2008 Workshop on Retention of Minority Law School Teachers
June 25 – June 26, 2008
Washington, D.C.
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Program
Program is supported in part by a grant from the Law School Admission Council.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Registration
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
AALS Reception
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008
8:30 – 8:50 a.m.
Coffee, Tea and Breakfast Pastry
9:00 - 9:15 a.m.
Welcome
Michael Green, Wake Forest University, Chair of the Planning Committee, for the 2008 Workshop for New Law School Teachers, Workshop for New Law School Clinical Teachers and Workshop on Retention of Minority Law School Teachers
-view welcome-
9:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Promotion and Tenure: Getting to Yes
Tanya Kateri Hernandez, The George Washington University -view materials-
Mark Niles, American University
Nancy H. Rogers, The Ohio State University
A dance of courtship? Sink or swim? An arduous marathon? A minefield? How do, should and can pre-tenure faculty of color and their institutions actively own their tenure process? Taking as a starting point both that the tenureship process presents particular challenges for pre-tenure faculty and that institutions seek a positive outcome when they hire faculty members of color, this panel will discuss best practices both for institutions and for pre-tenure faculty members. Looking both at and beyond the espoused triumvirate of scholarship, teaching and service, panel members will share best practices for getting to “yes!”
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Refreshment Break
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Teaching: Strategies to Success
Adrienne D. Davis, Washington University
Timothy Davis, Wake Forest University -view materials- -view bibliography-
Serena Maria Williams, Widener University -view materials-
There may be “born” teachers who are able to command the classroom and foster an environment that encourages student participation and trust without breaking a sweat. But for most of us, there are a variety of specific challenges to face in the classroom, particularly for minority and female colleagues. Often, minority teachers report more specialized challenges in the classroom stemming from classroom dynamics that are hard to spot and to know how to address. In this workshop, we identify and address particular issues that may be of concern for minority colleagues. How do I deal with difficult students? How do I ensure diverse participation in the classroom? How should I address the various differences among students-particularly racial or gender differences-and differences between students and myself? In this workshop, these teachers will offer some tips on how to plan and facilitate classroom teaching in both large and small venues, and to be a more effective teacher.
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
AALS Sponsored Luncheon
Blake D. Morant, Wake Forest University
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
Service: Strategies to Success
Leonard M. Baynes, St. John’s University -view handout-
Cynthia E. Nance, University of Arkansas
-view outline-
Although the service requirement is usually the most pleasant piece of the tenure puzzle, the eager new faculty member can easily be overwhelmed by service assignments. Often, minority colleagues face this pressure most acutely, particularly given the interest in generating greater visibility of diverse faculty and students, as well as efforts to ensure that important committees have the benefit of minority input. In this session, experienced professors will take you through “Law Faculty Basic Training,” and discuss the ins and outs of collegiality; the importance of attendance (and when attendance is not so important); how to identify potential mentors and allies; choosing the best opportunities for university, law school and community service; and finally, when to say yes and how to say no. Special attention will also be paid to different types of service obligations colleagues may face on appointments, public service, and scholarship committees (to name just a few), and how to become an institutional team player while balancing other scholarly and teaching obligations.
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Scholarship: Strategies to Success
A. Mechele Dickerson, University of Texas -view materials-
Xuan-Thao Nguyen, Southern Methodist University
Clearly, scholarly production is crucial to one’s becoming a professor. This panel will discuss the ins and outs of scholarship, particularly for the minority legal scholar who may face issues that differ somewhat from the average entry level law professor. How do I pick a topic? What kind of research should I perform? At what point should I be thinking about a scholarly agenda (as opposed to an idea for a particular paper)? How should I hire and use research assistants? What should my writing process look like? What do I do if I am stuck? At what stage should I circulate a draft? To whom should I circulate a draft? How do I deal with feedback? How do I identify allies and colleagues at other schools who will share an interest in my work? What conferences, fellowships, and awards should I think about as I develop as a scholar? What about blogging and other opportunities for interaction with others? How much does placement in law reviews matter? How should I think about the desirability of publishing in a second- or third-journal published at one law school as compared to the primary journal at another? And what about negotiating with other law reviews after I’ve received an acceptance-how do I maneuver in that world? This panel will engage these, among other, questions and prepare you for both short and long term success as a legal scholar.
3:45 – 4:00p.m.
Refreshment Break
4:00 – 4:45 p.m.
Small Group Discussions: Scholarship
4:55 – 5:25 p.m.
Plenary Session - You Can Do This
Dorothy Andrea Brown, Emory University
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