Newswise — The new name for the law school at Michigan State University " the MSU College of Law " represents the academic integration and collaboration between a private law school on the rise and a Big Ten university, MSU officials said today.
The name change was approved by the university's Board of Trustees at its meeting today and by the law school's Board of Trustees on Wednesday, April 14. The name change is effective immediately.
Over the last several years the college has become more and more integrated into the academic life of the university and this vital name change is the symbol of the fact that the law college is now fully a part of the university in all academic respects, said Clifton E. Haley, MSU College of Law president.
"The image and reputation of MSU College of Law will now catch up with the significant improvements in academic and professional standards that have been achieved since the affiliation with the university," Haley said.
To build on the success of their affiliation, MSU and the law college officials said it is advantageous to align their academic reputations and identities more closely and to integrate law college faculty and students more completely into the academic life of MSU. This includes the academic administration, academic governance, student government and curricular systems.
The law school's partnership with MSU originally was created in 1995, and the law college began its move to the East Lansing campus from Detroit in 1997. The name changed from Detroit College of Law at MSU to MSU-Detroit College of Law in 2000, and again to MSU-DCL College of Law in 2002. It remains the oldest continuously operating independent law school in the country. Founded in Detroit in 1891, MSU College of Law affiliated with MSU to extend its academic excellence and provide a greater variety of interdisciplinary programs for its students.
The MSU College of Law is financially independent and receives no state or university funding. Law students come to MSU from 30 states and 26 countries, a fact bolstered by the affiliation with the university. Applications to the Law College have more than tripled since the time of the affiliation with MSU in 1995.
In terms of academic enhancements "both to the law college and the university " the two institutions are perhaps more integrated academically than any other law school and parent university, MSU officials said.
MSU College of Law's affiliation with Michigan State University makes it possible for law students to pursue both a J.D. and another advanced degree at the same time. Through a coordination of the academic programs, it is possible to earn both a law degree and a master's degree in just four years. Currently there are 14 dual degree programs with MSU with several more in the planning stages.
The name change is the culmination of a decade of growth and progress highlighted by these accomplishments:
92.2 percent of its 2002 graduates were employed within eight months of graduation, higher than the national average of 86.7 percent. For the 2003 class, the placement rate has risen to 93.2%
Applications to the Law College have more than tripled since the time of the affiliation with MSU in 1995.
Bar results for July 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 were significantly above the state average and, in the last two July examinations, the top score on the MultiState portion of the test was achieved by a Law College graduate.
The Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute at the MSU College of Law offers selected students the opportunity to practice real trial lawyering skills in a courtroom in front of judges, witnesses and juries.
Students can distinguish themselves with the Law College's concentrations and certificate programs, where a portion of elective credits are used to take courses in a specific area of the law: Corporate Law, Criminal Law, Environmental & Natural Resource Law, Family Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property and Communications Law, International & Comparative Law and Taxation Law. The certificate programs are Trial Practice and Child & Family Advocacy
"The college has experienced enormous growth in quality since the affiliation with Michigan State. This reflects all of the work that has been done to integrate," said MSU College of Law Dean Terence Blackburn. "It will give us a great ability to recruit students and faculty on a national level. The name change will make the college's location clearer to outsiders and increase prestige for both the law school and the university," Blackburn said.
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