Transcript Slide 1

Administrative Matters
Orientation
Fall 2011
MyBama:mybama.ua.edu
MyBama is an interactive website,
providing access to email, personal
calendars, course and registration
information, campus news, and more.
MyBama
• Account information
• Possible problems with your
tuition or schedule
• Class schedule
• Grades
MyBama
• Email: It is important to confirm that your
UA email is reaching you. You should elect to
have all your university emails forwarded to
your law school account unless you intend to
check your MyBama account regularly.
• Create a BamaCash account
What does the Records Office Do?
• Schedules days and times for classes and
exams
• Monitors the registration process each
semester
• Posts class cancellations and assignments
on the Law School website
• Supervises examinations
What does the Records Office Do?
• Enters your grades into MyBama each term
• Ranks students at the end of each semester
(excluding summer)
• Updates your permanent law school transcript
each semester
• Provides official certification to all state bars prior
to students taking bar examinations
Services Offered by Other Campus Departments
• Tuition information - Student Receivables, 105
Student Services Center
• Financial aid (including loan deferments) -106
Student Services Center;
[email protected], 348-2973
• Official transcripts - Order on line at
registrar.ua.edu/transcripts.html
• Diploma ordering and mailing - Academic
Records, 206 Student Services Center
Services Offered by Other Campus Departments
• ADA accommodations - Office of Disability
Services, 133-B Martha Parham Hall East
• ACT card purchase or replacement and Bama
Cash - Auxiliary Services, 104 Student Services
Center, http://actcard.ua.edu
• Transportation services (pay parking tickets,
purchase a hang tag or a replacement hang tag) 103 Student Services Center
Parking
• A hang tag for your vehicle must be purchased
and clearly displayed.
• Students registered for fall classes may preregister for their parking permits by logging on to
mybama.ua.edu and selecting the “Student” tab.
• In the Student Services section, select “Register
HERE for a parking permit” and complete the
information requested.
Parking
• The assigned parking permit will be mailed to the
student’s home address two weeks prior to the
beginning of classes.
• Permits may also be purchased at the
Transportation Services office located in the Student
Services Center.
Parking
• Parking services aggressively
tickets student vehicles parked
in the front lot of the Law
School. Students are not
allowed to park in that area.
• You should park only in the
lot on the Coliseum side of the
Law School – the SE Commuter
Lot.
Parking
• Zone enforcement in the SE commuter lot
is from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm.
• Students must be parked in the “Law Only”
parking by 4:00 pm on the Fridays before
home football games.
Parking
• In addition to the regular
parking decal, law school
students should display an
additional hang tag that has a
big “L” on it. The Law School
Records Office distributes
these hang tags.
Parking
• The “L” hangtag allows
students access into the
Coliseum lot during athletic
events – home football games,
basketball games, gymnastics
meets. Pick up your “L”
hangtag at the Records
Window (second floor).
Security Guards
205-310-5950
Lehman Jaggers
Frank Blazer
Not allowed
OK
Alcohol on the Law School Campus
• Participating in drinking games in class
puts a student at risk of disciplinary
measures
• If a law school group wants to have a
function on campus where alcohol is
present, the group must submit a request
to Associate Dean Noah Funderburg.
Smoking Area
• The Smoking Area is at the northwest entrance of
the building, near room 187. However, even there,
there is no smoking within 25 feet of the building.
• Please note that cigarette butts do not disappear
when you drop them on the ground.
Class Attendance
• Class attendance is required.
• You may miss class only for a VERY GOOD
CAUSE. See the Student Handbook for
examples.
Class Attendance
• Generally, you are allowed absences for the
equivalent of 3 weeks of classes each
semester. For instance, if you are registered
for a class that meets on Mondays and
Wednesdays, you are within the policy until
you miss the 7th class. On the 7th absence you
will be withdrawn.
• HOWEVER, professors may adopt a more strict
attendance rule.
Class Attendance
• YOU MUST personally accept responsibility for
class attendance. You may not get advance
notification if a professor asks me to drop you
from a class based on your exceeding his or her
attendance requirements.
Exams
Every aspect of the examination is subject to the
provisions of the Honor Code:
http://www.law.ua.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2010/07/honorcode.pdf
Students are graded on a +/- 4 point scale.
4.3=A+, 4.0=A , 3.67=A-, 3.33=B+, 3.0=B, 2.67=B-,
2.33=C+, 2.0=C, 1.67=C-, 1.33=D+, 1.0=D, 0.67=D-, 0.0 =F.
Exams
Exams must be taken at the regularly scheduled time
except under extraordinary circumstances. If a student
arrives late for an exam, no additional time is given to
finish the exam; the student is expected to turn in his or
her exam at the time the exam proctor indicated when
the exam was distributed to other students. If a student
does not show up for an exam and the absence is not
excused, a grade of “F” is the usual penalty.
Exams
Generally, ExamSoft is required by
professors. One advantage of
ExamSoft is that an encrypted copy
of your exam is placed on the
computer’s hard drive.
ExamSoft
• ExamSoft is a secure word processing program. One
advantage of ExamSoft is that an encrypted copy of your
exam is placed on the computer’s hard drive. Another
advantage is that there is one version that does not
allow students to go to other materials and a version
that does. Professors can choose to have either available.
ExamSoft
• Download the software program by going to
examsoft.com/alabamalaw
• The Law School purchases ExamSoft for all law
students.
ExamSoft
• Avoid any thumbdrive with security software installed.
Your exam will not save properly unless that security
software is disabled. (example: U-3).
• We have never lost an exam using this software.
ExamSoft
• Please be sure myBama lists your correct phone
number so that the Record’s Office may contact you in
the event your exam does not print properly.
Grading
• Each semester you will be issued an anonymous
number. The number will be located on the Law School
website on your Student Information Page at
http://www.law.ua.edu/students/info
• Your anonymous number will change each semester.
Grading
• You identify your exam using your anonymous number,
not your name.
• Professors grade your exams anonymously and turn in
the grades to the Law School Records Office. Grades are
then decoded and your name attached to the grade
received.
Printing from Lab Computers
• Begin the print process just as you would for any other
Windows-based computer.
• At the printer-selection dialog box, choose Uniprint
• The printer-selection dialog box will close and a
second dialog box will open. You will be asked to name
the print job you have just ordered. Name it anything you
want, but if you will be ordering several print jobs before
you print them, give each job a different name.
Printing from Lab Computers
• Go to the printer station, and swipe your Action Card
through the reader on the top of the monitor.
• Select your print job. Your BamaCash account will be
debited $.05 a page.
• Click the Log Off button. Otherwise you may be paying
for printing done by the lucky student behind you.
How To Establish a BamaCash Account
• How to establish a BamaCash account or add money to
an existing account:
• Click the padlock icon on the screen of a library lab
computer or go to http://alabama.blackboard.com
Electronic Bulletin Board
• Students may post documents, items for sale,
exchanging books, etc.
• The URL is http:// www.law.ua.edu/mboard. It is also
linked to the student page
http://www.law.ua.edu/students
• The electronic bulletin board uses the same username
and password as the one you use to log in to your email.
Transferred Credits from Across Campus
• Students may take up to six hours of graduate level
course work from divisions other than law so long as
Associate Dean Jenelle Marsh gives prior approval, and
you can demonstrate in writing that the class enhances
your law school curriculum.
Transferred Credits from Across Campus
• Your grade is transferred as a “Pass” as long as a “B” or
better is earned in the course.
• The credit earned will be applied toward hours
needed for Law School graduation and will be recorded
on your transcript; however, grade points earned will not
be used in the computation of your overall law school
grade point average.
Transferred Credit
from Other Law Schools
Coursework taken at other law schools requires advance
written approval of Associate Dean Marsh
P/D/F Classes
• In certain classes graded on a P/D/F basis, professors
may designate up to 1/3 of the grades as “High Pass.”
This option applies to trial advocacy classes, P/D/F law
clinics, and appellate advocacy classes.
• Other classes designated as P/D/F may be graded this
way.
Independent Studies
• Students may use up to 3 hours of independent study.
• Independent studies can be for 1-3 hours and graded
or pass/D/fail, depending on the agreement between the
student and the supervising professor.
• Students can only enroll for one independent study
each semester.
Summertime!
• Each summer the Law School offers students the
option of three sessions for classes – Interim, Summer I
and Summer II.
• Students may register for only one interim course and
no more than two courses per summer term.
Summertime!
• In addition, students may take advantage of the Law
School’s summer programs at the University of Fribroug
in Switzerland and the Australian National University in
Canberra. Each of the summer abroad programs is five
weeks long.
• Students also may participate in summer abroad
programs at other ABA-approved schools.
Semester Abroad Programs
• Tel Aviv University
• TAU in India
Compensated Work
• First-year students may
not undertake outside work
and second- and third-year
students may not work
more than 20 hours per
week.
Law School Email and Distribution Lists
The Law School email server, including use of email
addresses and distribution lists, can only be used for
messages pertaining to the official business of the Law
School and matters related to the Law School community.
Sharing Music and Video
• The Recording Industry of America (RIAA) and the
Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) strictly
monitor our campus network for illegally Peer to Peer
(P2P) shared music and video.
• You will be blocked from our network if we receive a
detailed complaint from either the RIAA or MPAA.
Multiple complaints could lead to releasing your personal
information and potential University misconduct
proceedings.
Email and Student boxes
• Please check your Law School email at least once a
day. It is courteous to respond to emails within 24 hours.
• Please check your Law School box at least once at day.
Laptops In Class
• Laptop use is generally
allowed by professors;
however, students may only
use them during class for
academic purposes.
• Faculty members may
restrict use of laptops
through notice in the
syllabus.
Certificate Programs
• Public Interest Law
• Governmental Affairs
• See the Law School website
(www.law.ua.edu) for details and
requirements.
Joint Programs
• The Law School not only
offers the traditional fouryear joint JD/MBA program,
but it also now offers
students the option of
finishing both degrees in
three years. Five years are
required if the degrees are
sought separately.
Joint Programs
• There also is a joint JD/advanced degree in political
science program, a joint JD/advanced degree in
economics program, a joint JD/MSW, and a joint
program towards a masters in civil engineering.
• Several students are dually enrolled in the Law
School and in other masters and Ph.D. programs on
campus.
Lockers
• Please do not “homestead” a locker. If you are
dissatisfied with your locker, please, see Brenda
McPherson (room 257) for options. Putting your
belongings in another person’s locker, even if it
appears unused, creates problems.
• In the Spring, you can sign up for new lockers.
Lockers
• Student organizations can sign up for a
locker. The student organization lockers
are in the locker room on the south wall.
They are black and wooden with keyed
locks.
Moot Court
• Class: First-year students participate in a moot court program
during the second semester. Students draft a brief and argue it
in front of their professor and several upper-class students. [2
credits]
• Campbell Competition: This course involves advance brief
writing and oral advocacy at the appellate level. Second- and
third-year students may compete in an intramural competition.
[1 credit]
Moot Court
• Interscholastic Competition Teams: Most teams are chosen
from third-year students who have participated in the Moot
Court Competition. Some teams operate independently of the
Moot Court Competition. [2 credits]
Trial Advocacy
• Trial Ad I: This course provides a general overview of
litigation topics, including discovery and pre-trial issues,
through lecture, simulation, and practical exercises. This course
may address both civil and criminal cases. [3 credits]
• Trial Ad II: Advanced litigation skills are developed through
the preparation for and trial of two mock civil or criminal cases,
the conduct of small-group exercises designed to develop
particular skills, and, perhaps, attendance at an actual trial. [3
credits]
Trial Advocacy (cont’d)
• Trial Advocacy Competition Class: Students compete for
selection to national trial advocacy teams by trying cases based
on prepared file materials. [2 credits]
• Trial Advocacy Teams: Second- and third-year students are
chosen for teams after participating in the Trial Competition
Class. Alabama’s trial teams compete against teams from other
law schools across the country.
Trial Advocacy (cont’d)
Trial Advocacy classes have a limited enrollment of 12. Because
of this, the last day to drop a Trial Advocacy class is the last day
of classes of the semester before.
Graduation Requirements
• Maintain an overall grade point average of at least 2.33 for
all work attempted in the School of Law to remain in good
academic standing
• Earn at least 90 semester hours of credit for work in the Law
School, including all required courses
• Successfully complete at least three credit hours in
designated Professional Skills courses (labeled “PS” on the
course listing.)
Graduation Requirements
• Successfully complete one seminar. Students may take no
more than two seminars without special permission.
• Maintain a satisfactory record of honorable conduct befitting
a prospective member of the legal profession.
• Complete requirements for the J.D. not less than 24 months
after matriculating as a law student and not more than 6
calendar years after matriculating as a law student.
Law School Honors
Recognition of outstanding academic achievement for law
graduates is based on a percentage of the graduating class.
Top 5% - summa cum laude
Next 10% - magna cum laude
Next 10% - cum laude
A complete list of honors and awards are listed in the Student
Handbook, among those are:
Law School Honors
Order of the Coif: Awarded to the top 10% of the graduating
class. Students may not have more than 22 pass/d/fail hours to
qualify. Students not pursuing this honor do not have a limit on
the number of pass/d/fail hours they can take.
Law School Honors
• Order of Samaritan (highest honor)
• Dean’s Community Service Award
• Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program Student Award
• Independent Legal Public Service Program Award
Student Bar Application
http://www.alabar.org
• Click on the link on this page
• Go to “Programs/Departments
• Click on “Admissions”, then “Law Student Application” and
proceed according to the directions.
• Make a copy of the application to use as a worksheet.
Student Bar Application
• The records office has the fingerprint cards. Your fingerprints
may be processed at the UA Police Station Tuesday & Thursday
afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00 or at the Tuscaloosa Police Station
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. or 2:00 to 4:00
p.m.
• Complete the entire application (except your signature),
THEN have the application notarized. The Law School Records
Office personnel (Karla, Caroline, or Brenda) can notarize your
bar application.
Student Bar Application
• If your application is received in Montgomery within 60 days
of the first day of fall classes you do not have to pay an
application fee.
• You must register with the Alabama State Bar to participate
in some clinics and to get a Third-Year Practice Card.