MARCH 31, 2015 | ULTRAVIRES.CA
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO FACULTY OF LAW
Inside U of T Law’s Marketing Efforts AMANI RAUFF (1L) Hard work goes into maintaining U of T Law’s reputation for “excellence.” Every year, prospective students decide that it offers something worth $10,000 to $20,000 more than other Canadian law schools. While some of the gap may be offset by financial aid, the difference is often enough to leave many students on the fence about whether to apply, or accept an offer. Communication strategies can help. “Toronto was playing a whole different game than the other schools when it comes to admissions” reported second-year student Zachary Al-Khatib. The financial aid assessment “changed things a little,” but did not quite justify leaving his home province of Alberta. The school’s outreach ultimately made the difference. Al-Khatib was impressed by the promptness and personalized attention the Faculty put into responding to his concerns. He also appreciated the tailored welcome package—a personal phone call, a couriered acceptance package, letters signed personally by the Dean. “They explicitly communicated that they wanted you.”
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX WONG (3L)
The Message Assistant Dean Alexis Archbold, who oversees admissions, said the Faculty of Law has at least two key messages for prospective students: the strength of the “program” and the “community.” But with a reputation for excellence, says Archbold, comes a reputation for exclusivity. One of the main communication challenges is “that it’s really hard to get in” and so the Faculty seeks to “communicate that we are a great law school for students from all segments of Canadian society, who have interests from across the spectrum […].”
Another challenge is the perception that the law school has a strong “corporate” or “Bay Street” focus. “We worry,” said Archbold, “that our brand that’s out there conveys messages [based on which] certain students would select out.” The Faculty attempts to address these issues in two ways. First, by “correct[ing] the record, say[ing] that we’re not a Bay Street school…[that] we think of ourselves as a very strong program that students who have a variety of interests may choose to come to.” And second, through outreach methods such as offering application fee waivers, and utilizing a “holistic” admissions process. Of course, some might question whether these efforts “correct” the record. Concerns about rising tuition, stagnating financial aid funds, and a focus on Bay Street jobs have been hot button issues within the school, not just for prospective students, for over a decade. Asked whether the Faculty agreed with admissions director Jerome Poon-Ting’s statement to Ultra Vires last year implying that the law school’s reputation for inclusivity and affordability is largely a messaging problem, Archbold did not answer directly. She emphasized the school’s efforts to promote the financial aid program to prospective students who might be dissuaded by the “sticker amount.” How the School Reaches Out U of T Law communicates with prospective students—and the general public—through
continued on p. 11
Library Move Causes Frustration MAUD ROZEE (1L) It didn’t take long for the cracks to appear in the new Bora Laskin Law Library. On the library’s opening day, students discovered an unsealed gap between the walls of the group study rooms on the north side of the ground floor. The gap is an inch and a half wide, and renders the study rooms completely un-soundproof. According to Interim Chief Librarian Gian Medves, the gap has been classified as a “design deficiency,” which means the gap was planned from the outset. The building construction team is currently working on an aesthetically acceptable
way to seal the gaps. The rest of the library’s group study rooms, which are upstairs on the other side of the building, are well-sealed. Although librarians and students alike appreciate having access to the new space, Medves says the unfinished details are causing frustration. Some desks have outlets that are not connected to the building’s power system. Seven of the building’s twelve group study rooms are not yet open for use. “It’s been this hurry up and wait situation— getting in here quickly and then finding these deficiencies. We feel the students’ frustration,”
Medves said. If the city building inspector grants the school an occupancy permit, the librarians will be able to open up the rest of the library’s upper floor. Medves anticipates that the occupancy permit will also reduce complaints about SNAILS (Students Not Actually In Law School) in the Reading Room—they will be able to study in different parts of the library. SNAILS aren’t the only intruders causing problems. Facebook threads of amusement and outrage emerged following Medves’ recent email,
which chastised students for “attempting to sneak food into the Library” after students alerted library staff to the presence of mice. “I didn’t mean to say that it was necessarily the food that was creating the mouse problem,” Medves said. “I know we’re in a construction zone; there may be ways in for them.” Students expressed frustrations over the library’s food prohibition on Facebook. “The administration's job is to REMOVE obstacles to
continued on p. 3
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE PERSONAL STATEMENTS VS. REALITY
ALCOHOL AND LAW SCHOOL
FINAL FACULTY COUNCIL
PAGE 16
PAGE 8
PAGE 2