UI makes its case for Boise law school
BOISE – A University of Idaho plan to open a branch law school campus in Boise could cost the university an additional $6 million a year once the school is fully operational, according to a proposal that will be pitched next week to the state Board of Education.
University officials could also need another $3 million to $4 million to further modernize the 35-year-old Menard Law Building in Moscow, according to a proposal made public this week. The building has already undergone more than $1 million in improvements during the past two years.
“We wanted to show that embarking on the initiative in Boise would not take away from our existing plans to bring the Menard Building completely up to date,” said Don Burnett, dean of the law school.
Administrators have been working for months on a proposal to establish a law school presence in Boise. The first step in that process comes next week when supporters make their pitch to the state board in Moscow.
According to the proposal, the College of Law would need from $5 million to $6 million more than its current $8 million annual budget to operate a second location. Burnett said those estimates are on the high side to enable the project to more easily absorb unexpected startup costs.
Proponents expect to raise that additional money through grants and private giving, as well as increases in state funding and fees paid by law students.
The initial blueprint anticipates enrollment of 250 students in each city. Ultimately the two locations would include 38 full-time faculty, up from the 25 faculty members teaching in Moscow.
The 35-page proposal notes Boise is the state’s population hub and the center of economic and political activity. Also, a Boise presence would allow students to capitalize on access to state government and the Idaho Supreme Court.
The proposal includes a survey showing that more than half of the College of Law students in Moscow would rather pursue their law degrees in Boise.
The survey, conducted in 2007 by Moore Information Inc., also found that nearly two-thirds of students who were admitted to the College of Law at Moscow, but chose to go somewhere else, said they would have been more likely to stay in Idaho if a Boise campus had been an option.
Law students tend to be older, some have families, and the prospect of relocating to North Idaho to attend law school in Moscow is not always the most appealing, said Stephen Perez, the law school’s director of admissions.
The law school’s graduate numbers have grown little in 30 years. The school handed out 95 degrees in 1976 compared to 105 last year.