Vermont Law School will hold all fall 2020 classes online. On-campus classes will be held virtually, in a live synchronous format. No on-campus, residential courses will be offered during the semester. Additionally, Vermont Law School will offer a new "January Start" for first-year Juris Doctor students.
The One VLS Action Team meets regularly to address issues affecting the law school that has arisen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to move to online classes only was not arrived at lightly. While Vermont is presently a low-risk state, the pandemic is continuing to rage in parts of the country where many VLS students live. This is a contributing factor to the decision. It could make travel more challenging and perhaps difficult for students to come to campus or return home.
"We strive to provide a consistent educational experience for all of our students while being sensitive to our community's safety and security," said Thomas McHenry, President and Dean of Vermont Law School. "The most demanding challenge posed by the pandemic is uncertainty. We want to provide as much notice to our students, facility, and staff, in order to plan appropriately and deliver the high-quality course content and access to faculty that VLS is known for."
Additional details regarding the fall semester, including access to the campus library and operation of VLS' legal clinics, is forthcoming and will be available at www.vermontlaw.edu/COVID19.