An electronic news service for international students and scholars, owned by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services atBinghamtonUniversity, State University of New York
Visit ISSS on the Web! http://isss.binghamton.edu
CONTENTS:
1. International Student Graduation Reception and Sunday’s Fall Commencement Ceremony
2. Take a Study Break on Tuesday, December 13. Free Food!
3. Part-Time Job Opportunity for a Graduate Student in the Office of Enrollment Management
4. This Week’s Campus and Community Connections Newsletter
5. ISSS Operational Hours to the Public Change on Monday, December 19
6. Holiday Curtailment Period for International Student and Scholar Services
7. Paychecks and Direct Deposit Advices during Semester Break
8. Application Deadline for Faculty-Student Scholarship Program is February 22
9. Income Tax Issues [2]
1. International Student Graduation Reception and Sunday’s Fall Commencement Ceremony
There was a very nice attendance at Saturday night's Fall International Student Graduation Reception! We hope that everyone enjoyed the evening. The ISSS thanks the event’s co-sponsor: The Office of International Programs for helping to make this event possible. Photos taken at the Reception and at Sunday’s Commencement Ceremony will be posted to the ISSS webpage by this Friday, December 16.
More than four hundred BU students received Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees at the Fall 2011 Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, December 11. We congratulate the many international students who participated in the ceremony!
2. Take a Study Break on Tuesday, December 13. Free Food!
Both Undergraduate and Graduate students are invited to take a study break on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, from 8:00pm to 11:00pm in Bartle Library North Room 1402 (first floor lobby, opposite the Library Entrance). Free food and beverages will be served. Relieve stress and take a break! This event is sponsored by the Tau Sigma Transfer Honor Society.
3. Part-Time Job Opportunity for a Graduate Student in the Office of Enrollment Management
The Office of Enrollment Management has a job opening for a part-time graduate student at $10.00/hour. The person in this position will develop, maintain and run reports in SAS and Hyperion, assist with providing analysis of data and assist in compiling and formatting data.
Job Requirements: Graduate student with experience working with data and databases; experience with statistical and database software (SAS, SPSS, etc.) and proficient with Excel; Interest in social science or educational research
Submit resume via email to Krista Medionte-Phillips kmediont@binghamton.edu
4. This Week’s Campus and Community Connections Newsletter
The latest Campus and Community Connections newsletter has been posted at:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/cce/connect/CCC-Fall2011-18.docx.pdf
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) publishes Campus and Community Connections to provide BU students with information on ways to participate in activities both on campus and in the local community, including:
* Upcoming Campus & Community Events
* Volunteer & Service Opportunities
* Internships (Credit & Non-Credit)
* Community-Based Research Project
Previous newsletters are archived at: http://www2.binghamton.edu/cce/campusconnect.html
For more information on the Center for Civic Engagement, visit http://www2.binghamton.edu/cce/
5. ISSS Operational Hours to the Public Change on Monday, December 19
Beginning Monday, December 19 and continuing through Friday, January 13, many University offices will operate with reduced hours. For the ISSS, hours to the public during this time period will be weekdays from 9:30am to 3:45pm, except Thursdays, when the hours will be 11:30am to 3:45pm. Phones will be answered from 8:00am to 4:00pm weekdays. The ISSS will resume regular academic year operational hours on Monday, January 16.
6. Holiday Curtailment Period for International Student and Scholar Services
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services, along with most other university offices, will be participating in what is traditionally known at the University as the "holiday curtailment" period. The official holiday curtailment starts at the close of business on Friday, December 23, 2011 with offices re-opening on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. During this period, there will be no mail delivery into or out of offices. Voice mail, e-mail and fax will be monitored periodically, but not every day.
International students and scholars who have paperwork that needs to be processed by the ISSS should note these dates and anticipate that after Friday, December 23, there will be a wait until January 3 before work resumes. It is strongly recommended that any requests for documents be made no later than December 15 to assure timely processing. Remember not to wait until the last minute!
7. Paychecks and Direct Deposit Advices during Semester Break
This year, there is no faculty/staff/graduate assistant payday during the period between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Questions regarding paycheck or direct deposit advice distribution should be directed to Shawn at smiller@binghamton.edu, or 607-777-6284.
8. Application Deadline for Faculty-Student Scholarship Program is February 22
Faculty and staff are asked to remind students that the deadline to apply for the 2012-2013 Faculty-Student Scholarship Program is Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012. Applicants must be juniors, seniors or graduate students during the 2012-13 academic year, and have a 3.2 cumulative GPA. Recipients will earn $3,200 working 10 hours per week during the fall and spring semester in one of the following on-campus sites/positions:
Details and application available at:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/financial-aid/types-of-aid/scholarships/index.html.
Income Tax time is coming soon. Today ISSS-BU News answers some important tax questions for you.
Q. I’ve recently received a form W-8 BEN from my bank. What should I do with this form?
A. For those students who receive a form W-8 BEN from their bank, it is usually because you have opened up an interest-bearing account. It is important that you complete the form and return it to your bank to certify your foreign status. For complete information on how to fill out form W-8 BEN, go to the following web link: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/taxes/formw8.html
Q. I am a full-time student at Binghamton, but I also receive a GA, TA or RA stipend. Is the stipend considered to be wages?
A. Yes, GA, TA, and RA stipends are all considered WAGES. Adjunct stipends are also wages. In general, if you receive payment for performing a service, that is considered to be wages and is taxed as income. Students with GA, TA or RA stipends are considered to be part-time employees.
The State or Research Foundation payroll offices will issue form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) in late January for wages you earned in calendar year 2011. The information on the W-2 will need to be included on your income tax return.
Q. During the 2011 calendar year, I worked at locations other than Binghamton University (for example, employment at a previous U.S. college or university, or authorized off campus employment). Should I be receiving a Wage and Tax Statement (form W-2) from that employer?
A. Yes! Each employer for whom you worked in 2011 is required to issue you a wage and tax statement prior to the end of January. However, students often change their addresses, so your former employer may not have your current address. Now is the time to contact your previous work places and inform them of your current address so that the W-2 form can be sent to you in a timely manner. Remember, by law, all employers MUST report your earnings to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. So, failure to receive a form W-2 from an employer does not eliminate the requirement that you report all taxable income earned from that employer.
Q. If I receive an email message from the US Department of the Treasury or the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) asking me for personal information, is it legitimate?
A. The IRS NEVER sends an email about any tax related issue to a taxpayer. There are A LOT of phishing schemes out there that look very legitimate, including one that “comes” from the IRS. The IRS will ALWAYS send a letter to the address on the last tax return or tax form filed so if you receive an email “from” the IRS, it is a fake - do not click on any links and never provide any personal or banking information.
Q. Is there anyone who can assist me with completing my U.S. Tax Forms?
A. The ISSS provides free income tax compliance software, known as Glacier Tax Prep (formerly known as CINTAX), to all international students, international faculty and scholars, and international alumni who are eligible to be considered as non-residents for tax purposes (see the next paragraph for information on what qualifies someone to be a non-resident. Glacier Tax Prepprovides an easy to use web interface for entering information regarding your income tax liability, and then enters the information onto the required forms so that you can print them. Glacier Tax Prepis password-protected so that only you have access to the information. Do not attempt to complete your income tax forms using the e-filing options recommended by the Internal Revenue Service. It is not possible to e-file tax returns if you are a non-resident for tax purposes. Information about how to access and use Glacier Tax Prep will be announced in January.
International students in F or J status for 5 years or less (since 2007 or later) and their dependents, file tax forms as non-residents. Research scholars or faculty in J-1 status for 2 years or less (since 2010 or later) also file as non-residents.
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