, and the placement must ensure that there are sufficient
experiences/work available for the student to complete the time requirements. Field placements
will follow instructions provided by the school and/or professor, including any written
expectations/understandings, syllabi, and/or policy manuals for the respective externship class
sections. In each placement, the professor bears responsibility for selecting and approving
placement supervisors and for training, communicating with, and evaluating placement
supervisors.
Externship students are expected to meet all fieldwork and classroom requirements, and
externship students are expected to produce quality work product and exhibit a high degree of
professionalism. Externship students will commit to the work, the challenges, and the required
hours by organizing their lives in a way that sufficiently prioritizes the externship and avoids any
need to drop the course. Externship students will implement and maintain an effective and
documented time certification system, including a description of work activities performed.
Each student must record, in a timely basis and with placement supervisor sign-off, the hours
worked and assignments performed.
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D. Prerequisites
Externship students must be in good standing.
To be eligible for a credit-earning externship, each student generally must first complete a
minimum of 28 credits of study.
Part-time law students, LL.M. students, advanced standing students, and any other student who
has not completed the standard 28 credits that other first-year students complete at St. Thomas
Law may be eligible to participate in an externship. Eligibility will be reviewed on a case-by-
case basis by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Associate Dean’s designee.
Ultimately, the goal is to make sure the student is in a position to succeed at the externship
placement.
E. Credits and Grading
Each externship credit requires 50 hours of time. A three-credit externship, then, requires a time
commitment of 150 hours, the vast majority of which must be hours at the field placement.
All externships are graded as pass/fail.
F. Application and Registration Process
Registration is by permission only. A student must complete an application to enroll. The
student may register only when selected from the pool of applicants.
Selection is a two-step process. Step one involves the professor and externship director checking
each application to determine whether the student meets all prerequisites of the externship course
and is a good “fit” based on course needs and availability. Step two involves the professor
investigating and reviewing potential placements proposed by students. In consultation with the
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Externship Course Program Manager, each course
professor decides how many students will be accepted into his or her class section. The professor
is expected to find placements as needed for all accepted students in each externship class, but
the professor may elect to allow students to arrange their own placement if it meets the
educational criteria and fits within the course description and parameters.
G. Other Externship Policies
The externship program and each individual externship class section may set additional policies.
Such policies will be communicated with students each semester during an information session
prior to the semester, included in a student guide each semester, and/or contained in the course
syllabus.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, June 25, 2003 and February 23, 2004
Revised October 24, 2016 and October 6, 2017
Revised February 10, 2020
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Academic Policy Manual – July 22, 2024
III-B-11.2. Policy on Compensation for Externships
Mentor Externship. Students in the required Mentor Externship program may not receive
credit for any activities for which the student receives compensation.
Other Externships. Students in optional, one semester externship courses may receive credit
for activities for which they receive compensation if the following requirements are met:
1. A Memorandum of Understanding is in place that ensures that 1) the student’s
educational experience will remain paramount; 2) the course professor and field
placement supervisor will maintain effective communication; and 3) the student will
receive appropriate supervision and experiences to further the course learning
outcomes and the overall student experience.
2. The student receives permission from the course professor and/or externship course
program manager charged with oversight of the optional, one-semester externship
program.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, October 24, 2016
Revised October 6, 2017
Revised February 10, 2020
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III-B-12. Courses at Other Non-Law, Non-UST Graduate Institutions
Classes taken at non-law school graduate institutions other than UST are presumed not to count
toward satisfaction of the UST law degree requirements. However, with prior approval of the
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, up to six credits taken at such non-UST graduate schools
may be counted toward the UST law degree provided that the Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs determines that 1) a substantially similar course is unavailable at UST Law, other UST
graduate programs, or one of the other three law schools in the Twin Cities; 2) the course is of
sufficient academic rigor to warrant credit toward the UST Law degree; and 3) there exists a
sufficient nexus between the subject matter of the course and the student’s professional
aspirations for using the UST Law degree.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, November 29, 2004
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III-B-13. Practicum Courses
In order to enhance our students’ professional preparation, the law school offers a variety of
practicum courses for upper-level students. These are small classes in which students delve more
deeply into a given area of law by working as lawyers on simulated legal matters under close
faculty supervision.
A practicum course must have the following five elements:
1. The course must be focused on one or more substantive areas of legal practice. For
example, the course could be a “Securities Law Practicum” or a “Business Planning
Practicum,” but not a “Deposition Practicum” or a “Transactional Drafting Practicum.”
2. The course must require student completion of written work product that is of the type
commonly required of lawyers in that practice area. The assessment of other tasks
normally associated with the practice area is strongly encouraged.
3. The written work products must be based on a set or sets of facts (actual or hypothetical,
as appropriate) that are typical of the matters in that practice area.
4. The course may be from 2 to 5 credits, depending on (a) the extent to which it
incorporates teaching of the legal doctrines and/or theories that are essential to practice in
that field and (b) the amount and nature of the work required. If the practicum is for 2 or
3 credits, it must include as a prerequisite or co-requisite an upper-level course that
teaches the legal doctrines and/or theories that are essential to practice in that field.
5. The course should require students, on at least some of the graded projects, to (a) receive
feedback from the professor and (b) work in groups.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, December 5, 2011
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III-C. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GRADING
III-C-1. Good Academic Standing
This section (A. through C.) is effective for students who begin in Fall 2016 or later.
A. Basic Rule
To maintain good academic standing:
1. a first-year student must
a. achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.2 for the first year; and
b. successfully complete all requirements for the Mentor Externship
program.
2. an upper level student must:
a. achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 each semester;
b. maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3, beginning with the end of
the first semester of the second year; and
c. successfully complete all requirements for the Mentor Externship
program.
B. Academic Probation
A student who is not in good academic standing is on academic probation. A student on
academic probation shall work with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, or the Associate
Dean’s designee, to construct a plan for academic success. This plan may include mandatory
placement in particular courses and may include additional measures as necessary.
C. Dismissal
Dismissal shall result if:
1. a first-year student fails to achieve a GPA of at least 1.75 for the first semester;
2. a first-year student fails to achieve a GPA of at least 2.0 after two semesters;
3. a second year student fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.1 at the end
of the fall semester of the student’s second year, if the student was previously on
probation;
4. any other upper-level student fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.15, if the
student was previously on probation; or
5. the Associate Dean or the Associate Dean’s designee determines that a student
fails to substantially comply with a plan established by the Associate Dean or
designee as part of the student’s probation.
A student dismissed for academic reasons is not eligible for readmission during
either the academic year in which the student was dismissed or the subsequent
academic year.
(Note: For purposes of this Section (III.C.1), Advanced Standing students in their
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first year at the School of Law will be treated as “first-year students.”)
Addendum to Academic Policy Handbook, III-C-1 (Dismissal)
D.
Delay in applicability of dismissal and probation policy
Because there were no letter grades issued in Spring 2020, the dismissal and probation
policies are delayed by one semester in their applicability for any student who was
enrolled during the Spring 2020 term.
Adopted by Law Faculty December 21, 2020
This section (A. through C.) is effective for students who begin in Fall 2020 or later.
A. Basic Rule
To maintain good academic standing:
1. a first-year student must
a. achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.2 for the first year; and
b. successfully complete all requirements for the Mentor Externship
program.
2. an upper-level student must:
a. achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 each semester;
b. maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3, beginning with the end of
the first semester of the second year; and
c. successfully complete all requirements for the Mentor Externship
program.
B. Academic Probation
A student who is not in good academic standing is on academic probation.
A student on academic probation is strongly encouraged to work with the Director of Academic
Excellence to develop a personal plan to improve the student’s academic performance and help
the student prepare for success on the bar exam.
C. Dismissal
Dismissal shall result if:
1. a first-year student fails to achieve a GPA of at least 1.75 for the first semester;
2. a first-year student fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 after two
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semesters;
3. a second-year student on probation after the first year fails to achieve a
cumulative GPA of at least 2.1 at the end of the fall semester of the student’s
second year, and 2.2 at the end of the spring semester of the student’s second
year; or
4. any other upper-level student fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.2 at the end
of any semester.
A student dismissed for academic reasons is not eligible for readmission during either the academic
year in which the student was dismissed or the subsequent academic year.
[Note: For purposes of this Section (III.C.1), Advanced Standing students in their first year at the
School of Law will be treated as “first-year students.”]
Addendum to Academic Policy Handbook, III-C-1 (Dismissal)
D. Delay in applicability of dismissal and probation policy
Because there were no letter grades issued in Spring 2020, the dismissal and probation policies
are delayed by one semester in their applicability for any student who was enrolled during the
Spring 2020 term.
Adopted by Law Faculty December 21, 2020
III-C-2. Grade Policy for J.D. Students
A. Grading Averages
1. In first-year courses (except Lawyering Skills): for J.D. students, faculty should
strive for an average GPA of 2.90, and in no case should the average GPA of a
course be lower than 2.70 or higher than 3.10. The Dean, or the Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs at the Dean’s request, may grant authorization to a faculty
member to submit grades outside this range, but only in exceptional
circumstances, and only if the faculty member requests authorization before
submitting grades. This policy is applicable only to final grades, not to every
paper or examination.
2. In second and third-year required courses (except Lawyering Skills and Mentor
Externship) and other courses in which 45 or more students are enrolled: for J.D.
students faculty should strive for an average GPA of 3.00, and in no case should
the average GPA of the course be lower than 2.80 or higher than 3.20. The Dean,
or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Dean’s request, may grant
authorization to a faculty member to submit grades outside of this range, but only
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in exceptional circumstances, and only if the faculty member requests
authorization before submitting grades. This policy is applicable only to final
grades, not to every paper or examination.
B. Class Rankings
After each semester’s grades are submitted, law students will be ranked according to their
cumulative grade point average (based on grades received at the School of Law). The top 20%
of each class will be ranked ordinally and notified of their individual ranking by cumulative
CPA. Students outside the top 20% will not be provided an exact ordinal ranking. Rather, the
Registrar will publish, the GPA percentages for each JD class (3L, 2L, and 1L) for 25%, 33%,
40%, 50%, 60%, and then 75%. If a prospective employer seeks verification of ordinal ranking
for a student who received ordinal ranking, such verification will be given if the student so
authorizes.
Students will be grouped for rankings according to the number of credits remaining to reach
graduation. Students with 57 or more credits remaining will be ranked with 1Ls. Students with
29-56 credits remaining will be ranked with 2Ls. Students with 0-28 credits remaining will be
ranked with 3Ls. Transfer and Advanced Standing students will not be assigned ordinal
rankings.
C. Spring 2020 Grading Policy
All Spring 2020 courses that are completed after March 6, 2020 will be graded as High Pass,
Pass, or Fail. Grades will not factor into student GPAs or ranking. Dean’s awards may still be
issued subject to the discretion of the faculty member. High Pass will apply to no more than 20%
of students in a course with an enrollment of 10 or more students. There will be no academic
dismissals following the Spring 2020 semester and students will not be placed on academic
probation unless they were already on probation prior to the semester.
Passed by the Law Faculty, March 26, 2020
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III-C-3. Grading Policy for MSL and LL.M. in Organizational Ethics and Compliance
Programs
A. General Grading Policy
There is no required mean and no curve for students in the MSL and LLM in Organizational
Ethics and Compliance degree programs. For consistency in grading, however, faculty should
strive to assign a cumulative mean GPA for such students as follows: 3.1 – 3.5 for any courses
required for the degree plan; and 3.3 to 3.7 for elective courses. This policy recommendation
applies only to final course grades, not to every paper or examination.
Guidance for Meaning of Grades:
A, A- Clearly superior performance. Demonstrates excellent mastery of course concepts and
learning objectives.
B+, B Meets all requirements for demonstrating above-average/satisfactory competence
regarding course concepts and learning objectives.
B-, C+ Demonstrates adequate comprehension of course concepts and learning objectives in
order to pass course, but did not meet expectations of graduate level performance.
C Lowest pass. Demonstrates sufficient knowledge to permit advancement, but well below
expectations of graduate level performance.
D Not used.
F Failure. Insufficient knowledge of essential course concepts and materials to warrant
advancing to courses for which this is a prerequisite. Course must be retaken and passed
if student is to receive graduate credit.
Passed by the Law Faculty on November 9, 2015
B. Spring 2020 Grading Policy
All Spring 2020 courses that are completed after March 6, 2020 will be graded as High Pass,
Pass, or Fail. Grades will not factor into student GPAs or ranking. Dean’s awards may still be
issued subject to the discretion of the faculty member. High Pass will apply to no more than 20%
of students in a course with an enrollment of 10 or more students. There will be no academic
dismissals following the Spring 2020 semester and students will not be placed on academic
probation unless they were already on probation prior to the semester.
Passed by the Law Faculty, March 26, 2020
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III-C-4. Grading Policy for LL.M. in U.S. Law Program
A. General Grading Policy
There is no required mean and no curve for students in the LL.M. in U.S. degree program. While
LL.M. students are often in courses with J.D. students, their exams are graded independently
from any required J.D. mean grade in the course. A suggested grading explanation is below.
Guidance for Meaning of Grades for LL.M. in U.S. Law:
A, A- Clearly superior performance. Demonstrates excellent mastery of course concepts and
learning objectives.
B+, B Meets all requirements for demonstrating above-average/satisfactory competence
regarding course concepts and learning objectives.
B-, C+ Demonstrates adequate comprehension of course concepts and learning objectives in
order to pass course, but did not meet expectations of graduate level performance.
C, C- Lowest passing grades. Demonstrates sufficient knowledge to permit advancement, but
well below expectations of graduate level performance.
D Not used.
F Failure. Insufficient knowledge of essential course concepts and materials to warrant
advancing to courses for which this is a prerequisite. Course must be retaken and passed if
student is to receive graduate credit.
Passed by the Law Faculty on February 10, 2020
B. Spring 2020 Grading Policy
All Spring 2020 courses that are completed after March 6, 2020 will be graded as High Pass,
Pass, or Fail. Grades will not factor into student GPAs or ranking. Dean’s awards may still be
issued subject to the discretion of the faculty member. High Pass will apply to no more than 20%
of students in a course with an enrollment of 10 or more students. There will be no academic
dismissals following the Spring 2020 semester and students will not be placed on academic
probation unless they were already on probation prior to the semester.
Passed by the Law Faculty, March 26, 2020
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III-C-5. Grade of “Incomplete”
A. Normally, students are required to complete all course work within the semester in which
the course work is offered. In examination courses, this entails taking the examination at
the scheduled time. In courses in which research papers comprise all or part of the course
work, such papers must be submitted as required by the instructor but, in no event, later
than the last day of the scheduled examination period.
B. If a student is unable to complete the course work, the student should immediately advise
the instructor, who may excuse the deficiency and enter a grade of “Incomplete” (“I”).
C. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate contact with the instructor and cure the
deficiency. If a student does not cure the “Incomplete” deficiency by the end of the next
regular semester, whether he or she is enrolled or not, the grade of “I” will be changed
permanently to an “F” on the student’s record. In case of extreme hardship, as determined
by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in consultation with the instructor, the
Associate Dean may grant the student one additional regular semester to cure the
deficiency.
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III-C-6. Grade Changes
A grade is final when it is filed with the Registrar. After a grade is final, it may be changed only
in the following circumstances:
A. A grade may be changed upon the written request of the instructor who assigned the
grade and with the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to correct a
mathematical, computational, or clerical error.
B. Procedures for Review of Alleged Capricious Grading
1. The following procedures are available only for review of alleged capricious
grading. Capricious grading, as that term is used herein, constitutes any of the
following: (1) the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis
other than performance in the course; (2) the assignment of a grade to a particular
student by resort to more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to
other students registered for the same credit in that course; (3) the assignment of a
grade representing a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously
announced standards, or (4) the assignment of interim grades during a semester
without reasonably timely communication of the grade to the student.
2. A student who believes that a semester grade is improper and the result of
capricious grading may file a complaint with the associate dean within six
working weeks after the final semester grade has been received. A late formal
complaint is presumptively invalid, unless the Associate Dean determines that
there is good cause for the late filing
3. The student shall file a complaint by submitting to the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs a written statement particularizing the basis for the allegation of
capricious grading and presenting any available supporting evidence. Unless the
Associate Dean concludes that the complaint presents a colorable claim that is
based on plausible allegations and falls within the definition of capricious grading
set forth above, the complaint shall be dismissed and no further action taken. In
determining whether the complaint presents a colorable claim, the Associate Dean
may seek additional information about the situation, including seeking
information from the instructor of the course. If the allegation of capricious
grading is based on a course taught by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs,
then this determination shall be made by the Dean or the Dean’s designee.
4. If the Associate Dean concludes that the complaint presents a colorable claim
based on plausible allegations, then the Associate Dean shall submit a copy of the
student’s written statement to the instructor of the course with a request that he
instructor submit a written response thereto within a week (unless the instructor
has already submitted a written response as part of the Associate Dean’s initial
fact-finding). The Associate Dean shall then submit the complaint and any
response to the Grade Appeal Committee (hereinafter the Committee), consisting
of three tenured faculty members appointed by the Dean. The instructor whose
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grade has been questioned cannot serve on the Committee. The Committee shall
proceed to hold a fact-finding session concerning the allegations set forth in the
appeal. Both the student and the instructor shall be entitled to be present
throughout this session and to present any evidence relevant to the manner in
which the grade was assigned, including testimony by other persons. Both the
student and the instructor shall have an opportunity to question or refute any
evidence presented. The confidentiality of all evidence shall be preserved. The
session shall not be open to the public.
5. At the close of the session, the Committee shall deliberate privately. If a majority
of the Committee finds the allegation of capricious grading is not supported by
clear and convincing evidence, it shall dismiss the appeal. If the Committee finds
the allegation of capricious grading to be supported by clear and convincing
evidence, the Committee shall proceed to determine the most appropriate remedy.
The Committee may direct the instructor to grade the student’s work anew or to
give the student a new examination in the course, or may take such other action as
will bring about substantial justice in the individual case. However, except in the
most extraordinary circumstances, the Committee should not award the student a
new grade in the course. The decision of the Committee shall be reported in
writing to the student, the instructor, and the faculty. The Committee’s decision is
final. Ordinarily, a grade appeal should be heard and decided within 60 days after
it is filed.
6. The Committee is not authorized to reprimand or otherwise take disciplinary
action against the instructor. Evidence put before the Committee shall be
admissible in any disciplinary proceedings that may thereafter be undertaken
against the instructor, but the disciplinary body shall make an independent
determination of whether that evidence and any other information before that
body constitutes sufficient proof of the conduct charged.
[Note: The procedure above does not contemplate that the instructor, upon receipt of the
complaint, could recommend a grade change to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
and thus circumvent the Committee hearing.]
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III-C-7. Attendance and Preparation
1
A. General
Students must regularly attend classes punctually, and prepare for classes, in order to satisfy
residence and class-hour requirements.
B. Default Attendance Policy
This default attendance policy will govern all courses at UST Law, unless an instructor
establishes a different attendance policy as provided in § III-C-7-C. Students are not permitted
to miss more than 2 regularly scheduled in-person classroom hours per credit hour (e.g., missing
more than 6 classroom hours of a 3-credit course). If a student exceeds the permitted absences
under this policy, the instructor has discretion to take any of the actions outlined in § III-C-7-D.
Excused Absences as defined in § III-C-7-E are not counted against these attendance
requirements.
C. Course-Specific Attendance Policies
Each instructor may vary the default attendance policy set forth in § III-C-7-B. Each instructor
is responsible for publishing any course-specific attendance policy in the course syllabus or on
the course website page by no later than the beginning of the first class session for the course.
D. Consideration in Grading
In assigning a student’s grade, the instructor has discretion to consider the student’s attendance,
punctuality, and participation in class and at required events, (a) provided that notice of such
consideration has been provided pursuant to § III-C-7-C, and (b) subject to the policy on Grade
Changes (§ III-C-6). Based on such attendance, punctuality, and participation, the instructor has
discretion to raise a student’s grade, to lower it, to require additional course work from the
student, to refuse to allow the student to take the final examination or submit other required
course work, or to drop the student from the course without credit.
E. Excused Absences
1. Mentor Program Absences. Each student is entitled to miss one class session per
course per semester, with advance notice to the instructor, in order to attend a mentor
activity. Instructors shall define in the course syllabus a reasonable amount of advance
notice and any circumstances under which a student may not miss a specific class (for
instance, because a student’s absence in class would disrupt the objectives of the class or
put a client at a disadvantage). This policy does not apply to intensive courses taught
between semesters or in the fall before regular classes begin. Students are not entitled to
miss a class under this policy if missing the class for a mentor activity would result in the
1 This policy does not address disability-related accommodations related to attendance or recording of classes; such
accommodations are governed by the student-specific plans administered through the University of St. Thomas
Disability Resources office.
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student missing a total of 20% or more of a course’s in--class time. Notwithstanding §§
III-C-5-C & D above, no instructor may penalize a student for electing to miss class in
accordance with this policy, so long as the student complies with the syllabus, including
completing all required class assignments (which may include assignments involving in-
class participation) and all quizzes or assessments.
2. Illness-related Absences. Students who are required to isolate due to illness under any
applicable University or Law School policy should not attend class. Instructors shall
define in the course syllabus the procedure for notifying the instructor of the student’s
need to miss class under such policy. Notwithstanding §§ III-C-5-C & D above, no
instructor may penalize a student for missing class in accordance with this policy, so long
as the student complies with the syllabus, including completing all required class
assignments (which may include assignments involving in-class participation) and all
quizzes or assessments.
3. Course Specific Excused Absences. Each instructor may provide for additional
excused absences pursuant to a course-specific attendance policy under § III-C-7-C. For
example, an instructor may identify as excused absences things like: any illness,
hospitalization, family care emergencies, funerals, military service, or jury duty.
Adopted by the Law Faculty February 8, 2002. Revised on April 16, 2003, May 6, 2003, August
31, 2015, March 26, 2018 and December 12, 2022
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III-C-8. Graduation Honors, Dean’s List, and Class Rankings
A. Graduation Honors
Graduation Honors will be as follows: Summa: 3.8500 and higher
Magna: 3.7000-3.8499
Cum laude: 3.5000-3.6999
Students graduating in May 2021 and May 2022 will be awarded Graduation Honors if they are
eligible for such honors either under the cumulative law school GPA calculation described
above, or under the prior system of calculation based on percentages (Summa: top 2%; Magna:
next 8%; Cum laude: next 15%.) Students who complete graduation requirements at other times,
such as after Summer or Fall 2021, will receive honors based on the cumulative law school GPA
calculation described above.
Graduation honors are to be noted on transcripts and may be indicated on diplomas and in
Commencement literature, with appropriate Latin terminology.
B. Dean’s List
The Dean’s List will be the top 15 percent in each class for each semester. Students must
complete at least 8 credits in law courses to be eligible for the Dean’s List in a particular
semester. The Dean’s List will be compiled and students will be informed of their distinction
and may use that designation for resume purposes.
C. Dean’s Award
The Dean’s Award in each course will be given to the student with the best academic
performance. If two students tie – or if the best performance and the second best performance are
close – the instructor may give two Dean’s Awards. No more than two Dean’s Awards may be
given for any course. A list of Dean’s Awards will be compiled every semester, and students will
be informed of their distinction
III-C-9. Examination Retention
Original copies of all examination answers (including all "bluebooks"), papers, and other written
materials submitted by a student to an instructor to be graded must be retained by that instructor
(or, at the request of the instructor, by the Registrar) for at least one year. Nothing in this policy
prevents an instructor from permitting a student to review written materials that have been
graded or from giving a student a photocopy of such materials.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, January 15, 2003
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III-C-10. Scheduling Examinations
A. Scheduling of Examinations
The Registrar shall prepare and circulate to faculty and students a schedule for final
examinations no earlier than the fifth week and no later than the eighth week of the semester in
which those examinations are to be given.
Final examinations shall be scheduled only during the two-week finals period. Take home
examinations may be distributed during the last week of class, but only if the due date for the
take home is the scheduled examination date for the course or the last day of the examination
period.
B. General Rules on Rescheduling Examinations
No student may take a final examination in a course other than at the regularly scheduled date
and time unless the Registrar approves rescheduling of the examination for one of the following
reasons:
1. A student becomes seriously ill during the examination.
2. A student cannot take the examination because of a serious illness, injury, or other
medical condition, a death or serious illness in the immediate family, or some
other serious and unanticipated emergency.
3. A student has two examinations scheduled within a 24-hour period. In such
circumstances, the examination to be rescheduled shall be the second examination
in the sequence. “Two examinations scheduled within a 24-hour period” means:
a. If the first examination is an in-class examination, any examination that
begins less than 24 hours after the beginning time of the first examination;
and
b. If the first examination is a take-home examination, any examination that
begins within 24 hours of the ending time of the first examination.
4. A student has three examinations scheduled on three successive days. In such
circumstances, the examination to be rescheduled ordinarily shall be the second in
the sequence of three examinations.
5. Other extraordinary circumstances are present, provided that the student has taken
every reasonable step to avoid a conflict with the examination. “Other
extraordinary circumstances” ordinarily do not include travel, recreational events,
or work activities.
Examinations that qualify for rescheduling ordinarily shall be rescheduled for the individual
student’s next examination slot that is available under this rule. No course examination for a
required course shall be rescheduled for a time prior to the regularly scheduled examination for
that course without the consent of the instructor.
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C. Procedure for Rescheduling Examinations
A student who seeks to have an examination rescheduled must contact the Registrar as soon as
the reason for requesting a rescheduling is apparent. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
may require documentation or other support of the conflict or circumstance that necessitates
rescheduling, and may authorize rescheduling in appropriate cases. Rescheduling examinations is
the exclusive responsibility of the Registrar. Individual instructors cannot grant or deny requests
to rescheduled examinations.
D. Grading of Rescheduled Examinations
If a student has been excused from taking a final examination in a course at the regularly
scheduled time because that student became ill during the examination, the instructor may
require the student to take a special final examination or submit a special paper. In such a case,
the student shall be graded in the course on a pass/fail basis. If the student takes the regular
examination, but it cannot be graded together with the examinations taken by other students in
the same course, the instructor shall have the discretion to grade the examination on a pass/fail
basis.
If a student has been excused from taking a final examination at the regularly scheduled time,
and the examination has not been taken within 28 days after the last regularly scheduled
examination for that semester, a mark of incomplete (“I”) will be entered on the student’s record.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, February 19, 2003
Revised May 16, 2005 and February 25, 2008
E. Examination Time for LL.M. in U.S. Law Students
LLM in US Law students are permitted additional time to complete final exams and other
summative tests, according to the following schedule:
• Exams under 3 hours: an additional 30 minutes;
• Exams 3 hours and over: an additional hour;
• Take home exams of 6 hours or less: one additional hour per 3 hours of exam time;
• Take home exams of over 6 hours: no additional time.
This does not apply to every paper or assignment in a course, but only to a final
examination and other summative tests in a class. This policy does not apply to courses
offered solely to LL.M. in US Law students.
Passed by the law school faculty on September 20, 2022
F. Use of Language Dictionaries for LL.M. in U.S. Law Students
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LL.M. in U.S. Law students may use an unmarked hard-copy language dictionary on in-class
assessments, including final examinations. This is permitted even if the assessment is otherwise
closed book. As a general rule, students may not use an electronic dictionary and may not access
the internet to use a dictionary if the exam otherwise disallows internet access. A professor may
grant an exception and permit an electronic version if the professor chooses.
Passed by the law school faculty on February 10, 2020
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III-C-11. Course Syllabus, Course Learning Outcomes and Course Assessment
A. Course Syllabus
A. Course Syllabus
By the first day that the class meets, the instructor shall provide all enrolled students in
writing with the following information:
1. course description from catalogue
2. books and materials required for class
3. a statement of way(s) instructor will be available to students outside of class
4. any unique expectations for students (such as banning of laptops, hats, or food)
5. an overview of the topics to be covered during the semester or, at the instructor’s option,
planned assignments,
6. a statement of course-specific learning outcomes and indication of how those learning
outcomes connect with the “General Learning Outcomes” for the law school as stated in
section III.1.a.
7. a description of how the grade for the course will be determined or, where the course is
ungraded, how passing performance will be determined
8. if the course satisfies the standards for experiential course, notice of that fact
9. if the course can be used to satisfy upper level writing requirements, notice of that fact
10. a description of students’ rights to accommodations for disabilities, in the format
furnished by the Associate Dean.
The instructor may include all of these elements in a single document (often titled the
“Syllabus”) or may provide them in separate documents. A sample syllabus including all of the
required elements is available from the Associate Dean.
B. Bar Examination Subject Courses
Instructors teaching subjects that are included on the bar examination should regularly consider
the specific topics tested for the bar when the instructor determines appropriate coverage of
topics for the course syllabus.
C. Assessment
Instructors are strongly encouraged to offer students opportunities for formative assessment with
instructor feedback. Instructors teaching subjects that are included on the Multistate Bar
Examination shall offer formative assessments including multiple choice questions.
For summative assessment, The faculty favors multiple modes of assessment, including
written papers or presentations, evaluation of experiential learning, and written examinations
which may be composed of essay questions, short answer questions, and multiple choice
questions.
For a course which has a final examination, the instructor shall notify students of the
format of the examination at least three weeks before the last class. In a course in which a final
examination is the only assessment, the examination should have multiple modes of assessment
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and should not weight multiple choice questions for more than 50% of the examination grade. In
a course in which an examination represents 60% or less of the course grade, the examination
may weight multiple choice questions for more than 50% of the final examination grade.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the instructor shall report the final grades or other
final assessment for the course by the deadline set by the Dean’s office.
D. Mid-Term Examinations for the First Semester of the First Year
In full-term Fall semester first-year courses (except Lawyering Skills), faculty must assign a
mid-term examination. To the extent possible, the mid-term should reflect the format of the final
exam. To avoid conflicts among courses, the time and date will be coordinated by the Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs. The mid-term exam must count a minimum of 10% toward the final
grade, but may not count for more than one-fourth of the total score for the course.
E. Additional Assessments in Other Courses
In all other courses, faculty are encouraged to offer multiple tests/assessments, and to take
advantage of developing assessment technologies and staff expertise that will accommodate the
administrative burdens of multiple assessments. If faculty desire to give a mid-term examination,
it must be schedule in conjunction with the registrar’s office to ensure adequate administrative
resources to support the exam; generally, mid-term exams will be in a two week period in the
middle of the semester.
Other tests and assessments may be given at the instructor’s judgment during the semester, but
instructors must consider the following factors in scheduling these assessments:
a. Instructors must give sufficient notice to students, preferably in the syllabus
distributed on the first day of class or earlier, of the dates of such assessments.
b. Accommodations for students with disabilities require advance planning which must
be considered when scheduling and administering such assessments.
c. Logistical, technological, and administrative support for the administration of these
assessments will also require advance planning.
d. If assessments are to be graded anonymously (which is at the option of the instructor),
additional logistical considerations are raised.
In order to satisfy all of these concerns, instructors should discuss planned assessments outside
of the final exam with the registrar’s office before distributing syllabuses to students.
In no event may any form of assessment (including, but not limited to midterms, quizzes,
projects, clinical assignments, or papers) be scheduled to be due during the reading period (the
days between the last day of classes and the first day of scheduled exams). Any assessment due
on a specific date during the finals period (other than the last day of finals) must be scheduled
through the registrar. This does not apply to deadlines for papers written for Supervised Writing
courses.
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F. Proctoring Exams
Full-time faculty are expected to be physically present to administer and proctor their own in-
class exams and other assessments. In exceptional circumstances, faculty may request
administrative assistance in administering and proctoring in-class exams and other assessments.
In such cases, however, faculty must be reachable by phone or email during the time of the in-
class exam or assessment in case an issue arises.
Adjunct faculty are encouraged to be physically present to administer and proctor their own in-
class exams and other assessments when possible. The law school will provide administrative
support in the event of conflicts. If an adjunct faculty member is unable to be physically present
to administer and proctor an in-class exam or other assessment, the adjunct faculty member
should be reachable by phone or email during the time of the in-class exam or other assessment
in case an issue arises.
G. Timing of Student Feedback on Midterms and Other Assessments
All assessments given during the semester should include some form of feedback by the
instructor, whether the feedback is in the form of a grade or not. Except under exceptional
circumstances and as approved by the Associate Dean, feedback on assessments given during the
semester must be given to students within three weeks of the due date of the assessments, or the
last day of class, whichever is earlier.
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, October 23, 2017
Revised by the Law Faculty March 26, 2018
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III-D-2. Limitations on Student Employment
There is no limitation on student employment. During any semester for which a student is
enrolled in 12 or more credits, however, he or she should consider 20 hours per week of
employment as a recommended maximum. This would allow a student to focus appropriately on
the academic tasks of full-time student enrollment.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, April 24, 2002
Revised, February 18, 2013
Revised, October 6, 2014
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IV. FACULTY-RELATED POLICIES
IV-1. Faculty Meetings
A. Eligibility to Attend
Any full-time employee of the School of Law and any student enrolled at the School of Law may
attend and speak at faculty meetings, unless the Dean or a majority of the faculty determine
otherwise. No other person may attend a faculty meeting, except with the permission of the Dean
or a majority of the faculty.
B. Eligibility to Vote
Tenured, tenure-track, and full-time non-tenure track clinical faculty members (as defined in Part
IV-4.E.2) may vote at a faculty meeting, except as provided in the paragraphs below.
Only tenured or tenure-track members of the faculty may vote on recommending whether a
tenured or tenure-track appointment, should be extended. (See also Parts IV-3 regarding the three
departments and IV-4 regarding the appointments process for tenure-track faculty.)
Only tenured members of the faculty in the department may vote on recommending whether
tenure should be granted to a prospective or existing member of the faculty. Only members of
the faculty who have achieved a particular rank (e.g., associate professor or full professor) in the
department may vote on recommending whether that rank should be conferred upon a
prospective or existing member of the faculty. (See also Part IV-6 on promotion, tenure, and
evaluation.)
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, December 16, 2013
Revised by the law faculty, March 6, 2023
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IV-2. Standing Committees
Adjunct Review
The Adjunct Review Committee for each department works to develop the teaching skills of
adjunct faculty in the department, to evaluate and report on their teaching, to help integrate them
into the law school community, and to make recommendations to the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs, who is responsible for hiring adjunct faculty.
Admissions
The Admissions Committee recommends to the faculty policies relating to the admission of
students and the awarding of financial aid. It also oversees the admissions process and makes
recommendations to the Dean regarding financial aid.
Appointments
The Appointments Committee recruits, screens, and consults with faculty about the hiring of
tenure-track, contract, and visiting appointments to the faculty. The Committee may assist the
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in hiring adjunct faculty.
Curriculum
The Curriculum Committee advises the faculty with respect to all curricular matters, including
course offerings and proposals concerning new academic programs. It reviews all proposals for
permanent curricular changes and makes recommendations to the faculty with respect to such
proposals.
Executive
The Executive Committee meets regularly with the Dean and Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs and advises them on various administrative and academic policy issues.
Mission Advisory
The Mission Advisory Committee schedules Mission Roundtables and determines the process
for deciding the annual Mission Awards.
Promotion and Tenure
The Promotion and Tenure Committee of each department implements the provisions of, and
may recommend changes to, the promotion and tenure code. It also recommends policies for
evaluations of all faculty, including visiting and adjunct faculty.
The departmental Tenure Committee consists of all tenured faculty members in the department.
The departmental Promotion Committee consists of all faculty members in the department who
have attained the rank for which a candidate will be applying. While these committees generally
will operate as a combined departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee, when a candidate is
being considered for promotion, only faculty members in the department who have attained the
rank for which that candidate is applying may participate in the process for that candidate.
Spiritual Life
The Spiritual Life Committee facilitates worship and spirituality within the community.
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IV-3. Departmental Structure of School of Law Faculty
A. The School of Law will be divided into three departments: the Department of Legal
Studies, the Department of Clinical Education, and the Department of Lawyering Skills.
After consulting with the faculty, the Dean will recommend, and the President will
appoint, chairs for each of these departments. The Dean will likely recommend that the
Associate Dean be appointed to chair the Department of Legal Studies, the Director of
Clinical Education be appointed to chair the Department of Clinical Education, and the
Director of Lawyering Skills be appointed to chair the Department of Lawyering Skills.
B. The fact that the School of Law is organized into departments will be virtually invisible
to anyone outside of the law school–or, for that matter, to most people inside of the law
school. It will have almost no impact on any of the operations of the School of Law,
except in the areas of appointments, promotions, and annual evaluations. We will not
refer to the departments on our website or in any of our publications. The departmental
structure is merely a technical, behind-the-scenes means to achieve our goals in a manner
that complies with University policies.
C. Except as described below or specifically provided otherwise in a University or law
school policy, all faculty working in all departments will have the same rights and
responsibilities. The law school faculty will meet as a whole, and all faculty will vote on
all matters. All committees will be committees of the entire School of Law (rather than of
individual departments), all committees will be appointed by the Dean, and all faculty
will be eligible to serve on all committees. All faculty will carry the rank of “Assistant
Professor,” “Associate Professor,” “Professor,” or “Clinical Faculty” as appropriate.
(“Clinical Faculty” are non tenure-track faculty positions defined in the UST Faculty
Handbook, Chapter 2.I.A.1.g.) All faculty will receive contracts on the same form, and all
faculty who receive tenure will receive the same tenure to the University. All of the
policies of the University and School of Law will apply to all faculty in all departments,
unless specific exceptions are made in the policies themselves.
D. American Bar Association Standard 401 states: “A law school shall have a faculty whose
qualifications and experience enable the law school to operate in compliance with the
Standards and carry out its program of legal education. The faculty shall possess a high
degree of competence, as demonstrated by academic qualification, experience in teaching
or practice, teaching effectiveness, and scholarship.”
The law school ensures compliance with this standard by maintaining minimum
qualifications for faculty. Faculty meet the minimum qualifications if (1) they have
earned a terminal degree in law (JD or a foreign equivalent) or have a terminal degree in
a closely related field, and (2) they have a record of scholarship. In appropriate cases,
faculty may have two or more years of relevant practice experience in lieu of a record of
scholarship. In exceptional cases, the dean or associate dean may deem a faculty member
qualified without the academic credential listed above and may rely on “equivalent
credentials,” including but not limited to a non-terminal degree, particular certification or
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licensure appropriate to the field (e.g., a Certificate in Cybersecurity), and at least three
years of relevant practical experience.
E. As to appointments:
1. Each department will have its own appointments committee, appointed by the
head of the department in consultation with the Dean. Each appointments
committee may be chaired by the head of the department, although it need not be.
The appointments committee of a department may include faculty from other
departments in the School of Law (or, for that matter, from other schools or
colleges in the University), and in appropriate cases School of Law staff.
However, where numbers permit, the majority of committee members should be
from the department in question, absent unusual circumstances (explained further
in Policy IV-4).
2. Each department will develop its own criteria for appointments, in consultation
with the Dean and the faculty from the other two departments. For example, the
Department of Legal Studies may decide that a record of published scholarship is
a necessity and prior practice experience is not, while the Department of Clinical
Education may decide precisely the opposite.
3. Each department’s appointments committee will screen and interview candidates
for faculty positions in that department (the “hiring department”). Candidates
invited to interview on campus will interview with all available faculty in the
hiring department. Candidates should also interview with at least some faculty
from the other two departments, to the extent determined by the hiring
department’s appointments committee.
4. Only the votes of faculty in the hiring department will be counted in determining
whether a candidate for appointment in that department has sufficient faculty
support, under Policy IV-4, Paragraph G-1, to recommend to the Dean that the
candidate be appointed. However, before voting on a candidate, the Dean and
members of the hiring department should seek input (through discussion and/or
votes) on the candidate from faculty in the other two departments who
interviewed the candidate or otherwise have knowledge about the candidate. The
votes of all departments are merely advisory to the Dean and the University
administration. The Dean makes his or her own independent recommendation to
the University administration and the final decision is made by the President.
5. After the President approves an appointment, the Dean, in consultation with the
department head, will negotiate with a candidate regarding salary, rank, and other
matters.
6. The processes for appointments are set forth more specifically in Policy IV-4.
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F. Generally speaking, promotions and tenure will be handled similarly to appointments:
1. Each department will have its own promotions and tenure committee, appointed
by the head of the department in consultation with the Dean. Each promotions and
tenure committee may be chaired by the head of the department, although it need
not be.
2. Each department will develop its own criteria for promotions and tenure, in
consultation with the Dean and the faculty from the other two departments. For
example, the Department of Legal Studies may decide to give substantially
greater weight to published scholarship than the Department of Lawyering Skills.
To be tenured, though, all faculty in all departments will have to demonstrate
substantial accomplishment in teaching, scholarship, and service, consistent with
University standards.
3. Only eligible faculty in a department will vote on whether a faculty member in
that department should be recommended for promotion and/or tenure. However,
before voting on a candidate, eligible faculty in a department should seek input
regarding the candidate from (i) faculty within the department who are not
eligible to vote on the candidate, and (ii) faculty in the other two departments.
G. The School of Law will pay what is needed to attract strong faculty. If market rates for
Legal Studies faculty are higher than those for Clinical Education faculty, or market rates
for Clinical Education faculty are higher than those for Lawyering Skills faculty, then the
salaries paid by the School of Law will reflect that fact. There is no expectation that an
entry-level faculty member in one department will be paid identically to an entry-level
faculty member in another department.
H. Likewise, there may be some differences from department to department in summer
research stipends, budgets for student research assistance, and professional development
accounts, reflecting the fact that one department may have different expectations for its
faculty than another department. In general, the School of Law will strive to provide all
faculty with what they need to be successful.
I. A faculty member in one department may teach a course in another department, with the
consent of the Associate Dean and the relevant department heads. However, no faculty
member has a right to demand to teach a course in another department, and no faculty
member has a right to demand a full-time appointment in another department. For
example, a member of the Lawyering Skills faculty cannot plead “burn out” and insist on
being appointed to the Legal Studies or Clinical Education faculty. Likewise, if the entire
Department of Clinical Education was abolished, the faculty in that department would
have no right to be appointed to another department. Of course, faculty in one department
can always apply for an opening in another department and be considered through the
regular appointments process.
J. The Director of Clinical Education and the Director of Lawyering Skills will receive joint
appointments to the Department of Legal Studies and to their respective departments.
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Adopted by the Law Faculty, July 31, 2002
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, August 8, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 12, 2002
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, December 5, 2005 and January 23, 2006
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, April 30, 2007
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, February 7, 2011
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, September 26, 2016
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, October 7, 2019
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, March 6, 2023
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IV-4. Appointments Process: Tenure Track Faculty
As indicated in Policy IV-3, new tenured, tenure-track, or non-tenure track faculty members at
the School of Law will be appointed to one of the three departments of the faculty (the
“respective department” or “the hiring department”). Each department will have its own
appointments committee and pursue the appointments process for its candidates.
The following procedures govern the appointments process for each of the three departments:
Clinical Education, Lawyering Skills and Legal Studies.
A. The Faculty Appointments Committee (“Committee”) for the respective
department will consist of at least four members of the tenured, tenure-track,
or clinical faculty.
1. The head of the department, in consultation with the Dean, will appoint all
members of the Committee and appoint one member to serve as Chair. The
Chair may be, but does not need to be, the head of the department. All
committee appointments are for one year. If a member is unable to complete
his or her term, a replacement will be appointed to serve the balance of that
term.
The majority of committee members should, when numbers permit, be from the
respective department absent unusual circumstances. However, the Committee may
include faculty from other departments in the School of Law (or, for that matter, from
other schools or colleges in the University) and in appropriate cases may include School
of Law staff. (Additional members of the Committee–such as an Affirmative Action
Representative–may be added by the University.) Any committee member who is from
outside the hiring department or who is not tenured or tenure-track shall be approved by a
two-thirds vote of the tenured and tenure-track faculty of the hiring department. If,
subject to this two-thirds approval vote, the Committee includes tenured or tenure-track
faculty from other departments in the School of Law or includes clinical faculty, those
faculty members will, for the term of their service on the Committee, have the same
voting rights as tenured and tenure-track members of the hiring department.
B. The Chair of the Committee will seek suggestions for entry-level and lateral faculty
candidates from existing members of the law faculty and will encourage existing
members of the law faculty to seek suggestions from the faculties of other law schools,
prominent lawyers and judges, and other sources. The Chair will forward any suggestions
that he or she receives to the other members of the Committee.
C. The Committee will decide, by majority vote, which candidates will be invited to
interview at the AALS Faculty Recruitment Conference and/or on campus. Members of
the Committee will conduct screening interviews at the AALS Faculty Recruitment
Conference. Committee meetings are closed to non-members, unless the Committee
decides otherwise.
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D. A candidate invited to interview on campus will generally:
1. Interview with all available members of the Committee, individually or as a
group;
2. Interview with all available full-time members of the teaching faculty, usually in
groups of three or four;
3. Interview privately with the Dean and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs,
if available;
4. Interview with members of the library staff, as a group;
5. Interview with the Vice President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee;
6. Interview with a panel of students appointed by the President of the Student
Government; and
7. Present a “job talk,” to which all administrators, faculty, senior staff, and student
panel members will be invited.
E. Participation in the faculty hiring process is among the core responsibilities of faculty eligible
to vote on faculty candidates (whether in or outside of the hiring department). Each faculty member
should make every effort to attend a faculty candidate’s scholarly presentation or at least view the
recording of that presentation prior to voting. Each faculty member should attend all deliberation
meetings on faculty candidates and vote on each candidate presented by the Appointments
Committee.
F. All faculty candidates who interview on campus will be discussed at a faculty meeting and voted
upon by those eligible to vote. The Appointments Committee may present to the faculty its
recommendations concerning whether to appoint a candidate, but there will be no separate vote on
candidates by the Appointments Committee as part of the formal appointments process. To allow
for a fuller discussion about each candidate and ensure complete deliberation among faculty
colleagues, the Appointments Committee should make reasonable best efforts to distribute all
materials, including any outside reference checks, at least 48 hours before the meeting and should
be brief in describing any of these materials that voting faculty may review for themselves.
1. The faculty will meet in executive session when deliberating about candidates. When
eligible to vote under paragraph F.3, all tenured, tenure-track faculty, and non-tenure
track full-time clinical faculty, including faculty from outside the hiring department,
may attend the executive session during deliberations about the candidate. Those who
have interviewed a candidate but who are not able to attend the executive session will
be invited to share their views with the Chair (who, in turn, will convey those views at
the executive session) or at a faculty meeting (prior to the beginning of the executive
session).
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2. Motion to postpone:
a. The Appointments Committee may call for a vote on a particular
candidate at any time, including scheduling a vote on an individual candidate
before other candidates have been interviewed. The Appointments Committee
may determine that an earlier vote on a particular candidate is appropriate
because that candidate has received other offers, because the faculty as a whole
appears to have developed a strong consensus that this is a superior candidate,
or because the Appointments Committee believes this candidate is superior to
those who have yet to be interviewed. As discussed below, however, if a
majority of the voting faculty do not wish to take a vote on that individual
candidate at that time, a motion to postpone may be approved.
b. When a vote is called by the Appointments Committee on an individual
candidate for a faculty position, any voting faculty member (in or outside of the
hiring department) may move to postpone the vote. If a majority of voting
faculty (in and outside of the hiring department) approve the motion to
postpone, the vote on that individual candidate is postponed. However, a motion
to postpone a vote on a particular candidate is a motion only to move that
candidate to the end of the line for voting, and any postponement may not be
extended beyond the hiring season.
c. In addition, any voting faculty member (in or outside of the hiring
department) may move to postpone votes on all candidates, that is, to separate
the deliberation and voting meetings. Voting will be postponed to no earlier
than the following weekday if a majority of the voting faculty (in and outside of
the hiring department) approve the motion.
3. Only tenured or tenure-track members of the faculty may vote on
recommending whether an appointment to the tenured or tenure-track faculty
should be made. Only tenured members of the faculty may vote on whether
such an appointment should be tenured. See [Policy on “Eligibility to Vote”].
When a two-thirds majority of the tenured and tenure-track faculty in a
department and the dean conclude that special circumstances so warrant, a “full-
time non-tenure track clinical faculty” position may be created in that
department, defined as meaning that at least 75 percent of the clinical faculty
member’s time will be devoted to faculty duties (teaching, professional
engagement, or service) and no more than 25 percent to non-faculty
administrative/staff responsibilities. All tenured, tenure-track faculty, and non-
tenure track full-time clinical faculty may vote on recommending whether an
appointment to the position of clinical faculty should be made.
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4. All tenured, tenure-track faculty, and non-tenure track full-time clinical faculty who
are eligible under paragraph F-3 may cast a vote on recommending whether to
appoint a candidate. However, pursuant to paragraph G below, only the votes of
members of the hiring department constitute a formal recommendation to the Dean
concerning whether to appoint to candidate. Only the votes of members of the hiring
department will be considered in determining whether, under paragraph G-1, the
candidate has the required support from the faculty to permit a recommendation by
the Dean to the University that the candidate by appointed.
5. Voting must be by secret ballot. Proxy ballots are not permitted; only those who
have attended the meeting and listened to substantially all of the discussion
regarding a candidate will be permitted to vote on that candidate.
6. The ballots will be counted and the results announced at the faculty meeting. The
Dean will announce only (a) the total vote concerning the candidate and (b)
whether the candidate has sufficient votes from members of the hiring
department, under paragraph G-1, to support a recommendation by the Dean to
the University that the candidate be appointed. The results will be kept
confidential within the faculty. Except as permitted by this policy or by the Dean,
neither the results of any vote nor any comments made about a particular
candidate will be disclosed to any person who is not a full-time member of the
teaching faculty. The minutes of the meeting will state only that the faculty met in
executive session; the minutes will not describe the results of any votes or any
comments made about particular candidates.
F. All votes regarding candidates are advisory only. Such votes represent the
recommendation of the respective department’s faculty to the Dean and the Executive
Vice President regarding whether a candidate should be offered a faculty appointment–
and, if so, whether the appointment should be tenured.
G. The Dean will make an independent recommendation to the Executive Vice President
regarding whether a candidate should be offered a faculty appointment–and, if so,
whether the appointment should be tenured.
1. In the absence of exceptional circumstances, the Dean will not recommend the
appointment of a candidate unless:
a. Two-thirds of those tenured and tenure-track faculty members in the hiring
department who are present and voting at the meeting vote to recommend
the appointment of the candidate; and
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b. Those tenured and tenure-track faculty members present and voting to
recommend the appointment of the candidate represent a majority of all
tenured and tenure-track faculty in residence in the hiring department.
2. In the absence of exceptional circumstances, the Dean will not recommend that a
candidate be offered tenure unless:
a. Two-thirds of those tenured faculty members in the hiring department who
are present and voting at the meeting vote to recommend that the
candidate be offered tenure; and
b. Those tenured faculty members present and voting to recommend that the
candidate be offered tenure represent a majority of all tenured faculty in
the hiring department.
H. After receiving the recommendations of the law faculty and the Dean, the Executive Vice
President will make his or her own recommendation to the President, who makes the final
decision regarding whether a candidate will be offered an appointment and whether that
appointment will be tenured or untenured.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, July 18, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 6, 2002
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, December 5, 2005 and January 23, 2006
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, February 7, 2011
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, March 6, 2023
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IV-5. Appointments Process: Dean
All dean candidates who interview on campus will be discussed at a faculty meeting and voted
on by those eligible to vote. The eligible voting faculty will meet in executive session when
deliberating about candidates. Only tenured, tenure-track and clinical members of the faculty
may vote on recommending whether an appointment as dean (including appointment to the law
faculty) is acceptable. To be found acceptable, a dean candidate must receive the votes of two-
thirds of the eligible voting faculty who are present and voting at the meeting. Voting must be by
secret ballot. Only those who have attended the meeting, either in person or when unable to
attend in person for good reason, by telephone or video conference, and listened to substantially
all of the discussion regarding a dean candidate will be permitted to vote on that candidate. Only
tenured members of the hiring department may vote on recommending whether an appointment
as dean includes appointment as a tenured faculty member (which vote is by simple majority of
tenured faculty members in the hiring department who are present and voting at the meeting).
Adopted by the Law Faculty, February 13, 2012
Amendments approved by the Law Faculty, March 6, 2023
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IV-6. Promotion, Tenure and Evaluation
The faculty of the University of St. Thomas School of Law (“School of Law”) are generally
bound by the University of St. Thomas's Policies Governing Faculty Rank, Tenure, and
Evaluations, as set forth in Chapters 4 and 5 of the University’s Faculty Handbook (“University
Policy”). However, the University Policy was adopted before the reopening of the School of
Law, and thus the University Policy does not reflect the fact that the rank and tenure policies of
most American law schools differ substantially from the rank and tenure policies of other
institutions of higher education. In order to attract and retain strong faculty, the School of Law’s
policy varies in some respects from the University Policy.
A. Timing of Promotion and Tenure Decisions/Evaluation Decisions
1. Entry level faculty will typically be hired at the rank of Assistant Professor of
Law.
2. Promotion to Associate Professor of Law will occur upon the successful
completion of the first triennial review. [This is a variance from the six-year
period for service as an Assistant Professor in Chapters 4.III.A. and 5.I.A. of the
University Policy.]
3. An Associate Professor of Law will be eligible for tenure after a total of six years
on the faculty of the School of Law. The tenure decision will coincide with the
second triennial review.
4. A tenured faculty member may seek promotion to Professor of Law only if he or
she has had two articles or their equivalents published or accepted for publication
within any three-year period after being granted tenure. [This is a variance from
the six-year period for service as an Associate Professor in Chapter 5.I.B. of the
University Policy. It is also a variance from Chapter 5.II.B.5., which requires at
least three pieces of substantive work since the promotion to Associate Professor.]
5. Consistent with the University Policy, a prospective faculty member may
negotiate exceptions to these policies with the Dean, subject to the approval of the
Executive Vice President and Provost.
B. Criteria Applicable to Promotion and Tenure Decisions
1. General Criteria
a. A candidate for promotion or tenure must demonstrate commitment to the
mission and vision of the School of Law and excellence in teaching,
engaging the profession, and service to the University, the legal
profession, and the community.
b. A candidate may demonstrate commitment to the mission and vision of
the School of Law in a wide variety of ways, such as by encouraging
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students to integrate their faith and values into their professional lives,
publishing scholarship that integrates faith and ethics into the study of law,
or providing service to the disadvantaged. To be promoted or tenured, a
candidate must demonstrate that he or she has undertaken ongoing efforts,
individually and in concert with others, to advance the mission and vision
of the School of Law. Conduct that is inimical to the mission and vision of
the School of Law is grounds for denial of promotion or tenure.
c. Guidelines describing what demonstrates “excellence” in teaching,
engaging the profession, and service, together with commitment to the
mission and vision of the School of Law, are set forth in Part IV-7,
“Promotion and Tenure: Specific Standards for the School of Law.”
2. Criteria for Promotion to Associate Professor of Law
a. Teaching
i. To be promoted to Associate Professor of Law, a candidate must
demonstrate that he or she is making reasonable progress toward
becoming an accomplished teacher.
ii. A faculty member applying for promotion to Associate Professor
must submit at least one peer review of his or her teaching for each
year of tenure-track teaching (by at least two different reviewers).
In consultation with the Department Chair, the faculty member
may ask any member of her or his discipline or a closely-related
field of expertise within the University to be a reviewer. In special
circumstances, reviewers external to the University may be
selected with approval of the Department Chair. If the faculty
member is the Department Chair, consultation regarding peer
reviewers will take place with the Dean. The Dean may not be a
reviewer.
Peer review consists of an examination of course syllabi, selected
materials, and classroom observations for knowledge, accuracy,
appropriateness and command of content, planning and
organization, use of teaching strategies that create a learning
environment, clarity and effectiveness of communication. In a
written report, the reviewer will also identify the faculty member’s
strengths and areas for continuing development.
During the year prior to submission of the application for
promotion, the three-peer panel review substitutes for the
individual peer review.
iii. The faculty candidate’s teaching shall be reviewed by three peer
reviewers in the academic year prior to the academic year in which
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the faculty member will be a candidate for promotion to Associate
Professor. The candidate shall select the first reviewer. If the
person selected by the candidate declines to be a reviewer, the
candidate shall make another selection. The departmental
Promotion and Tenure Committee shall select the second reviewer.
The Dean shall select the third reviewer. The Dean may not be a
reviewer. Reviewers shall be selected from among the tenured
faculty in the School of Law. In special circumstances, with
approval of the Chair of the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee and the Dean, the faculty candidate may select a
tenured faculty member from elsewhere in the University or from
outside the University.
Before visiting a class session, the reviewer should meet with the
faculty candidate to discuss the syllabus, text, and general
philosophy of what the faculty candidate is trying to accomplish in
the course, as well as the goals of the specific class session to be
observed. After visiting the class session, the reviewer should meet
again with the faculty candidate to briefly discuss the class session.
The criteria for the peer review are those set forth in “Promotion
and Tenure: Specific Standards for the Law School,” Section IV-
7.I. Based on these criteria, the faculty reviewers shall write a joint
report which reflects the observations each of them has made and
which becomes part of the candidate’s portfolio.
A copy of the peer review report shall be provided to the faculty
candidate, who may file a written response that will be included in
the candidate’s portfolio. Copies of any response must be sent to
the reviewers, the Chair of the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee, and the Dean.
b. Engaging the Profession
i. To be promoted to Associate Professor of Law, a candidate must
demonstrate that, by the spring of his or her third year on the
faculty of the School of Law, he or she has published or had
accepted for publication at least one article or its equivalent. The
candidate must also demonstrate that he or she has made progress
toward completing a second article or its equivalent. [This is a
variance from Chapter V.II.B.4 which requires at least two pieces
of substantive work for promotion to Associate Professor.]
ii. The scholarly work of the candidate must provide evidence that the
candidate has undertaken an important research agenda and is
making reasonable progress on that agenda.
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iii. To assist it in making this determination, the Promotion and
Tenure Committee of the respective department will seek external
reviews of the candidate’s scholarship from at least four experts in
the faculty member’s field(s).
(a) Two of these external reviewers shall be chosen from a list
of at least six names submitted by the candidate.
(b) The remaining external reviewers shall be selected by the
Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee.
(c) The candidate may also list the names of up to three
scholars who should not be solicited, due to the candidate’s
belief that they would not be able to provide an objective
evaluation of the candidate’s work.
(d) No external reviewer may hold an appointment at the
University of St. Thomas. The external reviewer may not
have a direct connection with the candidate, which is
typically defined as having ever had a faculty or student
relationship with the candidate (which does not include
merely having been a student in a large law school section
course taught by that person), having ever been a co-author
with the candidate, or any other professional or personal
relationship of comparable closeness. Faculty who have
served on a professional committee or conference panel
with the candidate would be appropriate external reviewers.
If there is doubt about a given relationship between the
candidate and a prospective reviewer, a determination on
suitability will be made by the department Promotion and
Tenure Committee.
(e) In Legal Studies, external reviewers shall be tenured
faculty at an ABA-accredited law school. For Legal
Studies, with prior approval of the Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee and the
Dean, the faculty candidate may include on the list of six
names a nationally-recognized scholar who is not affiliated
with an educational institution or a scholar who holds a
tenured faculty position in another discipline with expertise
in the field(s) of the candidate’s work.
(f) External reviewers shall be solicited by the Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee. The
external reviewer’s willingness to provide a letter will be
confirmed by a standard letter that is available for
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candidate review (without the names and addresses of the
external reviewers).
(g) External reviewers will be asked to provide an independent
assessment of one or more of the faculty candidate’s works
and to evaluate whether the faculty member has addressed
an important point in his or her chosen field and has
demonstrated the potential to have a substantial impact on
that field. External peer reviewers will not be asked to
make a direct recommendation as to whether promotion to
Associate Professor at the University of St. Thomas should
be granted. It will instead be the job of the departmental
Promotion and Tenure Committee to interpret and place in
context the external letters of evaluation. Evaluations of
suitability for promotion are made within the University of
St. Thomas, with reference to the external letters and in
accordance with “Promotion and Tenure: Specific
Standards for the Law School,” Section IV-7.II. The
external reviewers’ confidential assessments will be placed
in the candidate’s file.
(h) In order to protect the confidentiality of external reviewers
to the greatest extent possible, the assessment and
recommendations written by the departmental Promotion
and Tenure Committee, by the Dean, and by the
University’s Promotion and Tenure Committee will make
no reference by name to the authors of the external letters
of evaluation, though they will refer to the substance of
those assessments in coming to their own conclusions.
c. Service
i. To be promoted to Associate Professor of Law, a candidate must
demonstrate that he or she provided service to the University, the
legal profession, or the community.
ii. In order to better collect information on the quality of service
rendered to the Department and to the University by a candidate,
the departmental Committee on Promotion and Tenure may ask
committee chairs (or, in the absence of the chair, another member
of the committee) on which the candidate has served in the last
four years to submit a letter describing the quality of the
candidate’s service on that committee. Quality shall be judged by
impact, which will mean (at a minimum) attending meetings and
making a contribution. To document other types of service,
including service outside of the University itself (where such
service has been agreed as being of relevance to the case for tenure
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or promotion), letters on the quality of service may be solicited
from other individuals named by the candidate or provided directly
by the candidate. In the assessment of Department Chairs, the
departmental Committee on Promotion & and Tenure shall ask the
Dean or the Chair of the Department for comment on the quality of
the candidate’s service in that role.
3. Criteria for Granting of Tenure
a. Teaching
i. To be granted tenure, a candidate must demonstrate that he or she
is an accomplished teacher.
ii. A faculty member applying for tenure must submit a peer review
of his or her teaching for each year on the tenure track. In
consultation with the Department Chair, the faculty member may
ask any faculty member of her or his discipline or a closely-related
field of expertise within the University to be a reviewer. In special
circumstances, reviewers external to the University may be
selected with approval of the Department Chair. If the faculty
member is the Department Chair, consultation regarding peer
reviewers will take place with the Dean. The Dean may not be a
reviewer.
Peer review consists of an examination of course syllabi, selected
materials, and classroom observations for knowledge, accuracy,
appropriateness and command of content, planning and
organization, use of teaching strategies that create a learning
environment, clarity and effectiveness of communication. In a
written report, the reviewer will also identify the faculty member’s
strengths and areas for continuing development.
During the year prior to submission of the application for tenure,
the three-peer panel review substitutes for the individual peer
review.
iii. The faculty candidate’s teaching shall be reviewed by three peer
reviewers in the academic year prior to the academic year in which
the faculty member will be a candidate for tenure. The candidate
shall select the first reviewer. If the person selected by the
candidate declines to be a reviewer, the candidate shall make
another selection. The departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee shall select the second reviewer. The Dean shall select
the third reviewer. The Dean may not be a reviewer. Reviewers
shall be selected from among the tenured faculty of the School of
Law. In special circumstances, with approval of the Chair of the
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departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Dean, the
faculty candidate may select a tenured faculty member from
elsewhere in the University or from outside the University.
Before visiting a class session, the reviewer should meet with the
faculty candidate to discuss the syllabus, text, and general
philosophy of what the faculty candidate is trying to accomplish in
the course, as well as the goals of the specific class session to be
observed. After visiting the class session, the reviewer should meet
again with the faculty candidate to briefly discuss the class session.
The criteria for the peer review are those set forth in “Promotion
and Tenure: Specific Standards for the Law School,” Section IV-
7.I. Based on these criteria, the faculty reviewers shall write a joint
report which reflects the observations each of them has made and
which becomes part of the candidate’s portfolio.
A copy of the peer review report shall be provided to the faculty
candidate, who may file a written response that will be included in
the candidate’s portfolio. Copies of any response must be sent to
the reviewers, the Chair of the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee, and the Dean.
b. Engaging the Profession.
i. To be granted tenure, a candidate must demonstrate that, by
September 15 of his or her sixth year on the faculty of the School
of Law, he or she has published or had accepted for publication at
least three articles or their equivalents. Articles published or
accepted for publication prior to the candidate's promotion to
Associate Professor of Law are included in this total. [This is a
variance from Chapter 4.V.C.1 which requires at least two pieces
of substantive work for tenure.]
ii. The scholarly work of the candidate must provide evidence of
significant and influential scholarly accomplishment and the
promise of continued achievement in scholarship.
iii. To assist it in making this determination, the Promotion and
Tenure Committee of the respective department will seek external
reviews from at least four experts in the faculty member’s field(s)
of any of the candidate’s scholarship that has not already been the
subject of an external review. The Promotion and Tenure
Committee may, at its discretion, request additional external
reviews of any of the candidate’s scholarship that has already been
the subject of an external review.
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(a) Two of these external reviewers shall be chosen from a list
of at least six names submitted by the candidate.
(b) The remaining external reviewers shall be selected by the
Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee.
(c) The candidate may also list the names of up to three
scholars who should not be solicited, due to the candidate’s
belief that they would not be able to provide an objective
evaluation of the candidate’s work.
(d) No external reviewer may hold an appointment at the
University of St. Thomas. The external reviewer may not
have a direct connection with the candidate, which is
typically defined as having ever had a faculty or student
relationship with the candidate (which does not include
merely having been a student in a large law school section
course taught by that person), having ever been a co-author
with the candidate, or any other professional or personal
relationship of comparable closeness. Faculty who have
served on a professional committee or conference panel
with the candidate would be appropriate external reviewers.
If there is doubt about a given relationship between the
candidate and a prospective reviewer, a determination on
suitability will be made by the departmental Promotion and
Tenure Committee.
(e) In Legal Studies, external reviewers shall be tenured
faculty at an ABA-accredited law school. For Legal
Studies, with prior approval of the Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee and the
Dean, the faculty candidate may include on the list of six
names a nationally-recognized scholar who is not affiliated
with an educational institution or a scholar who holds a
tenured faculty position in another discipline with expertise
in the field(s) of the candidate’s work.
(f) External reviewers shall be solicited by the Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee. The
external reviewer’s willingness to provide a letter will be
confirmed by a standard letter that is available for
candidate review (without the names and addresses of the
external reviewers).
(g) External reviewers will be asked to provide an independent
assessment of one or more of the faculty candidate’s works
and to evaluate whether the faculty member has provided
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evidence of significant and influential scholarly
accomplishment and the promise of continued achievement
in scholarship. External peer reviewers will not be asked to
make a direct recommendation as to whether tenure at the
University of St. Thomas should be granted. It will instead
be the job of the departmental review committee to
interpret and place in context the external letters of
evaluation. Evaluations of suitability for tenure are made
within the University of St. Thomas, with reference to the
external letters and in accordance with “Promotion and
Tenure: Specific Standards for the Law School,” Section
IV-7.II. The external reviewers’ confidential assessments
will be placed in the candidate’s file.
(h) In order to protect the confidentiality of external reviewers
to the greatest extent possible, the assessment and
recommendations written by the departmental Promotion
and Tenure Committee, by the Dean, and by the
University’s Promotion and Tenure Committee will make
no reference by name to the authors of the external letters
of evaluation, though they will refer to the substance of
those assessments in coming to their own conclusions.
c. Service
i. To be granted tenure, a candidate must demonstrate that he or she
provided significant service to the University, the legal profession,
or the community.
ii. In order to better collect information on the quality of service
rendered to the Department and to the University by a candidate,
the departmental Committee on Promotion and Tenure may ask
committee chairs (or, in the absence of the chair, another member
of the committee) on which the candidate has served in the last
four years to submit a letter describing the quality of the
candidate’s service on that committee. Quality shall be judged by
impact, which will mean (at a minimum) attending meetings and
making a contribution. To document other types of service,
including service outside of the University itself (where such
service has been agreed as being of relevance to the case for tenure
or promotion), letters on the quality of service may be solicited
from other individuals named by the candidate or provided directly
by the candidate. In the assessment of Department Chairs, the
departmental Committee on Promotion and Tenure shall ask the
Dean or the Chair of the Department for comment on the quality of
the candidate’s service in that role.
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4. Criteria for Promotion to (Full) Professor of Law
a. Teaching
i. To be promoted to Professor of Law, a candidate must demonstrate
that he or she continues to be an accomplished teacher.
ii. A faculty member applying for promotion to professor must
submit peer reviews of his or her teaching for four preceding years
(by at least two different reviewers). In consultation with the
Department Chair, the faculty member may ask any faculty
member of her or his discipline or a closely-related field of
expertise within the University to be a reviewer. In special
circumstances, reviewers external to the University may be
selected with approval of the Department Chair. If the faculty
member is the Department Chair, consultation regarding peer
reviewers will take place with the Dean. The Dean may not be a
reviewer.
Peer review consists of an examination of course syllabi, selected
materials, and classroom observations for knowledge, accuracy,
appropriateness and command of content, planning and
organization, use of teaching strategies that create a learning
environment, clarity and effectiveness of communication. In a
written report, the reviewer will also identify the faculty member’s
strengths and areas for continuing development.
During the year prior to submission of the application for
promotion to Professor of Law, the three-peer panel review
substitutes for the individual peer review.
iii. The faculty candidate’s teaching shall be reviewed by three peer
reviewers in the academic year prior to the academic year in which
the faculty member will be a candidate for promotion to Professor
of Law. The candidate shall select the first reviewer. If the person
selected by the candidate declines to be a reviewer, the candidate
shall make another selection. The departmental Promotion and
Tenure Committee shall select the second reviewer. The Dean shall
select the third reviewer. Reviewers shall be selected from among
the tenured faculty in the School of Law. The Dean may not be a
reviewer. In special circumstances, with approval of the Chair of
the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Dean,
the faculty candidate may select a tenured faculty member from
elsewhere in the University or from outside the University.
Before visiting a class session, the reviewer should meet with the
faculty candidate to discuss the syllabus, text, and general
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philosophy of what the faculty candidate is trying to accomplish in
the course, as well as the goals of the specific class session to be
observed. After visiting the class session, the reviewer should meet
again with the faculty candidate to briefly discuss the class session.
The criteria for the peer review are those set forth in “Promotion
and Tenure: Specific Standards for the Law School”, Section IV-
7.I. Based on these criteria, the faculty reviewers shall write a joint
report which reflects the observations each of them has made and
which becomes part of the candidate’s portfolio.
A copy of the peer review report shall be provided to the faculty
candidate, who may file a written response that will be included in
the candidate’s portfolio. Copies of any response must be sent to
the reviewers, the Chair of the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee, and the Dean.
b. Engaging the Profession
i. To be promoted to Professor of Law, a candidate must demonstrate
that he or she has had two articles or their equivalents published or
accepted for publication within any three-year period after
September 1 of the academic year in which he or she was
considered for tenure (which articles must be in addition to any
previously included in the portfolio submitted in support of
tenure). If a candidate has produced two additional articles or their
equivalents, he or she may elect to be considered for promotion to
Professor of Law as early as the succeeding academic year after
the academic year in which he or she was considered for tenure.
[This is a variance from Chapter 5.II.B.5, which requires at least
three pieces of substantive work after promotion to Associate
Professor.]
ii. The scholarly work of the candidate must provide evidence that the
candidate has achieved a national reputation in his or her field.
iii. To assist it in making this determination, the Promotion and
Tenure Committee of the respective department will seek external
reviews from at least four experts in the faculty member’s field(s)
of any of the candidate’s scholarship that has not already been the
subject of an external review. The Promotion and Tenure
Committee may, at its discretion, request additional external
reviews of any of the candidate’s scholarship that has already been
the subject of an external review.
(a) Two of these external reviewers shall be chosen from a list
of at least six names submitted by the candidate.
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(b) The remaining external reviewers shall be selected by the
Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee.
(c) The candidate may also list the names of up to three
scholars who should not be solicited, due to the candidate’s
belief that they would not be able to provide an objective
evaluation of the candidate’s work.
(d) No external reviewer may hold an appointment at the
University of St. Thomas. The external reviewer may not
have a direct connection with the candidate, which is
typically defined as having ever had a faculty or student
relationship with the candidate (which does not include
merely having been a student in a large law school section
course taught by that person), having ever been a co-author
with the candidate, or any other professional or personal
relationship of comparable closeness. Faculty who have
served on a professional committee or conference panel
with the candidate would be appropriate external reviewers.
If there is doubt about a given relationship between the
candidate and a prospective reviewer, a determination on
suitability will be made by the department Promotion and
Tenure Committee.
(e) In Legal Studies, external reviewers shall be tenured
faculty at an ABA-accredited law school. For Legal
Studies, with prior approval of the Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee and the
Dean, the faculty candidate may include on the list of six
names a nationally-recognized scholar who is not affiliated
with an educational institution or a scholar who holds a
tenured faculty position in another discipline with expertise
in the field(s) of the candidate’s work.
(f) External reviewers shall be solicited by the Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee. The
external reviewer’s willingness to provide a letter will be
confirmed by a standard letter that is available for
candidate review (without the names and addresses of the
external reviewers).
(g) External reviewers will be asked to provide an independent
assessment of one or more of the faculty candidate’s works
and to evaluate whether the faculty member has achieved a
national reputation in his or her field. External peer
reviewers will not be asked to make a direct
recommendation as to whether promotion to Professor of
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Law at the University of St. Thomas should be granted. It
will instead be the job of the departmental review
committee to interpret and place in context the external
letters of evaluation. Evaluations of suitability for
promotion are made within the University of St. Thomas,
with reference to the external letters and in accordance with
“Promotion and Tenure: Specific Standards for the Law
School,” Section IV-7.II. The external reviewers’
confidential assessments will be placed in the candidate’s
file.
(h) In order to protect the confidentiality of external reviewers
to the greatest extent possible, the assessment and
recommendations written by the departmental Promotion
and Tenure Committee, by the Dean, and by the
University’s Promotion and Tenure Committee will make
no reference by name to the authors of the external letters
of evaluation, though they will refer to the substance of
those assessments in coming to their own conclusions.
c. Service
i. To be promoted to Professor of Law, a candidate must demonstrate
that he or she has continued to provide significant service to the
University, the legal profession, or the community.
ii. In order to better collect information on the quality of service
rendered to the Department and to the University by a candidate,
the departmental Committee on Promotion and Tenure may ask
committee chairs (or, in the absence of the chair, another member
of the committee) on which the candidate has served in the last
four years to submit a letter describing the quality of the
candidate’s service on that committee. Quality shall be judged by
impact, which will mean (at a minimum) attending meetings and
making a contribution. To document other types of service,
including service outside of the University itself (where such
service has been agreed as being of relevance to the case for tenure
or promotion), letters on the quality of service may be solicited
from other individuals named by the candidate or provided directly
by the candidate. In the assessment of Department Chairs, the
departmental Committee on Promotion and Tenure shall ask the
Dean or the Chair of the Department for comment on the quality of
the candidate’s service in that role.
C. Confidentiality
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External reviews will be made available to the candidate, and the candidate will be given an
opportunity to respond to those reviews. However, the reviews will be redacted so that the
identity of the reviewer is not disclosed to the candidate. The Dean, the Chair of the Promotion
and Tenure Committee of the respective department, and the members of that Promotion and
Tenure Committee will not disclose the identity of external reviewers to the candidate or any
other person who is not directly involved in deciding whether the candidate will be promoted or
tenured.
D. Use of “Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate from an accredited institution”
In the University Policy, the phrase “Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate from an accredited
institution” will be defined to include the Juris Doctor when the University Policy is being
applied to the faculty of the School of Law.
E. Third-Year/Triennial Review for Faculty Candidates Not Simultaneously Seeking
Promotion
When a faculty candidate is being evaluated as part of the third-year/triennial review process, but
is not simultaneously seeking promotion, the review shall proceed according to the standards and
procedures applicable for a faculty candidate seeking promotion to Associate Professor.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, February 19, 2003
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, May 17, 2004 and April 30, 2007
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, February 7, 2011
Amendments Approved by the Law Faculty, December 16, 2013
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IV-7. Promotion and Tenure: Specific Standards for the School of Law
Promotion, review, and tenure at the University of St. Thomas School of Law are based upon
four broad categories of performance: teaching accomplishment; research and scholarship;
service to the institution, to the profession, and to the community; and commitment to the
mission and vision of the School of Law. Sections I, II, and III below articulate the standards on
teaching, scholarship, and service. With respect to the category of commitment to the mission
and vision, Part IV-6 emphasizes that “[t]o be promoted or tenured, a candidate must
demonstrate that he or she has undertaken ongoing efforts, individually and in concert with
others, to advance the mission and vision of the School of Law.” The policy offers the following
as examples of demonstrated commitment to the mission and vision: “encouraging students to
integrate their faith and values into their professional lives, publishing scholarship that integrates
faith and ethics into the study of law, or providing service to the disadvantaged.” While not every
aspect of instruction, scholarly work, or service need be directly related to the School of Law’s
mission and vision, the candidate must demonstrate that commitment through some regular and
ongoing element of his or her academic or professional life.
The individual statements below setting forth standards on teaching, scholarship, and service -
must be interpreted in light of the significance of tenure. Recommendation for tenure is a
recognition by the faculty and administration of the University of St. Thomas School of Law that
the individual to whom it is awarded has demonstrated qualities and achievements that embody
the ideals and mission of the School of Law and that continued excellence in professional
performance may be anticipated. For that reason, in making promotion, review, and tenure
evaluations, an attempt must be made to judge not only the quality of the candidate’s past
teaching, existing scholarly production, history of service, and reported advancement of mission,
but also the candidate’s commitment to and capability of achieving sustained teaching
excellence, continuing and significant scholarly engagement, ongoing meaningful service, and
enduring dedication to the mission, all as essential elements of academic life at this institution.
The burden of persuasion remains always upon the candidate.
I. Teaching
A. General Expectations for Teaching
1. Expectation of Teaching Accomplishment. Part IV-6 provides that a
candidate for tenure must demonstrate excellence in teaching. A candidate
for associate professor “must demonstrate that he or she is making
reasonable progress toward becoming an accomplished teacher.”
2. University Expectations for Teaching. Part IV-6 provides the following
summary of teaching expectations: “Effective teaching presumes currency,
breadth, and depth of knowledge. In addition, St. Thomas expects its
faculty to communicate information, ideas and values by using teaching
methods and techniques that recognize a variety of learning styles, cultural
backgrounds, and instructional settings. Whenever possible, faculty should
approach teaching with an intent to demonstrate the inter-relatedness of
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disciplines and of learning. Instructional and curricular innovations that
are directed to these goals should be developed. Likewise, faculty should
provide ways for students to become actively engaged in the work of the
discipline(s). Recognizing that much learning goes on outside of the
classroom, faculty should also be effective and skillful formal and
informal advisors to students.”
3. School of Law General Expectations for Teaching. In the School of Law,
instruction should develop students’ knowledge, understanding, and
critical appraisal of various substantive areas of law, the legal system as a
whole including its institutions and decision-making processes, the
interrelationships between the legal system and other social institutions,
the ideas and historical events that have shaped the law and legal system,
the integration of faith into an understanding of the law and professional
life, and the moral obligations and professional responsibilities of lawyers,
as well as essential skills in legal analysis, legal research and writing, oral
and written advocacy, problem-solving, negotiation, and counseling.
B. Specific Expectations for Teaching: Specific expectations concerning
teaching excellence in the School of Law for Legal Studies faculty include the
following components.
1. Knowledge of the Subject Matter. The accomplished professor both will
have a command of the subject, demonstrating breadth and depth of
knowledge, and will remain current on developments in the field.
2. Integration of Faith and Values. The accomplished professor will in a
manner appropriate to the course integrate faith and values by (1)
facilitating discussion of the relevance of faith and values to the questions
raised in class, (2) encouraging students’ integration of their faith and
deepest ethical principles into their professional character and identity, (3)
preparing students to become accomplished servant leaders in the practice
of law, in the judiciary, in public and community service, in business, and
in education, and (4) and enhancing the professional responsibility of
students.
3. Planning and Organization. The accomplished professor will be
effective in organizing the study of the subject, including defining
instructional objectives, being well-prepared for each class, preparing
appropriate syllabi and materials, covering material consistently so that
large amounts of material are not left for the end of the semester, and
structuring the classroom discussion in a manner that facilitates learning.
4. Planning, Organization, and Supervision of Clinical Casework. The
accomplished professor will be effective in acquiring client caseloads that
balance the purpose of providing educational opportunities with the need
to provide service to the larger community and the necessity of faculty
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research and scholarship. The accomplished professor will also be an
effective supervisor of certified student work with clients, balancing
professional obligation to clients with student responsibility for casework.
5. Creating a Learning Environment. The accomplished professor will
create a classroom or clinical environment that is conducive to learning
and motivates students to learn, making effective use of different teaching
methods and technology as appropriate.
6. Fostering Student Development and Engagement. The accomplished
professor will foster student engagement in the classroom, or for clinical
legal education faculty in case team meetings and the clinical program as a
whole, and stimulate critical analysis by students.
7. Effective Communication. The accomplished professor, by being
organized and understandable in communication of concepts by lecture,
questioning, or moderation of student discussion as appropriate, will
effectively and clearly communicate with students.
8. Developing Student Communication Skills. The accomplished professor
will assist students in developing oral and written communication skills
through facilitating classroom participation, preparation of papers, client
casework and representation, and other means as appropriate to the course.
The accomplished professor will provide meaningful and appropriate
critique of students’ papers, oral presentations, client casework, and
classroom preparation, as pertinent.
9. Receptivity and Availability to Students. The accomplished professor
will be reasonably available to students, including being receptive to
student questions, maintaining regular office hours, offering advice to
students on academic and professional matters, and reviewing student
examinations and papers. The accomplished clinical legal education
professor will be reasonably available to students by scheduling regular
meetings for casework review and student evaluation, being receptive to
student questions, maintaining availability for appointments with students
not currently enrolled in clinical coursework, offering advice to students
on academic and professional matters, and reviewing student casework
and other clinical responsibilities.
10. Fairly Evaluating Student Performance. The accomplished professor
will fairly evaluate student performance, including (as pertinent to the
course) devising appropriate examinations; developing guidelines for
student papers or presentations; impartially grading student examinations,
papers, or presentations; or devising and using appropriate tools for
reviewing and evaluating such areas of clinical performance as student
goal definition and execution, professional responsibility, and case
responsibility.
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11. Diligence in Meeting Teaching Obligations. The accomplished professor
will be diligent in meeting teaching obligations, including generally
beginning and ending class on time; canceling classes only when
necessary due to academic or professional conflicts, religious holidays,
illness, or other exigent circumstances; generally scheduling a make-up
class or other means of replacing a canceled class; and timely submission
of grades.
12. Educational Innovation. A professor is encouraged to develop new
courses or segments of courses, or prepare innovative teaching materials,
such as clinical simulations, problems sets, skills exercises, computer-
based materials, and audiovisual materials. Although these activities are
not required, they will be considered as favorable evidence of superior
teaching ability.
II. Scholarship
A. General Expectations for Scholarship
1. University Expectation for Professional Engagement. Part IV-6
includes the following general statement on engaging the profession:
“Since the primary professional responsibility of the St. Thomas faculty
member is the creation and enrichment of the university’s learning
community, it follows that a corollary expectation is engagement with the
discipline. The vital center of any university is the expression of the life of
the mind that results from engaging the profession. That engagement is the
source of the community’s intellectual vitality and connects it with the
national and international world of scholarship. That connection means,
too, that it is from peers at St. Thomas and at institutions around the world
that we receive evaluation of our achievements as teacher/scholars.”
2. School of Law Expectation for Professional Engagement. The School
of Law expects that its faculty members will engage in research and will
disseminate that research through published scholarship. The process of
research and scholarship is particularly important to the professional
growth and development of untenured faculty members for four reasons.
First, as expressed in the Vision Statement of the University of St. Thomas
School of Law, scholarly engagement “expand[s] knowledge about law
and society and . . . [contributes to] the improvement of legal institutions
and other organizations.” Second, research activities and the publication of
scholarship contribute to a faculty member’s expertise and can enhance
the quality of his or her teaching. Similarly, through the dissemination of
his or her scholarship, a faculty member can extend the reach of his or her
teaching to a new and larger audience. Third, the quality of scholarship is
a significant indication of the quality of the mind that produces it.
Therefore, evidence of scholarly ability and continual productivity are
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indications that a faculty member is capable of, and committed to, a career
of intellectual and professional engagement. Fourth, as stated in the May
13, 1999 Resolution of the University of St. Thomas Board of Trustees
which authorized reopening of the School of Law, the University was
committed, inter alia, to “establish[ing] a national law school of the
highest quality.” No law school can attain national prominence without
being comprised of faculty who regularly are producing significant and
influential scholarship.
3. General Quantitative Expectation for Scholarship. For these reasons,
Part IV-6 provides that a candidate for tenure must demonstrate
accomplishment in engaging the profession. At each stage of the
evaluation process, the Law School Policy defines an expected amount of
scholarly contribution in terms of “an article or its equivalent.” Thus, a
candidate for associate professor “must demonstrate that, by the spring of
his or her third year on the faculty of the School of Law, he or she has
published or had accepted for publication at least one article or its
equivalent. The candidate must also demonstrate that he or she has made
progress toward completing a second article or its equivalent.” Further,
“[t]o be granted tenure, a candidate must demonstrate that, by September
15 of his or her sixth year on the faculty of the School of Law, he or she
has published or had accepted for publication at least three articles or their
equivalents.” Finally, to be promoted to full professor of law, the
candidate must have “had two articles or their equivalents published or
accepted for publication within any three-year period after being granted
tenure.”
4. General Qualitative Expectation for Scholarship. As general statements
for each stage of review, Part IV-6 provides that “(1) the scholarship of the
candidate for promotion to associate professor must ‘demonstrate[] the
potential to have a substantial impact’ in his or her field, (2) the
scholarship of the candidate for tenure ‘must provide evidence of
significant and influential scholarly accomplishment and the promise of
continued achievement in scholarship’, and (3) the scholarship of the
candidate for promotion to full professor of law ‘must provide evidence
that the candidate has achieved a national reputation in his or her field.’
The quality of the candidate’s research and scholarship will be evaluated
both (1) by external reviewers, whose expertise in the field and lack of
direct connection to the School of Law ordinarily assure an independent
and informed evaluation of the scholarship and its impact in the field, and
(2) by the Promotion and Tenure Committee of the pertinent department.”
5. Promise of Continued Achievement in Scholarship. The
candidate must demonstrate evidence of a continuing and serious
commitment to the scholarly enterprise. The award of tenure is a long-
term commitment of the institution to the faculty member and therefore
should be awarded only if there is substantial reason to believe that
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significant and influential scholarly work will continue. Three factors may
be taken into account in making this evaluation. First, the pattern of
scholarship during the untenured period is important. A faculty member
who works steadily on research and writing during the untenured period is
usually considered more likely to continue scholarly activity than the
faculty member who is inactive for long periods of time. Second,
consideration will be given to the number and scope of completed projects
and works in progress. Although the minimum quantitative expectation is
three articles or their equivalents during the untenured period, a
candidate’s submission of additional works or documentation of additional
works in progress strengthens the conclusion that the candidate is inclined
to future scholarly efforts. Third, concrete evidence of a thoughtful
research agenda, in which present and future planned works are tied
together within a theme or plan to achieve a national reputation in a field,
suggests the faculty member will continue to work on scholarship.
B. A Statement on Scholarship for Legal Studies Faculty
1. Specific Quantitative Expectation for Legal Studies Scholarship. In terms of
the quantitative expectation of scholarship, for faculty in the Legal Studies
Department, “an article” means a substantial article in a law review or law
journal. A substantial article is one that is approximately 40 published pages or
more in length.
In defining what is “equivalent” to a substantial “article” in a law review or law
journal, the vehicle for publication must be a university press book, a book in
another press (including treatises, text or case books, and monographs), or an
article in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Publication in a bar or professional
journal, general-circulation journal, or newspaper ordinarily will not be
considered of sufficient scholarly standing to qualify as the equivalent of an
article. To be equivalent to an article, the work should be of the same total length
as a substantial article in a law review or law journal as defined above.
In certain circumstances, depending upon the significance and impact of each
such work, publication of multiple smaller works may satisfy the expectation of
one article or its equivalent, but the candidate for tenure must present at least two
full-length articles or their equivalents. Depending upon length, publication of a
book may qualify as the publication of more than one article or its equivalent.
The School of Law encourages tenured faculty when appropriate to collaborate
with other scholars here, at other law schools, or in other disciplines in conducting
research and co-authoring scholarship. However, given the difficulty of
evaluating the separate contributions of each scholar to co-authored works and the
importance of being able to determine that the candidate individually is capable of
completing important scholarly work independently, at least two of the articles or
their equivalents submitted by the candidate for tenure should be authored solely
by the candidate. If the candidate presents a co-authored work to be considered as
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one of the required articles or its equivalent, the burden is on the candidate to
demonstrate clearly his or her contribution and to what degree that contribution is
equivalent to an article.
2. Specific Qualitative Expectation for Legal Studies Scholarship. Beyond
submitting at least the minimum quantitative expectation for published
scholarship, the candidate in the Legal Studies Department must present scholarly
work of excellent quality. As stated in Part IV-6, the candidate for promotion to
associate professor must demonstrate that he or she “has undertaken an important
research agenda and is making reasonable progress on that agenda.” The
candidate for tenure must demonstrate that his or her scholarship is “significant
and influential.” The candidate for promotion to full professor must demonstrate
that his or her scholarship has gained “a national reputation” in the field. The
quality of the candidate’s research and scholarship will be evaluated for the
following elements.
a. Worthiness of the Topic. Identification of a legal or law-related subject
worthy of intellectual exploration.
b. Appropriateness of Research. Indication of careful, accurate, and thorough
research in legal and relevant non-legal materials.
c. Quality of Analysis. Thoughtful and comprehensive analysis and
synthesis, that is, going beyond mere description or explication of the law
to offer new insight on a legal problem or issue such as by identifying and
reconciling inconsistencies or apparent inconsistencies in the law;
critically evaluating positions, rules, or developments in an area of the
law; developing a new organizing principle or frame of reference for a set
of legal materials or a field of law; or presenting and defending a solution
to a legal problem through a proposed statute, legal rule, or legal theory.
d. Nature of Subject. Difficulty or complexity of the subject matter
undertaken.
e. Originality. Originality of the ideas expressed.
f. Clarity of Communication. Clear articulation of the findings and
conclusions reached through the candidate’s research and analysis.
g. Impact of the Work. Probable impact or significance of the work, which
may be demonstrated by, for example, citations, published reviews,
scholarly comment in other publications, documented comments from
professionally respected readers, inclusion of the work in solicited
symposia, and documented effect on law reform
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h. Integrity of Scholarly Activity. Demonstration of integrity in scholarship,
by acknowledging the contributions of others, making proper attribution to
sources, and making appropriate use of research assistants.
Although not required, scholarship that explores the intellectual
integration of religious faith into the study of law, professional ethics,
public policy, and social justice is particularly valued and also is evidence
of the required commitment to the mission and vision of the School of
Law.
C. A Statement on Scholarship for Lawyering Skills Faculty
1. Specific Quantitative Expectation for Lawyering Skills Scholarship.
For tenure, Lawyering Skills faculty are expected to have published or
accepted for publication three articles or their equivalents. Of the articles,
at least one must be substantial, approximately 40 published pages long.
The remaining two articles must be approximately 20 pages long.
In defining what is “equivalent” to an “article” in a law review or law
journal, the vehicle for publication must be a university press book, a book
in another press (including treatises, text or case books, and monographs),
or an article in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Publication in a bar or
professional journal, general-circulation journal, or newspaper ordinarily
will not be considered of sufficient scholarly standing to qualify as the
equivalent of an article. To be equivalent to an article, the work should be
of the same total length as one of the three law review or law journal
articles described above as required for tenure in Lawyering Skills.
In certain circumstances, depending upon the significance and impact of
each such work, publication of multiple smaller works may satisfy the
expectation of one article or its equivalent of approximately 20 pages.
However, a candidate for tenure in Lawyering Skills must present at least
one article or its equivalent of approximately 40 pages and one article or
its equivalent of approximately 20 pages. Depending upon length,
publication of a book may qualify as the publication of more than one
article or its equivalent.
To be promoted to Professor of Law, a candidate must present at least two
articles or their equivalents within any three-year period after being
granted tenure. One article must be substantial (approximately 40 pages
long), and one article must be approximately 20 pages long.
The School of Law encourages tenured faculty when appropriate to
collaborate with other scholars here, at other law schools, or in other
disciplines in conducting research and co-authoring scholarship. However,
given the difficulty of evaluating the separate contributions of each scholar
to co-authored works and the importance of being able to determine that
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the candidate individually is capable of completing important scholarly
work independently, at least two of the articles or their equivalent
submitted by the candidate for tenure should be authored solely by the
candidate. If the candidate presents a co-authored work to be considered as
one of the required articles or its equivalent, the burden is on the candidate
to demonstrate clearly his or her contribution and to what degree that
contribution is equivalent to an article.
2. Specific Qualitative Expectation for Lawyering Skills Scholarship.
Beyond submitting at least the minimum quantity of published
scholarship, the candidate in the Lawyering Skills Department must
present scholarly work of excellent quality. As stated in Part IV-6, the
candidate for promotion to associate professor must demonstrate that he or
she “has undertaken an important research agenda and is making
reasonable progress on that agenda.” The candidate for tenure must
demonstrate that his or her scholarship is “significant and influential.” The
candidate for promotion to full professor must demonstrate that his or her
scholarship has gained “a national reputation” in the field.
The quality of the candidate’s research and scholarship will be evaluated
for the following elements:
a. Worthiness of the Topic. Identification of a legal or law-related
subject worthy of intellectual exploration.
b. Appropriateness of Research. Indication of careful, accurate, and
thorough research in legal and relevant non-legal materials.
c. Quality of Analysis. Thoughtful and comprehensive analysis and
synthesis, that is, going beyond mere description or explication of
the subject to offer new insight on a problem or issue such as by
identifying and reconciling inconsistencies or apparent
inconsistencies in the area; critically evaluating positions, rules, or
developments in the area; developing a new organizing principle or
frame of reference for the subject; or presenting and defending a
solution to a legal or law-related problem.
d. Nature of Subject. Difficulty or complexity of the subject matter
undertaken.
e. Originality. Originality of the ideas expressed.
f. Clarity of Communication. Clear articulation of the findings and
conclusions reached through the candidate’s research and analysis.
g. Impact of the Work. Probable impact or significance of the work,
which may be demonstrated by, for example, citations, published
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reviews, scholarly comment in other publications, documented
comments from professionally respected readers, inclusion of the
work in solicited symposia, and documented effect on law reform.
h. Integrity of Scholarly Activity. Demonstration of integrity in
scholarship, by acknowledging the contributions of others, making
proper attribution to sources, and making appropriate use of
research assistants.
Although not required, scholarship that explores the intellectual
integration of religious faith into the study of law, professional
ethics, public policy, and social justice is particularly valued and
also is evidence of the required commitment to the mission and
vision of the School of Law.
D. A Statement on Scholarship for Clinical Education Faculty
1. In addition to their teaching, Clinical Education faculty should contribute
through their scholarship (1) to the development of the law, lawyering or
legal education, or (2) to the improvement of legal institutions or
procedures. Given the different nature of clinical faculty work and the
year-round client responsibilities inherent in teaching in this setting,
clinical faculty are expected to publish work of a different type and
quantity than non-clinical tenure-track faculty.
Because of the nature of their teaching activities and professional
engagement, Clinical Education faculty can find many outlets to pursue
their areas of scholarship and research. Interests may range from the
highly abstract to eminently practical contributions. Clinical Education
faculty may seek to accomplish a wide range of purposes in their
scholarship. Excellence in scholarship that contributes to the University of
St. Thomas community, the community of legal scholars and
professionals, and the wider academic community can be manifested in
many forms.
However varied the purposes of scholarship and however diverse the
forms in which scholarship is manifested, a work of scholarship must
ultimately constitute an “article or its equivalent” – that is, it must appear
in writing, be the result of thoughtful labor, and be disseminated to, and
warrant recognition by, a significant audience, keeping in mind the special
characteristics and purpose of the work. Illustrations of what constitutes an
article or its equivalent include the following.
a. A university press book or book in another press (including
treatises, text or case books, and monographs);
b. An article, essay, or book review in a legal periodical, law or
multidisciplinary journal or law review. Contributions of this type
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can advance either the state of the law or the state of clinical
teaching methodology or practice;
c. A section, chapter, or portion of a legal treatise or encyclopedia
(includes a major revision);
d. A research project report, such as one under the auspices of an
institute such as the American Bar Foundation or under research
grant or contract;
e. A publication of a learned society such as ALI-ABA, a national or
state bar association, AALS, or a publication contributed as part of
a judicial, CLE, or administrative conference;
f. A manual for use by the judiciary, state or federal agencies, or the
practicing bar;
g. A brief, a technical report, policy recommendation, memorandum,
or other document, submitted in conjunction with legal, legislative
or administrative proceedings;
h. A report or white paper stemming from a governmental
appointment such as a presidential, gubernatorial or other
executive commission, legislative committee, court appointment or
administrative agency appointment;
i. A draft or enacted version (with written comments or testimony)
of new or reforming legislation, rules, regulations or guidelines.
2. Specific Quantitative Expectation for Clinical Legal Education
Scholarship. For tenure, Clinical Legal Education faculty are expected to
publish three articles or their equivalents as defined above. Of the articles,
at least one must be approximately 40 pages long. The remaining two
articles must be approximately 20 pages long.
In certain circumstances, depending upon the significance and impact of
each such work, publication of multiple smaller works may satisfy the
expectation of one article or its equivalent of approximately 20 pages.
However, a candidate for tenure in Clinical Legal Education must present
at least one article or its equivalent of approximately 40 pages and one
article or its equivalent of approximately 20 pages. The 40 page work
must be drawn from any of categories a. through f. above, and no more
than one of the 20 page works can be drawn from categories g. through i.
above.
To be promoted to Professor of Law, a candidate must present at least two
articles or their equivalents within any three-year period after being
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granted tenure. One article must be substantial (i.e., approximately 40
pages long) and be drawn from any of categories a. through f., and one
article must be approximately 20 pages long.
The School of Law encourages Clinical Legal Education faculty to
collaborate with other scholars, practitioners, judges, and policy makers,
and members of other disciplines. However, given the difficulty of
evaluating the separate contributions of each scholar to co-authored works
and the importance of being able to determine that the candidate
individually is capable of completing important scholarly work
independently, at least two of the articles or their equivalent submitted by
the candidate for tenure should be authored solely by the candidate. If the
candidate presents a co-authored work to be considered as one of the
required articles or its equivalent, the burden is on the candidate to
demonstrate clearly his or her contribution and to what degree that
contribution is equivalent to an article.
3. Specific Qualitative Expectation for Clinical Legal Education Scholarship.
Beyond submitting at least the minimum quantity of published
scholarship, the candidate in the Clinical Legal Education Department
must present scholarly work of excellent quality. As stated in Part IV-6,
the candidate for promotion to associate professor must demonstrate that
he or she “has undertaken an important research agenda and is making
reasonable progress on that agenda.” The candidate for tenure must
demonstrate that his or her scholarship “is significant and influential.” The
candidate for promotion to full professor must demonstrate that his or her
scholarship has gained “a national reputation” in the field. The quality of
the candidate’s research and scholarship will be evaluated for the
following elements.
a. Worthiness of the Topic. Identification of a legal or law-related
subject worthy of intellectual exploration.
b. Appropriateness of Research. Indication of careful, accurate, and
thorough research in legal and relevant non-legal materials.
c. Quality of Analysis. Thoughtful and comprehensive analysis and
synthesis, that is, going beyond mere description or explication of
the subject to offer new insight on a problem or issue such as by
identifying and reconciling inconsistencies or apparent
inconsistencies in the area; critically evaluating positions, rules, or
developments in the area; developing a new organizing principle or
frame of reference for the subject; or presenting and defending a
solution to a legal or law-related problem.
d. Nature of Subject. Difficulty or complexity of the subject matter
undertaken.
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e. Originality. Originality of the ideas expressed.
f. Clarity of Communication. Clear articulation of the findings and
conclusions reached through the candidate’s research and analysis.
g. Impact of the Work. Probable impact or significance of the work,
which may be demonstrated by, for example, citations, published
reviews, scholarly comment in other publications, documented
comments from professionally respected readers, inclusion of the
work in solicited symposia, and documented effect on law reform.
h. Integrity of Scholarly Activity. Demonstration of integrity in
scholarship, by acknowledging the contributions of others, making
proper attribution to sources, and making appropriate use of
research assistants.
Although not required, scholarship that explores the intellectual
integration of religious faith into the study of law, professional
ethics, public policy, and social justice is particularly valued and
also is evidence of the required commitment to the mission and
vision of the School of Law.
III. Service
A. University Expectation for Service. Part IV-6 includes the following
general statement on service: “St. Thomas faculty are members of the
university community and of communities beyond the boundaries of the
campuses. As members, they have responsibilities to each, responsibilities
that result from a particular discipline, but also from the special
commitment to people that motivates them as educators. Because the
faculty of St. Thomas expects those who are part of it to use their energy,
knowledge and values to enrich the quality of life in their communities, it
includes evaluation of performance in them among the criteria of
professional achievement.”
B. School of Law Expectation for Service. Part IV-6 provides that to be
promoted to associate professor, the candidate must have “provided
service to the University, the legal profession, or the community.” To be
granted tenure, the candidate must demonstrate that he or she provided
“significant service to the University, the legal profession, or the
community.” To be promoted to full professor, the candidate must
demonstrate that he or she “has continued to provide significant service to
the University, the legal profession, or the community.”
C. Basic Expectation of Service to the School of Law. While recognizing
that each faculty member brings his or her own values and understandings
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to the responsibilities of service, there are basic expectations of faculty
involvement, including service on School of Law committees,
participation in the processes of School of Law governance, and assistance
to the School of Law in creating an environment that promotes academic
achievement and professional responsibility. Faculty teaching Lawyering
Skills classes are expected to participate in the development and
policymaking of the Lawyering Skills program as part of their service to
the School of Law and to comply with overall program policies and goals.
Clinical legal education faculty are expected to participate in the
development and policymaking of the Clinical Legal Education program
as part of their service to the School of Law and to comply with overall
program policies and goals.
D. Service to the University. While service to the School of Law is one
integral means of providing service to the University, additional service to
the University as a whole, such as through university committees,
mentoring of faculty outside the School of Law, or membership in bodies
of university governance, is encouraged, especially for faculty who have
achieved tenure.
E. Service to the Profession and the Community. Faculty members are
expected, in a manner consistent with their own values and understanding
of the responsibility of service, to participate in the community,
professional organizations, or institutions that comprise the legal system,
especially when performed in a manner that draws upon the professional
expertise of the faculty member. As examples, the faculty member may
participate in programs designed to improve the level of knowledge,
competence, and ethical behavior within the legal profession; may
participate in efforts to improve the effectiveness or fairness of the law,
legal institutions, or the legal system as a whole; may provide educational
opportunities for members of the public or for faith-based or other non-
profit organizations about the law and legal institutions; or may provide
legal services to the poor and disadvantaged or non-profit organizations.
Service that integrates faith and the law in the profession and that
addresses the needs and improves the condition of the disadvantaged and
underserved is particularly valued and also is evidence of the required
commitment to the mission and vision of the School of Law.’
F. Recognition That Teaching and Scholarship are Primary Activities
for Untenured Faculty. The School of Law expects all of its faculty
members to be engaged in service to the university, to the community, or
to the profession. Because of its value to the academic, professional, and
larger community, as well as its potential to enhance one’s teaching and
scholarship, every faculty member should be engaged in service. At the
same time, it is contemplated that a faculty member’s principal focus
should be on teaching and scholarship during the years preceding
consideration for tenure. This statement is not intended to discourage
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greater service on the part of untenured faculty, but is made in recognition
of the tremendous commitment of time and energy required to meet
expectations for teaching and scholarship, as well as the expectation that
the contribution of each faculty member to service outside the School of
Law will increase as he or she progresses in the academic vocation.
Adopted by Tenured Faculty of Pertinent Department, May 17, 2004
Amendments Adopted by the Law Faculty, February 7, 2011
Amendments Adopted by the Law Faculty, December 16, 2013
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IV-8. Promotion and Tenure: School of Law Promotion and Tenure Timetable and
Operating Procedures
To provide further direction to law school faculty members who are anticipating promotion or
tenure and to tenured faculty members and Deans participating as decision-makers in the
promotion and tenure process, as well as triennial/third-year review, this document sets forth a
timetable and operating procedures for actions to be taken by the candidate, the Promotion and
Tenure Committee, and the Dean. This timetable and operating procedures must be interpreted in
a manner consistent with Part IV-6 of the School of Law Policies.
I. General Provisions
Spring Semester
Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committees Organized. Subject to the
limitations in the next paragraph, during the spring semester, the tenured faculty in each
department will elect a tenured faculty member in that department as Chair of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee for the next academic year.
In cases of anticipated tenure applications, if there are fewer than three tenured faculty in
a department, then the remainder of the Committee shall be appointed by the Dean in
consultation with the tenured faculty in that department, if any, and the Committee then
will elect its Chair. In cases of anticipated promotion applications, if there are fewer than
three faculty in a department who have attained the rank for which a candidate will be
applying, then the remainder of the Committee shall be appointed by the Dean in
consultation with the faculty of that rank in that department, if any, and the Committee
then will elect its Chair. In these circumstances, the Committee is encouraged but not
required to elect the same person to chair both the tenure and promotion responsibilities
of the Committee.
If there are more than five faculty in a department who are eligible to vote on tenure or
promotion applications, the elected Chair of the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee will, in consultation with the Dean, select two or three other eligible faculty
members to serve as the drafting subcommittee for the Committee’s reports on candidates
for promotion or tenure.
Under the University’s Faculty Handbook, the Chair of a department or Director of a
program may not participate in the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee
meetings unless invited and may not vote at the meeting or be present for the vote.
However, for purposes of the University’s tenure and promotion process, “chair” or
“director” is defined as “that person who will prepare a recommendation on a candidate”
for promotion or tenure. In the law school, the Chairs/Directors of the departments do not
prepare a separate recommendation on a candidate between the Committee’s report and
the Dean’s recommendation. Accordingly, in the law school, the faculty who serve as
Chairs/Directors of the departments in other respects remain fully eligible to participate
and vote on the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee.
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Peer Review Panel Observes Teaching. In the spring semester of the academic year
before the academic year in which a faculty member will be a candidate for promotion,
tenure, or third-year review, the candidate’s teaching will be observed by a peer review
panel of three faculty. See Sections IV-6.B.2.a, 3.a., and 4.a.
Summer
Appointment of Faculty Mentors. Before the beginning of classes for the first semester
in August, the Chair of the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee shall appoint
a tenured faculty member as mentor for each untenured faculty member in the
Department.
II. Triennial/Tenure Review Timetable and Operating Procedures
May 1 to September 15
Preparation of Candidate’s Portfolio. The Blackboard site is available for the candidate
to upload documents. The candidate for third-year review or tenure completes the official
application form located on the site and prepares a portfolio in support of his or her
application, with particular attention given to preparing a personal statement or narrative.
The appendix to this document provides further guidance on the contents of the portfolio.
Scholarship for External Review. By July 1, the candidate for tenure or third-year
review shall provide the Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee copies of the
scholarship to be submitted to external reviewers for independent review.
Candidate’s List of Acceptable/Unacceptable External Reviewers. By July 1, the
candidate for tenure or third-year review shall submit a list of six experts who are
acceptable to the candidate, from which two of the external reviewers will be selected.
The candidate may also submit a list of up to three experts who would not be acceptable,
and no expert on that list will be selected. See Sections IV-6.B.2(b)(iii) and 3(b)(iii).
Selection of External Reviewers. By July 8, the Promotion and Tenure Committee will
select at least four external reviewers. As delegated such responsibility by the Chair of
the Promotion and Tenure Committee, the Dean will contact the selected external
reviewers and arrange for preparation of an evaluation of the candidate’s designated
scholarship, with the goal of receiving the evaluations by September 1 of the application
year. Within a reasonable time after receipt, the Dean shall provide to the candidate
copies of the evaluations by external reviewers, with identifying information redacted.
See Sections IV-6.B.2(b)(iii) and 3(b)(iii).
September 15 to October 31
Review of Candidate’s File and Recommendation of the Departmental Promotion
and Tenure Committee. The candidate no longer has access to the Blackboard site.
Access is given to the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee.
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Draft Promotion or Tenure Report. By approximately October 15, the members of the
departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee or its drafting subcommittee shall
complete a draft tenure or promotion report. Prior to completing that report the
Committee will invite untenured faculty and faculty from other departments to share their
evaluations of the candidate with the Committee by e-mail, memo, or conversation with
Committee members. Unless otherwise agreed, all such contributions shall be
confidential. In the interest of fairness, the Committee will not include a negative factor
arising from this faculty input process in its final report and recommendation without
allowing the candidate to respond, whether or not the source of the negative evaluation is
revealed.
The report of the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee should, at a minimum,
discuss whether and how the candidate has met the criteria for promotion or tenure that
are set out in Parts IV-6 and IV-7.
Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee’s Meeting and Vote on the
Candidate’s Application for Promotion or Tenure. By approximately October 22, the
appropriate departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee shall meet to discuss the
draft report and vote on the candidate’s application for promotion to associate professor
or for tenure. The draft report may be revised by the Committee before approval by a
majority.
Faculty members who have not reviewed the candidate’s portfolio shall not vote on that
candidate’s promotion or tenure.
The decision on promotion or tenure may be recorded in a secret ballot. The Committee
Chair will immediately count the votes and communicate the results to the Committee.
If the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee votes against recommending
promotion or tenure, the report should include, at a minimum, the specific criteria the
Committee believes the candidate has not met. If there are minority views with respect to
the candidate’s fitness for promotion or tenure, these must be reflected in the report,
either by acknowledgement in the main report that summarizes those minority views or,
at the option of the minority, by a dissenting minority opinion that is attached to the main
report. No separate statement of views, by either faculty in the majority or in the
minority, may be submitted separate from the committee report.
The report must include the vote tally and be signed by the Committee Chair.
When the report has been approved by the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee, one copy is sent to the candidate and another copy is placed in the
candidate’s portfolio.
The departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee’s deliberations shall be confidential.
(The Dean may attend the departmental Promotion and Tenure meeting as an observer
but may not participate in the discussion or vote.)
November 1 to November 30
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Access to the Blackboard site is not available to the candidate or the departmental
Promotion and Tenure Committee.
December 1 to January 15
Dean’s Recommendation on Candidate for Tenure. By January 15, the Dean shall
write a report and recommendation on the candidate for tenure and shall provide a copy
to the candidate. The Dean shall forward to the Executive Vice President and Provost the
following: the candidate’s portfolio, the Dean’s report and recommendation, the
Promotion and Tenure Committee’s report and recommendation, and the vote of the
tenured faculty in the Department.
January 16 to February 28
University’s Promotion and Tenure Committee’s Recommendation and President’s
Decision on Candidate for Tenure. Access to the Blackboard site is not available to the
candidate, departmental Tenure and Promotion Committee, and the Dean. Members of
the University’s Tenure and Promotion Committee have access to the candidate’s
portfolio during this period. At the meeting of the Tenure and Promotion Committee, the
Dean and the Executive Vice President and Provost review the candidate’s portfolio with
members of the Committee. The Tenure and Promotion Committee may call in the
candidate for discussion. After due consideration of the application of the candidates for
tenure, the Tenure and Promotion Committee will make a recommendation to the
President of the University for his or her consideration. The President makes the final
tenure and promotion decision after considering this advice.
March 1 to September 30
Executive Vice President and Provost’s Evaluation and Meeting with Candidate for
Promotion/Review. Between March 1 and September 30, the Executive Vice President s
and Provost shall meet with the candidate for third-year-review and then prepare an
evaluation narrative, which is added to the portfolio and the candidate’s personnel file, a
copy of which shall be given to the candidate.
III. Promotion Timetable and Operating Procedures
The timetables below provide dates for fall and spring consideration for promotion to full
professor.
By September 1
By February 1
Preparation of Candidate Portfolio. The candidate for promotion completes the official
application form located on the Blackboard site and prepares a portfolio in support of his
or her application, with particular attention given to preparing a personal statement or
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narrative. The appendix to this document provides further guidance on the contents of the
portfolio.
Scholarship for External Review. By June 15/November 15, the candidate for promotion
shall provide the Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee copies of the scholarship
to be submitted to external reviewers for independent review.
Candidate’s List of Acceptable/Unacceptable External Reviewers. By June 15/November
15, the candidate for promotion shall submit a list of six experts who are acceptable to the
candidate, from which two of the external reviewers will be selected. The candidate may
also submit a list of up to three experts who would not be acceptable, and no expert on
that list will be selected. See Part IV-6.B.4(b)(iii).
Selection of External Reviewers. By June 22/November 23, the Promotion and Tenure
Committee will select at least four external reviewers. As delegated such responsibility
by the Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee, the Dean will contact the selected
external reviewers and arrange for preparation of an evaluation of the candidate’s
designated scholarship, with the goal of receiving the evaluations by August 18/January
18 of the application year. Within a reasonable time after receipt, the Dean shall provide
to the candidate copies of the evaluations by external reviewers, with identifying
information redacted. See Part IV-6.B.4(b)(iii).
September 1 to October 6
February 1 to March 8
Draft Promotion Report. By approximately September 22/February 22 in cases of
promotion to full professor, the members of the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee or its drafting subcommittee shall complete a draft promotion report. Prior to
completing that report the Committee will invite untenured faculty and faculty from other
departments to share their evaluations of the candidate with the Committee by e-mail,
memo, or conversation with Committee members. Unless otherwise agreed, all such
contributions shall be confidential. In the interest of fairness, the Committee will not
include a negative factor arising from this faculty input process in its final report and
recommendation without allowing the candidate to respond, whether or not the source of
the negative evaluation is revealed.
The report of the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee should, at a minimum,
discuss whether and how the candidate has met the criteria for promotion that are set out
in Parts IV-6 and IV-7.
Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee’s Meeting and Vote on the
Candidate’s Application for Promotion. By approximately September 29/February 28
those faculty of the pertinent department who hold the rank of full professor shall meet to
discuss and vote on the candidate’s application for promotion to full professor. The draft
report may be revised by the Committee before approval by a majority.
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Faculty members who have not reviewed the candidate’s portfolio shall not vote on that
candidate’s promotion.
The decision on promotion may be recorded in a secret ballot. The Committee Chair will
immediately count the votes and communicate the results to the Committee.
If the departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee votes against recommending
promotion, the report should include, at a minimum, the specific criteria the Committee
believes the candidate has not met. If there are minority views with respect to the
candidate’s fitness for promotion, these must be reflected in the report, either by
acknowledgement in the main report that summarizes those minority views or, at the
option of the minority, by a dissenting minority opinion that is attached to the main
report. No separate statement of views, by either faculty in the majority or in the
minority, may be submitted separate from the committee report.
The report must include the vote tally and be signed by the Committee Chair.
When the report has been approved by the departmental Promotion and Tenure
Committee, one copy is sent to the candidate and another copy is placed in the
candidate’s portfolio.
The departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee’s deliberations shall be confidential.
(The Dean may attend the departmental Promotion and Tenure meeting as an observer
but may not participate in the discussion or vote.)
October 7 to November 2
March 9 to April 1
Access to the Blackboard site is not available to the candidate or the departmental
Promotion and Tenure committee.
November 3 to December 1
April 1 to April 22
Dean’s Recommendation on Candidate for Promotion. No later than December
1/April 22, the Dean shall write a report and recommendation on the candidate for
promotion and shall provide a copy to the candidate. The Dean shall forward to the
Executive Vice President and Provost the following: the candidate’s portfolio, the Dean’s
report and recommendation, and the Promotion and Tenure Committee’s report and
recommendation.
December 1 to 20
April 23 to May 25
University’s Tenure and Promotion Committee’s Recommendation and President’s
Decision on Candidate for Promotion. Access to the Blackboard site is not available to
the candidate, departmental Tenure and Promotion Committee, and the Dean. Members
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of the University’s Tenure and Promotion Committee have access to the candidate’s
portfolio during this period. At the meeting of the Tenure and Promotion Committee, the
Dean and the Executive Vice President and Provost review the candidate’s portfolio with
members of the Committee. The Tenure and Promotion Committee may call in the
candidate for discussion. After due consideration of the application of the candidates for
tenure and promotion, the Tenure and Promotion Committee will make a
recommendation to the President of the University for his or her consideration. The
President makes the final promotion decision after considering this advice.
Appendix: Contents of Portfolio for Seeking Promotion and Tenure
Faculty who are anticipating promotion or tenure in the next several years understandably have
requested guidance on what items should be included in the “portfolio” that is submitted by the
candidate and will eventually be passed along to the central administration. The following is
intended as general guidance, and is not exhaustive (that is, the candidate should feel free to
submit other documentation of teaching, scholarship, and service beyond that listed here):
1. Personal Statement. As perhaps the most important element of the candidate’s
submission, the central administration expects each candidate to present a narrative case
for promotion or tenure. To make the most effective and persuasive case for promotion or
tenure, the candidate should forthrightly address difficulties or challenges, along with
steps taken toward improvement, as well as strengths. With the substantive standards and
expectations in mind (as set out in the law school’s standards), this Personal Statement
should explain how the candidate has met the expectations in each of four areas:
Teaching (explaining one’s educational philosophy and how it has been implemented in
instruction including any innovations),
Engaging the Profession/Scholarship (explaining how one is engaging the profession
through scholarship, the intellectual substance and significance of each work, how
scholarship has been received by the pertinent professional audience, and the candidate’s
continuing scholarly agenda),
Service (describing service to the University, School of Law, profession, and community,
including areas of particular interest or emphasis in service), and
Commitment to Mission (describing the candidate’s commitment to the mission and
vision of the School of Law as set forth in Part IV-6 of the School of Law Policies).
Although the Personal Statement need not be unduly lengthy, neither should it be terse
and abbreviated. For promotion (or third-year review), the narrative may be relatively
brief, only four or five single-spaced pages. For tenure, a more substantial description and
argument is appropriate, likely somewhere between 8 and 15 single-spaced pages.
2. Updated Curriculum Vitae. This should be included in the portfolio immediately after
the Personal Statement.
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3. Copies of Annual Faculty Reports and Performance Reviews. The Dean’s office
should be responsible for ensuring that copies of these documents are prepared for
submission in the portfolio.
4. Copy of Triennial Review (for those later seeking tenure or promotion to full professor.
The Dean’s office again should be responsible for ensuring that a copy of this document
is prepared for submission in the portfolio.
5. Copy of Initial Appointment Letter (and any later modifications), with salary redacted.
The Dean’s office again should be responsible for ensuring that a copy of this document
is prepared for submission in the portfolio.
6. Documentation of Teaching. Copies of syllabi for each course taught (which the
Dean’s office has been collecting)
Copies of annual written reports of teaching (the Dean’s office again should be
responsible for ensuring that copies of these documents are prepared for submission in
the portfolio)
Copies of student questionnaires for each class taught (the Dean’s office again should be
responsible for ensuring that copies of these documents are prepared for submission in
the portfolio)
Any other materials the candidate may wish to submit that reflect curricular or teaching
innovation
7. Documentation of Engaging the Profession/Scholarship. A copy of the law school’s
document that describes requirements for professional engagement above university-wide
minimum standards and the definition (to the greatest degree possible) of “substantive”
for the law school.
Copies of all articles published or accepted for publication
Copies of articles in progress if a completed draft or completed draft section is available
Copies of presentations made at conferences
Copies of other significant presentations or publications (i.e., continuing legal education
materials, general periodical articles, opinion-editorial pieces, etc.)
Copies of scholarly commentary on articles, books, or conference/symposia presentations
(e.g., citations in other scholar’s works, letters regarding an article, comments on an
article by commentators at conferences or symposia)
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8. Documentation of University, Law School, Professional, or Community Service.
Itemization of all university and law school committees on which candidate served,
including brief description of committee’s nature and work performed on committee
Letters from chairs of university and law school committees documenting candidate’s
service
Description of service as advisor to student organizations
Description of other service to university or law school
Description of professional service or leadership, preferably supported by letters from
those in a position to evaluate that service or leadership
Description of community service or leadership, preferably supported by letters from
those in a position to evaluate that service or leadership
Adopted by Promotion and Tenure Committee, January 2004
Revised, January 2007
Revised, December 16, 2013
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IV-9. Appointment and Evaluation of Non-Tenure Track Clinical Faculty
Initial appointments to the non-tenure track Clinical faculty will be for one academic year, with
up to two subsequent one-year renewals. After three years of service and a successful review,
non-tenure-track clinical faculty are appointed for renewable three-year terms. Expectations with
respect to teaching, service and professional engagement will be specified for each non-tenure-
track clinical faculty member at the time of appointment, and evaluation will be based on those
expectations.
Consistent with the University policy, a prospective non-tenure-track clinical faculty member
may negotiate exceptions to these policies with the Dean, subject to the approval of the
Executive Vice President and Provost. For fully applicable university policies on Clinic Faculty,
see Chapter 2.II.C.2. Chapter 2.IV, and Chapter 8 of UST Faculty Handbook.
Adopted by Promotion and Tenure Committee, December 16, 2013
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IV-10. Teaching Course Loads
A. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will make teaching assignments for each
semester. The Associate Dean may consult with the Dean and with the faculty–
individually or as a group–before finalizing teaching assignments.
B. The benchmark expectation is that each tenured or tenure-track faculty member will teach
ten credits per academic year.
C. In making teaching assignments, the Associate Dean may vary from this benchmark
expectation to the extent that he or she deems appropriate. In deciding whether to vary
from this benchmark expectation, the Associate Dean may consider, among other things:
1. Whether the faculty member is teaching two sections of the same course during
the same semester
2
;
2. Whether the faculty member is teaching two sections of the same course during
the same year;
3. Whether a course will require a new prep for the faculty member;
4. Whether the death, illness, resignation, or absence of another faculty member
makes it unusually difficult to cover a required course or a popular elective course
during a particular academic year;
5. Whether an unusually large or small number of students are likely to enroll in a
course;
6. Whether a course is in the first-year curriculum;
7. Whether a course requires a faculty member to give intensive one-on-one
attention to students;
8. Whether the faculty member is tenured;
9. Whether the faculty member is about to be considered for tenure;
10. Whether the faculty member is an unusually productive or unproductive scholar;
11. Whether the faculty member is serving in an administrative capacity or otherwise
has unusually heavy administrative demands;
2
A faculty member who teaches two sections of the same course during the same semester will generally
get full credit for the first section and one-half credit for the second section. For example, a faculty member who
teaches two sections of the same four-credit course during a particular semester will be deemed to have a six-credit
teaching load for purposes of this Policy on Course Loads.
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12. Whether the faculty member has a compelling professional reason for a course
load reduction, such as a unique scholarly opportunity that would be
extraordinarily beneficial for the faculty member and the School of Law; and
13. Whether the faculty member has a compelling personal reason for a course load
reduction.
D. The Associate Dean may regard the benchmark expectation as an average that should be
attained over a two- or three-year period, thus allowing the Associate Dean to permit a
faculty member to have a heavy teaching year (e.g., two three-credit courses in the fall
and two four-credit courses in the spring) followed by a light teaching year (e.g., one
four-credit course in the fall and one two-credit course in the spring). Such a schedule
may permit faculty to be more productive scholars.
E. To the extent possible, the Associate Dean should schedule courses so that faculty
members do not have to teach on every weekday, so as to help faculty maintain scholarly
productivity.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, June 13, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 6, 2002
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IV-11. Unpaid Leaves of Absence
A. General Policy
Faculty members who have an opportunity to make significant contributions to human welfare or
knowledge through professional service away from the Law School that will also result in
professional growth in relation to their responsibilities as faculty members may request a leave
without compensation to take advantage of the opportunity. Opportunities for such service
include, but are not limited to, positions of responsibility in governmental or nonprofit agencies,
teaching or research under foundation or government grants or awards, and appointments as
visiting members of other faculties.
No faculty member should expect to be granted more than two semesters of leave in any six-year
period to teach at another college or university. This rule does not apply to leaves granted for
other purposes; however, leaves of absence of more than two years, for whatever professional
purpose, are discouraged and will rarely be approved.
Each request for leave without compensation will be considered on its merits in comparison with
other requests within the same academic year and with regard to the personnel resources
available to the school to maintain the curriculum during the faculty member's absence. The
applicant may be required to assist in a search for the personnel to replace him or her during the
leave.
B. Procedure for Requesting Unpaid Leave
A faculty member who intends to apply for leave without compensation should notify the
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs informally as soon as possible, and should make a formal
request by a letter, addressed to the Associate Dean, that includes information concerning the
purpose and duration of the leave. The approval of the Associate Dean is required for the grant of
leave without compensation.
The formal request should be submitted as early as possible in the academic year preceding that
in which the leave is desired. The later a request is received, the more difficult it will be to
accommodate the request. At the minimum, the faculty member should comport with the
Statement of Good Practices of the Association of American Law Schools, which provides in
relevant part that a faculty member should not request a leave after April 1 to accept a visiting
position at another law school for the next academic year.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, June 13, 2002
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IV-12. Outside Employment and Consulting by Full-time Faculty (UST)
INTRODUCTION
This policy was initially developed by the Deans/Directors’ Group and then considered by the
Task Force on Rank, Tenure, and Promotion. That task force recommended removal of this
policy from the Rank, Tenure, and Promotion section and placement in the Operating Policies
and Procedure section (January 1995).
The primary responsibility of faculty personnel is to render to the University the most effective
service possible, and to devote his/her full working time to the University. At the same time,
consulting and other outside activities of a professional nature are encouraged by the University
where such activities give faculty members experience and knowledge valuable to professional
growth and development.
All “outside professional activities” are subject to this University policy. Conflict between such
activities and a faculty member’s primary responsibility or the appearance of conflict should be
avoided. In recognition that “outside professional activities” can make a valuable contribution to
the University, to the community at large and to the individual’s professional growth, the
following policies and procedures have been developed to guide the community.
A. Outside Employment
1. Faculty members who engage in outside employment that cannot be considered as
“outside professional activities” must obtain prior written permission of the
department chair/program director and the Vice President for Academic Affairs
before undertaking the employment or outside activity.
2. Faculty who plan to teach a regular course at another institution during the
academic year must receive written permission of the department chair/program
director and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
B. Consulting
1. All consulting work is expected to be conducted in a professional and ethical
manner. In addition, the faculty member shall avoid an actual or implied conflict
of interest in his/her consulting activity.
2. When the faculty member engages in consulting activity beyond his/her normal
duties, the following principles apply:
a. The consulting activity should contribute positively to the work of the
faculty member as a teacher at St. Thomas and/or should contribute to the
community service function of the University.
b. The faculty member’s normal duties should not suffer because of the
consulting activity. In particular, classes should not be missed or cancelled
because of consulting activity. Normal duties include but are not limited to
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library support, course development, student counseling, student
recruitment, department and division meetings, representation of St.
Thomas in suitable outreach activities, laboratory work, and the
maintenance and updating of laboratory equipment (where applicable),
appropriate scholarly activities.
c. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the appropriate dean, times spent
by full-time faculty members on “outside professional activities” must be
limited to four weekdays a month during the academic year.
d. An annual listing of all consulting engagements during the academic year
should be submitted as an attachment to the faculty member’s annual
activity report.
3. Consulting activity should be judged, not simply or primarily on the basis of the
financial remuneration involved, but principally on the way that it contributes to
the faculty member’s performance as a teacher at St. Thomas.
4. The University especially recognizes consulting activity for the benefit of non-
profit organizations and institutions, where no recompense is received and where
the activity is considered as part of the normal workload of the faculty member. In
some cases, faculty may receive released time for such activity.
5. Faculty of the University are encouraged to consider consulting as an integral part
of their normal activities in teaching, professional activity, and service since
consulting can contribute to effectiveness in each area.
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IV-13. Outside Employment and Consulting by Full-time Faculty (UST Law)
A. Outside Employment
1. In addition to adhering to the University of St. Thomas’s policy on outside
employment, law faculty members will not without the permission of the Dean:
a. have an ongoing relationship with a law firm or a business (e.g., an “of
counsel” relationship);
b. be named on a law firm or business letterhead; or
c. have a professional telephone listing.
B. Outside Employment Report
At a time to be designated by the Dean, each faculty member will submit an annual report
to the Dean describing the nature and extent of any outside employment or consulting
activities undertaken during the previous year.
C. Use of University or Law School Letterhead
A faculty member may use the university or law school letterhead in connection with
outside professional activities or consulting that, in the judgment of the faculty member,
will reflect well on the law school. However, if using the letterhead, a faculty member
will include a brief statement indicating that the work being done and any opinions being
expressed are those of the faculty member in his or her personal capacity and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the university or law school.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, February 19, 2003
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IV-14. Faculty Presence and Availability
A. General Expectations for Faculty Presence
If UST Law is to create a strong community and succeed in accomplishing its mission,
faculty must generally be present in the law building and available to each other and to
their students. During the academic year, faculty are generally expected to work in the
law building during core business hours, unless the University is closed or the faculty
member is on vacation. Although faculty will often need to be away from the law
building on law school business, faculty should not routinely work at home or away from
their offices more than the equivalent of one weekday per week.
B. Availability to Students
Every member of the faculty is expected to support and contribute to UST Law’s
dedication to generous engagement with students, whether by open door policies, fixed
office hours, invitations to meetings by appointment, engagement by telephone or e-mail,
interactions with students outside of the classroom, or some combination of the above.
Being available by phone or email is not a substitute for a substantial presence in the law
building as indicated in IV-14A.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, June 6, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 6, 2002
Revised by Law Faculty March 26, 2018
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IV-15. Adjunct Faculty
A. Summary of University Policy
Section I.B.2 of the University of St. Thomas Policy Governing Rank, Tenure and
Evaluation [University Policy] provides that faculty members appointed on a part-time
basis are designated as either a Senior Member of the Adjunct Faculty or a Member of
the Adjunct Faculty. A Senior Member of the Adjunct Faculty has ten years of
teaching experience at the University of St. Thomas or a minimum of twenty courses
taught at the University of St. Thomas. The University requires effective teaching for
all adjunct faculty.
Section II.G of the University Policy provides that “At least once per year, the
department chair/program director should evaluate the adjunct faculty member’s
performance. This may be done in person or through technology. Courses taught by
new adjunct faculty should be visited by an experienced faculty member at least once
during the initial semester of teaching at St. Thomas, and annually thereafter.”
B. Hiring Adjunct Faculty
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall hire adjunct faculty as necessary to
meet curricular needs, in consultation with the chair of the relevant department. The
Associate Dean may seek the advice and assistance of the Adjunct Review Committee
and Appointments Committee for the relevant department, and of faculty members in a
subject area where an adjunct professor is needed. The Associate Dean should consider
diversity and mission-fit in the hiring of the adjunct faculty. The Associate Dean has
ultimate authority to dismiss or not to rehire an adjunct faculty member.
C. Developing the Teaching Skills of the Adjunct Faculty
The Associate Dean and the Adjunct Review Committee for each department (the
Committee) shall work together to develop the teaching skills of the adjunct faculty.
The Committee for each department shall be chaired by the department chair. The
departmental committee may include members of other departments.
The Associate Dean and the committees will organize training for adjunct professors at
the beginning of each academic year, with special attention to the orientation of new
adjunct professors.
The deans’ office will invite adjunct faculty to all speaker programs for the law school,
and include the adjunct faculty in all brownbag lunches with the full-time faculty that
discuss teaching. Adjunct faculty shall attend adjunct orientation and are strongly
encouraged to attend one teaching development program or brownbag each academic
year.
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In the case of a new adjunct professor – defined as one who has taught three semesters
or fewer – or one whom the relevant Committee judges needs greater assistance with
teaching skills:
• A member of the Committee will visit one of the adjunct professor’s class
meetings each teaching semester, review the student evaluations, and file a
brief report. A Committee member will also meet and consult with the adjunct
professor once a year to review the report and the student evaluations.
• In addition, the Committee will assign a full-time faculty member to serve as a
mentor for the adjunct faculty member. The mentor may be asked to visit a
class meeting, review evaluations, meet or consult with the adjunct professor,
or provide a written report, as appropriate.
In the case of an adjunct professor who has taught more than three semesters
and is not judged by the Committee to need greater assistance with teaching
skills:
• A member of the Committee will visit one of the adjunct professor’s class
meetings every third teaching semester, review the student evaluations, and
write a brief report. A Committee member will meet and consult with the
adjunct professor once a year to review the report, if any, and the student
evaluations.
• The Committee may assign a mentor to provide informal input to the adjunct
professor as needed.
The Adjunct Review committees will organize an appreciation lunch for adjunct
faculty at the end of each year.
The deans’ office will be responsible for the logistics of and notice concerning
orientation, brownbag lunches, and other events; the management of the adjunct files;
and ensuring that a current contract, a resume, student evaluations, syllabi, exams,
grades, and any reports from Committee members or mentors are in each file. The
deans’ and students services office will also ensure that in each course having a final
exam, the adjunct faculty member has an examination on file at least two days before
the examination is given and that the adjunct faculty meet grading deadlines. The
deans’ office will organize the distribution and the collection of student evaluations for
adjunct faculty.
D. Evaluating Adjunct Faculty Members
Adjunct faculty members will provide a syllabus to the Associate Dean, the relevant
Committee Chair, and to their full-time faculty mentor if any.
The deans’ office will distribute and collect student evaluations of faculty at the end of
each course taught by an adjunct professor, on the same terms as for full-time faculty.
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Members of the relevant Adjunct Review Committee and mentors will visit adjunct
professors’ courses and write reports as provided in section C above.
The written report may address the following criteria (from the UST Tenure Policy
Section II.C.1.a.), or criteria from UST Law’s policy concerning teaching standards,
section I-B, http://www.stthomas.edu/law/academics/PolicyCatalog/IV-6.html.
1. knowledge, accuracy, appropriateness and command of content;
2. planning and organization;
3. use of teaching strategies that create a learning environment;
4. clarity and effectiveness of communication;
5. appropriateness of syllabus and materials; and
6. strengths and areas for continuing development.
The Committee Chair, the Committee member, or the mentor should review the report
and student evaluations with the adjunct faculty member each year.
If a Committee member or mentor finds substantial problems with an adjunct
professor’s teaching, the Committee should review the matter and report its findings
and recommendations to the Associate Dean.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, July 31, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 7, 2002
Amendment approved by the Law Faculty, September 13, 2010
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IV-15. Reimbursing Attorney License Fees, Bar Dues, and CLE Expenses
Faculty may use funds in their professional development accounts (PDAs) to pay for attorney
license fees, bar membership dues, and continuing legal education ("CLE") expenses. However,
faculty are strongly discouraged from using PDA funds to pay for CLE courses. Most states
(including Minnesota) allow attorneys to earn CLE credit at no cost by preparing to teach and
teaching CLE courses. As much as possible, faculty should earn CLE credit in this manner.
The School of Law will not reimburse administrators and staff for attorney license fees, bar
membership dues, or CLE expenses. The Dean may make an exception for an employee who
cannot perform the essential functions of his or her job without maintaining an active attorney's
license. Even in those cases, the law school will not pay CLE expenses, but will expect the
administrator or staff member to earn CLE credits by teaching or by attending low-cost CLE
courses.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, October 2, 2002
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V. OTHER POLICIES
V-1. Statement on Religious Identity and Mission
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
UST Law School has a mission and vision that it seeks to use as guideposts for its range of
programs. UST Law rests within and is inspired by the tradition of Catholic higher education,
whose objective is “to assure in an institutional manner a Christian presence in the university
world confronting the great problems of society and culture.”
3
UST Law seeks to be a Christian
presence in the worlds of legal education and the legal profession.
The apostolic constitution on Catholic higher education, Ex corde Ecclesiae, describes in general
the challenge we take up as a Catholic law school: “to unite...two orders of reality that too
frequently tend to be placed in opposition as though they were antithetical: the search for truth,
and the certainty of already knowing the fount of truth.”
4
Our Mission Statement shares this
emphasis, stating that UST, “as a Catholic law school, is dedicated to integrating faith and reason
in the search for truth,” in particular “through a focus on morality and social justice.” The Vision
Statement expands upon and repeats the theme of integration–“integration of faith and deepest
ethical principles” with the discipline of law–in three major areas, including “professional
preparation,” “scholarly engagement,” and “service and community.”
In the first area, professional preparation, UST Law begins from the premise that there are
certain religious, spiritual, and other deep ethical truths that undergird the law as a body of
knowledge and a professional calling–but that legal education and law practice are too often
dismissive of, and at best disconnected from, those truths. The truths of the Christian gospel of
particular relevance to the law include “the meaning of the human person, his or her liberty,
dignity, sense of responsibility, and openness to the transcendent.”
5
But we also recognize that
such “spiritual values”–such “authentically human contributions”–can be present in many
different religions and belief systems,
6
and that many students of varying traditions enter law
school with some such set of deep ethical principles that guide them. A crucial aspect of UST’s
mission is to assist students, as much as possible, to integrate these religious and deep ethical
beliefs with their lives as lawyers, rather than have the two moral worlds remain disconnected or
in conflict. We recognize and teach students that lawyers play distinctive moral roles in society
and have distinctive duties. But our mission of integration means helping students to see how
lawyers’ work can promote the deepest principles of human dignity; equipping them to challenge
those aspects of current legal culture that contradict those principles; and preparing them to
3
John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities Ex corde Ecclesiae, art. I, § 13, Aug. 15, 1990,
82 AAS 1475-1509 (1990).
4
Id. § 1.
5
Id. § 45.
6
Id. §§ 43, 47.
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respond appropriately to the moral challenges and tensions posed by the lawyer’s role.
In the area of “scholarly engagement”, our particular mission–beyond becoming a place of high-
quality scholarship and intellectual life in general–is “to explore the intellectual integration of
faith into the study of law” (Vision Statement). This includes both descriptive scholarship,
studying the role that traditional religions and other deep ethical systems have played and do
play in the development of law; and normative scholarship, advocating various positions or
reforms in the light of the social teachings of the Catholic Church, of other religious faiths, or of
other deep ethical traditions.
In the area of service and community, UST Law embraces the Pope’s call to universities to
manifest a “Christian spirit of service to others for the promotion of social justice”–and to “be
particularly attentive to the poorest and to those who suffer economic, social, cultural or religious
injustice.”
7
In the field of law this means, as our Vision Statement puts it, “promot[ing] and
participat[ing] in service programs designed [for] the disadvantaged and [legally] underserved.”
CONSIDERATION OF MISSION IN UST LAW DECISIONS
Realizing UST Law’s mission and vision also requires building a community of persons
committed to the mission and vision. A law school’s mission emphasis cannot be imposed by the
Dean, or created by instituting programs; the emphasis and priorities must originate from the
personalities and priorities of the faculty, students, administrators, and staff themselves.
Therefore we give consideration, both in hiring personnel and in admitting students, to “mission
fit”–a shorthand for the question whether a prospective employee or student will support and
advance UST Law’s mission. And in considering faculty promotion and tenure, we consider
whether a candidate has demonstrated “commitment to the mission and vision of the [s]chool”
(Promotion and Tenure Policy).
As was emphasized in part I, the religious mission of UST Law contains several facets. There are
many different ways in which a member of the faculty, administration, or staff can contribute to
the mission, and many ways in which a student can be the sort of lawyer or professional that is
consistent with our mission. As explained below, these criteria should leave a good deal of room
for diverse contributions by different members of the community. But since UST Law has set
particular priorities–has defined certain distinctive contributions that it is trying to make to legal
education–it makes perfect sense to seek people who have similar interests and priorities.
7
Id. §§ 34, 40.
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A. Faculty Hiring and Promotion/Tenure
1. Means of Showing Mission Fit
At the stage of faculty hiring, we look for indications in a candidate’s background
that the candidate will contribute in some way to the distinctive mission of UST
Law. We also speak straightforwardly with candidates at interviews, telling them
of the school’s mission and asking each how he or she would be able to support
and advance that mission.
8
At the stage of promotion or tenure, our policy provides that a candidate “must
demonstrate commitment to the mission and vision of the [s]chool.” The
candidate must show “that he or she has undertaken ongoing efforts, individually
and in concert with others, to advance the mission and vision.”
The promotion and tenure policy makes clear that a candidate may demonstrate
commitment to the mission and vision “in a wide variety of ways.” The same
wide variety of contributions to the mission applies to our consideration of faculty
candidates for initial hiring. Examples of commitment to the mission include:
a. “encouraging students to integrate their faith and values into their
professional lives”;
b. “publishing scholarship that integrates faith and ethics into the study of
law”; or
c. “providing service to the disadvantaged.”
2. Academic Freedom
UST Law follows the University of St. Thomas’s established policy on academic
freedom. The University’s policy is strong, reflecting the American Association
of University Professors’ statements on academic freedom. A commitment to
“freedom in research and teaching...according to the principles and methods of
each individual discipline”
9
is fully consistent with the mission of Catholic higher
education: in the words of Ex corde Ecclesiae, “[i]t is the honor and responsibility
of a Catholic university to consecrate itself without reserve to the cause of truth....
It does this without fear but rather with enthusiasm, dedicating itself to every path
of knowledge, aware of being preceded by him who is ‘the Way, the Truth, and
the Life.’”
10
8
This section focuses on the relationship between “mission fit” and faculty-related decisions, because many
of the relevant issues – promotion and tenure, academic freedom–are unique to faculty. As noted above, mission fit is
also a consideration in hiring of administrators and staff, with adjustments appropriate to each context.
9
Ex corde Ecclesiae, General Norms, art. 2, § 4.
10
Ex corde Ecclesiae, art. 1, § 4.
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In particular, we understand UST Law’s mission as expanding the scope and freedom of
intellectual inquiry. Our faculty and students will pursue knowledge about the law by means of
all the skills and methods common to the legal academy and profession–textual analysis,
common-law reasoning from precedent, historical and other interdisciplinary inquiry, appeal to
society’s moral standards. But to these skills, we hope and expect, our faculty and students will
add a further dimension, a special concern to inquire into and explore the spiritual aspects of the
law and of professional calling–the extent to which law rests on and implicates the fullest view
of the human person.
11
A commitment to academic freedom is also fully consistent with the requirement
in our promotion and tenure policy that faculty support and advance the mission
of UST Law. As we already noted, the policy emphasizes that “[a] candidate may
demonstrate commitment to the mission and vision of the School of Law in a
wide variety of ways, such as by encouraging students to integrate their faith and
values into their professional lives, publishing scholarship that integrates faith and
ethics into the study of law, or providing service to the disadvantaged.” There is
no requirement of, or favoritism for, any particular theological or ideological
perspective in relating faith or ethics to law or in serving the disadvantaged. We
hope and expect that different faculty, coming from a variety of faith traditions
and philosophical perspectives, will bring to UST a wide range of perspectives on
faith, ethics, and law. Only such a diverse faculty can assist our students in
integrating their deep beliefs with their professional lives, since we hope and
expect that the range of deep beliefs among our students will be similarly wide.
We plan to hire faculty who are committed to our broad vision–pursuing the
integration of faith and deep beliefs with scholarship and with service to the
needy–and then to let those faculty follow their conscience and intellect.
11
What one Catholic scholar has written about the Catholic university in general can be applied more
specifically to the various aspects of legal study:
We learn something about the meaning of human life and death from Tolstoy. . . . We also learn
something about our life and death from courses in human anatomy and physiology, in human
genetics and neurophysiology. . . . We learn also about human life and death from political science
and economics. . . . Schools of nursing, social work, education, law and business immerse their
students in so much of what it is to be human. . . . But we finally understand human life in terms of
Christ[. W]e bring all of that human promise and beauty, pathos and sorrows, intricate structures
and biological drives, massive disagreements and debates about political interactions and economic
forces to a theological inquiry about what it means to hear the great promise of the Gospel: “I have
come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Michael J. Buckley, S.J., The Catholic University as Promise and Project 19 (1998).
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3. “Conduct Inimical to the Mission”
The promotion and tenure policy also provides that “[c]onduct that is inimical to
the mission and vision of the School of Law is grounds for denial of promotion or
tenure.” This provision merits elaboration in three respects:
First, it may be helpful to state what the provision does not cover. “Conduct
inimical to the mission and vision” does not include good-faith disagreements
over priorities within our broadly stated mission and vision; debate over such
priorities and directions is essential, not detrimental, to realizing the mission. It is
not intended to limit academic freedom, which as noted above is a firm
commitment of both UST Law and the University. “Conduct inimical” does not
include taking a position at odds with the position of the Catholic Church on some
issue, unless the faculty member’s position is independently inimical to UST
Law’s mission in some other affirmative way, such as those listed below.
“Conduct inimical” does not include personal conduct unless that conduct in some
way causes the faculty member to fail in his or her duties of teaching, scholarly
engagement, service, and community-building.
Second, a good deal of guidance on the meaning of “conduct inimical to the
mission and vision” can be found–as the phrase itself indicates–in the text of UST
Law’s mission and vision statements and the specific purposes laid out in them.
Thus, although the following list is illustrative and not exhaustive, “conduct
inimical to the mission and vision” may include conduct that is a significant
impediment to:
a. “preparing students to become accomplished servant leaders”;
b. “supporting and encouraging students’ integration of their faith and deepest
ethical principles into their professional character and identity”;
c. “expand[ing] knowledge about law and society and participat[ing] in the
improvement of legal institutions”;
d. “explor[ing] the intellectual integration of religious faith into the study of
law”;
e. “establish[ing] a diverse community...dedicated to supporting each other,
the law school’s mission, and [external] communities”; or
f. “promot[ing] and participat[ing] in service programs, “striv[ing] to enhance
social justice,” and “assist[ing] students in integrating their commitments
to serve society into the personal and professional lives.”
Third, “conduct inimical to the mission and vision” may include conduct that
violates University policies or federal or state law. University policies are found
at http://www.stthomas.edu/facultyhandbook.
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B. Student Admissions
In student admissions, we look for “mission fit” by considering a student’s entire application file
and not merely academic numbers such as LSAT score and undergraduate GPA. Prospective
mission fit is a consideration both in admitting students and in awarding scholarships.
As with faculty hiring and promotion, an applicant for admission to the student body may
evidence mission fit in a wide variety of ways. One applicant may express a desire to ensure that
her professional career harmonizes with her strong religious faith. Another may have an
academic background in theology or moral philosophy and a desire to explore the intellectual
foundations of law and the relationship between faith, or more generally morality, and law.
Another applicant, with no religious affiliation, may have a demonstrated record of service to the
needy and express an eagerness to use his legal training to continue that service.
C. Religious Affiliation and “Mission Fit”
A distinct and important question is how the religious affiliation of a candidate–whether for a
faculty position or a place in the student body–relates to the candidate’s mission fit. We ask
prospective faculty, staff, administrators, and students about how they could make a contribution
to UST Law’s mission. We do not ask faculty applicants their religious affiliation, and we ask
student applicants only an optional question about their religious preference, for informational
purposes.
12
This approach is consistent with the University’s nondiscrimination rule, which
states that the University “does not discriminate on the basis of [among other things] creed [or]
religion...in the employment of faculty or staff, the admission or treatment of students, or in the
operation of its educational programs and activities.” The question for us is not simple religious
affiliation, but whether a candidate–say, a candidate for a faculty position–is personally
interested in the project of integrating religious and other deep moral beliefs into teaching,
scholarship, or service. Such an interest is crucial because one aspect of our mission is to help
students with religious faith or other deep moral and ethical beliefs to integrate those with their
professional lives, and obviously it is important to have faculty who understand the challenge of
that first-hand, can therefore sympathize with it, and can serve as models for students.
We emphasize our belief that it is valuable to have a wide range of religious and ethical beliefs in
the UST Law community. As a Catholic law school, we are also “catholic” in the sense that we
affirm elements of truth and value in many different religious traditions, and we aim to serve
students with many different religious commitments and other deep moral and ethical beliefs.
We are more likely to learn from the truth and value in various traditions if adherents of those
traditions are present among our faculty. And our faculty is more likely to be able to help
students of various traditions and beliefs, and to serve as models for those students, if those
traditions and beliefs are represented on the faculty. Accordingly, it is a priority of ours to find
faculty with a diversity of religious and deep moral beliefs. And to reemphasize, this diversity
12
The purpose of the information is to provide some sense of whether our mission is proving attractive to
people of particular faiths and whether we are achieving religious diversity. The admissions committee does not
consider the willingness or unwillingness of an applicant to answer the question in making a decision about admissions
or financial aid.
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extends to potential faculty who do not profess traditional religious beliefs, but who nevertheless
are themselves committed to integrating deep moral and ethical beliefs with professional life
(and helping students to do so), and who are interested in and comfortable with doing so in a
Catholic setting.
Finally, although having a significant Catholic presence on the faculty and staff is important in
maintaining UST Law’s mission, we have not found it necessary to date to make religious
affiliation a criterion in order to preserve such a presence. We have found that the substantive
content of our mission naturally attracts Catholic candidates–and more broadly candidates with
religious faith–who are interested in the connection between faith and professional life. As UST
Law becomes (we trust) more prominent and attractive to applicants and the faculty grows in
size, the preservation of our mission focus may require us to revisit this approach–to consider
religious affiliation more specifically, not as an overriding factor, but as one indicator of
“mission fit” among many others.
UST Law’s approach is fully consistent with the relevant accreditation standards. ABA Standard
210(e) states that a law school may “hav[e] a religious affiliation or purpose” and may “adop[t]
and appl[y] policies of admission of students and employment of faculty and staff which directly
relate to this affiliation or purpose”; “[t]hese policies may provide a preference for persons
adhering to the religious affiliation or purpose of the law school,” although they may not
“preclude admission of applicants or retention of students” based on religion.
13
First, we do not
give any preference based on religion (let alone “preclude” admission on that basis); we also
consider whether a faculty candidate or student applicant has some other deep conscientious
moral belief that he or she is seeking to integrate with his or her professional life. Second, as we
have already explained, our consideration of mission fit “directly relate[s]” to our purpose–one
of our central purposes–of helping students of varying faiths to integrate those beliefs with their
professional lives. Finally, we provide notice of our mission focus both to faculty candidates, at
the stage of initial interviews, and to prospective student applicants, through the UST Law
website.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, August 12, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 12, 2002
13
The AALS has an essentially identical provision. See AALS Executive Committee Regulation § 6.17.
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V-2. Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS SCHOOL OF LAW
POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINATION AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN
A. Preamble
The University of St. Thomas School of Law is committed to ensuring that its administrators,
faculty, staff, and students fully reflect the great diversity of God’s creation.
UST Law’s commitment to diversity is inseparable from its identity as a Catholic law school.
Central to Catholic social teaching is the belief that every human being is made in the image of
God and that, reflecting the Trinitarian nature of God, human persons are social beings who
thrive in community with others.
These beliefs are reflected in UST Law’s mission. UST Law seeks not merely to convey legal
knowledge to its students, but to instill in them a deep respect for the dignity of every human
person. UST Law seeks to do this not primarily through lectures or books, but by creating a
diverse community of administrators, faculty, staff, and students committed to its mission, and
by giving those community members sustained and meaningful contact with one another.
For UST Law, then, diversity is not merely a matter of complying with federal laws or
accreditation standards, nor even a matter of providing a quality legal education. Rather, a
diverse community is essential to UST Law’s identity–to its very reason for being.
B. Policy of Non-Discrimination
UST Law is governed by the non-discrimination policy of its parent university: “The University
of St. Thomas is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and equal
educational opportunity. St. Thomas does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color,
creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family
status, disability, age, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or
activity in a local commission, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by
applicable law. The university’s policy of nondiscrimination extends to all aspects of its
operations, including but not limited to, employment, educational policies, admissions policies,
scholarship and loan programs, and all other educational programs and activities.” UST Law
complies with this non-discrimination statement in all of its own activities, and it expects that
employers to whom it furnishes assistance of any kind, including facilities for interviewing, do
not unlawfully discriminate on any of these grounds.
The University’s commitment to equality of opportunity dates back to its founder, Archbishop
John Ireland, who devoted much of his life to battling racism in the United States and in the
Catholic Church. Archbishop Ireland regarded racial prejudice as “a detestable violation of both
Christian and American principles” and as being “unworthy of human reason.” Joseph B.
Connors, Journey Toward Fulfillment: A History of the College of St. Thomas 81 (1986).
Archbishop Ireland’s views have been embraced by his successor bishops. In the Pastoral
Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), the Catholic bishops
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affirmed that, since all persons are “created in God’s likeness, since they have the same nature
and origin, have been redeemed by Christ and enjoy the same divine calling and destiny, the
basic equality of all must receive increasingly greater recognition.” The bishops urged that
“every type of discrimination, whether social or cultural, whether based on sex, race, color,
social condition, language, or religion, . . . be overcome and eradicated as contrary to God’s
intent.”
C. Affirmative Action Plan
UST Law will not accomplish its mission if it simply commits itself to non-discrimination.
Rather, UST Law must affirmatively seek to diversify its community by attracting
administrators, faculty, staff, and students with a broad range of life experiences.
Efforts to diversify the UST Law community must focus on those who have historically been
underrepresented in the legal profession because of their race or ethnicity. Many groups–
including Roman Catholics–have felt the sting of discrimination, but discrimination on the basis
of race and ethnicity has been particularly pernicious, and its effects have been particularly far-
reaching. As the American bishops instructed in Economic Justice for All, their Pastoral Letter
on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, “[w]here the effects of past discrimination
persist, society has the obligation to take positive steps to overcome the legacy of injustice.
Judiciously administered affirmative action programs in education and employment can be
important expressions of the drive for solidarity and participation that is at the heart of true
justice.”
The efforts to diversify UST Law will be many and varied, and will evolve over time as UST
Law itself evolves. Central to those efforts will be working to increase the number of members
of underrepresented groups who are interested in studying law; recruiting to UST Law members
of underrepresented groups and others who would diversify the community; creating an
atmosphere at UST Law in which differences among members of the community are not simply
tolerated, but celebrated; providing academic, financial, personal, spiritual, and other support so
that every member of the UST Law community can flourish; and ensuring that all those who
leave UST Law are well prepared to enjoy fulfilling and successful careers.
D. Students
Among the specific steps that UST Law will take to seek a diverse student body are the
following:
1. UST Law will seek to increase the number of minority students who are interested
in studying law generally and attending UST Law specifically. It will do so by:
a. encouraging administrators, faculty, staff, and students to serve as mentors
to minority students through such programs as Big Brothers/Big Sisters
and the Minnesota Community College Mentor Program;
b. building long-term partnerships with at least one K-12 school and at least
three undergraduate institutions serving substantial minority populations;
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2. UST Law will offer to provide a full slate of services to the students of these
institutions, including providing information and advice about careers in the legal
profession, preparing for law school, preparing for and taking the LSAT,
navigating the law school admissions process, financial planning for law school,
and other issues. UST Law will also offer to assist with mock trial programs,
present mock law school classes, and consult individually with minority students
who may be interested in a legal career.
a. encouraging administrators, faculty, staff, and students to participate in
public service and other activities–such as Street Law programs–that will
bring them into contact with minority students; and
b. supporting the activities of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity
and other programs that are intended to increase the number of minority
students who are able to attend law school.
3. UST Law will seek to increase the number of minority students who apply for
admission to UST Law. It will do so by:
a. attending minority recruitment fairs locally and nationally;
b. sending recruiters to visit institutions with substantial minority populations
(such as HBCUs and tribal community colleges);
c. where feasible, making an effort to speak to a minority student advisor or
a representative of a minority student organization at campuses visited by
UST recruiters;
d. sending promotional materials to students who identify themselves as
belonging to a racial or ethnic minority group when registering for the
LSAT;
e. hosting open houses for prospective minority applicants;
f. working with pre-law advisors to identify promising minority students;
g. authorizing pre-law advisors to waive the application fee for minority
students; and
h. hosting periodic conferences for pre-law advisors who work at institutions
with substantial minority populations.
4. UST Law will seek to increase the number of minority students who decide to
enroll at UST Law. It will do so by:
a. giving substantial weight to the benefits of attracting a diverse class of
students in making admissions and financial aid decisions;
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b. attempting to persuade prospective donors to fund endowed scholarships
that could be used to attract students who would diversify the student
body; and
c. making certain that at least one administrator or professor and at least one
student contacts every minority admittee and invites the admittee to visit
campus, to ask questions, and to express concerns about UST Law.
5. UST Law will seek to assist minority students to achieve academic success. It will
do so by:
a. hiring a Director of Academic Achievement to work with students,
including minority students, who are struggling academically;
b. encouraging and supporting student organizations (e.g., the Black Law
Students Association and the Multicultural Law Students Association) that
specially address the needs of minority students;
c. educating faculty on the challenges that minority students confront and on
the ways in which faculty can help with those challenges;
d. encouraging and enabling faculty to give conscious attention in
classrooms to the impact that America=s history of discrimination has had
on legal education and the legal profession;
e. encouraging contacts and joint endeavors between minority students
enrolled at UST Law and minority students enrolled at other law schools
(particularly the other law schools located in Minnesota);
f. establishing strong ties with minority bar associations, and inviting those
associations to assist minority students to succeed in law school and to
find employment;
g. making special efforts to recruit minority attorneys to serve as mentors in
the UST Law mentor program;
h. developing programs and other resources to assist minority students in
coping with the challenges that they will face inside and outside of the
classroom because of their race or ethnicity;
i. striving to add to the law school administration and faculty people with
personal knowledge of the challenges faced by members of racial and
ethnic minorities;
j. inviting members of minority groups who are leaders in the worlds of law,
business, education, religion, and other endeavors to speak on campus, to
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judge moot court competitions, and otherwise to interact with students;
and
k. offering classes such as Employment Discrimination, Immigration Law,
Native American Law, and Poverty Law that will likely have special
relevance to minority students and that will hopefully inspire UST Law
students to do the kind of work that will someday make affirmative action
plans unnecessary.
6. UST Law will seek to assist minority students successfully to enter the legal
profession. It will do so by:
a. hiring a Director of Academic Achievement to put together a program for
those students, including those minority students, who may need extra
assistance in preparing for the bar examination;
b. promoting contacts between minority students and minority lawyers, so
that minority students can get advice about the special challenges they
may face in finding satisfactory employment;
c. giving financial and other assistance to minority students who wish to
participate in networking activities, such as paying the cost of attending
events sponsored by minority bar associations; and
d. participating in job fairs and other programs designed to bring minority
law graduates to the attention of prospective employers.
Although, for the reasons stated above, the major focus of these initiatives will be
on increasing representation of racial and ethnic minorities, UST Law will also
use these and similar initiatives to achieve broader diversity, such as diversity of
sex, age, religion, disability, economic status, sexual orientation, and moral and
political beliefs.
E. Faculty
Among the specific steps that UST Law will take to seek a diverse faculty are the following:
1. Increasing the number of women and minority faculty members is and will remain
one of the highest priorities of the Faculty Appointments Committee.
2. At the beginning of each academic year, all faculty will be asked to identify
potential women and minority faculty candidates through networking, reviews of
recent scholarly publications, reviews of lists of women and minority professors,
and other means.
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3. The record of any person identified as a potential woman or minority faculty
candidate will be reviewed and, if appropriate, the candidate will be contacted by
the Dean and/or the chair of the Faculty Appointments Committee.
4. In deciding whom to invite to interview at the AALS Faculty Recruitment
Conference and on campus, and in deciding to whom to extend offers of
employment, UST Law will apply a broader range of criteria than may
customarily be applied and give substantial weight to the benefits of diversifying
the faculty. In particular, UST Law will consider, with respect to every open
position, whether traditional criteria (such as prestige of law school attended, law
school grades, law review membership, and clerkship) are likely to be reliable
predictors of success in the position and whether such criteria are acting to
exclude women and minority candidates who may hold the position successfully.
5. Before engaging in any faculty recruiting, the Faculty Appointments Committee
will consult the University’s faculty hiring guidelines. The Faculty Appointments
Committee will adhere to these guidelines throughout the recruitment and hiring
process.
F. Individuals With Disabilities
Students qualify for services through the Enhancement Program upon self-disclosure and
presentation of appropriate documentation of a learning disability, Attention Deficit Disorder
(ADD/ADHD), psychiatric disorder, or traumatic brain injury. Qualified students, along with the
Enhancement Program staff, work to realize their potential for academic success within the
regular university setting. The Enhancement Program staff acknowledges that individuals with
documented disabilities have unique learning needs. Reasonable academic accommodations are
arranged on an individual basis in accordance with that individual’s disability and with the
requirements of a particular course. The Enhancement Program represents an institutional
commitment to individual guidance for students to develop the skills necessary to become
independent life-long learners.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, June 6, 2002
Placed in catalog, August 6, 2002
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V-3. Postings
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for postings in the School of Law. Space is
provided for postings by faculty and administration as well as students and student organizations.
Official items posted by School of Law and University administrators will be posted in the
faculty and administration areas on the official, glass-front bulletin boards located in the student
lounge in the lower level of the law building. No student group, organization or individual may
post anything on the official bulletin board.
Postings by student groups must be approved by the Office of Student Affairs. Approval for
posting can be obtained in the Student Services suite – MSL 124. The announcement should
clearly indicate the name of the sponsoring organization. Individual student and student group
postings may be displayed on bulletin boards only. Bulletin boards are located in the student
lounge, in the student organization office suite, in the hallway leading to the skyway with the
parking ramp and at the far end of the classroom wing on the 3
rd
and 4
th
floors. On the day of an
event, an event may be publicized by posting a notice with the magnetic clip provided at the
doorway to each classroom. Student postings may not be affixed to walls, doors (including
classroom doors), railings or any other location unless specifically approved by the Office of
Student Affairs. Student postings may not obstruct official notices.
Postings should be displayed no more than 2 weeks before the event being announced. Postings
are to be taken down promptly once an event has taken place. The Assistant Dean for
Administration or their designees may take down postings that do not meet these requirements or
that are for events that have already occurred. At the end of the fall and spring semesters, they
will remove all postings by student groups.
Prohibition on Posting Elsewhere in the Building
Faculty, administrators, staff and students may not affix postings to any doors or walls.
Items may be displayed using the magnetic clip provided next to their door for posting
notices or other items.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, August 5, 2003
Revised May 28, 2004
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V-4. Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
A. Mission
To promote access to justice and to support the financial needs of its alumni who work in
public service, the University of St. Thomas School of Law is committed to a loan
repayment assistance program. This program will help enable UST law graduates to take
public service jobs that will promote social justice consistent with the law school’s
mission.
B. Program Features
1. General Eligibility: Any UST Law School graduate who is licensed to practice
law within the United States, who meets the program requirements, and who
graduated within 10 years of application is eligible for loan repayment assistance
for a 10-year period.
2. Requirements
a. Qualifying Employment: To qualify for loan repayment assistance, the
applicant must document full-time employment (at least 35 hours per
week) at a qualifying public interest organization, which is: 1) a non-profit
organization exempt from federal income taxation under IRC § 501(c)(3);
2) a local, state, or federal governmental entity; 3) a Native American
tribal government, court system, or public interest organization; or 4) an
international organization (governmental or non-governmental). The
employment must be employment as a lawyer: 1) providing legal advice
or representation to clients based on financial eligibility, or 2) representing
a qualifying public interest organization that in turn provides legal services
to clients based on financial eligibility. A position as a lawyer includes
employment in a position that converts into an attorney position upon
passage of the bar examination within twelve months of commencement
of employment.
b. Exhaustion of Other Sources: Except for funds available from Minnesota-
LRAP, applicants who are eligible for loan repayment assistance from
other sources must apply to and exhaust those resources before applying
for assistance from UST-LRAP. And, as stated below, graduates from the
University of St. Thomas School of Law must first exhaust their UST-
LRAP eligibility before becoming eligible for Minnesota-LRAP funds..
c. Covered Debt: Student loan debt incurred for tuition in the JD program at
the University of St. Thomas is eligible. The amount of JD tuition paid is
the lesser of 1) total JD tuition less UST Law scholarships or 2) student
loans incurred while in law school. Student loan debt for courses pursued
in a joint-degree program in another school or college is not covered.
Examples
i. During the three years in law school, a student receives no
scholarship, borrows $30,000 in student loans while in law school,
and pays $66,000 in tuition. The covered debt is $30,000.
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ii. During the three years in law school, student receives a full tuition
scholarship and pays no tuition. The student borrows $20,000 in
student loans while attending law school. The covered debt is 0.
iii. During the three years in law school, a student receives a $20,000
tuition scholarship, borrows $25,000 in student loans while in law
school, and pays $46,000 in tuition. Total tuition is $66,000. The
covered debt is $25,000.
iv. During the three years in law school, a student receives a $40,000
tuition scholarship, borrows $40,000 in student loans while in law
school, and pays $26,000 in tuition. Total tuition is $66,000. The
covered debt is $26,000.
v. A student receives no scholarship, borrows $80,000 in student
loans while in law school, and pays $66,000 in tuition. The
covered debt is $66,000.
vi. A student receives no scholarship, enrolls for and completes a
JD/MBA joint degree, borrows $100,000 while in law school and
at the College of Business, and pays $86,000 in tuition. Of this
amount, $66,000 is allocable to law courses and $20,000 is
allocable to business courses. The covered debt is $66,000.
vii. A student begins law school with student loan debt of $50,000
incurred as an undergraduate. The student borrows another
$40,000 in student loans while in law school. The student pays
$66,000 in tuition. The covered debt is $40,000.
d. Consistency with Mission: The employment undertaken must be
consistent with the law school’s mission and cannot contradict the
teachings of the Catholic Church. Applicants will be required to certify
that their employment is consistent with mission and not inconsistent with
Church teachings. Applicants will agree to repay UST-LRAP assistance in
the event that the certification was false or erroneous.
3. Application Cycle: UST-LRAP will run a twice-a-year grant cycle. Applications
for recent graduates who have taken the July bar exam will have a deadline in
November. The second grant cycle will have a deadline in May.
4. Payment of Benefits, Promissory Note, and Taxation: Benefits will be paid in
quarterly installments based on the annual award. The applicant must sign
promissory notes for each quarterly payment and agree to repay the benefits if the
applicant does not continue in qualifying employment for the quarter. This
requirement will be treated as met if the applicant’s position is terminated and if
the applicant cannot find other qualifying employment during the award cycle.
5. Period of Eligibility and Renewal of Benefits: Applicants who continue to meet
the employment requirement and also come within the income guidelines and the
benefits caps, are eligible to receive benefits under this program for up to ten
years from the first year of application. Renewal of benefits will require annual
applications.
6. Income Guidelines and Cap: UST-LRAP is a need-based program. As the
adjusted income of an applicant rises, the benefits decrease. In addition, the cap
on the benefits also declines as adjusted income increases. Subject to the cap,
benefits decline as annual adjusted income increases above $27,000. No benefits
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are available to applicants with adjusted income above $52,000. As adjusted
income increases, the applicant is expected to contribute 20% of the excess over
$27,000 towards the covered debt.
The cap on annual benefits begins at $6,000 per year and declines as adjusted
income increases above $27,000. The decrease is equal to 20% of the excess over
adjusted income of $27,000.
This chart shows how these need based calculations work:
AI Applicant’s Contribution Cap
20,000 -0- 6,000
27,000 -0- 6,000
28,000 200 5,800
29,000 400 5,600
30,000 600 5,400
31,000 800 5,200
33,000 1,200 4,800
35,000 1,600 4,400
37,000 2,000 4,000
40,000 2,600 3,400
44,000 3,400 2,600
47,000 4,000 2,000
52,000 5,000 1,000
Above 52,000: no benefits
Calculation of Adjusted Income
Adjusted Income (AI) = BI - DA + IA
BI = Base Income
Base Income (BI) equals income from all sources minus $3,000 for each
dependent (excluding the applicant and the applicant’s spouse). Income used to
compute BI will be based upon the applicant’s income from Qualifying
Employment plus all other sources of income (including alimony, other part-time
jobs, rental income, interest, dividends, etc.). A prior year’s LRAP award is not
included in the calculation of BI. Loan repayment assistance from other sources is
not included in BI, but may be subtracted from the total LRAP award.
DA = Daycare Allowance
Estimated daycare costs, supported by adequate documentation, will be deducted
from the applicant’s Base Income up to a maximum amount established by UST-
LRAP each year. For this application, the maximum amount is $10,000.
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IA = Included Assets
Twenty-five percent (25%) of the applicant’s assets in excess of $15,000 will be
added to the Base Income. Excluded are home, car, farm (if it is applicant’s
residence), and retirement accounts (such as IRAs, pensions, etc.). Only one
home/residence will be excluded, but the applicant is not required to live in the
home/residence. Loss and/or gain on includable assets will be applied to income
and must be reported by the applicant.
7. Calculation of Annual Benefit: The annual benefit will be based on a 15-year
amortization schedule of the covered debt and will assume a reasonable rate of
interest determined by UST-LRAP. This amount will be reduced by the
applicant’s contribution and subject to the cap, which is calculated from the
applicant’s adjusted income.
Examples
a. The applicant is eligible and has qualifying employment. The applicant’s
covered debt is $30,000, and adjusted income is $25,000. The assumed
interest rate is 6%. The applicant’s deemed annual loan payment is
$3,037.88 (assuming 15-year amortization at 6%). The applicant’s
contribution is 0. The cap at the applicant’s level of adjusted income is
$6,000. Therefore, the loan repayment assistance is $3,037.88. The
benefits will be paid in four quarterly installments, and the applicant will
be issued a promissory note requiring repayment of these amounts unless
the applicant continues in the qualifying employment.
b. Same facts as example “a” above, except that the applicant’s adjusted
income is $37,000. The applicant is expected to make a contribution of
$2,000 toward the annual liability on the covered debt. The cap is $4,000.
Therefore, the loan repayment assistance is $1,037.88 ($3,037.88 -
$2,000.00 = $1, 37.88).
c. Same facts as example “a” above, except that the applicant’s adjusted
income is $47,000. The required applicant’s contribution would now be
$4,000. This exceeds the annual obligation on the covered debt, and the
applicant receives no loan repayment assistance.
d. The applicant is eligible and has covered debt of $66,000. The applicant’s
adjusted income is $27,000. The assumed interest rate is 6%. The
applicant’s deemed annual loan payment is $6,683.35 (assuming 15-year
amortization at 6%). The applicant’s contribution is 0. The cap is $6,000.
Therefore, the loan repayment assistance is $6,000.
e. Same facts as example “d” above, except that the applicant’s adjusted
income is $37,000. The applicant’s contribution is $2,000 and the cap is
$4,000. Therefore, the loan repayment assistance is $4,000 ($6,683.35 -
$2,000 = $4,683.25, but subject to a cap of $4,000).
f. Same facts as example “d” above, except that the applicant has $27,000 in
a bank CD. Of this amount, $3,000 (25% of $12,000, which is the amount
by which $27,000 exceeds $15,000) is added to base income. This
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increases the applicant’s adjusted income by $3,000 to $40,000. The
applicant’s contribution is $2,600 and the cap is $3,400. Therefore, the
loan repayment assistance is $3,400 ($6,683.35 - $2,600 = $4,083.35, but
subject to a cap of $3,400).
g. Same facts as example “d” above, except that the applicant’s adjusted
income is $52,000. The applicant’s contribution is $5,000 and the cap is
$1,000. Therefore the loan repayment assistance is $1,000 ($6,683.35 -
$5,000 = $1,683.35, but subject to a cap of $1,000).
C. Eligibility Changes
Applicants have an affirmative duty to notify UST-LRAP within 30 days of
circumstances that change eligibility, notification should be given to the Executive
Director of Minnesota-LRAP, which serves as the administrator for UST-LRAP as
described in Section G below. Examples of eligibility changes are 1) going from full-time
to part-time, 2) changing jobs, 3) increase in salary for the applicant, but only if this
causes a change in the calculation of the applicant’s household income. When an UST-
LRAP awardee has a salary increase during an award cycle, the awardee’s eligibility will
be reviewed. If the increase renders the awardee ineligible (based upon actual income
during the award cycle), the award will be terminated at the time the change goes into
effect. If the person remains eligible, there will be no change in the award amount during
that award cycle.
D. Leave of Absence Policy
Once an applicant has received benefits from the program, periods of non-participation
will not count against the ten-year eligibility period so long as the period of absence is on
account of good cause. Examples of good cause include an absence to start a family or to
recover from a serious illness.
E. Parental and Family Leave
In the case of an applicant or an applicant’s spouse having a child during the period of
receipt of benefits, the applicant will be treated as engaged in qualifying employment for
a period of 180 days following the birth of the child even if the applicant terminates
employment within 60 days prior to such birth or at any time 180 days thereafter.
For purposes of the full-time employment requirement, an applicant will be treated as
working full-time for a cumulative period not to exceed six years if the applicant’s
employer allows commencement or continuation of employment on a part-time basis to
facilitate care of one or more of the applicant’s children. Part-time is defined as work for
a minimum of 15 hours per week. In determining calculation of AI, the applicant’s salary
will be annualized on a fulltime basis. For example, an applicant working 17.5 hours per
week so that he can care for his children will be treated as making double his salary (35
hours is fulltime and 17.5 hours is half that).
For purposes of these rules on parental leave, the adoption of a child will be treated the
same as the birth of child.
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The administrator of this program will provide appropriate accommodations for family
medical leave (required to be given to the applicant by federal or state law or provided to
the applicant by the employer) so that leaves of absence will not be treated as an
interruption or termination of qualifying employment.
Examples
1. Applicant is in the third year of receiving UST LRAP benefits. In the middle of
the third year, the applicant has a child and terminates her employment one month
before the child’s birth. The applicant is deemed to have been in qualifying
employment for the entire year.
2. Applicant is in the third year of receiving UST LRAP benefits. In the middle of
the third year, the applicant has a child and receives a three-month leave of
absence under the employer’s family leave policy. When applicant returns to
work, she works 20 hours per week under an agreement with her employer that
allows her to work part-time and to care for her child part-time. The three-month
leave will not be treated as a change in eligibility.
3. Applicant secures qualifying employment and works 17.5 hours and works part-
time to care for two of the applicant’s children. The employer pays the applicant
$20,000 per year. This is treated as qualifying employment. In calculating BI, the
applicant is deemed to make 200% of the salary received. Accordingly, the
amount added to the applicant’s BI is $40,000 (200% x $20,000).
F. Special Guidelines for Clinical Fellows
The UST-LRAP program will be administered to provide assistance to clinical fellows
serving in the Interprofessional Clinic at UST School of Law. For the term of their
fellowship, clinical fellows will be subject to the following guidelines:
1. Covered debt includes all student loans, undergraduate and graduate, law and
non-law. Law scholarships do not affect the amount of covered debt.
2. Fellows will not be required to make a contribution toward their student loan
payments, but a cap, described below, will limit benefits.
3. Fellows will be subject to an initial cap of $8,000 in annual benefits that is
reduced by 20% of the amount of adjusted income in excess of their UST Fellows
salary.
4. The adjusted income limit for a fellow is set equal to their current UST salary as a
fellow.
5. At the end of a fellowship, a former clinical fellow may apply for UST-LRAP or
Minnesota LRAP benefits based on new qualifying employment and any
remaining covered debt.
Examples
a. The clinical fellow has unpaid student loans of $80,000, $30,000 toward
the undergraduate degree and $50,000 toward the law degree. The clinical
fellow’s salary is $37,000. The fellow’s adjusted income is $37,000 (base
income of $37,000 with no adjustments). The fellow’s deemed student
loan payment is $8,899.32 (assuming 15-year amortization at 7.5%). The
fellow’s contribution is zero because of the “no-contribution” rule. The
cap is $8,000. Therefore, the fellow receives assistance of $8,000.00. The
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benefits will be paid in four quarterly installments, and the fellow will be
issued a promissory note requiring repayment of these amounts unless the
fellow continues in the position for at least one year from the date that
employment begins.
b. Same facts as example “a”, except that the fellow’s student loans are
$120,000 ($30,000 from undergraduate and $90,000 from law school).
The fellow’s deemed loan payment is $13,348.98 (assuming 15-year
amortization at 7.5%). The fellow receives assistance of $8,000 because
the deemed annual payment on the student loan is in excess of the $8,000
cap.
c. The clinical fellow’s salary is $37,000. The fellow has $55,000 in non-
retirement mutual fund accounts. The fellow’s student loan debt is
$80,000. The fellow’s deemed loan payment is $8,899.32 (assuming 15-
year amortization at 7.5%).
BI=$37,000
IA = $10,000 ($10,000 = 25% of $40,000 – assets in excess of $15,000 =
$55,000 Less $15,000)
AI=$47,000
The cap is $6,000 ($8,000 minus 20% of $10,000, which is the excess of
$47,000 over $37,000). Therefore, the fellow receives $6,000 in assistance
because that is the cap for that amount of adjusted income.
d. Same facts as c above, except that the fellow and the fellow’s spouse have
two minor children and no additional assets. The fellow has $5,000 in
documented daycare expenses. The fellow’s final adjusted income is:
BI=$31,000 ($37,000 of fellow’s salary minus $6,000 for the two children
as dependents)
DA=$5,000
AI=$26,000 ($31,000 minus $5,000=$26,000)
The cap is $8,000 because AI is below $37,000. The assistance is
$8,000.00 (the amount of the deemed payment) and is not reduced by the
cap.
G. Program Administration by Minnesota-LRAP
Minnesota-LRAP is a separate section 501(c)(3) organization, organized and operated to
provide loan repayment assistance to lawyers working in public service jobs. The eligible
recipients of benefits are lawyers who work in qualifying public service jobs and who 1)
are graduates of one of the three Minnesota law schools no matter where their jobs may
be or graduates from any law school who work in Minnesota and 2) meet the Minnesota-
LRAP income guidelines.
Minnesota-LRAP and UST School of Law have agreed that Minnesota-LRAP will
administer the UST-LRAP program. The dean or the dean’s designee will review UST-
LRAP applications for mission consistency. Minnesota-LRAP, will otherwise administer
the application review and loan repayment process, which will include financial
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eligibility determinations, payments, issuance of promissory notes, cancellation of notes,
record keeping, and modification for changed circumstances.
Under this agreement, UST School of Law graduates must first apply to UST-LRAP. If
the UST applicant is ineligible or if the UST-LRAP program does not provide assistance
for all of the applicant’s student loan debt, then those UST School of Law graduates will
be eligible to apply for Minnesota-LRAP benefits.
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V-5. Code of Student Responsibility: Honor Code
Because students in the School of Law are preparing for careers in a profession demanding
honesty and integrity, the School of Law requires high standards of conduct. The School operates
under an honor system. The School of Law’s Code of Student Responsibility, reprinted below,
details the grounds on which students may be found in violation of this honor system. In addition
to this Honor Code, students in the School of Law are also bound by other University and School
of Law policies applicable to students.
Part I. Rules Governing Conduct
§1.01 Academic Misconduct. No student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law shall
commit an act or omission constituting academic misconduct. Academic misconduct includes:
A. Cheating. Cheating is any conduct in connection with any examination, paper,
competition, or other work that may affect academic credit, a grade, or the award of
academic or professional honors at the School of Law, done for the purpose of gaining an
unfair advantage or unfairly disadvantaging another student, or under circumstances such
that a reasonable law student would know that the conduct was likely to unfairly
disadvantage another student or result in an unfair advantage.
B. Plagiarism. Plagiarism occurs when students claim or submit as their own original work
the research, ideas, or writings of another without acknowledging and clearly identifying
the source, all without regard to the quantity of materials used. Examples of plagiarism
include copying, summarizing, or paraphrasing another’s work without proper attribution.
It is not a defense to plagiarism that there was no intent to deceive, to misrepresent, or to
gain any unfair advantage.
C. Lack of candor. Lack of candor is any conduct in connection with any law school
document, record, class, academic matter, activity, program, or event that is intended, or
that a reasonable law student would know is likely, to misinform, mislead, or otherwise
deceive, engaged in for the purpose of gaining a benefit for or avoiding a detriment to
oneself and/or another student.
D. Misuse of Property or Services at the Law School. Misuse of property or services
includes stealing, hiding, damaging, defacing, destroying, or impeding access to property
or services of the library, of the law school, or of any member of the law school or
university community.
§1.02 Neglect of Professional Duty. No student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law
shall engage in neglect of professional duty which is defined as conduct that raises a substantial
question as to the student’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness to become a lawyer and which is
evidenced by the following:
A. Failure to Report Wrongdoing of Another Student. When a student has knowledge that
another student has committed a violation of this Code that raises a substantial question
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as to that student’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness to become a lawyer in other
respects, the student must report that wrongdoing to the Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs.
B. Failure to Cooperate with Disciplinary Process. Except when maintaining the confidence
of a protected communication as defined below in § 1.02(D), a student must cooperate
with the School of Law Committee on Student Discipline and any Administrative Officer
with respect to the conduct of any investigation or proceeding held in connection with
any alleged violation of the School of Law Code of Student Responsibility.
C. Intentionally Aiding or Assisting Violation of the Code. A student who intentionally aids
or assists another student in violating this Code has engaged in neglect of professional
duty.
D. Failure to Maintain Confidentiality. Students who become privy to confidential
information through school sponsored programs, mentor program, externships, and
clinics must maintain the confidentiality of such information pursuant to applicable
standards, such as the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct.
E. Failure to Comply with Professional Rules. A student engages in neglect of professional
duty if he or she fails to comply with the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct or the
Minnesota Student Practice Rule while assisting with or directly involved in providing
legal services to clients or members of the public.
F. Affirmative Defense on Failure to Report and Failure to Cooperate. Any student who
possesses a firm, fixed, and sincere objection to providing information regarding another
student’s behavior or participating as a witness against another under this Code by reason
of religious training or belief must provide the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs with
clear and convincing evidence that he or she is opposed to such reporting or participating
based upon a sincere religious conviction.
1. Sincerity is determined by an impartial evaluation of each person’s thinking and
living in totality, past and present. The conduct of persons, in particular their
outward manifestation of the religious beliefs asserted, will be carefully examined
and given substantial weight in evaluating their application.
2. Relevant factors that should be considered in determining a person’s claim of
objection to reporting include training in the home and religious community;
general demeanor and pattern of conduct; participation in religious activities;
whether religious convictions were gained through training, study, contemplation,
or other activity comparable in rigor and dedication to the processes by which
traditional religious convictions are formulated; credibility of persons supporting
the claim.
3. In assessing the sincerity of this belief, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
may also consider the timing of such disclosure. Students are encouraged to
provide that information upon matriculation or upon forming such an objection.
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Students may register by submitting an affidavit (see Appendix 1). Failure to
provide such notice in advance of any alleged violation of this Code may be
considered as an adverse factor in assessing the sincerity of religious belief.
§1.03 Violating a University Rule. It is a breach of this Code to fail to obey any promulgated
University rule that relates to student conduct and that applies to students in the School of Law
when the violation of such a rule raises a substantial question as to the student’s honesty,
trustworthiness or fitness to become a lawyer.
§1.04 Commission of a Crime.
(a) It is a breach of this Code to commit an act that constitutes a crime in the state or
country where it was committed and which is punishable by incarceration and that
reflects adversely on the student’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness to become a
lawyer.
(b) A student who is charged with a crime in any American state or jurisdiction or in
another country that is punishable by incarceration, whether or not the student is
likely to be sentenced to incarceration, shall report the charge immediately to the
Associate Dean. If the charged act would not constitute a crime punishable by
incarceration under the laws of the United States or Minnesota, the Associate Dean
shall proceed no further.
(c) When a charge of a criminal act within the meaning of this section is pending,
disciplinary proceedings ordinarily shall be postponed until completion of the
criminal proceedings. However, the Associate Dean may determine that it is the best
interests of the law school community to proceed immediately.
(d) If the student is convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to the criminal charge, that
disposition ordinarily shall be regarded as conclusive that the act was committed for
purposes of disciplinary proceedings (with the only issue remaining being the
appropriate sanction). However, if the Associate Dean in their sole discretion, finds
substantial evidence that the proceedings for the criminal charge were unjust and thus
the disposition of the criminal case is unreliable, then the Associate Dean may
determine instead to direct an investigation, as discussed in (e).
(e) If the student is acquitted, the criminal charge is dismissed, or no criminal charge is
filed, the Associate Dean shall direct an investigation pursuant to Part II.D of this
Code to determine whether there remains sufficient information to believe an act
defined under (a) was committed, appreciating that the clear and convincing standard
of proof in a student disciplinary proceeding is different from that in a criminal
proceeding and that the formal rules of evidence do not apply in the disciplinary
proceeding.
Part II: Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings
A. Application
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§2.01 These procedures apply only to charges against individual(s) for violations of the Honor
Code. The Code applies to conduct from the time of application for admission through the
awarding of a degree, even though conduct may occur before classes begin, after classes end,
and/or during periods between enrollment terms. The University retains jurisdiction if conduct
occurring before graduation is discovered after a degree is awarded.
§2.02 At the discretion of the Associate Dean, following consultation with appropriate University
administrators, conduct that implicates the Honor Code and another University or another school
or college policy may be adjudicated together, using these procedures, or may be adjudicated as
separate violations using separate processes. Joint degree students are subject to the rules and
policies of the University and to the rules and policies of each school or college in which they are
enrolled. Conduct that constitutes a School of Law Honor Code violation may also violate the
honor code or other policy of another school or college, and joint degree students may be subject
to sanctions in each school or college for the same conduct.
§2.03 Regardless of the determination or outcome, allegations of Honor Code violations or
violation of other University policy may have to be reported by the Dean and the student to
appropriate authorities regarding a candidate’s character and fitness for admission to the bar or to
another school at which the student seeks to enroll.
B. Participants in Disciplinary Process
§3.01 Administrative Officer means the Dean, an Associate Dean or Assistant Dean of the
School of Law, or any Officer of the Campus or University Administration.
§3.02 Advisor means a person who has agreed to appear with Respondent at any meeting or
proceeding under these Rules. The Respondent may choose to be accompanied by up to two
Advisors. These Advisors may or may not be attorneys, and they may or may not be present with
the Respondent at the disciplinary hearing.
§3.03 Alternate means a person appointed as a faculty or student Alternate to the Committee
who has not yet been designated by the Chair to replace an excused Member. One (1) faculty
Alternate and one (1) student Alternate shall be regularly appointed, and additional appointments
shall be made as necessary to provide a full Committee to conduct the proceedings concerning a
particular Respondent. Alternates shall have the same qualifications as and shall be selected in
the same manner as Members. A faculty Alternate may only replace an excused faculty Member,
and a student Alternate may only replace an excused student Member. With the permission of
and at the discretion of the Chair, an Alternate may observe any investigation, hearing,
consideration or deliberation but may not vote concerning any matter before the Committee until
designated as a replacement.
§3.04 Associate Dean means the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or, when so designated
by the Dean, the Dean or an Associate or Assistant Dean.
§3.05 Chair means the individual serving as chairperson of the Committee. The Chair shall be
appointed by the Dean. The Chair shall be primarily responsible for the conduct of the
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investigation and hearing; provided, however, that any Member may request that a ruling by the
Chair be submitted for a vote of the Committee.
§3.06 Committee means the Committee on Student Discipline, consisting of three (3) faculty
Members and two (2) student Members. Any investigational interviews, hearing before,
submission to, or deliberations by the Committee shall include all five (5) Members then serving.
Except as otherwise provided in §8.06 regarding the sanction of dismissal, Committee decisions
shall be by majority vote. Votes may be taken by electronic or remote means, as appropriate.
§3.07 Dean means the Dean or Acting Dean of the School of Law or, when so designated by
the Dean, an Associate or Assistant Dean.
§3.08 Member means a person appointed as a faculty or student Member of the Committee who
has not been excused, and a person appointed as a faculty or student Alternate who has been
designated by the Chair to replace an excused Member. Faculty Members shall be appointed by
the Dean from among members of the School of Law faculty (tenure-track, tenured, or clinical)
who are not Administrative Officers. Student Members shall be appointed through procedures
established by student government from among full-time students who are J.D. candidates
registered at the School of Law. Student members shall be in their second or third year, in good
academic standing who have not been disciplined under this Code.
§3.09 Respondent means a law student against whom a written complaint has been submitted
regarding a possible violation of the Code of Student Responsibility.
§3.10 Witness means a person called upon by the Committee to provide information at a
Committee hearing or in the Committee’s investigation. All law students and University
employees shall cooperate fully when called upon to be Witnesses, and any refusal to be
interviewed or to produce evidence may be a matter for disciplinary or employment action. The
refusal of a Witness – including the Respondent – to be interviewed or testify is itself a violation
of this Code and may be held against the Witness by the Committee.
C. General Definitions and Guidelines
§4.01 Deferred Adjudication means that judgment will be put off or deferred. Deferred
adjudication may be used at the discretion of the Associate Dean in the informal resolution
process. For example, in cases of minor or uncertain violations, the Associate Dean may defer
adjudication by placing a note in the file and indicate that the complaint will not be processed
unless and until there is another complaint against the student involving the Honor Code.
§4.02 Formal Charge means a statement of the Violation(s) charged with reference to the
relevant University Regulations and School of Law Disciplinary Rules, and a summary statement
of the alleged facts that constitute the specification of the Violation(s) charged.
§4.03 Informal Resolution means a process, either before or after a Formal Charge, whereby
the matter is resolved informally by counseling, by deferred adjudication, or by permitting
Respondent to accept a specified Sanction without further proceedings. A Sanction that is part of
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an Informal Resolution may be imposed by the Associate Dean only with Respondent’s consent.
Before proposing a Sanction to the Respondent, the Associate Dean should consult with the
School of Law’s Executive Committee. If Respondent accepts a proposed Sanction, it will be
imposed forthwith and without opportunity for appeal. If a proposed sanction is refused, the
Associate Dean may proceed with the next step in the administrative process. The fact a Sanction
was offered and refused and the nature of the proposed Sanction shall not limit or otherwise
affect any further action. If a Respondent has accepted a specified sanction, the Associate Dean
may prepare and publish for information regarding the matter in accordance with the Public
Notice provision in §11.01.
§4.04 Interim Suspension. Interim suspension is an executive decision made by the Associate
Dean and may be appealed only to the Dean. Interim suspensions are reserved for rare and
unusual cases where, in the Associate Dean’s sole discretion, circumstances dictate an immediate
change in a student’s status that denies a student access to the Law School and University
pending a hearing on the incident for which the student has been placed on interim suspension.
Interim suspension may be imposed: a) In situations involving the safety and well-being of
members of the Law School or University community or preservation of Law School or
University property; b) to ensure the student’s own physical or emotional safety and well-being;
c) if the student poses a definite threat of disruption of normal operations of the Law School or
University; or d) if the student displays contemptuous disregard for Law School or University
authority. Such an interim suspension is a procedural safety measure and does not constitute
discipline.
§ 4.05 Investigation Report is the written submission of the Committee to the Respondent and
the Associate Dean upon conclusion of an investigation. The report will contain the Committee’s
findings of fact, which shall be decided by majority vote, but will not include a determination of
whether a Violation occurred or suggest or propose a Sanction.
§4.06 Sanctions that may be imposed following informal resolution or upon a finding of a
Violation by the Committee include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) written reprimand;
(2) conduct probation; (3) suspension for a specified period of time; or (4) dismissal. The
sanction issued will depend on all the facts and circumstances. If a student is placed on “conduct
probation,” it means that any additional violation of the Code ordinarily will result in dismissal.
While disciplinary sanctions do not appear on a student’s transcript, they may have to be
reported by the Dean and the student to appropriate authorities per §2.03. The fact Respondent
has been or may be subject to other sanctions for the same conduct, whether such sanctions have
been or may be imposed by civil authorities or by academic officials, shall not bar the initiation
of the disciplinary proceedings or the imposition of Sanctions for Violations. The fact a student
has been or may be subject to Sanctions under this Code shall in no way affect the power of any
academic official to grade or otherwise evaluate such student’s performance for academic
purposes.
§4.07 Service of papers upon Respondent shall be accomplished by delivery to Respondent
personally or by e-mail to Respondent’s St. Thomas e-mail address. If served by e-mail over the
summer, a copy shall also be mailed to any permanent address specified in School of Law
records. If Respondent has notified the Associate Dean of the Advisor’s name and email address,
a copy shall be emailed to the Advisor(s) at the specified email address. Any written submissions
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or requests a party provides to the Committee under this Code shall be served on the Committee
using such means as determined by the Chair.
§4.08 Violation means conduct proscribed by University Regulation relating to student conduct
or by the School of Law Code of Student Responsibility.
D. Administrative Procedures
§5.01 Complaint. Any student, faculty member, or staff member may submit a written
complaint of misconduct to the Associate Dean. A student, faculty member, or staff member may
also submit a complaint based upon information reported to that person. The complaint should be
submitted in writing as soon as possible after the incident. The written complaint should include
the following: (1) the date, time, and location of the incident; (2) the name(s) of the individual(s)
involved; and (3) specific factual details of the incident. The Associate Dean may, at their sole
discretion, accept an oral complaint or an incomplete written complaint.
§5.02 Preliminary Determination. Upon receipt of a complaint regarding a possible Violation
by a law student, the Associate Dean may informally gather such additional information as will
facilitate a preliminary determination of how to proceed. If the Associate Dean determines that
there is sufficient information to support the complaint, the Associate Dean generally will issue a
Formal Charge. In appropriate circumstances, the Associate Dean, in the Associate Dean’s sole
discretion, may elect to meet with the Respondent to notify them of the complaint and determine
the possibility of an alternative resolution prior to and without issuing a Formal Charge. Even if
the Associate Dean decides not to issue a Formal Charge or proceed with further discipline, the
Associate Dean may be required to document the allegation and the decision not to proceed
further in the student’s file and to report to Boards of Law Examiners or other authorized parties.
§5.03 Notice to Respondent of Formal Charge; Reply and Action. The Associate Dean shall
arrange for Service of the Formal Charge upon Respondent, together with copies of relevant
University Regulations and School of Law Disciplinary Rules, and shall call particular attention
to Respondent’s right to two Advisors and right to reply. Upon a request for an opportunity to
reply, submitted to the Associate Dean in writing within five (5) business days of the date upon
which the Formal Charge was served, the Associate Dean shall set a date for the reply and the
manner in which it shall be received and shall so notify Respondent. In the reply, Respondent
may present evidence in rebuttal of the summary of facts contained in the Formal Charge and
instead or in addition may provide information bearing upon the propriety of Informal
Resolution. If no reply is made, the Associate Dean shall refer the Formal Charge to the
Committee for investigation. If a reply is made, the Associate Dean upon consideration of it may
withdraw the preliminary determination of a possible Violation, attempt Informal Resolution or
refer the Formal Charge to the Committee. If a Formal Charge is referred to the Committee, the
Associate Dean shall arrange for Service upon Respondent of notification of this referral and will
provide the identity of the Committee Members, including contact information for the Chair. As
set forth in § 7.04, the Respondent and Associate Dean may challenge any Committee Member
for Cause. Upon referral, the Associate Dean will provide the Formal Charge and any reply
(including any evidence provided by Respondent) to the Committee.
E. Investigation and Committee Report
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§6.01 Investigation. The full Committee shall investigate the allegations in the Formal Charge.
The investigation shall be conducted as expeditiously as possible and following procedures that
the Committee deems appropriate, which may include identifying and interviewing available
Witnesses, and identifying and obtaining relevant and available real or documentary evidence,
including any evidence gathered by the Associate Dean during the preliminary investigation. The
Committee will give the Respondent the opportunity to be interviewed for the purposes of
answering the Committee’s questions about the Violation(s), admitting or denying the
Violation(s), and providing defenses. The Committee will also give the Respondent the
opportunity to submit statements or real or documentary evidence and suggest persons whom the
Committee should interview. Statements of Witnesses, which shall be signed by the Witness
promptly after making a statement, or summaries of interviews shall be prepared or obtained and
preserved. Respondent may not be present at the interviews of other Witnesses or during any
investigational deliberations of the Committee.
§6.02 Other Violations. If during the investigation the Committee discovers evidence providing
sufficient information to believe the Respondent committed Violations in addition to those
alleged in the Formal Charge, the Committee shall provide written notice to the Respondent and
Associate Dean and will investigate such Violations, which will be considered incorporated into
the Formal Charge.
§6.03 Investigation Report. Upon completion of the investigation, the Committee shall prepare
and submit an Investigation Report to the Associate Dean and Respondent accompanied by all
statements, summaries, and real and documentary evidence obtained or prepared by the
Committee. The Investigation Report will not determine whether a Violation occurred or suggest
or propose a Sanction. The Investigation Report will notify the Respondent and Associate Dean
of the opportunity to submit a written response.
§6.04 Opportunity to Submit Written Response to Investigation Report. The Respondent and
Associate Dean will have 10 days following the Investigation Report’s issuance to submit to the
Committee (with a copy to the other party) a written response to the Investigation Report, which
may present policy or factual defenses, arguments why certain evidence should not be considered
under §7.01, and arguments relating to the proper Sanction. The Associate Dean or Respondent
may also submit any additional real or documentary evidence for the Committee to consider and
may include a request for one or more witnesses to be called at the hearing, as set forth in § 8.05.
For good cause, the Committee may permit a reasonable extension of time for the submission of
a written response. The Associate Dean and Respondent may, but are not required to, respond to
the Investigation Report.
§6.05 Dismissal by Committee. After the opportunity to submit a written response to the
Investigation Report has passed, the Committee may dismiss all or part of the Formal Charge if it
determines there is no probable cause to support it or it should be dismissed as a matter of law or
policy. In such case, the Committee will issue written notice and explanation to the Respondent
and Associate Dean and the dismissed matters will be considered resolved.
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F. Issues Pertinent to Both the Investigation and the Hearing
§7.01 Evidence. During the investigation and hearing the formal rules of evidence shall not
apply; the Committee may consider all relevant testimony or real or documentary evidence. It is
understood the Committee may be provided irrelevant evidence in the course of the investigation
or otherwise, however, it will exclude or not consider such evidence in making its
determinations. The Committee may also refuse to consider or exclude testimony or evidence
that is cumulative, unreliable or where the probative value is outweighed by considerations of
efficiency, cost, delay, or prejudice or for other good cause. Respondent or the Associate Dean
may ask the Committee not to consider or to exclude evidence consistent with this section in
their written response to the Investigation Report or in their statements to the Committee at the
hearing. In the absence of such a request, objection to consideration of such evidence is deemed
waived. If witnesses or additional evidence are presented at the hearing, objection to the
presentation of any evidence or testimony under this section shall be made at the time such
evidence or testimony is proposed to be presented to the Committee, or else deemed waived.
§7.02 Recusal. Any Member or Alternate who believes he or she would be unable properly to
participate in the investigation or hearing because of serious illness, special interest or prior
knowledge of the facts of the matter that has resulted in prejudgment or other good cause shall
notify the Chair in writing and request that they be excused from service. The Chair shall
consider the request. If the Chair believes there is good cause to excuse the Member or Alternate,
the Chair shall notify the Dean and the Dean may excuse the Member or Alternate asking to be
excused from service. If the Chair is the person seeking recusal, the Chair should notify the Dean
in writing and request to be excused from service and the Dean may excuse the Chair for good
cause. The Dean retains discretion to recuse any Member or Alternate, including the Chair, on
the Dean’s own accord when the individual has a special interest or prior knowledge that may
result in prejudgment or for other good cause.
§7.03 Requests to Committee. Any request or challenge permitted by these procedures will
normally be decided by the Committee only after giving the other party a reasonable opportunity
and timeframe to respond, as determined by the Chair. Requests and challenges (and any replies
thereto) shall be served using such means as determined by the Chair and will normally be
decided on the papers.
§7.04 Challenge for Cause. The Respondent or Associate Dean may challenge any Committee
Member or Alternate for cause, but only if such challenge is brought to the Committee within
five (5) business days of the Respondent being served with the Committee Members’ or
Alternate’s identity. A Committee Member shall be disqualified if the participation of the
Committee Member in the proceedings may give rise to the fact or appearance of unfairness.
Such challenge shall state the special interest, prior knowledge, or other cause for the challenge
and sufficient facts to support the cause asserted. The person challenged shall not participate in
the Committee’s actions regarding the challenge, but may be called upon by the Committee to
comment on the facts alleged to support the challenge. Each challenge shall be considered and
decided separately. If the challenge is granted, the person challenged shall be excused.
§7.05 Educational Records of Other Students. Upon request of the Committee or of their own
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accord, during the investigation or hearing, the Associate Dean may, if permitted by applicable
law, supply the Committee with educational records or information on other students if the
Committee has a legitimate educational need for the records or information to aid in the
investigation or hearing, particularly with respect to whether a proposed Sanction is appropriate
in light of past practices. Such information about other students will be de-identified unless the
Chair determines the identity of the other students is relevant and necessary. Respondent will not
be given access to personally-identifiable educational records or information of other students
unless authorized by applicable law.
§7.06 Informal Resolution Efforts. A Formal Charge may be resolved by Informal Resolution
at any time prior to the start of the Committee’s deliberations at the hearing.
§7.07 Deviation from Procedures. The Committee may deviate from the investigation and
hearing procedures provided herein but only upon vote of the Committee and in the interest of
fairness and for good cause shown.
G. Hearing and Deliberations
§8.01 Scheduling Hearing. The Chair will schedule a hearing, normally expected to last not
more than two hours, to consider and deliberate on the Formal Charge. The Chair will work with
the Respondent, the Associate Dean, and other Committee Members to determine an agreeable
date, which will be scheduled as promptly as possible following the deadline to submit written
responses to the Investigation Report. Hearings may be conducted by remote electronic means if
approved by the Committee after consultation with the parties. For good cause, the Committee
may continue the hearing upon request or on its own accord. The Chair may set a pre-hearing
conference if deemed appropriate to discuss hearing matters with the parties.
§8.02 Closed Hearings. Only the Committee Members, Associate Dean, the Respondent, and
Respondent’s Advisors, if any, may be present at the hearing. Witnesses, if any, may be present
only while presenting testimony. Hearings will be confidential and closed to anyone not involved
in the hearing process.
§8.03 Conduct of Hearing. The Committee will give the Respondent and Associate Dean the
opportunity to make brief oral statements in support of their positions, which may include legal
or factual defenses, arguments why certain evidence should not be considered pursuant to §7.01,
and arguments as to the proper Sanction. The statements will not include additional evidence not
already received by the Committee unless permitted by the Committee in accordance with §8.04
below. The Committee Members may ask clarifying questions of the Respondent or Associate
Dean. If the Respondent is absent, the Committee may proceed with the hearing upon a
determination Respondent forfeited the right to be present by their willful absence.
§8.04 Evidence Considered. The Committee will only consider evidence: a) gathered during the
investigation; b) submitted by the Respondent or Associate Dean in written reply to the Formal
Charge or Investigation Report; or c) provided by Witnesses at the hearing (if any). The
Committee may consider other evidence only for exceptional cause (for example, newly
discovered evidence).
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§8.05 No Witnesses. No witnesses will testify at the hearing unless the Committee, on its own
accord or by request, determines that the interests of fundamental fairness to the Respondent or
the accuracy of its determinations substantially outweigh the interests of an efficient disciplinary
process and avoiding disruptions to the educational environment. To be considered, a request
asking the Committee to call a Witness must be presented in a party’s written response to the
Investigation Report, which the Committee will normally rule upon prior to the hearing. Except
as provided herein, the Committee may hear Witnesses under such conditions and subject to any
limitations that the Committee deems appropriate, keeping in mind it should generally aim to
keep testimony concise and limited to clarifying relevant issues not already covered or explained
in the Investigation Report or witness statement or summary. Only the Committee may call and
question Witnesses, although Respondent and the Associate Dean will be given the opportunity
to submit written questions for the Committee , in its discretion, to consider asking the Witness.
§8.06 Deliberations. Upon completion of the hearing, the Committee shall promptly meet for
closed and unrecorded deliberations. The Committee shall first determine whether the conduct
and Violation(s) charged were established by clear and convincing evidence. Upon an
affirmative finding, it shall then consider the imposition of an appropriate Sanction, taking into
account aggravating and mitigating factors. The Committee shall consider not only the
seriousness of the Violation within the University and School of Law communities but also its
seriousness in light of the professional requirements and responsibilities of lawyers. An
affirmative vote of four (4) Members shall be necessary for imposition of the Sanction of
dismissal.
H. Reports and Records
§9.01 Limited Record Where No Formal Charge. Records may be made or preserved by the
School of Law even when a Formal Charge is not made or is withdrawn.
§9.02 Record of Committee Proceedings. A record of the Charge, the Committee’s
Investigation Report, the Respondent and Associate Dean’s responses to the Investigation
Report, and Report of Findings will be made and preserved in accordance with law school record
retention policies then in effect. A verbatim transcript or audio or video recording of the formal
hearing shall be made and shall be retained for at least twelve (12) months after the hearing but
may be destroyed thereafter.
§9.03 Confidentiality. Access to the record of a closed hearing or of submissions and any
record made in connection with a pre-hearing determination shall normally be limited to the
Respondent, the Committee, and Administrative Officers. This shall not limit in any way the
Dean’s authority and responsibility to provide information to appropriate authorities regarding a
candidate’s character and fitness for admission to the bar. Consistent with state and federal
privacy laws, the outcome of a student discipline is treated as confidential. Information is shared
with the Respondent and internally on a need-to-know basis or externally with the student’s
written consent.
§9.04 Report of Findings. After a hearing and deliberations, the Committee shall adopt written
findings that shall include a summary of the facts found by the Committee (which may, as
appropriate, incorporate the Investigation Report or portions thereof), a statement specifying
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which Violation(s) charged the Committee finds to have been committed by Respondent, and a
statement specifying the Sanction imposed. Any special aggravating, mitigating, or extenuating
circumstances found by the Committee may also be stated. All Members of the Committee
subscribing thereto shall sign the findings; concurring or dissenting views may but need not be
included. The Chair shall transmit a copy of the findings to the Dean and the Associate Dean,
and shall arrange for Service of a copy upon Respondent.
§9.05 Report to Board of Law Examiners. Information regarding disciplinary matters,
including without limitation matters resolved through informal resolution and matters that have
been dismissed, will be reported to the Board of Law Examiners and other state licensing
authorities in accordance with reporting requirements, as determined by the Dean or Associate
Dean.
I. Appeals
§10.01 Respondent may appeal to the Dean any finding by the Committee and any sanction
imposed by the Committee. An appeal must be in writing and must specify the grounds.
The appeal must be received in the Dean’s office within five (5) working days of the receipt of
the Committee’s determination. The Dean will issue a decision within ten (10) working days of
receipt of the appeal. The Dean’s decision is final. The Dean shall affirm the decision of the
Committee unless: (1) the Dean finds that the Committee violated the procedures set forth in this
Code and that the violation prejudiced the Respondent; or (2) the Dean finds that the Committee
abused its discretion by making a decision that was so unreasonable that it must have reflected
bias, prejudice, or improper motive.
J. Notice to Community
§11.01 Public Notice. Approximately once each semester, the Associate Dean shall send a notice
to the law school community regarding the Code of Student Responsibility and providing limited
information about code violations that have occurred. In accordance with the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), this notice generally shall not identify any respondent by
name or include identifying details about any respondent. The purpose of the notice is to educate
students about the kinds of conduct prohibited by this Code and to make clear that the law school
addresses conduct that violates this Code.
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Appendix 1 AFFIDAVIT REQUEST FOR EXEMPT STATUS
State of Minnesota )
) SS
County of Hennepin )
1. Statement of Beliefs: Please provide a clear and complete statement explaining your firm,
fixed and sincere objection to providing information as required by §1.01, par. A, or
cooperating in an investigation as required by §1.01, par. B, based on your religious beliefs.
(Use additional pages if necessary).
2. Basis of Beliefs: Please explain the religious basis for your beliefs described in no. 1 above.
Please provide an explanation as to how your religious beliefs changed or developed, to
include an explanation as to what factors (how, when, and from whom or from what source
training received and belief acquired) caused the change in or development of your religious
beliefs set forth under no. 1 above. (Use additional pages, if necessary).
3. Any other comments regarding the depth and sincerity of your religious beliefs set forth
above. (Use additional pages if necessary).
4. If available, please attach copies of the following documents to support your affidavit:
A. Copies of letters from teachers, religious leaders or advisors, or others who can attest
to the strength of your religious beliefs set forth under no. 1 above.
B. Copies of letters, emails or other communications from you to family, friends,
colleagues, teachers, ministers, religious advisors, or others discussing your religious
beliefs set forth under no. 1 above.
C. A list of the books, magazines, newspapers, films, television programs or other
sources that helped form your religious beliefs set forth under no. 1 above.
D. A record of the events in which you have participated that show your lifestyle is
compatible with your religious beliefs set forth under no. 1 above.
E. Any other documents that you would like the School of Law to consider when
evaluating your request for an exemption from the requirements of the Code of
Student Responsibility.
I certify that all statements made above and in any supplemental documents provided in
connection with this affidavit are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I
understand that providing false or misleading information in connection with this affidavit will
constitute a violation of the Code of Student Responsibility and will subject me to the
appropriate penalties under the Code.
___________________________
[Full Name]
Sworn or Affirmed to and subscribed before me this ____ day of _______, 20___ .
___________________________
Notary Public
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V-6. Approval of New Courses
The Curriculum Committee is charged with screening all new course and seminar offerings at the
law school and with making recommendations to the faculty concerning new offerings. Unless a
course is among those listed on the Permanent Curriculum of the University of St. Thomas
School of Law, faculty members proposing to teach a course or seminar should submit the
following information, as well as a course description of suitable length for the law school’s
course list, to the Curriculum Committee.
A. Provisional Courses
Whenever possible, proposals for provisional courses for the entire academic year should
be submitted by February 15 of the preceding academic year to give the Curriculum
Committee enough time to properly consider the addition of the new course. If the
February 15 date cannot be met, the “deadlines” for submission are March 1 for fall
semester courses and September 15 for spring semester courses.
Provisional courses ordinarily may be scheduled in the curriculum one time upon the
approval of the Curriculum committee and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. In
exceptional cases, and for good cause, the Curriculum Committee and the Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs may approve a provisional course to be offered a second time
before requiring the course to be submitted for full faculty approval as a permanent
addition to the curriculum. The Curriculum Committee shall report all approved
provisional offerings during the faculty meeting immediately following the Committee’s
action. Full faculty approval is required for any permanent addition to the curriculum.
B. Title, Description, and Justification
Along with the title of the course, the proposal to offer a provisional course must provide
an overall description of the course, including its general subject matter, its objectives,
and the major issues to be examined or themes to be explored. The proposal should
provide a justification for adding the course to the curriculum. For example, the proposal
should address how the course relates to other courses offered at the law school, to the
law school’s mission, to developments in the legal profession, to fields of intellectual
inquiry in the academy, or to courses offered at other law schools. If there is apparent
overlap with another course presently offered, the proposal should explain how the new
course differs from the existing course, and if there is indeed a significant overlap,
whether students should be allowed to receive credit for both courses.
C. Course Content
The proposal should include materials that detail the subject matter to be covered as well
as the structure of the course. If an established textbook will be used, a photocopied table
of contents with indications of the parts to be covered will generally be sufficient. Where
new materials are being assembled from a number of sources, such as law review articles,
or where a test is being created by the professor, a detailed thematic description of the
materials should be provide along with a representative sample of the materials. The goal
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of the Curriculum Committee under this section is to receive some minimal guarantee of
the intellectual content and academic rigor of the course materials.
D. Conduct of the Classes
The proposal should describe the method of instruction and grading and should include a
syllabus of the course if it is available. Otherwise, the proposal should describe generally
the way the classes will be conducted. For example, will the course principally involve
lectures, with grading done on the basis of an examination, or will the class be conducted
as a seminar, with a combination of lectures and student presentations of their research
projects?
E. Credit Hours
The proposal should indicate how many credit hours should be allotted to the course and
explain why the material will require the number of credits requested. The Curriculum
Committee shall refer to Section [III-A-5] for an assignment of credit hours for a course.
F. Restrictions on Enrollment
The proposal should list any prerequisites and justify any restrictions on enrollment (e.g.,
in the number of students or any special selection criteria to be used instead of open
registration).
G. Permanent Additions to the Curriculum
1. Report: Once a course has been taught on a provisional basis, the instructor must
report back to the Curriculum Committee on the success of the provisional course
no later than the sixth week of the following semester. The instructor should
submit this report whether or not the instructor intends to propose that the course
be permanently added to the curriculum. After grades have been posted for the
course, the instructor must submit the following items to the Curriculum
Committee: (1) the syllabus; (2) the instructor’s narrative evaluation of the
desirability of the course. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs should
provide a summary of the student evaluations for the course to the Committee.
2. Faculty Action: Based on the information provided by the instructor and the
Associate Dean after a provisional course offering, the Curriculum Committee
will recommend to the full faculty whether to adopt or reject the provisional
course as a permanent addition to the curriculum. Full faculty approval is required
for a course to become a permanent offering.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, November 21, 2003
Revised, April 30, 2012, March 25, 2019
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V-7. Data Privacy Policy
Given the possible application of professional duties of confidentiality, the confidential email,
files, and other data of designated members of the School of Law community may not be
examined for content nor disclosed without the prior approval of the Dean. Unless the university
is legally required to do otherwise when information is sought by law enforcement authorities,
the email, files, and other data of members of the School of Law community may be retrieved
and examined only on the conditions and by the means specified in this policy.
A. Designation of Members of the School of Law Community for Professional
Confidentiality Protection
The Dean shall periodically forward to the Division of Information Resources and
Technologies (IRT) a “designated confidentiality list” of the names of administrators,
faculty, staff, students, and other members of the School of Law community whose
email, files, and other data may be subject to professional duties of confidentiality. First,
attorneys in the School of Law with a genuine need to maintain professional confidences
may self-identify to the Dean to be included on the list. Second, an attorney who has self-
identified may also submit the names of others who may provide support under that
attorney’s supervision with professional duties. Third, attorneys may identify students
who may be working on professional matters, including but not limited to law students in
a law practice experience in the Legal Services Clinic of the Interprofessional Center.
Because the duty to preserve professional confidences is ongoing, even after a
representation or professional matter is concluded, once a member of the School of Law
community has been included on the list, that name shall remain on the list until he or she
requests removal, permanently leaves the community, or, in the case of law students,
graduates.
B. Confidentiality Protection for Designated Members of the School of Law
Community
The email created or sent by, the files on computer hard-drives or servers, and other
electronic data created, maintained, or transmitted by members of the School of Law
community on the designated confidentiality list may be protected by professional
confidences. For these persons and in their offices or work stations, email, files, and other
data may not be examined for content or disclosed without prior notice to the responsible
individual. If the person or the person’s supervisor then asserts professional
confidentiality, the email, files, or other data may be accessed only by those who are part
of the attorney-client or other professional relationship, with the exceptions noted below.
C. Civil Subpoenas
If the university receives a civil subpoena requesting emails, files or other data for
persons on the designated confidentiality list, the university will not respond without
giving prior notice to the person. If the person or his or her supervisor then asserts a
privilege or another legally-recognized rule of confidentiality, the email, files, or other
data may not be examined for content or disclosed until there has been a reasonable
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opportunity to obtain a ruling on the privileged or otherwise legally-protected nature of
the information from a court, administrative agency, or other legal tribunal.
D. Need for Access in Cases of Alleged Serious Misconduct
In the event that a person on the designated confidentiality list is (1) suspected of serious
misconduct in violation of university rules, (2) there is credible evidence to support the
accusation of serious misconduct, (3) there is a substantial need to investigate whether
additional evidence of that misconduct exists in that person’s email, files, or other data,
and (4) that person after being given notice objects to retrieval and examination for
content of email, files, or other data by asserting professional confidences, then the Dean
of the School of Law may conduct that investigation, assisted by such others as the Dean
may designate.
Another attorney in the School of Law community who has proper access to the same
professional confidential information will be designated to review the email, files, or
other data that are requested by the Dean unless there is no such attorney available.
Otherwise, an in camera review of confidential documents may be conducted. The Dean
or other person designated by the Dean to conduct the confidentiality review must be an
attorney admitted to active practice, must be familiar with rules of professional
responsibility, must have no conflict of interest with respect to the matters on which
professional confidentiality is asserted, and must sign a confidentiality agreement
promising that any email, files, or other data that are subject to professional confidences
will be viewed only to the minimal extent necessary to confirm that they are subject to
professional confidences and will not disclose any email, files, or other data subject to
professional confidences. If the reviewer discovers relevant evidence of misconduct that
is not subject to professional confidentiality, only that relevant evidence may be disclosed
for use in the misconduct investigation. When email, files, or other data contain both
content that is and is not subject to professional confidentiality, the reviewer may
appropriately redact the confidential content and disclose the non-confidential content for
use in the misconduct investigation, if such redaction fully protects the confidential
content.
Nothing in this policy prevents the university from filing an action for a declaratory
judgment or injunction in Hennepin or Ramsey County district court asking for a judicial
in camera review of email, files, or other data over which a legally-recognized rule of
confidentiality is asserted.
E. Access to Emails and Files for Technical Reasons
Nothing in this policy prevents IRT or other technology staff from obtaining appropriate
access to servers, computers, networks, and other technology to ensure that they are
working correctly, are secure, and for other proper technical reasons. Ordinarily, such
access does not require obtaining access to the content of email, files, or other data. In the
exceptional case in which technology staff need to access the content of email, files, or
other data of a person on the designated confidentiality list, the responsible attorney must
be notified in advance and given an opportunity to supervise. If part-time or student
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technology employees will be working in a setting where they could gain access to the
email, files, or other data of a person on the designated confidentiality list, the
responsible attorney should be notified in advance and given an opportunity to supervise.
Technology staff shall be instructed on professional confidences and shall sign a
confidentiality agreement promising to view the content of email, files, or other data only
to the minimal extent necessary to perform their work and not to reveal that content to
any other person inside or outside the university. The restrictions in this paragraph do not
apply to classroom technology or computer labs in the School of Law.
F. Copying and Securing Information
When destruction or loss of information is reasonably apprehended, this policy does not
preclude copying and secure storage of the contents of email, files, or other data, without
notice to the individual. However, access to the content of such copies and stored
materials shall be in accordance with this policy. Preserved materials that are no longer
needed must be destroyed in a secure manner.
Adopted by the Law Faculty, May 7, 2009
Revised, March 8, 2010
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Academic Policy Manual – July 22, 2024
V-8. Student Complaint Policy
A. Procedures for Bringing Complaints
As an ABA-accredited law school, The University of St. Thomas School of Law is subject to the
ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools. The Standards may be found at
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/standards.html. Any student at the
School of Law who wishes to bring a formal complaint about a significant problem that directly
implicates the School’s program of legal education and its compliance with the ABA Standards,
and is not otherwise covered by more specific complaint procedures set forth in the School of
Law’s academic policy manual or in the University’s manual of policies and procedures, should
take the following steps.
1. The student complaint should be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs unless the complaint alleges misconduct by the Associate Dean.
In that case, the student may submit the complaint directly to the Dean.
2. The writing should describe in detail the behavior, program or process
complained of, and demonstrate how it implicates the School’s compliance with a
particular identified ABA Standard.
3. The writing must provide both the name of the student submitting the complaint,
the student’s official University of St. Thomas email address and a street address
for further communication about the complaint.
B. Procedures for Responding to Complaints
1. The Associate Dean should acknowledge the complaint in writing within five
business days of receipt of the written complaint. Acknowledgement may be
made by email, U.S. mail or by personal delivery.
2. Within two weeks of acknowledgement of the complaint, the Associate Dean
shall either meet with the complaining student or respond to the substance of the
complaint in writing. The Associate Dean should provide the student with either a
substantive response to the complaint’s allegations or information about what
steps are being taken by the School of Law to address the complaint or further
investigate the complaint.
3. Appeals may be taken to the Dean of the School of Law. Any decision made on
appeal by the Dean shall be final.
4. A copy of the complaint and a summary of the process and resolution of the
complaint shall be kept in the office of the Dean of the School of Law for a period
of eight years.
5. This policy shall be published in the Student Handbook of the School of Law.
