Student Bar Association senators unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday calling on the D.C. Bar to remove exam questions focused on mental health for law students in an effort to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues. did.
SBA Senator Elan Reisner sponsored the “Stop Stigma Resolution”, The DC Bar, the district’s compulsory bar association, asks students whether their current mental health condition may impact their ability to practice law competently, ethically and professionally. He said it includes exam questions that ask questions. Reisner said a 2021 survey of 24,000 law students reported that 40% of students do not seek mental health treatment because they fear it will affect their admission to the bar. He said he is asking the D.C. attorney to remove the question because of the issue.
Reisner said mental health is an issue on GW’s campus and that many of his friends have told him about their mental health struggles. He said everyone on campus knows someone with a mental illness and the SBA needs to work to support these students.
“We have to change the conversation around mental health, and as a community we have to emphasize that getting help is a sign of strength, not weakness. “Hmm,” Reisner said.
SBA Sen. Elia Nassage, who also sponsored the resolution, said the bill urges the National Conference of Bar Examiners to consider students based on their content rather than their condition. He said passing the resolution will continue to affirm SBA’s commitment to fairness and inclusiveness in the practice of law.
“As a student organization, we advocate for mental health awareness here,” Nasarji said. “It is important that our legal education system evolves to reflect our values through education.”
SBA Executive Vice President Caitlin Fontana spoke to SGA Sen. Simon Patmore about a bill passed by senators during the SGA’s last meeting that would require students to run for SGA Senate seats in lieu of SBA elections.・He stated that he had received the latest information from Mr. Zarkon (Legal Party). SGA elections. Patmore-Zarcon said approval of the bill is “in progress” and should be implemented by next month’s SBA election, Fontana said.
SBA President Sharam Atkinson said tickets for GW’s annual Barrister’s Ball for law students sold out in “record time”, necessitating the sale of additional tickets Wednesday night. . Atkinson said he and his team are doing everything they can to “cut corners and save money” to provide an accessible experience for students and guests. Atkinson said he wanted to make it a priority to be able to afford the ball, as he experienced not being able to afford to participate in school events such as field trips when he was younger.
“That’s why I save money,” Atkinson said. “I worked to create the Professional Development Fund so that people don’t have to choose between money in their pocket and being successful in their careers.”
SBA senators unanimously voted to register the GW Low Band as a student organization. Ben Winneg, president of GW Law Bands, said the organization was part of the student organization Law Revue but is separating because it wants financial self-sufficiency and funding autonomy. Ta.
“We want to keep playing music and hopefully entertaining the students,” Winneg said. “Second, we want to continue to work with the SBA on things like programming and judicial review. And point number three is we want to continue to drive the annual cost to the SBA to zero.”
SBA senators also passed a special bill allocating $515.16 to the GW Legislative Historical Society to cover the cost of a ghost tour fundraising event around the monument. Katrin Herr, vice president of the GW Legislative History Society, said the society plans to hold similar fundraising events in the future.
SBA senators passed two additional temporary bills to cover the $17.58 pizza cost at GW for the People’s general meeting and the $190.97 pizza cost at the organization’s recent weekly windup.
The senators will hold their next SBA meeting on Tuesday, March 5 at 9:15 p.m. at LLC 009.
Hannah Marr contributed reporting.
