Akron Law Announcements – It's what you need to know!

ZipAssist Information

UA has a variety of support and resources available on our campus for students who may need some assistance in the coming weeks.

Recognize signs of distress — Signs of distress include fear, difficulty concentrating, hopelessness, and voiced concerns of panic or worry. If you are concerned about a Zip, please encourage them to seek resources and support. A starting point is the Help-A-Zip Referral program as well as the Counseling and Testing Center.

Food — Students needing access to food can utilize the Campus Cupboard program. Students may request a bag of items [to be picked up in Simmons Hall] through the Zips Care Package program web form online.

If finances are deeply impacted, some students may become newly eligible for government support, such as SNAP, if their jobs are affected. Assistance is available to help guide students through the application process.

Emergency Aid — For those facing unexpected loss of wages during this time or in need of emergency financial assistance, guidance and resources may be available through the Student Emergency Financial Assistance [SEFA] program. Students are encouraged to complete a Help-A-Zip Referral online.

Community Support:

The Salvation Army of Summit County is a support partner for our University of Akron students.

Students needing food access can receive a daily, hot meal between 12pm-12:45 at 190 S. Maple St Akron, OH 44302.
In addition, UA students can request access to a bag of food items each week by calling 330-762-8481.
Please let them know you are an enrolled UA student seeking support. Per the regular protocol, may be asked to provide your UA ID and/or a current class schedule.

Students who are worried about utility shut-off notices are encouraged to review provider websites, as many have suspended shutting off service during this time. If you are concerned, the Salvation Army may be able to assist you with calls to providers such as utilities or landlords. You are encouraged to call 330-762-8481. Please let the desk know that you are a UA student seeking support.

2-1-1 Summit County Resource Database can be access by going to www.211summit.org or by phone at 330-376-6660. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Questions such as food pantries, medical access, utilities, and more can be answered through this call center, powered by the United Way of Summit County.
Important information can be found here: http://www.211summit.org/Resources.aspx

The United Way of Summit County will continue to provide free, confidential financial coaching for UA students during this time. You are encouraged to schedule an appointment with UAs liaison from United Way, Tory Longwill, via the online scheduling system or through an email to uazipassist@uakron.edu

During this time, appointments are being held through a video-call feature and more openings [other than Wednesdays] may be available by emailing uazipassist@uakron.edu
Schedule here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14441658&calendarID=2277201

Unemployment information is available through the Department of Job and Family Services. If you are currently laid off, due to COVID-19, you are highly encouraged to review the Q/A found here: http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/CoronavirusAndUI.stm. Many local businesses such as Acme, GOJO, and Meijer are hiring immediately. We encourage you to visit Handshake [https://uakron.joinhandshake.com/login] and other online search engines for companies looking to fill pivotal openings.

If you are concerned about the ability to access your courses due to COVID-19, please complete a Help-A-Zip Referral – Emergency Assistance. A member of the ZipAssist team can provide direction and resources. Please be detailed in your questions or concerns. Website: www.uakron.edu/referral

Local internet providers are offering short-term deals or free access. Companies such as Comcast and Spectrum released information recently about this discounted access. https://www.xfinity.com/student and https://mobile.spectrum.com/support/article/360040980371/coronavirus-covid19-update

Criminal Justice Reform National Writing Competition

Important news for Akron Law students + Virtual Town Hall on Monday 3/30 @ 5:30pm

Dear Akron Law students,

I hope you are all keeping yourselves and your families safe and well during these challenging times.

I’m writing to update you on some important policy changes and other developments as we make the move to all-online classes and deal with the ongoing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. We’ll be holding a Virtual Town Hall this coming Monday, March 30^th, at 5:30 pm to discuss these issues and answer questions. More information about the Virtual Town Hall appears below.

First, pursuant to a faculty vote yesterday, all School of Law classes this semester will be graded on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR) basis. I have attached the policy, which I think is mostly self-explanatory, although I’m sure many of you will have questions. We’ll do our best to answer those questions on Monday. For now, please know that the faculty adopted this policy following extensive deliberation, after considering multiple options and monitoring other law schools’ actions, and with the active participation of student SBA representatives. We believe that in a world of suboptimal alternatives, this policy represents the best balancing of the many values in play.

Second, I have attached a statement regarding attendance of online classes that has been shared with the faculty. All of us agree on the need to require regular attendance and participation in online classes while allowing for the exigent circumstances that many students will face. As the statement notes, faculty will be asked to take attendance to the extent feasible while also recording online lectures for future viewing by students who are unable to attend the live session. These students will be given attendance credit for watching the recorded lectures. In appropriate cases, we will work with faculty to accommodate students who have to miss multiple classes.

Third, we anticipate that many students will need special assistance in dealing with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 crisis, particularly as they impact the educational environment. These may take the form of technology difficulties impeding your online learning (hardware or software problems, internet connectivity issues); of personal commitments that draw you or your attention away from your studies; of financial challenges that have arisen as a result of the crisis; or of health issues that you or family members are facing, among other obstacles. I want to strongly encourage you to reach out to one of us (Dean Oldfield, Dean Janoski-Haehlen, myself, or any other member of the administration or faculty) if you need help. At times like these we are all family, and there is no shame in asking a family member for assistance. While we may not be able to solve every problem, we do have some resources available to help students in times of need.

I know that many of you will have questions about these issues and other issues you’d like to discuss. So I invite you to join me, Dean Janoski-Haehlen, and Dean Oldfield for a Virtual Town Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020, at 5:30 p.m., EDT.

We will discuss:

Credit/No Credit Grading Policy
The Final Exam Schedule
The July Bar Exam
Summer Classes
Resources for Student Assistance
Q&A

Instructions for participating in the Virtual Town Hall appear below.

As we prepare for online learning beginning on Monday, I want to thank each of you for your amazing patience and perseverance as all of us try to deal with facts that change daily. We will need to rely on each other to thrive over the next few months. But we will get through this together. And our communities will still need well-trained, talented, ethical lawyers when the current crisis has passed – perhaps more than ever.

Stay healthy, stay strong, and please reach out to us if you might need our help.

Here is how you can participate in the Virtual Town Hall:

Topic: The University of Akron: School of Law Town Hall 3/30/20
Date: Monday, March 30, 2020
Time: 5:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)

Session number: 612 018 777
Session password: AkronLaw
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To join the training session
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1. Go to https://uakron.webex.com/uakron/k2/j.php?MTID=td7c81805a455740d2f187b7006a5ea72
2. Enter your name and email address.
3. Enter the session password: AkronLaw
4. Click “Join Now”.
5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link
https://uakron.webex.com/uakron/k2/j.php?MTID=t9ce6879e2f82cdf517b856c165223123
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To join the session by phone only
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US TOLL:+1-415-655-0003
Access code: 612 018 777
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For assistance
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You can contact:
law-support@uakron.edu
1-3309725119

Can’t join the session?
https://collaborationhelp.cisco.com/article/qg8vzfb

To add this session to your calendar program (for example Microsoft Outlook), click this link:
https://uakron.webex.com/uakron/k2/j.php?MTID=t4114a3ee8e648c045d0cc930164a4429

SOL Attendance Statement 032720 Download

SOL GradeChangePolicy-032620 Download

EEOC Internships for Summer and Fall 2020!

Cleveland, OH – Enforcement Internship and Hearings Unit Internship– EEOC
AkronLawJobsNo. 11320 and 11389 Overview: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Cleveland Field Office has internship opportunities for undergraduate students (who have completed their sophomore year of college), law students, and graduate students starting in May 2020. The EEOC is the federal agency charged with enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). The Enforcement Unit investigates charges of discrimination filed against private employers. The Hearings Unit adjudicates claims of employment discrimination involving federal agencies. The Hearings Unit only accepts law students as interns. Internships are unpaid volunteer positions, but we will assist students with their applications for academic credit, externships, or external stipends.

Enforcement Internship

Interns may work assisting investigators in developing a variety of evidentiary materials related to charges of employment discrimination in individual as well as class cases. Duties and assignments may include: reviewing correspondence to see if it alleges a claim under our laws; creating initial charge files from correspondence; inputting data relating to an investigation into our information management system; assisting in screening and interviewing individuals who seek to file a charge of employment discrimination; responding to email inquiries regarding potential charges; corresponding with charging parties or employers regarding charges of discrimination; reviewing and analyzing documents, records and evidence; contacting witnesses; drafting interview questions; drafting requests for information; doing research; summarizing evidence and data; and/or reviewing case files to make preliminary recommendations for further investigation or closure.

Interns may have the opportunity to observe or assist with intake or witness interviews, settlement conferences, mediation conferences, and fact-finding conferences.

The complexity of the work assigned may depend on workload demands and/or the student’s demonstrated abilities during the internship. While there may be some clerical work relating to the charge investigations, we are committed to giving students assignments to develop further their research, analytical or writing skills during their internships.

Applicants should have strong analytical, communication, research and writing skills.

Hearings Unit Internship

In the Federal Sector, formal EEO Complaints filed against a Federal Government agency after the agency’s investigation are adjudicated by an EEOC Administrative Judge upon a proper Complainant Request for a Hearing. The Administrative Judge develops the record and adjudicates the case through settlement, dispositive motion or hearing.

The EEOC Cleveland Field Office Hearings Unit offers opportunities for law students to participate in the administrative hearing process working closely with EEOC Administrative Judges. The student will have extensive exposure to civil rights litigation. The student will prepare legal memoranda, draft notices and orders, respond to motions (including motions for summary judgment), draft findings of fact and conclusions of law, and/or conduct research for use by the Administrative Judge in rendering decisions in Federal Sector employment discrimination cases.

The student will have a rare and extensive opportunity to hone legal writing skills in real life situations by drafting actual decisions. This office is committed to ensuring that law students receive an opportunity to develop legal skills.

Specific cases will be identified for the intern that present legal issues, including disability law, retaliation, sexual harassment and other areas of employment discrimination. The student will be assigned progressively more complex casework throughout the summer or semester and work with increasing independence, but always under the direct supervision of an Administrative Judge. The student will meet often with his/her assigned Administrative Judge(s) and there will be frequent interim review of written documents. In addition, the student will have opportunities to discuss general legal matters with the Administrative Judges and may attend oral case presentations and other office discussions.

Our office has multiple vacancies available throughout the year. During a semester, we prefer students who can commit a minimum of 16 hours per week. For the summer term, we prefer students who can commit a minimum of 32 hours per week.

To Apply for an Enforcement Unit or Hearings Unit Internship: Interested students should email a letter of interest (stating what internship you are applying for, why you want to intern with the EEOC and why you think we should select you), resume, transcript (unofficial transcript is fine. Please redact your social security number), and writing sample (two to four pages), preferably in a single .pdf, to: clevelandinternships@eeoc.gov The EEOC is an equal opportunity employer. For additional information about the EEOC Internship Program, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/jobs/internships.cfm.

Deadlines:
Applications for summer 2020 be received by April 10, 2020
Applications for the fall semester 2020 must be received by July 1, 2020.