Final Exam

Final exam will be administered via Blackboard.  Final exam will become available May 29 (Wednesday), at 9:00 A.M. eastern time and is due, via Blackboard, by May 8 (Friday), 5:00 P.M. eastern time. 

The Final Exam instructions, as they will conveyed via Blackboard when the exam is live, are as follows:

1. This exam has 12 questions comprising 5 multiple-choice questions, 5 short answer questions, 1 essay question, and 1 final question asking you for your anonymous exam number.

2. This exam is written to be completed in two and one-half (2.5) hours.  However, you have from April 29, 2020 (Wednesday) at 9:00 a.m. eastern time to May 8, 2020 (Friday) at 5:00 p.m. local time to complete the exam. This week-plus time period is meant to provide you flexibility in taking the exam.  Please, please do not spend more than a day actually taking the exam — you should not need that much time (nor should you take that much time).

3. Do not share this exam or your answers with anyone else during this exam period.

4. Your exam must be submitted as final to Blackboard by May 8, 2020 (Friday) at 5 p.m. local time. There is no five minute grace period, so allow yourself ample time to make sure the exam is submitted. Please, please don’t turn in the exam in late.

5. Questions 1-5 are “multiple choice” questions.  There are four (4) possible answers, lettered (a) to (d) for each question.  Choose the best answer for each question.  For each question, there is only one “correct” answer.  Select only one answer for each question.  There is no penalty for giving a wrong answer.

6. Questions 6-10 are “short answer” questions.  Each question should be answered in 200 words or less.  This word limit’s main goal is to protect you from yourself — your answers do not need to be more than 200 words long to adequately answer these short answer questions.  I will not consider any words in an answer for these questions beyond the 200th word.  There is a running word count to the bottom-right of your answer box.

7. Question 11 is an “essay” question.  Your answer should be 2500 words or less.  I will not consider any words in an answer for this question beyond the 2500th word.

8. Question 12 asks for your anonymous exam number.  Please put your anonymous number in the empty blank in Question 12, not your name. Your anonymous number was sent to you via email in September 2019 by Katy Olney with the subject “Your 2019-20 Anonymous Number.” Contact Katy Olney at kolney@richmond.edu if you need confirmation of your anonymous number.

9. As you select and type your answers into the Blackboard, I would suggest also copying your answer into a cloud-based word processor, like Google Docs or Word Online so that you have an automatic back-up of your exam answers in case of computer issues. Do not rely solely on Blackboard to store the draft of your exam answers before you finally submit the the exam for grading.

10. Your name should not appear anywhere in your answers.  I will be using Blackboard’s “grade without seeing user’s name” feature to ensure anonymity.

11. This exam is limited open-book, open note in that while taking the exam you may reference only this course’s casebook and workbook, any material posted or linked to on the course’s blog, and any notes to which you personally made some contribution.

12. Again, please, please, only spend 2.5 hours taking this exam–the exam is meant to test your competence in the property law concepts we covered this semester in class (both live and virtually), nothing more (well, there may be a touch of a challenge for those looking for one).

13. If you experience technical issues (i.e., issues with Blackboard, issues with your computer, etc.) contact the law school’s IT services at lawtechsvcs@richmond.edu for assistance. Please use the lawtechsvcs@richmond.edu address and do not email IT personnel directly. This prevents duplication of work and increases efficiency.

14. If you experience an emergency during exam time that will interfere with your ability to take exams as regularly scheduled (i.e. illness, family emergency, etc.) contact Katy Olney at kolney@richmond.edu. Do not contact your professor directly, as that may compromise blind grading.

Instructions for “Virtual” Property

*UPDATED*

Howdy all,

Hope this emails finds everyone comfortable and safe.

First, the current outstanding assignment – the Writing Assignment (Letter to Ms. Hilder) is not due until March 24 (Tuesday), by 9 a.m.

Now, this email will provide you details for how we will keep instruction going “virtually” for the rest of the semester.  You can find the changes identified below reflected on the course syllabus — http://blog.richmond.edu/lawr516/syllabus/.  I have also have an audio file on the course blog here — http://blog.richmond.edu/lawr516/files/2020/03/Property_Virtual_Instructions_2020.mp3 — so you can listen to these instructions too, if you like.  You can also reference these instructions in a blog post here — .

These changes are:

  • Obviously we will not be meeting in person in class on Tuesday/Thursday from 8:30-10:10 a.m.
  • Audio taped lectures (in mp3 format) and the slides (in pdf format) are linked next to each case listed on the course syllabus for classes. You can listen to these lectures and reference the slides at your own pace.  They are in bite-sized pieces to give you flexibility.  Not all of the audio is up yet, but some will be up by March 18.
  • Synchronous open question and answers sessions will be hosted via ZOOM on the identified Tuesdays or Thursdays from 9-10 a.m. as shown on the syllabus (specifics will follow shortly before these sessions).  These sessions are open to all students in the class, regardless of whether you intend to ask a question.  I ask that those who ask questions do two things – (a) listen to the audio and review the slides for those virtual classes proceeding the Q&A session [they are listed] and (b) refrain from asking questions regarding material that proceeds the Q&A session.  These sessions are meant to mimic the typical question and answers that happen in open class regarding the material that has already been presented.
  • The scheduled quizzes will still be administered.  The assignment and discussion of these quizzes are listed on the course syllabus.  I ask that you (a) do not listen or look at the answers to these assignments before you complete them yourself and (b) complete the previously assigned quizzes before participating in the following ZOOM question and answer session (where discussion of quiz answers may come up—such possible discussion is identified).  Not all of the quizzes are available on Blackboard yet, but will be (and you will get notifications via Blackboard when they are).

Beyond the above – I am always available by email or via phone.  My hope is the above is (a) flexible enough to take into account this unique situation we are all experiencing while (b) still providing the educational experience you all deserve and (hopefully) want.

Also, remember – a pdf of the casebook is available via the course blog here — http://blog.richmond.edu/lawr516/files/2018/11/OSP_Spring_2019.pdf.

If there is anything else I can do – let me know.  For what it is worth, I started my law teaching career at Tulane University in 2003 – and there was this small storm called Katrina that kinda disrupted the classes I was teaching there at the time (and our lives as well).  We got through it (although it was not without a lot stress and inconvenience).  I am sure we will here as well.

Stay safe and smart,

Prof. Cotropia