Law Schools, listserv, Rudeness

Even During Finals, Some Law Students and Professors Manage to Act Like Adults

Finals week is stressful for everybody, and it leads to lots of screw-ups. But some law students and professors manage to rise above their mistakes…

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UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCHOOL OF LAW — LISTSERV THREAD — COFFEE / TEA

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: [redacted]
Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 3:24 PM
Subject: [Community] COFFEE/TEA ARE NO LONGER FREE (Just FYI)
To: community@lists.law.uconn.edu

Hey all,

I didn’t get any formal email announcement about this, but the free coffee/tea is apparently out of funds (we just had to pay). Just letting everyone know …

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: [SBA@students.law.uconn.edu]
Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 4:43 PM
Subject: [Community] COFFEE STILL FREE @ CO-OP
To: community@lists.law.uconn.edu

Dear Students,

The Co-Op is still offering free coffee to students, compliments of the SBA. Please disregard the earlier student-sent email indicating that coffee was no longer free. The Co-Op made an accounting error with regard to the funding received, but the SBA has spoken with the Co-Op and the issue has been resolved. Coffee remains free at the Co-Op until students hear otherwise.

Sponsored

Furthermore, any student that does not receive free coffee and is concerned about the exhaustion of the SBA Coffee Fund should contact the SBA directly with any questions, before emailing and misleading the entire campus community.

Thank you, and please do not hesitate to contact the SBA with any questions.

Sincerely,

The Student Bar Administration

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: [SBA@students.law.uconn.edu]
Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 7:12 PM
Subject: [Community] Response to Coffee
To: community@lists.law.uconn.edu

Sponsored

Dear Students,

I’d like to personally apologize to the student body for the tone of the last email. I’m the one who drafted it, and it was inappropriate and inartful. I was not trying to admonish or call anyone out with the last line – but rather trying to explain that if something seems amiss with an SBA program – like the SBA coffee has run out early and the SBA has not made an announcement – the best way to respond is to contact the SBA directly, rather than sending out a community email that might only have a piece of the story. The way I went about doing this, however, was unthoughtful unnecessary, and inappropriate. Out of several options I had available for addressing the issue, I hastily chose one of the worst ones.

As it turned out today, there was just a misunderstanding about the amount of funds that had been committed. It was easily and quickly resolved, but several students had contacted me after the student email went out – concerned about the coffee shortage. This concern could have been avoided had the SBA been contacted first about the coffee shortage. This was what I wanted to avoid in the future by sending today’s email.

That said, my response was poorly worded and came across entirely the wrong way. It’s a busy and stressful time for everyone, and I did not put the usual and proper amount of care into drafting, wording, and editing that email. It was never my intention to “call out”, condescend to, disparage, or otherwise attack the student that sent the email, nor any other student. While, at the time of sending, my phone had not yet received the other SBA email about coffee being back on, I realize that my email probably came across as even more harsh/unnecessary given that it was a second email from the SBA about the coffee, and that it directly addressed something a student had done – tone notwithstanding. The SBA is a body that exists to represent and serve the students, and I am truly sorry and deeply embarrassed by the message that my email conveyed. I have taken great pride in my years representing you all, and working hard to put on programs and events that everyone can enjoy (like free coffee).

I personally know and like the student who sent the email today, and would like to take this opportunity to apologize to him and to all of you for the carelessness with which I drafted my email. I’m sincerely, and truly sorry.

Respectfully,

[redacted]

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