Monaghan Can’t Deliver Law School to Ave Maria Town
» Thu, April 17th, 2008 - 3:08 pm CST- Address for this article: http://avewatch.com/?p=57
- View date: 02-08-2010
UPDATE, 3:30pm CST – Fumare asks how the decision to move to Naples, rather than Ave Maria Town 35 miles away, impacts AMSL’s accreditation status: here.
UPDATE, 6:30pm CST – Fumare has an email from AMSL’s Interim Dean Milhizer to alumni announcing the change in moving plans. Take note: There is no mention that the move to Naples is a temporary solution.
UPDATE, 4/18/08 – Fumare posted a “rough transcript” of a meeting held between Milhizer and students concerning the decision to not move to AMT. The transcript quotes Milhizer as “We will move there [Naples] temporarily, probably not move again in back-to-back years but we will move again to AMU campus.”
Such is the folly of basing the relocation of a law school on speculative real estate ventures.
Original post:
Naples Daily News reported today that Ave Maria School of Law is moving to Naples, Florida, not to Ave Maria Town. The article cited economic reasons. Apparently, AMSL will move into Ave Maria University’s former temporary campus in North Naples.
This is a stunning development that may be an indicator of financial problems in the Ave Maria empire. Since AMSL announced its relocation in February 2007, moving to Ave Maria Town has been consistently cited as a key reason for the decision to leave the well-established Ann Arbor campus next year. A March 2007 brochure distributed by the Law School cites the ability “to locate to the campus of Ave Maria University” (”35 miles” from Naples per the brochure) as “an unparalleled opportunity”. It devotes an entire section to Ave Maria Town, calling it “an unparalleled opportunity” for AMSL “to be part of a unique community.” The brochure further states that “.. the presence of the University and Oratory will provide an opportunity for students and residents to study, work, socialize, and worship within the community, often traveling by foot or bicycle.”
The image above is the promotional drawing of the Ave Maria School of Law Building that was to be constructed on AMU’s campus in Ave Maria Town, as found in the 2007 brochure. Back in December, AMSL made a public pitch to secure a $20M donor to help with construction costs by offering naming rights to the building (see “Does Domino’s Dough Not Go Far Enough?“).
How this impacts the viability of Ave Maria Town (i.e. homes sales and businesses) and the University’s campus remains to be seen. Details and analysis are forthcoming.
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