By Katie Vincer Sears
This fall the inaugural class of the Juris Doctor Online Program enters its second year. This new year is accompanied by some surprises.
We continue utilizing Blackboard as the platform with weekly modules. However, our format has shifted from three required and succinct weekly lecture courses to two required and one elective varying course dependent schedule. Last year, as 1Ls in the JDO Program, we were uniformly all enrolled within the same three courses for both the fall and spring semesters. During those semesters, attendance mandatory synchronous lectures were held every Tuesday evening, with the course alternating, and then AEP was on Thursday evenings.
The past summer semester allowed for more individualization as the band broke up for my classmates and me to focus on our own law school journey. Most enrolled in one to three courses while others decided to take the summer off. We also had the freedom to select our summer courses and had no required courses.
While the program began shape-shifting during the summer, it was unexpectedly different this fall. For this fall semester, both Civil Procedure and Constitutional Law are required. Then we select a third course, if desired. However, we were surprised just two weeks prior to the start of class when we were informed that our synchronous sessions would not be held every Tuesday evening. Instead, this semester, Civil Procedure has lectures on Monday evenings, with the majority being optional attendance, and Constitutional Law has lectures every other Friday afternoon. The last minute discovery of our synchronous session schedule was initially challenging. However, hats off to both Dean Brian Ray and Prof. Abby Moncrieff for compiling excellent and thorough lectures within their modules.
Also new this year is that some JDO students are on journals and some are researching with professors, while a fellow JDO student and I will partake in Moot Court this season. Additionally, SBA has provided JDO’s with representation within student government, Thank You! These opportunities allow the JDO students increased integration into the CSU Law School’s general student body. These aspects of the program enhance a JDO student’s sense of community.
After the initial shock of the change of cadence, we’ve adjusted to the new format over the past several weeks. Personally, I’m enjoying this year’s format, but warn future JDO 2L’s to be prepared for similar changes. Lastly, some of the most exciting changes are that last year we welcomed two JDO babies and we’re looking forward to more JDO babies this year!
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