Message from the Dean: KU Law response to COVID-19


From: Dean Stephen Mazza
To: KU Law community
Date: March 12, 2020

In light of the announcement from Chancellor Girod and Provost Bichelmeyer, all law school classes for the week of March 16-22 are canceled. Classes will be conducted by distance learning starting on March 23 until at least March 29. This will continue until the university resumes in-person classes.

The latest news from the university is available at coronavirus.ku.edu. Law school-specific information will be posted at law.ku.edu/coronavirus-information.

The law school’s offices and the Green Hall building will remain open. The KU campus will also remain open. Services including the Wheat Law Library, the registrar’s office, academic support and the Career Services Office will be open next week, with some services operating remotely. We will provide updates as they become available.

Some additional matters to address:

  • Faculty Training for Online Teaching: We will organize training sessions for faculty to prepare their classes for online instruction. We anticipate the training sessions will be conducted starting early next week. Sessions will be conducted at Green Hall, but faculty who would like to complete training remotely will be permitted to do so. I will follow up with the faculty with a schedule for training in the near future.
  • Events and Activities: All law school events and activities scheduled for March 12-22 – including student organization events happening outside the building – will be canceled. In accordance with university guidelines, events with an expected attendance of over 50 people will be canceled until at least March 29. We will continue to assess this situation and follow university guidance on future events. Updates will be available on the law school’s online calendar.
  • Travel: We will follow the university’s guidelines that all university-sponsored and business-related travel and attendance at meetings, conferences, etc. will be discontinued. This includes travel for moot court competitions.
  • Clinics and Field Placements: Our clinical faculty is working on a plan for students in clinical or field placement courses, which we expect to communicate soon.
  • Access to Technology: The university is encouraging students to stay home as they work on their courses. We recognize some students may need to remain on campus for various reasons, including access to technology. If you have a need for accessing a computer to complete work, please Kris Koenig, IT coordinator, at kris.koenig@ku.edu.
  • Library Hours – Week of March 16-22: The library will operate on an abbreviated schedule next week.

Thank you for your patience as we work through this evolving situation. The health and safety of our community are our priority as we navigate decisions in the weeks ahead. Please contact me with any questions you may have.

Stephen Mazza
Dean and Professor of Law