Open Message to Law Professors Forum

[manofjustice]

I am starting to realize that many law professors and deans actually read TLS rather frequently.

So, let me start an open thread. What do we want to tell our professors. Because, we all know they're by definition out-of-touch. (Perhaps that's why they read TLS: to discover what we need to tell them, but cannot face-to-face.)

[manofjustice]

I'll start: Professors, I think you are great people, but when you try to assuage our worries about the legal market and the cost of tuition (and thank you for trying, at least), while you talk about the right things, you "fudge" numbers and just adopt a general lack of seriousness about matching the value of your product with its cost. So, I would like you to cut your cash pay, across the board, by 25%, deans included. This should yield a modest tuition decrease (probably of about 13 or 14%).

The first school to do this, combined with their already-budged scholarship funding, will attract a tier higher quality of students, and you (smart professors who like to teach smart students who are quick on the uptake) will a) enjoy teaching more and b) enjoy reading better exams. Sound like a deal?

[shredderrrrrr]

I'll start: Professors, I think you are great people, but when you try to assuage our worries about the legal market and the cost of tuition (and thank you for trying, at least), while you talk about the right things, you "fudge" numbers and just adopt a general lack of seriousness about matching the value of your product with its cost. So, I would like you to cut your cash pay, across the board, by 25%, deans included. This should yield a modest tuition decrease (probably of about 13 or 14%).

The first school to do this, combined with their already-budged scholarship funding, will attract a tier higher quality of students, and you (smart professors who like to teach smart students who are quick on the uptake) will a) enjoy teaching more and b) enjoy reading better exams. Sound like a deal?

Just wanted to be the first to say that a) lower tuition prices will not necessarily attract "better" students; it would be more accurate to say it would attract more price-conscious students. Also, b) better incoming students (re: those with higher LSAT/GPA) will not necessarily be faster on the uptake in LS or write better exam essays. I still like the proposal though!

[Danteshek]

http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/levenson.html
Attn Laurie Levenson: It is obvious to anyone paying attention that you only care about the top 10% of the class and helping them get clerkships. Your behavior and attitude make it clear to the rest of the student body that you are unwilling to go the extra mile for students in the bottom 90% of the class who need it the most. Your unwillingness to help the neediest students is probably the main reason that so many of us find you insufferable. A second reason students dislike you is your demeanor in the classroom and teaching methods. We simply do not care about all your anecdotes from when you were a AUSA. They are irrelevant to us. They do not help us learn evidence. We do not need to hear music at the beginning of every class and we certainly do not need to dress up as our favorite evidence rule. You give us way too many handouts - it is impossible to keep track of them all. At the very least, you could post those handouts on TWEN. But you don't. For the majority of the class, your teaching methods are extremely distracting and ineffective. Your exams are always the worst type of racehorse. Only the fastest typists can hope to receive a good grade. If you cared about your students (and not just the superstars), we would respect you a lot more. If you really want respect, in addition to the above, you will have to give up your shameless self promotion. We do not need to hear an introduction from you at every commencement and every time a Supreme Court justice comes to town. Give it a rest lady.

[tim.janitor]

http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/levenson.html
Attn Laurie Levenson: It is obvious to anyone paying attention that you only care about the top 10% of the class and helping them get clerkships. Your behavior and attitude make it clear to the rest of the student body that you are unwilling to go the extra mile for students in the bottom 90% of the class who need it the most. Your unwillingness to help the neediest students is probably the main reason that so many of us find you insufferable. A second reason students dislike you is your demeanor in the classroom and teaching methods. We simply do not care about all your anecdotes from when you were a AUSA. They are irrelevant to us. They do not help us learn evidence. We do not need to hear music at the beginning of every class and we certainly do not need to dress up as our favorite evidence rule. You give us way too many handouts - it is impossible to keep track of them all. At the very least, you could post those handouts on TWEN. But you don't. For the majority of the class, your teaching methods are extremely distracting and ineffective. Your exams are always the worst type of racehorse. Only the fastest typists can hope to receive a good grade. If you cared about your students (and not just the superstars), we would respect you a lot more. If you really want respect, in addition to the above, you will have to give up your shameless self promotion. We do not need to hear an introduction from you at every commencement and every time a Supreme Court justice comes to town. Give it a rest lady.

LOL at non-t14 professors

[eandy]

My evidence professor's AUSA anecdotes were actually really helpful. You calling specific professors out makes you seem pretty insufferable.

[LeDique]

http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/levenson.html
Attn Laurie Levenson: It is obvious to anyone paying attention that you only care about the top 10% of the class and helping them get clerkships. Your behavior and attitude make it clear to the rest of the student body that you are unwilling to go the extra mile for students in the bottom 90% of the class who need it the most. Your unwillingness to help the neediest students is probably the main reason that so many of us find you insufferable. A second reason students dislike you is your demeanor in the classroom and teaching methods. We simply do not care about all your anecdotes from when you were a AUSA. They are irrelevant to us. They do not help us learn evidence. We do not need to hear music at the beginning of every class and we certainly do not need to dress up as our favorite evidence rule. You give us way too many handouts - it is impossible to keep track of them all. At the very least, you could post those handouts on TWEN. But you don't. For the majority of the class, your teaching methods are extremely distracting and ineffective. Your exams are always the worst type of racehorse. Only the fastest typists can hope to receive a good grade. If you cared about your students (and not just the superstars), we would respect you a lot more. If you really want respect, in addition to the above, you will have to give up your shameless self promotion. We do not need to hear an introduction from you at every commencement and every time a Supreme Court justice comes to town. Give it a rest lady.

Someone's mad about not being in the top 10% and getting a bad grade in evidence.

[Bildungsroman]

Lol @ open letters to law professors immediately becoming a call-out thread for individual law professors by name.

[manofjustice]

Yea, that sucks. Totally not the point of the thread. Besides, what is wrong with AUSA anecdotes? Sounds great to me.

[Scotusnerd]

Ok, here's one.

Professors: if the course includes a technology platform, please spend some time familiarizing yourself with the operation of the technology. I understand that it's new and ever-changing, but we are paying enough money to fund any sort of training you could need on it. I quickly lose patience when you can't figure out how TWEN on Westlaw works, or how the school email system works. Most of us work very hard in law school to come prepared, and we expect the same out of you.

Thank you!

[Titleist]

So, I would like you to cut your cash pay, across the board, by 25%, deans included.

156

[Rawlberto]

I thought this would be a shitty thread and it lived up (down?) to my expectations.

[IAFG]

Lol @ open letters to law professors immediately becoming a call-out thread for individual law professors by name.

That might actually give this thread legs.

[sunynp]

Did danteshek say she made them dress up as their favorite evidence rule? What is that? I don't even.