I am a full-time 2L at WSCOL at Argosy (Western State College of Law at Argosy in Fullerton, California, formerly Western State University College of Law) and I while I was waiting in the "lobby" (small area adjacent to the door near the administrative assistants with a row of five chairs directly in front of their desks) I overheard two experienced law professors discussing the potential future of EDMC. While the conversation was muffled due to distance and the law professor's door being nearly closed, I heard the male law professor say to a female law professor something similar to the following:
This conversation occurred about 4:00 PM Pacific Standard Time in the faculty area of WSUCOL on Thursday, January 21, 2016.
Male Law Professor: "After that faculty meeting I want to just hang it up. I am too old to be dealing with this. I could have retired years ago and was here because I love to teach and inspire, but ever since EDMC bought us all we have done is sacrifice good students with a lot of potential for Bar passage rates. Those students are my favorite to teach, because they are more creative; something the Bar does not evaluate. It is a shame, because most of them would be fine at established private law schools and would have done fine here prior to the EDMC purchase."
Female Law Professor: "[Name Redacted], you know this is going to be a big mess. You can retire but not all of us are there as of yet. We will be forced to teach until the students find other schools and can transfer. [Name Redacted] told me that she is going to go reenter private practice since it is doubtful we will have a 1L class in the Fall. I tend to believe her. Dean [Name Redacted] warned me before he retired in 2010 that he foresaw this exact scenario occur. I spoke to him recently and [Name Redacted
are going to have dinner at his home in the Inland Empire next Friday night. I will be interest to hear what he has to say when he find out just how right he was."
Male Professor: "Dean [Name Redacted] saw the writing on the wall. He was brilliant to leave when he did. EDMC is taboo and we keep telling these students that the faculty controls the school when in reality we are enslaved to [EDMC's] demands. It is a shame... a real shame. I think EDMC will declare bankruptcy in 2016, probably before the end of the fiscal year. They will probably ask [Names Redacted] represent them!"
(laughter)
Female Professor "[Name Redacted] has too much integrity for that. He did enough to fight for our ABA accreditation. It is sad because that is likely going to be withdrawn soon, too.
Male Professor: "[Name Redacted] said that we could expect to a Certified Letter any week now. I agree with her. Whether we are sold for a bargain, EDMC declares bankruptcy, the teach out actually happens, or a combination of some sort, I am done in May. I cannot deal with this. My wife has been telling me to do this for years and I finally am."
At this time the law professor for whom I was waiting (who was not one of the aforementioned law professors) called the administrative assistant at the desk and the administrative assistant informed me that I could go to their office, so I did not hear any more. However, when I was done the doors were closed to the office where the conversation took place.
If you do not believe me, that is fine. I do not answer to anyone but myself. To verify myself all I have to say is the word "Bonnie" and that should suffice. Additional verification is that the above conversation took place on the third floor. Does anyone have any input? Has anyone else heard our ABA accreditation is at risk? When do you think EDMC will go bankrupt? How exactly do teach outs work in law school? I am so upset and frustrated. From the outside, everything seems to be fine, but if you start talking to students, especially 2Ls and 3Ls, it seems doubtful that the 2Ls or 1Ls will actually ever see their graduations at WSUCOL at Argosy.