Diversity and Inclusion | Simmons Law School | SIU

Diversity and Inclusion

Simmons Law School is an anti-racist institution that is committed to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in the profession of law and society at large. We welcome and actively recruit students, staff, and faculty who want to work and learn in an environment that nurtures and respects diversity in all its forms, including race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender indentity or expression, sexual orientation, age, culture, disability, and military status.

Simmons Law School has a policy of non-discrimination that prohibits the use of admission policies or other actions to preclude admission of applicants or retention of students on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or military status.

Simmons Law School adheres to policies that foster and maintain equality of opportunity for students, faculty, and staff, without discrimination or segregation on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or military status.

Simmons Law School’s non-discrimination policy extends to all employers that recruit our students and to all of our externship sites, prospective and current.  Every employer to whom SIU Simmons Law School furnishes assistance and facilities for interviewing and other placement services shall observe the principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or military status in regard to hiring, promotion, retention, and conditions of employment.

Public Antiracism Statement by the Faculty of the Southern Illinois University School of Law

COMMITTEES

• Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Committee
• Dean’s Advisory Working Group – Diversity & Inclusion (alumni)
• Dean’s Diversity Leadership Council (RSO Presidents)
• Student Bar Association Diversity Committee

NEWSTORY

SIU students, faculty research area’s history of race and law

Scholarships and Awards

Diversity and Inclusion Alumni Award

Thurgood Marshall Award (student)

Sponsorships

Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) – Sustaining Institution

Diversity Scholarship Foundation

Critical Lens on Current Issues

SIU School of Law hosts discussions of pending and recent Supreme Court decisions on issues affecting groups celebrated during the University’s history and heritage months. In the Fall, discussions were led by faculty; in the Spring discussions were led by leaders in the legal profession.

 Fall 2023

• East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Biden (led by Prof. Buys)
• 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis (led by Prof. Anderson and Cox)
• Haaland v. Brackeen (led by Prof. Upchurch)

Spring 2024 

• Discussion about women in war led by Prof. Tetyana Antsupova, British Institute of International and Comparative Law and former Supreme Court Justice of Ukraine
• Discussion about anti-Asian discrimination and hate crimes led by Grace Pai, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Chicago
• Discussion of the SAFE-T Act, led by Joe Cervantes ’13 Jackson County State’s Attorney, Celeste Korando ’03 Jackson County Public Defender, Hon. Jonathan Mitchell Associate Judge First Judicial Circuit, Stan Reno Chief of Police Carbondale IL, Justin Kuehn ’01 Past-President IL Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Kevin Zielinksi ‘25