Congratulations to 2017 grads!

L-R: Troy Payne, Deb Periman, Allan Barnes,
Sharon Chamard, Brad Myrstol, and Ron Everett.
Not pictured: Kristin Knudsen and Ryan Fortson

Sharon Chamard, UAA Faculty Senate President and Justice faculty, spoke at UAA commencement on Sunday and encouraged graduates to "to lift up those around you, to contribute to the betterment of the world, or just your tiny corner of it.  Do what you can to ensure that others coming behind you have the same or even better opportunities than you have had."

Read the full text of Chamard's inspiring speech below:

As President of the Faculty Senate, and on behalf of the faculty, it is my honor and privilege to congratulate all of you graduates for your success and accomplishments.

Whether this is part of your life plan hatched as a toddler and you fully expected to be sitting here today, or you are looking around in amazement, wondering how you pulled off this tremendous feat of completing a university degree, you are all now members of an elite group—those who have had the good fortune of living in a time and place that provides broad opportunities for higher education.
 
Indeed, you are part of the most educated generation in the history of the world. Did you know, for example that in 1960, shortly after Alaska became a state, only 10% of Alaskan adults had a Bachelor’s degree? That percentage has increased every year, and now we’re close to 30%. Globally, right now fewer than 10% of adults have a college degree.

With this good fortune and privilege comes a responsibility, to lift up those around you, to contribute to the betterment of the world, or just your tiny corner of it.  Do what you can to ensure that others coming behind you have the same or even better opportunities than you have had.
 
Right now, despite the festivities of the day, you may be worried about your own future, about getting a good job, and about paying back your student loans. But I guarantee you, you have what it takes to not only continue to succeed in your own life, but to help others around you succeed.  It takes persistence and commitment to get where you are today, and you can model that behavior to your siblings, your children, your coworkers, your friends, and the people in your community.

For faculty, seeing you all turn the page to your next amazing story is tremendously gratifying. We hope you will look back on this chapter of the book of your life with fondness, appreciation, and a sense of accomplishment.
 
Now, I ask my faculty colleagues to join me in recognizing you for your success and thanking you for sharing a part of your valuable life with us.
 

Legal Ethics students participate in diversity luncheon

Students in Prof. Deb Periman's  Legal Ethics class A215 were invited to participate in the 2017 Diversity Luncheon titled: Diversity in Our Community: Stories Affecting Our Lives. Senior Justice Dana Fabe, Retired Alaska Supreme Court Justice, moderated the conversation between Shauna Hegna, President Koniag, Inc., Jo-Ann Chung, District Court Judge, Karina Waller, Executive Director, Ted Stevens Foundation, and Mark Kroloff, Principal, First Alaskan Capital Partner, LLC.

Students talk with Supreme Court Justice Maasen and Clerk of Appellate Courts Marilyn May

Seal of the State of Alaska that hangs
in the courtroom of the
Alaska Supreme Court.

Alaska Supreme Court
Justice Peter Maasen

Students in Prof. Deb Periman's Legal Studies Senior Seminar (LEGL A489) attended class in the Alaska Supreme Court Conference Room on October 23. Marilyn May, clerk of the appellate courts, talked with students about the appellate process and briefing. Students toured the Alaska Supreme Court and the records office. They also met with Alaska Supreme Court Justice Peter Maasen who spoke with them about legal writing and the best and most difficult parts of being a justice.

Periman talks with students at Color of Justice

Prof. Terry Price (L) and Prof. Deb Periman at Color of Justice

Deb Periman, Justice faculty, along with Prof. Terry Price from the University of Washington School of Law, spoke with nearly 100 Alaska high school students  about what lawyers and judges do. Their conversation was part of  the two-day 2017 Color of Justice Program held in Anchorage Oct. 5 & 6. The Color of Justice is designed to encourage students to consider a career in law and also to increase the diversity in the legal profession and judiciary.

Students observe Wrongful Conviction Day with Alaska Innocence Project Director

Alaska Innocence Project Director Bill Oberly speaks with
students on Wrongful Conviction Day

Students in Prof. Deb Periman's Legal Ethics A215 and Prof. Ron Everett's Intro to Justice A110 observed Wrongful Conviction Day on Oct. 4 by learning about how the Alaska Innocence Project and Innocence projects around the country are working to address wrongful convictions. Director of the Alaska Innocence Project Bill Oberly spoke to students about DNA exonerations and how DNA evidence is making a difference in the criminal justice system. Although most of the Alaska Innocence Project work does not involve DNA, DNA work elsewhere shows many of the likely causes of wrongful convictions. The Innocence Project Alaska is an Alaska non-profit corporation that provides legal, educational, and charitable services to identify and exonerate individuals who have been wrongfully convicted in the state.

Students meet with Alaska Justice Bolger, Judge Hanley and Law Librarian Falk

Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger talks with students
in Legal Ethics, A215, class. Photo credit, Mara Rabinowitz,
Communications Counsel, Alaska Court System.

Students in Prof. Deborah Periman's Legal Ethics (A215) class met with Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger, Alaska District Court Judge Patrick Hanley, and Alaska State Law Librarian Susan Falk this week. Justice Bolger and Judge Hanley spoke to students about their roles and the jurisdiction of Alaska's trial and appellate courts, as well as fielded questions from students. Students received an overview of what happens in court from the time of an arrest or a civil complaint, the roles of judges and other court employees and jobs available in the Alaska justice system. Susan Falk described law library resources for students.

Justice faculty at Campus Kickoff

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Dr. Troy Payne, Prof. Deborah Periman, Dr. Ryan Fortson, and Prof. Kristin Knudsen welcomed students and answered questions about Justice programs at the 2017 Campus Kickoff.

To learn more about the programs, degrees and research at UAA's Justice Center see the UAA Justice Center website. Follow us on Facebook and at the Justice Center blog.

Legal Studies faculty serve on Alaska Bar committees

Professors Jason Brandeis, Ryan Fortson, and Deb Periman, Legal Studies faculty, have been reappointed to serve on the Alaska Bar Association's Law Related Education (LRE) Committee. The committee is responsible for presenting programs and producing publications to promote public understanding of the law and legal system. Professors Fortson and Periman are actively involved in LRE's Youth Law Guide subcommittee. Prof. Brandeis has also been reappointed to the Alaska Bar Rag Committee. Brandeis is a frequent contributor to the Bar Rag, a quarterly newspaper edited and written by attorneys, for attorneys in Alaska.

Justice faculty celebrate 2017 graduates

Justice faculty L-R: Dr. Brad Myrstol, Prof. Deborah Periman, Dr. Ron Everett, Dr. Marny Rivera, Dr. Cory Lepage,
 Dr. Allan Barnes, Prof. Kristin Knudsen, Dr. Andre Rosay, and Dr. Sharon Chamard. Not pictured: Prof. Ryan Fortson,
 who was performing on the French horn in the pit orchestra during UAA's Commencement. Sunday, May 7.

Congratulations 2017 graduates! Best wishes on your future success!

First UAA 3+3 student April Stone admitted to Willamette University School of Law

April Stone (center) with her daughter, Shailynn (left)
and Willamette University School of Law
Dean Curtis Bridgeman at a reception earlier this year.

April Stone, Justice  major, is the first UAA student to be admitted to Willamette University School of Law 3+3 accelerated law school program under the 3+3 admissions agreement with UAA. Ms. Stone started at Willamette fall semester 2016.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice Center Legal Studies faculty, worked with Willamette to develop the 3+3 program and is UAA’s point of contact for program advising.

Alumni Spotlight - Miranda Strong, BA '08, MPA '11

Miranda Strong

Miranda Strong, BA Philosophy with emphasis in Legal Studies '08 and MPA '11, received her JD from the University of Washington (UW) School of Law in 2012 .  She is currently an Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant to the Attorney General in the Alaska Department of Law - Opinions, Appeals, and Ethics Section.  Her job includes liaising with the Governor’s Office and coordinating an executive-branch working group with the Lieutenant Governor on Alaska Native legal matters, representing the Office of Children's Services in child protection appeals before the Alaska Supreme Court, and advising on and communicating Alaska Native law and policy matters to the public.

At UAA, Miranda was in the Honors College and combined her interest in philosophy with her growing desire to enter the legal profession. She relished her Philosophy of Law and Development of Law courses. Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was a significant influence as Miranda prepared for law school.

While at UAA, Miranda was awarded a Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation scholarship for graduate work in public service. Prof. James W. Muller, Ph.D., UAA Political Science Department, the UAA Truman Scholar advisor, was enormously helpful to Miranda in applying to the Truman Foundation. The scholarship was established in honor of President Harry S. Truman and memorializes his commitment to public service and the need to foster public service leadership.  

At UW School of Law, Miranda was selected for the William H. Gates Public Service Law Program at UW and worked as a legal intern at the Disability Law Center in 2009 and at the Alaska Department of Law Human Services & Torts Section in 2010.

Miranda is a member of the Alaska Bar Association Pro Bono Service Committee, and for the past 2 years has served as a pro bono attorney for the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA).

In her free moments, she enjoys spending time with her two children, Calvin 2 years old, and JJ 5 years old, and her UAA alum husband, James Strong, BA Business Administration '06, who is the owner of Sweet Caribou. And you might also see Miranda on the cross-country ski trails or bike commuting to work.

Prof. Periman presents to Alaska Association of Paralegals

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, made a presentation to the Alaska Association of Paralegals on October 13 at their monthly meeting. Prof. Periman discussed "Legal Research Revisited."

The Alaska Association of Paralegals (AAP), formerly known as the Alaska Association of Legal Assistants (AALA), was founded in May 1981 as a non-profit professional membership association of Alaska paralegals committed to the development and growth of the paralegal profession. AAP is a member of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA).

Justice and Legal Studies faculty welcome the Class of 2016 at Campus Kickoff!

L to r: Prof. Deb Periman, Prof. Marny Rivera, Prof. Ryan Fortson,
and Prof. Kristin Knudsen.

The  2016 Campus Kickoff on Saturday, August 27 was a great success - loads of sunshine and tons of booths, food, and activities!  Justice Center faculty were on hand to talk to current and prospective Justice and Legal Studies students and their parents about  courses and career options.

Justice and Legal Studies faculty included Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator; Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., M.J.S., Legal Studies Program Undergraduate Program Coordinator; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D.; and Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D.

L to r: Prof. Deb Periman, Prof. Kristin Knudsen, and
UAA Chancellor Tom Case at the Justice Center exhibit table.

Justice Center Legal Studies faculty attend "Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor"

L ro r: Justice Sotomayor and
Judge Christen begin the conversation.

The Legal Studies faculty of the Justice Center attended the August 17 event, "A Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor," sponsored by the Alaska Bar Association at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage.

Justice Sotomayor was appointed in 2009 by President Obama. She is the first Hispanic to sit on the court, and the third female justice.

Over 1,200 people attended the program which was moderated by 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Morgan Christen.  Justice Sotomayor delighted the crowd by coming down into the audience and shaking hands and giving hugs while she answered questions that been submitted in advance.

L to r: Legal Studies Faculty - Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D.;
Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D.; Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.;
Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., at the event.

Prof. Periman Participated in 2016 Tech Fellow Intensive through UAA Academic Innovations and eLearning

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, recently participated in the Academic Innovations and eLearning 2016 Technology Fellows faculty intensive. She was one of 9 faculty designated as a 2016 Technology Fellow.

This year marks the first time the annual Tech Fellows program has partnered with CAFÉ’s Making Learning Visible initiative to support faculty in a two-year project involving technological innovation and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The tech fellows will design and/or redesign an online course based on their training from Academic Innovations and eLearning.  Over the new two years the faculty members will study the impact of the change on student learning, and will publish their findings in UAA’s Making Learning Visible ePortfolio Community.  Professors Deb Periman and Elizabeth Predeger are the faculty facilitators for UAA’s Making Learning Visible Initiative.

Prof. Periman receives the Alaska Bar Association Distinguished Service Award

L to r: Alaska Bar President Nelson Page
presents the Distinguished Service Award
to Prof. Periman at the Bar Convention.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, was presented the Alaska Bar Association Distinguished Service Award at the 2016 Annual Bar Convention in Anchorage in May.

The Alaska Bar Distinguished Service Award honors an attorney for outstanding service to the membership of the Alaska Bar Association.  Professor Periman was recognized for her many contributions to the legal community including her work on the Alaska Bar Law Related Education (LRE)  and Historians Committees, and her chairing the LRE drafting subcommittee for the Alaska Youth Law Guide. The award is also in recognition of her creation of new UAA curriculum to better serve students interested in careers in the legal field and the intersection with public service, and all her efforts to expand opportunities for the next generation of lawyers and the people who work with them.

More law school opportunities for UAA students

In addition to the option of accelerated admission to one of UAA's law school partners - University of Washington School of Law and Willamette University College of Law - qualified UAA students have the opportunity to attend an Alaska Summer Trial Institute to be held on the UAA campus from May 28-June 10, 2016.

The program is offered by University of Wyoming College of Law. For more information contact Christine Reed christine.reed@uwyo.edu.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice Center Legal Studies Program Coordinator, is the contact for questions about the accelerated admission option programs. dkperiman@uaa.alaska.edu or (907) 786-1125.

Prof. Periman stepping down as chair of the UAA Community Engagement Council

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, is stepping down as chair of the UAA Community Engagement Council. She has served in this capacity since the council's inception in 2014. The university-wide council has members serving from each of UAA's colleges and community campuses, and works in conjunction with the Center for Community Engagement & Learning (CCEL).

Dr. Judith Owens-Manley, CCEL Director, has praised Prof. Periman for the "very strong leadership she provided to the council as we sought to establish a vision and working agenda for community engagement."

The UAA Community Engagement Council was formed from the Carnegie Application Task Force when the application was successfully completed in 2014.  UAA was selected for the Community Engagement Classification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and is one of 240 campuses to receive this designation in 2015.  There are a total of 361 colleges and institutions nationwide with this classification.

The UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning will hold its annual forum on Friday, April 22, from 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. in the UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307.  The event includes awards presentations and a poster session reception.

UW School of Law hosts information table for UAA students

Dr. Kuszler (r) talks to a student about the LSAT.

Patricia C. Kuszler, M.D., J.D., Vice Dean of the University of Washington School of Law, visited the UAA campus on April 11 to host an information table for UAA students interested in law school. Dr. Kuszler also made a presentation in Prof. Jason Brandeis' class, LEGL 101, Intro to Law.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, joined Dr. Kuszler in advising students about the LSAT, careers in law, and the 3+3 accelerated law school admissions program with UW. 

L to r: Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice Center, and
Dr. Patricia Kuszler, Vice Dean, UW School of Law, at
the information table in SSB on April 11.

Profs. Periman and Fortson speak at United Youth Courts of Alaska 2016 Conference on April 1 at APU

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., and Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, were guest speakers at the 2016 United Youth Courts of Alaska (UYCA) Conference on Friday, April 1. Students from 10 youth courts across the state participated in the training which was held at Alaska Pacific University.

Prof. Periman discussed "What Lawyers and Judges Really Do," and Prof. Fortson described the Alaska Youth Law Guide: A Handbook for Teens and Young Adults, an online and PDF resource developed by the Alaska Bar Association Law-Related Education Committee.

Youth courts are a restorative justice alternative to the formal juvenile justice system for middle school and high school students who are minor and first-time offenders. The youth court process is handled entirely by student volunteers who have received special training in informally adjudicating other youth.

Prof. Periman (center at podium) talks with students about the role of lawyers and judges.

Prof. Fortson (center at podium) explains the uses for the Alaska Youth Law Guide.