MEMORANDUM 02-56

The Executive Committee has found that the Oklahoma City University School of Law has fulfilled and is capable in the future of fulfilling the obligations of membership in the Association as stated in the Bylaws and Executive Committee Regulations. The committee therefore recommends that it be admitted to membership.

This item has been placed on the agenda of the first meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday January 2, 2003, beginning at 5:15 pm during the Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

In recommending that the Oklahoma City University School of Law be admitted to membership in the Association, the Executive Committee considered the report of the site evaluation team, including Dean Steven R. Smith, California Western School of Law, Chair; Hon. Wiley Daniel, Denver, Colorado; Associate Dean J. Clifton Fleming, Jr., Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School; Professor Jane L. Dolkart, Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law; and Professor Joan S. Howland, University of Minnesota Law School. The Executive Committee also considered the correspondence and statement before the committee of Dean Lawrence Hellman, and the affirmative recommendation of the Membership Review Committee.

The Oklahoma City University School of Law commenced operations in 1952, although its history can be traced back to predecessor institutions operating in earlier decades. It received approval from the American Bar Association in 1960. The law school has a full-time day division with over 400 students, and a part-time evening division of over 150 students. Until 1972, the law school was only a part-time evening school. Since 1972, it has operated a day program for full-time students and has continued the part-time evening school. The law school pursues policies which reflect a commitment to equality of opportunity in legal education.

The current dean of the law school is Lawrence Hellman, who has been dean since July 1998; he has been a member of the OCU law school faculty since 1977. Dean Hellman succeeded Interim Dean Jay Conison who served as dean for the 1997-98 academic year, and Dean Rennard Strickland who served as dean from 1995 to 1997. The law school has 27 tenured and tenure-track professors.

The site evaluation team found that the Oklahoma City University School of Law has a faculty that is both dedicated and energetic, with a strong commitment to teaching and serving the law school community. The school places a high value on scholarship and there is an active culture of scholarship among the faculty. The administration, faculty and students are fully committed to pursuing the mission of the law school and enhancing its contribution to the legal profession. The President of the University and the Board of Trustees have adopted plans that indicate a strong commitment to assisting the law school in fulfilling its mission. The law school benefits from the strong support of University President Tom J. McDaniel.

For more information on the law school, refer to its web site: http://www.okcu.edu/law/

cc:	Executive Committee
	Membership Review Committee
	Dean of Modified Service-Fee Schools
	Site Evaluation Team
	Dean Hellman

Attachment [not included on website]

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