2008 Woodie Awards
Law school defends reputation
Rose Francois
Issue date: 11/10/04 Section: News
Suffolk Law School has come under fire for what is widely considered the cornerstone of the University's history; it's diversity.
In what has become a heated argument with the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, Suffolk officials this week sharply disputed an accusation that they have low levels of minority and non-white students.
The conflict all stems from an unpopular move proposed by UMass to merge its Dartmouth school with the Southern New England School of Law, creating the first public law school in Massachusetts.
In a letter to Governor Mitt Romney, Jean MacCormack, chancellor of UMass Dartmouth, implied that private law schools in the Boston area are not providing enough opportunities for minority individuals.
Although she did not mention Suffolk specifically by name, The Boston Globe reported that UMass insiders "make it clear that MacCormack's racial reference was directed at Suffolk."
UMass officials reportedly quoted numbers from a US News and World Report that showed only nine percent of Suffolk Law's students were non-white, a small number compared to the 36 percent of Southern New England School of Law.
For those who are familiar with the lore of Suffolk University, this number may come as a shock. Founded by Gleason L. Archer in 1906, Suffolk University Law school, then known as Suffolk School of Law took in individuals who at that period in history were not admitted into other law schools in the area.
Though contacted, the Dean of Admissions at UMass Dartmouth as well as Southern New England School of Law did not comment on the matter.
Suffolk officials say that the numbers used by MacCormack do not speak for themselves. "First of all, the quoted nine percent, that is old data," said Gail N. Ellis, Dean of Admissions for Suffolk Law school.
Ellis believes that the data is incorrect and a poor representation of what Suffolk Law currently enrolls as students of color.
Ellis pointed out that a more accurate and recent number is 17 percent of students identifying as non-white. "That represents the first year class alone," Ellis added. Overall the law school calculates 30% of the student body is non-white. With this issue size does seem to matter, especially when determining which school the highest number of minority students.