Back in 2016, George Mason University received a sizeable donation to transform its law school named after a slaveholder into a law school named after a guy who thought slaveholders came up with every good idea worth having. The school rebranded as the Antonin Scalia School of Law for a matter of hours before we all realized that this moniker shortens to ASS Law. Good times!
The donation always felt a little fishy. Indeed, two years after the fact, the university’s president had to admit that the whole thing breached basic academic standards. Now the school’s finances are back in the spotlight with ABA accreditors issuing a noncompliance notice.
The George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School has received a public notice of being out of compliance with ABA accreditation standards.
The council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar found that the Arlington, Virginia, law school did not meet requirements of Standard 202(a), which requires law schools to have sufficient current and anticipated financial resources to carry out a legal education program.
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D’oh.
For its part, the school claims it has the money “necessary to sustain and grow a robust and highly acclaimed top 35 law school,” but pointedly did NOT say something along the lines of “we think the ABA is in error.” Make of that what you will.
Also, “T-35” is not a thing.
The school has until June 28 to provide the ABA with figures. If it fails, then the school could lose accreditation and become a truly ass law school.
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George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School hit with noncompliance notice [ABA Journal]
Earlier: ASSLaw Update: University President Finally Forced To Admit That Donation ‘Falls Short’ Of Academic Standards
Law Professor Who Slept With 1Ls Now Seeks Piece Of ASS Law
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.