Student Representation on Faculty Committees
Much of the governance of the Law School is carried out through faculty committees, several of which include student representatives. Faculty and staff nominate students to serve on these committees, and the student representatives are chosen by the Dean’s Office in consultation with DBA.
The role of the Committee is to provide advice to the Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Affairs staff teams and to the Dean’s Office about specific issues concerning admissions, financial aid, and student affairs. Relevant Duke Law School’s Rules and Policies to the work of the Committee may be found in Sections I and V of the Rules codified here: https://law.duke.edu/about/community/rules/sec1/ and https://law.duke.edu/about/community/rules/sec5/. In practice, the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs and staff often bring issues before the Committee related to admissions process, forms, assessment, proposals for rule or policy changes, the Honor Code, and programs and services such as orientation and ADA accommodations. Changes to Duke Law School’s Rules or Policies in the subject area originate from the Committee. Admissions and financial aid award decisions are not made by the Committee. Recent issues have focused around the Loan Repayment Assistance Program and the use of GRE scores in admission decisions, for example. Student Committee members voice the student perspective on these issues. Student representatives participate in all aspects of the Committee’s work, though on occasion sensitive matters are discussed in closed session with faculty and staff members only. (For example, an examination of the correlation between law school academic performance and measures of academic promise, such as LSAT/GRE scores or undergraduate GPAs, may take place in closed session if it is impossible to anonymize the data fully.) The time commitment for student representatives varies from year to year, but typically does not exceed 5 hours per year.
The Committee supports the work and mission of the Career & Professional Development Center team as a resource, developing and assessing proposals, discussing ways to optimize the student experience, and providing advice and guidance on current issues. The Career Center’s mission is:
To build strong and lasting relationships with our students, and to empower them to pursue their unique career aspirations by acquiring professional skills, identifying and achieving individual goals, developing insight to adapt to a rapidly changing global market, and embodying the Duke Law Blueprint values.
Student Role
- Participate fully in discussion.
- Vote when votes are taken.
- Students “represent themselves,” with views informed by their interactions with the community.
- Default “is open meeting.”
Student Limitations
- No limitations, except as required to protect students’ privacy and institutional confidentiality needs (e.g., not disclosing institutional decisions or data that has not yet been made publicly available).
Time Commitment for Student Representatives
- Varies annually, but rarely would exceed 10 hours per year, though there are sometimes opportunities to volunteer on individual projects.
Number of Students and Class Years
One 1L, one 2L and one 3L are nominated to serve on the committee. Additional members may be invited to join to provide a range of perspectives and experiences.
Duties
The Curriculum Committee is responsible for approving all new courses, and for general review of issues relating to the course of study for the JD and LLM degrees. The Committee also is responsible for working with the Dean’s Office to ensure compliance with ABA standards that relate to the program of legal education and its delivery to students. Pursuant to its general review responsibility, the Committee may, from time to time, be asked to take up issues of degree requirements, course crediting, grading, aspects of curricular components such as the experiential education, ethics or writing programs, and new programs.
Meetings and Time Commitments
The Committee generally meets once or twice each month, though if tasked with an in-depth curricular review, may need to meet more often. The Committee also regularly conducts business via email. The time commitment of committee service is generally about 3 hours/month. Student representatives, one each from the 1L, 2L and 3L JD classes, participate in all business of the committee, including instances in which confidentiality is especially expected, such as with curricular proposals, but are recused from situations in which more sensitive data potentially relating to specific faculty or students may need to be discussed, such as in discussions of grading, for example. The committee chair and the Dean’s Office will keep students informed of the issues under discussion in any instances in which students do not attend meetings or receive all materials related to a committee task.
The DEI Committee includes a mix of faculty, students, alumni, and staff. The Committee supports and supplements the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of the law school and the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The committee works to promote a culture of respect and belonging through initiatives such as providing feedback on the law school’s DEI Strategic Plan, planning community-wide programming, assisting in the recruitment of prospective students, and collaborating with faculty to support inclusive teaching practices.
Students serving on the DEI Committee bring a vital perspective to the committee’s work, providing insight into the challenges and experiences faced by the student body. Their involvement helps to create a more responsive and relevant DEI agenda, as they can share unique viewpoints on classroom dynamics, campus culture, and access to resources. By participating, students help bridge the gap between the administration and the student community, fostering a more inclusive and supportive academic environment.
Students on the committee are not designated representatives of a student organization; rather, they share their own perspectives and experience. The committee meets approximately once a month during the academic year. The time commitment for student representatives is 10-15 hours per year.
The primary responsibility of the Entry Level Appointments Committee is to identify and recommend the hiring of tenure-track faculty for entry-level teaching positions at Duke Law. The faculty members of the Committee reviews hundreds of applications, conduct screening interviews, and select a smaller number of candidates to invite to campus for job talk presentations and interviews in the late fall and spring. The Committee also reviews and reports on the quality of the candidates’ teaching and on their institutional service.
Student representatives play an important role in the work of the Committee. They meet periodically with the Chair of the Committee. They attend job talks by entry-level candidates and meet with the candidates to discuss scholarship, teaching, and institutional vision. They convey their assessments to the Committee and assist in recruiting faculty. The time commitment for student representatives is typically 15-20 hours per year.
Student representatives play an important role on the Faculty Alumni & Development Committee, assisting the faculty and Alumni & Development staff in a variety of different capacities. Student representatives meet periodically with the Chair of the Committee and Alumni & Development staff to discuss strategies for creating meaningful connections between students and alumni. Student representatives serve as ambassadors during signature alumni programs during the academic year such as Reunion Weekend, fall and spring leadership weekends, thank-a-thon, and regional alumni events. Students also work with faculty and staff to develop resources and programs to support the graduating class navigate the transition from students to alumni. Through serving on the Alumni & Development committee, student representatives provide general and specific feedback and guidance to faculty and Alumni & Development staff on student and alumni engagement and development activities. The time commitment for student representatives is roughly 10 hours per semester.
The responsibilities of the Lateral Faculty Appointments and Promotions Committee include recommending the appointment of tenured and tenure-track faculty who have already started their teaching careers at another law school or university and considering whether tenure-track faculty at the Law School should be reappointed. Faculty members of the Committee engage in extensive reading and discussion of scholarship by lateral, reappointment, and tenure candidates. The Committee also reviews and reports on the quality of the candidates’ teaching and on their institutional service.
Students play an important role in the work of the Committee. Student representatives meet periodically with the Chair of the Committee to discuss specific candidates as well as general hiring priorities and, where applicable, to convey the views of the student body about the quality of teaching by visiting faculty during their time at Duke. Student representatives also attend job talks by lateral candidates; meet with the candidates to discuss scholarship, teaching, and institutional vision; convey their assessment and recommendations to the Committee; and assist in the recruitment of faculty who have been offered an appointment. The time commitment for student representatives is typically 15-20 hours per year.
The Library and Technology Committee (LTC) comprises a mix of faculty, ex officio members, and student representatives. The Committee meets every semester (and more frequently when necessary) to review, discuss and, where appropriate decide on—
- Direction from the Dean or the Faculty or on its own initiative, matters of relevance to Library and Technology services;
- Advise the Associate Dean for Information Services and Associate Dean for Finance and Administration on faculty and/or student views when asked;
- Library and technology user satisfaction or concerns, including surveys;
- Ideas for improvement in operations and service;
- Decisions by the Associate Dean for Information Services and Associate Dean for Finance and Administration that might have an impact on students and faculty;
- In closed session (faculty and staff only) personnel matters the Associate Deans bring to the Committee for deliberation and decision; and
- The strategic direction of library and technology services, possible implications for faculty and students, and impact and changes on the Law School’s teaching and research missions.
The time commitment for student representatives is typically no more than 10 hours per year.
The role of the Committee is to provide advice to the Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Affairs staff teams and to the Dean’s Office about specific issues concerning admissions, financial aid, and student affairs. Relevant Duke Law School’s Rules and Policies to the work of the Committee may be found in Sections I and V of the Rules codified here: https://law.duke.edu/about/community/rules/sec1/ and https://law.duke.edu/about/community/rules/sec5/. In practice, the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs and staff often bring issues before the Committee related to admissions process, forms, assessment, proposals for rule or policy changes, the Honor Code, and programs and services such as orientation and ADA accommodations. Changes to Duke Law School’s Rules or Policies in the subject area originate from the Committee. Admissions and financial aid award decisions are not made by the Committee. Recent issues have focused around the Loan Repayment Assistance Program and the use of GRE scores in admission decisions, for example. Student Committee members voice the student perspective on these issues. Student representatives participate in all aspects of the Committee’s work, though on occasion sensitive matters are discussed in closed session with faculty and staff members only. (For example, an examination of the correlation between law school academic performance and measures of academic promise, such as LSAT/GRE scores or undergraduate GPAs, may take place in closed session if it is impossible to anonymize the data fully.) The time commitment for student representatives varies from year to year, but typically does not exceed 5 hours per year.
The Committee supports the work and mission of the Career & Professional Development Center team as a resource, developing and assessing proposals, discussing ways to optimize the student experience, and providing advice and guidance on current issues. The Career Center’s mission is:
To build strong and lasting relationships with our students, and to empower them to pursue their unique career aspirations by acquiring professional skills, identifying and achieving individual goals, developing insight to adapt to a rapidly changing global market, and embodying the Duke Law Blueprint values.
Student Role
- Participate fully in discussion.
- Vote when votes are taken.
- Students “represent themselves,” with views informed by their interactions with the community.
- Default “is open meeting.”
Student Limitations
- No limitations, except as required to protect students’ privacy and institutional confidentiality needs (e.g., not disclosing institutional decisions or data that has not yet been made publicly available).
Time Commitment for Student Representatives
- Varies annually, but rarely would exceed 10 hours per year, though there are sometimes opportunities to volunteer on individual projects.
Number of Students and Class Years
One 1L, one 2L and one 3L are nominated to serve on the committee. Additional members may be invited to join to provide a range of perspectives and experiences.
Duties
The Curriculum Committee is responsible for approving all new courses, and for general review of issues relating to the course of study for the JD and LLM degrees. The Committee also is responsible for working with the Dean’s Office to ensure compliance with ABA standards that relate to the program of legal education and its delivery to students. Pursuant to its general review responsibility, the Committee may, from time to time, be asked to take up issues of degree requirements, course crediting, grading, aspects of curricular components such as the experiential education, ethics or writing programs, and new programs.
Meetings and Time Commitments
The Committee generally meets once or twice each month, though if tasked with an in-depth curricular review, may need to meet more often. The Committee also regularly conducts business via email. The time commitment of committee service is generally about 3 hours/month. Student representatives, one each from the 1L, 2L and 3L JD classes, participate in all business of the committee, including instances in which confidentiality is especially expected, such as with curricular proposals, but are recused from situations in which more sensitive data potentially relating to specific faculty or students may need to be discussed, such as in discussions of grading, for example. The committee chair and the Dean’s Office will keep students informed of the issues under discussion in any instances in which students do not attend meetings or receive all materials related to a committee task.
The DEI Committee includes a mix of faculty, students, alumni, and staff. The Committee supports and supplements the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of the law school and the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The committee works to promote a culture of respect and belonging through initiatives such as providing feedback on the law school’s DEI Strategic Plan, planning community-wide programming, assisting in the recruitment of prospective students, and collaborating with faculty to support inclusive teaching practices.
Students serving on the DEI Committee bring a vital perspective to the committee’s work, providing insight into the challenges and experiences faced by the student body. Their involvement helps to create a more responsive and relevant DEI agenda, as they can share unique viewpoints on classroom dynamics, campus culture, and access to resources. By participating, students help bridge the gap between the administration and the student community, fostering a more inclusive and supportive academic environment.
Students on the committee are not designated representatives of a student organization; rather, they share their own perspectives and experience. The committee meets approximately once a month during the academic year. The time commitment for student representatives is 10-15 hours per year.
The primary responsibility of the Entry Level Appointments Committee is to identify and recommend the hiring of tenure-track faculty for entry-level teaching positions at Duke Law. The faculty members of the Committee reviews hundreds of applications, conduct screening interviews, and select a smaller number of candidates to invite to campus for job talk presentations and interviews in the late fall and spring. The Committee also reviews and reports on the quality of the candidates’ teaching and on their institutional service.
Student representatives play an important role in the work of the Committee. They meet periodically with the Chair of the Committee. They attend job talks by entry-level candidates and meet with the candidates to discuss scholarship, teaching, and institutional vision. They convey their assessments to the Committee and assist in recruiting faculty. The time commitment for student representatives is typically 15-20 hours per year.
Student representatives play an important role on the Faculty Alumni & Development Committee, assisting the faculty and Alumni & Development staff in a variety of different capacities. Student representatives meet periodically with the Chair of the Committee and Alumni & Development staff to discuss strategies for creating meaningful connections between students and alumni. Student representatives serve as ambassadors during signature alumni programs during the academic year such as Reunion Weekend, fall and spring leadership weekends, thank-a-thon, and regional alumni events. Students also work with faculty and staff to develop resources and programs to support the graduating class navigate the transition from students to alumni. Through serving on the Alumni & Development committee, student representatives provide general and specific feedback and guidance to faculty and Alumni & Development staff on student and alumni engagement and development activities. The time commitment for student representatives is roughly 10 hours per semester.
The responsibilities of the Lateral Faculty Appointments and Promotions Committee include recommending the appointment of tenured and tenure-track faculty who have already started their teaching careers at another law school or university and considering whether tenure-track faculty at the Law School should be reappointed. Faculty members of the Committee engage in extensive reading and discussion of scholarship by lateral, reappointment, and tenure candidates. The Committee also reviews and reports on the quality of the candidates’ teaching and on their institutional service.
Students play an important role in the work of the Committee. Student representatives meet periodically with the Chair of the Committee to discuss specific candidates as well as general hiring priorities and, where applicable, to convey the views of the student body about the quality of teaching by visiting faculty during their time at Duke. Student representatives also attend job talks by lateral candidates; meet with the candidates to discuss scholarship, teaching, and institutional vision; convey their assessment and recommendations to the Committee; and assist in the recruitment of faculty who have been offered an appointment. The time commitment for student representatives is typically 15-20 hours per year.
The Library and Technology Committee (LTC) comprises a mix of faculty, ex officio members, and student representatives. The Committee meets every semester (and more frequently when necessary) to review, discuss and, where appropriate decide on—
- Direction from the Dean or the Faculty or on its own initiative, matters of relevance to Library and Technology services;
- Advise the Associate Dean for Information Services and Associate Dean for Finance and Administration on faculty and/or student views when asked;
- Library and technology user satisfaction or concerns, including surveys;
- Ideas for improvement in operations and service;
- Decisions by the Associate Dean for Information Services and Associate Dean for Finance and Administration that might have an impact on students and faculty;
- In closed session (faculty and staff only) personnel matters the Associate Deans bring to the Committee for deliberation and decision; and
- The strategic direction of library and technology services, possible implications for faculty and students, and impact and changes on the Law School’s teaching and research missions.
The time commitment for student representatives is typically no more than 10 hours per year.
