Faculty Council hears updates on EDI, reconciliation, and career outcomes
Dean Jutta Brunnée kicked off the final Faculty Council meeting for 2022–23 on March 29, 2023, celebrating a successful return to (mostly) in-person learning. Dean Brunnée said she hopes to build on this momentum as the Faculty develops a five-year academic plan in 2023–24.
As the first order of business, the minutes of the March 22, 2023, Faculty Council meeting were approved unanimously. Students’ Law Society President Meaza Damte (3L) announced that an Accessibility Roundtable will be launched in Fall 2023 with the goal of reducing barriers and increasing the representation of law students with disabilities at U of T Law.
Associate Dean, JD Program Christopher Essert, presented a trilogy of items for approval. First, he presented the Curriculum Committee Report on Legal Process. It recommended creating a new upper-year Legal Process graduation requirement which would require all current 1Ls and future JD students to take a course in 2L or 3L that meets the requirement. Faculty Council previously voted to replace the mandatory 1L Legal Process course in the winter semester with the mandatory Indigenous Peoples and the Law course. The recommendation passed with one abstention. Associate Dean Essert said Criminal Procedure, the new Criminal Process course, the modified Legal Process course, the new Civil Practice and Procedure course, and potentially other courses would meet the Legal Process requirement.
Second, Associate Dean Essert recommended the adoption of the Curriculum Committee Report on upper-year courses for 2023–24. The motion passed unanimously. He said Faculty intends to add at least three more intensive courses and two more substantive courses for 2023–24. After a several-year hiatus, the International Human Rights Clinic (LAW548H1S) will return.
Third, Associate Dean Essert recommended the adoption of the Governing Documents Amendment Process Committee’s Report. The Committee was mandated to undertake a process to consider revisions to Faculty Council’s governing documents. The report’s sole recommendation was to amend the Faculty Council’s Governing Documents to codify existing practices on calculating the eligibility of Faculty Council voters. The Committee unanimously concluded, “that many significant parts of Faculty Council’s constitution are unwritten and that they ought to remain that way in order to best allow Faculty Council to continue its operations.”
Professor David Schneiderman asked where the unwritten parts of the constitution are recorded and why Faculty Council should have a partially unwritten constitution when other faculties at U of T have completely written constitutions. Associate Dean Essert responded that Faculty Council’s unwritten constitution is reflected in Faculty Council minutes and other documents, and the Faculty of Law is distinct from other faculties at U of T. Faculty agenda, minutes and reports dating back to 2013 are available on E.Legal and the Faculty has records of Faculty Council dating back to 1941 that are available upon request.
The motion to amend the Faculty Council’s Governing Documents to codify Faculty Council’s existing voting eligibility practices passed with three abstentions.
Professor John Borrows gave an update on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. He said this year was primarily an information-gathering year for the Committee. The Committee was and is still seeking input from 1Ls on the effectiveness of the new mandatory 1L course, Indigenous Peoples and the Law, and its relationship to other courses. The Committee is considering renaming the course.
Professor Brenda Cossman gave an update on the Clinical & Experiential Education Committee. She highlighted some of the Committee’s recommendations, including creating a “practical” January intensive course, creating a collection of resources on experiential education, and a workshop on experiential learning/clinics. Professor Cossman announced a new Associate Dean position is being created with a mandate overseeing clinics and experiential education, and Professor Cossman will be the inaugural candidate for the position.
Assistant Dean, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Ada Maxwell-Alleyne, presented the EDI Committee Final Report. This school year, the Committee worked on a short-term EDI Action Plan and an EDI Strategic Plan. The EDI Action Plan focussed on inclusive teaching (promoting teaching styles that address the needs of different students), facilitating EDI training, and community engagement. She highlighted some of the Report’s recommendations including offering resources and coaching to faculty interested in exploring inclusive teaching styles, providing more EDI training to students and faculty, and considering convening an EDI advisory group that could provide immediate advice on urgent EDI issues.
Career Development Office (CDO) Director Theresa Chan gave an update on behalf of the CDO, filled with career statistics. The CDO held 1942 appointments with students this year, compared to 1182 last year. Chan said she thinks this growth is from the CDO meeting with students more frequently and a greater number of students. She touted the post-COVID-19 return of the career fair and its expansion from JD students to all U of T Law students. The fair featured 64 employers, including several New York firms attending for the first time.
Chan noted that U of T Law’s employment statistics remain strong, at or above historical averages. 99.5 percent of respondents in the class of 2022 seeking articles had obtained them and 99 percent of respondents in the class of 2023 secured 2L summer employment last year (9–10 students in each class did not respond). Chan noted that 82 percent of the class of 2024 have secured 2L summer employment this year, but the CDO still does not know the summer plans of many current 2Ls.
Associate Professor Ian Lee gave an update on the Mooting and Advocacy Committee. The Committee was tasked with evaluating seven potential new mooting opportunities. The Committee recommended the Faculty join the Tort Law Moot and consider joining the Bastarache Moot in a future year. The Bastarache Moot is in French and the Committee believes the Faculty currently does not have a deep enough pool of French-speaking students and faculty to consistently field a team in the Moot.
Dean Brunnée closed Faculty Council for 2022–23 wishing all students good luck on exams and congratulating the class of 2023. Faculty Council meetings will resume in Fall 2023.
