Thinking about CLS? Think again. Forum

[coffeecoffee]

The CLS chapter of the Unemployment Action Center (a non-profit,
student-run organization devoted to the representation of unemployment insurance
claimants throughout NYC and Long Island--obviously very important at any time, and particularly important in this economy) is in serious danger of folding. CLS has refused to step in to give it institutional funding.

In December, the chapter e-mailed the Dean about the possibility of getting funding
from the law school, rather than from Student Senate money that is usually spent on
things like pizza lunches.

This led to a meeting with the Dean of Student Services, who told the chapter that because only ten or so students a year are using UAC to fulfill their mandatory pro bono hours, CLS can't justify spending $4,000 a year on dues to support the chapter. The Dean said that the administration will not step in to fund the chapter if it goes further into debt, and that if it's unable to sustain itself, it will have to fold.

This has troubling implications not just for the future of the chapter, but for the UAC
as a whole. (And for the reputation of CLS, which can't seem to do what NYU, Brooklyn,
Cardozo, Fordham, Hofstra, Pace, and NYLS are doing).

Fordham's chapter, which took the same number of cases as the CLS chapter last semester,
receives institutional funding. If every chapter's law school denied it funding on the
basis that 8, 10, or 15 cases per semester were too few, the UAC would cease to exist, to
the detriment of both law students and claimants.

[starsong]

The Dean said that the administration will not step in to fund the chapter if it goes further into debt, and that if it's unable to sustain itself, it will have to fold.

Seems like a good business decision. Nice to know one NYC school understands proper financial management!

[TTH]

Ah, yes, Columbia is clearly a TTT in decline.

[pleasetryagain]

This will deter 0.0 people from attending Columbia.

[gossipgirl]

Coming from a UG that makes poor decisions in where to cut funds during a budget crisis, this is excellent news. CLS making a decision based on cost-benefit? Excellent.

Thanks for the news!

[UCLAtransfer]

This will deter 0.0 people from attending Columbia.

Well said.

[gossipgirl]

[strike]Coming from a UG that makes poor decisions in where to cut funds during a budget crisis, this is excellent news. CLS making a decision based on cost-benefit? Excellent.[/strike] CLS doesn't care about students in particular, just student numbers that they report? Awesome!

Thanks for the news!

FTFY

When you run an organization, you have to make tough decisions. At my UG, they're cutting the allotment of wireless in order to help keep intact some useless clubs (poker strategy huh? <- this is coming from someone that plays lots of poker) that maybe fewer than 5 students attend. To some people, that may be a great decision, but to me, helping 2-3 students at the cost of everyone on campus is not a decision they should be making.

[Aqualibrium]

This is obviously some person from CLS who didn't learn anything from Mr. Chuck and doesn't mind ending up on Above The Law.

Why the heck would you get online and try to persuade people not to go to your school because of something so trivial?

[mhernton]

If your looking for a fix, incorporate as a 503c, non-profit and have a centralized location for all of the schools in NYC, then do fund-raising. We live in a time where things that are important but are somewhat luxurious will get trimmed.

[Antipodean]

I'm sorry to hear that, but you must admit that $400 per student per year is a major monetary commitment, no matter how worthy the project. To put it in perspective, that's twice the student activity fee to attend Columbia, and that fee funds 50+ student groups.

Have you looked into outside fundraising? The Hurricane Action Network has had great success in hitting up private firms for funding. How about getting in touch with faculty members? If you could make an official Clinic out of the program, I'm sure the administration would be willing to revisit the funding issue.