Information about the SBA

Structure & Goals

The Student Bar Association Council consists of an Executive Council (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer), as well as two representatives from each of the three classes of students, and six at-large representatives from the law student body.

Traditionally, the third Tuesday in September is the date the SBA holds an election to place two representatives from the first-year class among the rest of Representatives serving on the SBA Council.

As the voice of the law student body, the SBA is a direct channel to the law school administration. The SBA holds its meetings throughout the academic year as forums for the Council to discuss concerns raised by fellow law students involving the Tennessee College of Law. The meetings not only serve as a way to remedy any issues, but also as a way to develop new and better services for the law students. These are the most important purposes and goals of the SBA.

In the spirit of these goals above, the SBA undertakes responsibility for various student services and academic events aimed at the membership of the entire law school community.

Student Services

The SBA traditionally provides a plethora of services designed to benefit all members of the law school community at the University of Tennessee.

SBA Bookstore

Don't pay full price for your textbooks! Stop by the SBA Bookstore and find used textbooks, commercial outlines, flashcards, and much more. Law students sell their used textbooks in the SBA Bookstore, naming their own prices in the process. The SBA receives 20% of the purchase prices, while the student seller receives 80%.

The bookstore also stocks various items of merchandise, including clothing, mugs, stickers, and other novelty items relating to Tennessee College of Law, which are available to SBA or non-SBA members. However, SBA members will receive a shopping discount on merchandise at the SBA Bookstore.

SBA Lockers

Membership dues to the SBA include a locker rental fee, which are provided, assigned and maintained by the SBA. The lockers are conveniently located behind the student mailboxes immediately off of the Commons Area. Funds received by the SBA for locker rentals are distributed to support all of the other registered law student organizations.

Allen Novak Memorial Loan Fund

Each spring semester, the SBA hosts a Benefit Auction for the Allen Novak Memorial Loan Fund. This emergency loan fund was established to give students who have suffered an immediate financial crisis leading to important financial needs an opportunity to borrow up to $500, with repayment due ninety (90) days later.

Law students, faculty and staff have the opportunity to bid upon items donated by members of the law school community and area businesses in their efforts to assist SBA in providing for this deserving cause.

You can download the application here. Please print it, fill in the blanks, and place your completed application in Jill Shotzberger's 2L mailbox. If you have further questions, you can email Jill directly.

Student Host Program

In cooperation with the College of Law's Admissions office, the SBA helps to recruit current law students during each fall semester to be student hosts for prospective law students during the fall and spring semesters.

Student Advisor Program

Each spring semester, the SBA accepts applications from rising first-year and second-year law students who wish to serve as student advisors to incoming first-year students the following fall. These invaluable student advisors lead new first-year students through their first weeks and will usually continue to be sources of wisdom and help throughout the academic year.

Academic Events

The SBA also provides opportunities for students to get involved in the law school experience at the University of Tennessee.

Appointments to Faculty-Student Committees

The SBA President appoints law students to various Faculty-Student committees, including such committees as Academic Standards, Admissions Faculty Appointment and Community. Through serving upon one or more of these important Faculty-Student committees, a law student can, in conjunction with the members of the faculty and administration, directly impact the entire law school community at the University of Tennessee.