Admitting Tulane and Loyola students to the UW Law School.

Here is our official announcement. There are some significant limitations — you have to be a Wisconsin or Minnesota resident, you must be 2L or 3L, and you have to pay tuition — but this is the offer [ADDED: I note that nonresident 2Ls and 3Ls might be admitted]:

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN LAW SCHOOL
Madison, Wisconsin
www.law.wisc.edu

We are prepared to admit students from the J.D. programs of Tulane and Loyola – New Orleans as visiting students for the Fall 2005 semester, subject to the conditions below. Our classes begin on Tuesday, September 6, although we recognize that some affected students will be unable to arrive on campus by that date.

Second- and Third-Year Students: We will admit as a visiting student any student who is a resident of Wisconsin or Minnesota (with whom Wisconsin shares tuition reciprocity). We will consider applications from students who are residents of other states, on a space available basis, if there are special reasons for them to be in Madison, such as the opportunity to reside with friends or family.

We will accept the students’ representation that they are in good standing at their home schools. Transfer of the credits earned at Wisconsin will require the approval of their home schools, and at present there remain some questions as to the circumstances under which Tulane and Loyola may grant that approval, particularly as to second-year students.

First-Year Students: Until we receive clearer guidance from Tulane or Loyola, we are not prepared to consider first-years on a visiting-student basis. We deeply sympathize with the plight of the first-year students at those schools, but also recognize that transferring credit for visiting-student work during the first year presents special issues for the home school. If at some time in the very near future either Tulane or Loyola chooses to grant that approval, we will follow the same residency guidelines as listed above. Until this issue is resolved, students who meet those residency guidelines are free to sit in on our first-year classes.

Tuition: All visiting students will be required to pay tuition. For residents of Wisconsin and Minnesota that tuition will be at the appropriate in-state level. For non-residents, the University administration is presently exploring whether partial credit may be given for tuition paid to the student’s home school or other reductions from the full rate of out-of-state tuition may be available.

Contact information: Please direct your inquiries to Michael A. Hall, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid -- mahall2@wisc.edu; 608-262-5914.