Faculty Council discusses new partnerships, graduate programs, and JD admissions
On October 27, the Faculty Council met for the second time this academic year. The Faculty Council is the law school’s governing body, chaired by Dean Jutta Brunnée. It counts faculty, staff, and student representatives among its membership, and makes policy decisions at U of T Law.
Proposal to Launch Dual LLB/LLM with Universidad Torcuato Di Tella
Assistant Dean Emily Orchard and Associate Dean Malcolm Thorburn proposed launching a dual LLB/LLM program with the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Argentina. This will be the second dual degree available to students in U of T Law’s graduate program, the first being a partnership with the National University of Singapore.
Universidad Torcuato Di Tella is the first law school in Latin America to follow the North American model of legal education. It was described by Associate Dean Thorburn as one of the most “intellectually dynamic law schools in South America.” The proposed partnership would see top Universidad Torcuato Di Tella LLB candidates apply through the regular graduate admissions committee and complete all University of Toronto LLM requirements. The target for the 2022-2023 academic year is to admit two students.
During question period, Assistant Dean Sara Faherty confirmed that an LLB is five years in length and not a second entry program. That is, students in the dual degree program will have not completed an undergraduate program. Professor Ariel Katz expressed concerns about having insufficient information about the university and requested additional time to review the proposal, given that it was only made available that same day. However, the vote proceeded as planned and the motion was carried with none opposed and one abstention (Prof. A. Katz).
Proposal to Close GPLLM: Law of Leadership Concentration
Since 2017, the Faculty’s graduate program has approved four new concentrations. Previously, the Business Law concentration was the only available option. Due to low enrolment numbers, Assistant Dean Orchard proposed closing the Law of Leadership concentration, launched in 2018. The motion was carried with none opposed and no abstentions.
SLS Updates
Students’ Law Society (SLS) President Willem Crispen-Frei (3L) updated the Council on upcoming social events run by the SLS, which included the now past Hal-law-week and a rescheduled semi-formal event. Additionally, Crispen-Frei thanked Student Programs Coordinator Ann Vuletin for her work on SEAT and EAT forms.
GLSA Updates
Newly elected Graduate Law Students’ Association (GLSA) President Sara Maadanisani updated the Council on executive committee elections. As of October 27, one position remained unfilled with an election forthcoming. Maadanisani raised three concerns on behalf of graduate students. First, important communication from the Faculty, including information about scholarships and summer positions, was not being received in a timely manner. Second, the lack of a specific career counselor for graduate students has placed many in troubling positions. Lastly, Maadanisani expressed that graduate students wish to see Goodmans LLP Café open for business.
JD Admission Report
Professor Benjamin Alarie presented the JD Admissions Report for the first-year class as of September 1, 2021. There are 215 registered students. The total number of applications rose 28 percent, making the 2814 applications received the highest number in modern history. However, the offer rate remained consistent at 12.8 percent. The 1L class is particularly strong, with both the median LSAT score (168) and median GPA (3.88) rising slightly as compared to previous years.
This year’s 1L class has a record high number of Indigenous students (12), indicating that the Faculty is making meaningful progress in Indigenous recruitment efforts. There were six Black first year students admitted through the Black Student Application Process (BSAP). Additionally, 42 percent of the class identify as a person of colour or visible minority, slightly higher than the previous year’s 37 percent.
3L Student Life and Academic Representative Jamie Corbett (3L) expressed concern that the number of mature students over 30 was very small (9). Professor Jim Phillips agreed that the lower number was not ideal and expressed the view that high tuition fees deter people over 30 from applying so as to avoid taking on significant levels of debt in relation to their age.
Professor Mohammad Fadel expressed concern regarding the year over year decline in the percentage of male students in the class (33 percent). Professor Alarie noted that 57 percent of the applicant pool was female, with the remaining applicants stating they were male or declining to identify. While the offer and registration rates are somewhat more balanced than the applicant pool, this appears to be a broader trend consistent across law schools.
The effectiveness of BSAP was broached anonymously via Zoom’s Q&A function. The previous application cycle attracted 7 Black identifying students, before BSAP was launched. Professor Alarie noted that COVID-19 has made outreach difficult but that this is the beginning of a process that is “a long-term investment about our openness as a community for Black-identifying law students.”
The next Faculty Council (November 24) is the budget meeting.
