Information and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

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Additional Information for Tulane Law School students regarding the transition to remote instruction

(Updated March 21)

  • President Fitts announced on March 20 that a member of the Tulane administration has tested positive for COVID19.  This individual is not a member of the Tulane Law School community.  Please see his announcement for additional information. 
  • Each of your regularly scheduled classes will take place in a Zoom meeting with a recurring meeting ID. As discussed during the Q&A, we have compiled a spreadsheet with the recurring meeting IDs assigned to your regularly scheduled courses. If there is no meeting ID associated with your course (or an explanation in lieu thereof), please consult the professor or supervisor for the course. The spreadsheet may be found at: https://tulane.box.com/s/tsocauovyh67pfqzhh3ee21i6j7oof7j (SSO login to Box required)
  • Please find a link to the recorded Q&A with the Deans here.
  • A link to the new spring schedule is here. 
  • Financial Assistance:
    • Financial Aid is available if you need financial assistance for the remainder of the semester.  If aid is not available, they will assist you in applying for emergency aid through the University. 
    • If you or a loved one has lost employment as a result of COVID-19, we encourage you to apply for unemployment through the Louisiana Workforce Commission here (and, of course, reach out to Financial Aid and/or Dean Gaunt).
    • Please stop by Suite 206 to pick up non-perishable food while it lasts. 
    • Visit nolaready for updated information about resources that are available to assist.
  • We will be scheduling online activities to bring our community together, including remote movie nights with deans and faculty, remote game nights, podcasts, and Mindful Lawyering sessions. We will send details soon and expect these events to begin early this week.
  • Dean Gaunt will be contacting students who indicated on the survey that they would face extra challenges with remote instruction over the next few days (whether because of childcare responsibilities, internet access, etc.). 
  • Textbooks and resources that are available remotely: 
    • The library has uploaded a list of e-textbooks that are available for Spring 2020 classes due to publishers and vendors lifting restrictions on licensing and copyright. The list is available here: https://libguides.law.tulane.edu/c.php?g=1012433&p=7352911. By Monday, we hope to have the titles with the links integrated into our library catalog search.   We will update this link if we receive any more information from the bookstore. 
    • Students and faculty can always reach out to Reference Librarians for help locating resources for class and research at lawlibref@tulane.edu.
  • Technical Support:
    • A printer has been relocated to the second floor.  It is called 3rd Floor but it actually prints to the second floor. 
    • Please find the recorded zoom training here: https://tulane.box.com/s/4wlodplf3c0cs7j8bkrelsm3x6fug356
    • Please email the Law School Help Desk at lawhelpdesk@tulane.edu or leave a message on the Law School Tech Support line (504-862-8666). Someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
    • Visit nolaready for updated information on companies providing wi-fi hotspots (see below). 

 

  • AT&T, CenturyLink,  Sprint, and T-Mobile have also publicly committed to the "Keep Americans Connected Pledge" to ensure customers aren't cut off from communications services during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • This includes no shutoffs, no late fees, and making wi-fi hotspots available to anyone who needs them.

 

  • Students who took exams by bluebook last semester will be contacted by Dean Gaunt next week. 
  • At this time, we are not able to provide notary services.  We will provide additional information about accessing these services at a later point.
  • Any student needing religious accommodations for the Saturday makeup class should contact Dean Gaunt.
  • Students who need to turn in bar certification forms, pass/d/fail selection forms or who have requests for enrollment verification or letters of good standing may send those to lawacademicservices@tulane.edu. 

 

(Updated March 16)

  • Important Announcements Regarding Campus Operations
    • Effective Monday, March 16, at 5 p.m., campus libraries will be closed for the remainder of the week; a decision on when to reopen will be made toward the end of the week and will be reevaluated weekly thereafter based on evolving conditions.  At this time, we plan to make a printer accessible to students in a location outside of the library.  We will update you on the location and timeline for this change. 
    • Effective immediately, student access to the law school will be limited to 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 
    • Effective Monday, March 16, Tulane employees who can effectively do their jobs from home will now be working remotely.  See Dean Meyer’s March 15 email for additional information.  All faculty and staff remain available for remote meetings by zoom, phone, or other arrangements. 
  • Communication with Deans:
    • Please complete the Student Survey by Thursday, March 19, at 11:30 a.m.  
    • If you anticipate facing food scarcity or other financial hardship, please contact Dean Gaunt as soon as possible. 
    • You may access the Remote Question and Answer Session with the Deans for all students on Thursday, March 19, from 1-2pm central time using the following link or voting id.

https://tulane.zoom.us/j/160375222      

      • Meeting ID: 160 375 222
  • Remote Instruction:
    • Dean Gaunt will reach out to students who indicate on the Student Survey that they will be in a significantly different time zone (e.g., China, Hawai’i) or who have children under the age of 18 to assess their needs and make arrangements for appropriate accommodations, including notification to professors. 
    • Students who need to request recordings because of internet access or any other reason should contact their individual professors.  Recordings will be available only on an as-needed basis and students are expected to participate in synchronous class sessions as usual, barring exceptional barriers.
  • Zoom Training:
  • Technical Support
    • Please email the Law School Help Desk at lawhelpdesk@tulane.edu or leave a message on the Law School Tech Support line (504-862-8666). Someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
  • Students who need to turn in bar certification forms, pass/d/fail selection forms or who have requests for enrollment verification or letters of good standing may send those to lawacademicservices@tulane.edu. 
  • Pro Bono Guidance:
    • We understand many graduating students have questions about finding suitable pro bono placements as more and more internships have cancelled or transitioned to remote work. The pro bono graduation requirement of 50 hours remains in effect, but we will make projects available and extend the deadline for certifying hours until May 4, 2020. We have created a Pro Bono TWEN page for any student who has not yet met the pro bono graduation requirement and who needs assistance identifying a placement or project. Any student who signs up for a project assignment on the Pro Bono TWEN page by March 25, 2020 is guaranteed a project or placement they can complete remotely to earn the hours they need. In order for us to obtain the most accurate picture of student progress towards the requirement, please contemporaneously submit all hours worked and please follow up with any supervisor who has not approved hours you have earned and submitted. Please visit the pro bono intranet page for more information.

 

(Updated March 13)

  • Communication Plan
    • In an effort to consolidate information and reduce the number of emails we need to send you, we plan to update this document and inform you when changes have been made.  We anticipate that the next update will be provided at close of business on Monday, March 16.  Of course, if information is time sensitive, we will send that to you as soon as possible. 
    • We will hold a Remote Question and Answer Session with the Deans for all students on Thursday, March 19, from 1-2pm central time. In addition to giving us an opportunity to update you on the state of affairs, it will provide an opportunity for you to experiment with Zoom before remote classes begin on Monday, March 23.  We will record the session.
  • Remote classes:
    • We will be sending information about the law school’s schedule for making up next week’s classes early next week.
    • We will send written instructions with options for accessing your classes, contact information for technical support, and the document that was distributed at the in-person zoom session last week.  We will send this information to you in advance of our Q&A Session with the deans.
  • Pass/D/Fail Deadline for Upperclass Students:
    • The deadline for upperclass students to submit their P/D/F selection form will be extended to Monday, April 13, at 5pm.  You make changes to this form until that time. Dean Timmons will send out information about the P/D/F process on Monday, March 16. 
  • Exams
    • We have heard from many of you about your concerns regarding exams. Dean Meyer, Dean Dombalagian, Dean Timmons, and Dean Gaunt met this afternoon to discuss different options for remotely administering exams, and we will be evaluating those options to determine the most secure and user-friendly process.        
  • Pro Bono
    • We have decided that the remaining VITA Clinics for the general public must be cancelled, effective immediately. Student VITA leaders will take measures to alert the public.
    • We understand that students may experience challenges completing pro bono hours, and we plan to work with you to develop a plan to satisfy this requirement. We will be in touch with graduating students who have not satisfied this requirement on Monday.  Please ensure that any hours you have completed have been submitted to the supervisor by Monday, March 16, at 9:00 a.m.  Click here to review the digital timekeeping instructions. 
  • As a reminder, the OneApp application is due on Monday, March 16, at midnight.
  • Support for Students
    • CAPS for Student Counseling remains open at this time.  It will hold special walk-in hours tomorrow from 9-1, in addition to its normal hours.
    • The Line is available 24/7 to Tulane students. Call or Text The Line, 24/7, at 504-264-6074.
    • The Nurse Advice Line can answer questions and help you make decisions about whether to make an appointment, how to take self-care measures, how to renew prescriptions or answer medication questions and much more.  During Student Health Open Hours - 504-862-8121; After Student Health Hours - 855-487-0290.
    • The Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program remains available to law students during this time.  You can email Jennifer Gros to set up a time to talk: jennifer@louisianajlap.com. 
    • If you are facing a hardship of any kind, SOLACE may be a helpful resource: https://www.fedbar.org/about-us/outreach/solace/. 

 

(Updated March 12)

  • At this time, there have been no reported cases of COVID19 in the Tulane community (See March 20 update).
  • Graduation
    • At this time, graduation is planned to take place as scheduled.
  • Remote classes:
    • Remote classes will take place at their regularly scheduled times. 
    • Students may access these classes through the course’s Canvas page on Gibson or by using the link provided in the Outlook calendar invitation.
    • Regular attendance policies apply, and attendance will be documented on the Zoom platform.  
    • The sessions will be recorded but these will not be shared with students unless the professor determines that the student has presented extenuating circumstances (for example, a student is in a significantly different time zone (e.g., Hawai’i, China), technical difficulties interfere with the student’s ability to view the entire class, etc.).
    • Technical support will be available.  Contact information will be provided next week.
    • We will be sending information about the schedule for making up next week’s classes as soon as possible. Make-up classes will be scheduled centrally to avoid conflicts.
    • We will request that professors relax attendance policies for makeup classes and share recordings of these classes in the event of conflicts. 
    • If you have any concerns or questions regarding your class, please contact Dean Dombalagian or Dean Gaunt.  
  • Grading:
    • All classes will be graded according to standard grading procedures.
  • Exams
    • Exams will be conducted remotely.  We are working to determine the process for exams and will update you as soon as we have more information. 
  • Submission of assignments
    • All assignments may be submitted remotely via Canvas, TWEN, or email according to your professor’s instructions.
  • LRW update
    • The brief deadline is now Monday, March 30, at 11:30am.
    • The brief will be submitted on TWEN. 
    • Professors will be available for remote conferences to discuss the brief.  Details on this process will be posted to your class’s TWEN page as soon as possible.
    • Oral arguments will take place remotely between April 13-17.  Details on this process will be posted to your class’s TWEN page as soon as possible.
  • Clinics and externships The Office of Experiential Learning has posted guidance regarding clinics and externships on the Intranet. Please contact your Tulane clinical director or externship faculty member with any questions.
  • Simulation Courses – At this time, faculty will be hosting simulation classes online and will communicate any special instructions to students. Please contact your faculty member or Dean Seicshnaydre with any questions.
  • Pro Bono – Please continue working to complete your pro bono hours to fulfill the 50hour graduation requirement. This work may be done and hours may be logged remotely, if performed under supervision. See our pro bono intranet page for more information.
  • Fall Classes
    • The ONEAPP deadline will remain as scheduled on March 16, 2020 at midnight. Please contact Dean Seicshnaydre with any questions. Students will be contacted if they are under consideration by any placements or invited to participate in remote interviews.
    • Registration materials will be released between March 27-31 and registration will take place as scheduled beginning on April 21 for rising 3Ls and April 22 for rising 2Ls.
    • We will hold a remote Course Selection Process Workshop for 1Ls. 
    • If you have questions about your fall schedule, you may schedule a meeting (in-person or by phone or zoom) with Dean Gaunt on Calendly.com/abigailgaunt. 
    • Seminars, directed research, and simulation preferences will be due April 13.  Electronic versions of these forms will be available.
  • Summer
    • All summer abroad programs have been cancelled.  Registered students will be issued refunds.
    • All other summer classes are expected to take place as scheduled.  Details about on-campus offerings will be included in the registration materials.
    • The deadline for the summer externship is March 31.  As a reminder, you may register by this deadline even if you have not confirmed a placement.  No students will be permitted to register for the externship after this date.  
  • Campus Availability (see Dean Meyer’s March 15 email for updated information)
    • The University remains open for business, and all faculty and staff will be available for meetings, either in person or remotely.  CDO will continue to hold regular drop-in sessions. 
    • Campus offices, including CAPS, the Goldman Center, TUPD, and Student Health Center, remain open. 
    • Students are permitted to use the building.
    • The library will remain open.  Hours may be changed. 
    • The VITA program will continue as scheduled.  Adjustments may be made to room assignments.
  • Career Information
    • CDO will hold its workshops for 1Ls by zoom at its originally scheduled time (April 15, 4-5pm).
    • All other CDO events, including law firm networking receptions, have been cancelled. 
    • CDO counselors remain available for in-person and remote meetings and will continue to hold drop-in hours.  (see Dean Meyer’s March 15 email for updated information)
    • Spring OCI will continue as scheduled, and students may participate in interviews remotely.
    • At this time, Summer OCI will take place as scheduled.
  • Journals and Law Review
    • Remote information sessions will be held on the write-on process for journals and the argue-on session for Moot Court. Journal write-ons will take place after 1L exams in May and may be completed remotely.  Moot Court argue-ons will take place in person at the beginning of the fall semester.  
  • International students are encouraged to consult OISS’s FAQs: https://global.tulane.edu/covid19-faqs-international-students-and-schol…
  • Student with disabilities are encouraged to consult the Goldman Center’s FAQs regarding accessibility concerns: https://accessibility.tulane.edu/content/accessibilityfaqs-regarding-coronaviruscovid-19