After a routine accreditation process conducted the American Bar Association (ABA) on Thursday, Florida A&M College of Law (COL) learned that it will remain accredited.
A preliminary report was released in September 2012 after a site visit in March 2012. The ABA requested more information from Interim President Larry Robinson and COL Dean LeRoy Pernell by May 1, 2013.
According to the report from the ABA, the association’s concerns included students of the school receiving effective professional development, appropriate financial resources, correct, consistent information of courses and credits available in each semester and the school’s high attrition rate of academically dismissed students who are readmitted.
Robinson said he plans on effectively implementing changes in the COL in cooperation with the school’s dean.
“I will work diligently with Interim Provost Rodner Wright and his team, including the dean of the COL, to address all of the ABA concerns,” Robinson said. “We will rely heavily on the expertise of the various members of our team in the ABA accreditation review process.”
Pernell believes the COL has been addressing the concerns listed in the September report by hiring additional staff, implementing new programs to prepare students for the bar exam, providing additional development for faculty, revising tenure rules and enhancing advising processes and recruitment offers.
Pernell also said the position of associate dean for teaching and faculty development will effectively analyze the faculty teaching load, scholarship, service and classroom performance.
“We believe the new measures, as well as the addition of staff, will work to strengthen our program,” Pernell said. “We will move forward with addressing the specific ABA concerns.”