In Feb., Fort Worth Weekly published a story about how a number of Texas Wesleyan School of Law alumni felt betrayed after the school was sold to Texas A&M University, leaving them with diplomas from a non-existent school.
Earlier today, the Texas A&M announced it had created something called a resolution certificate to commemorate A&M’s acquisition of the Wesleyan School of Law.
“Texas Wesleyan Law School alumni affected by the law school’s acquisition and resulting name change to Texas A&M University School of Law in August will receive a resolution commemorating the acquisition,” the press release said. “Graduates may choose to have this certificate framed for display next to their diplomas.”
In a statement to the alumni, Interim Dean Aric Short said that current A&M students will benefit from the continued involvement of Wesleyan alumni.
“We continue to welcome and encourage your participation in the life of our law school community, and we hope you remain connected to your law school,” he said. “Our name may have changed, but our building is filled with the same people – professors and staff – who mentored and supported you while you were a student. We are a stronger, more diverse law school with your continued participation, and our students today benefit from having you actively involved.”
The press release went on to say that the Texas A&M University School of Law continues to remain committed to not only the alumni, but to Fort Worth.
Casey Oliver, Director of Marketing and External Affairs at the law school said, “Fort Worth is our home, and we are extremely proud of our community. We use our location as an asset to attract and retain the best and brightest students, faculty and staff.”
This is almost exactly what we expected. This isn’t enough. At some point, TAMU needs to admit that it can reissue degrees, but just doesn’t want to.
I joined the Texas Aggie Bar Association yesterday. I will participate in all the events that make sense for me. But Provost Watson’s continued false representations regarding what TAMU can and cannot do cannot be rewarded. The school’s Code of Honor states, “An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal or tolerate those who do.” And yet they claim to have been accredited in 1994, and then simultaneously disavow my position as one of their graduates. I don’t see how they reconcile those.
If Watson wants to have any credibility, she can support her statement that she’s done all she can do by referring to actual laws or rules. She doesn’t appear to have sought any waivers, has not contacted any legislators to amend whatever laws might be in the way, or really supported her statements with any substance whatsoever. She’s just doing what bureaucrats do – state her will as fact, and dare us to do something about it.
Challenge accepted.
The proposed certificate cited in the “resolution” is a nice gesture and is appreciated by graduates of the school, such as myself.
I agree with everything stated in the certificate:
1) I completed the requirements for and received the degree of Juris Doctor from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law.
2) The school [has been purchased and renamed and] is now Texas A&M University School of Law.
3) I am a former student of Texas A&M University School of Law [because the school now has a new name].
The problem is what is missing.
The word used to describe a former student who completed the requirements for and received the degree of Juris Doctor is “graduate.” As a former student who completed the requirements for and received the degree of Juris Doctor from the school, I am a graduate.
A appropriate certificate would call me a graduate. Diplomas are the certificates that do so.
The appropriate “resolution” is to simply offer updated diplomas.
This is a worthless piece of paper. It does not notate Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. It does not give us a living University from which to claim a JD degree.
But for TWU School of Law graduates, TAMU would NOT be an accredited law school with the ABA. They use our work, money and effort to enrich themselves, but refuse to do the right thing to acknowledge our graduation from a live entity.
This certificate is not worthy of our value.
“We are a stronger, more diverse law school with your continued participation, and our students today benefit from having you actively involved.”
I’m sure they would be and I’m certain I won’t lift a finger for this school or it’s students. Aggies strike me as a bunch who don’t take well to outsiders and this certificate/resolution does nothing but memorialize my status as an outsider. I’m not going to get used by theses people.
I know and have great respect for Eric Short but even he knows this “resolution” is an insult not only to the former students and Alumni but to those who labored on behalf of Wesleyan Law to position it to become A&M Law. I am confused why such a certificate would be viewed by anyone as a solution to a legitimate concern. No mediator or arbitrator would even consider this a resolution of the conflict…why would hundreds of former students – now lawyers – be fooled by this scam. Try again…this solution does not solve the problem.