"As if low enrollment numbers and the Trump administration's capping of graduate school funding weren't enough of a hurdle, the school mathed out that they'd need millions of dollars if they planned on surviving long term in Buchanan County, Virginia. They entertained the idea of merging with Roanoke College to meet their financial needs, but doing so would mean moving the campus three hours away."
"The merger would allow them to keep doors open, but it would also betray one of the school's founding purposes - prepare locals to meet the legal needs of their community. The school still needs to figure out how they can afford to operate, but a recent pool of funding will give them some breathing room for a while. Cardinal News has coverage:"
"The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors and the Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority plan to grant up to $6 million to the Appalachian School of Law to get it through a short-term financial crisis. Following comments from more than 20 people at a public hearing Monday, the board voted 6-1 to form a committee with representatives from the board of supervisors, IDA and law school to draw up a contract for the additional funding."
The Appalachian School of Law faces a projected financial shortfall driven by low enrollment and federal graduate funding caps, requiring millions to remain in Buchanan County. School leaders considered merging with Roanoke College, which would provide financial stability but require relocating the campus three hours away and weaken the school's mission to serve local legal needs. Buchanan County supervisors and the Industrial Development Authority plan to grant up to $6 million as short-term relief, and a committee was formed to draft a funding contract. Enrollment currently stands at about 180 of 300 capacity, making recruitment central to any long-term viability plan.
Read at Above the Law
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