July Letter
July 24, 2009
Dear Incoming Students:
We are looking forward to you joining our community in a couple short months. Now is a good time to think about some additional details before your arrival, but it is also a good time to rest and relax. In the summer months, we typically hear from incoming students with questions about preparing for Law School and housing and related transportation/parking options in Chicago. This letter introduces you to the Dean of Students' Office and answers some of those questions.
Dean of Students' Office
We are busy preparing for your arrival, and you can look forward to an eventful Orientation program that begins on Wednesday, September 23 and continues through Friday, September 25. The tentative schedule is online at
http://www.law.uchicago.edu/students/orientation.
Once you've arrived on campus, my staff and I will be available to help make your transition to Law School as smooth as possible. As a former health law attorney, a legal writing instructor, a law professor, and as a student services administrator at two other local law schools over the past 15 years, I hope that I can offer you a unique and relevant perspective on your life as a law student. Finally, I am a local resident and can help you find almost anything that you might need in Hyde Park or in the greater Chicago area. Any student with special needs or concerns that might affect your ability to fully engage in your studies should plan to make an appointment with me (Michele Baker Richardson, Dean of Students) when you arrive on campus or anytime during the quarter.
Maureen Sheehan, Chicago JD '04, is the Associate Director of Student Affairs. She joined the Dean of Students Office after practicing law at Sidley & Austin LLP. Here at the Law School, Maureen will be available to assist students with questions about course selection and academic preparation. She also provides guidance to our Law Students Association and other student organizations. Maureen is also available to talk with you about any challenges that you face as you transition to Law School and continue on in your studies.
The Dean of Students' Office also includes Lisa Alvarez, the Student Affairs Administrator. Lisa assists student organizations with scheduling, event planning, and budget questions among other things. She is a wonderful resource about how to get things done around here. Lisa also has access to my and Maureen's schedules should you need to schedule an appointment with either of us. In addition to many other duties, she should be your first point of contact for questions about housing, transportation/parking, and student health insurance.
Our team also includes Pontus Niklasson, our Registrar, who is a ready resource of information about registration. Amy Wahl, our Assistant Registrar, works closely with Pontus and supervises exam administration among other things. They both have a long tenure at the Law School and great resources for students. Pontus and Amy will handle all of your Law School registration needs for your first year.
Preparing for Law School
When you join us in September, you are in for a treat in the classroom. Our faculty members take great pride in their teaching for good reason: they are the best law teachers. Our faculty members are looking forward to the opportunity to shape each of you as legal thinkers. To best prepare for this experience over the summer, you should simply enjoy reading whatever periodicals and books appeal to you. Also take some time to vacation, relax, and recharge for the journey that awaits you. You are fortunate to be part of an exceptional Law School class. Please join us with interesting things to share!
If you are so inspired, we are inviting incoming students to read The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. This book is not meant as law school prep. Instead we hope that they will inspire conversation among you and your classmates. Our office will arrange informal book club meetings, and perhaps an outing, for you and your classmates who are interested during the Autumn Quarter.
You may also find the Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Chicago (5th ed.) useful if you are new to the area. It has been referred to as the #1 guide for relocating to Chicago. The information offered is very candid and the guide can help you navigate the city when you arrive. You can purchase the paperback book on Amazon.com.
Information for Purchasing Laptop Computers
Our Director of Information Technology recently posted a memo to incoming students with detailed information about purchasing your laptop computers for the fall. The letter is available for your review at:
http://www.law.uchicago.edu/files/files/StudentComputingMemo2009.pdf.
Housing
For those of you who are moving to Chicago, you have many housing options in Hyde Park, as the admissions office has already outlined.
First, the University offers graduate student housing (http://reo.uchicago.edu/graduate_housing/). One advantage of graduate student housing is that you are often able to negotiate a nine-month lease. Graduate student apartments are typically within close distance to the campus bus service, making your commute easier. Living in New Graduate Residence Hall is another option for law students (http://reo.uchicago.edu/graduate_housing/new_grad_residence_hall.shtml). New Graduate Residence Hall is conveniently located just blocks from the Law School. Many students enjoy the relationships that they form while living in community with other graduate and professional students at New Graduate Resident Hall.
Second, there are many private housing options in Hyde Park. Regents Park, a high-rise across from Lake Michigan, is a favorite of many law and medical school students (http://www.regentsparkchicago.com/). The amenities of Regents Park include a doorman, indoor parking, an indoor swimming pool, an on-site restaurant, and an exercise club.
There are other private housing options in Hyde Park as well. The University student government offers a guide to finding apartments in Hype Park at: http://apartments.uchicago.edu/. You may want to review this site to get a better idea of your private housing options in Hyde Park.
If possible, we encourage you to visit Hyde Park this summer to explore your housing options in person.
Transportation and Parking
Our office has had several inquiries from your incoming colleagues about their parking options. We thought you all would appreciate some additional information about parking and parking alternatives.
If you are from the area or have begun to investigate options, you already know that parking in Chicago and, in particular, on our campus is at a premium. The University has several helpful options, however, for students who need to commute back and forth to our campus.
First, the bad news - currently, there are no available spaces for new students in any of the south campus lots. The small lot behind the Law School, as a general rule, is not available to students. There are two exceptions to this rule. First, students who have disabilities may be granted handicapped parking. Second, in some years, a small number of spaces are available in the Law Lot for students. These spaces are awarded to third-year student carpools during an Autumn Quarter lottery. While this lottery is administered by Lisa Alvarez, in our office, parking is otherwise administered by the Transportation and Parking Office.
Now for the good news about parking - There are still spaces available to new parkers on campus in the covered garage at 55th and Ellis. While this lot is a bit of commute from the Law School (located at 60th between Ellis and University), regular shuttle service is available during commuter hours. Please contact the Transportation and Parking Office as soon as possible if you wish to secure a space in the Ellis lot. The Transportation and Parking Office can answer all of your questions about waiting lists for desirable lots on South Campus, and about reduced rates for carpools (carpools of 2 may receive a 50% discount; 3 or more may qualify for free parking). For more information about the parking office, please see: http://facilities.uchicago.edu/transpparking/. You may also email the Transportation and Parking office directly at any time for parking information (see parking@uchicago.edu) or for information about available bus routes (see bus@uchicago.edu), and can expect a very prompt response.
Of course, Hyde Park is a very commutable neighborhood. Many of our students do not have cars and rely on public transportation (CTA) and University shuttles to commute. For 2009-2010, the primary CTA bus routes servicing our campus community will be the 170, 171, and 172 and students can ride these buses free of charge with their University of Chicago ID. In addition, the 192 bus (a regular fare route) will allow students to connect to the "El" (our nickname for the elevated subway in Chicago) at Roosevelt & State Street in the South Loop neighborhood. The University also operates an extensive shuttle system that will offer expanded service to the Law School and the rest of south campus next year. Information about the CTA buses and about the University shuttles is being updated this summer, but you can look online to see general route information (including maps) at http://facilities.uchicago.edu/transpparking/. Keep checking their website for updated information throughout the school year.
The University is committed to offering more alternatives to driving for members of our community. For example, students who do not drive may qualify for a car sharing program (I-GO or ZipCar), guaranteed ride home, and the occasional (free) parking permit program. You may learn about these programs at http://facilities.uchicago.edu/transpparking/.
Logistical Details: CNET IDs, Student Directory Information, and Student Profiles
If you haven't already claimed your CNET ID, please do so at your earliest convenience online at: http://nsit.uchicago.edu/services/cnetid/. Thank you to the overwhelming majority of you who have already claimed your CNET IDs.
Thank you to those of you who have already submitted your local Chicago or cell phone number. If necessary, our office will use these phone numbers to reach you during the 2009-2010 academic year. Unless you elect not to share your information, your phone number and uchicago.edu mail email address will be included in the Student Directory. The Student Directory will be shared with your fellow students in paper form when you arrive. To be included in the Student Directory, please complete the online at: https://www.law.uchicago.edu/students/incomingdirectoryinfo by Friday, July 31. The online form gives you the ability to opt-out of the Student Directory if that is your preference.
Photos for the Glass Menagerie
Please remember to send in a digital photo of yourself for the Glass Menagerie if you haven't already done so. The deadline has already passed, but you can still email your photos to glassmenagerie@law.uchicago.edu.
Final Transcripts
Also please remember to obtain official transcripts for each undergraduate and each graduate institution from which you have received a degree and send these to the Admissions Office, The University of Chicago Law School, 1111 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, by August 28th.
Your transcripts must show that a degree was awarded. The American Bar Association rules prohibit submission of an LSDAS transcript in lieu of an official copy. You will not be able to register for classes if your official transcript is not on file.
The next letter from our office (via email) should be arriving in your inboxes right after Labor Day. All correspondence will also be posted on the Law School website for your convenience.
We look forward to seeing you soon,
The Dean of Students Office
