Recent media reports about the Scalia Law School budget deficit do not take into account the full measure of what is required to operate a highly competitive, top-ranked law school under current conditions.
The tuition-discounting practice is common among top-ranked schools that compete for highly credentialed students. Most law schools, including the Scalia Law School, make up the difference with revenue from other programs (including LLM programs), private donations, and university support. More recently, George Mason University has been exploring additional financial support for the law school.
Public law schools discount JD tuition in order to provide greater access to legal education, especially to first-generation attorneys. For the past several years, the law school has offered generous financial aid to support increasingly selective, and smaller, cohorts of JD students.
The Scalia Law School budget is a reflection of the fact that, like for most public law schools, operating expenses cannot be covered with JD revenue alone. Most law schools would show similar deficits if they were to use only JD revenue.
As it would do with any of its schools or colleges experiencing fiscal challenges, the university is working with law school leadership and the Board of Visitors to find solutions that will result in additional support to help offset the school’s operational expenses and to position it for long-term fiscal sustainability.
The Scalia Law School remains one of the nation’s leading law schools and one of the highest ranked schools at George Mason University, with a US News ranking of No. 28 nationally and 11th among public law schools. In addition, its part-time law program is ranked No. 2 among public law schools. The Scalia Law School is one of the jewels of George Mason University. George Mason University is committed to providing the law school with the resources it needs to remain one of the nation’s leading law schools.