Niko Orfanedes ‘22
SBA 2021-2022 President
Fellow Members of the Virginia Law Community,
A little over a year ago, on the first Saturday of April, I spent the afternoon with a small group of law students on Copeley Field. It was a balmy, spring afternoon in Charlottesville—yet the walking paths and streets around North Grounds were eerily desolate. For those of us who would remain in town for the duration of the semester, such a scene would soon become all too familiar. This particular Saturday was especially momentous, however, considering what should have been. Copeley Field was supposed to be packed full of players and spectators from law schools around the country for the 37th Annual North Grounds Softball League Invitational—the first of many classic UVA Law traditions to be derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, a little over a year later, we are faced with the formidable challenge of rebuilding and restoring our once-unwavering sense of community.
Although brighter days are undoubtedly on the horizon, our student body remains—in many respects—at a crossroads. The pandemic continues to take a toll on our mental and physical health. Our viewpoints on critical issues are increasingly at odds. A number of students feel isolated and disconnected from the Law School administration—and, in many cases, their fellow classmates. Meanwhile, Reddit posts and GroupMe discussions have highlighted our dire, longstanding need to curate a drastically more diverse and inclusive student body and faculty.
Too often when faced with these challenges, we, the student body, elect to debate for the sake of debating (we are future lawyers, after all). Words alone, however, are not the way forward. Our current state of affairs calls for strong and decisive action, and it is for precisely this reason why I decided to run for SBA President.
Since assuming office last month, your SBA representatives have hit the ground running. My fellow Executive Board members and I have met with student leaders, raised sensitive concerns to our Law School administrators, and strategized ways to reestablish the events, activities, and traditions that bring us together and strengthen our bonds as a student body. Before the semester ends, I will be establishing the inaugural President’s Roundtable with leaders of each of our law school affinity groups. The purpose of this roundtable discussion will be to identify issues facing our students and to develop action plans to bring our community forward. Because many of the challenges faced by our affinity groups are deeply-rooted and persistent, we will be hosting this discussion on a regular basis throughout the upcoming year. Further, I will be working with our Senators to circulate a class-specific, semi-monthly survey designed to obtain feedback and insight on a number of matters (e.g. administrator accessibility, academic challenges, social events, and general concerns). With this information at our disposal, the SBA can take targeted action to efficiently address the many issues facing our student body today.
Despite our many differences, we all possess a common desire to make our school a better place. During last month’s contested SBA elections, we witnessed record voter turnout across the board—a testament to the passion and care that we all share when it comes to our Virginia Law community. Now, we must channel our passion and unite as we lead our beloved institution into the future.
As we embark on this journey together, I am extremely grateful to be a part of the all-star team that is SBA 2021-22. Moreover, I would be remiss not to give a major shout-out to my predecessor, Katharine Janes ’21. Despite assuming her position amidst the calamity of an unprecedented public health crisis, Katharine navigated our student body through this uniquely challenging year—beginning with our transition to virtual learning and the pass-fail debate— – with vigor and grace. I, like the rest of us, am thankful for her leadership, and I look forward to building upon her successes and accomplishments.
As we leave this difficult year behind us, please know that the process of restoring our community is going to take us all. Together, however, we have the opportunity to leave our school a little bit better off than it was when we first arrived on North Grounds. I implore you to continue to embody the qualities that best represent what it means to be a student at the University of Virginia School of Law. Be compassionate and kind. Uplift those around you. Say hello to a member of our diligent custodial staff. By doing the little things right each and every day, you can make a difference. We all can make a difference. It is an honor to be a part of this community, and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together. The best is yet to come.
Very truly yours,
Niko Orfanedes
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njo8fm@virginia.edu