Messages from Dean Trevor Morrison

July 31: More Information on Langone COVID-19 Testing Process

Dear Law School Community:

If you choose to take advantage of testing at Langone, I wanted to offer some additional details to guide you on the process.

The University’s current procedure for those who would like to be tested at Langone on or before 8/7/2020 is as follows:

  1. Call the NYU Langone Health COVID-19 Testing Center at 646-987-3524 to get registered in their system and request an order for a COVID-19 PCR test.  You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth, phone numbers, email, and NYU ID number.  (They will not be asking for any health insurance information.)  Please note you will likely encounter a wait time before speaking with an operator since there is high demand for tests.
  2. If you do not already have an NYU Langone Health MyChart account, you will need to create one online at NYU Langone Health MyChart account.  Once created, be sure to download the NYU MyChart app on your mobile device.  You will be sent instructions on how to do this.  (Please note that there are multiple organizations utilizing “MyChart” apps, and make sure that you are downloading the NYU version.) 
  3. Once a doctor has authorized a test for you, the app will notify you when you are able to schedule your test.  Please note that it may take several hours between calling and receiving the scheduling notification.
  4. Using the app, select from any of the Langone testing locations that work for you.  The app will show you corresponding available times for receiving a test.  Alternatively, you can call 646-987-3524 from Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm, to schedule an appointment, but using the app will be more efficient.
  5. Test results will be available in MyChart within 24-36 hours.

The University will be advising us if and when there are any changes to the steps outlined above. We will, of course, notify employees of any changes.

As noted in my earlier email, there are additional testing sites around the tri-state area besides Langone. These steps are specific to NYU Langone testing and do not apply to other testing options.

Trevor

July 30: Keeping Each Other Safe: COVID-19 Testing for Law Students for Fall 2020

Dear Students:

On July 13, I wrote to you about the key components of NYU Law’s plan to return to campus for Fall 2020, including a summary of the University’s evidence-informed public health strategy to reduce risks to our community’s health and safety. You likely saw an update today from the University, which indicated the Law School would be following up separately. I am writing to you now with further information about that strategy, including New York State’s mandate for COVID-19 quarantining and the University’s requirements for COVID-19 testing as they apply to all students returning to campus in the Fall.

Instructions for All Students

Arrival Dates, Testing, and Quarantine: Students Traveling to NYU from Restricted States and Abroad

All students travelling to campus from abroad or from a state designated as “restricted” as of August 1 by New York State, or who have recently spent time in those locations, must do the following whether they live on or off campus:

  • take a test within 24 hours after arrival in New York (even if you were tested before you came);
  • quarantine for 14 days after arriving in New York;
  • take another test 7–10 days after arriving.

Because of the quarantine requirement, we recommend that students planning to return to campus arrive in New York at least 14 days prior to the first day of classes, August 25. If it is not possible to arrive in New York by August 11, the full 14-day quarantine period must still be observed before entering an academic building, so students should plan to participate in courses remotely during that window should it run past August 25.

Because the list of restricted states changes regularly, we strongly recommend that all students coming from or having spent time outside the tristate area follow the same instructions as for those coming from restricted states.

Testing Requirements for Students from the Tristate Area

Students who have been solely within the tristate area—that is, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut—in recent weeks should be tested no more than 14 days prior to entering any NYU academic building.

The COVID-19 Diagnostic PCR Test

The University requires a negative COVID-19 test result from a diagnostic PCR test (designed to detect the presence of COVID-19 infection), rather than from an antibody test, for any student who wishes to enter any NYU academic building.  Test results (whether positive or negative) should be submitted to NYU via the COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team portal. Those whose tests are positive should not go to classes or other activities, but instead self-isolate.  The COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team will contact you with further instructions about next steps.

Free COVID-19 testing for all members of the NYU community will be available on campus. Details will be forthcoming via email and posted on the NYU Returns web hub.
 

Instructions for Students in NYU Law Residence Halls

All students moving into Law School student housing are required to be tested for COVID-19.

Recommended Pre-Arrival Testing for Students Coming from Outside the Tri-State Area

If you are coming to NYU from outside the tristate area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut), it is strongly recommend that you get tested before setting out for New York (pre-arrival testing). That way, if you receive positive results, you can recover at home and avoid bringing the COVID-19 virus to New York. Testing before you travel to New York does not exempt you from the required post-arrival testing.

Post-Arrival Testing for All Students

Students coming from restricted states and international points of departure must be tested within 24 hours of their arrival in New York City, and then again 7–10 days later (during their mandatory quarantine period). Students coming from non-restricted states must also be tested within 24 hours of their arrival in New York.

  • Tests results must be submitted regardless of whether they are positive or negative. Those students whose tests are positive should not go to classes or other activities, but instead self-isolate. The COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team will contact students who have positive tests with further instructions about next steps.
  • Detailed information on the location and scheduling of testing will be relayed in forthcoming communications and on the NYU Returns web hub.

Check-in Dates

  • Students coming from restricted locations who need to quarantine will be allowed to check into housing between August 11 and 18. These students will be tested within 24 hours after arrival and will self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival in New York. Students may quarantine in their Law School apartment and will be tested again 7–10 days after arrival.
  • Students who are not required to quarantine will be welcome to check into Law School student housing beginning on August 19.

Check-in Procedure

Check-in will be by appointment only.

In the coming days, students will receive a link via email to sign up for a specific check-in date and appointment in order to limit the number of people in each building during a given window. The following appointments will be available daily, including weekends:

  • 9:00 am–11:00 am
  • 11:30 am–1:30 pm
  • 2:00 pm–4:00 pm
  • 4:30 pm–6:30 pm
  • 6:30 pm–8:30 pm

Ongoing Community Testing

As part of an ongoing program to test for the prevalence of the coronavirus in the community, testing will be required for any student who displays symptoms or was in close contact with anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result. In addition, the University will conduct weekly random testing throughout Fall 2020. A different randomized sample of students and employees will be tested every week. If you are selected to be tested, you will receive an email with the date and location where your test will be administered. Compliance is required for any student, faculty, administrator, or staff selected for testing if they wish to enter NYU buildings.

Keeping Each Other Safe

Community Responsibility

All members of the NYU Law community have a responsibility to do their best to keep each other safe, and to protect and promote campus health and safety by complying with the most current federal, state, and local regulations as well as University and Law School policies related to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.  All community members returning to campus are required to conform at all times with these regulations and policies, including but not limited to guidelines on social distancing, face coverings, health status monitoring and reporting, testing and contact tracing, self-isolation and quarantining, and visitors. As the COVID-19 crisis evolves, so too will the associated health and safety guidelines. Therefore, all members of the NYU Law community are expected to familiarize themselves with the current regulations and policies, especially when planning to come to campus. 

NYU Law students should be aware that failure to adhere to the above-referenced health and safety regulations and policies shall be considered a violation of the Law School’s Policies and Procedures and as such may be grounds for disciplinary review and action.

Furthermore, the University has a zero-tolerance policy with regard to violating health and safety rules, and repeat violators may be prohibited by the University from participating in person in classes or face other sanctions.

Supporting Compliance

If you encounter someone in an NYU building who isn’t complying with New York State or University safety and health protocols, you are encouraged to peaceably urge them to do so. If that proves unsuccessful, you can report your concerns.

  • If your concern relates to a student, you can contact Dean of Students Lindsay Kendrick at lindsay.kendrick@nyu.edu; email covidcompliance@nyu.edu; or email NYU’s Office of Student Conduct at student.conduct@nyu.edu.
  • If your concern relates to a member of the faculty, you can contact the Dean’s Office at deansoffice@mercury.law.nyu.edu.
  • If your concern relates to administrators, researchers or staff, you can contact Director of NYU Law Human Resources Amy Wright-Parra at amy.wright-parra@nyu.edu

To return to campus safely in the Fall, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will depend a great deal on cooperation from everyone in the Law School and University community. 

I look forward to seeing many of you when classes begin, and I wish you all the best for the rest of the summer.

Trevor Morrison

July 30: (Faculty, Administrators, Research, and Staff) COVID-19 Testing and Law School Return to Campus on Monday, August 10

Dear Full-time Faculty, Administrators, Researchers, and Staff:

I am writing to follow up on the University’s email from earlier today regarding COVID-19 testing procedures for full-time faculty, administrators, researchers, and staff. Because the timing of things at the Law School is not identical to the rest of the University in certain respects, I want to give you some key information specific to the Law School.

We are in the process of readying our buildings so that a limited number of employees can return to work on campus as of Monday, August 10. Building preparation will continue through the first day of classes, Tuesday, August 25.

Faculty will be given scheduled permission to access their offices and, of course, are permitted to access the buildings when they teach. Schedules will be forthcoming.

The presumption is that most administrators, researchers, and staff will work remotely for the Fall. A limited number of employees in these categories will be permitted on campus at any given time. Those employees will receive direction from their supervisors. Supervisors will receive additional information under separate cover to guide them in scheduling their team members’ on-campus time. 

Testing Requirement

Under University rules, members of the Law School community with permission to be on campus must both be tested for COVID-19 and submit a negative result prior to and within 14 days of their first day back on campus for the Fall term. (This includes students in hybrid classes or studying in designated study spaces.)   

For example, an employee returning on Monday, August 10 must be tested and submit a negative result in the window between Monday, July 27 and Monday, August 10. Those returning later will have a correspondingly later testing window. 

Type of Test 

Please be sure to obtain the COVID-19 PCR diagnostic test rather than an antibody test.

Obtaining a test and returning to campus

COVID-19 PCR diagnostic testing for campus access is now available for employees through NYU Langone Health at no cost.  Test results will be made available to test-takers as quickly as possible and test-takers must submit the results (whether positive or negative) to NYU via the COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team portal.

For those who are already working onsite or who expect to return before August 15: 

You must be tested and submit your results between August 1 and August 14.

For convenience, a special testing window has been arranged to obtain a COVID test through NYU Langone between Monday, August 3 and Friday, August 7 at no cost. Other dates may be available, but you must call to make an appointment. Please call 646-987-3524 on weekdays between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm to schedule an appointment. In addition, please see other options as noted below. 

For those who are planning to return on or after August 15:

  • Employees covered by a University health plan can obtain a COVID test through any of the following options:
    • NYU Langone (at no charge, by appointment, as noted above—an email will be sent to you with instructions on how to make an appointment, or you can call your Langone provider for an appointment.  Please note: the turnaround time for test results has tended to be shorter for those tested at NYU Langone than for those tested at some other sites)
    • State testing location (such as a state-identified testing facility that offers testing at no cost—see the list below for testing locations)
    • Your own medical provider (by presenting your health insurance card at the point of service)
    • An urgent care facility or pharmacy (by presenting your health insurance card at the point of service) 
  • Employees who are not covered by a University health insurance plan can obtain a COVID test from any of the following:
    • NYU Langone (at no charge, by appointment, as noted above—an email will be sent to you with instructions on how to make an appointment, or you can call your Langone provider for an appointment. Please note: test results have tended to be faster for those tested at NYU Langone)
    • State testing location (such as a state identified testing facility that offer testing at no cost — see list below for testing locations)
    • Your own medical provider (reimbursement from NYU with proof of payment)
    • An urgent care facility or pharmacy (reimbursement from NYU with proof of payment)
  • Information for testing locations by state:

Daily COVID-19 screener to access NYU Law buildings

In addition to submitting a negative test result, employees who need to enter campus buildings to work will be required to log into a  app available through the NYU Mobile app.  Employees will be required to receive clearance via the app in order to enter NYU buildings.

Please note that colleagues who are returning to campus from areas designated as "restricted" by New York State are also required to quarantine in a non-hot-spot state for 14 days prior to their return to campus, regardless of any previous COVID-19 test results received before coming to New York.

Positive test result

If the result of your COVID-19 PCR diagnostic test is positive, or if you display any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing/shortness of breath, loss of sense of smell or taste), or you have been in close contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19, please stay home and notify the NYU COVID-19 Prevention and Response Team and they will provide guidance on next steps.  Faculty should let the Dean’s Office know; administrators, researchers, and staff should notify their supervisors as they normally would when they are ill.

Ongoing community testing

To check for the prevalence of COVID-19 within the NYU community, NYU will conduct weekly random tests of community members throughout the Fall semester.  The testing will be done on campus, and employees and students who have been selected will be contacted by the University and are required to participate in order to continue to have access to campus facilities.

Keeping each other safe

All members of the University community will be made aware of the new rules (including density guidelines, social distancing, and testing).  The University plans to reinforce these rules through a variety of initiatives, including the launch of a Public Health Ambassadors corps and a campaign with print material and posters, email messages, and social media posts.

Our goals—to return to campus safely, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to keep each other safe—depend on frequent and widespread testing as well as strict compliance with distancing and other safety protocols, and we will do our best to make testing convenient for members of the NYU Law community.  Please monitor the NYU Returns web hub for updates to COVID-19 related information. 

I wish you all the best for the rest of the summer and look forward to seeing many of you in the Fall.

Trevor Morrison

July 17: Fall 2020 -- Details for Administrators, Researchers, and Staff

Dear Colleagues: 

I hope this note finds you safe and well in these still challenging times. 

Earlier this week, I circulated to you the message I sent to our continuing and incoming students about our planning for the Fall 2020 semester.   I now write to focus on areas of particular interest to administrators, researchers, and staff, and to re-emphasize some details of NYU’s health and safety requirements that apply community-wide.

This update and others regarding Fall 2020 will be made available to everyone in our community on our Fall 2020 planning site

Teleworking/Limited Working On-Campus

As you will have learned from the student communication, there is a general presumption that, with the exception of essential employees, all administrators, researchers, and staff will continue to telework during the Fall semester.  This will help us to reduce density in our buildings.

With that said, as things now stand we expect to be able to accommodate a limited amount of on-campus work, if being in the office is necessary to conduct the work.

We will be reaching out to department and center heads shortly to share the anticipated cap on the number of individuals who can be on campus in department/center space on any given day.  The anticipated cap will be based on the nature of the office’s work as well as the size of the unit and the configuration of its space.

Supervisors will be responsible for creating a weekly schedule that adheres to the daily cap.  It may be that for some departments, different employees come in on different days and for others, the same people are present on a more regular basis.  It may be that some departments/centers find that all employees can work remotely, most if not all of the time.

Offices that work mainly remotely will be expected to offer the same level of service to our community as would be the case if they were on campus.

It is important to note these limitations on access to workspaces apply at all times.  We cannot afford employees any personal access to their workspaces if they are not designated to be on campus by their supervisor.  This applies outside of work hours, too; employees not cleared to work on campus will not be able to drop in informally during the evenings or weekends.  Please also note that building hours may be truncated to allow for cleaning and disinfection to take place.

Prioritizing Health and Safety 

As University leadership wrote to the NYU community on July 7, our planning is guided, first and foremost, by the health and safety of the NYU community.  Our evidence-informed public health strategy to reduce the risks to our community posed by COVID-19 features layers of safety, each of which is designed to decrease the risk, and emphasizes the importance of individual and collective responsibility in the effort to keep each other safe.  Among the key initiatives and policies the University and the Law School are putting in place to prevent and reduce transmission of COVID-19 within our community are:

  • Face Coverings/Masks: All members of the community are required to wear face coverings over both the mouth and nose at all times when they are on the University campus, with limited exceptions.  Masks will be provided for all employees.  If you prefer a different covering, feel free to use your own so long as it covers your mouth and nose at all times.
  • Physical Distancing: All members of the community are expected to maintain a 6-foot distance from others, whenever possible.
  • COVID-19 Testing: We are working to finalize the details of our testing program, which will involve multiple components, including:
    • Requiring all community members to get themselves tested if they will be on campus.  If you will remain remote, you need not be tested.
    • Testing when a member of the community has COVID-like symptoms or has been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19.
    • An ongoing testing program of representative segments of the NYU community.
    • The NYU COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team will oversee the campus-wide efforts to identify, isolate, and support members of the community with confirmed cases of COVID-19.
  • Symptom Screening–the Daily COVID-19 Screener for Campus Access: In order to be permitted to come to campus on any given day, all members of the community will be required to complete a brief questionnaire, accessible on computer and NYU’s smartphone app (NYU Mobile) that screens for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms (e.g., elevated temperature, coughing).  Those who have recent COVID-19 exposure or symptoms will be instructed to stay home until they are cleared by the NYU Prevention & Response Team.  (Please do not test the application until it has been launched for the Law School.)  Please note you will need a thermometer to complete the questionnaire and should plan to take your temperature at home to avoid a trip to the campus only to be turned away if you have a fever.
  • Travel Advisories: Every community member returning to campus from outside of the New York area should be aware of the most current New York State travel advisories, which may mandate quarantine restrictions for those arriving from high-incidence areas.  Employees should factor these advisories into their plans if they know they will need to be on campus.
  • Enhanced Cleaning: An enhanced building cleaning regimen will be implemented on campus, including more frequent disinfectant cleaning of high-touch surfaces and common areas. Frequent hand washing is encouraged and when not possible, hand sanitizing stations will continue to be available. 

Flexibility Regarding Teleworking Challenges

We are aware that teleworking poses many challenges, especially for those who have child care, elder care, or similar obligations at home.  We impress upon supervisors that it is important to work with such employees to come up with flexible arrangements to the extent possible.  We all understand, and indeed have experienced, how challenging it can be to juggle personal and professional responsibilities in these circumstances, and we want our employees to feel well supported by the Law School in this regard.  If a supervisor or employee has questions or concerns about this policy or needs help developing a plan that will meet the needs of the employee and the office, please feel free to reach out to Amy Wright-Parra in HR at (917) 572-3975; wrighta@mercury.law.nyu.edu.

Town Hall for Administrators, Researchers and Staff on Fall 2020

We are planning to host another Town Hall in the coming weeks for administrators, researchers, and staff.  Please watch for a notice about it, as well as directions on how to submit questions for us to address.

I am deeply grateful for all that you do for the Law School and look forward to the beginning of Fall semester. 

Trevor

July 14: Update on Changing Federal Guidelines for F-1 Visa Students

Dear Students,

I write to update you on the rapidly evolving status of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidance on student visa eligibility for fall.  Just today, in the face of eight federal lawsuits and widespread opposition from universities throughout the country, the Trump administration rescinded the July 6 guidelines which prohibited students studying in the U.S. on an F-1 visa from taking a remote-only courseload. 

For now, this change of course is happy news for the entire NYU Law community, and I celebrate with our international students who must be feeling great relief in light of this rescission.  I also want to thank the faculty and administrators who worked tirelessly in the past week to develop safeguards for our visa students and the many members of our community who advocated on the students' behalf in a time of great anxiety. 

In the coming hours, we expect to learn more about whether the federal government will revert to SEVP's March 13 guidance for F-1 visa students, which permitted online course enrollment for these students "for the duration of the emergency" triggered by COVID-19, or whether entirely new guidance will be issued in this area.  As we await further details, I write to pledge once again that the Law School is committed to doing all that we can to help our international students cope with these challenges as they arise. 

We will update you as we learn more.  I continue to hope you are staying well. 

Trevor Morrison

July 13: Fall 2020 at NYU Law

Dear Students,

I write to follow up on my June message on preparing for Fall 2020 at NYU Law. The faculty and administration are working very hard to prepare for the school year, and we look forward to having you with us. We continue to be guided by three principles: prioritizing the safety and health of everyone in the NYU Law community, innovating to maintain a standard of excellence in the fulfillment of our core academic mission, and striving to provide information and flexibility to our students.

Our plans are becoming more concrete as the beginning of the school year approaches. There remains a degree of uncertainty, including around potential modifications in government regulations and New York City’s transition into Phase IV guidance. Still, there is quite a lot that I can tell you. In what follows, I share our most up-to-date information on what to expect this Fall.
 

Academics

Academic Calendar

Our academic year will begin as scheduled. August 25, 2020, will be the first day of classes. For health and safety reasons, students who travel out of New York for the Thanksgiving holiday should plan not to return to campus during the final week of classes and instead should plan to participate remotely that week.

In-Person and Remote Instruction

We continue to plan for the resumption of some in-person instruction in Fall 2020, offering approximately half of our 1L courses and approximately one quarter of our upper-level courses in a hybrid format. We expect the balance of the curriculum to be offered in an entirely remote format. Students who wish to participate remotely in any Fall 2020 NYU Law class in which they are enrolled may do so. Put another way, any in-person hybrid courses for Fall 2020 will be also be accessible remotely, in real time. Importantly, the vast majority of courses will require synchronous participation from all students.

typical hybrid course will include a mix of in-person and remote participants with the professor physically present in the classroom, teaching simultaneously to students physically present in the classroom as well as to students participating remotely via Zoom. Our seating plans have been adjusted to comply with density guidelines designed to protect the health and safety of everyone in the classroom. Therefore, in sections where a large number of students prefer the in-person mode to the remote mode, we will assign rotating cohorts for in-person participation. Smaller hybrid courses, such as seminars, may be able to accommodate all in-person participants in every session, without the need for rotation. Still other hybrid courses may provide a mix of larger Zoom meetings with smaller in-person breakout sessions. Faculty will be tailoring their particular hybrid courses to best convey the subject matter they are teaching. 

Courses scheduled to be offered in the hybrid mode are identified by the HCV footnote in the Fall 2020 Course Schedule; courses scheduled to be offered entirely remotely are identified by the RCV footnote. Our ability to offer hybrid instruction in a safe way is contingent on continually evolving health and safety guidelines, so it remains possible that a hybrid course may need to switch to remote-only mode on short notice.

2L and 3L JD students and LLM students will soon receive a survey asking them to describe their plans for remote or in-person participation in their Fall 2020 courses. (1L JD students have already received this survey.)  Survey responses are for planning purposes and are not binding, as students may understandably change their plans as the semester progresses.  Although any student—at any time, in any course—may opt to participate remotely, building density guidelines and in-person rotational schedules require some advance planning.  Therefore, once the school year begins, please work with the faculty member teaching your hybrid course to ensure there is enough room for you to join a particular class meeting safely if you are not already scheduled by Academic Services to be present in person.

We expect that all Fall 2020 examinations will be administered remotely.
 

Returning to Campus

Prioritizing Health and Safety

As University leadership wrote to the NYU community on July 7, our planning is guided, first and foremost, by the health and safety of the NYU community. Our evidence-informed public health strategy to reduce the risks to our community posed by COVID-19 implements layers of safety, each of which decreases the risk, and emphasizes the importance of individual and collective responsibility in the effort to keep each other safe. Among the key initiatives and policies the University and the Law School are putting in place to prevent and reduce transmission of COVID-19 within our community are:

  • Face Coverings/Masks: All members of the community are required to wear face coverings over both the mouth and nose at all times when they are on the University campus, with limited exceptions.  The University is working to procure a substantial supply of masks, but community members are encouraged to obtain and use their own face coverings.
  • Physical Distancing: All members of the community are expected to maintain a 6-foot distance from others, whenever possible. We are also implementing measures to reduce density in our academic buildings and residence halls overall (see below).
  • COVID-19 Testing: We are working to finalize the details of our testing program, which will involve multiple components, including:
    • Asking members of the community to get themselves tested prior to reconvening on campus at the beginning of the school year.
    • A testing protocol for those who have returned to campus, in line with recommendations of medical experts and established best practices.
    • Testing when a member of the community has COVID-like symptoms or has been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19.
    • An ongoing testing program of representative segments of the NYU community.
    • The NYU COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team will oversee the campus-wide efforts to identify, isolate, and support members of the community with confirmed cases of COVID-19.
  • Symptom Screeningthe Daily COVID-19 Screener for Campus Access: In order to be permitted to come to campus on any given day, all members of the community will be required to complete a brief questionnaire, accessible on computer and NYU’s smartphone app (NYU Mobile) that screens for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms (e.g., elevated temperature, coughing). Those who have recent COVID-19 exposure or symptoms will be instructed to stay home until they are cleared by the NYU Prevention & Response Team. We encourage all students returning to campus to bring with them a wellness kit that includes a thermometer.
  • Travel Advisories: Every community member returning to campus from outside of the New York area should be aware of the most current New York State travel advisories, which may mandate quarantine restrictions for those arriving from high-incidence areas. Students planning to participate in in-person classes or activities on campus will need to incorporate these mandatory quarantine periods into their plans.
  • Enhanced Cleaning: An enhanced building cleaning regimen will be implemented for on campus, including more frequent disinfectant cleaning of high-touch surfaces and common areas. Hand sanitizing stations will continue to be available.

Use of Academic Buildings

Achieving our goal of a safe return to campus requires our community to collectively reimagine our use of space. In planning for Fall 2020, our policies balance our core academic mission with the need to reduce density in all campus buildings and rooms. We are reducing density in NYU facilities by implementing enrollment and space capacity caps; adjusting block course scheduling; ensuring classroom occupancy remains below 50% of total capacity; convening classes only in those spaces in which students and faculty can maintain appropriate social distancing; and reconfiguring in-use classrooms, including investing in the technological improvements necessary to make hybrid instruction possible.

We look forward to the day when we can once again enjoy a robust calendar of in-person events on campus. For the time being, however, we will not be convening any non-essential, large, in-person extracurricular gatherings. Instead, our plans prioritize dedicating common spaces in our academic buildings as study spaces for students, to the extent that density guidelines and safe social distancing allow. Currently, we plan to open study areas in the Library and certain event spaces and student lounge areas on a first-come, first-served basis, while making some study spaces available on a reservation basis.  We are also working to provide limited access to space for journal and student organization use. 

Although space is at a premium in the era of social distancing, we recognize that some students rely on the Law School for internet access and quiet study space. We aim to prioritize those needs, to the extent safety allows.

In order to maximize safe access to academic buildings for faculty and students engaged in teaching, learning, research, and advising, as well as for essential employees performing a host of duties on campus to keep us all safe, we plan to reduce the in-person presence of administrators and staff where it is possible to provide excellent support to students and faculty remotely (see below for more on Student-Facing Services).

Even though we will not be hosting large in-person events in our academic buildings when the school year begins, we will be offering a rich array of virtual forums, panels, lectures, and other events throughout the semester. We are committed to maintaining a vibrant intellectual life at NYU Law.

Residence Halls

Our Law School student housing is home for many of our students, and our residence halls have remained open throughout the COVID-19 crisis. In these spaces, we will continue to keep health and safety top-of-mind in our plans by closing common spaces in residence halls until further notice to reduce density and unsafe gatherings. We will develop a staggered move-in schedule for August. And we will continue to offer students flexible license terms for housing, allowing students to postpone their arrival or depart early according to their unique circumstances.

To help minimize uncertainty, once students are living on campus, their housing rates will not increase, even if they remain for all three years of their JD studies. 

Students with questions regarding Law School residential life should contact our Res Life team directly.
 

Student Support

Financial Support

Over the past several months, all members of our community have been forced to adapt without warning to stressful, rapidly changing circumstances. Many of our students bear the economic burden of this crisis acutely, finding themselves in greater financial need than anticipated because of personal health challenges, technological disparities, racial inequities, differences in family circumstances and caregiver responsibilities, immigration concerns, and a range of other complex issues. The leaders of the Student Bar Association have been very engaged on these issues. I thank them for their work and I also thank the many students who have shared their ideas on these matters with the SBA.   

It remains true, as I wrote to our community earlier this year, that the fiscal crisis triggered by the pandemic has necessitated austerity measures and retrenchment throughout the Law School. We are not in a position to freeze tuition across the board, but we are taking additional steps, made possible in part by the generous support of our alumni and friends, to reduce the economic strain our students are facing. First, every JD, LLM, and MSL student will receive a Technology Support Grant of $1,000, to help ensure that students have access to the technological resources they need to participate in hybrid and remote learning. Next, every student already receiving a partial tuition scholarship from the Law School will have their scholarship award increased by $1,000. Finally, the Law School will continue to award grants to students through the COVID-19 Hardship Relief Fund through at least the end of Fall 2020.  Going forward, in the new academic year, all Law students are eligible to apply for up to $1,000 in support from the COVID-19 Hardship Relief Fund, whether or not they already received support from that fund in Spring 2020.

In addition to these new forms of support, the Law School remains committed to the numerous other ways in which we already support our students and graduates financially. This summer, we increased the level of guaranteed funding available through the Public Interest Law Centers Summer Funding Program. And we have maintained the enhancements we recently made to our Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)—now called LRAP Plus—which provide even more generous to support graduates pursuing careers in public service. These enhancements will all remain in place, despite the budgetary challenges posed by the pandemic.

Student-Facing Services

As always, our administrators and staff will be available to support, counsel, and advise students. This Fall, in addition to remaining reachable by phone, email, and virtual appointment, our student-facing services will offer Virtual Reception Areas during normal business hours, so that any student wishing to ask a quick question or make an appointment will be able to chat with a member of our administrative team live via Zoom. We will have more details on this process soon. Most appointments with student-facing administrators will be held virtually but in-person appointments will also be available, subject to health and safety regulations.

International Students

Last week, the US Government’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) released guidance regarding student visa eligibility for the fall. The NYU Office of Global Services briefed our community on the impact of these guidelines for our students, emphasizing the key change that any student studying in the United States on an F-1 visa must be enrolled in at least one in-person or hybrid course this fall. As I shared last week, the Law School is very mindful of the distress and uncertainty caused by the new guidelines. We are committed to doing all we can to help our international students cope with these new challenges, including ensuring the availability this fall of at least one hybrid class to all of our F-1 visa students, so long as federal, state, and local regulations permit in-person classes to proceed.

Students with related questions and concerns are invited to join me and several panelists from the Law School and the University for a Virtual Town Hall on the New Federal Guidelines for Visa Students on Friday, July 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Register to attend the Zoom. Registration will close at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21. Submit questions in advance.  
 

Announcing Virtual Town Hall on Fall 2020

My colleagues and I are excited for the coming academic year. We face a number of challenges as we continue to adapt to changing circumstances and rethink our traditional modes of teaching and learning, but there is much to look forward to as well. 

Of course, at this stage, there are still a number of uncertainties surrounding Fall 2020. As additional information becomes available, we will relay it to you. We will communicate with you directly about any significant changes or developments, and I also encourage you to visit our Fall Planning page, which we will continue to update.

In addition, and in order to more directly respond to your questions, you will receive an invitation shortly to a Virtual Town Hall on Fall 2020, to be held on July 23, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. At that Town Hall, Vice Dean Randy Hertz, Dean of Students and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Lindsay Kendrick, Assistant Dean for Academic Services Michelle Kirkland, and I will endeavor to answer your questions about the upcoming semester.

I continue to think of all of you, wish you well, and look forward to seeing you soon.

Trevor Morrison

July 7: New US Federal Guidelines Affecting Student Visa Eligibility - Fall 2020

Dear Students,

As many of you may be aware, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) released guidance yesterday regarding student visa eligibility for fall.  The NYU Office of Global Services (OGS) briefed us on the impact of these guidelines for our students, which I forward in relevant part below: 

"The key change is that any student studying in the US on an F-1 visa must be enrolled in at least one in-person course. In other words, international students will be forbidden from taking an online-only courseload this fall. Fortunately, the way the guidance is written, it does remove the tighter restrictions that are in place limiting the number of online courses a student could take for those schools that will be operating under a hybrid model this fall (as we, of course, are).

So, ultimately, of course, the solution is to ensure that all international students, present in the US, take at least one in-person or hybrid class this fall (the government has not set a minimum number of credits, the guidance just specifies that it be at least one course)."

OGS will be updating the international student community regarding this change later this week and that office will also be required to re-certify for each individual international student in the US this fall as to their status. 

The Law School is currently developing plans to ensure the availability of at least one in-person or hybrid class this fall for each of our students here in the fall semester on an F-1 visa. You will hear further updates from Academic Services, but for now, please note that the Law School plans to enroll all 1L students in at least one hybrid course. 

All international students enrolled at the Law School should be in contact with OGS directly for advising related to your individual visa situation. 

Trevor Morrison 

June 1: Wrapping Up Spring 2020 and Planning for Fall 2020

Dear Students:

Over the past two-and-a-half months, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on all of us, triggering unprecedented shifts not just in legal education but in every aspect of daily life.  For some of you, the effects of the virus have come home in painful, even devastating ways.  The safety and well-being of all of you and of those close to you will continue to be foremost in my thoughts as circumstances continue to unfold.

This time also has shown that the true strength of the NYU Law community extends far beyond physical proximity.  We have had cause to display our resilient spirit and have come together in truly inspiring ways.  As students and members of our community, each of you has demonstrated great goodwill and creativity in a challenging semester.  Despite disruption and distress, you remained committed to academic inquiry and engagement even as the mode of that commitment abruptly changed.  You supported one another and advocated for those most vulnerable among us, demonstrating that when the fulfillment of our core educational mission endures, so too does our ability to positively influence the world.

As this unprecedented semester comes to a close, our community turns its full attention to preparing for Fall 2020.  In doing so, we face considerable uncertainty.  We look forward to the day when we can all return to Washington Square, but it isn’t yet clear when that day will be.  We are hoping and planning to resume in-person operations when the Fall semester begins, but that remains subject to change as the advice of public health experts evolves and as governing authorities issue new rules and guidelines for higher education.  Developments on each of these fronts will dictate a great deal about what the Fall semester at NYU Law will look like. 

In formulating our plans, we will make the safety and health of all NYU Law community members the principal basis for our decision-making; we will innovate to maintain a standard of excellence in the fulfillment of our core academic mission; and we will provide information and flexibility to our students to the degree possible, so that each student is empowered to make informed choices. 

Guided by these principles, I want to provide you with the following preliminary updates about Fall 2020 at NYU Law.

Academics

In-Person and Remote Instruction

  • We are developing plans for the resumption of some in-person instruction in Fall 2020.  We expect that our in-person course offerings will not cover the entire curriculum, and thus that all students will receive some instruction remotely.  
  • We can assure you that any in-person instruction scenario will be consistent with developing density restrictions, social distancing guidelines, personal protective equipment recommendations, and other health and safety protocols.  
  • Students who wish to participate remotely in any Fall 2020 NYU Law class in which they are enrolled may do so.  Put another way, all in-person class meetings for Fall 2020 will also be accessible remotely, in real time.  
  • It remains possible that we will need to begin the academic year fully remotely.  It is also possible that, as happened this Spring, a complete transition to remote instruction partway through the Fall semester will be necessary.  Should either of these measures be required, the faculty, administration, and staff are prepared to pivot and adapt immediately to protect the health and safety of our community while also fulfilling our academic mission. 
  • While the Spring 2020 transition to remote instruction was necessarily abrupt, the intelligence and creativity of our faculty, students, administration, and staff made the enterprise a successful one.  We continue to build on that success in preparation for remote and hybrid instruction in the Fall by sharing best practices among faculty and instructors; workshopping around pedagogy; and enhancing our technological capabilities. 

Fall 2020 Registration

  • Our academic year will begin as scheduled.  August 25, 2020, will be the first day of classes. 
  • In order to prepare for the possibility of some in-person instruction, we are currently adjusting the schedule of classes for Fall 2020.  Although the overall slate of course offerings will remain the same or very similar, we expect to make adjustments to the block schedule and to the meeting schedule for some courses. 
  • We expect an updated schedule of classes for Fall 2020 to be available by mid-June, and for Fall 2020 Registration (first cycle) to run from June 26 to July 7. 

Living on Washington Square

Coming to Campus

  • If any student cannot arrive on campus at the beginning of the academic year, that student may begin the Fall 2020 semester remotely until they can join us in person.  Students may also opt to participate remotely for the entire Fall 2020 semester should that be their preference.  
  • If some in-person instruction resumes in Fall 2020 as planned, students who cannot or choose not to come to campus should be mindful that there remain regulatory limitations on remote instruction (also referred to as “distance learning”), which may have consequences for an individual student’s eligibility for bar admission, a student visa, Optional Practical Training (OPT), or the like.  NYU Law will continue to advocate for a relaxation of “distance learning” restrictions for our students during this public health crisis, and we will keep students updated as more information becomes available. 

Living on Campus

  • Recognizing that your plans may change as the current crisis evolves, NYU Law Residence Services will offer students flexible license terms for housing, allowing them both to postpone their arrival and/or to depart early, according to their unique circumstances. 
  • To help minimize uncertainty, once students are living on campus, their housing rates will not increase, even if they remain for all three years of their JD studies.

Supporting Student Success

Despite the current crisis and its budgetary impact, supporting our students’ success remains a key priority for the Law School. 

  • The Public Interest Law Center’s Summer Funding Program has increased funding for all 1Ls and 2Ls working in public interest, giving them invaluable training for their legal careers.  
  • Not only have we made our Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)—now LRAP Plus—even more generous to support graduates pursuing careers in public service, we’ve extended the availability of that enhanced career and income flexibility to all of our qualifying alumni—not just the most recent graduates. 
  • Rising 2Ls and 3Ls who have incurred unanticipated expenses related to the COVID-19 crisis are eligible for grants from the NYU Law COVID-19 Hardship Fund
  • Our Student Services offices continue to provide individualized and group support for students and student organizations at every stage of their legal education and beyond.

While some aspects of Fall 2020 remain uncertain, we will continue to provide clarity wherever possible and to exhibit flexibility as you begin your summers and plan returning to your studies later this year.  We expect to receive additional guidance from state and local authorities and public health experts by July, and we will update you accordingly.  We are committed to moving forward thoughtfully, deliberately, and with the best interests of our community in mind.

I wish you the very best for the summer and look forward to seeing you soon. 

Sincerely,

Trevor Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law

April 6: A Message to Alumni from Dean Trevor Morrison

The following message was sent to NYU Law alumni as part of the Courtyard Chronicle, the Law School's monthly email newsletter, on April 6, 2020.

Dear Friends,

I’m writing this from my home, thinking about you, our NYU Law community, and hoping this finds you safe and healthy. As is surely the case for a great many of you, home has become my office over the last several weeks. And that, of course, is just one facet of the many changes we have been experiencing.  

In early March, together with the University, we made a decision that, in one sense, was easy to make in order to protect the health of our students, faculty, and staff: we shifted the entire Law School to online teaching and learning for the balance of the academic year.

That decision was also hard, not just because of the logistical challenges involved in such a rapid change, but also because we all treasure in-person interactions in our community. Many of you regularly return to Washington Square to engage with our students and our rich intellectual life—connections that help make our community all that it is. These days, my colleagues and I are thinking a lot about how, through these changes, we can maintain the core mission of the Law School—to educate the brightest minds of the next generation and to produce innovative thinking that changes the world and our understanding of it.

We must acknowledge that this is a deeply painful time, as many of us contend with the health effects of the virus in ever-more immediate ways. We are all experiencing a large public tragedy, and inside it are countless tangible, personal tragedies. Already, some members of our Law School community, their families, and other loved ones have become sick. Already, some have lost their lives to the pandemic. For all of you for whom this is true, my colleagues and I are keeping you in our thoughts every day.

Through it all, I have never been more proud of the people of NYU Law. Our faculty members have embraced a new mode of teaching. Our students remain active and engaged learners, sometimes from thousands of miles away. Our administrators worked tirelessly to make the transition as seamless as possible and continue to adapt and innovate. And so many of you have reached out to offer your support. Our community has risen magnificently to the occasion. 

Even in this difficult time, our community perseveres. We are planning a range of virtual events and CLE offerings, which you will hear more about in the coming days.  More broadly, we are striving to maintain and extend NYU Law’s role as an important thought leader. As we deal with the challenges of the current moment, we must also take the opportunity to think in new ways about legal education, the roles of law school in society, the role of technology, and adapting, and helping our graduates to adapt, to the numerous ways the law and legal practice will change. 

In all of this, I am deeply grateful for your partnership—even and especially in these times. I knew when I became dean that this community was special; your outreach now continues to confirm it.  

A number of you have asked how you can direct support to those in our community who are most affected. Many of our students are facing unexpected financial strain as a result of the pandemic, so we have established an NYU Law COVID-19 Hardship Fund in order to support them during this time. Thank you to those of you who have already made contributions. I encourage any of you who want to find a way to support or engage with our students to reach out to our Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni relations, Nick Vagelatos. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

NYU Law is not just Washington Square. It is all of us and all that we do, wherever we are. I have no doubt that we will continue to rise to this moment.  Even though we are apart, we will do it together. 

Stay safe.

Trevor Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 25: Important Changes to the NYU Law Grading Policy

The following email was sent to NYU Law students on March 25, 2020.

 

Dear Students:

I write to announce two significant changes to NYU Law’s grading policy, both of which were adopted by the Law School faculty today, March 25, 2020.  In adopting the first change, a mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading policy for all Spring 2020 semester courses, the faculty appreciated the thoughtful input of administrators and students on the best way forward for our community in these unprecedented times.  In adopting the second change, the elimination of the mandatory B- in 1L classes effective next academic year, the faculty is indebted to the research and advocacy done by the Student Bar Association on behalf of the J.D. student body.

I. Adoption of a Mandatory CREDIT/FAIL Grading Policy for Spring 2020 Semester Courses, Effective Immediately

In light of NYU Law’s transition to remote teaching and learning for the balance of the Spring 2020 semester and the concomitant disruptions as well as the general burdens caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Law School faculty has voted to adopt a mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading policy for all Spring 2020 courses for the J.D. program, the LL.M. programs, and the MSL in Tax.  More specifically, the following policy is in effect for the Spring 2020 semester as of March 25, 2020:

  • GRADING POLICY CHANGE: In any course (or activity, regardless of type) for which the Law School grants credit in the Spring 2020 semester, credit will be awarded exclusively on a CREDIT/FAIL basis according to our existing requirements for such credit, regardless of whether any student in that course has elected to be graded on that basis.  All letter-grade requirements are waived and thus deemed satisfied by a grade of CREDIT in a Spring 2020 semester course. 
  • PROGRAMS AND COURSES AFFECTED: The policy change applies to Spring 2020 semester courses in the J.D. program, the LL.M. programs, and the MSL in Tax.  The policy does not apply to the MSCRS program or to Spring 2020 courses in which grades have already been awarded.
  • APPLICATION:
    • Whether or not a student has been enrolled in any course on a CREDIT/FAIL basis, the CREDIT/FAIL grading in Spring 2020 shall not count against any student’s maximum number of permitted CREDIT/FAIL courses.
    • All transcripts will be annotated to indicate that Spring 2020 grades reflect NYU Law’s policy in response to the public health crisis caused by the coronavirus rather than the choices of any individual student.
    • Grades for Spring 2020 shall not figure in any student’s cumulative grade point average, nor shall they be calculated toward any end-of-year rankings or Law School honors.
    • Year-long clinics will still award grades for the Fall components of those clinics.  
       
  • EXCEPTION: There may arise a limited number of special circumstances in our LL.M. and other graduate programs requiring case-specific treatment.  An ad hoc review committee will be convened to consider petitions from students with special circumstances, such as issues relating to minimum grade point average graduation requirements.

This policy change follows from the faculty’s careful consideration of concerns expressed by faculty colleagues, senior administrators, leadership at peer schools, and our students.  The students have communicated with the Dean’s Office and the Office of Student Affairs individually and collectively, including through surveys solicited by student organizations such as the Student Bar Association, BALSA, LALSA, DALSA, APALSA, MELSA, SALSA, OUTLaw, FGP, MHLJA, WoCC, COLR, and others.  In total, the faculty heard from more than 1,400 students, among whom there was broad support for the adoption of a mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading policy.  In deliberating on this issue, the Law School faculty evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of potential changes to the grading policies, including: the adopted policy; mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading for courses with examinations only; mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading for 1L courses only; and optional CREDIT/FAIL for all courses.  Together, the faculty agreed that, while there is no perfect option available, a mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading policy for all courses in Spring 2020 is the least problematic option in these extraordinary circumstances.  

The adoption of this policy is based on the preeminent considerations of equity and compassion.  All members of our community have been forced to adapt without warning to stressful, rapidly changing circumstances.  Some students, however, will bear the burden of this crisis more acutely because students differ in family circumstances, caregiver responsibilities, financial background, immigration status, and personal health.  In sharing details about their individual situations, our students have been persuasive in their arguments that standard letter grades in these extraordinary times are as likely to measure student advantages or disadvantages as they are to reflect student aptitude or effort.  Furthermore, eliminating the letter-grade requirement will relieve some of the pressure our students are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and the efforts to stop its spread.

The adoption of this policy is not without costs, the two primary costs raised by students, faculty, and administrators being incentives and fairness. Where students are aware that they will receive the same credit for a course almost regardless of their performance, they may not invest significant effort in their work.  This is particularly so when a health crisis places other demands on their time and attention.  In adopting this shift in grading policy, the Law School faculty are counting on everyone in our community to encourage participation of students who might be disengaged.  

The Law School faculty are mindful that a number of students, though not the majority, indicated that a mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading policy would be unfair to those who have worked hard this semester towards achieving a high grade.  This might be particularly true for first-year J.D. students who have only one semester’s worth of law grades when looking for a job for next summer.  Although this cost is not entirely unavoidable, we believe the policy of major law firms will mitigate this harm.  Members of our administration have confirmed in recent conversations with leadership at many major law firms that they would be supportive of postponing this summer’s interviews to January 2021, thus providing students with the opportunity to improve their grades in Fall 2L, to demonstrate their practice area interests through course selection, and to distinguish themselves through summer work experience, journal membership, and clinical work before going on the job market.  

Some colleagues and students expressed a preference for a carve-out permitting letter grades for courses without examinations, such as clinics and some seminars.  In giving due consideration to the option of distinguishing exam courses from others, the Law School faculty believes that distinction would create another type of arbitrary, after-the-fact disparity between students who elected to take more lecture-format courses and those who opted for clinical or seminar courses.  Finally, some surveyed students favored an optional CREDIT/FAIL policy as an alternative to the mandatory policy the Law School faculty has adopted.  We concluded that there would be a greater cost imposed by an optional system, which could pressure students in the midst of our current crisis to opt for grades so as not to send what they might perceive as a negative signal by electing to receive credit instead of a grade.  For similar reasons, a number of our peer schools have adopted a mandatory CREDIT/FAIL rule after considering an optional one.

An FAQ on the Spring 2020 mandatory CREDIT/FAIL grading policy will be added shortly to the Law School’s page on coronavirus-related measures and restrictions.
 

II. Elimination of the Mandatory B- in 1L Classes, Effective Fall 2020

Responding to a Student Bar Association proposal of November 8, 2019, the NYU Law faculty has voted to eliminate the mandatory B- in 1L classes in the J.D. program, but retain all other aspects of the mandatory 1L curve.  Effective Fall 2020, B- grades (and lower) are still permissible in 1L classes, as they are in upper-level classes, but they are no longer mandatory.

I look forward to joining you tomorrow evening at our Virtual Town Hall for students at 7 p.m., and I continue to wish you well.

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 25: Update on Law School Convocation

The following email was sent to NYU Law students on March 25, 2020.

Dear Students,

As you have likely seen, President Hamilton announced with regret that we will have to reimagine our graduation exercises for 2020. Convocation is one of our favorite parts of the year, as it is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your achievements. In light of the current guidance, however, it is not possible or responsible to hold our traditional ceremony in May. We know you are disappointed, and we are too.

Graduating from law school is a major milestone and as we mentioned during Monday’s Town Hall, we want to find appropriate ways to recognize your accomplishments. They are worthy of celebration, perhaps even more so this year as we face these unanticipated and unprecedented challenges.

To that end, a team has begun working diligently to find meaningful ways to celebrate your successes while departing from our traditional ceremony. We have consulted with the SBA and are grateful for their guidance and insights. Because this occasion is for you, your family and your friends, we want to take into account your thoughts and feedback on a virtual ceremony in May, as well as an opportunity for an in-person celebration at some point in the future.

Please reach out to convocation@mercury.law.edu to share your thoughts.

This year's program will look different. What remains unchanged is our pride in your work and achievements. Whatever form the events take, we are committed to celebrating you and your transition from law student to law graduate and member of the NYU Law alumni community.

Trevor Morrison 
Dean 
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law

Lindsay Kendrick
Dean of Students
Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

March 21: Restricted Access to Law School Academic Buildings after 8 p.m. Sunday Night

The following email was sent to the Law School community on March 21, 2020.

Dear Law School Community,

I write to make sure you have seen the message that just went out from the University regarding building closures, in light of Governor Cuomo’s most recent Executive Order. 

For faculty, if there are items in your office that you need for teaching, research, or other purposes, please arrange to get them before 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 22.

For administrators and staff, we hope you already have everything you need at home to telework.  If not, you will similarly need to retrieve those items this weekend by the same deadline.

For students with offices in Law School academic buildings (e.g., journals), or who have necessary materials in lockers or other spaces in those buildings, you will also need to retrieve anything you need by the same deadline.

If access to a Law School academic building is absolutely indispensable to a faculty member’s ability to teach their classes in the coming week or for a student’s ability to complete their academic work, please contact the Dean’s Office as soon as possible at DeansOffice@mercury.law.nyu.edu.

Please note that the Law School Residence Halls will remain open.

 

As always, thank you for your patience, cooperation, and understanding.

Trevor Morrison

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 18: NY State Bar Eligibility and Remote Instruction

The following email was sent to NYU Law students on March 18, 2020.

Dear Students:

I write to provide an update to all current students planning to pursue admission to the New York State Bar.  As noted in an email to the community last week, we are aware that the temporary transition to remote instruction in response to the coronavirus emergency raises questions of bar eligibility in New York State and elsewhere.  

I am pleased to share that today the New York State Court of Appeals has granted our application for a waiver of strict compliance with the state bar’s limitations on distance learning for all students enrolled at NYU Law in the Spring 2020 semester.  The Court’s order, attached here, acknowledges the necessity of NYU Law’s transition to remotely-taught, synchronous classes in the Spring 2020 semester, and permits all NYU Law students engaged in these classes, in both the J.D. and LL.M programs, to sit for the New York bar examination if they are otherwise bar-eligible.

Additionally, the American Bar Association has assured the deans of ABA-approved law schools that the Association is in full support of the decision made by schools across the country to teach and learn remotely for much of the current semester.

I hope that this news provides some measure of relief to you all in an uncertain time.

Trevor Morrison

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 17: Exams and Grading

The following email was sent to NYU Law students on March 17, 2020.

Dear Students,

With the University’s announcement yesterday that “all classes and examinations [will be held] remotely through the semester’s end,” we are working on how to implement that decision here at the Law School.  There are a number of interrelated issues.  We do not yet have decisions on all of them, but I want to tell you what I can to give you a sense of things.

First, any course that had been scheduled to have an in-class examination at the end of the semester will now have an open-book, take-home examination.  Information on the length and timing of each exam will follow next week.

Second, many of you have asked about the possibility of adjusting the applicable grading system for this semester.  This is an important and complicated question.  I will work on it with faculty and administrative leaders this week, consulting quickly and widely, with the eye of bringing it to the full faculty as soon as we can.  We will not have a resolution this week, but I will work hard to ensure it does not take too much longer than that.  I am mindful of the anxiety that can be produced by uncertainty on this issue.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work through the challenges of the current period.  Stay safe and healthy.

Trevor Morrison

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 16: COVID-19 UPDATE: Notice Concerning Law Student Residence Halls, Remote Classes for the Remainder of the Semester

The following email was sent to the Law School community on March 16, 2020.

Dear Law School Community:

 As you have likely seen, President Hamilton today announced that the University is closing undergraduate student residence halls.  The Law School will not be closing its residence halls.  We encourage those who can go home to do so and will provide a refund for any student who chooses to move out of Law School housing.   However, we also understand that some of our students, particularly international students, may not have another clear choice for housing.  Thus, we are giving each of our student residents the power to decide what is best for them.

 For those of you who decide to move out, we want to make this as easy as possible.  Rather than using the contacts in the university-wide message, please send any questions about moving out of Law School student housing to our designated email at law.reslife@nyu.edu.  We also will provide packing materials and shipping services if you cannot take all of your belongings with you.  Packing boxes and shipping labels will be available in the lobbies of Hayden and D’Agostino beginning on Wednesday.

 You will receive a refund for the period between the date you move out and the end of your housing license.  Refunds will be processed through the bursar.  Please check Albert to make sure your mailing address is current, if you are not set up for direct deposit. 

For the same reasons President Hamilton articulated, we will be extending remote classes through the end of the semester.  I have been impressed with how everyone has adapted to this new arrangement.  As much as we all miss the dynamism of in-person engagement, I have confidence we can continue to support our key mission of teaching and learning in the coming days.  In this difficult time, I am confident that the NYU Law community, made up of all of you, will continue to meet the challenges at hand.

We will be updating the Law School’s coronavirus information page shortly, and additional guidance will be forthcoming as we develop more specific plans for the rest of the semester.  Please continue to send urgent questions to law.cvq@nyu.edu.

I look forward to the day when we can reconvene in person.

 Be safe, be kind, and be well.

 Trevor Morrison

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 15: COVID-19 Update

The following email was sent to the Law School community on March 15, 2020.

Dear Law School Community:

As some of you have heard through direct communication from me or other senior administrators earlier today, a first-year JD student notified the Dean’s Office this morning that they have tested positive for COVID-19.  All of the students who are in the same classes as the student have been notified, as have the faculty whose classes the student attended in the last week.  The student, who does not live in the Law School’s residence halls, has been at home with family outside the city since Tuesday and did not begin to develop symptoms until Tuesday night.  As of this morning, the student reports to be feeling okay and is in good spirits.  We will continue to communicate with and support the student.

Based on the advice of University leadership working on the coronavirus situation (including health experts), we determined that it was appropriate to notify the student’s classmates, teachers whose classes the student had attended in the past week, and the relatively few other members of the NYU Law community who are known to have had direct contact with the student during that time period.  Based on the circumstances of the contact and the timing of the student’s symptoms, we have been told that the risk of transmission even to those groups appears to be relatively low.  Still, we have advised those who are known to have had direct contact with the student to actively monitor themselves for symptoms through March 24, and we have advised them on additional steps to take if they develop symptoms. 

We will continue to take steps to notify the known contacts of every individual in our community whom we know to have tested positive.  However, going forward, absent unusual case-specific circumstances warranting a broader notification, we will not necessarily provide community-wide notice of every positive test—as indicated in my email of March 10 advising of the first positive test within our community.  I am sending this message now to reconfirm this notice policy.

We continue to urge everyone to follow the guidance of health authorities regarding how to minimize the risk of contracting and communicating the virus.  We should not be waiting for known positive tests within our (or any other) community before adopting the protective practices recommended by health authorities.  Without regard to known contacts, we should all now be adopting the practices of social distancing and the like, if we haven’t already.

As always, you may write to mail to: law.cvq@nyu.edu with any pressing questions.  And again, please be sure to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the CDC and state and local health authorities for minimizing the risk of contracting and communicating the virus.

As we work through this challenging time together, I ask you to take care of yourselves and each other.  Please continue to take the appropriate precautions, self-monitor, and treat one another with respect and sensitivity. 

Trevor Morrison

Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 14: COVID-19 Measures in Student Housing

The following email was sent to NYU Law students on March 14, 2020.

Dear Students:

I write to inform you of the following measures we are taking to keep our student residents in Law School buildings safe, as well as precautions residents can take in the event of illness to keep their residential communities healthy.  As we adjust to changing circumstances, your health, safety, and academic progress are always at the forefront of our decision making, and we thank you for your patience and understanding. 

Building Information

The residence halls will remain open, supported by Law School staff members.  All housing licenses remain in effect. 

As always, our door attendant team will remain posted in lobbies 24 hours a day.  For urgent after-hour inquires, they may be reached in Hayden at (212) 998-6513 or in D’Agostino at (212) 998-6502.

The resource centers and the Office of Residential Life will be open Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.  Residential Life team members may be reached at (212) 998-6510 or via email at law.reslife@nyu.edu.  

University food service will be available over spring break at three dining halls: Kimmel and Lipton (33 Washington Square West) in Manhattan and Jasper Kane in Brooklyn.  Students can request a free single meal in person at these locations.  If you are in need of food assistance, please reach out to Director Nancy Mah Chau in Residential Life, at (212) 998-6510.

Measures to Keep Our Community Healthy

Common areas and high-contact surfaces in our buildings will continue to be cleaned and sanitized regularly, now with increased frequency.  This includes laundry facilities, which continue to remain open.  We will continue to monitor and follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as from state and local health departments, for additional measures to take. 

Students are no longer permitted to host guests in residence halls under any circumstances, including both short-term and overnight visitors.  This rule will be strictly enforced for the health and safety of the community.  We acknowledge that this may disrupt some long-anticipated plans, and are grateful for your cooperation.

If you reside with others, exercise social distancing.  Similarly, student programs and gatherings in residence halls are suspended until further notice.  Students are discouraged from using lounge spaces and common areas, as well as hosting gatherings in their individual rooms.

If you are sick, please stay home.  If you are experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms (cough, sneezing, fever, and shortness of breath), stay home and call the Student Health Center at (212) 443-1000. 

In the event that a student is required to self-quarantine based on medical guidance, Residential Life will provide a separate, private room for the duration of the quarantine period, as well as dining support.

In case of emergency, students should contact 911 or the Department of Public Safety at (212) 998-2222.  If you have any questions related to your health, please contact the Student Health Center at (212) 443-1000.  In addition, the Wellness Exchange Hotline remains available to you at (212) 443-9999, should you need it at any hour. 

Additional Information

Please note that we cannot accommodate temporary room changes.  However, any student wishing to change their room assignment permanently, for any reason, should contact Residential Life.  As would ordinarily be expected, if you have a vacancy in your apartment, we ask that you ensure all common areas are kept clean in anticipation of a new arrival.

If you experience any issues with your Wi-Fi connection, please reach out to our Law ITS Helpdesk at (212) 998-6111, or, after hours, to Client Services at (212) 998-1001.  (Please do not file an online FIX request.)

Residents with a confirmed summer 2020 assignment may cancel without penalty up until April 1, 2020.

Additional University guidance, recent developments, and other helpful information is available on the Law School’s Coronavirus Information page.

We are here to support you in any way we can.  Maintaining the health and safety of students is always our primary concern, and even more so in this moment.  We will continue to work hard to ensure your home here at NYU Law remains safe in these challenging times.
 

Trevor Morrison and the Office of Residential Life

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 13:  Facilities Update – Law Library will be closed after Today, Friday, March 13

The following email was sent to the Law School community on March 13, 2020.

Dear Law School Community:

In light of the University’s decision today to close Bobst Library as a high traffic area, we similarly will be closing the Law Library as of 5 pm today, Friday, March 13.

Although the Law Library will be physically closed, the library will not cease all operations.  For faculty and students in need of reference services, our librarians will be available to assist them remotely.  Please email requests to LawLibRef@mercury.law.nyu.edu.

Vanderbilt Hall classrooms (with the exception of VH202) will be open as study spaces during building hours of 7am – 11pm, and Wachtell Café also will be open during our building hours.

We are taking these measures based on guidance from health authorities to protect the well-being of our students and employees while also ensuring that we have some space and café offerings available for those who prefer to spend time on campus in the coming weeks. I encourage everyone to maintain social distancing practices in these spaces.

Once again, I thank all of you for your commitment and patience as we navigate this changing situation.  We will continue to keep you updated.

Trevor Morrison

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 12: Important Update - Coronavirus-related Measures and Restrictions - Law School - March 12, 2020

The following email was sent to the Law School community on March 12, 2020.

Dear Law School Community:

 This has been a challenging week as we adapt to the spread of coronavirus and plan for the future.  I am grateful for the hard work of so many members of our community who have helped us tackle these challenges and develop our future plans, and for the patience of all of you as we move forward.

 I write now to clarify how the new measures outlined in this afternoon’s communications from University leadership (appended below) will impact the Law School, and to address some additional matters specific to the Law School.  

 Remote Teaching and Learning. As President Hamilton indicated in his message, remote instruction will now extend until at least April 19, 2020, for all New York University classes, including all classes at the Law School.

  • At the Law School, our first day of remote instruction was largely a success, thanks to the patience, flexibility, and professionalism of all members of the community who participated. Thank you all.
  • Of course, today was not without some glitches.  Yesterday, in our note about using Zoom, we incorrectly stated that classes conducted via Zoom would be automatically recorded. Instead, faculty and instructors will need to opt in to record classes at the start of each session.
  • Bar Eligibility and Remote Instruction: We are aware that there can be restrictions on distance learning for students planning to pursue admission to a bar. The Law School is in the process of seeking a temporary waiver of these restrictions from the New York Court of Appeals given the circumstances.

Faculty-Student Reading Groups.  The suspension of all faculty-student reading groups is now extended through April 19, 2020.  

 Gatherings and Non-Essential Activities.  Effective through April 19, 2020, all gatherings and non-essential activities—meaning those not related to core academic activities—should be canceled, postponed, or conducted in a “virtual” way that does not bring large groups of guests and community members together in a single venue.  This policy may be extended.  The Deans’ Cup scheduled for April 2, 2020, has been canceled.

Faculty Meetings and Faculty Workshops.  In compliance with the above restrictions on in-person gatherings, through April 19 we will endeavor to convene faculty meetings and Monday faculty workshops through Zoom.  I will share additional details on this effort in a separate message to the faculty.

 Student Services.  Student-facing administrative offices wrote to all students yesterday with updated contact information and hours of operation. An update to this email will come early next week—please stay tuned.

 Law School Facilities and the Law Library.  Law School buildings will remain open, including the Law Library, though hours may be adjusted. A limited number of classrooms will be available for use as study space. Check here for updates on hours of operation.  The use of high-traffic areas may be restricted as necessary.   

 NYU-Related Travel.  All non-essential NYU-related travel, both international and domestic, should be canceled until further notice. This includes NYU-related travel for all students, whether traveling in groups or as individuals.  No new non-essential NYU-related travel plans should be booked. Travel by students returning home or to NYU from our Law Abroad programs in Paris and Buenos Aires is exempt from this rule.

 International Students.  NYU urges you to keep in mind that travel restrictions have and can change rapidly with little notice. International students planning to leave the U.S. on personal travel should consult with an advisor from the Office of Global Services.

 As I noted earlier this week, we have established a dedicated email address for coronavirus-related issues: law.cvq@nyu.edu. Please write to that address with any urgent questions or concerns.   

 As I know you understand, these measures are designed to protect the health and well-being of our community while also ensuring we are able to continue our academic mission.  I thank all of you for your commitment and patience. 

Stay healthy.

Trevor Morrison

 

Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law 

March 10: Update Regarding Coronavirus

The following email was sent to the Law School community on March 10, 2020.

Dear Law School Community:
 
I am writing to let you know that, in the last day, a member of our faculty has tested positive for coronavirus.  The faculty member is not teaching at the Law School this semester, and the faculty member has not been on campus in the last week.  However, the faculty member was on campus on a handful of occasions between eight and fifteen days ago.  The relatively few people with whom the faculty member was in direct contact on those occasions have been notified.
 
This is the first positive test of which we are aware in our community, which is why I’m writing to all of you.  If we learn of other positive tests, we will continue the practice of notifying those within our community known to have had close contact with the person in question.
 
I know this novel virus is a source of concern for our community.  As circumstances evolve, we will continue to follow the guidance of health authorities and the University.  Any member of our community with questions should feel free to reach out via law.cvq@nyu.edu, which is being closely monitored by senior staff.  
 
Trevor Morrison
 
 
Trevor W. Morrison
Dean
Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
New York University School of Law