Administrative Announcements December 14 - December 21, 2015

Administrative Announcements December 14 - December 21, 2015

Financial Aid Office

            -Fall 2015 Final Financial Aid Disbursements

            -Spring 2016 Registration & Financial Aid

            -Spring 2016 Financial Aid Disbursement

            -Spring 2016 Financial Aid Refund for Living Expenses

            -Spring 2016 Tuition Payment Deadline

            -Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

Fall 2015 Final Financial Aid Disbursements

In order to remain in compliance with federal financial aid disbursement requirements, the USF One Stop Office has announced that final financial aid disbursement for the Fall 2015 semester will be on Monday, December 14.  Final processing of any financial aid disbursements for the fall semester INCLUDING any emergency loan requests will be Tuesday, December 15, 2015.  No exceptions will be made after December 16. 

The next anticipated financial aid disbursements will occur for the Spring 2016 semester on January 4, 2016.

Spring 2016 Registration & Financial Aid

All law students must be in good academic standing AND registered for Spring 2016 classes before any Spring 2016 financial aid can be disbursed  (unless there is a hold on your student record for an unpaid fall balance or any other administrative or academic matter).  No aid for Spring 2016 will be disbursed unless you are registered for the minimum number of units required by the US. Department of Education for Financial Aid Disbursement, which is 6 units minimum for full time students and 3 units minimum for part time students.*

*Please note: that USF School of Law School requires that all full time students register for a minimum of 12 units per semester and all part time students register for a minimum of 8 units per semester.

If you do not register for Spring 2016 classes during the fall online registration period, your financial aid will NOT disburse until AFTER you register for classes during the late registration period which begins on January 7, 2016.  Funds typically disburse to the University twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Once you are registered for the appropriate number of units, funds will disburse on the next Monday orWednesday, depending on when you complete late registration.

Spring 2016 Financial Aid Disbursement

The earliest disbursement date for Spring 2016 financial aid is Monday, January 4, 2016.

To be eligible to receive financial aid, students must be in good academic standing and have accepted the financial aid offered to them and completed all other requirements for disbursement including being registered for spring classes. Please be aware that waitlisted units do NOT count towards the minimum unit requirement for financial aid disbursement. 

If you have not applied for financial aid for the 2015-2016 academic year, you can still apply for aid by completing the 2015-2016 FAFSA atwww.fafsa.ed.gov.  You must complete the current 2015-2016 FAFSA no later than April 1, 2016 in order to be considered for aid for this current academic year.  Be sure to list USF’s Title IV code which is 001325 on your FAFSA.

Financial Aid Refund for Living Expenses

The disbursement date is NOT the date that you actually receive a refund in your bank account.  The disbursement date is when funds are sent to the University on your behalf.  Once funds are disbursed to the University and your tuition bill is paid, it takes an additional 2-5 business days for any excess aid (or refund) to reach your bank account if you are signed up for direct deposit refund processing.  Please be aware that the University only processes loan refunds twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, whichever comes first after disbursement.

IMPORTANT: For students enrolled in direct deposit refund processing, this means that you may not receive your financial aid refund in your bank account until the first week of class on January 11. Please be sure to plan your finances accordingly. Please note that the Law School has no control over the refund processing schedule as it is performed by the USF One Stop Office.

Students not signed up for direct deposit refund processing will be sent a refund check 10-15 days AFTER funds disburse.   You can sign up for direct deposit refund processing online.  Instructions are available at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/onestop/billing-tuition/refunds

Spring 2016 Tuition Payment Deadline

Spring 2016 Tuition payment is due on January 2, 2016.  The USF One Stop Student Accounts Office has already posted your Spring 2016 tuition bill on your USF student account.  You can view your bill online via your myUSF student account.  Payment must be made by personal funds, Authorized Financial Aid, a combination of personal funds and Authorized Financial Aid, or you must be signed up for the payment plan by January 2, 2016:  https://myusf.usfca.edu/onestop/billing-tuition/payment-plan

If you are utilizing financial aid to cover your spring tuition bill, your financial aid will be noted as Authorized Financial Aid on your billing statement and will be credited towards your spring bill. If your Authorized Financial Aid is sufficient to cover your spring bill, there is no additional payment that you need to make at this time.

IMPORTANT- Failure to make your tuition payment by the above payment methods will result in the cancellation of your spring class registration by the USF One Stop Office and a hold will be placed on your student record.  You will not be allowed to re-register until you have reconciled your spring tuition payment.  Once that is done, the hold will be lifted and you will be allowed to re-register during the add-drop/late registration period which begins on January 2, 2016.

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

Justice Hollis G. Best Scholarship

Each candidate must be a law student who has successfully completed at least one year of law school. Strong preference will be given to current residents of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare or Tuolumne Counties.

Primary considerations are academic achievement and the breadth and depth of the applicant’s extracurricular and community activities. Financial need and demonstrated leadership capabilities are also taken into consideration. Applications may be obtained by emailing the contact below, or emailing the USF Law Financial Aid Office.

Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: 12/31/2015

Contact: Margo Feldkamp (559) 445-5625; Email: margo.feldkamp@jud.ca.gov

Fish & Richardson 1L Diversity Fellowship Program

The 1L Diversity Fellowship Program consists of four components. Each selected Fellow receives a $5,000 scholarship, mentoring from members of the firm, a paid Summer Associate position in the Fish & Richardson office of the Fellow's choice, and participation in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity 1L Scholars Program.

Award Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 01/10/2016

http://www.fr.com/diversity/#fellowship

The St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco Scholarship

The Scholarship is intended to recognize scholarship, community service, and service to God as exemplified by our Patron, St. Thomas More.

Award Amount: $2,000
Deadline: 1/15/2016

http://www.stthomasmore-sf.org/

McAndrews Held & Malloy Diversity in Patent Law Fellowship

Candidate must be a first year law student at an accredited law school with a diverse background, which would improve diversity in the field of intellectual property law; have a degree in science, or engineering and intend to practice patent law in Chicago, Illinois. The firm intends to award a paid summer associate (clerkship) position for a period of 10 to 12 weeks following the recipient’s completion of his/her first year of law school. The position is part of McAndrews’ Summer Clerkship program, which annually attracts some of the most promising IP-focused law students in the nation.

The firm intends to award a $5,000 fellowship on or about September 1, 2016, at the completion of the clerkship.

Award Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 1/15/2016

http://www.mcandrews-ip.com/diversity_fellowship.html

Arent Fox Diversity Scholarship

Arent Fox will provide a scholarship award in the amount of $15,000 to three first-year law students, position in the 2016 Summer Program, and an opportunity to attend the leadership conference in Chicago, IL.

Award Amount: $15,000
Deadline: 1/20/2016

http://www.arentfox.com/firm/diversity/diversity-scholarship

California Bar Foundation Public Interest Bar Exam Scholarship

Through the Diversity in the Public Interest Scholarship, the Foundation awards BarBri Bar exam review courses (valued at more than $4,000) and cash awards to recent and soon-to-be diverse graduates of California law schools.  

Award Amount: Varies
Deadline: 2/16/2016

http://www.calbarfoundation.org/3l-diversity-scholarship.html

La Raza Lawyers Association-Central Valley Chapter/Hon. Mario Olmos Memorial Scholarship

Applicants must be presently enrolled in the first, second, third or fourth year of legal study. Application materials can be picked up in the Law Financial Aid Office. 

Award Amount: $1,000 to $3,000
Deadline: 03/04/2016

http://larazalaw.com/

If you have any questions related to financial aid, please feel free to contact the Law Financial Aid Office at 415.422.6210 or email lawfinaid@usfca.edu.

Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project 

Application Open!

The Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project was established by Professor Steve Shatz to involve law students in the interim reform, and ultimate abolition, of the death penalty in the United States. Directed by Professor Amy Flynn, the principal program of the project has been the Southern Internship Program, which each summer sends law students to work with capital defense attorneys in the South.

The 2016 program will include up to 12 students from USF and UC Berkeley School of Law.  After four training sessions in March and April, the program will run from May 31 to August 5, 2016.

This program is open to students who have completed at least one year of law study as a full-time student prior to the summer.  Applications for the program may be submitted beginning November 15, 2015 through January 15, 2016. A student wishing to apply should submit the following by email to Professor Flynn at amflynn@usfca.edu:

  • A cover letter describing his or her interest in participating in the program;
  • A current resume; and
  • A law school grade report, if available.

More information is available on the School of Law website at https://www.usfca.edu/law/professional-skills/keta-taylor-colby-death-penalty-project.

Please email kaquijano@usfca.edu if you have any additional questions.

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Office of the Registrar

Writing Requirement Submissions
Students who are completing their Upper Division Research and Writing Requirement project the Fall 2015 term should email a copy of the final version that was/is submitted to your professor (once submitted) to lawregistrar@usfca.edu.  This copy is needed by the Law Registrar’s Office before we can post the final CR/NC grade.

Law School classroom Door Access During the Exam Period
The Law School classrooms (all Rotunda classrooms and conference rooms in both Kendrick and Zief, but excluding the Moot Courtroom) will remain unlocked 24/7 through Saturday 12/19/2015.  The Kendrick and Zief exterior doors do lock earlier so be sure to have your ID card on you.  Of course, please be sure to keep you and under your watch.

Examinations Emergencies
If you experience illness or other examination emergency, please notify the Law Registrar’s Office immediately, or as soon as you are aware of the condition/situation. Do NOT contact your professor for any reason (as this may count as an examination violation).  Additional information and emergency procedures are defined in the Examination Policies and Procedures (http://www.usfca.edu/law/registrar/exams/).  Note that approved rescheduled examinations due to an emergency are never given early; they are postponed.

Registrar’s Office Hours During Reading Period:

Law Registrar’s Office Hours During the Fall 2015

Final Exam Period*

Final Examination Period (Week 2)

Monday 

14-Dec

8:30am - 7pm

Tuesday

15-Dec

8:30am - 5pm

Wednesday

16-Dec

8:30am - 7pm

Thursday

17-Dec

8:30am - 7pm

Friday

18-Dec

8:30am - 5pm

Saturday

19-Dec

CLOSED

Sunday

20-Dec

CLOSED

Final Examination Period (Week 2)

Mon - Tues

21-22 Dec

8:30am - 5pm

Wed – Sun

23-Dec / Jan 3

CLOSED

 
*Hours may be subject to change without notice.
NOTE: The office may need to close (temporarily) periodically during the examination season to help with in-class examinations.

 

Exam Policies
The following exam polices govern exams given at the School of Law: https://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration/exam-information#policies.  All students are held to these policies, even if they have not read them. Please note that students are not allowed to use or check their cell phones during the exam (including time spent out of the exam room during a bathroom break, etc.) until all exams are collected.  

Fall 2015 Grading Deadlines & Viewing Grades:
Professors generally have about 21 days (+/-) from the date of the examination to submit grades.  The Registrar's Office will begin posting grades immediately, upon receipt, after the exam period has ended (Saturday 12/19).  Grades are viewable on USF Connect on the business day after posting.   Grades will be posted daily and as quickly as possible. If necessary, the office will close for segments of the work day to expedite grade posting.   A list of the grading deadlines is posted online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration.  Grades posted will be updated on this list at the close of each business day beginning 12/19/2015.

Fall 2015 Percentages

Cumulative GPA Percentage Cut-Offs will be complies after all final grades have been received in mid-January.  All students will be notified via USF email once they are available.

 

Questions? Contact the Law Registrar’s Office at: (415) 422-6778 or lawregistrar@usfca.edu.

Office of Student Affairs

Spots available on a first come-first serve basis to join alumni in the BASF Basketball League! 

Do you enjoy playing basketball? 

Are you looking for a fun and casual way to network with Bay area attorneys?

For the first time, the Bar Association of San Francisco is having its competitive basketball league here at USF's Koret Center. With our home court advantage, this is a great chance to gather some USF teams of alumni, professors and students! 

Here are some basic details on the league:

  • Begins January 2016
  • Games every Tuesday evening for 10-11 weeks
  • Teams can be co-ed, 8 to 9 players
  • Cost is $750 per team
  • Must be a member of BASF to play. See here for information on Student Memberhsip.

The location is outdated, but more detailed information can be found at the BASFBasketball League web page. 

Students interested in joining a team or in learning more about this opportunity should contact Megan Watt at mwatt@usfca.edu.