Paralegal Orientation

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Paralegal Orientation

• Kapiolani Community College
• Legal Education Department
  8.8.08

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Welcome

• Welcome to the paralegal program online
  orientation for new students. Right here on the
  web, you will learn who your counselor is, about
  academic advising, college resources, and more.
  While the web orientation provides basic
  information, it cannot sufficiently replace the
  in person orientation where students meet their
  new classmates and are able to ask questions.
• We do hope, however, that you find this
  orientation of value.
• Lets get started.

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Your Counselor

• Hi,
• Im Cynthia Kimura the Legal Education
  Department counselor. As your supporter,
  advocate, and guide I can help you become
  familiar with the paralegal and legal secretary
  programs and assist you throughout your academic
  endeavor providing counseling, support, and
  academic advising. Together we can develop an
  educational plan, work on semester by semester
  planning, discuss problems resulting in poor
  academic standing, etc. I can also make referrals
  for additional support services. Contact me at
  ckimura_at_hawaii.edu or phone [phone].

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Academic Advising

• Academic advising is important for student
  success. It is a collaborative relationship
  between you and your counselor. Advising
  encourages you to think critically, seek out
  resources, and develop action plans. It provides
  you with the information and encouragement you
  need to take personal responsibility for
  exploring options and making decisions.
• Your counselor can assist you with course
  selection, processing course waivers, and
  information regarding transfer credits and
  processing of various academic forms.
• You can also use STAR, your degree auditing
  program which matches your academic record
  against program requirements to show what has
  been completed and what you still need to
  complete to meet those requirements. To view your
  STAR, log into your MyUH (https//myuhportal.hawai
  i.edu/cp/home/displaylogin).

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Email

• Every member of the University of Hawaii system
  has a hawaii.edu address, and the associated
  username and password provide access to essential
  Web announcements and email.
• You should regularly log into UH email and Web
  services for announcements and personal mail.
• Failing to do so will mean missing critical
  information from academic and program advisors,
  instructors, registration and business office
  staff, classmates, student organizations, and
  others.
• If you do not have a username, go to
  https//myuhportal.hawaii.edu, click on Get a UH
  username.
• Your password for MyUH and your _at_hawaii.edu email
  is the same.
• To minimize the risk of breaches of
  confidentiality, the counselor will only provide
  general information and will not share
  information about student records via email
  unless the hawaii.edu email is used.

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook

• The student handbook was developed for your use
  throughout your tenure as a paralegal student. It
  will assist you to succeed and make the
  educational process as smooth as possible. Please
  keep this handbook handy and refer to it, as
  appropriate. Some of the information included in
  the handbook are

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook-Accreditation
and ABA Approval

• Kapiolani Community College is accredited by the
  Western Association of Schools and Colleges
• The paralegal program has received American Bar
  Association (ABA) approval since 1978 and is the
  only ABA approved, Associate in Science degree
  program in the State of Hawaii. ABA approval is
  not the same as accreditation.

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook-Course
Sequencing

• Most students take LAW 101, Hawaii Legal System
  in their first semester,
• LAW 102, Legal Research must be taken prior to
  LAW 203, Legal Writing, and
• LAW 193P, Cooperative Paralegal Education should
  be the last LAW class taken.

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook-Mathematical
or Logical Thinking Requirement

• A math or logical thinking course is required.
• Many students take PHIL 110, Introduction to
  Deductive Logic instead because it does not have
  a math prerequisite.

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook- Computer
Skills

• Computer skills are essential to a paralegal.
• LAW 146, Litigation Document Preparation and
  Theory is a required course which requires
  keyboarding ability and knowledge of word
  processing software. Fall 2008 and spring 2009,
  LAW 146 will not be offered. LAW 148 Legal
  Document Preparation (experimental number LAW
  198B) will be the substitute course for LAW 146.
  The new paralegal curriculum, effective fall
  2009, will require LAW 148.
• KCC does not offer typing or keyboarding classes.
  
• Kaimuki/Kaiser Community School for Adults is an
  excellent and minimal cost source to obtain these
  skills. Call 808.733.8460 or 808.733.8461 to
  obtain a schedule of classes.
• Other Community Schools for Adults may offer
  classes as well, and you are encouraged to
  contact the school that is most convenient.

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook-Student
Academic Grievance Procedures

• It is a historically established rule of higher
  education that an instructor has the authority to
  conduct classes, provide for the discussion of
  ideas, make assignments or other exercises,
  require examinations, and render judgments on the
  performance of students.
• The exercise of this authority provides the
  foundation for an academic relationship between
  individual faculty members and individual
  students that is unique to colleges and
  universities.
• This relationship is maintained by the interplay
  of traditional and customary standards of conduct
  and courtesies, the observance of which is the
  responsibility of both faculty and students.
• Inevitably, issues associated with the faculty
  members responsibilities as a teacher and the
  students responsibilities as a learner may
  occasionally arise.
• For more information, please refer to the entire
  Student Academic Grievance Procedures available
  in the Dean of Student Services Office.

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Paralegal Program Student Handbook-Student
Conduct Code and Disruptive Behavior Policy

• The purpose of the University of Hawaii is to
  pursue knowledge through teaching, learning, and
  research in an atmosphere of physical and
  intellectual freedom.
• Members of the academic community may not violate
  the rights of one another nor disrupt the basic
  activities of the University.
• Students who are disruptive are subject to a
  variety of academically related penalties that
  may include reprimand and probation, restitution,
  suspension for a specified period of time, or
  expulsion.
• For further information, please refer to the
  entire Student Conduct Code and Disruptive
  Behavior Policy available at the department or
  the Dean of Student Services offices.

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KCC Catalog

• Your academic requirements are published in the
  catalog that is in effect when you enter the
  college.
• The catalog also describes all KCC courses and
  campus policies and regulations. The course
  description is extremely important as it provides
  an overview of the course and if the course has a
  pre- or co-requisite.
• The catalog may be viewed online.

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Schedule of Classes

• The schedule of classes provides the days, times,
  and locations of courses offered during a
  particular semester (summer/fall and spring)
  registration information tuition and fees
  semester calendar and final exam schedule.
• The schedule of classes may be viewed online.

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Registration

• Registration is the activity when courses for the
  semester are selected and paid for. You will be
  assigned a specific registration date and time
  (time ticketing) to register online using MyUH.
• For registration information, go to
  http//www.kcc.hawaii.edu/object/reguide.html. If
  this will be your first registration at KCC view
  How to Register Online Simple Steps.
• As a paralegal student, you may register for any
  LAW class that you meet the prerequisite for. A
  prerequisite is a prior course, knowledge, or
  skill you must have before you can register for a
  course.
• To check the enrollment status of classes, use
  the online real-time Check Class Availability
  site at http//myuh.hawaii.edu/uhdad/avail.classes
  ?iKAP.

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Course Work Load

• A semester credit is defined as the number of
  hours per week you participate in class during
  the traditional 16 week semester. Usually one
  credit requires one hour of class attendance and
  participation each week and two hours a week of
  homework. If you are taking a 3 credits class,
  youll spend at least 9 hours a week on that
  class (3 hours in class and 6 hours of study).
  All LAW classes are 3 credits.
• A full time student enrolls in 12 credits. Most
  paralegal students work full time so enroll part
  time in 3 or 6 credits each semester. Thats 9 or
  18 hours of class and study per week.
• Dont forget, you may have family, work, or
  community obligations that may dictate your
  enrollment.

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Course Syllabus

• While the college catalog describes the course,
  the class syllabus gives you information
  regarding the class, instructor, grading policy,
  contact information, assignments, class policies,
  expected behavior, etc.
• At the first class session, you will receive a
  copy of the class syllabus. Read it carefully and
  keep it until your course is completed and your
  grade entered.

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Transcripts and Transfer Credits

• Official transcripts from all colleges and
  institutions of higher education attended, except
  University of Hawaii (UH) system schools, are
  required if you want to receive transfer credits.
  To receive credits you must process a Transcript
  Evaluation Request Form after registering for
  the semester. The form may be obtained from the
  Kekaulike Information and Service Center (KISC)
  or downloaded from http//www.kcc.hawaii.edu/page/
  kiscdocs.
• Transfer credits are NOT automatically awarded
  you must initiate the Transcript Evaluation
  Request Form.
• It is to your advantage to process this Request
  in the first semester of program enrollment. For
  more information go to http//www.kcc.hawaii.edu/o
  bject/transfercredits.html.

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News Announcements

• Student notices are emailed to students
  published on the Web and posted on the
  Kapiolani Community College campus Kopiko and
  Mamane buildings bulletin boards. As a paralegal
  student, you should regularly check your
  _at_hawaii.edu email, the Web, or bulletin boards
  for information regarding registration,
  graduation, scholarships, job opportunities,
  curriculum changes, etc.

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Conclusion

• Now that you have completed this orientation, we
  hope you found it helpful as you begin you
  paralegal journey.
• Please be sure read and keep your Paralegal
  Program Student Handbook and use the links on the
  Legal Education Department homepage for
  additional information.