An electronic news service for international students and scholars, owned by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at Binghamton University, State University of New York
Visit ISSS on the Web! http://isss.binghamton.edu
Editor’s Note: Staff in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services will be unavailable on Tuesday, August 16 from 11:45am to 1:30pm while they attend a University event.
Have you changed your address? Report your new US address to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services and fulfill your federal SEVIS responsibilities at the same time. Visit the following web link: http://saffairs.binghamton.edu/isss/webforms/changeofaddress/
CONTENTS:
1. Arrival of New International Students
2. Your Student Bill for Fall 2011
3. Employment Walk-In Hours Suspended Until Tuesday, August 30
4. Health Insurance Walk-In Hours Cancelled on Tuesday August 23
5. Summer Office Hours End August 19, 2011
6. ISSS Staff Availability During the Week of August 22
7. Latest News on the Diversity Green Card Lottery
1. Arrival of New International Students
Next Monday, August 22 will be the first day of new international student orientation. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services thanks the many students who have assisted our new arrivals. International Student Orientation check-in will be in the University Union Old Union Hall from 10:00am to 2:30pm on August 22. There are different orientation schedules for graduate students, undergraduate students, exchange students and Dual Diploma students from Turkey. All of the orientation schedules are now posted. They can be viewed at the following links:
Undergraduate Students:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/orientation/fall/undergraduate/program2011.html
Dual Diploma Students from Turkey:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/orientation/fall/dual-diploma/program2011.html
Undergraduate Exchange Students:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/orientation/fall/ugexchange/program2011.html
Graduate Students:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/orientation/fall/graduate/program2011.html
Graduate Exchange Students:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/orientation/fall/graduate/gradexchangestud2011.html
The orientation program features special presentations on the immigration regulations that all new students are required to know. We wish our new students "welcome" and much success with their academic program.
Although Orientation is still a week away, many new international students have begun to arrive on campus. If you happen to meet a new student, please be sure to direct them to the office of International Student and Scholar Services. Although ISSS will not be photocopying visa documents until Orientation, ISSS is recording new student arrivals and distributing their very helpful early arrival information sheet. ISSS looks forward to welcoming another large entering class of new international students this Fall!
2. Your Student Bill for Fall 2011
Student bills are generated for the Fall 2011 semester if there is a course registration record created first. In the absence of registration, an E-bill is generated if there is a balance from other Fall 2011 charges such as room (for undergraduates), meal plan (if applicable) or previous miscellaneous charges such as Library Fines, Parking Fines, Room Damages, etc.
So if you have advance registered for the Fall 2011 semester, an email announcement of your student bill was sent to your Binghamton.edu account early last week. Similar email notifications were sent to any authorized user that you have set up on your student account.
Please read the following essential announcement: The SUNY University Centers have been granted authority by recently passed state legislation to increase tuition and some fees. However, certain administrative actions and approvals are still required before these increases can be charged. Thus, the tuition and fee rates stated on your student bill for the Fall 2011 semester may change. Your bill notification is being sent with the tuition and fees rates that are currently in effect for the Fall 2011 semester. These amounts are due and payable by the due date on your student bill. If necessary, revised bills with any applicable changes will be issued later.
Your student bill is posted at http://bubrain.binghamton.edu. The bill statements can be viewed on BU Brain http://bubrain.binghamton.edu Find the “student tools” menu. Click on the “Student Accounts” menu. Click on the "QuikPAY-Web Payments" and re-enter your username and password. Once in QuikPAY, click on "View Accounts" to view, print and pay the bill.
Please visit the Student Accounts home page, http://www2.binghamton.edu/student-accounts/ for additional information. Also review the payment information at:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/student-accounts/paypro.html
Note that student bill notifications are sent electronically to your BU e-mail address, student bills are not mailed.
Students who hold tuition scholarships are reminded that they are still responsible for student fees. For information on fee rates, go to:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/student-accounts/WebRateDocumentRates2011-12.pdf and view page two which is the page for non-residents.
When viewing the rate table, remember to add the mandatory $80/semester International Student Administrative Fee (if you are in F or J status), and the International Student Heath Insurance Fee of $477.00 (unless you are receiving an insurance adjustment due to your employee health insurance benefit).
If you have questions regarding payments, contact the office of Student Accounts. Their e-mail address is stuaccts@binghamton.edu The Office of Student Accounts can also be reached by telephone at: 607-777-2702, by fax at 607-777-2053. and http://www2.binghamton.edu/student-accounts/
3. Employment Walk-In Hours Suspended Until Tuesday, August 30
Karen Keefe-Guzikowski and Shawna Szabo of the ISSS staff are involved in orientation preparation and training activities this week and next. As a result, the usual Tuesday afternoon 1:30pm to 3:15pm walk-in hours for employment questions are suspended until Tuesday, August 30.
4. Health Insurance Walk-In Hours Cancelled on Tuesday August 23
The usual Tuesday morning walk-in hours for health insurance that are normally held from 10:15am to Noon are cancelled on Tuesday August 23, while staff participate in orientation activities. There will be health insurance walk-in hours this week, on August 16. After that, the next health insurance walk-in hours will take place on Tuesday, August 30.
5. Summer Hours End August 19, 2011
University summer office hours of 8:00a.m.-4:00p.m. will end at the close of business on Friday, August 19, 2011. The University will return to the core office hours of 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2011. Please note that many offices, including International Student and Scholar Services post different service hours for the public.
6. ISSS Staff Availability During the Week of August 22
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services will be open for regular office hours throughout the week of August 22, except on Wednesday August 24. However, most staff will be away from the office during much of the week, participating in various New Student Orientation activities.
This means that obtaining appointments, document processing and responses to e-mails may take somewhat longer than usual while staff takes care of the newest class of international students. ISSS thanks you for your patience and understanding!
7. Latest News on the Diversity Green Card Lottery
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently conducted a second random lottery to select winners of the 2012 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery. The DV 2012 new winners have been finalized and posted. All DV 2012 applicants must check the official lottery website at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ to learn whether their applications were selected. Please note that this is the only notification that lottery winners will receive. There will be no letters, and no emails.
Individuals who entered the DV 2012 lottery should check the website to find out if they were or were not selected.
Readers of ISSS-BU News know that in late Spring 2011, the Department of State had to void the initial lottery results because the selection was not done properly. See this link: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/isss-bu-news/2011/may162011.html#two for additional information.
The State Department also warns that there are numerous scams to defraud foreign nationals by sending fake emails or letters, asking that payment be sent for some type of fraudulent program.
Avoid becoming a victim! The Department of State does not notify lottery winners by paper mail or by email. The only means by which DV 2012 lottery winners can determine whether they are selected is by checking the official lottery website.
This is different from previous years, when the DOS Kentucky Consular Center mailed notification letters to successful DV applicants. Please go to this link on the US Department of State website for full information on the Diversity Visa Lottery for fiscal year 2012:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html
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