Academic

My Law School Is Better Than You Think Publications?Vote For Us Please!

By Roger Dennis

The U.S. News surveys have been filled out and sent in.  And now my mail box seems empty.  After a fall of receiving an extraordinary number of publications from other law schools, mailings have declined to a trickle.  So it is time to take stock of the substance and form of efforts to persuade voters to check the right box.

This year we were inundated with glossy brochures and homey letters that sent the following messages:

• My senior faculty is better than you think.
• My junior faculty is better than you think.
• My visiting faculty is better than you think.
• My faculty?s scholarship is better than you think.
• My school?s specialty programs are better than you think.
• My school?s conferences are better than you think.
• My school?s pro bono programs are better than you think.
• My school?s building is better than you think.
• My school?s alumni have better careers than you think.
• My school?s students are more engaged than you think.

The messages were sent in comprehensive large publications, innumerable small publications and everything in between.  Production values ranged from those that would make any national brand proud to desktop publishing quality. 

And a major line was crossed.  No, a school didn?t ( as a commentator from several years ago suggested) send  cash in exchange for a vote.  Rather,  I received my first set of law school promotional materials mailed to my home.  What a gutsy way of attempting to get through the clutter!!  My wife says she is already eager to learn more about all the wonderful things that will be happening in American legal education next year.

And oh by the way, look for our Earle Mack School of Law publications in the next couple of months.   You will be impressed.  We?re a lot better than you think!

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on December 08, 2009 (boomark / email).