Administrative Announcements January 11 - January 19, 2016

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.

International Externships

International Summer Externships

Opportunities are available in China, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Vietnam, and in cities throughout Europe with local and U.S. based law firms, NGOs, courts, and government and intergovernmental agencies. Applications are due Tuesday, January 19th. Click on these links for additional information, as well as the application and academic and financial aid information. Questions, please contact Esther Sprague at lawsummerabroad@usfca.edu, in KN342 or by calling 415.422.6280. During the free periods the week of January 11th, Esther will be available on the 1st floor to answer questions.

Managing Your China Dream: Friday, January 15th, 11:15am – 12:15pm, KN101, lunch will be provided.

Russell Leu ’84 will share his observations from over 12 years of living and working in China in both the expatriate and local Chinese communities. This will be a terrific opportunity for all students but especially those who are interested in the summer externship program in Beijing. Russell serves as the On-Site Director for the program in addition to serving as the Associate Dean and Professor of Law at Beijing Foreign Studies University and Special Counsel at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP. Please RSVP for lunch to lawsummerabroad@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.

Guided Meditations for the Spring 2016 Semester

Two New 4-Week Mini-Courses (meeting Thursdays from 5:15 to 6pm in Room KN 340): For those interested in joining a group for 4 consecutive classes on how to make mindfulness a regular practice, we will offer two 4-week "Introduction to Regular Mindfulness Practice" classes. The four classes will be led variously by Professors Rhonda Magee, Tim Iglesias, Father Donal Godfrey and Librarian Jodi Collova. The first course will run on consecutive Mondays from 5:30 to 6:15pm from 1/14 to 2/4. The second will run consecutively during the same time slot from 3/17 to 4/7, and all sessions will be held in KN Room 340. Space is limited to 12 people. For more information see below. If you are interested in signing-up to participate, or have any questions, email Professor Magee at rvmagee@usfca.edu by Wednesday, January 13, 2016. No prior experience necessary, everyone is welcome.

Class One (1/14): Foundational Practice: “Awareness of breath” meditation
Class Two (1/21): Movement Practice: Walking meditation
Class Three (1/28): Guided Imagery Practice: Compassion/Lovingkindness meditation
Class Four (2/4): Off the Cushion/Everyday Life Practice: Eating (raisin) meditation

We will also be offering short, highly accessible, 10-minute mindfulness practice sessions each Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am, in Room KN 340. See the attached flyer for more information.

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.

Conference Registration and Travel Funding

The Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Career Planning has changed its policy regarding requests for conference registration and travel funding. Please see the revised Standards and Petition for Student Conference Funding for the information that you need to apply for funding and to become eligible for reimbursements. All applications must be submitted two weeks in advance of the anticipated date of the conference. No exceptions will be made to the stated requirements and limitations on funding.