1 of 3 law schools dinged for diversity standard demonstrates compliance
The Baylor University School of Law has demonstrated compliance with an accreditation standard requiring that schools demonstrate “concrete action” showing a commitment to having a diverse and inclusive faculty and staff, according to an ABA notice posted Tuesday.
In the past year, the council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar sent notice to three law schools for noncompliance with Standard 206(b).
The Baylor University School of Law received the notice in March, and it was regarding the law school’s part-time faculty.
For 2023, the Standard 509 Information Reports are expected to be released in December. According to the law school’s Standard 509 Information Report for 2022, 9.59% of the part-time faculty were people of color. Based on data from 2021 report, 9.52% of the part-time faculty were people of color. The Aug. 29 notice did not say how the council reached its decision, as is customary for compliance notices.
“We will continue our ongoing efforts to create diverse applicant pools for both full-time and adjunct positions and to hire the best candidates because we have an obligation to our students and to the public to do so,” Patricia Wilson, the law school’s interim dean, told the ABA Journal in an email.
Updated Sept. 6 at 3:05 p.m. to clarify the compliance notice policy and what years that the Standard 509 Information Reports were published.