Waters of the West Strategic Initiative

College of Law has Launched the "Waters of the West" Initiative. Due to the efforts of law professor Barbara Cosens and colleagues across the University, the College of Law played a central role in creating a new interdisciplinary graduate program in water resources with law, policy and management tracks.

Entitled "Waters of the West," the program offers graduate-level instruction bringing science and law to bear on water resources issues. The program is one of five new initiatives selected from 43 campus-wide proposals.

The new Water Resources Program launched through the Waters of the West Initiative  makes possible M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in water resources with the following option areas:

•  Water Resources Engineering and Science
•  Water Resources Science and Management
•  Water Resources Law, Management and Policy

Concurrent JD/MS or JD/PhD degrees can be obtained in any of the three option areas. Law students in the concurrent program will join a community of students and faculty representing 13 departments and 6 colleges at the University of Idaho.

During the first five years of the "Waters of the West" initiative, University funding will enable the College of Law to hire a new law professor and a law teaching fellow. Thereafter, the College will use privately raised funds and (as needed) law student professional fee funds to sustain the initiative. "Waters of the West" is an important step toward achieving a distinctive emphasis in natural resources and environmental law, as envisioned by the faculty in strategic planning for the College of Law. Further information specifically regarding "Waters of the West" is available from Professor Cosens: bcosens@uidaho.edu.