Student Affairs Orientation –
Part II
Policies & Procedures
January 19, 2016
Upper-Level Required Classes
(1) COMMON CORE (25 HOURS REQUIRED):
• LAW 602 Business Associations/
(4/3)
Business Structures & Agency
• LAW 631 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
(3)
• LAW 683 Constitutional Law I
(3)
• LAW 684 Constitutional Law II
(3)
• LAW 531 Criminal Law
(3)
• LAW 652 Evidence
(4)
• LAW 691 Professional Responsibility
(3)
• LAW 780PS Professional Skills Practicum*
(2)
(*see next slide)
Upper-Level Required Classes
• Students then must select courses from two sets of electives.
• Honors Students are exempted from this requirement.
• Students with a 2.8 GPA at the end of first year, for full-time
students, or at the end of second year, for part-time students,
are exempted from PSP requirement (on previous slide).
• Honors eligibility:
1) Admitted into Honors Program
Full Time – must have 3.0 at the end of first year
Part Time – must have 3.0 at the end of second year; or
(may grade back into program (see Policies and Procedures Manual))
2) Top 25% of class
Full Time - end of first year
Part Time - end of second year
Upper-Level Required Classes
(2) FIRST SET OF LIMITED ELECTIVES
(8 HOURS REQUIRED):
• LAW 621 Sales
• LAW 622 Secured Transactions
• LAW 627 Negotiable Instruments/
Payment Systems
• LAW 661 Family Law
• LAW 662 Wills, Trusts & Estates
(2)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
Upper-Level Required Classes
(3) SECOND SET OF LIMITED ELECTIVES
(3 HOURS REQUIRED):
•
•
•
•
•
•
LAW 746
LAW ___
LAW 671
LAW 722
LAW 783
LAW 781
Virginia Procedure*
Unselected course from previous slide
Individual Federal Income Tax
Remedies
Conflict of Laws
Administrative Law
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
* Virginia Procedure is required for any student, except Honors Students,
to be certified by the Law School to take the Virginia Bar Examination;
however, non-Honors students who declare they do not plan to take the
Virginia Bar Examination may substitute any of the other above courses for
Virginia Procedure.
Rigorous Written Skills
(must complete before final semester)
• 1. Traditional Independent Study (LAW 590)
–
–
–
–
1 credit: 18 pages
2 credits: 30 pages
Special paperwork (Individual Study Form available in Records Office)
Must find full-time professor with content expertise to supervise
• 2. Academic Legal Scholarship (LAW 748)
– 2 credits
– Available for members of the Regent University Law Review and
Regent Journal of Global Justice & Public Policy
– Must comply the specific journal requirements
– Special paperwork (Individual Study Form available in Records Office)
– Must find full-time professor with content expertise to supervise
• 3. Seminar/Other Course Designated to Satisfy Rigorous
Written Skills Requirement
– Recent examples include Race and the Law, Gender and the Law, and
International Trafficking in Persons.
Rigorous Written Skills
(must complete before final semester)
• 4. Thesis (GOV 699)
– For Joint Degree Government students only
– Special requirements apply
• 5. One of the following courses:
–
–
–
–
LAW 755 Adv. Legal Research and Writing (3)
LAW 650 Appellate Advocacy (3)
LAW 757 Drafting Contracts (3)
LAW 763 Estate Planning (3)
Oral Skills
(select one from the list)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
LAW 650
LAW 656
LAW 658
LAW 655
LAW 654
LAW 667
LAW 660
Appellate Advocacy
General Mediation
Litigation Clinic
Negotiations
Trial Practice
Family Mediation
Client Interviewing & Counseling
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(4 or 3)
(4 or 3)
(3)
LAW 650 (Appellate Advocacy) can be used to satisfy either
the written skills requirement or the oral skills requirement,
but not both.
Number of Required Credits
90 credits are required to graduate (83 for joint degree).
Credits for Required Courses (No Exemptions):
First Year
31
Upper Level
(39 minimum)
Total Required
(70 minimum)
Credits for Required Courses (Honors):
First Year
31
Upper Level
(26 minimum)
Total Required
(57 minimum)
Concentrations
• Areas of concentration are not
specialization degrees; students
need not declare a concentration in
order to graduate.
• Rather, they are curricular guides
designed to help students focus
their studies in particular areas.
• Many courses are listed in more
than one area.
• For full listing, see
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schla
w/student_life/studentresources.cf
m
Concentrations
• VIRGINIA STATE BAR EXAM
PREPARATION
Recommended for those who want
to practice in Virginia
• CORPORATE, COMMERCIAL
& TRANSACTIONAL
• PUBLIC LAW
For those who want to practice
public interest law or to work in the
public arena
• LITIGATION & DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
• FAMILY LAW
• THEOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY &
THE LAW
Repeating Courses
• You must repeat a course if you receive:
– “F” in any required course.
– “D-” in a required nonsequential course
– “D-” in a required sequential course or courses (e.g., Contracts I and II)
except upon the granting of a petition showing “good cause” that the
course or courses need not be repeated
• You may elect to repeat a required course in which a grade of
“C-” or below is received.
• Courses are to be repeated the next time they are offered.
• Both grades appear on transcript, but grades are averaged with
the highest average GPA points that can be attained are for a
“C” (2.0).
• Will be academically dismissed if you are required to repeat
and fail to receive a grade of “D” or higher in the retaken
course.
Third Year Practice Certificate
in Virginia
• Courses required:
– Criminal Law
– Evidence
– Professional Responsibility
– Civil Procedure
• Must have completed 60 credits (or very close to 60)
• Authorized under VA rules
• Many other states have similar programs
Special Courses
• Externships
– Judicial/Governmental Externship/Private
• If new/out of state, submit application to Dean West by
March 1 for Summer 2016 and June 1 for Fall 2016.
– Legal Aid/Nonprofit Externship
• If new/out of state, submit application to Prof. McKee by
March 1 for Summer 2016 and June 1 for Fall 2016.
– ACLJ Summer Externship (By application to Prof. Dysart by
mid-February (specific date TBA))
• 10 positions expected for summer 2016
– For all externships, students receive one credit for every 50
hours of field placement work.
• Civil Practice Clinic (By application to Prof. McKee)
Special Courses
• LAW 763 Estate Planning (Prerequisites)
– LAW 662 Wills, Trusts & Estates
– LAW 671 Individual Federal Income Tax (offered only in fall)
– LAW 772 Estate & Gift Tax
• LAW 602 Business Associations/Business Structures & Agency—
prerequisite to certain upper-level business law courses
• Advanced Trial Practice/Advanced Appellate Advocacy
– (By application to Instructor)
• Right to Work Practicum (By application to Prof. Cameron)
• Consult the University Graduate Catalog for course numbers
and prerequisites:
– See Student Resources website for Catalog, Policies and Procedures
Manual, and other information:
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/student_life/studentresources.cfm
Summer Abroad Program
Uganda Program (May 22 – June 8)
– 2 classes—4 credits total
• The East African Legal Environment: A Comparative Introduction (3)
• Introduction to Human Rights in Africa (1)
– Cannot apply if on academic probation
– Application available on-line (see
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/programs/uganda/)
– Submit application by February 20
• Space is available on first-come, first-served basis
• Maximum of 14
– See Mary Bunch (RH 225; marybun@regent.edu) or Prof. Stern for more
information.
Center for Global Justice
Summer Internship Program
• PURPOSE – to provide law students with legal experience through
opportunities to seek justice for those in need around the world by serving in
the field with frontline agencies and organizations
• AWARD – grant awards will be given to approximately 20 students seeking
a domestic or international placement in the summer of 2016
• APPLICATION
• For stipend – apply online at www.regent.edu/globaljustice
• For internship site – apply via Pathfinder or per personal research to a
qualified site
• DEADLINE – Friday, February 5, 2016
Topic II - Registration
Registration
• Check and clear the holds on your student
account!
Summer Registration Information
• Only students in good academic standing at the
end of the Spring semester may register for
Summer courses.
• The signature of an academic advisor is not
required for registration for summer courses.
• Look for registration information via e-mail.
Fall Registration Information
• Registration Packets – notification via e-mail
– Read all instructions carefully.
– Assigned faculty advisors will be listed on worksheet.
– Contact Records & Registration Office with questions.
– Consult the course rotation schedule on the Student
Resources page for courses (like LAW 683
Constitutional Law I) that will be offered only in fall
– Make advising appointments!
– Must obtain a signed certificate of advising from the
advisor named on worksheet.
Fall Registration Information
• Unofficial Add/Drop
– Begins after all students have registered.
– Done manually through the Records Office.
– Requires no advisor’s signature.
• Official Add/Drop
– Begins 1st day of classes.
– 100% tuition refund first week; 50% refund week two; no
refund afterward
– Done manually through the Records Office.
– Must complete an official add/drop form.
– Requires no advisor’s signature.
Topic III – Other Policies
and Procedures
Contact Information
•
•
•
•
Check it and keep it updated in Genisys!
Current Address
Current Phone
You are responsible for checking your Regent
e-mail!
• Don’t rely on forwarding of e-mail.
Character & Fitness Issues
• Keep school apprised of Character & Fitness information.
– Talk to Juanita Hanke in RH 223; you may need to speak to
Dean West.
– Inform us soon after event occurs; the Bar Examiners may
look negatively upon a student who waits to disclose
information until right before graduation.
• If you need character and fitness (or other academic)
information released, you must complete a Student
Information Release Form (available in Records Office).
• Remember that you must work no more than 20
hours/week if enrolled in more than 12 hours.
– Statement of Student Employment completed in Genisys
Visiting Another Law School
• At discretion of Regent faculty
– Must be approved by two faculty committees.
• Only approved for summer school or under
extraordinary circumstances
• Requests to visit another law school should be
submitted by March 14 (and at least two months prior
to other school’s deadline).
• Must complete an academic petition and indicate the
particular courses (with official course descriptions)
you plan to take at the other school(s).
Academic Probation & Dismissal
• If you are below a 2.0 after the fall semester, you are
on academic probation
– Cannot register for summer classes
• If you are above but close to a 2.0 . . .
– Do not get comfortable
• Some first-year students have experienced their grades go down in
the spring semester.
• Build on your academic strengths but learn from your weaknesses
from the fall.
– Review all your exams, grading guides, and LARW papers
– Seek assistance now
• Meet with your doctrinal professors
• Make an ASP appointment with Prof. Whittico
Prof. Whittico’s Contact Information
• For academic success coaching, please see Prof.
Whittico.
• E-mail: gwhittico@regent.edu
• Please contact Mrs. Carol Dick (352-4325;
caropal@regent.edu) to make an appointment.
Academic Dismissal
• You must have a 2.0 or greater cumulative GPA at
the end of the spring semester to continue.
– It does not matter that you were above a 2.0 after
the fall term; you can be academically dismissed
without ever being on probation.
• If you are academically dismissed, you must wait 9
months before you can petition for reinstatement.
– Such petitions are granted only rarely.
• See the Policies and Procedures Manual on-line for
more information (look on the Student Resources
page on the Regent Law website).
Bar Exam
• Think now about where you want to take the bar exam
• Check your state for—
– Registration deadlines
– Fees
– Subjects tested
• Consider the subjects tested as you plan your upper-level
course schedule
• For more information, look on—
• http://libguides.regent.edu/barexam
• http://www.abanet.org/legaled/baradmissions/bar.html
Ranks
• 1L ranks will be available in the next few days; you will
receive e-mail notifications when they are available.
– Cannot give over the phone
– Communicated by e-mail
– Not ranked with every grade change submitted
• Not ranked after summer term
• After Spring – 1L Full-Time combined with 2L Part-Time
Students
• Size of class will fluctuate
Honor Code
Remember that all students have an obligation to report violations
to Dean West and normally to confront the other student involved
before so reporting:
3.1 Duty to Report
“(a) If any student has reasonable cause to believe that an Honor Code
violation has occurred, the student must report such violation to the Dean
for Student Affairs within 10 days of having such cause.
“(b) It is recommended that, prior to reporting such violation, an Accuser
encourage the Accused to report his or her own misconduct to the Dean
for Student Affairs. Unless an Accuser shows good cause to the Dean for
Student Affairs not to do so, an Accuser usually has the duty to confront
the Accused directly before presenting an accusation to the Dean for
Student Affairs pursuant to § 5.1 below. The Dean for Student Affairs
shall have discretion to decide whether the Accuser must confront the
Accused directly before a matter can proceed to the Honor Council. . . .”
Honor Code
• Take note that we as a law school community are to conduct
the Honor system at Regent in accordance with biblical
principles:
§ 1.1 Preamble
“In keeping with RUSL’s Christian mission, the Honor system
shall be conducted in accordance with biblical principles.”
• If an accused student “fully admits wrongdoing,” the Dean for
Student Affairs imposes appropriate discipline consistent with
the Code. § 5.1(a).
• Code is available on Regent Law website under “Student
Resources.”
Dress Code
• The Law School desires to prepare students for the
professional environment of the practice of law.
Accordingly, in matters of dress, students should
recognize that they are preparing for career placement
and thus should present themselves in a manner
consistent with professional standards. While modest
casual dress is normally acceptable on campus,
recreational and beach attire such as cropped, tank, or
midriff shirts, hats, or short shorts are not in keeping
with professional standards and are therefore
discouraged.