Presidential Program II - Law School Diversity in a Post-Racial World

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AALS President H. Reese Hansen in his inaugural address entitled "Principles to Guide Us" spoke about the importance of focusing on AALS core values during these uncertain times. One of those core values is the value of diversity in the classroom, the profession, and the judiciary. He highlighted the diminishing enrollment of Black and Latino/a students in our law schools since the turn of the twenty-first century as well as the pressure faced by member schools to focus on securing higher LSAT scores with each new incoming class. The other core value he discussed was the importance of preserving faculty governance. This panel will focus on both of those core values by examining diversity issues facing students as well as faculty members all during a so-called "post-racial" era.

Professor Kevin Brown will discuss the new U.S. Department of Education guidelines on "counting" the race and ethnicity of our students and what impact that might have for member schools as well as on the AALS' core value of diversity. Professor Dorothy Brown will describe a study by Professor Rachel D. Godsil which for the first time attempts to apply the "stereotype threat" literature in the context of undergraduate students taking the LSAT. Professor Chiu will discuss the 21st century challenges of retaining professors of color. Dean Syverud will moderate. Time will be left for significant audience participation and this should prove to be a lively and thought-provoking session.