The Office of Student Life

The Office of Student Life mission is to facilitate learning and support the success and wellbeing of every student by developing a culture of accountability, responsibility, inclusion, and respect for our colleagues and ourselves.

Holistically minded, the Office provides services and resources that reflect the diversity of needs and issues that law students encounter during their education. Its vision is to send the happiest, healthiest, and most professional law students out into the world to lead and transform the legal profession.

Vanderbilt Law offers a culture of collaboration, connection, and mutual support. In this video, our students share their personal experiences and what it feels like to go through law school with a built-in community of cheerleaders.

The office provides a wide variety of services for individual students and organizations. The Director of Student Affairs offers non-clinical general and situational counseling and referrals to campus resources.

The office supports the academic aspects of the law school experience. It provides academic guidance and counseling and acts as a liaison between students and the faculty and law school administration.

The office works with students to develop skills and processes that will make them more successful law students and lawyers, including counseling and other services.

Vanderbilt Law Houses are a cornerstone of the student experience that begins on the first day of Orientation and continues through graduation. Each 1L student is assigned to a house and paired with a Co-Counsel Mentor; all 1L doctrinal courses are taken with fellow house members. Each house hosts regular academic and social programs, as well as school-wide events such as the Day of Service and Field Day.

Vanderbilt Law School is located on the campus of Vanderbilt University. In addition to the law school's proprietary resources and services, law students have access to a broad array of campus resources—including the Student Recreation Center, a well-equipped work-out facility that offers a pool, an indoor track, a large weight room, and indoor squash and tennis courts, as well as club and intramural sports. You'll also find ample opportunities to attend arts performances and exhibits and lectures within easy walking distance.

The Student Care Networkis a holistic network of services and resources pertaining to health and wellness available to all Vanderbilt University students. Primary offices include the Office of Student Care Coordination, the University Counseling Center, the Student Health Center, and the Center for Student Wellbeing. Students also have access to a wide range of additional on-campus and community resources through the Student Care Network—from the Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center to the Project Safe Center to a variety of community providers. To facilitate finding resources, students may refer to theStudent Care Network websiteor contact theOffice of Student Care Coordination.

The Office of Student Care Coordinationis committed to supporting undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, and postdoctoral fellows in successfully navigating life events related to academic stress and/or medical, mental health, and/or other personal concerns that may interfere with a student’s ability to achieve their academic and personal goals. This team of “Student Care Coordinators” is the central and first point of contact for students to help identify needs and determine the most appropriate resources in Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network and in the Nashville community to address concerns.

Student Care Coordinators work collaboratively with students to develop a student success plan, share education about and facilitate connections to appropriate on- and off-campus resources, and provide accountability through supportive follow-up meetings. The office's goal is for students to have the right support, in the right place, at the right time. In addition, the Office of Student Care Coordination manages support for students returning from medical leaves of absence. Though staff typically have a background in mental health services, it is important to understand that work with a Student Care Coordinator is not counseling or therapy.

As a key component of Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network, theUniversity Counseling Center (UCC)provides mental health assessment, support, and treatment for all students enrolled at Vanderbilt, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The UCC also serves postdoctoral scholars appointed by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

Highly skilled and multidisciplinary teams of professionals offer crisis intervention, substance abuse counseling, short-term individual counseling, group therapy, biofeedback, ADHD and learning disorder assessments, and psychiatric assessment and pharmacologic treatment. Treatment plans are tailored to each individual’s unique background and needs. UCC professionals support the university’s mission of fostering inclusive excellence through cultural awareness and competence. In addition to regular hours and evening/weekend crisis response, the UCC offers various “Let’s Talk” locations and affinity groups.

The Student Health Centerprovides primary care services for students and is staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and lab technicians. The Student Health Center provides services similar to those provided in a private physician’s office or HMO, including routine medical care, specialty care (e.g.,nutrition and sports medicine), and some routine lab tests. Most of the services students receive at the Student Health Center are pre-paid, but those services that are not are the responsibility of students to coordinate with their health insurance.

Vanderbilt Recovery Support (VRS)provides a supportive and accountable community for individuals concerned about their alcohol or other drug misuse and those actively in recovery from addiction. VRS is a collegiate recovery program which understands that being sober is one piece of being in recovery. By offering individual coaching, weekly meetings, and monthly seminars, along with social and service events, students are able to continue to work toward success in their academic, social, personal, and professional lives.

The Center for Student Wellbeingseeks to create a campus culture that supports students in cultivating lifelong wellbeing practices. The center offers individual coaching appointments to help students develop and maintain skills that will contribute to personal and academic success, and provides workshops on a variety of topics, including resiliency, time management, alcohol and other drug education, and healthy living.

Students may use the center’s meditation room for yoga, meditation, and mindfulness classes, or for self-guided practice. The center also works closely with many campus partners, including the University Counseling Center, the Student Health Center, the Office of Housing and Residential Education, and the academic deans to provide resources and support for students who may be facing personal or academic challenges.

The mission of theProject Safe Centeris to provide information, support, referrals, and education about sexual and intimate partner violence (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking), as well as consent, healthy relationships, and healthy sexuality to the Vanderbilt University community. Project Safe serves as a central resource for those impacted by power-based personal violence and can assist with navigating the University’s resource and support network (including the University Counseling Center, Student Health, the Title IX and Student Discrimination Office, Equal Employment Opportunity, the Employee Assistance Program, and the Vanderbilt University Police Department), as well as external support and law enforcement resources.

TheTitle IX and Student Discrimination Officeand/or theEqual Employment Opportunity Officeinvestigate allegations of prohibited discrimination, harassment, and retaliation involving members of the Vanderbilt community. This includes allegations of sexual misconduct and other forms of power-based personal violence.

The Title IX and Student Discrimination Office also facilitates interim accommodations for students impacted by sexual misconduct and power-based personal violence. Some examples of interim accommodations include stay-away orders, adjusted course schedules, and housing changes.

While every state has an LAP program, we are fortunate to have the best lawyers assistance program in the countryhere in Tennessee. Even better, their services are fully available free of charge to law students. If you are experiencing mental health or substance abuse challenges and prefer to work with an off-campus (and fully confidential) resource, we recommend working with TLAP.

The Office of Student Life is here to serve the student community. In both personal and academic spaces, we are available to guide students through their Law School journeys.

Assistant Dean of Student Life and Building Operations, Dean of Students

Senior Administrative Assistance for Student Organizations & Publications