The Sidney herald., 1960-01-06
Aecreditation
Report On MsU
Law School, Given


the Montana State University Law
School gives the school high marks
on the quality of its faculty and
student body and the Soundness of
its curriculum but notes a need
for improvement in some areas,
especially faculty salaries, phySi-
cal plant, and staff assistance.
The report states that recent
action to provide a new building
will satisfy "what has been the
greatest need of the school,"
Lack of funds shows up
throughout the report as the pri-
mary reason for inadequacies
mentioned. The Law School has
not been adequately financed in
past years, and it is not adequately
financed today, according to the
report. Considering these limita-
tions, the school has been doing
ian outstandingly good job" it
says.
The 27-page evaluation report
was prepared by Dean william B..
Lockhart of the University of
Minnesota Law School, who con-
Quoted the generalization survey in
November for the Association of
American Law Schools.
Citing the action of MSU PreSi-
dent H. K. Newburn committing
$435, 900, to be made available
from bonds, for a new building,
Dean Lockhart says, "This is not
dependent upon appropriations,
and Dean Robert Sullivan and
President NeWburn assure me that
the building will move forward
just as fast as planning and
architectural work can be COM
pleted."
The report calls the faculty Eek
ceptionally well balanced in edu-
cational and experience back
ground" and says, within the
limits of time available with
heavy teaching loads, the faculty
appears conscious of its obliga-
tons to engage in scholarly re-
search as well as community Serv-
ice acticitieS."
Dean Lockhart warns, however,
that the school cannot hope to
maintain a stable faculty over the
long run without more adequate
salary support" Salaries are gross
ly inadequate" either to hold the
present faculty or to attract other
good faculty members, according
to the report.
President Newburn, in talks
with Dean Lockhart, pointed out
that insufficient resources to pro-
vide adequate salaries was a prob
lem common to all University
departments and was not limited
to the Law School. Dean Lock-
hart called President Newburn's
awareness of the urgent necessity
to improve the salary structure
at the University ga bright note
Dean ,Lockhart notes that the
Law School has "a highly develop
ed method of screening applicants
on moral grounds" and adds that
as the school gains more expert
ence with the Law School Admis-
sion Test, it will develop more
certain means of screening. for
potential scholastic success.
In a section on scholarship
standards, the report states, cit i.
fquite apparent that the schoo.
provides adequate incentives tt
insure that the students take thei1
studies seriously. . judging
from the paper records, the grad.
|. ing practices at Montana are Suf.
, ficiently exacting to prevent an.
tendency to relax and rest on tht
laurelS of previous achievements.
Dean Lockhart is satisfied tina
for a tight curriculum, Montan;
! has an essentially sound program
! of inStrctioun, but he suggests tn,
addition of a faculty member t,
allow more flexibility in plannin.
a program. "This need is recog
! nized by Dean Sullivan and tn,
faculty." he says, shut lack o
! financial support for expandin.
the faculty prevents a broade
! offering of courses now"
: Calling the students "excep
: tionally mature and serious" tn
: report continues, with such
student body, serious professions
atmosphere is encouraged, an
Montana has that atmosphere.
y visitor quickly gets the impressio
u that this group of SO students ar
Il hard at work, all day and we.
q into the night, preparing them
selves to be good lawyers"
In other sections of the repor
"a Dean Lockhart commendS the "ex
u tremely attractive living and stud
facilities provided by the Lar
II House; The Montana Law Review
II published semi-annually by tn
students, and the close workin
relationship between the Schot
q and the Montana Bar in recer
\ years through a program of cor
q tinuing legal education and SerJ
& ice. He cites Dean Sullivan's "ez
cellent job in public relations wit
the practicing lawyers of tt
v state"
"Giving consideration to IL
limited resources available, til
Law School. has been doing {
outStandingly good job" the r,