1-B~Defen~ing Lib~rty I Pursumg just1ce --------------------------------------------------------------------~ \CCREDITATION COMMITTEE

CHAIRPERSON Rebecca Hanner White

Athens, GA

VICE-CHAIRPERSON Pamela Lysaght Glen Arbor, Ml

MEMBERS Steven C. Bahls Rock Island, IL

Scott Bales Phoenix, AZ

David A. Brennen Lexington, KY

Donald C. Dahlin Vermi llion, SO

(Public Member)

Arthur R. Gaudio Springfield, MA

Paul M. George Philadelphia, PA

Peter G. Glenn Reading, PA

Alex M . Johnson, Jr. Charl ottesville, VA

Carol Kapsner Bismarck, NO

Susan L. Kay Nashvi lle, TN

Judith Leonard Washington, D.C.

Nancy A. Marlin San Diego, CA

(Publ ic M ember)

Abha Pandya Long Beach, CA

(Public M ember)

Joanne Scanlon Prestia Valley Forge, PA

Charlotte L. Wager Chicago, IL

Frederic White Shaker H eights, OH

Adrien Wing Iowa City, lA

MANAGING DIRECTOR Barry A. Currier

Chicago, IL

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

William E. Adams, Jr. Chicago, IL

ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT Camille deJorna

Chicago, IL

ASSISTANT CONSULTANT Stephanie A. G iggetts

Chicago, IL

ASSISTANT CONSULTANT Charlotte (Becky) Stretch

Chicago, IL

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Cathy A. Schrage

Chicago, IL

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April 7, 2016

President Robert Mong Office of the President

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

University of North Texas at Dallas 7300 University Hills Blvd. Dallas, TX 75241

Dean Royal Furgeson University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law 1901 Main Street Dallas, TX 75201

Dear President Mong and Dean Furgeson:

Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar

Office of the Managing Director 321 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654-7598 (312) 988-6738 E-mai I: legaled@americanbar.org/legaled

I am sending each of you a copy of the report submitted as a result of the visit to your law school on January 31 , 2016 to February 3, 2016.

You are invited to respond to and comment on this report. You may also note any inadvertent errors of fact that it contains. Your response, together with the site report and the ABA Site Evaluation Questionnaire that was submitted as part of this process, will provide the basis for determining whether your program of legal education is operating in compliance with the ABA STANDARDS FOR THE APPROVAL OF LAW SCHOOLS.

Please respond at your earliest convenience, but no later than 30 days from the date of this letter. Please notify us if you do not have any changes. Please send your response electronically to Cathy Schrage at cathy.schrage@americanbar.org

We expect that the Accreditation Committee will consider your school at its meeting on June 23-25, 2016.

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President Mong and Dean Furgeson April 7, 2016 Page 2

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

/trMf4-IJ~ Barry A. Currier Managing Director of Accreditation and Legal Education

BAC/mbf Enclosure

cc: Dean Emeritus and Professor Arthur Gaudio (Chair) Professor Patrick J. Flynn Dean I. Richard Gershon Dean Emeritus and Professor James Rosenblatt Professor Michael Whiteman

1-B\ [Defen~ing Lib~rty I ' 'Pursumg just1ce ____________________________________________________________________ .. \CCREDITATION COMMITTEE

CHAIRPERSON Rebecca Hanner White

Athens, GA

VICE-CHAIRPERSON Pamela Lysaght Glen Arbor, M l

MEMBERS Steven C. Bahls Rock Island, IL

Scotl Bales Phoenix, AZ

David A. Brennen Lexington, KY

Donald C. Dahlin Vermill ion, SD

(Public Member)

Arthur R. Gaudio Springfield, MA

Paul M. George Philadelphia, PA

Peter G. Glenn Reading, PA

Alex M. johnson, Jr. Charlottesvi lle, VA

Carol Kapsner Bismarck, ND

Susan L. Kay Nashville, TN

judith Leonard Washington, D.C.

Nancy A. Marlin San Diego, CA

(Public Member)

Abha Pandya Long Beach, CA

(Public Member)

j oanne Scanlon Prestia Valley Forge, PA

Charlotte L. Wager Chicago, IL

Frederic White Shaker Heights, OH

Adrien Wing Iowa City, lA

MANAGING DIRECTOR Barry A. Currier

Chicago, IL

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

William E. Adams, Jr. Chicago, IL

ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT Camille de)orna

Chicago, IL

ASSISTANT CONSULTANT Stephanie A. Giggetts

Chicago, IL

ASSISTANT CONSULTANT Charlotte (Becky) Stretch

Chicago, IL

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Cathy A. Schrage

Chicago, IL

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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

INSPECTION REPORT ON

Section of legal Education and Admissions to the Bar

Office of the Managing Director 321 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654-7598 (3 12) 988-6738 E-mail: legaled®americanbar.orgllegaled

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS COLLEGE OF LAW

By:

January 31, 2016 to February 3, 2016

Dean Emeritus and Professor Arthur Gaudio (Chair) Western New England University School of Law

Professor Patrick J. Flynn University of South Carolina School of Law

Dean I. Richard Gershon University of Mississippi School of Law

Dean Emeritus and Professor James Rosenblatt Mississippi College School of Law

Professor Michael Whiteman Northern Kentucky University School of Law

IMPORTANT: This report was prepared by the site evaluators named herein. The conclusions and judgments stated represent their views alone. The site evaluators do not make the official findings or conclusions for the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association. These are made by the Accreditation Committee and the Council of the Section. The report was prepared for the use of the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association and not for public release. It is intended for the exclusive use and information of those persons authorized by the Council to receive it. Any copying or distribution of a part or whole of this report is subject to this restriction.

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Introduction

(a) Name of the Law School visited:

University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law ("Law School")

(b) The date(s) of the site visit:

January 31, 2016 to February 3, 2016

(c) Names of the site team members; indicate the chair of the site team:

Professor Patrick Flynn, University of South Carolina School of Law Dean Emeritus and Professor Arthur Gaudio, Western New England University School of Law, Chair Dean I. Richard Gershon, University of Mississippi School of Law Dean Emeritus and Professor James Rosenblatt, Mississippi College School of Law Professor Michael Whiteman, Northern Kentucky University School of Law.

(d) Brief synopsis of the site team's activities onsite:

Team members arrived on Saturday, January 30, 2016. On Sunday the team held a pre-visit conference followed by a walk-through of the Law School facility. That was followed by a dinner with Law School administrators and faculty.

The team began the site visit on Monday with an entrance interview with Law School Dean Royal Furgeson, University North Texas at Dallas President Robert Mong, and University of North Texas at Dallas Provost Lois Becker. On Monday and Tuesday, the team conducted the site visit. On Wednesday morning the team had an exit interview with Dean Royal Furgeson and Interim Associate Dean Reynaldo Valencia, which was followed by an exit interview with University of North Texas System Chancellor Lee Jackson, President Robert Mong, and Provost Lois Becker.

During the course of the site visit, the team, or individual members of the team, met with Dean Ferguson, numerous members of the Law School administration, members of the Self Study Committee, and University officials. It visited most of the classes that were taught during the period of the site visit. The team met collectively with faculty members during a luncheon and individually with most of the faculty members in their offices. During the visit, the team met separately with students in the day and evening divisions. The team also had breakfast with members of the bench, bar, and community leaders.

Organization, Administration, Institutional Planning, and Finances

1. General Information [Sources: SEQ 1.1.(a); Supplemental Questionnaire 1]

(a) When was the Law School founded, where is it located, and when did it obtain its ABA accreditation?

In June, 2009 the Texas legislature enacted legislation authorizing the creation of the Law School to be located in Dallas, Texas. The Law School was temporarily designated as part of the University of North Texas System ("UNT System"). In the same legislation creating the Law

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School, the Law School was designated to become a professional school within the University five years after the University was recognized as a general academic teaching institution by its accrediting agency.

The Law School is currently not accredited by the ABA. The current site visit was conducted as part of the Law School's application for approval by the ABA.

(b) What is the total J.D. and non-J.D. enrollment at the Law School for each of the past three years?

The Law School admitted its first class in the fall of 2014. The total J.D. enrollment in 2014 was 153 (1 L only) and in 2015 was 272 (1 Land 2L only). There are no non-J.D. students enrolled at the Law School.

(c) If the Law School has separate locations, provide the date when the Council granted acquiescence to establish each separate location, including branch campuses. Note: a separate location is a location within the United States at which the Law School offers more than sixteen credit hours of the program of legal education and that is not in reasonable proximity to the Law School's main campus.

The Law School has only one location in Dallas, Texas.

(d) For provisionally approved law schools, include the dates of all prior site evaluations.

This is the first application by the Law School provisional approval and there were no prior site visits.

2. Accreditation History. [Sources: SEQ 1.2; Managing Director's Office]

(a) Include relevant recent prior history concerning non-compliance or matters for which the school may be on report back. Generally, this prior history is only relevant where the non­compliance or report back status is continuing, unless circumstances indicate otherwise (for instance, where two citation items were related and only one has been resolved). It is not necessary to report on everything cited in the Law School's last regular site visit report and the resolution of each of those items if they have been resolved.

There is no prior history concerning non-compliance or matters for which it is on report back.

(b) For provisionally approved law schools, include all matters called to the attention of the Law School in the Council's or Accreditation Committee's most recent decision letter.

This is the Law School's first application for provisional approval and no matters have been called to the Law School's attention by the Council or the Accreditation Committee.

3. Third Party Comments. [Source: Managing Director's Office]

Were any third-party comments received? If so, report on the nature of the comments and how the Law School addressed them.

None.

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Organization, Administration, Institutional Planning, and Finances

4. Standard 201, 201(e). [Sources: SEQ 1.1.(b); SEQ Vl.3; SEQ VI. Attachments; Supplemental Questionnaire 2]

(a) Indicate whether the Law School is public or private and, if private, whether the Law School is organized as a for-profit or a not-for-profit entity. Indicate whether the Law School is independent or part of a University.

The Law School is a not-for-profit public school, is part of the UNT System, and is a professional school of the University.

(b) If the Law School is part of a University, what is the name of the institution, what is the accrediting body for the institution, and when was the institution last reaccredited? If the Law School is not part of a University and has been accredited by another accrediting organization, indicate the name of the Law School's institutional accreditor and the date when the Law School was last accredited.

Name: The name of the institution is the University of North Texas at Dallas which is part of the University of North Texas System.

Accreditation: In April 2001, Texas Senate Bill 576 established the University as "as an institution of higher education and component institution of the University of North Texas system in the City of Dallas on property designated by the board." The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC). The University first gained regional accreditation in June 2013, retroactive to January 1, 2013, and is scheduled for reaffirmation in December 2018. If reaffirmed, UNT Dallas will remain accredited for ten years. SACSCOC is scheduled to visit the Law School and UNT Dallas on February 16-18, 2016 for a review. The review will cover compliance with SACSCOC standards regarding governance, faculty qualifications, student complaint processes, student learning outcomes, library resources, and student support. There were no reservations in the most recent accreditation.

(c) If the Law School is part of a University, describe how the Law School fits within the University organization, (e.g. the reporting lines within the University).

The Board of Regents of the UNT System is the governing body for the University. The UNT System Board is comprised of nine regents appointed by the Governor of Texas and confirmed by the Texas Senate for staggered terms of six years each, with the terms of three regents expiring every two years. In addition, a non-voting student regent is appointed by the Governor each year for a one-year term.

The chief executive officer of each institution in the UNT System reports directly to the Chancellor (Lee Jackson) of the system. State law, as codified in the Texas Education Code, recognizes the University as an institution of higher education that is a component member of the UNT System and may offer such degrees as the Board may approve.

The University has been authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the UNT System Board to grant degrees at the baccalaureate and master's levels. The University currently offers 16 baccalaureate and 6 master's degrees. The University has four schools: School of Business, School of Education, School of Human Services, and School of Liberal Arts

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and Sciences. The Law School merged with the University on September 1, 2015, and became its first professional school.

President Robert Mong is the chief executive officer of the University and has general authority and responsibility for the administration of the institution, subject to the regulations of the UNT System, rules of the UNT System Board, and under the direction of the Chancellor of the UNT System. President Mong has eight direct reports, including Provost Lois Becker, the chief academic officer for the University. Law School Dean Royal Furgeson reports directly to Provost Becker (as do the deans of the other four schools).

(d) If the Law School is not part of a University, provide the name and a brief description of the board that has the responsibility and authority for ensuring operation of the Law School in compliance with the Standards.

Not applicable.

5. Standard 201(d). [Source: SEQ Vl.2.]

If the Law School is part of a University, does the University have any policies that are inconsistent with the Standards? If so, has the Law School adopted and implemented separate policies to ensure operation of the Law School in compliance with the Standards? (e.g., promotion and tenure requirements do not facilitate recruitment and retention of law faculty.)

The University does not have any policies which are inconsistent with the Standards.

6. Standard 201(a) through (c). [Sources: SEQ V.1 and Vl.1; SEQ IV.9, 1 0; SEQ IV.8; Supplemental Questionnaire 3]

(a) Do the dean and the faculty have the primary responsibility and authority for planning, implementing, and administering the program of legal education of the Law School, including curriculum, methods of instruction and evaluation, admissions policies and procedures, and academic standards? Explain.

Article 2.3 of the Law School Bylaws, adopted on August 14, 2015, states, "The faculty of the UNT Dallas College of Law has authority over the educational program of the College of Law." Article 2.5 provides, in relevant part, "The Dean in consultation with the faculty, and subject to the rules and authority of UNT Dallas, may create and fill administrative offices and positions that are necessary and appropriate for the operation of the College." Article 2.4 provides, "The faculty, under the leadership of the Dean of the College of Law, is responsible for faculty appointments." As such, the Dean and the law faculty have separate and joint responsibilities for formulating and administering all aspects of the Law School's educational program including curriculum, methods of instruction, admissions policies and procedures, and academic standards. All faculty members are able to place items on the agenda for the monthly faculty meetings.

Because the Law School operated under the UNT System (and not the University) for its first year of operation, policies and practices for the areas set forth above were already established as of the September 1, 2015 date that the Law School merged with the University. Since the merger, the Law School has worked with University Provost Lois Becker in developing certain new policies, but in no event has the University or the Provost presented a challenge or obstacle to the Law School's plans with respect to these areas. New program proposals go

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through the University Curriculum Committee, which has Law School representation. The point of the University Curriculum Committee is not to question curricular decisions made by colleges or schools, but to provide faculty governance with respect to University mission and priorities. Similar University processes exist with respect to tenure. Importantly, the Law School is in charge of establishing its own scholarship and service criteria.

(b) Do the dean and the faculty recommend the selection, retention, promotion, and tenure (or granting of security of position) of members of the faculty? Explain.

Three faculty members were brought to the Law School with tenure (the Dean, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Director of Experiential Education). Given that the Law School is in its second year of operation, no other tenure actions have been taken.

There are three University policies with respect to promotion and tenure: University Policy 6.008 ("merit evaluation of faculty"); University Policy 6.009 ("tenure and/or promotion review"); and University Policy 6.006 ("probationary period"). The policy on merit evaluation applies to annual merit evaluation of all full-time faculty, and specifically notes that each type of faculty (tenure­track, tenured, or term) will be evaluated according to criteria established by the Dean. In the case of the Law School, these criteria are found in the document titled "Definitions and Criteria Relating to Tenure and Promotion Review and Merit Review," adopted by the Law School faculty. Taken together, these polices establish the following process:

When appointed to a tenure-track position, a faculty member has a "probationary period," which is the "maximum amount of time a faculty member may be appointed in a tenure-track position prior to a determination being reached on granting or denial of tenure." University Policy 6.006. The maximum probationary period is six years, and initial appointment letters are to state the time of the probationary period. (Appointment letters at the Law School for tenure-track faculty members specify the length of the probationary period.) Ordinarily, a faculty rnember applies for tenure in the fall of his or her sixth year. For certain circumstances, a tenure-track faculty member may request an exclusion of up to one year from the probationary period. A maximum of two one-year exclusions is possible. These circumstances include birth or adoption of a child, responsibility for managing the illness or disability of a family member, serious persistent personal health issues, and death of a parent, spouse, or child.

If a faculty member is terminated during the probationary period, notice must be given no later than March 1 during the first year of probationary service, December 15 during the second year of probationary service, and by May 31 for years three through six of probationary service. If such notice is given during any of the years three through six, the faculty member will receive a full terminal year after notification.

Once appointed, the faculty member receives annual merit evaluations based on the "essential functions" of teaching and student success; research, scholarly, and creative activities; and service and public engagement. Evaluations as to these essential functions are to be guided by performance criteria relating to these areas that the department or college has adopted. Each faculty member is informed in writing of the results of the annual review.

As to tenure and promotion decisions, the process set out under Policy 6.009 applies. Before outlining this process, it is important to note that Policy 6.009 has applied to the Law School only since September 1, 2015, the date of the merger. Before that time, the Law School had adopted a policy that was very similar but included some modifications made necessary because the Law School was a professional school within the UNT System. Thus, 2015-2016 is

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the first year in which the Law School will carry out the reappointment process for tenure track faculty members according to the precise procedures set out in Policy 6.009. In 2014-2015, as previously noted, all tenure-track faculty members received reappointment-review letters from the Dean containing an evaluation according to the performance criteria of the University and the Law School.

Under Policy 6.009, the "academic department has the greatest disciplinary expertise in evaluating the accomplishments of the candidate for appointment or reappointment, promotion and/or tenure." The Law School is an "academic department." All tenure-track faculty members will be reviewed by the Dean of the Law School ("the department chair") for reappointment during each year of the probationary period. This review process is to proceed according to a timetable set by the Provost. A faculty committee gives input on the reappointment; the committee consists of faculty members of higher rank than the faculty member under consideration for reappointment. The Dean makes a decision about reappointment and forwards it to the Provost. The Provost "makes the final decision" on reappointment. The decision will be communicated in writing to the faculty member.

Further, a "comprehensive mid-point review conducted in the fourth year of the probationary period" will also be conducted, and "will specifically evaluate progress toward tenure and promotion. As to the decision on tenure, the Dean and Provost recommend to the President either that the faculty member be promoted with tenure, or that the faculty member be placed on terminal appointment for the next year (7th year). If the President concurs with the recommendation for tenure, the matter of tenure goes before the Board of Regents. Only the Board of Regents may grant tenure.

(c) Do the dean and the faculty each have a significant role in determining educational policy? Explain.

The Dean and the law faculty have separate and joint responsibilities for formulating and administering all aspects of the Law School's educational program including curriculum, methods of instruction, and academic standards. All faculty members are able to place items on the agenda for the monthly faculty meetings.

(d) Describe the administrative structure of the Law School including the authority of any governing board, advisory board, the dean, faculty and administration.

Governing Board: The Law School does not have a governing board.

Advisory Board: Dean Furgeson and the Law School benefit from a Board of Visitors with a membership of distinguished Dallas judges and lawyers. This board provides a non-binding advisory function.

Dean: Dean Royal Furgeson is the chief executive officer of the Law School and has general authority and responsibility for the administration of the Law School, subject to the regulations of the UNT System, rules of the UNT System Board, and the University.

Faculty: The faculty is primarily responsible for the program of legal education and the educational policy of the Law School and acts primarily through a series of faculty committees.

Administration: Members of the Law School Administration:

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The following Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, and directors make up the Law School's administration and serve on the Dean's Cabinet, which has weekly meetings:

Ellen Pryor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law Reynaldo Anaya Valencia, Interim Associate Dean for Operations and Visiting Professor of Law Rebecca Garza Greenan, Assistant Dean of Student Life Courteney Harris, Assistant Dean for Career Services and Professional Development Edward Hart, Assistant Dean of Law Library and Assistant Professor of Law Valerie James, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Scholarships Kevin Robinowich, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Karen Jarrell, Registrar Tricia Magel, Director of Communications and Marketing Derrick Morgan, Director of Advancement and Alumni Affairs Cheryl Wattley, Director of Experiential Education and Professor of Law

7. Standard 203. [Sources: SEQ Vl.4, 5; SEQ VI. Attachment 1]

(a) Describe the faculty and tenure status, duties, and qualifications of the dean.

Dean Furgeson is a tenured member of the Law School faculty and is responsible for all aspects of the operation of the Law School.

Qualifications:

Royal Furgeson, Jr., United States District Judge, Northern District of Texas, was named as the Founding Dean of the UNT Dallas College of Law in January 2012. He assumed his position as Dean in mid-year 2013 after retiring from the federal district bench. He is the former Senior U.S. District Judge in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Prior to taking Senior Status, he served in the El Paso, Midland, and San Antonio Divisions of the Western District of Texas. He served as a federal judge for over eighteen years.

A native of Lubbock, Judge Furgeson was graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and earned his law degree at the University of Texas School of Law, where he was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review. After law school, he served the U.S. Army for two years, attaining the rank of Captain. Following a tour in Vietnam, he returned to Lubbock as law clerk to the Honorable Halbert 0. Woodward.

Before taking the bench, he was a practicing lawyer for twenty-four years with the Kemp Smith firm in El Paso, Texas. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Law Institute, and Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Trial Law. While in private practice, he was general campaign chair and president of the El Paso United Way, president of the El Paso chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and president of the El Paso Bar Association.

During his time on the bench, in addition to his ongoing district court obligations, he was a panel judge on the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, President of the Federal Judges Association, and a member of the Judicial Branch Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. He has also served as chair of the Judicial Resources Committee of the Judicial Conference.

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He has been honored on numerous occasions, including the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Texas Tech Alumni Association, the West Texas Legal Legend Award by the Texas Tech University School of Law, the 2010 Distinguished Counselor Award by the State Bar of Texas Antitrust and Business Litigation Section, the Luke Soules Award by the State Bar of Texas Litigation Section, the Leon Green Award by the Texas Law Review, and the Faculty Award by the University of Texas School of Law.

(b) If the dean does not hold an appointment as a member of the faculty with tenure, describe the dean's appointment and the extraordinary circumstances that led to the dean's appointment.

Not applicable.

(c) Is the position of the dean full-time and does the dean have the authority and support necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the position? Explain if there are any facts that would call this into question.

Dean Furgeson devotes all of his professional time to the Law School and enjoys the authority and support necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the position. He has forged supportive ties with the UNT system, the University, and the legal community.

8. Standard 203(c) and Interpretations 203-1 through 203-3. [Source: SEQ V1.6]

Was the dean (or, if a search is in process, will the dean be) selected or reappointed by the University or the governing board of the Law School following a procedure that assured meaningful involvement by the faculty or a representative body of the faculty, including a requirement that, except for good cause, the dean should not be appointed or reappointed to a new term over the stated objection of a substantial majority of the faculty? If there has been no dean search process since the last site evaluation, so state.

On January 11, 2012, the UNT System announced the appointment of the Honorable Royal Furgeson, United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Texas, as the Founding Dean of the Law School, with an anticipated start date of April 2013. The University did not have a role in the selection as the Law School had not merged, and would not merge, with the University until September 1, 2016. Judge Furgeson commenced his Founding Dean duties on June 15, 2013. At the time of his appointment, the Law School had no faculty.

9. Standard 204. [Sources: SEQ 11.1; SEQ II. Attachment 1]

(a) Provide a brief summary of how the Law School addressed each element required by Standard 204(b) through (f):

(1) a statement of the Law School's mission and of its educational objectives in support of that mission.

The founding faculty of the Law School established several key goals for the Law School and its educational program:

1) Widen access to legal education for those who could be superb legal professionals but who lack realistic access to legal education given factors including cost, location, and the influence of current ranking formulas on admission and scholarships;

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2) Provide a legal education aimed at excellence in developing the full range of practice-related competencies, through:

a. A curriculum mapped to practice-related competencies, drawing on the best insights of legal educators as well as on continuing input from legal practitioners.

b. Instructional methods that reflect the best available practices, including frequent formative and summative assessment, experiential learning, collaborative learning, and engaged class design.

c. Ongoing assessment as to the effectiveness of our legal education in developing practice-related competencies.

3) Create opportunity for our students by:

a. Keeping tuition and debt low, consistent with delivering an excellent legal education.

b. Producing graduates with high value and ability in multiple segments of the market for legal services.

4) Be a national leader in advancing understanding of best legal education practices, of professional formation, and of the relationship between legal education and the evolving practice and business of law.

5) Be a valuable partner in dialogue and study with the legal profession and the Dallas-Fort Worth community.

II thereafter adopted a Mission Statement: "To promote justice and advance human potential through the enterprise of legal education."

It also adopted a Vision Statement: "The UNT Dallas College of Law is committed to broaden access to an affordable legal education; to graduate students who have a full range of practice related competencies necessary to be effective lawyers worthy of client and public trust; to provide the best possible educational environment for learning the law and developing professional identity; to advance the career and professional goals of our students; to improve access to justice for underserved legal needs; and to be a valuable partner in civic engagement with the City of Dallas and the North Texas region."

(2) an assessment of the educational quality of the Law School's program.

Since no students have yet graduated or taken a bar exam, a direct assessment of the educational quality of the Law School's program of legal education was premature. However, the Self Study provides insight into its planning to establish a quality program of legal education.

Prior to the hiring of any faculty members, Associate Dean Pryor consulted with education professionals, assessment specialists, and legal academics. As the early faculty members were hired, they studied empirical data and scholarship on improving legal education. They established learning outcomes and designed "backwards" from those outcomes to establish a curriculum.

In building the curriculum, two questions were paramount: (1) How to prepare students to pass the bar exam, and (2) How to educate students to become competent, entry-level practicing lawyers who will serve the community, particularly unserved and underserved populations?

The first-year curriculum that resulted is a highly structured and contains skills training integrated into coursework. It contains multiple events of formative assessment.

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Like the first-year program, the upper-level program places heavy emphasis on skills training and formative assessment and is highly structured and highly required; in fact, well over two­thirds of the program is required.

Recognizing the importance of academic success, the Law School hired and formed an academic success team. Academic success programming revolves around study sessions, workshops and other presentations. Extensive information on each student is maintained to track a student's success or failure to progress. When necessary, interventions and support, both voluntary and involuntary, are provided.

(3) an assessment of the Law School's continuing efforts to improve educational quality.

The Self Study reports that after the first year of operation, the faculty made an assessment of its first-year program. Although largely successful, the Law School made number of revisions to improve the program. Because it now had more faculty, it assigned faculty members to small groups of students to conduct sessions on case briefing and to review their written reflections. In addition to the traditional first-year courses, a new course entitle Profession and Practice of Law was added. It also decided to require two other programs - a Mentorship Program and a Community Engagement Program.

Further, consistent with its view that academic success should be closely integrated with other aspects of the curriculum, the Law School hired a Director of Writing Resources. It also made some other adjustments to the Academic Success Program and staffing changes were made to develop a better analytical infrastructure. It added an "Academic Oversight" classification for students in the bottom third of their class. It also added a mandatory "Legal Methods" class. Finally, it added a required six-hour sequence titled "Capstone: Legal Analysis and Bar Readings.

(4) an evaluation of the Law School's effectiveness in achieving its stated educational objectives.

As noted previously, the Law School has not yet graduated a class nor have any students taken a bar exam. Thus, the ability to evaluate the Law School's effectiveness in achieving its educational objectives was very limited. However, the changes noted above show the Law School's efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of its programming and to make appropriate changes.

One further change that became apparent during the site visit was a new seriousness the Law School has adopted regarding poor-performing students. In its first year of operation, only two students were academically dismissed. The Law School very recently hired a new Assistant Dean of Students and during the site visit he was in the process of having discussions with over 30 poor-performing students about their academic futures; a number of those students have discontinued their studies at the Law School.

(5) a description of the strengths and weaknesses of the Law School's program of legal education.

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The Self Study lists seven strengths and seven weaknesses.

Strengths

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Student Centeredness - access and affordability, holistic admissions approach, innovative design of the curriculum, preparing for employment, and focus of faculty, staff, and administrators on student success.

Diversity -diversity with respect to age, sexual orientation, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and experiences enrich the learning environment and prepare students for practice in a diverse state.

Affordability - tuition is lowest of all Texas law schools, which enhances the Law School's recruitment efforts, ensures students will graduate with median debt significantly below national averages, enabling more flexible career options.

Innovative Curriculum - as described above, the curriculum is very skills oriented, with considerable formative assessment.

Location and Community Support- Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area has a population of nearly seven million and no other law school providing evening programming; a good location in downtown Dallas with convenient public transportation and parking options; and strong support from the bench and bar and the Dallas community.

Collaborative Environment - the Law School faculty and personnel enjoy a strong sense of mission and common purpose toward students.

Applicant Pipeline - the Law School's Admissions office has developed a pipeline with various parts of the Dallas community, which assists in developing a strong applicant pool.

Weaknesses

*

*

*

*

*

Lack of Alumni - without alumni, students are not able to connect and network, nor able to benefit from alumni assistance; in response the Law School has initiated a Mentorship Program working with greater Dallas legal community.

Academic Success - the Academic Success Program is not yet fully evolved and instituted; the Law School has hired a new Director and Assistant Director of Academic Success.

Curriculum Strain - because the Law School requires its students to participate in many forms of engaged learning and multiple assessments, students do more than the traditional studying for final exams; the Law School is evaluating the situation to determine whether "cognitive load" can be lessened through more faculty coordination and lessening of the required number of student tasks.

Student Writing - the Law School has identified weaknesses in student writing; it is exploring ways to have students improve their writing and has hired a full-time, tenure track professor to lead the Writing Program as well as other legal writing faculty.

Facilities and Technology- two Law School classrooms currently have viewing and acoustic problems; while faculty wear lapel microphones, students presenting in class are not as audible; the Law School has attempted to minimize the problems involved, but they still exist. Also because of the fact that the current Law School facility is in the UNT System building, it is closed on Sundays, and closes at 11:00 pm Monday through Thursday, 6:00 pm on Friday, and 5:00 pm on Saturday; the addition of another entering class will also require more space in the building, which is currently being negotiated; the new facility nearby, which is currently being renovated, will provide needed space.

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*

*

Finances -while affordable tuition is a strength, it is also a weakness in that it limits financial resources for hiring new faculty, funding of programming, and facilities maintenance; the Law School carefully plans additional staffing needs and plans to invest strategically in new personnel in the fall of 2016.

Attrition - the Law School understands that the low attrition of the inaugural class may be a weakness; the faculty has discussed earlier intervention with low-performing first-year students, a mandatory minimum GPA between 1.5 and 1.8 at the end of the first semester, increased requirements for academic success, and other steps.

(b) Describe the processes that were used to prepare the document(s) that comprise the elements required by Standard 204(b) through (f), including a description of the dean's and faculty's involvement.

The Law School began its formal self-study process in October 2014 with the creation of an Accreditation Committee and an Accreditation Working Group ("AWG"). The Accreditation Committee consisted of the Dean and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and several members of the University and UNT System administration. The AWG consisted of three members of the faculty and four Law School administrators.

To gather information, the AWG (i) held a day-long retreat for faculty, administrators, and staff; (ii) circulated a survey to faculty, administrators, and staff; and (iii) circulated a survey to all students seeking their input.

To build upon the work of the retreat, the Law School held a second retreat in January 2015. Throughout the spring the AWG held meetings to discuss to discuss the ABA Standards and Law School operations. After collecting the information, the AWG began drafting the SEQ responses, which were then circulated to the faculty.

In July 2015 Interim Associate Dean for Operations and Visiting Professor Reynaldo Valencia joined the Law School. He was experienced in ABA Sabbatical Site Inspection teams. With the addition of several new faculty members in fall 2016, Dean Furgeson transitioned the preparation of the Self Study to the Law School's formal Self Study Committee. That Committee consisted of Law School faculty, administrators, and staff. An Executive Committee consisting of Professor Cheryl Wattley, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ellen Pryor, and Interim Associate Dean Valencia developed a timeline for the production and submission of the Self Study.

On October 27, 2015, the full-time faculty, together with the Dean's Cabinet, met to conduct an analysis of the Law School's strengths and weaknesses. Several drafts of the Self Study were distributed to faculty for feedback, which was edited and incorporated into the Self Study. On December 16, 2015, the full-time faculty and the Dean's Cabinet met and approved the Self Study.

(c) Briefly indicate whether the Law School's evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses included a statement of the availability of sufficient resources to achieve its mission and educational objectives.

The Law School's evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses included some discussion of resources available to achieve its mission and educational objectives. The Self Study noted that the low tuition would have an effect on the hiring of faculty and the provision of other services. It further noted that unplanned and/or unrestrained growth would be

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counterproductive to affordable tuition and could be a source of economic strain in future years. It stated that the Law School would continue to monitor carefully its staffing needs and would plan to invest strategically in new.

The Self Study itself did not provide an extensive analysis of the interrelations of all financial resource matters and their affect on the Law School. For example, no reference was made to state funding and other sources of revenue. However, in site team meetings with the Dean and with the University's Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, information was provided regarding state funding and its future availability to the Law School. The site team was informed that state funding is provided on a formula basis which would be quite generous for the Law School when compared to other University programs.

Further information as to financial resources was provided as part of the finances section of the SEQ.

(d) For provisionally approved law schools or law schools seeking provisional approval, provide a thorough review of the Law School's feasibility study and reliable plan for coming into compliance with the Standards. Discuss the plan's projections for students (number and qualifications), financing the Law School operation, and the relationship between the two.

A document entitled "The Feasibility of Accreditation for the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law" was drafted in June 2010, a year after the passage of the legislations establishing the Law School. The document was prepared as a report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to the Texas Legislature. According to its Executive Summary, the report is to assist the Law School in its effort in achieving accreditation.

For the most part, this report is an accreditation checklist. Topic by topic it discusses, usually quite briefly, the ABA Standards and the SACS Standards with regard to particular topic. It then provides conclusions with regard to the feasibility of compliance with those standards. It does not provide much evaluation on feasibility of the Law School in the emerging law school marketplace.

However, on at least one issue, financial aid and student recruitment, it does provide some evaluation of financial issues facing the Law School and its students. It notes that prior to accreditation by SACS or the ABA, students at the Law School will not be entitled to receive federal financial aid assistance. It provides an analysis of the importance of student loans and discusses several options that might be available to the Law School, including private loan assistance from local lenders and direct loans from the UNT System.

The report also provides an appendix containing informative data on estimated revenues and expenditures, and pro forma budgets under two different state funding proposals. In the Financial Resources section of the report, however, there is little analysis of these data will affect the success of the Law School. It does state that it is unlikely that there will be a shortfall in tuition and formula funding revenues; if there are shortfalls, proportional cuts would presumably be made to student services and faculty hiring. It also notes that tuition and donations generated by the Law School will stay with the School and not go to the University or the UNT System. Further, after merger with the University, the Law School will have the financial stability of the University to assist it.

The site team was informed of two prior reports generated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, one in 2002 and one in 2008. The earlier report noted that although Texas

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has significantly fewer lawyers per capita than other states, it did not recommend the establishment of a new state law school. Instead, it made other recommendations, including increasing enrollment at existing state law schools. The latter report also did not recommend the establishment of a new state law school, but acknowledged that if one were to be created it should serve the needs of under-represented populations. In discussions with various individuals, there was the suggestion that the Board's reports were protective of the then-current educational structure.

When drafting the Self Study, the Law School seemed to sense the lack of analysis in the Feasibility Study and provided some valuable analysis of its own on the feasibility of the Law School. It recognized that there had been dramatic changes since the issuance of the Feasibility Study and the adoption of the Law School's authorizing legislation. When it came to the actual establishment of the Law School, the founding faculty and administration considered a number of factors, including the demand for lawyers, the cost and financing of legal education, and law school teaching pedagogy.

Throughout the Self Study, the authors described how they considered the literature and data on access to legal education, its cost and affordability, the changing market for legal services, and curricular changes across the country in designing the Law School, its tuitions structure, its curriculum, and its recruitment policies. It noted the shortage of affordable legal education for underrepresented groups in the North Texas area, especially now that the two other schools in the area are not offering part-time evening programs.

The Law School's Reliable Plan for coming into compliance with the Standards is indirect and consists of two parts - an initial plan for providing a program of legal education that was designed to be in compliance with the Standards, and a financial structure to support that program.

As note above, throughout the Self Study considerable information was provided describing the research and planning that went into designing the Law School and its curriculum. Its resident tuition of $15,267 is the lowest in Texas. The curriculum was designed to provide students with a strong program of legal education along with academic support.

As to the financial structure for the Law School, the SEQ provided pro forma financial projections through 2018-2019 showing surpluses in years after the first year of operation. The Dean noted that these surpluses allow flexibility in hiring adc;!itional faculty beyond those already planned and provide the ability to make adjustments in the program of legal education.

In entrance and exit interviews with University president and UNT System Chancellor, they assured the site team that the University and the UNT System would not allow the Law School to fail. Financial resources will be provided to assure its success. The source of those resources would be a combination of state formula funding and student tuition, as well as University/UNT System assistance. In an interview with the University's Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, the site team was informed that the state formula funding was generous for the Law School. He also reiterated that the University would provide any and all assistance the Law School would need to achieve success.

10. Standard 202(b) and (e) and Interpretation 202-1. [Sources: SEQ IX.A.3, A.4]

For Law Schools that are part of a University:

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(a) Is the Law School given the opportunity to present its recommendations on budgetary matters to the University administration before the budget for the Law School is submitted to the governing board for adoption? Explain.

Effective September 1, 2015, the Law School merged with the University. Prior to the merger, the Law School's budget had been determined by Dean Furgeson working with UNT System finance officials. Since the merger, the Law School's new Interim Associate Dean for Operations, Reynaldo Anaya Valencia, together with the Law School's new Finance Manager, Leigh-Ann Fashina, have collaborated closely with both UNT System and University officials to complete the necessary steps for the Law School's budget to transfer to the University.

Moving forward, University Vice President for Finance and Administration and CFO, Dr. Daniel Edelman, has indicated that the Law School will be provided an opportunity to participate in the university budget process prior to the submission of the University budget as part of the biennial meeting of the Texas legislature.

The UNT System, University, and Law School's fiscal year is September 1 through August 31. The Law School's first fiscal year end following its initial year of operations with students was August 31, 2015. Shortly thereafter, Interim Dean of Operations Valencia and Finance Manager Fashina provided all Law School's department heads the best available information regarding actual departmental spending for fiscal year 2014-2015. Based on that information, all department heads were asked to submit detailed budget requests for anticipated needs for fiscal year 2015-2016. Associate Dean Valencia and Ms. Fashina worked with many of the department heads to provide necessary information and help shape their ultimate budget requests. Following submission of all budget requests, Associate Dean Valencia and Ms. Fashina worked with Dean Furgeson to determine final budget allocations for each Law School department for fiscal year 2015-2016, and created a variety of new cost centers in light of a better understanding of the Law School's operations with students. This process will be repeated moving forward.

(b) Does the Law School obtain annually from the University an accounting and explanation for all charges and costs assessed against resources generated by the Law School and for any use of resources generated by the Law School to support non-law school activities and central University services? Explain.

The Law School obtains this information from the University on a regular basis. No resources of the Law School are used to support non-law school activities. All charges for University services provided to the Law School are clearly defined and reasonable and are reflected in financial documents.

(c) Report the University's operating income and expenditures for the past two fiscal years and the budgeted amounts for the current year. Describe any concerns regarding the long-term viability of the institution or its ability to support the Law School in accordance with the Standards.

See the financial chart for university income and expenditures. There are no concerns with the long-term viability of the University or the UNT system or the Texas Legislature to support the Law School in accordance with the Standards. At all levels firm commitments of support were offered in support of the Law School.

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Financial Chart Law School integrated into UNT Dallas

Year> 2014-2015. 2015~16 **

Category (read down)

Law Student Census

# Full Time JD Students 89 164

# Part Time JD Students 64 108

# Other students 0 0

$Income

JD Tuition/Fees $2,072,436 $3,634,004

Other Tuition/Fees $0 $0

EndowmenVInvestment Income $0 $0

E~ndable Gifts Received $117,000 $50,000

Grants, Contracts, Other Income $459 $0

State Appropriations $1,467,587 $3,454,110

Capital Appropriations-HEF $0 $135,593 .

Gross Income $3,657,482 $7,273,707

Less Waivers/Exemptions/SetHAsides 1 ($379,945) ($612,546)

Less Scholarships ($54, 1 00} ($110,000)

Net Income $3,223,437 $6,551,161

$Expenses

Faculty Salaries $672,611 $963,500

Administrative/Student Services $1,304,430 $2,162,751

Library Salaries $324,835 $495,737

Other Salaries $18,246 $50,000

Benefits (Institutional Portion)2 $365,146 $386,203

Instructional and Academic Suooort $520,572 $637,678

Library Operations $330,840 $464,765

Student Support $46,457 $109,000

Other Administrative $82,791 $264,000

BuildinQ Operation & Facilities $714,389 $767,956

lnteresUDebt Service $0 $0

University Charges $7,417 $66,000

UNT System Charges $93,115 $183,017

Total Operating Expenses $4,480,849 $6,550,985

Net Surplus or Loss ($1,257,412) $554

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2016-17

223

139

0

$4,764,951

$0

$0

$317,000

$0

$4,205,742

$203,390

$9,491,083

($827,644)

($380,000)

$8,283,439

$1,489165

$2,227,428

$510,609

$154,000

$475,129

$1,012,334

$462,133

$103,790

$331,150

$782,537

$0

$66,000

$224,973

$7,839,248

$444,191

* = first year of operation **=current year of operation

2017-18 2018-19

218 227

175 158

0 0

$5,333,299 $5,522,201

$0 $0

$0 $0

$450,000 $567,000

$0 $0

$4,765,671 $4,726,498

$203,390 $203,390

$10,752,360 $11,019,089

($823,219) ($820,284)

($516,150) ($636,458)

$9,412,991 $9,562,347

$2,030,600 $2,088,278

$2,294,251 $2,363,078

$525,927 $541,705

$154,000 $154,000

$517,309 $525,415

$1,140,013 $1 '145,654

$466,594 $471,100

$108,935 $108,235

$334,462 $337,806

$797,405 $819,741

$0 $0

$66,000 $66,000

$305,641 $355,365

$8,741,137 $8,976,377

$671,854 $585,970

Law School Debt $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Reserve Accounts

Law Endowment (restricted) $91,717 $103,4873

Law Endowment (unrestricted) $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Law Quasi Reserve $2,290,855 $2,291,031 $2,937,320 $3,921,699 $4,556,355

UNT Dallas Finances

University Income $32,877,919 $49,753,553 $47,820,000 $51,940,000 $54,030,000

University Expenses $30,844,225 $51 748,153 $46,350,000 $49,640,000 $52,020,000

University Surplus or Loss $2,033,694 ($1 ,994,600)' $1,470,000 $2,300,000 $2,010,000

UNT System Finances

University Income $931,227,605 $972,434,523 $979,876,905 $1,004,511,182 $1,027,714,029

University Exoenses $908,553,507 $966,030,049 $966,014,365 $990,089,913 $1 ,013,949,423

UniversitY Surolus or Loss $22,674,098 $6,404,474 $13,862,540 $14,421 ,268 $13,764,606 Notes for chart. 1 Waivers/Exemptions/Set-Asides includes Hazelwood exemption, deaf blind waiver, adoption

exemption, inaugural class tuition waiver, statutory tuition set-aside, and designated tuition set-aside. 2 Fringe benefits are estimated at 25% of salary expense for faculty and staff; of this amount, the state

contributes 60% and the institution covers the remaining 40%. Benefit split results from accounting reconciliation based on historical data.

3 Balance as of 1/27/16. UNT Foundation does not forecast nor project with respect to its endowment funds.

4 Planned use of $2 Million in UNT Dallas Texas Higher Education Fund (HEF) reserve in 2015-2016 to cover capital expenditures.

11. Standard 202(a), {c), and (d). [Sources: SEQ IX. all questions in both Parts A and B; SEQ IX. all Attachments; SEQ IX. all reports generated by online SEQ] Note: This section should include basic information regarding income and expenditures. A table providing income and expenses for the past three years is preferable if readily available.

(a) Report the Law School's operating income and expenditures for the past two fiscal years and the budgeted amounts for the current year. Describe the extent to which the budget is derived from J.D. enrollment and the consequences of changes in the size of the J.D. student body. Describe non-tuition and other revenue sources, including those derived from non-J.D. and certificate programs, and the degree to which the Law School benefits from such revenue.

In the Law School's first year of operation it suffered a loss of $1,290,855. It covered this loss from its reserve account, which had been established by the UNT System. In the current year­the second year of operations - the Law School forecasts that it will earn a small surplus. With the increased enrollment associated with bringing in a third class coupled with a tuition increase, the Law School forecasts that it will earn substantial surpluses in those years even when taking into account increased expenses from hiring additional faculty as well as academic attrition. The primary source of revenue for the Law School is tuition with significant additional funding coming from a state allocation based on the number of students enrolled.

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(b) Briefly describe the current financial condition of the Law School. How will the Law School's current financial condition affect the Law School's ability to carry out its program of legal education? If there are concerns raised in the record or onsite with respect to the Law School's ability to operate in compliance with the Standards, provide sufficient facts to enable the Accreditation Committee to make a determination about the Law School's compliance with Standard 202(a).

The current financial condition of the Law School is sound. It has no debt, enjoys a healthy reserve account, and has a well-managed system of budgeting and accounting.

(c) What is the anticipated financial condition of the Law School? How will the Law School's anticipated financial condition affect the Law School's ability to carry out its program of legal education? If there are concerns raised in the record or onsite with respect to the Law School's ability to operate in compliance with the Standards, provide sufficient facts to enable the Accreditation Committee to make a determination.

The anticipated financial condition of the Law School is sound. Admissions projections show meeting or exceeding the number of students on which budget projections are based. There are no significant capital expenditures on the horizon. A handsome, historical building is being renovated for occupancy by the Law School which will be paid for by Texas tuition revenue bonds at no cost to the Law School. The per-pupil state funding appears sound and reliable for the future. Expenses are being controlled and managed in a sound manner. The overall financial picture for the UNT System, the University, and the Law School is a favorable one and indicates adequate funding to maintain a sound program of legal education in accordance with the Standards.

(d) Describe any significant litigation affecting the University or Law School.

Counsel for the UNT system indicates there is no significant litigation affecting the University or the Law School.

Program of Legal Education

12. Standard 311(a) and Interpretation 311-1. [Source: SEQ III.A.6] [Standard 311 (a) and Interpretation 311-1 were deleted in August 2015 but the SEQ for 2015-16 includes a question on this topic.]

Indicate the number of days (a minimum of 140) and calendar months (no fewer than eight) of regularly scheduled classes and exams in an academic year.

The Law School has 200 days of regularly scheduled classes and examinations in the academic year; fall and spring terms span 5 months each or 10 months total. Summer term is over two months.

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13. Standard 311(b) [renumbered 311(a) in August 2015] and Interpretation 311-2 [renumbered 311-1 in August 2015]. [Sources: SEQ III.A.1.a, A.1.b; SEQ lilA 7]

(a) Does the Law School require at least 83 credit hours of instruction and at least 64 credit hours in attendance in regularly scheduled class sessions as defined by Interpretation 311-2 [311-1]?

The Law School requires completion of 88 credit hours for the J.D. 68 of those credit hours require attendance in regularly scheduled class sessions. Additionally, the Law School requires students to take two experiential courses providing an additional 3 to 6 hours of direct faculty instruction.

(b) Indicate how the Law School monitors these requirements for individual students, including those in joint or concurrent degree programs.

The Registrar monitors and performs a degree audit to ensure completion of all course requirements. Students are restricted to no more than 3 hours of independent studies; all other courses must be regularly scheduled class hours or direct faculty supervision.

14. Standard 310 and Interpretations 310-1 and 310-2. [Sources: SEQ III.A.11; SEQ Ill. Supplementary information number 5; SEQ online report on Course Hour Summary]

(a) Describe the policies and procedures the Law School has adopted for determining credit hours that it awards for coursework, including co-curricular activities for which credit is awarded. Indicate where the policies are published.

The" semester credit hour" is the unit of credit at the Law School. It requires one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction a week for 15 weeks or the equivalent as well as at least two hours of work outside the classroom. The Registrar calculates the time of classroom instruction each semester. For out of class student work for credit, such as clinics or externships, each semester credit hour requires an equivalent amount of work to the requirement above. These policies are contained in Title 19, Chapter 4, Texas Administrative Code, "Minimum Length of Courses".

(b) How does the Law School ensure adherence to the policies? Describe any issues that were raised during the site visit.

The Registrar calculates total instructional minutes in advance of publishing each semester's schedule to ensure the total instructional minutes for each course satisfy the standard.

15. Standard 311(c) [renumbered 311(b) in August 2015] and (e) [renumbered 311(d) in August 2015] and Interpretations 311-3 and 311-4 [renumbered 311-2 and 311-3 in August 2015]. [Source: SEQ III.A.8]

(a) Does the Law School require that a J.D. degree be completed no earlier than 24 months and, except in extraordinary circumstances, no later than 84 months after a student has commenced study at the Law School or at a law School from which the Law School has accepted transfer credit?

Yes. The maximum number of hours a full-time student may take is 16 hours in fall or spring semester and 8 hours in the summer semester. The maximum number of hours that can be

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accumulated in 24 months, therefore, is the 80-88 hours that are required for graduation. Maximum hours and timely progress toward graduation are monitored by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Director and Assistant Director for Assessment, and the Registrar. In addition, a degree plan is available on the Law School website and through the Canvas system, and the Law School is building an automated degree audit system. On matriculation, all students are limited to 48 months for completion of the J.D. degree. Any extensions must be approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

(b) If the Law School grants an extension of the period of time to complete law School based on extraordinary circumstances, does the Law School place a statement in the student's file explaining the circumstances leading to the exception?

The Law School is in its second year of classes; thus, no extensions have been granted to date.

(c) Does the Law School prohibit the granting of credit toward the J.D. degree for course work taken prior to a student's matriculation in a law School, including for course work taken in a pre­admission program? If the Law School has permitted the granting of credit for course work taken prior to matriculation, describe the circumstances in which that occurred.

Yes. The Law School does not award such credit.

16. Standard 311(d) [renumbered 311(c) in August 2015]. [Source: SEQ III.A.10]

How does the Law School limit the maximum number of credits a student may enroll in at any time to 20% of the total coursework required for the J.D.? (The 20% maximum limit may not be exceeded, but normal rounding is permitted.)

The Law School requires 88 credits for graduation. 20% of that total would be 17.6 hours (rounded to 18). The maximum number of hours a student may enroll in in a given semester is 16. Only the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may approve a greater course load, and in no event may a student ever exceed 17 semester credit hours.

17. Standard 311(f) [moved to 308(a) in August 2015]. [Sources: SEQ III.A.9; SEQ Ill. Supplementary information number 4]

(a) Describe the policy the Law School has adopted and published regarding regular class attendance. Indicate where the policies are published.

The Law School publishes its class attendance policy in the Student Manual and on the Law School webpage, at https://lawLaw School.untsystem.edu/current-students/attendance. The policy requires students to attend at least 80% of class sessions; absences based upon observance of a religious holy day or on call for active duty military service are not counted. Other absences may be excused- to participate in official Law School functions, such as mock trial or court appearances, or for illness, family death or pregnancy/childbirth - but still count toward the minimum attendance requirements.

(b) How does the Law School ensure adherence to the policies? Describe any issues that were raised during the site visit. [Provide any additional information, such as if the number of students present in the visited class appeared substantially smaller than the number registered.]

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Attendance is taken in all classes. Students may seek excused absences, exceptions or waivers of the attendance requirement by submitting a request in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Waivers may be granted only after consultation with the course instructor and only for compelling and unusual circumstances.

18. Standard 312. [Sources: SEQ III.A.24, A.25; SEQ Ill. Attachment 2]

(a) Does the Law School have a separate evening and/or part-time division? Indicate if the separate division was acquiesced in by the Council and the date of the acquiescence.

Yes.

(b) If the Law School has a separate part-time division or if the Law School allows students to attend part-time, explain how the Law School ensures that all students have reasonably comparable opportunities for access to the Law School's program of legal education, courses taught by full-time faculty, student services, co-curricular programs, and other educational benefits?

The Law School has the same course and non-credit requirements for full-time and part-time division students. There are some differences in the sequencing of courses: part-time students take Torts in spring rather than fall first year, Criminal Law and Practice Foundations I in fall second year rather than spring first year, and take the two credit Profession and Practice of Law in two one credit courses each semester first year instead of two credits in the fall semester. Since fall 2015 they also take property in fall term second year rather than spring term first year. Part-time students have the same technology competence requirement and community engagement requirement as full-time students; total hours for community engagement are reduced to four hours per month -with longer term to graduate, the hours are the same.

Most first-year courses are taught by the same faculty members to full-time and part-time students; if two or more professors teach the same course, they collaborate closely on content, learning outcomes and assessments as well as books and syllabi. Due to the dissolution of one of the part-time students' community engagement placements, the second credit hour of Profession and Practice of Law had to be postponed - the content will remain the same but the form may adapt because students are now second-years.

The Law School has developed a detailed four-year curriculum plan to ensure the same or comparable opportunities for part-time students going forward. The Law School attempts in scheduling and hiring to ensure students are receiving the same instruction in both divisions, whether full-time or adjunct faculty teach a course.

Co-curricular programs, including student bar association, other student groups, law journals, academic success, community engagement and mentoring programs are available to all students. The Law School has taken steps to ensure that programs and presentations are scheduled in late afternoon hours or have a second presentation for evening students.

19. Standards 301(b) and 302 and Interpretations 302-1 and 302-2. [Source: Supplemental Questionnaire 4]

How is the Law School making progress toward establishing learning outcomes* consistent with this Standard? Explain. Note: This requirement becomes applicable in Fall 2016.

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*A law School shall establish learning outcomes that shall, at a minimum, include competency in the following: (a) Knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law; (b) Legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, problem-solving, and written and oral communication in the legal context; (c) Exercise of proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and the legal system; and (d) Other professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession.

The Law School has incorporated the establishment of learning outcomes into its curriculum planning from the Law School's inception. The inaugural faculty agreed on program-level learning outcomes, then planned the curriculum accordingly with detailed course-level learning outcomes for all first-year courses. Further development of the overall curriculum has led the Law School to identify program level, course level, and student level learning outcomes for all courses and levels of achievement in each outcome that provides for deepening skills and abilities - beginning, proficient, and "beginning practice ready". An executive summary of the Law School's learning outcomes can be found in their responses to Supplemental Request No. 4:

I. a. b. c.

II. a.

b.

c.

Ill. a.

b.

c.

Think Critically about the Law Read legal sources for full understanding (primarily 1 L) Analyze legal sources for connections and conflicts (primarily 1 L) Apply understanding of legal sources to real-life scenarios (primarily 1 L) Communicate Effectively as a Counselor and Advocate Write and speak clearly about legal issues within conventional frameworks for objective legal analysis (primarily 1 L) Write and speak within the attorney-client relationship to serve the needs, perspectives and goals of diverse clients (primarily 2L and 3L) Write and speak persuasively on behalf of clients in a manner consistent with the interests of the profession and the wider community (2L-3L) Practice successfully in a diverse and changing world Manage workload and professional relationships to produce quality work and collaborative environments (1, 2, 3L) Conduct efficient research to discover the law and facts relevant to client problems (1, 2, 3L) Facilitate complex problem-solving in a methodical way to produce lasting solutions (1, 2, 3L)

The Law School has also articulated areas of substantive knowledge all their graduates should possess and knowledge-understanding outcomes in each area of substantive knowledge.

20. Standards 301(a) and 303. [Sources: SEQ III.A.1.d; SEQ Ill online report on Curriculum; See also SEQ III.A.12, A.13, A.14, A.23]

(a) Law Schools are required under Standard 301 (a) to maintain a rigorous program of legal education that prepares its students, upon graduation, for admission to the bar and for effective, ethical, and responsible participation as members of the legal profession. Note any facts that indicate the Law School is not meeting this requirement.

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The team noted that there were no facts that indicated that the Law School is not meeting this requirement.

(b) What is the required 1 L curriculum? Provide a list of the courses required and the number of credits.

Course Credit(s) Course Credit(s) Civil Procedure I 3 Legal Methods 1 Civil Procedure II 2 Legal Writing/Res. I 3 Contracts 4 Legal Writing/Res. II 3 Criminal Law 3 Practice F'dn I 3 Fundamentals of Property 4

Being a Lawyer 1 Torts 4

21. Standard 301 (a) What is the required upper-level curriculum? Provide a list of the courses and the number of credits.

Course Administrative Law Commercial Law Effective Oral Communic. Family Law Practice Fd'ns Ill Prof'l Responsib. Tx Crim'l Pro.

Credit(s) 3 3 2 3 3 3 2

Course Business Assoc. I Constitutional Law Evidence Practice Fd'ns II Principles of Acc'ting Tx Civil Pro. Wills, Trusts, Est.

22. Standard 303(a)(1 ). [Source: SEQ III.A.17]

Credit(s) 3 3 3 3 1 2 3

How does the Law School meet the two-credit professional responsibility course requirement? Does the course include substantial instruction in the history, goals, structure, values, and responsibilities of the legal profession and its members? Note: This requirement applies beginning with Fa/12016 1L students who will graduate in Spring 2019. For 2015-16, report on progress toward meeting this requirement and report how the law School assures that each student receives substantial instruction in the history, goals, structure, values, and responsibilities of the legal profession and its members.

The Law School has a three-hour Professional Responsibility course which is a graduation requirement. It will address the history, regulation, obligations, and responsibilities of lawyers. The Law School designed the curriculum to make professionalism a continuous thread throughout a student's legal education.

During Fundamentals week - a one week one credit course that precedes "regular" 1 L courses -segments are devoted to "what lawyers do", visiting courthouses, hearing from all segments of the legal process. Students all participate in a mentorship program with practicing attorneys: with a 4attorney/8 student ratio and weekly meetings. All students are administered a Professionalism Pledge during orientation.

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23. Standard 303(a)(2) and Interpretations 303-1 and 303-2. [Source: SEQ III.A.15]

Describe how the Law School requires at least one writing experience in the first year that is faculty supervised and that provides opportunities for individualized assessment and multiple drafts. Include a description of the rigor of the writing experience noting factors such as class size, the number and nature of writing assignments, the form and extent of individualized assessment of a student's written products, and the number of drafts required.

The Law School has a required two semester Legal Writing and Research course in the first year. It is currently three credits per semester. It includes only writing in the fall: the course focuses on objective writing, uses a closed memo, coordinates assignments with concepts in the doctrinal courses and extensive coordination and collaboration among professors. The course has been taught by regular faculty, with the assistance of a Director of Writing Resources. Sections consist of 20-22 students. Spring semester is split between research and writing. Library faculty teach research aspects and writing faculty teach persuasive writing. By the end of the semester, students have each received assessment on at least 17 assignments; all professors collaborate on the assignments and the assessment rubrics. The faculty has hired two Legal Writing and Research faculty this year.

24. Standard 303(a)(2) and Interpretations 303-1 and 303-2. [Source: SEQ III.A.15]

(a) Describe how the Law School requires at least one writing experience after the first year that is faculty supervised and that provides opportunities for individualized assessment and multiple drafts. Include a description of the rigor of the writing experience noting factors such as class size, the number and nature of writing assignments, the form and extent of individualized assessment of a student's written products, and the number of drafts required.

The Law School has adopted a requirement of six writing segments for all students, plus completion of a Major Writing. A segment can include litigation or transactional documents or other practice-related writings. Students must engage in substantial analysis and receive feedback on the writing. The writing should be at least 10% of a three credit course, 20% of two credit course and 30% of a one credit. A Segment Approval Committee has defined the criteria for a segment; the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is responsible for determining what qualifies.

The Major Writing must meet three criteria: involve multiple original writings or a single lengthy writing, entailing significant synthesis and analysis, and generally at least 25 pages; include submission and assessment of at least 2 drafts of each writing; be supervised by full-time faculty or other faculty with demonstrated ability to supervise. ·

(b) If study outside the classroom, such as moot court, law review or directed research, can be used to satisfy the upper level writing requirement, explain how those experiences are faculty supervised and provide opportunities for individualized assessment and multiple drafts.

Not applicable.

25. Standard 303(b)(1). [Sources: SEQ III.A.18; Supplemental Questionnaire 5]

How does the Law School provide substantial opportunities to students for law clinics or field placements? Indicate how many seats there are in law clinics and field placements and how many are filled.

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All students are required to complete two of three options: clinics, externship, or practicum. Clinic students must meet State Bar rules for Temporary Trial Card- they must have completed 50% of their studies. The first clinic offerings were in the Spring 2016 semester. Four students are participating in the Innocence Clinic; four day students and 5 evening students are enrolled in the Community Lawyering Clinic. The Mediation Clinic will begin in the summer semester 2016. 27 students total participated in externships in summer semester 2015 and fall semester 2015. The Law School has budgeted 40 seats in clinics and 40 seats in externships per semester beginning next semester.

26. Standard 303(a)(3). [Sources: SEQ III.A.16; Supplemental Questionnaire 6]

What is the number of credits the Law School presently requires in experiential courses* (formerly professional skills)? Note: The requirement of six credit hours of experiential courses applies beginning with Fall 2016 1 L students who will graduate in Spring 2019. Until then, the requirement is that each student receive at least one credit of instruction in "other professional skills." Report on progress toward meeting the new requirement.

• To satisfy the experiential course requirement in Standard 303(a)(3), a course must be a simulation course, a law clinic, or a field placement that is primarily experiential in nature, and must: (i) integrate doctrine, theory, skills, and legal ethics, and engage students in performance of one or more of the professional skills identified in Standard 302; (ii) develop the concepts underlying the professional skills being taught; (iii) provide multiple opportunities for performance; and (iv) provide opportunities for self-evaluation.

The Law School requires all students to complete three Foundations of Practice courses: !­Interviewing and Counseling, 11-Negotiation and Conflict Management, and Ill-Business of Law, totaling 12 credit hours. Students are also required to complete six additional skills segments: these segments, like the writing segments are specifically defined and require performance, reflection, and feedback. Finally, students must complete two of following three: Practicum, Externship, and Clinic, totaling an additional 6 credit hours. A Practicum is capped at 20 students and also involves substantive instruction and skill training, reflection, and feedback. The skills segments all constitute a percentage of the credit for those substantive courses, providing additional hours of experiential education.

27. Standard 304(a). [Sources: SEQ III.A.16; Supplemental Questionnaire 7]

If the Law School offers any simulation courses to satisfy the experiential course requirement of Standard 303(a)(3), how does the Law School ensure that the courses meet the requirements of Standard 304(a) [direct faculty supervision of student performance; opportunities for performance, faculty feedback, and self-evaluation; and a classroom instructional component] as well as Standard 303(a)(3)? Note: This requirement applies beginning with Fall 2016 1 L students who will graduate in Spring 2019. Report on progress toward meeting this requirement.

The practicum courses that are part of the required experiential courses, with clinics and externships, are simulation courses. They are taught by faculty with multiple opportunities for performance, feedback and self-evaluation. The classroom component is taught by faculty members. The Law School currently offers 40-60 seats per semester for practicum courses.

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28. Standard 304(b). [Sources SEQ III.A.16; see also SEQ Ill. Supplementary information for team member reviewing clinical course of study and field placements, question 1]

If the Law School offers any law clinics to satisfy the experiential course requirement of Standard 303(a)(3), how does the Law School ensure that the law clinics meet the requirements of Standard 304(b) [direct faculty supervision of student performance; opportunities for performance, faculty feedback, and self-evaluation; and a classroom instructional component] as well as Standard 303(a)(3)? Note: This requirement applies beginning with Fall 2016 1L students who will graduate in Spring 2019. Report on progress toward meeting this requirement. Additionally, for 2015-16, please confirm that clinics are appropriately supervised and designed to encourage reflection.

The clinics were offered for the first time during spring semester 2016. The Dean of Experiential Education has developed a classroom component and worked closely with the supervising attorneys to ensure the students' work involves client representation, direct faculty supervision, and opportunities for performance, reflection, and self-evaluation. Office manuals and supervisor materials have also been developed for the clinics to ensure adequate feedback and reflection.

29. Standard 305 and Interpretations 305-1 and 305-2. [Sources: SEQ III.A.21; also SEQ Ill. Supplementary information for team member reviewing clinical course of study and field placements, questions 2, 3; SEQ Ill onsite: Review any manuals developed for training site supervisors.]

If the Law School has a field placement program, provide the following information:

(a) Are the field placements approved in advance and periodically reviewed following the Law School's established procedures for approval of the curriculum?

Because the program is new there has not been faculty-wide assessment yet. It is anticipated the Director of Experiential Education will present a status report to the faculty at the end of each academic year.

(b) Has the Law School developed a statement that describes the educational objectives of the program? Explain how the statement has been communicated to students and site supervisors. (For example, does the Law School formalize by letter or email the requirements it imposes on field placements to assure the Standards are met?)

The educational objectives of the program are described in the Externship Manual. The Manual also contains sections for supervisors and students concerning the roles and expectations for each student in the placement. All externship students and supervisors receive these materials.

(c) Does the field placement program include: (1) a clear statement of its goals and methods, and a demonstrated relationship between those goals and methods and the program in operation;

Yes; the goals center on ensuring that the student is involved in the assessment and judgment made by lawyers. It builds on three components: to be told, to see, and to be involved. Materials in the manual and in the required classroom component structure the experience to provide these components of observation, feedback, and performance.

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(2) adequate instructional resources, including faculty teaching in and supervising the program who devote the requisite time and attention to satisfy program goals and are sufficiently available to students;

The Director of Experiential Education and Assistant Director supervise the program and teach the classroom component. Site supervisors are chosen by the field placement with approval by the Director and Assistant Director. There are a number of well-established externship programs in the area that have experience working with law schools and students in field placement programs.

(3) a clearly articulated method of evaluating each student's academic performance involving both a faculty member and the site supervisor;

Site supervisors provide mid-semester and end of semester evaluations using forms developed by the Law School. The Director and Assistant Director review those forms, the student's reflections, weekly assignment, observation logs, and a final paper to assess the student work. The Director also has bi-weekly meetings with each of the externs during the semester.

(4) a method for selecting, training, evaluating, and communicating with site supervisors;

The majority of site supervisors are experienced with externships having provided them for other law schools for some time. The Externship Manual is provided to all supervisors. The Director of Experiential Education communicates with supervisors at each site and meets regularly with the students to get their assessments of their supervision. Students have also been required to write an end-of-semester reflection on their experience

(~) for field placements that award three or more credit hours, regular contact between the faculty supervisor or law School administrator and the site supervisor to assure the quality of the student educational experience, including the appropriateness of the supervision and the student work;

The Director or Experiential Education acts as a liaison between student and supervisor in arranging the placement. Prior to placement the expectations of the program and the learning objectives are discussed with the supervisor. The Law School provides all placements with the Externship Manual which explains the educational purposes of the placement and expectations from field supervisors. The Director contacts field supervisors mid-semester to discuss the externs' experiences.

(6) a requirement that each student has successfully completed instruction equivalent to 28 credit hours toward the J.D. degree before participation in the field placement program [Standard 305(e)(6) was amended in August 2015 to permit field placements if a student has successfully completed sufficient prerequisites or receives concurrently sufficient training to assure the quality of the student educational experience in the field placement program]; and

Full-time students who had satisfactorily completed their first academic year (31 credits) were eligible for placements. Evening students who had completed 22 hours and demonstrated that they would benefit from a placement were also allowed to participate.

(7) opportunities for student reflection on their field placement experience, through a seminar, regularly scheduled tutorials, or other means of guided reflection; Note: Where a student may

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earn three or more credit hours in a field placement program, the opportunity for student reflection must be provided contemporaneously;

At the beginning of the placement students are required to write goals memoranda setting forth their objectives and goals. This is discussed with their site supervisors. Students are required to submit weekly reflective writings, time sheets, assignment, and observation logs. Students write mid-semester and end-of-semester self-evaluations. The required classroom component focuses on different areas for student reflection on the placement experience.

(a) If a field placement counts as an experiential course under Standard 303(a)(3), how does the Law School ensure that the field placements meet the requirements of Standard 303(a)(3) as well as Standard 305?

The classroom component, Externship Manual for supervisors and students, the multiple assessment and self-assessment materials, and faculty meetings with students and supervisors ensure students receive experiential education.

30. Standard 305 and Interpretations 305-1 and 305-2. [Sources: SEQ III.A.21; also SEQ Part Ill. Supplementary information for team member reviewing clinical course of study and field placements, questions 2, 3]

If the Law School offers opportunities for international externships, how does the Law School satisfy the requirements of Standard 305 as to these placements?

Not applicable.

31. Standard 303(b)(2) and Interpretations 303-3 and 303-4. [Sources: SEQ III.A.1.f, A.19]

(a) Indicate how the Law School offers substantial opportunities for student participation in pro bono legal activities and the extent to which these opportunities include law-related service to persons of limited means or to organizations that serve them.

The Law School has a Community Engagement Program in which students are required to spend 5 hours per month volunteering in local government agencies and nonprofits as a prerequisite for graduation.

(b) Does the Law School encourage students to participate in more than 50 hours of pro bono services during their Law School career?

The Community Engagement program requires at least 30 hours of service. Students are encouraged to participate in other pro bono activities through the local bar association and the Texas Access to Justice Commission's Pro Bono Spring Break program. The clinics and externships provide further opportunities to provide pro bono service to the community.

32. Standard 305 (a) through (d). [Source: SEQ III.A.20]

Does the Law School grant credit toward the J.D. degree for courses (other than field placements) that involve student participation in studies or activities in a format that does not involve attendance at regularly scheduled class sessions, including moot court, law review, directed research? If yes, how does the Law School satisfy the requirements of Standard 305

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as to these activities, in particular, the requirement of Standard 305(c) that these activities shall be evaluated by a faculty member? If credit is not granted for these activities, so state.

The college will have two digital Jaw journals. Student work may qualify as one of a student's required writing segments. No academic credit is given for participation.

33. Standard 306 and Interpretations 306-1 and 306-2. [Source: SEQ IJI.A.22]

If the Law School offers credit toward the J.D. degree via distance education, provide the following information:

Not applicable. The Law School does not offer distance education at this time. The Law School did allow students at remote externship locations during summer 2015 to participate in the classroom component via remote broadcast.

(a) Whether the faculty approved the academic content, method of course delivery, and the method of evaluating student performance in accordance with the Law School's regular curriculum approval process.

(b) How the Law School assures ample opportunity for regular and substantive interaction between faculty member and student and among students in distance education courses.

(c) How the Law School assures that there is regular monitoring of student effort by the faculty member and that there is opportunity for communications about that effort in distance education courses.

(d) How the Law School complies with the limitation on the awarding of credit for distance education courses (no credit in the first year, no more than 15 credits in total).

(e) Whether the Law School requires students to have earned 28 credits before enrolling in those courses?

(f) The methodology the Law School uses to verify the identity of students in distance education courses, including how the Law School verifies that the student who registers for a class is the same student who participates and takes the exam for the class.

34. Standard 307 and Interpretations 307-1 and 307-2. [Source: SEQ IJJ.B]

If the Law School grants credit for student participation in studies or activities in a foreign country, provide the following information:

Not applicable.

(a) For any summer or intersession programs approved in accordance with the Criteria for Approval of Foreign Summer and lntersession Programs Established by ABA-Approved Law Schools, state the date each program was approved by the Council and when the program was last visited.

(b) For any semester or year-long programs approved in accordance with the Criteria for Approval of Semester and Year-Long Study Abroad Programs Established by ABA-Approved

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Law Schools, state the date each program was approved by the Council and when the program was last visited.

(c) If the Law School permits individual student study at a foreign institution in accordance with the Criteria for Accepting Credit for Student Study at a Foreign Institution, has the Law School developed and published a statement that defines the educational objectives the Law School seeks to achieve in allowing students to study abroad for credit toward the J.D. degree?

(d) Does the Law School comply with the reporting requirements in the Annual Questionnaire with respect to studies or activities outside the United States?

(e) How does the Law School ensure that the total number of credits for study outside the United States is limited to no more than one-third of the credits required for the J.D. degree?

35. Standard 308(a). [Sources: SEQ III.A.1.c., A.1.e, A.2; SEQ Ill Supplementary information numbers 1, 2, 3; SEQ Ill online report on Academic Attrition rates for the past three years.]

(a) Briefly describe the Law School's academic standards, including those for good standing, academic integrity, graduation and dismissal. Where are the standards published and how does the Law School ensure adherence to them? Provide any additional information raised in the Law School's materials or during the site visit as to the rigor of the Law School's academic standards or evaluation of scholastic achievement.

Students are required to complete 88 hours of credit including 7 4 hours of required courses with a GPA of 2.0 to graduate. Students must also successfully complete the Community Engagement and Bedford Mentor program.

Under the Academic Oversight Policy, all students in the bottom third of the class, as determined by cumulative GPA at the end of each semester, are required to meet with an Academic Success advisor and complete certain assignments and required programming. Students with a semester or cumulative GPA below 2.0 are placed on academic probation.

The standards regarding good standing, graduation, probation and dismissal are contained in the College of Law Student Manual and online on the Law School's web site.

(b) Provide information regarding the Law School's academic attrition rate.

The Law School had virtually no academic attrition the first year; several students did voluntarily withdraw. After fall semester 2015, "30 or so" students, about 20% of the first year class, were put on probation.

As noted in their Self-Study:

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(T)he College of Law understands that the low attrition rate in the inaugural class could be a weakness. As this class has moved into its second year in the Fall 2015 semester, and the data from this class's first year performance has been processed and analyzed, the College of Law is better understanding that some of these second year students appear to be at high risk of not graduating and/or passing the bar. The faculty has had, and will continue to have, focused conversations about how better to ensure student success in law school and on bar passage. Specifically, the faculty has discussed steps such as earlier intervention with low performing first year students in the fall semester, a

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mandatory minimum GPA between 1.5 to 1.8 at the end of the first semester first year, increased requirements for Academic Success, and lock-step course sequencing for at-risk upper-division students, as well as others.

Following the fall 2015 semester, 31 students in the first year were placed on academic probation for the spring 2016 semester based on the grades from the fall semester. At the time of the site inspection, 30 of these 31 individuals had met with and been counseled regarding their status by Ellen Pryor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Kevin Robinowich, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. Both Dean Pryor and Dean Robinowich sent follow-up emails to the students summarizing their respective meetings. Some 5 of these 31 first-year students have communicated to the Law School that they will withdraw for the spring 2016 semester. Under pertinent Law School policies, the remaining students must raise their cumulative GPA to at least a 2.0 following the end of the spring 2016 semester. With respect to second year students, one student was on academic probation during the fall 2016 semester, following the student's first year in spring 2015. That student failed to raise their GPA above the 2.0 standard and was academically dismissed, but with the right to file an appeal for an additional probationary semester. In addition, following the fall 2015 semester, 3 second year students are now on academic probation.

36. Standard 308(b). [Sources: SEQ lilA 1.e., A3]

Briefly describe the Law School's due process policies with regard to taking any action adversely affecting the good standing or graduation of a student. Where are the policies published and how does the Law School ensure adherence to them? Provide additional detail only if there are concerns raised in the record or onsite with respect to the Law School's due process policy.

Students who are on academic probation or are dismissed are notified by letter from the Dean of Academic Affairs. Students who are dismissed may petition the Academic Standards Committee for additional time or readmission. The decision of the Committee is final. These policies are published on the Law School website and in the Student Handbook. As confirmed during the site visit, the Law School has adhered to the published policies.

37. Standard 309(a). [Source: SEQ IIIA4]

How does the Law School provide academic advising that communicates effectively the Law School's academic standards and graduation requirements, and that provides guidance on course selection?

The Law School has created an advising packet for students with an extensive explanation of the curriculum, FAQs, a planning worksheet, and list of likely course sessions for day and evening students. Each student is also assigned a faculty adviser.

38. Standard 309(b). [Source SEQ IIIA5]

How does the Law School provide academic support designed to afford its students a reasonable opportunity to complete the program of legal education, graduate, and become members of the legal profession? How does the Law School monitor and evaluate the success of its program?

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The Law School has created and implemented a detailed and extensive Academic Success Program. It includes a mandatory Legal Methods class for all students, and Academic Oversight classification for students in the bottom third of the class and adoption of a required 6-hour Capstone "Legal Analysis and Bar Readiness" course in the third year.

The Academic Success Program has multiple components: group and individual writing assistance and individualized academic support. This program uses performance information gleaned from the students' courses to design targeted programs to address trends or weaknesses identified in the students' performance. The Law School will continue to use the data generated and gathered by its multiple assessments, Myers-Briggs evaluations, and other tools to monitor and evaluate the information gathered to determine the success of this program.

A student on Academic Oversight must meet with an Academic Success Advisor for academic counseling and participate in the academic success plan resulting from the meeting. The plan may include, for instance, additional meetings with the Academic Success Advisor, one-on-one work with Academic Success faculty or staff, or activities aimed at enhancing skills and knowledge. If the Academic Success Advisor notifies the Registrar that the student has failed to comply with this academic counseling requirement, the student will not be allowed to register for the next term without the written approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

39. Standard 313, Interpretation 313-1, and Standard 506. [Sources: SEQ III.C., SEQ V.16, SEQ Vll.6]

(a) If the Law School offers degrees or certificate programs in addition to the J.D. degree, list the degrees or certificate programs and confirm that acquiescence has been granted for such programs.

Degree:--------­Degree:--------­Degree:---------

Not applicable.

Date of Acquiescence: -------­Date of Acquiescence: -------­Date of Acquiescence: --------

(b) Is there any evidence that the non-J.D. degree programs offered by the Law School have a negative impact on the J.D. program? If yes, explain. (e.g., too few faculty to conduct both J.D. and non-J.D. programs; impact of non-J.D. students in J.D. classes; lack of space to accommodate both programs; lack of library and information resources to support both programs; or a J.D. curriculum that lacks diversity and richness in course offerings due, in part, to the support of the non-J.D. program).

Not applicable.

40. Standard 314 and Interpretations 314-1 and 314-2. [Sources: SEQ Ill. Onsite: Review of examinations and course syllabi]

How does the Law School utilize both formative and summative assessment methods in its curriculum to measure and improve student learning and provide meaningful feedback to students? Note: This requirement applies beginning with Fall 2016 1 L students who will graduate in Spring 2019. Report on progress toward meeting this requirement.

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The Law School has designed both formative and summative assessment methods into all courses in the curriculum. The Law School utilizes an "Outline of Course Design and Instruction Principles" in structuring courses. Many faculty members also employ clickers in their classroom instruction to gather information on student learning and to give immediate feedback to students on their understanding of course concepts. Most courses base the grade on multiple quizzes as well as mid-term and final examinations; the examinations employ a mixture of multiple-choice questions and short and longer essay questions. Students thus receive many opportunities to develop their skill in responding to the full variety of testing methods they will face in law school and on bar examinations. This data is reviewed and employed by the Law School's assessment professionals to design focused academic support programs to address students' weaknesses in particular methods of testing.

41. Standard 315 and Interpretation 315-1. [Source: Supplemental Questionnaire 8]

Has the Law School started the process of conducting an ongoing evaluation of its program of legal education, learning outcomes, and assessment methods? If so, explain. Note: This requirement applies beginning with Fall 2016 1 L students who will graduate in Spring 2019. Report on progress toward meeting this requirement.

Yes. The Law School evaluated its program after the first year and made modifications to its Torts and Legal Writing courses as well as adding Legal Methods and the Capstone bar­readiness course. The Law School conducts ongoing evaluations of its assessment methods: faculty review exam materials with the Director of Outcomes and Assessments to develop rubrics for performance assessment and determine content validity of questions to learning outcomes. The Law School is currently operating pursuant to a four-year curriculum plan. At the end of the 2017-2018 academic year the curriculum plan will be revisited.

Faculty

42. Standard 401. [Sources: SEQ IV. online reports on Faculty Profiles; SEQ IV. Attachment number 6 on faculty resumes]

(a) Describe the level of competence of the faculty with reference to its education and experience in both teaching and practice.

The team reviewed the faculty resumes included in the SEQ, and found the credentials to be strong in both academic backgrounds and practice experience. The Law School has benefitted from the strong pool of talent in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, while also attracting those who wish to live and work in a metropolitan area having so much to offer. In that regard, the Law School has recruited faculty members with teaching experience at other law schools, and practitioners with deep connections to the Metroplex. The team found that the credentials of the faculty were strong, and were a good fit for the Law School, given its mission.

(b) Explain how the faculty's qualifications and experience enable the Law School to operate in compliance with the Standards and carry out its program of legal education. Elaborate on any issues regarding the faculty's qualifications and experience raised in the record or on site.

The Law School's mission is an access mission. Like the University, it was created to provide educational opportunities to under-served communities. In that regard, the Law School's focus is on hiring professionals who prioritize teaching, service, academic support, and

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professionalism (including access to the bench and bar). The team observed that the hiring of the Law School's initial faculty is in keeping with School's mission, and that the faculty has bought into that mission.

43. Standard 402, Interpretation 402-1, and Definitions (7). [Sources: Self Study; SEQ IV online report on Composition of Full-time Faculty]

(a) Report the number and tenure status of the full-time faculty, including clinicians and legal writing faculty, in the chart below. Discuss any questions or concerns that arose in reviewing the data or onsite. [The chart below will have been completed and provided to the site team chair and should be included in the site report once the information is verified.]

COMPOSITION OF FULL-TIME LAW FACULTY

Total Male Female Minority

Tenured 3 1 2 1

Tenure Track 7 6 1 2

Total 10 7 3 3

Clinical Non-Tenure Track Faculty on Contract

On Presumptively Renewable Contract for Term of~ 0 0 0 0 Five Years

On Track to Presumptively Renewable Contract for 0 0 0 0 Term of~ Five Years

Not on Five Year Presumptively Renewable Contract 0 0 0 0 or Tenure Track

Total 0 0 0 0

LRW Non-Tenure Track Faculty on Contract (Include only faculty not counted in the Clinical Faculty above)

At the Law School for> Four Years 0 0 0 0

At the Law School for Two - Four Years 0 0 0 0

At the Law School for< Two Years 0 0 0 0

Total 0 0 0 0

Other Non-Tenure Track Faculty on Contract 4 1 3 1

Visitors 2 2 0 1

Total Full-Time Faculty 16 10 6 5

COMPOSITION OF NON-FULL TIME FACULTY ·

Total Male Female Minority

Non-Full Time Clinical Faculty 0 0 0 0

Non-Full Time Legal Writing Faculty 7 2 5 2

Non-Full Time Doctrinal Faculty 16 11 5 0

Other Non-Full Time Faculty 2 2 0 0

Total Non-Full Time Faculty 25 15 10 2

Comments: The team verified the information provided by the Law School. The team members did seek some clarification of how the school counted full-time faculty for purposes of this chart. After meeting with the faculty and administration, the team learned that Professors of Practice were faculty members on one-half to three-fourths time. Those faculty members were encouraged to continue praclicing law on a part-time basis, because that practice experience and connection would be beneficial in the classroom. For example, one Professor of Practice who was teaching Legal Writing, f,vas also working on an appellate brief for her firm. Her experience with writing a brief could be invaluable to her as she teaches in Legal Writing.

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(b) Explain whether the Law School has a sufficient number of full-time faculty to operate in compliance with the Standards and to carry out its program of legal education. In so doing, consider the size of the student body and the opportunities for students to meet individually with full-time faculty members; the nature and scope of the educational program; and the opportunities for the faculty to fulfill their teaching responsibilities as well as conduct scholarly research, participate in the governance of the Law School, and provide service to the profession and public. If there are concerns raised in the record or onsite with respect to the Law School's ability to operate in compliance with the Standards, provide sufficient facts to enable the Accreditation Committee to make a determination.

The team recognized that the Law School is still early in its development. Accordingly, the full­time faculty is sufficient for now, but it would not be sufficient for next year without additional full­time hires. The team noted that, because the School is new, every faculty member is required to spend a great deal of time on service to the Law School.

Furthermore, the Law School will be adding another entering class in 2016-2017, so the student body size will grow substantially. The faculty is certainly to be commended for its commitment to building the Law School, but, as one team member stated, "the cavalry has to arrive, soon."

In response to the concern raised by the team about the size of its faculty for the future, the Law School presented its plan to hire five new full-time faculty members for the coming academic year (2016-2017). The team inquired about the hiring process for those five new faculty members, and was informed that several outstanding candidates have been identified and interviewed, and that it is hoped that offers will be made, soon.

44. Standard 402 and Definitions 7. [Source: SEQ IV.1, 2]

Explain whether the full-time faculty devote substantially all their working time to teaching, scholarship, service, and governance at the Law School.

The team was impressed by the level of commitment and dedication of the Law School's full­time faculty. In addition to their full-time teaching responsibilities, each faculty member has a role in building the School. Faculty make a large time commitment to governance, as the faculty had to develop its committees, academic systems, and culture from scratch. Accordingly, there is little time left for scholarship. That being said, the team observed that several faculty members have published, and that the faculty had a commitment to scholarship. Because of the unique mission of the the Law School, the faculty and administration have defined scholarship as much broader than publication in traditional law reviews and journals.

45. Standard 402 and Interpretation 402-2. [Source: SEQ IV.3]

(a) If any faculty members are regularly engaged in law practice or have ongoing relationships with a law firm or other entity, indicate the number and circumstances of such faculty members.

The team found that no full-time faculty members are involved in outside practice. The Professors of Practice, on the other hand, are a class of faculty who are encouraged to continue to practice on a part-time basis. None of these faculty members are counted as full-time. The concept of the Professors of Practice seems to suit the Law School's mission, and connects the Law School to the practicing bar.

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Section 5.006 of the University Policy Manual requires all employees who undertake outside employment to file a form titled "Outside Employment or Dual Employment." This form explicitly requires attestation to the following for those seeking outside employment:

I hereby certify that the requested outside employment or dual Texas State employment does not constitute a conflict of interest and will not interfere with my regular employment at the University of North Texas at Dallas. I have read the UNTO policy on Outside Employment and understand I must fully comply with the provisions of that policy.

http://www.untdallas.edulsites/default/fileslpage level2/pdf/policyl5.006%200utside%20Employ ment%20or%20Service%20and%20Duai%20Employment.pdf

The team verified that no full-time faculty member at the College of Law may regularly engage in the practice of law.

(b) For any faculty members noted above, describe how the Law School ensures that the outside activities of the faculty members do not unduly interfere with their responsibilities as full­time faculty members.

The Associate Dean reports that the Law School performs annual reviews on faculty. In these reviews, the faculty members are required to report all of their outside activities, as well as their teaching, scholarship, and service to the Law School. As stated in (a) above, the Law School requires attestation by faculty members that they are not engaged in outside or dual employment that would violate Rule 5.006.

46. Standard 403(a). [Sources: SEQ IV.4; SEQ IV. online reports on Student Contact Hours -Full-Time and Part-Time Faculty, and Course Hours]

(a) Indicate whether the full-time faculty teach substantially all of the first one-third of each student's coursework.

According to the Law Schools responses to the SEQ, as verified by the site team:

For the academic year 2014- 2015, the only course in which faculty other than full-time faculty were used during the first one-third of students' coursework was during the second semester of Legal Writing and Research. The fall 2015 semester of this year-long course was taught exclusively by full-time faculty providing instruction to seven Legal Writing and Research classes. For the spring semester component of this course, the two credit hours were divided equally between research and writing. The College of Law full-time library faculty members taught the research component. For the one hour writing portion, full-time faculty Associate Dean Pryor, Professor Porterfield, and Professor Perkins continued to teach sections. The College of Law hired four adjunct faculty members to teach the remaining LWR sections.

For the academic year 2015-2016, the only course in which faculty other than full-time faculty were used was during the year-long, six-credit LWR course. The curriculum, syllabus, and course materials for this year-long course were developed and prepared by Professor Shultz, a full-time faculty member and the Director of Legal Writing and Research with the assistance of Christine Tamer, a part-time Professor of Practice and the Assistant Director of Legal Writing and Research. In the fall semester, the first-year class was divided into seven sections. Professor Shultz taught two sections, Professor Tamer taught one section, and four adjunct faculty members were hired to teach the remaining four sections under the supervision

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and guidance of Professor Shultz. In the spring semester, the three-credit course witt be equally divided between research and writing. The College of Law library faculty will teach the 1.5-hour research component of the course. For the 1.5-hour writing portion of the course, Professor Shultz witt teach the part-time students and Professor Tamer witt teach the full-time students. Five adjunct faculty members witt be hired to run writing labs for the course. These adjunct faculty members witt work under the direct supervision of Professor Shultz. Professor Tamer and Professor Shultz will each run a writing tab.

(b) Indicate whether the full-time faculty teach either more than half of all of the credit hours actually offered by the Law School or more than two-thirds of the student contact hours generated by student enrollment at the Law School.

The team verified that the full-time faculty is teaching more than one-half the credit hours offered by the Law School. This witt be a challenge to achieve when the School adds a class in 2016-17 unless it can also add the five faculty members it plans to hire.

47. Standard 403(b) and Interpretation 403-1. [Source: SEQ IV.5, 6]

(a) Review and report on the quality of faculty instruction by full-time and adjunct faculty. If the Law School has distance educations classes, report on the team's visits to those classes.

The team observed every faculty member either by class visitation or through the use of the lecture capture system employed by the Law School (some classes met only after the team left the site, so they were observed via lecture capture). The team noted that the Law School, for the most part, was innovative and engaged. There was good use of technology, and response devices, when used, were used effectively. There were three full-time faculty members the team rated as outstanding, and most others were rated as good or very good.

Some weaknesses were noticed in classes taught by adjuncts. In particular, one team member observed a class taught by an adjunct who did nothing more than state the taw. There was very little interaction in that class, and it was rated well below the average class at the Law School. When this class was discussed with the School, the team was informed that the Law School regularly reviews its adjunct teaching, and has not rehired adjuncts (even prominent attorneys) who were substandard in the classroom.

At this time, there are no classes being taught as distance education classes. However, the team noted that during the summer 2015 term, students who enrolled in externships that were located at a distance from the Law School were allowed to view the classroom portion of the externship course online, which may be considered distance education. The Law School was made aware of this concern.

(b) Describe the Law School's efforts to ensure teaching effectiveness of the full-time faculty. (e.g., a faculty committee on effective teaching, class visits, institutional review of student evaluations, and other efforts).

Currently, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is responsible for review of teaching effectiveness. The relatively small size of the faculty has made this a manageable process for her, but she informed the team that she witt be developing a system that includes more involvement of senior faculty in the review process as the Law School grows to maturity. The Associate Dean reads the faculty evaluations and shares that information with the Dean. The

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Associate Dean also reviews classes through actual visits or the lecture capture system. Faculty members are provided with a written evaluation every year.

Furthermore, the members of the faculty are evaluated for merit each year under the University policy which can be found at: http://www.untdallas.edu/sites/default/files/page level2/dak0013/pdf/6.008 merit evalulation of faculty.pdf

(c) Describe the Law School's efforts to ensure teaching effectiveness of the adjunct faculty. (e.g., class visits; institutional review of student evaluations; the Law School's orientation, guidance, monitoring, and evaluation of adjuncts; and other efforts).

The team was informed that the Law School is very careful in its initial selection of adjunct faculty. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is tasked with adjunct hiring. In this role, she actively recruits adjunct faculty who are known to be outstanding lawyers, with strong reputations for presenting at CLE's and other similar programs. The Law School is still developing a more complete process for adjunct faculty orientation and review, but currently the Associate Dean is responsible for adjunct training and review. She reviews the teaching evaluations of the adjuncts and is able to observe their classes through the lecture capture system. She informed the team that she did not rehire a very prominent local lawyer because of his poor performance in the classroom.

48. Standard 205(b) and (c) and Interpretations 205-1 through 205-5. [Sources: SEQ IV.16; SEQ IV. Attachment 5]

(a) Provide the Law School nondiscrimination policy that is applicable to faculty and staff. Does the policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, and disability?

"The University of North Texas System is firmly committed to equal opportunity and does not permit - and takes actions to prevent - discrimination, harassment (including sexual violence}, and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, family status, genetic information, citizenship or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, facilities, and employment practices. The University of North Texas System immediately investigates and takes remedial action when appropriate. The University of North Texas System also takes actions to prevent retaliation against individuals who oppose a discriminatory practice, file a charge, or testify, assist or participate in an investigative proceeding or hearing." http://www. untdallas. edu/hr/equal

(b) If the Law School is part of a University, indicate if the Law School has a nondiscrimination policy that is separate from that of the University. Explain.

Not applicable.

(c) If the Law School has a religious affiliation or purpose, state whether it adopted and applies policies of admission of students and employment of faculty and staff that directly relate to this affiliation or purpose. If so, please describe. Additionally, explain whether notice of these policies has been given to students, faculty, and staff prior to their affiliation with the Law School.

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This is a state institution with no religious affiliation.

(d) If the Law School has a religious affiliation or purpose, do any of the policies related to the religious affiliation, purpose, or policies contravene any other Standard, including Standard 405(b) concerning academic freedom?

Not applicable.

49. Standard 206(b). [Sources: SEQ Part IV.15; SEQ IV. online report on Faculty Recruitment]

(a) The chart below will have been completed and provided to the site team chair and should be included in the site report once the information is verified. [This is an on-going process, and the Law School hopes to hire five new faculty members for 2016-17. The facts below are verified as of the site visit.]

FACUL TV RECRUITMENT: ENTRY-LEVEL HIRES (E) AND LATERAL HIRES (L)

2015-2016 2014.2015 2013.2014

TOTAL WOMEN MINORITY TO']" AI- WOMEN MINORITY TOTA~. I V\'OME~ MIN()RI'fY

E L E L E L E L E L E L E L E L E L

AALS Initial Interviews 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Campus Initial Interviews 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other Initial Interviews 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7 2 2 0 4 4 6 1 1 1 1

Total Initial interviews 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7 2 2 0 4 4 6 1 1 1 1

Final Campus Interviews 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 1 0 3 4 4 0 1 1 1

Offers 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 1 0 0 3 1 5 0 1 1 1

Acceptances 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 2 1 4 0 1 1 1

(b) Describe the Law School's concrete actions, in addition to attending the AALS Faculty Recruitment Conference and in addition to demographic statistics that demonstrate the Law School's commitment to having a full-time faculty that is diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.

The Law School has been successful in recruiting a diverse faculty, which is consistent with its access mission. The Law School makes conscious efforts to reach out to the minority bar associations in the Metroplex, and actively recruits members of minority groups with teaching and scholarship potential. These include the J.L Turner Bar Association, the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Bar association, the Mexican American Bar Associations of Dallas and Fort Worth, the Black Women Lawyer's Association of Tarrant County, and the Texas Women Lawyer's association, to name a few.

The Law School did not participate in the AALS FRC for 2016-17 by choice, although there might have been some misconception that unaccredited schools are not allowed to participate. Nonetheless, the team found that the Law School's recruitment strategy was in keeping with its mission. Given the Dean's outstanding reputation with the legal profession in Texas, and in particular his relationship with minority lawyers and judges, the Law School's focus on a more local recruitment effort seems to make sense. Furthermore, the pool of talent in the Metroplex is very strong and diverse.

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50. Standard 206(b). [Source: SEQ IV.15]

(a) The chart below will have been completed and provided to the site team chair and should be included in the site report once the information is verified.

ADJUNCT/PART TIME FACULTY PROFILES

Semester Total Women Minority __:_

SPRING 2015 10 5 0

FALL 2014 0 0 0

SPRING 2014 0 0 0

FALL 2013 0 0 0

SPRING 2013 0 0 0

FALL 2012 0 0 0

(b) Describe the Law School's concrete actions, in addition to demographic statistics, that demonstrate the Law School's commitment to having an adjunct faculty that are diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.

The team found that the Law School is involved in regular and concerted outreach to minority lawyers through interactions with minority bar associations in the Metroplex. These include the J.L Turner Bar Association, the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Bar association, the Mexican American Bar Associations of Dallas and Fort Worth, the Black Women Lawyer's Association of Tarrant County, and the Texas Wornen Lawyer's association, to name a few. The Dean and Associate Dean are well known in the legal community, and have both been active in the recruitment of minority adjunct faculty. The College of Law has used twelve adjunct professors in its summer and fall 2015 semesters. Of those twelve individuals, five were women; three were African Arnerican; and one was Hispanic.

51. Standard 206(b). [Source: SEQ IV.15]

Describe the Law School's concrete actions, in addition to any reported demographic statistics, that demonstrate the Law School's commitment to having a staff this is diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.

The Law School adheres to the policies on nondiscrimination and diversity of the University. All hiring is done through the UNT hiring portal in coordination with the Human Resources Department. All faculty postings are drafted and/or approved by the Associate Dean for Academics and the Human Resources department.

The University Division of Equity and Diversity is a member of several organizations working to improve the diversity of the university. Those organizations include:

Texas Diversity Council- Institutional Membership; http://www. texasdiversitycouncil. org/NEWWP1/

National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) - Institutional Membership; http://www.nadohe.org/

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) - Institutional Membership; http://www.hacu.net/hacu/default.asp

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Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) - Institutional Membership; http://www.tache.org/

The Law School staff reflects that emphasis on diversity. Of the 30 people serving in is senior staff or administrative positions, 20 women are woman, 3 are Hispanic, and 9 are African American.

52. Standard 404(a). [Source: SEQ IV. ?.a.]

(a) Briefly describe how the Law School has adopted and published written policies with respect to the full-time faculty members' responsibilities consistent with the core responsibilities listed in the Standard.

The Law School faculty is subject to the University policies governing faculty responsibilities. According to the Law School's response to the SEQ, as verified by the team:

Policies relating to faculty-member responsibilities fall into two general categories. The first consists of policies that rise to the level of a governing principle and that require review by the Office of General Counsel and adoption by the University. In the second category are policies with more particular application to the College of Law and that do not require the formal process just noted. For its inaugural year, the Law School drafted policies in Category 1 because the UNT System Policies did not include faculty-specific policies. On the date of the merger, the UNT Dallas policies on faculty became applicable to Law School faculty and superseded the policies that the school had drafted for the interim period. Substantively, the pre-merger policies and post-merger policies were essentially the same. For clarity, "UNT Dallas policy" refers to a policy in the first category and that applies to the College of Law, while "College of Law policy" refers to a policy in the second category.

UNT Dallas policies establish core responsibilities of faculty. Policy 6.008, titled "Merit Evaluation of Faculty" and applicable to all full-time faculty members, states:

Faculty members at the University of North Texas at Dallas will have a variety of duties and responsibilities associated with the mission of the institution, including the essential functions of teaching and student success, research, scholarly and creative activities, and service and public engagement. Annual merit evaluations will be based on the quality of the faculty member's contributions in these areas of responsibility. Work in these areas constitutes the faculty member's professional obligation to the University. http://www.untdallas.edu/sites/defaultlfiles/page level2/dak0013/pdf/6.008 merit evalulation of faculty.pdf

Further, under this UNT Dallas policy, the College of Law, as a school within the University, is to have "clearly formulated, written, and publicly accessible performance criteria" that are made known to all full-time faculty and that "will evaluate teaching and student success, research, scholarly and creative activities, and service and public engagement consistent with the mission of the University."

As to the College of Law's policy articulating these responsibilities, the primary policy is titled "Definitions and Criteria Relating to Promotion and Tenure Review and Merit Evaluation." The first version of this policy was drafted in summer 2013, before the start of the search for inaugural faculty. With minor modifications, this document has been shared with inaugural faculty during the late stages of interviews, was approved by the inaugural faculty in 2014, and

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has continued to represent the College of Law's criteria and standards within the overall process of merit review and tenure and promotion.

(b) How does the Law School demonstrate adherence to these policies?

University and Law School policies require an annual review of faculty to insure that the Law School adheres to the stated policies.

53. Standard 404(a)(1) through 404(a)(6). [Sources: SEQ IV. ?.b., 7.c.; SEQ IV. Attachment 2]

Explain how the full-time faculty collectively fulfills these core responsibilities:

(a) Teaching, preparing for classes, being available for student consultation about those classes, assessing student performance in those classes, and remaining current in the subjects being taught;

As verified by the team through discussions with individual faculty members and with the Associate Dean, faculty members meet regularly to discuss teaching practices, development of rubrics, and coordination of syllabi in courses (such as Civil Procedure) that two different professors teach. At multiple scheduled meetings, faculty members have met for training on and discussion of course learning outcomes, quiz design, and rubric design. For those courses that have both day and evening classes, there is close collaboration between the two faculty members teaching those sections. Faculty members use their best efforts to assure that both classes are receiving comparable instruction and assessment.

Individually, each full time faculty member personally prepares her own course, selects the course resources, prepares teaching materials, and provides the instruction. All full time faculty use the learning management platform Canvas to post syllabi, assignments, resource materials, quizzes, and announcements. Most individual faculty also create grading rubrics to allow students to understand the basis for the assessment of their work. All faculty use ExamSoft for mid-terms and final exams.

(b) Participating in academic advising, creating an atmosphere in which students and faculty may voice opinions and exchange ideas, and assessing student learning at the Law School;

The Law School reports the following information, which was verified by the team during interviews with the faculty and the administration:

For the selection of spring 2016 courses, second year students were assigned to groups having a faculty advisor. Students were encouraged to set meetings with the professor to discuss course options, especially in the context of their remaining academic time. Many full-time faculty members attended group advising sessions hosted by Associate Dean Pryor.

Dean Furgeson holds a "Town Hall" meeting each semester for the students. The faculty attends that meeting. Faculty members also regularly use Canvas for announcements, emails, updates, and other discussion classes

(c) Engaging in scholarship as defined by the Law School;

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The Law School intentionally adopted a definition of scholarship that recognizes multiple categories as having value: the scholarship of discovery, the scholarship of integration, the scholarship of engagement, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The College of Law supports faculty presentations at, and participation in, scholarly conferences with a stipend of $4,000 for professional development. Faculty members also receive annual evaluations that address their performance with respect to all core roles including scholarship.

The team reviewed the published scholarship of the faculty and found it to be impressive given the many obligations of faculty starting a new law school.

(d) Service to the Law School and University community, including participation in Law School governance, curricular development, and other institutional responsibilities described in the Standards;

Because the Law School is a start-up law school, there were a number of policies and decisions that had to be made. All full-time faculty have been actively involved in law school governance. The development of the curriculum, identification of courses, integration of writing, research, and skills segments, and establishments of requirements have all been the result of countless hours of faculty review, discussion, and debate. All academic policies were the product of faculty collaboration.

The Dean has also established standing committees for the College of Law. Each committee has faculty membership.

(e) Service to the profession, including working with judges and practicing lawyers to improve the profession; and

The Law School faculty are involved in many professional associations, and this involvement is fostered and encouraged by the administration. The team found that the faculty members were active in bar activities at many levels including service as officers in various organizations. In support of these efforts, the Law School pays the dues for faculty members to belong to the Dallas Bar.

(f) Service to the public, including pro bono activities.

The team found that the Law School supports and encourages engagement in Pro Bono service. That service is included in a faculty member's annual evaluation for merit.

54. Standard 404(b). [Sources: SEQ IV.7.d., 7.e.; SEQ IV. Attachment 2]

Explain how the Law School periodically evaluates the extent to which the faculty discharges its core responsibilities under the Law School's policies and the contributions of each full-time faculty member to meeting the core responsibilities of the faculty.

The team found that University Policy 6.008, requires all full-time faculty members to receive an annual merit evaluation that "will be based on the quality of the faculty member's contributions in" the areas of responsibility of teaching and student success: research, scholarly, and creative activities: and service and public engagement. Further, each division, such as the Law School, is required to set out specific guidelines spelling out performance criteria. Evaluation of teaching is to use a portfolio approach that includes multiple types of evidence relating to quality instruction.

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For tenure-track and tenured faculty, University Policy 6.009 sets out the timeline and steps for promotion and tenure review, including committee evaluation, input from the Dean, and action by the Provost. All of these steps are tied to the criteria set out in 6.008 and to each College or division's more detailed criteria.

The 2014-2015 school year is the only year so far in which faculty members have been evaluated. In spring 2015, each faculty member completed a self-evaluation in light of the four criteria for evaluation, and the Dean gave each faculty member a detailed merit evaluation tied to the four criteria for evaluation.

55. Standard 405(a). [Sources: SEQ IV.9, 10, 14; SEQ IV. Attachments]

Describe the Law School's ability to attract and retain a competent faculty. Please report on changes in the composition of the faculty in recent years and since the last sabbatical program review and site visit. As appropriate, report on offers for faculty positions in recent years and the success that the Law School has had in faculty hiring. Note: The team should neither review nor report on levels of faculty compensation, including base salary, stipends and fringe benefits. (Should the team receive an allegation of discrimination that is alleged to be manifested in terms of disparate salaries; the team chair should contact the Office of the Managing Director for instructions.)

For the 2015-2016 academic year, the Law School currently has eleven full time faculty members. Those faculty members include four African Americans, one Hispanic, and four women. The Law School plans to hire five new faculty members for the 2016-2017 year.

56. Standard 405(b) and Interpretations 405-1 through 405-4. [Sources: SEQ IV.9, 10, 14; SEQ IV. Attachments]

Indicate whether the Law School has an established and announced policy with respect to tenure. Note any concerns raised in the record or onsite involving the Law School's tenure policy.

The Law School is a part of the the University, and is covered by the tenure and promotion policy of the University, which can be found at: http://www.untdallas.edu/sites/default/files/page level2/dak0013/pdf/6.009 tenure and promoti on review 5 16 13.pdf

From discussions with the faculty, the team determined that not every faculty member fully understands the tenure and promotion process, or the process of retention. The team called this matter to the attention of the Law School administration. The Law School has only been a part of the University for a short time, and some of the issues raised are simply due to the School being in the early stages of development.

57. Standard 405(b). [Sources: SEQ IV.13; SEQ IV. Attachment 3]

(a) Indicate whether the Law School has an established and announced policy with respect to academic freedom? Note any concerns raised in the record or onsite involving the Law School's academic freedom policy.

The Law School is covered by the University's Policy on Academic Freedom, which clearly sets forth the rights and duties of all faculty members. That policy can be found at:

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http://www.untdallas.edu/sites/defaultlfiles/page level2/pdf/policy/6.001 %20Academic%20Freed om%20and%20Responsibility.pdf

(b) Indicate the extent to which the policy on academic freedom applies to all faculty members, including clinical faculty, legal writing faculty, adjunct faculty, part-time faculty, and any others with teaching responsibilities.

The University policy cited in (a) above states that it applies too all faculty. In speaking with the administration of the Law School, the team determined that the term "all faculty" in the policy includes clinical faculty, legal writing faculty, adjunct faculty, part-time faculty, and any others with teaching responsibilities.

58. Standard 405(c) and Interpretations 405-6 and 405-7. [Sources: SEQ IV.11; SEQ IV. Attachments 3 and 4]

(a) Describe the Law School's system of security of position for full-time clinical faculty. (If there are no clinics, so state.)

The full-time faculty member who works with the externship program, and who will work with the clinics when they are established, is a tenured member of the faculty. The Law School has made it clear that there will be no separate clinical track, with all full-time teaching faculty on the same tenure track.

(b) If the system or part of it is not tenure-track, include the length of time for contracts and whether the system leads to a presumptively renewable contract.

As stated in (a) above, this question is not applicable.

(c) If the system does not lead to a presumptively renewable contract of at least five years in length, describe the arrangement to ensure academic freedom and note whether it is the same academic freedom as provided to tenure-track faculty.

Not applicable.

(d) Provide the number of full-time clinical faculty in relation to clinical faculty on short-term contracts.

1 full-time clinical faculty member who is tenured.

59. Standard 405(c) and Interpretation 405-8. [Sources: SEQ IV.11; SEQ IV. Attachment 4]

(a) Describe how full-time clinical faculty participate in Law School governance in a manner reasonably similar to other full-time faculty members, including whether full-time clinical faculty participate in and vote at faculty meetings and whether they serve on faculty committees with voting rights. If there are no clinics, so state.

The full-time clinical faculty member, who is tenured, is a full participant in faculty governance.

(b) Describe the non-compensatory perquisites for full-time clinical faculty.

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The team verified that the clinical faculty member shares the same benefits (office space, computer, travel and faculty development stipend) that every full-time faculty member enjoys.

60. Standard 405(d) and Interpretation 405-9. [Sources: SEQ Part IV.12; SEQ Part IV. Attachment 4]

Describe the security of position and other rights and privileges afforded to full-time legal writing faculty. Include a description of any history revealed in the record of difficulty attracting and retaining a well-qualified legal writing faculty.

The Director of the Legal Writing Program at the Law School is on tenure-track. The Assistant Director is a Professor of Practice, who has applied for a tenure-track position. The team found that the Law School has attracted a well-credentialed and dedicated legal writing faculty.

Some concern was raised by the fact that non-tenure track faculty, other than adjuncts, were not completely certain how their contracts are renewed. The lack of clarity especially affected Professors of Practice. The Law School Administration was informed of this concern, and plans to address it. At this early point in the School's history, all Professors of Practice, including the Assistant Director of Legal Writing, have been renewed without any issue.

Students

61. Standard 501(a). [Sources: SEQ V.1; SEQ V. Attachment 1]

Describe how the Law School maintains sound admissions policies and procedures consistent with the Standards, the Law School's mission, and the objectives of its program of legal education.

The Law School's admission policies and procedures were developed in full compliance with the best practices established at comparable law schools, by the American Bar Association (ABA), the Law School Admission Counsel (LSAC), and the UNT System Board of Regents. The mission of the Admissions Office, adopted at the December 2014 Law School retreat, is "to recruit and enroll a diverse student body with the potential to successfully complete our program of legal education and to contribute to the profession by using a holistic approach to admissions designed to widen access to legal education and legal services for all."

(a) Admissions Policies Set by Faculty, Dean, and Central Administration

In June 2013, the Law School hired Valerie D. James to serve as its Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships. Upon Assistant Dean James's arrival, she reviewed best admissions practices of other public law schools and the various admissions policies established by the ABA, LSAC and UNT System Board of Regents to develop the Law School's Admissions Rules and Admissions Policy. The first Admissions Rules and the first Admissions Policy were drafted and approved by Assistant Dean James in July 2013. Subsequent Admissions Rules and Policies and/or Procedures were amended and approved by the Dean, members of the Admissions Committee, and faculty. The Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships maintains copies of all approved rules and policies.

(b) Admissions Responsibility/Faculty Role in Governance

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The Admissions Committee, appointed by the Dean of the Law School, is made up of at least three faculty members, one of whom serves as the chair of the Committee, as well as the Assistant Dean. For the inaugural class (2014), the Admissions Committee consisted of the Dean, Associate Dean, and Dean of Admissions. For the second class (2015), the Admissions Committee consisted of three faculty members - Professor Wattley (Chair), Professor Perkins, and Visiting Professor Dylan Malagrino - and Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships (ex-officio). For the third class (2016), the Admissions Committee consists of three faculty members - Professor Wattley (Chair), Professor Perkins, and Professor Maslanka ..,. and the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships (ex-officio). The Admissions Committee is charged with the creation, execution, and updating of admissions rules and policies; approval of applicants to the Law School; and the support of admission programming, recruitment, and pipelines efforts. The Committee meets regularly.

The Assistant Dean prepares weekly admissions reports, which are provided to the committee members and the Dean.

(c) Admissions Process

Pursuant to the Admissions Policy, by September 1 of every year, the Law School application and its instructions are provided to the LSAC and a link to the application is posted on the LaW School website. The Law School fully utilizes the LSAC electronic application process that has standardized the process. The Admissions office utilizes ACES2 for prospect and applicant processing and tracking of recruitment. The Law School does not accept submission of applications or applicant documents directly from the applicants, but utilizes only the electronic, online process through LSAC.

The LSAC process allows applicants to submit their required application form, personal statement, resume, LSAT score, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and required and/or optional addenda. The applicant's CAS Report (consisting of LSAT score, academic transcripts, LSAC writing sample, and letters of recommendation) is sent to the Law School from LSAC. During the admissions cycles for the first two classes, the Admissions Committee required evaluations in addition to letters of recommendation that were transmitted through CAS. However, with LSAC's termination of the program, the Admissions Committee has discontinued the requirement for evaluations from applicants. The Admissions Committee considers only the highest LSAT score reported when evaluating an applicant for admission.

Applicants may request a personal interview with a member of the Admissions Committee. The personal interview furthers the Law School's holistic approach and allows admissions representatives to assess more fully a candidate's unique qualifications for admission that may not be reflected in the application documentation. Applicants are not required but are strongly encouraged to interview with a member of the Committee or its designee (either the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships or the Assistant Director of Admissions).

Admissions staff includes the following: Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions and Scholarships Valerie James, Assistant Director of Admissions Sheena Brooks, Administrative Specialist Erika Molina, and Administrative Assistant Qu'Wanua Robinson

As the Admissions Office receives applications, the Assistant Director and Administrative Specialist work closely with the Assistant Dean in processing applications and approving them for review. As part of a rolling admissions approach, the Committee reviews completed files

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online using the ACES2 review process and votes electronically. On some occasions, the Committee will convene to review and vote on individual applications.

With regard to the admissions portion of the Law School's mission, the first goal is access.

An objective of the program of legal education of which Admissions takes cognizance is to ensure its students will offer effective, ethical, and responsible participation as members of the legal profession.

At the time of the site inspection visit, the Admissions Office reported a substantial increase (over 50%) in applications and offers of admission for the fall 2016 class as compared to last year. One of the Law School's strategies is to improve the admissions credentials of the lowest quartile of the class. Based on the site team's review of admissions files, the Law School is well on the way to showing a substantial increase in the credentials of the lowest quartile of the entering class for both full time and part time students.

A factor that will assist the Law School in its future admissions work is Texas A&M Law School closing its part time program.

The Law School is taking all the proper and effective measures in its recruiting and admissions work.

62. Standard 501(b) and Interpretations 501-1 and 501-2. [Sources: SEQ Part V. online reports on Admissions and First-Year Class Profiles; Summer Admits; Student Listings]

Provide the statistical data and academic qualifications of admitted students, including at least three years of data. Insert the chart provided to the site team by the Managing Director's Office.

ADMISSIONS AND FIRST YEAR CLASS PROFILES

2013 2014 2015

Completed Applications 0 500 451

Offers of Admission 0 252 221

Acceptance Rate (Percent) 0 50 49

Number of Matriculants 0 153 137

Yield (Percent of Offers) 0 61 62

LSAT

75th Percentile 151 150

50th Percentile 147 146

25th Percentile 143 143

UGPA

75th Percentile 3.32 3.36

50th Percentile 3.05 3.04

25th Percentile 2.69 2.66

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Women

Number 79 69

Percent 0 52 50

Minorities

Number 0 73 75

Percent 0 48 55

63. Standard 501(b). [Source: SEQ V.2]

Discuss whether any of the following factors indicate that the Law School may be admitting applicants who do not appear capable of satisfactorily completing its program of legal education and being admitted to the bar: (a) academic and admission test credentials of the Law School's entering students, (b) the academic attrition rate of the Law School's students, {c) the bar passage rate of its graduates, or {d) the effectiveness of the Law School's academic support program.

(a) Academic and Admission Test Credentials. The Law School has admissions policies that consider the complete applicant and turn on the belief that he or she will be successful in its program of legal education. The Law School's absolute holistic approach to admissions is centered on providing a fair and unbiased review of a candidate, so that a decision to admit or deny a candidate is based on the complete file submitted by the applicant, including all documentation requested, and not solely predicated on a candidate's LSAT score or undergraduate grade point average ("UGPA").

The Law School's holistic approach to admissions includes the examination of several factors, including an applicant's LSAT score, UGPA, the undergraduate course of study and rigorous courses taken, extracurricular activities, work experience, performance in other graduate or professional programs, public service activities, relevant demonstrated skills, and obstacles

· overcome by the applicant.

Utilizing the holistic review process, members of the Admissions Committee review all of the above factors and allocate equal weight to each factor in their analysis of the candidate's ability to be successful in the Law School's program. The applicant's personal statement, recommendations, addenda, and optional interview are also weighed in this decision to admit. If a two-third's majority of the Admissions Committee votes to accept a candidate after conducting its holistic review of the candidate's submission, the candidate is deemed appropriate for admission by the Assistant Dean of Admissions should a seat be available at that time. A decision to offer a seat to candidates deemed "appropriate for admission" is the sole discretion of the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Scholarships, who admits approved candidates on a rolling basis. If the Admissions Committee votes by two-thirds majority that the candidate's application submission demonstrates that he or she is not likely to be successful in our program of legal education, the application is denied.

(b) Academic Attrition. The Law School had a low academic attrition rate in its first year. In preparation for preparing the Self-Study, the Law School's faculty and senior administrators met during the fall 2015 semester to discuss and determine the Law School's strengths and weaknesses in preparation for the Self-Study. One of the weaknesses identified was the low attrition rate.

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The Law School is concerned about academic attrition and has taken appropriate steps to monitor student performance and uses an early assessment process with multiple iterations to keep abreast of student academic understanding and performance.

(c) There is no bar examination passage information.

(d) All students in the bottom one-third of the first year and second year class are required to participate in the Law School's Academic Oversight programming for additional help to improve their performance.

All students on academic probation in the spring 2016 semester are required to hold bi-weekly one-on-one meetings with the academic support staff in addition to other Academic Oversight programming.

64. Standard 205(a) and (b). [Sources: SEQ V.8, 1 OJ

(a) Quote the nondiscrimination policy applicable to students and student admissions.

The nondiscrimination policy of the University applies to the Law School.

Section 5.001 of the University Policy Manual, titled "Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment" declares:

The University of North Texas at Dallas strives to maintain academic and work environments that are free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Discrimination and harassment of students, employees, candidates for positions at the University, and visitors based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation, and retaliation based on a complaint or investigation under this policy will not be tolerated. * * * This policy applies to all students, employees and visitors, including any applicant for employment, participant in University-sponsored activities, and persons conducting business with the University.

In addition, Section 5.002 of the Policy Manual provides:

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UNT Dallas seeks to create an atmosphere of openness and tolerance and to maintain work and education environments that offer equal opportunity to everyone who strives to achieve his or her personal best. Individuals within the UNT Dallas community are unified by a primary purpose: higher learning. With that primary purpose in mind, UNT Dallas works to advance ideals of human worth and dignity by facilitating open discussion, supporting rational resolution of conflict and encouraging examination of values. In that vein, discrimination and harassment based on individual differences such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation in its educational programs, activities, admission and employment practices is inconsistent with UNT Dallas' mission and educational goals. Individuals who work, study, live and teach within this community are expected to refrain from behavior that threatens the freedom, safety and respect deserved by every community member and to comply with federal and state equal opportunity laws and regulations. Such compliance is not only a given standard, but is, in fact, a baseline from which our community works to assure fairness and equity to all who pursue their educational and professional goals here.

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This policy applies to all employees, students and visitors to the University, including any applicant for employment or enrollment, participant in a University activity or program, and guest or person conducting business with the University.

(b) Does the Law School use admission policies or take other action to preclude admission of applicants or retention of students on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability? If yes, explain.

No, as confirmed during the site visit.

(c) Does the Law School foster and maintain equality of opportunity for students without discrimination or segregation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability? If not, explain.

Yes, as confirmed during the site visit.

65. Standard 206(a). [Sources: SEQ V.9; SEQ V. Attachment 2; SEQ V. online reports on Minority Admissions and First-Year Class Profiles]

(a) Include the first-year admission profile for the most recent admission year in the following format

MINORITY ADMISSIONS AND FIRST YEAR CLASS PROFILE- 2015

Applications Offers Matriculants

1\1$.9 ./wo_rne~.- ;T.<illlt 1\lE>n \iV9men T~!al l'Ji.<!~ y.ro.lll,";~ rotal

American Indian or Alaska Native 2 4 6 0 2 2 0 1 1

Asian 14 8 22 11 4 15 10 4 14

Black or African American 35 64 99 16 28 44 11 18 29

Hispanics of any race 52 73 125 23 28 51 13 18 31

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Two or more races 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 0

SUB TOTAL (Minority Categories) 103 151 254 50 63 113 34 41 75

White 100 85 185 51 51 102 32 27 59

Nonresident Alien 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Race and Ethnicity Unknown 9 3 12 4 2 6 2 1 3

TOTAL 212 239 451 105 116 221 68 69 137

(b) Describe how the Law School demonstrates by concrete action a commitment to diversity and inclusion by providing full opportunities for the study of law and entry into the profession by members of underrepresented groups, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, and a commitment to having a student body that is diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.

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The Law School's inaugural class offered an interesting and diverse group of students: 52% were women and 48% were men; 48% were students of color; and 9% had former or active military service; 99% were Texas residents. The age range was 20 to 67, and the median age was 31. The second-entering class was equally as interesting and diverse: 50% were women and 50% were men; 55% were students of color; 11% had former or active military service. The age range was 20 to 68 and the median age was 31.

The Law School actively promotes equality of opportunity for prospective and current students, who identify as members of traditionally underrepresented groups in the legal profession, including, but not limited to, racial and ethnic minorities.

The Law School's mission statement provides:

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Our mission at UNT Dallas College of Law is to promote justice and advance human potential through the enterprise of legal education. At the heart of our mission are five key goals.

Access

GOAL 1: Widen access to legal education for those who could be superb legal professionals but who lack realistic access to legal education given factors including cost, location, and the influence of current ranking formulas on admission and scholarships.

Preparation

GOAL 2: Provide a legal education aimed at excellence in developing the full range of practice-related competencies, through:

• A curriculum mapped to practice-related competencies, drawing on the best insights of legal educators as well as on continuing input from legal practitioners.

• Instructional methods that reflect the best available practices, including frequent formative and summative assessment, experiential learning, collaborative learning, and engaged class design.

• Ongoing assessment as to the effectiveness of our legal education in developing practice-related competencies.

Value

GOAL 3: Create opportunity for our students by:

• Keeping tuition and debt low, consistent with delivering an excellent legal education.

• Producing graduates with high value and ability in multiple segments of the market for legal services.

Innovation

GOAL 4: Be a national leader in advancing understanding of best legal education practices, of professional formation, and of the relationship between legal education and the evolving practice and business of law.

Community

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GOAL 5: Be a valuable partner in dialogue and study with the legal profession and the Dallas-Fort Worth community.

The Law School's statement on diversity supports the admissions programming and actions in providing opportunities to members of underrepresented groups with the goal of building a student body that is diverse as to gender, race and ethnicity.

The Law School, through its Office of Admissions, participates in a variety of outreach activities to support prospective student inquiries that introduce prospective students to the Law School, helps them prepare to submit quality applications for admission, and encourages applicants to consider the Law School for their enrollment choice. All students, including students from traditionally underrepresented groups, have access to support networks that include faculty members, administrators, and affinity bar associations. This support system provides opportunities for professional networking, mentoring, and, ultimately, support for successful entry into law school. The School of Law recognizes that diversity can only be attained through specific and targeted efforts in admissions outreach and a comprehensive admissions process and policy.

The Law School's admissions policy and recruiting strategies are designed to recruit students who reflect the Law School's mission and purpose. Its students are diverse in every sense of the word - age range, gender, minority, military, and professional experience. The Law School's students look like the general population in Texas that they will serve. The Law School supports its mission by actively recruiting prospective students from diverse backgrounds, including:

Minority Recruitment Events

• National Black Pre Law Conference, Council on Legal Educational Opportunity and the Law School Preparation Institute

• HBCUs: Paul Quinn College, Huston Tillotson, Wiley College, Jarvis College, Prairie View A&M, Grambling State University, Xavier University (New Orleans), Dillard University, and Southern University at New Orleans

• Native American Populations: recruiting in Oklahoma and North Texas American Indian populations such as UT Arlington, Oklahoma City University and Southeastern Oklahoma State University

• Hispanic Populations: UT El Paso, UT San Antonio, St. Edwards, UNT Dallas, UNT, UTA, and San Angelo State

• Underrepresented Groups: first generation students or students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds including Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State, Texas A&M Commerce, and UT Tyler.

Career Day Fairs and Speaking Engagements

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• Dallas Bar Association Education Committee

• JL Turner Legal Association (Dallas African American Bar Association) Education Symposiums targeting students of color interested in law school

• Law School Preparatory Institute events at University of Texas at El Paso and University of Texas of the Rio Grande Valley (formerly UT Pan American)

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• Visits to middle and high schools such as the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, Uplift Peak Academy (high Hispanic population) and Sunset High School in Dallas

• Hosting Moot Court Competitions at the Law School for Undergraduate students

• JL Turner Legal Association's educational symposium for minority undergraduate students from HBCUs.

Free Workshops

• Applying to Law School101 (offered during fall each year)

• LSAT Preparation: work in collaboration with Princeton Review and Kaplan (offered at least twice a year with availability of 70 to 80 persons each time)

• Annual Open House (January of each year-approximately 300 plus in attendance)

Affordable Tuition

The Law School demonstrates its support of diversity through its affordable tuition. The Law School's in-state tuition for a full-time inaugural student is approximately $12,540 a year (with the inaugural student tuition waiver), and for the second entering class it is approximately $14,700 a year. In-state tuition for part-time inaugural students is approximately $9,639 a year (with inaugural student tuition waiver) and for the second entering class in-state tuition is approximately $11,166 a year.

Non-resident tuition for a full-time inaugural student is $24,840 a year and $25,720 for a second entering class full-time student. Non-resident tuition for part-time students is approximately $19,718 a year for inaugural students and $19,718 for the second entering class. Law School tuition and fees were designed in an affordable model with the particular intent of increasing opportunities for applicants from underrepresented groups.

66. Standard 502(a) through (c). [Source: SEQ V.4]

(a) Indicate whether the Law School requires for admission to its J.D. program a bachelor's degree that has been awarded by an institution that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

The Law School does not admit students who have not earned a Bachelor's degree prior to matriculation.

(b) If not, does the Law School limit exceptions to the requirement of a bachelor's degree to those permitted in 502(b)(1) and (2) or 502(c) and, if the Law School admits students under Standard 502(c}, does the Law School include the required statement in the admittee's file?

Not applicable.

67. Standard 502(d) and Interpretations 502-1 and 502-2. [Source: SEQ V.5]

Does the Law School ensure that within a reasonable time after a student registers the Law School has on file the student's official transcripts verifying all academic credits undertaken and degree(s) conferred?

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In the admissions packet sent to admitted students, the admitted student is provided a document entitled "Procedures to Reserve Your Seat in the First Year Class," which requires the admitted student to submit official transcripts directly to the Law School from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended to complete enrollment. Students receive checklist reminder from the university online system that this item has or has not been completed. Students are generally provided a date to have all official transcripts turned in on or about July 1 or as stated to complete this requirement. If the official transcripts are not received by the established deadline, an admitted student is not permitted to enroll and matriculate. Approximately a week prior to the start of classes, the admissions office provides to the registrar's office a list of students whose files are missing official transcripts. The registrar's office will use this list to perform a final audit and request the missing transcript(s). If the official transcript(s) are not received by this final deadline, the registrar will administratively withdraw student from fall classes.

68. Standard 503 and Interpretations 503-1, 503-2, and 503-3. [Sources: SEQ V.6, 7; SEQ V. online report on Interpretation 503-3 Report]

(a) Does the Law School use any admission test in addition to or in place of the LSAT to assist the Law School and the applicant in assessing the applicant's capability of satisfactorily completing the Law School's program of legal education?

The Law School requires every applicant to have a current LSAT administration. The Law School does not use any test in addition to or in place of the LSAT to assess an applicant's capability to satisfactorily complete the school's educational program.

(b) If yes, indicate whether the Law School limits admission of students without an LSAT score in compliance with Interpretation 503-3. Provide the supporting documentation.

Not applicable.

(c) Does the Law School use the LSAT or other test results in a manner that is consistent with the current guidelines regarding proper use of the test results provided by the agency that developed the test?

The Law School requires every applicant to have a current LSAT administration. The Law School uses the LSAT in a manner that is consistent with the current guidelines.

69. Standard 501(c). [Source: SEQ V.3]

Indicate whether the Law School admits or readmits students who were disqualified previously for academic reasons. If so, briefly describe the Law School's policy. Confirm whether for every admission or readmission the Law School places in the admittee's file a statement of the considerations that led to the decision to admit or readmit the previously disqualified individual.

The Law School admitted 14 students in 2014 and 3 students in 2015 who were previously admitted or attended another law institution. The considerations that led to the admissions decision were included in the admittee's file. The breakdown of admitted prior law students is provided below:

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Name Enrollment Status Previous Law School Law School LSAT UGPA File GPA score Documen

ted Applicanl1 Admitted 2014; offer University of Tulsa College of 1.815 165 3.51

cancelled~did not Law ./

enroll Applicaril2 Enrolled 2014- Western Michigan University 1.81 145 2.27

matriculated Thomas M. Cooley Law ./

School Applicant 3 Enrolled 2014- Barry University School of 1.719 150 3.03

matriculated Law ./

Applicanl4 Enrolled 2014- Texas Wesleyan School of 67.93 136 2.51 matriculated Law on a 1 00 scale ./

Applicanl5 Enrolled 2014- University of Tulsa School of 140 3.67 matriculated Law audit pendinQ ./

Applicanl6 Enrolled 2014- Oklahoma City University Transcript 153 3.27 matriculated School of Law shows grades, ./

bul not GPA Applicant 7 Enrolled 2014- Texas Southern University 1.63 141 2.91

matriculated School of Law ./

Applicant 8 Enrolled 2014- Concord Law School of Audit pending, 145 3.61 matriculated Kaplan University but student ./

withdrew Applicanl9 Enrolled 2014- University of Tulsa School of 1.784 151 3.60

matriculated Law ./

Applicanl10 Enrolled 2014- Texas Southern University 1.89 145 2.96 matriculated School of Law ./

Applicanl11 Enrolled 2014- Texas A&M University School 1.98 152 2.98 matriculated of Law ./

Applicant 12 Admitted 2014- St. Mary's University School 1.94 143 3.65 withdrew application of Law ./

after decision Applicanl13 Admitted 2014- St. Mary's University School 1.22 155 2.95

withdrew application of Law ./

after deposit Applicanl14 Admitted 2014- Texas Southern University Did not enroll, 140 3.53

withdrew application School of Law audit never ./

after deposit completed Applicanl15 Enrolled 2015- Universidad Nacional 3.34 140 3.33

matriculated Autonoma de Mexico ./

Facultad de Derecho Applicanl16 Enrolled 2015- Texas Wesleyan School of 67.32 on a 160 2.18

matriculated Law 100 point ./

scale Applicanl17 Admitted 2015- Law School Not verified but Did not enroll, 142 3.43

withdrew after deposit stated had prior law audit never ./ experience compleled

70. Standards 505 and 311. [Sources: SEQ V.13, 14, 15]

(a) If the Law School grants J.D. degree credit for prior law study at a law school in the United States that is not approved by the Council, does the Law School ensure that the unapproved law school has been granted the power to confer the J.D. degree by the appropriate governmental authority in the unapproved law school's jurisdiction or that graduates of the unapproved law school are permitted to sit for the bar examination in the jurisdiction in which the unaccredited law school is located? Does the Law School limit credit granted to courses that were undertaken as a J.D. degree student and for which the Law School would have granted credit toward satisfaction of J.D. degree requirements if earned in its own program?

At the current time the Law School does not grant credit for prior study at another law school whether that law school is approved by the ABA or not.

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(b) If the Law School grants J.D. degree credit for prior law study at a law school outside the United States, does the Law School limit credit granted to courses for which the Law School would have granted credit toward satisfaction of J.D. degree requirements if earned in its own program?

At the current time the Law School does not grant credit for prior study at a law school outside the United States.

(c) If the Law School grants J.D. degree credit to graduates of a law school outside the United States for credit hours earned in an LL.M. or other post-J.D. program offered by the Law School, does the Law School limit such credits to those earned through successful completion of a J.D. degree course or courses while the student was enrolled in a post-J.D. degree law program, and does the Law School utilize a grading system for LL.M. students comparable to the grading system for J.D. degree students in the course?

At the current time the Law School does not grant credit for prior study at a law school outside the United States.

(d) If the Law School grants credit as provided in Standard 505(a) through (d), does the Law School require for the J.D. degree that the student successfully complete a course of study that satisfies the requirements of Standard 311 and meets all of the Law School's requirements for the awarding of the J.D. degree?

At the current time the Law School does not grant credit for prior study at another law school.

(e) Does the Law School limit credit granted pursuant to Standard 505(b) through (d) to no more than one-third of the total required for its J.D. Degree?

At the current time the Law School does not grant credit for prior study at another law school.

71. Standard 316. [Sources: SEQ V. online reports on First-Time Takers Bar Passage Data and First-Time Takers Bar Passage Summary; SEQ V. onsite- provide necessary backup data to demonstrate compliance]

Report the Law School's bar passage by inserting the following table for first-time bar passage rates. Report five years of data in chronological order.

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2015 ANNUAL QUESTIONNAIRE I REPORTING YEAR 2015

FIRST-TIME BAR PASSAGE REPORTING· TABLE 1

A B c D E F

Calendar Total Graduates in #of Graduates from Graduates from Total First Time 70% of Total First Year Calendar Year Calendar Year NOT Previous Years Takers Calendar Time Takers

taking Bar Exam Taking Bar for Year FIRST Time in Calendar Year

FIRST· TIME BAR PASSAGE REPORTING· TABLE 2

A B c D E F G

Calendar Graduates % of School's List ABA First Time School's Difference in Year Taking Bar FIRST Time Jurisdictions Weighted Weighted Weighted

FIRST time in Takers Reported Reported Average Pass Average Pass Average (School Calendar Year for Calendar Rate for Rate for minus ABA)

Year Calendar Year Calendar Year

The Law School's first entering class was in 2014 and no one in that class has yet graduated. Thus, the Law School does not have any graduates who have taken a bar exam.

72. Standard 316. [Sources: SEQ V. online reports on First-Time Takers Bar Passage Data and First-Time Takers Bar Passage Summary; SEQ V. onsite- provide necessary backup data to demonstrate compliance]

If the Law School cannot satisfy the requirements of Standard 316 by using first-time bar passage rates, report ultimate bar passage, using the following tables. Report five years of data in chronological order. Discuss any concerns raised from the materials reviewed or the onsite visit.

Not applicable.

ULTIMATE BAR PASSAGE- BACK-UP DATA A B c D E F

Graduation Year #of Students in Number of Non- Number Never Net Bar Exam 70% of Net Takers Graduation Year Persisters* Attempting a Bar Takers (B minus

Examination C and D=E) 20 20 20 20 20 Total

* Non-persisters are those who took a bar exammatlon once and fa1led but did not take a bar exam1nat1on agam m any jurisdiction over the next two examination opportunities.

ULTIMATE BAR PASSAGE REPORTING A B c D

Graduation Number in Calculation for Passed Some Bar Never Passed a Bar Year Graduation Year Examination Examination or Missing

(Must be ~ 70%) Information 20 20 20 20 20

5-Year Total #(% #%

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73. Standard 504(a). [Source: SEQ V.12]

Indicate whether the Law School includes the required statement on character, fitness, and other qualifications for admissions on its website and in its application.

The Law School includes the statement on character, fitness, and other qualifications for admissions as required by Standard 504 at two locations on its website: https://lawschool.untsvstem.edu/admissions/application-process and https://lawschool.untsystem.edu/current-students/about-office-dean-students/admission-law­practice-texas. It is also included in the Law School's application form.

74. Standard 504(b). [Source: SEQ V.12]

Describe how the Law School takes additional steps as soon after matriculation as possible to inform students to determine the character, fitness, and other requirements for admission to the bar in the jurisdictions in which they intend to seek admission.

For the 2014 entering class, the Law School provided additional information on determining the character, fitness, and other requirement for admission to the bar through a presentation by the Texas Board of Law Examiners. For the 2015 entering class, the Law School provided the additional information by means of classroom presentation. The Law School sees benefits in both methods and, for the 2016 entering class, plans to implement both methods.

75. Standard 507 and Interpretations 507-1,507-2, and 507-3. [Sources: SEQ V.20, 21, 22]

(a) Does the Law School take reasonable steps to minimize student loan defaults, including provision of debt counseling at the inception of a student's loan obligations and again before graduation? If the Law School is not affiliated with a University, note Interpretation 507-2: The student loan cohort default rate is sufficient if not greater than 10% for any of the three most recently published annual cohort default rates.

The Law School takes a number of reasonable steps to minimize student loan defaults. For entrance counselling it provides group sessions conducted wholly or in part by a Law School representative and/or a lender/non-Law School representative. It provides individual counseling as well as video counseling. It provides material in person, by mail, and online. Before a student can accept his or her loan, "My Loan Debt" information must be reviewed by the student.

Although it does not have any graduates yet, the Law School indicates that it will provide individual and online exit counseling prior to their graduation. In fact, as to students who have withdrawn from the Law School, it has provided exit counseling. ·

In addition, all students are invited to a Dallas Bar Association presentation titled "Law Student Financial Conference" held on Oct. 23, 2015. It provided students with valuable information concerning personal financial planning and options for minimizing the financial burden caused by student loan debt.

(b) For free-standing law schools, did the Law School receive any findings of non-compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act, as amended?

Not applicable.

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76. Standard 508. [Source: SEQ V.23]

Briefly describe how the Law School provides all its students, regardless of enrollment or scheduling option, with basic student services, including:

(a) maintenance of accurate student records,

Student academic records are maintained in a PeopleSoft Enterprise Information System. The system is secure. Paper records are stored in a fireproof vault. Within the next year all paper records will be digitized and stored electronically. Midterm and final exams are administered anonymously and grades are maintained by the Registrar's office.

Courses are scheduled by the Registrar together with faculty members and communicated to students. Students in 1 L and 2L lockstep courses are automatically registered. Students may enroll in other courses by appointment based on classification. The Registrar's office is open 8:00 am to 6:30 pm daily (7:00 pm during the drop/add period). Most evening students access the office prior to evening class; access is also available by appointment.

(b) academic advising and counseling, and

Students are assigned to groups with a faculty advisor. They are encouraged to set meetings with their advisor to discuss course options, especially in the context of remaining academic time. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs also hosts group advising sessions. The Dean holds a "Town Hall" meeting each semester where students can receive academic information. Academic advising is available regardless of enrollment or scheduling option.

(c) financial aid counseling.

As noted above, entrance and exit financial aid counseling is available to, and required of, all students regardless of enrollment or scheduling option.

77. Standard 508. [Sources: SEQ V. online report on Placement]

(a) Describe how the Law School provides career counseling to assist students in making sound career choices and obtaining employment.

The Office of Career and Professional Development schedules appointments for resume reviews, career counseling, cover letter reviews, and one-on-one mock interviews through Symplicity. An orientation program is sponsored for students in both the day and evening enrollment options; it also sponsors other special programming. The Assistant Dean for Career Services is primarily responsible for the class entering in 2014 and the Assistant Director is primarily responsible for the class entering in 2015.

The Office uses student surveys in order to determine information of interest to individual students. The Office collects information on employment opportunities and makes it available to students. It provides on-campus interviews as well as collects resumes for off-campus interviews. Even though the Law School has not graduated a class, it has collected about 100 job postings for potential employment while students are still in law schooL

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(b) Briefly describe the Law School's employment outcomes. Discuss any concerns raised by the Law School's employment outcomes. If the percentage of graduates who are "unemployed seeking" on the Employment Summary Report for any of the past three years is greater than 20%, and/or the percentage of graduates whose employment status is unknown is greater than 15%, discuss how the Law School has addressed or is addressing the issue.

Since the Law School has not yet graduated a class, there are no employment outcomes available.

78. Standard 207 and Interpretation 207-1. [Source: SEQ V.11]

Briefly describe the Law School's policies and procedures for assessing and handling requests for reasonable accommodations made by qualified individuals with disabilities. Indicate where the policies and procedures are published.

Both the Law School and the University have policies regarding "Disability Accommodation." Prior to the merger of the Law School with the University, accommodations in the Law School were determined based on the Law School policy. Since the merger, the Law School and the University have been working to update their respective policies.

The Law School policy directs that accommodation requests be made through the Assistant Dean of Students and include appropriate documentation describing the disability, the functional impact of the disability, and the accommodation requested, and provide the credentials of the diagnosing professional. The request should be submitted as early as possible in a semester to allow sufficient time to review and make a determination on the accommodation. Thereafter, the Assistant Dean will make a determination on the accommodation and notify the student.

The University policy is substantially similar. It provides for the request to be made to the University's Office of Student Life and Success. It also provides for a modification and appeal process.

The processes under these policies appear to have satisfied all requests for accommodation except one. While at the Law School, the site team was contacted by a student and her parent, with whom the chair of the site team held a private meeting. Prior to the beginning of student's first semester in the fall of 2015, she requested and was granted a number of accommodations. Apparently there was a delay in implementing some of them, and two of them were claimed not to have been fully accommodated at the time of the site visit. After requesting information from the Law School, the chair was informed that the student had requested accommodations in the fall semester. They were granted by the Law School's Assistant Dean of Student Life prior to the merger with the University, although before doing so she consulted with the University's Assistant Dean of Disability Services. The exact nature and extent of the delay is not entirely clear and the reasons therefor. The Law School and the University are currently working to resolve the issues.

Beginning with the spring semester (and after the above matter arose), a new Assistant Dean of Students has taken on oversight of accommodations. All new requests originate through him and he works with the University's Assistant Dean of Disability Services. The University's Assistant Dean will also be available at the Law School weekly, if needed, to meet with students seeking accommodation.

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79. Standard 509 and Interpretations 509-1, 509-2, and 509-4. [Sources: SEQ V.17, 18, 19; SEQ Ill. Supplementary information number 6; Supplemental Questionnaire 9]

(a) Does the Law School have a link on its home page titled "ABA Required Disclosures" that links to the information required in this Standard?

Yes, the Law School has a link on it's home page titled "ABA Required Disclosures."

(b) Is all of the information that the Law School reports, publicizes, or distributes complete, accurate and not misleading to a reasonable law school student or applicant?

All of the information that the Law School reports, publicizes, or distributes is complete, accurate, and not misleading to a reasonable law student or applicant.

(c) Is the following information disclosed on the Law School's website in the form and manner and for the time frame designated by the Council: (1) admissions data; (2) tuition and fees, living costs, and financial aid; (3) conditional scholarships; (4) enrollment data, including academic, transfer, and other attrition; (5) numbers of full-time and part-time faculty, professional librarians, and administrators; (6) class sizes for first year and upper class courses; number of seminar, clinical and co­curricular offerings; (7) employment outcomes; and (8) bar passage data?

With the exception of items listed below, all of the above information is disclosed on the Law School's website and is provided in the form and manner and for the time frame designated by the Council. The exceptions are: since the Law School does not award conditional scholarships, no conditional scholarship data is provided; and since the Law School has not yet graduated its first class, no employment or bar passage data is provided.

(d) Does the Law School publicly disclose on its website, in a readable and comprehensive manner, the following information on a current basis: (1) refund policies; (2) curricular offerings, academic calendar, and academic requirements; and (3) policies regarding the transfer of credit earned at another institution of higher education (which must include at a minimum a statement of the criteria established by the Law School regarding transfer of credit earned at another institution; and a list of any institutions with which the Law School has established an articulation agreement)?

The Law School publicly discloses on its website, in a readable and comprehensive manner, current information on refund policies; curricular offerings, academic calendar, and academic requirements; and policies regarding the transfer of credit (currently no transfer applications are accepted).

(e) As to employment outcomes, is the Employment Summary Report published in the manner and for the time frame specified in the Managing Director's compliance memo of August 2014?

Since the Law School has not yet graduated its first class, the Employment Summary Report is not published on the Law School's website.

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(f) Is the Standard 509 Information Report published in the manner and for the time frame specified in the Managing Director's compliance memo of August 2014?

The Standard 509 Information Report is published in the manner and for the time frame specified in the Managing Director's compliance memo.

(g) Indicate whether the Law School makes public its status as a Law School approved by the Council and whether it does so accurately, including the name and contact information of the Council.

The Law School discloses on its website that it is not accredited at this time by the ABA. It also states that it is in the process of seeking that accreditation. It then provides information on the accreditation process and timelines. It states that the Law School is fully informed as to the ABA Standards and that the Dean and the administration of the Law School are fully committed to devoting all necessary resources, and in other respects taking all necessary steps, to provide a program that qualifies for ABA approval. It further states that the Law School does not make any representation to any applicant that the Law School will be approved by the ABA before the graduation of the student.

80. Standard 509(b)(3) and (d) and Interpretation 509-3. [Source: Supplemental Questionnaire 1 OJ

Indicate whether the Law School distributes Scholarship Retention Data to all applicants being offered conditional scholarships at the time the scholarship offers are extended.

The Law School does not offer conditional scholarships.

81. Standard 510(a) and (b) and Interpretations 510-1 and 510-2. [Source: SEQ V.24)

(a) Briefly describe the Law School's student complaint policy, including appeals procedure, if any, and timelines. Indicate where the Law School's complaint policy is published.

The Law School publishes on its website a student complaint policy that applies broadly to student complaints, including complaints implicating ABA Standards.

A student seeking to bring a complaint must submit it on a written form and identify, with particularity, the Standard or Standards as to which the student has concerns and submit that form to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean or designee will acknowledge receipt within three business days. Within two weeks the Associate Dean or designee will meet with the student or provide a written response to the substance of the complaint. During the meeting the student will be informed of the steps that the Law School is taking to investigate or address the complaint. The student will receive a substantive response within two weeks after the investigation is complete. The student has a right to appeal the decision to the Dean, whose decision will be final.

(b) Indicate whether the Law School maintains a record of the complaints submitted during the most recent accreditation period and a record of the resolution of the complaints.

The Law School maintains written copies of the complaint and its resolution for eight years from the date of the final resolution.

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Library and Information Resources

82. Standard 601(a)(1) and 601(a)(2). [Source: SEQ Vll.1, 15]

Explain how the Law School maintains a law library that:

(a) provides support through expertise, resources, and services adequate to enable the Law School to carry out its program of legal education, accomplish its mission, and support scholarship and research; and (b) develops and maintains a direct, informed, and responsive relationship with the faculty, students, and administration of the Law School.

The mission of the law library is tied to the educational mission of the Law School. The law library strives to lead the way in teaching, resources, and services aimed at developing information-related competencies critical in law practice.

In support of the program of legal education the librarians, including the Assistant Dean for Law Library, teach the one-credit-hour legal research component of the first-year Legal Writing and Research courses. Advanced Legal Research (ALR) is offered as an elective one-credit class with several options for focus. In addition to a survey class, the librarians offer ALR classes that focus on business legal research and Texas-specific research. Additional specialty topics may be offered in the future. Enough sections of ALR are offered during the summer and fall such that every student has an opportunity to take the course. Courses are structured to accommodate both full-time and part-time students using the limited number of librarians available to teach. Course evaluations are given at the end of each class to provide feedback.

One innovation of the Law School's curriculum is the research segments students will be required to undertake in their upper level courses. Librarians will provide in-class research instruction related to the substantive topic of the courses. For example, as part of an Administrative Law course, a librarian will have class time during which she will build upon the students' lessons from the first year Legal Writing and Research course. Students will be introduced to a greater, in-depth understanding of the resources and research processes by using sources of Administrative Law. The students will be given a research assignment for which they must submit a research trail and will be given feedback and assessed a grade by the librarian, with the assignment constituting 5% of the final grade in the Administrative Law course. Students must complete eight similar research segments in order to graduate.

Librarians also offer workshops and research boot camps (in coordination with the experiential programs, externships, and career development programs) to prepare students for work experiences. Students are surveyed about the impact of the research instruction in helping them during their experiential learning.

Librarians train the teaching fellows (upper-class students) who will assist the LWR faculty with their writing problems each semester.

Librarians are responsive to all faculty requests for support of their instruction, scholarship, and research. This includes assisting faculty in preparing for CLE presentations, as well as assisting with faculty research. The library honors reference requests to locate and obtain resources, including readily purchasing materials.

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In conversations with the students and the faculty the team received nothing but praise for the support they received from the library.

83. Standard 601 (a)(3). [Source: SEQ Vll.2]

Describe how the library engages in regular planning and assessment, including written assessment of its effectiveness in achieving its mission and realizing goals.

While the Law School is growing, its community has been small enough for the Assistant Dean for Law Library and librarians to solicit direct feedback on a regular basis. In its first year of operation, the Assistant Dean regularly visited with faculty to become familiar with their research and instructional needs, and discuss how the library could meet those needs. With the growth of the faculty, all librarians work one-on-one and in small groups on the development of instructional materials and other resources. All library personnel develop relationships with students that support regular and informal feedback on students' needs and concerns.

Questions about library services and facilities are included in the semi-annual surveys sent to students requesting that students assess the Law School's performance and progress on a variety of areas. The results of the first student survey were included in the discussions at a faculty and staff retreat. One outcome of the survey was the addition of a second multifunction copier/printer and additional selections of study aids. Librarians attend the student town hall sessions where they listen and respond to concerns raised by the students.

When providing research instruction, the librarians are measured by the same course evaluations as the rest of the faculty.

84. Standard 601(a)(4). [Source: SEQ Vll.3]

Describe how the law library remains informed on, and implements as appropriate, technological and other developments that affect the library's support for the Law School's program of legal education.

All four librarians are members of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) as well as local chapters including the Dallas Association of Law Libraries (DALL) and Southwestern Association of Law Libraries (SWALL). Active participation in these organizations, including attendance at the annual meetings, keeps the librarians informed of the latest trends. Librarians also engage in professional development through attendance at programs, review of industry newsletters, and email list serves. The librarians, along with the other faculty and administrators, are members of the Dallas Bar Association, which provides programs and continuing legal education opportunities.

For example, Jennifer Wondracek, Senior Law Librarian and Associate Director of Instructional Technology, is active in CALl, presenting at recent conferences about her work on distance education and multi-assessment coursework and revised ABA Standards. Ms. Wondracek was instrumental in implementing the Law School's use of Canvas and ExamSoft throughout the curriculum, and was equally involved in the development of assessments. She also developed productive relationships with the representatives of these two services, taking part in webinars they offer and also hosting on-site presentations.

Jessica Haseltine, Reference Law Librarian, has written and developed visual learning tools that help many students better grasp the relationships of sources of law and tools of legal research.

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85. Standard 601(b). [Source: SEQ Vll.14]

Describe how the Law School provides on a consistent basis sufficient financial resources to the law library to enable it to support the Law School and to realize its established goals. If there are concerns raised in the materials or during the site visit, provide additional information as to how the library has not been able to provide faculty or students with resources or services necessary to support the Law School's teaching and research roles. Note: It is not appropriate to base a determination of lack of adequate support solely on comparison to expenditures by other institutions, and it is inappropriate to include such comparisons.

During the planning of the Law School, a five-year business plan was created that included a base line for the library's acquisitions and operations budget. The Assistant Dean for Law Library reviewed this plan and reallocated spending, but was nevertheless able to reduce the overall spending projections for the five-year plan.

Beginning in fall 2015, the Interim Associate Dean for Operations instituted a new budget building process based on the inaugural year's actual expenditures. This new process will be utilized annually and is premised on each Law School department submitting a budget request for future year budget needs. It is anticipated that the Dean, the Interim Associate Dean for Operations, and each department head will have numerous meetings and communications to arrive at an appropriate budget for the following year.

In both its first and second year of operations, the Law School library budget has been sufficient and allowed for the acquisitions of all necessary information resources, even when confronted during the first year with unexpected expenses, such as the purchase of 20 laptops and ten iPads.

Anecdotal evidence supports the fact that the library is currently receiving sufficient funds. For example, the librarians and the faculty report that there is little need for ILL at this time as any items a faculty member has requested over the previous two years, the library has purchased.

86. Standard 602 and Interpretation 602-1. [Source: SEQ V11.1 0]

(a) State whether the Law School meets the following requirements:

(1) The Law School has sufficient administrative autonomy to direct the growth and development of the law library and to control the use of its resources.

The law library operates independently within the UNT System libraries. Although the University is the Law School's parent institution, the law library has an independent interagency agreement with the University Libraries. The law library shares the Sierra management system. The collections and public service departments at the University Libraries provide administrative support for ILL, including collecting fines, processing and cataloging materials, and electronic resource management. The library at the University has a similar agreement with the other institutions in the UNT System.

The law library is managed by an Assistant Dean and librarians who are employed by the Law School and who report to the Dean of the Law School. The funding for all law materials and library services is provided by the Law School.

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(2) The director of the law library and the dean, in consultation with the faculty, determines library policy.

The Assistant Dean for Law Library meets weekly with the Dean and attends all faculty meetings. Library policies are reviewed and approved as needed by the librarians and faculty. The collection development policy was approved by the faculty in January 2015. Library policies are drafted by the Assistant Dean for the Law Library in close consultation with all librarians and library specialists. Policies are communicated to the Law School and other communities via the library's website and libguides.

(3) The director of the law library and the dean are responsible for the selection and retention of personnel, the provision of library services, and collection development and maintenance.

While the Assistant Dean carries out the searches for librarians and staff, the Dean is the hiring authority for the Law School. Librarians are classified as faculty and are hired using faculty search procedures. The Assistant Dean for Law Library works with the UNT System Business Service Center and IT Shared Services to make purchases and enter into service and maintenance agreements, paid for by Law School funds. The Dean provides final approval on all decisions.

(4) The budget for the law library is determined as part of, and administered in the same manner as, the Law School budget. Include a brief description of the budget process as it relates to the library.

During the planning of the Law School, a five-year business plan was created that included a base line for the library's acquisitions and operations budget. The Assistant Dean for Law Library reviewed this plan and reallocated spending and was able to reduce the overall spending projections for the five-year plan.

Beginning in fall 2015, the Interim Associate Dean for Operations instituted a new budget building process based on the inaugural year's actual expenditures. This new process will be utilized annually and is premised on each Law School department submitting a budget request for future year budget needs. It is anticipated that the Dean, the Interim Associate Dean for Operations, and each department head will have numerous meetings and communications to arrive at an appropriate budget for the following year.

87. Standard 603 and Interpretation 603-1. [Source: SEQ Vll.11]

(a) Explain whether the Law School has a full-time director of the law library whose principal responsibilities are managing the law library and providing information resources in appropriate formats to faculty and students and whose selection and retention are determined by the Law School.

Edward Hart is the Assistant Dean for the Law Library. His primary assignment is managing the day-to-day operations of the library, supervising the librarians and library specialists, and overseeing collection development. Other assignments include teaching legal research in both the first-year program and in Advanced Legal Research. Dean Hart coordinates with IT Shared Services for technology efforts outside the classrooms. Additional assignments during the Law School's inaugural year included acting as co-chair of facilities management and serving on the Accreditation Working Group.

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As a member of the law faculty, the Assistant Dean's selection and retention are determined by the Law School.

(b) Describe the director of a law library's academic qualifications and knowledge of and experience in law library administration. Note: If the library director does not have a law degree and a degree in library or information science, indicate what factors exist that demonstrate that the director has the appropriate knowledge of, and experience in, law library administration to support the program of legal education and to enable the Law School to operate in compliance with the Standards. If there are concerns raised in the record or onsite with respect to the Law School's ability to operate in compliance with the Standards, provide sufficient facts to enable the Accreditation Committee to make a determination.

Edward Hart holds a JD from New England School of Law, an M.L.S. from Simmons College, and an LLM in European Union Law from North umbria University.

He started his library career while attending NESL as a student assistant and later served as the Acquisitions and Collections Management Librarian (2000-2005). He then moved to the University of Florida where he started as Acquisitions Librarian (2005-2008) before his promotion to Head of Technical Services (2008-2013). While at University of Florida he also served as an Adjunct Professor of Law teaching Advanced Legal Research.

Hart is the author of the chapter "Technical Services 2.0" in Law Libraries in Digital Age. He has published several articles that have appeared in such journals as International Journal of Legal Information, Legal Information Management, and Journal of Southern Legal History.

He has been a member of the American Association of Law Libraries since 2000. He was a Fellow of the AALL's first Leadership Academy in 2007. He served as president of the Southeastern Chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries in 2012-13 and is currently the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect of the Government Documents -Special Interest Section as well as Vice-Chair of the AALL Committee on Indexing of Legal Periodical Literature.

(c) Describe the law library director's law faculty appointment with security of faculty position. If the law library director does not have a law faculty appointment with security of faculty position, explain the extraordinary circumstances that justify the director's employment status.

The Assistant Dean is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Law and will be eligible for promotion and tenure after four years of service.

88. Standard 604 and Interpretation 604-1. [Sources: SEQ Vll.12, 13]

Describe how the law library has a staff sufficient in expertise and number to provide the appropriate library and information resources to the Law School. Note: It is not appropriate to base a determination of lack of adequate staffing solely on comparison to the levels of staffing found at other institutions, and it is inappropriate to include such comparisons.

The law library staff (including the Director) currently consists of four librarians with JD/MLS degrees and two librarians with the MLS degree. These six are supplemented with a number of student workers who mainly staff the circulation desk and carry out routine duties such as performing loose-leaf filings and re-shelving of print materials.

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The librarians are actively engaged in the many parts of the Law School. Their value to the various parts of the Law School has been recognized and due to this there are currently some changes in the works for the library staff. All of the librarians are considered faculty and have voting rights on all items other than RPT personnel matters of the law faculty .. Currently the law librarians are on one-year renewable contracts.

Jennifer Wondracek will soon be transitioned out of the library and will become the full-time Associate Director of Instructional Technology (the exact title is subject to change as of the time of the writing of this report). Jennifer currently serves as Senior Law Librarian and Associate Director of Instructional Technology. Professor Wondracek holds a J.D. from the University of North Carolina and an M.L.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has worked as a law librarian for nearly ten years, most recently with the University of Florida Law School library.

Professor Wondracek's library responsibilities have included teaching in the LWR and ALR classes, as well as aiding with reference questions as needed. Losing, without replacing, her would have a major impact on the library and the services it provides. Fortunately, the Director has been given permission to replace her with another MLS/JD librarian. This will help minimize the loss.

Jessica Haseltine serves as Reference Law Librarian. Professor Haseltine holds a J.D. from Texas Tech University and an M.L.S. from University of North Texas. Prior to joining the Law School, she worked as a reference assistant and advocacy coach at Texas Tech University School of Law.

Professor Haseltine's value to the Law School has also been recognized and as such she splits her time between the library and the academic support program. The split in time is roughly 50150. During the site visit the team encountered conflicting reports on Professor Haseltine's future role at the Law School. By the end of the site visit there remained an open question as to whether her time would remain split 50/50 between the library and academic support, or whether she would transition over to being full-time academic support.

Given Professor Haseltine's role in aiding with teaching in the LWR and ALR classes, as well as providing reference support to the faculty and students, coupled with the addition of a third entering class, a question remains as to whether her loss, without a replacement, would leave the library adequately staffed to support the growing Law School community.

The rest of the law library staff appears well qualified to carry out the remainder of the support duties needed by the Law School. They are:

Stewart Caton serves as a Reference Law Librarian. Professor Caton holds a J.D. from the University of Oregon and M.L.S. from University of Washington with a special certificate in law librarianship. Following graduation from Law School, Professor Caton worked for two years in a California county law library. This is Professor Caton's first professional librarian position since earning his library degree.

Faria Malin serves as a Law Librarian, having served as a Library Specialist for over a year. Ms. Malin holds a MLIS from Dominican University. Prior to joining the Law School, Ms. Malin served in the public library system in Lake Villa, Illinois.

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Lewis Giles serves as a Law Librarian, having served as a Library Specialist for over a year. Mr. Giles holds a M.L.S. from the University of North Texas, and an M.A. in Emerging Media and Communications from the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to joining the Law School, Mr. Giles worked in student services at the Dallas County Community College District.

89. Standard 605. [Sources: SEQ Vll.1, 15]

Describe how the law library provides the appropriate range and depth of reference, instructional, bibliographic, and other services to meet the needs of the Law School's teaching, scholarship, research, and service programs. Provide additional information only if "there are complaints from faculty and/or students with the range or quality of services.

As previously stated, the site team received wholly positive feedback from the students and faculty regarding the services provided by the law library. The law librarians are actively engaged in teaching research in three areas of the curriculum: In the LWR 1 L classes, in advanced ALR classes, and through the upper level research segments that all students are required to complete prior to graduation.

Law librarians are available to assist faculty with their research, including assisting faculty with their service projects. For example, librarians have assisted faculty prepare to give CLE presentations to the local bar.

Law librarians, through the LWR classes, are able to instruct all students on the methods of research and on the availability of resources at the Law School and at the University.

90. Standard 606(a), 606(b), and 606(c) and Interpretations 606-1, 606-2, 606-3, and 606-4. [Sources: SEQ Vll.4, 5, 9]

Describe how the law library provides a core collection that meets the research needs of the institution; supports the teaching, scholarship, research, and service needs of the faculty; and serves the Law School's special objectives. Provide additional information if there is a concern that the law library does not provide the necessary resources to meet the needs of the Law School.

The law library has a mixed collection of print and electronic resources. The print collection consists of primary Federal and Texas sources and Texas secondary sources. It is maintained through subscriptions and standing orders with legal publishers. Access to primary and secondary sources for the other 49 states, Washington, DC, and other United States territories is via reliable electronic resources of licensed databases, including BloombergBNA, BloombergLaw, Fastcase, Heinonline, LexisAdvance, and Westlaw. Librarians regularly encourage students to evaluate and use free and low-cost legal research resources such as congress.gov, FDsys, and the courts' websites. The library's electronic resources include Proquest Congressional content purchased in partnership with the UNT Willis Library.

In keeping with the Law School's goal of providing affordable and practice-ready education, the law library provides direction to students regarding how to access legal information in cost effective manners. The library continues to provide students access to the extensive primary and secondary sources and tools on BloombergBNA, BloombergLaw, Heinonline, Lexis Advance, and Westlaw. In addition, the library also provides students affordable options that they will have at their fingertips when practicing in Texas. These latter resources include the databases Fastcase and Casemaker as well as the online Texas CLE Library, all of which are provided to members of the Texas Bar.

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The library maintains a comprehensive collection of Texas materials in print. In ALR classes this print collection is used to demonstrate how students can master an area of law using a few Texas subject-specific secondary sources in coordination with Fastcase and Casemaker. This approach can be easily replicated in practice. Access to both services is a unique benefit of Texas Bar membership.

Consistent with the Law School's mission, faculty research is not primarily focused on traditional faculty scholarship and research. For curriculum development, the library directs the faculty's attention to new publications and responds to faculty requests. For legal issues, the faculty have access to the print collection as well as licensed databases: BloombergBNA, Bloomberg Law, Fastcase, Heinonline, LexisAdvance, and WestlawNext. For a particular Texas emphasis, the library provides access to the online editions of Texas Lawyer and Texas LawBook.

Underlying the library's collection is the creed of "buying just in time, not just in case" any resource that students and faculty identify as being important to their instruction, research, or service efforts. The library encourages faculty to suggest and request titles for purchase. The site team observed that even if a faculty member requests an item via inter-library loan, the "just in time" model allows the library to simply purchase the item for the faculty member. At the time of the site visit the library's budget afforded this type of rapid response to faculty requests.

The library is examining the needs of upcoming clinical programs, that the Law School expects to launch in the spring 2016 semester. The Law School will seek out any additional information resources required by faculty and students involved in these programs.

The law library stresses to students that neither Fastcase nor Casemaker has a true citation check tool of the quality offered by BloombergLaw, LexisAdvance, or WestlawNext, and that depending upon these affordable databases warrants a cautious approach.

All print materials published by Thomson Reuters, Lexis, and Jones-McClure are on either subscriptions or standing orders. The library has a library maintenance agreement (LMA) with Thomson and a similar agreement with Lexis. The library also has an approval plan with Yankee Book Peddlers for university press publications that are classified "KF-Law - United States" under the Library of Congress call numbers. Licenses for databases are renewed on an annual basis with support from the UNT System Business Service Center.

91. Standard 60S( d). [Source: SEQ VII.?]

Briefly describe how the law library has a current written collection development plan that is adequate for the Law School's needs.

The Law School's law library collection plan was drafted by the Assistant Dean for Law Library as a guide to the acquisition of materials in August 2014. The plan was written with the idea that a large print collection is redundant in light of the reliable access to the same titles in the databases all academic law libraries license. During the drafting, the faculty were consulted about their needs and the anticipated needs of future faculty considering space and financial factors. The faculty agreed with the goal of creating a collection in print and electronic formats that better reflects the reality of modern practice. The policy was approved by the faculty in January 2015.

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92. Standard 606(e). [Source: SEQ VII.B]

Describe how the law library provides suitable space and adequate equipment to access and use all information in whatever formats are represented in the collection.

The library takes up the entire sixth floor of the UNT System Building spanning nearly 17,000 square feet of space. The space was completely renovated based on a well laid out plan. Due to the floor-to-ceiling windows along the southern wall of the building, the library is filled with natural light. The library has two entrances: one near the building's escalators and the second at the building's elevator.

The library has 3,942 linear feet of shelf space that is estimated to be able to hold a print collection of 24,000 volumes.

The library has a total of 154 seats, plus access to another 54 seats in the two classrooms located within the library. Nearly 120 of these seats are available in open spaces around the library at study carrels, tables, counter-tops, and collaborative spaces. Thirty-four seats are available in six study rooms. The classrooms located in the library are also available to the students for group study and presentation practices when not in use for classes.

Librarians enjoy spacious offices in the library. There is a work space outside these offices that will allow for personnel growth over time as the Law School increases in size.

The library provides Wi-Fi and electrical outlets for students' mobile devices. Through the internet service Papercut, students have wireless printing to multi-function printer, copier, and scanner machines in the library.

Students may access all of the print materials within the law library, and may access all of the libraries electronic resources either on their personal devices (laptops, tablets, etc.), or the library has four desktop computers, 20 laptops, ten Apple iPads, and three iPods available for student use.

Facilities, Equipment, and Technology

93. Standard 701. [Sources: SEQ Vlll.1, 2, 3; SEQ X.1]

Describe how the Law School's equipment, technology, and technological support are adequate. If there are concerns raised in the materials or on site, provide additional information that demonstrate how a deficiency has a negative and material effect on the Law School's ability to operate in compliance with the Standards or to carry out its program of legal education.

At the outset it should be noted that the site team received nothing but positive feedback concerning available technology and the technology support provided at the Law School. The site team observed technology and technology support that appeared adequate to the needs of the Law School, including the future needs as the Law School gets ready to enter its next class.

Technology support is provided for hardware, web, and software as well as educational technology support for classroom use. The Law School has partnered with the UNT System's Information Technology Shared Services (ITSS), to provide much of this support, but the Law School takes the lead in providing educational technology support to faculty and students. The various support functions will be described individually below.

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(a) Law School Internet Networks

The Law School provides Internet to all faculty, staff, and students through wireless and hard wired connections throughout the building. Wireless connection to the Internet is available throughout the entire building.

The UNT Campus Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that allows faculty, staff, and students to connect remotely to on-campus resources. This allows employees and students of the UNT System to work from off campus using resources they otherwise couldn't access. The connection from the user machine to the Campus VPN is an encrypted connection which provides for secure access to institutional resources.

(b) Faculty and Staff Hardware, Software Applications, and Administrative Systems

The Law School issues all faculty and staff a standard Dell desktop or laptop running a Windows operating system, and loaded with a standard image, which includes Microsoft Office's suite of products and Adobe Acrobat Pro. Alternatively, faculty may opt for an Apple branded laptop with MS Office and Adobe Pro installed. All faculty and staff have access to large, high­volume, multi-function devices, capable of copying, scanning, and printing double-sided and in color. Most faculty and staff have dual monitors in order to be able to review multiple documents at once. The Law School currently budgets to refresh desktop or laptop machines every five years. Additionally, most faculty have video creation and editing software installed on their desktop or laptop. Each workstation also utilizes Internet Protocol telephones.

The UNT System utilizes Microsoft Office 365. This is the newest offering of the traditional Microsoft Office suite of programs, including programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, OneDrive, and more. Office 365 provides on-line applications and files that are always accessible, always up to date from the user's PC, Mac, iPad®, AndroidrM tablet, or phone. Users can create and edit documents on their computers with the traditional Microsoft Office suite and in the cloud through the Office 365 interface. Faculty and staff can purchase work-at-home versions of MS Office 365 for $9.95, and students can download the applications for free.

The Law School also utilizes the UNT System's Enterprise Information System (EIS). PeopleSoft, is accessible through the MyLaw portal on the Law School's website and through a back-end server. The MyLaw portal provides student registration, enrollment, scheduling, access to grades, transfer credit, degree audit, and graduation checkout. It also provides access to faculty and staff employment records, time-keeping, and record-keeping. A potential future application includes syncing PeopleSoft with Symplicity as a tool to track post-graduate employment data.

(c) Classroom Hardware

Each classroom contains a personal computer with Internet connectivity at the lectern, containing the standard image described above for faculty and staff computers. These PCs are connected to either a ceiling-mounted high definition projector, or one or more flat screen high definition monitors. Each room includes a document camera that permits display of documents or other items on the screen. A room control device permits instructors to choose between source inputs to project either the image visible on the lectern PC or the document camera. Accordingly, an instructor can display a wide range of images, documents, videos, or other media. Faculty members are trained to use the equipment. An ITSS employee checks the classrooms every morning to ensure that the equipment is functional and the microphones have batteries.

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Classrooms contain movable tables and chairs for student seating and use. Each table seats two students and has built-in electrical plugs. Classrooms are fitted with movable chairs, some of which are height adjustable. Each classroom is also equipped with a receiver that allows students and instructors to use "clicker" technology. Instructors can poll or quiz students and students can respond using a hand-held clicker device to respond to instructor questions. The software accompanying these devices also allows instructors to track class participation and student learning on a class-by-class basis.

Classrooms have the capability to capture video and audio of classroom instruction. This ability is used in all classes, including those taught by the part-time faculty. The addition of ceiling microphones has helped record student speakers during class. The video can be tailored to focus on the instructor, on the output from either the lectern PC or document camera, or both. For each class that is recorded, the Law School posts the recording to Vimeo, which is then embedded into Canvas, the Law School's learning management system described below, so that students may access the recorded class. Students report utilizing the recordings frequently, especially during their commutes to and from school.

The Law School also owns a movable smart board. This high definition video monitor includes a built-in computer that permits instructors to interact with its touch screen. Instructors can write on the board electronically and can superimpose writing over documents. Certain software applications can save these handwritten annotations and integrate them into a document. The Smart board also functions as a portable presentation screen for special events.

(c) Law School Related Educational Technology Software

The Law School utilizes a number of applications to support the students, faculty, and staff. The Law School has integrated Canvas, an online learning management system, into its operations as its primary internal communication system. With respect to instruction, a standard format and appearance for Canvas pages was designed for each class. Professors deliver course content, such as documents, audio, and video files; student information, such as announcements and the gradebook; and formative and summative assignments and quizzes. Administrators use Canvas to provide information about programming, student opportunities, internal publications, and general and emergency notifications. Student organizations are allowed, with permission, to have pages for their organizations.

The Law School also uses ExamSoft, a secure online assessment tool that is used by the Texas Board of Bar Examiners. ExamSoft permits instructors to build assessments (periodic quizzes, midterms, and final exams) utilizing a variety of question formats, including multiple choice, short answer, and essay. Instructors also create learning outcomes for each course, which are then entered into ExamSoft and mapped to questions as instructors create them in ExamSoft. When a student takes an assessment, the student's performance on each question is measured against the learning outcomes mapped to the questions in that assessment. Instructors can grade assessments using data ExamSoft automatically creates for objective questions. The Law School has also purchased an ExamSoft upgrade, which permits instructors to grade essay questions using a rubric in ExamSoft and also tracks learning outcomes. ExamSoft then tracks learning outcomes for students longitudinally so that the Law School can assess whether students are achieving learning outcomes.

Library personnel provide frontline support for students in using Canvas and ExamSoft. Both vendors provide direct support through helplines accessible by students, faculty, and staff. The Law School has been successful in bringing issues to these vendors and getting them favorably

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addressed in a timely manner. This model (library personnel supporting educational technology) will be changing shortly. A full discussion of this can be found in part H below.

The Law School currently uses two room scheduling technologies. LibCal, a room scheduling and calendaring system, is managed through the law library. Students can access LibCal to reserve rooms on the sixth floor for individual and group study sessions and student organizational activities. The other calendaring system is Outlook, which is used by the Registrar to schedule the classrooms on the fourth and fifth floors for classes and other Law School activities.

The Law School uses Qualtrix, an online survey tool, which meets institutional privacy and FERPA concerns. Qualtrix has been utilized to solicit student feedback on classes and instruction. Additionally, the Law School has been committed to providing the inaugural students a mechanism to provide their input on the school's development. Qualtrix was used to survey the students on a variety of topics each semester, asking them to identify what the school has done well and what it can do better. Finally, the Law School encourages each student to create a plan that lays out the student's academic, bar preparation, and career goals. With adjustments, Qualtrix was utilized to assist in building these plans for each student, with the added benefit of collecting data for analysis across all students.

The Law School's career center uses Symplicity, an online tool to communicate employment opportunities and to gather employment data from students for tracking and reporting purposes.

ACES2 is a web application run by the LSAC that is used by the Admissions department.

(e) Practice Related Technologies

The Law School pioneered a pilot program with Clio, a cloud based time and case management system adapted for use in classroom instruction. Rather than track cases, students track their classes and record and manage time spent for classes and school related activities. Use of this software enables the students to develop the discipline of tracking and documenting time that is critical to the practice of law. Students are required to provide a narrative description of the activities analogous to time entries on attorney billing sheets. These narratives require the students to synthesize the instructional materials each week for each course. At the professor's discretion, expanded narratives can be required for use as a reflection tool.

In response to the integral role of technology in the practice of law, the Law School requires students to achieve competency in selected Microsoft Office applications: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. Courtroom presentation software, such as Trial Director and Sanction, will be used in trial advocacy instruction. Law office management courses will include instruction related to trust accounting and maintenance of client records. General IT awareness skills such as security issues will be emphasized.

(f) Library Technology and Mobile Computer Lab

The law library has wireless connectivity throughout. Study rooms have large monitors for student use to watch videos or collaborate on documents. The law library currently has four student PCs with the standard image. One PC also includes video editing software for student projects. The Law School has created a mobile computer lab controlled by the library that is comprised of twenty laptop computers with the standard image described above. These laptop computers may be checked out by students, faculty, or staff. The standard lending period is four hours, but can be extended for special cases. The law library also has nine iPads and

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three iPods with video recording capability for checkout and student use in classroom simulation recording.

Students have access, through their ID or login information, to secure multifunction printers through wireless printing service Papercut. Sheetfed and flatbed scanning is free; black and white copies and printouts are $0.02/page, and color is $0.06/page. This service is also available to faculty and staff for free on the library's printers.

(g) Web Support

The current web site for the Law School was designed and implemented between June and August 2013. The web site was developed in Drupal, as required by ITSS, using an external contractor: SullivanPerkins, a Dallas-based design, advertising and online services company. The site has been expanded considerably since the original launch. Web site expansion and routine content or photo updates were handled exclusively through SullivanPerkins through fall 2014. During that semester, two ITSS student employees (assigned to the Law Library) and the Director of Marketing and Communications received basic CMS training from SullivanPerkins and gradually began to make many web updates in-house. Large volume updates, new functionality, changes to navigation, and more complicated updates continue to be outsourced to SullivanPerkins.

UNT System IT Shared Services provides the Law School web hosting and technical support through the Central Web Services (CWS) team. The services provided include technical support for hosting and content management systems for the main website. In addition, CWS is the technical liaison for the Law School's advertising firm, SullivanPerkins. CWS assists SullivanPerkins website performance troubleshooting. CWS is responsible for all platform updates and server maintenance.

(h) Technology Support

The Law School, through ITSS, has two dedicated full-time employees whose sole focus is the Law School's IT needs. Faculty, staff, and students can draw on other ITSS departments through the online ticketing system. The two ITSS employees' offices are located on the same floor as the faculty offices, making them very accessible to the faculty as needed. Due to the fact that ITSS provides IT support, the two full-time employees assigned to the Law School are able to call upon the full resources of ITSS when the Law School support needs exceed the ability of the two full-time support staff.

The Law School IT Help Desk, staffed by IT students trained in basic classroom and technology support, is available to faculty, staff, and students from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday -Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Help Desk may be contacted in person in the law library, via phone, or by email. The Help Desk email address, which receives copies of voicemails left on the Help Desk phone line, is monitored on Sundays.

The ITSS personnel assist faculty and staff with their technology questions, service Law School computing and mobile equipment, respond to IT help requests, and consult on other IT projects as needed. One of the dedicated ITSS personnel, the Media Manager, specializes in classroom technology support.

Educational technology support is currently provided by the law librarians. This will be changing in the coming months. Librarian Jennifer Wondracek will be transitioning from the library to

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becoming the full-time Associate Director of Instructional (or Educational) Technology. The Law School has indicated that Jennifer has permission to hire a full-time staff member to assist her in providing educational technology support to the faculty and students. The Associate Director of Instructional Technology will oversee all aspects of training faculty and students on integrating and using technology in the curriculum.

Students are provided with ExamSoft's computer specifications at the time of matriculation. Mock exams that simulate actual testing conditions are provided for students to run prior to examinations.

During examinations, proctors and at least one full-time, non-student member of the ITSS staff are available throughout the entire examination. The Associate Director of Instructional Technology will be available during many examinations and will be on-call for the rest. Should an issue occur, ITSS staff will attempt to address the problem. If ITSS staff cannot do so or if the student does not accept ITSS assistance, the student may check out a laptop from the law library or hand write for the remainder of the examination.

(i) Training

Faculty and staff are provided with training opportunities through multiple avenues. The UNT System provides online technology training on various programs, such as Microsoft Office applications, to all faculty and staff employed within the UNT System. The Associate Director of Instructional Technology also schedules training sessions for Canvas, ExamSoft, and Clicker technology several times throughout the academic year. As new faculty and staff are hired, job duties expand, or faculty and staff desire to learn more about particular features, the Associate Director of Instructional Technology also provides extensive one-on-one training. When new faculty members are hired, the Associate Director and ITSS provide extensive group trainings on the technology used throughout the Law School.

The Law School faculty recognizes the importance of technology to practicing attorneys, and has adopted a Practice-Related Technology Requirement. This Requirement states "students must demonstrate basic proficiency as to practice-related technologies, including case management and time-keeping software; trial and litigation software; word processing; and databases."

In 2014-2015, students were provided with technology instruction during the Fundamentals class in August. The majority of the technology instruction throughout the academic year occurred through email or through the Law School Help Desk on a one-on-one basis. For instance, instructions on updating exam software were emailed out before midterms and final exams in the form of a Word document.

Recognizing that this was not sufficient, instructional time during the 2015 Fundamentals week was significantly increased. Written and video instructional materials were created during the summer of 2015 for distribution throughout the 2015-2016 academic year. Additionally, the Law School purchased Lynda.com, an online technology training system that students may access 24/7 on their own schedule. A law technology course and non-credit bearing student technology training sessions are also under consideration. Law School faculty will also be integrating technology into their courses, requiring students to use technologies such as PowerPoint, Clio, and courtroom evidence presentation software.

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94. Standard 702(a) and Interpretation 702-3. [Sources: SEQ X.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10,11; SEQ X. Attachment 1]

Describe how the Law School's facilities are suitable and sufficient with respect to: (a) class and seminar rooms;

The Law School currently has 8 classrooms:

1) Classroom 410 - 36 seats 2) Classroom 412 - 36 seats 3) Classroom 413 - 36 seats 4) Seminar Room 511 - 20 seats 5) Classroom 560 - 72 seats 6) Moot Courtroom/Closing Room/ Jury Conference Room/Workroom - 40 seats 7) Classroom 611 - 24 seats 8) Classroom 641 - 28 seats

While the current classroom space appears adequate for the current student body, additional space will be needed when the 3'd entering class begins in fall 2016. To accommodate the anticipated 3'd entering class, the Law School has put in a formal request to the University for the following additional space in the UNT System building that currently houses the Law School:

1) Construction of a new 90 seat classroom on the third floor; 2) Four 40-seat classrooms (ideally in existing rooms 313a, 307, 311, 330); and 3) Priority usage of existing classrooms 321, 323, and 325.

It was reported to the site team that these requests should be approved by the University.

With one exception, all the classrooms observed by the site team appeared suitable in regard to size, acoustics, sight lines, seating, lighting, temperature, ventilation, and available educational technology. The one exception was the large classroom on the fourth floor that is a combination of three smaller rooms 410, 412, and 413. This room has dividers allowing use of the room in multi-purpose formats as either a single room or a combination of two or three separate rooms. When utilized as a single room, the acoustics present a challenge for students sitting on the end of one side of the room to hear students speaking on the far end of the other side of the room. Sight lines are also challenging in this combined room, requiring the faculty to continually rove around the room in an effort to insure s/he is seen by all the students. To resolve the acoustic problem, the Law School has taken steps to ameliorate this problem by installing microphones in the ceiling to amplify students' voices. The Law School is continuing to monitor the efficacy of the amplification microphones.

(b) the library;

The library takes up the entire sixth floor. The south facing, floor-to-ceiling windows provide natural lighting. Study lamps have been provided at the carrels and in selected study rooms for students with sensitivity to fluorescent lighting. The library has a modern loft design with high ceilings with exposed ductwork and electrical conduits. Electrical outlets are provided at each study table and carrel. Wireless is available throughout. Wired connections are available next to the reference collection area. Thermostats are located throughout the library. There is shelving space for an estimated 25,000 volumes allowing the Law School significant room for grow1h. The library has a unique curved service desk with two stations: one is the service point for reference and access services and the other serves as the IT helpdesk. Offices for librarians

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and staff are located along the eastern side of the library with individual offices for librarians and a shared office for the two library specialists. There is also a collection services workroom. A room reservation system allows use of the library classrooms and study rooms by students, faculty, and staff.

The law library has 158 seats in a combination of carrels, tables, counters, soft seating, and study rooms. A workroom with four computer stations and a multifunction printer is available to students. Four small study rooms have seating for four, and two large study rooms have seating for eight. There are also two classrooms within the library that are available to students when not in use for classes.

The site team observed, and the feedback from the students confirmed, that the library space provided seemingly adequate space and equipment to accommodate the student body.

There was some concern expressed about the accessibility of the law library on Sundays when the law library is traditionally closed. The site team received one comment from a part-time student who reported that being open on Sundays would assist in his ability to study away from home. Some faculty reported that it was odd that the Law School and law library were closed on Sundays. These comments were not wide spread and should not be seen as representing anywhere near a majority opinion of those the site team spoke with. The law library does provide access on Sundays prior to mid-terms and final exams, which students noted with appreciation.

One reason the site team observed for the Sunday closings was that the cost of keeping the building open (security and maintenance personnel) would fall on the law library, whereas normally this is a cost that is borne by the University during normal operating hours.

(c) faculty offices;

The full-time faculty are located in two suites on the second floor. One suite has four offices that average 130 square feet. The suite has reception space that includes a workstation for an administrative assistant. The second suite has seven offices that average 120 square feet, a conference room, and a reception area that includes a workstation for an administrative assistant.

All of the faculty offices are equipped with basic technology, including computers, monitors (in many instances dual monitors), phones, etc.

In anticipation of hiring additional faculty over the next two years the Law School has made a formal request to the University for the construction of seven new offices, similar in approximate size to the current faculty offices (120-160) square feet).

(d) space for support services staff, part-time faculty to conduct student-faculty conferences, equipment and records, in-house clinical programs, quiet study and research, and collaborative work.

The site team observed many spacious, modern areas in use by the support services staff, as well as numerous areas outside of the library for students to gather and study, research, and collaborate.

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Common areas, which were designed to double as student study and collaborative space, are located throughout the building. For example, student lockers are located in a spacious 1,374 square foot area, which houses a sitting area with several seats and tables, a traditional table which seats four, and countertop space with seating for another six. The fifth floor has a collaborative student area of 572 square feet, with furniture and tables, as well as countertop seating for ten. While not controlled by the Law School, students may also avail themselves of ample seating in the spacious 4,346 square foot lobby, or the 410 square foot lounge and study area, both of which are on the first floor. All Law School classrooms are available for student study and collaborative work when not in use for classes.

Room 531 in the Dean's Suite was designed as a records storage area. The door is equipped with a card reader and electric lock to provide extra security by recording entry and exit into the room. Because of the rapid advancement in technology, however, the Law School keeps very few records in hardcopy. Rather, the vast majority of records are now stored digitally. For example, all records from the both the Office of Admissions and the Office of Career and Professional Development are stored digitally, often through third-party systems - ACES and Symplicity - utilized by similar offices at Law Schools around the country. As room 531 is a large room which could be repurposed for a higher and better use, it is likely that in the near future Law School hardcopy records will be stored in a much smaller, but no less secure, area. With respect to equipment storage, most equipment is utilized and not stored. The law library, however, does store some iPads and laptops for student use. Other media and technology equipment is stored in room 213.

Part-time faculty have a designated work space provided to them that includes technology as well as individual seating areas. This space does not provide any private space for part-time faculty to conference with students, however, part-time faculty have access to the conference rooms available on the same floor as this space to have private conferences with students if so desired.

The Law School provides a suite of three rooms that will be used for the Joyce Ann Brown Innocence Clinic which will represent incarcerated persons who assert claims of actual innocence. Because the clinic will serve clients who are incarcerated, clients of this clinical program will generally not visit the offices. This space includes one room for secured client files, individual student workspaces, and a conference area. The conference area can also be utilized for witness interviews.

An off-site Clinic for Community Lawyering is currently being planned for 511 Akard St in the City Square development. A lease is currently being reviewed by the University legal department that would grant the Law School access to the clinic space for four years. Furniture has already been purchased to place in the clinic once the lease is signed.

If there are concerns raised in the materials or on site, provide additional information that demonstrate how a deficiency has a negative and material effect on the Law School's ability to operate in compliance with the Standards or to carry out its program of legal education.

A few areas of concern were noted in the Law School's SEQ including the acoustics and site line problems in combined rooms 410, 412, 413, which have been discussed above.

An additional issue surrounding fire code problems were reported by the School. These issues, described below, are currently being addressed by the University in consultation with the Law School.

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In June 2015, the building which houses both the UNT System and the Law School underwent an annual audit by UNT Risk Management as well as an inspection by the Texas State Fire Marshall's Office. By correspondence dated June 22, 2015, the Texas State Fire Marshall informed the UNT System of twelve areas of concern. To date, the UNT System has resolved ten of these. With respect to the two remaining concerns, the UNT System has communicated its plan to resolve these matters to the Texas State Fire Marshall and is awaiting approval to proceed.

Unfortunately, the UNT System building was built in the first part of the twentieth century and long before modern fire codes. Thus, neither of the two outstanding issues were problematic at the time the building was constructed. The first outstanding item has to do with the number of egress stairwells which lead directly to the exterior of the building. UNT System is proposing the first floor area of one of its three stairwells be re-routed to lead individuals directly to the exterior of the building. The second concern has to do with a common area that individuals located on the second floor of the building must traverse to exit the second floor. The UNT System is proposing that additional exhaust vents and smoke detectors on the second floor will resolve this issue.

The Law School reported that it currently has plans to move the majority of its operations to a new building by fall 2019. This building is across the street from the current Law School location. The Texas legislature has appropriated $54 million to pay for the renovation of the former Dallas Municipal Building. This money does not have to be paid back by the Law School or the University.

Current ~lans include leaving the law library as well as a few other offices in the current building on the 5 h and 61

h floors, and moving the majority of classrooms and offices to the new building. As plans for the new building were not available for viewing, to anyone, not just the site team, the site team could not evaluate the new building's facilities. What is known is that the Law School would be the sole tenant of that University building, unlike the current building which the Law School shares with other units within the University.

The Law School and the University have already begun meetings to begin the active planning process for the new building. A team, known as the "Municipal Building Resources Committee," which represents most of the Law School's decision makers, has been formed to work on the planning for the new building.

96. Standard 702 and Interpretations 702-1 and 702-2. [Sources: SEQ X.13, 14, 15; SEQ X. Attachment 2]

(a) If any facilities are leased or financed, describe the Law School's right to continue to occupy them.

The Law School occupies space leased from the UNT System. The Law School is the primary tenant and controls most or all of the space on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) governs the Law School's use of the space. The MOU describes the space that will be used exclusively by the Law School, and the space that may be shared with the Law School. The MOU sets out the financial responsibilities of the University and the Law School including the cost per square foot the Law School will reimburse to the University. This MOU covers through FY 2020.

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(b) Please state if the facilities are under the exclusive control of the Law School, and if not, describe the arrangements that permit proper scheduling of Law School activities.

The Law School leases its space from the UNT System. The Law School has exclusive control of Law School-designated space on the first, second, third and fourth floors and all space on the fifth and sixth floors. As a result, the Law School can schedule classes and activities as needed for three classrooms on the fourth floor, and all classrooms on the fifth and sixth floors. Negotiations are underway regarding the use of additional space on the third floor starting in 2016-2017 academic year. The Law School is also working with the UNT System to develop the Dallas Municipal Building as the future home of the Law School.

No other entity regularly uses the Law School facilities. At times, community partners have requested access to our space to conduct conferences, presentations, and training programs. Such events are scheduled through designated Law School personnel.

Summary

The Law School as developed a program of legal education designed to educate "the lawyers of tomorrow." Its educational program incorporates experiential skills into the traditional law school curriculum in many ways. It uses frequent formative assessment to assist that education and to determine whether students have mastered various topics. It provides academic support to assist student learning and, if a student is performing poorly, to intervene.

The Law School is dedicated to providing legal education to students who normally do not have that opportunity. It seeks attract a diverse student body which, after graduation, will provide education to a diverse community. The tuition is very low in comparison to other law schools in order to make it possible for students to attend. It is located in an area that does not have sufficient opportunities for students to attend law school.

However, as the Law School progresses it should pay close attention to a number of factors and be prepared to make adjustments. Although the Law School is seeking to improve its admission criteria, the 25th and 50th LSAT percentiles of its current class are are at 143 and 146. Considerable programmatic rigor will be required to educate many of these students successfully. The Law School will have to monitor its academic support program to assist these students with academic success and success on the bar exam. Students unable to succeed should be so advised and attrition should be expected.

Although currently the financial support for the Law School appears sound, it should be cautious and be aware of any change in circumstances. Since there was limited prior assessment of the feasibility of the Law School, unexpected changes, especially in finances, should be monitored. The Law School already recognizes that its low tuition can be a weakness and may impose budget constraints. More broadly, however, enrollment reductions might cause reductions not only in tuition revenue but in formula funding as well. It's also not entirely clear whether more funding will be needed for faculty and other educational enhancements.

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Accreditation FAQs

1. What is the American Bar Association accreditation process?

In summary, a new law school must complete its first academic year of operating a full-time legal education program before applying for provisional accreditation. Provisional accreditation can last up to five years, allowing a law school time to demonstrate that it meets ABA standards, entitling it to full accreditation. Following an initial application and submission of extensive documentation, ABA site inspectors conduct a visit to review aspects of a law school’s operation that pertain to ABA standards, including tuition, admissions, curriculum, facilities, job placement and finances. The site team issues a fact-finding report but does not make a recommendation about accreditation. Instead, the report is provided to the Committee, which holds a hearing with law school representatives. Subsequently, the Accreditation Committee makes a recommendation to the ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, which makes the final decision whether to grant provisional accreditation.

You can read more about the process in detail here (Links to an external site.).

2. Where are we in the ABA accreditation process?

We are entering the last phase in the ABA Accreditation process. The Committee has given a recommendation to the Council to not approve our request for provisional accreditation at this time. The Council has not decided anything about our law school yet. We will appear before the Council in late October to address the Accreditation Committee’s concerns. Following this meeting, we will receive a final decision on our application for provisional accreditation from the Council.

3. Why did the Committee recommend against accreditation?

We are still working through the ABA’s accreditation process and have not received a final decision on our accreditation status. Briefly, the Committee is concerned that we have accepted some students with relatively low LSAT scores. The Committee also questioned the potential impact on our enrollment and financial viability if overall student attendance was reduced.

4. What options are available to the Council in connection with the accreditation process?

According to the ABA Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools, the Council has four options:

A. Affirm the Committee’s decision or recommendation;

B. Amend the Committee’s decision or recommendation, including imposing any sanction regardless of whether the Committee has imposed or recommended any sanction;

C. Reverse the Committee's decision or recommendations; or

D. Remand the matter to the Committee for further proceedings.

5. In the event the Council does not grant provisional accreditation, can we reapply?

Yes, we would have an opportunity to reapply for provisional accreditation. Of course, we would address directly any remaining concerns that caused us to be denied in the first place.

6. When will we hear from the ABA about our accreditation status?

We will appear before the ABA Council in late October. There is not an exact timeline for a decision but we anticipate receiving a final decision within a reasonable time period.

7. Is provisional accreditation from the ABA permanent?

No, provisional accreditation is not permanent. A provisionally approved law school may apply for full approval no earlier than two years after receiving provisional approval and must obtain full approval within five years of receiving provisional approval.

You can read more about the process here (Links to an external site.).

8. What does it mean if we do not get approved in October?

If we do not get approved following our meeting with the ABA Council in late October, we will immediately reapply and restart the process. In the meantime, we recognize that not being accredited has drawbacks for our 3Ls graduating in May 2017, including joining some professional organizations or working for certain legal employers.

A. Can I take the Texas State Bar in 2016 or 2017?

If we do not get accredited, we will immediately petition the Supreme Court of Texas in order to request approval for our graduating students to take the Texas State Bar for the next three cycles: July 2017, February 2018 and July 2018. There is no guarantee that the Court will grant such a request but it has done so in the past for other Texas law schools and we are reasonably confident we can persuade the Court in this instance.

B. Can I transfer to another law school?

Transferring to a law school that is ABA Accredited is an option, but credits for classes taken at UNT Dallas College of Law will not transfer. You would enter that new law school as a 1L.

9. What does this mean for incoming 1Ls?

First, there are no guarantees. However, we will be relentless in our efforts to convince the ABA that the UNT Dallas College of Law is entitled to provisional accreditation. Perhaps time will be on the side of 1Ls. In some cases, law schools have attained provisional accreditation within a year of first being denied.

10. If we are allowed to take the Texas Bar Exam, what resources will the school provide to help us prepare?

We will continue to prepare you in several ways. First: bar-related courses. All rising 3L students either have taken or will be able to take the Bar-readiness sequence called “Legal Analysis for the Texas Bar I, II, and III.” About 50 of you will be taking LATB III this fall, and others in the spring. LATB I and II consist of content and assessments prepared by Ellen Pryor and Beth Donahue. As you may know, Beth Donahue is our Director of Assessments and spent almost 10 years at the National Council of Bar Examiners as the editor of the Multi-State Bar Exam. The professor for LATB III, Everett Chambers, has a national reputation for teaching Bar-readiness courses at law schools around the country for BarBri. Professor Chambers is joining us as a regular faculty member, but during the next year he will be specially focused on teaching and mentoring for the next year. Also, this spring, we will be offering a course on essay writing for the Bar.

Second: bar readiness support, both in workshops and one-on-one work. We have hired Preyal Shah as our new Director of Academic Support and Bar Readiness. Previously, she served as Director of Bar Readiness at St. Mary’s University School of Law. Director Shah and Professor Chambers will be teaching multiple workshops and providing one-on-one bar-readiness support.

Third: Our curriculum. From the start, our curriculum has been developed with attention to Bar readiness. We require most of the Bar subjects, and the multiple assessments include hundreds of Bar-style multiple choice questions.

11. Is it true that not being accredited by the ABA at graduation means I will not be able to get certain jobs or join certain professional organizations?

Yes, that is correct based on membership criteria for certain legal groups, career fairs and certain legal employers, including the federal government. However, our school enjoys a

deep base of support in the North Texas legal and civic communities. We plan to tap into all of our resources and positive relationships to assist students in every way possible.

12. What does the ABA Committee’s recommendation mean for current students?

This recommendation means that our students will continue attending an unaccredited school for the time being as we work toward satisfying the ABA Committee’s concerns in our meeting with the ABA Council in late October.

13. Does the ABA’s decision affect the current courses or classes for the fall and spring sessions?

Other than the additional Bar prep courses and our continued focus to integrate Bar prep into our curriculum and testing efforts, there will be no impact on our existing course schedules and availability.

14. Is the school seeking the help of other entities – the state, City of Dallas, legislators or other supporters – to lobby for ABA reconsideration?

The ABA accreditation process is based on merit and there is no mechanism to influence or support our application from outside sources such as those mentioned above. We are working with experts, consultants and others with experience in the accreditation process to make sure that we are doing what we need to do in order to earn accreditation.