BOSTON -- Prospective law students living in the southeastern
Massachusetts region are a step closer to being able to earn their
degrees from a local public law school.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the University of Massachusetts Board of
Trustees, a decision to merge the Southern New England School of Law
into the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth received the group’s
approval by a 12-2 margin.
Officials from the two schools said they are extremely happy to know
that UMass Dartmouth is close to expanding its course offerings.
"This is a historic vote that goes to show the university is
aspiring to achieve excellence," said UMass Dartmouth Chancellor
Jean F. MacCormack. "This is really a vote of confidence to approve
a public law school."
SNESL Dean Robert V. Ward Jr. added that this move will help people
throughout the region when determining their long-term goals.
"For a long time I’ve had a vision that I would go into grammar
schools and middle schools and help those students draw a road map for
their future," Ward said. "With the board approving this
measure, my vision will come through."
The merger had met recent political opposition and Gov. Mitt Romney had
asked for the vote to be delayed, but SNESL Board of Trustees member
Margaret D. Xifarus said the UMass trustees who approved the merger were
likely swayed by the merits of the proposal.
"The merits of this plan far outweigh the politics," said
Xifarus, a New Bedford lawyer. "The trustees, afterward, said they
got the information, they read it, they got to the campus and checked it
out and they said they were satisfied and the plan makes sense."
The only hurdle remaining for the merger is to receive approval from the
Board of Higher Education. The board must approve the school’s
curriculum; that step will likely take place in February. SNESL
currently has degree-granting authority from the board, making the
meeting a likely formality.
Under the merger, plans exist to create a fellowship program in the area
of public-interest law. The program would set aside 25 tuition reduced
positions for students who make a commitment to the field of public law
for the first five years following graduation. Plans also include
offering a focus on immigration law and maritime law.
Under the plan, the University of Massachusetts Law School would be
self-supporting, meaning that no state funds and no UMass revenue would
be used to support the school’s operation.
It is also believed that the merger will help the law school gain
accreditation from the American Bar Association. Currently, SNESL is
accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. SNESL
students are able to sit for the bar exam in both Massachusetts and
Connecticut.
Following the approval, MacCormack thanked a number of people for making
the merger happen.
"President Jack Wilson and (Board of Trustees chairman) James Karam,
one of our own leaders from Fall River, really helped to make this
happen," MacCormack said. "This really shows that people are
open to new ideas and to look at the hard questions. This is a good
financial deal and it’s good for the commonwealth."
UMass Trustees Vote to Acquire SNESL
By Karen Testa
Associated Press
December 21, 2004
BOSTON --University of Massachusetts trustees voted Tuesday to
acquire the Southern New England School of Law in Dartmouth, which is set to
become the state's first public law school.
The board voted 12-2 to accept the school, which is valued at $10 million,
along with a $1.5 million reserve fund. UMass would also take on $2.5 million in
debt.
Trustee Robert McCarthy called the decision a "no brainer." But
critics, including Gov. Mitt Romney, have questioned the need for another law
school in Massachusetts.
"This is what we need," McCarthy said. "This is going to be a
jewel."
Trustees Robert Sheridan and Lawrence Boyle voted against accepting the
donation, saying it was unwise to rush ahead with such an important decision.
"It's not like opening a new biology major on one of our campuses,"
Boyle said. "What's wrong with a little sunshine? What's wrong with a
little vetting?"
Romney had urged the trustees to delay the vote and many lawmakers have
questioned the need for the law school and warned it could drain money from
other programs at the university.
A previous effort by UMass to purchase the private, unaccredited school in
southeastern Massachusetts failed in 2001 because of opposition from the
Legislature.
The board's vice chairman, Karl White, said the law school would have
operating budget of $5 million -- O.29 percent of the UMass system's $1.7
billion yearly operating budget.
"There's no way excellence can be achieved on the cheap," Sheridan
said.
The matter now goes to the state's Board of Higher Education for approval.
