Albany Law Dean on adding another NYS law school

[danefan]

Slightly, OT, but it has come up in discussion here before so I thought some of you guys might be interested in this. http://blogs.albanylaw.edu/dean/2009/09/29/a-silly-idea-made-worse-by-the-economy/

[Michigan_Dane]

I've emailed folks over at Albany Law and they seem to agree that closer ties to UAlbany makes sense. I think anyone who has lived out of state would question why we don't have an UNC, Michigan, Texas, UCLA type state university in the Capital District. Albany has all the components, they just need to be put together. Clearly the law school and university seem to both benefit at these other state universities. If the powers that be were smart they would propose it now and try to short circuit Binghamton Law and Stony Brook Law. That only hurts us all.

[madDOG]

Interesting article in the TU regarding the worth of a Law Degree today.

 

http://www.timesunio...rth-4189586.php

Edited January 15, 2013 by madDOG

[Michigan_Dane]

I emailed the previous Albany Law School Dean a year or two ago and asked why UAlbany and Albany Law don't merge or work out some more formal arrangement. We was a Midwesterner if I recall and of course looking at Ohio State, Michigan etc it made sense to him. He said it made sense but thought the politics was the challenge. Only in New York does it become a big challenge. I'd have to dig up that old email

[danefan]

I graduated from Albany Law School at the peak of the legal market and even then top paying jobs were few and far between for Albany Law grads.

Most people I graduated with started out making $30-40,000 a year in a government job or small private local firm.

 

But Coleman's quote is correct - if you succeed in law school (no matter what the school) and you have any sort of soft skills (read: you're half-way normal) you will get a good job out of law school.

[Michigan_Dane]

I emailed the article's author and asked why a UAlbany/Albany law merger, acquisition or other creative but more formal arrangement beyond what already exists never came up in the article.

 

New York has 1 SUNY Law School. New York has 30+ private law schools. New York does not need more law schools but it does need affordable law schools. School loan repayment is the issue then why not convert or find some way to offer more state supported options?

 

One option I floated again is a design similar to Cornell University. Cornell is private but it has state colleges. Why not allow some students (by income, area of study, etc) to enroll via UAlbany and take classes at both UAlbany and Albany Law? The student pays SUNY tuition and has affordable school loans so he makes out. Discounted SUNY/Albany Law tuition increases the law school applicant pool for Albany Law so they make out. UAlbany gets a law school and becomes a more complete comprhensive university so UAlbany makes out. The public makes out because affordable law education is as important to New York as any other form of education. I'm not talking about another joint degree program. I'm talking about UAlbany students taking classes at SUNY tuition on the Albany Law campus where the state picks up the tuition difference.

 

We'll see what he says...

[Underpar]

I am a graduate of UA and Albany Law. This idea would make far too much sense, especially to the faculty at the law school.

[danefan]

I am a graduate of UA and Albany Law. This idea would make far too much sense, especially to the faculty at the law school.

 

I think you're probably the third or fourth poster on this board with UA/ALS degrees, myself included.

 

Agreed though. The faculty at the law school would hate it despite the fact that it would actually be a huge benefit to them if they became state employees.

[Michigan_Dane]

This Cornell inspired idea would leave those Albany Law professors as is. We would not convert them to state workers. They remain working for a private college. UAlbany would hire some of their own law professors who would be state employees like any SUNY professor. The student takes classes on the UA and ALS campuses via both professor populations.

 

The nice thing about this design is everything stays as is with the exception of affordability and building a better more comprehensive UA and ALS. Some students (not all) enroll via UA take some classes on the UA campus and some on the ALS campus and graduate with a SUNY Albany Law School degree. The state makes ALS whole by picking up the tuition difference or negotiating a rate.

 

Albany Law wins. The affordability attracts more and better students via competition. UA gets the law school. New York doesn't add more lawyers just more lawyers with manageable student loans.

 

We basically do this now at Cornell and Alfred. The professors should have no complaints after its explained.

[Clickclack]

It all sounds great but sadly there doesn't appear to be to much talk about this...probably pretty close to zero chance this happens. Would certainly short circuit any push into this area by BU and SBU...hopefully it happens.

Edited January 16, 2013 by Clickclack

[Michigan_Dane]

Your probably right of it not happening.

 

Change requires leaders. SBU and Buffalo have us beat. Who speaks for UA and the Capital District? .... There you go.

[Clickclack]

I'm willing to give the new man who just took over a chance...just saying! I'm a firm believe in giving people a chance and getting behind them. Many times you'll be surprised what they can do.

[Michigan_Dane]

From your lips to god's ears. Lets hope your right.

[Underpar]

New State law schools at Binghamton and Long Island will hurt Albany Law and other private schools. There is a new world out there and I hope the leaders of both UA and AL take a serious look at this.

[madDOG]

New State law schools at Binghamton and Long Island will hurt Albany Law and other private schools. There is a new world out there and I hope the leaders of both UA and AL take a serious look at this.

 

This. Evolve or die.