Page 8 - November-December-CBA-Report

(From L to R): UC Provost Valerio Ferme, former College of Law Dean Verna Williams, UC President Neville Pinto, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, College of Law Interim Dean Michael Whiteman, UC Foundation President
Peter Landgren cut the ribbon at the September 13, 2022 grand opening celebration.
New Home + Initiatives for UC College of Law: Helping Students Achieve Success
By Interim Dean Michael Whiteman
Photos provided by UC College of Law unless otherwise noted.
When I am asked what I like best about our new building,
UC Law’s jewels present on our academic crown, it also ensures without hesitation I reply, “It is student centered.” The
students are always on our top floor, where they can interact design of the University of Cincinnati College of Law’s
regularly with both our internal team and with members of the new home is one that puts students front and center, from top
community who visit our building.
to bottom. After a years-long capital campaign and construction
This design flows throughout the rest of our 116,735 square foot phase, we officially opened for study this August, culminating in
building. Most of our faculty have offices on the 4th and 5th floors, a grand opening on September 13.
but these floors also have spaces designed to maximize collabo- At the University of Cincinnati College of Law, we have always
ration and interaction. Small seminar rooms are located on both put students at the heart of our mission. With our new building,
floors, as well as library spaces, and one of UC Law’s newest legal we are able to merge our physical location with our educational
clinics, the Legal Access Clinic. Thus, two floors that in the past philosophy. Our new home is designed to maximize student
would have been exclusive to faculty, where students would have engagement and collaboration, whether that be student-to-stu-
only rarely trod, are now the frequent home of faculty, students, dent, student-to-faculty, or student-to-legal community.
Traditionally, law school spaces were designed with educa-
tional strata at the forefront. Though it served us well over the
years, our former home, constructed almost 100 years ago,
followed this principle. Faculty and administrators resided in lofty
locations unwelcoming to students. The faculty floor, the Dean’s
suite, even the law library, were all designed so students, faculty,
and administrators would know their proverbial place. Our new
home does away with that design concept in favor of recognizing
that every area of our building should be inviting and welcoming,
fostering a spirit of interaction and collaboration.
The pinnacle of our building, the beautiful 6th floor, features
sweeping views of Burnet Woods on one side and the whole of
campus on the other. On each floor, students are welcomed partic-
ipants. The Ohio Innocence Project shares the sixth floor with the
A look at the building exterior of the new College of Law. Dean, alumni, and advancement teams. Thus, not only is one of
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THE REPORT | November/December 2022 | CincyBar.org