University of Virginia Library

RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LAW SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
NOVEMBER 12, 1948

WHEREAS such is the national standing of the University of Virginia Law School that it
would inevitably be included in any representative list of the leading law schools of the country,

WHEREAS the Law School is the only department of the University operating at a profit,

WHEREAS the former of these two highly desirable conditions is due in part and the latter
entirely to a large number of students;

WHEREAS this volume cannot be maintained without a faculty of actual and recognized ability
and proper balance between career teachers and experienced practitioners,

WHEREAS it has become increasingly difficult to either retain existing professors or to
attract new men of the desired caliber at the present salary scale of the Law School,

WHEREAS maintenance of the present high standards of the Law School will continue to add
to the prestige of the University but a lowering of them will by the same token hurt every department
of the institution;

WHEREAS from a purely dollars-and-cents viewpoint a superior law school of a large number
of students operating at a profit with a strong and adequately-paid faculty is preferable to an inferior
school of a small number of students operating at a deficit with a weak but lower-paid faculty,

WHEREAS after careful study this Council has heretofore recommended that the existing basic
salary scale for full professors be increased from two at $10,000 and six at $8,125 to three at
$15,000, two at $10,000 and three at $8,125 at a total additional cost of $20,625 a year; and

WHEREAS the proposed new salary scale is a minimum only, substantially lower than that now
prevailing at certain other law schools with which the University is in direct competition for both
faculty and students;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the University of Virginia Law School that
a copy hereof be forthwith transmitted to the Dean of the Law School with the urgent request that in
preparing for submission to the President of the University a proposed budget for the Law School for
the 1949-50 session he use the basic salary scale heretofore recommended by this Council,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy hereof be forthwith transmitted to the President of the
University with the urgent request that in preparing a budget for submission to the Rector and Board
of Visitors for the 1949-50 session he in turn likewise incorporate the higher salary scale for law
professors; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies hereof be forthwith transmitted to the Rector and other
members of the Board of Visitors of the University with the urgent request that they approve the
recommendation herein made.

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There was a general discussion of the necessity of the Law School's securing the ablest
faculty members to maintain its present eminence in this country.

After departure of the Committee a motion was passed requesting Mr. Gay to meet with the
Finance Committee of the Law School Alumni Association and explain to them why the Board feels that
it cannot at this time join in the recommendation of the Law School Alumni Association, but hopes
that some provision can be made in the future.