Promoting Critical Thinking And Lifelong Learning Skills Through Legal Consultations.
Consultation with SLS should result in students having a greater understanding of their options for moving towards resolution of their legal concern.
Objective
Identification Of Change Of Student Understanding Of The Law And Options For Potential Resolution Of Legal Issue.
Student Legal Services (SLS) should create a safe place where students are comfortable in confiding confidential legal concerns and gain an understanding of the law, legal system and potential outcomes from actions they may take in regard to legal concerns.
Indicator
Student Surveys Will Show Increase Of Understanding Of Legal Options As Measured On The LIKERT Scale
Students will be surveyed prior to each consultation with one question:
I know the next step(s) to take in my legal situation.
Students will also be surveyed at the conclusion of each consultation with one question:
I am much surer of the step(s) I need to take in my legal situation.
The answer options for both questions are scale of 1-5 (LIKERT Scale); 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree.
Criterion
90% Of Student Surveys Will Show Increase Of Understanding Of Two Or More Digits On The LIKERT Scale.
A post-consultation increase in confidence of the steps to be taken in a legal situation is indicative of engagement and use of critical thinking skills. A change in scores toward strongly agree also demonstrates an expanded understanding of the law, which is a lifelong learning skill.
Finding
Increase Of Understanding Of Legal Options/Resolution Steps
Seventy-six percent of students who had an individual legal consultation participated in the assessment. Those who didn't participate were generally either return student clients on a follow up visit or students who did not physically come to the office, but instead secured the legal information they needed over the phone or via email.
Of the students completing the assessment survey, ninety-five percent agreed or strongly agreed they were surer of the steps necessary to resolve their legal issue. However, we discovered a weakness in our assessment question as many students rated their pre-consultation legal knowledge much higher than anticipated. As a result, the department did not reach the stated goal. Only eighty percent of students surveyed showed a post-consultation increase of two or more digits on the LIKERT scale.
Action
Changing Pre And Post Consultation Questions.
To clarify and better assess student understanding of legal knowledge and resolution steps, they will be asked the same two questions pre and post consultation:
I know the law that applies to my situation.
I know the next step to take to resolve my legal issue.
The answer options for both questions are scale of 1 -5 (LIKERT Scale); 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree.
Goal
Improving Customer Service And Student Satisfaction For Legal Consultation
To provide increased service and evalutate student satisfaction, the department will follow up with students after legal consultation to determine their continued understanding, answer additional questions, and determine needs for further consultation.
Objective
Increase Customer Service And Evaluate Students' Understanding Of Their Legal Rights And Options
Provide follow-up service check-up and evaluate whether students have understood their rights and taken action on one or more legal options.
KPI
Students Responding To Follow-Up Calls Will Affirm That They Have An Ongoing Understanding Of Legal Options.
Each student seeking legal consulations will receive a follow-up telephone call 1-2 weeks after appointment. When calls are unanswered, the department will leave a message expressing concern/interest in legal resolution. When calls are answered or returned, the following will be asked:
Was the information you attained in your legal consultation helpful in understanding your legal options? (yes/no)
Were you able to take the next step towards resolution of your legal issue? (yes/no/na)
Invite additional consultation if no steps have been taken.
Of students receiving consultation:
95% will receive a follow-up call.
20% of students will be reached by telephone and agree that the information attained in legal consultation was helpful in understanding legal options.
15% of students reached by telephone and will have taken the next step towards resolution of their legal issue.
Result
Follow Up Telephone Survey Results
100% of students who participated in the pre-consultation assessment received a follow-up telephone call; exceeding goal of 95%.
Of those receiving a follow up-call, 67% were reached, surveyed and agreed that information from consultation was helpful in understanding legal options; exceeded goal of 20%.
88% of students reached by telephone reported that they had taken the next step to resolve their legal issue; exceeded goal of 15%.
Action
Increasing Number Of Follow-up Surveys
Only 67% of students called were reached or called back to respond to our follow-up survey. While this number exceeded the goal, there is room for improvement.
We will work to increase the number of follow-up survey responses by sending a survey email to students who do not respond by telephone.