Students invited to civil rights discussion Wednesday sponsored by Young Lawyers Section

Prof. Jason Brandeis

Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, joins Erin Dougherty Lynch, senior staff attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, Eric Glatt, staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, and Hannah Newman, program coordinator for the SAME Justice AmeriCorps Program at the Alaska Public Defender Agency, in a panel discussion on Civil Rights in Alaska sponsored by the Young Lawyer's Section of the Anchorage Bar Association. The discussion, open to Justice and Legal Studies students, is Thursday, Feb. 22, noon to 1p.m. at the Boardroom, 601 W. 5th Avenue on the second floor.

The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) invites all students who are interested in a career in law, legal studies, and/or justice to join for free. For more information contact Audra Passinault, YLS co-president, audra.passinault@gmail.com. YLS hosts monthly lunch talks, mentor sessions, and social events.

Faculty Senate President Chamard chairs UAA chancellor search

Dr. Sharon Chamard

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, became UAA Faculty Senate President in May and was recently appointed chair of the UAA Chancellor search committee. In her role as Faculty Senate President, Charmard presides over a monthly forum and a committee structure that  addresses university-life issues (curriculum, student success, institutional organization, and professional development) and represents the Faculty Senate as part of UAA shared governance on a variety of groups, including the Council of Deans and Directors, Faculty Alliance, and University Assembly.

Chamard provides technical assistance to Town Square Park redesign

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, served as a member of the Technical Advisory Group for the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department to develop a new  Anchorage Town Square Park design. Two proposals for going forward were released today.

The Technical Advisory Group, on which Dr. Chamard served, includes a group of designers and planners with a history of work, body of knowledge and understanding of past efforts regarding the development of Town Square Park.

Dr. Rivera elected to Board of Directors for Alaska Public Health Association

Dr. Marny Rivera, a faculty member of the UAA Justice Center, was elected to the Alaska Public Health Association Board of Directors.  As a member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Rivera will oversee the management and affairs of the Alaska Public Health Association.  The mission of the association is the advancement of public health.  It serves as a hub that connects all health groups in Alaska to promote the quality of life for all Alaskans.  Dr. Rivera has made significant contributions to Alaska’s public health issues on underage drinking and substance abuse, as well as on the co-occurrence of substance abuse with child maltreatment and violence against women.

UAA students in foster youth program will get a special visit from holiday elves

L to r: Amanda Metivier and Kelsie Sullivan
in front of the CWA Giving Tree.

Holiday elves will be paying a special visit to over 30 UAA students who are in the foster youth program or just transitioning out of the state foster program.  Under the auspices of the statewide UA Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program for Foster Youth, holiday gifts have been collected and wrapped for distribution to the students.

The holiday gifts for foster youth project was started by Kelsie Sullivan in the UAA Office of Grants and Contracts.  Kelsie collaborated with Amanda Metivier, Youth Education Coordinator for the Child Welfare Academy (CWA), the office which facilitates the UA foster youth program. The holiday gifts project came to be called the CWA Giving Tree. If you would like to participate next year, contact Kelsie at 786-6460.

Each year there area about 50 foster youth statewide in the UA system, and about half are on the UAA campus.  State funds are directed through Amanda's office to the UA students to help pay for housing, books, food, transportation, and other necessities. Click here to learn more about the UA foster youth program. Or contact Amanda at almetivier@alaska.edu.

The Justice Center applauds the CWA Giving Tree holiday project and the work of the  Education and Training  Voucher Program for Foster Youth. Thanks for making the holiday season a little brighter for our students!

Criminal Justice Reform: Senate Bill 91 - Dec 8 program video and materials now online

Panelists (l to r): Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center; Jeff Jessee and Lt. Kris Sell, ACJC Commission members;
Barbara Dunham, ACJC staff attorney; Geri Fox, AK Pretrial Services Division; and Dr. Araceli Valle, AJiC.

About 150 UAA students and members of the public attended the December 8 program, "Criminal Justice Reform: A discussion of Senate Bill 91 - Reducing the prison population while enhancing public safety," co-sponsored by the Justice Center and the UAA Justice Club.
  
Click here to view the video and materials.

The approximately 2-hour video of the program is now available on the Justice Center website and on our YouTube channel. The program PowerPoint and other publication resources are also available on the website.

Panelists were Jeff Jessee, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) member, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority - Moderator; Lt. Kris Sell, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) member; Barbara Dunham, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC); Geri Fox, Alaska Division of Pretrial Services; Dr. Araceli Valle, Alaska Justice Information Center (AJiC); and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty.

Panelists and Justice Club officers pose for a photo following the event.
L to r: Justice Club officers Jonathan Gonzalez and Alex Cole; Barbara Dunham, ACJC staff attorney; Geri Fox, AK Pretrial Services Division; Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center; Dr. Araceli Valle, AJiC; ACJC members Lt .Kris Sell and Jeff Jessee;
and Justice Club officers Austin Rogers, Bradley Foster, and Austin Otos.

Prof. Brandeis is presenter at Marijuana Business Law in Alaska legal seminar December 9

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was a presenter at the National Business Institute (NBI) seminar, "Marijuana Business Law in Alaska," held in Anchorage on December 9, 2016.

He presented "Federal Responses to Alaska Marijuana Law" which explained the relationship between state and federal marijuana laws and discussed possible changes to federal marijuana law and policy under a new presidential administration. Prof. Brandeis also gave a presentation titled "Alaska Attorney Ethics and Marijuana Legalization" which covered topics such as marijuana and the Rules of Professional Conduct, attorney use of cannabis products, and attorney ownership of cannabis businesses.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on the American legal system, constitutional law, and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal topics.  Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which he advises clients on marijuana law and policy questions.  This law practice preceded this presentation, and included providing legal services to the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. 

Join us on December 8 at UAA - Criminal justice reform: A discussion of Senate Bill 91

Criminal Justice Reform: 

A discussion of Senate Bill 91

Reducing the prison population 

while enhancing public safety

Day: Thursday, December 8, 2016
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Wendy Williamson Auditorium, UAA Campus
Parking: Free parking in lots next to auditorium

This event is free and open to the public, UAA students, faculty, and staff.

Panelists:
Jeff Jessee, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission member, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority - Moderator
Lt. Kris Sell, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission member
Barbara Dunham, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission
Geri Fox, Alaska Division of Pretrial Services
Dr. Araceli Valle, Alaska Justice Information Center
Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty

This event is co-sponsored by the UAA Justice Center and the Justice Club.

Justice Center welcomes students at 2016 Fall Preview Day

Dr. Marny Rivera (r) talks to students
about Justice Center programs.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator, and Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, met with high school students and their parents at the Fall 2016 Preview Day on November 4 at the UAA Student Union.

Preview Days are designed specifically for high school juniors and seniors and their guests and provides potential incoming students with an opportunity to experience what UAA has to offer all in one day. This event gives them the opportunity to explore programs, organizations and resources that they might follow throughout their path here at the university.

Prof. Knudsen (l) describes for students some of the courses
in Justice and in Legal Studies offered by the Justice Center.

ANCSA at 45: Videos and symposium materials online

Videos and symposium materials for the day-long symposium "Adapting for the Next Generation:  The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) at 45 and the 32d Annual Alaska Native Law Conference" are now available online at the UAA Justice Center website at 

http://tinyurl.com/ancsa-at-45

The videos in the series were produced and edited by Eric Baldwin, UAA Academic Innovations and eLearning.

Videos include:

1. Symposium Introduction & Keynote: Raina Thiele (40:14 mins.)
2. Panel I: ANCSA and the Future of Tribal Jurisdiction in Alaska (1 hr 15:48 mins)
3. Panel II: Challenges and Opportunities for Alaska Native Corporations (56:58 mins.)
4. Panel III: Federal Legislative Update (47:56 mins.)
5. Panel IV: State Legislative Update (51:03 mins.)
6. Panel V: Case Law Update (47:35 mins.)
7. Panel VI: Protection of the Attorney-Client Privilege in the Joint Representation of Parent Companies and Their Subsidiaries (Legal Ethics Session) (54:07 mins.)

The complete series of videos are also available as a playlist at the UAA Justice Center YouTube channel.

The symposium, held October 14, 2016 at the UAA/APU Consortium Library on the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) campus, drew over 75 attendees including lawyers, Alaska Native village and corporation representatives, state and federal agency staff, and UAA faculty and students.

The free day-long symposium was co-sponsored by theUAA Justice Center, the Alaska Law Review (ALR), and the Alaska Native Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association. Coordinators of the program were Prof. Ryan Forston, J.D., Ph.D., of the UAA Justice Center; Christian Vazquez, Articles Editor of the Alaska Law Review; and Bruce Anders, co-chair of the Alaska Native Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association.

The Alaska Law Review will be publishing an issue at a later date with the articles prepared for the symposium.

Keynote speaker, Raina Thiele, former Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs &
Public Engagement for the White House, addresses the symposium.

Prof. Brandeis speaks on marijuana law at APU MBA Business & Health Ethics intensive November 12

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, spoke at APU on November 12 about the impact and implications of the legalization of marijuana for the business community in Alaska.  His presentation was at the Three-Day Intensive for Business Ethics and Health Ethics  that is part of the APU MBA program.  Maria Bahr, J.D., Bar Counsel for the Alaska Bar Association is the coordinator for the intensive.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on the American legal system, constitutional law, and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal topics.  Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which he advises clients on marijuana law and policy questions.  This law practice preceded this presentation, and included providing legal services to the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. 

Drs. Blumenstein and Payne, APD officers, and AWAIC representative discuss domestic violence at roundtable

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, joined APD Officers  Lisa Whitmore and Rhonda Street, and  AWAIC Community Education Coordinator Emily Sannini, at a Domestic Violence Action Roundtable at UAA on October 20.

Panelists for the program (l to r): Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice Center;
Officer Lisa Whitemore and Officer Rhonda Street, Anchorage Police Dept.;
Emily Sannini, Community Education Coordinator, Abused Women's
Aid in Crisis (AWAIC); and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center.

The discussion centered on how frequently domestic violence occurs, how to help victims, and what the process of reporting to the police is like  — all with a focus on what everyone can do to prevent domestic violence.







View the short video clip of Dr. Blumenstein:
This event was co-sponsored by the UAA Justice Center and the Justice Club. Dr. Troy Payne is the faculty advisor for the Justice Club.

UAA Justice Club students address the attendees.
L to r standing: Jonathan Gonzalez, member-at-large;
Brianna Baldwin, treasurer; Bradley Foster, president.

UAA Justice Club sponsors Outrun Hunger 5K Run/Walk on November 19

UAA Justice Club is sponsoring the Outrun Hunger 5K Run/Walk on November 19 to help support the Anchorage homeless. The race entry fee is $35, which includes a T-shirt with the Outrun Hunger design. The club will donate a portion of the entry fees to local homeless shelters.

What: Outrun Hunger 5K Walk/Run
Date: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016
Time: 12 noon start - arrive at 11:45 a.m. for attendance count, t-shirts, and raffle entries
Where: Goose Lake Park

For information and registration application, please email blbaldwin2@alaska.edu

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, is the faculty advisor for the Justice Club.

UAA College of Health faculty and students present at Housing and Homelessness Conference in October

Drs. Troy Payne and Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, presented at the "University and Community Partnerships" session at the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ACH2) Annual Conference in Anchorage on October 11.

Dr. Payne and Dr. Donna Aguiniga, UAA School of Social Work, discussed their research project, "Space, Place & Home: Mapping the Social Environment of Anchorage Homeless Populations." Their research, in partnership with Covenant House, focused on homeless youth. Through interviews and the use of maps, the researchers asked youth to trace the locations they traveled to throughout the day and evening, and where they slept at night.

Dr. Sharon Chamard presented on "Homeless Encampments" and discussed her research that  examines why homeless encampments exist where they do and the factors that make one location preferred over another. She often works with the Anchorage Police Department Community Action Policing (CAP) Team to address public safety concerns, including homelessness and the use of public space.

Dr. Travis Hedwig, UAA Department of Health Sciences, explained the project, "Increasing Retention, Graduation, and Educational Success Among UAA Students Experiencing Homelessness." Dr. Kathy Trawver, School of Social Work, and Isabel Hakala, a Health Sciences Dept. student, are also working on this project. They used publicly available information on Free Student Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) forms from UAA students to gauge the number of UAA students experiencing homeless - the form specifically asks about experience of homelessness. The goal is to ascertain the needs of homeless UAA students and assist them in their college career.

UAA College of Health nursing students also presented about their service learning project from the Nursing Therapeutic II class - the Senior Nursing Capstone Project - and their partnership with Karluk Manor, a Housing First model residence in Anchorage. This cohort of nursing students began a community nursing project to provide home visits to residents of Karluk Manor. Their goal was to determine how this experience of a home visit project influenced student nurses' views about community nursing and its value. Asst. Prof. Rachel Muir, FNP-BC, was the faculty for this class.

The session was moderated  by Dr. Travis Hedwig with the UAA Department of Health Sciences.

 

Dr. Hedwig opens the program and discusses the number of students
at UAA experiencing homelessness

Dr. Aguiniga describes the Anchorage youth homelessness project she and
Dr. Payne have been working on.

Dr. Payne explains the mapping and interview process used with
the Anchorage homeless youth who volunteered to participate in the study.

Dr. Chamard discusses homeless encampments and her future research
on social networks that are often part of the camps.

 

UAA student nurses present data on their community nursing project.

UAA presenters at the Housing and Homeless Conference - l to r: UAA Health Sciences Student Isabel Hakala,
Dr. Donna Aguiniga, UAA School of Social Work; Asst. Prof. Rachel Muir, UAA School of Nursing;
School of Nursing students: Mary Mills, Mai Lor, Glory Ramirez, Katie Krueger, Jessi Pepper, Angelene Ketah, Amanda Bedrosian, and Kailyn Vaughn; Asst. Prof. Travis Hedwig, UAA Dept.of Health Sciences;
UAA Justice Center faculty Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Troy Payne.

Alaska Native Law Symposium co-sponsored by Justice Center draws lawyers, Native village and corporation representatives, and state and federal agency staff

Keynote speaker, Raina Thiele, former Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and
Public Engagement for the White House, addresses the symposium.

 "Adapting for the Next Generation:  The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) at 45 and the 32d Annual Alaska Native Law Conference" drew over 75 attendees on October 14 including lawyers, Native village and corporation representatives, state and federal agency staff, and UAA faculty and students. The free day-long symposium was co-sponsored by the UAA Justice Center, the Alaska Law Review (ALR), and the Alaska Native Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association, and was held at the UAA/APU Consortium Library.

Raina Thiele, former Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement for the White House, was the keynote speaker.

Symposium topics included: "ANCSA and the Future of Tribal Jurisdiction in Alaska," "Challenges and Opportunities for Alaska Native Corporations," "Federal Legislative Update," "State Legislative Update," "Case Law Update," and "Protection of the Attorney-Client Privilege in the Joint Representation of Parent Companies and Their Subsidiaries" (legal ethics session).

Read/download the materials from the symposium  on the Justice Center website.  The video of the symposium will be uploaded to the Justice Center YouTube channel in early November. The Alaska Law Review will be publishing an issue at a later date with the articles prepared for this symposium.

Prof. Ryan Forston, J.D., Ph.D., Justice Center faculty, was the UAA coordinator; Christian Vazquez, Articles Editor, Alaska Law Review, was the ALR coordinator; and Bruce Anders, co-chair of the Alaska Bar Alaska Native Law Section, was the Section coordinator; for the symposium.

Read KYUK Bethel's story which is partially based on interviews conducted at the symposium:
 "The State, Native Corporations Stake Their Positions As The Push For Indian Country Begins" by Johanna Eurich, KYUK Bethel Public Media for Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. 17 Oct 2016.

More photos from the conference:

Prof. Ryan Forston, J.D., Justice Center (at podium), opens the symposium.

William Robinson (at podium), Executive Articles Editor with the Alaska Law Review, co-sponsor of the symposium, discusses the goals of the event and the publication of the articles prepared for the symposium.

Bruce Anders (at podium), co-chair of the Alaska Bar Alaska Native Law Section,
co-sponsor of the symposium, welcomes the attendees.

Panelists (far right - l to r) Liz Medicine Crow, First Alaskans Institute; Elizabeth Hensley and John "Sky" Starkey,
Landye Bennett Blumstein, LLP; Natalie Landreth, Native American Rights Fund; and Prof. Ryan Fortson,
Justice Center; discuss tribal jurisdiction in Alaska.

Panelists (l to r) Bruce Anders, CIRI; Maude Blair, Alaska Federation of Natives; Aaron Schutt, Doyon Ltd.;
William Robinson and Christian Vazquez, Alaska Law Review; and Kim Reitmeier, ANCSA Regional Association;
speak about challenges and opportunities for Alaska Native corporations.

Christine Williams, Outlook Law LLC (at podium), presents during the Federal Legislative Update.

Miranda Strong (l), Alaska Department of Law, a panelist for
the Federal Legislative Update, speaks after the program
with Johanna Eurich of KYUK Bethel. 

Panelists (l to r) for the State Legislative Update session: Jana Turvey, Leisnoi, Inc.; Matt Singer, Holland & Knight; and Kevin Anselm, Alaska Division of Banking & Securities.

Brennan Cain, The Eyak Corporation  (seated center), and Matt Mead, Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP (at podium),
present the Case Law Update.

Matt Newman, Native American Rights Fund, presents during the Case Law Update.

L to r: Moderator Peter Boskofsky, Afognak Native Corporation, and Peter Jarvis, Holland & Knight, during the
legal ethics session of the symposium.

Prof. Ryan Forston, UAA Justice Center (left), and the Alaska Law Review student editors who assisted with the symposium
pause for a photo following the event - (l to r)  Austin Freeman, William Robinson, Christian Vazquez, Evan Glustrom, Michael Paparozzi, Andrew McMillan, Savannah Best, Jeremy Muhlfelder, and Michael Rosengart.

UAA Justice Club general meeting on Friday, November 4

UAA Justice Club will hold a general meeting Friday, November 4 at 5:30 p.m. in SSB 119.

Drop by and join us! 

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, is the faculty advisor for the Justice Club.

Come to the Domestic Violence Action Month Roundtable Discussion tonight in LIB 307!

The Justice Club is sponsoring a Domestic Violence Action Month Roundtable Discussion tonight.

What:  Domestic Violence Action Month Roundtable Discussion
When:  Thursday, October 20, 2016, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Where:  UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307

Join Justice Center faculty Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein and Dr. Troy Payne,  and Officer Rhonda Street and Officer Lisa Whitmore of the Anchorage Police Department, for a discussion of domestic violence in Alaska.  This panel will discuss how frequently domestic violence occurs, how to help victims, what the process of reporting to the police is like, and circumstances where reporting to police may not be the best course of action for the victim — all with a focus on what everyone can do to prevent domestic violence. 

This event is co-sponsored by the Justice Club and the Justice Center.

Dr. Blumenstein participates in Alaska Quarterly Review panel discussion about rape at Anchorage Museum

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice faculty, was a panelist at the October 7 UAA Alaska Quarterly Review (AQR)  program, "A Voice Against the Culture of Rape."  The program began with the dramatic reading of an essay about campus rape and its aftermath. The essay, "White Horse," is by Eliese Goldbach, a writer who lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio, and was published recently in AQR. AQR is the literary journal of the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Panelists included victim advocates and survivors of sexual assault. Dr. Blumenstein researches campus sexual assault and violence against women and is a frequent speaker on these issues.

Read the story here:
"Panelists openly discuss rape in Alaska, and its devastating aftermath" by Travis Khachatoorian.  KTUU Channel 2 News. 7 Oct 2016

Justice Center co-hosts CCEL Think Tank on October 4 with the Alaska Innocence Project

L to r: Jory Knott, UAA Pre-Law Society president;
Bill Oberly, Alaska Innocence Project Executive Director;
Dr. Ryan Fortson, Justice Center; and Dr. Judy Owens-Manley,
Center for Community Engagement & Learning Director.

The Justice Center co-hosted the October 4 Center for Community Engagement & Learning (CCEL) Think Tank: "Does society owe anything to the wrongfully convicted?"  The Alaska Innocence Project (AIP) presented this issue to attendees, and the discussion was co-led by Bill Oberly, AIP Executive Director, and Judy Owens-Manley, CCEL Director. This free event was open to student, faculty, staff, and the public.

October 4 was International Wrongful Conviction Day.

Think Tanks are a monthly community engagement experience in which a nonprofit agency presents a challenge or issue and attendees brainstorm solutions for the organization.  Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to attend and assist this organization by contributing thoughts and ideas to the discussion.

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).