Penn State spells out its offer to law school - and suddenly changes tracks

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

Penn State spells out its offer to law school ; Board is told it would get $63 million-plus to move, only $10 million if it stays
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
Penn State hopes to lure The Dickinson School of Law to University Park with a new $60 million facility. If the school decides to stay in Carlisle, Penn State will provide only $10 million for building improvements.

The law school's board of governors will vote on the offers June 11 and 12.

Penn State President Graham Spanier put the official offers on the table Monday, emphasizing the financial incentives behind a move to the main campus.

In addition, if Dickinson moves to University Park, Penn State would spend $1 million a year to hire five or more faculty and $2 million a year on operating costs. Penn State also would pick up the cost for 10 years to operate a secondary government law center in the Carlisle facility.

Spanier and other university administrators say the Carlisle campus has less to offer law students. "The educational advantages of ... [being in University Park] for DSL's future law students overwhelmingly indicate the potential of restoring and enhancing the national stature of the law school, while the risks of the law school remaining a stand-alone campus [in Carlisle] are significant," Spanier wrote.

But law school board member Jason Kutulakis called Spanier's reasoning absurd. Kutulakis said he doesn't believe that academic advantages of studying in State College would make up for the loss of law internships at midstate county, state and federal law offices.

"The synergies that are of the utmost importance to our law school for 170 years are between the [midstate] bench, the bar and the students," Kutulakis said. "It's unfortunate that President Spanier is using this golden carrot to skew this decision. I'm insulted by the disparity in offers. The university has a fiduciary duty to support our law school despite its location."

Kutulakis said the law school drew a record number of applications for the 2004-05 year. Dickinson students ranked first in passing the state bar exam, he said.

However, Rodney A. Erickson, Penn State vice president and provost, said it's unlikely a campus in Carlisle would be able to continue to draw top applicants and find top jobs for graduates.

He also said Dickinson risks harming its reputation if it doesn't move, because national law school leaders believe the move would be beneficial to the law school.

Some board members said Penn State never mentioned concerns about Dickinson's stature when the schools announced a merger in 1997.

"It's just one side of the negotiating table trying to present as many enticements as it can," Robert M. Frey said of Monday's official offer.

Frey, an emeritus member of the law school board, said Penn State's arguments don't address the harm that could come if Dickinson moves and loses its reputation as a school that provides personal attention to students in a relatively distraction-free setting.
Law school Dean Philip McConnaughay has said Dickinson's national rankings would improve in University Park, given opportunities for extended credits and specialized studies.

The board had asked Spanier to outline the university's specific financial commitments in order for it to determine the feasibility of renovating Trickett Hall or building elsewhere in Carlisle.

Government and business leaders told the board last week that local and state contributions for a Carlisle expansion could total $32 million. That includes $25 million that Gov. Ed Rendell has pledged from the state capital budget fund. Donations from law school alumni and friends could also be tapped.

"Now we've demonstrated we can [pay for expansion] in Carlisle with reasonable aid from State College and now [Penn State's] arguments are changing," said Hubert X. Gilroy, a law school board member.

ELIZABETH GIBSON: 249-2006 or egibson@patriot-news.com
TABULAR OR GRAPHIC MATERIAL SET FORTH IN THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT DISPLAYABLE


PHOTO; PHOTOS BY DAN GLEITER; Caption: Robert M. Frey, an emeritus member of the board of The Dickinson School of Law, says Penn State doesn't address the harm of moving the law school and changing its reputation for personal attention to students.; Jason Kutulakis of the law school's board says he doesn't believe that academic advantages of studying at Penn State would make up for the loss of law internships in the midstate.

Class of 2004 split on law school move

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Local/State
Class of 2004 split on law school move
ANGELA DOODY For The Patriot-News
The Dickinson School of Law's class of 2004 heard humorous and motivational speeches yesterday, but there was no mention that this year's graduation ceremony might be one of the last in this historic borough. The 179 graduates who sat in front of Old West on Dickinson College's campus surrounded by family and friends likely were thinking more about their own futures than that of their alma mater. But after the ceremony, the opinions were split on a proposal to move the law school to State College.

"Basically if they move the law school, Dickinson dies and Penn State gets a law school," said Ryan Boop of Sunbury. He noted that much of his opinion was based on tradition -- his father and uncle also are graduates of the school.

"I understand a lot of students are against [the law school staying in Carlisle]. It is landlocked and it can't really expand now [at its present site]. But I'd like to see an upgrade and expansion here," Boop said.

"At first I was opposed to the idea [of a move]," said graduate Cathy Rothaug, of Ridgewood, N.J. She said she changed her mind after seeing the recent third-tier ranking of the school. "I think a lot of alumni are opposed to a move, but just as many want it to change. School ranking is an important factor in finding a job."

Rothaug said she liked the Carlisle community and its proximity to Harrisburg. "There's not much around State College," she noted.

Dickinson School of Law merged with Penn State University in 1997 and at that time, officials from both schools vowed the 170-year- old institution would remain in Carlisle. However, law school officials now cite cramped classrooms, a boxed-in Carlisle campus and a recent third-tier ranking in the annual survey of colleges and graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report magazine as reasons to move the school to Penn State's main campus.

While Penn State officials have offered to build a $60 million law school at University Park, many government and business leaders who want the school to stay put are now trying to come up with a proposal for a new Carlisle facility. One study has shown an estimated loss of 227 jobs and $20 million in net community spending if the school is moved.

But those statistics don't have much bearing on graduate Michael Parker of Charlton, Mass., who said that while it was handy to have the county courthouse so close to the law school, he believed the school would fare better with newer facilities on Penn State's main campus.

"People are really split on the issue," Parker said. "Our school is growing rapidly and the draw of a big university setting is important."

Dickinson professor and library director James Fox said he and many of his colleagues have mixed feelings about moving the school.

"Certainly there are some [faculty] that want to stay and some that want to go," Fox said. "Everyone is basing their decision on what is best for the students. Still, most say Carlisle is a great place to live."

While he and other faculty members would have access to more academic resources on Penn State's campus, he believes students have fewer distractions here.

"Carlisle is a much better place to learn law," Fox said.

No decision made; Dickinson board mulls move, meets Carlisle leaders

Centre Daily Times (c) Copyright 2004, Centre Daily Times. All Rights Reserved.
Saturday, May 15, 2004

PSU trustees discuss future of law school; No decision made; Dickinson board mulls move, meets Carlisle leaders
By Gwenn Miller gmiller3@centredaily.com
UNIVERSITY PARK Penn State's board of trustees and The Dickinson School of Law's board of governors each met Friday, but the fate of the law school remains undecided.

Penn State's board met at the Nittany Lion Inn, and several board members inquired about the possibility of moving the law school from Carlisle to University Park.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said he expects the school's board of governors will act sometime this summer.

"I know it is a topic on the front burner," Spanier said.

Such a move has been debated since November, when a confidential memo from law school Dean Philip McConnaughay to the board was leaked to the media. Moving to University Park was one of several options McConnaughay put forth to improve the school's reputation and facilities.

Since that revelation, Carlisle residents, community leaders and members of the board of governors have loudly stated their opposition to a move.

Dickinson spokeswoman Kelly Jones said Friday that the board of governors was meeting with Carlisle community leaders Friday, but she said there would be no vote on the move. Jones said she was not sure the next time the board would meet.

Spanier said the option to split the school between two locations is still on the table. Under that plan, he said, the core parts of the law school would move to University Park. Other programs would remain at the Carlisle location, Spanier said. The board of governors convened at University Park two weeks ago to look at potential locations for the law school.

State appropriations

The board of trustees approved a $2.5 billion interim maintenance and operating budget for the 2004-05 fiscal year Friday.

Trustees will approve the actual 2004-05 budget and tuition rates at their July meeting.

The state House of Representatives passed the bill containing Penn State's appropriation earlier this week. The bill called for a 2.25 percent increase in funding, or a total of about $314.7 million, about $6.9 million more than the roughly $307.8 million the university received last fiscal year.

The bill will move on to the Senate for approval.

Penn State spokesman Steve MacCarthy said the university expects to receive its appropriation by the latter part of June.

Elections Ferguson Township resident George T. Henning Jr. was one of three trustees elected this year by the alumni. Henning, who retired as vice president and chief financial officer of LTV Steel, earned 7,670 votes, enough to unseat incumbent trustee Barry Robinson.

Alumni also re-elected Boalsburg resident Paul V. Suhey and Harris Township resident Steve A. Garban.

Property acquired

Trustees approved the purchase of the 5.43-acre Atotech USA Inc. property on Science Park Road in Ferguson Township for $2.3 million.

Gary Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business, said the amount was a very good price for the property, which includes a 33,500-square-foot, single-story building.

Atotech, which manufactured equipment and surface finishing chemicals, announced it was closing in November 2002.

The site will be used to expand Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory.

Law school funds discussed

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Saturday, May 15, 2004

Law school funds discussed ; Dickinson board compares offers for improved facilities
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
Members of The Dickinson School of Law's governors board wasted no time yesterday in comparing local finance offers to an offer by Penn State to build Dickinson a $60 million facility at University Park. Board members peppered local, county and state government and business leaders with questions about loans, grants and gifts.

"We're sort of down to the nitty-gritty now," said M. Fletcher Gornall, one of about 16 board members who met with the leaders.

He said that when the board learned in November that Penn State proposed building a facility to replace the aging buildings in Carlisle, ?it sort of took our breath away.??

"That's tough competition. Where are we going to get the $60 million to build in Carlisle?" he said.

Sen. Hal Mowery, R-Cumberland, brought the board a letter from Gov. Ed Rendell vowing to release $25 million from the capital budget to renovate or replace the school in Carlisle. The hitch is the money would have to be matched by an equal amount of other funds.

"Now we have to find another $25 million. Are there any other buckets of money available at the local or regional levels?" asked LeRoy S. Zimmerman, board chairman.

Local leaders said help in the form of expansion space, donations and construction planning has been offered by the borough, Dickinson College and the Carlisle Area Health and Wellness Foundation. The Foundation owns the hospital building just blocks from the law school. That building will be vacated in June 2006 when a new hospital opens in South Middleton Twp.

Cumberland County Redevelopment and Housing Authority could help with loans and would suspend fees. Local and regional foundations could supply grants up to $7 million, leaders estimated.

Zimmerman said a fair financial comparison can't be made until Penn State reveals how much it would contribute toward a new Carlisle facility for Dickinson.

The school's board of governors has asked Penn State President Graham Spanier for that figure and for an official declaration of the amount that would be spent on a facility in University Park.

?We want to make sure we have an offer in writing,?? Zimmerman said.

Penn State should spend the greater amount on a new Carlisle facility, Mowery said.

"That's the sentiment of many of the board members," Zimmerman said.

Mowery also said it's been rumored a gift worth millions could come from a board member. He declined to name the donor, but Lewis Katz, principal owner of the New Jersey Nets, is on the board.

Board members agreed Dickinson needs a substantial upgrade or complete replacement to stay competitive. Spanier and law school Dean Philip McConnaughay have said a move could improve students' academic options and Dickinson's rankings.

The idea of a move caught many by surprise since the law school's merger with Penn State included plans to keep the school in Carlisle.

School alumni, the local community and some board members have spoken against a move. A study by William Bellinger, a professor at nearby Dickinson College, showed the community would lose 227 jobs and about $20 million in net community spending if the law school left.

It wasn't clear how much additional discussion the board expected to hold at yesterday's daylong meeting. The board discussed the move with law professors behind closed doors.

The Patriot-News and The Sentinel of Carlisle have sued to open board meetings to the public. They are asking the state Supreme Court to permit an appeal of a Commonwealth Court decision that allows the board to meet privately.

Board members will take part in the law school graduation at 10:30 a.m. today at Dickinson College, which is next to but not affiliated with the law school. Keynote speaker is attorney Reid Weingarten, a 1975 law school alumnus who is a former trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice and former Dauphin County deputy district attorney.

ELIZABETH GIBSON: 249-2006 or egibson@patriot-news.com
TABULAR OR GRAPHIC MATERIAL SET FORTH IN THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT DISPLAYABLE


PHOTO; DAN GLEITER; Caption: Among those taking part in yesterday's meeting of The Dickinson School of Law's governors board were, from left, Rusty Shunk and Michelle Hornick, Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce; Frank Rankin, Carlisle Borough Council, and Christopher Gulotta, Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authority.; Sen. Hal Mowery, R-Cumberland, left, speaks with Dickinson School of Law Dean Philip McConnaughay after yesterday's board meeting.

Board meets today on law-school move

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Friday, May 14, 2004
Board meets today on law-school move [Corrected 05/18/04] ; Officials to present case for staying in Carlisle
ELIZABETH GIBSON Of Our Carlisle Bureau
CORRECTION: ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE DICKINSON SCHOOL OF LAW CONTRIBUTED $16 MILLION IN GIFTS AND PLEDGES IN A RECENT CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. THIS STORY INCORRECTLY STATES ALUMNI HAVE DONATED FUNDS SPECIFICALLY FOR A NEW LAW SCHOOL.


Local, county and state officials and business leaders have spent six months developing an argument to convince The Dickinson School of Law to stay in Carlisle. Today, they'll begin to make their case by presenting details of a potential local development package to the school's board of governors.

Sen. Hal Mowery, R-Cumberland, who proposed a bill that would set aside up to $34 million in state capital funding for a new law school facility in Carlisle, is expected to address the board.

Also expected to participate are Carlisle and Cumberland County officials and members of a local task force, which has gathered regularly since November at Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce.

"Collectively, we're going to try to put our best foot forward to show why the law school should remain in Carlisle," said Frank Rankin, borough council president.

Governors board Chairman LeRoy Zimmerman invited the press to today's talk despite a Commonwealth Court ruling that backed the board's position that its meetings could be held behind closed doors.

The Patriot-News and The Sentinel of Carlisle have sued to open board meetings to the public. A request to appeal the Commonwealth decision is pending before the Supreme Court.

The board's actions are also under the scrutiny of alumni and others who have said a move would betray the school's 1997 merger agreement with Penn State University that stated Dickinson would remain in Carlisle.

Only the 35-member board can approve a move.

In November, the group heard a proposal to move Dickinson to a $60 million facility in University Park near parent institution Penn State. The law school needs upgrades, and Dean Philip McConnaughay has said moving Dickinson to State College would improve academic opportunities and boost the school's national rankings.

McConnaughay said Penn State's support for local expansion would be considerably less than $60 million.

Earlier this month, Penn State President Graham Spanier led the board on a tour of the university's main campus.

Rankin said no tour of Carlisle is planned today -- unless the board asks for one.

And Carlisle leaders aren't likely to say they can match Penn State's $60 million offer.

But Rankin said details on finance packages, grants and other development incentives will be laid out so board members know that renovating Dickinson's Trickett Hall or building a new law school in or close to Carlisle is a viable alternative.

Dickinson alumni have so far pledged $16 million toward a new Carlisle facility.

"In many if not all decisions, money does seem to talk. It's clearly a big item and the members of the task force and the state [officials] have always kept that in mind," Rankin said.

Measure to tie PSU funds to site of law school fails

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Measure to tie PSU funds to site of law school fails [Corrected 05/ 14/04]
CHARLES THOMPSON Of The Patriot-News
CORRECTION: THE NAME OF THE CARLISLE BOROUGH COUNCIL PRESIDENT IS INCORRECT IN THIS STORY. IT SHOULD BE FRANK RANKIN.


Efforts to keep The Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle suffered a symbolic defeat last night as the state House voted 130-68 against a plan that would have tied a small portion of Penn State's state funding to its law school remaining in Carlisle. The amendment sponsored by Rep. John Maher, R-Allegheny, would have shaved $2 million from Penn State's $239.4 million earmarked for general expenses and placed it in a new line item for the law school's operations. The amount was based on estimates of the difference between the law school's tuition receipts and operational expenses.

Penn State, however, could transfer the funds back into its general expense line as long as the law school stays in Carlisle.

Maher and other supporters offered the bill to send a message that legislators do not approve of Penn State President Graham Spanier's efforts to lure the 170-year-old law school to State College with the promise of $60 million in funding for a state-of- the-art facility there.

Rep. Will Gabig, R-Carlisle, noting the estimated $20 million economic impact the move would have on the Carlisle area, called on colleagues to tell the taxpayer-funded university's administration that "the people's representatives should have something to say about that."

But opponents argued that the Legislature should stay out of the decision.

"In the interest of fairness you can't possibly vote for this amendment," said Rep. Tom Stevenson, R-Allegheny, noting the 1997 merger agreement between Penn State and the law school ultimately places any decision about relocation with Dickinson's Board of Governors.

"We shouldn't penalize an institution that we've created [Penn State], and we shouldn't stick our legislative noses into something that we should really stay out of to begin with. It's really up to Dickinson to control their destiny, not Penn State," he said.

Maher's proposal was purely symbolic -- the law school will operate in Carlisle for the 2004-05 fiscal year no matter what.

But Rep. Jeff Coy, D-Shippensburg, called the appropriations bill the wrong place for relocation opponents to make their stand.

?The decision today is whether you take much-needed dollars for public higher education ... and punish the entire state university for a potential action?? that might occur, Coy said.

The proposal for a new law school campus was outlined in a November memo from law school Dean Philip McConnaughay, who warned that Dickinson risks a continued slide in national rankings unless it improves its physical setting and opportunities for students.

Carlisle and midstate leaders protested, citing estimates the region could lose more than 200 jobs and $20 million in net community spending if the law school left. Board of Governors task forces are exploring options ranging from relocating to State College to rebuilding in Carlisle.

Maher, however, called the 68 votes garnered last night a starting point that relocation opponents can build upon during debate over the law school's future.

Maher's proposal was one of dozens to be considered this week as the House opens preliminary debate on Gov. Ed Rendell's $22.7 billion state budget proposal.

Last night's vote does not affect a proposal by Sen. Hal Mowery, R-Cumberland, authorizing Rendell to allocate up to $34 million in state capital funding for development of a new law school facility in Carlisle. That bill is pending in the Senate.

Carlisle Borough Council President Steve Fishman said Mowery's proposal will likely be far more relevant to the Dickinson board's final decision. Fishman added the House vote can't be taken as a measure of support for funding to keep the law school in Carlisle because of many lawmakers' objections to Maher's approach.

What About Penn State - Harrisburg? (A reasonable compromise if you ask me.)

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Monday, May 10, 2004

AS I SEE IT
Consider area PSU campus for law school
GEORGE D. WOLF
Before the door is closed on the question of the location of the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University a better choice is worthy of consideration. However, this proposal involves another segment of the university, Penn State Harrisburg. That affiliation has remained in my mind since becoming the first professor at that campus in 1966 and, subsequently, Dean of Faculty. Back in 1967 Edgar R. Casper, a deputy attorney general of the commonwealth. came to me with a proposal for the Dickinson School of Law to offer Continuing Education courses on our campus for lawyers of Central Pennsylvania. Despite the support of Dean Heindel the administration at University Park declined. Bryce Jordan, who came to Penn State later from an upper division college like Penn State Harrisburg, looked favorably upon the development of legal education collaboration with the Middletown campus. Unfortunately, those plans never came to fruition.

By the time the Law School affiliated with Penn State in 1997 and fully merged in 2000 with assurances of retaining its location in Carlisle the earlier proposals were long forgotten. In the interim, Duquesne and Weidner jumped in to fill the void.

Forgotten was the fact that the Dickinson School of Law, founded in 1834, was the oldest law school in the commonwealth and the fifth oldest in the nation. In fact, it preceded Penn State by 21 years. Certified for almost 75 years it has become the heart of legal education in Central Pennsylvania just as the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh in the east and west. Moving it to University Park will be detrimental to the community as well as forfeiting the advantages of the South Pennsylvania region. Furthermore, it will be a contradiction of the earlier commitment to keep the Law School in Carlisle.

The better choice is to maintain the core campus in Carlisle and develop a branch on the vast 250-some acres of Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown. The advantages are obvious and logical. In the first place, it is only about a half-hour from Carlisle. Keep in mind the light rail concept of a commuter line between Carlisle and Lancaster that will facilitate such development.

Also, Penn State Harrisburg is located across the street from Harrisburg International Airport with ease for conferences and bringing in specialists in the field. It will certainly enhance the communication and operation of the already existing summer overseas programs, the masters program for foreign lawyers, the London Semester program, as well as the co-sponsorship of an international symposium on economic crime.
Hershey Medical Center is in reasonably close proximity with additional potential for much-needed combined legal programs. Location and costs are justification for such a development. Despite the merits of technology, student and professor at opposite ends of the log provide the best learning atmosphere.

In addition, Penn State Harrisburg's excellent programs in business, technology, education and public administration provide available opportunities for specialization. Besides, law offices in the Harrisburg region and the Capitol Complex itself offer interning and related openings that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the state. The Pennsylvania Judicial Center in the Capitol with its headquarters for appellate court offices will provide a magnificent opportunity for observation and learning.THE LAW SCHOOL and the University's College of Agricultural Sciences have already collaborated on an Agricultural Law Research and Education Center located in Carlisle. Technological capabilities can enhance and encourage further program development but they cannot improve upon the face-to-face contact that is possible locally.

Space for expansion, programs for development, and faculty for implementation are ready for such a bold and innovative move. This is not a new idea and any examination of the research production and outstanding record of the excellent faculty at Penn State Harrisburg will demonstrate why it has become a significant part of the university's prestige.

The opportunity for Penn State to exercise its potential as a regional entity exists. Relocation to University Park is not the answer for Penn State, the Dickinson School of Law or the Carlisle community. Penn State Harrisburg is a better choice with all the advantages of location. After all is said and done, it will still be the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University. GEORGE D. WOLF is emeritus professor of American studies at Penn State Harrisburg.

All the Way to the Supreme Court! - May 6, 2004

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Thursday, May 6, 2004

Newspapers' request to get speedy review ; Dickinson Law board meetings at issue
From staff reports
The state Supreme Court has agreed to a speedy review of a request that The Patriot-News and The Sentinel of Carlisle be permitted to appeal a Commonwealth Court decision. Commonwealth Court ruled last month that The Dickinson School of Law board of governors may close its meetings to the public, despite claims by the newspapers that the board is a public entity and should adhere to the state's open-meetings law.

The newspapers have also asked Commonwealth Court to restore a Cumberland County Court order that opened meetings to the public.

The law school's board must respond by tomorrow to the newspapers' Supreme Court request.

Governors board meetings this year and last fall have focused on a proposal to move the school from Carlisle to University Park, the main campus of Penn State, Dickinson's parent institution.

When the schools merged in 1997, officials vowed Dickinson would stay in Carlisle.

However, Penn State President Graham Spanier and law school Dean Philip McConnaughay now contend law students' education would improve if the school was on the Penn State main campus.

A move must be approved by the board, and its talks have drawn interest from local and state government and business leaders.

LAW SCHOOL CONSIDERS MOVE, TOURS PENN STATE CAMPUS

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Monday, May 3, 2004

LAW SCHOOL CONSIDERS MOVE, TOURS PENN STATE CAMPUS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
STATE COLLEGE Members of the Dickinson School of Law's board of governors, trying to decide whether to move the state's oldest law school from Carlisle, Cumberland County, toured Penn State's main campus to look over four potential new locations.

"We are confronted with an important issue and we want to make an appropriate decision with all the facts in front of us," board Chairman LeRoy Zimmerman said.

The board is considering a recommendation by the law school's dean to move the 170-year-old school from Carlisle to Penn State's main campus within the next few years. The dean cited a need for the school to upgrade facilities and improve its reputation.

Although a Commonwealth Court ruled last week that the board does not have to open its meetings to the public, officials allowed reporters to accompany members on their Saturday bus tour of University Park.

Four potential sites were identified: Parking Lot 83 North, University Drive and Park Avenue, and two locations within Innovation Park. If a new building is constructed, officials say the law school would need about 215,000 gross square feet which would cost about $60 million.

Board member Helen Balick said it would not be appropriate for board members to share their opinions on the sites.

"I think everything is on the table at this point," Balick said.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said board members and administrators share the same goal of making the law school as strong as possible.

"It is my belief that we can accomplish more here than in its current location," Spanier said.

Law school dean Philip McConnaughay said he hoped the board would be able to decide in the next few months.

Supporters of the move say remaining on the current campus would require millions of dollars in maintenance and building renovations. They say moving to State College could boost the school's reputation and allow students to take advantage of a wide variety of joint degree programs.

Opponents say the move would deliver a horrible economic blow to Carlisle, and some lawmakers say Penn State officials promised not to move the law school when the two institutions merged. Rep. William Gabig, R-Cumberland, is sponsoring a bill to prohibit Penn State from moving the law school.

Dickinson School of Law was founded in 1834 as a department of Dickinson College, a private, liberal arts college in Carlisle. Its graduates include U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor. The law school became independent in 1890 and remained so until 2000, when it merged with Penn State.

Dickinson scouts local sites

Centre Daily Times (c) Copyright 2004, Centre Daily Times. All Rights Reserved.
Sunday, May 2, 2004

Dickinson scouts local sites
By Gwenn Miller gmiller3@centredaily.com
UNIVERSITY PARK Although it has yet to decide whether or not to move the school from its Carlisle location, The Dickinson School of Law's board of governors did some house hunting Saturday.

Board members gathered for a private meeting Friday night and toured University Park on Saturday, scouting four potential locations for the law school. The decision about the school's future ultimately rests with the board.

Dickinson's governing body has been discussing the law school's future -- including relocation -- for several months. News of a possible move from Carlisle to State College surfaced in November after a confidential memorandum from Philip McConnaughay, the law school's dean, was leaked to the press. The memo outlined suggestions to address the concerns about the school's facilities, one being the possibility of moving the school to University Park.

"We are confronted with an important issue, and we want to make an appropriate decision with all the facts in front of us," board Chairman LeRoy Zimmerman said.

Although the Commonwealth Court ruled last month that the board is not required to open its meetings to the public, officials allowed the press to accompany the board on its University Park bus tour.

Four potential sites were identified, including Parking Lot 83 North, University Drive and Park Avenue, and two locations within Innovation Park.

University officials said there are pros and cons with each site. For example, the Lot 83 and University Drive sites would be close to the new Smeal College of Business Administration building and other key campus locations. An Innovation Park site would be near the airport and Interstate 99.

The tour's final stop was the recently completed Information Sciences and Technology Building. Gary Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business, said university officials thought that if a new law school building would be built at University Park, it would more or less have to be a landmark facility similar to the IST Building.

University officials estimate a new law school building would need to be about 215,000 gross square feet and would cost about $60 million. By comparison, the IST Building is about 199,000 gross square feet and cost about $58 million.

McConnaughay said Saturday that the tour was for the board members to better understand the physical layout of University Park and what it would mean to have the law school at the campus.

Board member Helen Balick said the tour was well-orchestrated, but she said it wasn't appropriate for board members to share their opinions on the sites.

"I think everything is on the table at this point," Balick said.

Dickinson's board has a multitude of factors to take into consideration.

"We're looking at our students," McConnaughay said. "As educators, that's our principal concern."

In addition to preserving the school's long heritage, McConnaughay said, the board is not unmindful of the long-standing, good relationship it has with the borough of Carlisle.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said his role is to make sure the board has all the options on the table. He said board members and administrators alike have the goal of making the law school as strong as possible.

"It is my belief that we can accomplish more here than in its current location," Spanier said.

The timeline on deciding the law school's fate is still uncertain. McConnaughay said he is hoping that the board will have the information it needs to make a decision in the next couple of months. Zimmerman said the board doesn't want to be rushed into a decision, but a decision, he said, should be made sooner rather than later.

The board also heard an outside opinion on relocating a law school from someone very familiar with the situation. Terence Blackburn, dean of the Michigan State University College of Law, oversees the former Detroit College of Law. That law school became affiliated with Michigan State in 1995 and moved from its downtown location to East Lansing in 1997. The city had condemned the downtown land to build Comerica Park, forcing the college to make a decision to relocate in the city or closer to Michigan State.

Blackburn said the affiliation with a major research university has led to collaborations and partnerships, such as dual-degree programs and joint certificate programs.

Blackburn admitted the decision to vacate Detroit met with resistance from alumni and government leaders, as has the current situation in Carlisle. But, he said, the lesson to be learned is that law school leaders must ask the right questions.

"You don't run a college for alumni; you run it for the next generation of students," Blackburn said.

PSU makes visual case to move law school

Patriot-News Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.
Sunday, May 2, 2004

PSU makes visual case to move law school
JOE ELIAS Of Our Carlisle Bureau
No one expected the group touring Penn State University yesterday to commit to going there, after all it was only an informational tour. But there was more in the balance than where to earn a degree. Instead the future of a college was at stake.

The board of governors of The Dickinson School of Law saw first hand where the school could possibly be relocated, if they decide to move from Carlisle to the Penn State University campus.

They also saw the type of building that could be constructed for the $60 million university officials have promised if the board of governors approves a move.

The board took no action on the possible move during its two-day session in State College.

"I think what we saw today was Penn State's advocacy for the move," said LeRoy S. Zimmerman, chairman of the board of governors. "We knew we were going to get the university's story and that's what we got."

Zimmerman and about 22 of the Dickinson board's 36 members were shown four locations around the Penn State campus yesterday where the school could be located. Penn State President Graham Spanier and members of the university's facilities management team gave the tour.

The board also toured the $58 million, 215,000- square-foot Information Sciences and Technology Building, the college's most recently completed building that opened this year.

Spanier touted the building as an example of the facilities the law school would have, adding that a new building would rival the law school facilities available at other Big Ten institutions.

Trickett Hall, the law school's home in Carlisle is about 160,000 square feet.

Spanier called the tour a ?familiarization?? for the Dickinson board to the facilities available at the university.

?We didn't say anything new during the tour. The board has heard all of this before,?? Spanier said. ?This just provides a basis when we discuss the concepts.??

Board members said the tour would be helpful to them as they make their final decision on a possible move.

"Any decision we make is going to impact the law school for years," said Jason Kutulakis, a Carlisle attorney. "These discussions should be viewed as a positive thing no matter what happens."

Three of the four possible sites for a law school are within view of Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center, including two sites in Innovation Park, the university's business incubator across from the stadium.

Spanier said moving the law school to State College would also help integrate the school with other programs and curriculum that Penn State offers, such as business, environmental sciences and technology.

What impact the university's presentation had on the board of governors, if any, remains to be seen.

Zimmerman said he is waiting to see what can be done with Trickett Hall or another location in the Carlisle area for the type of money Spanier was talking about spending for a new building.

"I keep wondering if similar things can be done in Carlisle," Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman said he has been told Trickett could be expanded or the university could buy and renovate the Carlisle Hospital, about three blocks down the street from the law school, after the hospital completes construction on a facility in South Middleton Twp.

Spanier said there was a plan to renovate the law school's facilities in Carlisle if the move is voted down but said he didn't know how much would be spent.

The two colleges merged in 1997 with officials from both schools vowing the law school would remain in Carlisle. The law school is not affiliated with Dickinson College.

When law school officials said in November that they were considering an offer from Penn State to move the college to State College, they pointed to cramped classrooms at the law school and its boxed-in campus in Carlisle.

Carlisle community leaders and supporters of the law school said they would fight plans to move the institution. Students and alumni said moving the school would rob would-be lawyers of real-life classrooms in the midstate's many courtrooms and law offices.

Law school Dean Phillip J. McConnaughay cited a need to expand and concerns about the law school's resulting ?languishing reputation?? as other reasons for the move in a memo last fall.

The law school received a third-tier ranking in the annual survey of colleges and graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

The memo also mentioned university officials have had difficulty raising enough money to finance an expansion at the Carlisle campus. A six-year campaign to raise $16 million "yielded only $9 million in cash," said McConnaughay, who said he did not want to finance the expansion by increasing tuition, which is $24,300 a year.

Zimmerman said yesterday that he was told Penn State officials would support a decision to stay in Carlisle if that's what the board chose to do.

The board next meeting is May 14, the night before graduation, Zimmerman said. No decision is expected at that meeting.

Zimmerman said there is no timetable on a possible vote, but he hopes for a final decision "sooner rather than later."