@Iowa Law - Week of March 15, 2021 | RECOGNITION
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A HUGE thank you to Iowa Law Black Law Students Association (BLSA) for convening an amazing Back to Iowa program on Saturday. Over 40 alumni and students joined for a morning of learning, sharing, and networking. Special thanks to BLSA’s leadership for organizing such an outstanding event: Efe Ayanruoh, Geneva Guadalupe, Alexis Walker-Dunham, Anne Parrish, Aurora Arop, and Meddie Demming.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Monday begins Week 8/EVEN Week
- College of Law - March Break Days - Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19. College of Law classes will be held as normal on all days except for the two days listed. Our last day of classes will be Thursday, April 29 and final exams will be held May 3-13.
- Important Final Exam Deadlines: Be sure to check the Spring 2021 Final Exam schedule regularly. It can be found on the College of Law website under Exam Information: https://law.uiowa.edu/current-students.
- Requests for extra time accommodations are due to Julie Kramer by March 22: julia-kramer@uiowa.edu. Even if you were allowed extra time for exams in December, you must submit your request for spring exams by March 22.
- Requests to reschedule an exam due to a conflict in the schedule are also due by March 22. Be sure to read the Examination Policy in the Student Handbook. Any student whose situation matches one of those for which make-ups are allowed under this policy must initiate a request using the request form, which is also found on the Exam Information web page. Any questions can be directed to sara-k-clark@uiowa.ed
- SharePoint Training Video - Faculty and staff that were not able to attend the SharePoint training last week are encouraged to view the recorded training. https://uicapture.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=5ac1ff0e-c2bf-47c8-b404-ace801107480
- Boyd Service Award & Pro Bono Society Variances for Spring 2021 - SBA's Pro Bono Society Executive Board and College of Law administration have adopted the following temporary modifications to Iowa Law's service honors for Spring 2021: Here
- Boyd Service Award determinations for current students graduating in 2021, 2022, and 2023 will be based on 90% of the usual required career hours.
- The service hours requirement for Spring 2021 Pro Bono Society membership will be 2/3 the usual requirement (10 hours, of which 5 are community hours).
- Attendance at a Lawyers & Leaders event is required for Spring 2021 Pro Bono Society membership.
- Spring 2021 Lawyers & Leaders Events -The Citizen Lawyer Program has designated an initial three online events that students may attend to satisfy the Lawyers & Leaders requirement for this semester. Attendance at one L&L event is one requirement for Pro Bono Society membership for that semester. The list of designated events and the link students should use to verify attendance are available at: https://clp.law.uiowa.edu/article/spring-2021-lawyers-leaders-events
- Volunteer opportunity: Iowa High School Mock Trial Judging - The Iowa State Bar Association invites law students to volunteer as judges for high school mock trial rounds over the next two weeks. Time spent volunteering can be reported as Boyd Service hours under the "Community service" category. Details are available on the CLP website: https://clp.law.uiowa.edu/article/volunteer-opportunity-judge-high-school-mock-trial
- Position Opening: 2021-22 Stephenson Competition Coordinator - 1Ls, are you looking for an RA position for next year? Iowa Law's Trial Advocacy Board is accepting applications for the Stephenson Coordinator Position. This position satisfies the requirements for in-state tuition! The Iowa Law Trial Advocacy Board is an organization of students whose mission is to promote programs and curricula that prepare students to be future trial lawyers. The Board is also responsible for organizing the annual Judge Roy L. Stephenson Trial Advocacy Competition which takes place at the law school each Fall Semester. Please note that this position is a two-year commitment, which is why only 1Ls are eligible. Additionally, the Stephenson Coordinator is not eligible to compete in the Stephenson Competition. If you have any questions and/or are interested in applying, please contact Denisha-renovales@uiowa.edu.
- Wellness Coaching - Student Wellness is now offering FREE Wellness Coaching for students who are looking to work one-on-one with a staff member to help them reach their health and wellness related goals. Wellness coaching consists of a 1-hour initial session and 45-minute follow up sessions. Students who might be interested are those looking to improve their relationships, physical activity, stress management, self-confidence, eating habits, sleep, etc. To learn more about Wellness Coaching, check out: https://studentwellness.uiowa.edu/appointments/wellness-coaching/
- Spring Academic Success - Studying for short periods of time over the course of the semester results in better learning and takes less time than if you study the same information in a single session or in closely timed sessions. Studying by using different methods (e.g. reviewing notes followed by answering an essay question followed by doing flashcards ) leads to better learning and retention. Other questions about study methods? Visit the Writing & Academic Success Center.
- Writing & Academic Success Center -The Writing & Academic Support Center will review complete or partial drafts of your briefs this semester. If you have two or three pages of your brief (or more) that are finished, why not give us a try? It will feel less overwhelming if you get some feedback now rather than trying to revise your whole brief at one time. Schedule an L1 tutoring appointment at: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/UniversityofIowaCollegeofLawWritingCenter@iowa.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/ Contact Dawn Anderson, dawn-r-anderson@uiowa.edu, 3193842811 with any questions.
- PBS Constitution amendment re summer service hours - The Pro Bono Society Executive Board and Iowa Student Bar Association have approved amendments to the Pro Bono Society Constitution, which include: Permitting and encouraging students to report service hours performed during winter and summer breaks. Such hours were previously not reportable. Hours performed during breaks will accrue toward a student’s career total. Hours performed over winter break will be reported as part of the Spring semester, while summer hours will be reported separately. Clarifying that the academic terms for determining Pro Bono Society membership will be each Fall and Spring semester, consistent with existing practice. Specifying that after the final reporting deadline for graduating students, the Board will publish a list of those graduate students who have achieved the requisite hours for each level of Boyd Service honors. Students will be identified by honors level only; individual totals will not be disseminated. The text of the Constitution, as amended, is available here: https://clp.law.uiowa.edu/sites/clp.law.uiowa.edu/files/pbs_const._amended_feb._2021_02.23.21.pdf
- Global Law Fair- Interested in building international legal experience? Attend the Global Law Fair to learn more about opportunities at 15 different law schools across 6 continents for gaining international legal expertise. The event will take place on Thursday, March 18 at 15:00 GMT/10:00 am CT and Friday, March 19 at 11:00 GMT/6:00 am CT.
- ISBA March Madness - Your Iowa Hawkeyes, the 5th best NCAA men's basketball team in the U.S.A. are on the road to the Final Four! ISBA encourages all students, faculty, and staff to fill out a March Madness bracket (1 bracket per person). The top 3 brackets will receive apparel from the Iowa Law Bookstore (quarter zip, t-shirt, or vest). Follow the link below to join! Contact Mark Hart, mark-s-hart@uiowa.edu, (816) 260-6429 with any questions! https://picks.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ncaa-tournament/bracket/pools/kbxw63b2gu3tgmbwgazq====/join?pool-join-key=ryoc0vtxkkcvr54agdr3r5lzxn3crsqz&invited-by=ivxhi4tzhi4dmnryg42tqma%3D&via-medium=copy&ttag=FF21_lk_cbssports_cbb_bpm_copySetupInvite
- Service Hour Reporting- Remember to report Boyd Service hours via Syplicity. Hours should be reported within a month of the date of service. Information on service hour reporting, including variances for Spring 2021 and recent changes to the PBS Constitution, can be found on the Citizen Lawyer Program website: https://clp.law.uiowa.edu/
SCHEDULED EVENTS
- Tuesday, May 4th 7:00-8:00 PM - Inaugural International Student Affinity Graduation - All international students (irrespective of their degree level) graduating either in Spring 2021 or Summer 2021 terms are eligible to participate. If you are interested in participating, please register using the Spring 2021 International Student Affinity Graduation Form. The deadline to register is March 21, 2021, at 11:59 pm CST. This is a hard deadline to ensure that recognition materials are ordered and distributed in a timely fashion. Thus, we are unable to accommodate late registrations. This affinity graduation will not replace the formal university graduation ceremony that all graduating students attend separately. Affinity celebrations, like this one, celebrate the perseverance and achievement in the face of historic and ongoing exclusion and marginalization. This is a complimentary event to celebrate the collective experience and achievements of participating international students, to celebrate international educational interchange, and to be in community. Participating students will be recognized by reading of their names to the group gathered. They will learn from a speaker. They will also receive a recognition letter and graduation cords, which can be worn during the university graduation ceremony. This celebration is scheduled for May 4, 2021 from 7 pm to 8 pm CST and will be held virtually due to the current public health crisis. Please direct any questions you may have to me at yashwant-vyas@uiowa.edu
- Thursday, April 15th- Justice Anita Earls Speaking Event Q&A submissions- The "Beyond the Conversation" speaking event with Justice Anita Earls will take place the evening of April 13th. Please submit questions for the Q&A portion of the event at https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bq4G5TP84v1wVsG Contact hassan-ahmad@uiowa.edu with any questions.
SCHOLARSHIP - FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
- National Tax Law Scholarship Brown, PC is now accepting applications for the firm’s National Tax Law Scholarship, a $500 stipend which will be awarded to a second or third year full-time U.S. law student with a demonstrated interest in tax law. The award will be paid directly to the student, and can be used for any expenses related to legal education, including but not limited to tuition, room, board, books, bar review courses, or commuting expenses. Contact law-financialaid@uiowa.edu with any questions
- Weston and Cmiel Funding for In/Externships- Funding to support summer in/externships is available through the UI Center for Human Rights. Funding is awarded competitively and may be used to support housing, transportation, incidentals, etc. The Burns H. Weston funding program provides $2,500 to a UI law student (single recipient). The Kenneth J. Cmiel funding program awards $10,000 to UI undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs (multiple recipients). Students must be engaged in rights-related work. Eligibility and application information may be found at www.uichr.org. Applications accepted through March 26 (5:00 pm). Contact jo-butterfield@uiowa.edu with any questions.
- Summer Public Interest Grant Applications Available Now - 1Ls & 2Ls: if you are interning this summer in a nonprofit organization or government agency (including judicial chambers) you may apply for summer public interest grants with one application. This includes funds raised by the Equal Justice Foundation. Applications are available online at: https://law.uiowa.edu/summer-grants-program New this year: Students may apply any time they have secured a position; awards of $750 per student will be made on a rolling basis, while funds remain. Additional specialized awards are available and will be determined in April. This is a new streamlined process, so please do not delay – we hope this will help with planning.
- Scholarship Opportunity and Self-Guided In School and After School Financial Planning - The new MAX spring collection is now available in MAX! The winter break is the perfect time to complete all four of these lessons, attend online events, and receive more entries in the upcoming MAX scholarship drawings. While you’re logged in, check out the latest from the MAX blog: Estate Planning in Your 20s and 30s – Future You Will Thank You. Contact law-financialaid@uiowa.edu with any questions.
- $25,000 or $40,000 Tuition Scholarship Drawing, April 1st - We recognize and understand that for many law students, personal finance may not be a top priority right now. We’ve partnered with MAX by AccessLex Institute to support your personal financial wellness during and after law school. These services are free to our students and alumni. To participate in MAX personal finance curriculum and enter their scholarship drawings create a MAX account. The more MAX lessons completed, the better the changes of winning the scholarship! Entries earned by completing MAX activities during the 2020-2021 academic year will be cumulative and will be included in the April drawings. Please contact law-financialaid@uiowa.edu with any questions.
- 1Ls & 2Ls – Summer Legal Placement Program registration now open Working in an unpaid legal internship for a judge, government agency, or nonprofit organization this summer? Earn 3 credits P/NP through the Summer Legal Placement program. Students develop learning goals, interact with a faculty member, and participate in an online course. For application information, please email Prof. Tai with your internship organization. If you’d like to discuss whether the SLP makes sense for you, Prof. Tai is available to discuss; schedule appointments via Calendly: https://calendly.com/jttai. More information is online here: https://externships.law.uiowa.edu/field-placement-programs/summer-legal-placements
- Iowa Black Alumni Association Scholarship 2021-22 The Iowa Black Alumni Association (IBAA) is pleased to announce that scholarship applications are now available for the 2021-22 Scholarship. A minimum of (1), one thousand dollar ($1000) scholarship will be awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year. (the past few years we have been able to award two scholarships). For additional information about the Iowa Black Alumni Association, please visit their webpage at https://www.foriowa.org/groups/iba-association.php. The scholarship will be awarded to a qualified student (sophomore through graduate school) who is currently enrolled full time at the University of Iowa and who will be enrolled full time during the next academic year.
Applications will be available at the following locations:
- Center for Diversity and Enrichment, 2750 University Capitol Centre (200 S. Capitol Street) Iowa City, IA 52245
- Office of Student Financial Aid, 2400 University Capitol Centre (200 S. Capitol Street) Iowa City, Iowa 52242
- The Iowa Black Alumni Association website https://www.foriowa.org/groups/iba-association.php
- Completed applications are due no later than Monday, March 15, 2021 and awards will be announced in April, 2021. For additional information Billie-townsend@uiowa.edu.
- 3L - 2021 Alford Excellence Award Delaware Bar In honor of Haile L. Alford, the first African American female judge in the State of Delaware, the Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section (“MJL Section”) of the Delaware State Bar Association will grant the 2021 Alford Excellence Award to at least three future practitioners who will sit for the July 2021 Delaware Bar Examination. Judge Alford was appointed by Governor Mike Castle in 1992 and served on the bench until her untimely death in 2003 at the age of 54. The 2021 Alford Excellence Award will be in the amount of $3,000. Each scholarship recipient will be required to submit proof of a submitted application to sit for the 2021 Delaware Bar by May 7, 2021. Failure to do so will lead to forfeiture of the scholarship. All application materials should be submitted via email by April 9, 2021 to:
- The Alford Excellence Award Selection Committee
Attn: Emily Bryant-Álvarez, Esq.
Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section
Emily.Bryant-Alvarez@delaware.gov
For a copy of the application, please email law-financialaid@uiowa.edu
- Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF) - Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF). The ISF increases American Muslim representation in film, media, law, and government and impacts public opinion through undergraduate, post-graduate, and law scholarships. The deadline for applications is March 21st. For the application and additional scholarship information go to Program – https://programs.islamicscholarshipfund.org/scholarship/program/
- Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) Application Opens March 15- The University of Iowa has received additional funds through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to distribute to students with exceptional financial need who are enrolled during the spring 2021 semester. The HEERF II Grant application will open in MyUI on March 15 and will remain open through March 31. Information about eligibility and how to apply is available through the Office of Student Financial Aid. Applying does not guarantee funds will be approved. Links: https://login.uiowa.edu/uip/login.page?service= https://myui.uiowa.edu/my-ui/finance/dashboard.pagehttps://financialaid.uiowa.edu/resources/caresac
REMINDERS
- SBA E-mail - If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to ISBA at law-isba@uiowa.edu.
- ITS: The ITS email team published a new support article with the options to automatically schedule Outlook events with early endings and allow a small break between meetings: https://its.uiowa.edu/support/article/120236.
- Recognition - To recognize the successes and great work of students, staff and faculty a new recognition category has been added to the Monday/Friday Iowa Law emails. Please submit any accomplishments to @ Iowa Law Communications that is referenced at the bottom of the email.
- July 2021 Bar Exam - The Iowa Office of Professional Regulation will continue to use a paper bar application for the July 2021 exam. Information about that, and the current application can be found here: https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/admissions/admission-by-examination/bar-examination-registration/.
- July 2021 Bar Exam Virtual - The Iowa Supreme Court has determined that it will administer the July 2021 Uniform Bar Exam in Iowa remotely. Please see this link https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/admissions for more information.
- Updated EJF BOOKSTORE SEMESTER HOURS -
- Thursday: 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ODD & EVEN WEEKS
- Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ODD WEEKS ONLY
- The EJF Bookstore is also open by appointment. Contact David Banta (801-403-5673; david-banta@uiowa.edu) with any questions.
- CLP virtual office hours - A reminder that Citizen Lawyer Program staff are holding virtual office hours every Thursday from 12:00-1:00pm this semester. For more information, visit: https://clp.law.uiowa.edu/article/spring-clp-virtual-office-hours
- Reminder for Face Masks: Face masks (cloth mask, disposable mask, or face shield with mask) are required indoors in all university buildings at all times, except when actively eating or drinking. The designated eating areas at BLB are the Student Commons, Court Café, 4th floor Student Lounge, faculty lounge and staff lounge. Individuals can remove masks only in private, fully contained spaces assigned to them, such as an individual office. Students must continue to wear masks at all times when in the Law Library, including when you are using the tables, computer lab, the study room, and study carrels, and regardless of whether you can see other people. Please note that food and drink are not allowed in the Law Library, so masks must remain on at all times. Masks should be worn outside when social distancing is not possible.
- Building security: BLB exterior doors will remain locked through the Spring 2021 semester. College of Law students, faculty and staff can use their UI ID card for access. When entering and exiting the building please do not hold the door open for others. We realize this is a very common courtesy which we hope to bring back soon but we want to ensure that people who enter BLB are appropriately authorized via their ID card.
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For Spring 2021, @ Iowa Law messages will be sent on Monday mornings. Friday communications will contain an overview of the upcoming weeks scheduled events.
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