Judith Areen, Dean of the Law Center and executive vice president for Law Center affairs, submitted her resignation on January 10. She plans to leave her post at the end of her term, in June 2004.
Areen has served three five-year terms as dean and plans to remain on the staff of the Law Center after taking a one- year sabbatical.
“It is a wonderful tradition at the Law Center to remain a part of the faculty after stepping down. It will be a joy to return to teaching and scholarship,” Areen said.
According to Areen, June 2004 will be a good time to leave her position, as several pending projects, such as the construction of new classroom and recreation facilities, will be completed.
Areen’s term as dean was abruptly ended in April 1998 when University President Leo O’Donovan S.J. announced in a letter that he would not renew Areen’s contract. Areen was in her ninth year and second consecutive term as dean.
O’Donovan provided no explanation for his decision to terminate Areen, causing an outcry from students and drawing the attention of the national media.
Faculty, students and alumni accused O’Donovan of violating the bylaws of the American Association of Law Schools, which state that faculty should have a significant input in changes in faculty status. Student leaders formed the Committee to Maintain Excellence, an organization designed to solicit support for reinstating Areen from the media, community, alumni and the Law Center’s Board of Governers.
The group succeeded in pursuading alumni to cancel donations of about $4 million. Members of the law center’s advisory board, such as President Bill Clinton’s attorney Robert Bennett, resigned in protest. The faculty passed a resolution that urged O’Donovan to reconsider his decision.
On April 17, O’Donovan and Areen announced at a press conference that the conflict had been resolved and Areen would remain Dean for another five years.
Areen said that she considers the events of 1998 “all history now.”
During Areen’s terms as dean, the Law Center grew to have the largest curricula in the country, offering over 350 courses and four clinics.
Areen’s replacement will be chosen by a committee composed of Law Center faculty members to be formed in the near future.
