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UAlbany, Albany Law School Deepen Affiliation

WAMC Photo by Dave Lucas

The University at Albany and Albany Law School have announced a deeper affiliation that officials say creates important new academic opportunities for students, novel research and grant prospects for faculty, and advances the region’s role as a leader in higher education and innovation.

Tuesday's announcement marks what officials are calling "the natural next step" in a 20-year collaboration between the region’s public research university and the nation’s oldest independent law school.

UAlbany President Robert Jones:  "We have signed an affiliation agreement that strategically aligns our programs and creates new synergies and strengthens both institutions. We're very excited about the new professional pathway this provides for our students, which will better prepare them for the changing career landscape that exists today and into the future."

The expanded affiliation will include 23 new programs.  Alicia Ouellette is President and Dean of Albany Law, which, like many law schools across the country, has faced declining enrollment.   "The affiliation is transformational. It also preserves the traditions and strengths of Albany Law School. With the university as a partner, we will grow our programs, we will do more for our students, and we will better serve our community."

UAlbany grad Bethany Hicks now attends Albany Law as part of the schools' existing 3 + 3 Law Program, which combines the bachelor's degree and law degree in a six-year program.   "My transition from the University at Albany to Albany Law School was very smooth. My student experience and the skills and knowledge I learned as a Public Policy major all contribute to a successful law school experience. This new, stronger affiliation between Albany Law School and the University at Albany will expand upon the opportunities that have brought students like myself to the Capital Region."

State Senator Hugh Farley, who spent three decades at UAlbany as a department head, praises the colleges' expanded ties.    "This affiliation is something that is really going to be spectacular. It is something that is needed, and as a lawyer and a graduate of this university, it is truly a thrilling thing to see this happen. I think you're going to see more to come from this too!"

Some highlights of the enhanced alliance:  UAlbany undergraduate and grad students will be able to enroll in classes taught by law school faculty.  The two colleges expect to play stronger roles in growing the upstate high-tech economy, and the affiliation opens a doorway to collaboration in other areas, including: study abroad programs, offerings to military veterans, and collaborative degree programs in criminal justice, history and social entrepreneurship.

The schools’ main campuses are about five miles apart.

About the University at Albany

Educationally and culturally, the University at Albany-SUNYputs "The World Within Reach" for its more than 17,300 students. An internationally recognized research university, it offers 120 undergraduatemajors and minorsand more than 125 master's, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs. UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as atmospheric and environmental sciences, business,  criminal justice,emergency preparedness, engineering and applied sciences, informatics,public administration, social welfare, and  sociology taught by an extensive roster of faculty experts. With a curriculum enhanced by 600 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers.

About Albany Law School

Albany Law School is the nation's oldest independent school of law. Founded in 1851, it has played an important role in the development of legal education in the United States. The institution offers students an innovative, rigorous curriculum. Several nationally recognized programs—including the Government Law Center and the Albany Law Clinic & Justice Center—provide opportunities for students to apply classroom learning to real situations. Students have access to New York's highest court, federal courts, the executive branch, and the state legislature. With 10,000 alumni practicing in every state, its graduates serve as a vital resource for the law school and its students.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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