VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) - Retailers say a proposal to move South Dakota’s only law school out of Vermillion could mean considerable business losses for the community in the southeastern part of the state.
University of South Dakota President James Abbott announced Friday that a panel would consider moving the university’s School of Law to Sioux Falls, about 60 miles north, to help boost lagging enrollment.
The school’s 2016 graduating class was nearly 60 students, down from more than 80 two years before, the Argus Leader (https://argusne.ws/2q85VsH ) reported.
The community is already small, at just under 11,000 people, said Michelle Maloney, a real estate agent in Vermillion. She said having students or faculty leave could have a significant impact on the local economy.
“When one person leaves here that means so much more to the economy than if one person left Sioux Falls,” Maloney said. “We fight very hard in a small town to keep the people we’ve got. To have 50 people leave, that would be a huge loss.”
It’s too early to say what the economic impact would be, said Nate Welch, executive director of the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Obviously there could be some effects to that, but as far as what they are, we will really have to wait and see,” he said.
Vermillion City Council President Kelsey Collier-Wise said she thinks moving the school to Sioux Falls won’t help attract qualified students. She said she doesn’t want the law school to move, but said the council probably won’t take a stance on the matter.
“Ultimately it’s USD’s decision to make,” Collier-Wise said. “I don’t see that the city has a lot to say about it unless they need something from us.”
The panel hasn’t been appointed yet, but Republican Rep. Mark Mickelson of Sioux Falls is expected to chair the group.
___
Information from: Argus Leader, https://www.argusleader.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.