On Monday, April 6, at 9:09 p.m., Dean Risa Goluboff and Frannie Skardon ’22 released a joint statement to the Law Weekly in response to our request for further comment from the dean regarding Michael Berdan ’22’s article recapping the Coffee with the Dean event. At this event, students had vigorously discussed the controversy surrounding Ms. Skardon’s appeal to remain a full-time student. The joint statement is reproduced below without edits. The Law Weekly does not necessarily endorse the content or viewpoint herein published.
Statement begins:
We are reaching out jointly to express how glad we both are that Frannie’s situation came to a positive resolution and to share some thoughts about the future.
We have both expressed separately but want to emphasize here together the invaluable contributions service members make to our community both at the Law School and beyond, and honor the sacrifices they make every day to protect our safety, health and freedom. They will always have a home at UVA Law.
The two of us have had productive conversations about how the Law School can improve the administration of its policies in situations similar to Frannie’s. In so many ways, we are in unprecedented times—times that our policies did not contemplate. ABA standards require the Law School to develop and adhere to its policies, including how best to do that as our learning environment has changed.
Going forward, we are both committed to improving the Law School’s process for implementing academic policies and finding ways to communicate policies in a manner that empowers students and increases transparency. We are eager to work with other students to hear their experiences and feedback.
Dean Goluboff has asked Vice Dean Kendrick to work with the Student Bar Association on gathering student views to make recommendations to the curriculum and academic review committees, both of which include student representatives. Together, we hope this collaboration will improve the implementation of the Law School’s academic policies, maintain the high standards of a UVA Law education, increase our understanding of the hardships military students face, and safeguard the interests and welfare of our students.
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goluboff@law.virginia.edu