Appendix A
Description of Student-Faculty Committees
Academic Personnel
Students sit in advisory (non-voting) positions on this committee. The committee is responsible for making recommendations for appointments, promotions, and tenure of the academic faculty. Students on this committee will be a part of screening possible new additions to the NYU Law faculty and will actively participate in interviewing candidates for open positions. It is imperative that students on this committee are enthusiastic about NYU Law as they are acting in the double role of “selling” the school to the possible candidates, and “screening” the new applicants. For this committee, one student rep will be chosen by the SBA and one student rep will be chosen by an ALSA Selection Board comprised of representatives from APALSA, BALSA, CoLR, ILSA, LaLSA, Law Women, MELSA, OUTLaw, and SALSA. The ALSA Selection Board seeks students who are committed to issues of faculty diversity. Candidates interested in being considered by the ALSA Selection Board should indicate so in their personal statement, address their commitment to faculty diversity, and rank this committee in their top two choices.
Admissions
This committee sets policy for law school admissions. The committee reviews admission policy and recruitment particularly with respect to minority students. The committee aids in the deliberative process on close cases and in considering applicants who may bring unique talents to the community. The committee will review many confidential documents that are part of the application process. It is best that the students not be enrolled at the time of the admitted students’ entrance. Therefore, the two students on this committee can only be from the 3L class.
Bias and Harassment
This committee receives and mediates student bias or harassment complaints. In addition, the committee has a duty to promote equal opportunity within the law school community. For this committee, one student rep will be chosen by the SBA and one student rep will be chosen by an ALSA Selection Board comprised of representatives from APALSA, BALSA, CoLR, ILSA, LaLSA, Law Women, MELSA, OUTLaw, and SALSA. The ALSA Selection Board seeks students who are committed to issues of faculty diversity. Candidates interested in being considered by the ALSA Selection Board should indicate so in their personal statement, address their commitment to faculty diversity, and rank this committee in their top two choices.
Budget Advisory
This advisory committee reviews and makes suggestions to the Dean regarding the proposed budget before the Dean presents the budget to the Board of Trustees.
Clerkships
The purpose of this committee is to assist students in obtaining judicial clerkships and to promote the application for judicial clerkships. This committee also assists in creating positive relationships between NYU School of Law and the judiciary.
Convocation
The students sit on this committee to help plan the convocation and make recommendations regarding the convocation speaker(s), setting the program, and selecting a location. The committee is responsible for selecting the student speaker(s).
Curriculum and Adjunct Appointments
The committee has three specific responsibilities: approving proposed new courses, approving new adjunct faculty, and promoting improvements in the overall curriculum. Students will be involved in all parts of the application process from screening resumes to asking questions of candidates during the interview process.
Executive
This committee sets and amends academic regulations, subject to faculty review. This includes issues such as the credits required or allowed in specific areas, computer exam taking, etc. The committee also functions as the school's formal disciplinary committee for the student body with members sitting as arbitrators for purposes requiring formal discipline. (See the Student Handbook for details). Finally, the committee is responsible for selecting student honorees and graduation awards.
Lawyering instruction and personnel
The committee makes recommendations with respect to the continuation of current Lawyering faculty and makes suggestions for new hires. The committee is responsible for reviewing the student evaluations.
Library
This is a policy setting committee. The students on this committee serve as a voice for the student body with respect to problems or suggestions for improvements related to the law library. Some such issues include library hours and admission of students from other schools to the library.
Orientation
This committee designs the orientation program for incoming students to ensure entering 1Ls, LLMs, and JSD students become familiar with the culture, policy and opportunities available at NYU School of Law.
Placement
This committee makes recommendations to the OCCP regarding job placement practices.
Symposium Funding
This committee is responsible for allocating the budgeted funds for student organized symposiums.
Ad Hod Committees
Diversity Working Group
The Diversity Working Group was instituted in 1999 to examine issues of diversity: student, faculty, racial, gender, philosophical, pedagogical, etc. The committee examines policy issues at the school and should create ways to increase diversity at NYU Law. For this committee, one student rep will be chosen by the SBA and two student reps will be chosen by an ALSA Selection Board comprised of representatives from APALSA, BALSA, CoLR, ILSA, LaLSA, Law Women, MELSA, OUTLaw, and SALSA. Candidates interested in being considered by the ALSA Selection Board should indicate so in their personal statement and rank this committee in their top two choices.
ABA Self-Study
This ad hoc committee was created for the 2002-2003 school term. Its task is to conduct the ABA Self-Study on NYU School of Law and report back to the ABA. This committee only takes one student representative.