Professor Michael B. Mushlin has been a professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University (then known as “Pace Law School”) since 1984. He teaches Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure Adjudication, Evidence, Federal Courts, and Prisoners’ Rights. After growing up in the south, and witnessing firsthand racism in America, Professor Mushlin decided to go to law school. Today, Professor Mushlin is a preeminent authority on prisoners’ rights, the author of the treatise, Rights of Prisoners, and a beloved professor. Learn more about him in this candid Q&A.

You are always involved in interesting and timely matters - what has some of your more recent work involved?

I appeared as an expert witness in an extradition case in Scotland involving an American woman who is wanted for murder in the United States. I testified about the lack of oversight of the penal institutions to which the defendant would be sent in the United States were she to be extradited. I also testified about the risk of solitary confinement and the threat of COVID-19. I also serve of the New York State Advisory Committee on Criminal Law and Procedure where I chair the subcommittee on judicial visits to prisons. I recently wrote an op-ed for the NY Daily News on the maltreatment of prisoners, and a letter to the Editor of the NY Times on Rikers Island as well as op eds in the Westchester County Bar Association Magazine and the New York Law Journal. I plan to give a lecture soon to the Pace University community on originalism and prisoners’ rights and will be speaking at a national conference on prisoners’ rights at the University of Texas.

How did you become interested in Prisoners’ Rights?

After growing up in the deep south and seeing firsthand, from the perspective of a white person, racism in America, I went to law school to become a civil rights attorney. After I graduated law school, I began my legal career as a staff attorney at a neighborhood legal services office in Harlem. Afterwards, I went to work for the Legal Aid Society as staff attorney and then Project Director of the Prisoners’ Rights Project where I served for seven years. My passion and interest in the area grew from there. I used the lessons learned doing prisoners’ rights litigation in my work as Associate Director of the ACLU’s Children’s Rights Project.

What advice do you have for students interested in the law and in particular, Prisoners’ Rights?

The first step is to make sure that you understand what being a lawyer is like and that this is what you enjoy and want to be good at. As far as prisoners’ rights, I would highly recommend taking the prisoners’ rights course.

What do you think is today’s greatest issue facing prisoners’ rights?

Americans are fundamentally humane and decent. However, because of fear and the failure to confront the full implications of all aspects of our past we have a prison system that does not reflect these basic values. The biggest issue facing prisoners’ rights is finding a way to establish a connection between the prisons of this country and these American values. When that happens, our prisons will be transformed.

You have written about the damage that solitary confinement in prison causes, and last year, you gave testimony in support of a bill reforming solitary confinement in Connecticut - briefly, can you talk about that topic?

Plain and simple, solitary confinement is torture. It runs against human nature, is painful beyond measure to anyone who experiences it, and violates international law when it is used for 15 days or more. Reforming solitary confinement will not be easy, but it must be done.

How has COVID-19 affected prisoners’ rights?

Here is what I said about Covid-19 when I added a chapter to my book Rights of Prisoners (5^th ed) after the pandemic hit:

“COVID-19 poses a greater threat to inmates than it does to people in the general civilian population. Prisons are closed, often crowded institutions. Social distancing in such places is difficult, if not impossible. Normal measures used to stem the spread of the virus, such as cleaning supplies and masks, are not readily available in prisons and jails. In fact, these items are often considered contraband, which inmates are punished for possessing. In addition, inmates are generally not a healthy group of people. Within prison walls, there are many people who have conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, asthma, and obesity, which makes them especially vulnerable to serious injury or death if they contract COVID-19. As is well-known, increasing age is also associated with mortality from COVID-19. In recent years, prisons have become places in which large numbers of older persons are held. For these reasons, it is clear that “[p]risons are powder kegs for infection and have allowed the COVID-19 virus to spread with uncommon and frightening speed (citing United States v. Salvagno)”

What is the most rewarding part of being a professor for you?

I love teaching. The classroom is a sacred space. It is where ideas are engaged, skills that last a lifetime are developed and people grow.

"I love teaching. The classroom is a sacred space. It is where ideas are engaged, skills that last a lifetime are developed and people grow."

What are some of your non-academic interests?

I love to spend time with my wife, my two sons, and my granddaughter. I also have fun with Skip, my 17 year old cockapoo dog who is an adored member of our family.

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Modern Languages and Cultures alumna Nuri Weitzman '14 lives out her passion for social justice and raising diverse female voices with a strong linguistic foundation from Pace.

You are a global operations manager at Equality Now, an organization that works to protect and promote the human rights of women and girls around the world.

Tell us more about your role and how your work is meaningful to you.

Equality Now is a globally dispersed organization, meaning that staff live and work all over the world and in different time zones. My role is to make sure the internal operations of the organization run smoothly so there is consistency in the way we all work together. It can be difficult at times to identify and then communicate if we’re meeting our goals and ensure that all of the systems we use are in synch and that our processes and policies make sense for the work we do as a growing organization. My role is to make certain that all of this is streamlined and working well. I also take on special projects as a manager.

This work is meaningful for me because I am a feminist, believe in human rights, and have a lifelong passion for social justice work and making this world a more equitable place for women and girls. I’ve worked in international human rights nonprofit organizations for most of my career and have had wonderful opportunities to try out all facets of that work (fundraising, communications, program creation, and management), but what I realized I enjoyed most was making sure that all of our internal systems and processes worked well. We can’t do any of our amazing work without a good organizational structure, so I’m happy to be involved in this small part in the fight for women’s freedoms.

Are there women, past or present, who inspire you or have inspired you throughout your life?

My views have been shaped by many strong women in my life: my mother, grandmothers, friends, former camp counselors, and those I meet when I travel for work, but also through the culture I choose to consume. For example, by listening to music by artists such as Blondie, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Bikini Kill, Nina Simone, and Carole King, and reading stories by Isabel Allende, Leonora Carrington, Simone de Beauvoir, and Elena Ferrante (hopefully a woman as this is a pen name). I could go on, but in generaI, I am shaped by culture, and because of this I try to surround myself with diverse female voices.

You graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages and Cultures from Pace and then went on to complete a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University. What attracted you to pursue your undergraduate course of study? How did you get started in your career?

I always loved traveling and learning about different cultures and global political movements, and considered going into international relations work, so I studied Spanish, French, and Arabic at Pace. After I graduated, I pursued my other passion of archaeology for a few years to see if that could be a potential career. I went on a few excavations and did a prestigious internship at the American Museum of Natural History, but came to realize it wasn’t where I saw myself. I instead wanted to go back to my other passion of social justice work on an international scale. I earned my master’s degree at Columbia University by taking classes part-time, online, and on weekends, which was exhausting, but I’m very proud of where I ended up. I speak Spanish with colleagues in Central and South America, and some French with those in Africa. I desperately would like to get back to speaking Arabic; if you don’t practice or use another language daily, you’ll lose it. That’s a goal of mine, to keep practicing!

Why did you choose to enroll at Pace University?

The main reason was that, growing up in Philadelphia, I had always wanted to live in New York City. The idea of a college campus never appealed to me, and I preferred to receive the experience of culture, community, and more, from a city. Pace provided me with a scholarship, and when I took a tour of the school, I enjoyed the energy, the smaller class sizes, and a strong sense of receiving a varied education no matter the major chosen.

How were Dyson faculty or other members of the Pace community instrumental in your personal and/or professional journey?

There were a few professors who I thoroughly enjoyed learning from, but my advisor and professor, Iride LaMartina-Lens, was a constant throughout my time at Pace, and was truly one of the most wonderful teachers. My Arabic professor, Marie Mirhom, was with me for all four years at Pace and extremely caring. I also had two wonderful friends who were studying the same subject, and we spent almost all our time together, making both my junior and senior years extremely supportive.

Learning different languages and cultures helped prepare me for work-related travel, as well as conversing with colleagues in a way that builds connection and understanding on a deeper level.

College is a significant time in a person’s life. As you look back at your time as a Dyson student, how did it influence you to become the person you are today?

I am thankful for the time I spent at Pace and Dyson. Learning different languages and cultures helped prepare me for work-related travel, as well as conversing with colleagues in a way that builds connection and understanding on a deeper level. I also appreciate that I was required to take classes that gave me a well-rounded education, such as public speaking and computer information systems, subjects I never thought I would need but have been helpful in my professional life. In addition, the internship requirements and encouragement to gain experience outside of the classroom and utilize the city as an asset certainly helped shape who I am.

What advice would you give to our students, as they navigate their college life?

The best piece of advice I ever received was to take time to figure out what you really want to do after your undergraduate studies before going to graduate school. Also, be nice, ask questions, and network with your professors and other students. You never know what will come out of relationships with them! It’s cliche but very true; you’ll get more connections and opportunities based on who you know.

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On October 25, 2022, the Normandy Chair for Peace hosted a global launch of the Good Stories Movement at the Kalayaan (Freedom) Hall of the Philippine Consulate in New York City, in collaboration with the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and others. The historic event was attended by faculty, diplomats, members of the media, the academe, judiciary, civil society, and international eco-advocates.

"Maybe you and I cannot do great things. We may not change the world. But we can change the story of the world if we change the storyline,” said Filipino Tony Oposa, one of Asia’s leading voices in the global arena of Environmental Law. “Good stories have the power to inspire and set hearts on friendly fire,” he added.

The Good Stories Movement aims to change the world’s narrative from negative to positive, from bad to good, and from sad to happy. To be highlighted are stories of people around the world who are taking care of the Life-Sources of Land, Air, and Water – the LAW of Life, also known as the 'Environment.'

The memorable moment was a cooperative effort of the top-ranked Elisabeth Haub Environmental Law School of Pace University, the International Council for Environmental Law (ICEL), the Indigenous Lenape People, the University of Peace, the Normandy Chair for Peace, the Filipino community, and other international organizations.

Together, they are looking for stories of people and communities who dare to care for the LAW of Life, stories of humans living in harmony with Nature. The stories will be submitted to international organizations for inspiration, appreciation and global gratitude.

To secure well-recorded and legit good stories, the global Eco-Advocates are planning an innovative, non-adversarial, and happy legal action. Instead of always focusing to fight and right the wrong, this legal action creatively uses the Rules of Court to preserve the evidence of the good, the right, and the strong. They plan for a simultaneous filing of the Petitions to Preserve the Evidence (PPE) around the world and in International Courts and Tribunals on June 5, 2023, UN World Environment Day.

“Recording the evidence of good stories to heal the Earth in courts worldwide will demonstrate how people everywhere are making a difference. Grass roots activists are effectively making peace with nature. Their stories will inspire others to emulate their accomplishments,” said Professor Nicholas A. Robinson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Environmental Law of the Haub Law School of Pace University.

Concerned people from around the world also filed a Petition to the United Nations for nations to unite. They plead for a sea of controversy in Asia to be transformed into the ASIA MARINE PEACE PARK.

“This is a real-life example of the truth that we will have peace on Earth, when we have peace with the Earth,” said Oposa.

To join the movement, share your stories!

About Normandy Chair for Peace

Normandy D-Day was once a symbol of war. Enlightened leaders of Normandy changed the narrative to become a symbol of Peace. They created the Normandy Chair for Peace … with the Earth. The Chair seeks to nurture and share novel ideas, to spread happy energy, and to spark positive action to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Chair does this through research, scientific diplomacy, and advocacy on the topics of Peace, Environment, and Rights of Future Generations at the local and international levels.

Find your people. Through the Alumni Association’s affinity groups, you can get connected with fellow alumni around a common interest, identity, or purpose.

The Pace University alumni affinity groups are communities of alumni that engage and connect around a common interest, identity, or purpose such as academic majors, current professions and interests, and other ideas from alumni. The alumni affinity groups are charged with providing a forum where diverse experiences, perspectives, and resources can be shared with anyone who is interested. Each alumni affinity group works closely with Pace’s Alumni Relations Department to facilitate events, networking opportunities for alumni, and engagement with student groups. Affinity groups also provide a sense of community and shared values, information and resource sharing, professional and personal development, education and exploration, and community service initiatives.

The current affinity groups include the Alumnae Engagement Committee, the Black Alumni Group, Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD), and the Pace Pride Alumni Network. Examples of programming that the Affinity Groups have provided are an Alumni Diversity Breakfast, GOLD holiday party, and the creation of the Empowering Women Scholarship Fund.

Want to learn more about joining an affinity group or have an idea about starting your own? Visit the Alumni Association’s affinity groups webpage to learn more.

Currently, there are over 1.2 million residents in United States nursing homes, and over 800,000 residents of assisted living facilities. As the Baby Boomer population ages, these numbers are projected to skyrocket—by 2050, up to 30 million people in the Americas will require long-term care services.

In other words, there are going to be a lot of people in need of quality care.

Lubin graduate students Chuk Ezuma ’23 and Rikin Gajjar ’23 spent much of the fall semester thinking about how to solve this growing problem. Through participating in the Interactive Case Competition—an emerging technology competition that featured participation from schools including NYU, the University of Maryland, Columbia Business School, just to name a few—Chuk and Rikin developed M3; a wearable product closely resembling traditional eyeglasses that leverages the metaverse to help health professionals provide efficient and effective care for the aging population.

In the world of M3, receiving quality healthcare might not even require a trip to the hospital—it could simply mean a patient can log onto Zoom or Microsoft Teams and be treated by a medical professional, who, via the use of the M3 glasses and the metaverse, will be able to communicate with patients, immediately access records, and record notes, and much more.

“We originally wanted to do something in the metaverse because it’s such a unique concept that we’re all grappling with; trying get a better understanding of the metaverse at large and figuring out ways to utilize and maximize it efficiently,” said Chuk.

“We want to save nurses time. Plus, older patients might not be able to drive, or getting to a hospital could be a headache,” said Rikin. “That’s our mission—save time and provide the best care.”

With their problem-solving concept realized, Chuk and Rikin began working on the logistics of M3. Currently, access to the metaverse is generally done through clunky virtual reality headsets, like Meta’s Quest. Chuk and Rikin’s prototype is much closer to regular, everyday glasses—believing that the combination of continuous technological advancement and research and development will make their product not only possible, but a competitive and innovative entry into the marketplace.

Employing thoughtful touches—such as a solar-powered case for doctors on-the-go, to help prevent constantly needing to charge the glasses—and figuring logistics such as payment, privacy, and HIPAA compliance, gave Chuk and Rikin a crash-course into what developing such a comprehensive product would entail.

That’s our mission—save time and provide the best care.

Presenting at the Interactive Case Competition in front of emerging technology leaders as well as graduate students from other schools, they were encouraged by the reception of M3 and were given great notes as to how to further develop the product. The experience solidified their mutual belief that the metaverse and associated “Web3” technologies are increasingly important for business students to understand, and they were thrilled to have had the opportunity to conceive and develop a product with potentially groundbreaking implications.

“It was a great learning experience, and I would recommend to other classmates,” said Rikin.

“This experience was really eye-opening,” added Chuk. “It solidified my view of entrepreneurship—taking an idea and translating it into action.”