Rule 20. Major Change in the Organizational Structure of a Provisionally or Fully
Approved Law School.

(a) This Rule governs consideration of applications for acquiescence in a major change in the organizational structure of an approved law school, including, without limitation:

(1) Materially modifying the law school's legal status or institutional relationship with a parent institution;

(2) Merging or affiliating with one or more approved or unapproved law schools;

(3) Acquiring another law school or educational institution;

(4) Acquiring or merging with another university by the parent university where it appears that there may be substantial impact on the operation of the law school;

(5) Transferring all, or substantially all, of the academic program or assets of the approved law school to another law school or university;

(6) Opening of a Branch campus or a Satellite campus at which a student could take the equivalent of 16 or more semester credit hours toward the law school's J.D. degree;

(7) Merging or affiliating with one or more universities;

(8) A change in the control of the school resulting from a change in the ownership of the school or a contractual arrangement; or

(9) A change in the location of the school that could result in substantial changes in the faculty, administration, student body or management of the school.

(b) For purposes of this Rule:

(1) Any of the changes in organizational structure listed in Rule 20(a) may amount to the closure of an approved law school and the opening of a different law school. If the Accreditation Committee determines, after written notice and an opportunity for written response, that such a change does amount to the closure of an approved law school and the opening of a different law school, it shall so notify the law school(s). If the Committee determines that any proposed structural change constitutes the creation of a different law school, it shall recommend to the Council that any acquiescence in the proposed structural change be accompanied by a requirement that the school apply for provisional approval under the provisions of Standard 102 and Rule 4.

(2) Factors that shall be considered in making the determination of whether the events listed in subsection (1) above constitute the closure of an approved law school and the opening of a different law school include, without limitation, whether such events are likely to result in

(a) significant reduction in the financial resources available to the law school;
(b) significant change, present or planned, in the governance of the law school,
(c) significant change, present or planned, in the overall composition of the faculty and staff at the law school,
(d) significant change, present or planned, in the educational program offered by the law school; or
(e) significant change, present or planned, in the location or physical facilities of the law school.

(3) Opening of a Branch campus by an approved law school is treated as the creation of a different law school. After the law school has obtained prior acquiescence of the Council in the major change caused by the opening of a Branch campus, the Branch campus also shall apply for provisional approval under the provisions of Standard 102 and Rule 4. A law school seeking to establish a Branch campus shall submit to the Consultant, as part of its application, a business plan that contains the following information concerning the proposed Branch campus: a description of the educational program to be offered; projected revenues, expenditures and cash flow; and the operational, management and physical resources of the proposed Branch campus.

(4) After written notice and an opportunity for a written response, the Accreditation Committee shall determine whether any other proposed structural change constitutes the creation of a different law school. If the Accreditation Committee determines that any proposed structural change constitutes the creation of a different law school, it shall recommend to the Council that any acquiescence in the proposed structural change be accompanied by a requirement that the school apply for provisional approval under the provisions of Standard 102 and Rule 4.

(c) If a different school will be created as a result of the major structural change, the different school may apply for approval pursuant to provisions of Rule 4. If the different school demonstrates that it is in full compliance with the Standards as provided in Standard 103, the Committee shall recommend that it be fully approved. Such recommendation may be conditioned upon further site evaluation visits or other requirements. If the different school is not in full compliance with the Standards, but it substantially complies with each of the Standards as provided in Standard 102, the Committee shall recommend that it be provisionally approved. The Committee may also recommend that the school will be allowed to seek full approval in a period of time shorter than that provided in Standard 103.

(d) Whether or not the Accreditation Committee determines that the proposed change will create a different law school, the law school's request for acquiescence by the Council in the proposed major change in organizational structure shall be considered under the provisions of Rule 21.

Rule 21. Major Change in the Program of Legal Education of a Provisionally or
Fully Approved Law School.

(a) This Rule governs consideration of applications for acquiescence in major changes in the program of legal education of a law school, including, without limitation:

(1) Instituting a new full-time or part-time division;

(2) Changing from a full-time to a part-time program or from a part-time to a full-time program;

(3) Establishing a two-year undergraduate/four-year law school or similar program;

(4) Establishing a new or different program leading to a degree other than the J.D. degree;

(5) A change in program length measurement from clock hours to credit hours; and

(6) A substantial increase in the number of clock or credit hours that are required for graduation.

(b) This Rule also governs consideration of applications for acquiescence in a change in organizational structure as provided in Rule 20(d).

(c) An application governed by this Rule must contain:

(1) A letter from the president and the dean of the law school stating that they have read and carefully considered the Standards, have answered in detail the questions asked in the accompanying major change questionnaire, and do certify that, in their respective opinions, the school meets the requirements of the Standards for the granting of acquiescence in the proposed major change. If a law school seeking acquiescence is not part of a university, the letter may be from only the dean;

(2) A completed major change questionnaire;

(3) A copy of the law school's most recent self-study;

(4) A description of the proposed change and a detailed analysis of the effect of the proposed change on the law school's compliance with the Standards;

(5) A request that the Consultant schedule any required site evaluation at the school's expense; and,

(6) Payment to the Association of the application fee.

(d) A site evaluation of the school must be conducted before the Accreditation Committee or the Council considers the application, unless the application seeks acquiescence in a major change described in Rule 21(a)(4), Rule 21(a)(5), or Rule 21(a)(6).

(e) The site evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Rules 2 and 14. The site evaluators shall prepare a written report based on the site evaluation. The site evaluators shall report facts and observations that will enable the Accreditation Committee and the Council to determine whether the law school satisfies the requirements of the Standards for granting acquiescence in the proposed major change. The site evaluators shall not make any determination as to the school's compliance with the Standards.

(f) The Accreditation Committee's consideration of an application for acquiescence shall be governed by the provisions of Rules 3, 5 and 6. The Council's consideration of such applications shall be governed by the provisions of Rules 6 and 8.

(g) After the Council meeting at which the application is considered, the Consultant shall inform the president and the dean of the law school in writing of the Council's decision. There is no appeal from the Council's decision on an application for acquiescence in a major change.

(h) Following acquiescence in a major change, the Consultant shall arrange for a limited site evaluation of the school no later than two years after the date of the acquiescence to determine whether the law school has realized the anticipated benefits and remains in compliance with the Standards. No site visit shall be required following acquiescence in a major change described in Rule 21(a) (5) or Rule 21(a) (6). The limited evaluation of a school granted acquiescence pursuant to Rule 21(a) (4) shall be conducted in the first academic year subsequent to acquiescence in which students are enrolled in the new program. The Consultant may determine in each instance whether the evaluation pursuant to a major change under Rule 21(a) (4) requires an actual site visit or may be conducted through other means.