Mixed reaction to law school name change

An alumnus of the Dalhousie law school and the current law society president say a change in the school's name alters the school's tradition.

It's still the Weldon Law Building. It's still the Sir James Dunn Law Library. But it's no longer Dalhousie Law School.

Last Thursday, Dalhousie Law School announced that the school would be known as the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie. The name change accompanies a $20-million gift given to the school by businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich. While most students currently attending the school aren't bothered by the change, there are those alumni and law society students who are adamantly against it.

Mike Paris, a 2008 Dalhousie Law graduate and the former president of the Law Students' Society, started a Facebook group titled "Alumni Opposed to the Renaming of Dalhousie Law School." The group has 61 members.

Paris says changing the name of the school will hurt its history.

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The Weldon Law Building now shares its name with the Schulich School of Law. Laura Hochman photo.

"First-year law students spend the first two days reviewing the tradition and history of the school," he says. "It's the oldest in the British Commonwealth. Changing the name tampers with the identity of the law school."

The school is steeped in a tradition students fondly refer to as the Weldon tradition.

"It's about unselfish public service," explains Paris. "The second floor of the building is full of the names and pictures of people who have been applauded for their unselfish public service."

Both he and the current president of the Law Students' Society, Michelle McBride, say Schulich's gift was not given in the same service.

"It was a purchase and sale of naming rights," says Paris. "He bought the naming rights to the law school under the guise of a donation."

"They didn't consult students at all," says McBride. "We were obviously surprised. We feel alienated and we feel isolated from the announcement and the process." She says students and faculty weren't even invited to the announcement at which Schulich gave a speech. Dalhousie was concerned there would be too many people.

McBride managed to get 17 students invited as well as 10 faculty. The rest of the attendees were donors, their guests and the administration.

"We are looking forward to what the money is going to be used for," says McBride. "But there were a lot of reservations. A lot of third-year students who signed up for Dal will now be graduating from Schulich. It's changing an institution so old and traditional."

Paris suggests that Schulich could have had a plaque or a statue. Instead "his name will be on every degree."

Not everyone is as nostalgic as Paris. Faculty of Law professor Robert Currie says the name change doesn't bother him one bit.

"Schulich's money is geared towards doing what we already do, but doing it better," he says. "Lord Dalhousie was another rich guy. He set up the school and it was named after him. In principle, I don't see a difference."

Second-year law student Jade Buchanan says that it's not ideal, "but it's just a name on a degree.

"It will remind me of all the people who contributed to my education. It will remind me of the importance of giving back. When I look at my degree it will remind me that it's time for me to give back too. We're still Dalhousie. It's still the Weldon Law Building," he says with conviction. "Hopefully people will associate the name change with something good as opposed to putting the worst possible spin on it."

The name change is part of the contract between Schulich and the school, but the details of the contract aren't disclosed as per standard business practice, says Billy Comeau, communications officer at Dal.

In his speech Schulich gave examples of the success his donations have created at the five other Schulich schools around Canada. These include an increase in student enrolment, faculty numbers and donations received by the schools. He's "highly confident the branding of Dalhousie's Law School will usher in a similar era of growth to that enjoyed by each of the five Schulich Schools."

Among other improvements the money will be used to create 24 scholarships this year with 41 more being awarded in 2010.

"No one wants to be disparaging or discouraging of the gift," says Paris, "but I think it's arrogant to place yourself on top of history."

A person who identified himself as Jonathan T. Ng writes in a posting on Alumni Opposed to the Renaming of Dalhousie Law School, 

"For $200 million, maybe. Not $20 million."

"It's rather extravagant," says Paris.

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