Student Handbook: General Information A-B

The Administration has adopted an alcohol policy applicable to student events. The Alcohol Policy is coordinated by the Director of Student Affairs. This policy applies to the Journals, Moot Court, SBA, and all recognized student organizations (each, a “Student Organization”).

Part I: Policy

The Alcohol Policy has been established in an effort to balance the interests of students and those of the Law School community and to encourage responsible decisions about alcohol. Therefore, Law School funds, including the Student Activity Fee Fund administered by the Student Bar Association (SBA), shall not be used to purchase alcohol to be served at any event, except for event authorized by the Dean or the Dean’s designee (as described below in this Part I) and the “Authorized Events” (listed below in Part II).

On Campus Events:

Student Organizations may organize on- campus events at which alcohol may be served to students, provided that the events are approved by the Dean or the Dean’s designee and shall be subject to the requirements listed below.

1. The sponsoring group must submit to the Director of Student Affairs the Alcohol Event Form attached hereto as Appendix A no less than 3 weeks in advance of the proposed event. Failure to timely request approval for any event may result in rejection of the request. Any questions regarding these requirements should be raised with the Director of Student Affairs.
2. The Student Organization’s faculty advisor is aware of the request and approves of the event.
3. Organizations sponsoring events on-campus (in the law school building or grounds) must work with the Director of Events to ensure that the manner in which alcohol is served and liability issues are properly addressed by the vendor. The selection of vendor to serve the alcohol at student organization events in the law school building must be approved by and is at the discretion of the Director of Events, and must be either University Catering or a vendor approved by the University.
4. No alcohol may be served or consumed outside of the approved venue in the law school building, including, without limitation, in any classroom.

Off campus events:

Student Organizations may organize off-campus events at which alcohol may be served to students provided the event is approved by the Dean or the Dean’s designee and shall be subject to the requirements listed below.

1. The sponsoring group must submit to the Director of Student Affairs the Alcohol Event Form no less than 3 weeks in advance. Failure to timely request approval for any event may result in rejection of the request. Any questions regarding these requirements should be raised with the Director of Student Affairs.

2. The Student Organization’s faculty advisor is aware of the request and approves of the event.
3. The fully executed and completed Insurance and Indemnification Statement, Vendor Checklist, Certificate of Insurance, and copy of the Liquor License in form and substance satisfactory to the University Office of Insurance and Risk Management, must be submitted electronically to the Director of Student Affairs no less than 2 weeks prior to the date of the event. Many times certificates of insurance need to be revised to evidence our insurance requirements. Because the venue will need time to review and complete, student groups are reminded to allow enough time in their planning to meet the deadlines required for approval.
4. Student Organizations shall not advertise any event before receiving event approval from the Director of Student Affairs and all required documentation from (c) has been submitted.

Part II: Schedule of Authorized Events:

The following list of Student Organization events have been presumptively approved and may serve alcohol provided that the requirements of Part I are satisfied:

1. Barristers Ball; and
2. Public Interest Auction;

Part III: Travel reimbursement

Law School funds shall not be used to purchase alcohol or reimburse students for the purchase of alcohol in connection with law school-funded student travel.

The rules for admission to the bar differ greatly from state to state. Some states require applicants for the bar examination to register with the bar examiners at the time they begin their law studies, and to take certain courses while in law school. Some states, including Pennsylvania, require additional examinations (such as the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam or MPRE) which are given on dates other than the usual bar examination dates. Students assume responsibility to know and to comply with these bar requirements and should contact the appropriate bar examiners directly. Students must contact the bar examiners for the states they are interested in directly to obtain requirements, deadlines and other necessary information. Students are also advised that all jurisdictions impose character and fitness requirements, and that these differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Students should inquire into these requirements early in their law school careers.

Please also note that students undertake a continuing duty to update their answers to the Law School application character and fitness questions (see below Candor and The Bar, and Candor and Disclosure to the Law School).

Candor and The Bar: Many jurisdictions verify bar applications and the criminal background checks that are routinely conducted in conjunction with bar admission against individual applicant’s law school applications to determine whether the applicant was fully candid and forthcoming in applying to law school. Dishonesty may pose an extremely serious obstacle to gaining admission to the practice of law. Students must be sure that they have been fully candid in their applications to Villanova. Contact the Assistant Dean of Students and Academic Success (deanofstudents@law.villanova.edu) if you think you might need to amend your application. 

Books assigned for the Law School’s course of study are available at the University Shop in Kennedy Hall. Information will be available on the Registrar’s website. Instructors’ materials (course packets) are available through the University’s Graphic Services department. Information on ordering and pickup is available on the Registrar’s website. The University Shop offers in-store and online purchasing, book rentals, and a 5% discount on in-store purchases when you pay with your Wildcard. Visit the University Bookstore website for hours and other information.

A notice posting area, where student organizations and miscellaneous notices may be posted, is located on the ground floor in the locker area. Student groups may display posters, notices, and flyers on the bulletin boards only, not on walls, doors, windows, or painted surfaces anywhere in the building. The organization posting the notice must remove it immediately after the event.

The Law School reserves the right to remove all postings that are not dated and approved, or do not comply with the University’s non-solicitation policy.

All individuals or groups posting notices on the bulletin boards are asked to kindly use pushpins rather than staples on the bulletin boards. To reduce clutter, groups are asked to please remove outdated postings from bulletin boards and not post multiple copies of the same announcement. Please do not cover, deface or take down anyone else’s posting.