William E. Adams
Managing Director
In August, the year ends for the 2021-2022 Council as the Section holds its Annual Business Meeting to elect the new Council members for 2022-2023. This Council year has been a busy one and much has been accomplished despite the continuing challenges posed by the pandemic. Regarding the pandemic, the Council has continued to permit schools to provide distance education modalities where health and safety concerns require it.
As noted in a previous column, the Council has announced the formation of a Strategic Review Committee (SRC) that will take a more comprehensive look at the Standards. The Committee has already begun to seek feedback from stakeholders, including an open session with the Deans at the recent Deans’ Workshop hosted by the Section. It will continue to seek comments through our Notice and Comment Process as well as continuing roundtable discussions on key issues. The creation of this Committee did not stop the Standards Review Committee from continuing its work, however. Some of the changes passed this year include amendments to Standards 205 (adding categories to our anti-discrimination provisions), 303 (adding curricular requirements related to professional identity), 507 (strengthening requirements to provide students information about financial aid and loans) and 508 (student well-being requirements).
In relation to the amendments to Standard 303, it is encouraging to see schools engage positively with it, despite some concerns expressed when the amendments were initially proposed. The Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Profession at the University of St. Thomas School of Law recently hosted a workshop attended by ninety representatives from sixty law schools to discuss how to implement the amendments. I attended and was impressed by both the enthusiasm of the participants and the ideas that were shared. Subsequent to the workshop, a Professional Identity Formation Implementation Listserv has been created to permit schools to continue to share ideas and resources.
As the Council continues its efforts to focus its regulations on outcomes, a potential area that the SRC may review are the Standards covering Learning Outcomes and Assessments. The Section has formed a Resources on Outcomes and Assessments Committee to collect resources and make recommendations for best practices. It has offered some suggestions to the SRC to consider as the Committee discusses these important Standards.
As we look forward to a new year with the Council, the first order of business will be the Section Annual Business Meeting where the elections for the 2022-2023 Council and officers will occur. Pursuant to the Section’s Bylaws, Chair-Elect Joseph West will become Chair of the Council for the next year. The Honorable Bridget Mary McCormack has been nominated for the position of Chair-Elect. McCormack, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, has served as Vice-Chair for the past year. The Nominating Committee has nominated Professor David Brennen to be Vice-Chair. Professor Brennen is the former Dean of the University of Kentucky College of Law and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the former Accreditation Committee of the Section. Three new members will be joining the Council next year. David R. Anderson, President of St. Olaf College, is one of those nominees. Along with other relevant experience, President Anderson previously served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Higher Learning Commission. The second nominee from the Nominating Committee is lawyer Josephine Bahn. Bahn also brings valuable experience to the Council including as a past Law Student Division Representative to the Council and as the incoming Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division. As noted, the ABA Law Student Division has a representative on the Council. This year’s student is Andrew Crane from Michigan State University College of Law. Andrew was previously employed by the Managing Director’s Office. His experience in working with our data collection and accreditation processes will provide valuable expertise. Nominated for second terms are current Council members President Emeritus Thomas Galligan and Retired Dean Mary Lu Bilek.
As this year ends, we will lose three esteemed members of the Council who have served it well. David Byers will complete his second term. His expertise as Administrative Director of the Courts in Arizona has enabled him to provide helpful insights as a valuable public member. Past Chair Scott Bales will also complete his term on the Council. His advice and support as Chair during the height of the pandemic will always be cherished by me. Our current Law Student Division Representative, Dr. Michelle Bodden-White from Albany Law School will be completing her term. Dr. Bodden-White’s extensive educational experience and knowledge made her one of our most valuable law student representatives in recent years.
Although he will stay on as Immediate Past Chair, Leo Martinez will complete a successful year as Chair. As we continue to navigate our way through the pandemic and respond to challenges faced by all entities involved in higher education, Leo has provided calm leadership and wise counsel. It has been an honor and pleasure to work with him during the past year.
Finally, our office is sadly saying goodbye to Senior Accreditation Counsel Ed Butterfoss who has decided to embark upon a well-earned retirement. Ed’s prior experience as a dean and former member of the Accreditation Committee made him an invaluable resource to the schools. All of the staff will miss his sense of humor and engaging personality. With his departure, however, we will be welcoming a new Senior Accreditation Counsel, Angela Gilmore. Angela brings with her extensive experience as an Associate Dean and Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University School of Law in addition to her prior experience at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law.