Golden Gate University School of Law Faces Uncertain Future as Board of Trustees Meets

Golden Gate University School of Law's Future Hangs in the Balance as Board of Trustees Convenes
 
Challenges and Uncertainties Surround Golden Gate University School of Law
 
In a critical juncture for the Golden Gate University (GGU) School of Law, the university's Board of Trustees is set to meet on June 21 to discuss the future of the struggling institution. Concerns over ABA accreditation and mounting financial deficits have prompted this pivotal decision.
 
Golden Gate University School of Law's Future Hangs in the Balance as Board of Trustees Convenes

All in the last week in the last month in the last 3 months in the last 6 months in the last year

Search Career Advice

 
Persistent Financial Struggles and Accreditation Concerns
 
Over the past decade, the GGU School of Law has grappled with a persistent struggle to generate sufficient tuition revenue to cover operational expenses while simultaneously ensuring compliance with ABA bar passage requirements. Recognizing the situation's urgency, a comprehensive plan was formulated approximately a year and a half ago (in January 2022). This bold proposal, developed in collaboration with internal and external legal education experts, aimed to transform GGU Law in line with the university's enduring commitment to accessibility and affordability. The plan received overwhelming support from the law school faculty.
 
Financial Challenges and Real Estate Market Impact
 

• Search Legal Jobs
• Search Articles
• Employer Listing

Europe:

• Austria
• Belgium
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Russia
• Spain
• Sweden
• UK

Americas:

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Canada
• Mexico
• US

Asia/Pacific:

• Australia
• Japan
• China
• Korea
• India

Change Country

AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAshmore and Cartier Islan...AustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamas, TheBahrainBaker IslandBangladeshBarbadosBassas da IndiaBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean Terr...British Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurmaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandClipperton IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongo, Democratic Republi...Congo, Republic of theCook IslandsCoral Sea IslandsCosta RicaCote d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaEuropa IslandFalkland Islands (Islas M...Faroe IslandsFijiFinlandFormer Yugoslav Republic ...FranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern and Antar...GabonGambia, TheGaza StripGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGlorioso IslandsGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald...Holy See (Vatican City)HondurasHong KongHowland IslandHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJan MayenJapanJarvis IslandJerseyJohnston AtollJordanJuan de Nova IslandKazakhstanKenyaKingman ReefKiribatiKorea, NorthKorea, SouthKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyan ArabLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacauMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMan, Isle ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesia, Federated Sta...Midway IslandsMoldova, Republic ofMonacoMongoliaMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueNamibiaNauruNavassa IslandNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNo Man's LandNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalmyra AtollPanamaPapua New GuineaParacel IslandsParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairn IslandsPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the Gre...SamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbia and MontenegroSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the Isl...SpainSpratly IslandsSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbardSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic...ThailandTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTromelin IslandTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamVirgin Islands (US)Wake IslandWallis and FutunaWest BankWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe

United States

Search jobs

All in the last week in the last month in the last 3 months in the last 6 months in the last year

Search Career Advice

Select In-House Law Firms Government Recruiters Public Interest

Search Employer

Despite the integrity and promise of the plan, which was expected to be adequately funded, the university now faces challenges arising from tighter capital markets and the significant devaluation of commercial real estate in downtown San Francisco. GGU had intended to sell its downtown properties and optimize its physical space requirements. However, the current state of the downtown real estate market is unlikely to resolve all of the institution's financial difficulties. Enrollment at the law school has experienced a sharp decline of over 80 percent since 2010. Although employment statistics have improved over the same period, the figures for the class of 2022 graduates remain distressingly low at 38 percent. Comparatively, UC Law—San Francisco, formerly Hastings Law School, leaves its students with approximately $270,000 in debt but boasts a 73.5 percent employment rate. The GGU School of Law's financial burden, with a projected deficit of around $283,000 per student, seems disproportionate when considering the nearby alternative delivering more favorable outcomes.
 
Leadership Concerns and Departures
 
Furthermore, a closer examination of the email reveals potential causes for additional concern. The email was signed by Mark Yates as "Dean, GGU Law," raising questions about the leadership structure. Colin Crawford was previously designated as the incoming dean of the University of Arkansas—Little Rock, effective July 1. However, no official announcement regarding Yates's promotion or role within the institution has been made. Such a leadership shuffle just before the Board's vote on the law school's future does not bode well for its prospects.
 
The recent departure of the university-wide provost, who left for Hawai'i last month after a relatively short tenure at GGU, adds to the uncertainty. The provost was pivotal in a failed initiative to establish an online education partnership with the University of Arizona. This departure raises concerns about stability and strategic decision-making within the university administration.
 
Golden Gate University School of Law Faces Critical Decision on Survival
 
Uncertain Future and Formidable Challenges
 
The outlook appears bleak as the Board of Trustees gathers to deliberate on the law school's future. The combination of accreditation pressures, mounting deficits.