Law Professors, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Layoffs, Money

Tenured Faculty Cuts Are Coming To A New York Law School -- But Which One? And When?

Which law school is the latest to announce a possible pruning of its ranks?

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ALBANY LAW SCHOOL — DEAN PENELOPE ANDREWS — EMAIL TO LAW ALUMNI

Dear Albany Law School Alumni,

Like law schools across the country, Albany Law has seen a multi-year trend is smaller enrollments as a result of a changing job market in the legal profession and the increasing cost of a strong legal education. Our Board of Trustees and administration understand that this trend, both nationally and for Albany Law, is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The legal profession is changing, and Albany Law must not only adapt but also lead in a proactive and strategic way.

The board, administration and faculty are engaged in a strategic planning and goal-setting process that necessarily will transform Albany Law into an institution that fosters more direct student-faculty interaction and mentoring and is increasingly responsive to the changing academic and professional needs of aspiring lawyers and their employers. Our plan will include both exciting programmatic improvements and essential operating changes that will allow us to respond to today’s challenges and strengthen the future health of the school.

A smaller student body necessarily presents the unfortunate reality of a need to reduce the number of our educators. Yesterday I notified our faculty that Albany Law will be offering voluntary separation packages to qualifying individuals. We are doing so to assist in aligning our staffing needs with the anticipated student body moving forward. We will make every effort to mitigate individual disruption by offering a fair severance package to those who volunteer for this program.

We are extremely grateful for the contributions our faculty members make to the success of Albany Law, our students and alumni, and we believe this approach is the most conscientious way to achieve our institutional goals.

Over the past 162 years, Albany Law School has built a proud tradition of academic and research excellence, developing talented and driven attorneys who have not only excelled in their professional careers but have made lasting contributions to the communities in which they live and work. The Albany Law School of tomorrow will look decidedly different than the institution we know today, but it is these changes that will allow us to continue and build upon that tradition for generations to come.

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Thank you for your time and for all you to do make our school such an engaging, enlightening and inspiring place. I look forward to soon sharing more details of our strategic plan with you and others who share our interest in a strong, progressive and successful Albany Law School.

Sincerely,

Penelope (Penny) Andrews
President and Dean

Albany Law School Chapter of the American Association of University Professors [ALSAAUP]
Albany Law School to fire tenured faculty based on merit evaluations? [Lawyers, Guns & Money]
Tenured Faculty Layoffs Coming at Albany Law School? [TaxProf Blog]
“Financial Exigency” at Albany Law School? [Faculty Lounge]
Albany Law Offers Buyouts to Offset Lower Enrollment [New York Law Journal]

Earlier: S&P Dumps All Over Stand-Alone Law Schools

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