Connecting Able Jurists with Willing Witnesses
The PC process for finding witnesses is detrimentally flawed. It defies all logic and contradicts my basic understandings of academia, business, and organizational behavior. In the last two weeks I’ve been asked to witness on over 18 occasions. I’ve seen the anxiety it creates for the overly-stressed and I’ve seen the time it takes from the schedules of the already over-worked.
Why hasn’t anyone reached out to the groups most capable and eager to help?
There are currently 516 undergrads enrolled in the Pre-Law Council and over 170 law students in their 4th quarter or less.
With that in mind, I make the recommendation SBA create a position in charge of the witness program. The position would be part Student Ambassador, part Secretary, and part Moderator. Responsibilities would include sending out a survey to potentially interested undergrads at the beginning of each semester and to law students at the beginning of each quarter. The respondents would be asked if they would be available to help, how often, and on what days and times etc.
This information would be put in a spreadsheet and distributed to PC students who could contact the potential witnesses via e-mail. To keep the system updated, PC students who used a witness from the program would be asked to send the moderator an e-mail so the list could be updated and redistributed on a weekly basis. A more automated system could be put in place as the witness program develops.
The proposed system isn’t perfect - or comprehensive- but I know it will work.
To test the undergrads general interest in helping, I sent an e-mail to my girlfriend’s former business law professor asking if any of her students would be interested in witnessing. She forwarded the e-mail to her class, and now I have an inbox filled with people wanting to volunteer. [It didn’t hurt she told them they’d get extra credit on the final.]
Long story short, it’s a simple solution for an apparently large problem.
posted by Jon Swanburg @ 9:50 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
A listserve would be much easier.
I tried to connect with the pre-law society while I was in PC, but I could not get ahold of a valid contact of a current student for that organization.
In the meantime, contact Swanburg if you need to find a witness.
I agree the list serve would be easier but I figured it might be more annoying. With all of the messaging going back and forth it might be a disincentive for people to volunteer.
But you might be right. I'm open for suggestions.
In the future, go to the link below if you ever need to contact anyone pre-law, and yes, contact me if you need to find a witness.
http://www.baylor.edu/prelaw/index.php?id=57676
That assumes the point isn't to make it more challenging and that their is an interest in students general well-being. Remember, we go to Baylor (where fun got drop-kicked onto on I-35 and tasered). They want you to suffer. Hence, PC.
Is this what they teach you in business school? Simple solutions to large problems?
I like it. If *they* want it to be harder for us and won't let it be an official SBA position, I say we go underground.
When I was in PC, there were people who had undergrads witness. It did not go well. And having 1st-3rd quarters was better, but not really. Anyone who is not post-PC gives it up way too easily on cross. Ask people post-PC to witness or people who have witnessed a lot before.
Back when I was in PC (3yrs ago), I asked a couple drama undergrad students. Arranged for a post on in their lounge/hangout area and received numerous responses. Both of the students were excellent and REALLY got into it.
I've been thinking about using drama students for that. It seems like that'd be something right up their alley. One of the most frustrating experiences I've had so far is asking the witness a key question, and they can't remember the key answer.
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