Sylvester appointment as dean noted in Arizona Republic


The Arizona Republic noted the appointment of Douglas Sylvester as Dean of the College of Law in a March 30 article titled, “New ASU law-school dean aims to reduce tuition costs.”

In the article, by reporter Luci Scott, Sylvester said making law school more affordable is his No. 1 goal, and he plans to raise money for scholarships through outreach to the legal community.

“I hope they’ll pitch in to help the next generation of lawyers; they were subsidized by the taxpayers of Arizona, and these current students aren’t,” Sylvester told Scott. “That’s the difference.”

Sylvester said another focus of his is to help graduates find jobs.

During his 10-month tenure as Interim Dean, Sylvester said the school became more active in connecting students with potential employers. He said he is exploring post-graduate opportunities for students, including the idea of partnering with agencies to help pay salaries of jobs in public interest positions. Sylvester also said he is considering creating a legal equivalent to a residency for new physicians, in which law students could spend a couple of years getting training in specific areas.

Read the article here.