ABA Finds Baylor Out Of Compliance With Law School Accreditation Standard On Adjunct Faculty Diversity

Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, Public Notice of Specific Remedial Action Baylor University School of Law:

At its February 17-19, 2022, meeting, the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (the “Council”) considered the status of Baylor University School of Law (the “Law School”). The Council concluded, in accordance with Rule 11(a)(4), that the Law School was not in compliance with Standard 206(b), with respect to part-time faculty. The Law School was asked to submit a report by September 30, 2022, and to appear before the Council at its February 2023 meeting.

At its February 16-17, 2023, meeting, the Council conducted a hearing pursuant to Rules 2, 13, 15-17, 19, and 20 with respect to the compliance of the Law School with Standard 206(b). Following the hearing and based on the record, the Council found that the Law School remains not in compliance with Standard 206(b), with respect to part-time faculty. The Council further directed the Law School to take the following specific remedial actions.

Pursuant to Rules 2 and 20, the Council has directed the Law School to take the following specific remedial actions:

(a) The Law School shall develop a written reliable plan for bringing the Law School into compliance with Standard 206(b). The plan must include specific measurable goals and a timetable that establishes when the goals will be met. Additionally, the plan shall set forth the resources that will be dedicated to the implementation of the plan.

(b) Until the Law School is determined by the Council to be operating in compliance with Standard 206(b), the Law School shall file a quarterly report with the Managing Director’s Office that details the actions the Law School has taken and the progress it has made under its reliable plan to come into compliance with Standard 206(b).

ABA Journal, Another Law School Dinged on Accreditation Standard Regarding Diversity of Faculty and Staff:

In the most recent Standard 509 Information Report available, the law school has a total of 146 non-full-time faculty members. Out of that group, 100 are men, 46 are women and 14 are people of color, according to the data. ...

“Baylor Law is focused on increasing diversity in all aspects of our program, including our adjunct faculty. We have an obligation to our students to create an educational environment that reflects the rich diversity of our state and nation, and we similarly have an obligation to our profession and to society to prepare lawyers for practice in a multicultural, multiracial and multiethnic world,” wrote Brad Toben, the law school’s dean, in an email to the ABA Journal. ...

The Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law received a similar notice from the council in December.

Law.com, ABA Council Finds Baylor Law in Noncompliance for Lack of Diverse Part-Time Faculty:

“While we are disappointed with the Council’s determination, we are focused on employing a diverse faculty and we will be successful because it is the right thing to do,” Baylor Law Dean Bradley J. B. Toben said in a statement emailed to Law.com Thursday.

According to Baylor Law’s 509 reports:

• 2017-2018: 5.5% of non-full-time faculty were people of color, 75% were male, 25% were female;
• 2018-2019: 5.7% of non-full-time faculty were people of color, 66% were male, 34% were female;
• 2019-2020: 3.8% of non-full-time faculty were people of color, 67% were male, 33% were female;
• 2020-2021: 9.5% of non-full-time faculty were people of color, 71% were male, 29% were female;
• 2021-2022: 9.6% of non-full-time faculty were people of color, 68% were male, 32% were female.