Hofstra University law school gets criticism from ABA about faculty diversity
The Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center at Hofstra University. Photo by Paul Berendsen, CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law is noncompliant with an accreditation standard that requires law schools to demonstrate “concrete action” by showing a commitment to having a diverse and inclusive faculty and staff, according to an ABA notice posted Wednesday.
Standard 206(b) focuses on gender, race and ethnicity. According to the finding, which was made by the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the noncompliance relates to the law school’s full-time and adjunct faculty.
Gail Prudenti, the law school’s dean, said in a statement the school takes the ABA accreditation process seriously and will respond appropriately.
“Hofstra Law is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in legal education and the legal profession and has implemented educational and recruitment efforts that have improved diversity and inclusion at the law school. The law school is continually growing and strengthening these efforts,” the statement read.
In the most recent Standard 509 Information Report available, the law school has a total of 128 faculty members. Out of 47 full-time faculty, 23 are men, 24 are women and five identify as people of color. Of the 81 faculty members who are not full time, 57 are men, 24 are women and seven are people of color, according to the ABA data.
The council has asked the law school to submit a report by March 31 and appear before the group when it meets in August.
