Summary: Indiana Tech Law School has been denied accreditation by the American Bar Association. The school will now have the chance to appeal that decision.
According to the Indiana Lawyer, the American Bar Association has denied provisional accreditation to Indiana Tech Law School. Without accreditation, students will not be able to sit for the state bar exam, according to the Journal Gazette.
On Tuesday, the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar explained in a memorandum that the application for provisional ABA approval was rejected. The school is just two years old and is located in Fort Wayne. The school received notice of the decision prior to the publication of the memorandum.
Dean Charles Cercone said, “While we are disappointed not to receive accreditation at this time, we were encouraged that the Council narrowed the issue we need to focus on, and we believe that the Council has provided us with good feedback as we begin the reapplication process.” According to WANE.com, the school is optimistic that it will receive a vote from the ABA next year.
Cercone was named dean in November.
On June 5 and 6, the council heard a presentation by Dean Cercone and other officials from the school. Indiana Tech said that the presentation was productive, but details have not been revealed.
The school’s first dean stepped down after less than one year.
The school has 30 days to appeal the decision. If the appeal is filed properly, it will be considered by an appeals panel, and the council’s current decision would be stayed pending the final decision.
Faculty were hired at the school in 2012.
Cercone commented that the school is not the only one to have accreditation denied. He commented, “Historically, several new law schools have not received accreditation on their first attempt, but I am confident that with the input provided to us by the ABA we will move successfully towards accreditation. In the meantime, we continue to work as always with our students to provide them with a top-notch, career-focused legal education.”
Source: The Indiana Lawyer
Photo credit: marketing.indianatech.edu