Mission, Vision & Assessment

Mission

The Department of Student Legal Services promotes each student's learning experience by providing excellent legal services and preventative programming.

Vision

The Department of Student Legal Services will be recognized as an exceptional legal service provider among campus and legal communities. Student Legal Services seeks to enrich the personal development of students by providing outstanding, cost-effective, and highly accessible legal services and preventative programming that adapt to meet student needs.

Values

The attorneys and staff at Student Legal Services vigorously uphold all values, ethics and standards of practice promulgated by the State Bar of Texas found in the Texas Rules of Professional Conduct.

The Department of Student Legal Services is committed to the values of:

• Individual rights and freedoms
• Pursuit of excellence
• Efficiency and accountability
• Legal responsibility

Strategic Priorities and Goals

PRIORITY ONE: INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND PROMOTE STUDENT SUCCESS

Outcome: Increase student knowledge regarding their legal issues.

Means of Assessment - Identify and report student legal knowledge before and after consultation with SLS attorney.

Strategies:

• Increase legal understanding in 80% of students utilizing our services.
• Educate students about their duties and rights as citizens through individual counseling and outreach.
• Ensure that students understand the next step they should take in handling their legal issue.
• Refer students as needed to on-campus and off-campus entities.

Outcome: Provide services that enable students to focus on their studies.

Means of Assessment – Identify and report the legal issues that most impact a student's ability to focus on their studies.

Strategies:

• Provide services that reflect the legal needs of TTU students.
• Provide legal representation in the areas most stressful to TTU students.
• Refer as needed to on-campus and off-campus entities.
• Adapt programming to reflect changing student needs.

Outcome: Provide services that enable students to remain enrolled at Texas Tech University.

Means of Assessment – Identify and report the effect of legal counseling on student retention.

Strategies:

• Provide services that reflect the legal needs of TTU students.
• Provide legal representation in the areas most stressful to TTU students.
• Refer as needed to on-campus and off-campus entities.
• Adapt programming to reflect changing student needs.

Outcome: Provide training opportunities to TTU law students and Undergraduates.

Means of Assessment – Report learning outcomes of SLS law clerks, externs, and student assistants.

Strategies:

• Employ at least two student workers per year.
• Provide entrance and exit survey to all student employees.
• Schedule courthouse visits, intake and formal legal ceremonies for law clerks.
• Continue participation in TTU School of Law's externship program.

PRIORITY FOUR: FURTHER OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT

Outcome: Provide learning opportunities for students regarding legal matters.

Means of Assessment - Report outreach services provided to TTU students.

Strategies:

• Participate in 90% of Red Raider Orientation sessions.
• Provide at least three presentations to TTU students per semester.
• Advertise SLS through TechAnnounce and other campus media to increase student awareness of services.

Outcome: Increase TTU/Lubbock community awareness of programs and services offered by Student Legal Services.

Means of Assessment - Report partnerships with and presentations provided to TTU & Lubbock community.

Strategies:

• Attorneys shall maintain membership in at least one specialty bar organization annually.
• Staff members shall serve on at least one campus committee, task force, or community organization, annually.

OUTCOME: INCREASE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SEEKING SLS SERVICES AS A DIRECT RESULT OF CAMPUS COMMUNITY REFERRALS.

Means of Assessment - Report the number of students that came to us from other campus departments.

Strategies:

• Outreach to a minimum of 5 departments/organizations annually.
• Partner with other departments for preventative programming.

PRIORITY FIVE: INCREASE AND MAXIMIZE RESOURCES

Outcome: Tailor services and attorney expertise to LEGAL AREAS showing THE highest impact on STUDENT retention.

Means of Assessment - Report the legal issues that most positively impact student retention and align legal expertise of staff with those areas.

Strategies:

• Attorneys will obtain legal training in the areas having the highest impact on retention. 
• Attorneys will seek low cost, local legal training opportunities.
• Each attorney will specialize in 1-2 key areas that align with student retention to maximize resources.
• SLS will utilize IPods and CampusLabs software for assessments.