Diversity & Inclusion

“We continue the fight for justice and equity because we must. Together we must use the law unremittingly to achieve a greater measure of justice in our own lifetimes, and we must raise an army of new lawyers to wage legal warfare against racial injustice.” 

Dean Craig M. Boise, Opening Remarks,
Annual College of Law Alumni of Color Reception, Sept. 25, 2020.

A Statement on Diversity & Inclusion by Dean Craig M. Boise Link

Syracuse University and the College of Law are committed to fostering a campus community that is free from discrimination and that celebrates the diversity of its community members within a supportive and inclusive learning environment. This commitment is rooted in the belief that multiple points of view and different life experiences, ethnicities, cultures, and belief systems are essential to academic excellence. Our goal is that diversity be a core value not just in vision but in practice. At the College of Law, students join a community motivated by the values of respect and inclusion. By embracing the diversity of our community, we positively enrich our students’ learning experience. We expect that law school will challenge belief systems and preconceptions, and we encourage our students to be open to this challenge.

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The ability to recognize and genuinely appreciate our individual differences in matters like gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, and age—among many others—allows us to learn and grow from the unique gifts that others bring to the College of Law. More often than not, we realize that we share remarkably similar values and aspirations for our lives.

At the College of Law, we want our students not only to embrace diversity, we want them to experience inclusion—to know what it means to belong. For with a sense of belonging, our students are able to help each other power through the challenges of law school and achieve their potential for greatness, knowing they are supported in their endeavors by their peers. This is what we at Syracuse mean when we speak of being part of the “Orange Nation.” 

The rule of law is fundamental to maintaining pluralistic, democratic, and just societies and, here, that notion is strongly reinforced. Students also learn that in practice they must advocate for individuals or communities for which the law, due process, and protections have not been applied fairly or equally, whether as a result of systemic racism or other injustices. They are challenged to answer the question, “How must the world change in order for it to be more fair, equitable, and just, and how might I use my legal education to effect that change?”

As students move from law school into their careers, they will journey through various workplace cultures and represent a wide variety of client needs and interests. In an ever-changing and interconnected world, we pledge to prepare our students for the challenges and the opportunities of cross-cultural representation and to refine awareness and skills that will enhance their capacity to develop respectful relationships and effective communications styles for a successful career.

The College of Law’s Inclusion Council affirms my commitment to creating a campus that is not only free from discrimination but that also ensures we build on our individual and collective strengths, as a dimension of academic excellence.

The Council—comprised of College of Law faculty, staff, and students—is charged with identifying programs, resources, and activities that reinforce diversity and inclusion. The work of the Council guides diversity and inclusion programming for Orientation Week, Diversity Week, faculty and staff training, and many other events and initiatives.

Follow the Council’s work on these pages, and please plan to get involved. We need you!

I am proud of the progress we have made toward greater diversity and deeper inclusiveness in our law school, but I recognize there is still much work to be done. At Syracuse, we stand together—and learn together—as one, for the greater good, to understand and uphold the law, to pursue truth and justice for all, and to use the power of the law to improve our world. 

Craig M. Boise
Dean & Professor of Law

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Black History Month 2023 Link

Message from Professor Paula Johnson

Dear College of Law Community,

Welcome to Black History Month!  There are many informative and inspiring events occurring during the month, including at the College of Law. The Black Law Students Association (BLSA) have events planned as shown in the link below. BLSA is especially excited about the Black History Month Dinner on February 25th.  Here is the invitation link for the Dinner: https://su-email.s3.amazonaws.com/Ew1Yr/267156/hosted.html. 

We hope that you will RSVP and attend this event and others that may interest you.  Please note that the Tyre Nichols Dialogue is listed as taking place in the Diversity Room which is the Sandra Townes Room in our law library. Also, be sure to check out BLSA’s Daily Quotes on the electronic bulletin board, and the library’s display commemorating Black History Month.

Please feel free to direct any questions to BLSA president, Taville Francis at tfrancis@syr.edu.  Professor Suzette Melendez (smmelend@syr.edu) and I (pcjohnso@syr.edu), also are happy to assist. 

Happy Black History Month,

Paula

Paula C. Johnson

Faculty Advisor, BLSA

College of Law Schedule of Events Link

February 2	Tyre Nichols Dialogue The Hon. Sandra Townes L’76 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Student Resource Center, 7 p.m.
February 8	BLSA General Body Meeting
February 8-12	NEBLSA Convention
February 13	Black Trivia Night
February 15	“Walk a Mile in My Shoes” Panel Event
February 17	Suits and Scrubs Social Mixer Gilded Club, 8 p.m.
February 25	Black History Month Dinner Dineen Hall, 6 p.m. Awardee Biographies	RSVP

Syracuse University Schedule of Events Link

Black Law Students Association 2022-23 Executive Board

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Latinix Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 Link

The College of Law celebrates its Latinix alumni throughout Latinix Hispanic Heritage Month 2022

Black History Month 2022 Link

The College of Law is Celebrating Black History Month 2022 by Recognizing Our Accomplished Alumni.

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Diversity & Inclusion at the College of Law Link

Inclusion Council Programs & Activities Report a Bias Incident Scholarships Cultural Competency Curriculum

CLASS PROFILE 2022-2023*

Total Number of Incoming Students: 239

• Residential Program Class of 2025: 143
• JDinteractive Class of 2026: 95
• Master of Laws Class of 2023: 16
• Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.): 3
• Two-Year J.D.: 2

J.D. Class Profile

• Black, Indigenous, and People of Color: 75
• Gender: 133 women/ 99 men / 6 non-binary or prefer not to answer
• Identifying as LGBTQ+: 32
• First-Generation Students: 67
• Active Duty/Veterans: 25
• States Represented: 33, including D.C.
• Countries Represented: 9

*Data as of Aug. 31, 2022

Accommodations & Accessibility Link

The College of Law is devoted to the inclusion and success of students with disabilities and those in need of special accommodations. To learn more, visit the Accommodations & Accessibility webpage or the Syracuse University Office of Disability Services, or contact Annette Jenner-Matthews, Senior Counselor. 

Orange Advance Link

In 2019, the College of Law launched our Orange Advance program with three HBCU institutions that are part of the Atlanta University Center: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College.  Orange Advance provides interested students at the three schools with pre-law programming across their four years of undergraduate education, as well as connections with Syracuse College of Law alumni for networking, mentoring, and internships.  Orange Advance students will be exposed to hot topics in law, training in skills necessary to succeed in law school, exploration of the many potential career paths available to law graduates, and a capstone, week-long Summer Residency visit to the Syracuse University campus and the College of Law.

Qualified Orange Advance students may also accelerate their education by completing the coursework required for the undergraduate major in three years and finishing their degree with the coursework required in their first year of law school at Syracuse.  This enables them to complete their undergraduate and legal education in six years, rather than seven.     

“This is one of the ways we can address the legal profession’s need for more diversity among the ranks of lawyers,” says Dean Craig M. Boise. “This program also includes sessions and workshops that assist students in navigating the law school admissions process.”

Pertinent Courses Link

All Course Descriptions Cultural Competency Curriculum

Professional Responsibility Law and Sexuality Family Law Veterans Law Professional Responsibility Employment Discrimination Disability Law Voting Rights Asian Americans & the Law Investigating and Reopening Civil Rights Murder Cases  Criminal Justice Reform

Elder Law  International Human Rights Seminar  Political Advocacy in Disability Rights  Immigration Law  Constitutional Civil Rights Litigation Constitutional Law II: Bill of Rights  Refugee and Asylum Law Seminar

Feminist Jurisprudence Race and the Law International Human Rights and Comparative Disability Law Seminar Advanced Interdisciplinary Disability Law Seminar Elder Law Clinic Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Disability Rights Clinic Social and Economic Justice in South Africa Veterans Legal Clinic

Other Related Academic Programs Link

Degree & Certificate Programs Link

• J.D./Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education with an Optional Certificate in Disability Studies
• Disability Law and Policy Curricular Program
• Family Law and Social Policy Curricular Program

Centers & Institutes Link

• Burton Blatt Institute
• Disability Law and Policy Program
• Syracuse University Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (a program to diversify the US intelligence workforce, led by the Institute for Security Policy and Law)

Clinical, Pro Bono, & Other Experiential Programs Link

Experiential Programs

• Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic
• Cold Case Justice Initiative
• Disability Rights Clinic
• Pro Bono Programs

Student Groups Link

More Information on Law Student Organizations

Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Catholic Law Students Association Disability Law Society Impunity Watch News International Law Society (works with Catholic Charities on refugee services)

Italian American Bar Association Jewish Law Students Association Korean Law Students Association Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) OutLaw South Asian Law Students

HAUDENOSAUNEE RECOGNITION Link

Syracuse University is just minutes from the heartland of Onondaga Nation, the fire keepers of the Haudenosaunee, the indigenous peoples on whose ancestral land the University now stands.

The University is invested in a relationship with our Native American neighbors that promotes cross-cultural dialogue, research opportunities, and stronger appreciation for Native American leadership, innovation, and contribution.