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VIRGINIA LAW WEEKLY 2017, 2018, & 2019 ABA Law Student Division Best Newspaper Award-Winner A Look Pending Changes to Bar Exam.................................3 Love in the Time of Corona......................................4 Inside: Lesson from a Falling Sky......... ..............................5 Wednesday, 8 April 2020 The Newspaper of the University of Virginia School of Law Since 1948 Volume 72, Number 23 Joint Statement around north from Dean grounds Goluboff and Dean Goluboff Hosts Skardon ’22 Hearts out to ev- Coffee Chat in eryone in social quarantine. Hang in On Monday, April 6, at 9:09 there, folks! p.m., Dean Risa Goluboff and Wake of Controversy Frannie Skardon ’22 released a Thumbs down joint statement to the Law Week- to the @UVALaw ly in response to our request for Twitter account further comment from the dean screenshotting the regarding Michael Berdan ’22’s Law Weekly’s work instead article recapping the Coffee with of linking to it. Like its peers, the Dean event. At this event, stu- the New York Times and dents had vigorously discussed the Washington Post, the the controversy surrounding Law Weekly values the page Ms. Skardon’s appeal to remain views that pour in when an a full-time student. The joint administration mismanages statement is reproduced below a public crisis. without edits. The Law Weekly does not necessarily endorse the Thumbs up to content or viewpoint herein pub- ANG’s newfound lished. efficiency at class- Statement begins: work. ANG only We are reaching out jointly to took three days to listen to express how glad we both are a one hour recorded lecture. that Frannie’s situation came ANG even took a few notes! to a positive resolution and to share some thoughts about the Thumbs down future. to UVA for closing We have both expressed sep- the track around arately but want to emphasize the lower softball here together the invaluable fields. ANG is having trouble contributions service members getting back to ANG’s bunker make to our community both Dean Risa Goluboff and Dean Kevin Donavon respond to student frustrations and concerns over recent controversy and the effect of COVID-19 on the under the softball bleachers. at the Law School and beyond, economy. Photos Courtesy of law.virginia.edu and honor the sacrifices they day, March 31. article “Inaccurate,” and not- Thumbs up to the make every day to protect our Michael Berdan ’22 Having received only twen- ing that the matter was still in Zoom session on safety, health and freedom. Staff Editor ty-four hours to prepare her process. The next day, April 2, Friday for remind- They will always have a home at On Friday, Dean Risa Gol- appeal, Skardon started an after receiving over 5,700 sig- ing us that second- UVA Law. uboff hosted a school-wide online petition and submitted natures on the petition, and hand cringe is alive and well The two of us have had pro- “Coffee Break” on Zoom. After a letter to the editor about her over 140 letters of support, the outside of The Office. ductive conversations about prefatory remarks, Dean Gol- situation to the Law Weekly, Academic Review Committee how the Law School can im- uboff opened the floor to stu- both of which circulated rap- unanimously granted an ex- Thumbs down prove the administration of its dent questions. idly through GroupMe, Face- ception allowing Skardon to to gunners who policies in situations similar to A number of questions cen- book, Twitter, and word of remain a full-time student. still know things Frannie’s. In so many ways, we tered on the administrative mouth among students and In the coffee break conver- in Zoom classes at are in unprecedented times— withdrawal of Frannie Skar- alumni. Although Skardon sation with Dean Goluboff this point. times that our policies did not don ’22, and her subsequent specifically requested that the the next day, I asked Dean contemplate. ABA standards appeal. Skardon’s National media not be involved, within Goluboff the first question, Thumbs up to require the Law School to de- Guard unit was activated hours, Above the Law pub- wanting to know whether the low gas prices. velop and adhere to its policies, March 17 to respond to CO- lished a scathing report on the Law School will change or re- ANG guesses the including how best to do that as VID-19. Skardon notified the situation. That evening, the view its procedures in light of end times have to our learning environment has administration of her change UVA Law official Twitter ac- these events, in order to bet- come with at least one silver changed. in status, indicating that the count (@UVALaw) issued a ter handle emergency situ- lining. Going forward, we are both National Guard is accommo- brief statement to say that the ations where policy leads to committed to improving the dating her educational obli- Law School is proud of veter- an unacceptable result. Dean Thumbs down Law School’s process for imple- gations by providing her six ans and that Ms. Skardon’s Goluboff noted that she is al- to “coffee events” menting academic policies and hours each day for study. The situation is “working its way ways reviewing events and ac- that don’t actu- finding ways to communicate administration responded that through the usual process.”2 tions in order to improve, but ally provide free policies in a manner that em- Skardon cannot complete the Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), regretfully declined to answer coffee. ANG has been re- powers students and increases semester while receiving full- retweeted the story that eve- any further, citing privacy con- ally hurting for free food and transparency. We are eager to time compensation from the ning, calling UVA Law’s ac- cerns. drinks ever since everything work with other students to National Guard, citing Aca- tions “Shameful,” and call- My question was followed by moved virtual. hear their experiences and feed- demic Policy I.H., which bars ing on the school to overturn a series of questions from Sa- back. students from paid employ- Skardon’s withdrawal.3 Lo- vanna Williams ’21, asking in Thumbs up to Dean Goluboff has asked Vice ment in excess of 20 hours cal news media picked up the her personal capacity whether people with custom Dean Kendrick to work with per week during the academic story shortly thereafter.4 In a Dean Goluboff had person- Zoom backgrounds. the Student Bar Association year.1 Skardon was given two since-deleted tweet, @UVA- ally contacted Ms. Skardon, ANG is proud to see on gathering student views to options: Take a leave of ab- Law replied to Rep. Collins, whether individual adminis- people finally putting their make recommendations to the sence from UVA Law or be calling the Above the Law trators would face discipline energies towards something curriculum and academic re- administratively withdrawn for the handling of the matter, useful. view committees, both of which by the registrar. Skardon was 2 https://twitter. why Dean Goluboff did not include student representatives. not told about any appeal com/UVALaw/sta- step in and correct the situ- Thumbs down Together, we hope this collabo- process or offered any other tus/1245539086636630021 ation, and why formal state- to VLR not having ration will improve the imple- recourse. She independently ments from the Law School any news ANG can mentation of the Law School’s discovered that an administra- 3 https://twitter.com/ were made that misleadingly make fun of this academic policies, maintain tive withdrawal can, in fact, be RepDougCollins/sta- presented the issue as an on- week. ANG was going for a the high standards of a UVA appealed, so she elected not tus/1245531120835399680 going decision, rather than a record, but whatever. Law education, increase our to take a leave of absence, and final decision being appealed. understanding of the hardships the withdrawal was enforced 4 https://www.whsv.com/ Dean Goluboff replied that Thumbs up to military students face, and safe- by the administration on Tues- content/news/UVA-student- she had not yet contacted Ms. the weather. ANG guard the interests and welfare activated-by-National-Guard- Skardon, but intended to do doesn’t go outside of our students. 1 https://www.law.virgin- nearly-forced-to-withdraw- anymore, but sun- --- ia.edu/policies/i-academic- from-school-569334221.html CONTROVERSY page 2 shine sure is nice to look at. [email protected] policies-and-procedures#ig 2 Columns VIRGINIA LAW WEEKLY Wednesday, 8 April 2020 CONTROVERSY many questions, even those their application to UVA Law seemingly unrelated to pri- in light of the controversy, a Bar Exam Changes continued from page 1 vacy concerns, were left un- feeling that wouldn’t surprise so. She declined to answer the answered. In the midst of this Jones, who commented, “I Leave Many Unsure of other questions, citing privacy crisis, students hoped that chose UVA Law because it has concerns. Subsequent ques- UVA Law would continue to a reputation for being veteran- What Will Come Next tions from other students hold to its human-centered friendly. However, I will think about the institutional impli- values and were concerned twice about recommending it cations of these events were that the rigid application of to fellow veterans going for- In the last month, the Unit- materials available for two also not answered, although policy nearly carried the day. ward.” ed States has seen drastic fall administrations in 2020: student concerns and sugges- “I guess my primary emotion I personally remain hope- change in all areas of life. Be- September 9-10 and Sep- tions were acknowledged.