Fall 2020 Update

Your eboard for the 2020-2021 year is:

President: Natasha Crespo
Vice President: Shannon Conder
Treasurer: Tara Pullano
Secretary: Victoria Lozano
Event Planner: Gabrielle Robles
Social Media Chair & Webmaster: Shelby Thordarson

Upcoming Events:

First general meeting

We will meet virtually on September 4th, 2020 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Please rsvp to receive the meeting link information.

Movie Night!

Join DALSA Friday, September 4, 2020 at 6:30 pm for movie night. We will be showing part 2 of the documentary And She Could Be Next by By Grace Lee (Director/Producer), Marjan Safinia (Director/Producer), Jyoti Sarda (Producer).

And She Could Be Next follows a defiant movement of women of color as they transform politics from the ground up. Filmed during the historic 2018 midterm elections, the series features organizers and candidates (including Rashida Tlaib and Stacey Abrams) as they fight for a truly reflective government, asking whether democracy can be preserved—and made stronger—by those most marginalized.

Photo of Rashida Tlaib looking off into the distance as she speaks to a crowd

We will be watching in a Kosmi room. The room will remain empty until movie night.

This event is a collaboration with the award-winning documentary series POV.

POV in white text on a black background

Welcome to DALSA

DALSA is just kicking off our first year as a student organization at Chicago-Kent College of Law and we are excited for the coming fall term. Below you will find our meeting notes from our first general meeting held April 2019.

Your 2019-2020 executive board

President: Natasha Crespo
Vice-President: Kelsie Neahring
Treasurer: Shannon Conder
Secretary: Greyson Fitzgerald
Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) Representative: Roberto Martinez

Steering Committee Members:

Nick Lisle – Representing evening students
Kat Chadderdon
Marissa Mcgrenera – Representing interests of students interested in health law as a career

Section Representative:

Dani Coirier – Section C (spring term)
Tara Pullano – Summer Start 1L (Section TBD Fall 2019)

Major Initiatives

Student Health and Wellness Center

  • There is not a representative from the Chicago-Kent campus for the student advisory committee that exists. We would like to appoint one to an executive board position. This person would be traveling to the main campus for meetings and representing the interests of the Chicago-Kent student body.
  • Roberto has volunteered and been appointed by the Executive Board.
  • We want to start tracking issues when communicating with staff; multiple students have complaints about interactions with Brianna Bogan providing incorrect information and poor customer service.

Petition to increase counseling services

The current available counseling services are not adequate to support the needs of the student body.

  1. We are collecting signatures for an increase in the availability of mental health services on the Chicago-Kent campus.
  2. If anyone would like to circulate the petition please email anyone on the executive board or steering committee.
  3. Please return all signature papers to Natasha Crespo, they will be scanned and organized for presentation to the Chicago-Kent administration.
  4. The counselor is here on Wednesdays and has a 50% cancellation rate; if she is open and you walk in she will see you.
  5. Goals
    1. Present the petition to the SBA.
    2. Reach out to other student organizations for support in initiative.

Group counseling/ other services

  1. Group counseling is listed on the website but the services have not been offered and ways to sign-up are not clear.
    1. Goal
      1. Explore this option as an option on the Chicago-Kent campus.

Finals programs

  1. See if we can have stress relief events like therapy dog day or short massages.

Fall Term

  1. Disability advocacy Week in Fall 2019
    1. Bring in speakers on education and disability law.
      1. Discuss rights of students with disabilities.
      2. Bring in attorneys to discuss working in this area of law.
  2. Orientation week
    1. Participate in events like diversity panel
  3. Student organization fair
    1. Run table to promote group and attract new members.
  4. Diversity Week
    1. Discuss potential ways to participate at next meeting.
  5. Careers in health and/or disability law
    1. Work with Joe Volin to bring in Alumni working in these areas.

Establish mentoring program for students

Good luck with finals!