On Friday, April 1, students at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law 2011 will put their legal education and training to the test in lifelike, high-intensity situations involving legal and ethical dilemmas.
Students enrolled in Professor Amos Guiora’s class will participate in an episodic, 8-hour exercise that simulates multiple terrorism-related scenarios in the U.S. and abroad while students assume critical decision-making roles. Students act as President of the United States and U.S. Secretary of Defense, as well as ambassadors, elected officials, and other roles requiring strong leadership, collaboration skills and quick decision-making abilities with imperfect information.
“This exercise addresses many of the issues confronting leaders worldwide today,” Guiora said. “The list is long, filled with extraordinary uncertainty: natural disaster in Japan directly resulting in impending nuclear disaster, dramatic and tumultuous events in the Middle East, continued financial uncertainty, and the constant threat of national and international terrorism require decision makers to keep their eyes on multiple balls simultaneously.”
The simulation will be broadcast live, with experts in technology, security, education, and law leading discussions and answering viewer questions at the top of each hour. “Viewers will learn how decision makers seek to resolve conflict, crisis and dilemmas while balancing legitimate civil and political rights with equally legitimate national security rights and obligations,” Guiora said. Adding to the intensity and realism, a press corps of communications students will act as journalists, asking tough questions of the leaders at regular press conferences.
Log on Friday, April 1 and participate in a live broadcast of the Counter-Terrorism Simulation from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (GMT -6) at simulation.law.utah.edu or Facebook.com/uofulaw