Handbook 2015
A collaborative initiative of the UTS Faculty of Law and the UTS
Law Students’ Society
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 1
Handbook Contents
1. Welcome and Introduction to the Brennan Program
a. Professor Lesley Hitchens (Dean, UTS Faculty of Law)
b. UTS Law Students’ Society
c. An introduction to the Brennan Program
2. Program objectives and structure
3. Brennan Program registration, communication and participation
a. Registering with the Brennan Program
b. Brennan Program Forum on UTSOnline
c. A guide to your Reflections of Justice (ROJ) blog
d. Communication channels for Brennan Program
e. Contacting the Brennan Program
4. Reflections on Justice
a. Description and purpose
b. The range of activities and Award requirements
c. ROJ Activity Examples
d. Activity information
e. ROJ points flowchart
5. Leadership through Service
a. General requirements and rationale
b. Service criteria and Award requirements
c. Choosing a service activity
d. Prior approval of voluntary work and logging past service
6. Brennan Program Alumni Group
7. Frequently Asked Questions
3
4
5
6
7
7
7
7
7
8
9
9
10
11
12
13
13
15
15
16
16
Appendices
1.
2.
3.
4.
Study Guide
Approval for future service under Leadership through Service
Claiming past service under Leadership through Service
How to set up and log your Reflections on Justice Points on
UTSOnline
17
20
22
24
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 2
1. Welcome and introduction to the Brennan Program
A. From Professor Lesley Hitchens (Dean, UTS Faculty of Law)
At UTS we believe our students are being educated to contribute to society, as well as to
enhance their own lives and careers. To assist with developing those capacities, I am
delighted that in the Law Faculty we have the Brennan Justice and Leadership Program,
which is explained in this Handbook. This unique Program was established in 2011.
Successful completion of the Program will be marked by receipt of the Brennan Justice and
Leadership Award. The Program and Award are named for Sir Gerard Brennan AC KBE,
former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and UTS Chancellor. His life and career
exemplify the qualities of professional leadership, service and excellence sought to be
nurtured in the Program.
Successful democracies require high ideals, good institutions, excellent leadership, and
citizens who believe in those ideals and participate. Furthermore, many commentators today
believe that fundamental concepts of justice are failing to be incorporated into our social,
economic and political arrangements. We hope to address some of these concerns in the
education of our law students and through participation in the Brennan Program.
Having a legal education is a great privilege, so also is working and using that education,
whether as a legal practitioner or in another career. However, we know there is evidence
that legal education has a capacity to ‘break down student idealism and value commitments’
and this could contribute to the documented lack of mental wellbeing in law students and
the legal profession. It is important that all law schools assist students to find a sense of
wellbeing, fulfilment and satisfaction in their studies and later professional work and we feel
the Brennan Program will contribute to the development of the values and attitudes which
will stand our students in good stead into the future.
We worked closely with the UTS Law Students’ Society in setting up the Brennan Program,
and I am delighted to say that the Faculty and the LSS have never cooperated so closely on a
joint project, and continue to do so as the Program enters its fifth year. As Dean of UTS
Faculty of Law, I feel privileged to work with the talented students and staff engaged in this
Program.
Professor Lesley Hitchens
Dean, Faculty of Law
University of Technology, Sydney
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 3
B. From the UTS Law Students’ Society
Welcome to the Brennan Justice and Leadership Program!
Our names are Ashleigh Barnes (President) and Paul Bonjour (Brennan Program Director)
from the UTS Law Students’ Society (UTS LSS). The UTS LSS is a student-run organisation
and the peak representative body for law students at UTS, catering to their social,
educational and vocational needs.
The Brennan Program is a joint initiative of the UTS LSS and the UTS Faculty of Law, which
aims to strengthen the social justice consciousness among law students and allow students
to develop their leadership qualities. It is an invaluable opportunity that encourages students
to further engage with the community in areas that are outside of the standard law
curriculum at university. The program entails regular discussion group forums amongst
students, voluntary service hours within the community and numerous social justice
seminars and activities, such as the one-off hospital and detention centre visits and the
Speaker Series events conducted by the UTS LSS and the faculty of Law. This initiative,
developed in 2011, was fostered by the progressive and unique relationship between the UTS
LSS and the Faculty. Together, we look forward to continuing the development of our
working relationship and the Brennan Program in the coming year.
The Brennan program allows for your voice to be heard in relation to some of the pressing
social justice issues that surround our everyday existence. The Brennan program allows you
to hear the voices of prominent figures, advocates and victims alike. The Brennan program
gives you the chance to make a valuable contribution to your community and better the lives
of others. Being involved in the Brennan Program means meeting like-minded individuals
and expanding your knowledge of the issues that shape the legal profession you may one day
be part of.
Whether you are commencing your legal studies at UTS as a Juris Doctor (JD), a
postgraduate or undergraduate student, your time at law school will be one of the most
demanding yet rewarding experiences of your life. Getting involved and maximising the
opportunities provided by both the UTS LSS and the Faculty will ensure you get the most out
of your time here.
There are myriad opportunities available here at law school, and of all of these, the Brennan
Program is one that we strongly encourage you to partake in. Challenge yourself. Challenge
what you (think you) know about the social justice issues that surround us in the community.
Get involved at law school. Get involved in the Brennan Program.
We look forward to meeting you all throughout the year!
Ashleigh Barnes
Paul Bonjour
President
Brennan Program Director
UTS Law Students’ Society
UTS Law Students’ Society
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 4
C. An introduction to the Brennan Program
i.
An invitation to all UTS law students to join the Program
The Brennan Program is a voluntary initiative that is open to all UTS law students.
Throughout your degree, we will offer many engaging reflection and volunteer opportunities.
We hope that you will participate in these experiences and obtain the Brennan Justice and
Leadership Award.
We recognise that much will depend upon your other commitments, and that these will vary
from semester to semester. Feel free to continually vary your level of activity, participation
in and engagement with the Program, and accumulate points when you are able to.
ii. Information Sessions
Information sessions for students are held at the beginning of each semester to answer any
questions you may have and to organise student discussion groups. The dates and times of
these sessions and are advertised on the Program website and UTSOnline page.
There is no need to register for these sessions. Simply come to one of these meetings to
learn more! If none of these times suits you, contact the Program Administrator at
[email protected] with any questions you have.
iii. Program governance, administration and contacts
The Brennan Program is a joint initiative of the UTS Faculty of Law (Faculty) and the UTS
Law Students’ Society (LSS), under the ultimate authority of the Dean of the Faculty of Law.
A Steering Committee, drawn from the LSS and the Faculty, oversees the Program design,
administration and operation. Day-to-day administration of the Program is delegated to the
Program Administrator under the operational oversight of joint Program Directors drawn
from the LSS and Faculty.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 5
2. Program objectives and structure
The American jurist Roscoe Pound wrote that the defining quality of all professions is that
their primary purpose is ‘pursuit of the learned art in the spirit of a public service’ (The
Lawyer from Antiquity to Modern Times {1953} p5). Law’s connection with justice, its role in
distributing power and rights, and calling the exercise of each to account, means that its
practice is more firmly impressed by the claims of justice, the public interest and service
than many other callings.
The Brennan Justice and Leadership Program is a voluntary program for UTS law students.
It seeks to strengthen the justice consciousness, idealism and sense of service that they
bring to their studies and later professional work. It is a joint initiative of the UTS Faculty of
Law and the UTS Law Students’ Society. Second, the Brennan Program also seeks to
develop each student’s capacity for personal and professional leadership. Across the wide
range of professional roles in which they work, law graduates enjoy privileged access to
opportunities for social, group and individual leadership. Leadership is inextricably linked to
service. The Program offers students opportunities to strengthen their capacity and
commitment to leadership through service. Third, it is important that law schools assist
students to find a sense of wellbeing, fulfilment and satisfaction in their studies and later
professional work. The pressures of studies and later professional legal work often pose
challenges to a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. However, there is evidence that the
satisfaction and renewed sense of purpose that comes from service to others greatly
enhances the meaningfulness of studies and professional work.
In summary: a characteristic shared by many lawyers at the top of the profession is a
concern for the ends that the legal system is serving, the justice of its outcomes and of its
administration. It is the aspiration of every law school to produce the lawyers who will lead
the next generation. UTS students have this personal ambition. The Brennan Program seeks
to fire student idealism and lay the foundations for future professional leadership. These are
the objectives of the Brennan Justice and Leadership Program.
The Program has separate components of reflection and service. In the reflection
component, students complete specified activities that reflect on the idea and ideal of
justice, in general intellectual and specific social contexts, and the obstacles to its
realisation in the domestic and global community. The reflection component is designed to
stimulate an intellectual engagement with the idea of justice, ideally to continue across the
student’s law program and well beyond, and generate a group conversation about law and
justice among students. Its complement is the service component under which students
undertake voluntary roles with a service and leadership element. Students who complete
the requirements of both components of the Program qualify for the Brennan Justice and
Leadership Award.
The Program and Award are named for Sir Gerard Brennan AC KBE, former Chief Justice of
the High Court of Australia and UTS Chancellor. His life and career exemplify the qualities of
professional leadership, service and excellence that the Program seeks to nurture. On 17
March 2011 Sir Gerard Brennan launched the Program and chaired its first reflection
activity, a panel discussion with Julian Burnside AO QC and Christine Adamson SC (now
Justice Adamson of the Supreme Court of NSW) reflecting on the place that the concern for
justice occupies within their professional practices.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 6
3. Brennan Program registration, communication and
participation
A. Registering with the Brennan Program
To officially start participating in the Brennan Program, students need to register via the
Brennan Program homepage on the UTS Law website at www.law.uts.edu.au/brennan. A
hyperlink takes you to the registration page. Registration continues while you are enrolled in
a UTS law degree, and ends upon your graduation.
Once you are registered in the Program, you will have access to the “Brennan Justice and
Leadership Program Forum” on UTSOnline and will be automatically signed up to the
fortnightly Brennan newsletter.
B. Brennan Program Forum on UTSOnline
This forum contains resources for Brennan participants including:
-
announcements regarding upcoming social justice lectures and seminars
program guides and contacts
useful reading material
access for students to post items on the Discussion Board to extend the conversation
about justice.
your Reflections on Justice (ROJ) blog
Access to the Brennan Program Forum is not limited to sessional enrolment but extends for
the duration of your studies at UTS.
C. A guide to your Reflections on Justice (ROJ) blog on your Personal
Learning Space - UTSOnline
After becoming familiar with the Brennan Forum on UTSOnline, it is essential that students
set up their personal Reflections on Justice (ROJ) blog via the Personal Learning Space on
UTSOnline.
The ROJ blog enables students to record their participation in activities and self-reflection
notes, earning ‘points’ throughout the Program. Students are encouraged to document their
engagement in the program, track progress and write personal impressions of their
experience. A guide to setting up the blog on UTSOnline is contained in Appendix 4 to this
Handbook.
Students can’t accumulate ROJ points without the ROJ blog! (see appendix)
D. Communication channels for Brennan Program
UTSOnline: Announcements are posted regularly on the Brennan Program Forum on
UTSOnline to inform students of new lectures and other activities and opportunities
available under the Program.
Newsletters: Fortnightly newsletters are sent to students registered with the Program,
containing a digest of recent announcements, articles and voluntary opportunities.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 7
Web: There are two primary web pages for the Brennan Program where students can find
out all they need to know about getting started in the Program, relevant contact details,
program FAQS. These web pages are located at the UTS Faculty of Law and UTS Law
Students’ Society (LSS) websites:
Faculty: www.law.uts.edu.au/brennan/
LSS: http://www.utslss.com/socialjustice/brennan-justice-a-leadership-program
Social Media:
UTS:Law Brennan Program
@BrennanProgram
Friend us now!
Brennan Program FAQs are published separately—see the program home page and
UTSOnline Documents folder. They address many questions and are a point of reference!
E. Contacting the Brennan Program
Enquiries about the Program should be directed to the Program Administrator:
Alexa Dodd
Student Programs Coordinator
UTS Faculty of Law
[email protected].
Brennan Joint Directors:
Professor Paul Redmond
Sir Gerard Brennan Professor
UTS Faculty of Law
[email protected]
Joint Program Director
Paul Bonjour
Brennan Program Director
UTS Law Students’ Society
[email protected]
Joint Program Director
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 8
4. Reflections on Justice (ROJ)
A. Description and purpose of the reflections component
The first component of the Brennan Program involves attendance at and engagement with
lectures, seminars and conferences that have a focus on justice or some other area of
social, legal, educational or cultural concern to our society. The idea is that students will
reflect upon what they learn at these events and activities, in order to broaden their legal
educational experience and increase awareness of issues of social justice, both in our
community and in a global sense. The UTS Faculty of Law and UTS Law Students’ Society
host a plethora of events and activities each semester. Students are also encouraged to
attend external events. ROJ events will be communicated to students through our
Newsletter, UTSOnline, Facebook, Twitter and around the campus notices.
B. The range of activities and Award requirements
To be eligible for the Brennan Justice and Leadership Award (Award), students must
complete 100 points of reflective activities from the list below. A range of activities is
offered to stimulate reflection and discussion around the concept of justice and its relation
to law and legal system. The following activities attract points under the reflections
component.
●
Attending UTS lectures, seminars or film screenings (5 points each). The program
for these lectures and screenings for each semester is shown on the Program
website, Brennan Program Facebook,
●
Attending external lectures, seminars and conferences that deal with a topic with a
justice dimension and which has either been notified as attracting points under the
Program or has been approved for points on an ad hoc basis by the Program
Administrator (5 points each unless otherwise approved).
●
Participating in UTS Law and Justice discussion groups, meeting at least five times
during a semester; the group will post a reflection or summary of each meeting (20
points). Members of the group sign off on the participation of other group members.
●
Maintaining a reflective blog with at least seven different entries, posted across a
span of several months to reveal a developing perspective, each entry being at least
350 words in length (10 points).
●
Producing a substantial reflective piece through creative writing, an essay, law
reform submission, video or some other form of media not created or used for
student assessment. Students should discuss their project in advance with the
Program Administrator (10-20 points). Students may be invited to present excellent
pieces at a Brennan Program session and receive an additional 5 points.
●
Participation in the Brennan Book Program, which invites all students and staff to
read the same book. It gives everyone a chance to read the same book and to come to
the Brennan Program with something in common. We are also using the book
program to highlight social justice themes and points for discussion within the UTS
Law and Justice discussion groups. For 2015, we’ve chosen Chloe Hooper’s true
crime/non-fiction novel, The Tall Man: Death and Life on Palm Island. Copies of The
Tall Man have been ordered at the Co-op Bookshop or order a copy from Amazon or
download from Kindle. (20 ROJ points for reading the book and writing a 1000 word
reflection on your ROJ blog.)
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 9
C. ROJ Activity examples:
ROJ Activity
How to accrue ROJ points
Points
Internal event
attendance
Register attendance in your ROJ blog. E.g.
“Innocence Betrayed Film Screening and
Panel Discussion”, 10 March 2015, Moot
Court.
Register attendance in your ROJ blog by
writing a 350 reflective post or uploading
a ticket or registration form.
Register attendance in your ROJ blog by
listing what group you were in the topics
discussed
A minimum of seven different entries of
350 words each in your ROJ blog.
A substantial reflection using media of
your choice (video, essay etc.) about a
topic of interest or even a reflection on an
event. Upload this piece to your ROJ blog.
Read the prescribed book for that year
and write a 1000 word reflection in your
ROJ blog.
5 points
External event
attendance
Discussion
Group
Reflective blog
Reflection piece
Brennan Book
Club
5 points
20 points
10 points
10-20 points with prior
approval from Program
Administrator
20 points
Students may choose whether, how and at what stage of their studies they complete their ROJ
requirements. There is no upper limit on points that may be accrued and students are
encouraged to participate in reflective exercises to the best of their capacity. Students may
not accrue 100 ROJ points in one year, it is encouraged that students develop their insights and
experiences throughout the progression of their degree.
Students are responsible for recording all ROJ points in their individual ROJ blog on
UTSOnline. A central database is not kept of reflection points accumulated by each student.
Registrations records are kept as proof of attendance and is not the authoritative record of
points accumulated.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 10
D. Activity information
UTS Law and Justice lectures, seminars and film screenings
A series of lectures, seminars and film screenings are held regularly throughout the year.
Students can explore the issues raised in the lecture within the discussions groups (see
below) and share ideas drawn from their individual reflections and experience or individually
reflect on the concepts of justice in their ROJ blog. Details of the lectures and seminars
offered at UTS are advertised on the Program website, the fortnightly newsletter and on
Facebook. Attendance at each accrues a standard five (5) points under the Program,
however, students must enter the title of the event, the date and the points tally in their ROJ
blog. Preparatory readings for these lectures may be posted in the Readings folder on the
Brennan Program Forum site on UTSOnline. Attendance remains voluntary, however, the
more you attend the more points you accrue.
External lectures credited towards the Program
Students are encouraged to identify, share and attend external lectures, seminars and
conferences that deal with a topic with a justice dimension. Details of such lectures will be
regularly posted on the Brennan Program Forum on UTSOnline, the newsletter and on
Facebook. Please share information about any external lectures or seminars that might
interest others in the Program by emailing [email protected]. We will notify
students of its details and advise if it attracts points under the Program.
The Program Administrator will also approve points on an ad hoc basis for attendance at an
external lecture that deals with a topic with a justice dimension and broadly corresponds in
depth of treatment with the UTS Law and Justice lectures. The standard points for qualifying
external attendance is five (5) points although more points may be given for longer
workshops or conferences, etc. External events will require you to upload proof of
attendance at the event (eg. ticket, registration confirmation) or compose a (350 words)
reflective note in your ROJ blog.
Law and Justice discussion groups
Students are encouraged to join and contribute to a Law and Justice discussion group. These
groups comprise of 6-8 students and meet five times each semester to reflect on the
lectures and the notions of justice that emerge, share their own experiences and
perspectives, assist each other’s reading and exploration, and to extend the conversation in
ways that reflect the particular insights and interests of group members. The groups will be
self-managed and operate for a single semester only, although some groups may choose to
continue together as a group for another semester, by arrangement with the LSS CoDirector. It is hoped that many students will be stimulated to participate in more than one
discussion group over the years. Membership of a discussion group, of course, accrues
points towards the Brennan Program. Please log your 20 ROJ points on your ROJ blog by
entering the details of the group you were with and the topics you discussed during the
semester.
Detailed guidance on the discussion groups is contained in the Brennan Program FAQs at
the Program homepage and the Brennan Program Forum on UTSOnline. Appendix 1 to this
Handbook contains a study guide with recommended books on justice to assist discussion
groups as well as individual students.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 11
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 12
5. Leadership Through Service (LTS)
A. General requirements and rationale
The second component of the Brennan Program is voluntary activity in a range of legal and
non-legal settings that involves service to others and also indicates the assumption of some
leadership role, for example, through the taking on responsibility or initiative (the service
component). That service might take several forms.
To be eligible for the Brennan Justice and Leadership Award, students must complete the
required number of hours pertaining to the duration of their studies at UTS as set out below:
5 year Degree
4 year Degree
3 year Degree
Minimum
200 hours
160 hours
120 hours
120 hours
Some students may wish to undertake service work together with fellow students. This is
something that the Program encourages.
There are many different rationales for the service component that justify its inclusion in the
Brennan Program. Some emphasise the privileged, public role that the legal profession
plays in the administration of justice, the social roles as advisers and counsellors that
lawyers often peculiarly play, and the personal responsibilities that follow from these roles
and privileged opportunities. Many would also argue that our lives are given meaning by the
service we give to others and that this applies especially to the professional work of lawyers
and their personal wellbeing. LTS opportunities will also be communicated to students
through our Newsletter, UTSOnline, Facebook, Twitter and around the campus notices.
B. Service criteria and Award requirements
i. Voluntary service
To qualify for the Award, the service must be voluntary, that is, is unremunerated
except for reimbursement of costs such as travel expenses, and normally will be undertaken
with not-for-profit organisations or projects. (Students should contact the Program
Administrator for guidance and, in appropriate cases, exemption from the non-profit
requirement.) Further, the service must not attract academic credit or count towards any
professional qualification such as under the professional experience requirement for
admission as a legal practitioner.
ii. Tiering and capping service
The Program encourages sustained, accumulating volunteer experience across law studies,
instilling an enduring ethic of service. This has two implications. First, students are expected
to accrue service across more than one academic year; no more than three-quarters (75%)
of service hours that are accrued under the Program may be performed in one year. Second,
students are encouraged to seek volunteer positions in a broad range of services; that is to
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 13
say, volunteer experience need not be in a service that has a legal function for it to be
credited under the Program. In this way the Program seeks to encourage leadership and
initiative across the legal, social and community sectors. This is also important since
students in the first half of their law course may well find it difficult to find a placement in a
legal service; many of these services only accept students with more experience and legal
study.
The intention of these measures is to encourage volunteering and service generally, for the
sake of those assisted and for the student’s own sake. The Program does not single out any
form of service for special privilege or status. Especially, in the early stages of study, service
should be in the wider rather than the legal community; for some students, their
volunteering will never have a legal dimension.
iii. Developing leadership capacity and initiative
It is an aim of the Program to assist students to develop their capacity for social leadership
and personal responsibility. While it is unreasonable to expect that all volunteer service will
offer opportunities for organisational leadership, nonetheless, in reporting on what service
has been undertaken or is proposed, students should be conscious of and seek out
opportunities for the exercise of initiative, the assumption of responsibility and the
development of leadership capacity. Students are encouraged to seek out opportunities to
demonstrate these qualities. For example, a student might develop a fundraising initiative,
lead an awareness raising campaign, take on higher organisational responsibility, or
advocate for the needs of their host organisation.
iv. Some instances of voluntary work within the service criteria
Instances of voluntary work that is within the service criteria include:
1. Work in agencies that have a service provision function or ethic of care, advocacy and
social concern (for example, providing services for homeless people, working
with Indigenous organisations, as a teacher of English literacy to child refugees,
and advocacy and advice for disadvantaged groups).
2. Volunteering as an intern or research assistant at a Faculty Centre (Viz, Anti-Slavery
Australia, the Communication Law Centre or the Australasian Legal Information
Institute (AustLII)).
3. Volunteering or interning with legal clinics, community legal centres and other
agencies that have a justice, public interest or service dimension to their work.
4. Exercising leadership in student and university activities, for example, as an
executive member of a UTS student club or society or a peer networker with the
UTS Student Services Unit.
5. Community service that involves the exercise of initiative and the development of
leadership capacity, such as a facilitator / organiser of a community sports
program.
On the other hand, activities that are not within the service criteria include:
6.
7.
8.
9.
Volunteering as a research assistant with a private law firm.
Working without pay in a family business which operates for profit.
Being paid by your employer to complete community service work.
Unpaid marketing work which has a profit motive.
Neither list is exhaustive of the full range of inclusions or exclusions.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 14
If a student participating in the Beyond UTS International Leadership Development (BUiLD)
Program, the Social Leadership at UTS (SOUL) Program, or the UTS Accomplish Award
Program performs some voluntary activity that otherwise satisfies these service criteria, the
fact that it counts towards that program does not disqualify it from also being counted
towards the Brennan Program. Both programs are valuable and complementary.
C. Choosing a service opportunity
Students are encouraged to seek out service opportunities that reflect their own interests,
commitments and community attachments. The experience of searching for opportunities to
contribute is usually a valuable education in itself and develops initiative and
resourcefulness as well as valuable contacts. However, to ensure that any proposed activity
is within the Program criteria, students should contact the Program Administrator for
confirmation that it fits within the criteria of the Program.
To help you find a placement, a letter of introduction is available explaining the Brennan
Program to prospective placement organisations and why students might offer their volunteer
services. Email [email protected] to request a copy.
D. Prior approval of voluntary work and logging service under the Program
All volunteer work should be submitted to the Program Administrator for prior approval for
credit using the form at Appendix 2 to this Handbook. When approval is given and service
hours start accruing, students should log the hours actually performed by lodging a claim
form with the Program Administrator (see Appendix 3). The Program Administrator keeps a
central database of service approved and logged for each student and this is the
authoritative record of hours accumulated for each student. (In contrast, as noted above at
section 4B, a central database is not held of reflective activities and each student’s ROJ blog
with its supporting documentation is the authoritative record.)
The Program Administrator keeps a central database of service approved in advance and
logged from time to time for each student. Use the forms at Appendices 2 and 3 for this
purpose. The Program Administrator’s database is the official record of hours of service
accumulated for each student under the Program. We also advise that student’s must keep
copies of all approved forms.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 15
6. Brennan Program Alumni Group
It is intended that alumnus will, over time, be able to stay in touch with the Program via enewsletter blasts, make positive contributions to the Program such as volunteering in any
capacity – from facilitating a discussion group on which the alumnus has a particular
interest/expertise, to being a guest speaker at an event at which they have shown
themselves, post-graduation from UTS, to be an expert in.
Students should see their involvement in the Alumni Group as an opportunity to give back
not only to the Program, but to the UTS:Law community as a whole, which has supported all
students through their progression in the Program and given them a platform through which
to expand their legal educational experience and consciousness of justice in the legal
profession and outside of it. The Alumni Group will establish a wider community creating a
nexus between Brennan students and graduates, so as to further strengthen the core of the
Program.
If you are a final year student and you wish to join the Alumni Group when you complete your
studies (regardless of whether or not you have completed the Program), please contact the
Program Administrator at [email protected].
7. Frequently Asked Questions
To assist with any queries or concerns that students may have, the Program Administrator
and Co-Directors have compiled a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document for your
convenience.
The FAQs purport to cover all issues regarding the Program, such as: how a student can
progress within both components of the Program, the various ways in which a student can
participate, relevant contacts, what to do should issues arise with any events/activities to do
with the Program, what the Program aims to provide students with, etc.
The Brennan Program FAQs can be found at the following page:
http://www.uts.edu.au/brennan.
If you have any questions arising from the FAQs document, and/or your query/concern is not
covered by the FAQs, please contact the Program Administrator at
[email protected].
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 16
APPENDIX 1
STUDY GUIDE
Below is a list of recommended readings and study materials. They are excellent starting
points for those students who wish to undertake reflective work in order to accrue points, or
even for those who wish to further expand their education in the realm of justice in our
society. Michael Sandel’s Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? (Farrar, Straus & Giroux,
2009) is probably the most easily accessible in intellectual terms for those coming fresh to
the topic. Some Discussion Groups might consider using Sandel’s book (or the YouTube
videos of his Harvard lectures listed below) as their core resource, operating in much the
same way as a “book club” might do. There is great value is this approach since it provides
an intellectual structure to the discussion without constraining its direction and shape.
Books:
•
•
Chloe Hooper, The Tall Man. Death and life on Palm Island (Camberwell, Hamish
Hamilton, 2008; UTS Library 364.349915 HOOP)
Roy Williams, ‘Due process’, The Australian Literary Review, December 1, 2010, 1819 (accessible review essay on Sen’s, The Idea of Justice and Sandel’s Justice:
What’s the Right Thing to Do? by an Australian lawyer)
Copy in the 2011 “Speeches and Readings” folder on the Brennan Program
Forum on UTSOnline
Michael Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? (Farrar, Straus & Giroux,
2009; UTS Library 172.2 SAND)
o
•
Engaging and accessible account of the principal conceptions of justice,
tested against current social problems that explicate or test their cogency
and limits.
Tom Campbell, Justice (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 3rd ed, 2010; UTS Library 179 CAMP
ED.3)
o
•
Well developed account of different conceptions and norms of justice
informed by an awareness of law’s role and limits in its realisation; the
author has a long connection with legal education as well as a deep
background in moral philosophy and jurisprudence.
Amartya Sen, The Idea of Justice (Penguin Books, 2009 (paperback); print and
electronic book copy on order by UTS Library)
o
•
Stimulating and more intellectually demanding account that draws upon
wider cultural and intellectual sources.
Julius Stone, Human Law and Human Justice (Maitland Publications, 1965; UTS
Library 340.15 STON)
o
•
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 17
More complex jurisprudential analysis of thinking on law’s relation to justice
across the ages and legal systems
F E Dowrick, Justice According to the English Common Lawyers (Butterworth, 1961;
UTS Library 340.13 DOWR)
o
•
Description and analysis of differing conceptions of justice held by judges and
legal practitioners in 20th century England
Search ‘Social Justice’ at the UTS library
o
•
Online articles:
•
•
CNN – Articles about Social Justice
o http://articles.cnn.com/keyword/social-justice
Other e-readings
o http://find.lib.uts.edu.au/search.do?N=4293890283&Ntt=social+justice
Online videos:
•
Michael Sandel’s Harvard lectures (cf his book Justice: What’s the right thing to do?
(2009))
o “The moral side of murder”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdfcR-8hEY
o “A lesson in lying”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqzW0eHzDSQ
o “What’s a fair start?”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcL66zx_6No
o “The claims of community”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOotE9_OGGs
o “Free to choose”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw4l1w0rkjs
o “Putting a price tag on life”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O2Rq4HJBxw
o “Debating same-sex marriage”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzD9P-9sj4M
o “This land is my land”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGyygiXMzRk
o “The good citizen”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuiazbyOSqQ
o “Arguing affirmative action”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUhReMT5uqA
o “Hired guns”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yT4RZy1t3s
o “Mind your motive”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rv-4aUbZxQ
•
TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
o Kevin Bales: “How to combat modern slavery”
 http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_bales_how_to_combat_modern_slav
ery.html
o Bahia Shehab: “A thousand times no”
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 18
o
o
o
o
o
 http://www.ted.com/talks/bahia_shehab_a_thousand_times_no.html
Sunitha Krishnan: “The fight against sex slavery”
 http://www.ted.com/talks/sunitha_krishnan_tedindia.html
Dan Pallotta: “The way we think about charity is dead wrong”
 http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_cha
rity_is_dead_wrong.html
Kakenya Ntaiya: “A girl who demanded school”
 http://www.ted.com/talks/kakenya_ntaiya_a_girl_who_demanded_sc
hool.html
Bobby Ghosh: “Why global jihad is losing”
 http://www.ted.com/talks/bobby_ghosh_why_global_jihad_is_losing.h
tml
Bryan Stevenson: “We need to talk about an injustice”
 http://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_
an_injustice.html
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 19
PRE-APPROVAL FORM
Approval for FUTURE service under Leadership through
Service
Name:
Student number:
Student email:
Degree and year of study:
Name and address of organisation and nature of its activities:
Description of your proposed role or tasks for this organisation:
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 20
Do you anticipate that this activity allow you the opportunity to exercise leadership,
initiative or responsibility? If so, please specify:
OFFICE USE ONLY
Signature of Brennan Program Administrator:
Approved:
Yes
No
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 21
CLAIM FORM
Claiming PAST service under Leadership through Service
(Please retain a copy of all Claim Forms submitted)
Name:
Student number:
Student email:
Degree and year of study:
Period covered by this report:
Name of Organisation:
Position within Organisation:
Description of service (including number of hours given to each item of service) for this
reporting period:
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 22
Did this activity allow you the opportunity to exercise leadership, initiative or responsibility?
If so, please specify.
Dates/time period worked for Organisation:
Total hours logged with organization for this report period:
Name and contact details of Organisation Supervisor:
Signature of Organisation Supervisor:
OFFICE USE ONLY
Signature of Brennan Program Administrator:
Approved:
Yes
No
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 23
How to log your points under Reflections on Justice
Your ROJ points are logged using your Personal Learning Space. If this is your first
time using the Personal Learning Space you will need to initially set it up.
Creating your Personal Learning Space
1. Log into UTSOnline
2. Under the ‘Quick Links’ tab you will see the ‘Campus Pack Personal Learning
Space’ link.
3. Look for the Campus Pack ePortfolio sitelink and select ‘Add content’
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 24
Setting up your blog.
1. Click on ‘Blog’
2. You will be prompted to name your site; the name of your site should contain
your name, e.g. ‘John Smith Reflection Blog’.
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 25
Sharing your blog
You will need to share your blog so the Brennan Program Administrators can view it.
To do this:
1. Click on ‘Settings’ on the top right hand side
2. Click ‘Permissions’
3. Click ‘Courses’ and search for Brennan Justice Leadership Program in the
search bar.
4. Add ‘All Instructors’
To make your blog more easily accessible you can make your personal learning
space available on your ‘My UTSOnline’ page by adding the module:
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 26
From now on to access your blog you just click on ‘Personal Learning Space’ on your
‘My UTSOnline’ page:
This is now where you log events attended, discussion group participation and
reflection pieces. Remember, if you haven’t logged it here – it’s not on the record!
UTS Brennan Justice and Leadership Program | Handbook | 27