Dean's Report Deans, like other administrators, spend a lot of as medicine. I would argue, however, that it is citizens. Laws and the lawyers who administer time trying to tame and then manage that ubiqui- cheap only because we in the legal profession the laws are major protections against such tous animal, the budget. It is a tiresome and and in legal education have allowed it to be calamities. dangerous job, exposing one to the risk oflosing defined as such. I would further suggest that It is clear to me that the University of an ann or leg or, in the extreme case, being eaten even a superficial look at medical education is Kentucky College of Law and law schools alive. Itmaykeepone awake at night or, alterna- instructive for us in regard to the level of asset generally are a vital part of all of this. My tively, condemn one to commitment that is ap- experiences as a practitioner, a law professor hellish nightmares in propriate for pro fessional and a citizen of this state and nation convince me which the "central ad- education. that high quality institutions of legal education ministration" announces Today,amedical are essential not only to lawyers personally but that the dean has so school may have a stu- also to the system of justice they help admini- screwed up the budget that dent-to-faculty ratio ap- ster. In addition to their obvious role in educat- the phones, xerox ma- proaching Ito 1. Our stu- ing lawyers to administer our justice system, chine, lights, water and all dcnt-to-faculryratio at the law schools through their teaching and research sanitary facilities must be College of Law is around efforts also test and shape ideas of fairness and turned off until the begin- 20 to 1. justice, as those ideas are proffered by students, ningofthe next fiscal year Why have we al- academics, practitioners, legislators and judges. (inevitably, about six lowed this condition to All of these functions are essential to a free months away.) exist? There seems to be society. While I can say nothing in the medical The purpose of my writing is not to attack without equivocation that Dean Ruiheford B Campbell discipline that justifies the medical profession or the medical educa- managing the budget is such disparate treatment. tional establishment. Indeed, I compl iment them the part of my job that I like least, the process Certainly lhequality of legal education could be on their ability to convince society that it takes occasionally uncovers facts and generates ideas improved dramatically if we were able to devote a big commitment to train a urologist. Nor is the that transcend the budgetary process itself. I more faculty attention to our students. The law purpose of this writing to argue that law schools propose to share with you some observations I school experience, the quality of the bar and the need resources on a parity with medical schools. have made and some conclusions I have drawn overall quality of justice could be improved if Clearly, law schools do not need a student-to Irom those observations, as I have wrestled with law schools had smaller classes, more individu- faculty ratio of 1 to 1, and we do not need the the law school's budget over the last two years. alized skills training, more individualized theo- same amount of plant and equipment as is rc- The observations and conclusions, I believe, arc retical training, classes in which law students quired to educate medical students. clear and simple. could be forced to face and solve tough litigation My purpose is merely to point out that legal I have observed that we use a relatively problems or tough problems generated by merger education needs a relatively better shake in the paltry amount of assets to educate lawyers at the agreements, etc., etc. Medical schools under- overall allocation of educational resources at University of Kentucky. I assume the same is stand this and have successfully laid claim to universities. A student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to I true at other universities. Lawyers, the legal assets sufficient to implement this model. Why is excessive for a law school, but I believe a ratio profession and, most importantly, legal educa- have we in legal education not done the same? no greater than of 12 to 1 is necessary for the tors have done a very poor job in the competition Similarly, in ourmajor"cquipment"needs, individualized attention and diversity of course for educational assets, and I believe we have which are our books and our library facilities, offerings that is required for a legal education. weakened the profession as a result. Our collec- we have never demanded a level of support that Also, of course, our "equipment" requirements tive failure in this regard says somelhing about anywhere approaches the successful demands need the same priority as the equipment require- our own views of the profession and of the of the medical school for equipment. Although ments in medical schools. This too is necessary significance of our educational footing. None of we may not need as much "equipment' as medical for legal education. this is very complimentary to us. schools, certainly our need for library support is In the scheme of a university's total budget, Do you realize that budget at the College of every bit as critical to us as X-ray machines are we need only a relatively modest increase in Law is approximately 0.5% of the total Univer- for the medical school. But judged by any stan- assets to fulfill our commitment to provide a fine sity of Kentucky budget? Think about lhat. Less dard, the support forour library at the College of legal education to our students. I believe the than one half of one percent of the University's Law historically has been modest at best. When investment is worth it. total budget is spent educating the lawyers of one evaluates those expenditures as the this state. equivalent of capital expenditures at the medical I realize that the foregoing is quick and school, they are, regrettably, outrageously low. dirty and overly simplistic and subject to claims Again, why have we allowed this to hap- that I have not properly accounted for fixed pen? Why have we not demanded a library KENTUCK Y LA WYER costs, overhead, etc. But even if one generously capable of supporting adequately the teaching Kentucky Lawyer is published twice each year by the accommodates such factors in the calculation, it and research functions of the law school and the University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Ken- is difficult in my mind to get the number to 1%, research demands of the practicing bar? Is it lucky. Our purpose is to provide a source of information and I suggest that my point is still entirely valid. inertia? Indifference? Certainly it is not the lack for alum ni, friends and others interested in the law school's The assets allocated to legal education at the of political muscle to address the matter. past, present and future as well as to offer a forum for the legal community to comment on substantive, practical or University of Kentucky are relatively paltry, Law is as important to a society and to philosophical aspects of the law. Criticism or compliments and I believe the same is true at other universi- Kentucky as is medicine. If one needs proof of are welcome. ties. this, one should look to other countries or socie- Editor: Todd B. Eberle The conventional wisdom in universities is ties where malfunctioning or nonfunctioning Asst. Editor: David T. Miller that legal education is cheap, especially when justice systems have eviscerated the govern- Composition: M. Charlene Montgomery Photographer: Todd B. Eberle compared with other professional schools, such ment and destroyed the quality of life for their Student Advisor: Bryan N. West Reflections This issue's "Reflections't feature looks back on more one." And institute they did. In 1976, Olaui editing leading articles written by scholars, pro- than 75 years of history forthe KentUf:kv lAwJOlunal. Maru reported that t'[i]n 1972. all but 11 of the fessors, judges, and practitioners of greater Tne first issue of the ~ contained twenry pages 149 schools approved by the American Bar maturity and experience, there can be no doubt and two substantive law articles (one reprinted from Association published law reviews." Ten years that researching and writing a student ncte or the October 1875. American 14W Review.) Contem- later, Roger Cramton noted that, in 1984, there comment for law review publication is still a porary issues contain well over 200 pages and nwner· ous articles significant to the profession. This year, were 174 nationally approved law schools and useful educational experience. The focus is indi- Mead Data Central opened another era by selecting they were publishing approximately 250 stu- vidual and the prospect of publication is chal- the Journal to be included among the law reviews dent-edited law reviews, which probably total- lenging, which is a welcome change from the available via the lEXIS computerized legal research led over 150,000 pages per year. classroom. service. Thefollowing article was wriuen by Profes- This development has not been without its Advantages to institutional prestige and sor of Law Emeritus, Paul Oberst, and was first critics. In 1936, Fred Rodell wrote a comment individual student education aside, the useful- published inthe Fall1989-90 issue of the KentUf:kv Law entitled Goodbye To Law Reviews. The choice ness of law reviews to the judiciary and to Journal.