Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

College of Law


University of North Texas Dallas College of Law General Catalog

Catalog goes into effect at the beginning of the Fall 2016 semester.

Program requirements are subject to necessary corrections.

 

 

About the Catalog

This catalog is an official bulletin of the UNT Dallas College of Law. It includes policies, regulations, procedures, and information in effect at the time of release.

The provisions of this catalog are intended to provide general information and do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between UNT Dallas College of Law and a student, an applicant for admission, or other individual. Although the catalog contains policies, regulations, procedures, and fees in effect at the time of publishing, information provided in this catalog is subject to change. The College of Law reserves the right to change any provision of this catalog at any time and without notice. Changes will become effective whenever determined by the appropriate College of Law official and may apply to both prospective students and those currently enrolled. Every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes. Information on such changes will be available in the Office of the Registrar. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of College of Law rules, regulations, policies, and current graduation requirements for particular degree programs.

The online version of The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law Catalog is the official version. The online catalog will be updated periodically and will contain all major policy changes that occur during the 2016-17 catalog cycle. Although this catalog was prepared on the basis of the best information available at the time, and the information is updated regularly, users are cautioned about the following:

  • Editorial, clerical, and programming errors may have occurred in the publication of this website, and The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law assumes no responsibility for such errors.
  • There is a lag time between approved changes and their publication on this website.

Students are held individually responsible for complying with all requirements of the rules and regulations of the University and the Board of Regents of The University of North Texas System. Failure to read and comply with policies, regulations, and procedures will not exempt a student from whatever penalties the student may incur.

Students are urged to read this catalog carefully. This catalog does not include all of the College of Law rules, regulations, and policies for which a student is responsible. Students also should consult other publications, such as the Student Handbook, the Honor Code, the Code of Student Conduct, and other specific policies or contracts. This catalog becomes effective on the first day of the fall term/semester, 2016.

The Policies of the UNT Dallas College of Law supersede any inconsistent information published in this catalog or any other College of Law publication. These are available on the College of Law’s website as well as on the UNT Dallas website.

If you have questions about catalog content or how to use the catalog, please contact the Office of the Registrar at the University of North Texas (UNT) Dallas College of Law.

Accreditation

Accreditation Statement

UNT Dallas College of Law is not currently accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). As with any new law school, the process of seeking accreditation from the ABA cannot begin until the College of Law completed its first academic year in May 2015. The College of Law will seek accreditation according to the timeline and requirements of the ABA.

The Accreditation Process

The national accrediting body for American legal education is the Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. The standards and process for accreditation are set out in the ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools. These standards and procedures, as administered by the Council, are aimed at ensuring the quality and professionalism of law schools.

The ABA requires all new law schools to successfully complete their first academic year, which began at the College of Law in fall 2014, before applying for provisional accreditation. The College of Law will be permitted to file its application for provisional accreditation after the start of the fall 2015 semester. If the process yields an affirmative result, the College of Law anticipates that it will be provisionally approved by the ABA before the fall 2014 class graduates.

Graduates of a provisionally approved school are entitled to the same recognition as graduates of a fully approved school and are eligible to sit for most state bar exams, including in the State of Texas. We, of course, cannot guarantee that the College of Law will gain provisional approval by a particular date.

Once a school gains provisional approval, it remains on provisional status for at least three years during which time it is monitored closely by the Council. Upon receiving provisional approval, the College of Law will work hard to establish that it is in full compliance with the ABA Rules and Standards in order to become fully approved by the ABA.

The UNT Dallas College of Law will seek accreditation according to the timeline and requirements of the ABA. The College of Law, including the Dean and its administration, are fully informed as to the ABA’s Standards and Rules of Procedure for the Approval of Law Schools. The Dean and administration of the UNT Dallas College of Law are committed to devoting all necessary resources, and in other respects taking all necessary steps, to provide a program of legal education that will qualify for approval by the ABA. The College of Law does not make any representation to any applicant that it will be approved by the ABA before the graduation of any matriculating student.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

The UNT Dallas College of Law initially was a professional school of the UNT System. In July 2013, UNT Dallas received separate regional accreditation from the SACSCOC. In 2015, UNT Dallas College of Law and UNT Dallas gained SACSCOC approval to modify the scope of UNT Dallas to include the College of Law. September 1, 2015 is the effective date of the merger between UNT Dallas and the UNT Dallas College of Law. After the merger, UNT Dallas College of Law falls within the scope of the SACSCOC accreditation of UNT Dallas. Hence. UNT Dallas is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. Contact SACSCOC at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of The University of North Texas at Dallas.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity

The UNT Dallas College of Law seeks to create an atmosphere of openness and tolerance and to maintain work and education environments that offer equal opportunity. Individuals within the College of Law community are unified by the purposes of learning and professional development and by values of respect for human worth and dignity. The College of Law encourages and supports open discussion, rational resolution of conflict, and discussion and examination of values and ethics.

Discrimination and harassment based on individual differences such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, activities, admission, or employment practices is inconsistent with the College of Law’s mission and educational goals. Harassment is defined as an unwelcome action directed at a person or group of persons because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation that adversely affects a term, condition, or privilege of the work or educational environment. Individuals who work, study, live, and teach within this community are expected to refrain from behavior that threatens the freedom, safety, and respect deserved by every community member and to comply with federal and state equal opportunity laws and regulations. Such compliance is required by College of Law policy, and is a baseline from which our community works to assure fairness and equity to all who pursue their educational and professional goals here.

For further detail, please consult UNT Dallas Policy 5.002

 

About UNT Dallas College of Law

History and Location

The UNT Dallas College of Law is a public law school authorized by the State Legislature of Texas through legislation passed in 2009. The College of Law enrolled its first class in fall 2014. Initially, the College of Law is a professional school within the UNT System. On September 1, 2015, the College of Law becomes a professional school within UNT Dallas. The College of Law offers the Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree. The student body includes a full-time section of approximately 60-90 students, and a part-time (evening pro- gram) section of approximately 40-60 students.

The College of Law is located in downtown Dallas at 1901 Main Street, in the UNT System Building. The building completed a $29 million renovation in 2013, primarily aimed at housing the UNT Dallas College of Law. The College of Law occupies more than 52,000 square feet of dedicated space and shares an additional 70,600 square feet with others; the law school uses the shared classrooms and other shared facilities during the day.

Mission

The mission of the UNT Dallas College of Law is to promote justice and advance human potential through the enterprise of legal education. Supporting this mission are six goals: (1) to broaden access to an affordable legal education; (2) to graduate students who have the full range of practice-related competencies necessary to be effective lawyers worthy of client and public trust; (3) to provide the best possible educational environment for learning the law and developing professional identity; (4) to advance the career and professional goals of our students; (5) to improve access to justice for underserved legal needs; (6) and to be a valuable partner in civic engagement with the City of Dallas and the North Texas region.

Organization

The University of North Texas at Dallas is one of two universities and one health institutions governed by The University of North Texas System’s Board of Regents, who are nominated by the governor, selected from different areas of the state, and appointed with the advice and consent of the Texas Senate.

Governance and Administration and Faculty

By its authorizing legislation, the College of Law was initially a professional school of the UNT System and remained in the UNT System until September 1, 2015. The merger of UNT Dallas and UNT Dallas College of Law becomes effective September 1, 2015. Officers and administration of the UNT System, UNT Dallas, and the UNT Dallas College of Law are set out below.

UNT System Board of Regents

Brint Ryan, Chair (2015), Dallas

Michael R. Bradford (2015), Midland

Milton B. Lee (2017), San Antonio

Steve Mitchell (2015), Richardson

Donald Potts, Vice Chairman (2017), Dallas

Rusty Reid (2019), Fort Worth

Gwyn Shea (2019), Irving

Al Silva (2017), San Antonio

B. Glen Whitley (2019), Hurst

Christopher Lee (2017), Student Regent

UNT System Administration

Lee E. Jackson, Chancellor

Rosemary R. Haggett, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Success

James Maguire, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction and Chief Architect

Janet Waldron, Vice Chancellor for Finance

Jack Morton, Vice Chancellor for Government Relations

Nancy S. Footer, Vice Chancellor and General Counsel

UNT Dallas Administration

Bob Mong, President

Glenda Balas, PhD, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Excellence and Student Success

Angie Castillo, Executive Assistant to the President

Daniel Edelman, CFO and Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

Stephanie Holley, Vice President of Enrollment Management

Randy Jolly, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communication

Ana Rodriquez, Special Assistant to the President for External Affairs and Assistant Vice President for University Advancement

UNT Dallas College of Law

Royal Furgeson, Dean

Ellen S. Pryor, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Valerie D. James, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships

Edward T. Hart, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Law Library

Rebecca Garza Greenan, Assistant Dean of Student Life, Office of Dean of Students

Kevin W. Robinowich, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Office of Dean of Students

Courteney Harris, Assistant Dean, Office of Career and Professional Development

Cheryl B. Wattley, Professor and Director of Experiential Education

Karen M. Jarrell, Registrar

 

Faculty Roster

BRIDGES, JONATHAN, Assistant Professor of Law.  BA, Friends University; MA, Ball State University; JD, University of Notre Dame School of Law

CHAMBERS, EVERETT, Assistant Professor of Law. BS, University of the West Indies; JD, Texas Wesleyan School of Law

COLE, TIM, Assistant Professor of Law. BS, University of North Texas, JD, University of Texas Law School

CROCKETT, MATT, Assistant Professor of Law. BS, University of New Orleans, JD, California Western School of Law

DOWNES, ANGELA, Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of Experential Education

FURGUSON, JUDGE ROYAL, Dean of the College of Law.  BA, Texas Tech University; JD, The University of Texas School of Law

HART, EDWARD, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Law Library. BA, Valdosta State University; MS, Simmons College; JD, New England School of Law

HASELTINE, JESSICA, Director of Curriculum and Lecturer in Law. BS, Abilene Christian University; MS, Hardin-Simmons University; JD Texas Tech University School of Law

HOWARD, DIANA, Professor of Practice. BA, Rice University; MA, Southern Methodist University; JD, The University of Texas School of Law

JACOBSON, LOREN, Assistant Professor of Law. BA, Yale University, M.Phil, Cambridge University, JD, Columbia Law School

MASLANKA, MICHAEL, Assistant Professor of Law.  BS, Cornell University; JD, Tulane Law School

OWSLEY, BRIAN, Assistant Professor of Law.  BA, University of Notre Dame; JD, Columbia University of Law

PERKINS, THOMAS, Assistant Professor of Law. BA, Harvard University; JD Loyola University School of Law

PORTERFIELD, ERIC, Assistant Professor of Law. BA, The University of Texas; JD, Baylor University Law School

PRYOR, ELLEN, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. BA, Rice University; JD, The University of Texas School of Law

SHAH, PREYAL, Professor of Practice and Director of Academic Success and Bar Readiness. 

SHULTZ, MELISSA, Assistant Professor of Law and Director of Legal Writing. BA, Grinnell College; JD, The University of Texas School of Law

TAMER, CHRISTINE, Assistant Professor of Law.  BA, Baylor University, JD, The University of Texas School of Law

VALENCIA, REYNALDO, Professor Law and Associate Dean for Finance and Administration. BA, Stanford University; JD, Harvard University Law School

WATTLEY, CHERYL BROWN, Professor of Law. AB, Smith College; JD, Boston University School of Law

WONDRACEK, JENNIFER, Professor of Practice and Director of Legal Educational Technology. BS and BA, College of Charleston; MLS, Unversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; JD, University of North Carolina School of Law

Contact Information

Admissions

Mailing address
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-752-5981:

Career and Professional Development

Mailing address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-243-1785

Community Lawyering Center- Downtown at CityWalk

Mailing address:
511 North Ackard Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-855-7892

Community Lawyering Center- Frazier

Mailing Address:
4716 Elsie Faye Heggins Street
Dallas, TX 75210
469-351-0024

Community Outreach

Mailing Address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-243-1773                                                                                                                                                             

Financial Aid

Mailing address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-752-5711

Law Library

Mailing Address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-243-1775                                                                                                                                                            

Main Office

Mailing address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-752-5959
 

Registrar

Mailing address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-243-1796

Student Financial Services

Mailing address:

1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-243-1796

 

Student Life and Student Affairs

Mailing Address:
1901 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75201
214-243-1788
 

                                                                                                  

 

Law Library

The Law Library occupies the full sixth floor of the law school, covering more than 20,000 square feet. Completely redesigned and renovated, the facility emphasizes collaborative work and study rooms, effective access to and use of digital and print information, and individual study and research rooms.

The Law Library’s services include workshops, one-on-one research guidance, online teaching modules, multiple research guides, and teaching sessions for courses in the first year and beyond.

Bound volumes in the core federal collection include the United States Code, United States Statutes at Large, Code of Federal Regulations, and United States Reports.

Bound volumes in the core Texas collection include Vernon’s Texas Statutes and Code Annotated, Texas Cases, Texas Administrative Code, Texas Jurisprudence 2d, the Texas Practice Series, and other significant secondary sources on Texas law.

The library also has online subscriptions for students and faculty to WestlawNext, Lexis Advance, Bloomberg Law, Hein Online, Bloomberg BNA, Fastcase, and LLMC, as well as other electronic

 

Admission

General Information

The College of Law admits students only as first-year law students, beginning with the first semester of law school in the fall semester. The Law School will accept applications beginning on or around September 1st of each year. The deadline to accept applications will be April 15th. Students will be admitted on a rolling basis.

The College of Law seeks students with the desire and ability to become excellent legal professionals. The College of Law also seeks to enroll a diverse student body with a variety of perspectives, experiences, and viewpoints that will enhance the education of all its students.

Requirements and Application Process

All applicants are required to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). A four-year degree from an accredited undergraduate school is required of every applicant prior to matriculation at the College of Law. The application deadline is April 15, but applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all required documents by January 15. Application files are reviewed on a rolling basis.

The Admissions Committee acts only on complete applications containing all required components. Late applications will not be accepted unless space is available in the class after the April 15 deadline, at which time a notice to this effect will be posted on our website. Applicants typically receive a decision within 6 to 8 weeks from the date the application is complete.

Completed applications must contain the following:

  • Completed and signed online application. (Note: There is no application fee.)
  • Personal statement. The personal statement should provide the Admissions Committee with insight into the applicant’s abilities, motivation, and experiences, and why he or she wishes to obtain a law degree at the UNT Dallas College of Law. The personal statement should be double-spaced, no more than three pages, with a font size no smaller than 12 point.
  • Resume. The resume should provide detail about any significant vocational, extracurricular, or community activities; graduate work or degree; honors and awards; any service in the Armed Forces; job descriptions and major areas of responsibility, along with location (city and state) and dates of employment; publications; and other information that the applicant believes the Admissions Committee should consider in evaluating the applicant. The resume should not exceed three typewritten pages and 12 point fond size.
  • Addendums. Any addendums necessary in response to answers on the application.
  • CAS Report. A complete CAS report includes:
    • LSAT score. All applicants are required to take the Law School Admissions Test and submit a reportable score that is not more than three years old, based on the entry date of admission to the UNT Dallas College of Law. The highest LSAT is considered for admission.
    • Transcripts. A copy of transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (including graduate credits, professional credits, transferred credits, and internationally earned credits).
    • Letters of Recommendation. A minimum of two  letters of recommendation (in addition to the evaluations noted above).  No more than 3 letters will be accepted. Letters must be submitted using the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service.
    • Personal interview. The College of Law welcomes applicants to request a personal interview with a member of the Admissions Committee or a designee of the Committee. The interview is not required, and not requesting an interview will not have an adverse effect on the application.

Review of Applicants

Offers to applicants in the admission pool will be made with the goal in mind of enrolling a class that is both academically qualified and broadly diverse. Through its holistic review, the Admissions Committee will evaluate, in addition to the applicant’s LSAT score and UGPA, other factors relevant to assessing the probability of success in law school and beyond, including whether the applicant:

  • Will make a positive, ethical contribution to the COL, legal profession, and State of Texas.
  • Will be a positive contribution to the diverse student body and the law school that promotes widening legal access to all-especially to the underserved middle class-and supports cross-cultural understanding, promotes access to justice in all communities in the State of Texas and nationally, and helps to break down racial and ethnic stereotypes enabling students to better understand persons of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
  • Displays characteristics or qualities that evidence probability of success as demonstrated by one who; (1) possesses a unique socioeconomic or educational background, (2) is a first- generation college student, (3) had extraordinary personal responsibilities while achieving high academic honors or professional experience, and/or (4) participated in community or civic activities that promotes high value and ability in multiple segments for legal services.

 

Costs, Financial Aid, Billing, and Payment 

A core goal of the UNT Dallas College of Law is keeping tuition and student debt low for all students, to an extent consistent with meeting its educational goals. The organized bar and legal educators agree that the cost of legal education poses concerns for the profession and for legal education. High costs and debt loads reduce access to legal education, are often spread unevenly in relation to financial need, and shrink the horizon of opportunity.

Tuition and Fees for Academic Year 2016-2017

Tuition and fees for UNT College of Law in 2016-2017 are listed below for full-time and part-time (evening program) students. Rates for each vary by resident and non-resident students. For the most current information on costs and payment information, please access lawschool.untsystem.edu/current-students/student-financial-services

Full-Time Resident Students Matriculating in 2016

  • Annual tuition (fall and spring semesters): $14,565.
  • Full-time resident students can expect required class hours of 15 per semester; expected tuition thus will be $14,565.
  • Tuition will be fixed at same rate for Years 2 and 3.
  • Incidental Fees: $206 per semester.

Part-Time (Evening Program) Resident Students Matriculating in 2016

  • Annual tuition (fall and spring semesters): $11,652.
  • Part-time students can expect required class hours of 12 per semester; expected tuition thus will be $11,652.
  • Tuition will be fixed at same rate for Years 2, 3 and 4.
  • Incidental Fees: $206 per semester.

Full-Time Non-Resident Students Matriculating in 2016

  • Annual tuition (fall and spring semesters): $25,719.90.
  • Full-time non-resident students can expect required class hours of 15 per semester; expected tuition thus will be $25,719.90.
  • Tuition will be fixed at same rate for Years 2 and 3.
  • Incidental Fees: $206 per semester.

Part-Time (Evening Program) Non-Resident Students Matriculating in 2016

  • Annual tuition (fall and spring semesters): $20,575.92
  • Part-time non-resident students can expect required class hours of 12 per semester; expected tuition thus will be $20,575.92.
  • Tuition will be fixed at same rate for Years 2, 3 and 4.
  • Incidental Fees: $206 per semester.

 

1L Fall 2016 Incidental Fees - Resident and Non-Resident

Fee

Amount

Fundamentals of Being a Lawyer Course Fee

$  49.00

Library/Technology Fee

$154.00

Student ID Fee

$  10.00

TOTAL

$213.00

1L Spring 2017 - Resident and Non-Resident

Fee

Amount

Library/Technology Fee                                      

$123.00

2L Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 - Resident and Non-Resident

Fee

Amount

Library/Technology Fee                                      

$123.00

3L Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 - Resident and Non-Resident

Fee

Amount

Library/Technology Fee                                      

$123.00

 

Fundamentals of Being a Lawyer Course Fee Includes:

  • Meyers -Briggs Testing and Report Materials

(For Entering 1Ls First Semester Only)

 

Library/Technology Fee Includes:

  • Subscriptions to:
    • Lynda (Online Learning Platform)
    • West Academic (Online Study Aide)
    • Canvas (Learning Management System)
    • ExamSoft (Exam Management System)
  • Technology Equipment (for Student Use)
  • iClicker (First Semester Purchase)

 

Student Service Fees Include:

  • Mandatory Fees are assessed for university-related services available to currently enrolled students.
  • Student Service Fees are charged at $10.00 per credit hour, with a maximum charge of $150/semester.
  • Student service fees are assessed in proportion to the number of semester credit hours for which a student registers.
  • Student service fees cover the cost of student services that directly involve or benefit students, including but not limited to:

o    Cultural Entertainment Events

o    Health and Medical Services

o    Recreational Activities

o    Student Government

Cost of Attendance

For any given student, his or her total cost of attending law school includes the tuition and fees that the student pays, plus the student’s expenses (living and education-related expenses). All law schools provide a statement of “Cost of Attendance” (COA). This statement is the school’s estimate of the total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, and living expenses) for the period of enrollment. Schools provide a statement of COA for two reasons. First, even if a student is not receiving any financial assistance such as loans, a student can make use of the COA in estimating and budgeting costs for law school. Second, governmental and private loans are based on, among other things, the COA. The current statement of the COA for the College of Law appears on the website.

Scholarships

Scholarships for Class Entering 2016

  • Beginning with fall 2016, College of Law entering students in the full-time and part-time divisions can apply for scholarships during the 2016 fall semester.  A separate application will be available and individuals must submit a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) form.
  • This is a one-time award for the fall and spring semesters of a student’s first year of enrollment. No awards are made for summer enrollment.
  • The scholarships are designed to assist students with financial need.
  • The Scholarship Committee will consider the following criteria:
    • An applicant’s academic record, including previous undergraduate and graduate institutions
    • The socioeconomic background of the applicant while the applicant was an undergraduate student, including any change in that background
    • Whether an applicant would be the first generation of the applicant’s family to attend or graduate from a law school, and
    • The applicant’s involvement in community activities and public service.

Scholarships for Current Students at the College of Law Admitted Prior to Fall 2016

 
Current students of the College of Law, admitted prior to fall 2016, may apply for scholarships to be disbursed in the spring 2016 semester no earlier than Monday December 7, 2015. Student(s) will be notified of the award(s) in writing no later than Monday December 21, 2015. Applications will be reviewed and recipients will be selected by the Scholarship Committee based on criteria, including the following:
  • An applicant’s academic record, including previous undergraduate and graduate institutions and record at the College of Law;
  • The socioeconomic background of the applicant while the applicant was an undergraduate student, including any change in that background;
  • Whether an applicant would be the first generation of the applicant’s family to attend or graduate from a law school; and
  • The applicant’s involvement in community activities and public service.

Continuing Student Scholarships

  • College of Law continuing students can apply for scholarships beginning fall 2016. A separate application will be available during the fall 2016 semester and individuals must submit a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) form.
  • This is a one-time award for the fall and spring semesters of enrollment. No awards are made for summer enrollment.
  • The scholarships are designed to assist students with financial need.
  • The Scholarship Committee will consider the following criteria:
    • Applicant is enrolled in the full-time division and has earned a minimum of 30 credit hours, or applicant is enrolled in the part-time division and has earned a minimum of 23 credit hours
    • Applicant has maintained at least a 2.0 grade point average each semester and has a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
    • Applicant has demonstrated a commitment to public service by completing a minimum of 30 hours of community service within the preceding 24 months
    • Applicant’s financial need will be considered and determined based upon a completed FAFSA form.

External Scholarships

The College of Law receives scholarship opportunities from outside sources from time to time. The Office of Scholarships will post available opportunities on our website for students to review and select whether to apply. The criteria for such scholarships are established by the entity or individual providing such scholarship.

No Conditional Scholarships

In accordance with ABA Standard 509(b)(3) disclosure requirements, UNT Dallas College of Law does not offer conditional scholarships. “Conditional Scholarship” means any financial aid award, the retention of which is dependent upon the student maintaining a minimum grade    point average or class standing, other than that ordinarily required to remain in good academic standing.

Tuition and Fee Payment

Credit card payments (MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover) and check payments may be made through self-service at the myLaw student portal. Tuition and fee payments also may be made by personal check, money order, or cashier’s check. The student identification number must be recorded on all check and money order payments made in person.

Bills are not mailed for registration. Account balances and schedule information may be obtained through self-service at the myLaw student portal.

Cash Payments

Cash payments are not accepted. Please do not mail cash payments.

Installment Payment Plan

The Texas Legislature has the authority to modify or eliminate installment payment of tuition at each regular or called legislative session.

The UNT Dallas College of Law provides for the payment of tuition and fees during the fall and spring terms/semesters through the following alternatives:

  • Full payment of tuition and fees upon registration or by the payment deadline for early registration;

or

  • Selection of the installment plan. By selecting the installment plan, the student understands that the installment plan is a contractual agreement and he or she agrees to make the installment payments by the due dates indicated.

Tuition and fees must be paid in full for each registration period or by the payment deadline for early registration. Tuition payment by installment is not offered during the summer.

Non-Refundable Fees for Tuition by Installment

  • Handling fee: $20
  • A $20 non-refundable handling fee will be charged to the student’s account each semester the in-stallment plan is selected.
  • A student who fails to make payment of tuition and fees (including any incidental fees) by the due date may be prohibited from registering for classes until full payment is made. A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of the semester/session may be denied credit for the work done that semester/session.
  • See the academic calendar for each semester for installment payment deadlines.

Student Financial Obligation Agreement

Each semester, prior to registering for classes, students are required to accept the Student Financial Obligation Agreement. For additional information, each student should check his or her online student portal.

Tuition and Fees Refund Policy

Fee Adjustments for Courses Dropped and Added

A student may drop courses during the first 12 class days of a fall or spring semester (first four class days of a summer session). However, between the 6th and 12th class days, students may only drop classes with permission of the Associate Dean. A student may add courses during the first 7 class days of a fall or spring semester. Full refunds will be given for courses dropped during these periods, provided the student remains enrolled in at least one class. Refunds will not be issued for withdrawn classes after the 12th class day (Census Day). Any credit balance on a student account as a result of dropping courses will not be refunded until after the Census Day. As of the first day of the semester, students may not use the drop/add process to drop all of their courses, but instead must go to the College of Law Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to initiate withdrawal or leave of absence.

Withdrawal from the College of Law

Once the College of Law has accepted payment for tuition and fees, a student is considered officially enrolled unless otherwise restricted from enrolling.

Stopping payment on a check for tuition and fees or allowing the check to be returned unpaid by the bank for any reason does not constitute official withdrawal. The withdrawal process is done in the office of the College of Law Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A withdrawal form will be issued in the office of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, explaining the process to withdraw from the College of Law. Failure to follow procedures for withdrawing from the College of Law may result in financial penalties and delays with future enrollment. Once a student registers, he or she is responsible for the total fees assessed regardless of whether the installment  option is used. Refund percentages are applied to total fees assessed and not the amount paid. This means that students who withdraw before paying all installments may, in the event of withdrawal, still owe the College of Law.

Calculation of tuition and fee refunds due to withdrawal are based on all charges the College of Law has assessed the student. Any credit balance on a student account as a result of officially withdrawing from the College of Law may be held for 30 days after the official withdrawal date. The reason for the delay is so that all charges may be totaled from various departments and applied to the refund.

Tuition and Fee Adjustments

Tuition and fee adjustments shall be made to students officially withdrawing from the University for charges listed below according to the following refund schedule:

 

Fall and Spring Semester

Time Period

Refund

By 5 p.m. on the last business day before the first day of class

100 percent

During the first five class days of the semester

80 percent

During the second five class days of the semester

70 percent

During the third five class days of the semester

50 percent

During the fourth five class days of the semester

25 percent

After the 20th class day of the semester

None

 

Summer Session of more than five weeks but less than 10 weeks

Time Period

Refund

By 5 p.m. on the last business day before the first day of class

100 percent

During the first three class days of the summer session

80 percent

During the second three days of the summer session

50 percent

After the seventh day of class for the summer session

None

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress

In institutions of higher education, students must maintain “satisfactory academic progress” (SAP) to remain eligible for financial aid from federal, state, institutional, and some private sources. In addition, the UNT Dallas College of Law expects students to make satisfactory academic progress toward the J.D. degree. The requirements of SAP supplement and do not supplant other academic policies, such as poli- cies relating to probation and dismissal.

Timing and Requirements

Students will be evaluated with respect to SAP at the end of each semester. To maintain satisfactory academic progress at the College of Law, students must meet the following requirements. These requirements apply to all full-time and part-time students, whether or not the student is receiving financial aid;

  • Minimum Cumulative GPA. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Complete greater than two-thirds of cumulative attempted credits. Students must successfully complete greater than 66 percent of their cumulative attempted credits.
  • Maximum time for completion of program. Students must complete their law degree requirements within 150 percent of the normal time to completion.

Failure to Meet SAP; Appeal Process

A student who fails to meet satisfactory academic progress is placed on financial aid suspension. A student on financial aid suspension is not eligible to receive financial aid unless the student successfully appeals the financial aid suspension.

A student may appeal his or her financial aid suspension on any of the following grounds: personal illness or injury; death of a relative; or other circumstances that affected the student’s ability to meet the requirements of satisfactory academic progress. To appeal the financial aid suspension, a student should obtain and complete the appeal form and materials, and submit them before June 1 (for summer term) or before August 1 (for fall term). The appeal form will be available on the website.

An appeal might be denied, granted, or granted upon the condition that the student will follow a specified academic plan. If the appeal is granted or granted with an academic plan condition, the student will receive a probationary term.

 

Academic Calendars, Policies and Procedures

Academic Calendars

The Registrar’s Office is committed to providing information for a seamless law school experience. Vital information such as the academic calendar, the registration and enrollment policies and information, and the class schedule come directly from the Registrar’s office.

Academic Standing

For students matriculating in 2014 or 2015: To be in academic good standing at the end of any semester, a student must have both a semester grade point average and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00.

Effective for students matriculating in 2016 or after: To be in academic good standing at the end of any semester, a student must have both a semester grade point average and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.30.

Dismissal after First Semester

After the first semester of the first-year of studies at the College of Law, any student (whether full-time or part-time) whose grade point average is less than 1.700 will be academically dismissed.  This dismissal is final.  There is no appeal of the dismissal, and the dismissal is not subject to any petition for an additional semester on probation. 

Academic Oversight

At the end of each semester, any student who is not on academic probation yet who has a cumulative grade point average in the bottom third of the class will be on Academic Oversight. A student on Academic Oversight is in good academic standing. The purpose of Academic Oversight is to serve as a mechanism to help ensure that students maximize their chances of improving academic success through appropriate resources.

A student on Academic Oversight must meet with an Academic Success Advisor for academic counseling and participate in the academic success plan resulting from the meeting. The plan may include, for instance, additional meetings with the Academic Success Advisor, one-on-one work with Academic Success faculty or staff, or activities aimed at enhancing skills and knowledge. If the student fails to comply with this academic counseling requirement, the student will not be allowed to register for the next term without the written approval of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. 

Academic Probation

At the end of any semester in which the student is not in good academic standing as set out under the subsection on Academic Standing, the student will be placed on academic probation. (This does not apply to students who are academically dismissed under the provision for Academic Dismissal After First Semester.) Any student who is on academic probation will meet with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs or his or her designee. (Another member or members of the faculty, administration, or staff might also attend the meeting as appropriate.) The meeting will include advising the student about the grade point average that is necessary to avoid academic dismissal, and, working with the student, developing an academic success plan designed to maximize the student’s chances of avoiding academic dismissal and improving academic success beyond that level. The plan may include, for instance, additional meetings with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs or his or her designee, one-on-one work with designated faculty and staff, and activities aimed at developing and enhancing skills and knowledge.

Academic Dismissal

If a student who is on academic probation does not reach good academic standing by the end of the next regular semester, the student will be academically dismissed. (This does not apply to students who are academically dismissed under the provision for Academic Dismissal After First Semester). A student who is academically dismissed is not eligible to be enrolled in the College of Law. If a student is enrolled in one or more courses when dismissed, the Registrar will withdraw the student from the course(s).

A student who has received notice of academic dismissal may submit, to the Academic Standards Committee, a Petition for Eligibility to Continue on Probation.  Such a petition must be filed within thirty (30) calendar days after the student has received notice of academic dismissal.

Students should not assume or expect that the petition will be granted. This is not for punitive reasons, but because it is not fair or appropriate to allow students to continue a course of study in which they are not likely to be successful. A petition may be granted only if the student establishes the following: (1) that the student’s inability to remain academically eligible resulted from exceptional circumstances; (2) that the circumstances resulting in the student’s academic suspension have been remedied and will not prevent the student from attaining academic good standing; (3) that the student is capable of attaining good academic standing; and (4) that the student complied with the requirements of the academic success plan developed after probation. The Committee may set conditions for the student’s continued enrollment on probation, including reduction in course work and specific academic success programming.

A student’s petition must include supporting documentation, including but not limited to the student’s law school academic transcript for all semesters attended and any Academic Success Plan documents the student can obtain. The Academic Standards Committee will likely review some or all of the petitioner’s Academic Success Plan documents, including in particular any documents showing whether the student complied with any Academic Success Plan. The petition should include the number of hours worked during each semester in attendance at the UNT Dallas College of Law. This listing of documents and information in support of a student’s petition is not exclusive. The student bears the burden to supply the Academic Standards Committee with documents and information sufficient to demonstrate the student meets the criteria to continue or resume his or her studies at the UNT Dallas College of Law.  Upon receiving the petition, the Committee may request additional information.

A successful petition may result in one of the following:

  1. The student continues his or her studies on academic probation for an additional semester or for a period of time determined by the Committee. In such a case, the student will be required to retake all required courses in which the student received a grade of F.
  2. The student retakes all courses, including courses in which the student did not receive a grade of F.

In addition, the Academic Standards Committee may set conditions for the student’s continued enrollment, including reduction in course work and specific academic success programming.

The Committee may make its decision without personal appearance from the applicant.  The decision of the Committee is final and there is no appeal of its decision.

Re-Admission to the College of Law

If a student has been academically dismissed from the College of Law and seeks readmission to the College of Law, the student may not seek admission through the regular Admissions process. Rather, such a student may return to studies at the College of Law only by filing, with the Academic Standards Committee, a Petition for Re-Admission.  Students should not assume or expect that the petition will be granted. This is not for punitive reasons, but because it is not fair or appropriate to allow students to take a course of study in which they are not likely to be successful. A petition may be granted only if the student establishes the following: (1) that the student’s academic dismissal resulted from exceptional circumstances; (2) that the circumstances resulting in the student’s academic dismissal have been remedied and will not prevent the student from maintaining academic good standing; (3) that the student is capable of maintaining good academic standing; and (4) that the student complied with the requirements of the academic success plan during the time they were in law school.

A student’s petition must include supporting documentation, including but not limited to the student’s law school academic transcript for all semesters attended and any Academic Success Plan documents the student can obtain. The Academic Standards Committee will likely review some or all of the petitioner’s Academic Success Plan documents, including in particular any documents showing whether the student complied with any Academic Success Plan. The petition should include the number of hours worked during each semester in attendance at the UNT Dallas College of Law. This listing of documents and information in support of a student’s petition is not exclusive. The student bears the burden to supply the Academic Standards Committee with documents and information sufficient to demonstrate the student will succeed at the UNT Dallas College of Law.  Upon receiving the petition, the Committee may request additional information. If the petition is granted, the Committee may set conditions for the student’s enrollment, including limits on course hours and specific academic success programming.

The Committee may make its decision without personal appearance from the applicant.  The decision of the Committee is final and there is no appeal of its decision.

Attendance

Under College of Law policy and consistent with ABA Standards, the College of Law requires regular and punctual class attendance. Attendance will be taken in all classes.

Minimum Attendance Threshold 

Under College of Law policy, in all courses, students must attend at least 80% of class sessions. However, in counting absences for purposes of this minimum attendance rule, absences based upon observance of a religious holy day or on a call for active military service will not be counted. 

If a student accumulates greater than the allowed number of absences, the student will be withdrawn from the course.  

Excused Absences

If an absence qualifies as an “excused absence” and the reason for the absence prevents timely completion of assignments or work, the instructor will provide a reasonable time after the absence for the student to complete the work or assignment or an alternative assignment. Note: An excused absence will still count towards the minimum attendance rule, unless the absence fits in Category 1 or 2 and is addressed in accordance with UNT Dallas College of Law Policy on Student Attendance.

The categories of excused absences are the following:

  1. To observe a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose;
  2. To respond to a call for active military service;
  3. To participate in an official COL function (including competitions such as mock trial or negotiation competitions, and court appearances required for clinic); or
  4. Illness or other extenuating circumstances, such as death in the family requiring travel or absence.
  5. A student’s absence for pregnancy or childbirth as long as the student’s doctor deems the absences medically necessary.  (For more detail on pregnancy or childbirth, see section below).

Please note that work-related travel is not the basis for an excused absence.

To obtain an excused absence, a student must complete the Excused Absence Request Form and email it to the professor. Students also will need to provide appropriate documentation of the basis for the absence. Because students ordinarily will know in advance about the need for absences in the first three categories, they should submit an excused absence form in advance of such absences. In cases of illness or extenuating circumstances, when it is not possible to submit an excused absence form in advance, students still need to complete an excused absence form and email it to the professor as soon as practical.

Pregnancy and Childbirth

An absence is excused when it is due to pregnancy or related conditions, including recovery from childbirth, for as long as the student’s doctor deems the absences to be medically necessary. When the student returns to school, she will be reinstated to the status she held when the leave began, which includes giving her the opportunity to make up any work missed. The College of Law may offer the student alternatives to making up missed work, such as retaking a semester, or allowing the student additional time in a program to continue at the same pace and finish at a later date, especially after longer periods of leave. The student should be allowed to choose from the alternatives presented by the professor as to how to make up the work.

The policies and practices of individual professors may not discriminate against pregnant students. For example, a professor may not refuse to allow a student to submit work after a deadline that she missed because of absences due to pregnancy or childbirth. Additionally, if the professor’s grading is based in part on class attendance or participation, the student should be allowed to earn the credits she missed so that she can be reinstated to the status she had before the leave.

Exception

Students may seek an exception to or waiver of the minimum attendance threshold by submitting a request in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean may allow a waiver only after consultation with the course instructor and only for compelling and unusual circumstances.

Taking Classes outside the Enrolled Division

After completion of the required course work in the first two full academic semesters, students enrolled in the part-time division may register for “daytime” classes (that is, courses offered before 5 p.m.) after any period of priority registration ends or if, on the basis of good cause shown by the student, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs approves the student’s registration in the course. Likewise, after completion of the required course work in the first two full academic semesters, students enrolled in the full-time division may register for an “evening” course after any period of priority registration ends or if, on the basis of good cause shown by the student, the Assistant Dean of Students Affairs approves the student’s registration in the course.

Notwithstanding this section, students must still take all lockstep required courses with their entering division.

Transferring Between the Full-Time and Part-Time Division

When students enroll at the College of Law, they enter in either the full-time day division or the part-time evening division. This is the student’s “entering division.” After completion of the required course work in the first two academic semesters, students may apply to transfer from the part-time division to the full-time division or vice versa. In order to transfer, the student must complete the Divisional Transfer Form, with all necessary signatures, no less than two weeks prior to the end of the preceding term.

A student may transfer for three reasons:

  1. Elective: The student chooses to transfer divisions. A student may only use the Elective Transfer option once in his or her law school career.
  2. Major Life Event: A recent major life event has affected the student’s ability to continue in the student’s entering division. This must be supported by the Descriptive Statement attached to the Divisional Transfer Form.
  3. Administrative: If a student does not adhere to the requirements of the student’s division, the student may be transferred by administrative decision of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, with or without the student’s consent.

Regardless of whether a student transfers between divisions, the student must take all lockstep required courses with his or her original entering division, unless doing so would overly burden the student based on circumstances of a Major Life Event. Such exceptions must be justified in the Descriptive Statement. Lockstep required courses include the following courses:

  • Contracts
  • Torts
  • Civil Procedure I & II
  • Criminal Law
  • Property
  • Legal Writing and Research
  • Legal Methods
  • Professionalism and Practice of Law
  • Practice Foundations I: Interviewing and Counseling
  • Practice Foundations II: Negotiation and Conflict Management
  • Constitutional Law

Disability Accommodation

The UNT Dallas College of Law (COL) provides accommodation to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Eligibility

Students are eligible for accommodation and/or auxiliary aids and services if they have a documented disability and the functional limitations of the disability require such accommodation and/or auxiliary aids and services.
  • Newly accepted and currently enrolled students are responsible for initiating a disability-related request for accommodation or auxiliary aids and services with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs prior to the time when the accommodation or auxiliary aids or service will be needed.
  • Prospective students may request reasonable accommodation (for testing, campus tours, or orientation) at any time during the application process by submitting an oral or written request to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs using the Disability Accommodation Request form. 

Requesting Disability Accommodation and/or Auxiliary Aids and Services

To receive consideration for accommodation and/or auxiliary aids and services due to a disability, students must submit a request for such accommodation and/or aids and services to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. In addition, students must submit current documentation of their disability, disorder, condition or physical condition in order to be eligible for accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services.

Documentation received will be considered in determining whether a student is disabled as defined by the ADA, and therefore entitled to reasonable accommodation.

The information provided should include:

  • Specific, detailed diagnosis for each physical or mental impairment, substantiated by DSM-IV (for psychological) or ICD-10 (for medical) designation.
  • Statement as to if whether each physical or mental impairment is permanent or temporary; if temporary, the expected duration of the impairment.
  • Information as to how each physical or mental impairment directly and currently affects the individual with regard to physical, emotional, cognitive or other limitations, to what level of severity the physical or mental impairment impacts the individual’s major life activities (for example, walking, hearing, seeing, learning, communicating, breathing, and so forth).
  • The impact that the physical or mental impairment has in the context of the classroom/learning environment.
  • Whether and how the impairments are mitigated, corrected, or managed by assistive devices (such as hearing aid, walker), medications, treatments or other coping mechanisms.
  • Specific recommendations as to what reasonable accommodations (such as note taker, extended testing time, sign language interpreter, etc.) are necessary for equal access in the academic environment.
  • If client is taking medication for treatment of conditions, note any possible or existing side effects and how these can affect the client in daily functioning and within the classroom environment.

Documentation should be submitted on office letterhead with the signature and credentials of qualified professional. Once the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs receives the documentation, it becomes part of the student’s educational record and is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Determination

A determination of whether accommodations or auxiliary aids or services are appropriate will follow after an individual assessment of a student’s written documentation and a personal meeting with the student. Among the factors to be considered in determining appropriate accommodations or auxiliary aids and services are:

  • The nature of the student’s disability.
  • Accommodations, auxiliary aids, or services that have worked for the student in the past.
  • Whether the requested accommodation, auxiliary aids, or services will allow the student to effectively access and participate in the course or academic program.
  • Whether the requested accommodation, auxiliary aids, or services will alter the essential requirements of the course or program.

The College of Law is not required to alter or modify a course or academic program to the extent that it changes the fundamental nature of that course or program. Decisions regarding accommodations or auxiliary aids and services may require consultation with College of Law faculty or administrators to consider the fundamental nature of a course or academic program.

Notification

The student will be notified in writing of the status of the request and the proposed date for a final determination.

Accommodations or Auxiliary Aids and Services Requiring Cooperation of Faculty

Certain accommodations or use of auxiliary aids and services may require cooperation from a faculty member who teaches a class in which a student is enrolled.

  • As early as possible in a semester, a student who has been approved for accommodation or use of auxiliary aids and services should seek a confidential meeting with the faculty member to show the faculty member the written approval of the accommodation, auxiliary aids, or services, and to make arrangements for implementation of the approved accommodation, auxiliary aid, or services.
  • The faculty member may not disclose the student’s disability to any other student or faculty member without the consent of the student. Faculty members may not deny an approved accommodation without consulting the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to consider alternate means to accommodate a student’s disability.   

For more detail on Disability Accommodation, see UNT Dallas Policy 7.004.

Class Ranking

Students at the UNT Dallas College of Law do not receive an individual class rank. At the end of each regular semester and academic year, the Registrar calculates class ranking, which will be used for two purposes.
 
First, at the end of each academic year, the Registrar will publish the cumulative GPA that marks the following percentile bands: top 10 percent, top 25 percent, top 33 percent, and top 50 percent. Each of these levels will be calculated separately for: (1) students classified as first-year students; (2) students classified as second-year students; and (3) students classified as third-year students.
 
Second, ranking may be used as necessary for academic honors such as membership in scholarly societies, or other prizes or activities that require a certain placement within a class.
 
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the College of Law may not disclose an individual student’s location within the GPA percentile bands without the student’s written permission.

Classification of Students

All students are enrolled in either the full-time division or part-time division, and the number of hours for which a student is permitted to register is governed by the policies on Maximum Course Load and Minimum Course Load based on enrolled division. In addition to and distinct from enrollment division, for financial aid purposes, students are classified as full-time, half-time, or less than half-time.
 
For financial aid purposes, the following classifications apply:
  • A student is classified as a full-time student if he or she is enrolled in 13 or more credit hours in a fall or spring semester, or if he or she is enrolled in eight or more credit hours in a summer session.
  • A student is classified as a half-time student if he or she is enrolled in 12 or fewer credit hours in a fall or spring semester, or if he or she is enrolled in four to seven credit hours in a summer session.
  • A student is classified as less than half-time and is not eligible for financial aid if he or she is enrolled in fewer than eight hours in a fall or spring semester, or if he or she is enrolled in fewer than four hours in a summer session.

A student is classified as a first-year student if he or she has earned 30 or fewer semester credit hours. A student is classified as a second-year student if he or she has earned between 31 and 60 credit hours. A student is classified as a third-year student if he or she has earned 61 or more semester credit hours.

Course Load

Maximum Course Load

Full-time Division

A student enrolled in the full-time division may not register for more than sixteen credit hours in a fall or spring semester or for more than nine credit hours in a summer session without permission of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. In accordance with ABA Standards, all students are prohibited from registering for coursework that exceeds 20 percent of the total credit hours required for graduation.

Part-time Division

A student enrolled in the part-time division may not register for more than twelve credit hours in a fall or spring semester or for more than seven credit hours in a summer session without permission of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Permission will not be granted for a student enrolled in the part-time division to register for more than thirteen credit hours in a fall or spring semester or for more than eight credit hours in a summer session.

Correction of Excessive Course Loads

A student who enrolls for more than the permissible number of hours will be withdrawn from a course or courses until his or her registration complies with the maximum load requirements. The choice of courses from which the student will be withdrawn is in the sole discretion of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. If the overload is not discovered until after grades have been given for the courses, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs may withdraw the student from a sufficient number of courses in that semester or session to bring the course load into compliance. 

Minimum Course Load 

Full-time Division

A student enrolled in the full-time division may not register for fewer than thirteen credit hours in a fall or spring semester. A student enrolled in the full-time division who wishes to enroll in between eight and twelve credit hours must obtain permission of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or his or her designee but does not need to file a petition for the Reduction of Minimum Hours.

Part-time Division

A student enrolled in the part-time division may not register for fewer than eight credit hours in a fall or spring semester.

Petition for the Reduction of Minimum Hours

A student wishing to enroll in fewer than eight credit hours in a fall or spring semester must submit a Petition for the Reduction of Minimum Hours to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or his or her designee. A petition will only be granted if there is a showing of extenuating circumstances. A student may only submit such a petition twice during the student’s tenure at UNT Dallas College of Law.

Distance Learning

No student may be permitted to count more than 15 credit hours from distance learning courses toward the JD degree, whether through courses taken at UNT Dallas College of Law or credits transferred from another institution. No student will be permitted to enroll in a distance learning course, or receive transfer credit from a distance learning course, until the student has accumulated at least 28 credit hours toward the JD degree. No student will be permitted to enroll in more than 6 credit hours of distance learning courses in a single term.

Credit for Non-Law Courses Taken Through the UNT System

With advance approval, students may enroll in up to two courses in the UNT Dallas Graduate School or UNT Toulouse Graduate School for up to six credits toward law school graduation. Approval will be granted only if the student, through the exercise of due diligence, cannot take a course containing substantially the same subject matter at the College of Law. Alternatively, with advance approval, students may enroll in up to two undergraduate courses at UNT Dallas or UNT for up to six credits toward law school graduation. Approval will be granted only if the courses are (a) part of foreign language sequence for which credit is granted toward an undergraduate degree; or (b) computer science courses which meet the technological competency requirement. A maximum of six hours of credit toward the JD degree will be awarded for any non-law school courses taken through the UNT System. Although grades received in non-law school courses will not be computed in a student’s grade point average, the student must earn a “B” or higher in each course to receive credit. Students on academic probation are not eligible to take non-law school courses through the UNT System. Non-law school courses taken through the UNT System will count toward the maximum number of transfer credits allowed.

Transfer Credit for Courses taken at an ABA-Approved Law School

Students enrolled in the College of Law may seek transfer of credit taken at an ABA-approved law school. The maximum credit that the College of Law may allow to be transferred is 30 hours of Semester Credit Hours. Any student who is considering taking coursework from an ABA-approved school and who anticipates seeking to transfer credit for that coursework must first receive pre-approval of the course or courses from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Law. In determining whether credit may be transferred for the coursework, two decisions will be made. One is whether the course(s) will receive transfer credit. The second is whether the course(s) will receive transfer credit as an elective course, or as a required course within College of Law’s curriculum. It is possible for a course to be approved for elective credit and yet not be approved as satisfying a particular required course.

In seeking pre-approval, students should provide, to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, a syllabus or detailed course description for each course for which they wish to receive credit. The syllabus or course description must contain sufficient information for the College of Law to determine content, grading basis, instructor, instructional minutes, method of instruction, and other details that the College of Law deems necessary to transfer credit for its program of study. The number of semester course hours that the College of Law will count for the course is generally based on the instructional minutes in the course.

Credit may be given for a course only if the student’s grade in the course meets or exceeds the minimum grade point average needed to graduate from UNT Dallas College of Law. Credit, when given, will be recorded as pass, and will not be included in the computation of the student’s College of Law grade point average. If a course for which transfer credit is sought was graded on a pass/fail basis, transfer credit may be given if that course is ordinarily taught as a pass-fail course at the school where the course was taken.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will decide whether a course or courses transfer for credit, and if so whether for elective or required credit. On a regular basis, the Associate Dean shall notify the Academic Standards Committee of decisions made relating to transfer credit. The Associate Dean may consult with the Academic Standards Committee in relation to transfer credit decisions.

Credit from Study Abroad Programs

UNT Dallas College of Law students may participate in study abroad programs that are approved by the American Bar Association. Any student who is considering taking coursework from a study abroad program and who anticipates seeking to transfer credit for that coursework must first receive pre-approval of the course or courses from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. In determining whether credit may be transferred for a course in a study abroad program, two decisions will be made. One is whether the course will receive transfer credit. The second is whether the course will receive transfer credit as an elective course, or as a required course within College of Law’s curriculum. It is possible for a course to be approved for elective credit and yet not be approved as satisfying a particular required course. For example, a course on the “Estate System” might be approved for elective credit, yet is not likely to be counted as satisfying the required course for Trusts and Estates at the College of Law.

In seeking pre-approval, students should provide, to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, a syllabus or detailed course description. The syllabus or course description must contain sufficient information for the College of Law to determine content, grading basis, instructor, instructional minutes, method of instruction, and other details that the College of Law deems necessary to transfer credit for its program of study. The number of semester course hours that the College of Law will count for the course is generally based on the instructional minutes in the course.

The College of Law will accept no more than a total of 8 hours of credit from a study abroad program. Credit may be given for a course taken in a study abroad course only if the student’s grade in the course meets or exceeds the minimum grade point average needed to graduate from UNT Dallas College of Law. The grade for the course in a study abroad program will be recorded as pass/fail on the UNT Dallas College of Law transcript, and will not be counted in the calculation of the student’s grade point average at the College of Law.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will decide whether a course or courses transfer for credit, and if so whether for elective or required credit. On a regular basis, the Associate Dean shall notify the Academic Standards Committee of decisions made relating to transfer credit. The Associate Dean may consult with the Academic Standards Committee in relation to transfer credit decisions.

Transfer Students

It is the policy of the College of Law at this time to not accept students transferring from another law school, whether ABA approved or not.

Credit Hours

The “semester credit hour” is the unit of credit at the College of Law.  All credit-bearing courses or activities at the College of Law must meet the credit hour requirements set out in this policy. 

Contact hour requirement.  A traditionally delivered semester course should contain 15 weeks of instruction, plus a week for final examinations.  For instance, a three-SCH course should contain 15 weeks of instruction (45 contact hours) plus a week for final examinations, so that such a course contains 45 to 48 contact hours depending on whether there is a final exam.  A course that includes fewer contact hours or is delivered in a shortened time period must receive formal, written approval in advance from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Amount of work.  A semester credit hour is an amount of work that reasonably approximates:

  1. Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work per week for 15 weeks, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
  2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required in subsection (1) for other credit-bearing academic activities as established by the College of Law, including simulation, field placement, clinical, co-curricular, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. 

For purposes of this definition, fifty minutes is sufficient to constitute one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction, and an “hour” for out-of-class student work is sixty minutes.  The College of Law may award credit hours for coursework that extends over any period of time, if the coursework entails no less than the minimum total amounts of classroom or direct faculty instruction and of-of-class student work specified in subsections (1) and (2), above.   For purposes of (1) and (2), the time may include time on final examination and midterm examinations, as well as other work. 

The following are examples of work that satisfies this requirement:

Exam course: 42.5 hours per credit of time spent in class, preparing for class (reading or completing class assignments or assessments), and preparing for and taking exams.

Paper course: 42.5 hours per credit of time spent in class, preparing for class (reading or completing class assignments or assessments), and researching and writing the required paper(s).  

Field placement or clinic: 42.5 hours per credit of time spent in class, performing field placement or clinic work, preparing for class or completing class assignments (including any reflective papers), and preparing for and taking an exam, if applicable.

In order to comply with this policy, the Registrar: (1) will schedule Summer courses over an 8 week period of time in addition to the Final Exam period and all school holidays; and (2) in Fall and Spring semesters, will schedule enough course weeks such that the semester encompasses 15 of each day of the week, in addition to the exam period and all scheduled school holidays.

The College of Law will regularly monitor adherence to this policy, through methods such as ongoing curriculum review and assessment, the course approval process, and the ongoing management of the College of Law’s academic program. 

Dean’s List and Graduation Honors

After each semester, the Registrar prepares the Dean’s List, which is based on GPA for the semester. The Dean’s List includes students who receive a 3.3 GPA or above for the semester. Graduating students receive “Latin honors” as follows:

3.4            Cum laude

3.7            Magna cum laude

3.9            Summa cum laude

Examinations

Other than as stated in this policy, a student may not take a final examination or a midterm examination at a time other than the regularly scheduled time.  Failure to take an examination on the regularly scheduled day, or on the day set for an exam that is rescheduled under this policy, will result in an “F” for the examination.

Rescheduling requests submitted before the start of the examination period.

A student may request to change an examination date to the next available date subsequent to the scheduled date under the following circumstances:

  1. The student has scheduled examinations at times that directly conflict with each other.
  2. The student has an illness that is sufficiently severe to prevent the student from taking the exam at the scheduled time.  Medical documentation is required for any application of this provision.
  3. The student experiences an unpreventable circumstance, such as severe illness or death in the immediate family, that would cause the taking of the exam at the scheduled time to be a major personal hardship for the student. Medical or other appropriate documentation is required for any application of this provision.  Work schedules, vacation plans, or travel arrangements do not qualify as a basis for rescheduling.

If a student seeks to reschedule an examination under any of these provisions, the student must submit his or her request to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs (Dean Robinowich) by completing and submitting to an Exam Rescheduling Request Form. The request can be submitted in hard copy or via email. If the reason for the scheduling request is conflicting exams, the request must be submitted at least two weeks before the start of the exam period.  If the reason for the request is illness or hardship, the request must be submitted as soon as practicable after the student becomes aware of the problem.  If the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs approves the request, he will notify the Office of the Registrar, which will work with the student on available alternatives. 

If the request to take an exam at other than the scheduled time presents problems relating to delivering the same exam to the student as the other students will take, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs will consult with the instructor who, in his or her discretion, may require the student to take a special final examination or submit a special paper. If this occurs, the instructor may, in his or her discretion, grade the examination or paper either on a credit/no credit basis or on the same numerical basis as the other exams or papers.

Rescheduling requests submitted after the start of the examination period.

A student may request to change an examination date during the examination period to the scheduled date under the following circumstances:

1. The student was ill on the examination day or on the day immediately preceding the examination, and presents medical documentation confirming the illness.

2. The student experienced an emergency (examples would be the death or severe illness of a close relative, or a car accident) on the examination day or immediately prior to the day, and presents satisfactory evidence of the emergency. 

The student must submit his or her request to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs by completing and submitting an Exam Rescheduling Request Form. The request should not be submitted to the professor or instructor in the course.  If the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs approves the request, he will notify the Office of the Registrar, which will work with the student on available alternatives. 

If the request to take an exam at other than the scheduled time presents problems relating to delivering the same exam to the student as the other students will take, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs will consult with the instructor who, in his or her discretion, may require the student to take a special final examination or submit a special paper. If this occurs, the instructor may, in his or her discretion, grade the examination or paper either on a credit/no credit basis or on the same numerical basis as the other exams or papers.

FERPA

The College of Law complies with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99), which protects the privacy of student education records.

Consent to Disclose Education Records

Except in limited circumstances, the College of Law will not release personally identifiable information from a student’s education record without a signed and dated, written consent from the student. A student’s consent to disclose an education record to a third party must specifically identify the education re- cord for which consent is granted, the purpose for the disclosure, and the identity of the person or entity to which the education record is to be disclosed.

Directory Information

“Directory Information” means information contained in the education record of a student that would generally not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. The following types of student information are considered “directory” for the purposes of this policy:
  • Name
  • Address
  • Email address assigned by the College of Law
  • EUID assigned by the College of Law
  • Date and place of birth
  • Participation in officially recognized activities
  • Dates of attendance
  • Enrollment status
  • Degrees, awards and honors received
  • Expected graduation date
  • Most recent previous school attended
  • Photograph      

Currently enrolled students wishing to withhold any or all directory information may do so by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar prior to the 12th class day in the fall and spring terms or equivalent dates during the summer sessions. A request to withhold directory information may be submitted after the stated deadline for a term or session, but information may be released between the deadline and receipt of the request. Directory information of a student who has requested withholding of directory information will remain excluded until the student submits a subsequent written request to release directory information.

Disclosure of Education Records as Permitted without a Student’s Consent

FERPA permits the disclosure of education records without a student’s consent under limited circumstances. For a full description of the circumstances under which education records may be released without student consent, please consult Policies of the UNT Dallas College of Law 7.303.

Student Right to Inspect and Review Records

With limited exception, a student has the right to inspect and review his or her own education records, to receive explanation and interpretation of the records, and to obtain copies of the records when needed to allow the student to effectively exercise the right of inspection and review. Students seeking to inspect or review their education records should contact the following Responsible Administrator:

 

Record

Responsible Official

Permanent

Registrar

Academic transcript

Registrar

Disciplinary record

Assistant Dean of Student Affairs

Academic disciplinary record

Assistant Dean of Student Affairs

Financial aid

Financial Aid Advisor

Financial accounts

Manager of Student Accounting

Placement

Director of Career and Professional Development

If a student submits a request for records to an administrator other than the one who maintains the record being sought, the administrator will advise the student of the correct administrator to whom the request should be addressed.

The College of Law will comply with all student requests to review and inspect records within 45 days of the date that the request is submitted to the appropriate records custodian. Students requesting access to their education records may be asked to verify their identity with a government issued photo identification, prior to inspection. Students seeking access either electronically or by telephone will be asked to verify their identity by providing information of specific individual relevance - not including a social security number.

Student Right to Request Amendment of Education Records

College of Law students have the right to correct their own education records when the records are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. Students may request amendment of their education record by submitting a request to the appropriate records custodian. The College of Law will issue a decision within a reasonable period of time after receiving the student’s request.
 
Students may challenge a College of Law decision regarding the amendment of an education record by filing a request for a hearing with the Dean of Students. The request must identify the contested record and specify the reason that the record is believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or a violation of the privacy rights of the student. After the hearing, if the College of Law determines that the education record is not inaccurate, misleading, or a violation of the student’s privacy rights, the student may place a statement in his or her education record commenting on the contested content and the basis for disagreement with the College of Law’s decision.
 
The College of Law will amend any education record that is determined to be inaccurate, misleading, or a violation of the student’s privacy rights. The right to amend or correct an education record does not apply to routine grade appeals.

Graduation Requirements for Award of the J.D. Degree

To graduate with a J.D. degree from the UNT Dallas College of Law, the following requirements must be met:
  • Credit hour requirement. Students entering in 2014 or 2015 must complete no less than 88 semester credit hours. Students entering in 2016 and beyond must complete no less than 90 hours.
  • Residency requirement. Students must complete at least 53 hours in residence.
  • Completion of required courses. The required courses are listed in the current Academic Catalog.
  • Completion of the writing requirement, the skills requirement, the research requirement, the experiential requirement, and the practice-related technology requirement.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
  • Complete all requirements in no less than 24 months and in no more than 6 years after matriculating at the College of Law or at a law school from which the student has received transfer credit.

The ABA Standards address the pace at which a student may complete his or her legal studies. Standard 304(c) requires that the course of study for a J.D. degree be completed “no earlier than 24 months and no later than 84 months after a student has commenced law study at the law school or a law school from which the school has accepted transfer credit.” The College of Law has adopted a maximum period of 6 years (72 months). In exceptional circumstances, the College of Law may extend this requirement but to no more than the maximum allowed by ABA Standard 304(c).

Grading and Withdrawal Policies

Grades and GPA Computation

The grading scale at the UNT Dallas College of Law consists of the following letter grades, along with the numerical equivalent used for calculating grade point average (GPA).

 

A+

4.30

B+

3.30

C+

2.30

D

1.00

A

4.00

B

3.00

C

2.00

F

0.00

A-

3.70

B-

2.70

C-

1.70

 

 

 

The lowest passing grade is a D.

In addition, the College of Law uses the following grades:

 

HP

High pass

P

Passing grade in a class graded on a pass/fail basis

W

Drop or withdrawal without penalty

WF

Drop or withdrawal with a failing grade

I

Incomplete

IP

In Progress. For multi-term courses or a series of courses in which the final grade will not be given until the completion of the multiple terms or series; the final grade when assigned at the end of the series will be applied to all courses within the series.

Credit/No Credit

A grade of “no credit” will not be calculated within the grade point aver- age; however, if a student receives a grade of no credit, he or she does not earn the credit for that course and, if the course is required, the student must repeat the course. The faculty may authorize a course to be graded on the basis of credit/no credit when, in the faculty’s judgment, this method of grading is appropriate given the nature and purpose of the course.

Grade point average is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted. The grade point average is rounded to the third decimal. The number of semester hours attempted includes all courses with grades from A through F, and WF.

In general, letter grades will correspond to the following levels of achievement: A=Exemplary; B=Good; C=Fair; D=Poor; F=Failure. Because the grading scale includes “plus” and “minus” for A, B, and C, the use of plus or minus corresponds to a level of achievement deemed plus or minus the level just noted.

Pass-Fail Grading

The College of Law may designate certain courses as pass-fail. Any such courses will carry a pass-fail designation at the time of registration for the semester or other term. A credit-bearing course carrying a pass-fail designation will count for purposes of required hours or other requirements, but it will not be included in the calculation of GPA.

A student may receive a grade of Incomplete for a course only during the last one-fourth of a term or semester and only if the student (1) is passing the course and (2) has a justifiable and documented reason, beyond the control of the student (such as serious illness or military service), for not completing the work on schedule. The student must arrange with the faculty member to finish the course at a later date by completing specific requirements. These requirements must be listed on a Request for Grade of Incomplete form signed by the faculty member, student, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A grade of I will default to F if the student does not complete the specified requirements within the stated time.

The College of Law has several non-credit-bearing requirements; specifically, the Community Engagement Requirement; the Mentorship Requirement; and the Practice-Related Technology Requirement. The faculty member or members responsible for overseeing these requirements will indicate whether a student has completed a requirement in a given semester, in a given year, or in its entirety, as applicable. The Office of the Registrar, through its processes and degree audit, will maintain ongoing tracking of student progress towards completing these requirements. If a student has not completed work or activities for the requirement at the end of a semester in which such work or activities must be completed, a hold will be placed on the student’s registration for the next semester.

Grade Changes and Appeals

Under UNT Dallas policy on grade appeals, students are encouraged to “resolve grade disputes through informal discussions with their faculty members and through a formal process only when necessary.” As to formal process, only final grades may be appealed. The bases for appeal of a final grade are clerical or administrative error in calculating or assigning grade; grade not calculated in accordance with the grading criteria set out in the syllabus; or grade based on arbitrary or unlawful reason, including retaliation, harassment, or observance of religious holy days. Faculty members may not consider any request to re-evaluate the work. Under the policy, when a student wishes to appeal a final grade in a course, “the student should first arrange a formal meeting with the instructor to discuss the student’s concern.” For more detail, see UNT Dallas Policy 7.007.

Segment Credit

To receive credit for completing a segment, a student must receive a passing grade on the assignment that provides the segment credit, whether or not the student receives a passing grade in the course providing the segment credit. Thus, it is possible for a student to receive a passing grade in a course but not receive credit for the segment(s) provided by the class. Alternatively, it is possible for a student to receive a failing grade in a course but receive credit for the segments provided by the course on which the student received a passing grade. The criteria for a passing grade on a segment assignment will be determined by the faculty member providing the grade for the segment assignment.

Exemptions from Course Requirements

In general, a student must receive a D or higher on all listed prerequisites prior to enrolling in a course. If a student wishes to enroll in a course in the same semester as one or more of the listed prerequisites for that course, the student must submit the Prerequisite Exemption Form. The final determination regarding the student’s request will be made by the instructor of the course requiring the prerequisite(s). Under no circumstances will permission be granted for a student to enroll in a course in a semester prior to the semester in which the student enrolls in the listed prerequisite(s).

Repeating Courses

A student who receives a grade of F in a required course must retake the course. If the course is an upper level lockstep course, the student must retake the course within two enrolled semesters of the original attempt. All students must complete the first two semesters of law school before retaking any first-year required courses and must attempt any failed first year courses within two enrolled semesters of the original attempt. The new grade will replace the original grade in the computation of the student’s cumulative GPA. The original grade will remain on the transcript but will no longer affect the student’s cumulative GPA and will not count toward the required minimum credit hours for graduation.

A student who receives a grade of F in a required course may elect to retake the course. Both the original grade and the new grade will be computed in the student’s cumulative GPA, but the first attempt will not count toward the required minimum credit hours for graduation.

A student who receives a grade of D or higher in any course may retake the course with permission from the instructor, but the new grade will not be computed in the student’s cumulative GPA and the second attempt will not count toward the required minimum credit hours for graduation.

No student may retake a course more than once without permission from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

Records, Registration and Enrollment Information

Registration Times

Registration times for each semester and session are set and published by the College of Law Registrar. A student who fails to register during the normal registration time for a semester will lose any priority in registration.

Adding Courses          

Students may add classes during the first 12 days of class for fall and summer courses. For the summer sessions, the 3rd day of class is the last day of the period to add courses.

Auditing

Students currently enrolled at the UNT Dallas College of Law may audit a College of Law course if:

  1. the student has completed his or her first year (if a full-time student) or second year (if a part-time student)
  2. the professor approves; and
  3. if space is available as certified by the Registrar.

Auditing by a person other than a currently enrolled student is permissible only if the person has graduated from a J.D. program, and only if:

  1. the professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs grant permission, and
  2. space is available as certified by the Registrar.

The College of Law will publish the audit fee applicable for those not currently enrolled in the College of Law. Students currently enrolled in the College of Law receive priority over other law graduates as to any space available in the class to be audited.

Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

No student who enters in the full-time division may drop required first-year courses or required third-semester courses. No student who enters in the part-time division may drop required first-year courses or required third or fourth semester courses.

Other than the required courses just noted, students may drop a course before the “census date” without academic penalty or notation on the transcript. The census date is the 12th class day of a fall or spring semester, or the equivalent day of a summer session.

A student may drop a course after the census date only with approval from the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. If a course is dropped after the census date but before the end of the first six weeks of the fall or spring semester (or the equivalent date in summer sessions), the student receives a grade of W. If a course is dropped after the end of the first six weeks of the fall or spring semester (or the equivalent date in summer sessions), the student receives a grade of W if the student was maintaining a passing grade in the course at the time of the drop; the student receives a grade of WF if the student was not maintaining a passing grade at the time of the drop. No student may seek to withdraw from a class after the date designated by the Registrar during the tenth week of class in the fall or spring semester (or the equivalent period in summer sessions).

The Registrar’s office will publish, for each semester of the academic year and summer sessions, the census dates and drop dates.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Voluntary Withdrawal

UNT Dallas Policy 7.006 covers voluntary withdrawal. Withdrawal is a formal process. If a student decides to withdraw during a semester or during a summer session, he or she must complete the formal withdrawal process in order to withdraw in academic good standing. Students considering withdrawal should consult with the Registrar to ascertain the specific steps. If a student is considering withdrawal and believes that he or she might return, the student should consider the option of a leave of absence. 

Return after Voluntary Withdrawal

If a student withdraws in the first semester of law school and seeks to return, he or she must go through the admissions process with the applicants for admission. If a student withdraws after the first semester and seeks to return, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may approve the request to return.  Factors bearing on whether the request will be granted include the reasons for withdrawal and the student’s level of academic success before the withdrawal.

Leave of Absence

Upon a proper request, a student may be allowed to take a leave of absence for reasons of finances, health, or other personal reasons. Students considering a leave of absence should consult with the Associate Dean for Academics. To receive a leave of absence, the student must complete a leave of absence request and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs must approve it. The Associate Dean will advise the student about the conditions and timing by which return might be available.  When a student is on a leave of absence and is considering returning to the College of Law, the student should contact the Registrar at least three (3) months before the registration period for the term in which the student plans to return.

Working While Enrolled

In order to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in law school, students who enroll in the full-time division and who are working more than 20 hours per week in any semester or term must first meet with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the start of any semester in which the student is working more than 20 hours per week.

Involuntary Medical Withdrawal

The College of Law is committed to providing a learning environment that is conducive for students to develop to their fullest potential. On rare occasions, the College of Law may be required to activate a systematic response, including involuntary medical withdrawal, to students who may be in crisis or whose mental, emotional, or psychological health condition may directly threaten the safety of the learning environment.   Through the creation of a collaborative interdisciplinary team, the College of Law and UNT Dallas will provide a caring, confidential program of identification, intervention, and response in order to provide students with the greatest chance for success and the College of Law community with the greatest level of protection. See UNT Dallas Policy 7.008 

Additional Policies

Prohibition of Sexual Assault and Retaliation

The College of Law is committed to maintaining a work and educational environment that is free from sexual assault and retaliation.  Conduct that is inconsistent with this commitment will not be tolerated at any location, program, or other activity associated with the College of Law or UNT Dallas.  To this end, the UNT Dallas policy prohibiting sexual assault and retaliation applies to all students, faculty, staff, applicants for admission or employment, individuals and organizations conducting business on behalf of or for UNT Dallas or the College of Law, and visitors and participants at any location, program, or activity associated with the College of Law or UNT Dallas.  In addition, the College of Law may act under this policy when prohibited conduct that occurs off campus adversely affects or has a reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting the academic or work environment. 
 
The full policy can be found at UNT Dallas Policy 5.038. 

Student Complaints and Appeals

At the College of Law, the faculty, administration, and staff seek to provide a supportive and professional environment, with the goal of excellence in teaching and learning. The school welcomes student feedback about the educational program, services, and policies. The school also wants to ensure that students know about and have access to procedures for expressing or registering concerns, appeals, or complaints. Depending on the nature of a student’s concern or complaint, UNT Dallas or College of Law policies may provide a specific process for addressing that concern. When the concern or complaint does not fall within an existing procedure, students may use the process set out below.  The Law School will not retaliate in any manner against a student who files a complaint or appeal under any process, nor will it permit any faculty member, administrator, or student to do so.

 

Concerns or complaints about the College of Law that are outside the scope of any existing College of Law policy or procedure

Many times, a concern can be resolved by speaking with the faculty member, administrator, or staff person involved. If informal resolution is unsuccessful or not feasible, the student should consult any policy that applies in the area. For instance, policies on financial aid, Code of Conduct, Honor Code, grades, and other areas contain details about appeals. At times, a student might seek deviation from, exception to, or appeal from the application of a policy on a matter.  Further, a student might have a concern or complaint relating to a matter that is not covered under a current policy.

Students should use the following process: Prepare a petition or complaint in writing; include date, student’s name, telephone number, and email address; provide as much detail as possible about the concern; and submit the complaint to the Associate Dean for Academics (if the matter is academic) or to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs (if the matter is non- academic). The Associate or Assistant Dean or his or her designee will investigate the complaint in a timely manner, take appropriate action, and notify the student about the proposed resolution of the matter. If the student is not satisfied with the proposed resolution, the student may appeal the decision to the Dean of the College of Law; any such appeal must be filed in writing within five business days of the notification of the proposed resolution.

Complaints or concerns regarding discrimination or harassment of any type (including sexual harassment) made against a College of Law or UNTD student, faculty member, staff member, or other member of the College of Law or wider UNTD community.

•     Please refer to UNT Dallas Policies 5.001 and 5.001a.

•     Contact: UNT Dallas College of Law Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, or, in the case of sexual harassment, Title IX Coordinator Office, UNT Dallas.

Reports, concerns, or complaints relating to sexual assault or retaliation

  • Please refer to UNT Dallas Policy 5.038

Complaints or concerns relating to requests for disability accommodation

•     Please refer to UNT Dallas Policy 7.004.

•     Contact: College of Law Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.

Grade appeal

•     Please refer to UNT Dallas Policy 7.007

•     Contact: Individuals described in the appeal process set out in 7.007.

Complaints or concerns relating to the release of student information

•     Please refer to UNT Dallas Policy 7.003.

•     Contact: Registrar, College of Law.

Concerns or reports regarding the Code of Conduct

•     Please refer to UNT Dallas Policy 7.001

•     Contact: College of Law Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.

Concerns or reports relating to the Honor Code of the College of Law

•     Please refer to College of Law Honor Code, https://lawschool.untsystem.edu/sites/all/themes/untcolresponsive2b/pdfs/COL- Honor-Code_2014.pdf

•     To report potential Honor Code violations, contact the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Kevin Robinowich, or use the on-line portal.

Appeal of a decision relating to financial aid

•     Please refer to http://financialaid.unt.edu/sap

•     Contact: Office of Financial Aid, UNT Dallas College of Law

Complaints relating to compliance with ABA Standards

ABA-accredited law schools are subject to the ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools.  Although the UNT Dallas College of Law is not yet accredited, the College of Law desires to comply with ABA Standards for addressing student complaints. A complaint is a communication in writing that seeks to bring to the attention of the law school a significant problem that directly implicates the school’s compliance with the Standards. The ABA standards may be found at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/standards.html .

Bringing a complaint. A student who seeks to bring a complaint that directly implicates the school’s compliance with the Standards may do so by the following: (1) Complete and submit a written complaint form that sets forth with particularity the ABA standard or standards as to which the student has concerns about non-compliance; (2) Submit the form by email, in person, or by U.S. Mail to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Process after submitting: The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or his or her designee shall respond to the complainant within three (3) business days to acknowledge receipt of the complaint.  Acknowledgement may be made by email, U.S. mail, or by personal delivery. Within two weeks of acknowledging the complaint, the Associate Dean or designee shall meet with the complainant or provide a written response to the substance of the complaint. The complainant should receive a response to the complaint during the meeting or in writing, informing the complainant about the steps that are being taken by the law school to investigate or address the complaint. If additional investigation is necessary, the complainant shall receive a substantive response within two weeks after the investigation has been concluded.

Appeal. After the complainant receives a substantive response, setting forth what action the law school will take regarding the complainant has the right to appeal the decision to the Dean of the College of Law. The decision of the Dean is final.

Maintaining a Record of the Complaint: The Law School will maintain a written copy of the complaint and the resolution of the complaint for eight (8) years from the date of the final resolution of the complaint.

 

Acceptable Use of Computers and Information Resources

The College of Law provides each of its students with accounts that permit use of the College of Law’s information resources-including computer resources and software for which the College of Law has obtained licenses. By using these information resources, students agree to abide by the policies and procedures of UNT Dallas as well as federal, state, and local laws. These policies and procedures include but are not limited to the UNT Dallas acceptable use policy; UNT Dallas policies against harassment, plagiarism, and unethical conduct; and federal, state, and local laws pertaining to theft, copyright infringement, insertion of viruses into computer systems, and other computer-related crimes.

Use of information resources must be consistent with UNT Dallas and College of Law policies regarding plagiarism, unethical conduct, and harassment.

Laws relating to the protection of intellectual property extend to the electronic environment. Unless specifically stated otherwise, users should assume that works communicated through the computer net- work are subject to all federal laws, state laws, and UNT Dallas policies relating to copyright, trademark, and intellectual property.

Use of the College of Law’s information resources and content transmitted through these resources may be subject to:

  • Review or disclosure in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act and other laws;
  • Administrative review of information resource usage for a security purpose or in regard to legal or compliance concerns;
  • Information resources maintenance;
  • Audits or other reviews necessary to protect the reasonable interests of the College of Law and other uses of the information resources.

 

Unauthorized and impermissible use of College of Law information resources includes the following:

  • Sharing College of Law accounts, personal information numbers, passwords, or other identifiers is- sued to the user;
  • Unauthorized entry into a file, to use, read, or change the contents or for any other purpose;
  • Abuse of computer and information resources, including interruption of function or insertion of viruses;
  • Use of College of Law computer resources for personal financial gain or a personal commercial purpose;
  • Unauthorized copying or transferring of files or data;
  • Unauthorized use of another’s identification and/or password;
  • Use of computing facilities to interfere with the work of another student, faculty member, or College of Law official;
  • Use of computing facilities to send obscene, abusive, harassing, or threatening messages;
  • Use of computing facilities to interfere with normal operations of the College of Law computing system;
  • Damaging or altering records or programs.

For more detail, see Chapter 14 of UNT Dallas Policies.  

Alcohol or Substance Abuse

The College of Law is committed to maintaining an environment free from substance abuse by students and employees as well as complying with state and federal laws related to the unlawful possession or distribution of illicit drugs and/or alcohol.
 
UNT Dallas policies prohibit the illicit use, sale, attempted sale, conveyance, distribution, manufacture, cultivation, dispensation, purchase, attempted purchase, and possession of illegal drugs, intoxicants, or controlled substances, at any time and in any amount or in any manner.
 
The purchase, consumption, and possession of alcoholic beverages in College of Law facilities shall in all respects comply with state laws and UNT Dallas policies. Failure to comply by any student will constitute grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the College of Law. A student who violates any state law related to use or possession of drugs or alcohol will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
 
Students may be required to participate in and satisfactorily complete an approved rehabilitation or assistance program.
 
More details on the alcohol and substance abuse policy can be found in UNT Dallas Policy 7.011.

Compliance with Copyright Laws

Students, faculty, and staff at the UNT Dallas College of Law are expected to comply with federal copyright laws. Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States to the authors of “original works of authorship.” A copyright belongs to the author of a work, unless the author grants the ownership in writing to someone else, such as the author’s publisher. The types of works that can be copyrighted include literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and architectural works; motion pictures and other audiovisual works; sound recordings; and electronic works, including computer chips, software, and some databases.

Lack of a copyright notice on a work does not mean the work is not protected by copyright. A copyright notice is not required under U.S. law. The use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with, the Copyright Office.

Anyone who makes unauthorized use of copyrighted material in a manner that violates the copyright owner’s exclusive rights (except for the limitations and exemptions allowed by law) is committing copyright infringement and may be subject to civil and criminal penalties as well as disciplinary action by the College of Law.

Free Speech

The UNT Dallas College of Law is a public institution of higher education, with its primary purpose to provide an environment for education and scholarship. College of Law facilities are reserved primarily to support the educational objectives and mission of the College of Law. The College of Law recognizes that the freedom to exchange ideas is an essential component of the educational process. Expressive activities promote debate and the sharing of ideas and substantially contribute to the marketplace of ideas that is the foundation of an educational institution. The College of Law protects the rights of students to engage in the free exchange of ideas, while promoting a safe learning environment and preventing interference with College of Law functions and activities. Expressive activity in College of Law facilities will not be limited based on content or based on the political, religious, or other affiliation of the speaker.
 
The College of Law facility may not be used in ways that would substantially disrupt or materially interfere with College of Law teaching, administration, or programs. Use of the College of Law facility by students or student organizations will be granted on a non-discriminatory basis, ensuring equal opportunity for all members of the College of Law community. Unless sponsored by a student organization, College of Law facilities are not available for use by individuals or groups not affiliated with the College of Law.
 
More detail can be found in UNT Dallas Policy 7.009.

Identity Cards

The UNT Dallas College of Law Campus ID card (ID card) is required for access to campus classrooms, library, campus services and resources, events; in addition, it is required for student financial services assistance. The Campus ID must be in the student’s possession at all times while he or she is on the law school campus.
 
The Campus ID may not be used by any person other than the one to whom it is issued, and it must be surrendered on the request of any official of the College of Law. If an ID card is lost, another can be requested through the Office of Admissions during regular business hours.

No Tobacco Policy

No tobacco products may be consumed or used inside the UNT System Building, and the use of “e-cigarettes” is not allowed in the building.

Safety Warnings

All students, employees, and visitors are expected to follow directions as provided during any emergency, such as fire or severe weather. Alerts may be issued via the building’s public announcement system, email, text messages, and voice mail. Alternatively, if an alert occurs and no instructions are given, check posted instructions in all classrooms and office suites.

Student Email Account

UNT Dallas College of Law email serves as the official College of Law method for communicating with students. The College of Law email account will be used as a method for notifying students of dangerous or emergency situations occurring on campus, academic or financial responsibilities, and any other College of Law matters. It is the responsibility of the student to regularly check his or her UNT Dallas College of Law email.

Student Organizations

The College of Law recognizes the importance of student government and student organizations in the formation of students and in the mission of the College of Law.
 
The Student Bar Organization (SBA) acts as a representative body on behalf of students to:
  • Provide a voice for students to the College of Law administration on matters of interest to students;
  • Encourage and promote interest in university affairs and activities;
  • Promote and develop activities that enrich the social, cultural, and academic life at the College of Law; and
  • Serve on College of Law committees as designated by College of Law policy or Regent Rule.

The SBA operates in accordance with a constitution and by-laws that establish equal membership and voting rights for every student enrolled at the College of Law.

A “student organization” means a group of College of Law students joined together in the pursuit of a common purpose. Such organizations must be open to all students without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

Student organizations must have the formal agreement of a full-time College of Law faculty or staff member to serve as an advisor. In addition, any student organization seeking the privileges of status as a College of Law “registered student organization” must register annually in the Office of the Dean of Students.

Registering organizations must provide the following upon registering with the Office of the Dean of Students:

  • A list of all current members.
  • The names and contact information for all students holding leadership positions in the student organization. If such names are not available at the time of registration, they must be provided within ten (10) business days of their election to a leadership position.
  • A copy of the student organization’s current constitution and by-laws.
  • A copy of the student organization’s policy manual, if applicable.
  • The name of the full-time faculty or staff member who has formally agreed to serve as an advisor.

Registration does not imply College of Law endorsement of the viewpoints, objectives, or purposes of the student organization, and the College of Law assumes no responsibility for the content of programs or activities sponsored by a registered student organizations.

The president or equivalent student organization leader must be currently enrolled at the College of Law and must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.25. If the leader’s grade point average falls below 2.25, the leader will not be eligible to continue to serve in the leadership position.

Registered organizations must participate in student organization training sessions as required by the Office of the Dean of Students. The registration process will not be complete until this requirement has been met.

Registered organizations are entitled to the following privileges:

  • Opportunity to hold meetings in College of Law facilities at no cost other than those required under other College of Law policies.
  • Eligibility for funding through the Office of the Dean of Students for qualifying uses related to promotion and operation of the student organization.
  • Access to College of Law student organization web resources and email at no cost, so long as the student organization acts in compliance with College of Law computer use policies.
  • Opportunity to schedule and present programs for the College of Law community through the Office of the Dean of Students.
  • Recognition in the annual publications of the Office of the Dean of Students.

Student organizations are subject to the requirements of the College of Law Code of Conduct, and violations of the Code may result in the withdrawal of privileges under the provisions of the Code.

More details on student government and student organizations can be found in UNT Dallas Policy 7.012.

Student Journals

The UNT Dallas College of Law has two digital law journals. The content of both journals will be published online and hosted by the UNT Digital Library.
 
On the Cusp will publish articles of high value to practicing lawyers, especially on legal topics and fields of interest to small and solo practitioners. It will include articles written by external authors (practitioners, professors, and judges), and student-written comments. To reflect the College of Law’s commitment to the important mission of such a journal, and to draw on the faculty’s practice and writing experience, the journal will have several faculty advisers.
 
Accessible Law is a multimedia journal, published online, and focused on publishing content that illustrates and explains law and the legal system for the civic community. There will be four primary types of content: articles, columns, media, and forms. The process for publishing articles will resemble a more traditional journal, with students serving as editors for articles written by other students, faculty members, and external authors.

Timely Warnings

In accordance with the Jeane Clery Act, UNT Dallas will issue warnings to the university community, including the College of Law, of crimes that may present a serious or continuing threat to the university or college community in a manner that is timely and that will aid in the prevention of similar crimes. The timely warning will be issued using a combination of methods that allow for the prompt communication to the university community. Timely warnings will include sufficient information about the nature of the threat to allow members of the community to take protective action, unless law enforcement determines that publishing such information could possibly compromise law enforcement actions. For more detail, see UNT Dallas Policy 12.001.

Use of Rooms

When not in use for classes or college events, rooms may be reserved for group study or student meetings by completing the appropriate form available from the Registrar’s Office.
 

 

Honor Code Policy Statement

In its preamble to the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, the American Bar Association states: “A lawyer, as a member of the legal profession, is a representative of clients, an officer of the legal sys- tem, and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice.” A legal education is the gateway to serving these roles as a lawyer, and a student’s legal education is itself a critical period in his or her professional formation. Thus, all students at the UNT Dallas College of Law are expected to abide by the high ethical and conduct standards needed to serve as representatives of clients, officers of the legal system, and public citizens with special responsibility for the quality of justice. These expectations are expressed in and put into operation through two avenues: the Honor Code, and the Code of Conduct. The Honor Code of the College of Law, contained in UNT Dallas Policy 7.024, expresses and puts into operation the expectation of academic integrity. The Code of Conduct contains standards of conduct designed to foster a safe learning environment reflecting the core values of civility, reasoning, respect for the rights and property of others, and respect for and understanding of diverse viewpoints. For the Code of Conduct, please consult UNT Dallas Policy 7.001.

Honor Code of the UNT Dallas College of Law

All students at the UNT Dallas College of Law are expected to abide by the high ethical and conduct standards needed to serve as representatives of clients, officers of the legal system, and public citizens with special responsibility for the quality of justice.

These expectations are expressed in and put into operation through two avenues: the Honor Code, and the Code of Conduct.

  • The Honor Code expresses the expectation that students will behave with academic integrity. The requirement of academic integrity means that a student will not cheat, plagiarize, or falsify in any academic matter.
  • The Code of Conduct expresses the expectation that all members of the UNT Dallas College of Law community will conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates civility as well as respect for the dignity, rights, safety, and property of others.

Honor Code violations may adversely impact a student’s application for admission to the Bar of Texas and other states, because the Board of Law Examiners investigates the character and fitness of applicants to the Bar.

Because students, faculty, and administration have a vital interest in maintaining a community of academic integrity, all play a role in the administration and ongoing development of the Honor Code.

Application of the Policy

The Honor Code applies to all students at the UNT Dallas College of Law and to all academic matters. Students are expected to maintain the principles of academic integrity and to conform to the requirements of this Honor Code upon application for admission to the College of Law through the award of their degree or such time as there is a formal termination of the student relationship with the COL. Violations of the Honor Code will continue to be considered even if a student withdraws from the COL or graduates from the COL during the review process.

Definitions

Academic matters: Any actions or activity related to a course or to satisfying the requirements for graduation, and any curricular and co-curricular activities connected to students’ academic and professional development including but not limited to moot court competitions, journals, externships and career services.
 
College of Law (COL): UNT Dallas College of Law.
 
Honor Council: Body trained to review alleged violations of the Honor Code and also to promote awareness of the Honor Code.

UNT Dallas College of Law Honor Council

Purpose

The UNT Dallas College of Law Honor Council is entrusted by the law school Community to administer the COL Honor Code and to promote awareness of and education about the Honor Code. The COL Honor Council regularly reviews the Honor Code and may adopt bylaws and publish guidelines and information that are consistent with and further the effectiveness of the Honor Code.

Composition

The nine member Honor Council includes the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs who will serve as chair of the Committee, four COL faculty members who will be appointed by the Dean of

the College of Law, and four students who will be appointed in the initial year of Honor Council operation by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs but in all subsequent years will be selected and appointed by the officers of the COL Student Bar Association based on student applications and in accordance with procedures adopted by the College of Law Student Bar Association.

Term

Honor Council members will be appointed for a single academic term (August 1 through July 31) with faculty members permitted to serve consecutive appointments upon appointment of the Dean and students permitted to serve consecutive appointments in accordance with procedures adopted by the College of Law Student Bar Association.

Confidentiality

Upon appointment all members of the Honor Council must agree to abide by an oath of confidentiality modeled after the oath taken by members of the State Bar of Texas Attorney Grievance Committee which states:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute my duties as a member of the Honor Council of the UNT Dallas College of Law. I further solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will keep confidential all matters that come to my knowledge as a member of the Honor Council arising from or in connection with any Honor Code matter, unless permitted to disclose a matter in accordance with the Honor Code or unless ordered to do so.”

Categories of Academic Misconduct

All students of the UNT Dallas College of Law shall behave with academic integrity. Cheating, plagiarizing, or falsifying in any academic matter is a violation of this standard and constitutes academic misconduct.

The requirement of academic integrity has implications for the UNT Dallas College of Law community as well as for individual students. Academic misconduct undermines the common bond of trust, fairness, and ethical behavior within the College of Law community. Thus, all members of the College of Law com- munity are under an obligation to report academic misconduct.

To a large extent, there is common understanding about what constitutes academic misconduct. Adults usually do not need a definition of cheating, plagiarizing, or falsifying to know whether they are engaging in that conduct. Yet some definitions, examples, and guidelines are useful to include in this Honor Code.

First, these can have a signaling and reinforcing effect. Second, these can educate students in areas as to which there may be less common understanding, such as the relationship between paraphrasing and plagiarism. Third, it is important to describe violations of this Code in sufficient detail to prevent misunderstanding about the scope and effects of this Code.

The College of Law Honor Code is not written with the specificity of a criminal statute, nor is it intended to cover every instance of potentially prohibited academic misconduct. Students may be disciplined for the following types of academic misconduct.

Cheating

An act of deception or misrepresentation by which a student could gain an unfair advantage in an academic matter. Examples include:

  1. Obtaining information about a test or assignment other than by the methods or within the boundaries that the instructor has permitted.
  2. Seeking to make research resources unavailable to other students, such as hiding or destroying books or sources.
  3. Seeking or receiving any unauthorized assistance, or providing any unauthorized assistance to another, in connection with tests or assignments.
  4. Submitting work for credit on one course that the student has already submitted for credit in another course, unless authorized by the instructor.
  5. Taking additional time beyond the time authorized to complete an assignment or exam.
  6. Collaboration   in an unauthorized way. At the College of Law, a student’s work in curricular and co-curricular settings is often expected and in some cases required to be collaborative. However, there will be instances when a student is required to work individually, without collaboration or assistance. Unauthorized collaboration is collaboration that does not comply with the instructor’s requirements relating to receiving assistance for or collaboration           with others.

Plagiarism

Presenting as one’s own work any material obtained from another source, whatever the source - for instance text, Internet, digital or materials prepared by other students. Intent is not required to constitute plagiarism; negligent plagiarism is a violation of the Honor Code. In general, obtaining and using materials from any source without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism. Whether plagiarism has occurred does not depend on the quantity of the material that is used. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the following conduct:

  1. Verbatim copying another’s work without proper attribution (quotation marks and citation to sources).
  2. Slightly paraphrasing otherwise verbatim material, even if the source is cited, without indicating that the passage is basically taken verbatim from the source.
  3. Using another’s ideas or concepts without proper attribution.
  4. Mixing verbatim or slightly paraphrased content from multiple sources without proper attribution of the underlying source.

Falsifying

Lying, fabricating facts or sources, and/or misrepresenting facts or sources; including but not limited to:

  1. Using a false excuse to avoid or be excused from an assignment or test.
  2. Falsely indicating the time at which an assignment is turned in.
  3. Falsifying the hours spent on an assignment or project when the number of hours spent is relevant to credit or grade awarded.
  4. Falsely indicating the presence of the student or another student for attendance in connection with any academic matter.
  5. Signing another student’s name or allowing one’s own name to be signed by another student in connection with any academic matter.
  6. Forging or altering student records or documents.
  7. Citing nonexistent authority or authority known not to support the proposition for which it is used.

Aiding or Abetting an Act of Academic Misconduct

Assisting or aiding another to cheat, plagiarize or falsify and participating in any effort to cover- up or hide a violation of the Honor Code.

Community Obligation to Report Violations

The College of Law is committed to maintaining a culture of professionalism and mutual respect. All members of the law school community should expect and insist on academic integrity from themselves and all members of the community. Failure to exercise academic integrity undermines the common bond of trust, fairness, and ethical behavior within the COL community. If any student observes conduct that he or she believes violates this Honor Code, the student has an obligation to speak to the faculty member or to the Honor Code Representative. All members of the COL community must also report violations of academic integrity committed by others.

Sanctions for Academic Misconduct

Factors in Determining Sanctions

The Honor Code does not require a particular sanction for a particular violation of the Honor Code. Rather, the full range of sanctions set out below is available for an Honor Code violation. Which sanction or sanctions are proper in a given case depends on circumstances including:

  1. Flagrancy of the violation - Negligence or inadvertence is not, per se, a defense to an Honor Code violation, although negligent or inadvertent conduct sometimes will not constitute an Honor Code violation. The fact that conduct was negligent rather than intentional may mitigate a sanction; likewise, the fact that a student acted intentionally may be an aggravating factor.
  2. Harm to others.
  3. Self-reporting of a violation prior to knowing that anyone else would report the violation.
  4. Any other circumstances that, in the judgment of the Honor Code Hearing Panel, should be treated as aggravating or mitigating factors.

Possible Sanctions

Possible sanctions for violation of the Honor Code include:

  1. Written reprimand.
  2. Educational sanction.
    1. For Honor Code violations relating to a class or course credit and with the concurrence of the instructor an educational sanction may include:
      1. Change of course grade, including change to a failing grade.
      2. Disallowing credit for an academic assignment or test, with or without an opportunity to resubmit or re-take an assignment or test.
      3. Removing academic credit for a course.

   b.   Failure to comply with the assignment may result in further discipline.

      3. Loss of privileges - including removal from student organizations or denial of privilege to participate in COL activities.

      4. Probation for a specified period of time and/or under specified conditions.

      5. Suspension for a specified period of time or until compliance with specified conditions is documented.

      6. Expulsion. Permanent separation from the College of Law.

Procedures to Address Honor Code Violations

Honor Code Representative

The Dean of the College of Law will designate a senior administrator or faculty member to serve as the Honor Code Representative (HCR). The HCR will conduct a preliminary investigation of reported Honor Code violations. The HCR will also maintain records of all reported violations of the Honor Code and will provide an annual summary of violations and sanctions.

Reporting Honor Code Violations

Any member of the COL Community (faculty, student, staff or administrator) who has reasonable cause to believe that an Honor Code violation has occurred must report the violation to the HCR. Members of the COL faculty may also follow the procedures set forth in the section titled Faculty Review of Possible Honor Code Violation. A written report to the HCR must include:

  1. The name of the reporting person.
  2. The date, time and location of the reported violation.
  3. A complete description of the alleged violation.
  4. Names of any potential witnesses or individuals with information related to the reported violation.

Faculty Review of Possible Honor Code Violations

If a faculty member believes that a student in his or her class has violated the Honor Code, the faculty member may either meet with the student to discuss the alleged violation or report the violation directly to the HCR without meeting with the student.

  1. After meeting with the student:
    1. If there is reasonable cause to believe that an Honor Code violation has occurred, the faculty member must report the alleged violation to the HCR. The report to the HCR is not a final conclusion that an Honor Code violation has occurred. The faculty report to the HCR must include:
      1. The name of the reporting faculty member.
      2. The date, time and location of the reported violation.
      3. A complete description of the alleged violation.
      4. Names of any potential witnesses or individuals with information related to the reported violation.
    2. If no violation is confirmed, no further action will be taken by the faculty member.
  2. A direct faculty referral for HCR review must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and copied to the student. The referral must include:
    1. A full description of the alleged violation of the Honor Code.
    2. A full summary of all information to be provided in response to the alleged violation, including information presented by the student to the HCR during the initial meeting if available.

Preliminary Investigation of Honor Code Violations by HCR

The HCR will investigate written reports of violations of the Honor Code to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the Honor Code occurred. The HCR will notify the student who is the subject of a reported violation and require the student to respond within seven calendar days of the date of the notice to schedule a meeting to review the allegations and to offer a response. If a student fails to respond timely the HCR will refer the reported violation for immediate review by the Honor Council.

  1. At a meeting with the student, the HCR will review the reported violation and any information developed through the HCR’s preliminary investigation. The student will be offered the opportunity to respond and to offer additional information for consideration by the HCR.
  2. After the HCR concludes the preliminary investigation, if there is not sufficient information to provide reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the Honor Code occurred, the HCR will dismiss the reported violation.
  3. If the HCR finds reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the Honor Code has occurred, the HCR will meet with the student to discuss options available to the students to address the Honor Code violation including:
    1. Entering an Agreed Disposition, or
    2. Requesting referral to the Honor Council for final determination.
  4. A student must contact the HCR no more than seven calendar days after the meeting to select an option to address the Honor Code violation. If the student fails to contact the HCR within seven calendar day, the HCR will refer the reported violation to the Honor Council for final determination. The written referral to the HCR will include a full description of the alleged violation and a full summary of all information to be provided in response to the alleged violation, including information presented by the student to the HCR during the initial meeting if available.

Agreed Disposition of Honor Code Violations

  1. A student may resolve an Honor Code violation through an agreed disposition at any time during the Honor Code review process. An Agreed Disposition must be in writing and must include:
    1. An admission that the reported conduct constitutes a violation of the Honor Code.
    2. Waiver of the option for the Honor Council to consider the circumstances underlying the alleged violation of the Honor Code or to reach a final  conclusion.
    3. Acknowledgement that the agreed disposition constitutes a finding that the student has violated the COL Honor Code and that the finding must be reported upon request on an application to sit for any bar exam.                               
  2. Records of an agreed disposition will be maintained permanently by the Dean of Students in accordance with the COL Student Records Policy with nonconsensual disclosure limited as set forth in the policy.

Review of Honor Code Violations by the Honor Council

The Honor Council will review alleged violations of the Honor Code that are: directly referred by faculty; requested by a student after meeting with the HCR; or referred by the HCR due to lack of the student’s participation or cooperation in the review process.

  1. Upon receiving notice of a request for Honor Council review, the Chair of the Honor Council will appoint a five member Honor Code Hearing Panel from among the members of the Honor Council. No member of the Honor Council may be appointed to serve on a Hearing Panel for a matter on which the Honor Council member has a conflict of interest. In addition to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or his or her designee, the Honor Code Hearing Panel must include:
    1. Two (2) students. If student members of the Honor Council are not available to serve on a panel within a reasonable period of time, the Dean of the College of Law may appoint substitute student members to the Hearing Panel in consultation with the President of the Student Bar Association.
    2. Two (2) faculty members. If faculty members of the Honor Council are not available to serve on a panel within a reasonable period of time, the Dean of the College of Law may appoint substitute faculty members.
  2. The Honor Council Hearing Panel is appointed on an as needed basis to:
    1. Collect and review information, and make final determinations related to alleged violations of the Honor Code.
    2. Determine appropriate sanctions based on violations of the Honor Code.
  3. The Honor Council Hearing Panel will select a chair from among the appointed faculty members or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or his or her designee) to preside over the hearing and make all decisions related to procedure.
  4. As soon as practicable after receipt of the request for review, the Hearing Panel will notify the student, faculty and HCR as appropriate about the date, time and place for the requested hearing.

Agreed Disposition Once a Hearing Panel is Convened

Once a Hearing Panel has been convened, upon request of a student, the chair will convene a conference to include the student (and his or her representative), the HCR, and one student and one faculty member of the Hearing Panel to consider the possibility of an agreed disposition.

An agreed disposition is subject to the requirements set forth in the section titled Agreed Disposition of Honor Code Violation, and any agreed disposition must be approved by the chair.

Hearing Panel Procedures

  1. Standard of Proof. Evidence of a violation of the Honor Code must be proven through clear and convincing evidence.
  2. Record of Hearings. All Panel hearings will be recorded electronically and the record will be maintained in the Office of the Dean of Students. The record will be made available to the student upon request and a copy will be provided on request at the cost of the student.
  3. Student Representation. Students are expected to represent themselves before the Hearing Panel. Students may be accompanied by counsel or another representative during the hearing; however the advisor or counsel may not participate in the hearing and may only advise the student during breaks. A student must notify the chair seven days prior to a hearing if he or she will be accompanied by counsel so that an attorney from the University of North Texas System Office of General Counsel may also be present at the hearing.
  4. Notice of Witnesses and Exhibits. No fewer than five days before the hearing begins, the HCR and student must submit the names of witnesses and documents to be presented at the hearing to the chair of the Hearing Panel and to each other. Information received by the HCR or student after all other information is exchanged may still be introduced during the hearing upon providing reasonable notice to the other party.
  5. Closed Hearing. Hearings are closed and the proceedings are confidential. Hearing Panel members and others participating in the hearing may not discuss the proceedings prior to final resolution.
  6. Oath. The chair of the Hearing Panel will require all witnesses to take an oath to tell the truth.
  7. Opening and Closing Statements. Both the HCR and the student may offer opening and closing statements with the HCR going first and last in the order of presentation.
  8. Presentation of Evidence.
    1. The HCR will present evidence and call witnesses followed by the student’s presentation of evidence and witnesses. The HCR and student may ask questions of any witnesses. The chair and Hearing Panel members may also ask questions of any witnesses including the HCR and the student.
    2. A student may elect not to present evidence or witnesses or to speak on their own behalf. The decision not to present evidence will not be construed as an admission of responsibility.
    3. Proceedings before the Hearing Panel are not bound by the formal rules of evidence. The chair will make determinations regarding the relevancy of evidence and may limit evidence that is redundant, prejudicial or irrelevant.

Decision of the Hearing Panel

A decision of the Hearing Panel must be supported by at least four of the five members of the Hearing Panel. The Hearing Panel will issue a written decision at the conclusion of the hearing setting out its findings of fact related to the violation of the Honor Code, determination related to the alleged violation of the Honor Code and the appropriate sanction if a violation of the Honor Code is confirmed. Notice of the Hearing Panel’s decision will be provided to the student and the HCR within five days. A decision of the Hearing Panel is final unless a student appeals the decision within 14 days.

Appeal of the Hearing Panel Decision

  1. A student may appeal the decision of the Hearing Panel to the Dean of the College of Law on the limited grounds that the decision was:
    1. Based on a clearly erroneous interpretation of the Honor Code.
    2. Arbitrary and capricious
    3. Grossly excessive in regard to the assigned sanction.
  2. A student seeking appeal to the Dean must file a written notice of appeal with the Dean within 14 days of the decision of the Hearing Panel. The notice of appeal must describe the basis for the appeal and any supporting facts or analysis in support of the appeal. A copy of the notice of appeal must also be provide to the HCR who may also provide additional summary in support of the decision of the Hearing Panel.
  3. Upon review of the complete record and submissions by the student and the HCR, the Dean or a designee of the Dean may:
    1. Affirm the Hearing Panel decision and provide notice to the student.
    2. Recommend a different sanction, however the recommended sanction may not be more harsh than the sanction recommended by the Hearing Panel.
    3. Remand the matter back to the Hearing Panel for further proceedings or collection of evidence as defined by the Dean in which case the subsequent decision of the Hearing Panel will be subject to appeal in accordance with the normal process for review.
  4. The decision of the Dean or his or her designee is final.

Student Records

Any agreed disposition and final determination by the Hearing Panel or the Dean of the College of Law will be maintained in the student’s permanent academic file in accordance with the COL Student Records Policy.

Notices

All notices provided in accordance with these procedures will be delivered confidentially to a student’s official secure COL email address. All procedural dates will be calculated based on the date that a notice is sent to the student’s official COL email address. COL students are responsible for regularly checking their COL email address.

 

10.1. Purpose of the Code of Student Conduct

In its preamble to the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, the American Bar Association states: “A lawyer, as a member of the legal profession, is a representative of clients, an officer of the legal system, and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice.”  A legal education is the gateway to serving these roles as a lawyer, and a student’s legal education is itself a critical period in his or her professional formation. Thus, all students at the UNT Dallas College of Law are expected to abide by the high ethical and conduct standards needed to serve as representatives of clients, officers of the legal system, and public citizens with special responsibility for the quality of justice. 

These expectations are expressed in and put into operation through two avenues: the Honor Code, and the Code of Conduct.  The Honor Code, contained in UNT Dallas Policy 7.024, expresses and puts into operation the expectation of academic integrity.  The Code of Conduct , contained in UNT Dallas Policy 7.001, contains standards of conduct designed to foster a safe learning environment reflecting the core values of civility, reasoning, respect for the rights and property of others, and respect for and understanding of diverse viewpoints.
 

10.2. Definitions

10.2.1 Code of Conduct (the “Code”)

Expected standards of conduct and procedures established to provide a full and fair opportunity for review of alleged student misconduct.
 

10.2.2 College of Law (“COL”)

The UNT Dallas College of Law.
 

10.2.3 College of Law Community (“COL Community”)

The collective group of students, faculty, staff, COL officials and any other person employed by the COL or contributing to the COL.
 

10.2.4 College of Law Premises (“COL Premises”)

All buildings, facilities, land and other property that is owned, used or controlled by the COL.
 

10.2.5 College of Law Privileges (“COL Privileges”)

A special benefit granted or enjoyed by COL students, including but not limited to, participating in social events or COL-sponsored activities, election to student leadership positions, and registration as a COL-sponsored organization.
 

10.2.6 College of Law Sponsored Activity  (“COL-Sponsored Activity”)

An activity conducted under the authority of, or with the support of, the COL.
 

10.2.7 Complainant

Any individual who files a complaint with the Dean of Students alleging a violation of the Code.  When a student believes that s/he has been a victim of another student’s misconduct, the student who believes s/he has been a victim will have the same rights under the Code as are provided to a Complainant, even if another member of the COL community submitted the complaint.  In cases of alleged sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence and/or stalking, a student Complainant will have the same opportunity to participate in the disciplinary process and to receive notices as the Responsible Student.
 

10.2.8 Conduct conference

An educational forum in which the Dean of Students meets with a student to review alleged misconduct and provide an opportunity for student response. 
 

10.2.9 Conduct sanction

A disciplinary penalty for violation of the Code.
 

10.2.10 Consent

Words or actions that show an active knowing and voluntary agreement to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity.  Consent cannot be gained by force, by ignoring or acting without regard to the objectives of another, or by taking advantage of the incapacitation of another, where the student knows or reasonably should have known of such incapacity.  Use of alcohol or drugs may impair an individual’s capacity to freely consent and may render an individual incapable of giving consent. Consent is absent when the activity in question exceeds the scope of previously given consent.
 

10.2.11 Dating violence

Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and where the existence of such a relationship will be determined based on the following factors: the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
 

10.2.12 Dean of Students (“DOS”)

COL official responsible for administering the student disciplinary process in accordance with the Code, for maintaining student disciplinary conduct records, and for assisting students with resolution of conflict.
 

10.2.13 Day

The period between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, when the COL is open to conduct official business.
 

10.2.14 Disciplinary process

The procedures provided in the Code, from the initial complaint through final resolution, to consider whether a student has engaged in misconduct, and whether conduct sanctions should be imposed.
 

10.2.15 Domestic violence

Includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse of the victim, or by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, or by a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse of a victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.
 

10.2.16 Good Conduct Standing

Status in which a student is fully eligible to participate in COL activities and privileges.
 

10.2.17 Greater weight of the evidence

Standard of review considering whether alleged Code violations are more likely than not to have happened.
 

10.2.18 No-Contact Order

Order issued by the DOS prohibiting contact between individuals.  Order may be imposed as a sanction or as a directive by the DOS during an investigation.
 

10.2.19 Notice of Complaint

Initial document in the disciplinary process that identifies alleged violations of the Code.
 

10.2.20 Notice of Disciplinary Sanctions

Document in the disciplinary process that identifies conduct sanctions based on a violation of the Code.
 

10.2.21 Permanent Student Conduct Record

Documentation of a student’s conduct violation(s) and sanction(s) that are permanently maintained by DOS subject to the COL records retention schedule. This record is separate from an academic record.
 

10.2.22 Reconsideration

A request to modify findings of misconduct and/or conduct sanctions based upon newly discovered information.
 

10.2.23 Responsible student

A student who is alleged to have or who has violated the Code.
 

10.2.24 Request for review

A request for review of a DOS finding or conduct sanction by the Committee on Student Conduct.
 

10.2.25 Sexual exploitation

Taking non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another  for another’s own advantage or benefit, or to benefit or advantage anyone other than the person being exploited, including but not limited to, non-consensual video or audio-taping of sexual activity or undetected viewing of another’s sexual activity.
 

10.2.26 Sexual harassment

Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature including but not limited to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexual violence and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct or a sexual nature.
 

10.2.27 Sexual misconduct

Conduct including sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and/or sexual violence.
 

10.2.28 Sexual violence

Physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or when a person is incapable of giving consent due to the victim’s use of drugs or alcohol or other disability, including age.  Sexual violence includes but is not limited to rape, sexual assault, sexual battery or sexual coercion.
 

10.2.29 Sexual coercion

The use of manipulation or threat to force someone to have sex.
 

10.2.30 Stalking

Engaging in a course or conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others, or to suffer substantial emotional distress.
 

10.2.31 Student

An individual taking courses at the COL, either credit or non-credit, full- or part-time.  The term includes individuals who withdraw from the COL during the conduct process; those who are not currently enrolled in courses but who have a continuing academic relationship with the COL and those who have applied for admission or readmission to the COL.
 

10.2.32 Student Conduct Committee

A group convened to review findings of misconduct and/or conduct sanctions assigned by the DOS.
 

10.2.33 Student organization

A group of students who share a common interest and who are registered as a student group with the DOS.
 

10.3. Application
 

The COL Code of Student Conduct (“the Code”) was adopted by the Dean of the College of Law in accordance with authority delegated by the Board of Regents of the University of North Texas System. The Code is implemented and enforced under the direction of the Dean of the College of Law through the Dean of Students (“DOS”). The COL reserves the right to amend the Code at any time in accordance with established COL procedures.

The Code applies to all COL students and student organizations.

The Code applies to conduct that occurs on COL premises, and at COL activities; it also applies to conduct that may occur off campus that could adversely affect the interests of the COL community, the standing of the COL in the larger community, the pursuit of the COL’s educational mission or that could create a hostile environment for a student on campus. The DOS will decide whether the Code will apply to student off-campus conduct on a case-by- case basis.

Students are responsible for their conduct from the time of application for admission to the award of a degree, or such other time as there is a formal termination of the student relationship with the COL. Students are responsible for conduct occurring before classes begin and after classes end, as well as during the academic year and during periods between terms of enrollment. The Code continues to apply to student conduct even if a student withdraws from the COL during the disciplinary process. Applicants are also responsible for their conduct prior to admission or re-enrollment.

Students and student organizations may be subject to sanctions for violating COL policies and regulations governing:

  1. Use of COL communication and computing resources
  2. Smoking
  3. Freedom of expression
  4. Canvassing and solicitation
  5. Harassment, including sexual harassment
  6. Use of student identification
  7. Use of COL access devices
  8. Copyright or trademark
  9. COL Honor Code

 

10.4. Honor Code Application

Alleged violations of the COL Honor Code are reviewed and enforced under the exclusive direction of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Students engaged in acts which may constitute a violation of the Code and the Honor Code may be subject to sanction under both authorities.

 

10.5. Concurrent Violations of Law and the Code

Students may be accountable to criminal or civil authorities for conduct which may also violate the Code. The COL disciplinary process will normally proceed during the pendency of any related criminal or civil proceedings.  Students who are concurrently engaged in a related criminal matter will not be compelled to speak at a disciplinary conference or during a Student Conduct Committee Review.  A student’s silence will not be interpreted as an admission or used as evidence.  In situations where a student exercises their option not to make a personal statement or to otherwise present evidence, the DOS and/or the Student Conduct Committee will proceed based on all other available information in the absence of extraordinary circumstances.  Dismissal or other resolution of related criminal charges will not be grounds for reconsideration of a decision by the DOS and/or the Student Conduct Committee.

 

10.6. Admissions and Enrollment
 

10.6.1. Conduct review of applicants
 
  1. Applicants to the COL and former students seeking re-enrollment, may be referred to the DOS to consider alleged misconduct that could violate the Code and therefore impact admission or re-enrollment, including falsification of admissions documents. In such cases, DOS will review the student’s alleged misconduct to consider the individual’s potential to benefit from COL attendance as well as the welfare and safety of the COL community.
     
  2. DOS may determine not to clear an applicant for admission or a former student for re-enrollment, or to place the appropriate sanction(s) as conditions for enrollment upon an applicant or former student when evidence indicates that the applicant or former student has:
    1. Engaged in acts that were disruptive to the normal operations of an educational institution.
    2. Falsified the enrollment application or other admissions forms.
    3. Engaged in conduct that is prohibited by the Code.
    4. Been formally charged with commission a crime.
    5. Been convicted of a crime and still subject to criminal penalty, including but not limited to parole and/or probation.
  3. A student may request a meeting with DOS to discuss a DOS decision.
     
  4. The decision of the DOS is final.
     

10.7.1. Records
 

Documents that are created and maintained as part of the disciplinary process are maintained by the DOS in accordance with COL Policy 7.303 - Student Records and subject to the COL Records Retention Policy. Nonconsensual disclosure of the final results of any disciplinary action involving an alleged crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense is permitted to the victim of the alleged misconduct regardless of whether the DOS concluded a violation was committed.

A student may submit a written request to the DOS to destroy their permanent conduct record based on specified circumstances. Request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  The decision of the DOS is final.

10.8.1 Responsibilities of Student Organizations

        Student organizations are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the COL’s function as an educational institution, observing all federal, state and local laws and COL policies, including the Code, both on and off campus. A student organization           is responsible for the conduct of its members, when one or more of its members, acting in the capacity of their membership, commits a violation of the Code. Student organizations are subject to disciplinary prodecures and sanctions in the same manner as                       individual students, except that student organizations cannot be expelled permanently from the COL. 

Any Notice of Complaint involving a student organization will be delivered to the student organization’s local address on file with the COL in care of the president or other group leader of the student organization with a copy to the on campus advisor and/or other advisors as appropriate. Student organizations must respond to all Notices of Complaint and failure to respond may result in a decision in the absence of any representative of the student organization.

Student organizations, as well as their members, may be held collectively and/or individually responsible for violations of the Code.

For purposes of the Code, references to “student” are inclusive of “student organizations.”

 

10.9. Categories of Misconduct

The Code is not written with the specificity of a criminal statute, nor is it intended to cover every instance of potentially prohibited conduct.  Students and student organizations may be disciplined for the following types of misconduct.

 

10.9.1. Acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to:
 

  1. Intentionally furnishing false or misleading information to the COL or a COL official.
  2. Forging, altering or misusing any COL document or instrument of identification.
  3. Intentionally interfering with any COL election process.
  4. Failing to fulfill financial obligation(s) to the COL.
  5. Misrepresenting oneself as a COL official.
  6. Acting as an official representative of the COL, a COL student organization or any recognized COL body without explicit prior consent.
  7. Violating the COL Honor Code, including but not limited to serious, flagrant or repeated violations of the Honor Code.
     

10.9.2.  Acts affecting the COL Community; including but not limited to:
 

  1. Interfering with, or disrupting any COL activity or COL-sponsored activity including, teaching, learning and/or research.
  2. Interfering with any emergency or public safety service, such as fire, police or emergency services.
  3. Engaging in disorderly or obscene conduct including recording another’s image in violation of their reasonable expectation of privacy and without effective consent.
  4. Breaching the peace, or aiding, abetting or inciting another to breach the peace.
  5. Failing to comply with a reasonable directive of a COL official, including the DOS, and any other COL instructor or administrator, or any COL or UNT System employee or agent acting in the performance of his or her official duties.
  6. Engaging in disruptive activity, including but not limited to such acts as defined in the Texas Education Code.
     

10.9.3. Acts affecting property or services; including but not limited to:
 

  1. Theft or attempted theft of property or services and knowingly possessing stolen property.
  2. Intentional or reckless destruction, damage or vandalism to COL property, or the property of others.
  3. Unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of access devices to COL premises, such as keys or entry cards.
  4. Unauthorized entry onto, or use of COL premises.
     

10.9.4. Acts affecting intellectual property; including but not limited to:
 

  1. The use or distribution of the original work of another (whether copyrighted or not copyrighted) without the express consent of the owner, including but not limited to the unauthorized downloading of copyrighted music and the distribution for commercial or personal purposes or creation of derivative works from written materials created by faculty or staff, without express permission of the originator.
  2. The use or distribution of a trademark, including the COL or UNT System trademark, without the expressed written consent of the owner.
     

10.9.5. Acts affecting computing resources or technology, including but not limited to:
 

  1. Unauthorized access, use or misuse of COL computing resources, systems or data.
  2. Disrupting COL computer operations, or the availability of computing resources.
  3. Using another individual’s identification, password, or other credentials to access COL computing resources.
  4. Unauthorized sharing of copyrighted materials through electronic means.
  5. Initiating or contributing to attacks against external networks or COL systems.
     

10.9.6. Acts affecting health, safety or welfare, including but not limited to:

  1. Engaging in physical, and/or verbal abuse, fighting, domestic violence, dating violence, threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion, physical or electronic stalking or any other conduct which threatens or endangers the health, safety or welfare of any person. Speech protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is not a violation of this provision, though fighting words and statements which reasonably threaten or endanger the health and safety of any person are not protected speech.
  2. Hazing, (as defined in the Texas Education Code), including engaging in, soliciting, encouraging, direction, aiding or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly permitting behavior such as physical brutality, risk of harm to mental or physical health or safety, intimidation, threat or ostracism, mental stress, humiliation, or other behaviors adverse to health or human dignity in association with pledging, initiation, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintain membership in a student group; or having firsthand knowledge of the planning of hazing or of its occurrence and failing to report it to COL authorities.
  3. Arson or unauthorized use or possession of ammunition, firearms, explosives, hazardous substances or other materials that are flammable or hazardous or that could cause damage by fire or explosion to persons or property.
  4. Illegal use, possession, sale, manufacture, distribution or effective control of chemical precursors, controlled substances, controlled substance analogues, or dangerous or illegal drugs; misuse or possession of a legal drug or other substance that could cause harm to the user; possession of drug paraphernalia; or encouraging or facilitating any of the above.
  5. Public intoxication, driving while intoxicated and use, possession or distribution of alcoholic beverages, except as expressly permitted by law and COL policy or regulation.
  6. Tampering with, or misuse of security or safety equipment.
  7. Reporting a false emergency or threat.
  8. Engaging in acts of sexual misconduct, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, sexual violence or sexual coercion as defined by state, and federal law and COL policy.
  9. Illegal gambling or gaming as defined in State and Federal law.
     

10.9.7. Violations of international, federal, state or local laws (whether convicted or not) or other University Policies.
 

10.9.8. Interfering with the student discipline process; including but not limited to:
 

  1. Failing to comply with a request to attend a disciplinary conference with the DOS.
  2. Failing to comply with sanction(s) imposed under the Code or sanction(s) otherwise imposed by the COL, including failing to comply with any “no contact” order.
  3. Falsifying or misrepresenting information at any stage of the disciplinary process; or knowingly initiating a false complaint to DOS.
  4. Attempting to discourage an individual’s participation in, or use of the disciplinary process.
  5. Harassing or intimidating a participant in the disciplinary process, including retaliating against or threatening a Complainant.
  6. Disrupting or interfering with the orderly conduct of the disciplinary process.
  7. Attempting to influence the impartiality of a participant in the disciplinary process.
  8. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the disciplinary process.
     

10.9.9. Facilitating acts of misconduct, including but not limited to:
 

  1. Planning or facilitating an act of misconduct.
  2. Being present during the commission of an act of misconduct and supporting or encouraging the act.
     

10.10. Sanctions for Misconduct
 

Any student violating the Code may be subject to one or more of the following sanctions. Repeat violations may result in more serious disciplinary sanctions up to expulsion.
 

10.10.1. Warning
 

  1. A verbal or written notice that a student has violated the Code and must not engage in future violations.
  2. No impact on good conduct standing.
  3. Not subject to review by the Student Conduct Committee.
     

10.10.2. Educational sanction
 

  1. An educational assignment that may include referral for substance abuse counseling, education workshops, assignment of reflection papers, restitution or replacement of lost, damaged or stolen property, assignment to community service, or regular meetings with the DOS or a designee.
  2. No impact on good conduct standing.
  3. Not subject to review by the Student Conduct Committee.
  4. Failure to comply with the assignment may result in further discipline.
     

10.10.3. Loss of privileges
 

  1. A temporary or permanent loss of COL privileges, including but not limited to loss of the privilege to attend COL-sponsored events, to use certain COL facilities, to serve as an official COL representative, or to hold a leadership position in a student organization; may also result in withholding of an official transcript or blocked enrollment for a specified period of time.
  2. No impact on good conduct standing.
  3. Not subject to review by the Student Conduct Committee unless loss of privileges is related to another reviewable sanction.
  4. Student organizations may request reconsideration of a loss of privilege no sooner than one (1) year after the date that the sanction was imposed. Reconsideration will be at the discretion of the DOS. The decision of the DOS is final and the student organization may not request reconsideration again until date specified by the DOS.
     

10.10.4. Probation
 

  1. A written reprimand that remains in effect for a specified period of time and conditions a student’s continuing status on the absence of any further violations of the Code.
  2. Good conduct standing is removed during the specified period.
  3. Not subject to review by the Student Conduct Committee.
     

10.10.5. Suspension
 

  1. Separation of the student from the COL for a specified period. Student cannot enter the COL premises and may not participate in any COL-sponsored activities, with advance approval by the DOS.  A suspended student will be removed from enrollment and blocked from future registration until the enrollment is reviewed and approved by the DOS.
  2. Good conduct standing is removed.
  3. May be reviewed by the Student Conduct Committee.
  4. Must meet with DOS after suspension term is over to be re-instated to the COL.
     

10.10.6. Suspension of student organizations
 

  1. Removal of student organization privileges and recognitions for a specified period of time.
  2. Student organizations will not be permitted to participate as a recognized student organizations at COL functions or activities, or to sponsor any activities representing the COL.
  3. Student organizations may request reinstatement by the Dean of Students after the expiration of the specified period of suspension.
  4. May be reviewed by the Student Conduct Committee.
     

10.10.7. Expulsion
 

  1. Permanent separation of the student from the COL. Student will be removed from enrollment, will be prohibited from entering the COL premises, and will not be allowed to participate in any COL-sponsored activities.
  2. Good conduct standing is removed.
  3. Becomes a permanent conduct record.
  4. May be reviewed by the Student Conduct Committee.
  5. Sanction cannot be applied to student groups.
     

10.10.8. College of Law withdrawal

A student may be administratively withdrawn from a class, a course, or all courses or prohibited from entering COL premises and barred from re-enrollment until specific conditions are met. Reasons for COL withdrawal include, but are not limited to:
 

  1. To prevent the disruption of the education process.
  2. Failure to respond to an official summons from a COL official.
  3. Suspension or expulsion from the COL.
     

10.10.9. Immediate suspension
 

Immediate removal from all or part of the COL premises while the disciplinary process is pending when an alleged violation reasonably indicates that the student’s continued presence poses a substantial or immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare of any member of the COL community or to the COL premises.
 

10.10.10. Immediate suspension of student organizations

The student organization will cease all activities, meetings, programs and representation as an organization while an investigation is in progress by DOS.  A student organization can be immediately suspended for posing a substantial or immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare of any member of the COL community or to the COL premises.
 

10.10.11. No-Contact Order
 

The DOS may impose a No Contact Order between parties involved in a disciplinary matter when there is a concern about retaliation and/or harassment.  The No-Contact Order will outline expected behavior including face-to-face contact, correspondence, email, social media or telephone. Friends, relatives and other acquaintances are also prohibited from contact on behalf of either party.
 

10.11. Disciplinary  Procedures
 

10.11.1. Investigation by the Dean of Students
 

  1. The DOS will assess all suspected and reported violations of the Code whether referred by student, faculty, staff, law enforcement, or any other credible source of information, without regard to any related criminal arrest, prosecution or pending criminal or civil litigation. Complaints regarding alleged misconduct should be submitted to the DOS as soon as possible after the alleged misconduct occurs.  The Dean will assess the credibility of all reports as part of the investigation.
  2. In matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking:

a. The DOS will discuss confidentiality in the disciplinary process with the Complainant prior to initiating an investigation and will inform the Complainant that confidentiality in the conduct process cannot be assured.

b. If the Complainant requests confidentiality or requests that the complaint not be pursued, the DOS will take all reasonable steps to investigate the complaint and respond consistent with the Complainant’s request as long as doing so does not prevent the COL from responding effectively to sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking. 

c. If a Complainant insists on anonymity, the DOS will inform the Complainant that such a request will limit the COL’s ability to respond to the complaint. The DOS will evaluate the Complainant’s request for confidentiality in the context of the COL’s responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students.

d. The DOS will inform Complainants and Responsible Students that retaliation is prohibited and strong action will be taken if retaliation occurs including issuing a No Contact Order.

e. The DOS will complete an investigation within  sixty (60) calendar days of receiving notice except in exceptional circumstances as determined based on the availability of witnesses, the number of witnesses or the volume of documents to be collected and/or reviewed.  The DOS will regularly update the Complainant and if appropriate the Responsible Student on the status of the investigation.

f. The DOS will notify the Complainant about the right to file a criminal complaint with appropriate law enforcement officials; however a criminal complaint will not preclude The DOS from proceeding with the COL investigation. 
 

10.11.2. Notice of Complaint

If the DOS finds it likely that a student has violated the Code, a Notice of Complaint will be delivered to the student stating:
 

  1. A summary of the alleged misconduct.
  2. The specific section of the Code that may have been violated and notice of potential sanctions.
  3. An explanation of the opportunity to request a disciplinary conference.
     

10.11.3. Disciplinary Conference

Upon request of a student, the DOS will hold a disciplinary conference to provide the student the opportunity to:
 

  1. Review alleged misconduct.
  2. Respond directly and offer a response to the alleged violation by addressing it personally and by presenting any other relevant information including witness statements or other documents.
  3. A student may be accompanied by an advisor, but the student must represent her/himself at the conference. If a student will be accompanied by an attorney, the student must notify the DOS no later than two (2) days prior to the disciplinary conference so that a representative from the Office of General Counsel can also be present.
  4. If a student fails to attend a scheduled conduct conference, the DOS will review any available information and issue sanctions in the student’s absence, if appropriate.
  5. In matters of alleged sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, the disciplinary conference must be scheduled can be no fewer than ten (10) and no more than twenty (20) days from the date of the Notice of Complaint. Dates may be extended at the discretion of the DOS in the interest of fairness.  The DOS will also meet with the Complainant within the same timeframe to allow the Complainant to review the allegations and present evidence.  The Complainant may be accompanied by an advisor to the same extent as the Responsible Student.
  6. At no time will the past sexual history of the Complainant or the Responsible Student be considered except if the history directly relates to the incident in the complaint.  Additionally, the use of alcohol or drugs by either party at the time of the incident will not be considered a mitigating circumstance.
     

10.11.4. Notice of Disciplinary Sanction
 

  1. If the DOS determines by the greater weight of the evidence that a student has violated the Code, the DOS will deliver a Notice of Disciplinary Sanctions to the student no later than ten (10) days after the disciplinary conference.  The Notice will inform the student of the finding, the assigned sanction(s) and the process for appeal, if available. If the DOS finds no violation, the DOS will notify the student and no further action will be taken.
  2. In matters of alleged sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, the Notice of Disciplinary Sanction will be delivered concurrently to the Complainant and Responsible Student.  All notices will be compliant with the requirements of the COL Student Records Policy.
     

10.11.5. Request for reconsideration

A student possessing evidence discovered after the disciplinary conference and not considered by the DOS may request reconsideration of the DOS Notice of Disciplinary Sanctions by filing a written request with the DOS within three (3) days of the Notice of Disciplinary Sanction.  The request to reconsider must summarize the newly discovered information.  A Complainant in a case of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, may request reconsideration the same manner.  The DOS may extend the time-frame in the interest of fairness. If a sanction may be appealed, the timeframe for requesting an appeal will not begin until after the DOS has issued a decision on reconsideration.
 

10.11.6. Effective date of disciplinary sanction

Unless a student has been immediately suspended, the sanction imposed by a DOS will not take effect until the conduct process is complete.
 

10.11.7. Student Conduct Committee (the “Committee”)
 

  1. Request for Review

    A student who has been suspended or expelled from the COL, or the Complainant in the case of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking resulting in suspension or expulsion, may request review of the  DOS’s findings or sanctions by the Student Conduct Committee.  The request for review must be submitted to the DOS within three (3) days of the Notice of Disciplinary Sanction.  The DOS will deliver the request to the Associate Dean of the Academic Affairs within two (2) days.
     
  2. Appointment of a Student Conduct Committee

    Upon receiving a request for review, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will appoint a Student Conduct Committee and designate a chairperson to consider the requested appeal.  The Committee will include one (1) faculty member, one (1) student, and one (1) staff member. The Chairperson will direct the procedures of the Committee and will participate fully in all reviews. The student, or the Complainant in the case of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, may object to the presence of any Committee member prior to the start of the review based on the committee member’s capacity to make a fair and objective decision. Requests to remove a committee member will be decided by the chairperson. Objection to the chairperson will be decided by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
     
  3. Scheduling Notice

    The Committee Chairperson will schedule a date for the requested review and notify the student.  In matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking notice will be provided to both the Responsible Student and the Complainant.  The date for the review will typically not be more than (10) days after the request was submitted. Time frames may be adjusted at the discretion of the Committee chairperson in the interest of fairness.
     
  4. Committee Procedures

a.) Summary of positions - No fewer than five (5) days prior to the scheduled Committee Review, the Responsible Student, and the DOS, must submit the following to the Committee Chairperson.

      5. A written summary of their position.

      6. A list of individuals who will speak on their behalf as witnesses.

      7. A list of all documents that will be presented to the Committee.
 

a.) A Complainant in a matter of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking may also submit a summary of their position, a list of individuals who will speak as witnesses and a list of documents to be presented.

b.) The Committee Chairperson will exchange the information between the parties no fewer than three (3) days prior to the review. No Information will be provided to Committee members before the review.

c.) Authority of the Chairperson - The Chairperson will preside over the Committee review and make all decisions regarding review procedures. The Chairperson may adjust review procedures and time frames in the interest of fairness.
 

      8. Committee Review Process
 

a.) Reviews are informal and traditional rules of courtroom evidence do not apply.

b.) Each party will have a total of forty-five (45) minutes to present to the Committee, including personal and witness statements and a summation. Documents and written witness statements may be submitted to supplement an oral presentation. The parties may ask questions of any individual; however in the case of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, all questions must be directed through the Chairperson.

c.) In matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, the Complainant may present by alternate means including by telephone, teleconference or from behind a screen at the discretion of the Chair.

d.) Reviews are not open to the public unless a party makes a specific request at the time of the initial Request for Review. Individual witnesses may specifically request to present in a closed setting. The Chairperson will make all decisions regarding closed hearings.

e.) Students, the DOS, and in matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking a Responsible Student or Complainant, must attend a review in person. Except in emergency circumstances, a review may be dismissed if a requesting party fails to attend and the DOS decision will be final.

f.) A party requesting a review may be assisted by one advisor, including an attorney, of their choosing, but only the parties may speak to the Committee or ask questions. Attorneys will not be permitted to present evidence or argument before the Committee. Should a party be accompanied by an attorney, the COL will also have a representative of the Office of General Counsel present.

g.) The DOS must show, by the greater weight of the evidence, that the student engaged in conduct in violation of the Code, and/or that the disciplinary sanction imposed by the DOS was reasonable based on the circumstance. The DOS will present to the committee first and last.

h.) Reviews will be recorded and recordings will be the property of the COL. Copies of recordings may be provided at the requestor’s expense. Recordings will be maintained according to the COL records retention policy.

                9. Committee’s Recommended Findings and Conclusions to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

At the conclusion of the review, the Chairperson will provide the student, and in matters of sexual misconduct the Responsible Student and the Complainant, with a recommendation to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. The Committee may                   recommend upholding, modifying or rejecting the decision of the DOS. The Recommendation must include a summary of the Committee’s findings and conclusions and proposed sanctions. Notice realted to matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking will comply with the COL Student Records Policy.  
 

              10. Final Decision by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

              Within two (2) days of receiving the Committee’s recommendation, the Associate Dean may uphold, reject or modify the recommendation of the Committee and must notify the student, Complainant, Responsible Student and DOS as appropriate. The Associate                 Dean may also request additional information as may be needed to make a decision.  The decision of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs is final.
 

11. Action

The DOS will take all appropriate action based on the decision by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
 

10.11.8. Immediate suspension

A student may be immediately suspended from all or part of the COL premises, when alleged misconduct reasonably indicates that the presence of the student on the COL premises poses substantial or immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare of any member of the COL community or COL property.
 

  1. Conference regarding immediate suspension

    A student who is immediately suspended must contact with DOS within two (2) days of receiving a Notice of Immediate Suspension to schedule a disciplinary conference to discuss: (1) the reliability of evidence supporting the alleged misconduct; and (2) whether the continued presence of the student on COL premises reasonably indicates a substantial or immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare of any member of the COL community or COL property. Failure to make a timely request for a conference or to appear at a requested conference will cause the immediate suspension to remain in effect until the disciplinary process is complete.
     
  2. Findings and Conclusions regarding immediate suspension

    If the DOS determines that immediate suspension is appropriate under the circumstances, the DOS will issues findings and conclusions and the student will be immediately suspended from the COL premises, including all events and activities. Immediately suspended student organizations will be immediately precluding from engaging in any recruitment, philanthropy or community service. The immediate suspension remains in effect until the disciplinary process is complete or until otherwise altered by the DOS. If the DOS determines that immediate suspension is no longer appropriate, the DOS may permit the student to return to COL premises while the disciplinary process continues. An immediate suspension cannot be reviewed by the Committee.
     
  3. In matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking a Complainant may be provided notice regarding the findings and conclusions regarding immediate suspension in accordance with COL Student Records Policy.
     

10.11.9. Timeframes
 

  1. The timeframes set forth in this policy are goals and the university’s inability to meet a timeframe will not render the procedures invalid so long as no student rights are violated.
     
  2. Timeframes may be extended by mutual written agreement of decision makers and the student, Responsible Student and/or the Complainant or by approval of the Dean of the College of Law.
     
  3. The timeframe for investigation of a matter of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking may be extended by the Dean of the College of Law based on the anticipated complexity of the investigation and the severity and extent of the alleged conduct.  An extension of the stated timeframe for investigation will be communicated upon approval to the Complainant and to the Responsible Student.
     
  4. In the matters of sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking DOS will deliver investigation status updates to a Complainant and a Responsible Students no less than weekly during an investigation.
     

10.12. Interpretation and Revision
 

10.12.1. Interpretation

Questions of interpretation or application of the Code will be referred to the Dean of the College of law, or a designee, for final determination following consultation with the Office of General Counsel.
 

10.12.2. Revision

The code will be reviewed every three (3) years under the direction of the Dean of Students.

 

Academic Program

J.D. Program Overview

The UNT Dallas College of Law offers the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree through a full-time day program and a part-time evening program. Both programs require completion of no less than 88 credit hours, including first-year required courses; other required courses; completion of the writing require- ment, the research requirement, the skills requirement, the experiential requirement, and the practice- ready technology requirement.

Design of the J.D. Curriculum

The curriculum at the UNT Dallas College of Law reflects four overall aims:

  • Ensuring that our students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and understanding that are essential for success in the practice of law today and throughout their careers;
  • Maximizing our students’ opportunities to work with and learn from judges and practicing attorneys, as well as experienced law professors;
  • Providing our students with the opportunity to explore a range of interest areas through electives and experiences; and
  • Providing our students with the opportunity to develop deeper and specialized knowledge, skills, and understandings in areas that interest them.

First Year

The first-year curriculum at UNT Dallas College of Law includes traditional core first-year subjects (such as Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, etc.). These areas of law are foundational in several ways: they are critical in the practice of law, they serve as basic building blocks for advanced courses, and they provide doctrinal and practice-area context for developing the skills of legal reasoning and legal analysis.

The first-year curriculum also includes two semesters of Legal Writing and Research (LWR). This course reflects the importance of a strong foundation in writing and research. In addition, Legal Writing and Research is tied in several ways to the core doctrinal subjects. First, the course in LWR allows direct and explicit attention, at the start of law school, to several areas of basic knowledge and skills that are threaded throughout the entire first year, such as how to analyze a fact pattern, how to read cases and statutes, and how to synthesize a legal rule from multiple sources. Second, at UNT Dallas College of Law, the course in LWR and the doctrinal courses will be mutually reinforcing-the work in LWR will often draw on doctrines and issues covered in Contracts, Torts, and Civil Procedure.

In their first semester, students also take a course titled Legal Methods, a one-hour course graded on a pass-fail basis. The course provides an introduction to the basic methods of legal reasoning and analysis, including the core skills that go into these methods. The focus of the course is to build these skills and apply these methods to the kinds of problems, issues, and cases involved throughout the first-year curriculum.

The first year also includes Practice Foundation I: Interviewing and Counseling. This is the first of three required Practice Foundation courses.

Upper-Level

In the second year (semester three for full-time students and semester four for part-time students), students are required to take: Constitutional Law, and Practice Foundations II: Negotiation and Conflict Management.

Required courses taken in sequence during the latter third of the curriculum are: Capstone I and II (Legal Analysis and Bar Readiness), and Practice Foundations III: Business of Law.

The J.D. degree includes additional required courses in areas that are widely viewed as part of the knowledge, skills, and understanding that a competent attorney should have. Some of these required courses are included on the bar examination, reflecting the judgment of the State of Texas, through rules adopted by the Texas Supreme Court, about necessary basic knowledge.

These courses also introduce students to a range of practice areas, and can form the basis for advanced study in any of these areas. These required courses are:

  • Administrative Law (3 hours)
  • Business Associations (3 hours)
  • Evidence (3 hours)
  • Family Law (3 hours)
  • Principles of Finance and Accounting for Lawyers (1 hour) (students may place out of this)
  • Professional Responsibility (3 hours)
  • Commercial Law I (3 hours)
  • Wills, Trusts, and Estates (3 hours)
  • Texas Civil Procedure (2 hours)
  • Texas Criminal Procedure (2 hours)
  • Capstone: Legal Analysis and Bar Readiness (6 hours) (Applies to students entering fall 2015 and later.)

In addition to required courses, students must complete a number of “Requirements.”

  • Experiential Requirement
  • Writing Requirement
  • Research Requirement
  • Skills Requirement
  • Practice-Related Technology Requirement (Applies to students entering fall 2015 and later.)

Each of the Requirements relates to important skills, experiences, or proficiencies. The Requirements are not themselves “courses.” Rather, depending on the Requirement, the Requirements are satisfied through credit-bearing courses, not-for-credit courses or experiences, or demonstrated proficiency.

The Requirements are:

The Writing Requirement. The Writing Requirement is satisfied by (1) completion of six writing segments, and (2) completion of a Major Writing. A writing segment is a writing assignment that correlates in scope and complexity with written work product that lawyers prepare; and on which the student receives assessment. A course may contain more than one writing segment, or may contain one or more writing segments along with a research or skills segment. The Major Writing (1) is an experience involving multiple, original writings or a single, lengthy writing, entailing significant synthesis and analysis; the sum total should generally be at least 25 pages; (2) includes the submission and assessment of at least two drafts of each writing (that is, at least one first-draft and a final draft); (3) must be taught (or supervised) by full-time faculty, or other faculty (such as part-time professor of practice, or adjunct professor) with demonstrated ability to supervise a legal writing experience entailing significant synthesis and analysis. The Registrar will maintain a list of courses containing writing segments approved by the faculty, and writing segments satisfying the upper-level writing experience.

The Research Requirement. The Research Requirement is satisfied by completion of eight (8) research segments. A research segment requires the completion of at least one research assignment with a research plan, a research trail, and a research bibliography. A course may contain more than one research segment, or may contain one or more research segments along with a writing or skills segment. To ensure that students become proficient in the foundational information and research abilities required in practice, multiple research segments will address and reinforce knowledge of sources, creation of a research plan, use of multiple platforms for research, maintaining a research trail, and storing information. The Registrar will maintain and publish a list of courses containing research segments approved by the faculty.

The Skills Requirement. The Skills Requirement is satisfied by completion of six skills segments in addition to the skills provided in the required classes of Practice Foundations I and Practice Foundations II. A skills segment is a performance or activity on which students are assessed and which requires a student to engage in one or more of the following professional skills, or other skills recognized by the faculty as a possible basis for a skills segment: interviewing, counseling, negotiation, fact development and analysis, trial practice, document drafting, conflict resolution, organization and management of legal work, collaboration, cultural competency and self-evaluation. A course may contain more than one skills segment, or may contain one or more skills segments along with a writing or research segment. The Registrar will maintain and publish a list of courses containing skills segments approved by the faculty.

The Experiential Requirement. To satisfy this Requirement, a student must complete the following:

  • Completion of at least two courses from any of the following three categories:

Practicum, Externship, and Clinic. Subject to approval, two courses can be from the same category;

  • Satisfactory completion of the Community Engagement Program; and
  • Satisfactory completion of the L.A. Bedford Mentorship Program.

Practice-Related Technology Requirement. This requires students to be demonstrate competence with regard to technologies and technology topics that are critical for law practice, such as use of word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, antivirus software, email software, courtroom software, and time management software. This requirement is satisfied by completion of instructional modules or demonstration of existing skill in various areas.

 

Required Courses (for students matriculating Fall 2016):

First-Year Required Courses

  • Civil Procedure (2 semesters, 5 hours total)
  • Contracts (1 semester, 4 hours)
  • Criminal Law (1 semester, 3 hours)
  • Legal Writing (2 semesters, 5 hours total)
  • Legal Research (1 semester, 2 hours total)
  • Legal Methods (1 semester, 1 hour)
  • Practice Foundation I: Interviewing and Counseling (1 semester, 3 hours)
  • Property (1 semester, 4 hours)
  • Torts (1 semester, 4 hours)

Second-Year Required Courses

  • Constitutional Law (4 hours)
  • Practice Foundation II: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (3 hours)

Other Required Courses

  • Administrative Law (3 hours)
  • Business Associations I (3 hours)
  • Evidence (3 hours)
  • Family Law (3 hours)
  • Practice Foundation III: Business of Law (3 hours)
  • Principles of Accounting and Finance for Lawyers (1 hour) Note: Students can place out of this with demonstrated proficiency in the learning outcomes of this course.
  • Professional Responsibility (3 hours)
  • Commercial Law (3 hours)
  • Texas Civil Procedure (2 hours)
  • Texas Criminal Procedure (2 hours)
  • Wills, Trusts, and Estates (3 hours)

Writing Requirement, Research Requirement, and Skills Requirement

  • Writing requirement: eight writing segments.
  • Research requirement: eight research segments.
  • Skills requirement: 10 skills segments (6 in addition to the skills provided in Practice Foundation I and Practice Foundation II)

Practicum, Externship, Clinic

  • Requirement to take at least 2 courses from the following categories: Practicum, Externship, and Clinic.