Saturday, April 22, 2006
Runaway Train
Tempers and tensions continue to rise at Ave Maria School of Law over Tom Monaghan's desire to relocate the school to Ave Maria Town in Florida. The Law School is the latest in a series of projects in Michigan that Monaghan has sought to either relocate to or pull funding to use for the town. Rumor has it the only ones to stand up to Monaghan and win were the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist who threatened a lawsuit and settled out of court.
In independent moves this past week, the Faculty Board and the Alumni Board both submitted votes of no confidence in Bernard Dobranski, Dean and President of Ave Maria School of Law, to the Board of Governors. Likewise, a student petition was submitted to the BOG showing a vote of no confidence in the administration of the school. (There is some debate about the petition, but it does seem that it was signed by at least half the student body.) The Alumni Board letter to the BOG has recently been made public. The BOG's answer to these letters? A vote of confidence for the Dean.
Many of the first students at the law school made enormous sacrifices to attend the school, including passing on already accredited schools with reputations in the law community. There was no guarantee that the school would have accreditation in time for the first classes to be able to sit for the bar. Now these same students are watching and seeking answers as it appears their degrees may soon not be worth the paper they were printed on. Already the ranking of the school in the 4th tier of the current US News & World Report is causing concerns about employment and questions about whether the ranking will be used as a tool to enhance the feasibility of moving the school.
And, they are not watching quietly. Maybe the Board of Governors forgot that the first graduating classes of this law school were recruited from the very best (GPA/LSAT), received a very good legal education, and are currently practicing lawyers.
Watch for upcoming articles in The Wall Street Journal and The Wanderer concerning this issue.
In independent moves this past week, the Faculty Board and the Alumni Board both submitted votes of no confidence in Bernard Dobranski, Dean and President of Ave Maria School of Law, to the Board of Governors. Likewise, a student petition was submitted to the BOG showing a vote of no confidence in the administration of the school. (There is some debate about the petition, but it does seem that it was signed by at least half the student body.) The Alumni Board letter to the BOG has recently been made public. The BOG's answer to these letters? A vote of confidence for the Dean.
Many of the first students at the law school made enormous sacrifices to attend the school, including passing on already accredited schools with reputations in the law community. There was no guarantee that the school would have accreditation in time for the first classes to be able to sit for the bar. Now these same students are watching and seeking answers as it appears their degrees may soon not be worth the paper they were printed on. Already the ranking of the school in the 4th tier of the current US News & World Report is causing concerns about employment and questions about whether the ranking will be used as a tool to enhance the feasibility of moving the school.
And, they are not watching quietly. Maybe the Board of Governors forgot that the first graduating classes of this law school were recruited from the very best (GPA/LSAT), received a very good legal education, and are currently practicing lawyers.
Watch for upcoming articles in The Wall Street Journal and The Wanderer concerning this issue.
Labels: AMSOL
