Academic Affairs
Christy Coombs (Vice-President of Academic Affairs & Committee Head)
Jack Idlas (3L Representative)
Thomas Larkin (3L Representative)
Jonathan Barnett (2L Representative)
Alex George (2L Representative)
Ajit Iyer (2L Representative)
Alexandra Habbouche (1L Representative)
Sean McNulty (1L Representative)
Zhizhou Wang (Leo) (Graduate Student Representative)
Tom Griesheimer (Transfer Student Representative)
Projects:
General
The SBA Academic Committee oversees the academic administration of the law school. They have various activities through the year: Aardvark (effective teaching methods presentations for faculty and students); faculty-student roundtables where students get to socialize under an academic-focused discussion; and we maintain an online outline bank. Most importantly, the Academic Committee serves as a steering committee for the Faculty Committees – these committees have a faculty chair, various faculty members, and students representatives as well. The committees deal with academic administration issues such as faculty appointments and hirings; faculty tenure track; curriculum; career services; disabilities issues; ABA representation; and diversity issues, just to name a few!
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Faculty Committee Student Representatives
The faculty committees serve various functions in the Law School’s administration and governance. Each committee sits two student members who represent the student body’s perspective and provide valuable input for important committee decisions.
The Admissions and Financial Aid Committee deals with issues regarding admissions and financial aid at the Law School. Student representatives: Claire Norsetter (3L) and Stephanie Hilton (2L).
The Curriculum Committee determines the student body’s desires for the curriculum. This committee then brings those desires to the administration’s attention and, along with the administration, discovers ways to effectuate those desires. Student representatives: Colleen Marion (3L) and Brian McCall (2L).
The Faculty Appointments Committee is chiefly involved with hiring new faculty at the Law School. Student representatives: Chris Byers (3L) and Eli Wykell (2L).
The Student Career Opportunities Committee works with the Career Services staff to ascertain how that office might better serve students’ career needs. Student representatives: Lucas Petzold (3L) and Monica Mark (2L).
The Student Disabilities Committee brings the needs of disabled students to the administration’s attention and endeavors to improve the Law School’s environment for students with disabilities. Student representatives: Michael Yang (2L) and Diana Camosy (2L).
The Tenure Committee decides whether to grant tenure by reviewing a professor’s scholarship, teaching, and service to the Law School. Student representatives focus mainly on evaluating a professor’s teaching and service. Student representatives: Janet Mitchell (3L) and Dan Ericson (2L).
The Academic Enhancement Committee works with Asst. Dean Moji Olaniyan to identify and target needed areas of academic enhancement within the curriculum. The Committee will then work with Asst. Dean Olaniyan to implement the Committee’s recommendations. Student representatives: Jack Idlas (3L) and Rachel Krueger (2L).
The Orientation Committee determines the programming and logistics for Incoming Student Orientation in the fall. Student representatives: Christy Coombs, Michael Weigel and Rocco DeFilippis (2Ls).
The faculty committee student members will periodically report committee activities to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, who will announce these updates as necessary at the general Student Bar Council meetings. Collectively, the student members of the faculty committees comprise the SBA Steering Committee. The Steering Committee serves to promote communication among the various faculty committees, the Student Bar Council, and the general student body. Ultimately, the Steering Committee’s goal is encouraging and facilitating student voice in the Law School’s administration and academic affairs.
Contact Jason Foster at jdfoster@wisc.edu with any questions about faculty committees.
