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Law School Record, Vol. 72, No. 1 (Fall 2025), Law School Record Editors

Law School Record

• Message from the Dean
• How the Law School is Incorporating AI into the Curriculum
• Café D'Angelo Builds Community One Cold Brew at a Time
• Adam Chilton Becomes Dean
• The Corporate Speech Dilemma
• Theory in Practice
• Counselors of Crypto
• Asked & Answered - Richard Robbins, '91 Director of Applied AI
• Seven Alumni Begin Clerkships for Supreme Court Justices
• Professor John Rappaport Discusses his New Criminal Law Casebook
• Two New Faculty Members Join the Law School
• Other Faculty News and Recognition's
• The Law School Launches the Dean's Fellow Program
• Meet the Class of 2028 (by the numbers)
• Development News
• In Memoriam
• Giving …

The Parthenon, October 01, 2025, Baylee Parsons, Kaitlyn Fleming, Ashton Pack, Nate Harrah, Caden Adkins, Scott Price, Lilli Ross, Wade Sullivan

The Parthenon

No abstract provided.

Gut Complement System: A New Frontier In Microbiota-Host Communication And Intestinal Homeostasis, Xianbin Tian, Lan Zhang, Xinyang Qian, Yangqing Peng, Fengyixin Chen, Sarah Bengtson, Zhiqing Wang, Meng Wu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and influencing various aspects of host physiology, including immune function. Recent advances have highlighted the emerging importance of the complement system, particularly the C3 protein, as a key player in microbiota-host interactions. Traditionally known for its role in innate immunity, the complement system is now recognized for its interactions with microbial communities within the gut, where it promotes immune tolerance and protects against enteric infections. This Review explores the gut complement system as a possibly novel frontier in microbiota-host communication and examines its role in shaping microbial diversity, modulating …

Solar Power Forecasting Using Deep Learning Techniques, Fatma Abdulrahman

Theses

The growing utilization of solar energy and other renewable energy sources has heightened the demand for a proper forecasting model that enables efficient control of the energy supply as well as grid reliability. In this work, we concentrate about the use of novel techniques in ML models, namely Deep Neural Networks (DNN) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), to try to forecast power output in a solar-powered plant using past weather and power output records. Production of solar energy is naturally volatile because it is dependent on the weather conditions and is problematic in nature when integrated into power grids. Conventional …

Nrf2 Immunobiology In Cancer: Implications For Immunotherapy And Therapeutic Targeting, Harit Panda, Natalie G Rowland, Caroline M Krall, Brittany M Bowman, Michael B Major, Paul Zolkind

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a transcription factor that acts as a key regulator in cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and xenobiotics. NRF2 modulates the expression of over 200 genes involved in antioxidant response, drug metabolism, and cellular resilience. Constitutive activation of NRF2 is a common event in cancer and recent advances provide remarkable insights into the role of NRF2 in oncogenesis, immune evasion, and treatment resistance. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of NRF2 in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment and the impact this has on clinical outcomes and treatment …

Microglia Regulate Gabaergic Neurogenesis In Prenatal Human Brain Through Igf1, Diankun Yu, Samhita Jain, Andi Wangzhou, Beika Zhu, Wenyuan Shao, Elena J Coley-O'Rourke, Stacy De Florencio, Jaeyeon Kim, Jennifer Ja-Yoon Choi, Mercedes F Paredes, Tomasz J Nowakowski, Eric J Huang, Xianhua Piao

2020-Current year OA Pubs

GABAergic neurons are essential cellular components of neural circuits. Their abundance and diversity have increased significantly in the human brain, contributing to the expanded cognitive capacity of humans

Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Lipid Dysregulation In Yeast Lacking Phosphatidylserine, Alaumy Joshi, Zakery N Baker, Rachel A Stanfield, Dimitris T Kalafatis, David J Pagliarini, Vishal M Gohil

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mitochondrial membrane phospholipids impact mitochondrial structure and function by influencing the assembly and activity of membrane proteins. Although the specific roles of the three most abundant mitochondrial phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and cardiolipin (CL), have been extensively studied, the precise function of less abundant phosphatidylserine (PS) is not yet determined. Here, we used genetic and nutritional manipulation to engineer a set of yeast mutants, including a mutant completely devoid of PS, to assess its role in mitochondrial bioenergetics and lipid homeostasis. To circumvent the confounding effect of downstream PS products, PE and PC, we exogenously supplied ethanolamine that allows …

Gender Trends In Professional Advancement Among Academic Pediatric Neurologists, Juliet K Knowles, Renée A Shellhaas, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Fsec Meeting Minutes October 1, 2025, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Agentizing Privacy Preferences Without Privatizing Data Protection Policy, Frank Pasquale, Vanna Carter

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

This essay explores how consumers might exercise newly restored agency in a digital environment increasingly shaped by generative AI. Rather than expecting consumers to read privacy-related terms of service, policymakers should encourage the emergence of Automated Consumer Agents (“ACAs”) capable of interpreting privacy provisions and acting on behalf of users according to their stated preferences. These systems could automatically reject objectionable forms of data extraction, translating consumer values into actionable decisions in online transactions.

Despite this promise, the rise of ACAs would also present new problems. Without supportive policy and legal frameworks, agentization of privacy preferences could itself reproduce or …

Pandemic-Driven Healthcare Disruptions And Their Disproportionate Impact On Patients With Diabetes: Evidence From Texas, Meryem Saygili, Gultekin Gollu, Zehra Tekin

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening complication of uncontrolled diabetes. The COVID-19 pandemic may have increased DKA incidences and worsened outcomes both through the potential diabetogenic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection (direct effect) and through pandemic-related disruptions in healthcare (indirect effects,) including delays in seeking or receiving care, reduced access to routine outpatient services, and strains on hospital capacity. The objective of this study is to examine changes in the frequency and outcomes of hospitalizations with DKA in Texas hospitals following the COVID-19 pandemic and to quantify the contributions of pandemic-related healthcare disruptions and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Comparisons to patients with …

“Il N’Y A Plus De Monstres”: A Case Study On Trans And Gender-Diverse Health In Switzerland, Sophie Lin

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) populations experience significant health disparities, particularly in regards to mental health outcomes and quality of life. This case study employs a qualitative approach to elucidate barriers and enablers to TGD health and gender-affirming care in Switzerland. Evidence collected from semi-structured interviews with health professionals working with Swiss TGD communities provides a thorough understanding of contemporary resources and obstacles regarding gender-affirming treatment. This research seeks to contribute to scholarship by synthesizing health literature with critical queer theory. Drawing from Butler’s theory of gender performativity, a framework of gender self-determination is advanced as a core principle of health, …

Nutrition In Context: How Cultural Beliefs, Gender Norms, Social Environments, And Interventions Shape Maternal Nutrition In Nepal, Rebecca Fan

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

Maternal nutrition is recognized as one of the most significant and modifiable determinants of persistent inequities in maternal and neonatal health. In Nepal, what women are able to eat and how they experience pregnancy are all shaped by a complex interplay of cultural beliefs, gendered expectations, household dynamics, structural barriers, and nutrition intervention efforts. This study examines these intersecting factors through ethnographic accounts, peer-reviewed scientific literature, expert interviews, and an analysis of current interventions operating across different levels. Specifically, to understand the social environments shaping maternal nutrition, the paper explores cultural beliefs and misconceptions surrounding food, women’s limited control over …

Not Born A Democracy: Constitutional Preconditions, Martha Minow

William & Mary Law Review

Beneath growing perceptions of constitutional crisis and democratic fragility in the United States lies a fundamental conundrum. Critical preconditions for effective self-government are either weak or missing in action, and our constitutional system, at least for now, stands in the way of actions to strengthen or build those preconditions. This Article focuses on three essential predicates for constitutional democracy that face jeopardy: education, reliable news, and security against lethal violence. As basic as these elements may be, repeated efforts to secure a federal constitutional right to education have failed in the courts. Because of a confluence of legal, technological, and …

Ciwag Policy Papers #1: Seabed Warfare Is Here: A U.S. - Led Global Strategy To Secure The Ocean Floor, Dave Brown

CIWAG Policy Papers

Dr. Jahara Matisek, James Langan, Andrew Rolander, and CIWAG Director David A. Brown, COL (Ret.) build on discussions from CIWAG's 2025 Maritime Symposium, co-sponsored with the Naval War College Foundation, and expanding on key insights shared in "The Trident" podcast episode on maritime sabotage, this paper demonstrates why protecting critical undersea infrastructure is no longer optional—it’s urgent. "Growing numbers of incidents and the destruction of pipelines and cables in the waters around Europe and Taiwan signal a global shift: the seabed has become a contested battlespace. The combination of difficulty of detection and attribution, plus the severe consequences to economic …

Border Decriminalization As A State Project: Lessons From Marijuana And Assisted Suicide Legalization Across The United States, Victor C. Romero

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

My prior work argued for the decriminalization of border crossings without proof of specific intent to violate another law (like drug trafficking), which is even less likely to happen now than it was when the piece was published, given the current presidential administration’s zealous deportation strategy and Congress’s seeming acquiescence. As such, I advocate for a second-best solution involving federal-state cooperative agreements wherein border states abutting both Mexico and Canada are given the option by the federal government to pass local legislation decriminalizing border crossings into their states as their communities desire. To the extent that the current presidential administration …

Getting There From Here: Reflecting On Compassionate Migration Policy, Steven W. Bender

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

Having written about Latinx issues for more than three decades, with a focus on immigration policy for at least the last two decades, I see no middle ground in this time of Trump. Those who relish hurt and hate, and those scholars who wrote the kindling for that bonfire, must be basking in the glow of their handiwork. Those of us who I claim are on the right side of history must search through the ashes for hope—the where, when, and how to nurture humanity on scorched ground. Counting myself among those searching for hope, I acknowledge the indulgence offered …

Countering The Criminalization Of Solidarity: An Analysis Of Legal Frameworks Proposed To Protect Humanitarian Aid For Migrants And Asylum Seekers, Katherine E. Smart

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

Thousands of migrant fatalities are reported each year all across the globe, and as staggering as current numbers are, they are likely an undercount. These deaths are a direct result of government policies that funnel migrants into dangerous routes through deserts and seas to deter immigration. Further, when individuals and groups step forward to provide immediate aid to migrants—such as food, water, shelter, first aid, and search and rescue (SAR)—they are often targeted by intimidation, harassment, discipline, and even criminal prosecution. Thus emerges a question: what legal framework can protect the rights of humanitarian aid workers acting in solidarity with …

"America's Paradise": The Enduring Costs Of Imperialism And Colonial Rule--A Case Study Of The U.S. Virgin Islands, Diamond C. Ash

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

As the United States prepared to enter World War I, it secured another strategic territorial holding in the Caribbean. Six days before declaring war on Germany, the United States purchased the Virgin Islands (USVI) from Denmark—not for economic development or the welfare of its people, but as a military asset. St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John became a strategic outpost for naval dominance and national security.

Like other unincorporated U.S. territories, the USVI’s governance was shaped by imperial ambitions and reinforced through legal structures that preserved federal dominance. In practice, this created a system of colonial rule in which …

Behind The Prompt: The Environmental Impact Of Llm Inference, Lucy Hegenderfer, Isaac Huang

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

As the size and demand for large language models (LLMs) increase, the environmental impact of computational inference often exceeds training; yet industry lacks a standardized method of calculating this expanding environmental footprint. Complexity arises with task-specific computational demands, infrastructure overhead, and various GPU architectures, making cross-model assessments burdensome. Combining environmental engineering and computer science principles by validating Jegham et al.’s meta-model, we predict the carbon emissions and water consumption during inference, providing metrics to raise user awareness of AI’s growing environmental footprint. Additional work supports integration into a multi-agent conversational system that encourages responsible scheduling and prompting, guiding the user …

The Lawyer: Fall 2025, Seattle University School Of Law

Lawyer

The Briefcase

Faculty Showcase

A look at the Technology, Innovation Law, and Ethics (TILE) Institute

Out & About

The Legal Writing Program's past, present, and future

Alumni Profile: Stephanie Nichols

Alumni Profile: Kelly Vomacka

Class Notes

Extended Detention Without Due Process: Resolving A Circuit Split In Favor Of Detained Noncitizen Migrants’ Due Process Rights, Jacob E. Maguire

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Less than two months before American voters cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election, a circuit split emerged regarding whether the Due Process Clause allows noncitizens with certain criminal convictions to be held indefinitely throughout their deportation proceedings without the right to a bond hearing. Specifically, the First, Second, and Third Circuits disagree with the Eighth Circuit over whether noncitizens may be detained for the duration of their deportation proceedings under Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) without the right to a bond hearing. In January 2025, Congress subjected additional classes of noncitizens, including those who …

Sovereign Indignity And Immunity, Chun Hin Jeffrey Tsoi

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Sovereign immunity, even if not understood as a monarchical relic, embodies the notion of indignity for a government having to answer to allegations of transgressions. This Essay proposes an argument to challenge the doctrine’s theoretical basis, especially with respect to the federal government in federal court. But there is first a threshold question to be answered: has the doctrine of federal sovereign immunity been practically mooted by the “death” of Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents? One needs an express cause of action to sue the federal government absent Bivens, and if one has an express cause of action, under …

Rethinking Appeals In Arbitration, Abdi Aidid

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

The question of whether arbitration awards should be appealable, or at least subject to enhanced judicial review, is heavily contested in the scholarly literature. This Article explains that arguments favoring or rejecting appellate review have focused on stylized conceptions of arbitration either as a species of contract or as a substitute for adjudication. This Article argues that these two dominant approaches—termed here the “contractarian” and “arbitration-as-adjudication” models—fail to adequately describe modern arbitration practice. Thus, any argument for or against appellate review that rests heavily on either of the two conceptions is unconvincing. Instead, this Article argues that the question of …

Thou Shalt Not Castrate: The Conflict Between Louisiana’S Surgical Castration Law And The Principles Of Medical Ethics, Morgan Ambrosecchia

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

In 2024, Louisiana became the first state to permit courtordered surgical castration for sex offenders who have been convicted of certain sex crimes against children. Under the law, an offender who refuses to submit to the procedure will face an additional three to five years in prison without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. The court’s order is contingent on confirmation by a court-appointed expert that the offender is an “appropriate candidate for surgery.” However, the statutory language is vague and does not clearly define who can serve as an expert nor does it define the scope …

“This One Time At Band Camp”: Reexamining The Use Of “War Stories” In Trial Advocacy Pedagogy, Todd A. Berger

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

“War stories,” i.e., the retelling of an event from the teacher’s experience as a practicing lawyer to illustrate a teaching point, have long been a part of law school pedagogy. In this regard, faculty teaching doctrinal courses recognize that the use of war stories can work as an effective teaching methodology. Interestingly, however, the use of war stories to teach trial advocacy has proven far more controversial. To that end, the most dominant approach to teaching trial advocacy in American law schools, known as the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) method, embraces an approach to war stories that ranges …

Beyond The North Star: The Southward Flight Of Enslaved People To Mexico, Kayro Gonzalez

Theses (2016-Present)

When most people think of the Underground Railroad, they often picture brave individuals escaping the slave-owning South, seeking safety in the northern United States or Canada. However, it's essential to recognize that the fight for freedom went far beyond those regions. In 1830, Mexico abolished slavery, leading many escapees from enslaved areas across the United States. With freedom just a few miles away, hundreds of American slaves established several secretive and advanced routes into Mexico’s northern states, settling in newly founded free black colonies like San Lorenzo de los Negros and El Nacimiento de los Negros, among others. Using data …

An Evaluation Of Reading Proficiency Examination College Completion Among Black Neurodiverse Women, Makayla J. Graham

Theses (2016-Present)

This study establishes the college completion experiences of Black neurodiverse women (n=53), a population historically rendered invisible in higher education research. Grounded in Dis/ability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit), Black Feminist Thought, the Black Feminist Disability Framework, and the Neurodiversity Paradigm, the research documents how intersectional identity, structural barriers, and mental health outcomes shape degree attainment. Data was collected through a mixed-methods online survey targeting this specific demographic. The findings demonstrate that college completion for this population is an act of resistance against racialized sexist ableism. Thematic analysis identified six central themes: Systemic Barriers in Higher Education, Intersectional Identity Burdens, Internal …

Filipino Military Professionalism And Leadership Within The Context Of The Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Strategy, Leslie Advincula-Lopez, Sharon A. Caringal, Julian V. Advincula Jr.

Development Studies Faculty Publications

The study examines how expertise, responsibility, and identity are developed and maintained by the services formally and informally and provides an updated understanding of how military professionalism functions today among the members of the AFP. The research results provide an updated understanding of how the members of the AFP dynamically construct military professionalism and leadership within the context of more complex and global security challenges. Specifically, it examines the construction and practice of professionalism and leadership across the different branches of service, the Philippine Army, the Air Force, and the Navy, as well as their geographic locations. Given the fluid …

October 2025 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the October 2025 (Volume 4, Issue 3) Library & Learning Newsletter.