Time for DE to Step Up to the Plate for 3Ls
Today's ATL confirms what has been rumored for weeks: Northwestern Law is taking a number of steps to help out their graduating 3Ls.
Notably: health care extension and hiring opportunities
DE: now's not the time to be silent. You've done an excellent job preparing this school for those that have yet to come (new faculty and tearing apart our facilities while we're the ones here). Let's make it happen.
Notably: health care extension and hiring opportunities
DE: now's not the time to be silent. You've done an excellent job preparing this school for those that have yet to come (new faculty and tearing apart our facilities while we're the ones here). Let's make it happen.
posted by tj at 10:57 AM
26 Comments:
Give us health insurance or give us death.
Seriously. I don't want to die.
On a different note. Can we get a post on the silly petition being circulated re: Yoo's civ pro II class.
Berkeley has some post-graduation health insurance available at http://uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/aftergraduation.shtml
Scroll down to find a a link to a helpful chart that summarizes some options.
It's a start...
4:18, why don't you just take a different section if you don't like him?
Does anyone know if % of graduates employed within X months of graduation is a significant factor in law school rankings? If not I wouldn't hold your breath for DE to step in.
I think it's the % employed at 6 months. If that's the case, deferral to January means definitely no, right?
I would bet, for US News reporting purposes, that if you are deferred but have a set start date, you will be lumped into the "employed" pile (even if you don't technically start for 6+ months.)
However, Dean E and the CDO should really be more worried about the handfuls of 3Ls that are just plain unemployed at this point. There are enough of those people alone to make a serious dent in the "% employed at 6 months" statistic.
How likely is it that other law schools will follow NW?
Two thoughts:
1) The % employed numbers for US News are those who are a) unemployed and b) looking for work. So the deferred starters would seem to be excluded.
2) This is ridiculous and reveals a sense of entitlement that I've always found discomforting. There are 5,000 or 6,000 or whatever undergrads who graduate each year. A large number of them (and certainly a larger number than the 300 or so Boalt grads each year) turn to uncertain job prospects, no health care, etc. I'm just at a loss as to why law students deserve to be sheltered from the wrath of the economy.
This is not meant to be a callous and insensitive "let them eat cake" (hmmm can I insert a "cake or death?" reference?) comment. If the school can extend health benefits at the discounted premium rates, then it should try to do so. But I'm just a little put off with the "OMG the normal job security that we're accustomed to is gone, save me Jebus, save me."
The only thing I would mention, Armen, is the vastly different amount of tuition paid by undergrads versus graduates and the resulting disparity in student debt that law students are shouldered with. It is much much harder to pay for individual health insurance plans when you are looking at thousands, rather than hundreds, of dollars a month in loan repayment.
Fair point. Law, Business, and Med students have subsidized the education of the undergrads for about 6 years now. Very valid point. A couple of months of extension on Tang Center benefits (can we use the term benefits and Tang in the same sentence?) isn't much of a burden on anyone.
Armen: I don't think the post differs too much from yours.
Health care (I'm not even talking free here) or beefed up efforts by the CDO for temporary work are two areas particularly relevant and appropriate.
But I also agree with calling such a position as "entitlement". We're feeling entitled to action here because I believe WE ARE ENTITLED.
(1) the university is in a unique position to alleviate significant concerns / troubles with as the least-cost maximizer.
(2) 3Ls are in a unique position as one of the more F'd graduating classes at Boalt (note: I'm not saying we're the MOST F'd - that could very well be the 2Ls). We've had our tuition raised significantly each year while have suffered construction inconveniences - neither were on the books when we were choosing among potential schools (of which Northwestern Law was likely on the short list for many).
In short, I wouldn't be bitter/angry if DE doesn't take similar action here. I just think it would be appropriate for him to do so - and I don't think I'm alone in feeling that sentiment.
I think I've narrowed down what troubles me with the post...it's the focus on the law school. Putting aside 11:47's excellent point, I think what bothers me is that there's no attempt to explain why law students should get the extended benefits but not other Berkeley students. I certainly can't think of a reason.
haha. how can you put aside 11:47's excellent point and still ask that question?!!?! isn't it a sufficient answer?
And now UCLA has come in with their LLM program...
11:47 again...
I agree with Armen that it would nice for all of the other UC graduate programs to help provide a service like this in such uncertain times, but the post really focused on the one Dean that could actually make a difference in Boaltie's lives. Though I feel that every graduating student (including the undergrads) will be faced with a tough situation, this is the only one that directly affects me.
Cake, please.
:)
Well we're outta cake.
I'll have the chicken, then.
Oh come on 4:12. You know it's "so my choice is 'or death?'"
shoot. I was up in the air between the two, and I didn't want to cheat by googling it.
For those just tuning in, you really should watch Eddie Izzard's stand up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DBNjcuZ-LiSY&ei=5r7nSanCEpzmsgOh_YToAQ&usg=AFQjCNHRXNnSQlLAPnV-DxnCaHlt5Q09uQ
What is this about the UCLA LLM thing?
It will allow 3Ls to take an extra year of classes geared towards teaching them the skills and practices they would have learned as first-year associates.
Oh, and Armen, another big difference between us and the undergrads is that the stigma of not getting a job in our field is huge as law school grads. I was a personal trainer after I graduated from undergrad -- no one cared. You can better believe future legal employers will care if I spent the next year waiting tables, even in this economy. Secondly, LRAP will not kick in unless we have a legal job. At 8% interest accruing as we speak, that stings.
Maybe I'm missing something, but the UCLA program strikes me as a terrible solution. You can take on MORE debt to get a degree no one thinks you need? Surely you can come up with some sort of legal job that looks no less lame on a resume than "LLM in how to be an associate"; even if it's unpaid, your net costs would be lower.
Actually LLMs are helpful for academic and public interest jobs, especially if you didn't specialize in anything in law school and thus can't really claim on a resume that you have "demonstrated a major commitment to X."
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