USF - Moldovan Comparative Legal Research Assignment - Fall 2023! ULIM and USM

We are pleased to share that we are once again partnering with colleagues in Moldova

A very special thanks to LARISA PATLIS and her students at the Free University of Moldova (ULIM)

and

Professor LIA BUTUCEL and her Anglophone Law Students at Moldova State University (USM)

we are also honored to have the counsel of

Judge Serghei TURCAN of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova who is also teaching a Human Rights course at ULIM this semester

as well as 

Professor Aliona CARA RUSNAC, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova who is also the coordinator of the Anglophone Department of the Law Faculty of Moldova State University

Here is more about our distinguished collaborators, as included in the Comparative Legal Research Assignment:

Follow along on the Comparative Legal Research Blog for the remainder of the semester:

https://comparativelegalresearch.blogspot.com/

Appendix VI

Moldova State University Collaborators

 Professor Lia BUTUCEL

Lia Butucel currently is a lecturer at the Romance and Germanic Philology Department, Faculty of Letters, at the Moldova State University (USM), where she received her licentiate diploma and M.A. in Translation Studies in 2005 and 2007, respectively, and licentiate diploma in Law in 2010, PhD student ( research topic – Terminology)

She developed curricula for a number of academic courses: Legal English (English for Specific Purposes, Law Faculty), Typology of the English Texts (Faculty of Letters), Linguistics of the English Texts (Faculty of Letters), Pragmatics of the English Texts (Faculty of Letters), etc. She is also in charge with the implementation of PBL projects within the department, involving both, students and lecturers.

 

About Professor Butucel’s class:

Legal English

SYLLABUS

Summary	The Legal English course offers students the opportunity to direct their language knowledge and skills towards academic and professional training and information. They will also be introduced to the basics of academic and intercultural communication. The approach is learner-centered, it is oriented towards learning outcomes. Organized at the request of interested faculties, the course aims to develop professional language skills, with a focus on specialized instances in the field concerned. The main objectives are: the acquisition and use of concepts, strategies and working methods specific to the field (with linguistic support in English), with emphasis on the development of techniques and rules for writing scientific texts, as well as the acquisition of a varied specialized vocabulary. Students will thus have the opportunity to understand the specific format, structure and conventions of scientific genres in the field and to develop their ability to work with specific linguistic structures in English. The subject aims to develop the professional competences: Mastery of a linguistic repertoire suitable for understanding oral and written messages necessary for obtaining information for professional purposes, production of written messages of professional interest by using the assimilated arsenal of morpho-syntactic and orthoepic elements, possessing a specialized vocabulary necessary for understanding and producing professional messages, mastering a wide range of everyday expressions in order to take part in verbal interactions in various socio-cultural and professional contexts, and adapting and communicating coherently information and problems in the Legal Domain to specialists and non-specialists in the field.
Learning Objectives	As a result of completing this course, students will be able to: Use oral and written communication for professional purposes in English Produce written messages of professional interest using the acquired specialized vocabulary
Learning Outcomes	Students will be able to use the acquired specialized vocabulary to understand and produce messages Students will be able to use a wide range of terms and expressions to participate in verbal interactions in different socio-cultural and professional context Students who take the course will obtain important practical linguistic skills necessary to work effectively in a legal professional workplace
Grading	Students will be graded throughout the semester on their participation in classroom activities and discussions, their knowledge of the course content through periodic assessment, and they also will be graded on a final exam.
Materials	Professor will provide students with all necessary resources.

 

 

Professor Aliona Cara Rusnac

Secretary of State at Ministry of Environment

Republic of Moldova

Aliona Cara Rusnac is the program coordinator of the Anglophone  Department within the Law Faculty of  Moldova State University (2003-present), developing projects in cooperation with the US Embassy, implementing PBL projects at the Anglophone Department, lecturing and developing curricula; Associate professor of the Law Faculty of Moldova State University (2003); Legal Consultant on daily basis matters referred to implementation of Talent Retention for rural Transformation TRTP (IFAD VIII), Rural Resilient Project PRR (IFAD BVII) and PRRECI (IFAD VI) projects. Coordinating elaboration of CPIU IFAD position paper on water legislation and policy documents on water. Expert on agricultural, environmental, construction legislation and juridical studies on environmental, agricultural and human rights. Participating in the working group of drafting the amendments of the Law of Water Users Associations for Irrigation. Participating in implementation of the PRR and TRTP Projects in particular on the subcomponents regarding plantation/monitoring of the forest strips, infrastructure, keeping direct control on litigations and reporting the situation of litigations to the competent authorities.

 Aliona Cara Rusnac was a scientifical researcher at the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (2008-2015) and a project coordinator at the European Public Law Centre (2006-2010), conducting research, drafting reports, drafting proposal to submit to the European Union, Hellenic ministry of foreign affairs or other institutions on the Rule of Law. She also participated in training activities of the EPLC, notably elaborating conference documents, giving presentations to exchange students, academics or professionals, organized conferences and seminars.

 

Appendix VII

ULIM COLLABORATORS

 The Honorable Serghei Turcan

Judge, Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova

 

Judge of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova

Was born on September 6^th 1974, graduated from the Free International University of Moldova (ULIM) (1998); Doctor of law, Free International University of Moldova (2003).

Head of the Public Law Department within the Law Faculty of ULIM (2005-2019); Associate professor of the "Bogdan, the Founder of Moldova" National Institute of Information and Security (2003); Associate professor of the Law Faculty of ULIM (1998).

Member of the Superior Council of Magistracy (2018-2019); Member of the Board for the selection and career of judges of the Superior Council of Magistracy (2016-2018); Member of the Working group for the improvement of the procedures regarding the selection and career of judges (2017-2018); Member of the National Legal Aid Council (2015-2016); Member of the Superior Council of Prosecutors (2009-2013); Member of the Working group for the review of the legislation regarding the organization and functioning of the Constitutional Court (2016-2018); Member of the Scientific Council of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova (2007-2019); Member of the Commission for  constitutional reform (2009-2010).

Awarded the "Civic Merit" ("Meritul Civil ") Medal (2016), "For Cooperation" ("Pentru Cooperare") Medal of the Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova (2016), "Cross for Merit" ("Crucea Pentru Merit") 1^st Class distinction of the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Moldova (2013) and the ULIM Order (2019).

Named judge of the Constitutional Court by the Decision of the Superior Council of Magistracy Nr. 302/18 of 30.07.2019.  

 

LARISA PATLIS

 

Larisa Patlis currently is a lecturer in International Relations and the coordinator of the European Union Information Center at the Free International University of Moldova (ULIM), where she received her licentiate diploma and M.A. in International Relations (European Studies) in 2005 and 2006, respectively. 

 She has conducted research and professional development visits in Poland (2008, 2009, 2013), Hungary (2009), Austria (2010), Lithuania (2010), Turkey (2011, 2022), Ukraine (2012) USA (2012/13), Georgia (2016), Germany (2018), Spain (2023).  Larisa Patlis was a Carnegie Fellow in the Department of History and Politics and the Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership and Civic Engagement at USFSP (for Fall semester 2012), conducting a research on Devolutionary Trends in Moldova: the Case of Gagauz Yeri. In 2016 Larisa became a winner of the Carnegie Scholar Publication Program 2016 competition for alumni of the CRFP. 

 

Appendix VIII

Professor Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan

 

Dr. Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan (Ph.D. in Public Law, Rutgers University 2003) is the Frank E. Duckwall Professor of Florida Studies, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the Center for Civic Engagement at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, where she teaches courses in American Government and Public Law. McLauchlan is also the Lead Instructor for the USFSP YMCA Civic Fellows Program, a statewide civics education initiative in partnership with the YMCA Youth in Government Program.  

McLauchlan was awarded the American Political Science Association and Pi Sigma Alpha’s Certificate for Outstanding Teaching in Political Science, USFSP’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the USF Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, the USF Outstanding Faculty Award, the USFSP Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Civic Engagement, the Lawson R. McElroy Award for Excellence in Engaged Learning, the Campus Compact Graham Frey Civic Educator Award,  AASCU’s Burch Award for Faculty Leadership in Civic Engagement, the APSA’s Craig L. Brians Award for Undergraduate Research and Mentorship, the Political Studies Association-American Political Science Association Inaugural Award for International Partnerships, the Gulf South Summit Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Higher Education (for the USF YMCA Civic Fellows Program) and the APSA Civic Engagement Section's Civic Engagement Project Award (for Civic Fellows).

Her book Congressional Participation as Amicus Curiae before the U.S. Supreme Court explores how Members of Congress attempt to influence Supreme Court decision-making in specific cases.  Following her Fulbright to Moldova, McLauchlan expanded her research about whether and how courts can bring about change to study the impact of the European Court of Human Rights on justice sector reform in Moldova.  In addition, McLauchlan is an active contributor to the scholarship of teaching and learning. She has published numerous articles and book chapters about the effects of integrating civic engagement into the curriculum and has presented those findings at regional, national, and international conferences. 

McLauchlan was a Fulbright Scholar to Moldova (Constitutional Law, Politics, and the Judicial Process) in 2010 and 2012, and in 2017, McLauchlan was awarded a Fulbright to North Macedonia (Rule of Law and Civil Society). McLauchlan was awarded a Diploma from the Government of the Republic of Moldova, recognizing fruitful international cooperation and collaboration on research as well as the Medal of the Free University of Moldova (ULIM).  She also received the Award of the City of Klos, Albania in honor of the promotion of democratic values, community engagement and volunteerism and a Leadership Excellence Award for "outstanding dedication and commitment to promoting rule of law, democracy building, and civic engagement" from the University for Business and Technology in Pristina, Kosovo.  McLauchlan will be returning to Moldova as a Fulbright Specialist in 2023.

In addition to her scholarly activities, Professor McLauchlan has extensive experience in American government and politics. McLauchlan worked at the U.S. Supreme Court (conducting historical research in the Office of the Curator), the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (on the confirmation of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg), the U.S. Department of Justice (for then-US Attorney Eric Holder, in the Violent Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, DC), and the White House (during both terms of the Clinton Administration). A veteran of several presidential campaigns, she has managed statewide operations across the U.S., from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon. (This includes work on the 2000 Recount in Florida and managing the first ever 100% Vote by Mail presidential election in the U.S., as state director for the campaign in Oregon.) She has worked on seven presidential primary campaigns in New Hampshire, and now she teaches a course called The Road to the White House, in which she brings students up to New Hampshire for the primary. In addition, McLauchlan participated in various roles at the Democratic National Committee Conventions in Chicago in 1996, Los Angeles in 2000, Boston in 2004, Denver in 2008, Charlotte 2012, Philadelphia 2016, and Milwaukee 2020.  She served as an International Elections Observer during the Constitutional Referendum and the Parliamentary elections in Moldova (September and November 2010).  She was a Delegate to nine Florida Democratic Party State Conventions, and she has served as an elected member of the Pinellas Democratic Party Executive Committee, 2008-2020.  In 2014 McLauchlan was a candidate for the Florida Senate; she raised $391,000 and earned 74,804 votes.

 Appendix IX

 Professor Judithanne McLauchlan’s

U.S. Constitutional Law 2: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

 

Civil liberty, the great end of all human society and government, is that state in which each individual has the power to pursue his own happiness according to his own views and interest, and the dictates of his conscience, unrestrained,  except by equal, just, and impartial laws.

 

Sir William Blackstone

Course Objectives:

Thomas Paine declared that a constitution is “to liberty what a grammar is to language.” And, indeed, in the United States, the source of our civil liberties is the Constitution, especially its first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.  

In this course, we will study the constitutional basis for civil liberties as well as the role of the Supreme Court in enforcing those constitutionally protected rights.  We will immerse ourselves in the case law surrounding the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights – the freedom of and from religion, the freedom of speech and of the press, the freedom of association, the freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, the guarantee against self-accusation, the right to counsel and other criminal procedure guarantees, the guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment and the right of privacy – as well as the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee of the equal protection of the laws. We will look at race discrimination in  education, affirmative action and reverse discrimination, as well as non-racial classification and the equal protection of the laws.

 Students will develop legal research and writing skills while working collaboratively in groups with students at Moldova State University and Universitatea Libera Internationala din Moldova (ULIM), the Free University of Moldova.  For this comparative legal research assignment, students will compare decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of the United States involving similar legal questions.  By learning more about legal issues in the EU and the workings of the European Court of Human Rights, students will learn more about the protection of civil liberties in Europe and will also better understand the Supreme Court of the U.S. and its role in American constitutional democracy.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:   

When you have completed U.S. Constitutional Law 2 (Civil Liberties and Civil Rights), you will be able to

ü  Engage in legal reasoning

 ü  Brief a Supreme Court opinion

ü  Debate the role of the Supreme Court in American constitutional democracy

ü  Research Supreme Court opinions using Lexis/Nexis and Westlaw as well as to use the Supreme Court website to stay abreast of cases being argued before the Court

ü  Describe the constitutional basis for civil liberties as well as the role of the Supreme Court in enforcing those constitutional protected rights, including

                  Freedom of speech and of the press

                  Freedom of and from religion

                  Freedom of association

                  Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures

                  The guarantee against self-accusation

                  The right to counsel and other criminal procedure guarantees

                  The guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment

                  The right of privacy

ü  Discuss the 14^th Amendment’s guarantee of Equal Protection of the Laws and how it applies to race discrimination in education as well as to non-racial classification (gender-based discrimination, discrimination against gays and lesbians, and issues related to wealth, poverty, illegitimacy, alienage, age, mental illness, and retardation)

USF ULIM Partnership wins International Award from APSA PSA - USF website article

 See the USF website for more about the award

https://www.stpetersburg.usf.edu/news/2023/global-classroom-collaboration-with-moldova-wins-international-partnerships-award.aspx

 

lobal classroom collaboration with Moldova wins international partnerships award

Political Science Professor Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan (right) and USF students highlight international research they conducted with students and faculty in Moldova in the spring of 2022.

Global classroom collaboration with Moldova wins international partnerships award

• May 11, 2023
• Community Partnerships, Research and Innovation

By Matthew Cimitile, University Communications and Marketing

A global classroom experience that brought together USF St. Petersburg students with peers in Moldova to conduct joint research while an international humanitarian crisis was unfolding nearby received the inaugural International Partnerships Award from the American Political Science Association (APSA) and the Political Studies Association (PSA).

“What a tremendous honor,” said USF Political Science Professor Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, who helped organize the collaboration along with Larisa Patlis, a lecturer in International Relations in Moldova. “I believe this project gave the students in Moldova some sense of normalcy.  We tried to be a source of support and solidarity during tremendously challenging times.”

As the first joint meeting of the global classroom with the Universitatea Libera Internationala din Moldova (ULIM) was set to take place, Russia invaded Ukraine, which boarders Moldova to the east. World events completely altered the context of the international collaboration and raised doubt if it could continue as planned. 

But McLauchlan said that by continuing, it provided tremendous benefits for everyone involved. 

“Despite having a war at your doorstep and massive amounts of refugees coming into the country, it’s been heartwarming to see the Moldovan students’ response and how our USF students have connected with them,” she said at the time.

Students in the two countries met for virtual classroom discussions to compare and contrast civil liberty decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights involving similar legal questions. They also worked together in smaller research groups using Facebook Messenger, Whats App and Google Docs to delve further into specific issues, from the right to a fair trial to the freedom of assembly and speech.

Beyond the research, students said the most beneficial experience was forming bonds with others from a different culture at such an historic time.

“This is a valuable opportunity for me because I have the chance and possibility to see and hear from other points of view, forming relationships and keeping in touch with others in a different country,” said Natalia Bodiul, a third-year law student in Moldova who hosted refugees from Ukraine during the global classroom experience. 

“It has been inspiring to work with and see how they have dealt with the conflict happening so geographically close to them, getting to know these students and forming connections even with the differences in culture and circumstances,” said Taylor Herman, a second-year political science major at USF St. Petersburg. 

The APSA/PSA International Partnerships Award celebrates outstanding and innovative cross-national scholarly partnerships that make a significant contribution to the discipline in the areas of teaching, research or civic engagement. 

“The global classroom created by Dr. McLauchlan and Ms Patlis is a unique virtual learning partnership that offered students from USA and Moldova an opportunity to collaborate on joint research projects while gaining exposure to cultural exchange,” said the award committee. “Although the war in Ukraine added unexpected challenges, it also provided context for the importance of comparative research and international partnerships.”

 

USF ULIM Partnership wins International Award - APSA PSA -- PSA website announcement

 See the PSA website announcement about the award

 

‘Creating A Global Classroom’ Wins The Inaugural PSA/APSA International Partnerships Award

28 April 2023

 

The American Political Science Association (APSA) and the Political Studies Association (PSA) are delighted to announce the winner of this new award which celebrates outstanding and innovative cross-national scholarly partnerships.

The winning entry from Dr Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan from University of South Florida and Larisa Patlis from Free University of Moldova gave undergraduate students from their respective universities the opportunity to work together to compare the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the US Supreme Court.

The award was judged by a joint APSA and PSA panel including Professor Christina Schneider of University of California and PSA Trustee Professor Amelia Hadfield from University of Surrey, who said:

We commend the winners of this year’s PSA/APSA International Partnerships Award for their commitment to building collaborative cross-national partnerships. The Global Classroom created by Dr McLauchlan and Ms Patlis is a unique virtual learning partnership that offered undergraduate students from USA and Moldova an opportunity to collaborate on joint research projects while gaining exposure to cultural exchange. Although the war in Ukraine added unexpected challenges to the course it also provided context for the importance of comparative research and international partnerships. The Comparative Legal Research Assignment which McLauchlan and Patlis developed for the course can now be adapted to other Global Classrooms. Their experience exemplifies the contributions to political science research and teaching that can be made through collaborative cross-national partnerships.

The APSA-PSA International Partnerships Award honours those Political Studies academics engaged in collaborative and productive cross-national partnerships that make a significant contribution to the discipline in the areas of teaching, research, or civic engagement. We warmly thank all our colleagues who took time and care to prepare and submit a nomination for consideration. We were delighted with their quality which illustrated the richness and breadth of international scholarship in our discipline.

https://comparativelegalresearch.blogspot.com/

Dr Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan Center for Civic Engagement, University of South Florida jsm2@usf.edu

Larisa Patlis, Free University of Moldova lpatlis@ulim.md

USF ULIM Partnerhsip wins International Award -- APSA PSA - APSA Website announcement

 See the APSA website

https://politicalsciencenow.com/larisa-patlis-and-judithanne-scourfield-mclauchlan-receive-the-psa-apsa-international-partnerships-award/

Larisa Patlis and Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan Receive the PSA/APSA International Partnerships Award

May 15, 2023 Annual Conference, Awards, Women in the Profession Comments Off on Larisa Patlis and Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan Receive the PSA/APSA International Partnerships Award

The APSA-PSA International Partnerships Award honors political scientists engaged in collaborative and productive cross-national partnerships that make a significant contribution to the discipline in the areas of teaching, research, or civic engagement. Please read more about this inaugural award here.

Dr. Judithanne S. McLauchlan, Associate Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the Center for Civic Engagement

Dr. Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan (Ph.D. in Public Law, Rutgers University 2003) is the Frank E. Duckwall Professor of Florida Studies, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the Center for Civic Engagement at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, where she teaches courses in American Government and Public Law. McLauchlan is also the Lead Instructor for the USFSP YMCA Civic Fellows Program, a statewide civics education initiative in partnership with the YMCA Youth in Government Program.

Her book Congressional Participation as Amicus Curiae before the U.S. Supreme Court explores how Members of Congress attempt to influence Supreme Court decision-making in specific cases. McLauchlan is an active contributor to the scholarship of teaching and learning. She has published numerous articles and book chapters about the effects of integrating civic engagement into the curriculum and has presented those findings at regional, national, and international conferences.

McLauchlan was a Fulbright Scholar to Moldova (Constitutional Law, Politics, and the Judicial Process) in 2010, and in 2017, McLauchlan was awarded a Fulbright to Macedonia (Rule of Law and Civil Society). McLauchlan was awarded a Diploma from the Government of the Republic of Moldova, recognizing fruitful international cooperation and collaboration on research as well as the Medal of the Free University of Moldova (ULIM).  She also received the Award of the City of Klos, Albania in honor of the promotion of democratic values, community engagement and volunteerism.

In addition to her scholarly activities, Professor McLauchlan has extensive experience in American government and politics. McLauchlan worked at the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the White House. She has also worked on seven presidential primary campaigns in New Hampshire, and now she teaches a course called The Road to the White House, in which she brings students up to New Hampshire for the primary.

Larisa Patlis, Interim Director of the Library and Information Science Department

Larisa Patlis currently is the Interim Director of the Library and Information Science Department and the United Nations and the European Union Information Centers Coordinator at Free International University of Moldova (ULIM). She also teaches courses in International Relations at the Department of International Relations, Political Science and Journalism ULIM, where she received her licentiate diploma and M.A. in International Relations (European Studies) in 2005 and 2006, respectively. She has conducted research and professional development visits in Poland (2008, 2009, 2013), Hungary (2009), Austria (2010), Lithuania (2010), Turkey (2011, 2022), Ukraine (2012) USA (2012/13), Georgia (2016), Germany (2018).  Larisa Patlis was a Carnegie Fellow in the Department of History and Politics and the Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership and Civic Engagement at USFSP (for Fall semester 2012), conducting research on Devolutionary Trends in Moldova: The Case of Gagauz Yeri. In 2016 Larisa Patlis became a winner of the Carnegie Scholar Publication Program 2016 Competition for Alumni of the CRFP.

Citation from the Award Committee: 

We commend the winners of this year’s PSA/APSA International Partnerships Award for their commitment to building collaborative cross-national partnerships. The Global Classroom created by Dr McLauchlan and Ms Patlis is a unique virtual learning partnership that offered undergraduate students from USA and Moldova an opportunity to collaborate on joint research projects while gaining exposure to cultural exchange. Although the war in Ukraine added unexpected challenges to the course it also provided context for the importance of comparative research and international partnerships. The Comparative Legal Research Assignment which McLauchlan and Patlis developed for the course can now be adapted to other Global Classrooms. Their experience exemplifies the contributions to political science research and teaching that can be made through collaborative cross-national partnerships.

Read the announcement from PSA here.

APSA thanks the  Political Studies Association (PSA) for its support of the award and the committee members for their service: Professor Christina Schneider of University of California and PSA Trustee Professor Amelia Hadfield from University of Surrey.

• Political Studies Association