St John Fisher Law School inches Forward - fighting over the the same piece of pie.
Got $26 million dollars? St John Fisher President Donald Bain hopes so. Now, we have written about before asking “why a law school?” and talking about experts who say it isn’t needed. Let me make something clear - I’m not against a Rochester-area Law School at a private institution. Good luck with that, St John Fisher. I am against state funding or contributions to this activity, especially in these troubled budget times.
Bain said starting a new law school would cost $26 million, but he’s confident the funds can be raised.
[snip]
A $25,000 feasibility study done for the college by Anthony J. Santoro, a law professor at Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, R.I., found a demand for a new law school in the Rochester area, Bain said.
He said the study showed that each year, about 130 qualified students are turned away from the three law schools closest to Rochester: Cornell University Law School in Ithaca, Tompkins County; Syracuse University College of Law in Syracuse; and the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School in Buffalo.
OK - 130 students that are turned away from other institutions. 130 students. Is this study public? Are these Rochester-based students? Define “Qualified”? Were they turned away because of no room at the school?
One of the arguments for a Saint John Fisher law school is that it will serve non-traditional students (part-time and weekend classes)
While some supporters hope a new Fisher law school would include a part-time program with evening and weekend classes for non-traditional students with work and family obligations, Bain said such a program would be at least 10 years off.
These programs are 10 years off - at least. Now, lets get to the State Budget.
Last year, the state budget included $2.25 million to cover capital costs for a new Fisher law school.
SUNY Binghamton got $3.5 million for a new law school that is now in the planning stages. SUNY Stony Brook got $250,000 to help plan for a law school, but school officials say their plans are on hold.
The money for Fisher? That was an earmark by Senator Joe Robach. The monies to SUNY schools? Well, personally I’d pull that as well, but given they are “State” schools - State budget money to state schools is fine, assuming new law schools are actually needed. Because, looks like there is a glut of lawyers:
There are currently about 150,000 lawyers in New York state and almost 8,100 new lawyers enter the work force in the state each year. According to the state Labor Department, there will be only 2,160 job openings for lawyers annually through 2016.
So - big State budget hole, State money private institution, glut of lawyers, needing to raise $26 million dollars (fighting over the same donors as RenSquare?), and all the rest. You need more than the unbridled optimism of a College President
Yeah, you need lot more that optimism. You need demand. St John Fisher’s own study shows a demand for only 130 students for the new school.
The new law school would have a total enrollment of about 400 students and employ about 100 people, including 30 faculty members and 20 administrators, Bain said.
Again - no state money needs to be applied to this activity.
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HEY! Where did the ad go?
Shakespeare was right…
I ain’t no lady.
We will need many new lawyers in Rochester in order to defend the flood of local officials either currently or soon to be indicted.
Greece alone may absorb most of the first graduating class
being in graduate school right now and being relatively familiar with the law landscape, I can tell you with 100% confidence that no one, including Fisher and the City, needs this law school.
there are a ton of out of work recent graduates, and those lucky enough to find a job are both i. from a top program and ii. getting delayed until January 2011!
If there was a need for a solid program then UR would have started one years ago - they have the reputation and the capital. FIsher is a tier III academic institution - clearly this school will not be ranked any higher than the aforementioned other NY state programs. the world does not need any more marginal lawyers.
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[...] find $400, 000 dollars for a medical clinic but can find tax breaks for Yankee stadium or a local law school study. How about each Assembly and Senate member each kick in money from their sacred member item [...]