Penn State would renovate Dickinson, keep it in Carlisle for at least 10 years

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2005 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Sunday, January 16, 2005

Law school board OKs 2 campuses ; Penn State would renovate Dickinson, keep it in Carlisle for at least 10 years
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of The Patriot-News
Penn State University is to open a second campus of The Dickinson School of Law in State College by 2010. That decision came yesterday in a vote by the law school's board of governors after many of its members fought to reject the preliminary agreement.

They argued for hours that Penn State should be forced to maintain the Carlisle campus for much longer than the proposed 10 years. The university promised when it merged with Dickinson that the school would stay in Carlisle.

Board members against the plan said the board would be abolished by Aug. 1, ending Penn State's long-term legal obligation to Carlisle. Their warnings failed.

In a 17-14 vote, the governors approved the proposal. Penn State is to renovate the 638-student Carlisle campus for about $40 million and open an estimated $60 million law campus in State College as early as 2008. The campuses are to operate as one school.

Penn State President Graham Spanier yesterday said Dickinson will be among the country's largest law schools.

"I'm absolutely delighted that we have finally reached this point. I think it will prove to be one of the major developments in legal education," he said.

State and local lawmakers took steps to push Penn State into keeping Dickinson in Carlisle.

"It's discouraging. I think the board was bulldozed, intimidated. There hasn't even been a demonstration ... that Pennsylvania needs a new law school," state Rep. Will Gabig, R-Carlisle, said.

The proposal will go before the university trustees Friday. A final agreement would then be endorsed by the trustees and the governors board.

Penn State could offer law classes at State College as early as 2006 in the Smeal College of Business when that program moves to its new Park Avenue building. Law professors and staff for the PSU campus could be appointed this year.

Future in debate since 2003

The schools merged in 2000. Penn State said Dickinson was its only missing academic link. Dickinson said Penn State could supply technology and other resources law students wanted. All classes are taught in Trickett Hall on South College Street in Carlisle. The building is crowded, lacks adequate library space and doesn't meet standards for disabled access.

The law school is the oldest in Pennsylvania and the fifth- oldest in the nation.

Its future has been debated since 2003, when Penn State proposed moving it to State College. The offer was withdrawn after objections from the governors board, the community and lawmakers.
Penn State and the board had disagreed about a two-campus proposal. Last fall, when it appeared they couldn't overcome differences, Penn State talked of handing off the law school to Dickinson College. The two Dickinsons are adjacent but unaffiliated.

A possible deal breaker for the current plan is the proposed financing for Carlisle upgrades.

Penn State said it will spend $10 million on the Carlisle renovation and hopes to raise up to $15 million in a capital campaign. It will maintain the campus at least 10 years, but possibly much longer.

State money may require Penn State to define just how long.

Gov. Ed Rendell last year promised up to $25 million for law school renovations if the school stayed in Carlisle. In a Friday letter to Spanier, Rendell said the money is still available if Penn State can "guarantee a long term commitment to the continued operation of the law school in Carlisle."

Penn State said it won't accept the money and will void the two- campus plan if Rendell's stipulations for a long-term commitment are unreasonable. Rendell hasn't specified those terms.

Governors board member Art Piccone asked the board to kill Penn State's proposal based on the lack of those and other terms. "Put the damn facts on the table. Quit hiding, quit playing games, so we know what we have," he said.

Member Leslie Anne Miller said Penn State has introduced "one scheme after another" to get the law school out of Carlisle "and up the road to Happy Valley" and isn't committed to Carlisle.

"Why aren't long-needed [Carlisle] renovations under way if Penn State is so committed?" she asked.

About one-third of the 33-member board voted by phone during yesterday's meeting in Trickett Hall. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge was absent. Member Lewis Katz attended part of the meeting by phone but was absent for the vote.

LeRoy Zimmerman, a former state attorney general, voted for the Penn State plan. Earlier, he said the board should never give up its right to keep Dickinson in Carlisle. Yesterday, he said Penn State's proposal convinced him Dickinson will have a permanent Carlisle presence.

He also said Penn State has to give a year's notice if it plans to close the Carlisle campus after 2015. In that case, outcry from alumni, the community and legislators would surely halt the process, he said.

Board member and state Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin said he backed the plan because students can maximize learning by studying in Carlisle and at the main campus.

Board Chairman H. Laddie Montague Jr. said Penn State put in the 10-year clause to guarantee the Carlisle campus would not be closed as Dickinson went through growing pains with two campuses. He said it wasn't a sign Penn State intends to close the school after 2015.
Spanier agreed and said no limit has been placed on Dickinson's existence in Carlisle.

"It's not productive to identify a particular [limit] because that's not how decisions are made in higher education ... but we would not be making this kind of investment ... if it was our intent to get out of town quickly. That's not going to happen," Spanier said.

Law school Dean Philip McConnaughay said the two campuses will be complementary, not competitive. The school's success will depend on each campus thriving.

Luci Jankowski McClure, president of the Dickinson general alumni association, said she's disappointed the board failed to get better guarantees for a permanent Carlisle campus. But she urged alumni to set aside differences over Penn State's plan and continue to support the school. ELIZABETH GIBSON: 249-2006 or egibson@patriot- news.com INFOBOX:

THE STORY SO FAR *The Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle merged with Penn State University in 2000. *The law school's future has been debated since 2003, when Penn State proposed moving it to its main campus in State College. *Law school Dean Philip McConnaughay contends closer interaction with the university would enhance students' law education and job prospects and improve the school's rankings. *Penn State withdrew the offer after objections from the governors board, lawmakers and the community. *The law school board and PSU officials previously discussed a proposal for two campuses. *Penn State trustees must vote on the two-campus plan approved yesterday. They are to meet Friday. Both boards would later vote on final agreement.

THE SCHOOLS PENN STATE UNIVERSITY *Campus: University Park in State College *Founded: 1855 *Students: 41,282 undergraduate and 6,465 graduate students *Faculty: 2,976 *Undergraduate tuition and fees: $10,856 for in state students; $20,336 for out state students. THE DICKINSON SCHOOL OF LAW *Campus: Centered around one main building, Trickett Hall, in Carlisle. *Founded: 1834. It's the oldest law school in Pennsylvania and fifth-oldest in the nation. *Merged with Penn State University in 2000. *Students: 638 *Faculty: 42 *Tuition: $25,650

HOW THEY VOTED Members of The Dickinson School of Law board of governors and their votes on the two-campus preliminary agreement:

VOTING YES *H. Laddie Montague Jr., board chairman *Zygmunt R. Bialkowski Jr., attorney, Scranton *Ward A. Bower, attorney, Newton Square *William R. Caroselli, attorney, Pittsburgh *J. Michael Eakin, state supreme court judge, Harrisburg *Jan R. Jurden, Delaware Superior Court judge, Wilmington, Del. *Edwin L. Klett, attorney, Pittsburgh *Sidney D. Kline Jr., attorney, Reading *Michelle Moore, attorney, Atlanta *Christylee Peck, attorney, Harrisburg *Dale F. Shugart Jr., attorney, Carlisle *Donald C. Smaltz, attorney, Torrence, Calif. *J. Rodman Stee le Jr., attorney, West Palm Beach, Fla. *Tracy L. Steele, attorney, Philadelphia *Donald C. Taylor, attorney, Wilmington, Del. *Nathan H. Waters Jr., attorney, Harrisburg *LeRoy S. Zimmerman, attorney, Harrisburg VOTING NO *Helen S. Balick, retired judge, Wilmington, Del. *Anthony C. Falvello, attorney, Sugarloaf *Kathleen P. Galop, attorney, Madison, N.J. *Hubert X. Gilroy, attorney, Carlisle *M. Fletcher Gornall, retired attorney, Erie *Jason P. Kutulakis, attorney, Carlisle *Joan Dawley Maher, retired attorney, Carlisle *G. Thomas Miller Partner, attorney, Harrisburg *Leslie Anne Miller, state office of general counsel, Harrisburg *Joseph Nadel, attorney, San Francisco, Calif. *Arthur L. Piccone, attorney, Wilkes-Barre *Sylvia H. Rambo, U.S. District judge, Harrisburg *Michael T. Traxler, attorney, Carlisle *Sandor Yelen, attorney, Wilkes- Barre ABSENT *Lewis Katz, attorney, Cherry Hill, N.J. *Tom

Ridge, Homeland Security secretary, Washington, D.C.

In Carlisle, some worry

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2005 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Sunday, January 16, 2005

In Carlisle, some worry
JOE ELIAS Of The Patriot-News
Landlord Russell Miller fears a second law school campus in State College could mean the eventual demise of the 170-year-old Carlisle campus, and that could hit him in the wallet. "I don't know what's going to happen," Miller, 47, of Carlisle, said yesterday. He rents apartments in the borough to college and law school students. "I know what people are worried about. But nobody knows for sure."

Penn State President Graham Spanier said the 638-student Dickinson School of Law could be there for decades, but only a 10- year stay was promised in a preliminary agreement approved yesterday.

Miller said that each summer, his phone rings with incoming law school students searching for a place to live. No more law school would mean no one seeking to rent his eight apartments and potentially earning less with other renters.

Miller said he prefers to rent to law students because they are willing to pay more than others and generally cause less trouble than Dickinson College students.

William Bellinger, a Dickinson College economics professor, estimated last year that moving the law school from Carlisle would eliminate 227 jobs, about 150 of them in Carlisle. He estimated the law school's net 2002-03 spending in the county at $20 million and in the Carlisle area at $10.6 million.

For now, Miller said he isn't going to worry about life without the law school.

"Nothing is guaranteed. We're going to have to wait and see," Miller said. "I guess that's life. But I hope the law school stays here in town."

Emil Standfield, 33, a second-year Dickinson Law student from Chicago, said he was pleased with the board of governors' decision to continue its affiliation with Penn State and open a second campus.

"I think it will make us more competitive with other law schools," said Standfield, who sat through the board's 41/2-hour meeting yesterday morning.

Penn State officials have said adding a campus in State College would help integrate the law school with other programs and curriculum that Penn State offers, such as business, environmental sciences, economics and technology.

Students wishing to use the county, state and federal court system in the Carlisle and Harrisburg area, as well as the government and law firm internship opportunities could choose the Carlisle campus.

Standfield said he agrees with that argument and, given the choice between two campuses, would again choose Carlisle. "It's a great environment to study in," he said.

Like Miller, Victor Stabile, president of The Dickinson School of Law alumni association, said he hopes for the best, but is preparing for the worst after the board's vote.

Stabile said he was going to take a picture of the law school after yesterday's meeting, saying the photo could last longer than Penn State's commitment to keep the school in Carlisle.
"I'm disappointed the decision was made," Stabile said. "Hopefully, the school will survive in Carlisle."

Carlisle Borough Council President Frank Rankin said he was also disappointed in the vote. His request to address the board of governors before the vote was denied.

"The vote was close and contentious, but I wish it would have went the other way," Rankin said. "We'll have to move forward from here and see what happens."

"It is clear to me that Dickinson is doomed," one of my former classmates says

Penn State wins law school vote
By David Blymire, Sentinel Reporter
January 15, 2004

Following nearly five hours of impassioned debate, Dickinson School of Law's board of governors on Saturday voted narrowly to give Penn State University "unfettered" control of the law school no later than Aug. 1.

The board's 17-14 vote authorizes the board and Penn State to work out a final agreement for a two-campus law school that the board will be asked to ratify at a future board meeting.

If approved, it will effectively dissolve the board of governors and the law school's 1997 merger with Penn State by Aug. 1.

Gov. Ed Rendell can block the agreement, however, by withholding state money earmarked for the Carlisle campus.

The agreement included Penn State's offer to wipe the new agreement off the boards if Rendell does not come through with $25 million in state funds for new construction at Trickett Hall in Carlisle.

J. Michael Eakin, an associate justice on the state Supreme Court and former district attorney of Cumberland County, made the motion to accept the new terms.

Carlisle lawyer Dale Shughart supported the new proposal, saying that "we decided in 1997 that we could not operate a law school when we gave it to Penn State."

Under the new agreement, Penn State commits to keeping the Carlisle campus open for 10 years from June 30.

Opponents, however, argued vehemently that Penn State can close the Carlisle campus and sell the facilities -- which it got for nothing through the merger -- and walk off with a handsome profit at the end of 10 years.

Board member Joan Maher argued that Penn State really wanted more than simply to open a new campus all along -- it wanted Dickinson's accreditation so it could open its own law school in State College.

"It is clear to me that Dickinson is doomed," she said.

Dickinson mulls PSU offer

Centre Daily Times (c) Copyright 2005, Centre Daily Times. All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, January 13, 2005

Dickinson mulls PSU offer
By Anne Danahy adanahy@centredaily.com
An agreement under consideration between Penn State and the Dickinson School of Law's board of governors would allow the university to open a campus at University Park and dissolve the law school's board of governors. That board is scheduled to discuss, and may vote on, the proposed agreement during a meeting Saturday.

According to the memorandum of understanding, Penn State would operate the Carlisle campus until at least June 30, 2015. It could close the campus after that date by giving a one-year warning to members of the board. The memorandum, a copy of which was obtained by the Carlisle Sentinel, specified that Penn State's intention is to continue operating a campus in Carlisle after 2015.

The agreement also says:

As much as $40 million may be available to improve the Carlisle campus. That would include $10 million from Penn State "for immediate investment in capital improvements and enhancements," as much as $25 million from the state and fund-raising proceeds. If matching funds cannot be obtained from the state, the agreement spelled out in the memorandum could be suspended.

The current board of governors would be dissolved and a new seven-member board would be formed. Penn State President Graham Spanier and current board Chairman H. Laddie Montague Jr. would each appoint three current members to the new board. Whoever is chairman of the board of governors when the agreement is finalized would be the new board's seventh member.

On Wednesday, Montague declined to comment until after Saturday's meeting.

In late 2003, however, Penn State proposed moving the law school to University Park; then, when faced with vocal opposition from the Carlisle community, the university proposed a dual-campus school with locations in Carlisle and University Park. The final decision, however, rested with Dickinson's board of governors.

Supporters of the dual-campus concept argued that creating a University Park campus, where law school students would benefit from interaction with other colleges, would help attract top-flight students and faculty.

Those opposed to the idea worried that the Carlisle campus would become a satellite campus -- or close entirely -- and feared the economic impact this would have on Carlisle, home to the law school since 1834.

In August, the board voted to table the dual-campus plan, and instead approved a resolution calling on Penn State to renovate and upgrade the Carlisle campus.

University officials expressed disappointment with that decision, and in September announced that the institutions were discussing ending their affiliation, and the possibility of the law school affiliating with neighboring Dickinson College.

But in November, the board of governors voted to form another committee to further pursue a two-campus agreement with the university.

Carlisle attorney and board member Hubert X. Gilroy, who voted with the majority in August, said Wednesday that he has not been contacted by anyone from Penn State but has been approached by board members and Carlisle-area residents with various points of view.

"Nobody's pressuring me," he said. "People are talking to me and stating their positions."

Gilroy said some board members feel the proposal is a fair resolution and may be eager to act positively on it, but others feel the matter has not been given enough thought and that the proposed agreement gives Carlisle even less than what Penn State offered in August.

"There's one view that supports the original merger agreement in perpetuity," Gilroy said. "There's another view that Penn State has made an academic decision that they want to move in this direction and should have the flexibility to do so."

Board member Leslie Anne Miller said she thinks this agreement is worse for the law school than the one previously considered.

"We're looking at the beginning of the end of the Dickinson School of Law," Miller said. "And this memorandum of understanding, which purports to be a dual campus agreement, is a complete sham for what is really a single campus of the Penn State law school in State College, and shame on all of us who allow this to happen."

No guarantee given on site for law school

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2005 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005

No guarantee given on site for law school
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
The terms of the latest Penn State University offer to build a second law school campus at State College make no guarantee that The Dickinson School of Law will stay in Carlisle. Under the latest plan, Penn State would renovate the Carlisle campus and keep it open for 10 years, but it would not commit beyond that.

The limited commitment could prompt the law school board of governors to dismiss the offer.

Throughout more than a year of negotiations, some board members have said that nothing short of a promise to keep Dickinson in Carlisle forever would prompt them to back a second campus.

Board Chairman H. Laddie Montague Jr., though, said the 10-year stipulation shows Penn State "recognizes a very strong interest and tradition in the school ... remaining in Carlisle."

Penn State's conditions are laid out in a memo that the board will discuss at its 9:30 a.m. Saturday meeting at Trickett Hall in Carlisle.

The 35-member board doesn't run Dickinson but it can block Penn State from moving the school.

Dickinson School of Law board to weigh revised State College proposal

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2005 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Vote expected on 2-campus plan ; Dickinson School of Law board to weigh revised State College proposal
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
After more than a year of debating the future home of The Dickinson School of Law, the school's board of governors will this weekend weigh a revised plan for a second law campus in State College. But there's no guarantee the discussion will lead to a final decision.

Since November 2003, the board and Penn State have considered proposals to renovate the school in Carlisle, move it to State College or operate campuses in both places.

On Saturday, the board will vote for or against a two-campus operation, board Chairman Laddie Montague said.

A second campus would require more than the governors' endorsement, Montague said. Penn State trustees must also agree to the plan. The schools merged in 2000.

Also, the board of governors must consider whether opening a second campus could eventually force the Carlisle campus to close. If the Carlisle campus appears to be at risk, the board would have to write changes into the Penn State/Dickinson merger contract.

Those steps could take months. Then the board would have to meet to vote on a specific plan.

Montague said he hopes Saturday's talks will at least end the struggle over the school's location. He said a board negotiating team labored to resolve differences with Penn State and develop the latest proposal.

In August, the board asked for more time to study a two-campus proposal from Penn State but the university said it was finished haggling.

Penn State reconsidered. Still, some board members have been wary of Penn State's long-term intentions and are likely to attack the revised plan.

A major sticking point in previous talks was whether Penn State would promise to maintain the Carlisle campus and for how long. That came up in the latest round of negotiations, Montague said.

Some board members wanted Penn State to promise that a State College campus wouldn't overshadow Carlisle's campus. One suggestion called for a Penn State to maintain the Carlisle campus for at least 10 years after opening a second campus.

When it merged with Dickinson, the university promised to keep the law school in Carlisle. The board of governors' chief duty is to make sure Penn State keeps that vow.

Penn State and others have accused the board of standing in the way of the school's success. Penn State claimed the school's best chances for rising in national rankings lay in a move to the main university campus.

Montague said the board was just carrying out its obligation to Dickinson.

"Every person on the board has done what they think is best for the law school," Montague said.

 ELIZABETH GIBSON: 249-2006 or egibson@patriot-news.com INFOBOX: TIME TO MEET

On Saturday, The Dickinson School of Law's board of governors will weigh a revised plan for a second law campus in State College. The meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. in Trickett Hall on South College Street in Carlisle.

Long-term commitment in Carlisle remains optimal choice for school

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Editorial
DICKINSON LAW ; Long-term commitment in Carlisle remains optimal choice for school
Of the Patriot-News
Benjamin Rush established Dickinson College two blocks from the Cumberland County Courthouse in Carlisle so that its students could walk there and see democracy in action. Proximity was no less important a few decades later when the college created one of the nation's first law schools. And even though Dickinson School of Law later became independent of the college, its has remained true to its original purpose of turning out lawyers prepared to represent the people in the courts closest to them.

The law school's merger with Penn State four years ago provided the land-grant university with one more avenue to fulfill its mission of improving the quality of life in the commonwealth. Yet, you can't fault Penn State officials for wanting their law school to rank among the nation's best, so that its graduates are sought by the best law firms. That's a goal widely held among institutions of higher learning.

Combining all those interests has been the most difficult adjustment of these two institutions, and if the two part ways it will be because the effort failed.

We believe it's possible for the merger to succeed without moving the law school to State College, as Penn State proposed a year ago. The university excels in so-called distance learning, and some of the money it would spend to build a new law school campus could instead fund sophisticated communications links between University Park and Carlisle.

Penn State disagrees, and after its full-scale moving plan met with major community opposition, it proposed splitting the law school into two campuses, establishing the larger one at University Park so that law students could study in other academic disciplines and possibly obtain dual degrees. The law school board of governors, which under the merger agreement can veto campus relocation, rejected the plan in August after Penn State declined to guarantee that the Carlisle campus would remain viable and permanent.

In September, the university disclosed that talks were under way to transfer ownership of the law school to the neighboring Dickinson College. Though the college does not offer graduate degree programs - - it would have to partner with other universities to offer dual degrees -- it does have an impressive record in global education, as well as serious study in several of the liberal arts.

And Dickinson College President William Durden has a defined vision for "a small, highly distinctive law school that has developed creative partnerships with a number of higher education institutions around the world and which occupies a special niche in a global world." He would have it establish new ties with the Army War College and other institutions in central Pennsylvania, as well.

The law school's governors have been meeting with Penn State officials this fall, and last weekend they voted 26-4 to ask the university formally for another consideration of the dual campus proposal. While it's encouraging to learn that the parties are still talking, the governors should reject any proposal that does not include, in writing, a long-term commitment for the law school to keep its base in Carlisle, where it represents, in Durden's words, an intellectual and economic generator for this region.

We wish only the best for Dickinson School of Law, which deserves to be recognized for its excellence -- its graduates rank first in passing the bar exam on first try -- as well as for Penn State, which deserves a first-rate law school. Just a few years ago these institutions believed those interests intersected at Carlisle. We're yet to be persuaded otherwise.

Dickinson revisiting law school at PSU; Board hopeful of reviving plan for two campuses

Centre Daily Times (c) Copyright 2004, Centre Daily Times. All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Dickinson revisiting law school at PSU; Board hopeful of reviving plan for two campuses
By Anne Danahy adanahy@centredaily.com
The possibility of a Penn State Dickinson School of Law campus at University Park is under discussion again, and talk of merging the Carlisle law school with neighboring Dickinson College has been shelved. Chairman H. Laddie Montague Jr. said the Dickinson School of Law's board of governors voted Saturday to allow him to pick a committee of board members to resume negotiations to put together a plan for two law school campuses -- one in Carlisle and one at University Park.

The idea appeared dead in August, when the board of governors voted to table a proposal to building a second campus at University Park, and instead urged Penn State to focus on upgrading the Carlisle campus.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said the university viewed the vote as a rejection of its offer to spend $60 million to build a law school campus in State College and spend $10 million toward upgrades at the Carlisle campus.

In September, Penn State issued a statement saying Penn State and the law school were discussing ending their affiliation, and raised the possibility that the law school would form a partnership with Dickinson College.

On Monday, Montague said that idea is no longer under consideration. Instead, the focus is on repairing relations with Penn State.

"I told everyone I wanted to be chairman so I could get this relationship back in shape, back on board," said Montague, who was elected chairman Oct. 15. "That's what we're trying to do."

Montague said there is no timetable for developing or proceeding with a two-campus plan, but hopes it will move ahead quickly. "It's certainly not a done deal," he said, but added that "both the board of governors and the university have their minds set to give it a try."

University spokesman Steve MacCarthy said the administration needs to study the proposal before commenting on it and will be doing that soon.

The law school completed a merger with Penn State in 2000, but the law school's board of governors retained control over the school's location. A proposal by Penn State to move the school to University Park, and the subsequent plan for a dual-campus law school drew protests from the Carlisle community, which has been home to the school for 170 years.

University officials have said a University Park campus would help the school attract faculty, boost the school's stature and deal with a lack of building space in Carlisle.

Campus talks are 'hurtful,' grad says

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Monday, November 22, 2004

Campus talks are 'hurtful,' grad says ; Dickinson Law community hopes for strong future
DIANA FISHLOCK Of The Patriot-News
The summer of 1979, a 21-year-old Victor Stabile climbed up into The Dickinson School of Law's clock tower and gained a new perspective. "That law school appeared the center of the entire country, in whichever direction you looked," the alumnus said. "It was like a trip through history to be able to go into that tower. ... Dickinson is the oldest law school in Pennsylvania ... older than the University of Pennsylvania. ... It was always proud and independent." The law school merged with Penn State University in 2000 and surrendered that independence, but the schools agreed the law school would always remain in Carlisle. That changed during the past year. Last November, Penn State proposed relocating the law school to State College. Law school officials and community leaders rallied against a move, then Penn State suggested a two-campus setup, one in State College and one in Carlisle.

The Dickinson board of governors rejected that and talk surfaced of a potential partnership with Dickinson College, which is adjacent to but not affiliated with the law school.

Things changed again Saturday, when the governors agreed to re- examine the two-campus plan.

The latest twist brought mixed reactions yesterday from students, alumni and borough officials.

The negotiations over the law school's future have been "a very hurtful and emotional process for people on both sides," said Stabile, president of the law school's Capitol Area Alumni Club.

"If I had my druthers, I'd like to wind the clock back to the date when Penn State was committing to Carlisle and making Dickinson the best facility possible," said Stabile, who graduated from the law school in 1982. "If that's not possible, you do the next best thing."

Saturday's announcement didn't change Dickinson College's position, college representative Christine Dugan said. "We're stepping back to let the board of governors and Penn State resolve their relationship. ... It's really between the two of them. We're just kind of watching at this point with everyone else."

Robert N. Michaels, a third-year law student and a Penn State alumnus, thinks Saturday's resolution "is probably the best thing they could have been done at the moment," he said. "I think they tried to mend the fences and bring both sides back to the table."

"I would like to see a dual-campus proposal which does guarantee some equity, which isn't a precursor to an outright move to State College," Michaels said. That would mean senior faculty, financial resources and comparable numbers of students in both places, he said. "State College has its benefits and Dickinson has its benefits, and you have to allocate accordingly."

Third-year law student Joseph Hartye of Hollidaysburg said dual campuses would hurt the law school in the short run, with professors torn between two locations, but help in the long term.

"I don't think the school's going to go away without Penn State, but I think it's a good partnership," Hartye said. " As long as they're serious about keeping a viable part of the school in Carlisle. ... There's not many [law] firms in State College. There are a lot in Harrisburg, plus state government. A huge part of getting a law degree is getting to work for somebody and internships."
The two-campus approach beats no Carlisle campus, but keeping the law school in the borough would be best, Borough Council President Franklin Rankin said. Moving even part of the campus would hurt Carlisle financially, he said.

"It's been a long road. I think one of the biggest disappointments in this whole process has been the loss of credibility that many people have in Penn State University and its leadership," Rankin said.

He's skeptical of Penn State's motives on the two-campus proposal, he said. "We hope they do move forward and do what they said they were going to do: improve the facility and the groups, etc., so it is a first-rate facility for the students." Then, even if Penn State later cut ties, the law school wouldn't be devastated, he said.

Reconciliation attempt surprises university and Carlisle officials

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Sunday, November 21, 2004

Law board to review Penn State plan again ; Reconciliation attempt surprises university and Carlisle officials
JOE ELIAS Of Our Carlisle Bureau
Three months after the merger between The Dickinson School of Law and Penn State University fell on the rocks, law school governors say they might want to reconcile. During a meeting of the law school's board of governors yesterday, the board agreed on a resolution to again examine the possibility of establishing a second campus in State College.

Penn State and Dickinson merged seven years ago as the law school sought to improve its reputation and standing and Penn State filled a hole in its academic offerings.

In August, Penn State suggested opening a second campus in State College. The law school board then voted 22-11 to shelve the two- campus proposal and urged the launch of a $50 million renovation of the law school in Carlisle. Penn State had committed $10 million for the project, leading Carlisle leaders to worry the State College campus would replace the Carlisle site.

In September, Penn State suggested Dickinson College take over the law school.

Yesterday's meeting of the board that oversees the law school was the first indication that the law school or Penn State wanted to mend the relationship.

"We are in need of finality. We are in need of direction," said Michael Eakin, a board member and state Supreme Court justice, who sponsored the motion, which passed 26-4.

Under the resolution, board chairman H. Laddie Montague Jr. would appoint a team of board members to negotiate with Penn State officials.

"I believe the two-campus scenario is the best of both worlds," said Montague, of Philadelphia. "I believe it will flourish."

The board rejected an attempt to include language in the resolution insisting that Carlisle should remain the main campus of the law school and house the office of the dean if a second campus in State College is approved.

Montague said that the point could be negotiated between the law school and Penn State but that it would be considered a "deal killer" by the university if it was included in the resolution.

Penn State runs the law school, but the law school board of governors can veto any plan to move it or change its name under the merger agreement.

Also defeated was another attempt to insist that Penn State fully pay for upgrades to the Carlisle campus, including a new building, before any construction of a law school in State College could begin.
Montague added that Dickinson College officials have "backed off" in their interest to take over the law school while it continues negotiations with Penn State, but has not "backed away." Officials from Penn State and Dickinson College, which isn't affiliated with the law school, were not at yesterday's meeting.

Board member G. Thomas Miller of Harrisburg, who voted against the motion to examine a second campus, said he favored the Dickinson College option.

"I think that's where our true future lies," he said.

Board member Donald C. Taylor of Wilmington, Del., said the law school should focus on what's best for the students and what they called the law school's sagging reputation.

"If I were a student, I would love the opportunity to go to both campuses," Taylor said.

Eakin, a former Cumberland County district attorney, said prospective students would decide which campus was the main campus when they applied to the law school and were given the choice of where to attend.

"If the law school cannot flourish in Carlisle, it should fade away," Eakin said.

Word of the board of governors' decision took both Penn State officials and local leaders by surprise.

Penn State spokesman Steve MacCarthy said he had not seen the board's proposal and could not comment on it.

Carlisle Mayor Kirk Wilson said he was "shocked and confused" by the board's move.

"I still think Carlisle and Dickinson College are a better fit for the law school," Wilson said.

Gathering addresses future of law school

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Friday, November 19, 2004

Gathering addresses future of law school ; Public drafts views for board, Spanier
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
Dave Blackledge is worried that indecision over the future of The Dickinson School of Law is hurting the school's reputation. The retired law school admissions and financial aid director said the school's board of governors and its parent institution, Penn State University, must weigh what's best for students, faculty, staff and community members.

And they must do it soon.

Last night, he and several dozen community members spent the evening writing guidelines they hope school officials will consider as the conversation on the school's future progresses.

They'll send Penn State and the governors a report.

Until now, Blackledge and other residents have been strictly onlookers in the battle over whether Penn State will maintain or dump its four-year relationship with Dickinson.

Although the town has hosted Dickinson for 170 years, and local officials identified grants that could help pay for an improved law facility in Carlisle, residents have been able to do little more than wait.

News has wavered between dramatic pronouncements and months of inaction.

After proposing Dickinson move to State College, then suggesting it operate both in Carlisle and State College, Penn State said it would like to end its law school partnership.

Dickinson College, which is adjacent to but not affiliated with the law school, has said it may be interested in a partnership if Penn State and the law school separate.

A local task force fighting to keep the law school in Carlisle planned last night's forum in the downtown Comfort Suites.

The hope was that officials from Penn State, the governors board and the college would attend and answer community questions.

But, early this month, spokesmen for all three groups said none would take part.

Kurt Kraus, a Shippensburg University professor who guided forum attendees in identifying and consolidating their concerns, said there isn't a guarantee that community sentiments will be considered.

"We have no idea if they will adhere to what we have asked them to adhere to, [but] this is our best shot," he said.

A woman who said she works at the law school said staff felt "anguish" when they learned Penn State President Graham Spanier said the university aimed to dump the school.

Jim Nelson, a law school alumnus, said, "Time is an important factor for them to consider. Not to sound impatient [but] it's important to resolve this."

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Friday, November 19, 2004

Forum addresses law school's future
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
Dave Blackledge is worried that indecision over the future of The Dickinson School of Law is hurting the school's reputation. The retired law school admissions and financial aid director said the school's board of governors and its parent institution, Penn State University, must weigh what's best for students, faculty, staff and community members.

And they must do it soon.

Last night, he and several dozen community members spent the evening writing guidelines they hope school officials will consider as the conversation on the school's future progresses.

They'll send Penn State and the governors a report.

Until now, Blackledge and other residents have been strictly onlookers in the battle over whether Penn State will maintain or dump its four-year relationship with Dickinson.

Although the town has hosted Dickinson for 170 years, and local officials identified grants that could help pay for an improved law facility in Carlisle, residents have been able to do little more than wait.

News has wavered between dramatic pronouncements and months of inaction.

After proposing Dickinson move to State College, then suggesting it operate both in Carlisle and State College, Penn State said it would like to end its law school partnership.

Dickinson College, which is adjacent to but not affiliated with the law school, has said it may be interested in a partnership if Penn State and the law school separate.

A local task force fighting to keep the law school in Carlisle planned last night's forum in the downtown Comfort Suites.

The hope was that officials from Penn State, the governors board and the college would attend and answer community questions.

Early this month, spokesmen for all three groups said none would take part.

Kurt Kraus, a Shippensburg University professor who guided forum attendees in identifying and consolidating their concerns, said there isn't a guarantee that community sentiments will be considered.

"We have no idea if they will adhere to what we have asked them to adhere to, [but] this is our best shot," he said.