The Boyd Service Award is given to students who show a committment to community service. It is named for Professor and President Emeritus Willard "Sandy" Boyd.
Boyd Service Award
Mission Statement
To recognize law students who provide volunteer services to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in furtherance of those organizations' missions to improve the community.
The Boyd Service Award is given to law students at the completion of their studies during graduation. Recipients receive a seal on their diploma and wear cords during the graduation ceremony. The Boyd Service Award is the only way to wear cords at graduation.
The level of distinction is based on the number of volunteer hours completed during the students' entire law school career, with the guidelines as follows:
- Honors: 100 hours total (at least 50 of community service)
- High Honors: 150 hours total (at least 75 of community service)
- Highest Honors: 200 hours (at least 100 of community service)
General Rules
-
Only hours accrued while enrolled as a full-time law student at the University of Iowa are considered.
- Service during summer/winter breaks included only if enrolled as a full-time student.
-
The hours will be counted and recorded on a monthly basis. Hours submitted after the first week of the following month will not be counted.
- This means that students must periodically record service hours. While students are not required to regularly perform service work, any service work completed must be recorded during the month in which it was performed for it to be considered.
- If students wish to turn in hours after the deadline, they must submit a written statement of reason for the delay as well as the hours completed to the ISBA Philanthropy Committee for review.
- The different Honor Levels are awarded based upon students total number of accrued hours over the course of their law school careers. Thus, students can accumulate hours regularly or all in one semester.
-
All service hours are divided into two groups: community hours and institutional hours.
-
Definition of Community Hours: Community hours are those hours which directly benefit recognized community organizations or non-profit, such as hospitals, Red Cross, ICPL, Crisis Center, DVC, Community Service Groups (Lions, Rotary, Eagles), etc. Students may perform community hours either at the law school or in the community, subject to the following restrictions:
- Attendance at regular group meetings are excluded;
- All service must be voluntary, uncompensated, and not compelled;
- This section of service also includes political activity, but self-campaigning is excluded entirely;
- Law school-sponsored events that directly benefit community organizations are included.
-
Definition of Institutional Hours: Institutional hours are those hours which directly benefit the law school, the general University, or a student group. Organizations benefitting only the law school, University, or a student group include ISBA, EJF, ACS, ILS, ELS, BALSA, AALSA, NALSA, Christian Legal Society, Students for Choice, etc. The following restrictions apply:
- Student organization and regular group meetings are excluded, although activities beyond such meetings, such as event planning, are included;
- Attendance at social events is excluded.
-
Examples:
-
Community Hours
- Selling condoms at the law school to benefit a community organization.
- Participating in NOLA
- Staffing a table to benefit the animal shelter.
-
Institutional Hours
- Holding a bake sale to raise funds for group operations or a social event.
- Staffing a table to sell used books, advertize Mr. Iowa Law, or hold elections.
- Designing a poster for an upcoming speaker or social event.
- Selling candy-grams to raise funds for a student group.
-
Community Hours
-
Procedure for Entering Hours
- Click on or copy/paste the following link: https://www.law.uiowa.edu/groups/isba/bsa2.php
- Log in using your hawkid and password
- Enter hours electronically, specifying: (1) date of service, (2) the name of the organization served, and (3) a description of service
- Total hours accumulated will appear on the screen. Be sure to logout when you are finished.
-
Definition of Community Hours: Community hours are those hours which directly benefit recognized community organizations or non-profit, such as hospitals, Red Cross, ICPL, Crisis Center, DVC, Community Service Groups (Lions, Rotary, Eagles), etc. Students may perform community hours either at the law school or in the community, subject to the following restrictions: