January 25 - February 1, 2016
January 25 - February 1, 2016
Faculty Services
Seeking Nominations of Graduating Students for Prestigious Labor and Employment Law Award
The Co-Directors of USF’s Labor and Employment Law Program invite all students and faculty members to submit nominations of graduating students to be considered for the ABA/Bloomberg Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law, which the Law School has been awarding annually since 2004. This Award recognizes outstanding achievement and commitment to the labor and employment law field, which may be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including active and thoughtful engagement in the law school’s curricular and non- curricular offerings, volunteer or work experience, and relevant research or scholarly work.
Please email the names of nominees by February 1st to Professor Michelle Travis (matravis@usfca.edu), Professor Tristin Green (tgreen4@usfca.edu), or Professor MariaOntiveros (ontiveros@usfca.edu). Self-nominations are welcome. You may also include a brief explanation of why you believe the individual is a strong candidate for the Award. Award recipients will be announced at the Annual Jack Pemberton Lecture on Workplace Justice, which will take place at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at 6:30pm on Thursday, February 25th. Recipients will also have their names listed in the graduation program and will receive a certificate, book award, and recognition on the BNA/Bloomberg website.
Financial Aid Office
-Spring 2016 Registration & Financial Aid
-Spring 2016 Financial Aid Disbursement
-Spring 2016 Financial Aid Refund for Living Expenses
-Spring 2016 Tuition Payment Deadline
-Important Information for 2L, 3L and 4L Part Time Students Regarding Add/Drop
-Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines
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 did 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 was 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 at www.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.
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 was 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
IMPORTANT- Failure to make your tuition payment by the above payment methods will result in late fees assessed on your student account by the USF One Stop Office and a Hold will be placed on your student record. The Hold will prevent you from receiving certain services from the University and Law School, including the opportunity to Add or Drop a class, request official transcripts and register for upcoming summer and/or fall classes if applicable. Holds will be lifted only AFTER tuition reconciliation is completed.
Important Information for 2L, 3L and 4L Part Time Students Regarding Add/Drop
Late registration and Add/Drop began on Thursday, January 7, 2016, AFTER your spring financial aid disbursed and AFTER had already been processed for a financial aid refund. Adjustments to your financial aid may be necessary if any of the following situations occur during Add/Drop:
If you Add a class AFTER your refund has been processed, you will be immediately billed for the additional units. You will need to submit a payment with personal funds to pay for the additional units (or make an personal payment using the funds you received as a refund). If you already received the maximum financial aid for the semester BEFORE you added class, you can request additional financial aid to cover the cost of the additional units. For more information, please contact Rosanna Woods, the Assistant Director for Law Financial Aid at rlwoods@usfca.edu or call 415.422.6210.
If you Drop a class AFTER your refund has been processed, with the intention of adding another class with the same unit value, you must Add and Drop on the same day, otherwise you run the risk of a an outstanding tuition balance due on your USF student account.
If you Drop a class after your refund has been processed, and you do not intend to add another class, you will create a credit on your USF student account. You must notify the Law Financial Aid Office immediately by contacting Rosanna woods, the Assistant Director for Law Financial Aid, at the contact information above. Otherwise you will be inadvertently issued a refund for this credit, which you will be required to repay the University since you are not eligible to receive financial aid for this dropped class.
Important: The Law Financial Aid Office will conduct an audit of all Part Time students' financial aid records after the February 1, 2016 census date (last day to withdraw without penalty). If your financial aid for the spring semester is not appropriate for the unit load you are registered for, we will make the necessary adjustments to your aid and you will be notified via email. Please remember that any over-award (receiving financial aid in excess of your unit load), will result in the USF One Stop Office returning those funds to the lender and creating a balance due on your USF student account. It is critically important that you review your student account after the census date to insure that your account is reconciled. Any unpaid balance will result in late fees assessed on your student account and a Hold placed on your student record, which will prevent you from registering for the upcoming fall semester.
Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines
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/bar-exam-scholarship.html
Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship
Applicants for the Jones Johnson Scholarship must be a member of the NAACP and under 25 years of age. Awards are based on GPA and academic achievement.
Award Amount: Up to $2,000
Deadline: March 2016
http://www.poisefoundation.org/programs/scholarships.html
California Bar Diversity Scholarship
The California Bar Foundation's Diversity Scholarship financially supports first-year California law students with the goal of furthering diversity in the legal profession. Diversity includes a broad array of backgrounds and life experiences, including students from groups or with skills or attributes that are underrepresented in the legal profession, and specifically including students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Award Amount: $7,500
Deadline: Apps Available March 2016
http://www.calbarfoundation.org/diversity-scholarship.html
Chicana / Latina Foundation Scholarship Program
Each year the Chicana Latina Foundation awards merit-based scholarships to Latina college students, valued at $1,500 dollars each. This year we are delighted to offer 31 scholarships.
Award Amount: $1,500
Deadline: March 2016
Farella Braun + Martel 1L Diversity Scholarship
Applicants must be current first-year, full or part-time (attending first-year classes) law students who are students of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, disabled, or whose background or experience would otherwise contribute to the diversity of the legal profession.
Award Amount: $10,000
Deadline: March 2016
http://www.fbm.com/Diversity_Scholarship_Program/
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
LULAC National Scholarship Fund
The LULAC National Scholarship Fund was established to provide scholarships to qualified Hispanic students attending accredited colleges, universities, and graduate schools in the United States.
Award Amount: $250 to $2,000
Deadline: March 31 of each year
http://www.lnesc.org/site/338/Scholarships/LULAC-National-Scholarship-Fund
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
Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
Calling all 2Ls and 3Ls to be Survey AuthorsSurvey authors are assigned a recent and groundbreaking court case involving different areas of intellectual property and technology law and write a short, succinct ‘survey’ (3 pages or less) of the case. Training, editing, and help is provided by the IPLB staff, and students have a week to write the quick case summary. This is an easy way to be published and enhance your resume. If you are interested, or have any questions, please email the IPLB’s Senior Survey Editor, Laura Whiteside, at lawhiteside@usfca.edu with (1) a short statement of interest (250 words or less) and (2) which (if any) area of IP/ technology law particularly interests you by Monday, February 1st. Please make the subject line of the email Survey Author Application.
LLM in Tax
LLM in Tax Info Sessions featuring Andersen TaxAn LLM in Tax can be a great way to bolster your credentials in the legal market, whether you are seeking a career in tax, estate planning, finance, corporate transactions, family law, government, immigration, or non-profit work. Andersen Tax hires more USF law students than any other single employer. Meet their Managing Directors and learn how you could work with this great accounting firm! February 1112:30 pm AND 5:30 pmKN 240Food will be served!Please RSVP to esstrauss@usfca.edu.
Office of the Registrar
Fall 2015 End of Term Reminders
Fall 2015 Exam Answers
Students who would like to review or have their examination answers should contact their professors directly to obtain that information. Release and/or review of the examination answer is at the discretion of each professor. Professors are required to retain student’s examinations for one annual year but are not required to release the answers to the student. After one year Professors may elect to discard the examination answers. (Special note: The Law Registrar’s Office is releasing the examinations for Civil Procedure/Duryee but does not have any other exam answers from Fall 2015).
Fall 2015 Cumulative GPA Percentages – Now Available
USF School of Law does not individual rank students but we do offer a cumulative GPA percentage cut-off. The cut-offs, based on cumulative grade point averages and stipulated class levels provide a statistical overview of academic performance by class. A list of the Fall 2015 Cumulative GPA Cut-Offs, along with recent bar pass results and Class Quintiles, is posted on the bulletin board outside the Law Registrar’s Office. You can also access the percentage chart on the Law Registrar’s website: http://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration/registrars-office under the heading “Semester Cumulative Grade Point Average Cut-Offs” towards the bottom of the page. Additional information about the cut-offs is also available in the in the Academic Policies (section 6.4)
Fall 2015 CALI Awards
The CALI Excellence Awards are awarded each semester, at the professor’s discretion (anonymously), to the student who earned the highest score in letter graded courses. The CALI awards have been ordered from the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI). The Fall 2015 CALI Award recipients will be notified (via their USF email) of their award by Friday, January 29th. They will also be will be notified when the award is available for pick-up.
Spring 2016 Reminders
Spring 2016 Courses with Discretionary Grading.
The professors listed below have reserved the option to employ discretionary grade adjustments in determining the final grades for the Spring 2016 semester in the following courses:
Dibadj Corporations
Dibadj International Business Transactions
Duryee Civil Procedure
Garvey Contracts
Green Property
Green Wills & Trusts
Iglesias Property
Kaswan Environmental Law
Langford Professional Responsibility
Lathrope Corporate Taxation
Lathrope Federal Tax of Property Dispositions
Leo Criminal Procedure
Magee Intro to Race Law
Walker Federal Tax Procedure & Professional Responsibility
An instructor teaching a course in which the grade is otherwise determined solely on the basis of an anonymously graded examination has the discretion to adjust student grades by on the basis of subjective evaluation (e.g., class participation), subject to some specific conditions.
A grade may be raised or lowered by only one grade step (e.g. b to B+ or B to B-)
Notice of the instructor’s intention to adjust grades on the basis of subjective evaluation must be given to the class at the beginning of the semester; and
An instructor making grade adjustments on the basis of subject evaluation must maintain reasonable documentation to support the adjustments.
Discretionary adjustments are made to an individual student’s grade by the Registrar’s Office after the instructor has assigned and submitted unadjusted grades for the entire class on an anonymous basis. The courses is subject to the applicable grading guideline even after the discretionary adjustments are made. The Law Registrar’s office shall not inform a student whether a discretionary adjustment was made.
Last Day to Add Individual Classes – January 25, 2016
Monday, January 25th is the last day to add individual courses for the spring semester (for students who have enrolled in at least one course for the fall term). Students may add courses through 11:59pm on myUSF (self-service). Please be sure to solidify all of your class registration by that date. When evaluating your schedule, please ensure that your enrollment meets the following semester residence unit load requirements:
Part-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 8 (maximum of 12) units.
Full-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 (maximum of 16) units.
If your enrollment does not meet these guidelines please make the necessary adjustments immediately (failure to do so may result in a delayed graduation date).
Students may add classes, or make any schedule changes through USF Connect during the open registration periods. Please be sure to review the Fall 2015 Academic Calendar to pay attention to the add/drop deadlines indicated.
Reminder: LLM/MLST in Taxation Courses - Open to JD Students
As a reminder, JD students can also enroll in most of the LL.M. in Taxation and MLST (Master of Legal Studies in Taxation) Courses (see course schedule notes) if they have earned a passing grade in Federal Income Taxation.
Offering of Available Seats From the Wait List Ends - Monday, 1/25/2016
The Law Registrar’s Office continues to offer seats from the wait list through January 25, 2016. Students who are not offered a seat on 1/25/2016 will be dropped from the wait list by the end of that business day. During the open registration period and the add/drop period, students on wait lists will be offered seats via the online posted wait list if and when they become available. Students must check the posted wait list online daily (after 10am) to see if you have been offered an available seat at: http://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration. If you are offered a seat, you will have until the date and time deadline indicated on the wait list (no weekends or holidays) to claim the space in the class [and drop any unwanted classes] by contacting the Registrar's Office (via email or in-person) to accept the seat. Students must contact the Registrar's Office by the posted date and time listed on the wait list. Wait lists will remain active during the 2 week period in which students may add courses. Complete instructions are available online at:http://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration. It is each student’s responsibility to read through, and understand the wait list instructions and procedures. Not knowing or being aware of the wait list procedures does not warrant an exception.
Upper Division Writing Requirement – Graduation Requirement Information
The Upper Level Research & Writing Requirement (commonly referred to as the “Writing Requirement”) is a graduation requirement. Complete information, including instruction and formatting guidelines, is available online at: http://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration/registrar-forms, under the Upper Level Research and Writing Requirement Information link. Courses in which the Writing Requirement can be completed are listed on the Spring 2016 Course Schedule, under the Writing Requirement Filter header (near the top of the page).
By hovering over the course title, more information will appear which will indicate how many students can complete the writing requirement in the course. Courses with the Writing requirement notation of “All” allow an unlimited number of enrolled students to complete the writing requirement*. Courses with the designation of “1-3” allows a maximum of three students to complete the project in that course*. *Besides enrolling in the course, the student will also need to complete and submit a Writing Requirement Enrollment form to the Law Registrar’s Office by the Add deadline.
= the professor will supervise all students (enrolled in the course) writing requirement projects (note: a Writing Requirement enrollment form is required)
= the professor will supervise a minimum of 1, and a maximum of 3 student’s writing requirement projects in this course (note: a Writing Requirement enrollment form is required).
Note: A student cannot satisfy both the Upper Level Research & Writing Requirement and the Professional Skills Requirement with the same coursework.
Last Day to Submit Writing Requirement or Directed Research Enrollment Forms: Monday, January 25, 2016.
Students who wish to enroll in a Writing Requirement or Directed Research must submit a Writing Requirement or Directed Research enrollment form to the Law Registrar’s Office (enrolling in a class that satisfies the writing requirement is not sufficient, a Writing Requirement enrollment form is also needed). Monday, January 25th is the last day to submit Writing Requirement or Directed Research Enrollment Forms for the semester. The Writing Requirement and Directed Research Enrollment Forms are available on the Law Registrar’s form page. The form requires submission by the supervising faculty member and the student must submit it to the Law Registrar’s Office by 7pm, January 26th, 2015 in order to be eligible to complete a Writing Requirement or Directed Research in the Spring 2016 semester. Forms can also be faxed to: 415-422-4199 or emailed (as a PDF attachment ) to lawregistrar@usfca.edu from a USF email address only.
Students who have not submitted the appropriate form will not be enrolled in a Writing Requirement or Directed Research Project by the Law Registrar’s Office, and are not eligible to receive CR/NC designation, or units (Directed Research).
Last Day to Drop Individual Classes – February 1, 2016
February 1st, 2016 is the last day to drop individual courses for the semester (for students who have enrolled in at least one course for the fall term). Students may drop courses through 11:59pm on USF Connect. When evaluating your schedule, please ensure that your enrollment meets the following semester residence unit load requirements:
Part-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 8 (maximum of 12) units.
Full-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 (maximum of 16) units.
If your enrollment does not meet these guidelines please make the necessary adjustments immediately (failure to do so may result in a delayed graduation date).
Last Day to Withdraw from the University of San Francisco School of Law – February 1, 2016
We hope that you stay with us! However, students who do not intend to register for Spring 2016 courses must notify the Law Registrar's Office of their plans (withdrawal or leave of absence, if eligible) by email (lawregistrar@usfca.edu using their USF email) and must submit a signed Petition to Withdraw from the University form or a Leave of Absence Request form. A student who decides to withdraw from school after enrolling in spring classes must submit an official notice of withdrawal to the Law Registrar by February 1, 2016 to avoid tuition charges.
Review Your Course Schedule For Accuracy
Please review your course schedule on USF Connect to ensure that it accurately reflects all courses for which you are enrolled, and are attending. Students will be held financial responsible for all courses showing on your course schedule. Students are not eligible to earn credit for courses for which they are not enrolled.
Last Day to Elect Credit Optional Grading – February 16, 2016
February 16th is the last day to elect Credit/No Credit Optional grading for courses designated as "Opt" in the Spring 2016 Course Schedule. Credit/No Credit Optional courses are courses in which a student may opt to be graded on a credit/no-credit basis instead of a letter grade. Note, students can only elect to opt for credit/no credit grading in only one credit optional graded course per semester. The remaining credit optional grading courses must be taken for letter grade (that semester).
The election of a credit/no credit grade is made by submitting a completed Change of Schedule Form to the Registrar's Office. Forms can also be faxed to 415-422-4199 or emailed (as a PDF attachment) to lawregistrar@usfca.edu from a USF email address (only). Once submitted, the election is irrevocable. A student is presumed to be taking the course for a letter grade unless a credit option form is submitted. A student may be precluded from enrolling in a credit optional course or electing to take it for credit by a condition of probation or as the result of other enrollment limitations.
Special Note: Please note that students who wish to apply the course towards a certificate must take the credit optional course for a letter grade (the certificate requires letter grades in the coursework0.
Submit Spring 2016 Exam Conflict Petitions
The spring final exam schedule is available online at:http://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration/exam-information#schedule. Students should not contact or otherwise discuss rescheduling an examination with the instructor or other students as doing so may be an exam violation. Questions about a conflict should be addressed with the Law Registrar’s Office (only). Discussing the nature of the conflict with the professor may allow the professor to know/remember the dates and nature of the conflict identifies the student, the dates of their conflict, and thus may reveal the student’s identity to the professor.
Students who have a final exam conflict should complete the Petition to Reschedule Exam form to the Law Registrar’s Office as soon as possible, but no later than March 4, 2016.
An exam conflict is defined as:
- Two examinations are scheduled for the same time and date
- There are four or fewer hours between the scheduled end of one examination and the scheduled commencement of the next examination.
- Three examinations scheduled on two consecutive calendar days.
The Law Registrar will review (not guaranteed to be approved) a medical emergency/ or other extenuating circumstances (which require documentation). Note: personal vacation plans will not be considered. Please note: In order to preserve anonymity, students should never contact their professor(s) with any exam conflict questions, but direct these inquiries to the Law Registrar’s Office. The Law Registrar will begin to evaluate submitted Petitions for an Individual Examination in late October, and will confirm the final decision via USF email.
For more information, please contact the Law Registrar’s Office at: lawregistrar@usfca.edu, or by calling 415-422-6778.
Class Attendance:
Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of their class sessions each semester unless the professor sets a higher attendance threshold (noted on the class syllabus and sometimes in the first-assignments). Absences are determined from start of the semester not the student’s enrollment date. The professor monitors class attendance and determines when tardiness is considered an absence. Please advise the instructor in advance if you must miss a class session. More information on this policy can be obtained in the Academic Policies.
Work Statement:
The American Bar Association (ABA) standards require that full-time students not engage in outside work in excess of 20 hours per week during the regular (fall/spring) semesters. By registering for the term, full-time students are certifying that they are not employed, in aggregate, for more than 20 hours per week.
Questions? Contact the Law Registrar’s Office at (415) 422-6778.
Office of Student Affairs
MUNI Passes are on sale now
We’re pleased to announce that we will be offering discounted MUNI bus passes to students in our program for the Spring semester.
The MUNI Pass is valid until May 26, 2016 and can be purchased for $116, which represents approximately a 40% discount from the regular monthly price. Please note that lost or stolen passes cannot be replaced, and the pass will be void if removed from your student ID.
To participate, put in a request for your MUNI Pass before midnight on Tuesday, January 26, 2015 by following these instructions. Be sure that you have $116 in your Dons Dollars Account at midnight at the time of your request and on January 26. Your account will not be charged until the 26th, regardless of when you make your request.
No exceptions can be made if you miss the deadline for purchase. If you have trouble with the form, please contact ONE CARD. If you don’t get a confirmation, please contact ONE CARD (onecard@usfca.edu or 415-422-7663).
Passes must be purchased in advance and may be picked up in person outside in the Student Boulevard during one of the following times:
Monday, February 1 and Tuesday, February 2
12:00pm – 1:30pm
5:30pm – 6:30pm
For more information, contact Megan Watt at mwatt@usfca.edu.
Annual Trino Grillo Retreat
Each year USF School of Law students and faculty partner with other regional law schools for the Trina Grillo Public Interest and Social Justice Law Retreat. The weekend event is a forum for public-interest minded law students to network with students, faculty, and practitioners from around the country.
As a consortium school, the School of Law will sponsor attendance for up to 10 students at this year's retreat, hosted by University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Law on March 5-6, 2016.
Please contact Megan Watt at mwatt@usfca.edu for more information.