While the outcome of the lawsuit filed to stop the construction of a law school at the University Park campus has yet to be concluded, the university can continue to raise funds for a law school that could possibly not exist if the suit does not go its way.

In a civil lawsuit filed to halt the progress of the University Park law school campus, Cumberland County Judge Edward Guido denied a preliminary request to halt the project because it is at a "critical" stage.

"Critical," meaning critical for getting students and money for a location that may never exist.

A full trial in May will determine the outcome of the suit filed by three members of the Dickinson School of Law's Board of Governors, which says the university broke the 1997 merger agreement between the two schools.

Meanwhile, the university can raise money for the new facilities and advertise to students that they could potentially attend law school at the University Park campus.

The projected opening date for the University Park campus is 2008, so students beginning their legal studies next fall could possibly commit to the Dickinson School of Law somewhere during their academic career.

While this is a possibility, it is not a certainty. The university seems to be ignoring the fact that the lawsuit could go the other way. Despite the fact that preliminary request to halt the project was denied by Guido, the possibility does still exist that he will change his ruling on the situation after the entire case is presented in May.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon, said, however, that the university is confident that the court will rule in its favor. But how confident is too confident? Are they confident enough to begin building new facilities for the law school? If they are willing to start raising funds, willing to begin hiring contractors and willing to disrupt campus with construction, then they better be 100 percent sure that the suit will go the university's way.

What happens if the university continues to raise funds, begins construction and then, the suit does not go its way?

That's an awfully big hole to dig out of - literally.

Furthermore, the final agreement between the university and the Board of Governors to create a dual-campus plan sets a June 1 deadline for Gov. Ed Rendell to grant $25 million in state funds to the project, or the agreement will become null and void, leaving the whole law school in Carlisle.

There are too many "what ifs?" And with this much money involved, one is too many.