Mitchell Hamline School of Law

2022-23 Mitchell Hamline School of Law Catalog

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Mitchell Hamline School of Law COVID-19 Policies

A. COVID-19 Health Policies and Protocols

NOTE: The law school urges students to prioritize personal and community health and safety over work and class responsibilities, and to comply with the following procedures described below. The school will support you.

Effective August 1, 2022, all MHSL students and employees are expected to follow the COVID-19 Health Protocols listed below and posted on the COVID-19 dashboard.

Beginning August 1, 2022, all students will need to provide documentation that they are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines. Up-to-date status includes one booster for those who are eligible. Students must update their vaccine status in their student record.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and any other applicable state or local law, Mitchell Hamline School of Law will provide reasonable accommodations for vaccinations to qualified students with documented disabilities, other medical reasons that may not qualify as a disability under federal, state, or local law, or with sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, or practices that conflict with the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, unless providing such accommodations creates an undue hardship for the law school. All requests will be reviewed by the Office of the Dean of Students.  The vaccine accommodation policy and request form are posted on the Dean of Students webpage. Forms and documentation will be reviewed as quickly as possible upon receipt.

NOTE: By providing information about their vaccine status, students are certifying that it is true and correct. Knowingly providing false information about vaccination status is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and may be subject to a conduct investigation.

Monitor health for symptoms of COVID-19 on a daily basis.

Stay home if feeling ill regardless of actual or suspected reason for illness.

Get tested if you suspect you may have COVID-19. See MDH COVID-19 Testing Sites.

Stay home and report if you test positive for COVID-19:

  • Complete and submit the COVID-19 Reporting Form. Information on this form is critical for the school to conduct contact tracing to limit further transmission.
  • If you are a student, please contact Dean LeMoine at lynn.lemoine@mitchellhamline.edu for further instructions. Students will be required to be evaluated before returning to campus . They should be prepared to discuss test results, symptoms, and exposures. If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home and away from others, even if you do not have symptoms.
    • Symptoms may appear up to 14 days after you are close to someone with COVID-19 (exposed).
    • You can spread COVID-19 to others several days before you have any symptoms, or even if you never have any symptoms of COVID-19.
  • If you are up to date on vaccines and test positive for COVID-19, you still need to stay home and away from others.

If you are in close contact to someone who tests positive for COVID-19:

Maintain physical distance in common areas when feasible:

  • There are no specific requirements for physical distancing at this time; however, it is advised to avoid crowding into rooms/spaces and to maintain some additional distance in common spaces if feasible.
  • Physical distancing requirements may be reinstated if conditions warrant this action.

Additional steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illness:

  • Protect yourself and others (see MDH prevention guidelines)
  • Stay home when feeling ill for any reason.
  • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
  • Avoid shaking hands.
  • Cough and sneeze into the inside of elbow.
  • Get a seasonal flu shot when available.

Mask Policy

Mask policies are communicated via email and on the COVID-19 dashboard. Students are responsible for complying with all current mask policies. The school may take additional measures to respond to changing circumstances, as necessary

B. COVID-19 Attendance Policies

  1. The Mitchell Hamline School of Law Attendance Policy applies to all Mitchell Hamline courses. Under the Attendance Policy, regular and punctual class attendance is required. Faculty must keep a record of each student’s attendance, and must report to the Dean of Students, or their delegate, any student whose absences are presumptively excessive. Missing more than 2 regularly-scheduled in-person classroom hours per credit hour (e.g., missing more than 6 classroom hours of a 3-credit course); failing to log into an online or blended course for more than one week; and missing any time during in-person preparation sessions or capstone weeks are all considered presumptively excessive absences. Faculty are authorized to impose more stringent attendance policies provided that when a faculty member imposes an attendance policy that differs from this policy, the faculty member shall publish their attendance policy in their syllabus for the course and shall make the policy available to the Vice Dean, Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Dean of Students.
  2. Attendance Policy for synchronous remote class sessions:
    The Mitchell Hamline School of Law Attendance Policy applies to all Mitchell Hamline synchronous remote courses. Students are responsible for attending all synchronous classes at the scheduled class meeting time. Student attendance may be measured in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to: polling, hand raising, class discussions, or use of video function in Zoom.The school is committed to supporting students during these changing circumstances. It is important that students communicate closely with the Dean of Students if they are concerned about excessive absences. Students who are ill, or caring for someone who is ill, should contact the Dean of Students to discuss options and ongoing support.

C. COVID-19 Grading Policies

All classes will be graded according to the usual grading policies.

D. SBA and Student Organizations

All SBA and Student Organization meetings and events must follow current COVID-19 Protocols posted on the COVID-19 Dashboard. Events being held in person must be preapproved. Students wishing to hold meetings or events on or off campus should contact student.services@mitchellhamline for support at least 2 weeks in advance of the event.  We encourage students to plan for including remote participants in all events and meetings.

E. COVID-19 Building Access

Beginning August 1, 2022, all students must be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or have an approved vaccine accommodation on file to access the law school buildings. Students must enter the law using their student ID/access card. Students must not “tailgate” others, nor allow others to “tailgate” in.

F. COVID-19 Travel Policies

Student travel policies for 2022-2023

  1. Student Organization travel. Given the health concerns raised by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mitchell Hamline must preapprove any Student Organization travel for the 2022-2023 school year. Questions about student travel should be referred to Student.Services@mitchellhamline.edu. This includes use of SBA funds for student organization travel to conferences, competitions, or other Student Organization events. Domestic travel for MHSL-sponsored events will generally be permitted pursuant to regular practices and guidelines but consideration to the location’s public health conditions should be given serious consideration. Students are encouraged to seek opportunities to participate in such activities remotely. Requests for MHSL-sponsored international travel will be evaluated by the supervising faculty or staff person in coordination with the school’s COVID-19 planning team.
  2. Personal travel. If traveling internationally, MHSL students should follow the CDC guidelines following travel. If traveling domestically, MHSL students should check the guidelines for individual destination states which may require out-of-state travelers to quarantine or take other protective measures.
  3. Public transportation. Please exercise caution if using public transportation. Refer to CDC guidelines on transportation.

G. Compliance with COVID-19 Policies

  1. It is expected that members of the Mitchell Hamline community will comply with these school policies. Education and community responsibility is our preferred method to address isolated occurrences of non-compliance. Widespread failure to adhere to health protocols may lead to a loss of access to building spaces, classes, or disciplinary action for students under the Student Code of Conduct.
  2. Reports of non-compliance with health protocols will be handled as follows:
    1. Education and Awareness. We will make every effort to resolve issues informally through education and awareness about the health protocols and the need for compliance.
    2. Students will be instructed to comply with the school’s COVID-19 health protocols. If a student refuses to comply, the student may be asked to leave the building.
    3. If a student is asked to leave the building, it should be reported to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students will follow up with an email to the student reiterating expectations (including a reminder of the health protocols, and the Student Code of Conduct).
    4. If a second violation is reported to the Dean of Students, a non-disciplinary warning letter will be issued to the student, noting that the student will be subject to a Conduct Code investigation if the student does not comply with the required health protocols.
    5. Any subsequent violations may result in disciplinary action under sections 4.4, 4.5, or 4.6 of the Student Code of Conduct. Sanctions may include limits to campus access, or any other sanction authorized under the Code of Conduct.

Questions about these policies should be directed to Dean LeMoine:

Office: 651-695-7668 Cell: 651-447-8839 lynn.lemoine@mitchellhamline.edu

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