Breadcrumbs
Rodin's Jean de Fiennes, Clothed (from The Burghers of Calais), 1889, cast 1987, in front of the Boyd Law Building on The University of Iowa campus.
Merit and Law Opportunity Fellow Research Assistants
Law Research Assistant (RA) positions are primarily intended as learning experiences, which contribute to the student’s progress toward their program of study or for which the student receives academic credit. RA positions are for a quarter-time appointment or 10 hours a week. RA positions are available with many faculty members only for second- and third-year students. For those students classified as a nonresident for tuition purposes, a quarter-time research assistant position (10 hours per week) will change your tuition status during that semester to resident tuition, thus altering your financial aid package.
Employment Limitation: A student may not be employed more than 20 hours per week in any week in which the student is enrolled more than 12 class hours. ABA Standard 304(f)
The following is a checklist of items regarding your Merit or LOF RA Positions:
- Securing a Merit RA or a LOF RA Position If you have not already done so, you must secure a research assistant (RA) position. The primary sources of RA positions are with law school faculty, the law library, and the legal clinic. Some journal editor positions also satisfy your RA requirement. The Symplicity CSM system is used to advertise RA positions. To view current openings, please go to the Student Log On to Symplicity.
- RA Paperwork Once you have secured a position, see Jessica Diers, Room 276 Boyd Law Building, phone number 335-9142, to complete your RA appointment paperwork. Forms can also be downloaded here. Your financial aid refund for living expenses will be withheld if you fail to do this before July 1 of the current year.
- Monthly Time Sheets Each month you will need to turn in to Jessica Diers for verification of your hours worked. The one exception is a journal position. If you are a RA due to your journal position, you do not need to turn in a monthly report.
Your RA position is part of your fellowship award and thus your RA salary will be paid from the Merit/LOF RA financial aid account. To satisfy the RA component of your fellowship, you are required to work an average of 10 hours a week or 150 hours each semester during the fall and spring semesters of the current academic year. Failure to complete the required hours of work will require us to bill you for the tuition adjustment of the full amount per semester as well as your monthly salary. Your RA position will give you resident tuition status for any semester you are employed as an RA.