Lubar Gift Opens Path to “So Much More” in Law School Public Policy Programs

Sheldon LubarIn the announcement of a $5.5 million endowment gift by Milwaukee philanthropists Sheldon and Marianne Lubar to support public policy work at Marquette Law School, perhaps the most important statement came from Sheldon Lubar himself: “There is so much more to be done.”

The gift, announced Tuesday, will be added to a $1.5 million endowment gift made by the Lubars in 2010, to create a $7 million fund for continuing support of the efforts of the Law School. The public policy initiative began in 2007 with the hiring of Mike Gousha, distinguished fellow in law and public policy. It has grown to include numerous conferences, candidate debates, the “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” series of conversations, the Marquette Law School Poll, the Water Law and Policy Initiative, and other efforts to further serious, balanced discussion of major issues of all kinds.

“In recent years in particular, Marquette Law School has played a leading role in significant discussions and research on important topics,” Sheldon Lubar said. “At the same time, there is so much more to do. We are pleased to expand our support of this work.”

The initiative will be named the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education. In addition, the Appellate Courtroom of Eckstein Hall, where many major events are held, will be named the Lubar Center.

Marquette University President Michael R. Lovell said, “Marquette greatly appreciates the faith of Shel and his family in our university’s ability to bring greater understanding through constructive conversations.”

Joseph D. Kearney, Dean and Professor of Law, said, “Marquette University Law School is deeply committed to serving our community in ways even beyond our primary goal of providing outstanding legal education to our students. . . . We seek to enhance that role and to bring important ideas and people to our community through the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education.”

The Lubar Center will support public policy research initiatives and civic education at the Law School and beyond. This includes public events, funding for faculty and staff involved in the center, and research and reporting projects.

The initial Lubar gift has supported numerous research projects and innovative partnerships with journalism entities, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Milwaukee Business Journal.

In addition to the Lubar Fund, the Law School supports its public policy initiative with donations from its annual fund.

Gousha said, “Whether it is hearing from candidates for public office, exploring new ideas for addressing policy challenges, or providing independent research, data collection, and analysis, our goal is to be a resource for the region and state.”

The full news release announcing the gift may be found by clicking here.

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A Win for Judicial Sentencing Discretion in Armed Robbery Cases; Additional Reform Still Needed

A photo of the Supreme CourtEarlier this month, in Dean v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that federal sentencing judges retain some discretion to soften the notoriously draconian sentencing scheme of 18 U.S.C. §924(c). The statute establishes a mandatory prison term when a defendant uses or possesses a firearm in connection with a violent or drug trafficking crime. Unlike most minimums, though, this one must be imposed to run consecutively with any other sentences imposed at the same time. Thus, for instance, a defendant convicted of both a robbery and possession of a firearm during the robbery must get at least five years on top of whatever sentence is ordered for the robbery.

But what if a judge—in light of all of the facts of the case and the circumstances of the defendant—decides that five years is a sufficient punishment for the crime? Could the judge impose a sentence of just one day on the robbery count, so that the total sentence does not exceed what is necessary? In other words, in sentencing for the robbery count, can the judge take into consideration what she will have to impose for the §924(c) count?

Yes, said the Supreme Court in Dean.  

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Children’s Hospital Chief Says Her “North Star” Is Good Health for All Kids

When Peggy Troy returned to the Milwaukee area about eight years ago to become president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, she was struck by the disparities in children’s health she found. She had been a hospital executive in Memphis and expected that things were better overall in Milwaukee. But when it came to medical issues affecting thousands of children in high-poverty neighborhoods, that wasn’t really the case. The disparities in Milwaukee’s central city were some of the worst in the nation.

Since then, Troy has been a central figure in accelerating the efforts by Children’s and many community partners to improve the overall health of children in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin. While the national reputation of Children’s for its medical work has continued to rise, the mission statement for the institution goes beyond delivering care for patients. It is to make Wisconsin’s children the healthiest in the nation.

That broader mission was Troy’s focus during an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” program at Marquette Law School on Thursday.  

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