SLS proposal would allow graduate students to participate in JD student clubs
The Students’ Law Society (SLS) is moving forward with an agreement with the Faculty of Law to allow graduate students to attend SLS-funded events hosted by U of T Law JD student clubs.
There are approximately 130 graduate students in the LLM (Master of Laws) program and the non-executive stream of the GPLLM (Global Professional Master of Laws) program, who would likely wish to participate in this initiative. SJD (Doctor of Judicial Science) students may also participate as attendees, although the SLS has been told it is unlikely.
The proposed agreement came together in the SLS Student and Finance Committee (SFC)’s meeting on September 29 when Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs Emily Orchard reached out requesting that this option be made available to graduate students. SLS President Willem Crispin-Frei (3L) shared that the SLS expects this agreement to come into effect this year.
Crispin-Frei said that, after internal discussions within the SLS Executive and SFC as well as reviewing input from past and current club executives, “the overwhelming sentiment … is that this proposal … makes sense as an easy way to enhance the opportunities for building community within the law school.” He added that, while responses from the JD student community were limited, the feedback received was positive, and that the agreement would not impose a significant burden on clubs. The proposal only requires clubs to post their events consistently on the Faculty’s Events Calendar on eLegal and record attendance by graduate students. Clubs are already required to track the number of JD students in attendance in order to be eligible for SLS funding.
The funding framework for this agreement will integrate the current method used by the SLS to allocate funds to clubs. Under the current method, JD students do not pay a direct fee to student clubs. Instead, clubs are expected to track the number of students that attend their events, and can then apply to the SLS for funds on a rolling basis, based on attendance.
According to the SLS Club Funding Policy (Fall 2021), funding has been approved in the past to cover the costs of pizza, snacks, and prizes at events. SLS funding does not cover costs for speakers, staff, and/or professional members of the Faculty.
In their 2021-2022 budget, the SLS has allocated $5000 for club funding per term. Part of this money is derived from JD student fees—each JD student pays a SLS membership fee ($20) as part of their tuition. There are approximately 670 JD and combined program students at the law school.
Under the proposed framework, the Faculty of Law will transfer an initial $1000 to the SLS. The SLS will then allocate this funding to clubs that apply based on the number of graduate students that attend events. Crispin-Frei stated that any further funding can be adjusted based on how high graduate attendance is. This flexible approach will ensure that JD students are not funding graduate student attendance, nor are graduate students subsidizing attendance by JD students. Assistant Dean Orchard proposed that her office is prepared to contribute a top-up of up to an additional $1000 if there is significant uptake from graduate students.
