2015-2016 ASU Law External Moot Court Competition Packet

Table of Contents I. Introduction

A. Competitions, Teammates, and Coaches

I I . Qualif ications A. Standing B. Team Authorization C. Teammate Replacement and

Reimbursement I I I . Pre-Competition Requirements

A. Requirements B. Timeline C. Budget D. Team Practices E. Checklist F. Academic Credit G. Classroom Conflict Excusal Form

IV. Funding Options A. Law School Funding B. Travel Authorization C. GPSA Funding Guidelines D. Other Funding Sources E. Notice of GPSA Award

V. During & Post-Competition

Requirements A. Questionnaire B. Travel Reimbursement

Appendixes A. Team Authorization Form B. Teammate Replacement Form C. Timeline Example D. Budget Example E. Academic Credit Form F. Classroom Conflict Excusal Form G. Travel Authorization Walkthrough H. GPSA Individual Travel Grant

Walkthrough I. GPSA Group Travel Grant Walkthrough J. Questionnaire and HQ Photo Form K. Relevant Moot Court Bylaws L. Checklist

I . INTRODUCTION It is recommended that students do not over-commit to other responsibilities when deciding to compete externally. Please direct all questions about time commitment requirements to your appointed liaison.

Your liaison is fully informed on the procedures that you’ll will need to know about to get the requisite funding. If your liaison is unable to schedule with your team’s particular time constrains or there is some other issue. Please reach out to Chair of External Competitions, Nicole Fries at nefries@asu.edu.

A. Competitions, Teammates, and Coaches

a) Competitions – There are two main ways to learn about available external competitions.

1) Individual Search – The first way consists of doing your own search for specific moot court competitions via a search engine. Simply typing in the area of law you are interested in followed by “moot court competition” can help you find at least 1-2 competitions available in that area. These competitions are typically hosted by a large number of private organizations, non-profits, or other law schools. Always make sure you check the competition calendar, competition process, and important documents such as the rules and regulations of the competition.

2) EMCB Hosted Competitions – The EMCB hosts tryouts for moot court and mock trial competitions that we have sent teams to in the past. Usually, these competitions already have experienced coaches and assistant coaches that are past student competitors. Look out for messages on the Daily Disclosure as to when tryouts will be held, or any informational meetings related to these competitions.

b) Coaches – Competitions hosted by the EMCB typically have coaches in place, but not always. All teams are required to solicit and find their own coaches. All teams MUST have a coach to be approved. The best place to start is with old student competitors that have already graduated. Your team should have a coach with prior experience in oral advocacy and familiarity with the area of law that your competition is centered around. Coaches may either be a Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law faculty member or a community lawyer approved by the external sub-committee. A team can have more than one coach or assistant coaches, but one must be designated as the “head coach.” Coaches are not paid and assist on a volunteer basis. Portions of coaches expenses associated with traveling to competition venues are available through the EMCB. Funding is ONLY available for ONE designated head coach. All other coaches must pay their own way if they would like to attend the competition. Please contact your liaison for more information.

I I . QUALIFICATIONS

A. Standing

External competitions through the Sandra Day O’Connor College of law are only available to 2L and 3L law students in good standing. All teammates must sign and acknowledge that they are in good standing in the team authorization form. This form will be submitted

to the ASU law registrar for approval. Lack of approval will result in ineligibility to compete externally. While team members must be in good academic standing, they must also be in good standing with EMCB. Grounds for bad standing with EMCB include unexcused absences from internal competitions, failing to complete an external competition once approved, and failure to comply with the requirements set forth in this external packet.

B. Team Authorization

All teams and teammates must completely fill out the required “Team Authorization Form” (APPENDIX A) before qualifying for any funding from the law school or EMCB, including registration fees. Teams do not need to fill out the form if they are receiving funds entirely from other sources, such as GPSA, law firms, or paying out of pocket. Only one form is required for each team, and it must be submitted to your liaison or the external chair in hard copy. This form must be submitted at least 1 month before the date to register. Late forms may be accepted by the discretion of the external sub-committee. Teams must secure a coach in advance and have him or her sign acknowledging their agreement to be your coach. In addition, a signature from the Dean or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (located in the registrar’s office) is required to prove all teammates are in good academic standing. Please see the document for additional requirements.

However, if the team does not seek funding from ASU or the EMCB, but the team is representing ASU Law in ANY capacity, they MUST nevertheless be approved through the External Committee.

C. Teammate Replacement and Reimbursement

The Executive Moot Court strives to build and maintain a professional relationship with lawyers in the community. These professionals volunteer their time and knowledge to assist both the Moot Court Program and the law students who compete. Withdrawing from a competition without good cause wastes time invested and casts a negative image on the Moot Court Program and a teammate who withdraws may be required to repay the school for 50% of their team’s registration fee, if a replacement member cannot be found.

All team members that have signed and submitted a “Team Authorization Form” have agreed to comply with all EMCB polices. Per EMCB bylaws, teams that have been approved and had their registrations paid for by the law school have agreed to the reimbursement clause. Because EMCB resources are limited, these policies have been implemented to deter students from withdrawing. For relevant bylaws please ask your liaison.

If you find a replacement team member, they cannot use the original team member’s funds from either the school or GPSA. The replacement student must reapply for their own travel funds or cover the costs themselves. If the student believes the emergency situations merits a waiver of this fee a petition may be made to the Executive Moot Court

Board and the College of Law. The replacement student must also go through a process to be approved by the Executive Moot Court Board and the College of Law, see APPENDIX B.

I I I . PRE-COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS A. General Requirements

• Teammate Leader Designation - Each team should designate 1 member to coordinate all matters regarding external competitions with the appointed representative. That member will be responsible for relaying any important information provided by your representative to other members.

• Multiple External Competitions – Generally, law students are prohibited from competing in more than one external competition per year, unless given express permission by the chair of external competitions (see EMCB Bylaws 7. C. ii.). The bar against multiple external competitions is in place because funds are limited and it is the policy of the law school to try to spread those resources to as many students as possible.

• Timeline and Budget Submission to Liaison – To satisfy the conditions of the team being approved, each team must submit to their liaison a timeline of events, an estimated budget for all teammate expenses, and a separate budget for the coach’s expenses.

B. Timeline

During the initial stages of team formation, it is highly recommended that your team establish a timeline of events, including when forms (located in this document) are due, when GPSA funding deadlines are due, and the timeline of events for your competition (e.g., brief submission, drafts of briefs, team practices, travel dates, etc.). Your team should have a preliminary (not perfect) timeline established immediately. Update your timeline as new information is learned and always share it and notify your group of any updates. This timeline should serve as your team’s checklist. In addition, having a solid timeline is crucial for how well your team ultimately does in the competition. As you are reading this document, it is highly recommended that you and your team take notes and start to create a timeline of relevant due dates. The competition website will also have details of the timeline of events to help you create your complete timeline. Set practices and deadlines for brief writing as soon as possible. Using a doodle is handy. See an example of a good preliminary timeline in APPENDIX C.

C. Budget

Each team must submit two excel budgets to their liaison at least five (5) days after submitting your team authorization form or five (5) days before applying to GPSA funding: a teammate and coach expenses budget. BUDGETS SHOULD INCLUDE 20% FOR TAX & SERVICE. These budgets are crucial for your success in receiving the most funding

possible. The more detailed and transparent your budget, the greater likelihood chance of funding success. Your liaison will be trained to draft an excellent budget, so ensure you receive feedback from him/her as much as possible. Details must include: researched expenses for two-way flights for each teammate, hotel costs, ground transportation, registration fees, and any other expenses. You should include many notes in your budget outlining how you came up with the estimates and why they are the cheapest options. For example, if traveling by car, you must justify why it is cheaper to travel in a car than it would be to fly. You should also include information about where additional sources of funding are coming from and how much money your team is requesting from GPSA. Creation of this budget early is necessary to give all competitors a realistic view of what they may have to pay out of pocket, assuming they do not receive funding. See the “External Competitions Budget Example” in APPENDIX D for guidance. Your coach’s expenses should be modeled similarly. Start working on a budget immediately as it will save your team much trouble later. Keep these documents updated as soon as information becomes available.

D. Team Practices

After your team has committed to times of practice and those times have been recorded in the timeline, each team should schedule room reservations to practice well in advance to ensure there is adequate space. Teams are not required to practice at the ASU College of law, but often it is the most convenient location. Any ASU law student may reserve a room at any time by simply filling out an application HERE. If your team needs volunteer timers, reach out to your liaison and he or she will contact the EMCB general board for volunteers. If seeking voluntary faculty judges for practices, be sure to contact the professor well in advance, you may also ask your liaison for help with this step.

E. Checklist

Each team should print out the checklist located in APPENDIX K immediately after reading this document to supplement their timeline.

F. Academic Credit (Optional)

Competing in external competitions is hard work. Some teammates may find it worthwhile to try receive credit for their competition. While this is appealing at first, it is important to know that extra work is required. The relevant requirements are provided verbatim from the Statement of Student Policies. Teammates may only receive up to ONE credit for a competition (regardless of how many you can actually register for when classes become available). Students are responsible for reaching out to and securing faculty supervisors. If you have a coach that is a faculty advisor, this task is less daunting. To apply for academic credit, complete the form in APPENDIX E and submit it to the registrar’s office in the ASU College of Law.

Note: that no aspect of a moot court competition writing can be used to satisfy the graduation writing requirement.

G. Classroom Conflict Excusal Form (Optional)

In some cases, the competition event time will conflict with a student’s class schedule. Under ASU law policy, a student may only miss a certain number of classes, after which will result in a failing grade. Thus, each teammate should reach out to their professors and excuse their pre-determined absence(s) by completion of the “Student Absence Form” in APPENDIX F.

Note: A professor may refuse to sign this document. You should ask for an alternate assignment to make up for the missed classes if the professor is reluctant to sign. This document will help you protect and justify yourself if you are accused of “Excessive Absence.”

IV. FUNDING OPTIONS

A. Law School Funding

Funding Process – As a forewarning, funding is NOT guaranteed. Students who do not receive ASU or outside funding must pay their own share of expenses. The price of competing in an external competition widely varies, especially depending on location of the competition. Most often, funding issues are the biggest hurdle for external teams. Therefore, it is imperative that each team immediately start thinking about what funding options are available and when deadlines are to submit funding requests. Note that GPSA does not accept late applications under any circumstance.

While the law school cannot guarantee funding, the following is list of items the law school may provide financial assistance:

• Registration Fees – Upon timely completion and approval of the “Team Authorization Form,” the law school will pay for your team’s registration fees. The registration fee is the only expense the law school will pay if the approved team does not apply for GPSA funding. Generally, registration fees are paid directly from the law school. Reimbursement for registration fees may be available upon request if a team paid the registration early. This option may only be available to teams that are approved by the External Committee.

• Shared Room, Same-Sex Lodging – The law school will only pay for shared same-sex lodging expenses at the designated conference hotel if the team has timely and correctly applied for GPSA funding and received no financial award from GPSA. If the team does receive an award after they applied, the law school will not pay for shared same-sex lodging.

• Postage and Printing Fees – The law school will pay for any necessary printing and postage fees associated with turning in physical briefs or other documents, if any. If a physical brief or submission is required please speak to your liaison.

• Costs for Competing in Finals – If a travelling team prevails in a preliminary competition and advances to a final round set at a different location and time, as an incentive to perform at the highest degree while representing the law school, the team will be reimbursed for the hotel and airfare expenses for this second round of competition. However, all teammates must re-apply to GPSA to the extent they are eligible to apply (Max $950 per student)

All Other Expenses – Each competitor is responsible for securing funding to cover remainder of his or her expenses. The law school cannot cover any other expenses such as food, transportation, taxi, or internet access costs. Additional funding may be available through GPSA or outside sources.

B. Travel Authorization

This step is required before you may apply for GPSA funding. The information to get you put into the My ASU Travel system will be requested by your liaison at or immediately after you submit your Team Authorization form.

Once you have submitted your first preliminary budget to your liaison, proceed to the steps in Appendix G.

C. GPSA Funding Guidelines

Law students have two options when it comes to GPSA funding: Individual and Group travel funding. Each has its pro’s and con’s, so it is imperative that teams carefully assess which option they should choose to pursue depending on the circumstances of traveling dates. As an important note, the largest factor in being given GPSA funding is whether the student(s) have provided any past community service AND GPSA service. For methods to obtain GPSA service before applying, read both APPENDIX H and APPENDIX I.

Individual Travel Grant Funding

This option requires each traveling member to apply for GPSA funding individually. For a step-by-step guide to Individual Travel Grant Funding, see APPENDIX H. If choosing this option, be sure to read the Group Travel Guidelines for additional tips on how to best fill out the application (the same principles apply).

Pros • You can apply twice: once 2 months before the month of travel and once 1 month

before the month of travel, always due on the 7th of the month by midnight. If you don’t get full funding (Up to $950) you can apply again. If you do, then you have exhausted all GPSA individual travel grant funding for the year.

• There is more money in the individual travel grant pot (but it is very competitive since almost every grad student at GPSA can apply for funds.

Cons • Students can only apply within a two month window of the month traveling. Ex. If

traveling March 03, you can only submit a funding request once on January 7th and again on February 7th. This does not allow much time to secure other funding if the request is denied so late.

• The process requires more steps than group travel funding, which translates to making the process tedious and daunting to a novice applicant.

• Some teammates may get funded, while others get nothing, even when the application was exactly the same.

Group Travel Grant Funding

Originally, in order for a team to apply for this funding, one member had to be an employee of the university in some capacity (RA, TA, etc.). GPSA created an exception for law students who were not employees, by allowing moot court teams to go through the process but have it act like a reimbursement process. Instructions are located within the step-by-step guide to filling out a Group Travel Grant Application, see APPENDIX I.

Pros • Only one application per group is required to obtain funding, instead of one per

member. • Funds are MUCH less competitive because very few colleges even qualify for group

funding. • No need to create a nimble net account, unlike individual travel grant funding • The GPSA award is split into equal shares between the teammates. (Max award is

determined by number of teammates; each teammate increases max by $950). • The application is less needy (but you should still include lots of information to show

diligence)

Cons • Unlike individual travel grant funding, which cycles each month on the 7th, Group travel

funding have very arbitrary dates and cycles (currently) only 2 times per semester (one at the beginning and one near the middle/end). Click here for a list of the remaining funding deadline dates. Be sure to check this frequently, as dates and times are subject to change without notice or mercy. Emailing the vice president of internal affairs is the best way to ensure you have the correct information (as GPSA often forgets to update their website).

• A team may only apply for Group Funding during the semester they are traveling. This makes the individual travel grant more appealing for those competitions held in January. Since travel grant review takes a month to process, and earliest cycle in the

spring semester opens early in January, it appears those teams traveling in January will have no other option than to apply for individual funding at the moment. In fact, as the deadlines read, any teams traveling between December 31 and January 30 will NOT be eligible to apply for this process. Law reps are currently working for a fix to this problem.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q. Can we apply for Individual and Travel Grant funding for the same event? A. The simple answer is No. But if your team was awarded the full amount in Travel grant funding for the preliminary rounds, your team can come back and apply for $950 each through individual funding, during the final rounds (presuming it requires a second trip). Note: The law school will pay for team expenses to final rounds, but the team must properly and sufficiently go through the GPSA process again in order to qualify.

Q. What is the easiest way to get some GPSA service? A. By simply signing up to be a volunteer for events and other services. (Low time commitment) Sign up here. Q. Can my law GSO (Graduate Student Organization) ask GPSA for funding to

support our team? A. No. GSO’s can only apply for funding if it pertains to hosted events, open to the public. Traveling teams must exclusively use the individual or group travel grant funding options.

Q. How strong would our group travel application look if only half our team members have GPSA service, and the other half had nothing but community

service? A. The application would look half as strong.

Q. Can I count my pro bono as community service? A. Yes and you should.

For Further Questions, Please Consult Your Liaison.

D. Other Funding Sources

Student Bar Association Funding – Teams cannot apply for traveling funding through the SBA. SBA will not provide funding to student orgs for their sponsored teams.

Law School Student Organization Sponsorship and Outside Sources – A team may, however, receive funding from a student organization, but only if those funds are obtained from outside sources, not the SBA or GPSA. Such funding may come from fundraising, grants, or other charitable donations.

• Note – Student Org fundraising must be coordinated with the Development Office and should be undertaken at the beginning of the fall semester. Full details and

timelines are found on the Student Organizations webpage: http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/mu/clubs/funding.htm.

• Remember – All competing teams fielded by any law student organization or groups associated with and representing the law school must be approved by the External Committee, regardless of whether it has outside funding.

E. Notice of GPSA Award

Once you and your team receives an email notifying any granted GPSA awards, please forward the email to your liaison ASAP who will then forward it to the EMCB faculty advisor. Inform your EMCB liaison what your team received in total (if each teammate applied individually or if the team was allocated one lump sum), and if the team requires additional funds. The liaison will provide your team with options for additional funds.

V. DURING & POST-COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS

All teams that have successfully completed an external competition with the assistance of the ASU law EMCB are required to complete the “Post-Competition Form” located in APPENDIX J in order to be considered for future competitions, be in good standing with EMCB, and receive reimbursement. This form requires that your team take a high quality photograph together and fill out the accompanying questionnaire. The answers and photographs will be used for future student information and compiled in the “List of Popular Competitions” document on the EMCB website.

A. Travel Reimbursement

To receive full reimbursement up to the amount awarded, each teammate must provide original receipts to their liaison who will then turn them into the EMCB faculty to begin the reimbursement process. Do not delay the process, as it can take upwards of two months to process. When traveling, and at all times, try to get each teammates name on to the receipt, especially if sharing a hotel room or taxi. Thus, if one teammate pays his or her portion to another teammate to make the full purchase of a hotel, both teammates should request that their names are shown on the receipt. Carry a designated folder or baggie to put all their receipts as soon as they are received.

Appendix A

External Moot Court Team Authorization Form Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

Instructions - Carefully read the information presented in this form. This form must be submitted in hard copy. Please provide the following information to the best of your knowledge in legible print and sign where indicated. This application must be completed and submitted before the deadline to register your team.

Print Name, ASU ID, ASUrite ID (the number on your student ID) and Emails of All Teammates: Must be 2l or 3l in good academic standing. Please circle the Teammate # of the designated Lead member.

Teammate # 1: ______________________________________________ Year: ______

Email: _____________________________ASU ID:________ ASUrite ID:_______

Teammate # 2: ______________________________________________ Year: ______

Email: _____________________________ASU ID:________ ASUrite ID:_______

Teammate # 3: ______________________________________________ Year: ______

Email: _____________________________ASU ID:________ ASUrite ID:_______

Head Coach Information – Coach must agree in advance to undertake coaching responsibilities.

Name: ________________________________________________________________

(Coaches can only be a College of Law faculty member or lawyer approved by CEC Nicole Fries)

Email:

_______________________________________________________________________

Signature: ____________________________________________ Date: ____________

Name of External Liaison - ________________________________________________

Full Name of Competition - ________________________________________________

(Please circle which: Invitational, Regional, or National)

Date of Competition - ____________________________________________________ (Please print and submit copy of the invitation along with this form, if any)

Location of Competition - _______________________________________________

(Please provide the city and country)

Competition’s Website - ___________________________________________________

Deadline to Register for Competition - _______________________________________

Team Registration Fee - ___________________________________________________

Source(s) of Funding Outside ASU, if any - ___________________________________

Does this competition require we host a future tournament? (Circle) - Yes or No (If yes, please attach an addendum to the end of this form describing nature of the commitment)

Compliance with all ASU, SDOCOL, and EMCB Policies

Approved external moot court teams must comply with all current policies. It is the responsibility of all teammates to familiarize themselves of these policies and make diligent efforts to obtain the current version of these policies, event if not provided. All teammates must sign below that they have read the provision listed below and will comply with the information within. ASU College of Law Statement of Student Policies 2015-16

XIV. Special JD Curriculum Policies G. External Moot Court Participation

Academic Good Standing

Approval from the Dean or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs is required to indicate whether all student competitors are in academic good standing. Forms without approval will not be considered.

Dean Signature: ________________________________________ Date: ____________

By signing below, Teammate competitors indicated in this document agree they have read and wil l abide by all ASU, SDOCOL, and EMCB Policies:

Teammate # 1 Signature: _________________________________ Date: _________

Teammate # 2 Signature: _________________________________ Date: _________

Teammate # 3 Signature: _________________________________ Date: _________

*Please deliver a completed copy of this form to your external l iaison for approval*

External Sub-Committee Use Only Date: __________________________

Participation: Approved or Denied (Circle One)

External Liaison Signature: ______________________Date: _________

External Chair Signature: _______________________ Date: _________

Appendix B

External Moot Court Teammate Replacement Form Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

Instructions

When one teammate decides to withdraw from the competition, complications can arise depending on the amount of time left before the competition date. Oftentimes, when a teammate withdraws it is too late to find an adequate replacement because the replacement must go through substantially the same process the original team went through (approval, funding, practice, etc.) to qualify.

Approval of this form is contingent on whether a replacement is feasible, given the remaining time to prepare. As a preliminary matter, teams must notify their competition hosts of the replacement, if not listed as an alternate, to determine if it the replacement can compete. Approved replacement teammates must apply for GPSA funding (because transferring funding awards is not allowed), unless funds are secured elsewhere.

Carefully read the information presented in this form. This form must be submitted in hard copy. Please provide the following information to the best of your knowledge in legible print and sign where indicated. This application must be completed and submitted as soon as possible.

Print Names of Withdrawing and Replacement Teammates – Replacement must be 2l or 3l in good academic standing.

Withdrawing Teammate: ______________________________________ Year:________

Replacement Teammate: ______________________________________ Year: _______

Head Coach Information – Coach must agree in advance to accept Replacement Teammate.

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________________________________

Signature: ____________________________________________ Date: ____________

Name of External Liaison - ________________________________________________

Full Name of Competition - ________________________________________________

Date of Competition - ____________________________________________________

Location of Competition - _________________________________________________

Has the team already been registered?(Circle) - Yes or No

Compliance with all ASU, SDOCOL, and EMCB Policies

Approved external moot court teams must comply with all current policies promulgated by Arizona State University (ASU), Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law (SDOCOL), and the Executive Moot Court Board (EMCB). It is the responsibility of all teammates to familiarize themselves of these policies and make diligent efforts to obtain the current version of these policies, event if not provided. Relevant polices include, but are not limited to, policies associated with plagiarism, representation, travel, funding, and academic dishonesty. A Replacement Teammate must sign below that they he or she has read and will comply with the relevant subsections

Academic Good Standing

Approval from the Dean or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs is required to indicate whether Replacement Teammate is in good academic standing. Forms without approval will not be considered.

Dean Signature: ________________________________________ Date: __________

By signing below, Replacement Teammate agrees they have read and abide by all ASU, SDOCOL, and EMCB Policies:

Replacement Teammate: _________________________________ Date: ___________

*Please deliver a completed copy of this form to your external l iaison for approval*

External Sub-Committee Use Only Date: __________________________

Participation: Approved or Denied (Circle One)

External Liaison Signature: ___________________________ Date: _________

External Chair Signature: _____________________________ Date: _________

Appendix C

Timeline Example This timeline covers all events after the team has assembled, acquired a coach and liaison, and been approved by the External Committee. Note that you can create a timeline much more detailed than this, but it should not be less detailed. This team had 6 months to prepare documents and acquire funding to compete in the preliminary rounds.

9/15 – Early registration deadline

9/16 – Plan time to meet with team and coach after problem releases. Make sure each teammate, all coaches and your liaison receive a copy of the External Packet and this timeline, completed as much as possible.

9/20 – Problem released (each teammate must read problem in detail and take notes before meeting)

9/23 – Meet to discuss problem, delegate roles, establish preliminary budget, and create brief outline, and set first draft deadline.

9/25 – Outline done. Delegate section tasks via email, and select one member to put all the sections together. Schedule time to meet and discuss outline with group. Reserve room immediately.

10/9 – First of four drafts due. Must be complete rough draft, from beginning to end.

10/11 – Discuss first outline. Meet with team and coach at lunch time in reserved library study room 225. Determine what needs to be changed, how arguments can be supported, and what needs sections need to be added or removed. Set deadline for second draft and date to meet with team after completion (and enough time for each member to read and make comments).

10/27 – Second draft due. Meet with team and coach at 2:30 in reserved room L109 to discuss second draft. This draft should have greater research, better structure, and fluid organization. All research and authority should be verified by all team members. Print each case in full and create a binder to keep all for easy reference during meetings. Plan third draft due date, time to meet after completion, reserve room, and coordinate tasks for third draft.

11/10 – Third draft due. Meet in library conference room (L100) at noon to discuss third draft. This draft should be largely edited in citation and grammar. Add complete indexes, table of contents and table of authorities. Since different members are doing different sections, ensure that the writing style is similar and cohesive (not repetitive or contradicting). Consistent citation format (italics throughout, no underlining). Consistent headings, same size, same font, same characteristics (bold, underlined, italicized, centered

or left justified). Ensure that everyone is on the same page. Plan final draft due date, time to meet after completion, reserve room, and coordinate tasks for final draft.

11/22 – Ensure each teammate chooses next semester classes that do not conflict with preliminary competition travel.

12/1 – Final draft due. Meet in library conference room (L100) at noon to discuss final draft. Ensure brief is perfect and complies with all competition rules (paper quality, format, etc.) Submit brief at least a week before it is due to ensure no errors in transfer. Brief due by 11:59pm on 12/15. Some competitions require submission in print, by mail. Make sure the printed version complies with all rules. Read rules to ensure the address and addressee name are correct. Schedule 8 practices within remaining time before competition (using doodle), send the dates to liaison to ensure he can get some EMCB timers for practices, and make sure coaches are able to attend the practices. Note, while there are only 8 practices, team members should be practicing by themselves during any free time they have.

12/1 to 12/15 – Break in process to focus all attention to studying for finals.

12/19 – Book Plane Tickets Due (at least 1-2 months in advance). Very detailed and finalized budget deadline for all teammates and coaches expenses.

12/21 – Due date for each teammate to complete a Travel Authorization Form. Start preparing for GPSA Group Travel Grant Funding. Sign-up for volunteering to get GPSA service. Everyone should look at the downloadable preview of the actual application (link provided in APPENDIX I of External Packet) and start thinking about ways to make each required response as articulate and persuasive as possible to ensure maximum funding.

12/23 to 1/1 – Break in process to spend time with family and enjoy the holidays.

1/6 – First Practice (all practices take place same time and location) Tuesday’s at 6PM in the Great Hall. (all practices recorded and distributed to all members and coaches for review). (The last 20 minutes of each practice, the team will go over responses to the GPSA funding application, and assign tasks related to making it the best possible. All questions not covered in the External Packet should be sent to liaison. The application should be taken just as seriously as the brief submitted for this competition).

1/13 – Second Practice.

1/15 – Group Travel Grant Applications for second cycle OPEN (only teammates expenses should be submitted to GPSA. The separate document for the coach’s expenses must be sent to your liaison, or Dean Trotta).

1/20 – Third Practice.

1/27 – Fourth Practice.

1/30 – Group Travel Grant Applications DUE. Submit at least 7 days in advance, and ensure your liaison has been part of the process and agrees that it cannot be made stronger.

2/3 – Fifth Practice.

2/10 – Sixth Practice.

2/17 – Seventh Practice.

2/24 – Final Practice.

2/25 – Date GPSA sends out award notices. Discuss with group to decide whether awards are sufficient to cover all major expenses. (By this point, if your team has realized that the price to travel exceeds the maximum award recoverable by GPSA, the team should be asking firms/or other sources for resources well before the competition (advertised as charitable write-offs), unless each teammate can cover the remainder out-of-pocket. Forward award notice to liaison and Dean Trotta and coordinate expenses the team wants reimbursed, if not covered in full.

3/6 – Flight to Minneapolis for preliminary round; Departure time 1pm.

3/7 – (Saturday) Competition First Round (Keep all receipts in designated and secure folder)

3/8 – (Sunday) Competition Second Round and Results. (Keep all receipts in designated and secure folder) TAKE GROUP PICTURE with any awards/metals won.

3/9 – Flight back to Arizona; Return Time 10am. (Note if you are missing class and you are worried that you may accumulate excessive absences, you should have completed the Classroom Conflict Excusal Form in APPENDIX F, as soon as you learned of the conflict).

3/10 – Submit all original receipts to your liaison or Dean Trotta. Submit the High Quality Photo and The Questionnaire (filled out by the member with the most legible print hand writing) to liaison.

6/1 – Ensure that all reimbursements have been received by this date. If not, inquire with Dean Trotta.

Appendix D Budget Example

This is an example of a very good Group Travel Budget. Individual Travel Budgets should only describe the expenses of the applicant applying, but be just as thorough. Notice that the request from GPSA is well below than the maximum allowed ($950 x 3 = $2850). The less you request, the better chance you have of receiving the full amount you are requesting. Showing transparency in your budget by telling the reviewer how you came up with your numbers will SIGNIFICANTLY help your group’s application.

Be sure to add any additional sources of funding to offset high costs and indicate all ways you tried to save money to make it as cheap as possible. If your funding exceeds the maximum award possible, and you have exhausted options for additional funding, indicate the total cost each member will have to pay out-of-pocket. Always submit your budget documents along with any other helpful documents when completing your application. If you have further questions, reach out to your liaison. To learn more about the university’s travel funding guidelines (what can and cannot be reimbursed) see Section 500 of the Financial Services Manual here.

Appendix E Academic Credit Approval Form

I . A student wishing to pursue moot court credit (up to 1 credit) must obtain the consent of a faculty member to supervise a brief rewrite and approval of the Dean’s Designee.

I I. Students must provide the following with this form to be reviewed by the Dean’s Designee:

1. Student transcript.

2. A description (at least one paragraph in length) of the area of law to be examined in the brief.

3. An explanation of the differences between the topic covered in the independent study and any other independent study the student has undertaken at the College of Law.

I I I . Faculty Supervisor

I, _____________________________, agree to supervise ______________________ (Faculty Member) (Student Name and ID#)

for 1credit hour of Independent study requiring a rewrite of their Moot Court brief. ________________________________ (Semester and Year)

This Independent Study will be (Circle): Graded or Pass/Fail __________________________________________ Professor’s Signature Name of Competition: ________________________________________________

IV. Previous Independent Study Enrollment

Complete the information requested below for each independent study course for which you have registered. Included those in which you have a grade of incomplete or withdrawal.

Semester

Faculty Supervisor

Credit Hours

Grade

Topic

V. Approved: ____ Disapproved: ____ ___________________________________________ ________________________ Dean’s Designee Date

Appendix F Classroom Conflict Excusal Form

Dear Professor ________________: I, _____________________________, have been preparing for the __________________________ moot court competition. I recently learned of a conflict between the time I will be out of town to compete and _____ of your scheduled class(es), as reflected in the course syllabus. I am bringing this to your attention because I fear that if I attend my competition as planned, I will be regarded by the administration as having “excessive absence,” which may result in failure of your course, _______________________. I understand that participation in Moot Court competitions are considered extra-curricular student activities. As such, I also understand that my participation in this competition cannot be undertaken at the expense of my primary responsibility: successful completion of my formal legal studies. Therefore, I must plan ahead with diligence to ensure that any absences due to Moot Court activities do not exceed the absences allowed by the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law administration and by yourself. For these reasons, I am kindly asking you to acknowledge and excuse these conflicting absences, provided in detail below, by signing and dating. This form is intended to serve as your understanding and consent to allow me to compete in this competition and avoid “excessive absence.” Note that I would not be asking you for such permission, and such permission would be void, if I was not, in fact, at real risk of obtaining “excessive absence” status as calculated using the most recent edition of the law school’s Statement of Student Policies at the time of my request for excusal from the scheduled classes indicated below, regardless of any miscalculation on my part. If you should be opposed to my excusal from the scheduled classes indicated below, maybe because it could been seen as unfair to other students, perhaps you can give me a reasonable assignment to make up for the predetermined missed class(es) due to my competition. If you prefer this option, please circle the word “Contingent” underneath the space for your signature. If you will not require me to complete a reasonable assignment to make up for the predetermined classes, please circle the word “Non-contingent” underneath the space for your signature, or leave it blank. If my travel dates shall change after you have signed this, I understand that that any unreferenced dates do not apply to this agreement, unless a new form is signed by you, indicating any new dates. Thank you for your time in reading this form and discussing these concerns with me.

I will be traveling to ______________________ on (date) ______ at (time) _______

and returning on (date) __________ at (time)__________.

These are the class(es), per your syllabus, that I request excusal from because they conflict with my competition: _________________________________________________________________

Professor Signature: ______________________________ Date: ______________ Contingent Non-Contingent

If “Contingent” is circled, I, ______________________________________, have a duty and responsibility to follow up with you by email with a request for instructions to complete a reasonable assignment as a make up. Should I fail to complete the assignment by the end of this current semester, this form shall be considered void.

Student Signature: ___________________________ Date: __________________

Appendix G

Travel Authorization Process Step 1: Provide your liaison or Dean Trotta with you full name, ASUrite ID, ASU Affiliate ID (the # on your student ID), and email address.

Step 2: After 3 or 4 work days go to https://cfo.asu.edu/myasutrip and fill out the online travel authorization form. About 2/3 of the way down the page on the left there is an option to Request Delegates. On that page select the blue Add button and type Stacey Porche in the search engine, then select the result and it should be added below. Make sure all the boxes to the right of the added name are selected. Then do the same thing with the names Melanie Knerr, and Victoria Trotta. SAVE THE PAGE before you go to the next step.

Step 3: Select the Requests tab in the upper left corner, then New Request tab just below it. The form should look like this. All sections with a red bar on the left are required.

1. The trip name should be the name of the competition. 2. The trip type is self explanatory and based on where your competition is located. 3. Your start and end dates should be the days you are travelling to and from not the

dates of the competition itself, unless those are the same. 4. The account number is EW11005 – MOOT COURT 5. Regardless of whether you are remaining in the city a little longer for personal travel

or now the trip SHOULD CONTAIN NO PERSONAL TRAVEL. Explain your situation to your liaison and they will advise you.

6. The business type is 2. Conference, it will require you to upload the event brochure. Something that describes the competition, where it is, what the conference hotels are. To attach, you must first select the blue Save button in the upper right, then select the blue Attachments button next to it. Then select Attach Documents. If you don’t have a scanner available to you, and don’t have the document already saved as a file on your computer, there is a scanner in the computer lab in the library.

7. The Conference/Event Host should be the organization sponsoring or hosting the event.

8. The reason for trip is “Travel for National Moot Court Competition” 9. You don’t need to fill out any other information on this page, DO NOT put any

information in the cash advance section. If you think you might need a cash advance, speak to your liaison about it first.

Step 4: Select the Segments tab to the right of this Request Header tab.

1. You must first find and select your flight. When you are applying for GPSA funding you

will need to justify why your selection is the best one, so you’ll want to look up the flight on Kayak or another travel search engine and compare the values (save that page as a pdf) so that you can attach it to your GPSA application. That is not necessary in this process.

2. Select the purple Flight button and put in the corresponding information for your flights. If you are not flying, speak to your liaison first and they can advise you.

3. In the comment section put your Airline and flight number 4. At the top, put the entire roundtrip flight value plus taxes/fees etc. This DOES NOT

include your baggage fees, if the airline you are flying an airline that has a cost association with bags, that is entered in a different point of the process.

5. Press save in the bottom right. 6. IF YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE TAXI’S INSTEAD OF PUBLIC TRANSIT SUBMIT ESTIMATES

OF THOSE UNDER THE YELLOW ICON. Use an estimator online to get an accurate estimate. Make sure you also factor in travel to and from the airport at the beginning at end of your trip if you need that cost.

7. Then select the brown Hotel button and this tab should pop up.

8. You will need to make your reservation for the hotel before you fill out this information. ASU, not GPSA funding, covers shared lodging, however there are a few caveats: A) If any of the teammates are of a shared gender they must share a room. B) The hotel should be the conference’s designated hotel unless one does not exist, and you should get in an email from the conference organizer that one does not exist so you have written evidence should it be challenged. C) If no conference hotel, ASU will reimburse for up to $149 a night, so you should get something cheaper than that so taxes, service & fees are included.

9. In the Comments section at the bottom of this page put the name of the hotel and address.

10. In the amount square at the top, put the total for all nights reserved, taxes, service & fees as one lump sum. If you are close or over the $149 a night value, explain the separate amounts for taxes, service and fees breakdown in the Comments section.

11. Remember to push the blue Save button at the bottom before you go to another tab.

Step 5: Select the Expenses tab to the right of this Segments tab. As you fill in the expenses for each of these categories, make sure you save the page at the bottom before you go on to another expense.

1. If you have any baggage fees for your flight, the Airline Fees option in the upper right of the list is where to enter it.

2. If you are taking public transit from the airport to the hotel, from the hotel to the conference location etc. you enter it under the bottom left selection on the list, Public Transportation. Make sure you look up online how much the trip will cost total so you can put the breakdown of a round trip ride in the Comment section. Also explain what the trip is for, “Transportation between hotel and conference location - $2.50 each way.”

3. Select the Daily Allowance option under meals, you’ll see that the values are already selected. This is because there is a per diem amount ($59) allowed by the school and based on your dates of travel the application selects that for you. Understand that you won’t be reimbursed for anything greater than that value per day.

4. If you believe that you will need to print materials while you are at the competition, that will be submitted separately, do not use the printing option in this list. Speak to your liaison.

5. Save the page before you select the Approval Flow tab. Here you should see Melanie Knerr and Victoria Trotta and Hal Haanes listed, if you don’t go back and make sure that you have added them as delegates because they must have access in order to approve your authorization.

Step 6: Select Submit Request. It should take you back to the Approval Flow page. Make sure that Melanie Knerr is listed there and Dean Trotta is listed as ATO. Press Submit Request again. Then go to the Audit Trial tab furthest to the right and it will show you that the request was sent. If it doesn’t say that, it hasn’t gone through.

Step 7: Print or save a copy of the authorization for your records, the information you submitted here will also be helpful for your GPSA application.

Step 8: Email your liaison that you submitted your request. Dean Trotta will be notified by the service that you have submitted a request.

Step 7: After you have traveled you should upload your receipts ASAP, because the reimbursement process can take a couple of weeks. If you don’t know how, don’t have access to a scanner, or have any issues, please reach out to your liaison.

To get to the page where you upload, go to the Expenses tab at the very top of the page, in the same line as the website’s title. Scroll down to the Available Receipts section and select add receipt (you’ll want to have saved them as a file or scanned them in already).

Appendix H

GPSA Individual Travel Grant Walkthrough Introduction

This program is highly competitive and funding is limited. For both the individual and group travel programs, applicants must justify their travel purposes and expenses and must use the requested funds for stated purposes and permitted reimbursable expenses. After students submit their applications for the individual travel grant program, each application is given to a GPSA peer reviewer (another graduate/professional student) who then scores the application. Each application is assigned to at least four reviewers to ensure the fairest score possible. Evaluation criteria include, justification for the travel, realistic and supported budget, and service to GPSA. Travel decisions can be appealed within five days of receiving a notification of denial.

Eligibil ity

Any ASU student registered for at least 1 graduate-level credit in a program of study at the time of application and the time of travel (summer enrollment not required) may apply for up to $950 per academic year.

When to Apply

An application must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM AZ on the 7th day of the month prior to the month of departure. (For example, if traveling on October 22, the online application is due no later than September 7th at 11:59 PM.) If you apply a month before the deadline for your travel, you may choose to re-submit your application if not initially awarded, or until you reach your max of $950.

GPSA will review applications for travel no earlier than 2 review cycles (months) prior to departure (For example, if you are traveling on October 22, the online application is due no later than September 7th at 11:59 PM but you can also apply for the August 7th cycle as well. Applications earlier than August 7th will not be considered). Notification emails are sent to applicants approximately three weeks after each cycle deadline (no later than the last day of the month). Each month constitutes a travel funding cycle.

Deadlines and completed information are essential to processing requests in a fair and orderly manner. In order to ensure the integrity of the application process, no exceptions will be made to program guidelines or deadlines. GPSA does not fund retroactively. To receive a funding award, you must apply before you travel.

A one-day grace period to the application deadline may be allowed for applicants traveling on the last day of a month to attend an event beginning on the first day of the subsequent month. For example, if traveling on July 31st to attend an event on August 1st, one may still apply by the July 7th deadline. Note: in order for this grace period to apply, applicants MUST list the first of the month as the start of the event. If an applicant puts the 31st on their application (even if conference talks don’t begin until the 1st), their application will be disqualified. In other words, if the applicant qualifies for this exception, the onus of responsibility is on them to record the correct dates on their application.

Reimbursable Expenses

In most cases, the Individual Travel Grant and Group Travel Grant will cover costs of airfare, fuel/mileage if driving your own vehicle, ground transportation (taxi, shuttle services, trains, public transportation), hotels/lodging, meals, and event registration.

The cost of your meals will be calculated on your ASU Travel Authorization (TA) form using the daily rate determined by ASU (per diem) for your destination. If you are submitting an electronic TA form, this will be calculated automatically. If you are submitting a paper TA form, this will be done by hand. All eligible expenses are reimbursable with an official invoice/receipt.

The Travel Grant will not cover the cost of rental cars, phone calls, internet access charges, or any expense prohibited by university policy. GPSA will not give travel advances for the individual travel grant for any reason.

Driving/Mileage Reimbursement

If you are planning to drive your own vehicle and request mileage reimbursement, the ASU Travel Department now requires extra documentation:

• At least 21 days prior to your departure date, you will need to print proof of airfare for your trip, to demonstrate to ASU that your mileage will cost less than flying. The Travel Department will reimburse drivers for either a) the cost of airfare + $50 estimated ground transportation OR b) the calculated mileage expense, whichever is less.

• If there are less than 21 days until your departure and you decide to drive, simply request an airfare quote for a flight to your destination 21 days from the current date. (It does not matter if the flight on the airfare quote matches your actual departure date.)

Strengthening Your Application

• Within the application, provide a well-composed and compelling argument for the significance of your travel and how it relates to success in your graduate program.

• Demonstrate outstanding service to GPSA, the university, and your field

• Submit a complete and realistic budget

• Ensure that no information is missing from your application, including a valid TA Form number (obtained from the ASU Travel Department at travel.asu.edu)

In addition, funding priority may be given to applicants who have not been awarded funds in the past. Please note that this is a highly selective grant competition. Correctly completing an application does not ensure funding. Each month, many excellent applications are not selected for the grant because of the large number of requests submitted and the limited availability of funds. If you applied early, you may be able to submit your application again. Some months are less competitive than others.

Multiple Awards/Applications

You may receive several individual travel grants within one year (i.e., July through June), for a maximum annual award of $950. Remember that you can receive a total of $950 for the individual and another $950 for the group programs (provided they are not going towards the same event).

Awardees’ Responsibil ities to GPSA

In addition to abiding by all program guidelines and requirements, grant recipients must agree to provide a brief written statement or sound bite describing how the travel grant contributed to their academic/professional development WITHIN 5 days after return, for use on the GPSA website and promotional materials. This should be submitted via the My ASU Trip system or in person to your liaison or Dean Trotta. Failure to comply may rescind your travel grant award. Additionally, acknowledgment of GPSA

support must be included on any academic posters, PowerPoint presentations, or any other materials presented or distributed at a conference or professional development event.

Application Process

Each student must submit an application through GPSA’s grant system. All students must first create a My ASU Trip profile and request in order to create an application. Then read the entire Zoom Grant page before beginning. • Select the Apply button next to Travel Grant programs, from the menu. • Select either “Individual Travel Grant: Professional Development” or “Group Travel Grant” • Once you have started a new Travel Grant application, you will be asked to provide general information

about yourself and the event you are planning to attend, information about the purpose of your travel (whether to participate in an academic conference or another professional development opportunity), and the costs of your trip. Be sure to complete the entire application; applications missing information will not be selected for funding.

• The application will ask for your Travel Authorization Form number. Applications that do not include a valid TA Form number will not be selected for funding. The application will ask you to designate the primary purpose of your travel and answer questions related to that purpose. Please only answer the questions related to your primary purpose, as those are the only questions that will be reviewed by the judges.

• You may save your application and return to it later in the system. Once you have completed the entire application form and reviewed it for errors, send it to you liaison to review if there is time. Once approved, make sure you have agreed to the grant rules and submit the application. Applications that have not been fully submitted by the deadline will not be considered for funding.

Application and Review Procedure

Travel Grant Reviewers score each application on a point system. Each section of the application is weighted differently, with GPSA service being the heaviest weight. The next few pages will provide examples of the actual applications that have received full funding and were scored with a 100% or 5 out of 5. There are 5 major sections in an application:

1. General Information; 2. Presentation Travel (which does not apply to moot court travel – so leave blank); 3. Other Travel; 4. Program Service; and 5. Budget Justification.

General Information Requirements

You must list: (1) The name of your competition; (2) the location including city, state, and country; (3) the name of the organization or group hosting the competition; (4) the host website; (5) departure date; (6) return date; (7) event start date; (8) event end date; (9) advisor name; (10) advisor email address; and (11) Travel Authorization number.

Notes: Make sure that you try your hardest to pick a flight time that arrives and leaves as close to the begin and end time of your competition. If you stay longer than is required, the reviewers will become suspicious of your justifications for hotel and food per diem rates. Your advisor name is Victoria Trotta. Her email is Victoria.Trotta@asu.edu. You should have completed your Travel Authorization form before applying to this application so that you have your form number ready to go.

Presentation Travel Requirements: None. Skip this section entirely and hit next.

Other Travel Requirements

You must: (1) Check the “yes” box that states your primary purpose for travel is to attend a competition; (2) provide an event description; (3) articulate your contribution; and (4) describe the benefit to the ASU Community upon your return.

Notes: In parts (2) through (4) use up all of your characters available to explain these sections. Ensure they are persuasive and articulate. For Event Description, you can normally find most of this information already articulated on the host website. Just ensure it is personalized. For Contribution, you can discuss the benefits of doing moot court in general (personal development, oral advocacy skills, real world experience before entering work, networking, etc.). The Benefit to ASU is the hardest one for law students to answer. Here are two good example of what some students (from different colleges) put as their responses:

“Presenting my work will support ASU's image as one of the leading research institutions and contribute to its vast body of scholarship. ASU will also benefit from my participation: - Presentations/discussions of feedback during invited talks to classes taught at ASU; - Sharing the feedback received and ideas generated by attending the conference during the lab meetings at ASU (Sociocultural and interdisciplinary labs in several departments I am part of). Prior conference attendance already resulted in improved methodology used in one of our labs.

I will share my experiences, in connection with this research, upon returning to ASU, with the possibility of a briefing or presentation.”

(See the Group travel grant walkthrough for additional advice on this part).

Service to GPSA and/or ASU Community Rubric. Two components of service need to be considered when scoring travel application: 1) How recently was the service carried out and 2) The length of time/time commitment of the service. Priority is given to current OR recent service. Recent service is regarded as service completed in the last academic year.

Rubric For Measuring GPSA and Community Service

Questions

Score = 0

Score = 1

Score = 2

Score = 3

Score = 4

Score = 5

To what extent does the applicant describe his/her record of service to GPSA and/or the community (department, field, etc.)?

No service record (This includes those who state they plan or would like to become involved in the future)

Provides a very vague description of service with GPSA

OR

Provides a very vague description of service in the community

Provides some service record with GPSA

OR

Provides some service record in the community

Provides a moderate service record with GPSA

OR

Provides a moderate service record in the community

Provides a moderate service record with GPSA

AND

Provides a moderate service record in the community

OR

Provides strong service in one but not the other

Provides a strong service record with GPSA

AND Provides a strong service record with the community (dept., field, etc.).

Example of Good Service 5 out of 5 score

Budget Justification Rubric

**Preference is given to people who demonstrate cost saving strategies (see below for examples)

Question

Score = 0

Score = 1

Score = 2

Score = 3

Score = 4

Score = 5

To what extent does the applicant describe a budget that is realistic, complete, and justified?

Provides no justification for itemized budget

OR

Itemized budget is entirely comprised of items that are not eligible for reimbursement (e.g. rental cars)

Budget is unrealistic (e.g. airfare, lodging, etc.)

OR Provides a very vague justification for itemized budget

OR

Budget contains items that are not eligible for reimbursement (e.g. rental cars)

Budget contains items that are unreasonable (e.g. lodging at $400 a night).

OR

Provides only a little justification for itemized budget

Budget is reasonable

OR

Makes a relatively good attempt at providing justification for the itemized budget

OR

Budget contains some errors/ inconsistencies

Budget is reasonable

AND

Provides strong justification for the itemized budget

AND

Demonstrates some cost saving strategies (e.g. other source of funding, shared rooming, shared cab or public transportation, airline ticket purchased in advance, etc.)

Budget is reasonable

AND

Provides strong justification for the itemized budget

AND

Clearly demonstrates cost saving strategies (e.g. other source of funding, shared rooming, shared cab or public transportation, airline ticket purchased in advance, etc.)

Example of a Very Good Budget Justification

Appendix I

GPSA Group Travel Grant Walkthrough

Instructions

The information below is what is necessary to complete the actual application. It also includes helpful tips not located on the GPSA website or within the instructions of the actual application. Most of the general information from the Individual Travel Grant information is the same, so please go back to Appendix H and read that first. Points to Keep in Mind

• Write your justifications, descriptions, or any other required sentences articulately. Write as if you will receive a grade on your ability to be clear, concise, and persuasive – because you will. Edit and re-edit all your responses before completing the actual application.

• Provide your responses to your assigned liaison before submitting the application to ensure there are little or no flaws in grammar, content, or thoroughness.

• Try to use up all the available characters, but do not if it means sacrificing persuasiveness or clarity.

• In all relevant explanations, show how you have been diligent in getting the most cost-effective budgets.

• Lastly, remember that the more you can impress the reviewers, the greater chance your team will receive full funding. Do not give them any reason to reduce your funding request.

Required Information

• The Full Name of the Competition (Max 100 characters) • The Competition’s Location (Include City, State, and Country) (Max 100

characters). o Only include information about the competition you are currently traveling to

(e.g., regionals), not nationals or internationals. • Competition Website that lists conference dates and locations (Do not include

http://) o Feel free to include multiple links if not all information is located on one page.

• Departure Date (mm/dd/yyyy) o Try to find a departure date as close to the start of competition as possible.

• Return Date (mm/dd/yyyy) o Try to find a return date as close to the end of the competition as possible.

• Event Start Date (mm/dd/yyyy) • Event End Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

• Main Contact Information (This is Team Mate #1) o Full Name o ASURITE ID (not 12 digit ID on Sun Card – Use Your ASUrite Sign-In ID) o Phone Number o E-Mail Address

• Advisor Information (This is Tory Trotta – EMCB’s Financial Faculty Advisor) o Full Name – Tory Trotta o Title – Associate Dean for the Ross-Blakley Law Library o Phone Number – (480) 965-2521 o Email Address – Victoria.Trotta@asu.edu

• Team Member Information – Must have all Team Member’s: o Full Names (For Team Mate #1 simply re-list the same information above

when completing). o ASURITE IDs o College Information.

• Event Mission Statement/Purpose (Max 900 Characters) o Almost all competitions have this on their website. Just copy and paste. Edit

to fit 900 characters if necessary. • Justification for the Need to Attend as a Group (Max 3000 Characters).

o The reasoning is simple for Moot Court Competitions – A certain number is required to participate. Those traveling must be necessary. While it is easy to justify the need to attend as a group, be sure to fill in any extra characters by describing (1) each teammates contributions; (2) The total amount of time you all have spent thus far and will likely spend preparing; and (3) how crucial each teammate’s contributions are to the success of your team. This list is not exhaustive.

• How will this event contribute to team members’ degree program completion or professional development? (Max 3000 Characters).

o The ideal answer is to show how participating in this event will contribute to each team member’s degree program completion AND professional development. However, the former is very hard to answer. It is easier to answer if you are getting academic credit for moot court. To find ideas about how this event will contribute to professional development refer to the beginning of this packet (purpose/about, etc.). Really, try to find creative ways to show how this event will contribute to member’s degree program. (e.g., going through this will help you in your appellate advocacy class where you are required to give an oral presentation at the end). Show examples for each student, if it is relevant. Be sure to use all characters.

• How will this program benefit the ASU community upon your return? What will you give back to the University by attending? (Max 3000 Characters)

o This is probably the hardest question given that participation in moot court is generally done for self-serving purposes. Again, try to be creative without making it seem like you are only saying what you are saying just to complete this question. Now is the time to think about what you will give back to the law community. Maybe say that you want to be an assistant coach for future teams since you will have experience, or perhaps you and your team want to help other teams go through the external competition process. Do not just say you are giving the university representation or that you will try to get them glory or a trophy. Say things that are not generic, well thought-out, and things that actually have value to others.

• Each teammate must describe his or her own service to the community, university, field of study, and GPSA. (Max 3000 Characters Each)

o List involvement in any pro bono, student organizations, volunteer experience outside the law school, volunteering for the law school in some capacity. Your team will be specifically graded on how much GPSA service your team has done. Granted most law students will not have much GPSA experience, but DO NOT say “you hope to get involved with GPSA in the near future.” This or something similar equals to a grade of zero for this response. There is a volunteer link on GPSA website located here. The least you should say is that you filled out an application to volunteer (in X, Y, and Z) (or better, say “you have signed up to volunteer in X, Y, and Z” regardless if you have yet to volunteer. There are many volunteering options. All of your teammates should sign-up. It does not take much time to volunteer and it will give you a great score if you do. Doing more than one volunteer option can only help.

Each team must provide an itemized budget for the amount required, the amount requested from GPSA, and any other funding sources. Enter a zero in the amount and N/A in the description if the category does not apply. Be sure to include all details. GPSA does not fund rental cars. Money for meals may be requested up to the amount calculated based your traveling location.

• Airfare (Total cost for your team) • Airfare Rationale (You are encouraged to fly on the most cost effective flights (e.g.,

coach, multi-stops, etc.) o If flying, describe how you found the cheapest airfare after doing an

extensive search. If the cheapest airfare requires you to stay longer than what is reasonable (1 day before and after the competition), you will have to show that your lodging costs and per diem meal costs for the extra time are less than what it would cost to get a flight closer to the start and end of your competition. Failure to do this analysis will result in serious reduction of GPSA award.

• Ground Transportation (Total cost for your team)

• Ground Transportation Rationale (Use the most cost-effective transportation) o If driving, be sure to include (from google maps) a snap shot of how many

miles your travel destination costs from any ASU campus to your travel site and back to the ASU campus. Email the snap shot to the email address listed at the end of this appendix. In this rational, tell them that the total travel money requested from GPSA towards ground travel is calculated based on the personal vehicle mileage reimbursement policy which is 44.5 cents per mile.

• Lodging (Total cost for your team) • Lodging Rationale

o Using the competitions venue hotel is always best, even if it costs a bit more than competitor hotels. Be sure to say that the hotel is the designated competition hotel and list any discounts you are receiving because of it. Do not mention that ASU Law will pay for same-sex lodging if you do not get GPSA funding. Funding for lodging by ASU Law is never guaranteed.

• What is the URL showing this is the conference/event hotel? o Provide the link without the http://

• Meal Costs (3 meals a day for each participant, not to exceed $59.00 a day each) o Meal Per Diem (university money authorized for food) was automatically

calculated when each teammate submitted a travel authorization form. • Meal Rationale (Breakdown of the cost per meal)

o Write out how your meal cost was calculated for each student and then do the math for a total.

• Event Registration Costs (Total for whole team) • Registration Rationale (Explain the cost and any discounts you are receiving or did

not receive). o Tell them the price and that you were able to secure your registration fee

funding from the law school. Be explicit in telling them that your requested amount from GPSA does not include this cost.

• List any other expenses not covered by GPSA (This could be external costs (e.g., wifi). Please total the amount and label items accordingly).

o It is unclear whether adding additional expenses will result in a higher award. If you do list additional expenses, make sure they are necessary and explain the necessity. Do not add unnecessary expenses – it may hurt your application.

• Total Group Expenses For Travel • Total Funding Requested From GPSA (Up to $950 For Each Student) • Are you receiving funding from the university or other funding sources? This does

not reduce your award amount, regardless of where the funds come from. It will disqualify your team if GPSA learns you are receiving other funds and you have failed to disclose it.

o Source Names o Source Amounts

! If you are receiving additional funds from elsewhere, great! It will help your application by showing you were diligent in exhausting other options before coming to GPSA.

! You can always list the law school as a source for additional funding, but only indicate the amount of the registration fee.

• Will you accept partial funding? o Always say yes. If you say no, and GPSA was only going to reduce your

requested award by a little, you will not receive anything at all. Saying no is essentially telling GPSA that if you do not receive full funding, you do not want any funding.

• Have any team members received GPSA travel funding this year? o If so, list the names of the team members who received funding, how much,

and when. • Will you need to email any additional documents to VpiaASU@gmail.com?

o IMPORTANT: You must send an email to this address saying your team is based out of the law school and that none of your teammates are student employees. It is important to mention that you would like to go through the group travel funding process similar to the individual travel funding process (i.e., reimbursement instead of advanced funds).

o Email other documents you were required to make, such as your timeline, budget (which is much more detailed than what is required in the application), snap shot of distance if ground traveling, your teams travel authorization numbers, and any other documents you think will give them more information that what is already on this application.

• Revise, share with your liaison and then Submit. o Note: If your liaison is taking too long to review your information, do not wait

to submit the application if the deadline is approaching. Email the chair of external competitions if your liaison has not replied within 48 hours. If you have any questions about this appendix, please contact your liaison for clarity.

Appendix J Questionnaire and High-Quality Photograph Form

Instructions

Please complete and submit this form to your liaison upon returning from your competition. Each time your team travels (be it preliminary or final rounds) your team must submit this form and a high-quality photograph of your team. Please have the teammate with the most legible print writing complete this form. Circle the answer in those questions that have underlined options. Thank you!

Questions

1. What was the full name of your competition? _________________________________________________________________ 2. Was type of round was this? Preliminary Final Other:________________________________________ 3. If this was a preliminary round, is your team going to finals, if any? Yes No Was Finals 4. What date did your team travel to the competition?

(Month)______________ (Day)____________(Year)____________ 5. Where did your competition take place? _______________________________________________________________ 6. Please state the full names of your teammates, your coach, and yourself. Teammate 1: Teammate 2: Teammate 3: Coach: 7. Did your team place or receive any awards? If so, what were they? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Did this competition require any specific knowledge about a particular law? Also, please

describe in detail the type of law implicated? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What was your overall impression of this competition? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. What are some things you wish you and your team would have known going into this competition? Stated another way, what advice can give to future competitors to help them succeed?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Would your team do this competition again (please be honest)? Why?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. What were the top 3 most beneficial things you or your teammates got out of

competing in this competition?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. Do you have additional comments or advice that would be beneficial for future

competitors? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. May future competitors contact you by email if they want to inquire more about

your experience? (list all teammate emails available for reference)

No Yes, you can reach out to: (provide name of teammate and email address)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendix K - Relevant ASU Law Statement of Student Policies 2015-16 II. Eligibility for Juris Doctor Degree H. Graduate Writing Requirement 1. Procedure (p. 13)

“Moot Court briefs cannot be used to satisfy the Graduation Writing Requirement.”

XIV. Special JD Curriculum Policies G. External Moot Court Participation (p. 44-45)

“Students may participate in external Moot Court activities, for academic credit or not, with the prior approval of the [External Competitions Sub-Committee] . . .

Students who are involved in external Moot Court competitions must indicate whether they wish to earn academic credit for competing. Students may earn one Moot Court credit for external Moot Court participation if approved by the [External Competitions Sub-Committee]. Moot Court credit can be granted if:

1. The student writes a minimum of 3,750 words of a brief (if multiple team members, each team member must be responsible for a minimum of 3,750 words);

2. The student participates in a minimum of five (5) practice oral arguments; and

3. The student rewrites the brief (or his/her portion of the brief) under the supervision of the faculty supervisor, following the competition.”

V. Attendance “Attendance at classes, seminars, and other offerings is an essential element in successful academic. An instructor in any law school course, seminar, or other offering may withdraw a student for excessive absence. Withdrawal for excessive absence in any course, seminar, or other offering may be recorded as a failing grade (E) . . . or as a withdrawal (W), at the discretion of the instructor. ‘Excessive absence’ is defined as unexcused absence from more than 15% of class or other instructional time. This definition shall apply to all 500 level courses and 600 & 700 level courses with an enrollment of 20 or more students. An instructor in a 600 or 700 level course or other offering with an enrollment of less than 20 may define "excessive absence" differently, with notice to students before the end of the first week of instruction.” (Emphasis added). IX. Grading

G. Instructor’s Assessment and Grading (p. 29) “Students are expected to . . . attend all classes in their entirety, without tardiness. In all courses, instructors may consider unexcused absence, tardiness, and contributions to class discussion in assigning grades. This policy statement shall constitute. . . . As set forth in Section [V], an instructor may withdraw a student . . . for excessive absence.” (Emphasis added)

Appendix L External Competitions Checklist

□ Print, save, and read this entire checklist before you do anything else.

□ Research and select an interesting competition. Find important dates and determine whether which semester would be best to compete. Start creating your timeline now. It is recommended to create a google doc that can be modified and accessed later by your future teammates.

□ Request an External Committee Liaison from the Chair of External Competitions.

□ Find the required number of teammates to compete. Ensure that each is in good standing and responsible. Give them the External Packet, if they have not already received it.

□ Find a faculty professor or current lawyer in the community willing to be your coach. Inform him or her of their responsibilities and ensure they have knowledge of the area of law your competition involves. Once a coach is on board, update your timeline with dates of scheduled practices and drafts of briefs due. Reserve rooms accordingly.

□ Complete the “Team Authorization Form” and have the registrar sign off stating each teammate is in good standing with the college. Submit the form to your liaison and wait for approval from the External Committee. If traveling internationally (be it preliminary or finals), you must receive additional approval from the administration before being approved.

□ Once approved, contact your liaison and ask what date the registration will be paid. Ensure that it is paid on the indicated date. Also, submit your preliminary budget and timeline.

□ Start preliminary team and coach budgets. If you are serious about attending this competition and you want to save money, purchase your plane tickets immediately. This will allow you to use the extra money you save from booking early to be applied towards other expenses. This will also increase your chances of receiving funding because it will show diligence.

□ Determine whether you would like academic credit for moot court and submit your application to the registrar’s office once you have secured a faculty advisor to be your professor.

□ Determine whether your trip conflicts with any classes you have and fill out the “Class Absence Form” if you will be missing enough class to be charged with “excessive absence” per the ASU College of Law Statement of Student Policies. Keep this record in your personal possession. It is recommended that you make a digital copy to prevent loss.

□ After you have created a detailed team budget, each teammate must complete the Travel Authorization Form and notify Dean Trotta (Victoria.Trotta@asu.edu) immediately afterwards with your travel authorization number.

□ Determine which GPSA funding route works best for your team (Individual or Group) and begin working on creating very articulate responses to predetermined questions and establishing a very transparent budget of all expenses and what your team is requesting from GPSA. Be sure each teammate has GPSA service, as that is the biggest factor for being funded. Start working on this

application as soon as possible, and at least 2 months in advance before applying. Be sure to update your timeline with all relevant funding dates. Each time you make substantial revisions to your budget and application, share it with your liaison to ensure it is high quality. Your liaison is trained to look for ways to strengthen your application.

□ After receiving your notice of award from GPSA’s Internal Affairs Committee, forward the email to your liaison and Dean Trotta so that they can start working out the allocation process. Your team has discretion how allocate the funds, so work with Dean Trotta to ensure you are satisfied with how reimbursement will work.

□ While traveling, ensure that all of your teammates save their receipts and have each teammate’s name on the receipt (and card, if possible) when purchasing services or items that are reimbursable. Ensure that each teammate is aware of what is not reimbursable before traveling (see both individual and group travel guidelines for more details). Things like alcohol, personal items, and gifts are not reimbursable.

□ During competition and immediately after receiving a placement, if any, your team must take a high quality photograph of your whole team and your coach with any medals or trophies. Send this to your liaison before or at the time of sending your teams mandatory Questionnaire Form. The EMCB would like to track their approved teams and show case any victories on the EMCB website, and use the questionnaire for future students. EMCB will also post on the daily disclosure any placements your team receives, and would like to have a picture to share. If you forgot to take a high quality photograph, simply plan a time for your teammates to dress up and take a photograph at the school. Bring your trophy or any awards.

□ Once your high quality photograph and questionnaire are submitted to your liaison, you may start the Travel Reimbursement process. Contact your liaison and Dean Trotta to begin. Put a note to take a high quality photograph and complete the questionnaire in your timeline.

□ You should receive your reimbursements by check within 4-10 weeks. If you have direct deposit set up, inform Dean Trotta that you would rather have it sent to your registered account.

□ It is recommended that your team purchase a “thank you” card for your coach for volunteering his or her time to help you. It also would not hurt to get one for your liaison, and anyone else who has substantially helped you throughout the process. You would be surprised at how far a simple “thank you” will go in the future.

□ All competitors (and their coaches) who successfully complete an external competition are invited to attend the annual banquet, which takes place at the end of the school year. Please RSVP with your liaison if you plan on attending (and if you plan on bringing guests). Feel free to indicate this invitation to your coach on the “thank you” letter to him or her, if you choose to do so.