Graham Pittman ‘19
Guest Satirist
Third-year law students at the University of Virginia School of Law expressed their outrage earlier this week after Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Registrar Jason Dugas nearly failed to remind them about the spring enrollment period. 3L representative Jeff Richardson spoke before a crowd of angry upperclassmen and reporters gathered outside of the school on Monday to criticize Dean Dugas for not emailing them sooner about the registration deadlines that have been posted on LawWeb for at least three months.
“Who could have guessed that we wouldn’t get advanced warning from the Registrar’s office in the form of a series of timely, informative, and technologically integrated emails? It’s like the rug was completely pulled out from under us,” said Richardson. “The administration needs to be held accountable. It’s absolutely unreasonable for them to expect us to remember the specifics of a process that has in no way changed since 1L.”
Richardson claims that many 3Ls were unable to complete the 30-minute course selection process with only four days’ notice. “In addition to playing on multiple softball teams I’m also taking a full twelve credit schedule this semester, including Common Law IV and VII. . .When exactly did Dugas expect me to find the time to sign up for class? Considering how bad the reception is on the back nine of Birdwood and the upstairs bar at Biltmore, it’s a miracle that any of us even saw his email.”
“My parents are paying nearly $60,000 for me to go to school here. The least the administration can do is tell me when I need to register for class,” added Richardson, who hasn’t been to his Securities Regulation seminar in at least three weeks. “Law school is supposed to prepare us to be lawyers; we shouldn’t be wasting our time worrying about strict, arbitrary deadlines, reading through tedious documents, or paying attention to small details.”
Richardson warned that the 3L class would pursue further action if the administration fails to make amends. “Mark my words, if one of us ends up having to take a Friday class we’re going to organize a petition.”