While Penn State is in the beginning processes of resurrecting its dissolved student legal services program, other Big Ten schools have been offering students legal assistance for decades.
It has been more than two years since Penn State has offered any such service to students. Previously, crime, law and justice senior lecturer Jose Texidor worked with university students for 10 years, lending them legal advice and counseling free of charge, until his contract for the service was not renewed.
The University Park Undergraduate Association is now in the preliminary stages of creating legal clinics for Penn State students.
Jim McGillivray, staff attorney at Indiana University, said the university's legal services have been offered for 40 years and are funded through a student activity fee.
The single biggest area he helps students with is landlord-tenant issues, followed closely by criminal matters, McGillivray said.
"If a student is having issues with a landlord, it can be an enormous distraction from what they're here for -- from getting an education and the whole college experience," he said. "I help them through the process and help them learn from it. If there's no one hurt or no property hurt, we can usually help them get out without permanent consequences."
Besides offering one-on-one help to students, McGillivray said he also conducts group talks in dorms for those who may be moving off campus and issues they should consider.
At the University of Iowa, supervising attorney for student legal services Greg Bal, said the university has offered legal counseling and representation in court hearings since the mid-1970s.
Bal said he is the only lawyer representing students at Iowa and is a full-time university employee.
While the university doesn't fully cover the cost of legal services through activity fees, charges apply depending on the type of case. Bal said these flat rates increase with the severity of the offense.
Bal said programs such as the one at Iowa are important for students because of the long-term effects it can have on a student's future.
"A lot of students don't realize that if they get in trouble, that is something they may be required to disclose on future job applications, and most graduate schools require that now," he said. "College is a place where people experiment, so it's important that they have legal services because they are going to get in trouble even if they're not guilty."
Like Indiana University, Bal said he also offers additional outreach services to students.
The University of Michigan has a full-service law office for their students, staffed by five attorneys.
The director of the program, Doug Lewis, said the attorneys aren't attached to their law school, but are part of the Dean of Students Office.
For 40 years, students have been able to seek legal advice on almost any issue they have encountered at Michigan. Lewis said they see a variety of cases, but will not provide help for student versus student or student versus the university matters.
Lewis said he thinks all universities should provide similar services to their students and has seen a need for one at other schools."Both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University have [legal services]. Eastern Michigan University doesn't have one, and those students are frequently requesting the same services," he said.
