The Equity Council Presents: The Law Student Events Page

25/11/2022

Kia ora tātou,

CONTENT WARNING: Sexual misconduct

The Equity Council met on Tuesday to discuss the recent findings of misconduct by a senior consultant whilst working at Anderson Lloyd and Duncan Cotterill in Christchurch.

The Equity Council highly condemns these actions and has zero tolerance for misconduct of any kind. We expect all employers to promote a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment especially for law students entering an often new and unfamiliar territory.

We also believe these findings are symptomatic of a wider cultural issue within the legal industry. We are working on an action plan to ensure employers have the appropriate safeguards and processes necessary to prevent and deal with incidents of misconduct in the workplace. This will form part of a wider discussion with the student body in the form of the Russell McVeagh hui early next year, in which we endeavour to develop a formal process for dealing with incidents of misconduct as they occur.

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or concerns about these issues, please voice them in the attached Russell McVeagh hui form or reach out to us directly: https://forms.gle/DLHN8x117LSf9iuq6

If you need to talk to someone please reach out to the below support services:

For University Support:
Law School Equity Officers: [email protected] | Building 801-201
University Health and Counseling Services: [email protected] | 0800 698 427
Career Development and Employer Engagement Manager, Kylie Chye: [email protected]
Student Academic Development and Engagement Manager (Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes), Suranjika Tittawella: [email protected]
Associate Dean (Equity), Nikki Chamberlain: [email protected]

Within Firms:
Feel free to reach out to your HR Department if you are ever feeling unsafe or uncomfortable at work.

For crisis counselling:
24/7 HELPline (Help Auckland) (for victims of sexual abuse): 0800 623 1700
Crisis counselling service, South Auckland: 0800 545 354
Helpline: 0800 173 7173
Shine (for victims of domestic violence): 0508 744 633

For longer term counselling: Consult ACC list of counsellors that are registered for sensitive claims counselling found here at: https://www.findsupport.co.nz/find-a-therapist/

Ngā mihi,

Your Equity Council

TW: mentions of sexual harms, in particular the sexual misconduct occurring at major law firms such as Russell McVeagh In 2018, serious allegations of sexual misconduct were made against a Russell McVeagh partner, resulting in the firm's removal from most law campuses around Aotearoa New Zealand. Th...

26/10/2021

12/10/2021

Kia ora law students,

Attached to this post is our final EO report for the year.
We have really enjoyed the privilege of advocating for you and providing support to you this year.
We are grateful to the EC members and other amazing law students and staff that we have worked with this year.
We wish Imogen and Rachael the very best for their term as EOs.

Arohanui,
Anna and Holly

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o4IYnelInuyK8L9BVjAicfD6wTfiOY49KWMiBt4PJeg/edit?usp=sharing

End of Year Report from the EO(s) *Disclaimer* I (Anna) have written this report as the current Equity Officer in conjunction with Holly. Holly started her role as Pouāwhina Māori at the law faculty in August 2021 and since then opted out of some EO processes that could be in conflict with her ...

06/10/2021

Kia ora law students,

Below is the amended Equity Council Constitution that has been voted on by all EC members in the EC AGM.

Please note in particular, the Equity Officer and Equity Council processes for Zero Tolerance policies in ss 22-24. These are the processes that will ensue if a law school equity group has stated in their constitution that the EO/EC constitutional process should be followed. An example of such a group is AULSS.

Thank you to all members of the Equity Council that have been a part of this process :)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lrsb319rw0AwZs2aVgAst4zvYeGq3s-o7VnqYTHu-PQ/edit?usp=sharing

CONSTITUTION OF THE EQUITY COUNCIL NAME AND PURPOSE 1. The Constitution of the Equity Council (the Constitution) establishes the Equity Council (the EC) at the University of Auckland Law School (the Law School). 2. The EC shall be responsible for promoting and advocating for equity groups and th...

05/10/2021

Kia ora family,

It’s that time of the year again where we as a community will come together to decide the future of our club. We will be holding our AGM tomorrow, Thursday 7th October, at 6 pm via zoom.

In our AGM, we will look back at the fantastic year we have had, propose some new constitutional changes, and vote for the new faces of the SALSA EXEC!!!

Zoom Invitation
SALSA AGM on Zoom:
https://auckland.zoom.us/j/91506463523

To see the proposed constitutional amendments & the agenda for our AGM, please click the link below: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1H_B9kLi8yEzfynqRcbMDvQbGfeC7H3oL?usp=sharing

16/08/2021

Mōrena law students,

Attached below is the event calendar for the rest of Substantive Equality Month. Please go along to these events! It's a great opportunity to meet fellow students, learn new things and eat some yummy kai.

Please note particularly that the Staff and Student Movie night is happening TOMORROW at 5.30pm at Waipapa Marae.

Thank you!

03/08/2021

*In-person exams*

Kia ora law students,

Representatives from the Equity Council (EOs, TRT, PILSA, RL, SALSA, WIL, CLC, KLSA and AULSS) met with Marcus Roberts, Suranjika Tittawella and John Ip to discuss in-person exams.

We structured the meeting to discuss the following 5 points:

Point 1
* Asking for a law school-wide email to be sent out about why this has occurred, for example, the concerns around academic integrity and what the plan is if a covid lockdown occurs so there is certainty on this 


Point 2
* Find out what courses are closed book. Asking how this will change the assessment for example assurances on an exam that caters to a closed book style of learning 


Point 3
* Clarifying places to get support, for example where to get laptops quickly if we go into a lockdown and where internet access is 


Point 4
* Asking about if there is an exemption in place for students who have made arrangements to go home (out of Auckland) and whether they can apply to sit examinations online 


Point 5
* Requesting support for part 2.5 students who have never sat an in-person law exam before to make sure that they’re prepared


The faculty members addressed each of these points and the response has been the ‘Exam Information and Preparation’ email that has been sent to every law student.

We have attached the email below to further provide clarity on these areas of concern.

We acknowledge for some students, the desired outcome would have been for all law exams to come back online again. Unfortunately, as an Equity Council we do not have the power to make those kinds of changes, so we tried to help alleviate concerns students had by getting clarification from the faculty.

We want to particularly highlight the points about all in-person exams being open book and the part about changing covid alert levels. Particularly ‘ If we do have to move to online non-invigilated exams for all courses this will be communicated to you as soon as possible. The exams will be the same format and length whether or not the exam is held in person or remotely. All in-person exams are designated “Open Book” and any preparation for an in-person exam will be just as relevant and beneficial if the exam has to be held remotely’.

We wish everyone the best for the rest of the semester,
Ngā mihi,

The Equity Council

(EOs, TRT, PILSA, RL, SALSA, WIL, CLC, KLSA and AULSS)

02/08/2021

Are you interested in equity in course design and assessment?

If so, the university is rolling at out innovative solution and looking for students to become integral partners in course design and assessment.

If you wish to be apart of the discussion, click the link below to find out more.

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/.../substantive-equality...

None

30/07/2021

🐻
We’re going on a bear hunt.
We’re going to catch a big one.
What a beautiful day!
We’re not scared.

Were you a fan of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt? Or The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Or maybe you were more of a Hairy Maclary fan? Whatever you were, wouldn’t you love to make a positive difference in someone’s life by donating your favourite children’s book?

The Equity Council Presents: Book Drive for the Storybook Programme. An initiative helping incarcerated mothers connect with their children through storytelling. 📖

For the month of August we will have a box in the Law Cafe for you to donate your favourite children’s book to help with this incredibly important initiative!

Criteria: Easy to read simple texts and books with some Te Reo Māori are great!

Let the nostalgia set in! 📚

Find out more at: https://www.whodidyouhelptoday.org/mothers-project

10/05/2021

Ngā mihi mahana tauira mā,

It is a very stressful time at the moment and we know many of you have a lot going on.

There will be a free counsellor at law school from the 25th May.

Please make use of this resource and book an appointment if you would like to talk to someone.

10/05/2021

*** Repost from AULSS regarding inspera***

ONLINE INSPERA EXAM INFORMATION 2021

As outlined by the university, all exams for 2021 will be moved online. Inspera will be used to conduct these examinations in place of the previous downloadable Canvas assignments. These exams will not be invigilated however, they will remain time-limited.

We are aware that students may feel apprehensive regarding this new exam format. Therefore, the following paragraphs summarize the information provided to us from the University about its functions.

How to Access Inspera
* Go to Canvas and click on the course you are being examined on

* Go to your assignments and follow the Inspera link provided.

* The Inspera page should match what exam you are taking and the time

* Once you click “get ready” the front page of the exam will be presented

* Once you are ready to start click start test at the bottom of the page.


Things to note:
* On the top left-hand corner, your student ID number will be displayed. Ensure this is correct.

* This corner will also tell you how much time you have left until your exam is automatically submitted at its due time.

* On the top right corner, there is a notifications tab. This will be where notifications appear from course directors or administrators if students need to be contacted during the assessment.

* The wifi tab shows your connection - if your wifi drops there no need to save your work as Inspera automatically does so every 5-10 seconds.

* If your wifi drops completely and does not turn back on by the time your exam finishes, complete all the questions anyway. You can then download your submission as a file by opening the menu tab in the upper right-hand corner. You can then email this saved file to the exams office.

* Important that you keep the name of the file exactly how it is without change.

* Inspera will know if your wifi has dropped and the exams office will be expecting an emailed version of your exam.


Differences from Canvas:
* The exam will be conducted directly through Inspera so there is no downloading and uploading of word documents to begin or complete your exam.

* The only instance when you would need to download anything is when your wifi completely drops. Here, you will only be downloading your completed exam script.

* As the exam will be directly loaded onto Inspera your script will be uploaded automatically when your exam time is finished. This mitigates confusion around the due date and time stamps for uploading exam scripts to canvas.


Common concerns:
* Inspera does not employ videoing or eye-tracking technology.

* Inspera has many functions - as all examinations are open book, Inspera will not close down your other internet browsers or windows meaning you switch between notes and the Inspera exam page.

* The University will be providing quiet study spaces if your home environment is not suitable to sit your exam. These spaces are provided on a first-in first-served basis. It is helpful to have your campus card with you.


More information on inspera exams can be found here:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/.../computer-based-exams.html

More information on preparing for your online exams and demo assessments:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/.../preparing-for-your-exam.html

More information on study spaces for exams can be found here:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/.../study-spaces-open-under...
You are able to borrow laptops or use University desktops if you cannot access these at home.
More information on computer facilities can be found here:
https://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/.../computer-facilities

Please note that course directors will be providing more information on their respective courses soon. Demo questions are provided for students to practise the new exam software. If contact is not made, please message or email either of us and we will follow this up.

Please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns!

Thank you and good luck!

Anna Yu & Olivia Thomas

26/04/2021

Kia ora I (Anna) have my equity office hour from 11-12 today in room 801-201. Come by!

19/04/2021

Kia ora, I (Anna) have my Equity Officer office hour from 11-12 today. It will be on zoom so here is the link, thank you.
Anna Cardy is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Anna Cardy's Zoom Meeting
Time: Apr 20, 2021 11:00 AM Auckland, Wellington
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89499707628...
Meeting ID: 894 9970 7628
Passcode: hTTYG7

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

16/04/2021

Tēnā koutou,

In light of recent media coverage concerning the ongoing issues of sexual harassment in the legal profession, we would like to ensure that our members are aware of the Auckland Women Lawyers' Association NOW panel. The panel is made up of a network of volunteer women lawyers who are willing to listen and provide support on a confidential basis on the issue of sexual harassment, sexual assault or other inappropriate behaviour (including workplace bullying).

If you've faced any such issues in a legal workplace, we encourage you to use this resource.

https://awla.org.nz/now-panel/

- UoA Women in Law x Equity Officers

AWLA’s Network of Women panel is a network of volunteer women lawyers who are willing to listen and provide support on a confidential basis on the issue of sexual harassment, sexual assault or other inappropriate behaviour (including workplace bullying). If you have experienced inappropriate behav...

15/04/2021

Ramadan Kareem ☪️

We have organised a small prayer room for our Muslim whānau fasting this month. The prayer room is located on level 2 of the Davis Law Library in room 209. Know that you have a family here in the Equity Council, one that is standing with you in solidarity, respect and love as we progress through this month together ❤️

01/04/2021

Ngā mihi mahana tauira mā,

CONTENT WARNING: The following post involves discussion of sexual misconduct.

The Equity Council met yesterday morning and this afternoon to discuss the allegations of sexual misconduct from a partner at Buddle Findlay.

The Equity Council are disappointed that this has happened and condemns behaviour of this nature. We also believe that the culture that allows this to happen within the legal profession needs to change. We have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.

We want you to know that we are currently looking into this and are in discussion with relevant bodies.

We are here to support all students.

If you need to talk to someone please reach out to the below support services:

For University Support:
The Equity Officers: [email protected] Building 801-201
University Health and Counselling services 0800 782 999
Career Development and Employer Engagement Manager, Clodagh Higgins [email protected]
Student Development and Engagement Manager (Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes), Suranjika Tittawella [email protected]
Associate Dean (Equity), Nikki Chamberlain [email protected]
Faculty Wellbeing Convenor (Staff and Students), Rob Batty [email protected]

For employment related-issues:
Aotearoa Legal Workers Union ALWU | Aotearoa Legal Workers' Union
Auckland University has created a Work-Based Learning Policy and its Wayfinding Document for Students in Work-based Learning or Employment

For non-university medical support:
Contacting non-university GP
Self Referral to Pohutukawa clinic

For crisis counselling:
24/7 HELPline (Help Auckland) (for victims of sexual abuse) 0800 623 1700
Crisis counselling service, South Auckland 0800 545 354
Helpline 0800 173 7173
Shine (for victims of domestic violence) 0508 744 633
Family Action, West Auckland (women’s refuge for seeking safety from family violence)

For longer term counselling:
Consult ACC list of counsellors that are registered for sensitive claims counselling found here at: https://www.findsupport.co.nz/find-a-therapist/

Noho ora mai,

Your Equity Council

27/03/2021