Elon University trustees, who are considering opening a school of law in downtown Greensboro, N.C., held a special meeting on Sept. 17 to tour the former Central Public Library and review a letter of intent from the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Inc. Details...
Elon trustees endorsed the concept of the law school last March and authorized administrators and a subcommittee of the board to work with potential benefactors to raise the necessary start-up financing. The special board meeting was designed to give trustees an update on fundraising activities and negotiations with the City of Greensboro by the Bryan Foundation, which has been spearheading efforts to locate the school in Greensboro.
Trustees were given background on the former downtown library, which is now being used temporarily for city offices. They toured the builiding’s four floors and heard about renovation options from Gerald Whittington, Elon’s vice president for business, finance and technology.
Following the building tour, trustees took a bus tour of downtown Greensboro and then held a meeting to review the letter of intent. It outlines the arrangements that are being developed to provide the university with $10 million in start-up financing and use of the former downtown library facility for the law school.
Bryan Foundation President Jim Melvin told trustees about plans to create a special fund, consolidating donations from foundations, corporations and individuals, to provide Elon with the necessary financing. More than $9 million has been raised to date. The Bryan Foundation is also negotiating to purchase the building from the city and grant it to Elon for use as a law school.
“Trustees are very pleased with the progress on the arrangements and hope to finalize the necessary contracts within a few weeks,” said Leo M. Lambert, Elon president. “As soon as the funds are in place and negotiations with the city are completed, trustees can vote to authorize creation of the school and we can move into the implementation phase.”
Trustees also discussed establishing a board of advisers that would assist and advise the university in creation of the school.
“The board of advisers will be a crucial resource for the law school, especially in these early stages as we lay the foundation and begin to hire key personnel,” Lambert said.
First steps in creating the school will include launching a search for the founding dean and beginning architectural work on renovation of the facility. The goal is to enroll the first class in fall 2006.
The former library building, which is located at the corner of West Friendly Avenue and North Greene Street, would provide about 69,000 square feet of space on four floors, meeting the space needs spelled out in Elon’s law school feasibility study.
