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CORE REQUIREMENTS |
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For
every Core Requirement mandating a policy or procedure, it is
implicit that the policy or procedure is in writing, approved
through appropriate institutional processes, published in
appropriate institutional documents accessible to those affected by
the policy or procedure, and implemented and enforced by the
institution. For obtaining or maintaining accreditation with
the Commission on Colleges, an institution must meet the following
Core Requirements:
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1. |
The institution has degree-granting authority from the
appropriate government agency or agencies. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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2. |
The institution has a governing board of at least five members
that is the legal body with specific authority over the
institution. The board is an active policy-making body for the
institution and is
ultimately responsible for ensuring that the
financial resources of the institution are adequate to provide a
sound educational program. The board is not controlled by a
minority of board members or
by organizations or interests
separate from it. Neither the presiding officer of the board nor
the majority of other voting members of the board have
contractual, employment, or personal or familial
financial
interest in the institution. A military institution authorized
and operated by the federal government to award degrees has a
public board in which neither the presiding officer nor a
majority
of the other members are civilian employees of the
military or active/retired military. The board has broad and
significant influence upon the institution’s programs and
operations, plays an active role in
policy-making, and ensures
that the financial resources of the institution are used to
provide a sound educational program. The board is not controlled
by a minority of board members or by organizations
or interests
separate from the board except as specified by the authorizing
legislation. Neither the presiding officer of the board nor the
majority of other voting board members have contractual,
employment, or personal or familial financial interest in the
institution. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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3. |
The institution has a chief executive officer whose primary
responsibility is to the institution and who is not the
presiding officer of the board. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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4. |
The institution has a clearly defined and published mission
statement specific to the institution and appropriate to an
institution of higher education, addressing teaching and
learning and, where applicable, research and public service. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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5. |
The institution engages in ongoing, integrated, and
institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation
processes that incorporate a systematic review of programs and
services that (a) results in continuing improvement and (b)
demonstrates that the institution is effectively accomplishing
its mission.
The School of Law is in compliance with this requirement.
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i. |
The School of Law participates in the ongoing, integrated
TTU-wide research-based planning and evaluation process,
also known as the TTU strategic plan. The strategic plan for
the School of Law may be found at:
http://www.law.ttu.edu/about/strategic.asp |
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ii. |
These and other data are reviewed systematically and result
in continuing improvement. The School of Law is accomplishing
its mission and goals as demonstrated in its 2004 Self-Study
Report (pp. 1-105) prepared for the Sabbatical Reinspection of the American
Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools
(Feb.-Mar 2004). A
copy of the 2004 Self-Study is available in the Office of
the Dean of the Law School, and another copy is available in
the Office of the Provost of the University.
[will be completed by Jan. 2004 prior to March reinspection
visit]. |
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6. |
The institution is in operation and has students enrolled in
degree programs. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 7. |
The institution: |
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a. |
offers one or
more degree programs based on at least 60 semester credit hours or
the equivalent at the associate level; at least 120 semester credit
hours or the equivalent at the baccalaureate level; or at least 30
semester credit hours or the equivalent at the
post-baccalaureate, graduate, or professional level. The institution
provides a written justification and rationale for program
equivalency. The School of Law is in compliance with this
requirement.
The School of Law has:
- A Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree that requires 90
semester credit hours of law courses.
- In cooperation with other colleges within the University,
joint degrees are available in the following areas:
J.D./Master of Business Administration
J.D./Master of Public Administration
J.D./Master of Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics
J.D./Master of Science in Accounting (Taxation)
J.D./Master of Science in Environmental Toxicology
J.D./Master of Science (Personal Financial Planning)
J.D./Master of Science in Biotechnology
- For these joint degree programs, to satisfy the 90 hours of
law studies for the J.D. degree and the 36 hours of graduate
courses for the Master’s degree, 12 hours of approved law
courses are transferred as elective credit toward the graduate
degree and 12 hours of approved graduate courses are transferred
as elective credit toward the J.D. degree.
- For a more detailed description, see the 2003-04 Law School
Catalog from pp. 13-15 at
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/CurrentLawCatalog.pdf
- In addition, in Fall 2003 the University’s Academic Council
approved a new joint J.D./Master of Science in Crop Science,
Horticulture, Soil Science or Entomology. Depending on Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board approval, the program will
become operative in Fall 2004
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b. |
offers degree programs that embody a coherent
course of study that is compatible with its stated purpose and
is based upon fields of study appropriate to higher education. The School of Law is in compliance with this
requirement.
The School of Law’s Program of Legal Education
satisfies the American Bar Association standards for curricula,
which include a coherent set of requirements for the course of
study.
http://www.abanet.org/legaled/standards/chapter3.html
The School of Law’s Program of Legal Education will be reviewed
during Spring 2004 as part of the Sabbatical Reinspection of the
American Bar Association and the Association of American Law
Schools; the final reports of those bodies will be available in
the office of the Dean of the School of Law.
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c. |
offers a general education program at the
collegiate level that is (1) a substantial component of each
undergraduate degree, (2) ensures breadth of knowledge, and (3)
is based on a coherent
rationale. For degree completion in
associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15
semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a
minimum of 30 semester
hours or the equivalent. These credit
hours are to be drawn from and include at least one course from
each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts;
social/behavioral sciences; and natural
science/mathematics. The
courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and
procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession.
The institution provides a written
justification and rationale
for course equivalency.
This item is
inapplicable to the School of Law.
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d. |
makes arrangements for some instruction to be
provided by other accredited institutions or entities through
contracts or consortia, where appropriate. The institution
itself, however,
provides instruction for all course work
required for at least one degree program at each level at which
it awards degrees, or provides an alternative approach to
meeting this requirement. The
alternative approach is approved
by the Commission on Colleges. In all cases, the institution
demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational
program. The School of Law is in compliance with this
requirement.
The School of Law
controls all aspects of its degree programs, except for the
graduate school aspects of the joint degree programs offered in
conjunction with other colleges on campus. The School of Law
also participates in a cooperative Summer Law Institute in
Guanajuato, Mexico, with two other U.S. law schools and the host
university. See
http://www.law.ttu.edu/academics/international/guan.asp.
The Institute has been approved by the Accreditation Committee
of the ABA Section on Legal Education. The Institute was
reviewed by the ABA during Summer 2003, and a copy of the final
report will be available in the office of the Dean of the School
of Law.
Subsequent to that review, the Summer Law
Institute was approved for continuation by the ABA’s
Accreditation Committee in January 2004, and will be
re-evaluated by site visit in 2010. |
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| 8. |
The number of full-time faculty members is
adequate to support the mission of the institution. The
institution has adequate faculty resources to ensure the quality
and integrity of its academic
programs. In addition, upon
application for candidacy, an applicant institution demonstrates
that it meets the comprehensive standard for faculty
qualifications.
The School of Law is in compliance with this requirement.
The current student-faculty ratio
is 19.88:1, as compared to 18.93:1 in 1996-97. In recent years,
through a combination of unanticipated student-body growth and
stagnant faculty staffing levels, the School’s once excellent
student-faculty ratio has climbed to as high as 20.65:1.
Moreover, the Legal Practice student-professor ratio is at the
upper limit suggested by the ABA Sourcebook on Legal Writing
Programs, which is further exacerbated by the fact the program
has more hours than the typical law school research and writing
program.
|
ABA report Year |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
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Total Faculty FTE |
33.80 |
33.80 |
33.80 |
33.80 |
33.80 |
33.80 |
33.80 |
33.80 |
|
Total FTE Students |
640 |
637 |
616 |
595 |
650 |
663 |
698 |
672 |
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Ratio |
18.93 |
18.85 |
18.22 |
17.60 |
19.23 |
19.62 |
20.65 |
19.88 |
Efforts to reduce the student population to more
manageable levels and the hiring of two additional tenure-track
professors in support of the School’s clinical programs will
help return the School to a more acceptable ratio. Because,
however, even the reduced student population represents a
significant increase over prior levels, and the danger exists
that further reductions could jeopardize efforts to enhance
student diversity, the only reasonable way to return to an
optimal student-teacher ratio – a historic strength of the
School – is by obtaining authority for new faculty lines from
the University. |
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| 9. |
The institution, through ownership or formal
arrangements or agreements, provides and supports student and
faculty access and user privileges to adequate library
collections as well as to other
learning/information resources
consistent with the degrees offered. These collections and
resources are sufficient to support all its educational,
research, and public service programs.
The School of Law is in compliance with this requirement.
The School of Law operates its own law library, as is required
by the American Bar Association. Although the University’s
resource commitment to supporting the law library was brought
into question following the 1996 Sabbatical Reinspection of the
American Bar Association and the Association of American Law
Schools, substantial efforts have been undertaken to address
prior concerns. For example, as part of a tuition increase
adopted by the Board of Regents in November 2001, the Regents
directed that $800,000 per year generated by the increase be
allocated to the law library. These issues and the University
and School of Law’s response are fully discussed on pp.95-102 of the 2004
Self-Study Report. A copy of the 2004 Self-Study is available in
the Office of the Dean of the Law School, and another copy is
available in the Office of the Provost of the University
[will be completed by Jan. 2004 prior to March reinspection
visit]. |
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| 10. |
The institution provides student support
programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission
that promote student learning and enhance the development of its
students.
The School of Law is in compliance with this requirement.
The School of Law has the following:
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| 11. |
The
institution has a sound financial base and demonstrated financial
stability, and adequate physical resources to support the mission of
the institution and the scope of its programs and services. The institution provides the following financial statements: (a) an
institutional audit (as distinct from a systemwide or statewide
audit) and management letter for the most recent fiscal year
prepared by
an independent certified public accountant or an
appropriate auditing agency employing the appropriate audit guide;
(b) an annual budget that is preceded by sound planning, is subject
to
sound fiscal procedures, and is approved by the governing board;
and (c) a schedule of changes in unrestricted net assets, excluding
plant and plant related-debt (short and long-term debt attached
to
physical assets).
The School of Law is in compliance with this requirement.
Routes of compliance:
- Support for faculty and college expenses from the university
- Contributions from alumni
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a. |
Institutional Audit: The School of Law was last audited
during 1996 by the Internal Audit staff of the University. The
Law School Foundation was last audited during Summer 2003 by J.W.
Anderson & Company.
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b. |
Annual Budget: The annual budget for the School of Law has in
the past been prepared by the Dean and his staff. During Summer
2003, the School of Law created and filled a new position:
Associate Dean for Administration and External Affairs. That
Associate Dean will prepare budgets in the future. The annual
budget is reviewed and approved by the Office of the Provost.
In
early 2004, the Dean appointed a Law School Budget Committee to
provide recommendations on budget issues and to assist in making
the budget process more transparent to college stakeholders.
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c. |
Changes in Net Assets: N/A. |
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COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS |
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The
institution has a sound financial base and demonstrated financial
stability, and adequate physical resources to support the mission of
the institution and the scope of its programs and services. The institution provides the following financial statements: (a) an
institutional audit (as distinct from a systemwide or statewide
audit) and management letter for the most recent fiscal year
prepared by
an independent certified public accountant or an
appropriate auditing agency employing the appropriate audit guide;
(b) an annual budget that is preceded by sound planning, is subject
to
sound fiscal procedures, and is approved by the governing board;
and (c) a schedule of changes in unrestricted net assets, excluding
plant and plant related-debt (short and long-term debt attached
to
physical assets). |
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Institutional
Mission, Governance, And Effectiveness |
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Institutional
Mission |
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1. |
The institution
has a clear and comprehensive mission statement that guides it;
is approved
by the governing board; is periodically reviewed by the board;
and is communicated to the
institution’s constituencies.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The School of Law revised its Mission Statement following the
1996 Sabbatical Reinspection of the American Bar Association and
the Association of American Law Schools in response to concerns
that were raised following that visit. That Mission Statement
may be found at
http://www.law.ttu.edu/about/mission.asp, and it was given
approval by the School of Law’s accrediting bodies after its
promulgation.
Then, as part of the School of Law’s participation in the
University’s Strategic Planning process, the Mission Statement
was refined as shown in the School of Law’s Strategic Plan:
http://www.law.ttu.edu/about/strategic.asp.
The mission of the college was reviewed and approved as part of
the University strategic plan by the TTU Board of Regents at
their regular meeting of December 2001. |
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Governance and
Administration |
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2. |
The governing
board of the institution is responsible for the selection and
the evaluation of
the chief executive officer. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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3. |
The legal
authority and operating control of the institution are clearly
defined for the following
areas within the institution’s governance structure: |
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a. |
the institution’s
mission; |
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b. |
the fiscal
stability of the institution; |
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c. |
institutional policy, including policies concerning related
and affiliated corporate
entities and all auxiliary services; |
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d. |
related foundations (athletic, research, etc.) and other
corporate entities whose
primary purpose is to support the institution and/or its
programs. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 4. |
The board has a policy
addressing conflict of interest. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 5. |
The governing board is free
from undue influence from political, religious, or other
external
bodies, and protects the institution from such influence. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 6. |
The governing board is free
from undue influence from political, religious, or other
external
bodies, and protects the institution from such influence. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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7. |
There is a clear and
appropriate distinction, in writing and practice, between the
policy-making
functions of the governing board and the responsibility of the
administration and
faculty to administer and implement policy. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 8. |
The institution
has a clearly defined and published organizational structure
that delineates
responsibility for the administration of policies.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
Dean Huffman, who joined the School of Law in August 2002, has
developed a new organizational structure that is being
implemented effective in August 2003. Copies of the new
organizational structure were distributed to the Law Faculty in
August 2003. The revised organizational chart is available in
the Office of the Dean of the School of Law.
A copy is also available as Attachment #38 to the
2004 Self Study Report prepared for the Sabbatical Reinspection
of the American Bar Association and the Association of American
Law Schools (Feb.-March 2004). A copy of the 2004 Self-Study is
available in the Office of the Dean of the Law School, and
another copy is available in the Office of the Provost of the
University. |
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| 9. |
The institution has
qualified administrative and academic officers with the
experience,
competence, and capacity to lead the institution.
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 10. |
The institution
defines and publishes policies regarding appointment and
employment of
faculty and staff.
The School of Law hires members of its tenure-track Faculty
consistent with the Law Faculty’s Rules for Appointment,
Promotion and Tenure of Faculty as approved in March 1977, as
amended in 1990, 1994, & 2003. A copy of these rules is
included in the July 2003 Law School Faculty Handbook, a copy of
which is available in the Office of the Dean of the Law School. Hiring searches for open slots
are conducted only after obtaining authorization from the Office
of the Provost.
Staff are hired consistent with University policies and
procedures. |
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| 11. |
The institution evaluates
the effectiveness of its administrators, including the chief
executive
officer, on a periodic basis.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
- The Dean reports to the Provost and is evaluated annually.
(Need documentation.)
- All associate and assistant deans are reviewed annually by the
Dean of the School of Law.
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| 12. |
The institution’s
chief executive officer has ultimate responsibility for, and
exercises
appropriate administrative and fiscal control over, the
institution’s intercollegiate athletics
program. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 13. |
The institution’s
chief executive officer has ultimate control of the
institution’s fund-raising
activities. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 14. |
An
institution-related foundation, not controlled by the
institution, has a contractual or other
formal agreement that (a) accurately describes the relationship
between the institution and
the foundation, and (b) describes any liability associated with
that relationship. In all cases,
the institution ensures that the relationship is consistent with
its mission.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
There is a separate Texas Tech Law School Foundation that is
controlled by a Board of Directors that is different from the
University’s Board of Trustees. The Law School Foundation raises
donor funding for the School of Law and is incorporated as a
501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. There is a formal
agreement dated September 28, 1984, between the Law School
Foundation and the University that accurately describes the
relationship between the two entities. A copy of the agreement
is available in the Office of the Dean of the School of Law. |
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| 15. |
The institution’s
policies are clear concerning ownership of materials,
compensation,
copyright issues, and the use of revenue derived from the
creation and production of all
intellectual property. This applies to students, faculty and
staff. |
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Not applicable to
unit level. |
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Institutional
Effectiveness |
| 16. |
The institution
identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs and
its
administrative and educational support services; assesses
whether it achieves these
outcomes; and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis
of those results.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES:
As part of the School of Law’s Strategic Plan and legislative
mandates, the School assesses and reviews annually outcomes such
as graduation rates, bar passage rates, and job placement. The
School also assesses and reviews annually benchmarks such as (1)
average GPA for entering students, (2) average LSAT scores for
entering students, and (3) diversity of the entering class. Many
of these are set forth in the Law School’s strategic plan.
See
http://www.law.ttu.edu/about/strategic.asp. These matters
are somewhat interconnected. The Texas Legislature has set a
target bar passage rate of 90% passage by first-time takers.
Over the last 12 years, the Law School has averaged a 90% pass
rate. However, there has been some slippage in the past few
years. For example, on the July 2002 bar exam, the pass rate was
84%. Efforts were then undertaken, successfully, to reduce the
entering class size for the Fall 2003 class. In addition, the
average LSAT and GPA for entering students reflected an
increase, as did the percentage of minority students. These
efforts, which were also responsive to Law School strategic plan
objectives (such as reducing the student-faculty ratio), are
also intended to provide for stronger bar passage rates. (As an
aside, the results of the July 2003 Texas bar exam reflected a
pass rate for first-time takers of 90%.)
Much of the data review for quality improvement is undertaken by
the Associate and Assistant Deans, with additional assistance
from committee chairs such as the Chair of the Admissions
Committee.
One area for future improvement is to development a more formal
process within the School of Law for assessing data and
incorporating the results into quality improvements.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
- Administrative services are assessed annually by the
Dean. Corrections are made as necessary to improve the
operations of the college. For example, Dean Huffman after
having been on duty for a year and assessed needs recently (1)
revised the organizational structure for the School of Law;
(2) created and filled a new position of Associate Dean for
Administration and External Development; and (3) obtained
authorization and funding and hired for a college development
officer and an additional professional in the Career services
Office. Both of these latter hires were to respond to needs
identified in the Law School’s strategic plan. See
http://www.law.ttu.edu/about/strategic.asp.
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PROGRAMS |
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Educational
Programs |
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Standards for
All Educational Programs: |
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1. |
The institution
demonstrates that each educational program for which academic
credit is
awarded is (a) is approved by the faculty and the
administration, and (b) establishes and
evaluates program and learning outcomes.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
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a. |
The J.D. degree program was approved at the time of the School
of Law’s founding. As joint J.D./Master’s degree programs are
proposed, they must be approved by the law faculty, the faculty
of the cooperating college within the University, the Graduate
Council, and the University administration.
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b. |
The School of Law has established and evaluates program outcomes
relating to state bar passage rates and professional job
placement rates
as two objective measures of the effectiveness of
its educational program. The passage rates for Texas Tech
graduates taking the Texas Bar exam for the first time (about
95% of all graduates) have traditionally been well above 80%
and often near 90%. For the Summer of 2001 and Winter of 2002,
88% of graduates taking the Texas Bar exam for the first time
passed; for the Summer of 2002 and Winter of 2003, the number
was 82%. First-time takers during Summer 2003 achieved a
passage rate of 89.3%. For the last 12 years, first-time takers
on the Summer bar exam averaged a 90% pass rate. (The Summer bar
exam includes a much larger number of first-time takers than the
Winter bar exam and is statistically more significant.) With
regard to employment, over the past two years, 98% of graduates
whose employment status is known (over 93% of all graduates)
have found jobs within six months of graduation. |
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2. |
The institution’s
continuing education, outreach, and service programs are
consistent with
the institution’s mission.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
Each year the School of Law sponsors a number of Continuing
Legal Education programs for practicing attorneys, judges, and
students. These programs are consistent with the School’s
mission.
The School of Law also operates legal clinics which provide
legal services to the community, including legal services for
low-income citizens. These clinics provide outreach and service
consistent with the School’s mission.
These clinical programs are discussed in more
detail on pp. 21-22 of the School of Law’s 2004 Self Study
Report prepared for the Sabbatical Reinspection of the American
Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools
(Feb.-March 2004). Copies of the Self-Study Report are available
in the office of the Dean of the Law School and the office of
the Provost. |
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3. |
The institution
publishes admissions policies consistent with its mission.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The admissions policies for the School of Law are consistent
with the School’s mission. A copy of the admissions policies for
the School of Law is included in the bulletin on the Law
School’s website. See
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/CurrentLawCatalog.pdf. |
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| 4. |
The institution has a
defined and published policy for evaluating, awarding, and
accepting
credit for transfer, experiential learning, advanced placement,
and professional certificates
that is consistent with its mission and ensures that course work
and learning outcomes are
at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution’s own
degree programs. The
institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of
any course work or credit
recorded on the institution’s transcript.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard to the
extent it applies to the School of Law. The School of Law does
not have advanced placement credit or professional certificates.
There are written policies for transfer credit consistent with
American Bar Association policies. Transfers are only accepted
from other ABA accredited schools, and students may not transfer
more than 1/3 of the degree requirements (no more than 30
hours). Experiential learning is accomplished through the School
of Law’s clinical programs and externship program, which
evaluated by supervising professors consistent with ABA
guidelines. |
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| 5. |
The institution publishes
academic policies that adhere to principles of good educational
practice. These are disseminated to students, faculty, and other
interested parties through
publications that accurately represent the programs and services
of the institution.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
Academic policies for the School of Law are set forth in the
Law School Catalog and in the Student Handbook. Both are accessible on the
School of Law’s website. See
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/CurrentLawCatalog.pdf
and
http://www.law.ttu.edu/assets/pdffiles/lawHB.pdf.
Law School faculty are also provided with a Faculty Handbook
specific to the School of Law. The most recent edition was
distributed during Summer 2003. A copy is available in the
office of the Dean of the School of Law. |
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| 6. |
The institution employs
sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and
level of credit awarded for courses, regardless of format or
mode of delivery.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
New courses and the amount of hours credit for those courses
must be approved by the School of Law’s Curriculum Committee
(which is comprised of a majority of tenured/tenure-track law
faculty, as well as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs), by
the Law Faculty as a whole, by the University Academic Council,
and by the Provost prior to submission to the state Coordinating
Board. |
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7. |
The institution
ensures the quality of educational programs/courses offered
through
consortia relationships or contractual agreements, ensures
ongoing compliance with the
comprehensive requirements, and evaluates the agreement against
the purpose of the
institution.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The School of Law participates in a cooperative Summer Law
Institute in Guanajuato, Mexico. The Annual Summer Law Institute
in Guanajuato, Mexico is a Foreign Summer Program, which has
been approved by the Accreditation Committee of the ABA Section
on Legal Education. The Institute was started by the University
of New Mexico (UNM) in 1989. Not long afterwards, UNM sought
additional partners to assist in administering the program. In
1992, Texas Tech School of Law joined a consortium of law
schools, which now operates the program. Besides Texas Tech
School of Law, the Institute partners include UNM, Southwestern
School of Law in Los Angeles and the University of Guanajuato.
For more information, see
http://www.law.ttu.edu/academics/international/guan.asp.
The Summer Law Institute was approved for continuation by the
ABA’s Accreditation Committee in January 2004, and will be
re-evaluated by site visit in 2010.
In addition, the School of Law has a student exchange agreement
with the Universite Jean Moulin, in Lyon, France, and a
student/faculty exchange agreement with Pablo de Olavide’s
School of Law (in Sevilla, Spain). These agreements are
evaluated on an ongoing basis by the School of Law’s Director
for International Programs and the Dean of the School of Law.
Copies of the agreements are available in the Office of the Dean
of the School of Law. See also
http://www.law.ttu.edu/academics/international/abroad.asp. |
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| 8. |
The institution
awards academic credit for course work taken on a noncredit
basis only
when there is documentation that the noncredit course work is
equivalent to a designated
credit experience. |
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- |
Not applicable to
unit level. |
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| 9. |
The institution provides
appropriate academic support services.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
In addition to University academic support services, the School
of Law provides an array of academic support services including
a tutor program for all first year law courses, Legal Practice
“fellows” to assist in the first-year legal writing program, a
Student Counseling Committee of faculty members, and contracted
services of a writing specialist. In addition, in Summer 2004
the School of Law will initiate a Summer Entering Program for
certain applicants identified as having the potential to succeed
but who may need additional academic support. Also, the School
of Law will be hiring an Academic Support specialist during the
2003-04 academic year. In addition, there are over 300 computer
stations in carrels in the Law Library to support our student
body (approximately 670 students in Fall 2003); see p. 3 of the
2003-04 Law School Catalog:
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/CurrentLawCatalog.pdf;
a separate computer lab in the law library; a Career Services
Center; numerous law Student Organizations as listed on p. 9 of
the 2003-04 Law School Catalog:
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/CurrentLawCatalog.pdf . |
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| 10. |
The institution defines and
publishes general education and major program requirements
for all its programs. These requirements conform to commonly
accepted standards and
practices for undergraduate programs as well as graduate and
post-baccalaureate
professional degree programs.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The program requirements for the School of Law are set forth in
the Law School Catalog and in the Student Handbook. Both are accessible on
the School of Law’s website. See
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/CurrentLawCatalog.pdf
and
http://www.law.ttu.edu/assets/pdffiles/lawHB.pdf.
The educational program comports with ABA standards. See
http://www.abanet.org/legaled/standards/chapter3.html. |
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| 11. |
The institution
protects the security, confidentiality, and integrity of its
student academic
records and maintains special security measures to protect and
back up data.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
In addition to University controls over electronic records, the
School of Law retains student records in a secure vault for
former students, and in locked files in the Office of the
Registrar. In addition, the School of Law began a program during
Summer 2003 to scan and better “store” graduates’ records
electronically. |
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| 12. |
The institution
places primary responsibility for the content, quality, and
effectiveness of its
curriculum with its faculty
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The School of Law maintains a Curriculum Committee (which is
comprised of a majority of tenured/tenure-track law faculty,
students, the Registrar, and the Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs). The school’s annual curriculum originates in this
Committee and must be approved by the Law Faculty. The
Curriculum Committee also periodically reviews the curriculum. |
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| 13. |
For each major in
a degree program, the institution assigns responsibility for
program
coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review,
to persons academically
qualified in the field. In those degree programs for which the
institution does not identify a
major, this requirement applies to a curricular area or
concentration.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard. There are
no “majors” per se in the law program. However, the degree
program for the Juris Doctor degree is coordinated by the
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (always held by a tenured
full professor). Curriculum development and review is conducted
by a Curriculum Committee (a majority of whom are
tenured/tenure-track faculty), as well as by the Law Faculty, as
a whole. |
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| 14. |
The institution’s
use of technology enhances student learning, is appropriate for
meeting the
objectives of its programs, and ensures that students have
access to and training in the use
of technology.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The School of Law has or offers up-to-date technology in the
classroom for instructional purposes, one of the best ratios of
computers to students of all law schools, a laptop purchase/loan
program for students, and instruction in computerized legal
research. Also, the School of Law was the first college on
campus to implement wireless connectivity for students in the
classroom. |
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Standards
Specific to Undergraduate Programs: |
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15. |
The institution identifies
competencies within the general education core and provides
evidence that graduates have attained those college-level
competencies. |
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- |
Not applicable to
unit level. |
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16. |
The institution awards
degrees only to those students who have earned at least 25
percent of the credit hours required for the degree through
instruction offered by that institution. |
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- |
Not applicable to
unit level. |
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Standards
Specific to Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate Professional
Programs: |
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17. |
The institution’s
post-baccalaureate professional degree programs, and its
master’s and
doctoral degree programs are progressively more advanced in
academic content than
undergraduate programs.
The School of Law is in compliance with this standard.
The curriculum for the School of Law is more advanced than the
undergraduate curric |
