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YES WE CAN. PASS THE BAR.The University of the District of Columbia as a land grant institutionis the only public institution of higher education in the District of Columbia.Its predecessor law schools, the Antioch School of Law andthe District of Columbia School of Law, have a unique history ofopening up the legal profession to poor people, people of color andwomen, who have been under-represented at the bar. District law furthermandates that the School of Law, to the extent feasible, enrollstudents from groups who are historically under-represented at thebar and serve the low-income residents of the District of Columbia. 36 15UDC-DCSL has had some unique challenges over the years. The District ofColumbia experienced a financial crisis in the early 1990's that directly impactedDCSL, the predecessor law school. The Law School experienced considerableinstability with ever-declining financial resources between 1994 and 1996 due toon-going changes in the governing structure of the District government. 3 ?According to the 2002 Self Study, the School of Law's low bar results alsoreflected the reality that as part of its mission to provide access to students fromunder-represented groups, the School of Law accepts more "at risk" studentsthan a more traditional school might. 38 Because the School of Law's mission is toeducate a diverse student body and to serve under-represented residents of theDistrict of Columbia, the bar passage numbers may reflect a disproportionatelylower rate. As part of its mission, the School of Law over the course of its historyhas recruited, admitted, and enrolled a diverse student body which has included ahigh number of minority students and students of color. At times, the school hasmaintained a predominantly minority student body.39 Several studies have"demonstrated that bar passage rate, especially on the first attempt, is signifi-36 D.C. CODE ANN. § 38-1202.06(2)(C)(ii)-(iii) (2010).37 See ABA, June 2003 Action Letter. In its letter extending the School of Law's provisionalapproval for an additional two years, the ABA found that the "significant financial difficulties experiencedby the District of Columbia during the 1990's and the effect of those financial difficulties onthe University of the District of Columbia and on the School [of Law] constitute an extraordinarycause and good cause sufficient to justify extending the School's provisional approval beyond thenormal five year period." During this time, enrollment dropped and some thirty students transferred.A merger subsequently occurred between DCSL and the University of the District of Columbia whichcombined resources and enabled the School of Law to lease space from the University. On April 28.1998, legislation renaming the new University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School ofLaw was signed into law by President Clinton. See Self Study. supra note 28, at 3-5.38 In recognition of this effort, the School of Law launched its Mason Enhancement Program, asummer program to introduce at risk students to the study of law and to prepare them for the demandsof law school. The goals of the program are to familiarize students with the stringent demandsand expectations of law school so that they may realistically prepare for entrance to the first yearprogram. See Self Study. supra note 28, at 23.39 See Shelley Broderick, The Nation's Urban Land Grant School, 40 U. ToL. L. REV. 305, 309(2009) (the student body tends to be about half students of color-about 30% African American).