Announcements
Week of 22 April 2024
Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, May 18, at 10am on the Rowen Campus Green (weather permitting)
A celebratory reception will follow. Please see the Commencement website for further details.
Election Results for SBA Executive Board and Class of 2024 Graduation Speaker
Class of 2024 Graduation Speaker: Phoebe Cooper
2024-2025 SBA Representatives:
President: Jonathan Passero
Vice President: David Izzo
Secretary: Elizabeth Ellick
Treasurer: Sadie Richardson
Student Groups Chair: Victor Cochrane
Intramurals Chair: Zack Slogoff
University Senator: Brad Edwards
Events Chair: Basia Peragine
Apparel Chair: Sydney Ryan
Wellness Coordinator: Briana Baier
Alumni Relations Chair: Naseem Memari
Diversity and Inclusion Chair: Gabriela Ontandea
3L Representatives
Emily Dodds
Matthew Ingram
Hannah Posencheg
2L Representatives
Wyatt Ansel
Samuel Beatty
Thank you to our outgoing and 3L members for their dedication and commitment to SBA over the past year. Congratulations and thank you to all candidates who ran and to those who voted, and a special shoutout to Emmy Bebee and Nancy Wheelen, for their help in all the behind-the-scenes coordination. If you have any questions, please email honorboard@law.villanova.edu.
Maura Buri Memorial Excellence in Student Research Prize
The Law Library is now accepting submissions for the Maura Buri Memorial Excellence in Student Research Prize. This prize grants an award to one Villanova Law Student who demonstrates excellent research ability and application in an academic paper that they have written this academic year. Please see the prize webpage for submission eligibility and guidelines. Submissions must be received by May 6, 2024 at 12pm.
Law Library Use During Finals
During finals, library use is limited to those in the Villanova Law community. Please show your ID when you enter the law library. As a reminder, the law library is a quiet study space. Talking/noise is disruptive to other students. Please respect your classmates and take phone calls and other conversations outside the library. Headphones are available for check out at the Circulation Desk for listening to class or other recordings. If you wish to talk with others, please reserve a group study room in the library or the classroom wing or meet in the coffee bar, Student Lounge, or a vacant classroom. Your fellow students greatly appreciate it! The Library also has a limited supply of earplugs – ask for them at the Circulation Desk.
WK Online Study Aids Library, Practice Questions, Old Exams and More!
Our Aspen Learning Library offers many different study aids including Casenote Legal Briefs, Emanuel CrunchTime and Law Outlines, Examples & Explanations, Glannon Guides, the Inside Series and many more. Also check out our Study Aids research guide for other study guides, links to the old exam database and other materials to get you ready for finals. Try CALI tutorials to help you review concepts and quiz yourself as you go along. We also have 1L textbooks available for checkout at the Circulation Desk. And if you’re finishing up a research paper, review our other Research Guides for more sources or contact reference@law.villanova.edu for additional assistance. Good luck on your exams!
Summer Resources Guide: Prepare for Your Job, Learn About Summer/Post-Grad Database Access, Pick up New Skills and More!
Check out our Summer Resources Guide to view the summer and post-graduation access to Bloomberg, Lexis, and Westlaw. The guide also has resources for walking you through researching your employer ahead of your first day of work, tips for handling research assignments, resources like Procertas, Write.law, and database certifications to update your skills and more!
3L Survey
3Ls, if you have not yet completed the 3L Survey, please do so here at your earliest opportunity. This survey is confidential and anonymous.
SBA Student Organization Leadership Transitions for 2024-25
SBA student groups should submit their 2024-25 exec boards using this form by April 26th. This upcoming academic year, bylaws will be required to establish policies specific to your organization to help mitigate issues that may arise. If your group needs to create bylaws, you can find a set of sample bylaws attached to the 4/4 email from VLS Student Groups. This information is very helpful to update the website and for SBA and the Student Affairs office.
If you have any other questions regarding student group transitions or starting a new group, please contact Nancy Whalen or Emmy Bebee via email at studentaffairs@law.villanova.edu.
April is Stress Awareness Month
Villanova’s Mental Health and Well-Being Committee wants to remind you that April is Stress Awareness month. We are highlighting Stress Awareness Month to raise awareness of the negative impact of stress. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there is no single definition for stress, but the most common explanation is physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension. And while not all stress is bad, long-term stress can have harmful impacts on physical and mental health. We want to remind you that it’s important to recognize what stress and anxiety look like, take steps to build resilience and manage stress, and know where to go for help. For more information and resources visit https://thrive365.villanova.edu/ or the Office of Health Promotion’s Stress Management Coaching Sessions or make an appointment with the University Counseling Center.
Worship Opportunities on Campus
Wednesdays at 12:30pm Chapel of Our Lady, Mirror of Justice, dedicated in memory of Helen A. O’Connor
Mass is held at the Law School when classes are in session. The last Mass at the Law School Chapel for this semester will be on May 8th. Other opportunities for worship can be found on the Campus Ministry website. For other information, you may contact Fr. Aldo Potencio, OSA at aldo.potencio@villanova.edu.
Smoking Policy Reminder
Smoking is prohibited inside and within 75 feet all University buildings, including the Law School, which includes…
- the front of the law school,
- the walkway from the parking garage,
- the outdoor dining area,
- all entrances.
This policy covers all tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and dip. Thank you for your cooperation.
Commencement Information
The Law School’s Commencement for the Class of 2024 will take place on Saturday, May 18th. We encourage all graduating students to review the Commencement website and emails you receive from the Law School Commencement team so you are informed about commencement-related events and information. If you have specific questions, please email the Villanova Law Commencement Team.
Clean Out Your Locker
Lockers will be cleaned over the summer. Please remove all items from your locker by the end of the semester and leave the lock open on the locker. Any items remaining in lockers after Monday, May 20th, will be discarded.
1Ls and 2Ls: If you want a different locker next year, contact Cheryl Baro at baro@law.villanova.edu.
3Ls: If you want to use your locker while you study for the Bar exam, contact Cheryl Baro at baro@law.villanova.edu.
Gazette Submissions
This is the last Gavel Gazette for this semester. If you have an item to include in the first issue for the Fall semester, please send it to gavelgazette@law.villanova.edu by 3pm on Friday, August 18.
Absence Reporting Form
If you have missed or know you will miss a class session and believe the absence may be excused, please use this form to record the absence and have it excused where applicable. Please note that individual faculty members DO NOT receive submitted forms, so you must still notify your professors independently of any absences.
DEI LibGuide
A new DEI LibGuide has been added to the CWSL LibGuide Section. The DEI LibGuide includes information about the law school and university Offices of DEI, the DEI Committee list, processing DEI environmental complaints, student organizations, and affinity groups, a glossary of DEI terms, and details about the Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas Community Award. Refer any questions, suggestions, and recommendations about the LibGuide content to the Office of DEI.
Wellness Resources for Students
Villanova University School of Law faculty and staff care about you. We remind all law students to prioritize your physical, emotional, and mental health. It is important to reach out if you are going through a challenge, feeling overwhelmed, need to talk or want to find ways to maintain balance in your life.
(NEW) UCC Counselors at Law School: Dr. Candice Post and Dr. Allison Kosloff from the University Counseling Center are available to meet with law students here at the Law School on Mondays and Tuesdays from noon until 4:30pm. Interested students must schedule an appointment in advance. To schedule an appointment:
- Call 610-519-4050 weekdays between 9am and 5pm, or
- Submit the ONLINE APPOINTMENT REQUEST FORM to receive a call from the Counseling Center to schedule your appointment.
- When the UCC staff calls back to confirm the appointment, please indicate you want the appointment at the Law School location (Room 138) with one of the embedded counselors.
University Counseling Center: Please see the Counseling Center’s website regarding their message for continuity of care, on-line appointment request form, local referrals or prescription refill if you have been seeing the University psychiatrist. Law Students have full access to the University Counseling center M-F, 9-5 610 519- 4050 and UWill 24/7 Telehealth Counseling
Villanova’s Health and Well-Being website
Nancy Whalen, Director of Student Affairs and Wellbeing can help you if you need to connect to resources, want a wellness check-in or need to discuss a specific concern. Email her at whalen@law.villanova.edu or schedule a time to meet with Nancy.
In an emergency, call Villanova Public Safety at 610-519-4444.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers: LCL is fully operational during this time of uncertainty. They have one staff rotating in the office each day to ensure every helpline call will be thoroughly handled. Their volunteer base of 295 law students, attorneys, and judges are ready, willing, and able to assist any student, staff or faculty member that may be struggling LCL’s 24/7 helpline is 888-999-1941 and their website is also a wealth of information www.lclpa.org
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 160 crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
