Cooley Law School Expansion and Accreditation

[GRDadof3]

The Press is reporting that the final phase of Cooley's campus on Commerce will begin this January, and wrap up in May. They list the address as 111 Commerce, so I'm not sure which portion this is. The main building is listed at 117 on Regis:

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/frontpage/pdfs/Bu_Saturday.pdf

(upper left column)

I thought the lot to the South that was fenced off was going to be a new parking ramp, but maybe not. Anyone know any more. D+ is the architect, Rockford is the builder. The building will be 5 stories.

If that stinkin linky doesn't work, try this one and go to "Business" and then "Saturday"

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/frontpage/

[GRDadof3]

Found more info, it's just a build-out of the 4th and 5th floors of their existing buildings. There is a planned parking ramp at the corner of Commerce and Cherry Streets.

Floorplans for anyone interested:

[Rizzo]

Much appreciated, dad.

[RustTown]

Cool! Cooley also has some serious plans in the works for a major expansion to it's downtown campus in Lansing which may even include a joint venture with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra to build a large auditorium with retail and housing on top. They've finally completed the complete renovation of Cooley Center.

Are there any photos anyone could provide of the current building(s) or renderings beside floorplans?

[joeDowntown]

They call this the final expansion but wasn't there plans to immediately add a building to the south with a skywalk to WMU? Is this no longer the case?

Joe

[GaryP]

I hope this means Cooley officials are confident they will be allowed to offer more than 15 credits here in the near future.

[GRDadof3]

I hope so to Gary. Here is a rendering LMich. It looks pretty much like this now:

I don't have any current photos.

[Prankster]

So this is just another trumped up headline from the Press? While this is good news, I suppose, it's just finishing up a couple of floors of an already renovated building. Hope they get their accredidation from the Michigan Bar, because 15 credit hours is not going to fill the building with students.

[GaryP]

Cooley Gains Branch Status

http://www.grbj.com/GRBJ/Nav/Login.htm?Art...D-2309ECFA9C8B}

Finally!

The Grand Rapids campus... has the capacity for eventually enrolling 600 to 800 students

Another shot in the arm for Heartside

[GRDadof3]

Cooley Gains Branch Status

http://www.grbj.com/GRBJ/Nav/Login.htm?Art...D-2309ECFA9C8B}

Finally!

The Grand Rapids campus... has the capacity for eventually enrolling 600 to 800 students

Another shot in the arm for Heartside

Great find GaryP! That's great news!

[Budgie Frisket]

So this is just another trumped up headline from the Press? While this is good news, I suppose, it's just finishing up a couple of floors of an already renovated building. Hope they get their accredidation from the Michigan Bar, because 15 credit hours is not going to fill the building with students.

Last I heard was the GR Campus has been acquiesced for 60 credits and if all goes well on Aug. 28, it will have the full three-year program in place. They are waiting for one final official letter and then it's a done deal.

[GaryP]

Last I heard was the GR Campus has been acquiesced for 60 credits and if all goes well on Aug. 28, it will have the full three-year program in place. They are waiting for one final official letter and then it's a done deal.

I remember hearing something similar, but the article didnt make any mention of the 60 credit deal.

students were previously restricted to taking 15 credits at the Grand Rapids and Rochester locations, and then having to move on to the Lansing location, the American Bar Association has approved the satellite locations as sited to complete the full 90-credit law degree.

[GRDadof3]

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

The law school adopted a five-year improvement plan to address the low scores. The plan raised the requirements for Law School Admission Test and other admissions scores by one point per year, and put support programs in place to aid lower-performing students.

The effort paid off, with 74 percent of the students passing the exam in February, trailing only the University of Michigan.

[Budgie Frisket]

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

The law school adopted a five-year improvement plan to address the low scores. The plan raised the requirements for Law School Admission Test and other admissions scores by one point per year, and put support programs in place to aid lower-performing students.

The effort paid off, with 74 percent of the students passing the exam in February, trailing only the University of Michigan.

As a Cooley student, I have to say that I am very pleased to finally be able to take classes in GR again. I've been commuting to Lansing for two years, and I live only three blocks from Cooley GR.

[Budgie Frisket]

I remember hearing something similar, but the article didnt make any mention of the 60 credit deal.

students were previously restricted to taking 15 credits at the Grand Rapids and Rochester locations, and then having to move on to the Lansing location, the American Bar Association has approved the satellite locations as sited to complete the full 90-credit law degree.

P.S. Here's where I got the 60-credit item:

"Another body, the Higher Learning Commission's North Central Association, has approved the first two years of courses, and is recommending approval of the third-year courses at its Aug. 28 meeting."

[Weallneedhistory]

This is good news indeed. I was enrolled at Cooley as well, but pulled out when I was offered a teaching contract. I still have Cooley as my back-up plan should lay-off's ever hit my district, and am very glad I could take more than one semestar in GR.

[Budgie Frisket]

This is good news indeed. I was enrolled at Cooley as well, but pulled out when I was offered a teaching contract. I still have Cooley as my back-up plan should lay-off's ever hit my district, and am very glad I could take more than one semestar in GR.

I enjoy the classes. The only thing I do not enjoy is the tuition. It keeps going up every year.

[Budgie Frisket]

P.S. Here's where I got the 60-credit item:

"Another body, the Higher Learning Commission's North Central Association, has approved the first two years of courses, and is recommending approval of the third-year courses at its Aug. 28 meeting."

Clarification:

The ABA has acquiesced on all three years at all campuses. The HLC has approved of the first two years, and its approval of the third-year courses at Grand Rapids is anticipated on August 28, 2006.

[GRDadof3]

Cooley Fall enrollment hits capacity

Rapid Growth Media is reporting that the 100 students enrolled this Fall is a 100% increase over last year.

[CK1]

Cooley Fall enrollment hits capacity

Rapid Growth Media is reporting that the 100 students enrolled this Fall is a 100% increase over last year.

An earlier note on this thread said that the campus might reach 600 - 800 students in GR...is this a long-term projection, or something they are shooting for in the next year or two? If the max enrollment is 100 students right now, seems like a significant infrastructure improvement / expansion plan will need to be put in place.

[GRDadof3]

Cooley's up to 300 students now and is expecting to get close to it's capacity 920 in the next 3 years.

Cooley sees solid enrollment

Add this to the 200 or so students at Douglas J and that's 1100 college students on Commerce Ave.

[GaryP]

Cooley's up to 300 students now and is expecting to get close to it's capacity 920 in the next 3 years.

Cooley sees solid enrollment

Add this to the 200 or so students at Douglas J and that's 1100 college students on Commerce Ave.

[GRDadof3]

Now let's get them some apartments!

[RustTown]

Lansing has just finally began to capture the Cooley students downtown. Despite their being like 2,000+ students down, here, the city had done a very poor job of keeping them downtown. I hope Grand Rapids can tap into this demographic, and not squander it like we have.

[GRDadof3]

An earlier note on this thread said that the campus might reach 600 - 800 students in GR...is this a long-term projection, or something they are shooting for in the next year or two? If the max enrollment is 100 students right now, seems like a significant infrastructure improvement / expansion plan will need to be put in place.