Archive

ARCHIVED INFORMATION FROM 2020 - FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCE ONLY

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COVID-19: Information for the UC Davis Law Community

 

In addition to updates provided by the Law School leadership and departments, UC Davis Campus also provides information and updates to the community through the following links: Campus Information | Campus Updates

King Hall COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

Welcome back to King Hall! We are excited to see you. For your safety, and for the safety of our community, please observe the following guidelines. UC Davis School of Law staff have collaborated with central campus and Yolo County officials to develop them. Please remember that we are all responsible for caring for each other. We have also created a video to walk you through the building guidelines.

Before you arrive at King Hall, please candidly assess how you are feeling. DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS IF YOU ARE NOT FEELING WELL. Err on the side of caution. Your professors and organization leaders will not penalize you for staying home.

While on campus, we expect you to follow these guidelines:

  • Wear a face covering at all times.
  • Maintain social distancing of six feet from other individuals.
  • Wash your hands frequently or use sanitizer. The School of Law is providing free sanitizer.
  • Stay home if you are sick.

As community members enter King Hall, you will be “screened” by School of Law staff. Please allow plenty of time, as we expect lines. The screening will include:

  • A temperature check. Those with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will not be allowed into the facility.
  • A health survey, which you will complete via a smart phone app.
  • A “screened” sticker for you to wear while in King Hall.

Building hours for non-faculty/staff:
Mon-Thurs: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Closed Weekends

As of July 31, 2020, law school classes are being delivered remotely. In order to prioritize student study spaces for our cleaning and disinfecting efforts, at this time, classrooms are closed and unavailable for use.

King Hall restrooms are limited to one person per restroom, regardless of the restroom’s size. Please be considerate. Wash your hands thoroughly. Try to avoid using handles in the restroom spaces. The restrooms will be disinfected and cleaned frequently.

Please do not congregate in the interior corridors. You will see that casual seating throughout the building has been taped off. All of these barriers are there to keep our community safe and healthy. Please do not ignore or tamper with them.

We encourage you to take conversations outside the building. Fresh air and additional space for social distancing create a safer environment for discussion. At King Hall, we are fortunate to have our courtyard, the North Plaza, and UC Davis’s award-winning Arboretum just outside our doors.

The student spaces in our basement were designed to foster collegial congregation. We all look forward to using them that way again. In the meantime, please observe all signs and barriers.

You may prepare food in the kitchen, but please do not eat inside the building. You must wear a face covering inside the building at all times. Our custodial staff will be cleaning the kitchen regularly, and the refrigerators and microwaves will be available for limited use. Please go outside to eat.

Lockers will be available, but please remember to practice social distancing. The computer lab and printers will be open for limited use.

Student office spaces will be available, but they will be single occupancy. Please follow your organization’s guidelines for using its office.

Like the rest of King Hall, Mabie Law Library is closed to the public. Rooms in the library and elsewhere in King Hall can be reserved for studying or taking remote classes. Please observe all signs and barriers.

Carrels and seats in the Main Reading Room can be reserved at the following link https://law-ucdavis.libcal.com/spaces?lid=10772. Custodial staff clean carrels every night. Please wipe down your carrel before and after each use. The reading room will be disinfected regularly, but please wipe down your space before and after you sit there. Disinfecting wipes and disposable masks are available in the library lobby. You must wear a face covering when sitting at your carrel or in the study area.

Please read the signs providing specific instructions for the elevators and stairs. Only one person may ride the elevator at a time. Each stairwell has its own instructions to permit appropriate social distancing.

Keeping our community safe and healthy will require patience, consideration and empathy. And sometimes we will all need a sense of humor. We know King Hall is up to the challenge. Welcome back to campus for a year none of us will ever forget.

 

Student Resources

Students in need of assistance during this time can contact Sr. Assistant Dean Emily Scivoletto at [email protected] who can direct students to appropriate resources.  In addition, the following resource list has been provided by the law school, the UC Davis campus, and contributing student colleagues.

Student suggested resources:

Support for Impacted Communities

Have a resource to suggest? Email Dean Scivoletto at [email protected].

IT Operating Status

Following guidance from the campus regarding COVID-19 response:

  • We are open and available to assist you during our normal business hours, Monday - Friday from 8:30AM - 5:00PM. Call 530-752-6678 or email [email protected]
  • Most King Hall IT staff will be working remotely and focusing on providing teaching resources and remote support.
  • Our desktop support locations will not be staffed.
  • Our main service desk location in 400 Mrak Hall Drive, 1270 King Hall will not be staffed.
  • The fastest way to get immediate support is to email [email protected] or call us at 530-752-6678 .
  • As needed, we will schedule appointments for remote desktop support. 
  • We will provide remote support for personally owned computers in support of enabling remote work (for student workers), such as assisting with VPN client installation, remote access to work resources, installing software (that we are allowed to install under our licensing agreements), etc.
  • While we can provide limited consulting support for home network troubleshooting, we encourage you to contact your ISP for these kinds of issues

Resources for Remote Classes

Fall 2020 Semester

For Student Workers at the Law School

If you need the FULL version of Microsoft Office on a personally owned computer, all UC Davis faculty, staff, and students are eligible to download and install it from:

https://officedownload.ucdavis.edu/

  • On that page, click the Install Office button in the upper right corner, then click Office 365 apps. This will initiate a download of the Office installer that you can then run to install Office on your personally owned computer.

Examplify Resources

In Classroom Learning

At this time all in-classroom learning is postponed and remote learning tools will be utilized. Please see below. Updates are distributed via email and available via the Communication page.

Remote Learning

Zoom

UC Davis School of Law utilizes Zoom commercial software as a remote learning tool. To use Zoom you’ll need your UC Davis Email & Password, as well as a compatible device such as a laptop or desktop computer, compatible tablet/iPad, or mobile device. You can download and install Zoom via https://ucdavislaw.zoom.us/download or you can click on a Zoom URL (this could be from an email, website, Canvas or other means). If you find that your device does not meet the necessary requirements for Zoom to run properly, please contact Law IT at 530-752-6678 or [email protected]

How Do I?

Canvas

All of your scheduled classes can be accessed fom Canvas. Login to Canvas via https://canvas.ucdavis.edu using your UCD Login (kerberos id and password). From there you'll come to your dashbaord where all your classes are listed.

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View Scheduled Classes (Zoom Meetings)

To find your scheduled classes click on "Calendar" from the lefthand menubar. Use the calendar to find your scheduled classes. Click on one of the classes/events in the calendar and a window will pop up - the Zoom meeting link is provided - click on this link to open Zoom and attend the meeting.

IMPORTANT: Do not click on this link until - at most - 5 minutes prior to the meeting starting.

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If you're missing one of your classes on this screen please contact Law IT 530-752-6678 or email [email protected] 

Assignments, Testing and grading

Check with your professor.

Communicating with your Professor, Advisors and Law School personnel

Check with your professor.

IT Operating Status

Following guidance from the campus regarding COVID-19 response: 

  • We are open and available to assist you during our normal business hours, Monday - Friday from 8:30AM - 5:00PM. Call 530-752-6678  or email [email protected]
  • Most King Hall IT staff will be working remotely and focusing on providing teaching resources and remote support.
  • Our desktop support locations will not be staffed.
  • Our main service desk location in 400 Mrak Hall Drive, 1270 King Hall will not be staffed.
  • The fastest way to get immediate support is to email [email protected] or call us at 530-752-6678 .
  • As needed, we will schedule appointments for remote support.
  • We are temporarily relaxing our policies around support of personally owned equipment. 
  • We will provide remote support for personally owned computers in support of enabling remote work, such as assisting with VPN client installation, remote access to work resources, installing software (that we are allowed to install under our licensing agreements), etc.
  • Remote Desktop access will be granted on an as-needed basis due to licensing limitations.
  • While we can provide limited consulting support for home network troubleshooting, we encourage you to contact your ISP for these kinds of issues

Resources for Teaching Remotely

  • “Zoom” class meetings:  Faculty may teach their classes from their own computer at the same time as their regularly scheduled class through the UC Davis Law Zoom online conferencing system.  These Zoom classes are already set up for each faculty member on our Intranet. Please CLICK HERE to access your Zoom online links, full instructions and tutorial.  If you choose this option, please make sure all your students are aware, as well as Faculty Support. 
  • Zoom classes are recorded and can be processed just like our video recordings of classes. However, the processing of the Zoom videos as of this posting are being done manually, which will delay posting of the videos for later consumption.
  • We recommend encouraging students to attend during their regularly scheduled time as there will be a delay in posting available material online.
  • Here is a quick 6-minute video tutorial on how to access your zoom classroom and use basic zoom features attached: Zoom Tutorial

Regular Classes/Class Capture (Video)

Faculty may teach their classes from their classroom either with students in attendance or without students and IT will post the recording of the class online for students unable to attend the class.  Please let us know if you wish to do this (at [email protected]) and we will schedule the recordings.  Recordings: IT is recording most classes, but we will only post the recordings with your permission. This includes Zoom recordings. IT sent all faculty a survey with subject “Class video Publishing.” Please respond to this survey as this is our official electronic record of your distribution preferences.  

Please indicate to your students which option you have selected as soon as possible.  Students will need as much notice as possible and will look for you to tell them how to proceed with your class. 

 

More Resources for Working Remotely 

 

Email and Office Applications 

For Office 365 users, you can access your email and calendar via any web browser at:

https://365.ucdavis.edu/

This is our recommended method for accessing your email and calendar from a personally owned computer.

At that address, you can also access web-based versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that are great for quickly creating or editing Microsoft Office documents. However, the online versions only offer limited functionality.

If you need the FULL version of Microsoft Office on a personally owned computer, all UC Davis faculty, staff, and students are eligible to download and install it from:

https://officedownload.ucdavis.edu/

  • On that page, click the Install Office button in the upper right corner, then click Office 365 apps. This will initiate a download of the Office installer that you can then run to install Office on your personally owned computer.
  • For help with Skype for business download, please follow our step by step processes here: Skype For Business Instructions

 

Using Campus Phone Services Remotely

If you have a campus phone number and Cisco VOIP phone, you have multiple options available to access phone services remotely:

  • Voicemail:
    • C heck your campus voicemail from any phone, including a personal mobile phone or home phone , OR  from any web browser .    
    • The voicemail website can only be accessed through a UCDAVIS VPN, please  click here   to download Shield’s Library VPN if you do not have it already.  
    • Please contact us if you need set-up assistance via  email [email protected] or call us at 530-752-6678
  • Call Forwarding:
    • You can set up call forwarding from your campus phone to a personal mobile or home phone number.    
  • Desktop Jabber :
    • You can set up the desktop Cisco Jabber client so that you can receive or make calls at your campus number from a laptop or desktop computer. Please contact the IT department if you are interested in downloading Jabber.    

 

Call Forwarding 

All campus VOIP Cisco desk phones have a “Forward all” button. To set up call forwarding at your desk:

  1. Press the "Fwd. all" button.
  2. Enter the 10-digit phone number you would like to forward your calls to, e.g., your home or mobile phone, then wait ~10 seconds.
  3. Your calls are now forwarded. You can push the "Fwd. off" button to cancel forwarding.

Please see above under “voicemail” for instructions to remotely set up call forwarding 

Desktop Jabber Client  

The Cisco Jabber desktop client allows you to make and receive phone calls from any Windows or Mac computer. All campus VOIP subscribers (i.e., anyone who has a campus Cisco desk phone and number) have this option, including from a personally owned computer. You can learn more about Jabber and how to install Jabber on a computer here .  

To make a call from the Cisco Jabber desktop client, you can enter the phone number you wish to dial and press the green phone icon, or select the name of the person in the campus directory and click the green phone icon. A headset makes it a little easier to make calls, but any computer with a microphone and speaker will work for making and receiving calls.

Zoom

UC Davis School of Law utilizes Zoom commercial software as a remote learning tool. To use Zoom you’ll need your UC Davis Email & Password, as well as a compatible device such as a laptop or desktop computer, compatible tablet/iPad, or mobile device.

To install Zoom simply click on any meeting invite link. Zoom will automatically recognize whether or not Zoom is installed and ask whether you'd like to open the link (if it doesn't automatically) or download and install Zoom.

Additionally, you can visit ucdavislaw.zoom.us/download to download and run the Zoom installer.

If you find that your device does not meet the necessary requirements for Zoom to run properly, please contact Law IT at 530-752-6678 or [email protected]

2020 Fall Semester FAQ

How Do I?

IT Operating Status

Following guidance from the campus regarding COVID-19 response: 

  • We are open and available to assist you during our normal business hours, Monday - Friday from 8:30AM - 5:00PM. Call 530-752-6678  or email [email protected]
  • Most King Hall IT staff will be working remotely and focusing on providing teaching resources and remote support.
  • Our desktop support locations will not be staffed.
  • Our main service desk location in 400 Mrak Hall Drive, 1270 King Hall will not be staffed.
  • The fastest way to get immediate support is to email [email protected] or call us at 530-752-6678 .
  • As needed, we will schedule appointments for remote support.
  • We are temporarily relaxing our policies around support of personally owned equipment. 
  • We will provide remote support for personally owned computers in support of enabling remote work, such as assisting with VPN client installation, remote access to work resources, installing software (that we are allowed to install under our licensing agreements), etc.
  • Remote Desktop access will be granted on an as-needed basis due to licensing limitations.
  • While we can provide limited consulting support for home network troubleshooting, we encourage you to contact your ISP for these kinds of issues

More Resources for Working Remotely 

Email and Office Applications 

For Office 365 users, you can access your email and calendar via any web browser at:

https://365.ucdavis.edu/

This is our recommended method for accessing your email and calendar from a personally owned computer.

At that address, you can also access web-based versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that are great for quickly creating or editing Microsoft Office documents. However, the online versions only offer limited functionality.

If you need the FULL version of Microsoft Office on a personally owned computer, all UC Davis faculty, staff, and students are eligible to download and install it from:

https://officedownload.ucdavis.edu/

  • On that page, click the Install Office button in the upper right corner, then click Office 365 apps. This will initiate a download of the Office installer that you can then run to install Office on your personally owned computer.
  • For help with Skype for business download, please follow our step by step processes here: Skype For Business Instructions 

Using Campus Phone Services Remotely

If you have a campus phone number and Cisco VOIP phone, you have multiple options available to access phone services remotely:

  • Voicemail:
    • C heck your campus voicemail  from any phone, including a personal mobile phone or home phone , OR  from any web browser .    
    • The voicemail website can only be accessed through a UCDAVIS VPN, please  click here   to download Shield’s Library VPN if you do not have it already.  
    • Please contact us if you need set-up assistance via  email [email protected] or call us at 530-752-6678
  • Call Forwarding:
    • You can set up call forwarding from your campus phone to a personal mobile or home phone number.    
  • Desktop Jabber :
    • You can set up the desktop Cisco Jabber client so that you can receive or make calls at your campus number from a laptop or desktop computer. Please contact the IT department if you are interested in downloading Jabber.    

Call Forwarding 

All campus VOIP Cisco desk phones have a “Forward all” button. To set up call forwarding at your desk:

  1. Press the "Fwd. all" button.
  2. Enter the 10-digit phone number you would like to forward your calls to, e.g., your home or mobile phone, then wait ~10 seconds.
  3. Your calls are now forwarded. You can push the "Fwd. off" button to cancel forwarding.

Please see above under “voicemail” for instructions to remotely set up call forwarding 

Desktop Jabber Client  

The Cisco Jabber desktop client allows you to make and receive phone calls from any Windows or Mac computer. All campus VOIP subscribers (i.e., anyone who has a campus Cisco desk phone and number) have this option, including from a personally owned computer. You can learn more about Jabber and how to install Jabber on a computer here .  

To make a call from the Cisco Jabber desktop client, you can enter the phone number you wish to dial and press the green phone icon, or select the name of the person in the campus directory and click the green phone icon. A headset makes it a little easier to make calls, but any computer with a microphone and speaker will work for making and receiving calls.

 

October 2, 2020 - Spring 2021 Instruction

Dear King Hall Community,

I hope that everyone, as well as their friends, family, and community, are safe and well. We appreciate that all members of the greater King Hall community face incredibly difficult and challenging times. All of us are doing our very best to minimize the stresses and anxiety.

We wanted to provide an update about what we currently know about spring 2021 law school instruction. Plans for classes on campus likely will not be announced until the end of 2020.  It cannot be known at this time whether governmental and campus directives will permit any form of in-person instruction during our spring semester. Because your health is our top priority, UC Davis School of Law plans to begin the spring 2021 semester with exclusively remote instruction. If permitted by state, local, and campus directives at some point during the spring semester, we may return to in-person, hybrid instruction.  However, even if circumstances change, the Law School will provide reasonable notice, no less than 30 days in advance of any move to some form of in-person or hybrid instruction.  In the event that we make that transition, we are committed to maintaining remote options for all classes.

As previously announced, there will be an opportunity to discuss spring instruction this afternoon at 3 p.m. Register here.  Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Emily Scivoletto will be available to answer questions, as well as receive comments, on the tentative spring instructional plans.

Thank you for your patience and consideration.

Dean Kevin R. Johnson
Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicanx Studies

 

 

July 31, 2020 - Fall 2020 Instruction

King Hall Community

After much discussion with campus leadership, the School of Law was informed today that, consistent with protecting the health and safety of our community during the global pandemic, law classes will begin the Fall 2020 semester in a completely (100%) remote format.

We all had hoped for some in-person instruction this fall. Our incoming J.D. and LL.M. students, as well as our returning students, no doubt looked forward to meeting new classmates and seeing old friends. Over the last few months, the faculty and administration formulated a plan of hybrid instruction, with both remote and in-person options. Although we must begin instruction completely remote, our hope is that circumstances allow for changes later in the semester or year.

The good news is that, over the summer, the faculty have been honing their remote teaching techniques through weekly training sessions. In addition, the Law Students Association and COVID-19 Student Advisory Committee have spent the summer planning for student life in the virtual world. That hard work will ensure that our student organizations will continue to offer innovative and engaging programming.

We are especially mindful of the needs of our LL.M. students, many of whom have come to King Hall from around the world. Associate Dean for International Programs Beth Greenwood will follow up with more information for our international students.

Although School of Law classes will be offered remotely this fall, expect King Hall to exude its usual dynamism, with virtual events, workshops, presentations, and student organization gatherings. Our Racial Justice Speaker Series will start in just a few weeks. We should all look forward to the return of the wonderful King Hall spirit to the building.

The School of Law is currently finalizing a plan that will allow for limited access to the building for studying and use of selected facilities, such as the computer lab and printers. The Mabie Law Library will be open for limited hours and provide in-person support at the reference desk. Next week, we will provide information about how to utilize and access King Hall. If you come to the building, expect to see a limited number of staff in King Hall, including from Information Technology, faculty support, facility operations, and custodial services.

Thanks for your patience and consideration. None of this has been easy for our students, staff, and faculty. I have no doubt that our strong community will help us navigate these challenging times.

Kevin R. Johnson
Dean
UC Davis School of Law

 

 

June 29, 2020 - Fall 2020 Instruction

Dear King Hall Community:

I hope that you, friends, and family are well, and that everyone is finding time for moments of relaxation and rejuvenation.

This memorandum provides information about fall 2020 instruction.

As we face the challenges of a global pandemic, the King Hall community remains strong, supportive, and dedicated to an excellent public legal education. Over the last few months, we have been diligently planning for the delivery of the best possible instruction in a safe and healthy way.

Please rest assured that, in all of our instructional planning for 2020/21, health and safety are the number one priority. In our commitment to protecting health and safety, we are poised to adjust as necessary if circumstances change.

The Instructional Planning Advisory Committee recommended that, to ensure the effective introduction of incoming law students to a legal education, priority for in-person instruction be given to first year courses. The committee further recommended that experiential/skills courses are a priority for in-person instruction. This committee also recommended that the fall semester be shortened by one week to allow for faculty and students to finish instruction by November 25 before the Thanksgiving break, which furthers paramount public health concerns.

Health and Safety Protocols

Working with UC Davis campus and local health officials, we have established health and safety protocols for entry into King Hall. The protocols, which will be updated as necessary, include:

  • Health screenings before entering the building
  • Mandatory use of masks/face coverings
  • Social distancing
  • Single-occupancy restrooms
  • Plexi-glass in administrative and instructional areas
  • A rigorous cleaning schedule for classrooms and the entire King Hall building
  • Maximum occupancy of selected classrooms will be 25-30% of capacity. Building occupancy capacity will be decreased to meet public health standards. To reduce the number of people in the building at one time, staff and faculty at the Law School will work on a staggered schedule. The law building will be closed to the general public.

Expansion of our summer orientation and Intro Week program for first year students

We redesigned “Intro Week” for remote workshops that begin in late-July. Incoming students will soon get information about programming, including our new Community Read in which students will read and discuss Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (2010). For the Introduction to Law course starting August 17, we created small section opportunities and refined the schedule.

Fall Instruction

The fall 2020 semester will be offered in one of two formats. Both formats allow for quick and efficient transition if changed circumstances require complete remote instruction.

  • Hybrid in-person instruction: The course will be offered in-person, with an option for students to synchronously join the class via Zoom.
  • Online instruction: The course will be delivered through Zoom and the Canvas course management

First Year Courses

In a poll of the incoming class, approximately 80% responded that they are available for hybrid in-person classes. A student seeking to attend courses remotely will be able to do so with notice to our Dean of Students. No justification or documentation is required.

All incoming first year students will have the opportunity for two in-person classes (with a remote component) and two completely online classes. All courses will have at least one upper division Academic Success tutor to assist and plan small group study sessions.

  • For one of the hybrid in-person classes, Legal Research & Writing, students will have space to attend in person at the same time. For the other hybrid in-person class, we will rotate students so that about half the class attends in-person in any given week. Hybrid in-person classes will allow students to synchronously join the class through

Upper Division Courses

Most upper division courses will be classes offered remotely; a few – mostly experiential/skills classes and seminars -- will be offered as hybrid in-person classes. Students will be provided the updated schedule indicating the course delivery formats around July 1, and participate in a second course registration beginning on July 31.

Teaching and Learning

In all classroom settings, we will support our students’ ability to be focused, active learners. Faculty members will provide opportunities for deep learning and meaningful interactions with professors and fellow students. And the world class UC Davis Law faculty have become remote learning experts. Faculty are reviewing course evaluations from spring 2020 and student surveys

and collaborating on teaching ideas. The Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee has planned and begun a series of training opportunities for faculty. Training topics include online course design, student engagement, and formative assessments. This committee is considering trainings for students about successful learning in a virtual classroom.

Expansion of student services

With the instructional format, one-on-one and small group interactions will not as easily be available. We are committed to creating socially-distanced space and are preparing for the use of space in the King Hall Courtyard and the adjacent arboretum. Our community will connect virtually as well as we provide small group meeting opportunities and online “hangouts.” We will continue to offer student organizations the opportunity to schedule virtual meeting rooms through our scheduling system. A student advisory committee of eight student leaders, are guiding our discussion.

We will expand the Academic Success tutor program, provide classroom assistants to provide logistical assistance to faculty in hybrid in-person classes, upgrade classroom technology, and reassign staff members to focus on health and safety. A new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion fellow in the Office for Student Affairs will work with students on social justice programming for the King Hall community.

Flexibility of Regulations

The law school has:

  • Modified the academic calendar for the fall 2020 semester. The last day of instruction is now November 25, 2020 with examinations completed by December 11,
  • Moved fall 2020 examinations to a remote (online or take-home) format. Fall courses will be graded using the law school’s regular grading system (letter-graded, with some Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory).
  • Arranged for the recording of all classes (with faculty options for release).
  • Recommended to faculty to continue reasonable attendance policies. Although regular attendance is required, flexibility in course attendance policies is

We all will need to work together to ensure community safety. We all must follow the protocols and guidelines, including wearing face masks and engaging in social distancing. I look forward to working together to explore new ways to teach and learn the law. Thank you to all for your patience and consideration.

Kevin R. Johnson

Dean

 

 

4/9/20 - Student Emergency Fund

UC Davis Law starts emergency fund for students

To help support students in a time of extraordinary need, UC Davis School of Law has established the King Hall Emergency Fund.

Working together, the Law School's Dean's Office and Law Students Association have created a fund that will provide modest grants to meet immediate needs of students who have encountered financial emergencies due to the COVID-19 crisis and stay-at-home directives. Grants will be available to help with costs for food, shelter, and technology associated with remote learning, among other unforeseen expenses.

As emphasized by Dean Kevin R. Johnson, "The King Hall Emergency Fund is designed to help students, who are an essential part of the UC Davis School of Law community. We have a responsibility to help all students during this time of uncertainty, anxiety, and challenges. The law school is proud to work with our Law Students Association to create the emergency fund."

Students facing economic hardship related to essential living, academic and health- and family-related expenses may apply for emergency grants with the Office of Financial Aid.

Students must be enrolled for the spring 2020 semester and in good academic standing to qualify for grants. Upon approval of the application, disbursement of funds will occur within a maximum of five days.

The LSA donated money to the fund that was earmarked for student events that had to be canceled due to the public health crisis, LSA President Paige Tucker '20 said.

"I thought it was important to donate the remaining unused funds to the King Hall Emergency Fund," Tucker said. "This is the least LSA can do to support our students in need during this unprecedented time, especially since LSA's budget is 100 percent funded by student fees."

For questions about the King Hall Emergency Fund, please contact Director of Financial Aid Montré Everett ( [email protected]) or Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Emily Scivoletto ( [email protected]).

 

 

4/8/20 - Community Message from Dean Kevin Johnson

Dear King Hall Community,

I am very sad to report that, in light of public health concerns about COVID-19 and various governmental and University of California directives, a live commencement at the Mondavi Performing Arts Center on May 16 will not be possible.

I know that this is a major disappointment for our students, their families and friends as well as for the faculty, administration, and staff. But, we do look forward to honoring our outstanding graduates later this year when it is safe for all to gather.

After receiving overwhelming feedback from the Class of 2020 in favor of postponing commencement and meeting with the Class of 2020 Commencement Committee, we are planning to have our traditional in-person ceremony in the fall but do not have a finalized date at this time. We are working on something to mark the May 16 date when Commencement 2020 had been scheduled.

If you have an active cap and gown and/or grad pack order it will be canceled and refunded. Events manager Onell Berrios will follow up with details about refunds.

We will keep you informed with updates and appreciate your patience through this process.

Please contact Onell Berrios at [email protected] with questions.

My sincere apologies for the postponement of commencement. The decision was painful even though consistent with our overall goal of promoting the health of all in our community.

Please see a message from Chancellor May below for an update about commencements across campus.

Stay safe and be healthy,

Kevin R. Johnson
Dean
UC Davis School of Law

From the Desk of 
Chancellor Gary S. May
 
Dear UC Davis Community,
We wanted to share with you the message below that has been sent to graduating undergraduate and academic graduate students regarding the decision for Spring Commencement 2020. We know that this announcement is disappointing and are obtaining feedback from our students to create a virtual celebration and postponed in-person ceremony that honors this significant milestone.
 
 
Dear UC Davis Class of 2020,
 
As we begin spring quarter in these unprecedented and challenging times, we want to share with you our decision to move Commencement to a virtual celebration in June AND explore an alternate date - likely in December - to host a more traditional, in-person ceremony. Every year we eagerly await gathering for this time-honored tradition. We understand the impact of this decision and did not make it lightly.
 
With the extension of stay at home directives and rapidly evolving public health conditions, we believe the risk is just too great and do not want to jeopardize the health and safety of you, your families or our communities. We also wanted to communicate this decision as soon as possible so that students and families are able to cancel or avoid travel penalties at this time, and we promise to communicate any future plans with as much advance notice as possible.
 
While we are disappointed that we have had to make these changes, we are committed to celebrating your tremendous achievements. We recognize that this milestone represents years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication, and you deserve to be celebrated with your friends, professors, families and loved ones.  
 
We have updated the   Commencement website  to include more information, including a new FAQ resource.  
 
Thank you again for demonstrating such resilience, courage and care for each other as we continually take steps to respond to this situation. I am so proud to be leading this Aggie community.
 
Stay well,
 
 
Gary S. May
Chancellor

 

 

3/20/20 - Community Message from Dean Kevin Johnson

Dear King Hall Community,

Welcome back from spring break. It, of course, was not the break that we expected just a few weeks ago. This has been an incredibly stressful time, especially for students. We all greatly appreciate the patience and consideration exhibited by the entire King Hall community.

I wanted to update you on a few items as campus operations continue to be suspended.

As you know, our classes for the last four weeks will be online. Online classes are an adjustment for all. Thanks to our tremendous IT staff and professors for adapting efficiently and graciously to online teaching.

Last week, we provided information about final examinations and grading for the spring 2020 semester. There was, of course, no perfect solution. All involved did their very best to act expeditiously and fairly.

As students have been informed, registration for fall 2020 will proceed in April.

We are working with the 2020 Graduation Committee on the appropriate Commencement 2020. The event is an important milestone and celebration. It appears that public health concerns will prevent an in-person commencement scheduled at the Mondavi Performing Arts Center for May 16. This is deeply disappointing to the Class of 2020 as well as to faculty, administration, and staff. In deciding how to proceed, we will work to do our best in accordance with student preferences and governmental directives. A website is open for Class of 2020 input.

The California State Bar is holding an emergency meeting today to discuss the July bar examination. The meeting is closed to the public. The California law deans have asked to participate in the deliberations with the State Bar on how to proceed with the July examination. States appear to be considering different approaches to responding to public health directives in the administration of the summer bar examinations.

Thanks for your continued patience and consideration. I have been inspired day in and day out by the strength of character that you all have exhibited in these most challenging times.

Sincerely,

Dean Johnson

 

 

3/20/20 - Community Message from Dean Kevin Johnson

Dear King Hall Community:

Ordinarily, at this time of year, spring break would be a time of rest and relaxation. This year, of course, is different. The global situation is nothing less than daunting, to say the least. As we adapt to life in the midst of a widespread public health crisis, I want to give you a sense of the coming weeks at UC Davis School of Law.

At the outset, let me commend all of you for your incredible resilience. Thank you for your spirit and understanding.

The King Hall community is rising to the challenge. Through swift, herculean efforts, we have been able to move instruction and most operations online in a week. That feat is nothing less than remarkable. Although rapid change in the ordinary ways of doing things is always challenging, faculty, students, and staff have adapted amazingly quickly – and with understanding and kindness – to the new methods.

Thanks to the quick thinking of the Admissions Office, and the assistance of our Information Technology unit, we will hold Admitted Students Day on April 4; it will be virtual, unfolding entirely online. Alumni and friends of King Hall have agreed to answer – online of course – admitted students’ questions.

In the noble King Hall tradition, students have let their voices be heard on grading for the spring semester. The law faculty will be discussing the issue today. We will have word to the community on grading, final examinations, and commencement in the next week or two. We are aware of the anxiety that the uncertainty is causing and are moving as fast as we can to make decisions on these matters.

As we navigate an unprecedented and uncertain situation in the coming days, resilience and reliance on community will be necessary. All of us need to work as one as we do our best to keep everyone safe and healthy while preserving our academic enterprise.

Students with questions and concerns about their coursework should check online for updates. Please feel free to contact Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Emily Scivoletto ([email protected]). Employees who have questions about teleworking can talk to their supervisors, or consult this campus website . 

The situation is evolving so rapidly that there remain far more unknowns than certainties. Nonetheless, one thing is known – King Hall’s famous spirit of cooperation has remained intact during some of the most difficult days the law school has ever faced. 

 

Sincerely,

Kevin R. Johnson
Dean, UC Davis School of Law

 

 

3/20/20 - Spring Events

As we have been adjusting to shelter in place orders and campus policies, the School of Law and student groups unfortunately have been compelled to postpone or cancel numerous events. Some events will be rescheduled. Others will be shifting to online events. 

Many students have inquired about Commencement 2020. The law school is in communication with campus leadership about how to proceed with graduation. We will let the entire community know as soon as we receive word on how to go forward. 

We all are deeply saddened that we cannot gather to celebrate the many amazing achievements of our school. At the same time, we must do our part to help keep everyone healthy. 

Below is a list of the status of upcoming events that are on schedule, postponed, or canceled. Events Manager Onell Berrios, at [email protected], can answer questions about School of Law-sponsored events.

Scheduled as of March 20 (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

  • May 16: Commencement
  • June 22-25: Summer Tax Institute

Virtual

  • April 4: Virtual Open House for Admitted Students
  • April 23: Public Service Graduation

Postponed

  • Lorenzo Patiño Banquet by La Raza Law Students Organization, date TBD
  • Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Banquet (April 2), date TBD
  • Professor Bhagwat endowed chair lecture (April 15), postponed to fall 2020
  • CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) at 50 Conference (April 17), postponed to fall 2020

Canceled

  • Business Law Journal Symposium (April 3)
  • Neumiller Competition, Moot Court Honors Board (April 3)
  • Hopkins Reception, UC Davis Law Review (April 6)
  • Class of 2020 BBQ (April 23)

 

 

3/18/20 - Operational Status

Dear King Hall Community:

Chancellor May announced today a change in the operational status of the UC Davis campus. His message states that, “Yolo and Sacramento counties have issued directives advising residents to shelter in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. As a result, and effective immediately, the campus is moving to suspended operations as outlined in our policy as defined by policy and described on changes to campus operating status.”

For us at the School of Law, the new directive means that classes for the remainder of the semester will exclusively be online. The law faculty will soon be in the process of developing a way of administering exams, online or otherwise, which allows students to take their exams remotely.

We recommend that students, as well as staff, abide by the shelter in place and continue online instruction. Students should regularly check online for course updates. Students with questions and concerns should feel free to contact Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Emily Scivoletto ( [email protected]).

Chancellor May’s message states that “ employees should assume they will work from home through April 7, unless they hear otherwise from their managers.” (bold added). Almost all law school staff will work remotely. (Although offices will be closed, students can contact staff by email.) Staff should confirm their work status with their supervisor or manager.

Some staff members may be asked to come to King Hall to continue operations related to online instruction, ensuring mail receipt, and perhaps other essential functions. All other staff should telework. The campus has created a website with more information about telework. Supervisors have been working with their teams to determine appropriate assignments. Staff members should continue to be in communication with their supervisors. Please contact Human Resources Manager Lisa Harry with questions about telework policies, or other work-related matters, at [email protected].

If you need to return to the building to pick up materials, please limit your visit to the shortest time possible.

We are following the guidance of central campus and will keep you informed of developments. There is more information at the UC Davis COVID-19 site. A new campus Coronavirus Information Line is now live. 

We all understand the many challenges that our entire community faces in these incredibly fluid and difficult times. Thank you for continuing to do your work and for supporting each other. Our strong community will help us continue to adapt to this evolving situation – please stay safe and all the best to you and your families.

 

Sincerely,  

Kevin R. Johnson 
Dean
UC Davis School of Law