Updates for Students From Dean Anthony Crowell

Dear Students, 

As New York City and the metropolitan area continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, we hope all of the members of our community and their families are safe and faring well through the disruptions caused by the storm. Now that power has been restored at the Law School and lines of public transit continue to be restored to Lower Manhattan by the hour, we can share our plans for reopening New York Law School:

NYLS will reopen its buildings (including spaces at 40 Worth Street) on Sunday, November 4 at noon. The Library will be open on Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Classes will resume on Monday, November 5.

Please note that on Sunday, November 4, we will post a schedule of classes on the portal (go.nyls.edu) so you are aware of any cancellations.

Other special notes:

• Once the buildings open, access to 185 West Broadway and the E and C buildings will initially be available only at the 185 West Broadway. On November 5, please check in with the staff stationed in the lobby. We will have hot coffee waiting for you.
• NYLS buildings are heated by Con-Edison’s steam system, which still suffering from an outage in many areas of the city, so there may be a delay in heating the buildings. Please bring/wear warm clothing on Monday.
• Keep in mind that all of TriBeCa will be in recovery mode, so it would be prudent to bring food and drink with you until deliveries are made to our dining services operation as well as neighborhood stores and restaurants.
  

Below, you will find an overview of the Law School's status as well as topics that have come up in our exchanges with students via email and at the dorm.

Communications
Over the past week, members of our community reported connectivity issues, particularly when sending/receiving emails. I am pleased to report that NYLS email, www.nyls.edu and go.nyls.edu are fully restored. We are also continuing to post updates on Twitter and Facebook. Please use all of these vehicles to keep up to date and share information with classmates who may not have reliable access to phone and/or web service.

If you are having an information technology issue related to email, the website or portal, please let our IT team know. Chat live with one of our help desk representatives by clicking here or call 855.NYLS.OIT or email support@nyls.zendesk.com.

Students Facing a Particularly Difficult Recovery
Some members of our community live in areas that were hit hardest by the storm and the after effects. I encourage students who may be facing a particularly difficult recovery, or if you know of another student who is facing one, to advise the Office of Student Life by emailing Assistant Dean Helena Prigal at hprigal@nyls.edu.

Accessing Hurricane Relief Services: At this time, both New York City and New York State are directing residents and businesses to apply for assistance under FEMA programs. State and local governments and the Red Cross are setting up immediate relief efforts related to shelter, food and the like, but in terms of large and longer term assistance and relief, contact FEMA (http://www.fema.gov/sandy or 800-621-3362). The Mayor’s Office has set up disaster assistance service centers in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Please click here for locations or call 311. In addition, United Policyholders, a non-profit information resource for insurance consumers in all 50 states, may be a helpful resource.

What if I don't have access to public transportation?
We recognize that commuters will face challenges in coming days. While we expect everyone to make their best effort to attend class, we also know that some students and faculty live in areas that will have limited public transportation options. We will have specific instructions posted on the portal by Sunday, November 4, on what to do if you cannot make it to the Law School. For updates on major transportation systems, visit the MTA, NJ Transit, The Port Authority of NY and NJ, and Amtrak.

Missed Classes/Exams/Externship Hours/Finals
We know students are very concerned about missed externship hours, midterms and classes, as well as about the schedule for final exams. It should be anticipated that some classes and other activities will have to be made up over the coming weeks. Our faculty and the administration are extremely sensitive to course load challenges under normal conditions, and decisions on this issue will take account of these particularly abnormal circumstances. In fact, NYLS and the other law schools in the metro area are in contact with each other as well the American Bar Association to determine the best approach to address the remaining weeks of the semester. We will be in touch with details as soon as possible.

Finally, several of you have asked whether you will be penalized for not attending class.  While we expect that those of you who can attend class will, we understand that many of you are still struggling to put your lives back in order or will have difficult or impossible commutes into TriBeCa.  Accordingly, I have asked faculty members to excuse absences for those who are unable to attend class.  However, please contact your professors, if possible, to alert them to your absence.  We are working to have all classes automatically recorded for the next few weeks.

Status of the NYLS Residence Hall
The NYLS Residence Hall has power and is open. Returning students are asked to check in with the security officer upon arrival. 

Rescheduling of the MPRE
The MPRE scheduled to take place at NYLS on November 3 was cancelled. MPRE officials have told us that they will be in touch with students about rescheduling via email.

Finding Ways to Help Others
A number of students have reached out about ways to volunteer their time to help the individuals, families and communities that were impacted by the storm. As our community comes back together over the days ahead, we will be surveying the needs of our students, faculty, staff, and our fellow New Yorkers to create appropriate avenues to help those who might have been adversely impacted by Hurricane Sandy. You may also be interested in visiting one of the following sites: http://www.nycservice.org or http://www.newyorkcares.org. Bringing the Law School back to its normal operations will take all of us working together and I know we will support each other in this effort. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Dean Anthony Crowell