Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2007 » Monaghan moving his law school to Florida « Previous Next »
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 629
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 1:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It was bound to happen sooner or later with that Catholic city he's trying to build down there...

Oh well...5 other law schools stil remain in the state...

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20070220/NEWS06/ 70220029
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Lilpup
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Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 1696
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 1:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

that's really old news...
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 545
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

REALLY REALLY old news...
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Bongman
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Username: Bongman

Post Number: 1416
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I always thought Jesus would have better connections.
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 546
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I thought the Freep would!
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 630
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

uh, they just held the press conference today guys...and the article is dated today as well...

there has been speculation before now but as far as I know nothing was set in stone
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Citylover
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Username: Citylover

Post Number: 2158
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That is too bad.There is nothing wrong with having a conservative law school.Ava Maria gained accreditation very quickly and has a good rep.

Some of you may be thinking of the college which left ypsi some time ago.
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 549
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Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well the one that I was thinking of is/was at Plymouth Rd. and US 23.
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Lilpup
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Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 1697
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.lawschool.com/flori damove.htm

http://www.opinionjournal.com/ taste/?id=110007536
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 631
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lilpup:

Just speculation in the links you posted...nothing was set in stone until now...

One idea that was being kicked around before now was that they might open a separate Ave Maria in Florida and leave the one in Ann Arbor open, sort of like Loyola law school, which has campuses in Chicago, New Orleans and Southern California...

As recently as November 2006, the school was still polling faculty and students to get their feeback if such a move were to take place

(Message edited by thejesus on February 20, 2007)
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Lilpup
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Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 1698
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 2:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There was never any reason to believe it was staying. It was just smoke and mirrors to keep current students pacified and work out any potential legalities and accreditation issues.
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Iheartthed
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Username: Iheartthed

Post Number: 415
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 3:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank God.

No pun intended...

...every person I ever met from that school was a pretentious asshole. Especially when they were knowingly in the presence of U-M law students. And it takes a hell of a lot of pretention to overshadow a U-M Law ego!
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Spaceman_spiff
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Username: Spaceman_spiff

Post Number: 43
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 8:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I am currently attending Ave. I knew when I enrolled here that there was the potential for the school to move to Florida. Tom Monaghan wanted the law school to be a part of his housing development near Naples. T.M. is the primary benefactor of the school, and thus has a lot of influence with the Board of Governors. As I understand it, T.M. threatened to withhold any future funding if the school didn't move, and offered to increase funding if they did.

I wanted to post on this earlier today (the formal announcement was at 9:20 this morning) but I wasn't sure if anybody cared. As a student, I am disappointed and upset by this decision, as much as I saw it coming. Ave is a good school. The faculty is top notch and the students are remarkably competitive yet compassionate. There is a real community here.

Ave is needed here in Michigan, in addition to its unique conservative stance, and active engagement in legal debates, it provided an immigration and asylum law clinic free of charge to the underserved. In some ways, Ave was the "Karl" of the legal community.

I'm more than happy to clear up any issues as well as I can. First, this is the first time a formal statement has been given. AMSOL is independent of AMU. AMSOL is located at 23 and Plymouth. As recently as December, there were still studies conducted regarding the feasibility of a move to Florida. This move was almost uniformly opposed by both the faculty and students (obviously including myself). IMHO these feasibility studies were smoke and mirrors, designed to insulate the Board from hundreds of angry and legally educated alumni, faculty and students.

Iheartthed- I disagree, although we have our share of pretentious assholes, I would state with the utmost confidence that 90% of my peers are genuine and sincere individuals.

If anyone wants, I have more information regarding the relocation proposal and decision than I ever wanted, and I can post some later.

This news hit me like a punch in the stomach, and yet I am glad that I had the opportunity to study at Ave. In addition to a first rate legal education, I received more exposure to various religious and political beliefs here than ever before in my life.

The student body was surprisingly diverse. I'm a secular humanist. My four closest friends here include a staunch Catholic, a Muslim, a Jew and a Protestant.

Michigan is worse off for this loss.

-spiff
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Johnnny5
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Username: Johnnny5

Post Number: 438
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 8:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Spaceman are you planning on finishing out your program in Naples? Is that even a possibility for current Ave Maria students?
The real tragedy here is that Ypsilanti was not willing to allow Monagahn to pursue his original plan with Ave Maria's campus as part of the Domino's Farm complex. I don't remember all the details, but when a wealthy philanthropist wants to donate millions to build a new college it's usually a bad idea to say no.

(Message edited by Johnnny5 on February 20, 2007)
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Citylover
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Username: Citylover

Post Number: 2159
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 9:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Good post spaceman. The people I have met here in A2 from Ave maria have all been very kind. I also agree this is a loss for Mich and A2.

The did say on the t.v. news that the move would not happen till 2009.
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 2444
Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 9:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As someone who is about to go to law school and is a conservative Catholic, I had NO interest in Ave Maria. It may be a great alternative institution and I appreciate the diversity it brought to the table, but to get a leg up in law you need a place with name recognition and a solid history, and in this state it is UM followed by Wayne State, the graduates of which dominate the Detroit legal landscape; in addition, both schools, and especially UM, are respected enough such that the graduate can choose the city they want to move to.

You can't trust a school that will just get up and move on you.
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Detroitplanner
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Username: Detroitplanner

Post Number: 1000
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 9:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Don't let the door hit you on the ass Tommy!
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B24liberator
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Username: B24liberator

Post Number: 21
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 10:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Johnny5-- Ypsi has nothing to do with the Domino Farms complex. That's Ann Arbor Township, which has been at odds with Monaghan, and Domino Farms from the get-go. Do any of you remember the baby skyscraper he wanted to build there? That one riled the NIMBY element around there but good.
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Spaceman_spiff
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Username: Spaceman_spiff

Post Number: 44
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 10:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Citylover,
You're correct, the move won't happen until 2009, meaning all students currently enrolled will graduate from the Ann Arbor location.
Just to clear something up, the law school will not be moving to Naples, its moving to a location near Naples, a relatively undeveloped area where the property values are significantly lower. Thats part of why many people involved are opposed to the move. T.M. is moving the school from an intellectual crossroads to an isolated housing project.

Mackinaw,
You also have a valid point. Ave definitely lacks national name recognition (but maybe it will be recognized for this decision to relocate if nothing else).

However, Ave's short history is solid. It received full ABA accreditation in the shortest time possible. Academically, Ave has had the highest Michigan bar passage rates 4 out of the last 5 years, with a 100% bar passage rate for one of the testing periods last year. In National and state moot court competitions, Ave has held its own against WSU or UM.

Although I was accepted to both U of M and Wayne, I selected Ave after visiting all three establishments. Part of my decision was based on a financial aid offer, however, I chose Ave for its environment.

I know that doesn't answer your point, but the education I have received thus far makes me exceptionally pleased with my choice.

I'm interested in public interest environmental law, so the job market is somewhat less concerned with the name on your diploma.

All of this having been said, today I did lose some trust in the schools Board of Directors, and particularly Dean Dobranski.
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Spaceman_spiff
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Username: Spaceman_spiff

Post Number: 47
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 10:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

p.s. Happy 1000th post Detroitplanner!

-Spiff
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 2445
Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 10:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That's interesting that you could have gone to those other two places. I really require a place in the middle of a city and a place with history, but its really all about our individual mindsets.

The 100 percent passage rate is outstanding and that's what helped it garner respect. I don't like when people downplay an institution, especially to a person who went there, so I apologize for my slight. In the end, though, it is sad that A.M. did not elect to stay and build up its reputation in earnest. It could have jostled with the better schools and left Cooley and MSU behind, based on statistics. Like manufacturing jobs, I guess everything is heading south.
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Spaceman_spiff
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Username: Spaceman_spiff

Post Number: 48
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 10:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Mackinaw, but no apology is necessary , you spoke your mind. Reading my post again, I might have been overly defensive. Today was rough.

-spiff
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Johnnny5
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Username: Johnnny5

Post Number: 439
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 11:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My apologies it was Ann Arbor and not Ypsi. I should have stopped drinking after happy hour tonight =). Either way it's to bad they could not come to an agreement.
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 3682
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 11:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

IIRC, the skyscraper that was to have been built at Domino Farms was from an unbuilt Frank Lloyd Wright design.
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 561
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 - 2:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

At least in the end they took all of the good professors out of Detroit Mercy's law school before moving out of state!
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Hardliner
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Username: Hardliner

Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 - 8:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Catholic Jonestown? Ouch!
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 2462
Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 - 8:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

UDM is in the fourth tier in the rankings. It needs to go to work; something tells me they need to expand the faculty and build something on the parking lot behind them. They also need to provide housing, and again, they have plenty of empty spaces to build on (they could definitly play a role on the E. riverfront). Their smallness might be hurting them.

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