Governator May Eliminate State Funding for Hastings Law School

California’s Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting almost all state funding for the Hastings College of the Law, California’s oldest law school.

The proposed $10.3 million cut would eliminate one-quarter of the school’s academic budget. The school says it cannot make any further faculty cuts, and could not accommodate more students.

Existing students would have to tolerate a tuition increase of $8,175 each to make up the shortfall.

Although Hastings is a state school, it is separate from other University of California law centers, and does not fall under the authority of the Board of Regents.

Some are asking why the state is opening a new law school at UC Irvine in August, but cutting the budget of a long-established and reputable school.