Dean Meyer's Message, March 18

March 18, 2020

Dear Students and Colleagues,

As we crest the midpoint of our transition week to remote classes, I wanted to update you on our progress.  We had our first meeting of the faculty today by Zoom and I’m happy to report that we had a packed “house” with 56 faculty members.  Besides confirming everyone’s readiness to use the technology in teaching next week, it was uplifting to hear the faculty’s resolve to pitch in and do whatever it takes deliver on our educational mission.  The faculty is sensitive to the dislocation and stress you are experiencing and eager to support you.

We have heard from a great many of you over the past several days on the question of how exams will be administered and graded.  As you might expect, the views expressed represent a range of perspectives on the best way forward in these unprecedented circumstances.  Your comments have been thoughtful and are genuinely helpful to us as we’ve been working to devise a plan that will balance the complex and intersecting interests.  We welcome your continued input as we work to finalize plans.  As I wrote yesterday, we hope to be able to have a plan in place by the end of this week.

Let me remind you please to complete the student survey (Student Survey) with your logistical and technological plans for the coming weeks.  You can also use the survey to provide any input you wish on exams.  We’ve heard from nearly 400 of you about your plans, but need to hear from everyone.

Also, please remember that several of the deans will join me tomorrow for an update and Q&A session for students at 1:00 p.m.  I’ll look forward to “seeing” many of you there via Zoom.

As always, thanks so much for your resilience and mutual support during this very trying time.  I appreciate how dizzying and disorienting this past week has been – none of us has experienced anything quite like it.  But the faculty and I are eager to get back into the rhythm of classes and to do whatever we can to support you personally and to get your education and professional lives back on track.

Be well,

David Meyer

David D. Meyer

Dean and Mitchell Franklin Professor of Law