The creation of Massachusetts’s first public law school, after an anticipated University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth acquisition will provide future law students the opportunity to obtain an affordable education, officials said.
UMass-Dartmouth is expected to acquire the Southern New England School of Law, creating the state’s first public law school, after approval by the UMass board of trustees in December and pending approval by the state board of education.
UMass spokesman Robert Connolly said that it is important for UMass to have a public law school because of its affordability to potential students.
‘Back in October, we were presented with an opportunity where the Southern New England School of Law wanted to donate itself to UMass, a very interesting offer because it would create an affordable legal education,’ he said.
A public law school could help alleviate the typically heavy costs of such an education, he said.
‘The average law school makes students graduate thousands of dollars in debt,’ Connolly said. ‘The public law school provides a more affordable alternative.’
Since the project was first proposed, UMass officials have not expressed a change of heart, Connolly said. UMass-Darthmouth Chancellor Jean MacCormack and the Board of Trustees continue to be in favor of the motion. The Board of Higher Education also appears to fully support the motion and will vote on Feb. 2.
According to The Boston Globe, legislators on either side of the issue have voiced their concerns regarding the funding of the project. Some worry that taxation may be involved in sustaining the school.
However, Connolly said he was confident the new school would not require any form of tax funding.
‘The school will be sustained primarily from tuition from the student themselves, and also from long term financial help,’ he said. ‘UMass receives 15 percent funding from the state ‘- right now, many academic and research programs do not require state funding.’
Representatives from Boston University’s School of Law were unperturbed by the likely establishment of a significantly cheaper law school in the Boston area.
School of Law Dean Maureen O’Rourke said the effects would ‘likely be minimal.’
‘The effect is likely to be small because our applicants come from all around the country and are highly qualified,’ she said. ‘Last year we received over 7,000 applications for 265 seats.’
She recognized that LAW was expensive, but noted that the cost was not necessarily restrictive or set in stone.
‘It is certainly the case that private law schools are expensive and our students graduate with a high debt load,’ she said. ‘At the same time, however, financial aid packages plus the College Cost Reduction and Access Act help to make law school a bit more affordable.’
LAW professor Nancy Moore agreed that a public school option should not pose a threat to LAW.
‘It is extremely difficult to start a new law school with only provisional accreditation, particularly when the school will not necessarily have sufficient funding to attract top teachers, scholars and top students,’ she said.
She also expressed minimal concern regarding the public school’s financial appeal.
‘I assume that the tuition will be considerably less than [LAW] or the other private schools in the area, but [LAW] has significant money available for financial aid, and students are typically willing to incur loans in order to significantly further their career prospects,’ she said.
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