Here is what I propose. Sign your name on this wiki entry in the list below if you would also be interested.

There are no set goals at this point. Just an initial evaluation of interest. There is a discussion below about what goals to pursue.

My own goals are the following, but you do not need to agree with any of them to sign: (1) lower tuition if possible (and I am nearly 100% sure it is possible), (2) move to some kind of pass/fail system, (3) be honest with the student body and especially admitted students and potential applicants that Columbia may not be an easy ticket to a $160,000 job anymore. Potential students especially need honest information in order to make a decision of whether or not to apply to Columbia; a good start would be to update the employment statistics on the website that still reflect the numbers from the class of 2008.

Current Names
Nona Farahnik
Devin McDougall?
Jessica Cohen
Christopher Crisman-Cox
Kalliope Kefallinos

Goal Suggestions
(of course edit if I have mischaracterized anything)
Nona - move to a high pass/pass/fail grading basis
Devin - assembling signatures for a petition to withdraw from US New and World Report rankings
Jessica - possibly haggling about tuition; wants to see a line-item asset/liability sheet for the Law School
Chris - (1) lower tuition significantly if at all possible, (2) move to a pass/fail grading system, (3) provide honest information about career prospects

Also: Below, Nona mentions that any movement will require class-wide 1L participation as well as 2L/3L participation. I agree; such participation would be required for the administration to take us seriously. I think this wiki is the best start, though. If we get significant support from this class, then we can move on to attempts to attract support from the rest of the class and from 2Ls and 3Ls.

-- ChristopherCrismanCox - 10 Mar 2010

You have my signature. The only problem as I see it is you offer no clear goal. In my estimation, whatever plan would have to get something like 2/3 1L class-wide participation (and preceding that, consensus). I think the most tenable, realistic, and favored change could be making the first semester at CLS to be evaluated on a high pass/pass/fail basis, but I am always in for positive change.

Nona Farahnik

I think a feasible early goal could be assembling signatures for a petition requesting that CLS withdraw cooperation from the US News and World Report rankings. I have never personally met a defender of the validity of the US News and World Report rankings. This could get the ball rolling for a broader discussion about defining excellence in legal training.

-- DevinMcDougall - 10 Mar 2010

I'm in...but maybe we should talk about what we want? Maybe a bit of haggling about tuition is in order. I agree with Nona, but I also think that some sort of line-item asset/liability sheet for Columbia Law should be made public to us. I have similar feelings about tuition as I do about (not) bargaining with the clerk in Morton Williams - somehow the price has been rationally and fairly arrived at. I'd just like to see EXACTLY how.

Also - Devin, your idea about withdrawing from the rankings is interesting but I am very confident that the administration would oppose it. After all, it serves quite an Arnoldian power-enhancing purpose.

-- JessicaCohen - 10 March 2010

The main thing I would change is to switch from one end-of-term exam to a system with multiple assigns/ midterm/ final, whatever. I don't care if grades stay or change-- replacing letter grades with HP/P system is the same shit with a different name. I just want more feedback. I wouldn't prefer this, but I wouldn't mind if the intermediate feedback was by TAs, either. I also think asking for a tuition reduction is absurd.

-- KalliopeKefallinos - 10 March 2010

@Jessica: You say you are very confident that the administration would oppose withdrawing from the ranking. But isn't the point of something like this to force the administration to do things it would otherwise not want to do? I think you should say whether or not you personally think it is a good idea, and not focus on whether it is something the administration would naturally want to do.

@Kalliope: Why is asking for a tuition reduction absurd? Do you really think law school is worth $50,000 per year? I do not think so. Somehow, I feel we could learn the same amount for a fraction of the cost.

-- ChristopherCrismanCox - 10 Mar 2010

I mean that it is absurd as a practical matter. I think we have to look at the psychology of the people we would be imploring and prioritize our goals based on how we think they would react. Asking for tuition would come off as immature dream-wishing, in turn destroying any credibility we might have. The admin can easily respond to a demand for lower tuition by explaining that it is "impossible" given the current surrounding economic reality. Financial aid and many other CU programs will have to be cut, they will say. You are only thinking short term, they will say. How will we pay the salary of Petal Modeste and others we just hired specifically to help you in this new "climate"? I could go on. I agree with you that we could learn the same if not more for a fraction of the cost, but that's not the point. I feel like I'm just applying what we've been learning thus far in class regarding prediction...

-- KalliopeKefallinos - 10 Mar 2010