- June 25th, 2011, 12:44 am
#349474
wow....okay, i figured you would just says everything all these people are saying are lies....but I don't have to go to the dean. I have his response that he sent out to this. So I will post it for you alum82. I do have some background in politics, and what Staver did is the worst thing you could do and totally makes him look guilty of all of this. When you take time to respond to these allegations, especially if they are lies then you look guilty. A basic rule of politics. He makes himself look guilty...
The document below was sent anonymously by an individual. It is sad that this person has tried to remain anonymous while presenting inaccurate allegations that are designed to inflict injury. The document below is presented here in its original form (typographical, grammatical, and factual errors left intact). However, after each allegation, a response has been inserted. The response begins with “RESPONSE” followed by a written response, which is underlined and highlighted in yellow. Anything not underlined and highlighted in yellow is the original document.
The Legacy of Liberty Council School of Law (LCSOL) in Lynchburg, Virginia formerly known as Liberty School of Law:
A recent history of LCSOL by The Coalition Of Former Law Students For Truth and Posterity
1 Corinthians 4:12, 13 "..when we are cursed we bless, when we are
persecuted we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly."
Mark 11:25 "..if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your
Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
2007 – (Note see Prof. Rickert(s) information at end)
Mat Staver is appointed, rather than selected by a Liberty Commitee, as the Dean under
questionable circumstances that creates dissention among faculty and students. (He drives
a nice BMW with Florida license plates and parks in a custom parking space labeled,
"Chairman of Liberty Council")
RESPONSE: The appointment of Mat Staver as Dean occurred in 2006, not 2007. As part of annual site visits conducted by the American Bar Association in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, every aspect of the law school operation has been reviewed and analyzed multiple times, including the appointment of Mat Staver as Dean of the law school. The ABA found that the selection of Dean Staver was in compliance with the American Bar Association Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools. The ABA Standards provide that the “faculty or a representative body of it shall advise, consult, and make recommendations to the appointing authority in the selection of a dean.” A committee was formed to work under the direction of the then-Chancellor, Dr. Jerry Falwell, the appointing authority for the University, consisting of members of the Liberty University administration (including the Provost, the General Counsel – then Jerry Falwell Jr. – and Dr. Ron Godwin), certain members of the Board of Trustees, and two law school faculty. After the application process had been opened for a period of time, Dr. Falwell presented Mat Staver to the committee as his choice for the Dean and he received unanimous approval by the committee.
Dean Staver had worked with Dr. Jerry Falwell and Jerry Falwell Jr. for many years, going back to the 1990s, on the founding of Liberty University School of Law. When the law school was authorized by vote of the LU Board of Trustees in October 2002, Dr. Falwell invited Dean Staver to become the Founding Dean, but Dean Staver declined the offer and instead recommended a friend and colleague, Bruce Green, who was then interviewed and hired by Dr. Falwell as the Founding Dean. Dean Staver was added to the LU Board of Trustees and chaired the newly created Law School Steering Committee. About a year into his deanship, Bruce Green tendered his resignation because he wanted to return to Mississippi or Texas (1) so that he could be closer to his children and (2) because he suffered from arthritis and wished to be in a warmer climate. For the second time, Dr. Falwell invited Dean Staver to become the Dean, but Dean Staver instead approached Bruce and asked him to stay at least through provisional accreditation and beyond if he desired. Bruce withdrew his resignation and then tendered his resignation again following provisional accreditation on February 13, 2006. Bruce Green approached Dean Staver and urged him to become the Dean and he then set up a meeting with him and Dr. Falwell in April 2006 to discuss the matter with Dean Staver. In that meeting, Dean Staver agreed to become the Interim Dean during the time of the dean search. Dean Staver became the Interim Dean on May 15, 2006, and worked alongside Bruce Green until his tenure was complete at the end of June 2006. Bruce returned to Mississippi and then eventually to Texas, where he resides today. The appointment of Mat Staver as the Dean occurred in October 2006.
Professor F. LaGard Smith, veteran Christian law professor and Christian Author, is fired in
December for calling into question Dean Staver's integrity and the selection of Dean Staver
as the new Dean. Professor Smith, who was well loved by his students, taught Criminal law
which is a Bar Exam subject matter course. RESPONSE: Without going into detail as to specifics regarding personnel decisions, LaGard Smith had come out of retirement and taught briefly at the law school. He was terminated in December 2006, with the concurrence of the two senior, tenured and founding members of the faculty, members of the LU Board of Trustees, Dr. Jerry Falwell, and University administration. He was not let go because he questioned the Dean, but for a number of reasons that we are not at liberty to reveal, nor would they be appropriate to reveal to the general public.
A secretary, Patty Carver, impetuously asks, "Who is next to get fired?" after Dean Staver
announces Professor Smith's firing in a meeting (see below regarding the firing of Patty
Carver by Dean Staver). RESPONSE: LaGard Smith’s employment severance was four to five weeks earlier in December 2006. Patti Carver was not terminated for asking questions about LaGard Smith’s termination or any other matter. She worked as an Administrative Assistant to the Director of Public Affairs. The University collapsed and eliminated that position and, to this day, it has not been reinstated.
Professor Jim Jeans dies of a heart attack during a faculty meeting at the law school. At the
memorial service for Professor Jim Jeans, Dr. Falwell, Sr., in front of all present including Dean Staver, promises the widow of Professor Jeans, Professor S. Jeans that she "has a job at Liberty as long as she wants it" (see below regarding her firing by Dean Staver). A law school courtroom is named after Professor Jim Jeans and a portrait of our beloved Evidence professor is hung there to remember his legacy. RESPONSE: Professor Jim Jeans, who had a weakened heart condition, suffered a massive and fatal heart attack during a faculty development meeting that was being conducted by Professor Roger Bern, one of the founding faculty members who had many years of teaching experience. (Professor Bern passed away the following year after succumbing to a long illness. The Faculty Scholars Room was named in his honor). Dean Staver was not present at this meeting, as he was out due to surgery on his broken right hand. Following the death of Jim Jeans but prior to the memorial service held in Pate Chapel, Dean Staver asked Dr. Falwell if the law school could name the mock trial courtroom (the only one in existence at that time) in his honor. Dr. Falwell immediately agreed, and the naming of the mock trial courtroom was announced by Dean Staver during the memorial service. The mock trial courtroom was then named in honor of Jim Jeans and his portrait was hung outside the courtroom.
The first law school class, recruited under former Dean Bruce Green's leadership has a bar passage rate of over 90% nationwide. RESPONSE: The Class of 2007 had a bar pass rate in Virginia of 83.3 percent and nationally had an 89.1 percent pass rate.
Former LUSOL Dean Bruce Green's portrait is moved by Dean Staver to a location across from the Men's bathroom at LCSOL. RESPONSE: Dean Green’s portrait was made in honor of him being the Founding Dean. The portrait was completed after Dean Green relocated to Mississippi. The portrait was first placed in the lobby but moved to Foundations Hall, which is the same hallway where Dr. Jerry Falwell’s portrait hangs. It was placed on the same side of the hallway as Dr. Falwell’s portrait, because the plan was then and remains to this day to have one side of Foundations Hall with portraits of people depicting the history and foundations of law and the founding of the law school.
2008 -
Patty, whose husband is a student in the seminary and fully supported by his wife's
job, is fired in January without any notice. Dean Staver says that Patty Carver was let go because of a lack of money in the budget. RESPONSE: Patti Carver’s position in January 2007 (not 2008) was an Administrative Assistant to the Director of Public Affairs. The University collapsed and eliminated this position. To this day the position has not been reinstituted.
Julie Boto, Director of Public Affairs and supervisor of Patty Carver quits the law school over
the firing of Patty Carver. RESPONSE: Julie Boto left the law school at the end of the 2007 spring semester, not 2008. At any rate, after reading this section about herself, Julie Boto sent Dean Staver the following email on February 9, 2011: “As I mentioned in my resignation letter, I resigned as Director of Public Affairs because Tom [Boto – a 2008 graduate of the law school and Julie’s husband] took an internship with the Texas Attorney General and was planning on practicing law there in the future (We didn’t want to be apart that summer). Tom and I think very highly of Liberty and were blessed by being a part of the law school. We believe that Liberty University School of Law plays an important role in legal education, and we pray for its continued success.”
Dean Kim Parker is also fired in January without any notice. RESPONSE: The University is not at liberty to discuss the details of why Kim Parker is no longer employed with the law school, nor would it be appropriate to share such details with the general public. Following her departure in 2007 (not 2008), the positions of Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Director of Student Affairs were restructured. Kim Parker was the only Associate Dean without a JD degree. At the time, Kim supervised the Director of Student Affairs who had a JD. After Kim left, her position was renamed to Associate Dean for Internal Affairs and filled by Joseph Wiegand, who had extensive administrative experience, a Master of Arts, a Master of Laws, and a Juris Doctor degree. The then-Director of Student Affairs was promoted to full-time faculty as a Lawyering Skills Legal Instructor. The Director of Student Affairs position was then filled by Dotti Nijakowski, who holds two Masters degrees.
The law school registrar is also fired in January without any notice. RESPONSE: The details of why the former law school Registrar is no longer with the law school cannot be shared with the general public, and it would be inappropriate to do so. The former Registrar left this position in January 2007 (not 2008). Carol Cordle, a longtime employee of the University and the law school, was promoted to the position of Registrar.
Professor Beau Baez, a Liberty undergrad alumni, with a J.D. degree and an advanced law
degree from Georgetown law school leaves LCSOL over the lie regarding the firing of Patty
Carver and moves to Charlotte, N.C. to teach at Charlotte Law School where he is still
teaching. Professor Baez, who was well loved by his students, taught Torts law which is a
Bar Exam subject matter course. RESPONSE: Beau Baez did leave the law school to take a position at another law school. He did question whether Patti Carver’s position was eliminated from the budget, despite the fact that he was told that the position had been collapsed by the University and would not be reinstituted. Beau Baez did not have access to the budget and had no direct knowledge about the budget or the University’s decision to collapse and eliminate the position. As noted above, Patti Carver’s position was collapsed and the position has never been reinstituted.
The second law school class, recruited under founding Dean Bruce Green's leadership has a
bar passage rate of over 90% nationwide. RESPONSE: The class of 2008 spent two semesters under Dean Green and four semesters under Dean Staver. The class of 2008 had a bar pass rate in Virginia of 89 percent and nationally a bar pass rate of 90.92 percent.
2009 -
Professor Michael Deboer, a Liberty alumni, leaves the law school. He was one of two law
professors on the Liberty Commitee to select a new Dean when Dean Staver was appointed
outside of a normal selection procedure. RESPONSE: Michael DeBoer left the law school in 2008, not 2009. He returned to Indiana to work full-time as a law clerk for a judge while pursuing a Masters in Bioethics, which he had wanted to do for some time. Michael DeBoer was one of two faculty members who served on the Dean search committee. The Dean selection has been addressed above.
In the fall of 2010, Michael DeBoer contacted Dean Staver to inquire about any open faculty positions. Michael DeBoer visited the law school in December 2010.
Jennifer Deboer, Head of Academic Support and a lawyer, leaves the law school. She was
instrumental in coordinating our Bar Studies Course. RESPONSE: Jennifer DeBoer was the Director of Academic Support and is married to Michael DeBoer. In 2008 when Michael and Jennifer decided to return to Indiana where he could pursue a Masters degree in Bioethics. As Director of Academic Support, Jennifer gathered information about the available people and programs capable of providing a bar prep course. Once a vendor was selected, she worked with the outside vendor to schedule the course and to otherwise provide assistance to the vendor. Jennifer did not teach the bar prep course. When Dean Staver became Interim Dean in May 2006, he took the initiative to bring on campus a bar prep course in the spring semester of 2007, so that the first graduating class could have such a course. This course had not been previously planned or budgeted. Dean Staver worked with the University Provost and Human Resources to open up a new line item in the budget for this program and then negotiated a contract with the outside provider to conduct the first bar prep course. Dean Staver contracted with this same vendor the following year, at which time the vendor began to transition into retirement. This vendor, like the current vendor, worked with the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners to help write and grade the bar exam questions.
Dean Jory Fischer, one of the first law school professors is forced out of the law school with
Dean Staver saying health was the reason. Students suspect otherwise. RESPONSE: Jory Fisher was never forced out of the law school. It was common knowledge that Jory learned she had a congenital heart condition that required surgery. Following surgery, she decided to scale back her work schedule. Jory wanted to open a coaching company where she could manage her work pace and set her own hours. Dean Staver worked with her through this transition while she was establishing her own private business, and even provided the opportunity for her to work from home or the office, set her own hours, and reduce her work load for a full academic year.
Professor Todd Chasteen, Counsel formerly and presently for Samaritan's Purse in N.C. only
teaches one year under Dean Staver's reign. RESPONSE: Professor Todd Chasteen taught for two semesters during the 2007-2008 academic year. He came to the law school from Samaritan’s Purse, where he took a substantial salary cut from his position as General Counsel. Prior to this transition, Todd purchased a home in North Carolina at the height of the housing market and was unable to sell his home during the entire time of his employment with the law school. Unable to afford the mortgage of a home in North Carolina and housing in Virginia, and with his replacement at Samaritan’s Purse having left his former position as General Counsel, Todd returned to Samaritan’s Purse after being invited by Franklin Graham to return. Todd has since visited the law school several times and remains in frequent contact with Dean Staver, because of his interest in the law school. Todd communicated with Dean Staver as recently as December 2010.
Shawn Akers replaces Jennifer Deboer as Head of Academic Support RESPONSE: Shawn Akers, who holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and a Juris Doctor degree, and who has had a career in private practice, replaced Jennifer DeBoer as Director of Academic Support following her move with her husband back to Indiana. In addition to Academic Support, Shawn Akers launched the first law school courses in Public Policy and continues to teach these courses as an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Law.
Dean Staver appoints "Judge" Greg Baker, a disbarred Virginia judge with a past criminal
record for solicitation of a prostitute, to teach the Bar Studies Course to law students.
Dean Staver appoints "Judge" Baker to teach classes to law students. Curiously, "Judge" Baker's name is not listed anywhere on the Faculty/Staff directory at LCSOL. RESPONSE: It is disheartening that an anonymous author would attempt to ruin the character and reputation of a Christian brother in order to advance a particular agenda. The disconnect between this section wherein the anonymous author casts self-righteous stones at Greg Baker and the Scripture verse quoted above by this same author (Mark 11:25 "..if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.") is astounding. Dean Staver, Dr. Boyd Rist (the former Provost of the University), the Academic Dean for the Seminary, and others inside and outside the law school extensively vetted the background of Greg Baker and interviewed him multiples times. Some of the information reviewed included materials available to the public and a wide variety of letters from practicing attorneys, judges, and public officials representing both ends of the political and ideological spectrum. The statements and testimony about the character of Greg Baker (and there were many) came from people who knew and worked with him before and after the incident referenced above. Each person who was interviewed or who made a statement, without exception, had the highest respect for the character of Greg Baker. Dean Staver and the Academic Dean for the Seminary interviewed the President of the College of William and Mary, who while serving as Dean of William and Mary Law School, hired Greg Baker to teach the law school’s bar prep course. The President, while serving as Dean, also did an extensive background investigation of Greg Baker and with full knowledge of the above-mentioned incident he hired Greg and gave his full and unreserved recommendation for Greg Baker to be hired at Liberty to teach the bar prep course. Greg has a current license to practice law in Virginia and remains in good standing. Greg is one of the few people in the Commonwealth who works with the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners to write questions and grade the bar exams. Greg is highly recognized in Virginia as being one of the top experts in the Commonwealth on bar exam preparation. Greg has many years of experience on the bench, with the bar, and in academia. For many years he has taught students in bar preparation and bar studies and teaches bar prep courses at other law schools in Virginia. Greg is well-regarded by the students and particularly loves the students at Liberty. He goes far beyond the call of duty to help our students Greg Baker has taken full responsibility for his past, has repented, and has asked Jesus Christ to forgive him. He is a sinner like all of us. Again, it is very sad that an anonymous author would have no regard for the life-changing transformation that Greg has experienced through Jesus Christ. Apparently King David, an adulterer and a murderer, could never have found grace and forgiveness under this unforgiving judge.
Dean Staver appoints non-lawyer and African American, the Honorable Ken Blackwell, to
teach a two week class in the summer and lists him as a Visiting Professor of Law at LCSOL.
The announcement is well advertised prior to ABA accreditation. RESPONSE: The Honorable Ken Blackwell was hired as a part-time Visiting Professor of Law to provide value-added lectures in classes taught by other professors. Ken Blackwell does not teach the two-week Public Policy course in the summer (actually it is taught in August prior to the start of the semester). Rather, he provides guest lectures for two days of that class. The class is taught by a separate assigned professor who does have a JD degree. Ken will also provide select guest lectures in the Public Policy course offered in the spring semester and at other times throughout the academic year. Ken Blackwell’s extensive credentials are set forth on the law school’s website. Prior to guest lecturing at Liberty, Ken taught at an ABA-accredited law school in Ohio. Ken was elected as the youngest Mayor of Cincinnati. He was the first African-American to hold statewide office in Ohio as Treasurer, and later as Secretary of State. He was the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations on Human Rights and served under Secretary Jack Kemp in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Reagan administration. He is highly regarded by anyone who knows anything about him.
The first class under Dean Staver's reign as Dean has a bar passage rate of just over 70%
nationwide. RESPONSE: The class of 2009 had a 100 percent bar pass rate in 13 jurisdictions (AZ, GA, FL, IA, MO, NJ, OR, PA, SC, TN, WA, WI, and WY). Two states (VA and NC) brought down the overall bar pass rate nationally to 75 percent, which still exceeds the ABA Standards. The rigor of the academic program remains very high. We continue to strive for very high bar pass rates, and the bar pass rates for each year of the law school since 2007 have exceeded the ABA Standards. Bar pass rates are only one indicator of outputs. Competitions with other law schools provide other indicators of success. To list those areas of success would take this response beyond the scope of what is necessary. Suffice it to say that in the past year, the ABA selected Liberty’s Taxation Team to be among the top six in the nation among 96 other competing teams. One of the law school’s Negotiation Teams won first place in a Media and Entertainment competition in California. Liberty has qualified in the top twenty teams in the ABA National Negotiation Competition for the last four years and is the only law school to quality two teams in the final top twenty teams three years in a row. The Moot Court Competition team won the second Best Brief and fourth Best Advocate awards in the national ABA Moot Court Competition.
2010 -
Professor S. Jeans, a widow, is fired by Dean Staver in January notwithstanding the former
promise by Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. RESPONSE: Sheryle Jeans was on a ten-month contract, meaning she was not under contract during the months of June and July, and in Sheryle’s case, she usually ended her work in May. Each summer Sheryle returned home to Missouri, leaving no coverage for the growing externship program. The externship program had more participants during the months of May/June through July/August than during the fall or spring semesters. For the first couple of years, the law school hired an adjunct to cover the summer months. This arrangement did not serve the students well and interjected significant discontinuity into the growing program. Sheryle was asked to convert from a ten-month to a twelve-month contract in order to better serve the students during the summer months. Sheryle was unwilling or unable to do so. Thus, in order to better serve the students throughout the school year and during the summer, the position was upgraded to the level of an Associate Dean with a twelve-month contract. A 2009 law school graduate was hired to oversee the externship program. This graduate had a long history of employment and management, along with an MBA degree prior to attending Liberty University School of Law, where she obtained her JD degree. Under her leadership, the externship program has grown significantly and has expanded opportunities for students by providing more diverse externships and more direct management and supervision. The ABA Site Team member who visited in 2009 was very pleased with the program and with the Associate Dean.
Professor Jim Jean's portrait is removed from outside of the courtroom and the courtroom is
renamed. Dean Staver replaces Professor S. Jeans, a widow, with a recent law school graduate. RESPONSE: The portrait of Jim Jeans and his name were removed from the mock trial courtroom at the request of Sheryle Jeans. The Dean asked Sheryle to reconsider her request, but she would not and insisted that Jim Jeans’ portrait and name be removed from the mock trial courtroom. Sheryle’s request was honored.
Allison Keenan, Assistant Director of Admissions, is fired by Dean Staver. RESPONSE: The University is not at liberty to discuss the reasons why Allison Keenan is no longer with the law school, nor would such be appropriate. After Allison’s departure her position was replaced by another staff member in the Admissions Department who continues to occupy that position.
Shawn Akers is appointed by Dean Staver to be the new Dean of the School of Government. He also holds the current title of Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law at LCSOL. (He drives a nice Jaguar with Louisiana license plates). RESPONSE: Dean Staver did not appoint Shawn Akers as the Dean of the School of Government and has no such authority to do so. Such appointments are made by the Provost and the Chancellor of the University. Dean Akers does hold the title of Assistant Adjunct Professor of Law because he teaches two Public Policy courses at the law school. He held the same title of Assistant Adjunct Professor of Law while he served as the Director of Academic Support. Dean Akers is the person who launched these courses and continues to teach them.
Dean Staver replaces Shawn Akers old position in Academic Support with a recent law
student graduate. RESPONSE: The Director of Academic Support is a recent graduate of the law school. Susan Patrick holds an MA in addition to her JD and was an adjunct professor at Marshall University, where she structured a reading course to assist students in reading comprehension. While in law school, she was the Managing Editor of Business for the law school’s Law Review and Treasurer of the Student Bar Association. As an associate member of the Moot Court Board, she was a semi-finalist in the 1L Moot Court Tournament and placed in the top tiers of both Internal and Federal Moot Court Tournaments during her 2L and 3L years. Susan was a finalist in the 2008 Internal Negotiations Tournament, served as a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, and qualified for a judicial externship and was selected by a seasoned appellate judge of a State Court of Appeals in Florida. Susan’s life and success n law school was so exemplary that the faculty created the Liberty University School of Law Faculty Award just for her and awarded it in 2010. This was a special award given to Susan to recognize her outstanding achievements and perseverance. Susan loves the students and the students love her and have greatly benefited by her instruction and mentoring skills.
Dean Staver appoints non-lawyer, medical doctor and African American, Deborah Honeycutt
to teach sometime and lists her as a Visiting Professor of Law at LCSOL. The announcement is well advertised prior to ABA accreditation. RESPONSE: Dr. Deborah Honeycutt serves as a part-time Visiting Associate Professor of Law. In this position, like Ken Blackwell, she provides guest lectures as components of classes taught by other professors. Liberty seeks to bring in some of the best lecturers in the country to enhance the quality of the courses.
"Judge" Greg Baker continues to teach the Bar Studies course and other courses at LCSOL
as an Adjunct Professor of Law. Curiously, "Judge" Baker's name is still not listed anywhere
on the Faculty/Staff directory at LCSOL. RESPONSE: Greg Baker is an expert on Virginia Civil and Criminal Procedure, a bar-tested course in Virginia. In order to help the students taking the Virginia Bar Exam, the Virginia Civil and Criminal Procedure course was offered for the first time in the spring of 2010 and taught by Greg Baker. While Greg Baker may not yet be listed on the law school’s website, a number of staff and adjunct faculty were not listed on the law school’s website until recently. In the past few months, efforts have begun to list every staff, faculty, and adjunct on the website.
LCSOL receives the great news of full accreditation by the ABA and Dean Staver is prominently featured on the cover of the Liberty Journal, standing upon what appears to be a replica of the Supreme Court bench. RESPONSE: It is true Liberty received the good news of full accreditation in August 2010. The idea of Dean Staver being on the front cover of the Liberty Journal with a photograph in the Supreme Courtroom was a decision by the University administration to celebrate this happy occasion.
The second class under Dean Staver's reign as Dean has a bar passage rate of just over 70% nationwide. RESPONSE: The bar pass rate nationally in 2010 was 74.08 percent. It should be noted that after the first class in 2007, the bar pass rates include all the first-time takers from that year of graduation and any prior years of graduation. Thus, the 2010 bar pass rate does not reflect the class of 2010. Rather, it reflects the class of 2010 and any graduates from the prior classes who take the bar for the first time in any jurisdiction.
2011 -
Professor Nancy Kippenhan in her 5th year at LCSOL, is told by Dean Staver that she will not get a contract next year. She used to be in charge of the Assessment Day which gathered student comments regarding the state of the law school, which discovered widespread student concern about not having a full time Dean, the connection with Liberty Council and the lack of freedom of thought in the so-called "Foundations" classes. She used to be an advisor to the Law Review and the Moot Court Board before Dean Staver removed her from both positions. RESPONSE: The specifics of the reasons for the nonrenewal of Nancy Kippenhan cannot be disclosed publicly, except to say that the above allegation of the reason for her nonrenewal is absolutely false. Moreover, any nonrenewal is reviewed by the University administration and comes from the University administration, not the Dean of the specific school. The Dean makes a recommendation but the final decision comes from the Provost. In this case, the nonrenewal was also reviewed by a University committee.
Professor Morris Osborn in his 7th year at LCSOL, told by Dean Staver that he will not get a
contract next year since he did not yet publish two scholarly articles. He was one of two law
professors on the Liberty Commitee to select a new Dean when Dean Staver was appointed
outside of a normal selection procedure. He is one of the first professors hired to teach at
the law school. Professor Osborn teaches Property which is a Bar Exam subject matter
course. RESPONSE: The specifics of the reasons for the nonrenewal of Morry Osborn cannot be disclosed publicly. Moreover, any nonrenewal is reviewed by the University administration and comes from the University administration, not the Dean of the specific school. The Dean makes a recommendation but the final decision comes from the Provost. In this case the nonrenewal was also reviewed by a University committee. Moreover, it is stated policy in the law school, and common practice among ABA-accredited law schools, that professors appointed to tenure track positions must publish scholarly works in order to be eligible to apply for tenure, and the faculty member must reach the level of eligibility within a specified period of time or face the prospect of being nonrenewed.
Professor Scott Thompson, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Lawyering Skills Program, in his 7th year at LCSOL, told by Dean Staver that he will be demoted to an "instructor" in the law school next year since he did not yet publish two scholarly articles. He is one of the first professors hired to teach at the law school. RESPONSE: Scott Thompson had and continues to retain his administrative appointment as Director of the Center for Lawyering Skills, a position he has held since coming to the law school. Effective July 1, 2011, Scott Thompson’s faculty title will be Associate Instructor of Lawyering Skills, which is a non-tenure track position that does not require the same level of scholarly publications as tenure track. Professor Thompson’s teaching and duties with Moot Court and the Lawyering Skills program are anticipated to remain the same.
Dean Shawn Akers, appointed by Dean Staver as the new Dean at the Helms School of Government, informs School of Government Professor Michelle Rickert, the former Admission's director at what was then known as Liberty University School of Law, that her contract will not be renewed next year. Her husband, Paul Rickert is informed of the same news. The Rickert's have beautiful young kids and are well loved by all of their students. No reason is giving for their firing. RESPONSE: The matter of the Rickerts is not relevant to the law school. The School of Government is an entirely separate school within the University. Any nonrenewal is reviewed by the University administration and comes from the University administration, not the Dean of the specific school. The Dean of the specific school makes a recommendation but the final decision comes from the Provost. The anonymous author appears to suggest that the nonrenewal of the Rickerts is somehow related to the law school. This document begins and ends with the Rickerts. However, the matter of the Rickerts is entirely separate from the law school. “…the Lord hates… a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” (Proverbs 6:16 and 19).
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
MAKE COPIES OF THIS HISTORY AND SPREAD THE NEWS ELECTRONICALLY ON
FACEBOOK OR OTHER SITES
CREATE A WEB PAGE TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS THAT "IF IT'S CHRISTIAN IT
SHOULD BE BETTER!" by Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. as quoted in the Liberty
Champion, July 6, 2010
ASK THE LIBERTY ADMINISTRATION AND BOARD OF REGENTS TO EXPLAIN THE
ABOVE TRUTHS
ASK THE LIBERTY ADMINISTRATION AND BOARD HOW THEY TOLERATE NONCHRISTIAN
PRACTICES AT A "CHRISTIAN" UNIVERSITY
USE YOUR "FULCRUM OF THE LAW" TO BRING SIN TO LIGHT
This message was brought to you by The Coalition Of Former Law Students For Truth
and Posterity:
Look for future meeting dates and times on our new website which is forthcoming,
unless Dean Staver shuts down the Internet or sues to get us disbarred after
discovering any of our identities.
Our motto: "We've touch the Rock of Mt. Sinai and now we are hurling it at injustice
and narcissism!"
THIS GUY NEEDS TO PAY!
- By olldflame
- By jmclaughlin
- By LUOrange