Diversity Programming
Diversity and Inclusion Programs 2024-2025
| Dates | Programming |
|---|---|
| September 11 - September 17, 2024 | Pre-Orientation Program: Five-day initiative designed to strengthen the academic, professional, and interpersonal skills of incoming 1L students. Program curricula and competencies were delivered in modules and completed through professional development and social activities. |
| September 25, 2024 | Implicit Bias and Inclusive Leadership Training: Students participated in a session facilitated by Michelle Silverthorn, Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation, on the topics of lawyers as leaders, why diversity matters, and diversity & implicit bias in the academic and legal profession. |
| October 24, 2024 | Diversity Scholar Speaker Series with Alderman Lamont Robinson: Chicago Alderman Lamont Robinson spoke about his life, career in politics as the first openly gay state representative in Illinois, and his current work on the Chicago City Council. Thank you to OutLaw & the Black Law Students Association for co-sponsoring this event alongside the Dean of Students Office. |
| November 7, 2024 | FaculTea Conversation with Professors Chilton and Lakier: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. Topics discussed included the 2024 election, and the impact it would have on the legal field and the country. |
| November 12, 2024 | Martha C. Nussbaum Student Roundtable with Professors Buss & Chilton: Professors Buss and Chilton had an open dialogue about Students’ Social Transitioning within Schools. They discussed the constitutional and policy implications of these choices while outlining the key arguments for and against student confidentiality protections. |
| November 12, 2024 | Martha C. Nussbaum Student Roundtable with Professors Levmore & Underwood: Professors Levmore and Underwood had an open dialogue about Second Chances. From clemency and compassionate release, to restructuring in bankruptcy, and even to dating, plagiarism, and bringing up children, there are many examples in law and in daily life where we need to think about the advantages and disadvantages of giving second chances. |
| November 18, 2024 | Diversity Leadership Network (DLN) Meeting: DLN meets twice per quarter with the Sr. Associate Director of Student Affairs & Diversity + Inclusion. A wide range of topics are discussed, including student climate, faculty engagement, community engagement and workshops/events, and they work on one or two projects throughout the academic year. Law students' perspectives are important to hear and understand in order to continue making our community welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant. |
| November 21, 2024 | Diversity Scholar Speaker Series - Baskin Turns 10: Marriage Equality and the Fight for LGBTQ Rights: Two Lambda Legal attorneys spoke about their work overturning Indiana's prohibition on same-sex marriage in 2014, their work to uphold that ruling on appeal, and their subsequent and ongoing work promoting legal equality for LGBTQ individuals. Thank you to OutLaw for co-sponsoring this event alongside the Dean of Students Office. |
| January 6, 2025 | Diversity Leadership Network (DLN) Meeting: DLN meets twice per quarter with the Sr. Associate Director of Student Affairs & Diversity + Inclusion. A wide range of topics are discussed, including student climate, faculty engagement, community engagement and workshops/events, and they work on one or two projects throughout the academic year. Law students' perspectives are important to hear and understand in order to continue making our community welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant. |
| January 9, 2025 | Diversity Wine Mess: This wine mess consisted of sharing mocktails and good food. The first ever Zero Proof Wine Mess was a success! |
| January 14, 2025 | Martha C. Nussbaum Student Roundtable with Professors Fahey & Robertson: Professors Fahey and Robertson had an open dialogue about private firearm ownership. As presently interpreted by the Supreme Court, the Second Amendment protects (inter alia) the private ownership of firearms for self-defense. Should individuals be permitted to own firearms? If so, what restrictions should the law place on their ownership and use? |
| January, 15, 2025 | Diversity Coffee Mess: Coffee Mess hosted by José Luis Rodríguez, Associate Director of Student Affairs & Diversity and Inclusion, and featured various of our affinity LLSOs. |
| January 30, 2025 | Pre-Orientation Mixer: This event brought together and celebrated students, alumni, staff, and faculty that have taken part in the Pre-Orientation program within the last six years. |
| January 31, 2025 | Inaugural Law School Cultural Night: The Law School hosted its first ever Cultural Night! Everyone enjoyed food, drinks, prizes, and great music from around the world! |
| February 11, 2025 | Martha C. Nussbaum Student Roundtable with Professors Baude & Buccola: Professors Baude and Buccola had an open dialogue about Presidential Power and "Impoundment". President Trump has announced plans to pause, hold, stop, or "impound" a broad range of appropriations made by Congress — from university grants to health care and disaster relief. We will discuss both the law and policy of this approach -- is this a violation of the separation of powers or a legitimate presidential prerogative? A valuable restraint on excessive spending, or an abusive disruption? |
| February 28, 2025 | Diversity Leadership Network (DLN) Meeting: DLN meets twice per quarter with the Sr. Associate Director of Student Affairs & Diversity + Inclusion. A wide range of topics are discussed, including student climate, faculty engagement, community engagement and workshops/events, and they work on one or two projects throughout the academic year. Law students' perspectives are important to hear and understand in order to continue making our community welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant. |
| March 26, 2025 | Diversity Leadership Network (DLN) Meeting: DLN meets twice per quarter with the Sr. Associate Director of Student Affairs & Diversity + Inclusion. A wide range of topics are discussed, including student climate, faculty engagement, community engagement and workshops/events, and they work on one or two projects throughout the academic year. Law students' perspectives are important to hear and understand in order to continue making our community welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant. |
| April 1, 2025 | Martha C. Nussbaum Student Roundtable with Professors Chilton & Kim: Professors Chilton and Kim had an open dialogue about the tort system. The United States has perhaps the world’s most well-developed torts system. This system includes single plaintiffs bringing cases seeking relatively small amounts of damages and thousands of plaintiffs bringing cases seeking billions in damages. But despite the considerable resources spent on these cases, it is still debatable whether the torts system is an effective vehicle for making us safer or a way that life is made more expensive without delivering either justice or safer. |
| April 10, 2025 | FaculTea Conversation with Professors Baude and LaCroix: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. The topic discussed was the impact that all the executive orders will have on the country. |
| April 15, 2025 | A Little More Conversation Training: Students participated in a session facilitated by Michelle Silverthorn, Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation, on how to navigate difficult conversations in the legal field. |
| April 17, 2025 | Pre-O End of Year Lunch: This event brought together students, staff, and faculty, that have taken part in the Pre-Orientation program, to engage in conversation, be in community, and celebrate the end of the academic year. |
| April 21, 2025 | Diversity Leadership Network (DLN) hosts an AMA for Admitted Students: DLN, alongside a few affinity LLSOs, hosted a Q&A panel for admitted students. |
| April 22, 2025 | First Generation Community Lunch: This gathering provided an opportunity for students, staff and faculty who share this affinity to engage with one another. |
| May 12, 2025 | Diversity Leadership Network (DLN) Meeting: DLN meets twice per quarter with the Sr. Associate Director of Student Affairs & Diversity + Inclusion. A wide range of topics are discussed, including student climate, faculty engagement, community engagement and workshops/events, and they work on one or two projects throughout the academic year. Law students' perspectives are important to hear and understand in order to continue making our community welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant. |