A proposal by Southern Methodist University to move the four buildings that comprise Dedman School of Law to a new campus east of U.S. 75 has ignited blowback from students and alumni caught off-guard by the swiftness and apparent secrecy behind the move.
First public word of the plan was revealed Friday in the SMU student newspaper, The Daily Campus, by student reporter Tyler Welch and Melanie Jackson, the publication’s student editor-in-chief.
And that seems to be the problem.
Broad brushes of the plan were presented to the school’s Faculty Senate on Dec. 3.
The move is seen as an unforeseen pivot. As recently as July, discussions about the future of the “Law Quad” assumed a serious and extensive renovation.
Online reaction following the story in the student paper ranged from negative to chagrined. Buddy Apple, managing director of Wegman Partners and a 2007 graduate of Dedman, posted a reaction on LinkedIn:
“I’ve heard from dozens of fellow alumni in the past 24 hours, and the response to this plan has been 100% negative. The law school community doesn’t want a shiny new building across 75, they want a renovated and improved Law Quad.”
In an email sent by the school’s communications department, Dean Jason Nance said Tuesday that plans for the law school’s “future facilities remain conceptual at this stage.”
“As with all long-term academic planning, we are evaluating options carefully and thoughtfully, with the ultimate goal of creating a physical environment worthy of a top-20 law school,” the email continued. “We are building on the early work of our faculty and school leadership that envisions the programmatic needs of the school and we look forward to sharing more with our community once the planning and fundraising efforts progress to a point where we can provide a clearer and more complete picture.”
A source with some familiarity with the situation echoed Nance’s statement. He said he was withholding judgment for the moment, but sees value for the law school in updated digs. By creating a new facility that includes updated venues for modern teaching — built around the use of visual aids, AI assistance and online resources, the school has a “very real” possibility of ascending into the top 20 in law school rankings.
“The quality of the student body has skyrocketed,” he said. “And with a new campus thoughtfully executed, I think the chances reaching that kind of goal is a very real possibility.”
“I think there is a chance to do something extraordinary,” the source said.
The rollout, however, has taken on a life of its own, mostly focused on the lack of transparency.
In his comments to the school newspaper, Nance said the school had intended to inform law students about the potential move after the winter break “to allow students to maintain their focus on end-of-semester exams.”
But the source said the administration’s seemingly stealthy approach to the rollout may have had more to do with acquiring the necessary real estate than anything else.
Apple said he is trying not to judge the situation until more is known, but he said he understands the underlying angst. The buildings were among the school’s first Georgian Revival structures on campus. The Fred Florence Hall was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1980.
“I think most of the negative sentiment comes from a sense of loss, particularly of campus life,” said Apple on Tuesday. “The law school is in some ways removed from ordinary campus life and moving it across a highway makes people think it may become more so.”
“And besides, I think among lawyers there’s a certain appreciation of history and tradition. That’s what the law is, after all.”