University of Nebraska College of Law students returned to the classroom Monday.

The law school also held a welcome back session for 3Ls over Valentino’s pizza at lunch, where students were given reminders about planning for what hopefully will be their last year of school.

Acting Dean Anna Shavers said the school completed work on a new mission statement, which is memorialized on the wall near the south entrance and the dean’s office. The statement reads: “We develop inclusive leaders who advance justice, solve problems, and serve with integrity.”

The college also developed a list of values that it promotes:

• Think Creatively

• Listen Graciously

• Speak Thoughtfully

• Value Diversity

• Build Community

• Serve Humbly

• Act Courageously

• Work Hard

• Demand Excellence

The college will also hold a yearlong One Nebraska Law event that encourages students to go deeper into one topic.

“Our topic this year is going to be immigration,” Shavers said. “We’re trying to encourage a dialogue on this vital topic – this divisive topic in some ways, this controversial topic – and you’ll hear more about that as the semester goes on.”

The college’s first event will be Sept. 5 at noon in conjunction with the Nebraska State Bar Association. A webinar will share the story of someone who has gone through the immigration system, Shavers said.

Students at the 3L welcome also heard reminders about the importance of limiting how much they work and devoting sufficient time to prepare for the bar exam.

They were reminded that it might be the right time to start gathering any tickets or citations they have ever received – down to minor out-of-state traffic citations – even if they completed a STOP class or otherwise eventually had the complaint dismissed.

The bar will want all of these records for their character and fitness reporting.