Touro Law Receives $1 Million Gift from the Kermit Gitenstein Foundation
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Touro Law Receives $1 Million Gift from the Kermit Gitenstein Foundation
Distinguished Visiting Health Law & Policy Chair Established, Other Initiatives Underway
January 24, 2013Touro Law Center is pleased to announce a $1 million gift from the Kermit Gitenstein Foundation to establish the Kermit Gitenstein Distinguished Visiting Chair in Health Law and Policy.
This Chair is established as Touro Law begins developing a curricular program in Health Law and Policy. Currently, the law school is in the process of creating new collaborative initiatives with New York Medical College, also a part of the Touro College and University System.
“This is an exciting time for Touro and I am grateful to the Kermit Gitenstein Foundation for their generosity in supporting the establishment of this innovative Visiting Chair that will synergize relationships between our Law Center and Medical College,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Touro College and University System. “It will enhance the expertise of our students and faculty and create many opportunities for collaboration as they address a wide spectrum of issues that increasingly impact law and medicine.”
Beginning in the Spring of 2014, the Kermit Gitenstein Distinguished Visiting Chair in Health Law and Policy will bring a visiting professor to Touro Law for one semester each academic year to teach courses at the law school, lecture and participate in faculty and student life at the school.
“We are deeply grateful for this generous gift. It will enable us to attract world renowned scholars in Health Law and Policy to enrich the offerings for our students as we are expanding our curriculum in this area,” said Dean Patricia Salkin. “I am especially thankful to Steven Schlesinger, partner at Jaspan Schlesinger and head of the Foundation. Steve has been a good friend to Touro Law and we are grateful for his support.”
Dr. Edward C. Halperin, Chancellor at New York Medical College, founded in 1860 and now affiliated with the Touro College and University system, stated, "The rapid evolution of biomedical science challenges the law. How will our laws and public policies adapt to new knowledge and new social demands in genetics, personalized medicine, electronic medical records, beginning-of-life and end-of-life care, health care delivery, insurance, and health sciences education? The Gitenstein Visiting Chair will contribute to the essential dialogue that must take place between medicine and the law regarding issues of this type."
Touro Law Board of Governors member Steven Schlesinger, head of the Kermit Gitenstein Foundation stated, “I am pleased to provide these funds to Touro Law. I believe strongly this contribution will make a great impact for the school’s Health Law program and will benefit both Touro Law graduates and the legal community at large. I look forward to working with Touro for many years to come.”
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Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center’s 185,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is located adjacent to both a state and a federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. Touro Law’s proximity to the courthouses, coupled with programming developed to integrate the courtroom into the classroom, provide a one-of-a kind learning model for law students, combining a rigorous curriculum taught by expert faculty with a practical courtroom experience. Touro Law, which has a student body of approximately 750 and an alumni base of more than 5,000, offers full- and part-time J.D. programs, several dual degree programs and graduate law programs for US and foreign law graduates. Touro Law Center is part of the Touro College system.
About the Touro College and University System
Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 19,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has branch campuses, locations and instructional sites in the New York area, as well as branch campuses and programs in Berlin, Jerusalem, Moscow, Paris, and Florida. Touro University California and its Nevada branch campus, as well as Touro College Los Angeles and Touro University Worldwide as separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, please go to: http://www.touro.edu/media/.
Patti Desrochers
Director of Communications
pattid@tourolaw.edu
(631) 761-7062