Dear Fellow Alumni,
Since the spring, our lives - and those of the Cardozo community - have been transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. At Cardozo, I was so proud of the flexibility and grit exhibited by our students and faculty as we switched to remote learning in mid-March. At the same time, we have entered a new and momentous era of civil rights advocacy that has challenged our institutions to do more to confront the legacy of racism. In response, the Law School held a series of events this summer to begin a constructive dialogue on that topic.
In response to the shutdown and the uncertainty in the job market caused by the virus, the Law School created a robust summer program for our students, which included summer skills courses, expanded internship opportunities, and 120 faculty research assistant positions. We have been helping our students at every turn, giving them the support, they need to engage in remote learning, providing funds for secure Wi-Fi services, and advocating for a fair and transparent bar exam alternative for our remarkable Class of 2020.
Our faculty has plunged into the work of mastering the capabilities of remote teaching technologies, to ensure that remote classes are engaging and effective. Every Tuesday throughout the summer, the faculty met to learn tips and techniques from one another. We are committed to making sure that we maintain the quality of a Cardozo education throughout the pandemic.
And now, fall is upon us! Last week, I was thrilled to welcome the fall cohort of the class of 2023, who will join an intrepid band of 49 students who started remotely in May. The challenges of protecting the health of our community during COVID-19 are pronounced in a vertical campus with elevators and narrow hallways. For that reason, almost all of our classes will be held remotely this semester, although each 1L student has the option of attending one core course in person. You can read the most updated Fall 2020 protocols on our newly designed website.
Our faculty and staff have also been rethinking our engagement with our alumni base. For example, we hosted a group of very popular webinars this summer, which many of you took advantage of. Our creative staff is working hard to find new ways to enable alumni to engage with the School and our students. Stay tuned!
Additionally, thank you to all those who prioritized Cardozo through their generous philanthropy! 971 donors gave more than $2.9 million to our worthy initiatives helping us reach our 2019-2020 fundraising goal and enriching our students’ lives in so many ways. For those who gave to our student support fund and our public interest summer stipend program; you have our students’ backs, and they are grateful! In the month of June alone, nearly 100 individuals made gifts to Cardozo, which helped secure an additional $10,000 in challenge gifts from a generous board member. I look forward to working with all of you this upcoming school year in regard to ways that we can make a profound difference in our wonderful community. Now more than ever, your support for Cardozo matters as we face an uncertain future. Thank you.
I cannot wait to welcome you back to the Law School once we are able to convene again, and in the meantime, I will “see” you virtually through our creative webinars hosted by faculty and our Alumni Affairs team. I will continue to be in touch.
Best regards,
Melanie Leslie ’91
Dean and Samuel Belkin Professor of Law
