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Sunday, April 15, 2012

Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Renowned Trial Attorney Donates Law Library to Texas Southern University



Diverse Issues in Higher Education

April 12, 2012

Renowned Trial Attorney Donates Law Library to Texas Southern University


One of the nation’s most storied trial lawyers and educational philanthropists has donated a major gift to Texas Southern University (TSU)—his law library.

The 1,200-volume collection of books and journals from longtime Houston attorney Joe Jamail is currently being catalogued and organized by campus librarians, says TSU law dean Dannye Holley. Jamail’s gift has an estimated $3 million value. TSU officials hope to have the materials ready for student and faculty use by this fall, if not sooner.

In announcing the donation last week, Jamail credited Texas state Senator Rodney Ellis, a TSU alumnus, with steering him toward TSU.

"We’re quite grateful for the gift,” Holley says, “and for Ellis being the major reason (Jamail) looked in our direction.”

Dr. John Rudley, TSU president, notes, “Sometimes great things happen that you don’t expect. This is one of those things. Joe is known for breaking down barriers.”

In a 60-year career earning him the nickname “King of Torts,” Jamail has been lead counsel for more than 100 personal-injury cases in which each verdict or settlement tallied at least $1 million. His victories have resulted in product recalls from the marketplace of a Remington Mohawk rifle, a Honda all-terrain, three-wheel vehicle and the prescription drug Parlodel. In the Pennzoil v. Texaco case of the mid-1980s, Jamail convinced a jury that a proverbial handshake agreement ought to carry the weight of a signed contract. The jury decided Texaco had derailed Pennzoil’s efforts to acquire Getty Oil and awarded Pennzoil $11 billion, the biggest award in U.S. history for civil damages.

Alongside the information resources that Jamail’s gift will provide TSU students, Holley envisions further opportunities springing from the gift. For instance, TSU officials are considering offering alumni selected sets of volumes from the newly acquired collection in exchange for in-kind, reciprocal gifts to the university. “Some of these books would be wonderful for a young lawyer’s starter library,” Holley says.

Graduates of the law school, which is named after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, have gone on to careers in Congress, the Texas legislature, the judiciary and throughout the legal profession. In recent years, it has been consistently recognized as having one of the most ethnically diverse enrollments nationally. Currently, about 48 percent of law students are Black, 20 percent are Hispanic, 20 percent are White and the rest are other non-White minorities, according to Holley.

TSU officials also are having discussions with Jamail—whose charitable gifts have benefited the University of Texas, Rice University and several medical and health-science schools—about him guest-lecturing on campus about topics such as litigation, class-action lawsuits and a life in law.

“He has signaled that he wants more of an affiliation with us,” Holley says. “We’re delighted because he has long been a fighter for the common good.”

Holley believes Jamail’s interest, coupled with his library gift, can boost the law school’s appeal among prospective students. “Jamail’s gestures make our school more marketable and fit into our effort to build an experiential program,” he says.

After a recent ceremony at his law office announcing the gift, Jamail chatted with leaders of TSU’s student bar association and law review publications. He showed them many keepsakes and photos from his career and recounted the tales and the clients behind them, Holley says, adding how the young people were particularly intrigued and amused by a Xerox copy of a filled-out, bank deposit slip stemming from a case: It was for $3 billion.

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Dillard University Live Text Data Alert Spring 2012

 

Please read and complete the requested information. Assistance is everywhere as mentioned previously. We must complete these activities.

Sincerely,
Ramona Jean-Perkins

_____________________________________________________________ 

TO:                        QEP Faculty

FROM:                 Ramona Jean-Perkins, Ph.D.

RE:                        Data Alert – QEP

Today is April 12, 2012. It is of grave concern that most courses do not reflect data entered into Live Text. For fact, most QEP courses already have 80% – 85% of their students with valid login accounts. This means that students have already created their LiveText login accounts and are ready to upload their work; however, they cannot upload their work in a vacuum. An assignment must exist prior to their upload. It is evident that at least one assignment has not been uploaded, submitted by students, and scored.

We have met, provided resources, stipends, and reminders. Many of you indicated verbally, that you folded the assignment into your mid-term exams (or by mid-term). Others indicated that students produced presentations on the topic which was scored. Data can't be collected unless the student uploads their work and the work is graded is by the instructor and scored using the rubrics attached to the assignment.

Assignments not yet given must be uploaded the week of 4/16/2012. Some students sent to Dr. Okpalaeze to enter their assignment could not do so because of the absence of an assignment . Stipends and other perks were not provided for a one-day occurrence. At this time we should be off and running, having institutionalized this process. In the near future, all faculty must engage in this process. First -Year students enroll and register for a Live Text account upon registration, however, these accounts are NOT activated until an assignment is given and scored.

               The following assistance should assist in this task:

·        See the attachment listing Web Sites, lessons and activities on the topic of Immigration

·        Call upon the following persons who have volunteered to assist upon request (schedule a time with them). If you have an assignment and need assistance uploading it;

o   Ms. Cynthia Charles X 4263

o   Ms Germaine Carey-Palmer X4254

·        Reference to an email earlier in (Dr.)   How to upload and score an assignment.

·        An assignment shell has been created in the shell for you to ‘cut & paste’ or input your own.

·        http://www.bamaed.ua.edu/livetext/ - LIVE TEXT Tutorial

Another check of data entry will occur on April 25th. Please contact me should you have any questions.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Websites on the topic of Immigration.

These  are a few websites that provide topics and activities on the topic of Immigration. They are ready sources that can be used ‘as is’ or can be modified.

Use the Critical Thinking Rubric to assess student’s work through Live Text.

 



1.       Best off History Website an EdTechTeacherResource (Immigration)
2.       Tell Us How To Teach About Immigration (Teaching Tolerance (A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center
Articles located at this web site include:

·        Arizona Legalizes Racial Profiling

·        Alabama’s Immigration Law: The New Jim Crow

·        The Human Face if Immigration

·        “Unite & Overcome”
These short articles can be the basis of your assignment.
3.      Destination America: Teacher’s Guide
4.      National Discussion & Debate Series –http://millercenter.org/public/debates/immigration/lessonplans

5.      Illegal Immigrant Student Aid – Steps for Developing a Controversial Paper-

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Dillard University CORRECTION-Spring 2012 Prospective Graduates Final Grades



Greetings Faculty,

Final exams for 2012 prospective graduates begins on Monday, April 16 – Saturday, April 21, 2012 and grades are due on Monday, April 23, 2012 at 9am. An email has been sent to all faculty who have 2012 prospective graduates enrolled in their courses. Attached are the grading instructions for prospective graduates. Grades are due on Monday, April 23, 2012 at 9am. Please make sure all prospective graduates grades are submitted on time to ensure we meet all commencement deadlines.

The myDU portal will open to enter only 2012 prospective graduates’ final grades at 10am, Monday, April 16, 2012. Final grades are due Monday, April 23, 2012 at 9am.

Guidelines for myDU grade entry:

  • If a student does not appear on your roster please contact me immediately via your DU email account
  • Enter the last day of attendance and the number absences for each student. The system will not let you submit your grades without the last date of attendance and number of absences.
· Every student should receive a final grade of A, B, C, D, P, F, FA, or NC.

· All zero credit courses should receive a grade of “P” for pass and “NC” for failure.

· For students who did not successfully complete the course due to the Attendance Policy should be issued a grade of “FA” Failure for Attendance.

  • ALL FINAL GRADES ARE DUE at 9:00 am on Monday, April 23rd 

It is very important that all 2012 prospective graduates are graded during this grading period.


Those faculty members who did not received an email but have students stating they are a 2012 prospective graduate please send me an email including the students name and ID number. Please do not send the student to the Office of Records and Registration the student should meet with their Academic Advisor to assist with resolving this concern.


If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me directly.


Best,

Ms. England

Pam England

Registrar/Director of Records and Registration
Dillard University
Office of Records and Registration
2601 Gentilly Boulevard New Orleans, LA 70122
504.816.4705 (Office)
504.816.4391 (Fax)

"Your Avenue of Opportunity"

_______________________________________________________________
MEMORANDUM

To:                  Faculty

Cc:                  Dr. Phyllis Dawkins, Associate Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
                        Dr. Toya Barnes-Teamer, Vice-President for Student Success
                        Dr. Alecia Cyprian, Assistant Vice-President for Enrollment Management

From:             Pam England, Registrar/Director of Records & Registration

Date:             April 15, 2012

Re:                  Spring 2012 Final Grading Instructions for Prospective Graduates         


The myDU portal will open to enter only 2012 prospective graduates’ final grades at 10am Monday, April 16, 2012.  Final grades are due Monday, April 23, 2012 at 9am. 


Guidelines for myDU grade entry:

  • If a student does not appear on your roster please contact me immediately via your DU email account

  • Enter the last day of attendance and the number absences for each student.  The system will not let you submit your grades without the last date of attendance and number of absences.

·       Every student should receive a final grade of A, B, C, D, P, F, FA, or NC.

·       All zero credit courses should issue a grade of “P” for pass and “NC” for failure.


·       For students who did not successfully complete the course due to the Attendance Policy should be issued a grade of “FA” Failure for Attendance.

  • ALL FINAL GRADES ARE DUE at 9:00 am on Monday, April 23rd  

Please contact me via email pengland@dillard.edu if you are unable to access your course(s) on myDU and if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation!

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