Scalia Law School at GMU: Higher Ed Council to Sidestep Controversy

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is sidestepping a sticky question this week of renaming the law school at George Mason University after the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, after the Virginia Attorney General's Office told them, when asked, that they don't have the authority to do so, a spokesman for the Council said Monday afternoon.

The public university decided to name the school after the controversial conservative, after an anonymous $20 million donation was made in his name, plus another $10 million from conservative philanthropist Charles Koch. The decision to change the school's name was met with an uproar from some faculty and students. State lawmaker Marcus Simon started a petition to stop the name change. The petition reads:

"The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has to approve the change. If you agree that public comment and input from alumni and current students is important, sign this petition. Let SCHEV, Governor McAuliffe, and Dr. Angel Cabrera, President of George Mason University, know where you stand. There is still time to make your voice heard.

Name GMU Law School After Scalia? Not So Fast

Sign the petition today and show the administration that changing the law school's name demands further examination."

But the Council asked for a legal opinion, and the Attorney General's Office for Virginia says the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia does not have the authority to approve or disapprove a name-change proposal that does not change the mission, programming or enrollment at the school, a Council spokesman said.

Because of the amount of public interest, staff and council sought the best advice possible, including legal counsel, the Council spokesman said.

State Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36th), who represents parts of three Northern Virginia counties that send students to George Mason University, said Monday: "The George Mason University Law School is taxpayer supported and an asset of Virginia taxpayers. It is clear that there were major strings attached to this donation that sought to control the academic mission of school. SCHEV approval should be necessary for donations that seek to control academic freedom."

GMU-Scalia Law School Naming Controversy: Will Faculty Voices Be Heard?

The Council's Academic Affairs committee members met Monday in Lexington to discuss and affirm a vote on a revised resolution, the spokesman said.

The members, Gene Lockhart, chair, Carlyle Ramsey, vice chair, Heywood Fralin, Dan Gundersen, Bill Murray and Katie Webb plan to send the following revised resolution to the full Council on Tuesday.

The revised resolution reads:

BE IT RESOLVED that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) endorses the staff analysis of George Mason University's proposed name change of The Antonin Scalia School of Law* at George Mason University as not entailing any mission, programming, or enrollment changes that require SCHEV approval at this time;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SCHEV affirms that, according to advice of counsel, the proposed name change is enacted without need of SCHEV's approval.

Council members are:

G. Gilmer Minor III

Heywood Fralin

Marge Connelly

Gilbert T. Bland

Dan Gundersen

Henry Light

H. Eugene Lockhart

Pam Moran

William Murray

Gary Nakamoto

Carlyle Ramsey

Minnis Ridenour

Katharine Webb

*Also Monday, the Council notes that despite what the university has said publicly, the law school name will officially be The Antonin Scalia School of Law, even though the university publicly is calling it The Antonin Scalia Law School.