37th Annual ABA Deans’ Workshop
February 6-8, 2008
Loews Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Our Schools and Ourselves: Professional and Personal Challenges Facing Deans
Wednesday, February 6
6:30 p.m.Opening Reception and RegistrationVenice
Thursday, February 7: Professional Challenges
7:30-8:30 a.m.Breakfast hosted by NALPPalisades Salon
5th Floor
8:30-8:45 a.m.Introductions and WelcomeArcadia Ballroom A/B
5th Floor
8:45-9:45 a.m.Plenary 1: Measuring OutputsArcadia Ballroom A/B
What measures of success exist and how do we know if we are succeeding? How do we identify and reward effective teaching? How have law schools improved assessment techniques and measure outputs? Discussion will include CLEA’s “Best Practices,” the Carnegie Report, and related ABA accreditation concerns.
Joseph D. Harbaugh, Dean, Nova Southeastern University, ShepardBroadLawCenter
Lauren Robel, Dean, Indiana University College of Law-Bloomington
Emily A. Spieler, Dean, Northeastern UniversitySchool of Law
Nell Jessup Newton, Chancellor and Dean, University of California-Hastings,
College of Law
9:45-10:45 a.m.Breakout 1: Focused Discussions
Being Innovative in the Face of AssessmentArcadia Ballroom A/B
Gregory Block, Dean, Judge Advocate General’s School
Responding to Best Practices in Legal EducationArcadia Ballroom D
Dennis Honabach, Dean, Northern KentuckyUniversity, Salmon P. Chase College of Law
Responding to the Carnegie ReportArcadia Ballroom E
Patricia O’Hara, Dean, NotreDameLawSchool
Accreditation Standards ImpactArcadia Ballroom F
Rayman L. Solomon, Dean, RutgersUniversity-CamdenSchool of Law
11:00 a.m.-12 noonPlenary 2: Diversity ChallengesArcadia Ballroom A/B
This session will give deans an opportunity to discuss challenges they face in recruiting and retaining a diverse student body. This is especially important in the face of a decline in the number of students of color taking the LSAT and applying to law school. Panelists will share ideas about strategies to identify, recruit, and matriculate a diverse class; incentives and enticements in the face of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions; and thinking outside the box to recruit a diverse student body.
Philip McConnaughay, Dean, PennsylvaniaStateUniversity, DickinsonSchool of Law
Leroy Pernell, Dean, FloridaA&MUniversityCollege of Law
Peter Pitegoff, Dean, University of MaineSchool of Law
Suelleyn Scarnecchia, Dean, University of New MexicoSchool of Law
12 noon-1:15 p.m.Lunch hosted by AALSPalisades Salon
1:15-1:45 p.m.Table DiscussionsPalisades Salon
Deans are invited to discuss with the other deans at their tables the diversity challenges that they face and share strategies developed in response to those challenges. Each table should appoint a reporter to take notes. The notes will be collected and incorporated into a handout that will be shared with all workshop participants.
2:00-3:00 p.m. Plenary Session 3: Arcadia Ballroom A/B
Resources and Relationships
This session will give deans an opportunity to talk about how to maximize limited resources, how to negotiate with a parent institution that demands a percentage of tuition dollars be returned to the central administrative budget, or how to negotiate healthy working relationships with constituencies external to the law school.
Moderator:Douglas E. Ray, Dean, The University of ToledoCollege of Law
Mary A. Crossley, Dean, University of PittsburghSchool of Law
Robert J. Reinstein, Dean, TempleUniversity, JamesE.BeasleySchool of Law
Frederic White, Dean, Golden GateUniversitySchool of Law
3:15-4:15 p.m.Breakout Session 2: Focused Discussions
Freestanding SchoolsArcadia Ballroom A
Thomas F. Guernsey, President & Dean, AlbanyLawSchool
Schools Affiliated with Faith-Based InstitutionsArcadia Ballroom B
Lisa Kloppenberg, Dean, University of DaytonSchool of Law
University-Related Schools Not on the Main CampusArcadia Ballroom D
Linda L. Ammons, Dean, WidenerUniversitySchool of Law
Private SchoolsArcadia Ballroom E
José Roberto Juárez, Dean, University of Denver, SturmCollege of Law
Public SchoolsArcadia Ballroom F
Raymond C. Pierce, Dean, North CarolinaUniversitySchool of Law
5:30-7:00 p.m.Reception Rand Corporate Headquarters
1776 Main Street, Santa Monica Hosted by UCLALawSchool and Rand Corporation
RSVP and Photo ID required to enter the building.
Please RSVP by February 4, 2008
310.825.0971
Friday, February 8: Personal Challenges
7:30-9:00 a.m.Breakfast hosted by LSACPalisades Salon
9:00-9:15 a.m.Introduction and WelcomeArcadia Ballroom A/B
9:15-10:15 a.m.Plenary 4: The Stages of DeaningArcadia Ballroom A/B
This session provides a chance for deans to reflect on where they are in their careers. Some deans are just beginning and are facing a unique set of professional challenges. Some deans are at mid-career and are wondering what to do next. A few deans are nearing the ends of their deaning lives and are trying to make graceful exits and leave positive legacies.
Moderator: Katherine S. Broderick, Dean, University of the District of Columbia, David A. ClarkeSchool of Law
Veryl Miles, Dean, The CatholicUniversity of America, ColumbusSchool of Law
Susan Prager, Professor and Former Dean, UCLALawSchool
Donald J. Weidner, Dean, Florida State University College of Law
10:15-11:45 p.m.Breakout Session 3: Focused Discussion
New DeansArcadia Ballroom A/B
Toni M. Massaro, Dean, University of Arizona, JamesE.RogersCollege of Law
Mid-DeanshipArcadia Ballroom D
Walter B. Huffman, Dean, TexasTechUniversitySchool of Law
Considering a Second DeanshipArcadia Ballroom E
Laurence K. Hellman, Dean, Oklahoma CityUniversitySchool of Law
Nearing RetirementArcadia Ballroom F
Ellen Y. Suni, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Law
12 noon-1:15 p.m.Lunch hosted by The Access GroupPalisades Salon
1:30-2:30 p.m.Plenary 5: Managing Conflict and Stress and
Finding Joy in our WorkArcadia Ballroom A/B
Panelists will share personal challenges that they have faced in their deanships and invite others, during the breakout sessions, to give advice on how to focus on the positive aspects of the job. Possible topics include physical reactions to job stress, managing constituencies with a variety of health issues, dealing with students who threaten litigation, and geographic isolation.
Moderator: Jerry Parkinson, Dean, University of WyomingCollege of Law
Earl F. Martin, Dean, GonzagaUniversitySchool of Law
Cynthia Nance, Dean, University of ArkansasSchool of Law
Karen Rothenberg, Dean, University of MarylandSchool of Law
2:30-3:45 p.m.Breakout Session 4: Focused Discussion
Brad Saxton, Dean, QuinnipiacUniversitySchool of LawArcadia Ballroom A
Margaret L. Paris, Dean, University of OregonSchool of LawArcadia Ballroom B
Donald J. Polden, Dean, University of Santa ClaraSchool of LawArcadia Ballroom D
Kellye Y. Testy, Dean, SeattleUniversitySchool of LawArcadia Ballroom E
Steven L. Willborn, Dean, University of NebraskaCollege of LawArcadia Ballroom F
Blake D. Morant, Dean, WakeForestUniversitySchool of LawCatalina Ballroom
3:45-4:00 p.m.Concluding RemarksArcadia Ballroom A/B